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Baby, Mom

Dear Pregnant Mom…

January 30, 2015

Dear Pregnant Mom,

I spent the last three months of pregnancy drifting between extreme happiness and extreme depression. Most of the time I felt sorry for myself. My body was stretching beyond recognition and I still couldn’t stop eating brie and olive & rosemary loaves. Plural. I tried to read articles about how I was a goddess with a miracle taking place inside of me but I couldn’t buy it. It was no miracle, it was a lot of hard work. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into creating that little life.

So many veteran moms told me, “enjoy being pregnant,” or to “enjoy the peace and quiet,” and I totally disregarded them and thought they were a$$holes for wishing something so awful on me. I just wanted this little thing out of me by any means necessary. Mostly I wanted to hold my damn baby but I also wanted to be able to sleep on my stomach again, (hah).

If I could go back in time I would tell myself this:

Enjoy peeing every half hour because soon there just wont be enough time to stop and pee.

Enjoy your hot cup of coffee.

Enjoy grabbing only your debit card and keys to leave the house.

Enjoy lingering at the mall.

Enjoy reading.

Enjoy your crumb-less floor.

Enjoy being able to go out for dinner with your partner.

Enjoy meeting your child-less friends on a whim.

Enjoy plane trips.

Enjoy driving in the car with your music up. LOUD.

Just enjoy the time you have with that little child right there in your tummy because in a few short months that little peanut will be too big to cradle in your arms and will try to wiggle out and go exploring. You’ll get some time away from your baby and you’ll instinctually clutch your tummy but baby wont be there.They grow so fast and time just wont stop ticking.

As much as you should try and enjoy the time before the baby comes, enjoy the time after the baby comes into your life. Embrace those sticky floors and those cold cups of coffee. It wont be long before you’ll have your old life back and your kids will be grown up and doing their own thing. You’ll only know what they are up to because you’ll follow them on Twitter because you’ll be a cool mom that had Twitter since it’s inception.

No matter what stage of mother hood you are at, enjoy it. It’s all wonderful and beautiful. Now go shovel more soft cheeses into your mouth and enjoy that late night drive thru Wendys!

PS: You’re a goddess

Love from,

a mom with crumbs on her feet…

Baby, Review

Make More Breast Milk with Snappy Snacks

January 26, 2015

[This post contains gifted items. Read full disclaimer here]

Did you know eating certain things will increase milk production? These things are called “galactagogues”. Don’t ask me to pronounce that in real life. Foods like oatmeal, sesame seeds, fenugreek, flax and ginger will all help milk supply.

Did you know eating certain things will increase a mother’s milk production!? Find out which…

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Snappy Snacks is a Canadian company that sells dry mixes which contain all those awesome ingredients all in one convenient package. This means a new mom can grab a package of Snappy Snacks, dump the dry mix in a bowl, add a half cup of butter and an egg and make either cookies or brownies. It’s really so simple. If someone asked me to bake from a recipe in the weeks following the birth of my son I would have laughed in their face! You can read my review of Snappy Snacks here.

My dear sister-in-law welcomed a tiny little peanut into the world just before Christmas. She was determined to breast feed her little girl from the moment she got pregnant. She read books and asked me for advice but nothing could really prepare her for breast feeding like the experience its self. Luckily Robyn had the whole line of Snappy Snacks on hand for that first growth spurt. Between a week and 10 days old, babies usually go through a growth spurt that is very noticeable when you are breast feeding. The baby will be super hungry sending your body into milk making mode. Not only will you feel super tired but you’ll be very hungry, too. Making milk burns a lot of calories. BONUS!

So Robyn got in the kitchen and made up all her cookies and brownies and filled her freezer up. I know she had a rough go in the beginning but Snappy Snacks was there to keep her fuelled with things that help to naturally encourage milk production. She’s now successfully feeding her little one exclusively with breast milk. It wasn’t easy but she got through the hardest part with the help of Snappy Snacks and she couldn’t be happier. Sometimes all we need is a little helping hand.

My go to gift for baby showers is now Snappy Snacks dry mixes. They will last in the pantry for up to a year so whenever a mom runs into supply issues she can bust out her mix. You can find Snappy Snacks in these stores across Canada! They make Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, Raisin Spice Mix, and Double Chocolate Brownie Mix.

How was your breast feeding experience? What would you do different if you had a do over?

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these amazing blogs!

Baby, Giveaway, Review

What Do You Do With The Poo – Spray Pal Review + Giveaway

January 19, 2015

[Post contains affiliate links. c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

We’ve been cloth diapering our son from birth and it’s been really lovely! 100% easier than we expected and we’ve saved buckets of cash. Of course there is poop involved, just like with disposables. Whether you decide to do cloth or disposables, there’s still poop. You can’t escape it! And to be perfectly honest it’s not that big of a deal in the beginning. Our son ate both breast milk and formula and the smell was never a big deal.

What do you do with the poo? #ClothDiapering

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But a strange things happens around the six month mark. You start adding food to your baby’s diet and that food starts to come out, sometimes not fully digested. Our son feeds himself chunks of food and has since he was 6.5 months. This is referred to as Baby Led Weaning. This poop needs to be rinsed off before it goes in the washing machine. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

We have a diaper sprayer hooked up to our toilet that makes our lives a lot easier for rinsing diapers before washing. Some moms believe in the dunk and swoosh method but I on the other hand love to stay as far away from toilet water as possible, thank you very much!

That’s where the Spray Pal (c/o) comes in. This handy little tool has revolutionized poopy diapers & laundry for me and our family. If you are pre-kids or haven’t cloth diapered you may think I am over exaggerating but I’m not. This genius little piece of cloth diapering equipment holds the diaper in place with a big, strong, clip and closes shut with heavy-duty snaps to create a little tent so you can use your diaper sprayer as strong as it can go all while protecting your bathroom and yourself from getting sprayed with poop water. It’s a beautiful thing!

The Spray Pal is made from heavy duty plastic. I was really impressed with how stiff and sturdy it was because that stream of water that comes from the diaper sprayer can be very powerful! For the first time I was able to use the sprayer full blast without spraying water everywhere, thus getting the diaper nice and clean! In the picture I only have the top snap done up so you can see all three snaps. There are also snaps to keep it shut in the closed position.

The clip that holds the diaper in place is giant and strong. The only thing falling into the water is the poop!

The snaps used on the Spray Pal are incredibly strong. They are like the snaps on cloth diapers but feel even stronger, especially when used in conjunction with the firm plastic of the Spray Pal it’s self.

In this photograph I am ACTUALLY spraying an ACTUAL poopy cloth diaper. I’ve never got a poopy diaper this clean before. My husband was actually saying, “OK, Steph…I think you’re done…ok…seriously…you were done 5 minutes ago!”. It only took about 1 minute to spray the diaper off completely. Once I was done I unclipped the diaper and wrung it out so there wasn’t a big soaking wet diaper in in our pail and TA-DA! All clean! Well, clean enough that when it goes through the wash, you wont get any nasty surprises when you open up your washing machine.

Once I’m done with the Spray Pal I hang it back on the hook for my sprayer in a wet bag. Every time we do a load of diaper laundry, I take the Spray Pal out and put it in a new clean wet bag and wash the dirty one. It’s a pretty good system and we haven’t had any issues yet.

Now it’s your chance to score the Spray Pal to use on your own diapers. This contest is open to residents of Canada & the US only. The contest runs until February 6th 2015. Pssst…You can come back every day until then and use the free entry
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What does your cloth diaper routine look like, when it comes to the poop!? Anything you’d change?

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these amazing blogs!

Baby, Giveaway, Review

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide + GIVEAWAY – Baby & Toddler Edition

January 16, 2015

[c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

Every holiday that comes along with a little one is so exciting. Everything is so new and wondrous through a little baby’s eyes and Valentine’s Day is no exception. It’s another day to spoil our littles and give them extra big hugs and kisses. I like to use the holidays as an excuse to get my little the things he needs. For example at Christmas I gave him new sleepers and jeans in the next size up. He’s 7 months old so he could care less about the gift and more about the wrapping paper!

Gift ideas for the littlest Valentines in your life <3

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That’s why I’ve chosen these totally cute but very functional gifts for the gift guide. Take a peek at some of my favourites that I’ve been drooling all over on Instagram. At the end you can enter to win a cloth diaper from Charlie Banana. Trust me, it’s the PERFECT Valentine’s Day accessory!

Ryan & Rose makes the CUTEST pacifier clips. You wont find a better looking clip anywhere, I promise! The owner hand makes each of her cutie clips. The company launched after the owners failed attempt at finding a pacifier clip that was classy looking. So chic and so important! When we can’t find our soother, it’s a BIG deal!

Charlie Banana has this perfect Valentine’s Day diaper. Who could resist another piece of fluff for the stash? We love our Charlie Banana cloth diapers because they save money, are totally cute, and environmentally friendly. Learn more about Charlie Banana here + enter to win this diaper at the end of the post!

Indie Nook has this onesie that perfectly describes how long I’m going to love my son for. I discovered this company on Instagram. Make sure to check them out and take a peek at their perfect Best Friends t-shirt set. Another perfect Valentine’s Day must for mom + baby.

Hello Apparel’s signature logo sweater but with buffalo plaid. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. Hello Apparel has so many bold and graphic designs on hoodies and T’s for the whole family. I have the “I’M SO TIRED” sweat shirt with gold sparkle letters. If you’re also a mom, you know what I mean!

Solly Baby makes the best wraps. This mauve colour is perfect for spring, which is around the corner, I swear! I am totally looking forward to wearing my baby down the board walk and through street fairs this summer in our Solly Baby wrap.

Lexy Pexy hand makes all their teethers out of wood. They make tiny ballet flats, purses, croissants and a pair of sunglasses! Such great quality and 110% baby safe! So much love goes into each little teether. Also, prepare for compliments from other moms!

Oliver is LOVING his Lexy Pexy teether in Leo (c/o). It’s made of maple and has been hand sanded to make it nice and smooth for baby!

When it comes to Lexy Pexy, it’s all about the details. From the product to the packaging to the hand written note, this company is top notch. And when it comes to our babies, isn’t that what they deserve?

Now it’s time for you to enter to win one my picks! Enter below to win the same Charlie Banana cloth diaper from my gift guide! Open to residents of Canada & US only. Best of luck & Happy Valentine’s Day!

WIN a @CharlieBanana cloth diaper perfect for Valentine’s Day

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{Oliver is wearing Blue Petit Coeur on White from the Fashion Collection.}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these amazing blogs!

Baby, Review

Adventures in Babywearing with The Wrap by Solly Baby

January 12, 2015

[c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

Last week I chatted on the blog about babywearing in general, about the different types of ways to carry your baby, and the benefits of carrying. You can read that post here. This week I want to share with you my favourite wrap that I can’t get enough of right now. I give you The Wrap by Solly Baby. From the moment this little package arrived on my door step, I could tell it was luxury and came from a company that takes pride in the details. The packaging it came in is so cute, I can’t seem to throw it out! It’s a work of art, really.

Babywearing is good for the soul #wearallthebabies @sollybabywrap

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I first discovered Solly Baby on Instagram. The mom & pop shop is run by Elle & Jared. All the wraps are made right in California where they live so they can over see all the wrap-making which is how they are able to provide such a fantastic product.

The wrap is made out of a light t-shirt material so it’s insanely breathable and light, especially considering the metres of fabric that go into making a wrap. It folds up into its self with a little handy bag sewn into the end. This makes for easy storage in the diaper bag. It hardly takes up any space! Sometimes wraps can be heavy and hot which is the opposite with this wrap. I was atracted to this wrap when I saw Elle & Jared travelling Europe with their 3 kids. Elle posted a photo of her on Instagram wearing her wrap as a scarf when the baby wasn’t in it! I would never be able to do that with some of my other wraps! Just too much fabric and way too hot.

Tuesday Tip // It’s the best time of year for babywearing! Your body heat helps keep your little one nice and warm warm + when you’re not using your wrap it makes for an excellent scarf. Just double over once so it’s not so long and circle around! #sbtuesdaytip #sollybaby

A photo posted by Elle Rowley (@sollybabywrap) on Oct 14, 2014 at 11:33am PDT

I use my Solly Baby Wrap a lot around the house. It’s like having my son wrapped in a nice light blanket but my hands are free to blog, clean, or just chill out and read a book. I also find myself reaching for the Solly Baby Wrap when I’m headed out to the library, play group, or just to the mall. It’s a very PRETTY wrap and looks so nice with a pair of dark jeans, boots, and a nice sweater.

Even though it’s light and “stretchier” than a lot of wraps, you can still get a really nice fit. I expect to be able to use this wrap into the spring and summer months. The company advises to use the wrap through out the first year of the baby’s life or up to 25 lbs! We are really looking forward to strolling on the boardwalk and taking Ollie to the local street fairs and festivals this summer in his Solly. Ollie loves his Solly!

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these lovely blogs!

Baby

Baby-Proofing Our Living Room Starting With a New Coffee Table

January 9, 2015

With our son becoming increasingly more mobile, he’s discovering all kinds of things in our condo that he shouldn’t which means it’s time to start baby-proofing. I’m on a mission to prove that baby-proofing doesn’t mean the end of having nice things! It just means that we need to be cognizant that whatever we have laying around WILL end up in his mouth, thrown around, chewed on, dragged around, and thrown up on. It’s going to happen! But I refuse to keep him in a play pen or put up baby gates in front of my TV. He came into my life and not the other way around.

My mission to baby proof the living room started when I saw our little guy go to pull himself up onto the coffee table but because the one we have is too tall and not sturdy enough, it started to topple toward him. Fortunately I was right there and prevented any major accidents but that was the end of that coffee table for us!

Now comes the fun part! The shopping and decorating of our new baby safe living room! My goal is a safe, practical, space without losing our sense of style or our personality.

Baby proof your home without losing your sense of style or personality

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Our little guy is furniture walking and loves to stand up at the coffee table. That’s why we need to opt for something safe with no glass and a sturdy base that can’t easily be pulled over. This coffee table from Cookes Furniture would look so incredible in our space and still be so functional with it’s sturdy base. Some nice storages boxes underneath could easily hide our guys toys when he’s not playing with them so they are out of sight. I personally love this option for storage baskets from West Elm.

Majority of the time our little guy will be playing on the floor in the living room so we need a nice rug for him to be on, ideally with a nice bold print. This rug from IKEA is a great option for only $100! Not too pricey and the right amount of boldness for the space.

When it comes to safety supplies, IKEA is where it’s at. They have lots of baby-proofing gear to choose from and at such great prices. We will be plugging all the electrical outlets and installing these drawer and cabinet catches on our entertainment centre.

Our condo has no overhead lighting in it so we have floor lamps to warm up the space. This is proving to be a big hazard for the little guy because a) he pulls on the cords and b) they topple over fairly easily. We’re planning to go the route of hanging lights in the place of our floor lamps. This hammered pendent ceiling light from Marks & Spencer is jaw droopingly gorgeous and is as much function as it is a work of art!

Putting up artwork on the walls is a great way to make a bold impact on a space. Not to mention our little guy can’t knock them down unless you gets some super powers over night! I am in love with the Kate Spade line of prints at West Elm. A great way to make a splash! And while we are on the subject of Kate Spade’s line at West Elm, they’ve got this pouf that I adore! I love the neutral colour of the beige with the pop of colours. It’s also soft and totally baby friendly!

Do you have any tips or pointers for baby-proofing your home without losing your style or personality in the process? Let me know in the comments!

PS: I’ll be sharing this post at these lovely blogs.

Baby

Babywearing – What Is It and Why Do It

January 5, 2015

[c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

Wrap: c/o Solly Baby Wrap | Oliver’s Shoes: Padraigs

Babywearing is a beautiful thing. Giving a new mom the ability to soothe her baby and have her hands free to feed herself, use the washroom, or to just feel human again is an amazing gift. I think it’s hard to explain how life changing babywearing really is to someone who hasn’t yet experienced how trapped you can feel when your baby’s need for comfort and soothing takes over your world. Your needs immediately take a back seat but the reality is that your needs STILL need to be met because a happy mom = happy baby. Whether you’re breast feeding or bottle feeding, you’re going to need your hands free to either get yourself a glass of water or to make the baby a bottle.

The act of baby wearing can be a very special bonding experience for both parties whether it’s a mother, father, or grandparents wearing the baby. It was suggested to me to wear my baby without a shirt or bra (skin-to-skin) to help improve my milk supply.

Give the gift of #babywearing to a new mom in your life! #wearallthebabies

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Both my husband and I have worn our baby since birth in all sorts of carriers: Baby Bjorn, Evenflo Snugli, Boba , Moby , Solly… the list goes on! If that’s all greek to you, I’ll break it down for you.

Soft Structured Carriers:

ex: Boba , Ergo, Tula, Beco…

We use our Soft Structured Carrier when we want to wear the baby for an extended period of time (1 hr +) or are doing rigerous activities like hiking or in my husbands case, stacking wood at the cottage! There are usually two heavy duty buckles that are easy to do up on your own and are very structured, hence the name! Each brand has their own list of features and fit the body differently but all get the job done! There are different weight limits for all carriers but when it comes to soft structured carriers, the weight limits can go up as high as 50 lbs.

Slings:

I don’t have much experience with slings, although I did wear Oliver a few times in an Evenflo Snugli sling that he was buckled into. He was able to sleep as if he was wrapped up in my arms but I was able to be hands free. This is where my baby wearing began. I remember my first day trying this: my husband was back at work and all the family had gone home 2 weeks after Oliver was born. I felt like every time I set him down, he shrieked and nothing would soothe him. The first time I was able to eat food while still carrying him was GLORIOUS!

Wraps:

ex: Solly Baby Wrap, Moby …

I wear my wraps around the house, usually while blogging or doing housework. Oliver is able to be front and centre and snuggled right into my chest. Wraps can be a little intimidating looking and there is a bit of a learning curve. I suggest sitting on the couch or a bed when you first try putting the baby in it just so you aren’t stressed about baby falling. The amount of fabric can be a little intimidating (not to mention HOT) so that’s why I’ve switched to the Solly Baby Wrap exclusively. It’s light weight, breathable t-shirt material, and comes in fabulous colours. The material your wrap is made of will dictate the weight limit.

Here’s a great tutorial on how to tie your wrap for a “Classic Carry” (note: there’s a different carry for newborn) from the owner of Solly Baby Wraps! Elle knows her stuff!

Do you baby wear? If so, what carrier/s do you use?

HAPPY BABYWEARING

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these lovely blogs!

Baby, DIY

DIY: Play Kitchen Rescue

December 15, 2014

A few weekends ago we were driving downtown and I spotted a children’s play kitchen outside someones house on the curb, waiting for garbage day. I told my husband how cute it was but he didn’t seem to think anything of it. Little did he know in a few short hours that dirty old children’s toy would be occupying a corner of his dining room.

So we get home from town and I announce I’m going to get that kitchen from the side of the road. I don’t think he believed I would do it. I was determined to fit that sucker in the back of my car. Thankfully the guy who formerly owned it (I assume it was his kids?) helped me load it up. I managed to get it up the stairs and into the condo. The first thing I did was pull it onto the deck before the grossness of it fell off into our home.

It turns out this sucker is made by Kid Kraft… Pricey stuff! First I unscrewed all the cabinets and stuff. It had like a thousand different shapes and sizes of screws in it. What a mess!

To clean it I used HOT water and a glug or two of bleach (who know’s what that measurement is!). I used a sponge and gloves in order to scrub the you-know-what out of the thing. There was pine needles and pennies stuck to the bottom of the drawers. SO GROSS.

The goal was to get it painted Sunday, let it dry over night inside, and then put it together on Monday at nap time. I had the best intentions. Two-ish weeks later and IT’S ALL DONE, thank god. It was taking up some serious real estate in the dining room.

I painted the kitchen white and I painted the hardware with the same paint we used to paint our sons room. It was tricky to paint the plastic but it ended up working out.

Although it’s not perfect (I didn’t think I needed painters tape), I am in LOVE with it. I am so glad I rescued it from the curb and gave it a new life. I know it’s going to be loved in our home for many years to come.

So the next time you see something interesting on the side of the road, do yourself (and your wallet) a favour by pulling over and sussing out the situation. Who knows! It could be given a new life.

PS: I’ll be sharing this project on these fabulous blogs.

Baby, Giveaway, Review

Charlie Banana Cloth Diapers – Review + Giveaway

December 5, 2014

[Asterisks denote a paid link or a gifted item. Charlie Banana sent me 1 OS diaper + 1 pack of wipes to review but my opinions on and obsession with these amazing diapers are all mine. The items in the giveaway have also been provided by Charlie Banana]

[bandana bib* by Baby B Handmade]

I’m always talking about cloth diapering on the blog but I figured it was time to share what makes Charlie Banana* our brand of choice. I spent countless hours researching the top cloth diaper brands and landed on Charlie Banana for the reasons I’m about to share with you. Keep reading to find out how you can win a sweet prize pack from Charlie Banana*.

Baby, Family

Cloth Diapering: A Dad’s Point of View

November 24, 2014

Correct me if I’m wrong but when a mom comes to her partner and says, “What do you think about….(insert parenting style/baby product)?”, she’s probably already made up her mind. That’s true at least for our family. Pre-baby I was researching EVERYTHING because I wanted to be prepared and know I was making an informed decision. Once baby arrived I was too busy to research anything let alone check my email so I was glad I had done it all beforehand. So when it came down to deciding to do cloth, I had already made up my mind when I first saw a clothes line of brightly coloured cloth diapers hanging in the window of our local cloth diaper store, Nurtured, a few years before babies were even on our radar.

Now that we are elbow-deep in cloth diapering, I wanted to sit down with my husband and get his take on the wonderful world of cloth diapers. What’s his favourite things and not so favourite things and about some common misconceptions about the whole deal. Let’s get started, shall we!?

Stephanie: When I first said, “Cloth Diapers”, what went through your mind?

Husband: Well the cloth diapers I knew were the tea towel looking things you had to fold up and put a safety pin in — I didn’t know a lot about cloth diapering and I figured we would just do it for a month and you would hate it or we would just come to the decision that it wasn’t for us. I didn’t think it would be a forever thing.

S: Do you still feel that way?

H: No. I don’t! Although there are tea towel looking things I’m glad we don’t use. The diapers we do use are easy to put on, easy to clean, and easy on the wallet.

S: Favorite diaper style and why?

H: Pockets! It gives us more choice when it comes to stuffing inserts in. We tend to do 1 during the day and 2 at night time. We use Charlie Banana one size. The very best part is the adjustable legs! I’m not a fan of the rise snaps on some styles.

S: Least favourite part of cloth diapering?

H: There’s nothing about cloth diapering that’s any worse than disposables. The fact is you are still changing a poopy diaper!

S: Best part?

H: Savings, definatly! Even the amount we spent on our cloth diapers is way less than we would have spent on disposables thus far.

S: Any myths or misconceptions you want to bust for any partners who are feeling apprehensive?

H: It’s not any more messy or gross than disposable diapers.

S: Given the chance, would you want to switch to dissposables?

H: NOPE.

There you have it. He’s hooked on Cloth.