The trouble with deals is...

I confess that I bought a bag of Halloween candy today because it was on sale for $1.99. Damn those Kit Kats! They're too yummy. (And this is why I'm not exactly on target with my pregnancy weight gain...)

Also, @naturalbabygood sent out a tweet about the super deal on now at Please Mum - 50% off EVERYTHING until November 14th, and free shipping (to Canadian addresses) as well.
Can. Not. Resist. I got this and this for a grand total of $16.77 including tax and shipping. Super cuteness and a fuzzy warm hat - she's coming in early February, this is practically a NEED, right? Back me up, here...

Update: Wow, I got these on Nov. 16th - that's quick shipping!

27+ 4

Belly shot! 27 weeks and 4 days today.

Dealing.

One of the women in the online birth club I'm in was talking about how hard it is to find help when you have trouble dealing with all the emotions, stresses, and tasks of pregnancy. I'd say it's hard to find or ask for help for anyone, pregnant or not, when you need it. We have such an emphasis on independence and 'strength' rather than community and family. The phrase "suck it up" is bandied about like it's a personal failure to need support or want to talk something out.

I know from lots of personal experience with tragedy and disappointment that while sometimes you really do need help from an outside source, when that is not readily available, you can make a difference to your own life by some focused introspection.

An at-home technique that I find helpful is to consider what you're stressing over, then break it down. One way to do this is in a journal with two columns. The first column is a daily journal where you can vent or just write about your day. Review your day's writing and identify the issue(s) that are really giving you trouble by underlining or simplifying the issue into a short sentence; then try to identify if it is a:

(a) fear (a future possibility but not a current reality)
(b) fact (that you just have to deal with)
(c) frustration (a problem that is recurrent)

Then use the other column to write down ideas, no matter how silly, to deal with them.

Fears:
- are they realistic? (eg is it really likely that I won't get to the hospital in time and have to deliver in the car? probably not! Labour takes hours and it's only 15 minutes to the hospital!)
- is it helping to worry about this? (rarely, unless it's productive thinking where you consider alternatives or possible solutions)
- can you think of other ways things might play out? (eg if you are scared of a c-section -> alternately, you might have a natural birth, or perhaps a c-section will be faster and less stressful on you, dad and baby than an extended labour)
- is there a way you can alleviate the fear? (eg if you are worried you won't succeed at breastfeeding, sign up for a prenatal breastfeeding class, read a lot about it, see if there is a mom group or local La Leche League meeting you could attend)
- can you think of productive ways to help overcome the fear? (eg if you're afraid of the pain from labour but want a natural childbirth -> leave yourself the option of an epidural, learn breathing and moving techniques, ask for support from your spouse, talk about it with your care provider, practice perineal massage, etc.)

Facts:
- is it a problem that can be solved? (eg you haven't booked a pre-natal class yet -> schedule a specific time to make that phone call)
- can you change your attitude about it by finding positive aspects (eg you may have to move and you don't want to. -> You could have a nicer house, you may make more money, the library might be bigger and better, during maternity leave is the ideal time to move, you will make new friends, there are more things to do there)
- can you change the facts? (eg you don't have enough money -> find a way to make some extra money, like selling things you don't use, taking in a child for after-school care, tutoring, crafting and selling on Etsy, part time work, swapping childcare with a neighbour so that you can get some time to work; also, find a way to cut back on extra spending - buy a frozen pizza for pizza night rather than ordering in, rent a movie or invite friends over to play a board game rather than going out, when you need new shoes get the decent $40 pair on sale rather than those lovely $95 ones)

Frustrations:
- if there is something that keeps coming back and bothering you, try to think of a positive that outweighs the negative. (eg. Argh! My lazy husband left socks on the floor again! -> then again, my hard-working husband had a rough day at the office, he's super tired, fighting allergies, and he still took care of all our accounting when he got home and he put the winter tires on the car, and cleaned up the garden, and vacuumed, and made time to read a birth support book despite working ridiculous hours.... Hm. Kind of makes leaving a sock or two around not such a huge deal!)

I want to be clear that all these examples are JUST examples & not necessarily my issues! I promise, I've already booked our prenatal class, I'm okay with however the birth may go, etc..
(I do have a hard-working husband though!)

I find that just the act of reviewing whatever I'm upset about and trying to think of ways to resolve it helps me get past the emotional aspect of it and back to a more rational way of dealing with things. (Like my mother says, "It doesn't matter, and what if it did?")

If you are feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list, try to break down big tasks into small ones and schedule times to deal with each step - it's much easier to deal with things that way. Make lists of what needs to be done, then break each item into steps (eg: big overwhelming task: Decorate the nursery. Okay, that includes slipcovering the glider, getting a dust ruffle, installing a curtain rod, cleaning out the closet, hanging the art, etc... I have an hour on Saturday, so I can get the closet cleaned, etc.)

Anyway, this is just something I was thinking about as I, like the other women in my birth club, am going through the roller coaster of pregnancy hormones and find that I can be on the edge of tears one moment and laughing so hard I cry the next (why it all has to end in tears, I don't know!). I am loving being pregnant but it is definitely stressful, too. There seems like an awful lot to do and sort out. And such a big, life-changing event tends to stir up little things that weren't a big deal before but suddenly are all-consuming issues that need attention! Maintaining focus and taking the time to consider my concerns is helping me keep on a relatively even keel.

How do you deal with worry or stress?

Winner - My Bump gift certificate!

Time for random.org to pick another winner, this time for the $25 gift certificate to Toronto (& online) maternity store My Bump...Congratulations to:I hope you all had a chance to browse the My Bump site. They carry loads of lovely stuff from pregnancy to new baby. If you didn't sign up for their newsletter, you might want to, so you get the heads-up on sales and new products!

In fact, there's a sale on right now for 30% off all maternity and breastfeeding fashions, on until the 14th!

Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b. Program & Contest!

I'm pretty sure every Canadian is familiar with Shoppers Drug Mart. It is my favourite pharmacy because they have such a great shopping environment and always have special offers on that make me happy to shop there. (Combining sales with coupons is really enough to make my day!) I love the Optimum rewards program and actually do a Happy Dance when I've got enough points to redeem for a shopping spree! I also appreciate that they are open late and even have some nearby late-night and 24-hour locations so that in desperate times we can get what we need to feel better.
But did you know that Shoppers has a v.i.b. (very important baby) program for new and expecting mums? Although I had seen the signs in my local Shoppers, I hadn't really looked into the program until I had this opportunity to write about it.

I thought that as an expecting mum I was too early to sign up for the program. Not so! In fact, it's the ideal time to register, because one of the great things they do is give out a New Baby gift pack when the baby arrives!

I had the chance to preview the New Baby gift pack and there's some good stuff in there. It comes with a cute terry bib, coupons for loads of extra Optimum points on baby product purchases, and samples of Huggies Natural Care wipes, Huggies pure & natural newborn diapers, Aveeno Body wash, Aveeno Baby lotion, and Johnson's Head to Toe baby wash. I am guessing that these samples might change once in a while as new products come on the market, too. (We are going to be cloth diapering, but I am sure those 'sposies will come in handy from time to time.)

The program also gives you access to their enewsletters, which have content geared towards your (or your baby's) life stage, even more Optimum point offers and a tip-off for hot deals on baby products. And, of course, there is the access to your local pharmacist, whose knowledge will certainly come in handy at 2:30 am when you are exhaustedly searching for gripe water or the best nasal syringe.

If you are considering signing up to the program, now is the time - because when you sign up to be a v.i.b member between November 3rd and December 1st, you could win 1 of 50, $50 Shoppers Drug Mart gift cards*! PLUS as a new member you’ll receive 2500 points the next time you purchase any Pampers diaper products!



I hope this info helps out some of you! I know a lot of you are expecting or already mums (and who among us could not use a $50 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card?!).

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Visit www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/babycontest for full contest details and information on how to enter without a purchase. Approximate retail value of prize is $50. Chances of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Correct answer to skill-testing question required to be declared a winner. Must be a Canadian resident and age of majority or older in province or territory of residence. Valid Shoppers Optimum Card® required to participate. Contest ends December 1st, 2010.

Disclosure - I am participating in the Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b program by Mom Central on behalf of Shoppers Drug Mart. I received a gift card and a new baby gift pack as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Winner - Fairhaven Health Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream

Random.org got all random on us all and picked number...Which is...
Congratulations!!!

The rest of you expecting and nursing mamas, make sure to enter the giveaway to My Bump! It's a good one. And keep an eye out for even more giveaways coming soon!

Exciting stuff & fabric.

A quick little note to share some of the exciting things coming up soon right here.

• I get to be part of the Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b. blog tour with Mom Central! More to come very soon on this.
  
• You may have seen my earlier post about You! Lingerie. I'm stoked!
• Tropical Traditions is sponsoring another great giveaway here as well. I'll have to get my baking on to review this product. Can't wait - you know I love baking!
• YourCheapSunglasses.com has sent me a very cool pair of shades to review. They've also given a coupon code for my readers - check the left sidebar for that. It's for 25% off which is amazing considering their sunglasses are around $15 a pop and look just like designer styles. I'm thinking Christmas presents!
  

Also, we finally decided on the fabric for the glider. We ended up choosing the last of the four I posted here. Why? It came down to price in the end (isn't that the way life goes?). Once I plotted out how much I would need, and got some quotes from the other sources, I realized that it would be the cheapest option, and because it's a double width upholstery fabric, I only need 2 yards. Even after I'd tried the math with only doing the fronts of the cushions and doing the backs in a coordinating (cheaper) plain fabric, the other options were still more expensive. We both loved the Etsy fabric, but at $64 a yard for 58" width, it was just too pricey.

I still like the design we're getting and am hoping I don't mess up in sewing the slipcovers! :) I'm going patternless. I'm actually pretty comfortable with freestyling it, but I'll be kicking myself if I mess it up.

Speaking of, baby has been kicking me like it's Dance Party all day (and night) long. Love it. We've got her names all picked out and I can't wait to meet her. Just three months or so left! I am loving being pregnant. It's not always the most comfortable, but feeling those kicks is one of the best things ever. It was a hard road for us to get here, that's for sure. I'm lucky to have what I think must be an easy pregnancy this time around, so far. Fingers crossed that the luck continues.

My husband found a beautiful solid wood bookcase on Craigslist that we picked up for the nursery. Now the nursery furniture is complete (well, we still need a crib mattress). Hooray!

Keep an eye out for You! Lingerie!

Oops, this turned into a rant! Hang in there for the exciting bit at the end!

Remember how I was complaining about the awfulness of your standard maternity bras? The ones I picked up are (a) not pretty and (b) not comfortable, leading me to wish I hadn't wasted my money and fighting the urge to toss these in the nearest trash can. I usually end up unhooking them by mid-afternoon just to get some relief (thank goodness I work at home!).

Perhaps my big mistake was letting the store employees help with sizing (their firm belief was that every woman's pregnancy and nursing size is one band and one cup size up from their pre-pregnancy size. Um. Fail.). Or going for the underwire "pregnancy" option (of the three available bra designs at the store - sleep bras, pregnancy bras and nursing bras), since I've worn underwires all my life and find them comfortable (usually).

More likely, my big mistake was not looking online! Bras can be hard to fit for me, so I usually end up trying on a dozen or so in a store before settling on something. With online shopping it's not so easy (even though most sites have instructions for fitting yourself), so that was a bit of a deterrent. I have a couple bras from online retailers that, despite my best efforts, don't fit that well. I know, most of them will do returns, but then the cost starts to add up, shipping back and forth... The really pretty bras I have seen online for maternity and nursing were all rather pricey for my budget.

When I first started looking at maternity and nursing bras, I was astounded by the lack of selection in the stores. The choices in a regular store (I'm not talking high-end boutiques here) tend to be around $40 for a black, beige or white bra (mad colour selection! wow!), maybe with a bit of lace, and definitely not designed to make a woman in her glorious fertile prime look and feel sexy or attractive. Yes, you can get the boxed bras for $24 at Walmart, but IMO they are even less attractive. Are we supposed to stop feeling good about our bodies during pregnancy? Personally, although it is weird to see my body changing so dramatically, I feel great about it - this is an awesome time for my body, so why should I be resigned to clad myself in the drabbest and least flattering undergarments known to woman?

Pre-pregnancy, I typically would spend about $30 (less on sale or at Winners) on a bra and feel like I'd really treated myself to something nice. You can get a really pretty and comfortable bra for $30. A flattering one that gives you a nice shape! In colour! With lace, or with (gasp) a print! If you're not pregnant, that is. The nice-looking bras for pregnant or nursing women I saw online (there's NOTHING in that category in my local stores) were up in the $60+ range. What?! Is it not just a slightly wider strap and a clip for the drop-down cup?

You can just imagine these companies rubbing their hands together with glee, knowing that women need to buy new bras when they are pregnant and nursing because of the size changes, and where there's a need, there's a great opportunity to rake in the dollars from desperate women.

Anyway, I was so thrilled to come across a brand new line of nursing and maternity lingerie called You! Lingerie. This is the first time I've seen really pretty and sexy bras for nursing and maternity that are not at luxury prices - they're actually affordable. This line launched with seven signature designs in bras and matching panties a few weeks ago (at the big ABC show in Vegas that you may have seen trending on Twitter) and already has retailers lining up to stock their products, and mamas & mamas-to-be drooling over the gorgeousness. These images are a couple of the new designs - love!

I think You! Lingerie is really going to fill the gap between the uglies that are standard fare and the luxury brands that are super expensive with (!shocking new concept!) quality lingerie at affordable prices. Take a quick peek at some of their products, and then check the prices. Warning: you may do a double take.

It looks like I may have the chance to test out one of the new You! Lingerie bras and I am really looking forward to seeing how it stacks up against the bras I have. I mean, the ones I regrettably picked up at Thyme, obviously are on my hate list, but I also have maternity/nursing bras by Cake Lingerie, Bravado and Bella Materna (I'm naming names!). The only one of those that I think is actually pretty is the Cake one, which to me falls into the "expensive" category at $65, so I'm very curious to compare You! Lingerie in terms of comfort, style and quality (unfortunately for me, my size changed since I got it, so I'm not wearing that one daily!).

I'll tell you all about it, and *hint* there may even be a sweet little something for you, too!

The Glider Fabric Dilemma

This is the glider we bought secondhand for the nursery ($25! I'm still stoked about that deal!).

I'm not sure how well it shows, but the fabric on the cushions is ugly, stained and worn. Not only that, but it's made of some plasticized material that squeaks against the wood when you sit in it. It desperately needs a slipcover. And the glider fabric is going to play the lead role in helping me figure out what the nursery's going to look like.

I have a vision in my head of a mainly white or ivory fabric, with a pattern (botanical? geometric?) that includes both red and turquoise. And maybe yellow.

You know what it's like when you try to shop with something already in mind? It's impossible. So I'm having a lot of trouble finding the right fabric. I took a look at Fabricland and the selection was depressing. I've been trying to shop online, but it's so overwhelming. A zillion fabric stores online and it's hard to sort out the ones with the kind of fabric I like from the novelty or bland. So far I've found a couple that I like:

And I love this, though it's utterly impractical (embroidered Dupioni silk) and outrageously expensive (but it's so pretty!):I am somewhat inspired by the fabric Sarah Richardson used on her nursery chair:- although it's $27.99 a yard (eeks!). At least the yards are double width.

What do you think? One of the first two, or the pricier fourth (the third is just out of the question)? Of course, my husband has veto power - he's got to live with it, too!

Any fabric mavens out there? Send me to your favourite online fabric stores!

UPDATE: What did I choose? See the Before and After photos here! 

Quick! Awesome deal on handmade soap!

I just wanted to let you guys know that Ellia C. Naturals seasonal soaps are buy one, get one free until 11pm EST tonight! Just add the bar(s) you want, then put a note in your paypal payment under "Note to Seller" to let Jen know which bar you'd like as your freebie!I have a major crush on these soaps. I've tried soaps, lip balm, and One Lump or Two Solid Sugar Scrub from Ellia C. Naturals and each product has been super quality and sooo luxurious. I also have the Natural Pine Soap Deck in my shower and it looks like new after many months, and keeps my soaps up out of the water so they last longer!

I just placed my order (Autumn Harvest with a Festive bonus)!

This isn't a paid review or anything, I just like her products and wanted to share this great deal with you!

Winner - Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach

And, we have a winner for the Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach -
Congratulations! Here's to nice clean laundry. I'll be emailing you shortly!

Meanwhile, I still have two ongoing giveaways - Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream from Fairhaven Health, and a fabulous $25 gift certificate to My Bump Maternity (just posted!). Check 'em out!

my bump maternity - Review and Giveaway!

I had the pleasure of reviewing a great top I received from my bump maternity, which is a maternity (and more!) store not too far away from me in Toronto. They stock loads of maternity fashions: tops, dresses, skirts, pants and outerwear (like the M coat that I have a crush on... pregnant in a Canadian winter means a suitable coat is a must), as well as skin care products, everything you need for breastfeeding, and stylish diaper bags. Also check out the sale section - discounts of 50% and more! You can do your shopping in store or online.

And, if you are in or near Toronto, they're having a customer appreciation event in store this weekend (October 21-24) - 25% off all maternity and breastfeeding!

If you have done any looking at all at maternity products, you will recognize some of the biggest names among the brands they carry. I left it up to Cheryl, the owner, to select a top and I could not have been more thrilled with what she chose for me.

The top I got to try is a transitional maternity and nursing top by the Swedish line boob. I am a big fan of boob designs - they are always so flattering and practical. I have a few boob pieces already in heavy rotation in my wardrobe! It's great to be able to pick up fashions from this line at a Canadian retailer! Plus, I love the colour. Forgive the photos - with my husband working in Calgary, I'm my own photographer these days!

The top is super comfy and flattering as well. It is roomy enough for my belly (getting bigger every day, it seems), and I can tell that the flowy design will be flattering to my post-natal figure as well - with the fitted smocking over the empire waist emphasizing that I still have a figure! The layering of the top gives it very easy and discreet access for nursing as well. I love that this is something I will be able to wear not just for the next few months but for much longer.

Another product I have tried from my bump is the Belly Jelly. I have told you about my morning belly cream that I'm using. This is the one I use for a nightly application. I'm sure you experienced mamas know that a good belly cream is such a relief for tight growing skin. I've been using it every single night for probably 2-3 months now (I picked it up a while back).

You know I'm a stickler for checking what's in the products that I use, and the ingredients list is as follows: Lavender Flowers, oats, soya bean oil, wheatgerm oil, coconut oil, shea butter, evening primrose oil, beeswax, tocopherol (vitamin E), lavender and palma rosa essential oils. All natural, all safe, and it smells so yummy - an herbal scent. You can see that it lasts ages - this is mine after using it for months! I do find that because it's an oil-based product that it's more perfect for night than day. I like a quick-absorbing water-based product for day. But for night, a soothing belly massage with this is just what a mama-to-be needs. And between this and the one I use in the morning, so far so good... no stretch marks (yet)!

my bump maternity has offered a giveaway for one of my readers!

The giveaway: a $25 gift certificate!

How to enter: Visit my bump maternity, and tell me what you love from the store! Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! This is the mandatory entry - do this first!

Extra entries: Bonus time! Leave a comment for each extra entry.

• Become a fan of/"like" my bump on Facebook (mention your first name and last initial in your comment). Already do? That counts!
• Follow @mybump on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
• sign up for the my bump newsletter (on the left sidebar of the my bump website). A great way to find out first about upcoming sales!
  
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
• Tweet about this giveaway (once - this is not a daily!) and leave me the permalink. You can use this for your tweet, if you like:
  

  "#Win a $25 Gift Certificate to My Bump at Emily's Latest @emilyisland. #maternity & more! @mybump http://bit.ly/afof90 US/CAN ends 11/7"

• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments. Already do? That counts!
  
• Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL. Already have it? That counts!
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to my bump – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
• Tell me your favourite maternity or nursing brand. Do you love boob like me, or have you got another one to recommend?
  

Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends November 7th at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be drawn within a day or two of the giveaway's end, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!

A big thank you to my bump for this review opportunity! I received a top to review, but was not paid for this post and the opinions are my own.

Pants!

I made these awesome tiny pants,

from this book:
I hadn't made anything like pants in - yikes - 23 years (oh, that makes me feel old). The last time was some funky board shorts we made in Home Ec class in Grade 8. Don't do the math. It will just hurt me. So I was worried that it would be hard - and these are more complicated than the ones I made way back then, with a booty that will fit over diapers, elastic at both waist and ankles, and contrasting fabric at the waist and ankle interiors, with ric-rac trim around the bottom, too.

It took about three hours (I know, I'm not a super sewer) and I did come across what I think is a mistake in the pattern (the ruffle at the bottom in the picture of the project looks like it's about 3", but I followed the directions exactly and my ruffle is quite a bit smaller), but it was surprisingly straightforward. I am really happy with them, even if my husband's first comment was "Clown pants!".

Baby will have to wait until she's 3-6 months old to wear them, but they will make me happy just sitting in her closet until then :) I am proud of myself!

There are loads of other projects in the book, many of them for older children, and I can't wait to make them!

Nursery pains

It's been a while since a personal post, so here it comes, and it's a messy one:

I'm trying really hard to figure out what the nursery is going to look like - and failing.

I managed to find a white glider secondhand (for $25! Sweet deal!), but it came with hideous and worn fabric, so I need to make a slipcover for it. The fabric for that is still a mystery to me - I guess I just need to hit Fabricland and commit to something.

aside: I *so* miss the Lens Mills stores where I used to live. Fabulous selection and cheap! Fabricland does not come close. I am not good at choosing fabric online; I really need to see and feel it, so it's got to be an in-store buy. And I keep asking myself, is it worth the hour and a half drive (and gas money) each way to go to Lens Mills? I know it's not, but, oh. I love that store. I had no idea what a blessing it was to live so close before.

The glider fabric will be a start on what the whole room will be like. I'm kind of leaning towards a bright, cheerful and eclectic mix of colours - no theme (I honestly can't stand Disney or other pre-packaged nursery themes. I know they are popular. Just not my taste). Mostly white, with hits of bright colours. Picture... a box of crayons and a few origami made with colourful Japanese paper scattered on a white twin bedsheet. (Does that make any sense?)

But where to begin when you're going for random? The furniture is all white (except a vintage maple dresser, which I can't bear to paint since I refinished it myself the summer I finished high school - I have vivid memories of the 9 layers of paint I scraped off). The walls are a neutral, pale yellowy-green. The wire alphabet I made will probably end up shiny bright red (and maybe framed, thanks to my brilliant readers). There is a turquoise branch and birds wall decal - hey, you can see the maple dresser in that post, too, and get an idea of the wall colour.

I picked up this boat mobile - another really random thing. I don't want to do a nautical motif or anything, but my husband sails and we both love the look of the vintage-style boats. So all the colour will be in the fabric for the glider, the crib bedding, things on the bookshelves, maybe a fabric pennant bunting... I'd like to do a quilt, too, if I have time and if I can figure out some semblance of a plan. I was looking at my fabric stash for a quilt and I just can't figure out what to do.

I'd also like to do some sort of wall thing above the crib where I can put up pictures and change them often, to give her something else to look at. Maybe one of those wire and clip things (or ribbon and clothes pins?). I was initially picturing vintage flash cards (I don't actually have any) - but I am certainly capable of creating images to put up, or using photos of family. I was lucky and won some Wee Gallery art cards over at Wishing Penny, so that will be a good starter set. Then the trouble is how to affix such a thing to the wall... whether to take a big frame and attach the ribbons to that, or stretch fabric over a canvas stretcher with clips sewn on, or I could even attach a set of pretty dresser knobs to the wall, say three rows the width of the crib apart, and tie ribbons to those, using clothes pins to hold up the pictures. Hm. I just don't want it to look cheesy.

I adore this nursery's colours (Project Nursery is my eye candy site lately):...but I'm not repainting the walls (I do love the colour we have). Our floor is the same natural maple as in this nursery. Maybe I should try for a pale yellow fabric for the glider, with a hit of colour in a throw pillow? I definitely want red in there as an accent colour as well, and by accent I mean a little, like you see here (okay, maybe just a little more). I like this room but for our room, it's too turquoise and has not enough small hits of colour.

I also like this little colour arrangement that I found on Design Dazzle:
- not necessarily for the specific objects, but for the visual impact of the mixed colours and white.

I feel like there are too many ideas in my head and it's not going to be cohesive (and this is exactly why people pick themes, I know). The room is very small. If I can figure out the glider cover, and get the mobile and alphabet finished and hung, the bookshelf (which we still don't have) filled with toys and books, maybe some wall shelves above the dresser and under the decal... Then I will be able to pull it all together with the quilt. Right? Right? Please tell me yes.

This is totally nesting instinct combined with decorator's block. Are you curious to see how it all works out? I sure am. I have 14-16 weeks to figure it out.

Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream - Review and Giveaway!

You may recall my recent review of Fairhaven Health's Natural Deodorant and last year's review of FertilAid for Women. I've got another great product from Fairhaven Health to share with you today!

***This giveaway is closed***
Winner: Karla

I'm about 24 weeks pregnant and it really shows! I love the belly. It is starting to get a little tight and uncomfortable, though! The tight and itchy skin is one thing, but the pregnancy feature I'm not looking forward to is stretch marks. So far, so good - none have appeared - but I do have another three-and-a-half-ish months to go!

I know it's genetic, and considering that I got some when I gained the "Freshman 15" back in the day (boo!), I'm kind of expecting to gain a few battle scars from the pregnancy. I've read that between 75-90% of women get stretch marks during pregnancy. It's probably just a matter of time for me. Meanwhile, there's no harm in doing what I can to try to prevent them! Moisturizing is key to help with the itch from the tightness and hopefully it will help prevent some of those pesky striae gravidarum (the technical term).

I've been using a couple of belly creams (more on that later), but my go-to cream for morning use is Fairhaven Health's Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream. I'm not kidding - I use this every day. The reason I love it for my morning cream is that it is water-based, so it absorbs very quickly and doesn't leave any oily marks on my clothes. It doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy, either (I really don't like that feeling and usually feel I have to wash my hands immediately after applying lotions. Not with this!). It has a very light citrus scent from natural orange extract - nothing too perfumey or strong, which is nice.

This cream, like the other products from Fairhaven Health that I have tried, is formulated with natural ingredients. I love that each ingredient has a purpose (not just fillers or chemicals to improve feel or whatever) and that I can research them and learn why they have been included. I usually do a breakdown of the ingredients in products like this, but Fairhaven Health has done a great job of this on the product page - just click the 'Ingredients' tab to read straightforward information about what's in it, and why.

The verdict isn't in whether I will get stretch marks or not, but for the time being, I find that I have very minor itching from the tight skin on my belly, and if I do start to notice it later in the day, a light application of the Dream Belly cream soothes that right away.

The little massage in applying the cream is pretty nice, too. It sometimes starts off a little dance party in my belly! And for the record, stretch marks can occur on bellies, bums, boobs and thighs - anywhere we grow during pregnancy - so my tactic is to use the cream as a general moisturizer wherever I may need it!

Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream sells for $19.95 and remember, Fairhaven Health offers free shipping to the US and Canada! (And with the Canadian dollar hitting parity, now's a great time for your cross-border online shopping!)

Fairhaven Health has offered a giveaway for one of my readers!

The giveaway: a full-size Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream!

How to enter: Visit Fairhaven Health, and tell me something that piques your interest, OR something you learned from the website. Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! This is the mandatory entry - do this first!

Extra entries: Bonus time! Leave a comment for each extra entry.

• Become a fan of/"like" FertilAid on Facebook (mention your first name and last initial in your comment). Already do? That counts!
• Follow @FertilAidAmy on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
• Tweet about this giveaway (once - this is not a daily!) and leave me the permalink. You can use this for your tweet, if you like:
  

  "#Win Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream at Emily's Latest. @emilyisland's go-to belly cream! @FertilAidAmy http://bit.ly/aVPUM6 US/CAN ends 11/1"

• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments. Already do? That counts!
  
• Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL. Already have it? That counts!
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to Fairhaven Health – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
• Let me know if you've tried a belly cream meant for stretch mark prevention - and did it work for you? If you haven't tried one yet, do you plan to?
  

Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends November 1st at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be drawn within a day or two of the giveaway's end, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!

Winner - Fairhaven Health Natural Deodorant!

Drum roll....and the winner is:Congrats! I'll be in touch.

Keep an eye out for another fantastic giveaway from Fairhaven Health coming up next week. I'll be reviewing and hosting a giveaway for Fairhaven Health's Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream! Can't wait to tell you about it and give one lucky reader the chance to win.

Meanwhile, do enter my Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach giveaway that is on now.

And a little heads up about Sibu Beauty - remember my review a little while back? - they have a special offer on now that I wanted to let you know about. It's for a three-pack of products (two of which I reviewed) at a reduced price. Click here for details!

Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach - Review and Giveaway!

We seem to go through a lot of laundry in our house, despite it just being the two of us (and the dog, of course). When the baby gets here I can only imagine that the laundry room is going to become a much more frequent destination, especially since we're planning to cloth diaper!

So, anything that makes laundry easier is great. Even better if it's a natural and/or environmentally friendly product. I've tried soap nuts, laundry & dryer balls, and various green detergents. The one thing I find with natural products is that sometimes they don't clean quite as well as the chemical ones. They're great overall, but the occasional stain doesn't come out. Now, I'm not a pre-treater, so maybe that's my fault. And we don't have a laundry line (yet?), so I'm not getting the natural bleaching benefit of sun-drying - with Canadian winters, we don't get much sun for more than half the year, anyway.

I had the opportunity to test out Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach. This is made with just two ingredients: Sodium percarbonate (essentially a dry, crystallized version of hydrogen peroxide) and soda ash (aka washing soda, which softens water). Sodium percarbonate breaks down into oxygen, water, and soda ash, which is found naturally in mineral deposits. So you're not sending nasty chemicals into the water system when you use it!

Using it for laundry: You simply add 1-2 ounces into your wash load (it comes with a little measuring scoop). I have a front loader, so there's an extra step. I dissolve an ounce of the oxygen bleach into about 2/3 cup of hot water, just using an old jam jar to mix it in, and then pour it into the liquid bleach dispenser in the washer's tray.

It has lots of other uses, which I haven't tried out yet - from scrubbing grout to cleaning carpets and lots of other household applications. You can see a whole bunch of uses (with instructions) here! I have a feeling this is the kind of cleaning tool that becomes invaluable once you start seeing what it can do!

For my laundry, I find it works well in the front loader and does improve the look of fabrics. It can remove sweat stains from shirts, organic stains from clothing (like grass and dirt) and even did a good job cleaning a white tea towel that I'd just about given up on (food stains can be so difficult to get out!). Our towels come out nice and white. It is also colour-safe (pre-test first, if you're worried - I use it on our light and medium coloured loads but not on the darks).

I was really impressed by the size of the product for the price. For $23.99 (USD), you get 6 lbs (or, 96 oz). That's enough for 96 (lightly soiled) wash loads. Of course, you can always increase the amount you're using for dirtier clothes - and I LOVE that it has instructions right on the package for use with cloth diapers and even cloth feminine pads!

Tropical Traditions has generously offered one of my readers the chance to try the Oxygen Bleach for free!

The giveaway:
A 96 oz. tub of Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach!

How to enter: Head over to Tropical Traditions and let me know one other thing you'd like to try, OR one thing that you learned there. Make sure I've got a way to contact you if you're the winner!

Extra entries (please leave an extra comment for each. If you already do any of these things, leave the comment - you do get the entry for it!):

• Subscribe via email to the Tropical Traditions newsletter
  
• Follow @troptraditions on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Tweet about this giveaway for ONE entry, this is not a daily! You can use this if you like:

  Win non-chlorine Oxygen Bleach from @TropTraditions at Emily's Latest @emilyisland http://bit.ly/c1SCUy US/CAN 10/20 -great 4 #clothdiapers!
  

• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
• Add my blog button to your blog– 2 entries, leave 2 comments (please leave a link to your blog)
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to Tropical Traditions – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
  

I will be verifying comments so please actually do the things you say you do ☺ If you already do any of these things, it still counts for entries!

Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends October 20th at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn the next day, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!

Prize will be shipped by sponsor. Note for Canadian entrants: Tropical Traditions is not responsible for customs or duties that Canada may charge if you decide to participate in this Tropical Traditions sponsored blog giveaway. (FYI - it's unlikely to have a charge, being well under the $60 that incurs duty charges. There was no extra charge on my bottle, which came to Canada quickly and packaged well.)

The Alphabet (I need your input!).

I'm desperate to start playing nursery - but am feeling kind of stuck, as we still need a lot of stuff (glider, bookcase, rug, crib mattress are the big things). Meanwhile, I've been assuaging the nesting instinct by crocheting a baby blanket and a cute hat and infant mittens.

I've seen some really nice alphabet collections on nursery design websites - where people have collected letters from different places and made a very eclectic grouping on the wall. I love that.

Here's an example of what I mean, from the great site Project Nursery:Isn't that awesome? I love how colourful it is. BUT - I'm not sure I have the time (or budget) to go that route - imagine, if each letter costs between $5 and $10, that's $130-260, and if it ends up being hard to find, say, a Q and a Z, I'm left with an incomplete alphabet. If I go with eBay or other online shopping for letters, add 26 x shipping to that cost and it really gets prohibitive.

So my big idea was to do the alphabet in cursive, in wire. I picked up some galvanized wire at the hardware store (a whopping $3.47) and spent some time watching tv and bending wire. Here's how it turned out:

Wow, looks really unprofessional in comparison. sigh.

I left the switchplate in the photo for scale - it's pretty big! Don't mind the tape; I'd like to make sure my husband's with me on this one (he liked the collected alphabet idea, not so keen on the wire one going by my description) before I hang it - after all, he has to live with it, too. You really can't get a sense of the colour on the wall by this photo, either - it's not a greyish pinky yellow at all. It's Behr's Tiddley Pom (from their Disney collection), and it's a very, very pale and almost neutral yellowy-green.

The other thing I was thinking of doing was getting my husband to spray paint it. I was thinking bright, shiny red, but could go with another colour (it would be fun to do the rainbow colours, one for each row, but I'm not sure I really want to buy 5 cans of spray paint just for this).

What do you think -

• Spray paint (colour ideas?) or leave it?
  
• Should I abandon the wire idea, and - sucks to the budget - try for a collection?
  
• Should I give up on both and pick up an alphabet print from some Etsy seller (like FancyPrints or Ink Tree Press) and frame it Ikea style? (again, a pricier option)

update: see the finished alphabet & nursery here!

4 months

According to my due date, four months from today we will welcome a new member of our family. Someone we've waited and wished for for years. Someone who's had a name since we first started dating. Someone who's already loved.

I can't wait to meet her and find out who she is.

Random thoughts about the belly, apples, & the nursery.

Oh, the belly! I love it. Baby is kicking often now - my husband got to feel her the last time he was home. Some days it seems like it's all day long.

This is at 21 weeks (last Saturday). Still not huge, I guess, but sometimes I feel huge already! Things are getting harder, like putting socks on, sleeping comfortably, getting up from lying down, and getting my pants to stay up (!). I have one of those Bella Bands, which helps, but the maternity jeans just don't want to stay put, and neither do leggings. I'm the wrong shape for pants now that I have no waist! I saw a really hideous pair of maternity overalls at the mall the other day... ha! No, I won't be that mama! I can't really imagine much that is less flattering than giant overalls with a giant belly underneath. (Sorry if I have any overall-wearing readers. It's just not that attractive to me.) But hey, at least they'd stay up...

I splurged on a couple of maternity bras, but I find they're not that comfortable. Not only that, they aren't even pretty, so I'm not suffering for fashion's sake. Now I wish I had gone somewhere other than the only maternity store within a 40-minute drive to get properly fitted. The employees at Thyme probably felt like they were being helpful, but convincing me that the band was really not too tight and the bra would stretch ended up being a bad move. I was right all along, it's too tight and it's not stretching out. I'm on the last hooks and I don't want to have to buy a bra extender when I just dumped $60 on new bras. And now I am bitter about it, and mad at myself for backing down about the sizing. Sigh.

So with all these wardrobe malfunctions - I definitely am not in the mood to go buy a bunch more maternity clothes. I've borrowed a few pieces from friends - but I might have to pick up another pair of pants just so I'm not wearing the same jeans every day. Luckily for me, working at home means that I don't have to dress up (ever), so jeans and my Moody Mamas lounge pants are pretty much my standard now. I have a few tops that I like (I wear that one from Bumblewee all the time, and a couple of Boob tops that are great).

I bought a bushel of apples on the weekend at the market. A bushel looks small in the open air, but that is a LOT of apples. I've made applesauce, two apple crisps, apple cookies, apple muffins, and have a plan for apple bread tomorrow in the bread machine. There are still more apples. I've been eating them, too... I may just bake the rest into batches of muffins and stash them in the freezer.

We set up the crib on the weekend - now the nursery has an empty crib (no mattress yet) and an empty dresser. It's pretty barren in there. We're looking for a bookcase (something like the Cameron ones from Pottery Barn would be ideal, if we could only find them for 1/3 the price), and a glider yet. It seems like there is a lot of time to do these things, but when I think about it, there isn't... With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, and my husband only being home every other weekend, we don't have too many days that we can go hunting together for baby stuff.

Otherwise things are pretty quiet.

Btw, have you entered the latest giveaway yet? You can win natural deodorant from Fairhaven Health. If you think about the nasty ingredients in your standard deodorant, you might want to consider trying something that is a lot less harmful. Why not try it for free by winning it here? Low entries so far, so odds are in your favour! The link's up at the top left.

About Swagbucks...

I just cashed in for my 19th redemption... so far I've picked up $45 in Amazon gift certificates and $100 worth of Starbucks cards.

If you're not using Swagbucks as a search engine, I can't imagine why not. It's free to use, simple, and you end up with some really nice little treats as a bonus just for doing your regular searches online.

I usually go for the Starbucks cards and the Amazon codes because I know I can use them in Canada. If you're in the States, there are lots more prizes available. There are lots more for Canada as well, btw, those are just the ones I like!

It's a nice little luxury for me to get a Starbucks card in the mail - I love their drinks but usually have guilt over spending the money. The card lets me treat myself and my husband, guilt-free.

How does Swagbucks work? Well, you sign up (free), and simply use their site to do your searches instead of Google or whatever. Random searches are rewarded with varying amounts of Swagbucks, and the Swagbucks add up until you can redeem them for prizes. You can also download the toolbar. I have the toolbar for Firefox on my Mac, and find it easier to use than remembering to hit the site for searches.

You can earn even more Swagbucks if you pay a little attention; they release codes on their Twitter, blog, and Facebook, as well as on the toolbar. (I usually miss those because I forget to look.) The numbers add up pretty fast if you just use it to search.

Anyway, if you decide to sign up, I'd be honoured if you'd use my referral link. I know some bloggers have a zillion referrals to SB - I don't - but I'd love some more.

Natural (Pregnancy) Deodorant - Review & Giveaway!

***This giveaway is closed***
Winner: Tirza!

You may recall my previous review for FairHaven Health - this is the company that makes the FertilAid preconception supplements that my husband and I were taking when we conceived!

Besides fertility products, FairHaven Health also has products for pregnancy and nursing. I have been lucky enough to get to try out a couple of the pregnancy products.

The product for today's review and giveaway is the Natural Pregnancy Deodorant.
***Before I get too far, I want to say that although this is marketed towards the pregnant, you don't have to be up the duff to use it. Anyone interested in natural products or concerned about nasty chemicals in standard deodorants should try it!

If you've done any reading about deodorants and anti-perspirants, you may have learned some scary things. Regular deodorants (the big brands you'll see at the drugstore) contain not only parabens but also aluminum. Parabens, in case you forgot, are those pesky chemicals used to deliver scents which also are xenoestrogens (they mimic the hormone estrogen) and are associated with breast cancer. Aluminum, as we all know, is a neurotoxin and its cumulative absorption increases the risk of Alzheimers. Um, no thanks!

FairHaven Health's Natural Pregnancy Deodorant is paraben- and aluminum- free. Phew. It contains a whole pile of recognizable ingredients and some I didn't recognize. So I'm going to go through them and see just what they are (my comments in blue):

Water, Saccharomyces Ferment (a yeast extract that improves the barrier function of the skin, stimulates elastin production, and defends against ozone and free radicals), Potassium Sorbate (a preservative that is non-toxic and inhibits the development of microorganisms), Hydroxyethylcellulose (a plant-derived gelling agent), Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract (anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory), Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract (anti-inflammatory and astringent), Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil (anti-bacterial), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil (acts as a binder, increases viscosity, and is a skin conditioner), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Benzyl Alcohol (a plant extract which prevents bacterial growth - often used in IV solutions), Sodium Benzoate (this is a preservative which has concentration restrictions in cosmetic products because it does have negative effects at high doses), Sodium Gluconate (a binder made from glucose; non-toxic and biodegradable), Citric Acid (a natural preservative).

Now that we know what's in it, I'll tell you about my experience. I have been using deodorants and anti-perspirants interchangeably for, oh, let's say just over 20 years. I've tried the gels and the sticks, although I haven't tried sprays (I don't really want to inhale aerosols). I usually find one I like the scent of and use that for a while until I tire of it and move on. With all the information I've been accumulating lately about harmful ingredients in skin care products (again I'm recommending everyone go watch CBC's documentary The Disappearing Male), it has occurred to me that I might want to re-evaluate my thinking on stink sticks.

I've been tempted to make my own deodorant but never seem to find the inclination, even though I do have the ingredients (apparently all you need is coconut oil, corn starch & baking soda, with essential oils for scent if desired). I've searched the store shelves for an alternative without success - granted, I do live in a fairly small town. I've tried that crystal deodorant a couple of times over the years and it simply doesn't work for me. So I approached this with a little skepticism.

My result: it does work - with some exceptions. On regular days, it works just great. On super hot days like we had here a couple weeks ago (37C and up plus humidex), it didn't work for me.

One thing I did notice was that switching from an anti-perspirant to a deodorant recalled to me the difference between the two. A deodorant, of course, is a stink fighter (best case) but does not prevent perspiration. An anti-perspirant stops the sweating (best case) and uses scents to mask any odour that does occur. So this being a deodorant, I remembered what it's like to sweat. But if your sweat doesn't smell because of the deodorant, and you're not a heavy sweater (I'm not, unless it's crazy hot), no biggie.

This product is a liquid in a roller-ball applicator. You give it a quick shake and then apply. It's clear (YAY, no more white marks on clothing... I hate that!) and smells like nothing, really. And at the end of the day, I smell like nothing, really. Which is just about perfect to me. It dries fairly quickly - you're not immediately dry like a stick applicator, but it's dry long before I finish applying makeup and drying my hair. Also, it doesn't cake up like the pasty kinds sometimes do... I mean how embarrassing is it to lift your arm and see white chunks in there? Ickkkk.

Overall, I really like the Natural Pregnancy Deodorant. I don't have that guilty feeling in the morning that I got when I knew I was applying something harmful but hadn't sought out an appropriate alternative. I like that I don't smell like some industry nose's version of "Fiji" or synthetic vanilla or whatever; I just smell clean and like myself.

You can buy it for $6.95 at Fairhaven Health (and get free shipping!). That's about a buck more than the drugstore brand I used to buy, and so far from my experience, it looks like it will last quite a while (ie months). I'd say going guilt-, aluminum- and paraben-free is worth an extra buck.

Fairhaven Health has also offered a giveaway for one of my readers!

The giveaway: a full-size Natural Pregnancy Deodorant!

How to enter: Visit Fairhaven Health, and tell me something that piques your interest, OR something you learned from the website. Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! This is the mandatory entry - do this first!

Extra entries: Bonus time! Leave a comment for each extra entry.

• Become a fan of/"like" FertilAid on Facebook (mention your first name and last initial in your comment)
• Follow @FertilAidAmy on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Tweet about this giveaway (once - this is not a daily!) and leave me the permalink. You can use this for your tweet, if you like:
  

  "#Win Natural Pregnancy Deodorant (aluminum and paraben free!) at Emily's Latest @emilyisland @FertilAidAmy http://bit.ly/aSaC2c ends 10/6"

• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
• Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to Fairhaven Health – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
• Let me know if you've tried any natural deodorants, or tried making your own - and did it work for you? I'm just being curious here.
  

Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends October 6th at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be drawn within a day or two of the giveaway's end, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!