Another New Discovery...

So apparently, the last few weeks I have been devoted to finding cool new things I can join for when Baby Donahue comes. One of my guilty pleasures is to keep up on celebrity gossip. Whether it be watching a T.V. show like E! News, or visiting People 's website for the latest on the celebrities. So... of course I was all ears when the lovely Jessica Alba was promoting her new company: The Honest Company.

For the entire story and details about The Honest Company... you can visit their website HERE. This company basically gives you an ecofriendly and healthy alternative to diapers and baby care products. As a FTM I have been researching and learning more and more about the different diaper options for my baby. It is actually quite overwhelming. At first I have been debating on whether or not I want to use cloth diapers. In theory this concept is perfect. You are not allowing your child to sit in chemicals all day and it also allows for some serious cash savings. But... realistically, am I going to be wanting to clean off poopie diapers and keep on top of laundry that frequently when I am already trying to learn and do so many things?! I don't know what the answer is... I guess I will have to wait and see how it goes after the little guy is here.

So when I came across Jessica Alba's new product line... it was a great alternative and I figured I would give it a try. The diapers are eco-friendly and nontoxic, they come in adorable patterns for both boys & girls, and they are not crazy expensive. (At least I don't think they are... I don't quite know how much the average monthly total for diaper expense is YET) They are also DISPOSABLE!

They offer a free sample of both the diapers and what they refer to as the Family Essentials (shampoo, body wash, lotions...etc.) just pay shipping and handling - which isn't that much, I can't remember the number exactly. So, duh, of course I ordered that. I received my package last week... and I must say I am quite impressed. Now, clearly, my baby is not here yet. So, I don't have any actual knowledge of how well they  work for baby. But, as a first impression goes, I LIKE.

I am definitely going to be getting at least one monthly supply of the new born size (up to 10lbs) to start off with. I will probably hold off on the Essentials Kit and put a hold on the diapers after that and wait until after the little one arrives and see how he likes them.

Until then... here are some pics on what the trial packages look like...

If you still are not sure about diaper options for your child, I would definitely recommend just trying the trial version of these products. It can't hurt, right?

If anyone has tried these or knows someone who has tries these and wants to share their opinion... please do so in the comments...!

=)Rachel

*Photo of the day*

Mid Morning Snack...

*Monday Moments*

So Now that Monday has so disgustingly returned.. I have some random Monday Moments to share

• I forgot to bring my cell phone charger/headphones to work!! - This means I am forced to listen to people slurping their drinks and coughing ALL day! It also means I cannot obsessively check my FB and Twitter feeds until I get home! Oh and did I mention, having to actually log into my email to check it?! Ugh! What a Bummer!! hehehe
• Being too large to fit into any of my work clothes. Do yoga pants count as Business casual?? I guess I will have to break down and find some more maternity work options!
• My Husband has to work late... so now I have the option of being a good wife and pick up around the house when I get home from work, maybe do some laundry and get dinner started so it is ready when he walks in... Reality: come home change into comfy clothes and fall asleep while watching The Big Bang Theory {I L.O.V.E. that show!}
• Going OVER and OVER in my head all the things left to do for the baby... 
•  Buy crib - Paint room -Attend birthing classes - Look for cute room ideas and decor on Pinterest - Make sure I actually know how to put the carseat in .... The list goes on and on and it consumes my brain!
• Thinking about how I have to repaint my finger nails as I slowly chip more and more polish off

I guess I can chalk this day up to ... just another Monday ... in my book! If baby Donahue arrives on time I only have about 14 more Mondays to go. For some reason, that isn't that comforting!!

I hope everyone else is having a smooth Monday!! Tomorrow is always a new day! (My bit of positive attitude toward the end of a generally negative blogpost!) 

Until then I am going to cheat a little and divulge in some Caffeine.

=)Rachel

Fun Discovery!

Good Afternoon....
So if you scroll down my page a little, you will see that I was once upon a time subscribed to BirchBox. And... to be honest I miss it a little! =( The reason I stopped my subscription was because the baby is coming soon and I thought as a responsible parent, I could be using the $10 a month on something for my little boy I enjoy everything about Birchbox and when the time is right, I will definetly reactivate my subscription. In the meantime...  enter BLUUM.

I was browsing the internet like I usually do, and I came across either a 'Pin' or someone on Twitter, I can't remember for sure who had mentioned their Blumm box. Of course, I had to check it out.



Picture from here.



And ta da... it is the equivalent of birchbox for Moms & Babies. From what I can tell, it looks like this is a fairly new product. It seems to follow the same concept as Birchbox. Each month you receive a box full of deluxe samples of various products for you and your baby.

So if you are a new mom, or expectant mom, or know someone who is ready to have a baby, I would strongly recommend looking into this company. It is a great way to discover products for your baby that you normally would not have access to. Who knows, maybe your baby gets irritated by some products and this box will hold the solution to that!

My first box ships out February 17th... I can't wait!! I will def share my goodies with all of you!!

Happy Friday!
=)Rachel

Week 24!

So another week has come and gone... and I am one week closer to the BIG DAY!

How far along? 24 Wks 6 days
Maternity Clothes? More and more maternity tops. I can't quite get away with non maternity tops at work anymore - and I am living in my leggings and yoga pants when I am hanging around the house.
Stretch marks? No sign of any yet... I have a feeling I have some in places I can't even see anymore. But I have been a slave to my Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Balm!
Best moment of this week: I think we have a name picked out!! Not 100% sure but about 95%!
Miss Anything? Not really... I have been able to do and eat pretty much everything I did before I was pregnant. (minus the obvious things of course!!)
Movement: He slowed down in the beginning of the week, which made me nervous, but the last couple of days he has been very very active! He favors the right side of my body.
Food Cravings: No =(
Anything making you queasy or sick: No
Have you started to show yet: YES!!! I must have had a growth spurt too because ppl are commenting on how much bigger I have become (which I GUESS I will take as a compliment)
Gender: Little Baby Boy
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? IN!!... But I might not be that lucky next week!
Wedding rings on or off? Still on. Doesn't seem to be getting tight yet.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happyish... still stressing about a few things, hopefully once decisions have been made I can relax and be happy all the time
Looking Forward to: Painting still. I thought we had the color picked out, but I am just not sure!! I want it to be perfect so I am being very picky about this paint color!

This week has been quieter than others as far as prepping for the baby. We still need to make some large purchase decisions. I think I went a little crazy on baby clothes when I first found out the sex, so I am trying not to buy a lot because I don't want to buy things that he will never even get to wear!

Favorite Nonmaternity Maternity Piece

Happy Monday! (ugh where did the weekend go?)



Every morning when I wake up... I dread getting ready. Since adding a few inches around the waste band, my cute and stylish clothing choices have slowly dwindled. All of the cute maternity clothes are so expensive it is crazy! I have no problem spending a little extra on clothes, but I want it to be on something I can wear for longer than 4 more months. My go-to top for my crazy weekends of running around getting ready for the baby definetly has to be my Vicotoria's Secret PINK Essential V-neck Tee!

If you are not familiar with this T-shirt ~ The fit is already a bit long and oversized. But that is why I love it! I have a long torso and this T is the perfect length for my personal liking. Because it has a comfy baggy fit, it is perfect for my ever growing belly! It also can be dressed up with large statement pieces of jewlery or down with a casual scarf and still look cute. I am a huge fan of the V-neck T for guys and girls, and I am a super fan of this V.S. one. I have gone back a few time through this pregnancy to pick up more and more of these T's. I finally caved the last time and went a size up, but only because I wanted to make sure I could rock this T all the way until the end. Bonus: I can keep wearing this T after I am preggers!!! 

=)Rachel

Baby Room Paint Color

The moment we found out we were having a baby I started looking at nursery room ideas. I am so thankful for the amazing resource known as PINTEREST! Without it I wouldn't have even known where to begin on ideas as to how to decorate and organize etc... One thing that I knew from the very beginning... was the paint color. Luckily my color of choice just so happens to be right on trend... gray (or grey... I'm not sure). I have been in love with the color for as long as I can remember. Forget the pinks, and blues... I have always been a gray kinda girl. So, when given the chance, of course I am going to paint my first child's room gray. Now... out of the 1 million shades of gray out there... which one to pick? We have narrowed it down to 4 different grays...

Photo taken by phone, so it isn't the greatest!

So now we have the daunting task of making a final decision. Our son's bedroom has a lot of wall space, so the problem is making sure the color we choose isn't too overwhelming! I think the finalists will be the top two. We have about a month to make the final decision. My parents are coming down to visit and we are enlisting their help with painting! Hopefully by then we will have come to a conclusion. Once the painting is done, the room will be on its way to becoming a nursery.

Stay tuned for more!!! 

=)Rachel