My Bundles of Joy with Huggies

As most of you know, we are a Huggies household. I remember bringing home my first baby, fumbling with different diapers and wondering when is the right time to size up. I was a brand new mom, I was exhausted, stressed out, and filled with so much love I thought my heart would burst. We quickly figured out that Huggies were best for us, we could rely on them to fit her just right, keep her dry through the night, and after a great customer experience with customer service, we became Huggies customers for life.

When I was a pro the second time around (ha!), I knew exactly what diapers we would need and Huggies have been there for us every step of the way with both of my daughters. Their new campaign is sharing your favorite Bundle of Joy moments and I can’t help but get emotional as my youngest Emma will be turning two soon, and will no longer be my youngest baby. We only have a few months left and she’ll become a big sister, a role her older sister has taken a shine to and tells me she’s going to teach Emma to be a good big sister like she is. It’s the cutest thing ever!

Road Trip Essentials for Baby and Toddler!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SuperAbsorbent #CollectiveBias

In the upcoming month, we have a family trip planned for Washington and we’ve been looking forward to this trip forever! We’ll be visiting family on both sides and have lots of activities planned for our stay. One thing that’s been on my mind for the trip is a 4+ hour drive we’ll be making from one stay with family to another. Our girls are great in the car, but this will be our longest ride with them both. I've been worried about what to bring with us, for the trip and the road trip, and the obvious items are easy- diapers, snacks, extra clothes, but what else?

What to Pack for Daycare- For your Newborn and Toddler

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #SnugHugs

Returning to work and sending your child to daycare can be a crazy emotional ride. Even when you’ve been back to work for a while and are switching care providers, it is filled with so much anxiety! We recently started a new daycare this last month and after scouting, vetting, and interviewing several places, the night before the girls started I was still filled with so much anxiety. Will they like their new environment? Will my children thrive there? Will they get enough attention? Will they make new friends? Will their teachers love them? Leaving your child with anyone can be heart wrenching, especially when it’s the first time! Since we just made this change, I thought I would share some tips on making this an easy transition for you and your child.

 

Before making our decision, Matt and I have done the following with each daycare we've chosen. We've been at four daycares, which is more than I would like, but with seasonal changes (our first did only the school year and took summer off), and with the move, we've been through it time and again and I think we've learned more each change. Below is what we've done to help choose and transition a daycare, but it may not work for everyone. It's just some suggestions to help the transitions. 

- Matt and I checked out the daycares by ourselves first, and then later brought the girls with us to our top choices. I wanted the girls and their teachers to get to know each other a little bit before starting and without any distractions. Then we brought the girls during daycare hours to meet their classmates and observe and check out the class and its settings.

- If possible, see if you can take your children there for a half day a few days before starting, that way it’s not all brand new on their first full day. Having your children stay for a little bit of time, without you there with them, can help ease them into their new surroundings

- Front load, front load, front load. Children do so much better when they are introduced to something ahead of time and know what to expect. This strategy works great for Ellie- anytime we do something new that we worry about her reaction, we talk about what we’re doing, what will happen, and what to expect. For example, when we were having a baby we read lots of big sister books, practiced holding and being careful with babies using her dolls, explained that I would be holding the baby a lot and the baby will be sleeping in our room, etc. That way, it’s not too much of a shock to her when the event comes. For her new daycare, we talked about her new routine, what she’ll be doing in her class, etc. The first day had a bit of a rough start, but there weren’t any tears the rest of the week!

Here is a list of items I send with the girls to help make them feel comfortable and help them in a routine. Each daycare provider offers different things for your children, so your list may be different, mine has changed with each place and as they have grown.

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-They’re own bedding

My girls have sensitive skin (especially little Emma!) so I do prefer for them to sleep on bedding washed with our soap since I know it doesn’t irritate them, but another benefit is that it will smell like home! It will be comforting for them to have a familiar scent in a new place. I drop off a new sheet and blanket every Monday and take it home to wash each Friday.

- Stuffed animal/doll/toy
If your child is attached to anything or prefers something like a paci, teether, lovie, etc. be sure to pack it! It will help them feel at home and will make nap time easier for them. Our new daycare has lots of toys and entertainment for the girls, but if Emma is especially fond of a teether, I’ll bring it in. Ellie has a small baby doll she keeps at school just for nap time too. 

- Diapers / Wipes / Rash Cream
I've talked about this before, but we are a Huggies household. They fit the best for both of our girls and provide up to 12 hours of protection and keep baby's skin nice and dry. We also always buy our Huggies Snug & Dry in bulk, you save over $10 buying that way and the bulk box comes in three large packs that's easy to divvy up between home and daycare. There's also a Huggies Snug & Dry Ibotta offer starting today (3/9) for $7 off at Sam's club! We bring wipes and rash cream too to keep there. We buy wipes in bulk as well and drop off a box and large pack as needed. At our current daycare, we had to fill out a medication form for the diaper rash, but I want Emma to have what works best for her skin.

- Bottles / Cup / Food / Bibs
Every day I pack a lunch for both girls, but also keep rice cereal there for Emma. I make sure Emma has enough bottles of breastmilk each day and keep frozen milk there for an extra bottle, just in case. I also pack bibs at the start of each week and bring the used ones home each day. A bowl/spoon may be needed too for your baby's food.

- Change of clothes
Each girl has two changes of clothes that we keep at daycare. Two sets of tops, pants, undies for Ellie, and socks. I also keep a long sleeve jacket/shirt for each girl as well. I pack them in a large Ziplock with their names on each one.

Other tips are to label everything of your child's- it's easy to get mixed up with others and lost. If it's plastic, I write their names on it and for fabric, I just put their initials on the tags. Also, if possible, drop off the items that you'll be keeping there permanently or for the week before your first day. I also pack everything we need the night before.

Be sure to check out the Huggies Snug & Dry Ibotta offer starting today (3/9) for $7 off at Sam's club! 

That's everything we pack each week for the girls! Their new daycare is amazing and I'm so happy for their new environment, it's exactly what the girls needed and we've really enjoyed it. It doesn't get easier to make changes, but knowing your child is being well attended too eases the mind. I like to think that I've packed them for anything and are ready for all the fun. What do you pack for your little ones? What do you do to help make it easier?

What's in my Diaper Bag with Huggies!

With Ellie, I packed everything in our diaper bag. If I thought I could maybe, possibly, use it, I stuck it in our diaper bag. Over the last two years, I've learned so much and now with a new little one, I have packing our diaper bag down to a T.

I've learned to really just pack the basics, which could be tucked into a tote bag or large purse, and head out the door. If we're going to be gone for a long time, I'll pack an additional bag to leave in the car- items like jammies, change of shoes, extra diapers and wipes. Wanna see what I have in my diaper bag?

1. Clothing
I always pack a change of clothes for the girls, one set for Ellie and two sets for Emma. I always make sure we have socks, in case something happens to theirs, it gets cold, or as an extra layer under jammies. I also always pack a soft swaddle blanket which serves so many purposes. It's nice to cover up the girls, as an extra layer, to swaddle, to use as a nursing cover in a pinch, or to lay on the ground to let Emma play on.

2. Toys
Depending on your child's age, I pack 1-2 small items to entertain them while we're out. Emma is in love with this elephant and it goes with us everywhere! Other good items to bring are rattles and teethers. If you're child takes a paci, always pack an extra two! Emma won't really take one, but we couldn't carry enough for Ellie when she was young.

3. Diapers and Wipes
The good stuff- diapers, wipes, and rash cream! A good rule of thumb for little babies is one diaper for every two hours you're gone. I have yet to really use this many diapers on a trip, but you just never know! It's better to have too many than too little. My biggest advice it to bring extra wipes! We use two wipes holders, one with our changing mat and one we keep as a spare at the bottom of our bag. We run out of wipes faster than anything else since we use them for so much.

Our diapers of choice from day one with both girls is Huggies. I've found that they fit the best from the very beginning, especially with their umbilical cord cutouts to help with healing. We had the least amount of blow outs and leaks with Huggies, and their wetness indicator is perfect to know when they need a change, especially when you're just adjusting to their feeding habits and establishing a routine.

One time I had to call their customer service line and the representative I spoke with was so nice and friendly. I remember getting off the phone and telling my friends about their exceptional customer service. That call alone really cemented my loyalty to them, they are an awesome company with products that help keep my babies' skin soft and protected.

Another mom tip I have is to buy your diapers in bulk! You go through them so quickly and I've priced them everywhere and I get mine at Sam's (along with popcorn, milk, and other yummy snacks). The girls love getting out of the house and trying samples, checking out their kid stuff, and we always get a snack on our way out. It's been a nice break while I was on maternity leave so sit and talk with Eleanor. What's awesome about being a member is that you can get store pick up or free shipping! Score!

What do you keep in your diaper bag? Any tricks or tips?

Support a Local Charity with #Ultrahug

What is autism? To put it simply, it's a developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to others and affects how they make sense of the world around them. It's a condition with a wide spectrum and no two people with autism are the same. Although, they may share some difficulties, their condition affects them in different ways.

Autism and its awareness has been growing, 1 in 50 children are diagnosed with Autism, but the knowledge and support is still a step behind. Therapies, medications, special aides, tools, and programs are often not covered by insurance or available in all areas. Early intervention is key to giving a child and their family a head start in understanding and overcoming obstacles. This can include; speech delays, sensory issues (such as sensitivity to noise), a need for routines to manage expectations, ADD/ADHD, and others conditions.

My nephew, one of the cutest ball players ever, has autism. With an early intervention and his amazing parents, he has grown so much and overcome so many obstacles. Since he was 2, he's been on special diets and in therapy, and with the love and support of his parents and family  has grown into quite an extraordinary little man. He's going to be 9 this year and loves Legos, Skylanders, and swimming. Our Nicholas Foundation has helped him and his family and others like ours in so many ways. They offer products for home and school, Peer Buddy programs, play dates, support groups for families, and sports leagues. Watching my nephew play baseball this spring was awesome! He loved being a part of a team and being cheered on by everyone. Plus, he is just adorable in his uniform!

I knew right away I'd want to support and raise awareness for Autism when I was contacted by Huggies. They say the best things in life are free and so is love! I love someone with autism and I'm nominating Our Nicholas Foundation for a $2000 grant from Huggies.

From April 20th until June 25th, Huggies will be accepting all selfies of you and your baby with the hashtag #UltraHug, and featuring them in a collage on the campaign landing page. On July 6th, voting will begin to narrow down the 20 finalists to 10 winners who will win a $2,000 grant from Huggies for their nominated community initiative.

How to Enter the #UltraHug Selfie Contest:

• First, take a selfie of you and your baby and upload that selfie to Twitter or Instagram. Make sure to use the hashtag #UltraHug 

• In your same post, make sure to include a text nomination (approximately 100 – 120 characters) including a name and/or identifying description of a community project in the US, which you would like to nominate. Make sure the community project is something near and dear to your heart.

• Have more questions? Visit here for more information!

Day Care Must Haves?

Next week Ellie will start going to an in-home daycare while Matt and I are at work. I absolutely love where she is going and feel like she is going to get all the attention and care she needs while I'm away. I'm busy packing a box to send with her to keep there. I've been going over everything I think we will need, but wanted to know what works for your children while they are gone. I want her to have anything that will keep her content, comfortable, and make life a bit easier on the caregiver. Below is my list of what I've packed so far, am I missing anything else?

Diapers- Kirkland Signature Supreme Diapers

Wipes- Huggies Natural Care Plus Baby Wipes

Rash Cream- Aquaphor

Bottles- Philips AVENT 4 Ounce Bottles

Bottle Brush- Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Bottle Brush

Blanket- Circo Finnea Soft Valboa Sweetie Pals Blanket

Change of clothes- Circo 5 Pack Short-sleeve Bodysuit Set

Pajamas- Carters Cotton Snap-Up Sleep & Play

Gas Drops

What did your little one need while they're at daycare? I know some of these items might never be used, but at least they would be there and smell of home. I'll also add in extra toys that Ellie enjoys like her Oball, but I'm sure that will change all the time.

PS I start work tomorrow! Ugh. I'm spending every single minute today loving and kissing on Ellie! Any tips from Mom's on going back to work?