Make your own baby food with Annabel Karmel products!

I have always wanted to be more frugal with my options, especially when it comes to baby food. Buying pre-made baby food items can get so expensive, and sometimes, there is added ingredients that you may not want your baby or toddler to have. I love the new food product line that Infantino carries: the Annabel Karmel products!
I really like the Mash & Serve bowl, because it is a great product to mash that fresh fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, bananas and more! This bowl works great for babies 6 months and older. I like how convenient this product is, because I can mash up the fruits/vegetables, and then serve it to my baby right in the bowl. The bowl has a little handle for easy use. I love that the Annabel Karmel products are BPA free, which gives me reassurance that my baby is fed safely.

The Fill & Freeze Puree Pops are so much fun! With these freezer pops, kids will get the fruits they need, in a fun way! Each of these Freeze Pops can be divided and separated, or you can snap them all together to freeze all four at once. Each pop has a different color handle. The Fill & Freeze Puree Pops has a great recipe on the box for Annabel's tropical mango fruit pops. It sounds delicious!
The Stackable Food pots are 6 individual portion-sized containers that you can put the perfect amount of food in for your baby/toddler. There are two- 1.7 oz. sizes, two- 2.5 oz sizes, and two- 3.4 oz size pots. I really like that these containers are designed to go into the freezer. This makes it great to make a bigger portion of a food item, and then freeze portions for future use. I am so excited to make my own baby food with this baby, and these Stackable food pots will be so handy when I am preparing the baby's food. I like that the food pots have lids, so I will be able to bring my baby's food with me on the go.
I love the Annabel Karmel Freeze trays, too, because I will be able to puree foods like fruits and vegetables, freeze them, and they are ready for when I need them. I also like this product, because I can freeze foods, and bring them with on a trip. When the foods thaw out, they are ready to eat. It is known that frozen food can last longer, too, and I am thankful that with the use of the Annabel Karmel Freeze Trays, I can store my baby's food longer.

The Fresh Food Mill is a great tool for every mom! I love how you can put most any food into the food mill, grind it up, and feed your baby! Some of the skins on vegetables like peas and potatoes gets ground up easily with the Food Mill. On the side of the box you will find a recipe for Annabel's lovely lentils.
I think the Food Mill does the best job at making food a puree. I really like that the Annabel Karmel products work so great together, because you can use the Fresh Food Mill to puree your baby's food, then store the food in the Stackable Food pots and/or the Freeze Tray! I also love that the Annabel Karmel line is dishwasher safe, too! That is a big plus for me!

As your baby gets older, the Annabel Karmel Steam Release Micro Dish is great for bringing fresh vegetables for steaming. The Steam Release Micro Dish is BPA free, and microwavable. I love that I can steam fresh vegetables for my baby and serve them right in the same safe dish. The Micro Dish stores a perfect serving, too!

Annabel Karmel products are a great set of products to make all your own baby foods, and store them safely. I am so excited to have this line of products for our next baby on the way, and I wish that I would have had these products with my other babies. I highly recommend these products to you, and also recommend these for those baby registry lists! The Annabel Karmel products help a parent in the kitchen, making food quicker and healthier for their babies (in my opinion). I think that with the help of the Food Mill and the Mash and Serve bowl, little ones can eat foods that will be easier for them to eat.

Annabel's Biography
Annabel Karmel is a mother of three, and is the UK's best-selling author of seventeen books on baby and children's food and nutrition. She is an expert in devising tasty and nutritious meals for children without the need for parents to spend hours in the kitchen.

I love that Infantino carries this line, and I think that many parents will appreciate the time saved by using the Annabel Karmel products. Infantino carries great products! To check out the Annabel Karmel feeding line that Infantino carries, just check out their website at INFANTINO.COM.

I am a participant in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.

Infantino's Twist & Fold Gym

It can be hard finding an activity gym for your little one that is convenient, easy to assemble, easy to travel with, and affordable! I received an Infantino Twist and Fold Gym to review being an Infantio Test Drive Mom, and I think this is a great baby gym! I wish I would have had this play gym for my oldest when I first became a new mom. This is one of the easiest play mats for setting up, and folding it to put away/travel with. When setting up the Infantino Twist & Fold, you lay the mat on the floor, push down on the top down, twist and lock into place. When putting the Twist & Fold away, just unlock the top and twist, the mat will be easy to fold together for storage.
The colors are vibrant, there are rattles, musical animals, and an attachable mirror for baby to view in. There are four animals that hang from the arches. One animal plays music, one is a rattle, and two of them have a few attachments (like rings). I like that the Infantino's Twist and Fold gym offers two locations for you to attach the toys. You can place the toys lower (near the base) for the baby who is younger, and not reaching for toys quite yet, or you can place the toys higher up the arch if they are reaching for or hitting toys.

I think the movable pillow is great! I like that the pillow isn't positioned to just one spot on the mat. Parents, or babies can place the pillow wherever on the mat that they want to. Plus, there isn't any Velcro or attachments to the pillow, which can lesson the comfort while baby lays on it.

The top part, the arches, detaches from the mat, which makes it very convenient to machine wash this baby product. That is a huge bonus for parents, because babies can be a bit messy.I think the Infantino's Twist & Fold Gym is a great product and babies have much to look at, engage with and play with. This product encourages baby's reaching, kicking and stimulates the senses. I think parents will agree that the price is affordable and this product is great for home and travel. SRP $39.99

Infantino, headquartered in San Diego, Calif. is a leading designer and international distributor of innovative and original infant, toddler, and preschool products. Featuring fashion-forward designs, the popular product lines include classic creative baby toys and puzzles, innovative soft baby carriers, and simple, no-fuss baby travel systems.

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products to as part of my participation.

jenerations Baby (hair and body care products)

My kids all have sensitive skin, and so I have to be careful what types of lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc. that I chose to use with them. I was excited to review a natural and organic line from Mom-Invented jenerations baby. I received the Seriously Sensitive Shampoo/Bodywash and the Hair gel for review.

Lately I have opted to give Cole his baths in our sink. This saves water, and it is easier on our back. I am not so sure it saves too much water, though, because he is loving to splash! Anyway, I tried out the Shampoo/body wash from jenerations baby, and we loved it! The smell is wonderful, and it is so gentle on his little skin. I love that jenerations baby is safe for my children's precious skin~no sulfates, parabens or tea tree oil and lavender. I recently found out that lavender can disrupt a child's hormone levels. Did you know that?
jenerations baby is a line of organic body and hair care products for babies and children founded by mompreneur Jennifer Reilly. Jennifer is a salon owner, and wanted to develop products to perform to salon standards, all the while being safe for children's skin~especially her own two children. The jenerations baby line is completely hypoallergenic (which totally excites me), physician-tested and includes two versions of children’s shampoo/body wash, detangling conditioner, moisturizing lotion, and even hair gel, all made with only the safest natural and organic ingredients.
Cole is really excited about the jenerations baby shampoo/wash, and our family gives the products two thumbs up! jenerations Baby Shampoo/Body wash is retailed at $13/8.5 oz. bottle. Nathaniel, my 11 year old, used the hair gel in his hair. It looked and worked great! NO offensive smell, no super crunchy hair, and it looked great in his hair. Another great product and made naturally and organically.

Products are available at http://www.jenerationsbaby.com/ , buy buy Baby, http://www.babiesrus.com/ and many other stores throughout the U.S.

Enter to win!
The company has offered to sponsor a giveaway for my readers! One winner will receive a duo set of shampoo/conditioner. This giveaway is open to residents of the USA (bloggers/non-bloggers), and will end on November 25th, 2009. TO ENTER: go to the website and find out something you find interesting about the company/products. For an additional entry, you can "become a friend of jenerations baby on facebook". You can come back once each day throughout the contest and enter again by just leaving a friendly comment relevant to the contest, but you MUST do the first entry.
**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was sponsored by jenerations Baby. They have supplied me with free product to keep for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Colorful crayons for the baby...

Baby Bunch has come out with a box of crayons for babies...Crayon Rompers, actually! I love that Baby Bunch is so creative with their products. Baby Bunch products are
appealing to the eyes, much needed by baby, and fun gifts to the new mom's. Baby Bunch recently introduced the Crayon Rompers. This set is 3 colorful onesies in a box, made to resemble crayons. The onesies are in the 0-6 month size and come in the colors red, green and orange. This colorful gift box is $24.95 and is ready to gift wrap.
I think this would make a great gift for an older sibling to give to their new baby brother/sister. In return, the baby can give a gift to their older sibling, a box of real crayons. I think the Crayon Rompers by Baby Bunch is creative, and fun! I give this product a thumbs up, and recommend this for a gift to a new mom, baby, or a fun holiday gift! Check out Baby Bunch for other great gift ideas for Babies and Moms!

This review was provided from Baby Bunch, which provided me with the free product to review and information to share with my readers. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Art For Baby (book review & 3 giveaways)

I had the opportunity to review a new book called Art for Baby, which is a board book compiled of twelve black and white images. These images were created by leading modern artists: Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Julian Opie and 8 others. The images in this artistic book are large, simple, and my baby Cole loves it. Cole loves touching the pages, and his eyes light up with the visuals.

There are pictures of shapes, designs, faces, animals, fruits, vegetables and scenery. This book is designed to "help babies recognize and connect with the world around them."

From the book:
Research by leading child development experts suggests that focusing on high-contrast images is the first step to picture recognition in newborn babies. This skill is essential to the development of your baby's understanding of images and words. As they delight in looking at the pictures and concentrating on the vivid shapes, even the most restless children can be engrossed and calmed by the black-and-white images.

Included in this contemporary art book for babies is a set of two friezes. Each frieze consists of pictures used in the book. On the back of the frieze is a blurb about the artist. I like that the information explains a little about the meaning behind the artwork. I thought these were fun to read, and fun to talk to my kids about.
This book came out in September ~ Published by Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick Press. SRP $19.99.

You can enter to win a copy of this book for your baby! I have three copies of this book to giveaway to my readers!
This giveaway is open to residents of the USA (bloggers/non-bloggers), and will end on November 12th, 2009. TO ENTER: Leave a comment about a fun activity you and your baby enjoys...and if you aren't a parent of a young child...leave a comment about something you used to enjoy.
You can come back once each day throughout the contest and enter again by just leaving a friendly comment relevant to the contest, but you MUST do the first entry. **For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was sponsored by Candlewick Press. They have supplied me with a free book to keep for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review. They have offered to sponsor a giveaway for a prize for my readers.

Snazzy Baby it's time to eat! (review and giveaway)

Doesn't it frustrate you when you go to a restaurant and they are out of high chairs, or the high chairs they have available are not really "functional"? You know, the straps are broken, the clip is all bend out of whack, the wood is chipping, or you just can't fathom putting your precious child in there? Well, I am happy to introduce to you a great product for your baby/toddler. This is a product from Snazzy Baby.
Here is the Snazzy Baby:

Isn't my baby Cole adorable? He is in his new Travel Chair. This is a great new product for your baby's feeding times, or times to be at the table with you. I love that this is a to-go, all in one, small kit that you can fit in your diaper bag. You will always be ready if you keep this handy Travel Chair in your bag.
The Snazzy Baby's My Baby's Own Deluxe Travel chair is designed very well. There is one (adjustable) strap that fits across the back of the travel chair, that goes around the chair your baby will sit on. Also, there are two adjustable shoulder straps, and an adjustable strap on each side of baby's side. The bottom of the travel chair, where your baby's bum is, there is a rubber pad to help prevent slipping. That is ingenious! I love that the straps are adjustable, and I can use this travel chair for other seats, too, like a shopping cart. I know I would feel more secure if Cole is a bit more snug fitting in the cart, wearing the travel chair around him!
Thanks to Snazzy Baby, I have a traveling chair that I can put Cole in, so he can be at the table with us! I highly recommend this as a product to have for moms with children (sitting infants-holding up to 37 pounds). Click this link to see a product demonstration.
My Baby’s Own Travel Chair has a SRP of $34.99.

Here is a little bit about the founders of Snazzy Baby:
The company began with a mom-invented set of knee pads. Snazzy Baby was created by Australian mom Cyndy Mundy who needed to protect her tot’s tender knees after another day of crawling on the carpet. The award-winning company has impressed online and brick and mortar retailers with snug, soft, 4 layer cushioned oval knee pads made of neoprene and secured with velcro straps and ensuring a comfortable fit. iParenting Media Awards have praised each one of their products as they’ve come to market.
For more information on all of Snazzy Baby’s safety products, visit their new U.S. website at http://www.snazzybaby.us/.

You can enter to win a Snazzy Baby product! Thanks to the generous sponsor from Snazzy baby, my readers can enter to win either the Snazzy baby Knee pads or the Deluxe Travel Chair! This giveaway is open to residents of the USA (bloggers/non-bloggers), and will end on November 6th, 2009. To enter, just leave a comment about a time where the Travel Chair would have come in handy, or how your child could use the knee pads. Please let me know which one you would like to win. You can come back once each day throughout the contest and enter again by just leaving a friendly comment relevant to the contest.**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**
This review was sponsored by Snazzy Baby. They have supplied me with a free product to keep for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review. They have offered to sponsor a giveaway for a prize for my readers.

Baby Bunch has "hatched" a nest with eggs~

Baby Bunch has such creative and fun gift sets to offer for special occasions. I have been thrilled about all of their products and I get so excited to let others know about them!
They recently just came out with their baby nest eggs! I love this set and I am excited to share it with you! You will find 3 little "eggs" sitting in a nest. You can choose either 3 pink eggs or 3 blue eggs. These "eggs" are actually 3 pair of organic cotton baby socks (0-6) month size.

Sitting on top of the "eggs" is the mother bird, which is a spice-scented sachet for your dresser drawer. I love the creativity of baby bunch, and I can highly recommend checking out their site for all the products they offer. I am sure you will find a great gift idea for a new mom for her baby, welcome baby gift, or gifts for moms or friends(like the garden set, spa set, or the kitchen set).
The nest (eggs and bird) are wrapped in plastic wrap, tied with a ribbon, and has a birdie gift tag for personalizing your gift. Retail price is $19.95.

I think this set came out at the perfect time! Spring is in the air, and so are the nest eggs!

Happy Heinys (review)

I think that cloth diapering is such an economical and safe way to diaper your baby. Parents can save so much money if they cloth diaper, especially if they have more than one child. I was asked to review Happy Heinys, which is a USA made company ran and operated by Linda Byerline. She started the business with her daughter, Sarah, wearing the Happy Heinys. She wanted to start a business that she could run from home, reaping the benefits of a stay at home mom.
The quality of the diapers is super! Happy Heinys are specially hand sown by dedicated seamstesses. I like knowing that the diapers I received were made by someone and not a machine. I got an orange and blue One Size Pocket diapers. With each diaper, is 2 micro fiber inserts: One small and one large insert. You may use either 1 insert or both or more as needed depending on how heavy your little one wets. I think this is a great concept, because all children vary in their bladder size. There is plenty of room to add the inserts, and the flap closes well over the inserts. Happy Heinys also carries hemp stuffins, which also fit well into the one size diapers. One Size diapers are available in 22 different colors and several different prints. The fabrics have been tested to last up to 12 hours at night for most babies.

Happy Heinys uses only custom milled fleece for their diapers.

From Site:

There are no leg casings, which make better fitting diapers and contain messes better without leaving red marks on your baby's legs. They are designed so the only thing that touches your child's delicate skin is the soft fleece.
Happy Heinys are available in a variety of solid colors and fun prints. Happy Heinys solids and prints have been tested for 12 hours or more at night with absolutely no wicking for most babies. The solids have a 100% poly laminated outer layer and will work better overnight. The prints are now custom made for us with the same fabric as our solids diapers in order to reduce leaking and wicking.

Happy Heinys pocket diapers come in several different styles. Pocket diapers with Aplix brand velcro tabs or you can also have optional snaps added to the tabs for "extra security". Once your baby gets a little older, they may try to pull the velcro tabs open so we've added the optional snaps to combat the issue.
Our pocket diapers also come in a one size fits all style. You can choose from the Aplix tabbed One Size Diaper or the Snap tabbed One Size Diaper. The snaps version is our newest release and quickly becoming a favorite.

Happy Heinys One Size Pocket Diaper has won the iParenting Media Award! Award-Winning One Size Reusable Diaper! Happy Heinys have also been featured on TLC and Time.

I think that the Happy Heinys are a great cloth diaper for your baby, and I am so happy that these diapers are made in the USA by moms who care about our babies!

Leslie Patricelli's books~

Our kids love books, and reading is such a great activity to do with them! I love the books that Leslie Patricelli writes, because her books are colorful, few words, and comical. We just got two of her most recent books to review through Team Mom and Candlewick Press, and we love them! My kids were happily entertained with "Higher! Higher!" This story is about a little girl who is enjoying her swing. She keeps going higher and higher. The pictures show her going higher up into the sky and the world below keeps getting smaller and smaller. The words are very limited...higher, hi, high five, bye and again. The words are big, and since there isn't too many words, I think it is easy for kids to "read" this story to you. My kids giggled when she met someone on her journey higher! Higher! Higher! is sold in stores or online for $15.99.
"Baby Happy Baby Sad" is a book about emotions. I enjoy Leslie's pictures to show what each emotion looks like. The words are simple, Baby Happy, Baby Sad...plus a few words that the baby exclaims. My kids think the pictures of the baby are funny! Baby Happy Baby Sad is sold in stores or online for $6.99.
Leslie Patricelli, author and illustrator, has received glowing reviews from magazines such as Scholastic Parent and Child and School Library Journal.
I highly recommend Leslie Patricelli's books for your children! They are fun, engaging, and word encouraging.

Precious Planet from Fisher Price~

Fisher Price always amazes me with the quality products that they come out with! I am so happy that Fisher Price is a name I can feel confident in! Fisher-Price recently came out with a new line~ Precious Planet, and it is so adorable!
The Precious Planet displays such a cute design~ lions, monkeys, giraffes and more...precious animals of the planet! The colors are bright and vibrant, and kids are excited to see the characters! The new Precious Planet Collection collection includes a wide selection of baby gear that parents need and use including a play gym, cradle swing, high chair, baby bouncer, potty, mobile, tub, bedding and more. The Precious Planet Collection retails for $12.99 - $129.99 and is appropriate for newborns and up. One of the Precious Planet products that I have is the Jumperoo! It is such a fun seat to promote activity for babies (and up) to do! It is a great workout, to jump around and work those legs! What great entertainment for them, and they can see everything from sitting in the Jumperoo! I had the Johnny Jump Up with my oldest son, and I always ran into the downfall of not having a door frame to hook it up to. It was a challenge to get the Jump up to hook onto the frame sometimes, too. It made me a bit nervous having my baby hanging from a door frame, because I worried that he would fall.
Fisher-Price's Precious Planet Jumperoo is made with quality, and there is no need to hang it from a door frame. One great feature of the Jumperoo is that the seat rotates. This is great because your little one can look all around, and it promotes more leg movement to get them in the direction they want to see. The Jumperoo requires 3 AA batteries to enjoy the lights, music and animal sounds, but as you can see in the pictures, my kids enjoy it without batteries, too!
The Jumperoo can hold up to 25 pounds, so my daughter (age 2) is thrilled to be able to use it, too. I think there is apart of her that wants to stay the baby. Good thing she is little yet!
There are a lot of toys attached to the Fisher Price Jumperoo so baby can work on the hand-eye coordination. Plus, baby can feel the benefit of making things work with their movements and actions. I just love that Fisher-Price has made a great product for our little ones to jump safely (without a doorway) and it is entertaining. I was impressed with how the Jumperoo comes apart so easy to store it. This is a big plus with us trying to get our home more organized lately. I highly recommend the Fisher-Price Jumperoo for your little one. Suggested retail price is $90.00, and you can find them in local retail stores or online.
Maggie Gyllenhaal , actress, has teamed up with Fisher-Price Inc. to unveil the company’s new Precious Planet Collection of baby gear and newborn toys and to announce the company’s $250,000 donation benefiting the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) this January. “We are very pleased to unveil our new Precious Planet collection and present our donation to the Wildlife Conservation Society,” says Brenda Andolina, Director, Public Relations and Brand Marketing, Fisher-Price. “One of our most popular and enduring toy design themes revolves around the lovable and curious world of animals. We’re very appreciative to organizations like the WCS that are passionate about preserving the animals and habitats we love to bring to life in our toys.”

Parenting by Nature: Review and Giveaway!

I enjoy checking out new products for our kids! It seems that there is always something new and great! I was recently introduced to an excellent online store called Parenting by Nature.

Parenting By Nature offers so many great products including baby carriers, feeding gear and dishes, wooden toys/teethers, babylegs, keepsakes and diapering/ training necessities....plus more! I love the selection that this Mom owned online store offers! Not only do they carry super great products for our kids, but their products are safe! All of their products are environmentally safe, chemical free, and made especially for our children. Their products, in my opinion, promote healthy happy babies/kids, and healthy happy parents. After being a parent for over 10 years, I have become more aware of how products affect our children. I want the best for my kids, and I am more cautious as to what they use/wear. Parenting By Nature is located in Canada, and has been selling cloth diapers, baby slings and baby products since 2004. Having more than 15 years of retail management and customer service experience, the owners behind Parenting By Nature strives to provide quality products and excellent customer service. I got the Blue Celery Baby Sling/Wrap Hybrid, and I can say that the customer service was fantastic. Myorder was shipped promptly. I got two confirmation e-mails to say that they received the order, and then when it was shipped. Not only is the sling easy to use, I love babywearing and I am thrilled that Parenting By Nature supports and promotes babywearing! The Blue Celery is an organic, 3 piece sling. It is 2 loops and a sash...easy to use, and can be worn in 5 positions. Plus, it is extremely comfortable!

Parenting By Nature holds a 5-Star Rating and Customer Choice Award at The Diaper Pin, and 5 star reviews at The Babywearer. The family owned and operated online store carries a large In-Stock Selection - Convenient & Time-Saving! All in-stock orders ship within 2 business days. If you see something they don't carry, you can suggest them adding it, they love customer relations. Most of Parenting By Nature's products are Mom or Dad invented and/or created and are not found in mainstream stores. They support other small business owners and WAHM’s (work-at-home-moms) as much as possible. I am so happy that I was introduced to them!

Parenting By Nature has offered to sponsor a giveaway for my readers! You have the opportunity to win a Blue Celery Baby Sling/Wrap Hybrid! Here is what you need to do:

To get your first entry, go to Parenting By Nature and look around. Pick out the color of Blue Celery Sling you would like to win, and comment about it. Then, you may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just tweet about this giveaway and leave the url in your comment AND/OR Click here to see how you can earn even more extra credits to win!! Click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on April 1ST, 2009 at 11:59 PM CST. GOOD LUCK! Contest limited only to the US and Canada.

Here is a special code to receive a discount to use toward your first purchase: 100+ Free ship in Canada - use sassyfrazz

Diaper Cakes (and Wreaths) by Becca~

I really enjoy coming across creative, inventive, and fun gifts to give people! I received a Diaper Wreath from Diaper Cakes by Becca. What a fun and useful gift to shower a new mom upon the birth of her baby! The Diaper Wreath is a great decoration for the baby shower, and even comes with a door hanger! The Diaper Wreath that I got is a "Duck" wreath. It has a great assortment of products tucked in and around it for a new baby. Here is what my wreath has: 2 adorable rubber ducks (miniatures), blocks~ spelling out DUCKY, Johnson & Johnson lotion, baby powder, Shampoo and Body wash (travel size), 2 feeding spoons, 2 wash cloths, Desitin cream packet (travel), and a bib. Holding all the items in place are 10 (size 1) diapers, and 12 fun colorful links wrapped up in polka dot ribbon. What a fun display! All the items can be used with your baby, except the diapers, due to sanitary reasons. I think any mom would love to be blessed with a Diaper Wreath by Becca! Diaper Cakes by Becca specializes in Diaper Cakes...and even Environmentally Friendly Diaper cakes!
Diaper Cakes by Becca started in 2006. Becca wanted to make an extra special gift for her new nephew, so she designed a personalized diaper cake for him. With the success of her cake making, she started Diaper Cakes by Becca, and have made over 600 customers happy! She makes all cakes personalized to fit what the customer is specifically looking for.
Are you looking to find the perfect, personalized, and creative gift to give a new mom? Maybe you would like to find a diaper cake for a first birthday? During the month of March, Becca has a great promotion going on! She has a special discount on any 3 Tier cake that is ordered! Plus, all her wreath's are on sale this month! Each one is marked down individually! Every month Becca has "the featured cake," which is a special promotion. Once in awhile she has a discount on store cakes when she finds a great deal that makes the cost lower. She keeps prices low so that EVERYONE can get a great diaper cake.
Go check out Diaper Cakes by Becca to personalize your gift today! See here for her prices and contact information!

"Green" Baby Bunch~ in time for spring?

Are you looking for a great baby shower gift? Would you like to "shower" the new mom with a gift of spring? Baby Bunch makes such adorable gifts for new moms! I love the Organic Baby Bucket Bunch! It is an assortment of baby necessities wrapped in a colorful floral arrangement! You will find an organic hat, onesie, bib, socks, and a t-shirt for your little baby tucked inside the flowers of your bouquet. The Organic Baby Bucket is such a great centerpiece for that new mom for her shower! It is such a fun display, she may not even want to use her gift! I love that the buckets can be used again, too. The Organic Baby Buckets come in a variety of colors: Apricot, Cornflower, and Blush. The sizes are for babies 0-6 months, and 6-12 months. I just got the Cornflower Organic Bucket, and I love the arrangement of the 100% organic un-dyed and unbleached cotton! It is so soft, and I know the material is safe on Cole's skin! The 0-6 month clothing is perfect for up to 16 lbs. The bouquet of baby clothes are surrounded by cornflower and celery rosebuds and leaves crafted of wood and recycled paper. You can recycle them again to create a lasting keepsake bouquet. The Organic Bucket Bunches retail for $69.95, and I think that is a great value for your cost!

I was impressed at how well this fun bouquet traveled in the mail! The Organic Bucket Bunch was wrapped in cellophane, and was tied with a ribbon. Check out Baby Bunch for a creative and fun gift for a new mom you know! You can even see Martha Stewart learn how to assemble the bunches when visiting the Baby Bunch!

Sending out some thanks~

I won a few prizes from some great sites! I wanted to shout out a big THANK YOU to them for hosting the giveaway and for being the lucky winner!

First of all, thanks to MomCentral for having their Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway! It was 16 days of giveaways and I was a runner up to win a Sleep n' Grow DVD (0-10 months) from Itsy Bitsy Yoga! This will be great to use with my new baby (due in less than 2 weeks). Thanks so much MomCentral for all your work and hosting of the giveaway! Thanks for picking me, too!

Secondly, thanks to Lisa from Our Seven Qtpies for hosting the Polliwalks giveaway! My son, Caleb loves his new shoes, and is wearing them around the house! Since we live in the Arctic MN, he needs to wait until summer to wear these outside of the house. Thanks so much for bringing joy to the feet of Caleb! He is digging the frogs!

I would like to thank Kailani from An Island Review for hosting a Build-a-Bear for Wii giveaway, and for picking me as the winner! We love our Wii and it is fun to have a new game!

Thanks so much for your generosity everyone!! I am very grateful for the wins!

Nature's Baby Organics products: Review and Giveaway!

Our children's skin is so precious and tender, and I know that dealing with skin irritations and allergies, our family should use only the best products on our skin! I was very impressed with the Nature's Baby Organics products! I deal with Eczema to extremes, sometimes, and using the Face & Body moisturizer from Nature's Baby was so soothing to my skin! The ingredients in the moisturizer is made with 70-95% certified organic ingredients and it is paraben, SLS, Phthalate and Propylene Glycol free! Nature's Baby Organics moisturizer is certified from the company's own Aloe farm so they can be sure they have Aloe without pre-preserved Methylparabens and Phenoxythanol! I was very impressed at how it instantly felt like the moisture was back in my dry hands. I am confident that this moisturizer will be a great product to use on my kids through these cold, dry winter months.
Nature's Baby Shampoo & Body wash is a luxurious product! I love the smell of the Lavender and Chamomile! My kids liked the smells, too! The Shampoo gave a great shine to my kids hair. I am anxious to use this product on my new baby, because it will help prevent cradle cap (dry scalp) with the moisturizers. Nature's Baby Shampoo & Body wash is made with the highest quality botanicals, essential oils and luxurious moisturizers ( shea butter & kukui nut oil). Great product! I highly recommend it!
When our children get that terrible diaper rash, it can be so painful for them! I know that I have a hard time knowing if the diaper cream I am using is helping or creating more tears. Nature's Baby Organics offers a diaper cream that is made with Organic Sunflower, Cocoa Butter, & Castor Seed Oil for thevery sensitive skin! I am really excited about this, because I can rest assured that their diaper cream with sooth my baby's bottom! Nature's Baby Organics diaper cream is Preservative Free & Fragrance Free, too, which adds a sense of relief.
I recommend the great products that Nature's Baby Organics offers! You can see their great products here (click link).
Nature's Baby is a family owned and operated company. Adena Surabian is the developer of Nature's Baby Organic products, and she did it with the drive to find the best products for her daughter, who broke out in a rash from other products. Nature's Baby Organics is dedicated to bringing you and your family only the finest and purest products available. I can attest to their products being a superior product and safe to use on your children and entire family!

Adena has offered to sponsor a giveaway to my readers for your chance to win 3 of their amazing products! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. To get your first entry, you need to go to the Nature's Baby Organics website, and look at all the great products they offer. Pick out 3 of the products that interest you the most. You must Tweet this giveaway to get your first entry, and leave a comment about the Tweet! Also, in your comment let me know the 3 products you would like to win, if your name is the chosen winner. If you do not do the first required entry, you will be disqualified. You may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just leave a comment about what you like about the Nature's Baby Organics products. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on January 1, 2009 at 11:59PM CST. GOOD LUCK!

Personalized blanket~

Have you been looking for a gift that you can "leave a mark" on it with words? A gift that speaks from your heart, and that your message stays with the recipient? Fill in the Blankie is a great company that personalizes baby blankets with the names, words, verses, poems, important information, etc. on them. You get to pick out exactly what you want the blanket to say. Fill in the Blankie embroiderers the message on 4 sides of the blanket on Satin material. You get 200 characters to work with when you make your personalization, so you can say a lot! Fill in the Blankie offers 32 blanket styles/colors, 27 fonts & 12 thread colors, and prices range from $39- $109 for each blanket depending on what you would like to order. The prices are divided according to what size you want your blanket to be, what fabric you would like your baby to be wrapped with (Good/Soft, Better/Softer, Best/Softest). I got an adorable white Martha's Majesty blanket with the "What are little boys made of..." poem on it. I love it, and I can't wait to use it on our baby~ IF, our baby is a boy. Otherwise, I know this blanket will make a great gift to one very special baby. This blanket has pretty easy care instructions, too: Wash in cold water on gentle cycle.
Sonya Bebeblankee is the creative designer and founder of Fill in the Blankie. She was inspired from the Sweedish Miss Sonya who was born in 1901. From the site: Started in June 2004, we're a Dallas-based Baby Blankie company specializing in unique Embroidered Baby Blankies: all the while, trying get a few smiles in the process. While many personalization shops or national retailers offer personalization, it's usually 20 or so characters and takes a few weeks. Well, it's part of who we are not to settle for status quo. So, we offer up to 200 characters per blankie and 3-7 day turn-around.
Fill in the Blankie makes great personalized gifts for those special little babies in our lives!

The best bottle to use if you're breastfeeding!

Are you looking for a bottle that will be most comfortable and familiar for your baby while nursing? I know being an avid breast feeder that I wonder if my baby will be alright taking a bottle, or if they will do alright with the changes between nursing and bottle feeding.
TheAdiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Baby Bottle features the only nipple truly shaped like a mother's breast. Winning the Medical Design Excellence award, the Adiri Natural Nurser bottle"is winning over doctors, nurses and lactation consultants as advocates with its breast-like shape and feel that is said to encourage an easy transition between breast and bottle, and thus prevent infants from refusing the mother's breast after bottle-feeding." Built inside this super bottle is a Petal vent, which is to help reduce colic. I like how easy this bottle is to use! All I do is fill the bottle with my breast milk, and twist the lid on. It is all set. There isn't any small parts to lose or to remember to assemble. Plus, the Adiri Natural Nurser is dish washer safe! That makes my life easier, too! Adiri Natural Nursers can also be boiled or sterilized using a basic sterilizer. Adiri Natural nurser bottles are made of soft polycarbonate-free and bisphenol-A free materials, so they are safe for your baby. The bottles come in one size: 8-ounce capacity, and there are 3 stages of bottles. Each stage bottle has a certain flow rate. You can find these bottles at many retailers and they are priced at $12.49 each.
Adiri is committed to offer the very best for your baby, "a bottle that is made of the highest quality materials and a superior design, but that is still easy to use."
I am excited to use these new bottles with our baby coming! I can feel confident that they are safe for my baby to use, and that they will be the most natural bottle compared to breastfeeding!

Organic Cottontail...Pure and Natural

I love the Organic Welcome Baby Blocks from Organic Cottontail! These adorable blocks are made from artisans in fair trade workshops, and a portion of the proceeds gets reinvested into the villages that make those products. The manufacturers of Organic Cottontail ensure that the workers receive fair compensation and that they work in a safe environment.

Each box is made from wild grass (tree free) paper. When the blocks arrive in your home, they are stacked and tied with raffia, and each piece of clothing is inside each block. I think the blocks are super cute, and so creative! I know I can find several things to put in these and decorate my baby's room. The letters feel like felt, and there is a button in the front that you wind the twine around to close the lid. Inside the blocks you will find an adorable hat, a long sleeve onesie, and pants with little feet. The Organic material is so soft, and you can rest assured that it is certified organic cotton. The material is harvested without the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals, and the dyes used on the clothing are all natural vegetable dyes, too. These blocks come with various size options: 0-3 months, 3-6 months, and 6-12 months.

Along with the handmade blocks, and the Organic clothing, Organic Cottontail tops this great gift set with a seeded card in which you can plant and receive wild flowers. What an ingenious creation! I am very excited to try this out, but I would like to wait until spring because it is winter here, and the temperatures can get pretty cold. I like the idea of growing flowers from a gift for the baby (grown out of paper, too). Total, this gift is like 3 gifts in one: organic outfit, blocks and flowers.

Organic Cottontail has several other products available: Baby bath & body, Organic Baby Clothes, Natural Baby Toys, Shoes, Socks and Leggings, Gifts Ideas, For Mom, Nursery Furniture and Accessories, Receiving Blankets, Organic Bedding and Blankets, Baby Carriers and Slings. What a great selection of high quality products to pick from!

Susan Mussaffi, owner of Organic Cottontail, wants your baby to have the best possible start in life. Her company is dedicated to provide the highest quality products that our friendly to us and our environment. Thank you, Susan, for making such quality products and taking special care to design/create them!

"Lollipop" onesie from Baby Bunch

The Baby Bunch has such a great selection of products to give those special little babies in your life! They are so creative with their "designs" for their gifts. The most recent creation is the "Lollipop." Just in time for Christmas...and it would make a great stocking stuffer, or gift topper!

Each Lollipop Onesie is a 100% cotton red and white striped onesie cleverly rolled and wrapped in cellophane. The onesie is generously sized to fit infants 0-6 months or up to 16 lbs. and is wrapped in cellophane, tied with a ribbon and bears a gift tag.

The Lollipop Onesie retails for $9.95, and you can get free shipping if you add it to your existing order! The Baby Bunch offers amazing gift sets wrapped and designed to be pleasing to the eye! They put baby needs (onesies, hats, socks, bibs, etc.) in buckets, bunches (like a floral arrangement) and you can chose either cotton material or organic. Another "tasty" looking gift, is the Baby Bunch cupcakes!The Baby Bunch also has gift sets to give as a "Thanks!" in their Thanks a Bunch category. In the Thanks a Bunch, you will see more creative gift sets designed for kitchen, garden or spa. Check out Baby Bunch for those gifts to shower your babies in your life...and also Mom!

Cozy Cocoon: best for baby~

Swaddling a newborn can be a challenge, especially for new parents. Sometimes, when not swaddled "snug" enough, babies may not feel secure~ as they are in the womb. I was excited to learn more about the Cozy Cocoon's buntings! The cocoon buntings bring the term swaddling to a whole new level. All you have to do with the bunting is simply slide your baby inside and baby is completely tucked and held. What an easy way to bring comfort and swaddling to your newborn! Nothing to wrap or snap, no velcro and no fuss. I think this makes swaddling so much easier on the parents, plus baby feels secure in the soft and stretchy material. The bunting slips on easily, and the baby can move freely and still stretch within the cocoon bunting. You don't need to worry about the baby becoming unswaddled in the Cozy Cocoon bunting! The buntings don't have any skin-irritating synthetic fabrics either. The Cozy Cocoon carries cotton buntings and organic buntings. All of the Cocoon Buntings (Cotton, Velour, Sherpa, Organics) vary in price range between $20.00-$60.00
Cozy Cocoon also carries hats, blankets, toddler pants, finger puppets, books, cotton wraps and organic wraps.
The new Organic Pocket blanket (thermal) is so warm and snuggly for babies! A lot like the bunting, this thermal pocket blanket is made to just slip your baby in. Your baby can't get unraveled in this blanket! I love that the material is organic thermal cotton, so the baby is wrapped in safe material. The organic thermal cotton is very soft, too. Plus, there are no "choking hazards with this blanket wrap, either...no buttons, straps, strings or snaps.
The Organic Pocket blanket is one size: newborn to 4 months. Retail Price is $34.00.
**All products from Cozy Cocoon are all sewn and grown in the United States, which means it is a product you can feel confident in!