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Weston’s workshop playhouse

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We had a concrete slab in our backyard and we weren’t sure what to do with it… enter Pinterest and all the advertisements for a she shed! But when Corona hit and playgrounds indefinitely closed we knew it would be better suited for our boys. 

Weston knew all summer Daddy was building him a playhouse (with a little help) and we surprised him with the reveal for his third birthday, including a caution tape scissor cutting ceremony.

The windows were delayed a month and therefore we still have yet to paint the exterior, I will update the post with the final results once finished. However, this didn’t stop us from making it as cute as possible. The design was modified from these plans by Jen Woddhouse found on Pinterest. The door is custom made by my husband and I painted it Marine Blue. The kids love their special handle! The lanterns, hooks and mailbox came from Amazon and the come & play mat from Etsy. 

Our son Weston is obsessed with daddy’s workbench and therefore it gave us a jumping off point for the interior of the play house. 

My husband custom built the workbench including fun details for all the tools Wes loves to play with, construction hats, his own drill set and even a garden monster (an inside joke between them).

I found the adorable personalized tool belts and construction truck prints on Etsy.  I added the text below the prints to inspire creativity which we know will come easily within these 4 walls. 

We outfitted the playhouse with a machine washable outdoor rug, brown paper drawing roll by Hearth & Hand with Magnolia for Target, table and chairs and a vintage gumball machine I won as a kid. 

Weston could have stayed in there for hours and we have no doubts it will be a magical place for our family & friends for years to come. 

Ready, set, 3!

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Rev your engines, race on by, fuel up on cake it’s time to celebrate Weston Rye!

About two months ago we asked our son what he wanted for his third birthday and he said a green monster truck cake; we gladly said that we could make that happen. 

Splurge Bakery did a great job bringing the cake to life and I had no trouble running with the truck and racing theme. 

We decided on a birthday brunch and Pinterest gave me so many great ideas for the menu…

The breakfast selection: Fuel (apple and orange juice) served in tire containers, spare tires (milk and chocolate donuts), traffic lights (blueberry & lemon muffins with m&m’s on top), quiche and a local favorite by Liv Breads, chocolate rugelach. 

The lunch selection: monster green sandwiches (cucumber, spinach & artichoke spread sandwiches), monster pb&j’s, chicken salad and a fruit bar. I purchased the monster truck cookie cutter on amazon. *I did have the flatten the sandwich bread before making as the cutter was a little large.

Dessert’s main event was the chocolate tire cake. I also made the Twix and M&M Teddy-jam racers held together with a little chocolate frosting. And each guest got to take home a Blaze & the Monster Machine sugar cookie. 

Target sells balloon helium tanks which made blowing up the Blaze balloons morning of very easy! The flags, table cloth and banner came as one package from Amazon.

The custom-made invitation.  

Favors consisted of a monster truck, bouncy balls, race car bubbles and a few items picked up at Target; toy cars, hot wheels stickers, sticky hands, and dum dums held with black takeout containers and custom labels. 

Never did I think I would want matching outfits for the whole family especially after my mom dressed my sister and I alike for 20 years but these t-shirts “Pit Crew” and Weston’s Monster truck t-shirt from Etsy were too perfect to pass up.

Weston’s gift — we revealed an almost completed workshop playhouse that Daddy built this summer.

hospital bag essentials

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Tminus 2 days at #40weeks my bag is fully packed. Half of these items I had with my first son 3 years ago and then there were some now added that I didn’t even know existed then or that I would need them. Providing links for easy shopping and see full packing list in previous post. For me: I love this overnight bag for the many pockets and the separate bottom zippered component where I store shoes and chargers. My favorite water bottle. The best maternity leggings I have worn all pregnancy, fully supportive with two leg side pockets perfect for your phone and keys. I plan to wear these in post partum and thereafter. They have held up so well, I bought a second pair. Nursing pajamas. This is something I didn’t have with my first and knew I needed this time. I breast fed for 13 months and so the investment for comfortable nursing clothes is a must. This is one of 3 pair I bought from amazon. They are super soft and the fit is comfortable and flattering. I returned the others as I am super picky and neither fabric nor fit were good on the other two. I prefer shopping in stores but during this time have to rely on e-commerce. Striped nursing top H&M. Gripper socks. Booby tubes I would keep in freezer for inbetween feedings, breastfeeding hurts a lot in the beginning and those first few days in hospital with proper treatment might help. I also packed a small container of coconut oil as nipple butter which is organic and safer for baby than what the hospital provides. Milk savers. again not something I knew I needed with baby #1 but I would leak as the baby fed on the opposite side, every last drop of milk can be saved and they also protect your wardrobe daily. For the baby: PJ onesie. Brother onesie, a gift from my sister. Hat. Booties. Mittens. Owl sound machine, this portable little player is so easy to travel with it! Bandana bib. Burp cloths. Car seat & nursing cover. Muslin swaddle.

new baby must-have hospital & post delivery list

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What to pack for hospital:

For Baby:
  • Newborn and size 0-3 onesies as some babies don’t fit in newborn
  • Swaddle if you want your own, hospital will provide blanket
  • Hat, onesie, swaddle & props if wanted for pics
  • Baby socks & mittens
  • Extra swaddle or blanket if you have a pet at home
For you & SO:
  • Mini Speaker and playlist for labor, makes room soo much more pleasant
  • Long phone charger and portable charger
  • Nightlight so you can feed without turning on overhead lights
  • Baby sound machine to drown out hospital noises while trying to sleep
  • Comfortable warm robe, or sweater to place over hospital gown
  • Nursing Bra
  • Slipper socks
  • Flip flops for shower
  • Toiletries for shower
  • Hair ties and brush
  • Chapstick, makeup for photos
  • Organic Coconut Oil, natural nipple cream, safe for baby to eat (unlike what hospital provides)
  • Prenatal vitamins
  • Going home outfit
  • Gatorade packets for water as you will get dehydrated
  • Snacks: protein & granola bars, fruit, crackers
  • Washable overnight bag
  • Extra overnight bag filled with gift baskets for nurses and doc, one to labor floor and one to night floor since staff is different. I filled mine with healthy snacks and candy. My 1st born my MIL brought two jars of m&m’s – nuts and no nuts pink and blue since we didn’t know what we were having. I will use this extra bag to take home the supplies the hospital provides.
Corona specifics:
  • Trash bag for car seat to carry into hospital, bring it in when you first get admitted. Can be used for dirty laundry on way out.
  • Car seat cover so you can cover baby as you exit hospital since they won’t wear a mask
  • Your own masks for you and SO, they might be more comfortable than the hospital ones
  • Disinfectant wipes for your phones and overnight room
  • There most likely won’t be hospital photographers so I am going to pack my mini Tripod to snap a few photos of the 3 of us without having to bother nurses
Items to buy for baby that you will need right away…
  • Baby thermometer
  • 100% petroleum jelly
  • Infant Tylenol
  • Gripe water (good for gas we used this a lot)
  • Baby wipes (we like honest)
  • New born and size one diapers with pee line! (pampers)
  • Travel Poo bags
  • Swaddle blankets
  • Diaper pail and bags
  • Diaper bag
  • Changing pad travel and home
  • Pacifiers
  • Baby shampoo (I like honest, babyganics, and Shea butter coconut)
  • Baby bath tub
  • Onesies that zip you don’t want to be doing 10 snaps at 3am, size newborn and 0-3
  • Bassinet
  • Baby lounger; somewhere to put baby down while you shower, eat, etc
  • Baby Bottles
  • Breast Pump
Items to buy for you leading up to delivery…
  • Hospital will give you pads but they don’t have wings, get one pack of large and light day pads for long term healing.
  • Motrin
  • Colace
  • Witch Hazel pads
  • Drink Red Raspberry leaf tea
  • Dates – Women who eat 6 dates a day for the last 4 weeks leading up to due date are significantly more dilated and more likely to:
    • Have intact membranes upon admission to the hospital
    • Go into labor spontaneously
    • Avoid pitocin
    • And have a shorter first phase of labor
  • Nursing bras – I wore mine through pregnancy also

a burger birthday

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When your husband is turning 40 during a global pandemic and his only wish is to find out the sex of baby #2, you make it a birthday to remember…

Bri is openly obsessed with the Fox show Bob’s Burgers, once I discovered the talented custom prints of 

Having a bun in the oven made this theme and our gender reveal that much more fun! We were in love with our wedding cake by Hudson Cakery and therefore I asked Jenn to create a mini version of it, carrot cake with one layer of pink or blue buttercream inside and one layer salted caramel. I couldn’t believe my doctor’s office handed me the gender of our baby in an unsealed envelope. Most tempted I have ever been and definitely didn’t tell my husband – it had to be sealed and mailed the same day it was received!

Jenn also created for us the oh so delicious burger macarons and sugar cookie cast from the show.

To involve our friends & family in the surprise, Splurge Bakery made us gender reveal burger cake pops that were mailed ahead of a zoom call to each household.

We didn’t know Bri’s birthday was going to have to be virtual. Originally, we had planned a small intimate dinner at our wedding venue in Jersey City Battello.

Now that we would celebrate via Zoom and with more people I wanted to be able to keep everyone engaged on the call. I created a quiz about Bri growing up in the 80’s. I sent it to everyone a few days in advance and presented the questions with photos of Bri through the years. He had to answer the questions live and I sent a prize to the person that got the most answers correct. (which ended up being his sister Kate)

To end our call we sang happy birthday, asked everyone to grab their cake pops and ALL found out together that baby #2 will be another boy! #Boymom

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About Impressed, Inc.

Welcome to Impressed Inc, specializing in identities for events and entrepreneurs. Helping to find creative solutions that elevate expectation and leave lasting impressions. Everyone has a story – I hope to tell it through paper, process and thoughtful design.

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