Baby Butterfly Moms

Something About Mary...

2010-11-03T13:41:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

My name is Mary and I have to say I am so excited to be joining the Baby Butterfly team and I am trilled about taking this adventure with my sister-in-law, Sonja. My hope is that I can help Sonja continue to offer unique and exciting products to families.

I have been blessed with two wonderful children; a five year old son and a three year old daughter. Of course, I cannot forget an amazing husband. My family is my pride and joy.

Over the part few years I have used and dressed my children in a number of the products sold at Baby Butterfly Boutique. Not only have I been extremely pleased with the quality, the feedback and the interest from others when my children are wearing the products has been so compelling!!

I anticipate this new endeavor to be filled with fun and excitement and I look forward to the challenges it brings us.

Baby Butterfly is Growing!

2010-11-01T21:09:00.001-04:00

Not baby-wise...two is enough for now! I have been so busy with both the boutique and the distribution side of things, that is it time for some help - a partner! Her name is Mary and not only is she my new partner, she is also my sister in law. Could be trouble? Let's hope not!

She will be introducing herself here soon and will hopefully be joining me on Twitter.

Stay tuned!

Birth Story

2010-09-07T14:20:00.001-04:00

It's been just over 8 weeks since Alexander Stefan was born and I thought it was about time I put his birth story in writing. Not only to share the awesome experience with you, but to document this memory for our family.

So....

It all started at my pre-natal appointment on Thursday, July 8th. My due date was not until July 20th, so I was not expecting much. I had my son Nicholas with me - thankfully the awesome receptionist kept him entertained during my appointment! My OB did an internal and informed me that I was already 3 cm and the baby's head was down quite far (he used some other OB language but I cannot remember now!). He then tells me that this boy will definitely be coming into the world by the end of the weekend. Now, I am not going to lie...I panicked! My bags weren't packed...the nursery wasn't ready...ahhh! We went straight home after the appointment and I started packing.

:: Friday, July 9th ::

Nicholas and I were home together - playing, cleaning and getting ready for baby. At around 12 p.m. I started having some contractions...nothing major...until 1 p.m. rolls around and they started to become more intense, making entertaining Nicholas a bit more difficult. So I called my hubby - Steve - and told him he needed to come home from work soon. Contractions were getting stronger and stronger, but I managed and kept doing things around the house. Dinner time rolls around and we were all enjoying a nice meal together, but unfortunately for me the contractions were getting stronger every time...eating was making me feel sick to my stomach. We decided that it was probably a good time to take Nicholas to my sister-in-law's for the night...just in case!

We get to her place around 8:30 p.m. to drop him off. My brother-in-law offered us some gummy berries from Bulk Barn, which were still delicious despite being keeled over in pain! Steve and I decide it's time to call the hospital, which we do from the car. They tell me to try and wait it out for a bit longer...until the contractions are a bit more regular and about 5 minutes apart. At this point, they were still all over the place.

During the next contraction, I turn to my husband and ask him to take me to the mall...so I can go to Bulk Barn and buy myself some candy! Why not right? I don't really want to go home and wait it out, so we head on over to the mall. While still having some major contractions, I manage to get myself some candies...and some hangers from Toys R Us! Steve wasn't quite sure what to think about all of this...but he went along with me anyways.

We get home at around 9:45 p.m. My contractions were getting stronger and stronger and were starting to get more regular. Within the next hour, they went from about 5 minutes to 3 minutes so we called the hospital again. She told us to come in and since we live very close to the hospital, we were there by 11 p.m.

The nurse checked me as soon as we got there - I was 8 cm!!! We were booked into a room right away and I changed into my @HotMamaGowns. My nurse asked me if I wanted an epidural, which I refused since I was already so far along - what's the point when I was only 2 cm away from pushing - but I needed something for the pain. It was getting so intense I was starting to hyperventilate a bit. My nurse informed my I was too far along for morphine, but could give me laughing gas. I took it. I've never had it before so I didn't know what to expect. It was supposed to take the edge off, which I don't think it did. What it did do is allow me to focus on my breathing so that I didn't hyperventilate.

:: Saturday, July 10th ::

Just after 1:30 a.m I was 10 cm and ready to push.

Fifteen minutes later Alexander was born (1:48 a.m.). Steve cut the cord and the moment the doctor put him on my chest I was in love beyond belief. He weighed in at 7 lbs 9 oz and was 20 inches long (1/2 ounce heavier and 1 inch shorter than Nicholas). He was beautiful (and still is, of course!).

He started nursing with no problems at all...both me and him knew exactly what we were doing. I was overjoyed!

Later that day, our family came to meet the new little man. Nicholas met his big brother for the first time - he kept saying "baby, baby, Alex" - - Love Love Love.

We were discharged from the hospital later that evening.

Eight weeks later and here we are...I am the mother of two sweet boys. I dream about what their lives will be like...will they be friends...only time will tell, but for now we are enjoying every moment!

Me in my Hot Mama Gown!!

Nicholas is telling me to put Alex back in his bassinet!

CONTEST ALERT!!

2010-06-13T21:03:00.002-04:00

We love our fans...so much that we want to give you a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to our boutique! To enter, simply refer your friends to our Facebook Fan Page to "like" us...but make sure they mention who referred them. The fan who refers the most new fans our way will win! Contest ends July 31, 2010.

To Bare it All...That is the Question...

2010-06-10T20:41:00.001-04:00

The weeks are passing by so quickly...and before I know it I will be the mother of two under two. I will admit, I am nervous. Not so much about the birth of my son but more so about having two kids...but you know what's really been on my mind lately? What should I do about the hair...down there...in preparation for the birth of my son???

I think it's common for women to want to look nice before having someone poking and prodding right?

Ok, so yes I already have one baby and I was WAY too nervous to wax...so I had my hubby trim me (not to mention I made sure my legs were shaven, had a pedicure and was overall feeling so lovely!). I figured he was about to see a lot worse in the coming days, so I put him to work. This time though, I am wondering if I should do something a bit different, although I am not sure if a full brazillian is really appropriate for the occasion - is it?

So, that's where you come in! I need to know from all of you mommies if this ever crossed your mind before you had your babies and if so, what did you decide to go with??

KT Steppers are Here!

2010-05-17T21:49:00.003-04:00

We now carry KT Steppers...check them out today at http://www.babybutterfly.ca/category_109/Cricket-Steppers.htm

Happy shopping :)

$25 e-Gift Card Winner!

2010-04-30T21:16:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Angela, the winner of our first contest! While we only had five entries, it was still fun running a contest and hopefully the next one will be more popular!

Angela - please email me by May 3rd to claim your prize. Thanks!
info[at]babybutterfly[dot]ca

RANDOM.ORG Results:
True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 5
Result:
4

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Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T21:16:00.000-04:00

I hope you enjoyed your Earth Day with some Earth friendly activities! My son and I picked up litter on our street...it's a small thing, but he's only 18 months...and really he didn't even help!

Also, what a great day to announce new, lower prices on Earth Mama Angel Baby products! Organic and non-toxic products for mommy and baby (that smell delicious, might I add!)

New Pink Axle styles are in...check them out today!

2010-04-18T21:24:00.000-04:00

A little bit of baby...a lot of rock n'roll!

The new styles are in and way too cute (and rockin') for words.

http://www.babybutterfly.ca/category_81/Whats-New.htm

Yummy Salad Nicoise Recipe (Glow Magazine)

2010-04-17T20:32:00.004-04:00

Since about my 4th month of pregnancy, I cannot seem to get enough of eating hardboiled eggs! I'm guessing it's my body's way of saying I need more protein...but I cannot stop eating them...they are soooo delicious!

Anyways, so I am always on the lookout for recipes/ideas for hardboiled eggs, and came across this great one in Glow magazine (unfortunately, I cannot find a link online, so have copied it below):

DRESSING
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1/4 cup Nativa Organics Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Nativa Organics Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

SALAD
6 baby red-skinned potatoes, quartered
2 eggs
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
6 cups spinach (about one 178 g bag)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 cans Life Brand Solid Light Tuna, packed in water
2 hearts of palm (canned), rinsed and sliced into rounds (***I didn't do this)
1/2 cup pitted black olives (preferably nicoise)
Freshly ground pepper

1. Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients in a sealable container; shake well to mix and set aside.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and cook until fork-tender but still firm, about 10 minutes, drain and set aside. While the potatoes are cooking, place eggs in a small pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Place lid on pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain water, peel off shells and quarter.
3. Bring another pot of water to a boil, add green beans and cook until tender but not limp, about 6 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into a bowl filled with ice cubes and water.
4. Divide spinach among plates and top with potatoes, eggs, green beans, tomatoes, drained tuna, hearts of palm and olives. Spoon dressing over salad and season with pepper.

ENJOY :)

PREP TIME: about 30 mins.
SERVES: 3 or 4
PER SERVING: 396 calories, 23g fat, 23g carbs, 5g fibre, 25g protein, 979 mg sodium

Are you expecting twins?

2010-04-14T21:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's a question I was recently asked...and no, I am not expecting twins...there's just one in there!

Sometimes I wonder why people turn off their filters before talking! I'll admit, my belly certainly grew faster this time than for my first pregnancy, but I am sure that's fairly normal right? This time around it hardly had to stretch as much!

Anyways, just a little vent for a Wednesday evening.
Have any of you ever experienced this (I hope not!)?

Our First Contest! $25 e-gift certificate to Baby Butterfly Boutique

2010-04-12T20:25:00.000-04:00

Hello!

I am very excited to announce our very first contest! One lucky winner will receive a $25 e-gift certificate to use any way they want at Baby Butterfly Boutique. What a nice way to celebrate the beautiful weather :)

Do you want to enter? Here's how:

Mandatory (1 entry):
Leave me a comment telling me what you would spend your $25 e-gift certificate on by checking out http://www.babybutterfly.ca/ and leaving me a comment here.

Extra Entries (leave one comment per entry):
- Follow my blog through Google Connect (or let me know that you already follow) (1 entry)
- Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
- Tweet this giveaway (1 entry per tweet)
Leave a comment for each Tweet and include its link (must include a link to this giveaway)
- Subscribe to Baby Butterfly Boutique's newsletter (1 entry)
- Become a fan of Baby Butterfly Boutique on Facebook (1 entry)
- Suggest a friend become a fan of Baby Butterfly Boutique on Facebook (1 entry)
- Blog about this giveaway (3 entries - leave a comment for each entry, including a link to your blog entry in one of your comments)

Good luck everyone!!!

Additional Info:
1. This contest runs from April 12, 2010 to April 30, 2010 at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
2. One winner will be selected using Random.org
3. The winner will be announced on this blog on May 1, 2010
4. Once the winner is announced, they must contact me by e-mail to claim their prize by May 3, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).
5. The winner will receive the e-gift card certificate via e-mail ($25 CAD).
6. Contest is open to Canadian and US residents.

So many things...

2010-04-10T22:38:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been ages since my last post - so much has been going on. Besides this store, I have a full time job, which I went back to in November (after my mat. leave was up) which takes up a lot of time!

I am also very excited to say that we are expecting baby #2! Another boy :) He is due July 20th.

Baby Butterfly Boutique News:

We have added the new "Funny Baby Bibs" from Text Message Baby - they are super cute and will add a little more conversation to the dinner table!

Text Message Baby onesies are also $4 off - check them out!

We will also be adding Cutie Pa Tutus to our line-up - coming within the next month or so. Check out http://www.swankymoms.com/swanky/featured-swanky-mom/52-amanda-moreno-duke.html for more information on the line. These tutus are way too cute for words!

Enjoy the warmer weather and I promise more regular updates :)

Text Message Baby ON SALE!!!

2009-11-17T20:44:00.001-05:00

Yes, you read that right! These adorable onesies are on sale for 25% off until Dec. 31, 2009, so get yours today!

Enter to Win a $50 Gift Certificate

2009-10-23T12:59:00.001-04:00

Enter to win a Baby Butterfly Boutique $50 gift certificate at My Wee View today!!!

http://myweeview.com/2009/10/baby-butterfly-boutique-50-gift-certificate/

~ good luck!

Don't Forget...

2009-10-11T20:54:00.003-04:00

...about our sale! 15% off at Baby Butterfly Boutique - http://www.babybutterfly.ca/.

Happy shopping!!!

Zumba!!!

2009-10-11T20:53:00.001-04:00

I recently finished my second Zumba challenge (for those who don't know what Zumba is, check out http://www.myzumba.ca/). Each challenge is 12 weeks, 1 night per week. After the first challenge, I really didn't see much of a difference, but after the second challenge, I have to say I was very impressed!!! I lost a total of 8 lbs and a few inches where it counts! I may not yet be at my pre-preggo weight, but I can fit into my Sevens again so I am happy.

If you are looking for something fun and exciting but still a workout, check out Zumba. You won't be disappointed.

Sale Starts Today!

2009-09-22T09:17:00.003-04:00

Visit us today at http://www.babybutterfly.ca/ and get shopping! Save 15% off your entire order (use voucher code Fall_09). Enjoy!

For Any Small Business Owners Out There - Check This Out!

2009-09-14T20:32:00.001-04:00

...TWEET-A-DAY!!!

Tweet-A-Day Giveaway promotes giveaways for free to help small business grow.

Tweet-A-DayGiveaway.com sends out a daily email and daily tweet on giveaways is targeting the need of micro, small and medium businesses to breakthrough the internet “noise” by offering an easy way to get their promotional giveaways listed and out to the public.

Tweet-A-DayGiveaway.com is unique from other giveaway sites and blogs because it drives traffic to the company’s site not just the promoter’s site. Tweet-A-Day does not manage the giveaway or ask visitors to enter to win on their site like other giveaway sites do. Tweet-A-Day sends visitors directly to the site of the company offering the giveaway. Doing this brings more traffic to the company’s’ site. In addition, the company doing the giveaway does not have to send in the product for “review”.

Tweet-A-Day founder, Gina Robison-Billups, recognized the need for this service when she was promoting her own giveaway for MomsMakingaMillion.com. It was very difficult to find sites to contact. The submission links for most of them didn’t work, and their promotion of the giveaways just drove traffic and comments to their own sites, not hers. In addition, Moms Making a Million didn’t have a product to review with a picture because it’s a service. Service providers are left out in the cold when it comes to giveaway promotional opportunities.

Tweet-A-Day Giveaway is also free. There are no advertising fees for posting giveaways, and no shipping of free products for review – a practice that has been recently scrutinized for tax implications and conflict of interest issues.

The program is still in its beta phase, but the first week has seen real results. The Tweet-A-Day giveaways were re-tweeted to 12,000 twitter-ers in it’s first week of operation, and many of the companies offering giveaways have reported results and sign ups.

Visitors wanting to receive daily giveaways through email or Twitter can register alerts through www.Tweet-A-DayGiveaway.com or at http://www.twitter.com/tweetgive

About Tweet-A-DayGiveaway.com

Pure, simple, free, and easy promotion – Tweet-A-DayGiveaway.com gives small business a place to promote their giveaways and to breakthrough the internet noise.

It's That Time of Year! Fall Sale!

2009-09-14T11:39:00.001-04:00

Well...that time of year is just around the corner...I'm talking Fall! While some love it...others are reminded that Winter is just around the corner...so to ease everyone in Baby Butterfly Boutique is having a sale! Enjoy 15% off your entire purchase from Sept. 22 to Oct. 16th! Enter voucher code 'Fall_09'. Happy shopping and happy fall!

Happy Long Weekend!

2009-09-04T09:36:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone has a great well-deserved long weekend!! Enjoy your friends and families :) This weekend my husband is taking me to Niagara on the Lake to do some wine tasting (my bday gift!), so I am very excited. We weren't sure if we should take our son with us or not...after mulling it over forever, we decided to leave him here with my SIL.

So I need to know....would you take your child on a trip like this or leave him/her? Have you left him/her overnight before?

I have a feeling I will think about him the whole time.

****Stay tuned for our upcoming fall sale and contests****

New Organic Hand Knits

2009-08-31T21:45:00.003-04:00

There cannot be anything better to wrap your baby in than soft, luxurious organic hand knits! We have added a couple of beautiful pieces to our catalog and I have to say I love them. Hmm...I wonder if Zia and Tia makes adult size ones?? ;) The perfect keepsake for your child to pass on to theirs...

Website Scare!

2009-08-25T21:42:00.002-04:00

Ahhhh!! It's official, I had my first major website scare last night! I tried to add something to the store and clearly did something incorrect because EVERYTHING was where it shouldn't be! This was at about 10:30 p.m. so needless to say, I was up late trying to fix it. I think it's ok now, but if you notice anything odd, please let me know!

Sick Baby :(

2009-08-23T20:15:00.003-04:00

My little man got his first fever yesterday...so any updates to my site have been put on hold...he is still not feeling well today. My poor little man looks so sad, but he is extra cuddly (which I selfishly admit, I love!). Anyways, we took him to a walk-in clinic yesterday and the doctor said it's just a virus...not much we can do.

So, as I am sure most of you with children have dealt with this before know, it sucks!

Sourpuss Line

2009-08-19T21:47:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to announce that we are adding Sourpuss' rockin baby wear to our store! These onesies are way to cool and I cannot wait to get my son into one or all of these! My husband might even be more excited than me! Hope you like :)

EEEK

2009-08-18T08:32:00.003-04:00

Ok, so my son has taken to screaming as high pitched and loud as he possibly can! I think he is doing it when he wants something or is frustrated it...how do I stop it??? It's not so bad at home, but when we're out and about it can be a bit much! I guess until he can say a few words, this is what he'll do.

NEW Sweet Mady Lunchboxes

2009-08-17T21:03:00.002-04:00

Have you seen our new line of Sweet Mady personalized lunchboxes?? Just in time for back to school! Not only are they perfect for lunch, but they can hold toys, snacks, crafts...whatever! I am adding new designs daily so check back often :)

Enjoy!

Our Look Has Changed!

2009-08-11T11:25:00.005-04:00

Well...I finally did it and had a logo designed and my site has been updated! I have also added a number of products including the Moby Wrap, Sweet Mady Personalized Lunchboxes and 2 Chix Maternity Tees. Enjoy!

Article - Phthalates in Products

2009-08-03T19:37:00.003-04:00

There were two main reasons I wanted to open Baby Butterfly Boutique:
1. put all the cool baby stuff I find in one place, for easy access for busy moms; and,
2. to offer safe, non-toxic, phthalate free products.

Number 2 is important to me because we all want our babies to be safe and healthy and to keep them away from harmful chemicals. I found this informative article http://www.babycenter.ca/baby/safety/phthalatesinproducts/. Because of this, all of the skin care products I carry are phthalate free...

Hello World!

2009-08-02T22:52:00.000-04:00

Well, this is my first post...and I am not sure what to write about! It's almost 11 p.m. and I have just added a blog to my online boutique...added a few new products. All the while, my son is fast asleep and my husband is watching Gene Simmons.

So, I guess I should say a few things about moi...I just started Baby Butterfly Boutique, 9 months in to having a baby. I am sure for some, that seems like an easy feat...and to be honest, it hasn't been too bad so far...but my goal is a complete career change. I want to quit my regular full time job and run my store...so I am keeping my fingers crossed, but that also means a lot of hours on the computer (much to Steve's dismay)!!!

Anyways...that's all for now :)