Why I Chose To Join Younique

There are so many "work from home" business opportunities out there. From food and wine to handbags and household goods, from makeup and clothing to jewelry and candles, there is a market for everything. So just how did I decide to become an independent Presenter for Younique?

It was quite unintentional, I assure you. I needed makeup. I had neglected my skin care and makeup needs and wants for quite some time. I had seen my cousin post about Younique so I ordered thinking nothing of it other than refreshing my makeup bag

I was immediately hooked! I loved the BB cream the minute I tried it and couldn't wait to get more. So I became a "kitnapper" just so I could get all the things and enjoy a 20% plus discount because what's better than awesome makeup and skin care?! Discounted and free makeup and skin care!!!! Yep...I did it for purely selfish reasons! 😂😂😂

But then, then I saw the sisterhood. I saw women cheering each other on. I saw women supporting each other through hard times. I saw women doing everything they can to "uplift, empower, and validate" each other.

And just when I thought things couldn't be better, I learned about the Younique Foundation. Younique actually created a retreat for women and adolescents that have suffered through sexual abuse to help them heal.  That alone is amazing to me!!!!! Click HERE to learn more about how Younique is changing lives!!

So why did I join Younique? Let me count the ways!!!

1. There are no website fees, inventory to keep, or auto ships.
2. Products are cruelty free
3. Younique is dedicated to healing those who have been affected by sexual abuse.
4. USA based
5. Products are long lasting and versatile
6. Work from anywhere
7. It's a sisterhood 
8. Get paid after every sale, no waiting.
9. Great discount and earn free products on what you use as well.
10. You can join just to save on your own personal use items, no selling required! I'm 

(If you would like to  change lives while bettering yours, message me!)

Funding My (Cloth and Carrier) Addictions!!

Cloth diapers and carriers are my addictions! 😂😂😂 No, I don't have crazy stashes BUT I would have all the fluff and babywearing things if I could!!!

There are several AMAZING cloth diapers and carriers that I'm on a mission to have so how will I make it happen?

Three little words: iBotta, eBates, Younique.

IBotta is an amazing free app that you can download to your phone and get money back on everyday purchases, especially groceries!! They also have special "challenges" that give you the opportunity to rack up more $$$ quickly. And right now, if you sign up and redeem your first rebate you get a $10 bonus! How generous is that?!? Click HERE to sign up for free!

eBates is another awesome free app that you can snag!! This one gives you money back on so many online stores it is unreal. AND they have added the option to redeem in store purchases as well. This is a must have to get before you start your holiday shopping!!! Trust me, you will want to purchase all the things through your eBates app to see your rebate amount rise!!! Sometimes eBates offers 2x or higher the cash back so you can really save some money.

I'll share some of my fave eBates participating stores below! And check out that referral incentive to do something you already do...shop!!! Click HERE to sign up and qualify for your sign up bonus!!

And as a busy mama I wanted a way I could help contribute to our household financially, fund my cloth diaper and carrier wants, AND reap the benefits of a great discount on products I already use so I signed up as an Independent Younique Presenter! Not only have I enjoyed those perks, but I also held a fundraiser for one of my favorite animal charities!

If you would like more information on starting up your own Younique business, make sure you follow my blog as I will share more about the Younique Journey in my next post!! If you want to check it out before then, click HERE!

See y'all tomorrow!!!

"R" Is For Reflux

Little Fox has been battling reflux from very early on. I have friends who tell me that they have friends who have "reflux babies" and that it is an easy fix once meds are on board.

While for many that may be true, there are those of us whose babies battle reflux, silent reflux and even Sandifer Syndrome and haven't found that "magical cure" yet.

The past few days have been exceptionally brutal. In fact, I brought him in to the pediatrician and we discussed upping his dosage due to his weight and growth and I was hopeful we would have relief. The pediatrician we saw was not his normal doctor as she was booked so we were scheduled with another doctor in the practice.

He did an exam, agreed to increase the dosage, told us to give it time to see a difference, and sent us on our way. My husband went and picked the newly prescribed medication up and brought it home.

The dosage had been DECREASED.

So here I am, yet another day/night of listening to and watching my baby boy suffer. At times, especially during and after feeds, he becomes inconsolable.

We both need sleep here!

He screams.
He arches.
He gets seizure like tremors.
He vomits.
He is restless.
He wakes easily.
He postures.
He pulls back from feeds.
His eyes roll.
He's gassy.
He has sour breath.
He chokes and gags...

The list goes on.

If your little one is struggling with reflux, research and educate yourself. I'm currently learning about MARCI dosing and other feed thickening options.

Most importantly, breathe. Breathe through the sleepless nights and the endless mugs of cold coffees.

Breathe through the never-ending loads of vomit soaked burp cloths, bibs, blankets, and clothes (baby's and yours!)

Breathe through the days you don't get a shower and barely get time to pee.

No shower, no make-up, no sleep.
Just breathe...

Breathe through arms that are sore from rocking and dinners that have gone cold.

Because as hard as it is for us, it is hard for our little ones, too.

So just breathe, and rock that baby longer....

Baby Must Haves!!!! Tula SSC For the win!

I thought I would do a few posts showcasing things I feel are must haves based on experience.

I'm starting with the Tula carrier because it has seriously been a very much used, convenient, handy item and I'm very happy with it AND Tulas are currently 30% off until 31 December 2016 making this the perfect time to snatch one up if you are on the fence!

I purchased my first Tula months before my rainbow baby was born and I just got a second Tula for Christmas! I have a deep love of narwhals and was super excited when Tula introduced the Narwhal print!

Why do I love Tula so much?

For starters, I'm a whole five foot 2 inches tall AND I'm plus sized. This can make finding anything to fit difficult, and I was worried about finding a carrier that fit well and was comfortable for long periods of wear time. My Tulas do not disappoint!

Secondly, there are so many beautiful, whimsical, and fun prints so there is something to meet a wide variety of styles and interests. I personally had a huge issue trying to settle on my first until I saw Undying Love and I just had to have it because zombies!

Undying Love
Mom's Milk Boutique exclusive

I also love how adjustable it is. The great part about the adjustment range is that the carrier can be comfortably used in many different body types. That is a great thing if you need to share your carrier with another person in your child's life!

Tulas may be considered pricey by some and it was definitely a splurge for us but one I wholeheartedly am glad we made.

So where can you get one? Well for starters you can hit up the Baby Tula website and use the code THX2016 or find them on any number of online retailer sites.

Personally I recommend visiting Nicki's Diapers to see if the print you want is available there. Not only are they honoring the 30% off Tula sale, but you get free shipping and it qualifies for a free gift as well! My free gift was a Nicki's Diapers brand cover in the now retired Lemon Houndstooth print. (Ironically I had almost placed an order for that exact print!)

The placement on my Narwhal Tula from Nicki's Diapers couldn't be more perfect!!! The amazing thing is, no placement request was given! So not only did I get a narwhal carrier, but I got a beautifully centered narwhal! There is never really a guarantee on placement so I'm super excited mine is so lovely!

Look at that centered narwhal!

If you have been on the fence about purchasing a Tula, now is the time to jump in feet first because they are a great price with the current sale! Just don't forget to grab an infant insert as well, if your baby isn't sitting on his own yet or doesn't have good head control!

Zombies and Pine Trees: Tula at the Tree Farm!

The holidays are fast approaching and here at our house, decorating for Santa came earlier than usual as we had to get our tree up and decorated before my husband went in for surgery.

So this past Sunday was spent taking in the sweet smell of pines at a nearby tree farm while seeking out our prized centerpiece for our holiday decor!

What better way to enjoy our leisurely stroll through rows of beautiful pines than baby wearing with our Tula?

Our Tula was my one baby gear splurge that I bought just for me. We are, as y'all may know, huge zombie lovers so when Mom's Milk Boutique announced their exclusive "Undying Love" print carrier, I knew I had to get my hands on one! (I even enlisted the help of a "stocking buddy" and she is actually the one who ended up scoring it for me!)

Yay for matching suck pads!

Little Fox is still not quite ready to be carried without the infant insert but we actually are quite find of it. When he is fussy, he starts to calm just at the sight of the gray infant insert. He knows what's coming!! Tula Time!

We had a great time wandering through the rows of fragrant greens and choosing "the one" that, like my zombie Tula, we knew we had to have!

At one point, I had a lady ask me excitedly, "Is that a Tula?!" When I told her it was, she asked if she could touch it and told me she loved the prints but didn't know if it was worth the cost. 

I told her I felt it was well worth it to me as it was very comfortable to wear in my opinion, was easy for me to get on and off, and that he loved to be carried in it. It made me feel good to share our experience with our Tula with someone else because we really do love it!

We spent a great deal of time looking at all of the beautiful trees but we kept coming back to one. After extensively searching, we decided to bring home "the one" that seemed to call to us. 

Best Bottle for Nectar Thick Feeds

Wow! It has been a while since I have updated the blog, hasn't it? It has been a whirlwind of crazy since the last few months of my pregnancy and since Little Fox was born! I'm hoping to get back on track and be more present!

I thought I would start back with a post that can hopefully help other mamas and littles who are facing situations similar to ours which create a desperate search for a bottle/nipple combination for thickened feeds.

We had feeding issues right from the start with our rainbow baby, but that is a complicated story I'll save for another time.

The important thing to know is that those feeding issues led to the need for our new little addition to be placed on thickened feeds, nectar consistency.

This change in feeding plan came not only with emotional stress, but also with the added stress of trying to find out "how" to feed our new baby when his fluids were not able to flow through any of the nipples we had tried. In fact, under physician orders we were "trained" in how to properly make cuts into a perfectly good nipple in order for our son to be able to drink.

*Cutting, widening, or altering nipples in any way should never be done unless medically necessary. Doing so increases risk of choking and aspiration and also speeds up the wear on the nipple itself.*

Internet and baby forum searches for alternatives to nipple modification left me empty handed so I started looking into any and all bottle styles I could find.

That's when I came across the Comotomo bottle and saw the brand has the option of buying "y-cut" replacement nipples. Although on the pricier side, I crossed my fingers and placed an order for one 8 ounce bottle and a package of 2 y-cut replacement nipples.

My second purchase, a twin pack.

These things are amazing!!!

• The bottle and nipple are both made of silicone. 
• The bottle has a wide neck so washing or adding powders and thickening agents is easy.
• It is top rack dishwasher safe
• The volume information is molded and not inked, so it won't wear off over time. 
• I have had no leaks!!!!
• It's squishy....so comfortable to hold. 

The absolute best thing about this bottle/y-nipple combo? Little Fox's nectar thick feeds flow at the perfect rate for him! I'm so happy to have found a system that works for us and allows him to feed safely and comfortably.

Please keep in mind that he is on formula that is thickened under a pediatrician's orders for diagnosed and documented medical reasons. It is not advised to alter nipples or deviate from formula mixing directions unless medically necessary.

*Little Fox was diagnosed with laryngomalacia and swallow delay.

My Pregnancy Advice

1. Tums can be your best friend.

2 If water gives you heartburn, take a Tums before drinking.

3. Only tell a select few people you are pregnant before you hit the 12 week mark. I told everyone and has yet another loss, meaning I then had to let people know there would be no baby to bring home.

4. Start researching diapering options. Cloth diapers have come such a long way and you may like them more than disposables. #makeclothmainstream

5. Don't be afraid to ask questions. There is so much that can go on with our bodies, you may be surprised. This pregnancy has led me to learn about cholestasis and symphysis pubis dysfunction, among other things.

6. Understand that every pregnancy is different, even your own pregnancies can be completely different from each other!

7. Download an app like Ovia or Baby Center so you can see the week by week developmental progress on baby as well as learn a bit about the changes your body is going through.

8. The best fed baby IS a fed baby. No matter which you choose, breast or bottle, as long as baby is fed don't let anyone make you feel bad about your choice.

9. Join eBates to do your pregnancy and baby needs shopping. You will earn cash back and it quickly adds up. It's a free app and I absolutely love it! (And you can buy much more than baby related stuff, of course! So many stores participate here!)
Click eBates to join!

10. Be prepared for changes no one tells you about! I will share some of those in my next blog post!

These are 10 of my picks from my experiences with pregnancy!