Hannah Morrison

The Best Item Any Parent Can Ever Have

Can you believe I am 5 months postpartum? Look how tiny Knox’s little feet are in the photo on top from his newborn photos! Oh my word. Pardon me while I go weep. It’s pretty wild how fast time has flown by, and it’s hard to believe Knox will be crawling soon. He is incredibly sturdy and loves to stand on his feet at all times now (of course with our help). In so many ways, parenthood has been far easier than I had pictured in my mind for so many years. And, in others, it’s been just as chaotic and difficult as I thought it’d be.

Feeling overwhelmed and not being able to do everything I want right when I want has been just about dead on what I had prepared myself for. No matter how much I plan or write my day out, I am always leaving something at home that I needed or arriving 10 minutes late. I absolutely hate it, but it is what it is right now. Not sure how long I can use the “New Mom” card… but 5 months in, and I am definitely still leaning in on it. I am just happy if I make it where I am meant to be with all necessary clothing both on me and my son. Another hard part I prepared myself for is that I don’t get to just hop out of bed and go workout anymore. To be honest, working out and getting to my Pure Barre classes has been near impossible since Paul is out the door by 8:30 AM and we live 30 minutes away from my studio. We are trying to figure out a routine still that allows me to workout normally again finally. But, again, it just is what it is right now.

As for the things I expected to be horrible but they’ve turned out to not be so bad… my list includes breastfeeding (it’s not as weird as I thought it was going to be), losing my baby weight (thank you breastfeeding), and… sleep. Yes, sleep. I know you never hear new moms say that, but it’s true for us and I am just taking it while we’ve got it. We put Knox on our schedule at 6 days old and by about 2.5 weeks old he was following it to a T. Thus far (all toes and fingers crossed), we haven’t had a sleep regression of any kind. He sleeps like a dang champ. Currently he is doing 8 PM until about 7:30 AM every single night.

Second, I have to say the #1 reason we have been sleeping through the night, aside from Knox’s great sleeping that I prayed so hard for, is because of one thing…

The Owlet Sleep Monitor has no doubt changed the way parents can sleep with peace of mind through the night. When we were searching for a baby monitor before Knox was born, I was frustrated that no matter how “nice” the monitor… it would still require me to be up and watching my baby on the camera to make sure he was okay.

How do I really know if he is breathing? I don’t really have a way to unless I run in every so often to check…

In a perfect world I had envisioned that Knox would be sleeping in his own room as early as possible upon bringing him home from the hospital, and that’s exactly what we ended up doing. He started sleeping in his crib in the nursery a little after 3 weeks old. But what about two exhausted new parents? Lack of sleep was my top fear for when baby came, because I know how I get when I am sleep deprived. I kept saying, “There’s got to be something that monitors them, but I still get to sleep without have to stare at a video screen all night long.” I was at a family birthday dinner one night and my cousin said there totally was, and she is who directed me to the Owlet. YOU GUYS. I have tested this thing out from day 1 for y’all, and 5 months in I cannot suggest it enough. I truly took my time reviewing this for you and testing it out, because of the price tag.

This is my #1 item I would tell parents on a budget (or not!!) to invest the money in. If you have a list of expensive gadgets that you want, but can’t afford to get it all, please put this one at the top of your list. 

The Owlet tracks heart rate & oxygen levels. The technology is seriously out of this world. You have a base station that is connected to your wifi as well as an app on your phone to track. Depending on the size of your home, you may be able to keep the base station in your own room while others keep it in the baby’s room. We have an 1800 square foot room, and it’s able to track Knox from our room, which is awesome because in addition to being able to check my phone at any moment I want, I can glance over to my left and see the dock is green. When something is wrong, the dock lights up different colors with an alarm as well as on your phone!

This is why you don’t have to watch a video monitor every again, y’all. You don’t have to watch and wonder if your baby is breathing… the Owlet knows. And, if something is wrong, it alerts you and you can run to your baby’s side in seconds. Luckily thus far, our dock has only gone off in the middle of the night due to the sock moving on Knox’s foot, causing the sock to stop retrieving data. Or, a few times from our wonky wifi going out. Then, all we have to do is go tighten the sock (our baby kicks a lot in his sleep!), and he is perfect again. Or, go reset the wifi. This doesn’t happen often, but it does also show me what it would be like if an emergency did in fact happen in the middle of the night.

When the sock is moved and unable to get vitals, the station lights up blue or yellow. Blue is usually a wifi issue where yellow is a positioning issue. Your phone alarm will go off with an alert letting you know the sock has been repositioned and/or cannot detect vitals.

The base station lights up red in the case of an emergency. This happens if your baby’s Owlet sock detects that your baby’s heart rate or oxygen levels dropped. You can run to the aid of your child, and the app will have a chart showing you the events leading up to the drop. This can be life-saving information for your child’s doctor to have when analyzing why your baby had a scare. Of course this also let’s you know if your baby is having a hard time breathing due to rolling or positioning themselves in a way that is cutting off their air.

Because Owlet can share all of this information far better than I can, I really encourage you to watch this video. It truly is amazing what this piece of technology can do for you and your baby. And, of course, how it can provide you a true peace of mind at night time.

To purchase the Owlet Monitor, you can buy right here. There are three different colors to pick from!

But, believe me I get it, $300 is a lot for so many of us. (I am raising my hand with you!) Owlet has payment plans for as little as $25/month. They honestly believe in the power of their amazing device so much that they want it readily available to everyone!

There is also an amazing foundation called, Knox Blocks Foundation, that provides Owlet Sock Monitors for parents who can’t afford one. Seriously, read their story here. Just a couple years ago, this sweet couple lost their baby boy Knox unexpectedly in the middle of the night. When they heard about the Owlet Monitor months after losing their son, they wanted to do everything in their power to make certain every family in the world could have one if they wanted one. That’s how amazing this device is.

The Owlet Montior could truly be the difference between life and death for your child. It’s peace of mind at night time. It’s better sleep for mom and dad knowing that something is tracking their baby’s every breath and movement while they sleep.

A well-rested home is a happy home, if you ask me. And The Owlet can help with that.

Friends, I cannot say enough how every parent on the planet needs an Owlet. I honestly would say this is why when people ask me, “How are you doing, mommy?”, that I can honestly respond 90% of the time with a huge smile, “SO GOOD!” Knox is a great baby, and I don’t take that for granted. But nothing, and I mean nothing, makes parents sleep better than knowing their baby is safe at night. That’s why I am so grateful for our Owlet Monitor.

Dresses for Every Summer Occasion

Can you believe it’s summer, y’all? It’s time to whip out those beach towels and swimmies, and your favorite summer dresses. Here in Texas it’s a good day if we are under 95 degrees, so I can assure you I pretty much live in my swimsuit or a light dress from now clear through September. I love summer brunch on the patio in a cute, flowy dress. Or shopping in a cute maxi that’s easy to run around in. And, it seems we always have so many weddings that vary in formality during the summer! I love a good casual wedding as much as I love a more formal attire wedding. (Have I ever mentioned before how much I just love weddings?) I have curated my favorite dresses for you, from casual summer days out and about to those summer weddings! Everything in the “Middle Ground” section below can easily be dressed up or down, depending on shoes, hair, and jewelry!

My top favorite dress brands right now happen to be two bloggers who own their own dress lines. If you’re looking for a classy dress, you cannot go wrong with Rachel Parcell or Gal Meets Glam! My dress featured in today’s post is a beautiful dress by Rachel Parcell. Check out the sleeves! I love simple elegance when purchasing a fancier dress with a higher price tag. The more simple, the more timeless. The blush is currently sold out online, but the black is still available! Who doesn’t need a beautiful LBD year-round?

Happy summer, friends! I hope it’s filled to the brim with watermelon, wet swim suits, and great friends. Well, and show-stopper dresses, of course.

xoxo, Han

All photos by Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah

Casual
Middle Ground
Fancy

How To Curate Baby’s Closet On A Budget!

Someone asked me recently, “How do you keep up with Knox growing so much and his closet?”

It’s true, your baby grows by the day. I have literally walked into Knox’s room multiple times in the morning and been like, “Oh my gosh, you grew. I just know it!” I have some tricks, and found certain types of items will last longer for your growing babe. Do not spend a ton of money on clothes, y’all. Here’s how to curate a wardrobe for your growing baby that will last longer!

Jumpsuits are where it’s at! I have found that the one piece playsuits/jumpsuits/rompers (whatever you want to call them) can be bought big, and therefore will last a lot longer! Just buy up a size! Knox is 5 months and wears 4-6 month outfits perfectly. But, I have been buying 6-9 mos. playsuits, because he can fit into them and they will likely last until 9+ months. Onesies are hard to make last, because it’s just true that once they’re too small.. they’re too small. You can’t get around making buttons snap together that just can’t anymore. With a playsuit, though, you can roll the pant legs if bought a little big, and there’s plenty of space for their body to grow without it being hazardous around the necks or face! Target’s Cat & Jack brand has two pack playsuits, and I am obsessed with them. Cat & Jack is our favorite around here, followed by H&M Baby. I literally cannot go to Target without leaving with a new $10 or less jumpsuit for Knox.

Packs of Cheap Onesies! Mostly the plain white, but Target has great cute ones for super cheap, too! Koala, Gerber, or Carter… whichever is on sale at the time… haha. We keep these in high supply because they’re so cheap and can be soiled without getting upset over something cute getting ruined. Knox is in these the most around the house and it’s what he sleeps in. Like I said above, onesies are hard to keep up with the growth in. But, a good pack or two of plain white ones are so cheap and are great for everyday stuff without the fear of a blowout ruining your favorite outfits for baby!

Mixable and Matchable Sets! Short and tee sets with matching onesies or bibs (I will link some below!) are great, too. Buy three piece sets that are interchangeable. I love that you can get a tee and pair of shorts that not only go together, but can also be paired with a white onesie, or a tee with another pair of pants you have. Think about buying what you can get the most wear from!

Variety of pants! Like your jumpsuits, buy these a size up in the jogger fit. Nobody will know! They are supposed to have a saggy bum- that’s the jogger look- and as long as the waist isn’t hanging off, it’s a great way to purchase something they can grow into. As far as pants true to size, again, think “How many different onesies do I own that these can go with? If you have a bunch of white onesies… the answer is “A LOT.”

Sleepers WITHOUT Feet! Like a onesie, when you put feet on the jammies, you limit how long they can be worn! But without feet, they last longer. Your baby can rock some high-waters as long as the body fits still!

Forget Shoes… Unless They’re Super Cheap. Go For SOCKS! Shoes will either be pulled or kicked off, guarantee it. Unless they are $5, don’t even think about buying shoes. Socks are harder to get off, come in packs, and are much easier to buy as baby grows. I buy all kinds of cute socks for different outfits. They do the trick!

Purpose In YOUR Ministry

Today’s blog post is actually this past week’s Sweet Thoughts devotional that I send out weekly to my VIP email subscribers. There was such an outpouring over this devo, people sharing their stories with me or simply a reply saying they connected deeply with this one, that I thought it needed to be shared with everyone.

If you aren’t signed up for my weekly devotionals, you can here. I don’t spam you. Scouts honor. This is a way for us to connect twice weekly: my devotional on Tuesdays at 6 AM + my Friday round-up. By being on this list, you get first notice for new products in The Cake Shop, and sometimes I even send out special discount codes just for YOU guys that nobody else gets. I get a bit more personal in my Sweet Thoughts, because this is where we take our Cake Community relationship to the next level.

xoxo, Han

Today’s Scripture: Luke 10:2

You have significance. You have purpose. You have influence. You get to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You have a ministry. Yes, you. You have a ministry.

Today’s devotional may as well be titled “Hannah’s thoughts after Chapter 10 of her book, Uninvited.” Y’all, if you listen to anything I say in this whole email, please let it be to go buy Uninvited to read. Every woman should read this book. It’s scarily like reading my own diary… I mean seriously. And, I think you just might connect at that level with it, too, because I believe at our core we are all so similar. Us women, though unique and made so differently, I can guarantee there are times in your life you can recall feeling rejected or insecure. Am I right? Does that rejection still follow you around from time to time? I once heard my pastor say in a sermon that we often live with a 13 year old view of ourselves still. That statement blew my mind, because it was so true for me. Our insecurities and our fears, so much of it can likely be pinpointed to somewhere around 13 years old. Living with a 13 year old view of myself is why I can often function out of a fear of rejection as Hannah the 25 year old. It’s why I can see myself as not quite good enough or cool enough. It’s why I have a tendency to sink back to the corner in a room of women, and it’s why “mediocre” is a lie I have to battle way more than I would like to admit.

So what’s this have to do with the verse for today? There is room for you. In fact, there is need for you.

“What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the
God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.”

There is plenty of space at the table, and no ministry is too small. Whether you have thousands of followers on Instagram or your ministry as a stay at home mom is your children, you are significant and you’re playing a role in the harvest. The work of your hands and your words matter. Sometimes I can look around and compare what I am doing to others, and feel immediately insignificant. “Oh, she’s famous. She has a much larger platform than I will ever have. She has it covered.” FALSE. This scripture in Luke shows us that the harvest is in surplus. It’s so big that we actually don’t have enough hands willing to work to get it all done, and we are called to pray for more. Your ministry matters. Your influence matters. No task, no work, no effort for the kingdom is too small. Your life matters and it has purpose. The author of Uninvited, Lysa TerKeurst, encourages us to live with an abundance mindset. Meaning we ought to live in a mindset that says there’s plenty of space for all of us to succeed. There’s plenty of space for all of us to do whatever it is that YOU do. Yet, we so often live in a scarcity mindset. Because of insecurity, we fear there isn’t enough space for all of us to succeed, and therefore it’s hard to cheer on others who seems to be doing better at what we so desire to do. In the same manner, when we live in a scarcity mindset we can discount ourselves and cheapen our worth. When we live in scarcity, we believe someone is taking our place in the race and therefore we lack worth. Comparison, my friends, will destroy you. Battle the urge to compare your influence to one another’s. Your story matters, and it can glorify Jesus in ways that so-and-so’s can’t. Not because yours or hers is better, but because you were given your exact journey to glorify the name of Jesus in ways someone else’s just can’t.

The harvest is many. There are so many lost who need to hear your story. They need to hear what Jesus has done in your life that delivered you from rejection to acceptance. From living in scarcity to thriving in abundance. It’s by your story that the harvest hands grow in number. Your story has power through the work Jesus did in you and for you.

Live in abundance. Live knowing you have purpose. Live knowing you have influence. Never shy away from the opportunity you’ve been given to be the hands of the harvest.

How To Use LiketoKnow.it & Shop With Me!

“Hey Hannah, where did you get…”

One of my favorite parts of my job is finding clothes that I know you would love and (especially) are a great price. I am strategic in the things I purchase, and actually keep a monthly budget in my business to find things that I think YOU would want for your own closets. Then, I style and photograph them for you!

There are two ways you can always shop what you see me in, and I want to give a rundown of those for you today.
  1. LiketoKnow.it App
    The LiketoKnow.it app is free, and the best way to shop what I link in my Instagram feed. You can screenshot my pictures on Instagram, and they will show up in your app. OR, the best & easiest way, is to simply “Follow” me on the app, and I will show up in your influencer feed with all my latest Instagram posts.There is no easier way to shop what your favorite bloggers are wearing than in this app. You can see our whole outfit laid out easily, it’s clickable, shoppable, and you can even “Wish List” items for later purchases if you cannot buy it right then. So many of the purchases I make come from the LiketoKnow.it app, shopping my favorite influencer’s feeds!Here’s a step by step for you:
    App Store | Download App to Phone | Click Magnifying Glass/ Type THECAKEBYHANNAH In Search Bar | “Follow” Me | Click Any Photo/ See All Linked Items | Click Item To Shop or Wish List It |
  2. “Shop My Looks” Tab
    If apps just really aren’t your thing, you can always shop my looks by going to the Shop My Looks tab on the top of my website. This updates in real time with my Instagram feed, just like the app, and has the same shoppable photos for you.

At the end of the day, whichever way you choose, it means the world that you shop with me. I put a ton of work into what I do, and the more you choose to shop with me, the better I can do this blogging thing full-time for you. I take it seriously that you have welcomed me into your lives as a lifestyle and fashion blogger. In an odd way, I really do feel like we are friends through these squares. This community means more than I can express through a computer screen. Grateful for each and every one of you!

xoxo, Han

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