Halloween Safety Tips For You & Your Home

Jess
October 18, 2018

This post about Halloween safety is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Erie Insurance

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Halloween. Personally, I love Halloween, namely because I really enjoy checking out the costumes. My son’s school even has a Halloween Parade of DIY costumes only; it has been a tradition since before my husband attended the same elementary school (a very long time ago). Most of the discussions about Halloween safety surround costume safety or checking candy; most people don’t even think about trying to make their home safer during Halloween. Unfortunately, we live in a litigious society, and if someone is injured on your property, you might not be protected with your current homeowners insurance plan. Luckily there are insurance plans available for you to research online, for example, if you are looking for a specific home insurance policy, you may want to visit somewhere like Homeownersinsurancecover.net to find the right policy that covers all your needs. A friend of mine did this for her house, ensuring that her policy covered her home from floods, storms and other disasters that could affect her property. She even looked up a water damage adjuster firm so that in the event her home did suffer water damage that she would get the maximum amount of compensation. It got me thinking about different tips that could help my family around Halloween. So, today I’ve partnered with Erie Insurance to share a some practical Halloween safety tips for your home and how you can check your policy to ensure that you’re properly covered in the event of an accident.

halloween safety

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New Philips Avent Anti-Colic Bottle With AirFree Vent

Jess
February 12, 2018
philips avent anti-colic bottle with airfree vent

Compensation was provided by Philips Avent via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Philips Avent or Momtrends.

I have exclusively breastfed both my son and my daughter. My son was close to two years old when I weaned him, and I thought I would never break him from wanting to just comfort nurse. My grandmother expressed concern with both of my children, she thought that they should at least know how to take a bottle. I heard the same question more than once, “What if you got sick or something suddenly happened and you couldn’t feed the baby?” My daughter is going to be six months old at the end of the month, and I’m finally taking her advice to heart. We’re trying to introduce her to drinking expressed breastmilk from the new Philips Avent Anti-colic bottle with AirFree vent. Today I’m sharing a few reasons why I decided to use this bottle and a few tips for how to transition your child from bottle to breast.

philips avent anti-colic bottle with airfree vent

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How to Make a Bonnet Stand

Jess
January 12, 2018
how to make a bonnet stand

Every mother with a daughter knows how important it is to keep your little princess looking her best. One of our favorite clothing accessories is her bonnets. She has several in various colors, and if you’ve been buying them from boutiques, you know that they are an investment. We want to make sure her bonnets maintain their shape so they look their best when she’s wearing them, and to make sure we get the best resale value when we trade up to the next size. Today I’m sharing a tutorial for how to make a bonnet stand.

how to make a bonnet stand

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Oats N Honey Baked French Toast

Jess
January 11, 2018
oats n honey baked french toast

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EarnWithBoxTops #CollectiveBias

I’m not sure how my mother managed having four kids; I know she had a lot of help from my grandparents and great grandparents, but there are days that I struggle to manage caring for two children. I used to have more time to prepare and cook meals before my daughter arrived, but my son was 7 and he didn’t require my constant attention. My daughter will be 6 months old at the end of the month;  between breastfeeding, teething and sleep regression, I’m exhausted. I thought it would be fun to share an easy breakfast recipe that can be prepped ahead of time and baked in the oven. This Oats N Honey Baked French Toast uses ingredients that you can commonly find in your pantry (instead of specialty bread or cream), so you shouldn’t have to run out to the grocery store. I’m also explaining how this recipe can help you earn money for a local school.

oats n honey baked french toast

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How to make those 8000 diaper changes easier

Jess
December 11, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #nothinglikeahug #CollectiveBias

Did you know that the average child uses 8000 diapers before potty training? Babies don’t change themselves, so that’s over 8,000 diaper changes for which parents, guardians and caretakers are responsible. That’s a whole lot of changes and a whole lot of diapers you need to buy. My Advice for new parents is to stockpile diapers so you’re able to save some money but make sure you don’t buy too many as you might be left with diapers that are too small as your baby grows. I’ve found the first few months are the easiest because babies aren’t mobile, but after about 4 months you will likely have to change the diaper on a moving target. My friend was the opposite because her baby kept crying the first few months of diaper changes and then she changed how she went about it and managed to get a happier baby towards the end! If you’re struggling like my friend did then here’s a good resource that goes over why your baby might be crying. Anyway, today I’m sharing tips for setting up a diaper changing station that will make a large part of those 8000 diaper changes go much easier with a little help from our partner, Huggies®.

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New Mom Needs: #BabyBasicsBoxx

Jess
October 13, 2017

This post is sponsored by Babblebox.com

The past 11 weeks of my daughter’s life have been a blur. She’s “growing like a weed” and I’m slowly getting a little more sleep. When I’m this tired I’m usually fueled by coffee; but since I’m exclusively nursing and no one likes a caffeinated baby, my drink of choice is water. We’re surviving on snuggles and the sweet sound of baby giggles. While my wee babe is sleeping, I thought I would share a few must have items from my Babblebox #BabyBasicsBoxx that you might enjoy. It was full of fun products like a Mumbrella (yes, a mom umbrella), Mustela baby lotion, the comfiest nursing bra ever from Playtex, Vichy mineral moisturizer (because self care is important), a Land’s End diaper bag, soft and sweet baby clothing from B’Gosh Baby, and some rash kicking butt paste from Boudreaux’s.

Playtex

If you’re a breastfeeding momma, you know one of the most important thing that you need besides a good water bottle is a supportive and comfortable nursing bra. This Playtex Nursing bra is not only my absolute favorite nursing bra ever, it’s also one of my favorite bras. I think I’ll wear this one long after she is weaned. One of my least favorite aspects of nursing my son was trying to find nursing bras and clothing. The other brands that I had were ill-fitting, especially when I had a change in milk supply, and just plain ugly. The lace detail is a beautiful finishing touch to a bra that covers two cup sizes and a full band size. It’s made of fabric to help keep you cool and comfortable. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to breastfed, you’ll definitely need to check out the Playtex Nursing Bra Collection. buy antabuse online https://buybloinfo.com/antabuse.html no prescription

Baby B’Gosh

Can we talk about baby clothes? I love all them. It’s hard not to like a baby’s outfit, especially when it’s from OshKosh B’Gosh. We’re an OshKosh household. My son wears a size 10 now and I’m going to be sad when he can no longer wear OshKosh B’Gosh. I love that Baby B’Gosh is a balance of cute and practical. The sweater that they sent is incredibly soft and oh so very sweet. I can pair it with lots of outfits to help transition her summer clothes to fall, and fall clothing into winter. It looks particularly precious with the mint colored floral dress also from Baby B’Gosh. You can always find great deal on Baby B’Gosh clothing but you can use this code (OKBG3352 or in store with code 036992) to save 20% off a $40+ purchase.

Mustela

While we’re chatting about great clothing for babies, it’s a perfect time to mention my favorite lotion. I’m picky about lotion that I apply to myself. I don’t like anything with a chemical smell or fragrance. Lotion should go on smoothly and hydrate, without feeling heavy or filmy. Mustela Hydra Bébé lotion is hypoallergenic and makes my daughter’s skin soft and smooth. Since she spends so much time in skin to skin contact with me while nursing, I use the same lotion on myself. It helps preserve cellular richness and primarily contains natural ingredients. We actually use several other Mustela products from their maternity and baby lines. You can use code BABBLEBOX17 for 20% off on their website. buy arava online https://buybloinfo.com/arava.html no prescription

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Maximum Strength Jar

What do you use to treat the dreaded diaper rash? I’m going to share a true and slightly embarrassing story. I got really chaffed during the summer. I was hugely pregnant and waddling back and forth to my son’s baseball games. I didn’t know what to put on my chaffing and I figured diaper rash cream should work nicely. I put another cream on that a friend had given me as a shower gift; holy smokes that stuff stung. I couldn’t image putting something like that on my sweet babe’s skin. It went in the trash and the next time we were at the store I picked up a tube of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. It didn’t sting or burn like the other cream, and helped soothe my chaffing. I would never put anything on my baby’s skin that I wouldn’t put on my own. I was excited to learn that you could get Maximum Strength Boudreaux’s Butt Paste in this large jar. I find it easier to apply than the tube version and no need to worry about quickly running out (because who has time to run to the store with a new baby?). I’ve trusted Boudreaux’s Butt Paste with both of my little ones and I consider it an essential baby product.

Vichy

Now that we’ve talked about moisturizing baby’s skin, can we discuss moisturizing mommy? Usually I struggle with dry skin during fall and winter months, and this year seems to be worse than I remember. Until recently I’ve never touched my face and had it feel rough to the touch. Sadly, it has been bad enough that occasionally spots remind me of a fine grit sandpaper. I hate dry skin; it makes your complexion look bad and it’s hard to get foundation on evenly. I’ve noticed a tremendous improvement since I started using Vichy Mineral 89. My skin definitely doesn’t seem as ruddy and I don’t have those rough patches that I had previously. I like that my skin feels soft and hydrated. Vichy Mineral 89 contains thermalizing mineral water from French volcanoes and hyaluronic acid to help give you a healthy glow. It’s fragrance-free, oil-free and tested on sensitive skin. You can use code BABBLEBOX for 20% off and free shipping through 11/30/2017, that’s a great discount to try a new product. buy asacol online https://buybloinfo.com/asacol.html no prescription

Lands End

Did you know that Land’s End has a small line of diaper bags? I struggled finding a diaper bag. I don’t like loud prints and I wanted something more than just a big bag to shove things into. I love that this bag has outer pockets to store things. They’re easier to access and you don’t have to dig through your bag to find small items such as keys or moisturizer. It has a wide web strap that doesn’t dig into my shoulder and it’s lightweight. The black color makes it gender neutral and stylish. The strap is designed to strap onto your stroller, so you don’t have to carry it or reach under the stroller to get it. Thinking about small aspects like this can ensure that you get the best stroller
for you and your baby as it is important that you find one that you both feel comfortable with. You may also want to consider buying a stroller that has enough space to store essential items for when you’re out and about. If you don’t want to lug bulky baby gear around with you everywhere you go, you could look at finding a stroller rental near me.

Mumbrella

Speaking of things that attach to your stroller. Have you ever tried to push a stroller and carry an umbrella? I have and I always ended up wet and frustrated. My new Mumbrella attaches to my stroller, so I have both hands to control the stroller. The Mumbrella is water resistant and coated 50UV, so you’re protected from the sun and rain. It’s such a handy piece of mom equipment. You can use code BABBLEBOXX to get free shipping on your Mumbrella order. I should warn that the Mumbrella doesn’t fit every single stroller. For that reason, you may wish to check out this Universal Stroller Rain Cover & Weather Shield too!

What’s your favorite product in this #BabyBasicsBoxx? It’s impossible for me to choose. There were so many great products that serve different purposes. I hope you’ll check out a few that are new to you and take advantage of some of the discounts that they’re offering A Southern Mother readers.

The Proper Peony Dresses: Finding Favorites

Jess
October 9, 2017
The Proper Peony

My introduction to the brand The Proper Peony came through Instagram. I swear Instagram is my source for finding pretty much everything nowadays! I must say that I find it much easier to navigate through accounts when they use a clickable link in bio service though. I’ve noticed though that a lot of businesses are making things a lot easier to find on their Instagram accounts. Which if you ask me, is what all businesses should do. If you make it hard for potential clients to find your business on social media, then the likelihood of them turning elsewhere is very high. If you can be searched for quickly and have engaging content, it could make it a lot easier for you to grow your instagram followers at a faster rate, as well as being able to reach more people. But that’s not all you can do. For example, I also noticed that you can directly message people on Instagram now from your own computer using igdm, which makes things a lot easier, particularly when I want to ask someone a question. A long time friend had her daughter dressed in the sweetest little dress and I decided that Little Miss needed one too. There was one problem, I couldn’t find it. The Proper Peony is a small but very popular brand. The dresses are hand embroidered and that limits production numbers. Many boutiques only get one size each in each style (if that), and they occasionally have waiting lists for dresses. I eventually located the dress in a The Proper Peony Buy/Sell/Trade group and I paid more than retail. Now we’ve acquired more than 10 The Proper Peony Dresses in an assortment of sizes (not all sizes are available in all styles), I thought I would share a few tips for locating your favorite The Proper Peony Dress. Just a little FYI, this isn’t a sponsored post; I’m just a The Proper Peony enthusiast.

The Proper Peony
Little Miss in her The Proper Peony Pink Stella

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