Colorful Behavior Chart DIY For 2-4 Year Old Siblings

magnet behavior chart for two year old and four year old siblings

I created this simple behavior chart for my two-year-old and four-year-old to give me a visual aid that stimulates day-to-day communication with them about behavior.

According to some experts, using rewards to influence children’s behavior may diminish their intrinsic motivation, so I’m trying to limit using rewards while still being realistic.

Using this behavior chart allows me to reward good behavior without needing to give them a treat or toy every time they do something correctly. Likewise, it is nice to have a visual warning system when they misbehave instead of going to a punishment right away or falling into never ending verbal threats.

Here is everything you need to know to make your own DIY behavior chart for siblings. If you have a Cricut, I’ve included a link to my label designs!

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive a small commission if you purchase something from a link on my page. All of my opinions are my own and I only recommend products I love. Thank you for supporting small business.

DIY Your Own Magnet Behavior Chart

Materials Needed

Magnet Board
Magnet Printable Paper
Printer
Scissors (or Cricut)
Laminate (optional)
Vinyl (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose your magnets.

I used pictures of my kids for this behavior chart, but you could also use shapes or even write their names.

2. Print your magnets on magnet printable paper.

3. Laminate the magnets for extra durability.

This laminating paper is easy to use and has kept our magnets in good condition.

4. Cut out your magnets or use your Cricut to cut.

5. Add labels to the middle of the board.

Download my Cricut label designs for free.

I used my Cricut to cut these out of vinyl but you could just write them in sharpie.

Divide the magnet board into 5 sections to include “START,” “GREEN,” “YELLOW,” “RED,” and “STAR.”

5. Explain the rules of the chart to your child.

For example, if you stay in your bed all night, you will move your magnet from START to GREEN. If you disobey, you will move your magnet from GREEN to YELLOW. If you disobey and your magnet is already on YELLOW, you will move your magnet to RED. When my kids are on RED, they take a time out and they may not use any electronics or other special privileges until they get back to GREEN.

6. Let your child move their own magnet as they make choices throughout the day.

Our behavior chart is hung out of reach because my two-year-old continued to use it as a toy or destroy the magnets in a tantrum, but I still allow them to use a stool to move their magnets, especially when they are moving up for good behavior.

7. Reward your child for making good choices.

If they stay on GREEN all day, move them to STAR and give them a special treat. We have a treat bowl for STAR days and even a special STAR day celebration dance.

This easy DIY behavior chart for two-year-olds and four-year-olds is a great way to teach your children young about consequences, both good and bad. And it’s a visual reminder for you, too!

Superhero DIY Family Costume (Spider-Man)

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size, catches thieves just like flies. Look out!

Here Comes the Spider-Man Costume

three year old boy in spider man costume on tricycle

If you have a little boy at home, chances are you will be searching for a Spider-Man costume at some point.

Spidey seems to be a popular choice for preschool superhero lovers. Luke, my three year old, insisted on being Spider-Man for Halloween last year (along with 9 other boys in his preschool class).

I lucked out and found a reasonably priced, high quality Spider-Man costume that fit him perfectly (I ordered an XS and he weighed about 40 pounds).

Amongst all of the Spider-Mans on Halloween night (and there were a lot of them), his costume seemed to be the most comfortable and durable.

I considered buying matching Spider-Verse outfits for the family, but I wasn’t sure my one year old (or my husband haha) would go for it.

Instead, I put together this DIY family costume around Spider-Man without much effort or cost.

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive a small commission if you purchase something from a link on my page. All of my opinions are my own and I only recommend products I love. Thank you for supporting small business.

Superhero Siblings

spider-man costume for little boy and wonder woman costume on little girl siblings

Wonder Woman was an easy (and adorable) addition to Spider-Man for my one year old girl. We used a hand-me-down from her cousin for her Wonder Woman costume, but there are a few cute options on Amazon right now.

Spider-Mom

mom dressed up as spider web with boy in spider-man costume

Luke got a kick out of my spider web costume and I dressed it up with heels for an adult costume party.

Accessorizing options are endless with all of the fun spider gear available in the halloween section. I chose purple lipstick, face webs, gemstone web false lashes, and pinned a halloween spider web decoration into my hair to complete the Spider-Mom look.

DIY S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Dad Costume

diy shield agent dad

I used my Cricut to add the S.H.I.E.L.D logo and logos from both kids costumes to a black long-sleeve shirt (I know, I know, different universes) and Dad fit right in with our superhero crew as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent.

diy shield agent protection unit dad

Other DIY Family Costume Ideas

If you are looking for another family halloween costume idea, check out our Flintstones DIY costume from a past year.

Unlock Big Rewards by Creating Online Baby Registry with Amazon

As a new parent, how do you pay for ALL OF THE STUFF babies require?

Creating an online baby registry is a good place to start. By simply creating an online baby registry with Amazon, I have saved well over $500. It is free! And easy! You can do it in 5 minutes—so why not knock it out now?

Create Your Baby Registry on Amazon

Need more convincing? Let me tell you about the three major benefits I experienced when I created my online baby registry with Amazon.

BENEFIT 1: Receive a 15% Discount on Amazon Purchases After Completion of Online Baby Registry

Disclosure: I may receive a small fee if you choose to sign up. It still costs nothing for you to sign up. Thank you for supporting small business 🙂

One of the best parts about creating a registry with Amazon is the completion discount.

After you complete your online baby registry, you will be able to make two bulk purchases utilizing 15% off of your ENTIRE purchase (for big items, that can mean saving $15-$20 on a single item).

We chose to use the first discounted purchase right before having our baby and used our second discount bundle right after our baby arrived. The first purchase was a lot of the fun baby items and the second purchase was all of the emergency supplies we realized we needed during the newborn days.

Amazon baby registry completion discount

BENEFIT 2: 20% Diaper Discount for First Year

You are going to be buying a ton of diapers the first year, so having a 20% discount is clutch! Amazon is my go-to for ordering diapers last minute because they get delivered right to my doorstop.

Amazon registry diaper discount

BENEFIT 3: Free Welcome Box

Who doesn’t like receiving fun mail?!?

The welcome box Amazon sends you after completing your baby registry has a ton of items I actually used. It is full of goodies including a muslin swaddle, a baby onesie, and a bottle. Not bad for just creating a baby registry online!

Source: https://curatedbycherish.com/2020/02/amazon-baby-registry-welcome-box/

The price listed on Amazon is $35, but that will change to $0 in your cart once you complete the registry steps.

Want to Save Even More?

Not only did their online baby registry perks save me a bunch of money, but I have also saved a lot by using Amazon’s Subscribe and Save.

Subscribe and Save gives you a discount for setting items you purchase all of the time on a reordering schedule. I have found it useful for baby wipes, diapers, pet food, and cleaning products.

Do you have any money saving tips for new parents? Please consider posting them in the comments for others to use. Enjoy your exciting adventure ahead!

Alaska Road Trip in the Summer—10 Day Itinerary

If you have always wanted to explore Alaska by car, this is a must read. My friend, Cayla, recently took a breath-taking road trip through Alaska that made me want to immediately board a plane to follow in her footsteps. She graciously mapped out everything you need to know for a gorgeous drive/hike/camp through Alaska.

Check out her guest post below for all of her travel tips and a full itinerary for your 10 day road trip through Alaska.

Guest post by: Cayla Platt, Season 33 Contestant on The Amazing Race

Travel Prep

This trip is best for Alaska’s summer season. I can’t give you much insight on how these hikes/driving would be in the winter. Beautiful, I’m sure, but I don’t know how accessible.

We did it in the beginning of shoulder season so we got a discount on the van because it’s a very slow time for Alaska and typically rainy, but we only ran into rain twice so we got very lucky with weather.

A lot of the typical tourist stuff is closed especially in Homer. We mostly wanted to hike and camp this trip so it was awesome timing for us… we rarely saw anyone on all of our hikes (which we loved) and only ran into an issue with two campsites being full. 

Rent a Van

We booked our van through Get Lost Vans about 1.5 months in advance. We had originally planned to do 14 days but the van was only available for 10 so the itinerary below was originally for 14 days but we made it happen in 10!

  • Kettle $10
  • Coffee press $10
  • 24/7 roadside assistance $90
  • Windshield and tire insurance $8/day (highly recommend because if you drive around Alaska you’ll see almost everyone’s windshield is cracked and that could save you like $300)

Van Highlights

  • It has running water which was a huge surprise for us. You can dump the water at most campsites and to refill we used the hose at Chevron gas stations, but my recommendation would be to ask the Get Lost Van people ahead of time for water refill stations that they know of at each location/town you plan on going because that would have saved us a lot of time, ha. (I don’t know if they have a list but it’s worth a shot)
  • Fridge
  • Separate battery for lights and power ports so you don’t drain the car battery when you are parked camping!
  • The grill came with all the utensils and cookware you need and propane (maybe get an extra bottle if you plan on cooking most of your meals)! 

Tips for the Sleep Nest on the Top of the Van

  • Make sure when you pop it you keep both zippers closed for the window because one is for bugs but the other one keeps it insulated and warm. We slept so amazing up there!
  • We brought a lantern for up there which was super helpful.
  • Also, if it does rain, when you go to close the nest before driving, close it from the front first and then quickly step away…. otherwise you will get drenched.. I learned the hard way ☺

Packing Tips

  • Bring cash for all campgrounds – all were $15 – $30
  • Bring your own kindling if you want to have a campfire (most campsites didn’t sell wood but you can collect your own)
  • If you can come in a day early to do all your grocery shopping for your camping meals that would be ideal for time purposes.
  • Make sure you bring bear spray and have it on ALL hikes
  • It’s a pretty packed itinerary so if you only have 10 days, do a little research beforehand on how early you need to get moving each morning for the drive/hikes to fit it all in! You can purchase an Alaska Milepost, which is great to have for road tripping Alaska!

Alaska Travel Tips

  • If you stop for coffee/breakfast I HIGHLY recommend the tiny drive-thru coffee shacks (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you get there!)
  • My brother-in-law took us up in his plane, but there are a ton of companies that will take you up for like an hour. Not sure on the cost, but if you want to do that I recommend going over a glacier specifically so check before hand!
  • There are a lot of driving stretches with NO gas stations! I recommend filling up every time you see a gas station if you are around half a tank just in case! We were never in a bind because we did this!

10 Day Hiking Alaska Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1 and 2 I’m giving you two options because depending on Denali campground availability you can do either. Option 1 was our original plan but we didn’t make a reservation in time so we actually did option 2 but it was still amazing!

OPTION 1

Day 1: 

  • Scoop van at Get Lost Vans in Anchorage (9am)
  • Drive to Denali
  • Savage River Loop Hike (easy) Recommend going past the bridge a little ways before looping back! Wish we had binoculars because a lot of people were seeing mountain sheep up in the rocks past the bridge but we couldn’t see them without binoculars.

Day 2

OPTION 2

Day 1: 

Day 2

Day 3

  • Granite Tors Hike 15 miles (hard but VERY worth it- when you get to the rocks and areas at the top look for stacked rocks to guide your path or tent poles, we also extremely recommend using the AllTrails app to help make sure you’re on the right path). Give yourself 8-10 hours to fully enjoy it and take a lunch break towards the top (we did it in 7 hours but hustled because we got a very late start lol) Pack lots of water and lunch.
  • We brought hiking poles for this hike but to be honest the trail is very narrow most of the time and the trees/branches are very tight at spots which made it hard to use them so it was kind of a hassle.

Day 4

  • Angel Rock hike (easy/moderate)
    • Camp at Chena Hot Springs Campground/Resort (depending on time of visit may want to book a reservation, you can stay in the van at the campground or they have cute little cabins to rent)
    • Visit/relax in the Hot Springs $15 good all day/night (bring your own towel)
    • Ice Museum on property $15 (we did it mostly for the Appletini they serve in an ice cocktail glass $15)
  • Ask the front desk about the glass cabin up the hill behind the hot springs because a staff told us it’s the best place to see the Aurora lights! We didn’t see them but we did bring wine, weed, and games up there to chill haha. If you stay in the cabin you can ask for an Aurora call and they will call you in the middle of the night to wake you up if the Aurora lights are visible! 
  • There is plenty to do at Chena Hot Springs Resort/Campground so if you are beat from the day before Granite Tors hike you can skip the Angel Rocks hike and do one of the excursions Chena Hot Springs offers.

Day 5

  • Driving day. Drive towards Delta Junction then take the Richardson Highway south towards Glenallen. 
    • Camp at this Google location: ALASCOM Access Road, Palmer, AK 99645

Day 6

  • Drive to Hatchers Pass
  • Hike April Bowl (easy/moderate) in the AM
  • Check out Independence Mine
  • Hike Gold Cord Lake (easy) (if it’s the summer time you can swim)
    • Camp at Eklutna Lake Campground (very busy spot we got lucky, not sure if you can make reservations ahead of time but if so I recommend) If this spot is full then camp on Knik River.

Day 7

  • Drive to Homer (want to get there by noon at the latest so you will have to leave earlyyyy)
  • Take Mako Water Taxi  ($85) across the Kachemak Bay to do the Grewingk Glacier Hike (easy) Make sure you do all parts of the trail to get to the tram!
  • Salty Dog Saloon – where all the Deadliest Catch fishers go – hole in the wall very salty!
    • Camp at Ninilchik Deep Creek Campground (on the water)
    • There is also another RV/campground called Whiskey Point in Whiskey Gulch that has 2 cute little cabins on the cliff/water for $150 if you wanted to stay there one night if they are vacant instead of the van.

Day 8

  • Drive to Seward
  • Stop at Brew@602 for coffee and breakfast!
  • Harding Icefield Trail and Exit Glacier (hard) – we started at 2pm and made it back in time before dark but if you aren’t much of a hiker or are sore from previous days I would start this hike no later than 11am so you can take your time, it is verrrry steep. We did the Harding Icefield Trail first then hit Exit Glacier viewpoint at the end! I recommend poles and layers of clothes because it gets significantly colder the closer you get to the top/glacier.

Day 9

  • Drive to Whittier (check weather, “Whittier is always Shittier” but on a non rainy day it will NOT disappoint)
  • Whittier tunnel (check tunnel times so you aren’t sitting waiting too long)
  • Portage Pass hike (moderate)
  • Girdwood Brewery
  • Spoonline for dinner!!
    • Treat yourselves and stay at Alyeska Resort & Hotel. Otherwise just google what campground is open in Whittier or Girdwood.

Day 10

  • Head back to Anchorage; free day to do touristy stuff in Anchorage
  • 49th State Brewery is a must – request rooftop seating 
  • Anchorage has some awesome Gin distilleries if they are open I recommend checking those out 
  • Return van in Anchorage (we did the latest time which was 6pm)

Other Things to Do and See in Alaska

Outside of this itinerary, if you have more time (or want to alter it), I suggest spending more time in the general Seward area. On a previous trip I took to Alaska, I did a boat tour to go whale watching, which was awesome. I can’t remember the company I used but there are a ton in Seward.

Moose Pass, Coopers Landing, and Hope are all amazing spots! If it’s summer, they have river kayaking and tubing, which I really want to do, (the water is SO BLUE).

There is a hike we really wanted to do off the Sterling Hwy (along your drive between Homer and Seward) but didn’t have time. It is called Skyline Trail (highly recommended if you have time). I have heard Fishing Halibut charters are also awesome there.

Enjoy Alaska and safe travels!

Editor’s Note: Feel free to email Cayla at [email protected] with any questions if you are planning a trip to Alaska soon (oh…and…bring me with you!!) Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Cayla!

Want More Trip Planning Inspiration?

Visiting Spain with Toddler (Large Family)
Charlotte, NC with Toddler

Giving Birth to My Second Child, Sweet Riley Grace

mom with baby after giving birth

Isn’t giving birth miraculous? My birth story reminds me that something I once feared now empowers me. 

The most difficult undertaking my body has ever experienced has proven to me (twice) that I am strong and capable of far more than I imagined. 

If you are preparing for birth, hear these words—You can do this! You are strong!

I am going to go right into the nitty gritty this time, but if you’re looking for ideas for packing your hospital bag, I wrote about that in detail when I posted about my son’s birth.

Birth During COVID-19 Global Pandemic

In March 2020, 3 months before my due date, society got flipped upside down. The outbreak and rapid spread of a Coronavirus (COVID-19) led to social distancing, mandatory masks in public, and quarantining. It was unknown how deadly the disease was, how it affected pregnant women, or how it would affect a fetus.

Preparing to give birth during a pandemic really added a whole new layer of anxiety to the situation. My mind was racing with questions.

Will I have to wear a mask the whole time? (yes)
Can my husband be there? (thank god, yes)
Can we have any visitors? Grandparents? Siblings? Aunts and Uncles? (no)
If I test positive, can I hold my baby? (YES!)

I was trying not to panic about all of the unknowns surrounding birth during a pandemic, because the truth of the matter is, there are endless unknowns surrounding birth even without the pandemic. Worrying about these unknowns is pointless and only adds to your current stress level. I tried to channel my nervous energy into researching my rights at the hospital.

I did a lot of research and some hospitals/doctors will try to take the baby from you if you have a positive COVID-19 test, even if you are asymptomatic. You have the right to refuse that. Almost all of the experts agree it is better for the baby to have skin-to-skin with the mother wearing a mask than to remove the baby, even if the mother tests positive for COVID-19.

a woman with covid-19 should be supported to breastfeed safely, hold her newborn skin-to-skin, and share a room with her baby

Single Umbilical Artery (SUA) + A Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

At our 20 week appointment, we found out that Riley Grace had SUA and a VSD, a small hole in her heart. While both of these issues can be minor, they can also be indicators of much more significant problems. I was terrified. 

The SUA basically just means that the umbilical cord only has one artery, instead of two. There is no treatment, or threat to the baby once they are born. However, there is a risk of early delivery and delayed growth. 

Finding Support on What to Expect App

A support group I found on the What to Expect app was helpful in alleviating my anxiety about SUA. The moms in the group would all post after their healthy SUA baby was born to provide encouragement for moms, like me at this time, who were just receiving the news of their SUA.

We scheduled a cardiologist visit to look closer at Riley’s heart. Thankfully, we received good news that if the hole was even there, it was really small. 

By the grace of god, Riley was never negatively affected by the SUA and the hole in her heart closed up. But, because of those issues the pregnancy was labeled “high risk” and I was given clearance to induce at 39 weeks.

I didn’t want to force my body or baby to come out too early though, so I turned down the appointment for an induction at 39 weeks. 

We scheduled our induction for 40 weeks on the dot. If she was not here by then, we would head to the hospital. Or so we thought. It turned out that the appointment had never been made, so they couldn’t schedule an induction for us until a few days past 40 weeks. 

When my doctor received that news she offered to have us come in during her current shift to  be induced (39 weeks, 4 days). We agreed. I had been having painful Braxton Hicks for weeks and my insomnia was keeping me from getting any sleep. I was ready to have this baby.

Winnie Palmer “On Call” List

Because the hospital was so busy, there were not any beds available right away so we were put on the on call list. It was another waiting game. They could call us anytime of the day/night with an open bed and we would need to get there as soon as possible. 

We waited for about 48 hours before finally receiving the call around 8 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Induction

Once we arrived at the hospital, the check-in process was very quick and we were quickly moved into a room to begin the induction. 

It began with using a cervical ripening agent, Misoprostol, to help the cervix dilate. The cervical ripening procedure was long, but overall, painless. The medication was placed next to my cervix for about 6 hours.

mom on birthing ball

Towards the end, I began having stronger contractions which became painful. I had progressed to 3cm dilated and they moved us into a birthing room.

Appealing to the Senses

To help set a calm, welcoming space for Riley’s birth, I diffused lavender and played music by Jack Johnson. 

The music was a repeat from my first labor with my son, and I would highly recommend it. It was so soothing and my son always seems to relax to his music as a toddler now.

The big winner was the oil diffusion though. Even with the mask on, the smell was extremely calming and pleasant. Multiple staff members commented on how much they liked it. 10/10 would recommend it.

Epidural

During labor with my son, the placement of the epidural was the worst part for me. It made my blood pressure drop really low and I nearly fainted. This time, it was much better. My husband held my hand and showed me funny pictures in his phone of our son to distract my mind while it was happening.

Unfortunately, after it was inserted, I was feeling a pain in my back. The anesthesiologist said that could mean it was too close to a nerve so she would recommend we re-apply it. Yep, I had to get that sucker put in TWICE! No worries though, we had an endless amount of Luke content on our phones to get me through it.

The epidural I got during my first birth with my son was out of a textbook. 

I felt none of the pain, could still push, and never loss complete feeling in my legs.

This time was different.

I could still feel the pain of the contractions (granted it was FAR less than I imagine it would have been without the epidural) but I could not feel my legs at all. Apparently, this is completely normal (and nothing to be medically concerned about) but it was very uncomfortable for me. 

Blood Pressure Drop

Overall, waiting for my body to fully dilate went pretty smoothly. Riley was never in any type of distress, and the pain from my contractions was manageable. 

There was only one complication.

Around 2 am, the combination of my high anxiety from having no feeling in my legs, and the position I must have been in when the nurse was turning me caused my blood pressure to drop really low for a few minutes. It was scary because all of the sudden I just felt extremely nauseous, dizzy, and unwell. My eyes were rolling to the back of my head and I was having a hard time staying awake.

Thankfully, once they repositioned me and gave me some fluids in my IV, my blood pressure returned to normal and I started to feel fine again.

The Push

A few hours later, my contractions started increasing in pain and the midwife checked my dilation. I was fully dilated and ready to push.

A new advancement in hospital equipment since my last birth was the addition of leg stirrups that allowed me to place my legs up in a comfortable position for pushing without requiring the nurses (or hubby) to hold them.

I only pushed a few times before Riley Grace entered the room. 

She was beautiful and such a sweet soul from the very start.

hello world newborn swaddle
family with newborn baby girl drehoffs

I Failed. Let’s Talk About it.

#yearofencouragement

For my 29th birthday I wrote a post about encouraging others. My blog was new, and I wanted to use it as a catalyst for change. I believe encouragement can truly change the world in a good way, so it seemed like the right start.

#yearofencouragement

In researching for my post, I remembered my friend Takara’s social media challenge she called “tkssunshinethru29”. Every day, for a year, she challenged herself to publicly highlight someone who added positivity to her day.

I decided to take on a similar challenge for my 29th year. I would call it #yearofencouragement and every day, for a year, I would choose one person/organization/business to publicly applaud and encourage. 

year of encouragement facebook post

My Failure

Every day for a year would be 365 posts.
I reached my 30th birthday with a total post count of 68.
Pretty big failure, right?
That’s certainly how I felt.

I was discouraged from talking about my experience because I was embarrassed I had failed to meet my goal.

What I have now come to realize is that, as the good people of the world, we must stop worrying so much about failure.

Stop beating yourself up about your failures!

Failure is healthy. It means you are trying. It means you went for something.

Go For Your Goals

Sure, I missed my target in my #yearofencouragement challenge. But I still spent an entire year seeking out the good in the world. I made a difference, even if ever so small, in the lives of 68 different people through social media and said “good job, keep going”. 

If I had been afraid of failing publicly at this challenge, I probably would have just filled my profile feed up with the same repeated faces and rotating backgrounds.

Instead, my profile feed from my #yearofencouragement is alive with diversity and light—with stories of people who deserve recognition.

Doing the #yearofencouragement challenge changed me as a person. It made my year better and it made me appreciate people more in general. I would encourage everyone to attempt your own #yearofencouragement at some point in your life.

A motivational speaker I heard recently spoke about how we all have two sides of ourselves. We have our best side, that we want everyone to see, and we have the side that we’d prefer to keep hidden. On social media, everyone is quick to show their best side, but he believes we need to show more of our other side.

Let’s talk more about how no one is perfect. We are all struggling and we all fail daily.

The world is hard enough right now, yet we continue to be so hard on ourselves.
Let’s stop that.

If you fail, own it.
Then, thank yourself for going for it in the first place.

Must-Have Baby Product Reviews

Every product here has made my life much easier with kids. If you are a new mom, I would recommend purchasing these. If you know any expecting moms, any of these would be great gifts!

Affiliate Disclaimer: I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase any products or services from this website using my link. However, all of these opinions are my own and my decision to purchase was not based on my affiliation.

Baby Nail Scissors

After horrifying experiences with baby nail clippers, this is the best $6 I have ever spent. My two year actually asks me to trim his nails! Check out how easy it is in this video (that I took WHILE doing his nails).

These nail scissors are so easy to use on my infant and toddler, and I’ve never had any accidents or injuries using them.

Portable Fisher Price Baby Dome

The beach, the pool, grandmas… you name it, this baby dome comes in clutch everywhere! It’s extremely light-weight, doesn’t take too much room up in the car, and can be cleaned easily.

Riley’s Fairy Nursery—Baby Girl Nursery Decor Ideas

baby girl nursery design fairy theme

Decorating my baby girl’s nursery was a dream come true. But as I had previously discovered when I began the design for my son’s nursery , getting started with nursery decor ideas was the hardest part.

Previously, we had been using her room as a guest room, so turning the space into something that felt special for a baby girl, while also keeping a bed for guests was an extra challenge. Hopefully, you will find inspiration for your own baby girl nursery ideas from Riley’s fairy nursery design.

Find a Wall Quote You Love

If you’re drawing a blank on where to begin, try looking for a quote you really like to begin your theme. For my son’s nursery, I had a pretty solid jungle theme in mind that I followed closely, but for my baby girl’s nursery I wanted something a little less rigid.

Once I found the quote I loved, “What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?”, it helped me to decide on a fairy theme and gave me other ideas for nursery decor.

what if i fall oh but my darling what if you fly quote to inspire baby girl nursery ideas

Make a copy of this quote using your Cricut by accessing the design for free here.

Make Your Own Paper Flowers For the Walls

One of my favorite parts of Riley’s nursery is the handcrafted paper flowers I made for her wall. I followed a tutorial from Abbi Kirsten and adjusted the sizes for variety. They turned out best when I used multiple shades of card stock (light on the outside and dark in the middle).

DIY paper wall flowers baby girl nursery ideas
Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

Overall, the DIY craft was fairly easy, albeit a bit time consuming. I found it easiest to attach the flowers to the wall using a hidden push pin near the middle. Double sided tape and hot glue didn’t work as well. Once the flowers were assembled and hung, I slipped in some fake leaves for extra detail.

It took me forever to decide on the accent wall color because I didn’t want her room to be too pink. I even debated using wall paper or doing a mural. Ultimately, I decided on Mauve It by Behr which was a little more purple than I’d planned for but looked great when accented with the pink flowers.

Fairy Tale Furniture

Following the fairy theme idea, I incorporated white, curvy, Victorian furniture that reminded me of classic fairy tales.

Affiliate Disclaimer: I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase any products or services from this website using my link. However, all of these opinions are my own and my decision to purchase was not based on my affiliation.

Circular Crib

My favorite piece of furniture I selected for her nursery is the round crib—I would definitely recommend it for any baby girl moms.

Dream On Me Sophia Posh Circular Crib  in nursery
Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

It was fairly easy to find a mattress and sheets for the round crib on Amazon, but finding a valance was more difficult. I ended up buying two regular window valances and cutting a layer off of the bottom.

Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

Victorian Style Dresser

Dream On Me Sophia Posh Circular Crib and victorian dresser in baby girl nursery decor
Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

Because I was keeping the guest bed, I only had room for one dresser. This one is perfect because the drawers are surprisingly big. I appreciate the smaller drawers on the top to divide shoes, socks, and underwear.

Swivel Recliner

I learned from my first baby that investing in a quality recliner is money well spent. Because the rest of her furniture is white, I decided to add a splash of color to the room with a light pink recliner.

I up-cycled an old dress to sew a pillow case that matched her fairy wall decal to contrast with the chair. My only complaint is that this recliner isn’t as tall as the one in my son’s nursery, but it is really comfortable and doesn’t make any noise even when reclining.

Nursing Side Table

I loved the swivel details on the side table I found to go next to her recliner. The table is a great price and is large enough to fit a breast pump, a water bottle, and snacks for breast feeding sessions.

Guest Bed in Nursery Combo

Before we decided to have Riley, her nursery was used as our guest bedroom. We really didn’t want to have to completely give that up, so we kept a small twin size bed and bought a new bed set that matched.

baby girl nursery decor fairy theme guest bedroom and nursery combo design idea
Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

Finding a good way to arrange the furniture and keep a bed was probably the hardest thing about designing her nursery. Ultimately, this design worked well and keeps the room from feeling too crowded.

I have a feeling the bed will also be really convenient for the days of late night feedings and sleep training.

Display Ultrasound Photos and Bows

Two things I love—sneak peak pictures of my sweet girl and baby girl bows. I wanted both to be on display in her nursery. I incorporated a picture frame with her recent ultrasound photos in the side table decor and I found a cute shelf to hang bows from.

Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

Include Something From Your Own Childhood

When I designed my son’s nursery, I included a piece of nostalgia from my own nursery. I knew I wanted to keep that tradition going when brainstorming baby girl nursery ideas.

For Riley’s nursery, I hung a growth chart that my mom used to track my growth from birth to around 4 years old. I can’t wait to show her Mommy’s growth marks right next to her own.

baby girl nursery ideas- growth chart from mommy's nursery
Photo Credit: Shannon Carmody

Shop Baby Girl Riley’s Fairy Nursery

Visiting Charlotte With a Toddler— Vacation at the Great Wolf Lodge

Taking a vacation with a toddler can sometimes feel more like a chore than a treat, but choosing the right place to stay makes all the difference. We had a great time at the Great Wolf Lodge with our son, Luke, 18 months old at the time of travel, during a recent mini vacation to Charlotte.

My husband was mainly there for work but Luke and I tagged along and extended the trip into the weekend. I would recommend checking out the following places.

Discovery Place Kids- Huntersville, NC

Discovery Place Kids is located in the heart of downtown Huntersville, NC.

discovery place kids huntersville

Free parking is available in the Huntersville Town Center parking deck located behind the Museum.

water area at indoor playground discovery place kids in huntersville NC

There was so much to do at this indoor playground, you could easily spend all afternoon there. It has a giant climbing set, a firestation (complete with a real fire truck to climb around in), a racecar, a boat, a water station, a fully-stocked craft room, an “underwater” submarine… this list goes on and on.

car play area at discovery place kids huntersville nc

Discovery Place Kids Quick Info

Address: 301 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Admission Fee: $11 for adults and children (1+)
Website: https://kids.discoveryplace.org/huntersville

Playgrounds Around Charlotte

You can tell the locals appreciate the beauty that surrounds them given the number of playgrounds and parks in the area. The weather was gorgeous while we were there and Luke had a blast visiting a couple of the outdoor playgrounds.

hanes park playground slide in winston-salem NC
hanes park playground in winston-salem NC

Recommended Charlotte Playgrounds

Hanes Park (as seen in pictures)
Park featuring fields for soccer & baseball, tennis courts & play equipment for toddlers & big kids.
Address: 1404 W Northwest Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27104

Freedom Park
A 98-acre park centered on a 7-acre lake with multiple playgrounds, a very cool NFL Play 60 KidZone, and easy walking trails
Address: 1908 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203

Our Stay at the Great Wolf Lodge Charlotte

The real highlight of our trip was our stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. This place was awesome. In the past, bringing Luke to a hotel has been a little stressful because we’ve been concerned about disturbing the ambiance for other guests.

The Great Wolf Lodge was a refreshing change to our normal hotel experience as a family, since everyone there had little ones and the atmosphere is geared towards family fun.

great wolf lodge charlotte lobby winter wonderland

The resort decor is themed around their mascot “Wolfie” and especially impressive during winter time. Everyone receives a free pair of cute wolf ears when you check in which our one year old loved! He kept them on for most of the stay. Even during a busy time of year, the hotel was large enough to make the stay comfortable.

free wolf ears from great wolf lodge

Kids Activities

Yoga, sing-a-longs, story time, games, dance lessons, and craft time are all among the many activities offered for free in the lobby during your stay at the Great Wolf Lodge.

great wolf lodge daily activity board

The impressive animatronics and energetic staff made for great entertainment (and that’s coming from Disney locals). If you are there during wintertime, it even snows in the lobby once or twice a day. Watch this video I took to see an example of one of the organized dance parties.

Indoor Waterpark

We loved the indoor waterpark! It had a huge play area for toddlers where the water was deep enough for him to splash around, but not too deep to be worrisome. There was also a wave pool, an impressive play area for the older kids, and 4 or 5 water slide attractions.

great wolf lodge indoor water park

Coming from Florida, it was nice to visit a water park where we didn’t have to worry about the weather interfering. The temperature of the water and the air inside were both comfortable.

indoor water park jet ski great wolf lodge
water slide at great wolf lodge indoor water park

Arcade

We spent a good amount of time at the on-site arcade on our last night. Unlike some hotels who advertise their tiny game room as an arcade, this was the real deal. During date night, our baby sitter was able to take Luke downstairs to the arcade and keep him entertained for awhile. There is pretty good pizza available right outside of the arcade, as well.

water shooter game at great wolf lodge arcade
motorcycle game dad and son at great wolf lodge arcade

Great Wolf Lodge Charlotte/Concord Quick Info

Address: 10175 Weddington Rd, Concord, NC 28027
Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/concord
Phone Number: 866-925-9653
Average Room Rate: $180 – $300 (per night)
There’s something for everyone such as kid-friendly activities, dining options, interactive games, 11 waterslides, four pools, and more all under one roof. Your stay includes access to the water park, kept warm at 84-degrees year-round.

Date Night

One night during our stay, we headed to NoDa, Charlotte’s arts and entertainment district for a date. Using care.com to find a top-rated, reliable, background- checked sitter made us feel comfortable leaving the resort for a few hours. Thanks to all of the activities offered onsite during the evening, Luke had plenty to do while we were gone before heading back to the room for bedtime. He was fast asleep from a fun-filled day by the time we got home.

MacTabby Cat Cafe

Our first stop during date night was an adorable cat cafe. The Mac Tabby Cat Cafe charges a small fee for access into their cat lounge, where you can visit with their 12 feline residents and sip on a coffee/beer/wine. All of the cats are available for adoption and new cats are rotated in as spots become available.

Mac Tabby Cat Cafe adoption wall

Big props to the animal lovers who came up with this idea and the helping hands who keep it running. It was a really sweet start to a date night for us and gave me all the feels to see how well these cats are treated (when they would otherwise be kept in cages at the pound).

Mac Tabby Cat Cafe in Charlotte, North Carolina

Spending time with the cats this way allows you to see their personalities, which the employees told us helps a lot with adoption rates. Some of the older cats at the pound, who have trouble being adopted, stand a much better chance of finding a furrever home in this type of atmosphere.

Mac Tabby Cat Cafe Quick Info

Mac Tabby Cat Cafe
Address: 3204 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Phone: (704) 890-0373
Price: $12 per person
$8/30 min walk-in experience options are subject to availability upon arrival

Haberdish Restaurant

NoDa has a very cool night-time vibe so it was nice to take in the scenery during a short walk from the cat cafe to a dinner spot. Haberdish, an upscale Southern restaurant did not disappoint. They serve Carolina inspired cuisine with crispy fried chicken, southern vegetables and other locally inspired side plates.

We ordered a combination of small plates (they allow you to pay per chicken tender and offer a lot of small sides to share) and everything was delicious. There is usually a wait, so a reservation is recommended, but we walked in and were able to grab a seat at the bar which served us a full meal no problem.

Haberdish Quick Info

Address: 3106 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
Phone Number: (704) 817-1084
Website: http://haberdish.com/

Enjoy Charlotte!

Charlotte is a city you will certainly fall in love with and perfect for a family vacation. I can’t wait to visit again and explore more. Hopefully, you will enjoy a few of the spots mentioned here during your visit. “Stomp, Stomp, Clap, Clap, Ha-wooooooo!” (It’s a Great Wolf Lodge thing and if you know, you know :P)

If you enjoyed this article, check out my suggestions for bringing your toddler overseas!

How to Make DIY Flintstones Costumes— Bam Bam, Betty Rubble, Barney Rubble

flinstones diy costumes

This year I made Flintstone costumes for the family as I was determined to DIY a Halloween costume for my toddler that wouldn’t leave him drenched in sweat in the Florida heat (yes, it’s still ungodly hot here during “Fall”). Flintstone costumes were the perfect solution! It seems that many of my fellow Floridians agreed, as little Bam Bams and Pebbles filled my post-Halloween newsfeed. Even Kim K “yabba dabba doo’d” this year.

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer: I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase any products or services from this website using my link. However, all of these opinions are my own.

DIY Bam Bam Costume

If you’re looking for an easy DIY Halloween costume for your toddler boy, Bam Bam is your answer. No sewing necessary for an easy, breezy Bam-ing munchkin.

bam bam costume materials pattern
DIY Bam Bam costume loincloth and caveman club

Materials:

2 yards stretchy orange fabric (I found mine at Walmart for $1/yard)
1 yard brown felt
Mini Bone
Bam Bam Caveman Club
Hot glue gun + glue sticks

Instructions:

Step One: Buy 2 yards of burnt orange fabric. Wrap around your Bam Bam to get the sizing right. I wrapped it around him twice before cutting it. Leave about 6 inches of a fabric tail to act as a “belt” and help fasten it.

Step Two: Cut triangles out of brown felt and hot glue onto the orange loincloth. If you are making a Barney costume too, you can use the scraps from the bottom of the Barney outfit as the triangles- it worked perfectly for me.

Step Three: Using the same brown felt, cut a 3-4 inch long brown strip to attach across Bam Bam’s torso. I chose to hot glue one end of the strip to the front of the loincloth and safety pin the other end in the back, but I think you would be fine hot-gluing both ends.

Step Four: Hot glue the mini bone onto the front part of the loincloth where the brown strip connects.

Step Five: Give your Bam Bam his caveman club and STEP BACK because he is sure to get right into character!

bam bam halloween costume

DIY Betty Rubble Costume

Betty Rubble was one of my favorite costumes to wear. It was comfortable, I could adjust the dress to the length I wanted, and because the Flintstones have a “rugged” look, I didn’t have to worry about it being perfectly made!

betty rubble halloween costume diy materials pattern

Materials:

2-3 yards light blue felt (I went to Joanns and found reasonably priced fabric on sale)
1-2 yard thick black ribbon
Black wig (optional)
1 foot light blue ribbon
White pendant/broach/circle
Thread/needle
Hot glue gun + glue sticks

Instructions:

Step One: Wrap the light blue felt around yourself to find a comfortable fit. Cut off any excess and sew a seam down the side to make it into a dress.

Step Two: Cut triangles of equal size out of the material all around the bottom.

Step Three: Wrap ribbon around the waist and tie in a knot. Pull the excess fabric over the top of the ribbon and tuck under to give the illusion of a cinched waist.

betty rubble diy costume instruction

Step Four: Pull the material tightly around your back towards the front so that it collects in one area that you can pull up towards your neck. Use the remaining black ribbon to tie around this bunched up fabric. Tuck fabric bulge into your bust area. Bring the black ribbon around your neck and tie in the back.

Step Five: Hot glue white broach/pendant/felt circle where you fastened the black ribbon around the blue material.

Step Six: Make a bow out of blue ribbon and fasten onto the wig. Place your wig on and feel fabulous!

DIY Barney Rubble Costume

barney rubble costume diy pattern

Materials:

3 yards brown felt
Black vinyl (optional)
Thread/needle or Hot glue gun + glue sticks

Instructions

Step One: Wrap brown felt around Barney for a comfortable fit. Cut excess material off.

Step Two: Sew (or hot glue) a straight seam up both sides.

Step Three: Measure armhole sizes needed for your Barney and cut 1/4 inch (or far enough in to break the seam) on each arm.

Step Four: Cut a wide, short “V” into the neck of the costume.

Step Five: Cut triangles of equal size out of the material all around the bottom. As I mentioned above, SAVE THESE to use at the pattern on Bam Bam (or Fred Flintstone) costume.

Step Six: Add the black “X” design using the medium of your choice. I used my Cricut to cut the design out of black vinyl and iron on, but I’m sure paint or sharpie would work well too. Access the Cricut design I used for free here.

Step Seven: Dress up your honey in his prehistoric digs and get to trickin’ or treatin’

bam bam and pebbles costumes

Good luck with your crafting! Hopefully, you are able to score good deals on the material and enjoy a thrifty, easy option for Halloween. If you have any questions about making the costumes, just drop them below. My instructional pictures definitely could have been better. I decided to write the blog AFTER Halloween instead of during the process (won’t be making that mistake again).

More DIY Ideas:

Creative and Easy Ideas for Decorating Your Nursery