I will be taking a long weekend from the blog and of course will return for Tushie Talk Tuesday!
Whatever your plans are this weekend be sure to play safe!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Happy Canada Day Weekend!
Happy Canada Day weekend to my fellow Canadians!!
I will be taking a long weekend from the blog and of course will return for Tushie Talk Tuesday!
Whatever your plans are this weekend be sure to play safe!
I will be taking a long weekend from the blog and of course will return for Tushie Talk Tuesday!
Whatever your plans are this weekend be sure to play safe!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Not so Wordless Wednesday
I had my Wordless Wednesday ready to go. Complete with pictures of our fantastic day of picnic and play at the beach today.
Things change.
I just read a news story that truly broke my heart. If you choose to you can read it here (warning: contains content that may offend/be sensitive to some readers).
Stories that would have upset me prior to Emmett now have a significantly different impact on me. As a parent I cannot fathom why anyone would want to hurt their child or allow any harm to come on them.
I stopped what I was doing and had to grieve for this loss. Whether it was an accident or mishap is irrelevant. A beautiful and unknowing child was the victim.
I posted on Facebook yesterday that a pet peeve of mine is when people that are uneducated or unread in an area see it necessary to post endless comments...so I leave you with simply my feelings about this and some reading to help educate yourselves or others.
Consumer Reports, 2009
United States Department of Transportation, 2010
Parent.com, 2001
The Learning Community, 2011
About.com, pediatrics
Until next time...please put your children (and pets) safety first.
Things change.
I just read a news story that truly broke my heart. If you choose to you can read it here (warning: contains content that may offend/be sensitive to some readers).
Stories that would have upset me prior to Emmett now have a significantly different impact on me. As a parent I cannot fathom why anyone would want to hurt their child or allow any harm to come on them.
I stopped what I was doing and had to grieve for this loss. Whether it was an accident or mishap is irrelevant. A beautiful and unknowing child was the victim.
I posted on Facebook yesterday that a pet peeve of mine is when people that are uneducated or unread in an area see it necessary to post endless comments...so I leave you with simply my feelings about this and some reading to help educate yourselves or others.
Consumer Reports, 2009
United States Department of Transportation, 2010
Parent.com, 2001
The Learning Community, 2011
About.com, pediatrics
Until next time...please put your children (and pets) safety first.
Product Review: Sling Sisters Wetbags - Not just for the CDing family!
Disclaimer: I did not receive free product in exchange for this review nor was I asked to write this review. These opinions are my own.
When I was purchasing my initial stash of CD and gear I hadn't done much research into the wetbags that we would be using to store dirty diapers. Why? Everything that I had read suggested that Planet Wise were the way to go.
Done. The store we were buying the starter stash from sold them. Perfect.
Well. We got there and checked out the large wet bags from Planet Wise. Most of the prints were girly, very girly - think flowers. Nope, these were not going to match Emmett's room at all. So I grabbed one that was the least offensive to my liking and figured I'd buy more later.
Then I glanced over to the next row of bags and saw monkeys, owls, swirls and loops. Fun prints and colours, lots of options for boys too!
I grabbed an owl printed bag. I was hesitant because I hadn't heard about this company before. I asked one of the girls working and she told me that they just started carrying them and they hadn't had much feedback yet. I loved that it was a Canadian company that made it and I loved the print so I figured we would take our chances.
So glad that we did!
My Sling Sisters wetbags are the BEST! No, seriously they are!
Regular sized wetbags (we own 3!). These are great for on the go! When we CD outside of the house we take one along to store the dirty dipes. We just snap it onto the diaper bag. I think I've stuffed about 7 CD into this guy. If we are using disposables for whatever reason while we are out I still bring along a rolled up regular bag. Just in case I need to store clothes that have been spit up on, had a diaper blow out etc. I also take along a regular sized bag to swimming lessons to keep mine and Emmett's bathing suits away from oh I don't know...say my cellphone!
One of our regular sized is also their double duty bag. It has a stay dry zippered pouch to keep the wets and the dry stay dry.
A couple of weeks ago I participated in a fun, online auction the Sling Sisters held on their Facebook page where they offered slightly imperfect, yet still functional items at a discount. Auction style. I was determined to get a double duty bag. In the end I did not. I did end up with 2 reusable sandwich bags which I am super excited for but I should have been smart like my friend Megan, she bought her stuff earlier in the day on their website to ensure she got what she wanted. The auction offered bigger lots of items for ultimate discounts so I opted to try my luck. It was 2 hours of FUN.
Since I bought our first Sling Sisters bag I have heard much more talk of this great Canadian company. Their product is great and at a better price than their competitor. They also offer more than just wetbags. Be sure to check out their website!
I give their wet bags 5 stars!
Next on my list...I need to get my hands on some of their ninja prints!
When I was purchasing my initial stash of CD and gear I hadn't done much research into the wetbags that we would be using to store dirty diapers. Why? Everything that I had read suggested that Planet Wise were the way to go.
Done. The store we were buying the starter stash from sold them. Perfect.
Well. We got there and checked out the large wet bags from Planet Wise. Most of the prints were girly, very girly - think flowers. Nope, these were not going to match Emmett's room at all. So I grabbed one that was the least offensive to my liking and figured I'd buy more later.
Then I glanced over to the next row of bags and saw monkeys, owls, swirls and loops. Fun prints and colours, lots of options for boys too!
I grabbed an owl printed bag. I was hesitant because I hadn't heard about this company before. I asked one of the girls working and she told me that they just started carrying them and they hadn't had much feedback yet. I loved that it was a Canadian company that made it and I loved the print so I figured we would take our chances.
So glad that we did!
My Sling Sisters wetbags are the BEST! No, seriously they are!
Almost all of our Sling Sisters
What I love about these bags?
Firstly, they are Canadian made. Yay!
Second - I LOVE the designs and colours. They help make CD even more fun!
Lastly - the functionality. Obviously the most important feature.
The extra large bags are huge and hold 3-4 days of cloth diapers (from their website and my personal experience). I love the straps on the top with the snaps. Most other bags don't have this snap. They make it simple to attach anywhere you want to store you dirty diapers.
You could even take these bags camping, to the beach, on overnight trips etc.
Regular sized wetbags (we own 3!). These are great for on the go! When we CD outside of the house we take one along to store the dirty dipes. We just snap it onto the diaper bag. I think I've stuffed about 7 CD into this guy. If we are using disposables for whatever reason while we are out I still bring along a rolled up regular bag. Just in case I need to store clothes that have been spit up on, had a diaper blow out etc. I also take along a regular sized bag to swimming lessons to keep mine and Emmett's bathing suits away from oh I don't know...say my cellphone!
One of our regular sized is also their double duty bag. It has a stay dry zippered pouch to keep the wets and the dry stay dry.
Double duty bag and small/large snack bags
A couple of weeks ago I participated in a fun, online auction the Sling Sisters held on their Facebook page where they offered slightly imperfect, yet still functional items at a discount. Auction style. I was determined to get a double duty bag. In the end I did not. I did end up with 2 reusable sandwich bags which I am super excited for but I should have been smart like my friend Megan, she bought her stuff earlier in the day on their website to ensure she got what she wanted. The auction offered bigger lots of items for ultimate discounts so I opted to try my luck. It was 2 hours of FUN.
Since I bought our first Sling Sisters bag I have heard much more talk of this great Canadian company. Their product is great and at a better price than their competitor. They also offer more than just wetbags. Be sure to check out their website!
I give their wet bags 5 stars!
Next on my list...I need to get my hands on some of their ninja prints!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tushie Talk Tuesdays: Our dirty laundry
We...okay I...spent some time researching all the options on dirty diaper storage. I didn't realize how many choices I had when it came to stinky, dirty diapers! Wet pails that lock or don't lock. Wet bags, dry bags, dry pails, plain ole garbage can, can with a liner, specially designed pail for CD....the list goes on!
This was the area I feared would lead me to ditching the cloth. I am very sensitive to scents and the last thing I wanted was to be constantly smelling dirty diapers.
In the end we decided to use hanging wet bags. The bag hangs on Emmett's dresser, zipper open, and we just chuck the dirty dipes in as they come! That's it. The wetbag contains the smell for at least 2-3 days. Although, there have been a few times I've had to zipper it up because we've had a particularly poopy day....word to the wise - when you have to open up that zipper don't take a breath...just don't. Trust me.
We have 3 large wet bags. We started with 2 but I found I had to use the dryer more often because they didn't line dry fast enough in the winter. So we added our 3rd. Now we have 1 in use, 1 drying and 1 ready to go! We use Sling Sisters and Planet Wise bags.
We also have 3 small wetbags to take on outings.
Recently we have started using a great product from Rockin Green (go figure). Shake It Up is a powder you just sprinkle into your wetbag or pail to help freshen things up until laundry time. We have the Bare Naked Babies scent (because that's all the store had) but will be getting a scented version next time! I <3 Rockin Green.
The nice thing about the wetbag storage is you just throw it into the wash with the diapers. No rinsing out diaper pails here!
That's it....our dirty laundry all aired out.
Until next time friends!
This was the area I feared would lead me to ditching the cloth. I am very sensitive to scents and the last thing I wanted was to be constantly smelling dirty diapers.
In the end we decided to use hanging wet bags. The bag hangs on Emmett's dresser, zipper open, and we just chuck the dirty dipes in as they come! That's it. The wetbag contains the smell for at least 2-3 days. Although, there have been a few times I've had to zipper it up because we've had a particularly poopy day....word to the wise - when you have to open up that zipper don't take a breath...just don't. Trust me.
Our wetbag collection
We have 3 large wet bags. We started with 2 but I found I had to use the dryer more often because they didn't line dry fast enough in the winter. So we added our 3rd. Now we have 1 in use, 1 drying and 1 ready to go! We use Sling Sisters and Planet Wise bags.
We also have 3 small wetbags to take on outings.
Recently we have started using a great product from Rockin Green (go figure). Shake It Up is a powder you just sprinkle into your wetbag or pail to help freshen things up until laundry time. We have the Bare Naked Babies scent (because that's all the store had) but will be getting a scented version next time! I <3 Rockin Green.
The nice thing about the wetbag storage is you just throw it into the wash with the diapers. No rinsing out diaper pails here!
That's it....our dirty laundry all aired out.
Until next time friends!
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Outdoors with Baby: Part II
Last time on Outdoors with Baby I talked about my concerns with taking my 6 month old outdoors for playtime.
Now that I have conquered my fears (sort of) it's time to explore!
I spent most of Emmett's early weeks healing, adjusting to involuntary sleepless nights and learning my way around this thing called parenting. Fortunately it was -20 degrees Celsius and I was happy to be stuck in the house, snuggled and snowed in with my new baby boy.
I didn't have to worry about entertaining a baby to small for most outdoor activities.
Now that the sun is shining and Emmett and I have a routine we are always looking for new ways to get out and have fun!
1. Have a picnic!
Whether it be in your own backyard, at the beach or a park! Emmett & I often throw a blanket down under a shady tree and play, sing and dance. Sometimes both or one of us has a snack. He loves the change of scenery from his highchair! Bubbles are fun at picnics too!
Now that I have conquered my fears (sort of) it's time to explore!
I spent most of Emmett's early weeks healing, adjusting to involuntary sleepless nights and learning my way around this thing called parenting. Fortunately it was -20 degrees Celsius and I was happy to be stuck in the house, snuggled and snowed in with my new baby boy.
I didn't have to worry about entertaining a baby to small for most outdoor activities.
Now that the sun is shining and Emmett and I have a routine we are always looking for new ways to get out and have fun!
1. Have a picnic!
Whether it be in your own backyard, at the beach or a park! Emmett & I often throw a blanket down under a shady tree and play, sing and dance. Sometimes both or one of us has a snack. He loves the change of scenery from his highchair! Bubbles are fun at picnics too!
Picnics are more challenging now that Emmett can crawl!
2. Play at the park!
It may seem like the park is not designed for a 6 month old but we make it work! Emmett loves the baby swings! Mom or Dad help him down the slide. He loves sitting on a teeter totter with us!
I still steer clear of the sand though! Emmett's current mantra is hand meet mouth....don't need hand meeting sand!
Big smiles in the swing!
3. Water fun!
Emmett is a little fish! He loves the water! We bought him a 4 x 4ish hard plastic pool with a little slide for those hot, hot days! Once the weather is a bit nicer we will start taking him to the splash pads too! On crummy, rainy days we often head to the community pool for a swim!
Loving the water!
Don't forget even the smallest amount of water can cause a small child to drown. Make sure baby is within arms reach or in arms (depending on age) at all times!
4. Go for a walk.
Good for baby, good for Mommy! No further explanation needed.
Walking with Annie (our dog) and Emmett was a learning curve but we have mastered it!
5. Bring indoor toys outdoors
Exersaucer at Grandma & Grandpa's house provides lots of entertain in the shade!
The blue blob in the background is an awesome pop up shelter I got at Walmart for around $30! I keep it in the car just in case we decide to have a spur of the moment beach or park day!
It has 3 walls so we can check out what is going on but keep the sun off Emmett's delicate skin and a floor to keep us out of the sand and dirt.
Remember to pack snacks, bottles, wipes, sunscreen, water, hat and change of clothes for your outdoor time! Have fun!
Until next time...the adventure continues!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Outdoors with Baby: Part I
Today is the first official day of summer! Yippee!
Now that the weather is FINALLY starting to get nicer here in Ontario I have been trying to find ways to keep Emmett busy outdoors.
Not only is the fresh air great for him but I find he sleeps considerably better at night when he has spent a good portion of the day outdoors.
Of course, like any new parent, I have some major concerns about our outdoor time with my 6 month old!
1. Temperature.
In Ontario you just never know! In early summer morning and evening can be cool, requiring pants, sweaters and jackets! Yet during the daytime you need to sit around in your underwear you are so hot!
Now that the weather is FINALLY starting to get nicer here in Ontario I have been trying to find ways to keep Emmett busy outdoors.
Not only is the fresh air great for him but I find he sleeps considerably better at night when he has spent a good portion of the day outdoors.
Of course, like any new parent, I have some major concerns about our outdoor time with my 6 month old!
1. Temperature.
In Ontario you just never know! In early summer morning and evening can be cool, requiring pants, sweaters and jackets! Yet during the daytime you need to sit around in your underwear you are so hot!
Emmett is a pro at wearing just his underpants...or diaper in his case!
So we dress accordingly! I usually throw an extra bag of clothes in the car (mostly in case of a blowout) but also in case the weather changes. We also have a couple of blankets in there too.
Enjoying a walk on a cooler day
On really hot days I always worry about his temperature. Especially when he is in the stroller. Fortunately Emmett is old enough now that we can give him sips of water to help stay hydrated.
When we went to Florida in February and March Emmett wasn't even three months old. Water wasn't an option yet. We made sure to offer him extra breast milk/formula often to keep hydrated. We also spent a lot of time in the shade. We used the pool to cool off too.
2. The sun
Craig and I are both very fair skinned and burn easily. We can only assume that Emmett has the same sensitive skin.
I don't like to load him up with chemical laden products. Generally we cover him up with light, breathable clothing or outfits with SPF in them.
Emmett in Florida hiding from the sun!
If clothing or hanging out in the shade are going to cut it we can count on Badger Sunscreen as a safe, natural option.
3. Bug bites/stings.
Fortunately we haven't had to deal with these yet! We are going camping in a few short weeks and I know we will have bug encounters. My plan of attack is to research natural, baby safe bug spray options and homeopathic remedies if they end up being required.
4. DIRT
Yes, I am a mother to a boy. Dirt is inevitable....that's my advice to myself.
Stay tuned for Part II of the adventure of my favorite outdoor activities with baby!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Wordless Wednesday
Sadly I haven't taken many pictures since last weekends recap! Bad, bad Mama!
So I decided to highlight some of the work I have been doing in the Boutique lately!
So I decided to highlight some of the work I have been doing in the Boutique lately!
Lots and lots of bibdanas in stock! These guys are great and getting lots of compliments!
New! Newborn starter kit!
Loving the Berenstain Bears quilt! The Berenstains found it on Twitter and asked to use it on their Pinterest board!
Required Baby Boo photo op! Modelling his construction bibdana!
Lots of toy leashes being cut!
My goal for next week? FAMILY photos on Wordless Wednesday! I have been majorly slacking and need to step it up!
Until next time...the Adventure continues!!
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