Friday around 3:35pm: Got a severe cramp in the lower abdomen to which I could make no movement. I was stuck in one position that I could not get out of. The pain was so severe, I could not breath and could hardly talk on the phone with my friend. I called my husband to tell him that I was in a lot of pain, and thought he should come home from work. I then called my midwife and without hesitation she told me to call 911. So I called 911.
Friday at 3:50pm: Ambulance arrives and they put me on a stretcher. I am still having major abdominal issues and contractions. The paramedics ask me a whole bunch of questions and they check me to make sure the baby's head is not crowning.
Friday at 4:10pm: We arrive at UCLA Medical Center and they take me up to Labor & Delivery. The staff at Labor & Delivery and my midwife are waiting for me to make my arrival. They take me to the delivery room, and put two belts on me. One belt is for the baby's heartbeat, and the other belt is for my contractions. The baby is healthy and my contractions are crazy. You could literally see on the monitor that I was having constant strong contractions. Then the midwife checked to see my cervix and it was only at 2cm. Because my contractions were crazy, they made me do a UTI test, take a urine sample, and they checked me on the ultrasound. All the results came back negative. They checked me again before they were going to discharge me, and I was still at a 2 cm, but my contractions did not subside. They gave me a dose of vicodin after I ate dinner. The midwife came back to check on me again, and the cervix stayed the same, but there was bloody show. She told me to come back if I constantly bled.
Around 10:30pm: I was discharged and went back home. The contractions subsided and I went to bed. Everytime I woke up to use the restroom, I checked to see if there was bloody show and there was everytime, so I told my husband that we should go back to be safe.
Saturday 5am: We went back to Labor & Delivery. I told my midwife about the bloody show and a resident came in to check me. She checked my cervix and I was a good 3cm at 50% effaced. She also checked the baby on the ultrasound and everything checked out good, except one pocket of fluid was low. They sent me back home and said to come back on Sunday to get a Non-Stress Test done.
Sunday 9am: Back at Labor & Delivery for NST Test. Everything checked out fine. The fluid was a little low, but they said everything was okay and to go back to my regular midwife visit on Tuesday.
Today: Midwife appointment.
Two more days until 37 weeks, which makes me full term. Hang in there baby!!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
My newest addiction
Labeling everything. Some may say that I am really bored at home and nesting. While others may think I am super-organized. Whatever the reason may be, I simply know that I am loving Mabel's Labels. I never ever considered myself a labeling type person. I remember growing up, my mom would use a marker to identify our clothing, backpacks, etc...I also remember, I was completely and utterly embarassed by this. Also, I never understood why people labeled, unless they were complete clutzes, or they had some sort of compulsive disorder. I would watch HGTV or TLC, and could not relate to those organizational shows. However, now I can tell you that I am completely intrigued by labeling. Let me tell you why.
Once my daughter started school, we started to miss articles of clothing, her bag, her containers, etc. I didn't want to start labeling her things with a sharpee pen, although I did almost give into that option. To my happiness, I discovered Mabel's Labels. First and foremost, I loved the name. I will be the first to admit that I do buy into the packaging. I went to their cute website, and they pretty much offered a whole line of everything and anything that has to do with labeling. The most ideal package for me was the Camp/School Pack, since all my problems and the need to
label, had to do with this.
The Camp/School Pack has 15 sticky Labels, 40 Iron-Ons or 50 Tag Mates, 8 Shoe Labels, 2 Bad Tags. The Labels are all dishwasher/micro-wave safe and UV resistant. The clothing labels are laundry safe, as well. The Labels are available in 3 grouped colors: standard, princess, and ocean. My daughter and I appropriately chose Princess, as her color pallette. Since each order is customized/personalized to your needs, you get to choose what you want, and it's very easy. We typed in her name, selected what sort of labels we wanted, chose our Princess icon, picked our Princess color, and then we were done. These labels are $34.00 for the pack.
Once I received my labels in the mail, I was super excited to start labeling my daughter's school stuff. She just started her ballet/tap classes at school, and I did not want to lose anything of hers, since they were pretty pricey. First, I had to go through the process of fighting over the labels with my daughter because she thought they were stickers, and I wanted to start labeling as fast as possible. She eventually got what I was doing and was pretty excited to see her name everywhere. She loved her princess icon and now that she is learning to spell her name, she immediately read the labels, which as a parent, was one of those proud moments. I labeled her tap shoes, her ballet slippers, her leotards, and her tights. It felt like such an accomplishment. When she gets to school, her teachers will now be able to distinguish her things from her classmates.
Another thing that I had to get that Mabel's Labels offers, was the Mama Cards. Such a simple, but clever idea. How many times have you gone to the park or the mall, and have had other mothers ask for your number or email address? I have had that happen to me so many times, that I can't even keep count. Every single time, I either took out a receipt from a grocery store, rip a portion of my mail envelope, or write on their hands. Obviously, we are not carrying around Mommy business cards to give out when we are doing our daily duties. At least, I don't think about networking or anything of that matter when I am out with my child. The focus is completely on my child. However, once I started my blog and people were approaching me about my blog, wanting to know more about it, it looked a little sloppy writing my info on a Whole Foods Receipt, or a ripped out piece of paper from something else. At that time, I knew I had to get something that was like a business card, but more Mommy oriented.
Mama Cards were the answer to my clumsy looking days. Just like you can customize the labels, you can customize the cards with five different designs and you can include any information you would like on the card. I chose the Field design and put my name, blog name, email address, and phone number on it. On the back, you have a notes section, so you can write down anything you would like. I love this feature because the person who has my card, either knows how we met, what we talked about, or they can write notes for themselves. It's such a cute way for mothers to give out information, without the hassle of taking out a pen and paper, in the midst of all the chaos that goes on at playgrounds or at malls. I already started using mine at my daughter's school, and all the mothers are asking me about it, so it is definitely a winner!
Mabel's Labels is a mommy started company and they themselves created these innovative products, after going through the same frustrations that we mothers go through. Nice clothing items, backpacks, and other things leaving the house, without ever making an appearance back at home. The products definitely had the mother/child/family in mind. I am now a huge fan and I will continue to label everything that I feel needs to be labeled in my household. For more information on Mabel's Labels go to: http://www.mabels.ca/
Once my daughter started school, we started to miss articles of clothing, her bag, her containers, etc. I didn't want to start labeling her things with a sharpee pen, although I did almost give into that option. To my happiness, I discovered Mabel's Labels. First and foremost, I loved the name. I will be the first to admit that I do buy into the packaging. I went to their cute website, and they pretty much offered a whole line of everything and anything that has to do with labeling. The most ideal package for me was the Camp/School Pack, since all my problems and the need to
label, had to do with this.The Camp/School Pack has 15 sticky Labels, 40 Iron-Ons or 50 Tag Mates, 8 Shoe Labels, 2 Bad Tags. The Labels are all dishwasher/micro-wave safe and UV resistant. The clothing labels are laundry safe, as well. The Labels are available in 3 grouped colors: standard, princess, and ocean. My daughter and I appropriately chose Princess, as her color pallette. Since each order is customized/personalized to your needs, you get to choose what you want, and it's very easy. We typed in her name, selected what sort of labels we wanted, chose our Princess icon, picked our Princess color, and then we were done. These labels are $34.00 for the pack.
Once I received my labels in the mail, I was super excited to start labeling my daughter's school stuff. She just started her ballet/tap classes at school, and I did not want to lose anything of hers, since they were pretty pricey. First, I had to go through the process of fighting over the labels with my daughter because she thought they were stickers, and I wanted to start labeling as fast as possible. She eventually got what I was doing and was pretty excited to see her name everywhere. She loved her princess icon and now that she is learning to spell her name, she immediately read the labels, which as a parent, was one of those proud moments. I labeled her tap shoes, her ballet slippers, her leotards, and her tights. It felt like such an accomplishment. When she gets to school, her teachers will now be able to distinguish her things from her classmates.
Another thing that I had to get that Mabel's Labels offers, was the Mama Cards. Such a simple, but clever idea. How many times have you gone to the park or the mall, and have had other mothers ask for your number or email address? I have had that happen to me so many times, that I can't even keep count. Every single time, I either took out a receipt from a grocery store, rip a portion of my mail envelope, or write on their hands. Obviously, we are not carrying around Mommy business cards to give out when we are doing our daily duties. At least, I don't think about networking or anything of that matter when I am out with my child. The focus is completely on my child. However, once I started my blog and people were approaching me about my blog, wanting to know more about it, it looked a little sloppy writing my info on a Whole Foods Receipt, or a ripped out piece of paper from something else. At that time, I knew I had to get something that was like a business card, but more Mommy oriented.
Mama Cards were the answer to my clumsy looking days. Just like you can customize the labels, you can customize the cards with five different designs and you can include any information you would like on the card. I chose the Field design and put my name, blog name, email address, and phone number on it. On the back, you have a notes section, so you can write down anything you would like. I love this feature because the person who has my card, either knows how we met, what we talked about, or they can write notes for themselves. It's such a cute way for mothers to give out information, without the hassle of taking out a pen and paper, in the midst of all the chaos that goes on at playgrounds or at malls. I already started using mine at my daughter's school, and all the mothers are asking me about it, so it is definitely a winner!
Mabel's Labels is a mommy started company and they themselves created these innovative products, after going through the same frustrations that we mothers go through. Nice clothing items, backpacks, and other things leaving the house, without ever making an appearance back at home. The products definitely had the mother/child/family in mind. I am now a huge fan and I will continue to label everything that I feel needs to be labeled in my household. For more information on Mabel's Labels go to: http://www.mabels.ca/
Saturday, June 27, 2009
LIZ LANGE SALE THIS WEEKEND
Hautelook.com is having their Liz Lange Weekend Diaper Bag Sale. If you are in the market to buy a really chic diaper bag or need one for a gift, these bags are absolutely gorgeous. I went on to their site and I pretty much wanted every bag. They have some bags that look very similar to the ever popular Hermes Bag. Use Coupon Code: FREESHIPSAT to receive free shipping this weekend.
Friday, June 26, 2009
THE Best Cupcakes EVER!
I found a local cupcake shop here in Santa Monica, Yummy Cupcakes, through Twitter, and found out that most recently they introduced a vegan line of cupcakes. I love cupcakes! Being pregnant and being severly allergic to dairy, I have been on a constant mission to find the most perfect cupcake out there. Plus, my daughter loves cupcakes too!
These beat the gourmet cupcakes that I use to eat during my dairy years before I was dragged into the emergency room to find out that I was allergic to dairy. I walked in today at 10 am, which was opening. I dropped my daughter off from preschool, and promised her that I would get her a cupcake. When I entered this cute dainty shop, there were 2 pastry chefs (who were both female, love it) and a male behind the counter who was very nice. I could tell that they loved their jobs, and they were all smiling big.
I asked what the vegan flavors were and today's flavors were a vanilla chocolate and the red velvet. The vanilla chocolate cupcakes were ready to go and the red velvet cupcakes needed another 45 minutes. So I took two vanilla chocolate cupcakes. They were $3.25 each, which is $.50 more than their regular cupcakes, but oh so worth the price, considering the big size you get. I have been known to pay more for vegan cupcakes that have been a lot smaller.
When I went into my car, I looked in the bag, and could not resist. I licked the frosting, and it was such a creamy, and sugary goodness. I took the big cupcake and took a huge bite into it. Oh My Goodnessssssss! Can I say I am in heaven? Yes. It was super moist, the right amount of chocolate, and the frosting was l-i-t-e-r-a-l-l-y icing on the cake! I literally sat there in the car and ate the entire cupcake within a couple minutes. I literally had to take my daughter's cupcake and put it on the back seat, or she would have had none.
I think I have found my match. I am always open to knew concepts, stores, etc...but I couldn't be more excited about my new found hidden gem. I liked it so much, I thought about keeping it a secret until maybe one of my favorite vegan bloggers "quarrygirl," wrote a review on them, but I felt I needed to share this surprise with all of you. So enjoy!!! Leave me one when you get there. They also have a location in Burbank, but living in Westwood, Santa Monica will be my shop. I so have to try the Red Velvet.
Yummy Cupcakes has the Mommas in the House stamp of approval.
BURBANK BAKESHOP
2918 W. Magnolia Blvd Burbank, CA 91505
818.558.1080
SANTA MONICA BAKESHOP
313 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.393.8283
Ultimate Healthy Parenting Party
The Pump Station & Nurtury will be hosting an "Ultimate Healthy Parenting Party" on Sunday, June 28, 2009. Please Save the Date. The event will be from 12pm-4pm and it's also a diaper drive, so the diapers that are collected at this event will benefit "LA Diaper Drive." For more details about schedule and happenings, please see and click below.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
My Birth Plan
I wanted to share with you some of the things I wrote for my birth plan. Although, I keep forgetting to take it with me to my midwife visits. The next visit I will make sure I print it out because I will be at 37 weeks and anything can happen at that point. I have discussed some of the things with my midwife, but not in great detail, so this will be great.
- My labor coach will be my husband, mother, or friends, depending on what my needs are that day, but that will be the order of how I would like it to be. I have a group of close friends and family that will be present and want to keep things open for that day, depending on how I feel.
- I would like my husband, daughter, mother, and friends to witness the birth.
- I would like to walk around during labor, as well as take showers, and whatever is needed for me to feel comfortable.
- I am aiming to have a drug-free birth, however, have it on hand, in case things change.
- I only would like to be induced if I am not able to contract on my own and it becomes a risk/issue for the baby.
- I do not want to tear, and would like to push squatting. I would also like to push when I feel necessary to push. In the ideal circumstance, I do not want to deliver laying down unless of course an epidural is used.
- I would like for my husband to cut the umbilical cord, as well as hold the baby with the midwife as the baby makes its way into the world.
- I would like to hold the baby immediately, as well as breastfeed, as soon as possible.
- I would like to be released from the hospital as soon as possible, if there are no complications and everything checks out fine.
- I would like snacks to be present for family and friends, as well as myself, if I need to eat during labor.
So that is the game plan! Well, most of the important things. Of course on the actual day, adjustments will occur, but I think this will suffice as a blueprint of how I want things to happen. From this day forward, I need to relax, take it easy, and take deep breaths. I also need to stop watching extremely graphic birthing videos because it's making me anxious and nervous!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Making it easier on you and your baby
There is a lot of controversy behind whether or not you should co-sleep with your baby. There are experts who believe that it's very natural and good for mom and baby, while others believe that there are so many dangers involved with co-sleeping. When it comes to child-rearing, everyone has an opinion of their own. As a parent, we have to make conscious choices, that best suits our needs and beliefs. When we brought my now, 3 year old daughter, home from the hospital, I decided to have her near me, and chose to co-sleep with her. Of course much thought and consideration went into my decision, but I ultimately did what felt natural to me.
Honestly speaking, I can also see the dangers of co-sleeping as well. We had our daughter next to me and there were a couple close calls where I almost rolled over her, but caught myself in mid-movement. I am grateful that we did not have to experience anything dangerous, but I can see how it happens. When I found out I was pregnant for the second time around, I wanted to co-sleep again, but I wanted something that would create a simple barrier between me and the baby, that would make the co-sleeping experience more safer. I went online and was able to find a great product called Co-Zee by Hisense. The Co-Zee speaks for itself, "Sleep close. Sleep Safe. Sleep tight." It's a great co-sleeping solution that let's you enjoy the benefits of co-sleeping while having the peace of mind, that your baby is safe and secure.
The Co-Zee gives total sleep protection for the baby and fits comfortably between the parents. So now your husband can also enjoy the benefits of co-sleeping. I know my husband felt a little left out the first time around because he did not have that much access to the baby, but now he can also participate. I can breastfeed the baby easily without getting out of the bed and my husband can cradle the baby throughout the night, without having to travel to the crib. I also love that it has an adjustable nighlight at the head of the co-sleeper and a tray to hold the bottle and pacifier. Plus, it is so comfortable and plush. The Co-Zee and its features really make it easier on the parents and the baby, so that more quality time is spent and making it an experience to remember rather than a tedious task at hand.
Hisense also offers many other quality baby products, but one other product that really caught my eyes were the Flow bottles. The idea behind the Flow bottles are, "A safe and simple bottle that works." The Flow is an anti-colic bottle that leaves the baby comfortable and contented. It prevents Vacuums by drawing air through the bottom of the bottle and it has a unique valve that you can test. It's easy to use, clean, and economical. More importantly, the bottles are made from high quality FDA food-grade PES plastic, and they are free of Bisphenol-A, and come with silicon nipples.
For me, I am going to try to breastfeed exclusively. However, I will have to use bottles when I have my husband, family members, and friends take care of the baby, when I am not present. At least, I will have the peace of mind that these bottles are safe and simple to use for anyone that caretakes my child.
For me, it was a lot easier to breastfeed her because I could just roll over and feed her instantly. Moreover, I was able to bond with her, and really take in the fact that I was a mother. Being a first time mom and being extremely exhausted, we tried the crib thing. But I thought I was going to lose it when I had so much traveling to do between my bed and the crib. It was physically draining. Just having her close to me was easier on me and the baby, and she slept really comfortably next to me.
Honestly speaking, I can also see the dangers of co-sleeping as well. We had our daughter next to me and there were a couple close calls where I almost rolled over her, but caught myself in mid-movement. I am grateful that we did not have to experience anything dangerous, but I can see how it happens. When I found out I was pregnant for the second time around, I wanted to co-sleep again, but I wanted something that would create a simple barrier between me and the baby, that would make the co-sleeping experience more safer. I went online and was able to find a great product called Co-Zee by Hisense. The Co-Zee speaks for itself, "Sleep close. Sleep Safe. Sleep tight." It's a great co-sleeping solution that let's you enjoy the benefits of co-sleeping while having the peace of mind, that your baby is safe and secure.
The Co-Zee gives total sleep protection for the baby and fits comfortably between the parents. So now your husband can also enjoy the benefits of co-sleeping. I know my husband felt a little left out the first time around because he did not have that much access to the baby, but now he can also participate. I can breastfeed the baby easily without getting out of the bed and my husband can cradle the baby throughout the night, without having to travel to the crib. I also love that it has an adjustable nighlight at the head of the co-sleeper and a tray to hold the bottle and pacifier. Plus, it is so comfortable and plush. The Co-Zee and its features really make it easier on the parents and the baby, so that more quality time is spent and making it an experience to remember rather than a tedious task at hand.
Hisense also offers many other quality baby products, but one other product that really caught my eyes were the Flow bottles. The idea behind the Flow bottles are, "A safe and simple bottle that works." The Flow is an anti-colic bottle that leaves the baby comfortable and contented. It prevents Vacuums by drawing air through the bottom of the bottle and it has a unique valve that you can test. It's easy to use, clean, and economical. More importantly, the bottles are made from high quality FDA food-grade PES plastic, and they are free of Bisphenol-A, and come with silicon nipples.For me, I am going to try to breastfeed exclusively. However, I will have to use bottles when I have my husband, family members, and friends take care of the baby, when I am not present. At least, I will have the peace of mind that these bottles are safe and simple to use for anyone that caretakes my child.
For more information on the Co-Zee and the Flow, as well as other great products, please visit: http://www.babysafeus.com/.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
All I want to do is NAP!
Up till the point of 33 weeks, I had a lot of my energy back and ready to move at a constant rate. Once 34 weeks hit, I lost almost all of my energy. I am literally at a point where all I want to do is nap. If I don't nap, the whole day goes by like a daze and I completely feel out of it. If I do nap, it does miracles.
Today I went to my almost 36 weeks appointment. I am officially 36 weeks on Thursday. As I was waiting for my midwife to come into the room, I was ready to pass out. Once she entered the room, I still was at a complete daze and could not remember half the things she said. All I remember is "160 beats" and "head is down."
Next week, I turn 37 weeks, which means that it's safe for baby to make its grand entrance. Can't wait to see what day she picks for her birthday. I will be one busy momma with a busy-body toddler and a new baby. To that, let me go take a nap for all the energy I need!
Today I went to my almost 36 weeks appointment. I am officially 36 weeks on Thursday. As I was waiting for my midwife to come into the room, I was ready to pass out. Once she entered the room, I still was at a complete daze and could not remember half the things she said. All I remember is "160 beats" and "head is down."
Next week, I turn 37 weeks, which means that it's safe for baby to make its grand entrance. Can't wait to see what day she picks for her birthday. I will be one busy momma with a busy-body toddler and a new baby. To that, let me go take a nap for all the energy I need!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Being Pretty while Being Pregnant
There is one thing that I missed putting on while I was pregnant with my daughter. I hated looking down at my feet and seeing bare toe nails, they looked miserable. Living in California and wearing flip flops on a daily basis did not help. I was constantly online looking for a nail polish that was not harmful, stinky, and bad for you. However, there was no one nail polish that fit all the criterias I was looking for.
When my daughter turned 2 years old, she wanted to start painting her nails. For her, I did buy a children's polish that was child-friendly, safe, and non-toxic, however, the smell was still horrendous. I immediately threw that one away because it just made me gag.
When I found out I was pregnant for the second time, I thought about nail polishes again. I was on a mission to find "the perfect" nail polish for all women, men, children, but most importantly all my pregnant mommas. I mean it's the least we deserve while being pregnant. Sometimes that one li
ttle thing can make the biggest difference in how we feel.
I am super excited to present to you, Acquarella. Everything that I have been looking for in a nail polish and more. Acquarella is not just a nail polish, it's nail health. I can't tell you how much I fell in love with this product when I tried it out, and now, my mother and daughter are using it.
Acquarella is the only nail polish in the world that is safe, water-based, and non-toxic. Plus, it hydrates the nails, unlike conventional nail polishes that make your nails chip, peel, and yellow. It has absolutely NO ODOR! So no more gagging for me and you. More importantly, it does not contain formaldehyde, phthalates, and petrochemicals solvents of any kind. Since it is water based, it's non-flammable and free from toxic fumes, and your nails breathe. The polish is super easy to use, without the need of top and base coat and it dries very fast, in 3 minutes.
In using Acquarella, it is essential to know that preparation is key. The instructions are online, which makes it very convenient and easy to refer back to. If you have used conventional nail polishes, you have to go through a preparation cycle that helps remove many oils and emollients in the nail plate that interfere with the Acquarella polish. It's only a 4 day cycle that put your nails in optimum condition for the polish. Part of the cycle, is using the nail conditioner, as well as the remover.
The conditioner can act as a clear polish and it strengthens and moisturizes your nails. Being consistent with the line, it does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, phtalates, or petrochemical solvents of any kind. The remover is water-based as well, has no acetone, methyl acetate, or any other petrochemical solvents. Both these products are essential in the 4 day nail preparation cycle. However, for the lucky few that never uses conventional nail polishes and have hydrated nails, you can skip the 4 day cycle. But I still suggest that everyone does the preparation cycle, just for nail health.
I went through the entire preparation cycle and it was very easy. I noticed immediately that my nails looked so polished and healthy. They were shining and very healthy looking. I also liked that my nails were breathing versus the feeling of heavy polish weighing down my nails. After 4 days of giving your nails a facelift, you can pick from 22 colors to put on. I tried both the French Vanilla and the Prissy, as my nail polishes. The polishes went on thin and very clean. The French Vanilla were very close to my skin color, so it looked very clean and neutral. The Prissy popped right onto my nails and just made a bold statement of sexiness, femininity, and strength, with the hint of girliness. It took about 2 weeks for the nail polishes to gradually come off, which is quite comparable to conventional nail polishes. I used the remover to take the polishes off, and it was definitely easier than I thought it would. I rubbed my nails with the cotton cloth, and it came off without any major hassles.
I love that you can have such a great nail polish without all the hazardous ingredients that can affect your health and the environment. For all my pregnant mommas, you can definitely use these polishes, without the worries and consequences of how it may affect your unborn baby. I have already gotten a lot of compliments from friends and families. For more information on this fabulous product line, please visit: http://www.aquarellapolish.com/.
When my daughter turned 2 years old, she wanted to start painting her nails. For her, I did buy a children's polish that was child-friendly, safe, and non-toxic, however, the smell was still horrendous. I immediately threw that one away because it just made me gag.
When I found out I was pregnant for the second time, I thought about nail polishes again. I was on a mission to find "the perfect" nail polish for all women, men, children, but most importantly all my pregnant mommas. I mean it's the least we deserve while being pregnant. Sometimes that one li
ttle thing can make the biggest difference in how we feel.I am super excited to present to you, Acquarella. Everything that I have been looking for in a nail polish and more. Acquarella is not just a nail polish, it's nail health. I can't tell you how much I fell in love with this product when I tried it out, and now, my mother and daughter are using it.
Acquarella is the only nail polish in the world that is safe, water-based, and non-toxic. Plus, it hydrates the nails, unlike conventional nail polishes that make your nails chip, peel, and yellow. It has absolutely NO ODOR! So no more gagging for me and you. More importantly, it does not contain formaldehyde, phthalates, and petrochemicals solvents of any kind. Since it is water based, it's non-flammable and free from toxic fumes, and your nails breathe. The polish is super easy to use, without the need of top and base coat and it dries very fast, in 3 minutes.
In using Acquarella, it is essential to know that preparation is key. The instructions are online, which makes it very convenient and easy to refer back to. If you have used conventional nail polishes, you have to go through a preparation cycle that helps remove many oils and emollients in the nail plate that interfere with the Acquarella polish. It's only a 4 day cycle that put your nails in optimum condition for the polish. Part of the cycle, is using the nail conditioner, as well as the remover.
The conditioner can act as a clear polish and it strengthens and moisturizes your nails. Being consistent with the line, it does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, phtalates, or petrochemical solvents of any kind. The remover is water-based as well, has no acetone, methyl acetate, or any other petrochemical solvents. Both these products are essential in the 4 day nail preparation cycle. However, for the lucky few that never uses conventional nail polishes and have hydrated nails, you can skip the 4 day cycle. But I still suggest that everyone does the preparation cycle, just for nail health.
I went through the entire preparation cycle and it was very easy. I noticed immediately that my nails looked so polished and healthy. They were shining and very healthy looking. I also liked that my nails were breathing versus the feeling of heavy polish weighing down my nails. After 4 days of giving your nails a facelift, you can pick from 22 colors to put on. I tried both the French Vanilla and the Prissy, as my nail polishes. The polishes went on thin and very clean. The French Vanilla were very close to my skin color, so it looked very clean and neutral. The Prissy popped right onto my nails and just made a bold statement of sexiness, femininity, and strength, with the hint of girliness. It took about 2 weeks for the nail polishes to gradually come off, which is quite comparable to conventional nail polishes. I used the remover to take the polishes off, and it was definitely easier than I thought it would. I rubbed my nails with the cotton cloth, and it came off without any major hassles.
I love that you can have such a great nail polish without all the hazardous ingredients that can affect your health and the environment. For all my pregnant mommas, you can definitely use these polishes, without the worries and consequences of how it may affect your unborn baby. I have already gotten a lot of compliments from friends and families. For more information on this fabulous product line, please visit: http://www.aquarellapolish.com/.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day!!
Happy Father's Day to all the pappas out there!!! I have so much gratitude towards my husband, as he is a great husband and a father. Within the last three years, my husband has come a long way in his relationship with our daughter. I remember when we first brought her home, he was too scared to hold her, thinking he would break her in two pieces.
Of course, our daughter is a lot bigger now and more communicative, but he now feels more comfortable when it comes to his role as a father. I give a lot of props to the fathers out there because when we have children, a lot of emphasis is put on the mothers, since we are the ones who give birth. We are also the one's that have to breastfeed, if we choose to, which is a huge part of the early stages of infancy.
My husband had 400 people make reservations for Mother's Day Brunch, however, for Father's Day Brunch, there were only 90 reservations. I find that a little sad and dissappointing for our good fathers out there. So I wanted to take a little time out from today to wish our fathers the Happiest Father's Day!
Of course, our daughter is a lot bigger now and more communicative, but he now feels more comfortable when it comes to his role as a father. I give a lot of props to the fathers out there because when we have children, a lot of emphasis is put on the mothers, since we are the ones who give birth. We are also the one's that have to breastfeed, if we choose to, which is a huge part of the early stages of infancy.
My husband had 400 people make reservations for Mother's Day Brunch, however, for Father's Day Brunch, there were only 90 reservations. I find that a little sad and dissappointing for our good fathers out there. So I wanted to take a little time out from today to wish our fathers the Happiest Father's Day!
Friday, June 19, 2009
My daughter's gets her Zzzzzzs at night
My newest discovery is the Kidsleep. It is basically a night light and an alarm clock, that can also act as a sleep-aid. Very easy to use and no complicated set-ups. My daughter is 3 years old, and I thought it was about time to get her an alarm clock. The way she differentiates time is the old fashioned way, which is probably the most reliable way. When it's dark, it's time to go to bed, when the sun comes out, it's time to wake up. She has been pretty good with that, however, she now attends preschool, which makes waking up at a given time, a little more complicated.I love that the sleeping bunny shows my daughter to stay in bed, and the wide-awake bunny shows my daughter it's okay to wake up. The night light is fantastic because my daughter occasionally likes to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, and she wakes me up because she doesn't want to walk in the dark. The night light offers her the comfort of going to the bathroom, with a little bit of light, and not have to wake me up. Lastly, I love the sound of the alarm clock. It has a bird chirping noise that is non-irritating and non-harsh. You can also have it set so that a rooster sound goes off as the awake bunny is illuminated.
My daughter thought it was a toy at first, as she tried to play with it, but now she knows it's her little clock. She loves looking at the night light as she sleeps, and loves the awake bunny when she wakes up. When the alarm clock goes off, she says, "Mom, Wake up!" So now she has become my own alarm clock. I feel that there is some sort of role reversal going on, but that is A okay with me!
It is suggested that from birth-2 years, the Kidsleep be used as a night light. From 2-6 years, used as a sleep training aid, with the option of using the alarm clock. You don't need to purchase any batteries, just plug to an outlet, and it comes with 2 extra bulbs. It's a really neat product that my daughter will be able to enjoy for years to come. They also carry the Globetrotter, which is smaller and battery operated, for everyday use or travel. For more information, please visit: http://livelovedream.com/.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
35 Weeks and Counting!
I am 35 weeks today and I am literally counting down the days. Of course, I don't want my baby to come early, but I am at that stage in the pregnancy where i feel stretched to the max in the belly, although people tell me that I look 4 months along, I do not feel attractive at all. For my body frame, which I am on a thinner side, it's a lot of weight to carry. My husband jokes that I should know how he feels on a daily basis. Not so funny, when I am dealing with a lot of frontal weight that puts a lot of pressure on the back.
My first child came at 38.1 weeks, so I feel that this next baby is going to come right around the same time or earlier. The baby has been sitting pretty low these days, head facing down, so I am literally counting down the days until it's safe for baby to make its entrance into the world. My midwife says 36 weeks is usually a safe marker, but I have been reading many sites, as well as books that says 37 weeks is when the baby fully develops its lungs. For me, the baby will come when it wants to come, so trying to be as patient as possible.
So today I am trying to just relax and think about what I will be getting my husband for Father's Day!!!
My first child came at 38.1 weeks, so I feel that this next baby is going to come right around the same time or earlier. The baby has been sitting pretty low these days, head facing down, so I am literally counting down the days until it's safe for baby to make its entrance into the world. My midwife says 36 weeks is usually a safe marker, but I have been reading many sites, as well as books that says 37 weeks is when the baby fully develops its lungs. For me, the baby will come when it wants to come, so trying to be as patient as possible.
So today I am trying to just relax and think about what I will be getting my husband for Father's Day!!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Comfort and Safety when it comes to children!
Our place is completely covered in hardwood floors, and of course I love it because it's beautiful. However, having my daughter run around everywhere, it isn't the most practical situation. My daughter prefers sitting on the floors when she plays with toys, when she is coloring, and when she is watching her favorite movie, "Thumbelina." She will grab a cushion from our couch, and sit on top of it, so that she can be a little bit more comfortable. Sometimes that leads to her falling from side to side because the cusions are higher and curved, and do not provide for a flat surface area. It's not the safest situation to have your child in.
I love that it is fully functional. You can use it to watch movies, play with toys, or just sit on top of it. I myself can use it to read a book or watch TV and my husband can use it to play video games. It's one of those products that is very versatile and can be used by every single family member, not just your child. It's easy to clean, just drop the cover in the washer, and it's as simple as 1-2-3. It's easy to store under you bed or in the closet, and you can easily transport it from place to place. The Tuffet comes in a variety of fabric choices, as well as colors, so you are not limited when it comes to your own personal taste.
When I got The Tuffet, it was super simple to put together. I just inserted the liner into the cover and zipped it close. My daughter was able to sit on top of it comfortably without any issues and she was already dragging it around from room to room. It was really nice to see her sit comfortably reading a book, without me constantly checking on her, to see if she was okay. She was very happy and you could tell she met her new best friend. The Tuffet also has two pockets on top, where you could put essential items, such as a remote control. However, my daughter puts her favorite little dolls in it, as their hiding place.
After I dropped her off from school, I came back home and read my new breastfeeding book, on top of it. It was very comfortable, and I was really surprised that my posture was really straight. Something about those beads, in the liner, keeps you from slouching. Had I never sat on it, I would not have known, that added benefit. A lot of items that do provide comfort, are not always the healthiest or the best for us, so it was definitely reassuring to know that my daughter would be sitting up straight while being comfortable.
I think The Tuffet is an overall great product for the whole family and can be used for years to come. It is also Mom Made which I love! Please visit The Tuffet at:www.madebyamom.com.
As a parent, you want your child to be comfortable, but mainly safe. I found a product out on the market that was made by a mom, just like me, and it addresses many of these issues. The Tuffet, is a large round cushion filled with foam beads to protect children, from falling over and possibly getting injured. There are so many things I love about The Tuffet.
I love that it is fully functional. You can use it to watch movies, play with toys, or just sit on top of it. I myself can use it to read a book or watch TV and my husband can use it to play video games. It's one of those products that is very versatile and can be used by every single family member, not just your child. It's easy to clean, just drop the cover in the washer, and it's as simple as 1-2-3. It's easy to store under you bed or in the closet, and you can easily transport it from place to place. The Tuffet comes in a variety of fabric choices, as well as colors, so you are not limited when it comes to your own personal taste.
When I got The Tuffet, it was super simple to put together. I just inserted the liner into the cover and zipped it close. My daughter was able to sit on top of it comfortably without any issues and she was already dragging it around from room to room. It was really nice to see her sit comfortably reading a book, without me constantly checking on her, to see if she was okay. She was very happy and you could tell she met her new best friend. The Tuffet also has two pockets on top, where you could put essential items, such as a remote control. However, my daughter puts her favorite little dolls in it, as their hiding place.
After I dropped her off from school, I came back home and read my new breastfeeding book, on top of it. It was very comfortable, and I was really surprised that my posture was really straight. Something about those beads, in the liner, keeps you from slouching. Had I never sat on it, I would not have known, that added benefit. A lot of items that do provide comfort, are not always the healthiest or the best for us, so it was definitely reassuring to know that my daughter would be sitting up straight while being comfortable.
I think The Tuffet is an overall great product for the whole family and can be used for years to come. It is also Mom Made which I love! Please visit The Tuffet at:www.madebyamom.com.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Brain Dead
I wanted to write something clever today, but I am going to keep it real, I am just completely brain dead. I think when we have children, continue to give birth, we lose brain cells. I really do believe that because ever since my first, I have memory loss. I've talked to other mothers, who also feel the same way, so I know I am not the only one in feeling like this.
Prime example, today I went to Trader Joe's and the entire time I thought I was in Whole Foods. When I went to check out my food items, I kept telling the crew member how much I loved Whole Foods and why I loved to shop at Whole Foods, and he kept saying to me that Trader Joes had quality items for cheaper. I couldn't get why he kept plugging in Trader Joe's, until I realized that I was at Trader Joe's. Needless to say, I felt really stupid and out of it, but the crew member was super nice and really patient with me.
You would think it would stop there. No way! After Trader Joe's, I needed to stop at the mall to get something for my dad's birthday. I went there and did not know why I was there. I ended up going to the Disney Store and got my daughter a princess lunch kit. I still couldn't figure out why I was there. When I came home, my mom called to tell me that we were going out to lunch. I told her that I wanted to stay home because I was super tired and she said, "Are you sure, it's your dad's birthday?" I literally shook my head because I completely forgot about it. I mean I was talking about it all morning long.
So right now, I just feel completely out of it and brain dead!!
Prime example, today I went to Trader Joe's and the entire time I thought I was in Whole Foods. When I went to check out my food items, I kept telling the crew member how much I loved Whole Foods and why I loved to shop at Whole Foods, and he kept saying to me that Trader Joes had quality items for cheaper. I couldn't get why he kept plugging in Trader Joe's, until I realized that I was at Trader Joe's. Needless to say, I felt really stupid and out of it, but the crew member was super nice and really patient with me.
You would think it would stop there. No way! After Trader Joe's, I needed to stop at the mall to get something for my dad's birthday. I went there and did not know why I was there. I ended up going to the Disney Store and got my daughter a princess lunch kit. I still couldn't figure out why I was there. When I came home, my mom called to tell me that we were going out to lunch. I told her that I wanted to stay home because I was super tired and she said, "Are you sure, it's your dad's birthday?" I literally shook my head because I completely forgot about it. I mean I was talking about it all morning long.
So right now, I just feel completely out of it and brain dead!!
Monday, June 15, 2009
My baby deserves the best!
I am very particular in what sort of things go on my skin. Especially since our bodies largest organ is our skin, and everything that is penetrated into the skin, has an overall affect on our bodies. I don't think many people realize what sort of things are put into our skincare products and how it affects our overall health. For one, I started to be more conscious of what I put on, with my first pregnancy because it not only affected me, it affected my baby. With that being said, there are things that are being put into our lotions, our cleansers, our toothpastes, that actually cause birth defects. Now, how is that possible and legal? Well, it's happening everyday, and that is why we must be conscious consumers, for our own livelihoods.
With my daughter, I use only the best skincare out there because I know the short term and long term affects it has on her. When I say, "best" skincare, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is super expensive, and that I am looking to put gold or caviar on my daughter. The prices are very reasonable and the quality is exceptional, without the use of all the bad stuff! With another baby on the way, I am continually looking for products, that meet the high level of quality, without the high price tag. Which brings me to, Aleva Naturals.
Aleva Naturals, carry a whole line of baby products, that meets my particular needs without the added nasties. All their products are free of alcohol, petrolatum, phthalates, SLS & SLES, perfume, mineral oil, paraben, lanoline, and is hypoallergenic. So they pretty much covers their basis when it comes to most sensitivities and allergies. As well as leaving out, all the unnecessary chemicals, preservatives, and fillers that cause harm to our bodies.
The Bamboo Baby Wipes were so soft and were ever-so gentle on the face. The Baby 2-1 Hair & Body Wash, was a perfect addition to my daughter's bathing regimen. It was very convenient that we could wash her hair and her body, at the same time. It was also nice that it did not have any strong odor to it. After her wash, we put on the Baby Moisturizing Emulsion, and it was such a nice ending touch. It went on smooth, and absorbed really quickly. She was left with soft, supple, and buttery skin. They also carry the Baby Breathe Easy Cream, which helps ease nasal congestion and relaxes the baby to get a good night's sleep. For the mommas out there, they carry a Maternity-Nursing Balm, which helps soothe and protect sore, dry, and cracked nipples. So they pretty much have everything for you and your baby.
For more information, please visit them at: http://www.alevanaturals.com/. Be a conscious mother, for you and your child. Everything that goes on your skin, goes into your body, and in the end, has an overall affect on you and your baby's health. Make sure that the ingredients you read on the label, are something that you know, and not some chemistry question, that you are unsure of.
With my daughter, I use only the best skincare out there because I know the short term and long term affects it has on her. When I say, "best" skincare, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is super expensive, and that I am looking to put gold or caviar on my daughter. The prices are very reasonable and the quality is exceptional, without the use of all the bad stuff! With another baby on the way, I am continually looking for products, that meet the high level of quality, without the high price tag. Which brings me to, Aleva Naturals.
Aleva Naturals, carry a whole line of baby products, that meets my particular needs without the added nasties. All their products are free of alcohol, petrolatum, phthalates, SLS & SLES, perfume, mineral oil, paraben, lanoline, and is hypoallergenic. So they pretty much covers their basis when it comes to most sensitivities and allergies. As well as leaving out, all the unnecessary chemicals, preservatives, and fillers that cause harm to our bodies.
The Bamboo Baby Wipes were so soft and were ever-so gentle on the face. The Baby 2-1 Hair & Body Wash, was a perfect addition to my daughter's bathing regimen. It was very convenient that we could wash her hair and her body, at the same time. It was also nice that it did not have any strong odor to it. After her wash, we put on the Baby Moisturizing Emulsion, and it was such a nice ending touch. It went on smooth, and absorbed really quickly. She was left with soft, supple, and buttery skin. They also carry the Baby Breathe Easy Cream, which helps ease nasal congestion and relaxes the baby to get a good night's sleep. For the mommas out there, they carry a Maternity-Nursing Balm, which helps soothe and protect sore, dry, and cracked nipples. So they pretty much have everything for you and your baby.
For more information, please visit them at: http://www.alevanaturals.com/. Be a conscious mother, for you and your child. Everything that goes on your skin, goes into your body, and in the end, has an overall affect on you and your baby's health. Make sure that the ingredients you read on the label, are something that you know, and not some chemistry question, that you are unsure of.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Say bye-bye to nasty dust mites and say hello to Protect-A-Bed!
How many of us sleep at night, or actually not really sleep at night, and wake up the next morning, feeling like we didn't get a good night's rest. Well, for my husband and I, that has been the topic of our late night pillow conversations before attempting to go to bed. We find ourselves tossing and turning, as well as itching from head to toe. It sounds a little disgusting, and we both shower religiously, but every night, we are itching ourselves all over, reminding us of our chicken-pox days.
Since we were both experiencing these issues, we knew it didn't have to do with our bodies and had something to do with our bed. At first, we assumed it was our bed sheets. We started to wash them, almost every other day, and nothing really changed. So then, we thought it was the detergent that we were using. We only use natural detergents, so we tried using other natural detergents, that were completely in its most natural forms. To our sadness, that didn't work either. We had an inclination that it was probably the nasty little dust mites, coming from our mattress. It was our last and only reason we could come up with.
We then discovered, Protect-A-Bed. They have a whole product line based on allergy relief. Everything from mattress protectors to crib protectors. From their site, I learned that an estimated two million dust mites could thrive in an unprotected mattress. How nasty is that? Did anyone watch that episode with Oprah, going under the microscope, and revealing all the dust mites that are crawling all over our mattresses? Well, that is the visual I immediately got when reading this tidbit.
We tried out the Premium Mattress Protector, which is their standard model. We first followed the washing instructional that was sent along with our protector, which is a must. Then we proceeded to put it over our mattress. We both got ready for bed, and both were crossing our fingers, hoping this would be the answer to our nightly prayers. We actually had a long day, so both of us were ready to pass out, and the protector only helped us because it was super comfortable and soft. Immediately, we both passed out. We woke up the next morning, not once, having to itch our bodies, or being awaken by discomfort. We have used it for over a week, and let me tell you, our moods, our bodies, and our energy levels, have been in tip top shape.
I would recommend this product to everyone, even those that are not having any issues. I would rather sleep in a dust-mite free, allergen-free bed any day, then have to ponder or visualize the thought of little critters walking all over my body. Yuck! There are so many other perks, such as the 10 year warranty, the Miracle Membrane with Total Heat Transference Formula, and protection from stains(accidental spills, perspiration, bodily fluids). For more detailed information about the products from Protect-A-Bed, please visit their site at: http://www.protectabed.com/.
Remember, by protecting your mattress/pillow/crib, you are protecting your family, your health, and your hygiene. Why not sleep with clean comfort? Sleep is something that we all deserve and need. Let's do it the right way!
Since we were both experiencing these issues, we knew it didn't have to do with our bodies and had something to do with our bed. At first, we assumed it was our bed sheets. We started to wash them, almost every other day, and nothing really changed. So then, we thought it was the detergent that we were using. We only use natural detergents, so we tried using other natural detergents, that were completely in its most natural forms. To our sadness, that didn't work either. We had an inclination that it was probably the nasty little dust mites, coming from our mattress. It was our last and only reason we could come up with.
We then discovered, Protect-A-Bed. They have a whole product line based on allergy relief. Everything from mattress protectors to crib protectors. From their site, I learned that an estimated two million dust mites could thrive in an unprotected mattress. How nasty is that? Did anyone watch that episode with Oprah, going under the microscope, and revealing all the dust mites that are crawling all over our mattresses? Well, that is the visual I immediately got when reading this tidbit.We tried out the Premium Mattress Protector, which is their standard model. We first followed the washing instructional that was sent along with our protector, which is a must. Then we proceeded to put it over our mattress. We both got ready for bed, and both were crossing our fingers, hoping this would be the answer to our nightly prayers. We actually had a long day, so both of us were ready to pass out, and the protector only helped us because it was super comfortable and soft. Immediately, we both passed out. We woke up the next morning, not once, having to itch our bodies, or being awaken by discomfort. We have used it for over a week, and let me tell you, our moods, our bodies, and our energy levels, have been in tip top shape.
I would recommend this product to everyone, even those that are not having any issues. I would rather sleep in a dust-mite free, allergen-free bed any day, then have to ponder or visualize the thought of little critters walking all over my body. Yuck! There are so many other perks, such as the 10 year warranty, the Miracle Membrane with Total Heat Transference Formula, and protection from stains(accidental spills, perspiration, bodily fluids). For more detailed information about the products from Protect-A-Bed, please visit their site at: http://www.protectabed.com/.
Remember, by protecting your mattress/pillow/crib, you are protecting your family, your health, and your hygiene. Why not sleep with clean comfort? Sleep is something that we all deserve and need. Let's do it the right way!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A little Time Out for myself.
The last couple days have been quite hectic. My father came into town and on top of it, my mom and my dad our staying with us. I went on a non-stop cleaning spree, which consisted of our living room, 3 closets, and the hallway. I can't believe how much garbage/junk came out of our closets. Now that everything is organized, donated, or thrown away, I feel like I have some breathing room.
Since I have been non-stop at cleaning and I am talking from morning till evening, my back has gone from hurting to now agony. Yesterday, in between cleaning, I literally passed out on my daughter's bed, for about an hour. It was the best hour in a long time, for my body. Last night was a different story. I had my daughter latching onto me, wanting to sleep with me, and so my husband, my daughter, and I shared a bed together. It was probably the most warm and most uncomfortable experience because we were literally sardined in the bed. It didn't help that my husband and my daughter had taken over the bed, and I was left with a space so tiny, not even a little puppy would have been comfortable sleeping in.
So today, I decided to have a little "me" time. I totally deserve it, with all the things I have been doing lately. I dropped my daughter off and then headed to M Cafe. Once of my favorite cafes in town. They serve an entirely macrobiotic menu. I had the wild salmon benedict, an almond croissant, and 2 brownies. I savored every little bite and every little moment. It tasted so good and I feel that I have gotten some sanity back in me.
Now for the rest of the day, not do anything!!!! Well for the most part, until I go and pick up my daughter.
Since I have been non-stop at cleaning and I am talking from morning till evening, my back has gone from hurting to now agony. Yesterday, in between cleaning, I literally passed out on my daughter's bed, for about an hour. It was the best hour in a long time, for my body. Last night was a different story. I had my daughter latching onto me, wanting to sleep with me, and so my husband, my daughter, and I shared a bed together. It was probably the most warm and most uncomfortable experience because we were literally sardined in the bed. It didn't help that my husband and my daughter had taken over the bed, and I was left with a space so tiny, not even a little puppy would have been comfortable sleeping in.
So today, I decided to have a little "me" time. I totally deserve it, with all the things I have been doing lately. I dropped my daughter off and then headed to M Cafe. Once of my favorite cafes in town. They serve an entirely macrobiotic menu. I had the wild salmon benedict, an almond croissant, and 2 brownies. I savored every little bite and every little moment. It tasted so good and I feel that I have gotten some sanity back in me.
Now for the rest of the day, not do anything!!!! Well for the most part, until I go and pick up my daughter.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
First Juice Guest Blogger!
Hi Mommas!
I now can add guest blogger to my blogging resume. Today, I posted my review for First Juice, which is such a great company. Please read my post for more information. Morever, I wrote a guest blog on First Juice's Blog at www.firstjuiceblog.com. Please go and read my guest blog, as well as learn more info on First Juice. Thanks everyone!!!!
I now can add guest blogger to my blogging resume. Today, I posted my review for First Juice, which is such a great company. Please read my post for more information. Morever, I wrote a guest blog on First Juice's Blog at www.firstjuiceblog.com. Please go and read my guest blog, as well as learn more info on First Juice. Thanks everyone!!!!
There are so many FIRSTS, when it comes to our children
I remember the day when my daughter first looked at me, the first time she sat up, the first time she giggled, the first time she said, "mommy",and the first time she started to crawl. Being parents, we get to experience so many firsts, that can be equally exciting and scary. As those firsts, keep coming at us, we try to do what's best for our children. Even early on, we are faced with our own "firsts," breastfeeding versus formula feeding.
As parents, we want to make the right choices for our children. We are living in a world where childhood obesity is on the rise, and more and more foods are coming out packaged, with loads of preservatives. We want to make sure that what is being put into the mouths of our children, is healthy and has nutritional substance.
Eating healthy is very important in my family. I try to feed my daughter organic foods, with lots of fruits and vegetables. I have never been a fan of juices because of the sugar content, and some are just full of empty calories. My daughter likes water and she will drink the smoothies that we make her. But ever since we started her in preschool, she has been requesting juice boxes. All of her classmates, have some sort of juice accompanying their lunches, and my daughter, has her water in her SIGG water bottle. Of course, as a parent, I don't want my daughter to be limited in her options, and want to offer her other choices. However, I want her options to have nutritional value.
After my daughter told me that she wanted a juicebox in her lunch bag, I went looking for options that would be good for her, and made for children. There are so many juices out there on the market, that are very good for you, but has exceeding amounts of vitamins, for a child's daily allowance. So I wanted a drink that was made for children. I then came across, First Juice, so appropriately named. The thing I love most, is that it has a blend of fruits and vegetables. So my daughter is able to get her vegetable servings, in with her fruit servings. One thing, I am noticing as my daughter gets older, is that she is trying to leave her veggies off her plate. I love that the vegetables are being incorporated into the juices, and my daughter doesn't really notice a difference. Plus, it is organic, lower in sugar, and even comes in a spill-proof sippy-top container.
I love that the juices come in my daughter's favorite flavors. The four flavors are: apple+carrot, banana+carrot, blueberry+purple carrot, peach+purple carrot. I was able to get all four, to try it out on my daughter. I packed the juices with her lunch, all week long, and my daughter finished each and everyone one of them. She asked me, if she could have more. I asked, what her favorite flavors were, and of course, she loved the blueberry+purple carrot juice. She loves anything blueberry, so I wasn't surprised by her answer. Just to make things a little interesting, the day after we finished her four juices, I packed a regular apple juice with her lunch. On our way home, back from school, my daughter said, "I don't want the yucky apple juice, I want the blueberry juice with the bicycle boy." She was referring to the the little boy on the bicycle, on the First Juice label. I immediately knew that it had passed my daughter's taste test.
Another thing I love about First Juice, is that they are green and safe. All First Juice® brand bottles are made of Bisphenol-A (BPA) free and phthalate-free plastic. Moreover, the bottles are recycle code #1, which is the most widely recycled plastic in the U.S. And the sippy cap bottles are re-usable. Just refill them with the 32oz refill bottles or water. Not only are you teaching your children on good eating/drinking habits, you are educating them on being green. What a great way to start shaping your child's future!
For more detailed information, as well as purchasing locations, please visit: http://www.firstjuice.com/.
As parents, we want to make the right choices for our children. We are living in a world where childhood obesity is on the rise, and more and more foods are coming out packaged, with loads of preservatives. We want to make sure that what is being put into the mouths of our children, is healthy and has nutritional substance.
Eating healthy is very important in my family. I try to feed my daughter organic foods, with lots of fruits and vegetables. I have never been a fan of juices because of the sugar content, and some are just full of empty calories. My daughter likes water and she will drink the smoothies that we make her. But ever since we started her in preschool, she has been requesting juice boxes. All of her classmates, have some sort of juice accompanying their lunches, and my daughter, has her water in her SIGG water bottle. Of course, as a parent, I don't want my daughter to be limited in her options, and want to offer her other choices. However, I want her options to have nutritional value.
After my daughter told me that she wanted a juicebox in her lunch bag, I went looking for options that would be good for her, and made for children. There are so many juices out there on the market, that are very good for you, but has exceeding amounts of vitamins, for a child's daily allowance. So I wanted a drink that was made for children. I then came across, First Juice, so appropriately named. The thing I love most, is that it has a blend of fruits and vegetables. So my daughter is able to get her vegetable servings, in with her fruit servings. One thing, I am noticing as my daughter gets older, is that she is trying to leave her veggies off her plate. I love that the vegetables are being incorporated into the juices, and my daughter doesn't really notice a difference. Plus, it is organic, lower in sugar, and even comes in a spill-proof sippy-top container.I love that the juices come in my daughter's favorite flavors. The four flavors are: apple+carrot, banana+carrot, blueberry+purple carrot, peach+purple carrot. I was able to get all four, to try it out on my daughter. I packed the juices with her lunch, all week long, and my daughter finished each and everyone one of them. She asked me, if she could have more. I asked, what her favorite flavors were, and of course, she loved the blueberry+purple carrot juice. She loves anything blueberry, so I wasn't surprised by her answer. Just to make things a little interesting, the day after we finished her four juices, I packed a regular apple juice with her lunch. On our way home, back from school, my daughter said, "I don't want the yucky apple juice, I want the blueberry juice with the bicycle boy." She was referring to the the little boy on the bicycle, on the First Juice label. I immediately knew that it had passed my daughter's taste test.
Another thing I love about First Juice, is that they are green and safe. All First Juice® brand bottles are made of Bisphenol-A (BPA) free and phthalate-free plastic. Moreover, the bottles are recycle code #1, which is the most widely recycled plastic in the U.S. And the sippy cap bottles are re-usable. Just refill them with the 32oz refill bottles or water. Not only are you teaching your children on good eating/drinking habits, you are educating them on being green. What a great way to start shaping your child's future!
For more detailed information, as well as purchasing locations, please visit: http://www.firstjuice.com/.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Irritated! Frustrated! Tired!
One thing I am not irritated about is my great midwife appointment today. She checked me, measured me, and heard my baby's heartbeat. The baby is very healthy and the heart is very strong. She measured me at 32 cm, which is good because the last visit I was at 30cm. So my midwife appointment went very well and I am 2 days from being 34 weeks pregnant.
Now let's move on to the irritated part of me, which is a huge part of me right now. For the last 3 days, I have been cleaning almost non-stop, except for the occasional pee breaks, to eat something, or to drink some water. Some may say that I am nesting, which could be true, but I really feel the need to clean our living space in tip top shape because we have a little one coming in a few weeks.
Right now, we have a lot of things in our closets, that are mostly my mother's things. She had these things in storage at one point, but eventually moved it into our closets because we had a lot of huge closets. The bad part about that was she took over, all our closets, meaning no storage for us. So for the last 3 days, I have been going through her things, and sorting it out in boxes and labeling everything. I need to make room and space for our little one and for ourselves.
I am primarily irritated because no one is helping me. My husband has one day off in the week, so he does not want to clean, on his day off. For the most part, I can understand, but if you see your pregnant wife laboring throughout the day, wouldn't you feel bad? My mom calls me and tells me about her dance classes, what restaurants she went too, and what trips she is going to take. Was there a moment where she stopped to ask, how I was doing? Especially, when I am going through her junk, and extremely frustrated over all the "stuff" she has, that she won't get rid of because she lives the label, "pack rat."
So I guess that is the summary of how I feel. I feel overworked, and under-appreciated. My dad is coming into town today from taking care of my grandmother. So my mom came by my place, before she went to pick him up from the airport. The second she set foot into my place, I lost it. I pretty much let all the "lion" in me come out. Of course, my mom defended herself, and offered to help. But, for one second it felt so good to let everything out. I felt bad afterwards, but for that one moment, it felt so empowering and free, just to let everything go.
Now let's move on to the irritated part of me, which is a huge part of me right now. For the last 3 days, I have been cleaning almost non-stop, except for the occasional pee breaks, to eat something, or to drink some water. Some may say that I am nesting, which could be true, but I really feel the need to clean our living space in tip top shape because we have a little one coming in a few weeks.
Right now, we have a lot of things in our closets, that are mostly my mother's things. She had these things in storage at one point, but eventually moved it into our closets because we had a lot of huge closets. The bad part about that was she took over, all our closets, meaning no storage for us. So for the last 3 days, I have been going through her things, and sorting it out in boxes and labeling everything. I need to make room and space for our little one and for ourselves.
I am primarily irritated because no one is helping me. My husband has one day off in the week, so he does not want to clean, on his day off. For the most part, I can understand, but if you see your pregnant wife laboring throughout the day, wouldn't you feel bad? My mom calls me and tells me about her dance classes, what restaurants she went too, and what trips she is going to take. Was there a moment where she stopped to ask, how I was doing? Especially, when I am going through her junk, and extremely frustrated over all the "stuff" she has, that she won't get rid of because she lives the label, "pack rat."
So I guess that is the summary of how I feel. I feel overworked, and under-appreciated. My dad is coming into town today from taking care of my grandmother. So my mom came by my place, before she went to pick him up from the airport. The second she set foot into my place, I lost it. I pretty much let all the "lion" in me come out. Of course, my mom defended herself, and offered to help. But, for one second it felt so good to let everything out. I felt bad afterwards, but for that one moment, it felt so empowering and free, just to let everything go.
Monday, June 8, 2009
A Boppy does a body good!
Being pregnant, many nights I sleep very uncomfortably. No position seems to really work, and the morning after, I have an ache in my back, neck, and hips. Also, I am dealing with a full fledged sciatica that came out, immediately after I got pregnant. So as you can imagine, my body does not feel right and very uncomfortable. The only time I have to truely relax, is when I am sleeping. Even then, my body is constantly adjusting and re-adjusting positions, as the night progresses. I was pretty much fed up with my situation, and had to find an immediate solution. I had heard of body pillows for pregnant mothers from various sources, and how it helped them. So I wanted to see my options and choices.
I researched a fair amount of companies, with pillows ranging from $40-$160. Since these pillows, did not come cheap for the most part, I wanted to make sure I would go with a trusted company. I then came upon Boppy. I was first introduced to Boppy when I was pregnant with my daughter, 3 years ago. I received the Boppy pillow at my baby shower, and used it for breastfeeding purposes. I remember, it did miracles for my back and made feeding so much easier. There was a clear difference in comfortability when using the Boppy pillow. With this in mind, I looked online, and found that they had a mom line. In their mom line, they carried the Boppy Total Body Pillow. I was super excited about this find and couldn't wait to start using it. I was so desperate to relieve the pain I was dealing with when sleeping.
I finally received the Boppy Total Body pillow, and I can only say, it does my body good. For the first time, during my pregnancy, I was able to lay on my side, and the pillow enveloped my every curvature. It truely was made to go with the form of a pregnant body. The pillow had good support all around, and was super comfortable. Of course, I had to adjust my body a couple times during the night, but it was manageable, and did not mess with my sleeping rhythm. When I woke up, I did not have the aches I usually get, that run from the top of my neck to the bottom of my tailbone. I was able to wake up and immediately stand up without any issues.
Today, I put this pillow on my list of things to take to the hospital when I go into delivery. I will probably use this pillow way after I deliver, and even when I breastfeed. I am very happy that I'm finally physically comfortable. I would recommend this to any pregnant and non-pregnant person, who desires comfort at night. The pillow is easy to use and easy to wash (the slip-cover comes right on off).
Please visit Boppy at: http://www.shopboppy.com/. A simple solution to your sleeping problems. You deserve comfort when you are sleeping for two!
I researched a fair amount of companies, with pillows ranging from $40-$160. Since these pillows, did not come cheap for the most part, I wanted to make sure I would go with a trusted company. I then came upon Boppy. I was first introduced to Boppy when I was pregnant with my daughter, 3 years ago. I received the Boppy pillow at my baby shower, and used it for breastfeeding purposes. I remember, it did miracles for my back and made feeding so much easier. There was a clear difference in comfortability when using the Boppy pillow. With this in mind, I looked online, and found that they had a mom line. In their mom line, they carried the Boppy Total Body Pillow. I was super excited about this find and couldn't wait to start using it. I was so desperate to relieve the pain I was dealing with when sleeping.
I finally received the Boppy Total Body pillow, and I can only say, it does my body good. For the first time, during my pregnancy, I was able to lay on my side, and the pillow enveloped my every curvature. It truely was made to go with the form of a pregnant body. The pillow had good support all around, and was super comfortable. Of course, I had to adjust my body a couple times during the night, but it was manageable, and did not mess with my sleeping rhythm. When I woke up, I did not have the aches I usually get, that run from the top of my neck to the bottom of my tailbone. I was able to wake up and immediately stand up without any issues.Today, I put this pillow on my list of things to take to the hospital when I go into delivery. I will probably use this pillow way after I deliver, and even when I breastfeed. I am very happy that I'm finally physically comfortable. I would recommend this to any pregnant and non-pregnant person, who desires comfort at night. The pillow is easy to use and easy to wash (the slip-cover comes right on off).
Please visit Boppy at: http://www.shopboppy.com/. A simple solution to your sleeping problems. You deserve comfort when you are sleeping for two!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Our neighbors in Canada, know how to do a diaper right!
What am I talking about? Apple Cheeks reusable diapers. These are not the old cloth diapers that my parents grew up on. Nor are they the hideous looking plastic pants, that look super soaked and super heavy. Apple Cheeks is a functional reusable diaper that has great form, super cute style, and effective leak control. For me, all of these matter, when choosing what sort of diapering system, I want to go with.I know a lot of parents are scared to take a leap into reusable diapering. I use to share those fears. Those fears were based upon cloth diapers I would see in old movies. Mainly, a cloth held up by pins. When I started doing my research on reusable diapers and started to use some, in the latter part of my daughter's diapering days, I regretted that I didn't start earlier. First and foremost, technology and modern times, have done reusable diapering good. Companies, like Apple Cheeks, are reinventing resusable diapers, to fit current times. They have super absorbancy, which I think is a big concern to all parents, when it comes to reusable versus mainstream diapers. Moreover, they have a snug fit, which secures the diaper from moving around, and contains anything from coming out from it. The inner layer, has a super soft microfleece, which makes you want to rub it against your face. It's very easy to put on, by adjusting the straps to fit your child's waist and legs.
Apple Cheeks also offers a variety of inserts for your diaper, depending on your diapering needs. They have everything from Bamboo, Hemp, to a Stay Dry Liner. All offering a range of absorbency from your lightest wetter, to your heaviest wetter. The diaper also comes in two sizes. Size 1 fits 7-20lbs and Size 2 fits 18-40lbs. The diaper also comes in 10 different color choices, all being very cute.
My daughter is completely potty trained, but occasionally, we get an accident at night, depending on the amount of liquids she consumed the night of. This particular night, I let her get away with drinking as much as she wanted. I put the size 2 diaper on her, after she had passed out. The next morning I woke up, and immediately went to the diaper. I checked and she did have a little accident, but not something that was very heavy. What I noticed was that the inserts underneath, soaked it all up, and it was pretty dry for the most part. My daughter does not like anything wet on her, so it was interesting to see that she slept through it, which says a lot about the absorbancy of the diaper. After we took it off, washing it was easy as 1-2-3.
My friend who has a baby, tried the size 1. She loved the diaper because it was so easy to use and had great absorbency. She also loved that her kid was looking cute, crawling around the house, while the diaper had full functionality.
There are other great benefits of using reusable diapers. For one, you will be saving lots and lots of money. My husband and I use to joke about the amount of money we would spend on diapers. We literally could be driving the car of our dreams, with the money that was being depleted from our bank account every month, from purchasing diapers. Especially with this depressing economy, we should definitely make changes that has a whole effect on our lifestyle. Plus, you are not contributing to our landfills, reducing your carbon footprint, and you are saving our trees.
Choosing a resusable diaper has so many more benefits than regular commercial diapers. Apple Cheeks, definitely has a great diaper that offers functionality, durability, sustainability, and last but not least, STYLE! For more information please go to Apple Cheeks Website: http://www.applecheeks.com/. I urge my Canadian readers, to support your Canadian economy, by supporting your Canadian companies.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
What's on my mind?
Cravings: Cupcakes, cakes, brownies, cookies from C'est la V Bakeshop. French/Italian bread dipped in Mia Francesca's oil. Vegan pizza from Cruzer's Pizza. "Save the chicken" wings from Native Foods.
Things to prepare for my baby: A new car seat, and start gradually packing my hospital bag.
Physical State: Oh my back hurts! The baby is also kicking me, high up in the ribcage.
Mental State: Sanity sounds nice.
Emotional State: Up and down. One minute, I am super-excited and high on life. The next minute, I am a wreck that is standing at the end of the world.
Reality: Sweep the floors, wash the dishes, make lunch, drive my daughter to and from school, laundry, and go shopping for tonight's dinner (Did I say that my back hurts?!).
Okay, time for me to get off the tushie and start taking care of business! We are definitely in the business of being mommies.
Things to prepare for my baby: A new car seat, and start gradually packing my hospital bag.
Physical State: Oh my back hurts! The baby is also kicking me, high up in the ribcage.
Mental State: Sanity sounds nice.
Emotional State: Up and down. One minute, I am super-excited and high on life. The next minute, I am a wreck that is standing at the end of the world.
Reality: Sweep the floors, wash the dishes, make lunch, drive my daughter to and from school, laundry, and go shopping for tonight's dinner (Did I say that my back hurts?!).
Okay, time for me to get off the tushie and start taking care of business! We are definitely in the business of being mommies.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Add a little pizazz to your morning ritual?
I'm always trying to think of ways to make brushing teeth a more enjoyable experience for my daughter. On most days, it's a mundane experience, almost like a chore, and my daughter stands there completely bored. I was thinking about creative ways to make her brushing experience a more pleasurable one and I came across the Flipper.What a clever little idea. It's a toothbrush holder, but it's not, any toothbrush holder. The flipper comes in all sorts of adorable designs and characters. Not only that, it has a snap-open mechanism, which makes retrieving your toothbrush easy, and it automatically closes. These are pretty amazing, I must say.
I was first interested in the flipper because of the cute designs and characters. Immediately, I knew it would be an attention grabber. But as I found out more information, it became an amazing gadget. Not only did they have such amazing opening and closing qualities, you could also hang them on smooth surfaces. So it frees up space in your bathroom. They protect your toothbrush from dirt, dust, and other nasty little things that can get into your toothbrush. Also, they isolate your brush from other brushes, eliminating the possibility of spreading bacteria, from brush to brush. You could easily convert these into a travel case. So you are getting a multifunctional toothbrush holder that adds whimsy to your brushing experience.
My daughter got a giraffe flipper from the animal world line and I got the Ozy flipper. My daughter immediately grabbed hers and tried it out. She was amazed by the opening and closing mechanism of the flipper. My Ozy flipper was very sophisticated looking, and it resembled a piece of egg art, that you would see in Russia. We were both pretty excited to brush our teeth and place the brush into the holder. The holder was easy to use, very cute, and super functional. Say goodbye to bacteria, and say hello to clean teeth!
They have toothbrush holders, as well as razor holders. For more information, please visit them at:www.myflipperusa.com. Price:$6.99
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
PTPA Spring Winners and KINeSYS Giveaway
Just wanted to let you know PTPA Media recently announced their Spring winners. I love referring back to the PTPA Media site for product information, as well as what innovative products are on the market. Most recently, I became a part of the PTPA Panel of Moms, and I am very excited to be a part of it. All the products that are on the site have been evaluated by parents like you and me, and we give our very honest opinions. If you like evaluating products, I would suggest you join the PTPA Media by signing up to be an evaluator.
Please check out the list of Spring winners: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs089/1101896048079/archive/1102587108909.html
One of PTPA’s latest winners, KINeSYS, has generously offered to give one lucky reader a terrific sunscreen award winning prize pack!
KINeSYS offers a line of sunscreen sprays and creams that are designed with your active family in mind. Included in this prize pack is a large bottle of their NEW SPF 30 Girl's Sunscreen Spray . This performance sun block is even better with the addition of Vitamin E and a new Vanilla fragrance in a cute pink bottle! Also included is a travel bottle of the SPF Girl and their award winning KINeSYS for kids. All of their sunscreens are gentle non-irritating sprays that go on easily and dry fast for little athletes on the go. They are alcohol free and continue to use the highest quality recyclable materials for their packaging and non-aerosol pumps for their sprayers. Their products are never animal tested.
Please check out the list of Spring winners: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs089/1101896048079/archive/1102587108909.html
I took a look at the list of products that won and there are some really cool innovative products out there that I think would be worth taking a look at.
One of PTPA’s latest winners, KINeSYS, has generously offered to give one lucky reader a terrific sunscreen award winning prize pack!
KINeSYS offers a line of sunscreen sprays and creams that are designed with your active family in mind. Included in this prize pack is a large bottle of their NEW SPF 30 Girl's Sunscreen Spray . This performance sun block is even better with the addition of Vitamin E and a new Vanilla fragrance in a cute pink bottle! Also included is a travel bottle of the SPF Girl and their award winning KINeSYS for kids. All of their sunscreens are gentle non-irritating sprays that go on easily and dry fast for little athletes on the go. They are alcohol free and continue to use the highest quality recyclable materials for their packaging and non-aerosol pumps for their sprayers. Their products are never animal tested.In order to participate and enter into the giveaway, please leave a comment, telling us what you look for in a sunscreen. The giveaway is open to US and Canada addresses only.
For Extra Entries:
- Follow my Blog (2 extra entries)
- Suscribe to my Blog (2 extra entries)
- Blog about this giveaway, and link back (3 extra entries)
- Follow me on Twitter, and Twitter about this giveaway (unlimited entries) Please link back to me.
- Add me to your Technorati favorites (3 extra entries)
Giveaway ends June 14th, 2009 at 11:59pm PST. Please make sure you leave a valid email address so that we can notify the winner. We will notify the winner, and the winner has 48 hours to respond. If the winner fails to respond within that time period, we will choose a new winner.
Thanks and Good Luck to all my readers!
Monday, June 1, 2009
See Kai Run Review and Giveaway!
Never sacrific style for comfort, and comfort for style. So what does that mean? Why not have both. I am a firm believer, in this day and age, with such great innovative designers, we can truely have our cake and eat it too. My daughter likes all of her clothes, shoes, hats, accessories to be uber stylish, and at the same time comfortable. She will literally take off her clothes or shoes in public places, if their either A) ugly or B) uncomfortable. When ever we go shopping, the items that we purchase has to possess those two factors, comfort and style. I definitely have a fashionista in the making!Countless times, when we go shoe shopping, we've come home disappointed. If we see a really nice looking shoe, it's too narrow on my daughter's feet, or the bottom is like a wooden board. On one particular shoe shopping outing, after going through numerous stylish, uncomfortable shoes, the salesman brought over the newest, most comfortable shoes on the market. The second my daughter took a glimpse of it, she shook her head no, and turned her head. In seeing the salesman's efforts, I tried convincing her to give it a try. Of course, I was in agreement with my daughter. It looked like a boring shoe that was a miniature version of what nurses would wear, at a nursing home. She tried the shoe on and it was super comfortable, but she and I still could not get past the ugliness of it.
So my daughter and I went online, to take a look at some shoes. Sometimes the internet is the best way to go because you can take a look at hundreds of shoes, without ever leaving the comfort of your home. We came across, See Kai Run. Immediately, both our faces lit up. The designs were very modern and girly chic for the girl's line. They do have a nice selection of boys shoes, as well. My daughter pretty much wanted every shoe that was up on the site. When she took a second to leave the room, as a parent, I read more about the company. And to my excitement, these shoes were comfortable as well.
The shoes have very flexible soles, which are a definite must for developing feet. They have a wide opening and the toe box accomodates larger, chubbier feet. The shoes are made of leather lining which makes for breathability and durability, and they are easy to put on and off, with a velcro closure. The See Kai Run line meets the American Podiatric Medical Association's rigorous standards for foot health and functionality, and has been awarded the APMA's Seal of Acceptance.
The shoes are super flexible, and very comfortable. But what sets them apart from their competition, is that they are hip, modern, and chic. They combine both fashion forward designs with functionality and durability. My daughter got her first pair the other day, and she was smiling from cheek to cheek. She wore the Jennae style which had a rasberry peep toe, cream piping around the edges, and a cute flower at the end of the strap. My daughter was in shoe heaven. She ran around the house in them with no discomfort. She jumped, danced, and spun, without any issues. She kept saying to me, "Mommy, I am wearing princess shoes." She associates princess with anything royal, chic, and pretty. We finally got a shoe, that was both girly chic and comfortable. They have a smaller line that runs from 0-18 months, and their See Kai Run line, which runs from 6 months to 3 years. For more information, please visit them at: http://www.seekairun.com/ and take a look at their wonderful line of shoes. You can also join their email list, to find out about sales and special offers.
SEE KAI RUN GIVEAWAY
One of my lucky readers will win a wonderful pair of shoes from See Kai Run. The winner will have a choice for a pair of shoes from the See Kai Run line, or their Smaller line. In order to participate and enter into the giveaway, please leave a comment, telling us what shoe you would like to win and one thing you like about the See Kai Run line. The giveaway is open to US and Canada addresses only. For Extra Entries:
- Follow my Blog (2 extra entries)
- Suscribe to my Blog (2 extra entries)
- Blog about this giveaway, and link back (3 extra entries)
- Follow me on Twitter, and Twitter about this giveaway (unlimited entries). Please link back to me.
- Add me to your Technorati favorites (3 extra entries)
- Join See Kai Run mailing list (2 extra entries)
Giveaway ends on June 14th, 2009 at 11:59 pm PST. Please make sure you leave a valid email address so that we can notify the winner. We will notify the winner, and the winner has 48 hours to respond. If the winner fails to respond within that time period, we will choose a new winner.
Thanks and Good Luck to all my readers!
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