Mentally Preparing for Baby {Join the Conversation & Win!}

by Kate on October 31st, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Life


At the hospital when my daughter was born – 2008

This week on the Philips AVENT Mom Tribe at Mom Bloggers Club we’re chatting about the thoughts and fears and excitement that literally consume moms-to-be leading up to new baby’s arrival. I’m still a few months from worrying about the pain of labor, when it will occur and what to pack in my hospital bag. But, that doesn’t mean it’s too early for me to think (a lot) about my fears and anxiousness surrounding the arrival of this baby.

My concerns are not so much about how baby will arrive (labor and delivery) as what it will be like when baby is here. Living in our house. Making us a family of five. To be completely honest, barely a day goes by that I don’t think, “How in the world am I going to have another kid?” Raising kids is hard (duh!) and my husband and I will soon be outnumbered. Zone defense time! I know I’ll be asking advice of moms of 3 over at the Philips AVENT Mom Tribe and would love your advice about making the change from two to three kids.

Join the Conversation & Win

Whether you’re a first-time mom, or the mother of five, the excitement about welcoming a new child into your life never changes. How do you prepare for a new baby? What do you pack in your hospital bag?

This week Philips AVENT is giving away 5 prizes – 3 Infant Starter Sets and 2 Soft Spout Cups! To enter, simply join the discussion on the Philips AVENT Mom Tribe. Encourage others to join the conversation:

  • Like the Philips AVENT Facebook page
  • Tweet about the importance of a “mom tribe” using the #PhilipsAVENTMomTribe hashtag.
I am being compensated for my participation in the Philips AVENT Ambassador Program. As always, opinions are my own.

Chuggington Public Service Campaign for Traffic Safety

by Monica on October 31st, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Life

I am sure many of you are like me and spend a lot of your time with your kids in the car, rushing from here to there.  With Halloween today and lots of Trick-or-Treating on the agenda, it’s important to take a moment to make sure everyone is safe and that we all do a little less rushing!

A Traintacular National Campaign

In partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ludorum, the creators of the hit preschool series Chuggington, recently launched a traintacular national Chuggington public service campaign that will promote traffic safety to young families. Entitled Think Safe. Ride Safe. Be Safe!, the campaign pairs NHTSA’s trusted safety guidance with Chuggington’s colorful and engaging characters. The result is a compelling traffic safety campaign that delivers important safety lessons to children from preschool to 3rd grade and their parents. With lessons focused on four main areas of traffic safety – pedestrian, school bus, bike and car seat safety – the campaign is designed to engage, educate, and ultimately, save lives.

The program includes:

  • A Traffic Safety Pledge, which has already been signed by more than 11,000 children. By taking the online pledge, kids can earn their Chuggington Traffic Safety Badges!
  • A dedicated microsite, www.chuggington.com/safety, where kids can go to play safety games, color safety sheets, and parents can download safety tips.
  • An activity book for kids to color and learn traffic safety lessons.
  • Original Public Service Announcements, the first of which will air soon on Disney Junior (sneak peek: you can ride the rails over to Chuggington’s site now to view the PSA online here).
  • Educational materials, new seasonal programs, and a free Chuggington traffic safety app are all part of this comprehensive campaign that will continue through 2012 and beyond.

Basic Safety Tips

As you think about Halloween costumes and candy, we ask that you also take a moment to consider your little ghost or goblins safety as they walk around the neighborhood trick or treating tonight. Does your child know to look left-right-left before crossing the street? Do you always encourage your trainee to hold your hand while walking? Here are a few other tips to consider:

  • Walk on the sidewalk.
  • If there’s no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
  • No pushing or shoving when you walk.
  • Don’t cross the street if a car is coming.
  • Use a crosswalk if you can.

My son and I watched the Public Service Campaign video together, and I already feel better about his understanding of the need to be safe when dealing with traffic and pedestrian safety.  Take a moment to watch it with your kids before heading out in costume, and take the pledge with your children!

Boppy Named #1 Baby Product – Again! {Boppy Prize Package Giveaway}

by Kate on October 31st, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Baby Shopping Guide, Giveaways

For an amazing ninth NINTH year in a row, the Boppy Feeding and Infant Support Pillowhas been named the number one baby product with the most overall votes by the readers of American Baby magazine. We can’t help but agree with all those moms who love the Boppy and, in fact, it’s one of our must have products included in the Baby Shopping Guide.

Nine Times a Winner Giveaways

To celebrate the honor of being named the number one baby product again, The Boppy Company is giving away a Boppy Pillow and a Boppy Shopping Cart Cover to nine lucky winners in the “Nine Times a Winner” celebration. To enter, simply register as a member of the Boppyhood by November 9 and you have a chance to win.

About the Prizes

Boppy Pillow: From nursing pillow to baby lounger, the Boppy will become an essential part of your nursery. The Miracle Middle stretches to fit around most waists and the company offers a wide variety of pillow slip covers. The Boppy is one thing I’ll definitely need to get for the new baby. I had one that I used with both my kids, but donated it when we outgrew the need for it. You know, because I was done having kids. Ha.

Boppy Shopping Cart Cover: From the SlideLine Collection, the ProtectMe Shopping Cart Cover offers complete coverage and adjustable toys for germ-free play and comfort.

Shop! The Boppy Pillow ranges in price depending on how you purchase it – from Bare Naked ($25) to covered with a Luxe Minky Slipcover ($50). The SlideLine collection has useful products from Play Gyms to Tummy Time Mats to the Shopping Cart Cover for $30.

Win! A Boppy Support Pillow & Shopping Cart Cover!

How to Enter: Join the Boppyhood – be the first to hear about new products and you’ll be entered to win here and the Nine Times a Winner giveaways.

Earn Extra Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

Giveaway ends November 11. Open to US residents only.

Thanks to The Boppy Company for providing the giveaway prize.

Cute Spiders {Paper Craft for Halloween How To}

by Shannon on October 29th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Crafts with Kids

Spiders! Yuck!

Except for these, they’re kind of cute!

Some of you might recognize this as a “circle cutter craft” right away. That’s right, I missed several months due to a relocation and the general chaos of life, but I have an installment for October. And, this month marks one full year of my challenge to make a year’s worth of crafts from one set of tools and supplies. The circle cutter and paper have been used well and deserve a break, though I doubt they’ll get one.

Back to the spiders. They are super cute and this is actually my second year to make them. Last year, I made them as a craft for a play date and children ages 1-4 all made their own spiders to take home. We mounted them on card stock and each child put their name on them. This year, I have some other ways you use them. Stay tuned.

To start, cut out “large” circles and “small” circles from card stock. Large and small are relative depending upon how you are going to use these. I used 4.5″ as my large and 4″ as my small. I recommend at least a half inch difference in circle sizes so that you will be able to see both pieces of beautiful card stock. For the small circles, I recommend a plain, small or no pattern. This is the body of the spider and, if it’s too busy (as some of mine were), you won’t recognize it right away and your googly eyes will disappear into the pattern. I also recommend that you do not use vellum for the small circle. This circle hides some of the glue and assembly and, if it is translucent, you will see a mess.

Next, cut legs for your spider. This means cutting long, thin strips of paper. Mine were 10″ long because I wanted to make them longer this year. Last year, I made shorter legs and the spiders were just as cute.

Dear word, my hands look old! I’m in desperate need of some lotion.

Spread some glue on a large circle and place four strips of paper through the glue and sticking out each side. (When our glue dried, I folded the end of each leg to make it look like the spider was crawling.)

Now select a smaller circle to place on top of the legs. If you find you are short on glue, you may add some more.

Finally, add your googly eyes. The bigger the eyes, the better. Last year, I had really small eyes and so I added buttons underneath for more impact and color.

Now those are some young-looking hands!

What on earth are you going to do with these? Who cares? The kids have a BLAST making them! Last year, my kids hung theirs on their bedroom doors for decoration. This year, we strung them on ribbon to make a garland for the kitchen.

Other ways you could use them include: make small versions for use as gift tags and bag decorations, hang them from a mobile, or make a vertical garland to hang down the center of your front door.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Helzberg Heroes Celebrates Soldiers and Their Families

by Malia on October 28th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Shopping

There’s nothing quite as special as a gift of jewelry from the heart, whether it’s a tiny diamond ring paid for by working overtime every Friday night for a year or a hand designed custom piece. The last time my husband deployed I saved up and bought him a watch that he’s been wanting for years. It was great to be able to give him a gift after what he had to go through and in celebration of how much he was able to help the people he advised. He wears that watch daily. (I however am still waiting for my diamond ring for everything I went through, hint, hint.)

Helzberg Diamonds understands that soldiers and their families make a lot of sacrifices, including spending time far away from those they love the most. More than 30 years ago, Helzberg sent soldiers serving in Southeast Asia “I Am Loved” buttons to show their support. I find this support especially moving in a time when an unpopular war resulted in solders not always being shown the love and respect they deserved. In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, Helzberg Diamond’s wants to again show active duty soldiers, veterans and their families they are loved and appreciated for their service to our country, this time with a little more bling!

Helzberg Heroes

Today, Helzberg is excited to launch a special military program, Helzberg Heroes, which will celebrate soldiers and their families with two special offers:

  • $10,000 Helzberg Diamonds Shopping Spree – The Helzberg Heroes contest asks military and their families to share their best “I Am Loved” stories. These stories can showcase those special moments of how your community supports your hero or how your solider expresses his love for his family while deployed. Then, Helzberg will show its love to the best “I am Loved” story by awarding one $10,000 shopping spree winner in December.
  • Special Military discount - Military members who show a valid military ID will receive a special discount when they visit Helzberg stores, November 1-28.

To enter the Helzberg Heroes Contest, visit www.helzbergheroes.com. Active duty, reservists, retired military and families can share their special “I Am Loved” stories at www.hezbergheroes.com. The entry deadline is November 28, 2011, or after the first 500 submissions is received. Helzberg will select and announce the $10,000 Shopping Spree winner in early December.

The winner will receive a Helzberg Diamonds’ gift card for a $10,000 shopping spree redeemable at any Helzberg Diamonds retail store in the United States.  Note, the gift card cannot be used for purchases from Helzberg Diamonds’ online store (but it’s more fun to try jewelry on anyway, right?).

Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery {Giveaway}

by Malia on October 28th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Giveaways

Parenthood introduces a whole new awareness of the dangers of the world. Before children, the office had bookshelves not towering death traps, power outlets were conveniently located for plugging in electrical devices not magnets for knives, and in the case of fire you only had to worry about getting yourself and maybe a beloved pet to safety. Enter children and all the horrible and unimaginable (except that they ARE imaginable) things that could happen to your beloveds run through your mind. The problem is, while you may spend a sleepless night petrified by the idea that a fire might trap you away from your baby, the day to day busy-ness sometimes gets in the way of actually doing something about the worries.

One simple thing you can do to keep your family safer (and help you worry less at night) is to be sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors always have working batteries. Thirty-eight percent of fatal fire injuries occur in homes without working smoke alarms, while 24 percent occur in homes in which at least one smoke alarm is present but fails to operate. How can you be sure the batteries are working? Change the batteries twice a year when you change your clocks for the start and end of daylight savings.

Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) are asking parents to take a vital step to keep their kids safe at home – Change Your Clock Change Your Battery®. You are encouraged to:

  • Change your smoke detector battery on November 6th
  • Make a fire escape plan
  • Spread the word to change your smoke detector battery

Throughout October, Energizer is inviting parents across the country to join the Energizer Bunny® Brigade on Facebook for a chance to win free smoke alarms and batteries for their home or a grand prize of a home fire safety makeover. It’s a fun way to get people thinking about an important topic – home fire safety – and sharing positivity within their communities.

Win! A smoke alarm equipped with Energizer batteries! (Two winners.)

How to Enter: Leave a comment on the topic of fire safety (perhaps promising to check your smoke detectors) and you’re entered to win. For one extra entry, join the Energizer Bunny Brigade on Facebook.

Photo Credit: Mulad. Thanks to Energizer for providing the prizes.

The Surprises and Joys of Pregnancy {Join the Conversation and Win)

by Kate on October 27th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Baby Shopping Guide

I’m excited to be teaming up with some other great moms as a Philips AVENT Ambassador. We will be chatting all things pregnancy for the next several weeks, and whether you’re currently expecting or not, I’d love for you to join the conversation on the Philips AVENT Mom Tribe at Mom Bloggers Club. This week we’re talking all about the crazy journey that is pregnancy: memorable moments and surprises.

20 week ultrasound profileI think it’s safe to say that the biggest surprise about this pregnancy is the fact that, well, there is a pregnancy. A third baby wasn’t in our plans and, even at 20 weeks pregnant, I’m still getting used to the idea that we’re going to welcome another little being into our family. I have to admit that I thought I’d be more adjusted to the idea by now, but I still find myself confused and nervous and overwhelmed about having another baby.

Even though I didn’t expect to be in this situation, I have really been enjoying the pregnancy lately. I am finally feeling better on a day-to-day basis which is such a huge relief. It makes it so much easier to enjoy the great parts of the pregnancy. Without a doubt, the best part of the pregnancy so far was the ultrasound – and having my son there to see the baby. I loved seeing his face and listening to his completely innocent perspective and commentary.

Join the Conversation & Win

Are you pregnant? Do you have questions for other expecting women? Share your questions and get insights from other moms and moms-to-be in the Philips AVENT Mom Tribe on Mom Bloggers Club.

This week Philips AVENT is giving away 5 infant starter kits! To enter, simply join the discussion on the Philips AVENT Mom Tribe. Encourage others to join the conversation:

  • Like the Philips AVENT Facebook page
  • Tweet about the importance of a “mom tribe” using the #PhilipsAVENTMomTribe hashtag.
I am being compensated for my participation in the Philips AVENT Ambassador Program. As always, opinions are my own.

#HexBugHalloween Play Date Party

by Kate on October 27th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Shopping

Over the weekend we invited some friends over for a HexBug Party! My son was so excited about this get together that he talked about it for the four days straight leading up to the party. We welcomed five families and a total of 12 kids to check out some of the latest toys from HexBug.

My kids are familiar with the toys as we’ve purchased them in the past, but the toys were new to many of the other kids. In case you’re not familiar with HexBug, here’s a quick intro about the company.

By leveraging our robotics expertise, we entered the toy industry in 2007 with the launch of the HEXBUG Micro Robotic Creatures product line. HEXBUG was designed to give children a positive experience with robotics at a young age. Our passion for robotics, as demonstrated by our VEX Robotics program, was the main catalyst fueling HEXBUG’s inception. Hence, the brand was born! People are drawn to the HEXBUG brand for our products’ fascinating behavior, intelligent bug-like attributes and eye-catching packaging. Some of the products are so animated, they even fool cats, dogs and some humans into thinking they are alive!

HexBug Halloween Bugs!

We had a great variety of products to share with friends including Limited Edition HEXBUG Nano Halloween Zombie bugs, Glows in the Dark HEXBUG Nano Galileo Collection bugs, Glows in the Dark HEXBUG Nano Habitat Sets, and Larva bugs.

When the kids arrived, my son immediately brought them to our little display to pick a nano and Zombie. Then the kids headed to our play room to put their new bugs on the big nano Habitat play set we assembled.

At one point there were no less than 10 kids gathered around the table watching bugs jitter and scurry through the habitat. They all had a blast playing and getting to know their new little bug friends.

And then they got creative and took the bugs outside. The kids even buried a few bugs in the dirt. While this is clearly NOT recommended, it was hysterical because they buried a couple ON so they moved and worked their way out of the dirt.

Halloween Party Goodies

While the kids were playing with bugs, I was firmly planted in the kitchen eating all the food I prepared. It was fun to get creative and prepare kid-friendly Halloween food. In addition to the fun foods pictured below, we also had Spicy Pumpkin Chili that was so freaking good. I may have enjoyed 4 bowls over the course of two days.

Mummy Pigs in a Blanket

Candy Corn Chex Mix

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies & Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

To see more of my party planning ideas and recipes, check out the #HexBugHalloween Pinterest Inspiration Board. The kids and grown ups all had a great time and everyone went home with new bug friends.

Shop! To learn more about HexBugs, visit www.HexBug.com. Bugs are available for purchase directly from the company’s website and from our affiliate, Amazon.

Thanks to MommyParties and HexBug for providing product for our party.
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