Author: The Stork Bag Team

***This article from our archives was contributed by The Stork Bag’s founder, Ericka Perry.***

I recall quite fondly the big plans I had for documenting the birth and the joyous (yet exhausting) early years of my children. Oh! The adorable baby books and monthly pictures next to the same stuffed animal I’d take, the scrapbooks and photo books and especially the witty family holiday newsletter. Most importantly there was beloved Pinterest which contained every cute idea under the sun and moon and back!

Sleepless nights, long days, diaper changing galore and let’s just say most of my crafty chronicles didn’t occur exactly as imagined. I barely got the Christmas cards mailed by New Year’s Day my first year as a mom and the baby books collected dust. I kept telling myself I’d get to it all soon and I chugged along. I think I can, I think I can…but truth be told, I never did. At least I managed to write milestones on the calendar, so there would be something to look back on with a fond memory that WE SURVIVED! First steps, first words, dentist appointment, get oil changed, and of course FIRST TIME SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!

What would seem to be a very sad occurrence GASP! AN EMPTY STORK BAG; has turned into my dream come true. At long last I have found the perfect whereabouts for baby keepsakes.   A bridging of both journeys if you will, pregnancy warmth evolves to childhood reflections.

So here are my TOP TEN. You may notice the hospital bracelets aren’t included because I still plan on putting those in a clear Christmas ornament I’ll decorate to hang on the tree each year, perhaps when my daughter goes off to college I’ll get around to that one. Ho ho ho!

1. Hospital hat (Although it’s not the super cute one currently offered in the TSB Post Bump Bag!)
2. Congrats cards for me & Dad
3. Baptism candle and bib
4. 1st birthday candle
5. A little box with 1st curl from 1st haircut
6. 1st toothbrush
7. 1st Birthday cards and 2nd – 5th birthday cards too hehe.
8. Baby’s 1st Christmas stocking
9. 1st pair of cute booties
10. My pregnancy journal and notes written to my 1st born.

I’m sure I’ll enjoy looking through this bag throughout the years, adding more and taking a trip down memory lane. One day passing it along when I join the ranks and become a Grandmother. Until then, I hold my treasures close to my heart. Thank you Stork Bag, the gift that keeps on giving!

As first time parents, you are probably wondering how can you get your little one to use the bathroom on their own. Well, check out some of the tips we have to get the ball rolling and to gradually work your toddler up to the stage of being comfortable enough to use the bathroom on their own.

1. Buy a potty chair that’s fun and interesting for your little one. (try one with their favorite character)
2. Try placing the chair in a room where your child spends most of their time (it doesn’t have to be placed in the bathroom)
3. Practice by getting your little one comfortable with their chair. Let him/her sit on it with their clothes on and then without.
4. Whenever your toddler has a bowel movement in the diaper, let them see you dump it out into the potty. This helps them learn where it should go.
5. Allow your little one to join you in the bathroom to watch you go. This also helps them grasp the concept of going.
6. Last, but not least… have some patience, as parents we hope that one day when we are ready and feel like it’s time for our little ones to take that big step and potty on their own, they should. Well, not quite! But in no time, they will have it down pack.

***this article from our archives was contributed by The stork Bag’s founder, Ericka Perry***

Have a picky eater on your hands? Well, you’re not alone! Many parents struggle with trying to find things for their toddlers to eat. For a long time I drove myself crazy spending lots and lots of money buying and trying things that I thought all kids would love… boy was I wrong! T hen one day I decided to try some different foods, and so i wanted to share them with you today:

1. Frozen waffles (these also come in the mini’s which is a great size for kids!)

2. A good old Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich

3. Chicken cut into little pieces

4. Yogurt

5. Cereal

6. Fruits (Bananas, Strawberries, Peaches, and Oranges are the typical kid favourites)

7. Applesauce (Served as a snack)

8. Corn (Served as a snack)

9. Cucumbers (served as a snack)

These are just some of the different foods that toddlers love, but don’t be afraid to mix things up a bit and add some of your own!

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, today we would like to acknowledge 5 women who made history!  

1. Madam C.J. Walker aka Sarah Breedlove: Madam Walker was an African-American entrepreneur and made history as the 1st American woman to become a self-made millionaire. She died in 1919 but paved the way for many other women to follow.
2. Oprah Winfrey: Many of you have probably never heard of her (a little sarcasm is good sometimes), Oprah Winfrey is an American businesswoman, actress, producer, philanthropist, media proprietor and the list goes on.  Ms. Winfrey made history as the first African-American woman billionaire and continues to inspire others through her works and service.
3.  Lucille Ball: Lucille Ball is most widely known for staring in one of the most iconic American sitcoms, I Love Lucy in the 50’s. Lucille Ball also made history as the first American woman to run a major television production studio, Desilu Productions. She died in 1989 but her legacy continues to inspire.
4. Ursula Burns: Mrs. Burns was the CEO of Xerox for almost a decade and made history as the first African-American woman to head a fortune 500 company. Mrs. Burns now serves as a Chairman of Xerox and continues to motivate other business women through her service and examples.
5. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune: Dr. Bethune was an American educator, philanthropist and humanitarian. Dr. Bethune made history by establishing a private school for African-American children, which would later become a University known today as Bethune-Cookman University. In 1973, Dr. Bethune was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Her legacy continues to inspire and her vision for students to “Enter to Learn. Depart to Serve.” continues to be implemented at the great, Bethune-Cookman University today.

The Stork Bag was founded in 2014 by Ericka Perry, a wife and mother of 3 who has a deep passion for women and mothers. Each time you shop with us, you are contributing to a dream and a long-standing history of woman entrepreneurship. Thank you for supporting a woman-owned/woman-ran business!

Happy Women’s History Month 2017!

Being a mom is a full-time job and being a stay-at-home mom can be even more work! Although we know you have your hands full already, we’ve created a short list of 7 ways you can line those pockets with some cold-hard cash while home. Check out our 7 ways below:

1. Get paid to give your opinion! Well, sort of. Online surveys are a good way to make a few extra bucks from home. Some online surveys pay participants up to $100 to take a survey which is pretty darn good. Find out more by visiting: https://www.surveyssay.com/
2. Turn your craft into cash! Are you a crafty mom? Well, Etsy may be a good sellers platform for you. The Etsy marketplace is full of creatives who put their passion into creating handmade goods for their customers. It’s free to open an Etsy shop and super simple to get started. Find out more by visiting: https://etsy.com
3. Search and you shall find, cash! How does getting paid for searching the internet sound? Certain websites like, Qmee.com pay you to search popular search engines like Google and Bing. The start up process seems fairly easy and according to their website, it’s FREE to get started! Find out more by visiting: https://www.qmee.com
4. High Five for Fiverr! Have a skill that you think others can benefit from? Sell it over on Fiverr! If you’ve never heard of Fiverr, it is an online marketplace for freelancers to sell their services starting at $5. Free to start an account, its definitely worth a look, find out more here: https://fiverr.com
5. And another one! Similar to the previous one, websites like Upwork.com are great for freelancers looking to sell their services. Many people are looking for virtual assistants and will pay up to $18/hour! Find out more here: https://upwork.com
6. It’s no mystery that you love shopping, right?! Well, have you ever considered mystery shopping? This one needs no explanation, to find out more info on this, visit http://www.marketforce.com/become-a-mystery-shopper.
7. Have extra goodies around the house that you’re not using? They might yield you some extra cash over on Ebay! Most are familiar with Ebay but some don’t know just how much you can actually make from items just laying around the house. Free to create an account, this is definitely another resource worth looking into. Visit https://ebay.com for more info.

All of these recommendations are from personal experience and basic internet research. We do not have any affiliations with any of the companies listed above and recommend you do research for yourself before signing up on any other these websites.

Hope this info was helpful!

Guest blogger: Arika of The Home Gnomes

There’s usually a good chance that you can identify a pregnant woman, even if she’s not showing, by the contents of her handbag. These items could also make a really cute gift idea for a friend who just found out she will be expecting a delivery from the stork!

Since skin is easily burned during pregnancy, it’s always a good idea to carry a travel sized sunscreen. Just make sure you choose one that is free from harmful chemicals and use one that has enough SPF.

Also in every pregnant woman’s bag should be a water bottle. Since your water needs go way up, avoid dehydration by always keeping a BPA free bottle near you. Don’t keep it out of sight, you’ll remember to drink more if it’s near you!

If you’re one of the unlucky ones plagued by morning sickness we love the concept of keeping a morning sickness combatant kit in your purse. Stock a cute zippered bag with your favorite things that help. My favorites were lemon Jolly Ranchers, Preggie Pops, an essential oil blend in a roller of lavender and sandalwood. Just in case the prevention methods fail, keep a gallon sized Ziploc bag rolled up and breath mints for good measure. Don’t be like me. I got sick in a Wal-Mart Aisle and I wasn’t prepared. Goodbye, plastic bowl. It was disgusting.

This one is extremely important; DON’T FORGET SNACKS. Good, nutrition-packed snacks. It’s important to keep your energy levels up and there is nothing more terrifying than a hangry pregnant woman. Nothing. Seriously. Don’t be that woman.

Pregnancy brain is a very, very real affliction. Mine unfortunately resulted into frequently forgetting to take my prenatal vitamin (please don’t tell my doctor!). Get a jump on this by putting some in your purse, ideally in a place where they won’t get lost and you’ll see them and remember to take them if you happened to forget that day.

Ok, fair warning. Can we get a little T.M.I for a minute? Yes? Okay, great. Cause, real talk, vaginas do some very strange things when you’re pregnant. I was, more frequently than I care to admit, asking how it produced that gross stuff that ended up in my underwear. So, on that note, don’t forget the panty liners.

This item is honestly my favorite on the list, but I saved the best for last. Considerably more sentimental than the rest of the items, we love The Stork Bag’s Pregnancy Journal. This beautiful journal allows you to remember this amazing journey–details that you would otherwise forget (dang that pregnancy brain!).

With Love,

The Home Gnomes

Looking for the best OTC prenatal vitamins? Click here to read the in-depth review of the top 5!

***This article from our archives was contributed by The Stork Bag’s founder, Ericka Perry.***

My family and I are going on our annual family vacation and I’m taking my 2 year old daughter. This will be her second plane ride! The first time she got on a airplane she was just 11 months old. I had no clue about what to take on the plane. As a first time Mom, I felt like I needed to pack up everything in the nursery! Here’s a few things to bring when traveling with your little one.

1. Car seat – This is a necessity when traveling with baby and isn’t something you really want to buy when you get to your destination. If bringing one isn’t practical and you renting a vehicle at your destination, consider renting one ahead of time to help cut down on costs, and to make sure that you have a seat when you arrive
2. Stroller – Bringing a stroller along is a must for me. If your toddler is anything like mine and is super active, then you will want to have him/her in the stroller. It will make traveling a lot easier.
3. Depending on where you’re going and how long you are staying, try getting all of baby’s clothes in the suitcase with yours.
4. Use your purse to carry on some of the things that baby will need while flying… less is better in this case!
5. Bring a toy or device on the plane to keep baby occupied.

This time around I know exactly what to bring and we are ready to fly!

Planning your first baby shower and not sure what to put on your wish list? As a first time parent, you probably aren’t really sure of what you need and what you need the most of…No worries, here is a list of the top 10 things you MUST have!

• Car seat
• Bottles
• Blankets
• The Stork Bag (of course!)
• Diapers
• Stroller
• Onesies
• Wipes
• Having a Girl? Cute little headbands and bows!
• Having a Boy? Handsome little bowties!

Have a few things to add to this list? Drop them in the comment section below!

***This article from our archives was contributed by a Stork Bag blog reader.***

My Fiancé and I learned early on that long car rides with our toddler, just listening to the radio and napping here and there wasn’t going to work without having something for her to do. So if you like to travel or are thinking about taking a car trip with your baby/toddler here are some things to bring along in your tote bag to help keep your baby/toddler occupied.

1. Portable DVD Player and lots of movies

2. Drinks/Snacks of choice

3. Tablet/Learning Games

4. Favorite Doll/Toy

5. Books

Even when we are just riding in the car locally, I keep some of these handy! Comment below some of your road trip must haves for your little one.