2014....Say Hello to Everything Baby

This past Tuesday evening I dove in and submerged myself in the world of EVERYTHING Baby at the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower Event in Miami. I attended the event happily with my good friend Lindsay. It was an evening full packed start to finish with fun, laughs, education and insight into what is ever changing in the Baby World.

2014 is proving to be a year filled with lots of "New" floating on the horizon.There were several vendors who displayed their current as well as up and coming products for New Mothers like myself, expecting moms, and lets not forget about those amazing Fathers. From Companies providing the best in style and comfort with baby carriers such as Ergo Baby, and  Beco (now offering Front Facing Carriers) to transporting your baby with style and convenience with Orbit Baby, Uppa Baby, and and let us not forget Joovy, with their numerous must haves for baby. With the leading organic food brand for your babies and toddlers from Happy Family, Skin Care with a purpose from Mama Mio, wicked Smaht advice from Magic Beans , the magic oil that makes your scars, and/or stretch marks disappear Bio Oil, Dr. Smith's with their awesome diaper ointment, Boiron with their homeopathic teething remedy, Camilia, to my personal favorite.......(the Food) La Croix sparkling water, and  the mouthwatering creations from the Donut Divas. Plus I mentioned Fathers, right? Daddy  & Co. were there to help Fathers get prepared for their journey into Fatherhood. There were so many many more vendors. It was a night of Fun, education that any Mother or Mother to be could appreciate.

I am going to share a few of my favorites of the evening with you....by a few I mean about a dozen!
 
First let me get down and dirty and talk about the butt of the situation...literally..Diaper Rashes! No mother wants their babies bottom to be chaffed, raw, red, sore, irritated, itchy, or bumpy! I have tried several different rash creams and have been partial to one. That is until I came across Dr. Smith's. I had never heard about the product until Tuesday. A mom was there to share her testament to the product and provide a demonstration. It goes on smooth and light unlike many of the thick gooey ointments on the market. It leaves no residue on your hands (So not scrubbing and washing to get that thick goop off your finger), and has no strong odor. It goes on my list for new products to try.

How many people Love carbonation? I really have no preference. I mean all I drink really is good ol' H2O. I satisfy my carbonation craving from time to time with a root beer. That is until now. La Croix was on hand with their many Sparkling Water flavors. This was literally my first time trying their product. I have tried sparkling waters before and end up getting a headache from the artificial sweeteners that manufacturers seem to love putting into their products. Finally, a GOOD tasting, refreshing, carbonation craving pleaser with...wait for it... no calories, artificial sweeteners, or sodium! I was skeptical too. They sweeten their water from essence oils extracted from the fruits. The end result is a Sparkling Water that is refreshing, tasty, and satisfies that carbonation craving without a nasty after taste or headache. With flavors from Lemon, Lime, Pure, Coconut, Orange, Berry, Cran Raspberry and Peach Pear (My favorite...so far) you really cant go wrong.

It was literally nonstop vendor to vendor we bounced like ping pong balls from here to there, enjoying every bit of knowledge we acquired. A stop at Orbit Baby to test out their G3 Infant Car seat. This brand is really functional. It has a snap and swivel feature that I love. I am petite and getting my twoddler and baby into their car seats is no easy feat. Orbit Baby has this amazing design where you literally can turn the Car Seat to face you (towards the door) put your baby in or if already in car seat just attach to base and turn into position. Why have I never heard about this brand before??! Also, the arm band on the infant car seat is wide and comfortable for when you have to carry your bundle of joy. Plus, no extra base needed. The infant seat can snap and twist right into the stroller base. Convenience is something every mom can appreciate.

Another vendor that caught my attention was Mama Mio, a skincare brand for pregnant mothers that can carry on after baby. Mara was so kind as to give me some information on this skincare brand. You would never guess her age. That is how great her skin looks! I am not saying either because you never reveal a woman's secrets!
There motto is Fit Skin for Life. Um...Yes. Please! I have struggled with unruly skin since my adolescent years, and during my pregnancies I had no clue there were products out there specifically designed for the hormonal roller coaster my body and skin were experiencing. She explained that the  Mama Mio has great products to use during and after pregnancy. One item registered with me pretty quickly and that was their Boob Tube.
Yes. My once supple perky breasts have become flappy jacks. Who knew that there was something out there that could help to make them supple, firmer, and perky again. We are not talking about size differences here, we are talking about regaining some of that elasticity in that thin and tender area which undoubtedly, for me caused flappy Jacks to happen!

Next there was Joovy. I was so happy to meet Pam with Joovy and even more excited to see the products they offer. I just recently was able to borrow some of their sleep gear from Lindsay. I had no idea how many essentials Joovy provides for Mothers. From Travel, to Sleep, Eating, and Playing. They really are a one stop shop. They have a new bottle out called Boob, which I am excited to give a try. My lovely Starr will not take ANY bottle I have tried. She is very attached to nursing, but every Mama needs some down time here and there. I will and have tried just about every bottle on the market. However, with a name like Boob...this one should be a winner, (Fingers Crossed!) Joovy also has an amazing double stroller - Too Qool, and in that color really is Too Cool! I am wishing I had one of these right about now. Joovy's styles are proving to be quite Groovy in my opinion.

Moving along in our eventful evening there had to be food. Everyone who knows me, knows, I love to eat. (My children are proving to take after me in this area as well.) I just recently heard of the Happy Family brand. Lindsay and I visited Keymia at the Happy Family Booth and had our taste buds satisfied with their new Chocolate Pumpkin  toddler cookies (Gluten Free). They are the leading organic brand on the market today. Not only do they have baby food, Tot food and snacks, but they have food and snacks for adults too. They are organic, provide packaging that is BPA free, provide nutritional foods, and they are a company that gives back! All of these reasons make me Happy to give my kids their products.

Now to the Cute of the matter. We stopped to visit Kelly with Pediped to look at some adorable little shoes. Pediped is truly stylish with their shoe designs, but what is most important for me as a mother is the comfort and stability a shoe provides for my growing baby, especially during those first walking stages (Almost there!) Made with premium grade non toxic materials and being adorable rank these children's shoes a plus in my book. Plus a little side info from their website:

pediped Originals, Grip ‘n’ Go, and Flex have been officially recognized by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) as being beneficial for children's growing feet. In fact, our shoes were among the first children’s footwear to be awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance for promoting healthy foot development.

 An important stop for me was the Boiron Vendor, manufacturing homeopathic remedies for everyone really. What I appreciate as a mother is the remedies that help ease my children's aches and pains. Deborah gave us information on their teething medication, Camilia. At this point with my little girl, I will try anything to help ease her discomfort. Camilia is an odorless, tasteless liquid that you just squeeze into the mouth. No strong medication to rub onto their gums. No dangerous medication where the risks are a stronger factor than the actual remedy. I am eager to give Camilia a try. Oh and did you know that this company Boiron is the same company that created Oscillococcinum, the homeopathic remedy for Flu like symptoms?!

Our last stop before heading out was to  visit the Marpac vendor. Who are they you ask? Well, they created a product called the Dohmie Sleep Soother Machine. The Official Sound Conditioner of the National Sleep Foundation. For Lindsay and I , this is music to our ears. I have been battling sleepless nights due to Night terrors and most recently teething for quite some time now. I have never really given a sleep machine a try. When my son was smaller he had one of those bears that have the womb sounds but really never worked for him. I am super excited to test out the Dohmie and am hopeful that we can all catch some much needed ZZZZ's.

Other great Vendors that caught my attention were Bio -Oil, I literally lathered this all over my body with my first pregnancy!

Bundle Organics - A fortified good for you Juice to drink during pregnancy. I tried the Green one : Kale, Apple, Lemon, & Ginger. So good. I am not pregnant and would drink this daily!

Mitzi Dulan, Author of The Pineterest Diet was on hand giving away signed copies of her book. I am anxious to read it to see if it will help me shed those last stubborn pounds from after baby two!

A nursery my husband would LOVE! I love the modern neutral color scheme with the edge of the zebra print throw rug and that cute little Bunny light! Genius Jones and Project Nursery teamed up for this one and the result? A nursery design keeping even the frumpiest Mama hip!

Check out this very cool designed stroller, limited edition and quantities by Mamas and Papas. All I have to say is, "What does the Fox Say?" "Ring.Ding.Ding.Ding.Ding.Dading..."

We indulged our sweet tooth with a wonderfully delicious Red Velvet Deep Fried Oreo sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a dabble of cream cheese frosting.....Taste buds were dancing! This combination was crafted by none other than the Donut Divas, specializing in treats and Fun Fair foods you can get all year round!

Our evening would have not been complete without a spin at the Honey Wheel. Yes, all you pregnant Mamas, Honey is safe to eat during pregnancy but not safe for your little ones until Age 1! They gave out Honey Vanilla Lip Balm, which I cant wait to try, Honey infused water, Honey sticks, and some sweet Recipes using Honey. I guess they truly know what all the Buzz is about.

After attending the Biggest Baby Shower Tuesday night, I am left feeling excited for my friends who are expecting, honestly excited for anyone who may be embarking on their pregnancy journey this year. Many vendors attended with many expecting mothers eagerly stopping by to attain knowledge of the newest products available in Baby care. It really was a night of fun! I was happy to have the good company of Lindsay, learn from all of the amazing vendors, gain a surplus of knowledge on the newest baby items available on the market today, eat some yummy treats, and leave with an amazing Swag Bag. Big City Moms  surely knows how to host a Baby Shower and the Biggest Baby Shower was most definitely an event not to miss! I send out much love and appreciate all those vendors who came out to showcase their amazing products. I am grateful to Robin Diamond for extending an invitation graciously to me, and  Lindsay for not only being a great friend and accompanying me to this event, but for also taking and sharing the great photos!