Keepsake Blocks

Lauren received this unique and special welcome to the world gift from a family friend.  I was so impressed with the craftsmanship and composition that I had to order one for Emma.

Side 1 - Letter of first name
Side 2 - Child's full name
Side 3 - Date of birth, time of birth, weight, length
Side 4 - Proud parents' names
Side 5 - Day of the week, footprint graphic, city and state of birth
Side 6 - Optional name of giver

The 2-inch wooden block is small enough to sit on a shelf or dresser.  And one day when the girls are "too old" for these types of decorations to be on display, it's small enough to become part of a keepsake box.  Craft-E-Family sells these personalized blocks for $17 with free shipping.  (Pottery Barn Kids sells an identical item for $99!)  Visit Craft-E-Family's website to see all of their products.  Now that you've read this blog, you want to order them for your own kids, right?  I don't blame you.  What a deal for a special keepsake!

Tide Free & Gentle

Here's another product plug.  We have been using Tide Free & Gentle since just before Emma was born.  Scott's cousin suggested we switch to it to make laundering much easier.  It's not marketed as a baby detergent, but since Tide Free & Gentle is dermatologist tested and free of dyes and perfumes, it is safe for sensitive baby skin.  Plus, it's cheaper than Dreft, the infamous pink-capped baby detergent.  When I priced both at Wal-Mart, there was a $4 difference for a 100 fluid ounce bottle.  So if I don't have an entire load of baby items to wash, I am able to toss them in along with my normal loads and a cap of Tide Free & Gentle.  What a time and money saver!

Finish

I've been a Cascade girl all of my dishwasher life.  Was there even another brand out there to consider?  I saw a commercial, actually several commercials on HGTV while feeding Lauren, for Finish.  They guarantee a brilliant, gleaming shine or your money back and tout they are the number one detergent recommended by dishwasher brands worldwide.  Noticing a dull film on my glasses for the last year or so, I decided it was time to give this "new product" a shot.  (It turns out Finish has been around since 1957.)  I was amazed by the results and had a difficult time using up my last bottle of Cascade because I knew Finish would do a better job.  If you haven't already switched to Finish, I definitely encourage you to try it and join the Finish revolution.  They offer coupons on their website, but you'll need to sign up.

Tea Anyone?

Daddy put together Emmy's "1-2-3 Tea for Me" exersaucer last week, and she was quite impressed with all of the gagets as you saw in her earlier video. It was so fun to watch her curiously manuver the add-ons. She has been exploring it a few times a day since this picture was taken on her trial run. She loves it a ton!

Swaddle Me

So, Emma's brilliant parents abandoned the swaddle wrap after she didn't seem to like it as a newborn. We thought she preferred to keep her hands tucked by her head. Well, advice from a fellow mom led us to try swaddling again . . . and . . . it appeared to be working. Emma slept for 9-12 hours consecutively on a few nights! The Kidopodamus swaddle wrap prevented her from stirring in the night and waking herself up. But it didn't always stop those middle-of-the-night feedings. As of late, she has returned to demanding a bottle every 5 hours. Here she is waking up around 7:30 A.M. with a good morning smile for mommy after a night of 11:00 P.M. and 4:00 A.M. feedings.

Favorite Toy

Emma can't help but smile when her "Twisty Bug" rattle is around. She adores the various sounds and flashing lights. They are best buds! We highly recommend this toy for the sheer joy it brings Emma and the sheer joy it brings us to watch her coo and smile.

Cool Coupon Site

MommySavesBig is a site that updates coupon opportunities regularly. We have this blog bookmarked and occasionally take advantage of the deals, particularly at Babies R Us, Target, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. You may already know the best place to purchase diapers like diapers.com or Sam’s Club. This site tipped me off to a Target web coupon on Pampers diapers and wipes -- $5.00 off!

MommySavesBig Printable Coupons
http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/

Target Pampers Coupon
http://www.pampers.com/en_US/home/pampers_target_coupon.jsp

Check, Check, Check

We are checking many things off of our baby to do list: Assemble the Pack ‘n Play - check. Assemble the bouncer - check. Assemble the swing - check. Wash some clothes, sheets, and blankets - check. Investigate insurance - check. Return duplicates - check. Install the car set - check. Purchase digital camcorder - check. Start packing a bag for the hospital - check.

Building for Baby

Scott worked on putting together a few things for the baby this past weekend. The car seat and stroller travel system is ready to go as well as the bassinet. Now that school is out for the year, there's a little more time for these kinds of things.

Maternity Clothes

It’s one of the great debates for expectant moms. How much do I invest in maternity clothes? Fortunately, some of the current styles lend themselves to a growing tummy. This is mostly the case with peasant tops. My greatest dilemma is finding pants that fit appropriately. My regular pants no longer button or even zip. My friend, Angela, clued me into a “Bella Band” early on. The tube-top like piece of spandex fits around the waist and overlaps regular pants and the tummy to keep them up and the undone fly covered. While I did purchase a few pairs of maternity slacks and jeans, they are not very flattering. For me, the length is one issue. They are just an inch or two short for my height and taste. The other issue is the baggy rear. It’s a catch-22! Adjusting one problem leads to highlighting the other problem. All eyes tend to gravitate toward baby bumps, so it’s not like I can blend in with the crowd anymore. Somehow, Supergirl and I will muddle through. It's better than wearing a potato sack.

Book Recommendations

A few friends have shared and recommended these baby and parenting books to us. For all of those moms and dads out there, your votes count! We do have a few of these already and will probably purchase a few more in the near future. Any suggestions are welcomed.

• What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff and Sharon Mazel


• What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff, Arleen Eisenberg, and Sandee Hathaway


• Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler


• Baby Bargains by Denise and Alan Fields


• Playskool Guide for Expectant Fathers by Brian Lipps


• Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 by Steven P. Shelov


• Diaper Diaries by Cynthia L. Copeland


• 125 Brain Games for Babies by Jackie Silberg and Becky Malone


• Sleeping Through the Night by Jodi A. Mindell


• On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam


• The Baby Book by William and Martha Sears

Surprise! It's a crib!

A few weekends ago when we were out of town visiting Scott’s parents, some elves snuck into our house with a crib! It was fully assembled in the baby’s room when we returned! It is an early baby shower gift from Kristen’s Aunt Pam, Nan, and cousin Jamie. Our little angel will have sweet dreams here!

Cool Coupons

I love a bargain! So why don’t I pay more attention to coupons? Why don’t I seek them out? Well, there are websites out there that will keep consumers up-to-date on the latest discounts. Right now we are focused on baby coupons. Every so often, Babies ‘R’ Us or Toys ‘R’ Us will have coupons for $5.00 off or 10% off. Here’s one “hot coupon,” which expires on April 13--$5.00 off a $25.00+ baby purchase at either store. Chances are a new one will quickly follow. Believe me, we will be keeping our eyes peeled for these sweet deals.

http://www.babiesrusoffers.com/march31offer/search_march31.html

Friendly Advice

Last week I asked some of my mommy friends to share their advice on everything from bottles to diapers to medicines. Dr. Brown’s, Advent, or Platex Drop-ins? Pampers or Huggies? Diaper Genie, Diaper Champ, or a small trash can? Is a bassinet necessary? Will we need a bottle warmer or infant positioner?

They were so kind to take the time to write back with honest and detailed thoughts. They definitely gave me a lot to consider. However, their experiences with their own children were so varied. I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no “one-size-fits-all” best product or practice. As many of the girls said, it really depends on what works for your baby and you. It’s trial and error, I guess. But the veteran mommies set me on the right path. Thanks, gals!

A Final Decision on Furniture

We found a cherry crib, dresser, and changing table that we love at Target. However, we have been waiting to see if it will go on sale, since we saw it on sale back in January. The crib will convert to a toddler bed and full-size headboard. Isn’t that handy!

Picking Out Patterns

Don’t you just LOVE this “Sugar Plum” bedroom! We have registered for many of these items at Babies ‘R’ Us. It is soooo girly! We have also settled on a set of cherry furniture, but are waiting for a possible sale since we have some time. It looks similar to the furniture in this picture. We are thinking of going with a crib, small dresser, and changing table. Our plan is to clear out one of our guest rooms over Spring Break. Kristen’s parents are coming to help with painting and moving furniture. Here we go!

Baby Gear

We visited Babies ‘R’ Us over the weekend and are completely overwhelmed by all of the “things” out there for babies. How did our parents keep us alive without wet wipe warmers, Pull-Ups, Diaper Genies, ear thermometers, shopping cart seat covers, video monitors, and Baby Einstein?

What would you say are items you couldn’t live without? What would you suggest we skip with the registry scanner? Any advice would be appreciated!