Holiday Card Giveaway - YIPEE!

I know you other fab Mommas out there are probably thinking about ordering, if you haven't already ordered, your Holiday cards.

Every Moment Matters is a fabulous Canadian company focused on designing custom photo announcement cards. They were first mentioned on Mommy Brain when discussing Birth Announcements as their designs for boys and girls are to-die-for gorgeous! Jill, the owner and designer of Every Moment Matters, is amazing to work with. She really takes the time to create something one-of-a-kind that you both will be proud of! I just recently sent Jill my order for our family's Holiday card and she replied with a completely custom design based on inspiration from one of my photos and it is gorgeous! I am totally changing my order! Here is what Jill has to say about her special designs:

"I don't think the one-design-fits-all cards used by retail outlets work for everyone. They have nice designs but your photo has to fit their design. They do not change the orientation of a layout to fit a photo, adjust the colour to better match the photo(s) or change font styles to better suit a particular name.The majority of my cards remain custom designs. My actual design catalogue is about 4-5 times what you see online."

So here's what you really want to know about -

The Holiday Card Giveaway:

The lucky winner will receive a digital design uniquely created for you from Every Moment Matters' Holiday Card Designs. Once you have chosen your design and provided your photo(s) to Jill, she will create your one-of-a-kind card.
To ensure your cards are sent out in time for the Holidays, Jill will send you a digital design - a high quality JPEG file of your card.
Then, you can upload and print this file, as you would a regular photo, at your local Walmart, Costco, etc. - allowing you to print as many cards as you need for 15 cents each or something insanely cheap!
Digital designs usually cost $45 or more so this is a great opportunity to save money while impressing your family and friends with beautiful Holiday greetings!

Here's how to enter: Comment on this post: make sure NOT to comment anonymously (duh!) - "and the winner is... Anonymous!" won't work. Vote for Mommy Brain at TopMommyBlogs by simply clicking the button to the left. Become a Mommy Brain follower (if you aren't already) - you'll find the "Follow" button in the right-hand sidebar. Visit Every Moment Matters and check out Jill's fabulous products - look at these gorgeous birth announcements!

That's it - VOILA!

The winner will be randomly selected next Monday, December 7th, and posted on the right-hand sidebar of Mommy Brain under "Giveaways".





* Please note: Giveaway open to both Canadian and U.S. residents :)

Giveaways, Giveaways, Giveaways!

Being that the Holiday season is upon us, it only feel right to give back a little somethin' somethin' to all my fabulous blog buddies (that's you!)...

The next few weeks are going to be chocked full of fun and fabulous giveaways - starting tomorrow! So, check back often and make sure to enter!

How I Would Interview...

The fact that I found this clip says it all... this girl is hilarious because she says exactly what I would be thinking during an interview with Jacob (a.k.a. Lautner).



How does he manage to keep his cool... he's seven-freakin-teen!

I know. I was just getting over this obsession with Twilight and BAM New Moon hits and I'm addicted again.

Jen :)

PS - Updated. Sorry American girls, this should work for you now! xo

We Are A Family!!

Part of the reason I created MOmMy bRaIn was to connect with and share with other Mommas and Mommas-to-be out there in cyberspace. Obviously, here on the blog, I write about my own experiences and challenges and sometimes you are fabulous enough to comment, provide your own advice, and let me know I'm not alone!

However, I think it would be great to start a network, a community, that allows all of us crazy Mommas and gonna-be-Mommas to share!

With help from my hubby, I've created a ning network called Mommy Brain Mommas.

Basically, Mommy Brain Mommas is a place for anyone to start forum discussions, share pictures, share their status with members (similar to facebook), add their own blog posts, and lots more. It's almost like a mini-Facebook but just for us! For example, my girlfriend asked me to write yesterday's post "Teething + Cribs..." on her behalf.... in the future, she can use Mommy Brain Mommas to ask other Mommas for advice and suggestions.

Although I have created this network, I'm basically just a member like everyone else. I cannot control the content, members, anything.

If you're interested in joining the Mommy Brain Mommas "family", click here to sign up! Once you're a member, you can update your profile, post comments, start discussion threads, upload pictures, invite any and all of your friends, and I'm sure there's much more - I'm still learning about it all myself!

Let me know if you think this is a good idea by commenting! If you like the idea of a online Mommy-family, join! And get your friends to join! And get your friend's friends to join! :p The more women the better!

Jen :)

Too Much?

Sitting Up Baby + Two blankets + Two Quilts + Two Pillows + Padded Activity Centre = Too Much?

What do you think??

I'm trying to limit her to three head bumps per day now that she's sitting up on her own. :p

Jen :)

PS - I'm thinking it's not too much... see picture below :p

Teething + Cribs = ???

My girlfriend has an 8 month old sweety pie who's got 4 teeth coming in at once - YUCK!

She called me yesterday and said "I need you to ask your blog followers something for me" and, of course, I had to oblige. Not just because I wanted to help her out but because, I know, in 3 months I'll likely be going through the same thing and will want to know what she wants to know! :p ha ha ha. Oh yeah, I guess it doesn't hurt that some of you might want to know the answer as well! :p Kidding, obviously.

So here it is... she can't find any crib rail guards for her thick-railed crib (similar to the one pictured). She checked Toys-R-Us and the regulars (Walmart, etc.) and nodda.

I did a little search on the good ol' web and found two products that I think would work: a fabric option and a plastic option. But I'm not sure if there's anything more readily available for her. Does anybody have an easier solution that ordering expensive products online? Have you found a great product that is worth sharing?

Coincidentally, related to my post yesterday on the crib recall, this is WHY I purchased a cheaper Storkcraft crib... because my brother told me that my niece chewed on her crib rails and I couldn't rationalize a $1000 teether! :)

Anyways, if you have any suggestions, it's appreciated. I have guard rails on two sides of my crib but I also have thicker sides that are unprotected as I'm sure many do.

Jen :)

Update: Crib Recall Info

Hey Everybody,

Found this information online about how to order repair kits for drop-side cribs from Storkcraft without having to load site or call their number...

Email parts@storkcraft.com with the following info - found on the mattress board of your crib:

• model number of crib
• date of manufacture and country of manufacture
• your shipping information

I remember this is what I did for the first recall, last year, regarding the mattress brackets.

Hope this helps!

Jen :)

PS - Regular daily post below...

Taking Action - If You're Interested...

For my Canadian ladies:

From your comments and from chatting with a few of you on Facebook yesterday, I'm getting the feeling that I'm not the only Mom upset, disappointed, "pissed, etc. about the recall involving Storkcraft drop-side cribs yesterday. Not to mention that I still am unable to get through to order my repair kit... how long will it take???

The Merchant Law Group has launched a class action suit against Storkcraft because of the recent recall regarding drop-side cribs.

If you're interested in joining the class action or just in being informed of the status, click here to sign up.

I'm sure there is something similar in the U.S.

Also, perhaps everyone can share ideas on where they are sleeping their babes in the meantime... as I said, Jane's in her playpen, but not everybody has a backup spot like this. I know the cradle we used when Jane was a newborn was only good up to 3 months, which I understand is pretty standard for cradles/bassinets.

Jen

PS - Regular Weigh-in Wednesday post below! :)

Update: If you're interested, I'll be talking quickly about the recall again on CBC radio Manitoba today at noon (Manitoba time)! :)

Weigh-in Wednesday: Easy-Tone My Arse Off!

So, as I said before, I was suckered in by all the hoopla and bought Reebok EasyTones which are supposed to work your butt, hamstrings and calves harder than regular walking sneakers. As soon as I clicked "complete order", I thought, "oh my God, what the heck am I doing? I'm an idiot". I was positive I'd been had and that these sneaks were going to be disappointing.

When they arrived, I couldn't wait to go out and try them. I was surprised when I put them on as I expected to feel wobbly... I mean it's basically walking a little air pockets that cause you to be unbalanced. I was actually worried about wearing them and walking with Jane. However, what I experienced was just comfortable sneakers! They didn't feel any different than my regular sneaks, just more comfy. So, I set out for my walk. As I walked down the hill to the bottom of my subdivision, I was still thinking I'd been had... I didn't feel like my legs were being "easily toned". However, the way back up the hill was a different story! The sides of my thighs (every woman's favorite body part, I'm sure) were itching and my calves and hammies were noticeably tighter than usual... I noticed it in my calves the most. I slowed down my pace to see if I could notice the "wobble" and I could just slightly see that when I put my heel down, my ankle wobbled. I definitely didn't feel the wobble... so I guess that's why they work.

Regardless, I told you I'd pass along my thoughts on 'um and there it is. I think they were worth it. They were only $100 (here in Canada, sure they're cheaper in US $$) so, for me, they were a good purchase. The only negative is that they aren't the prettiest sneaker... but who needs pretty sneakers when you have a pretty arse? :p

Here's my question, if they work my hammies 28% more than regular sneaks (or whatever they claim), does that mean I burn 28% more calories?? And, if that's the case, can I eat 28% more food? :p tee hee hee. You know you wanna know!!

Lost another pound this week, YIPEE! Down in the 140s! I've been wearing pre-preggers jeans since Monday... not because they fit properly but because I can't fit a whole lot in 'um which I'm hoping prevents me from trying! :p I don't have a huge "muffin top" but when I sit down, it ain't pretty. I'm making sure to wear a large sweater over top so it isn't obvious!

At this point, my motivation is that I want to be fabulous when I see New Moon... just in case Edward or Jacob comes through the movie screen, sees me and realizes Bella sucks and I'm the bomb! :p HEY, it could totally happen - the movie's about vampires and werewolves people!!

Here are my stats:
Current weight: 149 lbs WOOOHOO
Starting weight: 157 lbs BOOOOO
Pounds lost: 8 lbs WOOOHOOO
Pounds to lose: 12 lbs EWWWWW

Oh yeah, by the way, today is my Birthday, so I'm eating everything I want to... :)

Jen xo

VERY IMPORTANT: Crib Recall

Hey Everybody,

Very important news re: Storkcraft Cribs this morning... specifically Storkcraft Cribs with drop-down sides made between 1993 and 2009 - so likely every crib still out there. FYI some Storkcraft Cribs are also sold in the U.S. under the Fisherprice logo.

Apparently, there have been some incidents with the sides detaching and babies becoming trapped between the crib and the mattress... very scary!

This pisses me off big-time as Storkcraft just had a recall last year because of the brackets. In Canada, it's difficult to find any crib that isn't Storkcraft (unless you plan on paying $1000 for one). I don`t understand why they can`t make a crib that is 100% safe for my baby! We always think of the crib as one of the safest places! GRRRRR!!!!

Here`s the important stuff - If you have a Storkcraft crib with a drop-down side, STOP using it until you receive the free repair kit from Storkcraft! Want to know what pisses me off more - the `repair kit`converts the crib side to a stationary side so you can`t move it up and down anymore... WTF!!! I specifically purchased my crib because it had that option! Jane`s only 16 lbs right now so no biggie, but I know once she`s a few pounds heavier, it ain`t gonna be good for Momma`s back to be bending over to lift the little one out over that side... especially when I have to lower the mattress! I feel like we should be getting refunds here people! Repair kit my a**... this sucks!

You can order your repair kit by visiting the Storkcraft website or by calling 877-274-0277. FYI... I`ve been trying to load the website the entire time I wrote this post, so perhaps the number may be the best option. Although, I`m sure that`s being flooded with Mommy-calls this morning as well.

Totally disappointed and pissed - but relieved my baby wasn`t one of those who helped us learn of this defect. I guess Jane will be sleeping in her playpen for a while...

Safe sleeping,

Jen xo

Update: It`s like 4 hours later and I still haven`t been able to get through on the phone or into the website.

Fun with Food

We introduced Jane to cereal last week... first try, she took it happily. Second try onward, she turns her head away, closes her mouth and screams if I put the spoon near her mouth! :p Awesome! I only wish I had the same aversion to solid foods!

I keep trying every other day, hoping she'll surprise me one day and enjoy it. I even mixed in some apple sauce on Friday and it worked for a spoonful or two and then it was over again.

I'm mixing it with breastmilk, thinking that this will make it taste more like what she's used to and, thus, more open to eating it. Stupidly, I wanted to taste the cereal last week, not thinking "oh, my breastmilk is in this" and the result - YUCK! It's not only that I was a little turned off by the fact that I tasted my own milk, it's that it tasted disgusting!

In this article on Baby Center about introducing first foods it says to breastfeed first until baby is almost full, then feed the cereal... here's my issue - when I ask Jane if she is almost full, she never responds! I mean you think the child would say "hey Mom, I'm ready for that cereal now" or something. :p How the heck am I supposed to know when Jane's "almost full". If you're bottle feeding or formula feeding, fine, you know how much your babe typically eats during a feed and you can cut 'um off when they're almost done - not the case with the boob! I have no clue how much Jane eats during a feed. I've timed it before but as if I have the brain power to figure that out... tee hee hee.

Jane's only 5 and a half months, so we started trying the "solids" a few weeks early. I'm not really worried about it at this point because she's still seeming very satisfied with milk alone. Anybody have any tips on introducing cereals and solids that may help?

Jen

PS - Obviously this picture was taken on day one of the cereal intro... because she's eating it!

For the Ladies...

People posted their Sexiest Men Alive online for 2009... What do you think?

I think Johnny Depp is great but where the heck has he been since Pirates of the Caribbean? Definitely not around enough for me to think of him as Sexiest Man!

And Nick Cannon? Seriously?

I love Jerry O'Connell... he's hilarious and that's totally sexy. I have a recently discovered love for Jason Bateman (here in a pic with his oh-to-cute daughter) as well and think he should replace John Cho on the list.

Ryan Reynolds is the ultimate - Canadian, funny and hot! Have you seen The Proposal? It's hilarious - I think I've seen it 4 times now. OMG that scene with the song in the bedroom, crap, I can't remember the song again...hmmm... It takes two to make a thang go riiGGHTT, it takes two to make it out of SIGHT!

Is it wrong that I think Taylor Lautner should be added to this list and he's 10 years younger than me and basically it's illegal for me to think that?

Oh, add a little Hugh Jackman in there too! He's the hottest Dad around!

No surprise that I'm a big supporter of Rob Pattinson being on here or the guys from Glee... obsessed much? Hopefully going to see New Moon next week with a girlfriend. YIPEE!

Have a great weekend!

Jen :)

PS - A little more eye candy below :)

The Trouble With Teething

The trouble with teething is that, once you realize your babes is teething, every time he or she gets upset, you think it's teething! You forget about the obvious "Oh, she may be hungry" or "she's tired" and instead say "oh, her poor little teeth"... it took us a few days of adjustment before we got back on track to properly read her new cues. Like I always say, every 2-3 weeks, God gives me a new baby - a fabulous baby - but a new one! :)

My advice - go through your usual checklist first - is she hungry, is she tired, poopy bum (this one's usually obvious), etc... then assume it's teething.

A week into this teething thing and it's become obvious when it's teething. Jane typically never cries (knocking on wood) but there's been two nights this week where she's started screeching, tears, everything for what would appear to be no reason but, obviously, must be the two little teeth that are now both like razor blades sticking through her gums.

So far, these teeth have not discovered Mommy's nipples... will keep you posted on that one though!

Jen :)

PS - Here's some pics from our "photoshoot" yesterday. I just love to take pictures of her and she is so patient!

Heads Up

I've had a lot of friends and blog buddies (that's you by the way - I hate "followers" cause it sounds like I'm running a cult) ask me where I get Jane's cute winter hats - and, of course, the answer is ETSY! These hats are the reason I found Etsy... our photographer, Kerianne Brown, used a bunch of these beautiful hats in our newborn photoshoot (see photos). I had to get some for Jane as she just looked too cute!

Ching makes the hats for us, her shop is called Cloo Gifts on Etsy. She is so great to work with... I've made many special requests for different colors, sizes, etc. and I always get the hats within three weeks or so. The best part - they are only $10-$15!!

The hat Jane is wearing now is sized 3-6 months and it will fit her for at least another 2 months or so. I also ordered a 6-12 month sized hat in Ivory for the rest of the winter that is soooo gorgeous - it just arrived last week and I am so excited! If you decide to buy one of the hats and you know your babes head measurement, let Ching know, that way she can make sure your hat will fit perfectly!

Good news - I'm going to be doing a GIVEAWAY with some of Ching's fabulous hats, so stay tuned!!


Jen :)

Weigh-In Wednesday

Despite a weekend of heavy exercise which included mall shopping and two bouts of outdoor shopping, added to a diet heavy in chocolate, wine, steak, Coldstone, and the odd english muffin, I am appalled, shocked, mind-blown-surprised that I did not lose weight this week?!?! I mean what does a girl have to do?

What I did do was a little retail therapy. I was avoiding buying any clothes to fit my current body because I didn't want to waste the money and I thought that buying clothes for this body might make me less motivated to lose the weight. However, after spending a weekend with my fabulous, beautiful, lost-my-baby-weight-in-a-week girlfriend (I know, it makes you want to hate her but you can't because it's not her fault... she's been chasing after her baby boy since day one), I realized that the better I feel about myself, the more I like myself, the more I want to like myself more, the more I am motivated to lose this weight. So, I sucked it up and went shopping - I know, poor me!!

So, now, in my new jeans and t-shirts, I am feelin' good and ready to not fit into them anymore! :p In a good way obviously - like they are too big (I feel the need to be clear because I know there are others suffering from the MB out there).

I also bought some new shoes. Shoes and purses are the BEST make-you-feel-good purchases... because I am always a size 8. Even when I was 40 weeks pregnant, I was a cute size 8 shoe! ha ha ha. And who doesn't love a new purse? So exciting to look inside and find new spots to put all your old crap!

Jen :)

Exhaustion

Finally, after what seemed like 2 years but actually about a week, Jane had a more "normal" sleep... normal for the last month anyways. She only woke up twice, for boob, then went back to sleep. Hilariously, I'm more tired today after getting such deep sleep and woke up looking like I had been in the boxing ring all night.

We had a fabulous weekend with our friends from home and their little 8 month old Parker. God, it's awesome to hang out with another couple going through similar things as yourself. We went out to eat, went shopping, everything. It's totally different when you're with a couple or friend who "gets it".

Both Parker and Jane were little devils yesterday - both of 'um are teething and they just weren't the typical happy-go-lucky babes we're used to. Added to the fact that both Moms were a little zombie-esque from lack of sleep. So, we went out to dinner - good idea right? :p Usually, when we've taken her out before, Jane would have some milk and pass out but, of course, last night Dan and I had to take shifts eating - I got to go first because every Mom knows how to polish off a good sized plate of food in under 3 minutes. Had we been out with anyone who didn't have kids, I'm sure they would have been driven mad. Within the first minute, water was spilled across the table, we were ripping up table clothes to use as toys, both babes were "talking" which basically means they were screaming, Parker was chewing on the table (which of course had been disinfected by Clorox wipes :p), no one talked while we ate because we were all too scared if we took a break to chat we'd miss our opening to actually enjoy our food... and with all of that, I'd consider it a great night out! ha ha ha. How times have changed!

I wish I could think of something helpful or entertaining to write about today but my mind is mush. Jane's having a nap now and all I wanna do is lie on the couch, watch Project Runway, and eat chocolate... but it's only 10am and chocolate is like booze, ya kinda should wait until at least lunchtime to give it a go. But I don't have any chocolate anyways so I'll just eat an orange... yum. Totally the same satisfaction... not.

Jen

PS - Jane's sitting up on her own now... so exciting! It's amazing how these milestones pass you by so quickly!

As Always, HELP

I am struggling this morning after four nights of little sleep. I'm quite sure, in addition to the two teeth that are now through the gums, Jane's going through a growth spurt. She's eating every two hours and waking twice at night to feed as well as a bunch more times just to wake up and smile at me! :p

When she's been napping in her crib, I've been allowing her to sleep on her belly. She can flip both ways now so they say that's ok but I'm too scared to let her do it all night. She sleeps SO much more soundly and longer when she's sleeping on her belly. Last night, in my frustration about not getting any sleep, I flipped her on her belly - she immediately went from wide awake to passed out cold. Of course, then (because I'm crazy) I lied awake for 2 hours worrying about SIDS and eventually flipped her back on her back, of course, waking her.

What the heck do I do here ladies? She can flip both ways, she easily lifts her head and shoulders off the ground when on her belly, but is that enough to allow her to sleep on her belly? I read online you should always put them to sleep on their back and if they flip onto their belly then that's ok... but not to put them to sleep on their bellies?!?! HELP!

At this point, I don't know what to do. She's not getting a good sleep and neither am I. But I just can't imagine if something happened to her, I would never forgive myself.

What are your thoughts?

Jen xoxo

PS - Here's a picture of Jane and her "boyfriend" Parker from this weekend! They look like an old married couple in this picture! :p

Excited about TEETH!

Ok, don't hate me but Jane's got two teeth coming in and (knock on wood - as always) she's still all smiles!

The only thing that's changed over the past two weeks is that she went from waking only once a night for a feed to waking twice. And every other night or so, when she wakes, she wakes for an hour on and off and every time she wakes during that hour she screeches! I was like "what the heck is going on with my child?!?!"... now I know. She hasn't been abnormally fussy, drooling any more than usual, biting more than usual, etc. So, like we always say, it's different for everybody!

I discovered these teeth while wiping out her mouth this morning (as I do every morning - supposed to be good for their gums and teeth or something - honestly, Jane thinks it's hilarious so that's mostly why I do it!). I always try to check her gums but it's so hard because her little tongue always gets in the way. But this morning I noticed two little white marks on her bottom gums. So, I took my finger nail and kind of scratched at one of them and, sure enough, hard and jagged... a TOOTH! :p Dear Lord, hold on to your nipples... she's already started biting a little during her nighttime feed. Doesn't hurt now but I don't wanna think about how it will feel with two fresh, jagged little bunny teeth in there! I've been told this is when to start teaching your child the meaning of "no"... but I don't know how well that will work because, so far, when I say "no" to Jane, she laughs at me! :p

Wanted to share the news as, only another Mom could understand, how excited I got over teeth! I called everyone!

Lots of Love,

Jen :)

PS - We have company this weekend - my best bud, her hubby-to-be and Jane's boyfriend (their 7 month old Parker) are visiting. I apologize in advance, but I'll be "off" this weekend. Fresh start Monday morning though! xo

Crazy Mommy Project

Yesterday, I took advantage of my hubby being off to do a crazy Mommy project. I always find these homemade things on Etsy or the web, think "hey, I can do that!", make a crazy Mommy attempt and, although it usually doesn't turn out as expected, sometimes it works out OK! I call it a "crazy" Mommy project because, midway through, I usually start thinking I was friggin' crazy to start the project and to actually think I could do it... and sometimes the results are just crazy! :p

So, I saw these Snugglepants on Etsy and thought they were so cute. Coincidentally I had a Gap crazy stripe wool sweater that I was never going to wear again - horizontal stripes are not my friend. I googled "how to make sweater pants" and found a bunch of different instructions on how to do it. I had to make a few adjustments because I don't have a sewing machine (I sewed by hand, which took forever) and I didn't have elastic to make the waistband but the end result was super cute and not half bad for a crazy Mommy effort!

Wanted to pass this little project along as it only took a few hours (less if you're smart enough to have a sewing machine) and now Janey-poo has some super fun, super warm lounging pants to hang out in once the Winter cold sets in. I have an old pink cashmere sweater that I'm going to try and do the same with... so soft!

Perhaps, from now on, I'll post my Crazy Mommy Projects online for you to try yourself or, more often than not, laugh at!

Jen :)

Weigh-in Wednesday

Another pound gone - YIPEE! Only 13 more to go, which, honestly (at this rate) feels like saying I have another 100 lbs to lose. Regardless, I'm definitely feeling good and not "hating" on myself as much. I haven't dared to try and put on my pre-preggers jeans yet. Don't even try to convince me either because it will no doubt lead to a instantaneous depressed state that will result in the consumption of excess amounts of chocolate, candy, chips and anything in my house that isn't labeled "low fat". :p

What motivates me most is my guest room closet. My guest room closet is stacked, loaded, overflowing with my most fabulous clothes... all in size 4-6. Every now and then I visit my clothes, just to say hello. Sometimes I dare to try on some of my cute leather bombers but with my new knockers, it ain't hap'nin. When I look at myself, I don't notice how much bigger my boobs are... but then I try on an old button-up shirt, jacket, or sweater and all of a sudden I'm looking Pamela-Anderson-style - as if, innocently, I cannot find a shirt that will cover up my overflowing cups. I don't like having big boobs. Although, at this point, if I had tiny "bee sting" boobies, it might look a little dis-proportioned with my new found curves.

I cannot wait for the day that I fit into, and not just fit into, but FIT, you know - because I could probably "fit" into my pre-preggers jeans now but it might look a lot like when you try to squeeze an unfolded sleeping bag into it's case... it's all bunching out the top and you can't for the life of you understand how it will ever fit in that tiny case.

Anyways, it's Remembrance Day here which is the same as Veterans Day in the US... so to all the veterans and current heroes out there - lots of love. We show our respect by wearing poppies, thus today's picture.

Here are my stats:
Current weight: 150 lbs (almost in the 140s YIPEE)
Starting weight: 157 lbs
Pounds lost: 7 lbs
Pounds to lose: 13 lbs (Dear Lord, will it ever end?)

xoxo
Jen :)

PS - I got a comment yesterday about "making" you click my button to vote for me. To answer your questions, yes, all you have to do is click the button (like the one below) and your vote is cast. Thanks everybody - we moved up the list big time! Y'all are the best!

If You Love Me...

If you love me at all... hmmm, even if you hate me but you're bored... could ya click this flashy button to vote for me?

The creators of Top Baby Blogs has created a new TOP list... for Mommy Bloggers. :p Anyways - I need to get on the list in order to keep meeting great ladies, like yourselves!!

I know this is stupid and, likely, a pain in the a*%... and you probably visited here today looking for something entertaining or "educational" and instead your getting begging and annoying.

Pretty, pretty please??? It's hard to stay tops on any of these lists because I'm so tiny in the huge world of blogging, but, regardless, a girl's gotta dream! :)

Thanks in advance - Happy Tuesday to ya! :p

Jen :)

Hmmm... what a pretty button... perhaps you could click it for me.... click it 500 times if you want... And, yes, just clicking submits a vote! :p

Cleaning Machine

If I wasn't a bit of a "Monica" (another Friends reference) before... I sure am now.

I got a call from my best bud (who has a 8 month old) last week and we basically confessed to each other that we had turned into Monica's because of our fear of our babies getting H1N1. "I even cleaned my steering wheel" she said, to which I replied "Oh my God, me too!". We took comfort in the fact that we weren't alone in our new found anal-ness about germ killing.

As the video I posted on Saturday said "I'm about 70% hand sanitizer at this point". And now we're not only worried about killing all the germs to prevent our babes from getting sick but we're worried about killing all the germs and not allowing our babes to build immunities! It's madness!

What I have discovered, in this madness, is a Mom's best friend - the Clorox Disinfecting Wipe (the Lavender scented ones are my fav). I'm about to do an infomercial here so bare with me but these things are awesome. As I said, I'm a bit of a Monica so I enjoy cleaning... actually let me rephrase... I enjoy a clean house a little too much. When Jane was born I switched to the Clorox Greenworks products in an attempt to be greener and to reduce the number of chemicals I was using in the house. I am still pretty loyal to those products (dish wash liquid, all purpose cleaner, fabric deodorizer) but I have to say these Clorox wipes are freakin' addictive. It's so easy to clean with them that I find myself walking around with the dispenser looking for germs and dust! :p I'm such a geek! My sister and girlfriend are also wipe-addicts.

Anyways, wanted to pass that little tip along if you've never tried the wipes before. For those of us with limited time, they are a life saver! :)

Jen :)

PS - Join the Million Baby Crawl (for US followers) to demand laws regulating toxic chemicals found in household products!

Funniest Thing I've Seen in Awhile!

For my American gals... this is Rick Mercer. He is from my home, Newfoundland, and he is one of the funniest "dudes" around. Enjoy!




Jen :)

Etsy Addict

I mentioned on Monday that I'm an Etsy addict... the place is awesome! You can find everything you ever dreamed of! :p It's basically a place for sellers of all different types to sell handmade goods - art, clothing, pottery, etc. I find myself going on there to find things I "need"... instead of needing something first and then finding it. tee hee hee. Dan's probably going to try to block me from the site at some point.

Anyways, thought I'd share some of my recent purchases in case you need "inspiration" for spending money! :p

Purchase numero uno... a gorgeous custom quilt for Janers. When I was a babe, my Mom made me a quilt that I used to play on, sleep on, pee on, everything! I still have it. So, I thought it would be a wonderful Christmas gift for Jane to get her her own quilt. I found this shop, Warm Winters, where you can choose your fabric, design, size, everything. Nichole, the "shop" owner, has been great to work with and I can't wait to see the finished product. In fact, she just emailed me letting me know that she's purchased the fabric and wanted to know which way I wanted it quilted and what colour thread I wanted - which I have no idea about so I told her I trusted her! :p What's nice is, once you select your fabric and quilt pattern, she can send you a picture of what your quilt will look like when it's put together. Here's the picture of Janes. Nichole is generously offering 10% off to all Mommy Brain followers!! Just quote MB10 when ordering - YIPEE! :)

Secondly, I have been looking everywhere (well, not really but you know what I mean) for nice Holiday dresses for Jane. It's hard to find the right red, ya know? Anyways, I thought ETSY and found these two different, but fabulous, little dresses for her. One of the best things about Etsy is that, if you find something you like, but it's not the right size, colour, or you want to change something, you can ask the seller and, every time I've done this, they've been willing to work with me to give me what I want. For example, the red corduroy dress (left) is from Half Stitched and was offered in sizes 2T+. So, I contacted the seller and she is making it in 6-9 months for me, YIPEE! The second dress is called a "pillowcase dress" (never heard of it before) but there are tons of different designs on Etsy, this one is from Sheila at Delaney's Den. She had the best prices and the best looking styles. Sheila is also offering a 10% discount for you - be sure to check out her fabulous shop!

Lastly, I bought a few Christmas gifts for my nieces. I had a beautiful custom beanie made for my three year old niece, Anna, by Lovely Knits. I was able to choose which colours I wanted - I went with Chocolate for the main colour and Pastel Pink for the flower and trim (same style as pictured).

As I said, the best thing about Etsy is the ability to customize and get what you want for a reasonable price... not to mention you end up with a completely unique finished product! The shipping costs are usually pretty fab as well.

Happy shopping!

Jen :)

PS - Just a reminder about our 10% off at Warm Winters (MB10) and Delaney's Den... beautiful Christmas gifts for everyone!

PPS - This is what we woke up to this morning - thinking I'm a genius now because of my smart move on Monday! :) If I look like I just woke up, it's because I did! :p