Celebrating the Snuggles

This week is International Babywearing Week (Nov.12-18) sponsored by Babywearing International, Inc. and TheBabywearer.com. Their theme this year is "Celebrate Babywearing." If you know me at all, you know I am all about celebrating babywearing. As my way of joining in the celebration, I am going to (try to) post a different babywearing picture everyday and talk about something else that I love about wearing my babies. If you have a question about babywearing that you would like me to talk about or a specific carrier you would like me to show/discuss, just comment here or shoot me an e-mail.

The thing I love the most about babywearing, having my babies close to me. I love feeling their skin on my skin, hearing their soft precious breaths. I love when they lay their head against my chest or my shoulders and I can feel them let their body fully relax and bask in the comfort of being close to mom. I love when Caden lays his cheek against my chest with eyes wide open and learns about the world from the safety of Mom's embrace. Isn't that what we as moms want to give our children- the ability to experience life but with the knowledge that we are always there to support and uplift them? Having my boys in the sling, to me, is such a perfect picture of the type of mom I strive to be. I love that when Lucas and Caden cannot be soothed any other way, I can put them in the sling and give them a safe and secure place to calm their little souls. And yes, I still put Lucas in the sling (all 35lbs. of him). He still wants/needs it at times. It is not a lot or for long periods of time (I use other carriers for longer wearing with him). But the moments I do wear him are moments I cherish. It reminds us both of how we are deeply connected no matter what happens the rest of the day. That I care for him, that I cherish him, and that I will ALWAYS be there to meet his needs in anyway I can from now to forever. And by wearing Caden, I am teaching him that those things are true for him too.

Beyond the convenience of my sling, it is a tool I use to help me nurture my boys. To hold them close, cherish the snuggles while I can and lay the foundation of love and nurturing that will hopefully last their entire lifetime.

That is one reason I celebrate babywearing. But there are many other reasons too. And we can talk about those this week. Why do you wear your babies? I would love to know as we celebrate together this week.

Check out more Babywearing Bloggers @ Adventures in Babywearing.

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SHOP BABYLOVE SLINGS to cherish the snuggles with your baby.

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Wordful Wednesday

This is my first time every participating in one of these little weekly carnivals, but this picture was too precious not to share. This picture was taken at our small, local petting zoo on a warm 70degree Halloween morning. It is November and still 70degrees outside. Too good to be true- we get snow on Friday. But we will enjoy it today while it lasts.

My sweet little Caden, with your baby blue eyes and perfectly chubby cheeks!! You truly light up my life!
And if anyone asks, you are a "good" baby.... I am talking about that over here today.

And don't forget about the online sling party going on until Friday night... get an awesome discount on my new fall slings!

Find more Wordful Wednesday at Angie's Seven Clown Circus.

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It's still Fall, Y'all!!

Lucas' painting of "Falling Leaves" I, of course, drew the bare tree at his request and he painted all the leaves. I think it is truly beautiful. This is one for the memory book!

The air is crisp, we have had our first flurries, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I have packed up all the shorts (although we are supposed to get to mid 70's today) and have started to make Christmas lists. We are in the thick of fall and winter is on it's way. All the more reason to celebrate fall while it is here.

Over at my little sling business, BabyLove Slings, I am officially launching my new fall fabrics- 6 beautiful new slings that are sure to catch your eye and everyone else's too. I chose fabrics that beautifully represent the colors of the season. I love them and now I want to introduce them to you so that you can love them too.

(left) Pink Sunrise


(right) Winter's Embrace

(left) Harvest Splendor


(right) Falling Leaves








(left) Summer's End


(right) Serenity




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Do you love them? Well, if nothing there suits your fancy, I have a ton of other slings left from this summer that are still available. Still nothing? I always welcome specific fabric requests if there is something in particular you are looking for.
To entice you even further, I am offering an amazing discount this week- a little online sling party. As a prelude to the events I have coming up in the next few weeks, I am hosting an online party to extend the fun and savings to my bloggy friends. I am offering 20% all orders over $40 AND free shipping for this week only (the offer will expire Friday at midnight)! Use code "FallParty" to get your discount and "FreeShip" to get the free shipping.
And just like any other kind of party, an online party is more fun if you invite your friends. If you have a blog and would like to post about my slings and the discount this week, I will give you an extra discount. Just leave a comment with the link and I will send you the code. Even if you don't have a blog, you can e-mail at least 4friends and copy me on the e-mail and get your extra savings that way. Or tell your Facebook friends too... whatever helps get the word out!!
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Thanks y'all for supporting me and my little creative outlet. The little bit of profit I do make helps me be able to stay home with my boys and be the pseudo-attachment/babywearing/overly proud mama that I am and love to be. I am going back to my part-time job as a nurse tomorrow which I am pretty anxious about. Not my job, I actually enjoy it, but the leaving. But I digress...
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Enjoy fall y'all, while it is still here. Strap on your babies and go for a walk or jump in the leaves. Cherish the moment. Blessings!!
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Click here to start your shopping!!!

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Bloggy Giveaway Goodness

It's that time again y'all... Bloggy Giveaway time!!! Hooray! Time to spend countless hours entering contests and visiting new blogs...and time to spread the giveaway goodness myself and offer up a free sling!! I just can't resist joining in the fun.
For those of you just stopping by, I am a babywearing, college football crazed, beach-loving mama who loves to share with the bloggy world about my life as mother, wife, nurse, friend... and my quest to discover and become who God created me to be. I have three boys- one in heaven, a two yr. old and a two month old who is sleeping on my lap even now. Add my Beagle pup and my part-time nursing job in the mix and life keeps me on my toes.

I am giving away a beautiful, red BabyLove (my little business) ring-sling. The fabric is red with subtle holiday accents and gold stars. The holidays are just around the corner and this sling is the perfect accessory for any festive outfit!! This sling is a one-of-a-kind, BabyLove Slings original. No one will have one like it and you will stand out in any crowd!

My slings are all handmade (by me) from 100% cotton batik fabrics. The rings are aluminum and super-strong. The fold is triple stitched for extra security. Ring slings are, in my opinion, the most versatile of all baby carriers. You can use them from newborn all the way to 35-40lbs. and there are so many different ways to wear it. The weight is distributed across your back so as to not overburden your shoulder. The are also great for discreet public nursing. The fabric is light and breathable but strong. No more frumpy baby carriers - you will be stylish and hip carrying your little one around in this sling. Plus you will have your hands free to do whatever - push the shoppping cart, chase your other children, put on lipstick, ... you choose!

Those new to baby-wearing, you'll wonder how you lived without it. Your sling comes with a detailed picture instruction booklet so you can get started right away. If you already have a sling, you can't have too many. You wouldn't not buy a pair of fashionable pumps just' cuz you already had a pair of flip-flops. :)

This week I am debuting 6 new fabrics as part of the BabyLove Slings Fall Collection. To win THIS beautiful red sling, just leave a comment on this post by Friday the 31st at midnight telling me which of the items on my website is your favorite and I will pick one winner at random on Saturday, November 1st. I will contact the winner by e-mail and post it here so be sure to leave me your contact info so I can tell you if you win. If you have a blog, I would love to visit you too. New bloggy friends are so fun!
If you aren't lucky enough to win, here is a coupon for free shipping on any order over $30 at my online store. Just use the code FREESHIP at checkout (will expire the end of November). Give the gift of babywearing to your favorite mama this holiday (and that might be yourself!). Thanks for stopping by and I hope you come back again sometime. Blessings!

More giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!

**Sling photos by Drea**

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Buying handmade

Check out BabyLove Slings today on this really cool website that features only handmade products. I know I have posted this picture at least once before, but I just love it so much and think it is such a great depiction of why we where our babies. Momma and baby both look so content and cozy. And even more importantly, so very connected.

Get your own little piece of content motherhood at BabyLove Slings.com

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http://tryhandmade.com/cotton-batik-ring-style-baby-sling-carriers/

check out all the other great handmade stuff out there at Try Handmade.com

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Babywearing Stash

Steph from Adventures in Babywearing has challenged us all to reveal our babywearing stash. Admittedly, my stash is relatively smal compared to most babywearing fanatics. I have been mostly a ring-sling snob. I just love my ring-slings - what can I say? But I have a special affinity for all the carriers I do have. Some of them were recommended to me, others I researched and taught myself how to use. But here it is... my stash.

Cat Bird Baby Mei Tai (left),
Ergo Soft Structured Carrier (right) ,

Zolowear Solarveil Ring Sling (bright blue sling in stash pic above) - great for summer,

Hotsling Pouch Sling (left),
Sleepy Wrap Stretchy Wrap (right) ,

Ellaroo Gauze Wrap (green wrap on the bottom of stash pic) , BabyHawk Mei Tai

But like I said... my favorite carriers are my ring slings. And unashamedly, my own ring slings are pretty darn cool. Feel free to see for yourself... babyloveslings.com

Also, I feel like I should plug the babywearing DVD Tummy-2-Tummy. It is an amazing babywearing resource that I highly recommend and continue to learn new tricks from. If you are a babywearing connoisseur, you may want to consider owning a copy of your own.

Go to Adventures in Babywearing to check out other babywearing bloggers and their stashes. So fun!!

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Brighter days ahead

I have been a bit bloggy-absent again lately. Life has been quite complicated the last month or so. But I am starting to come out of my fog and life is beginning to feel a bit more manageable again.

I have lots of posts running around in my head. But until I have time to nail them all down, I will bring you some amazing sling pictures taken by my friend Drea. She was so kind to take some pictures for me and they turned out amazing!! Thank you Drea! She is an awesome photographer and just an all-around-gem of a person.

*photographs by Drea at Touched Photography*

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And as always, check out my website if you are interested in learning more about wearing a sling or in need of one of you own. :) Thanks for all you kind words and prayers for me and my family the last few weeks. I am so very grateful. As I told my sister today, here is to brighter days ahead!

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Pardon this little interuption...

In a break from this otherwise emotionally intense week for me, I had to participate in the Spring Bloggy Giveaway carnival. (hundreds of prizes, potential new bloggy friends.... can't resist!)

For those of you just stopping by, I am a babywearing, college football crazed, beach-loving mama who loves to share with the bloggy world about my life as mother, wife, nurse, friend and my quest to discover and become who God created me to be. I have three boys- one in heaven, a two yr. old and my third on the way (coming this August). Add my Beagle pup and my part-time nursing job in the mix and life keeps me on my toes.

I am giving away a $25 gift certificate to my online sling store, BabyLove Slings. Just over a year ago I began selling my own ring-slings and other handmade baby gifts. It all started when a friend gave me a sling for the birth of my second son and it sparked this deep passion for babywearing that eventually resulted in my little business venture. I make and sell ring slings (for mamas and babywearers-to-be) as well as super-soft taggy blankets and some other fun things too.

Just leave a comment on this post by Friday the 25th at midnight telling me which of the items on my site you would like to own and I will pick one winner at random on Saturday, April 26th. I will contact the winner by e-mail and post it here so be sure to leave me your contact info so I can tell you if you win. If you have a blog, I would love to visit you too. New bloggy friends are so fun!

If you aren't lucky enough to win (I know the feeling- I never win!), here is a coupon for free shipping on any order over $30 at my online store. Just use the code FREESHIP at checkout (will expire the end of May). Thanks for stopping by and I hope you come back again sometime. Blessings!

**Comments/Entries are now closed. Winner will be posted shortly so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by and please come again. Feel free to visit my online store to get a little sling lovin' of your own!**

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It's a Party!!

The ladies at 5minutes for Mom are hosting a bloggy party- a chance for you to get your blog noticed and maybe find some new blogs that you enjoy. So, welcome to all of you who found me through the party. Be sure to leave a comment so I can visit you too. :)

Here is a little bit about me-

I am southern girl transplanted to the midwest, a nurse part time and a mom full time. I blog here about my babywearing adventures with my two year old son who always keeps me on my toes. I started wearing my son when he was an infant and I just can't stop! It is so comforting and convenient to have him close but be able to do other things at the same time. I am also expecting my next baby in August so stay tuned for more about this pregnancy journey. My journey to motherhood thus far has been a bumpy road filled with questions and grief. And this pregnancy has its own challenges but we are grateful for God's provision and trust His plan.

Besides nursing and being a mom, my other hat is business woman, kind of. I have a very small business out of my home making and selling ring sling baby carriers and other baby-related items. It is a fun creative outlet for me and a way to make a little extra money so I can stay home with my son. My little business is nearly a year old and just starting to take off, a little. Visit my website, if you have an interest and a spare moment.

I also just became a contributor for the Chicago Moms Blog and am super excited to be joining such a great group of ladies over there.

As for a party game, leave a comment with a babywearing question or your best advice for being a multi-tasking mother of two kids..... I am going to need all the help I can get! :)

And don't forget to check all the fabulous mommy blogs at 5minutes for Mom and their Ultimate Blog Party '08. They also have over 100 amazing prizes that you can attempt to win so check it out.

Thanks y'all for visiting. Please let me know you were here and come back soon! :) Blessings!!

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Some Valentine's Love

Drea and Elizabeth over at Simple Reviews have a Valentine's Day review of BabyLove Slings up today.... There are some great pictures like this one and a coupon code if you are in need of some babywearing bliss of your own. I hope everyone feels loved and shares love today!! Happy Valentine's Day!!

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New Bloggy Giveaways

Today in Chicagoland, it was 50degrees and the snow was melting. Is spring around the corner? Not really... the wind was still very cold and we are back to single digits tomorrow. Oh, well. At least we had a little break. Plus, there is nothing like a little giveaway-goodness to ease the winter-blues.

Rocks in My Dryer is hosting another amazing Bloggy Giveaway carnival. For hundreds of giveaways, go here.

My giveaway this time around is a sling for your little one to wear. I am a huge believer in the value of babywearing, for both mama and baby. Giving your little one a sling of their own teaches them to nurture others in the same way that they have been nurtured. My 2-yr. old son loves to carry his treasures in his own little sling. He carries his puppy doll, his dumptruck, whatever he loves and wants to keep close.

Nurture your little nurturer with a child-size sling just for them. To win any of the doll slings offered on my website, please just visit my site and choose your favorite fabric. Then leave a comment on this post telling me your pick and make sure I have a way to contact you if you win. I will close comments on Friday, Feb. 1st and will pick a winner at random on Saturday morning. I will notify the winner via e-mail so again, be sure I have your address.

As a bonus for all my bloggy giveaway visitors, use coupon code "giveaway" for 15% off any sling orders. www.babyloveslings.com Ease your own winter-blues with a new sling for spring!!

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Popular for a day

The website popularbabyproducts.com is featuring my slings today.... Hooray!! Check it out if you have a second. I'm kinda excited about it and pretty honored that they chose me. There is a discount code there too if anyone is in need of some sling lovin'. Feel free to leave a comment so they think I'm cool. It will be someone else's turn tomorrow. I'm only popular for a day. But I am grateful for that day. Thanks everyone. :)

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Baby wearing pictures

I just updated my photo gallery on my website with some fun new babywearing pictures. My website has other pics too including a celebrity baby-wearing gallery but here are the BabyLove Slings pics. Enjoy!

Also, don't forget that time is running out to get a discount on a new sling. Visit my website babyloveslings.com and click "buy a sling" or go directly to my webstore (store.babyloveslings.com). Use coupon code GIVEAWAY for 15% your total order until Dec. 7. Get a jump on that holiday shopping for yourself or that favorite mama on your list.

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More giveaway lovin'

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaways! I have loved reading all your comments and visiting so many new blogs. It is like making dozens of new friends without leaving my family room! ;) Congrats to Sarah from She's Crafty... and Michelle(coolmomof8)!! They are the lucky new owners of a ring sling and a Tummy-2-Tummy DVD respectively.

For those of you who didn't win but would still be interested in a sling or a DVD, please visit my BRAND NEW webstore!! I am offering 15% off all orders of $50 or more now through Dec. 7. Just enter coupon code GIVEAWAY at checkout to get your discount. My hubby and I have worked hard to get it all ready for you so that with the click of a mouse you too can be the proud owner of a new ring-sling. Click here or visit my website (www.babyloveslings.com) and click on "buy a sling" to get started. You'll be lovin' the freedom of having your hands free while snuggling baby close.

Buy it for yourself. Buy it for your favorite mama or mama-to-be. She will thank you, I know it! Tell your friends. :) Thanks so much to all of you for your interest in my little business. I hope you come back from time-to-time as I work through my motherhood journey and share about why babywearing has made me a better mom. Blessing to all of you and happy baby-wearing!!

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