Zooper Hook-On Chair

New parents and expecting parents can be so overwhelmed with choices when it comes to baby gear!  One of the best purchases I ever made was a hook on chair.  This chair, which is made my Zooper, is perfect for home or travel!  I love this particular color (wheat) because it is gender neutral, goes with everything, and pretty much conceals the ridiculous amount of goo that ends up on your kids and their belongings. :)

The Zooper chair is very reasonably priced at around $49, and when you purchase it on Amazon, it ships for free! The four point harness adds extra safety for the little ones who like to climb (like my Bean), and it holds up to 30 lbs!  Bean is almost 2 and she still has 6 more pounds before she needs out! Plus, this fits on almost every table thanks to the easily adjustable clamps!

If you are looking for a chair to keep at Grandma's or in your trunk for restaurant adventures, (I can't handle the thought of the germs on the ones that restaurants keep on hand - gag!), this is your chair.  It also comes in some really bright, fun colors for you single gender families or more daring mamas.  I'm boring - I know!  But Zooper isn't - check them out!!

Wordless Wednesday - Blessings

I am so blessed to have had the past few days with my amazing children and wonderful friends at the shore.  I will always treasure these memories and my time with my sweet, sweet babies.  <3  (Almost wordless Wednesday... ;))

What I Learned as a BlogHer Newbie

This was my first year attending BlogHer and it was a blast!  I had so much fun, and I learned so much.  Plus, I got to connect with a ton of bloggers who I had been fans of for years now, but never had the chance to meet in person.  I will say, that as a newbie, it was a bit overwhelming at first, but I have compiled a few of my best tips as a reminder for next year and to help anyone else who is BlogHer virgin.

*  Don't expect to sleep.  I went into this thinking that I had three nights with no kids and I was going to be so rested when I got home.  Wrong.  I went to bed later than usual and got up just as early as usual.  It took me about 3 days at home to feel back to normal, but it was well worth it!

*  4,000 women (and about 10 men) plus a lot of free stuff can get a little crazy!  Anticipate standing in lots of lines (and getting an elbow here and there ;)).

*  Bring an empty suitcase! (see above)  Holy swag!  Let's put it this way - I brought home at least a dozen bags filled with stuff, and I wasn't even in on all of the private parties!

Which brings me to my next point...

*  It's all about who you know!  I was able to snag some pretty fabulous invites, but let me tell you, I have a few more on my wish list for next year!  (Um - Jake, we had lunch together just a few weeks ago in Hollywood Studios - why wasn't I invited to your breakfast?!? You've got some explaining to do...)

*  Dress for long hours of being on your feet.  Yes - you want to look cute.  I get it, but trust me, when you are carrying around 25 lbs of swag and walking through gigantic hotels and between buildings in the city.  (This year NYC, next year Chicago!)

I am so excited for next year's adventure and the new friends that I will get to reconnect with!  I'm still digging through the business cards I collected and I hope that some of my new friends will pop by here soon!  As always, thanks to the wonderful people who read my itty bitty blog and I hope you have a great week!!

A Deep Breath and Baby Steps

It's no secret that after having children my levels of anxiety and stress have reached an all time high.  Add in a little OCD, and a fierce mama bear instinct, and sometimes my head feels like it is going to explode!  One of the things that has really gotten me through these early years as a mama are my amazing friends - both old and new.

One of those friends, who has seen me go through so many adventures as a mother, and who literally walked me up and down the street as I labored with Bean, has finally decided to share her amazing talent as a writer with the world on her blog, A Deep Breath and Baby Steps.

Lisa's blog is filled with hilarious anecdotes of her four year old twins, and shares some great insight on how to step back, take a deep breath, and move forward - something us mommies often need to be reminded of!  Check it out, and then follow her so you can keep up with the love, laughter, and sometimes drama, that two little girls can bring to a home.

PS:  Take a look back at the titles of her posts - they seriously have me laughing out loud - especially "Camp Mommy-Get-A-Grip"... Can someone tell me where to sign up??

My Lunch with Katie Couric

BlogHer was such an amazing experience, and I really can't pick a favorite part of my weekend, but one of the most inspiring moments was my lunch with Katie Couric.

That's right, I ate lunch about 15 feet from Katie Couric.  Sure, there were 4,000 other women in the room, but this was the view from my seat.

First of all, I almost fell out of my chair when she walked on stage and commented that she "love(s) the smell of estrogen in the morning" and when she then mentioned that her idea of roughing it was "staying at a Holiday Inn", I knew that we were soul mates. ;)

Honestly though, Katie Couric could not have been more real, more inspiring, or more open with the thousands of women who sat before her.  She spoke about the loss of her husband and sister to cancer, about her daughters and her role as a mom, and she spoke about her love for social media and her confusion as to why her industry is so against it.  Even though I am a stay-at-home, I loved her response when she was asked how "she handles it all".  (Work, being a parent, etc.)  She stated from the beginning that this question was offensive because "no one ever asks Brian Williams" how he handles it all, and then went on to tell us that we need to stop the "mommy wars" and let women make their own decisions and priorities without judgement. I couldn't agree more.

Katie - if you are out there somewhere reading my teeny tiny blog, THANK YOU!  You are an inspiration to women everywhere and I cannot tell you how excited I am to watch you tackle issues big and small, light and heavy, on The Katie Show.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll be in the designated blogger spots in the audience. :)

Real Moms Play Cars - BlogHer '12

I am exhausted.  This weekend was a blast, but my goodness, I am tired!!  This week is going to be so much fun trying to catch up on sleep. :/  I figured that I could probably explain the weekend better using pictures, so here's a few to get you started... 

Taken at the Hot Wheels suite, where the motto was "Real Moms Play Cars".  LOVE it.  Do you think we had fun??

Dream Blankets

It is no secret that I am in LOVE with Aden & Anais.  My kids have so many of their products, and each one is better than the last.  From their extra large, thick, and super soft washcloths, to their heavenly bamboo swaddles, there is really nothing that I can say I dislike about the company.

Until now.

It's really quite frustrating.  My kids are getting older, and their designs are getting more and more BEAUTIFUL!  It's not fair!!!  In the words of Bean, "I mad.".

Nah, not really, and honestly, as I type Bean is snuggled up in her new, gorgeous Dream Blanket.

For as long as I can remember, Bean has needed to be covered by her A+A bamboo swaddle.  Problem is, she is getting longer, and the nights are getting cooler, and she really needed something for her big girl bed.  Enter the For The Birds Dream Blanket.  I really couldn't find or take a picture that does this blanket justice. Let's just say this - if it came in Queen size, it would be the focal point of my room.

Single 100% cotton muslin blanket. Unique in the marketplace, aden + anais Dream Blankets™ feature soft and breathable muslin cotton, which provides plenty of warmth without overheating. This plush blanket is generously-sized (47” x 47”) and uses four layers of fabric, making it ideal for snuggling.

P is uber jealous that he didn't get a new Dream Blanket, but he has graduated to a really big Big Boy bed, with lots of quilts and comforters.  He does, however, still cuddle up with his bamboo swaddle at night as well.  Who knows, Santa may be eyeing the Liam the Brave blanket.  Santa thinks it would go really well with his super hero themed room. :)


Am I the only one who thinks of these products as investments??  I mean, the quality is unbeatable!  Should a number 3 pop up, I'm all set.  If not, I'm pretty sure my kids will be taking these blankets to college with them anyway.

One of the few Aden & Anais products that hasn't made it's way into our house (yet!) is their new Serenity Star.  This adorable new nursery neccesity has so many fabulous features!  It is going to be a new staple on my baby shower gift giving list.  Here's what this stylish star can do:

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feeding diary: records and displays the last time feeding started. For breast fed babies, it records and displays last breast side (L or R) from which baby was fed.

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sound machine: plays  a selection of 4 soothing sounds including 2 lullabies, white noise and heart beat—in 30/60 minute intervals or continuously.

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room temperature indicator: displays the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit and glows red, blue, or white if the room is above, below or at the ideal temperature.

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night light: emits a subtle soothing glow for the perfect night light

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clock: 12-hour AM/PM display

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portable: plug-in and battery operated

I might know a few ladies who will definitely be receiving this in the future. I sure could have used the feeding diary - and the sound machine - and the temperature gauge...

If you aren't familiar with all the wonderful-ness that is Aden & Anais I urge you to check out their natural goodness.  If you are familiar, then you already know that A+A is a stand up company, with only the health, safety, and comfort our your little ones at heart, but still, go on over and check out all of their beautiful new designs!

Any of my friends out there want to have a few more kids so I can buy these???  :)