<![CDATA[Essentially Jenni - Blog]]>Fri, 01 Jul 2022 14:48:28 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Drinkmate: The carbonate anything drink maker]]>Tue, 21 Jun 2022 04:28:36 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/drinkmate-the-carbonate-anything-drink-makerPicture
I'd like to think that our little family is pretty healthy. Yeah, we eat out and enjoy snacks or sweets but for the most part we are active and watch what we eat. We spend time walking, hiking and adventuring local trails and hikes with the doggies regularly. We meal plan for the week and watch what we consume. We drink water or sparkling water and sodas aren't big in our family because of how much sugar is in them. I'll probably drink a few sips of a can and it'll be enough for a few months for me. But now, I've found my new favorite drink! 

Drinkmate omnifizz Sparkling water
​& soda maker

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​The Drinkmate's countertop machines are super thin and sleek so they don't take up much counter space at all! We love the pop of color in our kitchen and how easy it is to use and clean. 

​It's the 1st at-home machine that lets you turn any drink into a carbonated drink by a push of a button at the top of the machine. This system uses a patented Fizz Infuser technology that allows you to carbonate any drink you want! It has a controlled depressurization design with quick release so you don't have to worry about how long to carbonate your drinks.  Push down at the top and detach the bottle from the nozzle and release the lever to depressurize. 

It's been a HUGE hit in our household and a guest favorite as we've hosted cookouts and gatherings. I love that we're no longer buying tons of drinks when we're hosting and each guest can customize their own drinks!

​We have been creating our own drinks with drink enhancers, juice and even their delicious syrups! Our favorite syrup so far is the Pink Grapefruit. It's sweet and a little tart but very refreshing. 
Get 10% off + FREE shipping with $50 purchase when shopping on our blog
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Drinkmate drink & Soda maker machine colors

  • Classic White
  • Matte Black
  • Arctic Blue
  • Royal Red

Premium italian
syrup flavors

All Premium Italian Syrups are made with low sugars (cane sugar) and natural flavors. You only need 1-2 oz per bottle.
  • Pink Grapefruit
  • Sorrento Lemonade
  • Ginger & Lemon
  • Mojito Mocktail
  • Blood Orange
This blog post was created by using a new e-commerce tool built by Fermat. It allows you to purchase products directly from the brand while staying on my blog. If you're interested in DrinkMate's Omnifizz system or Premium Italian Syrups, feel free to shop above! Come back and drop me a comment letting me know how you love it!
]]><![CDATA[a full diaper comparison: Rascal + Friends vs all good diapers]]>Tue, 14 Jun 2022 04:14:30 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/rascal-friends-vs-all-good-diapers-comparisonthe best on the market
Rascal + Friends vs. All Good Diapers
I was recently talking to a friend who just had a baby and we were trying to narrow down some "must have" baby items. Of course diapers were on the top of the list. I have gone through my fair share of diaper brands since my son was born. He's currently 2.5 years old and we're in the middle of potty training. I remember being so overwhelmed buying diapers when he was first born. I had no idea there were so many brands on the market and they all claimed to be the most premium, comfortable, absorbent, etc. We've tried it all! Every single brand from Pampers, Huggies, Hello Bello, Coterie, Dyper, Millie Moon, Rascal + Friends, and more. 

Today I wanted to do a side-by-side comparison on two very popular brands that are available at Walmart. Let's put them to the test and see their quality, comfort, absorbency and price!
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Left to right: Rascal + Friends & All Good Diapers

Rascal + Friends

All good diapers
A box of 64 count size 5 diapers are $19.97
​31.2 cents/diaper
Claims directly from the Walmart product page: 
  • Up to 12 hour leak protection
  • Deep pocket to catch even the biggest blowouts
  • Breathable back-sheet to keep skin cool and dry
  • Soft leg cuffs, made with a premium fiber blend
  • Double leak guards for extra protection against sneaky leaks
  • Dermatest certified, cruelty-free and vegan
  • No latex, fragrance or lotions
  • Stretchy high back waistband to reduce the chance of explosions
  • Easy grip tabs for a secure fit
  • 3D core for extra comfort and absorption
  • Bio-checked Non-Glyphosate certified
  • OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified
A box of 64 count size 5 diapers are $19.97
​31.2 cents/diaper
Claims directly from the Walmart product page: 
  • You buy a box of All Good diapers, we donate a day of diapers to little ones in need*.
  • Free of Elemental Chlorine Bleaching, Parabens & Latex**.
  • Around-the-clock leakage protection for no epic fails.
  • Hypoallergenic and breathable to treat skin right.
  • Cushy soft and crazy absorbent.
  • Bold patterns and prints for stellar style.
  • Super-helpful wetness indicator.

A look inside the diaper

Rascal + Friends

All Good diapers
You can see the diapers main different right off the bat! The inside of Rascal + Friends are significantly softer than the All Good Diapers. The All Good Diapers are also significantly thinner. Rascal + Friends uses a unique 3D core Technology and liquid dispersion to prevent sneaky leeks. I searched everywhere on Walmart and the All Good Diapers website but couldn't really see what their difference on absorbency claim was other than, "cushy soft and crazy absorbent." So let's see how absorbent they were in comparison to each other!

Absorbency test

Pour test:
​How many cups of water can each diaper brand hold before it started to leak? 
The most important aspect to diapers is the absorbency! Every diaper brand claims to have the most absorbent diaper or premium and their prices can be so expensive. So I decided to compare each brand to a pour test! I mixed a gallon of water into a pitcher with blue food coloring so we could see the results clearly. Then I poured a cup of water into a measuring cup before pouring it into the diaper. I poured the water back and forth to see how it would absorb. 

Rascal + Friends

At 2 cups of water, it was fully absorbed and no leaks what so ever. I didn't have to wait for it to settle in.

All good diapers

At 2 cups of water, it struggled to absorb right away. It was still sitting on top of the diaper. 
Rascal + Friends: A whopping 4 cups of water! I could have pushed it to 5 cups if I let it sit for a few minutes. After about two minutes at 4 cups of water, it was fully absorbed and barely damp! I moved the diaper around back and forth and nothing budged out of it. It's great to see how dry and absorbent it was. I can see how our son can sleep seamlessly throughout the night.  

All Good Diapers: It struggled to hold about 2 cups of water. It took about five to six minutes before it absorbed into the diaper. It was still very damp. It did leak quite a bit after I shook and moved it around back and forth. I remember having to change our son more frequently and having leaks throughout the nighttime. 

SIzing, fitting & comfort 

Rascal + Friends diapers were a little thicker and longer. One thing I did notice was that the absorbency length on the Rascal + Friends diaper goes from the front where the tabs secure all the way to his back which makes practically the full length of the diaper. I can see how helpful that is to containing the nasties until the next diaper change. The All Good Diapers were significantly more thin and the absorbency inside was the front where the tabs secure and ends at his tailbone which is probably why he leaked out of them so much before. Both brands had very strong and comparable tabs. 
Overall we have used both brands for a long time. We used All Good Diapers for about six months. We made the switch to Rascal + Friends a little over a year ago. I will have to say in the entire time our son has been in diapers, we have been the most happy with Rascal + Friends. There hasn't been any issues with leaks, blow outs or discomfort. Hands down, I would continue to use Rascal + Friends because of the affordability and absorbency! 

Although Rascal + Friends diapers can absorb 4 cups of liquid, I never leave him in them for that long.  It gives us a peace of mind to know that we didn't have to purchase "nighttime" diapers or worry about leaks and blow outs. Hands down, we recommend Rascal + Friends over All Good Diapers based on the reasons stated above! Feel free to drop us a comment if you have any questions! 
Purchase Rascal + Friends diapers and training pants at most local Walmart stores or Walmart.com
This post was made in partnership with Rascal + Friends but contains 100% of my honest opinion. Although we partner with Rascal + Friends, we do purchase a good amount of their diapers/training pants for friends and family. 
]]><![CDATA[a play space that Fosters creative play, independence & exploration]]>Sun, 29 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/a-play-space-that-fosters-creative-play-independence-exploration
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About the mama behind @EssentiallyJenni

Hi, friends! My name is Jenni and I'm a first time mama and previous primary teacher in WA. I taught 1st grade for five years in a Title 1 school. Before having my own classroom, I taught preschool and school-age classrooms in daycares. I have been a stay at home mom since my son was born about 20 months and planning to get back into the classroom in the future! I was diagnosed with severe postpartum depression and anxiety and had a challenging time opening up with those around me. It was especially hard when the majority of our friends and family worked and I felt very isolated. I started seeing a therapist who challenged me to connect with others so I started my personal blog and social handles, @EssentiallyJenni as a creative outlet to share my raw motherhood journey as a new mama and connect with others. Reach out and we can connect! 

The planning process

As Calvin got older, my husband and I have made it our mission to create a play space in our home that fosters creative play, independence and exploration. We've transformed our formal living space to become Calvin's playroom but it was always unorganized and cluttered. So during the planning process of refreshing his play space, we narrowed down some key components that helped us with the design. I have always been inspired by the Waldorf school philosophy that focuses on the whole-child and is very child-centered. 
  •  give him the freedom to choose his activities and interests
  • calming colors (toys, wall decor, furniture)
  • accessible storage at his height  
  • minimal toys and activities but easy to clean up

Accessible storage & Furniture 
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Calvin's play space is the first room you see as you enter our home. It used to be our formal living room that we never spent time in so when we had Calvin, we dedicated this space for us to spend time in as a family. Waldorf inspired furniture is very clean, minimal and beautiful! So we decided to incorporate the following shelving and furniture units.
  • 2-Section Coat Lockers with Cubbies 
    • What a better way to foster independence than to give him his own entryway! It empowers and promotes independence by allowing him to choose his own clothing. Everything has a space and he can help put his belongings away when we come home. The lower cubbies store Calvin's shoes. We keep anywhere from 2-3 pairs of shoes and he chooses which pair he wants to wear. We have small woven baskets stored in the top cubbies. One basket stores anything from lotions, sunscreen, ointments, etc. The other basket stores his diapers and wipes. 
  • Two 24'' Birch Compartment Storage and a custom built 36'' storage
    • Such beautiful storage that gives every item a place in the room. Everything has a spot for easy access and clean up. Toys get rotated biweekly. We try to steer from plastic or noisy toys which has been a huge investment. We think it's especially important to find toys that spark his imagination and open ended which gives him endless opportunities to play. These toys would also 
  • 2-Tier Metal Rolling Utility Cart
    • I love the size of this cart and functionality of it. As of now, we keep a lot of our art supplies for activities. Things like dot dot markers, card stock, pompoms, paint and paint brushes. Other days I'll store materials for activities  and roll it around the playroom as needed. 

Bentwood Multipurpose Kids Wooden Table and Chair Set
  • This is literally our favorite and most functional and flexible furniture piece! We spend so much time here doing arts and crafts and playing! 
  • We typically keep it as a desk and chair set. The "chairs" are great because there's two heights. We can keep the seat lowered or flip it and have it raised higher (4.5'' or 7'' height). You can even flip it on the side and use it as a little end table. 
  • The table can be used in various ways as well. Use it as a typical table face down or flip it and turn it into a 2 person bench or even as a desk. 

Tree Floor Cushions

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These are so squishy and so much fun! We move them around the house for flexible seating or arrange them in patterns for walking, jumping and practicing his gross motor skills. Or stack them and knock them down! We practice hand-eye coordination, concentration and cause-and-effect! 

Open space 
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The center of our place space is open for Calvin to explore, move and play. I will switch the center based off of what he wants to spend time exploring. A lot of times we spend time stacking, crashing and building with our Foam Big Building Blocks or Patchworks Set. Or, playing with our Camp Castle Medium Modern City Play Mat because he's been obsessed with cars or vehicles! 

Streamline Book Display

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  • Calvin LOVES to listen to reading and exploring books on his own. I'll often catch him around the house with a stack of his books alone while I'm cleaning or cooking. We love the Streamline Book Display because it's the perfect height for him and it allows us to display the cover out. Book displays are so important especially for young readers because it draws their attention to certain books that captures their interest. It allows them to recognize the cover to find specific books or notice new books to explore. It's the perfect height for him to pick up his own book, read/explore and put it back! Having books facing out also helps remind me to swap his books out more frequently as well.
We've spent many many months creating his play space with so much thought and design. Overall we wanted accessible storage, calming colors and the ability to foster creative play, independence and exploration! 

Thanks for reading & let's connect!

]]><![CDATA[Promoting Healthy Child Development Through Play]]>Fri, 16 Jul 2021 06:44:17 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/promoting-healthy-child-development-through-playWhat is "sensory play" & why is it important?
If you're on social media scrolling Pinterest, Instagram or even TikTok, you'll see parents posting "sensory play." It's been a big buzzword lately but in actuality, sensory play has been around for decades. Children are innately curious so activities that promote their senses will support cognitive growth and problem solving skills. Sensory play is simply any activity that stimulates your child's senses and promotes motor skills. It also becomes self-directed and there's absolutely no "wrong or right" way to play so the discoveries happen at their own pace. These activities can be implemented at any age as long as they show interest. Sensory play can be extravagantly themed and prepped or it can be simple. I'll show you some examples below but remember that sensory play is any play or activity that stimulates your child's senses. ​
Calvin is using ECR4Kids' 2-Station Sand and Water Table above. We love using this table indoors and outdoors. Sensory Play can get messy so we do add a splat mat below if he's exploring indoors. He's been loving water beads lately. We've discovered these extra large water beads and the standard marble sized beads. They are totally safe to play with but I do recommend keeping a close eye on your little ones to assure they don't eat them as they can be hazardous. Water beads are squishy and a little therapeutic to play with. Calvin loves to squish them, scoop and pour them to the other side and even sort by color with the extra large beads. I'll take about 3 separate primary colored bowls/cups and he'll sort them to the other side.
​Rainbow rice is so much fun and so easy to make. In a medium mixing bowl- add 1 cup of uncooked white rice, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and several squeezes of food coloring depending on how light or dark you want it. Mix it all up and lay flat to dry on a cookie sheet for about 1-2 hours. Repeat for other colors.
Before the modge podge of confetti looking rice you see to the left, I placed a row of colors and he mixed and played with them. A few days later I would add a new color. Eventually all of the colors were mixed and it became a big mix of colors.
Rainbow rice really promotes a child's tactile senses. They touch and manipulate to learn. Calvin is obsessed with cars so I added some construction vehicles so he could pour and move it around. I also include various tools such as scoops, measuring cups, spoons and even a whisk. He would pour it into cups or to the left side working on his hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. 
Exploring with safe and edible sand! If you have uneaten cereal laying around the house then you can make sand! Pour sand into a blender and blend it up! I love using regular Cheerios to make safe edible sand. This has been one of our go-to activities since Calvin started teething. I've done things like create a Safari with animals, construction zone or even a farm.
Creating sand through cereal is a safe alternative and often cheaper than buying regular sand for play. Edible sand is great for sensory play because your child will explore the different textures while getting creative. Calvin enjoyed playing with the animals or vehicles and being creative. 

Let's Get Physical Through Active Play

Active play is any type of play that requires you to move your body and increase your heart rate. Active play can happen indoors or outdoors, it can be structured or unstructured. In short, active play is any type of play that promotes a child's gross motor skills by giving them opportunities to run, jump, balance, climb, and more.
Below is a great example of how we incorporate Little Tike's slide, ECR4Kids' Tree Log Climber Set and Tree Floor Cushions! We'll often set up a new course to challenge him. This course has him starting on the slide which focuses on hand-eye coordination and balance. He then controls his body as he reaches the end of the slide to balance on the Climber sets, hops/jumps to the tree floor cushion and around the curve to the end. These courses create ample opportunities for trial and error as well as endurance and perseverance!


Key tip for a better night of sleep: spend 15-20+ minutes outside and let your child run and explore. Being active and outdoors will naturally create more endorphins which will allow them to reach a deeper sleep!
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Calvin's at the age now where he can start moving the pieces around and trying to create his own courses. He'll manipulate the pieces through trial and error. It's been so much fun to see his confidence grow through the months!
Here we're building and balancing Foam Big Building Blocks and Patchwork Toddler Playset. He stacks then as high as he can focusing on controlling his movements and balancing the blocks. He'll crash the blocks, run to grab the pieces and rebuild! When playing together, I'll often focus on primary colors or comparing sizes of blocks.
Watching his reaction as we crash the blocks is priceless. It's so much fun to watch his reaction and hear his deep laugh. Better yet, he can anticipate when our tower will fall because it's not balanced. Building and crashing is teaching him skills. 
Although our post today gave you examples of sensory play activities and active play activities while highlighting many of our favorite ECR4Kids items, just remember that being present and allowing your child to play, move their bodies and explore is just as important! ​
]]><![CDATA[Greater than sports drink]]>Sun, 20 Sep 2020 23:02:37 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/greater-than-sports-drinkMy newest drink addiction!
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I wish I had found out about  Greater Than Sports Drink  sooner! I absolutely LOVE coconut water and Greater Than has so many coconut water with additional flavors. It's seriously so refreshing and my go-to drink, always! My all time favorite is the grape or strawberry lemonade. There are so many perks to drinking Greater Than because they're packed with superfood ingredients that gives your body the boost of energy! It's packed with potassium and electrolytes that many of us lack in our diet! I've been taking them on the go with us! Electrolytes are important because it helps regulate our nerve and muscle functions. It also hydrates our body and balance our blood pressure. 
Each drink is only about 40 calories and only has natural sugars from fruit juices! There's absolutely NO added sugars! I've loved this because they're so flavorful and refreshing. But also important because I like being able to have C drink some with me as well. 

I've been drinking Greater Than Sports Drink in the mornings or afternoon pick-me-up! 
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why i wish i had discovered greater than sooner

Drinking more water while breastfeeding isn’t a bad idea. It will increase bodily hydration levels and help to restore balance to the body which is compromised through breastfeeding. However, for many women, plain water is not sufficient for restoring both bodily hydration and the nutrients and energy being lost while creating and supplying breast milk for their baby.
I have always had a challenging time keeping up with my water intake. I've always tried to find tasty alternatives especially while I was pregnant and during breastfeeding. It's especially important to stay hydrated when breastfeeding or breast pumping because it helps your body produce milk for your baby. Check out their blog post on why electrolytes are imperative for your body while you're maintaining milk for breastfeeding here! 
]]><![CDATA[Active play]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:36:11 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/active-playSingle tunnel foam climber 
​from ecr4kids
Many of you remember my birth story with Calvin. At about 38 weeks, we found our Calvin was breech and I had no fluids left. I was in so much pain at the end of my pregnancy because of this. We scheduled a caesarean section about 3 days later. He was born and the pediatrician and physical therapist had concerns about his neck and hips. We started physical therapy right away and had our first appointment a week after we were discharged with the hospital. We started working on a lot of tummy time and stretches. We were very intentional with how we laid him and the amount of time he had to be at certain angles. Once he was strong enough and started sitting on his own, we worked out crawling, standing and a lot of movement with his legs and feet! 

​Calvin started crawling really well around 7 months. He just turned 10 months and started pulling up to stand, climb and balance on his feet! He's definitely a fearless little explorer! 
This single tunnel foam set is perfect for any baby or toddler on the move! Active play at home has been great and much needed since COVID is still around and we haven't been able to join any play gyms or anything. It's so soft and sturdy! It's nontoxic and SO easy to clean off his drool or sticky finger marks! 

Active play is so crucial in a baby/child's life. It allows them to learn what their bodies can do, challenges their minds to become creative, strengthens bones, muscles and brain by establishing connections between them! Not to mention it helps develop their locomotor skills. Children learn best when they can use their whole bodies and stimulate their minds. Active play is great for babies and children because it allows them to move at their own pace and problem solve on their own. 

This foam set has motivated him to climb and work on standing! He's so curious and always wants to get around! It's really helped Calvin develop his hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills. He uses his foam set daily and has mastered climbing the stairs! We are working on backing down the ramp or slowly using it as a slide! 

where to get your own set

You can get your very own ECR4Kids single tunnel climber on Amazon or Target! You can also check out all of ECR4Kids' products on Target here! They have SO many great products for active play, pretend play and more. 
]]><![CDATA[all in one stroller that grows with your family]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2020 15:34:43 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/all-in-one-stroller-that-grows-with-your-familyJoolz Day3
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I love getting Calvin out of the house! It's been one of the few ways we can reset from a tired or fussy day. Recently, the weather in WA has slowly been clearing up and getting somewhat sunny so we've been out on local trails for walks, parks or just a fun stroll out of town. You guys know how much we love our Joolz Aer compact travel stroller, but it just wasn't ideal for our longer walks on trails. With lots of research, we decided to go with the Joolz Day3 in Classic Blue! It's gorgeous and we love it for so many reasons! My all time favorite about Joolz is still the fact that they have a LIFETIME warranty!!!
After extensive research, this video sold me on the fact that we needed it for all of our adventures! Watch how smooth it is and all of the sleek features! We love the clean and soft detailing and fabric! It's definitely as luxurious as you can get for a stroller! 

We ended up getting this stroller, the summer seat and a ton of other accessories that we'll talk more about!
To start, the stroller can be used from birth to 50 lbs! That's going to last you forever!! I mean, that's practically half my weight!! The package includes so many things for the price! 
  • Stroller frame 
  • Seat 
  • Bassinet 
  • Harness 
  • Sunhood 
  • HUGE under basket
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This is one of very very few strollers that we found that the seat sits upright. Many other ones we found had a slightly reclined seat which he hates because he wants to sit completely upright!
​Sometimes we take a long stroll for the day and Calvin can start to get a little antsy. He's 10 months and about 20lbs. I'm a pretty petite mama so holding him isn't an option because he's so heavy and squirms so much! Having a stroller where the seat faces you or out is a must for us now! When he starts to get a little fussy, I flip the seat around and he can face me. This helps calm him down a lot! I can also help give him snacks or toys and make sure he doesn't drop them! 

The canopy & wheels
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​The canopy is huge and fully adjustable and is a full coverage for your child! I love that the front sun hood can become unzipped if you don't want the full covering. It's very easy and quiet to extend and move. This was something we though about because sometimes Calvin can be easily woken by sounds of zippers or the movement of the canopy. 

The wheels are large enough to be used on all terrain! This was my favorite because we go through a lot of gravel, grass and even sand! The front wheels lock to go straight by pushing down the front. 

Forward facing you or outward facing
The seat can be easily switched to face either direction. There's 2 buttons you push and lift up. You can switch the seat and click them back in. It's just that simple! We're able to do it in a matter of seconds because it's so easy to line up and click into place! 

The handlebar & folding

The handlebar is so made of very soft and sleek leather. It's beautiful and easy to push and grip! The handlebar is also adjustable! You can make it a lot longer for taller people. 

Folding and closing the stroller is easy! You push 2 small buttons on the side frame up  and use your thumbs to push down on the silver pieces and fold the frame! It is also free standing! 

The storage basket below
The under compartment basket is so spacious! We have a blanket, hip carrier and compact changing pad/wristlet. There's still a ton more space in it, too!

The summer seat!
Calvin runs really hot super easily so when we found out that there's a summer seat, we had to jump on it. The summer seat is fully ventilated which allows it to breathe during hot days!

Available & compatible accesories

  • Food tray 
  • Car seat adapters
  • Travel bag 
  • Rain cover 
  • Foot muff 
  • Many more!
Stay tuned! We'll update with a few more photos for you guys with how it's closed and some close ups!

​We absolutely love Joolz! All of their products are so sleek and high end. I know they're a bit pricier but you definitely get what you pay for! If you're looking for one stroller that will last, the Day3 is definitely your best bet! It's so soft and sleek!! 
]]><![CDATA[Banana brush baby - life savers]]>Fri, 03 Jul 2020 23:21:09 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/banana-brush-baby-life-saversFun products we've been trying out for teething
I've been on a hunt for different baby teethers for Calvin and other alternatives to safe toothbrushing options. We still use our Nuby sets for morning and nighttime teeth brushing but I wanted something for him to play with that would massage his swollen gums. I've been trying to be intentional with our daily routines and healthy habits so his normal toothbrush is used in the morning after breakfast and at night before bed. He's 10 months and his 6th tooth just broke through. We use our Lil Squish Jelly Fish and Corn on the Cob multiple times throughout the day. 

Lil Squish Jelly fish

This is his new FAVORITE toy! We literally bring it everywhere with us now. He loves that it jingles and is squishy! It's soft, jingles and is a great sensory rattle while being safe for him to chew and play with. I love that there's a little loop at the top so I often put a teething necklace or strap through it and attach it to our stroller so it doesn't fall out of our stroller and get dirty. It's made of 100% silicone so it's easy to disinfect and clean! 
He just gets the happiest and so giddy when he see his jelly squish! I absolutely love the different rainbow tentacles too! We sometimes put pom-pom balls in the middle and let him pick them out with his little fingers. This helps promote his fine motor skills! 

COrn cob toothbrush

This corn cob toothbrush is so cute! It even has realistic looking kernels and super easy to hold husks. We use this throughout the day and I often put baby safe toothpaste on the tips so he munches and massages his swollen gums. 

I really appreciate that the husks are at the perfect height so that he doesn't hurt himself when he chomps away. There's not a chance that he'll shove it too far back and injure his mouth especially if he's crawling around and falls. 

Since it is 100% food grade silicone, it's easy to clean and even dishwasher safe. But, we normally wash it off and throw it into our sterilizer. 

Where can you buy baby banana items?

Baby Banana has other items as well that we didn't mention. They also have colored banana teethers, dragons, sharks, and many other teethers. They also sell their own tooth gel with xylitol which is great for babies to swallow! 

You can find Baby Banana items online on their website, Amazon, Target, Walmart and other retailers!
]]><![CDATA[Non-contact thermometer]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2020 16:58:33 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/non-contact-thermometerLast month Calvin caught a BAD bad fever. Some of you may remember me talking about it over IG stories. We noticed Mother's Day afternoon that he was feeling a little warm and kept an eye on it. By the time he woke up from his afternoon nap he spiked a fever of about 100 degrees. We didn't think anything of it so we gave him some Tylenol and TLC. But, the fever lasted a few days and got progressively worse. I HATED taking his temperature. We had generic ones that you rolled over his forehead but he wouldn't stay still. We basically ended up at the pediatrician's office twice that week and thankfully he was ok. We alternated between Tylenol and Motrin every few hours. Come to find out he caught the Roseola virus which is very common. We have no idea how since we've been home due to COVID-19. 

We decided to find an easier thermometer since the ones we have at home were too hard to use when he's sick. He just wouldn't stay still and would fuss and that causes him to get hotter so I didn't feel like it was getting an accurate read. 

We then discovered this Non-Contact Infrared thermometer by Dr. Talbot's

THIS IS THE EASIEST thermometer on the market. I'm absolutely blown away with it and am so happy we got this now! All you do is point it to baby's forehead and push the SCAN button. It reads the temperature within a second so no more worrying about keeping baby still. There's also an amazing fever indicator that gives you a warning when they spiked a fever. The screen is large and clear enough so reading the temp is never an issue. Due to the camera and LED lighting, I wasn't able to capture a photo without it being spotty. Another favorite feature is that it tracks and remembers the last 32 readings! I no longer have to track it on my phone or paper because it's just logged in there for me.

This thermometer uses 2 AAA batteries that aren't included. But,  I do love that it shuts off on its own after a minute so batteries aren't wasted. 

Where to buy:
]]><![CDATA[teething pain]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2020 16:24:37 GMThttps://www.essentiallyjenni.com/blog/teething-painEssentially Jenni is partnered with Nuby's Parent Blogger program and we received many items as gifts. All reviews are honest and genuine about their products. 
Calvin started teething around 4 months and his first tooth broke through around 4.5 months. He's now 9 months old and has four little teefies. We think more of his teeth are coming in because he's been super grumpy, chomping on everything again, tugging on his ears and more. So this time around, we decided to try out some more things to see if it would help. I think we hit the jackpot because these are definitely helping him! 

Oral care! Brushing his teeth!

We love this Oral Care Set because it comes in this compact set that's easy to store. Plus, there's all the brushes you need as your baby grows! There's no such thing as starting too early when it comes to promoting good dental hygiene! 
Stage 1: The finger brush is great because the soft silicone brush and rigids are gentle to massage those swollen gums. 
Stage 2: The one on the far left is recommended for soft gum massages for slightly older gums and when the teeth are just newly erupted. 
Stage 3: The middle brush is recommended to massage and clean teeth during the teething process. 
Stage 4: The soft nylon bristles are used to clean baby's teeth. We are currently using this brush because he has 4 teeth already (2 on top and 2 on the bottom). 
You can find this set at Amazon and Walmart.

The teething pains

This All Natural Soothing Gel and Gum-eez Teether works so well! Calvin loves his binky so this was the easiest for us to use. We squeeze some of the soothing gel on and he suckled and chomped on it. It's a sweet flavor that he enjoyed and gave really quick relief! We were so amazed with this one! 
​You can find this set at Target, Walmart, CVS or Walgreens. 
These tablets are great because they dissolved in his mouth so quickly. They did relax and soothe his gums but took a little longer than the soothing gels. It was recommended to dissolve 2-3 tablets one at a time and continued every 15-20 minutes as needed. I wasn't always comfortable giving him so many but I think the combination of these and the soothing gels really helped. 
You can find these at Target, Walmart, CVS or Walgreens. 

Teething trends necklace

This necklace is now my best friend! It's been so hard trying to get out for a walk or even to the grocery store because Calvin's been teething and crying. Or, he's just been fussy. I love the vibrant teal color of the beads. They're soft silicone and safe for him to munch on. I don't even have to wear them! I usually just hand them to him and he plays and munches on them. If we're home, I'll put them in the freezer to get cold and then give it to him and it's like instant relief! 
They have teal, grey, white and black teether necklaces. 
You can find this at Walmart. ​
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