Mom Advice – BurritoBuzz

Flying Squirrel. A New Kind Of Sleep Sack by Sleeping Baby. GIVEAWAY!

Published on January 30, 2017January 29, 2017 by AmandaLeave a comment

sleepingbabyburritobuzz — …notice blanket all the way at the end of his bed!

Every night I sneak into our baby’s room to re-tuck him back in and ensure his room is warm enough. Some nights I used to even turn the heat up in the house just to make sure he was warm. The winter months are brutal here in Ohio and our little one makes it worse by NEVER staying covered up. I always thought sleep sacks, and ‘toddler sleeping bags’ were unnecessary and ridiculous looking. A cozy fuzzy blanket is MUCH cuter. We are well past the stage of not being allowed to have extra bedding in his bed, so swaddles and sacks shouldn’t be needed, right? WRONG. BK#2 HATES being covered. He appeases us, snuggles up with his lovey, lets us cover him with an adorable Aden & Anias dream blanket, and then the second that we walk out of his room he pushes it to the opposite end of his crib. Really kid?!?!

Thus, began the search for the perfect toddler sleeping solution. I really wanted a way to help my baby sleep without waking, because he was cold, but he is much too old for traditional swaddles. I found some awesome sleep sacks, but the fact that they are a sack makes him pretty mad. He was getting used to it, but I kept on searching to find something to keep him warm AND happy.

I FOUND THE BEST SOLUTION FOR ALL AGES!

Sleeping Baby has the perfect products for infants transitioning out of swaddles, for toddlers like mine refusing to stay covered and warm at night, for preschoolers needing a sleep solution for nap time at school, even teethers, and necklaces for mom!

Sleeping Baby is AMAZING COMPANY with an even better story. They truly have a heart for their customers and LOVE what they do! They started their company making something to transition their daughter out of the traditional swaddle and created the revolutionary Zipadee-Zip, that was discovered and aired on Shark Tank! I could go on and on about this couple, because they are truly an inspiration to all parents to follow your dreams and to do what is best for you and your family, but I really want to talk about the FLYING SQUIRREL so I encourage you to read all about it here!

WHAT IS A FLYING SQUIRREL?

They are an extension of the Zippy because they’re the same basic shape, but have option openings/covers for the hands and feet.
The convertible hand and foot covers (like a new born onsie’s optional mitten flip overs )are to to keep your little one extra cozy and warm without the need for socks. Seriously, ADORABLE! BK#2 hated the mitten option on his hands, but it gave me all the feels remembering the itty bitty baby onsies. I am going to keep trying and maybe he will indulge me and let me cover his hands!
It comes in sizes 2T-5T.
Fleece or SUPER soft cotton option. We received the cotton material. – I suggest the cotton for spring and the fleece for winter months. (I put a set of PJ’s under the cotton material, because it wasn’t as heavy for winter as I normally would use.)
At LEAST a dozen prints for each gender, and many are gender neutral!
Zipper coverings! The top of the zipper is always enclosed and there is a layer of fabric covering the zipper on the inside to ensure you don’t snag your baby or their clothes.
They run big and look at little baggy on your child. That is how they are supposed to be! Don’t worry! You want your baby to be able to move around freely in their bed AND if gives the product more longevity! All parents know that baby gear lasts for no time at all.
They wash up wonderfully! They stay super soft and buttery, and the print doesn’t fade one bit!
Fairly priced at $36.95 . This might sound a little high for “pj’s”, but for sleepers and sleep sacks its just right and around the same price as SIMILAR products on the market. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE THIS DESIGN AVAILABLE!

WE LOVE THE FLYING SQUIRREL SO MUCH WE ARE GIVING ONE AWAY!!

How to enter:

Follow @burritobuzz on Instagram
Follow @zipadeezip
Like ORIGINAL POST
Comment on ORIGINAL POST with your child’s gender and size you want to win!
Extra entries: Tag a friend! (One tag per comment please!)
Giveaway will start January 30,2017 at 8:00am EST and will end at 8:00pm EST on February 1, 2017. We will announce winner February 2^nd!

GOOD LUCK!

To stay up to date on all their new products be sure to follow Sleeping Baby on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube! They have giveaways every week and are always sharing useful information!

~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 with a product and we never guarantee a positive review.**

Make it a December to Remember

Published on December 1, 2016December 1, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

Does anyone feel like they are on the brink of losing it? Like, all the time? This is what I have always wanted to do. Stay home with my babies, and take care of my husband, my kids, and my puppies. I wanted them to be my everything and for me to be theirs. And yet, now that it has actually happened, I still feel like I’m on this theoretical ledge all the time.

Amazing day or bad day, that ledge is right there. Just staring at me and threatening my sanity. Not everyone is as aware of that ledge as I am. Some people are, some parents have anxiety, too. I guess my question is, exactly how many? How many of us walk around trying our best and are still scared s***less 90% of the time? I pray, do yoga, have everything just right, and I am still wondering what else I could be doing.

Are they sleeping enough? Because I know I am not.

Do they watch too much TV?

When should they start preschool?

Is all the work I do while being a “stay at home mom” defeating the purpose of being here?

Did they hear me swear when I stubbed my foot on the table leg?

Will this be the horrible day that they remember when they are 40?

Did I encourage them enough?

How are we influencing them when we don’t know it?

Is my house clean enough?

Are they sick this time because I didn’t wash the bathroom enough?

What about the potential mold? Yeah, I should rip out the wall to check.

Are we making sure they see enough of their family members?

Am I spending enough time for myself so I’m the best I can be for them?

Did they hear the attitude in my voice when I was talking to my husband?

It. Never. Stops. Ever.

Why did noone tell us about this? This never ending parent dialogue that is in our heads. Big things, little things, intelligent things, stupid things?

I have days when I feel like we are the best parents ever. We are doing everything right and giving them a better life than we could have ever dreamed of. There are also days when I wonder, “How can it possibly get worse than this?” Both toddlers screaming, both parents sleep deprived and snippy, both staring at each other like “How did this even happen?”…. and the puppy pees on the floor and runs through it.

My point? You are not alone.

No one. Parent or not. You have someone. And if you don’t feel like you do, then you certainly have someone you can talk to in me, and in this amazing little BurritoBuzz Community we have created.

During this Christmas season, I am challenging myself, and you, to treat yourself better. Take a step back and really look at what you have. I mean really look!

My kids might never sleep, but I have amazing kids to wake up to every single morning.

My husband might have a crazy schedule that I hate, but he is more than I could have ever dreamed of for myself and works so unbelievably hard for our little family.

My dogs might make my house messy, but they bring an extra level of love into my home that I just couldn’t ever replace.

My house might be older and need fixed from time to time, but we have a home, and a pretty perfect one at that.

I might have to go shopping before we have dinner, but we have money to go shopping with.

Bedtime is always a fight, but my kids enjoy life and don’t want to miss a single minute.

Turn your life around by flipping your attitude. Your life is no one else’s responsibility other than your own!

Parent or not, your attitude, your stress, your anxiety, and your outlook on life can only be changed by you.

It is Christmas time! Cinch that belt, because we all ate too much last week, love yourself as much as you can, and love everyone around you. Stop beating yourself up, tell your subconscious to cool it, because it’s time to snuggle up on the couch and watch Christmas movies with your kids on repeat for the next month!

– Amanda

Who was I before “Mom”?

Published on June 14, 2016June 14, 2016 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

Sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and think “when did this become me?” Who is this woman with bags under her eyes, split ends, yesterday’s yoga pants, who forgot to eat breakfast but always always remembers to prep her coffee the night before? WHO is this woman that can’t remember the last time she bought clothes for herself, had a haircut, or watched a movie without stopping it 6 times? Seriously, who am I?

Having a baby changes you in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine. Physically, my body has endured all kinds of chaos and will certainly never be the same. Emotionally, I’ve learned that my needs happily come second to those of my son. My relationship with my husband has matured, my relationship with my friends and family has sometimes been strained or non-existent due to the demands of my work and home life. I very much live moment to moment.

I used to sit and drink tea with a book from the library. I went hiking, took pictures for fun. I played tennis (not very well), knew all the latest buzz on movies and TV. I did Jell-O shots with friends, had craft nights, and traveled to new cities on a whim.

I’m not sure I know that girl now, or even remember her.

Life has turned in to this chaotic, beautiful mess of jumping from one thing to the next. Waking early, going to work, making dinner, cleaning, giving Lucas a bath, getting ready for bed, sitting down to do more work on this super amazing blog or my photography business…

Planning, planning, planning. And lots of lists. And reminders to make lists (thanks, Siri).

I love being a mom more than I’ve ever loved anything. Ever. My son is my world, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I think about him every day, all day and most of what I do, I do so he can have a good life, with parents who love him and care for him in the best possible way.

But how do I get back to the person I was? I’ve realized that it’s not entirely possible. The truth is, that girl is gone forever most certainly. I can retain bits and pieces, but my life has been poured from a mold that no longer exists.

Life with a baby means slowly regaining parts of you that you lose for a while. And I can tell you, the first year of having a new child is a blur. I cared very little about things other than showering and getting a warm meal. But now that I’ve adapted to my new life, I’m transforming into yet another version of myself that can be a mom and still retain parts of my old identity.

So who am I now?

My life may not be centered around nights out and vacations and time alone with a book laying in my hammock, but I’m certainly having plenty of amazing adventures with my new little family, even if they’re sometimes just in my backyard or at a local park. I find time for me, even if it’s fleeting and infrequent. I incorporate my son into things that I used to love. We read together, hike together, listen to music and watch fun shows. And while it took time, I definitely finally feel like a new, better and blended version of my old self + my new mom self.

So the truth? You will never be yourself again. But, you’ll be a new, better version of you. You adapt and become something so much more amazing, even if that means fewer Jell-O shots.

-Katie