Irish Baby Boy Names...

Photo from  here.

In honor of Saint Patricks day being right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to do some Irish themed posts over the next week. Lets kick it off with some Irish baby boy names! I picked my top 5 irish baby boy names. What are yours?

1. Ardan 
   Pronounced as are+dawn. Comes from the word ardenach meaning high aspiration.

2. Lorcan
  Means silent or fierce.

3. Niall
  Prounounced as nye+al. Thought to mean passionate or vehement.

4. Quinlan
   A surname that is now used as a first name and means athletic or gentle shaped.

5. Ronan
   I couldn't find an exact meaning on this name but did learn it comes from an old legend about a seal.

Hope you all are having a lovely day! Girls names to come tomorrow. XoXo

~Saint Patricks Day 2013 Posts!~

Irish Baby Girl Names!

Photographing a Toddler: The Basics

Photographing my little toddler isn't an easy feat so I let nature take its course. I let her do things she enjoys..like getting to be naughty and stand on a park bench instead of sitting properly. I let her run, explore, search, dance...whatever her heart desires and then I just point and click.

Throw in some fun props that your toddler will enjoy. Baby Z LOVES ballons....so ballons it is.

Choose places that make for pretty or interesting backgrounds such as the park, a pond, your backyard...whatever you will enjoy seeing in your photographs. Play around with your lighting and focus and voila!

Sprinkling of Spring Photos...

So, the title of this blog post is a bit deceptive. This really isn't a sprinkling of spring photos but a sprinkling of wishing it was spring, photos. One can pretend though right?

Its not that Baby Z or I really mind the winter. We actually enjoy the crisp air and the mysteriousness of what weather each winter day has in store for us. Don't forget that with winter comes hot cocoa, sledding in snow or dancing with cold raindrops if you dare.

However, one can still wait in earnest for the breezy sunny days that spring brings. 

Cardigan, Blouse & Jeans all by H&M.

Rainboots (their is that waiting for spring detail) were purchased from Costco.

XoXo.

Mommy Review VitaFusion PreNatals

I never used to be one for gummy vitamins. They just seemed so, well, kiddy to me. Then I discovered VitaFusion PreNatals gummies and I kissed my old gigantic traditional pills goodbye. These not only taste amazing but they have no questionable ingredients which is super important to me. For a full lowdown on these chewy candy like vitamins check out the video above.

I found mine at Target but couldn't find them on the Target website. I did find them HERE. 

What prenatals do you use?

XoXo and Happy Friday!!!

Vloggings!

I have recently embraced my inner vlogger and put up multiple vloggings this week. =) I have accepted that 1. Yes I love doing videos/vlogs for Youtube.

2. Who cares if they look perfect or not?

I am having fun with it. Do you vlog or love to watch vlogs? 

Take My Hand...

Baby Z loves to tell me "hand hand hand". Even though she says it in the most bossy way ever, its still super sweet. She stretches out that chubby little arm..."hand hand hand".

If I don't give her my hand fast enough she will come running over and demand it...immediately...no patience.  She wants to hold my hand for confidence, support and i'd like to think because she just loves me.

As a mom I hope she always wants to take my hand for confidence, support and because she loves me.

XoXo.

Weekend Wanderings

Having a cast on a 16 month old is no easy task...not for her or for me. Our days involve lots of making messes out of her toy collection and reading lots of lots of books. Of course their is always room for some silliness as well.

Never underestimate the will power of a little one. She refuses to sit or merely crawl...she wants to rock that cast no matter what.

Touching her nose as instructed by the Happy and You Know It song that was playing from the Iphone on the floor.

Can't wait till our weekends once again involve park trips, running in grass, visiting zoos and no scratchy heavy cast to lug around.

Xoxo

BEDA Day 5: Baby OOTD Sweet & Silver

I am a sucker for Toms on little ones chubby feet. Baby Z is sporting a sparkly silver pair we picked up the other day. We already own it in a smaller size in sparkly black and LOVE them so much! They fit her feet well, she can walk in them easily and most importantly they are just too dang cute. Every where we go people always stop us and ohhhh and awwwe over her Toms.

She is wearing a floral swing top from Janie and Jack scored on clearance and some light blue leggings from a United Colors of Benetton that we stopped at while in France earlier in the year.

Sweet gumballs, sparkly Toms and baby clothes on clearance. Ah the little things in life. =)

Whats In Our Pantry: Baby Snacks

We try to only give Baby Z fresh fruits and veggies for snacks but of course this isn't always feasible. Its also not always practical. We have found some yummy snack items that she loves and that are not too bad for her little self either. She absolutely loves these Plum Organics fruit and veggie pouches. She loves their sweet flavors and I love the fact that I am getting some more fruits and veggies in her palate. I mean when else is she going to eat pumpkin or sweet potato mixed with corn? I know they are sometimes aimed at younger babies but honestly they are great for 1 year olds like Baby Z when we are on the go or she needs something pronto.

These Plum Organics for tots Fiddlesticks are also a super easy and nutritious snack to grab for Baby Z.  They are a semi-soft fruit and grain stick that fits easily into tiny hands and satisfy their snack cravings. We have tried out the banana flavor but I know they come in multiple other flavors as well.

Baby Mum-Mums are pretty plain but Baby Z has liked them for as long as I can remember. They are like a plain rice rusk and are excellent for babies with or without teeth. Baby Z has only liked them in the vegetable flavor.

Thats whats in our pantry as far as baby snacks go with a 1 year old. As it changes and as I find other products that we like I will update you all!

Babys First Spring Rain...

I took these pictures a couple weeks ago of Baby Z enjoying her first spring showers. She was so fascinated by all the cool water droplets coming down from the sky.

"Look Mama im trying to catch it."

" Why can't I catch it?"

"Where in the world is this coming from?"

April showers bring May flowers (hopefully).

Early Morning Workouts...

I have done it. I have woken up at the god awful hour of 6:15 am to go for a half hour outdoor morning workout. Nikes on and out the door at a time when I am usually savoring my last precious half an hour in bed before I have to get up and get ready for work.

Though it has only been done twice so far I feel like just breaking that initial ice (very thick blizzard ice) of knowing you can actually do it makes it all the more easy to continue. I am starting out small. I workout for 30 minutes. I lightly jog or power walk around the neighborhood making a quick stop at the park where I can utilize outdoor resistance machines. So far so good. Lets hope I can keep this up in the name of finally being able to loose the weight!!!

Happy morning workouts!

Baby clothing : To Save or Not To Save

Baby Z has been growing faster than a weed these last few weeks. My one Tupperware container on the garage shelf of by gone sizes is now being joined by another massive sized plastic containers. These containers have been lovingly packed up with little Z's adorable outfits.

At just about 11 months she is now in 12 months and 18 months sized clothing, with the 18th month size fitting more reasonably. Ahhh, where has my tiny little newborn gone! I have thus far saved every clothing item she has ever owned not including items that were badly stained. I pack them away secretly hoping that one day in the future I am lucky enough to have another little girl who can use all these clothes.

Then I started thinking, does everyone else baby clothes hoard as I have been doing? Do you save your pieces in hopes being able to reuse it on a future child and how long do you go about saving all these tiny fabric treasures? Perhaps you save your favorite items and consign or donate all the extras? Let me know loves!

Friday Review and Giveaway: Disposable Placemats

Disposable placemats were one of those items I thought I would never need but have turned out to be useful on more than one occasion! They are large adhesive backed patterned placemats that you can stick to the table and place your little ones food on. I have got the most use out of them on trips especially overseas where high chairs are not readily available. If you aren't trusting the hygiene of a restaurant high chair you could also place it on the tray. If for anything they are nice to keep around just in case you need to whip one in in an unexpected situation.
I am giving away one bag of 24 disposable placemats by Babies R Us. To enter you must be a subscriber to this blog since giveaways are for my readers. =) You must also comment below sharing if you have ever used a product like this and did you find them useful.
The winner will be announced in next weeks Friday Review and Givaway. The winner of last weeks is gloriamarie. Please contact me at mrsmommytalk@gmail.com.

OOTD Baby Style : Picnic In the Park

Baby Z attended her first picnic last Sunday. It was a wonderfully sunny day with just the right amount of light breeze and cool shade thrown in. Baby Z decided to rock some baggy white capris which are currently at Target, a neon hot pink t-shirt also currently at target and some Robeez soft soled shoes. 

Exploring the grass was so much fun and made mommy realize how silly she was for dressing her in white pants of all things for a grassy picnic. Surprisingly enough no grass stains were found on her pants but that watermelon juice....thats another story.

I look forward to more sunny picnics and days out this coming spring and summer. Oh and Baby Z is proudly showcasing her teething necklace that we ordered off of Amazon a while back. Not sure if it actually works or not but it sure does look cute.

Happy spring days and picnics to you!

Traveling With A Baby - Airplane Version

Top Ten Tips for Traveling With a Baby - Airplane Version

●     Don't skimp on packing baby clothes because with a baby you just never know what the day might bring. Try to bring a variety of warmer and cooler weathered clothing in case of unexpected weather changes. Its better to be prepared rather than running out looking for a baby store to quickly purchase a needed item.

●     Do skimp on baby diapers if you are traveling for more than a few days. Bring just enough for the airplane ride and the first 1- 2 days at your destination and then pick up the rest of your diaper supply once you are settled in. This saves a lot of space when packing.

●     If your baby is formula fed bring your formula with you as you may not be able to find your exact brand at your destination. It would not be a good idea to pick up a different brand/version on your travels as your child may have a reaction to the new formula.

●     Bring a First Aid kit with you on your journey. You can pick up mini travel size ones that are catered towards little ones at places such as Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby.

●     Purchase a few small sized toys and books that your little one will not get to see until you are on the plane. This will serve as a distraction while your umteen miles high in the sky. Be sure to only give them one item at a time in order to prolong the distraction.

●     Snacks! Make sure to have packed some snacks for your little ones if they are old enough for this. I brought puffs, squeezable baby food packets and Mum Mums.

●     Bring a wearable carrier. Some places it's just too hard to get a stroller out and about and it also can be a hassle to lug around as well.Some carriers such as the Baby Bjorn are easy to travel with and you can even wear them around the airport.

●     Ask for a extra seat!! I have never paid for an extra seat for my little one but have always been provided one! Sometimes they can arrange this for you right before your flight and sometimes they arrange it for you once you have already taken off. Either way it never hurts to ask and more than likely, if there are free seats they will be happy to accommodate you.

●     Airplane changing tables are a interesting thing. They leave barely any room for you to stand in the bathroom and they seem hard, cold and just plain unsightly. Keep an extra baby blanket with you on the plane that is solely to be used as a changing table cover if you will. It will help cushion it just a bit and is more hygienic. I also found that Baby Z was terrified of plane changing tables so I would always bring in something for her to play with as a distraction as I would change her.

●     Last but not least try to remember that flying will probably be more stressful for you than for your little one. Just try to relax, go with the flow and remember that soon the flight will be over!

Mother of a Daughter...

Today's post is inspired by the Friday Link Up going on over at Kellys Korner. I love being the mother of my daughter. I had always, always wanted to have a little girl first and voila...I got one just a little over 10 months ago. Don't get me wrong, I would have been just as pleased with a son but their is just something about having girl.

I love knowing i'll always have my little shopping partner, reading partner and mani/pedi partner. Not that a son can't do these things with his mom but once again, its just always been a dream of mine to do that with a little girl. Plus, I love all things girly. Dresses, bows, shoes, makeup, nail polish, pink toys etc... I am excited to share in all this with my daughter.

But more than all this, I look forward to growing older with her each day. Teaching her new things, showing her the world and instilling in her values and skills that will get her through life.

I look forward to being there for her each and every day. I am proud to be a mother to my daughter.

Up & Up Soothing Vapors Baby Bath

Up&Up Soothing Vapors

A few months back when Baby Z came down with a stuffy nose and cold I went on the hunt for a vapor bath concoction at Target. I was a newbie as this as she is my first child. My eyes spotted only two brands at my local Target; one by Johnson & Johnson and the other by Up & Up. A quick scan of the two products showed me that they both had the same claims, seemingly same ingredients yet vastly different price points. I purchased the less pretty packaged Up & Up Soothing Vapors Baby Bath.

I cannot rave about this product enough. It is a mild tear free formula and like most baby products it is dermatologist tested. It cotains rosemary, eucalyptus and menthol. It has a light herbal/menthol smell and produces lots of little bubbles in the bath. The vapors not only help clear my little ones nose but they actually do seem to soothe her as well. I have used it on multiple occasions and I swear she sleeps better when we have used it. I have used it a few times when I felt their was a cold coming on or when I saw signs of a stuffy nose and I swear this stuff combatted it.

This gets two MrsMommy thumbs up and I will definitly be repurchasing it in the future.

Going Consigning!

Our local JBF Consignment event opened its doors to the public today. I was itching to get in there first thing this morning but alas work was calling instead. So as soon as I am off today I will be heading on over to pick up Baby Z and we will go and consign together.

This time around I will be looking for primarily used board books. I think this is an excellent way to stock up our bookshelf on the cheap. I also find that board books are easy to clean and much more durable for chubby 10 month old fingers. I will also be eyeing the toy section for any good finds but have never purchased a used toy before so I will want to be sure its something that is easy to sanitize. Lastly, I might peruse the shoe and clothing section. Who am I kidding, of course I am going to hunt through the clothing section. I will be on the lookout for summer clothes around 18 month size that are in close to pefect or brand new condition.

I will post how it goes tomorrow. Happy Friday all and happy consigning.

The Weight Watchers Bandwagon

I did it. I have officially joined the Weight Watchers bandwagon. I know quite a few people who have experienced success with this program. Loosing weight on "my own" just doesn't seem to be working out as well as I hoped. I am hoping that having a motivating system under my belt such as this one will help do the trick. Of course their is no magic to loosing weight. Its simply dedication and hard work. If you cannot be dedicated to it and you cannot work hard at it then more than likely it wont work out. Weight Watchers Points Plus program seems to be very flexible and you dont need to purchase any fancy schmancy products from them if you do not wish too. It seems like they have designed a program that is really meant for the every day individual. I will periodically do posts on how the program is going for me personally. If you have tried this program leave a comment below on what you thought of it. They currently have a special going on that ends this Saturday so if this is a program that you have been thinking of then be sure to check them out.

Mommy Makeover : Freeman Clay Facial Mask

Okay ladies get ready for this. My favorite facial mask as of late is Freeman Mega 8 Complex Superfruits Detoxifying Clay Facial Mask. Whew! That is quite the mouthful. Although the name may be a little on the complicated and jumbled side, the mask itself is simplistically wonderful.

This "natural antioxidant skincare" mask claims that it is good for combating signs of stress, purifying and detoxifying your skin.  It is supposed to unclog those darned pesky pores and replace dull skin with a more awakened and refreshed skin. The ingredient list seems friendly enough with goji berries, acai, pomegranate, mango, mangosteen, cranberry, noni and blueberries.

The color of the clay mask is a light minty green color. Its thick but easy to work with. It has a really nice fruity smell but its not overpowering. The smell reminds me of a lightly blended fruit smoothie. You squeeze some of the contents into your hands, rub over your entire face (I avoid getting to close to the hairline and too close to my eyes) and let it dry for about 10 minutes. If you are a avid bath taker like myself, you can let it soak into your skin while you bathe. Once it is dry you wash it off your face with a warm cloth. It left my skin feeling extremely smooth. I would definitely say it does detoxify. As for combating stress, I think its the soothing scent and the fact that your taking time out of your busy day to give yourself a mini facial, that combats any anxiety at least momentarily.

I purchased mine from CVS for just under 5 dollars so its easy on the budget.

This mommy gives it 2 thumbs up!