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Giveaway: Lily Jade Diaper Bag

When I had my first baby, I thought I would have a baby forever. I decorated a nursery, got all the requisite baby gear, bought a plethora of chewable toys, all with only a newborn in mind. In the beginning stages of motherhood, time passes slowly. Clothes for a nine month old seem like a lifetime away. We actually put them in storage; nine months with our brand new baby being more time than we could possibly comprehend.

With my second kid, I felt differently. I understood the passage of time. I knew how quickly it all went and debated even pulling out the playtime activity mat when I knew Harlow would be mobile before I could blink.

It’s with your second kid that a lot of the toys and gear start to seem a bit silly. We spent so much money on Mazzy’s bassinet (used for exactly three months) and then we didn’t even use it for Harlow. We took it apart, put it in storage and then couldn’t find a leg when we took it back out.

Money down the drain.

Over the years, we have gone through countless diaper bags, mainly because people keep sending them to me, and I have a pretty good handle on what will go used and unused.

The bags with the most longevity?

They aren’t the ones with the most pockets or the cleverest bottle holder— they are the ones that double as a bag I can use for work.

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You know, incognito diaper bags.

Lily Jade makes diaper bags that don’t look like diaper bags. They don’t come in crazy quilted patterns that no person outside of a mom with a tiny human pooping machine would ever deem acceptable to carry. They come in solid colors and high quality leathers and fabrics. All of the pockets and elastic compartments are on the inside instead of the outside, so it never looks like you are carrying around a portable changing table when you are child-free on your way to work. It also doesn’t look like you are carrying around a diaper bag when your kids are clearly way beyond diapers.

(Not that Harlow is beyond diapers. Yet.)

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In fact, in all of the Lily Jade bags, the diaper bag pockets exist in a separate washable canvas insert that you can easily remove. They call it the “Baby Bag Organizer“.

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This is handy for three reasons:

1) You can put everything you need to service your babies in the organizer insert (bottles, snack trappers, crayons, diapers, pacifiers, etc.) and then remove it, put it in your coat closet fully stocked, use the outer bag for work like a normal human being and then stick the insert back in the next time you are on-the-go with your kids.

2) How many times have you transferred everything to a different bag only to leave the house and realize, “Oh crap! I left the pacifier in the outside side pocket!” With the Lily Jade Baby Bag, you can put the insert inside any tote, gym bag, travel bag you please without worrying you left something behind. This is especially useful when Grandma is watching your kiddos for the day.

3) Once your kids have grown and you no longer need all the crazy compartments that are necessary for baby stuff, you can remove the Baby Bag and never put it back. Then you have a regular bag that you can use until you are old and gray.

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My favorite Lily Jade bag is the Caroline. It’s large enough to fit my laptop when the “Baby Bag” isn’t inside. It’s a great quality leather, has a few zippered pockets built right into the bag for easy access and it comes in a striking red that looks great with my mostly all-black attire.

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Now that my kids are both out of their spit-up phase, I no longer worry about wearing black.

I’ve had the Lily Jade Caroline for over a year now and I’ve seen how my use of it has changed. In the beginning, I used the “Baby Bag” daily and now I find that even when I travel with Harlow, I just use the regular bag. I don’t need to take as much stuff around with me as I did when she was little.

Oh my god, did I just say Harlow isn’t little???

She’s still little. She just doesn’t need the paci compartment anymore.

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Sniff.

Today I’m giving away one Lily Jade bag of your choice. Just visit the Lily Jade site, tell me which bag is your favorite and what’s the funniest kid-related item you have ever found in your bag when you weren’t with your kids.

For instance, Harlow once stole a friend’s TV remote by slipping it in my bag when I wasn’t looking. She also stole a plastic hot dog but that’s a whole other story.

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As a special promotion for Mommy Shorts readers, when you buy one diaper bag on sale, you can purchase an EXTRA Baby Bag (every diaper bag already comes with a Baby Bag included) for just $20 (it’s a great gift for a friend or as an extra organizer for your car) using code MOMSHORTS20. Discount ends January 5th, 2015. Also, their popular Elizabeth bags in Camel Outlet are on sale right now reduced from $295 to $255.

GIVEAWAY: One Lily Jade Bag of winner’s Choice (up to $250 value)

1) Check out the bags on Lily Jade and leave a comment answering the following question:

Which Lily Jade bag is your favorite and what’s the funniest kid-related item you have ever found in your bag when you weren’t with your kids?

2) For a second entry, follow @lilyjade on twitter and tweet the following:

I just entered to win a @LilyJadeCo diaper bag via @mommyshorts! 

Winner will be announced on December 19th.

You can find the full rules here.

Good luck!

WINNER UPDATE: Congratulations to Teresa! She was randomly selected to win the Lily Jade bag of her choice. Teresa, who once lost and found her fave necklace at the bottom of her bag after it was missing for over a year, thinks the Elizabeth Red Bag in Canvas “is EVERYTHING”. Please contact abby@mommyshorts.com to claim your prize!

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This post was sponsored by Lily Jade, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

All photos were taken by Karilyn Sanders.