Fall Favorites

It's nearing the middle of November, and while everyone else seems to have decorated for Christmas already, I'm still fully embracing Fall! If there's anything having five children has taught me, it's to quit rushing things, and enjoy the moment. I love everything about the holiday season, from Halloween to New Year's Day, but I'm still enjoying pumpkins, Fall decor, and our Thankful Tree! And on Thanksgiving night, you will find all of us in Christmas pajamas!

If you read my last post from last month, you already know that life has been very chaotic around here. I just haven't had time to blog, and I had to fight through the guilt and realize that I would get back to it when I had a chance. Life has changed even more since I wrote that post three weeks ago. I now have a teenager at home with me every single day, doing cyber school. I'll share more details on the why and how soon. It's still very new to us!

Currently, my nap-protester is actually sleeping, my sick self is stuck on the couch trying to get rest, and my kids are off school for the next two days. It's surprisingly calm in my home for 8 PM on a Sunday night. It's the perfect time to share a few of my favorite things this Fall!

How To Set Up A Shared Bedroom For A New Baby And Their Older Sibling

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StayConnectedwithVTech #CollectiveBias

When we found out our fifth baby was on the way, it was a huge surprise! With 6 people living in a 3 bedroom home, room sharing was a given, and we knew we had to rearrange our room configuration to include a 7th family member. We ended up adding a bedroom to our basement, letting our teenager move into that room, and turning his former bedroom into a shared bedroom for our new baby and our 5 year old!

Although our newborn would be sleeping in a bassinet in our bedroom for the first 6 months, just like our other children did, we still needed to set up a safe space for diaper changes, clothing changes, playtime, and daytime naps. We put a lot of thought into our two youngest boys' shared bedroom, and it worked out well! Our baby has slept in his crib a few times at night, but we're getting ready to transition him to the room full time very soon.

While we were setting up a shared bedroom for our boys, we focused on three key factors: safety, comfort, and function. There were 5 1/2 years between our baby and his older brother, so we had to make sure our 5 year old still felt special, and our newborn was completely safe. With the help of fun multi-age toys, comfortable play areas, safe beds, and a video baby monitor, we're able to ensure that the transition to full-time room sharing is as easy as possible!

What We're Loving Lately

I received some of the items below free for review. I only share my genuine favorites on my blog. 

With 7 people living in our home, we try a lot of new products! Some things are just okay, and some things end up on our favorites list. Every so often, I share a roundup of the things my family is loving lately!

On our list is a functional item, a must have baby item, a new shampoo that I'm currently using, a new TV show for young kids, and wellness and self-care products. I try to include something for everyone! Here's what we're loving lately...

What I Bought on Amazon + An Awesome Amazon Tip

Oh, Amazon Prime! It's no wonder so many people are fans. Their selection, pricing, and super fast shipping speed can't be beat! Amazon took over my household, and they're pretty much taking over the world!

We're big Amazon Prime fans! We buy so much from them on a monthly basis - gifts and necessities. I even use Amazon as my "store" of choice when I'm running low on a household item and don't want to drag 5 kids to an actual store!

We bought 21 things from Amazon in June, but I'm not going to list them all. Some of them were wedding gifts off of an Amazon registry, some of them were gifts for friends and family, and I have no business or interest in discussing the blade attachment my husband bought for our weed wacker! (Just keeping it real.)

Check out the Amazon Prime purchases I made in June, and keep reading to find out an awesome way to save if you are a special needs family...

How To Encourage Healthy Sleep Habits in Children with Suzy Snooze - A Review + Giveaway

*I received this product complimentary in exchange of my honest review. 

My kids have always been great sleepers! I consider it a fair trade after all the months of horrible morning sickness that I went through. I know we've been very lucky that our kids have healthy sleep habits, and I'm so grateful for that!

Recently, however, Liam started experiencing some sleep issues. He has shared a room with Dylan since he was born, and got used to having a roommate. With the upcoming arrival of our newest baby, we ended up giving Dylan his own bedroom since he is the oldest, and decided to have Liam share a room with his baby brother. We made the switch a few months ago, and it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing in the sleep department!

Liam has been falling asleep late now that he's alone in his room, and having trouble waking up on time for school. Once he falls asleep, he stays asleep, but getting to that point is the problem! I was so excited to try out BleepBleeps Suzy Snooze, which is a smart nightlight, sleep soother, sleep trainer, and baby monitor all in one. We've been using it for a few weeks now, and it's definitely helping! And guess what? You can enter to win one of your own!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!

I am so relieved it's the weekend! I'm fairly certain this was the longest, most frustrating and most expensive week I've had in months. I'll save all that for another day! All I can say is that I'm really looking forward to putting on pajamas and curling up in bed for a date with Netflix tonight!

Here are a few of my favorite things this week:

{ONE}

Liam recently had a photoshoot for the Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh's 2017 calendar. We had to choose our favorite picture and we ended up going with this one. Ward Photography captured his joy so well!

{TWO}

Every time I go to Target (which is at least once a week) the dollar spot immediately pulls me in! Their selection for Halloween and Thanksgiving this year is unbeatable. I just keep adding things to my cart!

{THREE}

Have you heard of Pley? It's a toy library where you can "rent" educational toys! You choose the toys you want to try from the 500+ toy library and put them in your Pley List. You can choose a plan where you pay for 1 toy credit a month ($12.99 plus shipping) or a plan where you pay for 3 toy credits ($29.99 plus shipping). You get sanitized toys delivered right to your house one at a time then return them when you are finished!

I chose Magformers because I knew it was a toy that all four of my kids would enjoy! Sure enough, they loved it but my girls were most excited about the Lego bracelet that was theirs to keep. Dylan, however, thought the Lego separator was "epic."

AND just in case your kid doesn't want to return the toy there is an option to buy it with the click of a button in your account!


*I received a free credit from Pley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

{FOUR}

I always get so excited when a package from Trendy Bubs shows up in my mailbox! Thanks to them Liam is the coolest kid in town (it's that hair, too).

The Sporadic White Arrows on Mustard Organic Cotton Leggings are adorable and you can add on matching accessories! The Peacemaker shirt can be customized by color and style. To save 20% on your order use the code liamff at checkout (excluding sale and custom name items).

*Liam is a brand rep for Trendy Bubs and receives clothing in exchange for pictures. 

{FIVE}

I recently won a fun giveaway from XO Kerry! These bibs from ToppyToddler are AMAZING. Liam is still messy and needs a bib when he eats. Unfortunately, he figured out how to remove our favorite Ikea bibs/smocks, which attach with velcro.


These bibs fasten with snaps and he can't get them off! I love how they provide ample coverage and are truly waterproof. I love them so much that I tossed one in the diaper bag and one in his lunchbox!

{SIX}

Grant recently got to try Ralph Lauren Polo Blue from Influenster (complimentary for testing purposes/all opinions are my own).  He's a bit of a cologne snob but he loved this one! It's perfect for the office or for casual use. I really like the classic, fresh scent, too, so that's an added bonus!
 

{SEVEN}

My horse is still here and for that I'm grateful. I'm not going to sugar coat it: he's failing. He just looks old and he's acting even older. This is much more difficult than I imagined it would be. I'm spending as much time as I possibly can with him these days (which isn't much) and I just hope he knows how much he's loved.

 

{EIGHT} 

That last one was a bit heavy! How about if I leave you with these sweet pictures from my post yesterday? They're definitely my favorite pictures of the week!  (I'll spare you the moody tween!)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! What's on your agenda?

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Keeping Cool with Nuby: The Quest for the Perfect Straw Cup

When you become a parent your life changes drastically. You suddenly care about things you never expected to care about. Every parent quickly finds out that finding the perfect cup for their child becomes an extremely important mission!

Parents want a toddler cup that is easy for their child to use, easy to wash and most importantly, LEAK-PROOF! Most cups claim to be leak-proof but seasoned parents know that it's a lie! The search for the perfect cup is like searching for the Holy Grail. It takes a lot of trial and error but once you find the perfect one you just want to shout out the news!

I've been a parent for 11 years now and we have tried an abundance of cups. Some I  loved, some were okay and some were so awful that they never got used again. Let me just say that cups back when my son was a baby were nothing like cups today. Even though I have 4 kids under my wing now and 11 years of experience, I still search for the perfect cup for my toddler! My overflowing cabinet full of duds is proof of that.

I recently discovered a new favorite which I now consider THE perfect straw cup: the Nuby Insulated Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It with 360 Weighed Straw! 

When I received this cup to review I decided to put it to the ultimate test by taking it to the beach for our family vacation! Not only did I want to see if this cup was truly No-Spill but I also wanted to see if it would keep drinks cool for up to 10 hours like it claimed. What better place to test that theory out than on a hot beach?

There are a few features worth noting that makes this cup stand out above the rest! The Easy Grip handles make it easy for tiny hands to hold the cup. This cup has a SoftFlex Flip-It straw. This soft silicone straw is gentle and ideal for toddlers who are teething. The unique flip top cap flips over the straw so the straw stays clean and sanitary when the cup isn't in use. The weighted 360 straw, which is my favorite feature, allows your child to drink from any angle which ensures that they will get every last drop!

Liam happily offered to check the leak-proof status of the cup by shaking it as hard as he possibly could while it was filled with milk and it passed his test. This cup is truly leak-proof! How does it work? The No-Spill design with the Touch-flo valve inside the spout helps prevent spills from occurring.  The Clik-it feature is the most unique. When you put on the lid and hear the click you know the cup is locked!

The insulated feature on this cup keeps the cup from sweating and it claims to keep drinks cool for up to 10 hours. I was interested to see how well this cup kept drinks cool so Liam used it each day on the beach.  The longest he went without completely emptying his cup was 5 hours. The cup often sat in direct sunlight and every time I checked the drink felt cool.

 

 Once we arrived home I tested the insulation factor again. I filled up the cup with cold water just before I went to bed, sat it on the counter overnight and I tested the temperature 9 hours later. Still cool! This cup is perfect for travel OR a busy life on the go!

Although this cup is ideal for all toddlers I highly recommend it for children who have special needs. The handles make it easy for those often extra tiny or weak hands to grip the cup and the weighted straw really helps kids who haven't figured out what position they need to hold a straw cup in just yet. All of those features make it the perfect cup for a child who has Down syndrome. Plus did you know that kids who have Down syndrome should use a straw cup because the use of a straw helps strengthen the muscles in the mouth which are later used for speech?

The Nuby Insulated Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It with 360 Weighted Straw cup quickly became my new favorite! I loved it so much that I purchased another one for Liam's lunch box. I know for certain that his drink will stay cool until snack time and that he will be able to use the cup confidently without any help from his teachers. That gives me one less thing to worry about when I send him to his first day of school tomorrow! 

This BPA FREE 7.5 oz Nuby cup is part of the Active Sipeez series which is ideal for kids 12 months and older.  The cup is available in Blue, Pink or Green and can be purchased at Babies R Us.

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DISCLOSURE: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I received this product for review but all opinions are 100% my own.

Toddler Feeding Essentials

Over the course of a decade, we've tested out our fair share of feeding items for our 4 kids!

The amount of money we've spent on cups, bowls, plates, utensils and bibs over the years could probably pay our bills for a month! And let me just say, they didn't have quite as many options when Dylan and Lexie were babies.  They are only 11 and 9, but baby items have changed drastically over the years!

We are in the midst of the toddler stage with Liam. What worked for feeding during the baby stage no longer works during the toddler stage. After some trial and error, I compiled a list of our absolute favorite toddler feeding essentials.

First things first...where to sit? With Dylan and Lexie, we had a traditional high chair.  After Lexie outgrew it, I gave it away because I thought we were done having kids.  HA!

When baby #3 came along, we opted for a space-saving high chair. It's basically a full-size high chair without legs that straps onto a kitchen chair.  We have the Fisher-Price Spacesaver High Chair.

While there are certainly some awesome traditional high chairs out there, this one works really well for us. It has a great recline feature, so our newborns were able to sit at the table with us from day one. Now Liam can eat with the tray on or we can take it off and pull him up to the kitchen table.  The seat can convert to a booster seat once he's ready and we often unhook it from the chair and use it on the floor during his speech therapy sessions.

My little dude is MESSY, so I rely on the best bibs ever to keep him clean! My friend introduced me to them and they were a game changer!

KLADD PRICKAR Bib - A set of 2 is only $10!  We use them for arts and crafts, too! 

When Liam is sitting at the table without his highchair tray, I like to use a placemat to protect the wood. He has a really cute personalized placemat from i see me!

Most of you know that Liam has Down syndrome.  Feeding problems are a very common issue. Thankfully, we haven't had to deal with feeding problems, but Liam DOES like to toss his cups, plates, bowls and utensils to the ground.  He only does it during lunch, so I rely on weighted heavy feeding mats for lunchtime!

The Skip Hop Mate Stay Put Mat + Plate is great! It's heavy and skid-resistant and the plate and utensils attach to the mat!

For some reason, it seems to deter Liam from throwing! I guess it's a good distraction. I personally love the divided plate that is the perfect size for a toddler!

I haven't purchased an ezpz mat yet, but many of Liam's friends' parents swear by them! That's next on my list of items to buy!

Many of Liam's meals are served on Re-Play plates and we always use Re-Play utensils.  Re-Play items are made out of recycled milk jugs!  If you haven't heard of them yet, take a moment to check out the company.  Their products are inexpensive and so much fun! (Lily uses Re-Play plates and utensils, too.) They are truly one of my favorite brands!

One of our goals is for Liam to use his utensils full-time.  He is doing well and the Re-Play utensils are the perfect size for his little hands!

Suction bowls are the way to go with toddlers!  We have been using a popular brand since Liam was an infant, but the bowls never seem to suction very well. I recently bought the Gerber Graduates Tri-Suction Bowls and they work much better!

You won't see a single "sippy" cup on my list and there's a good reason for that!  The use of sippy cups (those with a spout) can cause tongue thrust. One of the first things we were told after we had Liam was to avoid sippy cups and to just use straw cups.  Using a straw cup helps with proper tongue placement and builds the muscles in the mouth which will later be used for speech.  This is especially important for kids who have Down syndrome.  

Liam started on a straw cup at 6 months old and that's all we've ever used.  We've gone through many brands and varieties, but our favorites are the Nuby Flip-It Designer Series 10 oz Cups!

I also like the Munchkin Weighted Straw Cup. Liam had a lot of success with that one during his early years! We're starting the transition into a regular cup, and I love the Munchkin Miracle 360 Cup! I bought a few different types of training cups and that is the only one that didn't leak!

Finally, snack cups! Because what toddler doesn't want to graze 24/7?!?  I like to have them filled and ready to go at all times! The Nuby 3-D Monster Snack Keeper and the Munchkin Snack Catchers are the ones we use most! I'm sure you can see which one Liam prefers.  He definitely likes the monster!

All of these feeding essentials are toddler (and mom) approved!  Happy Eating!

What are your favorite mealtime essentials for babies, toddlers or preschoolers?

Stay tuned for our favorite on-the-go feeding essentials and our restaurant pack!

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*This post is not sponsored and does not contain affiliate links.  They're just products that we love!

A Warm & Safe Night's Sleep with baby deedee: Review and Giveaway

We are in the midst of winter in Pennsylvania.  It's cold, the temperature is downright frigid after dark, and I worry about my toddler keeping warm throughout the night. 

As most of you know, Liam has Down syndrome.  Thankfully, he is 100% healthy and SO happy! But I worry so much about him.

One of the things I'm adamant about is safe sleeping practices with him.  I don't give him anything extra when he sleeps.  We skip bumpers and pillows.  We use sleep sacks.  People who have Down syndrome have an increased risk for sleep apnea and I don't want anything interfering with his sleep!

Liam has always been a fantastic sleeper.  But last month, he started to wake up and yell in the middle of the night.  When I would check on him, he was freezing.  He does tend to get cold very easily.  I don't think it's a Down syndrome thing.  I think it's a take after his mother thing!

At that point, I  felt it was safe to give him a blanket in addition to his sleep sack.  Unfortunately the problem continued. He would kick off the blanket and not be able to wake up completely to put it back on. I wasn't getting much sleep because I was constantly covering him, and when he was quiet, I worried!

I started to research other sleep sack options, and stumbled upon baby deedee on Twitter! I browsed through their products and just knew that it would work for Liam.  I sent them a tweet mentioning that I was so happy to find them and would be purchasing a sleep sack from them. Baby deedee very generously offered a product in exchange for a review and giveaway, and I jumped at the opportunity!

The award winning baby deedee offers many products for a safe, cozy, and warm night's sleep!  I ended up choosing the original sleep nest for my review. It sounded perfect for Liam!

 I was immediately impressed by the sleep nest upon arrival.  The quilted baby duvet sleeping bag was super soft and warm, and I absolutely loved the functional design and fun color!

The sleep nest did NOT disappoint!

The baby deedee sleep nest is the BEST sleep sack I've ever tried! I used a variety of brands with all four of my children, and I truly wish I would have discovered this company sooner!

A few things make the sleep nest unique:

• Shoulder snaps make it easier to put on.
• The Indian cotton is super soft.
• The cut is more narrow (cocoon shape) than other sleep sacks, which makes it cozier!
• It's quilted, which gives it an extra layer of warmth.

My favorite feature is the shoulder snaps!  Putting on traditional sleep sacks can be tricky.  You have to wrestle your child's arms into the holes then lay them down so you can slip it over their feet and zip it up.  With the baby deedee sleep nest, you can simply unsnap the shoulder snaps, slip it on while your child is sitting in your lap, and close the shoulder snaps!

I was even able to put it on while Liam was standing!  He stepped into it and I closed the shoulder snaps. It was also easy to put on while he was sleeping without waking him up. This is a winning feature in my opinion!

Of course, there is a center zipper, too.  It zips from the bottom up, so I can easily change Liam's diaper without removing the sleep nest.

Another thing I love about the baby deedee sleep nest is the size range. The sleep nest is available for ages 0-36 months. Liam was just between a medium and a large, so I chose a large so he could get more use out of it.  Let me just say, he will be able to fit into it for several more years! It actually fit my 4 1/2 year old!

The sleep nest was easy to wash and dry, and when it was finished, it looked just as new as when I pulled it out of the package.  I simply turned it inside out, washed it in cold water, and dried it on low.

A lot of people choose to get rid of sleep sacks when their child starts walking.  I, however, used them until age 3 with all of my kids.  Trust me...they are able to walk in sleep sacks and it keeps their feet warm overnight.  I don't know about your kids, but my kids lose socks while they sleep and wake up with cold feet! I know how important a good night's sleep is for me, and comfort and warmth makes a world of difference.  I just want my children to sleep safely and comfortably.

The most important thing is that using sleep sacks is safer.  I hate worrying about loose blankets causing SIDS. The sleep nest keeps me from worrying about one more thing, and as a mother who has four kids to worry about, that's a relief!

When Liam wears the sleep nest, he sleeps safely, looks cozy and comfortable, and stays warm without getting overheated, thanks to the breathable material.

 

Liam has been wearing the sleep nest at naptime and at bedtime every day.  He's a tiny dude, so it's going to be a part of our sleep routine for at least another year!

In addition to their website, baby deedee can be found on twitter and facebook. Baby deedee also offers these awesome products:

• sleep nest lite
• sleep nest tee
• sleepsie
• dabbie
• stroller blanket
• sleep pillow 
• sleep quilt
• sleep sheet

{GIVEAWAY}

One lucky winner will win a sleep nest from baby deedee in the size/color of their choice! Entering is easy on the rafflecopter widget below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you would like to order from baby deedee now, use THIS LINK, which will give you 20% off your entire order! 

The baby deedee sleep nest DID solve our problem.  Liam is getting a great night's sleep because he's safe, cozy, and WARM!

Thank you to baby deedee for sponsoring today's post and for keeping Liam warm throughout the winter! 

*DISCLOSURE: I was provided with a product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.