Jessica's Blog

New perspective on motherhood...

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:22:00 GMT

I always said that I would be REAL in this blog. I would share real thoughts as we go through parenthood…and life as a parent. I stopped blogging for a bit because I was at a loss for words. Over the holidays, we got news that I had never expected. My mom got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Cancer? What? Pancreatic? MY mom? It still feels like a total bad dream that cannot be real, but unfortunately…it is. My mom is the lifeline of our family, the backbone to our lives, and literally exudes nothing but love. People who meet her think she’s so ‘cute’, fun, and generous. She’s my best friend and I can’t imagine life without her. *sigh.

I flew out to NJ from Chicago last week (at 37 weeks pregnant). I wrestled with the decision to fly out because it’s obviously risky to fly that late in the pregnancy. I went to the doctor and I was not showing any signs of going into labor any time soon. So, after weighing out the situation, my husband and I decided that it was worth going. My mom was heading into surgery to get the tumor out. You can never get that time back and my family needed me…I needed my family.

I’m sharing this right now…well, because for one, if my mom survives this (and she will), it will be a long road to recovery and it’s a priority in my life. I’m sure it will be a source of many reflections and newfound realizations as we experience so much of the upcoming unknown. Secondly, it made me really think about motherhood and the circle of life. As I was mourning over the news about my mom, I saw every interaction with Kayla in a different light. Every time she said, “momma…mommy…I want mommy”, I couldn’t help but think of myself doing that with my own mom when I was young. The way I feel about Kayla is the way my mom feels about her children. I couldn’t imagine leaving Kayla. The way Kayla feels about me is the way I still feel about my mom. The circle of life and parenthood is something that is fascinating and so beautiful.

This is just a reminder to all of us that every moment in life is a blessing. Every relationship, every child, every parent, every friend… Take the time every single day to share how you feel about that loved one in your life. Don’t wait for tragic news. I am known in my friend group to be the “cheesy one” because I will tell that person how I feel about them randomly as I feel it. You never know when life is going to take a turn. You never know when you won’t get a chance to tell someone how you feel.

Whether it’s to your parent or your child or your spouse or your friend…hug them everyday and tell them how much you love them.

(I'm now safely back in Chicago at 39 weeks pregnant already feeling contractions. Timing was nuts...thank God for keeping me safe throughout the flights. More to come on baby #2's arrival...) Thank you for everyone's heartfelt emails, messages, and support

More...

Angel project (ACTIVITY)

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:01:00 GMT

By now, you know how much I LOVE art projects that are easy to do at home...and the ones that capture their hands/feet are even better! So, while the holiday dinner is cooking or as you wait for guests to arrive, try this art project below! It's super cute and super easy! Don't forget to date it because you'll love seeing how small their hands/feet were at that time. (The body is her foot and the wings are her hands!)

NOTE: I NEED to give credit to our amazing friends, Anna, Lili, & John. They come up with many of these projects I share with you. Thanks, guys!!

Happy Holidays!

Thoughts on Discipline (VIDEO #6)

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:03:00 GMT

I'm NOT an expert, but here are my thoughts on discipline. It's a TOUGH topic and it's a continual learning process. Share YOUR thoughts with us, so we can learn from each other!

BabyToBe.tv's video review on BabbaCovers!

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:25:00 GMT

BabyToBe.tv is a great new video review site that shows parents the good and the bad of baby products! We were honored to be featured on their site...and they gave BabbaCovers a 5 rattle rating! :) Check it out. Linda Rihani, a mom herself, is so dynamic and super cute! We loved working with her.

Oh, you can still WIN a free BabbaCover by visiting her site and leaving a comment. Good luck!

*NOTE: the BabbaCover is put on backwards in this video. Goes to show you that it can be functional both ways, but I did design the BabbaCover to be put on with the label on the back side. It'll be a tighter fit and the bigger window will be in the front for your baby. :)

Santa-DVD gift - "Momma! It's ME!!!"

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:44:00 GMT

I just got a gift in the mail for my 2.5-year-old Kayla. It's an animated Santa DVD that is personalized with Kayla's actual name. It is super cute and Kayla absolutely loved it! When I first watched it myself, I wasn't sure how Kayla would react to it, but it was clear when she got SO EXCITED when she heard her name. She kept saying, "Kayla?? Just like me!" I told her it was especially FOR her and she went balistic. Little things like personalization is a huge thing for kids. I realized that first hand. It was adorable to see!

It's a 7-minute animated movie featuring a story of elves competing in a talent show. Kayla's name was featured several times both verbally and in writing. The story is cute and it was simple enough for Kayla to understand. It's a great personalized gift for the ages of 2-8. It's only $19.99, so it's affordable, yet special.

Here is the exterior case that comes personalized as well. You can create a special message to your child for the inside cover.

Here is the website to check out clips and offers. www.santa-DVD.com You HAVE to order before December 15th to get it in time for Christmas though!!

I don't usually write reviews just for the sake of writing reviews. I insist on paying for all the items I typically review because the price is a big part of how people feel about the product purchase. However, as a gift receiver of this DVD, Kayla reviewed this item for me. She loved it - so, I love it. :)

Road Show 2009 - comes to an end...

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:34:00 GMT

Finally, our 10th trade show of 2009 (9 of them within the last 6 months) ended and we are OFFICIALLY done with our road trip of 2009! :) What an incredible run going from New York to Vegas to Chicago and even International! We had a blast! Our last show was this past weekend in Chicago.

(There I am 33 weeks preggers!) Our second trade show in July, I just started announcing that I was pregnant. I thought it was only appropriate that our LAST trade show of 2009 was when it was more than obvious with my major bump! Some people thought I was faking it with a pillow inside my shirt JUST to get more sales! Hilarious.

So, how does a preggers CELEBRATE such an end to a journey? ICE CREAM/CUSTARD from CULVER's of course!! :)

This is really a HUGE thanks to ALL of the incredible people I met in all the cities & shows. THANKS to all the hard workers who help set up our booth, ship our products, and do all the things that are often overlooked! THANKS to the consumers, fans, and retail partners who make our manufacturing and development all worth it! We're ending this road show with a sweet ending! :) If you are ever in Chicago, give me a call, and the frozen custard is on ME! :)

NEW lower prices!!

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:35:00 GMT

SALE? Nope. BLACK FRIDAY event? Naw. USED? No way! This new LOWER pricing is here to stay! We are ecstatic to announce that we are lowering our prices of the BabbaCovers. Due to our volume success and operational efficiencies, we are able to pass on the savings directly to our consumers!! YAY!

New Prices can be seen on the Online Products tab. Basically, BabbaCover Snuggle Fleece goes from $89 to $65! BabbaCover Airy Cotton summer versions go from $60 to $50! How could we do this? Well, when we first started out, I was hand packaging and making everything. We were buying things in small quantities and paying the premium. Now, with the success of our product sales, we are moving on up and save on buying larger volumes! As SOON as we realized this was happening, we couldn't wait to pass those savings to you.

Thank you for all of your support and interest in our products! We are working on new products for 2010 and we're excited to hear what you think. I hope this new lower price will make it a bit easier to help protect your baby in style.

Also, we are now available on Amazon.com and our other GREAT new partners. Check out our store listing: www.babbaco.com/stores.aspx

Big hugs from us at BabbaCo!

29 hour Thanksgiving drive - Road Trip Learnings

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:50:00 GMT

29 hours? WHAT? Yes. We actually drove for 29 hours this weekend. We left at 5am on Wednesday and ventured out on our first family "road trip". 16 hours the way down to NJ and 13 hours on the road trip back to Chicago. Kayla is 2.5 years old. She's pretty good in the car, so we thought it wouldn't be so bad. In fact, it was somewhat exciting to be stuck so close together all day.

This is what I packed:

- TONS of snacks & drinks for Kayla and mommy/daddy

- DVD player that we borrowed from our friends (Thanks, Steve & Patty!). This was a cool Panasonic one that actually hooked onto the back of the front seat. This was super convenient with a lighter charger and Kayla thought it was super special. Before we borrowed this, we used to hold up our laptop for her - great for muscle building, but impossible for a long road trip ;)

- Books & coloring activities: I would sit in the back with her and go through the colors, pictures, etc. together. We would do this together just like we would at home. Makes the time fly away and has her forgetting that she's stuck in her car seat.

- Portable toddler potty with wipes/toilet paper: VERY convenient for those emergency "I have to go potty" moments when you're in the middle of nowhere. We just stop the car in a lot and have her potty in the back seat. Bring wet wipes to temporarily clean things down and you're good to go. Also more sanitary than some of those nasty rest stop bathrooms.

- Loaded up iPhone with a few great toddler applications - LIFESAVER

We didn't pack much, but we used everything! If I were to rank the above necessities for the trip, I would say the snacks/drinks & iPhone apps were the key essentials. I LOVE LOVE my iPhone. I don't know what I would do without it. As a parent, it's such a great tool for so many things like taking in-the-moment snapshots and providing entertainment for the kids.

There are 2 great iPhone apps that she LOVES and it's really enhancing her learning. I didn't want her to get started on video games just yet, so I focused on downloading "learning" apps. Check out the ones below:

1. iPlay n Learn application from Parents Magazine. Here is a link to a review: http://appadvice.com/app/331814911

Kayla loves all 3 sections of this app/game. It can really reinforce the shapes, letter, numbers, listening, following directions, etc. Even the tracing part is really cool. She can now actually draw some of the shapes and write letters/numbers because she practiced with this game. As a parent, I feel great that she's having a blast LEARNING! Check it out if you haven't already. The link should have direct links to how to get this application. I highly suggest it.

2. ANIMATCH - memory matching game. This is another game/application that she LOVES. It's a cute game of the traditional memory card game that makes the actual noises of the animals. It really enhances memory, the ability to understand the rules of the game, animal noises, etc. She can play this forever. Another great game that you can feel great about as a parent.

Other key tips for road tripping:

- Don't put on the DVD player with movies until you desperately need to. We always did the other activities first and then saved the movies for right before or after nap time. It's a great way to get them calmed down to sleep or a way to cheerfully wake them up.

- Instead of eating at the big rest plazas, find a place that has a play area like a McDonald's or family restaurant. After eating, having them run around & exert all their energy. Their feel more rested in the car. It's worth those extra 20 minutes - believe me.

- TALK a lot to them! This is a great time to talk about things you see outside, what you did yesterday, what you will do at grandma's house, etc. Kids get antsy in the car mostly because of boredom. Toddlers LOVE interacting with their parents the most, so take this opportunity to converse. :)

Happy road tripping if you have one coming up! Let us know how it goes and give us more tips/thoughts if you have them! Happy Holidays everyone!

(Our dog, Micah, enjoyed the road trip, too!)

"What Would YOU Do?" - lost blue bear

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:56:00 GMT

"WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" is the series of real-life situations where we need your input on how to handle certain parenting instances we're all faced with.

I was at the grocery store the other day with Kayla. We were doing our usual shopping - getting ready for Thanksgiving. I was in a rush, so I couldn't remember whether Kayla brought along her cute little "baby bear". As I was checking off my grocery list, I saw a mom with 3 girls carting around with a blue baby bear - very much like Kayla's. I recognized it thinking, "Hmm...is that Kayla's? No. It couldn't be hers. Why would a mom be playing with a lost bear?" The mom and her toddler in the cart were petting the bear, buckling it in the cart seat, etc.

I followed her around for bit just to observe. The baby bear is not very unique. It's a pretty generic bear, but I told myself, "if I don't ask now, I'll never forgive myself for checking." After all, this was a bear that Kayla received when she was just born.

I finally walked up to the mom and asked, "Excuse me. Is that your bear?" She hesitated and then replied, "Uh...no. We found it on the floor." I told her, "Yea...I think it's my daughter's bear." The MOM pouted and the toddler looked so disappointed. I felt so guilty for taking the bear...but, it was Kayla's bear that she dropped! I then noticed a pen mark that was on the bear's ribbon that made me SURE that it was our bear.

Even WORSE was that another woman saw the whole situation take place. As I walked passed her, that woman said, "y'know where you dropped it? I saw you drop it near the bread aisle." I was shocked that she didn't take the time to tell me at that moment when she saw my toddler drop it. What happened to the "community"? People are minding their business so much that they don't even help others out sometimes.

So, my question to you is: What would YOU do if you were me? Would you have asked the mom if that was your child's bear or just assumed that it wasn't?

What would YOU do if you were that MOM who found a bear on the floor? Would you leave it on the floor; return it to customer service; or take it for your own child? (There is no right answer. Of course, it's obvious how I feel about the situation, but I'm curious to know what other parents would do.)

Interview with BabbaDad Gary Vaynerchuk! (VIDEO #5)

jessicakim@babbaco.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:41:00 GMT

www.GaryVaynerchuk.com - I had a blast interviewing Gary. His book, CRUSH IT, is a #5 NY Times Bestseller and he has been whirling around the world on his book tour. He's a wine expert, social media guru, author, business genius, but...most of all, he's such a down to earth guy who LOVES being a new dad. Check out this video giving a new dad's perspective. Let me know what you think!

Gary, thanks for being part of the BabbaCo family!!