Mother's Day was a month after Adelina was born. I wasn't in the mood to do much, to be honest. The thought of going anywhere, especially a crowded place, with a newborn and a toddler terrified me. How would I ever leave the house? My mom was in town, though, and Graham encouraged me to take her somewhere for a fun girls day out while he had to work. We chose Shedd Aquarium for our ... Read more
How to Make Potty Training Easier
** This post is sponsored by Pull-Ups but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. In honor of June being National Potty Training Awareness Month, I'm sharing what worked for us while potty training our first daughter. I expected potty training Victoria to be such a chore, but it ended up being fairly easy for us thanks to some tips and products we used. Let's cross our fingers ... Read more
Day in the Life, Maternity Leave Edition
Addi is seven weeks old as of yesterday, which means I only have five more weeks of maternity leave. I can't believe how quickly time passes! I don't yet have a set routine down, and I expect it will take some time for things to settle down. I will have to find a way to work from home with a baby when I do return to editing full time. I have faith in myself, though, because I managed to work from ... Read more
Our Adoption Story and Custom Announcements From Basic Invite
** This post has been compensated by Basic Invite, Inc. All opinions are my own. Our adoption hearing photo taken on May 12. I have always known I wanted to adopt a child. I just never expected the way it would happen. In December 2015, the subject of adopting Victoria first came up as we traveled to Phoenix to visit family. She had been under my aunt's ... Read more
Life Update & Favorites
** This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission on purchases made through these links. Today I'm sharing a compilation of thoughts that wouldn't really compose an entire post on their own. We've had a ton going on lately, and sometimes I struggle to keep up. Planning has helped immensely, as has simply writing things down in a journal or blog to let these thoughts out. I'm ... Read more
Toddler Favorites
** This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission for purchases through these links. I regularly share my beauty, fitness and travel favorites, so I thought it would also be fun to share Victoria's current toddler favorites. As a new parent I am constantly learning so much about what works and what doesn't, and what toys are ideal for toddlers. (I also learned what ... Read more
Mom & Toddler Yoga | Poses to Try
** This post contains affiliate links to yoga products. I make a small commission for purchases through these links. Thanks for supporting Floradise blog! Victoria and I tried a yoga class together for the first time over the weekend. It was a workshop at one of my favorite Chicago yoga studios in honor of Mother's Day. The teacher had to bow out at the last minute so another studio ... Read more
Dinos & Dragons at Brookfield Zoo
This little gem turns 3 today and I can't believe it. To celebrate, I am sharing our weekend visit to Brookfield Zoo. Sunday was supposed to be my long run, but then the electricity in our building went out after a fire in the service room. (A post on how half-marathon is going will be up soon. Spoiler: Not well.) We needed to spend as much time away from our apartment as possible. My friend ... Read more
Victoria’s Hawaii-Themed Party
** Thank you Wrappily for sponsoring this post. All opinions are always my own. Victoria's favorite movie is Moana, which she watches almost daily. And the Flora family's favorite place on Earth is Hawaii. That made choosing a theme for her third birthday celebration easy. Part 1 of the festivities was a Hawaii/Moana theme birthday party with family in Phoenix. She shared the first part of her ... Read more
Visiting Clearwater Marine Aquarium With a Toddler
** This post contains affiliate links. Victoria and I spent a windy day in Clearwater at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which is known for being a filming location for the movie "Dolphin Tale." You'll learn much about the movie and Winter, the dolphin who played herself in it, when you visit. We arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium about 10:30 a.m., just after it opened. A nearby church ... Read more