Sisters

I sat at this computer for fifteen minutes and attempted to write a million and one blog posts. Each time I started writing my mind would drift away and I'd find myself staring at the adorable swoop of Roo's nose or the sweet skin of Turtle's neck and I would feel my heart swell 10x its size.


I started thinking about how much I love the two of them and how I want nothing but the best for them.


And of course, I would start to cry because I am a hormonal wreck.


But these tears are tears of absolute happiness.


Because I am so blessed and lucky to have two beautiful, healthy daughters.


Go on, admit it, you're jealous.


:)

Review: Wow Wow Wubbzy Go For Gold

Wow Wow Wubbzy is a big deal in our house.

Whenever he and the gang from Wuzzleburg come on television, we must stop what we’re doing and watch.

Roo insists on it.

So when I was asked if I wanted to review the newest Wubbzy DVD Go For Gold, I literally jumped at the request.

I knew that I would earn major cool Mommy points if that DVD showed up on my doorstep.

And it did… and I did.

Roo insists on watching the DVD at least twice a day.

From the press release: “Wubbzy, the cute and quirky bendy-tailed star of the Emmy® Award-winning Nick Jr. TV series Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, is pumped up and ready to go for gold in the newest installment of the best-selling DVD series from Anchor Bay Entertainment! Starring Michelle Kwan as Michelle Kwanzleberry and Tiki Barber as Touchdown Tiki, “Go for Gold” shoots for the stars with a high-energy, fun-filled collection of athletic-themed episodes that will get kids and families laughing, singing, and moving along”

As an added bonus the new 82-minute DVD features special coloring and activity pages and music videos to get kids moving.

You can find Wow Wow Wubbzy Go For Gold on store shelves now.


Disclosure: This DVD was provided to me for free in return for my honest review of the movie. Please see my full disclosure statement for more information.

How Easily We Forget

Yesterday I was feeling almost back to normal so I got the idea in my head that I would bundle everyone up and we would go with Daddy when he went to the pharmacy.

I had a bit of cabin fever and knew a car ride would help me feel better.

So I got the toddler ready and turned to the newborn to get her ready... and then I remembered I needed to nurse her, and change her. Then I needed to find a blanket to wrap her up. Oh, and a hat, she needed a hat.

Then it was wait, I need to find that head thing for the car seat and then, crap, the straps on the car seat are too tight, how do I fix that?

Then the tears came.

Hers, not mine.

She wanted to nurse again then another diaper change and some spit up was thrown in to keep me on my toes.

My husband and Roo had given up on the car ride and started checking email and watching cartoons.

Finally, after an hour of all of this I had managed to get the baby in the car seat without tears (mine, not hers) and proceeded to rush everyone out of the house.

I felt triumphant and exhausted at the same time.

How easily we forget that it takes 10x longer to get anything done with a newborn.

A Turtle is Hatched

As you can imagine, I'm exhausted... but oh, so blessed.

Rainbow Brite is Back!

When I was a little girl I loved Rainbow Brite.


Adored her.


I had this cute little Rainbow Brite carrying case for all my dolls and when you unzipped it, it became a play area for them, complete with rainbow.


I carried that darn thing with me everywhere... I can still remember how dirty it became after dragging it everywhere I went.


She was so cool.


And guess, what: She still is!


And she's back just in time to share her with my daughter.


I recently received a Rainbow Brite Adventure Pack cd packed with animated shorts, games, the Rainbow Brite theme song and more. It was a prelude to introduce the brand spankin' new Rainbow Brite interactive website.


At the Rainbow Brite interactive website, you and your daughter can access all the great features that are on the adventure pack cd. Rainbow Brite is a great toy for girls because she thrills them with her "empowering and imaginative adventures as she spreads her positive messages of courage, kindness, and hope."


Not only is the Rainbow Brite interactive website live (and by the way totally free), you can now purchase the dolls you love at Target (they will also soon be available at Toys R Us).







Thank you to MomSelect for giving me this review opportunity. I received the Rainbow Brite Adventure Pack for free in exchange for my honest opinion. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

Oh, the Exhaustion!

As we round the final turn of this pregnancy, I have to say (and I'm sure you knew it was coming) but I am exhausted.

Not that, I'm exhausted of being pregnant and get this baby out of me right now, exhausted.

Just tired.

The kind of tired where you want to lay down in bed and not get up unless the house is on fire... or you have to pee.

While this all is possible, it doesn't come without massive guilt.

Guilt because I have a 35 month old tot that loves to be outside and run and play. Guilt because this Mama can't run after her.

I'm racking my brain to come up with indoor activities (and outdoor ones) that don't involve much participation on my part. So far I've got cartoons, Disney movies, Play-Doh, coloring books and nap time.

The hubby said that one week of her life spent doing nothing will not hurt her.

While I agree, I still feel guilty.

Baby Shower: A BIG Thank You & Winners

Wow.

It's been a crazy week, huh?

I did tons of posts with tons of info, plus we had three giveaways!

I want to thank everyone who donated a prize or provided a product for review.

Now, to the winners!

The Baby Magic Gift Set Winner is: Miss Anne!
The Braelyn Bounty Bug Prego Planner Winner is: MsKharma!
The Medela Breast Care Gift Set Winner is: Jennifer!

All winners will be notified by email so check your email for further details.

Again, thank you for everyone who participated!


( If MsKharma and Jennifer could email me so I can get you two the next step in claiming your prizes, I would love it. NYTMBlog@gmail.com )

Baby Shower Review: Eternal Maternal

I document a lot of things.

I take photos everyday, I write everyday, I do my best to joy everything of importance down so that when I’m old I will remember it.

And of course, when you’re pregnant and are cursed with preggo brain, I try to do it all so that when I pop this baby out, I can remember that at 16 weeks I felt her first kicks or that at 20 weeks I had to have emergency surgery on my appendix.

Another thing I want to remember is just how big I am.

And pictures don’t always do justice to a blooming belly.

Say Hello (!) to the Eternal Maternal Belly Cast!

The perfect way to remember your preggo belly!

From their website: “A belly cast is one of the most accurate and realistic representations of pregnancy because it’s 3-dimensional…unlike photographs or videos. It preserves the miracle of changes Mom’s body has undergone to bring a new person into the world. Belly casting is a true representation of that miracle.”



Each Belly Caster Kit comes with the following:

• 4 rolls of 4 inches x 5 yards plaster gauze


• 1 plastic drop cloth


• 2 oz. Eternal Maternal Bellylube™


• 3 feet picture wire, hook and nail


• Instructions

It has everything you need to do-it-yourself… but I would recommend to not do it all by yourself. I did and ended up making a huge mess. My poor bathroom will never be the same but it was fun.



The best thing about the Belly Caster is that when done, you can decorate it anyway you want. Want to paint it up like a corset? It can be done! Or maybe you want to let your kid attack it with markers and put their mark on their brother or sister, go for it!

And while I am artistic, to an extent, my end result did not end up as gorgeous as these:

(Mirror Ball Belly Cast Image Provided by: www.bellyoflove.com Thx, Allison!)

The possibilities for your cast are endless.

I will warn you against this, make liberal use of the belly lube that comes in the kit, it really helps because taking plaster off of dry skin is not an entirely pleasant experience.

Also, there is a slight smell to the plaster so if you have a super sensitive nose, like me, make sure you open the bathroom window or do it in a well-ventilated area.

The Eternal Maternal Belly Caster Kit can be purchased directly from their website by clicking this link.

ppsssssttt! You can also become Facebook Fans and follow Eternal Maternal on Twitter!



Thank you to Eternal Maternal who provided me a free Belly Caster Kit in return for my honest opinion of their product. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

Baby Shower: Great Baby Shower Gifts

Every baby shower I get invited to leaves me thinking about the perfect baby gift for days, sometimes weeks.

Who really wants to show up at a baby shower with diapers, right?

I scour the shops, both big and small, for the perfectly unique gift that will touch the Mama’s heart and also provide a practical purpose.

Here’s a list of great places to find that amazing gift that will score you a heartfelt Thank You note that really is genuine.

Lollipop & Lizards
Ready Go Baby
Cool Mom Picks

More great gifts include
The fun to do Eternal Maternal Belly Cast, the Mommy Measure (check out my review here) or a kick ass Mommy Planner.

Want an eco-friendly gift that rocks? Check out Rock a Thigh Baby ( you can read my review here).


For my local Central Floridians, here’s a list of great boutiques that guarantee the most astonishing gifts.

The Tug Boat and the Bird 433 West New England AvenueWinter Park, FL 32789-4285(407) 647-5437

Sweet Cheeks 4932 W State Road 46Sanford, FL 32771-9242(407) 324-7915

LuLu Belle Kids 7988 Via Dellagio WayOrlando, FL 32819-5425(407) 704-7985

Ladybug Loft 2808 Edgewater DriveOrlando, FL 32804-4412(407) 650-4200

Baby Shower: The Registry

I have to admit it; one of my favorite things about pregnancy is all the great baby products on the market. They literally have a product for anything and everything pregnancy related.

And another great thing about being pregnant is getting to register for all these great items you had no clue you needed!

The Bump is the place to go to get started with registries. Want multiple registries (we’ve all done it!), you can manage them all from their website .

Need a checklist to go with, they’ve got it with their Registry 101.

Other great places to register are Target and Babies R Us.

The Pampers Website has a great list of dos and don’ts when it comes to registering:

"Do feel free to tell the host of your shower where you are registered so she can spread the word.

It’s totally acceptable to have registry websites listed on your invitation.

Don’t feel pressured to divulge details you’d planned to keep secret, like the baby’s name, just because people insist on monogramming a blanket. Tell them that it’s important to you to keep things a surprise.

Do register for the basics, from newborn diapers to pacifiers to an infant bathtub. You’ll need these essentials and will wind up buying them anyway.

Don’t get sucked into registering for cute toys or outfits that your baby won’t be able to use until he or she is a year old. You have plenty of time to drop hints to friends and family at holiday and birthday time.

Do register at more than one store, especially if you have family members buying you gifts from all over the country.

Don’t expect everyone to buy your gifts online. While it’s convenient for you, Aunt Suzy may still not feel comfortable on the computer. Make sure one of the places you register has an actual store with your registry on file.

Do ask the stores you’re registering with if they offer a one-time discount for closing out your registry (basically buying everything you didn’t get at your shower).

Don’t get upset if guests don’t buy from your registry. Yes, that pink velour baby tracksuit is heinous (especially because you’re having a boy), but suck it up and smile."

Hopefully these tips and websites will help make registering easier for you, because believe it or not, it can get hectic picking out strollers and baby bottles.

Baby Shower: Review of Rock-a-Thigh Baby

When Roo was little and it was cold outside (well, as cold as it can get in Florida) I always dressed her in layers to keep her tushy warm. Of course, this is great and all but the thing that wasn’t fun was taking all of those layers off just to change a diaper.

I have to admit, it was really annoying.

If only I had had Rock-a-Thigh Baby at the time.

Rock-a-Thigh Baby are the “kiddie socks that rock and stay on top.”

They’re basically thigh highs for babies that are designed to stay up and keep the entire leg warm. And since they are thigh highs there’s no need to fight those ridiculous layer when you need to change a diaper.

I simple shall refer to Rock-a-Thigh Baby socks are a miracle from here on out.

So not only does my miracle sock help me out on diaper changes, they have no slip grips on the feet, which are a blessing even for the most seasoned walker because we all know that toddler are still tipsy and can trip on a perfectly flat kitchen floor. For babies the miracle socks protect the knees while learning to crawl.

Also, get this, they are eco-friendly!

The dyes used on my miracle socks are Oeko-Tek 100 standard, made from 100% pre-consumer recycled yarn and, best of all, MADE IN THE USA!

Besides all these fabulous things about my lovely miracle sock, they truly do rock because they come in great styles. I received the pirate sock for Roo (plus I got a matching pair for Turtle!) and she rocked them like nobodies business

I can’t wait to get both of my girls dressed up in their Rock-a-Thigh Baby socks (aka my miracle socks) and take tons of pictures of them looking like Rock Stars.

Sizes range from 0-6 months to 4 years of age and can be purchased directly from the Rock-a-Thigh Baby website.

Thank you to the amazing people at Rock-a-Thigh Baby who provided me two free pairs of Rock-a-Thigh Baby socks to review. The opinions stated in this review are my own. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

Baby Shower: Baby Magic

I think I’ve mentioned it before but I’ll say it again. My poor child inherited my sensitive skin. When she was a baby it was so bad that certain lotions would make her skin peel! In the course of her life we’ve tried tons of lotions. The cheap store brands to the organic brands that broke the bank.

I’m always on the look out for new stuff to try out and save a few pennies on.

Enter Baby Magic.

I received Baby Magic’s Baby Blossom Gentle Hair and Body Wash along with the Baby Blossom Baby Lotion to test out on my little one. Roo was super excited when we received the delivery because I told her it was for her and she immediately wanted to take a shower to test them out.

In the tub we went.

The smell of Baby Magic’s Baby Blossom’s line is soft scented and not harsh at all. Since it’s not a baby bubble bath, my daughter was a tad bit disappointed about the amount of bubbles the Baby Blossom created, but it got the job done. She was squeaky clean at the end of that shower and I saw no signs of irritation on her skin.

The lotion just a fabulous job and once again, the scents were not harsh.

I liked the smell of the lotion so much that I often use them on my expanding belly.

To celebrate the online baby shower, the super nice folks at Baby Magic want to share some of their products with a NYTM reader. You have a chance to win a Baby Magic gift set.

All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment on what kind of lotions you’ve tried on your baby’s skin… or your own!

Extra entries can be earned by
Become a fan of the Baby Magic facebook page
Follow Baby Magic on Twitter

Giveaway ends at 12:00pm EST on February 13, 2010.
Good Luck!

I received Baby Magic body washes and lotions in return for my honest opinion of the products. All opinions are my own. For my full disclosure policy, please click this link.

Baby Shower: The Baby Planners

We’ve all been to fancy hotels that boast concierge services with enough options to make you drool.

Ever thought you’d see a concierge service that caters to having a baby?

Well, they exist.

They being the Baby Planners.

The Baby Planner are Melissa and Ellie, Moms who combined have over 25 years of service experience and know just how to make your pregnancy and labor special.

Some of the concierge services they offer include: Product Research & Demonstration • Referrals to Classes, Doulas and Doctors • Nursery Design • Shower Planning • Postpartum Support • Pregnancy Photography • Greening Your Nursery • Birth Announcements • Infant CPR • Baby Proofing • Personal Chef • Birth Video • Car seat Installation • Pre-natal Massage • Baby Nurse • Nanny Search • Muralist • In Home Spa Services • Pre-school Placement • Parenting Consultant • Sleep Experts • Diaper Services • Dog Walkers •

Consulting services offered include (from their website):

"Baby Registry Plan – Let’s go shopping! The Baby Planners will create your baby registry either in person or online at one of our preferred vendors. This plan can also include registry updates, changes, and product returns and exchanges.


Nursery Necessities Plan –From the best baby skin care products to diapers and onesies, we stock, organize, and beautify your nursery.


Sensational Services Plan – Every service provider we recommend has to earn the toughest seal of approval – ours!

Hostess Gift Plan – Planning the baby shower but not sure what to give the parents-to-be? Why not give them a The Baby Planners™ gift certificate? We’ll answer all of their questions or concerns and thoroughly assess their registry, nursery, and gear to make sure they’re more than prepared for baby’s arrival.

Corporate Gift/Post-Delivery Plan – The Baby Planners will create a one-of-a-kind gift that can include everything from personal chef services to the latest baby baubles to gifts geared for Dad. This is one "wow" gift your associates will not soon forget!

Adoption Plan – The Baby Planners understand your unique set of needs. We’ll take care of the essentials - from car seat to crib – all within a moments notice.

Grandparents Plan – No one’s more excited than the Grandma & Grandpa to be! Pick a plan and receive 10% off! "

Prices start at $500 and can be customized. While the Baby Planners are based out of L.A., have no fear if you live elsewhere, they travel!

Baby Shower: New Baby Must Haves

Having a baby means buying lots of gear... I never knew just how much stuff a baby needs until I had one. And now that I am getting ready for baby #2 (eight days left!), I'm rediscovering just how much you need (and how much room it takes up!).

Here's a handy list of what I'm lugging out of storage.

Crib, bassinet, co-sleeper, basket for baby to sleep in.

Sleep Sack/Swaddler
Swaddling saved my life. It got me an extra 1-2 hours when I strapped her into her swaddler. A sleep sack helps keep them warm in cool weather and eliminates the need for blankets that might creep up over their faces.

Baby Lotions/Washes/Soaps
Essential! Newborns have dry, dry skin and these will help any discomfort.

Baby First Aid/Grooming Kit
Thermometers and nail clippers are a must in your household. Newborn nails grow super fast and the thermometer will help keep your sanity if you feel your child is sick.

Swing/Bouncer
These items will give you a few, precious free moments baby-less to cook, clean, shower, read, whatever.

Changing Pads

Feeding Pillow i.e. Boppy Pillow, Utterly Yours, My Breast Friend

Sling/Carrier
Another great option to getting things done with free hands.

Diaper Bag
Go ahead and get the stylish one, you’re going to be carrying this bag with you everywhere. It might as well look hip.

Diaper Champ
A necessity because who really has time to run a stinky diaper out to the trash every two hours?
Burp Cloths
Simply because, wow, babies spit up.. a lot!

Wash Cloths/Towels

New and Old Mommy Must Haves

Comfortable Nursing Bras/Tanks
If you’re breastfeeding, these are a MUST.

Boob Pads
Even if you’re not breastfeeding, there’s a good chance you’ll leak.

Lanolin Oil/Lotion
This help with sore boobs.

Stylish and Comfy PJs
Because who really wants to take the effort to get dressed those first few days? If you have comfy PJs, you’ll at least feel better.

Water Bottle to keep close by
Especially if you’re nursing because breastfeeding makes you super thirsty.

Take Out Menus
Who really wants to cook at a time like this?

Support via partner, family and friends

Baby Shower Review: Braelyn Bounty Bug Prego Planner

Ever heard of pregnancy brain?

Ever experience pregnancy brain?

If you haven’t, just wait. Give it some time and pregnancy brain will take over everything you do. Soon you will be forgetting where you left your keys, your lunch and maybe your kids.

Okay, maybe not your kids but I guarantee you will walk out the door without your cell phone, snacks for the kids or important paperwork needed for your doctor.

It happens to us all.

While research isn’t really clear on what pregnancy brain is or why it occurs. I can tell you that it’s plain and simple forgetfulness.

And I’ve got it really bad right now.

Luckily, they have products on the market that, while they won’t cure your problems, will make your life easier.

Enter the Braelyn Bounty Bug Prego Planner

The Braelyn Bounty Bug Prego Planner is an amazing planner where you can keep track of everything. And I mean everything.

Separated into sections that make organizing a snap, the Prego Planner has pages to hold super important information like doctor’s information, test results and charts to keep track of your monthly progress.



Also included are must have baby checklists, friends and family call lists, post delivery musts and more.

And the best thing about this Prego Planner, it’s stylish.

So don’t worry about falling prey to the pregnancy brain with this mommy-to-be planner, of course now the only thing you need to worry about is not forgetting your planner!

The essential planner retails for $24.00, but for the month of February they are on sale for $19.95. They can be found at local boutiques or online.

One lucky NYTM reader will win her own Braelyn Bounty Bug Prego Planner! Just leave me a comment about something you have forgotten while pregnant or if you haven’t experienced it yet, tell me what you’re worried about forgetting.

Extra entries can be earned by following my blog, following me on Twitter or writing a post on your own blog about the NYTM Baby Shower!

Giveaway ends on February 13th at Noon EST.

Good Luck!

Thank you to the wonderful people at Braelyn Bounty Bug for providing me with this product to review and giveaway. All opinions are purely my own. Please see my full disclosure policy (link back) for more information.

Baby Shower Review: Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow

One of the beautiful side effects of pregnancy is the lack of sleep. The uncomfortable tossing and turning in attempt to find a reasonable position to sleep is enough to make one miserable.

While it’s near-to-impossible to resolve the situation entirely, you can at least get some relief with a pregnancy pillow.

Say Hello (!) to the Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow.

From the Utterly Yours website: The Utterly Yours™ Pregnancy Pillow will help women find the most comfortable resting position with its special revolutionary cubic design. When opened, it forms two triangles. Memory foam on one half of the pillow conforms to the mother’s belly. The other half of the pillow is made of higher density foam to support the back while keeping the body positioned to one side comfortably. The fabric that connects the two sides stretches to accommodate women as their bodies grow throughout their pregnancy.

First off, I have to say… the name cracks me up. I love it Also it was developed by a Mom, not a handful of guys that think they have a clue about women and pregnancy.

My first use of the Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow was a bit awkward as the baby in my belly wasn’t used to be propped up and I could feel her kicking up a storm in protest. The only other problem I found with the Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow is that when you roll back and forth from one side to another the pillows tend to get tangled and you have to actually get up out of bed to rearrange the triangles.

I designated mine strictly as a comfort pillow to use when laying down or for quick naps. But if you don’t move around a lot while sleeping, this is the perfect pillow for you.

The great thing about this pillow is the compact nature of it. It's not like one of those huge body pillows that takes up one half of your bed. It folds up into a nice cube for storage.

The Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow (they also have a breast pillow) comes in a handful of pretty patterns suited to fit any Mommy's taste. Plus it's made with eco-friendly foam so you don't have to worry about not going that whole green route everyone is talking about.

The Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow can be purchased online directly from their website or at select stores.

The wonderful people at Utterly Yours will be offering NYTM readers 25% off online orders when you use code: OBGYN at checkout.

I was given a Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow for review. All opinions in this review are my own. For further information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Baby Shower: Informative Books to Read

I admit it, when I was pregnant with Roo, I read a lot of baby books.

A lot.

I absorbed every little bit of information I could get my hands on. I was positive that if I did read all these books, I would sooo be ready when she came home.

I was sure that reading all those books would make me the perfect Mother.

Of course, I came to find out that me being a close-to-perfect Mother (because there's no such thing as a perfect Mother), came with time.

But the info I absorbed from reading did come in handy.

Lists of my favorite (and most helpful) books to have on your nightstand are the following:

You: Having a Baby The Owner's Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy by Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz.

This is my alternative pick to the traditional What to Expect book. It’s packed full of great information about what you can do and can’t do, what you should do and what you shouldn’t do while pregnant. The book is written with great humor that makes this book an easy read. Plus, the funny cartoons will crack you up.

The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth, and Everything In Between by Ann Douglas

Full of charts, tables and grafts about anything and everything to do with pregnancy. This book covers everything and then some.

The Child: An Encyclopedic Companion (Hardcover)
~ Richard A. Shweder (Editor), Thomas R. Bidell (Editor), Anne C. Dailey (Editor), Suzanne D. Dixon (Editor), Peggy J. Miller (Editor), John Modell (Editor)

Yes, it’s a huge, new reference book that weighs more than your newborn does, but it’s packed full of great info. A perfect source when you need answers right on the spot.

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer by Dr. Harvey Karp

This was the first book I read after bringing Roo home from the hospital. While nursing her, I propped it up against my pillow and was absorbed in it while nursed then napped. It’s full of great advice and is a really easy read for a crazy new Mommy.

The Best Baby Name Treasury by Emily Larson

Yes it’s from 2008, but it’s still got tons and tons of information regarding names. I spent hours upon hours reading this book and looking up meanings of names.

But remember not to fret if you can't even get through one parenting book. Being a good parent comes with time and patience. Plus, the advice of your Mother goes a long way.

Baby Shower: Medela Giveaway

With regards to my last post and my love of breastfeeding, Medela has kindly donated a Breast Care Gift Set to giveaway to one of my lucky readers!

The Medela Breast Care Gift Set includes the following:

Twill bag
Tender Care™ Lanolin Advanced Nipple Therapy™ 2 oz tube
Tender Care Hydrogel pads (2)
Disposable bra pads (12)
Mother’s Minder® Bracelet
Information, Resources & Breastfeeding Log

Want to win it?

All you have to do is leave me a comment about your breastfeeding experience. If you didn't breastfeed tell me about formula feeding your baby.

Extra entries can be earned by following my blog or following me on Twitter. Just make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway for the Medela Breast Care Gift Set will end on February 13th 12pm EST.

Thank you to Medela for providing the Breast Care Gift Set. For my full disclosure policy, please visit this link.

Baby Shower: Breastfeeding Facts

Breastfeeding was a huge part of raising Roo. Huge, like 22 months huge! And I respect everyone’s opinion and fully believe that they should do what’s best for their baby. If formula works for your baby, then more power to you.

The only problem I have with formula and babies is that I never used it. So I know nothing about formula (except that it’s expensive) and can’t share that experience with my readers.

All I know about is breastfeeding from experience and I adored it. I never felt more connected to a human being in my life! To know I was providing for my baby, just me, no one else was a powerful experience.

I plan on nursing Miss Turtle for as long as she’ll let me. I never had a timeline for Roo when we started out. It was just please let us make it to six months… then it was set for a year. Then it just went on and on and on until at 22 months we called it quits.

I chose to breastfeed because I’d done my research and read it was wonderful for the baby. Besides to be honest, it also helped that it was free!

According to Medela , some of the benefits to breastfeeding are:

-Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer and shorter episodes of illness.
-Breastfeeding is the most natural and nutritious way to encourage your baby’s optimal development.
-Colostrum (the first milk) is a gentle, natural laxative that helps clear baby’s intestine, decreasing the chance for jaundice to occur.
-The superior nutrition provided by breastmilk benefits your baby’s IQ.
-Breastfeeding is a gentle way for newborns to transition to the world outside the womb.
-The skin-to-skin contact encouraged by breastfeeding offers babies greater emotional security and enhances bonding.
-The activity of sucking at the breast enhances development of baby’s oral muscles, facial bones, and aids in optimal dental development.
-Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of obesity and hypertension.
-Breastfeeding delays the onset of hereditary allergic disease, and lowers the risk of developing allergic disease.
-Breastfeeding helps the baby’s immune system mature, protecting the baby in the meantime from viral, bacteria, and parasitic infections.
-Breastfeeding increases the effectiveness of immunizations, increasing the protection against polio, tetanus, and diptheria vaccines.
-Breastfeeding protects against developing chronic diseases such as: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and childhood cancers.

Not only is it good for baby, it’s good for Mama… why you ask? Medela says:
-Research shows that breastfeeding benefits the health of mothers.
-Breastmilk is always fresh, perfectly clean, just the right temperature, and is the healthy choice at the least cost!
-Increased levels of oxytocin stimulate postpartum uterine contractions, minimizing blood loss and encouraging rapid uterine toning.
-From 3 months to 12 months postpartum, breastfeeding increases the rate of weight loss in most nursing mothers.
-Breastfeeding offers some protection against the early return of fertility.
-Because breastfed babies are healthier, their mothers miss less work and spend less time and money on pediatric care.
-Breastfeeding women report psychological benefits such as increased self-confidence and a stronger sense of connection with their babies.

Don’t be frightened by anything to do with breastfeeding. It’s not as scary as it seems. You can prepare for breastfeeding by attending a breastfeeding class given by your local hospital or you can contact the La Leche League International for classes and support.

Baby Shower: Planning A Baby Shower

As the expectant mama, it’s not really your job to plan your own baby shower. Typically, friends or family members come together and get it all done leaving you to do nothing but enjoy the moment and love.

But this has never stopped me from drooling over baby shower invitations, registries and party favors.

Luckily for me, I’ve got a best friend having a baby soon so I get to take part in all the fun so all the drooling I’ve been doing is going to come in handy.

If you decide to take on the task of planning a baby shower, a great place to start is picking the date and location. Once that is done, start making a list of everyone you and the expectant mama would like to attend. From there on, the list is simple: pick a theme, plan a menu and pick out invitations.

A few great places to find invitations online are Tiny Prints , Storkie and Paper Style .

A great idea for out-of-towners is when you mail the invitations; include a map of directions to the event location.

Once invitations have been mailed, start shopping for decorations and placing orders for balloons, food and cakes. Local party stores normally have great items and are usually on sale (think Party City!) and Walmart has party supplies that start at just a dollar.

Next you can plan the games that will be played at the shower. Baby Shower 101 has a great list of games that will guarantee fun. You can choose games that win guests prizes like picture frames or candles. The prizes don’t have to be extravagant guests will most likely be having so much fun, who wins what doesn’t matter.

It’s not required, but party favors are a new trend to send home with guests. At my recent baby shower all the guests were treated to pink M&Ms in champagne glasses. There’s websites everywhere that will sell you customized chocolate bars, fortune cookies with the baby’s name in them, or baby carriage cookies.

Once everything comes together and the date of the baby shower approaches the most important thing to remember is to have fun. You’re celebrating the birth of a baby and celebrating a friend (or family member) that is bringing that baby into the world.

Great sites to reference to are:
Amazing Pregnancy

Baby Center

The Bump

Online Baby Shower Starts Today!

I love parties, especially baby showers.

A party where family and friends come together and specifically celebrate a baby coming into this world is such a special event.

In honor of Turtle, I put together a week-long baby shower event to celebrate the best thing in life: Babies! Having a baby truly is a crazy, monumental time in a person’s life and I’m all about celebrating it, especially if cake is involved.

The schedules of activities include articles on breastfeeding, great books to read, ways to save with a baby and most importantly giveaways.

There will be multiple posts a day and all will be tagged with the baby shower label, so make sure you don't miss any of them!

The great people at Baby Magic, Medela, Braelyn Bounty Bug Prego Planner’s have kindly donated prizes so be on the lookout to enter to win.

I hope you enjoy celebrating Turtle’s pregnancy with me, learn some great info and maybe win a prize!

Review: Minnie's Bow-Tique

I remember as a child loving anything to do with Disney, especially Minnie Mouse. I mean, check her out, she’s a stylish lady and have been since her debut in 1928. The pink dress, the heels, the bow, those eye lashes, everything Minnie has is appealing to a little girl.

And she is appealing especially to my little girl.

Roo loves Minnie Mouse.

She has the doll, a few toys and now she’s the proud owner of Minnie’s newest adventure Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’s Minnie’s Bow-Tique.


From the press release: This new release features four Minnie-themed stories including a never-before-seen episode and a fun Minnie magnet bow frame. Two episodes, ‘Minnie’s Pajama Party,’ and ‘Minnie’s Bee Story,’ include Disney’s Adventure Mode – an interactive game using the remote control with multiple play levels.

It's the grand opening of Minnie's Bow-tique, a store jam-packed with every kind of bow and bowtie imaginable. The selections include: the "Glow-Bow", a bow that changes color with every mood; the "Grow-Bow", a bow that grows to tremendous size by just adding water; flying "Butterfly-Bows"; and a "Photo-Bow" that snaps instant pictures. Problems arise when Pete, embarrassed about buying a lady's bow for his favorite aunt, causes a few accidental mishaps in the new store. However, super salesperson Minnie finds the perfect bow for Pete. The Bow-tique's grand opening is a success - and it all ends in a Big Bow Show with the Clubhouse gang modeling the latest fashions under the biggest bow of all, a colorful, sky-high Rain-Bow.

In a never-before-seen episode, Minnie’s Pajama Party Minnie and the girls set up a fun Pajama Party sleepover for the day – but it’s not as easy as it sounds, especially with the addition of Pete and Willie the Giant!”

The newest release from Disney is a hit in this household and Minnie will dazzle us on replay for the entire next week. It’s a good thing she’s a cutie pie, huh?
Minnie’s Bow-Tique will hit the store shelves on February 9th.

Disclosure: This DVD was provided to me for free in return for my honest review of the movie. Please see my full disclosure statement for more information.

Cute, but Annoying.

My child, do I ever love her... but sometimes, just sometimes, I think she does things just to irritate me.

Like she knows which buttons to push and when to push them.

It's like the second she popped out of my body, some mean doctor with an evil laugh handed her a manual on how to get under your Mommy's skin.

Okay, maybe all of that sounds harsh and possibly makes my kid sound like the devil.

Which she is not.

She's a part of me and her Daddy, so I know she possesses traits that myself and my husband thrive on. Like making fun of things, doing things just because someone says you can't and, my favorite, being a smart ass.

Take yesterday for example, the nesting thing kicked in for me and I decided it was past time to dive into the toy mess that clutters our room and get a little more organized. So I set about completing this task. I went through the utter disaster and separated toys into categories. This would go into the playroom. This goes in the bin under her bed. That goes into the toy box, etc.

When I was finally done with the toys, plus re-straightening the rug, cleaning the floors and making the beds. I collapsed on the couch with a sigh of happiness.

I was done.

And then I proceeded to watch Roo slowly, but surely, bring certain toys back into the room.

A play cell phone and dinosaur.

Her tiny pink potty from Ikea was next.

Then came the stuffed animals.

Suddenly my floor was covered in toys again.

And I just sat on the couch and let it happen!

In my defense I'm stupendously pregnant (a.k.a. lazy) and had no energy to get up and scold her.

Besides, like I said, she's like me if someone tells me no, I do it anyways.

Sneak Peek at the Baby Shower

Next week the fun and excitement will begin.

Next week is my online baby shower!

I wanted to take some time and tease you with the great prizes that can be won.

Kids Do the Grossest Things

Ever been out with your kid in a public place and they do something so revolting that you actually gag?

Yeah, that happened to me today.

Roo and I were at Chik-Fil-A and went into the restroom to change a dirty diaper (yes, she's still wearing diapers... that's a whole other post). I pulled down the diaper changing thing and started getting the gear ready when I looked over at her and she was LICKING the plastic.

Yes, you read that right: LICKING.

Are you shuddering like I am?

I wanted to snatch her up and rinse her mouth out with purell! It was so gross.

Not that there was dried poop or something equally gross crusted on the plastic but STILL! It was disgusting.

And when I say licking, I mean that there's a spot to hang your diaper bag on and she leaned up against it and thought, this looks like a great place to stick my tongue.

Because, you know, that's what everything thinks when they see the purse hook.

Kids truly do the grossest things, I'll never understand it.