By Emily @ Baby Dickey, on January 27th, 2012
Awhile ago I posted about Ryan’s super adorable new big boy bedding set from Beyond Bedding. We still adore the Jungle Time set and Ryan loves it, too!
So it only made sense to stick with a company we trust and enjoy for our new baby girl bedding! We got her room painted, we got a new crib, and I had this whole idea of what I wanted her room to look like… gray walls, all white furniture, all pink accessories.
All that was missing? The crib bedding! I wanted something classic, girly, and cute. Something kind of simple. So of course I fell in love with the Pink and White French Toile set from Beyond Bedding!
Adorable, right? I got the 9-piece set that includes the: crib comforter, bumper, fitted crib sheet, two window valances, crib skirt, diaper stacker, toy bag, and decorative pillow. There are a lot more matching accessories you can buy for this set too: the mobile, window panels, changing pad cover, bulletin board, wall border, wall hangings, hamper, lamp shade, shower curtain, and more crib sheets. I would love to have some of those extras, especially the bulletin board and changing pad cover!
Isn’t she pretty?! Please don’t mind my wrinkled crib skirt, haha. I was too anxious to see it all set up so I didn’t wash it first… but I will before the baby gets here! Also, I need to note here that when our baby is actually sleeping in the crib, we will be removing the bumper. However, when she’s not in it, I love the bumper, it’s beautiful! It’s two sided–one side has the pink and white toile and the other side has amazingly soft and fluffy white chenille. It has cute ties on the top and bottom:
The comforter has the toile in the center with the gingham and piping around the edge and 4 satin bows in the corners. This also reverses like the bumper and has a white chenille back that I absolutely love. It’s fluffy and it’s beautiful–it’s a classic look. The decorative pillow matches this as well and the crib sheet that comes with this set is just a plain white.
 I had no mattress yet at the time I took these pictures!
Our baby girl’s room only has one window so at first I only hung one of the two valances. You can see that in the picture below… but then I decided to hang both valances on the one window to make it look a little more full–love it! I matched them with gray blackout curtains covered with white lace… so feminine and pretty 
The toy bag is super cute–I haven’t seen something like this in a bedding set before. It has 4 pockets and easily ties to the side of your crib (or you can hang it somewhere else if you’d like!). It’s great for little toys, stuffed animals, pacifiers, bottles, etc.
I actually hung the diaper stacker from a hanger in the baby’s closet. We use cloth diapers and store them in the top drawer of her dresser/changing table. So I like to use the diaper stacker for other items–like onesies, jackets, etc.
I can’t wait until her entire room is finished so I can show pictures of the whole thing! Only 3 more weeks to go  This 9-piece set is originally $251.99, but you can buy it at Beyond Bedding for $179.99–or check out the individual pieces.
Beyond Bedding also offers a flat shipping rate of $7.95 on all purchases, which is awesome. Show the love and make sure you find them on facebook and twitter!
By Emily @ Baby Dickey, on January 27th, 2012
To me, aden + anais is one of those brands you just HAVE to know about when you have kids and one I tell all my pregnant friends about. The founder of aden + anais grew up in Australia where they wrapped their babies in large muslin sheets. When she moved to the US, she couldn’t find anything like it! Blankets were too small, made of thick flannel, or were simply unattractive. And so…. aden + anais was born!
Their swaddling blankets are AWESOME, but they carry more than just those–you an also find sleeping bags, bibs, burp cloths, towels & washcloths, blankets, and more.
Why muslin? “It is the purest, simplest, most gentle, and, in our opinion, the most perfect fabric in the world.”
Why swaddle with muslin? When done correctly, swaddling soothes and calms your baby, helps them sleep more peacefully, and may indirectly help prevent SIDS. Muslin is a finely-woven breathable fabric that has some stretch, making it perfect for wrapping around your little one without being too restrictive. The material is lightweight and allows air to circulate so while it keeps your baby warm, it won’t overheat them. Even better? Muslin gets softer and softer with each wash!
For my review, I was sent the new “For the Birds” 4-pack of classic swaddling blankets. They’re made of 100% cotton muslin with super cute prints: an owl in a tree, birds, stripes, and medallions. I LOVE the colors. They’re pale pink, peony pink, silver grey, and slate grey. Our baby’s room has all white furniture, grey walls, and pink accessories–so this swaddling blankets match perfectly and I’m totally in love.
They’re super soft and cozy and they’re generous in size: 47″ x 47″. When Ryan was a baby, we bought the typical store-sold “receiving blankets” and I had the hardest time swaddling, getting it to stay, and making Ryan comfortable. Now I know why! Those blankets are too small! Not to mention too thick.
Aren’t they cute?! These can also be used as burp cloths, nursing covers, stroller or car seat covers or liners, portable crib sheets, blankets, changing table covers, etc… the options are endless.
You can buy this 4-pack for $49.95. They also have 2-packs and singles and different types (classic, cozy, organic, or bamboo). Buy online or find a retailer near you!
Show the love and make sure you find aden + anais on twitter and facebook!
By Emily @ Baby Dickey, on January 26th, 2012
I love the products at BuckleyBoo. Why? They combine my 2 of my favorite things for kids: stuffed animals (who doesn’t love them?!) and developmental education. BuckleyBoo toys were co-created by a child psychologist and grandma and these toys promote cognitive development and sequential learning through matching, buckling, and unbuckling.
Did I mention they’re soft and cuddly and CUTE?! We received the Lion for review and Ryan keeps him in his bed to sleep with as a stuffed animal. And he LOVES all kinds of locks and buckles and keys so this also makes the perfect toy.
The first time Ryan saw the Lion, he was really excited to try out the buckles, but it took a little bit to figure them out and he got a little frustrated… my kid the perfectionist! First he tried to buckle wrong straps together… and that’s the first stage of this toy! There are 3 stages:
Stage 1: Matching. Kids learn to visually examine the toys and match the correct sides together. The patterns go together so you buckle the stripes with the stripes, the dots with the dots, etc.
Stage 2: Buckling. Around age 18 months, kids are ready to buckle and they love doing it! Most probably can’t yet master the art of unbuckling.
Stage 3: Unbuckling. By 3 years of age, kids have the physical strength and problem solving skills to buckle and unbuckle. This toy will probably become part of their imaginative play, as well.
Ryan just turned two and although I did show him how each strap unbuckled, he can do it on his own most of the time. Some of them are a little tricky and do require some strength… so Ryan will try and then ask for help. But I can certainly see how this toy lasts for years. BuckleyBoo says it’s for ages 18 months up to 4 years!
You can get these adorable animals in 2 different sizes: the smaller 12″ (with 3 buckles) for $19.99 or the larger 17″ (with 5 buckles) for $29.99. I think these make great and unique gifts! BuckleyBoo also carries a cute baby mobile and little finger puppets! Have 2 kids? They sell sets of 2 in a BuckleyBundle!
Check them out in action on YouTube and make sure you “like” BuckleyBoo on facebook!
 *giggle giggle*
By Emily @ Baby Dickey, on January 26th, 2012
I love love love this company. Motherlove was founded to help women discover the bond between motherhood and mother earth. They create a line of herbal products for pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and babies. My favorite kind of stuff!
I’ve heard so many mamas talking about–and loving!–Motherlove’s breastfeeding products for helping to increase supply that I’m excited to try that out this time around. They also have great items for use during pregnancy–from belly oil and salve to rhoid balm.
As I’m planning my upcoming HBAC (homebirth after cesarean), I’ve had a list of items I want to have on hand to make the experience more calming and enjoyable. I received a lot of recommendations from other mamas and quickly learned that I just had to have some sitz bath spray and birth & baby oil.
 The birth & baby oil is fabulous. Of course I haven’t given birth yet, but I have used it (or have had my husband use it!!) a few times for massage. It’s all-natural and is lightly scented with lavender–it smells wonderful! I plan on using this stuff during labor for massage of my back and perineum. Because it’s super gentle (with organic lavender and no essential oils), it’s great for babies too–get some mama and baby time with infant massage or use it on cradle cap! Another huge plus in my book? It rates a zero (that’s the best!) on the cosmetics database.
You can get herbs to use in a sitz bath (Motherlove carries that, too!) and/or you can use this handy little spray bottle. I have both. This sitz bath spray is for use after labor and childbirth. It soothes those sore perineal muscles, reduces swelling, helps heal tears, slows bleeding, and helps ease with discomfort from hemorrhoids. I love this idea because sometimes (especially with a toddler running around and a newborn baby crying) you just don’t have time to sit and soak in a sitz bath. You could use this stuff with a pad too–spray on and you’re good to go. And, of course, it’s made with 100% certified organic ingredients (witch hazel, yarrow, uva ursi, grain alcohol, lavender essential oil, and grapefruit essential oil).
Motherlove also has great products for your baby and sells gift sets that’d make great baby shower or new mom/baby gifts.
Find their products in a store near you or order online! The oil I reviewed sells for $8.50 and the spray sells for $9.95. Totally affordable and worth it! Mama needs a little pampering sometimes
Find Motherlove on facebook and twitter, too!
By Emily @ Baby Dickey, on January 25th, 2012
exederm is a great line of hypoallergenic skincare products that are made just for babies and toddlers. Whether they have sensitive skin or a rash… or a condition such as eczema or dermatitis… this stuff does the trick. It’s made with the mildest ingredients and avoid irritants that can trigger eczema. Special skin needs special care!
exederm offers a full line of products for all your needs:
~cleansing baby bath: non-drying and soap free
~intensive baby moisturizer: deeply moisturizes, light and non-greasy
~hydrating baby lotion: lightweight & easy to spread, soothes red, cracked & itchy skin, moisturizes & smooths
~soothing baby oil: maximum moisture, soothes and softens
~non-irritating baby shampoo: itch-free & tear-free, great for cradle cap
For my review, I was sent samples of the baby bath and the baby moisturizer.
Ryan (our 2-year-old) doesn’t have eczema or particularly sensitive skin, but we still like to use gentle and natural products. I mean, the skin is your largest organ and it’s the gateway into your body–what you put on it is really important!
 I love this stuff and so does Ryan. I think it’s pretty hard to find other awesome products that offer all the above that exederm does! There’s no scent because they don’t add unnecessary additives or harsh chemicals. The lotion is light so it spreads on really easily and you don’t need a lot. You don’t feel like you’re caking something on your child’s skin, but it is deeply moisturizing.
Ryan loves to be a big boy, of course, and use the lotion himself. So we’re especially glad we don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals and additives. exederm products are safe for all ages! They even have another line of products for adults.
There are a number of stores or online retailers you can purchase exederm from and they have some special offers: buy 3 or more items and get 20% off, shipping (to US and Canada) is free on orders over $50, and they give a full money-back guarantee.
GIVEAWAY: one lucky reader will win their choice of any (1) exederm product! Please use the form below to enter–no entries are mandatory, do as many or as little as you would like.
Click Here to Go!
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I had no mattress yet at the time I took these pictures!
