UrbanSitter – Date Night Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

Last week I found myself doing something I thought I’d never have to do since meeting my husband 13 years ago – speed date. This time though, I was speed dating baby-sitters.  And more importantly, I was being introduced to an online service called UrbanSitter.

UrbanSitter

UrbanSitter was founded by a few busy parents in the San Francisco area.  It’s an online resource for parents to find & book babysitters, but that’s just the beginning.  This FREE (yes free) service allows you to search your area to find sitters, post a last minute job you might have, set up an interview, see reviews, book them and then also pay them all online or through their mobile app.  Since we all know that our best recommendations come from our friends, UrbanSitter is also connected to Facebook so you can find sitters your friends or parents in your social circles are already using.  Personally, my favorite feature is to be able to pay online – I never seem to have the right amount of cash at the end of the night.

So who are these UrbanSitters?  Well, since I’m in Boston, the bulk of them are college students – Harvard, BU, Northeaster, etc – looking to work a little outside of their college commitments.  They range in interests and majors, but they all love taking care of kids and many of them have extensive experience babysitting/tutoring/nannying. When searching for a possible match, you can sort through rates (which BTW, are very reasonable – many start at $10 for 1 child), reviews, age, spoken language, experience with different age groups and also experience with special needs.

UrbanSitter is in many major urban areas – Boston, NY, Chicago, San Francisco, LA to name a few – you really owe it to yourself to check them out.  It gets you in touch with some of the best babysitters in your area – and it’s so easy!!!

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Disclaimer: All opinions are my own.  I did attend a free event sponsored by UrbanSitter and was given a credit towards using the service.

 

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Umbrella Stroller Accessories

Umbrella strollers are fabulous, except for their sometimes lack of storage.  We chose the Bugaboo stroller for Peep and will continue to use it for Teapot since we loved it.  But it’s not always the most convenient to travel with (especially via plane), so we also have a Chicco Umbrella Stroller which came in handy quite often.  The thing I found most frustrating about the umbrella stroller, was there was no place to put stuff.  The storage below could really only fit a few things, and if you hung too much on the sides, it became very tippy.

There are lots of umbrella stroller accessories out there.  Here are two options that I think would be great additions – especially for travel (and b/c they’re easy to store).

The first options comes from Infantano and is called the Stretch™.  It is made from a stretchy neoprene material that fits nicely to any size umbrella stroller.  The material is waterproof and machine washable (check & check!).  There are 4 storage pockets for mom & baby stuff and 2 insulated pockets for either bottles or your morning coffee.  The color option is one of my favorites (orange and blue) and the design is modern.  For $14.99, it seems like a no brainer.

Infantano Stretch - Umbrella Stroller StorageInfantano Stretch - Umbrella Stroller Storage

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second option is from One Step Ahead, and is called the Hamster Stroller Bag.  This innovative storage accessory comes in a 2-pack – one for each side of the stroller.  They have one main compartment, 2 expterior pockets and on small interior mess pocket.  They’re attached via velcro to the sides of the stroller so there is no tipping if you do a good job distributing weight.  The bags are detachable, so you can bring it with you when you leave your stroller and empty bags are easy to fold down with your stroller for storage.  The reviews of the bags on One Step Ahead’s site are stupendous.  The price is $49.95, which is on the higher side if you’re only going to use these for travel, but they could be a life savor in my opinion.

Hamster Stroller Bags 2-Pack Front ViewHamster Stroller Bags 2-Pack Side View

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know there are just two of the hundreds of umbrella stroller accessories – what are your favorites?

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These are my own opinions – I was not compensated or provided these products to review.

Photo Sources: Infantano & One Step Ahead 

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Make Your Own Art Gallery

DIY Display for Your Child’s Art

Peep makes a lot of artwork both at home and at school.  And she’s very proud of it and wants it to be displayed.  So our refrigerator is covered (which drives me crazy, but I know it’s part of the kid-gig) and she’s now claimed a corner in our dining room.  It’s a small corner that’s always been a bit “dead space” decorating-wise, so adding her artwork there seemed like a good idea.  However, she’s been taping her art up, which is not the best look.

 And then I remembered a Pinterest Pin from months ago that solved this problem.

I decided that this corner would be a perfect place for this type of project.  So I gathered a bunch of mis-matched frames and Peep and I painted them all one color.  This morning, I strung up wire with mini clothes pins.  I then hung them, gathered some of Peep’s most recent pictures and look what I made!

Now we have an official Art Gallery for Peep’s rotating art! I finished this project while she’s at school so I can’t wait for her to come home today and see it.

This really was a very easy, and inexpensive way to make an awkward space into something special.  As with many of you, we don’t have a lot of space and extra walls for pictures.  Do you have any “dead space” that this project might work?

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BabyBjörn High Chair

The BabyBjörn high chair is one of the smallest portable high chairs I’ve seen.  This is a great option for tiny kitchens and apartment living.  Not only is it small in size when set up (21 X 22 X 33″), but it can be easily folded and put away.  When folded, it is only 10″ wide.  It is also relatively light – just 11lbs.

The size and portability are great features, but there are more!  The tray system is unique in that you pull it forward and then lock it into place.  This creates an ergonomically correct sitting position for your child and also keeps your child secure from moving, fidgeting or pushing back out of the chair.  Because it sits close to your child, it also helps keep all that food from dropping down onto their lap (Bonus!).  This lockable tray has a detachable top for easy cleaning.

BabyBjörn recommends to start using this chair once a child can sit up on their own (around 5 months) and can be used until the child is 3.  Now, this seems to be pushing it size-wise – but Peep was pretty big at age 3 so maybe a smaller child could use it up until then.

The color choice is pretty basic – black & white or black & red.  It retails for $300 and can be found in multiple online stores as well as upscale brick and mortar stores.  I think the price may be a bit high as I’m not convinced it will go the distance. BabyBjörn is known for quality so if you have a tiny space and are only buying a few baby items, this may be a great option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Source: BabyBjörn
These opinions are all my own. I was not compensated in any way for this post.

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Weleda Skincare Products for your Baby – 15% off Offer

I love the smell of Calendula cremes – to me they are synonymous with sweet baby smell.  I chose to use the Weleda skincare products on Peep when she was a baby mostly because of the smell and because the natural ingredients would be easy on her skin.  They have a full line of Baby products including Diaper Care, Bath & Wash, Cremes & Lotions, Oils, Oral Care and Just for Mom.  They also have travel sizes and kits which are a great introduction to the line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weleda had a booth at the BlogHer conference this year.  And since I talked to them about how much I loved their products, they offered my readers a special offer.

15% off All Weleda Skincare Products* available on their website

Use Promo Code: BLOGHER at checkout

Available through 9/31/12

*Cannot be combined with other offers

 

Disclosure: Offer open to readers on behalf of Weleda.  Opinions are all my own.

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5 Friday Favorites – Pinterest

Here are some of my favorite Pins from Pinterest for the week.

As I wrote about earlier, the new nickname for our daughter due in December is Teapot…imagine my pleasure finding this little dress from Mini Boden.  It has inspired me to find some teapot fabric to sew with.

Source: bodenusa.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Utilizing Paint in Cool Ways:

 

 

Making the Best of Small Rooms:

Source: lilsugar.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

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Designing a Shared Kids Bedroom – Part 2

We still have months before Peep and Teapot will be sharing a room.  It has been so long since I’ve had the ability to dream about re-doing a room that I found I’ve been thinking about designing this shared kids bedroom a lot. I’ve been mostly dreaming about kids room decor, but what I really need to be thinking about is how everything will fit, how I will organize it, and what will stay and what will go.

shared kids bedroom

 

The last time I posted about this shared bedroom, I shared the basic floor plan of the room in question.  I’ve made a couple of decisions about the room and made a first stab at putting some furniture in.  I’m still using Floorplanner as the online tool which is somewhat limited when it comes to furniture layout – can you believe they don’t have an oval crib to choose from!??!  So I had to do my best with the shapes they have.

 

My first design decision is to remove the closet door.  This allows for easy access to organization, it also cuts down on one of the doors that will simply take too much space.  It is a single closet, with a low bar (perfect for kids) with 3 shelves above the bar.  I’d like to paint the inside of the closet a bright color which is totally TBD.

The second decision is that I’m going to cover the door to the front hall with fabric from ceiling to floor.  This will cover the door as well as create a simple space for Teapot.

Peep and Teapot’s beds are really in the only places they could be.  That leaves room for a low bench we use as a bookshelf/bedside table for Peep, a shared long dresser which will double as a changing table, and a small rocking chair.

Are there any other options for layout that you think could work better?

 

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And then she turned 5.

Five years ago today,  my Peep was born and turned me into a mom. I don’t really have the words to accurately describe the love, awe, frustration and fun I’ve had over the past 5 years – much better writers have tried and still can’t put into words what adding a sweet new life into this world does to a person.  All I can say is I could not love her more and am so proud to be her mother.

 

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Svan High Chair Review – Small & Unique

The Svan Signet high chair is a beautifully designed wooden high chair designed by two fathers in Sweden.  The company’s mission is create functional baby/children products that parents won’t mind keeping out when company comes over.  They didn’t even need to tell me more.

Wooden High ChairAs with all products I like to write about, the Svan high chair has a small footprint – 34.5 X 20 X 22.25″ (H xWxL) and is designed to be the size of a typical kitchen chair that (without its tray) can be pulled up to a table.

Similarly to the Stokke Tripp Trapp (our high chair) the Svan high chair is a multi-stage adjustable high chair that grows with your child.  It comes with a removable tray (and plastic tray cover for easy cleaning) for when your child is younger, but once removed you can use it forever (The adult weight limit is 250lbs!)

Additional Features:

  • 5 point adjustable harness
  • Plastic tray is BPA and phthalate free and can be washed in the dish washer
  • When removed, the tray can be conveniently stored on the back of the chair
  • The chair is made from solid bent birch wood
  • It is available in Whitewash, Natural, Cherry, Mahogany and Espresso
  • Colorful cushions are also available

The complete Svan Signet high chair includes the tray, pastic tray guard, and the Svan safety guard with crotch bar.  It is also available without those so if you decide to buy, make sure you really get what you need for your stage.  The complete set retails for around $249.

On a personal note…my sister has this for her 1 year old and could NOT love it more.  They have a 600 square foot railroad apartment so as you can imagine, space is at a premium.  This chair made the cut.  I’m just saying – big endorsement.

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This baby needs a name…

When I was pregnant with my 1st daughter, we found out the gender right around Easter time so we had friends lined up to bring pink Peeps or blue Peeps over to celebrate.  She was then on known as Peep and is still often called that.  Using her nickname on this blog was a no-brainer.

This new child growing inside me needs a nickname here too.  We’ve had lots of name discussions about what her actual name will be and boy does Peep have some good ones.  I want to keep her as part of the process, but the reality is, she’s got little to no say in what her sister’s real name will be.

But not so with the nickname.  And so from here on out, this new baby will be called Teapot.

Growing up, my middle name started with a T.  When I was born, my older sister, at age 2, thought that it was the kind of tea that you drank…so my nickname growing up (and still with my parents at times) was Teacup.  Peep, in her knowledge of that, decided that this baby should be Teapot.  I kind of love it.

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