How Do You Spell Relief?

These two have put a major roadblock in my already limited blogging life...and that's ok, except for the fact that I haven't found much time to tell you about more fab products or to give away cool stuff! Fortunately, you all know I have an awesome partner in review land that we can all depend on. So a big thanks to Amy, who has held this little blog together while I feed, diaper, wipe tears and peanut butter from faces, chase, shush, and just try to keep my hair washed every other day. :) I think I'll probably have this all under control in about 5 years.

That being said, I have found some moments of solace in this hectic environment. Along with the chaos of having a newly-turned-two year old and a newborn comes some pain. I totally forgot how, well, awful the first weeks of breastfeeding are. Thankfully, other people know this, and do what they can to help us sore moms out. The Shower Hug is a soft, knit terry velour towel that you wrap around sore breasts to protect them from the harshness of the shower. It is a God send! I'm still "recovering" from the first few days of Lennon and his extremely aggressive nursing (the kid is hungry!), and the Shower Hug has been a welcome relief. I also wear it at night, instead of a nursing bra. It's so soft and comfortable! You can see for yourself all of the great benefits of the Shower Hug here, and also learn how to wear it here. I can not tell you how grateful I am to have found this product. Before I got it, I was wincing at the thought of showering, but now, I welcome this part of the day. I am so glad I got the "hug" that I was in desperate need of! Thanks, Belmama & Cherub!

Myself Belts: Easy as 1-2-3!

There is a lot of movement going on in our house these days with a non-stop, energetic toddler who is neither short nor tall but juuuuust right. Basically that means, most of her pants are too long for her and a little too loose. I know it's sort of a fad to have your pants hanging down off of your backside but I'm just not a fan of that for my 2 year old.

Luckily, there is a quick and easy fix for my problem. Myself Belts (retailing around $14.95). Perfect for the in-between stage and when your little one is old enough and working on potty-training, it's ideal for their independence. They are adjustable by Velcro and come in an array of adorable colors and styles for boys and girls.

Two sisters and mompreneurs came up with this unique idea when they saw the lack of kid-friendly belts on the market. I think they were having the same problem as me. :)

Myself Belts also come in adult sizes (Retailing around $24.95). Think rehabilitation patients, individuals with cognitive issues and those with physical ailments. How about post pregnancy? Not quite ready to get out of those maternity pants but definitely not ready for your skinny jeans yet? Myself Belts are a great solution.

Kathy Lo Rocks and We Agree

I'm one of those mom's who's all about showing off her tot. When I found out about Kathy Lo Rocks, I added them to my list of excellent places to shop for show-and-tell. You'll find an array of customizable accessories over at Kathy Lo Rocks. From necklaces to cuff links and everything in-between, you can show off your child, your favorite flower or a fabulous pattern from their collection.

I chose to have a picture of my daughter on one side of my necklace and a photo of a local piece of art on the other side. I love walking around with a reversible necklace and when people ask to see it up close, I'm proud to show off the excellent craftsmanship.

You can pick customizable necklaces from $58 or a necklace from their Alphabitz line from $38. So many other accessories to see, just stop by Kathy Lo Rocks and take a look at their one-of-a-kind pieces for yourself!

Choose your state of mind, ladies

If you're in a handbag "state of mind" then look no further. Star 50 Handbags is right smack dab on the map where you'll want to be. With each bag inspired by a different state in the union, there will no longer be an excuse not to own at least 50 incredibly luscious handbags!

Right now, Star 50 Handbags has at least 24 fabulous collectible designer bags to choose from and more making their debut very soon! I'm anticipating the release of the Pennsylvania ??? as well as the Montana Treasure Tote. Two of my very favorite states in the union. Colorado would be my third and I'm loving the Colorado Lodge Tote (picture to the right). Some of the handbags are more on the pricey side, ranging in the $100s but that's what you can expect to pay for one-of-a-kind bags like these. "A modern heirloom" is how designer/owner Amity Cooper describes her line of delicious treats.

Not all of them are out of the "I-need-a-million-handbags now" price-range, however. Take the Alaska Trapper that I'm drooling over right now. She retails for $65.00 and comes in three colors; Trapper Orange (pictured), Hunter Olive or Oil Black.

Recently, you may have noticed that we had a couple different Star 50 Handbags up for grabs during our Holiday Blog Hunt, the sassy "New York Hot Pot" and the glittery "Arkansas Diamond Digger".

As you get acquainted with each bag on the Star 50 Handbag website, notice at the bottom of the page the "Fast Facts" about each state where said handbag gets her personality. Oh, and don't forget to tell your hunny-bunny that Valentine's day is fast approaching...wink-wink, nudge-nudge. =)


*Star 50 Handbags was introduced to the Mums by The Winning Pitch PR.

Wrestling Midgets

When changing my son's diapers, I often liken it to wrestling midgets. Wrestling a midget couldn't be that hard, could it? Just ask anyone that has a squirmy baby or toddler, and their answer to this question would probably be "Ha! YOU try it then!" as they walk off in a huff. The more active my toddler gets, the less he wants to be confined for that 1 minute that it would take to change his diaper (that is, if he were cooperative-the ordeal usually takes about 5 minutes because he spends the whole time trying to get up. No, you can't explain the logic behind laying still for 1 1/2 minutes vs. the 5 minute battle with a 20-month old-trust me). This is why when I laid eyes on the Ubi, I got excited. Is their possibly an answer to my diaper changing nightmare? Yes!

Not only is the Ubi easy on the eye, it's design has covered every detail, from a strap that gives you a free hand, to a place RIGHT THERE to store diapers (it even has fastener strips to hold the diaper in place)! The upholstery is hypoallergenic and has an anti-microbial surface, so you can clean it easily and it won't collect any icky odors. You also don't have to bother with that piece of extra furniture that takes up a whole lot of space and that you'll never use again after you have children. Sue Wong took her engineering prowess to where it mattered most-the nursery-and came up with this beautifully designed and highly functional piece of baby equipment. I would show you a pic of us using the Ubi, but I figure Noel's a little old and I didn't want him to be embarrassed later, since he's a big toddler and all. When the new baby is born, I'll take some of it being utilized and show you how great it actually is. Until then, you'll just have to "Ohhh!" and "Ahhh!" over this picture here. Go here to see all the other designs they offer, and to purchase one for yourself. The Ubi is also available at several fine boutiques-real and cyber.

Take your keen eye for design, style, and space to the nursery. Get an Ubi for yourself or for a totally unique shower gift. Be the first to have or give the awesome UBI!

Bumble Bags: The oh-so-perfect diaper bag

I don't know what I was thinking back when I was pregnant with Hailey and I registered for some random ugly diaper bag. That is SO not my style! But I was a "newbie" and not aware of the fantastic shops out there who have just what this fashionista craves.

Bumble Bags are so stylish and roomy and are available in several different styles; Jessica Messenger Backpack, Kimberly Tote and Madeline Backpack. We have the Madeline Backpack Hanging Stroller Bag in Paisley and it instantaneously became my favorite bag. The material is soft and it is water and stain resistant. There are plenty of sections for mom and baby stuff.


Generally, what you see here is what I carry with me on a daily basis. There is STILL plenty of room after all of this stuff for her toys and whatnot.




The features that I love the most about this backpack/diaper bag are the zipped diaper pocket on the inside, the multiple bottle/sippy cup compartments inside and out and the extra zipped pocket on the outside.

The pop-out stroller straps are great if you ask me. I love being able to attach my bag to the stroller and still have room underneath for all of my shopping bags. I was getting pretty tired of my bag always slipping off of the stroller handle.

The backpack feature of this bag just can't be beat. I don't feel like I'm losing everything when I have to hurry up and chase my toddler somewhere. I know all of my possessions are right there in my bag, on my back and not flying all over the place.

Bumble Bags are available at numerous online retailers (our pals at The Polkadot Platypus being one of them!) as well as quite a few physical locations around the U.S. and Canada.

Don't forget, they also have infant and toddler car seat covers, as well as toddler totes!

***You can win a Bumble Bag! Not here but over at Get Knocked Up from Due Maternity! To enter to win, you pick a body, upload your photo, send to friends and enter to win. Here is me, virtually knocked up. Click the image to be taken to Get Knocked Up for your chance to win!

Darling!

I am so happy to have found Alli's Originals! Alli is a "mompreneur" that has created her own line of beautiful and unique jewelry and gifts that is sure to make any occasion a special one. Alli handcrafts every item you see on her site-and she does a fabulous job! She has taken courses in silver-smithing and lost wax casting (I'm jealous!), and you can see that these courses have paid off. I love the Darling Discs that Alli so graciously sent me.Don't you want one??

I've wanted something like this to show off the apple of my eye, and this could not be more perfect! I'm excited to add another disc after Baby ? is born! I'll also be purchasing from Alli when my TEN expectant friends have their bundles of joy too.

As you can see, Alli's Originals offers a large selection of necklaces, bracelets, baby keepsakes, and even ideas for dad! But these beautiful works are not limited to kids-she has wedding and anniversary items, charm bracelets, and more! For something that she takes the time to hand make just for you, her prices are also quite reasonable.

Alli makes charitable contributions to several organizations. I love supporting small businesses that make it a priority to help others. What a great lady! Read more about Alli's every day life at her blog, and next time you need an extra special gift, be sure to get it from Alli's Originals. I know I will be!

I'm hooked

...or should I say, "attached"? My very first pouch is a stylish one from the Rockin' Kid Shop. It is the "Ziggy Stardust Loves Nicole" style. The colors are dark teal on one side and on the flip side, gold and black zig-zag. Hailey is around 26 lbs. and fits quite comfortably in the pouch. For her first time sitting snug on mommy's hip, I would say that she was pretty happy. The pouch holds kid's up to 35 lbs. This pouch takes a load off of my aching arms and it will come in handy for the next little one too. There are several other pouches to pick from, as well as slings.

Laura previously wrote about her sling and also mentioned we have a Rockin' infant car seat cover to give away. So without further ado, here it is!

WIN IT!

The colors of this reversible, corduroy infant car seat cover are orange with brown and red flowers and on the reverse side, purple corduroy. Super cute and super perfect for the Fall season that is approaching. This car seat cover is now only available in the infant size but they do have a few other options available in infant and toddler size. Just leave us a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite Rockin' Kid Shop goody is and you'll be entered. This giveaway will end on Friday, August 10th at 10 PM.

*The Rockin' Kid Shop is having some pretty BIG sales right now!

Good luck!

(Also, don't forget to enter our Betty and Dean tee shirts and Innobaby Packin' Smart giveaways!)

Packin' Smart

I recently attended BlogHer in Chicago and joined my fabulous group, the Chicago Moms Blog and Silicon Valley Moms Blog contributors for a dinner. At that dinner, we received swag bags of incredible products. One of those products happened to be a Packin' Smart by Innobaby.

Packin' Smart is the genius idea of two moms, Kristen and Jee (Innobaby, LLC). This product is useful to anyone with an infant, toddler or kid. Store your kitchen spices in it or your daily vitamins. Heck, the man of the house could even use it for his fishing tackle! The list of uses goes on and on. Whatever your desire, this creative invention will keep you well organized. I remember when Hailey was an infant. We would have a bunch of little containers strewed about with formula, cereal and snacks. This product would have come in very handy. Next time around, I'll be packin' smart (no pun intended).

Head over to Innobaby, LLC and read more about the Packin' Smart. They also offer the Crib Sheet Topper, an all-in-one easy change crib sheet.

WIN IT!

Innobaby and MumsTheWurd are giving TWO Mums readers a chance to win a set of 5-tier Packin' Smarts! All you need to do is leave us a comment on this post and let us know what you would use your Packin' Smart for if you win! Two winners will be chosen on Wednesday, August 8th at 10PM. Good luck!

***Innobaby has also graciously offered MumsTheWurd readers a 15% discount on purchases made through their website when you enter Promotion Code MUMS0807. Discount will run until 8/31/07.

Need a Blanket?

Does your baby need a blanket or do you need a one-of-a-kind gift for a pregnant pal?

WIN IT!

Look no further! Saari Design has given us this Antiqued Tattoo Blanket to give to one of our lucky readers! Just leave us a comment on this post...you can still enter if you don't have a blog, just choose the "other" or "anonymous" button in the comment box. Just don't forget to leave us your name and email address so we know where to contact you!. It's as simple as that. One name will be chosen on Friday, August 3rd at 10PM.

The minky fabric on the blanket that we're giving away is RED-my camera is acting up today, so you get the Saari stock picture (which is probably better than the one I took anyway.

Check out Saari Design for all of your baby needs! This unique boutique of hand-made items has everything from custom Boppy covers to crib bedding and everything in between!

From Babies to Brides

Mom-based company, Belle Pearl, formerly known as "Princess Pearls", is owned by mom of five, Angela Apon. Each piece of jewelry from Belle Pearl is custom made using high quality materials.

Hailey is wearing the "Wish Upon a Star" bracelet. This bracelet is made with Genuine fresh water pearls, star-shaped pink Cat's eye beads, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver daisy spacers. It doesn't get more darling than this. This specific bracelet ranges in size from newborn to over 6 years. What a perfect gift for that little princess in your life.

Know someone getting married? Belle Pearl makes beautiful bridal jewelry and tiaras too! Not to mention these precious "Grandmother" name bracelets. Perfect for gift giving with their signature gift wrapping.





Belle Pearl has quite a selection of high quality pearl jewelry to choose from, so we highly recommend that you get on over to their website and check out all that they have to offer. You can also purchase Belle Pearl jewelry in a handful of states and some online boutiques as well.




WIN A SET OF MOTHER/DAUGHTER BRACELETS! Choose from two different sets: The Crystal & Pearl Mother/Daughter Set or the Pink Crystal Mother/Daughter Set. Remember, you could win this for yourself, a friend or relative!



Just leave a comment on this post. Non-bloggers may enter too! The more the merrier. PLEASE be sure we have some kind of contact information for you, whether it be through your website or your email.

(Don't worry if you signed Mr. Linky before I took it down, I transferred your info to the comment section so you're still entered!)

We'd like to pass on any nice compliments you have of Belle Pearl's jewelry to owner Angela. If you have any problems with the Comment section, just EMAIL us!

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, July 25th at 10PM.

Good luck everyone!

Rock on, babe.

Hailey was by far the most rockin' kid at the zoo and playground this morning in her XY Factory guitar tank. And check out Noel in his. Can you say "rock star in the making"?













XY Factory offers some pretty sweet, "alternative to pinks and blues" clothing and accessories for mama's in waiting and kiddos alike. If you're pregnant with your second, third, fourth or so on and are into matching outfits for you and your toddler, go with the Star Burst Maternity Set for you and your future celebrity.

Feed your baby in style with their Splash Nursing Cover pictured below. I'm definitely going to get me one of these next time around. The nursing cover is offered in three other patterns as well.


Moving right along to accessories for the kids...how glamorous is Hails in her Bling Green Military Hat with Pink Skulls? Do you think any of those zoo animals wanted to mess with her? Uh...no.
















I can't even tell you how stoked I was to see XY Factory's brand new line of Ramones gear. Hey! Ho! Let's Go! I am a die-hard Ramones fan, so of course, this stuff just melted my heart. They have all sorts of Ramones items right now, so check them all out.

Why subject yourself to pastels if you're more of a rough-around-the-edges, alternative-type-of-gal? We think you owe it to yourself to head over to XY Factory and browse their rad selection of clothing and accessories. Here's an incentive for you...a $25 eCertificate to their boutique! All ya gotta do is jot your name and URL down in Mr. Linky below...leave us a quick comment letting us know you stopped by and why you think you're a rockin' mama (i.e. music you listen to, alternative lifestyle, etc.).
***REMEMBER...you have to leave us some sort of way to get a hold of you in case you win. So, if you don't have a blog or website, make sure you email us HERE or leave your info in the comments section. This contest will end on Thursday, July 12th at 10 pm. GOOD LUCK!

You Mean Jack, Right?

Nope, it's Jakc Designs, created by Jennifer Aimee Kathleen Chee, and she knows way more than Jack about design! Here's just one example of the sweet treats that Jen has to offer:
These hand embroidered felt designs are absolutely adorable. Noel's got on the elephant, but there are literally 50 designs to choose from! Go see the wide selection for yourself (a couple of designs come on little fleece blankets too-ohhh ahhh!).


But wait! There's more! Jakc offers items for adults too! If you want a truly fabulous blank book or photo album, you must look here!

To the left is just one example, the Ladybug Book, that I have put here in Hailey's honor. I'm considering asking Jen about creating a Monkey design for me! I just LOVE these!




For the music lover, Jakc offers these totally unique ipod covers! Have you seen an ipod cover with a jellyfish or daisies at BestBuy???...That's what I thought! Of course not! You won't find anything nearly as cool for your ipod anywhere.

In addition to these fab items, Jakc also offers several bags and pillows! The gift (or treat for yourself!) options are endless!

I just can't stop using the word "amazing" about these products...I'm gaga over them all! Check out Jakc today...you'll be glad you did!

Hit the Skids!

If you were a punky kid in the 80s, you might remember Skid Pants. Now, they come to you in a mini version to protect your little crawlers knees and give them that uber-cool hipness they've been dreaming of. Above, you see Noel sporting his Lightweight Blue Flame skids. And here we have Hailey in her Cotton Candy Lightweights.



Skid Pants from Dittany Baby come in many groovy styles (30 patterns ! and even more special editions!), as well as solids and stripes, and you have the option of Originals-great for cooler weather, or Lightweights for those hot summer days. Skid Pants not only protect little knees, but they're also handy for cloth diapering parents. You can get skids to match your diapers and changing just became much easier! Skid Pants are the perfect accessory for your Rockin' Tot!

Technorati Tags: MumsTheWurd, Skids

CONTEST: He Loves Me, He Loves-Me-Knots

Here is Hailey, wearing her new "LadyBug Love" bow from the all-about-girls boutique, "Love-Me-Knots" Melissa and Dawn of Love-Me-Knots have quite a selection of adorable hair bows for your stylish little princesses.

I don't know about you but when I found out I was having a girl, bows and dresses and shoes just flashed through my mind. Love-Me-Knots is right up my alley! I'm anxiously awaiting Hailey's hair to get a little thicker and grow a little longer. She will most likely be wearing bows every day of the week!

Melissa, creator of Love-Me-Knots, graciously took some time out to answer a few of our questions about her business.

Mums: What prompted you to start this kind of specialty business and how long have you been in business?

Melissa: The true beginning of the idea of the business started when my daughter, Katie Greer, was a toddler. She was constantly losing all of her hairbows on the playground, shopping malls and just everywhere! So I began designing and making my own and along the way I started adding my own little embellishments and creative touches with unique specialty ribbons and hand-painted single letter monograms. I had people constantly stopping us to ask about her bows and finally I started selling several lines in the local children's boutique. "Love-Me-Knots" was born in the fall of 2003 officially.

Melissa & Dawn
Mums: Who are the masterminds behind "Love-Me-Knots"?

Melissa: I began the "Love-Me-Knots" business selling to individuals and in local children's boutiques. I traveled to each store personally creating bows to match the clothing styles and colors within each individual store. While I enjoy the creative task of designing for each person or store, with the birth of my son this past year, I knew my traveling would be limited. So Dawn was added as my partner to help me go where I could never go -- worldwide right in my own studio! Through the design of this beautiful website, Dawn has brought "Love-Me-Knots" to a new level of success and opportunity.


Mums: What makes you continue doing what you do?

Melissa: As I mentioned, "Love-Me-Knots" was, in its earliest beginnings, created to meet my own sweet little girl's needs. But it certainly perpetuates because of the unending creative outlet it provides and the joy I have in designing and making just that /perfect/ piece that makes a little girl know she's beautiful inside and out!

Love-Me-Knots is based in Georgia and their line has been showcased in six exclusive children’s boutiques and gift stores in the metro Atlanta area. They have expanded by offering their lovely line of hair bows online, so all of us can indulge!

Check out Love-Me-Knots online store and blog.


HERE'S THE PART YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!

We have two sets of five Love-Me-Knots bows to give away! That's right, we are looking for TWO winners. So if there is a lovely little flower in your life, you'll definitely want to enter this contest.

Here are the "rules". We actually don't have any rules, except for you to sign the Mr. Linky below and leave us a comment! Oh, maybe one "small" rule...please spread the wUrd! We'd like to get as many entrants as possible.

Two names will be drawn next Wednesday, June 6th. Please include your blog site in Mr. Linky below as a means of contacting the winner and if you don't have a blog, you can still enter, just be sure to leave us a comment with your email address. If we don't have your contact info, we won't be able to include you in the contest because we won't know how to get in touch with you. Let the contest begin!

Tote Bags and Bows and Watches, Oh My!

Hello? Excuse me? Why haven't I heard about Karen's Creations until now? Holy ridiculously adorable tote bags, batman! My friend, Kerry, recently referred me to Karen's Creations online boutique. Very similar to the style of 1154 Lill in Chicago but amazingly more affordable and just as cute, if not cuter than the DIY bags you can create at Lill. I need one of these bags for every day of the week!

Here are a few of my favorites:

click to enlarge

Also, these watches are SO COOL! You can pick out which band you would like on your watch. You can view a few of the different color schemes here:

You get SIX different bands with your watch and it is also ridiculously affordable.





Karen took some time out to answer some of our questions about her wonderful little boutique:

Mums: When and why did you start this business?

K: I started my business in the spring of 2003 and officially opened my website in February 2004. I originally started making hair bows for my daughter – korkers to be exact. I thought they were so fun and unique, and nobody around here sold them. Around that time the diaper/tote bag craze hit, and I couldn’t resist! I’ve been sewing since I was 9 years old so I knew it was something I would enjoy doing.

I’m a CPA by trade and had a “real” job when I first started my business. For years I had searched for a way to be able to work from home so that I could spend more time with my children. Thanks to the fantastic support of my customers I was able to quit that job in January 2004 and devote myself to my business. I’m having a blast doing what I love to do and hope to keep adding new items to offer to my customers.

Mums: Where are you located?

K: Baton Rouge, LA

Mums: Can consumers purchase your products in a physical boutique or online only?

K: My products are available online through my website and in carefully selected boutiques (both physical and online) around the US.

Head over to Karen's Creations and look at all the fun mommy stuff now!