There's a party goin' on right here, a celebration to last...
well, at least until today. What am I talkin' 'bout? The blogosphere has joined together to celebrate the impending birth of "first time mommy" blogger Jessica McCash.
Food makes the occasion special and this occasion is no different!
Our delicious refreshments for our virtual shower have been provided by Stephen Pazyra (Chef Steve) of 1 800 Bakery.com. 1 800 bakery .com delivers fresh baked bakery goodies directly to your doorstep. From Cakes and cookies to bread, gift baskets and breakfast pastries, 1 800 Bakery.com has an extensive array of fresh and delicious baked items for any occasion-and you need not leave your front door or warm the oven! Don't these look yummy?
And the best part of today's party is that Jessica and David will be enjoying these delicious cookies from 1 800 Bakery. com because Chef Stephen agreed to ship a package of his cookies to the McCash door to enjoy on this special occasion!
To order your own cookies or baked goods, or for more information on placing an order email: Stephen@1-800-Bakery.com Or visit their web site: http://www.1-800-bakery.com/
But if you place your order now, Steven from 1800 Bakery has agreed to give everyone a 20% off discount. All you have to do is use the following link and code. Tell him that you saw it on Leigh's Bloggeritaville.
Get a 20% Off on 1-800-Bakery.com Baby Shower Cookies (Checkout Code: Baby)
There will be no annoying games involving tasting baby food that looks like warmed diaper contents. No Daddies will be drinking beer from a baby bottles (sorry guys). But there will be tips and giveaways (for our mom to be) focusing on all things pregnancy and baby at today's virtual party. I invite all attendees to leave their own tips for the new parents to be.
I will begin by offering up my own suggestion to Jessica.
After the delivery of my first born (Bama) I felt that I would be a "bad mother" if I allowed my baby to return to the nursery (unless necessary) if for a minute. I just hated the thought of my baby being in my womb for 9 months and then for me to relinquish him for the nurses to care for. I was his mother. I was the one to do that.
Wrong. Let me tell you about something...it's called TIRED. Believe me when I say you have never known the true definition of this word until you have a child. Take advantage of those 2-3 days of hospital "relaxation". Allow jr. to sleep in the nursery (unless he has to feed) so that you can save up some of those extra Z'sss. You certainly will not get them in the coming weeks. Don't mistake that your body just went through a extreme metamorphosis. Without even getting into the whole hormonal thing (David, you might understand this) you just grew a little life in that utero room. Your mind and body can use a couple days in the hospital to rest (although you will not get much in the hospital either).
And please, accept this suggestion.... and I will just speak from my own experience. Have your husband have you a head of lettuce or cabbage readily available on the day you return home. When the "Milk comes in" (if you know what I am saying) it is sore. It hurt me anyway. Lettuce/Cabbage. Slice the head into two and use those 2 halves like you would any good coconut bra at a good party in Margaritaville or Bloggeritaville. The heads are perfectly conformed to provide a natural icepack to ease the pain. And if David starts to whine about supper, you can quickly toss up a nice dinner salad.
Finally while we are on the subject of the boob, It wouldn't be a lie to say that the boobs don't go through their own personal hell during pregnancy. But there is a product out there that will be your new best friend in a tube. I am talking about Boob Tube by Mama Mio!
Hot Hollywood moms like Jessica Alba, Milla Jovovich and Gabby Reece all love Mama Mio’s hard-hitting bodycare formulas. Even young starlets (NO PREGNANCY RUMORS HERE, PLEASE!) have now discovered Mama Mio, the brand that keeps celebrity bodies red carpet carpet ready. Kristen Bell, Lindsay Lohan and Kirsten Dunst love Boob Tube, Mama Mio’s award-winning best-selling bust cream that acts like a compass and keeps you heading north. Rich in anti-oxidants and Omegas, Boob Tube feeds skin the superfood it needs to stay firm and elastic.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, $1 per Boob Tube sold at mamamio.com during the month of October will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation!!! Now that is something that we all benefit from!
Boob Tube Retails for $38, Available at mamamio.com
Jessica, Mama Mio has agreed to send you your very own tube of Boob Tube!!! Because we southern women love the south, but we prefer our bodies to hail to the north-if you know what I am saying.......
Finally, I think every mother, a true mother that loves with every bit of her being and makes daily sacrifices for the good of her family deserves honor. Whether you gave birth by way of belly or by way of your heart, mothers deserve a gold star. They are all deserving.
One such example of a gold star mom:
Take a business minded, web-savvy mom. Combine her with a lifelong dream of owning a boutique. Add some whimsy and a dash of sophistication. And you’ve got a unique and eclectic collection of jewelry and gifts to express many a poetic style. Penelope Poet is the brainchild of Joanne Gouaux, who upon becoming a mom decided to take a break from the corporate world and start her own business.
She wanted to combine her love of family, her professional background in marketing and ecommerce, and her passion for beautiful, artisan-made jewelry and gifts. And so Penelope Poet was born. Worn as an expression of love, for a special occasion, or ‘just because,’ we believe that a piece of jewelry or an accessory should make a statement and reflect your individual style. Penelope Poet is proud to offer a diverse collection of jewelry and gifts reflecting a variety of styles and personal expressions. Many of the items are handcrafted and can be customized and made into one-of-a-kind pieces. All are designed by women and moms. The Penelope Poet collection is constantly changing… just like our lives.
To mark this occasion, artist Joanne Gouaux has been gracious enough to give mom to be Jessica a piece from her highly coveted collection. Your very own badge, or star, if you will-shipped right to your very own door in Arkansas in just a couple short weeks. Joanne selected the Nashelle Love Charms Necklace for Jessica.
"It's our quintessential mom gift, says Joanne. The necklace is designed with two circle charms, each holds an inscription up to six letters. The necklace is finished with two hand wire-wrapped natural gemstones. Penelope Poet offers nearly two dozen gemstones to choose from! The necklace is designed by fellow entrepreneurial mom Heather Beeson of Nashelle jewelry. The personalized necklace is made of recycled gold, each inscription is individually hand-stamped, and each natural gemstone is delicately wire-wrapped with love.
Jessica's necklace will be inscribed with the following:
Charm #1: D heart stamp J
Charm #2: Harbor
Gemstone #1: Due Date: November/golden quartz
Gemstone #2: Anniversary: April/crystal quartz
All stones are natural, hand-cut, and will vary slightly in color and shape. Engraved personalization transforms this love charm necklace into a cherished personalized gift. Engraved jewelry is a beautiful way to honor the people and things you treasure in your life. I know that this will be an heirloom piece for Jessica. This piece is designed by Heather Beeson, the creative mind behind Nashelle Jewelry. From her studio in beautiful Oregon, Heather and her team of talented artists create exceptional jewelry by hand. Each piece is handcrafted from start to finish with close attention to detail. This artisan love charms necklace makes an impressive and lasting gift. This piece can be handmade to order with two gold circle charms a stamped inscription of up to six letters, and two gemstones of your choice.
Wear it with pride...and I know you will because it is "gaw-jus"!
For all the mothers out there that deserve their own star, Visit the Penelope Poet website for your own bling. And go regularly to find new ways to express your poetic style.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: info@penelopepoet.com
I want to thank all of our sponsors of Baby Harbor's Baby Shower:
1800bakery
Mamamio
Penelope Poet
These wonderful sponsors made today's party a real celebration. And made gift giving possible.
I invite all of today's guest to visit the websites of our most generous sponsors. Remember, Christmas Shopping is just ahead of us. I know that each of these companies offer quality products that will make anyone happy and each occasion memorable. My sincere thanks to all!
Finally, I invite everyone in attendance to leave Jessica and David your comments, parenting advice, perhaps a funny story of one of your first time moments of parenthood, an easy recipe that doesn't require alot of effort to get through one of "those days".....whatever you feel.....it is up to you!
Congratulations to the McCash Family.
May you be continually blessed through God's grace and love!
Leigh
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28 comments:
Oh wow!!! I'm in awe of all you have done!! LOVE the necklace! Thank you so much! : )
I just want to say CONGRATS yall!!!! I'm soooooooooooooo happy for you guys!!!! Yall are going to make WONDERFUL parents!!!!
I just want to say I think it is soooooooooooooooooooo GREAT of Leigh to do this baby shower for all of us in blog land to join in!!!! Leigh...you did a FANTASTIC job!!!!
Since I'm not a mom yet (maybe one day) I figured I would give you a fast and easy recipe! Since it will be cold out when baby Harbor comes ~ here is an easy soup!
Taco Soup
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 lg. onion, chopped
3 - 16 oz. beans (any variety) I use ranch style beans with jalapenos, undrained. (I like it spicy)
16 oz. corn - undrained
5 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 c. water
4.5 oz. green Chile's (optional)
1 pkg. taco mix
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
In a LARGE pot, brown beef/turkey with onion. Drain. Stir in rest of ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Makes 3 1/2 quarts or 10-1 cup servings. May be frozen up to 3 months.
(Above is the way the recipe came)
These are my changes:
I added:
Fresh Chopped Cilantro at the end
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes - undrained
I also cooked a batch of Jiffy Corn Bread to top it off!!!! =)
ENJOY! I can't WAIT till baby Harbor gets here!!!!
Congratulations on your baby boy.
I love how your nursery is coming along, so beautiful. You're going to be great parents. Take care.
Wow....What a wonderful gester of love & kindness Leigh. Just shows what a sweet person you are to do all this for Jessica/David. Just shows there are good people still left in this crazy world. Those are amazeing gifts that Jessica will be getting, thats so excting. I think I would love that boob tube the best, Ha!!!!Most new mothers want to at least try breast feeding, which I did too, I only breast feed Jessica for 6 weeks before I went back to work but she never had any childhood disease's & I belive that was why, she was exposed many times to stuff like chicken pox's but never got it & the doctors said its probably because she was breast feed baby & I passed my immunity to Jessica. So breast feed mothers if at all possible. Lets see, words of wisdom: well I have always been very open with Jessica as she has grown up so our lines of communtion would always be open so she would know she could come to me for anything or any subject. Whatever you may be going thru as being a new parent to your first child or your 5th child, never forget these days won't last forever. Just take a deep breath & try to enjoy every stage your child is in, the days will pass so quickly & once the day is gone you can never get it back. Helping to shape a childs life is an overwheming job at times but it really is the most important job anyone will ever have required of you. When life is all said & done the life you helped give a child is what will carry on, good or bad it is what will carry on, for many generation's to come. And if you leave behind a messed up person it will take a very strong person to over come the damage that was done to a child. The golden rule goes into play no matter the age " DO unto others as you would have them do unto you", what a differnt world we would live in if we would live by this rule. It would be heaven on earth. Leigh, thank-you so much for your love & kindness to my sweet Jessica. If we all could have a heart full of love like you do the "LORD" would be very pleased with us. But most of us aren't, we let greed, jealous, our own gain, thinking we are better than other people over come us, & thinking we are so holy & we lose our godly hearts to do any good in this world. But my you get such a warm blessing for doing such a thoughtfull vitual shower for Jessica/David. I know this means so much to them. Best wishes Leigh. Karen Barnes
Congrats!! I have not been a mother, but I did help raise my baby sister and I'm a confirmed Auntie to my nieces. My advice, suggestion & comment is this.... Allow others to care for your children. Drop the child off and go to the movies. Ask a friend to come over and watch your child while you go to the grocery store. I've heard so many stories about people not allowing anyone to watch their kids until they are 5 or 6 and their kids are totally freaked out. I know I loved just having my niece all to myself when she was a few months old.
Congrats again and Thanks to Leigh for such a lovely baby shower!! You really went all out!!
Kristin
David and Jessica,
Your lives are going to change forever....for the GOOD....when that sweet little boy arrives. You will make mistakes but we all have, but the greatest thing you can do for this child is this:
Put Jesus first in your lives and love each other next. Then the love you have will spill over abuntantly above all you could ask or think for that special little boy of yours! Many Blessings to you three!
What an awesome idea! I've never heard of virtual baby showers before, so this is really neat! It seems like just the other day Jessica announced her pregnancy......wow, where does time go?
Let's see some pearls of wisdom. LOL With my three, I've learned lessons with each one. I have to totally agree with Leigh on the hospital thing. Yes, it is ok to let Harbor go to the nursery with the nurses while you sleep. I didn't do that with my oldest and found out the hard way that I was super tired. With my other two, I let them take them and it was great. I felt more relaxed. Another thing in the hospital is to please do NOT let them wake up Harbor at midnight to give him a bath. Oh no!! The nurses did that with Dylan and guess what? You guessed it, he would wake up at midnight every night for a couple of months. With the other two they wanted to do that and I said no, give him the bath earlier in the day or early evening. It worked like a charm. My last two slept thru the night at 2 weeks. Yippee
Another 'pearl of wisdom' is to enjoy the birth. If you want meds, go ahead. It doesn't mean you are a bad Mommy or anything. Honest. :)
Most important is to enjoy every single minute. Shelby is now 5 years old and it seems like she was just born months ago. Time really does fly by. :)
Looking forward to seeing Harbor's baby pics! Thanks for the great shower!
Congratulations! Y'all are going to do GREAT! What a blessed little baby to you for his parents.
Advice.... hmmm...
Don't take QUITE as many pictures of the first kiddo so that it won't look as bad by the time you have the third.
Never say "I will never" . Example: as in never let him ride the bus. Some phrases come back to smack you in the head.
Never buy the first McDonald's Happy Meal. Toys are addictive.
Enjoy your new family with all of your heart!!!
Be blessed,
Jen
David & Jessica,
Congratulations!! Praise God for the little bundle He is gracing you with!
I'm not a mother yet, but I am a newborn nursery nurse and my advice comes from that background...
Firstly, Leigh knows what she's talking about when she advises you to let the baby go back to the nursery. I don't know what type of hospital you'll be delivering in, but if they can take the baby to the nsy, let them! We understand that you just carried this baby for 9 months and don't want to let him out of your sight, but you need to REST!! What little sleep you get in the hospital will be WAY more than you get at home. And you're not a bad mother for wanting a break!!
Secondly, if you plan to breastfeed, don't be afraid to ask for help. It can be difficult & frustrating in the beginning so any assistance you can get will help so much. Remember, real life rarely goes like the videos that they show in childbirth prep classes. Those breastfeeding scenarios have been edited, believe me! And if little Harbor doesn't want to latch right away, don't get discouraged. Patience is key with breastfeeding.
Lastly, take time to enjoy your baby with your husband. If visitors get to be overwhelming, you can ask the nurses to place a "No visitors at this time, please" sign on your door. It can be hard to bond with your baby when you are having to entertain company.
I hope these little tidbits will help your delivery experience be a wonderful one. If you have any other questions about what to expect while in the hospital, or even what to expect with a newborn, don't hesitate to ask. And again, Congratulations!!!
David & Jessica,
Congratulations!! I know you're looking forward to meeting little Harbor!
I'm not a mother yet, but I am a newborn nursery nurse and so my advice comes from that background...
Firstly, I agree with Leigh when she advises you to let the baby go back to the nursery. I don't know what type of hospital you'll be delivering in, but if they can take the baby back to the nsy, let them! We (the nurses) understand that you just carried this baby for 9 months and don't want to let him out of your sight. But you need to REST!! It will help you to heal and whatever rest you can get in the hospital will be way more than you will get at home! And, you are not a bad mother for needing a break!
Secondly, if you plan to breastfeed, don't be afraid to ask for help. Breastfeeding can be difficult and frustrating in the beginning so whatever assistance you receive will make things go so much smoother! Also, if little Harbor doesn't want to latch on right away, don't be discouraged. Things rarely go the way they show in the childbirth prep videos. Those scenarios have been edited, believe me. And, don't worry that he's not getting enough to eat. God made our breasts just for this purpose and yes, it will take 3-5 days for your milk to come in fully, but until then, Harbor will get what he needs.
Lastly, take time to enjoy your baby with your husband. If visitors become overwhelming, ask the nurses to put up a "No visitors at this time, please" sign on your door. It can be hard to bond with your baby and learn to care for him when you're having to entertain company.
I hope these little tidbits help to make your delivery experience a happy one. If you have any questions about what to expect during your hospital stay or even what to expect with a newborn, don't hesitate to ask. And again, Congratulations!!
Congratulations! Loved the shower! Just wanted to stop by and say I am so happy for ya'll!
The most important advice I can give you is to go with your instincts. You'll have so many people giving you advice once you have the baby. You have to do what works best for you. I agree--send your baby to the nursery at least the first night so you can rest. Also, don't be afraid to supplement. I had to give Brooklynn a little bit of formula in the hospital b/c my milk wasn't in and she was starving (they say "big babies" have that problem a lot)it was amazing the difference in her temperament after that. Also, get some good nursing bras with really good support (Target has a great style with a little bit of padding so your girls don't shine through). Also, when people come over to help, they'll usually want to hold the baby while you work. Try to do the opposite--let them do chores to help around the house while you bond with Harbor! I hope I'll be able to make it to your shower to see you in person!
Happy Virtual Baby Shower Day!
First of all, Leigh, I do not know you but I wish I did because you are the cutest thing...EVER!!! You are amazing to do this for cutie pie, Jessica! And to you...McCash's...CONGRATS! I wish I knew you in person, too! I have loved reading about Harbor's life already and can't wait for what is to come! I think you are going to be a wonderful mommy!
I wish I had some good motherly advice, but the truth is that I am just absorbing everything like a sponge. We will have a little one before we turn around! So I am just learning from everyone else.
So, cheers to you Jessica McCash! I hope you have had a wonderful virual baby shower! Thanks for letting me be a part!
Wow, that baby shower was painless. Down south such things use to be just the women folk. That is until my wife started dragging me to them saying men went now.
Congrats David and Jessica and best wished and prayers for a happy life.
How fun is this??
I obviously have no baby or parenting advice considering I'm not even married, so I just want to say a huge congratulations!! Even though we've never met, I feel like we are good friends.
I'm so happy for you and can't wait to see little Harbor grow up!!
Love ya girl :)
What a great idea! Congrats Jessica and David! =)
I am so impressed, this is so fun! :) We're looking forward to meeting Harbor William and watching/listening Les become a Grand-dad! (actually looking forward to following the blog and hearing stories from everyone - but Matt gets to observe Les daily - so that will be extra fun!) Let's see my gift of "tips" we tried to use is:
- Sleep when the baby sleeps!
- Ask for help when you need it. Even help with the house and laundry (maybe even while you take a cat nap). The first few weeks/months fly by.
- Make casseroles/frozen meals in advance to help with time management.
- If you take newborn pictues - newborns are most "squishy" within the first two weeks - then they usually start getting 'rounder'.
- Take a picture daily the first month at least - preferrably next to something to compare their growth. It's even neat if you do the same type shot in a diaper cover or something really simple.
- Get a "1st year" calendar with stickers, it's easier to stick a sticker on a calendar when Harbor has a 'first', than to write it down. However, you will probably be really great at keeping a journal. I got sleep deprived early on and it all ran together - the whole first year! :) However, I still keep a calendar I can write on whenever Elise does something new.
- Enjoy every minute because it will go by quicker than you will realize... you'll soon be saying "where did my baby go?" He's now a toddler!
We wish your family the best, we're very excited for you! :)
Matt, Briana, and Elise Pinkerton
Congratulations Jessica and David!!! This is such a neat idea and those gifts are awesome! I don't have any children yet, so I don't have any great advice. I can only give you encouragement because I know that you will be awesome parents! And you are also a wonderful nursery designer! Thanks Leigh for hosting this adorable virtual baby shower!
Jessica, I love your blog! I am Audrey's (audrey's good life) friend in real life....the only advice I can give you is to buy a swaddling blanket with velcro (and have your mom monogram it!) It is a lifesaver at night when the little one wiggles out of his blanket. You and David are in for the most amazing time of your lives together as parents, as I speak from experience!! Good luck!
Sarah
So excited for ya'll Jessica!
I don't have any advice yet! :-) But I know ya'll will make great parents!
My advice to you as a mother...a laid back mommy=a laid back baby. And crying never killed a baby.
This shower is just the cutest thing!
Congratulations the both of you! Many prayers as you soon begin the journey of parenthood.
You are going to be wonderful parents. You have a beautiful, loving , caring heart and little Harbor is going to just love you.
Be prepared for life to change, for the good, but it will change, your priorities will be different, life will revolve around Harbor and your sweet little family and everything else takes a back seat. But that is OK!!! Enjoy the precious little moments because time goes so fast once you have children! Ask for help when you need it but don't be afraid to ask for quiet time as well. Sleep when the baby sleeps especially in the beginning! However, enjoy those first few months when he just "sits" there because once he is on the move, so are you! Try to prepare some meals ahead of time and freeze them so you can pop them in the oven on nights when you don't feel like cooking. Have a plan but be flexible, especially during labor, a healthy baby is your goal, I learned that the hard way! Remain calm, you are the mommy and he doesn't know any better that this is your first time doing this. He loves you because you are his "mommy". Lastly, just enjoy your sweet little boy, boys are so much fun!
Leigh,
You did a fantastic job with the virtual baby shower! I really had no idea how a baby shower would be hosted online. I am so excited for Jessica and David to get such awesome goodies!
David and Jessica,
God has given you such a deep love for one another. He's given you great years of 'couple' time to build a strong foundation. I encourage you to continue to find this time together...hot date nights. :) Gigi Karen is already anxious to babysit! The love for Harbor is already so evident in your whole entire family and friends. You are blessed with a tremendous loving support network. I will continue to pray for a healthy delivery, peace and rest, and the best time of your life during this blessed journey of motherhood. I love you both.
OK, I had NO breast pain! I know it's crazy but they were NEVER sore the ENTIRE pregnancy OR when I nursed. Never bled, never hurt, so I can't comment on that. I will say, my most heartfelt advice is this: I may have already told you this but every new mom needs to know this: DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT feel bad if you can't breastfeed. My nurse acted like I was a horrible mother because I didn't produce enough milk. I nursed Bailey for about 8 weeks but after going back to work I had NO milk left. I tried just nursing her at night but I couldn't. I tried EVERYTHING. If you can't breastfeed use a formula that has DHA and ARA in it. Harbor will be fine! CONGRATS I can't wait to see pictures of him when he arrives.
PS DON'T buy a TON of 3-6 month clothes. Bailey only wore 3-6 months for about 2 weeks, NO LIE!
Got my cookies in the mail!!! Yippee!!! They are SO good. Thank you again! I am in awe of how sweet you have been to me. Thanks girl! : )
This is so neat,what a great idea. Maybe these simple tips will help with Harbor. Keep him dry, change him often, nobody likes to be wet, it's yucky! Keep him fed babies need nourishment to grow, doctors will tell you to give him 4 oz or some measured amount at each feeding, Harbor will know when he's full, he'll fall asleep or smile and burb and you'll know. Give him lots of love. It's okay to hold your child, cradle them and let them know you love them. Talk to them read to them they are these little sponges with big eyes and ears they soak up all the love and feel comfort and support. They soak up the knowledge, it helps them grow. Sleep when he sleeps. Hardest tip of all. We all take their nap time as time to do other things. Children take a lot of our time and we need to rest so we can take care of them and us. Switch off doing chores around the house with David. Schedule out your time so you aren't trying to do it all at once by yourself. Then don't forget to share your new child with his family, all those wonderful people who love you will love Harbor also. Give them the opportunity to love and cherish this new life. Well that's it. Hope my tips help you as well as those of all your family and friends. Remember the people close to you raised Harbors wonderful parents and they'll be a huge blessing in his life also.
Love to you -- Debra
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