tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43472588302137683172024-02-22T06:37:54.038-06:00Hello ImaginationCarissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-66700324800969885502013-04-28T14:58:00.001-05:002013-04-28T14:58:28.448-05:00LOFT Animal print dress: FOUR ways!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='width:600px;margin:0 auto'><div style='position:relative;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/loft_animal_print_dress_four/set?.embedder=745118&.svc=blogger&id=80444941' target='_blank'><img force='1' border='0' height='490' title='LOFT Animal print dress: FOUR ways!' src='http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/pnLcgVuN6WtsI7amRjMcmw/cid/80444941/id/POSPNHS5SdOm8zFDGM_81Q/size/c600x490.jpg' alt='LOFT Animal print dress: FOUR ways!' width='600'/></a></div></div><br/><div style='text-align:center'><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/loft_animal_print_dress_four/set?.embedder=745118&.svc=blogger&id=80444941' target='_blank'>LOFT Animal print dress: FOUR ways!</a> by <a href='http://croddin29.polyvore.com/?.embedder=745118&.svc=blogger' target='_blank'>croddin29</a> featuring <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/kate_spade_shoulder_bags/shop?brand=Kate+Spade&category_id=37' target='_blank'>kate spade shoulder bag</a></small></div></div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-40391656351531413522012-12-30T23:09:00.001-06:002012-12-30T23:09:20.199-06:00Living Room Design BoardI am in the brainstorm phase of redoing my livingroom... my living room was never really <i>done</i> though... or even started. All of our furniture is secondhand and not in a shabby chic vintage gorgeous style... in an old, worn-out and mismatched style really. There is no cohesive design to our house and there never has been. Having a baby and designing his room has sparked the creativity and interior designer in me! I'm learning so much about aesthetic and design from pinterest and my favorite decor sites like West Elm and Pottery Barn.<br />
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With our tax refund we're going to get a gorgeous new grey couch from Pottery Barn - our couches are so old they give me tremendous back pain so it's a necessity to replace one. Since our apartment is small, we'll just be getting one couch and then maybe a bench or ottoman in place of the loveseat.<br />
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We're going with a yellow mustard, teal and grey color scheme and incorporating all the things I love in little ways: My family, the colors, owls, cameras and anchors. It sounds like they don't go together... at all.. and really it might be a total flop and they might not go to together... but in my head they sure do!<br />
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I must say pinterest is a budget-designers best friend these days: I have a whole stockpile of art to display that I got for free (legally, mind you!) and that just wouldn't have been possible without something like pinterest. amazing.<br />
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Here is my design board - beautiful is it not! I am so excited to get started.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.target.com/p/target-home-henna-single-window-panel/-/A-13512625">Curtains: Target, Gray Henna</a>. <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90147465/">Light, Ikea</a>. <a href="http://www.target.com/p/threshold-153-windham-accent-storage-cabinet-yellow/-/A-13850980?reco=Rec%7Cpdp%7C13850980%7CMultiSolrRecentSearchToPurchase%7Citem_page.horizontal_1&lnk=Rec%7Cpdp%7CMultiSolrRecentSearchToPurchase%7Citem_page.horizontal_1">Yellow Table: Target. </a>Fabric swatches: <a href="http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=dc00e334-67c1-4069-a4a8-a20701b70c3a">Birdcage Canary</a>, <a href="http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=78111b2c-4e59-47d0-9e6d-4f8d47283e11">Out to Sea Anchor</a>, <a href="http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=35fc2687-3396-41c3-887b-683a9a26ba1d">Premier Prints Menagerie</a>, <a href="http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=1e36e3e6-c236-4ca3-aaf3-2b44bdbb731f">Bella Plaid Teal</a> @ <a href="http://fabric.com/">Fabric.com</a>. <a href="http://www.creativehomedecorations.com/imx64121.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=imx64121&gclid=CMLTtaOMw7QCFYw-MgoddVoAOQ">Teal Vase: Creative Home Decoations</a> . <a href="http://www.target.com/p/round-tufted-storage-ottoman-gold/-/A-14236104">Yellow ottoman: target</a>. <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/st-jude-ceramic-owls-d390/?pkey=e%7Cyellow%7C88%7Cbest%7C0%7C3%7C24%7C%7C15&group=1&sku=9818287&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">Yellow Owl: West Elm</a>. <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/clocks-gadgets/its-never-too-ornate-clock-in-yellow">Yellow clock: Modclot</a>h. <a href="http://www.cb2.com/knitted-graphite-pouf/s476725">Graphite Pouf: CB2</a>. <a href="http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3425137?origin=keywordsearch">Mustard throw: Nordstroms</a>. <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/buchanan-sofa/?pkey=csofa-value-sofas&cm_src=sofa-value-sofas%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-">Grey Couch: PB</a>. <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=18240945&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS">Teal pillow: Urban Outfitters</a>. <a href="http://www.target.com/p/nate-berkus-woven-twill-decorative-pillow/-/A-14119036">Yellow Pillow: Target</a>. <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/faux-forsythia-branch-spring-13/?pkey=e%7Cyellow%7C30%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C6&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">Yellow Forsythias faux flower: PB.</a> <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/faux-peony-stem-yellow/?pkey=e%7Cyellow%7C30%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C7&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">Yellow Peony: PB</a>. <a href="http://www.landofnod.com/kneatly-knit-large-storage-bins/f10831">Yellow knit storage bin: Land of Nod</a>. <a href="http://www.cb2.com/handknit-swoon-throw/s497355">Teal throw: CB2</a></i></div>
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We just purchased the yellow accent table to use as a media console underneath our mounted TV, and we scored the gray henna curtains for only $10 on clearance at Target. We will be buying the couch with our tax refund soon! I am so excited to get started on everything - although because of the cost of redecorating, I do think it will be a slow process. I am aiming to finish the LR before summer though! Even my inspiration board is full of deals! I will be making all my own pillows and spray painting many things I already have to upcycle them. </div>
<br />Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-4941113715349368182012-12-16T20:38:00.001-06:002012-12-16T20:38:33.718-06:00Small Fry BlogLoving this blog with it's clean layout, fun pictures, adorable clothing guides and best of all - this giveaway!!
go check it out: www.smallfryblog.com<br />
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<br />Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-26988976194569444442012-12-13T10:17:00.000-06:002012-12-13T10:17:41.392-06:00Wrap GiveawayOh my goodness you have noooo idea how ecstatic I would be if I won this. I have been ogling over a beautiful girasol woven wrap like this ever since I got pregnant! I would love to be able to carry Cobi on my back so I can cook and clean without him getting in the way or being unhappy!<br />
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<a id="rc-9562e20" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9562e20/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-22712081032948821842012-12-10T16:46:00.002-06:002012-12-10T16:58:52.014-06:00Hello Coco DesignsIt's been a thought both at the back and forefront of my mind for a long while now. It's been a long time coming but I am thrilled to finally announce that I have opened an etsy shop!
I am so excited for this new chapter in my life and I hope it will grow and flourish, what a great opportunity it would be to own my own business and work from home.
Thanks to all who have supported me!!
<script src="http://www.etsy.com/assets/js/etsy_mini_shop.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">new Etsy.Mini(7581367,'thumbnail',5,1,1,'http://www.etsy.com');</script>
<a href="http://hellococodesigns.etsy.com/"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSw-oZUugFK62qUbgYNSlRUO5pP3Sw4asUw-6Df2tnEoQ0r8ItaDIfPNOXfhzeiD9IIEhp89Q3f7CzgiyM8DBDYnmNAQ6KMJFQ2txUubh0JM2xHyYCXZB5VgL19O7slhCU2xiiOKYznT3/s1600/HelloCocoLOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSw-oZUugFK62qUbgYNSlRUO5pP3Sw4asUw-6Df2tnEoQ0r8ItaDIfPNOXfhzeiD9IIEhp89Q3f7CzgiyM8DBDYnmNAQ6KMJFQ2txUubh0JM2xHyYCXZB5VgL19O7slhCU2xiiOKYznT3/s400/HelloCocoLOGO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/hellococodesigns">www.etsy.com/shop/hellococodesigns</a><br />
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Check out a coupon here!
<a href="http://www.nerdwallet.com/coupons/store/hellococodesigns" target="_blank">Etsy Coupon Codes for Hellococodesigns with NerdWallet</a></div>
Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-62831887272690701962012-11-28T23:40:00.001-06:002012-11-28T23:40:04.574-06:00Vistaprint CalendarI posted a bit ago about getting a free photobook via shutterfly - well I love to keep an eye out for those types of deals and recently found another one via Vistaprint! As a holiday promotion they are offering a free customizable wall calendar through their link: www.vistaprint.com/xmasoffer. I uploaded some of my favorite photos from this year and quickly threw together a calendar and I'm thrilled to get it in the mail! I paid only shipping so it came out to $7.
As I find more and more of these deals, I'll have to compose another blog post on tips and tricks for finding these types of promotions.
Cheers and hope your season is merry and bright!
<div style="text-align:center;"><div><a href="http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/gateway.aspx?s=5462298015&preurl=%2fshare-design.aspx%3fdoc_id%3d2432513994%26shopper_id%3dP04EQN5R2OUIJKLMR6MUPQN01JPIF75E%26xnav%3dsharesource_4%26share_key%3dee87bb17-d27b-4118-9dfb-51c881bb9f89" target="blank"><img src="http://www.vistaprint.com/lp.aspx?alt_doc_id=FHRF7-X1A99-8H6&width=250&shopper_id=P04EQN5R2OUIJKLMR6MUPQN01JPIF75E" /></a></div><div><a href="http://vistaprint.com/photo-calendars.aspx?pfid=389" target="_blank" />Photo Wall Calendars</a> by <a href="http://vistaprint.com" target="_blank">Vistaprint</a></div></div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-5661320322143852522012-11-07T22:23:00.000-06:002012-11-07T22:26:25.773-06:00Top 8 Books for Babies Under One YearWe've been consistently reading to Cobi since he was about 4-5 months old. He started really getting into the books around 6 months and at 8 months now it is so exciting to spend time reading to him. If we put him on the floor in his room, the first thing he does is crawl to his book case, take books off the lower shelves and "read" them! It's so fun to see and experience with him. I really hope my little one will value books and be an avid read!<br />
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Without further ado - these are our favorite books right now.<br />
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<img src="http://isa2.stylemepretty.com/wp-content/gallery/ibb/carissa.roddin@gmail.com/ibb-1352347559.8215.9018.jpg" title="best books" class="smp-iboard" id="smp-board-115691" style="width: 600px; "><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www./customweb/pages/gallery/js/iboverlay.js'></script>
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1.<b> My First Words:</b>: although not a book per se, it is a favorite for Cobi. He loves to sift through the cards with his hands. Each flashcard has a texture or touch-n-feel; such as the cat which is furry or the car which is shiny. He loves the sensory play and it's fun to teach him the words and talk about them with him. I have a feeling this will be something useful as he grows as well.<br />
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2. <b>Plip Plop Pond::</b> very practical for babies who are especially orally fixated! This book is genius; called an indestructible as it doesn't rip or tear and is toxic free and totally chew-proof. It has no words which allows for you (and your child) to use the imagination. We keep it simple; "Good night says the frog! Good night Cobi, says the firefly." He loves to play with the pages and yes, chew on them :)<br />
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3.<b> In My Tree::</b> Probably our favorite in the bunch! The owl is a finger puppet and Cobi LOVES the interaction! He loves to play with the owl. I think this is the first book he's ever smiled at. The book is bright, interactive, sensory oriented and a cute story. We love to add our own little something since it's a puppet and Cobi loves it. This is a book he loves to play with on his own. At 8 months, he has now put together that it's a puppet and we use our finger for it; so he loves to turn it over and explore. I love watching him connect the things he is learning and absorbing and put it into practice; this book is a great example of that and really encourages that.<br />
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4. <b>Night Night Little Pookie::</b> I am an avid fan of Sandra Boynton. Her style plays right into what babies and toddlers love. Even my 2nd grade little sister still loves her books! They consist of cute stories, simple and fun pictures and an adorable child character. Pookie is also a sweet and obedient little child - and some of my issues with certain modern books ( Cough**Curious George**Cough) is that they have mischievous and/or naughty characters and I would rather not encourage those behaviors. In this playful book, the mom says it's time for bed and she and Pookie go through their night routine.<br />
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5.<b> Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See::</b> Cobi doesn't actually own this book, but as a nanny some of my nanny "children" have and it has been a hit with babies, toddlers and school-age children. In face with one family I worked for, it was one little boys first book he ever read once he started reading. It's such a simple story, but is so sweet and fun and educational as it teaches about different animals. As a kid I always loved Eric Carle and his unique form of art.<br />
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6.<b> Little Hoot:</b>: I cannot rave enough about how ADORABLE this book is! Okay, so maybe Cobi isn't in love with it <i>quite</i> as much as I am! Haha! An adorable little story about a little owl whose parents teach him that as an owl he must stay up late, and little hoot complains, "but all my friends get to go to bed early, why can't I?" It is so fun and silly and so different from other books that complain, "do I HAVE to go to bed now?!". The art is adorable. I totally love it. This book is not a board book however, so it is not one I let my son have on one of his lower shelves.<br />
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7. <b>Touch And Feel Baby Animals:: </b> This is a book Cobi takes off the shelves too. I love to watch him explore each page with his hands and feel the different textures. His favorite pages are the bunny and the gorilla, as they are the furriest and he will often continually flip between the two pages feeling each one.<br />
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8. <b>The Going To Bed Book::</b> This book is a staple in our bedtime routine. A cute little story of a group of friends getting ready for bed together. Again, a Sandra Boynton book!<br />
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*All books are available for sale at <a href="http://www.amazon.com">Amazon.com</a>!<br />
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<br />Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-44294223550835442092012-11-07T21:43:00.001-06:002012-11-07T21:43:14.096-06:008 Month Update<br />
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Happy 8 months bubba-boo!! You can do so many things now and you are learning many new tricks. It is a joy to be your mother and witness these amazing milestones. Your daddy and I love to spend every moment we can just playing with and watching you. You are such a joy to be around and a crazy awesome blessing to this little family.</div>
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<b>Developmental/Milestones</b></div>
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You are officially a crawling boy!! First you were doing the worm crawl which was so funny and cracked everyone up - but you were fast and it got you where you needed to go. Just this past weekend you actually started to really crawl on your hands and knees. You picked it up so quickly and love your newfound freedom.</div>
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You are getting really skilled with your hands and you love to try to feed yourself. The food doesn’t always make it to your mouth, but you make such a great effort.</div>
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Speaking of food… you did your first baby sign! You have become quite impatient while eating, so I’ve been trying to teach you some goo d manners; you signed “more” for the first time on October 15. It was the cutest thing ever and you were so proud of yourself that you did it five more times in that meal.</div>
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You can finally sit up unassisted. Although you do prefer to crawl and explore rather than sit in one place.</div>
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You have found your voice. Although you are still quiet in new places and with new people; at home you yell and talk and sing all you want. When we’re in the car you yell in the backseat nearly the whole time and I think it’s the funniest thing I just laugh and laugh, which you love. </div>
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You also love to spit. A lot. Sometimes this even happens with food in your mouth… tsk tsk!!</div>
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<b>Sleep</b></div>
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Sleep is a hit or miss right now. You were sleeping pretty awesome; consistently through the night at least 1-2x a week and otherwise only waking once. But then we moved and all of a sudden your sleep really regressed. We’ve been in our new place for three weeks, and you still wake up 2-3x a night; and once is usually within 2-3 hours of you going to sleep. You won’t sleep long stretches anymore. You have slept through the night once since we moved (7pm-6:30am, then from 7-8:30). You naps are perfect though - two naps that are each 1.5 hours long. </div>
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<b>Eat</b></div>
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Oh my lanta boy you love to eat! you are your fathers son. You are constantly trying new foods and there is nothing you don’t like. This month you’ve eaten, squash, lentils, beef, bbq shredded chicken, vegetable soup, sausage veggie soup, rutabagas, beets, purple kale, beans, parsnip, pumpkin, onion and many more. You really love food. I am hoping that this is a sign that you will NOT be a picky eater! You eat a lot though; sometimes you can out eat me. And you never really seem done, it’s just that you finish eating all the food I give you.</div>
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You also are still nursing 6+ times a day; you are definitely getting enough calories for sure! I cannot believe you are still so little given how much you eat!</div>
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<b>Clothes</b></div>
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You are still a little peanut who fits into 3-6 month clothes!! You are finally wearing your 6 month outfits, and most of your 6-9 months even though they are a tad bit big. 6-12 is still hopelessly big on you and will take a few months to grow into. In Carters (which runs small) you can wear some of the 9 month items; however they are big still. 6 months fits you perfectly. </div>
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<b>Adventures</b></div>
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You had a really busy month!</div>
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October 1st we moved into a new apartment, and our friend Olya watched you (she has a little boy a year older than you) while we moved. It has definitely been an adjustment for you getting used to your new space; but I think you love it. You have a lot more space to roam and play. Our new apartment is less square footage, but the living room and your bedroom are bigger than our old place. We love our new place too; it’s brighter and overlooks a park with a pond so the view is much better than our old townhouse. It’s smaller which means less to clean. It’s the perfect amount of space for our little family.</div>
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Then the second week in October, we jetted off to New York for your Aunt Shannon’s wedding. You were the ring bearer and a mighty cute one!! You did SO good traveling and being carted to all the different wedding and family events. You are such a trooper. </div>
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We also went to the grand opening at a new nature center in Maple Grove; we took a long 2 mile walk on the nature trails (you slept in the baby carrier on daddy the whole time!), saw a real live owl, took lots of pictures and hung out as a family. I think that’s where we want to have your first birthday party! </div>
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You had a playdate with your cousin Diego who is about 5 months older than you; you absolutely ADORE him and watch every little thing he does. You also let him “beat you up”; he sits on you and hits your head and you think it’s hilarious. You two are really funny to watch!</div>
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Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-60255918431168029072012-11-06T21:14:00.000-06:002012-11-07T21:44:15.525-06:007 Months Old!<i>I am sorry this is late.. because I was delayed writing Cobi's 6 month post, it delayed subesequent updates. My apologies!</i><br />
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<i>::09.22.12::Seven Months Old::</i></div>
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7 months old baby!! I have to tell you that the last three months I’ve been in denial about you growing older. I was excited for you to reach 1 month old, 2 months,, 3 months and 4. But once you hit 5 months old, you just seemed too old to me! And today… you are 7 months. </div>
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<b>Developmental Milestones:</b></div>
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So much has happened this month; you are learning a lot and growing so fast.</div>
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You started pulling yourself onto your hands and knees - you look ready to start crawling any day now. You first did this 09/14, and by the end of the weekend you were rocking back and forth on your knees and pushing yourself forward! Such a big boy!</div>
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You try to pull yourself up now when you’re on your belly. We have to lower your crib to the lowest setting now because you can hold onto the rails. I think you’ll be pulling yourself onto your knees so soon. </div>
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You can sit up while supporting yourself with your hands, but you can’t quite sit up unassisted yet. </div>
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You are so mobile! You may not be able to crawl yet, but scooting, turning around and rolling is your mode of transportation. You move so quickly and efficiently. You don’t seem frustrated that you can’t crawl yet because you find ways to get away anyhow!</div>
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You got your first two teeth this month too!! September 7th your daddy noticed something sharp in your mouth. In less than a week you got a second tooth too! Now both your bottom two teeth are completely grown in and I can only imagine how quickly you’ll be getting your top two teeth.</div>
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<b>Language:</b></div>
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You actually talk a little bit less now. You tend to spend more time observing your surroundings as opposed to talking. You are a little more wary of strangers and new surroundings now, but there is no separation anxiety yet. You just like to watch and observe. </div>
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You do like yell though - it’s so funny. You babble a little in a sing-song voice and you are still smiley and happy all the time - you love to laugh and definitely laugh the most for daddy!</div>
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<b>Sleep:</b></div>
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Woohooo sleep is finally AMAZING!! This month you have had five times that you completely slept through the night and I could not be more thrilled. You go to bed perfectly around 7pm and the times you slept through the night, you sleep until 6:30am or 7. However, most nights you still wake up once between 4-6am for a feeding and then go back down for a few more hours. You sleep about 12 hours each night. </div>
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Your naps have finally balanced out as well and you have great day-sleep! Your morning nap is usually 1.5 hours and your afternoon nap is about 2 hours. You are SO much happier because your sleep is finally just about perfect. I am so thankful!</div>
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<b>Eat:</b></div>
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Oh my goodness you love to eat. You have tried so many foods this month and love love love meal times. You are now eating three meals a day and have recently started eating what we eat for the most part. There is no food you don’t like. You will eat whatever we give you. You eat a lot too! I was not expecting that. You haven’t masted the ability to eat with your own hands yet; but we’re working on it and sometimes you try. You eat a good balance of purees and more texture foods. </div>
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Even though you eat three meals a day, you are still nursing quite a bit too. You nurse in the morning, then before your two naps, once in the late afternoon and then again before bedtime. Most nights you have a middle of the night/really early morning feeding as well, so it’s still 4-6x in a 24 hour period. </div>
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<b>Clothes:</b></div>
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Even with how much you eat, you are still in most of your 3-6 month clothes! I am baffled. You’re still in the in between stage where the 6-9 month items are too big. You probably won’t fit into them until you are 9 months old it seems. </div>
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The weather has significantly cooled down now so you need to grow to fit into your fall/winter clothes now. We had to pack up all your 3-6 month summer clothes and that doesn’t leave you with many options!</div>
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<b>Adventures:</b></div>
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We try not to be too busy because you will seldom nap outside the house anymore. You either need your pack-n-play set up in a quiet place, or at home in our own crib. You did surprise us the other day on a shopping trip you fell asleep in the Beco baby carrier for about half an hour and we were shocked! You hardly sleep in the car, and if you do, it’s never for long. </div>
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Mostly our adventures consist of going to the gym a few times a week, grocery shopping, hitting up thrift stores or garage sales or hanging out with our friends and family.</div>
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Your cousin Diego turned a year old this month and we attended his birthday party - you two love each other! It’s so cute to watch you two interact.</div>
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You also started swimming lessons this month. You still have an emotionless reaction to the water. You simply want to watch everyone else and see what’s going. I almost got a smile out of you when you “jumped” into the pool though! I’m hoping you will love the water and show more excitement shortly.</div>
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You DO love the bath however- you splash around a ton and try to crawl in the tub as well.</div>
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Happy seven months Jacobi - I love watching you grow! You are so precious to me and I am so proud of the smart little boy you are. love love love you!</div>
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<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-87128160833051598532012-11-06T20:16:00.000-06:002012-11-07T21:44:24.928-06:006 Month Update**This will be added SOON I promise. My old computer died on me and even though I backed up the file, I realized that specific file does not open on a Mac. Oops! So I don't have his six month update on my new computer. I will add it in with pictures hopefully by the end of the month! Thank you for your patience **<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Six months old</i></div>
<br />Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-56257654544669486632012-11-06T20:04:00.000-06:002012-11-06T20:04:34.968-06:00Review: Jeep Liberty Urban Terrain Stroller
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One thing I have learned is that there is no perfect
stroller for <i>everyone</i> because everyone has different needs.
Needs vary depending on budget, where you live, age and number of children, and
many more criteria. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me personally; I wanted a stroller that was three
wheeled so I could use it for jogging if I started running post-pregnancy. I
wanted something that worked with my carseat but not necessarily the “travel
system” as I wanted to be able to ditch the carseat once my son hit 6 months
and could ride in the stroller on his own. I wanted it to be easy to maneuver,
safe, aesthetically pleasing, and to fit in the trunk of my Ford Fusion. Oh-
and it had to be less than $250 so that if we didn’t receive it as a gift, we
could afford it!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Enter the Jeep Liberty Stroller! 3 wheels, alternates
between jogging and walking, works with <i>almost</i> any infant
carseat, and at only $189 from Babies R Us I considered it a steal. We
registered for it and amazingly enough received it as a gift from some family!
We were so excited. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been using it for 8 months and decided it’s time for
a thorough review now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> Versatility </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love the versatility of this stroller and it was one of
the first things that attracted me to it! I love that this stroller is
compatible with multiple infant carseats, not just one of the same brand. We
purchased the Safety 1<sup>st</sup> OnBoard 35 McKenna infant seat and it fits
perfectly into the stroller and has a restraint system that secures the seat
into the stroller. We were able to use the stroller in the early newborn
months, but now that my son is 8 months, we still use it all the time without
the carseat. He actually enjoys it a lot more now that he can see out of the
stroller. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The front wheel can lock for jogging. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> Safety </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The harness system works really well. The back wheels lock
to brake the stroller and I have had no concerns for his safety while using the
stroller.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> Size </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is really the only disadvantage for me personally.
Actually the size never bothered me until we recently moved to an apartment
complex. It would be really nice to have a more compact stroller that would fit
in our front closet; this is definitely too bulky even when closed to store in
a small closet. However, it does fit nicely in our trunk however. The weight
makes it a bit of a chore to put in and take out of the trunk, however it helps
build my muscles so I cannot complain too much! It weighs over 30 lbs so it is
on the heavier side for sure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> Overall </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall I completely recommend this stroller! At only $180
it is, to me, the best value for a three wheel stroller that is also a travel
system. I have used it for minimally jogging but mostly just walking. The
versatility is really valuable to me and the value of the stroller outweighs
the disadvantage of how bulky it is.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-91956957436669570812012-10-11T11:06:00.002-05:002012-10-11T11:06:56.311-05:00PT 2: The Hows of our Sleep Training Process
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><a href="http://hihohelloimagination.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-whens-whys-and-how-of-our-sleep.html">read part one here</a></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>PT 2: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The How<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I read several first-hand accounts of sleep training and
decided what method I wanted to do. Many moms said it was vital to get the
husband on board for help and support – but I knew my husband and just as I had
been, he was 100% against CIO. So I had to do it without him. It definitely
made it harder, but even though he helped a lot, I was the one facing the brunt
of Cobi’s sleep patterns {or lack thereof}.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to try a modified Ferber method; which basically
entails 5, 10 and 15-minute checks once you lay them down. I say modified
because the one thing I wanted through all of this was not to feel guilty, but
to feel like I was genuinely helping him. I told myself that I needed to stay
true to myself as a person and especially as his mother. Anytime I felt like it
wasn’t going well, I wasn’t going to follow some rulebook on what I can and
cannot do – I need to trust my instincts. I did, and that’s why I have no
regrets. You will notice in the sleep logs those places I “broke the rules”
because I felt uncomfortable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is what the first night looked like:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Night 1 - August 14, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:00 pm
started bedtime routine: nursing, bath, lotion massage, PJs, books, song,
prayers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:02 - laid
in bed swaddled- immediately crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:06 - did a
check, kissed his head, said I love you, gave pacifier, walked away - cried
harder</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:12 - check</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:17 - kiss,
check and pat - caved and nursed him for 2 minutes to calm him down. He
screamed even harder when I laid him back down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:23 -
another check</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:30 -
another check, kiss, pat, say I love you and goodnight</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:36 - did
check, he had kicked and thrashed so much he was wedged into the corner of the
crib. Unswaddled him, put him in a warm sleeper, kissed and said goodnight.
Fussed and squirmed - no crying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:43 -
silence...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2:20 -
awake, nursed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2:40 - back
in bed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2:42 asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:15 - awake
for the day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first
night it took 41 minutes of crying to him to fall asleep and he slept 5 hours
and 37 minutes, which was a vast improvement! He then slept another 4 hours and
33 minutes. I was so encouraged when the first night went so well that I even
braved telling my husband what I did. He was amazed he’d slept so well, but
still skeptical. On to night 2.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Night 2 - August 15, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
bath, pjs,
massage, song and nursing-</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6:45 laid in
bed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
asleep right
away</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:40 -
awake, squirms in crib on and off</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:53 -
crying, do a check, kiss, tummy pat, pacifier</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:56 -
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:06 -
crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:08 -
check, pat tummy... he was crying REALLY hard so I picked him up, held him
& kissed him. then laid him back down</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:16 -
quiet, but not asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:20 -
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3:30 -
awake, nursed, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3:54- back
in bed, asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:15 awake
for the day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The second
night I nursed him before laying him down instead, and he became so drowsy that
he fell right to sleep when I laid him down however he work up about an hour
later and we had to do it all over again. But his sleep again was awesome, he only
woke up once to eat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was really
hoping that by night three the crying would be drastically improved.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Night 3 - August 16, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
got home
7:40 - diaper, pjs, kisses, nursing</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:04 - in
bed, talking/fussing</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:08 -
crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:15 - did a
check, stroked his head, rubbed his tummy and chest, kissed him and gave him
his pacifier. He calmed down</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:17 -
crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:34 - went
in, picked him up, nursed him and soothed him. He was crying REALLY hard and
thrashing in his crib. My gut instinct told me he needed his mother. He calmed
down. I didn't nurse him to sleep, but when I laid him down, he was calm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:36 -
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3:30 -
awake, nursed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3:48 - back
in bed, asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6:47 - awake
for the day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This time is
took 34 minutes for him to go to sleep, he slept about 7 hours and then another
3. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Night 4:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
diaper, pjs,
books, sing soft lullabies, bedtime prayer and kisses</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:35 - laid
in bed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:36 -
crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:42 -
shushed, pacifier, kissed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:46 -
crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:56 -
check, kissed, pacifier, tummy rub</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:57 -
crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
9:04 -
stopped crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
9:06 -
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4:47- awake,
nursed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
5:03- back
in crib, asleep within two minutes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:03- awake
for the day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Time: 31
minutes to fall asleep. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sleep: 7
hours, 41 minutes + 3 hours</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even though
his night sleep was a huge improvement – in fact I was amazed and felt so great
myself; I still felt like it shouldn’t be taking 30 minutes for him to fall
asleep after four days. Even so I figured maybe he just needed a little longer
so I continued on and his pattern was very similar for the next few days. Once
we made it to seven days and it was still taking 30 minutes for him to fall
asleep I decided to modify my approach. I had read about the extinction method
before and hated the sound of it; however my son did seem to be even more
angered when I went in during “checks”. It was almost like he felt betrayed, he
would look at me while crying and seem to say, “How can you stand there and do
nothing!” It was morbidly heartbreaking. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I decided
after that first week to try the extinction method.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Night 8 - August 21, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6pm -
started routine</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6:37 - in
bed, crying</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:01 - quiet</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:05 -
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
11:16-awake,
nursed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
11:25 laid
in bed, cried</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
11:26-
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4:13 -
awake, nursed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4:32 -
asleep in bed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:32 - awake
for the day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Time: 29
minutes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sleep: 4
hours, 11 minutes + 4 hours, 47 minutes + 3 hours</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Night 9 - August 22, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6:15 -
started playing quietly, then routine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:07 - laid
in bed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:21 - he
banged his head on the crib slats and cried really hard, went in to soothe him
and just held him for awhile.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:29 - laid
back down, not crying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:32 -
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
10:40-
awake, fussing. Didn't go to him</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
10:49-
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
10:58-
awake. Left him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
11:02- dang
it Daniel went in there</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
11:15-
asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4:52- awake,
nursed- he was cold I put socks on him </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
5:20- asleep</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
9:20-awake
for the day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Time: 25
minutes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sleep: Was a
little tumultuous and the husband disrupted it. I’m not sure whether to count
his early wake ups as wakes or not? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3 hours, 8
minutes + 9 minutes + 5 hours 38 minutes + 4 hours</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That was the
last tumultuous night and then his sleep improved. He stopped having his
early-night wake ups and would sleep straight until his middle of the night
feeding which was usually 4am. His bedtime varied depending on when he woke up
from his last nap but in general he was sleeping 8 hours and then another 4. Only
a few weeks later he had his first night of sleeping 11+ hours straight, and
during his seventh month he was doing it consistently a couple times a week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>What would you have done differently:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nothing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I researched
my options and had tried all the “gentle” methods from months 3-6 and nothing
worked for my son. I wouldn’t have had the strength to start with extinction
and I needed to learn what worked for Cobi specifically because every baby is
so different. After learning that he had a harder time when I would perform
checks, that’s when we made the switch and I’m glad we did. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Talk about your modified approach:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like I said
earlier I really needed to be comfortable with whatever method I was using.
Those nights that you see in the log where I “broke the rules” and comforted or
soothed him – I do not regret one bit. I knew at that time as his mother that
he genuinely needed me and wasn’t crying just from being tired or left alone.
He was either scared or hurt. Sure, I do think it drew out the sleep-training
process and that may be why it took us closer to two weeks to see permanent improvement
and results. However this was of the utmost importance to me and I am so happy
I did it this way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>What was your husband’s reaction:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It only took
a few days for him to be on board with it. I was having a really hard time
emotionally; and I did need his support and strength so I had to tell him that.
He stepped up, even though he didn’t initially agree with what I was doing; he
trusted me as a mother and his wife and that was enough for me. As he saw Cobi’s
sleep and overall happiness improving he slowly started to change his mind and
at the end of the two weeks he was a believer. I know that he agrees that
sleep-training isn’t for everyone but he agrees it was the right thing to do in
our situation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>How is sleep now:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cobi is 7.5 months old, so it's been about 7 weeks since we sleep-trained and he sleeps fantastic. This week has been a little bumpy but that's because we moved and had a busy weekend of traveling. However he is well rested and has an established nap schedule. We are all happy and no longer sleep deprived. Of course there are off days; busy days, sick days etc that change his sleep for the better or worse but in general he is consistent and will sleep 12 hours with one wake up to nurse.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-464762239932060322012-10-11T10:38:00.000-05:002012-10-11T11:08:17.973-05:00The Whens, Whys and How of our Sleep Training Process<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This post is going to be long-winded and I will probably
have to write it in two parts. Choosing to sleep-train was a really emotional
decision for us. If you remember, I talked about the evolution of my thought-process
regarding baby sleep in an <a href="http://hihohelloimagination.blogspot.com/2012/06/sleep-evolution.html">earlier post;</a> at that time I was definitely opposed
to sleep-training and even now after having done it – I wouldn’t have done it
that early anyhow. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was pregnant I read The Baby Book by Dr. Sears along
with many of Attachment Parenting type books. I was gung-ho on the idea of
co-sleeping and even co-bedding; to the point that we weren’t even going to buy
a crib because I wanted our son to sleep with us. Even my husband was on board
with this! I figured baby sleep would never be an issue as long as he had the
comfort of sleeping with us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As any parent knows; you can talk talk talk all you want
about things you will do, and things you will not do and when push comes to
shove; you will do whatever you need to do to get X. (X equals desired result)
For example: I said no pacifier! By week three, we had succumbed. I said no
crib! By month 3, we gave in. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course not EVERY parent is like this and maybe I just
suck as sticking to my guns. But in general, your ideologies change with your
child’s needs. As is the case with baby sleep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>The When & Why</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cobi hit a sleep regression at three months. It was the day
he turned three months that his sleep did a 180. Up to that point he had been
sleeping with us and it was grand. He slept in 5-6 hour stretches and when he
woke up to eat, he just rooted and we both stayed mostly asleep while he
nursed. He’d be finished in ten minutes and we were both back to sleep. It was
quite lovely and I do remember those three months with great fondness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, with his regression he began to wake every 1-2
hours. It was worse than when he was a newborn. And now, he would sometimes
want to stay awake and if we didn’t let him, he would cry and cry. It was
really rough. We tried unswaddling, swaddling, nursing, rocking, the 5 S’s, the
husband took a turn. We were exhausted. And so it continued for months.
Eventually he started sleeping a little longer, but then it turned into him not
going to sleep until after midnight which made me even more exhausted because
then he’d be awake between 6-7am so we were all getting very little sleep. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I dove into reading about baby sleep and what could possibly
be wrong. At one point I was convinced he had night terrors because an hour
after I put him down he would wake up screaming. I read The No Cry Sleep
Solution, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child and many blog posts and medical
articles. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was a week shy of turning 6 months old when I gave in. I
was depressed, sleep-deprived, and it had turned into me hating being a mom. I
knew that something had to be done and after three months of this, I was ready
to do {almost} anything for some sleep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>to be continued...</i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-43747083968344261052012-09-22T16:38:00.000-05:002012-09-22T16:41:06.575-05:00Busy busy!I need to post. I have a current list of posts that need to be written - I promise I will be working on them soon!
<p>
- Sleep training<br>
We sleep-trained Cobi the week before he turned 6 months and had to try a few different methods before one stuck. I will be writing a comprehensive post on what sleep training was like for us.
<p>
- 6 month update<br>
It's a little sad that Cobi turned <i>seven months old</i> today and I have yet to post his 6 month update. However - I have valid excuses: I got a new mac and the update was written on my PC. Come to find out OneNote doesn't work on a mac and now I need to go to my parent's to load OneNote to get his six month update. Shoot. Didn't think that one through :P
<p>
- 7 Month Update<br>
Guess who turned 7 months today!!! Woohoo! He is getting so big and growing so fast.
<p>
These are just a few posts to come. I have many more in mind - such as product reviews!
<p>
Thanks for sticking with me :)Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-57113305348463712942012-09-13T00:35:00.001-05:002012-09-13T00:38:25.614-05:00Jacobi's Baby Photo BookShutterfly is always sending out amazing offers, discounts and promotion codes if you're on their email list. This week was a free 8x8 photo book! Okay, so you have to pay shipping but less then $10 for a 20 page photo book is a steal! I had a lot of fun making this and it was so easy. I love how it turned out and cannot wait to see it in person!!
<p>
<object width="425" height="425" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/slideshow/slideshow-ui.swf"/><param name="flashvars" value="configXMLURL=http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/slideshow/config/config-share.xml&slideshowModuleURL=http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/slideshow/slideshow-module.swf&projectGUID=0AYtmLJq1YuWmOLA&swfName=slideshowFlashContent&showReplay=true"/><param name="menu" value="false"/><param name="quality" value="best"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><embed width="425" height="425" align="middle" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" name="wrapper" quality="best" menu="false" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="configXMLURL=http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/slideshow/config/config-share.xml&slideshowModuleURL=http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/slideshow/slideshow-module.swf&projectGUID=0AYtmLJq1YuWmOLA&swfName=slideshowFlashContent&showReplay=true" src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/slideshow/slideshow-ui.swf"></embed></object><p style="width:425px;margin-top:0;text-align:center;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AYtmLJq1YuWjjQ&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=115">Click here to view this photo book larger</a><div style="margin-top: 10px; width: 425px; text-align: center;">Create your own<a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books" style="color: #6666cc;"> custom photo books</a> at Shutterfly.com.</div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=photobook&c2=blogger" /></p>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-55316659417260328012012-09-09T14:04:00.000-05:002012-09-09T14:06:21.990-05:00Wittlebee Box #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHNFJKps4dNhy4WXTgGkA04i9oEmMZq8BfVz8HhjNms6j5lgJ-WFUGVbyztIQYUb_DIshLiVGZLEYjQyBXgzFa-4JFK44Ro67s1T8g-edFkOocR6pj6FJDR9wsobTEHHyxLqUmQafc_Qv/s1600/wittlebeebox2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHNFJKps4dNhy4WXTgGkA04i9oEmMZq8BfVz8HhjNms6j5lgJ-WFUGVbyztIQYUb_DIshLiVGZLEYjQyBXgzFa-4JFK44Ro67s1T8g-edFkOocR6pj6FJDR9wsobTEHHyxLqUmQafc_Qv/s400/wittlebeebox2.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
We received our second Wittlebee box! I was even more excited about this one because I left much more detailed style notes and had my husband select the categories he liked. He chose "casual" and "preppy". Last box we had selected "preppy" and "hipster". These are the styles notes I left based on our last order:
<p>
<blockquote>
<i>PLEASE no Teddyboom. We also like American Apparel. We would only like animals if they're on pajamas. We need long sleeved items for fall/winter. And pants, like cute jeans, but no sweatpants.
<p>
No orange or red please, no licensed characters. We love stripes! They are our favorite. We also like select patterns, like chevron, and argyle. I would like to try the Tiny Whales brand</i> </blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RWt_WSjTRqwhoJFlsiYpVAaRi2VcODwTcL1EEQdN8h5_HVDKxFLSeDvQWBSs5Qz32XdVsPrIB4WF8NTR2JBNuKjp2xEAzsva_5xIdFADTQbEMcEFQJyQjT9PTjbDjq2SMs0TtsqKx_Fw/s1600/wittlebeebox11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RWt_WSjTRqwhoJFlsiYpVAaRi2VcODwTcL1EEQdN8h5_HVDKxFLSeDvQWBSs5Qz32XdVsPrIB4WF8NTR2JBNuKjp2xEAzsva_5xIdFADTQbEMcEFQJyQjT9PTjbDjq2SMs0TtsqKx_Fw/s400/wittlebeebox11.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
Firstly, we said no Teddyboom brand because that was the item in the last box that was the poorest quality and was damaged.
<br>
I am not a cutesy-baby style person. I don't like to dress Cobi in "baby" clothes. I prefer he looks like a little man. I guess I just don't understand the cutesy in boy clothes. For girls, maybe. For boys? No thank you. That's why I specifically requested no animals unless on pajamas.
<p>
We received so many tees last box, I wanted to be sure we received some long sleeved items (which we need) for fall/winter. I found out in the last box that 6-12 month size is big, and realized Cobi won't wear it for months. So what use would I have for short sleeves in December?
<p>
Also, I have enough casual pants such as sweatpants and it we received any pants I didn't need sweatpants. I just wanted to be very particular in what our needs were.
<p>
I was hoping that by elaborating on our favorite patterns; stripes, chevron and argyle - we might receive some cute items. Also - I was really hoping to try something from Tiny Whales as it looked adorable!!
<p>
<b><center> How did they do?!</center></b>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMCFEwyMK7WQaeJecYwJ-DEgirAikwZHZWVqzYp_zjVH34UeHye87fiJ79RAAiU2yttSlQ0B3jA3ZUpwFdWPBXb-j_e0ebA3B7d6A2YouHEDhpiuNdU1t82ro4hmQ65dSCE4KgsRXmgVQ/s1600/wittlebee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMCFEwyMK7WQaeJecYwJ-DEgirAikwZHZWVqzYp_zjVH34UeHye87fiJ79RAAiU2yttSlQ0B3jA3ZUpwFdWPBXb-j_e0ebA3B7d6A2YouHEDhpiuNdU1t82ro4hmQ65dSCE4KgsRXmgVQ/s400/wittlebee2.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
<p>
Honestly?!<p>
<b>A-W-F-U-L.</b><p>
Even my husband was sorely disappointed in the box. I was so, so, so upset and disappointed. I was expecting it to be ten times better than the last box. They hardly followed our preferences as at all! I am so mad and my husband definitely plans to call customer service about how they didn't follow our preferences at all.
<p>
<p>
We received two pairs of pants, one long sleeve kimono bodysuit and two tees and one short sleeve bodysuit.
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNoRWz-xXP-mvhSiBtBoi9q_gs61SotwK29hz2mPFp9X6iC0URJWayhQhrQftpENGVUOplh-LNoc0cfW0xfcqR4isgjBUilXKGrhGOHSw0IXGUXYnFuX_jsDYCKYyzh1VfGPT2wlKojg3/s1600/twopants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNoRWz-xXP-mvhSiBtBoi9q_gs61SotwK29hz2mPFp9X6iC0URJWayhQhrQftpENGVUOplh-LNoc0cfW0xfcqR4isgjBUilXKGrhGOHSw0IXGUXYnFuX_jsDYCKYyzh1VfGPT2wlKojg3/s400/twopants.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
The two pants: Both are knit pants, similar to sweatpants. Exactly what I didn't want. The first pair is a tapered leg and the taper is a different color than the pant! I personally think it's ugly and too baby-ish. The brand is Bon Bebe.<p>
The second pair is just hideous. The pants have feet. Now please answer me this; how practical is a pair of footed pants for a baby who is learning to scoot, crawl, stand and walk?! Not only are footed pants not very logical at this age, but (in my opinion) ugly. I didn't even put him in footed pants as a newborn. The brand is Sage Creek Organics.
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p>
The long sleeve kimono bodysuit I actually love. It's my second favorite item in the box. The brand is Kate Quinn Organics which I've heard great things about and the quality seems superb. It's cute, basic and long-sleeve as I requested.
<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87ts4gR9Y1FxumRZ9QU2gq7hw8Gpwin9O-4oezBjSLlbTMB49wyQXO4pWI6v71cE8rHGbMQt6ZuPW13fYP-rX4WJBz2p7znQyly2ULKqu5p7-Q9M1fhCekmzyy_ZNeNds-vBU0N9GEMJG/s1600/TinyWhales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87ts4gR9Y1FxumRZ9QU2gq7hw8Gpwin9O-4oezBjSLlbTMB49wyQXO4pWI6v71cE8rHGbMQt6ZuPW13fYP-rX4WJBz2p7znQyly2ULKqu5p7-Q9M1fhCekmzyy_ZNeNds-vBU0N9GEMJG/s400/TinyWhales.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
The first tee is my absolute favorite items. Seeing as I love only two items in the box - that is saying something. I love love love this. And so does my husband! It is the Tiny Whales brand per my request and it is so cute. It is blue with anchors all over it, and one light blue anchor highlighted on the shirt. So adorable. The only downside is that it is short-sleeved, but I can easily layer it over a bodysuit or under a sweatshirt.
<p>
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<P>
The second tee is American Apparel; very similar (actually, I think identical) to the other tee I received in my previous box. This one however is powder blue. It's a basic item. It is short sleeve though, and I wish I had received a long-sleeved item from American Apparel (I did highlight it as my favorite brand in the style notes).
<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiA31MtnXL-Uhg1PAQqmBIA1NdaF_ZcyE4jM2_AysdBXnmx7ARUDulZw71maimySg0VnFw-EaFyv5mcaimruZLJtwEgg3RCI4KAhWehtKzfyleD3E7EbyKHdCnLAL0OO657eBI3DmXqcG/s1600/bonbebe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiA31MtnXL-Uhg1PAQqmBIA1NdaF_ZcyE4jM2_AysdBXnmx7ARUDulZw71maimySg0VnFw-EaFyv5mcaimruZLJtwEgg3RCI4KAhWehtKzfyleD3E7EbyKHdCnLAL0OO657eBI3DmXqcG/s400/bonbebe.jpg" /></a></div>
<P>
This next item, the short sleeve bodysuit, really disappoints me. It went against nearly all my preferences. Firstly it is short sleeved, I asked for long sleeved items. Secondly, it has an animal on it, when I specifically requested NO animals unless they were on pajamas. Additionally, it is ugly and not even cutesy (which, occasionally I can deal with), it's just ugly. The brand is Bon bebe.
<p>
I am so, so, so very sorry to be so harsh about this box, but I really was so dissappointed when it is apparent they went about my specific preferences. I thought that leaving thorough style notes would be to my benefit and helpful to the stylists.
<p>
My husband pointed out that this box in no way is "preppy", it is uber casual. There is not one preppy item in the box, save for <i>maybe</i> the Tiny Whales tee.
<br>
Wittlebee, I'm so sorry. You disappointed me :(
<p>
<p>
One thing I did notice though was that the retail value of this box does seem significantly higher.
<br>
<a href="http://www.sagecreekorganics.com/detail.aspx?ID=858">Sage Creek Organic Footed pants</a> retail for $16.<br>
<a href="http://shop.bonbebe.com/category_s/1477.htm?searching=Y&sort=7&cat=1477&show=16&page=1">Bon Bebe pants</a> come in a set for $7.97, which equals to only $3.98 per item.<br>
<a href="http://shop.bonbebe.com/category_s/1820.htm">Bon bebe bodysuits</a> are $5.00 each.<br>
<a href="http://store.americanapparel.net/4000.html?cid=2057-2083&c=Lavender">American Apparel tee</a> retails for $10.<br>
<a href="http://blackwagon.com/index.php?q=tiny+whales&t=k">Tiny Whales tees</a> retail for $30.<br>
<a href="http://www.katequinnorganics.com/categories/style-types/bodysuits/?sort=featured&page=1">Kate Quinn Organics Bodysuits</a> retail for $23.<br>
Bringing the total value of this box to: $87.98<br>
That <i>is</i> still less than the advertised $100 retail per box, but it is much closer than the last box.<p>
As for what I will do about this box... it is in their policy that if you use a discount code, you are not eligible to return a box. I can understand that. I will keep the three items I like, and I will try to sell the three items I don't care for on Ebay.
<p>
I still want to love Wittlebee so so soo much. I think though that it may be a better option if I were to have a daughter. I have seen several of the girl boxes and they are too cute. I feel there is less error when it comes to girls clothes because there is a wider range of cute styles. My style for Cobi is pretty specific and limited and I suppose that might not be something I can trust another person to know.
<p>
I will try Wittlebee again if I ever have a daughter... although I may just try again if I see another great 50% off deal because I'm so in love with the idea of it. And maybe next time, I'll have a personal stylist CALL me instead.
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Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-51369983139626120802012-09-08T21:21:00.001-05:002012-09-10T20:32:47.843-05:00Labor Day GoodiesI didn't necessarily <i>mean</i> to spend a couple hundred dollars this weekend... but it happened. And I can't really say I regret it; firstly because I am very frugal and pleased with my super-saver shopping. And secondly because I haven't done a major shopping trip since long before Cobi was born. He has consumed all of my financial expenditures the last year.
<p><p>
Actually I am more excited about Black Friday and really hoping that I am at a more desirable weight by then so that I can invest in a few more key wardrobe pieces.
<p>
Anyhow, these are some of my amazing purchases from this weekend:
<p>
I made a few special purchases for myself at Gap Outlet, Mac Store and Fossil. But I'll just be highlighting the amazing specials I found for my babe ;)
<p>
<p>
<b>H&M</b> for the little guy: cardigan, sherpa lined boots, skinny jeans and suspenders
<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5R5VVd-8ZTBXiHHiUZptNj8yykBbTFXfcnSHrlMIVgzIo0lLgqW5mxAZpvyoqXRiyqSNGV1GuCSrOaW4JmCFOVCroItHEhgQWm1GVnJZ7as8BCvQ8lhWwZnkx1a6mFf_uNob4TUYcFFU/s1600/H%2526Mskinnies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5R5VVd-8ZTBXiHHiUZptNj8yykBbTFXfcnSHrlMIVgzIo0lLgqW5mxAZpvyoqXRiyqSNGV1GuCSrOaW4JmCFOVCroItHEhgQWm1GVnJZ7as8BCvQ8lhWwZnkx1a6mFf_uNob4TUYcFFU/s400/H%2526Mskinnies.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpp6amYVcMPl2Ie7gJ_EqDObsAzpIfvUNYN2QJkOYIux-69uZCKxUjOUDsSACrcJLMpH-BsDwFHwArb34sPz0grMmciukdKJpk5Oe46GXsp1HELW58A1mVLCCIvpxutaCbAHo6YdqahGeF/s1600/H%2526Msuspenders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpp6amYVcMPl2Ie7gJ_EqDObsAzpIfvUNYN2QJkOYIux-69uZCKxUjOUDsSACrcJLMpH-BsDwFHwArb34sPz0grMmciukdKJpk5Oe46GXsp1HELW58A1mVLCCIvpxutaCbAHo6YdqahGeF/s400/H%2526Msuspenders.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
Cardigan: $7.95 <br>
boots: $17.95 <br>
skinnies: $9.95 <br>
suspenders: $4.95 <br>
Total: $40.80
<p>
<p>
<b>Carters:</b> in store and online
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDzHCrrOcsRCxUhEhx6t5_wm-uqAFUuC8eI1Zb8EVm3YU1za10TJ_lZQfAWBGtvUayJ841-TNilckGToxrgkWeeI-cKGfg9kYVGP7kxSw-oHlOR_iGFi68Y3PGiYWVM0V9656qvk7G6uG/s1600/sleeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDzHCrrOcsRCxUhEhx6t5_wm-uqAFUuC8eI1Zb8EVm3YU1za10TJ_lZQfAWBGtvUayJ841-TNilckGToxrgkWeeI-cKGfg9kYVGP7kxSw-oHlOR_iGFi68Y3PGiYWVM0V9656qvk7G6uG/s400/sleeper.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
This was actually a two-pack of sleepers, but the other one is in the wash, so this is all you get! This was a sweet deal. I had recently shopped at Carters during double stamp Tuesdays for baby shower gifts, so I already had a $10 off coupon. Also, Carters was having 50% off their entire store for Labor day. The two pack of sleepers were marked down to $13, which is a great price already, but I only had to pay $3! Can I get a whoop whoop!! ;)
<p>
I also made a nice haul online. 50% off everything online, as well as an additional 20% off as I purchased $40+. I got some cute stuff.
Gray sweater vest - I got two of these, one for this winter and one for next!<br>
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<p>
4 Bodysuits<br>
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<p>
Sleeper<br>
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<p>
<p>
Sleepers: $3<br>
Two gray sweater vests: $16.50 <br>
4-Pack of bodysuits: $9.75<Br>
Sleeper: $6.00 <br>
+ $6 shipping<br>
Total: $41.25
<p>
<p>
<b>Wittlebee</b><p>
I know, I've already purchased a box at 50% off. This time my *husband* purchased a box during the labor day sale (haha!). It was an additional percent off, so we paid $18 for the box. Score!
<p>
Will post pics soon!
<p>
<p>
<b>The Childrens Place</b>: I totally hit the jackpot here. There were so many amazing sales going on.
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<p>
Green and blue plaid shirt: $2.99 each <br>
White tee: $3.99<br>
Yellow polo: $2.99 <br>
Sleeper: $8 <br>
Blue stripe bodysuit: $3.99<br>
Gray polo bodysuit: $1.99<br>
total: $26.94
<p>
<b>Total:$126.99</b>
<p>
I had so much fun last weekend shopping for Cobi. Why are babies so much more fun to shop for than ourselves?! (And easier to spend money on as well!! I found many things I wanted ;))!!
<p>
Did you find any labor day deals? What are your favorite sales to shop?
Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-13868394192121411822012-08-28T21:47:00.000-05:002012-08-28T21:53:34.198-05:00Wittlebee ReviewGuess what I got in the mail today?! Woohoo!! Getting packages in the mail is so exciting, of course I was especially excited for my <a href="http://ww.wittlebee.com">Wittlebee</a> package! For those that missed my <a href="http://theimaginationmama.blogspot.com/2012/08/wittlebee.html">last post</a> about Wittlebee, the premise of this clothing club is that it is a monthly subscription of six clothing items that are hand-picked by Wittlebee's stylists based on your style profile. The price is $39.99. I had been wanting to try it since Mrs. Bee over at Hellobee wrote a <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/07/03/wittlebee-review/">post</a> about it, but couldn't justify shelling out nearly $40 for little man clothes when I already had a full closet of clothes for Cobi. <a href="http://www.gumhouse.com/">Gumhouse</a> had a special for 50% off and I snagged a deal. I was psyched to be able to try it at a discount!
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First, in Wittlebee, you fill out a style profile. Basic information such as child's age and clothing size. Then you get to the fun stuff. These are the choices I made:
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Then comes the option to add style notes. I added a few because there were a few things I knew I wanted, and a few things I knew I didn't want.
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Want to see how well they followed my profile?!
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I received three short sleeve shirts, one onesie, a pair or cotton knit pants and a pair of jeans. I first noticed that I didn't request short sleeve shirts on my profile. Since fall is coming up, I knew I'd need some more long-sleeved items. I was really disappointed I didn't receive any long-sleeved items. And definitely surprised I received <i>three</i> short-sleeve items!
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Secondly, I received a onesie with an animal on it, when I hadn't chosen the animals category. However, the giraffe onesie is actually my favorite item of all the items! So I wasn't disappointed in that item.
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I also selected pants, and received two pairs. That fit well with my profile.
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Let's go through each item individually:
1. Striped Polo by Teddyboom
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I did expect to get a polo; I chose preppy as a style preference and in my style notes said I like preppy "little man" styles. This shirt also fit my profile as it's grey and yellow, in addition to stripes. As far as this shirt goes, they couldn't have matched my profile more perfectly. But for some reason I'm not in love with the item, but I do like it and will have Cobi wear it. It is 12 months though, so it won't fit him for awhile. It will also be the dead of winter, which is a bummer. Oh well! I was happy to see gray and yellow.
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On Amazon, a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Boom-Baby-Stripe-Months/dp/B008BBOU2O/ref=sr_1_4?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1346204156&sr=1-4&keywords=teddy+boom">Teddyboom polo</a> retails for $5.50, since each item in this box comes to $6.67 each, this item is definitely significantly less than their claim that each box is about <a href="http://wittlebee.com/how-it-works/">$100 in retail</a>!
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2. Green Tee by American Apparel
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsa4PBtoIwHoSx_uhw7XIJMf2wkJZMgijOmsLG3XuSTal8GhkhK-MMf4yehb2pDoB9vEkcEEyul29MmSPJJD1KIOi9VNs3C-jf7v8JcHCFPgHAmxLtLn3EsiKwtOO085b7D7RIWH6QObyz/s1600/DSC_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsa4PBtoIwHoSx_uhw7XIJMf2wkJZMgijOmsLG3XuSTal8GhkhK-MMf4yehb2pDoB9vEkcEEyul29MmSPJJD1KIOi9VNs3C-jf7v8JcHCFPgHAmxLtLn3EsiKwtOO085b7D7RIWH6QObyz/s400/DSC_0533.JPG" /></a></div>
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I totally love this teeshirt. Green wasn't one of the colors I chose (I did receive three green items!), but I love Cobi in green, so it wasn't an issue for me. This item is just a plain, basic tee, but I know American Apparel is high-quality, it's soft and fits well. I am really excited about this piece. It's definitely more basic, but will make it easy to layer and do more with it.
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<a href="http://store.americanapparel.net/4000.html?cid=2057-2083&c=Red">American Apparel tees</a> for babies run at $10 each.
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3. Green knit pants by American Apparel<p>
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This item is so-so for me. Like I said, green was not one of my colors of choice, so I was surprised to get three green items, however the pants are cute enough. I do like American Apparel, so I am happy with the brand. The quality seems good, although since it's size is during the crawling stage, I'm eager to see how well it holds up! It's another basic piece. I might not have picked it myself, but I don't mind it.
This item goes for $12 at <a href="http://store.americanapparel.net/4032.html?cid=2061-2080&c=Heather%20Grey">American Apparel</a>.
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4. Green polo by Kicky Pants
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I am unsure about this item. It definitely fits the hipster and preppy categories I chose, so I cannot fault them for sending it to me. It also is a "geometric pattern" which is what I included in my style notes. I do think it's cute, but again, not an item I would have chosen myself. And it's green. Although I have nothing against green, and like I said, I love it on Cobi - I would have liked to see them stick to the colors I specifically chose (grey, yellow and black). <br>
I love the material on this one, it's soft and really high-quality. One downside- which I would definitely try to avoid in a child's item, is that it's hand wash only, line dry. I would never buy an item for a baby with delicate washing instructions! Haha.<br>
This item retails for $12 at <a href="http://www.kickypants.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=12998&idcategory=69">Kicky Pants</a>. <p><p>
5. Giraffe Onesie by American Apparel<p>
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Another American Apparel item, that is three in one box. I might have liked a little more diversity in the brands, however they chose a high quality brand to feature. This IS my <i>favorite</i> item in the box though. The giraffe with sunglasses and converse is way too cute. The only thing I don't like about it is the witttlebee logo, which wouldn't even be that bad if it didn't say "kids clothing club". I personally don't like people as walking billboards. I did personally request no licensed characters. I suppose this may not <i>exactly</i> be a licensed character, but close enough in my mind. However, I love that giraffe so much it doesn't matter. Sidenote: I also didn't choose animals in my style profile.<br>
Knit onesies retail for $11.50 at <a href="http://store.americanapparel.net/4001.html?cid=2059-2079">American Apparel</a>.
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6. Jeans by TeddyBoom
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This is my one major disappointment in the box. Not only do these jeans remind me on a style from the 90's, but they also appear to be the kind of denim that bleeds easily. They are also extremely poorly made. One of the first things I noticed is a hole near the crotch seam.
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I am planning on calling customer service about this tomorrow. I'm hoping I may be able to get just the pants exchanged. I do like the rest of the box quite a bit, even if they weren't items I would have picked out on my own. It encourages me to branch out a bit. But these jeans... big fail. Sorry Wittlebee! The quality on these jeans leaves much to be desired... and no offense Teddyboom; but they're kinda downright ugly. If I kept them, even if there were no defect, I know I would never end up putting them on Cobi. I have many other jeans in this size that are ten times cuter and were much cheaper.
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Speaking of which, I cannot find anywhere online what these pants go for, but saw a few ebay listings for around $10, so we'll go with that.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSf7i_Y-o2x1PgqbYE_JAMuZwQwez-u-KetSriM3T1FZ8S5LKn5zbkE0LTXl0Es8CJ9tvaS4xPu3x5icvio4enff4Ngc-ZT1GSMOV9fSgic47CLICkdvXv19G7DnURM252CmNpQaxdRgnU/s1600/DSC_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSf7i_Y-o2x1PgqbYE_JAMuZwQwez-u-KetSriM3T1FZ8S5LKn5zbkE0LTXl0Es8CJ9tvaS4xPu3x5icvio4enff4Ngc-ZT1GSMOV9fSgic47CLICkdvXv19G7DnURM252CmNpQaxdRgnU/s400/DSC_0542.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEily4tT9OpfeBxHK2iWn6EPqXh5pGKbqZx6A49X1zLmHgN2PJIB6bLGmQ9mDRWhuhRN2AQybuZw9z2v-7IkSlMkh9XLOTsWD_1ZZSS_2BKNigwrtznAfhVsi8TBYkS0SrJc-dkDOvVk8vcP/s1600/DSC_0545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEily4tT9OpfeBxHK2iWn6EPqXh5pGKbqZx6A49X1zLmHgN2PJIB6bLGmQ9mDRWhuhRN2AQybuZw9z2v-7IkSlMkh9XLOTsWD_1ZZSS_2BKNigwrtznAfhVsi8TBYkS0SrJc-dkDOvVk8vcP/s400/DSC_0545.JPG" /></a></div>
<p><p>
Would I order again? For $40 - no. Six items for $40 comes to $6.67 an item. For some that may seem like a steal. But for a frugalista like me, my cardinal rule is to never pay $5+ for an item of clothing for my 6 month old son... unless of course it's a pair or shoes or coat. I do think the boxes would get better and better, as I've heard from other Wittlebee members. And I would love to try it out for longer, but I'm afraid the price isn't worth it to me. Nor is it in my budget. Perhaps if I find another 50% off deal, I will try again.
<p>
If you want to try, get <a href="http://curebit.com/x/r4bSm">$10 off your first order here</a>. I would encourage you to provide thorough style notes and be honest about what you want! I didn't receive licensed characters, skulls (which, for some reason, seem to be popular in boys clothing), or slogans. I'm happy about that. I did receive stripes and geometric prints as I requested. I also requested no orange or red and didn't receive any of those colors. I do think the style notes are more important than the profile. I also would have requested specific brands had I thought about it. I would have requested <a href="http://store.americanapparel.net/">American Apparel</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.tinywhales.com/">Tiny Whales</a>. Their stuff looks super cute! However, without knowing the brands they carry, this might be hard. But if you speak with a stylist you may be able to ask about the brands.
<p>
Adding up all the items, the total comes to about $61 retail for all six items. It's more than I would have paid for six items, but so is $40. I definitely could have found six items for less than $40. However, I did only pay $20 for this box, so I got a deal here ($3.33/item). With a $10 off, you could also only pay $5 per item!
<P>
It's disappointing to see that it wasn't actually $100 in retail as they advertised. It is a savings, sure, but not as much as they make it out to be and that it a disappointment.
<p>
I think this would be a fun gift to give/receive! I may consider this for friends and family in the future.
<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_pvqDVyEGcNdaE1_1l4Pc8N9ZAj0Q-eYV7NA3gn0d80GwqPU03zE0FCLEV6WVdz4cDhLt_DxTAn0wEknWHyR19ktXsQpHpzTHn1AyEyRy0p36DDixYnRPcvYrq5kP7w3siHDUET0G2pi/s1600/DSC_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_pvqDVyEGcNdaE1_1l4Pc8N9ZAj0Q-eYV7NA3gn0d80GwqPU03zE0FCLEV6WVdz4cDhLt_DxTAn0wEknWHyR19ktXsQpHpzTHn1AyEyRy0p36DDixYnRPcvYrq5kP7w3siHDUET0G2pi/s400/DSC_0548.JPG" /></a></div>
<p><p>
In short:
I like this. I love the idea of it and for the right person it could be a lifesaver! I think it gets better as you go as well; you learn to leave better notes based on what you like. I've heard the customer service is great as well. The items were really cute. I would recommend this service!
Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-48297235651195213542012-08-22T13:42:00.001-05:002012-08-22T13:43:24.759-05:00Wittlebee
I am trying something new. I will be back to review it once my order comes!!
<p>
<a href="http://www.wittlebee.com">Wittlebee</a> is an interesting phenomenon. Simply, you fill out a "style profile" that indicates your child's age and clothing preferences. For $39.99 a month you receive a box of several clothing items. You can specify whether you want to receive long sleeved shirts, short sleeve shirts, dresses, skirts, hats, swimwear, pants, shorts etc. You choose the items you need, but Wittlebee's personal stylists choose the items for you and send them in an adorable box.
<p>
I held off trying it, although I've had my eye on it since <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/author/mrsbee/">Mrs. Bee</a> over at <a href="http://www.hellobee.com">Hellobee</a> did a <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/07/03/wittlebee-review/">fantastic post</a> about it, mostly because of the price... and the fact that I don't really <i>need</i> more clothes for Jacobi. I have found a plethora at second hand sales, garage sales, thrift stores, gifts and hand-me-downs. I have clothes up past 2T and have paid less than $200 for his whole lot.
<p>
So spending $40 a month on clothes wasn't a necessity. However, I love the idea and model of the company - so cute! And for older kids, how fun would it be to receive a package every month?!
<p>
I snagged a 50% Wittlebee deal from <a href="http://www.gumhouse.com">Gumhouse</a> which is allowing me to try it for a discount. I'm excited to get my first box!!
<p>
Sample boxes:
<p>
Wittlebee Girl:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQXMh8kYhyULC8SaUsnxYc2Uc_2jDZ33in61OeWw3DsyRURMfSdIKRDqMUbr003UggJ_lm7VmpcRFyxFGRvz1WixD5v1Yo73nhLogNRMtQgJd1HXvtBhvLW1WeHUTnJ2IfvRB1DHYVPkh/s1600/wittlebeegirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQXMh8kYhyULC8SaUsnxYc2Uc_2jDZ33in61OeWw3DsyRURMfSdIKRDqMUbr003UggJ_lm7VmpcRFyxFGRvz1WixD5v1Yo73nhLogNRMtQgJd1HXvtBhvLW1WeHUTnJ2IfvRB1DHYVPkh/s400/wittlebeegirl.jpg" /></a></div>
<p><p>
Wittlebee Boy Preppy: <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVFc_ylxzmtkCxh3LK2qcmZnAbj-tnmhbh6o__PJ5RNw7j6iI0ZaD9EGnlcw0NyWuyFFbIYJd83GGrFz9uNKHAimXvPuCay1JtX70jAo95MJXxgmMrPOtzw_KG8yG-NPG8RdKDzVU-sLB/s1600/wittlebeepreppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVFc_ylxzmtkCxh3LK2qcmZnAbj-tnmhbh6o__PJ5RNw7j6iI0ZaD9EGnlcw0NyWuyFFbIYJd83GGrFz9uNKHAimXvPuCay1JtX70jAo95MJXxgmMrPOtzw_KG8yG-NPG8RdKDzVU-sLB/s400/wittlebeepreppy.jpg" /></a></div>
<P>
Wittle bee: another boy <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLDpXT5oX55LDXqc1BYqRq92P5mN_6qiFoYvONi5T3y-Up5ic7ZpRjb2a9nHi7C9CpBiQkb4a78kA51nSTFaoCW4adrNw2fdlVofjn7VqRU922jbNIJa9ar98P7R0DhnQiie9HBI3JzOr/s1600/wittlebee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLDpXT5oX55LDXqc1BYqRq92P5mN_6qiFoYvONi5T3y-Up5ic7ZpRjb2a9nHi7C9CpBiQkb4a78kA51nSTFaoCW4adrNw2fdlVofjn7VqRU922jbNIJa9ar98P7R0DhnQiie9HBI3JzOr/s400/wittlebee.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Try it for yourself <a href="http://curebit.com/x/QBVeM">HERE!</a></b>
Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-67345358692834174232012-08-21T21:07:00.001-05:002012-08-21T21:07:35.853-05:00Sephora GiveawayWhat hard-working mama doesn't need a pick-me-up every now and then? Or the chance to feel BOO-TI-FUL?!
Here's you're chance- enter the giveaway for $1000 to SEPHORA!
Go <a href="http://blooo.ms/NEedQc">HERE</a> to enter!
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<a href="http://blooo.ms/NEedQc"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB5t3P8CRrFNEb6Et9axfS7NckNJeL37eIq6AaXpHsuXN7UHtkZ092sTqx-WcAPkfNm2nDgpWicihKUgJ8D9QsD38WzJfbOeBYWtArv1qQjoFN3gtrAn10-9qwrBoI-yQe6dRVtHojJPw/s1600/Sephora+Spring+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="1083" width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB5t3P8CRrFNEb6Et9axfS7NckNJeL37eIq6AaXpHsuXN7UHtkZ092sTqx-WcAPkfNm2nDgpWicihKUgJ8D9QsD38WzJfbOeBYWtArv1qQjoFN3gtrAn10-9qwrBoI-yQe6dRVtHojJPw/s1600/Sephora+Spring+2012.jpg" /></a></div></a>
Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-75814301580707756722012-08-18T21:32:00.001-05:002012-08-18T21:38:33.844-05:00Organic WishlistI have found a few products lately that have sparked my interest and definitely added them to my wishlist. Each item is classified as organic and safe for babies, toddlers and kids.
<p><center>
<img src='http://isa2.stylemepretty.com/wp-content/gallery/ibb/carissa.roddin@gmail.com/ibb-1345342661.9581.27157.jpg' class='smp-iboard' title='Organic Wishlist' id='smp-board-102674' /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://cache.stylemepretty.com/customweb/pages/gallery/js/iboverlay.js'></script>
<p></center>
1. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/94917412/diy-playdough-and-finger-paint-play?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=playdough&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all">EcoAssist Playdough</a> $35 - this playdough is colored using plant-based dyes - how great is that?<br>
2. <a href="http://www.weecantooart.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=24&virtuemart_category_id=6&Itemid=4">We Can Too Edible Fingerpaint</a> $30 - this is the product I am drooling over the most! It is edible paint that is formulated with organic ingredients like rice flour and dyed with beets, spinach, blueberries and pumpkin!<br>
3. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/97676850/6-reusable-eco-sandwichsnack-bags?ref=sr_gallery_3&ga_search_query=reusable+snack+bag+organic&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all">Reusable Organic Eco Snack Bags</a> $30 for 6 -made completely with organic cotton these snack bags don't have any plastic in them at all! A huge plus in my mind. And they are way cuter than a ziploc!<br>
4. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/101468414/chevron-baby-blanket-choose-your-color">Organic chevron Blanket</a> $45 - This etsy seller makes all her own fabrics. These soft, organic jersey blankets are bright and beautiful.<br>
5. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/86990817/colorful-wooden-car-and-truck-set-wood?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=wooden+car+and+truck+set&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all">Wooden Car and Truck Set</a> $28 - Toy car and truck set that is finished with all-natural beeswax and flaxseed oil and colored with non-toxic VOC paint, safe for a baby to put in their mouth and they're so much more attractive than hot wheels!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-847680244656940412012-08-18T20:41:00.000-05:002012-08-18T20:41:09.835-05:0020 Things to do with a 6 Month Old<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It sounds funny to be writing this post as many will think,
“That is such a weird question. Babies are so easy to please!” Yes, that is
true. But try being a Stay-at-home-mom 24/7 and you might think differently! I
am constantly running out of ideas to keep Cobi entertained, stimulated,
involved etc. It seems he is all of a sudden awake a lot more often than he was
in the early months. And since babies have a short attention span, bouncing
them on your knee singing “The Wheels On The Bus” is only going to last maybe
five minutes before either baby, OR YOU, get bored!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Bounce them on your knee and sing songs – around
4 months old is when they start to appreciate this! Any song will work, I’ve
sung everything from “Glad you Came” by the Wanted to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”
and he just giggles and giggles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Stack blocks and knock them over. This is
actually a great developmental activity and within a few months your baby will
be knocking them over themselves!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">3.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Take frequent walks. Cobi s just about 6 months
and so we put him in the stroller without the carseat for the first time and he
loved this newfound ability to look out at the world around him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">4.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Take tours of your house, go through each room
telling your baby all about it, things you love about it, things you don’t
love, asking your baby what they like and so on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">5.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Play in the grass</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">6.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Have “dance parties” – this has always been one
of my favorite activities to do with kids of ANY age. I get a great workout and
babies get a kick out of it. Sometimes I will hold Cobi and dance with him, or
put him down and he watches me, either way, he loves it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">7.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Read books to your baby. I wasn’t sure what age
to start reading, but now I think the younger the better! At 6 months you baby
will probably try to grab and eat the book and that is great.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Just the act of reading cultivates learning
and developmental growth; and an interest in literature.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">8.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Play the opposites game – hold you baby high in
the air and exclaim “high!” then drop your baby to the ground and say “low!”
Each opposite will be fun for your baby but educational as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>High; low<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Hot, cold<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Quiet, loud<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Tall, short<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
e.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Open, closed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
f.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Over, under<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
g.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Light, dark</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">9. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Give baby massages. Rub lotion all over their
body and in gentle circular motions, move your hands all over. This is
especially a great routine for bedtime! I like to sing a sweet song while
giving baby massages too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">10.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Look at family pictures – go through everyone in
your family, extended family and friends. “See there is Grandma – she loves you
so much!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">11. Play in the water – this isn’t just for
summertime! Babies can experience the fun that water is in your own home. Try
putting their feet in the sink and running warm water, they may start to
splash!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">12. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Include baby in your chores – one thing I for
sure didn’t want was my son to think that just because he’s here every moment
is about entertaining him. Fact is we all have other things to get done.
Eventually children will learn to occupy themselves for a time while parents
get things done, but as babies this can’t be taught yet. Including them in on
your life will aid in molding them into lovely little helpers in the future.
One of Cobi’s favorite chores is making dinner. Sometimes he’ll sit in his
bouncer chair, or on my back in the baby carrier – the whole while I will
explain to him in detail what I am doing. “Oh let’s make some stir fry! Do you
know how to cut an onion? Here we go! Remember to always be careful with
knives, they’re sharp!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">13. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Tummy time – but do it with your baby!! My son
loves when I get down to his level and play with him. It doesn’t take a whole
lot of effort, really all I have to do is lay on my tummy opposite of him and
talk to him. He loves every second.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">14. Bubbles!! I didn’t even know this, but babies
love bubbles even at this age.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">15. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Include him in on any of your activities with a
baby carrier – my son will do almost anything I do when he is in the baby
carrier. In the carrier he has the freedom to look around and observe or
interact from a safe place and the ability to fall asleep if need be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">16. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Take a tour of the yard or neighborhood pointing
our trees, colors, the sky and any other surroundings. It may seem elementary
to you but babies are a sponge for learning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">17. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Try finger painting! It sounds messy and insane
to do with a 6 month old, but they will love the colors and texture of the
paint. Try doing it outside or on the kitchen floor to make for easy clean-up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">18. Do a baby photoshoot! Cobi finds the camera very
intriguing! Some babies also like to pose and smile as early as this age.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">19. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Encourage pretend play. Take some stuffed animals
and make up a story, making them communicate and interact with other animals
and your baby. Of course baby may just gnaw on the animals and pull their ears,
but it’s a great start to encouraging PLAY as learning!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">20. Lastly- love love love!! I never knew how much I
would ADORE smothering my son in kisses; funny thing, he LOVES the kisses! He
coos and squeals with delight each and every time we kiss him. At 6 months old
he’s started kissing back and giving hugs by wrapping his arms around our neck
and slobbering on our face. It’s so sweet and who doesn’t love baby love!</span></div>
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Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-60233947722669862902012-08-13T15:30:00.000-05:002012-08-13T15:30:17.740-05:00Pediatrician Interview<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I put this off for the longest time because I dreaded it so badly. Not only that, but I had no idea where to start looking for a doctor.
I loved the care I received from the Birth Center and my midwife there, so at my 6-week post-partum visit, I asked for any recommendations for a doctor and they had one recommendation for a family doctor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I held my breath hoping that one shot is all it would take.
I was so, so, so blessed that one visit was all it took to find the family doctor we LOVE. I loved her so much that I threw out half of my interview questions because I knew what the answers would be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It was important to me however, that I ask important questions. I wanted to be sure that she identified with my views and the way I plan to raise Cobi. I wanted her support and input as a doctor, I knew I did not want a doctor who was going to question my parenting choices or put me down for doing or not doing something a certain way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I really hit the jackpot with our doctor and I am so thrilled. It is actually exciting for me to take my baby to the doctor because I love the appointments! Now, how many mothers can say that?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One thing I suggest is to be sure you know where you stand on a lot of medical and parenting issues. I wouldn't have known the questions to ask, or the answers I desired; if I didn't know what I wanted first.
Once I established that I put together a list of questions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some are basic questions that every practice should be asked; such as procedure for a sick child, same-day appointments, hospital affiliation and the like. </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">::Our Interview::</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>::The Basics::</b> </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why did you become a pediatrician? What is your favorite
part of being in this practice?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How much time is allotted for each appointment?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who is on-call when you’re not available?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is your hospital association?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are there separate sick/wellness checkup waiting rooms?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Procedure if my child is sick? Can I call anytime? If
it’s outside of business hours, how long until I hear back from you? Are there
same-day sick appointments?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are there fees for consult-calls during the day or after
hours?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you return all calls, or does your office?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is emailing an option?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is the schedule for well-baby checkups –why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">::Personal
Preferences::<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is the percentage of mothers in your practice who
exclusively breastfeed successfully? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are your views on:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Circumcision<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Vaccinations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Breastfeeding
long-term<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Night
nursing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Formula
feeding<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Alternative
medicine (such as homeopathy, naturopathy or chiropractic)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Sleep-Training<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Sleeping
arrangements for baby – such as cosleeping<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Feeding,
solids – when to start, what foods?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Antibiotics
or medication for sick children<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you respond when parents express different views
than what you may </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">suggest/recommend?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Do you identify with one parenting method/style more than
another?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are some of your favorite books to recommend
regarding child care/babies?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Do you love your doctor? </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What questions would you add to this list? </span></span></div>
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Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-63101416984556173202012-08-10T12:57:00.000-05:002012-08-10T14:43:49.689-05:00Cobi's Room!<center>
<img src='http://isa2.stylemepretty.com/wp-content/gallery/ibb/carissa.roddin@gmail.com/ibb-1344621190.6905.24813.jpg' class='smp-iboard' title='Board #101143' id='smp-board-101143' /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://cache.stylemepretty.com/customweb/pages/gallery/js/iboverlay.js'></script>
<p><p></center>
Not the reveal yet, we're not quite done - but it's getting there and I'm pleased with the progress so far!!
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To do:<br>
- Make and hang pennant banner above crib<br>
- Hang corkboard, owl corkboard and owl art<br>
- spray-paint diaper pail (not sure... navy or yellow?!)<br>
- Decide what to do with his books<br>
- Create under crib storage bins<br>
- Make crib sheet<br>
- MAYBE applique an owl on the fabric bins? I think it'd be cute <br>
- hang navy drapes - still have to get the drapery rods!<br>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347258830213768317.post-3043805946766401422012-08-09T15:34:00.000-05:002012-08-09T15:34:02.384-05:00Making Baby PureesWe started Baby J on solids just a little over a week ago! It has been so fun trying different foods and watching his reactions. I knew he was ready when he was trying to grab all of our food, and watching us intently as we ate.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzlw78yzIcSY_f5Gkqi7ePx4lPxPne0FRkil2IPQxbiPD5rjoctL2MWeXENOLD_Shyphenhyphenyy998_LSLoUFAz_XpbtahC0fpd_cusXAfHDG7fEVTHgVDIdLeS9rS6S5Mm95xOxvJ8wUy6ddehX/s1600/DSC_0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="286" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzlw78yzIcSY_f5Gkqi7ePx4lPxPne0FRkil2IPQxbiPD5rjoctL2MWeXENOLD_Shyphenhyphenyy998_LSLoUFAz_XpbtahC0fpd_cusXAfHDG7fEVTHgVDIdLeS9rS6S5Mm95xOxvJ8wUy6ddehX/s400/DSC_0669.JPG" /></a></div><br>
<center> the day we started Baby J on solids, 5 days after turning 5 months old!</center>
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Making his food has been equally as fun! There are so many options and it is so easy. I was blessed to be gifted many tools to help me make his food, in addition to having some of my own before Baby J was born.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7pGchyphenhyphen2iFqDlZoK6NiAct5BWKy8H5yGGkqFJFqtQoEzPmwzby6bcSA6F3n395GQUksLPKqt7_rkDb9mfkk-i_64yjuHKaOwHiWfN9au53kO9cWHYLZM8rWKlo8lCFIews7uyH7nvv61V/s1600/DSC_06932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7pGchyphenhyphen2iFqDlZoK6NiAct5BWKy8H5yGGkqFJFqtQoEzPmwzby6bcSA6F3n395GQUksLPKqt7_rkDb9mfkk-i_64yjuHKaOwHiWfN9au53kO9cWHYLZM8rWKlo8lCFIews7uyH7nvv61V/s400/DSC_06932.jpg" /></a></div>
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<img src="http://isa2.stylemepretty.com/wp-content/gallery/ibb/carissa.roddin@gmail.com/ibb-1344532363.6053.17240.jpg" title="Baby Foods Makers" class="smp-iboard" id="smp-board-101006" style="width: 400px; "></center>
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1. <a href="http://www.target.com/p/oster-12-speed-blender-brushed-nickel/-/A-10990071">Oster Blender </a> $39.99 - I've been through many blenders and this has been the best budget blender I've ever used. As far as pureeing baby food, it works like a charm. I love the versatility - it will make my smoothies in the morning and my baby's food as well. It also has an ice crush option that works really well.
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2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bullet-Complete-Care-System/dp/B004V5BTUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344531471&sr=8-1&keywords=baby+bullet">Baby Bullet System</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bullet-BSR-0801M-Turbo-Steamer/dp/B006SODTTQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1344543551&sr=1-1&keywords=baby+bullet+steamer">Steamer</a> $59 for system, $39.99 for steamer- for the functionality of this set, the price really is pretty reasonable. The baby bullet works really well, similar to how the magic bullet works. However, it doesn't always puree until smooth, sometimes it takes a few extra pulses. The advantage to this system though is that by having the pulse function, you have the option to choose the texture of the food. You can easily puree it for younger babies, but leave it quite textured for older children. The set comes with a puree blade as well as a grains milling blade so it's possible to make your own rice, oatmeal, barley and other grain cereals. Considering this system includes storage options, it is probably the best value.
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3. <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12011297">Hamilton Beach Bebe Hand Blender</a> $17.98 - the reason I love this tool is because of it's portability. It would be a lot of effort to pack up a blender or baby bullet system. With the bebe hand blender it would easily fit into a diaper bag. The only downside is that it does need a plug, so if you were at a park, it might not be a very functional option. This is a quick tool to have on hand. I like that I don't always have to take out the entire baby bullet system.
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4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ninja-QB1004-Master-Drink-Mixer/dp/B004XK4N9C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344543716&sr=8-2&keywords=ninja+processor">Ninja Food Processor</a> $59.99 - This is another very versatile item. I have used it for countless recipes I make, but it also purees pretty decently. It does require a little more liquid, I think, to make a smooth puree. But for textured purees this is perfect as well.
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5. Good ol' fashioned fork - many purees can be made simply with a fork; bananas, pear, avocado and cantaloupe. If some things are already steamed, carrots and sweet potatoes are perfect as well. Of course the versatility on this item is next to none!
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6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vitamix-1732-TurboBlend-VS-Blender/dp/B004J6MZIQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1344543922&sr=1-2&keywords=vitamix">Vitamix</a> $449 - Obviously this is the most expensive. However, for die-hard smoothie makers this is often considered a must! It can make soups, grind and mill grains, puree and blend foods of all shapes, sizes and textures, crush ice, and countless other actions. This blender will definitely last many, many years. It definitely requires an investment and if you're not someone who makes smoothies nearly everyday, it may not be worth it for you personally.
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Each of these tools I have personally used and loved each and every one for different purposes. I would recommend any of them, and really any would work individually for you (except perhaps the fork, unless you plan to feed your baby a steady diet of bananas, pear and avocado!).
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What tools did you use to feed your baby for the first few months?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYopOY1p0kK9RsR4YtD00FbYJ049Kt9iAYlFah-2k902KFusPNrGBuZAVSaYdY_fa6cmbLpVc4Kx1hXMb1mxbBKaS8tlszwXySCQVBuooo0yEu7dGmWG3sgs_mcgQKWDEDjiuZH24fZ3kb/s1600/DSC_0703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYopOY1p0kK9RsR4YtD00FbYJ049Kt9iAYlFah-2k902KFusPNrGBuZAVSaYdY_fa6cmbLpVc4Kx1hXMb1mxbBKaS8tlszwXySCQVBuooo0yEu7dGmWG3sgs_mcgQKWDEDjiuZH24fZ3kb/s400/DSC_0703.JPG" /></a></div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02864104831397722432noreply@blogger.com0