jdavissquared

7 months...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:08:00 +0000

Since he's about to be 8 months old, I guess I should post his 7 month photos. Geez.
The outtakes from the card shots might be the best part of these sessions. They tell an awful lot about what 7 months looks like!
We love our little man, and he just keeps getting cuter.

Catching up...Isaac's first Easter

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 29 May 2013 20:07:00 +0000

I'm still attempting to catch up over here. I couldn't let Isaac's first Easter get away without documenting it here.

We went to church in the morning, and Isaac wore his Sunday best. I was running around frantically the day before. I had bought his Easter outfit a few weeks prior, in a size 6 month, and the day before decided to try it on before I washed it for the big day. This little chunky monkey wasn't going to fit in the 6 month! At least not for more than that one day. So, it was back to Carter's for an exchange. His legs are so short though, that the 9 month pants were way too big, so I found some cute little shorts to go with it instead. His shoes are from Target, and were indeed my favorite part of the whole outfit.

I painted up an extra special Easter basket for my boy for his first Easter. I love the colors and how it matched his first Easter outfit. It was filled with a little Easter book (which he loves chewing on still), a cat shaped like a ball (looks like Miles), a toy phone, a bunny, and a couple candy treats for mom and dad. (Come to think of it, I don't think we've even eaten those...yay for us!)

The rest of our day, we relaxed as a family, and went for a walk. It was a beautiful spring day!

Doesn't daddy look handsome too?

Six Months...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:40:00 +0000

Six months was such a fun age. This boy's personality just keeps getting better. As you can tell, he is starting to get a little ornery. Ha!
During his 6th month, he started rolling back over, sitting in the Bumbo, and in the cart at the store from time to time (with alot of help of blankets and the safety strap). He loves, loves, loves his car bouncer, the cats and oatmeal.
This is also the month of Isaac's first Easter.

Five Months...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Isaac rolled over on 3/1/13! I was such a proud mama.

He started making lots of noises, splashing in the tub, laughing those great belly laughs, and sleeping 12-13 hours a night.

He loved his rattle and Grover, and I introduced him to Baby Einstein videos, which he loved.

During this month, he started going to Grandparent's houses for the day from time to time so mom could get some work done.

Four Months...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:17:00 +0000

At 4 months, Isaac was laughing at mommy and daddy, sleeping through the night (10+ hours...hello, rock star baby!), and watching everything intently, soaking it in.
He started going to the nursery at church, got to experience a major snowstorm when we got 20 inches of snow!
He was 17 lbs at his 4 month checkup (90%), 25.5 inches long (55%) and had a 17.5 inch head

*Yes, I'm a tad behind on posting these. Just a tad....but better late than never! I'll be getting them up as I can!

I miss blogging....

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:19:00 +0000

I miss blogging. I miss reading blogs too. I miss the friendships and the inspiration I used to find here.

I've been thinking about this alot lately. About how I want to get back to visiting this place regularly. I know it doesn't do much good to write about how I want to write, or to promise to be here more often, because it will just happen as it can.

Tidbits, because that's what I have time for at this moment:

Since I quit my day job and reopened the shop, I've been blessed with more orders than I can keep up with. I haven't even been able to find the time to add the new items I was planning on introducing within weeks of opening back up. I do hope that in time those things will be a part of the shop. For now, I'm holding them back.

Rest assured, I took Isaac's 4, 5 and 6 month pictures, they just haven't made it here....yet.

My days go by faster than they ever have. When I was working my 9-5, I was constantly feeling like time was dragging by, and now, it seems every time I turn around another week has gone by. It really is true that time flies when you're having fun. I am certainly having fun!

At this point, I'm probably more active on Instagram than anywhere else. I'd love to connect with you there.....come find me and say hello, I'm under jdavissquared.

I'm still writing for Pregnancy and Newborn once a week.

I've completely changed my eating habits, and am actually seeing results on the scale. Hotness, here I come!

I guess this was all to say I'm still around, and I'm not giving up hope on blogging again! Hope to see you soon!

One year ago today...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:54:00 +0000

A year ago this morning, I woke up extra early. (6:00 am, I think) because it was the day. It was time to take the pregnancy test.

I honestly was expecting to be disappointed, and to go back to bed and compose myself before getting up for work and going about my day. This wasn't the first test I'd waited for, and I had braced myself for another failed attempt.

After we waited the requisite 3 minutes, Jon and I looked at the result at the same time. It took me longer to register what it said than it did Jon. I'll never forget that moment. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it. Jon let out an excited "THAT'S POSITIVE!" and grabbed me in a giant hug. I immediately broke into tears and we just stood there in our bathroom holding each other for the longest time. Our prayers had been answered. Many, many months, and years we'd been praying for that moment, and it had finally arrived! I demanded we snap a couple of pictures, and while they're not magazine worthy, they are some of my favorites ever. When I look at us, I can see the pure happiness in our eyes. God is good.

We laid back down for a few minutes and talked about it. How we really were going to be parents, and the reality that a tiny person was growing inside me. I eventually got up and made my way to work. I called the doctors office before I got out of my car in the parking lot, and ended up going there first to have the blood test done. By lunch, I got a call with the official word from the doctor. I was in fact pregnant!
One year ago today, our lives changed forever.

Today, I'm sitting here with our beautiful baby boy playing next to me on the floor as I type this. It's really quite amazing what a difference a year makes.

I am so very blessed.

Three Months...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:35:00 +0000

Another month has come and gone, and Isaac keeps getting bigger!

I cannot even begin to express how in love I am with this little man. He absolutely makes me melt, and I'm so incredibly grateful for the honor of being his mama.

Alot has happened this last month! Isaac had his first Christmas, which was so much fun! {This one's gonna be a tad spoiled with 4 sets of grandparents, that's for sure.} He has slept through the night {9+ hours} three times. Hasn't happened now for about a week, but that's okay. I'm fine with him staying little just a while longer. We did finally move him to his own room two weeks ago, and he's done great. Mama, on the other hand, misses having him close still. What can I say? I miss him when he's in the next room!

He's talking up a storm, and is the happiest boy in the mornings. Although he always wants to get up earlier than I do, all the smiles and cooing make it well worth it.

It's so fun watching him figure things out. He's starting to grab at his toys, and loves talking to Grover. Cute story about his Grover doll...Jon put him on our registry, and I didn't know until later, after we got him that it was because Jon had a Grover when he was little, and loved him so much. How sweet is that?!

Isaac's starting to grow back some hair, and I think is going to be curly. I sure hope so.

Here's to another beautiful month under our belts!

We love you buddy boy!

jdavissquared is back...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:56:00 +0000

The shop will re-open on Monday!

Now excuse me while I prepare....

Whole Fruit Smoothies and Sweet Cinnamon SUPERPRETZELS...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:09:00 +0000

First, I have to admit that I've been holding out on you, my readers. Last fall, I was sent some Whole Fruit Smoothies and Sweet Cinnamon SUPERPRETZELS to review, and then life got crazy with Isaac's arrival and I'm just now getting to tell you about them!

But, better late than never, right?

Let's start with these smoothies....

Overall, I really like these! Coming in at only 100 calories each, they're great for a low cal snack or part of a healthy breakfast. Personally, I wish they were a little bigger so that they could constitute a more substantial portion, but I get the appeal of having them at 100 calories.

These would be ideal for all you folks who are trying to lose some extra pounds with the new year. ;)

The directions say to stick them in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften, and I often just eat them with a spoon like ice cream. I could see (and had planned to before Isaac changed my plan) sticking them in my bag on the way out the door to work, where I'd expect they'd be just the right consistency by the time I would have arrived at my desk. A great little way to start the day!

I'm not sure the packaging really lends itself to drinking them through a straw like a traditional smoothie, but that's alright with me. I'm more than happy to use my spoon. :)

Let's talk flavors...Strawberry Banana, Pineapple Mango and Mixed Berry. All delicious, but my favorite was by far the Pineapple Mango. What can I say, I like-a the mango. (hehe) It had a great tropical flavor that always makes me happy.

You can find the Whole Fruit Smoothies at your local grocer in the freezer section. I'd highly suggest giving them a try!

Also, be sure to visit Whole Fruit's website, and connect with them on Facebook for special offers.

Now for the pretzels....

I've never been a huge pretzel fan, but you know if I was going to down some pretzels, they'd have to be covered in some cinnamon sugar! Pretty delicious, if you ask me.

These babies have cinnamon infused dough and come with a cinnamon sugar packet to add yourself. They bake up soft and delicious in your oven and make for a great snack. You could even have them for breakfast or even as dessert. (perhaps with a side of ice cream? oh my.)

These too can be found in the freezer section at your local grocer...give them a try!

You can find fun recipe ideas and more info on SUPERPRETZEL's website. Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and they even have a blog!

Anyone tried either of these products? What did you think?

**I was gifted an assortment of Whole Fruit Smoothies and Sweet Cinnamon SUPERPRETZELs free of charge in compensation for my honest review of the product. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are truthful and solely my own.

The First Day...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Source: seanwes.com via jennifer on Pinterest

Today is indeed the first day of the rest of my life. Yesterday, I did something I've only dreamed of.

I quit my job.

Let me say that again...

I QUIT MY JOB.

I still can't quite believe I did it. It was not an easy decision, and it was a very long time in the making. A lot of thought, and a lot of prayer went into this, and I'm quite positive it's the best more for me and my family.

I will hereby be spending my days doing freelance graphic design from home, reopening (and expanding) my Etsy shop, and most importantly, being a mom. I cannot wait!

I feel free and ready to take on the world. So, here we go!

p.s. make sure you check out seanwes.com (where that image is from). There are some amazing designs over there and many of them can be downloaded as backgrounds for your desktop or iPhone!

Have a Holly Jolly....MLK Day?

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Are we the only ones who haven't taken down our Christmas decorations yet? I'd like to use the excuse that we have a tiny human in the house, but truth be told, we do this every year!

It's just so hard to take them down! I will always be a proponent of leaving them up til New Years, but it so quickly becomes embarrassing after that. For instance, I'm not opening the blinds on the front of the house until the tree is down, lest anyone see that we're still all holly-jolly over here at the Davis'. But, make no mistake, we're still plugging in those lights! In my book, it's a travesty to have a tree up without the lights on, no matter what day of the year it is!

Yeah....we need to get those taken down.

So, are we alone?

Baby K'tan Review...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:26:00 +0000

Remember when I had the big Baby Shower Event here on the blog back in September?

Well, the kind folks over at Baby K'tan sent me a carrier to review after BabyD arrived!

Me looking oh-so frazzled. Isaac was about 2 weeks old when this picture was taken. Look at him all snuggly in there! And look at how swollen my hands still were! Yikes!

I have to say, I did not make good enough use of this in the beginning, partially because I was scared to strap any extra weight to myself for quite some time while I recovered from my c-section. However, the days I did remember, it was a fantastic way to get some things done when Isaac just refused to let me put him down. {Or when I just couldn't tear myself away from his sweet little face!}

First impression? I was a little worried about picking a size. It's hard to determine what size you'll be after birth when you're a giant house of a pregnant woman who's about to pop! Just sayin'. I went with the medium, and it seems to be working well.

Like any wrap carrier, I had to learn how to put the Baby K'tan on, but I must say, it really is quite simple. There's no real wrapping with this carrier since it's a big loop {kinda like a figure 8}, so that makes it way easier to get on and off.

At first I was concerned that it was too tight, but Baby K'tan's helpful twitter presence assured me that it looked perfect! Besides wearing it to get things done around the house, I've also used the Baby K'tan at Target, and even across the street to have dinner with the neighbors. It's so helpful whenever you'll be standing for long periods of time. Really helps keep your back and arms from hurting!

So far, I'm loving it!

I'll be posting more about the Baby K'tan throughout Isaac's first year...stay tuned!

Baby K'tan is offering jdavissquared readers 15% off now through January 31st with coupon code BKJD15. Valid only on full priced Baby K'tan brand items on www.babyktan.com

*Baby K'tan sent me a carrier in exchange for this review

Fresh Start...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:16:00 +0000

Source: pinkofperfection.com via jennifer on Pinterest

Happy New Year! I hope you all rang in the new year just the way you wanted. We spent ours with good friends eating apps, playing board games in our comfy clothes. It was awesome!

Yesterday, I found myself getting a little sentimental about 2012. It will forever be one of my favorite years, I'm sure of it. When I look at the ways God blessed us during the last year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. It was a good year.

That being said, I'm not sure I've ever entered in to a new year with as much excitement as this one. 2013 holds so much promise to be just as good, or better than 2012. I'm beyond excited to experience it!

In recent years, I've stopped making resolutions, and started setting goals. I try to set my goals with the following in mind:

1. Make them attainable, but challenging. I have a tendency to want to hold back a little, to make my goals a little easier to accomplish. However, I've found that if I set my sights on things that feel just a little out of reach, it helps me get out of my comfort zone and stretch myself to levels I didn't know possible. For example, a couple years ago when I set my goal to run a half marathon. I was more than a little nervous to set my sights on that one, but I did it, and it will always be one of my proudest accomplishments.

2. Write them down! It's not real unless you commit to it in writing! It also helps to keep them someplace where you will see them regularly. {this I completely failed at in 2012...I have no idea where my list went! Whoops!}

3. Be specific. I find that saying things like "Work out 5 days a week" is way more likely to happen than if I say "Get in Shape". I need specific actions to strive for.

I'm not going to share all my goals here. Some of them aren't ready for the world yet, but I will tell you that one of my goals is to get back to blogging regularly. I've missed it. It was never that I wanted to slow down, but life just got in the way! I'm determined to make room for blogging, because I love having a record of my life, and now that Isaac is here, I don't want to forget a single day!

I'll be sharing other snippets of my goals as they start to unfold...stay tuned!

Are you a goal setter? Or do you make resolutions? Tell me what you're striving for in 2013!

If you want to get excited about goal setting, go read Nancy Ray's post. It got me all fired up, and I think it will you too.

Two Months...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 14:00:00 +0000

This post is a little late going up, but with the holidays and all....well, you know. Better late than never!

Can you believe how much our little guy has grown in just a month? {see last month's here} He's getting bigger every day, I swear. He's been wearing 3 month size clothes for weeks now, and has just about doubled his weight since birth. He gets cuter every single day, and we cannot imagine our life without him. Right now, I'm upstairs in the office writing this post and I miss him...he's downstairs.

He's smiling a lot, but has yet to laugh. Although, I swear I've heard him chuckle in his sleep. He's starting to try to imitate facial expressions and noises, but most of the time he's just contemplative. I can't wait to hear his belly laugh!

We love you the whole world's sky, Mr. Isaac!

***

I haven't been around here much lately, but for good reason. {see above} One of my goals for 2013 is to get back to blogging regularly, so you WILL see me more. Promise. 2013 is going to rock.

Happy New Years Eve! Be safe and here's to a prosperous New Year!

Anyone have fun plans for tonight?
We're hanging out with our neighbor-friends with some drinks and board games! Whoo-hoo! That's right, we're old, and we're parents, and that sounds like so much fun I can hardly contain myself....really! And, I'm not being sarcastic. :)

p.s. Make sure to check out my new post over on Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine's Adventures in Motherhood Blog today!

Something big...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Something big is happening today....

I was recently invited by Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine to be a contributor to their Adventures in Motherhood blog! I couldn't be more excited or honored to be taking part. My posts will go up on Mondays starting today, and I'd love for you to hop over there and check it out! There are some amazing posts on all of their blogs, so please take a look around.

And because I know you need some cuteness in your day...

I freakin love this kid.

One Month...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Our little man turned one month old last week!

I fully intend to do a post sometime on the whole story of Isaac's arrival. I really need to document it somewhere! But, for now, I'll make it brief.

My water broke at about 2:22(ish) a.m. on October 21st. After a momentary panic attack and some frantic packing (finishing the hospital bag was on my to-do list for that day!) we headed to the hospital, calling our families on the way. My labor didn't progress after a few hours, so they started me on pitocin. I opted for the epidural pretty early. I figured, that was the whole point of getting one, so you don't have to suffer through labor, right? Around lunch time, I started feeling really cold. At the time, I thought I was simply starting to feel how cold the room was. The entire family had been complaining about how cold it was all morning. But, in reality, I was developing a fever. It's all kind of a blur to me now, but at some point my doctor came in and told us she thought it was time to do a c-section. She was concerned about my fever, and the fact that I still had not progressed past 4 cm. In what seemed like 10 min, I was on the operating table. (BTW, I was terrified of having to have a c-section, and had convinced myself that there was no way it would happen.) At 4:11 p.m. my life changed forever. Out came our son, with the cord wrapped around his neck twice and in a true knot. Boy was NOT coming out vaginally!

He weighed in at 7 lbs, 4 oz and 19.5 inches long. We named him Jon Isaac after his dad, but will call him Isaac.

The first week was spent in the hospital, where Isaac received antibiotics in the NICU for an infection he contracted during labor. (Same infection that gave me the fever.) It was a long week, but it was full of visits from family and friends.

Since then we've been getting used to our new normal. The first night home he slept 6 hours. Since then, it's varied anywhere from 4-6 hour stretches. He's pretty good at sleeping, except he likes to make crazy noises that keep me up all night sometimes.

Jon has been an amazing dad! I knew he would be, but he's been even better than I could have hoped. In many ways, I think he's by far the better parent. He's a natural, what can I say!?

The grandparents are all smitten, of course. It's so fun to see them all ooh and aah over him.

As of yesterday, 11/27, Isaac weighs 11 lbs! I cannot believe how fast he's growing!

We've started seeing little smiles here and there, and I cannot wait for more.

We are completely, 100%, crazy in love. Being a mama is by far the greatest thing I've ever experienced, and I'm enjoying every second!

Happy 1 month birthday little man!

We have a baby....

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:00:00 +0000

It's a Boy!

Meet Isaac,

formerly known as BabyD.

Born October 21, 2012

7 lbs. 4 oz.

19.5 inches

We love him. So much.

Full Term, This & That...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Lately, my mind is a jumble of to-do lists, daydreams, a little worry, and a whole lot of excitement. Today marks 37 weeks....which means BabyD is officially full term! Hooray! This also means that we'll be meeting our little one so very soon!

Now, if I'm still holding on three weeks from now, I may eat these words, but as of right now, I still maintain that this pregnancy has flown by. Until just the last week or so, I've had the smoothest pregnancy I could ask for, really. And even the last week hasn't been horrible by any stretch.

I have noticed that the hormonal emotional "stuff" has ramped up. I'm sort of able to cry at the drop of a hat, and my fuse is getting shorter as well.

Yesterday, my fingers kept going numb at work, which was super annoying. The doctors office said that most likely BabyD is lying on a nerve. I felt off all day too, and ended up cutting out a half hour early to go home and lie down.

Feeling much better this morning, and hoping it continues.

Last night I found myself in tears following an hour on hold with the cable company only to find the information I needed stuck to the side of the new router. Ugh.

As I type this, BabyD is kicking around in my belly...I know I'm gonna miss this. {And, now I'm feeling those tears welling up.} But, I can't wait to meet this little person. To look into his/her eyes, and to be their mama. I can't wait for the first time Jon makes BabyD crack up. I have a feeling that's gonna happen alot, and I'm gonna love it every single time. And, don't even get me started on Christmas. We're gonna have a little one at Christmas! I've dreamed of that for so long.

Life is good. I'm nervous, but oh so grateful for this gift. I cannot imagine what we're about to experience, and I'm determined to soak up every single drop.

Happy Friday, a Little Anxiety and Winners Announced!

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Source: love-luck-kisses-cake.blogspot.com via jennifer on Pinterest

It's Friday once again, friends! Am I the only one who thinks the weeks are flying by? I can't seem to keep up anymore.

Tomorrow marks one month til our due date.....how crazy is that!? I find myself in a state of denial lately. I can't quite seem to wrap my brain around the fact that we're having a baby, let alone that we're having it within the next few weeks! I say to Jon at least once a day, "do you realize we're about to be parents?" He's much more chill about it than I am, and doesn't seem quite as perplexed by it as I am. I guess that sort of makes sense considering he doesn't have labor to look forward to.....OMG. I have to give birth to a person.....seriously, people! How did this happen!?

Don't get me wrong, I'm getting so excited to meet this little person! I just can't believe it's really real. This thing I've been dreaming of my whole life is about to happen. Motherhood. I'm gonna be someone's mom! Sometimes I try to imagine what it will be like two months from now. I know there's no way for me to fathom what's about to happen to my life, and my heart...but I still try.

I also find myself getting sentimental about the ending of the phase of just Jon and I. We've dreamed of a family for so long, but I can't help but be a little sad to see our 'just us' time end.

Am I normal? Or, is this all evidence that I'm going to be a horrible mother?

Please reassure me.

Also, the Baby Shower Event was a huge success! Winners have been announced on the posts! I'm so excited to see some familiar names among the winners! Thanks for the blog love, everyone!

I'll be contacting the winners today to get your information to pass along to our sponsors. Hooray!

Happy Friday, friends. Have a great weekend!

October....

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:59:00 +0000

It's October. October!

{did you know if you see the word October too many times it starts looking really weird!?}

Anyway....there is a chance we could meet BabyD this month! He/She would have to be about a week early to sneak in on Halloween, but that's entirely possible, right?

I'm not sure if I've talked about this on here before, but I am actually guessing BabyD will make his/her arrival during the last week of October. Just a feeling I've had all along. See, Jon's entire family celebrates birthdays during that week. It's Davis birthday week. Jon's is the 22nd, his dad's is the 25th, and his mom's is the 30th. It would seem fitting for the next generation of the Davis family to make its appearance then too, would it not? I guess early November would still be pretty close, but I just think this is an October baby.

And yes, I know that first babies "usually don't come early", and I'm probably setting myself up for a miserable last couple weeks of pregnancy because I'll be thinking BabyD should be here before they're actually due. But, that's just my mama's intuition. So there. We shall see.

In other news, the nursery is done! And by done I mean, finished except for a couple minor tweaks. Finished right on schedule as we'd planned, but the beginning of October. I love it so much, and cannot wait to share it with you! I spent a good 30-45 minutes just sitting in there last night taking it all in. It's just perfect, and has just the feel I was going for. My husband is a total rock star for bringing my vision to life.

Also with October comes pumpkins, and fall leaves, and fall smells. I love it.

Happy October!

pssst....the baby shower event giveaways are all still open for entries through the night this Wed! Be sure to enter to win!

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:00:00 +0000

What a fun week it's been here on the blog! I hope you have all enjoyed the posts, and the fantastic giveaways from our sponsors! There is still time to enter all the giveaways...they'll be up and active until 12:01 Eastern on 10/04, and winners will be announced shortly after. You can find all the giveaways and reviews here.

I wanted to also take a moment and thank our sponsors again. All these companies were so generous to offer up their wonderful products, not only to our sweet BabyD, but many of them to you all as well! I cannot wait to try out all the great things we received!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, sweet friends! We are bound and determined to finish up BabyD's nursery. We are THIS CLOSE! I'm also planning on spending a little time with my sister, and I'm hoping to make some crock pot soup on Sunday. Any suggestions for great recipes?

Swaddle Designs Review & Giveaway...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Swaddle Designs has a wide variety of products for baby, including blankets, burp cloths and even an adult swaddle wrap! Seriously. Take a look around their website! As much as I know I'd enjoy that adult wrap, I'm so excited that they offered to send me a Swaddle Lite set of 3 Marquisette Blankets and a White Noise CD from The Happiest Baby for BabyD.

It was so hard to decide which adorable print to choose from their line of Swaddle Lites. I ultimately went with the Jewel Tone Turquoise set. I love the cute little birds, and turquoise and green are great for boys or girls!

The lightweight fabric of these blankets is awesome! They would be great for babies born in warmer temps. Since BabyD is due in November, we'll probably be bundling him/her up, but I still think these will be perfect inside. I was really impressed with how big they are! 46" x 46". And, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that they each have a tag with a 1-2-3 Swaddle instructional label sewn in to help us learn to swaddle correctly! I know that will come in handy in the early days.

The Swaddle Designs website also has great information on How To Swaddle. We'll certainly be referencing that as well.

The White Noise CD, by Dr. Harvey Karp, Author of the Happiest Baby on the Block promises to add 1-3 hours to baby's sleep cycle. Um, yes, please! While some of the sounds seem a little scary to me, I totally believe this just might work! I actually have a white noise app on my phone that I use when I'm having trouble falling asleep, and it works like a charm every time. The CD has sounds for soothing fussing. The "fast & vigorous" one is the one that sounds scary to me. It's even described as "strange" right on the label, but hey, whatever works! There are also sounds for increasing sleep. They're more "womb" sounds, much like what you hear on the doplar at the Dr.'s office. Of course, my favorite is the rain noise. We could both nap to that one! I'm excited to give that a try.

Swaddle Designs has generously offered up a Swaddle Lite set for one of you readers! Enter to win via the form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out all the great reviews and giveaways that are part of the baby shower event! Posts have been going up all week!

I was given a Swaddle Lite and White Noise CD in exchange for this review, but all opinions remain my own.

Wall Sticker Company Review...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

The kind people at The Wall Sticker Company sent us one of their Perched Owl wall stickers for review.

For starters, their shipping from Australia was super fast and it made it all the way from down under in perfect condition.

It took me a while to figure out the best place for our new little hooty friend, but eventually, I decided on using it in BabyD's bathroom. We received lots of frog bathroom things at our shower, so we thought we'd start there for a theme. We painted the walls a soft yellow {it looks a little brighter in the photos}, and I came across the perfect shower curtain at Target that pulled it all together! There aren't any frogs on it, but there are owls, and squirrels and trees....so we have a happy little woodland theme in the bathroom. I think the Perched Owl wall sticker adds the perfect touch to make it extra special!

We did have a little problem at first, as the decal didn't work exactly as the instructions described. They said to gently scratch the top layer {to get the decal to stick to it} and pull it up to then stick on the wall. That did not work for us at all. I emailed our contact at the company, and she said that they could re-do the top layer adhesive, but that it would be difficult to get it to us in time for this week's festivities, so we decided to give it a go by just peeling and sticking per her advice, which as you can see, was a success! It was definitely a feat that required all four of our hands...no way you'd be able to do it this way by yourself. Hence no in-progress photos.

Overall, I'm so happy with the way it turned out! I'm sure it's easier when you can position it through the clear upper layer, but this way worked just great with a little patience.

I love the whimsy that it adds to the bathroom, and can just imagine our little one pointing up to it someday and saying "hoo, hoo!".

Thanks Wall Sticker Company!

You can find the Wall Sticker Company's website here.
Like them on Facebook. {I spy a great coupon code!}
Follow them on Pinterest.
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Be sure to check out all the great reviews and giveaways that are part of the baby shower event! Posts are going up all week!

I was given a wall sticker from The Wall Sticker Company in exchange for this review, but all opinions remain my own.

Medela Calma Bottle Review & Giveaway...

noreply@blogger.com (jdavissquared) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I plan on breastfeeding whenever possible, but at some point, we will need to be able to feed from a bottle. I want Jon to be able to participate in feedings, and at some point we'll want to be able to leave the baby with Grammy for the evening, not to mention when I go back to work. We've all heard how difficult it can be to switch from breast to bottle and back again. I've never quite understood why. Until now.

Calma is specifically designed based on research done on how breastfed babies nurse. The Calma system is made to mimic breastfeeding. Baby is able to control the flow of milk through creating a vacuum, just like they do at the breast. The Calma nipple is also designed to fit in the baby's mouth just like your own nipple does. {which is quite surprising, considering how long it looks! Who knew your nipple expanded that much? Ha!}

Now, I've never known much about what makes one bottle better than another, but I can see how this one would be great for a breastfed baby. I'm looking forward to using Calma as our bottle alternative to nursing. The Calma nipples will work seamlessly with my Medela breast pump.

Medela has a great video that shows exactly how Calma works. I'd recommend taking a look at it!
You can find retailers for Calma here.

Also of note, Medela let me know about the iBreastfeed App, available in the Apple App Store. It provides information and resources for breastfeeding along with helping you track your breastfeeding and pumping for up to six babies. {yikes!} I've already downloaded it so I can familiarize myself with how it works before BabyD makes his/her arrival.

One lucky jdavissquared reader is going to get a free Calma breastmilk feeding set of their very own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure to check out all the great reviews and giveaways that are part of the baby shower event! Posts are going up all week!

I was given a Medela Calma Bottle in exchange for this review, but all opinions remain my own.