A few figures

A few figures from today:

19: the number of times I put 40 lb. Kayden in and out of his car seat
2: black puddles Kayden fell in
3: postal workers laughing at me as I tried in vain to open the locked door, sure they were not closed as the clock said 4:58pm
30: minutes it took to drive to the other post office
2: products I completely cut through on my quest to expedite packaging
0: minutes in Kayden's nap
and finally- 10: feet I ran after my car. Nothing has scared me more than my car hurling in reverse up the neighbor's yard with Kayden strapped in and me not in it.

Why parents drink

Recently my friend sent me this e-mail, and it is too cute not to post.

A boss wondered why one of his most valued employees had not phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the main computers, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper,"Hello.""

Is your daddy home?" he asked.
"Yes," whispered the small voice.
"May I talk with him?"
The child whispered, "No."

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?"
"Yes."
"May I talk with her?"
Again the small voice whispered, "No."

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anybody else there?"
"Yes," whispered the child, "a policeman"
Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?"

"No, he's busy", whispered the child.
"Busy doing what?"
"Talking to Daddy, Mommy and the Fireman," came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that noise?"
"A helicopter " answered the whispering voice.
"What is going on there?" demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.

Again, whispering, the child answered, "The search team just landed the helicopter."Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, "What arethey searching for?"

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle: "ME!"

Want some free stuff?

I am dutch. I love coupons. I love saving money, and I LOVE free! Right now, over at 5 minutes for mom, they are collecting all sorts of free goodies to be won at the Ultimate Blog party. Held March 2-9, this event is a way to get your blog noticed, meet other bloggers, and win some free prizes in the meantime. All you have to do is put an invitation on your own blog and add your name the week of March 2nd. I have included two of my rufflebutt onesies as prizes, so head on over to 5minutesformom and check it out!

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Birthday Ideas

My son loves puppies, so for his 2nd birthday we wanted to do a dog themed birthday party. I found a great site for birthday ideas-www.birthdaypartyideas.com. This site has a ton of ideas regarding themed parties, all organized and ranked. Not just your normal character themes, many I would not even think of! Playdoh, Olympics, Mystery Parties, so many more. If you are planning a party for your kids anytime soon, check this site out. It was very helpful.

I also found this site that sends bounce balls through the mail. Bounce Greetings balls are sent fully inflated without any external packaging. They sell for $10, which might get a bit expensive if you have a lot of guests. What a great concept though!

Apparantly, you can send all sorts of things through the mail without external packaging- flipflops, pool noodles, anything that won't break in transit.

If you are really creative, you could do this yourself. Buy an inflated ball at Walmart or Target, grab a marker, handwrite an invitation, some great birthday stamps, and you've got yourself a great greeting card. Come to think about it, these would be great for any other time you just want to cheer someone up.

Sigh, what a day.

I wait for it all year. I bide my time until it comes around, and make sure to double check the alarm. MOPS Spa Day. Relaxation at it's best.

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers, a wonderful organization for moms that have children prior to preschool age. Really, it's a time to get away and socialize with other moms. Breakfast is eaten hot, and conversations are not interrupted every five minutes. It is wonderful. There are many of them around the US, so check the MOPS organization (http://www.mops.com/) to find the one nearest you.

During regular MOPS meetings, time is varied between crafts and speakers. However, once a year when massage therapists, facial and makeup experts, and all other sorts of spoils are available to moms. It is a great time to connect with other moms and relax, especially on spa day.

16 lbs over 30 years?

I was just skimming the new Allure magazine. Somehow I got a free subscription, and it is fun to check out the new styles-although it is disturbing just how many ads they can fit in one magazine. I digress...

Anyway, one of the articles talked about people who do not get enough sleep. A survey showed that lask of sleep contributed 16 extra pounds over 30 years. Disturbing! I am the epitamy of nocturnal. The suggestion is to get at least eight or nine hours of sleep per night. I do not know about you, but when is the last time a mom has gotten that? This is not good news.

Baby Dedication, Christening, or Baptism?

One question I am often asked is what the difference is between baby dedication, christening, and baptism. Outlined below are definitions and denominations participating in each:

Baby Dedication- when a child is dedicated to the Lord by their parents. Typically, the parent is stating before friends and family that they commit to raising their child according to God's word.

Baby Baptism/Christening- pretty much interchangeable currently. According to Wikipedia, both are generally a purification ritual using water. If you are wondering which term the church uses, I am sure the office or secretary would clarify.

Baptisms: typically Lutheran, Presbyterian, Christian Reformed, Catholic, and Methodist to name a few

Dedications: Baptist, Bible, some non-denomination

If you are looking for a favorite verse for the ceremony:

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139: 13-14

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

"Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from him" Psalm 127:3

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there." 1 Samuel 1:26-28

Christian parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise the child in a Godly way, prayerfully until he or she can make a decision on his or her own to follow God. It is a special event for all involved, and I am glad you choose MinimeBabyGear to be a part of it.

Valentine's is right around the corner...

I love the various holidays we celebrate. Valentine's Day is always a fun one for my family. Since hubby is a teacher, we gets lots of cute Valentine's cards.

This mail box above is from pottery Barn Kids. Does it get any cuter than this? I, however, have to do the poor man's version since I am pretty sure my husband could care less about a Valentine's box. Brought to you by FamilyFun.com, this box is cute and affordable.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Rectangular cardboard box
Craft glue
White self-adhesive shelf paper
Craft knife
Colored paper
Scissors
Stapler
Velcro dots
Stickers, stamps, and other decorations
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. Glue the box lid closed and cover the entire box with several layers of white self-adhesive shelf paper (enough to block out any writing on the box).

2. Starting 2 inches from the top, use a craft knife to carefully cut along three sides of the box, leaving the back intact to serve as the hinge (a parent's job). Cut a mail slot (also a parent's job) in the front of the box.

3. Make a tab closure from a 2 1/2- by 3/4-inch strip of colored paper. Fold it in half and staple it to the center front of the cover. Attach Velcro dots to the tab and the box to keep the top shut. 4. Decorate the entire box with paper cutouts, stamps, or heart-shaped stickers.

Not quite the Pottery Barn version, but making it together is half the fun!

Procrastination Station

I will go ahead and admit it, I am a procrastinator. This woman to the right could easily be me. I hate paperwork. I hate taxes, accounting, and filing. It is tedious and time consuming and I have no use for it!

So, how about you? Are there any ways that you procrastinate?

Even now, I could be inputting numbers and instead I am blogging. I guess there is always tomorrow...

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Four years ago, my new sewing machine's permanent home was the kitchen table. Our apartment was so small that was the only sensible place for it, unless I wanted to sew sitting in bed. I sat down in front of that beautiful machine, and realized I had no idea where to begin. Amazing how time flies sometimes. It has been a journey.

As my business grew, so did my idea of what it would look like. First, it was just a seasonal hobby during craft shows, then came the website I naively thought could be built in two hours. After a few months, I had over fifty items offered for sale.

Over the next few weeks, you will be noticing a few more changes. I am going to return to making fewer items, as it has gotten too crazy to make everything myself and offer so many choices. Right now, I am thinking the following will still be offered:

• Breastfeeding Buddy
• Burp Cloths
• Minkees
• RuffleButt onesies
• Diaper Bags
• Wet Bags
• Dress Up Robes
• and the Dedication Line

Thanks to all of you who have ordered the other items. It certainly has been fun to make them!

Introducing: The Diaper Clutch

Just yesterday I was in the grocery store and got a whiff. You know the one. Conclusion: dirty diaper. Looked in my diaper bag. Visions of changing my son the previous night with the travel wipees flashed before me. Quickly raced through the store so I could change it before rash-time set in. I had to return today to finish getting all the items I missed. This would not have happened if I had the diaper clutch.

I love it when I find an item that is practical and stylish. Many diapees and wipees have graced my online shopping, and none are as well thought out as this one. A pocket in the front opens for easy wipes access. Inside the clutch holds 2-4 diapers, free from scrunching in the bottom of the bag. Best of all, this handmade clutch can be grabbed for ease on the go. Many adorable styles to choose from, very affordable at $15.99. Check out these cute clutches, available now.

The Blog argument

Two sides. Opposite Corners. To Blog, or not to Blog. People have very strong feelings about blogs. I rarely meet anyone in the middle without an opinion. Many say they are a waste of time, a way to show off your life. Some say they are therapeutic. I love to blog.

One of the firsts blogs I came across was tebs page. Thirty years old, just had a baby, diagnosed with stage four melanoma. Life kicked her in the gut. What did she do? Started a blog to chronicle her life and cancer journey with other people. Her experiences make me so grateful for my own family. She had so little time left with her family, so many unknowns, and she faced it all publicly. Let strangers go through it with her. If you get a minute and have a few boxes of kleenex, take a look at her blog. I challenge you to read it and not feel lucky to be alive.

One of my friends summed it up perfectly, "I don't intend to make my blog a complete revelation of my life, just a window into it." Blog on, friends.

Baby Shower 101

I know a lot of you browsing my site are looking for a new baby gift. Many times, a baby shower gift. I found this excellent resourse for baby showers- themes, games, food, fun ideas, and so many more unique resources going far past the traditional pin the diaper on the baby. If you are planning a shower, you might want to check out

www.babyshower101.com

Book? Who has time to read?

I hear you, I hear you. With munchkins running around, who has time to read? Remember the sacrificial mother speech? My relaxation this week was reading, and I chose a great book-90 Minutes in Heaven. Crushed by a semi that crossed into his lane, medics pronounced Don Piper dead instantly.

"The EMT's pronounced me dead as son as they arrived at the scene. They stated that I died instantly. According to the report, the collision occurred at 11:45am THe EMT's became so busy working with the others involved, that it was about 1:15 before they were ready to move me. Again, they checked for a pulse. I was still dead."

A minister came to the scene and felt God telling him to pray for Don Piper. He knew it was crazy, but hopped into the car to pray with him. 90 minutes after he was pronounced dead, he came back to earth. This book chronicles his time in heaven and his recovery here on earth. An inspirational and uplifting book, wonderful for anyone who has recently lost a loved one.

Graco CarSeat Swing

Now this is a product I could use! I can't even tell you how many times my son fell asleep in his car seat on the ride home. The minute we got in the door and I set him down, of course he woke right up. It would have been nice to just pop him on this swing and let him sleep. Easy to fold up for travel (as if you do not have enough things to bring along with the new baby, right?), add this to the list of things that would make life a little easier for the new mom.

Top Ten Most Ridiculous Baby Products

When I was pregnant with my son, I remember going into Babies R Us. It is an experience. Rows and rows of items for babies, everything from strollers to toys, gates, bath products. All lined up screaming, "you can't live without me." Pretty quickly, you find out that many of the items are not necessities. This morning, I came across an article written by Matt Dinniman of the top ten most ridiculous baby items and just had to share my top five.


The Zaky pillow. Do these hands freak you out? I have never seen such a thing. Seems like they wouldn't even be that comfortable. They say it works really well, but I am not sure I would want the memories of waking up next to them.

The thudguard. Seriously? "While there are babies out there with genuine medical conditions that require protective gear, this is marketed toward the average baby. Better safe than sorry! Keep a hardhat on your baby at all times, and she'll never get hurt!This is just as humiliating as the child leash. We all want to keep our babies safe. But if you're going to do something like this, you might as well wrap them in bubble wrap and keep them in a padded room until they're 18. Sure, accidents happen. But there's a difference between an ounce of prevention and a pound of it."

The redneck pacifier. Okay, my cousin has one of these for her baby. Cute for a joke, perhaps. But for everyday use? Might be a good foretelling of what they will be as adults....





The baby toupee. Enough said.

Finally, the worst baby product of all time. The man breastfeeder. Made popular by Meet the Fockers, this is a real product. I am all for men sharing in the responsibilities, but this is one occasion that is better left to mom.

I hope you get as much of a chuckle out of these as I did. For the other 5, read the full article here.

Sacrificial Mother

n. The mother who does, gives, and IS everything for her family-never taking any time for herself.

This afternoon, I came across a couple of really great articles about the idea of sacrificial mothering. It struck me that I fall into this category. You know the mom that can never say no to any committee, volunteer project, outing, or task for ever loving hubby? Yep, that's me. Add in all of kiddos needs and you've got yourself the sacrificial mother. We don't ask for help, we don't say a word, we just are secretly (or not so secretly) exhausted.

I do not pretend to know the why's of sacrificial mothering. Perhaps it is that no one can take care of my son like I can. I want his best in everything. Surely other's can never see that I cannot "do it all". Somewhere along the line, with all of the judging us mom's do back and forth (admit it, you do it!), we think we need to be perfect at everything.

So, I have a challenge for all my fellow sacrificial moms out there. Take one night this week, and reserve an hour or two to relax. In the past when I have commited to this, I am refreshed and ready to tackle mommyhood again. Take a step back, relax, and let's begin to bring a little balance into our lives.

Introducing: Comfy Crawlers

Sometimes I come across an item, and I wish, "Why didn't I think of that?" These comfy crawlers are just that. Created by a friend of mine, Marina Westerdahl, these pants are both cute and functional. Made of soft, suede-like material, they have pads in the knees and bum for comfortable crawling.

When we lived in California, our whole house was covered in tile, and I wish I would have know about these pants then. It would have saved me a lot of money on floor rugs! Adjustable waist extends use, durable enough to reuse with all of your children. With all of the fun color choices, pick up a couple pairs. $39.95, available now.

A few new handmade items

You will notice over at MiniMe BabyGear that there are a few new items, still handmade, just not by me. As my business grows and I get busier, I cannot spend as much time developing new products as I would like to. However, I have selected a few key pieces from other moms that I think you will just love! Still handmade, beautifully crafted, and completely functional. I hope you love these new products as much as I do.

HOW TO: Paper Bag Scrapbooks

Do you have mounds of pictures that you have been meaning to scrapbook? Are you looking for a creative, fun, and easy way to show of all those adorable pictures? A great gift?


Paper Bag books are the perfect solution! Stitched together and then bound with ribbon- all you have to do is add your pictures! Inside you will find ten pages with unique places to add photos- including horizontal and vertical pullouts. The sides open up to reveal three spots for additional picture pull outs. Lots of ribbons, tags, buttons, and embellishments make these my new favorite.


I have had a lot of requests for instructions on how to make paper bag scrapbooks. Following are detailed instructions:

Materials Needed:

~3 paper lunch sacks, extra large size
~Double sided, very sticky tape
~scrapbook paper
~scissors
~hole punch
~stickers, ribbons, buttons, mini-brads, and other embellishments.


Optional:
~Paper cutter, Corner Cutter,Circle Punch
~Sewing Machine (for binding, can use hole punch)

First, take out your three lunch sacks. Make sure the openings for the lunch sacks are alternating so that the cover of the paper bag book does NOT have a lunch sack opening. Line them up, and fold them in half. Press down so there is a middle line, and that will be the center of your book. Sew the binding, or take a hole punch and punch through all three layers. If you decide to hole punch the layers, you should have three holes total, about an inch and a half apart. Slip ribbons through the holes and tie so that the book stays in place while you work on it.


Now comes the fun part! Next, cut (12) 6 by 6 pieces of paper. This will serve as the background for your scrapbook. I like to decorate and scrapbook on all my pages before I actually place them in the book. So, decide what page will be your cover, which will be your back page. A couple examples of pages:






Many more examples for front and inside pages at MiniMeBabygear.com. The possibilities are endless! Pockets, inserts, minibrads, and cute sayings make each page special and unique.

Once you have finished scrapbooking all of the pages, staple ribbons to the top of the page and pullouts. I like to hot glue buttons to various pages. What once was the top of the lunch sack is now a spot for additional pictures or journaling. Cut (3) 5 by 5 pieces of paper. Attach two circles (about 1 1/4 and 1 inch in diameter) to the middle for an easy pullout.

Tape down the pages you just scrapbooked to the paper bags, making sure you get the edges really well. If you sewed the binding, tie a ribbon around the spine and add six more ribbons down the outside spine.

One note about paper bag books- The lunch sacks are NOT acid free, and have not been tested over time to see if they will break down photos. These are not meant to replace scrapbook preservation albums, rather they are just a fun little brag book or present.

Jamie's Hints:

• The books are put together faster if you cut all of the pullouts you are going to use at once
• Sewing the pockets on is an easy way to add depth and character to a page
• Don't scrap so much on one page that you lose the focus- the picture!
• Tape down the front cover last. It keeps it from getting bent

Have fun!!

Hello! and Welcome!

Hello and Welcome to MiniMe BabyGear Blog. From great products, mompreneurs with great ideas, inexpensive craft ideas you can do with your kids, and discounts for MiniMe Baby Gear, I want this blog to serve as a great tool for all my fellow moms out there. I love your feedback, so please feel free to comment or ask questions. Thank you for stopping by!