I think I was tricked into it, but it appears that I am in charge of planning the baby shower.

I seriously have to ask “what were they thinking?”

I’m lucky I can say baby shower, let alone plan one, so I am imploring your help!

I am going to plan and host the baby shower right here on What’s That Smell?. You will see and hear all the nitty-gritty details, and as many of you are girly-girls, and I am not, I’m going to need your help! So I will be posting every week asking for tips and ideas and other things.

Along with this virtual baby shower, we are making a call for sponsors who would like to participate with some products to either use at the shower, as baby gifts, or even as gifts for mom! In addition, we will be looking for the sponsors to match the products and offer an identical shower to one lucky reader.

Businesses who want to be a sponsor:
If you run a business and think you have a product perfect for a baby shower, a new mom or a new baby, please email me at kim@accidentalmommies.com for further info.

Suggest a sponsor that we should contact:
If you are a reader who wants to suggest a company that I should contact regarding this opportunity, leave a comment with the company name and site address if you know it and if I haven’t already contacted them, I’ll drop them a note about the opportunity.

We welcome the larger sponsors, of course, and the typical baby registry items because every mom needs those things, but we are also interested in finding unique items not typically found on baby registries that we can help promote as new “must-haves” for the modern baby and mama!

Suggest the types of products we need:
I also need suggestions for the types of products we need for a baby shower. For planning, accessories for the shower, gifts for mom and baby and anything else you can think of. Tell me your ideas, because if left to myself, I’m going to attend the shower with my baby expect people to wash her!

And not just any hair….weird hair just on the top of her head.

Well, she did have some hair before, a fine thin layer of it, but nothing like what she woke up with.

Even she is surprised!

Here are a couple of pictures of how she essentially looked until this morning:

It’s kind of crazy, and it’s not a shadow….look at this shot:

I think she is having a little trouble lifting her head up with all that weird hair!

BTW, I just noticed the date on my camera is off…I took the weird hair pictures today, I’m sure of it!

My daughter took a nap.

And it was longer than 20 minutes.

And it was in her own bed.

And for almost 2 1/2 hours I sat around doing absolutely nothing expecting her to wake up any minute.

So…

I got nothing done, but WHO CARES!

She took a NAP.

At least I think that’s what it was. I haven’t actually seen one in quite awhile.

Below is a photo of Abby sleeping. Not today (what kind of nut would go into the bedroom of a napping baby and take a picture?) but from a few weeks ago when she fell asleep where she wasn’t supposed to.

You can find out more about my winnings in the original post: Wanna Stand Next to Me?.

I was very excited to win this prize because Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique sells organic clothing. Ever since my daughter has been having skin problems, I was wondering if organic clothing would make a difference.

From their site:

Sweetie Pie Baby is an upscale eco-friendly baby boutique that specializes in more environmentally friendly, healthy and natural,organic baby products, for the health of the environment, as well as our babies. We are your number one source for eco-friendly, natural baby products to include organic baby clothes and accessories, organic toys, organic bedding, baby slings and carriers, natural baby skincare, and so much more! Shop brands that celebrities love such as Sage Creek Naturals, MiaJoie, and more!

We started Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique because we wanted to make it easier for parents to shop for stylish, natural and organic baby products in one place. We also wanted to create an environment where parents could learn about healthier choices in baby care.

We continuously strive to bring you the very finest in stylish natural, organic, and non-toxic products for your little ones. Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique offers organic baby apparel and bedding; organic skincare; and non-toxic toys. Feel confident in knowing that we work with designers and businesses who are socially and environmentally responsible in their business practices.

Our mission is very simple, to provide parents with healthier alternatives in the care of their babies and children.

Browsing/Shopping
The Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique site has a good layout and great design. The shopping options are arranged by category with some sale items, new arrivals and gift ideas highlighted on the main page. Within each category and subcategory, the products are neatly organized and the photos are clear. Each product details page contains a larger photo, detailed description, and order options.

Checkout/Payment
The shopping cart and checkout process at Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique is straightforward, simple and secure. They accept Paypal as the only form of payment, which I believe is a fantastic idea. It offers the buyer security and protection when shopping online and makes the checkout process quick and easy. Shipping appears to be a flat rate of $5.99 to the continental US up to $75. Spend over $75 and shipping is FREE. They send a confirmation email for your purchase and offer an order tracking feature on their site, which is a nice feature if you are a control freak like I am.

Shipping
As I mentioned, it appears to be a flat rate of $5.99 for shipping to the continental US for all orders less than $75. Orders over $75 ship FREE. My order was shipped by USPS priority mail and arrived in great condition in record time.

Products
I ordered a yoga set for my daughter with my gift certificate.
Here is what I bought:

Speesees Redwood Lap Tee

and

Speesees Redwood Yoga Pants

Here are some shots of my daughter wearing the outfit:

The outfit I bought is 100% organic cotton and it feels like it. They actually feel softer than any of Abby’s other clothes, even the 100% cotton ones. They are really gentle on Abby’s skin and I did not notice any rashes like she has gotten in the past while wearing the outfit.

The redwood color of the outfit is as deep and vibrant as it looks in the picture, with the orange stitching accents making it look so adorable, especially around the bottom!

The shirt came in one size, labeled 0-1 year. It fits Abby well at 7 months but will stretch to last her for a few more. The pants came in 3 different sizes and I ordered the 6-12 months size. They are a little long as you can see in the picture and will definitely last her for a few more months or more.

In addition to what I bought, Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique carries a range of adorable clothing, shoes and accessories. They also carry baby carriers and slings, bath and body products, cloth diapers, eco-friendly bedding, green household products, nursing covers and toys. And all of their products are organic.

Summary
If you are looking for organic baby clothing, unique gift ideas or just something new for your baby, I highly recommend Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique. They have a great selection of adorable clothing, a quick and easy checkout process, fast shipping and quality products.

For more information about Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique and natural and organic living, visit the Sweetie Pie Baby Boutique blog.

In November 2007, right before the birth of my daughter, I became a stay at home mom. Basically it is everything I thought it would be, but it certainly has presented some challenges that I never expected.

First, I can no longer use “a hard day at work” as an excuse for my behavior. Sure, full time mommy is not easy, but seriously – I don’t have to deal with anyone else except 2 people that I have complete and total control over (snort). But at least I no longer have to deal with clients and weather and deadlines and all the rest of the stuff that goes along with it.

Second, at the end of the day there is no longing to “finally get to see my kids,” it is all about trying to get Daddy to take them so I can have a few minutes of peace. Or at least go to the bathroom – finally.

Also, there is an extreme lack of adult interaction and conversation. It’s no wonder so many of us have taken to our computers and created a world of blogging friends.

And finally (and I say finally for the purpose of this post…I could go on for days) there are a number of words that describe bodily functions that I never would have even spelled out loud in the past that now get used practically hourly in my vocabulary.

Here are a few other observations I have made since becoming a stay at home mom:

• I have no idea what day it is. Ever.
• Gerber brand Onsies run very small.
• It’s futile to change into a clean shirt after being spit-up on.
• ‘Time to myself’ is another way of saying I’m going to the bathroom.
• It takes 4 hands to diaper, bathe or change a 7 month old baby (and alas I’m of the 2-handed variety).
• The holding capacity of a diaper is inversely proportional to its proximity to your clothing.
• Babies just don’t care that you have to pee and have had to for the last 3 hours.

All in all, though, I think I’m adapting pretty well. My kids get outside as much as possible, we visit parks and have even ventured out to Chuck E. Cheese. They haven’t made any complaints about my presence in the house and I enjoy that my job is taking care of my kids.

If I could only get the stains out of my shirts and get Abby to stop pulling my hair, then it would almost be perfect!

This post was written as an essay for entry into a Makeover contest where you can ENTER TO WIN a FREE $10,000 makeover from Artefill! Sign-up and entry are easy and the essay just has to be 500 words or less about change in your life. You must be 35 or older though! We’ve all experienced change, go write about it for a chance to win a makeover.

a-poopin’ and a-eatin’

still a-workin’

aaah…now just a-chillin’

Anyhow, with the 2 new impending arrivals, and our decision that 2 kids is enough for us, especially at the elderly age of 35, I’m very excited to meet these 2 new people. Aside from wondering if they are having a boy or a girl (or both…each…hehe….) I am intrigued by what they might name them. I think especially because we have decided not to have any more, so I will not get any further opportunities to brand a child with a name that will possibly shape their entire future.

Baby Zone, who have a COOL new website design, has a tool for baby names and I was checking out the top names for baby boys the other day. Jacob was still #1 for last year in the top 100 baby names. Abigail was #8 for last year so we’ve managed to give both our children names that 16 other kids in their class will have. It’s better than naming them after a shoe or a fruit though….(although I personally think the name Apple is really cute).

So, I’m curious, where do your kids names rank, if at all, in the top 100 baby names?

When both of my kids were born, the nurses at the hospital naturally swaddled them in blankets to help re-create the womb. We continued this when we got home because my kids wouldn’t sleep unless swaddled. With my son, we used regular blankets and I struggled with swaddling him just right so the swaddle wouldn’t come apart while he was sleeping. I was miserable at it, not to mention the hassle during nighttime diaper changes.

I discovered the SwaddleMe right before my daughter was born, and we loved it!

The SwaddleMe is swaddling simplified!

From the Kiddopotamus site:

SwaddleMe®
Adjustable Infant Wrap

The One. The Only. The SwaddleMe.

Wrap your baby in the comfort of the SwaddleMe® and rest assured she will sleep safe, sound and secure. The renowned SwaddleMe® soothes infants and reduces symptoms of colic by recreating the soothing snugness of the womb. It also reduces the incidence of the startle reflex, helping babies to sleep longer. The award-winning SwaddleMe® has revolutionized the way babies – and parents – sleep around the world and it has forged an international renaissance in swaddling.

Swaddling Can Reduce the Risk of SIDS and help babies sleep through the night. New research shows that swaddling can help reduce the risk of SIDS by promoting better sleep when infants are on their backs.

We used a SwaddleMe until my daughter was over 5 months old. It is so easy to use and you can change a diaper without having to remove their arms from the swaddle. She would rarely get out of the swaddle until she was about 4 months old and then she liked to stick just her hands out of the top to suck on them. The SwaddleMe also gave me piece of mind that the swaddle wouldn’t unwrap and end up over her head which is a fear I always had with a regular blanket.

Here are some photos of Abby in her SwaddleMe:

The SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wrap comes in 3 sizes:

• Preemie: 3 to 7 pounds
• Small: 7 to 14 pounds
• Large: 15 to 22 pounds

It also comes in numerous different fabric types, each with numerous colors & patterns:

• Microfleece
• Bamboo
• 100% cotton knit
• 100% cotton flannel
• Luxe
• 100% Certified Organic Cotton Knit

The SwaddleMe we are giving away is the 100% cotton knit, size small in the circle bear print. Perfect for a summer or fall baby boy or girl.

To enter the giveaway:

1. Subscribe BY EMAIL to our updates. It is easier for me to keep track of than the RSS feeds. If you are subscribed in a reader, you MUST subscribe by email and if you are already subscribed by email then you are already set for this requirement.
2. Comment on this post telling us who you will use or give the SwaddleMe to.
3. You can earn additional entries by “Digging,” “Stumbling” posting on your blog about the contest or rating us on Blogged.com.
4. Make sure to let us know what you’ve done to earn the additional entries.

This giveaway is open to the USA and Canada and ends at 11:59 pm on Wednesday June 18th, 2008.
Any entries after this time will not count.

If you can’t wait, are not the winner, or just want to pick up a SwaddleMe for family or friends, you can buy them on Amazon.com.

They have numerous sizes and color options available.

If you do not see a fabric, color or size you like, the Kiddopotamus site has a list of places you can buy them both online and in retail stores.

REMINDER: PLEASE COMMENT WITH ANYTHING YOU HAVE DONE TO GAIN ADDITIONAL ENTRIES SO I KNOW TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IT. MAKE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY ACTIVITY. (this makes my life SO much easier)

NOTE: ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THEMSELVES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ADDITIONAL ENTRY ACTIVITIES DO NOT EARN ADDITIONAL ENTRIES, IE: ONLY ONE COMMENT ENTRY PER PERSON.