Cloth Diaper Geek and Dirty Diaper Laundry are proud to present the Twitter Party of the Year!  Mom’s Milk Boutique‘s first ever Twitter Party Bash!

Join us as we celebrate the upcoming Black Friday promotions and kick off the launch of Mom’s Milk Boutique’s new Milk Miles Rewards Program!

The prizes and sponsors are POURING in so you don’t want to miss this amazing party!

The Sponsors so far are amazing!

• One Grand Prize: 
  • Grand Prize Package Includes 10 GroVia Shells, 5-Soaker Pads (2-pack), 2-Booster Pads (2-pack), and 1-50ct Pack of Bio Soakers! (valued at appx. $300) (one winner) from @GroVia

  1st Prize:

  • New Amazon Kindle Fire from Mom’s Milk Boutique (valued at $199)  (one winner)

  2nd Prizes:

  • 3 Pacifiers, 1 Clip, 1 Bag, 2 Panda Teethers, Bath Toy Set from Hevea Baby (valued $101.70) (one winner)
  • $100 worth of Rockin’ Green from Rockin’ Green (one winner)

  3rd Prize:

  • Buggy Bag Original from Blueberrys (valued at $64.95) (one winner)

  More Prizes:

  • You! Lingerie Nursing Bra – choice of  Ella Rose, Bella Cerise or Amber Plum (2 winners)
  • NEW PRODUCT (ssh…it’s a secret) from Swaddlebees (valued at $25.95) (3 winners)
  • Holiday BabyLegs 3 Pack Gift Set (3 winners)
  • ERGObaby Front Pouch (3 winners)

  Additional Sponsors and Prizes:  (more details to come)

  • CJs BUTTer
  • Aden + Anais
  • Tots Bots
  • BumGenius
  • Thirsties
  • and more!

RSVP using the Rafflecopter form below to be eligible for prizes.  To win you must be present at the party and have tweeted with the #milkmiles hashtag at least once in that timeframe.  Check back soon as we add more amazing prizes!  

Today is a catch-all post for a few important items that just don’t make sense to occupy an entire post!

Ask DDL a Question and have it answered on video

I get a lot of emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and carrier pigeons delivering questions about cloth diapers.  (Okay, I don’t actually get questions delivered by pigeon but how rad would that be?!) Sometimes an email just can’t convey what I want to say.  Sometimes I want to fly to their home and SHOW them.  Instead of costing myself a lot of airfare I have decided maybe I could just video what I mean instead.

If you have a burning question about cloth diapering (or even anything else I might be able to help with) and want it answered in a vlog, ask it!   You might just get an answer!  The best part is that others probably have the same question, so lots of readers and viewers will benefit.

Ask Kim a Question  

Vote for DDL in the Padded Tush Stat Awards

I am SO not a person who begs for votes or asks to be nominated for awards.  I’ve always secretly hoped I would be nominated for something for the blood, sweat, and tears I put into DDL.  But I wanted it to be a real award, and not one of the “Vote for me Every Single Day” annoying awards that are just trying to get extra traffic for themselves and care nothing about actually giving an award!

Even though this is a new Award, it is hosted by Padded Tush Stats and is just about cloth diapers.  I have been nominated by a few people (thank you!) in the Cloth Diaper Resources category.  If you have learned from my blog and feel I’m a valuable resource for the community I would appreciate a vote.  There are also awards for Best Cloth Diaper, Best Accessory, and Best Retailer.

Vote for DDL

Unless you were there or have been before it is impossible to grasp the enormity that is ABC Kids.  This was my second year attending; my first time was in 2009 when the conference was in Las Vegas.  This year it was held in Louisville, Kentucky.  Again, I brought my nursling.  Everett is 11 months old and still very much dependent on Mommy.  I assumed, like his brother in 2009, that Everett would ride in a carrier and nap on me when he needed it.  I also assumed he would nurse in the carrier like we have done a million times before.  I was wrong.

Poor Everett wasn’t happy at the conference.  He refused to be worn more than a few minutes at a time.  He wouldn’t nap, and he would only nurse in the quietest of rooms with no one around.  We survived, but it was tough.  I only had a few days to meet with the close 80 booths I had planned to visit, and at least 30 were cloth diaper related.  Luckily my friend Emily from Giving Diapers, Giving Hope was there with me.  She was an enormous help.  I’m not sure what I would have done without her.

On Day 1 my first stop was at the Pumpease booth but Wendy had stepped out so I ran to the bumGenius booth to get to see their new Freetime, Flip Trainer, and the new colors and prints in person.  I have met Jenn, Heather, and Libby before but as always it was good to see them.

I have been tweeting with @HygeiaKate for years and I feel like we have known each other for a lifetime.  Kate was a MUST MEET on my list so I hit the Hygeia booth, which was also a beautiful nursing area, and gave lots of hugs to Kate and Syliva (who I met at the HauteGreen Party in San Diego last month.)  I finally got to meet Wendy of Pumpease that day as well!  Lara (@mamapeardesigns) was working the Pumpease booth and it was fun to see her again too.  

Another long time Twitter friend on my list was Marissa Evans, former owner of Growing Green Bums.  Funny enough, we were supposed to be roomates for the 2010 ABC Kids Expo, but that was before I found out that Everett was due the same day as the Expo started.  Her new baby, born at home not long ago, was snuggled in his Moby and she was so sweet and as nice as I pictured in person.

Amy from Just West of Crunchy was there as well.  It was awesome to meet her and her adorable daughter (seriously, she is just beautiful) and I hate that we didn’t get a picture together!  She had a ton of fun playing with my Everett and I think she has the baby fever now!

I ran into to Emi from The Cloth Diaper Report in the nursing room while I tried on a few nursing bras.  She basically saw me nude at our first meeting!

Allison from Nummies Bras was so busy!  I am so sad I couldn’t chat with her more.  I love her tweets and she is just the nicest person on Twitter and in real life.  The good news is that every time I passed her booth she was talking to buyers, but that also meant I didn’t get to stop in.  

I met Tereson Dupuy, inventor of Fuzibunz, and she showed us around the new products coming from the brand.  

On Sunday I was able to meet Kim Ormsby, the woman behind GroVia.  It was so cool to tell her that her product, Gro Baby, was my first video review and the inspirtation behind what I do today.  I’m really excited about their new training pant and I think it is going to be a hit.  I also got to peek at Sully, who is just a few months younger than Everett.  He was sleeping in his stroller and cuddled up with his blanket.  So sweet!

I am a HUGE fan of Mommy Necklaces, and have been for years since becoming a mom.  I’ve emailed Raelynn, the woman behind the brand, many times.  She was one of the first brands to work with me on a giveaway when I started blogging many years ago.  That has always meant a lot to me.  I can’t tell you how amazing it was to meet her and talk with her about Mommy Necklaces, their stellar values and customer service, their beautiful photography, and grandmothers.  Raelynn and I have a lot in common.  I’ll also be hosting a special giveaway for their newest nursing necklace soon. 

You know @BabyGuyNYC?  I ran into him too!  He is tall and handsome and too funny!  This guy knows his baby stuff!  

It was great to run into the retailers I know from Twitter that recognized me.  Then, I got to reunite with old friends like Calley (@TheEcoChic), Katie (@KatiePickles), and Deirdrea (@HotMamaGowns).   Deirdra is so great and the lip balm she was giving out was probably the best booth swag there!  I am using it all the time now!

The people I got to hang out with over the last few days are some of the most talented, sweet, and amazing people on the planet!  If only ABC was every day, but without the sore feet, bad food, and sketchy convention center staff….

It is going to take some time to recover from this trip and the RDIA meetings that end tomorrow.  I have so much to share still!  I know I am forgetting people but please forgive me, I am exhausted and packing for my flight tomorrow!

If you are tired of reading about BlogHer posts then I have good and bad news.

Bad news: this post is about BlogHer ’11.

Good news: this is my last Blogher ’11 post.

Now, get ready for Stream of Consciousness writing with no timeline.  Forget the rules of good blogging, grammar, spelling, and sense.

People:

A lot of our Tweeps in one place!

I was fortunate to meet some really amazing women (and men) at BlogHer.  One way that I got to meet (almost) everyone on my list was by attending the Haute Green Social Hour Party on Thursday.  I also happened to be a co-host.  I was able to hug @KatiesPickles, @TheEcoChic, @ClothDiaperGeek, @KellyWels, @HauteMommyBlog, @HygeiaSylvia, @MamaPearDesigns, @EcoNuts, @PhDinParenting, @BabyRabies, @DagmarBleasedale, and so many more it isn’t funny.  These are my TWEEPS!  I love them and I loved meeting them for the first time.  I met many more new people too, which is kinda the point, yes?

My friend came to visit me who is local to San Diego.  Unfortunately it was short but at least I got to hug her neck.  She is hoping for a Homebirth any day now and I am wishing her the best of luck and can’t wait to hear about it.  Thanks Lyndsey!

At the conference I also met @TwoPretzels and @TheGrumbles.  I think I want to run away with both of them.  We were at the same table for the Saturday Night Keynote.  Ricki Lake spoke about women in the media and about her little movie, you know, The Business of Being Born.  I was a wreck about being late for this one so my roomie and I took a PediCab for a 20 minute walk.  It was fun, and 20$ well spent.

That's me and Ricki Lake, Ya'll!

I mentioned before that I was hoping to meet Ricki Lake. I have been tweeting at her and her new show’s Twitter Handle @TheRickiLakeShow for a few weeks now.  Not in a stalkery way, I hope.  I was asked to meet up with Ricki and other bloggers after the speech at the Tequila Bar by the pool of our hotel.  Margaritas were dispensed and I felt positively minute in the company of some amazing women.  I knew that Amy Lupold (@ResourcefulMom) would be there as well so I took the opportunity earlier that day to introduce myself after her session on Professional Blogging.  This was a great decision.  I saw a friendly face in the crowd.  Later on others I knew made it, including Annie of PhDinParenting.  I was able to chat with Ricki Lake, have a photo taken (SQUEE), and then talk to folks from the show.  I may have talked the ear of of a producer for almost 30 minutes about cloth diapers.  He may have sounded very interested in them.  And I may be crossing my fingers that they decide to talk about them on her new show coming in September 2012.

Other Highlights:

In the PediCab with Julie

Watching my roomie, Julie AKA the Cloth Diaper Geek, dance the night away at Sparklecorn.  Eating part of a Unicorn’s butt.  Decorating a few adult toys with googly eyes.  Hopping in a Photobooth with @BebehBlog and making silly faces.  Getting tattooed and having an invitation to “Lick me” written on the back of my neck at Aiming Low.  Eating cheeseburgers taken from silverdomed servingware.  Being filmed eating sausage on a stick.  Taking a Pedicab with Julie (@ClothDiaperGeek).  Joining a Pumping Party.  And of course being a part of the 300 oz+ breastmilk donation.

If it weren’t for Twitter I would have missed the Queen Bee Market, anadorable suite at the Hilton, full of handmade goods.  It was seriously like Etsy threw up in a room.  I could have spent hours and hours there, and hundreds of dollars.  Luckily I only had 10 minutes to spare so I bought a flower for my hair and a ring for my finger.

The Swag:

If you have heard of BlogHer you mostly hear about the swag.  I was either doing it wrong, or doing it right.  I came home with a suitcase full of a few samples and coupons, that is it.  Toothpaste, detergent, 2 bracelets, a DVD, some *ahem* toys, a water bottle, a sponge, stationary, Angry Bird Keychain, and a neti pot.  I didn’t win anything, I didn’t party hop to procure swag, I didn’t run through the Expo Hall grabbing stuff, and I stayed true to myself.  I’m going to be honest and say that I was a tad jealous of the cool stuff I saw, but it is a lot of work to swag it up.  The people with the most swag are either really famous and had it coming at them hand over fist, or good at party hopping.  They also probably missed most of the official stuff in order to swag hop.

More Photos:

At SparkleCorn with Molly

Yumm. I had a million Twizzlers

I would love to bore you with what I LEARNED at BlogHer but my kids won’t sit still long enough for me to make it coherent.

Next year BlogHer is back in New York City.  I am 2 parts excited, and 1 part nervous.  I have never been and I am terrified of traveling there alone.  San Diego is nothing compared to NYC.  Yes, I live 4 hours away from NYC and never go there.  Sad, yes?  See you next year BlogHer!

Thanks again to Swaddlebees and Boba for their generous sponsorship that got me to BlogHer and to the other companies that made my boobies weigh less, look perkier, and be more productive!

Things just haven’t been easy for me so far this week and the rest of the week isn’t looking any better.

My house just won’t clean itself.

The laundry won’t wash, dry, or fold itself.  Neither will the dishes.

Husband left for 3 days yesterday.  At least I don’t have to wash his dishes.

I bought false eyelashes for our family photos Sunday.  When I went to put them on I discovered the glue was dry.  Too late to buy more.  Wasted $.

I pumped twice last week and got less than 1 ounce each time.

I have far less milk stored for my 4 days away (while at BlogHer) from Ev than I need.

Every time I have pumped so far this week something happens and a kid starts screming.  Never fails.  At least when I needed a tissue the 2.5 year old fetched it.  #winning

I spent 2 hours writing HTML for a page on this website.  Turns out that code isn’t what I wanted.

I spent 6 hours working on getting the new iPhone App submitted to Apple (it is now under review) but it should have taken a few minutes. *Twitter typo

Yesterday both children took a nap strike.  And when I did get the littlest to sleep, without fail the biggest would wake him.

Toddler decided yesterday was a fine time to forget how to pee on the toilet.  He peed in front of it instead.

Again, later he forgot to remove the potty seat and somehow peed on his own face instead.

My bathroom now smells like a public urinal.  I have no desire or intention of cleaning it today but the smell makes me want to hurl.

I got Ev to sleep after much bouncing on the yoga ball.  But then I was stuck in a chair with two sleeping (1 naked) kids and couldn’t work.  So I watched Hoarders and felt a little better about my dirty house.

The toddler finally went to bed at 8 pm but woke at 11.  Both kids forced me into a space fit for a small house cat on the edge of the bed.

Toddler woke for the day at 5:45 and his “overnight underwear” didn’t hold up.  Sheets were soaked (MY sheets)

And yet- my kids are both alive and healthy.  I tweeted this yesterday:

so the kids decided to test my theory.

It is very hard to keep that in mind when the kids are both screaming at the top of their lungs, the toddler is kicking and punching because I told him to eat something other than cereal, and the baby won’t leave my side long enough to go pee.  Life isn’t always this crazy.  In fact, the kids are usually quite well behaved.  If they weren’t I wouldn’t be able to post as often.  Clearly, the past few days haven’t been so great.  There have been other non family reasons the week has sucked but I won’t depress you.

I hope you all have a clear schedule next week!  Tuesday, June 7 join me at the #ChangingDiapers to party with The Eco Chic and Kelly Wels.  Why are we partying?!  Kelly Wels has written a book about cloth diapers called Changing Diapers, The Hip Mom’s Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering (available for pre-order now).  Then on Wednesday, June 8 I’ll be hanging out with the cool kids for the UStream Party in celebration of the NEW Prints (yet to be revealed!) from AppleCheeks!

#ChangingDiapers Details:

What: Join the cloth diapering movement with author and cloth diaper expert Kelly Wels as she shares with us stories from her upcoming book:“Changing Diapers: A Hip Mom’s Guide to Modern Cloth Diapers.” Oh, and I’ll be chatting along with everyone so of course you want to be there.  RSVP to make sure you are entered for a chance to win a iPad2!!!

• Baby loves a soft, fluffy butt.
• You save big bucks and the planet.
• Eco-friendly cloth diapers are fashionable too.
• Yes, cloth diapering is fun for moms (and dads).

When: Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

Time: 9:00 pm ET

Hashtag: #changingdiapers

Who to follow:  @KellyWels, @TheEcoChic, and @EcoChicParties.  Also follow our guest panelist @KimRosas our always fabulous assistant @EcoChicSidekickand our lovely sponsors listed below.

Tweetgrid: http://is.gd/0FOFWi You will want to add your username to the right grid.  Don’t like the Grid? Try TweetDeck or TweetChat or HootSuite or any other Twitter application you like.

Tips for using Tweetgrid for parties:http://ecochicparties.theecochic.com./tips-for-using-tweetgrid-for-parties/

RSVP Now

Printalicious Party Details:

At long last, The Prints are coming! I am a few other bloggers will be revealing the prints on Tuesday and then on Wednesday we get to party it up, Applecheeks style!  Those ladies love a good party so this is a can’t miss event!

Tuesday, June 7 at noon EST – Launch, Prelude to a Print: The Big Reveal on our YouTube channel.  I will also be posting my BIG REVEAL of the new prints so you’ll want to check my blog on Tuesday for that one!  I might have a special treat for you all as well.

Wednesday, June 8 from 9 – 10 EST - Printalicious, An AppleCheeks Event livestream broadcast Q&A with Ilana and Amy and sponsored giveaways on Ustream. RSVP in order to enter to win prizes!

Who? AppleCheeks owners and creators Ilana and Amy will be LIVE Streaming on Ustream.tv! They will be chatting cloth, answering questions sent in by YOU, and giving away some huge prizes!
What? UStream is a chat platform in which you can watch Ilana & Amy on live TV while chatting with fans in a chat box! We have embedded this platform onto our Facebook page so you won’t have to go far!
Where? http://ustream.tv/channel/printalicious& http://facebook.com/applecheeksdiapers
When? Mark your calendars for June 8th, 2011 9-10pm EST.
Why? To party it up AppleCheeks style! We want to show our appreciation for our fans with prizes and fun.
How? RSVP on the AppleCheeks blog! Your RSVP will enter you to win prizes as well as give us a little info for our records. Be sure to check Facebook and the Applecheeks blog regularly for updates!

The prizes are pretty fabulous for this event!  One of my BlogHer sponsors, Boba, is sponsoring the event as well!

RSVP Now

Wendy, inventor of  PumpEase, contacted me about doing a review.  I really wanted to work with her because I know they are a fabulous company but frankly, I don’t pump very often.  If you follow me on Twitter you know that I only have a single pump and when I do get around to it I tweet the entire time about how much I despise pumping.  But I have a friend who pumps, and pumps, and pumps.  I knew she could give this a real work out, and she did!  Read about her experience with the Pumpease and how it saved her back and her sanity!  Plus keep scrolling for a coupon code and giveaway!

Organic PumpEase

I was recently asked to review the Pumpease Organic Pumping Bra for Dirty Diaper Laundry. I’ll start with my favorite thing about it….I’m using it right now. Right this second I am double pumping as I type this review. THAT, is my favorite thing. Let me backtrack and give you and idea of who I am and why I like that so much. My name is Ginni, I am a SAHM/doula/nursing mom/milk donating mom with 4 kiddos. I pump 2-8 times in each 24 hour period, typically 5-6 times a day/night. I have a 7 month old nursling and I also pump for a 6 month old that was born via surrogacy and cannot be nursed by mom, but through donation is exclusively breastfed.

I stay home with my kiddos every day, and 3 nights a week I am an overnight in-home baby nurse/postpartum doula for newborn twins. I pump a couple of times during my shift when the babies allow, usually twice between midnight and 8am. I have to have milk on hand for if my son wakes during the night and I’m not there. I also attend births and have to always have a minimum of 24 hours worth of milk for him for if I get called to a birth. I have various workshops, training courses, client interviews/prenatal appointments, commitments and occasionally even…. *gasp*…..SOCIAL EVENTS! Some of those require (or are just better!) not bringing my 7 month old with me. Oh look! My bottles are full! I can turn off my pump and continue! Didn’t even notice.

So as you’ve probably noticed, my schedule is a little full, and multi-tasking is crucial to my family and career balancing and thriving like it is. Kim specifically spoke to me about this product and said “If anybody needs this, it’s you!” and she was absolutely right. This bra….I love this bra. It has taken the frustration out of pumping really. I hate pumping. It’s not fun, it’s not comfortable, it’s time consuming and well….unattractive. I feel very awkward sitting on my couch with both boobs hanging out hunched over trying to be at least SOMEWHAT discreet while answering my 8 year old son’s question about where his baseball glove is. I don’t mind nursing in front of them, I don’t mind nursing in front of anyone really. But pumping is different…it looks weird and I feel very exposed when I do it around anyone. I mean…I have to take both boobs out and basically sit there with them hanging out, and this machine that’s making them look strange and making a bunch of noise for 10-15 minutes, several times a day. Who wouldn’t love that?

One of the things that I love about the Pumpease is that it eliminates some of that lack of discretion for me. I am basically wearing what from the front looks like a sports bra/tube top. I am quite covered up. I have used it with and without a nursing bra underneath, and it functions efficiently either way.

The next thing I love about the Pumpease is that my back has stopped hurting. I realized that instead of just sitting and holding the pumps with my hands and waiting to be done, I was multi-tasking and using my hands anyway….just not very well. I would answer the phone, wipe my 2 year old’s nose, type an email one handed, try to eat, etc, while pumping. Do you know how to do that? You know, you get everything out of your lap, lean over and hold the bottle part of the pump on one side between your thighs and have that hand free! While bent in half slightly turned to the side….for 15 minutes. Yeah…..functional, but quite painful after doing it several times a day. This bra has taken that away. I actually forgot to put it in my pump bag the other night going to work and was NOT very happy when I sat down to pump without it. Amazing how quickly we get spoiled!

In short, the Pumpease is very simple, very comfortable, very modest and has given me back a couple hours a day of functional time…and I didn’t have those couple of hours to spare. I would highly reccommend it to any mom that is regularly pumping and doesn’t have the time to waste. Thank you to Pumpease and to Dirty Diaper Laundry for providing me with this opportunity to review something that I wouldn’t have thought I would want to buy, but now can’t live without!
Ginni is a mom to 4 kiddos, a doula, and an all around busy lady!  If you are in the San Antonio area she is also helping coordinate The Great Cloth Diaper Change there.  Her website:
www.lovingbeginning.com

Your PumpEase hands-free pumping support will hold your breast pump in place as securely and comfortably for your 1000th pumping session as it did for your 1st. Our patent pending, ‘no-stitch’ horn openings accommodate ALL makes and models of pumps guaranteed.

If you decided after that amazing testimonial that you need a PumpEase too, use the coupon code: DIRTYDIAPER15 for 15% off on Pumpease.com.  And did you know that 2.00 from every PumpEase sold on their website goes to Best For Babes?! Love it!

Oh, and I get to give one away!

One lucky DDL Reader will win their own PumpEase Hands Free Nursing Bra in their choice of size/color/style!

Mandatory Entry:

(1 entry) Tell me your favorite color or style of Pumpease available.   Leave it as a comment along with your contact email.

For extra entries do any or all of the following.  Leave a comment for each you do.

(1 entry) Follow @KimRosas on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “Free up your hands to tweet this while pumping!  Enter to win a @Pumpease from @KimRosas!  http://d28gc.th8.us Ends March 21.”Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet. 1 entry per day.

(3 Entries!)  Sign up for my Monthly Newsletter. Leave a comment saying you did.

(1 Entry) Follow @PumpEase and/or @Snugabell on Twitter. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Subscribe to my blog via email through feedburner. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Follow me through Google Friend Connect or via a reader. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Grab my button and post it on your blog. Leave a comment.

(2 entries) Blog about this giveaway and link to it. Post a link in the comment.

(2 entries) Get Creative: Post about this giveaway on a messageboard or forum. Leave a comment with a link.

(1 Entry) Click “Share this” and share this giveaway on your Facebook page. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) “Like” PumpEase on Facebook. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) “Like” Dirty Diaper Laundry on Facebook.  Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) Go to Dirty Diaper Laundry on Facebook and start a discussion or reply to a discussion.  Tell me what you did. Just leave your comment

(1 Entry) Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) Subscribe to the PumpEase YouTube Channel. Leave a comment.

Giveaway ends on March 21. Winner will be chosen using And the winner is…. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn. *Open to US and Canada*

Ginni was sent a PumpEase for the purposes of the review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% genuine and her own.

I am finally committing to a blog conference for this year. In August I will be hitting the skies and flying out to San Diego for BlogHer with my family in tow!!! I wrestled with the decision, mainly due to the controversy surrounding the sponsors and swaggyness, but in the end I knew as long as I keep my head on straight and plan my sessions accordingly it will be educational and worth the trip.

Besides, all of my bloggy friends and tweeps are going.  It will be a huge cloth diaper party!

I have decided to get very serious about my blog this year.  It was a hobby, then it became a side job, and now I am working on optimizing it to be worth the time I put into it.  I have a sitter come once a week which allows me time to work on posts and videos, but she costs quite a bit of money!

So, if you are looking to have your brand represented at BlogHer and be promoted on my blog, won’t you consider sponsoring Dirty Diaper Laundry?

My site receives 16,000-30,000 visits a month, depending on the events going on.  My readers are very engaged and usually spend about 3 minutes at each visit.  And my traffic is always growing!  There are over 1,100 Google Followers and over 1,000 people receive my blog daily in their email!  I am also currently in the process of starting a monthly newsletter.

I also have a wonderful and active Facebook Fanpage! 1,700 people “like” me, but hopefully they really like me too!  I also have 2,700 followers on Twitter. On YouTube I have a rapidly growing number of subscribers to my video reviews and informational videos.  Right now I am at over 400!

Because my audience is fairly specific (female, mostly 25-34, mothers, cloth diaper lovers, a little crunchy) I am looking for sponsors in that same vein.  This will be the best fit for everyone!

I have to say, I love my readers!  And since they are reading this too, let me promise you that I would only represent a brand I am familiar with and love.  You won’t start reading tweets and posts about Licorice Bites or something. Blech!

If you decide to sponsor I will:

• Put your logo on my business card which will be passed out to hundreds of people!
• Put your logo on my beautiful purple laptop for the conference.
• Periodically make posts about your brand until BlogHer.
• Every post about BlogHer will include a link to your website and mention you as my sponsor.
• Put your ad on my sidebar for the period of 4 months (May-August) which in itself is almost worth the cost of a partial sponsorship!
• Tweet and Facebook important information and sale updates to my followers.
• I will adhere to BlogHer Sponsor guidelines, and hand out information and swag on your behalf at areas deems safe to do so.
• And, if I can wear it or show it (cloth diapers, nursing attire, etc) I will!  I will have my 10 month old son with me who I will be wearing around so keep that in mind as well!
• If it is logical to do so, I may even do a few videos for you to put on my blog and on YouTube.

The total estimated cost of attending BlogHer is $1,800. This includes 3 nights Hotel Stay, cost of ticket (already purchased), and round trip airfare for myself.

Ideally I would like to split the cost 3 ways which means each sponsor will pay $600.

I am not a mega mommy blogger and I am ok with that. I do stand behind the integrity of my blog, the purpose, and the quality of the content.  I am so very excited to have to opportunity to learn how to make my blog a better one.   I love what I do and want to continue to blog for a long time!

If you are interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities with me in greater detail, including the different levels of sponsorship, shoot me an email! kdrosas at gmail dot com.

This review and giveaway is part of the New Baby Event Part 2!  Make sure you check out all of the other giveaways for the new mom and baby going on now!  Lots more to come too so check back often!

One of the best things about having a newborn baby is cuddling them, kissing them, sniffing their sweet little baby heads, and generally spoiling them!  That is the perfect reason to wear your baby!  And, if you have a toddler running around, babywearing isn’t just a luxury, it is a necessity!  That is why I was so excited to try and review the beautiful wrap from Sugar Sweet Baby! I adore the designs she chooses!

If you haven’t tried a wrap, don’t be afraid! Wraps looks extremely intimidating but either watching a video tutorial or very detailed drawings/pictures tutorials (Sugar Sweet Baby has a fabulous booklet with instructions that they send out!) can make you a wrapping pro in no time.  With my first son I watched a lot of videos and practiced in my home before I took him out in public in our wrap.  I started late and never had a chance to wrap him as a newborn so I was so excited about wrapping baby number 2!

Why Choose a Sugar Sweet Baby Wrap?

First, you are buying from a fabulous mama!  I have “known” her for quite a while from Twitter (surprise, surprise).  She is a caring person who loves babywearing!

Her wraps are well made and gorgeous!  Plus, the bamboo is super soft!  While an all stretchy wrap is great, a stretchy wrap with a cotton knit panel in the front makes for a more decorative look and offers a little more support for older babies.  It is like a cross between a woven and a stretchy wrap!

Sugar Sweet Baby Wraps are WAHM made items, and are of course made here in the USA!

After my son arrived I was really excited to begin

In a wrap, in a coat, and a hat to keep warm outside!

babywearing again.  It took me about a week to feel “healed” enough.  Since then I have been using this wrap more than any of my other carriers!  Wraps are perfect for those tiny babies, especially since they cannot hold up their heads yet.  Plus, in this cold weather a wrap is even nicer because it keeps them all bundled up next to you and you can cover their little heads.

So far since having this baby I have worn him in the wrap:

• Around the house (of course)
• Walking around downtown Cazenovia
• Shopping (various places and times)
• My Gym (while I chased my toddler)
• Mall Play Center (while I once again chased my toddler)

Not bad for a week, right?  I make sure to carry the wrap with me when I go out so I have it handy.  I have already washed it once after a major spit up occurred.  The wrap came out just as soft as before it went in.

The only downside to a wrap is that is is bulky to carry around in your diaper bag.  If I know for certain I will be wearing Everett in my Sugar Sweet Baby wrap I “pre-wrap” at home so that when I get to where I am going I can just pop him in.  This is much easier than wrapping him while in the car, outside in the cold, or in a store.  Especially if my toddler is with me!

Getting some work done!

If you believe in the “4th Trimester” them wrapping is so helpful for this period of time when the baby needs to be held close and cuddled.  I have received so many positive comments while wearing my son out and about in this wrap.  Most people see how cozy he is and content and comment on that.  One woman actually thought I was pregnant (I had my coat on over the wrap so only his little head was out) until she approached me.  Wearing your baby is like being pregnant.  The baby gets rocked and swayed while you move, like he did in the womb, and is usually comforted to a quiet calm or to sleep.  And, you get to wrap your arms around that little bundle and squeeze tight.  But, you arms aren’t tied up!  You can let go and go about your day!

Sugar Sweet Baby is going to give a lucky DDL reader a super soft and stylish Bamboo Wrap of their own!

Mandatory Entry:

(1 entry) Visit Sugar Sweet Baby’s Shop and let me know what your favorite fabric choice is! There are sooo many! Leave it as a comment.

For extra entries do any or all of the following.  Leave a comment for each you do.

(1 entry) Follow @KimRosas on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “Enter to win the super soft and stylish bamboo wrap from @sugarsweetbaby and @KimRosas.  http://xmeyn.th8.us  Ends Nov 25”  Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet. 1 entry per day.

(1 Entry) Follow Sugar Sweet Baby on Twitter. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Subscribe to my blog via email through feedburner. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Follow me through Google Friend Connect or via a reader. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Grab my button and post it on your blog. Leave a comment.

(2 entries) Blog about this giveaway and link to it. Post a link in the comment.

(2 entries) Get Creative: Post about this giveaway on a messageboard or forum. Leave a comment with a link.

(1 Entry) Click “Share this” (located at the top of the blog post) and share this giveaway on your Facebook page. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) “Like” Sugar Sweet Baby on Facebook. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) “Like” Dirty Diaper Laundry on Facebook.  Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) Follow the Sugar Sweet Baby Blog. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) Sign up for the SSB Newsletter. Leave a comment.

(1 Entry) Go to Dirty Diaper Laundry on Facebook and start a discussion or reply to a discussion.  Tell me what you did. Just leave your comment

(1 Entry) Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Leave a comment.

A Sugar Sweet Baby wrap was sent for the purposes of this review.  All opinions are 100% my own and genuine.  Giveaway ends on Nov 25. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn. *Open to US and Canada*

After some thought I did decide that I will be live tweeting my homebirth! Due to the unpredictable nature of labor I don’t know when/ how often I will update.  I have told my husband what I want done and he will take over updates once I get to a point where I would rather not be tweeting.

So, here are the details:

Follow me on Twitter if you aren’t already. @KimRosas

Watch my updates.  When I do go into labor, I will begin tweeting with the #twitterbirth hashtag.  If I am lucky, no one else will be tweeting their birth with this hashtag as well.  This way, you could search for it (or just read my stream) to see all of my updates.

Not on Twitter and you don’t want to join?  I will be choosing some updates to also be shared on my Facebook Fan Page (Facebook.com/dirtydiaperlaundry). If we update with less frequency I may share them all.  I just don’t want to overtake anyone’s feed!

In addition, I will post to the blog once I go into labor (a pre-written blog post will go up just reminding you to follow Twitter/Facebook for the updates.)

I will be signing my updates as -K, my husband will be -S, and if my doula gets in on the action she will be -M.

You are welcome to root me on by tweeting back at me or by commenting on a facebook update.  I will keep Tweetgrid open to view replies for a good morale boost if I need it!

Less than 2 weeks until my due date, so let’s just say I should definitely have a baby within the next 4 weeks!