My Cutie Pa Tutu

Oh how I dreamed if the days long before having my daughter. I saw myself dolling her up and snapping photos. And now here I am, living that exact scenario almost daily. It's addicting. And the nice thing is she loves it too, and when we're done she's so pooped and ready for a long nap!

People joked with me before having my daughter and said she wouldn't get to wear all the clothes I was getting for her. Little did they know me! Lil' J has a new outfit on every day, and sometimes we do outfit changes midday, just because. We're getting use out of these clothes, that's for sure!

I'm a girlie girl and I imagine she'll grow up to be a tomboy because of all of the bows and dress froofroo I'm putting her in, she may be sick of by the time she's old enough to pick her own clothes.

Yesterday evening I took her out in the front yard and snapped a few photos in one of our favorite tutus.

I make a lot of her tutus myself, but I can't make them this cute, filled with the bright adorable little pom poms inside (so she can't eat them), and a bow facing correctly. This one is by Cutie Pa Tutus and it was specially made for her. The Ladybug theme goes perfect with her quilt, made by Lil' J's great-grandma, and her nickname.

Cutie Pa Tutus also recently launched their new adorable pa tutu onesies line with bling like this one, and they're just as affordable as their tutus. You can also get 20% off right now through the 15th by using the code: "babymakin".So here we were, my daughter in I. Lying on the grass, and playing. The sun was setting so the lighting was great, and I snapped a photo capturing this beautiful moment between my daughter and I. My eyes teared and my heart swelled when I looked down at my camera display showing my sweet little girl.

It blows my mind how fast my she is growing, and how much time we have yet to experience together, I pray, in this life, and know in the life to come.

I've always heard people say children are a blessing but I didn't realize exactly what they meant until I had my own.

I am so blessed. I'm living the dream.

Everyone who comments on this post before October 14th at 11:59pm will be entered to win a pa tutu of choice from Cutie Pa Tutu. For an extra entry follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter.
*Thanks Cutie Pa Tutu for sponsoring the review/giveaway!

50 Weeks Pregnant

I'll never forget how I felt looking in the mirror at myself for the first time after having my baby.

"Spawnie" was gone. And in her place I was given a chunky, round, very noisy and squirmy stranger.

I felt like I had lost a part if me. Or like a loved one had died. I had grown so close to the baby inside of me and this baby in her place just wasn't the same.

It took me a little while to overcome these emotions. I loved my child but missed my pregnant belly. Missed the kicks from within my tummy. Missed the tiny hiccups and watching her try to break loose.

I was falling in love with my daughter on the outside but still longed for the baby inside. In this transition I found the best of both worlds in baby-wearing.

I remember the first time I noticed someone wearing a baby. I was at church and the woman had what looked like her four-year-old sharing a shirt with her.

It looked uncomfortable and I couldn't help but stare.

As I noticed more and more people carrying their babies around in hands-free devices I became more curious. They really look quite brilliant! Before having my daughter I got my hands on every type of carrier I could find. I know me and I'm a trial and error kind of person. I also like variety.

Wraps were one of the most intriguing ones to me. The tiny babies always looked the most cozy in those. But they looked the most complicated. One long piece of fabric and I was supposed to figure out how to get it on me and get my baby safely in it.

Slings looked the easiest. Just stick the baby in and you're done. Because of this, I decided to try my sling first. After Lil' J was born I stuck her in and we fell in love. Since she didn't like me to put her down, it was the first time I was able to open my computer and get some things done.

A few days later I got brave enough to try my Sugar Sweet Baby wrap.

I watched a few YouTube videos showing me how to put a wrap on and how to put my baby in it. After watching a few demonstrations I got it down. I tried it a couple of times to get the hang of it and it was really a piece of cake.

When I looked at us in the mirror I noticed I had my baby belly back. Only now my baby was on the outside.

She was cozy in the not-too-stretchy bamboo fabric. And I wasn't overheating. Even in the Texas heat. The best part was I had my hands free to move around the house, and when I did she fell right asleep.

I've worn this thing on all 7 of our flights, and on all but the last she slept through the whole trip! (the last one she wanted to smile and talk to the flight attendants).

During a family reunion I was able to eat while she slept. At BlogHer in New York City she was able to meet people and explore the world from my point of view. And on numerous trips to the grocery store, she gets to escape from her carseat (which she can't stand) and stay close to me as we shop.

A friend asked me what my most practical baby item was and with almost no hesitation I was able to say my Sugar Sweet Baby wrap. I was freaking out about not having a stroller the first month of her life but I honestly didn't need one. Now it's my new go-to item for baby showers.

I'm turning into a big softy... I love having her close to me, more so for me and my comfort than hers. All I have to do is lean over a little and I'm able to kiss her forehead and smell her hair. and she loves it too. I'd say 98% of the time she goes to sleep within minutes of me wrapping her up on me. She's close to my heart and can smell mommy too.

So now I'm on the other side of the fence. I'M the one getting the sometimes-crazy looks (four different strangers asked me if i was carrying a doll--yea, cause I'm that weird) when I'm at the store with her wrapped around me. But most of the time in getting compliments on the idea and how pretty it is.

Now it's so easy to put on I can do it in the dark. Sometimes I put it on before leaving the house and just stick her in it when we get to our destination. Here we are at the nature park.

I sure do miss being pregnant, even though I have my baby now. But until I'm pregnant again I at least get a glimpse of the joy I felt every time I put Little Spawnie in her wrap.

Everyone who comments on this post will be entered to win a Sugar Sweet Baby wrap of their choice. Leave an extra comment if you follow @SugarSweetBaby on Twitter, on Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter via SugarSweetBaby.com.

I noticed a few commenters asking how easy it really is so I recorded this quick video to show you. Lil' J is normally all gussied up but we just finished having some nakey time so don't mind her in her diaper!

You have until 11:59 pm on September 17th to enter. I'll draw a winner using Random.org. Good luck!
***
Winner of the $200 photo session from Grand Felicity Photography: #10 Jess from My Silly Monkeys. Congrats! I'll email you to get in touch with the sponsor.
Mention my blog to get 25% off Grand Felicity Photography Packages!

Giving My Husband a Break from Cleaning: Maid Service Giveaway

I've always dreamed about how nice it would be if we had a maid. Granted, at times it seems as though my husband fits the description really well (I'm lucky I know) sometimes I'd like to give him a break.

I wanted a deep cleaning of our townhome before Lil' J is born, so we could sit back and relax, knowing all the little nooks and crannys were cleaned and taken care of. I was worried my urge to nest may never kick in... It's just not me, so I thought it would be a good idea to get some help.

BidMyCleaning.com contacted me a while ago about doing a review. And boy have I been excited to give it! I had never hired a cleaners before... Heck, I was a custodian for a little bit in college, so having someone else (besides my husband) clean for me was surely a treat!
If you've ever tried to hire a maid before you'd know it can be a pain. You have to call around and get quotes from people as many companies don't put their prices on the web. Personally, I'd just like to know up front how much I'm paying and not have to call a million different people and give them my information over and over again to find out that it's way out of my price range in the end.

BidMyCleaning makes it SUPER easy to check everyone's prices at one time, and choose the best cleaning lady (or dude or group of people) for you.

I just went on the site, browsed around and decided which type of cleaning I wanted. I decided to go with the most thorough and get the "one time annual cleaning" which gets everything from between the sofas, inside the fridge, cleaning all the windows, you name it.
Then, I plugged in all of my information and opted to use "eco-friendly" cleaners. I figure with a baby coming it doesn't hurt to try to use less-toxic materials in our home.
On the next page BidMyCleaning.com broke it down and showed me different maid services in my area. It compared their prices, services, and ratings. All things that would take me hours to individually find out by looking up, researching and calling each one.
I chose the one which I liked best based on reviews and price... The Picky Maid. I set up the date and time I wanted them to come over all on the same site, there was no switching around to different websites to get this all set up.I completed my transaction, which was a piece of cake, and BidMyCleaning set up the service for us. Sweet! One stop shopping! I got confirmation emails and calls and sure enough they showed up when I was 38 weeks pregnant, ready to make my day!

And they did a great job! The maid service didn't charge me until the job was done, and they guarantee their services 100%, which that satisfaction guarantee made me feel a lot better about choosing them.

I went out that day to get my hair and nails done so I was pleasantly surprised when I came home and everything looked amazing. I just wish I could hire a maid every month (and maybe that I had had them come over closer to my due date)! Everything smelled so good, like lemons, and I wasn't inhaling bleach-smell like I probably would had my husband cleaned the shower.

If you are in the market for a cleaners, you can actually search on their site for routine cleanings too, there are different, lower prices for that, and on other cleanings depending on how deep of a cleaning you want. It's easy to just hit the back button and change things around to get the quote you're looking for.

BidMyCleaning.com is free, so that's also a plus!

Be sure to check out the site! Also you can follow @bidmycleaning on twitter and Like BidMyCleaning on Facebook. They also have a BidMyCleaning blog.

In fact, BidMyCleaning is letting me give away a $100 certificate to their site to use for a cleaning service! My deep cleaning (I chose the most expensive service) was just $150 so we got A LOT for the money!

In order to enter just check out their site and use their search feature to let me know a maid service that's in your area! You can just tell me in the comments. That's all!

You can get an extra entry if you are a blog follower of mine, and/or if you follow BidMyCleaning on Twitter or Facebook AND let them know you heard about them from my blog!

I'll use Random.org to choose a winner July 17th (extended) at 11:59pm
(wow, I'll have a baby then!) Good luck!

*Thanks to BidMyCleaning for letting me try out the service at a discounted rate, and for sponsoring the giveaway. As always, opinions expressed are mine alone.

Pregnancy Belly Cast: An Experience I'll Never Forget

Before I even found out I was pregnant I made a conscious decision to not take a moment for granted. Enjoy every spout with morning sickness, every kick to the rib, and all the changes I see in my body.

From my cankles, to my big belly, to my outtie, I'm loving it all! (I just said I love my cankles... Wow. But it's true!)

One thing I've always wanted to do is find a way to preserve the shape of my belly. I KNOW belly casts are weird to some people... In fact, my husband gave me a crazy look when I told him he was going to help me with mine and asked "what's the point?" All I can say is I wanted the experience, whether we decide to save it a long time or not, and it would be fun to say I did.

I looked up lots of different belly casts and I wasn't really into some of the styles. Here's some different variations:

(source)

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My husband was leery of me doing one because he didn't want my "boobs showing."

(source)

So I was really excited when I found the Belly Vita Belly Cast Kit from Maternitique.
I tweeted about it a couple of days ago and people were like "your bellycast has clothes on!" But I like it that way, it's a pretty cast but a little more modest if that's your style... And that FOR SURE is my husband's style.

Speaking of his prudeness... He didn't let me take pictures when he was helping me do my cast. I was trying to sneak one, but I couldn't get to my camera. I asked him to take a photo for me so we could remember the experience and he said "No, cause it'll end up on your blog or Facebook or something"... he knows me too well.

So no photos of the process but I'll tell you how it went.

It was SO easy to do! I guess the normal casts use strips and take awhile to dry, this one was so easy to do (and more modest-looking) because it used one piece of cloth to dip in the mixture and lay on my body.

The woman in the photo in my instructions had a bra on so I was like "oh I'll wear my bra too." I grabbed an old one I'd be ok with throwing away just in case.
Then we went to work! The includes some pampering time for mom. There's a nice aromatherapy oil that comes with it that he rubs on first (I made sure to read that part loud and clear so he knew it was a major step in the process).

After that he mixed the water, powder, and a pinch of salt as instructed, and mixed it up before adding the cloth.

We put the cloth on and went crazy fitting it right blow my collarbone and down around my belly. It dries super fast, which I think is another difference between the normal kind. It was pretty much dry after 10 minutes but we waited 30 to be sure it was done before pulling it off.

Getting it off was the worst part. The lady in the picture had what looked like saran wrap but we didn't have any, so it pulled my peach fuzz out when we were taking it off. It was kind of funny cause here I am tearing up as my husband is trying to pull off this huge cast stuck to my huge stomach, and he's asking me if I want an epidural.

He kept making me laugh but every time I'd laugh it would pull against my skin some more, and then I'd scream OOW! It's an experience we'll remember forever, that's for sure!

We got it off of my body, but the bra I had on got stuck inside the cast so we unsnapped it to get it all the way off of me. My husband then suggested I leave it like that... With the bra inside and just wear it out as a shirt from time to time as a Gaga-like fashion statement.

Here's how it looked right after we were done!The next day I primed the cast but I was pretty sure I wasn't going to paint it like some people do. I'm not a good painter and I didn't want to ruin it. One of my friends on Twitter said she has a painter friend who may make hers look like a ladybug.. The theme of the nursery. I think that would be so cute!

I decided to leave mine white and add a pink bow. I'm very happy with how it turned out, and it already has a nice spot on the ledge in the nursery.Soooo... What do you think of my cast?

Maternitique, the company I got the Belly Vita from, is an excellent online store for women. Their mission is to help women look their best, feel their best and do their best throughout pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Their goal is to help inspire happier mothers, easier births, healthier babies and a safer world—and to do it with uncompromising style.
To that end, they choose products designed for modern women that combine the best of science and traditional wellness—what we call "maternity evolved, naturally." They carefully select natural brands that are safe for you and your baby. They also guarentee your purchase 100%! So they back what they say! Learn more about them by following @Maternitique on twitter or by "Liking" Maternitique on Facebook.
Maternitique has items for every woman, not just moms or pregnant women. Not only do they have items for the nursery and postpartum, they have lots of beauty products for any woman!

They're generously giving one of my blog readers a $50 gift certificate to Maternitique. Just visit their shop and let me know what you'd like to get.

If you follow them on Twitter or "Like" them on facebook, and let them know you found them from my blog, leave an extra comment letting me know each for extra chances to win. My blog followers also get an extra entry.

Giveaway ends June 20th at 11:59pm.
Random.org will choose a winner!

*Thanks Maternitique for sending me the BellyVita to review, and sponsoring this giveaway! As usual, opinions expressed are mine alone*

Making Diaper Bags Look Cool

I never thought I'd be excited to tote around a diaper bag, but I was getting mine organized this week with diapers and such this week and I got all giddy and excited to see how nicely they are all coming together.

I think I have about three diaper bags, two are pink and one is black and pink! My favorite is my Parazul bag, which is so stinkin stylish and I think will keep me feeling like a woman when I have poop all over me and stuff!This handy clutch I have coming out of my diaper bag is a diaper clutch from ModMomMe. Technically I don't need the full diaper bag since the clutch is pretty much all-encompassing, it holds my wipes, diapers, and it's a changing pad. Adorable, no?
It's great especially for women who don't like bulky diaper bags, or just any mom on the go. I haven't put a baby on mine yet but I play with it a lot (yes, I'm a dork) and I'm so excited to use it. I know it's weird but I'm excited to change diapers. I've changed HUNDREDS (I worked in daycare for years... Changing 20 two-year-olds ever 2 hours adds up!) but I'm excited to change my own baby for once!So who designed this cute clutch? My girl Kristen from ModMomMe. We actually went to high school together! We didn't know each other at the time but it's a small world to realize we had some of the same friends! I'm so happy for her, and she's also up for a Leading Moms in Business Award! I voted for her and if you like her clutch you can too, it seriously only takes one second!

Oh, and I bought the cute matching ladybug wipes case that goes inside it from Turtle Taylor ($8).

Ok but back to my cute clutch... This all-in-one changing pad was uniquely designed and handmade by Kristen, with practically and functionality influencing every aspect of it's design. The WipeME 'N DipeME Clutch has everything the active mom needs!
The clutch's strap easily slides over your wrist or snaps onto your stroller. It opens up to a large wipeable changing pad layered with PUL and soft cotton batting for a cush on the tush. The changing pad includes a fold down diaper pocket, featuring 2 elastic straps to hold the wipes case in place. When the daunting task is over simply fold the pocket and sides in and secure it with the velcro closure.

Learn more about ModMomMe by following @ModMomME on Twitter or by checking out her blog. You can also check out the ModMomMe Facebook Page where there's a giveaway right now for her Etsy anniversary!

Check out her shop for more fun items like binky clips, keychains, nursing covers, doggie (or baby) poo bags, and more!

In fact, check out her site and let me know your favorite item! She's offered to do a giveaway for a clutch from her shop for my Full Term of Giveaways! That's a $35 value! You can choose whichever one your want! Just leave a comment and you're entered!

If you also follow @ModMomMe on Twitter, or "like" her on facebook and let her know you saw her on my blog you can get an extra entry (for each). My blog followers also get an extra entry!

Contest ends June 17th at 11:59pm! Random.org will choose the winner! Good Luck!

*These are my opinions alone! Thanks ModMomeMe for sponsoring the review item and giveway item!*

Virtual Baby Shower Finalie: Baby Girl's Nursery

The room isn't COMPLETELY done yet, but I'd say about 90% is. I still want to get some vinyl lettering (I'm such a Mormon) for above her bedroom and bathroom doors. I'm not big on "Princess" but I found one I LOVE that says "Princess: Daughter of a Heavenly King" and I think that would be PERFECT! Just gotta find the right size, and once again make a plaque for it.

I need to lower the mobile so she can actually see it, I hope to do that in the next few weeks.
I'm also working on finishing the decorations that go up on this ledge but I've made good progress. I'm making a mini-mobile to go in a white birdcage I got to go up there, I'm stringing some more paper butterflies inside it to make it a "butterfly cage."
I didn't show it off yet cause I was waiting to get it set up right but finally, here's the crib bedding I ordered from ArtisticSensations.com.
What do you think? I said if I was having a girl I wouldn't settle on bedding and I didn't!

I added the big satin bows to the bumpers because they came with smaller ones than I wanted, but I think the ones I put on look nice! I'm going to sew them on once Baby Girl gets big enough to crawl around and tries to pull them off but for now they'll do tied on!

I got some extra pink and green fitted sheets at Ikea, four for $16, so I'll use those when she pukes/pees/poops on these and it's in the wash. She will be sleeping in a bassinet for a while before she moves to her crib though so they'll be able to stay nice and clean.
Kim, the owner of Artistic Sensations was way cool in working with me on ordering my bedding. I was very picky and only had one picture for her to go by as far as what I wanted it to look like and they did a good job. It wasn't free, I saved for this baby, but it's so worth it!

Now she's helping me spice up the nursery in adding some artwork to the room to match her bedding! There's three choices and whatever you vote for is what I get! So help me pick the cutest one! Oh, and if you vote, you'll also be entered to win a set for your own room! If you have a boy or different taste it's ok, there's TONS of choices on their site to choose from, it's a $155 value!

Here's the choices for Spawnie's room.

(Choice 1)

(Choice 2 below)

(Choice 3 below)I really don't have a preference, and if you've been reading awhile you know how indecicive I am! It's impossible to choose, so since I like them all, and narrowed it down to these, I'll let you choose!

And to get a more up-close look at the nursery bedding, here's a video!

Kim, the woman behind Artistic Sensations has always wanted to have her own business with a creative twist and the perfect fit is in the home décor and design arena. "What could be more fun than getting to pick products for your customers that you would pick for yourself or your child’s room and marketing them with passion," she said. "In addition, I wanted a business where I would be available to my children for their activities, to be there when they woke up and went to sleep. Selling custom bedding, furniture, room décor and furnishings from baby to college age on the Internet is exciting and different every day. Its pretty fulfilling to create children’s dream rooms with unique, customized, high quality products that I would use for my own children."

She has two sons, two yellow labs (which are also boys) and her husband therefore the "queen of the castle." She and her family always look forward to the weekends and they try to do a fun activity or dinner together.

You can learn more about her by following @Kidsroomdecor on twitter or by checking out their Artistic Sensations Facebook Store.

{New Mama Advice}

"Smile. Breathe. Take time for yourself too. Everyday is a gift. My kids teach me to view the world with open eyes and treat every day with gratitude and happiness. There is nothing better than loving on your new baby and hugging on them as they get older. Enjoy every minute. Remember how they smell. Smother them with kisses. I know it sounds cliché, but its all so precious. Every single day of it."

So, want to win some art for you own room? You can win 3-4 Pieces of art like Spawnie's worth $155! Just vote for Spawnie's (right sidebar) AND let me know what you like from Artistic Sensations in the comments! Here's some more of the imagination square art choices.

For an extra entry leave a piece of new mommy advice or let me know what you think of Spawnie's nursery so far!

The poll and giveaway ends June 11th at 11:59pm.
Random.org will choose a winner! Good Luck!

*I was not compensated for writing the bedding review. The giveaway and contest for Spawnie's art is sponsored by Artistic Sensations.*

I Can't Make Things This Cute: Mimi's Babies Giveaway

I shop too much. I went from being an Etsy browser to an avid Etsy shopper with a serious addiction. Luckily I had some money saved in my Paypal account to help with my constant splurging but sadly that money is near depletion and it won't be much longer that I'll be able to hide my addition from my husband. ... Transactions and the fact that I've become very good friends with our UPS delivery man... Blake, may give him a hunch I have a problem.
What am I ordering? Everything from diapers on sale, room decor for the nursery, clothes, oh my!

Mostly things I can't make myself, cause I have a new love for making things, especially when it ends up costing me way less.

One thing I can't do that I want to learn is how to crochet cute little hats and shoes and things. I think I'd officially feel like a nesting mom with my little ball of yarn in my rocking chair.

But until then, I'll leave it up to the pros. Like Mimi's Babies.I LOVE this picture. I can't believe I'm going to have one of these in a matter of weeks. I'm so excited, thrilled, terrified, and in doubt! Oooh, I can't wait!!

The bow on that little girl's head is from an Etsy shop run my Charissa and her mother in law, Mimi. Mimi makes all the sewn and monogrammed items in their Etsy shop including the cutest monogrammed birthday shirts.Crocheting and knitting are Charissa's things. Her Mom to taught her to crochet and for the past 20 years, she's collected, used, and created with yarn. "Now I have so much fun making crochet flower hair-clips, beanies, and baby shoes" she said.
I love these shoes she makes for little ones, she says it's the most time consuming to make, but they're so cute and worth it when they make it on little feet!

Charissa has been married for 9 years to Josh and they have three sons (now all proudly potty trained) ages from 8 to 3."Spending time with family and going to my son's baseballs games are my favorite things to do. My youngest son gets really excited when it is time to put on his 'bay-ball' shirt. This year my oldest two are playing baseball and the games are so much fun!" She said.

{New Mama Advice}

"The best piece of advice I can offer is to relax and enjoy every stage. When I was in a prenatal class before my oldest was born, one of the instructors said 'Remember everything is a stage. It might be a good stage or it might be a bad stage, but they will grow out of it either way.' If it a good stage, enjoy and cherish it. If it is a trying stage, remember this too shall pass."

Great advice!

To find out more about them be sure to check out their Mimi's Babies Facebook Page, follow @Mimisbabiesetsy on twitter and take a peek at their blog Mimi's Babies Gifts.

This is my second to last virtual baby shower giveaway and she's offering a $15 gift certificate to her shop! You can get all of the things I've pictured for under $15!

To enter just leave a comment letting me know your favorite item in her shop. Leave a piece of new mama advice for another entry, or tell me if you're as excited about mail as I am or if you just think I'm weird.

Contest ends May 30th at 11:59pm.
Random.org will choose the winner, good luck!

My next post will be the CLOSE OUT of my Virtual Baby Shower! I hope you've enjoyed it, don't miss my next post tonight, I'll be revealing Spawnie's nursery and having a $155 giveaway!

Thinking Ahead: Spawnie's 1st Bday Party Themes

I know it's crazy, but I'm already day dreaming about Spawnie's first birthday party. No, she's not born yet and I'm already debating between ladybug theme or butterfly theme, and picturing the cake and what she'll wear. I'm THAT CRAZY.

I'm big into princesses, but I think those parties are best served, and more enjoyed by older girls. I love looking at adorable invites, coordinating napkin holders and cupcake flags, party banners, it's just too much! And moms throwing parties these days seem so much more coordinated. Back when I was young pinatas, party hats, and kazoos weren't uncommon. Now, from photos I've seen from friend's parties, moms have got it together and got it looking cute!

Luckily I know people, people like Jen who design party goodies and decor to use to create a fun party theme. I think I'll be chatting with her when it's time for me to narrow down a theme.

I'm not crafty, I'm good at pretending like I am but really, it's all an act.

Jen, however, fell into my craft when she was planning her August 2008 wedding. She's been involved with art her entire life, starting with drawing and painting when she was 5 years old. After she graduated college, she got a freelance job with a local rape crisis clinic and started designing all of their marketing materials, including their annual report. She designed these gorgeous monograms.

After she got engaged, it was a "no-brainer" to her that she could DIY a lot of their stationery items. Other brides started asking her to design wedding stationery for them, and it blossomed from there. She designed monograms, wedding programs, invitations... you name it, she did it! From there, she grew into designing baby stationery, and then party decor. Blush Printables was literally a three year work in progress!

Jen is 26, she had a Norwegian Forest cat named Bella for about five years, but she sadly passed away from cancer this past February. They adopted Maya in March 2009 so Bella would have a friend, and they just loved each other so very much so in March 2010, they welcomed Bailey!

Human kids are on their radar too! "We have babies on the brain and have planned to start a family within the next six months -- so your blog is absolutely incredible and such a wonderful resource of information for me. I just love it!"

{New Mama Advice}

1. "This is probably a no-brainer, but always make sure that you make time for your family! Sometimes it's easy to get overextended and have anxiety over trying to balance time between work and play. My fondest childhood memories are my dad teaching me how to play softball, going on California vacations with just my mom, and my grandparents pushing me on the swing. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs and even though they were both busy running their own businesses, neither of them ever missed an art show, a softball game, taking pictures at homecoming or prom, or being there for any other milestone in my life. My mother is an excellent example of balancing work and home life, and so is my father. I am forever grateful for the life they gave me and the sacrifices that they made."

2. "Be assertive for what you need. Don't be afraid to tell friends and family what you really need -- let them know how helpful it would be to take on household chores [maybe someone can unload that dishwasher for you!] or help out with grocery shopping. Even help with laundry would be fantastic! Have a list of to-do items so that you don't have to remember what you need."

3. "Celebrate, and make new traditions! I bet if you look back to your own childhood, you have a slew of warm memories of being surrounded by your friends and family during birthdays and holidays. Carry on those same traditions, but start new ones that are unique to your new family."

If you have Twitter be sure to check Jen out at @ohsoglam and Blush Printables on Facebook. Her new adorable behind-the-scenes blog is Blush Printables and of course here's her Etsy Shop.

My Mini Virtual Baby Shower Week is coming to a close but Jen has offered one of my party-goers a $75 gift certificate to her shop! Anyone can enter and put it towards buying something that is ready-made or to contact her with a fully customized order.! Just visit her shop and let me know what you like in the comments! Leave a comment with new mommy advice for another entry! Or a birthday party theme idea!

You have until June 3rd 11:59pm to enter!

Random.org will choose the winner! Good luck!