B's Custom Birthday Shirt- Review of 'Designs by Shine'

My little man just turned two on Friday (there will be a birthday post coming soon...)!  I can barely believe it!

Brennan was lucky enough to be the recipient of a nice review product from a cool Etsy shop, Designs by Shine, that specializes in customized kids' clothing- like birthday shirts for kids!  Sunshine, the owner of Designs by Shine, has 100% positive feedback for her shop and offers quick turn around times.  In stock orders are shipped within 2-3 days and custom orders are shipped within 7 days. 

Here's what Brennan's little shirt looks like (Thank you, Sunshine!):

Brennan is a huge Mickey Mouse fan right now, so that's the theme we went with for his birthday party.  I'm sure it is an extremely common theme and a lot of people would love to have one of these shirts for their little one's big day!  This shirt worked perfectly.  Designs by Shine offers Minnie designs, as well.

We all know how much 2-year-olds love to hold still for the camera, so these are the best two pictures I was able to take of Brennan wearing his shirt.  It was obvious that he likes it, though!

The quality of the item was easy to see.  The stitching around the edges of the applique is precise.  I like the fact that you can tell it is made by a real person, on not just created by a screen printing machine, or fancy sewing assembly line.  The fabrics are soft, too.  I also also like the attention to detail that Sunshine, the owner of Designs by Shine, shows.  She sewed a little applique on the inside collar where the tag would normally be.  It is in the shape of a Mickey head and the red stitching shows through to the back of the shirt, but is very subtle.  I really like small touches like that.  Here are a couple of close-up shots to show detail.

Designs by Shine have a lot of really fun clothing designs, which are customizable to your liking.  Here are a few of my favorites:

This owl shirt can be purchased with the matching bow shown in the upper right hand corner.  I love owl stuff, so I think this one is so much fun!

Both of these girls outfits and pajamas for girls and boys are also available.  So cute!

These shirts are so fun for St. Patrick's Day!  Gotta love the festive green!  Sunshine is currently offering $1 shipping on all St. Patrick's outfits, so hurry over and check out Designs by Shine to see them and all of the other fun products that are available for purchase!

 

*I was given this product for review purposes.  All of my opinions about this product are solely my own.  Your opinions may differ.  I was not compensated to write this post in any way.*

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Brennan's New Toy!

Brennan was lucky enough to get a just-by-chance, early birthday present this week!  Brennan and I stopped to pick up a quilt at our local quilting shop on Monday.  He found a big bucket of toys in the back while I was picking out which quilt was the one we came for.  It only took me a moment to find it, but by the time I had, Brennan had already fallen in love with one of the toys.  It was a little tricycle/scooter- a Razor Scuttle Bug.  He had climbed onto it and figured it out immediately.  You should have seen the smile on his face... :) 

I was already dreading leaving the store since, like most kids, Brennan would be quite ticked off about having to leave the new treasure he had found behind.  The only difference with Brennan is that he can crank it up to a level a bit higher than the average child.  Wrestling my extremely strong almost-two-year old is hard under normal circumstances, but even harder while juggling a quilt and being 35 weeks pregnant!

I was just in the beginning stages of my bargaining/bribing (I know... I know...) routine- something along the lines of "Brennan, Emmy is at home waiting for us.  Do you want to go home and give her a treat?  And you know what!  If you walk like a nice boy to the car, Mommy will be so proud of you and give you a Tic Tac!"  All of a sudden the nice quilt shop lady interrupted me. 

"You know, I'd really love to just send that home with you.  My grand kids are way too big for it and it is just taking up space here."  I asked her if she was sure a couple of times and she insisted.  So we thanked her (a lot... more than she even knows...) and proceeded to have a nice, calm, and cooperative walk to the door.  So nice!

Brennan has been sitting on his new scooter a lot and 'Go Go Going', as B says, ever since we got it home.


Thank you very much, nice quilt shop lady!

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Happy Presidents' Day

In honor of Presidents' Day, here's a picture of my nephew, Wiley, dressed as one of America's most iconic presidents- Honest Abe!  I wonder if the real Abraham Lincoln had shoes like that...

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That 'To-Do List' Feeling

Awww man!

I'm starting to get the feeling that I need to write another to-do list.  For a little while, it seemed like I was getting most everything I wanted to do accomplished, but now, it feels the other way again!  Whenever I can cross one item off of my mental list, I need to add two more.  So, whenever the feeling finally gets strong enough, I take that mental list in my mind and put it down on paper.  For some reason it really seems to help motivate me and the sense of accomplishment seems even greater when you can physically cross an item off of the list.  Plus, if it is written down, Ryan is way more likely to happily help me cross some stuff off.

So, here's what I can come up with off of the top of my head right now...  It is no big surprise that almost all of it is baby related.

1. Finish new baby bumpers (which requires a few steps: #1- cut fabric squares, #2- glue/adhere fabric to pipe insulation, #3- make and apply snapping bands).  Now I bet you're curious about what kind of bumpers I'm making!  Watch for a tutorial soon... :)
2.  Make ring sling
3. Crochet a cocoon to match a baby hat.
4. Finish B's baby book before the new baby comes.
5. Try to start the new baby's book.
6. Keep up my baby journal and blog.
7. Officially open my blog's crochet store (That's right!  I'm finally working on getting a mini-store up and running on my site where I can sell some of the stuff that I just love to make!  In turn, I'll be adding more to my to-do list!).
8. Finish the hat I'm working on for a friend.
9. Rearrange pictures/wall hangings in Brennan's room and add the cool new wall cubes I found that match perfectly!
10. Work on any little details for Brennan's birthday party on the 25th.  I can't believe he's turning two  next Friday!!!
11. Find some little shoes (or a cute shoe pattern) for the baptism.  I'd like to find some newborn ruffle-butt tights, too!
12. Buy a baby ring and chain.
13. Make final decisions about which double stroller and baby monitor we want to get and just buy them.
14. Keep working on finding a great deal on a Mei Tai carrier.
15. Work on writing my next Etsy store review.... you guessed it!  Watch for a review and giveaway right after I have this baby!  This one will be cute...
16. Complete my search for diaper fabrics and schedule a sewing day with my family!
17. Clean and reorganize the basement.  
18. Clean and reorganize the upstairs.
19. Oh, and the obvious ones... Fold and put away laundry.
20. Run and unpack the dishwasher.
21. Constantly pick up the hurricane of toys that hit the house!

Well... I'm sure there's a lot more I need to do, too, but I'm wasting too much precious Brennan-is-asleep time to keep just thinking about it!  Tell me about your lists so I don't feel so crazy!!!

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The Cutest 'Four Eyes' in the World!

Somebody stole his Grandma's glasses...  Guess that officially makes him the cutest 'four eyes' in the world!

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Life's Little Accomplishments

My little guy has been saying and doing things lately that have just been making me feel so proud!  Though we are still in the midst of the 'terrible twos' (his 2nd birthday is February 24th!), he has been making some wonderful accomplishments!  Here are a few of the ones I'm most proud of:

• His vocabulary is EXPLODING!  He knows how to say so much!  Even though many of his words sound similar and it takes some detective work to figure out what exactly he's talking about, he is absolutely able to 'explain' his wants and needs.  He's getting very good at stringing 2 to 3 words together to form mini-sentences, too!  I just love the conversations we're beginning to have.

• He is starting to learn his colors.  Yellow is definitely his favorite and his go-to color if he can't remember the name for another color (green or red, for instance).  Most of the time he identifies blue and yellow correctly and we are working on the other ones.  Just this morning I pulled open his drawer of diapers and asked him to pick one out.  He walked over saying 'yellow' and then grabbed the first yellow one he spotted.  Then he threw that one on the floor, said 'blue' and pulled out a blue one- another proud Mama moment.  Unfortunately, deciding which one he REALLY wanted on was a little harder!

• He is starting to say 'please' and 'thank you' without being prompted!  This is one of my very favorite things!  He sounds so polite when I bring him some water or pick up a toy that he dropped and he says a sweet little, "thank you."  Once again, it may not sound that much like 'thank you' but it is so cute and sweet.  I'm also loving that he's picked up saying 'Bless you' after someone sneezes, but only if it wasn't a very funny sneeze.  In the case of the latter, giggling is the normal response :).

• Now when I tell him 'I love you' he reciprocates every time!  Sure feels good...

• I'm starting to wonder if he is actually grasping the idea of another baby coming.  When we ask him where the baby is, he touches my tummy and says 'baby'.  We've set up a second crib in his nursery for when she arrives and he points or runs to it all the time and says 'baby night night', while letting out fake snoring sounds.  Anytime he sees newborn clothing, hats that I've made, new baby blankets, etc., he says 'baby'.  And he even says 'baby' when he sees an ultrasound picture, either a 2D profile or the 3D ones.  When he looks at the 3D ones, he often points out her mouth or nose, while saying 'baby nose' for example and then rubs my tummy.  I sure hope he is beginning to understand and that all of our explaining has been sinking in.  He knows that the baby will come out and live with us soon and that he can give her soft hugs and kisses and help me with things like getting diapers and reading her books.  And he's modest- when I ask him if he's going to be the best big brother, he simply says, "Da"... his version of 'yes'.

• This one might sound silly, but for the past few days Brennan has been eating all of his meals really well!  He used to be a great eater until shortly after his first birthday.  Since then, he's eaten like a bird.  I guess he just wanted to take a year or so off...  

Well, I guess that about covers it.  I just wanted to share how proud I am!  Brennan's dynamic personality is developing more and more and each day he does or achieves something new.  It is so fun to watch him evolve into the child he is becoming.  The only sad part is, the little baby that I had not quite 2 short years ago is no more- he is definitely a kid now!

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Maternity Photos- Round 1!

Here are a few of our favorite maternity pictures from this last weekend.  I am 32 1/2 weeks pregnant in these.  The first bunch were taken at home and the second bunch were taken at the Sheldon Theatre in Red  Wing, where I work part time.  If you never been there and you're in the area, you should definitely check it out- The Sheldon Theatre

Thanks for taking these pictures for us, Heather!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What does your morning smell like?

Anyone who regularly reads my blog knows that I like to post a lot of pictures and tell stories about my life, but most often, about my son.  Sometimes these stories are fairly detailed and lengthy, with a lot of pictures.  The post idea that hit me this morning was totally the opposite, but it fits perfectly with the title of my blog, "A Day in the Life of a Five Foot Mama".

As I was changing Brennan's diaper and getting him dressed for the day, here's what was running through my head- "Ahh.... the smell of rank diaper and fruit snacks in the morning."  Many of you are probably smelling freshly brewed coffee or maybe some muffins in the oven.  Well, enjoy your coffee and muffins while this Five Foot Mama basks in the residual odor of fruity poop!

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Pea Pod Necklace Giveaway Winner Announcement!

We have a winner!  The lucky entry was #98- LaTanya!  Congratulations!  I hope you enjoy your pea pod necklace. 

I want to extend a great big thank you to everyone who took the time to enter- especially, those of you that came back EVERYDAY (ahem... Haley and Heather...)!

Watch for more fun posts and more reviews and giveaways soon!

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Pea Pod Necklace Giveaway! Less than 48 hours left!

I just wanted to remind all of you to take a second to enter the awesome giveaway I've got going on sponsored by TheTessyTree!  You'll have a shot at winning a beautiful Pea Pod Necklace personalized exactly how you want it!  These sell for $25!  Don't miss your chance to spoil yourself just before Valentine's Day!  Here's the link: Customized Pea Pod Necklace Review and Giveaway!

Here's my beautiful Pea Pod Necklace complete with one pea for each of my babies!

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My New Social Networking!

Hi everyone,

I've had my blog for almost 10 months now and I'm still really enjoying updating it and sharing what 'a day in my life' is like!  So, I felt like it is time to take more steps to expand and reach more fans.  That's why I made myself a Facebook Fan Page and a Twitter Page.   I also created buttons that allow users to easily subscribe to my RSS feed with their favorite reader, follow me on Twitter, and 'like' my Facebook Fan page.  I think these will be a good ways to share my blog with others and grow my fan base.  And you just never know- with more fans I'll probably be able to do bigger better reviews and giveaways.  Who doesn't like free stuff?  I know I do!

So, if you all want to make my day, you can subscribe to my RSS feed, Follow me on Twitter, or 'like' my Fan page and maybe even share it with your friends who may also be interested!  Either follow the links in this post, or click one of the round buttons to the right.  Thanks so much!

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Our Mayo Consult

Today we had a consultation at Mayo Clinic regarding our hopes to do a VBAC delivery for this baby.  Overall, I think it went pretty well!  The basic idea behind this appointment was for them to meet me and make sure I am an ideal candidate for a VBAC attempt.  As luck (or blessing) would have it, I am! 

First we met with a nurse to go over my medical history, etc.  Then they sent us for an ultrasound.  This was actually the 4th ultrasound we've had now during this pregnancy.  Not surprisingly, everything still looks very good.  Our little girl is very, very active.  The ultrasound technician kept commenting about how wiggly she is and that most babies are starting to cool down a little by this point in the pregnancy!  I guess ours is taking after her brother!  She is currently 32 weeks, 3 pounds 13 ounces, and very cute, if I do say so myself.

Lastly, we met with a doctor.  He was able to answer a few of our questions regarding delivery at Mayo and basically set my mind at ease a little after our last very difficult delivery.  He told me that I was really dealt a bad hand last time and that he would be shocked to see things go that badly again.  That feels nice to hear!  He definitely agrees with me that staying awake for this delivery is a great goal and they are going to do everything in their power to make that happen.

We are going to have one more appointment with them at 36 weeks to go over some of the final details- at least the ones that can be planned for.  They gave me a birth plan to fill out and we'll go over that at the next appointment, as well.

Anyway, that's about all we really covered.  I think this is more of a standard procedure type thing than a really important appointment, but it did feel good just to get things squared away a little.  I was quite proud of myself, too.  The idea of delivering at such a big hospital has really been creeping me out since I'm used to the tiny hometown scene, but I handled everything (the parking ramp, finding my way around, meeting new doctors, etc.) really well.  Hopefully the delivery itself goes as nice and as smoothly as today did!  Keep your fingers crossed and feel free to send some thoughts and prayers this way!  :) 

And if you weren't already sick enough of my ultrasound pictures, I have a few more to share!

Here you can see the baby's hand, complete with 4 fingers.  Does it look like she's sucking her thumb?  I think maybe!

Here are her two little feet!  You can see her skinny little ankles and feet pushing on Mama.

Here you can see the tip of her nose and her lips.  I think they look quite feminine in this one!  Pouty, in fact...

Her heart is working great!  It was thumping away at 149 beats per minute during this measurement.

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