Friday, October 29, 2010

Review of Sunbaby Diapers

I bought a Sunbaby diaper in September. I really needed some more color in my stash, so I chose red. I really like the diaper itself. It has a lower rise than you may be accustomed to, much lower than a Happy Heiny diaper. But it really looks more comfortable on my baby, too. The rise sits under his belly button, and if I were personally wearing jeans or something I would prefer a lower rise to make sitting and bending easier.

I also have to say the inside of the Sunbaby diaper that I have is soft and much thicker than most diapers. I really think that it is fleece inner. The inserts are also holding up really well and the snaps are still working great. I bought a natures Love diaper from eBay, used it twice and the snaps stopped working right. When my son crawls, the snaps on the Natures Love diaper come undone so I stopped using it.

So, for the price I would say a Sunbaby diaper is well worth it. I think my diaper was about $6, much less expensive than a BG. Oh, and the velcro on my BG stopped working in less than eight months, so that is something to think about if you are in the market for new diapers! The microfiber inserts that come with a Sunbaby are the same as you would find with any commercial diaper, and work just as well, too.

Do you have a favorite diaper that is inexpensive? I have some Kawaii on order, and am thinking of giving them as baby shower gifts to some family members that are expecting. I would LOVE to hear opinions on them before buying, though!

Happy Halloween!

Well, its Halloween again! Last year, I was still pregnant with my now 11 month old baby! Its hard to believe that was only a year ago. Wow, and how much my little guy has grown in such a short time! He has eight teeth and is getting more, can take teeny tiny steps, and loves to play.

Halloween is also my anniversary! My husband and I have been together for over four years. Its a challenging journey living with someone year after year, but is also rewarding in many ways. I think I have been blessed with a great husband. Of course, we might argue and both of us have faults, but I know he tries his best to provide for and take care of me and our family.

Well, Happy Halloween everyone. We are dressing up and going trick or treating on Sunday, and the kids just cannot wait!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Shutterfly Holiday Cards: Tis the Season!

I am looking over the Shutterfly cards, and have found the perfect selection for my family this season:The Believe in Magic Christmas Card. You can find the Believe in Magic Christmas Card at http://www.shutterfly.com by browsing through the Christmas card selection available. The Believe In Magic design is classic Christmas red, with a little star design along the top. I think that this design would be absolutely perfect to use for my little ones picture. You can see it right here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/believe-in-magic-religious-christmas-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93476

I am thinking of only using the baby's picture in this years card, just because so few people in my family have met him. Plus, he will be one in December so I am just celebrating his first year in general! If you want, there are also tons of cards that can fit five or more photos on the front. Perfect for large families like mine!

I personally love the holidays, and Shutterfly makes it simple to personalize greeting cards for friends and family. The Christmas card selection is found here http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards . There is something for everyone here. I love several of the cards, and now I am really having a hard time choosing which one would be just right to celebrate this year! I have so much to celebrate. My family is healthy and we are working, my baby is growing and my kids are doing well in school. I am also thinking of having a party this year for my son, and there are some cute invitations on Shutterfly, too.

The Christmas invitations on Shutterfly are really cute, and would be perfect for a Christmas birthday. Snowflake Shower is one of my favorites, and kind of even matches the Believe in Magic card that I like for Christmas! You can find all of the Shutterfly Christmas invitations here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations

I love that you can just upload your photo, too. All my pictures are on memory cards, so I don't have to worry about getting a hard copy to use. Shutterfly is pretty awesome! There is even free shipping on orders of $30 or more, and Shutterfly is giving bloggers the chance to get 50 free cards just for a blog post!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Cloth Diapers and Consumeism: My Take on Things

Cloth diapers are less expensive than disposable diapers, in general. However, some Moms spend much, much more on their cloth diapers and wool stash than they would ever spend on clothing and disposable diapers for their baby. This isn't wrong, really, and I have done the same thing.

Everywhere you turn, consumerism is alive and well. Companies are more than willing to give customers discounts, free samples, and other specials in order to entice them into buying. And parents generally want the best for their kids, and aren't afraid to spend the money to get it. Competition among cloth diaper companies is very fierce, and among WAHMs, too.

And, even when you take eco-consciousness into consideration, buying a huge stash of cloth diapers is a better option than spending the money on things that are going to end up in the landfill. With all of these ideas, however, is also the idea that we need to have the latest and greatest in the cloth diapering world just to prove, perhaps, that we aren't cloth diapering because we are poor.

It is a fact that most of the worlds population and poor. Cloth diapering outside of the US and Europe is common, and in fact in some countries is the norm. Why do we feel as if we have to post pictures of our stash, itemizing each diaper by brand and color? Why do we, as people who want to reduce consumerism, end up buying our babies twelve pairs of longies for each season, plus shorties for the summer? Why do we need to try every single kind of diaper on the market, plus all the accessories to go along with it?

But, I am really interested in opinions on this. Do you find that consumerism is obvious in the cloth diapering world? Do you personally feel pressured to buy more expensive than necessary diapers and wool?

Myself, I love looking at all the cute diapers and longies for sale, but generally limit spending to $12(used)-$20(new) for a diaper and $20-$30 for longies. I have splurged on a couple of tees, but only occasionally.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

New Website!

I am a SEO writer for all different kinds of businesses. SEO is something that shouldn't be overlooked when you want to increase your presence online, especially when you own a business that has a lot of competition.

One of the main reasons that businesses fail online is because they don't have the right marketing plan. I know that this isn't my usual topic, but marketing is really important when you want to be successful. I have worked with people from all different industries, on a wide variety of topics.

My personal website is just now being built at http://seoproonline.info. I like a simple website, though, so building should be completed in no time!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Guest Blogger: Early Childhood Education – The Best Time For Bilingual Learning

Nobody knows what the future will hold, however if current trends continue, your child will grow up to enter a workforce in which the competition for decent-paying jobs will be nothing short of cut-throat. Despite the calls for greater co-operation and "interdependence," human nature being what it is, it's a good bet that the economy of the future will operate according to the Law of the Jungle. A good education is one of the best ways to prepare that child for survival in that economic jungle of the future.

The Bilingual Future

The existence of a diverse, global society is a trend that is certain to not go away soon, nowhere is this more true than in the United States. Almost from the beginning, the U.S. has been a land of immigrants, and while the "melting pot" has been an interesting theory, it has not happened in practice. On the contrary, most major U.S. population centers have become more of an ethnic and linguistic checkerboard; Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese speakers represent some of the fastest-growing segments of the immigrant U.S. population.

Getting Ready

A second language is traditional began in middle school, or even high school. However research has shown that this teaching can begin at their child care facilities. Studies clearly demonstrate that the optimal period in a child's life for multilingual education is during the preschool years – at exactly the same time they are learning their first language. Yes, it is possible to learn a second and third language later in life, but it is more difficult, because that neurological "window of opportunity" – when the brain is most malleable – has passed.

Dr. Fred Genessee, Professor of Psychology at McGill University in Montreal states, it's as easy for young children to learn two or three languages as it is for them to learn one. He's not alone; educators throughout the world (in countries that often have two or even three official languages) have understood this for decades.
The way a child learns a second language is by actually speaking it in a total immersion environment. You may recall an episode of the animated series The Simpsons in which young Bart gets trapped on a farm in France – and by the end of the episode, finds he's actually speaking the language. While this was a fictional scenario, the phenomenon is real; anyone who has taken young children abroad to stay with relatives in a foreign country for any length of time has observed this happening.

Enrollment in a preschool program that offers immersion in other languages is the best way to get your child started, however you can teach your child at home as well, by purchasing dvds and books that help you learn the process of teaching. This investment will make him/her much more competitive in the job market later on.

Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas

Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the network of Austin child care facilities belonging to the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose child care schools. Primrose Schools are located in 16 states throughout the U.S. and are dedicated to delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum throughout their preschools.

New Guest Blogger! Welcome Emily from Primrose Schools!

This week we have something special going on! For all you Moms and Dads with little one, whether you are homeschooling or choosing a private or public option, Emily Patterson can give you the low-down on childhood education.

This week she is talking about bilingual studies, and how younger kids can learn a foreign language at a very early age. Welcome Emily, and check out my blog in the future for more posts from Primrose Schools! You can also find Primrose Schools online at www.PrimroseSchools.com!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Getting Creative with Bum Genius Artist Series- How do you get crafty?

So, Bum Genius is giving away a full set of their new diapers, from the artist series. They challenged parents to answer this question: How do you encourage a creative, artistic spirit in your baby, toddler or young child?

Well, first of all you have to understand that A) I homeschooled my kids for about ten years, and I am about to start with my preschooler, so crafting is just part of life and B) I LOVE creative things. I am a freelance writer, I have published poetry, and I sew and write in my spare time. And scrapbook.

All of these things lead to our life naturally including art, writing, and other creative endeavors. We have always used art to learn, such as the time when we made paper mache globes to learn the continents or all the times we made collages to learn letter sounds.

I could seriously write for hours about how important art and creativity is to kids. It was always one of my main goals to have children with creative spirits. When we bought toys when my older children were small, I always went for crayons, paper, finger paints, and bottles of glitter FIRST. We never had children who wanted the newest toy, but would instead ask for yarn to make a teddy bear or a composition book and pencils to write a story or draw a picture.

Crafting is fun, but it is also a great way to help kids develop. Different activities help develop their hand and eye coordination, and also helps them learn complex materials much sooner. I love crafting, too, so I know that it helps that they were, and are, constantly surrounded by art and crafting.

My kids still love drawing, reading and writing stories. They aren't as interested in making crafts as they were a few years ago, but they do sew and do other projects on a weekly basis. School also takes up a lot of their time, so they don't make as many things as they once did.

I still make sure they have all the things that they need to use their imagination and creativity, however. Having a great imagination is a tool that can easily allow a child to use items around the house to make something new, even if you don't stock up on crafting items like I tend to do.

You can check out the new artists series from Bum Genius here: www.cottonbabies.com and www.bumgenius.com

Pentel Fabric Fun for Baby Giveaway on Sweeps for Bloggers!

If you are a crafty Mom or Dad, then you will love this giveaway. This is a set complete with a bib and a one piece suit that your little one, or you, can decorate using fabric pens. Just iron the design, and the new creation is even washable! How cool is that?!?!
Just go here to enter:http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=10106&cpage=5#comment-550482
Plus, there are going to be three winners, one for each color kit. The choices are pink, blue, and yellow so there is something for everyone.
Goo luck everyone!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

$100 Tea Collection Giveaway on Thrifty & Chic Mom

If you need a new wardrobe for your little one, then make sure you check this out http://www.thriftyandchicmom.com/2010/10/fall-fashion-event-tea-collection-100-gc-giveaway-ends-1018/

You can win a $100 Gift certificate for the clothing items of your choice from the Tea Collection! Amazing, right! Good luck everyone!

Free Sauve Giveaway on jamericanSpice!

If you love lavender, then you will want to head over to JamericanSpice. They are giving away a set of Suave Lavender Vanilla bath products. I adore lavender, especially REAL lavender! It smells amazing! You can enter the contest here: http://jamericanspice.blogspot.com/2010/09/suave-new-naturals-lavendar-vanilla-set.html

good luck everyone!

Wow, They Grow So Fast!

My now 10 month old baby has started letting go when he stands. It is just amazing and overwhelming how quickly babies grow in the first couple of years. Maybe its because I have six kids, and know that babyhood is so, so fleeting, but I really want to just remember every moment and enjoy it as it comes.

I think some people think I am weird because I don't mind holding my sons bottle for a few more months, or waking up in the middle of the night to feed him. Really, it's the least I can do to let him grow at his own pace in return for giving me so much happiness. I've always felt that way, though, through all six of my kids stages and ages. Just to let them be happy as kids is enough for me.

There is so much pressure on kids to grow up too quickly. Kids who don't know about adult things are often made fun of in school, but I know that protecting my kids for as long as I can really lets them enjoy life, without the stress of dealing with adult situations.

And tonight, when my son wakes up for the third time in three hours, I am not going to make him hold his own bottle, and I am not going to get irritated because I am sleep deprived. All I really have to do is look at his little curls highlighted by our night light, and I am just happy to be a Mom, even if I can't sleep more than four hours a night. Its a blessing that I am thankful for every single day.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Vera Bradley Giveaway!

If you love fun patterns and super soft quilted bags, then you love Vera Bradley. One Savvy Mom! is giving away a fun Vera Bradley set. To enter, just go here:
http://savvycouponmommy.blogspot.com/2010/09/vera-bradley-review-giveaway.html

Have fun and good luck!