Safe Nausea Relief from Sea-Band Mama!

I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. 

Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links. 

As I entered pregnancy with my youngest daughter, I didn't expect to struggle with much morning sickness or nausea at all. My first pregnancy was a breeze in that regard. I had a little bit of morning sickness in the very beginning but it truly was minimal - no vomiting, and easily managed with a little lemonade and some oyster crackers. However, since no two pregnancies are alike, the pregnancy nausea hit me a little more than I expected the second time around! It was like clockwork. I'd get up in the morning and jump in the shower hoping it would be gone by the time I got out. Nope. Not a chance! I tried special lollipops and candies, all promising to relieve my nausea, but even just the taste of anything in my mouth just made it worse! Every morning for months I was plagued with morning sickness that was only relieved by vomiting. Yuck. 

I wish I'd known about Sea-Band Mama!

The Sea-Band Mama! product line includes Ginger Lozenges (fortified with iron), a pocket-sized Aromatherapy Rollette with essential oils of lime, ginger, and spearmint, and Acupressure Wrist Bands, all to aide in nausea relief.

Recommended by midwives and pregnant women around the world, the Sea-Band Mama! wrist band uses acupressure to provide a natural choice for effective - and safe - nausea relief. Simply wear two knit elasticated wrist bands and position the plastic studs to apply pressure on the P6 Nei-Kuan acupressure point between the two central tendons near the wrist. It's easy, convenient, safe, and effective.

Now, we all know nausea doesn't only effect pregnant women. Sea-Band offers nausea-relief products for non-pregnant people of all ages including wrist bands - for both adults and children - and drug-free ginger lozenges to aide in nausea from travel and motion sickness. I used these acupressure wrist bands when I was experiencing some stomach upset just last week before bed and I was able to fall asleep comfortably in no time. We also used bands on a recent amusement park trip that was packed with stomach-dropping rides and didn't hear one motion-sickness complaint.

Easy, safe, and effective - that's how I'd describe Sea-Band products. Sea-Band Mama! is available to purchase at CVS pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and many other drug stores and pharmacies. To find Sea-Band Mama! in your area, click here for a full list of locations.

Visit Sea-Band online to learn more. You can also connect with Sea-Band online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Road Trip Must-Haves

We received free product to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. 

All opinions expressed are our own.

This summer, my husband and I did something we said we'd never do. We took two kids, one age 7 and one age 1 on a road trip! Don't get me wrong. We actually love road trips and have taken more than we can count. Before kids, we would leave for our trips late at night, stop for coffee, and drive through the night until we reached our destination. Who were we?! 

We road tripped (is that a verb?) twice with our first daughter and knew we'd have to start breaking up our trips into two days and staying overnight in a hotel. And then we flew to our destination once... and it was sooooo easy! And we said NEVER AGAIN will we do a road trip. 

And then we saw the outrageous price of airline tickets to our intended destination and planned a road trip again. 12 hours. With two kids. With a 16 month old. And we knew we were crazy. But WE DID IT! And actually, it went so well that we'd do it again for sure. 

We split our 12 hour trip into two days again and stayed overnight in a hotel in between. We made sure the hotel had cribs available and thankfully our daughter slept - probably even better than we did!

We packed well - and we packed a lot. I think my husband thought I was a little nuts for packing as much as I did but I was so intentional about making our travel time work. It's hard to occupy kids for 6 hours at home, in their house, with all their toys. I needed to find a way to do it in a car, with them strapped in, and confined. They did so well that we did not have to stop even ONCE on our first leg. We drove 6 hours with no stopping and only minimal fussing.  

The two things that saved our travel sanity were...

SNACKS AND TOYS!

We went to the store and got all sorts of special snacks. I know my snack packing technique will make some of you cringe because I used approximately one million disposable zipper lock bags, but it worked like a charm. I promise that I actually use reusable snack bags during the school year but I don't have one million of them so I had to break all green-living rules to make this work. 

Each snack was separated into small serving sizes in the baggies. All those baggies were then packed into a large bag. And all the different large bags filled with small bags were packed into a small carry-on size suitcase which was stowed, unzipped, between the two car seats in the back seat. GENIUS. The 7 year old served up snacks to the whole family throughout the drive. 

New toys are a must for both road trips and plane rides. Their newness is intriguing and they don't tend to get bored quite as quickly. I surprised the girls with some new travel-friendly toys and activities that were perfect for the trip. Oriental Trading had a lot to choose from.

We love these Farm Friends Hand Puppets from Melissa & Doug. They are so cute, soft, and fun! They made for a lot of silly interactive play, especially with our youngest daughter. I'm pretty sure I sang "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" no less than 100 times during one particularly traffic-y part of our trip. Every time I stopped, she started baa-ing and we'd sing it again with our puppet friends dancing to the beat!

The Oomee cube (pictured on the left below) is a fantastic invention - a puzzle with pieces attached so nothing gets lost! It's rubbery so no one gets hurt when it's thrown. It's made of 100% food-grade silicone so it's safe for teething too. And of course it encourages shape learning. It's a win on all levels and was well loved by our toddler.

The Find It! Seek & Find Game, travel-sized Perplexus, and Extreme Dot to Dot book were enjoyed by our 7 year old. We also had crayons, colored pencils, and coloring books. 

Another big hit were Water Wow! books from Melissa & Doug. I've been eyeing these little books online and in stores for a couple of years. I finally took the plunge, purchased a few, and we're all hooked. I've purchased two more since this road trip for another vacation this summer. They are an amazing invention! Simply fill the little paint brush with water, and colors show up as you paint the cardboard pages of the book. When they dry, the color disappears, and you do it again! These are so fun. Both girls (and even I!) enjoyed them.

Our road trip was a huge success, but lest you think it was all hearts and butterflies, this is how it culminated...

Real life, my friends, this is real life. My boisterous toddler has, just since school got out in June, lost a fingernail, had eye surgery, and broke her leg. I won't list all the things she did during the months between her birth and then! She keeps us on our toes... even when she can't be on her own!

Thankfully these travel-friendly toys are not only perfect for carseat-confined kiddos, but ones who are confined in other ways as well!

We Love July... We've Gone Red, White & Blue Already!

We received free product to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. 

All opinions expressed are our own.

I cannot believe it's almost July! This is my first summer off from work in a long time and I am living it up. We are doing our best to venture out of our own backyard at least a couple times a week for some new adventures such as the playground, or our favorite children's garden. We are loving lazy days too, though, and are enjoying the sunshine right outside our own door.

We've had a great month, but the countdown to July has already begun! One week from today we enter our favorite month of the year! July is always an exciting time for us - multiple family birthdays and parties, tons of day trips, a road trip, cookouts at least every weekend, and of course (because we would never miss a reason to celebrate...) the 4th of July!

We are in 4th of July mode already around here! A quick online Oriental Trading order (I avoid shopping in stores if I can help it!) had us all ready to go.

We have a super fun Large Patriotic Bean Bag Toss Game, some Patriotic Traffic Cones to be sure we're playing fair, and a Patriotic Ball & Bat Set to replace the two whiffle ball sets that my husband and daughter destroyed last summer by hitting balls too hard.

For the littlest family member, we have an adorable Inflatable Patriotic Pool full of Patriotic Mini Rubber Duckies.

Because you really can't celebrate right without candy, we've got some of that too... some Patriotic Candy Corn Fun Packs and some Red, White & Blue Tootsie Pops!

And to get us ready for actual 4th of July Festivities like fireworks, we got some Mini Star Premium Glow Wands, in red, white, and blue. They will be perfect for the big night!

Oriental Trading is having a great sale on patriotic goodies right now - up to 50% off! Order in the next two days and you're guaranteed to get it by July 4th! Woohoo!

Mother Nurture: Treats for Mom, Nutrition for Mom & Baby

This post was sponsored by MomSelect and Mother Nurture. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm almost at the nine month mark breastfeeding my youngest daughter. When I think back on how difficult the first few weeks were, I'm in awe at how far we've come - how natural it feels to breastfeed now - and how amazing that we've been able to reintroduce so many previously allergenic foods to both my and her diet. I can't think about this breastfeeding journey without being in awe of the fact that one person can provide life-sustaining nutrients to another. The fact that what I eat and drink gets passed along to my baby to help keep her healthy and strong is incredible. That's why it's so important that nursing moms stay committed to keeping themselves hydrated and snacking on nutritious things. The benefits to baby are real.

Mother Nurture is a new solution to prenatal and postnatal nutrition for moms. Their line of chocolate truffles (yes! chocolate truffles!) and enhanced waters combine two things that all pregnant and nursing moms need - nutritious ingredients and delicious taste! What a treat to not have to choose one of those things over the other!

I'll be honest - I was excited to try Mother Nurture products, but I was skeptical as well. I've tried "delicious" pre- and post-natal "treats" before and have found the "pre- and post-natal" part of the description to be stronger than the "delicious treats" part. I tried Mother Nurture expecting that I'd get something a little tasty with a lot of vitamin-y flavor. You know what I'm talking about - that grassy, grainy, powdery, medicinal taste that comes along with supplement-type foods and beverages.

So, my opinion after trying Mother Nurture? These treats truly are delicious - not just palatable. It's not just "okay, yeah, vitamin-chocolate...", but more like, "Wait. Did they forget to put the healthy stuff in?"

Mother Nurture Enhanced Chocolate Truffles come in two delicious flavors - Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Raspberry. They are rich, creamy, and full of chocolatey deliciousness. They are also full of nutrition for mom and baby - folic acid, DHA, calcium, and vitamin D. They are non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, and contain all natural ingredients.

Mother Nurture Enhanced Waters come in three delicious flavors - Tropical Splash, Mixed Berry, and Pink Grapefruit. These delicious drinks encourages pregnant and nursing moms to stay hydrated while providing a boost of folic acid, calcium, vitamin B12, and choline. They are non-GMO, allergen free, and made with all natural ingredients.

Growing babies - while in the womb and out - is hard work. Treat yourself! Although neither Mother Nurture product replaces the nutrition received from prenatal vitamins, they both provide beneficial nutrition and truly are a treat you'll look forward to enjoying regularly.

Visit Mother Nurture's website to learn more and purchase some goodies for yourself today.

Find Mother Nurture on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

October is RSV Awareness Month: Learn About RSV Symptoms and Prevention

This post was sponsored by AstraZeneca as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. 

All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

My oldest daughter was born in the summer and it was more than a year before she got sick for the first time. I didn't quite know what to expect this past year when I had a baby born in the winter. My youngest was born in February and despite my best efforts to keep her healthy, unwanted germs entered our home and before I knew it, I had a very sick baby. Just 7 weeks after she was born, we were in the pediatrician's office with nasal and chest congestion and a fussy baby that could hardly eat because she couldn't breathe through her nose. She was wheezing, and our pediatrician, along with a nurse and nurse practitioner spent two hours trying to stabilize her oxygen levels. Normal is 100%, acceptable is in the 90%'s. We were sitting steady at 80%.

Infant airways and lungs are so tiny and so fragile and I learned through our experience that it doesn't take much for a baby's illness to escalate to the point of not getting enough oxygen. Thankfully babies - and their lungs - are incredibly resilient. Still, it's scary. As parents, we need understand what's happening, when to seek help, and what we can do to attempt to avoid it.

October is RSV Awareness Month, a great time to learn about what RSV is and how to prevent it. RSV - Respiratory Syncytial Disease - is more common than you might think. In fact, most babies will contract RSV before the age of two. Thankfully, it's not nearly as common for symptoms to become severe enough to require hospitalization. RSV is a seasonal virus that typically shows it's ugly head between November and March. It's the leading cause of hospitalization for babies in their first year of life.

We did everything we could think of to try to avoid illness in our baby, but with an older child who was unknowingly bringing germs home from school, it wasn't too surprising that despite our best efforts, we ended up with a sick baby. Thankfully we had a team of people that helped her to get well really fast and our hospital stay was short and sweet. We're hopeful that we'll make it through this RSV season without another hospitalization and we'll be sure to do what we can to prevent it - frequent hand washing, keeping baby away from crowds and young children (especially those with colds) as much as possible, washing toys and bedding often to get rid of any stowaway germs, and of course, avoiding any exposure to cigarette smoke.

Learn more about RSV disease and how to help

keep your child healthy this RSV season!

Halloween Headquarters at Oriental Trading: Costumes and Candy and Crafts, Oh My!

We received free product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. 

All opinions expressed are our own.

One of my favorite parts of this time of year is that there is a holiday to look forward to every month for the next several months! We're always counting down the days to something at this time of year. Right now, it's Halloween!

It's so exciting to enjoy fun holidays alongside my children. My six year old starts planning her Halloween costumes on November 1 each year for the following year. She usually changes her mind about 24 times before October 31... usually for the last time about 4 days before the big day, but every idea is super exciting and magical to her, so we just go with it!

This year, as soon as we hit the official first day of fall, we were ready to celebrate! Decorations, costumes, candy, and fun. We were ready for Halloween early this year - thanks to Oriental Trading!

Halloween Headquarters at Oriental Trading has absolutely everything you need to celebrate this year. Whether you're in the mood for festive or spooky, looking for a costume, some decorations, toys, crafts, or even candy, Oriental Trading has you covered. With a huge selection and affordable prices, you won't be disappointed. 

These Jack O'Lantern Dry Erase Stickers are great for decorating your home for the fun occasion! The set comes with one blank pumpkin and two more partially decorated ones just waiting for your finishing touches before hanging.

Our new Peanuts® Halloween Bowl is filled with Black Cat Character Suckers and Mini Swirl Pops. They are cute and something different for us this year. Usually our bowl is full of traditional chocolate favorites. Oriental Trading has those as well, but we went with lollipops this year and loved the look of these. Of course, we've taste-tasted them, and they were winners in that regard too!

Since we've spent much of this year dealing with some food allergies in our youngest, we were glad to see that Oriental Trading has stocked their shop with lots of non-food Halloween treat options. We ordered a Teal Pumpkin this year in honor of food allergy awareness - to signify that we'll have some non-food treats to offer to kiddos who may not be able to eat all the candy. 

We've filled a second treat bowl with these adorable Halloween Bears and Jack-O-Lantern Rubber Duckies. The vinyl bears really are the cutest and they come in sets of 48. My daughter has already gifted one to each of her classmates and we still have plenty to give away on Halloween night! These treats will be a fun option for any visiting kids who may not be able to eat our candy offerings. Most likely, we'll let everyone take one, because who could look at these cute faces and not want one?!

No holiday is complete without stickers, right? Actually in our home, no day is complete without stickers. These Peanuts® Halloween Stickers are great for the season and my daughter has been loving creating crafty cards for her friends with these. The roll comes with 100 assorted stickers.

We've also been doing some seasonal crafting with this Halloween Witch Clothespin Craft Kit. I adore these foam craft kids from Oriental Trading. They are so easy, mess-free, yet totally adorable and very fun for little crafters.

Perhaps most excitingly for this time of year, Oriental Trading has tons and tons and tons of costume options for both kids and adults! If there's something you have in mind, Oriental Trading is sure to have it. And if you just can't think of what to dress up as, Oriental Trading will give you some great ideas!

My daughter has decided to be an angel this year and Oriental Trading had the perfect costume for her. This Angel Costume with Wings & Candle is simple, sweet, beautiful, and perhaps most importantly, practical. I wasn't sure that I would love these feather wings but I do! They look fantastic and really fancy this costume up. You never know what the weather will be like around here on Halloween, but often it's a night to break out the winter jackets. This white angel dress will fit over whatever jacket we use. The only downside to this costume is the lack of halo, but we'll be able to make one of those without too much difficulty. Here's a costume sneak peek... I'm hoping she doesn't change her mind!

I know some of you might be surprised that we're not dressing at Shopkins this Halloween! For all you Shopkins fans, rest assured Oriental Trading does even have a costume for you! Strawberry Kiss and Cupcake Queen are full of glittery goodness, so if Shopkins are your thing this year, Oriental Trading has you covered.

We were so excited for Halloween this year as always, and even more so now that Oriental Trading hooked us up with everything we need for a great night. Check out Halloween Headquarters at Oriental Trading for anything and everything you need this year!

Canobie Lake Park - Summer Fun Year After Year!

We received complimentary admission to Canobie Lake Park to facilitate this review.

All opinions expressed are our own.

Our family just simply can't get enough of fun day trips in the summer! Amusement parks are always a favorite for our six-year-old thrill-seeker so we typically try to hit up as many as possible once school gets out. This year, with a new baby slowing us down just a bit, we cut our amusement park list down and chose our favorite - Canobie Lake Park - for some good old summer fun.

Canobie Lake Park is conveniently located in Salem, New Hampshire, just a little ways off of Route 93 -  an easy drive from most anywhere in New England. Parking is free and although you can't bring any food or drink in with you, the park is full of meal and snack options, so it's easy to arrive early, leave late, and spend the entire day making memories with your family!

I've been frequenting Canobie Lake Park since I was a kid. Someday I should dig through old photos and get one up on the blog! This park has been around for a long, long time... long before me! 

Canobie Lake Park is full of lots of family friendly fun. There are rides and activities for everyone - no matter their age or stage! This was our first year having two children with us at the park and our first year bringing an infant so my focus was a little bit different than in years past. 

Knowing about my options for breastfeeding at the park was at the top of my list of priorities. Canobie Lake Park allows breastfeeding throughout but also offers a cozy nursing room if privacy is preferred. I was able to find a shady spot at a picnic table under a tree during our family lunch but chose to check out the nursing room later in the evening when my baby was maxed out on stimulation from the crowds. It was such a nice space with a rocking chair, changing table, sink, and a locked door, only accessible with a key that can be obtained from an employee at the front of the park. It was exactly what both my baby and I needed to quietly unwind at the end of a long day.

Another focus for me this year was food allergies. Canobie Lake Park does not allow food to be brought in but they do have tons of dining options within the park. With a nursing infant struggling with sensitivities to multiple foods through my milk, I needed to know exactly what allergens were found in the foods that were available so that I could find something good to eat! My expectations were low and I was so pleasantly surprised! I was able to obtain a food allergy guide at the front of the park which listed every food option at every dining facility and which food allergens, if any, it had. Once I found something I was interested in, I was able to go to that dining area, share with them my dietary restrictions and view the packaging of the items I wanted to eat so that we could all confirm that they were safe. I was treated with the utmost respect and sensitivity - and I had the most delicious lunch!

Much to my oldest's excitement, we spent a bit more time than usual in the water portion of the park this year! The crowds are intense in this area on hot days, but the kiddos have so much fun! We had uncles and grandparents with us this year so plenty of playmates to help her manage the crowds.

Whether you're looking for water fun, roller coasters, a train ride, or some fun live music, you'll find it at Canobie Lake Park. Truly - there's something for everyone!

We can't wait to head back to the park again next summer for more fun!

Visit Canobie Lake Park's website for dates, pricing, and more details!

B. Baby and Our Generation Toys from Battat

We received free product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are my own.

We love to share with you our favorite high-quality products - but when our favorites have a powerful cause behind them, we're even more proud to share. There are two lines of products from our friends at Battat that we've been recently introduced to, and a portion of every purchase you or your child makes in these product lines goes to an amazing organization called Free The Children.

Free The Children empowers people - especially children - to change the world. Free the Children builds schools, and strengthens villages through healthcare, water programs, and alternate income projects. So far, Free The Children has been able to help build 650 schools in communities all over the world - providing education to 50,000 children every day!

Here are some of our new favorites from Battat...

Our littlest has been enjoying some B. Baby toys!

B. toys - and more specifically B. Baby toys - are beautiful, high-quality, unique toys that you and your little one are sure to love. You'll notice that their designs, colors, and styles aren't typical, but they certainly are both peaceful and playful! Even the packaging of B. toys is different. You won't find packaging that is difficult to open or that makes a mess all over your floor. B. toys uses recycled - and recyclable materials, uses only soy-based inks, and does their best to package toys in containers that you'll want to reuse.

Wee B. Ready Toy Set

The Wee B. Ready toy set includes 3 squeaky, squishy blocks, a ring of 3 teethers, 2 spinning balls, a chubby, chiming zebra, and a drum shaped tub for storage.

Our little one has already fallen in love with the zebra and as she continues to grow I expect she will begin enjoying the other items just as much! I am in love with the colors, designs, and overall quality of this tub of toys. It is quite a step above many of the other baby toys we have around our house. The set is geared toward children aged newborn to three years.

Wonders Above Playmat

The Wonders Above playmat is beautiful. The quilted mat is so thick, soft, and cozy and the arc that you attach to it comes with dangling toys that will enthrall your baby. Our favorite is the soft, jingling hot air balloon. I adore the peaceful yet joyful colors of this set.

The playmat and accompanying dangling toys are so simple, fun, and easy to set up. The quilt is machine washable - and with a baby who poops, pees, and spits up on a seemingly non-stop basis, this is a huge plus for our family! The quilt also has a non-slip backing to help it stay put so you and your baby won't be slipping and sliding on hardwood floors. All the pieces fold easily back into the original package for easy storage. This playmat is geared toward children aged newborn to 18 months.

While little sister has been enjoying her B. Baby toys, big sister has been enjoying some special treats from Our Generation!

Our Generation Dolls and Accessories, similar to B. toys, are packaged in recycled, recyclable materials and label with soy-based inks. The toys themselves are geared toward your doll-loving little ones. My five year old daughter is a huge fan!

Our Generation Dolls

Vienna is one of many, many doll options from Our Generation. This 18" posable doll comes with removable clothing, and there are tons of accessories available for purchase to go along with her, including extra clothing sets, pets, and more.

Large dolls like Vienna are a big hit with my daughter and her playmates these days and I was pleased to be introduced to the Our Generation brand of dolls. We love the quality, style, and affordability of Vienna, her friends, and all the accessories that go along with them.

Ride in Style Scooter

This Ride in Style Scooter is just one many accessories that go along with Our Generation dolls. It truly has fun and adventure written all over it. It comes complete with a helmet and seatbelt for your doll's safe travels!

Cute as Pie Kitchen Playset

This Cute as Pie Kitchen Playset comes complete with everything your doll friends need to cook and serve dinner and dessert! It includes pots, pans, olive oil, vinegar, napkins, a scale, fruit, and more! It's the perfect set to encourage imaginative play between your child and their doll friends. My daughter loves to have her doll friends visit each other's homes for cooking classes!

We have absolutely fallen in love with the fun, charm, affordability, and quality of the Our Generation products. We even purchased a super cute boxer puppy for part of a friend's birthday gift just yesterday! One of our favorite aspects of this line of toys is that a portion of each purchase of Our Generation items goes toward Free The Children's Power of a Girl Initiative - helping provide girls in developing countries an education - the most powerful tool in the world for escaping poverty.

Both of these toy lines - B. toys and Our Generation - are available at Target. We highly recommend them based on their quality, uniqueness, and affordability!

Battat is a family-run business based in Montreal, Canada, and Plattsburgh, NY, that has been making family-focused products for over 100 years. Through innovative thinking, unique design and a steadfast commitment to safety and reliability, Battat has created some of the world's favorite toys.