Rave and Review

Ottilie & Lulu Face Essentials Gift Sets {Review & Giveaway - 5 winners!}

My daughter is already really into makeup and hair care and loves to get ready right next to me and feel like a big girl.  Unfortunately, she has really sensitive skin that gets red and chapped if she uses harsh ingredients so I can’t share my face products with her.  This means I am always on the lookout for great skincare and hair care products that are safe for her to use on her delicate skin but still are fun for her and make her feel like a big girl. 

Thank goodness we found the PTPA Winning Ottilie and Lulu, the makers of skin and hair care products specially formulated for girls aged 7-14 that are in between the “kid stage” but not quite ready for adult products.  This is the perfect time to help them develop their own morning and nighttime routines, which will help them care for their skin as they move into their teen years.  Each of Ottilie & Lulu’s products are ideal for younger girls as they contain vitamins and anti-oxidants to clean, protect and soothe their delicate skin. 

When I was offered the opportunity to review products from Ottilie & Lulu, I knew this would be perfect for our morning ritual as my daughter get ready for school beside me.  Once the samples arrived, I was really excited that they look like real skincare products like I might use, but they are designed with young girls in mind and have real girls right on the packaging.  I love that she gets so excited to use them and that she feels like such a big girl having her own special skincare set. 

Although feeling like a “big girl” and developing her own beauty routine are wonderful, I love that the Ottilie & Lulu set was the perfect chance to teach my daughter about skincare that can help save her life.  I’ve heard the statistic numerous times now that says that 80% of the damage done to skin happens before the age of 17, and that just scares me immensely.  While I am diligent with sunscreen and sun protection, I love that the Ottilie & Lulu set opened the door to talking about the ways that she can protect herself if I’m not around. 

The Ottilie & Lulu Essentials Gift Set we reviewed includes the Everyday Facial Moisturizer & Sunscreen SPF 20 (2,5 fl oz/75 ml), Clean Skin Face Wipes (30 Wipes), and Moisturizing Lip Balm Ball SPF 20 in a white polka dot organza bag.  Although we love the entire Ottilie & Lulu Essentials Gift Set, our favorite product is the Clean Skin Face Wipes that are made with 100% cotton and are incredibly soft.  Since I use makeup remover wipes, this has been something my daughter had been requesting for a while now and I had thought it would be nearly impossible to find for young girls that wouldn’t dry out and irritate.

If you have a young daughter between 7-14 years of age {approximately}, I would highly recommend picking up some Ottilie & Lulu products to help make the morning and evening face and skincare routine fun.  Your daughter will love that they are just like your beauty routine and you will love that they don’t contain all those harsh ingredients that can harm her skin.  And, you can both feel good knowing you are laying the foundation for a lifetime of protecting her skin and developing good habits.   

Buy It: You can purchase the Face Essentials Gift Set at Ottilieandlulu.com { with free shipping on orders of $25.00 or more}.  You will also find them available for purchase on Amazon.com.

Want to win one of 5 Ottilie & Lulu Face Essentials Gift Sets with a retail value of $34?  Of course you do!

To enter, simply visit the Ottilie and Lulu site and comment on this post telling me what product you love the most.

 And, as always, there are extra entries available!  {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

1 Extra Entry - Like Ottilie & Lulu on Facebook

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us all:

I'd love to #win the @OttilieAndLulu Face Essentials #giveaway from @RaveAnd Review and @PTPA! http://t.co/w1bTL6nl

3 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

On January 12th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to the following winners:

#179 Lyndsey R. said... I like R & R on FB as Lyndsey Rullman.

# 27 Kelley Johnsen said...tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/Kelleynutrition/status/151681034256265216

#57 brooke t said...https://twitter.com/#!/brookelynmu/status/153441128232927233

#11 SweetPanda said... I would like the Ottilie & Lulu Everyday Facial Moisturizer & Sunscreen SPF 20

#142 Marianna said... Ottilie & Lulu Everyday Facial Moisturizer & Sunscreen SPF 20

A big thank you to Ottilie & Lulu for providing the review sample and the giveaway for one lucky winner.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Crane Adorable Animal Cool Mist Humidifier - New Adorable Owl

Cozy At Home Event - Day 1

With school back in session and cold weather moving in, there’s no denying that cold and flu season is also on the horizon.  That means sick days spent sneezing, coughing, and feeling helpless as my family fends off the illness.  Although there are times when medication is a must, I’m not big on unnecessary medication for my family, especially for babies, so I’m always searching for natural remedies that I can employ to comfort and soothe without resorting to medicine. 

Top of my list of tools for cold and flu season is a humidifier, which is a great way to add moisture to your environment and provide comfort for stuffed up babies {and those that care for them}.  I first started shopping for a humidifier back in 2008 when I was pregnant and came down with a cold that I couldn’t medicate.  I had read about all the benefits of humidifiers for a variety of different ailments and knew I wanted one in the nursery I was creating, so we started shopping for one that could eventually make its home in the baby’s nursery.

Thankfully, I quickly found the most adorable children’s humidifiers ever, the Crane Adorable Animal Cool Mist Humidifiers.  Luckily for us, these adorable animal-shaped humidifiers are easy to find in retailers everywhere and it was just a quick trip to Target to locate them.  After that, the hardest decision was what Adorable Animal Cool Mist Humidifier to choose.  After discussing it a bit, we were on our way home with the adorable frog humidifier.

Once we got it home, we realized that in addition to being adorable, animal-shaped, and kid-friendly, the Adorable Animal Humidifiers also have some really cool features that we love.  First in our list of raves is how incredibly quiet the unit is when it’s running.  If it’s on its lowest - medium setting it is almost imperceptible, living up to its “whisper quiet” claim and then some.  On high it is also incredibly quiet, but you will hear more bubbles in the water tank periodically, which might bother some but I personally found rather soothing. 

We also love that the Crane Adorable Animal Humidifiers don’t require an expensive filter {although you can buy one if you have hard water}.  They are also easy to fill, clean, care for, and use, which I appreciate because the last thing you want is a big project when you’ve got a sick family.  Add in the fact that it’s a safe for kids with its cool mist that won’t burn or scald {which is great because kids love them – just check on YouTube and you will see what I’m talking about}, and I would say it’s the perfect nursery humidifier. 

In fact, it wasn’t long after the birth of my second child that I realized that one humidifier in the house may sound like enough, but not when we all get sick at once {which is always the case}.  When colds and flus do descend on our house this year, we will all be incredibly happy now that we have added the newest Crane Adorable Animal Cool Mist Humidifier to our family – the adorable owl.  This means that we don’t have to  draw straws for who gets the cold and flu relief and both kids can have their own humidifier.

The Adorable Owl lives up to its name in a very big way and has become a beloved piece of room décor even though we are all fine and healthy {knock on wood}.  Although my daughter has fully claimed the Adorable Owl for her owl-themed room, she has agreed to share the owl should either hubby or I fall ill on our own.  Not saying I’m looking forward to being sick, but I certainly wouldn’t mind making a little space for the Adorable Owl on the nightstand for a few nights. 

If you’ve been thinking about trying a humidifier for your family and want one that is not only kid-safe but also very much kid-approved, I would highly recommend the PTPA Award-Winning Crane Adorable Animal Cool Mist Humidifiers.  We’ve been using one for four years now and love them more than we had even hoped.  They have helped us fend off illness, provided comfort when illness struck, and even with all their hard work, still looked completely adorable while doing it. 

See the full line of Crane Humidifiers, Purifiers and more at http://crane-usa.com/

A big thank you to Crane Humidifiers for sending the Adorable Owl Humidifer to be adored.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Diane Lai Skin Care Line {Review & Giveaway – 3 winners}

I have incredibly sensitive skin and, unfortunately, seem to have passed that down to my little ones as well.  This means that I am always on the lookout for lotions, washes, and more that we can all use daily that won’t cause inflammation or break outs.  So, of course I was thrilled to find the PTPA Award Winning Diane Lai Skin Care products a few weeks back as it was the first skin care line that works for all of us.

We got to try out the Diane Lai Soothe Spot Treatment, which is an ultra-rich and thick lotion formulated to soothe and heal delicate skin and the Diane Lai Rejuvenate Daily Moisturizer which helps protect against chapping, roughness, and dryness.  Both of these are now a staple in my morning and evening skin care and whenever my children show signs of dry skin.

As well as avoiding breakouts and providing moisture, I also like that Diane Lai offers a more natural and gentle solution for all of us.  After going through numerous brand names only to find they were too harsh or had ingredients I wasn’t comfortable putting on my kids’ skin, I was so happy to find the perfect solution for year-round skin care.  And, finding Diane Lai couldn’t have come at a better time, as the change in seasons usually does a number on my skin and I loved being able to moisturize with the same lotion during the hot and cold temperature fluctuation.

A huge bonus for me since my husband hates lotions and creams is that the Diane Lai Soothe doesn’t have an overly floral fragrance or a chemical smell as other lotions do.  Even better is that unlike other moisture-stripping products I’m used to that sting when you apply them, Diane Lai skin care line never stung my sensitive skin or left it feeling exposed to harmful elements.  This made me feel a whole lot more comfortable using it for my little ones knowing it wouldn’t further inflame their skin or cause pain.

Diane Lai states “sometimes it’s not what you put in a lotion that makes it exceptional; it’s what you leave out” and that is very true in the case of Diane Lai skin care.  Since it’s hypo-allergenic, is chemical-free, and has zero parabens, sulfates, or phthalates, I feel good about using it every day and even on my babes.  Knowing none of the ingredients are doing damage to my skin or harming the environment, I can feel relaxed using in my daily regime.

Just look at all the benefits of Diane Lai skin care:
•    Hypoallergenic   •    Zero Parabens   •    Zero Sulfates   •    Zero Lanolin    •    Zero Phthalates   •    Zero Formaldehyde   •    Zero Artificial Fragrance   •    Zero Artificial Colorants   •    Zero Retinols   •    Zero Petro Chemicals   •    Zero Oxybenzone

Visit DianeLai.com to find out more and see how to order this skin care set!

THREE lucky winners will win a skin care set that includes Soothe Spot Treatment, Rejuvenate Daily Moisturizer and Fresh Body Wash!

To enter simply visit Diane Lai and tell me something you learned or something you love about their line.

 And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Three lucky readers will #win an awesome skin care line from @DianeLai and @raveandreview. Read their #ravereview here: http://t.co/nql78edF

3) "Like" Diane Lai on Facebook (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  (1 extra entry, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On November 6th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US and Canadian Addresses.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to the following winners:

10 Diana Z said... I found out that they are an all-natural skin care company formulating products for highly sensitive skin!

24 Michelle Hayden said... I "Like" Rave and Review and PTPA on Facebook

94 belinda m said... I am an email subscriber

Thank you to Diane Lai for sending their skin care line to be reviewed.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

aacua 4-in-1 Bath Wrap by maamam {Review & Giveaway}

Is there anything cuter than a little one straight out of the bath?  I would say yes, a babe wrapped in an aacua towel.  The aacua towel was the first release from maamam LLC, a San Francisco-based company that everyone is buzzing about for its vibrant and innovative baby products.  After trying the aacua towel out these past few weeks, I can honestly say that it’s pretty genius.

Summertime for our family means a whole lot of time spent in water.  Whether we are at the beach, the pool, or simply in the tub after a long day of playing outside, water is the one common factor.  Of course when you have water you also need towels, and that’s where the aacua comes in.  Unlike bathrobes that are silly and impractical for small babes, or large towels that are bulky and hard to secure around a wriggling babe, the aacua is not only perfect for babies, it also grows with your child to toddlerhood. 

Although it is cute a modern, don’t let its minimalistic design fool you.  In addition to growing with your child from baby on up, the aacua bath wrap truly is 4-in-1.  That’s because it is more than a towel, more than a robe, and more than an apron for mom and dad - it’s all these and more.

No matter how old your babe is, the aacua always starts the same, as an absorbent terry cloth apron for you.  You simply attach the ring around your neck and secure the sides around your body and it does a great job of protecting your clothing from any splashes or shenanigans.  Then, when babe is clean, the aacua quickly transforms to a cozy baby cocoon, a towel, or an adorable hooded bath wrap depending on your child’s age. 

Since my kids are 9 month and 3 years, I got to try out two of these configurations and loved both of them for both kids.  For my daughter, I simply place the hood over her head and then she can slip her hands out the side slits and Velcro the towel around her easily.  For my son, I slip my hands through the side slits, grab him from the water, and immediately envelope him in towel right up against my chest to keep him warm and help dry him off in the best way possible – with a hug from mom and dad.

If I was leaving him in the aacua for cuddles, I could also transform it into a towel cocoon by velcroing the ring around the wrap to hold it all together.  While I wouldn’t wrap my son at home like this since the nursery is right across from the bathroom, I really wish I would have had the aacua on our recent family vacation when my son spent hours wriggling out of bulky beach towels while snuggling family members poolside.  If we had been able to wrap him like this right out of the pool, he would have been one deliriously happy little guy all snug and warm in a towel cocoon. 

As with a standard terry cloth towel, the aacua is easy to clean in the washer and dryer, and actually gets softer as you use it.  The only thing to note is that it does have Velcro tabs sewn in, so don’t launder the aacua with delicate items that might snag easily.  If this was a concern, making sure each tab is connected to its corresponding color tab would do the trick, or even a washing bag. 

Price: $42.  Even though it is quite a bit more expensive than a cheap baby towel, I would highly recommend the PTPA Award Winning aacua for its amazing ability to grow with your child and offer a practical toweling solution for every age - even baby dolls!

http://www.maamam.com/

One lucky winner will win an awesome maamam aacua 4-in-1 Towel of their own! 

To enter simply visit Maamam.com and tell me something you learned about the company or a product you love

 And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Enter to #win a 4-in-1 aacua towel from @MaamamLLC and @raveandreview. Read their #ravereview and #giveaway: http://t.co/1XkCSCX

3) "Like" maamam on Facebook or subscribe to their YouTube channel

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On September 24th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses. 

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed!  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to

#14 lia Keller said... I learned that they have amazing products and that maamam is a private company that is founded and operated by mothers. (from website)

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer.  As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog.  My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

TheraPearl Cold & Hot Therapy Packs {Review & Giveaway}

How many of you have that special frostbitten bag of peas in your freezer – the one no one eats, but everyone runs to when they need a cold compress?  Me?  I’m waving my hand wildly.  How many of you out there thought there had to be a better way, but struggled to find a practical solution for a cold compress that conforms to your curves but doesn’t leak, smell, or expire?  Yep, still waving my hand wildly.  Finding a heat pack was similarly difficult and my best solution was a bulky electrical heating pad that was stiff, uncomfortable, and, well, electrical. 

If you’ve noticed, I’m using the past-tense to talk about our hot and cold packs and that’s because we have found a much, much better solution for both.   The solution is TheraPearl, a company that makes a whole line of hot and cold compresses for whatever ails you.   Instead of one pack to heat and one to cool, TheraPearl Cold and Hot Therapy Packs are both, all wrapped up in one ingenious product that has changed the way we treat minor discomforts at our house. 

We got to try out some really cool TheraPearl products this past spring that included the Nursing Buddies set and two colorful children’s pals and we all simply love them.  Because we enjoy using them so much, we have thrown out our bags of frozen peas and donated our heating pad and now rely solely on the TheraPearl for small injuries, strains, or muscle aches. 

So, what is TheraPearl?  Formed by a doctor as a practical alternative for healing, their hot and cold therapy packs are like nothing I have ever seen before.  Instead of gel, TheraPearl packs are filled with squishy gel “bubbles” that are smooth and soft to conform to curves, which makes them a great option instead of leaky ice packs, messy frozen peas, or electrical pads.  

My daughter loves the kids TheraPearl packs that have adorable pig and frog designs and they have been a lifesaver as the active spring and summer activities have resumed.  They are the perfect size for her little hands and her little injuries and perfect to keep in either the fridge or freezer to pull out quickly when needed.  When she falls down and gets hurt, nothing consoles her quite like her “Bubble Pig”, as she has affectionately named it. 

Not only are the TheraPearl packs sized perfectly for numerous functions, they are all reusable, easy to freeze or heat, and are doctor-recommended.   This is partly due to the fact the packs can do both hot and cold as well as disseminate their cold or warm properties in 20 minutes, the recommended time for heat or ice.  They are also incredibly easy to use, either hot or cold, by popping a pack into the freezer or fridge or heating for a few minutes in the microwave.

TheraPearl has a variety of different shaped packs available that are designed for different uses, but the great thing is that they can be used anywhere interchangeably.  While the Nursing Buddies were incredibly nice to have during an episode of painful engorgement, they also work nicely for knee injuries, head compresses, and just about any small or medium area you can imagine.  Next on our list is the large sports pack so we can have a large and a small option available… you know, just in case.

You'd expect with a product as cool as this that they would cost a fortune, but the prices are not only reasonable, they are a true bargain!  The Nursing Buddies set can be bought for $14.99 and the Kid's Pals are $5.99!

 
Thanks to their generosity, one lucky Rave and Review reader will win a TheraPearl Cold & Hot Therapy Pack!

To Enter: Simply visit TheraPearl and tell me what product you would like most if you win 

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar {2 extra entries, must be verified to count}

2) Like TheraPearl on Facebook {1 extra entry, just leave your FB name in comment}

3) Like PTPA Media on Facebook {1 extra entry, just leave your FB name in comment}

4) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us all {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Have you tried TheraPearl Hot & Cold Therapy Packs? Win one with @raveandreview and @PTPA & @TheraPearl #giveaway http://bit.ly/rrPLR6" 

5) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage {3 extra entries - just post the URL where I can find your writeup}

6) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website {2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R}

7) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

8) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On August 14th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn via Random.org, announced here, and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. 

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

#27 Sonya said... I must have the Nursing Buddy soon!

A big thank you to TheraPearl and PTPA for providing the samples for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review. 

Béaba Bib’expresso All-in-One Super Cool Feeding Gadget

I was really lucky and was able to breastfeed my first child for 16 months before switching to bottles, but my second take at breastfeeding hasn’t quite panned out like I had hoped.  First there were supply issues and engorgement, and then there were growth issues and latching problems, and finally the choice was made to supplement with formula as well as give bottles of breastmilk this time around. 

Because I was spoiled with being able to breastfeed for so long the first time, I really didn’t understand the pain that bottles, feedings, and formula can be until just recently.  Now I can see why there are a million and a half gadgets for feeding infants and babies - it’s all about making the whole process a little bit easier on everyone. 

When I first decided we were going to supplement, I mistakenly thought it was going to be more convenient, but that’s before I realized what all was involved in warming, preparing, and cleaning bottle accessories after each feeding.  And, the annoyances just keep coming… first, there’s all the bottles filling up your dishwasher, then you need a way to warm up formula, food, and breastmilk, and finally, there’s the sterilizer to keep everything safe for baby to consume. 

I had seen bottle warmers before when I was registering during my first pregnancy, but even at the time I thought they were a bit silly.  Why buy something that has such a limited lifespan, only does one single function, and takes up so much room if you can make do without?  Recently, I found my answer: because having to “make do” for over a year just isn’t any fun. 

What if I told you that there was a super cool new feeding gadget that solves all of these problems and more?  Introducing the Béaba Bib'expresso, the first all-in-one feeding gadget that allows you to prepare bottles, breastmilk, solid foods and more as well as well as sterilize {and store} your accessories. 

Want to hear more about this clever little machine?
 
Now, instead of heating up water for bottles by running them under incredibly hot tap water or in the microwave {which, FYI, is not recommended}, I can make a bottle of formula with the simple press of a button with no fear of hot spots or burning.  Want to heat up breastmilk or baby food?  Simply fill the water tank and press a button and it heats the water to warm for feeding quickly and easily.  If that wasn’t enough, you can also sterilize and store your bottles and accessories with the Bib’expresso!

Features of the Bib’expresso we’re raving about: As cool as the unit is as a whole, it also comes apart and allows you to use each of its functions separately as your needs change.  The upper water tank and sterilizer/storage compartment are both removable for use without the base and both can be used for other functions even after the bottle stage.  In fact, I use the Bib’expresso daily with my daughter, making her cocoa, cleaning her cups and straws, and heating up foods that don’t do well in the microwave. 

Béaba also makes a homemade baby food maker that could be used with the Bib’expresso, allowing you to warm foods made with their Béaba Babycook {which I have heard wonderful things about}.  While I am loving the Bib’expresso for the bottle stage, I really love that it is perfect for warming homemade baby food.  This is going to be a feature I will use for years and years as my kids eat baby food well after bottles are through, and using the microwave is not recommended for heating from frozen.  To save on counter space, I will simply use the top portion of the Bib’expresso on its own and make defrosting and heating incredibly easy.

Béaba Bib'expresso specs:
•    Bottle preparation in 90 seconds.
•    Safe - The bottle is always at the right temperature thanks to direct water control
•    Practical - direct water flow mixes the powder formula and helps ensure more even temperature
•    Easy to Use - just one hand required to prepare the bottle
•    Removable, ultra-compact bottle and food warmer can be used anywhere
•    Microwavable sterilizer/bottle storage compartment included. Can hold up to three 10 ounce (300 ml) bottles. Protects sterilized bottles from light and dust and keeps them handy and ready to use when preparing baby's bottle.
•    Self-cleaning steam system for in-depth cleaning of the device.
•    Product can be used after baby for preparing beverages with hot water such as tea and hot cocoa.
•    BPA-free.

Buy It: The Bib’expresso retails for $129.95 and you can find it at Amazon.com, PamperedTot.com, and at BeabaUSA.com.  More info, images, and web tutorial videos can be found on the Beaba site.

While Béaba provided me with a Bib'expresso to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Béaba, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Folding Flexi Bath from Prince Lionheart: a Tub That Goes Anywhere! {Review & Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 2

I used to think that bathing a baby was no big thing.  That was before I had a baby and realized how difficult it is to find a clean place to bathe them each day.  Really, nothing is worse than having a sticky or icky baby and feeling like you need to scrub the bath, the sink, shower or washbasin before you can even start the bathing process. 

Prince Lionheart knows that parents don’t need these extra steps and have made it possible to skip the scrubbing when bathing your babes.  By introducing the Flexi Beth, Prince Lionheart has given us the ultimate space saving solution to the baby bath and one of our new baby must-haves. 

The Flexi Bath arrives folded flat for shipping and for storage, but with just one simple motion it opens to become a large freestanding bath tub with semi-rigid sides and silicone water-tight joints.  Once opened, you simply ensure the drain plug is secure and you can fill with water, soap, and toys for your kiddo.  Then, when bathing is through and the tub is dry, you simply fold it up and snap it shut so it stays clean and ready for next time.   

Besides being great for those who don’t want to scrub and clean before they can clean their babies, the Flexi Bath is also ideal for those who don’t have a bathtub in their home or those that have a huge tub that takes your entire water tank capacity to fill.  You could easily put the Flexi Bath in a huge tub and only have to use the amount of water you actually need to bathe, or into a stand-alone shower or even on a bathroom floor and fill with water, making a bathtub virtually anywhere. 

We’ve talked about how useful the Flexi Bath is for at home, but one of my favorite uses is for a travel tub.  We often stay at hotels and relatives houses that don’t have bathtubs or at places where I would never, ever bathe my little one.  I’m particularly excited about taking the Flexi Bath to our annual lake vacation this summer with the whole family.  Not only will it be great for bathing, it will be perfect for taking outdoors for a wading pool for babes!

As if versatility at home and away wasn’t reason enough to purchase the Flexi Bath, I’m truly excited about all the ways I can use it long after the “baby stage”.  From sensory play, outside water fun, a party-sized ice bucket, a foldaway toy bin, a place to corral large beach toys, numerous different gardening uses, and even for a large tub for handwashing clothing or bleaching… and that’s just to name the uses I can think of off the top of my head! 

Flexi Bath by Prince Lionheart Features:
• Multi-Purpose
• Multi-Award Winner
•Easy to clean
•Lightweight
•Rigorously tested for durability
•Easily folds when not in use or for travel
•Features drain plug to easily dispose of dirty water
•BPA FREE and contains NO heavy metals, phthalates or other harmful materials
•Recommended for ages 0-4 years

Comes in 4 different colors: blue, green, pink and white

Buy It: You can purchase the Flexi Bath on the Prince Lionheart site.

Find out more at http://www.princelionheart.com/
 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win this awesome Flexi Bath!

To Enter: Sign Up for the Prince Lionheart Newsletter which is sent monthly (Bonus: Just by signing up for their newsletter you are also entered into the Prince Lionheart Monthly Giveaway!)

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Like Prince Lionheart on Facebook

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Get Out and PLAY and then clean off with the Prince Lionheart Flexi Bath giveaway from @raveandreview http://bit.ly/gZR2tq!

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On May 9th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to #223

Paula Hafner said...email subscriber #2

A big thank you to Prince Lionheart for providing us with a sample to facilitate this review and a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Corolle Emma and Paul Potty Training Dolls

Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide: Day 6

If I were listing off educational toys for children, I would put dolls way up at the top.  I know most people don't think of baby dolls in terms of educational or learning toys, but I certainly do.  There are so many things that playing with dolls teaches young children, including creativity, nurturing, compassion, and empathy.

While I do admit that luck had a lot to do with some of the amazing nurturing abilities my two year old seems to possess naturally, there were quite a few skills that can be attributed directly to playing with her Corolle dolls that she absolutely adores.  From patience to gentleness to appropriate places to touch a newborn (hint, it's not the eyes as she originally thought), I know she has learned a lot from our many hours of baby doll play together.

A good deal of our summer was spent playing baby dolls together in preparation for her new role as a big sister this fall, and I really had so much fun teaching her how to care for her babies like I would be caring for mine.  From diaper changes to feedings and playtime, it was really fun watching her play and learn from her babies and even more fun to watch how all that doll and mama playtime has made her the most amazing big sister I could ever hope for.

But, as excited as I am to teach my daughter everything I can and watch her learn how the world works, there was one thing I was simply dreading teaching her.  That one thing is potty training and it has caused me to all but ignore this major milestone I knew was looming in our future.  This has meant that I continued to diaper her even months after her 2nd birthday and now currently have two children in diapers. 

So, who would have thought that it would be a baby doll that stepped in to help me out potty training my daughter?  Corolle once again has found another way to make playtime a learning opportunity by introducing Drink-and-Wet Emma & Paul, their classic potty training dolls. 

As are all things Corolle, Emma and Paul are adorable, vanilla scented, and heirloom quality.  But, what makes Emma and Paul amazing is that they are tastefully anatomically correct, come with a doll sized potty chair as well as other accessories, and that they help young kids understand how the potty training process works. 

Here’s a brief overview of what experts suggest for potty training your child:  First, you and your child “teach” Emma and/or Paul how to use the potty.  Then you and your child establish a reward system to reinforce Emma and Paul using the potty chair while making the change from diapers to cloth underwear (both of which are included with Emma or Paul).  Once your child has taught Emma or Paul how to use the potty chair, you can then move forward using the same steps to teach your child how to use it with the reward system you established for Emma and Paul.

So, how does a potty training doll help your child learn how to use the toilet?  Besides being so much easier to demonstrate how to use the toilet by showing them exactly how a doll uses it, it also makes the process so much more fun.  Your child simply feeds the baby using a water-filled baby bottle and then they place the baby on the potty.  With just a light squeezing of the tummy, the doll will go potty and then you and your child can celebrate together. 

I was really struggling with how to describe using the toilet to my toddler so I love that it is so much easier to explain with dolls that drink and wet.  When using Emma or Paul to show them, your child can see firsthand how the process works so they know what to expect.  Your child sees the baby successfully use their potty chair, sees how excited you are, and then sees the reward of the cloth underwear once the doll has been fully trained.  

In our house Emma has become a fast friend for my daughter and comes with us to sit on her doll potty chair whenever my daughter uses hers.  This makes going to the bathroom a “party” and something my daughter really looks forward to.  And, because Emma and Paul are both all-vinyl, my daughter can even bathe them or take them in the bath with her each night, which makes bath time at our house a whole lot more fun as well. 

Now my daughter spends hours “feeding” her dolls, putting them on the potty, and then doing our made up potty dance once the baby goes.  Although my daughter isn’t fully potty trained yet, she is making great progress and getting excited about being potty trained like baby Emma and Paul are, which makes me a whole lot less apprehensive about teaching her. 

But, as great as it is that my daughter has responded so well to Emma, the best part is that besides being a great potty training aid, Emma is now one of her most cherished dolls and a friend for years to come.   

14” Drink and Wet Emma and Paul Potty Training Dolls
Each sold separately and recommended for ages 3 years and up
Anatomically correct all-vinyl body baby doll
Sleeping eyes
Comes with potty chair, pacifier, bottle, disposable diaper, and cloth undergarments

Find out more at http://www.corolle.com/ and be sure to check out Corolle's Facebook page where they run AWESOME monthly contests! 

The current Corolle contest is HUGE and it's just in time for the Holidays!  Here's how it works:

1) Post a pic of your little one with their Corolle on Facebook along with...
2) Their Corolle wish list on Corolle's wall
Contest ends December 1, right before all the Holidays begin!

A huge thank you to Corolle for once again sending a best friend for my daughter.  There is nothing she loves more than playing with her babies, and her baby of choice is Corolle.  This is why we're going to be spending this weekend celebrating Neighborhood Toy Store Day in the Corolle aisle of our local toy shoppe.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review. 

Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes Review and Giveaway

There are so many things that new parents have to worry about, and so many resources and information that bombards parents of little ones, but one thing that seems to be lacking is information on how to protect our babies’ teeth and gums.  We all know that we should take care of those little pearly whites, but sometimes it’s easier to forget than I would like.

Unfortunately, taking care of baby teeth can be a pain, especially when you’ve got a fussy infant or a toddler with a mind of their own that would prefer not to sit still for a minute.  Add that to the fact that most of us don’t have excess time lying about, and sometimes baby tooth and gum care slips through the cracks no matter how good your intentions are.  We all know the importance of dental health for children and adults, but most don’t realize that dental health begins before the teeth even begin to emerge and the health of infant teeth and gums affects the permanent ones that will eventually arrive. 

Pediatrician-invented Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes are a great way to introduce proper dental care to infants and young children as well as making taking care of baby’s teeth incredibly convenient.  Instead of having to carry around a infant toothbrush and get special toothpaste that most surely will be swallowed, Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes are individually wrapped moist wipes that can be used anywhere at any time. 

Each Spiffies wipe is fruit flavored and contains Xylitol solution, a natural ingredient that is found in many cavity preventing mouthwashes and anti-cavity gums.  Spiffies’ grape, apple and mango flavors are actually quite tasty and make an otherwise daunting task of cleaning baby teeth much easier parents and kiddos.  Of course, I had to try the wipes myself to see just how the tasted and was pleasantly surprised.  Naturally, watching me use them made my daughter quite curious about them, which I think helped make her excited to use them as well. 

At only 24 months, my daughter has yet to see a dentist to check out her teeth (mental note, make first dentist appointment!), but has been seen numerous times throughout the last two years by her pediatrician, who does a cursory glance at her teeth each time we visit.  While this is nice to get feedback and advice for my daughter’s growing teeth, I am looking forward to introducing her to a dentist for the first time and getting her excited about brushing and flossing. 

In the meantime, I am really happy to have Spiffies Wipes which I pair with her beginning toddler tooth brush whenever possible so she can practice taking care of her teeth by herself.  Yes, it does take a bit longer to get ready in the morning and at night allowing her to brush her own teeth, but at least with the Spiffies Wipes I know that each tooth and mouth surface has already been cleaned by me thoroughly ahead of time, which I think is a small price to pay to get her interested in protecting her teeth.  And then when we don’t have her toothbrush handy, the Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes are an even more important part of the morning and bedtime routine and make me feel better if we’re not able to brush.

Only once did my daughter accidentally bite me as I wiped her teeth, which came about because she got so excited that she started telling me about what our plans were that day without thinking about the fact that I had fingers in her mouth.  I imagine that if I had started using the Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes when she was an infant and before she had her little chompers, the process would be even more natural for her and we probably wouldn’t have had any problems.  For baby #2 we plan to start using Spiffies as soon as he’s 3 months old to get him in the habit even sooner and to help him through the teething process.   


You can find out more information at www.spiffies.com where you can buy boxes and gift sets ready for gift giving.  

Price: Box of 20 Spiffies Wipes Approx. $5.50 • Ages 3 months+ 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a 45-day (90-wipe) supply of Spiffies in a cute gift bag to try out with your children. 

To Enter:  Just visit www.spiffies.com and comment below with something you learned about the company or a benefit of using Spiffies!

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Leave a comment or message on Spiffies Facebook page (2 extra entries!)

3) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and http://tinyurl.com/2csf45g
after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage 

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (must have an active link)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry)

On September 2nd at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Winner, Winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to Ria!

 

Ria said...

I voted for you in Top Baby Blogs
rmartinclarke at gmail dot com

A huge thank you to Spiffies for making our morning and bedtime routines so much more fun and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no type of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Diaper Pail Test Drive: Conclusions

Many of you know that for the past few weeks we have been hard at work testing two different diaper pails as part of the Mom Central Diaper Pail Test Drive.  We spent the four weeks alternating between the Diaper Genie II Elite and the Munchkin Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail and now we’re at the conclusion of the Diaper Pail Test Drive, which means it’s time to make the decision of which pail will become our main diaper disposal system. 

I’ve already talked a bit about the benefits of both diaper pails and what we thought half way through the test drive, but after a month of using the pails, I really have formed an attachment to one over the other.  The pros and cons our weeks of testing have uncovered are outlined below:

Diaper Genie II Elite Pail Benefits – 

*A foot pedal for hands-free opening and closing of the pail.  I have always hated that I had to use two hands to dispose of a diaper and love that with the Diaper Genie, I can simply step on the foot pedal and toss the diaper in.  Everyone raves about one-hand access, but even better than one hand opening is the fact that it opens with NO HANDS.  This means that the diaper pail stays clean and sanitary no matter what kind of mess I’m dealing with.  

* Speaking of sanitary, I love that the diaper does not come in contact with the Diaper Pail at all and only touches the disposable refill bags on the inside of the Diaper Genie. 

* Larger diaper pail holds more diapers than any other pail we have tried, and disposing of a full bag and getting a new bag ready is fairly easy with their integrated bag cutter and a simple knot.  The Diaper Genie refill pack can accommodate a few easy bag changes before you need a whole new refill pack.

* The Diaper Genie II Elite is also the only diaper pail that you can change bags on as often as you'd like without wasting a whole bag.  Because of the unique bag refill system that allows you to cut the bag to whatever size you need, it allows you greater flexibility when refilling your pail.  I find this especially handy when the pail isn't quite full before garbage day but I would still like to empty it to start fresh for the week, or if we are going to be out of town and I don't want to come home to a half full pail.  

* Odor control.  Although there have been times when some odor did escape from the Diaper Genie as I stepped on the foot pedal to dispose of a diaper, I would still rate it the best at odor control of the pails I have tried.  We even tried the pail in a small powder room for a few days so we could see what it smelled like in confined spaces, and it passed that test with flying colors. 

Diaper Genie II Elite Pail Cons –

* The process of changing the diaper pail bags may be easy, but it does require the pail to be open longer than I would ideally like.  Even holding my breath and hurrying through the process, I would still rate it as fairly unpleasant scent-wise. 

* The Diaper Genie II Elite is bigger than most other pails, which can be a problem if you have a tight space.  Fortunately for me, bigger is better when it comes to diaper disposal and I actually like that the pail is taller and hold more.

* The cost of refill packs, which are typically around $6-7, but can be found in bulk packages of 3 for $19.99

Price: $39.99 

Munchkin Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail Benefits –

* The twisting action of the bag closure eliminates the pail being stuck open accidentally when a bag gets too full.  When the Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail does get full, the twisting action when you close the lid does get harder and louder, which signals to you that it’s time for a refill. 

* The bag removal process in which you seal the bag before you even open the pail.  This saves you having to be near a full bag when it is open, and is a huge plus for someone who cannot stomach unpleasant smells. 

* Again, the diaper does not come in contact with the actual pail at all, and only touches the disposable inner bag.

* I like that the Munchkin Pail has a refillable Arm & Hammer cartridge to help control odors.  I also like that the cartridge is unscented and cheap to refill, and doesn’t mask the room with a fake floral scent or something equally repugnant.

Munchkin Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail Cons –

* The two handed operation of the pail and the fact that you have to push the diaper through to the refill below is something I would definitely like to see modified on future models. 

* The odor control on the Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail is much lower than the Diaper Genie Elite Pail, but yet is still better than our old diaper disposal system.  My pregnant nose still has a hard time being in the room with the Arm & Hammer pail unless the diaper pail has just been emptied, which means there is quite a bit of time that I avoid the nursery.

* I dislike the base of the diaper pail that is far too easy to open with a simple handle.  When you add that this easy to open door doesn’t have any sort of seal, the recipe for disaster is huge.  I’m not sure if this is what is causing most of the odor emission from the pail that we are experiencing, but it would make sense that an unsealed base would lead to odors. 

* The Arm & Hammer refills are also costly at $5.99 for 10 bags and need to be changed more frequently than the Diaper Genie refills.  The other issue is that these can’t be found at many of our local stores, which would be a huge bummer if I didn’t plan ahead far enough. 

Price: $34.99

Conclusions: As you can see from the massive pro and con list, both diaper pails do have their faults.  But, since cleanliness and odor control are top of my list of requirements in a pail, the Diaper Genie II Elite wins hands down.  The minor odors caused by the opening of the lid and the changing of the bag are much better than any other diaper disposal system I have tried previously, and something I am definitely willing to live with in exchange for a pail that doesn't emit odors even when closed.  When you add in the foot pedal and the hands free disposal, the choice was really quite easy. 

Have you tried either Diaper Pail?  Do you have any opinions about these two brands?

I am a member of the Mom Central community and I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central, sponsored by Diaper Genie, and received a free Diaper Genie diaper pail and a free Munchkin Arm & Hammer diaper pail to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received for this review.