They say you’re supposed to go on a babymoon sometime in the second trimester to spend quality alone time with your partner before all things baby happen. I say it’s just another excuse to take a vacation, right?!
In fact, Tony and I really haven’t been on a vacation for quite some time. The last time we were supposed to go on vacation (in Turkey!), we ended up cutting it short because I was very, very sick. This time I’m hoping for a different outcome. 🙂
August was a busy month for us both personally and professionally.
Tony and I have had a ton of baby appointments, weddings, friends and family in town and of course, our kitchen remodel! I still have yet to start my baby registry but I do know that I want to keep it minimal to the things we’ll actually USE and NEED once baby arrives. I don’t want to get too caught up in getting outfits, toys or stuffed animals; we live in the city and don’t have a ton of extra storage for all things baby.
So, I must ask: What are your TOP 3 recommendations for a baby registry?! Also, where did you register? Leave them in the comments below. I’m all ears!
On the work front, I have some very exciting news: we are TRULY almost ready to launch the brand new Ambitious Kitchen website (this has been a year and a half in the making!). Features will include an enhanced search, searching by specific ingredients, the ability to search by multiple ingredients or dietary need, dietary categories, a shop full of all of my favorite product recommendations and SO MUCH MORE!
Overall, we’ve really spent time focusing on making the website incredibly user friendly on both mobile and desktop, and making the website less like a blog and more like a true way to discover delicious, healthy recipes to fuel your health journey.
I have to say, even talking about it gets me all jazzed up.
What I’m looking forward to in September
Besides the new site launch, I’m looking forward to quite a few things: registering for baby stuff, getting the nursery ready, my best friend’s wedding in Detroit, a family wedding in Charleston, SC (whew tons of travel!), and finally buying some maternity jeans from Madewell since I can’t fit into any of mine.
As far as recipes goes, you can look forward to recipes that focus on meal prep, weeknight dinners, healthy snacks and a few VERY delicious treats (including a pumpkin bread!). If you have any specific requests, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below!
Recipes from August
In case you missed it, here are all of the recipes published in August:
Peach, Tomato & Corn Arugula Pasta Salad
Summer Garden Crustless Zucchini Pie
Peanut Butter Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal
The Best Zucchini Brownies You’ll Ever Eat
One Pan Enchilada Zucchini Turkey Meatballs and Rice
Healthy Marbled Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
Spiced Zucchini Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
The Best Healthy Zucchini Recipes
3-Ingredient Pineapple Mango Smoothie (with a fun boozy option!)
Easy, Healthy Smoothie Recipes
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
One Pan Green Chicken & Rice (Green Arroz Con Pollo)
Homemade Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (yogurt cucumber sauce!)
Thick and Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder
Personal posts from August
I mentioned that I would be going back to more personal storytelling in my blog posts and am loving it. Here are some personal posts you may have missed:
My Thoughts on Pregnancy & Weight Gain
Things we loved in August:
This sale at Soludos is unreal. Adorable platform sandals, wedges and more!
Sandals from revolve: I got these gorgeous yellow sandals and they’re so comfy!
PF candle co incense: my absolute favorite incense!
Binto vitamins and prenatals (use the code ‘ambitiouskitchen’ for 20% off your first order!)
Babo botanicals tinted moisturizer: obsessed with this tinted SPF moisturizer for under makeup!
Columbia hiking boots: wearing these my entire Portland trip!
Compression socks: because a preggo lady needs them.
Babo moisturizing stick: perfect for dry skin or to use as a chapstick. Love it!
Headband from Anthro because who doesn’t love a good 90’s throwback?
Mineral fusion lipstick in alluring: I got a ton of questions on which lipstick I’ve been wearing lately so I’ve included it here!
Babo lipgloss kit: absolutely obsessed with this natural lipgloss kit. The most gorgeous colors!!
These sunglasses are my ride or die.
Love to Dream Swaddle Ups were a lifesaver!! Congratulations!
oh how nice, you look wonderful 🙂
Thanks Joanna! 🙂
Hi Monique! I would love to have a basic cornbread recipe to serve with your amazing pulled chicken! Also, when will you be publishing a cookbook?
Hi Allie! I have some delicious cornbread muffins here that would be great. Stay tuned for a cookbook in the future 🙂
As a minimalist new mom (11 weeks old tomorrow!) my top 3 baby items are:
1) Agreed! Haaka Pump has saved ounces of milk daily, especially during those night feedings when he only feeds on one side. Very small and inexpensive.
2) Love to Dream swaddle. Our little guy hated having his arms swaddled so this was perfect to keep him snug at night and during naps, but with his arms up.
3) Ubbi diaper can. Recommended by another mom, it uses regular kitchen trash bags so you don’t have to spend extra money on special bags. And it keeps the stink in!
Congratulations on your little one!
Congrats on the new arrival – I had #3 10 months ago and my list of necessities evolved over time but I would say:
1. Swaddles – they work to swaddle, as a burp cloth, soft tissue for snot, a place to lay the baby down, to cover the car seat or stroller from sun – swaddle blankets are work horses.
2. Fisher Price rock n play – nothing beats it for newborn sleeping and it folds easily. I’ve shared one with a few friends, it always finds a home.
3. A great stroller and carrier. I had my first in Boston 6 years ago and the second two in Canada, in my opinion nothing beats the Uppa Baby for snow and slush. It’s expensive but ours is 6 years old and like new – the company has a great warranty and is easy to work with. Also has a pretty high resale value. We finally landed on the Ergo 360 with infant insert for a carrier but I also love the Moby for the first couple of months.
I’m not sure if you have friends with babies but I share a lot of more short term baby things (playmats, circles of neglect, rock n play, bouncy chairs, mamaroos etc) with friends – saves on space and cost.
This isn’t for baby but I can’t recommend the high chair from Ikea more – inexpensive, easy to clean, fairly small and in some ways easier than a lobster chair.
Check out Lucies List – terrific help to keeping things minimal. https://www.lucieslist.com
Just make sure you read all the safety information about the rock’n’play! Rest is super important for both moms and babies, so I don’t judge anyone who uses it for overnight sleep (I did myself!) but it was recommended to me by someone who didn’t mention the potential risks and I wish I would have known and just been more certain that I was making an informed choice.
But overall, I totally agree with you that borrowing/sharing among friends is the way to go! There’s also so much gently used secondhand stuff for sale…better for the planet and for your pocketbook!
Congrats on your first bundle!
1. Wildbird Ring sling! Hands down best carrier/wrap especially when they are so tiny. Keeps baby close to you while having free hands.
2. Hauka pump! If you plan to breastfeed this thing is the bomb. Catches the leaking milk (don’t waste that liquid gold!)
3. Aden and Anais bamboo swaddles. Silky soft and can be used for so much
So I’m still expecting (Due 10/2!) but I registered via Babylist. I liked it because it showed ppl all of the locations where the item was for sale & then they could choose where to buy from. I also could essentially combine multiple registries this way.
As a fellow Chicagoan, space is similarly a concern. I focused on a backpack diaper bag & researched carriers as I knew I’d do that more often than a stroller especially with the El. Also the Hatch baby Rest which combines a nightlight, soundmachine & clock (including colored lights for kids who can’t tell time yet) was a favorite registry item.
My favorite baby carrier was the ergo baby original style. I tried several things over the course of three babies including wraps and this one felt the best for me and held the baby in a way that looked the most comfortable while still quick to put on and not too hot.
https://ergobaby.com/
Terrible name, but my favorite nursing pillow: https://www.mybrestfriend.com/
So nice to have with a first baby when you might still be figuring things out, helps support him when you are tired and lets you sit almost anywhere around your home. SO worth the space it takes up.
What an exciting time for you guys!
Inexpensive items: 1) Boppy or other pillow to assist with breastfeeding, 2) Breadtfeeding cover-up (with wire so you can peek in on your baby) ONLY if YOU would feel uncomfortable without one, 3) baby nail clippers.
Expensive items: 1) Ergo baby carrier, 2) Bob or similar jogging stroller, 2) Front carrier/wrap (the Ergo is great for this but not as much when they’re really tiny, though they have inserts for the first few months. I just preferred a separate front carrier). Some take some practice!
Enjoy your Babymoon!
Loving all your stories and posts on pregnancy. So exciting. My top 3:
1 – Burp cloths and bibs from Copper Pearl. They are the BEST. Absorb the most and are super cute.
2 – Baby Bjorn bouncer. Pricey, but totally worth every penny
3 – Nose frieda. Totally gross concept, but definitely necessary when they get colds.
#1 Burp rags!! We had a friend get us cloth diapers to use as burp rags and they are awesome. Big and absorbent. Also make a good addition to the changing table to help catch any explosions 🤪
#2 Swaddle blankets. We got a lot of the swaddler things with Velcro, but our baby didn’t like having her arms wrapped up so we ended up just using blankets around her legs. They also make great nursing covers and car seat covers.
#3 Diaper genie. Holds a lot of diapers and leaves no smell!
#4 (sorry one last thing!) A changing table with a dresser underneath. Keeps all of the clothes organized and in an easy to reach place, and saves your back from having to bend over to change diapers. We went with the Dream On Me Addison (and got the matching crib) and it has been perfect.
I registered on Amazon because we didn’t live super close to family and this allowed them to send things directly to us. I also made the registry from home on the couch! They have a pretty good selection of stuff. We do get diapers and wipes at Costco though.
Best of luck! I love hearing your adventures. ❤️❤️
Looks like a wonderful trip!! Excited for all the recipes to come in September.