Ain't No Mom Jeans

Giveaway & Review | The Baby Sleep Site

UPDATE: 12/08/11 7:07 PM MST | Congratulations to Ain't No Mom Jeans reader Rhonda Bangston, tonight's winner of the Baby Sleep Site giveaway! Winner was chosen at random by a number generated from random.org.

Oh, hey Mamas! Don't forget the Baby Sleep Site promo codes! They have generously offered ANMJ readers 10% off personalized sleep consultation services (you need to open a Help Desk account and be logged in to use code ANMJ2011) and/or $10 off their eBook Mastering Naps & Schedules.

***

You never know what a precious commodity sleep is until you're subjected to sleep deprivation torture.  Or you have kids.  As a first time mom of a young babe who never really took to sleeping, I kept reminding myself that it would pass.  That I would only be able to snuggle my sweet boy in the wee hours of the morning for such a very, very short time before he would be hopping off my lap, refusing to snuggle at all, going away to college and getting married and having babies himself.  And these things are true.  Time hit the gas pedal as soon as I met one of the three most charming people I have ever met in my entire life.  But people (even my beloved bub) are a heck of a lot more charming after a good nights' sleep.  And a very, very short time turns into a very long time as hours of lost sleep turn into days--even weeks--and days blend into nights. . .   

Modern Nursery Design - A Mod Toddler Room

So, you’re having a baby.  And you love hearts, teddy bears and pastels.  Congratulations, you’re in luck!  A lot of what’s out there in the kids’ design world is still pretty traditional.  But even though the last time I did this whole nursery design thing was only two years ago, I have been pleasantly surprised this time around by how many more options are out there for new ‘rents with less traditional taste.  And, having the experience of spending a year-and-a-half using my boy’s former gear and furnishings (now donated to babe no. 2), I knew where to cut corners and where to put my coin according to my tastes.

The Rocker
In an earlier post, as you may recall, I coveted the IKEA Karlstad swivel chair in Ullevi Orange.  Well, this is indeed the rocker that landed in my boy’s room and which perfectly complements his organic cotton Pixel Organics Lions Tigers & Kitties bedding.  This chair is everything I’d hoped and, with the addition of a lumbar pillow, is super comfortable.  Huck loves it, gleefully spins in it and it’s possibly the best story time chair ever with great elbow support for wide board books and the like.  The footstool adds seating for parental guest appearances (we’ve been using the divide & conquer method since Boy Wonder Too arrived so we can eat dinner together before 10 PM).  

How to Score Cool Mom and Baby Gear on Ebay

I am, admittedly, an Ebay junkie.  While waiting for the birth of my son, I spent many hours on Ebay, trying to score some cool baby stuff.  I'd blame it on nesting, but my Ebay habit started long before my pregnancy.  At first, many of my purchases bombed.  There was the $50 plane ticket (to anywhere!!) that turned out to be a hoax.  (How did I not know that???).  And there was a host of ill-fitting dresses, uncomfortable shoes, and a purse that I just didn't need.  Or love.  I just got caught up in the bidding war.  BUT....over the years, I've learned a few things, gotten a little smarter, and managed to use Ebay to score some really great things for the babe.  My piece de resistance?  My super-cool, denim Bugaboo Frog stroller for $350, or maybe the 25 piece lot of Splendid baby clothes for $70.  Here's what I've learned:

My Default Shower Gift: Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddling Wraps

It's one of the first skills you learn as a mom:  how to swaddle.  You watch the nurses whip the fabric around your kid so fast that it's a blur.  Gingerly you try to repeat their movements, and softly tuck an edge of the blanket beneath the tiniest arm you've ever seen.  You kid starts wailing.  The nurse comes back in and WHAM!!  Just like that, your kid is swaddled and happy.     

For some (like my husband and I), swaddling becomes an life-saving way of life, practically an art form.  A well wrapped swaddle often made the difference between getting four hours worth of sleep as opposed to just two.  If that doesn't sound like a big difference, then you have either never been a mom or you have given birth to freaks of nature that sleep through the night. 

Because we were relying on swaddling as a method to keep our sanity in those early days, we wasted a ton of money trying every swaddling blanket under the sun.  We tried various sleep sacks (too roomy - he'd wake too early), "miracle" swaddling blankets (too thick, too hot) and an assortment of others (most were the wrong size and he would wiggle out, or they would cover his face). Then we discovered Aden + Anais.