Thursday, March 31, 2016

Delta Children | A Mom's Experience

I am not receiving any kind of compensation for this post, in fact the people at Delta Children have no idea who I am or that I am writing this post. I am just a mom and a consumer who felt the need to share her experience. 

Both Kenley's crib and dresser are Delta Children brand and we have loved the quality and design of both and as a result looked at only Delta products when searching for a crib for Ziggy. Some cribs are made so cheaply and yet are still priced the same as the competitors, so we felt good knowing we were getting a good product for the money that would be spent. We ordered another 4-in-1 convertible crib for Zigs {the Haven} so that the bed can grow with him as it has and will continue to with Kenley. 
My mom was kind enough to gift us the crib and I was so excited to put it together. There is something about assembling the crib that feels like such a huge milestone in the whole pregnancy process. But, I was absolutely crushed when I noticed that the front rail of the crib was warped, the back rail of the crib didn't fit together right leaving a noticeable gap in the corner along with 3-4 other minor issues. 
This crib is something my mom had spent a good chunk of money on and something we were hoping to have for many, many years so for it to not be perfect was so disappointing. As a hormonal mama-to-be, my first thought was to write a flame-a-gram to the customer service department about how ashamed they should be to send out a product in this condition. Thankfully, I cooled down, gathered my emotions and decided instead to check online for their "damaged goods" policies. I was defeated when I read that they asked for returned products to be shipped back in the original packaging within 10 days. Because I had been painting the nursery, our crib had been sitting in our living room for a week and a half and would not make it back in 10 days. Plus, un-assembling the entire crib, packing it back up and shipping that enormous box just really did not feel like an option. 

So, I gave the customer service department a call and without even having to tap into my prepared sob story, I was told they would ship me replacement pieces at no charge and they would be at my door in 5-7 days. Which they were. Unfortunately, the replacement pieces only seemed to make matters worse and I was left a defunct crib and a half and two giant boxes I didn't want to throw out until I knew if I had to return this crib aka A MESS.
I gave customer service a call once again and this time the process was more involved and frankly more annoying. Clearly, the original crib that we received was a lemon and therefore nothing was going to work. It ended up being about 3 weeks of back and forth emailing and phone calling and then I lost it. I'm pregnant, I'm nesting and my baby needs a crib...a good one. So I basically told them I needed my {mom's} money back or I needed a new crib and right away. They did send me a brand new crib, one that took 3 incredibly long and torturous weeks to be delivered, but that was perfect.

This was a far from ideal way to get Ziggy's crib and while it was frustrating and annoying, I can look back with a clear mind and say that the people at Delta Children were incredibly kind. understanding and helpful during the whole thing and I greatly appreciate that they took care of the problem and made it right. I love the crib we chose and am so happy that it all worked out.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Custom Tumbler Giveaway!

Happy Hump Day friends! You are in luck because I have another awesome giveaway for you today! You may have noticed that Kenley's big sister bag included an adorable custom tumbler which I found at PBandJDesigns. I hadn't really planned on doing a tumbler or cup of any kind really in her bag but when I came across this shop I just had to have it and now it's my favorite part of the bag!
It's a little silly how much I love this cup. Kenley thinks drinking out of my tumblers is the coolest so I know she is going to flip when she has her very own, and with her name on it? She'll spaz! Paige worked with me to figure out the perfect colors to coordinate with the bag and the shirt and it came out perfectly! The tumbler is great quality and I know it something we will get a ton of use out of!

Paige's shop is filled with adorable custom tumblers, t-shirts, personalized party cups and etched glass! The tumblers are perfect for a bridal party gift or if you are planning a Bachelorette Party....grab a custom glass for everyone to use to "hydrate" with! Also, custom party cups will definitely be making an appearance at my next party - why didn't I think of that before? Such a fun and easy way to add some extra decor!
Paige has very generously offered one of my readers {that's you!} a custom tumbler of your choosing for free! You know the drill, use the rafflecopter tool below to enter and I will announce one lucky winner on Monday morning! 






Tuesday, March 29, 2016

What to Pack for the Hospital

With ONE MONTH {from today!!!} until my due date, it was time to get our bags together. Kenley was born a week past her due date but who knows what this one will do, so it's good to be prepared. There are a few things things that will need to be thrown in last minute as we use them every day but having our bags mostly done and knowing it won't be a last second scramble to collect our things while I'm huffing and puffing through contractions is a relief. Being that this is the second time I am doing this, I feel like I learned from the first time and was able to eliminate and consolidate what I am packing. Here's what I feel are the essentials for giving birth at the hospital. 
Last time, I brought entirely too much stuff for myself. I think I had like 3 pairs of underwear packed of which I wore one pair on the way home {those mesh underwear things they give you are actually great when you're just sitting in a hospital bed with a 20 pound pad on}. This time around, I am bringing basically no clothes, I figure I will wear TO the hospital what I plan to come home in as I'll be changing into a gown as soon as I get there and will just hang in a comfy nightie and robe once we're in recovery {I got this one so that I feel somewhat cute}. If I end up with a C-section I may need some extra stuff but I figure I can cross that bridge then - we live less than 10 minutes from the hospital so having Jason run home for things or asking someone to grab stuff for us would be easy. So really, I'm just packing the absolute basics and essentials for myself.
 For Mom:
□ Toothbrush
□ Toothpaste
□ Lotion
□ Deodorant
□ Shampoo
□ Conditioner
□ Concealer
□ Makeup Basics {foundation, powder, mascara}
□ Chapstick
□ Nipple Cream
□ Brush
□ Hair ties
□ Nightie
□ Robe
□ Nursing bra (x2)
□ Underwear (x1)
□ No slip socks
□ Towel {no thanks on those paper thin, teeny towels}
□ Pillow
□ Essential Oils & Diffuser {lavender & clary sage}


Jason is pretty low maintenance in terms of stuff, so for him it's really just the bare essentials like a couple of toiletries and a change of clothes. If we end up in the hospital longer than anticipated, he can run home for more clothes.
For Dad:
□ Toothbrush
□ Mouthwash
□ Deodorant
□ Chapstick
□ Gum
□ Boxers (x2)
□ Socks (x2)
□ Change of clothes
□ Shorts for sleeping
□ Pillow

Anything that you NEED for baby is provided by the hospital - hat, blankie, diapers, wipes, etc. Of course, if you WANT to have your own outfits & blankies bring those {like I am} but other than that, I am just relying on what the hospital gives us. I'll have the diaper bag with us to bring home everything the hospital sends us with and will also bring my nursing pillow but other than that baby's bag is going to be pretty empty. Oh, and obviously you need to have your car seat ready to rock.
For Baby:
□ Diaper bag
□ Extra Blanket
□ Extra hat
□ Jammies
□ Going home outfit
□ Nursing Pillow
□ Car seat

As far as those extras go, I think it's really to each their own. Whatever you can't possibly spend a day or two without, should come with you. With Kenley, we had friends and family bringing us food all day long so all the snacks we packed went un-opened. This time we'll bring some granola bars and a couple of Gatorades just in case but other than that the hospital has food/drinks or we'll ask our parents to help feed us. Dad - you're on milkshake duty again! Other than that we'll just bring our camera, laptop and phone chargers along with some of my FRIENDS dvds for entertainment. And really, that's it.

Other:
□ DSLR
□ Granola Bars
□ Laptop & Charger
□ Phone Chargers
□ Extension Cord {never know where those outlets will be located}
□ FRIENDS dvds

And one last tip, I made a list of all the last minute things we need to throw in the bag before we head out the door and left it on the top of my bag {makeup, phone chargers, wallet, etc} because you just never know what of situation you will find yourself in, so in case it's a more rushed/panicked one having the list will make grabbing that stuff super quick and efficient and will prevent you from forgetting anything.

Anything major you mamas think I'm missing?



Monday, March 28, 2016

{bump two} 35 weeks

Mom :: +32lbs // Baby :: over 18inches & 5.25lb {a honeydew!}
Most of baby's basic development is now complete and he'll spend the next few weeks just putting on weight!
35 days til Due Date!

I'm not going to lie, I feel like I have been pregnant for an eternity. Everyone who has had a second baby warned me that the the second pregnancy flies by in the blink of an eye and that definitely has not been my experience. It's definitely been different than first, but feels like it is just inching along. Yet, somehow, I am still in disbelief that I'm nearing the end and this baby boy will be joining us sometime in the next month-ish.

The symptoms are still pretty much the same - no sleep, extreme heartburn, head-to-toe discomfort. It's not pretty and I feel like crap most of the day every day. BUT, I know this will all be over soon and it will be worth every second. 
My OB appointment last week was pretty uneventful, it was just a quick one. Ziggy's heartbeat was nice and strong and I was measuring right at 34 weeks, which was unexpected since I've been measuring big the whole time. Unfortunately, my Dr. wasn't able to tell Zig's position. Based on where she could feel his feet and found the heartbeat she THINKS he is head down, but she wasn't able to find his head...so his position remains a question until our 36 weeks appointment coming up this Friday.

I am pretty sick of being pregnant at this point {am I allowed to say that?}, or at least sick of feeling crappy but I am getting SO EXCITED to meet my son! I still can't get over the fact that I am about to have a baby boy and as we finish up the last of baby prep I find myself getting more and more excited to see him and hold him! His room is officially done and that makes me so happy! I love it so much and often find myself just standing in the doorway daydreaming. It's all just crazy and surreal and emotional and I will likely be a big ol mess for the next 5 weeks!

35 weeks with Kenley.

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Congrats to my real life friend Katie P. who won the Madelyn Ashley T-Shirt giveaway! Leo is going to look ADORABLE in his Big Brother shirt! I'll be emailing you lady!


Friday, March 25, 2016

Little Man Sprinkle

Here I am recapping my sprinkle from nearly two weeks ago, why am I always so behind? Anyways, I'm not kidding when I say that as I sit here to write this post, I am tearing up. This day was a dream. My very best friend hosted a beautiful Sprinkle celebrating my little man and the love I felt from my family and oldest girlfriends was indescribable. It was just so fun! I woke up feeling really good, I got a great blow out from the Wow Bar that was blasting Backstreet Boys, Libby had all my favorite foods, and my favorite people were there. Girlfriends are good for the soul and the 14 ladies who made time to come celebrate Ziggy are some of the best there are. It was so lovely and so fun and I wish I could do it every weekend.
pretty sure I ate every last one of these green olives.
my favorite detail from the sprinkle...weenies! haha!


My gorgeous bestie and her beautiful mama who worked so hard putting together the perfect morning for me.

And, both my mama and my baby sister came home for the Sprinkle which meant more to me than they'll ever know! It would have been so sad not to have them there!

My buddy Robyn who was a huge help with the Sprinkle and put together a hilarious game for all of us to play.

My sisters! Ziggy is so lucky {Kenley too} to have such awesome aunties!

And most special and awesome thing ever....when you're pregnant with both your besties!

I'm kind of sad that my Sprinkles are now over. It's so exciting and so fun to have something like this to look forward to! Plus, I got a little blue thinking that I'll likely never have any kind of shower again. WAH! But now I'm just even closer to meeting my little boy and am way more prepared thanks to these generous ladies!





Thursday, March 24, 2016

Madelyn Ashley Boutique Giveaway!

If you read my post yesterday, you read that I put together a fun bag of goodies to give to Kenley at the hospital to celebrate the day that she officially becomes a big sister! When brainstorming ideas for the bag I knew a Big Sister shirt was a must - I mean it's kind of a right of passage isn't it? However, I've got to admit most of the shirts I see are just not my style. I'm not overly girly and don't really do frills so finding a shirt that is cute and fun but not cheesy wasn't as easy as you'd think.

Enter Madelyn Ashley Boutique.


Jess has some ADORABLE shirt designs perfect for a big sister or big brother but also for your kiddo's birthday parties as well. I really love that she uses fun hoodies and raglan shirts because it's different than the typical plain white tee you usually see. Can we talk about the little navy raglan "ONE" shirt? Pretty sure Ziggy's first birthday ensemble is officially determined. 
I LOVE the shirt I picked out for Kenley and cannot wait to see it on her! She's going to look so cute and be so proud! The fabric is nice and lightweight so she'll not only be cute but super comfy. The color is a perfect teal, I wish my photo would have turned out a little better so you could really see how great the color is. And, I know Kenley will be super wound up about the glitter letters - her shoe laces are glittery and it's basically the most exciting thing ever.
Jess was sweet enough to offer one of my readers one of her shirts for FREE! All you have to do is enter below and I will announce a lucky winner on Monday!
a Rafflecopter giveaway





Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Kenley's Big Sister Gift

I knew without a doubt that I wanted to do something special for Kenley at the hospital when her baby brother is born. It's going to be a huge day for all of us and I want to be sure that she feels special and excited, so I put together a little bag of goodies for her to open when she comes to meet the baby for the first time. I threw in a mix of big sis goodies as well as some of Kenley's favorite things and wrapped everything up individually to add to the excitement. I am so pumped about how it came together and am having a hard time keeping it from her! 
The custom tote came from one of my favorite bloggers Leah and her adorable shop Simply Made with Love. I love the colors, the size and the quality of the bag! This is something Kenley will be able to use for years to come and I couldn't love it more! Leah has so much cute stuff, you need to go check out her shop!

Make sure to come back tomorrow {and next Wednesday too} because I'm going to be giving away a couple of things from the bag! 




Monday, March 21, 2016

{bump two} 34 weeks

Mom :: +31lbs // Baby :: appx. 18inches & 4.75lb {a canteloup!}
Baby's lungs and nervous system are continuing to mature and he is adding more and more fat making his skin nice and smooth!
42 days til Due Date!
 I'm not going to lie, this past week has been ROUGH. I'm smiling in those bump pics, but you can see the exhaustion in my eyes - at least I can. Kenley has been sick all week {finally feeling better} and a sick kiddo plus pregnancy insomnia has taken a huge toll on me. It doesn't matter if I go to bed at 7pm or 11pm, I can't sleep. No matter how tired I am. I can't sleep. It's a combo of not being able to get comfortable {literally no matter what I do}, feeling like I can't breathe {thanks  big baby}, horrible heartburn, Braxton Hicks, my mind racing about nothing and then the toddler calling for me anywhere from 5-10 times a night. I don't know if I've ever felt so exhausted and it's made me feel both sick and really blue. Saturday, with Jason home, I was able to nap on and off all day and then that night took a hot bubble bath with a couple drops of lavender before bed and was actually able to get some sleep and felt a lot better yesterday. I'm hoping to just chalk this up to a bad week and am praying it's not like this for 6 more weeks. 

Despite feeling like I was taking crazy pills, I was able to get some baby stuff done and even have a little fun too. I have been seeing my chiropractor once a week and it's been amazing. I don't know yet if Zigs has flipped {I have a regular OB appointment today and am hoping my doctor can tell his position} but even if he hasn't flipped the difference in my low back pain is worth every appointment. It's pretty remarkable the change and I am so grateful to take that complaint off what seems to be a long list. My hubby also gave me the green light on a prenatal massage which was also amazing, if only I could find a way to have one every day!
  
Super random, but I am the only one who will milk a blow out until the bitter end? I had my hair blown out for my Spinkle last Sunday and refused to wash my hair for daysssss. Even with no makeup and bags under your eyes you feel put together with pretty hair.
I mentioned last week, my mom and I visited the hospital where I will give birth to tour the birth center. I am so glad I decided to do this and am even more glad my mom decided to come with me {she loves hospitals and it allowed Jason to be home with Kenley}. I did have a bit of an embarrassing moment though...as our group walked into the lobby of the recovery floor a little girl who was probably 3 or 4 with long blonde hair came running down the hall wearing a Big Sister shirt yelling "Grandma! Grandma! I have a baby brother!" and then gave her grandma a giant hug, You guys, I couldn't hold it in. I sobbed. Like so much so, other people in the group noticed and my mom had to locate some tissues for me. But aside from making a fool out of myself it was great to get a refresher on everything and feel more comfortable about where I'll be on the big day. PLUS, our nurse spent a decent amount of time walking us through exactly where to park and exactly the door to enter, Jason and I somehow messed this up last time and I ended up having contractions in some basement corridor nowhere near the birth center and had to get directions from a cop. And naturally, my mom and I had to rehash the details of the tour over dinner and drinks. 
  
I've been using the little energy I have to pick away at some of those remaining to do list items and am feeling more and more ready for this baby every day. Even though I feel pretty miserable and cannot wait to meet this little guy {and get him the heck out}, I am trying super hard to savor these last weeks as this is likely the last time I'll be pregnant. It's truly a miracle and I am so grateful to be able to experience this a second time. Every pain and sleepless night is absolutely worth it. 


30 weeks in the making....


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One more thing! I'm so late on this and am so sorry but congrats to Stephanie F. who won a set of four 11x 14 canvases from Saint and Sailor Studios! Check your email girl!