Rave & Review

My Baby Compass Child Development Program {Review & Giveaway}

On any given day, my Facebook stream is filled with parenting questions ranging from highly specialized {anyone know how to get a bean out of my son’s nose?} to general questions on developmental delays, discipline, and more.  There’s the old adage that children should come with a manual, and more and more these days it feels like social media sites are becoming the next best thing.

But, as much as I appreciate having my friends and family at the ready to help with emergency questions, I prefer a more all-encompassing method of finding the best ways to get a grasp of this parenting thing.  Of course, I could check out dozens of books at the library for each stage my children pass through… or, I could get a guide that grows with them from birth to age 7 that includes a little bit of everything from developmental checklists, suggested activities, and guides with references for each age and stage.

That’s the idea behind the PTPA winning My Baby Compass Child Development Program that we've been reviewing for the past few weeks.  My Baby Compass is a program for parents that includes 14 booklets, developmental scales and activities, manuals and CDROM that can help you better understand what your children need during each specific age. 

The system was designed by Kathryn Thorson Gruhn, MA, CCC-SLP to help parents give their children the very best start in life.  Covering six developmental areas {Social/Emotional, Speech, Hearing, Vision, Cognitive, and Physical}, it’s perfect for parents, caregivers, and those who work with children on a daily basis.

While I was initially concerned my kids might be too old to really get the most out of My Baby Compass {mostly because of the name of the program more than anything else}, I was thrilled when I found out that my kids are both still in the middle book of the series, so we’ve still got 5 more years of using it before my son hits age 7. 

But, as thrilled as I am that I have the program now and can benefit from it during all the many transitional phases to come, I really wish I would have had it during some of the more stressful times of the past 5 years.  Instead of Googling and hoping for trustworthy sites to pop up, I could have read the My Baby Compass books ahead of time and then used them for reference in those moments of panic.   

So, instead of worrying that my son didn’t speak until after 18 months old, I could have read about speech delays in the My Baby Compass program and simply added more sign language to help him communicate.  And now, even though he can talk really well, I have been working with him on the feelings words suggested in the My Baby Compass book to give him better ways to communicate how he feels.

And, since I still encourage him to use the signs that we taught him when he was a baby because it’s nice to have an efficient way to communicate in a loud place {or alternatively, in a very quiet place}, I have been showing him some new signs from the handy dandy sign language section in My Baby Compass. 

Working with sign again with him as been helping jog my memory to remember back to ASL 101 in college, and it’s been something fun we can do together.  We’ve done all the animal signs and are working on the feeling signs, and my son is just loving being able to communicate with signs and words. 

As for my daughter, I’ve very appreciative of the social and emotional sections as she is becoming more outgoing and social.  I love that I can give her tools that she can pull from whether she’s on the playground or in the classroom, and it helps give me peace of mind when she’s not with me.  This is going to become even more important over the next few months as we transition to elementary school, and I’m happy I have a tool in my parental tool case to help. 

I would definitely recommend the PTPA award winning My Baby Compass system to any parent who wants to assess their child's development quickly and easily.  It not only helps you see if your child is on target, but it also has activities you can do to bring your child up to speed.  And, I love that it even has a section on how to get help and talk to with health care specialists if you see a problem, because it often feels like there's no one to turn to when you really need help. 

You can pick up the My Baby Compass guide at mybabycompass.com as well as connect with the company via Twitter and Facebook

Want to win a My Baby Compass book of choice {value $40}?  Enter today!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

A big thank you to PTPA and My Baby Compass for providing the product for review as well as a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

From toddler to teen: the answer is the Zazoo Kids photo clock

Up until just a few months ago, our kids were a parent’s dream at night.  We would literally pop them in their beds after their bedtime routine and not hear from either one again until I would have to wake them up in the morning.  Yes, true story. 

But, while my son is still firmly in the “parent’s dream” category of sleepers, our daughter has been asserting her own, uh, independence.  Independence from things like “bedtime” and “naptime” and “reasonable wake up times” and because of it, her schedule is all out of sorts.  This means that getting her to sleep is a big huge struggle, often involves bargaining, and most of the time, involves tears {mine}.

While the major problem might be that she’s simply outgrowing her nap and moving towards being a full-time big girl, there are definitely other issues at play.  Things like the fact that she cannot tell time so she has no idea her schedule’s off or how to actually fix it, so she does things like fighting sleep at nap only to finally succumb at 3:00pm when she should already be up and playing.  This, of course, makes bedtime a nightmare, which leads to problems the next day as well. 

So, what do you do with a spirited child that needs a set schedule of sleep and rest periods but is too young to tell time?  Why, you call in Zazoo Kids, that’s what.  We recently got the chance to review one of their amazing Zazoo Kids Photo Clocks and I can honestly say that I don’t know what we would do without it. 

Instead of fighting with a four year old on too little sleep, we simply set up the ground rules ahead of time.  No getting outta yer bed unless the photo clock has a sun.  If it’s got a moon, you better be laying down and resting, or better yet, sleeping.  No exceptions. 

And, since she has a bedtime and a naptime, I really love that I can set TWO alarms – one for morning and one for afternoon – that signal it’s okay to leave her bed.  I really wish there was an option to add even more alarms so I could set times of the day for certain activities and she could see what she should be doing just by looking at the Zazoo or a way to set the wake up time later on the weekends and earlier on school days, but I do appreciate the two that I can program for now.  

Speaking of programming, I love that you can make alarm, picture and clock changes right on the back of the Zazoo, but you can also use the included remote control as well.  Since my daughter is of the young and curious variety, we simply put the clock on a lower shelf for now that’s not too tall, but just a bit out of reach so she can't change the settings inadvertently.      

The easy to understand sun and moon that comes pre-loaded on the Zazoo clock was perfect for our use right now, but I also love that you can choose your own image as well.  You can customize the clock with your child’s name, program special images for holidays and events, and use any of the pre-programmed images, or load your own pictures of your child with the SD, flash drive, and USB slots. 

Since I adore anything personalized, I love that I can customize the clock completely for my daughter and change it any time I would like as the mood strikes me.  Whether it's a new background image, how the clock is displayed, or even how she wakes up in the morning, changing things up is quick and easy. 

As great as the Zazoo clock is for little kids who can’t tell time, I really love that the photo clock grows with your child also.  When my daughter will be waking up for school every day next year, I’m simply going to add in an audio alarm to assist in waking her up, and I’m going to change the “naptime” to “quiet time” when she can do homework, read, color, or do any other activity that will let her brother get his beloved nap.  Then, when she’s even older and wants a photo frame that scrolls through pictures of her friends, plays music, or can even be used for audio books, the Zazoo is going to work well into her tweens and teens.

Instead of buying a kids clock now, an alarm clock when she starts school, and then something that can play her music and showcase her photos later, I love that the Zazoo photo clock can grow with her and become a beloved fixture in her room from childhood on up. 

When you factor in how many electronics I won't have to buy her, the $89.99 price tag for the Zazoo Kids clock seems more than reasonable.  And, really, I would pay that amount to sleep in even a few days a week, so this really is an investment into a happy mom. 

You can buy your own customizable PTPA winning Zazoo Photo Clock at zazookids.com and you can choose between many different designs and color schemes to fit your child's room.  For even more information that shows a great overview of the ZAZOO Kids Clock, check out this video.

A big thank you to Zazoo Kids for sending their photo clock to facilitate this review and give me less stressful mornings and afternoons.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

We Love the Kiddy Platter by Smarty Parents

When you’re talking gear for young children, all parents want the same thing: quality products that truly last.  Well, four years ago we reviewed something called a Piggy Platter here on the site and to this day it’s still one of our most frequently used items in our home.  Four years, people – that’s a whole lot of use! 

And, in the past four years we have used the Piggy Platter nearly every single day, and sometimes we use it numerous times each day for mealtime, craft time, and play time.  This isn’t to say we haven’t tried other similar products.  In fact, we’ve been given numerous other tray and table attachments throughout the years to try out.  But we always return to the trusty tray from Smarty Parents and end up donating the other brands. 

So, when Smarty Parents contacted us and let us know they had created a new and improved Kiddy Platter, you can bet we said yes.  With our little guy more and more interested in coming to the table, it was actually perfect timing as we needed a new tray in the next few months.  

Like the Piggy Platter, the Kiddy Platter is a dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PVC-free rectangular 16" wide x 12" deep tray.  It has a raised edge on the top for handling small spills and for corralling crayons and pens and keeping messes contained.  Along the front of the Kiddy Platter tray is a 2” rubber spill guard made of pliable silicone to help bridge the gap between table and mouth.  To hold it all in place on the table is a sticky, anti-slip rubber gasket under the rim of the Platter that grips tabletops, counters, and even works well on tablecloths.

But, the Kiddy Platter has a few improvements in addition to the name change that make us love it even more.  The first thing they did away with was the small circle on the top of the tray that was on the old version, which I was thrilled about because it was easy for little ones to set things on there that would tip.  The other major improvement is that the tray is now two-sided and instead of having a specific top or bottom, the entire rim on both sides of the tray are now anti-slip and can go against the table.

My favorite improvement is with the detachable spill guard.  Instead of attaching to the underside of the tray {which was the only negative thing we had to say about the design back in 2009}, they designed a whole new spill guard that slips right over the bottom of the tray so it holds more securely.  Since it’s easier to remove and then replace, it also makes it easier to fit in the dishwasher. 

And, I really, really love it when “dishwasher safe” items actually fit in my standard dishwasher without taking up the whole rack sitting diagonally or blocking the spinning arms.  I appreciate that the Kiddy Platter fits nicely on any one of the 4 sides of the bottom rack with room to spare and still leaves room for a full load of dishes. 

This is good that it’s so easy to clean because in addition to using the Kiddy Platter for meals, we find all sorts of ways to make use of a dishwasher safe tray, including messy arts and crafts, Play-Doh, and school work.  And, speaking of multi-purpose, as much as we use the Kiddy Platter for snack, crafts and learning, we even use it for food prep.  Since it is dishwasher safe, it’s perfect for using as a big sanitary surface for decorating cookie and cakes as well as assembling sandwiches and meals. 


We also love that even the packaging is multi-purpose.  Smarty Parents cleverly included a cut-out alphabet learning insert as part of the packaging that fits right under the tray to transform it into a learning mat to trace your letters on, which is something my daughter loves as she’s just at the stage where she’s learning what letters make what sounds. 

When she’s mastered her letters, we can simply use the insert as a place for her to put pictures, stickers, and drawings under to customize her spot at the table.  Like before with the Piggy Platter, the insert simply rests under the tray and is not encased inside, which makes it easy to customize however you want without worry and alleviates the need to disassemble the tray for cleaning. 

Kiddy Platters are clear but they have colorful edges so you can give each kid their own color or you can coordinate with your décor.  I was initially disappointed they discontinued the white colored tray, as it matched best with our dining room, but we are happy with the green.  It ended up blending into the tablecloth and I barely even notice it anymore.  

The Kiddy Platter comes in four colors {above} and retails for $29.95 from the Smarty Parents site.  They even have a bulk discount for 6+ trays, which is perfect for daycares and preschool uses.  I know my daughter's co-op would love something like this!

Whether you are looking for a placemat, a craftmat, or a tray to protect your table and countertops, the Kiddy Platter is the way to go.  It works on any surface, it’s easy to clean, and it holds up to thousands of washes, scribbles, and spills.  With so many uses, you will never need to put it away!
A big thank you to Smarty Parents who sent their Kiddy Platter for review purposes.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Walgreens 24/7 Pharmacy Chat and Mobile App to Keep Your Family Happy and Healthy

My kiddos never fall ill in the morning, mid-day, or even in the afternoon when I could pop them in a car and head to the pediatrician.  No, if they are going to get sick, it will undoubtedly happen in the middle of the night while the rest of the world is sleeping.  I don’t know about you, but my math and reasoning skills don’t work during the wee hours of the night when I’m struggling with laundry, sick kids, and lack of sleep, which makes these nighttime illnesses all the more annoying. 

Was it 3 tablespoons or 3 teaspoons?  Is it feed a cold, starve a fever?  And, at what point is it a real emergency?  These are the things my husband and I all of a sudden can’t remember and we spend our time digging for that first aid book we got during our childbirth classes in a panic, re-reading medicine labels, and stressing that our little ones need better care than we can provide in our hazy state. 

Next time, though, all we will have to do is snuggle our babies and grab our cell phones to find all the answers we need.  With the new Walgreen’s 24/7 Pharmacy Chat you can talk directly with a pharmacist to get the answers you need - day or night.  You simply register on their site with your Balance Rewards card and you can access things like pharmacy orders and more, and when you're done you can print the transcript so you don't have to remember every little detail.  My 3am self thanks you in advance, Walgreens.


Not only do they have online chat, they also have an app that can help you manage your family’s prescriptions easily.  You can order prescriptions through the app by scanning your old medication, manage doses, schedule reminders and more that will ensure that everyone gets the medicine they need, when they need it.  Do you remember the days when you had to make a trip in to see your doctor to get a slip of paper with your prescription, drive to your pharmacy, and then return home?  Then remember how excited you were when doctor’s offices started faxing orders?  Their auto-fill and express refills via their app are like that, only 10x more exciting and a million times quicker when you’re sick. 

In addition to managing your pharmacy orders, you can also shop via the app, order photos {seriously! From your phone!}, browse their weekly ad, and even find emergency clinics near you.  My husband and I both have this downloaded on our phones {iPhone and Windows} so we can manage our prescriptions, so no matter who ends up doing the wellness run they will have all the information they need.

Last week, my son and I did a quick run to the corner of Happy & Healthy, AKA our local Walgreens.  While the purpose of the trip was to pick up a prescription refill, while we were there I wanted to restock our children’s medicine after our awful bout with the flu late last year, as well as get a new addition to our first aid kit, the EarCheck that my doctor recommended since my son is prone to ear infections. 

We did some shopping for items for my daughter’s snack day at school, got some wellness items to prepare for cold and flu season,  and when we were done, our prescription was there waiting for us at the back counter.  With our items all ready, our coupons clipped, and prescription, we headed to the register to purchase. 

We had a slight glitch with their Balance Rewards program when their till locked up and they weren’t able to select my name off their computer, but they hooked me up with a shiny new Balance Reward card so I don’t have to look it up each time, and we were all set.  If you don’t have one yet, you should!  It’s free to sign up online or in-store and you can earn rewards on the items you buy the most so you can at least save money during your late-night medicine run. And, now is a great time to sign up for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club because new members get a $15 bonus! 

See our whole shopping trip and #HappyHeathy Wellness Kit here.

I headed home and updated our #HappyHealthy “wellness kit” and admired my amazing preparation skills.  I even reorganized our locking linen closet to make room for our two Crane humidifiers, checked expiration dates on old medicines, and did a general clean sweep to make sure we were stocked and ready. 

Then, because I love new toys, I had to check out the new EarCheck.  My son was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to try it on him and it turns out he loves it.  He kept saying “more scan” and then giggling.  I love that it seems very reliable {even with a low battery warning} as the ear that is prone to infection came back as “monitor” and the other one said “fluid unlikely”.  While I haven’t had a chance to test it out with an actual ear infection {knock on wood}, I feel better prepared for the next round of illness knowing I have it. 

I’m hoping Murphy’s Law doesn't prevail and that being this prepared makes us less likely to fall ill this year.  But even if that doesn’t work out, we now have one place to go when looking for supplies in the middle of the night and professional backup available 24/7 via Walgreen’s pharmacy chat.  And, we also have my secret weapon: cure-all, homemade turkey soup with heart-shaped carrots. 

Connect with Walgreens via Facebook, Twitter, and download iPhone App, or download Android App

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Walgreens #cbias #SocialFabric #HappyHealthy.  All opinions are 100% ours.

Save A Bundle Gift Pack {Review & Giveaway}

When I talk with moms with grown kids, the number one thing I hear is that there’s so much stuff for kids now.  Instead of one baby carrier and only a handful of companies making baby stuff these days, the market is literally flooded with new items every year.  While some of the new products are amazing, some superfluous, and some a minor improvement to what our parents had, I love the fact that we now have so many choices to fit any need and any budget.

This was especially true for me when shopping for the basics that kids go through so fast – from diapers to wipes to formula.  Even though I breastfed both of my kids, there were times that I needed to supplement with formula and when I did, I was very happy to have so many formula choices available to me.  Gone are the days of having one or two varieties available at most retailers, now there is a plethora of choices available to suit your baby.  I was lucky that both kids would take any formula I offered, so for me, the biggest factor in my purchasing decision came down to cost, which meant I bought mostly store-brand formulas.

Since store brand formula is as nutritionally complete as national brands, yet costs 50% less, the choice for me was easy.  Perrigo Nutritionals store brand formulas from stores such as Walmart and Target meet or exceed FDA standards and simply provide a lower cost alternative to the big formula brands.  Whereas with the bigger brands you are paying extra for the name and their advertising budgets, with store brands you can find a lower cost solution even without coupons. 

When Perrigo Nutritionals offered to send my little nephew a baby savings gift pack, I jumped at the chance.  My sister has had a hard road breastfeeding and has supplemented with formula more and more in the recent months as her breastmilk has declined and I knew this would be perfect way to try out some of the store brands so we could see how he did with them as compared to the big name formulas.  Just as we hoped, he took to the new formula like a champ without any problems at all.

Doesn't this adorable little guy deserve the very best?  I don't know about you, but I'm smitten.

For all the many {many, many} bottles in my sister’s future, I was happy that the gift pack included a Munchkin baby bottle drying rack, a formula dispenser, and a bottle brush.  With how convenient breastfeeding is with no extra equipment required, this will at least make things easier on her as she transitions to supplementing more as needed.  She especially loves the drying rack as it makes keeping the counters clear and there finally is a place for everything. 

But, my favorite thing included in the gift pack was a copy of Sandra Gordon’s new book, Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear.  In the past few years I’ve become the money saving guru in my family and have been teaching my sister as we go how to save on stuff for her baby.  The book offers some great advice on what baby products you should save on, and what you should splurge on that you will use for years and is the perfect shopping companion for her for the next few years.

Speaking of savings, now you can save even more by signing up for baby formula coupons from StoreBrandFormula.com.  While you’re there, you should enter to win the awesome new Origami Strollers from 4moms, the world’s first power-folding, self-charging stroller.  We reviewed the mamaRoo from 4moms when my son was first born and it was one of my all-time favorite baby products. They also have a weekly prize of two cases of baby formula, so there's no reason not to head over and enter today!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win a Save a Bundle Prize Pack that includes:

• One can of Parent’s Choice Premium
• One can of Up & Up Advantage
• One copy of Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear
• Baby bottle drying rack
• Formula dispenser
• Bottle brush

To Enter: comment below with what you would do with the bundle you'd save switching to store brand formula

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

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the Store Brand Formula giveaway {bit.ly/YHMuTH} and tag Rave & Review

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 - Enter the Baby Formula Sweepstakes

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Follow StrBrandFormula on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Like Store Brand Formula on Facebook

2 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 on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On December 17th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:  #19 Danielle N said... I would use the money to put a down payment on a house. Renting stinks!

The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Huggies GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats are a Travel Must-Have {$2 off Coupon}

Know what I hate even more than washing sheets?  Washing sheets in the middle of the night because one of the kids had an accident.  Really, there’s nothing worse than being woken from a sound sleep to a project, and especially one that requires loads of laundry and, often, a bath. 

But, if you’ve got a little one in diapers or you’re doing night-time potty training with a toddler, accidents go with the territory.  Unfortunately for me, I have both, which means lots of sheets and laundry each week.  Recently, we’ve been experimenting with cloth diapers and training underwear overnight for our oldest so that we could fully wean out of diapers, but this process has led to even more laundry than I could have imagined.

When our team is at home, this is a minor inconvenience.  But, when we take our show on the road and we’re using someone else’s bed, someone else’s laundry, or if we have to pack it all home again with us, this can actually ruin a trip.  Tent camping, hotel stays, or crashing at friend’s homes all require something more disposable that doesn’t mean extra laundry.

Of course the solution would come from Huggies, the company that we already rely on for leak protection.  Huggies GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats are the perfect solution for grandma’s house, daycare, or for any time that laundry just isn’t possible because they can attach to anything and can protect bedding, sleeping bags and more from accidents.

I found out that the Huggies GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats were available from Walmart.com and even though my local store doesn’t carry them, I ordered 3 packs via site-to-store for free and then picked them up a few days later.  I was in and out of there in a matter of minutes with my packages of GoodNites bed mats in hand and ready for all of our holiday and blogging travel in the coming months. 

We got to put Huggies GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats to the test on a recent weekend trip to Portland and they were a lifesaver.  With us averaging an accident every week or so here at home, I really didn’t want to chance ruining our beloved travel crib or having to pack a wet sleeping bag home over state lines, so the GoodNites bed mats were the perfect solution for us.  I simply slipped two into our overnight bag, one for the travel crib and one for the sleeping bag, and was able to bring my own peace of mind with us.

I was partially expecting them to feel like the pads used in hospitals with a slippery underside that tends to move around all over the bed, so I was really happy to find that they have a peel-and-stick design that helps keep them right where you need them.  No waking up to find the mats wrapped around your child’s feet with the bed exposed because the GoodNites stay right where you place them. 

Also a surprise was how soft they felt in comparison to hospital pads.  They have a soft breathable top layer much like a feminine pad and then a plastic waterproof bottom layer that doesn’t make noise like other waterproof bedding can.  It’s not as lush as flannel or as soft as cotton, but much preferred to paper or crinkly plastic yet still disposable.

Now that we’re back from Portland, we haven’t stopped using the GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats.  We placed one on the twin-sized bed in my daughter’s room and then another one on the crib in my son’s room so we could see how they handle multiple nights of sleep.  They have both held up really well, which I was thrilled about because it means I don't need to bring a new mat for each day unless the pad gets soaked.

Their larger 2.6 x 2.9ft size makes them perfect for crib, toddler, twin, or full beds and then you can simply fold one panel down to fit small portable cribs like the Baby Bjorn or Phil and Ted’s.  They also fit nicely in children’s sleeping bags, you just need to wrap the sides of the mat up and around your child and secure with the peel-and-stick lining.  Try them in playpens, play yards, play mats or anything else your child sleeps in, drools on, or plays on top of to protect your child and all of your gear.

We plan on slipping some in the overnight bag for the holidays so we can bring them with us to the grandparent’s house and then keeping the rest with our luggage for the next vacation.  With how portable they are and how inexpensive {$9.47 for 9ct}, it just makes sense to stock up for overnights, camping, and vacations so we always have some ready to go.   

Want to learn more about bedwetting and get some great tips and tricks for older kids?  Check out Walmart's GoodNites Mats page where you can even download a $2 off coupon to purchase your own GoodNites Mats.  You can buy them directly from Walmart.com via site-to-store or you can ship them directly to your home {with free shipping over $49!}.

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Huggies. #HuggiesWalmart #CBias #SocialFabric.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

Zutano Introduces ZUTANOBLUE at Target {$75 Gift Card Giveaway}

Baby clothing sure has come a long way in the past 20 years.  When I was a tot, there was pastel pink or blue or, if you didn’t know whether you were expecting a boy or girl, you got muted yellow and green.  But now baby clothing comes in every color of the rainbow and in styles I can’t help but swoon over. 

It would be hard to pinpoint exactly when the switch to fashionably fun children’s wear happened, but my guess it was right around the time Zutano hit the market and turned the pastel baby clothing market on its head.  Just look at some of these adorable goodies from their collection.  Feel free to swoon, I’ll wait. 

Almost makes me want another little one.  Almost.

Thanks to the combined efforts of Momtrends and Project Nursery, I recently spent some time with the wonderful people behind the Zutano brand at BlogHer and was amazed at how nice and personable they all are.    

We met up at the famous FAO Schwarz in NYC and had a delicious catered dinner from Tacombi.  While we ate, we learned a little bit about the company, why it started, and what its vision was – in the beginning and looking forward.  We even got to see the Zutano bicycle that founder Michael Belenky used to hand-deliver orders from all over the city.

A far cry from delivering via bicycle, Zutano also announced at the event that they will be collaborating with Target in the coming months to showcase the ZUTANOBLUE line designed by Uli Belenky in stores nationwide.  Since I love Target and can’t go a full two weeks without stepping in one, I love that now I’ll be able to see all the adorable Zutano designs in person there as well. 

The Zutano event was a very relaxed get together that made it easy to connect with old friends as well as meet some new ones, and everyone there was amazingly nice. I was really excited to see a sneak peek of what’s to come in the Zutano Spring 2013 line and made myself a little wish list while I mingled.  Whether I’m shopping for my daughter, son or all the new babies in the family, there’s a ton of cuteness, color and fun in the coming months and I love it all. 

We ended the event with a quick tour of the colorful 500-sq ft Zutano section at FAO Schwarz, which is actually run by the owner’s eldest daughter, Sofia.  I fell in love with the adorable owl print for my daughter and the traffic print for my son, which just so happens to be a perfect fit for both of their personalities. 

After we got home from NYC, we checked out Zutano online and was even more impressed with their selection.  Zutano can grow with your child from newborn to 4T and has everything you need from clothing to accessories to feeding gear to nursery decor.

Want to win some Zutano cash this fall?  You're in luck!

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win at $75 Zutano Gift Card!

To Enter: Visit Zutano.com and tell me one of the items you would buy

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

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this amazing giveaway {Zutano $75 gift card giveaway http://t.co/zw2AlYPv} and tag Zutano and Rave & Review

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 {code in sidebar}.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet after following @Zutano and @RaveAndReview

1 Extra Entry - Pinning.  Follow Zutano on Pinterest

2 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! 

1 Extra Entry - Pin or Like this post {use the buttons at the bottom of post to make it super easy! Can be done once per article}

On September 29th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn by Random.org, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  US only.

Winner, winner.  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #206 Kristen said... I entered the Country Outfitter giveaway.

A big thank you to Zutano for inviting me to the event 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 Rave Review.

 

Folding flexiBATH from Prince Lionheart {Review & Giveaway}

If you’re anything like me, you were beyond thrilled when you could finally throw away your old baby bathtub for good.  I got rid of our plastic molded tub as soon as my son could handle a regular bath, happy to reclaim our bath once and for all.  But, when I found out I would be reviewing the new colored flexiBATH from Prince Lionheart, I was actually pretty excited.

Why, you ask?  Because even though my “babies” certainly don’t need baby baths anymore, I still really love the amazing flexiBATH from Prince Lionheart that is a great tool for bathtime, laundry, beach time and more.  The flexiBATH comes folded for shipping, and with one simple motion it opens to a large freestanding bath tub with semi-rigid sides and silicone water-tight joints, which makes it perfect for on the go, as well as at home.  

It’s really great when they are little and you want to bathe them in a smaller, confined area that you don’t have to pre-clean {you can also buy the Prince Lionheart infant support for even your littlest babes}, but it’s also great for toddlers if you simply don’t have a traditional tub and they like baths as much as our kiddos do.  We have used it numerous times for bath since it arrived, but our favorite use for it in summer has nothing to do with bathing at all.

I learned about all the benefits of sensory tables at my daughter’s co-op and then saw how much fun the kids would have playing with cornmeal and trucks one day, feathers and tongs the next, and was going to try and build something like that myself.  But, with playspace on the patio being limited, I didn’t want something that would be out year-round, so I was looking for something that could fold and be tucked away, and was coming up with nothing. 

But, when Prince Lionheart sent me their flexiBATH, I knew it was a perfect solution for a portable and packable sensory station.  Like most sensory tables, it has a drain at the bottom so you can easily fill it with water, bubbles, sand, shaving cream, etc, but unlike other sensory tables, it folds up easily, has a nice compact size with deep playing space, and can come inside to be cleaned in our regular bath. 

Perfect, right? These two think so!

Since the flexiBATH is so easy to fold and store, you could stash it almost anywhere - under the sink, on a shelf, or even in a closet.  It's light enough that the kiddos can get it out themselves for filling with feathers, dirt, or treasures they pick up on our nature walks, but not so lightweight that it seems flimsy at all.  As with all Prince Lionheart products, it's clearly made with quality and durable enough for just about anything you throw at it. 

This is all great because the uses for a flexiBATH are almost limitless – whether it’s a camping bath and basin, car wash bucket, toy storage container, beach must-have for play and for cleanup, laundry tub, a water/sand table, party-size ice bucket, washable art station, gardening tub, pet playspace or bathtub, or it’s a tiny backyard wading pool.  Just think of how many ways you could use the flexiBATH for thousands of uses around the home and away! 

To check out all of Prince Lionheart’s great products for baby and beyond, visit the Prince Lionheart site for more information and how to buy.

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win their own flexiBATH from Prince Lionheart

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! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this amazing giveaway {Prince Lionheart flexiBATH Giveaway http://t.co/NcOaDUSF} and tag Prince Lionheart and Rave & Review

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 - Like Prince Lionheart on Facebook

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet after following @PrinceLionheart and @RaveAndReview

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!

1 Extra Entry - Pin or Like this post {use the buttons at the bottom of post to make it super easy! Can be done once per article}

On August 25th 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 everyone who entered and congrats to:  #10  Kristin S 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.

MAM Baby Oral Care Collection {Review & $2 Off Coupon}

We’ve talked before about how much we adore MAM Baby – their pacifiers, their bottles, and pretty much everything they make.  In fact, we even wrote a love letter to all of our favorite MAM products after we saw them at the Baby Show in NYC in 2009.  So, of course, we jumped at the chance to review some of their newest items from the MAM oral care line this spring for our little guy. 

Knowing that proper oral care needs to start even before the first tooth, we’ve always been big on gum and tooth brushing.  But, while our 4 year old daughter begs to brush her teeth, our little guy seemed to dislike all of the tooth brushes we had ever bought for him and I dreaded tooth time.  Because of this, I was really excited to see some fun new items in the oral care kit that arrived last month.


Since MAM offers various takes on the standard toothbrush for small kids, I knew that this would be a great opportunity to see what his preference was and why he hadn’t liked the toothbrushes we had given him in the past.  After opening the first package it became clear that he had viewed toothbrushes not as a cleaning tool, but rather a teething tool, and he had been frustrated that the bristles weren’t offering the biting sensation he was hoping for. 

While I would ideally like him to focus on good brushing habits, him gumming on a toothbrush with baby paste all over his teeth as definitely better than nothing, and I know MAM will help us transition well to using an actual toothbrush as he gets older. 

The MAM oral care system starts with the Oral Care Rabbit that is a terry cloth teether for young kids.  Since my son was a bit old for this and thought it was a washcloth or sponge, we decided to hand it off to a new nephew who adores it now that his new teeth are trying to pop through. 

Instead, we started with the MAM Massaging Brush, which has a long handle with two teething pads on either end.  One side has a bristle-like rubber head and the other side has a rippled head that allows you to assist your child in brushing their teeth and get them ready to brush on their own.


Since my little guy is teething, everything makes it to his mouth these days, but he seems to get frustrated he can’t get his back teeth that are trying to pop through.  We found out quick that he loves the bristle-like head of the Massaging Brush and uses it to help those back teeth pop through.  So, now instead of a kiddo who would refuse to brush, we now have a kid who would brush his teeth for 30 minutes or more if we let him!

He’s been using it for a few weeks now and we are just now at the point where we are thinking of moving him to the next step up in the oral care line, the MAM Training Brush.  Like the Massaging Brush, it has a long handle with a rubber head, but instead of the second rubber head, it has a more traditional tooth brush head on the other end so they can get used to the idea of traditional brushing.
 
The final step is still a few months away, but it was great to show him the MAM First Brush and get him used to the idea of using a regular toothbrush like his sister.  This one has a shorter handle for those who have better dexterity and can maneuver easily even in little mouths.   

Because the line progressively moves kids through all stages of oral care but still integrates the same coloring and fun designs, I think this was exactly what we needed to start him off on taking care of his new pearly whites.  I’m really excited that we figured out what his preferences were by using the MAM line and now have a clear plan to transitioning him to a regular brush.  But, most of all, I am thrilled that because of MAM we now we have two awesome teeth brushers that beg to brush their teeth each morning and night. 

And, no, I did not pose them for this picture.  I came in to find them brushing their teeth on their own and whipped out my camera.  Because not only do they love brushing, they clearly love each other. 

Want to know more about MAM’s product offerings?  Visit mambaby.com and navigate through their collection of pacifiers, bottles, brushes and more.  While you’re there you should check out the MAM Life Cycle section of their site for great information from pregnancy and beyond! 

Also, be sure and like MAM Baby USA on Facebook for a $2 off coupon to use in-store!

Thank you to Team Mom / Child's Play PR and MAM for sending samples to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Seventh Generation Diapers Are "Lorax Approved" {Review & Giveaway}

It's been more than 40 years since Dr Seuss first published The Lorax, but the classic tale of consumerism and environmental disaster is just as, if not more, relevant today.  In today’s world of over indulgence, The Lorax explains to children how important it is to protect our environment and leave it healthy for future generations.  I had never read the story before this month, but now that I have, I am a big fan of it and was thrilled to share it with my family. 

In partnership with Universal Studios’ motion picture debut of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax this month, Seventh Generation is featuring limited edition Lorax prints on their diapers and training pants to celebrate.  These subtly tasteful prints are more than adorable, they are also a great way to remind all of us about the lessons of The Lorax, and encourage environmental awareness as a family. 

We got to try out the new Seventh Generation Overnight Diapers over the past week and was really surprised by them.  We’ve tried just about every diaper on the market with our son and have had mixed results in the past.  But, when I pulled the Seventh Generation Overnight Diapers out of the package, they looked different than any others we have ever tried.  Instead of white, cream, or all over printed, the Seventh Generation diapers are a bit greyish in color and don’t scream out “baby!” at all. 

Trying them out the first night, I was a bit nervous that I would return only to have his whole bed soaked.  I was thrilled when instead I came back to my sweet baby waiting for me and smiling, with a completely dry bed and PJs.  The next few naps and nights went like that as well and I’m happy to report there have been no accidents since we’ve started using them a few days ago.  I’ve even used them when we were out and about all day with limited access to changing tables and successfully avoided accidents on the road as well. 

While I really love the leak control and everything that they don’t put into the Free & Clear line, my daughter especially loves that The Lorax is featured on the diapers.  We’ve read the book numerous times before nap since it arrived and each time she exclaims, “It’s like Brother’s diapers!”.  Hopefully the message of The Lorax isn’t lost on her and we can use this as a great teaching point to help her realize how important it is to protect what we have and resist what we just don’t need. 

While I have never tried the Seventh Generation Free & Clear line of diapers before and can’t speak to how the Overnight Diapers compare to the regular Free & Clear diapers, I can say I’m now a fan.  They have surpassed my expectations and then some and I really love that they don’t contain chlorine, fragrance, and are hypo-allergenic for his sensitive skin.  This is especially important to me when we aren’t going to be able to change him frequently, but until now I haven’t found a diaper that didn’t leak when worn for prolonged times that I felt comfortable using.

For those of you who are very familiar with Seventh Generation, you will be happy to note that they’ve been doing some other really cool things in a new redesign to their whole diaper line.  The Free & Clear diapers now have new and improved tabs for a better fit and the Free & Clear training pants now have an absorbent core made with more renewable materials.  

Some facts about the Free & Clear diaper line:
•    Free & Clear diapers have improved more flexible tabs that provide even better fit
•    Free & Clear training pants have an absorbent core made with more renewable, plant-based materials.  They also feature stretchy, tear away side panels for a better fit and added convenience, as well as inner leak barriers for superior leakage protection
•    Seventh Generation Free & Clear baby care products do not contain chlorine, fragrance, petroleum-based lotions or latex, and all Free & Clear products are also hypo-allergenic
•    Starting March 2, you can register for a free The Lorax scrapbook with the purchase of any three Free & Clear diaper products, until supplies last

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win one package of new Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers and a copy of Dr Seuss’s The Lorax storybook!

To Enter:  Comment below with which of the Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diaper products are you most interested in trying with your family in an effort to become more eco-conscious

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

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/iAzmYpOX} and tag Rave & Review 

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 - "Like" Seventh Generation on Facebook {do not comment on their wall, simply comment on this giveaway post}

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet after following @SeventhGen and @RaveAndReview

2 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 April 5th 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. Open to US addresses only.

The Seventh Generation Diapers prize pack, product and information have been provided by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.