Dress Your Child Like A Celeb Holiday Photo Starting at $3

Posted on December 13, 2018

Whether you’re putting together last minute Holiday or New Year photos or looking for an outfit to wear to a Holiday party, the Christmas Dinner or the Ballet or play, I’ve got you covered with this carefully curated list of items to nab TODAY from our partners. With these looks you can have your baby look like some of the kids of these celeb kids like North West, Penelope Disick, Suri Cruise or Vanessa and Kobi Bryant‘s 11-year old statuesque daughter Natalia Bryant. Vanessa Simmons’s daughter AvaMake it work! Check out these pieces from our partners at Gymboree to try to recreate those celeb kids’ looks:

Bonnie Jean Red Coat 12-24months baby

Price: $30

Bow Coat

Price: $22

Michael Kors Gold Ballet Flats

Price $32

Bow Cardigan

Price: $13.00

American Originals Baby Tuxedo

Price: $63

Bow Wedge Boots

Price: $24

Striped Ponte Dress

Price: $5.37

Tuxedo Stripe Leggings

Price: $8.02

Bow Headband

Price: $3.59Ralph Lauren Cable Cardigan

Price: $39.50

Sparkle Boots

Price: $15.29

Moon Boots

Price: $22 Here are where you can get similar looks powered by our partners at Shopstyle!

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How to Dress Your Bump For Thanksgiving

Posted on November 21, 2018

If you are expecting this Thanksgiving and are toting around a sizeable bump, God knows you may not looking forward to standing on your feet preparing a meal and hopefully, you have been invited to someone else’s home this year and/or your family is giving you a pass on cooking so you can just kick up your feet and relax.

Check out this post on How to dress your bump and this other post on 5 things NOT to wear at Thanksgiving!

And finally, I think the quintessential outfit ought to be this look that lifestyle blogger Loren Hamilton of Wear and When pulled off when she was last expecting. Follow her pattern of styling and you won’t go wrong!

Start with a shirt in breathable fabric like jersey knit or cotton. Then layer a light cardigan or collared shirt over that and finally a denim, leather or cotton blazer.

For the bottom, go with a comfy pair of dressy leggings or denim maternity stretch jeans with a pair of red ballet flats. Carry a large clutch to hold your stuff and then work it! Stylish and comfy!

Have fun and good luck enduring the endless belly rubs and all the love!!!

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First Time Ever Govt Recommendations for Toddlers Physical Activity

Posted on November 15, 2018

Even preschoolers don’t get enough exercise in America.

For the first time, the US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has released federal guidelines on physical activity, fitness, and health that include specific recommendations for preschool children between the ages of three and five years old. The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, released this week (Nov. 12), are the result of 21 months of research from an advisory committee made up of 17 non-federal experts in physical activity and health.

The guidelines recommend that preschool kids be physically active for at least three hours a day. But the average US preschooler doesn’t meet that standard, according to available data. For example, a 2015 study published in Pediatrics looked at 98 preschoolers in 10 child-care centers in Seattle and found that they only got an average of about 48 minutes of exercise a day. That’s bad news both for kids and their caregivers.

Encouraging kids to be active

American children, including preschoolers, are increasingly sedentary—which can have with devastating consequences for their physical and mental health. Childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a lack of physical activities in kids and adolescents can increase their risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, low bone density, and breast, colon, endometrial, and lung cancers. There’s also an important linkbetween daily physical activity and better grades, school attendance, and cognitive skills like memory or concentration.

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Fashion

Get my Fall Season Weekend Look

Posted on October 13, 2018

I love the Autumn season. The crisp air. The color changing on the leaves. The pumpkin spice everything. Well maybe not that part. But my fave part of the season is Fall Fashion!

I love getting to wear warm sweatshirts and comfy cashmere sweaters and chunky cardigans. Fall is also the start of Boot season.

You can never get enough boots.

[See this POST about what boots to wear this fall]

I also love scarves and getting to experiment with the different ways to tie my scarf.

[SEE This post for over 25 ideas for How to Tie a Scarf]

I’m heading to a friend’s birthday party today and for the weekend, I’m opting with a red plaid cropped tie shirt. Plaid hopped back into season as a fashion fave for all year a few fashion seasons ago. It’s timely because wearing plaid is very common and fits into the fall season of Harvest festivals and visits to the orchard to pick berries, apples and other seasonal fruits.

I paired my red boyfriend shirt by American Eagle ($29.99) with my fave denim “Mom jeans” ($29.96) from that company.

You can get a similar shirt, Express’ Plaid Tie Hem Long Sleeve Shirt for $29.99 on sale HERE! And similar jeans in a wide variety of sizes from Old Navy for $25 here!

Because it is quite crisp out there, I dug out a long ribbed grey duster sweater out of my closet. You can get a similar brand of duster here from Nordstrom Rack for $39.97 HERE!

It’s my ama mater’s Homecoming and I have to wear red because that color along with yellow and black are our school colors. I couldn’t track down my Maryland cap so this red Washington Capitals cap will have to do.

Finally, instead of boots, I went with black quilt patent leather loafers by Sperry. You can get a similar style from that brand here for about $80 HERE! These shoes last a long time and look very well constructed and are an excellent investment!

The next day, I headed out to watch a good friend preach at her church and used the same grey cardigan duster to keep me warm over a black wrap dress that I paired with black tights and pointy-toed black pumps!

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BumpNews

Your Fall Style Guide Is Here

Posted on September 22, 2018

As the weather starts to cool, you may be putting away your summer clothes, taking down the fall stuff and looking to augment your wardrobe with new staples to last through the fall and winter. If you’re preggers, you will need to stock up on a few items as well to last through the season.

You will want to start with layering basics. I like starting with a tank, and adding a light long sleeve jersey over top of that. Throw on a light weight cardigan over that. You can remove layers as you warm and add more if you get cold. Grab a few of them from vintage stores or get as many boutique tank tops to last you the season. If you stick with primary colors in solid traditional or pastels, you should be good to go and have enough options for mixing and matching.

Next, invest in a good sturdy pair of fall boots. You can go with classic Riding style boots or a chic but sturdy wedge bootie. Both, by a quality brand to last thru fall and early winter will do.

Everyone needs lots of room to put all your stuff. A large tote bag is perfect accompaniment for your fall wardrobe. Get one in a standard color that will work with your wardrobe and if you want to really stand out or add a pop of color to your wardrobe, here is where you can add that element.

Scarves are essential as the weather begins to chill and it begins to get crisp outdoors. There are many different ways you can tie a scarf. Also, you can mix and match scarves with different patterns and shapes and use them to add style to a basic monochromatic palette.

Finally, big and bold costume jewerly can be conversation statement pieces. You don’t have to spend a lot on them because you will be swapping them out frequently. They’ll add some flavor to your look.

Hope these style tips gives you some ideas to work with as you build out your fall wardrobe.

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The Budget Stylish Mom’s Back To School Capsule Wardrobe (Under $100)

Posted on August 18, 2018

A lot of families are going to be outlaying a lot of cash for Back-To-School shopping, including on school supplies, new bookbags, shoes, uniforms, computer equipment and more.

There may be little to nothing leftover for mom to update her wardrobe and prepare her for a new year catching up on the playground gossip with her mom friends before and after school.

I’m in the same boat so to help out my fellow budget stylish moms who do not want to sucumb to the frump and to stay current, I curated a 10-item capsule collection, including accessories, with items that are all about $10 each!

Because late Summer, early fall days require flexibility, a light jersey shirt, perhaps in a neutral color like gray, would make a great item. I found that Missguided sells its Active Gray Long Sleeve Sports Tee for $4 now

Grab a pair of Athletic Works Women’s Ballet Flat for $8. They can be slipped on in the morning rush!

A comfy pair of stylish blue denim jeans is in order as well. You can get H&M’s Slim Ankle High Jeans for $8. Stay warm in an air conditioned building by always packing a cardigan. I like UNIQLO Women’s Supima Cotton Uv Cut V-Neck Cardigan which also runs for about $8.

Alternate the jeans for casual yoga pants. Generic Women’s High Waist Tummy Control Yoga Capris Pants Leggings Bodyshaper Shapewear is also around $8!

No time to do your hair!? No problem! Throw on a cap. Forever 21’s Gingham Cap is just $4!

I am a fan of shirt dresses because I think they flatter most shapes in a

Minimalist but chic way. H&M has a Long Sleeve V Back Dress for close to 12 bucks!

An accent scarf is good to always carry on you because it can double as a shawl, be used to cover items in an open tote or a head covering in case you’re caught out in the rain.

I love Forever 21’s Plaid Oblong Scarf which is selling for $11 right now.

Speaking of totes. Every mom needs a large shopper tote that is big enough to fit her stuff and her kid’s forgotten lunch, toys, snacks and other accessories. A canvas tote will do or get one in a durable leather like Avenue’s $21 Filipa Tote!

The sum total of This capsule wardrobe that you can mix and match with other pieces for this late summer early Fall is just…

Total= $92??

I know right! Well it won’t be this too long! Great items and these types of prices sell out fast!

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Celebrity

10 Kardashian Moms Weight Loss Tricks & Hacks

Posted on June 13, 2018

Now that four out of the five original Kardashian-Jenner women are moms and all super svelte and trim post baby delivery, we thought we would take a look at all the various weight loss gimmicks, tricks and hacks the ladies have shared on their social to their fans and followers.

Then I discovered that Cosmo already went thru and found about 13 of them

1. Flat Tummy Lollipops

On Instagram, Kim Kardashian-West posted the #ad above promoting Flat Tummy Co’s appetite-suppressing lollipops, calling them “literally unreal.” (She later deleted it.) The manufacturer’s website claims these candies contain an active ingredient called Satiereal, “a clinically proven safe active ingredient extracted from natural plants.” Eating one to two pops per day in response to hunger is supposed to promote satiety to help control food intake, cravings, and weight, and help hold you over until your next meal, all according to the website.

2. Exercise in a Sauna suit

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Khloe Snapchat (@khloesnapchats) on Jul 30, 2016 at 4:50pm PDT

Khloé Kardashian says wearing this secret weapon(essentially a trash bag that contains body heat during workouts) makes her sweat two to three times as much. “I like wearing the sauna suit during cardio, but you burn more calories and break a sweat faster even if you’re lifting weights,” she wrote on her app. She also says she drinks two or three times as much to prevent dehydration.

3. Cut out dairy

Khloé has said she lost 11 pounds in a month and a half by eliminating dairy from her diet and replacing foods like cheese, milk, pizza, and ice cream with dairy-free items.

4. Give up Gluten

Khloé’s nutritionist cut gluten out of her diet — and Kourtney recently put herself and her kids on a gluten-free diet too, bringing dairy-free, gluten-free cookies to her brother Rob’s birthday party for her kids to eat instead of birthday cake.

5. Wear a Waist Trainer

Khloé has endorsed Fit Tea Wraps (in sponsored posts, FWIW). Essentially, they’re a sheet mask soaked in a special gel made with ingredients like green tea, cocoa extra, and a bunch of other stuff that’s difficult to pronounce. You apply it to an area like your stomach, wrap it in cellophane to soak in, and rub the excess gel into the skin to minimize the appearance of cellulite for a firmer, toned look.

View this post on Instagram
#FBF To earlier this week hanging with my sisters getting our waists right in our holiday trainers…We are so festive! @waistgangsociety @premadonna87 www.whatsawaist.com ????
A post shared by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on Dec 18, 2015 at 9:13am PST

Other tricks include

6. Drinking Ghee in the Morning

7. Cutting Out Carbs

8. Wear Tea Wraps

9. Eat Chia Seeds as an Appetite Suppressant

10. Take a Probiotic Pill after Working Out

Cosmo’s expert debunked most of these tactics in a post you can read here

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/news/a63124/kardashian-weight-loss-tips-you-should-never-follow/

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Celebrity

Beyonce Shares Photo of Twins Rumi And Sir at OTRII Tour Opener

Posted on June 7, 2018

Update: Beyonce’s rep states that the babies she is holding are not her twins. Hrmph!

Beyonce gave the audience in Cardiff, Wales the first glimpse of her twins Rumi and Sir Wednesday at the opening of her and husband Jay Z’s “On the Run II” Tour.

In a large screen video showcase, an image of the superstar in beads and braids appears with Queen B cradling each child in one arm. The words “Love is Universal” appears as well. The photo is reminiscent of her first photos that she shared shortly after the twin babies were born last July 2017.

One fan capture the image and it quickly went viral. The photo is old’ish because, by now, her son and daughter are close to 1-year old. The show features another showcase with Jay-Z holding the twins too.

omg. pic.twitter.com/tXCJ692ZTh
— RK Jackson | Atlanta (@theerkj) June 6, 2018

Now, a lot of people’s curiosity is piqued as to whether Blue Ivy or other precious family moments will be shared.

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15 Things to Do To Avoid The Flu This Season

Posted on January 31, 2018

Bellyitch rewind

As we head into flu season there are many things we can do to “flu proof” ourselves. Regardless of whether you choose to get a flu vaccine or not, there are things we can do to heighten our chances of not getting sick this winter. Dr. Christopher Calapai, a New York based Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine provided us with a comprehensive list of 15 to do’s to fight the flu.

1. Keep your surroundings clean, wipe surfaces at work, keep your cell phone clean. According to the CDC viruses can survive on a surface for up to 8 hours

2. Wash your hands frequently and use a hand sanitizer. Remember the workplace and public spaces are a hotbed for germs. This is where the hand washing comes into play.

3. Increase intake of vitamin D, C, E and A. Include foods such as red bell peppers (add to salads), sweet potatoes, chicken soup, salmon and garlic. Research shows that keeping vitamin D levels at 80 ng/ml or so decreases the risk of catching the flu and swine flu.

4. Bring your own lunch to work where you can control food prep and ensure surfaces are clean.

5. Get a full night’s sleep. When you feel run down you’re more susceptible to illness.

6. Work from home when feeling sick. These days it’s easier for people to work from home at the slightest signs of cold or flu.

7. Eat kimchi! It’s delicious and a great probiotic which boost immunity.

8. Add mushrooms to your meal. Packed with selenium they’re an immunity booster.

9. Sip green or black tea rich in polyphenols and flavonoids which ward off illness as well as L-theanine,

an immunity boosting amino acid. Green and black tea are also packed with polyphenols and flavonoids.

10. Munch on sweet potato fries which are high in vitamin which helps us fight off bacteria and viruses.

11. Don’t touch your face especially the eyes. The average person touches their face around 15 times

per hour! It’s something we do unconsciously so if we can be more aware of face touching the more we can stop.

12. Soup it up! Chicken veggie noodle or ginger garlic soup fights flu and sinus infection.

13. Exercise regularly! Doing 30 minutes of moderate cardio per day is optimal to enhance the performance of infection fighting white blood cells.

14. Go hands free on the smartphone. When we put our phones down and then pick them up or touch them this is where viruses can spread. Using earbuds and cleaning the phone with a devise friendly cleaner will help.

15. Lose the booze. You really want to cut back on alcohol consumption during flu season. It dehydrates us and lowers our immunity so our ability to fight off virus is impaired.

About the Doctor: Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed the “The Stem Cell Guru” by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S. His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson’s. He has worked with Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Gotham’s, Donal Logue; and as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers. Connect with him via twitter @drcalapai or at www.drcal.net

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Tips

Pregnancy Complications You Need To Keep On your Radar

Posted on January 13, 2018

Don’t worry because the majority of pregnancies go along without a hitch. Aside from the morning sickness and constant peeing, it’s a smooth transition. Still, it’s always a good idea to be on the alert when you and your baby’s health are in question. One way to stay on top of things is to watch out for the complications which can occur. After all, not every birth is plain sailing. The following are by no means guaranteed to happen, yet it is helpful to know the signs.

Here is a quick guide to the complications to watch out for during pregnancy.

Premature Labor

On average, pregnancies should last up to 37 weeks. However, some women give birth way before the nine-month mark. It’s called an early pregnancy, and it occurs to around 12% of babies in the States. So, it isn’t an issue to worry about because it is by no means uncommon. Still, a premature labor needs addressing as soon as possible to make sure the baby is safe. The best way to tell is to time your contractions. Regular ones which occur before 37 weeks are a sign you are going to give birth.

Heart Problems

Of course, pregnancy puts a strain on a woman’s body which can affect the heart. Quite simply, one of the most vital organs in the body has to be able to pump enough blood around the body for both the mother and child. Unfortunately, some women have hearts which aren’t up to the task. Aside from high blood pressure, it can also lead to heart failure. Women who suffer from palpitations or excessive fatigue should contact their doctor ASAP. Even if you don’t exhibit the symptoms, you can ask for a simple test to be on the safe side.

Diabetes

Another cause of the pressure on the body is gestational diabetes. Because the body has to share food and water, it can often go without sufficient nutrition. When this happens, blood sugar can plummet or skyrocket depending on the circumstances. Thankfully, there are tests on hand to ensure the experts don’t miss a diagnosis. A birth injury lawyer would insist on a glucose screening between 24 and 28 weeks, and so should you. If the result is positive, it’s essential to keep your blood sugar in check by maintaining your diet and not missing a meal.

Breech Birth

Last but not least, there is a breech baby. Usually, this is when a child spins around in the womb and comes out feet first. The reason this is an issue is the umbilical cord. Sometimes, the cord can wrap around the neck and lead to complications. There is no way for a mother to tell if the baby is breech without a consultation. Babies move and kick that much that it’s impossible to tell what movement is what. If the doctor spots it before the birth, they should be able to turn the baby back to a normal position.

Hopefully, none of these will occur, but it’s still a good idea to watch out for the signs.

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cardi b

Encouraging kids to be active

[See this POST about what boots to wear this fall]

[SEE This post for over 25 ideas for How to Tie a Scarf]