Showing posts with label Giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giveaways. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 13, 2009


Web md's definition of sleep deprivation:
"A sufficient lack of restorative sleep over a cumulative period so as to cause physical or psychiatric symptoms and affect routine performances of tasks."

As a mom, this definition is all too familiar, right? It seems like as moms, we make a lot of sacrifices, one of them being sleep. I don't know how many times I've woken up with Chandler trying to climb into bed with DH and me, or feel someone breathing on me and wake up to find Chan staring me right in the face. Many times I've wondered how I could get him to stay in bed. Now there's something that will do just that: My Tot Clock. 
As taken from the My Tot Clock Website:
"My Tot Clock is an all-in-one sleep aid, alarm clock, nightlight, and timer for children ages 2+"

Pros: My Tot Clock is another great mom inspired company. Pamela Gonzalez was a sleep deprived mom who needed to teach her son to stay in bed and establish a routine. Thus, My Tot Clock was born.
I love how many functions this clock performs. Across the top of the clock, there are five different colored buttons. Each one correlates to a different activity.
Green = Encouragement
Red = Discipline
Light Blue = Naptime
Yellow = Awake Time
Dark Blue =Sleep Time

The face of the clock lights up each of these colors too, which makes it easy for a child to know what to expect. One function of this clock we've actually used a lot is the discipline. Since Chandler is 3 years old, when he gets in trouble, he goes to the naughty spot for 3 minutes. A lot of times it was hard for me to gauge how long he was in his naughty spot and it was a pain to always run to the oven to turn on the timer. Now I just make sure that My Tot Clock is close, we are able to set it to 3 minutes, and push the button. Chandler knows while the clock is red he is to stay in time out. Once his time is up, the clock isn't red anymore and a buzzer signals to let him know it is over. He is no longer trying to weasel his way out of time out, and I'm amazed at how effective this is.
Another button we really like is the sleep time. You can preset the sleep time button to the time your child normally goes to bed, and the bedtime routine will automatically start at that time. You can choose to have music, a story, and even white noise. Chandler loves to sit on his bed and listen to the story; it actually makes him excited to go to bed.

If you miss bedtime, or want to put your child to bed earlier, you can manually start the bedtime routine, which is nice. Once the bedtime routine is over, my tot clock makes a great night light and shines blue to know your child is to go to sleep. When we first started using this, I thought the blue light was way too bright. I then realized there was a dimmer on the back. How nice that someone has already thought of that.
You can also set an "alarm" so your child knows when it's ok and time to get out of bed. The clock will turn yellow and fun wake music starts to play.
My Tot Clock is very easy to use and has different cartridges you can buy and change out for the bedtime stories. The faceplate is also interchangable, and with 10 different choices, there's bound to be something for everyone!

Cons: I feel like the story that plays at bedtime is a bit fuzzy/static when you listen to it on the clock. Chandler doesn't seem to mind it, but I notice it. There were a couple different functions that I was also confused about when we first got My Tot Clock. For example, a few days after I got the clock, the face turned red and I couldn't figure out why it was doing this. Thanks to the FAQ on the My Tot Clock website, I was able to get my question answered. This particular page on their website is very helpful as it lists all FAQ's as well as tips and an online version of the user's guide. If you are planning on buying the Tot Clock, I would definitely bookmark this page.

The Bottom Line: A must have for parents with young children. Creates structure for different activities in an easy to understand way for you and your child. 

Price: $49.95

Where to buy: My Tot Clock

Rating: Great

My Tot Clock has generously agreed to give one of these clocks away!

To Enter:
Visit My Tot Clock and tell me about a feature I didn't mention in this post - 1 entry

Additional Entries:
Blog about this giveaway with links back to Babes and Kids and My Tot Clock - 2 entries
Follow this blog - 1 entry
Enter another giveaway on Babes and Kids (All giveaways are listed on the top right sidebar, just click on one to enter.) - 1 entry
Grab my Blinkie or Button - 1 entry

Please leave each entry as a separate comment!

Contest is open to US residents only and will end May 27th, 11:59 MST. Winner has 48 hours to contact me!

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Monday, May 4, 2009


Chandler loves to look at and read books.  We have made it a habit to always read books before he takes naps and before bed.  We usually tell him to pick 3 or 4 and he carefully scans through them to pick the ones he likes the most.  He is getting to the stage where he is really interested in the storyline of a book.  I know that reading with your child is extremely important, and I believe that the content and what it teaches is a very important aspect of that.  The Dr. Hippo Series Books help you and your child learn about different medical issues and how to handle them in a wonderful, entertaining way.

There are 5 books in the series which include:
The Little Elephant with the Big Earache
Katie Caught a Cold
Peeper has a Fever
Sadie's Sore Throat
The Moose with Loose Poops

The Hippocratic Press was founded by Dr. Charlotte Cowan.  She practiced for many years in Boston and noted  the different emotions and how children changed when they were sick.  She also noted how parents seemed to react the same way.  Many children and their parents didn't understand what was going on.   As taken from the Dr. Hippo website, this is how the Dr. Hippo series was born:

"The idea of writing stories for sick children evolved as a natural combination of her professional experience and her childhood love of reading. As a pediatrician, Dr. Cowan developed a strong intuition that children would do better with their illnesses if they both understood what was happening to them and realized that they would get better. As a fan of children's books, she recognized that they offered the perfect medium for her message.

Before long, Dr. Cowan began to write age appropriate stories for her patients. Through her animal characters, she not only entertains her audience but also combines empathy with education. Reading her stories, children and their parents will feel comforted and cared for as they face together the inevitable illnesses of childhood."

Pros:  These books are highly captivating. The illustrations are beautiful and the text is written so that a small child can easily understand it.   Chandler's favorite are:  The Moose with Loose Poops, and Sadie's Sore Throat.  The title in and of itself
wants to make you read them, right?  I think a book is wonderful when it's title can immediately capture your attention.  They are published in hardback which makes them extremely durable.  They've already been toted all around the house, taken to church, and even on a road trip.  They still look great.  That is definitely one thing I love about hardcover books.  
The fact that they are written written by a Pediatrician lets you know that you can trust the information, which is a huge plus!
I think the medical issues that are covered in these books are so appropriate.  Those covered include colds, fevers, ear infections, sore throats, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Although my boys are still small, we have experienced every one of these illnesses with one or the other.  
I specifically remember one time when Chandler was sick and throwing up.  After being woken in the middle of the night, we proceeded to change his bedding, give him a bath, and put him back in bed.  He started feeling terrible again, and began throwing up.  He looked at me and kept saying:  "Help me mama!  help - what is it?"  I felt a bit helpless, not knowing how to keep it simple in explaining what happened.   The Dr. hippo series outlines easy ways to explain to your child what is happening during an illness, while telling a story at the same time.  I LOVE this.
Another strong Pro is the parent's guides that are included in the back of each of the books.  It is a laminated fold out that outlines common questions about that illness, offers advice to parents, and guides them as to when they should call the Dr. 
To learn more about each Dr. Hippo book, click here.
I really am excited to spread the word about the Dr. Hippo series.  My youngest has had a lot of health problems that have had us in and out of the Dr.'s office.  Although I feel I am much more educated than I was to begin with, these books would have been a great starting resource for me.  

Cons:  I wish that these books were available in paperback as well.  I'd love to be able to give them as gifts, and this might make it more affordable to do so.  

The Bottom Line:  Entertaining and educational with wonderful illustrations and great text, the Dr. Hippo series are a must have in any children's library.  

Where to Buy:  Your local bookstore, Amazon (Links to books below)
The Little Elephant with the Big Earache

Price:  $17.95

Rating:  Excellent

Want to Win the Entire Series?

Here's How to Enter:

Mandatory Entry:
Visit Dr. Hippo's website and tell me something I didn't mention in this post - 1 entry

Additional Entries:
Follow Babes and Kids - 1 entry

Blog or tweet about this giveaway - 1 entry

Subscribe to my posts - 1 entry

Please leave each entry as a separate comment.  Contest is open to US residents only and will end at 11:59 MST on May 18th.  Winner will be chosen via random.org, and has 48 hours to claim their prize, or I will redraw. (Please leave contact information or come back and check the giveaway winners page.)
 

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

I have to admit, I'm starting to have a bit of a shoe fetish on behalf of my boys. Who said little boys couldn't have lots of cute shoes, and great quality ones at that? I was excited to discover Jack and Lily, and was immediately pulled in by their great site and tagline: Discover, Touch, Smile.


Pros: Jack & Lily's shoes are made from the Finest Lamb Touch Leather. We received a pair of the sport touch in brown and cream from the My Shoes line for Rowan. Aren't they cute? This particular line goes up to 24 months. They really aren't kidding when they say they use the finest touch leather. These particular shoes are made from 100% cowhide leather and are so incredibly cute. Their shoes are specially designed to encourage touch and development in babies and toddlers. This is all to true. The first time we put Rowan's new shoes on, he immediately bent town to touch and examine them. I think he likes the contrast of colors and the feel of the shoes. The shoes from the "My Shoes" line have a soft sole that is perfect for indoors as well as outdoors. They have a skid resistant sole which helps with tripping and helps grip surfaces. They are also very light which is great when it comes to first walkers and toddlers. There's nothing that makes it more difficult for a baby to walk then heavy shoes. Because of how nice and soft the sole is, Rowan walks like a pro in these. Jack and Lily shoes are recommended by Podiatrists, which means you know your little ones are getting shoes that are simply the best. I really feel that these shoes run true to size. Rowan's other shoes are a size 5, or 18-24 months. We ordered an 18-24 months and it was comparable to a size 5. I really appreciate this aspect. Sometimes if you order a product online, you never know if it will run big or small, so it's nice that they do run true to size.

The original collection does not disappoint. Jack and Lily has one of the biggest collections of soft soled shoes I've seen, with some incredibly trendy and baby friendly styles. They have more than 70 combinations of shoes. If that isn't selection, I don't know what is. What's awesome abou the soft soled collection too is that the sizes go up to 4 years! Most other brands only go up to 24 months. The original collection is machine washable. You simply wash them separately in cold water, partially let them tumble dry, and then reshape and air dry. They do reccomend hand washing though to extend the life of the shoes.

As I hadn't heard of Jack and Lily before, I checked here to see if there was a location near me that sold them. I was pleasantly surprised to find 13 locations in my state.


Cons: Jack and Lily really has a great quality product and has done their homework. No cons from a very satisfied mom!


Price: $26-$30 depending on style (Free shipping when you order 2 pair!)


The Bottom Line: Great quality baby and toddler shoes with trendy styles


Where to Buy: Jack and Lily


Rating: Excellent


Jack and Lily is giving away a pair of shoes to one lucky reader!


Here's how to enter:


1) Visit Jack and Lily and let me know what style is your favorite - 1 entry


2) Tell me about your favorite feature - 1 entry


3) Grab my button or blinkie (left hand column) - 1 entry


Contest is open to US and Canada residents and will close at 11:59 MST on April 20th. Winner has 3 days to contact me or I will redraw.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Ipod Shuffle Giveaway

So I mostly focus on baby and child products, but I wanted to share one of my very favorite products with all you mamas - the Ipod shuffle.  I love to exercise, it's my little getaway.  I absolutely love working up a good sweat while my favorite song is pumping in my ears. Plus it helps with the stretched out muffin top that my cute kiddos helped contribute to. :)  I have a second generation in purple.  I love how tiny it is, it will hold up to 500 songs and will play up to 12 hours of music, plus it only weighs half an ounce!

I love the shuffle so much, I'm giving one away!
It's a green 2GB 2nd generation - refurbished, and is a $60 value. We have a few refurbished products from apple and have never been disappointed.  
Here's how you can win it!

1)  Leave a comment with your name and what you would be listening to in your new ipod if you won it.   - 1 entry

2)  Become a follower of this blog - 1 entry

3) Blog about this giveaway - 1 entry

4) Tweet about it - 1 entry

As an example comment, here would be my entry:
I'm Tiffany and right now I would be listening to Sara Bareilles or Augstana.  I follow this blog, blogged about this giveaway, and tweeted about it here: babesandkids Ipod Shuffle giveaway @ Babes and Kids Review http://www.babesandkidsreview.com/2009/04/ipod-shuffle-giveaway.html
less than 5 seconds ago from web You can contact me at: snedfam (at) gmail (dot) com.

Please leave me someway to get ahold of you if you win. (e-mail, blog, twitter..)  I've had to redraw for prizes before, and I'd hate for you to win and not claim your prize!

Contest is open to US Residents only and will end 11:59 MST April 20th.  Winner has 3 days to contact me.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Flashback 4 years ago:  I'm about 3 months pregnant with Chandler.   Food aversions, puking, fatigue, and tremendous mood swings were just a few of the things that I was feeling at the time.  I'm also feeling overwhelmed.  I knew I needed to start preparing for a baby, not just mentally but physically.  What do I need?  Where do I start?  What products are the best to buy?  These were just a few of the questions I was asking myself at the time.  About a month ago, I came across The Giggle Guide to Baby Gear by Ali Wing CEO and founder of giggle.   This book claims to be The Smart Shopping Companion for new parents.  Is it?  Keep reading and you'll find out.


Pros:
Within the first few pages of the book, I couldn't believe how much I could relate.  One excerpt reads:

"Yes, shopping for a new baby can be a tremendous task.  Anyone who's ever walked into a baby superstore can relate to  the feeling of staring at a wall of 50 different car seats, each one indistinguishable from the next.  With the explosion of baby products on the market, the choices are endless, and it's hard to make an informed decision about every single item you need to purchase."

Wow, could I relate to this.  I remember the first time I walked into Babies R Us.  I wondered what I really needed and what brands were the best.  As I registered for my baby shower, I scanned everything and anything, completely oblivious to what I really needed.

One thing I really love about this book is the checklists.  It has checklists for things such as; the first six months, toddlerhood, nursery, getting out and about, and much more.  It tells you specific items you need at these stages and places and why.  

Another section that I was really impressed with was products for baby on the go.  This section focuses on car seats.  I have done so much online research on car seats, it's almost ridiculous.  This section gives general guidance, tips, features to look for, lifestyle considerations, and accessories.  Nice, huh?  Not to mention there are small pictures of different car seats so you know what they look like.  This is also a feature you see throughout the book - small pictures of baby items they suggest.  

At the end of each section there are notes for you to take.  I can really see how this would be helpful as you decide what gear you need.   The book is even compact enough and spiral bound, meaning it's easy to take along with you to the store and the spiral binding makes it easy to stay open to the page you need as well as more durable.  

In the back of the book, there is an index. Want to find out about co-sleeping?  Look it up in the index.  Questions about monitors?, the index has it.  At 176 pages, this book has mounds of information, but isn't so much that it is overwhelming.  It is well written, easy to understand, and covers everything about baby gear you would need to know.  I definitely think this would be a great gift for an expecting mom, or even a mom who's been there done that.  I don't consider myself an expert, but after 2 kids I'd think that I'm pretty well rounded.  This book gave me some new ideas for gear.  For example - a splash mat.  You put it on the floor to catch spills and food.  Helps save your back and your floors.  I notice giggle has one of these on their website.  I just might be getting it as I have two very messy eaters.

I also wanted to mention that Giggle has an awesome online store filled with great baby gear.  One stop shopping, right? 


Cons:  I don't have any complaints about this book.  I wish I had gotten it when I was pregnant with Chandler, but then again, according to the copyright, it's only been out since 2008.  Hopefully this book will be a big help for those of you looking for information on baby gear, or are looking for a baby gift.

The Bottom Line:  Very informative, well written book about baby gear. 

Price:  $19.95 and FREE shipping!

Where to Buy:  Giggle

Rating:  Excellent

Thanks to Giggle, here's your chance to win your very own copy of the Giggle Guide to Baby Gear!
(If possible, please leave an e-mail address for me to contact you at -  in your comment.)
  • Visit the Giggle store and tell me about another product that they offer - 1 entry
  • Sign up for their e-mail alerts - 2 entries
  • Become a follower of this blog, or let me know you are one - 1 entry
  • Tweet about this giveaway - 1 entry
  • Grab my button on the left sidebar - 1 entry

Contest is open to US residents only and will end April 15th.  

Monday, March 23, 2009


I've been looking for some shoes for Rowan lately.  After watching him trip repeatedly in his little church shoes a few weeks ago, I took them off to see why he was tripping so badly.  They were shoes that Chandler wore when he was little as well, and I'm sure he tripped in them lots too, but as a first time mom I guess I thought that was normal the first few months of walking.  I pulled the shoes off, and couldn't believe I'd never noticed how hard the sole was.  They don't have any give and had hardly any padding.  They sure are cute though.  When I stumbled upon See Kai Run, I was immediately excited to learn that they had a nice flexible sole.  And that's only the beginning.


Pros:  This company was inspired by a mom, who, like me and many other moms wanted to find shoes for her little Kai that had a flexible sole and were comfortable.  I love mom inspired companies.  You know that someone behind the scenes has been there and really knows the market.  Plus, it means that much more thought and effort goes into the product.
We got a pair of the Grayson Sandals, size 5 for Rowan.  I was immediately pleased the moment I pulled them out of the box.  The leather is a sheepskin leather and is extremely soft.  Because they are a genuine leather, it means that they will wear well.  Unlike a pair of shiny black shoes I just bought Chandler.  They are NOT leather and already have some ugly scuffs on them.  The insole and leather of this shoe are also leather, making it very soft and comfortable.  
The very next thing I did was test the sole.  They are extremely flexible and have a great amount of traction on the bottom.  I'm a big fan of the soft soled leather shoes, but many of them aren't too feasible for outside play.  These are great for outside play and offer the flexibility and comfort a little walker would need.  
One thing I notice when talking to a lot of moms is that they have to buy "wide" sized shoes for their babies and toddlers.  This is hard sometimes as it really narrows down the selection.  See Kai Run has taken this into consideration with their wide width they have on their shoes.  Rowan doesn't have wide feet, but the shoes still stay on perfectly and give him some extra room.  
After putting these shoes to the test, I am officially a See Kai Run fan.  We went out to the playground and had no tripping!  Rowan seems to
really like his shoes, and I love that they are incredibly cute.  Plus the shoe that he orders goes up to a size 9, meaning your older child can enjoy the flexible well made shoes.  (Chandler is almost 3 1/2 and is wearing a size 9 if that gives you an idea of the age group.)
The whole See Kai Run  line is incredibly fashionable and trendy.  Comfort plus style, what more could you ask for?
Lastly, I can definitely tell these shoes will last.  I will put them away after Rowan has outgrown them.  Maybe there will be another little boy in our future a few years down the road. :)

Cons:  I am in love with these shoes and don't see any cons with the shoes, I'd just like to see more retailers carry them in their stores.   If you are interested in a store carrying them in your area, they have a form you can fill out.

The Bottom Line:  Flexible, well made children's shoes with fun trendy styles.

Price:  $24-38 depending on style and sale.

Where to Buy:  See Kai Run 

Rating:  EXCELLENT!

See Kai Run has generously offered to give away a pair of shoes to one of my readers! 
Here's how to enter and earn entries:

Visit See Kai Run and tell me what pair & size you would like if you win (Shoes must be from the Smaller or See Kai Run line)  - 1 entry

Become a follower on this blog or let me know you already are one - 1 entry

Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway - 1 entry  (See twitter icon on right hand sidebar.)

Sign up for See Kai Run E-mail Alerts (Sign up at the bottom of the home page) - 3 entries

Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only.  Last day to enter is April 1st, winner to be announced April 2nd!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Diaper Giveaway!

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.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Turkey Winners

Brook and Krysta!  


E-mail me your info ladies and I will get them off ASAP.  (I'd like your kids to be able to wear them before or on Thanksgiving.)  

Check back next week for winners of the Children's Place Shoes!