Holy Pentunia

I have a bit of good news to share today.  I recently had a seriously amazing experience with a company and I wanted to pass it on, simply because I think most companies could learn something here.

Several years ago, my dear friend Kelli introduced me to the wonderful world that is Petunia Pickle Bottom.  I bought by first bag from BabySteals, and just loved it.  After the Sunbean was a little older, I bought a smaller Petunia bag {the touring tote}.  My love for Petunia doesn't end there...Little Dude came home from the hospital in a layette set, and my favorite swaddle blankets are Petunia Pickle Bottom.  I've since purchased another larger bag {the boxy backpack...don't worry, I never wear it as a backpack}, and I LOVE my overnight bag {the wistful weekender}.

My little guy modeling some of his PPB jammers.

The Touring Tote has a double zipper on the top, and one side of it broke a few years ago.  Since the other side worked just fine, I didn't worry about it.  Then, right after Little Dude was born, the other zipper broke.  I was totally bummed, and decided to check with Petunia to see if they offered any type of repair service.

I contacted them, and they had me send some photos.  After reviewing the photos, they asked me to send in my bag.  About a week later, I heard from them, and they informed me that Petunia was going to replace my bag!  For free!   And, I got to choose the pattern!  I'm a total nerd and creature of habit, though, and picked the same one I'd had.  I just love it so much!

Keep in mind that I didn't provide them with any type of receipt or proof of purchase, and this bag was purchased three years ago, in 2009.  I just had to share my experience with a company that stands behind their product loyally, even after three years of use.

You know I love a good deal, so watch for their semi-annual{ish} outlet sale, which is online.  I've gotten some great pieces there, and some gifts for friends, too.

I just love it when a company exceeds expectations!

For information's purposes, Petunia Pickle Bottom has no clue I wrote this.  I just love them.  Isn't the number of 'sponsored' blog posts lately driving you batty?!?

Cute Widdle Shoes

The other day, I had an appointment, and my dad offered to take the Sunbean for the morning, which turned into the entire day.  Is it not so strange when one of your children is gone for the day?  Anyway, there were lots of things I could have done with my day.

You know, like clean the floors, nap, watch TV, scrub the toilet, laundry....the list of fun goes on and on.  What did I choose to do?

Make baby shoes.

I used this tutorial, and they were really pretty easy.  My machine had no problem with the pleather {my iron?  that's a different story.}, and they came together relatively quickly.  They aren't perfect by any means, but they're pretty cute.

I got my fabric at Joann's, and found it in the clearance section.  The only thing I don't like is how the back is gray, and not the same color.  In the places where it peeks through, it bothers me.  But I didn't really feel like shelling out 35 bones a yard for the good stuff.  It cost me 75 cents to make these, so I can live with it.

But they do look adorable.

Or maybe it's just the model.

N is for Nesting: A Really Strange Tutorial

In my life right now, there are about 1 million pregnant people.  No, really.  Friends from high school, friends from church, friends from mom's group, friends from college.  That makes me sound like I have a lot of friends!

If you're like me, you like to stay away from the boring baby gifts.  I love giving handmade gifts, especially for a baby.  Well.  If you are looking for a unique shower gift, I've got you covered.  This one takes the cake for unique.

First, a little background.  So far, I just have a little girl.  Changing little girl diapers is a cinch; nary a leak or spray.  A few days after we brought the sweet Sunbean home from the hospital, our friends with a one-month baby boy came to visit.  And during a diaper change, that darling little boy produced a spout of urine that arched clear across my couch!  Yikes.  I saw a product similar to this, and it got my wheels turning.  So, without further adieu:

N is for Nesting: Boppy Slipcover Tutorial

Hey....did you know that I'm having a little boy in just a few weeks?  Well, I am.  And I've got a house full of girly stuff.  So the pink and yellow flowered slipcover for the boppy really needed to go.

Don't get me wrong, I love the boppy.  I use it quite often when I'm nursing my newborns, and then even for playing when they get to that I-think-I-can-sit-but-I-really-topple-over-quite-often stage.  You know the one.

Anyway, my little guy needed a slightly manly-er fabric.  Well, as manly as Amy Butler fabric can get.  So, here you go:

Here's where I totally messed up.  I ordered about 3 inches too little fabric, so I had to piece it.  You really can't tell now that it's finished, but I'd recommend just measuring correctly.

Learn how right here.

 

Step Six:  Break out the zipper foot and sew on that zipper.  I apparently didn't think you needed a photo of this.

One thing I didn't mention (or, again, photograph) is running over the seams with the serger.  If you have a serger, I'd totally recommend this step.  I know I'll wash this sucker quite often, so finishing the edges is important.  If you don't have a serger, just do a zig-zag stitch on each seam.  And then tell your nearest Santa, Easter Bunny, or Mother's-Day-Gift-Buyer that you need a serger, stat.

Fantastically Ridiculous Baby Stuff

One of the many things that are different with Little Dude is that I actually have the funds to buy a few of the 'extras' that I couldn't get with the Sunbean.  You know...the cutie little Trumpette socks, the fancy muslin swaddle blankets...stuff like that.

A few weeks ago I got an email from somewhere entitled "Totally Weird Baby Products".  Brace yourself as I share my favorites.

The Bathroom Baby Harness

I seriously can't even imagine using this.  It amazes me what people spend money on.

The Placenta Brooch

Hey, I love a good brooch as much as the next gal.  And I love a healthy well-functioning placenta.  But put together?  Maybe not.

The Toddler Urinal

Not.  In.  My.  House.

The Breastfeeding Simulator

Or, you could just go ahead and breastfeed your baby.

The Fetus Necklace

I guess this would be one way to announce a pregnancy?

The Toddler Changing Table

Is this child not of potty-training age?

The Birth Doll

I'm a sex education teacher and even I think this is weird.  Be thankful I didn't post the one that was very anatomically correct.

What's your fave?  Does anyone own up to using these products?

Mid-Week Brain Dump

• Oh, man.  I've got so much going on for the next several weeks!  Mostly because I started a scoring project.  I occasionally score standardized tests from home.  It's a great job with fantastic pay, but it sure does suck up a lot of time.  I'm supposed to score at least 25 hours a week.  Plus, my other job gave me a few extra hours for the next month or so.  Let's just say that finding an extra 30 hours with a toddler running around is quite the challenge.  Payday is great, though!!
• In all of my busy-ness, I did find time to get my hair cut and colored on Monday.  Man, I feel better.  It is ridiculous how much that helps.
• On Monday night I grabbed two Starbucks and went to chat with a good friend.  It felt so good to just talk with no kids pulling at us (okay, her super-cute baby was around, but that certainly doesn't count).
• Nic and a friend are finally laying carpet in the kids' room this weekend.  I have been waiting for this project to get finished so that I can get moving on the room.  It has been at a standstill for a few months, and it is driving me crazy!
• I think we've pretty much decided that the Sunbean is going to preschool in the fall.  She'll be three, and is so ready.  Plus, it's just three hours, three times a week.  We chose a Montessori program, and I love it.  Since she has a late birthday, she'll be able to complete the three-year program, and then start up kindergarten.  It seems so strange to me that she's old enough to be thinking about preschool.
• We got our Peg Perego double stroller (we went with the Aria Twin 60/40) in the mail, and it is great!  The Sunbean loves it (and loves to watch Sesame Street in it....don't judge), and I love it.  Our carseat should come this week.  We sold the Sunbean's infant seat because we hated it.  We were much better consumers this time around.
• A friend gave me a coupon for a $20 gift card to Target.  Talk about a great friend!  I used it to get some new hair accessories, some Starbucks (duh), and I still have some left.  That was a good way to start off the week!
• The Subean is in the 'why' stage.  I might die if I hear 'why?' one more time today.
• At my doctor's appointment, she did a quick check of the ol' cervix (don't you just love those appointments?) and said, "Wow!  Did you know his head is right on your bladder?"  Yes, doc.  I got that.
• MacGyver is really into watching these strange documentaries on Netflix.  I guess I should be happy I'm not missing good TV while I'm grading.
• We're going to Ikea next weekend, and I can't wait to pick up a few things I need.  Why is it that the stuff I want isn't available online?
• I think it's supposed to break 50 degrees today.  I love me some winter, but I'm ready to ditch the maternity coat.

What's on your mind?

N is for Nesting: Tutorial Round-Up

When I was pregnant with the Sunbean, we had 8 ultrasounds.  Yes, eight.  I was high-risk and my OB is *slightly* ultrasound-happy.  Not that I'm going to complain about all those peeks at our sweet girl.  Point is, we knew the Sunbean was a girl.  That 3D ultrasound pretty much sealed that deal.

Therefore, I had no qualms with going girl-crazy.  Everything we have is girly, girl, girl.  Perfect when you're having a girl.  Not so much when you're having a little dude.  What's a nesting momma to do?  Make some boy stuff, of course!

Let's start by talking about how ridiculously picky I am when it comes to boy stuff.  Even I know I'm ridiculous.  Get this:  I don't like light blue for boys.  Call me crazy, but I think it's feminine.  I don't like dinosaur and puppy-dog embellishments.  I just don't.  And I'm not too crazy about sports-team gear on my kids (unless it's a Buckeye football Saturday).  And that pretty much rules out 99.999% of baby boy stuff.  Oh, unless you're a millionaire and shop exclusively at Baby Gap.

I've been scouring fabric stores for some fabric to make a few blankets for my little guy.  I wanted some flannel and some knit.  It took me approximately 36 seconds to turn my nose up at everything at Joann's.  Hobby Lobby's flannel is a joke.  Boo.  I even went to two local quilt shops that sell the pricey stuff.  Seriously, some people don't like cars and trains on blankets for little boys.  Fabric designers haven't gotten the memo yet.

Anyway, I did find some knit and some cotton I fell in love with, so here's what I came up with, and the fantastic tutorials I used.

I did find some knit, at Hancock of all places.  I'm still going to order some Michael Miller stuff, but I wanted to practice on something that isn't $12 a yard.  I love a soft cotton knit blanket for a newborn, and this tutorial was perfect.  I made mine smaller since I want to use it right away, but I'll probably make the next one a little bigger.  And that hat.  Makes me excited to meet this little person!

Next, I wanted to make a soft flannel blanket.  Well, that's a pipe dream.  Couldn't find flannel I loved, so I went with some cotton, with a flannel back.  Still cozy.  This tutorial wasn't too bad.  It took me forever because I've never done mitered corners, but now that I know what I'm doing, these babies will be my go-to baby gift.  Pretty stinking easy.

My first-ever mitered corner.

And that pretty much sums up my Saturday night.  Exciting, I know.

Advice Needed: Double Strollers

With Little Dude on the way, I've been obsessive with researching double strollers.  The only conclusion I have made is that I'm more confused than when I started all of this nonsense.  So I've got just one logical conclusion left:  let the bloggers decide.

Here's why and when I'll use a double stroller:

• We are out and about nearly every single day.  We just use our strollers a lot.
• The Sunbean loves riding in a stroller, and I prefer that over the snail-pace that I must assume to accommodate her tiny little legs.
• I'll probably wear Little Dude quite a bit, but I'll not be waking a sleeping baby from a carseat just to put him in a wrap.
• So, I'll need a double stroller that can accommodate a carseat and and 3-year-old.
• We use the stroller at the mall, the zoo, garage sales, on walks, at stores, and festivals/events during the summer.
• I'll be flying solo quite often, since MacGyver has one of those 9-5 job-things, so two umbrella strollers aren't really a great choice for us.
• We have a Maclaren single stroller than we love and will definitely hang on to, for when Little Dude is older and Sunbean isn't into the stroller scene anymore, or when I know I'll be wearing Little Dude.

Here are my top three choices and why I like and don't like them.

Joovy Caboose

 This is your basic sit-and-stand stroller.  The reviews are way better on Joovy's version, which is why it is on my list.  It holds a carseat, but the only seat for Sunbean would be by my knees.  I can't see her loving that, since she still dearly loves her stroller.  I don't think she'd be happy in this type of thing at the zoo or something.  I kind of think a stroller with two actual seats would work better for us.  Anyone have experience with a sit-and-stand?

Contours Options

 

This stroller has some pretty sweet seating options.  The seats can be like this, both forward, or both backward.  I know the Sunbean would get a kick out of seeing Little Dude, and it holds a carseat.  The downside for me is that I think it would be like pushing a bus.  The reviews are decent, but all say it is bulky and heavy, and kind of hard to fold.  I think it would be great once it is all set up, but maybe not awesome for getting in and out, with two kids, in a Midwest winter.

Peg Perego Aria 60/40

 How's that for a complicated name for a freaking stroller?  This is probably my front-runner right now.  It does hold a carseat, though it only claims to be compatible with Peg Perego's carseat.  I'm sure just about any carseat would sit on there, though.  The reviews are so-so, but it weighs less than 20 pounds, which is a big feature for me.  The reviews say that it is easy to fold, and easy to heft in and out of a vehicle.  My only worry is that it would be too tough in a store or in the mall.  It claims to fit through a standard doorway, but I obviously don't really have a way to test that.  Peg Perego does have an outlet here, so I plan to go test it out sometime (after we get this supposed 20" of snow this week).

So....what do you think?  Am I crazy for wanting to contain (and push around) my three-year-old?  We're just a few months away from Little Dude's debut, and she's not showing any signs of being the crazy kid running around everywhere (thank goodness!).

Please, oh please, make my decision for me.  I'll take other suggestions, too.  I'd like to keep this under $300 tops, preferably much less.  I'm planning to use this puppy for the next 6-7 years, so I'm okay with spending a little more to get a quality product.

Do tell.