Go Graham Go: Parenting | Recipes | DIY | Brand Ambassador | Product Reviews | NC Mom Blog

There were so many things that my husband and I said we were going to NOT do for Graham before he was born. You know, things like, "We will never let him in the bed with us and create a bad habit," (rule broken on our vacation when he was disoriented and woke up at 4 every morning) or things like "We are not going to be those parents who let their child become obsessed with Elmo." Ok, reality check...you don't get to CHOOSE what they fall in love with! Cars, or beep beeps as he calls them, airplanes, and choo choo trains are among the faves but Elmo takes the grand prize ribbon on most occassions!

What is it about Elmo? Does anyone know the answer to this question? I have yet to meet a toddler who does NOT love Elmo. (If you have one I really want to know). My only thoughts are that Elmo is easy to relate to and appealing because of his bright red color. His voice sounds very child-like and therefore easy to relate to? Elmo is like the Baby Einstein for Toddlers!!

FYI: Our local Target has a TON of Elmo items featured in their $1 section right now! Those Elmo stickers make for great potty training rewards (there are also some cute Elmo socks we couldn't resist). You can check out www.sesamestreet.org for games, videos and more if you need even more of an Elmo fix!

Graham has been showing a lot of interest in potty training lately. He has his days when he isn't very interested at all and then other days he is all over it! I happened upon the Elmo's Potty Time DVD last weekend and thought, "Hmmm...Elmo + Potty = Success!" Very true! Graham has shown the most interest now than ever before! Could it be a coincidence? Possibly...but I tend to lean towards the Elmo charm factor! La, La, La, La....La, La, La, La.... Elmo's World.. for real!!!

You all have probably seen my reviews of First Juice lately! It all started when I went to Babies R Us for some diapers and juice (yes I ran out of both at the same time)! First Juice is organic, comes in a BPA free bottle, and contains carrots! That's right, vegetables in juice! The best part is that Graham actually likes it! This makes it easy to sneak in the veggies all while giving him less sugar!

Make sure you check out my reviews of First Juice here: First Juice and here: Purple Power!

Here are some quick facts about first juice:

I think the hardest part about nursing for me was what to do in public! I usually found myself sequestered in the car, cramped up, trying to make do! I would bring along a blanket and attempt to hide myself. The problem was, Graham hated the blanket! He didn't like to have his head covered! He would cry and throw the blanket off!

How I wish I had learned about Lila Bean before having Graham! Now I want everyone to know about it! Lila Bean is a stylish nursing cover that has several unique features! These beautiful nursing covers are mom invented! What first attracted me to Lila Bean was the fact that it has a collar that is open that allows your baby to maintain eye contact! Of course, if you have a baby that would rather be covered you can pull it up higher. Most babies and moms have a better nursing experience when eye contact is made.




The Lila Bean is also the ONLY nursing cover that cocoons your baby! Babies love to be cozy and snug, especially when they are little. This is the reason why most babies prefer to be swaddled at night time (they were cocooned for 9 months in mother's womb). The Lila Bean has a gathered edge that gives shape to the fabric and can wrap around as much or as little of the baby as you would like!

There are 19 different stylish fabrics to choose from in the cotton Lila Bean. They also feature a silk option (lined with cotton) in 4 fabric options.

With so many different nursing covers to choose from out there, it is nice to find one that also offers versatility! The Lila Bean comes in a carrying pouch that can also double as a diaper and wipes case. Use the Lila Bean as a front carrier cover or car seat cover when it is chilly or sunny out! You can also use it as a stroller cover for when you little one falls asleep! The Lila Bean retails for $65. If you think about it, you are actually getting 5 products for that most moms buy separately (car seat cover, diaper case, etc.) for $13 a piece!!

You don't have to tell me twice that having some sort of air filtration system in your home is a must! I have two cats and a dog and a husband who is allergic to both living in my home! We have been relying on the air purifiers that are good for about half the house or maybe even only one large space. It can be expensive, but we have talked about putting in a whole home air filtration system. With allergy season rolling around, we really need to take another look at this!

The American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning’s AccuClean™ whole home air filtration system can be attached to your existing furnace or air handler, so you don’t need to renovate your home to install it. Once installed, AccuClean removes allergens from the air in every room of the house, as opposed to plug-in air cleaners that operate in only one room (like what we have). We normally keep it in our bedroom, but it is a pain to move it around when you know you are having company over who may have cat allergies. It would be so much simpler to have it automatic!

They say that the AccuClean removes virtually all allergens in your home: well, up to 99.98%, and you can’t get much closer to 100% than that! Additionally, the system removes more than 99% of the common flu virus. It’s 100 times more effective than the standard one-inch filters and actually easy to clean by simply vacuuming or washing the reusable filter.

Great news! If you live in the Charlotte, NC area you can register to win your very own AccuClean! Find a local AccuClean Dealer here: AccuClean.

Most of you already know that I am a school counselor. Well, it seems like half of our school, faculty included, has come down with the flu! I had something that resembled the flu just a couple of weeks ago myself! The scary part is that it is effecting some people who received the flu shot! I can only imagine how bad it is for those who did not receive the flu shot!

Did you know that the CDC expanded the flu vaccination guidelines to include all children six months through 18 years old? Graham got his flu shot when he was 6 months old. I make sure to get one every year. Based on that information, only 16% of parents of teens are aware of this recommendation. I do understand that there are several reasons why parents may opt out of this (immune disorders, etc.).

I have heard from some of these teens about all of the things they are missing out on! Ball games, clubs, tournaments, and just hanging out with friends in general. The main thing they are missing is school! There is so much pressure to perform well in high school now, because college has become HIGHLY competitive! The flu takes them out for at least a week, which at our school, is like missing several weeks!

American Idol finalist Brooke White has teamed up with infectious disease specialist and author of Germ Proof Your Kids, Dr. Harley Rotbart, and The Clorox Company to launch I Don't Want to Miss..., a national contest that puts teens in the spotlight to talk about flu education and prevention. The heart of the program is a PSA contest in which teens can submit a short 45-60 second video entry to IDontWantToMiss.com, sharing what they most don't want to miss out on and why that makes flu prevention important. What a fun, creative challenge for our teens and their friends!

The winning contestant will win an acoustic concert from former American Idol finalist Brooke White at his/her school! The second place winner will receive a guitar autographed by Brooke White herself, and three runners-up will win autographed photos.

I know how creative teens can be, and this would be a fun way to win a pretty cool prize for their school while raising awareness for an important cause! Go check it out!

If you want to twitter about this use hashtag #dontwanttomiss.

It is hard to find a store that has EVERYTHING you are looking for when it comes to babies and toddlers. Sure, we all have the huge stores that offer us all of the same old stuff...but...what about the things that are REALLY worth our money and are safe, special, and really work for our kids? It can be confusing when you are pregnant or a first time mom and weeding through the piles of products available. I remember searching through the product reviews when I was pregnant and my head would be spinning! Well, I have found the store that has done all of the work for you: Best For Babies!

The number one concern of Best For Babies is the safety of the items they offer! You can rest assured knowing that they have actually used the products before offering them for sale. This unique store can provide any answers to questions that you might have about the products offered because of this! You can even set up your gift registry! Best For Babies was founded by moms who know which takes the pressure off of you to find the best. They also care about the community and offer a portion of their proceeds to The Matthew Bittker Foundation which helps fund pediatric cancer research.

An example of some of the great items they offer are the K's Kids Pull Back Autos! These cute little cars have quickly won the heart of Graham! The first day he got them, when he wasn't playing with them, he walked around with them tucked under his arm! They go just about every where with him!

Now, Graham loves ANYTHING car related, but I love these cars more than any other he owns (trust me, he owns several). Why, you ask? Well ladies and gentlemen.....you can throw them in the washing machine when they are dirty!!! That's right, you just unfasten the Velcro from the bottom and pop the base and wheels out! I also love how versatile and safe they are! These are the first plush cars that actually work that I have seen and there are 4 to a pack! You just pull them back and let them go (and they are very speedy even on the carpet)! The K's Kids Pull Back Autos can also serve as plush stacking blocks. You can purchase the Pull Back Autos for $30 at www.bestforbabies.com!



True to Best For Babies word, the K's Kids products hold some of the highest safety standards and have won 18 awards! I honestly had never heard of K's Kids until Best For Babies! I am so excited to have found a quality store that truly has their customers and community in mind!

Honestly, when I started this website about 7 months ago, I never dreamed of all the things I would learn. I feel like there is something new every day! I love to learn though and have enjoyed the journey!

It all started out by me scouring the Internet to find the best products at the best prices when I was pregnant. I am a bit of a review fanatic and like to KNOW that I am getting the most for my money! But this website has turned into so much more!

The best and most important thing about this site is the connections that I have made along the way! Connections are a pretty big deal to me. I guess that is the counselor in me coming out...but...it is so true! If you stop and think about it, what would we be without the many connections we have made throughout our lives? Life would be pretty dull huh? I am amazed with the PR reps and sponsors I have had the opportunity to work with so far and how willing they are to help and give feedback. Of course, we all know how valuable it is to have the genuine connections you make among other bloggers (especially mommy bloggers). There is a wealth of information and support we give to each other daily! I have recently learned of a great company that is also quite found of connections: Label Daddy! They create personalized labels for your kid's stuff that are microwave, washer and dryer, and dishwasher safe! Guess what? They are offering to send one lucky blogger to the BlogHer '09 conference for FREE! Talk about being supportive!

I have also made a wonderful friend through all of this, Piera from Jolly Mom. We honestly do talk every day on Skype and about once a week on the phone to help each other out or just to vent! Who knew blogging could do all this?

As much as I am enjoying this experience, it will never compare to what I do In Real Life. I am a school counselor. I am honored every day I walk into that school to work at such a wonderful place and with such great students and co-workers. It is such a blessing to watch these students grow and learn as the years go on. I'm not saying that it is not a stressful job because it definitely is. However, the rewards far out weigh any negatives! Here is living proof. My Label Daddy BlogHer '09 Sponsorship Entry done by two students who are definitely going places!

My talented mother-in-law created this lamp for Graham's room. He has a jungle theme and and this lamp is perfect! It honestly looks like one of those lamps you would spend a couple hundred dollars on!

She bought a lamp kit and put this together using a flower pot! She used filler and applied moss to the top as well as the fake grass! The jungle animals are adorable and add just the right finishing touch!

Isn't it beautiful?

If you are participating in Make Something Monday please be sure to leave a comment so that we can all come by and see your creation!

I made the mistake of choosing one of the inexpensive carriers for my baby registry when I was pregnant. I thought, why would anyone spend so much money on a carrier? Well, I soon found out why!! You get what you pay for! The carrier I registered for was HORRIBLE! It only allowed you to carry from the front (forward and back facing) and by the time Graham was 3 months old the strain on my back was unbearable!

One of my close friends has a terrible back and experienced the same thing with her carrier. She is the one who brought my attention to the ERGO Baby Carrier first! Once she told me about it I knew it had to be one of the best on the market. Her back is so bad that it completely goes out and she has to walk around bent in half! If she has no trouble with the Ergo... then I am a believer!

I recently had the opportunity to try the Ergo myself and I am sold! I can't believe that I can put my almost 2 year old son in the carrier and be comfortable when I couldn't even carrier him at 3 months old in the other carrier! Amazing! It creates a natural sitting position for your child which is better for you and your baby!

(He has the pacifier and the blanket for these shots bc he was so sleepy!)

The ERGO Baby Carrier is also extremely versatile. You can carry your child in the front, the back or on the hip! You can even carry your infant using the infant insert. Every Ergo comes with a hood you can use if they fall asleep to support their head (thank you for thinking of that)! The versatility is what makes the ERGO Baby Carrier so practical! You will only need to buy one carrier and it will last you from birth until 40 pounds!

I would recommend the ERGO Baby Carrier to anyone, especially if you have frequent back trouble or do a lot of baby wearing! The original carrier retails for about $105.00! They also have a sport version as well as organic and come with several different helpful accessories!

Our lives are busy. There are a lot of things going on and a lot of places we have to be throughout the course of our day. So many times I have had people tell me, "I passed you on the road the other day and waved...but you must have not seen me." Even at work I can find myself so focused on my own thoughts that I don't even realize that someone is speaking to me.

I have mentioned Brandon Heath before and how much I love his music. He honestly allows the holy spirit to use him! His new song, "Give Me Your Eyes" is my heart cry! "Give me your eyes for just one second, give me your eyes so I can see, every thing that I've been missing, give me you love for humanity...."

God sees and cares for everyone in every instance. He wants to use us to minister to those people, but when we are too caught up in ourselves, we miss the opportunity. Well, I don't want to miss these opportunities anymore! Lord, Please give me your eyes!

You all may remember my original post about first juice (click HERE). Much to our dismay, Graham is not much of a milk drinker. He went straight from nursing to juice it seems! We have tried everything (seriously, no tips needed LOL!). So, when I stumbled across First Juice in Babies R Us a couple of months ago I was so excited!

You all know that I am a huge advocate for safe and functional shoes for growing kids feet! I love the See Kai Run shoes that Graham has and was tickled pink to find out that they have a "sister" company that creates shoes for bigger kids! Eleven are the shoes made for kids ages 3-8, run from sizes 9-3, and they have the same great features as the See Kai Run shoes!

Mosquitos. I hate them! I think I read something one time that said that some people's bodies just naturally attract them more than others... well myself and Graham are in that category! When summer rolls around we are instantly banished indoors when the weather starts to cool at all (lately, even when the weather is blazing hot)! It is frustrating and there seems to be no good option for keeping them away safely!


Now you can feel safe using natural insect repellent that is made from ingredients found in your spice rack! EcoSMART creates organic insect repellent that is deet free, dries quickly, and last for hours! It is made from organic plant oils, and repels mosquitoes, ticks, gnats. Not only will these ingredients keep your family safe, but they will help to keep our environment safe from harsh chemicals!

I remember when I was pregnant being so excited to start "showing"! I mean, no one really knows unless you tell them until they can see your belly. I also remember that awkward stage when I first started to "show", but you couldn't quite be sure! I didn't want people to think I was just gaining weight, so I tried to wear the most form fitting shirts I could find!

Go Belly Go is a brand new line of beautiful maternity necklaces that were designed to not only let others know you are pregnant and show them the due date, but they are also a wonderful way to celebrate the beauty of pregnancy and life!


Tell Go Graham Go readers a little bit about yourself :
I am a native Oregonian where the beaches, mountains, desert and city will keep me here forever. I used to be in sales and then jewelry design. My husband and I have a 15 month old daughter who keeps me super busy. Because I adore being a Mom, I also needed to include myself in the maternity/children's industry. I love it!! It is full of inspirational mom's that know what it takes to be a mom, wife and business owner.
How did Go Belly Go get started and where did the name come from?
I got the idea for Go Belly Go when a good friend became pregnant, I made her a "Due In October" necklace. Turns out my daughter was born on the same day as her son 1 year later! Soon after my first piece I started having people order them for friends and it grew from there. I named Go Belly Go, because that is what it my product stands for, cheering on that belly!

What has been the best thing about starting the Go Belly Go company?
My favorite thing about my company is that there is a new baby behind each and every necklace. I am exposed to so many proud and excited people. I also appreciate and feel very blessed that I am able to stay home with my kiddo while spreading the prego cheer.

What are your future plans for Go Belly Go?
I would just like to see GBG become a choice for every pregnant mama.

Anything else you would like to share?
Just that this is such a great industry to be a part of, there are so many creative and ingenious products out there, with hard working and dedicated people behind them. I value being a part of it and hope that GBG keeps involved for a very long time.





This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to shydub!

Real quick...run to your toothbrush holder and look at the bottom. What do you see? A little bit of slime? GROSS! I have to run our toothbrush holders through the dishwasher frequently to keep that "slime" away! Also, have you ever thought about the toothbrush next to yours in the holder? Is all of it's "funk" getting on yours? Now there's a solution that is also fun!

When Graham started eating solid foods I wanted desperately to try and make my own baby food! I found that this was a scary and confusing task. There were so many questions running through my mind: "What can I make?", "Do I have to cook it all?", "What is safe?", "How do I store it?", "How can I possibly manage the time for all of this?".