Let me introduce you to my cute camera bag and her friends

I've gotten some questions about what I use to take photos with and thought I'd share some of my tools. I'm not even close to a professional, in fact, my camera is the very basic DSLR, and less expensive than a lot of the cameras many moms are buying these days. I am attempting to focus much of my efforts on figuring out how to use my camera, different lenses, and how to edit my photos.

I recently bought a new lens for my camera and needed an upgrade for my camera bag. I wanted something cute and different. A lot of bloggers are reviewing a popular designer brand but her bags are $200 and up for not much padding and protection. Instead of trying to review one of those and get it for free I went ahead and bought a bag a friend introduced me to called Cheeky Lime. It's half the price of the popular designer bag but with more than twice the padding. Not to mention it's more my style. It even came with a cute camera charm.

A good camera bag is worth spending the money on, you want something that will protect your equipment. This bag has adjustable compartments and has no problem holding all of my gear: My camera, 2 light scoops, my macro lenses, prime lens, kit lens and Tamron lens. Plus my manual, wireless remotes/receiver, wallet, keys, and extra diapers (I only took my camera bag out to the kite festival this weekend and it fit all I needed).
 
This was my old camera bag. Sturdy, efficient. But I wanted something bigger and cuter.

So what do I use? My camera is a Canon Rebel XS. It's a basic DSLR, but I don't need a big fancy one with tons of settings that takes super huge photos for billboards because I'm not printing images that big. I also think my photos come out pretty well using the manual settings and doing any sharpening (if needed) in Photoshop.

The second lens I got after my kit lens was my 50mm prime lens. Its good for portraits and I used that lens 90% of the time before getting my Tamron lens. I love it because it takes great portraits of my daughter, but the prime means its a fixed focal length--Or doesn't zoom, so I have to back up a lot to get more of her in the frame. I have the 1.8 f-stop which is great for low-light situations and creating a blurry look in the background (or bokeh).

I decided to skip getting another prime lens for now and go for another zoom so I could get more of a wide angle if need be, but also take nice portraits, so I got a Tamron 28-75mm, with a 2.8 f-stop, so it still works great in low light, and creates great bokeh.It's also nice because with Lil' J moving so much now I can adjust zoom based on where she goes versus having to move each time. It also can focus with her being right up on my lens, which my 50mm can't do. But it still has the great focal length for portraits. I love it!

I don't have an external flash I use with my camera, I use Lightscoops indoors though, which bounces my camera's flash off my white walls and ceilings to give my photos a more natural look when the sun has gone down or there's low light.

My macro lenses make it so I can take extra close-up pictures with my Tamron lens. Think insects, flowers, small detail, etc. It's good quality for my type of photos. My macro shots with these lenses aren't going in magazines or anything but  they look great for my hobby use.

I have a .45 wide angle lens adapter for my 50mm, in case I want to use my prime, but get a full room photo for example, it creates a slight fisheye effect.

I use UV protectors and polarizers for each of my lenses. The polarizers to take the glare out of water and the skies bluer, and the UV protectors to protect the lenses from smudges and scratches. I also use lens hoods, which sorta do the same thing, I'll probably drop the filters soon.

I have a tripod and wireless remote/receiver to take self-portraits with Lil' J, like the first photo in this post. That's probably one of my favorite pieces of camera equipment. No more running back and forth.

I wanted to get a cute camera strap to match. So I got the Harper strap cover courtesy of Whitney from Little Miss Threads that matches my bag. It has a lens cap pouch to hold my cap while I'm shooting. Helpful since I've lost a few of them. The draw-string pouches that hold some of my camera equipment, I made to match. These aren't mandatory, but if my camera is ever in a line up for a group shot, I'll be able to pick mine out.  Her straps are affordable and unique. You can use the code BMM311 to get 15% off right now too!

And that pretty much sums up what's in my bag. The other half of my photography hobby is here on my laptop, as I do a lot of editing in photoshop to make a good photo great. I'm not a pro at that either but I'm having fun learning. I don't think I'll be getting any more lenses any time soon. Maybe in a few years I'll get another lens that will be good for sports or something (for some reason I envision Lil' J playing soccer), but for now, I think I'm good.

What's your favorite piece of camera equipment?

Everyone who comments on this post before March 15th 11:59pm will be entered to win a camera strap cover from Little Miss Threads. If you "like" Little Miss Threads on facebook, and tell her I sent you, you get an extra entry, just leave a 2nd comment. Good luck!

5 Ways to Soothe My Baby

We were riding in the car when my daughter started crying. We had just gotten back in the car after grocery shopping and we didn't have far to go, but her piercing scream literally cripples me. Normally I'm able to hold a conversation, surf on my iPhone, or relax while my husband drives, but when my little one is crying in the back seat, all I can manage to do is cringe.

I had just fed her and her diaper was changed so I knew she was just cranky and tired, but that didn't matter. My stomach tightens up in a knot when I hear her cry and it's the worst when I can't do anything about it. I sang the ABCs to her and she calmed down and fell asleep. Finally, I was able to breathe again.

I used to wonder why mothers would say they couldn't even take a shower by themselves, or go to the bathroom alone once they had a baby? Why can't you just put them in the playpen and let them cry for a few minutes while you do your business? I wondered. Now that I'm on the other side of the fence I understand completely. Your babies cry causes an internal reaction just for you, like a high pitched sound only a dog can hear. Except it's a unique key only the mother of that baby can hear in a way that triggers a torturous reaction. Then on top of that, I think my daughter has the lungs of a singer and imagine she may be performing some musicals on stage someday without needing the help of a microphone. Even nurses in the hospital were amazed by her power when she was first born.

Luckily, aside from car rides when she was young (most of the time now, besides when we're putting her in her seat, she enjoys the car) Lil' J has been a very happy baby. But she has her bad days. Like when she had her vaccines, or when she's teething, doesn't feel well and wants to let us know. Over her almost eight months of life I've learned a thing or two about soothing her.

1. Sing to her: Her favorite song is the ABC song, but a song that always calms her down and puts her in a snuggling mood is "A Child's Prayer" She can sit and stare at me singing that forever! I don't have the best singing voice, but it's nice to know she likes it.

2. Give her a bath: I know some babies hate baths but mine loves them. She recognizes the sign for bath and gets excited before I even turn the water on. I take baths with her and we play with bubbles, use her soothing Aquaphor Gentle Wash. I wash her hair and we play until her feet are almost pruny.

3. Play the "Say yes to the dress" theme song: I know this is weird but I attribute this to two things 1. Watching a marathon of Say Yes to the Dress while in labor and 2. Watching Say Yes to the Dress daily with her during maternity leave. If she's whining at all I'll turn on an episode on my DVR and she'll stop and look at the TV. Look, here's proof.

4. Show her her mobile (I made her): I'm not lying when I say she has loved this mobile since the day I brought her home. And I'm so proud. She will lay in bed and look up at it, or if I'm holding her and she's not happy I'll twirl it around and she'll immediately be enthralled with the paper butterflies and shiny jewels.

My DIY

5. Breastfeed: This is probably my most effective tool for soothing my daughter. I have no idea how I'd make bumps feel better, help her go to sleep when she's overly cranky, or easily calm her down when she's overly hungry if it wasn't for being able to pop a boob in her mouth. I'm sure I'd find other ways but that definitely has made things easier for me.

What do you do to soothe your baby?

More tips for soothing a baby in the Comfort Zone. 

This post is sponsored by BabyCenter in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network.

10 Tips for flying with a baby

If there's one thing I think I've mastered in motherhood, it's flying with an infant. Granted, it's different every time, especially since she's getting older and more active/nosey/hard to tame but I've still had nine flights with her in her six months of life, and yes, I finally set up a frequent flyer account (no, my daughter can't have one yet).

My first flight with my daughter was when she was about two and a half weeks old. I know some people say you shouldn't travel with babies that young but I was exclusively breastfeeding and kept her wrapped up around me, plus our pediatrician gave us the O-K so we went for it and flew to Utah. My mother in law flew with us and it helped a lot having an extra set of arms.

Our second flight was back home when she was about a month old, and my husband flew home with us, again making traveling relatively simple. Then a week later Lil' J and I flew to New York City for the Blogher conference. That was our first of seven flights alone together after the first two with help.

I've had several people write to me asking tips for traveling with a baby so I thought I'd write some of the things I've learned in a post, so someone else can hopefully find these things helpful.

1. Pack light. I know this is hard, and pretty impossible with a baby because you need so much. Diapers, blankets, burp cloths, PJs, clothes. But try your best to keep it to a minimum. On one of my trips, to my mom's house, we decided to pack a few diapers but buy more there. Along with baby soap, and small sizes of things I could use while I was visiting. If your family is anything like mine, you'll most likely be bringing more stuff home from your trip, so leave extra room in your suitcase if you can.

2. Only bring one carry-on. Yes, you're entitled to one carry on and one extra bag or purse but I was sure to make it easy on myself and only carry on her diaper bag. One time my check in bag was over 50 pounds so I took my camera out to carry it on with me and forgot it on the plane when we got off. Luckily I realized this once I got to baggage claim and was able to ask the Delta people to page up there and have someone bring it down to me. An extra bag with a baby can be a lot to remember.

3. Wear your baby. This would be ranked number one in my books of things that make traveling with a baby easier. On 9/9 flights with my daughter I wore her in a wrap through the entire boarding process and most of the flight. On our most recent flight we were waiting in the airport for hours, and she just hung out in our Moby Wrap. I thought having a stroller would be a necessity but I'd argue that would only make things more difficult.

In the first few months of my daughter's life she fell asleep moments after being snuggled in my wrap. She was out like a light while we walked through the airport, went through security and everything. These last couple of flights she wanted to face forward (like pictured above) and watch everything, and she was too excited to fall asleep, but it was still an easy way to have my hands free while going through the boarding process.

Will you need to take them out through security? Yes and no. I only was asked to take her out of my wrap once out of our nine flights, and they made me take my wrap off too, which was super annoying. It was our most recent flight though, and they had recently upped security measures. On our flight before that, to Salt Lake we were given the option to take her out of her wrap while we walked through the metal detector or have a pat down. At first I was like "give me a pat down" but then I realized it wasn't hard to pull her out for a second and put her back in. So total I took her out twice.

4. Look for signs that help you. In most of the airports we've been to there are separate lines for families through security checkout, so you can bypass the long wait. If you're flying with a child under two they not only get to fly for free, but you get to get on the plane first (or right after first class, depending on the carrier).

5. Don't put booties or shoes on your baby. At least not through security, unless you don't mind taking them off, but it's just an extra step they make you go through. Socks are ok, so I make sure she was wearing her Trumpettes on the rest of the flights after this happened.

6. Dress easy. Meaning don't wear a belt you'll have to take off at security, or shoes you'll have to untie and tie again, or a big coat that will get in the way... You get the idea. If you're flying alone with a baby these things that are normally simple to do are a HUGE PAIN!

7. Nurse, feed your baby or let him or her suck on something during takeoff and landing. But don't freak out about it if they're sleeping. You know how you yawn, chew gum, or swallow to pop your ears during the elevation changes? Same concept. Lil' J was asleep during our first six flights however, so I let her sleep, and she didn't seem to be affected. If she was awake, I nursed her, and she did ok with the pressure changes.

8. Do your best to get a window seat. We've been lucky enough to have one on all of our flights and it makes breastfeeding on the plane so much easier as I can just turn towards the window and no one knows the wiser.

Before our 9th flight back home

9. If you're nursing and/or pumping during your trip don't worry. You're allowed to bring the milk on the plane for your baby. Just tell security about the milk for the baby, and if necessary, they'll take it aside to screen it. They didn't even do that with me. On one of my trips I had about 70 ounces I was bringing back, so I bought a pound of dry ice to keep it frozen, and put it all in a cooler in my checked bag. On other flights with smaller amounts I kept it in my carry-on. Also, a breast pump is considered a "medical device" so you can bring it on the plane with your other two bags, or check it for free. *Car seats, strollers, pack n' plays and other baby stuff are also free to check*

10. Track your flight before you get to the airport. Lil' J and I missed a flight that was actually on time when we arrived just minutes after they cut off the check in time (45 minutes before your flight takes off). It SUCKED! But luckily we were able to catch the next one for a minimal fee. After that, I was sure to be prompt or very early to our flights. But it wasn't until after checking into our last flight (and having already returned my rental car) that I realized our flight was TWO HOURS delayed. I wasn't happy. And it's not fun sitting at an airport just waiting with a baby. Luckily I had my camera with me, and some toys for her, so we were able to keep entertained, but this could have been avoided had I checked the flight tracker beforehand.

So there are ten tips that will hopefully help you on a trip with your little one. Let me know if I left anything off or if there's something else you're wondering.

To help make your next trip with your baby much easier, everyone who comments on this post before February 1st will be entered to win an original Moby Wrap of their choice. You can get ONE extra entry by thanking Moby Wrap for this giveaway on facebook or twitter OR if you're a one of my "homies" (top right). Winner will be announced on my facebook page.

{Almost} Wordess Wednesday: A Smile to Brighten My Day

Little Splendid dresses c/o Target

After a week of rain, the sun finally came out. I had a day off and we were itching to get outside and play. It was mid-60s outside so I combed my daughter's curly hair, dolled her up in her new pink and blue and grabbed my camera.

It used to be easy to capture her big grin. I used to be the center of her universe. Now when we're out of the house, she finds so many other things more interesting than me and my silly faces.

It's bittersweet to see her grow and discover. Time is going by much too fast.

Between grabbing mud out of her hands stretching towards her mouth (and sometimes stopping her a second too late) I captured a smile in my direction. And I fell in love all over again.

Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you even more for your many words of encouragement. I appreciate you, and for that I try to give back. So everyone who comments on this post by midnight next Wednesday the 26th, will be entered to win a $50 Target gift card which you can use towards Target's adorable Little Splendid clothing bundles now available in stores. Followers or subscribers can have an extra entry. Winner announced next week on my Facebook Page.

*This post is sponsored by BabyCenter in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network.

Pumping Party: Tips for Lacating Mamas

Every day I head to work with my mom equivalent of a leather briefcase -- My pump bag. As a working mother who has been so paranoid about not having enough milk to feed my daughter, I get it. I get how stressful it can be. But I've successfully breastfed for more than six months and still haven't had to break into the free can of formula Enfamil sent me when she was born. That's right, we haven't had to supplement a drop! And to be honest I'm shocked.

It hasn't been easy, but I've learned a few things as I've gone along that may be helpful to others.

About Storing
1. Start early: If you're going back to work I can't stress enough how important it was for me to have a stash built up. It doesn't have to be huge, but just something for emergencies, and to help you feel confidant about going back to work and pumping. I started pumping when my daughter was about three weeks old.

2. Get to know your pump. Another reason to start early is so you can get used to your pump. Get to know how to put it together, take it apart, clean it. And the more you use it, the more your body will get used to how it works and the better it will respond to it. The first few times I pumped I only got a couple of ounces, but I got more and more as time went on.

3. Pump with the baby. If you're like me and feel like your baby is attached to you 24/7 you may wonder when you can even get the chance to pump. One thing I did was hook up the pump to one side, and pump with her on the other side. Your body naturally responds to your baby nursing so you'll probably get more milk this way. I do! This was much easier when she was smaller and less wiggly, but I still manage to do this during my lunch breaks with a pumping bra. When I was still on maternity leave I would nurse her from one side all night then pump the other side while she nursed in the morning and I'd get 6-7 ounces from that one side she didn't eat from all night.

4. Get good storage bags. I've used everything from Ziploc bags to storage containers and it makes a big difference when you use storage bags made for storing frozen breastmilk. I used Lansinoh for awhile, but the first time I took one out to defrost I realized there was a leak and I lost about 6oz of milk. So I tried some Simplisse ones and ended up liking those a little more and now I buy those (they're all the same price).

About Pumps
5. Get an electric. I have two pumps. One double electric breast pump by Avent, and a manual pump by Simplisse. I can't compare a manual to an electric to each other because it's like comparing apples to oranges. Actually, they're not even in the same fruit platter. I'd heard a manual was good to have for emergencies and it did call for an emergency for me to use mine. I was taking a quick trip and couldn't fit my electric in my bag.

I brought my manual which it's good I did but boy was I not prepared for the difference.

First off, I didn't realize manual was so much manual labor. My electric pump has a manual setting on it and you tap your finger and it goes to the speed of your tapping. My manual pump takes more effort.

It goes something like this:

First minute

After five minutes

After 10 minutes

After 15 minutes

Where as with an electric (and hands-free pumping bra) it's more like this:

Maybe my forearms are just really weak but it was a task. I was wondering why the bottle that came with it was so small but after 10 minutes of trying to pump I realized why--I wouldn't be able to pump very long.

The positive is it doesn't tug as much as my electric does, it was more comfortable, but I didn't get nearly as much milk out as I do with my electric. It saved me from exploding, but it wasn't the most effective. There are times though, in the middle of the night I consider manually pumping to build my supply back up. I never do it. But I think about it. Simplisse sent me the manual pump to try out, and it's comfortable, but not for my arms. Good news is, they have a double electric out now so that should solve that problem for anyone considering it.

I have a friend though who only used a manual pump, so some people do it! I think it's all about getting your body used to whatever pump you're using, like I mention in #2.

About Pumping at Work
6. Find time. I didn't think I'd have time to pump once a day, much less twice during my shift at work, but it's worth it when I do. I don't have a desk job, so I don't really have a set schedule for when I can pump, but it's nice if you can. Your body knows when it's "meal time" and usually produces more then. I did get into a routine where I was able to pump around 4pm every day and my supply would be larger and larger at that time. If I missed it, and pumped an hour later (or earlier), sometimes it would seem as though my supply was less. I'm not sure why or if maybe I'm just crazy.

Now I pump once in the middle of my shift, and once when I'm leaving and about to go home. By law in most states you're allowed time to pump so don't feel bad about it.

7. Find a place to pump with a door that locks. Oh my goodness, I about have a heart attack every singly day when I'm pumping because it never fails someone tries to walk in. Luckily the door is always locked, but I still have a half a second where my mind wonders if I forgot to lock it and this would be the time our traffic guy walks in, startled to see my girls tied up in tubes. It hasn't happened yet *knock on wood*.

8. Bring pictures of your baby, or a smart phone. I hook up to my pump and call home to talk to Lil' J, my husband, or play Angry Birds on my iPhone. Sometimes I bring my laptop in and try to do some work but I find I get more milk if I'm more relaxed. Sit back and enjoy the quiet time alone (Cause Lawd knows we don't get it often).

9. Here's a trick for storing your pump. I didn't know this until recently, but if you're going to pump multiple times while at work, you can put your pump (the horn parts, not the whole machine) in the fridge between sessions so you don't have to wash it each time. The milk on the pump stays fresh and doesn't need to be washed off. After I finally remembered to bring a bag to put them in (I didn't want to set my pump conspicuously next to a coworkers chicken salad) I started doing this and it takes about 5 minutes off each of my pumping sessions.

(I just remembered one more!) 10. Pump for 15 minutes!! If you're double pumping I mean. I usually want to give up and pack up after 10 minutes but those last five minutes really pay off. I usually can get an extra ounce or two from an extra let down before I go. It's worth it hanging on just a little longer every session.

Well, those are all of the tips I can think of right now. If you're looking for something for supply I'd recommend fenugreek, an herb that's suppose to help with milk production. I use Mother's Milk Drops by Intelligender. Their prediction test was wrong but these drops sure are right when it comes to helping. I normally get an extra ounce or two after taking (twice the dosage--But don't do that just cause I do, I'm crazy) of those drops.

Hopefully this can help some working mamas, or perspective pumpers out.

(congrats children teaching mama #36!!)

Every GFC Follower who comments on this post Before the 22nd will be entered to win a pack of goodies from Simplisse including: A Manual Breastfeeding Companion designed by lactation consultants, Essential Lactation Supplements, Disposable Breast Pads, Lanolin-Free Nipple Cream and Breastmilk Storage Bags (ARV $100). You can get an extra entry by thanking Simplisse for this giveaway on their Facebook page.

My friend Jessica is having a huge blog hop for giveaways, all over $50 (many over $100) so if you're feeling lucky, enter these below. Have fun!

My Photography FAQs

Lately I've been getting a lot of emails and comments lately from people asking what kind of camera I have, what lens I use, and what editing software I like so I thought I'd break it down and share my "secrets."

#1. Get a cute baby. Don't have one? Steal one. It's easy! This one below actually came from me, but any baby or dog, or subject will do.

#2. Turn off the flash! I used to love the flash. Now I hate it. Unless you have an expensive flash for your camera, don't use it. Pictures are much prettier without it, I promise!

#3. Use sunlight, but not too much. Sit in the shade if you're photographing outside, overcast days are best!

#4. Buy photoshop. This isn't a requirement, but it really helped my photos.

#5. Hunt for photoshop actions. Photoshop was useless to me before I discovered premade actions for it, but that could be cause I'm an idiot... Dunno.

So, I'm not a professional photographer by any means, and I just enjoy taking photos of my daughter, but all of my holiday money has gone to editing stuff lately and I must say they've improved my photos a lot!

I like taking pictures and I always try to use natural light when possible. But sometimes there just isn't light available, so I have to get creative, or tweak things in afterward. I'm also more of a computer person anyway, and don't know much about changing the settings on my camera (yet) so I enjoy sprucing up a photo in after effects.

My friend Danielle has been my personal shopper when it comes to camera stuff. She buys it and tries it, and I copy her and get the same thing. We're both learning photographers (though she's learning faster and actually good, and I'm just a fanatic mom obsessed with photographing my daughter).

What do I have? I use a Canon Rebel XSi, which I got for Christmas/Birthday/ My Anniversary two years ago. Then as my push present I got a 50mm portrait lens, which made my pictures 100Xs better (though you can't be super close when you take the photo). I also take about 60% of my photos of her on my iPhone, which my new one actually takes pretty good pictures! I use FX PhotoStudio, and ArtStuido apps to edit some of my 365 love letters photos.

The next lens I'm thinking of getting (or I should say renting first) is the 85mm.


Recently, my friend told me about Paint the Moon Photography, and photoshop actions and when I saw what actions are I was like "What the--Holy heck, are you serious?!"

I had photoshop for years. I went in on CS3 with my sister in law and recently upgraded to CS4 when my computer freaked out. But I haven't known how to use it. I mean sure, I can add text to a photo, and rotate it, but that was about it. My expensive program was collecting dust.

With actions you basically press the "play" button and watch the magic happen. Then tweak the photos to your liking when it's done. (But again, remember I'm not professional, just taking these pictures to save and share with my family, so take that into account when you consider my use of the words "easy" and "awesome").

I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing before going crazy and buying all of the action sets so I just bought the essentials for $35 to try it out. Here's some of the differences I noticed.

Then for Christmas I went crazy and bought more... The Picture Perfect Mega set, Coffee House, Miracle Makeover, and Texture Collection Two. It was a lot of money, but it was a Christmas gift for Heaven's sake!

I've even been able to fix up a lot of the photos I've taken on my iPhone. (These are some of the ones I've been sharing on her facebook page, so don't mind all of my extra text and descriptions on them.)

My next buys may be the Coffee House Bonus set, and probably Wonderland or Fresh.

People have also been telling me you can find free actions some places, so I've been on the hunt for those too, (and if you know of any, let me know!)

If you haven't a clue what you're doing you can check out her video tutorials on her blog, they're helpful.

So this mama (Annie--the owner who created these actions) has helped me discover a new hobby of mine and I'm having so much fun with it! I even snapped a few pictures for my friend who's having a baby in a few weeks so I could try it out on a new subject, and I've been excited about the results. I think I have enough jobs already and will leave the photography business to Tara, but this was fun!

And really, I'm not trying to sound like that OxiClean guy (RIP) in this post, I'm just loving these, and thinking another mama who likes to photograph her child can find some of the same joy I do in making them even prettier. 

Everyone who comments on this post before January 31st will be entered to win a $35 gift card for Paint the Moon actions (enough for a set or two). You can get an extra entry if you "like" Paint the Moon's Facebook Page, be nice and thank her for this giveaway while you're there! If you're a blog follower of mine you can get an extra entry too. I'll announce the winner on my facebook page.

Baby loves bath time: {Amost} Wordless Wednesday

Hooded Towel c/o Little Lily

All I have to do is rub my fists against my chest (the sign for bath) or say the word "bath" and she laughs and kicks, knowing what's next.

Afterwards we always wrap up in a hooded towel. We have several, some with bears, some with her name but we have two favorites. Our favorite was gifted to us by Cora's mommy, it's special to us. We stop and pray for babies with CHD and their families when we use it. And our second favorite she's wearing above. It's so big, so soft, and so cuddly.

Everyone who comments on this post before Thursday January 20th will be entered to win a hooded towel of their choice from Little Lily.  Towels from this Canadian mama are made with bamboo which is naturally anti-bacterial, ultra-absorbent, eco-friendly and hypoallergenic. You can get up to ONE extra entry by either following Little Lilly on Facebook and tell her you saw her here, or if you're a subscriber/follower of this blog.

Cloth Diaper Breakthrough

Yesterday I was talking to a woman when I noticed a stack of cloth diapers beside her. I asked her if she cloth diapered and she told me she did. I told her I did as well and it opened up a whole slew of other conversations.

I'm finding the same thing happens at church and yoga class when another fellow cloth diapering mama, or a perspective cloth diapering mother notices one another. It's a sort of instant comrade among women.

A few people have recently asked me if we're still cloth diapering. I guess because I don't mention it as often, or post a gazillion pictures of her in solely a diaper, people aren't sure if I gave up.

Surprisingly I didn't.

I say surprisingly, because really, it's a big surprise, mostly to me.

What started as an experiment has become a lifestyle for us.

My mother-in-law came to visit us last month and happily changed Lil' J's cloth diapers, and told me something I didn't know--My husband wore cloth diapers. Who would have thought? I believe she made have even made them, if I'm remembering correctly. Now I'm not that domestic (yet) but I am doing a lot more laundry now, which is a big step in my domestic diva development.

My husband (the champ) is cloth diapering our daughter right along side of me and we've come to find a few things that are making the experience much easier for us.

For one, the smell I mentioned in my frustrated post about in my temporary break up with cloth diapers post, has been eliminated by using some stuff called BioKleen in the wash during the pre-rinse cycle.

That's the other thing. I gave in and added a rinse cycle before the wash like many recommended. It's helped with the smell tremendously. Actually there is none now!

We have enough diapers to get us through 3-4 days but we usually wash every 2-3, or once the pail is full. My line drying stint is over. I gave that up after one try, and we've just decided to eat the extra water costs. Our bill seems to have leveled out to be about $15-$20 more than we were spending before and we are doing 12-18 extra loads of laundry a month so it's more work, and we're not saving tons and tons of money, but it's second nature to us now.

My daughter's poop has gotten more solid so I followed some friends' recommendations and bought flushable (like, won't flood your toilet flushable, I've tried it and they are SUPER thin) liners to go in her diapers. Problem is, I put them in when she pees and forget them before she poops. We're still trying to get the hang of them and remember to put them in every diaper change. I'm also going to invest in a diaper sprayer to spray off pop in the toilet. And we got some wool dryer balls courtesy of The Willow Store has cut back on our drying time, and saved energy as well.

To be honest, I didn't think we'd still cloth be diapering. My daughter didn't get rashes with Pampers. We weren't spending a lot on disposables, I'm not the most eco-conscious person around and I don't think using cloth diapers make us "better" than anyone else. I will say that if I can do it, just about anyone can! The first month was rough to get used to our system, but now, it's second nature. It really doesn't take any thought to using cloth diapers 24/7 just like we did with disposables. In fact, it seems just as easy. NO LIE! But remember, this was after 2-3 months. If you're considering them check out my article 7 Reasons to try cloth diapers on Baby Center.

I've been using Sprout Change diapers as well as FuzziBunz and gDiapers mostly. I also have a couple random other brands but those three are my favorite so far, for sure (in that order).

I like spreading the word about Sprout Change because they're an up and coming, mom-owned and operated cloth diaper company. I think the mechanics of their one-sized diapers are most efficient and I love that they are the only reversible cloth diaper out there!

I intend to cloth diaper our next child, and hope to use many of the diapers we have now. The bad thing is, many of the Sprout Change diaper covers I have now are purple and pink in assortment. The SweatPea, Smoothie, Grapefruit, they are all irresistible. I have a few gender neutral ones but will want to grab a few more. They're about to release a great new batch of gender neutral colors in a highly requested chocolate brown on one side. Since I have enough inserts I'll be splurging on some more covers and I'll be sure to get some of these that can go with a lot, and lucky you can win one!

Sprout Change is looking for name ideas for their new diaper covers. They're reversible, so one side is the chocolate brown and the other is each of the above colors. Leave a comment with a name idea for one of these new diaper shells and one *UPDATE*... THREE winnerS will get a free Sprout Change Shell (one winner for each new color)! Try to keep it food/health related like their other colors if you can. Here's an example... For number 3 my suggestion is Vanilla Bean. 

Winner will be announced on my Facebook Page next Thursday the 14th (contest ends Wednesday at midinght!)

A full night's rest--Are you jealous? Don't be just yet

It happened. Something miraculous. I had my first full night of sleep and I couldn't believe it. Yes, after five months, my daughter slept longer than she ever has through the night. Four blissful hours, followed by five minutes of nursing followed by... Wait for it... SEVEN hours of sleep. I couldn't believe it. And do you know how it was done? I GOT THE HECK OUT OF HER ROOM!

Ladies and gentlemen, this is how it's done. At least for my daughter, this was key for both of us.

I'd been telling my husband we should sleep in our room for months now. But his lack of eagerness to move made me in no rush to move, and so we stayed in the guest bed (which is much more comfortable than our own if I might add) in the nursery.

The night our daughter tried rice cereal for the first time I figured would be a good night to start sleeping in our room again. Just do it cold turkey. Like ripping a band aid off.

I'm not sure what I was so afraid of. She'd been sleeping in her crib for a couple of months now on her soybean mattress. Why does that matter? Well, before having my daughter I researched mattresses like a mad woman paranoid about SIDS, and found one I liked. It's more durable than traditional foam mattresses and uses renewable sources instead of crud oil, it keeps her warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and a bunch of other benefits.

Anyway, as usual she went to bed at 9pm. I put her in her cozy little long sleeved jammies and her Baby Sleep Bag to keep her warm--Or cool, whatever she needs cause it's supposed to regulate her temperature. I passed out shortly after but we crashed in our room for the first time without her since she's been born. I kept her monitor near my head but had it turned down pretty low. Which sorta explains why my husband woke me up at 1am saying Lil' J was crying. I couldn't believe he heard her before me and for some weird reason I felt a little guilty.

I fed her then put her back to bed. She woke up again at about 4:30 to eat and quickly fell back asleep. She didn't wake up again until the sun was up at 7am, and by then I was ready to snuggle with her so I did, and rested with her before I had to get ready for work. Waking up just twice in a night was really good for her.

The next night I had her monitor up louder so I heard her when she woke up at 1am. She whined a little when I put her back down but I patted her bottom for a few moments and she was back asleep. I woke up at 4:30 hearing her laugh in her sleep. I realized had I heard that when we were in her room I probably would have sat up to feed her. I dozed back off.

I woke up again at five wondering if I slept through her cries. I dozed back off.

I woke up again just before 7am to use the restroom and couldn't believe she wasn't awake yet. She had slept six hours straight for the first time in months. I felt fully rested so I decided to pump a little while I waited for her to wake up.

An hour and a half later she finally called to me to come and get her. My daughter slept seven and a half hours in a row! She went to bed at 9pm and woke up for the day at 8:30am.

HALLEFREAKINLUJAH. Was her sleep bag actually keeping her asleep? That's what it says on the box! It says babies wake up a lot cause they get too hot or cold and the natural fibers (merino wool) it's made of keeps her cozy. Or was it because we were out of her room? Who cares?! I got sleep!

I picked her up, snuggled and nursed her for quite awhile and told her repeatedly how much I loved her. She smiled, looked so refreshed, and so did I.

The world seemed a little brighter that day and has as she's slept stretches of 6-10 hours. Yes 10 hours. I didn't know that was possible. Houston, we've had a breakthrough, and it ROCKS! ...Or at least it did while it lasted.

Yea, by ROCKS, I mean it rockED. Her new awesome sleep routine lasted, for several weeks. But this week it's been horrible again. Up every two hours! I'm wracking my brain trying to see what we're doing differently. Every night is a new experiment. We're still using the sleep bag, still not in her room, still using the same mattress. What's up with my crazy daughter? I haven't a clue! My husband and I always joke that maybe she's teething or having a growth spurt, because that's the excuse everyone gives when your baby is getting on your nerves.

So that's my guess. Another growth spurt. Or maybe her first little tooth is about to pop up. Just pray for me and that my baby who loves to sleep will return. I'm also going to try some Karma. Maybe doing a giveaway for a $260 crib mattress will bring good sleep Karma.

PS: Karma worked cause I wrote this post last night before bed and am waking up now, BEFORE my daughter who has been sleeping for more than 8 hours straight (yes I went and checked on her, she's still breathing)!! Yay!! So hopefully the following prize will help in bringing another mama some much needed rest!

It's a Sealy® Posturepedic™ Springfree® Soybean & Latex Foam-Core Crib Mattress. It's by the #1 baby mattress brand. There are no springs, so it's insanely light. It's eco-friendly (which everyone is obsessed with these days). The soybeans in the mattress were grown right here in the USA, which is cool I guess, but my favorite part about it--It's a 2-stage mattress! So one side is firm for her infant stage, and the other stage is a little softer for her toddler stage, so we won't need to buy another mattress for her for a while. They retail for $260 ($197 at Walmart).

Everyone who comments on this post before January 20th is entered. You can get ONE extra entry for letting me know another Kolcraft product you think looks pretty cool or if you are a blog follower of mine, or follow @Kolcraft on Twitter or Facebook and tell them you saw my giveaway. Just leave another comment to let me know (only up to 2 comments total). Winner will be announced on my facebook page. Good luck!
*Thanks Kolcraft and BabySleepBags.com for sending products to try so I could give an honest review about them and how I've used them.

Breastfeeding... Oy!

Breastfeeding is such a huge, I mean HUMONGOUS part of my life right now. Sometimes I feel like that's all I do. I could say so much on this topic I could probably dedicate an entire blog to the it. In fact, I kinda do.

If you haven't yet, check out my blog on Bravado Designs Breastfeeding Diaries. I share my highs and lows on the subject. And look out, my next post over there is a BIG doozy!

It's about the worst nursing in public experience I've had to date, and all because of my husband. Ok, well I can't totally blame him... Actually, wait, yes I can. And I do. But I won't get into it here or now, but I will do want to tell you one key thing that makes nursing on the go (if you so please), modest (if you so desire) a cinch, and  that's nursing attire. Not just covers--those are great to-- but shirts that keep you covered.

I have one from Milan Maternity and I think I'm going to order another because this one is so comfortable and flattering (if I do say so myself).

I'm still trying to each my dearest that sometimes, quickness is more important than covers or anything else if it means she's going to be screaming her head off in a matter of seconds. But again... I won't get into it.

Instead, let's do a giveaway!

Everyone who comments on this post before December 8th at midnight will be entered to win this Analissa top from Milan Maternity, the online store aimed at providing expecting and new moms with flattering designer shirts at affordable prices. Your choice in color of either mocha or dark heather. If you follow them on Twitter or  Comment on my Bravado Post (any of them) you'll get an extra entry. Or you can like my photo just because, cause I really want to win!
*Thanks Milan Maternity for sponsoring this review/giveaway.

Lil' J is a Baby Einstein: New Discovery Kits!

The first time I heard about Baby Einsteins I was a teenager and babysitting for a woman at my church. She asked me to play it if we were going to have the TV on.

I'm not sure if back then people thought these movies would make babies smarter or something, but the name sorta implies that at first.

I didn't think I'd be one of "those moms" who experiments with baby DVDs with her child but here I am!

A friend of mine gave me her baby Einstein movies since her baby is older now and Lil' J watched them for a little while on my computer screen. This was about a month ago. I put them away and didn't think much else about them until I was sent these new Baby Einstein Discovery Kits to try!

These are cool because each kit is a different "level" with different things to experience. We got Level 1 "Experience": Baby Mozart, which comes with a DVD, a CD with the tunes from the DVD and a book with some of the images from the movie. Level 2 "Explore": Which also came with a DVD, a CD and flash cards. And Level 3 "Expression": Which came with a DVD, a CD and book.

Each property of each kit coincides together so it's like a continuous lesson.The second and third lessons are more advanced for Lil' J to understand right now but she sure loves all the stuff! She likes the movies and actually gets "zoned in" to them, and now when we play the music in her room upstairs, or if I play it on my computer I can see her stop what she's doing and sorta look around like "I know that song!"

Ok, so we were watching one of the movies yesterday and I had to take a quick video of her watching it so you can see how entertained she is by it. Her little face watches the penguins run back and forth on the screen, it's cute!


You can see for a second she gets bored and looks away but just then the screen flashes and something else starts happening. It's almost like it's timed perfectly to her attention span.

What I like about these is it's not just one of those "sit your kids in front of the TV and let this teach them" kind of things. The book and cards that go along with it make it fun to take the lesson away from the TV and have a little learning time together. I like to try to do this anyway with our own books and toys but this is a fun way to make learning with her well-rounded. Oh, and I love that it uses words in English, French and Spanish, so I'm learning too!

These are new and a neat gift idea for Christmas!

Everyone who comments on this post before next Friday December 3rd will be entered to win 3 Baby Einstein Discovery kits! Blog followers get an extra entry. Random.org will choose the winner. Good luck!


*I received a free sample of Baby Einstein’s Discovery Kit to test for this review and giveaway, which is part of a sponsored program through the BabyCenter Blog Network.”

Christmas Gifts for a 6 Month Old and $100 Giveaway!

It's not that I'm anti-toy, it's just that I think kids have SO many toys these days. Now I know this is easy for me to say now because Lil' J is only nearly 5 months old and is just starting to show interest in some toys. I'm sure once she's older, walking, talking and into playing. But even then, I want to make a rule to where she can only have enough toys to fit in her toybox. When there's too much for that, it's time to donate and trade up.

I half expected I'd just go to a Goodwill myself and look for some toys I'd bleach clean but I decided Christmas and Birthdays are occasions we can splurge on new toys. But what's the best toys for her age group?

Right now she's still quite in the infant sensory stage, and likes things that are black and white, she loves mirrors, and things she can chew on, but she's starting to like to grab, and shake things, and I know by Christmas she'll be all over the cause-and-effect toys that involve banging, shaking, pushing pulling etc.


So off I set on an online adventure looking for Black Friday deals on baby toys.

I already bought her a Tickle Me Elmo (the regular one, not Xtreme) off eBay and a stuffed Cookie Monster to go with him. She loves Elmo and his voice so I know she'll love him.

I'm totally into VTech toys for some reason. Maybe because I've always been an electronics kid myself. I also figure if a toy is going to make noise and light up it might as well be an educational toy. I want to get Lil' J this VTech Touch and Learn Musical Bee. It's similar to the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Puppy, which I also like, but it has better ratings and is only $18 at Walmart.

It plays upbeat songs when you bounce it around and soothing songs other times. It also helps teach numbers, colors and shapes. I'm actually trying to see if I can find one in Spanish since it's a given she'll be learning these things in English.

Another VTech toy I'm eyeing is this VTech Baby's Learning Laptop. It's only $14.54 at Walmart (it may be a Black Friday sale?) and it helps teach shapes, common objects, and feelings. She'll mostly be interested in the noises and lights it makes at this age, but in another year--If she's not bored of it yet, she can use the mouse pad and do more with it. This toy also has really high ratings and seems like babies like it quite awhile. It also comes in a pink but I'll get the more neutral blue.

If I'm going to splurge on one toy it's may be this 5-in-1 adjustable gym from Little Tikes. It looks really cool because it grows with her. She's just starting to sit up a little, but she could also lay down to play with it, or stand up with it when she's older. The ratings aren't as high and for being $45 at Toys R' Us, I'm thinking I may look around on Craigslist for it. Or, use our Babies R Us gift card for it (anyone know if TRU accepts BRU gift cards?).

I'm really into more of the simple things though like this wooden farm book. Lil' J loves books for some reason. When we bring out books at home to read to her every day, or if were reading or singing from books at church she loves to grab them. She loves board books and I think a wooden one she'd like even more. It'd be practically indestructible, and make a cool noise when the pages clap together.

This Sassy Fill and Spill Bucket is exactly what the name says and I think, exactly what babies love to do. Fill and dump... Mostly dump. So I think she'd like something like this, and it's only $10.

Lil' J also loves lights and things that move. I'm thinking about getting this Tiny Love Nature Soothing Serenade Mobile for her, but it's a little pricey too at about $45. She really likes the butterfly mobile I made for her, she has since birth. Now she kicks and laughs at it during the day, but at night she can't see it because it doesn't glow. I'm not sure if I'll get something to this extreme for her crib, maybe I'll get something more subtle, but I think she'd like it if there was something nice and glowey in there, and what better time than Christmas to get it for her!

Finally, one of our friends gave us this rain forest jumper and I packed it up since I was about 6 months pregnant with a ways to go. I forgot I had it and may save it for Christmas, or take it out before and see how she likes it.

If she does like it than I think she'll LOVE a door jumper (like a Johnny Jumper). I just can't decide if I'd rather the Sassy Seat Doorway Jumper that has lights and toys and fun things and is about $35.

Or the fancy smantsy Merry Muscles Jumper Exerciser Baby Bouncer that's about $85, but apparently lasts a long time and is better for your baby's feet etc. I just don't want to spend a lot of money if she ends up hating it. I think she'll love the bouncers though because she loves to kick and jump with us already.

So that's that for the toys on my shopping list. I'm much more into clothes myself. I used to think clothing was a boring gift but now that I have a child myself I understand why parents like buying them... To see their kids dressed up all cute! I'm in love with the Tea Collection. An online shop with children's clothing for the little citizens of the world! Here's a few of my favorites:

Croatian Floral Hoodie

Romanian Floral Top

Eniko Yoke Dress

Hungarian Floral Dress

All of the my blog followers (old or new) who leave a comment letting me know their favorites from this store before December 8th will be entered to win $100 to spend there! You get an extra entry if you follow @teacollection on twitter or if you let me know a Christmas gift recommendation for my husband or Lil' J (hehe, I'm cheating). Random.org will choose the winner, good luck!  

In a few hours I'll be posting another Christmas gift idea that Lil' J LOVES, plus doing a giveaway for it!