How Teething Robbed Us of Our Happiness.

I have a happy baby. I'm not sure if you know that.

He smiled when he was just a wee wisp of a person, and laughed before he was a month old.

I even made a video about him smiling when he was a month old.

People comment all the time about what a good-natured, happy little guy he is.

Kid. Is. Happy. (I'm not bragging, as we obviously just got lucky. We won the baby lottery.)

So, we were understandably so frustrated we wanted to rip our hair out when Gabe started

teething a month ago. He suddenly wouldn't sleep, wouldn't smile, was grumbling, and wanted to

gnaw our faces off. We were all, "Huh? Who? What? WHERE IS OUR HAPPY BABY!?"

His normal bedtime routine results in him sleeping from about 7 until 11pm, then waking up and

eating before we go to bed.

While he was teething? He'd wake up FOUR TIMES before 11pm. FOUR. TIMES. (And then he

pretended to be like a newborn and wake up all night long.

So, I understandably felt the need to purchase every item related to teething pain relief there is. I

mean, can you buy your baby's happiness back? I wanted to. Oh, yes I did. Teething was sucking

the happiness out of my sweet baby, and as a result, ruining my life.

(Dramatic? What?)

When BlogHer sent an email about trying Baby Orajel® Naturals , I believe I might have scared

them away with how eager I was, "YES PLEASE ZOMG, I NEED TO TRY EVERYTHING IN

A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GET MY BABY AND SANITY BACK."

Is this how you use it?

 Plus, natural? That's sort of up my alley. I like that it is free of benzocaine, alcohol, and dye.

And I like that it had the potential to save my life. Or, make Gabe feel better. Same thing.

I tried it first, just because I like to know how things taste/work before giving them to my baby.

Just a tiny little dab. It wasn't super sweet and it definitely had the same numbing power as

benzocaine. Win. I squeezed a little on a baby toothbrush (my secret weapon for successfully

applying Baby Orajel® Naturals), and stuck it on his gums. I don't know if you've ever given a baby

Orajel® , but the faces they make are hilarious.

Happily, though, the Baby Orajel® Naturals provided poor little Gabe some relief and allowed me

to get some sleep (a few hours, anyway. He is still a baby, after all).

We've finally pulled through teething and our happy little baby is back:

Now, with teeth! Crooked teeth, oddly enough.

To enter a drawing for a $100 BABIES “R” US giftcard (that's a whole lot of baby teething

products you could buy!), answer me this:

When it comes to teething, how do you naturally soothe your baby?? (I'm already gearing

up for his second set of teeth. And am already nervous about it. Eeep.)

OR, if you don't have a wee one, do you think baby smiles are cuter with a few teeth or just

toothess little gums?

Rules:

The giveaway is open May 16th until June 16th.

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post (with your email!)

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of

entry.

You can also enter on other blogs here.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Now, I just need something to help with the crying and sleep loss that have resulted from Gabe's

learning to crawl. Please?

líllébaby Eurotote Review

I am obsessed with infant carriers - I have a Moby wrap, a Kelty infant carrier, and a Seven sling. So when I had the opportunity to get a cradle infant carrier - the líllébaby Eurotote - and review it, I was delighted! I'd never seen, or heard of, anything quite like it.

When I first got the carrier, it reminded me of a baby sleeping bag- cozy, cute, and warm. It has many uses:

I was most excited to use the carrying option, since I have the most pathetic upper body strength in the free world. Really, it's just ridiculously pathetic. It's a sad sight, me heaving Gabe around in his infant carrier car seat. When I go to Target, I have to park near the carts, so I can just hoist his seat out of the car and into a shopping cart, instead of looking ridiculous trying to carry him into the store. I imagine this will only get worse as he gets older. (Every time I struggle to carry ONE baby into the store, I marvel that sometimes babies come two, or even three (!!) at a time. I just don't have the upper body strength for that. Please take note, uterus. No releasing multiple eggs a time, mmkay?)

I digress.

Since I couldn't imagine how this carrier worked before getting it, I wanted to make a short video demonstrating it so that anyone interested would get an idea of how it works:

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/17026815 w=600&h=480]

Gabe is obviously a BIG fan. ;)

After using it for a few weeks, here are my thoughts:

Yay!s (Pros):

• So, so soft and cozy - I wouldn't object to an adult version of this.
• Easy to wash- Many uses - keep baby warm in stroller, carry baby, or a clean place for baby to nap
• MUCH lighter than an infant car seat to tote baby around
• Adorable
• Easily adjustable
• Can be used for older children as a stroller bunting - meaning you can use this for longer than most baby wraps, slings, and carriers

Mmm, not so Yay!s (Cons):

• Can be hard to keep the baby level horizontally (again, this might just be a result of aforementioned pathetic upper-body strength.)
• Not a common type of carrier, so people may look at you like you have your baby in a duffel bag (not so much of a con for you, but for silly, judgmental strangers)
• A bit more than I'd usually spend on a carrier

The bottom line? It's wonderfully cozy and comfortable for baby, and much easier to tote baby around - especially nice in these cold months coming up!

This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Win a Freakin' Laptop, Yo.

I got an email asking if I'd like to give away a HP dm3 notebook and thought, "Eh, I'm a little busy to blog. Sorry, Potential Winner."
Psych! (Helloo, 1992.)
Someone is going to have a very merry Christmas this year! (Or happy Hanukkah, or a happy Winter Solstice, or a great Festivus.)
That's right, I have an HP Pavillion dm3 Ultra-Thin Laptop to give away to one lucky reader.
What exactly does this little guy look like?
I'm so glad you asked!

• Features like snap, pin, shake, and peak in Windows 7 make day-to-day tasks a breeze on dm3
• Windows 7 also offers better ways to find and manage files like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews that help you speed through everyday tasks.  To open a Jump List, just right-click a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar.
• Great features like HomeGroup makes sharing music, pictures, videos, and document on home networks easy.
• The dm3’s HP MediaSmart along with its BrightView LED display, SRS Premium Sound and Altec Lansing speakers with the option to connect to your HD TV via the HDMI port make the device ideal for experiencing music and video.
• Ultra-low voltage processors and other features give the dm3 up to 10 hours of battery life (!!), letting users go where they need to without having to find a plug.
• Windows 7 power management contributes to battery longevity by running fewer background activities, automatic screen dimming, powering off unused ports and more.

To Enter:
This is a quick little contest, just FIVE days long, which means a shorter window and more chance to win a laptop of your very own. Woohoo!
There are several ways to enter:
1. Comment on this post telling me why you need this laptop. (I'm partially to working in coffee shops, and thus "need" a laptop, so my definition of "need" is a bit flexible. ;))
2. Blog about the contest and leave a comment with the link on this post. (Bonus points if it includes a video. Woo!)
3. Tweet about the contest and leave a comment with the link on this post (use the hashtag "#MerryHPtoMe" so I can track the tweets).
Oh, and there is NO LIMIT for any of these. So, enter away!
The contest ends December 23rd at noon EST.
THE CONTEST IS CLOSED! Congrats, Tam!

Five Caffeinated People!

Thanks to Random.org and my lovely sister's help, we have some winners! (And exclamation points with hearts. Score.)
Megan, Andrea, Stefanie, Shelly, and Amy L - congrats!

Go-Go-Gadget Energy!

Starbucks Doubleshot® Energy+Coffee sent me a few cans of their elixir and on Wednesday, I was running late and had no time to make coffee, so I innocently grabbed a can of the vanilla flavor.
Little did I know I was opening a can of AMAZING. I literally felt a rush of energy while I drank it. I was seized with the ability to focus and finally tackle my mess of a desk. (After which I incredulously tweeted this.)
Now, let's get this out of the way right now - this doesn't taste like your average coffee. No, this has super powers, so it tastes a little less typical Starbucks iced coffee and a little more energy-y. If I'm going to drink an energy drink, you'd better believe I'm picking up one of these over nasty Red Bull (sorry, dude, but you tasted like carbonated lint-covered lollipops. No bueno.)
If you've been reading my blog, you know I'm struggling to keep my head above water when it comes to my new job. (Cliff's Notes: I work a lot and whine about it.) These little babies really help me get going in the morning and squeeze more into my already-full day. Which is a major WIN.
The only shortcoming I can find is that the cans are labeled as two servings. Ha. Funny, right? Silly Starbucks, don't you know I love caffeine?

Now, for the fun part: Time to giveaway some prizes!
What's in it for you?
Um, coffee!
Okay, how about this:

Five (5) STANDARD PRIZE PACKS (valued at $30 each): Stealth Switch™, $5 Starbucks^® Card, Starbucks Doubleshot^® Energy+Coffee coupons, Starbucks Doubleshot^® Energy+Coffee-branded white board.

That Stealth Switch? It's this awesome little doohickey that allows you to switch between windows on your computer so you can deftly avoid being caught browsing the internet/blogging/on Facebook/tweeting/stalking your ex-boyfriend/picking up a new outfit. Awesome, right? For more ways to feign productivity at work, check out www.energypluscoffee.com.
What's in it for me?
There is a prize for the three bloggers who get the most comments. An awesome prize. And I'm not above begging for your comments. I promise. (Or taking photos like this.)

Okay, how the heck do you enter?

Just leave a comment answering: Why do YOU need more energy? by Monday, Novemeber 9th at 9am EST.
UPDATE! For another entry: Tweet or blog about the contest and leave a comment with the URL.
For yet another entry, load this badge in your sidebar:

Copy and paste this code into your sidebar: <a href="http://mylittlereviews.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/starbucks/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/4046682759_c107575856_o.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="badge" /></a>
Sorry, non-US-residents, I love you, but you can't enter.

That's what she* said:
a. This promotion is solely sponsored by Ashley/Our Little Apartment and has not been endorsed or approved by North American Coffee Partnership. By entering, you agree to look solely to Ashley/Our Little Apartment for any claims in connection therewith, and not the North American Coffee Partnership”
b.NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Subject to Contest guidelines. Open to U.S. residents only. Contest ends November 9th. Void where prohibited.
c. All the opinions expressed here are mine.
* "She" being the lawyer, of course.

Drumroll, Please....

At long, long last...
So I kept meaning to pick winners, but then I got all busy and stuff and blah blah blah. When I stumbled across my free jeans gift cards in my crafting room yesterday, I knew it was time to finally spread the love that is Gap Born to Fit.
(Seriously, you guys. I wear these jeans ALL. the. time. I only peel them off my body when they get dirty. Like, really dirty. It's hot.)
Winner of a Free Pair of Jeans:

1. Heidi Renee
2. Jen
3. From A to Pink
4. Cindy

I constructed a fancy little Excel sheet then went to Random.org to ask it who should win. And it picked From A to Pink TWICE, but I told it only pair per person. I also want to mention that 3 of those winners (2, 3, and 4) won from their Twitter entry. So, let that be a lesson to all of us: never be too lazy to tweet about a contest. Hehe.
Winner of $50 to Gap:
Talia!
(I'm super excited about this, because Talia is a young mother of three (3!) girls - so I think she deserves some pampering. And I guess Random.org agreed.)
Congrats, winners and thanks to everyone for playing along.

Born to Fit Party + A Giveaway = A Good Day.

When I learned about throwing a Gap Born to Fit party, I was excited.
Yes, because of the jeans. Yes, because I got to share them with my friends. Yes, because FREE! Gap! Yay!
All those a very good things. But mostly because I have really awesome friends (and family who are friends) and I wanted the chance to get us together. We always promise each other, "We'll get together!" and agree, "We need to see each other more often!" But, as I'm sure many others find, with the busyness of life, those intentions often are forgotten - so I was delighted to have the chance to make good on my promise and share these awesome jeans with them.
I held the gathering at my parents house, since our little place would be a bit crowded with fifteen people. My sisters helped me clean, cook, and set up. They are awesome sisters. Steph (unknowingly) provided the awesome fondue recipe, Katie brought some cookies left over from her wedding....

Which our little guest, my 3-year-old cousin, loved.

It was my aunt's birthday, so naturally, we made her a cake...

...shaped like a pair jeans.

We set up the jeans table and arranged the awesome (recycled!) tote bags:

Pillowcase around a dirty old bucket - are we creative or what?

With everything ready, we popped open the bubbly, but had a bit of difficulty with the wine:

So my pretty pregnant aunt stepped in to save the day. Teehee.

We spent the rest of the evening chatting, trying on jeans, giving each other feedback, and eating lots of food. I convinced them eating lots of food while trying on jeans was the right thing to do. I mean, you want to have a realistic idea of how they'll fit you, right? Right. It was basically like we brought the mall to our house - much more comfy, full of delicious food, and lots of girls around to help find the best pair of jeans. It was delightful.

Megan finding her perfect fit. (Hint: It's probably short. Short girls unite!) (If you look closely, you can see my senior picture 8x10 in the background. Ha.)

Aunt Nat making a wish for awesome jeans. (I totally made her wish come true.)

Chatting in between rounds of squeezing into jeans.

Jenn is crocheting a shawl while rocking the Always Skinny jeans (aka: her date jeans.) I could not stop giggling at how tiny it is. A shawl! The tiniest miniature shawl ever right now.

We all erupted into laughter when he came out with these on. He quieted us with, "Guys! I have to tell you something!" Very seriously: "I think I need a belt."I gave him a certificate to get some jeans in his size.

I'm convinced that anything she wears will make her look adorable.

The jeans table started out so neat and organized - it got pretty ransacked by the end....DaYoung and Katie are picking through it to find their size.

"They look SO good!"Jenn had never own skinny jeans before - and we all agreed she looked amazing in these. She went on a date that night and kept them on. Gap jeans = hot date.

Katie, Jamie, Amy, and April are deciding which styles to try out. Katie's butt looks so good, she can't help but grab it, apparently. I don't blame you, Katie. You're hot.

The girls loved the jeans. My aunt said, "You can tell Gap we LOVE them. We don't even have to pretend - these are just awesome." My friend Jamie was "This is the first pair of skinny jeans I've ever had. They never looked good on me before." (See for yourself.)
With my awesome new Flip video camera, I recorded some answers to Gap's question, "What were you born to do?" for their YouTube group. Check them out and answer yourself to enter!

Want to try a pair of jeans from Gap for yourself? I have four certificates for jeans to give away - FOUR! That's four chances to win. Just leave a comment telling me what you were born to do, Tweet (leave URL in a separate comment), or blog (leave URL in a separate comment) about this and you'll get one entry for each. (I will only count entries that follow these rules, sorry!)
Deadline to enter: Tuesday, September 1st at 9:01 am EST.
Certificate is only valid in stores, not on Gap.com.