DIY Chore Chart

I just found this crazy DIY from the The Winthrop Chronicles that I think it's gonna help a lot of moms out there with keeping track of their kids chore. Click here on the link to see the full tutorial on how to build this cute chart.

Photo Apps to Create Great Birth Announcements

The camera capabilities in today’s smartphones easily rival many digital cameras. Add to those photo capabilities some of the best phone apps on the market and you can create awesome photos without much effort so you can produce one-of-a-kind birth announcements. Here are some great photo apps for your smartphone.

Vapp

Many parents say they wish they had extra hands when they have a newborn and this can be especially true when you are trying to take photos of a wiggling baby! Vapp is a voice-activated shutter photo app so you don’t have to worry about putting the baby in a position that won’t last and then attempt to adjust the camera and take the shot all at once. Vapp gives you complete voice-activated control of your smartphone’s photo taking process. If your baby is asleep, you can even adjust the volume sensitivity for the voice-activated commands so you can activate photo taking with a whisper.

Fast Camera

We have all seen professional photographers take rapid-fire shots so they don’t miss that one important split-second piece of action. Thanks to Fast Camera, we can take those fast photo shots as well with our smartphone. Fast Camera lets you capture up to 800 pictures a minute of live action and time lapse photos! This way you can go through all the photos taken and pick out that one perfect shot for your baby announcement.

Instagram

We are all familiar with the free photo app Instagram as a way to share photos and apply filters to take a good photo you shot of your newborn and make it great. For example, the Lux filter lets you adjust an underexposed photo or improve a photo that lacks contrast in one click.  What many forget is that you can search for different photos posted in the Instragram app just like a photo search engine. Try doing a search for #newborn or #newbornphotography to see how others take photos of their newborn babies to jumpstart your creative photography ideas!

Meet our guest blogger: Rachael McAdams is a new member to the SAHM community and is loving every minute of it! Rachael has been a writer for years but has recently been delving into the mommy blogging world. She loves writing about various subjects, but especially enjoys providing advice to new moms. If you'd like to follow Rachael, you can find her at @livealittleNYC.

Starting a Soothing Bedtime Routine

Video: Starting a Soothing Bedtime Routine

Should we be starting some sort of bedtime routine?

A better night’s sleep always starts with a bedtime routine — and that’s true even for babies who aren’t yet ready to sleep through the night. Plus, setting up some simple sleep-time rituals now can help your little one develop healthy sleep habits later. Once your newborn has developed a fairly predictable sleep schedule — which usually happens by two months — it’s time to roll out the bedtime routine.

Here’s what to include:

Wind-down time 
The more alert your baby becomes, the more quiet time he’ll need to get into the mood to snooze. He’ll settle down faster if you keep interactions low-key — think cuddles and coos instead of rounds of raspberries.

A bath
Even if your baby’s not exactly dirty, a warm, relaxing bath is the perfect segue to sleep — especially if you’ve spiked it with a soothing splash of lavender-scented baby wash.

A massage
Follow the bath with a gentle rubdown. Studies show that a bedtime massage can boost a baby’s production of melatonin — a sleep-inducing hormone.

The right ambiance
Dim the lights and turn on some soft music or white noise to summon the sandman. To make sure the room’s temperature perfect for sleep, check your baby’s back or the nape of his neck. Too sweaty? Remove a layer of clothing. Too chilly? Add one on.

A story or song
Snuggling over a book can be the start of a treasured nighttime tradition — and it’s never too early to start. Reading’s not winning your baby over yet? Sing a bedtime lullaby instead.

Sweet goodnights
After you fill your baby’s tummy tank, it’s time to put him down — preferably while he’s drowsy, but still awake, so he can drift off to dreamland on his own. Keep your goodbyes short, sweet, loving, and consistent — use the same phrase the same way each and every night. Pretty soon your parting words will become a reassuring signal to your baby that his busy day has come to a cozy end, and it’s time to sleep.

Source: whattoexpect.com

Marquee Letters DIY

I've seen this trend for a while in some nurseries, so I started to search for an easy DIY that I could share here with all of you, and I just found this incredible marquee Letter DIY on Grey Likes Nesting Blog that I loved, I hope you love as much as I did and have fun doing it. Just click on the link for a complete DIY tutorial.

A Princess Party

Because every little girl is a princess, here is an inspiration for a baby shower or for a 1st birthday theme party.

Sources & Vendors

Event styling - Christi Bennett of P is for Party

Photography - Ailynne Abarado Photography

Flowers + Decor - Wedding Flowers by Lisa

Venue - Royal Oaks Country Club

Invitations + signage + favors - WH Hostess

Cake + cookies + cake pops - The Sweet Boutique

Balloon decor - Balloon Masters

Window decal - Bright Star Productions

Candy table bows + gold frames - Michael's

Pink tulle poms - Heart to Heart

Pink Carpet - Party Props

Summer Maternity Fashion Must Have

Ok, just because we are pregnant doesn't mean that we need to live in our partner's t-shirt, we can definitely do better than that. As summer is fast approaching, I have selected a few items that I think it should be a must have in our summer wardrobe. We don't need to break the bank either to be in style, just need to get a few key pieces mix and match them to be fashionable all summer long!!

 1. Accessorize   

Sometimes it's all you need to change an outfit completely, so invest in some fun bracelets, or watches to get your clothes a completely new look.

2. Maxi Dress

Can take you to the beach to the mall, you will always look well dressed in one of those.

3. Light Cardigan

Just in case the night gets a little chili or you feel the need to cover up a little bit.

4. Tank Top

Nothing screams more summer then a tank top, and you can always dress it up a little bit if you want to look a little fancier.

5. Shorts

Can't go throughout without a pair of them.

6. Flats

Invest in a good pair and that is all you will need for this season.

7. Dress

A short dress can double as a cover all for you to go to the beach or pool, and also gets you ready to go anywhere you like.

8. Tunic

If you want to look a little more dressed up to go out at night, this is the way to go.

9. Pants

For summer time you can try to invest in a fun color.

10. Hat

You can use it everyday that you leave the house.

11. Bathing Suits 

This is Summer so goes without saying.

12. Tote Bag

Get a big one to fit your regular stuff plus sunscreen, sunglasses, water bottles and etc.

13. Sunglasses

Complements any outfit that you have on, and to protect your eyes obviously. 

Now all you need to do is to wait for summer to get here and have a lots of FUN!!!

Best Etsy Shops for Babies

Everybody knows I'm a sucker for handmade products, specially baby products. So here is a selection of this month's shops that I found and I'm in love with.

1. Zuzii

This mom-and-daughter-run Etsy shop makes some of the cutest and best designed shoes and accessories for baby girls. 

2. Lala's Pequenos

These super soft handmade Noonies are the ultimate luxury in swaddling — a perfect baby shower gift! 

3. Ikabags Stockholm Diaper Bag

Some of the most stylish diaper bags on Etsy, handmade in Paris.

4. BabyEtte Wraps

The mom behind BabyEtte Wraps has been making her own baby carriers for over a decade — and she really knows her stuff, from safety to comfort.

5. Organic Quilt Company

This shop makes a variety of baby products — like crib bedding, burp cloths, towels, etc. — all with the healthiest materials and the cutest patterns. 

6. Pop & Lolli

Reading the backstory on this brand will make you love these artistic, oversized, removable wall decals even more. 

7 Dos and Don'ts for Cleaning During Pregnancy

Lots of things change when you’re expecting, including how much housecleaning you should tackle — and what’s safe and what’s not. So before you plug in the vacuum or dig out the dustpan, get the lowdown on the dos and don’ts of cleaning during pregnancy.

DO: Read the labels.

If you see the words “toxic,” “danger,” “poison,” or “corrosive” on the label of any housecleaning product — and you’re most likely to on oven, drain, rug, and toilet-bowl cleaners — skip it, even if you used it with no problem before you became pregnant. These days, your defensives are down and the toxic fumes could irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Cleaning products that have low “acute toxicity” (most glass and general cleaners) probably won’t bother you, but since no one really knows how these chemicals could affect your baby, experts recommend erring on the side of safety by reducing your family’s “toxic burden” wherever possible. So get a little greener before your baby arrives. Look for products labeled nontoxic and all-natural instead.

DO: Make your own safe cleaning supplies.

Another way to make the switch to more natural products is to DIY. These three are particularly cheap — and effective:

• Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to make an all-purpose cleaning solution for countertops, tubs, and tile.
• Baking soda makes an excellent hard-water-stain remover in your tub or shower. First, wipe the area with a rag soaked in white vinegar (wear latex gloves so your hands don’t stink), then sprinkle generously with baking soda. Scrub the tile clean with the same vinegar-soaked rag.
• Use hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach. Soak clothes in one part hydrogen peroxide to eight parts water to remove stains and make whites whiter.

DO: Open the windows.

No matter what kind of cleaning products you’re using, make sure you’ve got some ventilation. Keeping a window open can greatly improve your indoor air quality and effectively remove toxic vapors. Run the exhaust fan in your bathroom, too, while you’re tidying there and for 15 minutes or so afterward.

DO: Wear gloves.

During pregnancy, your skin is much more sensitive than normal. Products that never bothered you before could cause contact dermatitis — and turn your skin into an itchy, irritated, and inflamed mess. Chlorine, detergents, bleach, added dyes, and fragrances — stuff you’ll likely find in many of your cleaning supplies — are all potential culprits. So get a pair of latex gloves and use them every time you clean to protect your hands and arms.

DO: Play the pregnancy card.

Once your baby arrives, you’ll probably be cleaning up something every day for the next 18 years or so. So take advantage of your “condition” to minimize your cleaning chores now. It’s not like you don’t have a good excuse: Pregnancy makes you incredibly tired (most of your body’s energy is going toward growing that beautiful baby). Plus, even mild smells may make you nauseated — and your expanding belly makes it difficult to bend, squat, and get up from your knees, all the moves required when cleaning house. Ask your partner (nicely) to carry most of the cleaning weight for the next nine months, or hire a pro if that’s in your budget.

DON'T: Clean up mold yourself.

While there are no studies showing that women exposed to mold during pregnancy are in danger, mold does produce toxic substances that have been linked to birth defects in animals. So if you’ve got mold in your bathroom, kitchen, or basement, get rid of it immediately. But don’t do it yourself. Have your partner or someone else mix water and bleach (according to the instructions on the bottle) to scrub down moldy tile, glass, ceramic, metal, and plastic. If the mold has spread to more porous materials, such as carpeting, drywall, paper, or ceiling tiles, you may have to discard them entirely. Talk to a professional cleaning service if your mold problem is severe — this is serious stuff.

DON'T: Move furniture.

In your pre-mama-to-be days, you may have thought nothing of lifting the couch with one hand while you vacuumed underneath with the other, or schlepping towers of folded towels up and down the stairs without even watching where you were going. But now that you’re knocked up, you have to give your superwoman powers a break. First of all, your center of gravity and balance changes as your belly grows, leaving you much more at risk of falls. And pregnancy hormones have softened your connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons, making you more prone to injury. The experts’ recommendation: Reduce the weight of any load you lift by 20 to 25 percent of what you could hoist pre-pregnancy. (So unless you purchased a 25-percent smaller sofa, leave it be if you’re housecleaning during pregnancy.)

Mother's Day Gift

Since this will be my first mother's day, I would like to share my happiness with all of you! I just created this printable for you to download (did I mentioned it's free?) for your personal use or to give as a gift. You can use as a card or you can frame it and display anywhere you like. Hope you all enjoy it, and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

Just click here to download the file

Circus Gender Neutral Nursery

The inspiration for this nursery came from my personal love for carnivals, circus and animals =] from the beginning we knew we wanted to keep the sex of our little peanut a surprise, we wanted a theme that was gender neutral, modern and very colorful, so the Circus fit perfectly! For more information and pictures of the room visit this post.

Nursery created by Joy Kelly from How Joyful blog.

Maternity Session {French Garden Inspired}

I think this is the cutest maternity session I have ever seen. It's a french garden inspired tea party, mother and daughter having the best time of their life, it couldn't get more sweet than that!!!

Credits and Sources

Photography, Styling, Cake, & Props: Threaded Together Photography Styled
Mom’s Dress: Tiffany Rose
Mom’s Shoes: Talbots
Dad’s Jacket: Vintage Dior
Dad’s Shirt: Express
Baby’s Dress: Old Navy

Source: Onto Baby

Real Moms Pick Their Favorite Baby Products - Rachel

I'm thrill to show here today the favorite baby products from a real mom, her name is Rachel Humpherys, she has a blog called Rachel in Real Life and I would like to thank her for sharing here with us.

You can also be featured with your favorite pick, just send me an e-mail at sweetlittlenursery@gmail.com with up to 5 products that you think its the most useful and you can't go without baby product, with a brief description why you love it and a picture of you with your little one. I run this once a month and you can be the next one to be featured here.

Now back to Rachel.

If I have learned anything from my mothering experiences it’s that motherhood is a very personal journey. The mothering styles of each mother are different. The needs of each baby are different.  Figure out what works for you and do it. Some mothers co-sleep, others don’t. Some use disposable diapers while others cloth. Some nurse and some bottle feed. And you know what? That is okay. Every mom is out there doing her very best to raise her children in the best way that she knows how. We’re all learning & growing & getting the hang of this one day at a time. 

When I was expecting I wanted to run out and buy all of the must-have products I saw. My baby needed the best of the best and lots of it! At the time, my husband and I were both full-time students living off of one income and a little bit of money I made nannying on the side. Going out and buying the best of everything wasn’t an option but I learned something very important, my baby’s happiness wasn’t determined by having the best. So, on my list of must-have items are the bare essentials that we needed as new parents on a budget. 

Rachel's picture credit: Kylee Ann Photography

1. Car Seat- The car seat is one thing we did spend a little more on. We chose the Snugride 35 from Graco. After reading many reviews, with safety as our number one priority, we felt like we made the right choice. If you are planning on having more children I would suggest going gender-neutral with the larger items such as car seats, strollers & high chairs. 
2. Health & Grooming kit- you can find these almost anywhere and they are essential. We wanted one that was all-inclusive so that we didn’t spend more money buying each item separate. 
3. Summer Infant Swaddle Pod- For our son swaddling was a must. We tried the good old fashioned way with swaddle blankets but that little Houdini always managed to get himself unswaddled. We eventually came upon the swaddle pod which was an easy and safe solution. We will definitely be using them again next baby! 
4. A baby tub- the thought of baby’s first bath can be very intimidating for a new mother. Babies are really slippery and trying to hold them up and scrub them at the same time isn’t as easy as it may seem. Our little whale tub gave me a sense of security while bathing my tiny baby. There are tons of baby tubs on the market but this one fit our budget & who doesn’t love a cute whale? 
5. Bouncer- If you ever need a minute hands-free to shower, fold laundry or just give your arms a break; you’ll want a bouncer or swing. Again, money was tight so we went with this bouncer which we found at Wal-Mart for $20. It worked out great for us & the little man loved it! 

Know Your Pregnancy Rights

“Of course I can do this. I’m pregnant, not brain-damaged. My condition doesn’t change my personality.” – Christine Feehan, Ruthless Game

When it comes to the pregnancy of the working women there are many issues that come into count especially those relating to law. What are the rights of a working woman when she becomes pregnant? Let’s look at them in detail.

First – Termination, a women cannot be dismissed from the service of the company for being pregnant. If the company asks you for resignation, you can refuse to do so, because no company has a right to terminate any women on the grounds of pregnancy. You cannot even be dismissed, nor any modifications can be made in your working conditions, without your approval during the maternity leave period.

Second – Maternity Benefits, who are eligible for maternity benefits? The Maternity Benefits Act is applicable to all working women, irrespective of the type of organization they work in. A woman is eligible to claim maternity benefits if she has worked in an organization for a period of 80 days (minimum), before her due date. If you are employed in an organization and then become pregnant, you have some rights as per law.

Maternity Benefit Act was approved by Indian Government in 1961. According to this act, “a woman who is employed with any company is entitled to six weeks of paid leave. Her employer must not give her any work for six weeks, beginning from the day of delivery. In addition, after resuming work, she should not be assigned any difficult tasks or be given any work that involves standing for long hours”.

Third – Leave period, it is up to you, as to when you want to take your six weeks of leave. Generally women prefer taking leave around two weeks before the delivery date and the rest after giving birth to the baby. You should keep in mind that six weeks is the minimum leave, depending on your company policy you may be entitled to more leave. Many companies allow women to take maternity leave for a period of three months; in addition to this you can also combine other leaves such as casual leave and others.

When you want to officially claim the leave and other benefits, you must write a formal letter to the office. This letter should include details such as how long you have worked for the company, your expected due date and the starting and ending days of your leave.

When you should submit the written notice, depends on the company policy, some insist that you should give notice before delivery while other companies allow you to give notice after the birth of the child. Even if you forget to give a written notice, you are still entitled to all maternity benefits that your work place offers.

If for reasons relating to pregnancy, you are dismissed from the work, you can file a case in the Industrial and Labor Court, under the Maternity Benefits Act. So, use the Maternity Benefits Act and reap the benefits.