My New Favorite...

Cleaners!

I have been using regular old dish soap (Dawn Hand Renewal) for my baby bottles and other feeding "accessories" since Gabriel was born.  Lately though, I have become super frustrated with the film it's been leaving on the silicone pieces and how it sometimes doesn't work to get the breast milk off the dishes.

So, while at Babies R Us the other day, I came across Babyganics, it was on sale (buy 1, get 1 free) so I picked up the foaming dish & bottle soap and the tub & tile bathroom cleaner ($7.99 & $5.99) to try.  I tried the soap first (I do dishes daily...I don't clean the tub that often) and was instantly in love with it!  The clear silicone on my nipple shields was clear once again, instead of the foggy white from the other dish soap!  The directions for using this soap say to put it on a sponge and not in a sink full of water, so I simply partially fill the small side of my sink with enough water to soak my bottles in, squirt a bit on the sponge end of my bottle brush, and get to work.  I usually only need 1 or 2 pumps for all my bottles!

On to the bathroom cleaner!  Before Gabe's bath last night, I needed to give the tub a quick cleaning.  An even spray down and a wipe with a clean, dry, rag and I was done!  If you haven't noticed in the photos, both are fragrance free!  The bathroom cleaner really is totally free of fragrances, there was no smell at all!  The dish soap does have a clean smell to it though.  They do offer a citrus scent version as well.  Cleaning has just gotten faster and easier, just what any new mom needs!  Even though I did have help when I took on the tub, if I had been alone, Gabriel would have been just fine to play on his own while I cleaned, it only took about 2 minutes total!

Atkins House Party Kit is HERE!

I was lucky enough to be invited to host an Atkin's House Party for House Party!  Well, my party kit arrived a few minutes ago and let me tell you what....it was better than Christmas! 

In my package I got, 9 boxes of Atkin's bars (3 each of a Meal, light snack/breakfast, and treat bars), plates, napkins, utensils, a cool water bottle for me, grocery pads with a magnet on the back for my guests, the new cookbook, reusable grocery totes for my guests (I hope they don't mind slightly used totes, I think I may need them when I go buy the 16 frozen meals for the party!), an apron (for me), and a starter kit!  Also, 16 coupons for free frozen meals for the party and $1 off coupons for my party guests!  The starter kit you can get by going to the Atkin's website and signing up for one.  It comes with 3 snack bars (a meal, breakfast, and treat bar), a carb counter guide book, a small recipe book to get you started, and a coupon for a free frozen meal!  They have revamped the whole package since I started low-carbing life a few years ago!



I've been off my low carb diet for almost a year now due to pregnancy, breast feeding, and finances (we just haven't gotten back to being able to "afford" eating all that protein)...also convenience...it is so much easier to have Garrick cook up a couple boxes of Mac & Cheese for dinner while I nurse!  I will get better at this though and we will be going back on our diet soon!
Hosting this party gives me no excuse to not get back on the diet...I need to lose baby weight and get back on track with the weight loss I was enjoying before Gabriel came along!  I love him to death, but I really want to get back out of my size 22 pants...I had just hit 18's last February!

Stay tuned for more details...we party January 26th (or as soon as Garrick gets home from his business trip that evening...I had to plan the party around going to get him...and then I leave town, so it'll be late by a few weeks...but will still be spectacular, lol)!

Playing Baby "Catch Up"!

12/07/2012

Christmas pictures and beyond!  I can't believe my little man will be 3 months old tomorrow!  He is developing such a personality and is in love with his toys and has even picked out a few favorites.  A photo blog because I can't seem to get time to write between naps, nursing, and pumping...

One highlight though...the mommy group I'm in is writing in to The Ellen Degeneres Show in hopes of being in the audience or on the show so that we get the chance to all meet!  I know it's a super long shot, but it would be so cool if it actually happened!  I have grown so close to these ladies over the last year!  We "met" through the "What to Expect" forums, but left that group because of all the negativity.  What we have formed on facebook is a close knit group of supportive friends (and we poop sprinkles and fart rainbows too).  Below is the letter I submitted to the show...

I am part of a “mommy group” on Facebook, we started the group very early in our pregnancies and have been together ever since, through guessing our babies sexes, early labor signs and multiple false alarm trips to the hospital, to actual deliveries, including “our” first baby born in August (we were all due in October)!  We are still together and supporting each other through sicknesses, being in the hospital for Jaundice, dehydration, RSV, and many other health issues, including those of our mommies and other family members.  We’ve supported each other through a stolen car, a burned down garage (full of all the baby’s formula, diapers, etc…), loss of family members, and much more!  We all watched via an online feed as one of “our” babies met his daddy for the first time when his ship arrived, we all cried when that ship came in!

We all live so far apart that most of us have never met, but these women are my best friends, I can tell them things I would never tell my partner, my family, or my “regular” friends!  We have spun off into several side groups, exercise and weight loss groups, a book club, a single moms group, a breast-feeding support group, even a “sexy” group to help each other bring a little more intimacy back after having our babies.  Each group is just as supportive as the original.  We even exchange gifts, organizing “secret” gift exchanges!

It would mean so much to all of us to get a chance to meet each other; we have grown so close over this past year!

The submissions have to be under 1500 characters, so I had to leave a lot of detail out! However, I trust that the other ladies in the group will cover anything I left out, there are over 500 of us!

Baby feets!

Playing WoW with Dad

Mommy...07/29/1980!

Gabriel playing with the toys on his rocker.

12/24/2012!

All the cousins together for Christmas, my side of the family...

Ready for Christmas...

Gabriel's picture that we added to the collage our mommy group is making to send to The Ellen Show!

Daddy hamming it up after a poo explosion, our first!

Trying out the Bumbo for the first time...

Sticking his tongue out at Daddy...

Tummy time on our Fisher-Price Piano mat!

One of our diapers de-laminated...:(

Our Flatofrog!

Taking naps in the crib! "Baby" steps toward sleeping in it at night...

Loving Daddy time!

Our new Kawaii diapers, washed, stuffed, & ready to wear, with extra inserts for overnight use!

Wearing our new diapers!

We even used one of out new diapers overnight (until 3am when we got up for a bottle anyway)!  It was great, no leaks!

Well, back to diaper changes, nursing, and pumping!  I promise to try to post more often as time allows.

Redbox Instant - A Review

Yet another BzzCampaign to talk about, 2013 is a banner year so far for campaigns that I am participating in!  Redbox Instant is like Netflix or Hulu, it allows you to stream movies to your computer and the monthly service fee of $8 a month also comes with 4 DVD credits (each credit is 1 night for 1 movie).  These can be used at any Redbox kiosk. 

Here's the rest of the information provided to me by BzzAgent for this campaign:

• You don’t have to be a Verizon customer to sign up for the service, but you do need high-speed internet access to use it
• You can weigh in on what would make Redbox Instant even better and report any service issues via the Help Center at redboxinstant.com
• Instantly stream Hollywood mega-hits to any internet-connected device, including smartphones (iPhone and Android), tablets, computers and Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray Players
• The Redbox Instant by Verizon app is limited to certain devices, but is not needed to stream content
• You can buy and rent movies digitally without a subscription, including today’s newest releases
• Browse Redbox locations and reserve movies at the box of your choice using the app, too!

 While I have a 30-day free trial that goes until February 2nd before I'll be charged the monthly service fee, I don't need the full 30 days to know I will not be resubscribing.  While I realize that it is in Beta-testing and they may not have all of their movies available just yet, they just don't have enough to keep my interest!  I probably watch more streaming videos than the average person because Gabriel and I watch streaming shows and movies while he nurses, but I watched everything that interested me on the streaming video list in a single day!  I loved getting to watch Thor and finally getting to see Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, I think they may be the only movies on the list that are nearer than the mid-1980's!




I will continue paying my $7.99 a month for my streaming Netflix and using Hulu (the free version with commercials).  I don't need the "hassle" of having to go "rent" movies from the kiosks, no matter how conveniently located they are (I don't go to the store everyday, so it would require a special trip out, not easily done with an infant).

Covergirl Blast Flipstick - A Review

 

 Another campaign is coming to a close, this time for Covergirl's Blast Flipstick Lip Color.  What is it other than lipstick though, you might ask.  First, it is double ended, two colors per tube!  Both shades can be worn alone (one is shimmery and one is matte), but they can also be combined for a whole other effect!  My favorite is Vixen, both shades are in the red/pink family.  I also received Stunner (too orange for my skin tone) and Minx (a dark brown with a gold toned shimmer side), but neither of them really work well with my coloring and style.

Here are some factoids I received with the lipsticks...

• Ultra blendable formula allows you to mix shades, just like a make-up artist
• Dual ends let you create the current "ombre" trend on your lips!
• Dual-sided stick features a creamy color on one end and a shimmery shade on the other
• Created by expert make-up artist, and COVERGIRL Global Creative Design Director, Pat McGrath
• 13 colorful, complementary and expertly matched shade duos
• Moisturizing formula mixes perfectly without feeling heavy or dry
• Available in most groceries, drug stores and major retailers
• Suggested to retail for $8.49
• Online at covergirl.com and facebook.com/covergirl— visit the sites to see the shades, get tips on top lip looks and learn more

I haven't had much use for lipstick since the baby was born, mostly because I don't leave the house much and when I do, it's with him in tow and usually in a rush anyway...I also don't want to get lipstick on his handsome little face!  But, when I do hve the chance, this is my new "go to" lip color!  Though I do still prefer the Neutrogena lip color I reviewed back in June, these are handy for a color change on the fly.

Finally, here are all of the shades available:

• Whisper: Taupe and pearl pink shades
• Pucker: Light berry and lilac shades
• Glimmer: Dark berry and soft pink shades
• Flashy: Dark berry and lilac shades
• Vixen: Burgundy and pearl pink shades
• Perky: Bright pink and light pink shades
• Tease: Red and gold shades
• Cheeky: Bright pink and peach shades
• Stunner: Bright pink and gold shades
• Snap: Taupe and sand shades
• Smooch: Copper and sand shades
• Minx: Deep brown and gold shades
• Intense: Deep berry and taupe shades

Enjoy!