The Learning Resources Giveaway! The Fun Way To Teach Kids About Money! (Ends 5/20) @LearningHandsOn

Deliciously Savvy is hosting a giveaway in which one lucky winner will receive 2 fabulous toys that make learning fun from Learning Resources! Now I need your help promoting... the RV of both toys is $70 and there are #Free and #Paid options available so sign up today!

Sponsored By:

&

Erica Sandberg the author of Expecting Money

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The Details:

1 Lucky Winner Will Win

Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register ($40 RV)

Plus the Smart Market ($30 RV)

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And Now To The Giveaway!

Good Luck! You can enter below.

Also we all “love it if you like us” on Facebook! (but it is not required!) You can also follow this blog by using the round, black social media icons located in the right side bar at the top to keep up to date on the latest posts and giveaways!

By Supporting Our Blogs Via Social Media You Are Helping Us To Provide Fabulous Prizes For Amazing Future Giveaways! Good Luck & Thank You!

My baby just turned four months old today and I have already gotten quite a few comments about "number two." This is rude on so many levels, so listen up to why you need to stop asking about baby number two.

Getting pregnant was not easy for us. It took us nine long months and we were extremely lucky to conceive without any assistance. My OBGYN was ready for me to go through all sorts of testing to start the infertility drug, Clomid, but oops! I got a positive test before I could start the process. Our miracle baby was born on Christmas Eve and she was the best present we could have ever asked for!

Now just because we got lucky with our baby girl, does not necessarily mean we can have a second baby on our own. There are plenty of people who suffer from secondary infertility, where baby number two just does not happen. Just something to consider before you ask a couple about "number two."

I am actually fine with being one and done, but people expect you to have at least two children and they refuse to believe you when you say you are done with one. There is the classic "Oh, you'll change your mind in a year or two," as if they know you better than you know yourself. Think of it this way, I have been married for four years now, did I change my mind about my husband after two years? Nope, I still love him as much, if not more, as when I first met him seven years ago. Yes, I could change my mind, but that's for me to decide and right now, my focus is on our little girl. There is no room for "number two."

Honestly, besides the fact that pregnancy is no cake walk, conceiving was the worst part. Seeing negative after negative, being told it may not happen, etc. is just not something I want to go through again. I got lucky the first time, but what if I end up being that couple we met in our birth class, they tried for 10 years before having a baby! I just couldn't put myself through all that again. It was too stressful, too heartbreaking the first time around.

If we did decide on more kids, they would most likely be adopted, but right now I am over the moon with our little girl and intend to spend as much time as I can with her. We are so blessed to have her in our lives that I can't even think of having another at the moment,

Another reason why this is rude is my baby is only four months old! (but even if she was a year old, it would still be rude to ask about having another baby). I am so focused on her, watching her learn and grow, that I can't even think about number two! Just let us enjoy our new little one and stop worrying about how many kids we may or may not have. How and if our family grows is our decision.

All I ask is that you please stop and think before you consider asking someone about baby number two. You have no idea how long and hard it might have taken them to have baby number one or maybe they are trying for number two, but it just isn't happening, or maybe they can only have one for medical reasons. You have no idea what someone may be going through, so please stop asking about "number two."

To learn more about infertility and for support, please check out Resolve.org and NIAW's website.

Source

I wrote a post about the flu shot and why I think that is important here, but I have avoided vaccinations as it is a heavily debated topic, when I personally believe it should not be, especially with the recent measles outbreak in Minnesota.


It is crazy to think that a disease that was eradicated from the United States in 2000, is now entering the US via travel from other countries due to people choosing not to vaccinate (source). Measles is a deadly disease and can easily be prevented with a vaccine.

"U.S. measles cases are at a 20-year high this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week. As of May 30, the agency had received reports of 334 measles cases in 18 states" (source).

Back in 2015, there were 84 cases in 14 reporting states, so the fact that this number is only increasing is scary!



It is sad that these parents chose not to get their children vaccinated as"nine of the children ultimately infected were old enough to have received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine but had not" (source). There was a total of the 19 children affected, because these 9 didn't get the vaccine not only did they hurt themselves, but the younger children as well who are not old enough to get the vaccine.

This angers me as a parent because my daughter is about to be 4 months old. She is still too young for this vaccine (have to be at least 12 months), meaning she could get the measles if she comes in contact with someone who has it, which is something I shouldn't have to worry about if these parents had done their job as parents and protected their children.

Also, the sad thing is the rumor that vaccines lead to autism are still floating around even though that research has been discredited. Wakefield was even "stripped of his right to practice medicine in Britain," due to his fraud and "many other published studies have shown no connection between the MMR vaccination and autism" (source).

Even the Autism Speaks website clearly states: "Each family has a unique experience with an autism diagnosis, and for some, it corresponds with the timing of their child’s vaccinations. At the same time, scientists have conducted extensive research over the last two decades to determine whether there is any link between childhood vaccinations and autism. The results of this research are clear: Vaccines do not cause autism. The American Academy of Pediatrics has compiled a comprehensive list of this research. You can view and download the list here" (source).

The fear of autism was the reason why many of these parents didn't vaccinate their kids (source). This is a good example of if you hear something, do the research, you can't trust everything you are told!

For the sake of your children's health and for the sake of my child's health, as well as those whose children can not get the vaccination, be it they are not old enough or medical reasons, please vaccinate your children! Measles is just one example of a disease that can be prevented and shouldn't be in the United States, but there are many others, so please keep your child up to date on their vaccinations. There is no reason measles or any other disease should be a problem in our country.

Also if you are traveling to another country that is known to have diseases not common in the United States or if you just aren't sure, make sure you tell your doctor and get the recommended vaccinations before traveling! This will not only protect you but the many people who might be on the same plane, boat, etc with you and anyone you interact with when you arrive home.


SOURCES

• Autism Speaks - What Causes Autism
• CBS - Report: Study Linking Vaccine, Autism Fraudulent
• StarTribume - Two new measles cases confirmed by Minnesota health officials
• CBS - How one unvaccinated child sparked Minnesota measles outbreak
• Forbes - Anti-Vaccine Movement Causes Worst Measles Epidemic In 20 Years

Playgro Music and Lights Comfy Car Giveaway! (Winner Chooses Color) Ends 5/04 @playgro

Read My Review Here

Sponsored By: Playgro

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About The Sponsor:

The Details:

1 Lucky Winner Will Win A Playgro Music and Lights Comfy Car Of Their Own! Winner Chooses Color & ARV is $80.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And Now To The Giveaway!

Good Luck! Enter Below

Though not required, we all love it if you "like" us on Facebook! You can also follow this blog via other social media to stay be the first to know about the latest post and/or giveaway! Just use the round black social media icons, located in the right side bar at the top.

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Disclosure: I received this product for free in exchange for an unbiased, honest review. In no way did the discount affect my review of the product. All opinions are my own. Affiliate links are used in this post. Read full disclosure here.
Shnuggle Bath Review

I recently received the Shnuggle bath and have been using it for over a week now, and I love it!

This is the first time I actually saw my baby girl smile while giving her a bath and she seemed more into it as this was the first time she was actually immersed in water! I loved seeing her kick her feet and move her hands in the water, testing it out.

I was even able to float her rubber ducky (which also lets me know if the water it too hot) in the tub with her and she noticed it for the first time! Probably because she was able to sit up and thus see it better, unlike with our previous bath time arrangement. It was a great distraction for her while I wiped her down.

My favorite thing about the Shnuggle bath is that it allows Little Moon to sit upright, so she can't slide down or off, unlike our previous bath seat. It also has a very comfy foam backrest for her, which you can buy in gray, pink, or blue (I received the gray one).  Also, the Shnuggle will age with your baby so you can use it up to 12 months!

I am, of course, watching her and am with her the entire time during her bath, but it is nice to not have to have one hand on her at all times just to keep her from falling over It makes bath time quicker since I can use both hands to wipe her down with a washcloth, instead of just one.

Please never leave your baby in a bathtub unattended, no matter how secure you think they might be, it only takes a couple inches of water for them to drown and it can happen in minutes!

The Shnuggle also has rubber feet for grip, which prevents it from moving in the tub or on the floor, unlike the Babies R Us one that I had, which would slide if I wasn't careful.

Another great thing about the Shnuggle is that it saves water as I no longer have to fill the bathtub in order to bathe my daughter. You also don't need a bathtub! You just fill up the Shnuggle and place it on the floor, maybe wrap a towel or two around it if you have a splasher, and you are good to go! This would be great for anyone taking a long vacation and aren't sure if there will be a tub available for bathtime.

As for downsides, it can make cleaning the neck area trickier, but I usually wash her hair over the sink anyway so I can just wipe her neck before washing her hair. However, to leave a proper review, I did try washing her hair while she was sitting in the Shnuggle and it actually was not that hard! I just squirted some shampoo in my hand, ran it through her hair, and then used a wet washcloth to wash away the shampoo, worked just fine! You might have issues if you are trying to pour water on your baby's head with a cup though (I don't recommend that method by the way as you are more likely to get water in baby's ears and eyes).

My Shnuggle - You can buy one here!

Another downside is that this product is currently only available in the US via Amazon Prime for $35 or in the UK, so it is not easily accessible to everyone yet. If you don't have Amazon Prime, you can get a 30-day trial here for $3!

Price wise I think it is a great deal, considering the bath seats similar to this one are in the $15 - $20 range. I would happily have spent the extra $15 for this tub as it is way better quality and way more comfortable for my baby.

Also note that my baby girl was 3 months old by the time I got the bath and tried it, so I am not sure how well it would work for a newborn. However, I do wish I had known about this product sooner! The Shnuggle would have saved me from some unpleasant bath times!

You can learn more about the Shnuggle bath on the Shnuggle website, and purchase the Shnuggle here!



Our Bath Time Routine

First I want to state that it is very important that you do not over bathe your baby. Yes, too many baths are actually bad as it will dry out your baby's skin! My pediatrician recommends twice a week, but I have also heard 2-3 times a week from other doctors. I give Little Moon a bath every 2-3 days, so depending on the timing (and how messy she gets), it ends up being 2 times some weeks and 3 times other weeks.

Buy Here

When our daughter was a newborn, she would often poop or pee before getting in the tub, luckily I was smart enough to lay a towel on the floor in preparation for this so I never had a mess I couldn't handle. As she got older and gained more control of her bodily functions, she stopped peeing and pooping during diaper changes. I also learned to wait till she poops before giving her a bath to eliminate the messy towel, though I have heard from others that their baby will poop no matter what during a bath, even if they wait! So that may not work for you and you will find yourself changing the bathwater.

First thing I do is fill the tub, using a little bit of Sebamed Bubble Bath, and check the temperature of the water. I have the Munchkin White Hot Safety Duck, but find myself using my elbows more often. The duck has never been wrong, but I just feel more confident in my ability to tell if the water is too hot or too cold, so the duck is more of a fun toy to distract her. I then lay a towel on the floor just in case, but haven't had an accident in a long time due to the fact that I wait till after she goes before giving her a bath.

I highly recommend the Skip Hop Moby Bath Elbow Saver and the Skip Hop Moby Bath Kneeler for your comfort when bathing baby. You could also use a towel, but I found having the kneeler was more convenient, easy to pull out and store away, and the elbow saver has suction cups so it sticks and stays on the bathtub, unlike a towel which would move around.

Buy Here

Once the bath is set up. I get the baby ready. I undress her, take off her diaper, and wipe her bottom down. I always dip her toes in the water first before sitting her in the tub so the bath doesn't come as a shock. She used to cry a lot during baths before I learned about this trick. I guess the shock of being in water made her cry and she just wouldn't stop, but if she gets a warning that the water is coming, she is calm the entire time.

Every other bath I start with using baby oil on her hair as a way to help prevent cradle cap. I would put a little on my hands and rub it on her head, then I would use a baby brush to help massage it in. Once that was done, I would proceed with the bath, using a washcloth to wipe her down.

At the end of the bath, I would use some shampoo (I currently use Acure Yummy Baby Shampoo) on her hair and then rinse it out with warm water.

The baby oil - shampoo wash method was recommended by my pediatrician (she actually recommended coconut oil, but I had baby oil on hand at the time, so I looked it up and it works just the same). If your baby has cradle cap, you will want to do this at least twice a week until it has cleared up, and then switch to doing it every other bath or less often.

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After her bath, I dry her off well, especially the neck area, as those little folds are terrible at getting milk and spit up trapped in them. If she spits up on a non-bath day, I just use a warm wet washcloth to wipe around her neck to help keep it clean and prevent yeast infection.

I then apply baby lotion to help prevent dry skin. I have both the Acure Yummy Lotion and Seventh Generation Coconut Care Lotion. Both work great at keeping her skin soft and smooth, but I love Seventh Generation more because it has pure coconut oil! Plus it smells better in my opinion.

When our daughter had a little bit of cradle cap, I rubbed the Seventh Generation lotion on her head and I believe it helped (along with using the baby oil at bath time) because her cradle cap cleared up in just a few days! I plan on sticking the Seventh Generation brand from now on and will probably switch to their shampoo as well since it has coconut oil too!

After bath time is also a great time to do some naked time! This allows baby to air dry after a bath before putting on clothes. Plus naked time helps with their development as it allows them to discover their body parts. You can combine this with tummy time as well, but I like to do that before the bath instead so if baby does spit up or drool, it will get cleaned up right away. You can also do naked time before a bath too!

Well you know what comes next, I get her dressed, and we are good to go!