baby Archives - Page 3 of 8

Create a Mickey-inspired Disney Baby basket

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MagicBabyMoments #CollectiveBias There has been a big baby boom recently, and just in our family alone we have welcomed 4 babies in the past year. But, while all babies are celebrated, only first babies get a big baby shower with extended family and friends, second {and third, and fourth} babies get what is known as a Meet & Greet.

Never heard of a Meet & Greet? It’s basically the answer for the non-baby shower that takes place after the baby is born to celebrate each birth and to introduce them to the family. Where baby showers focus more on the pregnant woman and showering the parents to be with presents, the Meet & Greet is more about the baby.

But, that doesn’t mean there can’t be a present or two. It’s for these occasions that I love the welcome baby basket. Instead of bathtubs and baby gear that the parents likely got with the first baby, the baby basket is more about items that often need replaced after each child like sippy cups, baby care kits, bibs, utensils and blankets. Of course, there has to be one or two fun things for the baby, too, like the awesome Disney Baby Winnie the Pooh Cloud B lamp and a blanket.

Iconic Ambi developmental toys for baby and beyond

Do you remember these toys from Ambi from when you were young? I’m betting you do, because every single person that has come over and seen my kids playing with the set of Ambi Toys has remarked about how they used to play with them when they were little. Notice how I said “my kids”? Not “the baby”, but “the kids”.

In fact, I had these toys all set aside waiting for when the baby was old enough to play with them, thinking that my older kids were well past the Ambi Toys stage. Then, one day when we had a house full of kids, the box got torn open and the toys were immediately pounced on – by all the kids, from age 3 months to 7 years. How could you possibly be mad when the toy thief is this adorable? You just can't.

Galt Toys Playnest & Gym: the perfect foldable and portable activity center

If you knew any of my children as babies, you know how much they hated to be set down on their backs. All three of them were the happiest, smiley-est babies until you would dare set them down flat on their back as experts recommend. Needless to say, “back is best” is not a common phrase around here.

But, what’s a busy mom to do that sometimes needs use of both hands and can’t wear her baby 100% of the time? She gets this: This, my friends, is a happy baby in the Galt Playnest & Gym – Farm. This educational and colorful multi-sensory activity center gives me the perfect place to set baby down without having to listen to her increasingly louder objections. I dare say she even {gasp} enjoys the Playnest, and I hope this love continues to grow during all the stages of play.

This peaceful moment brought to you by Galt Toys.

Non-candy Easter treats from Corolle dolls

My kids really aren't big on candy, which makes me really happy. Sure, they get the occasional treat at school or during holidays, but I never load up on holiday candy because it just takes up space in my pantry after the kids forget all about it. Since I already know what happens when they get bags and baskets of treats, I'm always thinking of creative things I can give them in their Easter baskets, and I always think Corolle first.

If anyone thought that having a real live baby of our own would diminish the kids' love of all things Corolle, they were wrong. Baby dolls are a very big deal around here and show no signs of going anywhere anytime soon, so I love the idea of getting them each a little surprise in their Easter baskets that can add to all the doll play and make it even more fun.

Update those winter wardrobes with Carter’s Babies and Kids #SpringIntoCarters

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carters. I received a complimentary gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for my participation #SpringIntoCarters

Spring is finally here in the Pacific Northwest and that means we're purging our bulky sweaters and looking for bright colors and warmer weather wear. But, while I can wear most of my clothes from last spring {hooray for not being pregnant anymore!}, the kids have grown so much that shopping is a necessity, which I'm not going to complain about now that I've got a new little one to shop for as well. Naturally, I turned to the company that I've relied on to outfit my kids since they were born: Carter's Babies and Kids. I absolutely love shopping at my local Carter's store because every season it is restocked with an awesome mix of adorable, cute, hip, practical, and truly fun pieces for newborn on up to kids size 12.

Say hello to our newest little reviewer

Baby is here! Our sweet baby girl arrived almost a week ago and all of us are already crazy about her. So far, she’s been a dream. She has spent most of her time sleeping or cooing quietly in our arms while everyone begs to hold her next, and has proven to be quite the good little traveler. She's already slept through a few hours of road trips, a ferry ride, a day exploring the islands, and even made it in time to see our beloved Seahawks in the Super Bowl. All that in 6 short days. The kids especially are over the moon about her and every time she makes even the tiniest noise they come running to help. I know this super helpful phase won’t last forever, but I’m enjoying it immensely right now. What makes me the most happy is that based on what I’m seeing they are going to be truly good helpers when I need them to be, and that’s more than I expected from a 6 and 4 year old. As for her actual birth, it was quick and went smoother than I ever could have dreamt. Even the nurses who helped me deliver her were commenting that her delivery was absolute perfection and exactly what they want for themselves when they have babies. I haven’t seen hundreds of births every year, or even more than a handful, but based on the stories I hear and have read from other moms, my births are what everyone hopes for and this one was the easiest yet.
Our birth story:

Loyal Hana offers maternity clothing that goes well beyond pregnancy

I haven’t bought any traditional maternity clothing this pregnancy. Not because I’m so small that I can wear my old clothing and not because I saved all my previous pregnancy clothing, but because I’ve simply gotten smarter this time around. Why would I spend a ton on poorly constructed maternity clothes that barely make it through the last few months of pregnancy when I could get good quality clothing that lasts throughout pregnancy – and beyond?

Introducing my new favorite non-traditional maternity clothing brand, Loyal Hana. Not only is it fashionable and fun enough to make you forget you’re carrying around a few extra pounds that aren’t entirely baby, it also is designed for wearing after the baby arrives when I still have a few extra pounds. That’s right, Loyal Hana isn’t just about maternity clothing, it is also post-natal wear that even makes breastfeeding your baby easier while still remaining stylish. Awesome, right?

Travel buddies: Corolle Dolls on the go

There hasn’t been one single vacation we have taken in the past 4 years that we didn’t take with us a Corolle doll {or 6}. Even when space is most precious and we’re confined to just carryons, we always manage to make room for Corolle. While the reasons behind this are many {comfort of home, favorite toys, open-ended toy, etc}, the main reason is that the kids travel better with them. It started when my daughter was little because she wanted her own baby just like brother that she could cradle, tuck in, and babywear, but then it turned into much more than that. We realized quickly that the kids slept better with their special babies, played better with each other, and had more fun on long plane, train and car rides with Corolle in tow.

The Land of Nod Seattle celebrates their Grand Re-Opening Bash

Oh, how I love The Land of Nod. It's always the first store we turn to when we're shopping for kids of all ages because they have a great mix of eclectic, classic, and modern styles. We've shopped there for just about every birthday, major holiday, and room redo over the past 8 years, and we've become big fans of everything from their toys to their storage solutions and more.

But, a few weeks ago we were walking around U Village shopping center in Seattle on a mission to hit all our favorite stores and enjoy some sunshine and panic set in when the entire store looked dark and empty. We had hoped to do some shopping for my brand new baby nephew, with a few peeks over into the baby bedding for our baby on the way, so the idea of the store being closed was incredibly sad to us.

We were all relieved to find that the store wasn't closing, it was simply being remodeled, and would be back even better than ever. In fact, a few weeks later we got the word that the grand reopening was scheduled and it was going to be amazing.

Big things are happening at Rave & Review

A few days ago we made our big announcement on Facebook and wanted to announce it here as well. That's right, in just a few short months we will be welcoming baby #3. Hello, party of 5. Goodbye, compact sedan.

This has felt like the fastest pregnancy ever so far, but I will likely be singing a very different tune come December. I imagine the last month is going to drag by with all the Christmas craziness and I'm exhausted beyond belief, so I'm just going to enjoy the fact that I still have a good amount of energy to expend each day.

So, everyone wants to know: are the kiddos excited for their little sister to arrive? I could tell you how they lovingly kiss my belly a few thousand times a day, or all the sweet things they say to me about all the things they can't wait to do with their baby, but I think these pictures say it all. These kids were clearly made to be big siblings.