Daddy Scrubs Review and Giveaway

I have worked with Daddy Scrubs several times in the past and I love their products!  They were gracious enough to send a pair of the Daddy Scrubs to review for this event. They come as pictured below, packaged and pressed neatly. Naturally, I washed them right away and threw them in the hospital bag so they would be ready when my Little Guy was ready. 

The Scrubs, according to Hubby are quite comfortable and he can even continue to wear them as lounge wear or pajamas now that Baby has arrived.  He was not, however, allowed to wear them for delivery as we had another C-section and our hospital wouldn't allow it. Since Hubby didn't stay at the hospital he also didn't get to wear them while we were there.

 The thing I love about these Scrubs is that we are able to just toss them in the washer and dryer no problem.  I definitely suggest washing a couple times to get the "new clothes" stiffness out of them, though. Aside from that, the scrubs are a wonderful addition to Daddy's portion of the "go bag" and are a high-quality item to boot! 

Of course, they have the signature "I'm the Daddy" logo across the back (see below) to let everyone know who the new Dad is! These are great for that first-time dad who is gonna be staying a couple days at the hospital with Mama - great for sleeping in - and a great way to brag about being a new dad! 

The scrubs come in navy, green, and khaki and in sizes up to 5XL. There are also 2 choices of lettering "classic" block and "edgy" as seen here. Hubby has actually requested I purchase him a second pair in his current size to use as pajamas for when we go on trips.

The craftsmanship on these scrubs is wonderful, everything I have come to expect from Daddy Scrubs/Daddy & Company products. Even after several months of wear, they are still in great shape!

To say thank you to Kennady, I'd love for you to visit Daddy & Company and tell me your favorite product that they carry. Also, please "like" their Facebook page, follow Daddy Nickell on Twitter and on Pinterest, and check out the YouTube channel.


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What Happened and Where I've Been

It has been far too long since I have posted anything. I have missed blogging but I was in too difficult a place to even begin to think about adding one more thing to what needed done in a day.

Postpartum depression hit me harder than I had even imagined it would. I had to go on a higher dosage of medication for my Bipolar in order to help slightly. Even then, it only helped mildly. Every day I would get up and go through the motions of "being Mom." During the first few months with Popeye, Fuss turned into one of the worst children I have ever seen, but only to me. Hubby was still working nights and bedtime turned into a 2-hour scream-fest from Fuss. Nothing worked. Nothing helped. And no one understood.

In mid-January Hubby started working day shift for the first time since Fuss was almost a year old. She doesn't remember having Daddy home with her except on nights off, so this was a HUGE change for her to have him home every night. It only helped a little though. At least we were then able to split bedtime routine (story by Daddy, song by Mommy) and care for Popeye a little bit. It still didn't help. I just kept sinking deeper into a pit I felt I would never be able to claw my way out of.

I went into rages. I would cry daily, sometimes multiple times a day. I called those I thought could help only to hear, "You should have had them closer/farther apart" or "I told you it would be hard." No one listened. It seemed the only person there for me was Hubby. Goodness knows how he managed to survive me during the past 6 months! I was barely able to do it myself. I HATED myself. I hated that I couldn't care for my kids the way I wanted to. I even hated my children. There were so many nights I cried myself to sleep wondering why I had even decided to have kids in the first place. I kept pushing on thinking that I would make it through somehow. Hubby never failed me. He stood by me more than I ever deserved, supported me, loved me through it all.

I finally decided to see a professional counselor after Fuss spent one day unusually tearful. She was crying and whining over everything. That night at bedtime (I was a little clearer than I had been in a long time after an increase in my meds that was still small enough I could continue to breastfeed), I asked her what was wrong with her. She said, "I don't like it when you're a mean Mommy. I'm afraid of you." I'm afraid...of you. The words echoed in my head and I broke down. I promised her that I would work on me and try to be a better Mommy and that I was sorry.

That's what finally brings me out of that pit and toward the light, so to speak. My daughter saved me and I started seeing a counselor. Some days the counselling goes really well and others we get distracted talking about his kids or random nonsense, but it has been enough to start turning things around. And just in the last month, it's like something clicked for Fuss and she changed. She has been SO much better recently. She was always wonderful with Popeye and never had an issue with him, but her defiance towards us was ridiculous. Now that I seem to be doing better, I think she is starting to turn around too.

No one knows just how desperately I wanted my babies. But no one knows just how desperately hard it was trying to hold on to me and keep my own head above water. Hubby is the only one who can come close to understanding because he's been there through it all. I hope my honesty here will be able to help someone else. I'm always willing to lend an "ear" whenever needed. I am just thankful Fuss felt secure enough in our bond that she was able to talk to me.

If you've read this far, I thank you for sticking around. I intend to get back on all those reviews that I had lined up in December and January and, hopefully, get a couple of giveaways going as well. :)

Bamboobies Nursing Pads #Review and #Giveaway

Even though the button isn't updated (and I, personally, have NO CLUE how to make a new one), I'm just going to use the same one. My first item for review and giveaway was sent to me by Bamboobies. I received the nursing pads Sample Pack that includes both daytime/regular and nighttime nursing pads.

They each have a leak-proof backing which helps prevent those embarrassing milk spots on your shirt that tend to happen after your baby cries (or any baby for that matter!) and milk lets down. I have a heavy let down and will often soak through nursing pads. I started wearing the regular nursing pads while I was still pregnant for Popeye as I was having enough leakage to spot my bra. During that time, my only complaint about the pads was that they would slip out of my regular bra. LOL. After switching to a nursing bra, however, that problem remedied itself due to the design of the nursing bra.

The first thing you'll notice about these nursing pads is that the regular pads are heart-shaped. Why? It makes them less noticeable than regular rounded pads. They are also pink which helps them to blend in better with flesh tones for when you are wearing a lighter shirt. Plus, these are VERY thin. In my estimation, they are about 1/2 the thickness of a "normal" nursing pad. Even the overnight Bamboobies are a bit thinner than a normal nursing pad.

Compared to a "normal" nursing pad, these are made from a blend of organic cotton and bamboo rayon velour. The inside of the pad is SO soft! They feel great and the design of the fabric inner helps to prevent sticking, which is awesome! The backing is also very pliable and soft unlike a lot of waterproof material.

The regular Bamboobies are approximately the same size as a normal nursing pad in diameter as you can see in the following picture (right). The shape and thickness are the biggest differences here. I found the absorbency to be very good as long as I changed them out about halfway through the day unless I was having a light-for-me leakage day. Like I said before, I leak A LOT and have an overactive let down, so it is very hard to keep up with me.

 The overnights, however, are AMAZING! I actually use them during the day and have great results with prevention of leaks. The overnights are a bit larger than the store-bought reusable nursing pads that I have but the combination of bamboo and cotton really helps these keep you more dry. Obviously, the store-bought ones don't have a waterproof layer to hold anything in either which causes wicking into your bra. That problem doesn't happen with Bamboobies.

I would definitely recommend these nursing pads to my friends and family. These are wonderful for the end of pregnancy leakage that comes along as well as being able to be used throughout the nursing journey and into weaning.

Would you like your very own set of Bamboobies? Keep your eyes on their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Blog for further opportunities to win and enter below!


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Starting Sunday!

I have finally gotten myself together and plan to start putting posts up on Sunday for the Boy, OH, Boy! Event. :)

In the meantime I would like to tell you the nickname we have come up with for our little guy...Popeye! If I can ever catch him at the right time and get a good picture I will post it, but he does a Popeye squint that is adorable!  He also has a "grumpy old man" face that is hilarious.  Since Popeye was born on Thanksgiving I had tossed around calling him Turkey or Butterball but neither fit him. He was certainly no butterball at 6 pounds 12 ounces. Even now he is only 9 pounds, 3 ounces at 7 weeks!

I will also have to post his birth story. Best part? It even involves a cop! LOL. 

Thanks for bearing with me through this time of adjustment and through my postpartum depression which I seem to have a hold on now. 

 

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#Giveaway from Thanks Mama!

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NoseFrida The Snotsucker #Review from Thanks Mama

"Thanksmama.com is family owned and operated natural baby store. They offer a great selection of cloth diapering products, potty training pants, swim diapers, natural baby care products, baby carriers, bibs, toys, nursery furniture and bedding, strollers and much more. They look for innovative products that are good for the baby and the environment and they never forget that most families are on a budget. That’s why Thanks Mama offers the Lowest Prices, Free Shipping on orders over $60 within USA, 90 days easy returns; Buy Safe Guarantee and Price Guarantee. Thanks Mama does ship worldwide!

Follow Thanks Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Pinterest or Google +. They host weekly Giveaways, Contests, Sweepstakes, Twitter Parties, talk about modern family fun and challenges, natural parenting and green living. "

For this review, I will spare you the pictures of the product in use! LOL. Instead, I will show you how the NoseFrida looks right out of the box (below).

 I had the opportunity to use this on Fuss as she was having a tough time with her allergies for a couple weeks when the weather changed...and changed....and changed. She woke up one morning particularly congested and instead of reaching for her allergy medication, I grabbed this admittedly unusual item that Thanks Mama sent me for review.






So, I pulled the NoseFrida out of the box and read the instructions. It consists of 3 parts. The aspirator tube, the collection tube, and the filter. You take the collection end (blue part) with a filter in place and put the end in the child's nose. Then you take the aspiration tube and suck air in, therefore suctioning out the snot. The filter prevents anything from being pulled up into the tube - and inadvertently into your mouth.

I was immediately able to get quite a large amount of snot out of Fuss's nose with the first use. The only problem I had with it was dealing with the sound it makes. The sound alone was enough to make me gag, but I gag sometimes when helping her blow her nose! I will definitely be using this for the new baby instead of the bulb-style suction. After all, I can EASILY clean the NoseFrida with warm water and a little soap. Plus, it is clear so I can be sure it is clean and mold-free before use. The suction bulbs are well-known for growing mold after just a use or two. Check out the NoseFrida and other Health & Safety items Thanks Mama has available!

I sincerely thank Thanks Mama for the opportunity to review this and the other items and I hope you will head over and thank them as well!

Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags #Review Courtesy Thanks Mama

 My second item from Thanks Mama are these great Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags. I was actually able to wash these in the washing machine along with my kitchen towels and they held up without a problem. They are also better than the other brand of snack bags that I have with Velcro closure since these have zippers. First, they are much more secure than the ones with Velcro closures because the Velcro tops just fold over allowing smaller snacks (like Cheerios) to spill out the corners. Second, they actually hold slightly more than the Velcro closures, again because of the fold-over top versus a zipper.

Fuss was very excited to get these and they arrived just at the right time as my baby shower was November 9th and then we had countless doctor's appointments between then and Baby's birth. Fuss was able to take a snack bag full of her "honey nut toasted O's" (LOL) with her whenever she wanted. Some days that included traveling around the house or sitting in her little recliner. 

The Bumkins Snack Bag is made very durably and has withstood a toddler dragging them to Kingdom Come and back again as well as being taken to a party with multiple toddlers around her age. I think at one point they were using it as a football and it didn't tear around the seams or at the zipper! These are definitely going to come in handy for when Baby Boy gets old enough to eat small snack foods as I will be able to carry them around in the snack bags and not have to have those bulky canisters with me all the time. 

Above, Fuss modeling her Cat in the Hat Snack Bag. lol. For more information on Thanks Mama, and their other great Feeding supplies please read below and be sure to stop by their site and follow on their social media accounts for more chances to win great prizes!

"Thanksmama.com is family owned and operated natural baby store. They offer a great selection of cloth diapering products, potty training pants, swim diapers, natural baby care products, baby carriers, bibs, toys, nursery furniture and bedding, strollers and much more. They look for innovative products that are good for the baby and the environment and they never forget that most families are on a budget. That’s why Thanks Mama offers the Lowest Prices, Free Shipping on orders over $60 within USA, 90 days easy returns; Buy Safe Guarantee and Price Guarantee. Thanks Mama does ship worldwide!

Follow Thanks Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Pinterest or Google +. They host weekly Giveaways, Contests, Sweepstakes, Twitter Parties, talk about modern family fun and challenges, natural parenting and green living. "