MAM Pacifier Review and Giveaway!

Hello friends!  Today, we are going to talk about a product that has been on the market for yearrrrrrs and that my little one (and myself) can't live with out.  As much as I tried and tried to find other ways to sooth McKenzie during her younger infancy, the only thing that would calm her was the good ol "Binky", "Passy" or "Pacifier".

When McKenzie was first born, she wasn't a fan of the wonderful pacifier assortment that we received as gifts. At first, I thought we were the "lucky parents" that didn't have to mess with the whole pacifier routine that we've heard so much about. For example, they supposedly can alter teeth alignment and it would be a nightmare habit to break her from.  Well, McKenzie's late night wake-up calls were getting harder and harder to sooth. After a good feeding and diaper change and many other crafty ideas we could come up with at 3:00am, my husband still found himself walking up and down stairs while bouncy her on his forearm, as an attempt to calm her. I think a lot of it was a tummy-ache, however, I'm sure some of it was that she just worked herself up into a tizzy and couldn't seem to calm down. We finally decided to see what other pacifier brands were out there after jelously watching so many of our friends just pop the little miracle worker in their baby's mouth and instantly their baby was soothed. So Yes, we began to actively seek out a pacifier line that would hopefully be "THE ONE". To all my non-pacifier mommies, please don't kill me!

Luckily, we happened upon a lovely brand called, MAM! . Not only are their designs ADORABLE, their pacifier line is developed along side a team of expert Orthodontists and Dentists from International Children Medical Research Society. The MAM pacifier is BPA free with a curved shield allowing for a comfortable fit around McKenzie's mouth. The shield is also constructed with tiny air holes, allowing for her skin to breathe. No chapped mouth here! Their ultra soft silicone nipples are made with an anti-slip texture, preventing those accidental slip-outs and are crafted to allow for natural oral- cavity development (which was my biggest fear before starting the pacifier hunt).

For those of you, who's baby has "spoken" and MAM is the only brand for them, don't forget the wonderful case in which they are packaged in can also be used for microwave sterilizing! I know, I know, I just learned about that too. We also learned that they offer up to sizes 16+months now!! Although we are in the middle of weaning McKenzie off of her pacifier - we do still need it at night and occasionally throughout the day, so I'm glad to know that she still has a pacifier with a proper fit!

Below are a few of their new 16+ months designs. McKenzie loves her purple and pink butterfly print.

As you can tell, it's McKenzie's nap time - so the binky is in! :)

As we approach Valentine's Day, MAM has launched their "Tender, Love & Affection" assortment within their new 2014 collection. You can personalize a love message that will be displayed on their easy-hold button. The below images are an example of their adorable designs. You may start personalizing here!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

To help give your little a kick start to Valentine's Day, MAM is offering One Fawn Over Baby Reader a $25 Package of Pacifiers (including their new Love & Affection Designs!) See Giveaway Details below for your your chance to win this lovely package that your baby will give you lots of Valentine Day kisses for!

Giveaway Details:

• Fill our rafflecopter form below with extra entry options (You must leave a post comment to enter- all entries will be verified 😉 )
• Winner will be chosen February 14th!
• Be sure to share this exciting giveaway with family and friends
• Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

++Make sure to sign up for the MAM Club at www.mambaby.com to be the first to know about special offers, product updates/new product introductions, exclusive contests and more!++

Keziah's Winter Wonderland Themed 1st Birthday Party - Guest Post By Ashley Staples

Happy Friday Fawn Friends!!! Today I have a Whimsical Winter Wonderland 1st birthday party to share with you all! Precious Baby Keziah is turning the big O-N-E and her beautiful and talented mommy, Ashley is here to give you all the budget-friendly scoop on her baby girl's big day! Ashley is a wonderful blogger friend of mine over at Staples On The Grow, where she shares her journey as a wife, mommy and everything in between! If anything, you should follow just to see all of her ADORABLE photos of Keziah! As Keziah celebrates her big one year milestone, she is surrounded by the people that love her most and a Gorgeous Winter Wonderland setting that is designed to perfection! I could go on and on about this GORGEOUS gathering, however,  I'll let Ashley take it from here.

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Good afternoon, friends!  Tuesday was my Princess' first birthday!!!  It's nap time now, so I've got a little bit of time to share of photos of her birthday party, which was on Sunday.  We kept the celebration on the smaller side since our home isn't large enough to invite all of the people Keziah wanted to invite (the girl's got lots of friends, what can I say?).  Okay, that last statement was pure sarcasm, though I wish it were true.  This mama's gotta work on getting out of the house more and visiting more mama friends.  Now, where were we ... oh, Keziah's party!

Now, I'm a very frugal person when it comes to certain things.  When I say certain things, I mean the things that I know I can DIY and totally rock it.  When I spotted a rustic, winter wonderland party on Pinterest, I literally cried.  I had to have it.  The only problem being that I am not a gazillionaire like it looked like that other mama was, so I knew that I'd have to cut corners, plus, there was no way my husband would allow me to repaint our walls, have linens and tables and chairs rented, etc. And hey, I don't blame him!  :)

Here are some photos that I was able to snag before our guests showed up, and all the decorations weren't in "perfect" order, and my makeup wasn't sweated off. Ha!

Here is a list of the shops/websites that we used for her big day.  Now, I researched and researched to pinch every penny that I could.  If you can find the following items cheaper, I won't believe ya'! ;)  

Birthday Invites: DIY

Chalkboard Stats Board:  DIY

Lace Mason Jars: DIY

Wooden + Glitter Tree: Target Clearance the day after Christmas 

Bottle Brush Trees: Love it Shabby on Etsy 

First Birthday Crown: Little Blue Olive on Etsy

Catering: Portillo's/Barnelli's and Cheesecake Factory (Super Bowl was the same day means appetizers are a must!

Table Runner + Food Place Cards: DIY

Sparkle Branches: Blooms and Branches

Flowers: the absolute sweetest people from Floral Acres

Keziah's Birthday Cake: DIY (and a little help from Wilton + Betty Crocker!) ;)

Cake + Cupcake Toppers: DIY (Washi Tape from Shop Sweet Lulu)

Ribbon Backdrop: DIY

Keziah's Birthday Dress: Auto Alive on Etsy 

Oh!  And since Keziah didn't want a taste of the (second!) cake that mama slaved over, I'll share a taste with you!  

Am I a bad mama for showing her how to push her hand in the cake?  Maybe.  Was I slightly offended that she wanted nothing to do with this cake? Absolutely.  Did the cake go to waste?  Definitely not.  

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Thank you so much Ashley!! I'm so excited and so happy to share Keziah's Special Day!

Source: Staples On The Grow

Family Photo Session By Lauren Pollard Photography

Good Morning Fawn Friends! Today I have another AMAZING Lauren Pollard Photography session for you to go nuts over!! This family has to be the cutest and best dressed family! Well, I'm totally into the casual, outdoor chic look. So if you're with me, you will be smitten over this sweet little family too! Photographer, Lauren,  never disappoints when she steps behind her lens and with a gorgeous family like The Yturralde's to capture, nothing short of perfection has emerged. With the gorgeous rustic location as their backdrop combined with Lauren's Nostalgic photography approach, these photos not only document a cherished moment in time, they will stand the test of time and be adored for many years to come!

Source: Lauren Pollard Photography