Research supports that regular leisure activities can reduce blood pressure, cortisol, or stress levels and even decrease your BMI. Leisure activities can include different hobbies that challenge you, excite you, and may even make you sweat a little. In addition, hobbies can help you make money, increase your home value, allow you to serve others, … Read more
You know old furniture can be turned into something more beautiful. When you DIY them, they’ll look more beautiful than ever. Just like turning Cinderella’s old rag into a beautiful gown, you can transform a piece of old furniture into modern or new furniture. On Craigslist, an old dresser was found, and we had to … Read more
Creating an underwater paradise all of your own can be immensely satisfying. Now is the perfect time to start if you’ve been dreaming of diving into the world of aquariums. Unfortunately, deciding which fish to get can overwhelm many beginner aquarists. We compiled this list of the 15 best aquarium fish for beginners to help … Read more
Spring is here, and it’s time to get out the craft supplies to celebrate. Spring crafts for kids are a great way to connect with kids of all ages. I love setting up a craft table on the back porch. That way, we get to enjoy the beautiful weather and a bit of creativity. These … Read more
This party that Mama Alex put together looks like it was so much fun! Sadly, this was one party N and I didn’t make it to, but we had fun learning about the traditions behind it. I absolutely adore all of the paper goods Alex created (check her out at Alex Tebow Designs), the cartoon baby … Read more
I am a huge advocate of babywearing. When my kids were little, I wore both of them just about every single day. Now, my daughter is two-and-a-half and my son is one. I still wear them often, especially when we’re out and about. Hands down, my favorite carrier is a ring sling. My new favorite … Read more
Like most of us MSW mamas, Alex and I met while planning our weddings (well, I think she had *just* gotten married when I joined Project Wedding… but I digress). We were friendly with each other, but it wasn’t until we were pregnant and had our boys that we became real-life friends. I knew the … Read more
My very first baby carrier from Líllébaby was one of their Complete Organic carriers. I was blown away by how buttery soft the fabric was right out of the package and from there on out, I was hooked. I loved that I could wear my baby when he was still an infant and no separate insert was … Read more
I was thrilled to be given the chance to review Wink Diapers for our readers! These are some of my favorite diaper covers, plus they’re affordable and made from organic materials! I originally came across Wink Diapers through a Facebook giveaway a while back, and later I looked at their products in their Etsy shop. I’ve cloth diapered … Read more
Like most mamas, during my first pregnancy I spent a lot of time researching baby products. I definitely knew I wanted to use a more natural, possibly organic, line of baby care products. A few weeks after my daughter was born, we traveled back home to New Jersey. My best friend, Lindsey came to visit … Read more
Let’s face it, breastfeeding is hard! It’s not always fun and sometimes it hurts and it certainly is not always easy. But is it worth it? That answer, of course, will vary from mama to mama. Many mothers cannot breastfeed for a number of reasons, but for a mother who is willing and able to give her child … Read more
If you are a family that travels a lot, you know that having a convertible car seat or a high-back booster seat can be a huge pain. The stress of having the luggage and kids’ seats is just beyond words. You don’t know if the seat is going to be damaged or dirty. When you … Read more
A child’s life is full of delightful new experiences, especially during the early years. When I was pregnant with my son, I wanted something to document all these precious memories. After searching around, nothing really spoke to me, even with some very expensive options. We got gifted a baby book from the baby shower. It … Read more
If you’re like most moms, you’re constantly on the go and frequently use your smart phone in the car, if you’re like me, I always use Google Maps for directions! So, having a smart phone holder for your car makes makes it a lot safer while driving. Here’s a great, cheap DIY phone holder that … Read more
You know when your kids start to grow up a little, they start wanting to choose their own costume. My son is finally old enough this Halloween to do so and he loves anything that is construction related. Gues what he wanted to be? A bulldozer! It was no surprise since he was talking construction … Read more
Some of you mamas might not know how to sew or think you can’t sew, but anyone can learn. It may sound intimidating to some of you but it is the best experience. Two years ago, when I was pregnant with my second daughter, Lilah, my mother-in-law and I decided to make her bedding since … Read more
What inspired the theme of your child’s party? His nickname in utero was “doodlebug” and then once he arrived my husband started calling him “bug,” so we decided to do a bug-themed birthday party. What is one element of the party that you are particularly proud of? I really loved all the creative names for … Read more
I believe the best way to teach a child is to make sure they’re having too much fun to notice they’re learning. For toddlers, playtime is learning time. I’m always looking for toddler activities that are as fun and engaging as they are educational. I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 activities that my … Read more
Have you ever heard of a ‘cake smash’ photo session? It is a special and fun event for your child before they turn one. The child is given a cake to eat or smash, and you take pictures of videos as memories. You can set up a beautiful backdrop and decoration to make the space … Read more
You mamas know that holidays are fun with you having the little ones around! They make holidays exciting and memorable. It is something no mom would ever trade for! You know how busy it gets when Easter comes around with your little ones. Everyone wants amazing pictures of their little ones. As a mama, every … Read more
If you are a mom, you know you are always looking for ways to help your little ones. When you chat with other moms or check the internet, you want to find cool crafts for your kids. You have probably seen something like a sensory bottle. These are great for kids because, like all sensory … Read more
Pumping breast milk for your baby has many benefits but can also be challenging. After pumping exclusively for my two girls for over a year and a half each, I’ve learned what worked and what didn’t. If you are a pumping mama or considering the idea, here are my top 10 tips to make your … Read more
If you have tried babywearing, I know you love it. If you are considering it, you will love it. I have always loved my old Beco carrier, which stood the test for both my husband and me. We used it well into toddlerhood, probably to the max recommendation of 4 years. Now on my second baby, … Read more
Many years ago, I worked in a picture framing shop. As a professional framer, I built many types of shadow boxes in different sizes. People use shadow boxes to preserve sentimental items, from baby hair to sports jerseys. You can even preserve your wedding flower in a shadow box. They’re also a great way to … Read more
My first time around in the mothering department, I was never interested in making my own baby food. It never even sparked my imagination to try. My son Gavin was strictly Earth’s Best jar food fed, and he LOVED it (maybe only because he never knew anything different). I have nothing against the jarred food and … Read more
Even before I became pregnant with my second baby, I knew I wanted to go a different route when it came to my prenatal care and birth support team. While my experience with my OB and a hospital in 2009 wasn’t awful, I felt I got very lucky with supportive nurses when it came to … Read more
When Mama Say What?! mama Rose was deciding what theme to use for her son’s Charlie’s first birthday, she came across a gnome costume and the theme was born. I absolutely love this adorable and unique theme. Rose did an amazing job with this party and I know that Charlie will look back on it when … Read more
Just in time for Halloween, we have a fun cootie catcher to share with our readers that coordinates with the Halloween decor we shared earlier this month. Many thanks to Alex Tebow Designs for this design. Download, print, and share this fun activity with your kids. Who remembers making these in elementary school?? Has it been a while since … Read more
This mama wanted to do something fun and awesome for her twin boys’ first birthday. She didn’t really want a theme other than color, and she totally made it all work. She made lots of cookies, baked a beautiful six-layer cake, DId TWO beautiful stats chalkboards, and had lots of fun doing all of it … Read more
**Scroll to the bottom for the winner.** Babywearing Made My Life Easier + a Beco Carrier Giveaway! I wasn’t very knowledgeable about the benefits of babywearing when I was pregnant. My mama raved about the baby carrier she had in the early 1980s and a close friend of mine recommended her Moby Wrap when she had her son … Read more
When I first contacted Rumpkinz about doing a review for their embroidered cloth diaper, I had never even heard of “mama cloth”. When Jeanette from Rumpkinz asked if I would be interested in trying out one of their cloth pads, known as Charm Pads, I hesitantly agreed. She graciously allowed me to pick my fabric out of … Read more
All too often I go in to a doctor appointment or partake in a survey related to my child-rearing processes and get asked the question: “Is your baby breast-fed or bottle-fed?” My response is always the same, “Well, both… he doesn’t get formula if that’s what you’re asking.” Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding are not necessarily two … Read more
My family travels a lot, almost 100,000 miles in the last five years. The arrival of our second baby this spring suddenly made air travel a teeny bit more complicated, especially when I’m the only adult flying with our boys. Our oldest is almost five and it’s a treat for him to get to watch … Read more
It is finally summer! For mamas of little ones, that means making lemonade, coloring with sidewalk chalk and, of course, swimming at the pool! Bummis has recently come out with a super adorable ‘Sun Line’ which includes sun caps, UV-protection tee-shirts and tankinis, and swim diapers. I was sent a sun hat, a tankini and a diaper … Read more
I contacted SoftBums about reviewing their AI2 named the Echo. They have been wonderful to work with, shipped quickly, and the diaper is adorable! An AI2 (all-in-two) has a snap-in soaker that can stay attached in the laundry. So easy! This particular set came with a “one-size super dry touch pod” soaker (called a pod by SoftBums) … Read more
Before my first daughter was born in 2011, I invested in a soft structured carrier with an infant insert and, when she was a few weeks old, I purchased a cotton-blend wrap. Although I like both of those carriers for different reasons, I ran into two problems with both of them. They both tend to … Read more
I adore the Lotus Bumz diaper I was recently sent to review. This one-size pocket diaper is pretty standard as far as cloth diapers go, and we’ve had nothing but good experiences with it. First off, it’s really cute. We received the “bicycles” print from the Lotus Bumz Exclusive Collection. It’s really colorful and works … Read more
We always have so much fun dressing up for Halloween as a family, and this year is no exception. My son has chosen to be Woody from Toy Story, and my husband and I are going to dress up as the other characters from the movie. We wanted to keep it simple and inexpensive, so … Read more
Halloween is one of the best holidays – a perfect opportunity to dress up and play “fantasy.” If you’re looking for an easy, fun, and affordable Halloween costume for your family, this is one for you. Last year, we all dressed up as Charlie Brown Gang with just a few simple steps. This is what … Read more
It is summer time and I am so thankful! This winter was rough and spring in southern Ontario really stunk this year. So, with temperatures climbing and thoughts of pools, splash pads and beaches at the front of my mind, I knew it was time to look for a new swim diaper for Anna. I … Read more
In an effort to cut down on the number of potentially harmful chemicals in our lives, I have been looking for alternatives to using dryer sheets in our laundry. I had tried a set of plastic dryer balls that I bought from Bed Bath and Beyond, but they did nothing to cut down on static electricity… … Read more
Summertime is fast approaching! Soon, you’ll be able to take a refreshing dip in the pool, attend lakeside barbecues and feel the sand between your toes at the beach. What’s a mama to do with her infant when she wants to enjoy the water? Here’s a simple DIY idea to make your own ring sling … Read more
In February, P started at his current daycare. It is mostly a preschool, but provides child care for toddlers that are 18 months or older. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a preschool, or if all daycares begin artwork at such a young age, but he started bringing home art. He brought home art … Read more
I remember vividly the day I watched my nephew for the first time, and I had to take him to a doctor’s appointment. The car seat was already installed in my car, I sat him in the seat and buckled him in. I didn’t tighten the straps, and I didn’t make sure that the seat … Read more
© 2024 Mama Say What!? All rights reserved.
