December, 2012 | Bubbles & Ink

So, the diaper bag. That vinyl thing we’re all supposed to carry around with some sort of overzealous duck print just because we’ve recently bred a munchkin who’ll likely adore that sort of stuff. And that’s just fine for him/her. But why would a 32-year-old woman voluntarily tote one of those things around? I mean, if that’s your thing and you’ve been secretly dying to find an excuse to sport some nursery rhyme-type fashion, then go ahead and rock that duck unapologetically. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’d be cringing for you just a little on the inside.

I’ve both been dreading and anticipating the hunt for a more fashion-forward solution to this diaper bag dilemma. Before getting pregnant, I wasn’t really the type of gal who’d linger around the kinds of shops that would impart this sort of information. But here I am and my search has led me to some admittedly chic options. Bags with nary a nursery print in sight.

Though I’ll admit that two of the six bags in this post are not officially diaper bags per se, my search did lead me to the “diaper bag insert” solution that can pretty much turn any good-sized tote into a baby-suitable carry-all. Hence, the L.A.M.B. and See by Chloe are still perfectly legitimate choices (insert silly grin on mom-to-be here). The other four are by Timi and Leslie, my new mommy-friendly favorites.

But I’d love to hear from other chic moms out there. What did you wear as a diaper bag? Any designers I overlooked? Please share your wisdom with me! If you know me, you don’t even want to think about the perma-scowl I’d be rocking with a duck print bag.

Click on the pics to visit the retailer’s site.

The thing about living in Florida is that, despite all the complaining I do about the weather and lack of seasons when the holidays hit, there’s still something remarkable about being able to jump in your car and settle into a last-minute road trip to the beach in December.

Tony and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary recently, which led to a bit of an early “babymoon” we both seriously needed. One iPod and five hours later, we arrived in Clearwater, 26 square miles of beautiful beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and really nice people. (Not gonna lie – that’s probably what took the most getting used to.)

We stayed at the Sheraton Sand Key, a newly renovated resort which overlooks the quiet little beach town in all its unassuming splendor. And though this city girl would usually be crawling out of her skin in a place with nary a sound after dark, pregnancy has given me a new kind of appreciation for peace and simplicity – things I probably should have appreciated way earlier in my adult life. But above all, Clearwater and Sand Key have the luxury of choice with Tampa and St. Petersburg only a few minutes away. And that’s something I’m still missing down here.

Here are a few of our favorites in St. Pete, Dunedin, and Sand Key. If you’ve never been, the drive itself will do you wonders. But those unfiltered sunsets have all the makings of a cheesy romantic comedy. And it seems my hormones have made me a sucker for those as well. Enjoy.