Preparing for Christmas with a Newborn

One thing I've worried a lot about is how I'll handle Christmas (and its prep) with a newborn baby. I put all gifts for our kids in lay-a-way at the end of September so we could slowly pay on it and hopefully have it out by Thanksgiving. While that didn't happen, I knew that shopping and walking around would be hard to do in November and I at least wanted to get it done and out of the way.

While I wanted to have everything at home and wrapped by the end of November, I knew that at least wrapping a couple items a night would help me out vs. waiting until the last minute like I do pretty much every single Christmas.

While we don't get our children a bunch of stuff, (5 items per children is our average) ensuring they all have the same number of gifts to open, and you times that number by three kids (now four) and it equals out to quite a bit of wrapping.

Since Macyn's room has a closet that isn't used, I knew it would be perfect to stash wrapped gifts as I work through the pile. Since no one goes in that closet, it is my best guess as hiding everything until Christmas rolls around and "Santa" drops everything off. Macyn luckily isn't old enough to understand what's going on, and since both of the older girls go to school, this gives me prime time during the day to stash presents wrapped from the night before.

I'm already thinking about next year and where we'll store everything since Macyn will almost be 3yrs old and will understand what I'm doing with presents. We have no real space in our home that is "off limits" to our children so I'm pretty clueless as to where everything will go. 

I really hope that Christmas doesn't get away from this year and even though I'll have a newborn and be so very tired, that I'll still be able to enjoy the day, its meaning, and my children as they joyfully play with their new presents! 

Any advice from someone that's been in my shoes?!

Michelle's Pregnancy Journal: Week 40

Doctor Appointments:

December 4  (39.4 weeks)

December 9  (40.2 weeks)

Based off my LMP I have a due date of Dec 8. Ultrasound measured for a due date of Dec 7. I was tracking ovulation with temping and that gives me a due date of Dec 11. My Dr is choosing to go with Dec 7 and I there fore will be moving these posts to Saturdays and going with my Dr's choice. 

Baby Names:

We all know now its a girl so HER name is Mya Sue 

Food cravings: 

Olive Garden

Symptoms: 

FALSE LABOR! This has happened several now and I really don't like it. I let everyone know what's going on and then it stops so I'm not a fan of false labor at all. I didn't have it with the other girls so its new for me.

Crafty Friday: Week 10 (Christmas Tree Shirts)

I'll admit, I hate spending a lot of money on holiday outfits for the kids. They usually only wear them once and the entire time they have them on, I'm like a hawk making sure they don't spill anything on them. So I found a new way to keep my kids looking festive while not spending a fortune. I ended up spending around $7 for the onesie and ribbon to make this outfit since I already had the fabric glue.


Materials:
blank shirt (Hobby Lobby) 
B applique (Hobby Lobby)
ribbon (Micheals)
fabric glue (Walmart)



Instructions:
This is just as easy as it looks. Cut out pieces of ribbon in a tree shaped form putting longer pieces on bottom and shorter pieces on top.

Make sure to place a piece of cardboard inside the shirt to prevent the glue from gluing the insides of the shirt together. Then glue the backs of the ribbon and place down firmly. Allow to dry and your little one is ready to join in the festivities!

Other versions of the Christmas tree shirts I've found online.

Preparing for Baby: New vs Old Baby Products

When you're a first time parent, everything is new. You buy the car seat, the stroller, the clothes, and everything else needed for a baby to arrive. As we have more children, we've been lucky enough to have plenty of hand me downs to help ease the financial part of purchasing new as each child arrives. 

When our first was set to arrive in 2007, my father bought the infant seat as a gift for us and he we'll be six years later, able to still use it since its never been in an accident. There is one flaw..... it will expire Dec 31, 2013 and Mya's "due date" is Dec 7, 2013. 

Since we knew a new infant seat was a must, then came the task of looking around online and trying to figure out what would make the best purchase. I feel like car seats have changed a lot in six years, and even though this is our last child, I wanted to ensure she had a great seat to last her until after she's one and transfers to a converter seat. 

Holiday Gift Guide: I See Me! Review

Thank you I See Me! books for the book to help with this review

As we approach the upcoming Holiday season, Mama's Baby Cupcakes has teamed up with several companies we think would be a great fit to purchase/wear/give to others in the upcoming months. Thanks to each and every sponsor showcased in our Holiday Gift Guide, and if you see the cute button above then you know its Holiday approved!

I See Me! publishes very high quality personalized children’s books that build self-esteem by celebrating the uniqueness of each child. We opened for business in May of 2000, after a year of active product development. My husband Allan and I received a personalized book as a gift for our first son in 1998. While we loved the fact that it was personalized, we thought that the illustrations could have been much better and the story more customized to the child. Thus I See Me! was born.

This personalized big sister book is the perfect gift for a new big sister! The Super, Incredible Big Sister book from I See Me! comes personalized with big sister's name and the name of the new baby. The book reassures big sister that she is loved and appreciated... and it rewards her for helping out and being a "super star" with her new sibling. It comes with a coordinating Super Incredible Big Sister award medal with a place on the back of the medal to write the proud sister's first name! Written by award-winning children's author Jennifer Dewing and Illustrated by award-winning artist Jill McDonald.

Made of dense fiberboard, painted with lead-free paint, hung with a fabric ribbon with an easy-detach velcro closing. Meets all safety requirements of the Consumer Products Safety Commission for babies and young children.

Talkin' Tattoos Tuesday: Week 40

Welcome to week 40 of Talkin' Tattoos Tuesday! I did an intro post where I explained my goal in posting these every week and how you can submit your photo to be featured. Check out the post if you need to refresh your memory. Since I've went through all my tattoos, now I'll be sharing photos I've found online, and the occasional viewer submission when they come in. 

Image was edited due to curse word and respect of ALL readers

#santaslilhelper Giveaway Hop 12/16

Welcome to the Santa's Little Helper Giveaway Hop, 

hosted by Viva Veltoro and So Easy Being Green!

We all know that everyone could use a little help around the Holidays, so for this Event I've teamed up with over 50 other bloggers to be your Santa's Little Helper... giving away prizes that anyone would want to see under the tree! You might find the perfect gift for a little one on your list - or even for yourself, so hop around to all the blogs, including the GRAND PRIZE, on the linky at the bottom of this post!

Lakeon reviewed this great Combi USA All-in-One Activity Walker last month and now we're offering one for giveaway! Everyone loves buying gifts for kids and this walker is no different. We bought one for our 3rd child her first Christmas and she got a lot of use out of it, and I'm happy that Lakeon now has one for her son because its a favorite in her home as well, both by her and little Brantley. 

Open to US only

Winner's choice in-stock color

Win $150 Credit To Little Tikes with this Giveaway! Ends 12/16

Just in time for the holidays, we've got a Little Tikes Giveaway! 

Hosted by: Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro

The Little Tikes Company was founded in 1970 in Ohio, and is a multi-national manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, innovative children's products. Little Tikes is known for its playful, engaging, iconic products like their playhouses, ride-ons, sports, sandboxes, climbers, slides, role-play, creative arts, infant, preschool and juvenile furniture. Little Tikes strives to create and supply thoughtful and imaginative products to customers around the world.

As 2013 Little Tikes brand ambassadors, Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro have had the opportunity to review some of the fabulous toys from Little Tikes.

You can check out Thrifty Nifty Mommy's review of the Bounce House Trampoline, Lil' Blabberz, and the Anchors Away Pirate Ship, as well as Viva Veltoro's review of the Little Tikes Fold Away Climber.

Little Tikes wants to give one lucky family the chance to win BIG this holiday season! They're offering one lucky reader the chance to win a $150 credit to their website!

Open to the US only, ages 18 and up. Ends on 12/16/13 at 11:59 PM EST. To enter, use the Giveaway Tools form below. Good Luck!

Michelle's Pregnancy Journal: Week 39

Doctor Appointments:

November 27 (38.4 weeks) 39 week check up

December 4   (39.4 weeks)

Based off my LMP I have a due date of Dec 8. Ultrasound measured for a due date of Dec 7. I was tracking ovulation with temping and that gives me a due date of Dec 11. My Dr is choosing to go with Dec 7 and I there fore will be moving these posts to Saturdays and going with my Dr's choice. 

Baby Names:

We all know now its a girl so HER name is Mya Sue 

Food cravings: 

I've been sick with a virus that my kids first passed around, so I haven't had much appetite. Steak N Shake spicy chicken sandwich and a Peppermint/Chocolate Chip shake sounds mighty good though!

Symptoms: 

FALSE LABOR! This has happened twice now and I really don't like it. I let everyone know what's going on and then it stops so I'm not a fan of false labor at all. I didn't have it with the other girls so its new for me.

Cervical Check (38.4 weeks) high and closed. 

Weight gain:

10 week weight: 225lb

13 week weight: 228lb

16 week weight: 230lb

20 week weight: 232lb

24 week weight: 237lb

28 week weight: 240lb

32 week weight: 243lb

34 week weight: 243lb

36 week weight: 240lb

37 week weight: 242lb 

39 week weight: 241lb

Gender prediction tests: 

Child's hairline-[Girl]

Intelligender (at 10w1d)-[Girl]

Chinese Calendar From BabyCenter-[Boy] WRONG! 

(Some I did said girl, just depends on the site)

High heartbeat (at 10w1d)-[Girl] 

Heart Beat is now in mid 140s compared to 170s at 10w

Sleep:

My sleep isn't too bad besides potty breaks. I've also increased my water a lot so that makes me tend to go more as well.  

Crafty Friday: Week 9 (Christmas Tree Treats)

We all love everything about Christmas. The presents, the treats, and the crafts are fun ways to celebrate Christmas! I found this cute little craft/treat online and knew we would have so much fun making and eating them.

 
Materials:

• sugar cones
• green or white icing
• candy

First you'll need to coat the cones in the icing. Make sure to get a thick coat on these if you're using heavy candies like skittles and M&Ms. 

Then you'll need to get all of your decorating candies ready.

Here's our finished trees!