Instruction Booklet

Babywearing may seem like a new trend, but it’s been practiced for centuries around the world. Simply put, wearing your baby allows you to have both hands free while holding your baby. That way you can bond while still getting the dishes done. As if that isn’t great by itself, studies have shown numerous benefits to babywearing, such as reduced colic, lowered stress levels, increases in breast milk production, and less crying.

The Moby Wrap is one of the most popular baby wraps on the market and it’s easy to see why. Made of 100% cotton, it’s soft, easy to care for, and comfortable (not to mention machine washable!). The real benefit of the Moby wrap over other carriers and slings is that it wraps around both shoulders and your back, keeping your baby extra secure and not putting too much strain on your shoulders. Additionally, it’s one size fits all – so Mom and Dad don’t need to buy separate wraps.

Moby Wrap holds babies from 8-35 pounds in a variety of positions.  We chose the original wrap in a simple chocolate color, but it’s available in many different designs and fabrics. There are even Major League Baseball Moby Wraps!

It can seem a bit intimidating to use a Moby Wrap for babywearing at first, but it comes with a helpful instruction book with a step by step guide. If you’re like my husband and can’t follow directions, there are tons of great videos on their website and on YouTube that demonstrate the proper technique. My friends who’ve used one say that you have to practice a couple times to get it down before it becomes habit.

Our baby won’t be here until August, but we are definitely looking forward to carrying him in our new Moby Wrap.

Moby Wrap in Package

Available online for $47.95 (for the Original) or at various stores – check the store locator to find a place near you.

An Original Moby Wrap was received for review. All opinions are honest, as always.

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Thanks to Verizon Wireless for the use of a Blackberry Z10 and service for 3 months.

Like many of you, I like to play games on my smart phone.  But did you know that besides apps, you can buy toy accessories through Verizon Wireless?  Yes, toys and games for kids and big kids for lots of devices are available online or at Verizon Wireless stores.

Like arcade games? Check out the iCade: Arcade Cabinet for iPad. It has a joystick and wooden cabinet that kind of reminds me of a pinball machine. The iCade comes with the Atari Greatest Hits app with games like Centipede and Asteroids. The games come in packs, but you get one game free. This is for those old gamers like me. It even has Pong!

Now don’t laugh, but I still love to color. I’ve mentioned before that it relaxes me. There are three Crayola accessories. My favorite is the Crayola Digitools Deluxe Pack for iPad. The 3D dimension makes my heart sing. Besides a Digital Crayon, it includes an Airbrush, a Stamper and 3D Glasses. This is on my gift list.

But, this is my all-time favorite toy accessory – Ravensburger Augmented Reality Puzzle: Ocean Underwater World. I can sit down alone or with my family and work on jigsaw puzzles for days. This is a 1,000 piece puzzle, but the difference shows up after you download the A.R. Puzzle app. Just point your camera on the puzzle and see the fish swim around! By the way, Ravensburger is a top brand name in the jigsaw puzzle line.

There are a few toy accessories for smartphones too. Be sure to check them out.

Did you know about toy accessories from Verizon Wireless for your smart phone or tablet? Do you own any?

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An easy way to make outside play even more fun and exciting is to teach them about games of the past, well in your past. Fad games that you played with your friends for hours or the whole neighborhood joined in… competitive, exciting, or addicting activities. Join in with them and get their friends involved too.

Hopscotch

As a 50 year old who grew up the Bronx, most of the outdoor games of the past I played were with groups of friends. I’m not sure which was more exciting, being with friends or challenging myself. Some of the games I played were stickball, hopscotch, potsy, and paddleball. I also was a fan of roller-skating and jump rope.

Stickball

Back then we all knew each other, but if I went to another area and asked to be a part of one of these games, I became part of the gang. This is missing today. Kids stay in their homes, playing video games, sometimes with a friend, but there’s no real groups of friends. And sadly, no physical activity.

The NFL Invention Contest is trying to change that. Kids need to play outdoors! Have an idea for a NEW way to get active? Encourage your kids to enter the NFL Play60 Invention Contest! Enter today! (contest ends July 12, 2013 at 11:59 PM ET)

Want a free NFL Play60 poster for your kid? Email info@bkfk.com with your mailing address to request one!

Get your kids moving by teaching them about outdoor games of the past. What are some games you played as a child?

This is a post to help VolunteerSpot.com share the NFL Play 360 Invention Contest. I have received no compensation, but I am a supporter of the topic of outdoor play.

Image source for hopscotch photo – L. Marie

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Sergent’s products are for dogs, cats, birds, small animals and fish. It’s easy to find the right product for your special pet. Actress and animal advocate Tiffani Thiessen (@TAThiessen) is a spokesperson for Sergent’s emBark on health program. This program focuses on preventative health care for pets.

Take the emBark on Health online pledge to promise to take good care of your pet. For each pledge, Sergent’s will send a pet health kit (retailing up to $50 in value) to shelters via the American Humane Association (AHA). In turn you will receive a coupon for $3.00 off your next Sergeant’s or Sentry purchase.

I’m proud to provide a forever home to two former shelter cats. They are truly part of my family. As a pet lover, pet health is a priority. I make sure that my two kittens get their injections and checkups on time. And that they are protected from fleas, ticks and worms.

Take the time to attend the emBark Twitter Party:

When: Tuesday, May 21, at 1pm ET (the party will last one hour)

RSVP: via Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/sergeantspet2

Hashtag: #SergeantsPet

Prizes: Five prizes throughout the party to random participants who have answered a trivia question correctly.

Each prize includes free flea & tick product for the winner’s pet, the pet health kit, an emBARK on Pet Health t-shirt, a head shot of campaign spokesperson Tiffani Thiessen, and a DVD copy of White Collar (Tiffani’s hit show on USA Network).

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

TweetGrid for the party: http://bit.ly/11HUMNH

Your fellow co-hosts:

• Connnie, Brain Foggles - @ConnieFoggles
• Dionne, Cocktails with Mom - @MomCocktails
• Ellen, Confessions of an Overworked Mom - @scentednights
• Janice, Celebrating Family - @celebratingfam
• Jennifer, Eighty MPH Mom - @EightyMPHMom
• Katherine, Our Whiskey Lullaby - @KBWhiskey
• Katy, Katydid Country - @KatydidCountry
• Mimi, Woven by Words - @MimiBakerMN
• Sara, Mom Endeavors - @momendeavors
• Sarah, Minnesota Mama’s Must Haves - @mnmamamusthave

This is part of a sponsored opportunity with The Motherhood, including this post and co-hosting the emBark Twitter Party.

Image source – Embark on Health Event

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Caregivers deal with stress, which can cause a myriad of health problems.

Caregivers had a 23 percent higher level of stress hormones and a 15 percent lower level of antibody responses than non-caregivers. Over time, elevated stress hormones can lead to high blood pressure and glucose levels, increasing the risk of hypertension and diabetes. Poorer immune response can make people more vulnerable to infections such as the flu, even after a flu shot. – Source – American Psychological Association

Being a caregiver means long hours. When you have a family and/or job of your own, there is less time to care for the caregiver. I fit this sandwich generation category. I am married, have a teen daughter with her own health issues and an adult daughter who is pregnant. And I have chronic illnesses.

With chronic illness, I am more likely to be sick and stay sick for a long time. I must take my healthcare seriously. The main way to do this is with preventative care. Keeping doctor appointments, getting health screenings on time and taking my medications is my way to stay as healthy as possible.

Eating a healthy diet, sleeping well, and pampering myself all help on my road to staying healthy. On my calendar, I set aside time for my health care needs and my “me time”. Staying educated on caregiver tips is essential.  Care for the caregiver is the difference between my ability to be there fully mentally and physically for my mother or to not be there at all.

How do you stay healthy as a caregiver?

I am part of AARP’s kitchen cabinet on caregiving.  This is a series of posts on the topic of caregiving. This post and my social media involvement is compensated, but all opinions are my own.

The post Care for the Caregiver: Staying Healthy appeared first on BrainFoggles.

This year’s theme is Pathways to Wellness:

• Getting well and maintaining wellness leads to a living a productive life
• Mental health plays a major part in wellness
• It is important to get regular mental health check-ups. “Just as we check our blood pressure and get cancer screenings, it’s a good idea to take periodic reading of our emotional well-being.” from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may
• Emotional wellness is a means to a more productive society

As someone who has mental health disorders, anxiety and depression, bringing awareness through Mental Health Month, to these types of issues is extremely helpful. Learning about the symptoms of these conditions and the available treatments can assist people to make the right decisions to get healthy.

Children’s mental health is also a large part of awareness. If diagnosed and treated early, there is a much better chance that as children mature they can lead normal lives. This is also a way to reduce the emotional pain that children go through. When parents understand the symptoms, they are more likely to get help quicker.

Reducing the stigma of mental health disorders is another issue that is tackled. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a program called “Become a Stigma Buster”. When the ads, characters, etc. display stereotypes of people with mental illness, we must react. This organization provides a way to report incidents.

How you can Help:

• Speak up about your condition
• Help those close to you who display symptoms of mental illness
• Call out when people use language such as crazy, nuts, psycho
• Educate yourself about mental health

Mental Health Month is an ongoing effort to bring attention to mental illness. What have you learned?

Affiliate Link included

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Setup or pairing is simple. Turn the speaker on (the on/off button is located on the front of the speaker, in between the volume buttons. Next, go to Settings, Network Connections, and Bluetooth Connections. Turn Bluetooth on. You will hear a beep and the speaker is paired.

The Mini Speaker is just that, small, but the sound quality is excellent. While I listen to music from Slacker Radio and YouTube, I have been impressed with the distinctly clear audio. The combination of the fantastic HD quality of videos and the sound is amazing. This has to be one the best ways to watch and listen to videos! I haven’t tried it with phone calls, but that is another use.

The unique design of the Blackberry Mini Stereo Speaker makes it stand out from the crowd. Again, it is very small, but it can also be clipped to your sun visor or seatbelt in the car or a shoulder strap (for example a messenger bag strap). Or simply place it on your desk or table. It is available in white and is quite stylish.

The Blackberry Mini Stereo speaker has an outlet for a mic and a charger. It comes with a USB cable. Here are the specs:

• Optimized portable speakerphone – Noise reduction and echo cancellation technology, ensures your voice is heard loud and clear.
• Universal Bluetooth® compatibility – Play music or take calls from any Bluetooth enabled portable media payer, smartphone or tablet.
• Connect to two smartphones simultaneously – Multipoint technology enables seamless music playing and hands free calling using either smartphone.
• Up to 16 hours talk time.
• Up to 14 hours streaming time.
• Minimum 40 days standby time.

How would you use this speaker?

The post BlackBerry Mini Stereo Speaker Review #vzwa appeared first on BrainFoggles.

“Why didn’t they leave” brings back memories of my first marriage, which was wrought with domestic violence. I was asked about leaving a number of times, even by the judge who granted my restraining order. My ex-husband’s acts were heinous, so why was I blamed?

Now, imagine being abducted as teens (Michelle Knight was 20 years old) hidden in a house, being chained and raped for ten years. How can anyone in their right mind, wonder why these women didn’t escape? After the length of time spent with an abuser, their fear was overwhelming.

Abusers know how to brainwash their victims. They put the fear of God into them. But, what Ariel Castro did is beyond abuse. Starving these women, raping them, causing miscarriages through beatings, and never allowing them out of the house, is torture.

He kept the women separated from each other most of the time. These girls, who became women while abducted, knew only Ariel Castro and were totally dependent on him. Gina DeJesus told her family that she doesn’t remember how to speak Spanish anymore. Michelle Knight is still hospitalized after being rescued (as of today, it has been 5 days). She was pregnant a number of times, but Ariel Castro starved and punched her in the stomach causing miscarriages. Ariel Berry was raped and has a child, whom Ariel Castro threated to abuse.

By questioning these tortured women’s ability to “leave”, they are made scapegoats. They are humiliated.  And victim blaming continues.

The post Why Didn’t They Leave? appeared first on BrainFoggles.

Lots of prayers and tears filled my days waiting to hold my baby in my arms. I followed every doctor’s order exactly. I didn’t carry anything heavy, clean the litter box, drink caffeine, or sleep on my right side. I’d suffer through migraines without medication. This baby’s good health was up to me.

Two weeks before by due date, I woke up knowing I was having my baby. For some unknown reason, my fears subsided. This was as it should be. Soon, my husband, daughter, mother and mother-in-law were with me as the pains worsened in Labor and Delivery. I needed love all around me. Hours later, shaking with pain, I pushed my sweet baby out.

Holding her against my chest, stroking her face and staring at my beautiful baby eased all of my fears. I loved her from when I first knew I was pregnant. Now, I loved her with all of my being. I bathed her in my tears of joy. I covered her with my protection. I fed her with affection.

During my pregnancy I was cared for by doctors who had the most up-to-date medical knowledge. Health insurance took care of the bills. I gave birth in a safe, sanitary hospital. All types of treatment were available for me and for my baby. We were blessed because of where we lived.

This is 18-year-old Maria’s first child, a baby girl, name unknown. She is about one hour old. Copyright – Save Our Children

According to Save Our Children’s State of the World’s Mothers (SOWM) report, if I lived in Chad or Mali, for example, my sweet baby may have died during her first moments. The Birth Day Risk Index lists the safest and most dangerous countries for babies to be born. The sad statistic is that more than one million babies die the day they are born.

Save Our Children is working to care for women so they can have a safe pregnancy and delivery and so more babies live healthier and longer lives. Find out how you can help.

As a member of the Global Team of 200, I am honored to share my personal opinion and information about Save Our Children  and the State of the World Mothers Report.

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Family, friends and neighbors, think about the single mothers you know this Mother’s Day.

The Gifts Moms Will Love On Mother’s Day ($25 and Under!) by kristenhuff

Browse on SunnyBump ?

Mother’s Day Gifts that Help Single Moms

1. Babysitting – Make a creative coupon booklet for watching the children so mom can have free time.
2. Meals – Cook and freeze few meals – lasagna, soups, chili, etc. or buy restaurant gift cards.
3. Check up the Car – Know a good mechanic? Pay for an oil change, tire rotation or basic checkup.

Mother’s Day Gifts that Pamper Single Moms

1. Beauty Treatments – Buy a gift certificate for a Mani and Pedi, a facial, a massage, etc.
2. Shopping Day – A gift certificate is a fun gift. Add on babysitting to make it a special time.
3. Tea Time – Get dressed up and take your friend to a tea room. Go out for lunch or dinner with her and the girls.
4. Movies and Plays – Choose an outing that your friend enjoys, but can’t afford it or doesn’t want to go alone. Make it a special time by attending with her and taking care of all the details.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Single Moms

1. Handmade Gifts – Help her children make their own gifts.
2. Flowers – A bouquet of flowers is always special.
3. Dinner Out – Go out to eat on Mother’s Day with your friend and her children. Ask first to see if they want to attend.
4. Great Gifts – Take her children shopping to buy a special gift and card.

My tips for gifts line up with a survey by Child’s Play Communication. A mother want handmade gifts the most, followed by a day off and next is a spa day.

Affiliate links included.

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