By our regular guest blogger, Ariella, mother of 1 year old Joseph.

The other day I was taking a walk with my son to a store I had never been to before and there was a steep flight of stairs leading up to the entrance. 

Now- this happens ALL the time- I am with baby in stroller and come upon a situation were I can’t possible get baby AND stroller to the place I need to go- without making at least two trips. 

I am so sick of taking my stroller with me everywhere I go. The aisles in the grocery store are never quite wide enough, stairs are a nightmare and elevators are only possible if they are empty . . . never mind if my son wants to be held! (You know as well as I do thats its not great fun holding a skirmming baby AND pushing a stroller at the same time.) 

So my friend suggested a great idea- a BABY CARRIER! perfect for babies how can either hold their head up and/or sit up by themselves.  A BABY CARRIER means:   

 1. FREE hands

 2. No HUGE stroller

  3. Your baby feels “HELD” at all times

 4. MOBILITY to go where no stroller has gone before  That’s alot of benefits in the right situation. So i thought i’d share two of my favorite styles of baby carriers with you all. They are both COMFORTABLE and easy to put on and take off. Which one is right for you? The Baby Bjorn                             Known as the ‘Cadillac’ amongst baby carriers, it’s reputation is well deserved! You can lean over and your baby wont fall out! Try that on the no name brand versions. The Baby Bjorn offers good back and shoulder support, holds your baby upright and right where you can see him. 

 &

Endorsed by chiropractors, the New Native Baby Carrier Organic Baby Sling distributes the weight of your baby evenly from your shoulders to your hips. Its unique design allows you to wear your baby across your front, on your side, or in back. ( Don’t worry instructions are included!) Speaking from experience a baby carrier is a GREAT GIFT for any mom who has a newborn, young baby or toddler. ( Make sure to check the weight limit on the specific carrier you are interested in). 

Have a great weekend!

Ariella 

My baby has gotten his two front teeth!!  I dont mean OUCH for him either , although I suspect he is feeling some pain….

So far my children are very different from each other.  Different hair color, eye color, personalities, and .. different sexes! However, one thing they have in common.. they all get their teeth at exactly the same time!

So here have been some life saving finds.. or perhaps just overpriced gimmicks, but either way he was happy!

Like most products available today, there is a wide variety and you no longer have only one option. So if you plan on sending your mother to the store to buy a teething ring for your baby, expect a frantic call saying.. do you want the

Over-the-Shoulder Teething Bib??                 

Teething Blanket??  

or the Traditional Teething Toy ??

My answer to her?? YES!!

Be well,

~~ Andrea

……This is written by our NEW Featured Guest Blogger, Ariella.. mother of a darling 1 year old boy

My son just turned one and I am ALREADY dreading the day we begin potty-training . I am imagining MONTHS of tears, accidents all over the place and baby elimination trauma - I don’t even know where to start. Anyone have any ideas out there on what’s worked for you?

My husband has already started to complain about the endless diapers, the STINKY bathroom and bedroom and the MESSY clean-up job. Wouldn’t it be great, he dreams, if we could train our son to go on his own before he hits his 2nd birthday?

I just laugh- everyone knows this is IMPOSSIBLE - right?

Who ever heard of a toddler being potty trained before their 2nd birthday?

On a similar note, who every heard of potty-training happening easily and quickly?

Ok- so hold on to your seats- because I just found an AMAZING resource and audio guide. It has literally changed my mind about this whole potty-training experience.

The Jensen family has designed this amazingly simple STRESS- FREE system to train your children in 1-3 days!!! That’s 72 hours or less! They even offer a guarantee that there system with work, so how can you loose?

Their informative Site includes: 6 Reasons Why Your Child Must Get Off “Diaper Dependence” Before It Is Too Late and 7 Reasons That You Will Be Eternally Thankful That You Are Taking Action Right Now.

I can tell you -I am already Thankful and we haven’t even began yet!

Click here to access their guide, and let us know how it goes!

Ariella

Today’s MAN is a much different composite than a few generations back. I am not sure of the origins of ‘Fathers Day’ but when I was growing up, it should have been called ’Primary Bread Winner Day’.. since unless it came to teaching us how to say ‘hangober’ instead of hamburger, get your ‘feets’ on, instead of shoes, and going on nightly excursions with flashlights to hide behind the bushes lest the evil people driving with their headlights on come out to get us… my Dad was pretty typical for his generation.

Actually my Dad is a ‘crossover’, since my sister, born 16 years after me and on the cusp of a new generation, gave him a chance to do that which he did not do with us. No - not act mature. Change Diapers, bathe, and dress her, etc..

Today it is not uncommon to find stay at home Dads, and actually very common to find fathers who share a large part in the child’s rearing.

So it is no surprise that items available on the market reflect this.

Here is my Fathers Day suggestion:

New Daddy’s Survival Kit Deluxe - Men’s Diaper Bag/ Backpack Plus - Unique New Dad or Father’s Day Gift Idea!

However, you cant expect to convert a gender overnight…. so dont be surprised when you come across the ‘gag’ gift items also for the New Dad - like the diaper changing apron.p>

As you would expect, Amazon has Awesome Stuff for the NEW DAD,

My favorite (based on Title alone) - Keeping the Baby Alive Till Your Wife Gets Home

Check it out!

Happy Fathers Day!!

Be Well,

~~ Andrea

If you are like me, then you probably and unfortunately, view Disneyworld as a childs’ Rite of Passage.

Disney, of course, is entirely aware, and they take full advantage by charging Rolls Royce prices… yet people just keep on coming!!

So.. if we have already admitted that Disney is an undeniable pleasure we allow ourselves, and we also agree that the prices are ridiculous… would you not take advantage of a way to figure out how to cut corners and find great deals??

For example - I just recently discovered that you can pay an extra $10 on your entrance ticket to a certain Six Flags Adventure Park (I imagine all of them), and then for the next 3 hours, you are given VIP status and do not have to wait on any lines for the rides. Depending on the time of the year, and the crowd, that extra $10 could easily translate into A LOT more rides and ACTION!

I am the type of person who likes to get my money’s worth. I am like an Army Sargent. As soon as I arrive at the park, I get a map, and then over the next 10 hours make sure we hit EVERYTHING. No laggers allowed. If you go to a park with me, you know you will maximize your experience (and hate me by the end of the day). I even put my almost 7 year old son in one of the rented strollers to ensure that he could keep up with my pace.

That was a long time ago… and talk and plans are in the works to make sure my next children also have their own memorable experience. When searching I came across a book that I think (I KNOW!) will come in handy.

An Ex-Disney Employee shares her secrets to how to find the best deal in town! She offers..

” best tips, tricks and savings available for a Disney Vacation. Strategies that can literally save you hundreds – if not thousands of dollars.”

and

“Follow the 9 easy steps in my Disney Savings Guide, and you can do it too.”

Check out her book and what she offers. Its an instant download so no need to pay for shipping and wait for it to arrive!

Do you have any tips on how to save money on a family trip? Please share!

And if you see someone with a couple of little kids barreling through the crowds….. you will know that I made my way there too !!

~~ Andrea