You won't want to miss it

So, there's this guy.  He lives in NYC.  His name is Jaime.  He's a rock star baby planner, gear guru, a guncle of twins, a wine lover and is giving away a BOAT LOAD of awesome stuff in his 12 days of giveaways!

Trust me, you do not want to miss it.  And, you're chances of winning are pretty good.

Visit Baby Guy Gear Guide HERE to enter.

You're welcome :)

And, I'll remind you every day of the contest to enter via Facebook and Twitter.

~Carly

Little moments

I miss the days of my now 3 year old and 22 month old when they were newborns. So soft, snuggly and, well - new.

Every now and again I catch a glimpse of those babies that will always be there - despite the whining, crying and fun associated with toddlers.

Today I caught one of those moments - these little moments that I get every day in different ways - that remind me not to take things for granted. Not to yell so much or expect too much from them. To let them just be kids - and to just be.

It's these little moments I treasure. And today, I caught a glimpse of my babies again while they peacefully napped. With our fur-baby not too far away - protecting, as usual.

Holding onto "Me" as a Mom

There are some days when I think back to the life of leisurely dinners out with my husband and good friends, last-minute weekend trips or lounging a little longer in bed on a Sunday morning.  

Luckily, those days aren’t gone, but they have taken a back-seat to our life now with our kids. 

When you become a parent, you know it is the most amazing, life changing experience – both figuratively and literally.  You feel as if you could never love someone more.  Ever.  

Yet, somehow, while that love grew and grew for my children, somehow it diminished the “love” I seemed to show myself. 

Even though it was a choice we made, I started to feel guilty for wanting to be kid-free for a few hours and feeling I needed to be away from my children. I started to feel like something was wrong with me for feeling like that.  These are the types of things I like to call the “dark-side” of parenting. 

However, I’m here to tell you it is in fact completely normal to feel that way and it does not make you a bad parent.  In fact – it may make you a better one.  

I came across two great posts on the subject with some excellent tips:

A Post at Mommyologist

Connected Parenting

A slight part of the problem is I love being with my kids! Even though I still find it hard to take time away from my kids, it’s become something I’m very aware of now because it is healthy and important for everyone.  

So now that I’m aware of it, what am I doing about it?  I’ve decided it’s time to focus on myself again.* I’m reconnecting with my friends and making sure my husband and I continue to take time for each other. 

Additionally, my daughter is starting preschool in just a week or so now and that will be great for her, too.  In time, it will be easier as our kids get older. 

Even though I let a little piece of myself go in becoming a mother, I’ve found it’s easy to get it back and I’ve gained so much more in the “sacrifice”.

If you’re looking for a great laugh and an honest take on motherhood, check out Scary Mommy.



Me & my kiddos



Note: This was a recent column of mine from my Mom's Talk column featured on Patch

*Editor's note: Carly started a new job with Plum District and continues her baby planning business

Dealing With Separation Anxiety

Hello!  

I'd like to share with you some great advice from Elizabeth Pantley on the subject of Separation Anxiety.

This new awareness your child is experiencing is often a concern amongst parents and can create it's own set of stress, guilt and anxiety for parents themselves.

My own two children - ages 3 and 21 months - have both gone through varying stages of this  and am currently going through this stage with my 21 month old son.  I literally cannot seem to hold him enough.  If I sit on the floor, he has to be in my lap.  Despite being very into playing with toys, reading a book or happily playing with his sister - if I so much as walk into the other room (even though he can see me) he runs into the room crying "Ma-Ma!" as if I was walking out the door to the house!  

As anything with babies and toddlers - and eventually into the teenage years - it's all a phase and we hope it shall pass.  But while you're in the midst of it all, it can be hard to feel that it will never end.  Especially with tears, whining and constant nagging or crying.

So, if you find that you're coming into this phase, you're past it, or right here with me in the middle of it all - please read the excerpt below.

I'd love to hear some feedback or ways you plan to or have coped in the past.

Separation Anxiety

By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of Gentle Baby Care

My baby is only happy when I’m within arm’s reach. If I dare to leave the room, she cries as if I’ve left the country! I can’t even so much as take a shower these days, let alone leave the house without her. My mother-in-law says it’s because I’ve spoiled her. Is she right? Have I made her so clingy?

Nothing you’ve done has “made” your baby develop separation anxiety. It’s a perfectly normal and important developmental adaptation. Nearly all children experience separation anxiety between the ages of seven and 18 months. Some have more intense reactions than others, and for some, the stage lasts longer than others, but almost all babies have it to some degree.

The development of separation anxiety demonstrates that your baby has formed a healthy, loving attachment to you. It is a beautiful sign that your baby associates pleasure, comfort, and security with your presence. It also indicates that your baby is developing intellectually (in other words, she’s smart!) She has learned that she can have an effect on her world when she makes her needs known, and she doesn’t have to passively accept a situation that makes her uncomfortable. She doesn’t know enough about the world yet to understand that when you leave her you’ll always come back. She also realizes that she is safest, happiest, and best cared for by you, so her reluctance to part makes perfect sense ¾ especially when viewed from a survival standpoint. Put another way: You are her source of nourishment, both physical and emotional; therefore, her attachment to you is her means of survival, and when she reaches a certain level of intellectual maturity, she realizes this.

This stage, like so many others in childhood, will pass. In time, your baby will learn that she can separate from you, that you will return, and that everything will be okay between those two points in time. Much of this learning is based on trust, which, just as for every human being young or old, takes time to build.

How do I know if my baby has separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is pretty easy to spot, and you’re probably reading this section because you’ve identified it in your baby. The following are behaviors typically demonstrated by a baby with normal separation anxiety:

• Clinginess
• Crying when a parent is out of sight
• Strong preference for only one parent
• Fear of strangers
• Waking at night crying for a parent
• Easily comforted in a parent’s embrace

 How you can help your baby with separation anxiety

• Allow your baby to be a baby. It’s perfectly okay — even wonderful — for your baby to be so attached to you and for her to desire your constant companionship. Congratulations, Mommy or Daddy: It’s evidence that the bond you’ve worked so hard to create is holding. So politely ignore those who tell you otherwise.
  
  
• Don’t worry about spoiling her with your love, since quite the opposite will happen. The more that you meet her attachment needs during babyhood, the more confident and secure she will grow up to be.
  
  
• Minimize separations when possible. It’s perfectly acceptable for now ¾ better, in fact ¾ to avoid those situations that would have you separate from your baby. All too soon, your baby will move past this phase and on to the next developmental milestone.

• Give your baby lessons in object permanence. As your baby learns that things continue to exist even when she can’t see them, she’ll feel better about letting you out of her sight. Games like peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek will help her understand this phenomenon.
  
  
• Practice with quick, safe separations. Throughout the day, create situations of brief separation. When you go into another room, whistle, sing, or talk to your baby so she knows you’re still there, even though she can’t see you.
  
  
• Don’t sneak away when you have to leave her. It may seem easier than dealing with a tearful goodbye, but it will just cause her constant worry that you’re going to disappear without warning at any given moment. The result? Even more clinginess, and diminished trust in your relationship.
  
  
• Tell your baby what to expect. If you are going to the store and leaving her at home with Grandma, explain where you are going and tell her when you’ll be back. Eventually, she’ll come to understand your explanations.
  
  
• Don’t rush the parting, but don’t prolong it, either. Give your baby ample time to process your leave-taking, but don’t drag it out and make it more painful for both of you.
  
  
• Express a positive attitude when leaving her. If you’re off to work, or an evening out, leave with a smile. Your baby will absorb your emotions, so if you’re nervous about leaving her, she’ll be nervous as well. Your confidence will help alleviate her fears.
  
  
• Leave your baby with familiar people. If you must leave your baby with a new caregiver, try to arrange a few visits when you’ll all be together before you leave the two of them alone for the first time.
  
  
• Invite distractions. If you’re leaving your baby with a caregiver or relative, encourage that person to get your baby involved with playtime as you leave. Say a quick good-bye and let your baby be distracted by an interesting activity. 
  
  
• Allow your baby the separation that she initiates. If she crawls off to another room, don’t rush after her. Listen and peek, of course, to make sure that she’s safe, but let her know it’s fine for her to go off exploring on her own.
  
  
• Encourage her relationship with a special toy, if she seems to have one. These are called transitional objects or lovies. They can be a comfort to her when she’s separated from you. Many babies adopt blankets or soft toys as loveys, holding them to ease any pain of separation. The lovey becomes a friend and represents security in the face of change.
  
  
• Don’t take it personally. Many babies go through a stage of attaching themselves to one parent or the other. The other parent, as well as grandparents, siblings and friends can find this difficult to accept, but try to reassure them that it’s just a temporary and normal phase of development and with a little time and gentle patience it will pass.
  
  

This article is an excerpt from Gentle Baby Care by Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)  

Discipline and your child

Hello!

I hope this post finds you well! 

Even though my official title is Baby Planner - that doesn't mean I do not assist parents with older children as well - especially toddlers.

Since I have a toddler and now a preschooler in our home, I'm in the middle of toddlerhood, including discipline, tantrums and the craziness of it all. 

You name a discipline tactic and it's guaranteed I've tried it!  (Well, most ones anyways!)

I came across this article on a blog and wanted to share it with you all.

So whether you're right there with me in toddlerhood or you're cuddling your sweet newborn - do yourself a favor and just have a quick look. 

Don't worry - I'll still be here if or when you need some help :)

Janet Lansbury's No Bad Kids

Product Review: Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner - free & simple

First, so sorry it's been so long for a post - things have been crazy around here! 

Anywhooo - I had an amazing opportunity from  Healthy Child to use and review Bona's new free & simple product from their line of products. 

I was introduced to the Bona brand a few years back when I did some freelance work for a hardwood floor company.  The owner provided me with a sample and I was hooked.  At the time I had much less mess to clean.  :sigh:  

image courtesy of Bona web site



Fast forward to life now with a bigger home, more to clean, two kids and a dog - it goes without saying that our hardwood floors get messy fast. 

Fortunately, I have some wonderful products that make cleaning these messes easier - and that includes this new line from Bona. 

The free & simple cleaner is quite effective and powerful - despite the misconception that green cleaners are not as effective as those with harsh chemicals.  The free & clear product is just as it's name states: free of dyes and scents, hypoallergenic and is non-toxic and completely biodegradable. 

I can use this product and not have to wrangle my two toddlers to ensure they are at a safe distance from where I'm cleaning.  And, if the dog walks through a wet or freshly cleaned area (as she always does!) I do not have to worry about her tracking her chemical-laden paws through other areas of our home.  I don't have to worry about her paws being irritated by harsh cleansers, either!

After using the product on my floors, the wood felt so fresh and comfortable to walk on - you know that feeling of freshly cleaned floors.  Even though I couldn't "smell" the clean as it is unscented, I surely could feel it underfoot.  I'm truly trying to dis-associate that smell association with cleaning products! 

As I type this review, I am thinking of my list of to-do's for the week and beyond and cleaning our hardwoods is on that list.

So if you're in the market for a new cleaner or know someone who may benefit from this product, please share and let them know about it!  

And, if you have questions about any easy and simple steps to greening your home, visit Healthy Child for some excellent information! 

NOTE: I was given the Bona free & simple product for free.  However, I was not paid to write a positive review.  This review is of my own experience and honest opinion.  

Product Review & Giveaway!

I'm convinced that some of the baby products, gear and toy companies design certain things just to make life miserable.  For example - the toys that have a zillion pieces to keep track of or the crazy beeping noises some toys make.  Today, I'm specifically also referring to the odd shape and inability to stack jars of baby food.  

I still clearly remember how completely annoying it was to keep the containers of baby food organized in the small space I had allotted in our kitchen cabinets.  Keeping them organized, let alone stacked, in any sort of fashion was pretty impossible.  Reaching around to grab a specific one while desperately trying not to knock them all over was never easy.  Needless to say, I had broken quite a few jars over the years.  

However, I'm thrilled to share with you there is now no need for you to experience the frustration and disorganization I had to deal with!  

I've been given the opportunity to review (and give away!!!) an amazing product by PRK Products, Inc. called the Universal Baby Food Jar Storage & Organizer. 



Image courtesy of PRK web site

It is was designed by a mother of four who created this for us fellow mommies to make our lives easier!  

Aside from home use, I can see this being very helpful if used by day care providers or households where there are children who are close in age but eat different foods.  This could keep it very simple and organized for everyone!

I can also see this being a wonderful gift idea for a baby shower, family members, relatives or even for a co-worker. 

(I don't know about you, but I love giving the not-so-run-of-the-mill baby shower gifts - and this would be great!)

Here are some of the features of the organizer:

• Easy to assemble
• Holds all sizes and stages of jars  - up to 16 jars
• Can even organize the smaller plastic square containers
• Made of BPA-free materials
• Sturdy construction with ability to stack multiple units
• Has four rows for ease of organization
• Rows are slanted so jars easily slide forward for access to next one
• Space saving vertical design
• On their site, they even offer labels to be printed for even better organization

I truly wish this product was available for my family years ago and could have saved me the hassle. 

So, one lucky person will win the Universal Baby Food Jar Storage & Organizer!

All you have to do to enter is "like" Newly Nested on Facebook - do that here. 

Once you've done that, just leave me a comment here letting me know you've done so.

The contest closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 8th.

It's that simple!  I like simple things, don't you?

For more information on the organizer, please visit PRK Products, Inc. web site here.