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VTech: Durable, Educational and Fun

Disclosure: I received products to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

This year I decided that all of the kids Christmas gifts had to be either durable and fun or durable and educational or all three. Either way, durability was not a quality I was willing to sacrifice. I don't know about you but when I pay for something, I expect it to last. I don't buy them toys year round-usually just Christmas, birthdays and a little something for Easter. Therefore, I try to really invest in things that will last and that they will get lots of use out of.

And when it comes to toys that are durable, educational and fun, nobody does it quite like VTech. It seems that over the years they have mastered art of making toys that kids will love playing with but also helps them learn in the process and can withstand tumbles and bumps that toys are surely to suffer when played with. We got Moo a VTech laptop two years ago and between her and JJ it has definitely gotten a lot of use and taken a lot of tumbles, but still works like it's fresh out of the box. So, when they told me that they wanted to send some toys for the kids, I was like "Sweet!"

The kids thought it was Christmas morning when they woke up and saw the three huge boxes the UPS had dropped off. Moo and JJ couldn't wait to rip open the packages and see what they got. They already knew that something special was coming, but they didn't know what. Here's a closer look at what they got.

Go! Go! Smart Wheels Construction Playset

First off let me say that I love that the pieces are so colorful. JJ has been showing an interest in colors. So, I've been asking to point different colored track pieces. For example, I'll ask him to point to the color orange and he'll either point to one of the corner track pieces or the crane tower. Speaking of the crane tower, it has little shape cutouts on the sides.

This set comes with a triangle, round and square boulder that kids use the crane clip to pick up and send the down the slide or they can put them through the cutout hole and watch them fall into the grey catcher on the side. Moo loves the talking the dump truck and operating the crane. I also loved that this was very easy to snap together and you can take it apart after they finish playing with it. It doesn't have a million and one pieces either.

Go! Go! Smart Wheels 2-in-1 Race Track

This comes with two race tracks-a circular one pictured below and the jump ramp pictured on the box above. Moo and JJ enjoy playing with the circular track the most. It has lights, makes sounds and the flag serves as a lever to magically make the cars race around the track. That's JJ's favorite part.

I like the race track because it's a two player toy and helps to encourage sharing through imaginative play. And that is something that we are definitely trying to work on with JJ. The manual elevator lift and turning car platform help with motor skills while the different sounds and phrases helps with language development. With JJ in speech therapy, the language development is very important.

This was also easy to put together. And the best part is that you can connect it with the construction set to make one bit playset!

Grow & Discover Tree House

This is hands down the best thing since sliced bread to JJ (and Moo). Build for toddlers up to 36 months, the Grow & Discover Tree House features a ball slide, peek-a-boo door, talking clock, canopy, turning gears and more. JJ is obsessed with the ball slide as you see in the pictures below. Although Moo is a little too big for this as you can see, she enjoys playing with it too. I'm seriously hoping they make a taller version for older kids soon.

There's so much kids can learn playing with this. They can learn about time, numbers, colors, and nursery rhymes. They've played with all of these everyday since we got them last week, but the tree house is what they play with the longest.

I definitely recommend that if you have a child between the ages of 1 and 5, that you look into getting them on of these or visit VTech to see what else they have. Trust me they have a variety of toys for all ages. Check out their official website: http://bit.ly/tHKlfD. You can like them on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/iIPfUE) and follow them on Twitter (http://bit.ly/Q7J7vM) to stay up to date on the latest product releases, sales and deals!

Christmas In March

You all know that I can't pass up a good sale. I'm the queen of not paying full price for anything. So, when I went to Walmart a few hours ago with my family, I spotted a sale on toys that I couldn't pass up. I've mentioned that Moo already made her Christmas list out. Therefore, I was beyond stoked when I saw that some of the items she wanted were marked down by 50% or more!

Here's a peak at what I got.

My Little Pony & Friends 2 sets in 1 Was $12 Paid $6

Xia Xia Confetti Cottage Was $10.98 Paid $1

Littlest Pet Shop Dolphin $3.96

Play Dough Roller Was $4.97 Paid $2

La Dee Da Doll Was $19.97 Paid $10

For $23.96, I've pretty much already finished Christmas shopping for one child. They didn't have a lot stuff for toddlers JJ's age. The stuff they did have, he wasn't interested in. Therefore, I didn't my money getting him any toys. However, they did have some cute little rockers by Disney and Pixer's Cars that I'm hoping will get a second markdown! I really want to get him one but I don't want to pay the $35 price tag.

They also had pretty good clearance on youth and toddler shoes but I just purchased two new pairs of shoes for Moo and a pair of sneakers for JJ. As my mom pointed out tonight, if you're on a budget or a single parent household then a sale like this a great opportunity that you don't want to pass up on. This my friends is why I don't do Black Friday. Prices are way cheaper and the great thing is that many of these toys will back in stores for regular price again this upcoming fall.

When do you start your Christmas shopping?

Kmart To The Rescue

This is a sponsored post, I am a Kmart Layaway blogger, though all opinions are my own.

The first official day of fall has come and gone. You know that means, right? It means that the holidays are quickly approaching. Yep, whether we want to admit it or not we're three months away from Christmas!! I don't know about you but I like to shop for my holiday gifts early.

I'm a wife, mommy of two and a business woman. So, I can't afford to be running around at the last minute like a chicken with my head cut off. Not to mention, the closer you get to Christmas the smaller the selection gets. By buying early I can guarantee that I won't be gifting my family and friends something they got from somebody else. However, my dilemma this year is hiding the gifts until we put up the tree.

We don't live in large place and sadly (well not so sad) our closets are pretty much at their compacity. The thought of hiding presents underneath the bed doesn't thrill me either, especially when some aren't going to even be able to fit. So, what's this mom to do? No worries, it's Kmart to the rescue with their free layaway!

Yes, that's right ladies and gentleman. Kmart has FREE layaway and it's available 365. I'm so glad that I discovered this little gem because I had been shying away layaway at other stores like Walmart for a while. For starters it wasn't year round and then they started tacking on all these fees and price restrictions. It just always seemed like more of a headache.

Now, with Kmart I don't have to worry about any of that stuff. I can even layaway stuff online! Talk about convience. Since finding out about Kmart's layaway, I've already starting shopping. Check out some of the stuff that will be sitting under our tree on Christmas.

The Mr doesn't have an official toolbox

Moo has been begging me for this since the Olympics

Something that JJ can enjoy

I think I made some good selections. I'm very stoked to see how everybody will like their gifts. Moo has been begging me for the gymnast Dora doll since they started playing the commercials for the Olympics. Can't wait to see her face light up when she unwraps it Christmas morning! I might shed a few tear yall.

Oh, I don't want to forget to mention Kmart's Big Layaway Giveaway! From now until Nov 17th, if you use Kmart's free layaway you could win a chance to have your remaining layaway balance to be fully paid off. Talk about a great prize. That's extra money that could be used for more gifts, decorations, wrapping paper or to keep in your pocket. They're choosing winners every week from every Kmart store in the country!

So, for example if there are 3 Kmart stores in your city, then 3 winners are chosen every week. And if you opt for the online layaway, you still qualify! I encourage you to get started with your holiday shopping today using Kmart's layaway. It a great option and you won't have to worry about hiding presents this year!!

Do you shop Kmart? Will/would you use their free layaway option?

Kmart_Logo_B&W.jpg (3 documents, 3 total pages)

Box Topping 4 Education With WalMart

Now more than ever schools are calling out to parents, guardians and community members for help. I don't know about you but in the last two years I've seen the damage caused by budget cuts and lack of funding here in Charlotte and back in my hometown. A lot of schools have been closed and many of my friends and former co-workers were let go or forced into retirement. That's why it's imperative to for us to support and take part in programs like Box Tops 4 Education.

Box Tops 4 Education is a program that allows schools to submit Box Tops from specially marked products to earn money that can be used purchase supplies, playground equipment and much more. This year Box Tops 4 Education and General Mills have partnered with Walmart to help make it easier for families and community members to earn money for local schools. In fact, you can head over to Walmart's Facebook page right now and earn money for a school of your choosing just by liking their page!

You can also collect Box Tops by stopping by your local Walmart store and purchasing products from brands like Avery, Betty Crocker and Hamburger Helper. I personally stock up on Cheerios, Juicy Juice, Ziploc and Kleenex products over other brands just for the Box Tops.

Also, Box Tops 4 Education has created Earn More for My School, a website that was designed specifically for Walmart shoppers to help them earn more money for local schools with eBox Tops. In addition, you can earn more eBox Tops by completing Click & Earn activities like surveys and by shopping online with some of your favorite brands like Motherhood Maternity, Gap, Build-A-Bear, Apple, Avon and Old Navy to name a few. eBox Tops is a great alternative for those of us who are busy and can't always get to our kids' schools to drop off Box Tops in person or for those who don't have kids but still want to support a school.

I encourage you take a moment to register for a Box Tops 4 Education account and start keeping track of your kids' schools progress with the program. Remember, our children are our future. And education is the key to making sure that their future is bright! I'm making it my personal goal this year to submit at least 1,000 box tops to schools in Charlotte and my hometown! Don't forget that for more information on how to earn money for kid's school you can visit the official Box Tops 4 Education website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Do you support programs like Box Tops 4 Education?

Disclosure: The Walmart gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by General Mills and Walmart through MyBlogSpark.

Christmas Shopping Plum District Style

It's crunch time in terms of finishing up my Christmas shopping. I still have a few people to cross off my list. And while the Black Friday madness is behind us, I still don't feel like searching store aisles for presents my family doesn't already have. We all live pretty much in the same region so our Walmarts, Targerts, and malls carry the same merchandise.

Therefore, nine times out of ten they've already seen the gift that I'm giving them. Or they've probably purchased that same gift for me. So, this year I'm Christmas shopping Plum District-Charlotte style. I've been checking the site out on daily basis to stay up to date on all the new deals that come available and so far I've scored some sweet beauty products from Bloom (stocking stuffers) and a magazine subscription deal that I used for my husband's birthday.

Anyways, JJ's going to be 7 months by the time Christmas gets here and he's already showing quite an interest in toys. So, I was thinking that the $25 for $50 Worth of Plush Adorable Rockers from Rockabye[.com] would be a great deal to pick for him.

Source

How cute is that Baseball Glove rocker?!! I love it. Since, my mom is always complaining about the lack of pictures she has of the grandkids, I thought that the $39 for 16x20 Chic Canvas Photo ($99 value) would be a great gift and very worth the investment. Canvas photos are much better than photos we put in picture books because you hang them on the wall and can see them daily without having to hunt down a book. Nothing mention, they're just an unspoken elegance about canvas photos, especially when they're framed nicely.

And my sisters and I are all into natural beauty products. Therefore, I'm eyeballing the $15 for $35 Worth of Holistic Lani B Lip Care Products and the $30 for $60 Worth of Brown Bag Botanicals Skin Care Products.

Source

So, if you're like me and you're looking to get gifts for your family and friends that really truly surprise them and for an amazing price, I HIGHLY recommend that you scoot on over to Plum District-Charlotte and check out the great deals they have going. Check out their $25 for $50 Deals. There's only 8 more hours to scoop those up before they're gone!

YUMMommy

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Plum District Charlotte.

Gimme, Gimme

Moo has been bitten by the Gimme bug because that's all she has been saying lately. She knows that we are Santa and hasn't been the least bit shy about telling us what she wants for Christmas. Just the other day she told me that she wanted "some diamonds!" Yes, diamonds!!!

Well, clearly diamonds are out of the question but here is the rest of her wishlist. I haven't promised to get anything but simply told her that we would think about it. While, she doesn't believe in Santa, I still want there to be an element of surprise as to the gifts she's getting. Also, I want her to know that Christmas is not about the getting but giving and celebrating Jesus' birthday.

Leap Frog Reading Tablet. (Ok, I want her to get this one)

Stroller and Diaper Bag Set

Dora Kitchen

Pucci Pup

Disney Princess Costume & Doll Set

I'm not going to lie, she has pretty good taste in gifts. And a few of these are currently on sale. Who's knows. I may have to get her one of these for her birthday which comes before Christmas.

Thank goodness JJ doesn't really get the whole toys concept yet. LOL.

Have your kids already started their wishlists?

Oh here's the winner of the My Memories Suite Giveaway

The Walmart Debacle

I'm taking a break from our regularly scheduled Romance Wednesday posts to share with you all my recent experience at my local Walmart. Let me just start by saying that I enjoy shopping at Walmart. They are one of the few stores that still carry somewhat reasonably priced merchandise (food included). I grew up shopping at Walmart.

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In fact, I'm pretty sure my mom has spent nothing short of a small fortune there. Anyways, you all know that I am a frugal shopper. We just don't have money to waste and even if we did, I still wouldn't change my frugal shopping habits. I work hard to get the most bang for our bucks. And in doing so that means that I coupon.

I wouldn't consider myself an extreme couponer. I coupon on a much smaller scale in comparison to some people. And until recently, I never had an issue with couponing at Walmart. Since we moved to a different neighborhood, I shop at the Walmart that is closest to us rather than driving almost 45 minutes to the other Walmart we shopped at for 5 years.

Monday, I decided to go pick up some items that I had on my shopping list that I had finally gotten some coupons for. Nothing fancy. Just some soda, disposable razors, body wash and those mini Colgate toothbrush things. I put all my coupons in an envelope and had calculated my total which should have came out to zero.

This past week, there have been a lot of high value and Free product coupons being put out in the Sunday papers, on company websites, Facebook, etc. And I planned on taking full advantage of the ones for products that I use. So, I loaded the kids up and we headed off to Walmart. Everything was going well. I was able to find the items needed with no problem. Moo had a small meltdown over having to ride in the buggy but quickly calmed down.

I proceeded to check out. And this my friends is where my shopping experience turned from a pleasant one to an utter debacle. I loaded my items to the conveyor belt and greeted the cashier. I informed her that I had some coupons I would be using and handed them over. The whole mood of the cashier changed.

I could see her face take on a less than pleasant appearance. Please keep in mind I had less than ten items. It wasn't like she had a million coupons to scan. So, instead of continuing to scan my items through, she immediately stops the transaction to go through my coupons. Right off the top she pulls one of the coupons from the pile and proceeds to tell me that I can't use it.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because you can't save $6 on this product," she says. "We've had a lot of customers come in with this coupon and we've been instructed not to let them use it on the cheaper product."

"Why?" I persisted. "It says that I can use it on any two disposable razor packs except for the two count. I have two twelve counts. This is a violation of your coupon policy."

She explains that obviously, the managers don't want customers getting cash back and having been scamming other customers by not allowing them to use their legit coupons on the cheaper razors that would have let them get less than a dollar back. She continues to look at through my stack of coupons with scrutiny and questioning each one.

At this point, other customers are behind me witnessing this and I start feel slightly humiliated. Not because I'm using coupons. (There's nothing humiliating about saving money folks). But this chick was acting like I was trying to rob or scam Walmart when it was the complete opposite.

What should have been an in and out trip had turned to a disaster. Thankfully, I had a lower value coupon that I could use on the razors. And instead of getting three packs like I had planned, I ended up getting one. But even with the lower coupon I would still get the razors free. I saw her look at that coupon and she looked like she wanted to refuse it too but I gave her my "You don't want to do that" look and she scanned the coupon through.

Now, my frustration is this:

1-I wasn't using fraudulent or illegitimate coupons.

2-I don't appreciate being humiliated or made to feel to stupid.

3-I don't appreciate stores that refuse to honor their policies.

I am very familiar with the Walmart coupon policy. And it does not state that there is a limit of the amount of money you can get back if you have a high value coupon. The crazy thing is that I wasn't even going to get cash back because the overage would have been eaten up by the tax and I had picked up some candy for Moo that I had put me over my calculated total.

JJ was getting a little fussy and I didn't want to wait a long time in the line at customer service with him crying his head off to talk to a manager. So, I came home and called back to the store. I asked the speak to a manager but guess what I stayed on hold forever and not one manager ever answered my waiting call. I was pissed off at this point and decided to call corporate and file an official complaint.

In closing, I just want to say that I've been very brand loyal to Walmart. I don't appreciate mangers telling cashiers to do things that are unethical. I will not support brands who do things like this. What I will do is take my business elsewhere and make sure that my family and friends do the same.

If you've been having issues with your cashiers not reading coupons or not following the policy properly you cannot take that out on the other customers who are following the policy correctly without corporate approval. I think it is needless to say that it might be a while before I shop at Walmart again. And if I had had more sense, I should have just walked out not buying anything.

Plum District

Now, everybody knows that I love good deals! And I'm not just talking about deals on groceries. I enjoying scoring deals on everything!! And thanks to Plum District, I can have those deals delivered right to my mailbox. What is Plum District? Well, I'm glad you asked.

Plum District is a daily deals site that offers deals specifically targeted towards moms. So, you know what that means. More me time!! And you can do more shopping without breaking the bank. Plum District offers deals on everything from

Flowers, and

Jewelry

to Photobooks.

With Christmas coming up, Plum District is the perfect site to go to for gifts for your mom, sisters, aunts and mommy friends. You browse local deals specific for your city or shop their Everywhere deals. While you're over at Plum District, you can check out there blog and stay up to date on contests, sneak peaks of upcoming deals and much more.

So scurry on over there and sign up to start saving today. Don't forget to visit Plum District on Facebook and 'like' their page! They also have city pages on Facebook too. Queen City moms be sure to show our Plum District page a little love here.

Happy Shopping!!

Thankful Thursday

This week I am very thankful that YUMMommy is a finalist in CBS-Charlotte's Most Valuable Blogger contest!! That is a huge honor for me. It just further proves to me that YUMMommy is touching others and that's most important. While we're on the subject I would love it if you could swing over there and vote. Click here.

Also, if you have blog on one of CBS's local sites that's up for Most Valuable Blogger please be sure to let me know in the comment section so that I can go and vote for you too!! I'm all about bloggers supporting bloggers. We have to spread the love people. Also, if you wouldn't mind use the share buttons to either share the word to Facebook and/or Twitter friends, I would appreciate that too! Thanks!

I'm really thankful that Tuesday the kiddies and I got to spend time with my younger sister and her husband. They treated the kids and I to lunch and a mini shopping spree. I thought it was super nice and thoughtful of them. And no it's not anybody's birthday or anything. They did it just because. They love kids but don't have any of their own. They also offered to babysit if ever we needed sitters in the future.

With my one year marriage anniversary coming up, I might have to take them up on that offer for a few hours. I'm thankful that my mom is feeling better. She really has to start taking it easy and taking better care of her body. I keep telling her that she's not a spring chicken anymore.

I'm thankful that JJ and Moo are doing well. They're both growing and thriving quite well developmentally. And I have finally got Moo's nose bleeds under control. We have to stay in the house or wait until it cools off in the evenings to go out but it is what it is. Thank goodness for coloring books. And we finally got a little regimen that has been working well for JJ's eczema.

And as always, I'm thankful for you guys for hanging in here and reading what I have to say. I'm thankful for all the comments and feedback and support. It truly means a lot. YUMMommy is still growing and the best is yet to come.

What are you most thankful for this week?

My Baby Shopping Must Haves

When I found out I was pregnant the first time around, one of the first things I did was go out and a buy a baby book. And the first chapter I read was the one of things to buy for baby. I wanted to get as much of a head start as I could on getting things for my little Moo. A few days later, I found myself in front of the computer searching for baby shopping check lists. Yes, the madness had began.

I mean the baby book listed this small list of things to get but I was finding lists on the internet from baby magazines that seemed to miles and miles long. Which one should I follow? In the end, I created my own list. It was based on my budget (I'm not rich!) and input from my hubby and my mom (she had five kids). What I discovered was it's best to go with the small list from the baby book than the huge list from those baby magazines. And even then it's wise to back and eliminate things you don't need.

For example, if you don't plan on breastfeeding clearly you're going to cross off buying/renting a breast pump. Anyways, here's my list of baby product must haves.

~Crib/Bassinet: Let's face it the baby needs somewhere to sleep. Bassinets usually work well until your baby starts to get really active and try to sit up on their own. Bassinets also allow for those moms who are uncomfortable with their babies sleeping in bed with them to still be able to co-sleep. And remember drop side cribs are illegal now!!

~Crib Mattress: I recommend getting a mattress that is waterproof (it's pretty much the norm now) and not too soft but not rock hard either. Make sure crib mattress fits snug in your crib because cribs come in all different shapes and lengths.

~Toy Basket: The crib is not the safest place to store toys when your baby is sleeping in it. And you also want to make sure that you keep your baby's toys as clean and germ free as possible. I regular clothes basket with a lid or storage container from the Dollar General or WalMart will do the trick. No need to break the bank on a spiffy toy box.

~Crib Bumpers: I made the mistake once and took the bumper off of Moo's crib while she was napping in it and I came back to find that one of legs had managed to find its way between the crib railing. So be sure to leave those bumpers on there! They are for more than just decoration.

~Fitted Sheets: I recommend getting three for the crib and three for the bassinet. This way you'll always have one on the mattress plus a back up when you have to wash the previous fitted sheet. Moo was notorious for having diaper blowouts in her sleep. So, I washed sheets and clothes a lot!

~Crib Blankets: Cotton blankets work better in the spring and summer when the weather is warm and you have the AC turned up to the max. Fleece blankets are warmer for the fall and winter seasons. Again I recommend three of each. I always kept two that were used strictly for sleeping or around the house purposes and then one that was used to wrap around Moo in the car seat or the stroller.

~Night Light: There's nothing like almost falling into the bassinet or trying to feel for baby in the dark. Even if your baby sleeps in a separate room a night light is still a wise investment as it will allow you to check on baby without having to turn on bright lights and wake them. I looked at this as more of a safety feature.

~Laundry Hamper/Bag: Babies have such sensitive skin that the slightest thing can break them out. I learned this the hard way with Moo. Honestly, it's best to keep their clothing separate from your own, especially if you work in healthcare, law enforcement and any other field in which you come in contact with harmful germs or chemicals. And again you can hit up the dollar store for one of these.

~Bodysuits: I highly recommend buying the 0-3 months size versus the newborn size because babies grow fast. My mom got some in newborn size for Moo and three weeks later we were back in the store getting bigger sizes. Also, look for the bodysuits that have the built in hand mitt because it will save you from having to buy so many hand mitts to prevent scratching. I would say get at least 14 of each. This way you can allow for at least two wardrobe changes a day and trust me it will happen. The Dollar Tree sells the short sleeve bodysuits and they do last pretty well!

~Sleepers: These really come in handy during the fall and winter months. In the summer and warmer spring nights you can get away with just letting baby sleep in a bodysuit and keeping them covered if you have the AC up too high. I think that 7 to 14 is great number to get. Blowouts can be common during the night.

~Sweaters: You'll need a light sweater for the early cooler spring days and a heavier sweater for the fall and winter. After all, if you have hot natured kids like my Moo, a jacket or coat and be much and more than a little uncomfortable. However, you still need to keep them warm and a sweater is the perfect substitute.

~Socks: Idk if you know but we catch colds thru our feet, hands and head. Your baby does too. So you want to make sure to keep their feet warm.

~Hats: If you plan on being out and about in the summer, it's best to make sure your baby stays as cool and protected from the sun as possible by using a hat and in the cooler months a winter hat with ear flaps is necessary to keep baby warm and protect them from catching head colds.

~Baby Wipes: Ok, this one is common sense. Clearly you need to have some way to keep your baby's private area clean during diaper changes. However, wipes come in handy for cleaning off pacifiers, bottle nipples, dirty hands and much more!

~Diapers: Duh!! You just need to decide if you're going to do cloth diapers or disposable diapers or even both. I don't recommend stacking up on too many of the newborn sizes especially if you're breastfeeding.

~Changing Pad: Nothing was worst than going to use the changing station in a public restroom and seeing that 1-they were out of the table liners, 2-it was dirty and 3-it was hard as a rock. Remember germs are bad for your baby! Your changing pad will serve as a layer of protection between the nastiness on that changing station and your baby's clothes and skins. I do recommend wiping down the side of your changing pad that touches the changing station with a wipe before tucking it back in your diaper bag.

~Nail Clippers: I know it's hard to believe that something so small can be born with nails so sharp and long but they can. I found myself clipping Moo's nails all the time. I suggest making sure your clippers have a built in emery board if you're not completely comfortable with using the actually clippers. This will save you from having to buy both.

~Baby Brush/Comb Set: Babies have sensitive scalps and an adult brush and comb is just too rough for their little heads to handle.

~Bibs/Burp Cloths: Great to use during feedings and to wipe away spit-up and drool.

~Thermometer: You'll need to be able take your baby's temperature if you suspect that they are ill.

~Petroleum Jelly: This product works great for everything from keeping dry skin moist to helping circumcisions heal and keeping that little piece of umbilical cord from sticking to the diaper until it falls off.

~Diaper Rash Ointment: Although, we try diaper rash happens and you don't want to wait until it happens to hunt down ointment. Better to be already prepared!

~Medicine dropper: Not all meds come with droppers or syringes. I know this is hard to believe but it's true.

~Nasal Aspirator: Helps to clear the baby's nose when it gets stuffy.

Body Products: It's very important to find body products that work with your baby's skin type. As I learned baby soaps irritated Moo's eczema and Dove actually worked best for her.

~Car Seat: This is another no brainer. Whether you own a car or not you still need to make sure that you own one of these because at some point you will be riding in a vehicle of some sort.

~Stroller/Carrier: You're going to need somewhere for baby to rest while you're shopping or walking at the park or down town.

Hopefully, this list will help some new mom-to-be. I tried to stick strictly to the items my baby couldn't live without and then get extra items if I could afford them. And don't be afraid to hit up the dollar stores like Dollar Tree, Family Dollar or Dollar General for baby products. You'd be amazed that their cheaper products are just as sufficient as those name brands from WalMart and other big retailers!

Shopping for JJ

If you follow me on Twitter, then you heard the news that Baby JJ could possibly be here two weeks early. I went to my OB for an ultrasound and to talk about my sugar test as well as my severely low blood count on Monday. Well, during the ultrasound appointment the tech pointed out that JJ was two weeks more developed than 86% of babies his gestational age. She estimated according to ultrasound measurements that he's already almost five pounds!!! That is crazy.

Can you imagine how much bigger he's going to get these last two months? I mean that's when babies really start to put on their final pounds. So, let's say he puts on two pounds in April and then another two pounds in May. I'm looking at trying to push out an almost ten pound baby folks!!! And then think about the carrying around. My arms are going to beyond tired.

Guess, I better start carrying around and cradling a ten pound bag of sugar to get used to what my baby is going to feel like. With Moo, I at least had two weeks before she hit the ten pound mark. JJ is going to come out weighing ten pounds or close to it which means in two weeks he'll weigh 12 pounds or more. Since, I'm breast feeding, he'll pack on more weight than a formula feed baby in a faster time period.

Anyways, to the hubby and I decided that we needed to go ahead and get a move on getting the rest of the stuff we needed. So, this morning I got surprised with breakfast complete with fresh orange juice. I was glad that I didn't have to cook. And then I enjoyed a nice hot shower minus Moo for a change. She usually throws a fit if she hears the water running and she's not in there showering with Moo. She thinks the shower is some kind of magic rain cloud. LOL

After we were all dressed and ready to go, we headed out to do some shopping. Since my family is taking care of the clothes and toys, we tackled the big items and here are some of the steals we got today:

We got the Graco Kinsey DuoGlider Stroller from Target for $139.99. That's a whole $10 cheaper than Babies 'R Us. Needless to say I have scratched this off our registry with them.

Graco Kinsley DuoGlider

And we all know how much I love co-sleeping with Moo. So, since we'll most likely be moving a week or two after JJ is born and won't be able to get our king sized mattress until then we decided to get a bassinet so JJ can join us. We settled on this adorable Nod-A-Way by Safety 1st from Target as well. It was another great buy at $79.99.

Safety 1st Nod-A-Way Bassinet

And since I hurriedly gave away Moo's baby bouncer seat, we picked up this adorable How Now Brown Cow Open Top Take Along Swing. Of course, it's from Target too for $49.99. It has a three point harness and can handle up to 25 pounds!! I loved it because we can fold it up and carry it to Grandma's or when Moo goes on in home playdates.

How Now Brown Cow On Top Take Along Swing

We picked up a Munchkin bottle rack from WalMart for $7.99.

You've also probably heard me talk about how my hubby has been really involved with wanting to pick out a breast pump. So, we grabbed a Playtex Petite Double Electric Breast Pump System from WalMart for $79.98. It's a 16-piece kit that comes complete with pump motor, 2 breast cups, 2 Playtex Drop-Ins bottles, 10 Drop-Ins liners, an adapter, tubing, 2 liner rings, 2 bottle nipples, 2 milk storage sealing discs, 2 extra pump valves and of course the instruction booklet.

We also picked up JJ's first outfit that he will be coming home in and taking his newborn pics in. However, I'll let that be a surprise as well as my dress for my baby shower.

Overall, I would say that if you're shopping for baby gear Target is certainly the place to go. And Big Lots is not bad if yours carries big items like double strollers, bassinets and swings. WalMart has the best prices on baby clothes, bottles, breast pumps and diapers. So, keep that in mind for future baby shower registries.

Fashion Find: Great Buys from Neiman Marcus

For those of you who don't know, I'm a Fashion Merchandising major. In addition to writing, I love designing, styling and shopping!! In fact, I am the Queen of bargain shopping when it comes to clothes. If you take a look in my closet you might see labels like BCBG, Anne Klein, and Ralph Lauren just to name a few. And lets not get started on all the designer stuff you'll find in Moo's closet.

I've even taken the time to introduce my mom to Tiffany & Co, Guess, Burberry and decorated her neck and ears with $1,000 worth of real pearls. Now, if you've been reading my blog long enough, you'd know that I'm in no shape or form rich. And while you can find these brands in your thrift shops or on eBay, you can also shop prestigious brands like Neiman Marcus themselves. I know I know you're probably saying yea right, but it's true. Online shopping has always been a hobby of mine.

I'm afraid to tell you that you're not really getting the best deals when you shop in the store. See stores sell and price merchandise by demographics (location, consumer makeup, etc). However, their online shopping sites offers their complete line of merchandise and if you can find free shipping codes or buy enough merchandise to qualify for their free shipping offers then your purchase is that much cheaper. So, anyways I was thinking that I wanted to add a few more designer pieces to my wardrobe, Moo's and hubby's. And I've totally fell in love with the Neiman Marcus at our mall.

So, I decided to Facebook their page and visit their website. You won't believe the amazing stuff I found for under $100. Well, I decided to highlight my top ten favorite finds below for you all.

1-Lelli Kelly Angel Double-Strap Sneakers (kids) $51