Snug n Tug

What a great, patent pending swaddle! This "must have" for parents provides a snug, soft and wiggle free swaddle for your little one. It is made with the parent in mind. This easy to use swaddle is made of breathable cotton and comes in 2 sizes! We love the 2 sizes, not all babies are the same size and believe it or not, they do grow. The Snug n Tug is a triangular blanket, made especially for swaddling and has Velcro that helps the blanket stay put all through the night. Another little plus to this blanket is the "safety" tab that pulls over the Velcro for when you wash it, so it won't snag your other laundry!

Go Mama Go Designs has won a long list of awards, including iParenting Media-and have been featured in a number of magazines such as RedBook.

You can purchase your Snug n Tug at Be By Baby, a cute little online Boutique.

Wonder Bumpers

There are so many warnings about putting bumpers on your child's crib. Despite all the warnings, most parents still put them on, whether it is to complete the look of the crib or because they want their little one shielded from the hard bars. However, those warnings are real, and Go Mama Go Designs have come up with the perfect alternative...and of course, created by parents and tested out by parents as well.

Wonder Bumpers are here! This great alternative to those old fashioned, pillow-like bumpers can help reduce the risk of SIDS and increase air flow. These Wonder Bumpers are super easy to put on, simply zip 'em up, they are machine washable and they are reversible too! They are extremely plush and there is no need to remove them when the crib turns into a toddler bed. Little G is almost 3 and we put these on her Big Girl bed and she fell instantly in love with them. They gave her bed a new look and brightened up her room.

Go Mama Go Designs have been featured in many magazines, such as Parents magazine and on TV shows all over, such as Fox News & CNN. The list of awards is long and parents can't stop raving!

You can purchase Wonder Bumpers at buy buy Baby, online or in the store.

Your all in one Journal is HERE

As a new parent, or a seasoned vet, keeping track of baby's schedule (and yours) can be a daunting task. Baby Carrots is made especially for this, "for Mommas, by Mommas!"

Do you have sticky notes laying around everywhere that remind you when to feed your little one, or what side you nursed on last? How about a huge planner with loose pieces of paper falling out that is an attempt to keep your schedule organized? Baby Carrots is the perfect solution to all of this. This journal offers 130 pages of pure organization. It is a coil bound planner, made on recycled paper, that helps you keep track of daily patterns. There are pages for detailed notes about your little one from day one all the way through their 12th month. It also contains a monthly planner to help keep track of your appointments. There is also a section to keep track of doctors appointments, immunizations, thank you cards, contacts and even a spot to put your little ones hand and foot prints. My favorite is the pocket that lets you keep all those little notes you write to yourself or little pictures to show your child growing up over the months. What most new parents need is some good advice. There is a whole section that includes some great advice for baby care, suggested reading, car travel with baby, recommended websites, first foods and some Momma advice.

For $19.95, My Little Guppie definitely recommends the Baby Carrots Journal for a shower gift or a "just because" gift for a new parent. Remember, you can get this journal personalized too!

Looking for a Natural Skincare Product for Baby & Family?

Little Twig is just the product for you and your whole family. All of their skincare products are mild and hypoallergenic for sensitive skin. There is an array of bath products, lotions, shampoos and suncreen; offering soothing Aloe and Vitamin E for your skin.

Little Twig prides themselves on being Organic and Natural. Their products are Paraben free, SLS free, Phthalate free and contain no Synthetic fragrances and no Artificial colors. All of their soothing and yummy smelling products are Pediatrician tested, Made in the U.S. and are not tested on animals.

Little G loved suddzing up in the morning with her Happy Tangerine Body Wash and if it was a night bath, I added Calming Lavander Bubble bath. I love that Little Twig has joine up with 1% for the Planet and has vowed to donate 1% of their profits to Environmental Organizations.

You can feel better knowing that you are buying non-harsh products for your little one and helping the Planet at the same time!

You Can Play with Your Food!

It is finally okay to play with your food! The fantastic Lunch Punches are here. The unique sandwich cut outs make getting rid of your crust and keeping the most of your sandwich easy! The Lunch Punches can easily cut through 2 pieces of bread and are great for sandwiches, toast, cookies or even the yummy breakfast treat, egg in the hole! What is even better is that the Lunch Punches do not smash your sandwiches, they remain light and fluffy.

These playful punches are kid friendly and diswasher safe. All cut outs are BPA free, Phthalate free, PVC free and Lead free. The come in many fun shapes; puzzles, critters, trucks, airplanes, animals and even a fairy. You can find Lunch Punches at Amazon.com

Baby Aspen Winners

Congratulations to Heather Y, Tracey P, Stephani E, Erin J, Laura B, Kitt A, Pat E, Heather F & Eva B! All winners of the GREAT Baby Aspen Giveaway. Enjoy your cute as can be gifts!

Great New Items Baby Aspen: Caterpillar Crawlers, Jakka the Giraffe & Ekko the Elephant

I had a recent donation for review that I am just so excited about! Baby Aspen sent us 3 great products that I can't wait to share with everyone, the best part is...they are sponsoring a HUGE giveaway too.

The cutest of all is the Caterpillar Crawler. This little guy is a set of 4 little baby socks, for girl or boy. The socks are striped, dotted and of course, the last pair has a cute little caterpillar smiley face. They are yellow, orange, purple and green-sure to brighten up any little one's day! The size is 0-6 months and they are machine washable. We loved these little socks, especially as a fun gift to give a friend or someone in your office.

Then we have Jakka the Giraffe and Ekko the Elephant. Two of the softest and cuddliest friends your child could ask for. Offering texture and sound for your child to recognize, with it's soft satin trim and crinkly leaf, Jakka and Ekko come straight from the Safari Collection at Baby Aspen. Our favorite feature is that the eyes are embroidered and safe for any curious child. These two lovies are sure to a must for little one!

Baby Aspen prides themselves in presentation. They are the designers/manufacturers of all their products and sell wholesale. When you visit their website, or see their displays at one of the many vendors, you will be drawn to their products. Corner Stork Baby Gifts is a great site to visit if you would like to order the Baby Aspen items online. They are quality products and reasonably priced too. And remember, Give. Play. Cuddle. Dream.

Now, for the BEST part! Baby Aspen would like to offer 2 giveaways...with 9 winners! 3 readers are going to receive either Jakka or Ekko, your choice and 6 winners will receive Caterpillar Crawlers! Please email me your name, address and phone number (this is a must for UPS)-along with a short story about your little one! The winners will be picked on September 1.

TimeZup!

Recently, I stumbled upon a great app for your iPhone! This app is called TimeZup! and is created by a Dad who needed to keep his toddler from the occasional meltdowns when it was time to leave the house. I am sure this sounds familiar!

The TimeZup! app helps children keep track of when it is time for bed, when it is time to put their toys down or even when it is time to leave the house. It has verbal cues that are easy for kids to understand, and provides a count down for them that is fun and exciting. You can set the timer from 1 minute up to 10 minutes. The TimeZup! app has 4 voices: a Pirate, an Operator, Boy Wonder & Mr. Countdown. It is recommended for children 2 and up. It is available for the iPhone and iPad Touch running OS 3.0 or higher.

I have a 2 1/2 year old and with my help, we were able to set it together and the first couple times we watched the countdown together until she got used to it. At first, we tried to use it for her time outs, but it became more of a game than a time out. We scratched that idea and after speaking with the developer of the app, he suggested using it for bedtime or some other activity. We used it for bath time. Once Little G got used to it, she knew to start putting her toys away when Boy Wonder shouted "30 Seconds!" and when the buzzer sounded and time was up, she was off to her bath. We were really impressed with the TimeZup! app and would recommend it for any parent with a toddler that needs a little coaxing when it comes to certain tasks.

Bumbleride, Indie Twin

Looking for an uber cute and easy to handle double stroller? The Bumbleride Indie Twin is a great looking stroller, very easy to put together, a breeze to handle and simple to fold up again!

The Indie Twin is a side by side stroller that is infant carrier compatible. You can have both your toddler and your infant ride side by side. The backrests, canopies and footrests are all adjustable, making your stroller unique to your child's needs. It is 29" wide, which makes it maneuverable through doorways and the swiveling wheels make strolling the neighborhood a breeze.

We loved that the handle is adjustable, so when I was using it I didn't have to have my arms at an uncomfortable height and when my husband was using it, he wasn't crouched over. The basket under the seat is quite large, easily fitting an over sized diaper bag or spring jackets that have been thrown off because the sun was shining! The canopies provide great sun protection but also let the breeze through to keep your little one from overheating. It comes in some great colors too! Bumbleride promotes that it is lightweight, and for a double stroller, it is. However, for me it was a bit heavy in general. The one and only thing that we did not like about this stroller is that even though it fits through doorways, most clothing stores do not have aisles big enough to accommodate side by side strollers and when it comes to crowded festivals, it is very hard to get through the crowds. All in all, we would recommend the Bumbleride Indie Twin!

Environmentally Friendly Sandwich & Snack Bags

Finally I found a reusable bag that I like! We are a recycling and reusing family, but it is so hard to wash out your plastic baggies-knowing that they are really clean. I just couldn't come up with a good solution to our baggie problem. Then I found Reusies, which are so great. Using one Reusies bag can save 100's of bags from being thrown into landfills. Each bag is 100% cotton and lined with leak resistant nylon (BPA, Lead, Phthalate Free). You can then close them with the velcro fastener. They come in snack and sandwich sizes and are available in about 40 different patterns too! They can be machine washed and dried, put in the dishwasher or washed with soap and water, left to air dry.

We love Reusies! We use the bags more for dry snacks than sandwiches, which is great for Baby G. She loves that they velcro closed (me too!) and that they are easy for her to open as well. I can't tell you how many snacks are saved not that they are not being spilled all over the floor. We also love the cute patterns they come in and each person can have their very own set of baggies. They are pretty inexpensive as well, when you compare it to how much you spend on plastic baggies that are thrown out. You can get the snack size bags for under $7 and the sandwich size for under $9.

Daddy Scrubs

When Baby G was born, all my husband wanted for the hospital was a pair of scrubs. He always had this image that all dads get to wear scrubs when their child is born. I don't know what the fascination was with this, but needless to say, he was very disappointed when he realized he didn't get scrubs when Baby G was born.

Two years later, I found Daddy Scrubs! These scrubs are for father's at all stages of fatherhood. Being especially perfect for the Dad's stay at the hospital. These doctor-like scrubs let everyone know who the Dad is, with fun lettering across them saying "I'm the Daddy!" You can also get T-shirts with the same "I'm the Daddy!" on them. My husband was so excited to get these, and of course, can't to have another little one, when he can where these scrubs in the hospital. He tells me how comfortable they are and (he is going to kill me) has made up a dance with Baby G, that he calls "the Daddy" dance, that he can only do when he is wearing his scrubs. Daddy Scrubs was nice enough to give us a complimentary pair for a review, but I know I am going to have to buy him another pair! They come in green, khaki or blue and are under $40.

Looking for a warm, cuddly and breathable swaddle blanket?

My Little Guppie has found the perfect swaddle blankets for your little one! Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddles were brought to us by a mother from Australia, who decided to share her family tradition with us. When she came to the U.S from Australia, she was not able to find the same type of cotton muslin blankets that she remembered from her childhood. She created an oversized swaddle blanket, large enough to be a stroller cover or even used as a blanket for tummy time that was made out of the gentlest muslin she could find.

Muslin is a unique material that promotes warmth and coziness, but also lets air circulate around your baby, keeping her from getting overheated. Aden + Anais has created several fun and whimsical patterns for you to choose from! You can buy a 4 pack for under $45. You can also visit their site to see all the great products that are offered.

Our reviewer has been using the Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddles for a little over a month and has given her approval, 100 times over! Her little one was born 6 weeks ago and the only way to soothe her is to swaddle her. Of course, with the cold winter months we have here in Chicago, she was worried about her little one being cold, so she would swaddle her in heavy blankets, but to her dismay, she always found her little one all sweaty! Once she switched over to the muslin swaddles, she noticed a big difference! Baby Rae seemed more comfortable, feel asleep and stayed asleep and was never sweating. She also uses the oversized swaddle as a nursing cover, which also keeps her from getting overheated! Be sure to check out Aden + Anais for some fantastic products.

Joovy, UltraLight Caboose

The Caboose Ultralight by Joovy has us wishing Spring was here, with warmer weather and more time to take walks through the neighborhood! We couldn't wait to get out this weekend and try it out!

The Caboose can accommodate two children and is car seat compatible. It was super easy to put together, we did it in about 10 minutes. You can either use the front seat for an older child and connect the snack tray or snap on the car seat adapter and it becomes a great ride for your infant. While using the Caboose with a car seat, the back seat can accommodate a toddler in a standing position. Without the car seat, the child in the rear can sit as well. The new 2010 model has some improved features too! It now has 4 wheel suspension, which means a smoother ride for the back seat passenger. There is a 3 position seat recline for the front rider, versus the only 2 positions that were offered in previous models. It does come with a detachable canopy, an over sized basket underneath (which has been made much larger than it was in previous models) and an organizer that attaches to the handle bar that can store your drink, cell phone or keys.

The seats are cushioned and very comfortable for the little ones. It was a bit warmer this weekend, but snow still on the ground and the Joovy Ultralight Caboose maneuvered around, and sometimes through the snow very well. Our favorite feature was how light this stroller was! It beats most double strollers, weighing in at only 21 pounds, it is almost as light as our single stroller! It was super easy to fold up, pick up and stow away in the back of my very tiny Nissan Versa! You can purchase this stroller for under $275, a great deal for an excellent double stroller! You can view all Joovy products at their website.

Personalize Your Child's BackPack With PakNak

You're wondering, what is PakNak? Designed by a couple of Moms and tested out by their kids, PakNak Charms are whimsical, 3D charms that you can put on your child's lunch box, backpack or lunch bag. These charms are soft and flexible and stick to just about anything! There are about 40 designs, that come with a super strong adhesive and velcro that makes each PakNak interchangeable, depending on you child's mood!

I really like the idea of personalizing my daughter's head bands with the cute little butterflys or ladybugs! Even the Website is fun, you can download the entire collection of PakNaks in a fun to color coloring book for your kids! The one drawback is that if you don't want to have the PakNak on your headband, bag or lunch box anymore, it seemed a bit difficult to get the adhesive off if it had been on there for a while. It was very easy to remove and put on something else, if it was done rather quickly. Overall, I think these are great ways for kids to personalize their belongings and have some fun.

Lily Padz

Are you looking for an alternative to your traditional nursing pads? I was contacted by Lily Padz and given a chance to try them out (not me, but a fellow reviewer).

Lily Padz were invented by a Mother who was looking for something more comfortable and more affordable than the disposable nursing pads. She came up with Lily Padz, made out of a gas permeable silicone (allowing your skin to breathe), with a design that conforms to your body and helps stop leakage. Lily Padz are non-absorbent, but there is no need for absorbancy. With the unique design and flexibility, Lily Padz provide enough pressure to actually prevent leakage. The sticky underside lasts about 2 months with proper care, keeping you from having to spend tons of money on new nursing pads! What's great about Lily Padz is that they are virtualy invisible under most clothes, you can wear them while swimming and they can even be used with Lanolin.

Our reviewer was very happy with Lily Padz. She was so excited to try them out and get rid of those bulky disposable pads. She was even able to wear a fantastic black dress for her anniversary dinner out with her husband! What she liked most was that they were so easy to wash and were dry and ready to wear again within minutes. Another favorite part for her was that she was able to sleep without having to wear a bra! Freedom, she said! She did have some trouble with them in the beginning with leakage, and with them being non absorbant...well, you get the picture. Once she got used to them, there were no problems and she has been using them for almost 2 months. Her plan is to buy a new pair and with them being about $30, they won't break the bank!

Carnival Cruising...For Kids

We recently took a Carnival Cruise with our 2 year old and had the best time! We were worried about not having time to ourselves, or that Baby G would be bored. It was just the opposite! Camp Carnival was a complete ray of sunshine (even though the sun was lacking on the cruise)! Throughout the day, Baby G could go to camp and see other kids, do arts and crafts and give Momma and Daddy some much needed time together. Whether at sea or at port, you can drop your child off at camp for a day filled with friendly camp counselors, running around and just being a kid! At night, we would all go to dinner, Baby G would eat and then we would take her back to camp. Camp closed at 10pm, and then turned into hourly babysitting. The hourly rate was $6...you can't beat that! When our trip was over, we got to bring home memories from camp too! Baby G made some great handprints, princess crowns, edible necklaces (that kept her occupied while waiting at the airport), a Camp Carnival tote bag, a T-shirt that she colored herself and many pictures to remember the day that Camp turned her into a bunny, complete with face painting and bunny ears! I would truly recommend cruising on Carnival and checking out the camp! There are 3 age groups: 2-5 year olds, 6-8 year olds and 9-11 year olds.

Lamie Pie Winner

Congratualtions to Kaylee of Cleveland, Tenessee! Her daughter, Avery will be receiving her very own Lamie Pie night light to love and cherish.