Babes and Kids

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.