RESOURCES — How-Tos

We've been in the trenches lately. So many colds. So little sleep. So. Much. Mucus.

Too gross? Yeah, I would have to agree.

Even before I was pregnant, I dreaded cold and flu season for people with kiddos. I would see the zombie-esque parents trying to get mall shopping done with a crying toddler who's nose was red and raw. The nose was always runny and watching them wipe it on their sleeve made me want to bathe in hand-sanitizer. 

Fast forward to our 2nd fall and winter season with my toddler son and a head cold hit with full force. He was miserable and so were we...but his runny nose was under control!

Why? How? What magic fairy dust were we using?

Our Dribble Shield™ burp cloths came to the rescue! You might have thought that burp cloths would exit stage left when your little one hit their first birthday but now that I am knee deep in my 5th winter with littles - my Dribble Shield™ burp cloths are going no where anytime soon!

5 Ways I Use a Dribble Shield to Survive Cold Season

#1 - More Gentle on their Nose than any Tissue

The Baby/Toddler/Preschooler has a runny nose. If I used a fresh tissue every time I needed to wipe their nose - it would be dried out and raw and I'd be shelling out major bucks for each box of Kleenex. The soft cotton muslin of a Dribble Shield™ is absorbent without drying out their tender skin. My kids don't like having their nose wiped but the Dribble Shield™ doesn't make them cry like a rough tissue or rag would. And I don't have to feel bad about killing trees every time my baby gets a cold.

#2 - Teaches Little Ones to Wipe their Nose

My kids know what I mean now when I say, "Wipe your nose!" And because we always use a Dribble Shield™ for sniffles - they know what to grab to wipe their face. My baby girl is not even 18 months yet but she knows exactly what to do when I ask her to, "wipe her nose" (she was happy to demonstrate for the photos). Bonus is that she is also learning to blow her nose and she never uses her sleeve to wipe her face.

#3 - Assign Colors to Different Kiddos

Obviously, I have quite a few Dribble Shield™ burp cloths on hand in my house. When one of my kids gets a cold - it's almost inevitable that the other is quick to follow suit. So to try to keep germs at bay as much as possible - each kid gets their own color Dribble Shield™ burp cloth. Our morning routine includes distributing a fresh cloth for each kid and pointing out the color so they know which one is theirs for the day. It also helps us as parents because we know which cloth is used for which kid.

#4 - Bib Style Aids with Coughs and Sneezes

Even on sick days, kids still like to play. For these times, I snap a Dribble Shield™ burp cloth around his/her neck (travel bib style). Wiping their nose and coughing on something other than their hands and clothes is easy because it's just below their chin. It's also great for sneezes because it's never far away. (Just as a safety note, our kids do NOT sleep with their Dribble Shields™ snapped around their necks)

#5 - Quick Washing & Fast Drying

The Dribble Shields™ aren't made of magic germ-repelling fabric so yes, they will need to be washed...and probably more often when colds are rampant in your home. The great thing is that they can be quickly washed and dried. There have been more than a few times where I've pulled them from the washer at night before going to bed and just let them hang dry. Sure enough - the burp cloth is dry and ready to use first thing in the morning without needing to run the dryer every night.

So there are my mom hacks for sick days. What are some essentials you use to survive the cold and flu season with babies, toddlers and beyond? 

Good luck this winter...and grab a Dribble Shield!

Christmas stockings are a unique tradition that most families enjoy. Some open stockings on Christmas eve, a preview of the day to come. For others - Santa is the one who delivers treats to the stockings. For me - Santa always brought the stockings to our bedside so we had something to open and look at right away in the early hours of the 25th.

When I married my husband - he didn't really have a stocking so our first Christmas together, I bought basic stockings and customized them (my husband even had to pick out which embellishments would be on his). After I had my first child, I knew I wanted to create a stocking for him also.

I wanted a stocking that not only functioned well enough to hold treasures but could also be a keepsake that my son would "treasure." Knowing I wanted more children, I actually bought more than one basic stocking so I could make sure that they would match. They stayed in storage until my daughter was born and then I made her a stocking too. If you are looking to create a special Christmas Stocking for your baby's first Christmas - here's my how-to:

What You'll Need:

• Stocking
• Ribbon
• Name Letters (iron or sew on)
• Bells
• Trim (or narrower ribbon)
• Buttons
• Needle/Thread/Scissors
• Lighter or Matches

1. Buy a Basic Stocking - I love to sew but there are only so many hours in the day so I decided to buy a basic stocking. You can make one if you want. Make sure the stocking will function properly. It should have a loop (for hanging) and usually has a fold-over top. I chose one with no appliques or embellishments except for the four white poms on the cuff. Everything else was added by me.

Where to get it: Stockings are sold everywhere these days from Walmart to Target - from Macy's to Pottery Barn.

Tip: Don't pick a stocking that is too skinny and won't hold any goodies.

2. Ribbon for the Cuff/Name - The ribbon will act as the base for your "Name" letters. I chose a silver organza that actually had some wire on the edges. You can really choose any kind of ribbon that is cloth based (not paper). Cut a length of ribbon that will wrap around the stocking cuff + 2-3 inches extra so you can fold it over. Use a lighter or matches to burn the cut edge of the ribbon to keep it from un-raveling. Do not sew the ribbon onto the stocking until AFTER you attach the letters.

Where to get it: Craft stores like Michaels or JoAnn's tend to have a large selection

Tip: I would recommend not choosing ribbon with glitter because over the years, the glitter will fall off. 

3. Attach the Letters - Depending on your choice of ribbon and letters - you can either iron on the letters directly to the ribbon for your little one's name or you can sew them on. You do not need to be an expert sewer to do this - just sew around the edge so the letter is firmly attached to the ribbon. Once the letters are attached - sew the ribbon to the stocking. When you get to the back "seam" - fold one end to overlap.

Where to get it: Craft stores like Michaels or JoAnn's have letters although I liked the options at Michael's better.

Tip: Iron on letters have glue. If you choose to sew on these kinds of letters, your needle might get a little sticky. It can be done though.

4. Jingle Bells - Our family stockings always had bells so it seemed only natural for me to include them. I like the sounds that the larger bells made so I added three of them between the poms that were already on the stockings.

Where to get it: Craft stores and stores like Target and Walmart usually carry packages of bells of varying sizes.

Tip: Remember not to sew through both sides of the stocking when adding the embellishments. This will make it difficult to use the stocking to hold goodies.

5. Trim it Up - Sometimes the craft stores will sell packages of different Christmas trims (in my case, it was a package of metallic green ribbons and looped designs). You can also use narrow ribbon to add more decoration. I sewed trim on the "heel" of the stocking and around the cuff at the top.

Where to get it: Craft stores like Michaels or JoAnn's have trim and/or narrow ribbon options.

6. Buttons Galore - Until I had children, I had no idea that buttons were made in so many shapes and sizes. And this time of year - there are so many adorable Christmas, Snow, Nativity and more themed buttons available. I mixed buttons from several packages and added them to the cuff and toe of the stocking.

Where to get it: JoAnn's has the best selection of these (especially in-store versus online).

I made each stocking in an evening while watching TV so this is really one of those projects that gives you high reward for the amount of time invested. And when you're done - you'll have a beautiful keepsake stocking that you child will cherish all their life. 

Merry Christmas Momma!