Monday Review – Hello Baby book

Welcome back for another Monday review! This week we are talking about baby books. I love the classic pen and paper method for keeping memories, so when I got pregnant I knew I wanted an actual baby book. However, I saw so many that had pages on pages of information to fill out, ones that were daily, weekly, etc, ones that were cheesy, ones that were over-the-top…you get the idea. Life with a baby is chaotic enough (part of the reason most baby books end up half empty), and, I wanted to find a physical book that I would actually use.

The answer: say hello to the Hello Baby memory book from Sticky Bellies!

What I like about it: It is short, sweet, and to the point. There is an intro page, some blank memory pages for hospital/birth memorabilia, birth story page, photo pages, etc. The milestone pages are done by month, and each one has space for one photo and three boxes to fill in for the baby – What You Love, What You Don’t Love, and I Never Want To Forget…super fast and easy. It takes me 5 minutes per month to fill out the page. The pages are also coordinated with well baby checkups, so there is height and weight on the months that you go to the pediatrician, and then fun stats on other months like sleeping, foods, teeth, etc.

Favorite Elements:

• It tracks birth through five, with two page updates for each year starting at age 1.
• The book captures the highlights without being overwhelming – I can even see doing one for each of my kids because it is so simple!
• The pages are made of high quality cardstock. This may be weird, but I notice paper texture and weight, and appreciate when a memory book like this one is created with durable paper.
• I love supporting small businesses, and this is a great one!

Cost: $29.99, comes in two color schemes

Where you can get it: stickybellies.com (there are tons of great products besides the memory books!)

Summary: Baby books are not for everyone, but if you like them, definitely check out the Hello Baby book. Our son is only 10 months old, and I already love looking through his book to see how much he has grown and changed. This is keepsake quality, and a book we will treasure for many years to come!

Monday Review – I Dream of You

In my first 10 months of motherhood I have discovered many new companies and products that have been so helpful and awesome, so I have decided to start a weekly review post where I share one of my finds! These are not ads; I am not getting paid by anyone to share this information, they are simply my reviews on items I have found and want you to know about. They will not always be baby or kid related either, so these reviews are for everyone! Come back each Monday for a new item, and if you have found something awesome that makes life easier/better, please share it with me. I would love to post guest reviews so we can all learn and share together!

First up: I Dream of You, by JJ Heller

It is no secret that JJ Heller is one of my favorite music artists. Her soft voice, melodic sound and beautiful writing draw you in and make your day better. So, when I learned that she was creating a lullaby cd, it was the first thing that went on our baby registry and one of my favorite things we received.

We started playing it while I was still pregnant, and had it playing in the delivery room as our son was born. What I did not realize at the time is that it is magic. But I know that now. Two weeks after our baby was born he was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. Because of this condition, it was vital that we keep him as calm as possible until his surgery to repair the hole in his heart.

So, anytime he started getting too riled up, we turned on I Dream of You. And like magic, he calmed instantly. Every time. It worked before his surgery, it worked in the hospital when he started getting agitated with all the cords and wires, and it still works on car trips and when he wakes up in the night crying. It is amazing how quickly it calms him down, and I recommend it to anyone having a baby.

What I like about it: It is not annoying. So many lullaby songs are cheesy and boring. These songs are beautiful, written for both parents and baby. The songs provide encouragement on nights that seem to go on forever, and give hope to weary moms and dads. They remind you that this baby is a gift, and that everything is going to be ok. It is an album that I can listen to over and over – we’ve had it going for ten months so far and I am not tired of it yet.

Favorite tracks:

• The Sun will Rise
• Big World, Baby
• I Get to Be the One

Cost: $8.99, or free to stream on some sites

Where you can get it:  iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, or her website jjheller.com.

Summary: Get it. If you are having a baby, you will not regret it. If you have a baby in the hospital, definitely get it. I wish every NICU and PICU in the world could have a copy of it to play for the babies. It makes that much of a difference.

Free to Be

Hey friends! I had the joy of writing a guest post today for my friend Alyssa over on her blog, Daybreak Doula.

Check it out here: http://www.daybreakdoula.com/blog/free-to-be

In it I share the secret I am learning to being the best mom. Enjoy!

Coffee, please.

Picture this: I am on my way to Western Pennsylvania with the whole family to go to some water park for our vacation, when suddenly the happy chatter of my five month old wakes me up. Out of a deep, dream-filled sleep. After already waking me up at 12:45 and 4:45 to nurse during the night.* I stumble out of bed, get the baby, and go downstairs where my wonderful saint of a husband is making coffee.

Aaahhhhhh. I get the beautiful steaming mug of happiness, lean over to smile at our beautiful son, and pour hot coffee all over my leg. Life. Is. Awesome. I manage to drink the rest of the coffee, and slowly the fog lifts and I feel human again.

It wasn’t always this way. In fact, during my sophomore year of college I stopped drinking caffeine and diet soda after discovering that aspartame was the trigger for my migraines. For the past 12 years my caffeine has been hot showers and ice water, with the occasional cup of decaf coffee or full strength tea (which still has way less caffeine than coffee) when I felt like enjoying a cup. I did not require coffee to live.

But I get it now. I relate in a new way to the shirt that says “All I need is a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus”. Yes. Amen. I need that shirt. Having one kid has turned me into a full-blown coffee drinker. Hot showers are still great, but there are days when coffee is just essential. By kid #3 or 4, I will probably have a coffee maker installed next to my bed.

Anybody else become a coffee drinker after having a baby, or is this just me??

*Henry had heart surgery a few weeks ago, and one of the side effects that the doctors forgot to tell me about is how babies who stay in the hospital forget how to sleep and are hungry all the time. It’s just so much fun! He was a great sleeper before the surgery, and we are hoping that returns soon….er than later.