Mommy Monday - When You Need An Extra Hand

*I received a product to facilitate this review as a Nuby Parent Blogger.  

All views and opinions shared are my own.*

There are a lot of new babies and moms in my family.  One of my sisters had her first child at the end of September, my sister-in-law had her first baby at the end of January, and one of my cousins had her first in February.  Like I said, a lot of new babies!  It is a lot of fun!  We hosted some of my family at our house last weekend to celebrate my grandma's #8, #9 and #10 great-grandchildren (and by the way, she has #11 on the way!).

My Grandma's three youngest great-grandchildren
My nephew, JP, and my cousin's son

With all of these new babies, I've been enjoying bonding with all the new moms and talking everything baby and parenting life.  The other day we were talking about the "Mom Shower".  My cousin Sarah came up with the perfect description of the "Five Minute Mom Shower":

Minute 1:  He is finally sleeping, and I haven't bathed in 48 hours, let's shower.  Wait, is he REALLY sleeping?  Do I have enough time?

Minute 2:  Yep, he's REALLY sleeping.  Let's do this!

Minute 3:  Shampoo, conditioner and body wash all at once.  That's why they make all-in-ones, right?  Wait, mine's not an all-in-one.  Oh well, it is now.

Minute 4:  Do I have time to shave?  Who are you kidding?  No, just get the underarms and call it good.  It's not like you really shaved your legs that often before he was born...

Minute 5:  Rinse and dry.  Crap, is that conditioner?  I'll get it next time.  I'm dry ENOUGH, let's check on him.  He's STILL asleep, why did I rush?

I think all Moms can use an extra hand or even an extra minute when it comes to "bath time" - not only for ourselves, but also for our kids.  And with three kids needing baths now, I am happy that I have Nuby's Contour Bath Seat.  

Nuby's Contour Bath Seat's slim design allows me to take care of all three kids at once in the bath tub.  My other baby bath tub is wide and bulky, but Nuby's is not only narrow, but supportive.  Most bath seats you still have to keep a hand on your baby so they don't slide around or fall over, but Nuby's design with curves and bumps keep them sitting up and stationary.  I also love that the bath seat has a drain hole, which makes clean up easy.  Another great thing is that it is affordable.  BuyBabyDirect sells the tub for $12!

To learn more about Nuby get connected with them through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

What baby product do you think a new mom can't be without?  Can you relate to the "Mom Shower"?  Remember to Comment for a Cause?

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review: Fun Feeding Bowls

Today is my final post as part of my five-part series of Nuby products as part of the Nuby Mommy Blogger program.  If you haven't seen the other posts, be sure the check out my other reviews on Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups, Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip, Tear Free Rinse Pail and Snack Keeper.  Today's review is on Nuby's Fun Feeding Bowls.

Your baby is starting to feed itself so you're on the hunt now for their first utensils, cups and dinnerware.  For me, I never really found a set of good first dinnerware.  The only choices I could really see and find were cheap plastic or melamine and I wasn't a fan of either.  I wish I would have found these Nuby Fun Feeding Bowls when LP was that age.  I'm not afraid of these bowls breaking; they're very durable.  Also a great plus is that they are both dishwasher and microwave safe and friendly.  Even though LP is too old for these bowls now, he thinks they are neat.  The bright colors and fun designs are very attractive and make for great hats...

LP using the bowls...

I recommend these Fun Feeding Bowls for beginner dinnerware and can't wait to use them with MP when she starts to feed herself.  If you are interested in getting your own set of Nuby Fun Feeding Bowls they can be bought at:

• Amazon.com
• buybuy Baby

To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Also, congratulations to Dominique for winning a Nuby Snack Keeper
from last week's giveaway!

What was your favorite review from my five-part series?  Is there a Nuby product you're interested in seeing a review of?

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review and GIVEAWAY: Snack Keeper

It is week four of my five-part series of Nuby products as part of the Nuby Mommy Blogger program.  Today, I'm excited for two reasons.  Number one, I get to share my review of a must have product for anyone with a crawling and walking baby/pre-toddler who likes to snack.  And number two, I have a giveaway for this awesome product!  The winner will be announced in next week's blog post which will end my current series I have been doing with Nuby.

It is that time of year when Christmas lists are starting to be made and if you or someone you know has a baby or a pre-toddler then Nuby's Snack Keeper should be on your list!  We used these Snack Keepers with LP once he was probably 9 or 10 months old til he was probably 24 months old.  They are perfect for cereal, crackers, puffs, etc.  The top of the container has soft flaps that make it easy for little hands to reach in and grab their favorite snack, and at the same time prevents spilling.  We used Snack Keepers around the house, in the car, in the tractor, etc.  Plus, I think LP always liked that it was his container for his snacks.  A few more months and we'll probably be getting our Snack Keepers out again for MP to use!

If you are interested in getting your own Nuby Snack Keeper it can be bought at:

• IdealBaby.com 
• BabyEarth.com
• Diapers.com
• BuyBabyDirect.com
• Amazon.com
• buybuy Baby
• Sears
• Blain's Farm & Fleet

To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Check out my other Nuby reviews here:

• Fun Drinking Cups
• Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip
• Tear Free Rinse Pail

Who would you love to give a Nuby Snack Keeper to?  Share below and enter for more chances to win your own Nuby Snack Keeper.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review: Tear Free Rinse Pail

It is week three of my five-part series of Nuby products as part of the Nuby Mommy Blogger program.  Nuby offers a lot of great products for babies and kids.  So far I've highlighted a couple of their cups for feeding your baby and your toddler.  Today, I'm going to switch gears and talk bath time by reviewing Nuby's Tear Free Rinse Pail.

No body likes getting water in their eyes, especially soapy water.  But it almost seems inevitable that children taking baths will get water in their eyes because they haven't learned to close their eyes when water goes over their face.  How many Moms out there can relate with me about having an upset and frustrated child during bath time due to just this?  To address this bath time meltdown I decided to try Nuby's Tear Free Rinse Pail.

Nuby's Tear Free Rinse Pail is designed with a "comfort" flexible edge that you lay against your child's forehead so water goes around just their face.  I've been trying this cup out for a few weeks with LP.  Him and I are really enjoying it versus my plastic drink cup I used before.  Now I wouldn't say absolutely no water will get in your child's face, but I would say a much less and bearable amount does, opposed to a regular cup.

As a result, I wouldn't recommend this as a must have product for every family with small children, but I would say it is something nice and helpful to have.  We have officially switched to the Tear Free Rinse Pail and have put away the plastic drink cup in our house.

If you are interested in getting your own Nuby Tear Free Rinse Pail it can be bought at:

• IdealBaby.com
• BabyHaven.com
• BuyBabyDirect.com
• Amazon.com
• Kmart

To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

What are you must have "tools" for bath time at your house?

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review: Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip

Today I'm excited to share my second review, as part of my five-part series for Nuby and their Mommy Blogger team, on Nuby's Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip.  Be sure to check out last week's review here.

There comes a time in every infants life when they must make the switch from a bottle to a sippy cup.  I am here to tell you that you can do it as early as 4 months old with Nuby's Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip.  I haven't talked about this too much but I breastfeed my children.  I breastfed LP until he was 1 year old and I plan on doing the same with MP.  But there comes times when I am away from my kids and others need to feed them.  I figure why have my kids get attached to a bottle, so I started using a sippy cup with LP when he was 6 months old and have started using a sippy cup with MP at 4 months old.

I like Nuby's Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip cup for a couple reasons:

1. It holds more fluid than the bottles I own (the bottles I have are 5 oz and this sippy cup holds 8 oz), which is nice for those feeding MP so they don't have to make more than one bottle.  
2. The cup's spout releases the fluid easily and fast.  MP sucks strong enough on a bottle's nipple that it dents in and she has to let go so the nipple can release and refill.  (If you have a baby, you know what I'm talking about here.)  With this stage one sippy cup, MP can suck as strong and long as she wants and will always receive an ample flow.
3. The sippy cup really is leak proof!  MP is young enough she isn't shaking and tossing around the sippy cup, so I did for her (her day will come...).  I filled up the sippy cup with water, screwed on the top, heard the "click" and started shaking the sippy cup.  There was no water coming out of the spout or where the lid meets the base.  I have thrown away a lot of sippy cups through the years because they leak.  This sippy cup passes my leak-proof test.

MP kicking back and drinking from her stage one sippy cup

If you are interested in getting your own Nuby Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip, they can be found at Target.

To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

When did you switch your kid(s) from the bottle to a sippy cup?  Did you have problems making "the switch"?

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review: Fun Drinking Cups

First, I'm happy to announce that I have began a new venture with Nuby as one of their Mommy bloggers.  This allows me to try their products and then follow up with a review.  With a toddler, a baby and plans to continue our family - what a better company to work with!  I have always found Nuby products to be high-quality & functional so I was very excited to become part of their Nuby Mommy team.

Today I am starting a five week series reviewing five of their products.  Be sure to check in every week as I'm working on a giveaway with Nuby at the end of the series!  Today's review is on Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups.

How many of you out there keep telling yourself that you should really start having your toddler drink out of an open cup and not a sippy cup?  I'm raising my hand!  I know I should move LP out of a sippy cup and into an open cup but I really don't like having slight panic attacks whenever I do let him drink out of our "regular" glasses.  I hadn't really found that good "beginning" open cup yet and loved hearing about Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups.

Which would you rather having your toddler drink out of???

Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups are durable and come in a variety fun colors and designs on them.  (The ones we have our yellow and orange and have frogs on them - which LP thinks is pretty cool.)  They're small enough for small hands to easily handle but yet big enough to give your toddler their desired amount of milk, juice, water, etc.  Nuby says this product is great for children ages 18+.  I find the cups as a great beginner open cup and am happy to have them in our cupboard.

LP has officially graduated up from the sippy cup!
(And why shouldn't he - he graduated from
plastic bowls and spoons a long time ago!)

If you are interested in getting your own set of Nuby Fun Drinking Glasses they can be bought online through:

• BuyBabyDirect.com
• Amazon.com

To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

What is your new favorite baby or kid's product?  I can't wait to continue to share more reviews with you in the upcoming weeks!

The Quest for Life as a Super Mom

Life as a Super Mom?  Is it really possible?  I have been thinking about this, oh I don't know, the last 3 1/2 weeks since MP arrive... and especially this past week.  Being a Mom is huge identity of mine.  According to my parents, I've wanted to be a Mom since I became a big sister at the age of 15 months.  When something is so important to you, you want to be the best - you want to be super.

First thing first, what is a Super Mom?  My definition of a Super Mom is a Mom who takes care of her family and home at an exemplary level.  Now I like to think that I do a good job of taking care of my family and home, but at an exemplary level - both family and home simultaneously...  I'm not sure how often that happens.

There are some days I feel like I am on top of meal-time, kid activities, and keeping the house clean, but on the same day, bed time will be a struggle and I get behind on laundry, and I get knocked back down to reality and realize that I'm not perfect.

But do I have to be perfect all the time to be a Super Mom?  Will my kids remember the times I made a frozen pizza for supper because I just didn't want to cook that night, or will they remember having picnics in the park after going to the library for story time?  Will they remember dishes sitting in the sink for the day rather than being washed right away, or will they remember singing and dancing to the "Wheels on the Bus" instead?

Maybe I should be looking for Super Mom moments, those little successes that make you feel on top of the world, rather than complete days where nothing goes wrong.  Because is it the moments or days we remember?  I have to admit, I've been having quite a few Super Mom moments lately - but never a full day of only them.

So here's to those Super Mom moments!  For all those Moms out there - I hope you all have a Super Mom moment today, or tomorrow, because I obviously am not having a Super Mom moment today getting this blog posted at a decent time...

Life as a Super Mom
Maybe not always, but at moments I feel like I can and am able to do it all!