Bubele Blog

Mix & Match Giveaway CLOSED

2010-08-09T18:03:00.007-04:00

Now's your chance to win a Mix & Match set of your choice!! That's right, you choose what you want! ALL you have to do to enter is one or more of the below for one entry each. Please post each entry separately in a new post so it counts! The winner is chosen by random.org and will be announced on Saturday Aug. 14th.

Contest Ends Friday the 13th at midnight EST!!

1. Like our Facebook page

2. Post something on our facebook wall all share with your friends. You can do this by clicking "share" under your comment. Please make sure when you "share" to select "share with everyone" so we can see your post!

3. Visit bubelebaby.com and tell us what outfit you would love to have!

Don't forget to include your email so I can contact you if you win!

Progress

2010-07-17T10:55:00.003-04:00

Summer break has been here for a couple weeks now and quite a few changes have happened!

First, Evan was re-evaluated and his speech has improved so much that he would not even be eligible for speech services! Now, we just have to keep working on it and working on the those behaviors that came along with the frustration! He is going to a summer program where the teachers are experienced in dealing with these issues and are focusing on getting him more involved in group activities. We have the option of continuing with a program like this for fall and our first reaction was to send him back to "regular preschool" but after seeing the attention he is getting, we are quickly changing our minds! How great would it be to get him completely caught up (and possibly even further along) by time he goes to kindergarten and look back at all this!!

Dylan is bored out of his mind this summer! He is not going into a summer program because we didn't like it last year so he is staying home. He entertains himself a lot and he loves our new sitter or "mommy's helper" that we just hired. Kristen started yesterday and she is so great with both the boys! Unfortunately, it was rainy and wet outside so they had to occupy themselves inside but she did a great job interacting with them! Being she is also a certified teacher helps =) She has lots of ideas to keep them busy and to get Evan eating!! She got him to eat his PB&J bite for bite with a granola bar yesterday while I was out running errands!

I might as well totally utilize this time with her and give her a list of things Dylan needs to work on for preparation for 1ST grade as well as a list of goals that Evan is working on at school!

I need help!

2010-06-26T10:39:00.002-04:00

I am a DIY kind of gal so when it comes to running the businesses (yes, that is plural) and keeping up on housework and making time for the kids I figured I could manage it! Who the hell was I kidding! Working from home is great, or the idea of it is great. You think, well I can set my own hours and work when I want and spend whatever time I want with the kids. Then, you get busy and you start to justify, well at least I can take a break and go and see my kid anytime I want where if I worked out of the home, I would never see them.

Wrong! I would be such a better mother and have more chances at actual quality time with my kids if I did work outside the home! But this is not even an option for me due to the businesses growing, so I decided to take a step back and think....

1. what would make my life easier?
2. what would allow me to get the work I needed done in the time I needed it done?
3. what would keep my kids busy without turning on the TV more than we should this summer?

A super babysitter! Not just any babysitter, but one who will not just "watch the kids" but will keep them active this summer and one who will enjoy teaching my kids new things. Oh, and let's not forget someone who can occasionally watch them when mommy and daddy want to go out- ALONE! Yes, I am talking about dating my husband because not only are the kids being neglected, so is my marriage.

So, that's the answer to my prayers, but HOW do I find said babysitter when we live in a place where we don't know very many people and have virtually no family close by? I cam across a couple online websites that help find babysitters. At first I was a little leery about finding a sitter online but after browsing through the listings, I realized I could find someone with the qualifications I needed, interview, and do background checks.

The two sites I found were:

Sitters.com which attracted me first because it had no sign up fee and had a "pay as you go" option which allows you to pay for number of contacts (messages) you can send. It also has a money back guarantee.

I chose this one and bought the smallest amount of credits as possible and posted my job but no one responded so I contacted a ton with still no response. It looks like not a ton of people log into this site on a regular basis, so I doubt these girls are even checking their account!

So, this lead me to go back to another site: SitterCity.com that allows you to post a job for free and view candidates for free, but you can't access contact info until you pay a set up fee plus the monthly fee. So, I posted my job and had a ton of people apply! 3-4 looks very promising, so I budged and paid the sign up fee so I could contact the applicants I liked.

Keep your fingers crossed for my sanity!! Who knows, maybe I can also find someone to help with Bubele? ;)

Summer Styles are here!! Memorial Day Sale!

2010-05-28T20:18:00.002-04:00

Finally, I have caught up on back orders and was able to do a photo shoot with a ton of local babies at a park nearby and I loved it!! It turned out great and was able to re-shoot a ton of my outfits which was much needed! The weather was beautiful and my photographer that I have been working with was awesome! It was really tough to organize all the different babies and outfits and pieces that I have available and I did not get them all, but I am really proud of myself for getting as many as I did!! I knew I was going to miss a few =)

Come by and see the summer stock (more to be up on the site soon) and enjoy 10% off your purchase and FREE shipping!! Use code: MEMDAY at checkout. Sale ends June 1st.

OH EVAN!!

2010-04-27T20:12:00.007-04:00

This has become the new saying in the house because quite a few times a day Evan gets into something he shouldn't and even Dylan now says "OH EVAN!" Most of the time Dylan just laughs at him which as you can imagine doesn't help ;) Evan turns 3 next month and it is reminding me what a long way we have come. I've been really frustrated with myself lately for my lack of memory. I thought I was passed being pissed about what had happened in that labor room 3 years ago, but I guess I am not. It's causing more problems than I thought. Adam has to deal with the gaps of memory that sometimes does not make sense. I can sometimes remember the most random things that doesn't have any significance but can't remember an important date. I am terrible with recognizing people (even right after meeting them), can't remember names, and have to write everything down.

With all of these issues, I have to realize that I am lucky but damn it sometimes it doesn't feel that way when my 6 year old looks at me with confusion when I can't remember something he had told me. For all I know, he thinks I just don't care.

Evan continues to have some speech issues, but last week after going back to see the ENT, it was decided it was best to proceed with having ear tubes put in. This was after getting 2 ear infections within a 6 week period. They scheduled it really quickly and we had to go into surgery yesterday morning at 6:45 AM. I basically had to do what we did for the sedated ABR hearing test. I went into the room with him where we put the mask on him for gas while the anesthesiologist talked softly about taking a balloon ride and flying high in the sky which was totally appropriate since he is always talking about flying to the moon! He was out quickly, I gave him a kiss and it seemed like it took 10-15 mins and he was in recovery. Since the little bugger didn't sleep the night before, he was OUT! Daddy tickled his feet until he woke up. We had to make sure he was OK before we were discharged.

He was in a little discomfort, but we gave him some Tylenol and he has been in a pretty good mood since so it looks like everything went fine. PHEEEW! I am positive we made the right decision here.

He went back to preschool and recently had a Mother's Day brunch where he was supposed to hand me a potted flower and bring me to the table and serve me a Pb&J sandwich but as usual he did not want to participate and refused to be a part of the group. While all the parents stared on, I tried to calm him down and get him to sit at the table with me but kept screaming "NO TANKS!!" (This is because he would typically scream out "NO" so we are trying to replace that =) It was just too much for him (and me because I felt like I was going to cry if I had to sit there any longer with everyone's eyes on me) so off we went and he was happy again.

I felt a little pathetic walking out because I could not stop the flow of tears. I sucked it up quickly and decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and I should be grateful that he is at least talking more! We just have to kick these behaviors =)

Ebay Charity Auctions

2010-03-14T11:55:00.003-04:00

I have been wanting to get involved in charity work for such a long time, and over the past couple years I have made a couple donations of clothing to be used at events, but I found Hope For God's Children which was started to help raise funds for families who have or are losing children. These funds help families with medical and funeral expenses- both being something a parent should never have to think about!

I wish I could do MUCH MUCH more for these families, but as I have been saying for awhile, my clothing and diapers are my capital so I will try and do what I can with what I have!

Currently the money being raised will go to Emily's family and the auctions I have up are:

Sage stripe tee

Blue dots tee

Bulk pack of Bubele Bums 6 AIO diapers (choose your own colors!)

If you are a designer interested in getting involved in raising funds, you can visit the Facebook Group

Thanks everyone and please share so we can get those bids up!!

Bubele Bums New AIO Cloth Diaper giveaway!

2010-03-09T09:43:00.003-05:00

The new Bubele Bums AIO is in and while I have been criticized a little for changing designs so much, I do believe each change brings me closer to having the perfect diaper- Live and Learn!! =)

A little bit about these new diapers:

Trim fit
Less layers, more absorbent
More snaps to adjust just about every fit from newborn to potty training!

What you will win: Your choice of any color!

How to win:

1. Visit www.bubelebaby.com and leave a comment here letting me know what you love!

2. Follow this blog for another entry and leave another comment to let me know

3. Become a Facebook Bubele Fan: Bubele Fan Page and tell me about it so I give you another entry!

4. Twiiter about this contest and send me the link

5. tell your Facebook friends and send me the link

Contest Ends: March 12th at 12:00 AM

Good Luck!

Update on Evan's Hearing Test

2010-02-12T09:14:00.002-05:00

OK, I was so nervous about this! The night before, Evan couldn't eat anything but he could have clear liquid up until 2 hours before going in for sedation. Since he slept in on the morning of, he was not able to have anything to drink and was screaming for "MILK!"

I thought we were going to the new Children's hospital in Syracuse but since they didn't move this unit yet, we went to the old Children's unit which wasn't bad at all. It was all geared for little ones with plenty of toys and cars to drive in the hallways- we were set!

Evan did get tired of riding the car and was started to get over tired and VERY cranky! The finally gave him a Tylenol mixture with some other drug to make him relax and sleep to start to prepare him to go into the OR where they would sedate him and connect the ABR machine thingy (I don't know the technical name LOL) to his head.

When we first leaned of this sedated test, I was thinking IV and him being scare out of his mind, but moms going through this too, let me tell you know- it's much worse in our crazy mama minds than it will be in reality!!

After they gave him the Tylenol mixture and he was feeling alittle loopy, we were told to keep him from walking so I played cars with him on the floor. When it was time to bring him in, I put on a gown and carried him in. He was scareimng for one of the trucks the the Dr. grabbed a truck and a bin of toys and I set him on the bed with the truck (while holding him up because he was tipsy)and I played with the truck with him and he was content. We then moved him up by the pillow while he was still playing and the Dr. help up some gentle gas (in infant mask) which looked just like the nebulizer so he continued playing until he got really sleepy so we laid him back on the pillow and I rubbed his hair until he feel asleep. He really thought he was just taking a nap!

It took more than an hour to complete the test and once they were done, they took him to recovery (still sleeping at this point) and the audiologist pulled us aside to tell us the connections between his brain and ears were fine but she did see some fluid in his right ear and it looked like those ear infections were making their way back! She suggested we go back to the pediatrician and see if they were on board with getting into see a ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialist.

So, I brought Evan back to the pediatrician and both doctors agreed to treat him for the ear infection he has again and to get him into the ENT ASAP! I am feeling good about this decision because if the fluid is not draining properly it could be causing his hearing to be muffled so at least we have a direction to travel now and see where it leaves us- hopefully we will have more good news soon! =)

Evan's Sedated Hearing Test

2010-02-09T10:52:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow Is Evan's ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response Hearing Test).... and I could not sleep last night! It's not a major test and Adam thinks he will just be a little groggy to relax him and not be completely out. I am not sure why I am so nervous! Maybe it's the thought of possibly they won't let me be with him during testing (I'm little controlling) or maybe it's the actual results of the tests that will scare me.

If his hearing is OK, that means the delay is a DELAY... and if his hearing is not OK, then we may be looking at hearing devices, and depending on results could mean adjusting to a new therapy...

I just want to know NOW what I should be doing or could e doing to help him. It's extremely frustrating!

Here is the explanation of the exam from the Boston Children's Hospital:

What is an Auditory Brainstem Response Evaluation (ABR)?

An Auditory Brainstem Response Evaluation (ABR) is a type of test, usually performed for infants and young children, that evaluates how well sounds travel along the hearing nerve pathways from the ear to the brainstem. There are two main types of hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss -- problems transmitting sound from the outer ear (where sound is collected) to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can often reverse itself as children grow older.
Sensorineural hearing loss -- problems with the nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain. In the inner ear, tiny hairs on the cochlea act as a neural pathway, transmitting through the inner ear. Usually, problems with these hairs on the cochlea are responsible for sensorineural hearing loss. It is usually permanent and present at birth.
An ABR test, by evaluating the hearing nerve pathways, can identify cases of sensorineural hearing loss. It is a sleep EEG hearing test which shows the softest sounds your child's ears can detect at various pitches. The ABR compares changes in brain activity to the timing of repetitive sounds to determine whether the particular intensity of sound can be heard.

How is it performed?

There will be three or four small stickers on your child's head, connected to leads going into a computer. Sounds will be presented through an earphone to each ear separately while a computer analyzes the changes in the brain wave pattern in response to sounds.
Your child should be sleeping for the duration of the test. Young children under the age of six months are not usually sedated, and the test is performed while the infant is naturally sleeping, following a feeding. Children over the age of six months are usually sedated with chloral hydrate.

The test is not painful or uncomfortable in any way, but it is necessary for your child to be asleep in order to obtain clear recordings during the test.

You will be in the room with your child during the test, and the results will be explained immediately afterward.

50% OFF Empire Tops AND FREE pants!

2010-01-20T18:21:00.004-05:00

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!

Buy one Empire Top on sale (50% off) and receive one pair of chocolate pants that will match perfectly!

MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET EXCLUSIVE SALES!

Bad, bad blogger (family update)

2009-12-30T15:18:00.008-05:00

OK, I realize it's been over a month since I last posted but I have good reasons =) I have been busy with the 2 businesses, Evan's therapies, and all these holidays! Unfortunately, I pulled something in my back which I thought was better until the other day, and snap! It's back and worse! I called my insurance company to see if I could get approval to see a chiropractor and they said we haven't had insurance since November! So, I am treating myself through my heating pad and old muscle relaxers left over from my TMJ pain. I can stand up for about 5 minutes before it starts to pull again. Hopefully Adam will get the insurance thing worked out soon.

Luckily, the kids are still insured which is needed for Evan's hearing test coming up soon that he has to be sedated for- I would hate to see that bill!

Evan has been showing improvements in all of his therapies, so his 33% delay is now at a 25% delay which dosen't seem like a lot but we're heading in the right direction. We're hoping the hearing test will give us some answers.

Dylan is doing really well in Kindergarden and I recently had our first parent/teacher confrence and the teacher says he is a great listener, helpful, and patient! He is on holiday break now and is "sooooo bored" but I haven't been able to do much with my back so Adam took him to the movies the other night and last night he went to Grandma's house... THANKS MOM! You have single handily saved my sanity today.

As for the holidays, this year we celebrated Chanukua early with my in-laws at Thanksgiving time, so we did X-mas with my family. We decorate our "Chanukua tree" with blue and silver as usual and added our new star of david ornament we found at Disney but I didn't take pics this year because Evan pretty much would take the decorations off, even sliding his chair over to reach further! He then decided to decorate it with his Hess trucks! Really, I found a truck smack dab in the middle of the tree. Looks like it may have been flying when it crashed =)

We went to my mom's for x-mas and exchanged gifts. Every year my sister gets something noisy for my kids, so this year I thought it would be funny to get a child size drum set for her 1 1/2 year old daughter, Trista! She actually plays it! I think this one may back fire on me next year......

This year was incredibly tight financially, so we didn't spend a lot of money but still had a good time with family which is the best part anyway. Evan got a red Radio Flyer tricycle (with a very cool compartment on the back that he likes to hide thigs in) and Dylan got a really cool scooter that he was actually able to ride the other day at the park due to some strange warm weather we had.

Tonight we are looking forward to going to a family friendly New Year's party that one of Dylan's friend's parents are having so that should be fun- wonder if I can bring my heating pad??

See you all in 2010!

Vote for the Bubele Loop & Snappy on Yak About It!

2009-11-14T09:48:00.004-05:00

Stop by at Yak About it to vote for my invention, the Bubele loop sewn into baby clothing and accessories and Snappy to attach a pacifier! Today, I am up against People Food for Dogs, and they're winning, so C'mon, help a fellow mama out and vote for me!! =)

Business coaching for momprenuers

2009-11-13T10:27:00.004-05:00

Ever hear of business coaching? It's a person you hire to give you information/advice to improve your business. It could be improvements to your business plan, marketing, website, etc...

Over the past couple years while developing Bubele and joining tons of social networking sites to help spread the word about my new brand, as well as connect with other small business owners to share tips, I have come across tons of offers for "coaching." I always laughed at the idea of having someone coach me, thinking "what are they possibly going to tell me?" That doesn't mean I didn't think I knew all the answers or I had the perfect marketing plan but I did know that I had certain problem areas that needed improvement and that I just needed to focus more to change those things. I thought having a coach would just point out what I already knew what was wrong. I didn't want to pay for that!

Even though being very skeptical, I have been following "The Mogul Mom", Heather Allard, a business coach, on Twitter, facebook, and I have been receiving her newsletter for a year I think. I have to admit, I am one of those newsletter subscribers that just skims through a newsletter, half-reading it and then deleting it! But after a few of Heather's newsletters that are jam packed with solid advice, those emails same became my partner. I began labeling several of these emails, such as "marketing" because it just wasn't one of those emails that gives you a tid bit of info, no, her newsletters were actually useful. There are plenty of times when Heather outlines a very important tip and how to implement it.

Like all good blogs, Heather offers contests. It just so happened she was offering a free coaching package that I had won! After seeing how skeptical I am about coaches (if you've half-red this post, see above =) you may wonder why the heck would I try to win this coaching package? Well, Heather is just not any business coach, she developed her own baby product, marketed it, and sold the company. This is how she became a coach for mom entrepreneurs. She knows the business and I wanted a glimpse!

So, what did I get out of it? A kick in the ass!! Yeah, she mentioned some problem areas that I already knew about but she had instructions of what to do and how to change it! It was basically like having a partner for 2 weeks. I let her know my problems and concerns and she always had an answer! I wanted a way to get more sales, she said go here and place an ad. OK, done. She noticed I was not describing my patent pending feature, the Bubele Loop (to attach a paci) well enough on my website. I began changing pictures and descriptions on my site to better explain my features and why you can't live without my products! OK, this one is going to take awhile to finish, but at least it's a start!

Anyways, I had problems, Heather had answers! So, now what do I think of business coaching? Well, I definitely know what they are all about now that I have worked with a great coach so I can share what I have learned. A great coach, like Heather Allard, will get to know your product, website, and your market in order to give you valuable ways to improve your business. Obviously Heather is so good because she was a mom entrepreneur who knows my market, who's been there herself! Maybe this is the key to a great coach.

If you're running around in circles trying to figure out what your next step is, or if you need someone to help you acknowledge goals, or even help carry out your own goals you set for yourself, I will tell you Heather is worth every penny she charges! Forget about wondering if it would actually work or not, it will! How much money did you waste this year on trying to figure out what works? Let Heather get you focused for the new year and I guarantee you will be thanking me!

Now, if you are just starting out as a new mom entrepreneur, hire Heather now! If I would of hired her 2 years ago, it wouldn't have taken me the past 2 years to learn what I have learned.

I've contacted Heather to let her know I am going to ramble on about her services and she let me know she has this special going on right now:

I've extended the 20% off coaching special until Sunday, November 15, 2009. Just use THANKS at checkout for 20% any coaching package.

Don't overthink this one, just do this! It's not expensive and after she's done with you, you'll wonder why she dosen't charge more =)

Update on Evan's early intervention

2009-11-05T12:28:00.005-05:00

It's been a few months since Evan started in the early intervention program and he defintely is making great improvements! We started out with one day a week of speech therapy and one more day another teacher would come and just work on general stuff. After seeing some imporvement, we wanted to push! We then requested to increase his speech services to 2 times a week where one of the days the therapist would go to pre school with him. So far so good! He has been learning some basic signs like "help" "more" "eat" etc. He now uses words with the signs and is a little easier to communicate with him- before he was so frustrated!!

A few weeks ago, it was time for EI services to review his progress and they determained that he was really delayed in gross and fine motor skills =( When I found out, it was like a kick in the gut and I just wanted to cry, but we are moving forward! Evan now receives 4 days a week in therapies. A new OT, Beth has started with him once a week on top of his other 3 days of therapy- PHEW! It's a lot, but we are hanging in there and juggling it all!

Bubele Bums New AIO Diaper Giveaway! CLOSED

2009-10-06T21:16:00.007-04:00

I have been wanting to do a giveaway for these new dipes for awhile and I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to do this!!

This giveaway is super special to me because as some of you may know I had a hard time financing these diapers that I counted on selling at competitive prices to raise some capital for Bubele. Well, now they're here and quite a few moms say they absolutely love them!

So, because this is a special giveaway, I want to do a big one as a way of saying "THANKS" to all those cloth diaper mamas who keep spreading the word about Bubele!

Let's do this!

What you'll get:
*1 Chocolate/Sage dots minky AIO
*1 Chocolate/sage basic AIO
*Your choice of 1 chocolate/blue dots or chocolate/pink dots minky AIO
*1 Wetbag
*3 Snap in liners
*3 Snappies

How to win:

1. Visit my online store www.bubelebaby.com and tell me what you love (I like compliments =)

2. Tweet about it

3. Follow me on Twitter @bubele

4. Add me on Facebook

5. Blog about me or the contest

You will get 1 entry for each one above! Please post each one separately for an accurate entry count. Also, please post your email or a way to get in contact with you if you are the winner!

Good luck!

Contest will end Tuesday Oct. 13, 2009 at 9 AM EST.

New Bubele Bums AIO diapers are here!!

2009-09-18T19:33:00.005-04:00

I am so excited to introduce these new AIO diapers! This shipment came to me today which was a good surprise because I wasn't expecting them! Good thing they came in the morning because we had Evan's teacher coming to the house in the afternoon and tons of other stuff going!! I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of stock I have now.....

I have a couple different options with these great AIO diapers. I wanted to do a competitive price on a bulk starter pack so I am offering these on my website:

$189
12 Basic AIO diapers
12 Snap in boosters
6 Cloth wipes
1 Wetbag
1 Snappy

But for my very supportive Ebay Mamas, I am offering an Intro price where you can win one diaper to give these a test drive =)
You can try your luck at one of the auctions starting at $1 or buy them for $12!

Don't forget to check out the super cute printed Minky AIO diapers on my site: MINKY AIO
These are a little pricier at $24 but match them with my clothing or leg warmers and it's well worth it!! The leg warmers are a little delayed but will be here soon.

Stay tuned here for contests and keep checking on the website because I am adding more cute product pics as all chocolate prints will be in next month so BUY BUY BUY! Please!

Explaining death to a 5 year old....

2009-08-16T13:45:00.005-04:00

This picture was taken the last time we saw my father-in-law, Marty or AKA "Grandpa Marty". He has been battling Crohn's disease all of his life and has been very sick on and off for quite some time. He actually was going to cancel the trip to meet us in NY because he was recovering still from being very sick. This was in May and we knew it would be a special trip to take the boys to see a Mets game with Grandpa Marty, but I would have never guessed it would be our last time together.

We drove down, which is about 5 hours from us to pick up my FIL from the airport and drive to the hotel near the new Mets stadium. It ended up being a dive of a hotel, but we made the most of it! We had some time before the night game to grab some dinner so we decided on Chinese. Since Marty worked at JFK for years and knew the city pretty well, he wanted to try and find a really good authentic restaurant. So, we asked one of the driver's and away we went!

I have never had such great Chinese food before. It was extremely fresh. I remember what we all ordered to. It's like family style, so you order platters of things and pick out what you want. Of course I got the kids sweet & sour chicken (which is fried) so I also ordered vegetable lo mein, grilled chicken and broccoli, and Marty got steamed fish (he was trying to be good). But the longer we sat, the more me and Marty started to pick at all the left over food- there ws no way of eating it all.... Of course, Marty wanted to take it with us.

We freshened up and went off to see the Mets! We were all decked out in our gear. We had our Mets hats, Dylan in his Met shirt, Adam in his Met Jersey and he gave Marty a Met jacket. Dylan belongs to a Kid's fan club so he got all kinds of cool stuff like a lanyard, backpack, and hat! We were on our way to find our seats (which weren't the best, but not the worst) and Adam said he had to go off to the ticket office to get something that came with Dylan's flan club pack. Minutes later, Jen (from the Pepsi giveaway crew I think) came up to us and says we have been randomly selected to get an upgrade on our seats!! I called Adam immediately so we could go check out our new seats which was only a few rows away from the field! It was crazy... Adam had been talking about bringing his dad to a game for awhile and we actually did it and got this awesome upgrade!

Marty was a trooper. He had restless leg syndrome as well as severe gout in his legs right before he came, but he sat through most of the game, clapped and laughed with the kids, and of course made some jokes which he was famous for :)

I am so glad we got this time with him because we rarely get to see Adam's parents who lived in Florida. Once we had the kids, we started only coming once a year right after we visited Disney which became the tradition.

Over a month ago, Adam got a call that he should get down there ASAP because his dad was back in the hospital and he was not doing well. He seemed to be going back and forth with his heath but it didn't look good, so Adam went down as soon as possible. At that point, he was on life support and unresponsive. As the days went on, the prognosis got worse. Other family came to see him, so Adam came back home and we had to start planning on the worse case scenario and how we would all get down there, and then there's telling Dylan.... We decided to wait until we knew for sure what was going to happen. He knew Daddy was visiting Grandpa Marty in the hospital because he was very sick.

This was one of the hardest things we had to do.... look Dylan in those big blue eyes and tell him Grandpa Marty was dying. How do you explain this to a 5 year old? We thought about it for awhile before we actually approached him together. As Adam began to explain how sick he was, Dylan's eyes grew bigger and I could see the anxiety inside him, he knew. We had talks about death so we think he understands when we told him what was happening. He cried some and snuggled up on my lap. We wanted to be as open with him as possible and encouraged him to ask questions, which he did. At this point, Me and Adam were crying a bit and then Dylan looks up and asks "What are eyebrows for?" OK, we burst into laughing. Adam actually answered the question (in great detail) and then we talked about Grandpa Marty some more.

A couple days later, they decided to take him off life support knowing that he would not want to go on like he was. We started the 24 hr. drive to Fl, stopping once half-way through. Dylan knew that when we got to FL, we would stay awhile and end up going to a funeral which was explained to him at home. We were in the car, when we got the news that He had passed away. Luckily Adam's sister got to be with him.

I don't think we told Dylan right away, I think we may have waited until we stopped to rest. In fact, I think he actually brought it up. I had a long time in the car to think about all the great memories we had with him. I was mad, for selfish reasons, that Evan would not be able to get to know him like Dylan did. He was truly great with Dylan. He called him "Hollywood".

In the Jewish faith, you have to be buried right away, so the funeral was just a couple days later. We did take the boys to it. Evan wasn't old enough to really understand what was happening, but Dylan certainly did. We felt he needed this as closure, and I let him take some of the sand from Israel and place it on the coffin.

It's so hard to know if you are doing the right thing or saying the right thing to your own children. We didn't want to do something that could traumatize him for life, but we knew that Dylan could handle this. He very bright and intuitive for his age. He knows what is going on around him.

A couple days later, we decided to start back from home. As I mentioned earlier, we always go to Disney and then to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Well, while we were in FL, it was actually only a couple weeks before we had flights to head down there, to visit them first before heading to Disney this time around. We decided to go back home so we could separate this expedience from our family trip.

My biggest regret is not thanking Marty for the help with my business. He was a freight forwarder for years at JFK, so when it came down to me needing assistance with this part of my business, he took care of me. I always thought I would have more time to thank him, and I should know better than anyone that you can't put things off because things can happen!! So, this is another great life lesson learned, and that is all we can do from these experiences is learn.

Grandpa Marty, you will be in our hearts forever and will be truly missed!

Summer Clearance! 75% off of everything in stock!

2009-07-19T11:21:00.006-04:00

It's about time I get some new stock in, right? Well, it's been long overdue but it's coming soon!

I have made a few changes to the patterns and have completely changed the pink color so I have to move out this old stock to get ready for all the new stuff coming in!

I recently changed my site, so not everything that is in stock is online. I have many long sleeve body suits that are available so please email me if you would like these. I will be putting them online later this evening!

Enter code "clearout" at checkout or if you are emailing me your order to check what else I have in stock, I can send you an invoice with the sale prices.

Now off to go bike riding with the family! I haven't rode a bike in years so this should be interesting!

Navigating through early intervention

2009-07-02T22:42:00.004-04:00

For the past few months, we noticed a slight delay with Evan's speech (he's now 2). At first, I was a bit in denial thinking that every child is different and he would soon say more words, but after bringing it up to my pediatrician and due to the trauma during birth, we should have him evaluated.

So, we made an appointment with early intervention and had a special education teacher as well as a speech therapist come out and do an evaluation. I knew what to expect during this meeting because I use to work as a behavior therapist for a school district on Long Island before we moved upstate.

They came out and sat on the floor and brought a "bag of toys." Little did Evan know they were there to test him, not really to play. Well, he became tired and frustrated with the teacher and they began to see how he does not transition well between activities! He had to go down for a nap and then they calculated his scores and they did see a slight delay in a couple of areas.

A final report came in the mail the other day and we set up an appointment with a service coordinator where we went over our goals we would work on with Evan. We will be working on speech obviously as well as some fine motor skills.

It's really tough being the parent in this process as I am used to being the one on the other side of the table. I am lucky that there is nothing major going on with him and that I should just count my blessings, but I can't help but feel guilty! Could I be doing more? Is there something I should have been doing differently? I am not the greatest mother, but I would like to think I am a pretty good one.

Dylan (our 5 year old son) is at summer camp during the day, so we will be focusing a ton of attention on Evan this summer. It will help that next school year he will be going to preschool which will help with his social skills.

It's a scary thing to go through, but I am glad we are doing it. I think it's better to be cautious and get him the extra help and attention he needs to grow. I was reminded my by mother than my brother had speech therapy when he was in kindergarden and he overcame it and did well. So, all in all, I think it will turn out to be a good thing having all this one on one instruction for Evan.

Cloth Diaper Sale!!

2009-06-03T19:16:00.003-04:00

Blue minky dot now on SALE!! I have discounted these diapers to help move out some inventory! Get them on ebay for $6 a piece plus shipping. Don't forget, I offer $5 flat rate shipping, so stock up now!!

These have a pink fleece inner which was actually a mistake but turned out super cute! Some customers say they still use them for a boy because once on, you can't see the pink :)

Stop buy ebay, mention this blog and get a free bamboo terry stuffer!

Preview of what's to come for cloth diapering!

2009-06-02T09:49:00.007-04:00

OK, here is is... drumroll please!

I have decided not only to do boxed sets of basic PUL diapers that will include pretty much everything you need to get you started with cloth diapering (dipes, bamboo stuffers, wipes, liners and possibly a wash). I also decided I have to do more of the printed minky! Even though they are a bit hot in the summer time, the layer of minky works so well as an overnight diaper! Not to mention they feel so luxurious and will make your friends jealous!!

I will be pairing up some of my printed minky dipers with coordinating leg warmers. Here's a picture of the leg warmers with one of my current diapers, but the actual designs are still in the works and will be revealed as soon as production is completed! Stay tuned for contests....... =D

Need to look for a partner/investor for Bubele

2009-06-01T18:34:00.003-04:00

I have put it off long enough I suppose. I keep thinking "If I could just get a few BIG sales" than I could afford to keep doing it on my own, but reality is quickly sinking in!

The cloth diapers continue to sell well, although I need a surge of money right now in order to finish my current clothing productions to fill all these orders! I will somehow have to pull it all together and manage it, but I will soon need to find someone who will invest in my business. I know I can't be picky, but ideally I would love someone who could be a partner in the business as well- someone who has interest in my products. I know it's going to be difficult to find someone to invest... I have no idea where to start! Where does one go when they need money??

If I can't find an investor, I won't give up, but I will have to shrink my line quite a bit to make it work. Where is Daddy Warbucks when you need him?

Let's see how this plays out... I am sure plenty of inventors and designers go through this same problem. Next season is quickly approaching and I need a plan!

May is a tough month personally

2009-05-31T15:42:00.004-04:00

Some who have been following me since the beginning already know why May is extremely tough for me so I apologize if this seems like I am repeated myself every year! :)

I lost my first son years ago on May 17th and some birthdays are tougher than others. I have a routine on that day, which is to pick out flowers for the cemetery. I pick out 2 hanging plants, and I pick out flats of flowers (typically pansies) to plant in his planter near the stone. I always get too many, so I started planting the extras outside my window every year. In a crazy way, it just feels nice to have some connection with him.

Last year, as you can read from my old blog, I was at peace with everything that had happened because I know have a new tradition of celebrating life.

2 years ago, while delivering Evan, I stopped breathing. I had an "amniotic fluid embolism" which caused me to go into DIC and cardiac arrest. They performed an emergency c-section while trying to resuscitate me. After nearly 45 mins. later and about 25 units of blood, I was back. They didn't think I would make it through the night. After making through the night, they thought I would never recover and may suffer from major brain damage.

I was in the ICU for some time in a drug induced coma (so my body could heal). Every day they would wake me and see where I was at. Finally, after a couple weeks, I started talking although I could not remember anything. I was soon moved back to the maternity floor and they kept Evan in the hospital so he could be near me. Eventually I started remembering who everyone was and I received some physical therapy that got me up and walking. Needless to say, I had tons of doctors stop by to see how I could possibly be still alive, and walking and talking!

So, May 21st is Evan's birthday and the day I celebrate being alive. Last year I was more at peace with it, but this year was difficult for some reason. I am very thankful to still be here, but I often question why I was saved and not the mother before me?

Anyways, I am working through it. I keep busy with work and the kids. I wanted to share this with my new readers, not because I am fishing for sympathy, but because I want to share my story and hopefully may inspire you to enjoy life more :)

The diapers are coming!

2009-05-14T14:27:00.006-04:00

YAY! The diapers are in and they are on their sweet way to me and will be here in just a few short days! I am so excited to sell off these 550 while my beautiful new production is under way. Think luxurious micro fleece in Bubele's colors chocolate and sage! I am also introducing an AIO diaper and matching minky prints with Bubele leg warmers! I promise to post a preview of what's to come very soon. In the meantime, stay tuned because I am going to be giving away some more Bubele Bums right here!

Business Ethics... Who Needs 'Em Anyways?

2009-05-12T10:48:00.003-04:00

We know we all need them. We all feel strongly about being fair in business, don't we? Of course we do. I'm going to share some of my experiences with business ethics over the years in the clothing production business.

About 5 years ago, I started High Style Productions, Inc. where I would work with medium sized clothing companies and source their clothing productions with overseas factories. At first, I loved it. It was new and fascinating to work with other companies on their designs! But, it quickly become a big game in racing to get the cheapest price, not the best price, but rather the cheapest price. I was a small business owner making very small commissions while competing with larger companies who sourced at cheaper prices.

Needless to say, it was too competitive to work with larger companies who wanted me to constantly drive down the prices at factories while they maintain their prices and the factories make less. Oh, the first to suffer are the actual labor workers who sew. Larger companies will often hire someone to source their goods for them who then will give the order to the cheapest and fastest factory. I am beginning to wonder if these large companies even know how their goods are being sourced or if they are turning their heads because they don't want to know.

A couple years ago, after working with a few smaller, private clothing labels who demanded high quality, I secured a production unit in India that works with us on smaller minimums while maintaining high quality. I was then motivated to focus on these customers! This was at the same time I started designing Bubele.

I have come in contact with so many other great small companies since starting Bubele, especially other momprenuers who have created their own items to sell! But unfortunately, I see a lack of business ethics on this side as well. Recently, when working with a customer who was actually referred by another customer, they ended up cutting out HSP from their orders and going straight to my sources. How did this happen? Well, it was a freight forwarder we used for these particular shipments who we believe put them in contact. The first step was making sure we never use that forwarder again.

I need to vent a little bit about this one because this company who was started by a mom who took on a partner to expand her business keep driving down the prices and also was very concerned about how workers were paid and treated so much that I had signed a Ethics Statement for them. I had no problem doing this because 1. We check all factories we use to make sure they comply with all environmental and labor laws and 2. We had a contact do a private inspection of this specific factory.

I guess that's part of the reason I feel so burned. That and the fact they had guaranteed future orders with us, so we cut our commissions and pre purchased some of the sourced fabrics in bulk. I have spent countless hours sourcing that fabric!! Not to mention that after they had gone behind my back, they had the audacity to say that they had their eye on the Bubele line for the future! I immediately looked in the mirror looking for "stupid" on my forehead!

To them, I am sure they thought it was better for their business to get cheaper prices without considering the implications on my company who sources all of their materials (which is not known to the actual factory for this reason) and spends a lot of time perfecting their productions. I was thinking it would be the right thing to do to tell them that the way they are pushing low prices with the factory is going to affect their quality, but I think I need to completely step away from this.

So, lots of lessons learned in business. Especially this past year with Bubele!

Even though my trust has been tested time and time again, I still do think it's possible to have trust in business relationships, but with caution! I am making some more changes to my business practices that will get us more organized and better protected.

I think we all need to remember that we need to have a certain level of respect for other businesses and treat them as you would want your own business to be treated! Simple, huh?

Patent Process Update

2009-04-28T10:42:00.002-04:00

If you are fellow mompreneur or a small business and you want to patent your original idea then I hope you will find some use in my experience through the whole process! If you are not sure you need a patent or want a patent, then do very extensive research. You do not need to hire anyone to do this. Just research online- there are tons of info available! If your idea is original, I do suggest trying to protect it. I recently ran into some issues where my trust was broken (by the least suspecting person- a fellow momprenuer) so while you should remain trusting, I do advise that you hold your business as #1 priority when it comes down to protecting yourself and your invention. Enough about that (I will blog about ethics later after I cool down:)

I recently submitted my non-provisional application for the Bubele Loop to replace the provisional patent I had. I did put together all the documents as specified on the USPTO.GOV website and I submitted a small fee.

Well, I got a couple thing back in the mail already from the USPTO just yesterday. First, I received an outline of what the things that were not acceptable and why they were not acceptable. It was pretty easy and straight forward to read. When I had prepared my documents, I had made only one pdf file that contained all the parts of the application (abstract, summary, claims, description, etc.) but one of the main reason my application has to be corrected is because this file needed to be separated into separate sheets. Pretty easy. I just split up my document and printed out the entire application documents. I also have to include a copy of the letter sent to me as well as an amended declaration page. I also have to send in the $65 surcharge fee which I think is because of the needed corrections.

I do also at some point have to pay the $270 search fee and the $110 examination fee (for small entity). This was optional at the checkout screen when submitting online but I knew that it would be due eventually.

I have my revised application now ready to get sent off and hopefully is OK to go into the next stage of this process!

I also received a filing receipt of my non-provisional application.

I will list some links below that helped me in this process:

Basic facts about patents

Info about provisional patents which protect you for 12 months while you give yourself to market and find funding

Filing Online

Forms that are often referred to in the application process

FEES

Inventor resource center

Getting creative with funding

2009-04-21T10:42:00.006-04:00

I hit a big wall lately with being able to afford to produce every single color and pattern of my clothing (not to mention my new styles)! As a designer this is incredibly frustrating because I know I can sell my stuff, but I need to get it out there! I am sure other businesses face these same issues and some bring in investors or a partner but I wanted to keep Bubele all under my control for now. I am still looking into the possibility of looking for more of a partner who invests rather than an investor who just wants to see a big return. I want to keep my prices low while maintaining high quality.

So, I have decided to take funding into my own hands. For over a year I have been sewing cloth diapers and more recently decided to sell off cloth diapers with the tons of stock fabric I have here on ebay. Well, I wasn't making very much off of each one I sewed because I just wanted to get rid of all this material! After most of the material was used up, I decided to run a production of the cloth diapers using left over materials so that I could sell them at discounted prices on ebay.

My plan: 600 cloth diapers just finished production and are on their way to me (50 were sent by express so I have them now to sell). So, these 550 are due in May 20th and I am preselling so that as soon as they come in, I can ship them out to customers and pay for my large shipping bill :)

These profits from the 600 diapers will go towards producing 1200 more diapers, but with custom colors this time around! These will retail and wholesale. I also plan on selling some to my ebay mamas who continue to support me! Thanks ladies!

By doing larger production runs and selling in bulk, I plan on funding my Bubele clothing. It's a long winded way of securing funds, but I refuse to give up on my dream!

To celebrate the introduction of my Bubele Bums Cloth Diapers, I am giving away one free diaper (stuffer not included). To enter do one of the following (or all to receive more chances to win):

1. Leave a comment
2. Tweet and send me the link
3. Follow me on twitter
4. Blog about it and send me the link
5. Face book about it and send me the link
6. Follow my blog

The give away will end on Friday at 12 AM EST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be announced Saturday. Make sure you leave your name and email somewhere so I can contact you! :)

Being a WAHM.... easy, right?

2009-04-17T13:12:00.004-04:00

I am sure every WAHM gets comments from people every once in awhile about how easy is must be to work from home while you take care of your kids. Well, my 5 year old was on spring break this week and it is now Friday and I love him dearly, but I am about to pull out my hair out and cry in a corner!

Yes, maybe I get to stay in my Pj's a little bit longer than moms that go to work outside of the home, but most days I feel like I work from 7:30 AM to 11 PM. I am not complaining because the best perk of being a WAHM is I can take a mini break and play with my kids any time I want. But to say it is easy, is not true at all!

Shortly after I can manage to get out of bed (after baby throws paci on the floor and yells uh-oh! for the 100Th time) I make the kids breakfast (and coffee) and go straight to work. There usually is some pressing issue that I have to take care of right away and as soon as I start my work day, I can get stuck at the computer for hours.

Of course during the morning rush, I have to change diapers, entertain a 5 year old and break up any fights/tantrums(Usually the baby starting a fight w/big bro). Hopefully I get lucky enough to break for lunch which often gets spent back at the computer.

Most days, I do try and not answer any emails after 4 or 5PM so I can start dinner, play with the kids and then... bedtime! Lately I have been lucky with the kids going to bed pretty easily!! Afterwards, I go back to work for awhile to follow up on any loose ends from earlier and then I take a break with hubby to watch TV. Before bed, I check emails to make sure everything is on track so I don't wake up to any disasters!

With all that said, I know this will get easier when the kids are both in school all day long. It's very difficult now to balance things just right because as a WAHM you have to focus on several things at once! Hopefully, with a little more organization on my part, I can find a way to balance family and work a little better than I have been! I wish I had some secrets to share to give other WAHMs some hope but the best advise I can give is be productive as possible each day to get closer to goals you set but set aside time throughout the day for kids. If something doesn't get done as fast as you would like, the world is not going to end!

Sold Out

2009-04-09T07:51:00.003-04:00

Well, most of my inventory is gone- so long inventory problems! Well, for now at least! I am having a new production started that will have all the mix and match colors back, including a new one: sage on chocolate. I haven't produced this color on the chocolate yet because I was limited last time around. I am still limited (very limited on funds) but EVERYONE has been asking for it.

I am also introducing a few new styles this summer including:

A dress which can be worn as a top and matched with the pants to make a super cute outfit.

Lap tees in all of my mix and match colors which will go up to 3T.

And a baseball tee (raglan) that will also be mix and match and go up to size 3T.

All will have the Bubele Loop of course to attach a paci! :)

I am so excited to move forward with the new styles and produce more of the original styles. I am not sure how I am going to manage a large inventory here, there is simply no room for it!

Patent Process

2009-03-30T13:41:00.005-04:00

Last April I applied for a provisional patent for the Bubele Loop. By applying for a provisional patent, an inventor is able to cut costs and is given a full year to test the market with the new invention. Well, my year is almost up! I prepared the patent paperwork myself which is not advised but given that I do not have thousands to spend on a patent attorney, this was my only option. I spent hours researching the right way to prepare the required documents and I used an online manual provided by the www.uspto.gov website.

I did the search on my own because this can be an expensive process. A search is when you spend countless hours searching any similar terms to your invention through filed patents. It is recommended that you pay for the search before you file because if you file and then their search comes back with a similar invention then you get denied and you lose the filing fee. But, since I was able to file as a "small entity" it only cost $82 to file for a non-provisional patent. The search would have cost more than this so it works out better in my situation just to go ahead with the filing process.

It is exhausting going through all the information needed, but it will be worth it in the end if a patent is granted and I was able to save all that money! Some worry that if they file the documents themselves that it will be rejected but I filed my own provisional patent and I filed my own trademark application and even though I had to fix a few errors and pay an extra fee, it was still a ton less than hiring a lawyer.

Updating inventory

2009-03-14T15:06:00.003-04:00

Keeping a constant eye on inventory and updating on a regular basis is essential! The last time I did inventory was before I updated the site and before I hired a sales rep in the Mid West. After online sales and sales from retailers, I thought I should go over inventory again. What a mess!! :)

My actual inventory is way off of what I had counted and tracked last time. Why is this? Well, one reason may be when I need to send off media kits in a hurry, I just grab something and NOT mark it down. Or I mark it down, but not on the actual inventory sheet.

Because my items are mix and match, I really need to know exactly what I have in stock at all times. If a retailer calls me on Monday morning and asks what I have in stock for immediate delivery, I better know what I am talking about!

So, my advice on inventory control if you are a start up clothing line is to ALWAYS keep track! Find what method works best for you. I think I may need a clipboard hanging up in my face that I can grab and mark down quickly if something goes out. I have inventory management software which is good but doing both and reconciling at the end of the week is what has to be done.

Giving to charity makes sense

2009-03-03T18:23:00.005-05:00

I had a great discussion today with my 5 year old. It was about giving to charity.

Adam was loading up the car (the tiny prius) full of things we didn't need any longer to drop them off at the Salvation Army. Dylan asked why daddy was putting all of our stuff in the car and I told him where it was going and of course he wanted to know more about this whole charity thing...

I said, "Well, when we don't need things any more like this old rocking chair, we donate it to a place that gives it to people that may need something they can't afford. A new mommy may need this rocking chair to rock her baby."

He looked at me and said "OH! That makes sense!" It was like a little light went off. He understood that there are people out there who would like some of the things we have for ourselves that may not be able to afford it. He knows all about money and how it works. He has had his own little bank for the past year and when he wants a new toy, he has to save for it. So, the basic concepts are there.

The conversation ended with his ideas for that new mommy to utilize the cool side pockets in the rocking chair. Kids are compassionate by nature I think.

I have some charities that have been on my mind lately that I want to donate to. I will be setting that up soon through Bubele and will post more info at a later date :)

Selling to retailers

2009-03-01T09:46:00.003-05:00

It's been almost 2 years since Bubele was started and I recently found a sales rep in the mid west and decided to hire her to show Bubele at the trade shows she does. So far, so good. She has brought in quite a few orders! I was hoping that I would have more of an idea what retailers would want and narrow down what I should reproduce.

Due to lack of funding, I only have very limited stock of each style and color. I did this so I could have more variety with the Mix and Match pieces. Now, I am getting ready to finalize my reproduction and I am so confused! The design I thought would be the least popular- the multi stripes- is actually selling. It's a good thing, but I had planned on phasing out the stripes and bring in a new print to mix and match with the dots and regular stripes.

I also planned on introducing 2 more styles: t-shirts and girls top/dress. Each will have the Bubele Loop and will be mainly for replacing the bigger sizes in the Bodysuits I decided to drop. I found that bodysuits over size 12 months do not sell very well.

I am producing more than I did last time, although I don't think it will be enough for the sales I am projecting. I am not worried about ordering too much, I know they will sell eventually. I am worried about funding all this up front! Awhile back I considered bringing an investor on board but decided against it. But, if I don't produce enough stock then I am stuck telling retailers that I am out and possibly losing those and future sales.

I am all over the place with this! Any one have advice for how they plan how much stock to keep?

Being a WAHM and staying healthy

2009-02-21T10:06:00.006-05:00

I am sure many work-at-home-moms find this as difficult as I do. The main problem is we rarely leave the house. We work from home and stay at home with the kids so it is difficult to get out and get that exercise we need! Not to mention, if you live out in the country and get tons of snow like we do, leaving is not an option this time of year!

There is also another problem: eating healthy. While managing 2 businesses from home, sometimes I don't pick the healthiest choices. I do try and cook healthy for the kids, but I refuse to use unnatural ingredients while cooking for the kids. Using natural ingredients adds flavor and sometimes more fat to food. While the kids eat the portions they should, I just grab and go, not noticing how much I am actually eating.

I am also a bad snacker, especially when working. I often like to munch on anything salty or sweet for a quick snack while I check emails.

So, I have decided that I need to live healthier so I feel better and have more energy. It's not impossible. I already identified the problems, now all I have to do is fix it, right? ;)

Here are some of my solutions I have come up with to my problems:

1. Getting out of the house to get me time/exercise. I am looking into local gyms and even though we live out in the country, I found a nearby Curves that I may join. I am going to go check it out and see if I feel comfortable there. Not everyone may feel the need to exercise out of the home, but considering I work from home (and so does Adam) I would like to take the opportunity to get out and do something healthy for myself!

2. Portion control. I have had a membership to Weight Watchers online for awhile because I have used it in the past and it worked. I have not been strict about keeping track of what I put in my mouth. I leave the tracking tools open on my desktop so I have a constant reminder to keep track.

I sometimes do buy ww frozen entrees for myself but I have also started making dinners for myself that are low fat and I enjoy. I make several portions of the same dish and measure it out into containers and freeze.

3. Snacking. I need snacks that are pre portioned. I bought several ww and 100 calorie snacks that are all 2 points so I emptied them all into a bag and I can grab one when I feel the need. I have also taken a look at my eating habits and I make sure I keep enough points for those snacks I crave!

Any WAHMs out there on WW? Leave a comment or connect with me on twitter: http://twitter.com/bubele to support one another!

Bubele Giveaway: Chocolate bodysuit with loop and Snappy

2009-02-17T08:58:00.002-05:00

This week's product is the Bubele Bodysuit with loop and Snappy!

Description:
Our super comfortable bodysuits are made from 100% combed cotton and come in colorful colors and patterns. All Bubele bodysuits have our exclusive loop on the side seam for attaching a pacifier or toy.

Contests will end on Fridays at 12am est. A winner will be chosen by random.org
Please leave your email address so that I may reach you if you win!
For extra entries:
1. Twitter about the contest
2. Post in your blog
3. Add the Bubele button to your site/blog (found on bottom right)
4. Post on facebook
5. Follow this blog
Thanks and looking forward to reading comments!!

A video review of the Bubele Bib!

2009-02-16T14:39:00.006-05:00

I had the awesome opportunity to work with a new online vblog site called http://www.newbaby.com/
who reviewed some of my products. It's a new site dedicated to mom video bloggers!

A new mom reviewed the Bubele Bib:

Thanks to http://www.newbaby.com/ and new mom Nell from http://casualfridayeveryday.com/

Tuesday Giveaway: Set of 4 Snappies!!

2009-02-10T14:14:00.007-05:00

It's time for the Tuesday Bubele Giveaway!

This week's product is the Bubele Snappy. You will receive a set of 4 Snappies (your choice of boy or girl set). I designed the Snappy for the bodysuits with loop but they can snap onto just about anything! Never lose that pacifier again!

Description:
Our snappy string has simple snaps on each end for connecting to anything! Clips slip off and our snappy string is perfect for attaching to our bodysuits with loop and our burpies!
You can never have enough of these! Snap them to your car seat or stroller and have that pacier or toy stay in baby's reach!
Now improved! Third snap in center of string to shorten length!

Contests will end on Fridays at 12am est. A winner will be chosen by random.org

For extra entries:

1. Twitter about the contest

2. Post in your blog

3. Add the Bubele button to your site/blog (found on bottom right)

4. Post on facebook

5. Follow this blog

Thanks and looking forward to reading comments!!

Tuesday is Bubele Giveaway Day!

2009-02-03T13:21:00.010-05:00

I have decided to run my own weekly giveaways of Bubele items! What better way to clear out some clearance items and make room for new inventory! I also think it will be a great way to get some added exposure online while giving some products away to moms!

Every Tuesday, I will post a new item. In order to get an entry, you will need to visit the Bubele site and post which item you like best, or simply a comment about the site or an item in general(I love feedback).

Contests will end on Fridays at 12am est.

For extra entries:

1. Twitter about the contest
2. Post in your blog
3. Add the Bubele button to your site/blog (found on bottom right)
4. Post on facebook
5. Follow this blog

Thanks and looking forward to reading comments!!

Today's item:

Bubele Swaddling Wrap

The Bubele Wrap is over sized (42x42") and is 100% breathable combed cotton. It's stretch allows parents to swaddle baby more securely. Fold over to swaddle a newborn. It's generous size allows you to find the right fit for your baby!

This wrap is also great for nursing. I used to throw over my shoulders on a chilly day at the park!

Organize your shopping list!

2009-01-28T19:16:00.004-05:00

I love my new Smartshopper! It makes grocery shopping so much easier. I am not an organized person by nature but I am trying really hard to get organized and this little machine is perfect!

It is an electronice list maker that can be put on the fridge. All you have do is press a button and speak the item you want added to the list. For example, when I am running out of coffee, I go to the fridge, press the button and say coffee.

It categorizes everything into dairy, canned goods, etc.

It comes preloaded with several foods and you have to program it, but once you do, it is so easy to use. I programmed different lists so that I can have seperate lists for each store I shop at. For example, I like to have a grocery list and then a B.J.'s (wholesale club) list.

Chocolate ice cream banned

2009-01-26T19:26:00.005-05:00

..... only from our house!

I have decided that if anyone in our house wants to eat ice cream, it will be a flavor that I do not like. I can pretty much pass on any other flavor, so they have a lot to choose from!

I have found that when I am stressed or tired, a big dish of chocolate ice cream is so yummy. Therefore, it is banned.

I am sorry chocolate ice cream, you are no longer welcome in my house. I am replacing you with a fruit smoothie with maca root.

Putting together media kits

2009-01-22T18:48:00.006-05:00

I put together my own media kits with the help of a list that my copywriter gave to me on what to include. I decided I wanted to keep it as simple and straight forward as possible. I wanted the magazine editors to be able to open the package and have all the info they needed in front of them without having to sort through too much info.

These are the things I decided to put into my media kit package:

Press Release
Current Product Reviews
Q&A Sheet (or FAQ)
Product Photo Shots
Retail Price List
CD with high resolution images
Samples
Hand written note to editor
Business card

So far, I haven't had any requests from major magazines like Cookie or Parenting but I have pretty good responses from local magazines across the U.S.

And no, Ellen Degeneres still has not contacted me!

Press

2009-01-16T20:36:00.005-05:00

I recently hired a copywriter to write a new press release, but not only does he write them, he sends them out to a custom media list. I even have the list to make follow up phone calls.

I just had this done and it's only been 2 days. I got about 15 good responses, although I was hoping for more before the weekend. I am going to give it another week or so and then as suggested I will start making calls on a daily basis.

The custom media list included magazines, talk shows, and freelance writers. The contacts I have made so far have requested samples, as well as extra samples if I wanted to be included in reader giveaways. I looked at my inventory and said, sure why not!

The biggest contact was the Tyra Banks show which gave me great feedback and was super nice about everything! The most annoying response I got was asking me to pay a really hefty fee to advertise in their magazine. I told them I was looking for coverage first and they responded, "we need to made a living too... it would be like asking you to give away your products for free." Well, yes, actually I do give away my products for free in exchange for free publicity.

That's a big lesson in this business when you are just starting out: everyone tries to convince you that you need their services. But no matter how good it sounds, you really have to look at what the costs are and if it will really benefit you.

Back to work!

2009-01-05T20:57:00.004-05:00

The holidays are finally over and it's time to get back to work in full gear! Is it just me or do the holidays start way to soon, so by the time the holiday actually comes, you wish it was over already..... It seems like it lasts for months!

I have to get motivated to finish some of the projects I was working on, like organizing and several things I am working on for Bubele. I have 2 reps now.... which I can't believe took me this long to find! I am looking forward to the Januarary shows which will be my first. I am not going to get my hopes up because I heard you don't get a lot of sales from shows, but I am hoping the reps I have can sell my products well. I am relying on the fact that I have 2 unique items and that my items are reasonably priced (good in this economy).

Over the break, I worked on social networking through Facebook and LinkedIn. I am amazed at the connections I have found on LinkedIn. Everyone has been so helpul! One connection I made knew I was looking for more reps and send my info across and ended up going through 2 of her connections I believe to a woman who told me to call her. I called today and she had a name of a rep for me in New Jersey! I really hope that call goes well tomorrow :)

Celebrity Gifting

2008-12-30T19:21:00.003-05:00

Celebrity gifting is when a company send their item to a celebrity in hopes that it gets worn by them and noticed by others. It's great publicity, especially if you can get a picture of the celeb with your item.

There are companies who do this for a living and even have co-ops for businesses to split the expense. So, not only do I GIVE the celebrity one of my items for FREE, I pay to have my item sent to them in a gift basket (usually hundreds of dollars).

Is it just me, or does that sounds insane?

Merry Chrismukkah!

2008-12-22T18:45:00.005-05:00

My husband's family is Jewish and mine is Catholic so we celebrate both holidays now. Even before the kids were thought of and before we were married, living on Long Island, I would put up a small tree in our rental and we would decorate it with blue and silver bulbs and call it our "Hanukkah tree." This has actually become a tradition now each year.

I started a new one this year.... trying to prepare Hanukkah foods. Dylan is a picky eater so I thought this was a good opportunity to try some new foods. I made potato Latkes, homemade applesauce and pastry puffs. Dylan tried the Latkes... which he ate at first but then decided he didn't like them very much. He then gave them to baby brother and ate the rest of his applesauce. Evan had no complaints! We then had our pastry puff and there is no question that everyone liked those... fried with sugar :D

I wish I would have remembered this sooner, but a couple years ago, I found this site: www.chrismukkah.com
It has everything one needs for Chrismukkah!

Bubele Chocolate Sale!

2008-12-21T17:59:00.003-05:00

I am having a sale on all Bubele Chocolates! I am trying to make some room for more inventory, so I now have all this season's colors/patterns 30% off!

I think this has been by far my most popular colors so far and I definitely will have them back next year.

Stress

2008-12-17T21:20:00.003-05:00

I think I have hit my limit of stress!

I knew I was stressed out about a lot of things, but mostly about my one business(Not Bubele). I also produce clothing for other designers. I use the same factories for orders which leaves me up half the night most of the time negotiating prices, terms, details, etc. Then, I have to wake up with the kids and handle the customers, who are mostly from the U.S. I am running in and out of my home office all day answering emails, going over details, etc.

Luckliy Adam is now working from home to take on some clients and lessen my load, but the transition has been tough. I am still overworked and it's showing. I am grinding my teeth at night so bad it stripping away my enamel!! What happend to the promise I made 18 months ago that I would live a simple life?

To top it off, because of what happend 18 months ago, I have hormone issues that came from all the blood loss. So, mommy is very cranky for about 2 weeks.... it's great being a woman!! :D

Handmade bibs

2008-12-14T18:35:00.004-05:00

I have decided to continue to sew the bibs myself for now instead of doing a mass production of these. I have had some interest in them and I know I could sell them if I did a mass production but I have recently had a TON of poly knit fabric delivered to me. I use this fabric for the neck rolls on the bib.

I have decided that it may be a good time to experiment with different fabrics on the front and back of the bib to see what sells better. I am going to pair up colorful prints with the plush neck rolls and see where it takes me! I am also going to sew matching burp cloths- just a simple burp cloth but with bamboo fleece on one side.

It's official!

2008-12-10T14:16:00.003-05:00

I finally received my "official" certificate of trademark for bubele!

It's funny because once you apply for a trademark, the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) sends out little post cards that say you have registered, then again when it's been updated in their system and I think I received a few of these so I just assumed everything was all said and done. It's been a year since I applied and low and behold! I get this is the mail- much prettier than a post card! ;)

Getting Organized: Home and Office

2008-12-09T10:15:00.004-05:00

Even though I do work out of my home office,and it is technically the same thing, they do have to be organized differently. For home, I have to organize to make it more efficient for us as parents and kid friendly. I am trying to find a way to minimize the "junk" in our lives. It seems that we have more than what we need and stuff just sits around. It doesn't help that our house is not finished so it is difficult to put things away in "it's place" if it doesn't exist yet :)

So, I have been organizing the office to make it more efficient. Especially for Bubele. I recently reorganized the website and came across the problem of items not being in stock because of poor inventory management. (Who do I fire for that?) So, I decided that all items need be be organized in small bins by color and size. This is a nightmare with small baby items but it is almost done!!

Sales Reps

2008-11-28T12:37:00.003-05:00

Bubele has it's very first sales rep, finally! I found a list of sales reps specifically for children's wear on www.jamesgirone.com/ and I would sit down and go through the regional lists and make calls. This lead to no where and took up a ton of time during the day. So, I started going through the lists and just pulling out the ones with email address listed and emailed everyone on the list about Bubele.

I have only done a few lists, but I now have a rep in the Mid West who is incredible! She emailed me back and showed interest in the line. She is so professional and she took the time to actually go to the site and look through my items. Speaking to her was such a breath of fresh air and gave me that extra push needed to reorganize my line and get focused on the more important items like the bodysuit with the attached loop and the bib with attached neck roll. I somehow have to find a way to market these items more effectively.

Taking on an investor?

2008-11-16T20:17:00.003-05:00

When I started Bubele, I intended on doing everything myself in order to save money. I am finding this incredibly difficult as I watch other companies grow who have a bigger budget. I am starting to wonder if I should look for an investor for Bubele who can manage the marketing/sales so I can concentrate on designing and producing.

Taking on an investor would probably restrict me in ways, and would probably increase my prices because I use high quality materials, even higher quality than major brands, but I keep my prices competitive.

On the other hand, an investor could manage things that I am having a hard time with.

This decision will take some more thought!

Reorganizing the online baby boutique

2008-11-12T15:42:00.006-05:00

When I started selling Bubele online, I had only put in each item individually and gave color/pattern options so customers could mix and match sets as they wanted. I had some great sales doing this....at first. The things that were selling most were the Bubele mix and match separates. It seems like one particular style sold more than the others. It was the same style that Evan is wearing in the main pictures.

As I began to sell out of sizes, I realized I had to reorganize the sets and pair them up so customers could actually see the sets paired up rather than trying to visualize how they would look. I now have Mix and Match Sets and then I listed some individual bodysuits because these are too cute paired with any pants!

I decided to do the same for all the products and now that I have almost everything finished, I will start to focus on sales again.

Advertising

2008-11-05T15:01:00.001-05:00

I have had to make some decisions recently about how to advertise for Bubele. If you have read from the beginning (http://www.my-trip-africa.com/) you would see I have had some problems with deciding on how to do this!!

Bubele is still very small and has a very small budget so I am not able to place ads in magazines or buy expensive ad spots on websites. But I have found some very interesting ways to advertise thanks to some other great moms out there who have their own blogs and businesses!

After being featured on Tip Junkie, I explored other blogs and advertising on small sites but with a growing audience. Here is one that I found and have been recently added to their list:

A little description:

MomDot is a mom blog listing site that is run by mommy bloggers, trisha, alicia, and bridgette.They run contests weekly, reviews on awesome (and not so awesome) products for family and kids, and talk about their lives. But more importantly, they feature bloggers and mom boutiques to give them an avenue to get their name out there, also assisting in google links! You can head out and list your blog for free and talk to them about doing an interview about you. Head on over and see what MomDot is about!

I also came into contact with Emily over at Busy Mom who has a great blog with tips and reviews of products. She offers one month of free of advertising if you sponsor a giveaway. I currently have a giveaway on her site: http://busymomcontests.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-10-22T19%3A46%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=4

I also have an ad with a couple more blogs which I did end up paying $25/month for at the beginning which gave me great results at first, but the sales are slowing from those :(

Moving the Bubele Blog

2008-11-04T17:01:00.001-05:00

After creating a blog about my journey into starting Bubele, I decided to create a dedicated blog for my clothing line. While I still want to blog about my family life along with my business (I feel the two go hand in hand for me) I wanted to become a little more organized! This is my attempt at becoming more organized and hopefully blogging more often ;)

I am still leaving my old blog up because it explains the meaning behind Bubele and how it got started: www.my-trip-to-africa.com