Most Overhyped Baby Products & Our Nesting Must-haves

Summary

Always Here Podcast Summary

Episode: Most Overhyped Baby Products & Our Nesting Must-haves
Hosts: Abby Howard & Abby Howard
Date: July 31, 2026
Producer: Daylight Media

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Always Here, Abby and Abby dive into the realities of preparing for a new baby, with an honest and humorous look at "nesting," which products are actually worth it, and which are wildly overhyped. The conversation features insights from listener submissions, their own motherhood journeys, candid confessions, and heartfelt anecdotes about friendship, support, and mental health during pregnancy and parenting.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Life Update: Pregnancy, Family, and the Hope & Hard (01:06–11:22)

• Both Abbys discuss physical and emotional experiences in late pregnancy, including workouts, exhaustion, Braxton Hicks contractions, anxiety, and the feelings of reaching full term after prior loss.
  • Quote: "I just have so much peace with, like, baby will come. The baby's supposed to come... I thought I was gonna have to have a scheduled C-section." (A, 03:01)
• Navigating plans, impatience, and mental load as due dates approach.
• Balancing gratitude with discomfort and admitting the hard moments.
  • Quote: "For a long time, I was afraid to say that I was uncomfortable because I was so grateful to be pregnant... It can be both." (A, 04:31)

2. Parenting Fails & Graceful Recoveries (07:22–11:22)

• Real-life examples of losing patience (screaming at kids in public), apologizing, and how kids react.
  • Quote: "I screamed at CJ in the parking lot... He looked at me. He was like, okay, hey, Mom." (B, 07:41)
• The comic relief and real talk around parenting mishaps.

3. Friendship, Community, and Support (32:17–34:21)

• The importance of supportive friendships and community, especially during times of transition (e.g., nesting parties, helping each other prepare for new babies).
  • Quote: "These group of women will literally just go out of their way. They'll make themselves uncomfortable for the sake of their friends... that's so special." (A, 33:02)
• How mutual support and serving others creates a unique friendship culture.

4. Bizbel Beauty Launch & Reflections on Entrepreneurship (21:46–27:35)

• Abby shares about launching her mascara brand, Bizbel Beauty: the hurdles, the learning process with labs and regulations, and the unique pride of building something from scratch with community support.
  • Quote: "Creating a beauty product is literally chemistry and... all the tests that you need to do to make sure that it's safe and stable." (A, 25:53)
• Handling unexpected sellouts and planning for restocks.

5. The Party: Surprises, Puppies, and Nosy Neighbors (27:36–32:17)

• Surprise launch party and impromptu "nesting" gathering; neighbors calling the cops over dog pool shenanigans.
• The beloved golden retriever Pretzel as a running side story.

6. Overhyped Baby Products: Listener Poll & Hot Takes (48:13–66:13)

Popular Overhyped Products:

• Newborn Shoes & Socks: Fall off, pointless, or just cute for Instagram. (B, 49:40)
• Changing Tables: Most choose the floor or a rug. (A, 50:08)
• Diaper Bags: Any big tote will do — less is more with baby #2+, just keep extras in the car. (B, 54:23)
• Hatch Sound Machine: Solid but not essential; others might suffice. (B, 55:04)
• Baby Toys: "The best toy is a box." Babies play with anything. (A, 55:51)
• Bottle Sterilizers: The dishwasher works fine, and babies soon eat dirt anyway. (B, 56:29)
• Electric Nail Files: "Freaks me out," and unnecessary. (B, 60:22)
• Wipe Warmers: Not practical, not really needed. (A, 63:47)
• Diaper Pails: Extra step, takes up space, can get gross — kitchen trash works for some, pails for others. (A, 65:00; B & C debate)
• Baby Jeans: "They're babies, they don't know if they're uncomfortable." (B, 57:24)
• Bathtub Thermometers: Good for first-timers but mostly pointless. (A, 57:49)
• Fancy Baby Bath Seats: Actually not meant for tub use with water; misleading and risky. (B, 70:06)

Timestamps for Notable Quotes:

• [49:40] "Newborn shoes, what is the point? All day putting them back on because they fall off." – Listener, discussed by Abby B
• [56:03] "They’ll eat dirt soon anyway." – Abby B on skipped bottle sterilization

7. Baby Products That ARE Worth the Hype (71:44–82:12)

• Doona Carseat/Stroller: Especially valuable for travel. (A & B, 72:09)
• Weighted Sleep Sacks: Dreamland and others do help babies (and parents) sleep. (A, 72:12)
• Nipple Shields: Saved both hosts’ breastfeeding journeys, despite what lactation consultants may say. (A & C, 72:47–74:35)
  • Quote: "It just has to work, and it works for us... They saved my nipples." (A & B, 51:43–51:54)
• Travel Bassinets: Useful for safe naps anywhere, doubles as a safe sleeping spot at home or on trips. (A, 76:32)
• Newton Bassinet & Crib Mattress: Compact, fully breathable materials, easy to clean, big peace of mind. (B, 78:48)
• Wearable/Hand Pumps: Modern convenience for pumping on the go. (B, 89:17)
• Baby Slings/Wraps: Touted the Solly, Baby Bjorn, and Moby for day-to-day wear, but extra are a must if your baby spits up a lot. (A, 80:33; B, 80:39)

8. Unfiltered Opinions on Breastfeeding Advice (74:32–75:38)

• Skepticism toward “rules” on pacifiers, shields, bottles; personal experience trumps blanket advice.
  • Quote: "They're experts... but as a mom that has spoken to a lot of other moms, those three things saved my breastfeeding journey." (A, 74:35)

9. Quick Debates: Strollers vs. Wagons (99:16–101:56)

• Both options have merit, depends on lifestyle, kids’ ages, and willingness to stay seated.
• Quote: "There's a time and a place for each of them. I really do believe that." (A, 100:23)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On mom guilt and community: "I have not done anything to prepare for this baby." (A, 32:52)
  "If you went to the hospital, everything would be done for you when you got back." (Addy, 32:53)
• On baby products: "Some of these baby gadgets are creating more work for you — that should be the opposite!" (A, 56:53)
• On friendship: "That's the culture of our friend group... everyone has that in them already. And then it's like, oh, we're allowed to do that for each other." (B, 33:28)
• On the breastfeeding journey: "They're not recommended by lactation consultants... but some of us just need what works." (A, 73:39)
• On prepping for sleep: "Anything Newton brand: bassinet, mattress — peace of mind with mesh sides and washable covers." (B, 78:48)
• On the hard days: "I just had such low patience. I screamed at CJ in the parking lot..." (B, 07:41)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Pregnancy feels, hope & hard: 01:06–11:22
• Parenting & patience stories: 07:22–11:22
• Bizbel Beauty launch: 21:46–27:35
• Supportive friendships/nesting party: 32:17–34:21
• Community debates products: 48:13–66:13
• Best baby products segment: 71:44–82:12
• Breastfeeding advice/unpopular opinions: 74:32–75:38
• Stroller vs. wagon: 99:16–101:56

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Language and Tone

• Conversational, candid, supportive, irreverently funny
• Mix of gentle teasing, real-life confessions, and encouragement
• Heavy use of relatable anecdotes and listener engagement

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Final Note

This episode perfectly encapsulates the “Always Here” spirit: honest, occasionally messy, and always infused with laughter and a sense that you are not alone on the wild ride of parenting and preparing for a new baby. From overhyped gadgets to the simple joy of a supportive friend group, Abby and Abby are here to vent, celebrate, and offer real advice—sometimes against the mainstream—rooted in their own experience and that of their vibrant community.

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For next episode topics and to leave a voicemail: 602-456-9690

Book Club: Yellow Face by RF Kuang

Patreon: More on preparing toddlers for a new sibling!

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“Just remember: We’re always here.”

Transcript

[A]

When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts, and hard to find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place. So nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. I saw one of my friends kids grab their nipple when they were breastfeeding and pull and twist and she didn't blink.

[B]

Caitlin said, jeans for babies. I put Vivian and all the cute stuff like she's a baby. She hasn't experienced spandex yet. The Tommy Tippy binkies have worked for both of my kids. I think it's the best binky on the block.

[C]

This is gonna sound really ignorant. How do you know when to try a different binky?

[A]

I feel like the hospital pump, it was the only one that could actually empty me out. So now I'm trauma bonded to the hospital pump. So I'm like, I will pay 40 dol a month to have that one.

[B]

Welcome back to always here. We're your host, Abby Howard.

[A]

And Abby Howard.

[B]

How you doing?

[A]

I'm good.

[B]

You're good?

[A]

I'm tired.

[B]

I know we were partners today at the gym. You were doing so good. That was so tough.

[A]

That was stupid.

[B]

You didn't modify anything.

[A]

I did.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I didn't. Didn't seem like it. You're crushing.

[A]

I did modify. I mean, even just speed, like by modifying by speed. I feel like that's still a modification.

[B]

That was.

[A]

But I didn't jump on the leg swings and I didn't jump on the. On all of the, like inside toe taps.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Too much.

[A]

Too much pressure, Too much jumping. No, that was. That really wore my body out, that one. I'm sure you guys are worn out too, though. That was a rough one.

[B]

I remember first trimester for me and third trimester. Like I'd work out in the morning and then my energy be zapped the rest of the day.

[A]

Yeah, it does give me a boost

[B]

for a period a little bit.

[A]

And then I'm like.

[B]

And then I need a coffee.

[A]

I know. And I already maxed out my caffeine. I'm out of decaf beans. Because that works for me. Like if I have a decaf. A little something, it. It's a mental thing.

[B]

Totally. Ah, a boost.

[A]

Honestly, I think it's just a Special drink. The power of a special drink. Doesn't even need caffeine, huh? But yeah, no, that was a fun one. I like the cardio ones, but I keep just thinking, like, how many more cardio days until I'm not pregnant?

[B]

How many? Like five maybe.

[A]

Who knows? Let's actually be done with the strength days too.

[B]

Yeah, let's just be done. Yeah. You're like, come on. I go to my six week hiatus. Yeah, please.

[A]

I know. Like the cardio days send the Braxton Hicks like crazy. Really? So if I'm just sitting here just like.

[B]

Yeah. I got really nervous at first, Frank, that you were like, in labor.

[A]

I was saying a lot then, because I think even just like walking at the. Because we did cardio that morning. And then walking.

[B]

Yeah. To the stadium and on your feet the whole time.

[A]

Like, it's happening.

[B]

Literally. I was like, shoot, this is happening.

[A]

It's not. But yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think that's like, okay, that's my heart is that like, this time is like. I don't. I wouldn't say I feel impatient because I'm kind of just like. I just have so much peace with, like, baby will come. The baby's supposed to come. If that means I have to have an induction that I'm just like. I think I'm already like, in bonus land because I thought I was gonna have to have a scheduled C section.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I'm like, I just don't care. Like, I. All my expectations are pretty much out the do. And so then I'm like, baby will come. When the baby will come. But it is also just like a little mental game, like, making any plans in these next few weeks. I'm kind of like, but will that happen?

[B]

Right?

[A]

Like, is this gonna. When do I get to stop working?

[B]

Yeah. Especially now. You're in like, go mode. You gotta fit everything in, get everything figured out. It's like, extra. Extra.

[A]

It's been extra.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So like, that's the only part of it. It's like, I wouldn't say that I'm impatient, but it's just like, it's one of those points where it's like, when will these plans ever come to fruition? Or is there going to be a turn? And so it's just exciting. But I wouldn't say, like, I don't. I. I wouldn't say that I'm like, impatient, but I'm just like, curious, like, what's going to happen?

[B]

For sure.

[A]

But yeah, my hope is the same thing. Basically. I'm just glad that I'm full term.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I'm like, this feels like. This felt like a milestone that, like, genuinely was never going to come again. And so I'm just so grateful to be full term with a healthy baby. And so I'm like, once again feel like I'm in bonus land. So I'm like, just happy to be here.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

But, yeah, I am uncomfortable. And I felt like for a long time I was afraid to say that I was uncomfortable because I was so grateful to be pregnant. And I also just know how complicated pregnancy can be for people. So then I was like, me complaining about this. I didn't actually mean it that way. I don't know. It's just a weird mental game after loss where you're like, I don't want to acknowledge this. And then I'm like, okay, no, it can be both.

[B]

Like, it can be both.

[A]

And it's fine. It's not that big of a deal. Like, but I am uncomfortable. And like, even just the things of, like, putting my kids shoes on after, they're like little ninja class today. I was like, you can't do that yourself, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You're gonna make mama bend over.

[A]

I'm like, on all fours.

[C]

I'm like,

[A]

I try not to make a scene because I don't want anyone to help me. Gosh dang it.

[C]

Totally.

[A]

What's your hope?

[B]

Well, does it feel like you're an. Do you feel anxious still with the pregnancy, or you feel like now you've hit full term, it's like, passed.

[A]

Not really that anxious as much anymore. No, that's. But I say that, and then, like, if I don't feel movements for like 10 seconds, I do freak out. So I don't know if that's actually fair or true. But not anxious about the same things, I guess.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, totally. That makes sense. Good. I'm so happy. I can't wait to see something that

[A]

does cause me anxiety. That didn't is hiccups. He gets hiccups a lot.

[B]

So did Vivian.

[A]

And they.

[B]

They're like, it can be a good sign.

[A]

It can be a good sign. But then also, apparently, if they go on for too long, it cannot be a good sign.

[B]

What?

[A]

So then I start to freak out. And also hiccups are just like, oddly. They're not uncomfortable.

[B]

They're oddly uncomfortable. They are. Vivian had them all the time, and I was like, get the bubble out, girl. Because it's like a constant.

[A]

Yeah. It's weird. And they're strong.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I. It just gets Me all conf. And I think it bothers them. And then he just starts moving more in my head. I'm like, he's hurting. I hate when I have hiccups, but I don't know. They're oddly irritating.

[B]

They totally are. Yeah. I didn't feel him as much with cj, but I felt them a lot with Vivian.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think maybe you feel more. Maybe subsequent. I don't know. I'm making that up, but good. I'm glad you're in a good spot, if you're curious. We shared the hope in the heart with heart and humor. So Abby shared her hope in her heart.

[A]

I just went right into it, guys.

[B]

That was good.

[A]

That was good. You're a new listener.

[B]

Yeah, a new listener. That's what we're. We love to do that. And my hope and heart also go hand in hand. My hope is I had the best trip with my family. It was so fun. We just went back to St. Louis. I went by myself with the kids. Caleb couldn't get off work for the week, so I just was like, I'm going anyway, baby. See you later.

[A]

Long time.

[B]

It was a long time, but I wanted to, like, actually have extended time to where we could just chill. Because when we go for short periods

[A]

of time, you're just totally out.

[B]

And it's not like you're trying to see everyone in three days versus if you go for a week, you can actually hang out and enjoy time with people.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

So it was really good.

[A]

Little kids, it's like, gotta make it longer.

[B]

Totally. And yeah, it was so fun. So that was amazing. I can share more about that in a little bit. But my hard along with that was that. Yeah, yesterday I just had such low patience. I felt bad and I did something really embarrassing in the parking lot. What? I screamed at CJ in the parking lot.

[A]

Someone just did that today at the.

[B]

I became that lady.

[A]

You screamed. I doubt you screamed, Abby.

[B]

Okay, here's what happened. Okay. I turned my car on, so the engine was running, obviously parked. And cj, he was just kind of running around the back seat while I was putting Vivian in. And he got in the front seat of my car and, like, was touching the steering wheel stuff. And I was like, to me, that's so unsafe. Like, I'm like, that really freaks me out. And also, I don't want him to think that he could do that when the car is running. So I was like, C.J. get in your car seat. C.J. get in YOUR car seat. And I go, C.J.

[A]

get in YOUR car seat.

[B]

Like, panic, freaked out, screamed. And then immediately I was like, oh, my gosh. What just overcame me? And I'm looking around at the only person in the parking lot, Val. And I know for sure she heard that.

[A]

Did you sound like her?

[B]

Yeah, I kind of was like, ha. I got really freaked out there. Like, so embarrassed. That, to me, is so embarrassing.

[A]

I told her that I lost my patience with one of my kids, and she was like. She's like, no. I thought for sure. She's like, did you hear me yesterday outside your house? And I was like, no. She's like, oh. She's like, I brought it up because I was awkward. You heard? And I was like, I know.

[B]

I was like, cj, I'm sorry, yo.

[A]

Really good. It's good for us to apologize for our kids.

[B]

I was. He looked at me. He was like, okay. Hey, Mom.

[A]

Actually, like, he. Or it happened to Matt because he was. I think Auggie must have just, like, stood up and, like, cracked him in the chin.

[B]

Dude, you make that mistake one time, you learned so fast.

[A]

Matt goes, oh, my gosh. And, like, had a loud, loud reaction. And then Augie starts whimpering.

[B]

So sad.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I said, you should feel good because this means that you're not a dad. Raises your voice.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He was. It's out of character. He was concerned.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he's like, I feel when you shut the door. And he goes, I feel so bad. I said, no. When you get hit in the face.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

All bets are off.

[A]

Anything goes.

[B]

Anything goes.

[A]

It's like, you can have that reaction.

[B]

And then. Just kidding.

[A]

Maybe not that I did, but then following up with, like, sorry, I should have reacted like that. Like, that. I do that with my kids.

[B]

It's good. The one time that happened, and I learned real quick. I keep my head clear. CJ stood up and punched me in the neck with his skull. But it was so hard.

[A]

In the neck with his skull?

[B]

Yeah, it was like a. Just straight in the neck. And I go, just joking. I just. All I said was, I learned my lesson. I couldn't speak.

[A]

No, it's.

[B]

It immediately in tears.

[A]

It was dramatic. It was a moment. I'm like, you know what? That happens? And when you get hit in the

[B]

face, you just got to do what you got to do.

[A]

You just have to survive that.

[B]

Yeah. So my patience was super low yesterday. I think just when you have all hands on deck and all the f. You know, my sisters, my brother in law, Kayla's parents, my parents, like, everyone at any moment that we were. Whoever we were with was so helpful and, like, I just wasn't alone during the day with them. So then coming back, yeah, it was adjustment.

[A]

That's how I feel about, like, even, like, dads that go and work, like most dads leave for the day and work and come back and, like, it's easy for them to come home. Be like, why aren't you doing that? And then you're like, well, wait a minute. It's even hard for me to get back into the flow.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

Like, it would be hard to leave all day and then come back and, like, enter that.

[B]

Enter the sphere.

[A]

Enter that world, that bubble.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

Because even sometimes if I just, like, go out to dinner, like, we're going out to dinner with our friends tomorrow night. I feel like if I were to come home and have to do bedtime, that would be so aggressive.

[B]

Yeah. You're like, I just was, like, laughing my pants off.

[A]

I was just being a single girly,

[B]

and now I have responsibilities.

[A]

Right. That really will smack you in the face.

[B]

Today was better.

[A]

Good.

[B]

The next day, so. Okay, today I woke up. We all woke up sunny.

[A]

And.

[B]

Yeah, it was great. So.

[A]

Yeah, I saw you at the dinner.

[C]

Like.

[B]

Yeah. Hey, I was. I was late, but not that we got at the same time.

[A]

I got stuck behind a train.

[B]

Oh, that'll do it. That'll do it.

[A]

But I was still gonna probably be.

[B]

I saw you pull in the parking lot. I saluted.

[A]

Oh, that's what it was.

[B]

Well, you couldn't tell.

[A]

No, I remember it.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

You had some big gesture. Hello. Abby's been on one ever since she came back from St. Louis. Energy.

[C]

Thanks.

[B]

It was vacation.

[A]

He brought back a little spice.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Like, a little sad.

[C]

I feel like this might be the first time I've seen you. That's not true.

[B]

I think I saw you.

[C]

Oh, you're in the gym.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, I have it, like, no.

[B]

When did I get back?

[A]

Force Frank. Yeah. It went to Force Frank. Is everyone.

[B]

I'm like, what day did I get back?

[C]

I actually don't know what day it is.

[A]

You got home, and then we went to the Forest Frank concert.

[C]

Oh, yeah. That was fun.

[B]

I was a little sassy.

[A]

I was.

[B]

I got in the car 15 minutes late, made you all late. Sorry about that. I didn't apologize because I was so embarrassed about how late it was.

[C]

Cause Jake, he didn't even talk that night, so. Oh, good.

[B]

That's what it was. He was supposed to do the gospel call, and then the other guy did it. Okay.

[C]

But we did miss Tori Kelly.

[B]

We did miss Corey Kelly. I'm sorry.

[A]

It's okay.

[B]

I feel like we did agree to that.

[A]

I was fine to not stay the whole time. The concert's a little. Except we had really good seats. I really could have stayed the whole time.

[B]

The show was amazing. So I'm like, shoot, that was so good.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

We were like, we're not gonna stay the whole time. Stay till 10.

[C]

His set was only like an hour,

[B]

hour, hour and a half.

[A]

Well, it was nice that we could sit down and, like, we had space. We had really good seats. So it was like really in. I was engaged.

[B]

Yeah. If you were up in the nosebleeds, that have been hard.

[C]

I had the guy's elbows in my face.

[B]

That was hilarious. Like, this Addie was next to this. This older gentleman who came halfway through, though. Yeah, he came halfway through and recorded the entire thing. And his elbows were so wide. Add he was like. I was like, God.

[C]

Scoot over a little bit, guys.

[B]

We had some space, which is good.

[A]

That was funny.

[B]

That was funny.

[A]

Thank you to Wayfair for sponsoring this portion of today's episode.

[B]

We've been obviously redoing a lot of parts of our house, and a big part of a home is furnishing it. I feel like there's so many categories sometimes it can feel overwhelming. And I really appreciate that. Wayfair has all the categories, all the price points, all the ranges of product, quality, price. It's a great place to get everything that you need, truthfully.

[A]

And actually, we've ordered a lot of things from Wayfair and I can say their customer service is really good. Their shipping comes really fast, which is my gripe with a lot of furniture places.

[B]

We are recently Caleb's redoing our shed and turning it into an office. I got the best desk and I just had so much fun going on there looking at all the styles they had. They had so many options.

[A]

Having the right pieces of furniture for your backyard is essential. And Wayfair has amazing selections for outdoors. When it comes to seating, grills, appliances, storage, lighting, rugs, decor, they have all the things in one place. Everything you need. No bouncing between stores.

[B]

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[A]

So ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less. That's w a Y F A I R.com turn out how some families were really dropping cash at that concert.

[B]

The family in front of us had four kids. Every kid had like the hundred dollar hoodie on and the 50t shirt.

[A]

They were bringing out cotton candy, cotton candy, popcorn.

[B]

I'm like, this is Christmas. This is amazing.

[A]

It was great.

[B]

It was.

[A]

It was a fun time to drop

[C]

30 on us to get waters.

[A]

Yeah, we really should pay you back for that. Abby was dropping cash left and right, baby.

[B]

You're welcome, ladies.

[A]

I drank every sip of that Dasani.

[B]

I was like, don't waste these cans of water in my head. I'm like, yeah, I'll get you guys your waters. I looked down at the credit card tab 29.84 and it said, do you want a tip? And I paused in my heart.

[A]

I was like, no, you did this.

[B]

I said, I saw you think about it.

[C]

Yeah, that was out. I saw it too.

[B]

You were like, yeah, I've never actually done that before. That was the first time I experienced the. The bill jump.

[A]

I just want to know what that strawberry lemonade cost. Gosh.

[C]

I know.

[B]

Good thing we didn't get that.

[C]

The water cost ten dollars.

[B]

It was a small little can of water for ten bucks. It was Dasani. The worst kind.

[A]

Dang it.

[B]

I know. But it did taste good and we were hydrated. So that's all right.

[A]

That's all that matters. Fun times. Girls night out.

[B]

I flew by myself with the kids to St. Louis.

[A]

That's very impressive.

[B]

Yes, thank you. The flight there, we got to the airport an hour.

[A]

I can't say I've literally ever done that.

[B]

Yeah, I wasn't nervous. I felt like my kids are very chill. I just. I wasn't really too concerned about it. It was more so just.

[C]

Just.

[B]

I was worried about the nighttime flight with Vivian also.

[A]

Just the number of arms you have, that's just not enough.

[B]

Right?

[A]

It wasn't enough to make it smooth.

[B]

It wasn't enough. But I had help. I had help from the sweet angel anna. She's a 16 year old that's out by me on the plane. And by the end of the flight, I felt like I should have paid her. Like sometimes I just hand Vivian to her. And I was like, you have a tip button No, I would have tipped

[A]

her gladly, but she was like. She was, like, playing with cj. Yeah.

[B]

Like, she just wanted to talk to him the whole time. She was so sweet. I mean, he watched his movie and did his thing for most of the flight, but when he was awake, alert, she let him lay her head. She put her sweatshirt up, like, as a little pillow so he could lay his head down. It was so sweet. If I needed something, she'd get out of his bag because I was holding Vivian. I mean, it was just so above and beyond. So she was super sweet.

[A]

See, I feel like some moms would really hate that, though, you know?

[B]

Oh, no, no. I was like, she's a babysitter. She's not for me at the time, but, like, she's babysitting age. She enjoys that.

[A]

No, some people don't like it when you cross that, like, oh, yeah.

[B]

Being too helpful.

[A]

Yeah. I think people. I think that's an American thing. You're, like, kind of like on guard with people, with your kids. I think there's a certain level of that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're like a 16 year old girl. Feels pretty harmless.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We're on an airplane. I'm sitting three feet from her.

[B]

Like, yeah, I think, like, the lady on the way back was also super nice, but she had the boundary where she was like. Because I think then at that point, C.J. thought, oh, if you're. If you're sitting next to me on the plane, you're here to help me. And he kept telling her, like, like, open your window, close your window, turn the light on. I was like, cj, she's not. I kept up. I'm so sorry, like. And I'm like, buddy, you tell me what you need, okay? So she was really nice. And she kind of. She was like, no, he's fine. But when I. When the plane takes off, buddy, I'm gonna take a nap. It's like she was. She had the boundary. So I feel like, in that case, I appreciate it that she had here, but it was just funny. But they did great. Yeah, we did almost miss the flight going there because we got to the airport an hour early. And then there was a mishap with some diapers, like, during boarding. And I had to run and tell the ladies. I'm like, we're having an emergency in the bathroom. We're supposed to get on this flight. She's like, y' all better hurry. And I'm running the kids out of the bathroom, like, get everything cleaned up.

[A]

Well, the kids are in the bathroom. And you went.

[B]

Well, it was literally like the gate was basically with the bathroom.

[A]

What happened?

[B]

Well, C.J. went to the bathroom. Well, he kept walking around. He'd go, mom, my tummy hurts. And I brought one diaper for him.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

I brought one diaper because in my head, he only goes to the bathroom once a day. Like, you know, and he did that morning. So I brought one for in case of an emergency.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

So I've had one just in case. And he's like, mommy hurts. And I was like, oh, that's funny. I kept helping him. And then. Yeah, he starts going. And he goes once. And then we're in the bathroom, he starts going again. And I had just used his one diaper. So he sat.

[A]

He wouldn't go on. Oh, dang.

[B]

He sat on the plane in Vivian's diapers

[A]

for three hours.

[B]

He was such a champion. Oh, I know. So that. Yeah, on the way back, I had three, just in case.

[A]

Dang it.

[B]

Yeah, I know. So that was, like, one thing. We almost missed boarding. I was the last person on the plane. They were looking at me as they closed the door. But it all worked out.

[A]

It's very impressive.

[B]

Okay, you can't. You can't go off fully Smooth. You gotta have something to keep it exciting. But it was overall amazing.

[A]

Well, Abigail kept saying yesterday that she was getting filler. Oh. Just like, you probably said it six times. I was like, you're not getting filler, you're getting a filling. Yeah.

[B]

I kept telling people. I was like, yeah, I'm going to get my filler tomorrow. And, yeah, it was painless. I got. I had my first cavity at 30 years old. Felt like kind of a sad.

[A]

Quit trying to flex me. 30 years old. My first one.

[B]

A girl messaged me on Instagram yesterday. She goes, I'm 29 and just went to my dentist, and he said, if I've never had a cavity at this point, I never will. Was he wrong? I said not to tell you that your doctor's wrong, but here I am, living proof.

[C]

I also want to add you where you were on this call with us. We had a planning call while she's in the dentist chair getting numbed up. They're about to give her a shot.

[A]

I think why I was on your tongue, too. Because you were.

[B]

Yeah, because you were talking and they got the numbing stuff in my mouth, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, my tongue. I can't feel it.

[C]

Abigail, you can go. I know.

[B]

I just was.

[C]

You guys had.

[B]

It was entertaining.

[C]

Call.

[B]

So I didn't want to hang up. So, yeah. Sitting in the chair. We had our planning meeting for this episode, and I'm like, actively getting dental

[A]

work, in case you want to know how professional this operation is.

[B]

Emma was like, wow, you're, like, really getting dental work right now.

[A]

I was like, in your mouth, you're bound to get a shot.

[B]

And I was like, I should probably go. And. Yeah, it was painless. Yeah. Nothing about that was a hard process at all. Glad it was done.

[A]

Well, that should be your hope.

[B]

Grateful.

[A]

No cavities.

[B]

Grateful. Yeah. Gotta. They're filled.

[A]

I've had so many cavities, I can't

[B]

imagine getting three at a time. Because your mouth must have been.

[A]

Yeah, because top and bottom. Top and bottom.

[B]

My tongue keeps going over it because I can kind of feel the spot, like.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where they put the. It will go away.

[C]

Oh, yeah. A mouthful of fillings and a crown. Really?

[A]

Actually, I went to the dentist last week, and the hygienist was literally like, is that your baby moving? Because my belly. He goes, great. This dude goes crazy. And my belly's like. And I was like, yes, actually.

[B]

Yes, it is.

[A]

She's like, that's crazy that I can see it, like, validating. Oh, okay. This was my other hope, but it just feels a little untimely now. But I launched my mascara.

[B]

Abbey.

[A]

Have we even said on this podcast that was a mascara? Because I feel like we talked about it so much, but around it, I don't know.

[C]

I actually couldn't tell you.

[B]

I feel like we're all out of jumbled sorts with the podcast and the announcement of Biswell Beauty. Because we never so much knew what was gonna happen. No. And we pre recorded some things and been prepping. So again, this does feel late to share about it. But we talk about it.

[A]

Yes, it happened. It was a really crazy, stressful, fun, exciting week. I honestly feel like now it's like, the most fun part because now I get to see people using it. Yeah. And like, the people. People have been loving it. And that just feels, like, so cool because it's like, it's something that I have, like, genuinely loved. And I, like, have feel like I love the results of. And I'm very excited about. But it's one thing where it's like, am I the only one? Like, is this. And then clearly now so many other people have, like, really been excited about it. And so that's really cool and rewarding. It's been such a learning process. And even now, like, just learning where we go from here.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So, yeah, just a couple things that we did not know. I'm not a. I'm not a businesswoman, so forecasting something like this was really hard to figure out and also scary. And so it's a good thing, but it's a bummer. It's actually a major bummer at this point that it's sold out. We're hoping to do, like a small restock in a couple months, which we'll let everyone know, especially if you're on the SMS list, like, you'll know in advance when that's happening and then just go from there. But it's been really cool. We have other things in the works too that have been in the works since before the mascara even came out. But just now, just like, what do we do with here? And it's really good to hear everyone's feedback because that's honestly just like, kind of what's driving what we end up going in the direction with Bismill Beauty is just like, everyone's feedback and, like, what they want to see next, what they want to see differently or what can be better. Because we're definitely super young and just learning. And so, yeah, it's been a whirlwind and I feel like it's so crazy that it happened like, that it finally happened, honestly, like, because the original launch date was November, so wild of 25, if that tells you anything. And I'm glad that it didn't happen. In hindsight, then, I mean, we really would have been caught with our pants down. That would have been so bad. But, yeah, that was crazy.

[C]

Yeah, I would say give a. Let's give a huge shout out to our Patreon members. Yes, we can do it on the main episode, not just on the Patreon, but shout them out here. They really helped.

[A]

It was just really sweet to have, like, the support of, like, this entire community. It was just. I mean, I can't even really put to words how, like, cool this is and how I just. It's so humbling and I just feel like I'm like, wow, we really have such a cool community of people that, like, show up and support and, like, everyone is in this together. And I don't know, it was a really cool. It was a really cool, powerful thing to do that I never thought I would get to do. And I feel like this is the first thing that I've done, like, in my career that I feel. I don't know what this means, but I don't know if this is even Gonna make it in the episode, if it makes any sense. But, like, I feel okay taking like ownership and confidence in if that makes sense. Like, I don't know, like, I'm like this. I'm really okay with saying, like, I genuinely am proud of what we've created. Like, and I'm genuinely proud of like just this whole community behind it too. And so it's really cool.

[B]

Yeah, I think it makes sense that you feel like that this is something that you made from scratch.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Fully from scratch, you know, So I think it makes sense that you have this different. Maybe a different feeling of ownership over it.

[C]

Yeah, I do.

[A]

And I think that's really. I appreciate you point that out because it was like really cool to like. Like creating a beauty product is literally chemistry and like working with a lab and like tweaking things and like, I had to learn so much and not just on the business side. Like most of it was like just working on like the chemistry behind a product like this and like all the tests that you need to do to make sure that it's safe and stable and applies. Like with all these regulations. Oh. And that's something I did want to point out. Oh. I know that not everyone lives in the US right now. We can only ship domestically, but we are already working on. Well, I can even say, like, first step is Canada, but there's just. Each country has their own rules and regulations regarding, like, business, but then also, like beauty and some. Like you. It's like, I'm confident that it'll get in every country, but it's just we have to go through due process and we are still small and just trying to like, learn how to accommodate all of that. It's a big scale thing that we're just trying to just chip away at bit by bit. But it was so cool and I'm just so. I'm so grateful, like, just so grateful to everyone for. Yeah, the patience with. I feel bad that we ran out. I hate that. I surely wish I could just wave a magic wand and just make more appear. That would be amazing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But unfortunately that's not how it works.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, it was a long process for a reason. And getting more will also take some time. But yeah, like I said, keep your eyes out. In a couple months, I'm thinking that there will be more and just make sure you're on the sms because I'm like, I don't know how long that will last.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But yeah, it was really cool and Abby and Addie threw me a launch

[B]

party that was Addie's idea. She was all over that and she. You put it together good.

[C]

You did. Our friends put it together good.

[B]

I know.

[C]

They all stuck together.

[A]

Everyone told me it was you and you needed to stop telling other people that it was them.

[C]

I was literally sitting in here while they set up the party. So what do you say, Addie? It was really cool during the last episode, if you saw if we looked a little weird or I was just freaking out that we were planning a surprise party a feet away from you.

[B]

Every time that door opened, did you hear it?

[C]

Yeah. Oh, I. No. I told Hannah to go tell them to leave the door open so that when it wouldn't, it kept, like, the alarm kept going off and the door would open, like, the chime. And so I was like, have them close it, but not all the way. And then when we came out, I saw there was a note on the door that was telling people not to close it all the way.

[A]

It's funny.

[C]

So, no, I just wanted you to be celebrated. You celebrate everyone else so well. And so this has been so fun. So it was. It was the best.

[A]

It was so nice.

[B]

It was so sweet. When I walked in, Addie goes, do you think she's gonna know because I'm wearing a dress? Yeah, Literally.

[C]

I'm like, this is what I typically wear.

[A]

I'm wearing a dress.

[C]

Actually, this is what I.

[B]

We were all wearing blue.

[C]

We were all wearing blue. When Abby came down those stairs wearing blue, I was like, yes.

[B]

Addy started, like, cheering.

[A]

That's why someone commented, like, she knew because she was wearing blue. I'm like, what did you think I was doing that whole week?

[C]

I should not be anything.

[A]

That's so funny.

[B]

But did you.

[A]

Oh, wait, were you here, Addie? Oh, you did hear about this. My neighbor called the cops during that lunch.

[B]

Yeah, they did.

[C]

That's so wild.

[B]

Abby's getting complaints.

[A]

So neighborly. I love that.

[B]

For your dog welfare check. The dog was swimming in the pool much too long.

[A]

They said 6:30. Was that even 7 o'? Clock?

[B]

Was it, like, barking complaints?

[A]

Well, I'm sure they would have done that if they. If it wasn't 6:30. I got a dog that has FOMO, but not everyone in there could be around a dog. And it's my house and.

[B]

Right.

[A]

She was swimming.

[B]

Yeah. She wasn't hot. She was doing good.

[C]

She was swimming.

[B]

You can't get that dog out of the pool. She loves the pool. That dog loves the pool.

[A]

But then every once in a while, she would look at the window. And she'd be like, there's a party, and then just get back in the pool.

[B]

Pretzel is the happiest, healthiest.

[A]

And then when the cops came, she was already inside again. And the cop was so nice.

[B]

We opened the door. It was me, and I don't remember.

[A]

Pretzel just comes back.

[B]

Pretzel just booked out the door, Jumped right at the cop. And I was like, sorry, sir, but the pretzel was kind of like, on his legs. And so I didn't feel like it was appropriate for me to reach at his legs, you know, down low. So I was like, do you want me to get her off or. And he was like, this is the best, actually.

[A]

He was so nice. He's like, this is actually why I'm here.

[B]

Yeah. I was like, I didn't know she was gonna.

[A]

Bullshit. Why did I think he was there? I didn't answer the door.

[B]

I had no idea. I was like, wow. We throw ragers inside, like, just having

[C]

dinner so many times. Cause I am the one who always leaves early. This one emergency. I had to leave early, obviously. Wouldn't have if I didn't have to. But when you walk out and then there's just cars lined, like, these people are like, oh, they're having a party again.

[A]

Maybe that's why my neighbors called the cops. She's like, I just am so sick of.

[B]

There's so many parties over there.

[C]

So.

[A]

I'm just kidding.

[C]

It wasn't them.

[B]

It wasn't them.

[A]

It wasn't them.

[C]

No.

[B]

That was funny.

[A]

I know exactly who it was.

[B]

You need to send him some cookies or something.

[C]

I know.

[A]

I literally thought about that.

[B]

I was like, just send him a gift card every once in a while. Be like, stay on the good side.

[A]

No, but that's the thing. It also makes me just, like, not want to, because I'm like, you could have come and knocked on my door and been like, I'm genuinely concerned about the welfare of your dog. If that was the case, I've been like, oh, ma', am, look at her. She's a pool dog. She's so happy out here.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The sun is fully up, ma'. Am.

[B]

Yeah, on the 4th of July, we kept. We kept trying to get Pretzel inside. Pretzel would knock out the pool. Just did. Laughs back and forth all night long. Not afraid. The fireworks. She's out there watching them and swimming.

[A]

I'm worried about her tail. Apparently, if a dog swims too long, they can swimmer tail.

[B]

What does that do? It's like a cramp in their leg or their tail.

[C]

It's like the bone. I think it, like, it makes it brained and stuff.

[A]

I think I might just get her a little vest and let her be our lifeguard. Golden retrievers can do that, actually.

[B]

You guys ever see the Badline movie?

[C]

No.

[B]

You know, the Madeline movie?

[A]

You. I remember you saying that.

[B]

I told that. Yeah, the golden retriever jumped off the bridge and saved Madeline.

[A]

Pretzel could do that, honestly. Except she can scratch when she's doggy paddling, and that makes me sad.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the reason that people were still set. Okay. So it was a launch party turned nesting party. I actually feel so guilty about why, because I'm just like, oh, my gosh, I can't get myself.

[B]

It was fun.

[A]

It was so fun. It was so nice. Like, a bunch of people stayed after because they were like, wait a minute. We don't have our kids.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Your kids aren't here.

[C]

No.

[B]

Let's throw their toys out.

[A]

Yeah, let's clean their toys, get them out of here. That was so, so nice. Like, I just. I'm so. I probably tell Matt every day, but I need to tell my friends more, like, how grateful I am for my friends and for our community because it's like. It's like, I can't even explain how. How good they are because literally, like, I was talking to Addy, like, last week, I was like, I have not done anything to prepare for this baby.

[C]

And.

[A]

And she's like, you know that if you went to the hospital, everything would be done for you when you got back. I'm like, that. The fact that that is so true. That's.

[B]

It's a weight lift off the shoulders

[A]

that's so That I don't take that for granted at all. Like, I'm like, that is so special. That's so unique. A lot of people do not have that. And I just. Like, that's what. Like, these group of women will literally just go out of their way. They'll make themselves uncomfortable for the sake of their friends. And it's not just, like, one person. It's literally everybody.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And that is so, so special. I don't even know how you even come to that. Like, how do you even cultivate that?

[B]

I think it's all mutual. Like, everyone does it for each other. And so when you know you want to give back to those and they do it to you, you know, like, go first and be weird. Yeah. It's like, you just. That's the culture of Our friend group, like, we just. I don't know, everyone has that in them already. And then it's like, oh, we're allowed to do that for each other because we let you know what I mean.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I don't know. Maybe part of it.

[C]

And then once it's done for you,

[A]

you want to do it.

[C]

You want to do it. Like, yesterday I got so mad because I didn't have time. One of my friends was sick and she has a baby, and I was, like, so mad that I couldn't do anything because I physically didn't have the time. I'm like, I gotta send her a gift card. I gotta do something to help her because so many people have helped me that it's like, it just. It makes it so much easier to do it for other people.

[B]

That's also so fun. Like, it's so fun to serve and, like, throw parties and, like, show up for people and, like. I don't know. I think we just have fun doing it. Like. Yeah, you want to do that because you know it's going to help her. And it's like. It's just. It's. Yeah, it brings joy to be the hand that helps people.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And, gosh, am I so glad that we didn't do that when my kids are around because they would have wanted to hang.

[B]

Did they react well to that?

[A]

They reacted super well because they didn't remember the things that.

[B]

Yeah, it would have been if they

[A]

had to go through every single. If you guys don't know, we went through the quote unquote clubhouse in my house.

[B]

I'm gonna miss the old club.

[A]

It's literally just a little closet under the stairs that we would just. It was a dumping ground of toys and it was disgusting. If I'm being so for real, like, you should know that, like, you just. Could I really try to keep my house kind of picked up.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That place was a dumping ground.

[B]

I loved it personally.

[A]

It's very. It was very easy to clean up at the end of the day.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because we would just chuck it.

[B]

There was no system. It's like, you're going to a friend's house, they have a system of toys. It's like, well, okay, I don't know where your toys go because you have a system. That was awesome. Because I would just. You just take one, you throw it in the closet. Literally throw it in.

[A]

I mean. And here's the thing. You just, like, kick them. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, it's so in there. It wasn't safe. It was A house.

[B]

It wasn't. Yeah, that's the only thing.

[A]

Also gross.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

And so, like, we took all the toys out, donated so many, got storage bins, and it is great. And actually, they play a lot better in it, which was my theory.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They invited Brielle, went in there, played

[C]

for the first time.

[A]

Brielle was never going to survive in there. Otherwise, so funny.

[B]

She would have drowned that Auggie wanted

[C]

her to come play with him. He was like, come on, come on.

[A]

He's, like, trying to lure her in.

[C]

Come on. Come.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[C]

It's Pia. She's like, I don't know what you're telling me.

[B]

And they were playing in there for,

[A]

like, a good 10 minutes. And then I think she got scared.

[C]

Well, I think the door shut. I think he shut the door. And then she was like, I can't get out.

[A]

She freaked out.

[C]

She freaked out a little bit.

[A]

A little bit. But it's. They. And they do a great job of putting things away. They just figured it out. That's awesome. And so that felt so good. And honestly, it's just funny that that was, like, what I felt like. I'm even considering that nesting, because that has actually nothing to do with the baby. The baby's not gonna be.

[B]

No, that's totally nesting. That night, I learned something. I need to tell Caitlin this. She changed my house because she was in there scrubbing the floor in the closet. And I was asking her about mopping because she's really good at cleaning, and I think I'm good at. I mean, I think I'm decent. My house is clean. I mop a lot. And she was like, what are you using your mop? I said, hot water. She was, yeah, honey, you're not cleaning your floor. She says you're just putting water on them. She and I put the branch basics in there, and my floors are squeaky clean.

[A]

You put the what?

[B]

My branch basic solution in there?

[A]

Yeah. I think that's funny that you were just using hot water.

[C]

Really?

[B]

To my head, I was like, hot water kills germs.

[A]

I mean, I know. So it cools off pretty quickly, though, if once it's in public, your bucket is sanitized. Yeah, my bucket is until you put that mop back in.

[B]

The microplastics are going all over my floors.

[A]

Dang it.

[B]

But yeah. Yeah, that was a good tip. That was my first mop.

[C]

So good thought. Microplastics.

[B]

I know. Just squeegeeing them all. I know.

[C]

Squeegee's Gonna get glass buckets for their mops.

[A]

Just get a cast iron pot.

[B]

It's a work ad.

[A]

We can't avoid plastic. Okay.

[B]

Addie's dying at that.

[A]

That one got her. Addie loved that.

[B]

Cause she thinks the microplastics are a joke. She thinks we're in some hoopla. Theory perfect solutions.

[C]

Cast iron funnel mix. Yes. Throw water.

[A]

That's like a witch's cauldron.

[B]

We just got our brew. Nothing.

[A]

So hot water. They have wooden buckets. Wooden buckets. Go back to the basics.

[C]

Just get some splinters all over your store.

[B]

Stop churning. Our own butterbell.

[A]

No, I shouldn't say anything.

[B]

We definitely like ours.

[A]

What's that purple stuff?

[B]

Fabuloso.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

But that's. That's not. That's toxic. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

But my floors are clean. I think the bacteria on your floors is toxic.

[B]

No, literally, I'm like, what's more toxic? My floors are the solution.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I felt like that was an epiphany that I needed, so thank you, Caitlin. People have been messaging me on Instagram asking when I put in the mop, and I'm like, hot water. No one said anything.

[A]

They're probably like, this girl.

[B]

This girl doesn't know what she's talking about.

[A]

She is just wetting her floors down.

[B]

I'm losing all credibility. These last. Last few shows have just been exposing me.

[A]

That was like you on Saturday, when you're like, sirloin is the most expensive cut of meat.

[C]

And we're.

[A]

And Addie's like, no asking of filet.

[C]

Yeah. You were thinking.

[B]

I was getting mixed up.

[C]

I was like, I think sirloin is the actual.

[B]

You guys are like, who worked at steakhouses? I was like, I think that's wrong.

[A]

I was like, I just bought sirloins, and they were quite a bit cheaper than my New York strip steaks.

[B]

Really? Are you sure about. No.

[A]

You were, like, really confident.

[B]

You're like, I know. I go, I don't think that's true.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

And he goes, I did work at a steakhouse.

[C]

Should that be our. That should be our trivia question of the day. What is the cheapest cut of steak?

[B]

The cheapest cut of steak. Well, is it sirloin?

[C]

It's. That is the cheapest on the budget cuts of, like, the. It's actually the most expensive on the budget. Like, Chuck steak is gonna be your cheapest.

[B]

Oh, really?

[C]

I love Chuck roast from the shoulder.

[A]

Oh.

[C]

And then sirloin, and then the most expensive, not including wagyu. What do you guys think?

[B]

Filet Nolan.

[C]

So the filet is the most expensive tomahawk. So a T bone and a porterhouse that is like right under the filet, which most of the places, a porterhouse is gonna be way more expensive than

[A]

a fillet, which is because it's just smaller.

[C]

Yeah, it's just a smaller cut of meat.

[B]

That's interesting because I would think the bone takes up majority of the. I don't know. The bone bothers me. Get that out of here.

[C]

Yeah, agree.

[A]

I think it adds flavor of the.

[C]

Of the normal ones. It goes sirloin strip, ribeye, T bone, porterhouse floy.

[A]

Okay, okay, okay. I'll take steak any way I can get it.

[B]

Thank you to Cash App for sponsoring this portion of today's episode. Abby, what's one money lesson that you've learned the hard way?

[A]

To not spend more than you make. In this day and age, it's just so easy to do. And with all these money traps is what I'm going to call them. In our current landscape, it's really important that we're proactive in talking to our kids about finances and financial literacy. And that's why I'm really excited about what Cash App is doing. Yeah.

[B]

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[A]

You can also set spending limits and you can lock or unlock the Cash App Visa card anytime from your own app. You can also automate their allowance, which is really cool, and track the flow of money in and out together. Kids start building real saving habits early by earning interest on savings. So when you're explaining the difference differences between spending now versus saving for later, they can actually see their money grow.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

I'll just do my wild crazy. We don't have to talk about long.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It's more of an interesting thought. It's an idea.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Cue the sounds.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

That's crazy.

[B]

Okay, there's this gym here called Hive Fitness Club in Scottsdale. Have you guys heard of this gym? It's kind of a controversial gym.

[A]

I've never heard of it.

[B]

Well, it's kind of funny because I live under a rock. They're very like, I'd even know about

[A]

the parasite if I'm totally.

[C]

Oh, that was gonna be my. Wow, that's crazy.

[B]

Oh, the parasite.

[C]

The Paris. Because people kept telling me I had it and I said, don't say that.

[B]

No, because it would. You need.

[C]

No, I was going the other way too.

[B]

Yeah, you need like the anti parasite parasite medicine for that.

[C]

Okay, tell us about the Hive.

[B]

Okay. The Hive gym is kind of a funny gym now. Not funny because they are believers. So I'm like, yes. But they'll post, like, I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You know, that type of. Okay. So there's this. That aspect of the gym. And then they're also extremely. It's an extremely expensive gym, very high monthly cost. But they're doing something I think is very interesting, like, how much does it cost? So their discounted rate was like 250amonth for a special. So that's a lot just for a normal gym. But they have, you know, the cold plunge asanas, all the amenities. They are now doing this thing where they're gonna have. You can go and get your blood work done there, and they do a full blood panel with hormones. Just all this stuff. Isn't that really interesting? And then they have it in house. You can go back and, like, get it checked later. And then they'll have someone sit down with you and come up with, like an optimization health plan. And Caleb and I were talking about it, and I think that's a brilliant idea. Can you imagine all these kind of like, it's becoming like a boutique health center and just with the way insurance here is and the health system is like, there's a. There's a time and a place for the traditional health system. Like, it's a really good thing, but for preventative care. Like, I've just went in for his annual physical and they just check, you know, your blood pressure, weight, bmi, just the basic stuff. And then they say, he's good, you know, but it's nothing preventative.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And yeah, if you want those things, they're really expensive to do on your own, but they're offering it kind of within their membership. And yeah, we were just talking about, like, that's got to be kind of like the new wave of health, like in gyms.

[A]

Yes, there's a lot of services like that. Yes.

[B]

But all encompassing, like in your gym membership. And then you have your dietitian and

[A]

your nutrition that's included in the membership.

[B]

They're doing a special right now where if you get your blood work, full panel done there, you get a discount on your membership.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

And they're doing it there and I know. I thought that was such a good idea. I thought that was crazy. I was like, wow, that's really interesting. There's this new scan that two. I've seen two influencers hear about in New York. One was Remy Boehner. It's called Provuno Prazuno. It's a full body mri. It's this new thing. Have you heard about this with Joe? Yeah, from the Bachelor.

[C]

That's what I was about to say.

[B]

Okay, so they're getting these scans done and there's two people. Remy Bader got it for her dad for father's Day. They did this scan, found that he had a major artery to his blaine brain super blocked. And he was at risk for a massive stroke at any moment. And then also something else else within. Within his esophagus. So they told him to go to the emergency room, got everything confirmed, and now he's getting. Going through the correct channels to get healed. And then Joe from the Bachelor, Joe Amabile or something.

[C]

Grocery store Joe.

[B]

Grocery store Joe, really cute guy. He was on Bachelor in Paradise, but he did this scan as well. And they found a brain lesion. And he's an extremely healthy guy. Young, had no symptoms. Both these people were very unsafe, unsymptomatic. And now he's gonna go and have brain surgery because they found this tumor. And I don't know, I'm just like, that's so amazing and cool. But I think there's this. There's this space for like preventative health care that you think about the dexa scans and all this stuff.

[A]

It's just so hard and frustrating that it's probably not accessible to most people.

[B]

That's right. So I thought that was cool that the gym's doing that because obviously it's. Now the hive is not accessible to most people.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it'll start there and it'll trickle down.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, if that becomes a successful business model for them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I don't know. I just thought it was so interesting. And I hope that's like the new wave.

[A]

I hope the new wave is out of health insurance and into some other third thing that is just better.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Because. Yeah. I've just been so discouraged by health insurance, which we don't even make that the topic of this thing. But, like, they wouldn't probably cover anything like that.

[B]

No.

[A]

And it's like the. Yeah. The thing that's so annoying is that health insurance determines a lot of people's health decisions. And the health insurance is not considering the patient, the person, like, their health overall at all.

[B]

No.

[A]

And so that's just a really frustrating, bad. We're in a bad cycle in this country. We're in a terrible cycle.

[B]

Totally. And so.

[A]

But that's really cool.

[B]

Isn't that cool?

[A]

I know they do something similar at the Mayo Clinic, which is crazy that we're, like, close to it here. And I've heard people, like, once again asymptomatic, and then they find out that they have a certain, like, early onset of a cancer that could have otherwise been really, really serious.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Get it treated and everything is better. I know, I know, I know. That's really cool.

[B]

I know. I was just encouraged by some of these, like, more preventative measures. And hopefully down the road, you would think that health insurance would want to cover preventative things to prevent more expensive stuff later on. But also, I wonder if these. These are private companies, so they're making a killing.

[A]

I'm pretty dated. I honestly think the health care system needs to be dismantled.

[B]

Yeah. Totally.

[A]

And then rebuilt.

[B]

It does. It's a.

[A]

Well, it's. So we gotten so far, but health insurance, I should say.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Not the health care system.

[B]

No.

[A]

Health insurance.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which is ruled by health insurance. Their health cares.

[B]

I just thought that was an interesting business model. It was an ad that got served us and we were like, wow, that's crazy. That's really cool. So. Wow, that's crazy.

[A]

So Matt and I really got ourselves together this weekend, and it's. We certainly don't have a nursery. And I just think that that's totally fine with me. Our friends were so sweet. They're like, no, you're gonna have nursery. I'm like, no, no. It's actually really, really, really fine.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Our babies stay with us for an extended period amount of time. I just like it that way.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And so our room is like really set and we got a lot of things done and it just kind of became like really surreal that moment. And that's kind of also our topic for this episode is all things nesting baby products. What are some products that we think are overhyped? What are some things that we're like, yeah, I'll pay every penny for for that.

[C]

Right.

[A]

And yeah, I think my top of you opinion on baby products is any product that works for your baby to make that 100% worth every penny. Do it. I fully support that. I think each baby also is really unique. And so it's like, maybe I don't. This just didn't work for my kids or just didn't really work for our lifestyle. But you're like, oh, no, I totally disagree. That's totally great. Yeah, that's fine. And. But I feel like a lot of my overhead baby products, a lot of people agreed with me really on. So I. If you're a first time mom, then maybe like tune in because I feel like a lot of these are some of there's so many gimmicks.

[B]

Okay. Oh my gosh. Mrs. Vans. I'm sorry, Mrs. Van Zoot. Finn, Wait.

[A]

We should say we pulled. We asked you guys on the always here podcast. Instagram.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

What products are you guys think are overhyped baby products? Yeah. And a lot of these are interesting.

[B]

A couple of you.

[A]

I'm already saying you're wrong. No, I'm just kidding.

[B]

Okay. Sorry, Mrs. Van Van Zufen. Sorry. Can only say with an accent. Newborn shoes, like, what is the point? All day putting them back on because they fall off.

[A]

I agree.

[B]

I agree with that.

[A]

I put that one down.

[B]

I've actually never bought shoes for my newborn.

[A]

Even baby socks. Like, I can understand needing them, but like, might as well just get a onesie because those socks are. Socks just come off.

[B]

The socks do come off. They really do.

[A]

Morgan Clothier says by the fourth child. A change table.

[B]

A change table is on my list.

[A]

It's on my list.

[B]

I do not. We just change on the floor or the couch.

[C]

I didn't even get Brielle. No changing table.

[B]

No changing table.

[A]

No.

[B]

Not even a pad that goes up on a table. Like literally put the pad on the floor on a rug.

[A]

Sometimes not even a pad.

[B]

No pad. Usually I just put their head on the rug and their butt on the hardwood.

[A]

Perfect. This one is just plain wrong.

[B]

It's just wrong. Lydia, dear said the Duna. I'm sorry, Lydia. The Duna is everything.

[C]

Do you have the Duna, Lydia?

[B]

I know that's the thing.

[C]

Like, I think people who don't have it could think it's overrated.

[A]

And I understand dupe out there now. There wasn't when I had.

[B]

There's a dupa.

[A]

There's a dupa. I think the even flow one does pop out.

[B]

That's cool. Is it cheaper? Yeah, the doona just got a lot more expensive.

[A]

It has to be cheaper.

[B]

The Duna's like, what? 650 now?

[C]

Mine was a gift.

[A]

No, it's 550, but maybe the Duna X.

[B]

But the new one's gonna be more. But that doona X looks so nice the way that it can lay down. I'll let you know. Dang it. You should just get, like, a cheapy infant car seat and then buy the Dun X.

[A]

It's on my porch.

[B]

No, return it.

[A]

Why? No, that's the Duna X. Abigail, you got it. I didn't get it out yet. It just showed up yesterday. Matt runs up upstairs.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

I said, but does it have an X on it?

[B]

He's like, yes, they sent it. Oh, my gosh, Abby, that's your. That's the biggest flex you could ever have.

[A]

Anna Grace says. Oh, Anna, Anna Grace, you're not in good company. I'm so sorry. Nipple shields. Because how does that even stay on?

[B]

Listen, Anna Grace, it doesn't have to make sense. It just has to work, and it works for us.

[A]

I will say, nipple shields, they are

[B]

a pain in the butt, but. No, but they.

[A]

They saved my breastfeeding journey.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They saved my nipples.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

So, I mean, that's a win.

[B]

Win.

[A]

They're cheap.

[C]

How do you get them to stay on? You get a little bit of moisture. I just.

[B]

I didn't even worry about it.

[C]

And then you can suction it, too. You just push it in and then you.

[A]

I mean, the baby kind of does the work.

[C]

Yeah, I know.

[B]

I just held it on until they started going.

[C]

I did get to a point where once they're a little more active, they do.

[B]

They fall off.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Guys, I have to. I have to say something. Something. I know that this is mostly women here, so this is. Okay, don't clip this, because then the men will See this? But I. This weekend, when we were nesting, I got a new pump and I was like, what flange thing should I put on there? They had a template.

[B]

Were you doing the wrong size this whole time?

[A]

I have no idea what I was using before. I can't. I couldn't give you any kind of frame of reference.

[B]

Yeah. I just did the one it came

[A]

with in the box and I was using that little template, and it was so gross.

[C]

Putting your. Putting your nipple.

[A]

I like matte. Look at that.

[C]

Putting in the little holes. Yeah.

[A]

I've never done that before. Do you have pumped a lot? Never done that before.

[C]

I have a bunch of different sizes. If you're a little.

[A]

Just poking through the door, do you

[C]

have the size you need?

[A]

I felt nasty.

[B]

I know.

[A]

I felt. And I'm like, I can't even say what size.

[B]

Don't say, Well, I have.

[C]

I have a bunch. If you don't have it and you haven't ordered any, I have.

[A]

No. Mine came.

[C]

It came with a set.

[A]

Mine came in the set, but it is one of the larger.

[C]

I will say when I ordered nipple shields, I got the wrong size.

[A]

Yeah, I don't think I've ever had the right size ever.

[C]

They were really big.

[A]

Come to think of it. I don't think I ever had the right size.

[B]

I think it will make a difference. It will make a difference from that.

[A]

Anna. Grace, that's upsetting. But you know what? I don't think nipple shields are recommended, so.

[B]

And they're not for everyone.

[A]

They're not for everyone. I will not push that on you.

[B]

No, I have to use one, though.

[A]

So I will never not. I don't even like when it would accidentally fall off and he would just go ahead and latch. I'm like, no, no, no, no. Stop.

[B]

Yeah. Restart. Restart. You reset this.

[A]

You know what really sealed the deal for me is I saw one of my friend's kids grab their nipple when they were breastfeeding and pull and twist, and she didn't blink her eyes.

[B]

I just. My stomach dropped.

[A]

She didn't blink. She didn't blink.

[C]

Brielle's been doing that recently. She did that the other day to me. Why? No idea.

[A]

I can't lose that.

[C]

She's also been listening on my shirt. I'm like, we're not interested in those.

[A]

That's hilarious.

[B]

CJ Is all Val nursing. And she was covered and everything. And he walked up and he goes, what are you doing under there?

[A]

You already forgot. You already forgot.

[B]

What are you doing under there? Next One Alexis Crow diaper. That was on my list. Diaper bags. Just use a cute big purse or tote you actually like. Lol.

[A]

Kind of agree.

[B]

I agree too. I. I do. I. Look, I used and enjoyed my diaper bag with cj, but gotta have something. You have to have something big enough to carry everything. But I actually just carried 15 times less stuff with Vivian than I did with CJ. I like, with CJ, that bag would be overflowing. I don't know what I had in there. It was overflowing with stuff. It was a big backpack. And with Vivian, I'm like, all I need is my diaper. Right. I don't know. It was just way less. And I would just keep the rest of my car.

[A]

Kale says Hatch sound machines. Not all sound machines. Just the hatch ones. You're not totally wrong. Yeah, I do have one.

[B]

There are other great too, actually. Yeah. But I'm happy I have my hatch.

[A]

I am certainly happy about it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do other sound. Are there other sound machines on the market that change colors that you can program?

[B]

So, though I have the Amazon version one for Vivian because we bought one for her room ourselves. And I went to get the hatch, and Caleb was like, that's absurd. And I was like, but Caleb. So I just got the Amazon one. And actually, yeah, it works fine, but the sounds are not as good. The Hatch sound machines are really nice. Like, I actually hate the sounds on Vivian's. There's one sound on there that I use, but whatever.

[A]

Okay, well, it works for me. I'm like, yeah, I could be convinced to try a different one, but at this point, I haven't found one that rivals it.

[B]

Yeah. I think the Hatch app needs to be reworked a little bit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it's okay.

[A]

I understand that one JC says literally any baby toy ever. I put this on my list. You know what the best toy is? A box. That's it. Just the box.

[B]

That's the box.

[A]

That's so true. Babies just want to play with literally anything.

[B]

Yeah. Just put something. Honestly, I don't even know if I gave baby any toys. I mean, I think at some point my mom came in and was like, you need to start giving her some toys.

[A]

Yeah. Well, I'm just thinking you could give them the toys that your older kids are using.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Or, like, soft. I mean, a spoon is really fun for them.

[B]

Yeah, they do. Yeah. They love a little silicone silverware set.

[C]

Great.

[A]

So fun.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Quinn says bottle sterilizer.

[B]

I agree on that. Was on my list.

[A]

Just use the dishwasher. They'll eat dirt soon anyways.

[B]

It's true. Yeah, I. That was on my list. I actually had the big one that I used it like twice for CJ and then it just sat in my cabinet and I got rid of it for Vivian. I donated it.

[A]

I use it constantly with my first.

[B]

That's why I got it, because I remember you guys traveling with that.

[A]

Yeah, but we didn't know what the heck we're doing.

[B]

I know, but I thought you just needed it and then.

[A]

I never need it.

[C]

No.

[B]

And you have to desalinate these things. Like, it's almost more work than it's worth. I'm like, just throw those balls.

[A]

That's my take. I'm like, some of these baby gadgets are creating more work for you. And that should be the opposite. The baby gadget should be creating more time for you so you can hold your baby more and engage with your baby more and should not create extra steps for you. It should take away steps.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And bottle sterilizer. Example of adding a step.

[B]

It's an add step. Yep. Don't love that. Okay. Caitlin said jeans for babies. I always feel bad putting something uncomfortable on my baby.

[A]

Oh, I got your baby jeans.

[B]

No, I love. Okay, here's my hot take. They're babies. They don't know if they're uncomfortable. I put them. I put Vivian and all the. They were not.

[A]

They're loose. They were loose.

[B]

Yeah, they were loose. But I'm like putting her in cute stuff. Like, she doesn't complain. She's a baby. She doesn't know better.

[A]

She's a baby.

[B]

She hasn't experienced spandex yet. You know, that's so funny.

[A]

You're like, she ain't moving.

[B]

She ain't moving. She ain't moving.

[A]

Caitlyn says bathtub thermometer.

[B]

Literally.

[A]

Just touch the water and you'll know if it's too hot or cold.

[B]

That was on my list too. That little rubber ducking. I know. Matt used that thing like it was obsessed over that thing.

[C]

I think as a first time parent, you might actually need it to figure out what the temperature.

[A]

I do agree.

[C]

Really? So. So I think after that, sure, whatever. But I. I wouldn't have known. I didn't even know when I was getting in to my bat when I was taking a bath and I put that little thermometer in my bath to make sure I wasn't getting too hot. I was like, this is so cold.

[B]

Well, how hot was it supposed to be?

[C]

100.

[B]

Okay. As long as they're not getting in. Getting in it and crying. I'm like, it's fine. They're in there for five seconds.

[A]

I actually met a woman. This is extreme. This is why we were extreme with it. She had scars all over her whole body because she was put into too hot of a bath.

[B]

Okay, well, that's like. Yeah. You can't put them in scalding water.

[A]

It wasn't.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

But I think their skin is just so fresh.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And also, like, what feels hot to you could be different. Like, what. On your hands? I think they say to use your elbow because, like, your hands.

[B]

Yeah. Your hands are more. You're. They've been calloused up or just like.

[A]

Maybe. I don't know. If you're touching something hot, it can affect how the temperature feels. I don't know. I. That was something that I was like, it's so cheap. And then they can just play with it when they're older. I kind of liked having a little ducky. I kind of like it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I freak out about it.

[B]

Thank you to Chili Pound for sponsoring this portion of today's episode.

[A]

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[B]

Okay. Odyssey.

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

Deb CD said electric nail File freaks me out. Yeah, I've never ever used the electric nail file.

[C]

I got it cuz I thought it would be helpful and I just couldn't figure it out. It's hard to keep it.

[B]

Just, just I've, I've literally never trimmed their fingers or toes.

[C]

Blake told me this morning, he goes, you need to cut her nails. They're so sharp. When she grabs me, I'm like, I looked at them, I'm like, they're short. You're just a baby.

[B]

Yeah. Even now I only have to trim like two of CJ's nails. I just use my clippers. I don't know, it just. You don't need that.

[A]

I don't know if I've ever trimmed my kids.

[B]

I've never clipped, clipped baby's fingernails. And if they're long, I just put the socks over their hands until they, they get long enough to where they break and you just pull them off.

[A]

They're soft.

[B]

Soft. Yeah, their nails are really soft. So yeah, I didn't clip them or follow them.

[A]

Baby detergent is what Trisha says. I agree, I agree.

[B]

Just get non scented, clear and gentle. Funky bell. Really expensive baby swings. Really expensive for a short usage time if baby tolerates it.

[A]

Yeah, they're a gamble.

[B]

They're a gamble because if you can

[A]

set them down and the baby's entertained and like happy entertained, not entertained. If they're happy, then it's worth every penny in my opinion. Yeah, but like, I mean just think about the fact that you could shower. Right? That is valuable.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But most babies don't like them or a lot of babies don't like them. And then they are really expensive and they're massive.

[B]

They take up space.

[A]

It is a gamble.

[B]

And they're hard to store. Like ours is just sitting in our garage. We're actually selling our stuff. Facebook marketplace. Because we've had two babies now that

[C]

we just like the bouncer or the little like, what's that called?

[B]

That's on my list of obsessive part. Oh yeah, because I think those are worth it. Like the swing. I don't know. I just put my baby in other places.

[A]

Lori says passy clips.

[B]

I just have a beef with them.

[A]

They're.

[B]

They're very important. On an airplane.

[A]

I'm an airplane. They are really important.

[B]

I really wish I had one because Vivian, the whole first flight was just tossing on the floor constantly. But some of them are really like the silicone ones are heavy and pull the pinkies out of their mouth so you have to get the ones that aren't heavy.

[C]

I didn't have that problem. I do. I did the. Kind of convenient for the car because from my seat, I could reach back, and when the binky would fall out, I could find.

[B]

Oh, that's. Yeah. You know where it is.

[C]

That's the. How I.

[A]

The problem is they don't attach to the Tommy tippies unless they make their own.

[B]

I know that's hard. That's what I had. The silicone one that was long enough to go over through the Tommy tippy on the side, but it would constantly, like, lift out of his mouth because then it wasn't flush, and then it was a heavy silicone one. It pulled it right out of his mouth.

[A]

This one is kind of interesting. It says. Well, first of all, it says, heather Forest Frank. Okay, baby, we just saw him.

[B]

Big fan.

[A]

It says, bibs.

[B]

Always.

[A]

Just fed my babies in a diaper. Lol. When you're out and about, though, you kind of do need.

[B]

There's a. Yeah. There's a time and a place.

[A]

You need a bib.

[B]

I use a bib.

[A]

All right.

[B]

I don't take her shirts off all the time.

[C]

Yeah. Especially.

[B]

I feel like toddlers need bibs more than, like, babies.

[A]

My kids are.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

As they get, like, closer to a

[C]

year, babies can have, like, cloth bibs. And then once they're.

[A]

See, that never worked because we had droolers. It would just go through the bib. We. Silicone.

[B]

Silicone.

[A]

Okay. These are funny.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Was there anything that you had that

[A]

wasn't on there for favorites.

[B]

For overrated.

[A]

For overrated wipe warmers. No one put that.

[C]

She probably skipped it.

[A]

They did. Okay. People put wipe warmers. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[B]

Yeah. No white bombers.

[A]

No white warmers. That's just not attainable for every time you're gonna change a diaper. And they're. I mean, how cold are they getting?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I'm like, how cold are these wipes getting?

[B]

Okay. I don't even know how those work. Like, do you have to turn the thing on and then it warms your wipe up and you have to wait for the wipe to warm?

[C]

You put.

[A]

No, you put the whole pack in there, and so it comes out warm,

[B]

but it's on all the time.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you have to have batteries? Anything with batteries? I'm like, okay, yeah, I think that seems silly. I get the purpose of it. But your kid's already awake. Like, I would. I'm not changing a diaper if my Baby's asleep. Are you? Like, I'm. I'm changing their diaper to wake them up to nurse. Yeah, you're right. I want them to be awake. I'm not trying to keep them asleep.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And if they've pooped or peed, they're awake, you know, so I don't know. To me, that just cut. It's a little silly. Yeah. They're already crying because they're tired, so.

[A]

Well, because you're changing their diaper and

[B]

you're changing their diaper, so I don't know. To me that seems a little nonsensical.

[A]

It just is an extra step. And once again, we need less simplicity. We need simplicity. And that's my other thing with diaper pails.

[B]

Oh, I love the diaper pail.

[A]

No, I don't want that extra step. I'm just gonna. I change. I take my trash out every single day.

[B]

Okay, but you can go on the train trash. How long in the poopy divers stay in the trash?

[A]

I take my trash out every day.

[B]

Yeah, but CJ, if I put CJ's poop diaper in our kitchen trash can for more than 10 minutes.

[A]

A diaper pill for a Todd, like a 3 year old.

[B]

His are the stinkiest ones. What do you mean?

[A]

I just don't think it's. I don't. An extra step like that.

[B]

Really?

[A]

And they always get jammed and they're disgusting to change.

[B]

Well, I think the Diaper Genies, they got jammed because you didn't empty it.

[A]

Yeah. Cause it's an extra step. And actually, no. Sometimes I would open the bottom part and it was still like halfway up.

[B]

Okay. I haven't had issues with my Diaper

[A]

Genie and I couldn't open that thing.

[B]

Well, I think because it got jams.

[C]

No, I have a diaper pale. Like it's not a genie. So it's just like kind of another type of trash can in their room. But it closes and you can use regular bags with it. Oh, but I think I love my

[B]

Diaper Genie as a baby.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Once they're not a baby anymore, like, I, I usually throw probably 50 of her diapers now just right into the race.

[B]

Pee diapers in the kitchen trash. Listen, all my trash. I only have one trash can in my house. It's in the kitchen.

[A]

Also, it doesn't prevent the stink.

[B]

The Diaper Genie does.

[C]

Mine does.

[A]

I don't think so.

[B]

The minute I know someone put that poop diaper in, I know when someone put a poop diaper in My kitchen trash. I'm like, that's. That is get it out of the house.

[A]

Get it out. Yeah. And then you just take out your trash.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I will say I feel like it is different depending on the bigger house you have.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And how far away your Diaper Genie is.

[B]

True. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. Like, you would probably want one, right?

[B]

No. You wouldn't want to walk upstairs to throw a diaper away.

[C]

Well, no, I'm more so saying, like, in the middle of the night, I'm

[A]

just gonna put it in the trash and I'll just take it out.

[B]

Newborn diapers do not need a pail. Can go right in the trash.

[C]

I'm like, I want it as close to me as possible.

[B]

That's interesting. Yeah.

[C]

I don't have to walk to my kitchen.

[B]

You know what you could just do is you could just tie it in a plastic bag.

[A]

That's what I do. Yeah. I put them in a grocery sack.

[B]

Oh, okay. So that makes. Yeah, that makes sense.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know. I like my Diaper Genie.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

But for me, it's a no.

[B]

So that was yours.

[A]

Yeah. I also said baby toys, changing tables, baby shoes, and diaper bags.

[B]

Okay. My other big one that I had is the. My mom bought me this. I'm sorry, Mom. We fell for the hype, though.

[C]

It's.

[B]

It's a make your own baby puree machine, and I use that thing. I used it a couple times with CJ to try. It was a lot of work. It makes way too much puree to where it's gonna go bad. I'm like, I can't feed him only carrots for four days. You know what I mean? He needs other things to mix up. Also, it didn't make. I don't know. He didn't like the texture of it. And it's just a gadget that you have to clean and wash. Whereas, like, I'm like, I'll just buy the dollar jar and call it a day.

[A]

Or even, like, when I made baby

[B]

food, I literally would just boil it and mash it. Yeah, I know. Yeah. The cold. Literally, it's like a appliance.

[A]

I've seen that before.

[B]

It's aesthetic, but it was impractical.

[C]

Yeah, you have a hot. Take that. I just thought of child specific towels. Like, baby towels with the hoods. Like, you can just use your freaking towel.

[B]

They're just really cute.

[C]

They're really cute.

[A]

Freaking.

[B]

I have a couple of them.

[A]

Hello.

[B]

A ducky.

[C]

We have. We have two that are her size, and then we Have a bunch that were, like, infant ones that we still use. Because it doesn't really matter.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Really, you just wrap them up, roll

[B]

them up in that big old.

[C]

If you don't want to spend the money and you want to save $50 somewhere, just don't get baby towels.

[B]

Yeah, totally. There's so many places you could save. You could just use your own things. Yeah. Yeah. I think those were good. Those were good.

[A]

Those were the ones.

[B]

Most of my.

[A]

Well, I guess I gotta also say another one is. Which I have one and I use it all the time. But there's just no way you can actually tell me that this price point is even somewhat realistic. Is the Art of Pop Baby carrier.

[B]

The maybe is so good.

[A]

There's so many other ones on the market now that it's like, how do you justify that? And I saw. I see these videos now. It's like, these are the products that are absolutely worth the hype. And people will say, that carrier. I'm like, you just haven't used another carrier. Because that is crazy. We had it and we used it all the time. But, yeah, it's a flex at that point. And that's a weird thing to flex. That's a weird thing to flex.

[B]

Yeah. I have another one, too. I have that bathtub insert. That. That's the holes. Okay, so you sit him in there. I never used that with cj. I would just sit in the shower and, like, use a cup and just rub the water over him. Didn't ever put him in the bath. To me, that felt like a big hassle. With Vivian, I did bathe her in the tub because CJ Would be. It was just easier. But that is such a misleading product. Did you know you're actually not supposed to fill the tub with that product in there? It even says on the wine label you're talking about. It's a bunch of holes. And you.

[C]

When you gave Brielle. It's the one that's in our bathtub.

[B]

It's like a little seat.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And it has all the holes.

[B]

You're not supposed to fill the tub up and put your baby in it because you're. It even says keep the drains open and the water running. Like, you're just supposed to set them in there and the water runs through it. Oh, because the baby could fall into the water out of the seat. Isn't that so misleading?

[A]

We put that tub in the kitchen sink. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. But you're not supposed to have any water around it. Like, isn't that crazy?

[A]

Wow.

[C]

We did that for a long.

[B]

I know. I. I mean, I still do.

[A]

You would never leave a baby.

[B]

I don't leave her in there anyway, but. And I never turn my head. But it is, like, a risk. That's their warning.

[C]

I mean, I have pictures of Brielle in there when she was a week old, and she looks very small to be in a bathtub in that. Yeah.

[B]

Yes. So I think maybe that one I would say I put on my list, because I'm like, ugh, you don't really need a bath thing. You could literally just hold.

[C]

I feel like that one's got to lead the market, though. I know. Like, that's the only one I can

[B]

think of, and I didn't think you needed directions. The flower one. People have said they like that one a lot. It's probably safer alternative. Yeah. So maybe it has to dry out. See, that's an extra step to me.

[C]

We never did a. Our sink isn't big enough for. To do a baby bath, so we never do that.

[B]

I literally just put CGI on my lap, and I'd sit on the floor of my shower and use a cup and just kind of in a warm rag and just put over him. So you didn't get cold. It was so easy. And just nothing had to dry.

[A]

Oh, no. They would slip right through my hands.

[B]

Well, that's why I sat. Yeah, that's why I sat down.

[C]

I put Blake in charge of bath time, literally starting her first ever bath. I have probably done two baths by myself.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Sometimes it does feel like I'm like, oh, you gotta turn the water on and let it fill.

[C]

I do bedtime. Like, I do. I do bedtime most days, but I. It just seems like a lot of work.

[A]

I know Matt is the bath guy for baby products that I personally think are worth the hype. Doona. I already said that. Especially, I will say, if you don't travel, I think there's other alternatives that are. Your life would still be a lot easier with a doona, but I think, especially if you're planning on traveling at

[B]

all with a baby, it's awesome.

[A]

Doona is really, really amazing.

[B]

It is amazing.

[A]

Something else I said, the Dreamland sleep sacks.

[B]

Love them.

[A]

There's a ton more on the market, but when we had our first, there really wasn't a ton. I love their sleep sacks, and I do think that they helped us get more sleep at night. And I think there's a lot of products that promise that, and that's a big claim to make But I actually think that there's do deliver on that. Like, it just makes them feel like, calm. Both my kids also had really strong moral reflexes, and so I feel like that was like, really helpful for them, like connecting their sleep. I said nipple shields.

[B]

Nipple shields.

[A]

Because here's the thing. If you're at a point where you're like, okay, it's either like, I am walking away from breastfeeding. It's not working, or just getting. Just trying this cheap little silicone shield. And that could completely save your breastfeeding journey. That that little shield would have so much value when it comes to, like, switching to formula at that point.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

And it saved my nipples.

[C]

So, yeah, it saved my breastfeeding journey. And I will make this disclaimer to everyone. Nipple shields are to help the baby, not to help you with pain. Yes, they do. But I was thinking it was because it was gonna. It was hurting me and that's why it still hurts. So they can help get latched. Yeah, that is what it's.

[B]

It helps with their latch shield.

[C]

I feel like is the wrong word.

[A]

But I will say my nipples are not that sore tool because I use that thing. I do think it helps with pain.

[C]

It probably does. I used it after my nipples were numb, so it didn't do anything. Like, I. I breastfed Brielle for a month and a half.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Two months.

[B]

And she was having issues staying latched.

[C]

Yeah. It a night and day difference.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think that's a huge tip. Like, I think. I think there are a lot of like, hot opinions on the nipple shield.

[A]

They're not recommended by lactation.

[B]

And so if you. And some people are like, my baby's not latching, like, we can't nurse. It's not working. Like, and it's such a struggle. Sometimes it's so hard. Like, you're wrestling your baby to eat

[A]

and you're doing that really stressful.

[B]

You're doing that ten times a day.

[A]

And that's daunting.

[B]

That's really anxiety inducing as a mom. So just try the shield if you're having issues and you can wean your baby off of it later once you get in her flow. Like, that's what you do with Brielle.

[C]

Yeah, I weaned her off of it at the some point.

[B]

So, you know, I mean, I'm like, just try the nipple shield. It could save you. And then you can have months of like a happy, healthy breastfeeding journey.

[A]

So especially early on. Don't be. Don't let Them. Okay, I actually want to say this. This is a hot take.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Am I going on a rant?

[C]

Nope, go on it.

[A]

This is a hot take there. They will tell you a lot of things about breastfeeding, and they're experts, so they're coming from a lot of knowledge and background. I'm going to recognize that. But as a mom that has spoken to a lot of other moms, there's things that they will discourage that actually made breastfeeding for a year two times completely possible for me. One was they said I couldn't use a pacifier for my baby for a certain amount of time because they said that was gonna affect their latch. If we didn't give our kids a pacifier, I don't know what would have possibly happened at nighttime. Like, it. They're used to soothing themselves that way. It felt kind of rude to just not have anything to help them soothe at that point. And they also said not to use a nipple shield and to never use bottles. Those three things saved my breastfeeding journey. So I'm just speaking from an anecdotal perspective purely.

[B]

But, yeah, one to two bottles a day is not. It's not going to affect your baby from going to your boo.

[A]

A pacifier when they sleep is not going to make or break it. It's not going to make or break it.

[B]

It's not. And what will affect is the flow of your bottle. Because if it's a lot easier for the bottle them to get right the milk faster than your nipple, that will affect it, but not the shape of the bottle. Remember when we found out that we

[A]

were using a newborn nipple for, like, a whole year?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I remember when I had the opposite. I never used a newborn nipple.

[B]

You already started with a size 3. She was literally drowning.

[C]

That's why I don't want to breastfeed.

[A]

I was like, yeah, Such a strong suck.

[B]

No, literally, at six months, tj, we had the newborn nipple.

[A]

Still downing them so, so fast, though. Like, it's like they were ravenous. I know my babies were ravenous.

[B]

I will say that they were. Yeah. At six months, we figured out with CJ that we had the wrong nipple size in the bottle. It took him, like, 45 minutes to finish a bottle. We're like, how do people do this? And then I think you were like, well, are you using the wrong size?

[A]

Because I had just realized with Griffin,

[C]

that's our tip to everyone. Check the nipple size. There's actually different sizes.

[A]

Your nipples are the things that the shields and the Bottles can't do.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

So let's just. Just acknowledge that my last thing and I don't hear anyone talking about this is travel bassinets. We use them literally just in our own house because a lot of these, like, baby loungers are really not safe at all for babies to be sleeping in. And these mesh travel bassinets give them that same, like, feeling of, like, you know, being in a confined. Also, it just feels weird to set your baby somewhere and one day they're going to roll, and that's. That day will come. But, like, having them in this container, it's very affordable. We just have a off brand on Amazon.

[C]

I've been trying to. I tried so hard to find the one you guys had, and it was literally out of stock. It was, like, never available, so we had to get a different one. But.

[A]

But they're mesh on the sides, and so. But like, a safe mesh that's, like, breathable for them. And so we would use that in the same. We would use it when we traveled for them to sleep in, but then we used it in place of a lounger with our first. Before they found out that those were not safe. That's when we would. We replaced it in that sense. Like, if your kid was gonna take a nap downstairs. And they're normally, like, sleeping in the bassinet.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I love these, and I think that we would, like. Our baby slept in them for a really long time.

[B]

I have the cutest picture of CJ and Augie in one of those together.

[A]

I got it from, like, a Once upon a baby or like.

[C]

Yeah, I just love how yours folds up.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yours is really cute.

[C]

I will say with that too. And I could be e wrong here, but in nights where Brielle was having really rough nights and you're just getting up, putting the big hand, getting up, putting in the biggie in. I would kick Blake out. I'd say, go sleep on the couch. I'd put the travel bassinet on the bed with me. And so then I'm close to sleeping with her, but it's safe. And I'm literally just putting their binky.

[B]

That's a good idea.

[C]

And I didn't have to get out of bed every single time. Yeah, that was just something I. I did a couple.

[A]

And to that point, do I also put this on the list too? Because then your baby can nap elsewhere, not attached to you. So if we went to, like, my parents play or if we were going to a friend's house, we could just bring that really Easily. And they could nap there. And it just gives you a little bit more freedom with the baby.

[B]

Yeah, there's more not.

[A]

It's hard with them sleeping on the go sometimes.

[C]

Brielle took a lot of naps in here before this place, before we were recording. She would, like, nap in here sometimes. Before we, like, actually started the podcast travel bus in it.

[B]

I didn't have one of those. Next maybe I'll one get one of those. I love when it comes to sleep, I'm like, hands down obsessed with anything Newton brand. They make the best breathable stuff. We have a very tight bedroom, and I tried three different bassinets, and none of them fit in our room. The Newton bassinet is so nice. One is beautiful. Two, it's compact, really small, super sturdy. And the entire sides of the bassinet are mesh. I actually a handful of bassinets that had like, a portion of it mesh, but not the whole thing.

[A]

The Halo one is completely mesh too.

[B]

That's good. I tried. The Halo was too big. Like, the base was really large.

[A]

It is.

[B]

And it didn't fit in my room. So the Newton one was the best size. And it also comes with, like, the breathable mattress in it, which I really loved. That gives me such peace of mind as a mom. And then in the cribs, I have the Newton bassinet or that have the Newton breathable mattress. And those are amazing. They're fully washable, which I have taken everything off and like, hosed down the inside of it. And both pieces I wash. I wash them all the time. So I love, love, love the Newton crib mattress and the bassinet. Love that product. And then another one, I think the Baby Bjorn, any bouncer, your baby needs a bouncer.

[A]

I know I'm saying that they don't, but I'm like, if you ever need to set your baby down, there are two main.

[B]

What are the main?

[A]

The shower.

[B]

I put my baby down. I did use the little, like, lounger pillow, but only when I was next to my baby on the couch. What? I put them in the pillow. Use that all the time. The bouncer constantly also.

[A]

Yeah. My babies didn't want to be in that thing very long. They want to sit up and see what's going on.

[B]

Uhhuh. And I love that the Bjorn one, you can adjust the heist as they get older and bigger. And she just would go on. She. Vivian would make herself. She would bounce herself all day long. It's really cute.

[A]

So I loved.

[B]

I love the baby born and I had the maybe carrier on my list. It's kind of like the art of pop equivalent.

[A]

I have that.

[B]

It's way more affordable. They're Arizona based. Are they? Yeah. It's amazing quality linen. It's not that hot. They're so beautiful.

[A]

I actually like the solely one too, which I know a lot of people don't like because it's a hassle. It's like the wrap. It's like one long strip of fabric.

[B]

That's the best one. When they're small.

[C]

Yeah. I was gonna say I felt like you used that for a long time. And I used it for maybe like three months. 4.

[A]

We used it for a really long time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I like it because it. Unlike the more structured carriers, it. You can tuck their head in.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And so that really helped them sleep and like. And it created like a little bit of dark. You know what I mean? Like, their head was tucked rather than before. Like, they would be like, for sure. Bobbing around.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

I like them. It feels very organic of me whenever I have it on.

[B]

Baby carry mother.

[C]

I got multiple of those. And I'm like, you only need one and you need the Sully one.

[A]

Oh, I think you need multiple because our kids would spit up a lot on them. Oh, also our kids spend all day in them.

[C]

Them.

[B]

Yeah. You guys baby wear a lot.

[A]

We baby wear exclusively during the day.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Matt is like all four. He said to me today, he goes, I'm just excited for this.

[B]

A.

[A]

And I'm like, are you talking about a baby wrap?

[B]

He's like, yeah, yeah. Caleb likes a baby word too. I mean, it's so sweet watching him. He.

[A]

Baby. He made me wore cozy.

[B]

So cute.

[A]

Caitlyn's daughter.

[B]

That's sweet.

[A]

She came over.

[B]

She's like a. It's like all.

[A]

He knows what to do with him. He knows a lot of things about babies, but he's like, they just like it like this.

[B]

Yeah, totally, totally. So sweet. Yeah. So many good products. The Tommy Tippy binkies have worked for both of my kids. I think it's the best binky on the block.

[A]

I. My son that takes. I have a son that takes Tommy Tippy and a son that doesn't take Tommy Tippy. And my son that takes Tommy Tippy has way worse binky mouth.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah. It goes like this.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We're gonna save up for some braces.

[B]

CJ didn't really have binky. I mean, he had it, but it's. It's corrected itself. But we stopped. He stopped a While ago. So I feel like it takes a little time.

[C]

We only tried one binky and she's a thumb sucker, and now she's a thumb sucker. So.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Is that good? I'm gonna be.

[A]

I'm jealous of.

[C]

How do you. Okay.

[B]

No, Vivian was gonna be the thumb sucker, and I was like, don't do it.

[C]

This is gonna sound really ignorant. How do you know when to try a different binky?

[B]

If they don't take it, they keep spitting it out.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, that's one of those things. I actually heard Babylist has a binky multi pack. Because I remember buying binkies for this baby. I'm like, well, I just don't know which one he's gonna like. And I'm really like, I will give them whatever binky they like. Yeah, for sure. And even though I am more prone this time, I'm like, if he will take one of those, like, breastfeeding friendly binkies that, like, open their mouth for a latch, that would be great. But I just know that that's unlikely and that takes a lot of work to get them. And I'm like, that's not the time. But the baby list has a multi pack and you can just buy. It has one binky of, like, all these different brands, but the one that has never, ever worked and will never work. And I don't know. A single baby that uses is the one that they give you at the hospital. The Phillips.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Little knob.

[B]

Yeah, a little knob.

[C]

Is that what Brielle used, though?

[A]

Those little.

[B]

The little clear green ones?

[C]

She used one that looked like a knob.

[A]

Look up the Phillips.

[B]

Don't she use the bibs one?

[C]

No, I'm pretty sure it's. It's. Hers is Phillips brown.

[B]

Well, no wonder. No wonder. She's like.

[A]

Because that thing looks like a thumb.

[B]

She's like, this ain't sticking. Give me something else.

[C]

No, that's why I'm like, when do you know?

[B]

You just keep spitting it out. Yeah, they can't keep it. I mean, no baby can keep a binky in their mouth that long at the start because she's a little.

[C]

She kept it not. Yeah, yeah. She used like. These are the ones they give you there. She used these ones.

[B]

Well, I stand corrected.

[A]

I stand corrected by child Q.

[C]

But she did it. She switched.

[A]

Oh, that's true. She's like this thing. Stop.

[C]

We'll see with this next baby. I'm so curious.

[B]

Yeah. I also love the Soli wrap.

[A]

Or not the.

[B]

The Ollie wrap, the little swaddle The Ollie swaddle.

[A]

Yeah. They up their prices, though.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Okay, really quickly. I actually am having. I'm. I'm having my Gadget era for my baby.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What are you getting? I got the bottle washer and sterilizer for. From Mom Cozy.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So it washes your sterilizer. It's a bottle washer. It's literally a mini dishwasher.

[B]

That's cool.

[A]

And it upstairs. And you just put a little tablet in it. We already used it to wash all the pump parts, all the bottles, all the binkies.

[B]

That's actually really cool.

[A]

And it dries it. And it's just. I've seen people put in the most disgusting bottles in this thing, and it comes out squeaky clean.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

Yeah, it's.

[B]

That sounds worth it.

[A]

And I've heard a lot of people just say, like, it's. It's expensive, but they're like, this was worth every penny.

[B]

I mean, washing bottle. I wash Vivian's bottles, like, three times a day.

[A]

Well, and I'm thinking, like, in the night, if we do, because we're planning on mostly just doing bottles at night. If I could just put the bottle in there and start it and go back to bed. That is so nice. And like, adding an extra step. Anything to slow, like, smooth that over. Yeah, we'll see if it's worth it. Also, pump parts. I feel like pump parts are such a pain to watch.

[B]

Well, there's also so many parts.

[A]

So many. And so that is what I'm getting differently. I also. We got. This is the first time we've ever had a bottle warmer. I've heard a lot of people say that they think these are overrated, but Addy had one, and it was. I was kind of jealous because of it.

[B]

What do you need that for? With. Isn't that for formula?

[C]

It's definitely for breast milk because it's in the fridge.

[B]

Oh, okay. So what do you do? So you have to thaw the breast milk? No.

[A]

You can even put it in frozen.

[C]

You can put it in frozen.

[A]

So I imagine that as soon as baby wakes up, we'll just turn that thing on or take it from the bottle. A bottle from. From the fridge. Turn it on. But you can even do it from frozen.

[C]

I prepped all my nighttime bottles in the fridge. So then I just grab it, put it in the water.

[B]

I'm curious to see if you'll think that's easier because, I don't know.

[A]

In the bag.

[B]

In my frozen bags. I just put them under the hot water in There they've thaw and stuff so fast.

[A]

You have to watch it though. I'm like, I feel like I could just start it and like stay with the baby, change the diaper, things like that. We'll see. I'm like up in the air for there and I think this is. They are not that expensive. Report back the price. They're pretty affordable. So it's like if it saves you like any. If it's any more convenient then it's like worth it. You know, this. Okay. So I use the ollie swaddle with both babies before. I think they're amazing for newborns. It's just a really tight velcro swaddle. But I'm really excited because taking care of babies just came out with her own swaddle. And she really did correct a major flaw with the ollie swaddle. And that is the fact that it is extremely loud when you're like. It would startle the head. This is like a very gentle. Oh my gosh. It's really gentle and silent. And it's also. Think about the thing. There's like threads would get stuck in the Velcro. Velcro just doesn't have the durability in the washer and dryer.

[C]

Right.

[A]

That this, this is just some magic science.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

It's very soft. So I'm excited to use that one and see what I think about it. Oh, I got a wearable pump for the first time. I'm late to that game.

[C]

So. Good.

[A]

I just never had one. But I do think I'm still gonna. I'm team rent the hospital pump for a little bit because. And I know no one. This is a hot take. I know no one else likes this, but I feel like it was the only one that could actually empty me out. And I single handedly credit that one to not getting mastitis the second time around. So now I'm trauma bonded to the hospital pump. So I'm like, I will pay $40 a month to have that one. Because Matt's like, let's just buy that. And I was like, great idea. It's thousands of dollars. So you know there's a difference, right? There's a difference.

[B]

That one's gonna work.

[A]

That one's gonna help me empty out my problems.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because actually I do think it's getting bigger.

[B]

Shoot. Well, look at that pumping.

[A]

Look at.

[C]

Right.

[A]

I can tell by the way you looked at. You also think it's getting bigger.

[B]

No, I didn't even know. I didn't look at. Let me look, look, honestly, I feel like my armpits always look like that.

[A]

No, no.

[C]

I have a question about the Ollie swaddle. So it didn't work for us. It wasn't tight enough on Brielle.

[B]

Really. You.

[C]

I couldn't. There was no more Velcro. Like we. I did it all the way and it wasn't tight enough.

[A]

Weird. And she wasn't that tiny.

[C]

No.

[B]

It worked really well for cj. Vivian didn't love it as much. Some things are just different.

[A]

There's only one that's weird. I mean, we would. We would burrito the heck. Like.

[C]

See, we brought it to the hospital and it was. And as soon as our. Our nurse took her out of it and swaddled her in a tight swaddle like that did the actual swaddle method. Like she slept.

[B]

That's weird because sometimes I get scared of doing it too tight on some side.

[A]

Yeah, me too. I was like, Matt, that is how he's like. This is how he likes it. But you are. Oh, wait, wait. Something else too. Where was it on her? Because it kind of needs to be like down.

[B]

Has to be a little low.

[C]

Lower.

[A]

A little lower than you think.

[C]

But maybe it wasn't as low as we thought it was. But yeah, it wasn't tiny.

[A]

Our kids were Houdinis.

[B]

They were Houdini.

[A]

So that's why we had to like.

[C]

Yeah, we did manual swaddle. We couldn't double swaddled every single time.

[A]

Never. That could never be our kids who didn't need their way out of everything.

[B]

Your wearable pump inspired me for one of my other. My other products. I love this time. I loved my hand pump, the Willow one. And it's a wearable hand pump. So it was the cup that emptied me out really well. It was so discreet. I would just stick it in my bra. I took it on the go a lot and I'll do it in the

[A]

car, but one boob at a time really loses me.

[B]

That's the only thing that's annoying. Like, but I would just do it for 10 minutes on each side. Like I wasn't fully emptying myself out. I didn't really need to do that. So I would do it for 10 minutes on a side and it was so easy. I really enjoyed that a lot. I felt like it worked really well.

[A]

I feel like I would like that, but I would need something else.

[B]

Yeah, but I don't produce as much milk as you, so I feel like there's a difference there.

[C]

I got a hand pump for when I got clogs. That's it. Like, clogged?

[A]

Yeah. When I was stuck at a red light, I was just like, yeah.

[B]

Yeah. And I liked it because it wasn't, like, up here, it's down here. Oh, that's because it has the long cord. You're getting a lot of contractions, and

[A]

that's not real contracting. I'm getting cramped.

[C]

Shoot.

[B]

I'm sorry. I know.

[A]

I'm like, guys, every time you go like this, I'm like, I'm settled in for this. Being my reaction reality for three weeks. So don't worry.

[B]

So many Braxton Hicks.

[A]

It's okay.

[B]

Are you timing them?

[A]

No. It's not real. It's not real.

[C]

I don't know. It seems like.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I had this with Augie, too. I had this with Auggie. That's why I had to get NSTs. Because when you're having a contraction, sometimes it affects their heart rate.

[B]

Gotcha. Also, the Willow Breast Milk cooler. Awesome product. It's like a little travel.

[A]

Oh, I need a good one of those.

[B]

You can borrow mine. I'll give it to you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It has a little insert that you keep in the freezer. You put it in that thing would keep my milk cold for hours. And I would do it. I would come here and I'd pump, and I'd pour it in that little travel. It looks like a little water bottle. Like this. It has a cooler. Amazing product. And it was skinny, so it fit in a bag easy.

[A]

It was great.

[C]

I did the opposite. I had a warmer because we were addicted to warming Braille smell anywhere we went. So we brought it with us. So, like, if we came over here for dinner, we had a place to warm it.

[A]

I remember you guys asking me. You guys. Bough boiled water for a long time.

[C]

I know. So then I bought a portable warmer.

[A]

You know, you could. And you were like, how do you even warm it without it? And I was like, you put it in a bag.

[C]

I had no idea.

[A]

That was because you're like. You're trying to run bottles under hot water.

[B]

That's never gonna work.

[C]

That's why we would boil water, because I had no clue. I don't. That never crossed my mind to ever.

[A]

A lot of my friends, babies drink cold breast milk.

[C]

I know.

[B]

That's impressive.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

That was good.

[B]

That was.

[A]

I'm sorry if I didn't bore anybody with my.

[B]

No, I feel like moms love hearing and stuff.

[A]

Okay, good.

[B]

We talk a lot about. You know. We talked a lot about. We're preparing for the baby, but we didn't really get to time to touch on, like, what we were doing to prepare toddlers, which is what I was

[A]

more concerned about, honestly. Yeah.

[B]

So we're gonna talk about that on Patreon because it's getting lengthy. So go check out our Patreon if you guys are haven't heard about it. We have an always your Patreon account. We love talking. We do extended egg segments from every episode. Sorry, I'm tripping on my words. Extended segments from every episode. We have our book club, like in length over there. We have such fun chats.

[A]

Chats.

[B]

Always hungry chat where you guys send in your favorite recipes. We have episode chats. You guys can talk about the episodes, our extra book club chats. We have all the fun things over there. So go check out our Patreon. We're going to continue this conversation there.

[A]

Yes. Because my older kids were the ones that I was stressing me out about nesting way more than my. The baby.

[B]

Let's do it. Thank you, Shopify, for sponsoring this portion of today's episode. If you've been sitting on a business idea, Shopify makes it really easy to make it happen. Everything you need to start selling is a great included and ready from day one.

[A]

Yes. We recently launched our first business e commerce business ever Bizbel Beauty. And we use Shopify to build our site to basically do everything on our website, including taking customers on and also giving all that information to our fulfillment. They handle everything super seamlessly and also they make it really easy to share your analytics with people. And the whole process was made really simple for us. And I really appreciate that because doing this project was super overwhelming. And especially anything that comes to tech, I'm like, oh, no, yeah, that's a weak spot. But Shopify made that possible.

[B]

Not only is it easy for you as the business owner and the website builder, but it's also really easy for the customer to shop through Shopify. Shopify checkout helps more of them finish their purchase. And when they come back, their details are already saved. One tap and they're done. Because Shopify handles the setup and the checkout, you have more time to focus on. Focus on growing your business and the tools to do it. I think that's a big thing. As a shopper, I love when I can go in and just autofill my information. They have it saved. I don't have to type it out my address a million times. Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide. From household names like Mattel and Gymshark

[A]

to small businesses just getting started with Shopify. Nothing stands between your idea and a real business. So go make it one. Start your free trial at Shopify.com Abby. Start your free trial at ShopIfy.com Ask, Ask, Ask Abby.

[B]

Hey, boys Meal.

[A]

Hi, Abby's and Addie. I was just wondering.

[B]

So I go to Barn Boot camp

[A]

and I was just wondering, what is your favorite shoe to wear there?

[B]

Great question. I love my Nike metcons.

[A]

I think those are the best ones.

[B]

I think they're really good because you can wear them either day, like training or strength. But because a lot of burns, strength days have, like, movement to them. I like having a shoe that's not fully flat.

[A]

Yeah. That feels crazy.

[B]

Feels a little crazy.

[A]

It's set up.

[B]

I like the way that. And you're on the floating floor. So I don't feel like you need, like, a barefoot shoe, you know? So I feel like the metcon is wide, flat. My toes can stretch and it's good for. I'm steady on the ground when I'm doing weights. And I just wear my hocus on, like, a training day.

[A]

I wear my hocus every day. But I definitely don't. I don't recommend that. I twisted my ankle a couple times. And also I just have a rule in my head of how often I can buy athletic shoes.

[C]

Shoes.

[A]

The next time it's gonna be metcons, but I gotta wait.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Be looking out for, like, maybe, like, October.

[B]

Yeah. My only beef with the Metcon is I have a narrow foot and they're kind of, like, wide, but my foot doesn't move and it just looks kind of weird.

[A]

Oh, I need really wide.

[C]

I wear Nobles every day. The flat, they work for me. I feel like in my brain also, I've told myself they're CrossFit shoes, so it's fine to be doing athletic workouts with.

[A]

They are CrossFit shoes.

[C]

I have used them for years and it looks like they're brand new.

[A]

So it took me so long to figure out why I was called noble. Just why.

[C]

Why they take no bull.

[A]

I thought it was like, the word noble. N O B, L, E. Like, I didn't think that it was about, like, no bs. Noble.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

In my head I was saying noble.

[C]

Noble.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, they are noble shoes.

[B]

They make you brave.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Be brave in the gym.

[C]

I've tried to wear other shoes and I just always come back to them. They're great.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Nice. They're expensive. But I've literally had mine for Five plus years. And I. They are brand new.

[A]

Hi, Abby's and Addie.

[B]

It's Chloe. And I just have a question about

[A]

do you guys believe in schoolmates?

[B]

I know you guys both met your

[A]

high school sweetheart and you guys end up getting married, but there's this boy

[B]

that I've kind of been on and off with for going on, like, four

[A]

years, years now, and we keep finding our way back to each other. And I'm just curious what you guys

[B]

speak on, that is. And if you believe in this moment here.

[A]

You're not.

[B]

Love your podcast. Love you guys. Hope you guys have a great day. Thank you. Sweet. At first I thought she said, do you believe in full moons? And I was like, where is this question?

[A]

No, absolutely not. Next question.

[B]

She said soulmates. No, we can answer that quickly. I don't believe in soulmates. I feel like I believe in, like, chemistry. And people have been like, yeah, I think if you keep coming back to someone, you obviously have chemistry and attraction and maybe your, like, personalities vibe really well. But I don't. I don't think soulmates. Like, I think if it wasn't Caleb, I would have found someone else, you know?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I think.

[B]

I think it's a choice.

[A]

I've adopted that answer because that's Matt's answer, and it kind of started to hurt my feelings.

[B]

Oh, shoot.

[A]

And I know that.

[B]

That.

[A]

That's correct.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, in the logical side of my brain. But then I, like, I. There's also a part of me that is, like, a little bit of a romantic that I'm like, there's no other way. It's just you. And then. Or it's like, I don't know. I also do think that you can become a version of Soulmates.

[B]

I do believe Caleb is my soulmate.

[A]

Yeah. Like, I think that it's maybe not something that's just, like, ordained by fate.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But then I do think that you. Which I know is not by definition what soul mates are. So I'm also knowing that I'm making a caveat here. But then, like, just sometimes I like to talk with Matt. I'm like, see, you know what? No one else would put up with my brand of BS and no one else would put up with your brand of bs and no one else would, like, get this.

[C]

And.

[A]

But I think it's just because we have, like, grown together and, like, you know, a relationship. You're just kind of like, yeah, we choosing.

[B]

You're choosing each other through your evolution.

[C]

I would say it's choosing. I Don't believe in sinners, but I do think you're choosing the soul that you're gonna do your life with. I will give advice on the. On the back and forth with another guy. Once you find the guy that you're supposed to be with, you're not gonna go back and forth. You're not gonna go back and forth anymore. I was with someone for a long time. Not with them, but, like, I would go back and forth between. With him, in between boyfriends. And then I met Blake, and I stopped talking to him entirely and cut him out of my life. And it didn't hurt.

[B]

I think you're right, Addie. I agree. And I think if you keep going back to that person, it's probably because you're comfortable with them.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. So maybe just cut it. Go find yourself.

[C]

There we go. Go find yourself.

[A]

Yeah, I was messed up. I was like, this guy feels like

[B]

the one, but I just think, like,

[A]

No, I think you're right. Dating experience. Yeah, I'm not really.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

One of the talk.

[B]

I think it's just when you find the person that you're like, no, no, no, I'm going to choose. I. I want to.

[A]

Yeah. When you're willing to just choose to accept those things, then, yeah.

[B]

It's like, I love this guy so much. I think he's amazing. I'm going to choose everything.

[A]

I'm the good and the bad.

[B]

The good and the bad, baby.

[C]

Okay, last one.

[A]

Hi, Abby.

[B]

Abby and Addie.

[A]

My name is Jenna and I'm from Michigan.

[B]

The good old Midwest.

[A]

My question as a recent new Mama two is, are you team double stroller or team wagon?

[B]

If so, which one do you recommend? Love the podcast.

[A]

Bye.

[B]

My mom and I fight about this all the time. Oh, my mom really wants to buy a wagon. And I'm like, mom, do not buy

[A]

a wagon if she's gonna buy it for you. Abigail, why would you ever.

[B]

Well, I don't know. I just don't want it. I love my double stroller.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But you are team wagon.

[A]

I don't know. I. My, like, I'm team whatever. My kids will. They're not container kids.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't have a good grasp on them, so whatever. You'll stay in. And I have better luck with them staying in a wagon because I think that they feel like bigger kids in a wagon than in a stroller. They're like, that's for babies. I don't want to be in there. But I do love my Zoe stroller for, like, Disney. But if it's something that's like, okay, you can get in and out, then I do. I'm team wagon.

[B]

I kind of wonder if it depends on the.

[A]

Loved the wagon.

[B]

He admitted he did have fun.

[C]

Fun.

[A]

But I was in the wagon more than my children.

[B]

But I don't want dirty. Have the double stroller. Like, why would I go get the wagon? Do you know what I mean?

[A]

There's a time and a place for each of them. I really do believe that.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

If your mom was gonna buy it for you, Abby.

[B]

No, I. I want to.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[C]

Is. They have to be a certain age to do a wagon. So when you're. When you have a little one.

[B]

Yeah. I saw a baby, four almost. I caught a baby that almost full fell and cracked his head out of the wagon on my driveway.

[C]

Yeah. I'm like, they have to be able to basically sit up on their own.

[A]

They have buckles.

[C]

Yeah. They have to be able to sit up.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

Like, it can't be.

[A]

Think about trick or treating. It's so nice to have a wagon for that.

[C]

I think the wagon. It needs to be one that you can push forward.

[A]

Yeah. Don't get anything but the veer.

[B]

I love the double. I think the double stroll is really good for, like, a big kid and a little kid. Like, C.J. has his own seat and Vivian has her own seat. Like, I think that's a great setup up and cj, I mean, the Mockingbird. I love my Mockingbird. I like this on a side by side. It's really easy to bring through stores because it's narrow.

[A]

Oh, that's a hot take.

[B]

I love.

[A]

I like a side by side better,

[B]

but I think where I take the stroller, the stacked makes more sense. I feel like if you're going to Disney, a side by side makes sense.

[A]

It will fit in most place. I have never reached a place that I'm like, too wide for.

[B]

Really. When I was in Old Navy, I was like, there's no way you could fit through this if it's side by side. I think specifically in stores. Really?

[A]

Maybe.

[B]

Okay. I've never tried a side by side, so you could be. But I. Yeah, I really love the Mockingbird. And he can take the, like, handlebar off, so he hops in and out really easily. I don't know. I love. I love my mom. I think whatever you use, you probably like.

[A]

I think it's a good point. I think that you'll get more use in the beginning out of a stroller. And you'll get the wagon. Will last you longer.

[B]

Always hungry, baby.

[A]

Okay. I. I was gonna link the recipe that I used for Blake's ice cream birthday cake. I finally did celebrate my brother's birthday.

[B]

I did see that we missed that family dinner.

[A]

Yeah, he missed it.

[C]

You know, Blake's holding that a grudge.

[B]

Yeah. Sorry, Billy.

[A]

He was really mad.

[C]

It was so funny when we walked in the door. Matt goes, happy birthday, Blake.

[A]

We were like, I didn't say that we were celebrating it that day, but we had it.

[B]

We had it. He wouldn't have shown up. You would have been like, okay, that's sweet.

[A]

It is really easy. And you make your own ice cream for it, which makes people really impressed. Like Addie was liter. Like, Abby, you do so many cool things. And I was like, this was so easy.

[B]

How did you bake the ice cream in your kitchenaid?

[A]

Yeah, I'll link the recipe. It's super easy. It is. I thought it was really tasty though. The whole crust is like a golden oreo. It's basically literally just. I think it actually is just golden oreos and butter.

[B]

Yum.

[A]

And then it has like yellow cake mix in the ice cream and it's so yummy.

[B]

Delish.

[A]

It's kind of tastes like a kid's dessert, but it, I. I like.

[B]

Okay. The desserts are delicious.

[C]

They know it was good. I had it all.

[B]

Desserts, dessert.

[A]

It's really easy.

[B]

Good. Okay.

[A]

That sounds fun. It might impress your guests if you say you made the ice.

[B]

Oh, fun. Okay, that's a hack. Mine. I'm gonna link that lemon orzo recipe that I made for, I think for fourth of July party. It's like that lemon orzo pasta salad. So good. Sorry, you might not want to make use the arugula right now because of this parasite.

[A]

But see, that's a conspiracy.

[B]

If you don't care or if you maybe want the diarrhea, get the arugula.

[A]

Don't wash it.

[B]

I'm just kidding. But it's lemony, it's light. It takes. You're literally just cooking orzo and assembling in a bowl. It's so simple and it was very flavorful, tasty. A great side dish. So good.

[A]

I'm gonna make that. That sounds good.

[B]

It was good. Pine nuts. I love pine nuts.

[A]

Well, thank you guys so much always for supporting our show.

[B]

If you guys want to call in and leave voicemail. We love. We love answering your guys voicemails. I always look forward to the Ask Gabby segment on my favorite episodes. So thank you guys for calling in. If you want to call in and leave a message, 602-456-9690 is that number. So thank you guys for participating and being a part of the episode. It just, it really does make it fun.

[A]

Also wanted to shout out Feisters12 for giving us a five star review. It says the best way to start the weekend. I'm a stay at home mom of two little boys and I look forward to listening to this podcast every week. I feel like I'm hanging out with friends and love how goofy and real these girls are. Keep up the fun combos.

[B]

Ah, thank you.

[A]

That's really, really sweet. Thank you guys so much always for supporting the show through likes, comments, sharing, anything you can do. We're just really grateful for it and it takes just a little bit of time and it just really means a lot.

[B]

Totally does for our book club. What month are we doing this month? This is threw us off because we did so early. She was on top of it. We're reading the book Yellow Face by RF Kwong Quang Quang Quang. And yeah, I'm excited about it. Excited to talk about it. Well, you guys, that's it.

[A]

That's all.

[B]

Just remember we're always here.