Baby Archives - Embracing Beauty

Two Weeks Ago Today

February 14, 2014 by Ashley 44 Comments

Two weeks ago this morning I woke up, rolled over, rolled over again, and just about burst into tears. After a few minutes of flip flopping I realized the pain in my stomach wasn’t from the cheeseburger I ate the night before. I laid there trying to gain composure as I ran over the “game plan” in my head before I woke Mike up. I was having contractions!

Two hours later I was on my way to the hospital with contractions that were two minutes apart. I walked into the hospital clenching my husband’s arm and stopping every minute and a half for another contraction. Every lady that passed me by either wished me luck or gave me the famous southern sympathy, “Bless your heart.”

One lovely epidural, seven hours of napping, and four pushes later I had one of these:

I am very blessed.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours!

Filed Under: Life Lately Tagged With: Baby

Similac Coupons

October 28, 2013 by Ashley 1 Comment

Several friends of mine are pregnant {or adopting babies!} and have asked my advice on formula. I have to use formula because the type of meds that I have to be on. Anyway, I’ve told them all that my daughter used Similac and we’re planning on feeding it to our new little one in a few months. Formula is expensive though! All brands are expensive, all types are expensive, and there’s just no way around that. The best we can do is try and find sales and pair them with Similac coupons and checks.

Right now, when you sign up for Similac’s new online community called Strong Moms for new and expecting moms you’ll receive up to $329 worth of coupons, samples, and offers as well as weekly nutrition guidance and feeding help for every week of your pregnancy all the way through your baby’s first year. This is very handy to have.

When I signed up before they sent me a lovely magnet to put on my fridge and I remember calling them at least two different times to ask them formula/feeding questions I had. They never made me feel stupid or that I was a bad mom. There willingness to talk and friendliness just made me love the Similac brand even more!

If you’re new to Similac’s Strong Moms community you’ll receive:

Free Similac Messenger Bag
Similac Coupons
Free Similac Formula
Weekly Pregnancy Journal
Similac Nourishing & Feeding Kit
$20 Shutterfly Birth Announcements Credit {Who doesn’t love Shutterfly!?}

It’s totally free to join! Sign up here.

Filed Under: Deals Tagged With: Baby, Coupons, Similac

Letter to My Baby

August 1, 2013 by Ashley 21 Comments

Dear Baby,

Wow, I can’t believe you’re already three months old. You’re still inside my belly so I guess I don’t officially start counting till you come and meet us. Oh, and how we can’t wait to meet you! Your dad and I are very excited to hold you and cuddle with you. You have a sister who will be just over two and a half years old when you arrive. She doesn’t quite understand the fact that she’ll have a new sibling around the house soon but we’re working on it. She’s a sweet girl and I hope the two of you will be great friends.

I can’t wait to spend hours together just cuddling, feeding you, and enjoying life together. I’m very excited to be your Mommy. I can’t promise I’ll be a good mom but I promise I’ll try. Taking care of you and your sister and teaching the two of you how to take good care of yourselves sounds like the most fun and rewarding thing I could possibly do in my life. Thank you for helping me fulfill my life’s purpose.

You are going to love your daddy. He’s fantastic. He’s a wonderful daddy, so kind, sweet, and supportive. On top of that, he’s hilarious! With your daddy in our lives, our days are sure to have lots and lots of laughter and fun.

So, enjoy your last few months comfy and cozy in my belly and know that we love you. Unconditionally. You’re part of our family now and no matter what we will always love you.

All my love,

Your Mom

For those of you who may have your heads tilted slightly and are looking at your computer with a funny face…yes, I am pregnant! Our little family is growing and I couldn’t be more blessed. Thank you for allowing me to share a little of my joy with you.

A few bloggers and I decided to put together a Letters to our Children blog hop and we hope you’ll enjoy reading these heartfelt letters to our children. There are several blogs in total and to hop over to the next blog please visit, A Little Oven.

Filed Under: Letters to My Daughter, Life Lately Tagged With: Baby

Simply Right Baby Care Products #SimplyRightBabyCare

March 22, 2013 by Ashley 1 Comment

I tried cloth diapers. I did, I gave it a try! To tell you the truth I loved them but my husband never really jumped on board. Because he wasn’t totally in love with the idea I backed off and used them a few times a week through the day so he never had to deal with them. Lately though I’ve just been using disposable diapers. After using cloth diapers, I have to say that I’m a bit of a diaper snob. It’s not that I look down on others for what they use but I want to use the softest diapers I can find. Being the girly girl that I am I’ve always wanted to use the cutest diapers I could find too. Being snobby about diapers meant that I didn’t try store brands. Ever. That was until I received the opportunity to work with Sam’s Club and review their Simply Right baby care line. I had a lot of friends who used this brand so I knew it couldn’t be too bad and I figured why not give it a try?

Here’s my little girl sporting her new diapers. Yes, she has clothes on top because I’m not one to show pictures of my baby’s bum. I’m just not. We received the size 3 diapers which is the size she wears in our other brand and they fit great. They have stretchy side tabs which I like so I can get the diaper customized to fit my little one. Plus, these stretchy tabs help to make the diaper as compact as possible when disposing of it. Even though diaper bags aren’t too expensive I still try to save all I can by fitting as many diapers as possible into each bag. The material of the diapers is nice. It’s not overly soft but it doesn’t sound like she has a plastic bag in her pants either. You know what I’m talking about, you’ve heard kids like that, right?

I was truly surprised that I liked these as much as my regular diapers. I might like them more than my regular diapers if they had a fun girly pattern on them. If you’re listening Sam’s Club, I think pink plaid or pink floral would be cute!

The Simply Right baby wipes are strong and strong at the same time. They are a good bit thicker than the sensitive wipes I’ve been using from another brand. I know a lot of people like the thicker wipes but this would be something I would have to get use to. They wipes cleaned well, never tore, and were fragrance free. Plus, I read that they have a soothing Aloe & Vitamin E included in them to help clam delicate skin. Even though I might not use them for my baby’s bum because it will take a while to get over what I’m use to using I’ll still use them to clean up little hands and messes. I like that they are safe and gentle for my baby’s skin so I could even use it to clean her dirty face.

I was told that Sam’s Club members saved up to $392 a year by purchasing these Simply Right baby products. I don’t know about you but I could do a lot with $392! Office redecoration, new clothes, or a vacation! Oh, the possibilities are endless! What could you do with an extra $392 a year?

For a FREE sample of SIMPLY RIGHT™ diapers or wipes, visithttp://simplyrightbabycare.com/sample.html today!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of SIMPLY RIGHT™ Baby Care Products.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Baby, Diapers, Sam's Club, Simply Right

Daughters Love Their Daddys – Mine sure does anyhow!

February 19, 2013 by Ashley 20 Comments

This past weekend my family had so much fun together. We read books, played ball, went to a Valentine’s banquet together, and ate leftover cupcakes and cake squares that my sweetheart bought his two ladies for Valentine’s Day. We had a great time! Every Monday I’m always sad to see my husband leave and go back to work. We still have a good time around the house but it’s not the same as when everybody’s here. Does that make sense? Well, yesterday around 3 o’clock my little girl went to the window to wait for Daddy. She stood there for a while admiring the surroundings and watching a neighborhood cat stroll around but eventually she got tired of waiting and started calling out his name. “Daddy, daaaaddy.” It was adorable! I took a picture {the one above} and shared it with my husband on his Facebook page with the note “Someone sure misses you today!” He had to come home early from work so I could head out to an appointment so they were able to enjoy some extra Daddy/Daughter time last night.

This morning we went through our usual morning routine and just as he was about to leave she wanted him to read her a book. He stopped and took the time to read it before leaving which I thought was awfully sweet. I also took a picture of that too! {Having an iPod can be very convenient for spur of the moment pictures.}

We waved goodbye to Daddy like we do every morning and sat down for a time of reading. We read through a few books but then she wanted down. She will usually sit my lap as long I’m reading to her so when I sat her down I was curious to see where she would go. You may have guessed it; she went back to the window! We’re currently “storing” her Minnie Mouse 4-wheeler in front of the window until we can find a better place for it. {You can just see the front of it in the picture above.} She worked hard to carefully push and pull on it until it was free from the window. Then she returned to the window, placed both elbows on the window sill and rested her chin in her hands. She sat content for a few moments and then again started calling for her Daddy. How sweet!

When she went down for her nap I emailed her Daddy to tell him what happened. He emailed back, “Oh that makes me sad! Can’t wait to see her again.” *My heart melts!* I say, “She can’t wait to see you, that’s for sure!” Then he emails back and says this,

My heart once again turns into a dripping puddle of love. All I can think is how amazingly blessed I am to have such a sweet husband! While I am writing to her once a month here on my blog in my Letters to My Daughter series, I never thought about emailing her. What a great idea! I can write a long letter or just a short thought for the day. Gmail has a massive storage so chances are very slim that we would ever run out of room. I love the idea!

One of my most prized possessions is a small stack of letters my Mom wrote me when she was pregnant. I hope my husband and I can be a blessing to our little girl the way that my Mother was to me through her letters!

What do you think about sending emails to your baby? Have you ever done it?

Filed Under: Life Lately Tagged With: Baby, Life Lately

Choosing a Potty Training Seat

January 3, 2013 by Ashley 9 Comments

potty seat

As I’ve announced before, I’m in the early stages of potty training my daughter and today I’m ready to buy a potty seat. One of my friend’s daughter is 18 months and she pottied in the toilet for the first time today and that has me motivated.

When looking for a potty seat I first found the ever popular Baby Bjorn toilet trainer. This has great reviews and has been around for a while so it should be the obvious choice, right? I thought so too until I saw the new Arm & Hammer Secure Comfort Potty Seat. It also has great reviews but it’s about $20 cheaper and comes with an air freshener and handles. I’m excited about the handles. Isn’t that a great idea?!

The Baby Bjorn toilet trainer is $33 on Amazon and the Arm & Hammer Secure Comfort Potty seat is only $11 + Free Prime Shipping with $25 total purchase. I’m strongly leaning toward the Arm & Hammer Potty Seat but before I make my purchase I wanted to run this by ya’ll and see which one ya’ll preferred and any pros and cons you have.

Little Looster's Looster Booster

Oh, and I also found this awesome little step stool for kiddos. It’s called the Little Looster’s Looster Booster and is on sale now at Amazon for $34.50 + free prime shipping. That means if I buy this and either one of the potty seats they’ll both ship for free. This looks pretty incredible but I’m open to any potty step stool advice you may have too. Thanks in advance for any advice you share!!

Filed Under: Life Lately Tagged With: Baby, kids, Potty Training

Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company

November 30, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I never really cared about the ingredients in my soap and hand lotion. I chose more expensive shampoo because I knew I didn’t want that waxy build up in my hair that came with cheap shampoos. Besides that, I gave the ingredients of products zero thought. Now that I have a little one, I am reading the label of everything. I chose only the purest foods, the mildest cleaners, and the safest bath and body products.

I heard about Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company a while back and wanted to try it out but as often happens, I got distracted. I can hardly do anything online without getting distracted by something else. A few weeks ago I was contacted with the opportunity to review products from The Honest Company. I thought, “Ooh, is that Jessica Alba’s company.” I checked it out and sure enough it was!

The Honest company makes safe, sustainable, eco-friendly products that are beautiful, fresh, and fun. They make products for your baby and have a monthly subscription service that you can sign up for. You can have laundry products, soaps and lotions, or diapers delivered right to your door. One thing I live about The Honest Company, and I know this is just a dumb little thing, but I like how their packaging is so pretty. It’s packaged in bright colors and beautiful floral patterns.

If their eco-friendly products aren’t enough to make you check out The Honest Company, you might be glad to know that with every purchase you make, they’ll donate time, money, and product to their current charitable partner Baby2Baby.org. This worthy non-profit supplies families in need with essential baby gear and clothing for children up to age 12. What a great company!

The Honest Company was started by a mom and a dad who, like many modern parents, were increasingly worried about products made with questionable chemical ingredients. But the alternatives they found were often expensive, inaccessible, bland, or ineffective. In response to this clear need for something better, they created The Honest Company to ensure that parents (or anyone for that matter!) could easily find natural and non-toxic eco-friendly products that are beautiful, effective, and affordable. From customized product bundles to diapers and wipes to an ever-expanding line of cleaning and personal care products, you can find everything you need at Honest.com and have it delivered directly to your front door.

Give it a try! Click here to become a member of The Honest Company community and start your free trial today.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Honest Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Baby, SITS, The Honest Company

MedImmune RSV & Preemie Awareness #protectpreemies #rsv

November 27, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Did you know that children are susceptible to RSV even at the age of 2 years old? RSV (Respiratory Syntactical Virus) can be a deadly virus. It typically shows up with minor symptoms in most babies but in high-risk babies it can quickly become an infection that is very difficult for their little bodies to fight.

I am so blessed to have gone through a full-term pregnancy and to have a healthy little girl. Some of my friends haven’t been so fortunate. I know many friends who have had premature babies and a few of them had babies who got RSV. They have had to leave their baby in the hospital for a couple of months while the babies got the care they needed. Even after they were allowed to bring their babies home it was a while before they were considered “healthy” again. It’s heart breaking to see such a little one struggle with the virus.

It’s scary to think that my daughter isn’t out of the woods yet. She’s not 2 years old yet and I’m very cautious about what she’s allowed to touch and who she’s allowed to be around. It’s a constant struggle for me to find balance between being over protective and being cautious. I choose to err on the side of caution. Check out a few tips from MedImmune on how to keep your baby healthy.

Here is an infographic about RSV:

RSV Quick Facts:

RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, and severe RSV disease causes up to 10 times as many infant deaths each year as the flu.
RSV is most prevalent during the winter months. The CDC has defined the “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America.
In addition to prematurity, common risk factors include low birth weight, certain lung or heart diseases, a family history of asthma and frequent contact with other children.

Prevention is Key:
RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing and coughing. Since there’s no treatment for RSV, parents should take the following preventive steps to help protect their child:

Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently.
Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.
Avoid large crowds and people who are or have been sick.
Never let anyone smoke near your baby.
Speak with your child’s doctor if he or she may be at high risk for RSV, as a preventive therapy may be available.

Symptoms:

Know the symptoms of RSV and contact your child’s pediatrician immediately if your child exhibits any of these symptoms:
Severe coughing, wheezing or rapid gasping breaths .
Blue color on the lips, mouth or under the fingernails.
High fever and extreme fatigue.

What makes RSV so dangerous is that the symptoms are similar to those of a mild to moderate cold. RSV is easy for any baby to catch so it’s important for all parents to be educated on the dangers of RSV. It can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, and simply touching.

If you’re interested in learning more about RSV Awareness {and I recommend that you do!}, you can visit RSVProtection.com. There, you can find ways to bring up the subject of RSV up with your doctor, personal stories from real parents, and most importantly, find out when the RSV season is in your part of the country.

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for MomCentral Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Baby, Homemaking, Mom Central, RSV

My Little Girl Took Her First Steps!

November 20, 2012 by Ashley 4 Comments

This is a little late but I just wanted to share with you that my little girl took her first steps yesterday, November 19, 2012. It’s nice to have this in writing someplace besides her baby book. Woo! That’s right, my little girl is an official walker and I couldn’t be more proud. A Walkup walker. ha! Okay, so I don’t know if she’ll keep it up yet but it was a good 4 or 5 steps on her own without me even coaxing her. She probably would have continued if I didn’t squeal and run and pick her up to hug her. By the time we finished celebrating and calling Daddy she was too tired and distracted to walk for pictures. Soon, though!

Filed Under: Life Lately Tagged With: Baby

Gymboree Promo Code for 30% Off + Possible Free Shipping & Gym Bucks!

October 31, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Here’s a great chance to save BIG at my favorite kid’s store, Gymboree.

Select markdowns are already 25% off plus you’ll save an additional 30% when you use Gymboree coupon code GYMCOF or GYMCIRCLE. This coupon code is good through November 4, 2012. If you’re a Gymboree Rewards Members save an additional 5%. If you’re not one already, you can sign up for free. You’ll also earn $25 Gym Bucks for every $50 spent. Plus you’ll get free shipping on orders over $75! Whew, that’s a lot of savings!

If you have had your eye on Gymboree clothing, shoes, outerwear, or sleepwear, now might be a good time to buy!