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| Hi there! This is a place where I share my random thoughts, startup stories, and real steps throughout the journey of being a mompreneur. Looking forward to hearing from you! |
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| Wednesday, September 23, 2009 2:16 PM |
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We're having a...
Thanks to everyone's emails and calls about the gender of our baby #2! Referring to my previous post about finding out the gender of your baby, I still think it's so funny and cute how people get SO curious! :)
This announcement entry is inspired by the comment left by Nicki on that post. Nicki, if you're out there, you DID guess a "boy" and we ARE having a boy. So, email me at jessicakim@babbaco.com (my personal email) and I will get your info to send you an organic cotton onesie or tee. :) You did guess after I posted it on Twitter (www.twitter.com/babbaco), but I trust that it was a true guess and I love how you actually played the game with me. :)
We're super excited to know what's kicking inside of me and most of all, we're thankful that the baby is healthy. I recently had some deep conversations with other moms that reminded me that a healthy baby can never be taken for granted. Every life, pregnancy, and child is a miracle. In the midst of every parent running around and trying to keep life together, just remember to count your blessings everyday and be thankful for health, love, and family.
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| Tuesday, September 22, 2009 4:25 PM |
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Happy 1st Birthday, BabbaCo!!!
One year ago to this very day, 9/22/08, BabbaCo's website and product was launched to the market! What an incredible year! What comes to mind first and foremost? GRATITUDE. I'm so thankful for the amazing team, supporters, investors, manufacturers, and of course, our awesome customers! I didn't realize I would love this industry as much as I do. Working with mompreneurs, babies, and experts in the field is amazing enough, but the fact that they are all genuine and warm people make life so enjoyable. THANK YOU!
 
These were my VERY first versions of the BabbaCover! It is crazy to think that this was almost 2 years ago. I remember staying up until 5am working on this design, googling "how to thread a bobbin" because I ran out of thread, and taking my 2-month-old daughter out in it the next day to test it out. You can see that it's not perfect! I actually glued a few pieces on instead of sewing them because I was exhausted. BUT, the main thing is that it got done. The greatest advice a seasoned entrepreneur told me was, "Just DO IT! GO for it." Every step takes you closer to the next one. Who knew that this little buggy would eventually be made in thousands within one year.
There is more to come from us at BabbaCo! We're just getting started. :) Our main goal: to connect with parents and provide solutions that make them love being parents even more! Thanks to all of you for an incredible first year. Huge HUGS and wet kisses from me! :)
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| Wednesday, September 09, 2009 1:50 AM |
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VIVA Las Vegas!
 We're heading to VEGAS!! BabbaCo is on a road show going everywhere we're needed! :) The ABC Kids Expo is in Vegas and it's our first time exhibiting at this show. We'll be part of the Modern Child Pavilion at booth #6036. Come by if you're around the Las Vegas Convention Center!
Am I up because I'm excited? Absolutely! Am I up because there is so much to do? Absolutely! Or am I up because Kayla took 2 extra hours to fall asleep tonight. I must have read Goodnight Moon and Bedtime Bunny 200 times. I was savoring the moments before having to leave her for a week. At the same time, I felt the little baby kicking inside of my tummy saying, "Go to bed already!!" Tonight is a total example of a typical night of mommyhood for me. Things are scheduled, yet unplanned. I have things to get done, yet I savor the moments. Is it a battle? I wouldn't call it that. It's more of a constant prioritization of what's in front of me. Thing WILL get done - even if it isn't in the original chronological order.
I'll be launching our first video blog in Vegas! I'll be keeping in touch, so keep the emails coming! My energy comes from all of you! :)
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| Tuesday, September 01, 2009 1:04 PM |
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I'm alive!
I'm alive I'm alive. Thanks for everyone's emails asking if I got lost in China or never made it back. :) I'm back in full force now. The trip to China was incredible. First off, the 16-hr plain ride...a pain or luxury? LUXURY!...at least to a mom. When do moms ever get the time to sit for that long watching 4 movies in a row, reading novels, and getting SERVED food! It felt like a resort. ha! My biz partner, Christine, and I were giggling like teenage girls having a sleepover. The staff kept telling us that we were the giddy row while everyone else was trying to survive the long flight.
Once we landed, my eyes were huge from excitement and readiness to soak everything in. If I had a super power, it would not be to be invisible or to be able to read minds. My one main super power would be to speak every single language known to mankind. Even aborigine tribe language would be amazing to know. We headed straight through the border to mainland China.
 
The week was filled with productive meetings, sourcing patterns and materials. Our team there is US-based and absolutely incredible. The quality is even better (is that possible?) and the efficiencies are ridiculous. We were very pleased with what our production could be. Right now, we are still made in the USA. I'm so proud of being an American and having everything made at "home". We are also, however, trying to be the most efficient with transportation, costs, and carbon footprint. So, it makes sense to start transitioning.
I'm an open book when it comes to disclosure, so all of you will know how we're made and where things come from. It's just how I feel as a consumer, mom, and entrepreneur. Please email me or comment below on any questions you may... Read More »
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| Sunday, August 09, 2009 11:20 PM |
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3-2-1 Blast off!
I'm packing up to head overseas! A lot of our suppliers are overseas and I find it so crucial to know where everything comes from. As you know, all of our products are made in the United States, but a lot of the components are made elsewhere. Where is everything made? Who is making them? I'm curious to know and anxious to meet everyone. There are so many misconceptions about overseas manufacturing and products. I need to see it all for myself to make sure it's compliant with what we believe in - safety, fair trade, top quality, good people.
So, come along on my journey! I'll be updating this blog, but check out our Twitter and Facebook fan page for more pics and news.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/babbaco
Facebook: www.facebook.com/babbaco
Back to packing...
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| Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:35 AM |
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Hot Dog or Hamburger? Is it a boy or girl?
 
The one BIG question all pregnant women get is: "Is it a Boy or Girl? Are you going to find out?" The curiosity of knowing the gender of what's growing inside of the belly is overwhelmingly common with strangers and family alike. With the first pregnancy, we found out immediately. We couldn't WAIT to find out! With this second pregnancy though...we also can't wait to find out. In fact, we're even more anxious to find out the gender! The technician called it the "hamburger" or "hot dog". Get it? After seeing thousands of ultrasounds, she said that she looks for those profiles. Hilarious!
The decision to find out or to keep it a secret is a big one for some. There are the obvious reasons why people want to find out: to plan, to get appropriate color gifts, to stop guessing, etc. More than the planning, I personally think the greatest benefit is KNOWING who this little human is and feeling a closer bond. All of a sudden, it's not "the baby", but it's "my little man" or "my girl". I can actually talk to her, pray for her, think about her, and push myself to be healthier for her. It just made it more real for me and for many others who have shared the same decision. A mom of 2 actually said it was great to know in order to make it more real for the older sibling.
However, there is another side to it all. NOT finding out could be a great thing! For some reason, most of my close friends all didn't find out. They said the secret was exciting, a fun guessing game, a great anticipation and motivation to run to the finish line. I can see it being something to really look forward to...adding another element to the miracle of childbirth. Afterall, in the ol' days, there were no ultrasounds to "find out" at the magic 20th week, so why do it now?
Ultimately, when you make the decision to find out or not, I would... Read More »
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| Monday, August 03, 2009 3:24 PM |
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"What would YOU do?" mondays
"What would YOU do?" Mondays will be my time to bring up real life situations that we ALL go through as parents, but wonder what other people would have done in that situation.
This week's topic: Restaurant mishaps.
We went out to eat brunch with a few friends yesterday. Kayla isn't a huge fan of eggs and pancakes, believe it or not. So, I brought along her favorite chicken soup (actually the one I blogged about below). Everything was dandy until she got a little antsy. I put her on my lap as she ate and before we knew it, I turned around quickly and flicked over her tupperware of chicken soup and rice. OH NO!
It went ALL over the place! The tupperware was like a egg bomb that blew up and splattered carrots and potatoes and rice in all directions. We immediately saw that this man sitting behind us was a bit splattered on his black suit!! I felt HORRIBLE! It wasn't that much - maybe it was about 4 small spots. Peter and I started wiping his suit, apologizing profusely. He was okay with it all saying that it wasn't a big deal.
We ended up giving him $10 for dry cleaning. We insisted on him taking it. He thanked us and reiterated that it was okay.
What would YOU have done in that situation? What HAVE you done in that situation? If it were a regular t-shirt, would you still pay him for the washing?
We did feel better that we gave him some $$ as an apology, but some friends say that it was unnecessary. Please share your thoughts! You can help us all in our next restaurant mishap! :)
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| Friday, July 31, 2009 3:27 PM |
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Chicken soup = my lifesaver during motherhood
 If I added it all up, I must have eaten over 10,000 lbs of chicken soup in the last 2 years...maybe even more! When a woman gives birth, there is a Korean tradition to eat nothing else but just soup, specifically this Korean seaweed beef soup called Mee-yuk-gook. (Side note: Kayla, now 2.5 says, "Can I have yuck soup again, momma?" I think I'm messing her up with what "yuck" really means.)
After a whole week of nothing but that Mee-yuk-gook seaweed soup, I needed to figure something else out. I stopped eating soup and just ate whatever I could find around the house - mostlly quick sandwiches, takeout, etc. After a week of not eating soup, my milk (breastfeeding) was drying out!!! I wasn't producing enough. I was devastated and tried everything. Then, I realized that the old tradition actually makes sense! The more liquids you put into your body, the more it will produce. (We all know that already from the beer drinking days, right? The more beers, the more trips to the bathroom. Who knew it applied to breastfeeding, too! :) )
So, here comes my lifesaver chicken soup recipe that I made every single week! I made it throughout breastfeeding, throughout Kayla's toddler eating years (GREAT nutrition), and even now as I'm pregnant with my second. It is the simplest recipe EVER! Once you read it below, you'll think I'm crazy that it even has to be written, but I'm doing this for all of my friends who keep asking me to "WRITE IT DOWN!".
This literally takes me less than 20 minutes to prep from start to finish. Kayla likes to even watch me chop everything. She eats a carrot as we talk about each veggie name, color, & flavor. It's a GREAT teaching time for your kids. When you let it boil, I serve the family another dinner or give Kayla her bath, etc. It's a GREAT recipe to get other things done while it cooks.
"Lifesaver Chicken Soup"
Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground chicken/turkey
... Read More »
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| Wednesday, July 22, 2009 2:33 PM |
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Show your stuff, baby!
 
We LOVE trade shows! It's a great way to interact with new accounts, existing customers, and fellow mompreneurs! As long as you wear comfortable shoes (this is where the rule "fashion hurts" is broken), then you're set. We united with a few other great kids-related products for the show and we had a blast! We had wine, cheese, and candy everywhere. I will be following up with specific products that we now love! My lil' K is now using some of them (like the 4 Peas backpacks, Yikes Twins towels, and Constructive Eating utensils), and we're huge fans.
This show for some reason was a great reminder of banding together with other entrepreneurial companies. I love seeing what people are creating and promoting. There were family-owned businesses, mompreneurs, rep groups, and inventors. The energy you get from someone talking about their creations is awesome. The best advice I got from an experienced entrepreneur was "JUST DO IT!" He may have stolen that from Nike, but that phrase has layers of meaning. Just take that next step because every step is closer to getting that sale, accomplishing your goal, and creating the next big thing. I love watching people chasing their dreams. JUST DO IT!
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| Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:47 PM |
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Can vomit say "I love you"?
The answer is YES! I had a very interesting morning. It's my hubby's birthday (yeah!) and we were finally going OUT to celebrate. So, I woke up extra early, got Kayla ready earlier, had everything set for the day to be productive, and we were right on track....until 8:30am. As we were driving in the car on the way to school, Kayla was singing her usual "Itsy Bitsy spider" songs, etc. Then, all of a sudden, she started squirming like crazy. "Kayla baby, are you ok? We're almost there. Don't worry." She kept squirming and moaning. Then...it happened.
She threw up everywhere! *sigh. I was shocked and worried. Even as an infant, Kayla never really threw up at all. This is literally the 3rd time she ever vomited. She looked shocked, too. Then started saying, "oooo...dirty. Very dirty, mommy." I turned around, went home, and literally had to cancel all of my meetings, plans, etc.
The PRE-mommy Jessica would have been frustrated and frantic about getting everything done. But, for some weird reason, I felt an overwhelming sense of LOVE. I felt LOVE for Kayla. I felt LOVE for being a mom. I felt her love for me as she said, "thank you, mommy! I better. You happy? I happy." These are the times that moms make a difference. I cleaned her up, put her in comfy sweats, cleaned the car, and just watched a movie with Kayla as I stroked her back.
The vomit on my cute new outfit (ready to go out after work), the cancelled meetings and work...it all didn't matter! The day was a bonus day spending relaxing time with Kayla making sure she was feeling better. I later laughed about it saying that there is nothing better than being a mom. Who plans for this kind of stuff? No one, but I learned to LOVE the unplanned moments of truly taking care of this little munchkin.
(Don't get me wrong. I don't want it to happen again soon! I can feel LOVE in other, cleaner ways.)
... Read More »
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| Wednesday, June 24, 2009 1:04 PM |
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My hilarious meeting with Eddie George!
This is somewhat of an embarrassing story, but a few weeks ago, BabbaCo had a booth at an entrepreneurship conference. It was great! We had a blast sharing our company and products with everyone. Mid-morning, this guy comes to the table and seemed very interested in the BabbaCover. We greet him and start our pitch. Then, I noticed his name tag and asked him, "Oh, do you work at FeldCo (a local well-known window company)?" He looked confused...and then I realized that EVERYONE has the FeldCo logo on their name tag because they are the main conference sponsor. (doh!) He tells me that he is a second year MBA student. So, we continue talking about what he'll do when he 'graduates' and what he's interested in. He was extremely articulate and smart. He talked about his interest in venture capital opportunities, entertainment, entrepreneurship, etc.
Once our conversation ends, he actually buys a BabbaCover Piggy in PInk style for a friend of his! Once he left, my friends around me said, "Jessica, do you know who he is??" I reply, "I think his name was Eddie George, he's a second year." They literally smack me and say, "He is an NFL football legend!! He won the Heisman Trophy (the most prestigious athlete award) and is a LEGEND. His wife was on the latest Survivor where the public fell in love with her. etc. etc. etc." MAN! I had no idea! I watch football occasionally...mostly at Super Bowl parties. I enjoy it, but I don't keep up with it. I can certainly, however, appreciate an incredible athlete who accomplished so much!!
So, Eddie George is our newest customer! :) All I have to say is that I got to meet him for who he is as a person vs. being star struck. He is an incredibly humble, articulate, intelligent, and driven guy. He even emailed the next day saying how great it was to learn about BabbaCo and told us how much he liked our products! What a nice guy!! Thanks so much, Eddie George!! :)
Read More »
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| Tuesday, June 09, 2009 1:37 PM |
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Capturing those memories...
Don't you have those moments where you crack up at your baby or kids and say, "I have to write that down", but you never do? Maybe they said or did something hilarious or super sweet that you want to remember forever. I tried journaling both on paper and on computer, but it just got overwhelming to keep up with it. I'm still trying the photo albums, but I just have a pile of pictures in my folders. You don't need anything fancy or elaborate. You just want to remember, so you can share them with your babies when they grow up.
I just discovered 2 ways of doing this from 2 super dads.
1. Your phone!! My good friend, Troy, keeps an ongoing log of these events and phrases from his kids on his Blackberry note function. When it happens, he just types away. When we were on a business trip, he shared memories from when his kids were 2 years old! They are now 8. So, he kept this method up for a long time. Here are some of his entries:
3/9/2005 - (4 yrs old daughter, a day after her doll’s rocking chair had been taken because she was abusing it) "Daddy I think we need to review the rules of the house. When someone says 'please' that means you should do what they ask. Like 'please can I have my rocking chair back.'"
02/08/2008: (3.5 yrs old son) - Wanting to play with a new Lego set labeled 7 - 15 yr olds, I explained that the pieces were too small and he could play with it when he turned 7 yrs old. He ran off to his room and came back saying "Daddy, I am ready for the game - I have my binoculars so I will be able to see the small pieces!"
2. Google Word Doc!!! Today, my hubby just shared with me a Google Word doc of all the funny stories about lil' K. I had no idea he was keeping something like this. It melted my heart. Lil' K will grow up with all of these sweet memories. Now, we share the document on Google, so I can add my stories to it throughout the day. Here is an excerpt from it:
1/10/2009 (23 months) We were watching Sesame Street and they were showing a clip... Read More »
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| Tuesday, June 02, 2009 10:50 AM |
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Airy Cotton kicks off the summer!
 
FINALLY! The Airy Cotton is here and ready to protect your babies from the sun and UV rays! This product took a lot of our energy in the last few months. We had to get the design and SPF testing exactly right! We are SO SO happy that it is finally here...
Inspiration...
We got SO many requests from Florida, California, Arizona, Hawaii...and all the SUMMER baby mommas to create a version for the summer. This is such an example of the power of real moms with great suggestions! Initially, I was going to create a simple, cotton cover, but then I took a trip to sunny Cali with my daughter. As I was slathering sunscreen on her arms and securing a SPF hat on her, I talked to a mom of a 3-month-old next to me. She said, "I can't wait until I can take my baby outside with sunscreen. She's too young now."
It hit me! Too young to go outside because of the sun? Absolutely not! But, the fear of sunburn on their delicate skin is completely valid. So, I created the Airy Cotton BabbaCover with SPF and UV protected 50+ fabric, so it shields your baby from the harmful sun and rays. The fabric has been officially tested and approved by the International UV Testing Laboratories. The sides are completely airy with mosquito netting, so your baby stays nice and cool inside. It also keeps the pesky bugs out!
So, go out and enjoy the nice weather and outdoor activities! We got you covered...
Doctors recommend...
Parents all know that babies need to be protected from the sun. It's commonly known that sunscreen is not recommended for babies younger than 6 months. Here is what the real sources say:
"Protecting babies from sun exposure is extremely important. Not only will this help them avoid serious skin damage for the future, but babies are more vulnerable than children and adults to burns and overheating or heat stroke. While sunscreens can protect infants from burning, the best way to avoid heat stroke in young babies under 6 months is by keeping them out of direct sun." Dr. Andy Bernstein, Northwestern Suburban Pediatrics
... Read More »
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| Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:26 PM |
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Is it a BOY or GIRL?? SATIN BOOTY!!...
 Imagine having to put a 1,000 piece puzzle together...just to find out the sex of the baby! Well, a friend of mine made her parents put together a huge puzzle just to find out. She and her hubby put it together, wrote a message on the back, and then sent it to their parents. It took them 3 days (very impressive) to put it together, but they really enjoyed it! Her hubby even encoded the gender within the note on the back!
It's so interesting how people are finding such creative ways of sharing the gender of their baby with others. Man, I basically just emailed people and told them "it's a girl..woohoo". I didn't even think of it as a creative opportunity! I love it though!!
That same friend then sent out a text message to non-family members with the following message: "Scramble word of the day: SATIN BOOTY". When I first received this, I immediately thought of underwear or something. (Sorry, I was still in potty training mode. Although on second thought, why did I think that? Toddler underwear is NOT made of satin! Anyways...you're now entering my random stream of consciousness.) ANYWAYS... I sat there thinking for a minute and then realized it unscrambles to..."IT'S NOT A BOY". How fun and tricky. Again, I love it.
My co-worker's friend actually created a conference call for those who wanted to find out the gender of her baby. Yes...she actually created a call-in number with an access code! Hilarious! We called in and everyone was waiting for the big news. Once she shared she was having a girl, we all cheered and clapped. So funny!
I love how people are getting so creative with every aspect of having a baby! It just shows the excitement and fun around this amazing experience. I definitely need to step it up with my second baby (no, I'm not pregnant). Maybe I'll rent a skyscraper...nah, that might confuse other expectant moms. Maybe I'll create a fortune cookie message...? I need to get some ideas from all of you out there. Impressive...and fun.
... Read More »
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| Wednesday, May 06, 2009 12:53 AM |
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Insomnia or parenthood?
It's 2am and I'm wide awake. The television is on. I'm watching my TiVo recorded Oprah Show episode, catching up on Facebook news, doing laundry, and editing our new packaging design. The rest of the house is quiet, which is so nice!
I have always been a late nighter my whole life. I never remember having a set bedtime, I averaged 3 hours of sleep in college, and I bought too many things on late night infomercials (remember the thigh master and the potato rotato peeler?).
Now that I'm a mom, I cherish these hours! 10pm-2am is the sweet slot of time where it's MINE. I read what I want (besides board books), I eat what I please (instead of Cheerios off the floor), and I can sit in silence (just sitting is nice!). I also get some of the best work done during these hours because I can finish one task without being interrupted. Even if I'm a bit tired in the morning, it's all worth it because the time is so sweet.
The hilarious thing is that I'm not the only one who feels this way!! I now call this time slot "PARENT Power HOURS". Being a mom-owned business, I do a lot of business with other parents. I joined Twitter a few weeks ago (www.twitter.com/babbaco) and since it's LIVE, I realized all the other parents are up tweeting at this late night time. When I email our mom-owned retailer partners at 1am, they reply to the email within 2 minutes. It's now common to end meetings with "Let's follow up on this...probably at 11pm later today, right? (chuckle) After the kids go down and we have some quiet."
This is what I do love about technology. It allows us parents to balance. We can spend more time with our families during the day, yet still connect with the world that would have been 'sleeping'. This is just a THANK YOU from a working mom to Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, those who claim to have invented the internet, and the other Insomniac parents out there who love their "power hours".
... Read More »
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| Monday, April 20, 2009 10:32 AM |
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Our new product - BabbaBurpies LAUNCH today!
Finally, we can officially launch the BabbaBurpies today! Check out the pics below!
The story behind the BabbaBurpie:
Little K was a drooler and spitter. I ALWAYS carried around a burp cloth and used several a day. I was out one day and Little K had a MAJOR spit up session. I only had one burp cloth with me. I used every inch of it, but it wasn't enough. I ended up crumpling it up and shoving it in my diaper bag. When I got home, I took it out and the mess got everywhere. After doing this several times, I created the BabbaBurpie. It's a burp cloth that is like 2-in-1. When one side gets dirty, stained, or wet, literally turn it inside out and you have a clean, dry side. If your baby really spits up 'stuff', then you can contain it as if the burpie was a pouch. It won't mess up your diaper bag then!
It's a SIMPLE idea, but it hasn't been done before at all! Our design (patent pending) is another BabbaCo type of product - simple. functional. super cute. As a mom trying to balance all that life brings, every product I buy or create HAS to be functional. I'm a really practical mom. I don't buy excessive toys or things (athough my hubby would disagree with that statement. hehe). I'm just like every mom out there who needs some HELP. So, BabbaCo is trying to do that via innovative products, recipe sharing (soon to come), and whatever else I discover along this journey.
BabbaBurpies make a great baby shower gift, hospital visit gift, or "I need one for myself" item! Something that is really new out there, but something that parents will truly appreciate.
How do I name the product styles?
Every product style is named after an inspirational mom, a baby who touched our lives, or someone who has a great message. For example, Anna & Lili is... Read More »
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| Friday, April 17, 2009 1:32 AM |
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The big Day 3 of Potty Training
Today is Day 3!! So, the unfortunate thing is that I needed to go back to work! Something urgent came up and I had to take her to our sitters. I guess that's the reality of a motherhood though. Whether you're working, staying at home, or juggling multiple children, there may be hiccups to the 3-day plan. As one mom wrote to me, life cannot fully be put on hold.
With that said though, I stuck to the potty training Day 3. Little K kept dry all night. One of the potty training "rules" or suggestions is to stop liquid 2-3 hours before bed time. This was really hard for us because we eat around 7pm and she likes to drink some milk before bed. So, I'm weaning her off of milk right before bed. I still bring it up as part of the routine, but it has maybe a few sips in it. Little K just says, "all done" afterwards and doesn't realize how little there is in the cup.
Our sitters have a handful of kids and they are amazing at keeping up with potty training, so things went well during the day. Little K went potty there successfully...but, also had 1 accident - during her nap. She didn't go #2 the whole day. I consider this a great achievement, but it's still not completely potty trained 100%.
Here are my overall thoughts on my personal experience with potty training. Take what you want from it, but you asked me to share my real time experience with you.
- Just like everything about parenting, no ONE method fits all. The influx of feedback from you out there made me realize that there are so many variables that are crucial elements of potty training. For example, type of childcare. Some have a nanny at home. Some have a pre-school type care. Others have a smaller environment homebased care. This makes a difference on the urgency of potty training, too. Some daycares don't accept kids who aren't potty trained, so that parent has to figure something out quicker. The obvious elements are the child's personality and the parent's personality. Some parents don't believe in giving up a full... Read More »
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| Friday, April 17, 2009 12:53 AM |
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Day 2 of potty training
Sorry to those who may not have kids and feel uncomfortable discussing pee. It's just the reality of having a toddler. I'll be back blogging about normal things in a few days. :) THANK YOU to those who emailed, messaged, and left comments for me. The overwhelming bond and opinions are so helpful. Please continue to comment on the blog, so other readers can benefit from your wisdom!
So, Day 2 was much better! I have to admit that I was exhausted after Day 1 and I was dragging my body in the morning. Little K came into our room at 7am and usually, she would have to drag me out of bed asking for 'jelly stix' (her morning toast sandwiches). This morning though, she said, "jelly stix", and I kept my eyes closed. Then, she said, "potty", and I immediately shot up and ran her to the potty. Nothing happened though. Now, she knows what to say to get me out of bed.
We went to play downstairs, but I was more prepared that day. I didn't have any scheduled work or calls. I was there to solely be Mommy Potty. It helped because I was more in tune with when she would have to go. I kept asking her the first hour, but she kept saying "no". Then, after her breakfast, she asked for the potty. I ran her over and YES YES YES! She went potty IN the potty! We danced, I cheered, and she was proud. I gave her a chocolate covered pretzel. I never gave her that before, so it was a BIG treat. By the way, the whole "go nuts when your kid goes potty" thing is up to interpretation. I am a hyper spaz to begin with, so my "going nuts" actually made Kayla look at me weird. She was over it after a while. I realized a truly genuine strong hug and a "Mommy is SOOO proud of you" actually communicated it better to her. Again, every child is different, so just figure out how your child receives the applause.
The whole day was overall much better than Day 1, but there were still accidents. Little K is still figuring out her timing of when she has to go. She was say "potty", sit on the chair, and then nothing would happen. 30 seconds after getting up, she would go. As the day progressed, she got better at the timing.
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There is always something happening at BabbaCo. We're developing new products, sharing stories/tips on what we figured out the hard way, and just trying to be ourselves. Read along as Jessica and her parent friends live this life as "mom" and "dad".
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