Call for Guest Blogger Posts!

I am nesting mode and my brain isn't processing anything that is not about this baby's impending birth. I don't want this blog to suffer, so I am placing a call for submissions for guest writers. I will publish the posts while I'm taking a maternity leave from this blog in April.

Theme: The Motherhood Juggling Act (i.e. juggling motherhood and relationships, juggling motherhood and work, juggling motherhood and illness/disability, juggling motherhood and elder care)

Guidelines:

• Your post must fit the theme, be original, and not published before on the Internet or in print
• Your article cannot include and sponsored or affiliate links
• Feel free to announce it on your site/blog with a link back to its URL on my blog after it is published on Marlie and Me
• Article must be saved in .txt file with html code, if desired (i.e. bold, underline, italics). Please, no Word docs because they contain code that are a pain to edit out.
• Please include a title, your byline as you want it to appear, and a 75-word or less bio.
  
• I retain the right to format the article per my blog style and to edit for spelling and grammar. I will not tamper with your writing style.
• You may attach an image. Image must be your property, public domain, or licensed for reuse and be properly attributed.
• Email your article as an attachment to: t_freckleton[at]yahoo[dot]com
• Deadline: April 10, 2012

Here Comes the Stork: Earth Mama Angel Baby Travel Size Birth and Baby Kit Review and Giveaway

While pregnant with my first child I spent so much time focused on getting ready for her birth that I didn't give much thought to my postpartum care. I wasn't prepared for how much my booty would hurt afterward and used whatever products I had on hand, which resulted in an infection in the perineal area.

If only I had known about Earth Mama Angel Baby's products to comfort and heal this mama's bottom. I was sent the Mama's Birth & Baby Kit-Travel Size to review just in time for the birth of my second child. It came in in a beautiful organza bag that I didn't not want to disturb at first. I squealed with delight once I opened it. The package is filled with organic products for mommy and newborn in convenient travel sizes to pack in your birth bag or carry-on when flying! Here is what is in the kit:

For mama:
New Mama Bottom Spray - 1oz. Cooling perineal spray for relief from prenatal and postpartum hemorrhoids and episiotomy discomfort
Mama Bottom Balm - 4 samples. Healing herbal balm for prenatal and postpartum hemorrhoids, episiotomy and perineal bruising
Organic Monthly Comfort Tea - 4 samples. USDA Certified 100% Organic and Certified Kosher herbal tea for postpartum women and monthly discomfort
Organic Milkmaid Tea - 4 samples. USDA Certified 100% Organic and Certified Kosher herbal tea to help support healthy breast milk production
Natural Nipple Butter - 1oz. Clinically tested, zero toxin, lanolin‐free nipple cream

For baby:
Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash - 60mL. USDA Certified Made With Organic Ingredients, pure castile soap
Angel Baby Oil - 1oz. Calming, absorbable baby oil for moisturizing and massage
Angel Baby Lotion - 2oz. NSF/ANSI 305 certified organic pure, safe baby lotion
Angel Baby Bottom Balm - 1oz. Best selling herbal diaper rash, thrush and first aid balm

The Birth & Baby Kit was created with both the baby's and mama's needs in mind. Every mama needs pure, soothing products to take care of her hurty mama parts after she's pushed a baby into the world! And every baby deserve a toxin-free first bath, diaper change, and massage. Miami Valley Hospital agrees. They just "greened" their nursery and switched to using Earth Mama's Angel Baby Oil, Natural Non-Scents Hand to Toe Soap, and Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash! All newborns, NICU babies, and new mama's will now get cleaned and massaged with zero-toxin goodness! 

The Angel Baby Bottom Balm is a product we are very familiar with in this household! I've been using it on my firstborn since another cloth diapering mama recommended it. It's fabulous! I already stashed my Birth & Baby Kit in my birth bag, and I have already started using the nipple cream to get ready for breastfeeding. I will not be caught unprepared for this baby's birth!

Buy It:The Mama’s Birth & Baby Kit - travel size retails for $29.95. Buy one for yourself or as a baby shower gift! Or....

Win It: Win your a travel size Birth & Baby Kit from Earth Mama Angel Baby right here! Open to US/CAN residents only.

Please Read How to Enter This Giveaway: you must use the Rafflecopter form below to record your entries. Comments left on this blog post for the required or extra entries don't count unless you record it on the Rafflecopter form. There have been some changes to Rafflecopter! For instance, you now have to login with Facebook or your name/email address. This enables you to see your entries in a giveaway and edit them if needed. Please wait for the form to load, it may take longer to pop up than the rest of the web page. Make sure you have java script enabled and your browser updated. If you encounter an error, refreshing the page usually resolves the problem. If problem persists, please report the issue to Rafflecopter. Login to get started, click "Do It" next to each task to see the instructions, and start collecting your entries!

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Toddler Log: 2 Years and 31 Weeks Old

I know I have been M.I.A. in the blogosphere except for some scheduled giveaway posts and tweets, but for good reason. I've been getting organized for Chocolate Chip's debut and obsessively nesting. At my last doctor's appointment, my OB took one look at my low-rider bump and said this baby might come before my next appointment. That put me in high gear! Minus a few shopping snafus (back orders, coupon codes not working, packages arriving incomplete), I feel ready for this baby to arrive! I am working on some great posts as well as seeking guest articles for when I take a maternity leave from this blog (look out for more information on Tuesday). I promise to catch up with you all this week. Meanwhile, enjoy these Marlie updates:

• We had our first missing child scare in a department store last Sunday. We took Marlie shoe shopping at Nordstrom Rack (3 pairs of Spring shoes for under $50! That's what I'm talking about!). While we were browsing the shoe rack, she takes off. She is fast, like FloJo fast. We couldn't find her for two minutes, but it seemed like forever. I felt my heart seize up with fear as I scanned the front doors for anyone attempting to leave with my child. People saw her streak past and would point out the direction she went. This is how we found her. Near the checkout line, in a fit of giggles. We were not amused. We had a talk about running off and how a mean person could have taken her away. I hope it sinks in. I never want to feel that panic of not knowing where my baby girl is ever again.
• She has this way of combining words that is so funny. Lion + Tiger = Linger (pronounced line-ger). She calls any jungle cat a linger. She calls Damon maddy (my + daddy). And a "rubber band aid" can be a rubber band or a ponytail holder.

• She is really into superheros. Her daddy taught her names of all the Marvel comic characters. Her favorite is Spider-man.
• This week was Spring Break, so she has been home with me all day. We've done lots of drawing  and shopping and playing at the park and lunching at our favorite organic restaurants. We also really focused on using the potty and she had some perfect days (we even went out in panties and came home dry!) and some not-so-perfect days where she couldn't be bothered to stop doing whatever to go to the bathroom. Overall, I am happy with her potty training. She knows her body's signals and how to go on her own, it's just a matter of consistency now. It's been a great week. The time change doesn't seem to have had an negative impact on her sleeping as it's had in the past. 

ECSTATIC UPDATE!!! My bloggy friend Alexia from Babies and Bacon gave birth yesterday (on St. Patrick's Day) to a gorgeous baby girl. Mama and baby and daddy and Big Sis C are doing great and home from the birthing center. Congratulations to them!