Summer Weight Zippadee-Zip Giveaway

The Baby Sleep Solution on Warm Nights: The Summer Weight Zippadee-Zip by Sleeping Baby

Whether you are a mom of one or a mom to many, sleep is a topic you cannot run from. When baby sleeps, mommy sleeps. And all is well with the world.

As a mommy of three, I love sharing tips that have helped make my life easier. There are only a handful of items that I'd grab if my house were on fire, and I am confident enough to say that this item is one of them.

Lucy is my baby girl. After having two boys, she is definitely the princess in our home. And from day one, she acted like one. She hated the swaddle (I'm pretty sure she thought she was being put in a straight jacket) but also had a strong moro relflex (you know when baby suddenly flails her arms like she is falling and wakes herself up crying). My husband and I would pull out all the tricks; sound machine, dark room, swaddle, shushing, swinging, etc. And the second we put our head on the pillow, she would arch her back and start to cry. Lucy was up every hour. She was restless, tired and never slept longer than 45 minutes. We were desperate and willing to do anything to help baby sleep. After eight long weeks, way too much coffee and tirelessly scanning through online mommy support groups, I kept coming across the name Zipadee-Zip and was excited to find a product unlike anything I had seen before.

The Zipadee-Zip is wearable blanket. But it differs from other sleep sacks because the hands and feet are closed in. The Zipadee-Zip makes baby feel secure enough to stifle their moro reflex, but still allows them to roll around, sleep with their hands above their head and even sit up, crawl and move about their crib.

My daughter Lucy is now eleven months old. And she sleeps like an angel. Her Zipadee-zip is her best buddy. When I pull it out of her drawer she immediately cuddles it to her face, closes her eyes and gives me a ear to ear smile. The key is SHE KNOWS IT IS SLEEP TIME WHEN I PULL OUT HER ZIPPY. And for this reason, I am forever indebted to Sleeping Baby and Stephanie Parker, the creator of this amazing product. The Zipadee-Zip helps Lucy self soothe and she is able to put herself back to sleep when she wakes up throughout the night.

So often, sleep experts and pediatricians emphasize how important it is to stick to a sleep routine and have specific cues for baby to understand when it is time for a nap or time to go to sleep for the night. The Zipadee-Zip has been just that for little Lucy. And I am so grateful.


Stephanie and her crew at Sleeping Baby have just debuted their newest version of the Zipadee-Zip, the Summer Weight Zipadee-Zip. It is a summer weight version that is lighter and more breathable for baby girl during hot or humid evenings. The fabric is thinner and cooler for baby when it's warm. I'm so excited for Lucy to use her new ladybug Zippadee-Zip this summer to keep her comfy and snuggly without having to cover her in blankets or worry about her getting overheated.

Here are some of the things Lucy likes best about her Zippadee-Zip:

1. SLEEP - it helped her transition from the swaddle and taught her to self soothe, making her a happy sleeping baby.

2. Travel - Lucy knows it's time to sleep when she sees her Zippadee-Zip, which encourages her normal sleep routine even if we are traveling in a car, plane or just staying over night at Nana's.

3. Germ Free - While traveling on planes, or walking in the door from a long day at the park or museum, Lucy can go straight into her Zippadee-Zip and I know she won't be transferring germs from the day into her mouth because her little fingers are covered up.

4. Carseat Compatible - The Zippadee-Zip is shaped like a starfish allowing Lucy to be safely buckled while wearing it. This has saved us on long carrides because she knows after a bout of crying that once I pull out her Zippadee-Zip and put her back into her carseat, she can self soothe and fall peacefully asleep.

5. Safety - The use of loose bedding materials such as blankets and pillows have been attributed to an increased risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Sydrome). The Zippadee-Zip allows Lucy to sleep with her wearable blanket without having to be covered by a loose one. It has also been so helpful when baby is sick. During nights when Lucy is feverish, it is perect to be able to put her in just a diaper and zip her up in her Zippadee-Zip without worrying that she'll be chilly or overheated.

We thank you Sleeping Baby!!

 

Do you want to win a free Zipadee-Zip?!!! Sleeping Baby is giving you a chance to win one for free, just by following these three simple steps:

1. Like Zipadee-Zip Slumber Sacks and Thanks for this crazy beautiful life on Facebook.

2. Sign up to follow my blog by email: Thanks for this crazy beautiful life.

3. Visit www.sleepingbaby.com to pick your favorite Zipadee-Zip and post it as a comment under this review. 

Yes, we do check before announcing a winner :) If you do not win, and you would like to purchase a new Zipadee-Zip, please feel free to use this code: SLEEP at checkout for $2 off your next order. 

 Sleeping Baby Website: http://www.sleepingbaby.com

     Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zipadeezip-Slumber-Sacks-wwwzipadeezipcom/140978145992706

    Twitter: http://twitter.com/ZipadeeZip

    Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ZipadeeZip

Delicious & Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Today was the day after day light savings and the kids were dragging all day long. It was the perfect day for chocolate, the perfect day for baking. I'd been wanting to try a recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod. Maria's whole wheat oatmeal chocoloate chip cookies are made with coconut oil. I'd never tried a chocolate chip cookie recipe that used only whole wheat flour (and it turned out so YUMMY!). And I'm new to baking with coconut oil and I'm sold! The combination of whole wheat flour moistoned by the coconut oil, add old fashoined oats, chocolate and a little sea salt...this recipe is to die for!

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Made with Coconut Oil

ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened (not melted)
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together softened coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

4. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips by hand.

5. Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet, 2-inches apart. Flaten the tops of each cookie just slightly with the soft side of your thumb and sprinkle it with sea salt. Bake for 13 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden around the edges and soft in the center. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

These cookies are still delicious after sitting out for 2 days, but if you've got any left over after that, I recommend sticking them in the freezer. 

I hope you enjoy these cookies that deliver the perfect combination of sweet and salty.