Announcing The Little Orso Council

I started my blog, because I wanted a place where everyone felt welcome.  I was sick of going to kids' blogs that only showed items for one gender, one age, one particular price range...One type of kid!!

I like to think of myself as open minded, and good at finding things for everyone.  However I know that 2 heads are better than one, and 7 are even better!!

That is why I decided to add some permanent guest bloggers to Little Orso, and call them my Little Orso Council.  The council is made up of all types of parents, hopefully you can relate to at least one of them.  They will be sharing things close to their hearts, favorite items, tips, recipes, advice...basically the floor is theirs.  I am not putting any restrictions on them.

I know that most parents have very limited time, and my hope is that Little Orso will be that "one place" that you can turn to for everything kid related. I want all parents to feel included, and the products to represent all types of children.  Children are all very different (just like all people), and the products that we share should be inclusive of all of them.

I hope that you love getting to know the Council, and enjoy their contributions:)

So here is the Little Orso Council....


Misty (The New Mom)- Misty gave birth to her first child, a daughter in January 2012.  She is a new mom, but has already discovered so many amazing items. She keeps me up to date with the current hot baby items. I also love the local hidden treasures that she has shared with me. She is a fabulous hair stylist, and former Disney Princess, so she has so many fun things to share with us :)

Caryn (The Experienced Mom)-  Caryn is the mom to 6 kids, including one angel.  Every parent will probably be able to relate to Caryn.  She is a fabulous mom, with kids of all ages. Her kids range from teens to toddlers, and she has daughters and a son. As I mentioned above, she is also a fellow Baby Loss Mom.  Her years of experience and fun style, will be a welcome addition.  I am hoping that she shares some of her secrets for looking so great:)

Matt- (The Stay At Home Dad)- Matt is the cousin of one of my good friends.  I asked if anyone knew a great stay at home dad, and she immediately said, "I do".  I haven't known Matt for very long, but can already tell that he is a fantastic dad to his two sons. He is so full of energy and fun!!  I am sure it will be nice for dads to have someone to relate to, and moms to have a glimpse inside the "daddy mind".  I know my husband and I have differing views on products and parenting, so it will be nice to have both sides represented.  Not many blogs include dads, and it is time that fabulous dads like Matt get some recognition:)

Caroline (The Divorced Mom)- Caroline has been a friend of mine for years.  She is an amazing mom, that always seems to be in control.  She makes being a single parent look easy, although I know it is not.  She has two adorable kids, a boy and girl.  She will be a huge help with elementary school aged kids, and sharing the perspective of a single parent.  I know that you all will fall in love with her!! She is one of the best writers that I know (her words are magical), so I can't wait to read her posts:)

Amy (The Mom of Special Needs Kids)- Amy was introduced to me through a friend.  She has three middle school aged sons, and two of them have special needs.  One son has autism, and the other has ADHD.   She is very involved with the autistic community, and will help keep us up to date on the latest developments and ways that we can get involved. Amy also helps take care of her 15 month old niece, so she has a ton of experience with kids of all ages.  She previously blogged about gluten free food, so she will bring so much helpful information to us:)

Staci (The Frugal Mom)-  Staci is the woman behind many of the top money saving blogs (November Sunflower, Staci & Her Scorpios...)  She also recently released a book about saving money and living frugally called "Finding Your Frugal Way".  We are so honored to have a money saving expert sharing her parenting and money saving tips directly with us.

Jessica ( The Mom to Multiples)-  Jessica and I were neighbors and were pregnant together.  I still remember the day that they found out that they were having triplets (they were initially told that they were having twins).  I would probably be terrified, but Jessica and her husband (Mark) are champs and actually make it look easy.  Jessica spent many months on hospital bed rest, and always had a smile on her face.  She is an amazing mom, and I know that she will not only be in inspiration to all, but will be a great role model for those with and expecting multiples.

Besides the new council members, Little Orso will also be welcoming some special guest bloggers in the next few months.  Just to give you an idea of what to expect we have a some grandmothers (one that is a professional interior decorator and does amazing nurseries), a mom that literally knows the answers to everything baby related, a doula, an eco friendly mom, a trainer, and so many more exciting people:)

We are so excited about all of our new additions, and hope that you will enjoy them as much as we do.  We love guest bloggers, and new discoveries.  If you would like to guest blog, or share your item with Little Orso please contact me at buckley@littleorso.com.

“To Be Prepared is Half the Victory.”

Trying to figure out what to take to the hospital for your delivery can be so stressful.  You don't want to forget anything, but also don't want to over pack. (I am guilty of some major over packing)  There are lists on many blogs and sites, but so many of them are different.  It leaves first time moms wondering what they really need.  Then the day arrives, and you barely remember to grab your keys on the way out the door. (I forgot to turn off the tv, or at least I thought I did, and and obsessed about it throughout my delivery)

I have had people on here and other friends, ask me about what to bring.  Considering that I packed enough stuff for 6 months and babies, I didn't think that I should offer any advice on this subject.  I started to look around for the best lists to share, but instead found something even better... The Push Pack.  Created by a mom of three, named Laura, this pack is perfect!!  It is small and organized, yet has everything that you will need.  It was one of those days that I read something, and kept saying "yes" out loud.  She sounded just like me!!

 

The Push Pack contains the following items:

-EO® lavender scented shampoo, conditioner & bath gel, 

-Washcloth, make up remover, 

-Kiss My Face shaving cream & razor, 

-Kiss My Face lotion, 

-Crystal deodorant wipes, 

-Comb & hair band, 

-Lip balm, 

-Tom’s of Maine toothpaste & toothbrush, 

-Breast pads,

-Maxi pads, 

-Disposable underwear, (seriously this underwear is fabulous, do not waste your time buying anything fancy.  If anything beg the nurses for more pairs of these)

-Comfy socks, 

-Playing cards, 

-Motherlove Organic Nipple Cream®, 

-Notepad, 

-Thank you cards & pen, 

-Gum, 

-Preggie Pop®, 

-Bellybar®, 

-Cup of oatmeal & spoon (did you know oatmeal helps milk production?- ***learned this on the Push Pack website page)

"Call it wisdom and experience, peace of mind, and a gift of love all wrapped into one bag..."

Not only is the Push Pack one of the greatest pregnancy items that I have seen, but the company is one that makes you want to buy from them.  Laura is a down to earth person, that replies to her own emails.  She shares tips for other moms that may want to create a product, and donates a portion of her sales to charity.  Their current charity is called Family House of San Francisco, they offer temporary housing to families of sick kids.

If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, bookmark this site.  If you are looking for a baby shower gift, that they will actually use, then grab one of these.

I knew you all would love these, so I was thrilled when Laura said that we could offer you all a special deal!!  Order your Push Packs now, and receive $10 off with code ORSO. :)

 

On the Road Again...

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I have been redecorating a tiny part of our home to serve as a play area for my son.  Here is my earlier post about the project.

I wanted to decorate the walls, but needed to find something temporary and inexpensive (since we are renting).  I went on a hunt for car decals.  I stumbled upon a great company called RoomMates.  They have an extensive collection of wall decals, that are easy to apply and remove.  (I actually had to reposition a few of mine, and they were very easy to remove and adhered just as well after removing them.)  They sell giant wall murals, borders, custom decals, and more...I decided that I was going to go with some basic small decals.

I received 26 decals for $10.  Most of the decals that I had looked at cost about $50+, so I was concerned about the quality of the decals.  However when they arrived, I was pleasantly surprised.  They were thick, and extremely durable.  As I mentioned above I had to reposition a few, and they did great.  I also decided to put my obsessive tendencies aside, and let my son actually help decorate the walls.  As you know toddlers are not the most gentle with things, yet the decals did not stretch or rip.  He was able to easily put them on the wall, with no air bubbles or lifting sides.

The colors are vibrant, and the designs are adorable.  We did a free hand border across the bottom, and scattered the others across the wall.

I can't tell you what a difference these 26 decals have made.  The area actually feels finished, and it distinguishes that it is for him.  He loves them, and smiles every time he walks in.  I plan on adding some road decals, and ordering some others for his bedroom. Especially the custom decals!! 

I remember taping pictures of all of my friends on the wall, in junior high.  It sent my parents over the edge, because it looked messy and ripped off paint when they came off.  How great would it be to get the custom decals made for your teen??!! 

They truly have something for everyone, and are extremely affordable.  Head over and check out RoomMates today:)

"To Market, To Market, To Buy a Plum Cake..."

My son is a huge fan of his Little Tikes toys.  He has the Cozy Truck, Easy Score Basketball Hoop, Turtle Sandbox, Count and Play Cash Register...and now the Neighborhood Market. We won the Neighborhood Market from one of their Twitter Giveaways.

Here he is in his market.  He has spent almost every waking moment in it, since we got it last week.  I can see why, it is a fabulous item. The plastic doors slide back and forth, the awning comes down (when the market is closed), the board up top is a chalkboard so you can write messages on it...and look at all the accessories that it comes with.

My son is obsessed with the cash register and ice cream scooper.  We also added a few items to our market.  I gave him a dish towel to hang on the side of his counter, and some empty mini cereal boxes.

The market did come in pieces, and required about an hour to put it together, but it wasn't very difficult to assemble.

We won ours during their Alex's Lemonade Stand promotion, so we plan on having a lemonade stand of our own to raise money for them.  This toy is definitely sturdy and significant enough, to do something like that with it.  We had planned on setting it up in his section in the garage, but it is just too cute to not have on display in our house.

If you are looking for a large item for a birthday or the holidays, this is the one to get.  There is so much to do, and it teaches them so much, like organization, counting, colors, different foods... I am so happy that it is durable too, because I see many years of fun with it.  We had some older kids (4-10 years old) in the neighborhood over yesterday, and they loved it too.

We have been very pleased by every one of our Little Tikes purchases. (we actually have quite a few of their items on our Christmas list)  They are having a Christmas in July Sale, so head over and stock up on some items.  I would definitely recommend this Market, it is one of those toys that you will enjoy playing with too.

There is nothing cuter that having your child make you an ice cream cone:)




***We received this item for free, but were not under any obligation to post or share the product.  This post is 100% the opinion of Little Orso, and has not been influenced in any way.

Little Orso Bookshelf- Cozy Day at Home Edition

Today's Little Orso Bookshelf post, is kind of a hybrid.  I am also featuring some really cozy pajamas:)

My favorite thing to do with my son, is snuggle up and read. (when he will sit still).  Luckily he loves books, and I can usually entice him to sit and read with me.  Recently he received a fabulous gift, a "books to bed gift set" from Chasing Fireflies.

I am not really sure which thing we are more excited about, the book or the pajamas.  Let's start with the book, How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night, it is an adorable book about little dinosaurs and what they do before bed.  It has become a bedtime favorite in our house.  The illustrations are so cute, which makes the pajamas a hit...they are covered in images from the book.  They are also extremely soft!!

These are not only one of my new favorite gifts, but we plan to buy every set ourselves.  There is nothing better than a gift that encourages reading.  They also have sets for Guess How Much I love You

...and Goodnight Moon.

Three fantastic books for all ages!!

The pajamas run from 12 months to size 7.  I wish they came in Adult sizes too:)

This would make a great back to school gift.  Have them wear them the night before the first day, and you are guaranteed a great morning picture:)...and hopefully a child that is excited to go to school and read!!

As I mentioned last week, I plan on starting a new tradition of taking Tuesdays off of the computer.  I am calling them Tech Free Tuesdays, and plan on doing crafts, adventures, movies, reading....  Last week we had a great day of organizing, and then a dino hunt in our neighborhood.  I recommend you all give it a try, it is so freeing and relaxing!!  Even if you have to work or go to school, take the day off of gossip and social media.  Yes, it is fun to read, but so exhausting!!

Today we are going to read, and wear our fabulous dino pajamas.  Maybe with all of my free time, I can figure out how to sew a pair of pajamas for Mommy and Daddy Orso (and the dog) :)

Love, Love, Love...Things Currently Sitting In My Online Cart Edition

One of my favorite things to do is put things in my cart (at websites).  It gives me the excitement of shopping, and helps me create a wish list for each site.  I used to just throw anything that caught my eye in the cart, now I only put items that I really look into and want.

Here are some items that I recently put in my cart :)

Shoezooz Shoe Stickers- They teach left and right:) I think I may still need these!!

Going To Grandmas Suitcase- I wish they made one for Mom that says "Going to the Spa"

 

Stripes Giant Noodles- Huge pipe cleaners to create with:)

Andy & Evan Clothes- This is a site where I just throw everything in the cart.  I want this entire outfit (and their entire fall line)

Memory, All Alone in the Moonlight...

I am one of those people that hates clutter, but loves to keep sentimental items.  The combination doesn't always work...  Especially now that I am a mom.  I want to keep everything that my son has ever touched!!  His baby book was already overflowing, by the time that he was 1.  I had thought about putting "these extra items" in photo boxes, but didn't feel like that was special enough.  That is why I was so excited when I saw these Memory Keepers, at Paper Coterie.

These were exactly what I needed, to organize my son's items.  I have decided that I will make one every year, and fill it with birthday items and other things that were special from that year.  They have quite a few designs to choose from, but I decided to go with one of their personalized options ..the Instagram one. (you can even use one of your child's drawings)

I mixed their stock photos in with some from my son's first birthday.  I am so happy with how it turned out.  The quality of the box is fabulous, and it is the perfect size to hold everything that I wanted to save from his first year.

They are well worth the $42, but I was lucky enough to stumble on a coupon for 40% off, and I am excited to share it with all of you!!  Until July 29th, use code DOCUMENTCHARM at checkout to get 40% off of your entire order!!  This so exciting!! 

They have so many amazing items to choose from, and the company is wonderful.  They sent me a "welcome card" and necklace, when I placed my order.  And inside my Memory Keeper was an adorable desk calendar (they are giving them out to celebrate their anniversary).  Everything was well packaged, and my order came very quickly. 

I can not recommend these Memory Keepers or Paper Coterie enough!!  Hurry over and order something before this great deal is gone!!

Arizona Sunshine Girls

Before I start this special post, I wanted to clear something up...

Little Orso is for everyone!! True it is primarily a kids shopping blog, but I feature items for moms and things that "big kids" would like too. 

When I started my blog, my main reason was because there weren't many kids blogs that included boy items.  A lot of kids' blogs say that they are "kids shopping blogs", but then only showed girl clothes and accessories.  Not even one neutral toy or book on the page.  I am not sure why that it is!?!! 

I have a son (as you all know), and I love shopping for him (as you all really know:) )  Just because he is not the same gender as I am, does not make shopping for him any less special.  The sad thing is somehow this "only fun to shop for my daughter sentiment" seems to have hit the kids markets too. 

There is far less available for little boys:( I decided I would point out great items for little boys, and hopefully get the industry to realize that "boy moms" like to shop too.  Our boys are just as important!!  However I never intended for my blog to do the same thing that I complained about, leave people out!!  Everyone is welcome, especially parents of little girls.  Judging from my emails from current readers, many of you already realize this.  However I still get a random comment here and there, saying something to the point of "well I would read your blog, but I don't have a son."  That was never my intention at all, and if you actually ready my blog then you would see that 90% of my posts are non-gender specific. (which if I had more time or thought anyone would actually read it, I would go into why I do not believe that toys and kids accessories are gender specific anyway...)  Which brings me back to the point of this explanation...I just want a place where boys are not left out, not a place where girls are left out.  So please join me every day, and share us with your friends with girls.

I almost missed out on this special store, because of that misinformation.  They only sell items for girls, so it almost wasn't shared with me.  I do not plan on featuring very many items that are primarily for girls, but I definitely make exceptions for special ones like Arizona Sunshine Girls.

My friend Emalee shared this wonderful store with me, not because of their items but because of why the store was started.  The store is owned by her sister Sarah, who suffers from Scleroderma (Scleroderma is a connective tissue disease that involves changes in the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and internal organs. It is a type of autoimmune disorder, a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue***)  Due to her illness, she can not work out of her home.  She also recently learned that she will need to get a lung transplant sometime in the near future.  Such a scary diagnosis to hear, but even worse when you worry about the financial aspect involved.  Sarah decided to start her store, and start saving up now.

I honestly agreed to do this post to help a person in need. As you all know my husband has cancer, and has received an amazing amount of support, and I love when I am be able to pass this same support forward. Something special happened when I visited her store, I realized I would have wanted to share her items anyway.  They are beautiful and delicate, and they have a vintage feel to them.  They are exactly the style of items, that I would have bought for my daughter.  I especially love the cuffs, and the delicate little hair clips.

Head over and check out Arizona Sunshine Girls today!!  Not only will you pick up some adorable items, but you will help a very special cause.





***http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001465/

Mini Me

Every day I wish that I could just keep my son the age that he is now forever.  They just grow up so fast!! I try to take pictures, make videos, and do projects that will help me capture this age forever.

Recently I found an Etsy store, that helped me "keep a piece of my son this age forever".  The store is called Ichi My Love, and they make personalized felt dolls (and other adorable felt toys).  I just sent them a picture of my son, in one of his favorite outfits...

...and she asked me to send her a picture of his shoes too.

And this is what I got 2 weeks later!!!  A mini version of my son:)  The details are incredible, especially the shoes (I am so glad she asked to see them).

I love how the doll looks like him, but in a "cartoonesque way".  Otherwise it would be a little creepy for him to walk around with it.  I actually bought it to put on his bookshelf as decor, but my son loves this little doll.  It is the perfect size for him to carry, and stick inside his block creations.

They dolls are very reasonably priced ($19.50), so they make a great gift.  I found similar items at two and three times the price, and they weren't as cute.

I think I am going to get one made of our entire family (including our dog if they are up for it).  I can't think of a better way for him to play house, than with his actual family.  Also it will be fun for him to see Mommy and Daddy as a doll, and forever looking like we did when he was a baby. (secretly I may carry mine around with me in a few years;) )

Cloth Diapers **Guest Blogger**

Recently many parents have decided to cloth diaper their babies.  I have received a few emails asking my advice about what brand to use.  I myself am not a "cloth diaperer", however after reading this and learning about them, I wish I was. Maybe someday I will have another cub:)

I decided I should bring in an expert to help you all out. Today's blogger is my good friend Jen Fischer, she is a Mommy Extraordinaire and mother of 6.  A few other friends will share why they cloth diaper (below Jen's post), and what brand they prefer. 

After reading this post, you should be a cloth diaper expert! This is definitely one of my cutest posts yet!! (look at all those adorable faces!!)


Here's Jen...

I started cloth diapering in 2002 when I had my second son.  He was allergic to every disposable diaper and looked like he had sunburn on his poor little bottom.  I bought cloth diapers online, there were lots of different kinds, not like the diapers my siblings and I had worn in the 70’s.  The first diapers I bought were All in One diapers or (AIO’s).  I purchased them from a WAHM business on-line.  My husband and I liked them and we bought enough that I could wash diapers every other day.  Our son stopped having any type of rash and we tried lots of different diapers, I was hooked!  We then bought pocket diapers (that is a diaper that you stuff with an insert), then we tried fitted diapers and covers.  Then I started making diapers for our son.  I really liked them and when I found out I was pregnant with my next baby, I decided to cloth diaper even in the hospital.  

Mom made Pocket diaper

When our third son was born, he wore cloth diapers from birth.  I had made him a bunch of newborn diapers and covers.  He and his older brothers were in cloth diapers together for about 9 months.  So I had a baby and toddler in cloth diapers at the same time.  At that time, there were not one size cloth diapers yet.

I had been cloth diapering for 5 years when my 3^rd son potty trained.  Lots of new diapers came out.  One size diapers became all the rage and a diaper called BumGenius came along.  It was a one size pocket diaper that fit a baby from 8-35 lbs.  I did not have a baby to cloth diaper at the time but from what friends told me, they were great and fit well except for newborns that were under about 9 lbs.  I did finally try one in 2009 with my 4^th son but I have to say, I was not impressed and I have not used them again since.

 I bought many diaper covers and pre-fold diapers for my 4th son, before he was born.  Of all the cloth diaper styles we have used over the years, pre-folds and covers are my favorite.  They fit well, are easy to clean and inexpensive.  You can purchase 6 diaper covers, and 24 pre-folds for about $70.  That is equivalent to about a month’s worth of disposable diapers and you can reuse them.   Thirsties cloth diaper covers are workhorses.  I used the ones I purchased for 10 months.  After that, my son started pulling his diapers off so I went to pockets and used my pre-folds for inserts.  Another benefit of pre-fold diapers, you can use them for pocket diaper inserts.  My son still wears these now, and he will be potty trained soon

.  

Bummis Super Whisper Wrap and a prefold

When my 5^th son was born, he was also cloth diapered from birth.  He had some diapers that were bought just for him, but he has also worn diapers that his older brothers have worn as well.  Over the years, I figure that we have saved $6000 by using cloth diapers.  We have kept disposable diapers out of landfills, and I have met lots of really cool friends along the way (I have even converted some people to use cloth diapers over the years).  I have learned a lot about what works for us and what doesn’t.  Every child has led me to get simpler, and more basic over time.  If I have learned one thing, cloth diapers today are not your mother’s diapers.  They are user friendly, cost effective and FUN!!!

What other Moms are saying....

Leslie M-  Well, we use cloth because it's better for the environment & saves us a ton of money in the long run! It's also better on Milo's skin & he gets less rashes with cloth. We've only bought maybe 5 packages of diapers & he's one! (Grandma won't use cloth.) Our favorite types of diapers are pocket diapers & fitted diapers with covers. I use prefolds & flats as extra protection at night. Our favorite brand is Alva & Thirsties & we love to make our own too!

Bridgette L- Well I haven't officially started yet, but I'll be using Bumgenius and Alvas. :) I'm just getting gifts and what we can afford...the cute patterns help! I'm really doing it because I am sick of buying disposables, and I can't handle buying diapers/pullups for 3 boys.

Christina G-  I am embarrassed to admit this, but I started buying them because they were so cute.  I like how I could match my daughter's diaper to her outfit.  However after using them for a while, I realized how great they were.  We no longer had leaks!  I love a few brands, but right now we are using Baby Bums. 

Shelby C's G Diapers

Shelby C- We're still pretty new to cloth diapering, but one of the biggest reasons I choose to go with cloth was to avoid exposure to crazy chemicals against Iza's delicate skin. Of course we also like the idea of being able to reuse the diapers over and over again rather than tossing them in to the trash! So far my husband and I like the gDiapers best because we can take the concept of reusing even further by being able to reuse the cover pants multiple times (unless she has a really bad blow out causing a leak, which doesn't seem to happen very often). We're able to just replace the interior insert and place a previously worn pant on top. The gDiaper also allows us to use biodegradable inserts for when we're out running a long day or errands, so we don't have to worry about storing dirty cloth in the car for hours. We have an order of Flips coming soon, which seem like a very similar concept, so I really hope we'll like them just as well, if not better. We also have a few Alvas, which are pockets, but once those are soiled the whole thing has to be washed no matter what. I do like them though because they come in super cute prints and you can customize your absorbency by playing around with what type and how many inserts you want to stuff in to the pocket.

Shelby C's Adorable Daughter and her Alva diapers

  

This Little Piggy Went to the Market

One of my favorite things to do on the weekends, is to go to the farmers' market as a family.  We have been taking our son since he was born.  Here he is at 8 months, helping me pick out some fruit.

Now he is able to walk and grab his own fruit and vegetables.  There is definitely something to be said, about including your children in the preparation of their food.  He gets so excited, about eating the food that he has picked out at the farmers market.  It has made getting him to eat fruits and vegetables so easy:)

This is why I was so excited when I saw this new kit by Molly Smith.  It is called Let's Go to the Farmers' Market.

The kit includes a really cute reusable bag (the strawberry folds out to a bag),  20 activities to do at the farmers' market, a book that covers everything that you need to know about farmers' markets, and a shopping list.

I can't wait to grab one of these, so my son continues to love the farmers' market and eating healthy!!

Does your family go to the farmers' market?  Do you think it encourages your kids to eat healthy?

Writing on the Wall ♥

As a baby loss parent, I like to shop for my daughter too.  To those of you that have not lost a child this may seem strange or sad.  However remembering my daughter, and doing little things to keep her "alive", is the greatest gift that I can give her...and myself!!  Even though she lives in heaven, she is still my daughter and will always be a part of our family and home.  We buy little items every once in a while, that remind us of her.  I am always searching for beautiful items that I can buy in honor of her, and I love sharing them with the rest of the infant loss community. 

A friend recently sent me a link for a site called Writing on the Wall.  They sell beautiful items with vinyl lettering, such as blocks, signs and boards. Most of the items have beautiful sayings or quotes on them.  However the reason that this site stood out above the rest, is because they have an entire section devoted to the baby loss community.  The owner of Writing on the Wall, Misty, is a fellow baby loss parent. She lost her sweet son Isaac in April of 2009.  She decided to make a baby board for Isaac, as a way of remembering him.

The sign gave her a lot of comfort, and made her happy every time that she saw it. Misty decided that she should offer these signs to other families that have lost a child. (she also offers them for living children- they would make a fantastic baby shower gift).  The boards are 100% custom made, and you can personalize them yourself.  Many people people have their child's name, and then have a quote written through them.

The baby boards typically sell for $15 + shipping.  However if you are a baby loss parent, she offers a discount on both the item and the shipping. (they are $17.50 total).  Misty dreams of being able to offer them for less, or even free.  That is why supporting small businesses like this is so important.  Please keep businesses like this, in mind when making your yearly donations or holding charity events.

I plan on buying two signs, one for my son and one for my daughter.  One of the hardest things about losing a child and then having another, is that you will never have a picture of your children together.  It brings a lot of comfort to be able to do things for both of them.  It bridges them together,and keeps your angel included.  I can't wait to see their two signs hanging together in my home.  It will give me a taste of what it feels like to see your children playing together.

Whether you are a baby loss parent or not, you should definitely head over and check out Writing on the Wall today.  There is definitely something for everyone!!


***For a list of other infant loss organizations and sites check out my Infant Loss Resource Page

"Life is About Using the Whole Box of Crayons."

My son is obsessed with coloring right now!!  He grabs the craft bag that I made for him, at least 4 times a day!!  I was obsessed with coloring when I was little, so I love having this activity to bond over!! 

I don't want him to lose interest, so I keep trying to find ways to make coloring more exciting.  We have coloring books, coloring placemats, construction paper, jumbo crayons, triangle crayons....

I am constantly on the hunt for cool new coloring products, here are some of my current favorites!!!

Wooden Crayon Truck

Crayon Sash

People Colors Crayons

Crayon Travel Wallet

Dry Erase Activity Mat

Mustache Crayons

Crayon Rub Art

Lego Crayons

8 in 1 Crayon

Coloring is a great activity for hot days!! Do you color when the weather is hot? What items or projects are your favorites?

As you know I am always on the hunt for new great things:)