Sad News :(

I am so sorry for the silence this week, but we lost one of our Council Members this week. My beautiful friend Caroline passed away suddenly. 

Please keep her kids and family in your thoughts and prayers.

Keepin it Neat...

The holidays typically bring in a lot of new stuff into your home.  For an organizing freak like me, this can be stressful.  Most of us barely have room in our homes for what we already have.  I spend a lot of time looking for new cute ways to store things in my home.  Most of my time is now spent looking for cute ways to store my son's toys.  Here are some of my favorite options:)

Sabrina Basket with chalkboard label

Galvanized Buckets

Pysslingar  Trunk

Kusiner Storage Baskets

Saved By The Cube

I Could've Bin a Container

Skip Hop Storage Bin

See organizing can be fun and cute:)  These are storage items that you will want leave on display!!

KyRoBugz Diapers

I spent the best hour the other night learning all about cloth diapers from my friend Kara.  Kara owns one of the most popular cloth diaper stores online.  It is called KyRoBugz, and they carry so many cute patterns.

Their diapers are Hybrid Fitted.  For those of you that are new to cloth diapering, or considering cloth diapering, you may be asking what is a hybrid fitted?

"A hybrid fitted is not 100% waterproof, It has a hidden layer of poly fleece, that is in between the outer print and the inside velour. This makes the diaper last longer, and more effective. When liquid hits the fleece it is deflected back into the absorbent soaker, instead of saturating immediately and needing a change. Hybrid fitteds are still fitteds so they do need a cover, but most babies are able to go coverless, and they are very breathable!" 

The soaker is the insert that actually absorbs the liquid.  They are made of absorbent material, and  have a velour top layer for comfort.  KyRoBugz soakers are topped with coordinating color velour (so they go with the outside of the diaper), bamboo fleece, and hemp fleece.  It folds in half and snaps into the diaper, with a hemp doubler that snaps in the middle.

The whole cloth diaper thing was so foreign to me, before our previous article. 

However even with my last cloth diapering lesson, I still had so many questions. So I turned to Kara to get some answers.  She was able to explain all of the parts of the diaper, and what they are made up of.  Learning all about the materials and craftsmanship, really helped me finally understand why cloth diapering is so popular. 

Who wouldn't want to put something soft and cute on their baby.  Yes disposables are easy, but are they this cute?

Do you know what your disposable diaper is made up of?  I know I don't know exactly...

When you buy from a place like KyRoBugz you can find out exactly what goes into your diaper, and what will touch your baby's most sensitive skin. 

Cloth diapers are a little pricey in the beginning, but all of my "cloth friends" claim that they end up saving about 50% in the long run.

What about sizing?  Are there cloth diapers for every age?

Kara shared the typical cloth diaper size runs:

Size NB: fits approx. 5-12lb
Size 1: fits approx 9-30lbs
Size 2: fits Approx 9 to 32lbs
Size 3/Toddler: fits Approx. 20-35+lbs

My next question was about cleaning cloth diapers.  I researched this one, and found out that it is pretty similar to cleaning baby clothes.  You can pre-treat them if needed, and then use your typical baby detergent.  Most sites recommend a hot rinse followed by two cold rinses.  They also suggest adding baking soda to to help with stains and smell. 

Some fabrics like wool must be hand washed.  Basically they seem to follow typical laundry rules.  There is also the option of having a service clean them for you.

I am not shocked that Kara was able to answer most of my questions, she does have one of the most talked about cloth diapering groups on Facebook.  You can head over there to discuss cloth diapering, learn more, and buy diapers.  You can usually get a preview of KyRoBugz latest prints in there, ahead of everyone else.

If you are interested in finding out more about cloth diapering and KyRoBugz, head over to the group today.  You have to request to join it, but it is open to everyone.  Here is the link. 

You can also go directly to the KyRoBugz site here.  Their prices are very reasonable, and you can't beat their cute fabrics.  I am a huge Hello Kitty fan, so I am very partial to this one. :) ( I don't think my son would enjoy it though ;) )

Kara has decided to offer a special deal to the first 5 people that comment below.  Leave a message below with your email address and the words "special offer", and she will message you with a special KyRoBugz discount exclusive to you.  Please only leave a comment if you are serious about purchasing something, so that you do not take the opportunity away from someone else.

A huge thank you to Kara and KyRoBugz for teaching us about cloth diapering, and sharing their adorable diapers :)

Kara has agreed to be the cloth diaper expert for Little Orso, so feel free to also leave any questions that you may have about cloth diapering below.  Or you can contact her directly, at her page.

"Unexpected Goodbye"

As you all know I like to feature great resources for families that have lost a child.  These resources can't bring your child back, but they can help comfort you.

I found a lot of comfort through reading books, written by others that had lost a child too.  I felt like I knew them, and could relate to almost every page of the book.  You don't want anyone else to feel the pain of losing a  child, but there is comfort in knowing that you are not alone.

This last year has been very exciting for me, because two close friends wrote books about losing a child.  I am so proud of both of them.  The first was written by my friend Lori, and it is called Wandering Purgatory.  We featured it here.

The second book is called Unexpected Goodbye: When your Baby Dies.  My friend Angela wrote this book, and just recently released it.

Angela lost her beautiful daughter Charlotte in May of 2010.  Just like everyone else that loses a child (me included), she immediately looked for some sort of guide to tell her what to do next.  There really isn't a protocol for what to do when your child dies.

I felt lost when she died. I felt adrift at sea and incapable of being rescued. I wanted someone to take my hand, tell me what to do and walk with me as I learned how to live without her. I wanted a written guide, but such a thing didn’t exist. I wrote Unexpected Goodbye to help other parents who lose babies.

In the short time that this book has been out, it has already gotten a lot of praise.  I can't wait to start reading my very own copy.  

I am so proud of the friends that I have met through this journey, we didn't let our loss (in some case losses) hold us down.  We all are doing great things to bring awareness to pregnancy and infant loss.  Hopefully in the future, it will not be such a taboo subject.  At the very least I know that families suffering this loss, will now have a guide to turn to.

Angela has been gracious enough to give us a copy (e book- it is only available in this form as of right now) of Unexpected Goodbye, to give out to one Little Orso reader.

You only need to do 2 things to enter.

1.  "Like" Angela's Little Bird Facebook Page.

2.  Leave a comment below with your name (just first name and first letter of your last name)

The winner will be picked tomorrow (12/11) at midnight pst, and announced the following morning on our Facebook page.

Even if you have not personally lost a child, consider entering and giving the book to a friend or family member that may have suffered this loss.  There is no greater gift than remembering their child.

 

The Most Exciting Invention Ever!

Recently I was sent a Net Zero 4G Hotspot to try out, and then share with all of you.  It could not have come at a better time.  With my husband's illness and preparing for the holidays, we are spending a lot of time away from the house.

My son and I have had to sit at the hospital for hours at a time, one day we were there for over 18 hours.  Do you know how hard it is to find things to do with a toddler for that many hours?  That is why many of my recent posts have been about items for the car, or to use when waiting at appointments.  If I find things that work for us, you bet I am going to share them with you!

I have a cellphone, but can not afford a high data plan.  Also I am sorry but I hate typing anything more than a text on those touch screen buttons.  I am not sure how some of you do all of your online stuff on them;)  So many times I had to skip blog posts, or wait to do my banking etc.. until I got home.  Well now that I have my Hotspot and Net Zero Broadband, everything is different.

I am able to do my blog posts, check emails, online shop and more all from the comfort of my car...or in the sand at the park :)  The hotspot is the size of a cocktail coaster, and does not weigh much more, so it is easy to take everywhere.

It takes seconds to connect to the internet, and the connection is as secure as the one you have at home. Actually if you get a hotspot, you do not need one at home anymore.  You can do all of your online needs with your Net Zero Hotspot.  You have the ability to connect up to 8 wifi enabled devices, isn't that amazing??!!?  All I can think about when using mine, is why couldn't they have invented this sooner?  Especially when I was in college, and had to hand write my papers at the library or on the lawn, and then go home and spend hours typing it all out. (For you younger readers...I went to college in the 90's before lap tops...can you imagine the horror??!)

Now I know what you all are thinking...this device does sound great, but I don't want another bill or contract to deal with.  Well that is what makes Net Zero so appealing, there are NO contracts or commitments.  They don't just say this, they are serious.

Right now their 4G Broadband service is available in 80 cities, with more on the way.  They have a few data plans to choose from, including a free option.  Yep free!!  They offer you the chance to test out their service for free.  Another feature that I love about their service, is that you have the ability to adjust the speed of your connection.  By using a lower speed (when you are doing things that do not require a high speed connection, such as downloading a video), you are able to save yourself more service for that month. (their plans are calculated by MB/GB usage).  I will not lie I do not know much about these things, however I can tell you that their service works just as well at a lower speed.

My Net Zero Hotspot and service has taken such a weight off of my shoulders.  It gives me so many more options while I am out.  My son and I can watch movies, sing along to Elmo and Yo Gabba Gabba (one of my son's favorite things to do...luckily he does not realize how bad my voice is yet), pay bills, etc...

We all have so much to do, why not find a way to make things easier?!  That is why I am so excited about the fact that I get to share this gift with one of you!!

One lucky Little Orso Reader will win $300 worth of Net Zero Products and Services. (4G Hotspot and 3 months of service).

There are a few requirements needed to win; you must be at least 18 years old, and must live in the United States.

Winner: Denise Pupo 







a Rafflecopter giveaway




 **Disclaimer- I am part of the Mom it Forward blogger Network. Mom it Forward and Net Zero partnered in support of this campaign.  Net Zero compensated me for participation in this campaign.  However, all thoughts and are my own.

 

"Around The World The Trip Begins With a Kiss..."

I have not had the opportunity to travel to that many places yet. I like to watch shows and read books about other places, so I can get a taste of what these other countries have to offer.  I always joke with my husband, that "I will be right there, I am in Spain" (or whichever country I am currently reading or watching something about).

The main reason that I want to travel now, is to share the world with my son!! Is there a better gift??

I was over at a friends house last week, and their kids were playing with the coolest thing called Little Passports.  I had to immediately contact the company, and find out everything about Little Passports.

Little Passports is a subscription program, where you get a new package every month (just like my favorite Kiwi Crates).  The first month you will receive a suitcase filled with all of the items that you will need to start your travels.  There will be a letter from the two main characters (Sam and Sophia) that you will be traveling with.

Each month after that Sam and Sophia will send you a package with letters, souvenirs, and photos from the next area that you will be traveling to with them. The items in these packages are really good quality, and very educational.

Getting mail is always fun, especially when it is filled with letters and gifts from friends.  What a fun way to teach your kids about the world, and get them excited about learning! Your kids will be waiting by the mailbox for the next package to arrive.

My son is still a little young for these, they recommend ages 5 and up.  I would agree with that recommendation, unless you have a 4 year old that is showing interest in learning to read.  I seriously want to order these for myself :)  They are just so cute, and I love things like this.

They have two programs the World Edition for ages 5-10, and the USA edition for ages 7- 12 years old.  Although I really wouldn't put an age limit on these. (Ok secretly I am going to change it to 7-36, so I can get them).

Next you decide whether you want to get a 3 month subscription, 6 month subscription, 12 month subscription, or go month to month.  They do offer a discount if you sign up for a subscription.  With all of their programs, you can cancel at anytime.

I can't tell you how cute these are in person.  The kids that I visited with were so into them, and so excited about what they were learning about. This is definitely a gift that you should recommend to a relative that wants to get your child something special for the holidays. This gift will not end up in the toy chest by the end of the week.

Little Passports gave me a special deal to share with Little Orso readers, get 10% off your subscription by signing up with this link, and using code DEC10 at checkout. Hurry this offer is only good until the end of the month.

Bon Voyage:)

Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty Giveaway is Back!

I am sharing this as a blog post because I know that many of you miss our Facebook updates, and I don't want any of you to miss this event!!

Every year Melissa and Doug (one of my favorite companies) gives away their top 20 favorite items.  They already did one round of giveaways, but have decided to do another as a treat for all of us.

Make sure you enter today, click here to enter. 

One entry is all it takes to be entered for all 20 days.  There are so many great toys.  Think of how wonderful it would be to win, and scratch some items off of your shopping list:)

Good luck!!  Like I always say it I can't win, I hope one of you does:)

**The post above is a sponsored post.  We received free products, or financial compensation from the above mentioned company.  However the reviews and thoughts of Little Orso were not influenced in any way, and are our genuine thoughts and feelings.

 

"If You Want To Take My Picture..."

Recently I was given the opportunity to try a new Photo service called Modern Greetings.  It is similar to the other photo sites on the web, in that you can make photo projects, and other personalized items.

I make photo books for every holiday, so I was excited to try out a new company.  I decided to make my Halloween book, with them.

The first thing that I really liked about Modern Greetings, was the many themes and options that they offered.  They seemed to have a theme for every holiday and event that I could think of.  I really liked their Halloween options, and found choosing a template very easy. 

However I found their site to be a little less user friendly than the others.  I had trouble uploading and editing my pictures at first, but then again I am not great with new technological things.  It probably was just me, because actually after a few pages I seem to have their system down
.

If you are someone that takes a lot of pictures, you will love their photo books.  They seem to have twice as many slots for photos, than the books that I usually make. I had a hard time filling all of them, so I decided to leave some of them blank.  I have thought about doing this in the past, so I could have spots to write memories in.  This time I actually did it, and am so happy that I did!!

I bought two Sharpie markers (I am going to have to do a post about them soon, and everything that I have been able to do with them). They worked perfectly on the photo pages, and didn't smudge one bit.  I was able to write special memories about the night, and things that we may not remember some day.  I know my son will have a great time reading these when he gets older. (like the temper tantrum he threw when we tried to take him home;) )  The marker looked great on the pages, and really stood out.  I really recommend trying this with your next photo project.  I know you can have text printed on the pages, but there is something special about having the memories written by hand.

A huge plus for Modern Greetings, is their customer service.  Leaving blank spots in a photo book is not typical, so they actually called me to confirm that I wanted the spaces left blank.  I was blown away by their individual customer service.  It was nice to know that a book that was so special to me, was special to them too:) 

Modern Greetings sells more than photo items, they also sell personalized stationary, invites, greeting cards etc...

I picked up some personalized stationary from them, and am very pleased with it.


I have some exciting news for all of our readers...we have a Giveaway that all of you will win!!  Yep everyone is a winner today!! 

Modern Greetings has given us a link to share with all you, that gives you all a free photo book (like the one that we made above).  What a perfect time of year to get a free photo book!!

Just click here to get your free photo book.  

My only request is that you share what type of book you make. Photos of your book, would be even better;) Share your books with us on our Facebook page, or in the comments below.  We are so excited to hear about what you decide to make:)

Have fun making your books, and checking out Modern Greetings.










**The post above is a sponsored post.  We received free products, or financial compensation from the above mentioned company.  However the reviews and thoughts of Little Orso were not influenced in any way, and are our genuine thoughts and feelings.

App Fun:)

My son and I spend a lot of time in the car, so I am always looking for something fun to keep him occupied.  Before I had him, I said I would not be one of "those women who let their kid play with their phone". I so take that back!

There are so many great educational apps, and they are great for when you forget to bring a toy. Think restaurant waiting for food...

Do you let your kids play with your phone or Ipad?  What are your favorite kid friendly apps?

Here are two of our favorites...


The first is called Piano Balls, and it costs $1.99.

It is aimed at preschool aged kids, but I have a great time playing it too.  It lets them play kid favorite songs on the "piano", and it teaches them colors, instruments, and sounds.  They can also just play freestyle on the piano.  It is a lot of fun:)



The second is my son's all time favorite!!  He actually drives me a little crazy with this one...hahaha  Don't get me wrong I actually love it, and think it is adorable.  However he calls Elmo non-stop!!

It is called Call Elmo, and you can get it for $.99 at the Itunes Store. Elmo calls you in a Facetime screen.  It is really cute, because your child's face shows up in the bottom corner (just like on Facetime).

Elmo calls your child about a bunch of things, and the phone really rings and they have to answer it.  There are also voicemails from him, for when your child misses the call.  Like I said this one keeps my son busy for hours!!

The only drawback to kids and apps, is a sticky screen and dead battery.  A small price to pay for a few bites of your dinner, or a quiet car ride;)