This content is sponsored by Ivory. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If there's one thing I've learned about motherhood, it can be messy.

It's unpredictable, and chaotic, and rarely looks the way you'd imagine. But, more often than not, it's beautifully so. And in most cases, it's those messy moments that make up the best memories in this phase of life- a muddy day at the park, a splash in a rainstorm, an afternoon painting or a trip to the beach. And, while these moments can be sometimes cringe-inducing, it's comforting to know they're nothing a warm bath can't fix at the end of the day.

We've become quite attached to our bath time routine. And, if I'm being honest, we've had plenty of two-bath kind of days. So we've become sort of experts around here. Bath time has always been a great way to spend quality time with my girl- to slow down and connect at the end of a long day. And as Maddie's grown into the adventurous toddler she is, I love using functional products to remove all the paint and dirt and sand and sweat- but are also gentle and pure enough for her precious skin. So lately I've incorporated Ivory Original Body Wash and Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood into our nightly routine. Both are free of dyes and parabens but are still formulated to cleanse and nourish the skin; and Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood includes the #1 Dermatologist-Recommended moisturizing ingredient. Plus their new vintage inspired packaging adds a nice touch to our bathroom display.  Just a few drops get our girl smelling fresh, and clean as can be!

Her are few steps to making our bath time routine fun for both mom and mini.

What does your bath time routine look like? Comment below!

5 steps for a better bath time

1. Add some Beats

It started with Raffi and Baby Beluga, from the time she was just itty bitty. Our musical taste has changed as she's grown- who knew a two year old could be so into Zedd?- but we still love listening to music as we scrub-a-dub-dub.

2. Bring on the Bubbles 

There's nothing we like more than a bunch of bubbles in our bath. There are so many great, clean bubbles out there these days. But sometimes they can get a bit pricey. So when in doubt, I like to add some of our Ivory Original Body Wash into the tub to get all sudsy and clean as MM soaks away.

3. Duckies and Letters and Mermaids, Oh, My!

What's bath time without our plastic friends? Maddie's had her two mermaids- that she affectionately named the Sue's- since she was a wee girl. And now we've added a collection of rubber duckies and some foam letters to the mix. It's not bath time unless the gang's all there!

4. Throw in Some Color

Lately MM has been very into organic bath bombs. They add a touch of color, which gets her excited about bath time on those days she's not so into it. And, sometimes, we need a bit of coaxing.

5. Embrace the Splashes  

Bath time can be like anything else in motherhood. There are days when she splashes a bit too much, when it gets a bit chaotic and unruly. And- dare I say- messy. So, when all else fails, remember to laugh. Because, some day, we won't be part of bath time anymore. So we need to embrace these tiny, beautifully messy moments while we can.