Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway!

 

About a year ago, when my coworkers threw a baby shower for me, one of the gifts I received was a basket full of baby toiletries. Among those goodies was a pack of Boogie Wipes. I had never heard of them, and I thought, "when the heck am I going to use these?" When we got home, I stuck them in Colin's closet and forgot about them.

Fast forward a few months. Colin got his first cold, and it was not pretty. His poor little nose was crusted over with dried green snot, and he freaked out every time I brought a tissue near him. After a couple days, that cute button nose was super dry and irritated. And that's when I remembered the Boogie Wipes in his closet. I'm pretty sure I heard angels sing the first time I used one on my baby boy. So what the heck are Boogie Wipes, you might ask? They're soft, cushy wipes moistened with gentle saline to soothe your baby's nose. Basically, they're a thousand times better than your average tissue. Yes, even the lotiony ones. They don't dry out your little one's skin, no matter how many times you need to wipe those boogies away. It's amazing how much snot can come out of your sweet child, you know. We've all been there. You're driving along, to daycare or the grocery store, and you hear a big, wet sneeze from the backseat. You glance back and see two giant green strings of snot running down your baby's face, threatening to drip down onto his car seat and clothes. Moments like these are exactly why I keep a pack of Boogie Wipes in the diaper bag at all times.

Incidentally, I may or may not have "borrowed" a few of Colin's Boogie Wipes for myself from time to time. ;) Thank goodness they now make Saline Soothers as well, for "more mature noses."

And now, the fun part. One of YOU will win not one, but TWO packs of Boogie Wipes, for free! If you don't win, and want to buy some for yourself, or if you just want more info, check out their websites: BoogieWipes.com, SalineSoothers.com, and LittleBusyBodies.com. They have large canisters available, too, and teacher packs perfect for the classroom! You can also have your child join the pledge to "save the sleeve" at SaveTheSleeve.com.

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. There are 8 ways to win! Ready, set, go! Giveaway ends Saturday at midnight. [You may need to click "Read More" to see the Rafflecopter widget.]

Advice to new moms

To those of my bloggy friends who are expecting their first child, or who are hoping to conceive soon, I really only have one piece of advice. Take things one day at a time. There are about 4325135 things I could tell you I wish I had known before I became a mother, but the truth is, I read the books. I talked to other moms. And I still didn't feel "prepared" until I did it myself. Parenting is one of those things that you just have to do to know how you're going to do it.

When I was pregnant, I had all these ideas about how things would be. According to the plans in my head, I would have a fantastic vaginal birth. I would breastfeed without issue for at least six months. I would never bedshare with my baby. I would limit his TV time and read books to him constantly.

Well, then I became a mother, and it was amazing how many of my plans changed in an instant. After going into labor on my own, I had a long labor followed by a c-section. I had tons of issues breastfeeding and ended up switching Colin to formula at around 4 weeks of age. Exhausted and desperate, I brought him into bed with me sometimes when nothing else worked. And, let's face it - the hubs and I can both recite every word to the theme songs of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent Oso and Jungle Junction.

Colin @ 10 months and Mommy

The point is, you have to do what's best for you and your baby. You have to take things one day at a time and expect the unexpected. And most importantly, you have to learn to be flexible. As soon as you accept that there will be a LOT of things beyond your control, you'll be a better parent. That's how it was for me, anyway. I was SO unsure about being a new mom, and how to know exactly what this fragile little creature wanted and needed from me, but once I had a chance to care for him and be his mommy, I learned the ins and outs of my baby. I got to know all of his little quirks, and after a while, we got into a nice rhythm. If you're unsure right now, don't worry. Things will fall into place. If you're not unsure yet, you probably haven't given birth. Just a heads up: you WILL experience the uncertainty that we all have in the beginning. You WILL have moments of fear, exhaustion, and you will wonder "am I doing this right?" Those thoughts are natural, and they simply mean that you are a good mother and that you want what's best for your child.

The bottom line: you can do it. 

Sick day

Today I'm staying home with my sweet boy because he's sick.

Just look at this face.

Don't go to work Mama, I need you today.

Last night was a good reminder that I'm not ready for more little ones just yet. It's pretty rough when you finally have a baby who sleeps through the night, and then he gets sick and suddenly you're both up every hour again. At one point, his temp got all the way up to 103.7. Justin called the pediatrician's on-call nurse, and she said it wasn't an emergency situation unless it reached 105. Still, though. This is the highest my little boy's temp has ever been, so I was nervous. We stripped him down to his diaper and I held him, giving him Tylenol and cool water to drink when he'd let me.


This morning, I brought him into bed with me and he slept while I dozed in and out for about two hours. Then he cried through breakfast until I turned on Oso (that silly bear is just so awesome) and I took his temp again; it was 102.1. Because he was tugging on his ears some this weekend, I'm taking him to see Dr. G. later this morning to see if this could be another ear infection.


Gosh, I hate seeing my baby boy like this. Here's hoping he gets better quick. I'll update after we see the pediatrician.

 ***********

UPDATE:  We saw Dr. G. and she said that his throat is red and irritated, with post-nasal drip, and one ear looks like it's just about to be infected. She had the nurse swab his nose and throat and they ran tests for the flu and strep while we were there. Both were negative. His lungs and heart sounded great, and the one ear was perfect. She went ahead and put him on antibiotics to clear up the ear that looked gunky, and said this could also be a delayed reaction to the MMR shot he had on Tuesday. We're supposed to watch for a pink rash, and if the fever stays above 101 for more than 3 days, we need to call back for further instructions.


Poor baby has been so sleepy today and has taken about 3 cat naps. His appetite isn't great, either, but he ate some goldfish crackers with his first dose of Omnicef.


And now I hear him fussing on the monitor- gotta run!

Project 52: Week 4 - "Imperfection"

This photo isn't perfect because it was taken with my cell phone, but the moment was perfect. There's nothing like a good snuggle with your toddler baby on a Saturday morning when you're the only two people in the house awake. ♥ Sometimes I feel so much love for him, I think my heart might explode. This whole mom thing is pretty great.

Colin's 1 year stats

This just in: my baby is huge. Yeah, I know, that isn't breaking news. If you know Colin at all, you know that someone must be slipping Miracle Gro into his milk every day. Where did this kid come from?! If I didn't have the stretch marks to prove it, I'd question whether he actually belonged to me.


Little man's 12 month well-visit was yesterday, and it went went well. First the nurse weighed and measured him. The official stats? 26 lbs 8 oz (91st percentile for weight) and 32 1/4 inches tall (98th percentile for height). Like I said, my kid is huge.


Then, Dr. G. {who we love} checked Colin out from head to toe. She declared him perfect, asked a few developmental questions, and oohed and aahed at the new teeth he's going to be sporting soon.

Colin loves his teething biscuits!

I asked how much whole cow's milk he should be drinking now that he is completely off of formula. The boy would drink milk every minute of the day if I let him. Dr. G. said that 16-24 oz was what we should aim for. Ooops... he gets closer to 30 oz in a day right now. Last night I tried offering water with his dinner, and he drank several ounces of that. So I don't think that transition will be too hard.

My other question was about sippy cups. Colin will drink water or juice out of a sippy, but he still prefers bottles for milk. She said we shouldn't worry until he's 15 months, but to try our best to get him to take milk from a sippy now. I guess we'll keep working on that. It's hard to be consistent when he spends 50 hours a week at daycare (ugh), but he will be moving to the toddler room on Monday (omg!) and they are great with this transitional period, I'm told.


So, after the doctor's exam, the dreaded nurse came in. The one who always comes bearing needles. Even though she's a sweetheart, I think Colin sensed what was coming, because he started fussing right away. Poor kid. He got 4 vaccines yesterday, 2 in each chunky thigh. He hasn't developed any side effects from them, although I think his poor legs are achy. Watching him get his shots was just awful. He held his breath for so long before finally letting out a cry that I had to blow in his face to get him to breathe. Gosh, I think those shots are just as hard on the parents as they are on the babies.


As a sidenote on the vaccines - I know 4 is a lot, but I've asked the pediatrician about alternative schedules and researched vaccines, and after all that I came to the conclusion that they would do more good than harm. He has been on the recommended vaccine schedule since birth. Dr. G. once told me that she wouldn't recommend anything potentially dangerous for my baby, or that she wouldn't do for her own children. I trust her opinion, and while I hate vaccines, I feel fine about giving them to my son. Just my two cents on that front. Not that there is anything wrong with the "crunchy" mommas out there with differing opinions. You do what you feel is best for your baby, and I'll do what's best for mine. But, I digress.


This morning, my snugglebug was a little fussy, but fine otherwise. Here's hoping he isn't miserable at daycare today. He's also teething, so that's always fun too. Even when he's fussy, though, he is still just the cutest thing. I may be a tad biased, but look at that face. What a sweet pea! Oh, I could just kiss this face all day long. :)
 

 More to come.

Questions & Answers

Recently I asked you, dear readers, if you had any questions for me. I feel like Colin is more interesting than me, so this blog has become pretty baby-centric since he was born. I wanted to give you the opportunity to know more about me. That is, if you wanted to. :) I got several fun responses. So without further ado, your questions - answered! 

Jennifer asked, "do you ever miss living in the Midwest? I know you have family still living there but is there anything else you miss?"

Well, my younger brother recently moved in with us, and it's been really awesome to have him around. I do miss my parents, sister, and my extended family that still live in Michigan, though. I also really miss the snow every Christmas. I'm all about a white Christmas! Otherwise, though, I love living in South Carolina. The weather here right now is amazing, and the pace of the South is a little more laid back. I feel like I fit in here pretty well.
 

Nancy asked, "Do you plan to have anymore children and what's your favorite international dish??"

We definitely want one or two more. As far as my favorite international dish, that's a toughie. I love me some Chinese food, especially General Tso Chicken (extra spicy, please), and I also have a soft spot for Italian food. Carrabba's Chicken Bryan is pretty high up on my list of favorite dishes.

Amanda asked, "Thinking of baby #2 yet? If you had a girl what would her name be? What's your favorite thing to do for "mommy time."

While we do want more kids, I don't think we're ready just yet. Now that Colin is magically turning into a big boy before my very eyes, I have my moments of missing my tiny newborn. However, it's still pretty exhausting to have a full time job outside the home and be a mommy. I think we'll wait just a little bit longer.

If I had a baby girl today, her name would be Claire Elizabeth. Claire is our top choice for a girl's name, and my sister's middle name is Elizabeth. We may change our minds, but for now, that's the favorite.

I'll be honest, I haven't had a whole lot of "mommy time" lately except for when Colin goes to bed. In the evenings, I love to kick back and watch some TV or mess around on Facebook and Blogger. Oh! Justin and I are going on our first "weekend getaway" alone in February, for a friend's beachside wedding. I'm pretty excited about that! 

Dan asked, "Katie! It is now the year 2032. Where are you living? Any new additions to the family? What is Colin up to? Has anyone made the jet pack commercially viable?"

Dan, I miss you. (We used to work together.) What a great question!

In 2032, I'll be 47 years old. Whoa. You mean I'm not going to be 26 forever? Okay, let's see. I imagine Justin and I will still be living in South Carolina, but maybe we will have moved closer to the coast. Colin will be 21, and he'll be attending a University, maybe USC (mommy's alma mater), maybe not. He will have had his choice of academic AND athletic scholarships, and he'll be playing football but still have a respectable major. Maybe political science or something, because he'll be really smart and have a good head on his shoulders. He'll have two younger siblings (yep, I went there), a girl and another boy. They will both be in high school, and they'll both be really good kids. I'll still be working, I'm sure, but I'll be very involved in my childrens' activities.

Oh, and yes. Everyone will be flying jet packs around everywhere. They'll all run on solar energy, too. Because, you know- everyone will have "gone green" by then. :)

Thanks for playing, guys and gals! Let's do this again sometime.

Ask me anything!

Is there anything you've ever wanted to know about me, dear readers? Well, if so, now is the time to ask! If you're new here, welcome! Here are a few facts about me: 

• I'm 26 years old, and I've been married to my wonderful husband for 6 and a half years. Yes, I was 19 when we tied the knot.
• I have a son named Colin who just turned a year old on the 17th.
• I have an English degree, but work in the technology field.
• I grew up in Michigan, but currently reside in a small town in South Carolina.

I'm going to do a Q&A blog post soon, so get your questions in now! I'm an open book and will answer any questions you have about pregnancy, motherhood, marriage, blogging, my everyday life, and anything else you can think of. Either leave a comment here or e-mail me at sbuxsweetie at gmail dot com. I look forward to seeing what you'd like to know!

Everything I know about life I learned from my one year old son

• The only TV channel you really need is Disney Jr.
• A good, long nap might just be the key to happiness.
• Teething is the devil.
• It's really fun to read a book or sing a song 4 times in a row.
• Sometimes food tastes better if you steal it from someone else's plate.
• Bookshelves can make for great toy storage.
• Pooping your pants is no big deal.
• When watching your favorite show, it's best to get as close to the TV as possible.
• Bananas are God's gift to mankind. They trump all other foods. Except maybe puffs.
• Dancing and laughter should be a part of everyday life.
• Sometimes it's okay to randomly burst into tears.
• Every now and then, we all just need our mommies.

Do I have something on my face?

Project 52 Week 3 - Inspiration

Happy Birthday Colin!

Sometimes it feels like just yesterday I was writing out Colin's birth story. Today, my sweet baby is one year old. Oh, how the time flies.

First ultrasound @ 12 weeks

36 weeks pregnant

In labor

Going with Daddy to be weighed, measured and cleaned

Colin Justin Vaughan- 7 lbs, 8 oz and 20 inches

Meeting my son for the first time

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

6 months old

7 months old

8 months old

9 months old

10 months old

11 months old

Celebrating Colin's 1st Birthday!

 

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always;

as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

It's Colin's party, he'll cry if he wants to

Colin will be 1 year old on Tuesday. My baby is almost not a baby anymore. But I'm not ready to talk about that yet, haha. I'm still in denial. He isn't walking yet, although he has taken one step on his own, so I'm not willing to use the "t" word just yet (cough toddler cough).


Anyway, my baby's birthday party was yesterday. It went well, except that he was tired throughout most of it, due to the fact that he didn't get a great nap that morning. He was so not cool with the cake smash. He stared at his dirty hand in horror and cried for me to pick him up. Oh well, he was still cute and it will make for a good story when he's older. Here are some pictures of Colin's special day. Thanks to our sweet friends and family for coming to celebrate with us!