Mom's Expo at Island Playground

Last Thursday Ashley and I attended the 2012 Mom's Expo held at Island Playground. We attended as vendors and set up a fantastic Arbonne table! This is the first time I've done an event like this, and I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. Still, any opportunity to get in front of people and tell them about the fabulous products we offer is worth our while. So we loaded up products, fliers, a fold-up table, and more and headed to Island Playground.

Ashley and I have become pros at setting up and it took us only about 15 minutes. In addition to having our products on display we also put together an Arbonne Baby Care basket to raffle off. Ladies at the expo just filled out their contact information to be entered into the raffle. Extra bonus of the raffle: having 30+ women to now reach out to about Arbonne products! YAY!

The raffle was a definite success! It attracted people to our table and many were interested to learn about Arbonne. As we suspected, hardly anyone had heard of us before. Ashley and I are looking forward to following up with all our new prospects.

Some other perks of the expo were TONS of freebies and fun! Most tables had their own raffles and Island playground also raffled off items. Arbonne (Ashley and I) donated a few cosmetic and nutrition samples for Island Playground to include in their raffle. The also happily participated in Zumba and free chair massages!

Although I didn't win anything (I only entered my name into 3 raffles...I was busy chatting it up!), I did enjoy some tasty veggie wrap samples and trail mix. I also really enjoyed talking with the other vendors and the mom's who came to the event. All-in-all I'd say the event was a great success for us! We're hoping to really expand our Arbonne business here in Hilton Head. Our company has so much to offer. All we need is the opportunity to tell people about it and they always fall in love!

Transitioning into Parenthood

After spending 8 years with Doug, most of which living together and the last 2 being married, I'd assumed transitioning into parenthood would be natural and easy. It wasn't until reading an article in the Ladies Home Journal that I realized this change may be difficult for us, no matter how resilient we think we are.

There are times in every relationship when you need  to take a step back and evaluate how supportive you are for one another and if there's something more you need yourself, or something more you need to contribute. When you work a child into the equation, everything gets a bit more complicated, and the needs of both parents may unintentionally get put on the back burner. It's for this reason that we often hear parents say that their marriage drastically changed, maybe even suffered.

Let this blog post serve as a declaration that my marriage will only be better with the addition of our little one. Rather than distract us from one another, she will bring us closer. She'll help us learn to respect each other's time and how can work as a team to tackle anything life brings our way. She'll be an everyday reminder of what our love can create, what we can endure, and how joyous the little things can be.

At this point, with me being 21 weeks along and her being just the size of a banana, she's already made me feel a million times closer to him. He's been my best friend since I was 18. We've been through wonderful times, tough times, moving great distances, saying our vows....and all of those things have made us utterly unstoppable. And now this. We've created a life that is developing and growing with every breath that I take. This experience is the ultimate blessing for us. Our little girl, our little miracle, is making our marriage a million times better.

Cloth vs. Disposable- I Need Help!

I've been debating the use of cloth versus disposable diapers since I found out I was pregnant. Don't worry, not EVERY post on this blog is going to be about baby stuff from here on out. But, it is a very real concern for us twenty-somethings.

You've probably gathered that I try to be healthy, clean and green with most things that I do. Whether it's eating, buying appliances or choosing my cleaning products. But I'm not an extremest. I simply choose the healthier/greener option when possible (and realistically affordable) and try to do my part as a conscious human being. Having said that, can my conscious handle producing tons of diaper waste? Will I be okay with throwing away diaper after diaper knowing it will end up in a landfill? I'm not so sure... And how will buying all those disposables ultimately affect my wallet?

Just like many other decision I'll be facing when stepping into parenthood, I'll have to determine what option works best for my budget, my lifestyle, and my baby. Below are some of my thoughts on the subject. I'd love your feedback and experiences!!

Cloth Diapers
In a perfect world I'd be able to toss the dirty cloth diapers in a bag, leave it on my front door for the laundry service and come home to clean diapers! No waste and very little hassle. The truth of the situation is that diaper services can be expensive not to mention we don't even have one in the Bluffton, SC area. Therefore, soiled diapers would have to be dipped in the toilet to be rinsed, and then tossed in the diaper pail. Laundry would have to be done more frequently to keep the pail (and the rest of my house) from getting too funky. So my already overwhelming laundry load just grew exponentially. The upside here is that my brand new washer does have a sanitizing cycle perfect for diapers. SCORE!

Another perk to opting for cloth over plastic is that cotton is more breathable to the baby's skin and can really help cut back on diaper rash. The cotton should also be free of irritating fragrances and chemicals that, quite frankly, do concern me a bit. I wouldn't want to put something plastic on my skin everyday. I just picture a sweaty toosh under that disposable diaper. Doesn't sound too comfortable.

The final thing that has me leaning toward cloth diapers is that it can save you a TON of money. That's only if you stick with it, however. (Investing a bunch of money in cloth diapers and deciding you don't want to deal with it after a while will end up costing you MORE money).  I read a great article online that breaks down the costs of both disposable and cloth diapers. The average person, shopping one of the leading diaper brands in a typical bargain store can expect to spend around $2700 on diapers. Please keep in mind that this is a very general number, as some children are in diapers longer, some shorter, etc. 


The average cost for cloth diapering, including energy and water costs for washing 3 times a week, is anywhere from $1300 to $2500 depending on the brand of diapers you choose and how many you buy. Around 36 seems to be the number that is recommended for cloth diapers, and I'm sure I'd be closer to the $1300 range. 

Disposable Diapers
This is the most convenient diaper you can choose. You simply throw it away when you're done. The manufacturing and disposal of these diapers creates 2.3 times as must waste as cloth diapers, however. The average baby will go through over 7,000 diapers that will end up in landfills. It is unknown how long they take to decompose.



Conclusion
I really haven't come to a conclusion on this yet. Is convenience more important than being able to recycle and my baby's comfort?

Also, does it make sense to use disposable diapers in the beginning, when the baby's poop is mostly liquid, and then switch to cloth later? I've read in some blog posts that cloth diapers may have to be broken in a bit to prevent leaking. I know I definitely don't want runny poop leaking everywhere!


I'd love some tips and advice on this subject if you can offer any. It's definitely something that Doug and I will be thinking long and hard about over the next few months.

20 Weeks Pregnant- Boy or Girl

The 20-week mark is a big one for us pregnant chicks. For those of us without complications, this week is only the second (and most likely the last) time we will see our baby before he or she is born. The first ultrasound is usually done at 8 weeks to confirm the pregnancy. At this point the baby is about the size of a gummy bear. During the weeks to come we get bigger and may even start to feel little movements here and there. Weeks 18 and 19 are complete torture (or at least they were for me) because you just want to SEE your baby and maybe even find out the sex.

Last Thursday I took the day off from work and anxiously awaited my 10 am appointment. I wouldn't be seeing the doctor that day, just the ultrasound technician. I was excited and nervous that morning, and quickly busied myself with unpacking. We're in the new house now and absolutely LOVE it. There's a lot to do, however, so Doug and I have been non-stop with organizing, cleaning, running to Lowes, running to the dump, etc.

Before I new it it was 9:30 am and time to get ready to go! I left for my appointment and was all smiles on the way there. I knew I was about to see the little baby that  I'd been feeling consistently for about a week. I had no doubt that he or she is growing well and healthy, especially after everything I'd been feeling.

I was promptly brought back to the ultrasound room at 10 am (which is awesome because last time I waited almost an hour!!). Doug was running a few minutes late, but the technician told me we had lots to do and he wouldn't miss anything. She started and Doug showed up just a few minutes later.

The anatomy screening was incredible. She checked different parts of the baby's body an measured to determine exactly how far along we are. It turns out we are still on track for a December 5th due date.

We saw the baby moving around a lot, looked at the arms, legs, feet, head (which looks huge compared to the rest of the body) and finally in between the legs. When she asked if we wanted to know the sex Doug and I both responded with an eager "yes!"

She slowly typed on the screen...

GIRL!

I certainly can't tell from the above image that she is a girl, but the technician seemed certain. So there you have it!!! The Stewarts are having a girl, and only the second Stewart girl born since the 1800s (Doug's sister is the other one)! We're kind of a big deal....

She printed us a few photos and provided us with a disc of all the images. Below are 2 of the clearer ones that you might enjoy (that is, if you don't think looking in my uterus isn't to strange)

Feet

whole body

In the bottom picture she is curled up with her legs to her stomach and her head down. You can see the arch of her spine very clearly. For those of you non-yogi's, this is pretty much the yoga pose called "child's pose." We do this in between difficult poses to rest. It is pretty comfortable. Make sense to me now...

My favorite part about being there was seeing her move around inside me. I wish it were customary to have another ultrasound so I could see it again! Now comes the fun part of decorating her room and picking out the perfect name.

I don't know if I could be any happier.

Homeless People With Dogs

I always say that I wish I could save the world. More particularly, I'd like to save those in this world who cannot save themselves: animals and children who have suffered from abuse and /or neglect. But there are thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions that need medical attention and love. I read all the articles, look at the facebook posts and some days I feel completely helpless. Yes, I've done a little by adopting and fostering dogs and cats, volunteering at shelters, and donating food, money and other necessities. But my contributions are so small and the problems are so large.

Most people prefer to turn a blind eye to all the homeless and suffering. It is far easier and peaceful to ignore it than to carry their weight on your own shoulders. But for someone who has nothing, any small amount you can offer may literally mean EVERYTHING.

This morning I read an article on what do do when you see homeless people with dogs. In the past I've felt a bit annoyed that a homeless person has the nerve to care for a pet. They can't even care for themselves. But this morning I thought about it differently. If I were to fall on tough times and become homeless I would do everything in my power to keep my dogs. I would never take an animal of mine to  a shelter were they could be put down or live in a cage for who knows how long. I would never let my animals feel like they were abandoned. They wouldn't understand the circumstances. All they would know is that I left them and they were alone.

So if I were homeless, I'd have my dog with me everyday on a leash. I'd feed them before I'd feed myself. I'd keep them warm and I'd be their companion. And they'd be mine. That's the thing with dogs, they really are your best friend. Even as I'm typing this I have a dog laying at my feet and one right behind my chair. They are my friends, my companions, my cuddlers, and my babies. They make me feel loved and I do the same for them. I wouldn't give them up for the world. A life on the street with me would be better than a life in a cage at a shelter. Like I said, there are so many dogs in shelters, mine would just be 2 more. They may never find a home or get adopted.

So i guess my view has changed. I don't know the homeless person's circumstances, but if they are caring for the dog at their side, they are just another animal lover to me. Whether that dog has been through becoming homeless with them, or they found it as a stray on the street. If they are feeding it and caring for it it's alright by me.