Review
Cutie-pa-tudie Q-Tips®
Most Moms-to-be spend a lot of time designing and planning the nursery the minute they found out they are going to have a baby. I was no exception! Everything from what color to put on the walls to the crib design and placement of the furniture. The biggest decision of course is the theme for the room! Ducks, dogs, cats, circles. You name it. It is amazing the choices available from coordinating towels, curtains, laundry baskets and trash cans. I personally love it!
Celebrity Nursery Designer Wendy Bellissimo has some great tips for us average moms. Even though she has designed nurseries for celebs like Kelly Ripa, Brooke Shields and Sara Evans (to name a few) and has a supertabulous website filled with outstanding mommy and baby things, she is also a mom to four little girls. She has a neat nesting checklist on her website, which was really helpful to me when I was preggo.
She also has shared some tips for designing a nursery. Here are her tips for things you should think about before you get started:
(1) Be Your Own Designer: Go through magazines, catalogs and visit baby & furniture stores to see the looks available. Choose a style that feels most natural to you so the nursery can become an extension of your home. Then create your own book or board of clippings, fabric samples and photos for inspiration. Start the design process well before your due date so that you have time to relax before the baby’s arrival.
(2) Save the Paint for Last: Select your nursery furniture and fabric before you paint. It is easy to find a paint shade to match your furniture/fabrics and not always the other way around. Keep in mind, furniture and fabrics do not all need to match – a great mix of textures that complement each other can add a truly custom, “designer” feel.
(3) Add a Personal Touch: Give your nursery a personal touch by adding framed covers of your favorite childhood books or classic black & white or sepia photos of you and your significant other when you were babies.
(4) Create A Sleepy Time Sanctuary: We all need our beauty rest, so it is important to create an environment that’s peaceful for your baby to sleep. Create a calming atmosphere with soothing colors and softer tones rather than bright or harsh colors. Then, use accents to add pops of color without being too overwhelming.
(5) Don’t Sacrifice Style for Functionality: It is easy to create a beautiful, organized space in the nursery to care for your baby (without the piles of diapers and a mess
of toiletries). Place a basket or fabric covered box (from an arts & crafts or paperstore) on the changing table or shelf above and fill with diapers, Vaseline ® petroleum jelly, diaper cream, rubbing alcohol and Q-tips®!
In fact Q-Tips ® has a new Baby Pack. They are available in two adorable nursery animal designs and are functional (with a new sliding drawer that keeps Q-tips ® cotton swabs protected for baby) so they can always be within arm’s reach. I was lucky to get a set for free and immediately put them in my nursery. I have to say, they are really cute. It is nice to have functional items in the nursery, but not have them look like your medicine cabinet. They retail for around $3.19 and have 285 Q-Tips ® per box. They can be found in-store at Walmart and Target. I mean, yes, having the Q-tip ® box match your nursery may be a wee-bit over the top, but for about a dollar more, why not! You are going to see it, and be using it, every day. They are adorable, bright, and would go with most baby room designs. I just wish my tissue box had a nursery design on it too!
As a side note for you Moms-to-be, having Q-Tips ® in the nursery is important. They are great for cleaning between fingers and toes. (You will be surprised to see what collects in there!) They can be used to apply ointments to your baby or cleaning your baby’s ears. Not the ear canal though! They are too young for that, but around the outside of the ear and even behind the ear. I even use them to get that little booger that is right at the end of the nose. Gross I know, but welcome to mommyhood.
So for you Mommies and Mommies-to-be, I am giving away one Q-tip ® Nursery set, which includes 2 sets of Q-tips ® and a little silver-like elephant bank. So leave a comment below about what your nursery looks like and you could be the lucky winner. The contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on February 22nd and the winner will be selected via a sequential drawing at Random.org! Enjoy and I am off to clean up my little one with my Q-tip ® Baby Pack!
**This giveaway is for US residents only. Limit one entry per family. Please include a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Your email will not be published and will not be used for any other purpose. If your comment doesn’t appear right away, don’t worry. We monitor our comments for spam so there is a slight delay between the time you submit your comment and when it appears below.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Soda Shame
When I became pregnant, I immediately gave up my can-a-day soda habit. It was not easy! Since then, I just drink juice, milk, water and seltzer water for that carbonated pick-me up. There are times, however, that I crave something more than fizzy water.
Flavored carbonated water is an option, but often tastes just like water with an elusive hint of something fruity. (Emphasis on the elusive part). When I have the crave, I sneak in to the local convenience store feeling guilty and looking over my shoulder for the anti-soda police.
There is hope my fellow I-gave-up-soda-but-crave-it-anyway peeps.
I had the opportunity to attend a yoga event recently – hosted by Boston Mamas and sponsored by Steaz. Frankly, it was less about the opportunity to try Steaz® products and more about getting in a workout and getting out of the house, sans baby, for the afternoon. Yet that changed the instant I got there. (Though I was still excited to get out of the house.)
When I learned about the company, I was impressed: Fair trade, Fair price, Green, Organic and an American Based product. Their website is the BEST I have seen. The product? Hands down, I have found my soda alternative.
Steaz® has a range of products: sparkling green tea, iced tea, and energy drinks. I was able to try the Steaz Zero Calorie® – launched just a couple of months ago! So here are the facts: it is made with organic ingredients, sweetened with the all-natural stevia (so no calories or carbs) and contains 120 mg of natural tea antioxidants. It is available in four flavors – Raspberry, Orange, Blueberry Pomegranate and Black Cherry. Like all Steaz products, the line is certified organic by Quality Assurance International as well as Fair Trade Certified® by TransFair USA. It’s sold in fully recyclable glass bottles and retails for around $4.99 for a four pack. The product can be found at Whole Foods®, Stop & Shop and other local stores. (You can search for locations on their website to find retailers near you.)
The orange flavor is my favorite because it tastes like Sunkist®. Not kinda-a sort-a tastes like Sunkist. It really tastes like it. Not a fan of the Raspberry though as, in my opinion, it seems to have a chemical aftertaste, but the blueberry pomegranate (that I happen to be sipping on right now) is my runner-up favorite. I am looking forward to trying the Black Cherry.
So needless to say, I am so glad I went to the event as I would have missed the opportunity to find a great product. I don’t have to live in soda-shame anymore!
You could take my word for it. (A good option.) Or you can try it for free. (An even better option!) For a limited time, Steaz has a great coupon on their website, so you can try a bottle for yourself!
So what are you waiting for?
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )How Do You Roll?
Do you roll under or over?
Do you make crafts out of the empty rolls? 
Going through toilet paper like it is no tomorrow?
Are you a toilet paper snob?
I roll over, the empty rolls are dog toys, we use tons of toilet paper, and I love Cottonelle! It is one-ply toilet paper made of virgin wood fibers and is safe for septic and sewer systems.
As a Mom Bloggers Club Member, I have entered a contest to win a one month supply of Cottonelle! But you could win too! Enter your vote on how you roll at the Cottonelle Roll Poll! (I’m on Team Over!) Then leave a comment here telling me how you use empty toilet paper rolls, and you may be one of ten lucky winners from various blog posts to win a Cottonelle gift basket! Winner chosen by the Mom Bloggers Club on January 29, 2010.
Happy Rolling.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )Somewhere over the Rainbow
I can still remember the commercials on Saturday mornings, and now your daughter will too.
Rainbow Brite is making a comeback! 
Thank goodness He-Man is still a thing of the past (for now), but you shouldn’t be surprised that this colorful character is back after 25 years. Much of 80s fashion has made the rounds in recent years too.
Rainbow Brite was a franchise that generated $1 billion in retail sales of dolls, toys and other licensed products (remember the lunch boxes?) throughout the 1980s. She made her animated debut in a syndicated prime-time special in 1984 and became a regular series. Her background is that she befriends characters named Sprite, Twink, and Starlite, among others, to bring color to Rainbow Land.
The newest Rainbow Brite fashion doll collection will be available in February at Toys R’ Us and Target. There will also be a free Rainbow Brite interactive website, which features animated videos, a contemporary theme song, coloring pages, wallpapers, games and more.
Rainbow Brite now looks less cartoon-ey and more computer generated, but still has the wimsy from her past. Maybe the smurfs are next?
Leave a comment below about which is your favorite character and five lucky readers could win a Rainbow Brite CD, filled with games and activities! (Winners determined through a sequential drawing via Random.org). Contest ends February 22, 2010!
**This giveaway is for US residents only. Limit one entry per family. Please include a valid email address so you can be contacted you if you win. Your email will not be published and will not be used for any other purpose. If your comment doesn’t appear right away, don’t worry; comments are monitored for spam so there is a slight delay between the time you submit your comment and when it appears below.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )Scrub A Dub (Without the Tub)
Between drool, spit-up, eye gunk, dog licks, poop, pee, kisses and general grime, your baby probably gets pretty dirty! Yet, if you are like me, you don’t necessarily give your baby a bath everyday.
Now you can feel guilt free, and have your baby squeaky clean, with these Baby Silk Gentle All Over Clean cleansing towelettes by MD Moms.
These cleansing towelettes are soft and luxurious. They are gentle enough to use on irritated or sensitive skin because it is an alcohol-free blend of marine silk, vitamins E and B5, and organic aloe. Comfrey provides moisturizing and antioxidant benefits, while ginger and chamomile soothe and calm irritation. Baby’s skin, from their nose to their toes, will be squeaky clean and silky soft in between baths.
As an FYI, the Baby Silk Gentle All Over Clean towelettes have no phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum, waxes, wheat or gluten. They are clinically tested, hypoallergenic and no tested on animals. Overall bonus is that they are made in the USA!
The packaging is great and there is even travel sized towelettes for the diaper bag. I wish they had small towelettes for when you just want to wipe down your baby’s face, but I just rip one towelette in half, use it, and tuck the other half back in the case for another time! My son seems to like the scent (I love it) and it is not overpowering.
Each pack comes with 72 towelettes and retails for around $12. Added bonus is that you can use them too. It is a great makeup remover and is a fabulous way to remove sweat after a workout when you can’t get an immediate shower.
The product is distributed by many online retailers and may be stocked at your local baby/mom boutique store. I found mine at Isis Maternity, which has three locations in the Boston, Massachusetts area. I am happy I picked them up!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Nursing Trinket
Seeing that my chest was scratched by the little bitty nails of my nursing son, I needed to find something that could keep his wandering fingers occupied during our breastfeeding sessions. So I recently picked up the Mooma Nursing Necklace at Magic Beans.
Created by a Magic Beans staffer, the Mooma Nursing Necklace just slips right on. The wooden ring is made from natural birch, and is a great size for baby fingers. It’s sanded super smooth, oiled with organic olive oil, and rubbed with beeswax before being attached to a brown adjustable organic cotton cord, which is also something babies can grasp..
As soon as I came home, I put it on before I fed my son. While nursing, his hands immediately found it and his fingers have been playing with it ever since. (Much to the relief of my skin!) Since I leave it on all day, I find myself fiddling with it while on the phone, which is soothing. I don’t remember to slip it on during the night feedings, but since we have a special blanket, my son strokes that for his nighttime nursing sessions instead. I have had it for four days and wish I had gotten it sooner.
The necklace retails for $14.95. I feel it would be better priced at $9.99, but it is a nice product with quality materials. You can pick one up at either of the four Magic Beans locations or online. You can find it in the bottle/feeding section. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Rising Temperatures
I dread the day my son gets sick, but when that day comes, I am so glad I have the Safety 1st Complete Family Thermometer. I got this Thermometer as a token for participating in a focus group. I have already tried it and think it is so nifty that I had to spread the word, even though no one asked me to do so.
It is important to take your baby’s temperature when he or she is not sick so you know what is “normal’ for your baby. Therefore, when your baby becomes sick, you will have a basis point. I took my baby’s temperature for three days in a row, three times a day (morning, noon and evening) so I could make sure I knew what was his average temperature. Temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day so I wanted to know what were those fluctuations. I also wanted to try the thermometer when I was not in a state of panic (and neither was he).
What is great about this thermometer is that it is a “3-n-1” thermometer. It can be used orally, rectally or under the arm. You just insert which tip you want to use into the main probe and you are good to go. The main compartment stores the tips so you are never having to search for them. Genius!
But it gets better.
The tips each have unique designs so if you have to take the temperature rectally, for example, it makes it easy for you to take it safety. It tells you when the batteries are low or when to clean the device. It gives you a chart telling you when it is a fever based on whether you are checking the temperature rectally, orally or under the arm, and it recalls the last 10 readings.
It retails for around $40. With three thermometers in one and all the extras, it is priced right in my book. It is a solid device too and the display section is easy to read. It lights up really well at night. You’ll dread having to use it, but when you do, it is a great device and makes the process so easy. So if you are looking for a thermometer to put on your registry or looking for a registry gift, this is top notch.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Ditch the Socks
I cannot believe the holidays are over, but it was super fun having a new baby to introduce to family and friends. I got to dress my son in outfits, rather than sleepsacks, and have people fuss over him (and me) during the various festivities. Not a bad deal.
Yet, having a son usually does not equal super cute clothes. Most people oohh and aahh over little dresses or barrettes during parties or get-togethers. With a boy, however, there is only so far one can go…
When my son was three weeks old though, I ventured out for the first time. At a local event, I met the owner of Kaya’s Kloset. A Boston-based Mom of a little girl, she makes slipper-like shoes for newborns, infants, and toddlers. (She also has an adult line.) She had a variety of pairs for sale, and my eyes locked on a a pair of little cow slippers. I fell in love with them, and so did all my family and friends when they saw them on his little feet. I got the coveted oohhs and aahhs!
Considering they are only $15, the fanfare surrounding them was huge. I was constantly told how cute they were, followed by questions on where I got them. Yet from my point of view, cuteness aside, I loved them for our various outings because they stayed on his feet. When a baby gets passed around, it is inevitable that his or her socks fall off. Even more inevitable, is that I run around trying to get them off the floor and put them back on kicking feet.
These stayed on; from the house, to the car seat, back out of the car seat, from person to person to person, and back home again. The fabric is soft and the soles are even softer. They have non-skid soles and soft elastic at the ankles. There are many fabrics from which to choose. You can purchase pre-made shoes in a variety of sizes from her Esty site or you can shop on her website for a list of fabrics to customize your order. There are organic fabrics too.
I can honestly say that I am so glad I bought these. The only downside is that since they are all so cute, it is hard to pick a few! I am up for the challenge though. Are you?
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )My Real Baby Registry Wish List
There are ten baby items I wish I had known I would need before I had my baby. Many of my picks are not found in the big chain baby registry stores, which is why I never came across them for my baby registry. But since my baby has been born, these are products that I have heard about, seen or have been recommended to me. So if you are a mom-to-be or are shopping for a preggo friend or relative and want to show your baby savvy, here are my top unique registry items that I wished I had known about – before the baby arrived!
1. A Sleepmate Sound Machine (suggested website: isismaternity.com)
A sound that is similar to the womb but is continuous play (on/off switch with volume). No stopping after 20 minutes like other products. So if the baby wakes in the middle of the night, the sound is consistent. Also masks noises in the house.
2. Bink Link (suggested website: mbeans.com)
A cute product that prevents pacifiers from falling on the floor or getting lost. The texture is also intriguing for baby’s hands.
3. Physio Ball (suggested website: amazon.com)
Great to bounce with the baby to help with fussiness and doubles as a workout tool.
Stroller Stress
I am only three months into being a first time Mom. I am trying to shed the pregnancy weight, figure out if I will get sleep again in this lifetime, and still gape at someone who asks how I am settling in as a Mom. Despite it all, I am already thinking of baby number two.
I know, I am crazy.
Add this fact to the fact that I need a “real” stroller (not an infant car seat stroller frame) real soon for my current son. Thus, I spend my precious free time frantically researching dual stroller possibilities.
At least I know I am not a fan of the double wide or double long strollers. That eliminates a long list. I already have enough trouble getting through doors with the car seat stroller frame. Obviously, I am not the only one. In the past couple years, manufacturers have introduced strollers with “rumble” like seats that enables stroller-challenged moms like me to have a fighting chance through various doorways.
So in my web research, I have come across three possibilities. The Phil & Ted Sport Buggy ($450), the UPPABaby Vista ($670) and the Baby Jogger City Select ($500). Each has it pros and cons. For the sake of a shorter post, I am going to focus on the cons. (Such a pessimist.)
First, the Phil & Ted Sport stroller (see first picture) does not enable me to use a car seat with the toddler seat at the same time. It is problematic for me since, to begin with, that is the very dual configuration I need.
Second, the UPPABaby (see second photo) does allow this function (hooray!), but the ‘rumble’ seat requires my first born to ride backwards. That could be problematic if my son turns out to want to see things.
Lastly, the Baby Jogger City Select (image to the right) does not seem to have a notable flaw. It has the most configuration possibilities, which is intriguing. Knowing that I need a dual seat stroller in the future, but not sure of the ‘whens’ or ‘hows’, it enables the future-me to have a lot more options and flexibility. But it has not hit the market yet so not sure what the experience is like with it.
Some may say, “just buy an umbrella stroller now and worry about a dual stroller later”. Yes, I could do that, but I rather not shell out $ for a single stroller now just to get rid of it in a year. Also, if I am going to fork over $$ for one of the three options listed above, I would like to start getting my moneys worth now. Each enables me to use it as a single stroller immediately.
So I am now weighing the possibilities and hopefully will be able to get out soon to “test drive” the various options. If anyone has thoughts or experiences with either (or others), let me know. And if you see a new Mom struggling to get through a door with her stroller, think of me.
Happy Strolling!
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