This past year has been an amazing adventure thanks to Fisher-Price. At the start of the year, our daughter was only 4 months old and getting lots of use out of the Fisher-Price My Little Lamb™ Cradle ‘n Swing, My Little Snugabunny™ Bouncer, and just starting to explore the fun of the Luv U Zoo Jumperoo. Although we received them at the end of last year or the beginning of this year, these are the toys and baby gear that got this year off to a good start!
Of all these toys, my daughter's favourite has definitely been the Laugh & Learn Stride-to-Puppy. Since day one, she has loved it! She loves pressing the buttons, using it as a walker, and she has just recently started riding forward on it...all by herself! I'm one proud mommy to see all the milestones she is meeting with this toy! One of the cutest things she enjoys doing with it is sitting on puppy's back and continuously pressing puppy's nose. We have a couple of Laugh & Learn Puppy toys, but this one is clearly her favourite. Whenever we ask, "Where is Puppy?", she brings us her Laugh & Learn Stride-to-Ride Puppy. It is clearly a hit and I'd definitely recommend it to family and friends as a great gift for 6-36 months!
Out of this list of toys, I have a few favourites. One item that I really loved was the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing. I love the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing because we got so much use out of it unexpectedly when we were at a loss at how to get Lyla to sleep. We thought she might be getting too old when one day we tried it and within minutes, she was fast asleep. This was a great relief for us. I'd recommend the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing to all parents to be! This would make an excellent gift for any new or expected baby!
Thanks to Fisher-Price, I will be having the opportunity to make an expectant or new family's Christmas a little brighter thanks to the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing that they have offered to donate to the charity of my choice. The charity I chose is called Baby Blessings and is local to the rural area that I live in. Baby Blessings is a religious based group that provides baby items (new or used) to local families who show a need. I am so happy that I'll be able to share the experience I've had with the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing with another local family. The main reason I chose this item is because I think it is a must-have item for new parents. It has been such a great option for us and one that both my daughter, my husband, and I have thoroughly enjoyed.
Another one of my favourites was the Amazing Animals Sing-Along Choo Choo. For those of you who follow my blog, or know me personally, know I LOVE Disney - I even had a wedding featuring several Disney aspects (from colours, to music, to hidden Mickey's!). I love this toy because it features a classic train with cute baby Disney characters and music that brings back memories of watching these movies as a child. This item was one I considered for many children on my list this year. If you love Disney and Fisher-Price, this is a must-have toy! Thanks to Fisher-Price, I'll have the chance to share this toy with one of the babies/toddlers on my list this Christmas!
This year has been filled with lots of fun thanks to Fisher-Price. We have enjoyed sharing all of these toys with Lyla! Some of them she has enjoyed and many she will continue to enjoy for years to come!
Are there any Fisher-Price toys that you will be giving to your son/daughter, or friends and family this Christmas?
Disclosure: I am a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador and I receive
special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on
this blog are my own.
Do you have a baby or toddler in diapers? Or do you know someone who will be doing diaper duty in the near future? If you are looking for something to contain all those dirty diapers in between diaper changes, the Playtex Diaper Genie Elite is definitely a system that you'll want to consider.
Review
When I was pregnant and looking for a diaper pail, the Playtex Diaper Genie Elite is the one that caught my eye. Since I was previously a child care provider and had used various diaper disposal systems, I knew what I liked and what I didn't like.
One of the most important features for me in a diaper disposal system was how sanitary it was. The foot pedal on the Playtex Diaper Genie Elite allows for hands-free diaper disposal, which I loved and was a must-have feature! This makes it easier to dispose of diapers (no need to bend down while trying to manage baby on the change table with one hand)! They have clearly thought about the ergonomics of this product when they were at the drawing board.
Also, since the pail has liners, it makes it a bit more sanitary. I
don't have to rinse the pail in between uses or worry about residual
odors since the diapers never touch the pail, only the rim (occasionally).
I also loved that the Diaper Genie Elite is a bit bigger than some other systems, making it great for holding more diapers in between garbage days.
One thing we found about the Diaper Genie Elite is that it doesn't always contain the smell of poopy diapers (unfortunately), especially if we have a few of them in there. We usually find ourselves emptying the pail once we add a poopy diaper to the mix. If you have an exclusively breastfeed baby with poops that don't smell nearly as bad as when you add solids into their diet, smell probably won't be a concern for you. I personally don't find an issue if there are only pee filled diapers in the system.
Although we have been using cloth diapers most of the time since Lyla was about 8 months old, we still find the Diaper Genie Elite useful as a garbage in the bathroom, which is where we keep it whether we are using disposables or not. Right now we are back on disposables for awhile and are appreciating some of the functions that the Playtex Diaper Genie Elite offers.
Being a more environmentally conscious mom, I'm always looking at the environmental and health impact of the products that I bring into my home. Although this pail does use plastic bag refills, I figure this is something that you can't really get away from (that easily). If you weren't using this type of system but were using disposable diapers, in all liklihood, you would be throwing the diapers out in a plastic bag anyways. What I love about the Playtex Diaper Genie Elite refills is that the bags are not pre-sized; depending on how much you have in the bag, you can cut the bag to the size you need. I usually squish all the diapers down, then go around the house collecting and emptying other trash to make the most use out of these bags.
Overall, despite the issue with the smell of poopy diapers, I do think the Playtex Diaper Genie Elite is a good choice for parents and parents-to-be of babies and toddlers.
*ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO REVIEW A PLAYTEX DIAPER GENIE ELITE*
How many winners are there be and what can I win? Five (5) of my readers will win the opportunity to review their own Playtex Diaper Genie Elite (ARV $45.99) in their homes. If you win, you'll agree to come back to my blog and write a short review of your experience. As a thank you, you will be entered for another opportunity to win a great (2nd) prize from Playtex: a $50 Babies 'R Us gift card (but only if you participate in reviewing the Diaper Genie Elite that you receive)!
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. (Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form)
This giveaway will end on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.
This opportunity is open to residents of Canada.
Good Luck!
Disclaimer: I am part of the Playtex Mommyville Mommy Review Panel. I received free products and compensation in exchange for agreeing to write this article. All the opinions shared in this article are 100% my own.
What is the one thing you loved to do most as a child? I'm sure most of you would answer 'play'! Play is such an important part of being a child and for a good reason - play is a fundamental part of learning! I love that companies like Fisher-Price make it possible to have fun and learn developmental skills at the same time.
This month, Lyla had the opportunity to try three new toys! Here are her experiences...
Laugh & Learn - Stride-to-Ride Puppy
This toys fits right in with the other Laugh & Learn items by Fisher-Price that we have...and it features Puppy, whom Lyla has enjoyed having fun with many times before. When I first saw this toy, I noticed that it was rather large and I wasn't sure how Lyla would react to Puppy's big head, but when I first introduced her, it was clear she loved it!
We love that this toy helps her meet so many of the 12 elements of enrichment, which help her to develop and grow! In the Physical domain, we find that her using all 4 elements, sensory (experiencing sights & sounds of the toy), fine motor (putting the shapes into the shape sorter on the side of puppy), gross motor (getting on puppy's back for a ride or walking and pushing puppy when the toy is turned into a walker), and balance and coordination (learning how to get on and off of puppy and stay on while he is moving, with our help). In the cognitive domain, Lyla is enhancing her curiosity and discovery (learning by pressing the different buttons, and seeing how different aspects of the toy work), thinking and problem solving (learning how and where different parts of the toy go - for example, finding that the shapes that she puts in the shape sorter end up in the puppy's belly), and academics (learning things such as colours, shapes, counting and more).
This toy has proven to be a lot of fun and something that she will enjoy for some time to come!
Stand-Up Ballcano
Before I had kids, I loved buying toys for other children in my life toys that had balls. What child doesn't have a ball with balls?! Yes, pun intended! This toy is an interesting variation of similar toys with balls that are on the market. And, it is one that my husband will out-rightly say that he enjoys - he loves the music especially, in comparison to most other children's toys. Lyla isstill learning and discovering with this toy. She seems to enjoy the sensory opportunities in the Physical enrichment activities that this toy offers, for example, listening to the music as the balls bounce over the sides of the centre area or watching the flashing lights. This toy also allows her to use fine motor skills, such as catching the balls and putting them back in the containment area, as well as spinning the rattle.
As Lyla gets older, I imagine that this is a toy that she will continue to enjoy playing with.
Amazing Animals Sing-Along Choo Choo
Given that I am a huge fan of Disney, this toy was a great surprise and a very welcomed addition to our toy collection for Lyla! This toy is absolutely adorable and the baby Disney characters are too cute!
I love that this toy allows Lyla to work on developing many of her developmental milestones. Even though this toy has sounds, which is great for sensory development, we often forget to turn on the sounds and Lyla has just as much fun (although I do love the Disney tunes). Some of the cognitive skills that I've noticed Lyla discovering with this toy include curiosity and discovery through just playing with the toy and learning what different parts do (for example, the arms and legs of each of the characters move and that the train moves because it has wheels.). Or, thinking and problem solving; she is discovering that the train has different pieces and to make the train move all together, they have to be latched a certain way. She is also discovering that some of the animals are bigger than the others and fit in some train cars better than the others; this is also an academic skill.
Trains are classic and one that can be fun for years and years to come. We are so happy to have the Amazing Animals Sing-Along Choo Choo as part of our toy collection!
Disclosure: I am a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador and I receive special
perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this
blog are my own.
Are you looking for some fun new books for your baby, toddler, or preschooler? DK Publishing has some great new Touch and Feel Books for your children. Introducing, Touch and Feel Dinosaurs and Touch and Feel Jungle Animals.
Here is what DK Publishing has to say about these new titles, "With a sparkling new look, these bestselling DK classic preschool board books are sure to become favorites for a
whole new generation of young readers. Babies and toddlers will be drawn to the captivating, tactile pages, and will
want to touch, feel, and explore every spread."
Each book measures 159x159mm, is 12 pages long, and is suitable for children ages 0-5. If you have more than one child under the age of 5, the Touch and Feel books are a perfect choice for your library!
Review
I have seen books that allow you to touch and feel different textures in the past, and I have always been a fan of them. I sometimes wonder, do I or do the babies I'm reading with enjoy them more?! These books allow you and your children to interact, have fun with, and learn from the Touch and Feel books. As a child, I remember loving books that did something - and these books fill that desire for children to experience new and exciting elements within the pages.
Touch And Feel Dinosaurs
I loved the basic images that were contained within the pages of this book! The simplicity makes it easy for young minds to focus on the variety of sensations that this book offers. This book helps your child interact with it by inviting them to explore the fun textures of various dinosaur parts (e.g. skin, horns, tongue and more). In addition to various sensations, this book will introduce your children to different dinosaur species. This book is a perfect length for young children.
One thing that could be improved in this book - one of the pages in this book has a 'sticky tongue' sensation. If you a parent of a young child, you know that things get dirty...fast. To me, a sticky sensation in a Touch and Feel book is asking for trouble; this aspect will likely limit the lifespan of the book. After using this book for a couple of weeks, the sticky sensation has already started to get dirty.
Touch And Feel Jungle Animals
Out of these two books, the Touch and Feel Jungle Animals book is my favourite. I love the variety of textures in this book. Lyla also seemed to enjoy the feelings in this book quite a bit.
This book like the other, has basic images and simple directions that make it easy for young children to interact with and learn from this book. This book included a variety of jungle animals and fun textures. This book is the same length as the Touch and Feel Dinosaurs book, making it short enough for young children to stay entertained.
There is nothing in this book that I would change. My daughter and I enjoyed it from front to back.
My daughter enjoyed reading these books with me. She had fun exploring the different dinosaurs and jungle animals and learning about new tactile sensations. I think these books are a great choice for both boys and girls! These are the first books that we have in her book collection that allow her to learn through touch. Since receiving these books for review, we have already purchased another Touch and Feel Book by DK Publishing for her.
Overall, I think these books are great for teaching your children through imagery and touch. Your children will learn about different sensations, animals, and more with Touch and Feel Dinosaurs and Touch and Feel Jungle Animals.
In the future I would love to see DK Publishing publish some Touch and Feel story books; the current Touch and Feel series is very action orientated and does not tell a story.
*GIVEAWAY*
How many winners are there? One (1).
What can you win? One
winner will receive a copy of Touch and Feel Dinosaurs and Touch and Feel Jungle Animals from DK Publishing. To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. (Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form)
This giveaway will end on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada.
Good Luck!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of each of these books to
review. Receiving these items did not in anyway affect the information
that I shared in this article. All the opinions in this article are my
own.
Recently I had a chance to review the book Unjunk Your Junk Food: Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks by Andrea Donsky and Randy Boyer (Creators of NaturallySavvy.com) with Lisa Tsakos. This book is meant to be a reference guide to help you make healthier eating choices in terms of 'junk food'. It aims to allow you to indulge in your favourite treats without all the artificial ingredients; the authors of this book want to help you remove/eliminate chemical additives from your diet.
This book has 10 chapters to help you learn how to unjunk your junk food, basics of nutrition, ingredients to watch out for, then a break down of varieties of junk food (e.g. cookies, chocolate, etc.) - comparing each selection with smarter options. This book ends off with a glossary of terms, which is great for people who are very familiar with nutrition or for people who aren't up to date on food ingredients, terms, etc.; this section is really helpful for deciphering the nutritional/ingredient label on your food. To end off the book, there is a list of Naturally Savvy Approved Brands, which includes websites for the brands that they approve of. You can visit the brand websites or www.naturallysavvy.com to find stores in your local area that carry these items.
I have taken university-level education in nutrition, so, I did find it pretty easy to navigate through this book. I thought that the first few chapters did a great job of giving basic information on nutrition and explaining what to watch for when you shop. These chapters were probably my favourite and I still learned a lot; particularly about the worst ingredients, which I have been learning more and more about lately. This book even has a worst ingredients chart that you can clip out and carry with you in your purse when you go grocery shopping, of you can print out a copy online from www.naturallysavvy.com. This is very convenient!
What I had to remind myself of when going through this book is that it is meant to give you smarter alternatives to the junk food that you crave. But, smarter doesn't necessarily mean healthy. Just because a product is organic, 'natural', or doesn't include the 'worst ingredients' doesn't mean if is the best option for you or should be included in your diet on a regular basis! For example, there are alternatives listed in this book for items such as ice cream, chocolate bars, jello cups, and soda. This book just helps you to determine products that avoid some of the worst ingredients, or to choose options that are smarter for various reasons. Each product that they choose as a better option outlines why it was chosen, details the ingredients, plus teaches you some food facts. Many of the products that were chosen as better alternatives are not available in my local area, but, there are several products that are well known brands and are available in most supermarkets (e.g. Breyers, Newman's Own, Dr. Oetker, etc.). The authors mentioned that they chose the items that they did for this book because they thought they tasted great and avoided 'The Scary Seven' ingredients (also included on page 25 of this book):
-High–Fructose Corn Syrup
-Trans Fats (anything that is written as 'partially hydrogenated' or 'hydrogenated' on a label)
-Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
-Artificial Colors
-Artificial Flavors
-Artificial Sweeteners
-Preservatives such as TBHQ, Polysorbates, Nitrites, Sulfites, Sodium Benzoate, and BHT/BHT.
Sample pages can be downloaded from the Naturally Savvy website.
I do think that the subtitle of the book is a bit misleading (Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks), because most of the items that are listed are not actually healthy. But, I also believe that taking into consideration why various items were chosen, they are smarter choices if you have to choose one or the other. I think this book would be more appropriately subtitled: Smarter Alternatives to Conventional Snacks.
Because I am working at limiting the processed food I consume, I would love to see a sequel to this book in a cookbook format - outlining healthier options that you can prepare at home (e.g. store bought granola bars compared to homemade granola bars).
There are definitely good things going for this book! I would recommend reading it, especially if you are looking to learn about ingredients to avoid when shopping. I found several aspects of the book interesting and engaging. The book does accomplish what it aims to do: help you avoid scary ingredients/chemical additives that show up in much of the junk food that you probably already buy. One word of caution...I do recommend reading this book on a full stomach to avoid cravings, or snacking on an apple! And remember, you are what you eat!
Some more helpful information...
Are you interested in some of the brands that are included in this book? Then, you'll want to check out The Healthy Shopper. The Healthy Shopper publishes a coupon book for natural brands that is available in your local health food stores and online (printable coupons).
Naturally Savvy has started an edible (R)evolution! by asking people to read the ingredients of food packages BEFORE reading the Nutrition Facts panels. Think of yourself as your own 'Inspector Label' because if the ingredients contain any of the 'Scary Seven' ingredients mentioned above, then it doesn’t matter how much fat and calories a product has!
Do you want to own a copy of this book? I'm happy to be able to offer a 25% discount on Unjunk Your Junk Food: Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks to all my readers through Amazon: http://amzn.to/vP9ROv.
*GIVEAWAY*
How many winners are there? One (1).
What can you win? One winner will receive a copy of Unjunk Your Junk Food: Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks by Andrea Donsky and Randy Boyer with Lisa Tsakos. To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. (Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form)
This giveaway will end on Friday, July 21, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada.
Good Luck!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book to review. Receiving this item did not in anyway affect the information that I shared in this article. All the opinions in this article are my own.
Over the past few months, I have gone a bit coconut crazy! Coconut oil, coconut butter, shredded coconut in recipes, etc. Why co-co-crazy? I had heard that coconuts, particularly coconut oil, offers a wide variety of benefits. And, I had heard that it had a wide variety of uses! So, I was curious and had to check it out!
Tropical Traditions is well known for being your source for coconut oil, although, they also sell organic food, health care products, and more! Tropical Traditions offers their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, which is their highest quality coconut oil! This particular type of coconut oil is handcrafted in the Phillipines using traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. Did you know that some studies have shown that coconut oil that is processed using traditional methods have the highest level of antioxidants?
Review I had a chance to try out Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil for myself! Over the past little while, I have been using Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil in pretty much everything! I have been using it in baking, to pan fry, for my skin, and much much more! And, I have been very satisfied so far!
Compared to other coconut oils that I have used, I find that Tropical Traditions Gold Label has a slightly coconut smell and taste, and seems to be a bit richer in consistency. From what I've read, this is due to the fact that it is unrefined and thus considered to be a higher quality coconut oil. This also means that it nutritionally rich with higher levels of antioxidants (phenolic antioxidants)! Find out: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?
I love that coconut oil has such a long shelf life and that it does NOT need to be refrigerated (talk about convenient!). I also love that this coconut oil is so versatile; I use it as a replacement for margarine in my recipes (cup for cup). I have had success using this coconut oil in every instance. For example, making banana bread, pancakes, or even just adding it to smoothies (for a bit of coconut taste AND added nutrition)!
One thing that I love about this coconut oil is that it is certified organic (USDA)! We have been switching over to more and more organic products, so this was a welcomed addition to our pantry. I also like the method that Tropical Traditions uses to extract their coconut oil; it is traditional and because the oil is extracted by hand, it seems to be a friendlier option for the environment. Plus, Tropical Traditions doesn't use any chemicals or high-temperature treatments for their coconut oil; high-temperatures in food production causes nutrients to break down, which isn't a good thing!
I have really enjoyed using this coconut oil and would definitely recommend it, and use it again in the future! It has impressed me!
What can you win? One winner will receive a quart of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!. To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. (Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form)
This giveaway will end on Friday, July 20, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada & the USA.
Good Luck!
Disclaimer: TropicalTraditions
provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was
under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any
obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in
return for the free product.
Disclaimer 2: If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from TropicalTraditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.
If you are a mom that has had experience with low milk supply, you have probably stumbled across a company called Motherlove at once point or another. Did you know that they have been offering personal care and supplement products to pregnant and nursing mothers since 1990? Motherlove has lots of great products, not only products that help with milk supply. For example, pregnant belly oil, sitz bath, diaper rash & thrush herbal salve, and nipple cream. They even sell gift boxes and a pocket guide to wild edible and medicinal plants (how neat - sounds like a must read to me!).
Do you know what goes into the mattress that your baby sleeps on every night? With Obasan, you can feel confident that your baby's mattress is safe and free of harmful chemicals and toxins. Obasan is passionate about sleep for your whole family! For the past 25+ years, Obasan has been finding better ways to help your family get a good night's sleep. Obasan offers a complete line of mattresses and sleeping products that are made in Canada from natural, organic and ethically sourced materials and are free from harmful chemicals. Obasan believes that when you sleep well, you live well!
Let's face it, in our entire lives, we spend a lot of time sleeping! I like to know that when our family is sleeping that they are sleeping in a safe environment. That's why I like to choose environmentally friendly products when possible, especially for my baby. Turning to a Canadian company like Obasan that creates these type of products right here in Canada just makes sense! Obasan's products are not only made from certified organic materials but the process in which they manufacture their products is green as well. Review
Obasan has given me the amazing opportunity to review one of their baby mattresses: the Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress.When I was pregnant, I knew I was going to choose an environmentally friendly mattress for my baby.I was extremely excited to find out that Obasan wanted to send me one of their mattresses to use with my baby once we transitioned her from our room to her crib.
The Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress features:
- Spring construction, 252 bonnell coils
- 1200 G organic wool padding on both sides of the spring
- Removable cover, can be spot cleaned if needed
- Outside cover quilted with layers of organic wool and finished in organic cotton jersey
- Best selling crib mattress for years
- Works with all types of crib support
This mattress measures 28"x52" and fits standard sized cribs.
The Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress.
A close-up of the quilted pattern.
When I received this mattress and took it out of the box, I immediately realized that this isn't just your standard crib mattress that you can pick up your local big box store; this crib mattress says quality at first glance, and second glance, and...(you get the picture). Upon looking it over for the first time, I really liked the style of it. The quilted stitch pattern is beautiful. The fabric used to make this mattress is so very soft. Overall, it is very appealing to the eye and the touch.
The removable cover - convenient for spot cleaning!
I also took some time to examine the removable cover, which is made to be easy accessible for spot cleaning. I've included some pictures in this review to show you what it looks like. Considering that this is a crib mattress and babies often make messes (diaper blow-out anyone?), this is a very convenient feature. I don't think there are many crib mattresses on the market that have this feature.
I love that this mattress is soft to the touch but still firm enough to provide my baby with a safe place to sleep. This mattress is also sized perfectly for standard sized cribs. When I first received the mattress and tried to put it in our crib, I thought it was too small and it took a bit of trying (and my husband) to get it fit snug into place. Unfortunately, I guess I was a little too impatient because I tried to push it into place and caught it on the crib support, ripping a small spot on the side of the mattress. Luckily it doesn't affect the functionality. I'm telling you this to let you know that this mattress is NOT too small. It is a perfect fit (no risk for sliding or gaps), which makes it very safe for your baby.
Besides this crib mattress being pleasing to the eye, touch, and safe for my baby, I love that it is made locally (in Canada) and from organic materials. Since this mattress is something that my daughter sleeps on daily, I'm very happy that I don't have to worry about harmful chemicals that some mattresses are made from (luckily not this one).
A picture showing the contents of the Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress.
We look forward to using this mattress for my daughter as she grows from an infant into a toddler and thus into a toddler bed. The mattress appears very well made and I'm sure it will hold up to the test of time. After having the chance to review the Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring mattress, I would have no problem recommending Obasan products, especially their crib mattresses, to friends, family, and my readers. Obasan clearly takes pride in making high quality products and truly believes in the best quality sleep for every member of your family!
My happy baby girl waving hello in her comfy crib. Thanks to Obasan!
You can shop for Obasan products online or at one of their 4 stores across Canada: Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver.
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. (Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form)
The earliest date that this giveaway will end is on July 6, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST. If 500 entries are not received by this time, the giveaway will be extended until 500 entries are received. This giveaway has been extended until July 13, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and US only.
Good Luck!
**Disclaimer**
Obsan sent me a Terra Nova Crib Innerspring Crib Mattress to help
facilitate my firsthand review of their product. Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information
which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.
I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.
Do you wear your baby? Before becoming pregnant, babywearing always appealed to me. There seems to be an intinct in mothers (and fathers) to hold their babies close...and for babies, to stay near to their parents. When you think of babies' time in the womb...hearing the mother's heartbeat and feeling so warm and snug, babywearing just makes sense!
Besides instinct, there are many known benefits to baby wearing such as (just to name a few):
- Most babies are calmer and cry less when in a baby carrier
- Babywearing can help a baby's attachment to their parent, allowing them to become more secure and even independent earlier
- Babywearers are able to remain hands-free while strengthening a close bond with their baby
- Moms who wear their babies have been shown to be less likely to develop postpartum depression
Canadian-made Organic Double Pouch Baby Wrap Blue Celery is helping parents everywhere wear their babies! Blue Celery carriers are made with moms & dads in mind who want a carrier without having to worry about complicated tying, snaps, clips, or rings. Blue Celery wraps are made simply while allowing you to wear your baby in a variety of positions. This carrier system offers a variety of sizes to ensure the right fit for your body type. This carrier cannot be adjusted to different sizes; Blue Celery states that if a mom and dad are only one size apart, they should be able to comfortably use this carrier interchangeably.
Blue Celery carriers come with three main pieces - 2 pull on loops (pouches) and a one-size waist sash to provide extra support to your baby as he/she grows. The carrier is made from soft stretchy organic cotton that is made in Canada. All the pieces of the Blue Celery wrap system come packaged in a convenient unbleached cotton reusable lunch bag along with a step by step instruction booklet.
The Blue Celery carrier utilizes the same crisscross pattern on the back as many other wraps and soft carriers that are currently on the market. The design of this carrier is made to be ergonomic - ensuring support on both shoulders in all carrier positions and holds. The Blue Celery carrier is suitable for use with newborns to children that are 35 pounds. Blue Celery wraps have been tested in the United Kingdom for safety.
The Blue Celery carrier is sold in three gender-neutral colours: EARTH, FOLIAGE, and NIGHT, and sells for $110 (Shipping is free when you order from the Blue Celery website).
Blue Celery carriers are available in many stores across Canada, as well
as online on the Blue Celery website. For a complete listing, please
view Blue Celery's 'Where to Buy' page.
Upon first look at the Blue Celery carrier, I really liked several
aspects of it...most of all that it was organic, that it used a simple three
part system and that it allowed for a variety of positions that could be
used from newborn up to 35 pounds. I also liked that it came in a unbleached cotton lunch bag (I think it is perfect for bringing with you when you are out and about). I really appreciate the fact that it is not only made in Canada but that the materials for the wrap come from Canada as well.
After speaking with the owner of this company, I really like who they
are because what they believe in. Katrina, owner of Blue Celery,
explained to me the importance of babywearing and the 'right' carrier
for mother/father and baby in a previous email, "I support baby wearing
first and then my company. To this end if I
do not think that my sling is the best match for you (the customer)
then I will tell
the person that and even maybe suggest a different type of wrap or
carrier. I try my best to help people with their returns. I have even
some cases where the store would not take the return because it was
bought 6 months before as gift to the new mom and she was given 2 as
gifts. I did the return for her. It maybe a loss to me but I rather
the happy mom." This is the kind of company that I like to see - not
only one that stands behind their product but stands behind what their
product is all about! You can learn more about Blue Celery on their About Us page.
Me & my daughter enjoying the weather with the Blue Celery Wrap.
Blue Celery offered to send me one of their carriers to try out with my baby girl. I have had the opportunity to use it since she was a newborn, which has allowed me to try it out at a variety of ages and stages.
I first tried this baby carrier when by daughter was a few weeks old. At first, trying to learn how to use the carrier with her unfortunately resulted in many baby tears (I have heard this can be quite common). This was a new experience for her and this was my first time using a carrier as well. I tried to ensure that before trying to use the carrier that Lyla was well feed, well rested, and in a good mood to make the learning process a little bit less stressful; I had heard that these steps could help make the process easier.
Once I had the carrier all figured out (learning to get it set up was fairly easy), I decided to try the cradle hold first. When I tried this hold, I could never get it quite right. I found that Lyla hung down too low and her head was not supported, despite numerous attempts. So, I decided to take the carrier with me to my next midwife appointment to get her opinion and see if she could help me get it set up properly. When I put the carrier on and got Lyla into the cradle hold, she saw the same problems that I did - Lyla didn't seem to be supported properly. I didn't feel confident that I could hold her in that position without dropping her or hurting her neck. We felt that the carrier was improperly sized for me despite using the sizing directions chart provided on the Blue Celery website.
Front-side view.
Once Lyla got a bit older, we tried the carrier again. This time in the upright - facing out position. This time the carrier felt more comfortable and I felt more confident that Lyla was safe in it. I did find the Blue Celery a bit difficult to adjust to ensure she was in more of a seated position vs. a crotch dangle position.
Side view. If you look carefully, you can see where the waist sash is tied at the side.
Just recently, we tried the carrier again...this time in the upright - inward facing position, which has been a favourite position of mine in another carrier that I own. This most recent time, Lyla was about 8 months old and very active. When I tried it this time, the fit did feel a bit better than it did previously but I'm not sure if this was because I have gained some weight (unfortunately) postpartum, because it is a different position, or just because Lyla is bigger now. But, I found that in this position, the edges of the carrier started to roll down (from my neck off my shoulders and downwards off of Lyla's back). After a few minutes of this, I felt she was almost falling out of the carrier. I think her mobility at this stage also played a part in the rolling of the material. Once again, I was a bit frustrated with the process like I was in the beginning.
At this stage, I was also hoping for a carrier that would allow me to breastfeed my daughter on the go (for example, while shopping, at the zoo, etc.). Unfortunately, because this carrier cannot be adjusted and my daughter is too old for the cradle hold, I cannot breastfeed her comfortably in the Blue Celery carrier; I was hoping that I might be able to breastfeed her upright like I can in another carrier that I own.
After many attempts at using this sling, I have only found one hold that works relatively okay for my daughter and I. After many trials using this sling, I have determined that this sling is not right for our family. I think this is for a couple of reasons: the sizing method of this carrier concerned me despite the sizing chart stating that it should have been correct, and I did not feel confident or safe in using this carrier most of the time with my daughter. After speaking with the owner, she believes that the Blue Celery carrier was not sized correctly for me thus the issues I experienced; she mentioned that other individuals who have had the same issues that I did and it turned out that they were wearing a wrap that was the wrong size.
Although the Blue Celery carrier did not work out for my family, I do think that there are several aspects that may work for other people. Through my experience, I think that when purchasing a baby carrier, it is important to,
- determine what aspects are important to you in a carrier (e.g. fabric type, versatility, where is made, etc.)
- test the carrier out before buying if possible (look online to see if there is a local babywearing group that has a lending program, or a local store that offers something similar)
- research the carrier online and ask friends about their experiences to give you a better idea of the carrier that you are planning to invest in. I think this is particularly important if you cannot try before you buy.
Front view. Unfortunately, no smiles for the camera. :(
*GIVEAWAY*
How many winners are there? One (1).
What can you win? One winner will receive two (2) Blue Celery Delish Lunch Bags (ARV $33).
"The blue celeryTM delish lunch bag is a fabulous new, re-useable, cotton canvas lunch bag perfect for lunches, snacks, kids stuff, your stuff!
- natural cotton canvas won't pick up odours like synthetic bags
- fits full-size lunch, snacks & water bottle
- kid-friendly velcro closure
- machine wash & dry with bag closed or hand wash then drip dry over night so its ready for the next day!
- made in Canada, and all inputs are sourced from North America"
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. (Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form)
This giveaway will end on Sunday, May 6th.
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada only.
Good Luck!
**Disclaimer** Blue Celery sent me a Blue Celery wrap to help facilitate my firsthand review of their product. Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information
which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.
I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.
"Camino is a Canadian brand of Fairtrade and Organic certified food products, owned by the Ottawa-based La Siembra Co-operative. La Siembra prides itself on building direct relationships with its 18 producer co-ops, supporting more than 35,000 family farmers in 10 countries across Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. Every purchase of a Camino food product contributes to building vibrant sustainable communities both abroad and in Canada." Camino products include everything from chocolate candy bars to baking products to beverages and more!
Review I had the opportunity to review three flavours of Camino chocolate candy bars: Dark chocolate and peanut butter, Dark chocolate with almonds & raisins, and Milk chocolate with puffed rice & quinoa. These 32g chocolate candy bars come in six varieties and are all natural, organic (certified by QAI), and fairtrade (certified by Fairtrade Canada). The dark chocolate candy bars are even certified Kosher by the Union Israelita Del Peru.The bars are made and packaged in Peru.
I had previously tried a couple of Camino's chocolate bars when I received them in my Christmas stocking. Previously, I had never been fond of dark chocolate, but Camino changed my tastes. I loved that the dark chocolate bars were organic and fairtrade, plus, they tasted great. So, as you can imagine, when I found out that Camino wanted to work together and have me review their chocolate candy bars (and *new* juices), I was excited.
As with the chocolate bars, I really enjoyed the chocolate used in the chocolate candy bars. The dark chocolate is rich but very enjoyable! The milk chocolate (I melt for milk chocolate) was delightful! Out of the three chocolate candy bars that Camino sent me to sample, my favourites were the Dark chocolate and peanut butter and the Milk chocolate with puffed rice and quinoa (so yummy). The next Camino product that I'm looking forward to trying is the Hazelnut butter milk chocolate bar; it sounds amazing!
I thoroughly enjoyed these Camino chocolate candy bars. Considering how yummy these organic, fairtrade chocolate bars are, I'd definitely say they are worth the suggested retail price of $1.59/bar. I'd highly suggest trying one of Camino's chocolate candy bars next time you are in your local specialty health food store; what a treat!
I also had the opportunity to review Camino's juices in 946ml and individual sized 200mL Tetrapaks in all the flavours that Camino offers: Mango, Tropical, Orange Mango, and Limeade. These juices are brand new and the first organic and fairtrade certified juices in Canada! The fruits contained in these juices come from Peru, Cuba, and Brazil. These juices don't contain fillers and are made from 100% fruit juice; except for the Limeade, which does have some golden cane sugar to make it a little less tart and a little more sweet.
When I tried these juices I was impressed by how 'real' they tasted! Many juices you buy in the store, especially tropical blends, taste fake. Because Camino's juices don't have extras, you can taste and enjoy the goodness of real fruit. Of the juices I tried, I really liked the Mango and Tropical. I was quite surprised that I chose the Mango as a favourite, since prior to trying this juice, I disliked Mango. This is another example of how Camino has converted me. It is clear that Camino uses the best quality ingredients when making their products. I also found it convenient that Camino offers their juices in individual sized Tetrapaks; these are perfect for sending to school in your child's lunch bag!
Camino's 946mL and individual sized (4x200mL) juices have a suggested retail price of $4.49.
Camino products are sold in health food stores and in some major grocery chains. To find a store near to you that sells Camino products, visit the store finder feature on the Camino website - just enter your postal code to get a list of nearby stores that sell Camino products.
To enter, visit the Camino web store. Then, come back here and tell me which specific product you are most interested in trying. Please list an individual product; in other words, please do not say a group of items such as 'their chocolate bars', 'their juices', etc., otherwise your entry will not count.This must be done to gain an entry in the giveaway.
Each
of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless
stated otherwise). If an entry option is worth more than one entry,
please leave a separate comment for each entry: - Become a Registered Camino Customer. Please state the email address you used to sign up in your comment. - Register for Camino's Newsletter.Please state the email address you used to sign up in your comment. - 'Like' Camino Amigos on Facebook. Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. - Follow Camino on Twitter (@caminolala). Please leave your twitter name in your comment. - Adding the Everything Up Close blog button to your blog or website.
- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky) and tweeting about the giveaway with a link to this page. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can tweet 1x a day.
- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly). - Following Everything Up Close on Pinterest. Please leave your user name in your comment. - 'Liking' Everything Up Close on Facebook. Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification.
- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment.
-
Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on
Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the
post. 2 ENTRIES! - Telling me about a topic you'd like to see covered on Simply Beautiful Beginnings. Suggestions must fall into the scope of Simply Beautiful Beginnings to be considered as an extra entry.
Important Entry Details:
The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per
person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do
not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous
comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and
this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using
more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be
disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future
giveaways.
This giveaway will end on Friday, April 27th at 11:59pm
(Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will
be picked randomly using random.org and the winner will be posted on the
Everything Up Close Winner's List. The winner will have 1 week to
send me an email with their complete mailing
address (the winner's information will be verified - please email using
the email address you used to enter). If you do not contact me within 1
week, a new winner will be
chosen.
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada only!
Good Luck!
**Disclaimer** Camino sent me free
products to help facilitate my firsthand review of their products. Receiving these items did not in anyway alter the information
which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.
I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.
Camino
occasionally has promotions, contests, and other news on the Camino website. Be sure to check back regularly (and subscribe to their
newsletter) for updates!
Thanks to Fisher-Price, I will be having the opportunity to make an expectant or new family's Christmas a little brighter thanks to the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing that they have offered to donate to the charity of my choice. The charity I chose is called Baby Blessings and is local to the rural area that I live in. Baby Blessings is a religious based group that provides baby items (new or used) to local families who show a need. I am so happy that I'll be able to share the experience I've had with the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'N' Swing with another local family. The main reason I chose this item is because I think it is a must-have item for new parents. It has been such a great option for us and one that both my daughter, my husband, and I have thoroughly enjoyed. 
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