September review of Citrus Lane subscription box.

This is by far my favorite subscription box that I've ever subscribed to. I was a little worried when care.com took over last month I thought that things would change about how citrus Lane operated. So far things have been the same! My now one-year-old absolutely loves everything in this box plus I do too! 

This month I received four different items and three coupons. 

1. Boon Links- retail $9.99-$12.60

These are my sons favorite bathtime toys. They stick on the side of the tub or wall and they also float. This particular style is also a 3-D puzzle to help with hand eye coordination.

2. Happy Tot baby food pouch- retail $1.99. I feel confident in feeding these to my son on a daily basis to meet his nutritional needs on the go. 

3. Mrs. Meyers dish soap- retail $1.99

I love this dish up to have such a fresh smell and it cleans dishes very well.

4. Tea Collection bodysuit retail $26.50

This bodysuit is so soft and so fashionably cute I can't wait to put this on my son and take lots of pictures. I chose the size that I wanted from citrus Lane Head of time so, I received the correct size. So getting this bodysuit really wasn't a surprise. 

I also received three Coupons- A free subscription box from citrus Lane to give to a friend, $25 off a $50 purchase from Teacollection.com, and A $2 off coupon off organic super nutritional shakes from happy child organic superfoods.

This is my sixth month receiving citrus Lane and I will continue this because I love getting the boxes in the mail just as much is my son does and that makes me happy. In this box I received over $40 worth of items!! There are coupon codes that you can get 50% off your first subscription box from citrus Lane. Use the promo code "savehalf" at checkout. 

You can ask any questions or leave your own responses thank you for reading my blog and I hope it's very informative.

Zazzle.com coupon and review

I needed to order business card and wanted a premium card but, didn't want to pay the premium price. I explored multiple diffrent company's. One was awesome but, way to expensive the other was very cheap but, didn't offer the premium quality I wanted. Finally I found the perfect card!! Zazzle.com offered premium card stock and premium designs. I love my cards! I upgraded to the indestructible cards and I had my husband try to rip it- nothing. I gave a card to my son who chewed on it and still - nothing!! Perfect looking cards even after. I recommend this company not only for their cards but, their customer service! 

Citrus Lane month 2!!

Like I've mentioned in my other blog I absolutely love citrus Lane boxes!! My son also loves all the toys that come in the box!!

In the box you get about $40 worth of items usually about five items. The sticker price for each box is $29 and that's including shipping!

This is just to show you what I got my second box for my eight month old son.

1. Playground ball from crocodile Creek

Value is $10

2. Snack container from goodbyn

Value is $11

3. Stacking cups from green toys

Value is $11 (my son loves these)

4. Fresh feet wipes from Jasmine seven 10 count peppermint

Value is $7

5. Back to nature Honey Graham sticks 1 0z (snack for mommy!!)

Value is $1

Total value is right at $40 I paid $29 for this box. I love getting these boxes it's like Christmas every month for me and my son! Us in the box you also get promo codes to buy the items that are in the box. 

Current promo code 50% off first box 

50pct

Citris Lane Box! Month 1

I ordered this box for my seven month old son. I received $20 off the original $29 price using a promo code. Using this Promo code it made the box 9 dollars for the first month including shipping. I love the box it came with many things valued as well over $30! 

What I did not know is that they keep your credit card on file and they will charge it every month for the full price of $29. I noticed the new charge the month after I was going to cancel any further boxes being sent to my home. When I tried to cancel they gave me a great offer for $15 per box for three months. So of course I took the offer! I have tried many kids boxes and citrus Lane is by far the best! 

First Citrus Lane Box

Current promo code-50pct

1. Charley Harper- Colors

Value $9.95

2. Green Eats snack bowls 4pk

Value $9.50

3. Green toys my first Tugboat

Value $14.50

4. Shutterfly promo code

Value $3.99

5. Myers soap sample

Value $1

Total value around $40!!

Free samples by mail!!

You've seen those ads on TV and Internet wanting  you to share your personal information for a chance at free samples! Believe me I'm one of those who have fallen for a few scams! But I'm happy to report that I did find a site that really does give free samples! Samplesource.com just sent me my first box of samples!!  All the company wants in return is for you to review the products that your revived  and write a review. In my sample box I received a sample of 8 o'clock coffee, breathe right strips, Tums chewy Delights, Tumd freshers antacid,  Garnier fructis damage eraser, and Colgate total floss tip toothbrush!

I wanted to write this other people would know that sample source is a legitimate site.  You have to watch for the email because they only released samples once or twice a month!

Let me know if you sign up and good luck sampling!!

Review of The Graze Box Subscription

I found the subscription box from Graze.com a month ago. I signed up using a friend code which is a promotion that gives me the first and fifth box free. With the boxes costing six dollars each that's a total of $18 for five boxes ($3.60 each) delivered to your door of healthy snacks. The boxes are small so they can fit in mailboxes easily. The packaging is genius the packaging is so pretty! And each box you get four different snacks. You can decide which next you want to trash try like or love before they come to your door on their website. Each snack container contains 1 ounce to 1.5 ounces of healthy snacks. The snacks range from nuts, fruits, chocolate and cracker like options. I think my favorite so far have been the chocolate options and also the nut options. I have received two boxes so far and my two favorites would be grazes chocolate orange and jalapeño fiesta (a spicy nut mix). I have really enjoyed getting grazes boxes. It has opened up my eyes to other healthy snacks that aren't boring like lettuce!! I have even went to the supermarket and start buying different nuts to mix and make my own healthy snacking options. This is a box I would recommend. Plus if you get your friends to sign up using your friend code you get a dollar off each box! 

I hope you have enjoyed my review of grazes subscription box! 

If you want to use my friend code it is- 

2LZYZPWRP

Part 2- The Birth

As I mentioned before this will be part 2 of my son's birth into this world.
Honestly, this part gets a little hazy after a c-section they drug you up pretty well.

 They put me in recovery room they told everyone that was waiting to please wait in the hall. Once, everyone left they cleaned me up and made sure I was comfortable they left. My husband and family came in telling me about my son that they seen in the window as the nurses was cleaning him and giving him his first shots. It almost seems too cruel to give a newborn baby so many shots ans stick them repeatedly with needles just as they leave the comfort of the womb. Unfortunately, the trouble didn't stop as soon as my son was born. According to the doctors and nurses my son had trouble breathing and had to be under constant supervision. There was also a chance if he didn't improve he would be medi-flighted to the hospital one hour and a half away. I knew even in the drugged state something was wrong because, they didn't wheel him in the room to meet me and to nurse for the first time. I waited and waited to meet my son as the night progressed my family dwindled and finally everyone left all except for my husband. He thought I didn't understand the gravity of the situation but, I did. I just choose not to start crying over my broken heart until everyone left the room.

Every nurse who came in to give me medication, to check me, or to help me to the bathroom I would ask "when can I see my son?" each time they would dance around the subject and never give me a definite answer. Finally, the doctor came in and gave me a report about how my son was doing. My heart skipped a beat when he gave me a good report. I was so happy and again I asked "when can I see my son?" finally he said I could. This was much easier than said this required me freshly out of surgery, hooked up to to many cords and lines I could barely move. Close to midnight I seen my son for the first time after they took him from my body. He was so handsome with his crooked nose and bruised ear from being in the birth canal. I wanted to stare at him all night but, our visit could only be a few minutes.He too was hooked up to cords and lines that looked way to big for his little arm.
Seeing him like that made my heart ache feeling his pain. Between the medication and the crackers that was my supper started to come up the back of my throat. We left the nursery I felt so much better seeing my baby knowing that he was okay. I was so tired from the long day I could feel sleep starting to weigh my eyes down.

I wish I could say the night was peaceful and uneventful but, every three hours I was awakened for more medication to keep the pain at bay and to check my blood pressure and O2 levels. This was followed by even more needle sticks. I swear I stopped counting needle sticks past twenty. I hate needles and most times I would just faint on spot but, like I said after twenty sticks what is one more? The next morning was the first time I held my son. He was so little cords and lines still attached to his frail body. I just stared at him for the longest time before the nurse came in to assist with nursing my son for the first time. Just like most moms I was worried that my son would not take to nursing. He latched on and it seemed like motherhood began. My husband has the honor of holding and changing my son's diaper first but, I'm glad he was part of it all. I know he will never forget the small little things that mean so much.

He loves to tell the story of when the nurses brought out our son. The nurses brought a bundled freshly born baby to my husband announcing a congratulations for a healthy baby boy. The nurses handed him to my husband as, my husband looked upon his face a few tears fell and hit him square on the face. Our son began to cry after my husbands tears of joy fell upon his face.

I love that story too. It reminds me that it just wasn't me giving birth to our son. It was also my husband. Even if our son didn't come out of his body he came out of his heart. For men its hard to understand the connection that a mother and son have from the moment they are conceived. This is not saying that being a mother is easy. Most find that bringing that little bundle of joy into the world is the easiest part of becoming a parent.

Part three shall include that rest of our hospital stay

The Birth of My Son

I'm Just a normal person. I think anyways.

I am a new mom and love to read about other moms experiences so I would like to write about mine.

 While I was sitting in my living room eight months pregnant I knew I couldn't wait to meet the little angle I felt in my belly. I never knew the roller coaster that was about to unfold just the next day. As far as I knew my plans was to go shopping for those last few baby items at a huge consignment sale with my sister. I couldn't wait to go shopping, it is one of my favorite things to do. Plus, finding items at a deal made me excited. But, my plans didn't matter.

As we drove to the consignment sale my sister and I were just talking about her experiences with her son that was just 7 weeks old at the time. I mentioned how watching her labour last eleven hours scared me to death. As we were only a few hundred feet from the consignment location when I felt a water balloon pop in my pelvis. I knew from reading other mom's stories that this was the real deal! I had false alarm only the week before and so, my sister calmly said we would go inside to the bathroom and see if my water really broke. I told her to stop the car as I got out of the passenger seat. My shorts were soaked with fluid it not only looked like I peed myself but, it looked like someone poured a whole gallon of water in my lap. I think at that moment she believed me. My sister has always handled stressful situations amazingly so, I was lucky she was with me. I called my husband at work and just told him it was time and to rush home we were leaving. I think that was the fastest he ever moved. I remember everything like it was yesterday. I had a bag packed for my husband and I plus, a bag packed everything a newborn baby would need. I changed my clothes and put on a depends underwear. ( for anyone who is expecting buy depends underwear- not only for IF your water breaks but, the week or so afterward especially after a c-section)

My sister made sure we had everything before she left to go get my mother to start the long trip to the hospital. In ten minutes we had everything and was in the car ready to make the trip ourselves. I choose to have my baby in a hospital 1 1/2 hours away. Even to this day I wouldn't have went anywhere else. My contractions were 30 minutes apart. I called the hospital three times making sure we could make it because once we left the city there wasn't a decent hospital around for miles. The trip was going as well as a trip goes with a scared husband and a pregnant woman in labor goes. My husband put on the hazarded lights on the car and weaved in and out of traffic. He tried his best to calm me down and distract me.

About 15 minutes away from the hospital things changed for the worst. My contractions came every 5 mins all of a sudden. My feet were on the door panel and the dash. My husband screaming telling me to close my legs. (He really thought I could stop it) The most disturbing thing is that when your body prepares for labor it excretes all the bowel contents. (yuck) As we were coming on the on-ramp to the hospital when the pain went from bad to even worst. We pulled in as my husband was screaming for someone to help. The attendant helped me into a wheelchair as we flew past people as I hugged my stomach and still trying to make sure I was covered up.

We finally made it to the labor and delivery wing of the hospital. Again things took a turn for even worst. The nurses tried to see where my labor was hooking devices up to me to monitor my babys heart rate as my husband went to use the bathroom. But, even before my husband could come back to my side my contractions was then one minute apart! The pain was so bad I couldn't walk. I had no idea what was going on with me. I was scared not only for me but, my unborn son. The nurses helped me into a bed as they ran me down a long hallway to delivery.

At this point the pain was so bad my body was constantly in a tensed state. My memory now is more like one with blinders.  I remember looking around there were about ten people surrounding me in my small room. The nurses tried and tried to take blood and to hook the IV in my arm of course, because I was already in so much pain my veins were tiny. After about 6-7 sticks and another nurse pushing on my engorged stomach all while my body tensed up every minute I had enough. I screamed for one nurse to work on getting the IV in because I wanted a epidural. I knew I couldn't handle this much pain much longer without my body giving out on me. The doctor was monitoring my baby's heart rate. He shook his head..... I could tell something wasn't right. He told me that if the baby's heart rate didn't increase they would have to do an emergency c-section because he wasn't tolerating birth. Finally, the nurse after a few more sticks got my IV in my arm as she then pushed on my stomach. She asked me where I hurt as a mourned that I hurt all over while gripping the bed rail as if my life depended on it as my contraction peaked.

What I didn't know at the time was what I was feeling was not normal.It was Placental abruption.
From Wikipedia:

"Placental abruption (also known as abruptio placentae) is a complication of pregnancy, wherein the placental lining has separated from the uterus of the mother. It is the most common pathological cause of late pregnancy bleeding. In humans, it refers to the abnormal separation after 20 weeks of gestation and prior to birth. It occurs in 1% of pregnancies worldwide. Placental abruption is a significant contributor to maternal mortality worldwide; early and skilled medical intervention is needed to ensure a good outcome, and this is not available in many parts of the world. Treatment depends on how serious the abruption is and how far along the woman is in her pregnancy."





The doctor looked at me and my husband before he started ordering people in the room to get me ready for an emergency c-section. They wheeled me in a cold room filled with people clothed in blue hats, mask, and gowns. They draped all sorts of linens on me. They turned me on my side as the inserted the epidural. Surprisingly, I didn't feel anything but, pressure on my low back. They made sure I couldn't feel anything before they moved me again as the doctor and mid-wife took position to rescue my baby from my body. At 4:44 pm the man that had been holding my hand the whole time said I had a son. I freaked out for a moment because, I couldn't hear him cry. Then they briefly showed me my red/blue and purple son crying over the drapes that separated me from the doorway in which my son was born. It felt like forever as they stitched me up and brought me to my room.

Look for the next blog about the post birth