Win a Sara Rose Tutu!

Busy Mommy Products is offering an awesome giveaway for one of her darling tutus! Click on over there and enter for a chance! She'll be giving away more than one tutu and there is more than one chance to win, too!

Wish Margie & Family Congratulations!

Margie Gunn of Chesapeake Ribbons had her baby... she didn't know if it was a boy or a girl... guess what? She had a GIRL!!! Anna Kathleen! Isn't that a perfect name??? I think so!
CLICK HERE to wish her congratulations!

Sad For My Mom

I let my mom in on a little secret... I didn't know it was a secret, though. I told her about J. not giving baby Lily-Ann my brother's last name, Tacy. She gave her her last name, P----. I felt so awful hearing my mom cry over the phone. *sigh*

Nothing Amazing... (or is it???)

Nothing amazing to say, but can you believe it's almost July already??? It seems last summer just crawled by. I was counting every day of Anna's life, I guess. It's hard to believe she's over nineteen months old.

Oh, the other day Anna and I were laying in bed. She pointed at my eye and said "eye" (she already knew that one) then she pointed at my nose and said "No" (She learned that one the day before) but then she pointed at my mouth and said "Maow"! Nope, the title of this blog is a total lie. That is amazing. It's amazing how fast little ones learn!!!

Scripture Sunday

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

- 2 Peter 3:9

(Photo from Friday, our day at the pool. Anna and Daddy.)

FFF: Summer Lovin'

Sittin' pretty in her Shades!

Anna in her new dress from Aunt Mary at church. (The purse is from her, too. She puts pennies in it on Sundays for her.)

Anna in her daddy's arms...ready to go swimming!

Anna and Daddy in the hot tub. Anna loves the hot tub. She's so funny...

For more FFF posts, please go to my sidebar and click on "Kiss the Frog 4 Me" because I'm too lazy to do a link for you lol. ;)

Baby Photos!

The following are pictures of Lillyann Brooke. She lives in Georgia... on the other side of the country. I hope I can meet her one day...
Do you think she looks like her daddy?

New Cousin

I found out that J. had a very quick and safe delivery of baby Lillyann. I hope to share pictures soon! =)

Don't Worry 'Bout My Kid

Nursing toddlers benefit NUTRITIONALLY

• Although there has been little research done on children who breastfeed beyond the age of two, the available information indicates that breastfeeding continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as breastfeeding continues.

• "Human milk expressed by mothers who have been lactating for >1 year has significantly increased fat and energy contents, compared with milk expressed by women who have been lactating for shorter periods. During prolonged lactation, the fat energy contribution of breast milk to the infant diet might be significant."
  -- Mandel 2005

• "Breast milk continues to provide substantial amounts of key nutrients well beyond the first year of life, especially protein, fat, and most vitamins."
  -- Dewey 2001

• In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
  • 29% of energy requirements
  • 43% of protein requirements
  • 36% of calcium requirements
  • 75% of vitamin A requirements
  • 76% of folate requirements
  • 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
  • 60% of vitamin C requirements
  -- Dewey 2001

• Studies done in rural Bangladesh have shown that breastmilk continues to be an important source of vitamin A in the second and third year of life.
  -- Persson 1998

• It's not uncommon for weaning to be recommended for toddlers who are eating few solids. However, this recommendation is not supported by research. According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):

  Some doctors may feel that nursing will interfere with a child's appetite for other foods. Yet there has been no documentation that nursing children are more likely than weaned children to refuse supplementary foods. In fact, most researchers in Third World countries, where a malnourished toddler's appetite may be of critical importance, recommend continued nursing for even the severely malnourished (Briend et al, 1988; Rhode, 1988; Shattock and Stephens, 1975; Whitehead, 1985). Most suggest helping the malnourished older nursing child not by weaning but by supplementing the mother's diet to improve the nutritional quality of her milk (Ahn and MacLean. 1980; Jelliffe and Jelliffe, 1978) and by offering the child more varied and more palatable foods to improve his or her appetite (Rohde, 1988; Tangermann, 1988; Underwood, 1985).

References

Nursing toddlers are SICK LESS OFTEN

• The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that children weaned before two years of age are at increased risk of illness (AAFP 2001).

• Nursing toddlers between the ages of 16 and 30 months have been found to have fewer illnesses and illnesses of shorter duration than their non-nursing peers (Gulick 1986).

• "Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation" (Nutrition During Lactation 1991; p. 134). In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process. (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991).

• Per the World Health Organization, "a modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10% of all deaths of children under five: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness." [emphasis added]

References

Nursing toddlers have FEWER ALLERGIES

• Many studies have shown that one of the best ways to prevent allergies and asthma is to breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months and continue breastfeeding long-term after that point.
  
  Breastfeeding can be helpful for preventing allergy by:
  1. reducing exposure to potential allergens (the later baby is exposed, the less likely that there will be an allergic reaction),
  2. speeding maturation of the protective intestinal barrier in baby's gut,
  3. coating the gut and providing a barrier to potentially allergenic molecules,
  4. providing anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of infections (which can act as allergy triggers).

References

Nursing toddlers are SMART

• Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement (IQ scores, grades in school) and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest.

References

Nursing toddlers are WELL ADJUSTED SOCIALLY

• According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):
  
  "Research reports on the psychological aspects of nursing are scarce. One study that dealt specifically with babies nursed longer than a year showed a significant link between the duration of nursing and mothers' and teachers' ratings of social adjustment in six- to eight-year-old children (Ferguson et al, 1987). In the words of the researchers, 'There are statistically significant tendencies for conduct disorder scores to decline with increasing duration of breastfeeding.'"

• According to Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq. in "Extended Breastfeeding and the Law":
  "Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It not only perks them up and energizes them; it also soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood. In addition, nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood."

• Baldwin continues: "Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable." Children who achieve independence at their own pace are more secure in that independence then children forced into independence prematurely.

References

Nursing a toddler is NORMAL

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

• The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2001)

• A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)

• The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond (WHO 1992, WHO 2002).

• Scientific research by Katherine A. Dettwyler, PhD shows that 2.5 to 7.0 years of nursing is what our children have been designed to expect (Dettwyler 1995).

References [see also position statements supporting breastfeeding]

MOTHERS also benefit from nursing past infancy

• Extended nursing delays the return of fertility in some women by suppressing ovulation (References).

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer (References). Studies have found a significant inverse association between duration of lactation and breast cancer risk.

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of ovarian cancer (References).

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of uterine cancer (References).

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of endometrial cancer (References).

• Breastfeeding protects against osteoporosis. During lactation a mother may experience decreases of bone mineral. A nursing mom's bone mineral density may be reduced in the whole body by 1 to 2 percent while she is still nursing. This is gained back, and bone mineral density may actually increase, when the baby is weaned from the breast. This is not dependent on additional calcium supplementation in the mother's diet. (References).

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. (References).

• Breastfeeding has been shown to decrease insulin requirements in diabetic women (References).

• Breastfeeding moms tend to lose weight easier (References).

Excerpt Resource:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
**********************************

I love this article. It's great. So far, our breastfeeding relationship is going great, but I am hoping to wean Anna by 2. She still thinks that midnight snacks are the cat's pajamas! I'm going to go through the list real quick, see how we measure up to this.

1. Benefit Nutritionally--Anna, despite having short parents, has always been above average in height and weight and has always met milestones early for all things: crawling, walking, talking... This says a lot since she is honestly a very picky little eater!!! I praise her when she eats anything but mama milk!

2. Sick Less Often--Quite true. Anna has had a few colds and a few fevers, but everything has always resolved within 24 hours. She has never been hospitalized or on antibiotics for anything. She has never had RSV or Ear Infections. The worst thing in her entire life was a 24 hour flu back in, I think, November. We all had it. Anna got it first, but by the following morning she was well again--lucky thing--I spent the next two or three days fighting off what I had, everyone else in the house also got sick and spent several days recovering. I truly think it was because she was nursing that she recovered so quickly!

3. Fewer Allergies--Also true with us. Anna has never had even a runny nose from allergies and she has no food allergies.

4. Smart--I hate to brag, but I think Anna is a smart little cookie. She already says several two to three word sentences, and like I said earlier she has been early on all of her milestones.

5. Adjusted Socially--Anna definitely plays well with others. Everywhere we go, she runs up to other children, waves, and says, "HI! HI!" until she gets their attention lol. But she also plays very well on her own. Both are very good attributes!

6. Normal--Of course she's normal. She plays, she throws tantrums, she laughs, she tickles, she "reads" her books, she plays with dollies... as normal as they get!

7. Mom's Benefits--I can certainly say I have no cancers LOL. I can also say that the baby weight melted off and still is coming off slowly.

Baby Lillyann & Jobs

I wrote about my brother before on my blog. I think my first blog was about him. He committed suicide in December. (You don't have to tell me you're sorry...) Anyhow, my brother left behind a new wife who was pregnant. Baby Lillyann Brooke is expected to make her debut tomorrow, the 24, by way of induction. Please keep her and Lillyann in your prayers on that day. I'll admit J's and my relationship has been love-hate... mostly the latter... but the fact is she is family and is having my brother's only child. I could also use a little prayer for my lack of forgiveness and being so darn rude to her. I've realized that and I am definitely working on it. I've only been rude to her in person once, but I've felt very guilty about it. I hope that we can be friends. I'd hate to lose this relationship with Lillyann. I think she deserves to know about her father... and who's better than his big sis?

Thanks for the prayers! And sorry I haven't been blogging much. It's been rather busy around here. Paul started his job today. Sounds like they're working him to the bone. Today he worked eight hours, tomorrow ten, then after that he'll be working twelve hours a day six days a week. So please keep us in prayer for another job that he will love. ;)

Sharing the Love

Candi at All Day Night gave me this award! Thanks Candi!!! =)

Crystal at Memoirs Of A Mommy created this award in honor of the donor that saved Noah's Life. Noah is her son and he had a heart transplant when he was under one month old. He just turned one earlier this month!! Her hopes are that in passing this award around, we are creating more awareness of the importance of organ donation.
So, now it is my turn to pass on the award to Share The Love and spread the word about Organ Donation. I am passing this on to
* Sassyfrazz
* Metropolitan Mama
* Gabi's World
*Safe in His Arms
*Mom of 3 Girls

6 Word Memoir Meme

Marie Gunn at Chesapeake Ribbons tagged me for this Meme!


This meme originated over an idea that was prompted by the book written by Larry Smith & Rachel Fershleiser, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. It’s a compilation based on the story that Hemingway once bet ten dollars that he could sum up his life in six words. His words were, “For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.”

1. Write your own six word memoir.

2. Post it to your blog including a visual illustration if you would like.

3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blog sphere.

Marie's Link is: http://chesapeakeribbons.blogspot.com/

4. Tag 5 more blogs with links.

5. Don’t forget to leave a comment in the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

So, here we go....my six word memoir:

"Here to love and be loved."


My list of tagged blogs:
* Life According to Frances
*My Sweet Life
* Storing Up Treasures in Heaven
* All Day Night
*Get the Lead Out

19 Months & Stuff

Yesterday my darling daughter turned 19 months old. It's hard to believe that she is nearly 2 years old now!

Yesterday was also my husband's and my 4th Anniversary. We usually go to the beach, but we don't have the money to do so this year. Hopefully we will be able to go back at the end of this summer. Besides, the weather is usually much nicer on the beach in August rather than June. It'll be nice to go back. I love the ocean so much!!!

Anniversary Poem From My Hubby

My husband wrote this for me last night. What a wonderful surprise it was!:

A Poem for My Wife on Our Anniversary

I just want you to know...
How important you are to me
Knowing that you care and understand me
... that you trust and believe in me

I just want you to know...
How wonderful it is having you as my wife
Knowing that you are always there for me
... that you will always be my friend

I just want you to know...
That I known how wonderful you are
... that I do care
... that that I do love you

I love you very much Sarah

(not so) Wordless Wednesday: 4th Anniversary

On June 19th, my husband and I celebrate our 4th Anniversary!

Here is a slideshow of our wedding... if we look young, then, well, we are. I was not quite 20 and Paul was already 20. Looking back, I think... GEEZ we looked young! Amazing how in four short years I have aged so much... and yet, I'm still confused with a teenager most days. (At least people now think I can pass for sixteen or seventeen rather than fourteen...)

So... here is the slideshow..

Also, sorry for not posting much this week, I've been sidetracked with a hobby of mine, short story writing. I haven't written in a long time so I've been enjoying writing this week. =) I'll try to post more often. I've won a few things in the past week, so I need to share and thank people. ;)

Personal Stuff

I don't write a lot of personal stuff on this blog, but I'd like to share something wonderful: My hubby got a job and is starting this week! I'm so glad. He has been unemployed for a little while now... no, I correct myself... a LONG while now. It has been so incredibly frustrating and depressing. At times I just wanted to sink into my own self pity. At times I did. Last week an employer found my hubby's resume online and called him. They hired him after a short interview. Praise God! The background check will clear by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest and then he can start. He has been fired in the past for ridiculous things between last summer and this summer. He has been hired three times in the past year. Three times they fired him. The first place was full of people who were using illicit drugs and pornography in the bathroom. They fired him for not being fast enough. I admit we were both relieved about that particular firing. It was a godsend of sorts. The second time was in December. He was hired about a week before my brother killed himself. We flew to Florida and Paul took time off. He called three of his managers and told them he had to leave and would be back as soon as he could. His heartless boss said that he told no managers and fired him. Right before Christmas. Right after Sean's death. Then the most recent place Paul worked at once before for less than an hour. He was there for the orientation. They never sent him a paycheck. But they fired him this time because he "knowingly lied on his resume"... saying he never worked there before. Technically he did not. But they still had his paycheck in human resources and it said he had worked SIX hours. They said they would reissue the check. They never did. How frustrating!
I'm just so thankful that this door is open. I'm praying that it stays open. I'm prepared to throw my body in the way of the swinging door to keep it from closing again! UGH!

Scripture Sunday

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:11-13

Vivid, Scary Dream

I had a dream last night that I was in labor in one of those midwifery buildings. Anyway, there was another woman there who was also giving birth. She gave birth and had a son named Benjamin Nathan (Vivid... I know... I still remember his name!) I told the woman that I was having my third daughter in four years (which is actually still possible at this point, but that's a lot of kids very close together IMO)... I felt like I had to push, but the midwife was not around, so I gave a little push and felt down below. It didn't feel like a head, like I should find, instead I discovered that the umbilical cord had come out (cord prolapse) I was frightened and called for the midwife. On the floor was a bit of the cord, like it had broken off. I woke up scared. It was very frightening. I hope that never happens. =(

Thanks One Chic Mama

I checked my email this afternoon and discovered that I won the CVS Survival Pack from One Chic Mama!

I won: PLAYSKOOL Wash or Toss Sippy Cups, CVS/pharmacy Hand Sanitizing Spray Pen for Kids, PLAYSKOOL Cottony Cloths, CVS/pharmacy Continuous Clear Spray Sunscreen SPF 30, and CVS/pharmacy Instant Itch Relief Spray.

Just in time for our camping trip in a few weeks! =) Thanks One Chic Mama!

Wow!

I was reading through the newest posts on "The Shape of a Mother" and one lady commented on a post and said, "Mark Twain once said of wrinkles, 'wrinkles are reminders of where smiles have been'. I guess, in the same respect, stretchmarks are reminders of where life has been."
Wow!!! What a profound concept! I absolutely agree!

Favorite Foto Friday: Bloopers Edition

The following is what you DID NOT SEE from the photos that we took for Anna's 18 month milestone. It's hard keeping a toddler still long enough for photos. Unfortunately, there were more bloopers than anything!

You can see more FFF posts at Kiss the Frog 4 Me!

24 Things About Meme

Margie at Chesapeake Ribbons tagged me for a meme! =)

24 things about me...

4 places I go over and over
1. Fred Meyer
2. Target
3. Church
4. The Park

4 people that email me
1. My Mother in Law Teresa
2. My Grams (grandma in law) Vickie
3. My Sister Jen
4. My husband Paul

4 of my favorite foods
1. Fresh Fruits & Veggies with dip
2. Chocolate
3. Turkey... the meat of choice (I don't care for beef or sea food at all)
4. Ice Cream

4 places I would rather be right now
1. The Ocean (Seaside, Oregon... my favorite romp)
2. London, Great Britain... they're filming the season premiere of Bones on Saturday... I recognize my addiction... but refuse to do anything about it.
3. In our new apartment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Somewhere exotic like Fiji or a remote South Pacific Island

4 movies I could watch over and over
1. I adore Julia Roberts... so I love to watch "Notting Hill"
2. "Bones" on DVD (what did you expect?)
3. America's Sweethearts (Love Julia!)
4. Pride & Prejudice (I also adore Jane Austen novels!)

4 People I want to learn more about... (Some of my newest bloggy friends...)
1. Our Girls
2. My Sweet Life
3. Exposing My Life One Entry At A Time *Violet*
4. Twenty-First Century Nomad *Kortney*

Freebies

I thought today I would share freebies with you... my valued audience (lol)...

1. Freebies for Babies and Toddlers at Freebies 4 Mom.
Be sure to check out the other freebies on this site... good times, good times.

2. Absurdly Cool Freebies at Absurdlycool.com
There are always new ones daily, so check them out. =)

3. Freebies for Multiples they're available practically everywhere. Just click here or here or here or here or here. You can also do a Google or Yahoo search and find many more websites.

Well... that's enough fun for today. Have a great day, everyone! =)

Wordless Wednesday: Ridiculous

Thanks to imikimi.com (a good place to go when you're bored...) I created this picture with Anna's little face in it. hehehe gave me a good laugh!

And while I was at Stupid.com, I found a few items that gave me a smile or two...

The Hillary Nut Cracker
The Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure

Bacon Flavored Tooth Picks (What???)

The Fanny Bank (That's just wrong...)



The Toilet Monster (apparently this is what you use when your toddler is in danger of potty training...)
Delinquents with Combs (Kids nowadays... I just don't understand them!)
And finally... The 2008 Dog Poop Calendar

Not a Lot to Say...

So I'll just leave you with the summer promo commercial of my favorite show (actually... just about the only show I watch besides Spongebob nowadays... lol)

Sunshine on the Horizon!

Oh thank goodness!!! Starting tomorrow, every day in the ten day forecast is 67 degrees or warmer and SUNNY!!!!!!!! I'm so sick of the cold and the rain and the CLOUDS! I'm so ready for summer to finally and officially begin!!!

Lug Travel Giveaway @ Sassyfrazz

Over at Sarah's Blog, Sassyfrazz, Lug Travel has sponsored a giveaway to one Sassyfrazz reader! What an opportunity. Go over to Sassyfrazz to find out more!

Mariana Breastfeeding Dolls

Have you heard of the Mariana Breastfeeding Dolls? Click Here To Read More!

Mariana is a breastfeeding doll made by women from Chama Viva, a breastfeeding community group in a very poor area of Pernambuco, Brazil. She is an educational toy that helps children to learn about natural birth and breastfeeding. Buying this doll you will be supporting Chama Viva's activities and will support these women and their families.

I love these dolls. I think they are so beautiful. The dolls have such loving little painted faces. They look at their infants so lovingly. I love them. To top it all off, they are educational and affordable. Each doll is completely different from the other dolls, since they are handmade. They have different clothing, hair, faces, everything. In case you're wondering how the baby attaches to the mama doll, there is a little snap on the doll's breast. I would love to have one of these for my daughters. Formula feeding is not the norm in the world, although it seems to be in the United States, but it is the exception. Don't take me wrong. Formula is a blessing to many infants. I love this doll for its educational simplicity. It promotes something all women can do--feed their children with their own breasts. I can't cry out the praises of a woman's body enough. God just made us awesomely.

Well... without further ado, here is a photo of one of the dolls. This one is one of my favorites. :)

This is one of my favorites.

Giveaway @ Ribbon Rockstar

Ribbon Rockstar is having an awesome giveaway for a Kitchenaid Mixer. I'm really excited about this giveaway. I love to bake! But I have no mixer! Aaaaaaaaah!

Scripture Sunday: Nick Vujicic

Instead of doing a verse as usual, I thought I'd share a video of Nick Vujicic. This is one awesome man of God!

If you're curious for more videos... just search "Nick Vujicic" on Youtube.com

Chesapeake Ribbons (Show & Tell)

Today I received 3 Adorable Chesapeake Ribbons Infant Clips in the mail! Anna looks so adorable in them! I am also happy to report that Anna has NOT pulled the clip out all day! She looks so cute and girly! I LOVE THESE CLIPS!!! They clip so easily to Anna's thin hair and stay in all day. It feels good to finally put girly clips in her hair! Thank you so much Margie!!!

I definitely suggest going over to Chesapeake Ribbons and checking out Margie's full line. She makes big poofy girly bows for the girl with lots of hair and adorable infant clips for girls like mine with very little hair and many more wonderful items! Margie also sells belts for boys and girls! They're a huge hit with parents with boys! Don't forget to check out Margie's blog, either. She is always holding great giveaways and contests. Margie is also due any day with her second baby, so wish her luck and congratulations!

Here's a slide show of photos of Anna in her new clippies! Isn't she darling??? :)

20% Off In June @ Rockin Momma

Bekah is offering a 20% discount on all pouch slings ordered in JUNE at Rockin Mama Baby Slings!

To see Rockin Momma's site go here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=377469178

So why order custom made? Bekah can create slings with your exact measurements. If you are short, tall, big, or small... Bekah can create a custom sling that's just right for you! I happen to be a smaller person. I'm just barely over 5 foot 1. Slings are often uncomfortable and practically hang to my knees. I had one for my daughter (the ones that don't adjust much) and my little girl was resting at my thighs lol. I didn't use that one much with my daughter. But with a custom made baby sling (had I had one at the time) my little girl would have rested right on my chest comfortably.

Here is one of her newest creations:
Products:
Wraps:
Stretchy wraps: $30
Wraps with a silk panel: $40
Pouches:
One layer: $25
Two layer/Reversible Cotton: $30
Two layer/Reversible Silk and Cotton: $40
Two layer/Reversible Silk and Minkee: $45
Blankets:
Rag Quilts, Depending on Size: $35-$80
Baby Fleece blanket: $30
Adult Fleece blanket: $75
Personalized Onesies: Size Small (0-3 Months)
With Initial: $10
With Design: $12
Matching Headband: $5
Extras:
Add a pocket: $5
Add a key loop: $3


If you'd like to e-mail directly, Bekah's e-mail address is rockinmommababygear@live.com

Favorite Foto Friday

This week's theme Messy Places/Disorderly Conduct:
This is what happens when you leave your little girl alone with a box of tissues...

And this photo was a one in a Billion shot! LOL! Ah... memories, memories. LOL!

Anna's Daddy

In 2006 my husband and I brought our first (and only, so far) child into the world. A daughter. I am so blessed that my husband is who he is. As a man. As a man of God. That he could father my daughter. My husband has always respected women. He treats his mother wonderfully. He treats me with grace and love. We waited until marriage for physical love. (kwim?) That ensures, to me, that he respects women. What better man could I have to raise a daughter--our daughter? He loves our little girl. He cuddles with her on the couch and watches Spongebob with her. They love to wrestle. Paul lifts her onto his shoulders to touch high things--trees, the ceiling... I've always known how lucky I have been to be blessed with such a wonderful husband. Since my daughter was born, I realize how much more blessed I am... more blessed than I could ever ask or imagine. He's a great father. I can see him playing Barbies with our daughters, playing tea party and dress up. He is the kind of earthly father I never had. I am so blessed... blessed beyond measure. I am blessed to have Paul as my husband and as the father of my child(ren).

I wrote this about a week ago, thinking about my sweet hubby. I hope that nothing here offends anybody. That isn't the point.
MM

Blush Topless Undershirt

The Little Window Shoppe is having a giveaway for a Blush Topless Undershirt. I'd love to have one of these. They are so handy. While pregnant, they can help you to wear your prepregnancy jeans longer. While not pregnant, they can just add cute layering to your favorite outfits!
Go on over to The Little Window Shoppe if you want to sign up to win. It's a great contest!

Wordless Wednesday: Photobooth

These photos were taken at our college's "Evening Masquerade"... I was a few weeks pregnant here.



And these ones were taken when we were lowly college freshmen...

**photos removed by blog author**

Mary Cassatt

Growing up and even to this day, my favorite artist has been Mary Cassatt. Mary loved painting women and children together in every day situations. She painted mothers washing her daughter's feet, pre-adolescent girls braiding their hair... things of that nature. You should really look her up for more information. Mary Cassatt is a wonderful artist. Recently, while searching for breastfeeding pictures, I came across artwork of hers that I have never seen before. (Honestly, I've seen the third one down before, but had to include it. It's one of my favorites!) I'd like to share those now. I love these paintings! (I've shared one of these before in a Fact O' The Week post.)

Wow! I'm in the Top 20 for the Kid in You Contest!!!

I was just told that I am in the top 20 for my photo of Anna on 5 minutes for mom's contest!!! To go vote (I won't tell you who to vote for... *wink* *wink*) but here's a reminder of my beautiful little girl.....

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Free Rice!

Have you all heard about Free Rice? It's a challenging word game online. For each word you get right, they donate 20 grains of rice. Doesn't sound like much, but the game is so addictive that you can easily feed many hungry bellies in no time flat. To play Free Rice, just click here to play! It's a good game to pass the time, but it's also a good game to feed the hungry.

Scripture Sunday

“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21: 2-4

Island Baby Boutique

I recently won a 25 dollar gift certificate to Island Baby Boutique. You may have seen Kailani's blog out there in cyberspace. I love reading through it. She always has fun giveaways.
Anyhow, I decided to get 4 of her beautiful bibs. She then offered me an embroidered burp cloth with Anna's name on it. The quality of the bibs... let's just say I was surprised IN A GOOD WAY! They are sewn so carefully... I could hardly believe that she makes them herself! I love the embroidered burp cloth. It's so beautiful. If you have a moment, go to Kailani's Island Baby Boutique website or go ahead and see her Etsy shop for more of her fabulous products!
Thanks Kailani!