Arden

Copy Cat Chic Giveaway | Pear Tree Greetings

Happy Groundhog day! What a random little holiday right? 🙂 Anyways, today’s giveaway is celebrating a different February holiday, Valentine’s Day! Yay!

Arden and I always love coming up with fun Valentine’s Day treats for friends and family (last year’s here and the year before). This year, we thought we’d make homemade cookies. Arden’s really into baking and cooking in the kitchen right now.

Read on to enter giveaway…

We made vegan shortbread cookies using coconut oil. We used this great recipe and the cookies were so tasty! Arden even did most of the work herself 🙂

Of course the taste test is the most important part of baking cookies, right? 😉

As for the actual Valentine’s Day cards, I saw these adorable Valentine’s Day Photo Cards from Pear Tree Greetings and I was sold. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time keeping the names of Arden’s schoolmates straight. I’m sure some of the other parent’s do too. Photo picture cards are ingenious, don’t you think? I couldn’t resist this cute picture of Arden either. It was from our holiday photoshoot, but the red dress Arden was wearing was perfect for Valentine’s Day too!

Pear Tree Greetings has a great selection of the cutest cards you guys. And they’re so reasonably priced! We chose this picture card template and they were only $.59 each. That’s not much more than your average, generic V-Day cards you get from the store. These are so much cuter than Barbie or Transformers too, don’t you think? 😉

We had such a hard time deciding on which cards to choose. They have a bunch of different Valentine’s Day for Kids – tons of designs for both boys and girls. We loved these designs too!

Pear Tree Greetings is offering $25 worth of credit for one lucky reader. This contest will run until this Wednesday (to give the reader enough time to order before Valentine’s Day!). So pick your cards and be ready to order! Or if you don’t want to wait, they’re currently running a sale for 20% off with a $30 min. The code is FEB20 and it’s only valid for two days!

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Copy Cat Chic Review | The Clek Fllo

I wanted to talk more in depth about the Clek Fllo that we have for Conrad. We started off with the Maxi Cosi Pria 70 for Arden, but when it came time for Conrad to graduate from his infant carseat, we wanted to try something different. I wanted something a little more eco-friendly, streamlined and just easier to use. That’s where Clek came in. We originally thought we’d go with a Clek Foonf for him, but then Clek released the Fllo!

The Fllo has most of the same features of its big brother the Foonf:

– narrow width
– fully recyclable
– anti-rebound bar
– Crypton Super Fabric
– rear facing until 50 lbs
– forward facing until 65 lbs
– free of BFRs* and CFRs** on the Crypton fabric seats

With just a few notable differences:

– less expensive
– no rigid latch system
– weighs 28lbs (the Foonf is 38lbs)
– sits slightly lower than the Foonf
– has 1 forward-facing recline position (the Foonf has 2)

*brominated fire retardants

** chlorine-based flame retardants

To find out more the Clek website has this handy comparison chart.

We loved Conrad’s Fllo so much that we decided to upgrade Arden to a Clek as well. We have two cars and in order to make things a little easier we figured we should have at least three carseats. So when I saw a deal on Amazon for a Clek Foonf I jumped on it and got Arden a pink one 😉 She was absolutely thrilled.

I was a tad worried about the pink color because Arden climbs up into her seat herself which means lots of shoe action going on. The fabric is removable, but isn’t machine washable so it needs to be spot cleaned. And you know what? I haven’t had to clean it, not even once! Shocking, right? That green guard Crypton fabric is magic, I tell you.

Oh and did I mention how much happier Conrad is in his Fllo? It’s so much easier buckling him in now. He loves being up high and seeing everything. They can even hold hands now 😉 Love it. Here area few pictures of them in their new car seats.

And just so you can get a better idea of how the fit, here’s a few pictures of the car seats without the littles.

We have a Toyota Prius V by the way, and you can see how much room there is. If need be, I can sit in between the two car seats with a seat belt on too!

You can see the height differences in the two seats really well here. Keep in mind that the headrest on Arden’s Foonf is set higher to accommodate her height.

We are super happy with our new Clek car seats and they really work so much better for us. The Clek car seats are definitely an investment, but I think it’s worth it. With their combination of eco-friendliness, safety features and great design – it’s just one of those things I’m willing to spend a little more on. I’d love to know what features you guys were most interested in when buying carseats for your children! And who out there has tried a Clek? What did you guys think?

I was not paid to write this post, but I was given the Clek Fllo above to use and share an honest opinion. Thanks for supporting Copy Cat Chic and our generous sponsors like Clek.

Conrad Weekly | 23 Weeks

Conrad is on the move! This little man can hardly keep still these days. It’s hard to get a still picture of the guy! Here’s my latest attempt 😉

Wearing a lightweight knit summer romper by Egg Baby.

Arden loves helping me take Conrad’s weekly picture now. She’s such a great big sister. She loves her baby “butter” so much. And he loves her too, no one keeps him happy like she does 😉

Arden loves her “Easter” dress and wants to wear it all the time. Well that and her princess dress collection 😉

To see all of Conrad’s weekly pictures click here. And for a walk down memory lane you can see Arden’s here.

Conrad Weekly | 22 Weeks

I wanted to document Conrad in his snow bunting, because he looks so cuddly and adorable. I forgot a couple of weeks ago when were at the snow and I so here we are! He’s almost grown out of it. Got a pic just in the nick of time.

And here’s big sister Arden in her new princess dress. She’s so good with the camera, it’s crazy. And yes, that’s a temporary tattoo on her forehead. Sigh.

To see all of Conrad’s weekly pictures click here. And for a walk down memory lane you can see Arden’s here.

Conrad Weekly | 21 Weeks and Happy Easter

Happy Easter! I hope your weekend is filled with lots of eggs and chocolate 😉

Here’s my little man in his Easter outfit (it’s from Target).

I’ve gotten a few emails requesting Arden updates too, so I thought I’d throw this one in for good measure. Both my lovies together 😉

I put together their Easter baskets yesterday. Conrad’s was quite the challenge…what do you get a (not even) 5 month old for Easter? 😉 I ended up getting him a cute little organic doggie rattle (it was a lot cheaper at Whole Foods btw), an organic onesie from PACT (I love PACT!), some matching PACT socks, a little bunny hat from the dollar section at Target (which he’ll probably hate!) and this silicone teether.

Arden’s Easter basket was much, much easier 😉 The eggs are filled with stickers, temporary tatoos and a bunch of non-toxic and organic treats.

Here are the goodies I put in Arden’s basket” Eos Lip Balms (she loves!), Annie’s Bunny Grahams, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, Unreal Peanut “M&Ms”, Yummy Earth Sour Beans, Surf Sweets Gummy Bears and Yummy Earth lollipops. Suprisingly she’s not the biggest fan of chocolate (yet!), so those M&Ms are mostly for Mommy 😉

And today we’re dying Easter eggs with this natural egg dye I bought (hopefully it works okay). And we’re also making Easter cookies. I bought this natural food color to test out. Again, I hope it works well, I think it can be hit or miss. We’ll see soon, I guess!

Have a great weekend!

To see all of Conrad’s weekly pictures click here.

Parent Props | Snow Traveling with Baby

With all of the cold weather going on lately, I think my latest Parent Props post is pretty fitting. Although it’s not too cold in the SF Bay Area, over Christmas vacation we took a trip to Lake Tahoe for some snow fun. I wanted to share with you all what we used to keep our newborn happy and warm.
We have more snow trips coming up soon, so I’m happy to have nailed down all of the necessities early on in the season. Do you guys have anything else that should be on the packing list?

one

Baby bjorn

This seems to be Conrad’s carrier of choice. I’ve tried the Moby, the Becco, the Ergo and a sling. This is the only one he likes right now, I’m sure that will change as he gets older though.

two

BABY BJORN cover

The cover is so key in cold weather. It keeps the cold and wind at bay and baby stays nice and cozy. Plus the hood made for nice napping, since it kept baby’s head nice and covered.

three

lotus Travel crib

This is my favorite travel crib hands down. It’s feather light, sooo much lighter than a pack n’ play, and so quick to set up and take down. The carry bag makes it really easy to travel with because the handles can also be used as backpack straps. Arden loved this bed as well, we’ve set it up at home for her to use as a fort. What’s so great about this bed is that it has a zip down door on the side so toddlers can go in and out. We throw a sheet over the top and voila: instant play fort. Oh and one other great attribute? It has no PVC, Phthalates, Lead or Flame Retardants. So important when it comes to where your baby will be sleeping, don’t you think?

four + five

warm hat & mittens

Keep baby nice and cozy with a hat and mittens. I like this set because they’re wool.

six

flannel crib sheet

A nice flannel sheet is perfect for keeping baby warm while sleeping.

seven

travel humidifier

The air in Tahoe was so dry, so having a humidifier really helped the nights be more comfortable. I forgot to turn the humidifier one the first night and wow, my nose was dry. Not fun at all.

eight

down bunting

We have this bunting suit and love it. It kept Conrad nice and warm while big sister was out in the snow all day sledding and tubing. He slept great wearing this and in the bjorn and I was able to be out and about with Arden.

nine

fleece BUNTING

Fleece bunting is great to have on those not so cold days and nights. We used this one just as much. Arden had a pink one when she was younger and we used it all the time, not just in the snow.

ten

sunblock

You don’t want to use sunblock on babies younger than 6mths, I think, but this is my sunblock of choice for Arden and myself.

eleven

lotion

Keep skin from getting chapped from the wind and cold by slapping on that lotion.

twelve

Lip balm

Same goes for your lips, don’t forget to protect them.

thirteen

sleep sack

Babies can’t sleep with blankets, so in order to keep them nice and toasty, I like using this cozy and soft sleep sack.

fourteen

warm baby booties

Gotta keep baby’s feet toasty. These booties did a great job of that AND staying on which is half the battle when it comes to baby shoes.

fifteen

cozy baby blanket

Self explanatory. I like this particular blanket because the fleece is thick and cushy.

sixteen

travel swing

Conrad does all of his daytime napping in his swing. We weren’t about to bring the full-sized swing with us though. We got this one off of Craigslist and it does a great job. It has a vibrating option which is nice too.

seventeen

tranquil turtle

This little turtle makes nice white noise and does double duty as a nightlight. The water patterns it throws on the ceiling are calming as well.

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Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from the Copy Cat Chic family!

Our Futon Shop Organic Wool and Latex Mattress

As you know, Arden upgraded to a new big girl bed when we updated her room to include Conrad. I spent a lot of time planning and designing that room in order to make sure it worked not only for a toddler, but also for a new baby.

One of the major factors in the room, although not visibly obvious, was our choice of mattresses. Arden had been using her organic Naturepedic crib mattress in a toddler bed for awhile, but in order to not have to buy 2 separate crib mattress we figured we’d move Arden into a twin bed and give Conrad her old crib mattress.

I agonized over what kind of mattress to buy for Arden. Obviously comfort is the top priority, but I also wanted something organic with no flame retardants and something that will last. Oh and let’s not forget: reasonably priced (of course!). That was the hard part 😉 Most organic, natural mattress aren’t so friendly in the price department.

So I researched and researched and finally found the perfect mattress at The Futon Shop and it’s even made locally in the San Francisco Bay area. Who would have ever thought I’d find the perfect mattress at a futon shop?! But there you go!

We went with the Comfort Rest Mattress made from organic wool and latex. AND since the mattress can be made to order, The Futon Shop gave us the option of ordering the mattress without any flame retardants. FYI – wool acts as a natural flame retardant anyways. But even if you decide to not go that route, the Futon Shop uses a natural Borate as a flame retardant, which on the scale of flame retardants is pretty harmless.

The mattress itself is super comfy and cushy, while still being firm. Of course, it’s not your standard coil spring mattress, the core is made from organic latex, so it’s solid and pretty hefty. But latex is oh-so comfy to sleep on. The Mr. upgraded our bed a few years back to a latex one and we’ve never looked back.

And one of the best parts of the mattress? The price! The twin-sized Comfort Rest Mattress with organic casing will set you back less than $655. That’s a steal compared to other mattresses with comparable features, believe me. I spent A LOT of time researching 😉

Right now The Futon Shop is having their Holiday Sale and are offering 35% off their mattresses. It runs until Dec. 9th, so take advantage!

This post was brought to you by The Futon Shop. I was provided the mattress in return for posting my honest review on the product. All opinions in this post are my own and not influenced in any way.

The Arrival of Baby Conrad

Baby Conrad Arthur arrived on Friday, the 22nd at 1am in the morning. Missing his Mama’s birthday by less than an hour 🙂 We are all doing great! Conrad is super healthy and the delivery was FAST! I ended up only pushing twice before Mr. Conrad was out in the world! And the doctor exclaimed that his eyes were open before his butt was even out. So I think we’re going to have another live-wire on our hands! I’m sure he’ll learn a lot from his big sister on that front 😉

Conrad and Daddy

Speaking of big sis, Arden loves her baby brother and wants to hold him all. the. time. She’s amazing with him and so careful, she’s such a little mama!

Here are a few pictures from the in hospital photoshoot. Such a great idea!

Things are going to be pretty slow over here the next few weeks while we find our routine and tackle the holiday season. I have some auto-posts built up, so that should tide you over in the meantime 🙂

Ranch House Redo | Arden & Baby Deux’s Shared Room

Finally, the big reveal! Just in time for Baby Deux to arrive. He’s due this Thursday, which coincidentally, is also my birthday! I’m so excited to meet this little dude. I hope he doesn’t decide to arrive even later than big Sister, who was a week late. Arden is so excited to meet her baby brother. Every day she asks me if “Baby Brother is done yet?”. Too cute. I hope she’s just as excited to share her room with hime too 😉

For now you’ll have to be satisfied with the shared room pictures of the now shared toddler room and nursery. You can check out my inspiration for the room on this post.

In one part of the room, I’ve set up a little nursing corner with my new comfy Nurseryworks Empire rocker from Hayneedle. Love. You’ll recognize Arden’s old poster, lamp and nightstand from her toddler room. On the nightstand is an fun little “treasure box” from Land of Nod. The “No Whining” Print is from Urban Outfitters and the frame is from Ikea. The throw pillow you’ll recognize from this post.

We had to swap out Arden’s gorgeous antique scalloped front dresser for the ever-popular Ikea Hemnes. There’s just no beating the price, size and capacity on this thing, I swear. And it’s pretty nice to have drawers that easily open and close! One side holds Arden’s clothing and the other is Baby Deux’s, plenty of room for all.

This black beauty of a lamp you’ll recognize from Land of Nod, love the modern feel and small footprint. I found the chalkboard piggy bank at Target a few months ago. And the bunny vase and ceramic berry bin are from Anthropologie.

I’ve kept and reused Arden’s changer since they no longer have them for sale, which is a shame since the Cooshee changer is so amazeballs. It’s wipeable, waterproof and never cold on a baby’s skin. Here’s a similar concept from Keekaroo. The canvas art is from Land of Nod and will definitely catch baby’s attention! I also have this wire 3-layered bin to keep all the lotions and potions handy.

I love how this burlap US map from Land of Nod looks above Arden’s striped hooks. It’s on the wall right next to the closet, so when the closet is open it matches all of those burlap bins perfectly.

Now for Arden’s side of the room! She loves all shades of fuchsia and hot pink so I wanted to reflect that on her side. I love the iconic “For Like Ever” print in her favorite color and I feel like it can last until teen-hood and beyond. The Minnen bed is from Ikea and so is the striped blanket. The white and black dotted duvet and sham is from Biscuit Home and the pink sheets are from Pottery Barn Teen and they’re organic. The lettered throw pillow is from PBTeen as well. The mattress I’ll go into on another day, because it’s awesome and deserves a post of it’s very own. But it’s from The Futon Shop and it’s organic latex and wool with no flame retardants….awesomeness, I tell you!

For Baby Deux’s side of the room I went with mustard yellow accents for a more “manly” feel 😉 We used Land of Nod’s striped crib sheet and felt bin and we couldn’t forget a Jelly Lion! I thought the pirate pillow added a nice “boy” touch too. The mobile is from Arden’s nursery, you can find it on Amazon. The zebra is also from Amazon and is too cute. We’re going to write Baby Deux’s name on the vintage chalkboard above his crib, once we’ve decided on one!

On the wall between their two beds I hung up a few of these Ikea wall ledges to store their ever growing book collection.

The striped tent is from Duchess and Lion, but I’m not sure if she’s making them any longer. Land of Nod offers a similar one now. The sheepskin is from Ikea and you can find the pink dog lamp here.

I added the Morovian Star pendant from our old home’s entryway in here. I thought it added a whimsical touch and hopefully distracts the eye away from the sea of cottage cheese surrounding it.

Simple black shades adorn the windows – I didn’t want to get too fussy because the wall of books is right underneath the windows.

Oh and let’s not forget a necessary detail: If you’re going to have a Hemnes dresser it would be against the rules to use the original knobs 😉 These ones match the striped hooks on the wall.

This vintage light switch faceplate is original to the room from my Mother-in-Law’s childhood when shared the room with her older sister. It was a dingy tan color and a fresh coat of black spray paint made it a little more fun and almost like it’s made of iron.