Pax Baby Giveaway

For all of you interested in baby wraps, Paxbaby.com is having a giveaway!!

Here is the link: http://paxbaby.com/10000-fan-giveaway-at-paxbaby-facebook-page/

Wrap Stash

Left to right: EllaRoo, Storch Inka, Storch Anna, Maya

My newest obsession in life is baby wrapping. Wraps have made my life about 1 million times easier. I wake up in the morning, wrap my baby, and get tons of housework, projects, or cooking done in no time. My baby is happy, I'm happy, it's such an amazing item to own.

I'm not going to go into the details of baby wrapping, but I'm going to give you a brief description and then a product review on what I currently own.

There are two types of wraps that I own. One is a ring-sling. It's basically a short piece of material wrapped around a ring. You can then quickly put the baby in it and walk around. I wouldn't say it's completely hands-free, but it's fast to put on and very portable.

The second type, my favorite, is just a standard wrap. There are several material selections, but I've only used 100% cotton. Some are thin, and some are thicker. I prefer the thicker wraps. At first, they are a bit difficult to learn with, but I think the reward is worth it later because they are so sturdy and provides tons of support. The thin ones leave me with neck pain because of pressure points, and they do not provide as much support as I would like. But everyone is different and has different preferences. You are suppose to consider weather as well. Storch's would be great for Fall/Winter/Spring and EllaRoo would be great for very hot summers. I've experienced both and let me say, it really doesn't matter to me. Cold is cold and hot is hot. If you walk outside on a hot day, with or without a wrapped baby, you're hot. If you walk outside on a cold day, with or without a wrapped baby, it's still cold. The hottest thing about wrapping is the baby, so there's not a lot that can be done about that. In over 100F weather, I put my baby in a Storch and an EllaRoo and didn't noticed a HUGE difference. That being said, if I cannot get my EllaRoo to work out, then I plan to sell it and buy another thin wrap to replace it. I just like to have the variety, that's pretty much the only reason.

Comparing the Ellaroo (left) and Storch (right, bottom). Hopefully you can
see a difference in thickness.

My Stash:

Maya Wrap Ring Sling, Bright Stripes
Maya Ring Sling (out of print pattern, I can't remember the name, and not pictured above)
Homemade Ring Sling

Storchenwiege Anna (4.1)

Storchenwiege Inka (4.6)

EllaRoo LaRae (4.6)

(Bright Stripes, Anna, Inka, and LaRae are just the color names)

(I also have a Baby Bjorn, but it doesn't get used as much. I prefer my wraps.)

You can find them used as well, which is a bit cheaper, but not much. Wraps really do not lose value over time. In fact, people usually prefer used wraps because they are softer since they are broken in. The EllaRoo doesn't really need any breaking in, but the Storch's do. At first, the Storch's are a bit stiff and the material feels rough. But after using it for a while, or tying it in knots, sitting on it, letting the toddler run around with it, then eventually it softens and is easier to work with.

Anyway, my favorite is the Storch, and when my kids grow up, I can even recycle it as a swing or hammock, it's THAT tough. :)

Links:

Wrap Your Baby - Great place to buy wraps and watch video demonstrations.

Becoming Mamas - Description of the different brands.

Linking to: Gallery of Favorites

Reading List: Update

Here's my current reading list:

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto - Done (review to come)

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy

Heaven On Earth by Sharifa Oppenheimer (Almost done. Love this book)

How Children Fail by John Caldwell Holt

I've also added:

Teach Your Own by John Holt

What I'm Reading

Here's my current reading list:

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy

Heaven On Earth by Sharifa Oppenheimer

How Children Fail by John Caldwell Holt

Spray Painted Ceiling Fan

I've been trying to do small DIY projects around the house lately, just to bring some of our older pieces up-to-date. Not only do I want to save a buck, but I also want to keep useful stuff out of the trash. This ceiling fan, for example:

It's a beautiful fan, really. Yes, the gold and wood are a bit out-dated now, but the overall design is still lovely. Plus, it's in great shape. With a can of spray paint from Lowes, I was able to transform this fan from the one above, to this awesome one below.

Ok, here's how I did it:

1) Turn off the power so you don't get electrocuted
2) Take the fan down, remove the blades (pretty easy, just a few tiny screws to remove)
3) Clean the entire fan to remove dust, then lightly sand the entire fan, and clean off the dust again. This is probably the most important step.
4) Spray paint whatever color you want and let it dry thoroughly for several hours. I used Rust-Oleum Any Surface/Any Angle Satin White and Rust-Oleum Any Surface/Any Angle Metallic Satin Nickel.

Tips:

1) The white blades took a couple of coats of white, so you MIGHT need two cans of paint.
2) The metal paint sprays on very thin, but once it dries for a few minutes, it will darken. So be careful not to spray it like crazy and cause drips. Spray, let it dry for half an hour, spray again and so on until it's the color you want. Then let it dry for several hours. I did get a drip, so I let it dry thoroughly, then I sanded the drip off, cleaned it, and sprayed it again.

Linking to: Gallery of Favorites

Blueberry One Size Deluxe and BumGenius 4.0

 

Above is a picture of part of my diaper stash. I selected several different brands to try out, and after using them for a few months, I went ahead and invested in my two favorites: Blueberry One Size Deluxe and BumGenius 4.0. The reason I chose to buy two different brands is because if one brand doesn't work out over time, then at least it's not a total waste. Plus, both are great and I had a hard time choosing.

Ok, now on to my reviews.

Both diapers are pocket diapers, meaning there is an insert that you stuff into a pocket (the shell), like so...

BumGenius

I find these to be a million times better than the diapers that come with sewn in inserts because you can separate them, which speeds up the drying time. Plus, if an insert falls apart, or the shell falls apart, either one could be replaced. The inserts I use are microfiber/microterry.

The Blueberry diapers have different inserts than the BumGenius. Below is the Blueberry. It has a super long insert that you fold once and snap, then stuff into the shell. The little snap at the end keeps it from unfolding while the baby wears it. What I LOVE about this insert is that it dries super fast. It does give the diaper more bulk, but I don't think it's enough to matter (it is a noticeable amount though). This brand does come with newborn inserts, which are half the size and do not need to be folded.

Blueberry

The BumGenius has one thick layer, which doesn't take too long to dry, but just a little bit longer than the Blueberry. It is less bulky than the blueberry. You can resize this insert by folding it down and snapping it. This brand also comes with a newborn insert.

BumGenius

Both inserts are great and I rarely have leaks. Even though the Blueberry insert gives more bulk, I still prefer it over the BumGenius, not only because of drying time, but because I feel like it moves around less, causing less leaks. But again, I'm being picky here because both rock.

Here is an inside look at both diapers (the part that will be against the skin). This is the biggest difference between the diapers. One is microfiber and one is suedecloth. The microfleece, on the left, is softer than the suedecloth. The suedecloth is very smooth, and although it's not rough, it's not soft either. Both clean equally well, and the difference is just preference. I don't have a problem with either one. I thought maybe one would be cooler than the other, but no.

Blueberry and BumGenius

The picture below is the difference that makes me prefer one over the other. The red diaper is the Blueberry and if you look closely, you can see that the snaps (I never use the velcro, only the snaps) on the top are not even with the snaps on the bottom. If you look at the blue diaper, the BumGenius, you can see the snaps line up. I prefer the red snaps because they get a better fit on my baby. I absolutely love this about the diaper, and although it doesn't seem like a big deal, it is after you've changed the baby 50,000 times. The BumGenius does has stretchy tabs, but to be honest, I don't see much stretch in them.

Blueberry and BumGenius

Both diapers are great. Both are One Size, meaning they will fit from birth to toddler. Both are pocket diapers. Both are made in the USA. But the winner for me is Blueberry. The tabs really make all the difference. I still love both and both will make up my diaper stash, but I am definitely leaning towards Blueberry, even though it's more expensive. Also, Blueberry has some super-cute prints.

If you've followed my blog, you will remember that I did like Rumparooz at one time. After using them for a few months though, they've fallen off of my favorites list. I have leaks with them all the time, the fit doesn't work well for my baby (toddler is good though), and they are hard to clean. Not to mention, they have strict detergent recommendations, which annoys me. BumGenius does have detergent recommendations, but I've used different detergents and they've worked well (not so with Rumparooz). Blueberry really doesn't have one, they only ask that you use detergents created/approved for cloth diaper use (another plus for Blueberry). I use Country Save along with Calgon (water softener).

You can buy the diapers at Nicki's Diapers, Amazon, or Cotton Babies, just to name a few. Here are the official website links if you want a more detailed look at the diapers:

BumGenius

Blueberry

Linking to - Gallery of Favorites

50% Off: Kelly Wels Changing Diaper Book

Kelly Wels Changing Diapers book is 50% off (plus free shipping) now through Memorial Day! Great book to have if you're interested in using cloth diapers!

http://www.kellywels.com/changing-diapers-book-50-off-through-memorial-day-weekend

Angel Baby Lotion

 

I've been using this product on my daughter since she was born, 3 years ago. I cannot recommend it enough. Not only does it leave her skin soft and smelling amazing (orange and vanilla), but it has zero toxins. I have no worries when applying this lotion to her skin.

I've also recently discovered another use for it. I never applied it to my newborn's skin because he didn't seem to need it. But recently he developed eczema. As I was trying to figure out how to help his eczema without the use of a steroid cream, I happened to read a review on the Earth Mama Angel Baby site about how someone used it to treat eczema on their kids. So I went ahead and gave it a try, and the same day I applied it, his eczema improved dramatically. I'm beyond impressed.

Yes, the price is a bit high. An 8-oz bottle costs $20.00, plus shipping. But it's worth it. I do not need to worry about chemicals when I apply it to their skin, and that's worth the price right there. Also, it lasts forever. It's a very thin lotion, so a little goes a long way. And, if you "like" their page on Facebook, every Friday they will have a sale on one of their many products, which is usually buy one get one free. This lotion is featured often, so that pushes it down to 10 bucks. Definitely a great deal.

Click here to read about the product or purchase it.

This is not a paid review.

Outdoor Winter/Christmas Decoration - on the cheap!

I love natural outdoor decorations. I'm always trying to find something outside to decorate with. Today, I decided to take a few small branches from our tree, piece them together and then hang them on the porch.

For Halloween and Thanksgiving, I hung up some corn with ribbons around it. When I bought the ribbon, I made sure it would work for fall/winter. So after I tied the branches together I was able to re-use the same ribbon to save time and money.

Ok, here's how it's done.

First, trim some small branches off of your tree.... or your neighbors tree when they're not lookin' :)

I made the mistake of doing this without gloves.... in the words of my toddler "ouchies!"

I used three branches for each piece. I tied them together using some thin green wire, but almost anything  would work.

Create little hooks in the back....

This will allow you to hang it up of course....

Don't forget to attach the pretty bow, which I also did with wire. After you hang them up, you might need to trim them a bit to keep people from bumping into them. Again, ouchies....

Pine cones and red berries would make this adorable but sadly I have none.

So there ya have it! Outdoor decorations which was almost free. The ribbon was $1.00 each on clearance and I used it for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Winter/Christmas decor. Easy as that! :)

Play Room - Part 2

Remember this? It's the playroom. Progress report = Zero

Ok, I did add a pink bean bag chair and the room has carpet now. I wanted to start on the curtains but I cannot find yellow chevron fabric anywhere. I searched every store I could, even in different towns but came up with nothing. I did find some online but it's way more money than I'm willing to pay. Hopefully I will find some though. I'm not giving up.

Here are my ideas:

The blue above is the wall color, which is already done. (Benjamin Moore's Bahaman Sea Blue #2055-44)

Yellow Chevron fabric for curtains:

Decor Pad

Pink Bean Bag Chair for accent color (no, I did not buy this from Amazon but this is the same color):

Amazon

World Map to either hang on the wall, or maybe find a rug:

Amazon

I want to build this table:

Fabulous Finishes

Build this cute little chair/reading area and the puffs hanging from the ceiling, but in pink:

I love my apartment

Some type of chalkboard:

Amazon

Just head on over to my pinterest for more ideas. Click here.

I'm also going to make a toy box and add some shelves. Oh, and I plan to use their hand/footprints as art. :)

All of the pictures are cited, of course. Just click on the link below each picture and you will go to the website.

Child Led Weaning

What is it? You allow your child to breastfeed for as long as they want to until they decide to stop on their own (this can occur between 2 - 4 years of age, although usually around 2). I decided to do this with Mimi even though I questioned whether or not it would work. When she approached 2 1/2 years of age and was still nursing (not constantly, but when she wanted to sleep) I started to get concerned. I was worried because I'm pregnant and I didn't really want to nurse two kids. She was actually starting to nurse MORE than usual for a few weeks and I was very discouraged. But then... bam... done. She stopped nursing one day. She nursed a tiny bit for a night or two (I didn't bother her about it) and then completely stopped..... all by herself.
No crying fits
No tantrums
No staying awake at night
Nothing

So if you're wondering whether or not it works, I'm here to say that for me it did work. I cannot tell you how thankful I am that I stuck with it and didn't give up. Knowing that she stopped when she was nutritionally and emotionally ready really makes me happy.

Kitchen Curtains

After 1 year, I finally found fabric to make curtains with for my kitchen. Yay!!

I'm excited and hoping that I can actually sew them since I have no idea how to use my sewing machine.

Fingers crossed! I will post pictures after I finish them (hopefully this week).

Rumparooz

I've only been using Rumparooz for a few days, but so far I'm very pleased with the results. I think I will be buying several of these for Emmett and Mimi. Unfortunately they are shockingly expensive but they work well and seem the most comfortable. I was very worried about the bulk but once it's on the baby and then you switch to the less bulky BumGenius 4.0, it really isn't THAT noticeable. 

The BumGenius 4.0 is probably my second favorite so I plan to buy a few of those as well. It's second because the insert moves around a bit more than I would like. It hasn't been enough to cause problems though and I love that they fit a bigger baby so well.

Rumparooz though, I have to say, I'm impressed. They are the ONLY diaper that will fit a newborn (we'll test this out in October) AND my 2 1/2 year old toddler. BG is too big for newborns, fuzzibunz is too small for my toddler (she can wear it, but it's snug) --- every diaper I try it is either one or the other, but Rumparooz fits all sizes. We'll see though, I could change my mind after trying them a bit longer. 

Also, the first thing I noticed about cloth diapers is that my daughter is more aware of when she's dirty. I really think this will help her potty train faster. As soon as the diaper was heavy with pee she immediately came to me fussing to be changed. She would have never done that with a disposable diaper. 

Good results so far!

Cloth Diapers - The Beginning

The VERY beginning. I haven't started using them yet but I received them in the mail the other day. I washed them and tried them on my toddler.

Here's what I noticed right away:

--- Keep in mind, my kid is a little bit tall for her age, but not in any way chunky. ---
--- Also, I'm only trying snaps. ---

1. Fuzzibunz One Size Pockets - Runs a tiny bit small. Barely fits my 2 1/2 year old, might fit my newborn but could be too big at first. VERY trim (the trimmest) and the pad holds still in the diaper pocket. Also, the adjustable elastic is kind of annoying to work with. I prefer to adjust the size with snaps instead (which isn't an option).
2. BumGenius 4.0 Pockets - Would NEVER fit a new born. It would probably fit a baby 10lbs and up. Fits my 2 1/2 year old very well with room to spare, but the pad does move around a bit in the pocket. Pretty trim, but not as much as the Fuzzibunz.
3. BumGenius Elemental One Size - Very easy to use, same fit as the other BG, also fairly trim. The pad inside is sewn in, which slows drying time, and it also moves around a lot (more than the 4.0) which I think would cause poopie accidents.
4. Rumparooz One Size Pockets - Not in ANY way trim but fits my toddler perfectly and would fit a newborn as well. Very easy to snap on and work with and the pad holds still in the pocket. Has a poop canal of sorts to help keep the poop in but it could be difficult to spray out with a diaper sprayer.
5. Best Bottoms (microfiber inserts)- Would probably fit a newborn, or at least 8lbs and above would be my guess. Runs the smallest of all the diapers (the Rumparooz sizes down to the smallest size, but sizes up to one of the largest) and I struggle to put it on my 2 1/2 year old. It also feels like the least comfortable diaper to me. The snaps touch the skin and that bothers me a bit. 

Hands down, my favorite is Rumparooz but the fact that it is SO bulky makes me nervous about buying more. My second favorite is probably BG 4.0 because it fits so well (but unfortunately will not fit a newborn). The Fuzzibunz, if it were bigger, would probably have been my first or second favorite but since it runs small it doesn't work well for us.

The Fuzzibunz and Best Bottoms barely fit my toddler. Think bikini underwear. Very low cut and doesn't cover the booty as well as you would like. The others would be more like regular, old fashioned undies. Rise hits right below the belly button and the booty is covered.

But of course I will use them all. I bought one of each (and won a few in give aways) to try them out before I invest in several. The last one I will check is the Blueberry one size and then I'm probably done.

I will keep you updated! :)

Play Room - A work in progress

As many of you already know, my husband and I have been working on a playroom for our son and daughter (mostly for our daughter since our son isn't born yet).

Here is the wall color we selected....

Wall Color - Benjamin Moore's Bahaman Sea Blue #2055-44 (click here for a better picture of the color than the one above)

It is absolutely gorgeous. Love it! My accent colors will be yellow, white and a bright pink (to make it a bit feminine). We're also going to be making a toy box some time soon, which I plan to paint and stencil. I will post photos and how-to instructions. AND we ordered carpet today. Nothing fancy though, just a soft tan/neutral carpet. I wanted something inexpensive since it's a play room, with specs in it to hide dirt (hey, kids are dirty), and neutral because I plan to use a lot of bright colors and I didn't want to go overboard. I will post photos as soon as it's been delivered and installed.

We've also ordered cloth diapers. I will be trying: Rumparooz, BumGenius 4.0, BumGenius Elemental (free), Best Bottom (free) and Fuzzibunz. I'm considering Blueberry as well, but we'll see how the others work out first. I will post more details after I receive them.

Progress is being made and I'm excited! I'm also stressed because I'm running out of time. We'll welcome the baby around October 24th. Yikes!

Also, baby name selected!! Our newest member to the family will be baby Emmett! I wanted to wait until he arrived before I named him, but I just couldn't wait any longer. :)

The Baby Name Wizard: Book Review

As we all know, I'm having some trouble deciding on a baby name for our little boy (arriving in October). I do have several picked out though, so I think I'm good to go. When I see the baby, I have a feeling I will know the name. But during my name search, I found the book The Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg to be very helpful. It's written differently than most baby name books. Usually when you buy a baby book it has 10,000 names in a list format. This one definitely has fewer names, but it also comes with name suggestions. For example, if you like the name Oscar then you will probably like the names Julius, Max, Edgar, Victor, Lucy, Amelia and so on. These are actually labeled, "brother and sister" names because they go well together. So if you look up your current child's name, then you can branch off from there.

I wouldn't buy this as my one and only baby book though, unless I intended to use websites as well such as babynames.com. It doesn't have a ton of names, so it does limit you a bit. It's a trade off. You lose names, but it gives you ideas that lead to more names. If you are looking for a country/religion specific name, then this may not be the best book. It does have a lot of European and Biblical names, but if you flip to the Muslim or African names, it's almost non-existent.

To sum it up, while other baby books are just mindless lists, this one actually gives you suggestions and makes the search a little more interesting (and addictive even). I would recommend this book to anyone, but I would suggest buying another book with it or using the web.

Names I've researched thanks to this book:

1. Emmett (in first place)
2. Adam
3. Eliot
4. Theo

Just to name a few.

Do you have any great baby name resources to share?

I've also noticed that several people name their children after a relative. Is this something you did or plan to do? I did this with my first child, but I'm not so concerned with my second child. Any thoughts on this?

Naartjie Baby Clothes

Can you say adorable? I bought this on sale at Naartjie (pants too, but they didn't fit into the picture very well). This is one of my favorite stores to shop at, mostly because it's unique. I think most babies wear Carter's, so it's a nice change from the standard baby style (although I love Carter's too). I love that their outfits are so customizable. Did you see the two hats? This is the type of clothing they sell. You can decide which shirts, hats or pants to pair together. I bought two hats to switch out because they were so darn cheap. Also, in case I have a two-headed baby, I will be good to go. :)

I will warn you though, their clothes do run a bit large. For newborns, I would probably buy 0-3 months though and skip the smaller size. They grow out of their clothes quickly anyway. But for toddlers, I usually size down.

What are some of your favorite baby clothing brands?