Mom’s Night Out 2.0

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Mom’s Night Out 2.0 – a fun and interactive night and the first time I was away from my baby for more than an hour (she wasn’t even 6 weeks old at the time, so I don’t think this is unusual…)! Hosted by Meredith Publications, five different companies showed off some of their latest products (which we got to take home to further experience).

As every new parent will tell you, sleep is frequently a hard battle. SwaddleMe – a brand that any parent should be familiar with – had makeup artists on-hand to refresh your makeup or, in my case, give me a whole new coat of spackle under my eyes and elsewhere so I wouldn’t look so rundown and tired. Haha… sigh. One of SwaddleMe’s new products is the Kicksie, a legs-free swaddle – great for warmer weather, but also so baby can kick as much as s/he likes while still feeling cozy and snug; when baby sleeps well, everyone sleeps well. (Whoever coined the saying ‘sleep like a baby’ obviously never had a newborn.)

We also got to check out their new Footsie – another legs-free swaddle, this one with footies for cooler weather but still great for babies that like to kick or move their legs freely while sleeping.

I’m a huge fan of Summer Infant and SwaddleMe — perfect for first-time parents who perhaps aren’t that great at swaddling (Hubba Hubby is great at it; me, not so much! – but thankfully baby has already moved past wanting/needing to be swaddled before she’ll sleep). Speaking of footies… New Balance was in the house, providing us with 5 minute foot massages. As a new mom, I’m constantly on my feet – running to grab another swaddle or burp cloth, dancing baby to sleep, rocking baby, or walking baby around to get her to calm down… so this was super duper appreciated and much needed. I’m sure everyone feels me on that! Here’s a shot of me laying back and relaxing, enjoying… ahhh!… and here’s a shot of the sweet Fresh Foam Arishis by New Balance that I got to take home with me! Grey is a great color (and coincidentally, the color of the walking kicks I was rocking that night) to go with everything you wear, but I was most impressed with how lightweight these were. You never notice how heavy some of your shoes are until you put on a pair that are super light and comfy. Sweet – these are also breathable and, well, available now at NewBalance.com. I’m excited to rock these new kicks!
Jif was also on hand, providing delicious peanut butter snacks for everyone. Right now, they’re running a contest to help make the world a better place. From the copy: “…@JifBrand’s “Imagine If, With Jif” program supports families who want to make the world a better place and fuel the next generation of kids to spread love with their actions big and small. Does your family have a creative idea? From now to October 20, parents can submit their family’s idea at http://bit.ly/2xFCdxs for a chance to win up to $30K to make your idea a reality. Enter today and good luck! Rules: http://bit.ly/jif_e ”

I filled out my chalkboard — it’s a touch hard to inspire anything in my infant, but I’m sure she understands the kindness my husband and I demonstrate towards each other and others on a daily basis. I hope to continue to lead by example and raise her to be a kind young lady, generous of heart and spirit!

The Greater Williamsburg, VA area has been on my list to visit for a while now – perhaps since I met Hubba Hubby, given that he went to law school there. I was excited to learn more about the area and even was able to tell him about some stuff that’s happened since he was last there – he didn’t know about the breweries or the wineries that have cropped up! Guess it’s been a while since he went, all the more reason for us to take a trip out there … and show baby her father’s alma mater.

I was also surprised to learn that not only are there roller coasters there, but a huge history museum, hiking trails, bike paths, an aviary, and tons of other unique experiences on offer — I can’t wait to plan our trip together and not just a magnetic board of activity ideas (seen in the pic above!) but to actually go and see everything together.

Last but absolutely not least, here’s a photo of me hanging out in the wonderful little nursery Munchkin put together. We were all given a chance to test out their latest, the Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer, which I’m super excited to tell you more about… in another post. Stay tuned for that!!

I had such a great time munching and mingling at Mom’s Night Out 2.0 that I can’t wait for the next one!!! … when is that again?! Thanks again to MomTrends for inviting me!

What are some of your favorite products to make parenthood easier?

This post is sponsored by MOMTRENDS, SwaddleMe, New Balance, Jif, Visit Williamsburg, and Munchkin. Opinions expressed herein are my own, though I received compensation for this post along with product samples in most cases. Amazon links are affiliate links.