Comparison

"Comparison is a thief of joy"

-Annonymous

Calendula

My daughter has had awful dry skin/eczema since birth (literally). I've tried everything from baby lotion, shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, Eucerin cream, etc... and NOTHING has been as effective as CALENDULA cream!!! I purchased this from a local Mother's Market. The brand name is Weleda, but I'm sure there are other brands that make lotion/cream/oil with CALENDULA (a type of flower). If you have kiddos that have eczema or have extremely dry skin.. try this!!

Best Lovies

I don't know about your baby/toddler/child... but ALL my kids LOVE and GOTTA HAVE their lovies/security blanket!! My first, just got attached to a plain old blanket that was part of a gift set when she was born... and hasn't let go since... My second, also started sleeping with a blanket (and thumb) early... and since this time, I knew about "security blankets" I purchased a small one by Swaddle Designs (which is great to take around)... And now that my third is wanting to sleep with a blanket for her naps and at night... I did a little research and found this great sight!

10 Best Lovies for Babies

Swaddle Designs was in the top 10 (which I thought of buying another for my new baby)

But I also saw that Aden & Anais sells lovies (2 for $19.95!) which is great because I learned to purchase 2 just in case 1 is lost... and their blankets are SO soft!

If you're in search for a security blanket for your child.. I think you'll find this site helpful! ;)

Personalized Gifts

Here is a great site, if you're looking to buy personalized gifts...

FRECKLEBOX.COM

Like these personalized lunch boxes for back-to-school...

or these storybooks...

and MANY MORE!

Thermometer

Of all the thermometers that we have purchased/tried.. we like this one the best (especially for infants, toddlers and kids that aren't able to keep a thermometer in their mouth yet). I'm sure you can buy a fancier thermometer if you choose to spend more... But this one is quick and accurate and totally recommend it!

VICKS Underarm Thermometer

Affordable Decorating

I was delighted to visit a friend's home decorated with such lovely expressions! I was surprised at how easy and affordable these decorations can be! Depending on size, these lovely expressions can be as inexpensive as $24.95.



These expressions will adhere to any smooth surface -wood cabinets, car windows, walls, etc.



Easy to apply by removing paper backing and sticking to the surface. Takes only a few minutes. Easy to remove, just peel off! Leaves absolutely no residue.



The chalk board and custom photo decors can be removed and applied elsewhere again and again! Extremely affordable and instantly adds style!!!


Personalize your home with vinyl expressions and decor with Uppercase Living! For further information go online to http://stefs.uppercaseliving.net

Meal Planning

You Mamas out there know... ANYTHING to make meal planning, budgeting and grocery shopping easier... right?!! Well.. hopefully these nifty notepads will help you be more efficient with your time and money (and help reduce stress!).






This one helps you plan out your dinner for the week.. as well as breakfast, lunch and snack. As much as I sometimes dread planning meals for the whole week.. I find that it DOES reduce food costs (or at least helps me to stay within our budget).












This one helps you keep track of all the items you're out of.. so on the day you go grocery shopping you don't have to write a list in a hurry, then realize that you forgot a few important items when you get home (which is what often happens to me).

Mommy Planner

My mother-in-law found this wonderful planner for me and I wanted to share it with all of you busy Mamas.. It's especially great for those of you who have school-aged children because it is a 17 month engagement planner (Aug 2009-Dec 2010).

Not only is this a pretty looking planner.. it is SUPER functional! I particularly like the tear-off grocery list and weekly menu planning section. There's also a "To-Do" section where I jot down notes and prayers.

Mom's Home Plan-It 2010

Softcover Engagement Calendar

You can purchase this lovely planner here.

Great Invention

One day, as I was mumbling to my mother-in-law how time consuming it was to clean my stainless steel pans and pots and she gave me this plastic "multi-scraper".
If you are like me and spend (what seems like) most of the day standing next to the kitchen sink washing dishes.. you will want this. And for 99 cents each.. you need to order several and share the joy with some of your mommy friends. Not only has this scraper made cleaning pots and pans less of a headache, I've used it to scrape food off of tables and counters, (my husband has even used it to scrape wax off of his surfboard), I even use it to clean the mouth pieces of sippy cups with the tip of the scraper.

Such a simple product..with a brilliant design that makes life so much easier. Thank you plastic scraper!!

Humidifiers 101

Humidifiers are mom's best friend.

I never thought I would own a humidifier.... never even knew how valuable this little appliance would be in my life until I had a baby...

-Humidifiers add moisture to the air which helps with keeping your baby's (and your) skin, nose, and throat from getting dry. This is especially helpful during the winter time when the heater is on and the air gets extremely dry.

-Humidifiers are crucial (doctors recommend this) when your child has a cold. Increasing the air moisture is a common way to help your child feel better when he is congested and for other cold symptoms (such as cough and sore throat).

-Some humidifiers are loud enough that they work as "white noise" and help your baby to sleep better and longer.

The down side to using a humidifier is that they need to be cleaned out regularly because of white dust and mold build up. Also, most humidifiers often need their filers replaced which add to the cost. All in all, they are a great investment (or must have) especially if you have little ones.

I have had to purchase several humidifiers before finding one that doesn't leak, get the floor wet from too much vapor, and/or produce get moldy easily.... Here's one by Crane that has been the best machine so far (and they have such cute designs!)... but if you have any recommendations, please do let me know! I'm always on a search for a great humidifier!

Another one that was recommended by a friend is this one by Kaz.

Great Authors!

Karen Katz & Sandra Boynton are two of our favorite authors! The colorful pictures and playful writing really make babies and toddlers intrigued (and even make them giggle!) Both authors have written and illustrated many books on various topics... including good manners, potty training, sleep, alphabet, etc. You can typically find their books in any stores that carry children's books.

Bibles

Children love stories! Parents cannot go wrong buying childrens Bibles because they are so fun, colorful and full of truth. If you already have one, please don't stop there. Try a Bible by a different publisher. Kids love reading a variety of books on the same subject. My children love their collection of Bibles. They love the different illustrations and colors and familiar stories -like Noah's ark bringing in the animals two by two!

One that was recommended to me is called, "The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name" by Sally Lloyd-Jones.


To find Bibles for your child, visit your nearest Christian book store, a Barnes & Noble or Borders. You can also order online on Amazon or on Christian Websites like, ChristianBook.com.

Neo To Go!

For all you moms on the go, this is a cute, no-mess topical antibiotic for all your child's cuts and scrapes. You don't have to look for the lid, or wipe off excess ointment. Just spray and go! I've loved this cute and compact product, and won't go anywhere without it!

Melissa & Doug

I am a BIG fan of Melissa & Doug toys. During the past two decades, this company has produced a variety of SAFE, EDUCATIONAL and FUN toys for babies and toddlers! These toys are known to promote hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, plus early shape matching, color recognition and sequencing skills.. not to mention VOCABULARY!

They are well known for their colorful wooden puzzles such as:

this FARM CHUNKY PUZZLE

and

the CONSTRUCTION CHUNKY PUZZLE
They also have a TON of wooden toys like this STACKING TRAIN:

and

PLAY FOOD


Other fun and creative toys:

BUG CATCHING MAGNETIC PUZZLE GAME



LACE AND TRACE SHAPES

ABBY & EMMA MAGNETIC DRESS-UP

As you can see, they have a HUGE selection.. you are sure to find something that your little one will enjoy! You can find their products at most toy and department stores such as Target, Toys R Us & Nordstrom.

Baby Shoes

Shoes are one of those things I dread buying for my kids (others are diapers and wipes)... They wear them for a few months and then their little feet grow out of theml! This is why kids end up owning a TON pg shoes! One thing I suggest is, don't even bother investing in shoes until your kiddos learn how to walk (unless you want them wear shoes just to look cute). There are some brands such as Robeez and Pedipeds that are both darling and crawl-friendly.

The tricky part about buying shoes for kids is that they can't be too cheap and/or uncomfortable, or they won't wear them at all. But you also don't want to invest too much $$ on them since they won't be wearing them for too long.

Try to look for bargains at department stores and/or at the outlet. Stores such as Target, often times have inexpensive, cute and comfortable shoes and sandals. Garage sales and hand-me-downs are also a way to go!! Below are a few brands/shoes that may be worth your investment:

ROBEEZ





CONVERSE




PEDIPED

STRIDE RITE

CROCS



VANS

Feeding Time

I'm learning how to feed all over again...

It has only been about two years since I learned to feed my first child "real food", but it's amazing how you forget these things. I feel like I'm re-learning everything again.. although, I am definitely a lot less anxious about the whole process.

Feeding solids to a baby gets really messy (not just during feeding times... you moms know what I mean..) but it can also be a lot of fun! You just have to relax and go at your child's pace (they will use facial expressions to let you know what they like and don't like... also when they are full) and the most important thing is to watch for possible food allergies.

Here are some feeding time items that I absolutely love! They are great inventions AND investments!


Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat:
Affordable ($26), easy to clean, you can just attach this on one your dining chairs (great for if you have a small dining space), and it's travel-friendly (folds up and it's VERY light). I use this on a daily basis and my kids love it, so it must be comfortable too.







Baby Bjorn Soft Bib:
This is a catch-all bib (literally catches anything from water, yogurt, noodles, bread crumbs, you name it!). Probably not meant for babies but great for toddlers! Once again, super easy to clean and dishwasher friendly. You can find it at Target for $9.99.







BARNSLING RAND Bib:
This I have not tried but have heard great things... From IKEA for only $3.99 (for 2 pack). I would imagine that this will for sure keep your child from getting covered in tomato sauce, popsicle, soup... anything that drips, splashes and stains.