Mother's Day Gift Idea - Origami Owl Giveaway! CLOSED

This is a sponsored post.

Meet Shelly, an Independent Designer for Origami Owl, a jewelry company that allows you to design customized lockets that reflect your interests and tell the story of your life! There are over 200 different charms so -- in Shelly's words -- whatever your pleasure, there's a charm for that ;)

More about Shelly
I'm Shelly. First I chase three kids, second I chase the dream of being a filmmaker/actor. So I'm a story-teller by nature…I started with Origami Owl for just that reason, they give everyone a chance to tell their story through the lockets they design. I love hosting parties and doing events because I get to hear everyone's stories and also their hopes/plans--it's really interesting and exciting.

Tell me a little bit about Origami Owl
First the lockets are so awesomesauce! They are really well made and beautiful for any occasion. What's so cool about the company is they are all about inspiring women to good things. It's really empowering, especially because the whole concept was started by a 14 year old girl in AZ! It is still a new company which makes it exciting to be part of the growth curve. It's fun to talk to people about because it is the perfect gift for everyone and a really fun way to own your own biz.

 

I love my Origami Owl locket! For Mother's Day, I might see if *ahem ahem* someone might want to add a few charms to mine. I particularly like the "M" initial and music notes. Oooh and this cute key dangle.

Shop:

E-mail Shelly your Origami Owl order and she'll add in a free charm with a $50 purchase, or 2 free charms with a $75 purchase!

Win:
One lucky reader will win (a $59 value):
1 Medium Living Locket with Crystals in silver or gold
3 Charms of winners choice
1 16-18" Ball Station Chain in silver or gold
1 Medium Stamped Plate in silver or gold

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US only and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, April 21st.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Shelly's Origami Owl site and tell me which charms are your favorite! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Cloth diapering 2

Some people thought it was crazy to attempt to cloth diaper two children, but it's been a lot easier than I suspected it would be. We're still using our sort-of hybrid system I described last year which includes cloth diapers during the day, and a disposable at night -- for both girls. For wipes, we use cloth (little fleece rectangles) with a homemade wipe solution (baby oil, baby wash, and water) for #1 and disposables for #2. Rounding out our "half and half method" is our diaper pail set up -- one disposable diaper pail, and one cloth diaper pail. It might seem crazy and/or redundant, but this works well for us and I can't tell you how much money we've saved not having to buy case after case of disposable diapers. We don't use a sprayer, but have opted instead for flushable liners. I do diaper laundry once every 3 days and use Rockin' Green detergent.

What is particularly awesome right now is that Aurelia is no longer in Newborn and smaller-sized diapers, so she and Carina are sharing the exact same diapers, even on the same rise/button setting. Some may fit a little more snugly on Carina's tiny and lean waist while others better flatter Aurelia's chunky rolls, but we can pretty much use them interchangeably. They take up almost two entire drawers in our changing table. Our top drawer contains everything except the BumGenius 3.0/4.0 and extra inserts:

And the middle drawer includes the Bum Genius 3.0/4.0 and our disposables -- Luvs Size 4 (and some miscellaneous baby outfits).

A few of the diapers have emerged as the best because they fit both girls so perfectly without necessitating any changes to the diaper settings or stuffing levels. One of those is our Kung Poo.

Kung Poo Diapers is a new company in the cloth diaper world. Their diapers are manufactured here in the U.S. and are sold individually, or in packs of 12 or 24. The one-size-fits-all pocket diapers have snap down rows so they will fit from birth until potty training. The diapers also boast a "smart sleeve" that has openings on both ends, which contains the microfiber insert. The diapers come in an variety of colors (or belts - ha!) We received the "black belt". I thought this would make a wonderful addition to our stash since the majority of our diapers are pastels or prints.

Carina in the "Black Belt"

Okay seriously how can you see that label on the bum and not laugh?

Features we like about the Kung Poo diaper:

• There is no need to remove the microfiber insert when you take the diaper off of baby; it agitates out in the wash
• The edge of the insert is threaded with color so it's easy to match up after washing. Since I can't figure out which of our inserts go with which diapers for the rest of our stash, this is clever!
• The crossover and rise snaps make for a perfect fit, and they are easy to snap and un-snap
• It's trim and fits really well in Carina's jeans (it might look a little bulky in the photo above, but that's because it's actually not on the setting we usually use...the husband unsnapped some snaps and I didn't realize it!)

Aurelia in the "Black Belt"

The diapers are 100% Polyester with a soft Alova Suede Cloth inner lining and each comes with a Microfiber insert. We haven't had a single leak or blowout and we've been using it on both girls since New Years' (yeah, I'm a bit late on this review). I've also been washing and drying it (in the dryer on low -- I'm lazy) and the insert is still fluffy and absorbent. This is one of the few diapers I can dry quickly and use right away instead of line drying.

Inside, outside, and insert

Blue Belt

Shop:

At only $9.95 per diaper, Kung Poo are the cheapest diapers that work well for us, and additional inserts are only $1.95. If/when we determine we need additional cloth diapers, I WILL be purchasing them from Kung Poo. Kung Poo also offers free shipping on every order, and has a 30 Day Risk Free Guarantee.

Win:
Kung Poo Diapers is offering one of my readers the diaper of their choice.

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US only and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, April 13th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Kung Poo and tell me which color -- er...belt -- you like best! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Goal 2: CONQUERED (well, mostly)

In my quest to start caring about how I look again, I first went shopping for some new {non-maternity} clothes for the first time in a year two years way too long. Then, it was time for a hair cut.

I've been notoriously lazy in cutting my hair due to a few rather unfortunate salon experiences, but I knew that I needed to get it done as it was taking me a good 10 minutes to simply brush it out and almost an hour to straighten. And nobody's got time for that! So despite loving wearing it straight, I only bothered to do it once every few months.

Last week I chopped a lot off. It might still look long, but they snipped almost 8 inches! It only takes about 2 minutes to brush out and more like 25 to straighten now, which means I've been doing it more often. I hate to admit it, but this little change makes for a happier and more confident me.

In retrospect I should have had the hairdresser cut layers or something to make it more interesting, but I was too nervous. Next time I vow to be brave ;)

Ack, blurry. Sorry.

I'm still not sure about the color. I keep on wanting to go blonder again, but then a lot of people tell me they think I should go back to my natural color. Thoughts?

Oh, and my necklace! I first met creator Chancie on The Bump message boards and she recently began making these adorable {and functional!} necklaces with her sister. My triple-strand necklace has two rows of blue beads on navy suede sandwiching a row of navy beads on white fabric. Around the neck, the suede and fabric is braided together. Aurelia loves to play with it while she nurses, and even Carina enjoys fiddling with it, too. I wear it all the time because the little miss has become quite a distracted nurser lately, every noise making her stop and look. But when she plays with the necklace, she is so enthralled she can't be disturbed by anything. WIN.

Tell me a little bit about your Etsy shop, boubeads (and by the way I see what you did there with your name, and I love it) --

Perfect nursing "toy"

My sister and I are both moms, she had a 6 month old at the time and was having a hard time nursing because he became so wiggly and squirmy. One day she decided to string wood beads on plastic cording so that he could play with something while he nursed. As we came up with prototypes we decided that we wanted them to be fashionable enough to wear outside of the house and wanted to make them something that would appeal to all women, not just nursing moms. We hand-dye our own natural beads so that we can control what colors we produce and they (as well as our suede) are manufactured in the USA. The suede is certified to be free of lead, AZO’s, PCP, mercury, formaldehyde, chromium VI, cadmium and other carcinogenic/hazardous chemicals.


Chancie and her sister Chandace are offering one of my readers a $36 credit to boubeads! Or if you'd like to shop yourself, code GEEKY10 will get you 10% off of your order through May 8th. Go quick, though, because they have been selling out almost immediately after posting many of their items!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open worldwide and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 3rd. The first entry is mandatory - Visit boubeads and tell me what you'd spend the credit on! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Treats to help with breastmilk supply? SIGN ME UP (CLOSED)

When my breastmilk supply dipped a little bit back when I was nursing Carina, I took Mother's Milk Tea to help increase it. The tea worked, but it 1. tasted awful and 2. made me smell like maple syrup. As you can imagine, it wasn't my favorite thing to have to take. Once I was making a bit more milk, I shelved that stuff faster than Carina filled her diapers ;)

If you know me, you know that I love chocolate and all things sweet so to say that I was intrigued by my new sponsor Mrs. Patel's. Yummy treats and teas for nursing Moms that help with milk production? No more pancake smell or gross tea? And CHOCOLATE?! I was like, SIGN ME UP NOW MOAR CHOCOLATE.

Before I tell you all about it, let's learn a little bit about Mrs. Patel:
I live in San Francisco with my husband and two young children, aged 3 and 16 months. I created Mrs. Patel's last February and am passionate about helping nursing and new mothers. I also love cupcakes

Please tell us more about your products!
Mrs. Patel's are Indian treats and teas for nursing mothers that help increase milk supply and boost postpartum healing. Our products are based on recipes that were passed down from mother to mother within the Patel/Desai (my mother's maiden name) for hundreds of years based on Ayurvedic principles -- Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine native to India. I was inspired by my mother who whipped up these treats and teas for me after the birth of both my children. And I was driven to start the business so that I could share these wonderful recipes with other mothers and women who may need extra support and were struggling with their supply.

Mrs. Patel sent me Fenugreek bars, Milk Water Tea, and Munch Crunch to try out! The combo pack of Fenugreek bars included 4 each of the regular, peanut butter, and chocolate flavors. I took one after breakfast every morning for 12 days and when I finished I was sad! I came to look forward to my little treat every day. The peanut butter bars were my favorite; they have just a bit of a kick to them and are so yummy! Each Fenugreek Bar contain 5% pure ground fenugreek and are designed to enhance postpartum healing by strengthening the joints while boosting milk supply.

Peanut Butter Fenugreek Bars - OMG SO GOOD

On day 3 of eating the bars, I felt letdown for the first time in weeks, maybe months! By day 5 I noticed a marked increase in my milk supply and since, I've noticed that letdown happens more quickly than it used to. If my supply ever dips again I am absolutely getting more of the Fenugreek bars! I seriously can't tell you how much I love them. The bars can stay out in their boxes for about 1.5 weeks, 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.

The Milk Water Tea is miles above the Mother's Milk Tea I used to drink. The Chai Spice is delicious and is totally something I would want to drink even if I didn't need to increase my supply ;) It is caffeine-free and also serves as a post-partum detoxifier in addition to being the strongest lactation agent Mrs. Patel's offers. Munch Crunch can be eaten on its own or sprinkled in yogurt or on a salad. It aids in digestion while increasing milk supply.

All of Mrs. Patel's products are a 10-12 day supply. If your supply increases and you feel like you can maintain your new output (like in my case, woot!) then you do not need to keep taking using the products. Your supply shouldn't decrease and you don't need to wean yourself off of them as you do with  Products are not to be taken if you are pregnant.

Chai Spice Milk Water Tea - Mrs. Patel's favorite

Shop:

At Mrs. Patel's you'll find all of these delectable (as Carina would say; it's her new favorite word) milk-making and post-partum healing treats. Use code MAKEMILK for 20% off of your first order. Mrs. Patel is also starting a "regulars" discount program for women who have already made 3 orders and are planning on continuing with their products - but you have to sign up for their newsletter (at bottom center) to learn more about that!

Win:
Mrs. Patel's is generously offering one of my readers a package including their choice of Fenugreek bars, choice of Milk Water Tea, and Munch Crunch.

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US only and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, March 28th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Mrs. Patel's and tell me which product you'd most like to try! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Just kickin' it! CLOSED

It has always frustrated me that most clothes, toys, and products designed for babies and toddlers can only be used for a short period of time. You spend a fortune on things that are grown out of or tossed aside in just a few blink-of-an-eye months. That's why I was intrigued by Kickboard USA's Mini Micro 3in1 - a scooter designed to grow with your child.

The Mini Micro 3in1 can be used from age 1 all the way up to age 5. It has 3 different age-appropriate styles of ride, starting with a ride-on seat at age 1, a Mini scooter with short O-bar steering at age 2, and the Mini Micro 3-wheel kickboard scooter with T-bar at ages 3-5.

Here's Carina using the ride-on seat (ages 1+). She scoots across the floor and exclaims, "weeeee!" We've been itching to take it outside for a couple weeks now but it has been so cold and now with 3 feet of snow on the ground it's looking like we'll keep it inside for a little longer. If you're crazy enough {like us} to let your kid ride it in the house, take comfort in the fact that the wheels are smooth and sturdy and won't scratch up your floor.

I love how simple and user friendly the steering is. You just tilt the bar to the right to turn to the right, or to the left to head off in that direction. We haven't had to use the brake in the back yet, but I'm glad it's there.

Carina isn't quite coordinated enough to use the short O-bar (designed for ages 2+) without the seat yet, but she does enjoy trying. She also likes to line up all of her princesses and let them ride on it. "Princesses scoot!"

As she grows older, the short O-bar can be replaced with a T-bar (below, top right). In addition to the interchangeable steering methods, every part is replaceable. So, if a wheel gets worn out or a hand grip tears, it can be easily replaced. It seems to me that it would take a long time to get to this point, though; the materials and construction of the scooter are solid.

About Kickboard USA:
Kick scooters, mini scooters, children's scooters - that's what we do at Kickboard USA! As the exclusive USA distributor of Micro® Mobility products we proudly offer a variety of award-winning scooters for kids and adults. For over 15 years, Micro® has been providing the highest quality kickboard® scooters. Employing a powerful combination of Swiss design and cutting-edge technology, Micro’s® scooters have won numerous international awards for design and quality.

Shop:

At Kickboard USA you'll find scooters for toddlers, kids, and adults!

Win:
To one lucky reader, Kickboard USA is generously offering a Micro Mini 3in1. Winner can choose Pink or Blue.

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US only and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, February 19th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Kickboard USA and tell me which scooter you like best! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Ditched my old covers for good CLOSED

When Aurelia was about a month old I mentioned that I had been nursing in public. When Carina was little, my attempts were always such a exercise in futility so it's quite freeing to be able to do it -- and not worry about it -- this time around.

When Lilia Nursing Covers contacted me about their patent pending uniquely designed covers, to be honest I thought to myself that I really didn't need another nursing cover. But given that the one I have is difficult to use and always falls down, I decided to give Lilia's a try. Maybe it would help me be even more confident about nursing in public?

Lilia Nursing Covers are fashionable one-piece washable cover-ups designed handmade with breathable 100% cotton designer fabrics. The cover features a soft cushioned neckline so that the you can easily see your baby as he/she nurses.They are made in the USA with local and imported materials. I received the cover in the Dandelions pattern.

Nursing Aurelia

While using this cover, I can nurse anywhere without having to worry about fumbling with a clasp, adjusting so that I can see baby or so onlookers won't be able to see the boobs. I like how easy it is to put on; it just goes over your head. The cushioned neckline juts out just enough so that your baby stays in view. The curved sides contour to the shape of your body and the thick quilted pockets on either side weigh down the cover to keep it in place. The covers are one size fits all.

Stylin' in my cover in the food court at the King of Prussia Mall in PA

I've ditched my other covers for good. I love the simplicity of my Lilia: no adjusting, no clasps, and no worries about an errant boob popping into view ;)

About Lilia:
Created by Jessica and Agnies, two hard working moms in Austin, Texas. Being creative is something they share, so they wanted to use that creativity to design and produce innovative products to help the lives of other moms. Using functional design and modern aesthetics, they've come up with a line of products they hope all moms will enjoy!

Neue Chic pattern

Shop:

More than 10 different patterns of nursing covers are available on Lilia's website.

Win:
Lilia is generously offering one of my readers a nursing cover!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Puerto Rico and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, February 12th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Lilia and tell me which pattern is your favorite! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Let's get ready for some Football! CLOSED

Before I was even pregnant with Carina, Mike and I had rather heated debates about what sports teams our future children would root for. I was born and raised in Massachusetts and am loyal to the Patriots & Red Sox. Mike, on the other hand, is the epitome of a Philly fan (those of you from Philly know what I mean) and is quite the Eagles fanatic. He also loves the Phillies. He claimed at least our first born as a die-hard Philadelphia fan and I laughed in his face. I suggested we let our hypothetical children decide...and you know they'd surely choose the Patriots & Red Sox because {at the time, and mostly still} they were so much better ;)

In reality, so far, we've opted to let the girls be fans of all 4 teams. They have outfits and toys with each team's logo emblazoned on them. However, since Daddy is just a bit more fanatical about football and Mommy is a bigger baseball fan, it seems like a primacy of Eagles and Red Sox has emerged. We'll see if this continues... God forbid our teams play each other (like a Superbowl XXXIX rematch?) things might get a little ugly. How do you handle different team loyalties in your home?

So in light of the Superbowl tomorrow (and BOO-HOO the Pats aren't in it), I'd like to share with you fellow blogger and stay-at-home Mom Hannah's adorable football outfits she made the girls! The Eagles may have had a crap season but that doesn't mean Daddy won't have the girls celebrate them anyway.

When Mike first saw the gown for Aurelia and dress for Carina, you would think he had died and gone to heaven. He is so in love with these super cute and creative outfits. And Carina? She won't stop dancing around in her dress. She takes the hem and twirls around and around. Daddy's little Eagles princess.

More about Hannah:
I am a mom of 3 little ones, age 4, 2, and 4 months. I started my shop Annalie's Baby Boutique in 2010 after my son was born as a way to stay home with my children while still having a creative outlet. I love to design clothing for kids to wear that's affordable and unique.   

Hannah's favorite item in her shop

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Hannah makes all sorts of adorable clothing and accessories, many of them customized! The outfits the girls are in above can be made with all NFL teams and most college teams. And if you're a house divided like we are, she even makes clothes with both teams! And she isn't limited to Football...I LOVE the baseball ruffle butt onesie.

Win:
She is generously offering one of my readers a $15 credit!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to Worldwide and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, February 7th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Annalie's Baby Boutique and tell me how you'd spend the credit! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Valentine's Day with cute stick figures! CLOSED

I'm not the most romantic person and as such, I often have a hard time choosing a Valentine's Day gift for Mike. If I were to buy him a watch he'd probably lose it (don't shake your head at me, Mike, you know you would!) and ties are actually contraindicated while working in a lab. So...yeah, Mama G is usually fresh out of ideas. But this year? It's not going to be such a challenge for me! My upcoming sponsor Datevitation.com lets you create fun custom date coupon books. Creative, personal, and adorable (read: cute stick figure illustrations!)

More about Datevitation:
Datevitation is the first online platform to create a custom love coupon book. Unlike the pre-packaged love coupon books on the market, you pick the dates and can customize the text to your liking. Once you are done customizing the text in your book, Datevitation will print it out and ship it to you in a ready-to-gift box.

What a fun idea! What inspired its creation?
Launched in 2011, Datevitation is the brainchild of Alex Karpman, a UCLA graduate and USC School of Law alum. “This all started when I gave my girlfriend an iPod for her birthday along with a card describing a fun date night I had planned for us,” explains Alex. “When she was visibly more excited about the card than the iPod, I knew I was onto something. I set out to build tools and a platform to help anyone in a relationship create the most unique, thoughtful, and romantic gift imaginable. It’s all about giving your special someone the gift of having fun and spending time together."

Before I show you the book I created for part of Mike's Valentine's Day present, I want to tell you how much fun I had making it! There are over 60 cover options to suit any occasion and the library contains over 200 fun date ideas ranging from skydiving to stargazing to steamy adult-only activities (some of which, by the way, are HILARIOUS). I took my time looking through all of them to pick the perfect ones for my book. And I seriously can't stop giggling about their X-Rated illustrations. Each date has a fun blurb that you can leave be or edit to your liking. I modified all of mine just slightly. I bet you can tell what I added on the first page below ;)

Top: cover, Below: three of the pages in my book!

In addition to the unique and fun date ideas and corresponding illustrations, something else I love about Datevitation is that their gender-neutral figures make it possible to make a book for anyone. There are male-male and female-female versions of every illustration in the date library.

Shop:

Books start at just $20 and are perfect gift for Valentine's Day! You can use the code GEEKY for $5 off your purchase.

Win:
Datevitation is generously offering a custom date book with 5 pages to one of my readers!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to US Residents Only and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Friday, January 25th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Datevitation's library of over 200 date ideas and tell me which is your favorite! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Surviving Infancy - keeping babies safe and parents sane! CLOSED

I wish my sponsor, Surviving Infancy, had existed when Carina was born. I remember leaving the hospital feeling like I had no idea what to do should an emergency arise with this new little person for whom I was completely responsible. We've been lucky in that neither of our girls have had too many issues...save for a few that I think I resorted to asking for your help because I didn't know how to handle them!

More about Surviving Infancy:
Developed by top physicians Dr. Maureen McCollough and Dr. Diane Birnbaumer, Surviving Infancy™ is a 3-hour 15-minute video guide that presents 36 essential topics covering infant and toddler safety, routine illnesses, common parenting challenges, immunizations and pediatric emergencies including choking first aid and CPR hands-on demonstrations. It was created to help new and expectant parents, grandparents-to-be and child caregivers navigate the often difficult aspects of infancy through the toddler years (0-3 years). Surviving Infancy™ is thought to be the most comprehensive video guide of its kind with unparalleled and authoritative content.

What inspired its creation?
The development of the Surviving Infancy video guide was inspired by the birth of my daughter Brooke who was born on March 27, 2011 (now 20 months old). Upon discharge from the hospital we were not given any instructions (like many new parents) as to how to properly care for our new daughter. We wanted an educational video guide that was:

• Authoritative
• Concise
• Engaging 
• Easy to refer to 

Upon much research, we found that there was definitely a lack of authoritative and concise educational DVDs available to new parents on the care of their new child which is astonishing since one would think that the health and safety of one’s new baby would be of utmost importance. With our company background in providing live and internet-based continuing education courses for medical professionals, it was clear that we had the resources and award-winning medical educators to create the video guide we searched long and hard for but never found. After over a year in development by top physicians, Surviving Infancy was born.

What topic covered in Surviving Infancy do you think is the most important "must-see" for new parents?
Parents and caregivers should know them all if looking after any child, but if we had to choose one topic all parent’s should be familiar with, it would be fever, because it is one of the most common symptoms managed by pediatricians and other health care providers and frequently results in unscheduled doctor visits, calls for medical advice and extensive use of over-the-counter fever-reducing medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. 

Mama G's take:
As I said before, I wish the Surviving Infancy video guide had existed when Carina was a tiny babe. Personally, I much prefer to watch a quick 5 minute video segment created and narrated by medical professionals on let's say, choking and the heimlich maneuver, than read a step-by-step description in a book or try to have someone explain it to me over the phone. Drs. McCollough and Birnbaumer are thorough and engaging and provide a great mix of video clips, hands-on instruction and informative slides in their discussions. The format (36 short topics) is perfect for those of you who (like myself) only have a few minutes at a time to spare ;)

Carina enjoys watching it, too. She'll bring it to me and say, "watch babies!"

Shop:

You can purchase Surviving Infancy™ as a 2 DVD set, or as a streaming video. Get 20% off with promo code GEEKY20!

Win:
2 of my readers (yay, 2 winners!) will win a copy of the Surviving Infancy™ 2 DVD set!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open worldwide and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, January 15th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Surviving Infancy's website and tell me what topic most interests you (they're at the bottom of the homepage). Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Our table tantrums are over! CLOSED

I don't think I've ever lamented talked about the epic tantrums we've had trying to get Carina to the table for meals over the last few months. We retired the giant high chair at the end of the summer because she would go stiff as a board and scream bloody murder every time we tried to strap her in. Then we dug our trusty old table chair out of the closet and it was hit or miss; sometimes she would tolerate it, while other times you would think we were making her dine in a torture device. Lastly, we tried a booster seat with tray and unfortunately, that went just as well. Tray and food {and my sanity} strewn about the floor.

So when Baby Bjorn asked me if I'd like to try their new Booster Chair, I was completely honest with them. This was my response, verbatim: "We would love to try it, although I should warn you that my toddler is currently revolting against the booster we bought recently. That could either make us the perfect test subjects (maybe yours will do the trick!), or the worst (maybe she hates all boosters?)"

They were up for the challenge! Baby Bjorn was founded in 1961 with the simple goal of  making life easier for families with small children by developing safe and innovative products of the highest quality.

I was a bit nervous the first time we put Carina in the booster; I was sure an apocalyptic meltdown would ensue. I called it her "big girl seat" and told her that big girls love it. And? No screaming. No kicking. She actually SAT STILL AND ATE.

My kid - IN A BOOSTER

After she finished eating, I helped her down. And then she started whining, "big girl seat, big girl seat!" She already wanted to get back in it. The Booster Chair makes sitting down to eat meals no longer a struggle for us.

Perfect height!

 My favorite features of the Baby Bjorn Booster Chair:

1. It's portable; it hooks on almost any chair and unhooks like a breeze. Bonus: it is only 2.6 lbs., so you can easily bring it anywhere. We're taking it with us when we leave {this afternoon!} for our holiday travels (we're heading up to Massachusetts, then Philadelphia until New Years').
2. It's easy to clean; just wipe it with a damp paper towel or cloth.
3. Tightening the seat onto a chair is as simple as pushing in the unique locking mechanism and turning it. You don't have to manually adjust the straps underneath the chair (I looked ridiculous trying to do this with our previous booster).
4. Most importantly, it makes her happy. This is the 4th chair we have tried thus far and it's the only one with which she can sit at table height comfortably AND have her plate on the table. She truly feels like a big girl and a more integral part of the family meal when sitting in it.

A few more details:

• It is made from recyclable plastic and does not contain any PVC or BPA, so it's 100% child and environmentally safe.
• There is a unique locking mechanism which ensures that children cannot take the booster off of the chair.
• Non slip straps and mini-pads hold the seat firmly in place.

Fits most chairs!

The one problem we're having is that sometimes, Carina won't stay seated since there is no strap. But if there were a strap, she would most definitely protest getting in the Booster Chair (like she did with the other seats we attempted). We're in the process of teaching her that we sit down at the table and we're crossing our fingers that it sticks soon. But honestly, we'll take her standing up a couple times over screaming through the duration of the meal any day ;)

Shop
You can purchase the Booster Chair and other Baby Bjorn products online or at a retailer near you.

Win
Baby Bjorn is generously offering one of my readers their own Booster Chair!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, December 27th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Baby Bjorn and tell me a feature you like about the Booster Chair! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Toys for development and creative play - Momula Review & Giveaway! CLOSED

If you're anything like me you might occasionally lament the onslaught of noisy brightly colored plastic toys that seem to overtake your living room. The worst? When one randomly turns on in the middle of the night and wakes up your sleeping baby with an obnoxious rendition of the alphabet song ::facepalm:: My sponsor Momula was founded to help Moms like me who prefer toys that help children develop over ones that make us want to break out a baseball bat ;)

More about Momula:
Momula is a store that carries toys, games, furniture and much more that will help your child's development. Today, there is a huge market of toys and unfortunately, the original purpose of toys has been lost. A parent can give a child a plastic toy that will flash lights and make sounds and keep them busy, or they can choose a natural wooden toy that will help the child work on skills that will develop their minds and bodies and have a positive lasting effect for the rest of their lives. Our goal is to share great quality and beneficial products with parents. Each toy will improve your child's development in several ways. To demonstrate this, we are posting new videos weekly about the toys that we carry and their benefits.

Momula sent us a couple of toys to try out! Carina received the Nest & Stack Cubes and as you can see (below) it mesmerized her. She quickly figured out that the thin rods go inside the bigger boxes. I "tested" her by mixing up the colors and asked her to match the colors together and she did it! At any point during the day if I disassemble the nested boxes she looks over at the board, stops whatever she is doing, and puts them back together. Today I showed her how we can turn the cubes upside-down and build a tower and I'm pretty sure it blew her mind. This set is made from rubberwood, a renewable resource and colored with Eco-friendly, low VOC aniline dyes. It's the only toy we'll be taking with us on our Christmas travels because she loves it so much.

So as not to neglect the wee babe, Momula was kind enough to send their Mini Bead Rattle. Aurelia doesn't care about any of the furry animal rattles or fancy toys we have; she only has eyes for this thing. Maybe it's the bright colors? Or the movement of the beads? It's the first thing she has grasped and moved around on her own. It is made of hardwood and has child safe finishes.

I love these toys. I will choose natural wooden developmental toys over obnoxious flashy plastic ones any day ;)

I also had the chance to view The Golden Opportunity of Child Development DVD, produced by Brad and Ula, the owners of Momula. With 2 under 2 I just don't have much time to sit and read books on parenting philosophy, even though it is a topic in which I am really interested. That's why a short (~40 minutes) DVD that is broken up into multiple informative topics (e.g. communication, respect, goals) was particularly attractive to me ;) The Golden Opportunity of Child Development made me reflect on more than a handful of ways we interact with and behave towards Carina. Namely:

1. We might help her too soon when she has a goal she is having difficulty attaining. Even though she may whine and seem frustrated, it is better to let her complete tasks on her own.
2. We had not yet involved her in cleaning up her space. We tried this yesterday, and she wiped up milk she had spilled with a paper towel. I couldn't believe it. I think we were underestimating her capabilities. 

There are so many other great ideas in this DVD; I've already watched it twice and plan on watching it a few more times so I can be sure to absorb all of the great ideas.

Shop
Momula carries lots of educational and developmental toys. Some of my favorites include the Greek Blocks, the Rapunzel Story Time Set, and the Shaped Whale Puzzle.

Win
Momula is generously offering your choice of the toys below! The recommended age for each toy accompanies each photo.

Locking Ladders - 75 pieces - Ages 3+

Geo Puzzle Board - Ages 9 Months+

Jr. Rainbow Blocks - 20 pieces - Ages 2+

Construct-It - 321 pieces - Ages 6+

Animal Train Sort and Match - Ages 3+

How to Enter:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US only and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, December 26th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Momula and tell me what your favorite toy is! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!