TeetheMe: The Hottest Baby Products Delivered Monthly - Review

I love baby stuff almost as much as I love babies themselves. If it's not the nail polish Christian is dragging me away from, it's the baby stuff - it doesn't matter what phase of life we're in.

Severus is old now, quickly approaching two, and I'm still losing my mind over newborn sized sleepers, and binkies, and baby bath tubs... I like to be in the know, things change so quickly!

I'd learned of TeetheMe through a friend and thought "Holy criznaps, that. is. brilliant!"

You subscribe; the fee is an affordable $24 a month {or $120 for 6 months/1 month free and $240 for 1 year/2 months free}, get a box chock full {4-5 items} of the newest age appropriate goodies delivered to your door, and then you have the option to talk to other moms about baby stuff!?

Yes. Yes. Yes.

And then I was given an opportunity to review! "Oh, blogging, you are too good to me." I shouted from the bathroom where I am frequently found hiding now that Severus is growing his first molar.

I anticipated its arrival, and alas!

Teethed! {I love this logo, I LOVE THIS LOGO.}

Upon opening, I was assaulted by a very heavy fragrance - if I had looked at my email earlier on, I would have read that a Greenleaf sachet was included, and that its scent had infiltrated a lot of boxes - more on that later.

When I peeled back the tissue paper {finally!}, I found...

Slight disappointment...

Allow me to explain.

When TeetheMe launched last month, I instantly went to subscribe - until the voice of reason {Christian}, reminded me about how I feel toward "one size fits all" ideas. I concurred and decided I'd wait to see some reviews, the contents of a few boxes, and it was just lucky that I was able to get hooked up to be one of those reviewers myself before TeetheMe's new dust had even settled.

Le Bullets:

• I felt like the box was geared for a younger baby, not my 19 month old - given the NuturMe baby food samples {that we couldn't even use anyway - more on that too}, and the Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels teething jewelry that Severus has mostly grown out of.
  {Also - a note on the latter, I received a bracelet and necklace set and both items picked up lint faster and more efficiently than my lint roller does - even if it's just sitting, it collects dust.}
• The sample sizes of the Dr. Robin shampoo, sunscreen and lotion were tiny. Though I did love the sunscreen, there was just barely enough in that foil packet to cover my toddler {which is cute because it says "Don't Be Shy, Reapply!" like there was the option} - it lasted well into the day, after football and tennis and freezies and tag! There was no harsh scent, and when I rubbed my eye promptly after screening Sev, I didn't howl in pain. 
• I am totally pleased with the Earth Mama Angel Baby balm. Breastmilk is our 'Tussin for now, if Caesar broke his arm I'd probably rub some milk on it, but the balm will come in handy later, or in a pinch, so I do appreciate its presence!
• I was under the impression that the boxes contained only items I could use for/on/with Severus, but the sachet and Bridgewater candle proved otherwise. We're getting use out of them though the smells are not really our 'style', the sachet is great in my kitchen, and the candle is a godsend in our bathroom. 

Back to the food packets now - in the email I received about the sachet, we were asked not to use the food samples, just in case the sachet scent permeated the packaging and soiled the powder with its fragrance. I am grateful that they looked out! They're also giving a credit towards your subscription, Greenleaf will send a different fragrance and they are sending new samples - in next month's box. 

Waiting for the replacement doesn't impact me, because Severus is 19 months old - too old for purees alone, and though the pouches are for feeding children aged 6 months to 4 years {they suggest mixing it into their food to boost nutrients}, I'm not going to bother! He eats what we eat, and I just can't imagine mixing pea flavored powder into his couscous.  

I wonder more, what happens to the people who aren't getting boxes next month?

I don't know if I received this particular box because I'm a reviewer and not a subscriber, or if this was the typical box for Sev's age, but I see TeetheMe subscriptions as great new parent gifts; if I'd had a 6-9 instead of an old coot, this box would have been great to hold onto for him.

Now that I've picked through the entire box, I have to say, sincerely, that I don't find the idea any less brilliant. With time {and maybe a bit more thought into the age ranges of the gear included}, I truly feel that the service could, and should, take off! 

I intend to give TeetheMe another shot after Cinco De Minion is on his way, and I am hopeful and confident that these kinks will be worked out by then.

In the meantime, TeetheMe isn't leaving my radar, and it shouldn't be dismissed from yours either.

I love a company with a good social media presence, and you can find and follow TeetheMe just about everywhere;

Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest|Instagram: teethemebox

Full disclosure: I received a TeetheMe May 2012 box free of charge to facilitate this review, and no further compensation. Opinions are, as usual, my very own. Post contains affiliate links.

Marriage Goggles

There are some mornings where my husband is all like *le rowr* over me, and when I finally look in the mirror I literally ask him if he's drunk, or on drugs, or just a little extra wonky in the head.

Has he not seen how my extra curly bangs have built a pyramid in the middle of my head? Did he miss the dry, crusty drool on the side of my face? How did he not notice the completely mismatched socks and backwards shirt? Or the flecks of brightly colored nail polish around my mouth from chomping at my cuticles in my sleep?

I should be thrilled that my husband views me as a goddess in any light I wake up in, but all this tells me is that his standards are terribly low, and that he's probably more blind than the optometrist led him to believe.

On Mother's Day

I was going to turn to my blog for my typical "You unappreciative bastards!!!" holiday rant session, until I found an old picture of my mother and I, and I started crying like a stupid baby.

Over the years I have documented the ups and downs in the relationship I have with my mother, and not too long ago I was adamant about not giving her another second of my time.

Now, the only thing that separates us is a small dirt road. 

Her love, encouragement, and all she has provided me with have gone mostly unnoticed throughout my 28 years of life and now I realize that I am the unappreciative bastard. 

I have three of the greatest moms on this planet, they don't come without flaws, and they all drive me batty {I reciprocate, of course}, but they love me, my husband and my children to the max.

I know so many mothers; friends, aunts, cousins - some who have lost their children, some are pregnant with their first, some are still fighting to have a child of their own, and I am unbelievably blessed by their presence in my life. 

Happy Mother's Day to you all. 

My mother and I.