Personalized IT!

So I was just browsing zulily.com today and I came across a deal of $15 for $30 at http://www.shopthesticklies.com/. So I wandered over to their website and Wow! how cute is their stationery? I love personalization to begin with but add "person" personalization and you've got me sold. I am especially taken with the personalized teacher gifts right now. My little boy is about to start preschool and I can't wait to give this to his teacher:

 

Check them out for all kinds of personalized stationery, address labels and invitations. 

Zulily.com

You MUST check out this invitation only website (use link below):

http://www.zulily.com/invite/sabraham193

They carry brand name items from kid and mom friendly brands for up to 70 percent off. I have purchased layette items as gifts from brands that I love and would never pick up if I saw it in the store because the price tag would scare me away. I especially love when they carry trumpette socks. Zulily has low cost shipping and if you place an order you pay one time shipping for the day so you can come back and purchase more items and not pay another cent for shipping.  Let me know what you think.

The Five

I shop a lot, mostly window shopping because I don't believe in clutter or things that I don't really need. When a good friend asked me recently what are baby essentials I had an answer at the ready. I truly believe that babies do not need all that much. If someone is baby item shopping whether for your own baby, a grandchild or friend, I believe that there are only five things a baby absolutely needs:

1. Diapers and Wipes


I love Pampers Sensitive wipes and Swaddlers diapers for newborns. They are so soft and gentle. Although Pampers brand is most likely more expensive than any other diaper brand out there, I love love love their products for newborn babies.

2. Car Seat

All car seats sold in the USA must be safety approved by the FDA. So really any car seat out there works. I am a big believer in the whole Snap and Go system. For a newborn baby, I believe that the snap and go thing allows for efficient travel.

The basket is HUGE which makes going shopping with a baby a breeze. I like the Graco version better than the Baby Trend one just for aesthetic reasons, but they both work the same way. The frame folds flat easily and can fit in the trunk or back seat of the car so well. 

3. Stroller

There are a million and one strollers out there. Just google strollers, or better yet, take a walk to the park and you'll see what I mean. The only kind of stroller a mom really needs is one that works with the lifestyle that you keep. If you are living in a city you will need a stroller that will basically be your car because you will be walking everywhere. Your stroller will not need to be folded very often, so ease of fold is probably does not need to be on your checklist. If you are living in a place where the streets are not well paved and hilly you will enjoy the use of an all terrain stroller. If you will need the stroller mainly for mall crawling you will need a carriage that is narrow enough to fit in smaller spaces. I am stroller obsessed. I love discussing all the latest strollers and their features with my fellow moms and grandmoms. But when it comes down to the bottom line. The stroller you need is the stroller that works for you.

4. Playmat

There are so many many toys that are out there for little babies. Most of them your little one will grow out of by the time he/she is four months old. One of the few exceptions is an activity mat. A baby will likely use this until they are around six or seven months when they will be crawling. I love the Tiny Love Musical Kick and Discover Activity Gym. There are so many out there and a Google search will bring up many products to choose from. What really attracts me to this particular one is the detachable mirror that is a stand alone component.

5. Boppy Pillow

The last item that I think is extremely helpful is the Boppy pillow. It was created as a nursing pillow to help moms prop the baby while feeding. Since its creation other uses for this delightful product have been found. It is helpful for even non-nursing mothers. It allows for ergonomically correct positioning, saving new moms and dads from back pain with the many feedings. It is also great for tummy time by providing a bit of cushioning and support for the babies upper chest. It then grows with your baby to a support for sitting. It provides cushioning around the baby as they learn to support themselves. 

This is a little off topic, but while I am discussing helpful things for new moms, let me add two websites that are little lifesavers. Amazon MOM is a great club to join. Join for free on amazon.com. You can set up monthly deliveries (and save $ when you do:)) of items such as diapers, wipes, formula...etc. They also send you emails recommending products they think you might like based on the searches you have conducted and the items you purchased.

Diapers.com is a website owned by amazon.com that allows for pretty much the same benefits. Diapers.com sells everything baby (although amazon does too).

Another awesome website is albeebaby.com . They have amazing sales on baby items like car seats, strollers, high chairs and cribs. I recommend signing up to their email list so that you are alerted to sales.

One final word: You do not need everything before your baby is born. You will find that your baby is unique and you will find the things your baby needs as they come up. If you don't find a crib that you like immediately you do not need to stress. You CAN wait for the sales. The baby can sleep in a pack and play or even the infant car seat for a few days. A high chair may be the thing for you if you have the room or a booster seat may just do the trick. Happy shopping and don't stress!

Snapfish Photo Books

Adorable kids demand a camera at the ready at all times. In today's digital age taking pictures has never been easier, faster or cheaper. The cache of photos on my family computer is enormous! Even with the option of deleting photos that were taken poorly, those that just did not come out right and any duplicates, you are probably still left with a million pictures that even at 10 cents a photo you would be paying quite a sum to print them all (and let's not forget the headache of loading them into photo albums once they've been printed!). I have found a very helpful solution to this problem: Snapfish.com

 

You upload your photos to their website (unlimited storage!) and create albums in a simple digital scrapbook style. There is even an option of choosing your pictures and then with the click of a button they will automatically load it into a photobook for you. You then have the option of customizing each page by moving the photos around, choosing backgrounds, writing captions and so on. A friend of mine documented her pregnancy photobook style. The idea of telling the story of nine whole months in a twenty page photo book was inspired. I decided that I would create a photo book for every wedding anniversary logging all the wonderful times my husband and I had that year. We have also created photo books for grandparents as gifts. Check them out at snapfish.com.

TRUNKI

In an unofficial poll that I conducted amongst my friends, it seems that many of them travel with their kids at least twice a year by plane to visit the grandparents. Now just the thought of air travel with children makes my heart palpitate. The long lines, the waiting, the waiting...

It is my plan to avoid traveling by airplane with small children. However, if I had to, I know that I would certainly be getting one of these:

The Trunki by the fabulous toymakers Melissa and Doug is an ingenious take on the everyday carry on bag. It certainly was designed with the child in mind! This suitcase is also a ride on toy that is meant to keep the kids entertained while winding your way through all the stops at the airport. It makes air travel with the under 7 set seem a little less intimidating and maybe even a teeny bit fun.

Amazon.com features four different colors (Blue, Orange, Red and Pink) for around $30.