Teething Bling Review and Giveaway!

The marketplace is flooded with baby items. There's so many things moms consider buying that we often get overwhelmed and quit. Many items are a must: crib, carseat (rear-face to 2 please!) and a stroller. Many items are a waste (wipes warmer anyone? Get them used to the cold wipes early on!)
I'd like to add another item to the MUST list. Teething Bling.

When Olivia was little, I never bought into the teething toy boom. I gave her a washcloth and she was fine. I know now that Olivia was an "easy" teether. She'd cut teeth over and over again and we'd never notice. She wouldn't spike a fever, no excessive drooling or crankiness.
Kellen was a little more difficult for those first few teeth so I bought some numbing gel (which is now being investigated for dangerous ingredients here) and water filled teething toys. But all too often, the teething toys would end up under the couch or I'd have to wash them over and over again after our dog decided he needed some teething help too. No biggie--Kellen got through it just fine.

Then, there is Owen.

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

This poor child has been teething since he was fresh out of the womb. He spikes fevers. The drool is incessant. He breaks out in a rash around his mouth for days. He gets diarrhea. He's inconsolable. At some point, I started to branch my search for teething remedies outside of the big box stores. Then, I found Teething Bling, made by Smart Mom LLC.

Teething Bling® is the original teething jewelry. Made from the same FDA-approved material as most teething toys, the pendants and bangles look great on the adult wearer but are safe for curious babies to handle and chew.

The products are non-toxic, phthalate, BPA, PVC, latex and lead free and all pendants come with a breakaway clasp as an added safety measure.

YES! It's teething JEWELRY! I can look great and Owen can have something to gnaw on?? I'm sold. I ordered my pendant the very next day.

I bought a donut pendant necklace and received a bangle to review (and a donut to give away!). Here on my pros and cons:

Pros:
Super cute! The material almost makes it look like a stone for afar--not like you're wearing a pacifier around your neck or something.
Very durable: Owen started chewing on that sucker right after a quick wash and it wears very well.
Very comfortable: The cord is very comfortable to wear and the breakaway clasp ensures it breaks away before actually breaking.
Matching bangles: I thought Owen loved the necklace until he got at the bangle. He loves the bangle! He craws around with it and will cry if we take it away!
Easy to clean: I just ran mine under some warm water with a touch of soap, dried with a towel and done!
Affordable: If you wanted to buy an assortment to match a bunch of different outfits, you aren't going to break the bank (and if you "like" TB on Facebook, they offer lots of discount codes too)
You're supporting moms.....not big, faceless corporations. Learn more about Smart Mom LLC here

Cons:
Fuzzy magnet: Not a huge deal but I noticed if I wore my black donut with a white sweater, all the fuzzys showed. I guess I need to buy a white one!!!
Lost a bit of shine after continued use: Maybe it's just Owen's jaws of steel, but it lost a little of the shiny "bling" after a week of use. I think it actually gives it some extra character--like an extra texture.

The bottom line: I would absolutely recommend this product for teething babies. The ease of use, ease of cleaning and extra bonus of looking great on mom makes this an all around great product!

Want one?

Buy It:

Visit Teething Bling's Shop and order today!

Win It:

One lucky reader will win an Onyx Donut Shaped Pendant!

Mandatory Entries: Please be sure to leave your email address within each comment!

1. **YOU MUST BE A PUBLIC FOLLOWER OF MY BLOG** (leave a comment)

2. **Visit Teething Bling's website and tell me which color/pattern you like best.** (leave a comment)

3. **Like Teething Bling on Facebook and tell them "Just Rolling With It" sent you**

Extra Entries : (Be sure to leave a separate comment for each one)

1. Visit Teething Bling's website and sign up for their yahoo group (all the way on the bottom of the page) (leave me a comment) (1 entry)

2. Follow Teething Bling on Twitter (1 entry)

3. Retweet the following: @TeethingBling I entered to win an pendant at http://justrollingwithit09.blogspot.com/

Please leave me the url so I can verify your tweet-- I will be checking! (1 entry per day)

4. Post on your blog linking to this giveaway and the featured company. Please leave a comment with a direct link to your post (1 entry)

5. Add me to your PUBLIC Blog Roll. Please leave a comment with a direct link to the URL- I will be checking. (1 entry)

Giveaway ends April 23rd @11:59PM CST. Winner will be picked via Random.org. Please respond within 24 hours, or a new winner will be chosen.

All remarks are the personal and honest opinions of me. I was provided a free bangle to test. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged prizes. Open to US residents only.

Giveaway anyone?

I got something fun coming....a giveaway! I'm just working out the details but it should be within the next week or so. Very exciting! Stayed tuned!

In the meantime, things have been very busy around here. April is historically the busiest month next to December. Olivia turns 5 on Sunday so we've been busy planning her birthday party. It's the first year she wanted to invite friends instead of family. I can't believe I'm uncool already.

Owen is getting so big. He's doing his version of "crawling" all over the house. He has a cute combo roll/crawl when he really wants something. He's started to cry when he's just mad about something and, although annoying at times, he makes a REALLY cute face.

Kellen continues through the terrible two's onto the "oh-my-goodness-I-can't-believe-how-sassy-you-are" three's. He follows his sister's every move and jury is still out on whether that's a good thing.

I'm hoping summer comes. Soon. Like now. Like, I want to wake up tomorrow and have it be 75 degrees. We got 16 inches of snow about a week ago and it was overly depressing. Everybody is happier when it's warm out. Unless you live in California-then everyone is just skinny.

I've got friends

I think I have a unique group of friends. Each one serves it's own purpose and many of them have very specific purposes. I find myself acting one way with one and a different way with others. I love that they are very diverse and from all walks of life.

I have certain friends that keep me grounded. They help me realize that the world doesn't revolve around me. People are dying in tsunamis for goodness sake! Pretty sure the fact that the store didn't have a dress in my size isn't the end of the world.

I have other friends that I keep at an arm's distance. These are the ones who are good in a party atmosphere but not one on one. Some of them are kinda cold and very selfish. Those are the ones you just take as part of the "package" of being in a group of friends.

Then there's the "why me's". I like these kinds of friends because they remind me to be active. A great book I'm reading says "the amount of energy you spend on complaining could be spent changing your life" (or something like that). That's the kind of friend I am to these people. I don't indulge in their drama.

I have those friends that I get dressed up for. I know it sounds funny but it's true. I have a small group of friends that always look great. They are always dressed nice....always have the hair, jewelry and nails done. I find they inspire me to throw on some makeup and straighten my hair before seeing them. I like that.

And then there's my BFF. She's the all encompassing friend. I can dress up for her, or be unshowered for 4 days in my pajamas. I can be honest (sometimes brutally) and stick my foot in my mouth and she forgives me. I can go out to a bar with her, or sit at home and watch GREEK. We can not talk for a few days and then pick up right where we left off. I love her the most.

I think friends are a great representation of who we are as people. Each one shares something special with you (hopefully...otherwise you wouldn't be friends). Take inventory of those people and make sure you're happy to call them friends. If not, get rid of 'em!

The (new) ongoing saga

We took Olivia to a counselor this past week to see if we could pinpoint why she's been acting so aggressive and getting in trouble at school. We hoped the counselor could also give us some tips, based on her personality, on parenting her to be less aggressive, less mouthy and more patient.

Instead, I got land blasted with "She really needs to get tested. This is really out of our realm because we typically only deal with issues we can help in the 6 sessions you're limited too. She's gonna need some long term help so I'll have to make a referral."

WHAT? I got a babysitter for this?

Okay- maybe that's a little overboard but it was a disappointment. I set my expectations too high thinking we'd walk out of the first session with a gameplan and all would be okay. I never prepared myself to hear there their might actually BE SOMETHING WRONG with her.

Many of my close family and friends have told me the testing is just to CYA- "cover your ass" (which is my new favorite term by the way) and that it's a normal thing. Like when a doctor just tests for a bunch of stuff, hoping something will come up--but also as a way to rule things out. She's going to need a test for IQ, ADHD, bi-polar and some other disorder that I forgot to write down. I have no idea what these tests include or whether she'll know she's being tested, but I guess it's better to know then not know.

So, the saga continues. I'm going to call and make the first appointment with the psychologist to get the testing done. It should be very, very interesting.

Dear Bravo

Many people are addicted to something. Could be alcohol, drugs, exercise or food.

Bravo..... I'm addicted to you.

I have noticed, now that I've been home, that you are always on my TV. 90% of my DVR is dedicated to you. I look forward to seeing you first thing in the morning and the last thing before I go to bed each night.

Here's the run-down:

Real Housewives of Miami
Real Housewives of Orange County
Millionaire Matchmaker
Bethanny Ever After
Tabatha's Salon Makeover
Top Chef
Top Chef Masters
My Life on the D List
Million Dollar Listing
Flipping Out
Project Runway
Shear Genius

I'm not sure how I'm supposed to watch 20 hours of TV while taking care of 3 kids!!

Takin' Back the Boobies

We have a local "natural" parenting store and I stopped there today to get some new diapers (cause I totally need MORE diapers).
The owner had a bunch of strings of beads around her neck because of Mardi Gras. I thought it was just for fun so I said "Happy Mardi Gras!" when I left.
She proceeded to tell me that she's interested in "Takin' Back the Boobies" and giving out beads to women without having to flash for them.

I though that was pretty awesome.

I never quite understood the whole flashing for beads thing. Maybe it's because I've never been to Mardi Gras. But last time I checked, a woman could get a lot more money showing her boobies in Playboy so why show them for a $.01 string of beads? I don't get it.

Not that anyone really wants to see these things anyway.......I've nursed 2 children and pumped for 3.

No thanks!

But I thought it was a great concept so I give props to Takin' Back the Boobies!

Gotta love this

It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M


Just put your paws up

'Cause you were born this way, baby



My mama told me when I was young

We are all born superstars

She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on

In the glass of her boudoir

"There's nothin wrong with lovin who you are"

She said, "'cause he made you perfect, babe"

"So hold your head up girl and you'll go far,

Listen to me when I say"



I'm beautiful in my way

'Cause God makes no mistakes

I'm on the right track baby

I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you're set

I'm on the right track baby

I was born this way



Ooo there ain't no other way

Baby I was born this way

Baby I was born this way

Ooo there ain't no other way

Baby, I was born this way

I'm on the right track baby

I was born this way



Don't be a drag - just be a queen

Don't be a drag - just be a queen

Don't be a drag - just be a queen

Don't be!



Give yourself prudence

And love your friends

Subway kid, rejoice your truth

In the religion of the insecure

I must be myself, respect my youth

A different lover is not a sin

Believe capital H-I-M (hey hey hey)

I love my life I love this record and

Mi amore vole fe yah (love needs faith)



Don't be a drag, just be a queen

Whether you're broke or evergreen

You're black, white, beige, chola descent

You're lebanese, you're orient

Whether life's disabilities

Left you outcast, bullied, or teased

Rejoice and love yourself today

'Cause baby you were born this way

No matter gay, straight, or bi,

Lesbian, transgendered life

I'm on the right track baby

I was born to survive

No matter black, white or beige

Chola or orient made

I'm on the right track baby

I was born to be brave