When I found out I was pregnant, I was overwhelmed with creative energy – I wanted to do all of the crafty things I’d seen… Like take a profile photo of my growing belly every day then make some amazing, beautiful slideshow I could share.  A majestic record I could keep forever and proudly title The Art and Wonder of Incubation…

Then reality came back to me and my creative energy was sucked dry, I had severe and unrelenting hyperemesis gravidarum and didn’t get out of bed, save trips to my bff: the toilet, for MONTHS.  I have maybe five pictures from my entire pregnancy up until I started feeling better again (around 7 months along?)

Since that creative production was halted by no real fault of my own, I decided I’d ABSOLUTELY take photos of the baby from birth-12 months.  This time maybe not set my standards so high though… maybe not every day… okay, maybe every month.  I decided to PLAN for a really good photo every three months – even if meant I had to take the baby somewhere professional! 

Maybe it’s because I’ve accepted and embraced the ways of procrastination, but I only ended up with three of the five “timeline photos” I wanted (0, 3, 6, 9, & 12 months.)  And you know, it was worse when Babe was born – I guess because he and Cammie are only 18 months apart, I was more distracted than with just one.  Photos of JUST him were few and far between.

Gina (our fab Mom Squad member) happened upon the most AMAZING photo accessory that would put an end to ALL of my photo troubles!  Let me introduce to Babycakes Design Co.
 
Favorite seller: Babycakes Design Co.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/babycakesdesignco
Esty feedback rating: 766, 100% positive
What she sells: monthly onesie stickers

What a GREAT way to organize and keep up with growing baby photos!   When Gina found this adorable etsy store, we jumped on the chance to showcase them in our blog – the idea is so genius!  A cute, personalized sticker for each month – you simply put the sticker on the onesie, snap a few photos, and you’ll have created an illustrated timeline of your baby’s first year!

Having photos of either of my kiddos with these sweet stickers would have been a huge help last week when I was trying to decide just how old they were at my cousin’s wedding… it’s an actual LABELED photo that I could use as a reference!!  I can’t get over how simple but useful this idea is!

Click to visit Baby Cakes Design Co. on etsy!

AND even better, they have TONS of patterns for girls, boys (OMG they have little ties, SO CUTE!), even gender neutral – what a GREAT shower gift!  They are extremely affordable, ranging in price from $9-$13 (sure beats buying individual, personalized outfits for each month!!)  

 Maria from Babycakes Design Co. has extended Bye Bye with Baby readers a discount in her etsy shop!! 
To get 10% off any purchase, use the code BYEBABY!  Become a FAN ON FACEBOOK to learn about new designs and other updates!

::Michelle
The Mom Squad

Tags: baby handmade, baby photos, baby shower gift, etsy, handmade, newborn photos, onesie sitckers, personalized baby gifts, photo

Favorite seller:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/gingersnappz
Etsy feedback rating:  819, 100% positive
What she sells:  Nursing covers, burp cloths, key fobs, mini key fobs, checkbook covers, nursing pads
Custom requests:  YES

I hope you are all having a FANTASTIC Friday!!  I am going to wrap up my “Mommy-Must-Haves” blog series with one of my MOST USED nursing accessories.  I found a FABULOUS seller on Etsy who makes the most adorable nursing covers…EVER!  (If you have spent $45-$50 for a Hooter Hider or Bebe Au Lait…you may want to stop reading now…because the price of these beauties may give you a serious case of buyer’s remorse, lol!)

Brenda, the owner of Gingersnappz, makes professionally sewn nursing covers in just about any color and print imaginable.  They are VERY well made—made of high quality fabrics—and priced at $21.88 before shipping!  (Shipping is only $2.99 for the first item and $1.50 for each additional item.)  The covers are a generous 25” L X 38” W.  They come equipped with a special flexible boning material that allows you to see your baby while nursing, as well as a terry cloth corner for wiping up small messes or storing breast pads!   These covers make AWESOME shower gifts, stocking stuffers…or just a special treat for a mommy-to-be!  I bet you can’t guess which fabric I picked for MY new cover!!

As a special bonus to our already amazing giveaway, The Mom Squad is adding one of these gorgeous covers to the prize package in coordinating purple fabric! 

We will be using Random.org to select a winner for this FABULOUS prize package THIS SUNDAY!  If you haven’t already, by sure to stop by Wednesday’s blog and comment to win!  (There are several entry options, so be sure to get those additional entries in to increase your odds of winning.) 

Good luck!!
~Gina
The Mom Squad

Tags: bfing, Breastfeeding, diaper bag, etsy, handmade, nursing cover, nursing in public, nursing mothers, nursing room locator, travel nursing pillow

Favorite seller:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Sweetiebugs
Etsy feedback rating:  37, 100% positive
What she sells:  Blankets, quilts, pillowcases, pillows, gift sets, burp cloths, and mini quilts
Custom requests:  YES

Have you ever come across someone and just thought, “Wow…We should TOTALLY be friends?”  Well, this was how I felt when I re-introduced myself to the owner of Sweetiebugs-Christie.  You see, a couple of years ago, I found an ADORABLE chenille blanket at an AMAZING price on Etsy…and although the seller only had a few items listed…and I would be her first sale…I HAD TO HAVE THAT BLANKET, lol!  I received the item shortly after my purchase.  It was (and still is!) one of the most adorable and beautiful things I have seen!   It still looks the same as the day we got it in the mail…and that’s after a couple of years of steady use and washing.

Amazing, right?!

But I digress…

Recently, a friend of mine was searching for a custom blanket to give to her two girls from her third child who is due at the beginning of February.  I immediately went to my Etsy page to look up the seller I had come across those two years ago–and what do ya know…she was still open and ready for business!  Not only that, but her shop was filled with even MORE adorableness!  (I’m not sure if that’s a word…but for the sake of today’s blog…it is! )   I quickly decided that I loved her work all over again and hurriedly contacted her to see if I could talk her into making me an adorable blanket for my son.  We called this project, “Project Cutest Blanket Ever (PCBE).  (No…really…we did, lol! )

Christie is seriously one of the nicest, most easy going, FUNNY, and fun ladies I have met!  We corresponded via Etsy messages several times–plotting and planning the blanket—and it truly is a work of art!  She went out of her way to hunt down different shades of chenille to find the one that matched the fabric I wanted…and even special ordered the Michael Miller print I just HAD to have.  Talk about going above and beyond!  Her shipping is super fast, and she makes sure the blanket is covered completely to keep it safe from the elements. (Well…and so it will fit in the box, lol!)

If you are in the market for something handmade and FABULOUS, defiantly shoot Christie a message on Etsy!  I PROMISE you will NOT be disappointed!  Now…check out my awesome blanket!

**Come back tomorrow to read about the COOLEST, most creative DIAPER BAG you have EVER seen!  Oh…and did I mention a GIVEAWAY?!  Yeah buddy!

~Gina
The Mom Squad

Tags: baby blanket, baby gift, baby shower gift, blanket, custom baby blanket, etsy, personalized baby blanket

One of the worst parts about traveling – if you ask me – is that my arms are nowhere NEAR as long as they should be.  Go ahead, laugh… growing up our dress-code was mandated by the “fingertip length rule” and I was constantly rebelling against The Man since I’m 5’9” and my wingspan is unquestionably larger than my 5’3” girlfriends (who constantly got away with wearing daisy dukes while I was forced to wear pedal pushers.)

(I’m on the left in the pants — I mean shorts… okay “shants”, that’s my cousin Royce in the spandex, & my sister Melinda on the right – the only normal-looking one)

Don’t feel sorry for me just yet, though not being able to embrace my leggy-ness was somewhat disheartening in school, I always knew my gorilla-arms would come in handy for something… Being tall has it’s perks (I don’t have to ask for help to reach things on the top shelf at the grocery store, for instance) – but it’s also caused me to choose a stroller push around that doesn’t require me hunching over (truthfully, that was NOT an easy find – and I’m not THAT tall!)

 The day we brought home our tiny bundle of joy and a little whimper came from the backseat; a slow-motion smile came across my face… I could reach behind the seat, find the binkie, and be a super hero for a two-day-old by popping it right back in – what JOY! 

Then that sweet infant became a toddler… and I hate to ruin this for those of you with your first infant, but toddlers throw things.  Let me rephrase: toddlers HURL anything you hand them across the entire car – then IMMIDEATELY want you to pick it up and hand it back to them (you know, while your hands are at 10 & 2 and you’re cautiously maneuvering a moving vehicle with your precious cargo inside!)    

Since it’s a widespread fact that I have a pair of the longest arms on the planet and even my attempts at “Go, Go, Gadget-Arms!” have failed miserably, it’s safe to say I’ve found the PERFECT solution to keeping all the backseat stuff in an area easily reachable by your kiddo! 

T-Rex-& gorilla-armed friends alike, meet the car seat organizer.

Favorite seller: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SewnNatural
Etsy feedback rating:  682, 100% positive
She sells:  bedding, ornaments and decor, nap mats, Waldorf baby dolls and toys, picnic blankets, kids’ messenger and sleep bags, & more
Custom requests:  YES

I absolutely ADORE this organizer – it has straps that attach it to the front seat, it’s WASHABLE – has a specific place for sippy cups or a water bottle… pockets BIG ENOUGH for books, toys, snacks – whatever you’d spend most of your time trying to blindly feel around in the back seat and pick up!

The quality is unmatched – three layers of fabric and the detailed lining – I could hardly believe this was handmade when I first saw it!!  This is most definitely on our must-have list AND this item comes with a FREE ECO GIFT! 

While we found a few different organizers, this one is by far our favorite!  What do you think??

Tags: car organizer, car travel, etsy, handmade, keeping car organized, roadtrip with kids, roadtrips, seat organizer

Since Thanksgiving is typically when families spend more time in a vehicle traveling then they would like, we have decided to bring back one of our most popular Etsy favorites!  Now, pay close attention…because not only does Andrea, the owner, sell these great pillows…but she has also added some AWESOME new items to her shop that will be PERFECT stocking stuffers/gifts for the holidays!

Favorite seller:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/twolittlemonkies
Etsy feedback rating:  100, 100% positive
She sells:  Infant Neck Pillows, Childrens Neck Pillows, Crayon Caddies, Car Caddies, Diaper Pods, Wipes Cases and Wall Decor
Custom requests:  YES
Facebook: 
Just a little background about Two Little Monkies, Andrea, and how the idea for the Travel Neck Pillow came about:

“I opened up Two Little Monkies in May 2010 as a small shop selling a few sets of hair clips. I quickly expanded and I now sell several types of hair accessories, clip holders, children’s neck pillows, diaper and wipes pods and wall decor.

As a family on a budget, I’ve always used my creativity to make items that weren’t affordable otherwise. When preparing for our family trip in April, I found some children’s neck pillows in the store and thought ‘I could do that, and for much less!’ I loved the idea, because my 3 year old and 1 year old fall asleep in the car on long trips and I hate seeing their little heads slumped over, knowing how uncomfortable that is! I designed a children’s neck pillow that I felt better fit young children, wider on the sides and narrower in the back so it didn’t push their head forward as they were sleeping. After my daughters used these pillows on our vacation (ok, I’ll admit, I gave it a test run too), I decided I would add them to my Etsy shop to see how they would sell. Since then, they have become my most popular product!”

Check Out the New Items!

Since our last review of My Two Little Monkies, Andrea has added (what I would consider to be) some of the neatest items/gifts for young children and parents on the go!  She started with added crayon rolls to her inventory, and shortly thereafter created some adorably AWESOME car caddys!  If you follow My Two Little Monkies on Facebook, you will know that Andrea stays connected with her fans and customers, and REALLY values their opinions and suggestions on different product ideas, fabrics, etc…  Her customer service is excellent and her shipping is fast! 

Once again, Andrea has graciously offered to host a giveaway to one of our blog readers…just in time for those long trips in the car during the holiday season!  Take a look at the items available in her ETSY shop HERE and comment below with what YOU would like to see in your kiddos stocking (or YOURS!) and why!  One lucky reader will be selected on Friday by Random.org to win an adorable Travel Neck Pillow!

Tags: car travel, etsy, handmade, kids travel pillow, toddler pillow, toddler travel pillow, travel, travel pillow

How many times have you found yourself in the car, at the doctor’s office, or even the grocery store and your toddler suddenly becomes bored and unruly?  (Me?  Never!  My child is a perfect angel…100% of the time!  Cough-cough—HA!)  

If only there was a simple solution…

This is the adorable (and convenient AND functional) Traveling Tots Art Tote! 

Favorite seller: TAGLineDesigns
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TAGLineDesigns
Esty feedback rating: 171, 100% positive
What she sells:  Traveling Tots Art Tote, FELT Art Totes, Nursing Covers, Baby/Toddler Blankets and Fabric Bookmarks
Custom requests: yes

“The Traveling Tots Art Tote comes with crayons, chalk, paper and chalk mat. As a special touch, I have included some paper cut outs for your little one to glue to their hearts content. Just add a glue stick, it will fit! You can swap anything in this tote for something or add them all. Crayons, Markers, Chalk, Glue Stick, etc. You can put paper cut-outs, stickers and other things behind the pad of paper for even MORE FUN! “

The thought that went into this design is what drew us in right away!  Anything that is made by moms with our kiddos in mind gets two thumbs up from The Mom Squad (especially something that will keep our kiddos quiet in the car or on a plane!)

To add to the excitement, TAGLineDesigns has graciously offered one of our readers the chance to win one of her Traveling Tots Art Totes! 

How to enter:

Check out her etsy site and tell us which of her adorable products you love and why! 
We will draw a winner on Friday, November 12th!

Tags: baby gifts, baby shower, BBwB, bye bye with baby, child, children, contest, etsy, etsy.com, family, family traveling, giveaway, handmade, kids, toddler, traveling, traveling with children, traveling with kids

We are SO EXCITED to introduce today’s Back to School Week  ”must have” to our readers!  Each member of The Mom Squad has come across this Etsy shop on at least one occasion and we all were stopped in our tracks by not only the cuteness of this item, but the functionality of it!

Today, we bring to you….THE OUCH POUCH!

dun, Dun, DUNNNN!

Karen, the mastermind behind this brilliant design, is a long time crafter and OBVIOUSLY a fantastic problem solver!  Like most moms, I carry around a small bag that has all the little necessities that one might need when they are out with their little ones.  I like to call mine the “Mom Emergency” kit…but one thing I couldn’t stand about it was the fact that I would have to DIG to find something as simple as a band-aid or thermometer.  Not only that, but because it closed with a zipper, it would take two hands to open…and I usually only had one to spare!  This is where the Ouch Pouch came in to make life so much easier!

These small, adorable pouches have a see-through front window so you can easily locate the item you need.  They open and close with a simple snap, so moms on the go can balance a baby and reach for what they need with only one hand!

Now, while these pouches are great for moms on the go, they also make great little additions to your school-aged child’s back packs!  Need a cute affordable back-to-school gift to give your child’s new teacher?  These Ouch Pouches are perfect!

Favorite seller:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/PillowSewCute
Etsy feedback rating:  1939, 100% positive
What she sells:  The Ouch Pouch
Custom requests:  YES! 

***********GIVE AWAY AND SPECIAL OFFER DETAILS************

 Karen is offering a special discount for our BBwB blog readers!  When you place an order in her shop, enter BBwB at checkout to receive a 20% discount on your entire order!

In addition to this awesome offer, we will also be giving away an ouch pouch to one of our lucky readers!  To enter today’s give away, tell us what must have items YOU would carry in your Ouch Pouch.  We will use Random.org to select a winner at the end of the day!  Good luck to you all, and happy shopping!

~Gina
The Mom Squad

**************Contest Closed*****************

Tags: diaper bag accessories, diaper bag organizer, diaper pouch, etsy, handmade, ouch pouch

Okay – so every single kid out there has crayons – it’s basically the best way to keep kids busy for any short amount of time (obviously, they even hand them out at restaurants to keep your kiddo busy!)    Now comes the problem of storage… Do you have a crayon box, bucket, or unorganized container at home (brimming over with crayon pieces and crayon wrappers?)

One of the cutest back-to-school trends we’ve noticed is the crayon roll!  It’s such a simple and cute way to keep the crayons from rolling around in the old-school crayon box, not to mention how it takes up much less space in the backpack!

It’s time to upgrade – stop keeping those crayon boxes held together mid-year by tape and rubberbands… get your child this sweet little item to make school supplies organized and charming!  The crayon roll pictured above was made by LBDesigns (one of our past Etsy favorites!)  To win it, leave us a comment with your favorite crayon color (you know they have some creative ones in there!) 

If you’d like a crayon roll for you little one, check out LBDesigns’ Blog: http://lbdesignsshop.blogspot.com/

::Michelle
The Mom Squad

Tags: crayon, crayon organizer, crayon roll, etsy, handmade

As always, when we come across something fabulous on Etsy that we think every mom, dad and grandparent should own…we tell you about it!  I am a HUGE fan of problem solvers myself, so when I discovered this stroke of genius, I was on top of it!  What was my problem, you ask? 

Enter Exhibit A:

Do these children look comfortable to you?  Sure, they are sound asleep…but you and I both know any adult who falls asleep in either of those positions is going to wake with one heck of a crick in the neck…and at least a month’s worth of much needed physical therapy!

The solution:

THIS, my friends, is a travel neck pillow designed SPECIFICLY with CHILDREN in mind!

Favorite seller:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/twolittlemonkies
Etsy feedback rating:  11, 100% positive
She sells:  hair clips, headbands, clip/accessory holders, TRAVEL NECK PILLOWS, diaper and wipes pods, and various types of wall décor.
Custom requests:  YES
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2069867&id=1302317198#!/twolittlemonkies

How Two Little Monkies was “born” (Written By Andrea, the owner and creator)

“I opened up Two Little Monkies in May 2010 as a small shop selling a few sets of hair clips. I quickly expanded and I now sell several types of hair accessories, clip holders, children’s neck pillows, diaper and wipes pods and wall decor.

As a family on a budget, I’ve always used my creativity to make items that weren’t affordable otherwise. When preparing for our family trip in April, I found some children’s neck pillows in the store and thought ‘I could do that, and for much less!’ I loved the idea, because my 3 year old and 1 year old fall asleep in the car on long trips and I hate seeing their little heads slumped over, knowing how uncomfortable that is! I designed a children’s neck pillow that I felt better fit young children, wider on the sides and narrower in the back so it didn’t push their head forward as they were sleeping. After my daughters used these pillows on our vacation (ok, I’ll admit, I gave it a test run too), I decided I would add them to my Etsy shop to see how they would sell. Since then, they have become my most popular product!

 Andrea has graciously offered one of her fantastic travel pillows as a giveaway prize for one lucky blog follower!  The winner can go to her Etsy shop and select one of a varitey of avaliable fabrics! 

**How to enter** (CLOSED)

Stop by Andrea’s shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/twolittlemonkies and tell us what your favorite item is in the comments section below.  It can be ANYTHING she has listed in the shop!

If you did not win the travel neck pillow, but would like to purchase one, please see the information below for a coupon code JUST for Bye Bye with Baby followers!

Discount code – ByeByeWithBaby
Instructions – Enter the code in the “Message to Seller” section when you order on Etsy and then I will send the person an invoice through PayPal to include the discount. If they do pay, I will just refund the money afterwords.
The code is good for 10% off of any pillow that is ordered

Tags: etsy, etsy.com, handmade, toddler travel pillow, travel pillow, traveling family, traveling with children, vacation must haves

I was chatting online with a new mom (and friend) the other day, and she was asking me about my shopping cart cover.  I gave her the name of the company where I purchased mine, but when I took a look at their shop, I noticed that they were closed/on vacation mode.  Knowing she would want something ASAP, I did a little searching and came across what I have found to literally be the best thing since sliced bread, lol!  (Let’s put it this way, I sent her an e-mail JUST to let her know how amazing I thought her product was!)  I passed the info along to my mommy friend and she purchased the cover that very same night.  Since then, she has received it, used it, and LOVED it!  I contacted Amanda at Practical Designs and told her that I would like to write a blog about her shop.  She was extremely sweet and actually offered to host a giveaway!  One of our lucky blog followers will have the opportunity to win one of her “Practical Designs!”  Stay tuned for more details at the end of the blog! 

Favorite seller:  www.etsy.com/shop/PracticalDesigns
Etsy feedback rating:  101, 100% positive
What she sells:  Boutique-style shopping cart covers and diaper clutches—Amanda welcomes custom requests.  If you don’t see a print you like, or if you have your own material, simply convo her to work out the details!
Custom requests:  YES

So what makes Practical Designs better than the rest?  Well…let me tell you!  The first thing to catch my eye when searching for a cart cover is price.  At this time, Practical Designs has her covers listed at (Are you ready for this one?)  $36.00!  (It should be known that cart covers of this caliber typically sell for upwards of $50-$60!)

Not only are they affordable, but they are PRACTICAL!  Amanda, a SAHM of 2 small children, became exhausted with trying to find “the perfect” cart cover and decided to design her own…just the way she wanted.  These covers are plush, washable, they include a seat strap, A SIPPY CUP POCKET (Hello?!  Does anyone else find that as awesome as I do?!) and a PILLOW!  (How many of you have taken your little ones shopping only to have this happen: 

Problem solved! 

I cannot stress enough how wonderful a shopping cart cover is.  Anyone out there who has one already can attest to their greatness…and I think they would also agree that theirs would be 100% BETTER with a sippy cup pocket and a pillow!  If you are in the market for a cover, or would like to upgrade the one you may already have, I HIGHLY recommend Practical Designs! 

*****************Giveaway Deets*********************

To go along with our traveling theme, Practical Designs has generously offered one of their adorable (and stylish!) diaper clutches to one of our lucky readers!  A diaper clutch is a handy accessory to any purse or diaper bag!  It holds about 3 diapers, a travel wipes case, and even has room for a couple of baggies for those “uh-oh” moments!  These are AWESOME when you are traveling!  Instead of carrying your entire baby arsenal into the gas station for a diaper change, you can just grab your cute little clutch and have everything you need right at your fingertips!  Is your peanut already potty trained?  Use the clutch to carry an extra set of clothes and some wipes for little sticky fingers!

To enter this week’s giveaway, we want to know what you love/don’t love about shopping cart covers.  Comment with your answer below.  We will use random.org at the end of the week to select a winner!

~~~I wanted to add, Amanda is going to be adding more to her shop this weekend.  So be sure to check back to see her new fabrics!~~~

Tags: baby, baby boutique, baby gifts, baby shower, child, contest, custom baby, diaper change, diaper changing locations, etsy, etsy.com, family, family traveling, giveaway, handmade, toddler