ALERT! Pottery Barn Kids

Last week I ordered beautiful baskets for Sophia's changing table. Along with the baskets, I also ordered the scalloped lining to go inside. I had decided to buy from Pottery Barn after going to many retail stores such as Pier 1, Marshall's, Bed Bath and Beyond and Michael's. Online, the baskets looked great and I was very excited to receive them in the mail. Delivery was speedy and I felt the price was reasonable. Unfortunately, I didn't even have to open the box to realize they all needed to be returned.

The smell emanating from the box was horrible. Once opened, the chemical odor was even worse. We aired the baskets out for over 7 days in our garage, and now everything in our garage reaks. My dad travels to China about every two weeks for manufacturing business. He never talks negatively about China because he loves the opportunity it presents to his business. Last night when he was here setting up the crib with Jeff, he admitted that he thought they were made in China. The oil-based smell was typical of many items made over seas.

I am returning them to my local Pottery Barn and I am now on the search for real wood baskets. I'll keep you updated.

The Baby Shower was Awesome!

Hi. Yesterday was my baby shower. Honestly, I was an emotional wreck, but it was truly magical for me. I really am not the type to enjoy the spotlight, but it was fantastic to see all these people gathered in one place to celebrate the miracle of Sophia. After 3 long years, I really enjoyed being the one talking about their child. She deserves all the love that filled the room yesterday.

I was completely taken back by the generosity of my family and friends. This week or next week, I'll be sure to post pictures of items. The posts will focus on quality and assembly. I will try to cover the consumer reports feedback and any other pertinent safety issues that moms and dad need to be held abreast of.

It's been a crazy weekend. Twenty people came over for dinner last night after the shower. My mother in law just left to fly back to NC at 4. It was great having her for the shower. We've been out of the house since 11 because 2 people came to see the house, and I just finished tutoring my sweet nephew. He's the greatest. Now I must go rest. Thanks for reading more to come...

Mattress Update

If one more person tells me how much my belly has dropped, I'll just scream. My due date is June 3rd, but everyone seems to think I'm going sooner. Therefore, my anxiety about getting ready has increased greatly.

After my shower on Saturday, my mother in law will be sleeping over. That Sunday, Jeff and I plan to take apart the bedroom and turn it into the nursery. Yesterday my family bought over the crib and changing table. Last night I ordered the sleep positioner and the new crib mattress.

I found buying the mattress a daunting task because of the regulations and the chances of SIDS. I did research in the March of Dimes, Consumer Reports, About.com, and Baby Catalog. I was happy to find that all the information was similar. The most difficult piece of information was deciding which to buy; foam or coil. The information claimed out of the top 5 mattresses rated safest, the number one mattress was foam.
Knowing that nugget of information along with the other factors listed in my sources, I finally came to my decision.

I purchased the Classica I by Colgate. It is the firmest foam mattress and has the necessary triple protection top. You can purchase the Colgate mattresses from buybuybaby, buy I bought mine at www.kidsurplus.com.
This is an important purchase, take your time like I did

April Showers, mine is next week!!!

My sister and my mom are throwing me a shower next week. My whole life, especially when I was told I couldn't have kids, I always said I wouldn't have a shower. My thinking was influenced by the Jewish thinking that it could jinx things since the baby hadn't safely arrived.

That all changed. When we were told that doctors thought we couldn't have kids, we knew God would be the person to decide our future, not the doctors. With a lot of prayer and unending faith, we were blessed with this pregnancy. Now, I feel chosen by God to provide a life to one of His angels. Knowing that He is all perfect, I now know he can only create perfection, therefore no need to worry about Sophia having not arrived yet before having a shower. You see God has no time for jinx or punishment. I know He will deliver Sophia safely and perfectly when the time is right, therefore there is no need to be nervous about celebrating, GOD will be right there celebrating with us.

Today and tomorrow, my sister, mother and myself will be putting the finishing touches on all plans. I feel so lucky to have those women in my life to spend this memory with me.

If you have a shower to attend in the near future, be sure to shop on Little Baby Headquarters. Many items would make perfect gifts. Check some out:

An Addition to the Jog Stroller Post

As I was at the grocery store this morning, I saw a women struggling with her jog stroller. I wanted to tell you how we chose our new jog stroller.
12 years ago, my sister bought her first jog stroller. Back then these products were not made with rotating front wheels and few had a one-pull collapse option. When it came time for me to choose my first stroller, these options rang loudly in the forefront of my mind. I can remember taking Ryan and Olivia for long walks and feeling like my arms got more of a work out than my heart or legs. When you purchase a jog stroller without the front wheel rotation option, you must push down on the bar and lift the front wheel in order to turn. I was exhausted after a short time at the park, but I still had to get the kids and the stroller in the car. My sister's stroller had a two-step closing process, and it wasn't easy. UGGg!
There are many strollers on the market today that still do not have these wonderful options. I wanted to share with you again, the stroller we chose, so none of you would be spotted pushing down to turn. It's not pretty:)

We chose the Baby Jogger City Elite. Happy shopping and be aware of those options I mentioned. Check out http://www.consumerreports.org/ and shop on
http://www.strollers.com/.

The best baby item; The Glider

Last night, Jeff assembled our glider. My parents were generous enough to buy us our glider, our bumper set and help my sister pay for the shower. By far the best is the glider. It looks great which is a miracle because they could resemble a piece of hospital
furniture. The color of the wood really looks nice against our light walls, and the cushions bring out the girly colors in our unisex bumper set.

I have to admit, that little piece of furniture truly got me excited. The thought that soon, Sophia will be rocking with me in the chair is amazing. We never planned to have a foo foo nursery, but it's the little items that make it all special.

We ordered the Dutailier Glider and ottoman. It was definitely the best one on the floor at Babies R Us. While he was assembling the chair, he remarked on the quality. The best feature was how easy it was to put both pieces together. It took him under 25 minutes, and that's including eating his fudge pop.

I have some new adds along the side, some of which will help you find the best priced glider. Good Luck.

Remember for those other organic and made in the USA products for mommy and baby, go to Little Baby Headquarters.

Feeling Well and Planning Ahead

Today I took it easy, and it felt great. The more I relax, the more Sophia moves, and that is the best reward.

Business is starting to develop for Jeff and I. Jeff is finally confident enough to start hiring people for his advertising business. I am quite proud of him because I see he is secure in his ability to bring business and creativity together for himself. Hopefully this will help buy our next home.

As for myself, my educational consulting business is my main stream of income. It entails going out to school districts to train their teachers and staff in various teaching techniques. That is time I won't have next year. In response to questions about next year, I have decided to work one day a month. I will book districts on a first come first serve basis. At first, I felt guilty that I wasn't taking on more work, but Jeff made it clear that he didn't want me to work. That really comforted me because I want so much to be a stay at home mom. That brings me to my next stream of income.

In February, I created Little Baby Headquarters. It was so important to me that I contribute financially to our family without compromising my time with baby. The online store seemed like the best choice. It allows me to provide top-quality items to other pregnant moms, baby products to new families, and downloadable seminars for teachers, tutors and parents.

With the three hard years of trying behind us, I want to enjoy this miracle we waited so long to meet. Hopefully, Little Baby Headquarters will become my main stream of income, so time out at work won't be an issue once Sophia arrives.

I pride myself in being an educational expert, and feel the same about the store. I look high and low for organic/eco-friendly products, so parents can be proud of items they use on or with their children. I also look for products made in the USA. With the economy the way it is, we should focus on keeping our money at home in America.

I would love to hear from other work at home moms, and urge all readers to checkout the great products at Little Baby Headquarters.

Be Well

Patient Pregnancy Patient

Not an easy day today. My "braxton hicks" had me quite uptight. During church this morning, I had 5 contractions in one hour. I called the doctor on call because my OB says 4 in an hour is the limit before alarm sets in. The doctor on call was very helpful and kind, but said 6 in an hour was the limit. After 2 check in phone calls, she ordered me to bed for the day. I have decided to skip a morning meeting because it's 9:30 and nothing has improved. Based on uterine behavior tomorrow, I may have to call my OB and get some definitive answers.

Of course I'm feeling uneasy about many items on my "Baby to do" list, but I realize care for baby is really all that matters. Jeff and my family have been taking great care of me, and for that I am so grateful. The ultimate to do item is assuring Sophia's safe deliver, and that no one can help me with except myself. I will go relax and keep you posted tomorrow.

Yesterday, I posted new bibs on littlebabyheadquarters.com and realized I had better keep some for ourselves. Check out te bibs as well as the other beautiful items available to you and baby

Pregnant and Selling a House

As you may all know, I am 8 months pregnant, we are in the midst of an international adoption for a daughter, and we have listed our house with a realtor. I know it sounds crazy, but it is actually well thought out. Tomorrow, I plan to talk more about out pregnancy and adoption timing, but today I'll tell you about the real estate craziness NOW!

This morning we made a nice TO DO list that would help us prepare for Sunday's Open House. As Jeff was Vacuuming, I was emailing our realtors about tomorrow's details. Low and behold the phone rings. It was from a realtor who wanted to show our house to a couple from Brooklyn for the second time. THE SECOND TIME. I can't say no, but I did panic slightly. Instead of finishing the TO DO list, we assessed and readjusted.

Jeff and I are a great team, so we started going into instant house showing mode. With 4 minutes to spare, we left a beautifully, staged house. Jeff went off to the gym and I hid out with the two Beagles at my next store neighbors house. Now we live in a townhouse. We have Beagles. That equals some noise, so in order to keep Penny and Snoopy quiet, I had to raid my neighbors "treat" closet.

The couple stayed for 20 minutes. I am thinking very positive.
The beagles and I shot back home, and now I am waiting to see if they throw up.
You don't know how many treats you have to give a Beagle to keep him quiet!
Right now, I am resting on the couch. Rushing, cleaning and 2 dogs don't mix well with pregnancy, but I think all will be well.

Wish us luck. Open House tomorrow.

Mattresses

Choosing a mattress can be a daunting job. It seems like it should be quite easy, but with the scare of SIDS, it is a very important purchase. I really liked the selection at BUYBUYBABY. It's important to feel the mattress for the firmness. After choosing a few, we did follow up research on Consumer Reports. Some of the helpful suggestions were:

1. Be sure you can't fit more then two fingers between the crib and the mattress
2. If it feels too firm for you, it's best for baby
3. A water-proof cover is a good idea

I was going to order off the internet, but I have decided to go back to the store and check our top picks. Once we compare them to our research, we'll be ready to purchase. I strongly suggest that you also should do extensive research when buying expensive and important items such as cribs, bassinets, mattresses and car seats. After the we buy the mattress, I'll be sure to update you with the final decision.

Soon on our store, we'll be selling bed rails for your toddler if you are pst cribs and unto beds:)
Little Baby Headquarters

Preparing for Baby

For all of you where I am in their pregnancy, it is time to really begin getting ready for baby. This weekend, we began with closets. We bought organization products so we could begin making extra space for all the adorable clothes and new products still sitting in bags and boxes. We also filled six Hefty bags of clothes that are in excellent condition, but we just don't want or they just don't fit. Those clothes are going to Salvation Army. I could have sold them for a lot on my eBay store Little Baby Headquarters. We chose to donate them for two reasons, it's a great tax right off and I have supplied needy people with absolutely beautiful clothing. It all worked out.

As for organization...Take 10% off any order at GetOrganized, no coupon necessary. Your discount will be reflected at Check Out.
We have minimized our clothes to what we like and wear. We are consolidating so clothes are easily accessible and more room is made for all of the baby clothes and items. The hard part is waiting a little longer to totally get the room set up. After all closets are finished, we need to start arranging the nursery. So what products are necessary if timing is an issue?

This is what's top on my list:
Make room in closets
Set up bassinet
Pick up glider/rocker (my parents bought our, it's beautiful)
Clean and hang clothing
Find a place changing table

When baby is born, I would be happy that these items were ready to go.
So I must go, it's time to get cleaning, get organizing, and get ready.

Keep reading. Check out Take Your Leap
Check out Little Baby Headquarters

Don't Forget to read Take Your Leap

Take Your Leap

To all my loyal readers, please don't forget about the new change. All of you wanting information on pregnancy, adoption and baby products, read this blog.

For those who are ready to straddle their W2 job with their own business or who just want new information on investing in real estate and businesses, please go to Take Your Leap.
Take Your Leap will give you more information than you ever wanted to know. It will help you improve your life, earn more money and work for yourself!

Choosing Jog Strollers

Today, Jeff and I went to choose our jog stroller, which my overly generous sister has asked to buy for us. This type of stroller was important to us because we love being outdoors with our Beagles, and soon with baby. I know we will be going to the park a lot, and we will be at mom's at the beach a lot. Because of this, we needed something durable that folded quickly and easily. We are mountain bikers, but aren't fans of jogging, so we didn't need the absolute best suspension. Down the road we will need a top of the line bike trailer, but for now, we need a jog stroller that allows for light hiking, speed walking and days at the beach.

We did our research on consumer reports and have tried out many jog strollers in the past. Today we went with the intention of buying the BOB.

With consumer reports, I have to be cautious because items that are high priced don't get reviewed or don't perform well. Believe it or not, we chose the Baby Jogger but not the performance series which is reviewed on Consumer Reports. We chose the newest line, City Elite.
It was a tough choice, but I feel secure in our decision. Here is what we liked most about the City Elite. It had an adjustable handle bar, three-compartment console, adjustable and storable foot rest, swivel front wheel that can be locked into place, and one step folding feature.

Our second choice was the BOB revolution and it was slightly cheaper. It had top-notch suspension which we didn't need right now. On the side bar of this blog, there is a discount text link for the BOB. Help yourself.

I think either jog stroller is a great purchase. Good luck with your jog stroller purchase.

Organic vs. Conventional Cotton

Today, we have so many decisions to make on our children's behalf. We are constantly looking for healthier foods to feed our toddlers, and now we must decide if the clothes we buy could be healthier.

Conventional cotton is chemically treated with insecticides and pesticides. It is known to be said that cotton is one of the most chemically dependent crops grown in the US. Besides the cotton being contaminated with these chemicals, we should also be concerned that while treated the crops, the atmosphere is being "treated" with the same chemicals. Bad for our bodies, bad for our environment. Quite a dilemma.

The alternative? Organic, unbleached, home-grown cotton. Since the 1990's there has been an increase in the treatment of cotton crops with chemicals. On a positive note, there has also been an increase in the number of organically grown cotton crops.
Also, organic cotton is grown in such a way to help sustain the land it grows on, the people who grow and harvest it, and the planet in general.

The advantage of buying these products for your child are many. First, we know for sure that an organically produced piece of clothing does not contain insecticides and pesticides, or other chemicals, so we don't run the risk of absorbing these through our skin into our bodies. Secondly, through anecdotal notation, we have come to learn that organically grown clothing products tend to be much more comfortable. Lastly, by supporting the growth of this cotton, we are sending a message as a nation that we want to be responsible about the condition of the planet.

Now on Little Baby Headquarters, we are selling some of the most adorable baby onesies and toddler tees Made in the USA from organically grown, unbleached cotton. The logos couldn't be cuter, but I am blown away by the quality. I placed a big order for the store. After the order arrived, I decided to immediately place another order because these were of the highest quality. I know these will go quickly. Below, see some of eco-friendly onesies. Let's be responsible and buy organic from Little Baby Headquarters.

Checking in

Hi,
I am off to work this morning, but I will be posting a new blog tonight. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the new organic onesies at Little Baby Headquarters