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Try This

Are you a list maker like me? Then you will LOVE these wonderful FREE downloads from Mommy Track'd.

Are you constantly forgetting things? Not great about sitting down and making a list? Then you REALLY need to check these guys out!

Vintage is the new Modern

A sight that makes me cringe every time I see it:
A playroom filled with nothing but plastic.

Sure, plastic toys have their place. For instance, I love my Little Tykes Climb and Slide. It lives outside and can take all that Florida weather can throw at it.

Wood just seems more permanent, something I am likely to hang on to for the "next one", pack up in a box and save "for the grandkids" or not be ashamed to leave laying out at the end of the night. Luckily, wooden toys are making a comeback and can be found everywhere from Target to Babies-R-Us.

Currently, my FAVORITE wooden toy makers are Melissa and Doug, Ikea and Oompa Toys.

Try them out. You wont be disapointed!

Save those hands

Add this hand saver to your register or shopping list TODAY!!! After spending hours at the sink washing bottles BY HAND or washing your hands 20 gazillion times a day, you will no longer be able to recognize those digits of yours. My hands went from manicured, Essie polished, not an errant cuticle in sight to cracked, dry and pealing in no time flat. It took me a few months to fall back on an old favorite, Bath and Body Works Moisturizing Antibacterial Hand Soap. As a former BBW sales girl I knew all of the benefits of this soap that has not changed since I was 19(when the antibac line was released and I received hours of training on the stuff!!)
If you still have the hands of an 80 year old, try
Nail Tek 7 days to beautiful hands. I've seen this stuff bring back the driest hands. Even my husband keeps this in his desk drawer for those days when he goes through so many documents his hands crack and bleed!

Save those hands Ladies(and Gents), they do important work!

Stuff of the Week

The aftermath of the Baby Shower

After attending a friend's shower this weekend, I was reminded of the after-math of my own baby shower. After unloading a car full of outfits, blankets, towels, registry items you aren't quite sure how to use yet, books and toys, I stared at a now cluttered nursery without a clue on how to start organizing all of this.

My first recommendation is on baby clothing. If you have a family like mine, you could have new and hand me down clothing ranging from newborn to 2t. I took the 0-3 month clothing that was new and ALL of the hand me downs as well as all blankets, sheets, bedding and towels and washed it in a baby detergant like Dreft. This basicly makes sure that all of the chemicals and irritants are washed out of the clothing that will be next to your new baby's skin. Here is Dreft's list of laundry tips:

Make sure to wash everything that may touch your baby's skin in Dreft® before your bundle of joy arrives, including:

• Clothes
• Undergarments such as t-shirts, bodysuits, socks, pants, sleepwear and all other clothing items
• Towels/washcloths
• Bibs
• Bedding: sheets, blankets, comforters etc.
• Receiving blankets
• Car seat, stroller, and playpen fabrics
• Mom's shirts
• Anything else that could come in contact with baby's skin

When you pre-wash your baby items before baby comes home, do not use fabric softener on these items. Fabric softener may reduce flame resistance when used on children’s sleepwear or other garments labeled as flame resistant.

Once the laundry was done, I sorted everything into pile according to age. I put all of the 0-3 month clothing away in my son's room. The rest, I put into storage bins marked with the age. Blogger Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely does a great job of showing off her work here.

Once you have the clothing worked out, work through the room in stages(changing set up, bedding, toys, diaper bag, book selves... ect). Take your time and let your nesting kick in! I finished Monkey Man's room a few weeks before he was born and I remember sitting in the glider thinking "ok, NOW you can come".

A final thought on the organization of your little one's room: enlist your girlfriends that have gone this way before. They will have great ideas on where things should be to make your nursery the most functional room in your house. PLUS they will love looking at those newborn diapers and comparing them to the size 4s or 5s they currently use!! HUGE difference!

Stuff of the week

Great for strollers, car seats and high chairs, meet the Baby Buddy Secure A Toy. These little straps kept Monkey Man from starting with the whole pick up game, and prevented the loss of many stroller trinkets. Keep in mind that you should never leave your baby alone with any kind of string or cord to prevent strangulation.

Once you little one can sit up, she will be joining you at the table in your favorite resturants. We all know that they don't sanitize those tables after every use, and that handing a baby a plate is just asking for an "OOPAH" moment. These Table Toppers easily stick onto the table and allow you to feed your little one high chair style.

Keep this Sippy Grip Bottle and Sippy Cup holder in your diaper bag at all times. This will save your bottles and sippy cups from hitting the ground 10 million times during one outing!

Try this

One day your toddler will discover TV. No matter how long you plan on keeping your little one away from the boob tube, one day he will catch it on and just might want to set up camp right in front of it. He may even demand it at some point. Monkey man has been able to watch things like Baby Einstein or Baby Signing Time for a while now and has even moved on to Little Einsteins. He would watch TV all day if I let him.
So if your kid gets a little addicted, Try This.
Sunrise Earth on Discovery
It is a great early morning program that I DVR for when I want him to play but he wants backround noise. The good news is, he will see all sorts of fun things but then get bored and start to play while I get things done around the house.
So check it out and see if it works for you too!