Moment of Reflection

I try to stay off the computer and just focus on Hannah and my life during the weekend, but I had a moment this morning where I looked at Hannah and realized just how much of a BIG girl she was turning into.

So I snapped a few pictures and I wanted to share them with you.

Although this toddler stage is full of temper tantrums, troubleshooting and testing of patience - I'm really loving the little girl she's growing into. 

She's fearless and headstrong -

and I think that every successful woman needs a little of both to really make it in this world.

Halloween Books

We're working on a new nap time routine with Hannah and it seems to be working really well. 

It's a really genius plan:
When she's tired, we lay down and read a story.
the end.

It only took us 13 months to figure it out.

Obviously we're newbs.



The short children's books with 10 worlds or less per page won't work - it has to have some heft to it and fall somewhere between picture book and novel.

But when you find the sweet spot of book lengths you get a room full of snores - Which is music to any nap time vloggin' mommy's ears.

Now that we've established a routine, the sweet spot books are getting a LOT of use and it's time to add a few new ones to the mix.  Enter one of my favorite childhood books:

This amazing children's book was written by my preschool teacher, and was published and released while I was in her class.  We all received signed copies and The Little Old Lady came and visited our classroom for a special reading.  I admit that this personal connection might make me a little biased, but I think this book is awesome.

I'm getting a copy for Hannah (she's in a book ripping phase so I'm not letting her near my pristine edition) and can't wait to read it to her and enjoy one of those Life Coming Full Circle moments.

Get your copy here:

Cloth Diaper Haul

I attended the Cotton Babies store 1 year anniversary on Saturday and bought a few items to support them.  I love having a local store where I can TOUCH the product and COMPARE the diapers.  I'm very lucky to have a Cotton Babies store near me and I hope they branch out to your neck of the woods soon.

My one disappointment of the day is that apparently Cotton Babies owner Jennifer Labit was at the store that day and I missed her.  So bummed.  I think she's an amazing businesswoman and I'm amazed at the role she's had in reinventing the cloth diaper industry. 

Kicky Pants

Company Website - Fall/Winter 2011 Collection

Grovia Cloth Diaper

My Product Overview Blog Entry - GroVia Website

BumGenius OneSize Snap

Jennifer Labit's Facebook - BumGenius Website

Kissaluvs Contour Cloth Diaper

ClothDiaperChannel Kissaluvs OneSize Fitted Review

Kissaluvs Contour - Kissaluvs Website

Excuse Me While I Jump and Scream

My blog was featured as one of DailyBuzzMom's Top 9 yesterday!

http://moms.dailybuzz.com/

The topic was Looking Fall Fabulous and they selected my I can be fashionable entry. I'm amazed and flattered. A big THANK YOU to DailyBuzzMoms for supporting my efforts to get out of the mom jeans and back into fashion.

Healing BooBoos - Creating Your Toddler First Aid Kit

I think every parent will remember the moment that their baby is no longer in pristine condition and earns its first scar. Hannah had a few bumps and bruises, but the first real battle scar came from a head dive into the corner of a wall when she lost control through the turn and skidded head first into the wall.

My mom called to tell me what happened, Chris emailed me at work to let me know what to expect, but when I walked up the front stairs at the end of my day and saw Hannah with an inch long gash, and a knot the size of an egg on her forehead, I admit that I completely lost it.

Vain, yes. Over-reacting, yes. Valid, to me – yes.

I quickly realized that my first aid kit, while stocked with gripe water and unopened teething remedies, was woofully unprepared for toddler booboos, and thus I went shopping.

The TOP 10 things to include

in your Toddler First Aid kit:

News Clips from the World of Pregnancy, Infertility & Motherhood - vol 1

Amazing Science News

Prenatal blood test for Down syndrome available
By Shari Roan
Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog
October 19, 2011

"A prenatal blood test that can detect Down syndrome in a fetus in early pregnancy is now available to doctors in 20 U.S. cities, says the developer of the test, Sequenom Inc."

Breastmilk to provide stem cells
The University of Western Australia   
October 18, 2011

“Human breastmilk has the potential to help people suffering from diseases including Parkinson's disease and diabetes, according to a researcher at The University of Western Australia.  Dr Hassiotou, a member of the UWA Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group, has discovered that human breastmilk contains stem cells which are able to turn into not only breast cells, but also cells of the bone, cartilage, fat, brain, liver and pancreas, depending on the medium in which they are grown.”

How awesome is that?!

Official Announcements

New SIDS Guidelines Say Breastfeeding Lowers Risk
By Rita Rubin
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
October 18, 2011

Sleeping in the Same Room but Not in the Same Bed Also Recommended

Fuzzy Math Award

Katrina's Aftermath: Failed Pregnancies for IVF Moms Nationwide
By Maureen Salamon
HealthDay Reporter
October 18, 2011

Researchers tracked outcomes for nearly 105,000 single-baby pregnancies among women who had undergone assisted reproductive technology (typically in vitro fertilization) across the country before and after the storm hit in August 2005.
The team found that pregnancies begun in the 18 months before the calamity were 87 percent less likely to end in a first-trimester miscarriage, compared to ART-assisted pregnancies initiated after the storm.
Stress may be the key here, experts said.

Award for the worst headline goes to:

Disclaimer - I think this article is lame, but I posted it because I thought it was laughable that someone pointed out a GOOD thing about PCOS.

Bright side to PCOS paradox
SUSANNAH SINGH

"Swedish researchers have found women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to suffer pregnancy complications, regardless of whether they have used fertility treatments."

Where’s the bright side you might be wondering? 

“PCOS might have been a good thing to have in times of food scarcity because it allowed the window of fertility to be extended and it allowed women to survive and reproduce in low fuel environments.” 

Riiight.  PCOS is awesome because we could still produce eggs at an older age compared to our counterparts that ovulate regularly? 

Changing Diapers - A New Fluffy Book

Most of us in the cloth diaper world have heard of Kelly Wels - she's the founder of DiaperShops.com, KellysCloset.com - two very popular online cloth diaper stores.  She also founded The Cloth Diaper Whisperer which is a popular blog and facebook page.  In November 2010 she founded KellyWels.com and according to her website:

"Her mission is to share her love for cloth diapers and advocate for diapering change. She says she believes that through education and knowledge, parents can be empowered to make more positive diapering choices. Kelly also is a green living promoter and social media marketer."

As you can see, Kelly Wels has a very impressive resume and
a deep knowledge base for all things cloth diaper -

Which is why she was the perfect women to literally
Write The Book on Cloth Diapers.

It was officially launched during a Twitter Party last night and is now flying off the shelves.

About the Book:
It is 215 pages of well thought out content and beautiful full page color photographs.  It features company summaries for the top Cloth Diaper brands and explains the difference between all the styles and materials you'll find in the cloth diaper world.

Table of Contents:

1. Why Choose Cloth Diapers?

2. Snappis, Doublers, AIOs, and Pockets: Understanding Basic Cloth Diaper Talk
- Cloth Diapering 101
- What you need to know about cloth diaper fabrics

3. Brands, Debates, and Dates:  Getting Started with Cloth
- Diaper like a pro
- Choosing the right brand for you and your baby
- Velcro or snaps? The debate sticks around

4. From Newborn to Toddler: Diapers for the Ages and Stages
- Newborns to Three Months
- Four Months to One Year
- One Year and Up

5. The Back to Work and Daycare Diapering Dilemma
- Traveling with cloth diapers
- Using Cloth Diapers in the Hospital

6. And Baby Makes Two (or More): Cloth Diapers Multiples and Other Special Little Ones
- How many diapers should a mom of twins buy?
- What brands are best for multiples?
- Special needs babies are fine with cloth

7. Conquering Leaks, Rashes, and the Nighttime Wet Mess
- Cloth diapers don't leak do they?
- Break out this rash of information
- Conquer the nighttime wet mess

8. Daddies and Diapers

9. Airing Dirty Laundry: How to Wash You Cloth Diapers
- How to handle wet and soiled diapers
- Doing Laundry
- Removing Odors

10. Extra Stuff You'll Need
- Wet Totes and Wet Bags
- Wipes
- Swim Diapers

11. Gotcha Covered

Also included is:
- a list of cloth diaper resources
- deciphering Brands (like I mentioned above)
- Notes
- About the Author
- Extras including lots of lists
- My Fluffy Thoughts - a place for you to write notes
- Index
- Fashion index - see a diaper you love in one of the beautiful pictures, find the brand and fabric name here.

It retails for $17.95, and below is the link to buy is straight from the source herself!

A portion of the proceeds of the book will be donated to the Real Diaper Association to help advocate for cloth diapers.

The Best Carrot Cake You'll Ever Eat

Yes, it's really that good.

I found this recipe WAY back in 2002.  Chris and I had just started dating and it was his birthday.  his request - Carrot Cake.

I've never been a huge carrot cake fan - too dry - and I'd certainly never baked one myself, so I turned to Allrecipes and hunted to a well reviewed recipe.  I can across this one and after I got over my shock that baby food was one of the ingredients, I trusted the other reviewers and tried it. 

Amazeballs.

Moist, delish and very well received by the resident Carrot Cake expert.  He liked it so much that I've been baking it every since.  This October marked the 10th year I've made this cake, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Gymboree Fall Sale - $3.99 and $6.99

I was in the mall yesterday and popped into Gymboree real quick to check out the clothes.  I've never experienced their fall sale before (Hannah was just a babe last year), and I haven't paid attention to whether or not there was a winter/spring/summer sale, so those of you that are Gymboree aficionados will have to let me know how this works.  I started perusing the sale bins and couldn't stop myself once I uncovered the cutest stash of summer shirts in 2T.  These prices were lower than consignment prices and in MUCH better condition. (obviously...)

Hannah will only be 20 months old when summer starts, but she's so tall, I'm sure 2T will fit just fine.

I got the following items for less than $31:

From Summer 2011 Cape Cod Cutie Line

$3.99 - Top

$3.99 - Top

$3.99 - Shorts

$6.99 - Dress

$3.99 - Shorts

From Summer 2011 - Batik Summer

$3.99 - Shirt

White crisp cotton with gold accents

From Summer 2011 - Fourth of July

$3.99 - Shirt

Normal Gymboree prices are around $25 for shorts or a summer shirt, and $37 for a dress.  

That means this haul would have cost $187 full price, and I spent $31. 

This scenario is also known as: I save 83.43% off retail price and the only downside is that my 2 year old will be 1 year behind the 'trends'.  

WINNER! 

You can check out the sale online at the link below, but your local store will probably have a bigger selection of lower priced items.  Mine did!
http://www.gymboree.com/shop/dept_category.jsp?productSizeSelected=0&pageClicked=0&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374304777285&bmUID=1318625469465

GroVia All In One Cloth Diapers

I'm lucky enough to work near one of the two Cottonbabies stores and love to go in and look at the new designs and patterns.  

Today I stumbled across the GroVia all in one cloth diaper.  

I was familiar with GroVia's hybrid system:

 

Hybrid in Snap - OR - Hybrid in Hook & Loop

but I had no idea that they had released this new all in one style:

One Size

Newborn

Since Hannah is WAY out of the newborn size, lets talk about the one size option:  

• It features soft organic cotton, and the side tabs are super stretchy for a comfortable fit.  

• The first difference you notice is the adjustable side snap feature as compared to the more mainstream snap placement that we see in the Newborn option:  

Side Snapped One Size - VS - Front Snapped Newborn

• Even though the side snap design means that the diaper tabs are touching the baby, they are lined with soft cotton and there is no PUL or snaps touching your baby.

• The one size adjustment comes from a snap down rise that we're familiar with.

• The soaker is sewn in  (NO STUFFING!!) and is extra long so that you can adjust for extra absorbency where you need it.  There is a snap in booster (doubler) that snaps on the underside of the soaker so, again, no snaps are touching your baby. 

I love the idea of a long soaker that is sewn or snapped in on one side.  I've noticed a few brands embracing this idea (similar brands: SoftBums or BumGenius' new FreeTime).  We must have finally complained enough about how annoying stuffing your diapers can be.

If you dislike the look of multiple snaps on your baby's cloth diapers, a side snap design like GroVia's All in One cloth might be a more visually pleasing option for you.

It currently comes in nine great colors/patterns:

 

Cosmos - Ice

 

Mod Flower - Nature

 

Owls - Planes

Surf - Vanilla

and Cloud

For more information, please check out GroVia's website:  

https://www.gro-via.com/

To find a retailer near you or online: 

USA: https://www.gro-via.com/usa-retailers.html

Canada: http://www.grovia.ca/where-to-buy

Product images from www.gro-via.com/

California Fights for Breastfeeding Support in Hospitals

Have you heard about California SB502? 
I hadn't either until yesterday, but it was signed by California Governor Brown on October 6th, 2011. 

You Thought You Were SO Fancy With Your BOB Stroller....

I understand, I'd feel fancy too if I was pushing a $280-$600 piece of all terrain baby movin' metal.  But I'm not, and so this recall doesn't affect me, but it might affect you.

Yesterday (October 11th) The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled ~411,700 BOB single and double strollers due to choking hazards.

There have been 6 reports of children ripping off the backing of the embroidered logo on the canopy hood and nearly choking. 

 

http://www.bobnotices.com/

So BOB has made a fancy website with step by step directions of how to removed the paper backing.  Yeah, it's a fairly lame recall.  But you should still participate if your stroller is affected.

Mama Needs a New Coat

It's getting cold outside and my ghetto $20 Old Navy puffy jacket looks, well,... ghetto.

Mama needs to upgrade to a big girl coat.

No seriously, a BIG girl coat - I'm shopping the plus size section. GASP.

It's fairly easy to find a jacket in 'regular' size and tall length.
It's fairly easy to find a jacket in plus size and 'regular' length.

But Oh. Em. Jeepers it is nearly impossible to find a plus size/tall length coat that will fit my 6' tall frame with banging curves like these.

WHY?  What is the hold up!? It's not a huge logical step.

Would someone please fill Motherhood Maternity in on this idea as well? Why they don't make tall maternity jeans in... fluffy sizes is beyond me.

I digress.

Here are my top picks of plus-size-jackets-that-might-have-long-enough-arms. Vote for these or leave a link to a jacket you think is along these lines but BETTER. Thanks for the assistance!

Win a Mommy Necklace! {closed}

Have you ever wanted to frame an email?

I received an email the other day that is definitely frame worthy - Raelynn, the creator of Mommy Necklaces, said she was proud of me for making it to my 1 year goal.  *swoon*

If you are unfamiliar with Mommy Necklaces, prepare to be amazed.  These necklaces were created by a mom (Raelynn) to be beautiful on mommies, but calming for babies that were nursing.  They are hand strung by a fabulous group of women using beads that are tested and safe, feature breakaway clasps for those times when your baby forgets to be gentle, and are available in a wide, and ever changing, array of color combinations and styles.

Raelynn was so excited about my 1 year of breastfeeding celebration that she sent me not ONE, but TWO of her new beautiful Nourish Necklaces to GIVEAWAY to two of my lucky subscribers.  Enter Below.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS:

Heather B and Jessica F

Thank you to all who entered!

This Week's Commuter's Soundtrack

1) I rediscovered my Mumford and Son's CD this week and spent Wednesday night's commute learning the lyrics to track 3 - Winter Winds.  This band is amazing and you're probably familiar with their first single - Little Lion Man

2) After listening to the Mumford and Sons CD I thought of trading it out for the other CD I had in my car - Adele's 21 - but I was sick of that too, so I turned on the radio and what was playing? Adele Someone Like You. Sometimes you just have to belt it out regardless of who is watching.

3) Although it's only been on the radio for a few weeks, it is in such high rotation that this song is already almost played out. That doesn't stop me from from pretending I'm Adam Levine.
I've got to admit that my favorite line is -

"If I was an old school, fifty pound boombox

Would you hold me on your shoulder, wherever you walk

Would you turn my volume up before of the cops

And crank it higher every time they told you to stop

And all I ask is that you don’t get mad at me

When you have to purchase mad D batteries"

It makes me think of that iconic scene in Say Anything when John Cusack is holding the boom box over his head in the rain - swooon.  I bet sales of D batteries were never higher than in the era of boom boxes.

I can be fashionable...

Ever since I realized that Hannah was about to turn one, and that 'new{born} mommy' phase was quickly coming to an end, I've been trying to really make an effort in not looking so... craptastic.

I chopped my long hair for a shorter layered cut (which is now due for a trim), bought some jeans that didn't come with an elastic panel, and have been paying more attention to fashion instead of what works best with nursing/pumping.

Back when I was pumping 3 times a day while at work and then nursing 3+ times a day at home, it didn't make sense to wear anything too fussy - too many buttons, too tight, too wrinkle prone - so I mostly wore loose cotton tops. Now, my workplace is very laid back and no one but the receptionist is very fashion forward so the bar (and expectations) were not set very high. While I'm not looking to become a fashionista, I'd like to have more than 1 photo worthy outfit in my closet.  Edit - Now that we're slowly cutting back on the frequency of nursing sessions, I'm starting to worry less and less about how 'nursing compatible' my outfit is.  Even though it doesn't sound like it above - YES, I'm still nursing Hannah, just not as often. :)

I used to think Summer was my favorite time of year. It's warm and sunny and everyone is in a good mood.

But there is just something COZY about fall.  I dug some sweaters out last weekend and the leaves are changing colors... It's so crisp and beautiful that I just want to grab a scarf and take a stroll outside. 

So today I admit it - My name is Carla, and I love Fall.

Something about that makes me feel like an adult. 

Like I've matured past being a summertime sun worshipper. 

Or maybe it's just because I don't look as good in a bikini anymore.

Anyway - above at the Pantone Fall 2011 colors for men and women.  Bamboo to Phlox is surprising and so bright and sunny - perfect to buy now and pair with gray, then wear again in the spring/summer.  Cedar, Teal, Coffee and Nougat are great - and slightly obvious - fall colors, and quarry is a mainstay of my decorating palate, but I think the real surprise is the orchid.

Love.

I don't think I could pull of a light orchid sweater as it'd wash me out, but maybe a great scarf or bag. 

TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Ross here I come!

Join the conversation:

Which of the colors do you love the most? 

orchid hush is so intriguing

Which do you think would be the easiest/hardest for you to pull off?

easiest- teal, hardest - emberglow

Have you made a purchase to help bring your wardrobe into fall?

I'm currently waiting on 4 - yes FOUR - pair of closed toed shoes to arrive today from Zappos.  I won't be keeping all of them, but I'm excited to try them all out.  I'm also on the hunt for some more great scarves to add to my collection.

Which color do you think they forgot?

it would stick out like a sore thumb with this palate, but I love a deep cranberry for fall/winter.

Fuzzi Bunz Releases Three New Lines of Cloth Diapers

Last night, in a twitter party hosted by Jill - author of BabyRabies.com, FuzziBunz announced details of the three new lines they're launching.

First - the biggest announcement:

FuzziBunz has re-engineered their one size diaper and has unveiled the new FB Elite OneSize:

The main difference is that they've tweaked the adjustable elastic so that the adjustment buttons no longer touch the baby's skin, and they've switched the microfiber insert for a milky insert which will be able to absorb the same amount with fewer layers.

Meet the Elite: One Diaper—Birth to Potty Training!

If you thought the FuzziBunz® One Size cloth diaper could not get any better—think again! FuzziBunz® has re-engineered its already popular One Size to be trimmer fitting, more comfortable, faster drying and easier to adjust than before! Best yet, all these features come at the same low price as the original One Size FuzziBunz® diapers! The FuzziBunz® One Size Elite collection gives you even more bang for your buck, including these features:

•Quick Dry Fleece:

Baby feels dryer longer and fleece stays nicer longer with less visible wear

•Easy-Replace Elastic Has Moved:

The adjustable elastic's buttons are now found inside the pocket so there are no buttons next to baby’s skin

•New Minky Inserts:

Each diaper comes with two Minky Inserts (small and medium/large) adding the following benefits:

◦Less odor than microfiber

◦Less staining

◦Trimmer fitting diaper with same amount of absorbency

•Streamlined front panel and snap design provides better fit with less leaking

Price: $19.95

Click photo to read more about the Elite on FuzziBunz.com

___________________________________

The second line released last night is the limited series Elite Diaper Talk.

This diaper is the new elite diaper with 4 digitally printed (not screen printed that can flake off) design options on the booty.  Cute diaper colors with contrasting colored snaps.  5% of the proceeds will go towards charity.

For a limited time only, FuzziBunz® is bringing you a cloth diaper line that is fun, functional and oh-so-funky and fashionable too. The FuzziBunz® Diaper Talk™ line is digitally printed (not screen printed) on our One Size Elite cloth diapers. These fun designs can be seen printed on cool background colors with contrasting colored snaps to boot! These designs will not peel or fade and will bring a splash of color and interest to the rest of the well loved FuzziBunz® color collection.

Current limited edition designs include:

• Cloth is Cool
• Peace Begins with Me
• My Little Cupcake
• Does this Diaper Make My Butt Look Big?

To kick off this limited edition line, FuzziBunz® has committed to donating 5% of its Diaper Talk line's net sales to Wounded Warrior www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Price: $21.95

 

Click the photo to learn more about Diaper Talk on FuzziBunz.com

___________________________________

The last line released last night is the

Trickle Free Trainer

A training pant with the digitally printed designs (similar to the Diaper Talk series) that look like big kid underwear but are lined with minky so the child can feel the wetness.

FuzziBunz® Trickle Free Trainers™

FuzziBunz®'s Trickle Free Trainers™ are back by popular demand—and they're better than ever! The new and improved Trickle Free Trainers™ help transition your baby from diapers to big-kid underwear without the waste of disposables or the feel of a traditional diaper. And what's more they are designed to make the potty training process FUN for toddlers and EASY for parents!

Fun child focused digitally printed (no fading or peeling) designs are engaging to toddlers

Design looks less like a diaper and more like big kid underwear

Minky fabric on inside allows for wetness to be felt yet cleans up easy in messy situations

Perfect next-step purchase for loyal FuzziBunz® parents

Available in a variety prints and white

Easy dual side snaps makes changing accidents a breeze

Price: $21.95

Click the photo to learn more about Trickle Free Trainers on FuzziBunz.com

___________________________________

What do you think about the new designs & graphics? 

Love them, Hate them? 

Do you think this is a step in the right direction?

Fast Food Board Games

I have a Love Hate relationship with McDonalds. 
I love their unsweetened ice tea. 
I love that I can get a fast lunch when I'm out in the field. 

I hate that it's SOO unhealthy.  and so....  mass produced.

However, combine my weakness with the current Monopoly promotion and I'm totally screwed.

The game piece placement is so annoying though.
Pieces are currently available on:

BigMacs.

Obvious choice.  There is no sandwich as uniquely McDonalds as the big mac.

Chicken Nuggets.

The 10 piece and 20 piece boxes are hard to resist when all three of us are in the car, at lunch, with a screaming hungry Hannah.  I don't want her to like McNuggets, but if I'm powerless against them, how can I blame her?  Again, I'm not perfect.

Large Fries

Who in their right mind needs to order a LARGE order of fries?  Unless you're splitting it between you, your husband and a 1 year old .... hmmm....

Medium Drinks

Now this is where they piss me off.  I love my unsweetened ice tea.  It's my zero calorie drink of choice - no diet coke for me - and I want a large, not some 21oz medium...  Especially when the medium and large are the same price.

McCafe Drinks

I have been known to stop and get a strawberry banana smoothie on my way to work when I've ran out of the house without breakfast.  A 16oz medium has 260 calories and a 20oz large has 330 calories.  As a meal replacement - occasionally - I think that's better than a bowl of cereal.

Filet O Fish

Who in their right mind would willingly eat this mess?  See my fish sandwich face off to see which fast food fish sandwiches are FAR superior if you like that sort of thing...  {VIDEO LINK}

Hash Browns & Sausage Egg McMuffin

Holy unhealthy breakfast option.   But occasionally.... sure.

Fruit & Maple Oatmeal

I'm so happy that McDonalds added this semi healthy breakfast option.  I tell myself that since it's OATMEAL and that's a galactogogue, that it's acceptable to eat while breastfeeding - for the sake of my supply. :) But at 260 calories, it really isn't a bad option if you forgot to eat breakfast before heading out.

But this doesn't help me out at all because all I want right now are their chocolate chip cookies... 



Damn candidmommy for telling me about them!

Gift Ideas for a 1 Year Old

When I was planning Hannah's first birthday party, one thing I really stressed about was what presents to get her.  She's in a weird tweener catagory where baby toys are SO six months ago, yet she still likes to stick everything in her mouth.  Most toys say 3+ (probably to save their butt in a lawsuit...) so it's hard to figure out what she'd like from now till her 2nd birthday.

After all the wrapping paper was removed Hannah was a happy little girl and she received some great gifts from family and friends.  I've included this blog post for families looking for suggestions on 1st birthday gifts. I hope you can get some inspiration for your birthday girl/boy or for Christmas/Holiday presents.

...And yes, I know, she's spoiled.

Click here for links to all 

the toys and gifts Hannah received

The above link takes you to Amazon.com - It's a safe link.

Earth Mama Angel Baby Review: Booby Tubes

The first time I warmed up the booby tubes and stuck them in my bra, I shook my fists in fury that I hadn't used these a year ago when Hannah and I were learning how to breastfeed.

It's such an obvious idea - 100% organic cotton shells filled with all-natural flax seed - but it's executed in an ingenious way to fit breasts of all sizes and cut to avoid sensitive nipples.

Unlike other commercial hot & cold packs, Earth Mama Angel Baby's Booby Tubes are gel free (helps reduce the risk of burns) and made in the USA in a fair trade factory.  Even the packaging is 100% recyclable and made of 75% post-consumer recycled paper.  <3 Love! <3

Booby Tubes can be used for lots of things:

To Warm:

To warm the Booby Tube, place it on a microwave safe dish or towel (you don't want to get grease and goobers from nuked leftovers on your Booby Tubes) and microwave for 20-40 seconds.

I started with 20 seconds but decided to put them back in for another 15 seconds.  Perfect!

If you don't have a microwave, you can preheat your oven to the lowest setting and heat for 10-15 minutes (place on oven-safe dish away from the heating element).

Benefits of Heat:

Imagine a cozy bed with an electric blanket, lots of comfy pillows, a queued up TV show from your DVR, a beverage of your choice and no screaming baby.
Relaxing right?

That's what warm Booby Tubes do when you put them in your bra.  Everything just relaxes and the heat encourages let down and milk flow.

Now that Hannah is sleeping through the night, it's important that she nurses well before bedtime - otherwise I wake up engorged and in fear of the mastitis monster.  I popped these in my bra, changed her  diaper, put her in PJs, kissed all the stuffed animals goodnight and selected the book of the evening.  Once we settled into the glider and Hannah began nursing, I could tell that the heat was really helping my let down and Hannah nursed quietly and efficiently while I read.

To Cool:

Store in the freezer and wear inside your bra between feedings.

Benefits of Cold:

Applying a cool compress helps during bouts of engorgement and tenderness that are common after birth and while weaning.

Have you heard about keeping a crisper drawer full of cabbage leaves to act as a cool compress?  Well, I like a bra full of salad as much as the next girl, but I think the booby tubes will do a better job of conforming to the girls while completely avoiding the nipple.  

Carla's Verdict:

Booby Tubes are amazing.  Lightweight and easy to carry in your pump bag, diaper bag or keep by your bedside table, these discreet compresses can be taken anywhere and never yell "I've been in Carla's bra!"  which is always nice when you're dealing with workplace microwaves and house guests.

I used these before nursing and pumping and found them to work well for both situations.  I expressed more than normal when I pumped after heating with the Booby Tubes and that alone makes them worth their weight in gold.

At a price of $20 you'll definitely get your moneys worth - especially if you bring them with you to the hospital and use them from the beginning of your breastfeeding journey.

They're the perfect price point for a baby shower gift (especially if the parents have not announced the gender and are on 'team green'.  There are only so many yellow ducky sleepers that a baby needs...) or a special treat for yourself before delivery.

If your little one is already here and you're experiencing issues with:

• let down
• supply
• pumping or 
• clogged milk ducts/mastitis 

I encourage you to buy Booby Tubes for their warm heat benefits.

If you're:

• a new mom and experiencing lots of engorgement, 
• had a c-section and have swollen up bigger than the Goodyear blimp - even your nipples (I know I can't be the only one that experienced this!), or 
• if you've decided it's time to wean 

I encourage you to look at the benefits Booby Tubes have as a cool compress.  

Thanks to Earth Mama Angel Baby for sending me their Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle to try.  The bundle includes Organic Milkmaid Tea, Natural Nipple Butter and Booby Tubes.  The bundle costs less than $37 and you save over $9 by buying all three items.

Booby tubes can also be purchased separately for $19.95

Click here to look at Earth Mama Angel Baby® Breastfeeding Products

Use coupon code Bubble15 to save 15% off your purchase.

Silly Monkey Chocolate Monster

Christopher forgot his wallet at home, so I thought I'd run to the store and bring it to him, and pick up some groceries while I'm there.   

Not wanting to show up empty handed, I whipped up some chocolate cupcakes - and Hannah 'helped' me clean up.

 Heaven help me when the sugar rush kicks in...