Trendy Tot Tuesday: Summer Shoes!

So, last week, I covered Tinley's swimsuit collection. This week, I thought it would be appropriate, with us being in Cabo and all, to cover her summer shoe collection! Sandals, flip flops, squeaky shoes, tennis shoes for playing outside; she's got 'em all!

These adorable Ralph Lauren slip-ons are her "Kelley's Island shoes!"

Some of you may remember her green squeaky shoes from her birthday party. I can't wait for her to wear these both this summer!

Of course, she has to have her Sperrys

These are two favorites. They're PediPed from Stride Rite. Mamas, I suggest you check out this brand, great for beginning to walk! :o)

From Stride Rite, these white sandals are classics and must-haves. :o)

These adorable Minnie shoes are also Stride Rite. Who doesn't love Minnie Mouse?!

These are her tennies from Stride Rite and she wears them allllll the time. I'm a fan of the velcro.

 These ruby, red slippers are her "high heels" as Justin calls them from Gymboree

Gymboree has the best flip flops!

Remember her butterfly bathing suit?! Perfect!

Love these bright colored ones from Carter's

These are another favorite! They're actually from Wal-Mart!

For all the special occasions, these hot pink Mary Jane's from Carter's will be perfect!

These two pair of sandals match basically everything she owns! They're both from Gymboree

These gold sandals are from Carter's. They're from last year, and I'm hoping they still fit!

These are her July 4th flip flops from Carter's that were too big last year, so I can't wait for her to wear them this year!

Aren't these teal sandals from Gymboree precious?! They remind me of Jack Rogers. 

Can't forget the Crocs!

These clear jellies with a white flower are so dang cute. They're from last year, but I think she might be able to squeeze into them again this year!

These are just too cute for words! They're from Gymboree.

Every baby needs a pair of Rainbows

Every baby girl needs a pair of pink Rainbows. :o)

These gladiator style sandals are Carter's

Her jelly collection is from Old Navy

Want to join the link up? We'd love to have you! Follow Kelly, Megan, and  Lindsay, and link up your post! :o) Happy Tuesday!

Guest Post: Denise from Gratefully Inspired

As promised friends, while Justin and I are enjoying ourselves in Cabo, I have some of my favorite bloggers guest posting for your enjoyment! This first gal is actually from my hometown; in fact, we grew up together, danced together, and our dads worked together. She's the reason I became interested in blogging, so you can all go check out her fabulous blog and thank her! :o) Everyone, meet the beautiful Denise!

after a hike to the top of a very tall mountain

Hello readers of Walkin’ on Sunshine!  I am thrilled to be guest posting for Kelly while she is off frolicking in the surf and sand with her family!  I'm Denise and I blog over at Gratefully Inspired.  When Kelly asked me to guest post on ANYTHING, my mind went kind of blank for once.  But as we continued chatting and I found out she was jetting off to somewhere warm, sandy and salty, it made me want to re-live my last tropical vacay – which was Antigua last summer.  So I’ve scattered this post with some pictures of those glorious 8 days.  I was also left pondering the importance of traveling when you’re married.  And when you have kids. 

So friends, here is my humble opinion….

First let’s talk about traveling when you’re married (pre-babies).  Sometimes it can get tough.  And we all know it’s not cheap – especially when you are young and both in entry-level jobs trying to work your way up in the corporate world.  But one thing that always sticks out in my mind is something my husband, Matt, and I learned in pre-marital counseling.  My pastor told us we must travel.  I think “get-away” may have been his word usage, but either way, it all means the same thing.  He said it is so important to step outside of your day-to-day life and go somewhere else.  See each other in a different setting for a little while.  It doesn’t even have to be somewhere new – just somewhere different than your home.  And Matt and I have made that a priority.  We have been married for 2 ½ years (not a lifetime I know), but we’ve made some pretty great memories on trips we’ve taken in these past 30 months.  And sometimes it was tough to make these trips.  We were both starting new jobs, working hard and we felt bad asking for time off.  Not to mention we had bills and budgets that tried to get in the way.  But yet still, we made it a priority.  Whether it was a week in Napa Valley or a weekend in Myrtle Beach, we made time to get away.

the view from our balcony...

But we all know what happens next… for a lot of couples it goes something like this: “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” 

Well Matt and I are on our way to that 3^rd step and are currently a week away from 7 months pregnant.  Although we are absolutely overjoyed, we also know that life is going to change.  A lot.  And our week-long getaways to Antigua and Napa Valley may be few and far between.  But what I don’t want is to ever stop traveling.  Our pastor also told us that the best thing we can do for our kids is to have a healthy relationship with each other and I fully believe that traveling makes that easier.  He also said it’s important to travel both with your kids and without your kids.  Hearing that as 23 year-old engaged bride-to-be, I was skeptical.  Travel without my kids?  Of course not!  Matt and I will just do family vacations all the time!  Well friends, now that we are on the path to a bambino of our own, I think I get it.  Yes I want to travel with our kids and take them places they’ve never been.  But I never want to lose the wanderlust, romantic nature of traveling as a two-some either.  I know I hear some couples say they had forgotten what life was like as a couple living without kids constantly by their side.  Then their kids go off to college and they are left to re-connect and re-figure everything out because they forgot to be a couple while they were raising their babies.  I don’t want to do that.  I don’t ever want to forget what it’s like to get lost in my husband’s arms on a beach under the stars.  Even if those stars are only an hour down the road from my back yard – I will still get away. 

Now I’m sure some of you are thinking I’m crazy and naive.  I’ve only been married a few years, and I haven’t even popped my baby out.  And some of you are probably right.  But I choose to hold on to my optimism as long as I can, as naive as it may be, because traveling truly is the only thing that makes your richer.  So bravo to Kelly for stealing away with her family for a tropical vacay – especially with little Tinley still at home.  I’m sure she misses her a ton and can’t wait to scoop her up when she returns… but I’m pretty sure she’s having a blast right now as well…. 

Do y'all have any travel destinations that you are dying to return to?  Any travel tips for mama's? 

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Cabo Time!

Well, it's that time, finally! Hubs and I have been counting down the months, then weeks, then days until our Cabo vacay, and it's finally here! We're leaving Cleveland at 6 am this morning for paradise, but make sure you stay up to date on my blog, as I'm featuring some of my favorite ladies as guest posters! I'll be sure to take lot's of pics and soak up the rays during our trip so I have some exciting things to post when I return! And all of you in Sandusky, make sure you check on my mom, she's going to have her work cut out for her all week! I'm not sure who will wear who out more, Tinley or Gigi! Bon Voyage! 

Preparing for a Little One Link Up

Today, I'm linking up once again with Kaitlyn over at Wifessionals for her mini series. This week's topic is Birth Stories (The good, bad, and ugly) / Birth Plans (yes? no?) I'm probably not a good person to talk to about my birth story because it was sooooo easy. But, why wouldn't it be? I got pregnant easily (SURPRISE!), I was never sick, I didn't have any complications, and Tinley was perfectly healthy. I was so fortunate. And blessed. I really had no idea what to expect during the whole labor process, but I wasn't nervous. 

At 39 weeks, I was induced. We live in Ohio, and our families are in WV, TX, and NC, so we wanted to be able to tell our parents an exact date to come. So, we had to plan ahead. I went in for a check-up a few days before, and my doctor (who I absolutely loved!) said we would be able to be induced, and that there was no point in waiting another week. She was already about 7 pounds, and ready to come out. I was 2 cm dilated. So, we gave our families the green light and they all came up. We knew Tinley would be born on the 24th. So, Justin and I packed our bags (read about that here), and headed to the hospital around 10 pm Monday night, January 23, 2012, after stuffing our faces at Outback (I HIGHLY recommend doing this!). My friend Carrie, who volunteers at the front desk checked us in, and walked us up to our room. Then, the nurse on duty came in, gave me a gown, and I changed and got in bed. It was so routine. So calm. I got hooked up to the machines and she started monitoring my progress. I was already having small contractions, so they didn't give me and pitocin. I was in no pain at all. I think Justin was more nervous than I was. 

The rooms were very nice and extremely spacious

Relaxing the night before Tinley's arrival

The nurse monitored my progress throughout the night and told us to try to get some sleep. Our doctor was coming in around 7 am to check me and see where we were at. So, we did just that, but we didn't get much sleep. Between the screams of other patients (one lady down the hall was screaming bloody murder! We later found out she didn't arrive in time for her epidural!), and the nurse coming in to check my blood pressure or adjust me, it makes for a very sleepless night. Not to mention the fact that we would be parents tomorrow... nerves and excitement filled the room too!

Dr. Visci arrived bright and early and checked me. I was still about the same, I believe 3 cm. So, they gave me some pitocin to kick start things. He came in a few hours later and broke my water, and that's when things really started happening. I went through about an hour of really hard contractions (this was definitely the worst part) before getting the epidural. I was around 4 cm at this point. Ladies, trust me, you want the epidural. I know, I know. I am terrified of needles. I have no tattoos, and I thought I was going to pass out the first time I got my blood drawn, but trust me, you want this needle in you. The pain from the contractions was so strong that I didn't even notice the foot-long needle going into my spine. And it kicked in instantly. Aghhhhhhh. Relief. From there, it was smooth sailing. The epidural really sped things up, and before I knew it, Dr. Visci was coming in, checking me, and saying "Oh my gosh, you're fully diliated! It's time to push!" My first reaction was "I'm not ready yet!" But after 9 months of planning, it was time. Ready or not. So, I pushed for about an hour (honestly, it seemed like 10 minutes!), while watching Jersey Shore on TV and making jokes with Dr. Visci and the nurses, and before we knew it, Miss Tinley Nicole Slater had arrived! It was 1:56 pm on January 24, 2012 and, our lives as we knew them had just changed forever. But, for the better of course. :o)

Pulling her onto my chest. An amazing feeling. 

Welcome to the world Tinley!

She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long

Such a proud daddy!