Posts Tagged by baby
Create!: Easy to Make Diaper Cake
| May 9, 2013 | Filled under Crafts, Creative Joy |
2013 seems to be the year of babies! We’re not even halfway through the year yet, and we’ve already welcomed 4 babies into my husband and my families and 3 babies from our friends. I love giving diaper cakes as presents because they’re practical (you can never use too many diapers), really cute, and personal since they are homemade with love. I am very lucky that my husband is willing to help me with these types of things and actually helped me come up with an easy and pretty quick way to make them.
What you’ll need:
- Diapers (size 0 or 1 for newborns)
- Basket for the base
- Ribbon (we use curling ribbon)
- Wooden sticks like thick bamboo skewers or chopsticks to work as a dowel
- Small rubber bands (optional)
- Accessories such as baby bottles; small bottles of shampoo, baby wash, lotion, etc; pacifiers; small books
- Cellophane wrap
Roll each diaper and place as many as you can tightly in the basket. To make it easier, use a rubber band to hold each diaper in a roll or group of diapers. Once the basket is filled, make 2 or 3 more layers of rolled diapers for the cake by tying ribbon around the group of diapers. Tuck the accessories into the ribbon to be included in each layer. To hold the layers of the cake to the basket together, put a wooding stick in the middle of the diapers in the basket so it is sticking up and place each additional layer over top so the stick acts as a dowel. Use ribbon to secure a stuffed animal or other accessory at the top of the diaper cake, and have fun decorating! Lastly, wrap the entire diaper cake in cellophane and secure the opening at the top with ribbon.
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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Review/Giveaway!: Premama Prenatal Vitamin – Ends 3/19 at 12:01 am EST
| March 11, 2013 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy, Reviews/Giveaways |
Premama is a doctor-recommended prenatal vitamin drink mix with key prenatal vitamins and minerals that help reduce the risk of some birth defects and promote healthy fetal development. It also includes ingredients that help relieve nausea and digestive symptoms such as constipation, which are 2 common side effects of other prenatal vitamins. Premama contains:
- Folic acid and choline to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
- Chelated iron for healthy blood cell formation.
- Biotin to help support embryo growth.
- Vitamin D3 for healthy bone health and immune function.
- DHA Omega-3 fatty acid, which is suggested to support fetal cognitive development and protect against postpartum depression.
- B Vitamins to help provide energy.
- Coenzyme Q10 to help reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia.
- Ginger root to help with nausea relief.
Premama is most effective if taken while trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding and can be mixed with any juice, fruit-flavored beverage, iced tea, or milk.
MY REVIEW:
Premama comes in packets that are very easy to open. They are meant to be taken as 2 packets per day (either twice a day or 2 at once) so I like how they come with 2 packets attached to each other. When I was pregnant, it was difficult for me to remember whether or not I took my prenatal vitamin each day, so I think this would help with remembering.
I was curious to see if the drink mix had any taste or smell so I mixed one packet with water and another with orange juice. I definitely do not recommend that it be mixed with only water. It tasted and smelled like fish, BUT I was barely able to taste it when it was mixed with orange juice. In fact, the orange juice hid the taste of the drink mix pretty well, so I think it will work well with any drink as long as the taste of the drink is strong enough. It did take a couple of minutes for the powder to dissolve in the juice, but I think this is a great alternative to the traditional prenatal vitamin, especially if you have a hard time swallowing large pills or have any side effects from the other vitamins.
GIVEAWAY!:
I’m happy to give one (1) My Joy My World reader a 30-day supply of Premama Prenatal Vitamin Powdered Supplement Mix ($25 value) provided by Premama! Entries will be accepted through Tuesday, March 19th at 12:01 am EST. Enter below (it is mandatory to leave a blog post comment…all other entries are optional but will give you more chances to win):
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for visiting! Keep up with My Joys by subscribing to my email newsletter, “liking” me on Facebook, & following me on Twitter! Disclosure: Premama provided me with the product to review and giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own and true. Although I reviewed the prenatal vitamin, I am not pregnant 
This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Giveaway!: Wish Baby Registry & Gifts on Facebook
| December 6, 2012 | Filled under Freebies, Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy |
Wish Baby Registry & Gifts is a new company that specializes in helping expectant parents find everything they need for their new baby. Registrants will be able to register through their website, which is set to launch the week of December 18th, and/or visit their 4500 square foot showroom located at 2209. N. Halsted in Lincoln Park in Chicago. Every registrant at Wish also receives one year of FREE diapers (when minimum requirements are met)!
Now through Saturday, December 15th, Wish is accepting entries on their Facebook page for 100 expectant moms to win a basket filled with baby items worth $250 and one Grand Prize winner to receive a basket worth $1000! Each winner will also get to work with Wish’s Registry concierges to create an amazing registry. To enter, “Like” Wish Baby Registry & Gifts on Facebook and leave a post with your due date and story about what you didn’t expect while expecting by December 15th. You do not need to live in the Chicago area to be eligible! You just need to create a Wish registry, which can be done from anywhere online.
I think there is a very good chance of winning one of the 101 baskets that Wish is giving away. Make sure you enter if you’re expecting or share this with all of your friends who are expecting a new baby!
And while you’re on Facebook, make sure to “Like” My Joy My World too
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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Holiday Gifts!: Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty List and Giveaway
| November 10, 2012 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy |
With the holidays coming up, Melissa & Doug has come out with their Terrific Twenty List, which includes their top 20 gifts for the holidays this year!
In celebration, they are also having “20 Days of Terrific Twenty” giveaways on their Facebook page where they have been giving away one item from their Terrific Twenty List everyday since November 6th! All you have to do is “Like” Melissa & Doug on Facebook and visit there each day to enter.
Melissa & Doug’s Terrific Twenty List includes some great toys such as different wooden toy sets, art inspired sets, stuffed animals, and more! My 2-year old would LOVE the Whittle World School Bus Set, Wildlife Rescue Sorting Truck, and Dress Up Sticker Rolls (she is OBSESSED with stickers)!
Which gift from Melissa & Doug’s Terrific Twenty List would you like to win? Leave me a comment below
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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Mommy Story!: Who Needs Sleep When You’ve Got an 18-Month Old?
| March 18, 2012 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy |
Baby Lia had her 18-month check-up yesterday, and as usual, they asked us questions to make sure she’s on the right developmental path and then asked if we had any concerns. Lia is doing great at her age…she has a pretty extensive vocabulary and does what we ask her to most of the time. She loves to read and can identify a lot of objects, letters, and shapes in books. BUT she is not sleeping through the night yet, at least most nights anyway.
When I told Lia’s doctor that she is not sleeping through the night and asked if it was normal, her doctor said, “No”, and pretty much gave us a lecture about how we NEED to get her to sleep through the night on her own. Okay, not that I want to make any excuses, but with both my husband and me working full-time, after awhile, we just wanted to do whatever we could so that WE could get some sleep too in order to function throughout the day. We admit that we have gotten Lia into the bad habit of coming into our bed and having a bottle of water when she wakes up in the middle of the night, but it works, and we get our sleep. Plus, my parents live with us. It’s pretty tough for especially Lia’s grandpa to let her sit there and cry, so if we happen not to hear her wake up in the middle of the night, Grandpa comes to the rescue and takes her.
Lia’s pediatrician explained that it’s important for her learn to self-sooth when she wakes up in the middle of the night and put herself back to sleep. She suggested that we let Lia “cry it out”, and to check on her every once in awhile just to make sure she wasn’t hurt, but not to interact with her when we do check on her. Please note that I have been telling my husband and my dad that we should do this since she was 6 months old, but a year later, they still have yet to let her “cry it out”. Now Lia is 18 months old, and my biggest concern is that she’s a climber, so eventually she may be so determined that she’ll climb out of her crib in the middle of the night. Luckily, she hasn’t figured this out yet, but I’m sure it won’t be too long before she does!
Last night, was the first night we tried to have Lia “cry it out” when she woke up in the middle of the night. I heard her cry for awhile, then she stopped, then she cried again, then she stopped…she repeated this about 4 times. Little did I know that her daddy actually got up the third time she started crying. Apparently he sat outside of her door until, finally, Lia was able to convince him to come and get her by yelling “Mom!”, which is what she calls all adults in our house, and pointing out the door. Daddy gave in, picked her up, and brought her into our bed with us. I’ve never seen her so happy to sleep in our bed with us! She started laughing and gave each of us 3 kisses before she started complaining again and her daddy gave her a bottle of water for her to fall asleep. It was clear that this is going to be more of a challenge than I thought!
My dad works third shift on the weekends, so when he came home today, I explained to him our plan of letting Lia cry when she wakes up at night. He agreed not to take her, but between him and my husband, I’m not sure that this will work.
So, I’m wondering, besides Lia continuing to want to sleep in our bed, what are the consequences of getting her in the middle of the night instead of having her sooth herself and go back to sleep on her own? Does it affect her personality, problem-solving skills, or need/want for independence? What tricks have you used to get your babies or kids to sleep through the night? Any advice would be GREAT so PLEASE leave me a comment below!
Tonight, I put Lia to sleep in her room even though she kept trying to convince me to bring her to our room. I explained to her that she needed to sleep in her crib tonight. I’m not sure if she understood me, but every time I tried to put her down in her crib, she clung to me like a monkey. I’m sure that since she’s older, this will take a little longer than we would like, but hopefully she gets to sleeping through the night soon! Otherwise, she will have 2 zombies for parents!
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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Mommy Experience!: Ear Tubes (Myringotomy) for Chronic Ear Infections
| January 25, 2012 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy |
My 16-month old went in for a myringotomy (ear tubes) Friday morning to treat her chronic ear infections, and even though we knew it was a fairly simple procedure, my husband and I were really nervous about it! During a myringotomy, a hole is created in the ear drum, where a tube is placed to keep the hole open, so that fluid can drain. This prevents fluid build-up in the ear that can lead to ear infections, since bacteria can grow in the fluid. The tube usually falls out on its own within 6 to 12 months, and the child is good to go with no more ear infections.
Why the ear tubes?
We actually didn’t realize that Lia had a problem with ear infections until her last one, which was originally found at her 15-month well child check-up. The day after she finished her 10-day course of antibiotics, she developed a fever, which lasted for almost 4 days. We took her back to the doctor and found that her ear infection had gotten worse, and the other ear was infected too. When her doctor asked how many ear infections she has had, we realized that she has had one at pretty much every well check she has had since she was born, plus one other time. We didn’t know that it was a problem because she has only showed any symptoms twice out of the 5 or 6 ear infections that she has had. Her pediatrician recommended that Lia see an ENT (ear, nose, and throat specialist) to check if she needs ear tubes, since she has had so many infections in her lifetime.
Visit to the ENT:
Lia surprised us by doing so well at the ENT! She let the doctor check her ears and let the audiologist run 2 tests on each ear, which required probes that were like plugs in her ears and stickies on her head. The first test was to check if there was any fluid in her ears, and the second test checked her hearing. She passed both tests in her left ear, but her right ear had fluid, so she failed the hearing test on that side. At that point, it was clear that the best thing for her would be to proceed with the myringotomy.
Pre-op exam:
Before Lia could have the surgery, she had to have a pre-operation evaluation, so we went back to her pediatrician’s office. The pre-op visit was just a more thorough physical than her well-child checks, but without the shots, which the baby was probably happy about. They did not run any tests, but they did ask a lot of questions about her health and development and checked her body over to make sure she was fit for surgery. Although she did have a runny nose, she was cleared for surgery. We just had to watch for any fever or congestion that interfered with her breathing, since those were things that could cause them to postpone a surgery.
Before the surgery:
The myringotomy was scheduled for 8:15 in the morning, which meant we had to be at the hospital at 6:45 am. Since we knew we had to get Lia up early, we had her skip her afternoon nap the day before so we could get her to bed early. She was not to eat or drink anything other than clear liquids after 2 am and nothing after 6 am since it could cause a reaction to the anesthesia. When we checked into the hospital, we had to fill out the usual paperwork for billing and authorizations. Around 7:35, they had us dress Lia into her hospital gown and took her vitals (a blood pressure cuff around her calf and pulse-ox sticky on her big toe). They also gave her some Tylenol to help with any pain she might feel after the surgery. The nurses, doctor, and anesthesiologist came in while we waited to answer all of our questions. We were actually more worried about Lia being traumatized from being taken away from us than we were about the surgery, so we made sure to ask them exactly what was going to happen, so that we could explain it to her before she went in. We also made sure to let them know that we were concerned about her having “stranger danger” and that we were afraid that she would freak out when she didn’t see any familiar faces. We were relieved to know that there would be no IVs involved and that the anesthesia would be administered through a mask. I’m not sure if Lia understood us when we explained to her what was going to happen, but our little cutie laughed when we told her that they were going to put a mask on her face and she would fall asleep. She even let the nurse take her from me and did not start crying until she realized that we weren’t going with her.
The surgery:
The procedure itself did not take very long. After they took Lia to the operating room, they led us to a waiting room, where we were to wait for the doctor to come out after the surgery was finished to let us know how it went. I only played 3 or 4 words in Words with Friends and quickly checked my Facebook to see who “Liked” the picture of Lia in her hospital gown before the doctor came in. We were so happy to hear that the surgery went well and she was already in recovery. She had an infection in her right ear but that would clear up with the ear drops she used for 5 days after the surgery. A nurse came to get us once Lia woke up and we heard her screaming from the waiting room. Luckily, she calmed down as soon as I was able to hold her. We were only there for about an hour after the surgery before we were able to go home. During that time, a nurse took her vitals 2 more times to make sure she was okay to be released from the hospital and she gave us her discharge instructions.
After the surgery:
All kids react differently to surgery and anesthesia, but all I heard from friends and even Lia’s pediatrician is that they usually wake up as monsters! So I took the whole day off of work and made sure to prepare myself to have a groggy and/or cranky baby all day. We must have one tough girl because from the time I took her when she woke up from the surgery until we got home, she didn’t cry! She wasn’t even crabby! We got in the car and on the way home, she said, “I’m tired”, and she took a nap as soon as we got home. When she woke up, she played all day like never ever happened! The only concern we had since the procedure is that the next morning, there was a bloody discharge coming from her left ear, which freaked us out a little bit even though it didn’t seem to bother her. Fortunately, that is normal in the first 48 hours after the surgery. Other than that, she has been golden! We can even tell that she can hear us better because it seems like she’s acknowledging that she understands what we’re saying more by answering “Yes” and “No”. My baby girl amazes me everyday
If you have a story you’d like to share about your child having surgery or a medical condition, I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below!
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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Party!: MommyParties Sponsored by Oral-B Stages – Maintaining Healthy Teeth
| December 18, 2011 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy |
Last week, I hosted a MommyParties sponsored by Oral-B Stages, and it was so much fun! Did you know that Oral-B has toothbrushes and toothpastes made for 3 different age groups for children? My guests, who were ages 4 months to 4 years (and their moms), got to learn all about brushing and maintaining healthy teeth.
Oral-B provided me with Oral-B Stage 1 (4-24 months) and Stage 2 (2-4 years) Winnie the Pooh toothbrushes; Cars, Toy Story, and Disney Princesses toothpastes; Disney Daily Renewals Body Wash; as well as Oral-B and Crest coupons, to share with my guests for joining me at my party. We also received popcorn and some cute popcorn boxes for our viewing of the movie Winnie the Pooh. The kids loved the movie!
It was also nice to have moms with younger children around the same age to get together and learn from each other. One of my friends, who has 8 and 1/2 month old twin girls, was even able to receive tips on how to get her babies to have their teeth brushed regularly.
My guests had a great time, and the moms especially appreciated the coupons and freebies!
Thanks Oral-B Stages for letting me host such a fun MommyParties!
Little M had so much fun, she even passed out before our guests left, lol! And yes, she was a 49ers fan that day, courtesy of her daddy
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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for additional information.
Mommy Questions! P2: Cloth Diapering
| October 19, 2011 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy |
A few weeks ago, I asked for your pressing mommy questions as part of a giveaway for a nurser gift set. I received some really great questions, so I thought I would answer them in a few parts.
I want to provide answers directly from experience, so please keep in mind that the information provided comes from my own experiences as a mom, as well as those of my friends and family, and are not meant to replace any opinions or advice from your child’s physician.
The first question I answered was how to prevent diaper rash.
The second question I’ll address comes from Kristen F. who asked, “Should I cloth diaper?” I do not have any experience with cloth diapers, so I asked the advice of one my friends, who has 6 and a half month old twins. I honestly think that she and her husband are very brave for using cloth diapers, especially with 2, but I do see the benefits so I definitely admire them for sticking with it this long!
Pros:
- Saves money: The average cost to cloth diaper from birth to potty training is $400-$800. Disposable diapers are about $2500.
- You can get a return on your investment by reselling them.
- You can buy them used.
- They are washable.
- They are better for the environment.
- Variety of cloth diapers to fit your lifestyle and pocketbook:
- Can get 1 size diaper that is adjustable from 8 lbs. to 35 lbs.
- All-in-one (AIO): like a disposable but made out of cloth
- All-in-two (AI2) hybrid diaper: the waterproof shell can be used again or you can use a disposable liner in the waterproof shell
- Pocket diapers: microfiber insert goes in the diaper (can adjust absorbancy)
- Variety of diapers and covers
- You can adjust the absorbancy by adding
Cons:
- Investment is made up front.
- Takes time to care for the diapers: washing, drying, folding…
- Bulky for travel.
- Solid foods bring on a new adventure.
Thanks so much to my friend Myra for providing us with this great information! If you have any other experiences, tips, or thoughts regarding using cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers, I would love to know about them! Please leave me a comment below.
Also, leave me a comment if you have any pressing mommy questions that you were not able to ask in my giveaway
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Review/Giveaway!: Munchie Mug Snack Cup – Ends 10/20 @ 9 pm CST
| October 12, 2011 | Filled under Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy, Reviews/Giveaways |
The Munchie Mug is a spill-proof snack cup that is environmentally friendly, durable, and safe for children. It is proudly made in America and is BPA, PVC, and Phalate free. Its features include:
- Secure Screw-On Top with Easy Grip Handle
- Soft patented fabric closure for sensitive little hands
- Easy to clean: Top Rack Dishwasher Safe
- Great for healthy snacking: In the car, on a plane, or at home.
- Additional stay-fresh lid included for keeping snacks fresh when mug is not in use
- Made from 100% recyclable food grade compliant materials. Plastic is #5 polypropylene.
MY REVIEW:
Witty Works, the makers of Munchie Mug, provided me with one to try. Here is a video of my daughter and the Munchie Mug when she was 11 months old:
My daughter LOVES her Munchie Mug! She actually learned how to get her snacks out the first day she used it. The handle on the lid makes it easy for her to grab, so when we’re in the car, she can reach into her diaper bag and get the Munchie Mug out herself. We love that it’s spill proof so we don’t have to worry about her snacks being everywhere.
GIVEAWAY!:
I am happy to give one (1) My Joy My World reader a Munchie Mug provided by Witty Works, the makers of Munchie Mug! Entries will be accepted through Thursday, October 20th, at 9:00 pm CST.
To enter to win, leave a comment below for each of the following that you do:
- Subscribe to My Joy My World’s email newsletter.
- “Like” My Joy My World on Facebook.
- Post about this giveaway on Facebook (tag @My Joy My World in your post, and include the link in your comment).
- Follow My Joy My World on Twitter.
- Tweet about this giveaway: #GIVEAWAY: I want to win a @MunchieMug from @MyJoyMyWorld! Ends 10/20, 9 pm CST. http://bit.ly/qYs5Fh
- Email 3 friends about this giveaway (cc: myjoymyworld@gmail.com).
- Share this giveaway on your website or blog (include the link to the post in your comment).
- Grab My Joy My World’s button from the right sidebar, and add it to your website or blog (include the url to your site in your comment).
- Answer 1 or both of the following questions: 1). What feature(s) of the Munchie Mug are you most excited about? 2). Who are you hoping to win the Munchie Mug for and what is his or her favorite snack?
**Open to US residents age 18+. Each comment will count as its own entry into the giveaway. The more entries you complete, the better chance you have of winning! Duplicate entries will be deleted. 1 winner will be randomly selected from all entries received by Thursday, October 20th, at 9:00 pm CST and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Witty Works, the makers of Munchie Mug provided me with a Munchie Mug to review and the prize for the giveaway; all of the opinions expressed are my own and true.
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Exclusive Savings!: $10 Off Diaper Cake Genie Through 11/15
| October 8, 2011 | Filled under Coupons, Kids & Babies, Mommy Joy, Savings Joy |
Diaper Cake Genie creates eco-friendly, modern, and functional diaper cakes perfect for any baby shower gift or centerpiece! Their mission is to give every baby (and mommy) the highest quality, environmentally friendly diaper cake. Diaper Cake Genie‘s diaper cakes are hand-crafted using Huggies or Seventh Generation brand diapers with modern-designed and custom made burp clothes to make them truly unique!
I received a diaper cake from Diaper Cake Genie for my baby shower over a year ago, and I absolutely loved it! Everyone at my shower, including myself, were really impressed by the diaper cake’s unique design and creativity, and my baby girl still cuddles with the cute stuffed animal it came with. Being new parents, we found that we were going through diapers faster than we could keep up, so we definitely appreciated the extra diapers! Plus, a beautiful diaper cake is much more fun than just giving (or receiving) a regular package of diapers
Now through November 15th, Diaper Cake Genie is offering an exclusive coupon code to My Joy My World readers! Enter code 10offDCG at checkout to get $10 off your purchase of $100 or more! Head over to Diaper Cake Genie to check out their great selection!
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