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Tiny Prints Christmas Cards

Tiny Prints has been my go-to for all things invites, birth announcements, and holiday cards. This year, I decided to make two different cards since it’s Emma’s first Christmas. We used Tiny Prints for Emma’s birth announcement in January as well and I love the quality, customer service, and designs to name a few. Their website is so easy to use and you can even submit your sample to one of their designers to make sure that all is well with your design. They have tons and tons of styles you can choose from and I don’t know if thats a good thing or a bad thing since I literally wanted every single design. Here, I’ve included a digital catalog for you to view TINY PRINTS CATALOG. Its important to pay attention to cut off dates as well so I’ve included them here CUT OFF DATES.

I think its so important to share the joy of Christmas with all your friends and family. Its hard to keep in touch sometimes with such busy schedules, and sending a Christmas card is a sweet way to say that you are thinking of them during this wonderful time. Tiny Prints has been such a joy to work with, and I can’t wait for Emma’s first birthday invitations to be made through them as well! Here are some promotional codes to take advantage of TINY PRINTS PROMO. I hope you enjoy your Holiday cards as much as I have! Merry Christmas!!

This post was sponsored by Tiny Prints. All opinions are always my own!

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Christmas Photo Shoot Session with Velvet Violet Photography

Do you guys ever see those give-aways on Instagram and think, “Gosh I never win these things”? Me too, except this time, I WON! I was so excited when I was chosen to have a complementary photo session with Kay Anchante from Velvet Violet Photography. We choose to make it a Christmas session so that we could have professional pictures for our Christmas cards.

We had such an amazing time with Kay. She is not only a skilled and talented artist, but also a wonderful person all around. She made us feel so comfortable and at ease and I feel that its so important during a photo session because you want to look your best. I have a huge level of respect for women who are juggling motherhood, womanhood, and a self made business. She specializes in contemporary lifestyle portraits of women and and the ones they love. Her professionalism was outstanding and I was seriously so in love with every single shot!

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Not only did she do this session for us, but she also educated me on the Do’s and Don’t’s of photography. One of the biggest things I learned was to NOT POST SCREENSHOTS! Even if you screenshot a high resolution photo you think looks amazing, the second you take that shot, the quality depreciated immediately! Can’t believe I never thought of this! She also taught me that photography is a skill beyond the common “point and shoot” idea. She meticulously takes the time to edit her shots to get the maximum effect. A lot of photographers just give you a C.D. with your unedited raw pictures but whats the point in that? I could do that myself! The next time you’re shopping for a photographer, make sure you ask the right questions. Kay is having an amazing Black friday/ Cyber monday deal here:http://www.velvetvioletphotography.com

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Pink Blush

I had a Christmas family photo shoot planned with Velvet Violet Photography and I had nothing to wear! Im so happy I found this adorable plaid dress from Pink Blush. Their clothes are so versatile and go from maternity to motherhood perfectly. There aren’t very many clothes I bought while pregnant that I was able to wear afterwards so I really look forward to when I can have a do over! Theres so many ways to style this dress, but I chose to throw on some thigh high boots and roll up the sleeves for a semi-casual look. Their styles are also super affordable and everyone knows I love a good deal. I will definitely be wearing a ton of their clothes in the future and look forward to sharing more of their styles with you.

*Dress was complimentary but as always, all opinions are my own*

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Dr. Brown’s Product Review

My 9 month old Emma is at a stage right now where she’s teething like crazy, needs constant soothing, and is learning to transition from a bottle to a sippy cup. As someone who is a self proclamied product junkie, I have been testing out different teethers, soothers, and transitional cups. I wasn’t very surprised to find that one of my favorite brands, Dr. Brown’s, has some of the best products for my current needs. The products that I will be focusing on are the Coolees Soothing Watermelon Teether, the Lovey Pacifier and Teether Holder, and the Soft Sprout Transition Cup.

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As you can imagine, I’ve tried MANY, MANY teethers. I can honestly say that this one is at the top of the list! It costs about $4 dollars and at that rate, its a steal! What I love about this particular teether is that it stays cool for a really long time! Its freezer safe and has no liquid in it so it amazes me that it held up for quite a while. The cleaver shape is perfect for her tiny mouth and was designed to reach all parts of the jaw for maximum comfort. It’s been so hard with a fussy, teething baby and having this product has been a huge help. Emma lights up every time she sees it. These Coolees teethers are designed with beautiful vibrant colors that Emma cannot stop staring at. I’m not a big believer in teething gels and homeopathic remedies as they’ve either been proven ineffective, or dangerous so this teether has been a perfect source of mouth relief for Emma. I also love that I could snap it onto her Lovey pacifier and teether holder. This product has been recommended for babies 3 months and older and is freezer and dishwasher safe.

Recap:

Stays cool for long periods of time
Safely relieves pain in the gums caused by teething
Economical
Cleaver shape reaches optimum surface areas of the mouth

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Ok, so pacifiers have been a struggle for us since day one. I held off on giving Emma a paci early on because I was afraid it would interfere with breast feeding. Unfortunately, breastfeeding didn’t pan out for us and when I decided I was in desperate need of something to sooth Emma, nothing worked! Since she was drinking from the Dr. Brown’s bottles, I decided to try a Dr. Brown’s pacifier and she seemed to take to it right away! If you have me on Snapchat, then you know how excited I was. Once we received “Zoey the Zebra”, Emma was thrilled to have her paci attached to it. She loves to snuggle with it and I love how it’s made from different textures and materials. This makes it a great sensory toy. I also love how there are two slots with snaps that you can place with whatever combination of pacifier and teether you’d like. It fit perfectly with her Coolees teether and I’m sure there are other pacifiers and tethers that will fit in these slots. I cleaned it with warm soap and water by hand and it dried fairly quickly. It’s about $16 and includes one pacifier. The pacifier itself is made of medial-grade silicone and is dishwasher safe.

Recap:

Soft and cuddly
Two snap feature
Easy to Clean

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Dr. Brown’s Soft Spout Transition cup is the perfect way to get your little one ready for some big girl (or boy) cups. This cup is priced at about $8 and worth every penny. What I love most about this product is the fact that it has wide contoured handles that make it easy for Emma to pick up and place in her mouth. The spout is made of silicone and perfectly designed for tiny mouths. Emma has been drinking her water from it and I can safely say that it is completely spill- proof! Yes mama, SPILL- PROOF! We’ve tried two other brands that leaked all over her car seat and I was less than pleased. This cup is perfect because it has only one piece that I can take off and throw on the top rack of the dishwasher for sanitizing. Another awesome feature is the lid. It’s attached to the cup so it doesn’t go missing! I don’t know about you, but I have lost so many bottle lids that my husband has had a few words with me about it! If you’re wondering weather it can break off and be gone forever, then I have some good news: I pulled it off myself to test and was so happy to see that I was able to pop it back in with less strength than it took to pull off. This attached lid feature is perfect for all you germaphobe mamas because it keeps the spout nice and clean by covering it when not being used.

Recap:

Spill- proof
Lightweight
Easy to grip

If you’re in the market for any of these products, I’d highly recommend them. Dr. Brown’s has been a trusted company for many, many years and I feel comfortable using their products for my child.

*Products were provided free of charge for review. All opinions are my own. This post was sponsored by Dr. Brown’s*

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Emma’s Presidential Greeting

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Having a baby is one of the most amazing moments of ones life, so why not have the President of the United States send your baby a greeting?! When I found out that President Barack Obama and his lovely wife Michelle would send Emma a greeting with their well wishes, I jumped at the chance to have one because I thought it would be such a great keepsake! Of course, they aren’t the ones who are actually writing and sending these post cards, but it’s still so awesome to open your mailbox to see a letter from The White House addressed to your little one. It takes a few months to be processed and sent out, but its worth the wait. The guidelines state that you can only receive a greeting within one year of the baby’s birth. Here’s where you can get yours:

Baby’s Birth Greeting

Shop Amazon’s Holiday Toy List – Parent Picks

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JORD Wood Watches

As a Mom, its so important to look after yourself as well as your family. Before I became a mom, it was all about me and my needs but those days are totally over! Now, I find myself always wanting to take care of, and treat others. I guess its the motherly instincts that have kicked in. When I was contacted by JORD watches for a collaboration, I immediately thought, “Oh great! The holidays are coming up and I can give one of these beautiful watches to my sister or mom”. Once I received the gorgeous Frankie 35 Sandalwood and Mint style, I immediately changed my tune! This is seriously such a chic and unique watch. I love the dark wood and teal contrast which is so easy to style with other accessories and outfits. the dark wood is so appropriate for all of your fall and winter staples. The watch itself is so durable and that to me is so important since I’m on the go everyday. Its made of real wood, but feels so light on my arm! The box that it came in is a work of art all on its own. That too is made of wood and has a little drawer on the bottom where you can keep your other everyday accessories. I love to put things in their designated place so I was so happy to know that my new watch would have a little home for itself. You’ve worked so hard all year, so why not treat yourself to a timeless, beautiful forever piece? JORD and I are here to help you snag one of these beauties for yourself by offering a $75 shop credit to one lucky winner and $20 shop credit to everyone that enters the giveaway! All you have to do is click on the link below and enter your info…THATS IT!