Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b. Program & Contest!

I'm pretty sure every Canadian is familiar with Shoppers Drug Mart. It is my favourite pharmacy because they have such a great shopping environment and always have special offers on that make me happy to shop there. (Combining sales with coupons is really enough to make my day!) I love the Optimum rewards program and actually do a Happy Dance when I've got enough points to redeem for a shopping spree! I also appreciate that they are open late and even have some nearby late-night and 24-hour locations so that in desperate times we can get what we need to feel better.
But did you know that Shoppers has a v.i.b. (very important baby) program for new and expecting mums? Although I had seen the signs in my local Shoppers, I hadn't really looked into the program until I had this opportunity to write about it.

I thought that as an expecting mum I was too early to sign up for the program. Not so! In fact, it's the ideal time to register, because one of the great things they do is give out a New Baby gift pack when the baby arrives!

I had the chance to preview the New Baby gift pack and there's some good stuff in there. It comes with a cute terry bib, coupons for loads of extra Optimum points on baby product purchases, and samples of Huggies Natural Care wipes, Huggies pure & natural newborn diapers, Aveeno Body wash, Aveeno Baby lotion, and Johnson's Head to Toe baby wash. I am guessing that these samples might change once in a while as new products come on the market, too. (We are going to be cloth diapering, but I am sure those 'sposies will come in handy from time to time.)

The program also gives you access to their enewsletters, which have content geared towards your (or your baby's) life stage, even more Optimum point offers and a tip-off for hot deals on baby products. And, of course, there is the access to your local pharmacist, whose knowledge will certainly come in handy at 2:30 am when you are exhaustedly searching for gripe water or the best nasal syringe.

If you are considering signing up to the program, now is the time - because when you sign up to be a v.i.b member between November 3rd and December 1st, you could win 1 of 50, $50 Shoppers Drug Mart gift cards*! PLUS as a new member you’ll receive 2500 points the next time you purchase any Pampers diaper products!



I hope this info helps out some of you! I know a lot of you are expecting or already mums (and who among us could not use a $50 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card?!).

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Visit www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/babycontest for full contest details and information on how to enter without a purchase. Approximate retail value of prize is $50. Chances of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Correct answer to skill-testing question required to be declared a winner. Must be a Canadian resident and age of majority or older in province or territory of residence. Valid Shoppers Optimum Card® required to participate. Contest ends December 1st, 2010.

Disclosure - I am participating in the Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b program by Mom Central on behalf of Shoppers Drug Mart. I received a gift card and a new baby gift pack as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Winner - Fairhaven Health Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream

Random.org got all random on us all and picked number...Which is...
Congratulations!!!

The rest of you expecting and nursing mamas, make sure to enter the giveaway to My Bump! It's a good one. And keep an eye out for even more giveaways coming soon!

Exciting stuff & fabric.

A quick little note to share some of the exciting things coming up soon right here.

• I get to be part of the Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b. blog tour with Mom Central! More to come very soon on this.
  
• You may have seen my earlier post about You! Lingerie. I'm stoked!
• Tropical Traditions is sponsoring another great giveaway here as well. I'll have to get my baking on to review this product. Can't wait - you know I love baking!
• YourCheapSunglasses.com has sent me a very cool pair of shades to review. They've also given a coupon code for my readers - check the left sidebar for that. It's for 25% off which is amazing considering their sunglasses are around $15 a pop and look just like designer styles. I'm thinking Christmas presents!
  

Also, we finally decided on the fabric for the glider. We ended up choosing the last of the four I posted here. Why? It came down to price in the end (isn't that the way life goes?). Once I plotted out how much I would need, and got some quotes from the other sources, I realized that it would be the cheapest option, and because it's a double width upholstery fabric, I only need 2 yards. Even after I'd tried the math with only doing the fronts of the cushions and doing the backs in a coordinating (cheaper) plain fabric, the other options were still more expensive. We both loved the Etsy fabric, but at $64 a yard for 58" width, it was just too pricey.

I still like the design we're getting and am hoping I don't mess up in sewing the slipcovers! :) I'm going patternless. I'm actually pretty comfortable with freestyling it, but I'll be kicking myself if I mess it up.

Speaking of, baby has been kicking me like it's Dance Party all day (and night) long. Love it. We've got her names all picked out and I can't wait to meet her. Just three months or so left! I am loving being pregnant. It's not always the most comfortable, but feeling those kicks is one of the best things ever. It was a hard road for us to get here, that's for sure. I'm lucky to have what I think must be an easy pregnancy this time around, so far. Fingers crossed that the luck continues.

My husband found a beautiful solid wood bookcase on Craigslist that we picked up for the nursery. Now the nursery furniture is complete (well, we still need a crib mattress). Hooray!