Three of my favorite baby products

Let's face it, babies need stuff. They come into the world naked and alone, but man they collect stuff like hoarder! 

I thought I would share three baby products we use daily at this house. And I love them all. 

Note: These are my honest opinions. I wrote this post on my own without sponsorship. However, this post does contain affiliate links and you can read my disclosure policy here. 

Seven Generation baby lotion.  I've been using this lotion on Little Bit. He has sensitive skin and this is a mild lotion that is hypo allergenic. It does have a smell that requires some getting used to- you know what I mean that "natural product smell." But I love the lasting moisture. I even us it on myself. 

Weleda Daipaer Ointment.  I have had to use this on Little R for months now. It is kind of pricey, but man it works. It is the only thing that has cleared his monster diaper rash. 

Aguaphor Healing Ointment. I am convinced this stuff is pure magic!!! Little Bit has gotten some irritation between the folds in the skin on his neck. I have tried and tried to help him. Then I accosted a lady with an infant on the baby aisle of Publix. 

"Try this," she said and handed me the tube right off the shelf. I just so happened to have some samples of it at home so I could try it before I bought it. One night! That's all it took to clear it up. I put some on baby's neck and the next day the irritation was gone!!

I thought I would also share some update photos of the boys. 

Sweet brothers!

Too cool for Sam's Club. 

Super Gentle, Reusable Baby Wipes

Both my babies have really sensitive skin. That's one of the reasons I chose to cloth diaper my older son. And when Little Bit gets to be about two- three months old I will start cloth diapering him too. 

But right now he seems to have a MAJOR sensitivity to baby wipes. Even the hypo allergenic, unscented baby wipes. He just screams and screams when I clean his little hiney. It's sad. 

So I scoured the internet for a gentle baby wipe solution. The problem is, a lot of the baby wipe "recipes" call for baby wash, which can be irritating when a baby already has sensitive skin. 

Then I found one I liked, tweeked it a bit and decided to use something resuable- baby wash cloths. 

So far, so good. Little Bit doesn't complain too much. 

What you'll need:

About a dozen baby wash cloths

1-2 cups filtered or distilled water

1 TBSP Castille Soap - I used Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild  (Note: This is an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy HERE.)

3-4 Drops Lavender

An old baby wipe container or a plastic container with a lid.

I started by cutting my wash cloths in half. 

I mixed my water, soap and lavender in a bowl. 

Next I placed my wash cloths in the plastic container and poured the solution over the wash rags. Then I gave them all a good shake. 

The oil in the castile soap is soothing to baby's bottom and the scent is pleasant. Plus you can throw them in the washing machine and pop them back in the container and mix up a little more solution. 

Beautiful Boy

We have a new, sweet baby boy. He is absolutely gorgeous and I am so happy that our family of three is now a family of four. We are now a multitude of Senns. 

Little Bit, as I will be calling him here, was born on May 27 at 5:49 p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 2 oz. But when I hold him he doesn't seem that big. I guess I am so used to toting around a 29 pound 18-month-old. (Yes, I know I have BIG babies.)

A little about our new boy:

He has red hair. 

He was born 9 days past his "due date."

He is a big eater and like all newborns his favorite activity is cuddling. 

Our sweet "big baby," R, is getting used to being a brother. 

But I don't doubt he will be the best big brother he can be. As my mother has reminded me, this new baby is as much a part of God's plan for R's life as he is for mine and Jason's lives. 

It's been interesting so far to have two under two. I was really frightened the first day Jason went back to work after only a week off. But I held it together nicely. Everyone was clean, fed and still somewhat happy when Daddy got home. 

But I have a feeling that in a few more months these boys are going to gang up on me with their cuteness. 

For now I leave you with a verse I picked out for I.

You have been helped by Me before you were born and carried since you were born. ⁴ Even when you are old I will be the same. And even when your hair turns white, I will help you. I will take care of what I have made. I will carry you, and will save you.

Isaiah 46:3b-4

Nursery Reveal: Our Little Farmer's Room

Our new little boy will be here any day now. I can't wait to meet him, hold him and kiss his little face. But until then we have busied ourselves with preparation.

Little "I's" room is a farm and truck theme (although right now it's more farm than truck) and I would say it's about 90 percent complete. I just need a rug. But I thought I would give you a brief tour.

Here is a before and after shot. Before it was sort of a catch all for our junk.

 

We moved in a dresser that used to be at my Grandmother's house. This will be I's dresser as he gets older and for now it makes a really good changing table. (I honestly don't see the point in buying a changing table. Why have a piece of furniture that takes up space like that with limited function?)

This old house has walls made of stucco, so it is really hard to dress them up. They are bland and ugly. But I did make photo display "stick" on the wall (You can barely see it sticking out at the top of the photo). Here is a how to.

This is our quiet, soothing corner. The rocking chair belonged to Jason's grandmother and the side table belonged to my great aunt. You can click here to see how I recovered the chair.

The opposite wall of the rocking chair is the crib. It's pretty boring looking right now with no bumper pad and nothing hanging above it. But I am stickler for the rules when it comes to infant safety. Even the blanket will be removed. It's just for decoration.

The crib is made by Delta, it's the 3-in-1 Cherry bed, and I am thrilled with the way it looks. (This is an affiliate link, please read my disclosure policy.)

 

We got these basic room darkening curtains at the Home Depot. They are made by Martha Stewart. However, I think they use the word "darkening" pretty loosely.

The fabric drape was leftover from the rocking chair renovation project and was purchased at a locally owned fabric store.

Here are some friends waiting for Little I to get here. 

There are two closets in I's room. One contains clothes for both boys (sizes newborn through 3T). The other contains lots and lots and lots of diapers. I have been purchasing diapers on sale since I found out I was pregnant. We're good for a while. And when he gets a little bigger I plan to cloth diaper the new baby.

So it seems we're pretty ready for this baby to get here!

If you want to see some really creative ideas hop on over to Romance on a Dime for Take it On Tuesday.

Mommy Monday: What's in a Birth?

Before you have your baby everyone will tell you that everything you go through, the discomforts of pregnancy, the pain of labor, will all be worth it when you see your babies face. 

And they are right. But they will also lie to you and tell you that you forget the pain of labor. Um... no. That's a big 'ol lie. It's called labor for a reason. If it didn't hurt it would be called a spa day. 

Today's Mommy Monday Topic is- Giving birth: What you really should know about having a c-section or a natural delivery.

Well, I wouldn't know about either one of those. And frankly, I don't want to go into all the "gory" details of my first son's birth. 

That's me about 12 hours into labor. Don't I just look fantastic?!?! (Sarcasm.) 

I will tell you this, I remember enough to be a little afraid of my impending due date (in just 8 weeks). 

I was in labor for 19.5 hours. It felt like 100 years. It was painful and frustrating. And I am sure it was made longer and more painful by the amount of medical intervention I had. 

Here is my opinion on child birth. Do what you want to do and what you feel is best for BOTH you and your baby.

If you want to have a natural child birth in a medical setting. Go for it.

If you are interested in a water birth at home. Do it!

If you are using a midwife or doula. That is fantastic! 

If you want them to back you out of the elevator with an x on your back so they know your ready for an epidural. Do it. 

Don't let other's opinions scare you, intimidate you or make you feel guilty. Just stop listening to people now because people will try to give you parenting/nursing/medical/baby advice for the rest of your child's life. 

But do your research. Know the pros and cons of all your options. Ask a lot of questions. And be ready to stand your ground at the hospital. 

Check out Erin, the other Erin and Iris to see what they have to say on this, Mommy Monday. 

Things I hope to teach my son(s)

Photo by Candid Photography 

I know my husband and I are going to teach our son(s) a lot of things. We're going to teach him to tie his shoes, drive a car and how to read and write his name. 

But there are some other, maybe even bigger things that will hopefully make his life easier. 

5. Your daddy and I love each other. And we always will. One of the most important things I can show you is how to love another person. I can show you how I respect your father and how he respects me. We will speak to each other in kindness. True kindness that comes from loving and know each other. We are not perfect. Sometimes we will disagree. But we are in this together. You are our greatest work and our love for you stems from love for each other. 

4. Know that home is a safe place. No matter where we go. No matter where we live, if we are there together it is our home and home is a safe place for you to be yourself. It's okay if you're different. It's okay if your quiet. It's okay if you feel in the mood to play ball or do a little interpretative dance in the kitchen. This is your home and it is safe and you are loved here. 

3. Be kind to people. All people. People will behave in a manner that you don't understand. They will do things you don't agree with. Their actions will baffle and confuse and at times infuriate you. People will look different, sound different, believe something different, live a different way. BE KIND TO THEM ALWAYS. Kindness is never wasted. 

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 

2. Read lots of books and have lots of thoughts on many different topics and don't feel ashamed if those thoughts differ from other. Even mine. You are your own person with your own mind and your own complexities. It is okay for us not to agree all the time (as long as you follow the rules at my house). We are two different people and as you grow up I will respect your opinions.

1. You are special simply because God created you with a purpose in His mind, in His image. You are not here by accident. Our preacher said something recently that really struck me, perhaps so many people have issues with self-worth because they do not believe they were created by a Heavenly Father who loves them. 

And nothing. I mean NOTHING can seperate us from that love. 

"No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39

Today I am linked to The Baby Shower. 

Mommy Monday: Save Cash on Kid's Clothes

It's Mommy Monday and today's topic is saving money on kid's clothes. 

Kid's clothes can be pricey. But only if you let them. In my house we observe the 90/10 rule. That means 90 perent of our son's clothes are used. They are either hand-me-downs I got for free or things I purchased at Waterfront Rescue Mission and other thrift stores. 

The other 10 percent are things I get on sale at Target or Kohl's. These are items that I want special for my little boy. 

I wrote a whole series on saving cash on kid's items, including clothes. You can get a free Ebook of that series here. 

When children are as young as my son they outgrow clothes in the blink of an eye. I am not going to shell out cash I could be saving for college on tiny little shirts and pants. But that doesn't mean my son looks like a ragamuffin. 

Here are some suggestions I have gotten from readers. 

• Thred Up - This is a great website where you can get clothes, shoes, books and toys. The clothes are always in great condition and are 70 percent off of retail. They also have this great service where you can sell your kids clothes. They send you a bag, you fill it up with name brand, gently used clothing and they pay you.

Thread Up used to have a flat rate, but as Kristen from Trial and Error Homemaking (a terrific blog) points out "Thred Up changed the way they do things. It's more like a consignment store now - where you purchase individual items. For instance, when I went to their site just now, the first item was a plaid shirt in size 4 for $14.49. They list "retail values" to try to justify their prices (this shirt was apparently 72% off). In my opinion, it's not nearly as great of a deal."

Consignment sales- Last January my husband and I went to a HUGE consignment sale in Mobile. It happens twice a year and we made off like bandits. Plus the sale was running a Living Social special so that made it even sweeter. But, a little warning, when dealing with boy clothes, consignment sales aren't always a good deal- I think boys, even as babies, are hard on their clothes. Want to find a consignment sale in your area? Check outConsignmentsalfinder.org.

Here is what reader Sara J. had to say about finding kid's clothes on Cragislist: I wish someone had told me not to spend so much money on clothes! Granted I did get everything on sale when JcPenny still used coupons but they hardly look good after a couple washes and spit ups anyways! I am a military wife so i do not have the benefit of getting second hand from friends and family as we live far away from them but I have used several places for great deals. Goodwill has turned out some great bargains, sometimes getting brand new items that are donated from target. Secondly I have noticed many people selling bags of clothes for cheap on craigslist along with every other gadget you would ever need. Last but not least are garage sales! With a two month old i cannot get up on Saturday morning and grab up these good deals but I do send my hubby occasionally and clothing for .25 cant be beat!!

How have you saved big bucks on little clothes? 

Check out Erin, the other Erin and Iris to see what they have to say on this, Mommy Monday. 

Mommy MONDAY: Five Tips for New Mamas

Every mom is an expert after her baby reaches a certain age. Just ask her! But for some reason I seem overwhelming under qualified to share any advice on being a new mom. 

So here are five things I've learned in my first 16 months (today) that might help you. 

1. Things might not go the way you envision them. And that's okay. 

You might have this lovely idea that bringing home a new baby will be like your first few days of wedded bliss when you and dead husband still saw nothing but bright rays of a blissful future in each others eye.

Chances are... it won't be like that. Yes, your new baby is beautiful, perfect, stunning and everything you thought he would be. But, you will be pooped on in the first 48 hours. If you're nursing it might be hard the first few days or weeks (it took me six full weeks to get the hang of it) and you might be struggling with a lot of hormones and emotions. 

Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

2. This is life, not a beauty pageant. 

I have a friend from college who had triplets just a few weeks after I had my little boy. Yep, you read that correctly. Triplets. She said the first few weeks she walked around in her pajamas without brushing her teeth. (You can read her adventures here.)

If you have a new baby in the house your focus is the new baby. So if you get the chance to take a shower and you don't style your hair of put on something other than really stretchy pants. Who cares? 

In fact here is a bonus tip. Invest in cropped yoga pants with pockets. You will love them! 

3. Newborns sleep... a lot... but not when you want them to. So sleep when you can. 

You know that annoying thing people say: sleep when the baby sleeps? Well, there is some validity to that. I had a friend once say that was ridiculous advice because she would never do laundry or eat or go to the bathroom again. 

Okay, the eating and going to the bathroom I will give you, but the laundry will be there later. If the baby is having a snooze, lay down for a minute and g some sleep time also. And if you have to stick her in the bed with you, go for it. She will be fine!

(We hair, after a shower, week three.)

4. Take care of yourself. 

I know this contradicts what I said about life not being a beauty pageant, but take 10 minutes a day to take care of yourself. Get a shower and put on some chapstick. Even if you have to put the baby in his bouncy chair in the bathroom with you just try to take a few minutes to remember you are still a person. 

5. Don't listen to others. 

You will get a lot of advice. Most of it's trash. Just don't listen. Smile politely and walk away. If it doesn't feel right for your baby, don't do it. If it does feel right for your family, then do! 

And do not, under any circumstance let another misguided mother make you feel guilty! You are doing great. 

Check out Erin, the other Erin and Iris to see what they have to say on this, Mommy Monday.