SoCalSavvyMom | SoCal Savvy Mom

Feb 10
2016

When Santa Stops Being Real

A couple of nights ago my husband, my 9 1/2-year-old son and I were all eating dinner in the dinning room. It was normal dinner time conversation until my son looks at us very seriously and said “tell me the truth, okay? Don’t lie to me. Is Santa real?” I don’t know why but we had not planned for this conversation, and it caught us both off guard. My husband and I looked at each other not knowing exactly what to say. Do we tell him the truth? He is going to be 10 this summer, I was trying to remember when I found out, I think I was about his age. We were stuck, do we ruin the magic of Santa?

After thinking it all over, I looked at him and told him that indeed there was no Santa, that dad and I are Santa. He didn’t say anything for a while, he just sat there thinking over the past Christmas, and the ones that had come before. He asked “what about the presents?” we told him we bought them, and had special wrapping paper for Santa gifts. Next he started to get mad at us, he said we were liars, and we had lied to him his whole life, then the tears started. I felt horrible, had I just ruined his childhood?

We tried to calm him down but he was down right pissed off at us. What really sent him over the edge was when my husband told him that he was the one who ate Santas cookies. We explained it is what every parent does, when he is a parent he will do the same thing for his children. For some reason that seemed to get through to him, but then the questions came… What about the tooth fairy? In my mind I’m thinking every bad word you can think of, what now? Do we just ruin it all at once? He again said don’t lie to me, so we told him no there was no tooth fairy that again that was us too. Next was the Easter bunny, and we again told him we were the one who gave him Easter baskets. As he sat there dumbfounded by all of this earth shattering information. We talked about it for a while more and in the end he seemed to understand. My husband explained that he can’t tell other younger kids who still believe, he understood. He now was part of the secret that we have to keep alive for all of the other kids who don’t know yet.

I picked him up from school yesterday, less than 24 hours later and decided I would take him to do something fun instead of tutoring. He was so excited to be doing something off our normal schedule. As we were driving to get some frozen yogurt, he pulled out a flyer from school. He told me there was a school dance on Thursday, my understanding is it was a father/daughter mother/son dance. He then proceeded to tell me that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go, because he wasn’t sure who he would take, you know like a girl! Keep in mind he has NEVER once even mentioned girls, he has never shown any interest in girls until that second!

Trying to get a better understanding of what he meant, I asked him if he would take someone in his class? He said yes, I think so, Sam is the prettiest girl in my class, so I would probably ask her. I’m dying inside, I can’t believe what I am hearing! Did he just say a girl was pretty? This can’t be happening, where was my little boy? Did we really just go from there is no Santa to girls in 24 hours?

I didn’t tell any of this to my husband, I wanted my son to tell him, which he did at dinner last night. My husband is looking at me and kicking me under the table because he couldn’t believe what he was hearing too. He told my husband that he didn’t think he was ready, he didn’t know what people do at dances. We explained that he didn’t have to do anything he wasn’t ready for and in the end he decided he was going to pass on the dance. Maybe next year he said he would be ready, but he wasn’t sure. Seriously…this is now happening a the Hughes house.

I’m sure we will look back on this and laugh, but for now I am still in shock. It is like he grew up over night. No Santa, no tooth fairy, no Easter Bunny, just my not so little boy telling me what girls in his class are pretty. Wish me luck, I think I’m going to need it!

Jan 29
2016

Mima Moon 3 in 1 High Chair

by Nicole Connerley

The Mima Moon is beautifully designed to fit into any house and compliment the surroundings. The elegant Moon has options for color be added to the seat pads or cushions in white, black, camel, silver, pink or aubergine. It fits in so well in our house with modern furniture. We pulled it up to our dinning room table at dinner time and it was the perfect height for the baby to be apart of meal. He loved being apart of family dinner time and we loved having him at the table with us.

The Moon has multiple settings so it can be used for years to come. The first position is for babies from birth to 6 months, in the fully reclined setting as the new-born lounger. Setting two is for babies ages 6 months to 36 months in the high chair position. Setting three is a junior chair which will hold up to 99 pounds. Included in a purchase of a Mima Moon is the base, pneumatic cylinder, junior seat, high chair seat, 1 safety harness and 2 shoulder pads, a safety bar, seat pad, tray and a booster seat.

The Mima Moon is a life changer when it comes to the 3 in 1 feature. Instead of purchasing a baby lounger, a high chair, and a junior chair you get them all in one. The moon has multiple recline positions perfect for your newborn to sleep in. There are special newborn inserts to make it nice and cozy for your baby. To see how easy it is to change it from the high chair to the junior chair see it featured on Fox 5 San Diego’s segment about Mommy Must Haves.

Details:

5 point safety harness with adjustable shoulder pads.
Elegant seat liners in a light, resistant and thermo-moulded material that protect the baby and allow for quick and easy cleaning.
Aluminium chassis.
Light yet very stable.
The product is designed to blend into modern interiors as both a high chair and a junior chair. The elegant exterior and use of transparent materials help give off a sense of purity, hygiene and luminosity.
Easy-to-use detachable tray
Simple height adjustment – by pressing a button on the chair’s base with the foot.
Multi-angle seat recline system; from seated to a totally reclined position for newborns (using the baby headrest)
Innovative, quick-release harness system.

The perfect baby shower gift to any new mom, or second time mom, it will fit perfectly into any home. The clean lines and modern elegance make this a baby item not so babyish. I’m not a fan of cartoon characters or gingham for baby products, which is one of the reasons this fits so well into our house. It is very easy to clean, just use what we all already have around baby wipes! For more information on the Mima Moon visit the website here, and to order call 1.866.770.0056 today!

Jan 28
2016

Pacidose – Infant & Baby Medicine Dispenser

by Nicole Connerley

Pacidose was invented by an ER doctor after seeing children refuse to take medicine. Pacidose helps you give your child the right dose of medicine. The narrow tube down the center of the nipple prevents wasting the medicine. Medicine is delivered to the back of the tongue, which decreases the chance of rejection. Most children especially small children will simply spit medicine out at the very first taste of it. Using the pacifier as the way to give children medicine is the most ingenious ideas ever!

My child HATES taking medicine, even if he knows it is going to make him feel better. He would really rather have a headache than take the “yucky tasting medicine” so this product is perfect for our family. The pacidose comes in three different sizes, 0-6 months, 6-18, and 18 months plus.

Medication. Fuss free. Through a pacifier.
Invented by a doctor
Soft nipple feels just like a pacifier
Fits all standard oral syringes for accurate measurement
BPA and Latex free

For details or to purchase one of the three different sizes of Pacidose visit their website here. They retail for only $12.99, which is a small price to pay for your child’s comfort.

This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jan 27
2016

Breathable Organic Crib Mattress

by Nicole Connerley

A few months ago I saw the Heaven Sent Breathable Crib Mattress online and was blown away by it. It is specifically designed to be the safest crib mattress available on the market for a baby. Unlike many foam and cotton filled mattresses the Secure Beginnings Breathable Mattress is made with a breathable fabric. It is made from an open weave spacer fabric, the open knit porous surface allows for passive airflow. With this mattress the only other layer is air, beautiful breathable air for your baby. Babies could be face down on the mattress and still be able to breathe. That is the biggest WOW for any mattress I have ever heard of.

As we all know doctors recommend babies are put on their back to sleep, but what happens when babies begin to roll over? For some babies that is as early as 2 months. Babies placed on their backs and roll to their stomachs for the first time have an increased rate of 20% for SIDS/asphyxia. The rates increase for babies who have been swaddled.

Being a ‘green mom’ I love that Secure Beginnings products have NO toxic chemicals. All of their products go far above and beyond the industry standards for safety. Some other organic mattresses have rubber or latex products in them which can cause serious allergic reactions in your baby or you. The side of the breathable crib mattress are made from solid hardwood maple and poplar. The region the wood is from is known for its renewable wood harvesting, recycling, and conservation efforts. The wood finishes are plant based and contain no aniline dyestuffs, no gilsonite or asphalt, no aromatic solvents and no formaldehyde. Another ‘green’ thing I love about this product is the bottom section of the crib is made from recycled milk jugs. Which is something almost no other company can say.

The Details:

Base size: 50-7/8″ x 27-1/4″ x 5-3/4″
The supremely comfortable and eco-friendly Secure Beginnings SafeSleep Breathable Crib Mattress provides safe and cozy sleep for baby.
Two-piece, hygienic Secure Beginnings SafeSleep Breathable Crib Mattress includes a crib base and a firm crib mattress.
A bed of air is layered between the mattress and base of the Secure Beginnings SafeSleep Breathable Crib Mattress, which allows baby to breathe in oxygen-rich air in case he or she rolls into a face-down position.
The patented airflow design of the Secure Beginnings SafeSleep Breathable Crib Mattress lessens the risk of overheating.
With plenty of safety and convenient features, the machine washable Secure Beginnings SafeSleep Breathable Crib Mattress offers firmness throughout and contours right where it’s needed for the best night’s sleep.
The integrated safety welting around the Secure Beginnings SafeSleep Breathable Crib Mattress Sleep Surface prevents any gaps between the side of the crib mattress and the sides of the crib, and is also breathable.
Base is solid poplar.
Espresso Painted Finish.
Stainless Steel hardware.
Sleep surface is a 3D medical grade spacer fabric that has a drying rate of over 50% quicker than a thin cotton.
No chemicals used for fire proofing or waterproofing .

The Secure Beginnings Breathable Crib Mattress comes in many different style,s colors, wood finishes and prices. The prices beginning as low as $315. To see the full line of Breathable Crib Mattresses click here. USE CODE: SAVVY for a $80 discount!

This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jan 27
2016

Zoom Kits, fun for kids, no mess for moms!

by Nicole Connerley

Have you heard of ZoomKIT? My son and niece LOVE it! The ZoomKIT is a portable travel table that works with car seats, boosters, strollers or stand alone. There are special activity inserts your kids will love like the ZoomSNACK and ZoomART. Coming soon to the market will be WeeZOOM, sensory playstation, ZoomPLAY filled with road and travel games, and ZoomTEK the tablet holding insert with a long battery life.

The ZoomSNACK is an insert perfect for families always on the go. I can’t tell you how many times I have handed my son something to eat in the car only for it to fall on the floor. Then you hear the dreaded “Mom, I can’t reach it” or “Mom, it fell” or my personal favorite “Mom, it spilled” With the snack insert all of the previous struggles you have had with your kids in the car are gone! It keeps snacks or meals in a Bento style food insert. There is a tethered spork on the top so your child can’t EVER drop it on the floor. My favorite thing about this insert is that it is freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe. The ‘green mom’ in me loves that it is both BPA and Phthalate-Free. It can be used by itself or inserted into the ZoomKit travel table.

The ZoomART Space Magic insert is a fun creative kit for families on the go! Boys and girls will love the activities in space with aliens, rocket ships and planets. All ZoomArt inserts feature activities and illustrations by different featured artists. Same as the ZoomSnack it may be used alone or with the ZoomKit travel table. The ZoomArt features a reusable dry eraser board activity book with mazes, dot-to-dots, matching games and coloring book. All of the dry eraser pen and crayons have easy to use holders so everything stays in place while in the car or on the go. You can make your own art kits with stamps, stickers, learning puzzles, or whatever your child enjoys to play with.

The ZoomKit is for ages 18 months to up to 7 or 8 years. My son is a 9 year old still in a booster seat and and loves his ZoomKit, he especially loves to do puzzles in it.

ZoomKIT decreases driving distractions, helps your carseat or booster work properly as your child is engaged in activities and not wiggling and squirming out of the belts, and offers a projectile-safe surface. Not having screaming, hungry, bored kids in a car makes a difference!

Never sure how they manage to make such a mess? Start them early with a system for a car and give them the tools to meet their own needs so you can focus on the road! ZoomTOTE secures onto the seat through an unused seat-belt so it won’t slip and slide. Your kids can reach into the bag to swap activities and item and neatly put them back after use. All inserts are designed for portability.

The ZoomKit can be purchased separately or as a kit. There is one bundle that contains the ZoomKIT table, ZoomART & ZoomSNACK… the perfect starter combo for your family on the go, it comes in fuchsia, and turquoise. For the full set it is only $89.99. To purchase your ZoomKIT click here!

Stay tuned we are giving one away!

This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jan 27
2016

Owlet Baby Monitor – Infant Heart Rate & Oxygen Monitor

by Nicole Connerley

Unknown Every first time mother has the same thoughts when their baby is sleeping, and it is simply are they still breathing? It is sometimes totally irrational and others it is a life or death situation. When my son was just home from the hospital I had to force myself to not get up to check on him. There were so many hours of lost sleep because I was a new mom and the smallest thing was everything. How I wish Owlet Baby Monitor was around when I had my son.

My question is simple, what’s not to love? The Owlet gives parents the peace of mind to know their baby is sleeping soundly and has not stopped breathing for any number of reasons. Unlike any other baby monitors out there the Owlet uses hospital technology a plus oximetry (the little red light they clip on your finger at the hospital) to monitor heart rate and oxygen. Because the technology is miniaturized into a baby sock it lets you have one less thing to worry about. The Owlet stays up all night, so you don’t have to!

owlet

The Owlet Baby Care Monitor truly is changing lives, lives of new moms and their newborns everywhere. They have already heard from parents who were alerted by their Owlet Monitor that their baby had stopped breathing. In two of the situations the baby was found blueish and struggling to get air. Because of the Owlet the parents were able to intervene and help their baby start breathing again.

owlet

The Details:
Owlet is designed to sound an alert if your child’s heart rate dips too low, rises too high, or if their oxygen level drops below a preset threshold. This alert strategy was determined by a team of pulse oximetry specialists, pediatricians, neonatologists and pulmonologists. Owlet is not a medical device. If your child has an irregular heart rate or irregular oxygen levels, you should not use Owlet as your primary monitoring system.

If your phone dies, don’t worry. The Base Station acts independent of Wi-Fi and is your primary alert system, your phone is just a convenience.

For a limited time they are offering FREE shipping to SoCal Savvy Mom readers, $15 value, just use code Fox 5 at checkout!

The Owlet Baby Monitor can be purchased online here for as low as $249.99. For all of the details please visit Owlet’s website here.