BabySafety – BurritoBuzz

Keep Germs Away with CleanSmart Toy Disinfectant

Published on September 23, 2016September 22, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

As you know, cold and flu season is unfortunately upon is. With the changing of the weather and the start of the school year, illness is something that we can’t really ignore. My four year old started her second year of preschool last week and was kind enough to bring a cold home. My family of four all got runny noses, we were sneezing like crazy, had awful sinus pressure, coughing, and had watery eyes, including my poor 6 month old. She got hit the worst and is starting to feel better minus the never ending runny nose. Over the weekend she had a pretty high fever and was overall miserable. When babies get sick, you heart breaks because there’s not much you can do for them. Lots of cuddles and some tylenol to bring down the fever is about all you can do when they’re really young. So what can you do to help prevent the spread of germs when little ones always have toys in their mouths? I have found an amazing toy disinfectant from CleanSmart and I love it so much! I knew I had to share it with our readers!

CleanSmart makes products that are not harmful to people. There are no chemicals or chemical residue, harsh fumes, and the products are 100% natural – just salt and water is left behind after cleaning! There is zero toxicity and can be sprayed around anyone (babies, too). There are no allergy or asthma triggers in any of the products, so you can feel safe knowing what you’re using to clean and disinfect and know the products work! You won’t see any first aid labels on CleanSmart products because there are no hazards. What more could you want in a cleaning product? Watch here to learn about the CleanSmart difference:

I was looking for something to clean my children’s toys, especially with having more than one kid, germs spread entirely way too easy. If one is sick, the other will be soon. It’s just a fact. But I wanted something to help prevent illness as much as I could. Babies put everything in their mouths as we know and germs linger. CleanSmart Toy Disinfectant kills 99.9% of germs and cold and flu viruses, E. coli, salmonella, listeria, strep and RSV. The best part, you just spray and play! You can literally clean toys without rinsing right in front of your child. I often clean my little one’s exersaucer while she’s in it. It’s so easy and I love not having to think twice about using it around my kids. No gloves needed and you don’t have to have a crazy ventilation system (or open all the windows/doors in your house to air it out). It’s perfect to use with teething babies and after sick kids.

I love this product and look forward to purchasing more awesome products from CleanSmart, including their household disinfectants, hand cleansers and more products for my little ones: Pacifier Sanitizer ($4.99) and Nursery & High Chair Cleaner ($4.99). Products for little ones are now available at Babies R Us, so they’re easy to find! You can purchase all CleanSmart products on Amazon. The price point is perfect, $5.99 for the Toy Disinfectant. I’ve had it for about to months now, and I have about ⅔ of the bottle left so it does last a while. Because it’s not harmful, that doesn’t mean it should be left around children. Keep out of reach of children to keep them safe.

Connect with CleanSmart on Facebook and Twitter!

– Casey

Delta DX Side by Side Stroller {Review}

Published on September 13, 2016September 8, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

I had been dragging my feet about getting a second double stroller. We have an awesome hand-me-down double jogger that has been well loved, but it’s perfect until it’s not. Almost all double strollers have three things in common:

THEY ARE HUGE, HEAVY AND EXPENSIVE.

Just about every single one on the market. I got to thinking, how long are they really going to tolerate sitting in a stroller? Is it worth spending $300 on the one I really want? In the end my answer was no, it was most definitely not worth it. Even though I didn’t see the value in a super expensive, but more compact double stroller, I also needed something to help me out.

You can’t baby wear all the time. I do a lot, but in some situations it’s just not the easiest. Don’t even get me started on tandem wearing toddlers. Good grief is it a hassle. When we were getting ready to go on vacation, I decided that we had to get something. Long walks, back and forth to the pool, shopping, going in and out of attractions, whatever vacation might bring, I didn’t want to be chasing my toddler and fighting my one year old to stay on my back. I asked some friends what they used and came across this gem of a stroller.

I always thought that umbrella strollers were cheap and not worth my money, but I was incredibly wrong!

Details:

Super compact fold for travel and storage. I can literally shove it under their seats behind my seat, it’s super small!
Two separate canopies
Soft and comfortable handles
360 degree shock absorbing, locking front wheels
Large 6”front and back wheels
Back wheel brakes
JPMA certified and exceeds all ASTM and applicable CPSC standards
Assembled Dimensions (in inches): 22.8 (width) by 36.8 (height) by 18.5 (depth)
Weight: 19.16 lbs
Each seat has a 35 lb weight limit
Fits through standard 30″ wide doorways
Cup holder with 2 attachment points and 2 hanging storage bags
Foot push to collapse and one lever to secure close

Pros:

Assembly was a breeze. All you had to do was pop the wheels on and take some plastic off. It literally took me two minutes.
Super easy to move! You can push it with one finger with the kids in it.
It fits through doors! I haven’t had a door that I couldn’t get through and because it is so compact, you don’t have to have anyone hold the door open for you to get through.
The 35 lb weight limit is great! I know I am going to get a lot of use out of this even though I have large toddlers.
It’s a very smooth ride. I can go in and out of stores, through door ways, over hills, up embankments and over gravel, and my kids stay asleep.
It’s not heavy! I can carry my one year old on one hip, fold the stroller and get it in the car. Thank you Stroller Gods!
Tiny, tiny, tiny. You can fit this stroller into any car and it’s great for travel when you have more than your stroller to put in your trunk. My big jogger literally takes up my entire cargo area.
Cup holder fits adult cups!
Reflective material. The white stripes are reflective, so if you take evening walks, you don’t have to worry about pushing a black stroller and no one seeing it.
It’s inexpensive but high quality. I’ve had this stroller for about a month and have used it almost daily. There is no sign of any wear and tear and nothing feels cheap or like it’s going to break. If I didn’t tell you that it was cheap, you wouldn’t know it!
Delta Children City Street Side by Side Stroller, Black

Cons:

The canopies are small and don’t really do a whole lot. I didn’t purchase it with a canopy in mind, but after a few times of walking directly into the sun, I wish I would have taken the very small canopy into consideration. I throw an Aden + Anais swaddle` over them and it’s fine, but that’s not always convenient.
The wheels are super small, making rough terrain difficult to navigate.
The description on their site and on Amazon says that it has a “Large Under-Frame Storage Bag” and it does not. I thought I would be able to slide a diaper bag under the seats or something and that is not the case. There are the two small hanging bags on the back of the seat that work nicely for a few diapers and wipes, but that is about all they can hold.
Advertised as a 5 point harness and it’s not.
The handles are short (as are most umbrella strollers). I am 5’4″ and I have no problem, but my 5’11” husband wasn’t too happy with them after a while.

Overall, this stroller is amazing! My complaints are small and I do not regret purchasing it at all. A few changes would make it a little better, but for the amazing price, it can’t be beat! If you have a second little one on the way, this is definitely a must have!

– Amanda

MAM Pacifiers & Pacifier Wipes {Review}

Published on August 3, 2016July 30, 2016 by Megan Desiato - www.BurritoBuzz.comLeave a comment

I received the MAM pacifiers and pacifier wipes several weeks ago and so far so good! Two more great products from MAM!

Both of my kids have been “binky babies,” so I was kind of anxious to see if my nearly one year old (at the time) would take to a new brand of pacifier. Since birth, we have pretty much stuck to using the AVENT Freeflow Pacifier. I also used them for my daughter when she was younger. I never really shopped around or tried different ones, but these pacifiers seemed to work with my kids, so I stuck with them.

The MAM pacifiers I received are very similar. My son honestly didn’t miss a beat when I swapped his usual soother for the new ones – that’s a huge plus! Now, I do know that some kids are more particular about certain products, so I think it’s important to note that my kids really haven’t been picky when it comes to pacifiers, teethers, bottles, etc. The specific MAM pacifier I reviewed is the Glow in the Dark Night Orthodontic Pacifier 6+ months.

Here are some of its key features:

1. It glows in the dark – This is great! I thought this feature wouldn’t be that big of a deal to me, and then I saw how well it glowed in the crib in the dark room at night. I was immediately sold. It was so much easier to find! And I didn’t wake my little one in the process! The only part that glows in the dark is the portion directly opposite the nipple, not the entire shield.

2. Silicone nipple – The pacifier my little guy was used to was also silicone. I’m sure this made the transition easier for him. The silicone is said to feel “familiar, like mom,” so I thought this was important for my breastfed babies.

3. Symmetrical nipple is also “anti-slip”. I like that there isn’t a right or wrong side with these pacifiers. It just makes it more convenient and easier for babies to put their binkies in their mouth independently. It is also better for their incoming teeth. I honestly didn’t notice any differences with the “anti-slip.” You might notice this more with younger babies.

4. They’re BPA Free!

5. There are small openings on the curved pacifier shield. This is important to me because the holes allow air to circulate and my little guy’s skin to breathe better. I don’t have to worry about him getting rashy or his skin breaking down and he is comfortable with the curved shape!

6. MAM offers two sizes, 0-6 month and the 6+ month size pacifier to accommodate growing babies and their development.

7. $5.99 for a 2-pack on Amazon – you can’t beat the price! These pacifiers last and are of good quality. Perfect registry item or shower gift. Buy yours here: MAM Glow in the Dark Night Orthodontic Pacifier

To go along with my new pacifiers, I also reviewed MAM’s Pacifier Wipes. These were not a product that I was super accustomed to using. I’m a Mom who finds a bathroom and rinses off her baby supplies or applies the 5-second rule when things get dropped. I will admit, these were nice to have in a bind or on-the–go and their small size (each wipe is 4”x6”) made them even more convenient. I still would not consider them a “must- have.” 40 wipes come in the package and they are advertised as not containing any harsh chemicals and also as being non-toxic. They contain no alcohol, dyes, or parabens. To me, those are important things, especially when I’m wiping off items my kids are going to put right back in their mouths. I wasn’t crazy about the scent. It wasn’t overpowering, it was just unpleasant to me. You could use these to clean any baby item – teethers, toys, pacifiers, etc. You can purchase MAM Pacifier wipes on Amazon for $3.99 here: MAM Pacifier Wipes

Overall, I would give both products great ratings. My son adapted to the pacifier right away, which I think speaks volumes. Even though I wouldn’t use the wipes on a daily basis, they are smart and convenient to use, especially in a pinch.

Be sure to take a minute to visit MAM’s website to check out more of their innovative, and award-winning products for every stage of baby that they have been developing for the last 40 years!

You can also follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!

– Megan

**BurritoBuzz received these products at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for a positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences and we never guarantee a positive review.**

My Tiny Little Monarch: Tantrums 101

Published on August 1, 2016July 31, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

We love my daughter’s name, but I am starting to question if it was a good choice. It means “Queen” and good Lord, she definitely plays the part! I have accepted that tantrums are just part of our day for the next year or two from what I hear from other parents. She is almost two and a half and the power struggle seems never ending.

Today’s meltdown causes are as follows: milk at breakfast was not delivered in a timely fashion, baby brother was touching empty milk cup, it was time for breakfast and she wanted to play with the puppy, breakfast was yogurt and not cereal, I got out blocks instead of puzzles, her requested water was in fact water, lunch (she just didn’t eat lunch today), and last but not least, daddy left for work. Okay, she can flip out about that one, because I don’t like him leaving either!

It really does feel like the tantrums are never ending, with no way to fix the problem. Let’s face it, half of the time we really don’t know what the problem is.

I have been dealing with tantrums for quite some time now. My daughter obviously has them and I have been responsible for many tiny little ones, who always seem to be on the brink of an emotional breakdown. In my experience, the tantrum stage doesn’t really go away until they are around four. Even then it’s pretty likely that a preschooler will have some pretty regular freak outs.

How do we stop them?

How do we make it better?

How do we prevent them?

First off, let me start with this: tantrums are normal. They are actually expected! If you don’t have a two or three year old that loses it from time to time, then you are very, very lucky, my friend!

Not every tip I am going to list will help. There is no perfect fix or one right way to deal with your toddler’s big emotions! Do what you feel is best for you and your family.

The logical part (frontal cortex) of our brain doesn’t fully develop until we are 25 years old. A toddler physically can’t reason and react appropriately without being taught (over and over). Furthermore, there is a great deal of research that shows it is completely normal for a toddler or any person to have an angry reaction to what they perceive as distress. “Neuroscience has shown there are circuits that are activated for anger and aggression in response to different triggers,” says R. Douglas Fields, Ph.D, author of Why We Snap. “It’s part of the brain’s threat detection mechanism. The key concept is this anger and aggression exists to fight, and exists for violence because we need it.” Until that cortex is fully developed, it’s our job as parents to teach our little ones how to have feelings and what is appropriate. So if you didn’t know what caused the tantrum, you do now.

Where do we go from here? My kid is still on the ground screaming.

It is so easy to take the angry road. Believe me, been there, done that. And I don’t always keep my cool! Count to 5. Take deep breathes. Do whatever you have to do to stay calm before you dissipate a tantrum. If it is the 314th tantrum today and you just can’t deal, then be sure your child is safe from harm and walk away for a few minutes. If you are at this point in a public place, find a restroom, dressing room, quiet corner and set your child down, turn around and clear your head for a minute. If you are angry, chances are you aren’t going to discipline your child the way you should. Not only that, but your child needs you “to be the calm in their storm.” If you are just thunder and lightning to their little rain storm, you are just going to make it 100 times worse. Angry actions are easier than calm ones.

Everyone has a bad day sometimes. What do your friends and loved ones do for you when you have a bad day? If they are kind and gracious they ask how they can help, they level with you,and let you know it’s okay to be upset or they tell you that you are in the wrong and help you get through it. Either way, the logical answer for any type of emotion is never “stop it”, so why would be expect that from a two year old?

Bend down, sit down on the floor or kneel – You need to be eye to eye with your tiny human. Towering over them is scary and intimidating. When you get on their level, you are more likely to have a better outcome.

Touch them – Hug it out, tickles and laughing, or simply put a hand on their arm. Your child longs for your touch. Not all toddlers love being held or snuggled all day (mine would let me some days), but your touch has a powerful part in soothing the situation.

Validate the situation – “I understand…” are your two magic words. Name and validate your child’s feelings. For example: “I understand you want to play. You are sad that we have to go, aren’t you? It’s okay to be sad, I am sad when I have to leave sometimes too.”

Don’t try and use logic.
Focus on the feeling and emotion that is happening. Find your child’s niche to get through their emotions.
Be a role model. Your little one needs to know that it is okay to have feelings. As a parent, you are there to help them through their emotions. A child will never properly learn what actions should go with their feelings if you, 1. Don’t let them have them, and 2. Don’t help them through the emotion.
“Use your words, I want to help but I don’t understand screaming” – This phrase right here works so well in my home! Your child still might not get what they wanted in the end, but they will feel like you care and that you are listening.
- If your child is on the younger side and just starting tantrums, be sure to still say “use your words”, but help them along a little more. Generally, if they are on the young side, they at least can say some words and phrases like “yes”, “no”, “more”, “gstop” etc.

Talk about an upcoming daily event. “It’s almost dinner time, how about you help me get the plates out?” Asking a child to help, whether they’re really helping or not, makes them feel important and generally changes their mood. If they aren’t old enough to help or there isn’t anything to help with, distract them with a new activity.

Let’s imagine that it is time for lunch, you turn off their favorite cartoon and they start the usual tantrum. Chances are, your child isn’t old enough yet to understand the difference between “off for now” and “gone for eternity”.

If the producers of Grey’s Anatomy ended my show at this point in time, I would probably turn red and have my own little hysterical meltdown. Not only does your child not quite understand why, but they physically are agitated and don’t know how to communicate that.

Remain calm. Show that it is not an acceptable way to show they are upset and try to diffuse the situation.
Take a picture. Make yourself calm down first! Insensitive? Yes, probably a little, but remember that no parent is judging you and that it will pass. You don’t want your child to learn that if they embarrass you enough, that they will get what they want.
Get down on their level, make contact, validate. – Consistency! React in public the same way you would at home. Yes, it might be nerve wracking and hard, but eventually the tantrums will be further and further apart.
Wait it out in a quiet place. Find a dressing room, back corner of Target, wherever and whatever works.
Try your hardest not to leave. Your child needs to learn how to behave in public settings. Not only that, but you have to learn how to discipline in a public setting! Sometimes giving in is the easiest way out and sometimes just plain not dealing with it is also, but the tantrums aren’t going away so it’s best to learn to get through them.

Awareness – Respect your toddler. Talking to your toddler like a human is important. You wouldn’t trap your husband in car, not tell him when dinner time was or not let him have play time. So, while you’re doing things, talk. “We are going to the store and after the store, we are going home for lunch.” Children thrive on structure and the awareness of that structure!
Conquer the power struggle by staying consistent. In our home, we follow simple steps.
- Speak once
- Allow child to listen
- If they don’t listen, repeat what you said
- If they still don’t listen then the parent moves.

If it is something like “stop throwing the toy,” then I take the toy and remind her that it is not okay to throw toys, because she could hurt herself or someone else. If the throwing continues, then she goes to time out. We always say “when you’re done yelling at me, you can come back and play” and generally timeout is short-lived. And there are no long term consequences.

Be sure your child is fed and has had water, is clean & dry and has slept well. My daughter is a nightmare if any of these are off. God forbid we eat 15 minutes later than usual. Poor child gets hangry! So, just be aware of the circumstances to prevent a tantrum. If you are running late and it’s dinnertime when you leave the store, then just simply say “I know you are really hungry, I am too, but don’t be sad. We are going home to get some dinner.” Again, make your child aware.
Praise everything! Your child yearns for it and they will work for kind words. Mommy or Daddy being sad can be the worst thing to them and generally they will try to make it better!

Toddler tantrums will happen. Your child is not a “brat” or “bad” and it is not a personal attack on you as a parent and it definitely doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It is normal, exhausting and discouraging, but you can get through it! Be sure to have plenty of adult time and always remember that each day is a new day. Your toddler barely remembers why they were mad five minutes ago, much less yesterday. Start every day with a smile and stay strong. The tiny crazy monarch will one day leave your home, and you will be left with an awesome kid and a whole new outlook on that mom staring at her two year old on the floor, kicking and screaming ,at the grocery .

❤ Amanda

A new way to grocery shop: Walmart Grocery Pickup

Published on July 26, 2016July 20, 2016 by KirstynVelez- www.BurritoBuzz.comLeave a comment

Grocery shopping is the errand that all parents dread (I do at least). It never seems to go smoothly, there are always crying children (sometimes mine), and it’s just overall stressful. It’s like there are set scenarios that always play out: the toddler falls asleep one red light from the store parking lot, a diaper explodes in aisle 9, or there is a choir performance from the older kids full of repetition of “I’m bored”, “can I get this?”, “can I go to the toy section?” or “are we almost done?” It can never be a simple, quick trip to the grocery store. Until now.

I saw a posting about Walmart and their new online grocery pickup on Facebook and had no feelings toward it either way. I didn’t see myself grocery shopping online and then have someone else load my groceries into my car for me. I don’t even let the baggers at Publix or the Commissary take my bags to my car, so why would I let someone else do my grocery shopping, bag all of my stuff and bring it out and load them in my car? It seemed like the ~~lazy~~ easy way out. But then it clicked. It’s not lazy, it’s convenient. I work 40 hours a week, get off at 5:30pm and have a 40 minute drive home every single day during the week. If I stop to grab groceries on my way home, I typically don’t get home until almost 7:45 – 8:00pm on a good day.

They don’t offer online pick up at the store in my town yet, but they do in the town where I work and where my mother-in-law lives. We just so happened to be heading to her house on a Sunday and I happened to need groceries, so why not give it a try?

Let me start by saving you $10 off your first order. Use promo code RCMUR0YA (that’s a zero not an “o”) at checkout on your purchase of $50 or more and you will automatically save $10!

It was a rather simple process. I went to Walmart Grocery online, put in my zip code, signed into my walmart.com account and viola! It allowed me to choose my store, secure a time slot to pick up and then add items to my cart. You can search through the “store” by department,

or search for the items you know you need by name. I quickly added items to my cart (it shows the total in the corner and there is a $30 minimum) and when you’re ready to check out, you simply put in a credit or debit card number, check out and then you receive a detailed list of your order and pick-up instructions via email.

The instructions were quite simple. In short, “Go to the grocery pickup location. We will call you 15 minutes prior. Call us back 10 minutes prior to your arrival and again when you get here.” It even showed me a cute little map of the store and where the parking locations were in the parking lot which were marked as well. It was that simple.

So I called 10 minutes before and again when I got there. Not even 5 minutes later, two sweet young ladies brought me my groceries and I never even had to get my kids out of the vehicle. I received a “Welcome” bag containing some grocery and health care full size samples such as After-Sun Aloe wipes, Sea Salt Covered Raisins, Cucumber Ranch and some other goodies. They loaded the items into my car, I signed the delivery receipt and I was quickly on my way. I hesitantly added produce and eggs to my list and surprisingly had no issues. They showed me my eggs before placing them in my car and my bananas were handled with care and not bruised.

I did figure out that if the store is out of stock with the item you want, they will offer you a substitution at no extra cost, if available. I wanted a 1lb bag of Gala Apples, but since they were out of stock, they gave me a 3lb bag of Gala Apples for no additional cost. Also, if they don’t have the item or a substitution, they immediately issue you a refund for that item.

Overall, if I had to give a star rating, it would be a 5 out of 5. Quick, easy, convenient and so worth it. I would definitely recommend it to busy moms if it’s available at your local Walmart!

– Kirstyn

Baby Spring Float by SwimWays {Review}

Published on July 17, 2016July 14, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

I have been prepping like a mad woman for our end- of-summer vacation! Taking BK#1 &#2 on vacation is not going to be an easy task. I have been diligently researching and trying to make sure we have all the essentials to make this an enjoyable and fun vacation! I might be wound a little tight, but my anxiety kicks in and I kinda loose it thinking about a 10 hour car ride, miles of open play areas, sleeping arrangements, making sure we don’t forget anything, oh and safety!

Obviously, I have been looking into beach safety, but I have really been worried about the pool! We don’t have one at home, so my babies aren’t around them often. Besides that, they are 1 and 2! Rules don’t mean a whole lot to them right now! When I came across the SwimWays Baby Spring Float (Whale), I was so relieved! Most baby floats have a weight limit that my oldest child exceeds and usual pool floaties are only safe when your child is at least 30 pounds, so my toddler can’t use ones like the Puddle Jumper! SwimWays covered that 20-30 lbs gap that most floats don’t.

About the Spring Float:

No weight limit.. within reason. Don’t try and put your 4 year old in it.
Ages 9-24 months
It comes in different color patterns and they are all adorable!
Low seat provides secure center of gravity
It has their patented “inner spring” for better stability in the water.
Flat area around them to put toys on or to splash without flipping into the water.
Folds flat and compact for easy storage and portability – it’s perfect for travel! I was going to wait and post this review in my Beach Babies post, but it’s too awesome not to share now.
Very light and comes with a mesh storage bag.
Some styles comes with removable and adjustable sun canopy.

This float is priced fabulously! Only about $18. The construction of this float is superb and I’m sure it will hold up for a long time! Even though the price point is affordable, they didn’t skimp on quality.

While doing research on it, I found some people were upset because water got on top of the float. I didn’t have this problem, but I did see some photos where people didn’t blow up the little air pockets. It is designed like a pop up kid’s play tent, but you still have to inflate it! Be sure to follow the directions when you use it.

I am very happy with the Spring Float and it is definitely a must-have for summer! Keep a look out for an update on this post. I will probably add some more pictures when we use it at the beach!

– Amanda

**Burrito Buzz received this product at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for a positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences and we never guarantee a positive review.**

{Jellycat} My Favorite Baby Shower Gift

Published on July 7, 2016July 6, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

I adore all things baby. I mean, who doesn’t? Baby clothes and toys are just adorable 100% of the time. When we had a shower for BK#1, we received our first Jellycat and I fell in love! Above is our little Jellycat collection.

Woodland Fox Woodland Owl Bashful Hippo Bashful Monkey

These are my favorite stuffed animals and the cutest ones I have ever come across. They are a cross between a beanie baby and a super plush stuffed animal. The hands and feet generally have the beanies and the rest is an amazingly plush body. I love that they are all an A-line design. Meaning that the neck is generally smaller than the rest of the body, making it really easy for a younger child to hold. They are the perfect size for a little one to carry around.

They are all suitable from birth!
Made of polyester, filled plastic pellets and all have plastic eyes
Spot clean only
They’re available in multiple sizes and styles. All of ours are 12 inches.

Besides being very lovable, Jellycat made them even better and matched them up with their own board books! Each character has its own book. They are all little sensory baby books, but BK#1 is two now and still asks me to read them on a daily basis!

I also have never had a stuffed animal that has held up this well! Technically, you aren’t supposed to wash them but we all know sometimes you have no other option. The monkey in the picture has been washed more times than I can count and it still looks and feels like its new! I honestly should buy a second monkey to have a backup because I don’t even want to think about what would happen if BK#1 didn’t have it to sleep with.

The price is based on the style and size but they are generally around $15-$25. The books are usually $12.50 but sometimes you can find a sale on Amazon or at your local boutique!

Visit Jellycat.com to see all of the styles and products that they carry.

If you have a baby sprinkle or shower coming up and can’t decide what to buy, a Jellycat stuffed animal and book set would be the perfect gift!

– Amanda

Gun Safety In The Home

Published on July 3, 2016July 3, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

Self-defense is a very big part of my family’s life. My husband is in law enforcement and keeping our family safe is extremely important to us.

There is a lot of debate about gun control right now, but I am not going to get into that here. Owning a gun is your right and your choice. If your family makes that choice, it needs to be an safe and educated choice! BurritoBuzz is not taking a stance on your gun rights. This is merely an informational article.

I am personally not an expert. These safety tips are just from my family’s safety practices, years of education and experiences.

Twelve steps to safely have a gun in your home.

Always use a safe. Your safe should be specifically made for guns and it should only hold guns, you should have a completely different safe for personal belongings. Even if the kids know there are guns in the home, they shouldn’t know where the safe is or have any type of access to it even if they are within age of teaching gun safety. There should always be parental supervision even when teaching.
Gunvault GV1000S Mini Vault Standard Gun Safe This is a simple hand gun safe that we have. I really like it for two reasons. One, you can bolt it anywhere you want to conceal it and two, you don’t have to fumble around for keys. (There is a key provided, but not necessary to open)
Learn how to properly handle a firearm. Whether you take a CCW class or a small class at your local range, you need to learn about your personal gun to ensure proper safety and use make sure you are knowledgeable in your specific firearm.
Practice. You have a gun for emergencies. It is not going to do you any good if you don’t know how to handle it properly. I’m not saying you have to go to the range every weekend, but you should go at least once or twice so you feel comfortable having it in your home and now how to properly handle it.
Ease of access. The gun needs to be secured in a hidden safe but somewhere where you can get to it easily.
Teach everyone in your home about firearm safety. Read up on Project child safe and get here their free firearm safety kit!
Always unload and clean your gun after every use. Any firearm should also be cleaned on a regular basis even, when not in use, to keep it clean from dust and to prevent any rust.
All guns should be treated as if they were loaded. When not actually in use, remember to point it in a safe direction and be sure it is unloaded.
Keep your finger off the trigger.
Always keep your safety in place.
Your children and “Gun play”. It is a very real activity. Even if you don’t have any play guns in your own home, be sure to teach your children the difference between toy guns and real guns, because they may encounter “gun play” when you’re not around.
Talk to your children at a young age about gun safety. Teach them to do the following if they see a gun: “Stop. Don’t Touch. Find an adult to tell.” My husband carries a gun on him at times and my two year old knows not to touch it when it’s attached to daddy (or ever for that matter). Even if you aren’t going to have your gun around your children, please teach them those three steps. It is a simple lesson and it may save a life.
Check state and local laws for storage, transport, and securing requirements. Here is a great overview.

As parents, we are always worrying about our children. We are always worrying if we are doing the right or wrong thing for them. No matter how you do it, I can assure you that if you are taking steps to protect them, you are doing the right thing no matter how you choose to do protect them. If you choose to have a gun in your home, please do it safely! Guns are not toys or collectables. I will be sure to post more about gun safety at the end of this post. The more you educate yourself about this topic, the safer you and your family will be!

– Amanda

Husband & Wife Tells All: Dollar Shave Club

Published on June 16, 2016June 16, 2016 by Amanda4 Comments

I am sure you have seen the commercials and ads on Facebook. $1 a month for razors! I am frugal most of the time, and when my husband told me we could save $30 a month (we were spending on razor blades for him), I was all for it! We started a subscription, and then I realized I could cut out buying my ridiculously priced razor blades, too! My husband and I had an interesting experience with the product, and we want to make sure our readers know what they could possibly be getting into.

Introducing my lovely husband. Drumroll Please.

Hello!

Dollar Shave Club offers three different blade subscriptions, and then subsequently 3 different bundles with creams and lotions you can choose from also.

I chose “The Executive” option. I always used the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power Men’s Razor Blade Refills 4 Count before and it had 4 blades, so I figured would have be better than what I was using, and it was still cheaper!

Where I work, I have to be clean shaven so I go through a lot of razors shaving daily. The price was fantastic compared to the razors I was using, and I didn’t have to worry about running out since they came right to my door. It was a no brainer.

The first month you get a sample of their creams, your handle, and a little welcome packet. Every month following they send your 4 blades, and a “Bathroom Minutes”.

The packaging is definitely geared towards men, and always has little funny comments printed on packaging.

For the first few months I loved it! Amanda saw how well they worked and stole herself a few, so we started a double subscription.

After a few months I started breaking out REALLY BAD! My mild adult acne flared up so bad, and rash-like bumps anywhere that I shaved. I was sure to change my blade once a week, and was even changing more often. After about a month of trying to figure out what the cause was, I did a little research. I talked to friends who used DSC, and found that they had experienced the same rashes and ultimately stopped their subscription.

I went back to my Gillete and within in days I had clear skin again.

Great concept, and maybe better if you don’t have to shave daily, but the razors didn’t work for me. 3 out of 5 stars. A razor has to be able to used daily without causing issues!

~ Husband

Okay it’s Amanda again.

I was having zero issues when he was breaking out, and I have very sensitive skin. I can’t even use shaving cream/gel or I break out in hives. Allergic to all the things, I tell ya.

And then it happened. I broke out in hives. I thought someone gave me razor burn and then chicken pox at the same time. Burning, itchy bumps! WHAT? I normally wouldn’t take a picture of my legs, and then share it with you all, but I knew I would want to tell you about it. So this is what I looked like after shaving.

This lasted for hours. I had to use some of my prescription skin cream to get it to calm down, and I chalked it up to old razor blade/or razor burn. Two days later I shaved my legs and the exact same thing happened.

We didn’t share blades obviously (gross), we just popped our own blade on, and switched the handle back and forth. We didn’t need two handles. Its not like we shared a blade and then shared whatever rash he had! The only thing that I can think caused the rash on both of us, is maybe the company changed something about the blades or the little strip on the blade.

I am really disappointed because I wasn’t having to buy my $22 Gillette Venus Embrace Refill Cartridges – 6 ct , and for 2 months, they worked great!

If you don’t have sensitive skin, or you really don’t have to shave that often it might be better for you! They really are great quality razor blades, and the subscription is great. There are no hidden fees, and delivery is always very prompt. This company is gaining a lot of attention, and becoming really popular. I just hope they find out what is causing the random rashes on their customers, because it wasn’t just my husband and I.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars if you want to know how I rank it. The name is Dollar Shave Club. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot, but I was really confused when all of a sudden the blades were causing issues. Hopefully changes can be made.

~Amanda

Munchkin Xtra Guard Latches {Review!}

Published on November 11, 2015November 10, 2015 by Ryan + Kate Photography1 Comment

Kitchen safety: super important. Between cleaning supplies, random chemicals (dishwasher detergents, especially,) hot surfaces, sharp objects… it’s definitely the place to spend some time baby-proofing. My kitchen was fairly straight-forward: a few things moved into new spots out of reach, and a few cupboard latches.

What I was most worried about was our oven. New ovens are decently lightweight and easy to tip, especially if the door is pulled open. My LO loves to climb on everything right now, and he really likes to use the oven handles to push himself up.

I had heard of children being severely injured or killed by falling furniture. Most of my tall furniture is secured to the wall, however, our oven door was a conundrum to me. A quick search resulted in these multi-use latches by Munchkin (there are several other brands, as well.)

These have adhesive that sticks firmly, but can also be peeled off without too much of a struggle. One adheres to the oven door, and one to the side of the oven (you can also use these on microwaves, refrigerators, etc.) Each square clip has buttons on each side that push in to release the latch. This then swivels into a vertical position, out of the way of your door. Really, a simple yet great design.

The ease of use makes it easy to cook without becoming frustrated by all of the baby-proofing. My husband and I use this daily, and I think that it’s one of the easier security items that we’ve purchased.

A two pack of these will run you around $7. And while I watch my 9 month old in the kitchen at all times, it’s helpful to know that if he pulls on the oven in the wrong way, he’ll be safe.

-Katie

Levana Lila Monitor {Review}

Published on November 5, 2015November 5, 2015 by Ryan + Kate Photography2 Comments

I spent a decent amount of time reading reviews before putting items onto my baby registry. Of course, everyone has a different opinion so I tend to go with the general consensus. I (mostly) like Levana products, but this Lila monitor is the exception.

The monitor has mixed reviews. It’ll run you around $120, and can easily be found in most stores and online retailers.

I, of course, wanted a video monitor that wouldn’t cost $400-$500 (crazy.) While my son slept in our room for the first 6 weeks or so I definitely wanted to be able to keep a close eye on him when he moved into his own room (he had severe reflux and had several choking episodes when he was itty bitty.)

This monitor was a giant disappointment.

–It interferes with any wifi signal and cuts out. I HAVE to turn my wifi off on my phone at night for the camera to work (since it sits docked right next to my phone.) I can’t change my wifi settings, so I guess I’ll continue to run up my cell phone data since the monitor is incompatible with the waves. (Come on Levana– most households have wifi, so this just isn’t acceptable.)

–The picture is rough, at best. The night vision is good, but the monitor REALLY struggles when it’s not dark enough for the night vision and not bright enough to create a good daytime photo. It’s grainy and has a pretty poor picture.

-The interface is clunky. Like, if Windows 98 were a baby monitor, this would be that monitor.

-Cheaply made. My stand broke just from your typical every-day use (mostly, sitting on my night stand not being moved.) Getting a spare part from Levana? Good luck. I emailed WEEKs ago and was informed that it would be around a 6 week wait. So now I have my Levana monitor duct taped to stay up. #ThanksLevana When typical, everyday, baby products break so easily, the customer service should be much better. If you don’t have the stand, offer something else.

–Battery isn’t great. I plug mine in all day, and keep it plugged in all night. It lasts for the time I need to have it and carry it around with me during naps, but otherwise, don’t expect to leave it unplugged for more than a few hours.

-Changing the brightness on this camera is really awkward. It loses all contrast if you up the brightness.

–Cord is too short to be able to mount this high on your wall. We had to rig this with a strange extension cord to get it in the corner of the nursery.

The Pros: Price was OK. Also, I love that the monitor will stay on continuously, or it has 3 levels of sound that it will turn the display on for. The mount works well, and the camera has a decent (manual) swivel for wherever you need to aim it.

I wouldn’t recommend the Levana Lila. Levana has some really great products, but this is not one of them. Save your pennies and buy a different monitor.

-Katie

Mixing Babies and Fur Babies

Published on November 2, 2015November 12, 2015 by Ryan + Kate Photography1 Comment

Many years before having our son Lucas, my husband and I adopted our cats, Edgar and Basil.

Our cats are mellow, and they’ve enjoyed the quiet of our home.

Alllll that changed once Lucas was born. We knew it would be a huge adjustment for them, and really started to plan for introducing the new baby to them. Their entire world was about to be disrupted by a tiny human that needs constant attention— their days of cat nip every day and warm milk in a dish were numbered.

When we brought our baby home, we let the cats first smell his blankets and clothing to get used to his scent. We then put our newborn in his infant seat and let the cats approach and smell him at their own pace. The transition went really, exceptionally well.

I should note, we were even more concerned because both of our cats have feline herpes. You heard me. While it’s not quite as gross as it sounds, it still sucks. Edgar initially had it, and transmitted it to Basil. Thankfully, they can’t transmit to humans. Essentially, when they get stressed they get eye infections that require an expensive ointment. If you’ve never put ointment into a cat’s eye before, count yourself lucky. So, #firstworldcatproblems, I have to worry about my cats being STRESSED. HA. We painted our living room once, and it stressed our cats out so badly that they were both running around with eye infections (our vet told us any small change can trigger it.) Thankfully, bringing our baby home didn’t stress them out and we were eye-herpie free.

When we put our son in his nursery to sleep for the first time (around 8 weeks old,) we made sure to keep the cats out until they understood that they were NOT allowed in the crib. Until we were comfortable with the cats in the nursery, we had a baby gate up that was too high for them to jump over. To this day, we’ve only had a cat jump into the crib once (and I think it scared him so badly that he’ll never do it again.)

One of our cats, Basil, does like to push the nursery door open. We’ve (mostly) solved this problem by spraying him with a squirt bottle when it does it.

BUT, more importantly, now that our son is old enough to understand the word “no” we are teaching him to be gentle with the pets. We never allow him to chase them, tug at them, or get in their faces. I have let Lucas pet the cats with an open hand and tell him to be “soft”.

Our animals are gentle animals. But they are animals. If provoked, they will likely revert back to their instinctual cat selves and hiss or scratch if they feel threatened.

When I see photos of small children pulling on dogs, or up in their faces, I instantly get anxious.

No matter how much you love and trust your pet, keeping your child safe is your first priority. Animals are unpredictable, and whether you think you know your pet or not, it takes a split second for their demeanor to change.

Here are some basic guidelines that we abide by with our pets, and with other pets that our son is around:

Make sure all pets have had the proper veterinary care. Keep your pets healthy, and keep their nails short to avoid scratching.
Do not leave your pet unattended with your child.
Do not allow pets to cuddle with infants that are not old enough to move away if they are being smothered. (We don’t allow our 9 month old to cuddle with our cats anyway.)
Pets can be extremely dirty. Keep your animals clean. Don’t allow them to get into the habit of licking or putting their paws on your child (especially their face.) Our cats use litter boxes, and for that reason I try to keep Lucas from touching their paws.
Keep animal things out of reach of your baby (food, medications, litter, etc.)
Start teaching your child as soon as possible not to provoke animals, and that they should always be handled gently.
Keep large animals from sprinting through your household and injuring your child in the process. (I’ve been hurt more than once by a large dog that is too rambunctious.)
If all else fails, keep your animals contained to a part of the house that your children are not in until they can be properly socialized.

The ASPCA has some great resources on co-mingling babies with cats and dogs. The Humane Society also offers some great advice.

I’m a huge animal lover, and as such, I want my family to be a cohesive unit where our son can hang out freely with our pets. Precautions are key to avoiding issues and injury. Know that this is an adjustment for all of you, and that it sometimes just takes time and understanding.

-Katie

Mama Bear Mode

Published on October 20, 2015October 20, 2015 by The Essential Life 3652 Comments

I’ve always been the type-A, extremely organized, prepared for everything type. Not doom-and-gloom by any means but, prepared. We live in a hurricane-prone area (read: batteries, candles and water fill an entire shelf of my linen closet), I’m addicted to extreme couponing and my dad had a gun in my hands shooting pop cans in the backyard by the time I was 7. See? Prepared.

Becoming a mom changes you. There was a time after I got pregnant that I had to stop watching the evening news. I just couldn’t take a new story every night of a home break in with children in the house or a pregnant mom being attacked.

I’m not a pessimist but I am most assuredly, a realist. We need to keep ourselves and our littles safe. Whether you’re a SAHM, single mom, military spouse..it doesn’t matter. There will come a time when you are alone. It could simply be while out running errands for a few hours or for months on end during a deployment. With the holidays rapidly approaching, many of us will be traveling, stopping at sketch rest stops, and leaving our homes unattended.

Whoever you are, whatever life you lead, it is always wise to take steps to protect yourself and the ones you love.

So how do we do that? How do we keep ourselves safe?

1. Protect Your Home

Home Security System– Not all of us can afford a hard core cops-show-up-when-the-cat-moves-at-night home security system. But what I can afford is a quality door and window alarm kit that will send out a piercing alarm if someone tries to open my doors or windows. This one will run you about $20 off of Amazon. It’s simple to install, battery operated, allows you to use a pin code to arm and is LOUD! If you live relatively close to your neighbors, they’re going to hear it and guaranteed it will really freak some thug out if they’re trying to get in.
Outdoor Lights– My neighbor told me about these awesome light bulbs for your outdoor lights. They are solar-censored meaning they only come on when it’s dark and turn off when the sum comes up. If you’re traveling, these are perfection. You just screw it in to your fixture and leave the switch turned on, the bulb does the rest. About $7 on Amazon. You can’t beat that.
Indoor Lights– It probably wouldn’t be necessary unless you’re traveling but it’s not a bad idea to pick up a few lamp timers. You plug your lamp into the unit and plug the unit into the wall. Set the times you want the light to turn on and off. This way when you’re gone, your house isn’t pitch black at night but a light isn’t being left on 24/7 either. They sell them at any big box store (Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc.).

2. Protect Your Car– I think it’s safe to say that everyone knows the basics: ice scraper, gloves, Fix-a-Flat, extra phone battery. All of these are wise to keep in your car in case of an emergency. Let me tell you about one extra item you may want to look in to called the Road Trip Emergency Auto Tool. I recently became OBSESSED with a company called Damsels in Defense. I’ll talk about them a little later but they make this great product in one compact unit that is the ultimate car emergency tool. It is a strike-free glass breaker (so you touch it to the glass, press the button, it shatters the window) in case you need to break your window. It has 3 different LED light settings

3. Protect Your Littles– And they are just that, little. The majority of us at BurritoBuzz have babes that are still too small to understand “stranger danger” and all the other things we teach our children to keep them safe. For now, we can set the example of behaving properly and safely in public for our LOs until they can better understand.

You can also check in with your local sheriff’s department and register your children in the Ident-A-Print program. Every sheriff’s office should have some form of missing child program that will allow you to register personal information your child so that in an emergency, the police can get identifying information out as fast as possible. They can even issue you a handy little card to give to the officers if, God forbid, you are ever in such a situation and can’t possibly think straight enough to tell them your missing child’s height. This will help.

4. Protect Yourself– Now, like I said, my Daddy had a firearm in my hands at a very young age so that I could learn how to safely and effectively handle a weapon. This option is not for everyone. Regardless, you should always have something on your person that can protect or draw attention to you should you be confronted.

Back to that company I’m obsessed with, Damsel’s in Defense. They make incredibly effective, reasonably priced, cute personal protective items for women. I carry their Pouch O’ Pepper Spray, a keychain that snaps shut to keep little fingers out but holds a powerful pepper spray with me at all times. I also love their Wristle. It’s a paracord bracelet that can unravel to be used for a number of situations as well as a high pitch whistle. It’s $10 and it’s cute. I swear I don’t work for these people but seriously, every product they sell is legit.

As mothers, we are given the task of protecting the most beautiful gifts on this planet. Unfortunately, it can be a nasty world out there. And that puts us into Mama Bear Mode. Take daily, proactive steps to secure yourself and your family. Make sure this holiday season is only filled with memories of family and love.

-Chelsea

Tips and Tricks for the Baby Wearing Beginner

Published on October 10, 2015October 20, 2015 by AmandaLeave a comment

20150807_172536 — Sleepy dust for momma and baby!

There are so many reasons to love wearing your babies. You may want to leave that bulky stroller at home or go somewhere a stroller won’t go, you may like rocking your baby to sleep and want to make it easier, you may like to get things done while keeping your baby happy and seeing what’s going on, or you may just love keeping your baby close. Or, like me, you may have babies that just refuse to be put down some days.

Enter babywearing! Whether you do it all day, every day or only a few times before your child outgrows it, it can be a little overwhelming when you are looking at all the different types of carriers while also memorizing all of the safety measures. So I thought I would share a few of the highlights for those of you that are new to baby wearing and aren’t sure where to start! A lot of these are really important and while I am not an “expert” on baby wearing, these are simple, yet serious to wearing your baby in a way that is healthy and safe for both of you!

1.Research before you buy.

Baby wearing can become sort of a fad, especially when people get swept up in certain brands etc.! I am constantly seeing pictures on Instagram and Pinterest of moms wearing their babies in a popular wrap or carrier, but not in a safe way. Again, I’m no expert on baby wearing, but did a lot of research before wearing my baby for the first time and I feel that that was so important. I was able to get many opinions, research stories, and read up on the most important safety measures to take with each type of carrier. In the same way that a first-time parent should read how to appropriately put together a crib or install a car seat, it’s important to read up on the safest way to carry for both the parent and the baby.

2. Know your carrier.

There are so many carriers on the market that it can be confusing. Think about for how long and how often you want to wear your baby, as well as whether you are likely to feel confident wrapping up a carrier or have a preference for buckles or rings. There is a good breakdown of the types of carriers here.

3.Safety first!

Always, always, always babywear safely! Follow the TICKS guidelines.

Tight. Baby should be close to your body not dangling with loose fabric.

In view at all times. This is for younger babies in front carriers. Make sure they are not under layers of fabric where you can’t see them.

Close enough to kiss. Keep your baby’s head close to your chin. If your baby sits too low it can be really easy for their breathing to get blocked and is also really terrible for your back! If you have your baby wrapped and a person standing in front of you can’t see the baby’s head, then that is also a pretty good clue that you have wrapped/carried too low.

Keep the chin off the chest. Make sure baby’s head is not being forced to curl down onto it’s chest which can restrict breathing. This is mainly important to watch for when carrying a newborn that doesn’t have any head control yet. If they do have their chin on their chest it means that their airway is smaller than it should be, so make sure that baby is lifted and resting their head comfortably.

Supported back. For both the carrier and the baby.

4.Be sure the baby’s legs are in an “M” Shape.

I have found that there are pretty mixed opinions when it comes to carrying a newborn (mainly in a wrap), this tip particularly applies as baby starts to grow. For us, I decided to skip the “newborn carry” after a week or so and move straight to the “classic carry.” The newborn carry is basically when you bend your newborn’s knees before placing them in the wrap and their legs stay in the wrap so that they look like a frog. Recently, I have read a lot that carrying like this is not the healthiest way for baby and can actually contribute to hip dysplasia. I also want to mention, that the classic carry seems much easier to get used to, especially because once you learn how to do it quickly and efficiently, you don’t have to learn again–baby will always be carried this way.

5.Have Patience.

20140928_153833 — BK#1 ‘s first year apple picking! DH taking too many pics …”are we done yet?”

When it comes to wraps and even some SSC, there is a learning curve. Don’t expect to be able to master every carry on your first try. I have to stop and re adjust several times while wrapping. Luckily, my babies love it and have patience with me while I learn new carries. Front carries are the easiest to master, so start there.

6.Youtube

Look on You Tube. There are hundreds of videos showing different types of carriers being used and the easiest way to get them on and off. Type in the brand you have or want to look at and I promise you will find a ton of how-to’s!

7.Happy Baby

The first time you use a carrier make sure your baby is happy! Trying to figure out a back carry with a size 7 wrap for the first time with teething toddler who hasn’t had her nap spells disaster and won’t leave either of you with a good feeling about it.

8.Talk to someone who has done it before

Chances are you know someone who has more than one carrier and would be happy to show you some tips. People who love babywearing usually want to share the joy (hence why I’m blogging here).

9.Enjoy it!

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are coddling or spoiling your child. There is nothing wrong with doing something that keeps your baby happy and content. This usually keeps Mama happy and content! You can get all of your housework or shopping done, or play with older siblings while a baby naps in the carrier. You can leave the stoller at home when you travel and you can enjoy more time smooching the top of your baby’s head. You won’t be wearing them in a sling to school. Promise.

10. Babywearing isn’t for everyone.

Variety is the spice of life, right? Not everyone in the world is going to love wearing their baby. And some people may need to try a few different kinds before deciding on one that will be their go-to. But if you or your baby just aren’t into it, that’s okay!

Hopefully these little tidbits are helpful and makes wearing your baby a fun and easy learning experience.

~Amanda

DIY Crib Rail Guards

Published on October 5, 2015October 20, 2015 by Ryan + Kate Photography3 Comments

Just when you think you have everything in your house baby-proofed, your LO starts chewing on the crib rails. Paint, yum. My husband and I actually purchases a convertible crib that will transition into a toddler bed and then into a full-sized bed. So, we want this thing to last because it really wasn’t cheap.

We made a quick trip to Babies R’ Us this past weekend, only to find that covering three rails with the guards is about $75. No thanks. As if having a baby isn’t expensive enough, I’m definitely not paying $75 for cloth to keep my teething monster from chomping on some paint.

And, as much as I love Pintrest, I really am NOT a DIY person (unless it saves me some cash.) In this case it saved me a ton! I made a run to JoAnn Fabrics and picked up some Moroccan fleece print that matched my LO’s room perfectly (and it was on sale for 50% off.) So, score 1 on the sale. And score again on the print, because the ones that were $75 at the store were just an ugly canvas beige color. I probably spent $12 on fleece and had some left over (I’d recommend getting 2 yards.)

So here are your steps. The entire project takes about 45 minutes, and there is absolutely no need for perfection. All of the ties you cut will be hidden once double-knotted.

First, measure your section, and cut a piece of fleece that is that length. In width, you should have approximately 3 inches hanging on either side past the bottom of the rail (these will be your ties.)

Seriously, don’t worry too much about cutting straight. Do have a good pair of scissors so you don’t end up with threads hanging all over, though.

Next, leave your fabric right there and cut out where your rails are.

NOTE: At the end, you might have to NOT cut a space to make an extra tie. Your ends should BOTH have ties (otherwise you’ll end up with a weird piece at the end that isn’t tied down.)

To make the other side of the crib, I just laid my pattern down and cut a copy into another piece of fabric.

Once your fabric is set, drape it back over and double knot each tie to it’s match! I knotted loosely the first time to make sure I didn’t have to redo anything, and then went back and tightened each knot afterwards.

So there you have it! Love these, and they match my LOs room so well!

-Katie

I hate it.

Published on September 30, 2015October 20, 2015 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

As parents, there are a lot of things that we hear and shrug off (because let’s be honest, we might not agree with what’s being said, and it just isn’t worth the argument.) This is not to say that I don’t appreciate the good-will of others, because I firmly believe that others just want to converse and help as much as possible. Mothers of all generations can identify with the struggle of being a new parent, and genuinely want to be of some assistance.

One phrase, however, that I’m not particularly fond of is “we survived it”.

For instance:

-In talking about babies no longer sleeping with anything in their cribs (blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals, positioned, etc.) I have heard, more than once, “my baby was fine.”

-In talking about seat belts and car seats: “We never wore seat belts, and we’re fine.”

-In talking about eating GMOs (scientifically proven to have adverse consequences): “we eat it and we’re fine”

-In talking about old toys that may be coated in led paint: “our kids played with them and they’re fine”

ETC.ETC.ETC. Seriously, this could go on forever.

But here’s the thing: you may be fine, but obviously some child wasn’t, or it wouldn’t have been changed. When someone contracts Ebola and lives through it, they can say “I’m fine, I survived” but does that mean you are okay with contracting Ebola? NO. Perhaps a brash comparison, but as a civilization we are constantly modifying, improving, and revamping. And why would it be any different when it comes to the safety and well-being of our children, the most important age group of our population?

The simple answer: No child should die from faulty products. It just shouldn’t happen. If you quickly Google “baby recalls” you will come up with an unending list of recalls, from top brands nationwide. When my child’s car seat is recalled, you’d better believe I’m the first in line to call and get a replacement.

My child’s safety is of the utmost priority. Just “surviving it” isn’t an option.

Criticize me all you’d like, scoff, mock, think I’m crazy… But I’m always always going to do what is in the best interest of my child. And the crazy part? The generations thinking we’re crazy for all of the baby products we have or don’t use were probably told the same thing by the generations before them… “we survived it”. Yeah, my car seat is super padded. Yeah, I’m using safety straps for the large furniture that could fall over on my baby. Yeah, I’m not using the crib bumpers “that everyone used” back in the 90s.

So parents, let’s just remember that when our children are grown with children of their own, we aren’t going to criticize the latest baby products. I think we all could just use a break and some breathing room.

-Katie

Travelling with a Baby {Painful Truth Edition}

Published on September 27, 2015October 27, 2015 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

Oh man guys. I know I need to tell you all about this while it’s fresh in my mom-brain, but even thinking about it brings back a flood of stress and anxiety. If you’re a parent looking for tips that will help you travel with your LO: I warn you. This will both help you, and make you want to barf. #Sorry

We embarked upon a 12 hour, multi-state drive with my parents this past week. I really thought I had prepared for everything. Beach cabana for baby, travel DVD player, toys, blah blah blah. And let me tell you, no amount of prepping for this trip could actually PREPARE my mind.

The Trip Down
1. We decided to leave at 2AM. My LO goes to bed at 8, so we figured “great, he’ll sleep and we’ll sleep, and we’ll wake up to leave and he’ll stay sleeping.” Wrong. He was up and ready to party. Our pediatrician told us that we really needed to get him out of the car seat about every 3 hours to move around. HA. Do babies actually last that long in a car seat in the first place? So, the trip down was marked with many stops, lots of crying, and the occasional hour of constant entertaining to avoid screaming. (Photo is of my LO’s “comfortable” sleeping. He put the book there on his own.)
Once at Our Destination
1. Our condo had a pack n’ play and high chair provided. Sounds good, right? No. Just no. Though the condo was immaculate, the baby amenities were old, worn, and really kind of just sketch-city. Thankfully, I brought my own quilted pack n’ play sheet. If you’re traveling and have space, bring as much as you can. Bring your own pack n’ play, and something your LO can sit in to be entertained by (something you can fold flat for travel is ideal.)
2. Don’t bring extra of everything. Bring enough to get you there, and then go to the grocery store for any food, diapers, wipes, etc. Same for the trip back: take what you need.
3. The beach isn’t fun with a baby. Plain and simple. My LO had an interest level of ZERO in actually playing on the beach for more than an hour. And the ocean? HA. No. So we made short trips down to the beach, mostly to save our sanity. We used our baby carrier and walked along the coastline often. Definitely the best/most relaxing part of our trip. (Photo is of me on the beach, with Lucas in his Tula.)
4. SUNSCREEN. Tons of it. Also, swim diapers. You’ll be happy you can just tear the sides and throw them away when you’re done. I kept my LO shaded most of the time, so the swim suit with SPF was really a waste of money (considering you need to get the kind with “rash guard”, a thing I didn’t even know existed until last month.)
5. Plan trips where you can use your stroller. If your LO is like mine, they love being carted around and seeing new things. We took our little umbrella stroller, and it was perfect. Malls, aquariums, places where you can move freely.
6. When going to restaurants: go to places that are loud. Your LOs giggles, grumbles, and cries will be masked and others won’t be irritated with you. Also, bring a few toys, sanitary wipes to clean the high chair and table, and their food (my LO ate puffs often to keep him entertained.) Let them play with things at the table– our LO was entertained forever by a crumbly napkin.
The Trip Back
1. I was now a survivor. I prepared myself for the trip home. I learned from my mistakes. This momma was NOT going to lose her sanity again.
2. We left a day early. This gave us two days at home to just get back into our “element” before having to go back to work. Best decision we made. Sure, we lost out on a day’s worth of condo rent… but totally worth it.
3. We left at 8:30 AM. LO was fed, diapered, and in a good mood.
4. I kept the atmosphere calm the entire trip. This helped not to get him super worked up, just to be stuck in his car seat for 10 more hours.
5. We sat in the farthest back seat, where I could be right next to him.
6. Toys. Just a few toys that are good for travel. Nothing to big that will be a hazard if a wreck should happen.
7. We avoided the portable DVD player and just had some constant, steady music going.
8. When he got tired, I wrapped him in a blanket and gave him his binkie. He slept much more the trip back than the trip down.
9. All-in-all: our trip down was infinitely more successful. No stress, and our LO did great.
To the Moms
1. I know you want to look good. Especially if you plan on date nights. BUT, take my word on this… find ways to just look casual and cute, or you’ll end up looking Like Suzanne Somers after a sweaty episode on Dancing with the Stars. Your LO will interrupt your beauty routine, and you’ll have makeup everywhere and end up half dressed.
2. I took a few casual summer dresses, which worked out great. I twisted my hair into “mom buns” so that later in the day my hair would have some natural wave to it.
3. Keep the makeup simple. Less is more.
4. Take advantage of the time your LO is sleeping to do what you need to do for yourself.

Our Travel Bag Included:

Several onesies, for approximately 2 outfit changes per day. A sweater for cold weather. 2 pairs of shorts. 2 pairs of pants. Socks. 1 pair of shoes. 2 pairs of pajamas.
Bath Chair that folds flat for a suitcase (Summer Infant)
Bath supplies: wash, powder, lotion. Diaper ointment. Nail clippers. A few small bath toys.
2 baby blankets.
Quilted pack n’ play sheet.
Several toys. Our favorite was the Leap Frog drum
Food necessities: Travel spoons (I like Plum Organic’s) Bib that can be wiped off, any bottles or breastfeeding supplies. Take your own formula! And if you prefer organic food for your baby, research your options prior to travel. We found plenty of organic supplies while on vacation.
Extra diapers/wipes for travel, (but we bought most of our supply while there.)
Medications. Tylenol, saline, Advil, gas drops. Our LO was teething, and we ended up using Tylenol several times.
Teethers, if teething.
Video monitor. Our LO went to bed before we did, so this was great to keep an eye on him, and didn’t take up much space in our luggage.
Sound machine. Our LO doesn’t typically use one, but he wasn’t used to the new sounds and the close proximity (he slept in our room, when he typically sleeps in his own at home.)
Beach: Cabana or umbrella, sunscreen, swim diapers, hat, portable fan.

Best of luck, travelling parents! May the force be with you.

-Katie

Crawlings Review {For Little One’s Knees}

Published on September 26, 2015October 27, 2015 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

My LO started crawling recently, and now that he’s on the go… he’s REALLY on the go. I can look away for a second and he’ll be across the room. All that crawling really brutalizes their little knees (and their kneecaps don’t really fuse into the kneecaps we know with hard spots until they’re a year old, crazy right?!) So my little guy has been crawling around on all kinds of surfaces, but mostly on our shag carpet. Poor guy has some RED knees.

Crawlings makes knee pads for little ones, and they’ll run you about $23. A little expensive for my personal tastes.

So we gave them a shot. They are easy to put on, and have little slots in the backs of the knees to keep your LO from getting some stanky-sweat-knee-grossness. Lucas was cool with them at first, but slowly I noticed they were moving up off of his knees. Then he started really fidgeting with them, and they ended up being more of a hindrance than a help. I think they might work better for an LO that really picks their knees up all the time instead of dragging them across the floor. They’re really a great idea, and we’ll keep trying to use them. Hopefully he gets more accustomed to them.

Pros: Good idea. Cute, comfortable, great designs. Good materials, sturdy. Really a good idea for those with hardwood/tile floors.

Cons: Pricey. Not all babies will adjust to them well. They migrate up and down the leg more than they should.

Here my guy is toting around his knee
pads:

-Katie

Stupid POS

Published on September 18, 2015October 25, 2015 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

Alright. I know. I’m a mom; I shouldn’t use foul language. Verbally, out-loud… I don’t very often. But in all honesty, my brain is constantly spewing out the most vulgar sentence fragments. Typically, my vulgarity is stemmed from idiot drivers, stubbing my toes all too often, forgetting that I have the wash in, and too-expensive groceries (like, $10 for cat litter? My cat shits in this. Like, my cat is shitting, in my money.)

Most recently, my anger is fueled by inefficient, poorly-made infant/child products. Hello. This item is for a child; could companies MAYBE take some time and ensure that they are good quality? I’m consistently amazed by the number of infant product recalls.

And I’m going to tell you, the infant product that brought me the most anger only cost a few dollars. I’m guessing many of you can identify. THIS, demonic Safety 1st Baby On Board sign. No matter what you do, this thing is NOT going to stick to your windows. I can’t tell you how many cars I’ve seen with this sign taped onto a window because it won’t stay up. I bought several of these 1. Because I want emergency responders to know that I have a little one in the car should anything happen (the original intent of these signs.) 2. I want moronic drivers to know that I’m not speeding up to satisfy their psychotic speeding, and that I have precious cargo that I’m transporting around.

So this thing should stick. It just should. How hard is it to make a safety sign that stays where it’s supposed to? Evidently, it’s rocket science. So new mommas– don’t bother. This thing sucks.

I went searching for other solutions. I found a magnet that could go on the back of my car, and in all honesty I’m just not a fan. Car magnets can leave fade marks around the edges if you don’t move the magnet often enough. And, there are people that walk around taking car magnets off of cars for the fun of it. (Like, get a new hobby assholes.) Really, I’m just not the “car magnet” type of person.

So finally I found a window decal. Cheap, effective, and looks as decent as a baby warning can look. I quickly ordered two of them from ebay (just search “baby in car decal” on ebay or etsy and you’ll find plenty of sellers to buy from.)

Here it is on my car. Cute, right? (For my husband’s car, I simply peeled off the heart on the “i” to make it slightly more masculine (lol.) So this comes on paper backing, with a clear front to peel off. You peel off the paper backing, put the decal on, press down over all of the white decal, and remove the transparent page. The instructions say to pop any air bubbles with a pin, but I found a much simpler solution by taking my credit card over the decal to push out any air. So far, it’s held up really well. The directions say that they last 4-5 years easily. It peels off just like tape would when you want to remove it.

I used windex and dried the glass completely before application. In all, both decals took me a total of maybe 3 minutes.

So parents, save your money and vulgarity, and go buy these decals instead of the Safety 1st suction cup version. You’ll be happy you did.

Order one here on Etsy.

-Katie

Keep Calm And Carry Epinephrine!

Published on September 17, 2015October 25, 2015 by AmandaLeave a comment

The only words I need to see are “wheat flour” and “may contain peanuts” and the product gets put right back….depending on the child I’m buying for.

You might read labels to check how many calories you’re eating. I read labels so I don’t kill my children. I’m sure caloric intake would be far less frowned upon.

K has a severe peanut allergy. It’s manageable because it is often very clear what has peanuts and what doesn’t. I never leave the house without her epi-pen and she too knows to read labels.

C’s allergies started out in infancy when he had an adverse reaction to dairy…the red dye 40, gluten, tomato and corn allergies didn’t hesitate to follow… I knew nothing about food allergies and was so upset that my little baby would never be able to eat some of the best foods around! I began making a lot of his food and purchasing anything that had the words “gluten free” and “dairy free” plastered on the front of the package. Of all of his allergies, his gluten intolerance was by far the worst. The littlest trace of gluten would disrupt his digestive system in such devastating ways. He would get so sick he would become dehydrated and refuse to eat or drink anything. He cried in pain. I could tell in my LO’s eyes that he didn’t care about the food, he wanted the pain to go away. When he started to get a little older, and we frequented restaurants more and more I began to wonder what people with a gluten allergy eat at restaurants! Everything seemed to have some sort of sauce, bread, seasoning or dressing on it and even the simple request of “on the side” became a daunting task because it was often messed up. It was frustrating.

So I compiled a list of resturants who off Gluten Free menus. You will have to ask for it (if they don’t have it already listed) and you will get weird looks but it works. You and your LO can go out to eat like a normal family and eat (semi) normal food.

Here’s the list:

Applebee’s

Chilis

Red Robin

Claim Jumpers

Ruby Tuesday

Olive Garden

Baja Fresh

Moe’s Southwest Grill

Chipotle

Bonefish Grill

Red Lobster

Outback Steakhouse

Longhorn Steakhouse

Mellow Mushroom

P.F. Changs

Wendy’s

Arby’s

McDonald’s

KFC

Panera Bread

Subway

Denny’s

Starbucks

Coldstone Creamery

Dunkin Donuts

I hope this helps!

-Kirstyn

Reflux Tips that Helped Us

Published on September 17, 2015October 25, 2015 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

Our LO was diagnosed with reflux & silent reflux at just a few weeks old. The first few weeks of his life were marked with frequent clothing changes, totally sleepless nights, switching formulas and medicines, choking episodes, and Googling all night to see how other parents survived and got their LO regulated and comfortable. We spent a solid month or more trying to get Lucas comfortable so that he could sleep for more than 2 hours in any one period of time. Some of the things that helped us:

Be ready to make feeding changes.
1. Expect that if you’re breastfeeding, you will likely be on an elimination diet. Your doctor can help you coordinate this to figure out what to get rid of first; most often, the first step is eliminating dairy. Be open to supplementing in some formula if necessary– some babies have reflux that requires soy, neocate, alimentum, nutramigen or otherwise.
2. Also, if formula feeding, expect to test several before you find the right one for your LO. We ended up using a sensitive solution formula during the day, and Enfamil AR with added rice starch at night to really prevent any of that silent reflux so he could sleep. It was the safest solution for us, since we weren’t ready to venture into oatmeals or thickeners.
3. When using a formula with added rice starch, you will often need to add in some kind of juice to your LOs diet to keep them regular. For us, it was 2 ounces of apple juice mixed in the bottle in the morning and again at night.
Talk to other moms, doctors, and nurses.
1. RefluxRebels is a great place to start. These are moms battling the same issues day in and day out. For us, it was our go-to. http://www.refluxrebels.com/
2. Call your doctor. And call again. And again. Sometimes their solution won’t be the right one for your baby.
3. Talk to the nurses. Often they’ll be more candid and willing to tell you what other moms have done to help.
Incline incline incline!
1. After your LO eats, hold them upright. Most recommend 30 minutes, but I found 10-15 to be enough (and really, it’s difficult to stay awake for an additional 30 minutes when you’re sleep deprived. By the time you feed your LO, hold them upright, and get yourself back to sleep… you’re getting maybe 45 minutes of sleep.)
2. Invest in something to keep your LO propped up when sleeping. I highly recommend the Fisher Price Rock n’ Play, but other options include the Dex Wedge and crib elevation, and an inclined bassinet. I’ve written up product reviews of both on this site. There are also hospital-grade products that help keep your LO inclined in the crib… none of which we tried. Most are beyond expensive, and we were lucky that other inclining options worked well for us.
3. Get a baby carrier. I recommend the Tula of the Ergo 360. It’s an easy way to keep your LO upright and still get things done. I wear my Tula all the time.
Get the facts, and don’t be afraid to medicate/do testing.
1. I was exceptionally skeptical when my pediatrician said we needed to medicate. Medicine for a tiny baby? Ah! I just didn’t know. I did so much research, and finally decided that the benefits outweighed the risks.
2. Keep in mind, most reflux medications are weight sensitive. Meaning, if you think you’re LO has gained some weight, call in and get the prescription changed.
Buy clothes that are easy to change.
1. Zipper outfits for days. One piece, easy to change. You’ll go through many in a day.
2. Burp clothes? Try the cloth diaper clothes that come in packs of 10 instead. Larger, more absorbent. Gerber makes great ones that you grab at Babies R Us http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12378513&cp=2255957.2273443.3242082.4083668.4083670&parentPage=family
Invest in some good bottles, even if breastfeeding.
1. Keeping air out of a reflux baby’s tummy is so important. Many moms choose Dr. Brown or Mam bottles. (We prefer Mam.)
2. Even if EBF, many moms choose to feed from a bottle that is designed to help the refluxers.
3. Get a lot… as many as you can afford to get. Sometime reflux babies “cluster feed” where they’ll want small meals many times close together. Other times their reflux pains make them think they’re hungry. Either way… lots of babas.
Know your limits.
1. Being a new parent is hard. Being a new parent of a baby with reflux is totally draining. Know when you need a break and take it.
2. It’s hard to leave reflux babies in the care of others. They have routines, very specific important routines. They also have choking episodes. It’s so so crucial to have at least one person that knows the routines and the ins and outs of your baby. Have someone come over for a day or two and spend the entire day with you guys to learn the ropes. (For me, this was my mom. She knew Lucas as well as I did, and could handle anything he threw at her.)
Know that reflux is beyond your control.
1. You can do everything right, and sometimes you’ll still end up in the hospital. Your LO can “fail to thrive” or stop eating, or just be totally beyond consolable. Remember that you are still a good parent and doing everything in your power to help them.
2. Snuggle those babies. Sometimes they just need to be held. They don’t understand why they don’t feel well, and sometimes some extra snuggles just help to keep them content.
Eventually, it will stop.
1. It might not be this week, or next month, or within the year, but eventually your LOs reflux will stop. For us, it was 6 months. For others, it’s two years. Rest assured, this too shall pass.
2. Use all the resources you need to get through it. Everyone constantly told me to stop researching online, but in reality my research was what finally got my LO regulated and comfortable. Sure, it makes for some sleepless nights, but as parents we just want to help our babies as much as possible.
Reflux and food allergies can go hand-in-hand…
1. Unfortunately, reflux and food allergies are often synonymous. Our LO had a lactose issue, but as you’ll see on the forums– the food allergies are limitless.
2. This doesn’t mean your LO will ALWAYS have a food allergy. Our pediatrician advised us that most infants with lactose problems will outgrow it by the age of 2. Only about 10% continue to have sensitivities.

Good luck, mommas! It’s a hard road. Network and talk to others, because it’s the only way that we got through reflux with any sanity left.

-Katie

The Snuza!

Published on September 17, 2015October 25, 2015 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

I hate when people say “oh, you’re a first time parent. You won’t stress as much with the second.” 1. That implies you know I’m having a second, which is silly considering you don’t know my mindset on having a second or my reproductive ability to necessarily have a second. 2. You assume that I wouldn’t care about a second as much as I cared about my first. I totally get that adding more children means adding more chaos, but I want a happy, healthy child no matter the circumstances. *Steps off soap box.*

So, as a parent, I wanted to take every precaution possible. We all are told about SIDS and “back to sleep” to keep babies on their backs when sleeping/napping during the day. It’s absolutely terrifying. We do everything in our control to keep our babies safe… and you’re telling me my baby could just STOP BREATHING for not good reason in the middle of the night?! AH! So, I did some research and found that there are several things to help us parents sleep without worry. There are hospital grade baby monitors, but they are expensive and usually require a medical condition to obtain. I had heard of an AngelCare monitor– essentially a pad that lays under you LO as they sleep to monitor breathing. The reviews are mixed, at best, with customers saying that the monitor pad doesn’t cover enough surface area.

So, I continued on with my search and finally stumbled upon the Snuza. A tiny device that clips onto your LOs diaper, under their clothing. It has a soft silicon end that rests against the baby’s belly and monitors each breath. The light on the Snuza flashes each time your LO takes a breath, pretty cool. There are two versions: The Snuza Go! and the Snuza Hero. The difference? Once the Snuza detects no breathing motions for 15 seconds the Hero will vibrate to alert baby before sounding the alarm. The Go sounds the alarm immediately after 15 seconds. The Hero comes in slightly more expensive at $119 vs. the $86 Snuza Go (via Amazon http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=snuza).

My mom purchased the Go! for us as a Christmas gift. It was possibly one of the best gifts we received. $86 for some peace of mind? Yes 100 times over. Our LO came home and immediately began wearing his Snuza at night and during naps. The biggest risk of SIDS is within the first 30 days, and then the first 6 weeks (the SIDS risk reduces greatly after 6 months.)

-Our LO never coslept. Was never sleeping with blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, crib bumpers, or loose clothing. Always laid on his back to sleep.(All of which our pediatrician advises against. I am not a doctor, and as such… I go with my pediatrician’s advice on most things.)

-Always slept in something sleep approved (crib, pack n play, or the Rock n’ Play.)

Our guy had reflux pretty horribly. We were constantly fearful of him choking, and with good reason. It happened twice, and they were the scariest nights of our lives. Before we started inclining our guy to help with the reflux, he laid flat on his back and choked twice. We got to him in time, and while scary, he was okay each time. We were so steadfast in making sure he wore his Snuza every night, and we are so thankful for the extra security it provided us.

We used our Snuza until Lucas was about 4 months old, at which point he was rolling all over and the Snuza came loose too often. Thankfully, by this point he was outgrowing his reflux and could lift his head with no issue. We were comfortable and confident at that point in packing up the Snuza.

A few times, we did get a false alarm. Talk about hopping out of your bed quickly… nothing compounds chaos like a beeping alarm and a screaming baby. We quickly got this figured out, and realized that making his diaper tighter kept the Snuza in place successfully throughout the night.

Snuza batteries are pricey, but you can get them on Ebay instead of ordering them through Snuza. I’ve seen many reviews saying they have a short battery life, but we didn’t have to change ours even once. We ensured to turn it off after each use.

The company does offer an extended warranty free to anyone that reviews their product. Pretty cool.

The Snuza comes highly recommended from this household.

First time parent or not, some peace of mind is definitely worth $86 in my opinion.

-Katie