Monday, September 27, 2010

25% off at Carters through Sept 29th

Hey All,

Carter's sent out a 25% off coupon valid through Sept 29th.  No minimum purchase.




Here is a link to the in store coupon: http://image.e.carters.com/lib/fefe1671706100/m/1/Carters_092710_email_12.jpg?cm_mmc=ETCarters-_-Retail%20Weekly-_-Retail+Weekly+Two+Active+Engaged+2010+09+25-_-Shop+Twenty+Five+Percent+Off+Your+Entire+Purchase


If you are purchasing online the online promo code is: Friends

Friday, September 24, 2010

And the winner of the $60 gift certificate to DC Baby Love is...

...A Blazey Daisy! Congrats


Please shoot me an e-mail at momblogva@gmail.com to discuss details.


Thanks to the whopping 4 of you that played. Man, 300 site visits this week so far and only 4 entries?  You're a tough crowd to please!  Anyhoo, remember that EITB fans and subscribers get 25% off diapers cakes at DC Baby Love through October 31!  http://dcbabylove.com/

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Similac Recall - Powdered Formula

So evidently beetles and beetle larvae were found in an area of the Abbott plant in Michigan where Similac powdered formulas are produced.  Um, yuck.  Abbott labs imediately shut down that area of the plant and issued a voluntary recall of 5 million containers of  Similac powdered formula.  However not all Similac formula is being recalled. Ready to feed formula iand specialty formulas are not impacted.

Here's what included in the recall:

Similac powdered product lines in plastic containers

Similac powdered formula in plastic containers: 8 oz.,12.4 oz. and 12.9 oz can


What to do if you think your formula is included in the recall:

Well you can try to check the website www.similac.com/recall but you mightnot be able to get on--it crashed earlier today from all the traffic.  Try this link too http://abbott.vo.llnwd.net/o18/similac/recall/default.htm

Anyhoo, try it at an off time during the day or maybe in the middle of the night and you might have better luck.  Or call Abbott labs at (800) 986-8850.  Abbott is giving full refunds if you have a container that is a part of the recall. 

If you can't get through today  -- don't freak out.  Improvise, adapt and overcome.  Stop using the formula for today -- buy another brand or ready to feed to use for the next few days until the dust settles and then try to get through to Abbott.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

National Child Passenger Safety Week - A Post Relevant To All Moms

Ok, I'm a little late posting this but, better late than never, eh?

This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 3 out of 4 parents don't properly restrain their child in the car.  

Does your child fight you when you try to put him in his car seat or ask you why he has to be in it?  Read this post...it might help put it all into perspective.

The NHTSA is sponsoring a free car seat inspection day this Saturday Sept 25.  to find a location near you click here: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

Can't go this weekend? Click here for a list of car seat inspection locations available year round (look on the right hand side for the inspection location finder): http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS


Oh and one last thing...if you are buying a car seat second hand inspect it well and look on the back for its expiration date! Yes, car seats expire!

3 Fun Upcoming Events & 1 Serious One You Might Be Interested In



Wednesday, September 22nd 

Certifikid Deal of the Day -- Stroller Strides 50% off
(Certifikid is like Groupon for Family and Kid stuff)
50% off Stroller Strides 10 class pass.
Get 10 classes for $55. (save $55)
THIS IS FOR FIRST TIME STROLLER STRIDES CLIENTS ONLY and will ONLY BE OFFERED ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd!


Saturday, September 25th 

National Child Passenger Safety - Car Seat Inspection Day
According to the NHTSA 3 out of 4 parents do not properly use child restraints!!
Free car seat inspections sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration!
Click here to find out where you can get your car seat inspected this Saturday


The Baby Bargain Celebration Event at Great Beginnings
10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
*Great Beginnings will be giving away the first 400 Baby Bargain Books FREE!* 
Sponsored By: Great Beginnings, Britax, & DC Baby Planners

Great Beginnings  (a much cooler version of BRU or BBB- worth the drive)
18501 N. Frederick Rd. 
Gaithersburg, MD 20879 
(301) 417-9702  

*Prizes, Raffles, over $10,000 in Giveaways and much more. 
*Meet & Greet with Reps from many Top Companies Featured in the Baby Bargains Book.  
*Huge OneDay Only Exclusive InStore Sales Event 20% off!!!!!!!
*Book Signing Alan Fields, Author of the Baby Bargains Book, 10:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. 
*Britax Introduces New Car Seat Technology & New, Innovative Stroller Line 
*Up To 30% Off All Britax Products 
*Over 30 Local Vendor Tables, Groups & Booths 

Wednesday September 29th
529 Kids Consign -- Consignment Sale & Moms Night Out
5:30-9:30  at Food Matters
4906 Brenman Park Drive
Alexandria, VA  22304

Monday, September 20, 2010

September Giveaway & Discount -- Diaper Cakes by DC Baby Love

Haven't had your baby shower yet or have a friend with a baby shower coming up and want to get a creative and practical centerpiece for the party?  Consider getting a diaper cake!  I didn't quite understand the whole diaper cake thing when I was pregnant with Sophie -- mainly because I'd never seen one and didn't get what it entailed.  When I finally saw one last year I was disappointed I never got one :(

When done right, it's a really cute and useful gift.  Diaper cakes are made up of diapers, onesies, burpcloths and sometimes, sleepers, wash cloths, blankets and other baby goodies.  Let me just say -- now that I am in the thick of it again -- I'm thrilled to bits any time someone gives me diapers!  


Like the other businesses that have sponsored giveaways on this site, DC Baby Love is local, female owned, company.  Check out their site for more info and more "cake" options!
http://dcbabylove.com/






So, here's this month's giveaway:


A $60 gift certificate to DC Baby Love.  You can use it toward 2 small cakes, one medium ($60) cake or use it as credit towards a larger custom cake. It's up to you! However, the larger the cake, the more diapers and other goodies!


How can you win it?  


Rules:
As usual you have to be a EITB e-mail subscriber or FB fan.  This time you do actually have to be pregnant to win and you must live in DC, MD or VA.


To enter let me know what your cake would look like in the comment section of this post.  I know somewhere deep (or not so deep) down you have your baby's room planned so you have a theme or color scheme in mind.  So tell us how you'd design your cake.  Doesn't have to be long.  Unless Katie thinks one is truly over the top, we'll just do a random drawing on Friday Sept 24. So you need to enter by the time I get up on the 24th...which is at like 5 these days!




This month's discount for all EITB subscribers/followers:
25% off diaper cakes at DC Baby Love through October 31.  Just mention EITB when you order.  Oh and since they are non-perishable you can order one for a friend (or yourself) even if their shower or due date is months away!





Thanks to Katie at DC Baby Love for this month's giveaway!
DC BABY LOVE
Email: dcbabylove@gmail.com
Website: http://dcbabylove.com
Phone: 202.210.0697

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Local Options for Natural Birth Meeting Thursday 9/16

Local Options for Natural Birth Meeting 9/16
(Reposting on behalf of Arlington/Alexandria Chapters of Holistic Moms Network)



Thanks CrunchyChewyMama for passing along!
Are you curious about the landscape of birth options in the greater DC area?
Where are the birth centers? What are local midwife options? How do OBs and hospitals support natural birth, VBAC,  etc.?
Which childbirth classes are right for you?

Come to the Arlington/Alexandria chapter of Holistic Moms Network to learn about local birth options and to meet  birth care providers including midwives, OBs, doulas, childbirth educators and other practitioners who support women  in preparing to birth.

Date/Time: Thursday, September 16, 6:30-9:00 p.m
Location: George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, Virginia
(note this is a different location than our usual chapter meetings)

Children are welcome to attend, but this meeting might be crowded and busy, so plan accordingly.
HMN meetings are open to members and first-time visitors. This meeting is open to anyone regardless of whether  you've attended a meeting before or not. No RSVP required.

Format:
Introductory presentation on DC-area options and general considerations for natural birth by Karen Klauss, CNM, and  former board member of Birth Options Alliance -- 
http://www.birthoptionsalliance.org
Q&A with practitioners
Open house meet & greet with practitioners


For more information about the Arlington/Alexandria chapter of Holistic Moms Network, please:
visit our blog at 
http://holisticmomsarlalex.blogspot.com/
email HolisticMomsArlAlex (at) gmail (dot) com

or call Leigha at 703-785-1099

Ok, I'm back...

...kind of.  I'm finding it pretty difficult to put a coherent thought together these days.  However, Sophie, the great tornado, has (sniffle, sniffle) gone off to preschool a few mornings a week so I now have a few hours of quiet during the week. 


So, you want the devastated mom line about how hard it was to send her to school or do you want the truth?   Truth is, it wasn't that hard and I didn't cry.  I know my kid.  She is very social and thrives on being around other kids.  A tiny part of me feared she'd hate it, but I was pretty confident she was going to love it.  That said she surprised me by bolting to the door and screaming during the open house--but that had more to do with the fact that she HATES to be contained.  She didn't see all the toys--only the closed door.  Day one of school she was fine, she held onto my legs for 5 minutes and then forgot I was there.  My heart was in my throat for about five minutes as I left the room and then...I was all good.  


Truth be told, the silence is amazing!!! Not to mention the ability to give Olivia more me time--something that is very hard to do with an active toddler around, especially one whose favorite things to do include: running, jumping, swinging, coloring, and destroying anything that belongs to mommy.  Also, did I mention that Mommy's participation is required in all of the aforementioned activities?  Can't lie though...the non-stop running around and constant nursing has melted away baby weight at record speed.  So I've got that going for me...which is nice.  However, I really do need to curtail my eating.  My friend Heather sent over a whole tray of cornbread with her chili the other night and I have polished off more than 1/2 of it already.  he, he.  


So today Oli and I ventured out to Panera in Alexandria.  She is comfortably asleep (ok, was asleep) in her car seat and I am enjoying a spinach and bacon souffle and a caramel latte.  I'm giddy like a school girl right now.  I'm also stalling because I can't quite remember what I was going to write about today. Right, that said let it be known that baby brain DOES NOT go away when the baby is born.  In fact, if it's possible, I'm more loopy now than when I was preggers.  


Focus, Cara, focus.


Ok, so I am going to start posting some random thoughts under the title, "I Know This Much Is True".   Basically reflections on the past few weeks, comparisons between Sophie and Oli's first weeks and mullings on two kids.  Also, going to get back to relevant articles for pregnant women in the area.  One long over due post will be on pre-natal/post partum exercise options in the area.


For Friday, something fun... a new giveaway and discount.  
  

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

If you are in the market for newborn photos...

..I highly recommend Kelly Smith Photography.  I broke down and had her do Olivia's newborn pics since I have only taken four pictures since she was born. I didn't do these for Sophie and now I feel guilty.  Great, now I'll have to find the fanciest pic of Soph I can as a newborn and blow it up so I can avoid the "why don't I have one of these pictures" in a few years.  Great, lying to my kids already.  lol.

Kelly brings props, fabrics, blankets and even a basket to the newborn session.  She is incredibly patient and takes her time with every shot.  It was actually a fun experience.

Here are some samples from Oli's session:



http://kellysmithphotography.net/blog/?p=152






Sunday, September 5, 2010

Maternity Leave

I'll be back, just taking some time to get to know Oli and figure out the whole two kid thing.