It’s easy to squeeze by and keep up with your normal habits and pre baby lifestyle when you have one kid. Obviously the free spiritness takes a nose dive but after a while things level out. Then you have another one, and your a goner. Hygiene takes a back seat. White in your wardrobe is unheard of. Six minute eggs, toast and fresh fruit for breakfast is replaced with an Eggo waffle that you only managed to get warm on 3/4 of it. Damn toaster. And there is a really good possibility your toddler will eat pancakes for dinner more than once during the week.
There are some things I won’t budge on. I still tend to my feet (crunchy feet and bad toe nail polish are my nemesis) and unshaven legs are just unheard of. It’s a comfort thing.
What I have learned this time around is shortcuts are essential. Once you have children you will get so much advice it’s ridiculous, and a lot of it will be unwelcomed. But if you can condense your daily routines to, let’s say, 10 minutes, your golden.
Pregnancy #2 brought a lot of nausea for me so I was able to hone in on this task early.
Here’s a quick break down of my “I need to get out of the house with both kids and still look presentable while also attempting to be on time” routine.

Marcelle BB cream. This is GOLD. Seriously. I got a sample in my Birchbox and never looked back. It’s an all purpose cover up. I personally use it in place of foundation. It’s easy to apply, has amazing coverage and it is so lightweight that I can pass out on the couch without washing my face at night and I don’t wake up with 75 blemishes already brewing on my face.

Chela Highlighter pencil. I don’t have a clue really when it comes to makeup. I guess most of the time. But word on the street is that contouring your face helps make your face look better, or something like that. I watched a YouTube video on how to use this pencil like 10 different ways and it blew my mind. I’m that lame. But it helps me look “well rested”. Ha.

Let’s be honest. Most everyone looks better with some color. There’s like 1 out of 100,000 people that looks good pasty, and I really doubt your one of them. I know I’m not. So this is a lifesaver. I’ve tried a ton of self tanners. The instant ones are a joke. If you already have a tan and need a quick fix those can manage. Remember I live in the arctic folks and our summer is looooong over. I don’t get lines with this one, it doesn’t smell horrible and I look sun kissed, just like they claim. Touché Nivea.

Chuck Taylor “Shoreline“. Who doesn’t love shoes?!? I usually have 2 types of days when Andy is working and it’s just me with the kids. A day where I’m really lazy and don’t attempt to look nice and a day where I stupidly made an appt at 10 am. This is where a shoe that is super comfy, easy to slip on and oh so fabulous comes into play. These are the most comfortable shoes. For reals. I wore them the day I got them and didn’t get a single blister or toe rubbed. They go with everything and have that scrunchy back so I can literally shove my feet in them and walk out the door. Perfection .

Keurig 2.0. Coffee is an essential part of my day. Of my life. I already have a drip coffee machine, an espresso machine, french press but you know what, simplicity is key here. Which is why I hit up my sweet loving husband for a Keurig for my birthday. It sort of feels like I’m cheating because it’s so easy. I literally need just one hand. Which is usually all I have available.

Old Navy skinnies. Truth moment. I have this exact pair in a dark wash, size 6. They fit me perfect before I got pregnant. I wore them the entire time of my pregnancy with the help of a belly band ( so comfy by the way). And they are the only pair of pants I can wear post baby, that actually button and look presentable. By presentable I mean that I have a muffin top from them small enough that can be camouflaged by most of my shirts. Plus they don’t break the bank, especially since I get them on sale. I have a green pair, a purple pair, blue, coral corduroy, and 2 pairs like these.

Meet Brittany. She is my post baby secret weapon. She is a personal trainer at my gym and teaches classes that after doing make me feel like I was jumped in a dark back alley and I’m dying a slow painful death. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic but it’s an immediate reminder when the class starts how out of shape I am.

The silver lining is that she’s a good friend of mine so I know she’s in fact not actually trying to kill me. And because of her I was once in shape. So I’ll keep at it until I can get back in that bikini. Ha. I’ll settle for being able to button my pants without a couple jumps and deep breaths in.
My other must haves are deoderant on hand, granola bars stashed in the diaper bag and my phone charged so I can watch Hulu during those late night nursing sessions. But you can probably manage the rest. I can’t do everything for you guys. Geez.