It's scary. It's different. It's new. It's overwhelming, but it's also going to be okay, beautiful, exciting and fun, I promise.

My boyfriend (now husband) and I had no clue on what we were doing when we had our son almost ten years ago. It took us years to get used to being parents, and till today, it's such a crazy concept to us-- that we're parents to two wonderful kids. It's all still a learning curve and we take it day by day, but so far, we think we're doing pretty well for a couple of mid-twenty year olds who started out basically brain-empty when it came to knowing how to parent.

It took us seven years to feel like we were ready to conceive again, and the idea was terrifying. Granted we got pregnant purely by accident the first time, we knew the second time was going to be a lot harder because nobody gets pregnant on their first try, but we wanted this more than anything.

Trying to conceive was challenging, but admittedly fun, of course. We had to make it fun because the disappointment that followed the "not pregnant" pregnancy tests became soul-crushing. A lot of people don't know this but it took us a whole year to conceive our daughter. We first agreed to start trying for baby number two in November 2015, and we didn't get pregnant with our baby Blair until December 2016. I think the stresses I had at work, and in life in general, had a lot to do with why it took so long. It was as if my body was focused on other things before it could focus on being a home for a new bub.


Going from one child to two was the scariest thing I could possibly think of.

For seven whole years, it had just been us three. We evolved and thrived as a family of three. Three was all we'd had ever known, so why in the world were we going to jeopardise that by adding another human being? It was like reverting back to the starting line and doing everything all over again, only this time, there was gonna be a screeching newborn that depended on you for every little thing.

At first, it was a wild image, but it became this terrifying thing once I went through an entire first trimester of horrible morning sickness and was fired from my job at the time. I'd only been working there for three months, but it still felt really shitty to be going through a hard pregnancy that I couldn't tell my workmates about and then ultimately being fired for not coming in enough, even though I was on a casual contract and wasn't required to work every single day + had medical certificates for each time I was absent, but whatever.
It added stress onto my pregnancy because we'd officially be solely dependable on my husband's teacher salary, rather than two consistent incomes. Ask anyone and they'd tell you that taking care of a baby is expensive. Now times that by two. Albeit my son is not a baby, he still needs for us to care for him. Granted we do still live at home with my parents so having a roof over our heads wasn't so much as a worry, but it was still worrying to think that we'd be adding a brand new life into this craziness while only on one salary.

My son is the greatest.

Ever since his baby sister entered his life almost two years ago, he has grown up so much; we've basically got ourselves a tween. Early on in my pregnancy, I really worried for how my relationship with him would change. He'd had our undivided attention for eight whole years before his sister came bulldozing through, and I didn't want him to feel like he'd been pushed to the side. I find that that is a common concern with most parents who are soon to welcome a second baby into their families. And I'm here to tell you that the feeling you're currently going through is totally normal, and if anything, makes you the best parent for your kids. It's been challenging trying to balance my time with both kids, but I try to make sure I prioritise some time with my son to remind him that he matters too.

Our son is pretty independent, but he's still a kid and needs to be reminded to do his homework, his chores, brush his teeth, eat lunch, take a shower and clean up after himself. Normal kid stuff that parents tend to help them with, but I also see it as staying connected with him. Checking up on his day-to-day life; asking him how school was; what his friends are like, these little things can mean so much to him and I hope he appreciates it rather than finds it annoying.

When you have two kids, your love doesn't divide, it doubles.

Sure there are struggles to dividing your attention to both children considering a newborn needs constant care and your eldest child is probably a little more independent depending on their age but there are certain aspects where they still need you. Eventually you learn ways in giving them both the love and attention that they need. With that said though, never deny anyone's help. You can't do it all, so when family or friends offer their help, take it and never look back. They wouldn't offer if they didn't mean it, and you wouldn't take it if you really didn't need it. Push your pride and ego aside, and do what's best for you and your kids.

It doesn't make you less of a mother.

Transitioning from one to two kids is an emotional rollercoaster that you aren't nearly prepared for. But it is so so soooo beautiful. I never thought I could ever feel like this. To love two little human beings who are half me and half the love of my life so damn much that it basically consumes me.
Don't get me wrong, parenting is twice the challenge, twice the hard work, but it's also twice the hugs, twice the kisses, and twice the love, and honestly that's one of the most wonderful things about it.

Right now, my husband and I aren't outnumbered and thank goodness for that. Not that single parents can't handle more than one kid on their own, but for us, embarrassingly and admittedly enough, it would be a struggle, so the divide and conquer technique works wonders for us because being able to focus all of our attention on the one child becomes a cake walk. Granted, our almost-two-year-old toddler is a little bit more of a handful than our ten-year-old tween, but god, can they both talk till our ears fall off.

There's safety in numbers.

We divide and conquer each child on our own, (swapping out shifts if need be) but it's still incredibly exhausting and leaves us with no time to spend time as a couple. This is where date nights a month become a vital necessity, in keeping you and your partner sane, intimate and remembering why you started a family in the first place. It's a lot harder to leave your newborn/young infant, but it can be done, even if it's just for a few hours. Just remember that you and your partner need to take care of each other too. Keeping that love and spark alive to become the best parents you can be will also help you thrive at being the best couple you can be.

Make date nights a priority.




One question I was often asked after having my second baby was, "how does it feel to be a mum of two now?" and with fatigue and pain-medication kicking in, all I could reply with was "it really doesn't feel that different!" but oh god, after the first few days, my answer did a complete 180.
I can't imagine what it's like for women who had babies close in age, and with my kids 8 years apart, I still find it incredibly difficult. I don't think it matters how close or far apart in age your kids are, parenting is tough and hard work all in all. But I honestly wouldn't change it for the world. Motherhood has taught me so much about patience, unconditional love and myself, in ways I don't think experiencing the world would have been able to show me.

In retrospect, I truly believe that two is so much better than one. I worry twice as much, but I also feel twice the love. Sometimes, I just can't believe how lucky I am to be the mum of two amazing, wonderful and incredibly fascinating kids. They're my whole world and I just hope to be there for them and to make them proud.




Motherhood is one of the most difficult experiences of my life, but it's also the one that's shown me what I truly want out of it.

It's beautiful and sometimes migraine-inducing, and most days, I want to cry into my pillow or scream, but my husband and I have created a wonderful world for ourselves and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I always used to say that this life we have is exactly what I wanted for the 30-year-old version of myself, so I got everything I wanted, just sooner. It was in God's plan for me to be a mother at 16, but I'm also not naive in thinking that I didn't get myself into that kind of mess just because "God had it planned for me" because contraception is a real thing, and if you're not ready to have someone dependent on you for years to come, and if you don't want to add to your family just yet, because it is incredibly difficult, then please take care of yourself and look at your options!

I struggle daily with being a mother to two kids, and I know for a fact you need a certain type of strength to be able to do this mum life thing, but trust me when I say you can do it and you will be amazing at it.

Nobody's perfect, but luckily your kids don't need you to be perfect; they just want you to be there for them.

Anytime you're adding more children into your family, it's emotionally and physically difficult, of course, but watching the bond your kids make with each other, and with you and your partner is truly magical. Family... it's one of the most important things in life. And I believe that unconditional love truly does conquer all.

Love,
Danica Janine
x

For those who don't know, Meccaland is a beauty festival event held by the cosmetics retailer Mecca Maxima/Cosmetica. They have a variety of high end beauty brands and sell their beautiful products, attempting to match the prices in the US. It's basically beauty heaven in Australia, and it's one of my favourite places to shop.

Meccaland is a dreamy event in which brands have the opportunity to put their best foot forward. Think of it as Coachella for makeup and skincare. Jam packed with masterclasses, giveaways, goodie bags, freebies, makeovers, learning experiences and swatching heaven; it's an event that every beauty obsessed lover must attend!

Meccaland consisted of five beauty worlds: The Queendom, The Wild Flowers, Popstar Park, City of Lights and Temple of You. Each world had a certain number of brands representing them, making it easier to navigate the event and hit up the brands you're looking forward to.


I attended Session 2 on the Saturday morning with a Fun Pass ticket, and walking in was an incredible sight filled with loads of photo opportunities already. I was overwhelmed. So much was going on, but it was exciting. But figuring out which 'world' to tackle first was a hard choice. One of my friends who'd previously gone the night before said to bee-line for the beauty loop box section first though, since they were more likely to be quick to sell out. They were able to pick what to put in their beauty loop boxes the night before, whereas my session had them pre-packed already. Still, I got some decent goodies in mine so I wasn't disappointed at all.

I knew for certain that there were a couple of brand booths I wanted to hit up first before doing a solo walk-around; Go-To skincare, Tatcha, Clinique, Frank Body, Stila Cosmetics and Laura Mercier.
Mecca's own makeup brand MECCA MAX had a super cool and utterly cute ferris wheel, which I sadly did not go on because I thought going alone was just way too sad, haha, but it looked really awesome and I can only imagine how great the view at the top would have been!


There were a ton of interactive experiences to get your hands into, which really made the entire event a whole lot of fun. Mecca's staff were extremely friendly and always willing to help you out in any way that they can, which in my case was to have someone take my photos.
All around the festival were stations for food, touching up, charging your phone and even one to fill up your Meccaland water bottles! So cool! It was very important to stay hydrated because it could get HOT in there.


Loads of beauty gurus, influencers and experts attended the event too. More specifically to hold masterclasses and for meet & greets. I only had one person I had set out to meet and it was Mecca Beauty Junkie Gin! She is the epitome of my beauty icon. I love her makeup looks because they are tailored and perfect for asian eyes and skin tones. She is so so lovely in person, with extremely flawless skin, and I was so grateful to the fact that she stuck around and had quite a nice long chat about all things beauty with me. I look like a complete mess in my photo with her, but it's still getting framed, to be honest!


The main stage had consistently provided masterclasses and interviews with beauty bosses. It was really interesting to listen to some of the top beauty experts and get some inside tips and tricks. I loved watching Zoe Foster-Blake, but totally forgot to snap a pic! But she is just as gorgeous and funny as you'd think she is.
Hearing people who have been in the industry for years talk about what beauty means to them, and how to apply makeup and skincare properly was so inspiring. You just felt lucky to be in the same room as them because they are beauty legends, sharing their own personal wisdom.


At Meccaland, I did make a few purchases that I had intended. I'd received gift cards to spend at Mecca all the way back from Christmas time and had purposely saved them up for this beauty festival as soon as I found out it was going to be held in Sydney this year. So of course naturally I had to show them a little (or a lot) of love.

The one thing I definitely had in mind on purchasing was the Go-To skincare 'tiny stuff set' because I'm currently obsessed with minis as they're perfect for trying out new products and brands without doing a full commitment (until you know your skin loves them as much as your eyes do).
While at their booth though, I tried a tester of their cleanser. I'm always on the hunt for a good cleanser, and since I had some makeup swatches sprawled all over my arm, I decided to put the cleanser to the test and see how well it cleansed my arms, and boy, it got rid of those swatches in an instant. I was very impressed, so I just had to buy it too!



A few other sneaky purchases made by yours truly were:
→ Frank Body original coffee lip scrub (which smells ah-mazing by the way!)
→ Drunk Elephant Smoothie Kit consisting of the C-Firma Day Serum & Lala Retro Whipped Cream
→ Hourglass Cosmetics Veil Translucent Loose Setting Powder mini
→ Go-To Skincare Transformazing Sheet Face Mask
→ MECCALAND Beauty Mirror

I'm really happy with everything I picked because they're products I've been wanting for a while, and I heavily researched so that I wouldn't waste my money and just splurge for the sake of it (which is something I tend to do when I'm at events like this. The peer pressure is real, guys.)




I even had the opportunity to meet some of my online friends in person, which is always such a treat!
Creating these friendships online and wishing you could hang out in real life is always really tricky because sometimes you can live so far away from each other, but I loved being able to spend a few minutes chatting with them at the event and making our virtual friendships a reality! Of course we had to document them with a photo.


All in all, I had an incredible time. My feet were so sore by the end of the session and I just had to get home to my hubby and babies. Even though I attended alone, it was so crowded and full, it was hard to feel lonely when you were smacking into a person everywhere you turned. And in all honesty, I think I preferred being at this event alone because I really had total and full control of everything I wanted to do. Did I want to go check out the Clinique booth for the 3rd time? Sure, why not. Should I spend the next 30 minutes at the Laura Mercier booth just swatching lipsticks? Girl, do it! Too long of a line to take a photo on the NARS bubble? No worries, just circle back a few times later and selfie on your own.

It really put me out of my comfort zone, that's for sure. But it was something I had to experience. I used to be a quite outgoing person before becoming a mother, and this beauty festival sort of brought that inner me back out. It was a spiritual self-realisation that I can do things by myself, and that I should do things alone more often. Taking care of ME is important too, and doing things that make ME happy should always be a priority. And it didn't hurt that beautiful makeup and skincare were everywhere I turned.


Here's to experiencing new things and having fun.
Thank you for having me Meccaland! I will definitely be back again x

Photo by Pauline Nicole Photography

When I had my first born almost 10 years ago, I was 16 and absolutely clueless on what a newborn needed. Luckily, I had helpful family and friends who were there to fill me in on the needs and necessities. These days, we have the option to look to blogs and online personas for advice.

Throwback to a little over two years ago when I was pregnant with my second baby, and I was back at square one. It had been almost 7 years since I had a newborn and I was back to knowing absolutely nothing about what a newborn would need. Thankfully, there were more mummy bloggers/vloggers around and I made sure to watch and read absolutely everything there was to know about the newborn essentials.

I loved that they talked about the things you needed, and the things that companies want you to believe you need, but you really don't. I also loved that they expressed what worked for them and what didn't, because like anything in life, what works for one person, won't work for another. That goes the same for newborns. What may have worked for my baby, more often than not may not work for yours, so just be mindful of that.

Besides the obvious things like clothes, nappies, wipes and bottles, I've curated a list of newborn essentials that I think are vital in your first few years of parenthood.
In no particular order, here we go:

• BABY BAG
  Now this is really important. For the first year or so of your bub's life, you're going to be carrying everything but the kitchen sink in this baby bag, so make sure you pick a great quality, sturdy, long-lasting and spacious baby bag to fill all of your baby (and mummy) necessities.
  As a new mum, you'll find yourself over-packing a lot for "just in case" purposes, but that's more clever than one would like to admit because you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many times we actually used everything in the bag, at one point or another.
  I did a lot of research to see what type of baby bag suited me and my needs. I opted for a discounted Mimco baby bag which was made out of mainly nylon, as I read they were easier to clean and maintain. Classically, mine was pink. And I absolutely loved it.
  My recommendation: Mimco waver baby bag - couldn't find the exact one I had, but this is similar and just as cute {click here to shop}

• NAPPY CADDY
  This is controversial in the sense that some people never think of it, and honestly, we never did either until we were in the baby store and saw it. For us, it came incredibly handy to have because we didn't have space for a nursery for bub, so we would change her on our bed and used the nappy caddy to lug around all of the diaper changing necessities we needed whenever we needed them. It's also useful to have once your baby becomes a little more active, because then you have every diaper change necessity in one place that can be transferred from room to room.
  Just like it's name, it's a box that has compartments for wipes, nappies, changing mat and then a drawer for other bits and bobs. In the drawer, we kept the nappy rash cream, a thermometer and nappy bags. This is something I always recommend when new mums ask me what I think they need to have for bub.
  My recommendation: b.box nappy caddy {click here to shop}

• DIAPER BIN
  I never actually thought of this until my cousin told me how much of a lifesaver it was for her. She actually gifted me our own at my baby shower and nappy changing has been a breeze. Our room constantly smells divine rather than like a constant array of baby excrements. I guess some would argue that a diaper bin isn't a necessity because wrapping a dirty nappy in a nappy bag works just the same, and that's exactly what we did with our first born, but if you have the finances to get a diaper bin, I highly recommend it because it takes the struggle of constantly taking out the trash every other day. We only take out our trash once a week now because that's how handy the diaper bin has been. You really only need to clear it out once (or sometimes twice, if need be) a week.
  Even though nappy bags work just as well, we did test it out and found that it would still stink up our room every so often, unlike the nappy bin, where the smell was always trapped right where it belonged until we had to take the trash out.
  My recommendation: Tommee Tippee Sangenic TEC Nappy Disposal Bin Unit {click here to shop}

• BABY CAR SEAT
  Before you even leave the hospital, this is one vital newborn essential that you MUST have. The hospital even checks to make sure you have one of these before letting you go home, so make sure this is your number one must-have on your baby shopping list, because it's the highest necessity, up there with your baby. You can choose to either have a capsule or a car seat - totally up to preference and budget.
  We were lucky enough to be gifted our baby seat by my best friend and her fiance, so we didn't even have to go through the stress of researching and finding the right one for us. But we decided to go with a convertible car seat instead of a capsule since a capsule only lasts till their 6 months old and then you have to get a convertible, so it just made sense to go straight to the convertible, which you are able to use from birth until they are 4 years old (which you will then switch over to a booster, but more on that later.)
  My recommendation: Safety 1st Summit AP Infinity Car Seat {click here to shop}

• BABY CARRIER/SLING
  This may not be a necessity to most mums, but I found it really helpful to have because with my first-born I spent a lot of my time carrying him around since he didn't like his pram, so this time around, I wanted to be prepared for the sake of my arms. It was useful in the sense that I was able to be hands-free when necessary, but still close enough to baby for her to feel safe and nurtured. Your newborn spent 9 months in the womb, super close to you and these baby carriers/slings are the perfect invention to keep that closeness as they develop and grow. I've also heard of many positive things about baby slings if you're thinking of going in that direction. But if you're a mama who likes to get stuff done, these carriers are you. But please, relax for the first few months and spend quality close time with your baby. Time is constantly fleeting.
  My recommendation: Ergobaby All Position Omni 360 Carrier {click here to shop}

• SWADDLES/WRAPS
  Newborns spent nine months in a warm, cozy womb. Naturally, they're going to struggle with all the room they have in the outside real world. A swaddle is the perfect item to help them feel all snug, safe and warm. Newborns also have a spasm reflex that wakes them up during naptimes, which can make them feel really uneasy and scare them a bit. The swaddle helps tame that down and keep them calm and sleeping soundly.
  Make sure to get different kinds of materials, especially for when the weather changes up. when my daughter was born in Winter, we had jersey/cotton fabric swaddles and also wool type ones. But in the Summer, we switched over to muslin wraps, and they're great and light too! Just have a little scour for the perfect ones for you and bub. They will have your newborn sleeping soundly for hours.
  My recommendation: Living Textiles Swan Jersey Wraps {click here to shop} but honestly, we even loved the ones from Kmart if you're looking for a cheaper alternative

• PACIFIERS
  Now this is a hit or miss product. For some babies, they're great; for others, not so much. Both of my babies were NOT a fan of pacifiers. In fact, they both hated them and you can quote me when I say I tried absolutely eeevvveeerryyyttthhiinngg out there. Every shape, size and brand, nothing seemed to work for my babies. I eventually gave up, but that doesn't mean you should! When bub's a newborn, be sure to introduce the pacifier early enough for them to get used to it, but not so early that it'll confuse them with the nipple (if breastfeeding.)
  My recommendation: since none of them really worked for us, I'd recommend just buying a bunch of different brands and trying out different ones for your bub. Doing your research also helps!

Hello beauties,
and welcome to Danica Janine;
a lifestyle, beauty and motherhood blog by yours truly.

Named after myself, of course, because I want this blog to represent all things ME.
Oh, but you can call me D.

I'm a mid-twenty-something year old, aspiring to inspire fellow blush pink enthusiasts.
I believe in being kind, choosing positivity, flowers making everything better and glowing skin; as well as, coffee, lipstick and diamonds.

In this blog, I want to create a space where we can talk about anything - from new makeup releases to the joys and struggles of motherhood. It's going to have little bits of everything, because that's precisely what my life is: prettying up the chaos.

I've gone back and forth on whether or not I should start up a new blog (after my personal style/fashion blog was a flop, but more on that later on), because I have sooo much on my plate these days - my Insta-blog, my YouTube channel and of course, my family life. But it's something that's always been on the back of my mind. And even though I had a successfully failed blog, I never once regretted it. I learnt so much from it and it's comforting to look back and read some of my old posts to see how my writing and photography has evolved and changed alongside me. All I can do now is be better and do better.

I've always wanted to dabble more in lifestyle content, and I thought to myself, "if not now, then when?" which forced me to take the leap and just do it!

♡




Having tried this "blogging" thing before, (and successfully failing, but that's okay- I'm only human), I like to think of this particular blog as more LIFESTYLE based. I want to create an atmosphere where I can be my truest self and not worry about whether I'll ever ~make it~ because I honestly think that's where I went wrong last time. I put so much pressure on myself and my content that it just all became too much, and so fake. It wasn't fun.

On here, I want to share *EVERYTHING*; from what I like to do in my down time, to my top 10 favourite movies, to where we like to eat, to what I do when I'm feeling down, to how we maintain an intimate relationship while having kids around, or even just where I got certain home decor. It's seriously going to be little bits and bobs of my life, and that's what excites me the most. I get to just be ME!

"She designed the love she loved." ♡




I honestly never thought I'd ever become a makeup enthusiast. For the longest time it just wasn't for me. "Give me eyeliner and a lipstick, and I'm good to go", past Danica would have said. But in the last year or two, it's become something that I've really enjoyed getting my hands (and heart) into. My creativity had somewhere to go. My face was a blank canvas that I could turn into anything I wanted.

I think a lot of us can admit that we don't have the best confidence in ourselves/our appearance 24/7. Because, well shit, who does? But makeup has been the one thing that has helped me *enhance* my features, and has really shown me that I am beautiful in my own skin, and my own way.

I currently run a beauty/lifestyle Insta-blog, where I post staged but pretty flatlays, and post mini-reviews of products I either get sent to review or simply just want to share as it was asked for by my followers. But I wanted a place where you'll get more of an in-depth review on products and services, a place where I can show you my current beauty favourites as the rotation evolves with me, a place where I can post countless shameless selfies and claim them as "makeup looks", and a place where I can just have FUN with makeup and not worry about whether it'll fit the aesthetic of my ~feed~

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." ♡




As a young, married mother of two, I pride myself in knowing essential tips and tricks for those who need a little extra help or are simply seeking some advice from someone who doesn't have their shit together, but kinda knows what they're rambling on about. Either way, motherhood is some tough stuff and I like to think you'll be able to relate to me on some level.

I know when I was pregnant the second time round, I looked to blogs and online personas to relate to on how I was feeling, etc. so I hope if any of you are new in this strange but exciting moment of your life, you find this to be a place of comfort with loads of advice and tips that you too can learn from!

But beware, it's not always going to be posts of sunshines and rainbows. Like I said, motherhood is hard and there may be a few posts with hidden truths that the parenting community try to sugar coat, but not me. There will no truer and more raw look into parenting than this...

"They're my heart outside of my body." ♡

♡

Please feel free to have a fiddle around with all the different tabs and click-through links I have around my blog. I have a general About page up, but if you want to know more, you can do so by clicking on The Blogger or The Blog.
If you're looking for a way to get in contact with me, just click on Contact, and if you're looking to collaborate, just head straight to the Let's Collaborate tab, whilst also checking out some of my socials under the Contact drop-down menu tab.
Of course I have a Disclaimer section in case you want to have a read, and I also created a Frequently Asked Questions page in case you had something you wanted to ask me but wanted to check that out first in case I'd already answered it.
And for fun, I wanted to create two pages: The Love List; a page dedicated to items I absolutely adore that I was able to track down and find online, in case you wanted them too (*some affiliate links do apply*) and The Covet List; a page dedicated to items I'm lusting after and hope to have in my possession some day that I thought you guys might enjoy too (*again, some affiliate links do apply*)

I'm so proud of this little blog of mine, and what I've created so I'd really truly love it if you showed it some love by checking as much of it out as possible ♡

Also, if there's a topic you'd like me to cover, just leave me a comment under this post, send through an email or use the contact on the side there and let me know what you want me to talk about! I'm truly open to anything and being as transparent as I can.

So with all that said, welcome to my little space on the Internet!
I hope you'll enjoy the content I produce, because I promise you, this is what I love to do.

Yours truly,
Danica x