Amazon Mom. Because Anything FREE Is Awesome.

You may have caught on to the fact that I spend quite a few of my baby-daddy's dollars on Amazon. Between books, baby gear, and home goods, I have stuff lined up in my shopping cart at all times. In fact, right now I am hoarding a small collection of used Betsy Haynes books, a Fisher-Price kitchen playset for CC, playpen mosquito netting, and an inflatable mushroom baby pool. Rad, right?

Anyway, you most likely know that if you spend $25 on Amazon you get free super saver shipping, but that nonsense sometimes takes weeks. However, you can join Amazon Mom for FREE, and get free 2-day shipping on everything!!! All you have to do is buy baby gear occasionally and they extend your free shipping benefits an additional month for every $25 bucks you spend in their baby store. But, the 2-day shipping is on everything you buy regardless. Isn't that a sweet deal?

So, in case you didn't know, now you do. Enjoy the freeness.

"Let's hurry up on that kitchen set. I'm bored."

My High Tech Bottle Warmer. Everyone Has One Already. And If You Don't, You Should. Even If You Don't Have A Baby.

One of the things I was on the fence about when creating my baby registry was the world of bottle warmers. I nixed the idea of a wipe warmer early on, for one because I don't have an outlet where I would want to plug it in, and for two because I think they are kind of ridiculous. (although for the first few weeks of CC's life I stuck the wipes down my shirt to warm them up for her precious bottom. so I do care.) However, the bottle warmer seemed to serve a purpose, but I just wasn't sold, you know? Plus, the reviews on those things were all over the place, so I decided to wait and see.

Fast forward to CC's arrival. We breastfeed, but started giving her bottles of pumped milk early on to make sure she would take them. She never had an issue with breastfeeding or bottle feeding, and switched back and forth between the two with no problem. So, then we had to figure out how to warm up the milk! We did the bottle in the saucepan for a bit, but I was always afraid of melting the plastic, so that didn't last long. Then one evening, I had a stroke of genius. Here it is.

"why, hello there"

I totally warm up CC's milk in a martini shaker.

I fill it with hot tap water (super hot), drop in the Medela bottle full of milk, and that's it. It takes about seven minutes to heat up a 6 ounce bottle. Then I pour it into one of her Playtex VentAire bottles (these things are the best!) and off we go.

Let's take another look at this magic.

"I swear its not vodka."

So save the space on your baby registry for the Ergo. And a Jump-Jump. Happy Thursday!

"these bottles make me feel groovy."

P.S. I guess it is worth mentioning here that Bill is claiming credit for the martini shaker idea, but I have no recollection of that ever happening. However, I can be big about it and at least acknowledge that he thinks it was all his idea.

The Only Sleepsack You Will Ever Need. So Buy Two.

Since I blew my Ebay auction last night and now have to wait for another set of books to be listed, I thought I'd pass the time doing a "review" of another baby item I love! I use quotes around the word "review" because I am just doing this for fun, I am not being paid or encouraged by any company to write this stuff, I just figure if I like it, someone else might too. right?

however if you WANT to pay me, feel free.

anyway. I digress. When I was pregnant, I spent a great deal of time looking at sleep sacks and swaddlers and the like, but I did not find the ONE until a few months ago. Sure, CC liked being swaddled for the first couple months (we used this one in case you are curious, and loved it!), but she outgrew the size we had and our pediatrician recommended that we get her used to sleeping on her own without it around the time she turned 4 months old. If you follow me on Facebook at all you might remember the time I tried to wean her from the swaddle too soon? (she cried for hours and made me want to throw myself out the window).

So as you know we live in New Hampshire and CC was 4 months old in January. BRRRRR!!!! Now, we heat our house of course, but down comforters are a MUST in this kind of climate. We were so worried about CC being warm enough and the sleep sacks we found didn't seem to be doing the job keeping her warm. Even the fleece ones were just not enough for my little princess. Finally after a few nights of CC waking up (and waking everyone else in the house up) because she was cold, we went on the hunt for a sleepsack that would really stand up to our winter-time test.

Enter THIS GUY.

This Baby DeeDee Sleep Nest is the business. It is so cozy and comfy, and it is big enough to last for quite awhile and give my girl plenty of kicking room. It looks like it is made of down, but it isn't, which I think is good because then I might worry about CC getting TOO hot, you know? But, she loves it, I love it, and the cats love it when we leave it unattended, so really everyone wins! We have it in this Parisian Blue color, and it is so pretty. It washes great and has these awesome shoulder snaps, so I usually just leave it laying in the crib when she gets up. All in all, definitely an item I can't live without! Now if I could just figure out how long she is supposed to be in a sleepsack for...

I Need A Nest!

"I freaking LOVE my sleepsack! However, the click of the camera wakes me up when I'm sleeping, so I had to draw the line at Mommy taking my picture while wearing it. A girl needs her privacy right?"

Amber Teething Beads. A Natural Wonder!

I first came across this 60's style baby item when one of my besties had them on her daughter Bean. I thought they looked cute and fashionable, and when my girlfriend told me that they were actually to help with teething pain, I figured they were something I needed when I finally had a baby. Obviously.

Well, now I have a baby. So of course when I was pregnant I bought some amber teething beads for myself! I bought mine on Etsy, straight from Lithuania, where apparently they keep the real-deal amber. But you can buy them all over. When I went back and pulled up my Etsy purchase I found that the guy I bought mine from has closed his Etsy storefront. This chick on Etsy sells hers straight from Latvia, which is equally cool and hip.

Here's the deal with amber and teething. And I get all my info from Google, in case you are wondering how I know so much and am so smart. This particular info comes from this helpful website! I have just pasted it here for your convenience, these are not my words and I encourage you to visit Amber Teething Necklaces.com to read more and buy beads. They know their stuff!

Healing Properties of Amber

Ancient Germanic tribes such as the Goths, other Nordic peoples, Celts, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Chinese and other peoples valued amber for it's beauty, protection and healing properties. Amber was also called Electra, Bernstein or Northern Gold due to its electrical properties and golden color and was traded far and wide in the ancient world. This always warm to the touch amber gem which possesses electrostatic properties was, for centuries, and continues to be utilized for healing purposes. This unusual great power of amber is embedded in its ability to produce negative ions that affects man by easing pain, activating the healing process, and providing protection from harmful radiation. It is worth it to become familiar with amber and have this simple natural ionizer with you at all times. Amber is a fossil resin with a chemical combination close to C10H16O, containing some Hydrogen sulfide. Amber is a powerful chakra cleanser and healer. At a physical level, is imbues the body with vitality and has the power to draw disease out of the body. By absorbing pain and negative energy, amber allows the body to rebalance and heal itself. Amber alleviates stress. It treats the throat, stomach, spleen, kidneys, bladder, liver, and gallbladder, alleviates joint problems, and strengthens the mucus membranes. As an elixir and for wound healing, it is an excellent natural antibiotic. Amber provides decisiveness. It strengthens your memory and intellect and helps with emotional calming and centering. It is an excellent grounding crystal, and transmutes negative energy to positive. Amber radiates a warm and bright energy. It aids the Abdomen, Bladder, Blood, Eyes, Kidneys, Stomach, Tissue Revitalization, Throat, Liver, Joint Problems. Wearing crystal jewelry gives you the energy of the stone all day long. Amber draws disease out of afflicted areas and neutralize negative energy allowing the body to heal itself. Wearing baltic amber close to the skin is a traditional European remedy for baby teething. A natural analgesic, amber will help calm a baby without resorting to drugs. Used for centuries in Europe, amber's natural anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties are perfect to soothe teething babies. Amber is fossilized resin, which warms against the skin, releasing it's theraputic properties safely and naturally.

How can you not believe after reading THAT?

My Experience:

These beads are great! I am convinced that they work, as CC has been showing signs of teething for over a month now and whenever she wears these beads she is much more calm and doesn't seem to be in pain. She also forgets she has them on, so they don't end up in her mouth like everything else she gets ahold of! So overall, less of a pain in the butt for me to deal with all around.

Obviously she only wears them when I am supervising her, but they really have made a difference. Also they look adorable, so you know I love them for that! Appearance and fashion are important values to instill in a baby girl, you know. Also shopping.

Shameless Photo Reel of CC Working It in Her Teething Beads!

"My mouth feels awesome!"

I'm A Believer!

The Snotsucker

Nosefrida Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator

I'm back again with another Mom Must-Have! The amazing and super sexy, Nosefrida Snotsucker. Now, this thing looks NASTY. No lie. But once you give it a try, you will totally be sold on its grossness! Here's the deal. CC hates, no HATES, having her boogers removed from her nose. She thinks saline spray and blue bulb syringes were invented purely to torture her, and she will fight until she is in a right FIT to keep me away from her face with these things. She is a strong little bugger too, and fighting with her over this stuff is a huge, exhausting pain in the ass. All of these fun factors led me to purchase this Snotsucker, which I prayed would be the answer to the endless screeching battle of snot removal.

Well. CC still hates having her boogers removed, but this thing is awesome. you control the suction strength with your mouth (I know, totally hot), and you don't actually stick it in your baby's nose, which is nice for them. I can get in and out much more quickly, and have much more success with booger removal. So I would definitely recommend getting this contraption right quick. It will make your life easier, and really, that's all we moms want right?

I should mention that CC has recently had a cold, and the Snotsucker proved it's worth in its ability to get out large amounts of watery boogers, not just the thick chunky ones you can actually pick out with your finger. Sold yet? You know you are.

Get This Hotness!

Cradle Crap

I have so many friends who are pregnant and having babies right now, and for some reason, they all seem to care what I think about baby products! I have to say, it is sort of satisfying to be able to give an educated opinion about this stuff, because if you know me at all, you know that when I was pregnant I spent HOURS reading reviews on everything from strollers to sleepsacks, and from nipple cream to nasal aspirators. I mean, it was borderline obsessive and sort of scary to Bill, who probably thinks I love Amazon more than him after all the time I spent gazing at the computer screen with my pudgy pregnant brow furrowed.
Anyway, I have to say that I made some great choices and some not so great ones, and that along the way I have discovered some real gems among all the CRAP that is marketed to hormonal, easily influenced pregnant people. Here are a few of the things that have TRULY FOR REAL made my life as a mom easier and more satisfying. Presented in a manageable one-at-a-time format, so you have more of this babble to look forward to!

Bella B Bee Gone Cradle Cap Shampoo

I HATE cradle cap. it is so gross, and I will admit that I feared it more than the way more serious things that could have befallen CC. and of course, like all babies, she got it. I remedied that ickfest with a quickness, first picking at it with my fingernails (ew), then rubbing her little head with olive or canola oil every other day (she IS part Sicilian), and finally stumbling across this shampoo in Pier 1 one day. The verdict? Picking cradle cap is GROSS and CC hated having me attack her head all the time. The olive oil worked but resulted in a baby who smelled like a french fry and had weird oily hairstyles all the time. Also the cradle cap would come back in force between oilings. The shampoo is the ONLY thing that works and it keeps the cradle cap from coming back! Now CC has a beautiful, soft, cradle cap free head that people (who have babies) notice and comment on! No cradle cap=happy mommy. Here it is. Get it. This stuff is SO MAJOR. (holla Rachel Zoe fans!)

Buy The BEE!