Joovy theBabaSling {Review}

July 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Remember how I told you there would be an upcoming review from Joovy?  Well, well, well.  Now is the time.  First I have to take you back to the beginning of May…  If you follow us at all on Facebook then you will remember that we were vacationing in WDW at that time.  (Yes, we busted Banjo out of school to hit Disney before the crowds got crazy.)  Joovy sent us theBabaSling before we left on our trip.

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I’ve always liked to do the whole baby wearing thing, so was ecstatic to take it with us on our pre summer vacation.  Plus, theBabaSling is uber chic looking, so I’d be styling.  But then I got to thinking that I wouldn’t use it all that much, because we were after all taking our Joovy Caboose stroller.  Cache would just sleep in the main seat of the stroller, Ruby would sit/stand on the platform, and Banjo would walk.  That was the plan.  And all went according to plan…

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For about half of our first day in the magical world of mouse.

At first all was right in the world.  Baby Cache just road along sleeping, Ruby was more entertained by jumping off of her seat on the “train” and running around before getting back “all aboard”, and Banjo was quite content to walk along with his cousins.  Then EVERYTHING deviated from the plan!

Ruby became a hot mess and didn’t want to ride on the platform any longer.

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She wanted to SLEEP.

Need I remind you that this was our very first day in the most magical kingdom on earth?  And Banjo?  Well, he grew tired of walking.  He grew tired very fast.

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What happened?  Where did we go wrong?  Well, for starters we should have purchased a Joovy Big Caboose Triple stroller before heading Orlando.  That would have been the solution.  However already being in Florida when we made this discovery… We didn’t have that option.  We will definitely know for next time.  But since I had the handy, dandy BabaSling all was right again in the world!

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The hammock style of the sling was perfect for carrying tiny Cache and the  comfort padding… perfect for my bum shoulder.  The shoulder I’ve had surgery on twice and I’m now a candidate for a total shoulder replacement.  What?  I’ve never told you about that before?  Yeah.  Remind me to tell you sometime all about my shoulder problem.  😉

This sling carried Cache all over the parks.

He was able to meet all the characters just like the big kids.

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Can you believe that Stitch actually sports a Dandy Giveaway logo???  😉

TheBabaSling comes in sooooo many beautiful and vibrant colors.

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As you can see from our vacation photos we have it in Scarlet Red.  I can’t tell you how many compliments I received on it while at WDW.  Too many to count.  One stranger just came up to me to say, “That’s a nice looking sling!”  Why, yes.  Yes it is.  🙂

Since Disney I’ve been using the BabaSling all over the place.  Particularly on the 4th of July at the lake.

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It was a long day.  The BabaSling put Cache right to sleep.

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It’s my hero.

*This posting and review are sponsored by Joovy, but all opinions are strictly my own.

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Getting bigger he is!

May 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The littlest one recently turned 3 months old.  On Easter Sunday we finally broke him out of confinement to attend church.  He had been out a few times since his birth, but NEVER to church.  I had just been staying home with him on Sundays while my Audi husband took the older kids.  There’s just too many people at those types of places.  Too many sick people.  Well, potentially sick people.  You get the idea.  I’m super particular about when my babies can be around the general population.  Especially when the date of birth is during cold and flu season.  It’s hard enough to keep the littlest from catching something from his older siblings so why quadruple the exposing him to hundreds of people at one time?  Now that you know that I’m a major germaphobe then I’m sure it’s not surprising that we didn’t having his blessing until he was 3 months old!  We had the blessed day on Sunday, May 4th and here he is in his white attire:

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He’s just getting so big!  With his little rolls of baby fat…  It’s like he’s not a newborn anymore and it makes me start to wonder if he will be my last newborn.  *sniff*  All of my babies have been formula fed.  That does tend to bulk ’em up.  This little guy is no exception.

I sincerely hope that I don’t get some major flack from the announcement that I just made.  About the formula.  Not that I have to explain anything, but I will.  😉   I most definitely know that breast is best and was devastated that it just didn’t work out the way I would have liked.  So maybe in some ways my proclamation will be beneficial to someone out there.  One of my readers somewhere.  Or a friend of yours.  My battle and decision to go with formula came not from a lack of trying.   I tried.  I tried hard.  I visited countless lactation specialists with baby Banjo.  He was not gaining weight.  It wasn’t working.  He was at risk for complications from not gaining weight.  After much deliberation and supplementation we decided to go to formula only.  I was stressed.  I wasn’t sleeping.  I’d try to nurse… Then I’d pump… Then we’d (my husband and I) bottle feed the breast milk… Then we’d bottle feed the formula… Then we’d clean the pump parts… Then the process would start all over an hour later.  I was exhausted.  My husband was exhausted.  It was a nightmare.  Going to exclusively formula for Banjo was a difficult decision, but it was a good decision.  It’s what worked best for our family.  If you happen to be in a similar situation… No one can blame you and you don’t need to blame yourself.  Everyone is different.  We all make different decisions.  Breastfeeding just doesn’t work for everyone and that’s okay.  I’m glad that there are options.  Options that are best for the baby.  So if I helped just one person today…  I’m glad that I made my announcement.

Now about Ruby.  Remember she was born a month early.  She struggled with feedings due to her own medical reasons.  We went to formula.  Both times I felt a sense of devastation.  I felt like a bad mother.  I had to Let. It. Go.  It took some time and I honestly didn’t get to enjoy being the mom of a newborn.  I felt stressed about the breastfeeding not working.  With this baby my husband and I both decided we weren’t going to go down that path again.  The baby is healthy.  I’m healthy.  My family is happy.  Sometimes we have to do what is best for everyone.  For the entire family.  We are good.

With the birth of a new baby came some gifts from my friends over at Joovy.  I love reviewing items for Joovy, because they have so many great items for baby!  Strollers.  Highchairs.  Slings.  Potty chairs.  You name it and they got it.  🙂    Joovy has now entered the world of glass baby bottles.  Just fyi… Joovy also has BPA free plastic baby bottles, but my heart belongs to the glass ones.  I think I’m just drawn to the look of them:

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And those fun silicone sleeves in a selection of different colors!  Isn’t it pretty?

What’s also so great about the Boob baby bottle from Joovy is the specially designed nipple.  Sure it works great for babies who are exclusively formula fed.  Like my baby.  But at the same time it’s perfect (I’ve heard from my breastfeeding friends) for babies who receive nourishment from both breast and bottle.  The baby doesn’t get confused going back and forth.  So the bottle is a win-win for all babies.  Pay no attention to the tired looking momma in the picture:

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My little guy is thriving and I’m grateful for the Joovy Boob baby bottle.  The bottles are durable and easy to clean.

As in go in the dishwasher easy to clean.

Going. Going.

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Stay tuned for another great product from Joovy…

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The BabaSling

*This posting is a review for Joovy.  I did receive the above products to conduct the review, but all opinions are strictly my own. 

 

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Saranoni Muslin Receiving Blanket {Giveaway} -CLOSED

May 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

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A new baby in the house is such a blessing, but always brings some new and interesting challenges.  Adjustments abound around here!  The two olders are getting used to the newest little and so are mom and dad.  🙂  Overall I think we are all transitioning nicely.  Sometimes.  Okay I’m not going to lie to you.  Some days are better than others.  Some days are hard.  Today was especially hard.  Who knew that three children would be so challenging???  I thought we had things all figured out and then wham-o we are back to square one.  It’s one big adjustment and it’s probably going to be this way for some time.  Will it get easier?  Sure it will.  For now I just need to take it a day at a time.  In addition to the big changes in our family number came other things that I hadn’t thought about in a while.  With the new baby came the need for additional baby necessities.  The essentials.  Things that baby absolutely needs to have outside of the womb.  Things like receiving blankets.  You can never have enough of those!  Babies go through blankets on a daily basis.  Practically more often than clothing.  So having the an adequate amount of receiving blankets… Okay an abundance of receiving blankets is a definite NEED.  That’s why when Saranoni offered to send us the below set of muslin blankets I jumped for joy!

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Isn’t he darling?

Saranoni selected to send the stripe and the solid blue that’s in the background.  And let me tell you… These blankets are a necessity!  Super soft.  I mean it’s muslin.  Super durable.  Double layers of muslin.  Super dandy.  Plus, the set is perfect color wise for my little guy.  Good choice, Saranoni!  🙂

In terms of muslin swaddling blankets there are actually a few options to choose from:

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Saranoni also has some other gorgeous blankets that look super luxurious:

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Basically I’ve decided that Saranoni can’t create an ugly blanket.  It’s not possible.  They are all just so, so cute and totally unique!

Who wants to win one???  The winner of this giveaway is going to receive his or her very own…

2-Pack Double Layer Muslin Set in Blue Stripes/Blue Solid.  Just like mine!  

(Enter on the Rafflecopter below.)

*This giveaway is open to US entries only.
*The winner of this giveaway will be drawn no later than the evening of May 12th and will be emailed.  If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.
*This posting and giveaway are sponsored by Saranoni, but all opinions are strictly my own.

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New family members!

October 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The end of July we went on our annual vacation to Lake Powell.  It’s in Utah/Arizona and always a family reunion of sorts.  ALL of us stay on a houseboat for an entire week and there are A LOT of us.

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This time around there were 28 of us.  Again… all on one house for a week.  Fortunately for us it’s a big houseboat.  🙂

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It’s always a fun trip, but this year it was also very eventful!  The second night we were all surprised when my niece’s boyfriend (who joined us at the lake this year…brave boy) proposed!  It was great news and we were all very happy.  After that how could the trip get even more eventful you ask???

Well, the very next day my brother-in-law and his wife received a phone call (on the boat) from the adoption agency they have worked with in the past.  They have been on the waiting list for quite a few years to adopt again and to no avail.  Out of nowhere a birth mother selected them to adopt her 10 month old twins!  It has been over 5 years since their last adoption and we were all ecstatic by the fabulous news.  So now in addition to their two girls they have another girl and a boy!

My friends over at Joovy wanted to be involved in the blessed union of adoption and welcoming the newest additions to our family.  They are the experts on baby gear and knew that twins require double the gear.

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Joovy was nice enough to send my brother-in-law and his wife a fantastic welcome home gift for their twins.  The Caboose Too Ultralight!

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Aren’t they adorable?  My sister-in-law said that it’s the perfect stroller for doubles.  It’s really light weight and the back seat can easily be converted to a tandem for when the babies are older.  Most importantly due to the positioning of the seats the babies aren’t able to pull each others hair!  We were able to officially meet the little cuties last weekend at the wedding of our niece.  They of course had their Caboose stroller in tow.   🙂

Oh and here’s a picture of the bride and groom with the happy parents of the bride looking on admiringly at all of their children.

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Love them all!

Thanks again Joovy for sending the stroller to my family and helping to congratulate them on their newest additions!

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Joovy Nook Highchair {Review}

March 10, 2013 by 1 Comment

How I wish this high chair had existed in 2008, because we would have bought it:

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Fortunately for us my friends over at Joovy sent us our newbie in 2013!

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I love how they take just such good care of me!  🙂

The high chair we purchased when Banjo was a wee babe has definitely not withstood the test of time.  If someone had told me that the plastic would turn yellow I would have listened.  Also, the seat of our first high chair wasn’t quality looking at all, so I should have known that it wouldn’t hold up.  But the Nook from Joovy?

Now it’s high quality and is quite stylish.  It’s sleek design fits perfectly in our little nook in our kitchen!

This beauty is definitely not just a highchair.  The seat is far too comfy for that!

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It’s not just a place to eat either.  It’s also an entertainment chair.

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Can you tell that Ruby love it, too?

My favorites about this sweet chair…

The cup holder and removable tray insert.

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Also, how with just the press of a button the tray swings open making my life so much easier when getting Ruby in and out of the chair!

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Plus, the leatherette seat cover comes off and can be put in the washing machine!

Yep so much to love about the new Joovy Nook Highchair.  It folds flat for travel:

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And like all the Joovy products the Nook comes in a bunch of fun colors:

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We love you, Joovy!

 

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Jellystone Designs {Giveaway} ***ENDED***

August 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Ruby is teething.  As I type this she is in fact not sleeping very well.  Audi has been holding her as we have been doing at night for the last week.  Just until she falls asleep soundly and then wakes up screaming again.  Poor baby.  Those 2 bottom front teeth decided to appear on our vacation within days of each other.  Fun time for us, eh?  Fortunately for us we are well equipped with this bangle from Jellystone Designs:

I know, right?  You are thinking, “A bangle???”.  Well, it’s not just any old bangle.  It’s BPA free, lead free, and non toxic.  Ruby can hold onto the circular shape really well and when she’s done with it I can just slip it on my wrist.  Making it the best teether, because it doesn’t get lost in the bottom of my diaper bag!  It’s dandy and handy!  🙂

All of the jewelry from Jellystone Designs isn’t just safe for your little one, but it’s also extremely wearable, too!   It’s got that trendy look with all the right now styles.  Check out these fun owl pendants:

 

And how cool is this necklace?

And this one:

 

All of the pieces at Jellystone Designs come in multiple, fun colors!  Want to own something from Jellystone Designs?  One lucky winner is going to receive an Organic Bangle in color Blueberry from Jellystone Designs:

*This giveaway is for only one bangle.  Not the two that are shown above.

 

*This giveaway is open to entries in the US only

*Winners are not notified through email, so you have to check back to find out if you won! The winner of this giveaway will be posted no later than the evening of Monday, August 13th. Be sure and check back then to see if you won, so you can claim your prize.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This posting and giveaway were sponsored by Jellystone Designs, but all opinions are strictly my own.

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Cats Meow Creations {Giveaway} ***ENDED***

July 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Two things about me:  1.)  I love designer handbags and  2.)  I love designer wallets.  So the thought of a diaper bag made me nervous.  Not because I would have to go without the designer bag.  I got a designer diaper bag.  🙂  But the contents of the diaper bag was what made me nervous.  For instance…  How was I going to find designer baby accessories to fill it?  Have you ever spotted a designer baby wipes case at the regular department store?  Nope?  That’s because they don’t exist at a regular store.  Now just because you become a diaper bag carrying lady doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your sense of style or need for unique accessories to fill it.  I’m going to tell you where you can get a designer baby wipes case.  Ready?  Are you sure you’re ready?  I know the suspense is driving you crazy, so there’s no need to delay this any further…

Cats Meow Creations is the place to get designer baby wipe cases.  And seriously they are all super cute!

There are…

Cases with popular geometric shapes:

Chevron is totally in!

 

Gorgeous rosettes:

  

 

Animal themes for baby girls:

And boys:

Aren’t they great?  You can get that designer look at Cats Meow Creations!

What’s more is there’s unique hair accessories:

All at Cats Meow Creations!

The winner of this giveaway is going to have a dandy time picking something out from Cats Meow Creations, because the winner gets to pick any one item from the shop!  Now that is super dandy!

 

*This giveaway is open to entries in the US only.

*Winners are not notified through email, so you have to check back to find out if you won! The winner of this giveaway will be posted no later than the evening of Monday, August 6th. Be sure and check back then to see if you won, so you can claim your prize.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This posting and giveaway were sponsored by Cats Meow Creations, but all opinions are strictly my own.

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Snuggy Baby {Giveaway} ***ENDED***

July 16, 2012 by 17 Comments

Having two children in our midst has been quite the adventure.  There’s so much to learn about being a parent to two kiddos.  Why did no one warn me about this???  I’ve decided that mostly it’s learning how to handle a baby and a 4 year old.  The baby is easy.  Ruby is, after all, quite the good baby.  She goes with the flow.  She doesn’t cry very often and smiles a lot.  However, having a baby still throws complexity into the mix when there’s an active Banjo around.  How could it be so different from before the baby?  I mean if she’s such an easy baby then there shouldn’t be a difference.  Well, before the baby we could keep up with the 4 year old.  Having a baby has made traveling anywhere to be majorly complex.  We had forgotten the days when our child wasn’t old enough to walk!  Sure Banjo still likes to take a ride in the stroller (if he’s super tired), but for the most part he’s off and running.  Basically leaving momma and baby in the dust.  Places where a stroller should be easy to maneuver have now become difficult.  The zoo.  The botanical garden.  The park.  It’s no longer easy, because Banjo chooses to leave the beaten path and areas that the stroller cannot venture.  What’s a momma to do to keep up?  Carry Ruby in a baby wrap!  Recently Snuggy Baby sent me this grand looking baby wrap:

Ruby loves it (obviously from that happy face) and I love the convenience of carrying her along in it.

Plus, I just love the fabric as I’m all about damask!

The instructional dvd was informative and easy to follow.  I literally could use the wrap right away!

The baby wraps from Sunggy Baby are all about fashion, but also the functionality of being wearable.  Perfect for carrying your baby with you on all sorts of terrain!

Here are just a few of my favorite fabric options:

 

Okay so I love all of the fabrics that they have!!!

There really areso many options to choose from at Snuggy Baby!

 At Snuggy Baby you can even get a sling for your little girl to carry her dolls in:

So cute!

Who wants a deal on items from Snuggy Baby???  Well, between now and August 16th when you enter coupon code DANDY you will get 10% off!  Now…  Who wants to win something from Snuggy Baby?  Then you gotta start entering, because one very lucky winner is going to receive a $45 gift certificate to spend at Snuggy Baby!

*This giveaway is open to entries worldwide!

*Winners are not notified through email, so you have to check back to find out if you won! The winner of this giveaway will be posted no later than the evening of Monday, July 23rd. Be sure and check back then to see if you won, so you can claim your prize

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This posting and giveaway were sponsored by Snuggy Baby, but all opinions are strictly my own.

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Which stroller do I own?

May 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Remember this posting from clear back in December?  It was part of the Holiday Gift Idea series here on the Dandy.  A double stroller had just arrived on my doorstep and I’ve held you all in suspense as to which model of stroller that might be.  Sorry it a few months later than I expected to post about it.  We have been just a tad bit busy around here since the end of December.  Who knew “Ruby” would be born so early!  That really changed life around here that’s for sure.  🙂  Well, who’s ready to find out which I received?

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#2

 

Or…

 

#3

And the stroller is…

Drum roll please…

Stroller #2!

 The Brownie Caboose Ultralight Stand-On Tandem Stroller

This stroller is seriously my favorite.  For starters I love the color.  Brown is the perfect gender neutral color!  What about “Banjo”?  What does he love about it.  That would be the seat that slides open and shut to expose the place for him to stand.  When he’s tired of standing he just has a seat.  It really is the most perfect stroller for the mommy of 2!  But what do I love most about the stroller???  It’s able to grow with “Ruby”.  One day she will be able to sit in the reclining seat, but for now it holds her carrier securely and keeps her safe.

  Keeping my baby girl safe is of course the most important thing!

This posting was sponsored by Joovy, but all opinions are strictly my own.

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Tommee Tippee {Giveaway} ***ENDED***

April 30, 2012 by 6 Comments

Ruby is bottle fed, so when Tommee Tippee offered to send me some of their ‘Closer to Nature’ bottles I jumped at the chance.

Bottles have become a necessity around our house!  When Ruby was born a month early she needed to be given bottles and we just kept with that way of feeding her.  It was a difficult decision, but when we saw how she was even struggling with the taking bottles we knew we had made the right decision.  In her case we were able to know exactly how many ounces she was taking in and that gave us the piece of mind that she was getting the right amount of nutrition that her premature body needed.  So it was the best decision for us and I’m happy that she’s healthy and thriving.  I have heard that some preemies breast feed just fine, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case for our little Ruby!  The bottles from Tommee Tippee are great for moms who exclusively bottle feed and for those who don’t.  ‘Closer to Nature’ actually mimics breast feeding, so it’s less confusing for babies.  Their bottles also promote anti-colic and anti-gas.

Tommee Tippee has breast pumps:

 

And bottle sterilizers:

           

So with Tommee Tippee you are covered for bottle feeding!

Products from Tommee Tippee are now even more available to buy, because Target carries ’em!

One lucky winner is going to receive three 5 fl oz Closer to Nature bottles from Tommee Tippee!   

 

*This giveaway is open to US entries only.

*Winners are not notified through email, so you have to check back to find out if you won! The winner of this giveaway will be posted on Monday, May 7th. Be sure and check back then to see if you won, so you can claim your prize!

 
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