Me and my mama (I'm the bald one - I had no hair until I was two - embarrassing!). My big sis' slipped into the corner of the picture, too.

The joys of being a mom are plentiful. From the first kicks in the belly, to the first time your eyes meet, the first steps, and the first time your sweet one says, “No!”

Moms sacrifice quite a bit when it comes to their kids. This applies to aspects of everyday life. Choosing the minivan over the cute and zippy, red two-seater (I happen to like minivans – so much room), driving to the weekly dance lesson and soccer practice, and yielding to the ever popular cartoon for 3 and under instead of watching your favorite sitcom.

Yeah, moms give up a lot. In the big picture, there are too many sacrifices to spell out in a short post. At the same time, most mommies will tell you they wouldn’t have it any other way. Who better to make sacrifices for than your sweet bundles of joy?

I feel like I have the best momma in the world, although I know that many of us feel that way. She always loved to cook, and we loved to eat. She was a cuddler, which is why I turned out to be one too. Her soft-spoken manner and fun little projects she enjoyed with us are just a sampling of her sweetness and love.

It takes us a long time to realize just how much our moms loved us and provided for us. You don’t usually enjoy the “time-outs” in your room or the “You’re grounded!” phrase, but as you get older you understand that those things are out of love, too.

Now that we’re older and my mom has grandchildren, it’s fun to see her love for a child from an adult’s perspective. I’m glad we have each other and hope I can grow up to be just like her.

You think your mom is the best mom in the world? Are you trying to follow in her footsteps? Please share with us.

I remember watching a commercial where parents video tape their little girl’s reaction to the news, and she starts screaming and jumping in delight. So why is it so exciting to go to Disney World? It’s fun!

When we were little, our parents packed the four of us up, and we hit the road for our 15 hour road-trip to Florida. Kids today have it great on road trips: DVDs, laptops, video games, wow – lots of things to keep them busy. We had my dad’s musical renditions of Lionel Richie and The Bee Gees. Not that I’m complaining, but what would you prefer?

So arriving at our final destination was even sweeter. We were glad to be out of the car and be on our way to meet Mickey. Over the years, my husband and I continue to go, and we really enjoy it. You definitely need to save up to go, as the cost is higher than most theme parks, but I think it’s worth it. With a little planning and flexibility, you can make some great memories.

While summer is a popular time to visit Disney World, it is more crowded which means longer lines and higher hotel prices. However, since the kiddies are out of school, it may also be the best time for your family to go. Considering your time will be even more precious during the busy season, you may find that a published guide is just what you need to make the best of you trip – and keep you sane.

There are lots of guides to help you – official and unofficial. Disney World’s website http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/  has all the official information, including current pricing, promotional offers, and lists the specific benefits of booking and staying on the Disney property.

I also really enjoyed the Unofficial Guide to Walk Disney World 2012, although the 2013 version is already available (I just can’t keep up). These guides show you how to plan your trip, and offer suggestions on where to stay, what to eat, and how to handle breakdowns – my favorite part of the book. The section on how to keep your stroller from getting stolen also had me cracking up.

No matter where you go for tips and planning ideas, you’ll enjoy spending time with your family and making loads of memories. Just be sure to get your picture with Mickey and get your mouse ear hat with your name on it.

Are you traveling with your family this summer? Where do you plan to go? Is Disney on your list? We would love to hear about it!

Because a mini crib is smaller than a standard size crib, some parents choose mini cribs because of limited space or because the cost is lower than a standard crib – smaller size, smaller price. However, I know parents that have used both types of cribs.

One reason parents choose a standard crib is because it’s more traditional and versatile. Today, many standard cribs are designed to transform into a toddler bed as the child grows up. This is helpful since cribs can be expensive, so when your child can no longer sleep in the crib – voila – you’re all set! When you are ready to switch from a crib to a bed, here are some useful tips from one of our past blogs: How to Transition Your Toddler into a Bed.

Since standard and mini cribs are different sizes, you need the right accessories to fit them. For example, a standard crib mattress is 28-inches wide and 52-inches long. A mini crib mattress is 24-inches wide and 38-inches long. You will not be able to use a standard crib sheet on a mini crib, and vice versa. However, Carousel Designs offers bedding to fit both – standard and mini crib mattresses.

Did you know that mini crib mattresses come in different depths? Well Carousel Designs offers ALL their portable crib sheets in two different depths. For the thinner portable crib mattress, you can use the 1 – 4″ depth, and for the thicker portable crib mattress, similar in depth to a standard crib mattress, you can select the 5 – 6″ depth. Simply select the depth you need from the drop down option on the portable crib sheet of your choosing.

Whether you have a standard crib or a mini crib, Carousel Designs offers bedding collections for both. As your child grows up, we can even provide the coordinating toddler bedding so you can keep the nursery décor you worked so hard on.

Most of the baby bedding products we offer are completely customizable.  We want you to be completely satisfied with your choices, so our customer service team is here to help.

Do you have a mini crib? What do you use it for – home, travel? Please share!

So what are you planning on doing this spring? Being outside is so therapeutic when the weather is mild. Many fun activities are available again now that seasonal businesses are open. What is available in your hometown?

Playgrounds and Parks – While many parks don’t necessarily close during the winter time, it’s not the most enjoyable time to try to pack up the kids with their two coats and three hats to brave the cold. Now that spring is here, everything is a little greener. Also, I’ve noticed that some local parks are a little cleaner since the caretakers are preparing for families to start coming back. Why not pack a snack and hit the swings? Parks and playgrounds can be a great venue to take some adorable photos and make some lasting memories.

The Zoo – If there is a zoo nearby your home, this is definitely a must do in the springtime. It’s so cute to see how babies react when they see a new animal for the first time. Now that the temperatures are warming up, the animals become more visible and active. All of the animals that your little one has only seen in their books come alive.

Outdoor Markets – The first week in April, many communities begin to organize a weekly outdoor market.  These outdoor events are a place the whole family can enjoy – including the pets. Since they usually are open on the weekends, many parents are off from work and older children are out of school. Here you can find local entrepreneurs who’ve grown produce, made handcrafted art, and created a tasty treat, like empanadas and iced fruit teas. Sometimes there are even local bands serenading in the background of the festivities. We did this last weekend in Charleston, SC, and it was a delight!

Trails and Sidewalks – If you’re like me and hibernate in the winter (do nothing physically and eat double your body weight in chocolate and bread), then you’re ready to get moving. If you have a new baby, you burn extra calories as a ‘perk’ by pushing the stroller ahead of you.  Hey, we need motivation, so I’m looking at the glass half full here. If you live in a large neighborhood you may have a trail right outside your door, and if not, a sidewalk is a blessing if you have one. Take advantage of the pavement provided and enjoy the cool breeze with your little ones.

Please give us some more ideas. What are you looking forward to this spring?

Babies don’t sleep with top sheets, blankets or pillows since it is considered unsafe.  Toddlers, however, can use pillows, blankets and a nice warm comforter.  The size of the actual mattress, however, stays the same.  This means that most cribs can be converted for toddlers and can be used for several years.

All of the cribs that I looked at when making the purchase claimed to be “convertible”.  A convertible crib simply means that the movable rail can be detached and the mattress lowered – enabling a toddler to move in and out of his new “big kid” bed on his own.  Each crib has a unique way of making the conversion, but the fundamentals remains the same.  Check your crib manufacturer for specifics on crib to toddler bed conversion.

So when babies become toddlers and make the transition to a “toddler bed”, it is time to trade in the bumper for a pillow and add top sheets and comforters to their fitted crib, er, toddler sheet.

Here are some of our newest Toddler Bed Sets:

Blue and Green Giddy Dot          Windy Day                       Lime Solar Flair

Margaret with her husband (James) and her sons (Brian and Ted)

Our workers hail from all over the world but all of them have made Douglasville, Georgia their home. It’s important to all of us that every item we manufacture is made right here in our factory in the U.S. We’ve been in business for more than 23 years and some of our employees have been with us right from the very start! We keep adding to the team with talented new hires as the business grows, but – experienced or new – the one thing all Carousel Designs employees have in common is passion … passion for quality, for beautiful designs and for creating the very best baby bedding for your little one!

Now, in the spirit of getting to know the people of Carousel Designs, we’d like to introduce you to a special member of our sewing team, Margaret!

Where are you from originally?

I was born and raised in Kenya, about 30 minutes outside of Nairobi. I’ve lived in the U.S. for the past 10 years. Besides my husband and kids who are here with me, my entire family still resides in Kenya.

How did you get your start in the baby bedding industry?

Following high school I attended a sewing school in Kenya for four years, and I studied dressmaking. After graduating, I went to work in the textile industry for a company that made bedding and drapes. Since then I have worked for companies that made custom drapes for residential homes, pillows, and apparel, all before getting started in baby bedding.

How long have you been with Carousel Designs?

This is my third year.

What’s your job title?

I am a seamstress.

What do you do on a daily basis?

My day starts early. I like to work out first, then I get my kids (two boys, ages 15 and 8 ) ready for school. After they’ve departed for school I start my workday at the Carousel Designs factory. Usually, I work mostly on rocking chair pads and crib bumpers. My job is the actual sewing. I work with more than 300 different fabrics and several different types of sewing machines. I use the serger machine, single needle machine for basic sewing and the “walker foot” sewing machine for heavier weight fabrics. After the workday is over I focus on my family, preparing dinner and helping my kids with their homework. It’s busy!

What’s the best part of your job?

I enjoy sewing. Once you get the hang of it, it feels natural, like the rhythm of a song. I also like having the chance to create something special that I know someone else is going to enjoy. I like knowing that the rocking chair pads I sew will be used by a family. Many sweet, bonding moments will be spent in that rocking chair pad with your baby, and maybe it will even get passed down to another generation.

What’s the toughest part of your job?

Sometimes the job can be physically demanding. Sewing piping on a bumper, for example, takes real strength!

Do you have a favorite Carousel Designs fabric or collection?

My favorite fabric has to be our Solid Chocolate Minky fabric – it’s so soft and luxurious!

Complete this sentence: If I weren’t working here, I would be …

… working in fashion and design, hopefully with my own line of clothing. Maybe in New York or Paris!

A blog can be a lot of fun to write. However, you may run into blogger’s block. It helps when you have a theme to start with. This blog for example, reaches out to mothers and moms-to-be, while also touching on topics that may interest family and friends of an expecting mother.

So what’s all the blogging about? It’s a lot of fun interacting with our readers and customers. Considering we are posting on the World Wide Web, we have the chance to hear from moms from all over the world. The blog also connects through Facebook which helps us get to know even more of our readers and customers.

Another reason to blog is the opportunity to share a little bit about yourself. Over the years, Carousel Designs has shared our dedication to baby bedding. From Douglasville, Georgia, USA, Carousel Designs employs a great team of people to carefully construct your baby’s first bedding set.  Through this blog, we have been able to introduce you to a few members of the team, and we’re looking forward to introducing even more – very soon.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers and offer an extra thank you for your comments. We live in a busy time, and we appreciate the moments you took to share your thoughts with us.

Have you started a blog? What is it about? The topics that are important to you are important to us! Please share them with us.

Cribs are designed with different height settings for the mattress to fit the needs of growing babies. So when your baby is brand new, you’ll most likely use the highest crib setting. This means that you can reach into the crib and easily pick up your sweet bundle of love. However, as babies grow and begin to stand and climb, the mattress setting needs to be lowered to accommodate the growth of your little one and ensure that your baby is safe.

However, it really depends on the look you want to achieve. Do you want the crib skirt to ‘sweep’ the floor, or do you prefer a bit of space between the bottom of the crib skirt and the nursery floor? Your answer will help to determine if you want the 14”, 20”, or both!

For me, it helps when I can see an example. Why not browse through our crib bedding collections to get an idea of what look you want. Then you can play around with the Nursery Designer to see what the different lengths look like.

Nursery Designer

Crib Skirt Options

This is such an exciting time for you and your family. You deserve to have some fun choosing all the pieces for you baby’s crib bedding – including the skirt!

We want you to have fun and feel comfortable about your purchases. If you still have questions about choosing your crib skirt, or anything else, please give us a call. We look forward to assisting you!

There are countless websites instructing the want-to-be saver on how to spend as little as possible in the grocery store, not to mention deals at other retailers. The first time I heard about couponing was from my friend, Jessica. She found a website that provided information on how to save, save, save.

I was a little skeptical at first, but after hearing all of her amazing savings, I was intrigued. These savings result from a combination of knowledge about when there are in-store promotions coupled with available manufacturers’ coupons. It does take a little skill and some people are able to coordinate their coupons and deals better than others, but you can definitely save a bundle!

My sister, for example, can fill up her grocery cart with over $100 of grocery items and finish with a final tab of $20 or less. Can it be true? Oh, yes it can! Check out these coupon websites to see how you can get a piece of the coupon excitement.

The Krazy Coupon Lady – This is a website that has people like me in mind. You don’t have to have a previous knowledge of how to coupon. All you need to do is follow their steps for beginners, and you are on your way to savings. The Krazy Coupon Lady offers two ways to coupon: Organize by category or date. Simply decide which one is best for you, and then you’ll be given all the details to succeed.

By the way, even the Kardashians love couponing! Check out this clip from “Kourtney and Kim Take New York,” (courtesy of The Krazy Coupon Lady’s blog) where Kourtney gets serious about couponing!

Baby Center – On the left side of the webpage there is a Deals, Deals, Deals section. If you mouse over this section, you’ll see an option for Free Stuff & Great Deals. Here is where you’ll find plenty of deals and coupons for baby items, even some freebies! Since this is not really a couponing website, it’s not detailed like The Krazy Coupon Lady, but you will find some baby specific deals.

I Heart Publix – Depending on where you live, there may or may not be a Publix nearby, but not to worry!  I Heart Publix is just an example of where you can locate deals at a local grocery store. Most grocery stores even have their own coupon websites that not only provide the current offers, but also keep you informed about their respective coupon policies.

Coupon policies do vary greatly by store, so research those policies first to avoid a long wait and disappointment at the checkout counter. I’m still a beginner myself, but I’m looking forward to building a binder and learning all the cool tips that the pros know.

What about you? How long did it take you to become a coupon queen? We’d love to hear your tips!

Here are a few example of how some expectant moms announced the news:

I thought I was pregnant.  So I purchased a pregnancy test at Publix and took the test in the supermarket bathroom. It was positive! I didn’t wait to tell my husband.  I called him while he was at work and told him that the test was positive but I would take another test when I got home from work.  So I made him wait anxiously for the rest of the work day. It was confirmed when I got home – positive. – Cindy

My husband and I were married for only one month, and I called my mother because I was upset that I wasn’t pregnant yet. Well I had to call her back just a few days after that because I was pregnant at the end of the month! Now I have four children, and it didn’t take me long to realize that one month was not a long time to wait. – Elaine

My parents were celebrating their wedding anniversary, so I placed a copy of the sonogram photo in their anniversary card. – Lisa

I found out I was pregnant the night before Father’s Day, so I told my parents the news by purchasing a Father’s Day card that said, “ Happy Father’s Day, Grandpa!” My parents didn’t get it at first, but after reading the card about three times, they finally caught on. – Amanda

When I found out that I was pregnant, it was the best feeling in the world! The first thing we did was call our moms and dads, and then we surprised everyone else at the family Christmas Eve party. – Alison

Please share with us how you broke the news to your family and friends, or share your cute story of how you found out you were pregnant.