Babies Gotta Have It

Two great websites are offering baby and children’s products at some wonderful discounts.  And Mama’s definitely gotta have great deals these days!  Looking for that perfect baby shower or baby gift?  Or just want to buy a little something special for your babe? Now’ s the time to shop!

 
Remember Katie and Company…the beautiful children’s clothing store based in my hometown of Lewisburg, PA that is very sadly going out of business?  The good news is that it is not too late to buy some of their beautiful clothing for your babies and kids. There are wonderful items on deep discount, and all of their gorgeous coats are reduced to $39.99.

And an update!  Even though the Lewisburg, PA store is no longer in existence, you can still find their wonderful clothing at Tuechild.com!  Check it out!

I also want to introduce you to a wonderful site: The Bean’s Closet where from today, January 27th to Thursday, January 29th you can receive a 2%5 discount on ALL items on the entire site with no minimum purchase!  I love this site for lots of reasons (and you’ll be hearing more about them soon when we host an amazing giveway with them!) not the least of which is that I also call my baby girl “Little Bean.”  Their selection of baby gifts and gift baskets is wonderful.  They have beautiful clothes, decor, and accessories.  Even better, they are also a great source for that hard to find Margery Ellen line of incredibly gorgeous baby clothes and layette.

I didn’t take a childbirth class.  Is this horrible of me to confess?  I didn’t.  Nor did I take any kind of formal breastfeeding or baby care class.  Now in my defense, childbirth classes in New York start at $400.  I am not exaggerating.  Even the ones given by the hospital.  This seemed like a lot of money to me. And honestly I was a little bit squeamish about them.  I really didn’t want to see videos of people pushing out babies.  I didn’t even want to see myself pushing out a baby.  Not only did I decline the mirror when I gave birth, and forbid any video cameras from being in a thirty foot radius, my glasses were halfway across the room on a shelf.  I can’t see my own belly button without my glasses on.  To prepare, I took prenatal yoga and read books.  My birth really went okay.  But a wee bit more knowledge would not have been a bad idea.

I recently had a chance to watch the Laugh and Learn About Childbirth DVD.  Now, I’m guessing that when I say “childbirth” the first word that comes to your mind is probably not “laughter.” I had a smooth birth, but I can’t say that there was much guffawing going on in that labor and delivery room.  I have considered sending the anesthesiologist who administered my epidural flowers every year on my baby’s birthday, but she was no Seinfeld.  But watching this DVD I found myself actually wishing I was pregnant again.  Even when Sheri Bayles, the genuinely funny and very personable Lamaze Educator and OB/Gyn nurse who conducts the video classes, talked about the difficult parts of childbirth, I got a little yen.  I had a pretty uncomfortable and yarfy pregnancy.  So this is saying something.

The “Laugh and Learn About Childbirth” DVD is divided into 6 classes and runs four hours and fifteen minutes.  It is comprehensive.  The video quality and editing are excellent, and the information is thorough, accessible, and practical.  Sheri discusses mucous plugs and pre-labor symptoms, for example, in the kind of detail that only an experienced OB/Gyn nurse (and Mom of twins) can offer.  She demystifies a LOT.  Several expectant couples participate in the series, and you really do feel like you’re right there with them.   I also really appreciated how Sheri included the husbands and partners in the discussion.  While she used diagrams and charts as visual aids, no videos of live births were included. And I was grateful.

Laugh and Learn also offers “Laugh and Learn About Breastfeeding” and “Laugh and Learn About Newborn and Baby Care.” Both also feature Sheri Bayles and are structured as classes with couples participating.  I don’t think the video qualtiy and editing are quite as good in these two, but they do offer lots of wonderful information.  The Breastfeeding DVD covers positions, burping, breastfeeding twins, schedules, obstacles, diet, pumping and bras, pads and nightgowns.  This offers a good overview of breastfeeding, but does not discuss latching on or the nuts and bolts of pumping in the same detail as other issues.  You will need to look elsewhere for that.  The Newborn Care DVD includes bathing, diaper change, dressing, swaddling and supplies in nice detail.  It is extremely useful to see the bathing, diapering and dressing done on video–these things are just much more difficult to understand from reading about them.

This 3 DVD Set runs $79.95.  If you just want to buy the Childbirth DVD, it will cost you $39.95.  Did I mention that childbirth classes in New York start at $400.  This is a seriously good buy.  And I can honestly say I wish I had seen them before my baby was born.

The really good news in all of this…the wonderful folks at Laugh and Learn have offered a 3 DVD set to one lucky Babies Gotta Have It reader!  Want to enter? Read on!

To Enter the “Laugh and Learn 3 DVD Set” Giveaway:

• Head over to the Laugh and Learn Website, take a look around, and tell me one other product from the store you’d be interested in owning. It’s that easy!

***Want an extra chance to win? Blog or twitter about this giveaway, leave me an additional comment letting me know you did (please include the url), and I’ll put your name in the hat twice! Not a blogger? Subscribe to my blog using the button to the right, leave me an additional comment, and you’re entered twice. Or, email a friend about the giveaway, cc me in the message at babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com (I promise I will not spam you or your friends - cross my heart) and you’ll have two entries. Make sure you include your email address with your entry.***

Giveaway open to those with U.S. addresses. Giveaway begins on Wendesday January 21st and ends on Thursday January 29th  at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Friday January 30th, my baby girl will draw the winning name and I’ll email you immediately. It’s not a terribly scientific drawing, but I assure you it could not be more random. Thanks for entering!

We are so excited that this giveaway is being done as a part of the Bloggy Giveaways Winter Carnival! Beat the winter blues! Win free stuff! Read great blogs! Woo Hoo!

And the winner is…
#31 Karrie Lorene Wilson!  Thank you so much to everyone who entered!  I hope to return to my video drawings soon!  Have been away due to a death in the family but I’m back now and the baby is ready to pick some winners!

We are very fond of rocking out to The Jimmies’ awesome indie rock CD for kids, “Make Your Own Someday” at our house.  We profiled this great group in October, and we have discovered that while we may not have left the apartment for a week (dang it’s cold out there) we are seriously on the cusp of what’s hot.  Congrats to The Jimmies!  Their CD recently won both an Oppenheim Best Toys of 2009 Award and a Parents Choice Award.

So if you want to giggle while you jiggle (which is what dancing basically is in this house), get out there on the dance floor, make your own sundae, and get a copy of “Make Your Own Someday.”  You’ll be so glad you did.

(New Green Room at "The View" - Photo by ABC/Steve Fenn)

Update!  And the winner of the giveaway is…#15!  Darryl Youzefowich who makes Babies Gotta Have It History–the first man to win one of my giveaways!  Congratulations Darryl and thanks so much to everyone who entered!  Stay tuned for more wonderful giveaways in the days and weeks to come!

I love my baby. But I miss the days before my living room looked like Toys r Us exploded in it.

Especially for us stay-at-home and work-at-home moms, the environment in which we live is so important.  Our homes are where we spend our entire days.  Sometimes endlessly long days when Daddy is working late, it’s two degrees outside, we are stuck in this tiny apartment for twelve hours straight, we’ve read “The Wheels on the Bus” 47 thousand times, our sweatpants are covered in wild berry yogurt, and we ready to tear our hair out…  I honestly think it’s not an unjustifiable extravagance to commit some time, resources and thought to creating a home space that makes us feel happy.  A space that is both functional and fun. A space designed to suit the needs of our whole family, but which also retains some element of grown up style.  It’s a good thing to walk into the living room and feel welcomed, not overwhelmed.   To feel like you are “home.”

And as it turns out, Thom Filicia (you know him as the sweet and talented interior designer from the show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”) totally thinks so too!  I actually attended an online press conference with him on Monday, which was also the same day that he revealed the newly designed green room and guest dressing rooms on “The View.”  They are gorgeous.  Needless to say.  So it turns out that Thom is indeed as funny and engaging and totally personable in a video conference as he is on TV.  He talked to a bunch of bloggers for an hour or so about the work he did on “The View,” his current TV show “Dress My Nest,” the Kimberly Clark “Room A Day Giveaway” (which you should totally enter), and then he answered our questions.

Thom talked about how we can be creative decorators during these times of economic uncertainty.  He urged us to look for the amazing sales that are going on now, and to be thoughtful in our purchases.  Really consider what it is that you need to make your home into your haven, and don’t throw money at a lot of pieces that don’t truly work for you.  Consider repurposing old furniture for new use–either your own furniture or furniture you pick up at tag sales, flea markets, and thrift shops.  A coat of paint can transform any piece, and the same color paint can unify a whole motley collection of pieces in various styles.

He also spoke about parents embracing the fact that kids are part of the design of your home.  Find creative and fun storage options (he mentioned in particular the Ikea cubby shelving which I totally love).   He even suggested that incorporating the bright colors that can be found in kids’ toys and games into your design will help to camouflage the toys.  I thought that was truly creative!  Sure you probably don’t want to paint your walls “lego red” but creating a space in which splashes of bright colors are welcome, from the upholstery to the throw pillows, will make a natural environment for those kids toys in the cubbies in the corner!

As winter begins to wear on me (and the temperatures drop lower and lower and lower…did I mention I have been trapped in this apartment for days and days? Send a dog with some brandy please.) I was really taken by Thom’s discussion of how changing a room can change our attitude.  The  New Year has brought a new sense of optimism in this country, it seems.  Thom predicts cheerful, bright, optimistic trends in design as well.  And why not change up your decor for the Spring and Summer just as you do for the holidays?  He suggests rolling up the rugs and exposing the bare floor, and swapping out sofa pillows and bed linens for a Spring pick-me-up.  My mother used to do that. If you’ve got the space for storage, I think it’s a great idea!

“But Wendy,” you say.  “I don’t know a thing about design.  I really want a cozy nest and I’ve seen ‘Trading Spaces’ a few times, but seriously….where do I start?”

I’m so glad you asked.  First of all, I’ve got “Thom’s Top Tips” to pass along as a starting point…and Thom has a new book “Thom Filicia Style” that is full of inspiration.  Secondly, I’m giving that book away to one lucky reader!

So here, with very minimal commentary by me, are “Thom’s Top Tips.”

1. Don’t be afraid to mix timeless and timely. Thom is all about bringing together different points of view (ie. mix that end table and lamp from your grandmother’s house with a modern sofa and chairs) to create a room that is entirely your own.
2. Color your world. Pick paint colors that suit your personality, and don’t be afraid to be bold!
3. Decorate outside the box. If you live in a modern home, bring in classic, traditional pieces.  Mix light and dark, matte and shiny for a unique look.
4. Personalize your space. Your home should be an extension of your personality. Choose artwork and accessories that tell your story.
5. Well read. The books you choose to have on display in your home not only say something about you, but also add visual depth to the room.
6. Lose the matchy mathiness. I love this one. Thom encouraged us to think about design like fashion. Keep the prints and patterns to one piece and choose classic and maybe more neutral pieces to compliment it.

So that’s all well and good, but how to you win Thom’s amazing new book?  Read on…

To Enter the “Thom Filicia Style” Giveaway:

• Just leave a comment on this post sharing one interior design tip you’ve seen here or read elsewhere or learned through experimentation on your own. It’s that easy!

***Want an extra chance to win? Blog or twitter about this giveaway, leave me an additional comment letting me know you did (please include the url), and I’ll put your name in the hat twice! Not a blogger? Subscribe to my blog using the button to the right, leave me an additional comment, and you’re entered twice. Or, email a friend about the giveaway, cc me in the message at babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com (I promise I will not spam you or your friends - cross my heart) and you’ll have two entries. Make sure you include your email address with your entry.***

Giveaway open to those with U.S. addresses. Giveaway begins on Friday January 16th and ends on Friday January 23rd at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Monday January 26th, my baby girl will draw the winning name and I’ll email you immediately. It’s not a terribly scientific drawing, but I assure you it could not be more random. Thanks for entering!

Overheard on the red carpet at the Golden Globes Sunday night…

“Little Bean, Little Bean, you look spectacular. What are you wearing?”

“Hi Joan, thank you so much. I’m wearing Baby Banz Eyewear and Sunhats! Both are designed by Australians to make sure my skin will look like Nicole Kidman’s when I’m forty.”

“So if I had those when I was your age I could have saved thousands on plastic surgery?”

“Hate to say it Joan, but yup. Would you like an organic cheese cube? I have a few extra in my mermaid purse.”

“Skip the cheese kid, give me the skinny about those sunglasses. It may not be too late for my grandchildren.”

“These funky specs offer 100% UVA/UVB protection, are made of a durable and safe polycarbonate, are comfy, and come in over twelve super cool colors.  Baby Banz fit kids ages birth to two, and Kids Banz are big enough that you’ll still be wearing them on the first day of Kindergarten.  Along with this super-pretty hat, which, by the way has a UPF 50+ rating.  Nicole Kidman here I come.”

“Three words kid:  Best. Dressed. List.”

To Enter the Baby Banz Giveaway  - Giveaway is closed!  The winner is #11 Susan!  Thanks everyone who entered!

The amazing folks at Baby Banz are giving away the Baby Banz Combo Gift Set of a Bucket Hat and Banz Sunglasses  to one lucky Babies Gotta Have It reader!  Baby Banz is an amazing company.  They offer top quality Eyewear, Sun Hats, Bandana-Style “Baby Banz Wrapz” Hats, Retro-styled Sunglasses, and Swimwear that will give you the sun protection you want, and your kids the unfettered time to play outside that they want.  Plan for summer with their hats and swimsuits, but take advantage of the sunglasses right now for lots of play in the snow on bright white winter days!

• Just take a swing by the Baby Banz Website, come back and leave a comment on this post telling me the color and size Baby Banz (or Kidz Banz) sunglasses and the color/pattern Sun Hat you’d choose if you won. It’s that easy!

***Want an extra chance to win? Blog or twitter about this giveaway, leave me an additional comment letting me know you did (please include the url), and I’ll put your name in the hat twice! Not a blogger? Subscribe to my blog using the button to the right, leave me an additional comment, and you’re entered twice. Or, email a friend about the giveaway, cc me in the message at babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com (I promise I will not spam you or your friends - cross my heart) and you’ll have two entries. Make sure you include your email address with your entry.***

Giveaway open to those with U.S. addresses. Giveaway begins on Wednesday January 14th and ends on Wednesday January  21st at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Thursday January 22nd, my baby girl will draw the winning name and I’ll email you immediately. It’s not a terribly scientific drawing, but I assure you it could not be more random. Thanks for entering!

I get pretty bummed at the end of the holiday season. As I have mentioned repeatedly over the last month, I’m a sucker for Christmas.  When the holidays end, I am genuinely more sad than relieved.  But I come from farming stock, and like my Mom and my Grandfather, as soon as the days become minutely longer, I start to think about Spring.  Seed catalogs, crocuses, Peeps, and getting out of this apartment with this baby!

How I long for picnics in Riverside Park. I have this romanticized view of me and the baby surrounded by daffodils…she is contentedly playing with some wooden toy or handmade dolly…I am idly flipping through a magazine and sipping an iced mocha…  No mud is soaking through our picnic blanket to ruin her Hanna Andersson dress and my very slim fitting new jeans.

Ok so Riverside Park in April.  Pretty much the only two things about that little fantasy that I can guarantee are the the iced mocha and the waterproof blanket.  Thank you Starbucks and thank you thank you Zip-n-go Blanket.

I love the Zip-n-go Blanket.  I love that it is genuinely waterproof.  I love that I can fold it, up, zip it, and loop it over the stroller handle instead of trying to cram it beneath the baby. I love that when you zip it up, it actually becomes a tote.  I love that the upper surface is made of anti-pill fleece and the bottom is a durable nylon so it is super soft on top but still waterproof. I love that it’s machine washable. I love that it’s made in the U.S.A. by a mom-owned company and that it makes an awesome and totally unique baby gift.

But most of all…I love that it gives me hope for Spring.

• If you’re a raging germaphobe like me, high chair covers are essentials. Check out the Classy Kid High Chair Cover and Dining Out Kit for a really easy-to-use high chair cover complete with disposable, adhesive placemats (though I must admit, I wipe down the top and bottom surface of the table before I even stick on the mat…I may need help).  Just as an amusing anecdote…after we shot that video at that incredibly busy Panera, we were cleaning up, and an eager diner came to claim our soon-to-be-empty table.  However, instead of standing politely next to the table, he actually sat down as we were piling up our trash.  We left a half-drunk box of organic apple juice and the remainder of two to-die-for hot chocolates on the table intending to take them with us. Now let me add, I subtly moved these items away from this man because, as aforementioned, I am crazy. As my husband went to throw away the garbage, the eager diner (and you know where this is going) sneezed heartily. I felt like I watched the germs spray in super slow motion all over the table, me, my baby and our beverages.  Needless to say, we threw all three away.  Bye bye ten bucks worth of Panera goodness. Oh and dude, you totally owe me two half-drunk hot chocolates and a juice box.
• Ok back to the point…not only do I love high chair covers, I love shopping cart covers. My friend Karen swears by the Buggy Bagg (this company also offers a high chair cover that is lovely).  She acknowledges that it’s a splurge but says it’s worth every penny.  I totally want one. You can buy it at Baby Age.  And cuz you know I loves me some Etsy.com (and for a variety of prices) check out Peanut’s Boutique, gavinsmommyscreations, and MichaelMoooDesign.

• I posted about super cool bibs a few months ago and discovered some Etsy sellers who make gorgeous bibs.  The BandaBib by Bazzle Baby is a whole new option and it’s super funky cute!  You gotta love a bib that doesn’t scream “I’m a BIB!”  Perfect for the nonstop drooling that comes with teething.  Great for first feedings!  Check out the BandaBib!
• Speaking of the Great Etsy Bib Giveaway…I am STILL looking for a baby named John David to give the sweet personalized bib from Girlie Bird Boutique!  If you know a John David, leave me a comment or send me an email!  I’m starting to think there simply are no babies named John David in the entire world!