Ashley Brooke Designs: From "Mom To Be" to "Mom And Baby"

Let's face it, when you are getting ready to have a baby you are not only nesting and putting together the nursery and researching car seats, you are also writing a ZILLION thank you notes! Everyone loves a baby, and nothing beats buying itsy-bitsy shoes and sweet cuddly pajamas! Even your neighbor down the street will bring you something she "just couldn't pass up!" So the fact of the matter is, you will be writing A LOT of thank you notes and if this is in fact the case, you might as well write them in style!

I have been doing these "Pre & Post Baby" sets lately where I will draw the mom-to-be with the baby bump and without! I think this is such a great idea and helps your thank you notes transition as smoothly as you will into motherhood!




Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Brooke Designs: A Bridal Shower + A Baby Shower (in the same weekend!)

This weekend was full of lovely ladies, great food, and TONS of cupcakes! That is right I hosted a Bridal shower at our house on Saturday and I co-hosted a Baby shower at my Parents house on Sunday with my sister and mom! There is nothing more fun than putting on a shower for your close friends to celebrate life's biggest moments!

I was thrilled to be apart of both showers and both Deanna (the bride) and Shavaun (the mom-to-be) were blushing with excitement!

Also, I was able to make both shower invites which is always so much fun! I kept both invites similar and changed out colors, pram, and wedding dress! I thought since they were in the same weekend it might be fun to do *almost* matching invites!


(Pink and yellow are Deanna's wedding colors so the shower kept that theme! Deanna is one of my dearest friends and I was honored to do something so special for her!)
-My sister made the delicious cupcakes and I prepared the rest!
- The gift was, a grocery list note pad with her new name, personalized recipe cards, and coordinating thank you cards!
** Oh and don't mind the photo where I am totally looking at the WRONG camera! Oops!

I love you Dee!! I Can't wait to stand by your side on your BIG day!
xoxo



(Sweet baby Anna is due in just TWO weeks and I know that I speak for the entire family when I say, we couldn't be more excited!!)
Shavaun is my cousin's wife but friend first! Shavuan is like a sister to me so throwing this shower for her was EXTRA special! We all know that Shavun will make a fantastic mother!


- Once again my sister made the delicious cupcakes! And my fabulous mother prepared all of the goodies!
-The gift was THE cutest tutu bathing suit, a mommy-to-be notepad that 10 sheets in turns into a mommy-to-do list, and of course matching thank you cards.


I love you Shavaun and I can't WAIT to meet sweet little Anna!! 
xoxo

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Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Weekend Round Up

Adorable finds for babysitters and Moms alike!

Petunia Picklebottom Tote: Functional for mom, Fashionable enough for the sitter!





(boardgameratings.com)

A great game for sitters to bring on the job--who doesn't love Chutes and Ladders??


(kraftfoods.com)

A classic, easy and healthy snack: Ants on a Log! Peanut Butter, Celery and Raisins--yum!

(via Design_59 Blog)

Wouldn't mind spending some time in this super cool playroom. The chalkboard paint is an inspired idea!

Babysitter's Notes

Here is a great way to organize all the information your babysitter may need. It's in one central location and it's pretty cute if I do say so myself! The list of information can be customized to your liking so don't hesitate to email me if you are interested in ordering a notepad for yourself!

Resources for Finding the Right Sitter

Sometimes the hardest part of the Do's and Don'ts of babysitting is actually finding a babysitter! Here are some resources to help with that:

• Friends! Your friends are hands down your best resource for finding a sitter. A great sitter's talents are often spread through word of mouth so ask around and see who everyone is buzzing about
• Your church. If you belong to a church, chances are there are people who work in the children's ministry who have been vetted by the church. I know at my church, childcare volunteers are background checked before they are allowed to work with kids and parents utilize these people because they know they're getting responsible sitters who often times have already previously interacted with their kids.
• Sittercity.com. This is a great website where people looking for babysitting or nanny jobs post a profile with all there information and availability for you to peruse. You can search by zip code and the sitters can elect to pay for a background check and make that known to you on their profile.
  

The Going Rate

The pay rate for a babysitter varies from place to place, on the number of children and on the difficulty of care. Smaller children require more assistance and supervision as do kids with special needs. Older children can do more for themselves and are generally easier to care for. But according to Momlogic.com, these are the national base pay rate:

Grade School Sitter: $8/hr
High School Sitter: $10/hr
College Age Sitter: $12/hr


An extra $1-$5 can be added to the base pay rate if the sitter is expected to do housework, care for more than 2 children or do any additional responsibilities. Remember, a babysitter is looking after your most precious asset, so you want to compensate them fairly. Watching your child is not a minimum wage responsibility.

Mom Cards

Mom cards are a great resource to have on hand to give out to potential sitters or play dates. Take a look at these--I'd love to design some for you and your family!

Do's and Don'ts for Babysitters

Do's:

• Babysitters should be aware of contact information and familiarize themselves with it when they arrive
• Do find and play age appropriate games or activities with the children, always giving them your undivided attention
• Do Clean-up! Whether you have the kids help along the way or tidy up after the kids are in bed or down for a nap, trust me, the parents will be super grateful!
• Do always keep safety in mind. Make sure doors and windows are locked and children are kept away ftom things like pots on the stove or uncovered electrical outlets.

Don'ts:

• Make or receive personal phone calls
• Watch TV or surf the internet while the children are still awake
• Open the door or answer home phone calls unless the parents tell you to or that they are expecting a visitor or a call.
• Don't make any assumptions. Always clarify bedtimes, routines, allergies, etc.
  

(Sourced from Parenthood.com; Everyday Etiquette with Diane Gottsman)

Babysitting Do's and Don'ts for Parents

While I personally may be a VERY longggg way away from needing to hire a babysitter (excluding the occasional puppy sitter for Lucy!), I know there are lots of moms and dads out there for whom, hiring a babysitter is a weekly, monthly or even daily reality. So this week we will tackle the do's and don'ts of babysitting--both for the sitter and the parents and discuss things like pay and how to find a good babysitter! I hope my readers who have tots and those who babysit or nanny will find this very helpful!

Parents who are hiring sittters should:

• Feel free to ask for references and check those references thoroughly. You want to know as much as possible about who you are leaving your children with.
• Give the sitter a tour of your home and familiarize them with where certain things can be found.
• Leave emergency contact information for the sitter in plain sight. This should include your cell phone number(s), the number of a neighbor, the address and phone number of the home and any other pertinent information like the name of the family doctor.
• Make snacks and food accessible for the babysitter and be prepared to provide lunch or dinner if the sitter is working during these parts of the day.
• Prepare your child for the sitter's arrival and make it clear that while you are gone, the babysitter is in charge and should be respected just as you are.
• Arrive home when you said you would. If you are going to be late, call and check with the sitter and make sure that's OK with them.
  

(sourced from Parenthood.com; Everyday Etiquette from Diane Gottsman)