100 Ways to be Kind to your Child (from Creative with Kids)

8 May posted by

I saw the above graphic on Pintrest and after pinning it (are you as hooked as I am?), I clicked to read the list. Organized into action items such as “Tell them,” “Play,” “Pretend,” “Try” and “Take Time,” the list is a reminder that we can do more than just read them a story at bedtime. As a mom with a full time job and hardly enough time to make a home cooked meal, sometimes simple reminders like “Listen to your child in the car” are the ones we need most.

Tell to your child:
1. I love you.
2. love you no matter what.
3. I love you even when you are angry at me.
4. I love you even when I am angry with you.
5. I love you when you are far way.  My love for you can reach you wherever you are.
6. If I could pick any 4 year old (5 year old, 6 year old…) in the whole wide world, I’d pick you.
7. I love you to the moon and then around the stars and back again.
8. Thank you.
9. I enjoyed playing with you today.
10. My favorite part of the day was when I was with you and we were _______.

Tell them:
11. The story of their birth or adoption.
12. About how you cuddled them when they were a baby.
13. The story of how you chose their name.
14. A story about yourself when you were their age.
15. A story about how their grandparents met.
16. What your favorite color is.
17. That sometimes you struggle too.
18. That when you’re holding hands and you give three squeezes, it’s a secret code that means, “I love you”.
19. What the plan is.
20. What you’re doing right now.

For the full list, click here.

Graphic and article from the very cool blog creativewithkids.com. 

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Filed Under: Mommy-hood, More Time With Kids, Parenthood, Pregnancy

Get Organized: Special Ways to Document Your Pregnancy & Baby’s First Year With Photos

19 Jan posted by

Any of you out there with more than one child know that what we’ve always heard is true – the amount of time we spend photographing and documenting our little ones and the subsequent pregnancies goes down exponentially with each baby. I’m currently pregnant with my fourth child and the one thing I can say I’ve been lucky with, is that all three of my previous babies looked exactly alike. They don’t know I took less pictures each time because they can’t tell who is who in the early shots, even I can barely tell which baby is which.

But now I find myself pregnant again and trying to get myself more organized in several areas, my photos being one of them. So, in an effort to help myself and anyone else struggling in the snapshot organization department, I’ve gathered some super cute ideas and resources for how to take and catalogue your personal milestones.

Your Pregnancy

Most of us do not consider pregnancy to be the pinnacle of our beauty, and that’s okay. I gain weight in places I didn’t even know you could gain  weight and I pretty much complain through the whole second half, but once it’s done I look back and realize what a special time it actually was. I grew a human. With my body. And you did too so celebrate it, or at very least document it so someday your kids can look back on that time with you. I have a few grainy photos of my hippie-looking mom with me in her belly, but this was pre-digital age so understandably, there aren’t a lot. Plus, I was the second child so there are even less to look at. But we’re so lucky to live and breed in the technology era, we can take pictures of virtually every moment, and we can do some really cool things with those pictures once we have them.

Check out this amazing video, which isn’t actually a video at all, but a series of photos taken on a camera’s burst mode, and lovingly assembled by this baby’s super sweet parents.

Try documenting your pregnancy with pictures of your belly next to the corresponding “fruit size”.

Do you have a chalkboard handy? Then you can snag this mom’s idea of making a little photo journal with all the pertinent info written behind her. Adorable!

Ready for another video that will blow you away? These insanely cool parents assembled photo outtakes which showed the mom’s weekly belly growth and turned them into a seriously stunning piece of art.

By the creator of the video above, here is a really great photo series which captures one mom and her growing belly at various times on her daily walk. Be sure to click on the link so you can scroll through all of the photos, they’re beyond amazing!

Your Baby’s First Year
I know I don’t need to remind you to start snapping the second your little one enters the world, but take it from me, it’s easy for all of these pictures to get kind of jumbled throughout the years and even more so with each subsequent child. Try using some of these fun ideas to document your baby’s growth each and every step of the way. You’ll love having them all organized and your kid’s will thank you for it some day!

Here’s one idea with a lot of great variations. Shoot a month by month photo with the baby posed in the same piece of furniture each time.

Favorite family pets work great in place of furniture too.

This mom poses her son in front of a giant “O” each month, the first letter of his first name.

Chalkboard + chair + a gorgeous set of twins = one seriously framable photo shoot that these kids will cherish one day.

This is probably the coolest use of a Stendig calendar I’ve ever seen. The oversized, graphic type is just perfect as a chronological backdrop for your photos.

Here’s another fun way to record your baby’s actual growth, and take pictures while doing so. Check out this cool Baby Growth Crib Bedding, it’s like a measuring stick for the bed!

Lots and lots of stores and Etsy shops sell versions of the monthly onesie stickies now, you can get the original style circles or even ties or fully printed shirts. Here’s one amazingly delicious little girl modeling her mom’s find from Etsy.

Set it to video! These savvy parents took their daily photos and set their baby’s first trip around the sun to music by the White Stripes. It really doesn’t get much cuter than this!

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Filed Under: Baby's First Year, Get Organized, New Year's Resolutions, Photos, Pregnancy

Mia Bossi Diaper Bags Are On Hautelook Today!

29 Dec posted by

Attention mamas! Are you looking for a cool diaper bag (yes, I said those words in the same sentence) that will fit everything you need and match your style? Well then you’re in luck! Hautelook is running a sale on Mia Bossi diaper bags today that you seriously don’t want to miss.

I was gifted one of these fabulous bags six years ago by Hello Little One’s main lady, Jenny, and two other awesome friends and it is still in use today. They’re well-made, sturdy, stylish, functional and can be used as a great carry on once your gear-toting baby days are behind you. Prices through the Hautelook sale are over 60% off so grab yours before they’re gone!

1. Maria Diaper Bag ($150) 2. Reese Diaper Bag ($140) 3. Lyndsey Diaper Bag ($140) 4. Caryn Diaper Bag ($150)

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Filed Under: Baby Business, Fashion, Pregnancy, Shopping

Most Popular Baby Names of 2007

15 May posted by

The Social Security Administration just released the top 1000 names of 2007 and once again, Jacob and Emily top the list. Jacob has held a firm spot at number 1 since 1999 and Emily since 1996. The top 20 is somewhat unchanged, but there were some interesting developments in the 100 plus range. For the first time, the name Miley (thanks to tween sensation Miley Cyrus) is on the list, and has entered the top 1000 at a respectable 278. Other notable celebrity inspired names are Shiloh (debuting at number 804) and Maddox (re-entering the top 1000 for the first time since 2003 at number 226), the son and daughter of the continuously growing Jolie-Pitt family. I can't wait to hear what they will name their twins!

Overall, parents seem to take more chances with girls' names than boys. Nevaeh, which is “Heaven” spelled backwards, is now the 31st most popular name. The religious theme was also reflected among these other girl names: Destiny (No. 41); Trinity (No. 72); Serenity (No. 126); Harmony (No. 315); Miracle (No. 461); Charity (No. 673); Journey (No. 692); Destini (No. 914); and Essence (No. 930). For boys, only Sincere (No. 622) and Messiah (No. 723) seem to reflect the same sentiment.

I love looking at baby name lists, and dreaming up names for all my future kids. Remember back when Cabbage Patch Kids came with a birth certificate with their first and middle name (and perhaps they still do)? What a cool job! Happy Naming!

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Filed Under: Baby Names, Pregnancy

Delivery and Post-Partum: A Checklist

15 Mar posted by

Having just had a baby, I thought I'd share some tips and tricks about the time spent in the hospital before and after the birth, as well as the first days home. Some of these tips are from friends, some are from the hospital staff, and some are from experience. With any pregnancy and baby related advice, the decisions are yours… these are just some opinions to take or leave :)

The hospital stay: what to pack / bring / expect:

  • Have 'birth goals' not a 'birth plan.' My hospital stay was longer than most, due to a 30 hour labor followed by a C-Section (after getting all the way to 8cm!). My number one goal — to not have a C-Section — got nixed (and thankfully so, since Leo turned out to be 10 pounds instead of the 8 predicted). Birth 'goals' instead of a ' birth plan' lets you keep in mind that this is the most unplanned and unpredictable time of your life.
  • Buy and bring a 'Swaddle Me' Wrap. A friend of mine had recommended these to me. My favorite is by Kiddopotamus and is available at Babies R Us and other baby super stores. I find this to be a brilliant product and having had the C-Section, it made swaddling super easy. My husband, doing most of the work besides feeding, also fell in love with the Swaddle Me.
  • Make it clear if you are having visitors. This is a touchy one, but essential. If you are unsure, you may want to say you are not, and then pleasantly surprise those who call to congratulate with an invitation to come and see you and your new little one.
  • Ask the nurses tons of questions. They love sharing their opinions and you can take and leave the advice that you get.

If you are nursing:

  • Use the lactation consultant. They have loads of priceless information… and leave your modesty at home.
  • Let the nursery know not to use a pacifier if you don't want them to. Some hospitals have nurseries that can take the baby during the night if you wish. Make sure they know you are nursing and do not want a pacifer. We put a little note in our bassinet when he would visit the nursery for vitals, etc.
  • Bring Lanolin Cream. I like Lansiloh brand (the kind in the purple box / tube)
  • Ask for a prescription for APNO Cream before you leave. This stuff is amazing for cracked nipples (which you most likely will get… even with a perfect latch). Note that it needs to be compounded so call your local pharmacy to see if they compound, or go directly to an apothecary. I found this link that explains APNO in more detail.
  • Inquire about 'cup feeding' if your milk comes in late. My milk had still not come in by day three (C-Sections can delay the process by a day or so), and my 10 pounder was so hungry. I didn't want to bottle feed and lose the great latch Leo had shown early on. One of the nurses suggest we supplement by feeding him a little cup of formula. It worked like a charm! Even if you know you are going to exclusively breast feed, it may be good to have some formula at home.

If you have a C-Section:

  • Take your pain meds. It's better to be on top of the pain rather than chasing it. This will also help you  get up and walk around, aiding in quicker healing.
  • Bowels beware. Your bowel system shuts down during surgery, and takes a few days to recover which causes — you guessed it — back up. You'll want to have Colace, laxatives and glycerin suppositories at home. You'll be tempted to be embarrassed about this, but please don't. It's a normal (although very uncomfortable and sometimes painful) part of recovery. Everyone I know who had a C/S has had bowel issues for some time after the surgery.
  • Recovery is fast, then slow. After the first few days, I felt so much better. Then around day 4, recovery flat-lined for about 10 days or so. I wasn't in pain so much as heavy discomfort, and it was frustrating. I was also back in my home, walking longer hallways, without the luxury of nurses 24/7. Make sure to ask for help from friends and family members, and know that recovery will come in time.

Good luck and remember to take care of yourself!

Please note these are only opinions of Hello Little One and we do not endorse any products or medications without a doctor's consent.

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Filed Under: Pregnancy
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