Last Chance to Enter to Win with Dove!

Hey all, this is your LAST CHANCE to enter the Dove® is different contest!

I've been using Dove for years, my grandma always used Dove soap and told me it's what kept her skin so soft. It stuck with me and when I started buying my own products it's what I instinctively reached for (thanks Gran!) at the store.

I like a little variety, so this is what my shower looks like right now....

... I know, I'm obsessed. I like the cream oil in the winter, the citrus when I shower in the morning (it wakes me right up!) and the Deep Moisture when I shower before bed.

Here's the info for the contest one last time. Go enter!!

Dove® is different

Some body washes can be harsh, washing away more of skin’s essential nutrients* than Dove. New improved Dove® Deep Moisture cleanses gently and nourishes deep down with NutriumMoisture®. This is Dove’s proven best care in the shower.


Watch the demo here and see for yourself why the new breakthrough formula from Dove® is different. Then, let them know why you would make the switch to Dove® for a chance to win FREE Dove® Deep Moisture Body Wash for you and a friend for a year!

Three Easy Steps for Entry    
    •    Watch the demo to see the proof for yourself
    •    Tell us why you would switch to Dove®
    •    You and a friend could WIN Free Dove Body Wash for a year!*
 
Prize: 50 prizes available to be won, consisting of gift basket with (8) eight, 354 mL Dove® Deep Moisture Body Wash bottles
In addition, the 50 winners will select a friend to also receive a year’s supply (gift basket consisting of (8) eight, 354 mL Dove® Deep Moisture Body Wash bottles). 
 

Haven’t tried the new Dove Deep Moisture Body wash yet? Visit the Dove Facebook Page
to get a coupon for $2 off! (who doesn't like coupons?!)

*versus some body washes.

** Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Dove®. I have been compensated with product and money for it, however, I would never recommend a product I wasn't already using nor one I didn't like.

Did you know that some body washes can be harsh? {Contest}

Last year I attended the Blissdom conference in Toronto. Dove® was a sponsor and I sat in on a presentation about Dove® Body Wash. 

At the end we were all given bottles of Dove® Body Wash to try for ourselves. I took my bottle home and put it in my shower. I'm a pretty busy mom so I didn't notice right away what The Dove® Body Wash was doing for my skin. It must have been the second or third week that I didn't need to slather on moisturizer after my shower before I realized I'd been "forgetting" that step... I was amazed, I wasn't dry or itchy! I've been using other Dove® products all my life but that bottle of body wash changed how I shower.


And now I'm pleased to help Introduce a new breakthrough body wash from Dove®. 


Some body washes can be harsh, washing away more of skin’s essential nutrients* than Dove. New improved Dove® Deep Moisture cleanses gently and nourishes deep down with NutriumMoisture®. This is Dove’s proven best care in the shower.


Watch the demo here and see for yourself why the new breakthrough formula from Dove® is different. Then, let them know why you would make the switch to Dove® for a chance to win FREE Dove® Deep Moisture Body Wash for you and a friend for a year! So fun!

Three Easy Steps for Entry    
    •    Watch the demo to see the proof for yourself
    •    Tell us why you would switch to Dove®
    •    You and a friend could WIN Free Dove Body Wash for a year!*
 
Prize: 50 prizes available to be won, consisting of gift basket with (8) eight, 354 mL Dove® Deep Moisture Body Wash bottles
In addition, the 50 winners will select a friend to also receive a year’s supply (gift basket consisting of (8) eight, 354 mL Dove® Deep Moisture Body Wash bottles). 
 

Haven’t tried the new Dove Deep Moisture Body wash yet? Visit the Dove Facebook Page
to get a coupon for $2 off! (who doesn't like coupons?!)


Check it out, enter the contest, and enjoy soft, moisturized skin.



*versus some body washes.

** Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Dove®. I have been compensated with product and money for it, however, I would never recommend a product I wasn't already using nor one I didn't like.

Breast feeding vs. Formula... just let it die already!!

Announce that you're pregnant and somewhere in the first 5 questions you get asked you'll hear "Are you planning on breastfeeding?" It's a huge pet peeve of mine. Why do people feel the need to ask this? How is this anyone's business? But sure enough, you will get asked. Here's the thing, no matter what you say, SOMEONE will be against it.

It's ridiculous.

I had a friend who decided not to breastfeed pretty much as soon as she got pregnant. She told me it just made her and her husband uncomfortable. Her doctor went on a 37 week campaign to change her mind. As did most people she told. She didn't breastfeed and amazingly her children are healthy, happy, well adjusted kids. Shocking right? (I am totally rolling my eyes right now)

I had another friend who was very excited about exclusively breastfeeding. It was something she really wanted to do. But her mother-in-law was so adamant that it was important that everyone got to feed the baby so that it bonded with the ENTIRE family (because that's the ONLY way a baby bonds with the people in it's life, obviously), that she tried a few times to sneak the baby a formula bottle when my friend had her back turned. Imagine having your fundamental parenting decisions completely undermined while you were taking a shower.

I breastfed my kids. My first for seven months, my second for six months, my third for five months and my fourth for four months. (notice the pattern there?) They all self-weaned. I tried pumping to keep up with their demand but each time I eventually conceded to what they wanted. When I was going through the process of trying to decide what to do I would occasionally post about my struggles on twitter. Most often I was told to do what was right for me and my baby. Occasionally though I got told the long list of my options for increasing my supply. I appreciated the info and considered it all. And then when I'd decide to give myself a break and make the switch to formula I'd always get hit with the "No! Don't give up! Breast is best!" comments. Sigh.

I really hate the "Breast is Best" slogan. It needs to be changed. Perhaps to "breast is nutritionally best" or something like that, because when it's 2:00am and you haven't had more than 15 hours sleep total all week because your baby is always hungry and you're both crying from the frustration and exhaustion (and bleeding, cracked nipples), maybe breast isn't best. And in those desperate hours when you reach out to the other moms that are still up for support or a sympathetic ear the last thing you need to hear is that "breast is best" and switching to formula is wrong.

There is no right. There is no wrong. There's what works for you, and your baby, and your life, and your baby's needs. It's not up for public debate. Or at least it shouldn't be. Why can't the facts just be presented when they're asked for and judgements reserved? We need to stop second guessing each other and we really need to stop shaming each other no matter what side of the feeding fence you're on. You want to breastfeed? Great, I'll be cheering you on! You want to formula feed? Great, I'll be cheering you on! Because that's what we should be doing as fellow mothers and women.

Oh Monkey, where art thou?!

Yesterday I had to take my two year old to see our family doctor. Over the course of two weeks he came down with Fifth Disease, Roseola, a cold and a 24 hour gastrointestinal bug. It was brutal.

We brought his stuffed monkey (who is named Monkey because we're not a creative bunch apparently) and his blankie for comfort. We saw the doctor who sent us across the parking lot from the clinic to the hospital for blood tests. My little man was a rock star by the way, he never cried and barely even noticed the needle!

We left the hospital, monkey, blankie and lollipop in hand and I loaded my brave boy into our van and handed him his friend. As we were driving away he said "uh oh, I dropped Monkey on da foor!" So I said "It's okay, I'll get him when we get to school." and off we went to preschool.

When we got to his school I opened the van door and there was no monkey. I checked everywhere in the van. I checked under the van in case it fell out. I said "Did you drop it on the GROUND at the hospital?!" and he looked at me and said "Yes". So I jumped back in the van and raced back to the hospital.

When I got there my stomach sank when I didn't see the monkey. So I went into the clinic and asked if anyone had turned it in. The receptionist told me no but took my name and number in case it turned up.

I started to feel panicked as I ran back across the parking lot to the hospital to see if anyone had turned it in there. Nothing. I went back to the van and searched it again. I drove the same route back to his preschool hoping to spot it on the road, all the while listening to a sad two year old ask me where his monkey was.

My stomach was churning. Ridiculous right? Why was I getting so upset over a stuffed monkey?

When I bought it I had cut the tags off so I couldn't remember who made it and I've never seen one like it again. It was irreplaceable.

We got home and I told my husband what had happened. I started getting teary and worried about what bed time would be like. I jumped on Facebook and started putting messages up on all my community's pages hoping someone picked him up and took him home for safe-keeping. My husband took a more pro-active approach and left to go check the parking lot again.

I waited, feeling sad and guilty that I hadn't listened to my son when he said he dropped it.

When my husband got home he came in empty-handed and my heart sank. He came into the family room and said "Hey Jack, come here." and he pulled Monkey out from behind his back.

My sweet boy ran over and scooped up his friend and thanked his dad. I wrapped my arms around our hero and thanked him too. Apparently someone had found him and put him on another car's windshield, I had been looking down, not up.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by MY reaction as a similar thing happened when my oldest was a year old, but it amazes me how attached I become to their special toys.

Has your child ever lost their lovey? How did you react?

Apps for the New Mom

Last week we welcomed baby #4 into our family. A beautiful baby boy we named William Andrew. He's such a sweet baby and has won over his siblings with his tiny fingers and sweet-smelling head.

Being that this is my fourth time through labour and the newborn stage, I thought I would impart a little wisdom to all the new and soon-to-be-new moms out there. Labour can be very intense and the newborn weeks can have you questioning your sanity from lack of sleep.

I use 2 apps to help me through these two very stressful and confusing life experiences.

Pregnancy & Labour

I was 30mins away from the hospital!

I downloaded the Sprout Pregnancy app when I got pregnant with my first son. Its 3D ultrasound renderings of your baby's weekly growth are informative and fun to explore. And the weight and kick counters are helpful to keep track of your's and baby's health. But what really sold me on the app was the contraction timer! With our first two babies (pre-iPhone) we used a watch and a piece of paper. Not that easy to use as you're racing to the hospital in the middle of the night. Not to mention we really didn't know how to time them. The app takes all the guess work out of timing. It times the length of the contraction as well as the time in between with the tap of a finger. It also tells you the average length for each event so you can easily make the call if it's time to head to the hospital or not. There's a free version of the app but it holds a limited number of contraction timings and kick counting sessions, I suggest springing for the full app ($3.99).

The Newborn Weeks

My little guy LOVES to eat...

After you deliver your precious bundle you enter into the bliss that is the newborn weeks. All you want to do is snuggle your baby and take 1000s of pictures of them sleeping. Eventually your own lack of sleep creeps up and you start to forget things. Like what day it is, which side you last breastfed on and how many times you were actually up with the baby in the middle of the night! Luckily the Total Baby app can help you with remembering things when your brain fails you. Use it to track when baby sleeps, their diaper changes, feedings (both breast and bottle) and bath times. It even keeps track of pumped breast milk expiration times based on how you've stored it. This app has saved me more than once when answering doctor's questions and when trying to remember how long the bottle of breast milk in the fridge has been there. At only $4.99 this app is a must-have whether this is your first or fourth baby.

Good luck with your new little miracle!

The "Bucket List" Bucket List

Ever since that damn Jack Nicholson movie came out, I read about people adding stuff to, or scratching items off their various "bucket lists". Travel Bucket Lists, Food Bucket Lists, LIFE Bucket Lists, it's never ending.

I do not have a bucket list. Of any kind. I'm starting to wonder what's wrong with me. Why don't I know what I want by now? Why can't I set some goals for myself other than the daily "To Do" List I make every day (and rarely finish). Sure there are places I'd love to go, like Paris and Rome; and a couple things I'd like to try, like placing a huge bet in Vegas on 1 roll of the dice just to see what happens; but I don't think I'd consider my life a failure if I don't accomplish these things.

The only real things I ever wanted to accomplish I've already done. Got a college degree, experienced some success in my career, married the man of my dreams and had children. My life is a 'fait accompli' and I'm only 34. Everything else at this point is just..gravy. 

So do I need a bucket list? Have I set the bar too low? Or should I consider myself lucky that I long for nothing and am content in the now? 

Maybe my only bucket list item should be to decide if I really need a bucket list at all.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Biopsy done. (If you're new to my melodrama read up here) The procedure itself wasn't horrible, the freezing hurt but I didn't feel the actual biopsy. It didn't look great though, doc was moving the needle in and out of my neck like he was plunging a toilet. Let that visual marinate for a bit. Yeah.

I was asking a lot of questions, radiologist told me it's a better sign when there's multiple nodules as opposed to just 1, and I have several. Doctor however, less helpful in the talking me down department. He was very matter-of-fact, which they usually are, but when you're a mom looking for someone to tell you you're not dying and leaving your kids motherless, "matter-of-fact" sucks ass.

My neck is a little tender, I feel like I'm swallowing a golf ball and it's swollen so I'm sporting an Eve's Apple, sex-ay.

Now I wait 10-14 days for results. That's *if* I get results, apparently 1/3 of thyroid biopsies come back inconclusive cause they take so few cells. So I might have to do this again... yay.