When I learned about the Gerber Good Start A2 Infant Formula, I was excited to try it. A2 milk contains only the A2 protein and it comes from special cows that naturally produce this easy to digest protein. Finding something that was gentle on Christian’s belly was important to me. Gerber’s A2 formula is the first and only of its kind in the US. (It’s a highly coveted product in Australia and China.) Along with the A2 protein, the Gerber Good Start A2 Infant Formula also has probiotics and prebiotic HMO designed to give your little one advanced digestive support for a great start. 

 After the first week of trying it, I realized that Christian digested it easily. He wasn’t fussy when I burped him after a bottle which was a relief. Finding the right formula can be a task (especially because every baby is different). After trying the Gerber Good Start A2 Infant Formula for a few days, I could tell that he was getting the hang of supplementing without any tummy issues. It was a priority for me to find the right formula for Christian’s tummy. Like any mom, I want the best experience and health for my baby.

 For me, breastfeeding and supplementing is the best fit. The Gerber Good Start A2 Infant formula has certainly helped make this journey a lot simpler. For more information on Gerber Good Start A2 Infant Formula visit their site here. 

This post was sponsored by Gerber. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If being in quarantine has taught me anything it’s to take sleep seriously. With 3 small children, I’m not getting 8 hours of sleep a night which I have come to terms with. But what I notice contributes to the quality of my sleep is the kind of pajamas I wear. If I feel good going to bed, I tend to get better sleep. Turns out, your mindset matters – even when it comes to what you wear to bed. And I’ll be honest with you – a cute pajama set makes me feel good. 

Naturally, I’m not always as fancy as pictured here and I go with a short set or cotton option. But be clear – they still have to be cute. We might as well make bedtime a well dressed occasion. (Where else are we really going during a pandemic?) I’ll admit, these are the dressiest pair I own, but I love cute pajama sets with chic details like feathers (I have a thing for feathers) or fancy buttons, prints and patterns (and pockets if possible)!  Lastly, wearing a cute pajama set is a part of my self care. 

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

I’m also eating while prioritizing my gut health and blood type, so I’ve been including foods that noticeably benefit my health at this time. Traditions in my house include always eating dinner at the table together and eating a big pancake breakfast on Saturday morning. We tend to eat breakfast together on weekdays unless Chris or I have a meeting and the kids are dragging feet. I love eating all our meals together, so trying to tweak our daily schedule to increase the likelihood of that happening. 

Breakfast tends to sway on the savory side – but when I made smoothie bowls last week, it was a hit. Lunch varies from sandwiches, leftovers, frozen pizza and takeout. It’s my biggest opportunity to get better as far as meals are concerned. Lunch time always seems to sneak up on me like, “Oh!” Because of Maizah’s virtual class schedule sometimes we have lunch early (around 11) or (around 1:30). 

I need to designate a time for lunch (even if it alternates on every other day) to give everyone a clear expectation on when they will eat lunch. The kids eat various snacks throughout the day, but the ones I try to ensure quality over convenience is the one before dinner and the one after breakfast. The snack after lunch can be something fun like fruit snacks or a popsicle. I am a firm rule – no processed sugar after 4p since we have dinner around 6 and their bedtime is 8p. They can do fruit or have a dry savory snack, but I’ve noticed good things when we let them have their sugar earlier vs. later. Chris is easily the healthiest eater in our home but he also has the biggest sweet tooth. I make him a cup of green tea every morning and encourage him to stay hydrated. Between making sure the kids are on schedule and have something to do plus staying on top of work, it’s easy to get dehydrated in these work from home streets. 

 If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I encourage drinking 12 oz of water before coffee or anything else. Water does everyone’s body good and you can have it so many ways – with ACV, room temperature, cold, warm, with lemon. There are a variety of benefits for any way you do it, but it’s all about finding the best fit for your current body and your needs + goals. Typically, I plan my meals & order groceries on Saturday and set us up for success on Sunday. Since the pandemic started, I usually don’t get to that until Monday or Tuesday. But Monday ends up being a takeout dinner day for us anyways because of our work and Maizah’s school schedule. So ordering groceries on Monday works out because the goal is to cook most of the time Tuesday through Saturday. Home cooked meals just taste and feel better in my opinion. (They’re also usually healthier.) 

Here’s what I’d like to make for breakfast, lunch and dinner this week. 

TUESDAY 

Breakfast: Multigrain toast plus bacon, avocado, kiwi and mango Lunch: Cheese quesadillas plus cucumber salad (slices for the kids) and strawberries 

PM Snack: Snack board with orange slices, yogurt pretzels, Gouda, cashews & green grapes

Dinner: Linguine with ground turkey red sauce plus broccoli and french bread 

 

Currently, I’m using and loving the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 and was so relieved to get my new brush heads right at my doorstep after 90 days. When it comes to my oral care, I’m on it – I brush every day and evening and floss in between, so having my Philips Sonicare Subscription to do the hard work of replacing my brush heads makes me feel confident that I’ve got this self care routine down. 

 The subscription is so easy to sign up for – just 3 steps: Choose your Philips Sonicare toothbrush starter kit. (It arrives at your door in 3-5 days!) Choose how you want to pay – all up front or month to month. A new brush head will be delivered to you every 3 months. Hands down, the Philips ProtectiveClean 6100 is my favorite toothbrush. It’s the #1 recommended power toothbrush brand by dental professionals in the U.S. Depending on the sensitivity of your teeth – it has three modes – Clean, Whiten or Gum Care and also has three power speeds – low, medium and high. I love that it covers all the bases. And the fact that I don’t have to worry about going out and buying my replacement brush heads is my favorite part. Happy to pay for that convenience! I’m all about hacks that help me maintain my self-care and the Philips Sonicare Subscription does just that.

I’ve happily paid $20 for jeans and enthusiastically spent $300 on denim. If you find a pair that fits you like a glove and makes you feel confident, it’s worth the money in my opinion. No matter how much denim costs, you most definitely will get your money’s worth out of it because of how many wears you get out of it. Many of us have been home for the majority of 2020, and now that we’re sloooooooooowly but surely finding ourselves leaving the house again – if only to go to the grocery store – I’m excited to wear my jeans again. These pair are sold out, but I love a good wide leg and my go to mom jeans which I have included in this round up as well. 

In 2020, I’ve noticed that so many silhouettes of jeans are trending – everything from Mom jeans to straight leg, so in this round up I decided to focus only on my favorites. When finding products for you guys, it’s a delicate balance between affordability and quality. Not everything that’s cheap is bad and not everything expensive is good, but for balance I’ve kept the price point under $100. Shop the jeans featured below simply by clicking the item in the photo or the Shop The Post section below!

Whether you're a writer or a wedding planner, part of being a successful creative is knowing what's going on in your industry. What's in, what's out, what's now, and what's next are questions you should know the answers to. Getting those answers means being aware of your peers and what they're doing, how they're doing it, and who among you is doing it so well that they're literally winning all the awards. 

Seeing someone succeed or achieve at an incredible level in your industry can be inspiring and motivating...or it can be a trap. There's a fine line between inspiration and envy. Inspiration fuels your artistry whereas envy feeds your insecurity. It takes you to a place where nothing you do or have done shines as bright, means as much, or is as good as the person (or people) you're comparing yourself to. And that my friends, is a creativity killer. 

So how do we avoid it? The truth is...we can't, not really. We see someone else doing what we want to do or are trying to do and being so successful and so talented that we're both awestruck and intimidated. We tumble down the rabbit hole of wanting and wishing and feeling inadequate. That's human and it's okay that we fall down. The thing is though, we can't stay down. We have to climb up out the hole. What's for you is for you and you won't find it stumbling around in the dark wishing you had someone else's light. So how do we get back up?

Refocus on yourself and your journey. You may not be on their level (it is what it is, fam) but that doesn't mean you can't be great where you are. 

Challenge yourself. Work on your weaknesses. Build on your strengths. Commit to being the best version of yourself, producing your best work. 

Realize the person you're idolizing is most likely comparing themselves to someone else and feeling they come up short. 

Make the goal progress rather than perfection. Be motivated. Be inspired. Be amazed, but above all else, be you because that's something no one else can do as well as you can.

 XOXO, Dylan