Babes and Kids

Hi All!  As many of you know, we just bought our first home.  We don't have internet hooked up and life has been a little crazy to say the least.  I will try to get on and post reviews when I can.  Thanks for being patient and watch for an update!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with great memories for you and your families.

Pampers Swaddlers are the perfect name for what Pampers was trying to achieve with this newborn diaper.

Pampers Cruisers are one of the more expensive diapers on the market. Worth it? Keep reading and you'll find out.

Pros: Pampers Cruisers are an extension of the swaddlers. They start in a size 3 (16-28 lbs) and go up to a size 7. It's nice that they offer them in a size 7 for larger children, or those who are in diapers longer, as many brands don't offer this big of a size.  Pampers doesn't disappoint when it comes to coverage. I think the cruisers run a tad bit bigger than most brands meaning that your little one can stay in a smaller size longer, saving you money. My 3 year old is fairly tall for his age and these diapers have GREAT coverage in the front and back. They are incredibly soft on the inside and out and move really well with your child. They have an absorb away liner which pulls pee and poop away from your child, thus helping with diaper rash. Pampers has a cute sesame street design which my son gets excited about wearing too. The sides are extremely soft and stretchy creating a snug fit. The tabs are sticky and I have NEVER had them come undone in the 18 months that we have been using them.  You can fasten and unfasten them, and they are still just as sticky.  I can count on my hands the number of times my boys have blown out of the Cruisers which is ALWAYS fixed by going up a size.  I can't rave enough about these diapers. 

Cons: These diapers are pricier than most but I feel that can be quickly outweighed by the fact that you will be doing less laundry.   I've heard some don't like the pampers because they are thinner and they seem soggier.  I like the fact that they are thinner as it means there is less bulk on your child, allowing them to move more freely.  They do seem a little soggy in the morning, but hey they DON'T leak.  Worth the extra money?  Absolutely.

The Bottom Line: My favorite diaper and the one I would choose if I were a baby/toddler.  :)

Price: $11 for a jumbo pack,  $21 for a box  (Price per diaper is based on a box, which is what I usually buy them in.  I almost always have a coupon too.  Watch for them in your Sunday paper.  They also have pampers coupons on the back of cheerios boxes right now, and if you shop at Walgreens or Albertsons, coupons print out at the register when you buy them for a future purchase.) Price per diaper is before coupons.

Catchy name for a diaper, isn't it?  When I bought these diapers , I was sure hoping I'd "luv" them more than the last time I used them for my 3 year old.  These diapers tend to be cheaper than Pampers and Huggies, but a dollar or two more than generic store brands or white cloud.

If any of you participate in the Pampers Gifts to Grow program, they are offering free shipping on all rewards through December.  It's a great time to cash in!  For those of you who don't know about the program, you sign up for an account at pampers.com.  Then you collect points by entering in codes found inside the diaper packaging, and redeem them for rewards.  It's a nice perk if you already buy Pampers.  You can also enter the code:  WEAPPRECIATEU08 for an extra 10 points.  Not sure how long that code is good for.  

White Cloud Diapers are a generic type diaper that are specifically made for Walmart.   So how do they measure up? (Image from whiteclouddiapers.com)

Don't we all spend way too much on diapers? It probably doesn't help that it is Christmas time, and we'd love to spend our money elsewhere. Since I am doing diaper reviews I thought it would be appropriate to do a diaper giveaway! Up for grabs is a $15 Walmart gift card you can use for a few weeks worth of diapers. You know the drill - leave a comment to enter and let me know what kind of diapers you last bought.  Winners will be announced the day after my last diaper review....sometime in January.

If you spend $20 on Pampers at Albertsons right now you get $5 off for a future purchase and 5 redbox rentals!  So if you have an Albertsons close by, it might be worth going!  (Thanks Holly for the deal.)

I've started to notice a trend with store brand diapers so I didn't want to try anymore.  However, one Saturday night I realized I only had a few diapers left for each of the boys so we made a quick stop at Albertsons to pick some up.  I decided to try the Baby Basics brand - the supreme kind.

I know I am supposed to be focusing on diaper reviews, but I had to pass info about this product along as we are nearing cold and flu season.  

Gymboree online is having a 25% off sale and free shipping on any order. The free shipping is great in and of itself!

I must admit, I love Target.  Love their store, love their stuff!  I remember buying Target brand diapers when Chan was little and using them for a while.  I stopped using them and couldn't remember why, so I bought another pack and decided to give them a go.

Amazon is having a sale on Pampers diapers, up to 30% off, which is a great deal as their diapers hardly go on sale. Free shipping and you don't even have to go to the store! Click here for more info on the deal. (From slickdeals)

Huggies Natural Fit Diapers are a step up from the normal Huggies Diapers.  They are designed to have a more contoured fit for baby.

Thanks all for entering. After looking through the comments and checking to find links on blogs, I put the numbers in the number generator via random.org. The first and second numbers both requested the boy's shoes, so I had to look at who wanted the girl's shoes and redo it. Seems like we have a lot of moms of boys reading :) After the 5th try of generating numbers, I finally got a winner for the girl's shoes too.

Diapers, diapers, diapers! Many of us find our favorites through trial and error. Every child is different and everyone may have a different opinion about the diapers that they do and don't like. I was one of those moms who went through every diaper with my first son, trying to decide what we liked the best. Since that was a few years ago, I decided to try another experiment. I have my favorite diapers which I use faithfully but decided to give the other brands another shot since it's been a few years. We have 2 boys in diapers, ages 10 months and 3. Over the next month, I will review different diapers that we've tried again and why we did or didn't like them. I will also include reader's comments in the posts if I received feedback about that diaper.  As far as cloth diapers go, I have no experience, and I don't intend to.  Kudos to moms who cloth diaper though!  I have a few readers that will be featured in guest posts that have used cloth diapers.

One big thing I've learned about diapers is that if you find a brand is constantly leaking, go up a size. The weight guidelines for diapers are just a suggestion and while the weight for a size 4 diaper is typically 22-37 lbs, my 10 month old has been wearing them since 8 months and 18 lbs. So if you decide to try different diapers for yourself and hate a diaper because it is leaking, go up a size and give it another shot. Also, make sure the guard on the inside of the diaper that goes around their legs is flared out. If it is tucked in against their legs, that's asking for a blowout!  I've learned that too many times the hard way.

Aveeno has great line of bath and body products.  They also carry baby products - their diaper rash cream being one of them.

Brook and Krysta!  

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching us and what better way to celebrate than with some festive shirts for your little turkey? :)  I have 2 Thanksgiving shirts from Old Navy available - a bodysuit in 6-12 months and a 3T shirt. 

Carter's has been around since 1865.  That's a long time!  How does their onesie compare?  (Carter's refers to them as bodysuits.)

Onesies are a staple in every baby's wardrobe.  They are great for keeping baby warm, provide easy diaper changes and act great as an undershirt or a shirt by itself.

The Children's Place has soft soled shoes for babies, in 4 sizes starting in a newborn and going up to 18 months.  

Avent bottles were recommended to me by a friend when I first had Chandler.  Although I did breast feed him for  5 months, I wanted to make sure he would take a bottle while I was away.  After trying a few bottles, we decided to stick with the avent.

Playtex VentAire bottles have a special design to reduce gas and colic in babies.  Playtex has been around for 75 years so did they get the bottle right?

It seems like anything personalized is in right now. You see personalized pacifier clips, labels like the orbit labels I reviewed, onesies, bibs and more. Personalized items for baby really add that special touch. Fill in the Blankie is an ultra personalized blankie, taking it one step further.
How do they take it one step further?

According the their website, this is how they do it:
"We personalize ‘em out the wha-zoo”
You provide the copy, we’ll embroider your warmest wishes along all 4 satin edges. Much more than a monogram, or a name & a date, you’ll have up to 200 characters to work with. Each blanket truly tells a story.

Pros: I love that they have so much personalization. You can add your baby or child's name, birthdate, a special saying, or anything else you can possibly think of. They also have a special inspirations page to help you if you don't know what to put on it. How cool is it that you can personalize all 4 edges? Great idea. They are available in 3 great sizes with tons of different types of blankies to choose from. They also have lots of fonts and colors for the embroidery.
When I first got my blankie in the mail, I thought the packaging was adorable. Rowan seems to love it too. It's the Martha's Majesty style blankie and is incredibly soft with beautiful detailing. These blankies are great for special occasions but are also great to use as a lovie blanket. They wash up well and are really great quality. I think they'd also be a great baby shower gift and they offer gift wrapping as well as cute plush animals they can add to the blankie.

Cons: I don't have any complaints about these blankies, just wish I had known about them sooner!

The Bottom Line: Great quality cute blanket with a fun personalized touch. Visit Fill In the Blankie to learn more

Price: $39+ depending on the style you order.

Where to Buy: FillIntheBlankie.com

Rating: Excellent

Anyone that knows me knows that I am all about sales and getting good deals.  I decided that if I saw a really good deal on baby or children products I would pass it on to those who are reading.    Gap  is having a sale - an extra 25% off sale  items.  Enter the code EXTRA  at the checkout.  (Will only work for sale items.) For those of you who have a store near you, this is in store too.  I LOVE  baby Gap clothes, they hold up extremely well, are great quality and super cute.  A lot of the baby clothes that I kept from Chandler to use for Rowan were Gap and they still look new.  I refuse to pay their high original prices though and will watch for sales like this one.  Enjoy!

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags are a way for moms to store breast milk for their babies.

Pros: These bags are thick and have a double zip closure, this helping prevent against freezer burn and possible leaks. They are easy to close and stay closed.  They are BPA free which adds that sense of security while using them.  The ounces are measured on the outside of the bag  and there is also a place for you to write the date and ounces at the  top of the bag.  You can lay these flat to freeze and they don't take up a lot of space.  It is very easy to pour milk into these and they have a great pouring feature when you unthaw milk to pour it into a bottle.  When you buy these in a 25 count pack, they come in another nice ziplock bag.  This bag lets you know how long to store breast milk in a freezer which I thought was helpful as I could never remember on my own.  

Chances are if you've walked down the baby feeding isle at the store, you've seen a box of Gerber Biter Biscuits.  Designed for an older baby learning to self feed.  Here are some guidelines as given on the box if your baby is ready for biter biscuits:

This month I am giving away a pair of girl's or boy's soft soled shoes from the children's place. Super cute, huh? I will be reviewing this product this upcoming week. You have until the 29th of November to enter, and winners will be announced on the 30th! Just leave a comment to let me know you are reading! Link this giveaway on your blog and get another entry. Both sets of shoes are size 12-18 months.

3 pieces that go to a sippy cup, 3 more pieces that go to the bottle. Straws, valves, bottle nipples, and more. Doesn't it get old washing them by hand? At the same time, you've probably had pieces melt in the dishwasher or had the problem of them not getting washed well enough. You are nodding your head as you read this, right? The Munchkin Dishwasher Basket attempts to solve this problem for us.

Pros: This is basically a basket that you put in the top rack of your dishwasher. The basket opens up and is a great place for your sippy cup valves, nipples, straws, and any other little piece you may have. If you are washing bottle nipples, you actually pull them up through the top and they actually get washed well. Too many times I have washed bottle nipples on the top rack only to find them still dirty, turned on their side with dirty dishwasher water and other junk still in them.  This solves that problem which is so nice! The top has room for 14 bottle nipples and then also has room for other things such as sippy cup lids and valves. There is also a handy straw holder on the side if you have straws you need washed. (The straw holder can be removed)The plastic on this is very tough so it holds up well.

Cons: This does take up some space in the dishwasher, so if you live in an apartment like I do and have a small dishwasher, it's hard to really make room for it. It also makes it awkward when your dishwasher is small and you are trying to unload other cups and bowls from around it.  I've had a few problems getting it open up when it is wet. I like what the product is for but ended up getting rid of ours as it just took up too much space. One day when I have a big new dishwasher, I'd invest in another one of these.

The Bottom Line: Cool product, does it's job.

Price: $4-6

Where to Buy: Amazon, Target

Rating: Great

Johnson's Baby Cream is that classic baby smell in a thicker cream instead of just a lotion.

Pros: It's nice to have this lotion in a cream for dry skin. It does a great job moisturizing and has that great baby scent. It is a very mild formula and is allergy tested. I feel like it does a much better job than the original baby lotion. It comes in an 8 oz size and a soft squeeze tube.

Cons: This isn't the best cream for babies with exzema. I think there are better alternatives to help deal with this type of dry skin. I also think you have to apply often for it's moisturizing benefits.

The Bottom Line: A good lotion with that smells wonderful.

Price: $3.99

Where to Buy: Most major retailers (Walmart, Target)

Rating: OK

The First Years Take and Toss not only has sippy cups that I have reviewed before, the have a whole line of products that inexpensive enough to "take and toss"

Good Bites are another mom inspired invention.  How many little kids don't like a crust on their bread?  I could raise my hand on this one as I didn't like them when I was little.  I do now, but it took me time to warm up to the idea.  I remember tearing the edges off my bread many times when I was a child.  With Good Bites, you don't have to do that.  Available in 4 different designs, Good Bites will cut the crust for you.

The RazBerry Teether resembles a raspberry and although it doesn't taste like one, it really helps babies with teething.

Pros: The RazBerry Teether is made of a food grade silicon which I think is a great idea. It has a bumpy texture that that resembles a raspberry which really helps massage your baby's gums. The first time I gave this teether to Rowan, it was an instant hit. He is working on two more bottom teeth and he immediately started chewing on it. He pulled it out of his mouth, looked at the bright colors and went right back chewing on it. I really think it gives him some relief. I like that this is designed somewhat like a pacifier. He can chew on it while he is crawling across the room. It fits in his mouth nicely and he also loves to look at the bright colors. And did I mention it looks super cute in his mouth? On the packaging, it says that it can be frozen for extra soothing comfort. This is a great idea and gives your baby the bumpy texture while also cooling their gums. A great idea is to get a pacifier clip and clip this to your baby for teething, even if they don't take a pacifier. That way you always have teething comfort right at hand!

Cons: This looked a little big at first like it might be a bit bulky, but it works great for my 9 month old. I can see how it might be a bit big to put in a 4 or 5 month old baby's mouth who is teething.

The Bottom Line: A great teething alternative to other toys and pacifiers. For more information visit the RazBerry Teether site.

Price: $3-$4.50

Where to Buy: Amazon

Rating: Great

Baby Shower Savvy! This is the site I have been working on that I referred to in a post last week. I'm still working on building content but feel I have a really good start! My focus is to provide a free resource for baby showers. I want others to be able to save time and money and still throw a great baby shower. Anyways, if you could pass the site onto anyone who is having or throwing a baby shower, that would be great! And if you have any ideas, input, stories, or pictures from your baby shower or a baby shower you have attended that I could add, that would be great as well. Thanks for checking it out!

Just wanted to give some of you a heads up on a great sale at Kohls. A bunch of the Fisher Price gear is 50% or more off. They have the rainforest & papasan swings for $50-60 which is a steal. So for any of you needing baby gear like this, click this link for more info.

YoBaby Yogurt is an organic yogurt, specially made just for babies.