Julie Franks. Affordable Motherhood

Friday, May 29, 2015

Friday Favorites- Summer Edition

Are you ready for summer?? I sure am. I can't wait to take my sweet baby to the pool. Here are some of my summer favorites for the lil man.



1. JJ Cole Essentials Blanket- this awesome blanket is water resistant and folds up into a little pouch. It is perfect for your little one at the park or sand-- since it is beach weather and all.

2. DakkoBabySC summer hat- babies always need a good sun hat. These are so cute and are reversible with two different patterns. The shop also does custom orders.

3. Janie and Jack Swimsuit set- this goes without saying..this set is adorable! and a top that helps to cover that sensitive skin= perfection

4. Babyganics sunscreen- offcouse the babies need a sunscreen that is safe for their sensitive skin.

5. Dream Baby Stroller Fan- help keep your baby cool. This clips on the stroller and has soft fan blades.

6. Canon Rebel t3i- one of the best investments I have made since finding out I was pregnant is my camera. This rebel is so easy to use and takes great pictures.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Blessington Farms

If you are in the Houston area you have to checkout Blessington Farms near Houston. We picked fresh strawberries and blueberries. There are so many fun activities for kids and babies. Animals, a big slide, hay maze and obviously yummy fresh fruit. I can't wait to take Hayden again when he gets a little older. He is currently 8 months old and so enjoyed getting messy eating strawberries and blueberries. 








Friday, May 15, 2015

Mother's Day 2015

This was my first mother's day and what a great one it was. Nothing special happened but I was able to enjoy it with my mom and sweet baby.

I felt so special and privileged to stand up at church this morning when they recognized moms. I love being a mom to this perfect gift from the Lord.






Thursday, May 14, 2015

A Day in the Life of Hayden {7 months old}



First things first milkie and snuggling with mamma and daddy in bed.


Feed me! Food is my favorite. 


Go time. Can't stop- Won't stop. Not up on all fours yet but I somehow manage to get into everything.


And when I get really tired of playing by myself I crawl to whoever is close and grab their feet.



Momma calls this swing "life saver" I have no idea why...maybe because I will stay still in it for a solid 10 mins.



After a long day of playing comes dinner and bath time. Naked and splashing= happiness.

Lotion and jammy time. I love when you rub my big tummy. Putting clothes back on isn't my favorite. Why can't I stay naked all day?

Cuddles with mamma then night night.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Friday Favorites Newborn Edition




1. Kissy Kissy- This brand makes the most comfortable clothes ever. They hold up great in the wash and are so soft you will want to wear them!

2. Burp Cloths- Cloth diapers work great as burp clothes. By the way you will need a ton of burp cloths. I sewed a really fun patterned material on the front of mine and voila cute and affordable.

3. Noodle and Boo lotion- Their products smell so great and make your baby so so soft. Someone bought me a gift set and now I am hooked.

4. Long Sleeve Tops- It takes babies a bit to regulate their body temps. These are great for layering and are very easy to get on/off. Babies use the restroom alot in the beginning so these are great for tossing once they get stained.

5. Jellycat Stuffed Animals- This is still my sons favorite stuffed animal. It makes a unique chime/rattle sound and is super soft. He loves to snuggle and cuddle him.

6. Aden and Anais swaddle- I love anything aden and anais so it's no surprise I love this swaddle. It is made of their muslin cloth which is lightweight and very comfortable. It also has snaps that make it easy to swaddle your baby and adjust to make it tighter or looser.




Thursday, May 7, 2015

5 Tips For New Mommas




1. Say no to people- Hayden was a month early and was very small. Our doctor said to limit guests for the first 2 months of his life. It sucked. I felt rude and sad that I couldn't share my sweetheart with the world. However, looking back, it was such a big adjustment and I was so freggin tired--having guests would have just stressed me out even more. If you aren't comfortable with someone seeing you in your pajamas with the biggest bags under your eyes- maybe don't have them over right now. This is a time about you and your family. It's ok to say no.

2. It's ok to be disconnected- I remember feeling like I fell off the face of the earth. I got out of contact with so many friends, hadn't seen any new movies and hadn't gone shopping in WAY to long. All of these things came back slowly in time. I started to see friends again and got caught up on things. Don't worry your social life will all come back in due time.

3. Don't fret over schedules- I drove myself nuts trying to get Hayden on a schedule. I read every single thing I could find and really worked hard at making him get on a schedule. In the end I decided-- screw that. He will get on a schedule when he is ready-- and once I let go of this perfect schedule idea all that anxiety went away. I decided to do what worked for me. That included taking naps cuddled up with him and nursing him to sleep. Whatever works for you and your individual baby is what you should do.

4. Don't compare your baby- I constantly compared my son to others his age. Where is your baby at developmentally, how big is your baby, how much do they eat? etc. etc. etc. You know what I learned-- it's not important. Every baby develops in different ways and at different times. Just like the growth chart stats-- just watch that your baby is growing/developing and your good to go.

5. Hang in there- It is a huge adjustment going from doing whatever the heck you want whenever you want to having a baby dictate everything. I mean wait I can't run out the door anymore in 2 seconds? I can't sleep in until 11 if I want?! Don't worry- you adjust. My brother said you grow with the baby and that is so true. You really do and then waking up at 6 every morning isn't so bad. You will look forward to it because it will be to get your sweet smiling happy baby out of bed. Getting all his stuff together to leave will get easier...actually everything will get easier. Then you will look back and realize wow it was alot of changes but ALL for the better!

These are just a few things I wish I could go back and tell myself after having Hayden. It is such a huge adjustment and you know what-- it all turns out ok. Not just ok it turns out beautiful, wonderful and full of blessings.

{Checkout more of our newborn photos Here}


Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Restoration Hardware Baby Knock Offs

To say I am obsessed with Restoration Hardware is an understatement. I love to flip through their magazines and dream. In reality I just can't bring myself to pay that much for furniture that my child will most likely destroy. So I decided to find some of my favorites pieces for way cheaper. 
























Friday, May 1, 2015

Friday Favorites- Bath Time Edition

Nothing is sweeter than bath time. My boy loves being naked and splashing in the water. Below are some of my favs:



1. Restoration Hardware stool- you will definitely want a stool as you will be bending down alot. I love this because you can also use it as a step up stool for you baby. I love that it looks nice since it will be in your bathroom for awhile.

2. Circo wash clothes- these are so cute but are great because they can really get in all those lil fat rolls.

3. Pottery Barn Bath Towel- this is absolutely adorable and so snuggly.

4. Noodle and Boo- this brand smells so good and keeps babies skin so so soft. I love it!

5. Bath ring seat- this is great for babies who can kind of sit up but not fully on their own. It has really good suction cups that fit tight to the tub and has pulls to release them.