"I love ME" Spotlight: Hazelaid

One of the quickly growing baby trends of today is Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces.  So many babies (mine included) are wearing them night and day to help repel or remove the negative effects of teething.  If you haven't tried baltic amber, you're likely a skeptic.  I know I sure was!  Even if you've put a baltic amber teething necklace on your child and seen the reduction of teething symptoms, you're likely (as I was) to think that you just have an easy teether.

I was like you.  I really was!  And then I discovered a simple little, well-kept secret.  Wanna hear it?  Shhh, don't tell anyone.  Are you ready?  It works!  Okay, okay, it's not really a secret.  In fact, I shout it loud and proud to anyone who will listen.  Baltic Amber is for real!  It works!  How do I know?  I've been wearing a baltic amber teething necklace for several months now!  It's true.  Usually I wear it around my neck.  Sometimes I double it and wear it as a bracelet.  The trouble is, although even wearing a necklace helps, most of my chronic pain is in my legs.  It's never made sense to me to wear a necklace to make my legs feel better.  It helps, that's for sure, but I've always wondered whether an anklet would be more beneficial.

When I started putting together my package for the "All for Love" blog event, I knew right away I wanted to focus on "ME" because that's where my focus has been all year.  I tried to think of products that have benefited me in my quest for health, and kept coming back to baltic amber.  My mind immediately went to a great company with whom my sister has worked, Hazelaid!

Hazelaid was born when the family's 3rd child was born with severe eczema.  Their search to find something...anything...to help led them to hazelwood jewelry.  After seeing the difference the jewelry made in ALL the family's sensitive skin, they started their own company to share hazelwood, baltic amber, and other natural remedies with the world!

I received a 20" Super Butter Baltic Amber Teething Necklace from Hazelaid to try!

Baltic amber looks like little stones or beads, but it's actually made from natural resin.  As the body warms the resin, it releases oils that are known world-wide (and have been for centuries) as a natural pain reliever.  Why don't we use this more commonly in the US? 

It is commonly believed that the lighter the color of the amber, and the less polished it is, the more powerful its healing medicine.  I chose Super Butter from Hazelaid for this very reason, and chose a 20" chain so it would easily wrap twice around my ankle.  (Hazelaid has anklets in several colors/styles, but sadly not in the Super Butter.)  The necklace fits loosely twice around, with no threat of coming loose because of the plastic screw closure!  It looks cute, and it helps with my leg pain immensely!

Friends, if you haven't before, please consider baltic amber as a significant source of pain relief!  Consider, also, Hazelwood for your eczema and other skin conditions!  You'll be SO excited about the results, and you'll love that you're not putting so many man-made chemicals into your body!  When you consider using these products, please consider Hazelaid!  They're a great company with a great purpose and amazing products!

Hazelaid is SO generous, they're not only sponsoring a $25 gift code giveaway as part of the All for Love: I love ME! event, they're also willing to give each of you a 10% discount on your purchases!  Check them out today!  At checkout, simply enter the code "Life10"...the code has NO maximum number of uses (use it over and over!) and no expiration!   (Just for fun, why don't you visit Hazelaid on facebook and twitter while you're waiting for the giveaway?)

Enjoy!!

I was provided with this item at no cost in order to facilitate a review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are my own.

Getting ready for potty: FluffyRumps review and giveaway!

I'm a perfectionist.

A rule follower.

A list maker.

A planner.

Some of you have other names for people like me.  A lot of them are probably true.  Some probably aren't.  It doesn't really matter.  You've got the picture.

I'm telling you this because, as I said, I'm a planner.  I make lists of rules for myself (I don't write them down) and I insist I follow them.  It's both a blessing and a curse.  I have this little "rule" for myself that says I will potty train each of my children before they turn 2.  This has worked so far...once.  Only Little Lou really potty trained herself, I was just kind of along for the ride.  Bugsy was...different than Little Lou.  If you have been with me from the beginning, you know that Bugsy wasn't fully potty trained a year ago.  In fact, he was 3 1/2 before he was trained!  I'll admit, there were days I felt like a failure in the whole situation.  So, I promised myself that we wouldn't go that route with Stinky.  I decided Stinky would definitely be potty trained by 2!  After all, I'm home with him all. day. long.  It should be easy, right?

Except Stinky will be 21 months old next week.  In case there's any question, 21 months is almost 24 months, and 24 months is TWO!

So, here we are, almost 21 months old, and thinking very seriously about the whole potty training "thing."  (Plus, when this is happening at your house on a regular basis as soon as a diaper is soiled, it's probably about time, right?)

One of the tools I've decided I'll be using to aid in our journey is FluffyRumps fleece longies!  I've been in communication with FluffyRumps for quite some time, and when we agreed I'd review a pair of fleece longies, I was a little concerned.  I've never used "longies" of any sort...other than just plain old long pants.  I honestly wasn't sure how you're supposed to use fleece longies.  So here I was, a fleece longie newbie, trying to review a product and compare it to--what?  My idea of what they should do?  I'm not saying I couldn't do it...it was a new experience and I LOVE it!  (We all have to start somewhere, right?)

Let me tell you about the longies.  They are cute.  VERY cute.

They look SO comfy.  (Trust me...The Hubby and I each want a pair!)  When paired with a fitted diaper, they leave Stinky dry as a bone!  I LOVE that they're breathable and that stinky doesn't break out from urine being left on his body!  They're VERY well made!  You really would almost think they were "manufactured," not handmade.  They're that great!  My ONLY complaint in the structure of FluffyRumps fleece longies is that no matter which way I put them on him, the front is a bit baggy.

So, I got thinking.  If fleece longies kept Stinky dry when he was wearing a fitted diaper, what would happen if he wore them over undies?!?  After all, I've never used pull-ups with the others, and although I really want to try cloth trainers, I'm also a firm believer in moving straight from diapers to underwear.  I wanted to give the FluffyRumps a try as a "training" pant.

Let me tell you, first off, that Stinky will often go to the bathroom after he's soiled his diaper and try to take off his diaper.  It's my "cue" that he needs to be changed.  

I put Stinky in the FluffyRumps fleece longies, and within about 10 minutes he came crying to me, "Nee...elp!  Nee...elp!"  I got up off the chair and followed him to the bathroom, where he tried hard to pull down those longies.  He was poopy AND wet...but his legs were dry and the longies really didn't feel wet inside!  His socks were wet, so I know urine had run down his legs, but I couldn't feel it!  Since his pants still felt dry and I wanted to try another pair of undies, I put them back on.

Fast forward 10 minutes.  Stinky comes crying, "Ah poo.  Ah poo!"  Stinky was wet!  There was a puddle on the floor!  And he NOTICED!  He had climbed down from the chair to come to me AS he was peeing!  I could tell by the trail.  

Friends, I am going to be using longies this winter, so that Stinky's legs stay warm and my floors stay dry(er)!  FluffyRumps is going to help!

Do you love longies?  Shorties?  Soakers?  Teething necklaces?  Whatever it is, FluffyRumps probably has it!  Shipping is always free at FluffyRumps, and the prices are fantastic!

 

 
AND one of you gets to try out one of their items for free!  Hooray!  FluffyRumps has agreed to give away one item from her albums!  Winner gets to choose the prize, but it can't be trainers, skirties, or applique work...unless you're willing to pay a little to get one of those things.  Then she's open to it if you are!

This contest is open to US and Canada, and will end December 1, 2011 at 11:59pm EST.

I was given this item at no cost in order to facilitate a review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are my own.

Earth Month - Natures Nappies Review and Giveaway

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What's that you say?  That Knickernappies Baltic Amber Teething Necklace makes a nice bracelet, but that's not its intended use?  Yeah, I know.  No worries, though...it usually resides here:

You're right.  That's not Stinky's neck.  It's mine!

When Natures Nappies agreed to send me a Knickernappies Baltic Amber Teething Necklace, I'm sure they intended for Stinky to wear it.  After all, it IS a teething necklace!  And he did wear it...very briefly...but it was just a tad long for his neck, and I was afraid he'd chew it and break it.  I'm a very paranoid mama!

I thought it was really pretty, though, so I put it on.  

An amazing thing happened.  You see, I've mentioned before that I have pain related to a specific health condition.  The primary places I feel this pain are min my legs (specifically the joints in my left leg) and my left arm.  I put Stinky's teething necklace around my neck in the morning that day, and by evening my legs didn't ache anymore.  NO kidding.  And since then?  It's been roughly a month, and I have worn the necklace EVERY day.  I even sleep in it.  (If I don't, I wake up with pain.)  Since I started wearing the necklace, I have virtually no pain!  When I exercise, I may have the initial muscle aches, but that's it.  When I stand or walk for a long time?  No pain!  

I was a teething necklace skeptic, as I mentioned in a previous post.  Now?  Now I tell everyone I know about the benefits of teething necklaces!

Amber teething necklaces are just one of many products sold at Natures Nappies, though.  Here are a few others:

Little Joey's diapers

Aden + Anais Bamboo swaddle wraps

Mama Cloth

...and so so so much more!  Natures Nappies offers a whole assortment of reusable, eco-friendly products!  

You can purchase any of these items, or virtually any reusable baby products, from Natures Nappies!  The teething necklace I wear to help with my own pain is just $22!  

You can also win a Baltic Amber Teething Necklace from Natures Nappies right here on my blog!  (Contest will end and a winner will be drawn May 10, 2011 at 11:59am EST!)

TO ENTER:

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I was given this item to review at no cost to me, but was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are my own.

Tune in Tuesday!

Congratulations to today's winners!

Go, Baby, Go!  Baltic Amber Teething Necklace -  #52 - Ashley
Minx Blog Design - #24 - Sarah
Best Bottom Diapers - #19 - A. Kerr

If you're a winner, you've already been emailed with instructions!  Congratulations!  Come back for more giveaways (almost daily right now)!

Give it away Friday - Go, Baby, Go

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I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to one of my favorite baby product stores: Go, Baby, Go!  I recently discovered this store, and LOVE what they have to offer!  Go, Baby, Go! offers everything from diapers to baby carriers, from skincare items to teething necklaces!  Go, Baby, Go! have everything!  AND beginning April 1st, they're sweetening their deals even more by offering reward points for every dollar spent!  When you buy items from Go, Baby, Go! you earn free products!  It doesn't get any better than that!

Another great feature that sets Go, Baby, Go! apart from a lot of similar companies is their consulting service!  Go, Baby, Go! probably has a consultant that's (somewhat) local to you!  These consultants can answer questions, help you choose diapers, etc.  There is a small fee for using consultant servies if you don't make a purchase during your consultation, but if you make a purchase that fee is waived.

In addition to the regular consultant services, Go, Baby, Go! offers diaper bouquets, should you want to do something a little "out of the ordinary" for baby showers!  What a neat idea!

Go, Baby, Go! graciously sent me a baltic amber teething necklace to try on Stinky!  I have to admit, I've been a bit of a skeptic when it comes to teething necklaces.  I'm more of a "traditional medicine" kind of girl, and the teething necklaces sort of feel like "alternative medicine" to me.  But, at the same time, I've been curious for a while as to whether or not they actually help.

I was super excited to receive the necklace, and of course put it on Stinky right away!  He fought me, but I won.  ;-)  The necklace came on a week when I'd been up 3 out of 4 nights with Stinky because of teething pain.  I didn't really think I'd be saying this, but he slept through the night that night!  Not only that, but his nose stopped running and his appetite returned.  Instant change!  I could say it was a fluke, but I've tried taking it off.  I've left it off for a couple days at a time, and when I do, the snot starts pouring again.  The fever spikes again.  The slobber runs again.  The crying...oh, the crying...  So yeah, I'm totally sold.  Thank you, THANK YOU, Go, Baby, Go!, for the necklace!  I had no idea it was exactly what we needed!

You can buy a baltic amber teething necklace of your own right here at Go, Baby, Go! OR you can win one right here!  (But only if you live in the US or in Canada and have a US address.  Sorry!)
Contest will end and a winner will be drawn on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 11:59am EST.


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I was given this product to review at no cost, but was not otherwise compensated for this review.  The opinions are my own!