Tag Archives: giveaway

Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Today I’m writing about the super cool glasses from Fetch Eyewear. I was provided a set of frames to review and one to giveaway. I was not compensated for this post.

I’ve talked a little before about the Year of Jess. This year I’m taking back myself and trying to move into a more mature and sophisticated style. I don’t have a big budget to go buy myself a new wardrobe or a closet full of shoes. So instead I’m gradually going piece by piece, little by little. But one of the easiest decisions about how to up my style game was something I already use every day: my glasses.

me in glasses 300x300 Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Practical but Boring

I’ve worn the same set of frames since I first found out I had to wear glasses at the ripe old age of 26 when I did a physical for a new job and told the lady administering my vision test that the machine was broken because the letters were all blurry. My frames have been with me for 7 years and while they compliment my face shape they haven’t done me a lot of favors style-wise.

I want my glasses to do a few things:

  • Highlight my best features. I have nice eyes but my cheeks are quite chubby and I have a weak jaw. I want frames that draw the eye up. And while I know a rectangular frame works well for the chubby-cheeked crowd, I also want more of my eye on view.
  • Be a daily accessory. I don’t have to wear my glasses for reading and such, it’s more for far-vision, but it’s best I wear them often. I want something that will work with a lot of different outfits and styles.
  • Contribute to my style. I’m done with boring frames. I want a set of frames that people compliment the way they’d compliment a cute pair of earrings or a nice shade of lipstick.

Then there’s one other obstacle: shopping for glasses. When I had an eye exam last week it was awful. Not the exam, but having to do it with a 1-year-old in tow. When I have time alone I don’t want to spend it doing this kind of stuff. And that baby wasn’t going to let me stand around trying on glasses for a few hours.

fetch logo Finding My Style with Fetch EyewearSo I reached out to Fetch Eyewear. I chose them because 1) they let you try on at home, 2) they have frames that are classic, stylish and distinctive and 3) they’re a nonprofit who support animal rescue. (All together now, awwwww.)

They’re basically perfect for me and I loved the variety of styles. Because I wanted to branch out I chose 6 different frames that covered a spectrum from rectangular to slightly more square/round. If you want to be more specific, the site lets you sort frames by face shape as well as by width. I have a wide head but my eyes are close, so I stuck to narrow & medium frames that worked for oval faces. I should also mention they make prescription frames, reading frames and sunglasses. Awesome.

 Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Also: lifetime warranty against breakage. Which is a big deal because did you see what happened to my last set of frames? (The perpetrator is unknown…)

Once you choose the frames you’d like to try you get a package of them in the mail along with a return postage slip. I loved the Fetch frame box (you can see it displayed in the pics below) and I toted it around with me for a couple days so I could try on a pair in front of someone whenever the urge struck.

I also found all the frames to be sturdy and beautiful in person. Photographs just can’t portray that. They’re well-made without being heavy. And they have a great variety of colors and finishes. None of them pinched on my wide head. A big plus.

One of my favorite things? A lot of these frames are unisex. And I love looking at the pictures on the models, one frame can look so different. (This was proven true by my friend Kathy, who tried on all 6 pairs of mine and looked amazing in all of them while I felt like there were a couple more obvious choices for me.)

Let me introduce you to my favorite pairs and give you an idea of what Fetch frames look like:

fetch alex collage Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

fetch jill collage Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

 

fetch sadie collage Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

 

After a while all frames can look the same but I was amazed at how subtle changes in shape made such a huge difference on my face. For example, the straight brow of the Jill seemed to dominate my face while the more feminine Sadie looks somehow delicate despite its strongly shaped corners. You really do have to put them on. (You can see my frightening no-makeup frame try-on pics here.)

For me, I felt that only a couple frames really didn’t work. Besides that it was just about picking a style. 

It ultimately came down to Sadie and Alex. While I also loved the Carolyn, neutrals don’t work for my coloring. (Note to Fetch: please make Carolyn in a lovely blue-ish shade, okay? I would get them in a heartbeat.) When I crowdsourced, both frames had strong fans and I had to really think. I’m getting down to the final decision and I’ll get back to you on that.

But right now I want to talk about you. YOU and your frames. As I’ve been talking about glasses with people for the last couple months in anticipation of this post I found that almost everyone who wears glasses wants a new pair. You want to try new colors and styles. You feel restless and a lot like I did. So let’s make it happen, okay? 

fetch pin to win Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Fetch Eyewear has graciously agreed to provide a set of frames to the winner of this giveaway and I so want one of you to have as much fun as I’ve been having picking out and trying on frames. 

Since their glasses are so much fun to look at and have such a neat style I want to run this whole giveaway around that: style.

I built myself a nice little Fetch Style Pinterest Board and that’s going to be your mission, should you choose to accept it. Finding the right frames means finding something that fits your style, or maybe the style you want to have. Here’s a peek at my Fetch Style board. I pinned the Alex and the Sadie and then went crazy in all directions. Not just clothes and shoes and jewelry, but where I want to go in my frames and the puppy I’d like to take on a walk in them. (I don’t technically WANT Rachel McAdams, I just want her haircut.)

And now you get the chance to pin your wear to a new set of frames. Here’s your instructions.

  1. Follow Me (Jellyfish Web/jessicaesquire) and Fetch Eyewear on Pinterest.
  2. Create a board for your pins. You can call it “Fetch Style” though that’s not required.
  3. Pin 2 pairs of Fetch frames to your board. This is your style base, where you’ll draw your inspiration. (When you’re looking at the pair you like in the color you like, you’ll see some social media buttons right below the description of the frame. The Pinterest button will let you pin them super easy.)
  4. (Updated rule!!) Please re-pin the Giveaway pin. (The hashtag is being a little unreliable and I don’t want to miss you.) Here’s the link.
  5. Fill your board with your style. Tell us what you want to wear, what you want to do, what you want your house to look like, etc. 
  6. Make sure all your pins have the #fetchstyle hashtag in the pin description.

The top 3 boards will be selected by me (and showed off on the blog next week) and then the folks over at Fetch will pick a winner with their favorite board. (It’s very likely that pics of cute pets will help you win favor with them…)

You can leave a comment here with the link to your board to help us find it. They do men’s and women’s frames (not kids, sorry) so feel free to do a board for you or your friend or your partner or your dad or whoever. Just show us your style. Full rules at the end of the post.

Frames are one of those things that can take a bite into your budget, so I know this will be huge for the winner. (Although Fetch frames are nicely priced at $125.) You may even want 2. (Can I admit that I kind of want both of my final 2 frames?)If you have questions about what kind of prescriptions they can fill and whether you can use your flex spending account, check out the Fetch FAQ.

So get to work, my pinning friends, I’m super excited to see what you get. And you can follow along by using the #fetchstyle hashtag on Pinterest.

Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. One entry per household. Limited to entrants over 18 in the US and Canada. Contest begins as of the time of this post and entries are final on Wednesday, May 22nd at 6 pm Eastern Time. The winner will receive a set of Fetch Eyewear Frames, a retail value of $125 US. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. Three finalists will be chosen by Don’t Mind the Mess. The winner will be selected by Fetch Eyewear. The winner will be chosen based on the pinterest board described in the instructions. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours to receive their prize. If the winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Fetch Eyewear. Don’t Mind the Mess is not responsible for any problems with receipt of the prize. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

Boston’s Drool Baby Expo 2013

This post is all about the super-awesome Drool Baby Expo. I’m attending this year as one of their promotional bloggers and have been provided a complimentary pair of tickets. I will have the super sweet recap up in a few weeks, so watch out, Baby Gear fiends…

It’s back, one of my favorite events of the year: the Drool Baby Expo.   

630x78 banner Drool Bostons Drool Baby Expo 2013

If you don’t have kiddos you may not realize how useful a baby expo is for parents. But when you’re shopping for baby gear, it’s really hard to comparison shop. No matter how big or small the store, the selection is never as varied as you like and you usually have to go to a lot of different places. And some stuff you can’t find anywhere and have to rely on internet reviews which are notoriously unreliable when it comes to baby stuff.

This is why the baby expo is the best thing ever. ALL the things are there. Plus you have the brands themselves answering your questions. And they have great deals. And Drool Baby has the swankest gift bags you’ve ever seen. Check out my recap of last year’s expo to see what I mean.

Sure, my baby is 14 (almost 15!) months old now, but the expo is great for parents of toddlers, babies and parents-to-be. Also they have treats and prizes and spa treatments and more. Even if you’re not sure what you need, you can still have a delightful time.

Tickets are $35 and include a gift bag. And if you want to bring a friend or spouse you can get them a value ticket for just $15 that won’t include the gift bag. Let me tell you: these gift bags cost more than the price of a ticket. No. Joke. Plus if you’re looking to buy any big gear you’ll save a lot more than that, too. Last year I bought our Diono Radian car seat at Drool Baby and saved a bundle. (Diono could hire me as a spokesperson. I love them so much.) 

My favoritest thing, though, isn’t the big brands with their big gear. It’s all the local boutiques and brands you didn’t know about that you’ll find.  Like last year when I discovered Tiny Hanger and their super adorable shop in Coolidge Corner. Or Kaya’s Kloset and her super cute cloth shoes for baby. If you love local, it’s a great time to find wonderful stuff near you. And if that isn’t enough, just take a peek at some of the stuff I saw and loved last year

And lucky you, I’m giving away a pair of tickets (1 standard, 1 value) to a reader. Woohoo! So please enter, and if you don’t win, head on over to Drool Baby’s site to snatch up a ticket for yourself. The Expo is Tuesday May 21 from 4 to 9 pm at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in the Seaport District. (Speaking of which, how much do I love the Seaport district? So much awesome stuff there of late.)

To Enter:

  • 1 mandatory entry: leave a comment with what you’ll be shopping for at the expo.
  • 1st bonus entry: Make sure you follow me  and Drool Baby and then tweet the following “Win a pair of tickets from @jessicaesquire to Boston’s event for all things baby-gear @droolbaby expo! http://ow.ly/kMOy9 ” Leave the URL of your tweet in a comment.
  • 2nd bonus entry: Make sure you’re following me on Pinterest and then re-pin something from my Best of Drool Baby Pinterest board from last year’s expo. Make sure you re-pin with the hashtag #droolbaby  Leave the URL of your pin in a comment.
  • You can do either bonus entry or both or neither. Your call. But you MUST leave a mandatory entry.

Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. One entry per household. Limited to entrants over 18 in the US and Canada. Contest begins as of the time of this post and ends on Tuesday, May 14th at 6 pm Eastern Time. The winner will receive a standard ticket and a value ticket to the Drool Baby Expo, a retail value of $50 US. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. The winner will be selected using the “And the Winner Is” plugin. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 24 hours to receive their prize. If the winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Magic Beans. Don’t Mind the Mess is not responsible for any problems with receipt of the prize. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

Distract Your Preschooler With PBS Kids Apps

Disclosure: I was invited to an event put on by PBS Kids and WGBH Boston. I did receive a gift bag, though I’m going to giveaway some of the contents to a lucky reader…

Maybe there are people out there who have never given their phone to their child to keep them quiet. I applaud you all. But for the rest of us, well, it happens. And we want to have a “safe” source for games and apps to keep them from wandering through the Wild West that is Youtube.

pbs image e1366817275818 Distract Your Preschooler With PBS Kids Apps

 We need technology for our kids. Our kids want to have fun. And thank goodness PBS Kids means I have programs I can give them where I don’t worry about frying their brains.

Graham and I went to an event by PBS Kids to talk about some of their new apps and games. They want to tie in the shows and characters kids enjoy to appropriate learning content for their age group. In particular they want to boost math performance by helping parents at home. 

I’m not trained in child development. I have no idea what my kid is supposed to be learning about at particular ages and how best to teach it to them. An app designed by people who have studied the way kids learn best is exactly what I need.

So obviously you have your tv guides and your app stores to find stuff for your kids. What you may not know about is the PBS Kids Lab, funded by an educational grant to help teach kids. The lab has resources you can use on a computer or mobile device. (I recommend hitting the “All Games” link and searching by age.)

These really are age-appropriate games. Graham tried out one of the offerings for younger kids: Bubble Pop with Curious George. This is a counting game that uses your microphone so a child can clap or speak to pop a bubble. 

DSC 0850 e1366817825227 Distract Your Preschooler With PBS Kids Apps

 

C75A0999 e1366817973255 Distract Your Preschooler With PBS Kids Apps

Photo provided by event photographer

Another one Graham enjoyed is Meerkat Jubilee from The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! It’s a path-building game that wasn’t too advanced for little kiddos. It gives them choices for which piece to use along the way in a trail from start to finish. Good for kids who aren’t quite ready for mazes yet.

DSC 0855 e1366818511954 Distract Your Preschooler With PBS Kids Apps

 

A Mobile app Graham enjoyed was Classic in the Jurassic from Dinosaur Train. It had bridges. Graham loves bridges. I had a hard time getting him away from it.

My personal favorite for the little ones is the Play and Learn app, which is free. And it’s really for PARENTS as much as for kids. (Some apps are paid, others are free. Everything in the lab is free.) What I love about this is that it’s an app that you can use for no-screen activities for those of you who may try to avoid passing off the tech to entertain the littles. It’s also based around places you normally go. So say you’re waiting in line at the grocery store. You pull up the app on your phone, hit grocery store, and there you have a short game your child can play plus a list of activities divided by your child’s age. From everything to how to talk to your baby about what they see around them to having your toddler learn words at the checkout to rhyming and measuring games for preschoolers. 

If you’re one of those parents who tries to avoid the screen for your kid if at all possible, this app is a great way for you to keep your kid engaged when you are feeling a little low on creativity. (Or patience.)

Definitely take a look at what’s available in the lab and search PBS Kids in the app store to find more for your tablet or phone. I am definitely going to be recommending some of these apps to my son’s teacher. I think these are the kinds of apps they’d love for the pre-K kids that can also tie in to at-home learning.

And don’t worry, there are also plenty of games and apps for kids age 6-8 with shows like Wild Kratts and Martha Speaks

PBS Kids was generous enough to give us redemption codes for some of their paid apps and I couldn’t keep them all to myself. (Though Graham insisted on the Dinosaur Train All Aboard app. Sorry.)

I’m giving away redemption codes for the following apps:

Receive one entry by leaving 1 comment about your child’s favorite PBS Kids show or character.

 Official Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. Up to one entry per household according to the directions set out in this post. Limited to entrants over 18 in the United States. Contest begins as of the time of this post and ends on Wednesday, May 1st at 6 pm Eastern Time. One winner will be chosen. The winner will receive the aforementioned app codes. Prize has value of approximately $10. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. The winner will be selected using the “And the Winner Is” plugin. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours to receive their prize. If a winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Don’t Mind the Mess, codes will be distributed via email. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

Good luck!

Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow

This post is in conjunction with New Balance & Chop Chop Magazine, who are giving away some super awesome stuff so keep reading!

We’ve just had a little streak of warm weather and it’s life-changing. Last year I was happy to hole up in the winter since I started it hugely pregnant and ended it with a tiny baby. But this year it seemed like winter lasted forever and I’m looking for some brightness in my life.

I am guilty of not getting the kids out for exercise very much during the winter. But now that there’s nice weather on the way, we’re going to be making a lot more playground trips. I’ve even started taking the midday walks with the stroller that I’ve been talking about for months.

Do you remember the pink shoes? Well they’re not getting quite as much use this spring. There is a new favorite shoe in this house and it is the Rainbow Shoe.

NB Rainbow e1365599415888 Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow

When I showed Graham these shoes on the computer he instructed, “Buy them for me while I’m at school, okay?” His rainbow shoes are now the supreme shoes in the house. He also doesn’t complain so much about them not being tight enough, since the velcro attaches to a lace that tightens. (LOVE THAT. For bigger kids the shoes have just plain laces.)

When he got his shoes right before we left for Texas he put them on and declared them “snazzy.” I have no idea where he heard that word. The next morning at the airport, the woman behind the counter told him his shoes were “snazzy” and that settled the issue. They are some snazzy, awesome rainbow shoes. They’re also for-real athletic shoes, which is a good thing because they’re getting some good use.

new balance collage Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow

The shoes get a workout on a warm day at the Zoo playground.

The rainbow shoes are part of a partnership with ChopChop Magazine, the food magazine for kids called Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow. Even though Graham is only 3, we’re working to get him enjoying exercise and healthy food. (He’ll be starting soccer in a few weeks and we really need to have enough healthy foods to overcome his love of donuts.)

Encouraging different colors of fruits and veggies is a simple lesson in nutrition that’s easy for kids to catch on to. A rainbow plate has a variety of nutrients and flavors. Definitely better than the plates of beige our kids prefer so often. I am always impressed with how ChopChop finds ways to interest kids in food using all their senses.

DSC 00021 e1365599784829 Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow

ChopChop’s Eat the Rainbow recipe is for fruit skewers using grapes, blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, cantaloupe and raspberries. Very tasty. But for my Bug I decided to give him a rainbow lunch since one of his favorite foods comes in a variety of colors.

I’m lucky my kid is a veggie eater. He likes crunch and it’s been our saving grace to get him to try more things. I never really thought much about texture before but it’s a big deal for him. Once we got him on crunchy vegetables he’s now moved on to “leaves” (aka raw spinach or greens) and many others.

I try to pack him veggies with sauce (ranch dressing) almost every day for lunch and he’s usually pretty good about eating them. He was really pumped when I told him today he had a rainbow lunch.

peppers collage Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow

 

As a bonus there were plenty of peppers left over, so I’ll be making rainbow jambalaya in the next couple days. I never would’ve thought to let my kid munch on peppers, but I highly recommend you give it a try. The bright colors are a great incentive.

Another way to do a rainbow veggie plate is to try red peppers, orange carrots, yellow cherub tomatoes (one of Graham’s favorites) and green broccoli. Serve that instead of your next veggie side dish and see if you get a few more bites than usual.

And now for some cool stuff! Not one but TWO giveaways!

New Balance and ChopChop are running a giveaway where you can win a subscription to ChopChop, a pair of the New Balance Rainbow 890v3 shoes and a $400 gift card for groceries. The contest runs through May and you can go here to enter.

new balance giveaway graphic Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow

Plus right here on the blog I’m giving away a pair of New Balance 890v3 Rainbow shoes and a ChopChop subscription to one lucky person! The shoes are available in infant, preschool and grade school sizes. Infant sizes have the velcro and go up to a size 10.

To enter simply leave a comment on this post.

You can earn a bonus entry by tweeting: “Win @newbalance shoes and a year of @chopchopmag in the Run the Rainbow Eat the Rainbow Giveaway with @jessicaesquire! http://ow.ly/jVBRH ” Make sure you leave a second comment with the address of your tweet. (To get that, go to your twitter profile and click the time stamp on the tweet.)

Official Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. Up to two entries per household according to the directions set out in the post. Limited to entrants over 18 in the United States. Contest begins as of the time of this post and ends on Tuesday, Aprl 16th at 6 pm Eastern Time. One winner will be chosen. The winner will receive a pair of New Balance Rainbow 890v3 shoes and a subscription to ChopChop Magazine. Prize has value of approximately $60. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. The winner will be selected using the “And the Winner Is” plugin. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours to receive their prize. If a winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by New Balance and Chop Chop Magazine. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

Disclosure: I received a pair of New Balance Rainbow 890v3 shoes in exchange for promoting the Run the Rainbow Eat the Rainbow contest. 

 

Friday Reads Giveaway!

So obviously I haven’t been around much this week.

Put the blame on my molars and my sinuses, which are apparently all up in each other’s business, so the cold that has been plaguing me for the last couple of weeks started causing the kind of pain in my teeth and jaw that made childbirth sound pleasant, if only because at least it would be over soon and you’d get a baby in the end. Thankfully, now we’ve figured out the problem and I’m no longer taking the kinds of painkillers that make blogging (and parenting and driving and such) precarious.

Being back in my right mind, I’d like to thank you all for your patience (because I know you were all DYING at my lack of posts) and reward you with a little giveaway of some hot upcoming releases from the wonderful folks at Random House.

 Friday Reads Giveaway!

This stack can all be yours! It features last week’s rave review, The Dinner, which is, according to me, as dark and twisty as Gone Girl except it comes with a dose of European flair.

Also: The Village by Nikita Lalwani, a July release that’s a really remarkable and thoughtful piece of fiction about a British documentary team filming an open prison in India. I’ve read this one and will have a glowing review this summer.

And also: The Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth L. Silver, a debut novel that is a super sharp legal thriller. It’s compared, rightly, to Before I Go to Sleep, which it definitely reminded me of. And has a biting tone that’s very reminiscent of Lionel Schriver. The fact that I found the same comparisons while reading it that the publisher used to market it tells you just how accurate they are.

And lastly: The Boleyn King by Laura Anderson. Historical fiction out there (I know the Tudor period is hot right now) that imagines what would’ve happened if Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son.

Do not worry, even though I’ve read most of these, I didn’t read these copies. They are fresh and untouched with that fancy new book smell.

There’s something for everyone here, and those of you who read everything will probably gobble up every last one.

So: rules: let’s keep it simple. One comment = one entry. The end. icon smile Friday Reads Giveaway! In your comment tell me what you’ve been reading lately. All the fine print is below.

Thanks to Random House for this lovely stack of books. I admit, the box actually came with FIVE books but I am totally keeping one for myself.

Official Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. Up to one entry per household according to the directions set out in the post. Limited to entrants over 18 in the United States. Contest begins as of the time of this post and ends on Wednesday, February 27th at 6 pm Eastern Time. One winner will be chosen. The winner will receive the four advance copies shown in the post. Prize has no resale value. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. The winner will be selected using the “And the Winner Is” plugin. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours to receive their prize. If a winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Don’t Mind the Mess and will be shipped within 6 weeks. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

Bonding with Baby Massage and a Giveaway!

I like to think Tessa doesn’t have it too rough, but I’d be lying if I said she doesn’t suffer from Second Baby Syndrome. She gets less attention than Graham did. She gets less doting, less gifts, less amazement in her new baby milestones. We don’t love her any less, we don’t care any less, but now there’s a 3-year-old buzzing around in the midst of everything.

wee gen 2 Bonding with Baby Massage and a Giveaway!

I still want to make sure I find time with her that’s special and just for us.

So I spent some time recently learning about baby massage from Seventh Generation. I heard about it back when Graham was a baby, but he was much more fussy and not generally into such things. Tessa, on the other hand, as a mellower and fatter baby has chubby legs and arms that just cry out to be rubbed and touched.

I’m not exactly a massage expert, but we got a lot of tips on how to do it.

  • The best time is when baby is awake and happy. So right before bedtime may not be the best time if baby is sleepy. That’s good for me, because right before bedtime is crazy time at our house.
  • Just like with adults, oil is best for massages. You can even use olive oil you’ve already got in your house! (Though this makes me wonder if the next time I saute something in olive oil, Tessa will think it’s massage time…)
  • Don’t massage if baby is fussy or signaling they’re not interested. Don’t massage if baby has a fever or cold. And, of course, not if they have any rash or broken skin.
  • If you don’t know how to massage, think of what you’d like. What’s relaxing for you will be relaxing for baby. I know I love long gentle strokes down my back, arms and legs.
  • For tummy massage, do small circular clockwise strokes to help make sure no gas gets caught.
  • Be careful with scalp massage before baby’s fontanelles have fused. And hold off on massage until baby is at least 3 weeks old.
  • It’s never too late to start! I may not be quite on the ball with my almost-9-month-old, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get going.
  • I love this video. It makes me want to touch and smell and hold a warm, beautiful baby.

I’m excited to add this to my time with Tessa. I’m planning to set our massages during the day while Graham’s at school, with a blanket laid out on her mat, and some soft music playing.

wee gen Bonding with Baby Massage and a Giveaway!

And now, thanks to Seventh Generation, I have two baskets of baby products to give away! These are from 7th Gen’s brand new “Wee Gen” line of baby bath products. There’s even an olive-oil based lotion you can use for your baby massage.

Want to win it? Here’s how:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

2. For a BONUS ENTRY, follow Seventh Generation on Facebook. You must leave an extra comment telling me so.

Official Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. Up to two entries per household according to the directions set out in the post. Limited to entrants over 18 in the United States. Contest begins as of the time of this post and ends on Wednesday, October 14th at 6 pm Eastern Time. Two winners will be chosen. The winners will each receive a Seventh Generation Gift Basket. Prize valued at approximately $50.00. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. The winner will be selected using the “And the Winner Is” plugin. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours to receive their prize. If a winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Seventh Generation. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

Good luck everybody! And have some fun with your babies!!

This post was sponsored by The Motherhood and Seventh Generation. I was compensated for this campaign and provided with a basket of Seventh Generation baby products.