My Amazon Pregnancy Store and Last Chance for Giveaway

I created this before Baby J was born and never had a chance to share it. Here are the things I could not have lived without, all in a little store for you moms-to-be. Enjoy!! Let me know if there is something else I should add to the store!

http://astore.amazon.com/mmmspregnancymusthaves-20


***Have you entered my giveaway yet? You have until TOMORROW! Click here to do so and win a 8 X 8 of this beautiful photograph!***

FREE NURSING COVER FROM UDDER COVERS

Udder Covers is offering Free Nursing Covers! You just pay $7.95 shipping! Regular retail is $32! They have pink and blue left, so whether you have a little girl or a little boy, there is an option for you! This is an amazing deal!

Just visit Udder Covers and enter code "onefree" to get your Free nursing cover! (They have pink and blue yet. I already have a cover, but for $7.95 I went ahead and got the blue one too!! You could always order one and give it as part of a shower gift!)

GREAT Concept Swoozies!

If I didn't already love Swoozies enough, they have gone and made a paper lover's dream come true! They have designated certain invitations "One Guest at a Time." This enables me to have a small dinner party and order 10 invites or 13 or 2! Or I can make 1 invitation for a friend for a special one on one birthday lunch. My options for creating invitations just got so much better because I can pick how many I want to order! I HATE having to order 50 invitations when they only come in sets of 25 or 50 and I have 33 guests. The best part of the whole deal is the invites are $1.50 no matter what! That is a great deal if you are doing a smaller group. Great concept Swoozies! Click here to see the fabulous selection and start creating your invites!

Baby J's Birth Announcement from Sweet Pea Designs via The Paper Cafe

I wanted to share our baby announcement for Baby J. It turned out really cute and I got them all out last month! The shot above is marked off to conceal names at my husband's request, sorry it looks kinda ugly with all of the black. The announcement is pretty small (the left hand side was on top of the right hand side and it folds at the top) and it had every requirement I wanted: a monogram, simple yet elegant and a ribbon. I love invitations with ribbons and bows! Mollie from The Paper Cafe was fabulous to work with (as always) and the people at Sweet Pea got my proof back to me VERY quickly! I had the envelopes sent ahead of time so I could have them all addressed and ready to go out. Baby J arrived two days after they arrived, of course, he was 3 weeks early so that didn't happen as planned! Click here if you want to check out the great invitations and announcements that Sweet Pea Designs has to offer.

Here are a few others I considered for those of you that are looking:

http://www.laurengdesigns.com/shop.asp?parentCatID=5296&action=details&inventoryID=63311&catId=10633

http://thepapercafe.myspstore.com/SHOPEXD.ASP?id=11258&cat=305

http://thepapercafe.myspstore.com/shopexd.asp?id=5341

http://thepapercafe.myspstore.com/SHOPEXD.ASP?id=1803&cat=305

http://thepapercafe.myspstore.com/SHOPEXD.ASP?id=9716&cat=305

http://thepapercafe.myspstore.com/SHOPEXD.ASP?id=1805&cat=305
http://www.finestationery.com/product.cfm?

http://www.finestationery.com/product.cfm?

***Have you entered my giveaway yet? You have until April 1st! Click here to do so and win a 8 X 8 of this beautiful photograph!***

Questions from a Mom-to-Be

Dear MMM,

As someone who's due in 8 weeks, I'd love to hear your thoughts on packing a hospital bag and on your stroller research! I just ordered the Bugaboo Chameleon and am wondering if I made the right choice? Thanks so much!

The Icing on the Cake

First off, congrats on your new baby! My hospital bag was not completely packed since Baby J was 3 weeks early. So my first advice is to pack early! I bought some really cute pjs to wear in the hospital. I delivered the "regular" way and without going into too much detail, I was not able to wear any of my cute pjs because they would have been ruined. I had been warned...the warnings were correct. Just delight in the beautiful mesh boyshorts they provide you. They are almost as cute as Hanky Pankys! Ha!

My favorite items that I brought that I'm glad I had were:

1) My own pillow with a colored monogrammed pillowcase.

2) My google phone and charger so that I could text friends when I found out I was in labor and right after I delivered.

3) chapstick (for some reasons your lips get extra chapped.)

4) Our new Cannon Rebel 450D--thank goodness we brought it to the hospital just in case!

5) Cozy chenille socks (since I was early I did not have time for a pedicure so I wore them during my delivery!!)

6) My Boppy Pillow (it actually doesn't help you that much when you are first learning to breastfeed because it sits too low, but it was still nice to have for other uses)

7) Mini toiletries for the shower and my own hairdryer. That first shower is HEAVEN!!!

8) Slippers and robe for going to the nursery

9) Extra shirts for A and an extra pillow for him. Those hospital pull outs for the husbands are AWFUL. I actually sent A home after the 1st night. I figured one of us should get a good night sleep and there is certainly no sleeping going on for you while you are in the hospital--between feeding the baby and being checked by every doctor that works there.

Things I wish I had brought:

1) A smaller outfit for Baby J! Bring a few options just in case!
2) Larger shoes for the return trip home--my feet were so swollen that I had to wear my slippers!!

3) Small hats so that he didn't have to wear the ugly hospital hat. The one I brought was again...WAY too big!

Readers feel free to add the things you thought were the most helpful and the things you wished you had brought! We have a lot of mommies to be out there that will appreciate the advice!!

2nd Question:

I LOVE my Bugaboo Chameleon. We have used the bassinet for Baby J to sleep in, although he prefers his car seat because of his reflux. We have the Graco car seat adaptor and it has been great! I love the way it maneuvers and swivels. It really tackles the streets of NYC! =) I just learned how to fold it up and it really is quite easy. The handlebar adjusts so that when A strolls Baby J he can be more comfortable. I love the rain/wind cover. We've had to use that a lot lately! I bought the cup holder and highly recommend it. I also bought a hook that has been great for shopping and keeping my diaper bag on straight. I think you made an excellent choice!

***Have you entered my giveaway yet? You have until April 1st! Click here to do so and win a 8 X 8 of this beautiful photograph!***

RuffleButts

How cute are these? I love my little man, so I don't think I could get away with putting Baby J in a pair. I'll just have to hold out for the next baby (in 10 years I might add) and hope it will be a girl. =) For all of your Mommies and Mommies to be of little girls (or for those of you that just need a smile today), please click here to visit the RuffleButts website.

They even have a personalized version!

I love this cute apparel line so much that I joined the Hip Mammas RuffleButt Referral Club. I would love for you to join me! Click here to sign up on their website. We both get rewarded!

***Have you entered my giveaway yet? You have until April 1st! Click here to do so and win a 8 X 8 of this beautiful photograph!***

ONE LONG POST!

***My sweet first baby had to go to the vet yesterday. She continued to freeze when it was time to go up the stairs to our apartment. Luckily we live in an elevator building so it is not necessary that she climb the stairs, we just normally do it (when we don't have the stroller) for exercise. Anyways, her dog walker said she started crying when she was rolling around with her best friend Chloe. I called the vet and they asked me to bring her in. I bundled up Baby J, put a leash on Daisy and headed out with the Bugaboo and walked everyone to the vet. We were quite the sight! The vet examined Daisy (she nipped at the tech when he put her on the table---she has NEVER done that before so I know she must have REALLY been in pain) and had me walk her a little outside. He says that he is pretty sure it is just a pulled muscle. She was given a shot and is on partial bed rest. =) She can only go outside to do her business and no dog walker for one week! Poor baby! I also had the vet check Daisy's ears as she had been rubbing them the past few days. She had not one, but TWO ear infections. He said dogs with floppy ears like hers often get infections. So, one exam, one shot, two bottles of drops, and $170.00 later...we now know what is wrong with our sweet girl. I'm so glad I took her in and had her checked. Baby J was an angel and slept the whole time! ***

***I am so excited! I am going home for Easter...for a WEEK! A, Baby J and I are leaving on Good Friday and heading to my parent's beach house on the Florida Panhandle. My Dad will FINALLY get to meet his Grandbaby. My younger brother and sister are coming too. It will be the first time all of us have been together since Christmas and the first time ever to all be with our new addition. A is flying back to NYC on Monday, but I'm staying until Friday. Yep, that means that on the way home I'm on my own with Baby J! Should be interesting. I can do it though. Right? Any tips?***

***They were filming a new romantic comedy with Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker outside my apartment on Wednesday night! They did a scene in our little pizza place on the corner. The movie is called "Did You Hear About the Morgans" and is set to release on Dec 18th. The only "star" I saw was Elisabeth Moss. No Hugh or SJP. So sad. I did get a few cool pics though. I'll post soon.***

I received a sample of the Buxom Dolly lip gloss from Sephora with my last order and I LOVE it! It has that little tingle and the color is great!

***Today, I went to a Babybites New Mom luncheon. They had a mini photoshoot with a professional photographer for us, complete with a makeup touch up. I'll post some pics when we get the code. I had SO much fun meeting other Upper East Side Moms. I was also invited to take part in a Mommy Discussion Group at a local hospital. It is for Moms of babies born in Jan and Feb. It last for 5 weeks so hopefully I will get to make even more new friends. I'm so excited and I'm so proud of myself for trying all this new stuff! Gotta go out there and make some friends for Baby J and I to hang out with. ***

**Update on prayer requests**

*Please add my sister to your list. She is having some medical problems and will need more testing done.

*Wilson has his first round of chemo tomorrow. They think think they will have to do chemo for 9 weeks. Yesterday, they took him to get his hair shaved since it would be falling out. His AWESOME Mom decided instead of a buzz cut that this cool kid deserved a mohawk! His mom is also a photographer so she is documenting his journey. She requested some hats for him to wear and I would love to send him one. Anyone have any good ideas for a 5 year old boy? (I've never met him, but he is my husband's best friend's nephew and I really want to do something for him.)

* My classmates funeral was today. Please keep her family in your prayers.

*S leaves for Germany tomorrow! Please keep her in your prayers for a good flight and while I know she will have a heavy heart leaving family and friends, I hope she remembers all the excitement that is to come.

PRAISES!!

*My Dad passed a follow up stress test!! He is on the road to recovery!

*Baby J had a WONDERFUL day today. Thanks for all of the suggestions about everything. If things don't improve I'm thinking about cutting dairy out of my diet (I'm breastfeeding so I can't switch formulas as some of you suggested.) I asked my pediatrician about it and he said he didn't think I needed to do that at this point, but I am certainly willing to try if that might be what is causing some of his problems. I'm thinking about doing an infant massage class. Has anyone done one of those?

***Have you entered my giveaway yet? You have until April 1st! Click here to do so and win a 8 X 8 of this beautiful photograph!***