Wordless Wednesday - Walk The Plank

We LOVE Ben as our little model, isn't he adorable! They came by today we we snapped these photos... I just LOVE this shirt and hope you guys do too! It will be listed in the next few days.

Mentoring Mondays: Who I Am

Post 2 from the amazing Adam Thurston... LOVING this new segment :) And I know the followers are too!! Thanks, Adam, for sharing with my readers and I... even though we're so far away... it will be like we've been there all along... :) p.s. you can find his blog here... follow him :)

Mentoring Mondays

Teaching you to be a lady while you teach me to be a dad.

Who I am.

              Well, as stated previously, I’m your dad.  The only one you’re gonna get.  That is, unless the mailman and your mom come clean.  So I figured it’d be a good idea for you to know a little about me.  My name is Adam but you can call me “dad.”  I’m an Aquarius and I like cars, music, and penning the occasional word to paper.

              What this means to you is that you can count on having a large wealth of music and instruments at your disposal.  You understand, of course, that I’ll have to wait until you’re a bit older before I hand over my guitars but until then, plan on having your old man play and sing for you all the time.  I can’t wait to show you some of my favorite songs.  Even more fun will be when you discover some favorites of your own and show them to me.  In time, I think you’ll find that music (along with writing literature) can be an ultimate form of expression and impression.  It was so powerful it grabbed me and shook me dry when I was eleven and I’ve never since looked back.  I think you’ll see much of the same.  The great thing about music is that there is a tune for every mood you’re feeling.  I could list some of mine but then I wouldn’t be letting you find your own.  Oh, okay!  Twist my arm, why don’t ya?!  Here are some good starters:

              For the sunshines: Beatles (anything ‘63-’67)  Their whole era was (and remains) utterly phenomenal but all of your basic rock and pop moods can be found there.

              For the blues:  Hmm.  So much to choose from.  Let’s start with Otis Redding.  The man could make a statue cry and he didn’t go out by OD’ing, shooting himself, or stabbing himself in the heart.  We have plenty of times to go over the “tortured artist” arena.

              For the “I just want to rock out and go nuts!”  Look no further than The Who.  They’ll cover all the bases for you.  If you’re ever in the mood of “I just want to rock out and go nuts but with a political bent,” then steer your attention to The Clash or Fugazi.  Both are great but you’ll need a pair of Doc Martens to pull off the look.  Come find me and I’ll buy you a pair.

              Cars.  I’m not going to hold my breath but maybe you’ll be the next Danica Patrick and will want to help me drop a K20A into my car.  If not, that’s cool too.  Just know that you’re always invited to my wrenching sessions.  Which brings us to our first Mentoring Moment:  You’re never to not be allowed somewhere because you’re a girl.  There are a few noticeable exceptions to this statement.  I.e. men’s bathrooms/locker rooms, and Klan meetings.  That said, if you want to wrench on the car with me, just say the word.  Wanna throw the ball around?  Just grab my glove.  “But dad!  That’s not girl-stuff,“ you exclaim.  No problem, sweetie.  One of the great things about our western, modern society is that you can be pretty much be whomever you want to be and still be a woman.  Pretty cool eh?!  Now there are some things I’d rather you NOT be.  These include, but are not limited to, Nazi, racist, bigot, white trash, drug addict, stinking drunk, prostitute, stripper or cheer leader (which is really just an underage stripper without the pole).  Alright, your mom just read that and said “Every girl wants to be a cheerleader!”  Just heads-up, kid; your mom is crazy.  Remember it’s just you and me.  The only sane ones in the room. 

              Moving on to reading and writing.  These are two biggies for me, Maddie.  Your Pop is not the smartest tool in the shed but these are so important in so many ways.  When you start reading and what you read will become stepping stools for the rest of your life.  Simply, the earlier you start reading, the smarter you’re going to be.  You’re going to have that much more comprehension towards everything from books to conversations.  Your reading level will be off the chart and your conversational and oratory skills will be unmatched.  And all because we were reading Charlotte’s Web when you were six months old and crapping your pants.  Pretty cool, right?!  All you have to do is lie in my arms and drool and I’ll do the rest.  As you get older, you’ll find that you like the art of stories and reading.  The satisfaction of getting through a story without a television or a movie screen force feeding it down your eyes and throat.  A book is always going to be your ultimate friend.  Besides me, of course.  You can take a book anywhere.  You can read it anywhere.  Except funerals.  For whatever reason, that tends to piss people off.  You can always fall asleep to a book and it’s always right where you left off in the morning.  They’re great ice breakers for conversing with new people.  (and you’ll always seem smart!  Madeline FTW!)  Also, the more you read, the more you know.  The more you know, the better equipped for life you are!  Look at your mother.  She doesn’t read books and up until last year, she thought her car had two gas tanks.  One main tank, and another for when that one was empty. 

              “My car needs gas.  It’s on it’s second tank.”

              “Second tank of what?”

              “It’s on it’s second tank.  My gas gauge is on ‘R’ meaning it’s on the reserve tank.”

              “…Are you serious?”

              “What else would it mean?!”

              “Uh…maybe ‘Refuel.’”

              So, Maddie, that’s your mother.  She’s really sweet and kind and can’t wait to meet you too.  So hurry up and get here, will ya?!  We have so much to show you.

              -I love you, Madeline.

              -Your Dad

Swinger Sunday - Sometimes being GREEN sucks!

I was so excited to be asked to guest blog for Amber! Well, until I had to think about what to write, that is. RockerByeBaby is all cool and edgy and Amber has cool and edgy friends that do cool things.

I’m just a treehugging law school geek! I have no kids and nothing fun to write about!

But then I just asked myself “What is something you wanted to blog about but can’t on your blog?” And then it hit me: I wanted to write about why being ethical and green really sucks sometimes. So, what follows is the bitter rantings of a pretty square business owner. (: Sort of punky and rockery right?

So--- sometimes being ethical and green all the time sucks!

I own a business that really hangs its hat on being the greenest brand out there. We source organic US-grown cotton to make garments made in the US that are then dyed naturally and printed with waterbased inks. I, personally, have collaborated on some technology that makes our garments easily the most eco-friendly out there. We have our garments sewn by co-ops owned by refugees that are supporting their large families on their work with us. We never cut a single corner on greenness or social responsibility.

Yes, this all sounds great and I sleep easier at night and I love looking people in the eye when I truthfully tell them our supply chain and all that.

BUT what these standards do to my stress levels SUCKS. And sometimes I just want to VENT about it

Jodie, our designer, is a genius. She makes cool stuff. And so she sends me a design I love and I am like “YES!” and then send it to our printer and we can’t get the colors right because of the ec-friendly inks we use. So that is scrapped. Or Jodie and I will want to create a certain product but the co-op that does our work doesn’t have the machinery to handle it. So its scrapped, too. And we want to dye shirts but crunched up bugs and plants can only dye so many colors. So lots of color ideas are scrapped.

Our costs are super high because we are 100% USA made. We donate way over 30% of our profits. We basically donate whatever we have in our bank account. I do this because I feel obligated. I have a business that has a bank account, so I should be helping these people. We grow so so slowly because our margin is small and that margin goes to other people. I’ve never taken a cent from the business personally.

So we go to trade shows and these brands that put the “Organic” sticker on their booth have one garment made from like “organic bamboo” (which is very rare and therefore likely isn’t even organic and bamboo is like... as ecofriendly and polyester, oh, but I digress) and they are dyed in a shade of blue I know uses heavy metals and they are printed with white (which ALWAYS is done using plastic or a toxic wax) and they are acting like they are saving the planet. And I ask where they are made and they smile and say “China  and India of course!” THEN because they have the organic stockers and are super cute and have low prices buyers flock to them. And THEN most buyers look at our pieces, that due to legitimate eco- and socio-constraints are more plain and expensive and the buyers think “Pfft.... no way.”

That SUCKS, right?

So on the weekends, as I chat with friends that are also in the kids industry, I realize how different our lifestyles are. They make blankets and clothing abroad for about $4 each, and wholesale for $40 and retail for $80. They are making draws from their business of over 100k a year and are very well dressed and groomed. They spend their day chatting and designing and paying a large staff and getting massages and going to expensive lunches. I spend my day in dirty jeans with a 8 year old t-shirt getting calls from our sewers that all their kids have the flu and they won’t be in all week and our stuff will be a few weeks late. And then calling retailers to explain. And dealing with sales smaller than similar brands due to our high pricepoint. And dealing with our school in Haiti that has barebones structural support and cash reserves to continue due to the additional people being fed by the rice and beans it stocks. And stressing about the slow progress of our new website because we have no money in our bank account (see previous sentence.) And stressing about how we will pay for our Fall catolog to be printed if I need to send our school in El Salvador a check. And figuring out how to pay Jodie her weight in gold (her worth, basically.) And digging out cans and bottles from public garbage cans to take home and recycle because, well, why did someone throw them in there in the first place?

Being green and ethical SUCKS! It makes me work my ass off all day long just to keep the business moving and grooving and for what? So some kids in Haiti can go to school? So some kids in Texas won’t have to drink water with pesticides? Oh. Uh. Actually, YES.  So I calm down and buckle down and keep doing it.

But sometimes I just need to VENT! So thank you for listening.

Hi guys - its me... i know I mention pretty much, well, all the time... how much i love Kyle... she always amazes me... and this right here... this post is exactly why i wanted to start the Swinger Sunday... a chance for people to vent... spill it all here... get it all off their chest... Kyle asked me if this was too "bitchy" haha... I read it, and said nope, not bitchy at all... thats Kyle. Always working her ass off... Never getting a break... and I now see... not even taking any profits for her hard work. Giving SO much more than she gets... This girl deserves a medal. She is easily the most self-less person i know... every time I think im having a bad day, kyle and I rant on gmail... we usually have a 10 minute "bitch" fest where we freak out about what ridicules thing is going on in the stores... take a deep breath, and move on... But every time, i leave feeling better having had talked to her. Kyle, your amazing. I love you girlie!

Favorites Friday - CUPCAKES4MADDIE!

Boy oh boy... little Maddie is growin' up... (not in womb Maddie, toddler Maddie....) Well, in less than 2 months from now we will be rockin' out at her Cupcake themed birthday party... OHHHH the possibilities... I already have a couple things on the way for a birthday gift... cuz well, im a little psychotic I like to go all out when it comes to themes... So doing the FF theme this week is my perfect excuse to shop a little... This cupcake page is all about the must-haves for Maddie...
.....
.....
Take two... (The first to things I found, I bought... haha)

#1) SugarSpiceKid - Pink Strawberry Cupcake Invitation : Easily the CUTEST cupcake invite on Etsy.
#2) Hollywools - Vinyl Cupcake Bib : A Total must have for when Ms. Maddie gets to dig into her cake... wouldn't want to ruin her pretty little birthday outfit!
#3) SugarRainDrops - Cupcake Locket : Could there be a more perfect "first locket" for a little cupcake princess? I... Think... Not... ADORABLE!
#4) BeautifulCreationsM - Girly Girl Colorful Confetti : MUST HAVE! Beki.... you must get a few packs of these for tables... SOOOO cute! or at least the cupcake bar :)
#5) VintageLucys - Retro Cupcake Dress : I LOVE Vintage Lucy's and this would be SUCH a cute spring time birthday dress.
#6) Shelostit - Itty Bitty Cupcake : Every princess needs a pocket sized felt cupcake to carry around...
#7) HappyBabeeandBeeyond - Tasty Treats Crayon Roll : What 3 year old doesnt need one of these!?
#8) BananaBearBoutique - Cupcakes & Strawberries I Spy Bag : I really like these iSpy Bags... and I really want to get one for the boys... but in the mean time, might just have to get one for Ms. Maddie.
#9) UrbanFarmGirl - Cupcake : Ugh, i LOVE anything Kawaii... Now - cupcakes + sprinkle balls + smiley faces = *dies* from cute overload.

Thursdays Tunes - Kiss Me, Im Sh*tfaced

Brooke my love - this ones for you :)
mmmmm Irish Punk... yum. Zaq wants to open up an irish bar... and make it like the bar in Ireland on P.S. I love you... That would be pretty awesome... lets be real here... punk rock irish boys? *drool*

Wordless Wednesday - Mustaches

Crayons from Chase Dreams (giveaway to come soon!)

Free giveaway! SediluGreen EcoStuffers reusable snack bag set!

Yum... organic cinnamon snack sticks... organic graham crackers... all put inside a cute... plastic ziplock bag!? WHAT!? Unheard of... when you put some much thought into what snacks go inside those baby bellies... of course you want to be thinking about what those healthy snacks are stored in... well have NO fear... SediluGreen has got you covered...
Now, before I start my *rant* about how amazing her EcoStuffers are... I wanna tell you a little fun fact... "PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY SINGLE FOOD STORAGE BAG IS MADE WITH LEAD, PHTHLATE, BPA AND TOXIN FREE MATERIAL DEEMED FOOD SAFE BY THE FDA!!" Can you believe it?? How can something considered to be safe contain so many bad chemicals? And lets not forget to mention... for every ONE eco stuffer bag that you buy, you can potentially save 900+ plastic baggies from going into a landfill... Oh, and just to one up that... "The estimated savings of an average sized family of 4 is about $250 or more PER YEAR by switching from plastic baggies and single serving disposable containers!"  They're fashionable... they're functional... and eco-friendly. 

So lets talk EcoStuffers... we love them COMPLETELY... and of course, when ours showed up in the fabulous Blue Regent Skulls print, I was ecstatic! As most of you know... we had a HORRIBLE experience with a last minute move a couple weeks ago. Ugh, dont get me started. These bags were a life saver... If your like me... when under stress and a lack of time you cave to whats easy... sometimes that might mean a snack bag of chips for a snack or something of the sort. These baggies were so perfect... I kept them filled with little organic cinnamon snacks for the boys... organic teddy graham crackers... kept the bellies filled and the babies happy (mostly). They were so easy to just throw into my purse and I love not having to worry about whats inside spilling out... "100% cotton designer material on the exterior. Comes standard with antimicrobial, waterproof, Phthlate and BPA free, food safe waterproof material! There is an incredible velcro seal so NOTHING comes out! Easy to open. Finished interior seams - nothing unfinished!" They are incredibly well made... and if you know me at all, im picky, lol. She has so many amazinly adorable prints to offer... you just HAVE To go check them out!!  They also come in three sizes... Small, Medium and Large (Small & Large shown above) and I just went and bought ANOTHER Medium & Large for my stash but shhhh.... So let me guess... all this ranting has you DROOLING over a these bags, right?! Well it better have! Cuz you need them! More specifically... Ailie... you need this one... because it matches EVERYTHING that lily has... lol and Brooke... Dysfunctional Family... better go with the Trio, lol i just bought one... you MOST definitely need it too. And the rest of you, pick your favorite! I could go on for days matching you all up with the perfect EcoStuffer... And for two of you? A PRIZE!! Two lucky winners will will the Sandwich (Large) sized EcoStuffer... One in the Pink Regent Skulls print... and one in the Inked fabric. When you enter, just note which one you want... Dont care? Double your chances and say EITHER!

How to win:

#1:  Mandatory entry:  Tell us which print you would love to win (Inked or Pink Regent Skulls) AND one other item that you just LOVE from the SediluGreen etsy store.

Extra entries?? But of course :)
EACH ENTRY MUST BE LEFT IN A SEPARATE COMMENT TO COUNT!!!!!

#2) Follow us publicly here on (blogger) - Leave a separate comment for being a (old or new) follower on our blog.
#3) Follow/Tweet us (Twitter) - Leave a separate comment for being a follower and TWEETING about this giveaway on Twitter... If your already a twitter follower of ours, TWEET about it for an extra entry anyways :) Can tweet once daily for extra entries!

Tweet This: "Free Giveaway: TWO WINNERS!! Handmade Eco-Stuffers Large reusable Sandwich bags by SediluGreen http://bit.ly/aHTJWG"

#4) Random entry: Share with us your favorite Eco Tip.

#5) Fan RockerByeBaby on Facebook...

#6)"Heart" the SediluGreen etsy page, and "favorite/heart" two items...

#7) "Heart" the RockerByeBaby etsy page, and "favorite/heart" two items...

#8) Follow the SediluGreen blog!

#9) She's having a giveaway on HER blog... Enter HER giveaway... then come back here and comment telling me that you did :) 

#10) BIG BONUS: Make a purchase from SediluGreen... any $ amount, just a purchase... come back here and leave FIVE comments with the link to the transaction.... thats 5 extra entries per item you purchase... 

And the winner is...........

Bella's Bowtique said... 43

Following heatherjeany on twitter now!

Blessings,
Kristie
bellasbow-tique(at)live(dot)com

CONGRATS! Thanks so much for entering into the Heather Jeany giveaway! Will be in touch soon for your address!! Thanks to everyone else that entered and..... here comes the next one!

Mentoring Mondays: Im Your Dad

 Hey guys! Welcome to a new segment called Mentoring Mondays... I was talking to one of my best buds adam the other night... thinking about how he MUST do a Swinger Sunday for me since he is such a great writer... but that turned into more and next thing we knew we were planning a weekly segment on my wide open Monday... ALLL about Adam's journey through fatherhood. And who knows, maybe we will even get Aymee to share a week or two! I love you both SO much and little Maddie too...  thanks for sharing with my readers and I... even though we're so far away... it will be like we've been there all along... :) p.s. you can find his blog here... follow him :)

Mentoring Mondays 

Teaching you to be a lady while you teach me to be a dad.

I’m your dad.

              Hi Madeline.  You don’t know me.  Hell, you don’t even know your own name.  (BTW it’s Madeline.)  But I’m your dad and by rights, in four and a half months I’ll be one of the two biggest influences in your life.  While I may just be “daddy” to you, that title means I’ll be engaged in a 24/7 job of raising you and somehow having to make it look seamless and effortless.  Don’t get me wrong; I welcome the challenge and the most rewarding part will be watching you grow from a helpless baby into an intelligent and confident woman.

              There’s so many things I want to show you and tell you.  I suppose I have all of your life and the rest of mine to show and tell but let’s get two biggies up front.  These aren’t rules for you.  Those will come plenty soon enough.  Rather, these are constant variables.  Just like a science experiment.  I know you don’t know what science is yet but just bear with your old man for a sec.

Constant One:  I’ll always love you.

The unconditional love between a parent and their child is the most pure emotion in the world.  The reason why is that both parent and child start with clean slates towards each other.  I haven’t wronged you and, until your first loaded diaper, you haven’t wronged me.  And even the whole diaper thing isn’t really your fault.  I, along with your mother…and I suppose by proxy, the doctor, will be the first people you meet.  And essentially for your early years, I and your mother will be the only people you’ll know. I’ll feed you and read you books and make funny faces just to make you laugh.  I’ll rock you to sleep and sing you songs.  As you get bigger I’ll buy you a bike and teach you to ride it.  When you get even older I’ll teach you to drive.  As these events unfold, you’re bound to make mistakes.  And that’s okay, Maddie.  Everyone makes mistakes.  My job as a parent is to help you learn from them.  You’ll leave your bike out and I’ll tell you to bring it in.  And if you take after your mother’s driving habits, you’re probably going to get in a car accident or three and I’ll tell you to pay more attention.  And you’re likely to think ill of me during these moments but they only exist because I love you and know that you can learn from what happened.  Through it all, I’ll always love you and I’ll always be your dad.

Constant Two:  You can come to me for anything.

And when I say “anything,” I mean ANYTHING.  I will always listen to you.  While you’re a baby I’ll happily listen to you babble.  When you get older, feel free to come to me so we can converse about Big Bird or Yo Gabba Gabba or anything at all that your beautiful mind wants to talk about.  I’m always your ear.  Full disclosure: the secondary reasoning for this whole “come talk to me” stuff is for when you’re a teenager.  Things can get pretty hairy in your teens, and I’m not just talking about your body.  (Any excess body hair you might experience is all my fault.  Sorry kiddo.)  You and your friends/boyfriends/girlfriends are going to be turning into adults.  Your hormones and emotions will be going bat-shit and you’re going to often feel like a pinball bouncing around all corners of a pinball machine.  Sucky as it is, it’s all normal.  “What,” you ask?  “This is normal?!  This sucks!”  Yeah Maddie I know it sucks.  That’s why I’m here.  To help keep BS to a minimum and to help you stay your course.  And I’ll never ever tell you “Because I said so.”

Constant Three:  I’ll never ever say “Because I told you so!”

I mean, let’s face it.  It’s a weak come-back.  It says “I don’t have a good reason for saying ‘no.’ I just don’t want you to do whatever it is you‘re about to do.”  If I do or don’t want you to do something, I will always give you a valid reason why or why not.  This is so I can always treat you as someone who has the ability to make their own decision about something.  Now I may not always agree with your decision and may try to direct you to more harmonious endeavors, as I stated above, part of parenting is helping you learn from mistakes.  That said, I’m not going to let you play a game of Russian Roulette.  Why?  Not because I told you so.  Because I would’ve already told you that Russian Roulette is a very dangerous game where the best you can hope for is to still be alive afterwards and the worst that can happen is that you’ll share a death amongst all Arkansas rednecks; one that starts with the sentence “Hey y’all!  Watch this!”  Bottom line is:  I’ll always give you a reason for my decision.

Well Madeline, that about does it for your dad.  We have plenty of time to go over this stuff again and this isn’t a test.  This is your life.  I’m committed to seeing it be a great one.  I’ll always be here for you.  I haven’t even met you yet and you’re the love of my life.  I love you Maddie.

-Your Dad

Singer Sunday - "It Takes a Village"

This week for Swinger Sunday - meet Andrea! Andrea Maciula-Peters is the owner of Little Squigglers, Inc. and proud wife and mommy to Chris & Ainsley Jane.


Before I was a parent I always heard the phrase, “it takes a village” in reference to raising children but I never really believed it. Now that my daughter is ten months old, I believe the phrase and follow it! My parents and brother live in the same town we do and they often visit my daughter, her grandfather visits daily, and stay active in her life. This past week my husband has left to visit his dying grandmother and we had to stay behind. Cleaning, shopping and cooking with a crawling explorer has been quite a feat. I miss having my husband to rely upon during these times of daily rituals, however it's nice to be able to call my parents or my brother and have them help out.
(My granny was in the hospital when I was giving birth for another injured hip but she still came to see us)


But what happens when we are older. Why does the village mentality leave our minds once our relatives are no longer cute. My husband visiting his dying grandmother made me think of the tasks that now lay in the hands of his family. My own grandmother will be 94 in April and her doctors have determined that she is ready for hospice. My grandfather passed away over 3 years ago and she has been “ready” to die ever since. She has been living in a retirement home, the nicest in town, but still it's so lonely. I always feel so helpless when we visit her, like it’s never enough. The one time I did have to really help her, I felt scared and thrown off guard. Why are we not prepared to take care of the elderly?


I’ve been writing this one piece in bits and pieces all week and Grandma Peters did pass away, very peacefully surrounded by her loved ones. It was the way she wanted. She didn’t have to go through the agony my grandmother has, which brings me back to elderly care. It’s easy to offer to take care of a cute baby, but when someone asks you to visit their elderly relative it’s not so easy.
(Chris' grandparents and Ainsley)


Did you see the movie Benjamin Button? That is exactly where my daughter and grandmother are. Although, my daughter is starting to pass my grandmother. Ainsley is crawling, walking with help, eating on her own, baby talking, reading to herself, and even can play alone for a few minutes without being too distracted. My grandmother used to be this eloquent women whom I loved to listen to, she could always lighten up a room with her comments. Now she struggles to get out the correct words and frustration sets in. She no longer walks and seems to be in constant pain. The village needs to move in and let hospice help but her sons have the power, not me.


So what about single parenting, I have found a new respect for military families, single parents, and widows/widowers. No wonder they are tired and ragged all the time! I want this blog to inspire you to reach out and help someone. Whether it be a single parent, elderly person, or your neighbor that seems to be lonely. Humans are social creatures and if they aren’t asked about their day, smiled at, waved to, cooked for, helped to cross the street, and received some sort of acknowledgment they will be very lonely.


So if you know someone that just had a baby, take them some food. If you know an old lady bring her one of your old magazines and say hello for five minutes. If your neighbor is screaming at his kids again, see if he needs a five minute break and play tag with them or color the sidewalk with chalk. I know you are probably tired and overworked but suck it up, spread some love, and you’ll be glad you did. Overall, if your village has dwindled build it up again! By spreading joy to others you yourself will feel sustained!
(my brother, his daughter, my Granny, Ainsley, Me, and my dad)

Me again - So sorry to hear about your loss doll... i know that feeling all too well. As im sure we all do... and i totally relate to your "takes a village" statement too. I was raised by so many people. Such a huge family always willing to do their share and teach me a lesson or two.  It makes for very balanced people. Now sadly, we live in California and our only family here is our little family of four... its hard. REALLY hard. I really miss my village. Thanks for sharing with us this week.

Favorites Friday - ITS A GIRL!!

Oh future baby Maddie, I CANT WAIT FOR YOU! (yes Beki, Aymee is having a Maddie too!! They have had girl and boys' names picked FOREVER! The first time I met them, they were talking about it, lol) Anyways... ITS A GIRL!! And boy are you ALL in for a treat... In May there will be a HUGE blog shower for my bestie Aymee... Lots of awesome sellers are already getting in on the fun! For every gift that Aymee gets, were giving one away! So LOTS & LOTS of prizes... but for now... its favorites friday... so heres my wish list for my baby girl  Aymee's baby girl... Maddie.
(click to zoom in... i promise... even cuter close up!)

#1: RaeGun - Rocker Hot Pink Ruffle Diaper Cover (hmm... just MAYBE you will see a prize from RaeGun at the shower... *wink wink WINK*
#2: CushyTushyDesigns - Rock N Roll Princess hair clips
#3: JewliasCloset - Bad to the Bone Princess Chucks
#4: WeeCaboodles - Blackie
#5: RockerByeBaby - OF COURSE aymee will have one of these, haha
#6: FarrahsFancies - Shes a Spunky Princess hair clippies
#7: SarahSewta - JoJo Jr Minky Boo Boo Pack
#8: Shkoof - Pink Skulls SugarBabyLove
#9: Babyeliza - Punk Ballerina Tutu

FEATURED SELLERS! PLEASE get in touch with me if your interested in being a part of the HUGE blog baby shower. It will be great advertisement! Contact me for more info via etsy (RockerByeBaby) or email: rockerbyebaby@gmail.com We love your products and we would love to have you join in!
Thanks!

Thursdays Tunes: Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

So im hearing lots of talk through the grapevine about the new Trio record not being very good.... any input? I mean... im a huge trio fan... as are many of my friends... and i have tickets to see them April 1st! yay! Can't wait... but, the question of the day... New Alkaline Trio Record... This Addiction... Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Still Wordless Wednesday :)

My girl Alysia stopped over today with some work for the store... we hung out for awhile... and drooled over how ADORABLE Benjamin is... talked about how I need to make new clothes just so he can wear them... then *lightbulb* the hoodie!! and so it was done... I had the perfect size for him already made... so we threw it on and out to the patio we went... here are some of my fav's that i snapped... what do ya think?

Wordless Wednesday Eco @ the park

it's no secret that we lovvvve barley and birch... I snapped this photo with my iPhone yesterday at the park and just love it. Zaverys flowing hair... Adorable shirt...and running through the air, lol ... Pretty awesome shot if I must say so myself :)

Swinger Sunday - "A Walk of Faith"

This week - welcome an old friend, Jessie to the "mic"... Jessie has been through a whole heck of alot... and im so proud of her for having the courage to share her pregnancy story with you... as I remember hearing all about it with lil Ben. Such a strong mama for going at it again... and such a pretty little girl her strength has brought her this time around :)
Tonight I decided to continue to claim and accept a part of what makes me who I am - a survivor of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. I decided to do a walk to support awareness and raise money towards finding a cure and/or preventing the condition. Although I can say that in the past I have blamed myself in some sort of odd way for being a victim to this disorder or feeling inadequately made by my creator, I now know that it was never my fault and that God made me perfectly and that why this has happened to me now twice in my life is all but a bigger plan that I will someday know more about when I am laid at rest. What I know beyond all else is that my life has been incredibly blessed with two beautiful children and that my heart is at its happiest with the love I have for them. This walk I am doing, I feel, will sort of be a part of a healing process for me as well. I have sort of felt compelled to do this as well since the birth of my new two-week old daughter knowing that someday she will possibly face this condition as well as it can be hereditary. Last year I turned down doing this walk as it was too hard for me I feel emotionally to face up to the facts of what happened with the birth of my son and the emotional turbulence and shock of knowing my condition so I feel like I have made strides to do the walk this year and hope that I will continue on my journey of closure or peace.
For those of you who have never heard of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome (I never did either until it happened to me) is that Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.


Typically, preeclampsia occurs after 20 weeks gestation (in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters or middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia are closely related conditions. HELLP Syndrome and eclampsia are other manifestations of the same syndrome. It is important to note that research shows that more women die from preeclampsia than eclampsia and one is not necessarily more serious than the other.


Globally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. By conservative estimates, these disorders are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year.


I developed pre-e and HELLP with my son suddenly in 2008 at 35 weeks into my pregnancy. I had a rare case of pre-e with non-typical signs of the disorder. I became very sick after my delivery as my liver was affected. I had to be on magnesium sulfate for a few days after giving birth to prevent me from having seizures. My son did well with only needing some breathing help the first day and a half. He is a normal, beautiful, average young 21 month old currently and is such a joy to raise.


I developed pre-e and HELLP with my daughter recently the last week of February, again in my 35th week of pregnancy. Thanfully, doctors caught it in its early stages and I was able to deliver (as delivery of the baby is the only cure for the condition) a beautiful, glowing baby girl who did fantastic after delivery not even needing breathing help. I was able to avoid being on drugs after delivery and had a much shorter stay in the hospital than my first birthing experience. My daughter is doing wonderful at home and is just a doll - can't wait to see what sugar and spice she brings to us!

I am touched that Amber donated to my cause and has me as her blogger guest this Sunday. She is an amazing woman with a big heart for people. If you would like to donate to my walk on May 8th around Lake Phalen in St. Paul, Minnesota, please visit the following website: http://www.promisewalk.org/pfpw/participantpage.asp?fundid=68&uid=188&fkroledescid=5&nnaffundid=12
Thank you for your encouragement. :)
Me again guys! If you have a few bucks to spare PLEASE donate to Jessie's walk :) Her goal is $100 and she is only $65 away! YAYYY Jessie! If you want to donate less than $15 just put choose OTHER in the donation box and you can enter in your own dollar amount. Every $1 helps and is much appreciated. And Ill make you a deal... for every $1 you donate to Jessies cause, Ill match it in a gift certificate to RockerByeBaby up to $20 per person... Give Jessie $15... Get a $15 GC for the shop. Cool!? COOL!

Oh how Ive missed you

Part One:
Dear blog...
i love you... and im so sorry i have been neglecting you... dont take it personally I have just been SOOO busy... and my lovely readers... i appreciate every one of you for sticking around through the chaos... for those of you that didn't hear me ranting on Twitter... the owners of the house we were renting deciding to stop paying their mortgage... and put our rent in their pocket (enter mean name here)... this leaving are very busy family of for in a bad spot... one day, we got a note on our door saying the house was being sold... a week later the house sold to a private investor... and that night, we got a note on the door saying to call... we did... and had to be out in a week if we wanted any compensation for our troubles... so, we dropped everything and packed and moved... ugh... was a horrible week (10 day process i think)... just total chaos...  orders were/are backed up... kids were crabby... mom/dad were crabby... and thankfully nana flew out to save the day... uh... week. Dunno what we would have done without her help... so here we sit now... for our second night totally settled into our new place (that we totally love). Its kinda one of those blessing in disguise kinda situations... way happier here... way more productive... been walking with the boys every day... its just great. So (mean name) house owners... thanks for totally screwing us over so we could get our of your crappy house... Ill post some pictures of the new place later... we have tried really hard to really put this place together :) I like it!

Part Two: GLAMASAURUS!! Geesh, this giveaway has been going on FOREVER now!! Lots of ADV for my lady :) haha Now, LETS PICK A WINNER!!

Random.Org = 21!!
which is... *runs to go peek at post*
WHAT'S UP DUCK! Congrats!! Ill be in touch to get you your prize!!

What's up Duck? said... 21

And finally I already was a fan of glamasaurus on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/nutamu?ref=nf