The most technologically advanced baby wear out there!

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own; you cannot have them.

It was likely only a matter of time before some of the cool technology currently being used to make clothes entered the realm of baby wear. What could be better than combining cute styles with geeky antibacterial and moisture resistant properties?

Meet my lovely sponsor Julieta, co-owner of SanBelle:
Together with my father, we have created a family business focused on introducing the concept of health in clothing. Babies are in contact with their clothes all day so why not offer clothing that protects baby and keeps him/her comfortable at the same time?

Tell us a little bit more about SanBelle:

SanBelle is a unique, innovative new brand of infant clothing (newborn to 12 months) that uses textiles made with nanotechnology that protects babies and keeps them comfortable. We are the only brand on the market that use this kind of technology for baby clothing. Our soft, comfortable fabrics, which are imported from France, contain tiny particles of silver, making them:   

• Antibacterial: Using freshFX technology, our fabrics help the skin maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms which work to prevent irritations and infections, and fight bacteria and fungus.

• Moisture resistant: CoolMax technology makes our fabrics fast-drying and helps keep babies (and their clothes) moisture-free.

• UV resistant: The fabrics we use contain permanent UV 50+ solar protection, meaning it does not come out in the wash - perfect for babies with sensitive skin that cannot tolerate sunscreen.

• Static resistant: Our clothes repel dust and animal hair, ideal for babies with allergies.

What is your personal favorite item?

I just love SanBelle pajamas, they are really soft and adorable!! Babies look so cute in them.

Here's Aurelia sporting the long sleeve bodysuit. It's pink with white trim, and is super soft and slightly stretchy. The material is reminiscent of a more lightweight and flexible swimsuit. It's breathable and keeps Aurelia comfortable. The 12 Month size is just a little long on her arms and leaves plenty of room for her to grow.

SanBelle long sleeve bodysuit

I love that the clothing provides sun protection because I have been known to forget the sunscreen (oops!) and repels animal hair, as our two rather long-haired kitties get hair everywhere imaginable. 

SanBelle clothing is available on Amazon and you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

So comfy!

Spring, you're drunk

I had high hopes for this post. I was going to show you a few of each of the girls' new outfits, as well as a couple of my own. I had planned on showing off my new haircut {as promised}, too.

But then I got sick (on top of having Mastitis). And Mike came down with bronchitis. Carina followed with an awful cold. Not even Aurelia was spared. Her sad sad sniffles and teeny tiny runny nose make me want to cry. And it's still fricking freezing. I think a large portion of the country had snow today?

So we were a pitiful mess from Thursday morning until...well, Mike and I are finally starting to feel better. The girls are still miserable. As for our photos with cute outfits? We tried. Well, I tried with the girls. I felt too much like crap to even attempt to model anything. No cute Mama G for you.

Carina's outfit:

Sweater - Hartstrings || Dress - Gymboree || Shoes - Scribbles

I thought we had a winner. Then she started trying to pull the dress off saying, "take-a off pretty dress!"

GET IT OFF!

Would we have better luck with Aurelia?

Aurelia's outfit:

Onesie - Gymboree || Skirt - Ralph Lauren || Leg warmers - BabyLegs

Nope. She rejected her outfit, quite literally...

Sorry, this was probably too gross to post. She's going to kill me someday.

Show me your cute outfits!


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This week's Toddle Along Tuesday topic is Spring Style! I know it's still cold out there for a lot of you, but I'm hoping we can at least get psyched up for spring? There are no rules here, except that you link up a relevant post (old or new) rather than your whole blog.

Next week's topic will be Easter! Recap, post some cute photos, Easter basket ideas, etc. :)

Oh stretchie! my stretchie!

Oh stretchie! my stretchie!

Zipped up in your penguins and snowflakes and sweets,

my girls are so comfortable, whether plump or petite.

Snuggly and warm, oh-so stretchy to boot.

Methinks that I just cannot handle the cute.

Others may imitate, but with you they can't compete.

When it comes to footie PJs you are certainly elite.

Oh stretchie! my stretchie!

You are a sight for sore eyes.

How I'm wishing and hoping you came in my size.


Note: this post is not sponsored by nor am I affiliated with The Children's Place. This is just me, lovin' on the most spectacular and adorable article of baby clothing ever - their stretchies.

________

P.S. In lieu of a monthly sponsor post I'll be thanking my sponsors individually at the bottom of posts throughout the month. New Mom in the Burbs is currently having a Scentsy giveaway! All proceeds from her Scentsy party will go to raise funds for children's mental and physical enhancement activities.

Let's get ready for some Football! CLOSED

Before I was even pregnant with Carina, Mike and I had rather heated debates about what sports teams our future children would root for. I was born and raised in Massachusetts and am loyal to the Patriots & Red Sox. Mike, on the other hand, is the epitome of a Philly fan (those of you from Philly know what I mean) and is quite the Eagles fanatic. He also loves the Phillies. He claimed at least our first born as a die-hard Philadelphia fan and I laughed in his face. I suggested we let our hypothetical children decide...and you know they'd surely choose the Patriots & Red Sox because {at the time, and mostly still} they were so much better ;)

In reality, so far, we've opted to let the girls be fans of all 4 teams. They have outfits and toys with each team's logo emblazoned on them. However, since Daddy is just a bit more fanatical about football and Mommy is a bigger baseball fan, it seems like a primacy of Eagles and Red Sox has emerged. We'll see if this continues... God forbid our teams play each other (like a Superbowl XXXIX rematch?) things might get a little ugly. How do you handle different team loyalties in your home?

So in light of the Superbowl tomorrow (and BOO-HOO the Pats aren't in it), I'd like to share with you fellow blogger and stay-at-home Mom Hannah's adorable football outfits she made the girls! The Eagles may have had a crap season but that doesn't mean Daddy won't have the girls celebrate them anyway.

When Mike first saw the gown for Aurelia and dress for Carina, you would think he had died and gone to heaven. He is so in love with these super cute and creative outfits. And Carina? She won't stop dancing around in her dress. She takes the hem and twirls around and around. Daddy's little Eagles princess.

More about Hannah:
I am a mom of 3 little ones, age 4, 2, and 4 months. I started my shop Annalie's Baby Boutique in 2010 after my son was born as a way to stay home with my children while still having a creative outlet. I love to design clothing for kids to wear that's affordable and unique.   

Hannah's favorite item in her shop

Shop:

Hannah makes all sorts of adorable clothing and accessories, many of them customized! The outfits the girls are in above can be made with all NFL teams and most college teams. And if you're a house divided like we are, she even makes clothes with both teams! And she isn't limited to Football...I LOVE the baseball ruffle butt onesie.

Win:
She is generously offering one of my readers a $15 credit!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to Worldwide and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, February 7th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Annalie's Baby Boutique and tell me how you'd spend the credit! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Carina's Personal Stylists

Carina turned 2 yesterday {::sob:: post to come shortly!} and I have been trying to find some new, stylish clothes for her to wear but to be truthful I don't even know where to start. I have confessed to you a number of times that I am basically the antithesis of fashionable so for this project I have brought in reinforcements! I thought it would be fun to recruit a few personal stylists for Carina to assist in my efforts ;)

I invited 3 of the most fashionable Moms I know to choose their favorite outfit for her from Ladida, a boutique that is all about understated style, simple and contemporary forms, soft and comfortable fabrics, and natural and organic materials.

Let's see what they picked!

Stylist #1 - Maria

My friend Maria from Hello Jack is one of the most stylish people I have ever encountered. I wish she could be my personal stylist and I get all of my "phantom" boys' clothes ideas from her son Jack's outfits. She chose the Max & Lola Red Collar Dress for Carina. This red jersey dress has a gold sequin collar and is oh so cute.

Stylist #2 - Krista

I often envy the clothes I see Krista's 2 year old Karina (yes! Karina with a K!) wearing in her Instagram photos and blog posts on ArmyWife-Style. She picked the Eva & Oli Grey Bow Tee which has short flutter sleeves and a bow under the neckline, and the Bellerose Yellow Flare Skirt. I love this combination, especially the top!

Stylist #3 - Nicole

Truth be told I have a major girl crush on Nicole from Real Life Reality. She always looks so put together and her daughter Blake is no exception. Nicole chose the Gaultier Black Tee and Black Striped Skirt. I wish they had the skirt in my size ;)

Which is your favorite outfit for Carina?


Ladida carries a number of designer lines from around the world including Gaultier children, Neige, and my personal favorite 3 Pommes (can I please have these sparkly silver ballet slippers for Aurelia?) Check them out for unique and stylish girls', boys, and baby clothes!

Carina's 2012 Christmas List

1. KidKraft Pastel Coffee Set - $29.99. She loves coffee, what can I say? ;)

2. Monkey Scentsy Buddy - usually $25, but currently Buy 1 Get 1 Free through 10/31! I may or may not have already bought 4 of these to save for gifts for others...

3. Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen - $89.99. She loves to help us cook!

4. Ikea MALA Easel - $14.99. Carina loves her crayons but doesn't have a designated space for coloring. Right now we just tape paper to our coffee table. This would be much better.

5. HearthSong Pink Eco-Friendly Tool Set - $27.98. What girl doesn't want pink tools?

6. Ralph Lauren Striped Velour Dress - $29.99. Yes, I know I have an unhealthy obsession with Ralph Lauren baby clothes!

7. Lego Duplos - $39.59. Mike's folks have a bunch of these and Carina went crazy playing with them when we were visiting last week. She yells "doo-puh-loes!!" and it's the cutest thing ever, I promise.

8. Old Navy Performance Fleece Booties - $7.94. Carina has these but is about to outgrow them. She loves them so much, so we'll have to get another pair in the next size up.

9. Big Anthony and the Magic Ring by Tomie dePaola - $7.00. Ever since we checked this out from the library Carina wants to read it ALL the time. It's worth buying it at this point.

10. Calico Critters Cloverleaf Manor - $179.95 (eek!) This might be overkill, we'll probably look for a used one if we even get it. Carina plays with these critters for hours, though, so it might be worth it.

Whoa, that's a lot of stuff. We won't be buying all of it for sure...a few things for Christmas, and a few more for her birthday just 3 days later. Now to decide which to get! That's the fun part, right?


What's on your little one(s) holiday lists?


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This week's Toddle Along Tuesday co-host is The Stay-At-Home Attorney and the topic is holiday wish lists for your little ones! What is on his/her wish list this year? We'll do lists for ourselves in a couple weeks ;) There are no rules here, except that you link up a relevant post (old or new) rather than your whole blog (or business, #comeonnow).

Next week's topic is Halloween! I can't wait to see your costumes!

If you like advance notice for TAT, check out the bottom right of my blog - topics for the next couple months are listed. Would you like to submit a topic idea and/or volunteer to co-host one week? E-mail me!

A Baby Shower Gift Guide for every Mom-to-be!

The ladies at BumpToBabyGear.com have assembled a pretty awesome Baby Shower Gift Guide with picks categorized by the type of person you are shopping for: a stylish friend, a green friend, a first-time mom, a 2nd or 3rd time Mom, and so on.

There are some great finds in the guide including some things I already have and love (you might recognize the Twotara footie below; it's what we brought Aurelia home from the hospital in!) and others that I want to buy myself (ummm have you seen how awesome the 4moms Breeze is yet?) If you have an upcoming baby shower on your calendar, this guide has some really fun and unique ideas. And I also won't tell anyone if you just buy everything for yourself ;)

The best part is that they are giving away 26 of their product picks in a giveaway event that kicked off today and runs through October 30. Make no mistake, you want to go check this out for yourself if you have a child under the age of 2. You could win a Boba Air, a JP Lizzy handbag, a set of cool BabyLit books, indie children's music CDs, organic bath products and a whole lot more. Or? Don't enter...which gives me more chances to win it all for myself hehe.

You can check out the entire gift guide and enter the giveaways on Bump to Baby Gear. You can also keep up with their new posts by following Bump to Baby Gear on Facebook.

No more green for team green! Twotara - Review & Giveaway CLOSED

Confession: one of the {enumerable} reasons we decided to find out the sex of our babies was because I didn't want a plethora of yellow and green baby clothes. What can I say? I have never cared for those colors; you'd be hard pressed to find anything of those shades in my wardrobe!

And? I really like pink and light blue and loved the idea of my little one wearing one of those colors. When I heard about Twotara, a new line of reversible baby clothing, I was floored. One side is pink, and the other is blue; can you get any more clever than that? The pink will be perfect for the baby girl on the way, and if we ever have a boy? {Pssst...we crazy folks are still thinking of having 1 or 2 more!} We'll turn it inside out and he'll sport the blue.

Pink, for baby Aurelia

Twotara sent the 0-3 footie and matching hat for Aurelia. Made of 100% cotton, they are soft and sturdy (read: thick and well-made) and will fit from 8-12 lbs., and up to 24 inches for the footie. I love that the footie has snaps from the neck to ankle for easy changes, and the stripes on the body and circle accent pattern are super cute. Both pieces are machine washable and dry-able (is that a word?) To me, this is the best of both worlds. It is gender neutral, but still in my favorite colors! I don't think I'll ever buy a green or yellow baby outfit again...for myself or for any of my friends.

Blue, for the off-chance that the ultrasound was wrong! Or future baby boy geeks.

More about Twotara:
Twotara is redefining the newborn gender neutral market by introducing a line of reversible baby clothing and accessories that are PINK on one side and BLUE on the other so they’re always perfect. Plus, it’s like getting two outfits for the price of one!

Our dual-sided garments are gender-specific and every article is made of soft, 100% interlock knit cotton making them super comfortable on a newborn’s skin. Our products make the perfect baby shower gifts. Expectant moms will never have to settle for yellow and green again! They will just pack one perfect outfit to bring their newborn home.

Named after the TUATARA which is a chameleon-like lizard - native to New Zealand - that changes colors over time. Since our garments also "change colors" to best serve your changing needs, we thought the name is a perfect fit. Change the TUA to TWO - since all of our garments are two-in-one-and our name, and our philosophy were born!

Clever, cute, and a sort-of geeky name? I'm in love. In addition to the footie and hat, I think the whole collection is adorable. These booties and romper have me squeeing all over the place:


Shop
Twotara gives Moms who are team green and Moms (like me) who prefer gender neutral items a great alternative to yellow and green! Check out all of the adorable options over at Twotara's shop. Twotara is also sold at a number of retail stores - there may be a location near you.

Win

Twotara is generously offering one of my readers a reversible footie and sleeper! Just like the ones we received for Aurelia above.

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the continental US only and ends at 11:59 PM on Saturday, July 14th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Twotara and leave me a comment telling me which item you'd love for your baby (or a friend)! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was not compensated for this review. I received the item(s) free of charge for reviewing purposes. All opinions are honest, and my own.

Does your baby always match?

I posted a bunch of photos of Carina rolling around in dirty socks a handful of weeks ago.

One of the comments on the post stood out to me:

"Ummm, is her outfit supposed to match? Cause it doesn't...."

Upon reading it I just laughed to myself. My eyes function, so I was well aware that the outfit didn't match. The truth? She had just taken a giant dump and got poo on her jeans, so I changed her into the first clean thing I could find. But really...does it matter? So what if I had chosen this outfit on purpose?

Or...what if she had chosen it? Carina is just now starting to show preference for one item over another. If I tell her to pick out her clothes and she brings me this purple striped shirt and flower patterned navy skirt, do I risk crushing her little heart and/or the temper tantrum that might follow and tell her "No"? Encouraging her to exert her budding autonomy followed by telling her that the items she selected are not sufficient seems like a poor exercise in independence and self-esteem.

What do you think? Do your child's clothes always match? Do you let him/her select their own clothes? Does it matter if they match? I'm genuinely curious as to what all the parents out there think about this.

Something to look forward to every month - Wittlebee

Despite my having little fashion sense for myself, I am always on the lookout for the cool new thing when it comes to baby style and products. I recently became acquainted with Wittlebee kids clothing club, and I was immediately intrigued. I knew I needed to learn more about it.

What's Wittlebee?
It's a monthly membership service that automatically ships you a box full of your kid's clothing essentials. Their service is meant to supplement your existing clothes supply and ensure you're always well stocked with the basics (onesies, t-shirts, leggings, socks and more). As your child grows so do the sizes of clothes you receive each month - Wittlebee carries sizes newborn through 5T. Every box contains clothes worth over $100 in retail value.

Our first Wittlebee box!

How does it work?
First, fill out your child's style profile! Enter their sex and size, and then it gets fun. Choose a category to best describe their style, their favorite colors, what types of items you would most like, and what type of climate you're in. Not detailed enough or have something in particular in mind? You can talk to one of Wittlebee's "Mom Stylists" over the phone!

After you fill out your child's style profile, your customized box of clothes arrives at your door in about two weeks. You’ll receive a new box of clothes every month, containing 8 items (update: it is now 6 items). Is your little one like Carina {who doesn't grow very fast}? You can pause your membership (or cancel) at anytime. Shipping is free, and you can return your box for a full refund if you are not 100% satisfied.

Squeeee! So cute!

What did we get?
I ordered my box on a Friday afternoon, and received it on Monday morning! From left to right (and top to bottom), here's what was in ours: yellow and purple American Apparel shirts, blue Luca Charles shirt (so soft!), pink Children's Place shorts, red Tea Collection dress, pink Rabbit Skins romper dress, patterned Strawberry tank top, and blue Luca Charles skirt. I am so impressed with the contents. There is definitely more than $100 worth of clothes here; I absolutely think it is worth the $40 monthly cost. Annnd...right now you can get $10 off of your first box!

I find it hard to venture out of my comfort zone when it comes to baby clothes. I tend to buy similar items over and over again - is anyone else guilty of this? So I actually really like the idea of someone else helping me pick out some of Carina's wardrobe. Then she won't get stuck with ten of the same style of dress or skirt ;)  Are you the opposite? Does the thought of someone else choosing your child's outfits make you nervous? I like that you can go over the items in your box with one of Wittlebee's "Mom Stylists" to make sure everything is to your liking, should you choose to do so.

How did Carina like her new clothes?

Playing outside in our shorts and tee

Doing her little turn on the catwalk

Super cute. Visit Wittlebee now to get $10 off of your first box! Just $30 for over $100 worth of clothes.

I was not compensated for this review. I received the item free of charge for reviewing purposes. All opinions are honest, and my own. Your experience may vary.

Am I the only weirdo out there?

Pure evil

Onesies.

I loathe them.

Yes, I realize that they are the ultimate baby staple and as you shop for clothes for your little one you will no doubt be inundated by them. White ones, colored ones, striped ones, embroidered ones, screen printed ones, ones with animals, with hearts, with baseballs...you get the point.

You'll probably receive {eleventy} billion of them as gifts because hey, aren't they what babies wear all the time? I guess - if you're normal. But if you're anything like me, your newborn will never wear one.

I just don't understand who thought it was a good idea to make the archetypal outfit for a squishy little thing with a floppy neck and not-yet-hardened skull require juggling both in order to get said garment on?

That's right - we never used onesies when Carina was a newborn because I was deathly afraid of getting them over her head without denting her soft spot or overextending her muscleless neck. Sure, you can probably attribute that to first-time-Mom nerves, but I'm totally laughing at myself as I write this, because I still don't plan on using any when Aurelia is born, either. I'd just rather not.

Much better

So did we let Carina hang around in just a diaper and a smile? No, we did actually clothe our baby, just with kimono-style tops and creepers. Put them down, put baby on top, button up. Whew! So much easier. And no risk of injury to poor unsuspecting squishy. Why juggle the head and neck if you don't have to? Those are important parts hanging in the balance!

Is there anyone else out there who shares my irrational hatred of the over-the-head demon duds? I know the majority of you are likely onesie lovers, so go ahead and tell me how strange I am ;)