Purex Oxi Laundry Detergent Review (with Giveaway!)

Since my first baby was born, I've been using only unscented laundry products: free and clear detergents, and soap nuts. Our laundry does get pretty clean, but I confess that sometimes stains are not quite as gone as I'd like them to be - and I secretly miss that fresh laundry smell.

I had the opportunity to try out Purex plus Oxi liquid detergent and honestly was a little apprehensive. I'm super sensitive to smells, and I was worried that the scent would be too strong. I also worried about how good it would be at removing stains in our stainiest clothing - baby and toddler clothes. But, I gave it a try.

And was pleasantly surprised!

While the scent is strong in the bottle, laundry comes out smelling lovely - not too strong at all. And, I learned that Purex plus Oxi is hypoallergenic as well - I have no troubles to report with any reactions from my little ones' sensitive skin, and no complaints from the family about our nice-smelling laundry.

The detergent has Oxi in it, which is an enzyme-based stain remover - great for *ahem* organic stains (if you have a baby, you'll know what I mean). It also has Zout stain remover. Together they have managed to get our worst stains out and leave our clothes bright and clean. You can even use it as a pre-treater on really tough stains if you're so inclined (personally, I'm much too lazy - no, BUSY - to pre-treat...).

From apprehensive to converted - now that I've tried it, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this at the store in place of what I have been using.

The lovely folks at Purex plus Oxi have given me some coupons for a FREE bottle to give to my readers! Enter on the Rafflecopter form below (coupons are good in Canada only).

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Purex provided me with a sample of Purex plus Oxi detergent in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.  

Family Photos and some great promos at Sears #SearsBabysRoom (Giveaway!)

Growing up, my family never had professional portraits taken (other than school photos for me). My mum was the family photographer, and thus was rarely in the pictures. I don't miss having stilted photos with fake backdrops (though those do get funnier as the years go by) - I loved her candid shots of our family. However, I do dearly wish we had a few of us all together.

Fast forward to now, and I am the family photographer, and thus am rarely in the pictures. I think I need to make more of an effort to get other hands on the camera, so that I can be in pictures with the kids (other than selfies!) - and maybe a few studio portraits are in our future.

Sears has an upcoming special in the portrait studio - from October 25th to November 7th, when you spend $50 or more on kids' fashions, you get a FREE photo shoot at Sears Portrait Studio and 10 FREE personalized photo greeting cards! You can book your session any time between October 25th to December 13th to have it done! So, pick out your photo-ready outfits for the kids and get to posing! I love it... I'm thinking family Christmas cards!

Lucky us, Sears is giving one of my readers one of these photo sessions and the greeting cards! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Then keep reading to find out about KidsBucks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As you may know, Baby Days is also coming up at Sears from October 11-31 - that's 20% off everything baby! And there's a fabulous KidsBucks promotion going on as well. For every $40 you spend on kids' clothing, toys, children's furniture - basically any kids' stuff (except Carters/Osh Kosh, footwear and things with a price ending in .97) - you get $10 in KidsBucks which you can spend between November 1-12. This is good in stores and online, too! Hello, Christmas shopping!

I'm a bigger and bigger fan of Sears the more I learn about it... I always knew about the store, but I am realizing more and more they have great promotions and great brands. It's now one of my go-to stores for sure! I hope you are able to take advantage of some of these offers!

Disclosure: I am part of the SearsThe Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Newborn Nesting {$800 Nursery Giveaway!} with #SearsBabysRoom

For my daughter, I took 9 months to prepare the perfect nursery. From creating a wire alphabet to slip-covering a glider, I was all DIY awesomeness. Take a photo tour of her nursery here! Seriously, check it out. I am proud of it - I loved everything about it.

Then, we moved. And while the stuff came with us, the light in the nursery is different (Calgary light is so different from Toronto light!), the floor is beige carpet and not warm maple, the walls are painted mud brown (by the previous homeowner). It's just not the same.

Mia's just moved up to her Big Girl Room this past weekend (more on that later!), and now it's my task to make the nursery perfect for our little guy. He's still co-sleeping with me, but soon will need to move into his own room. And, a lot of Mia's stuff of course goes with her to her new room. So I am doing newborn nesting all over again!

Lucky for me, Sears is having a Newborn Nesting event from September 8-16 (isn't that timely!). Last month we had the big kids' sale with the Back to School event, and this month our littlest family members give us a chance to save! Here's the deal: Buy anything baby, from gear to furniture and even baby clothes (not including Carters and Osh Kosh, aw!), and get a cash card as follows:

Spend $200 and get a $25 cash card, $300 for a $50 cash card, and $400 to get $100 cash card! The cash cards are just like gift cards that you can redeem between October 7-31*.

*this offer excludes Vancouver. Vancouver gets a 15% off sale on everything baby instead! 

So for Dexter's nursery, I am thinking the palest blue paint to brighten up the walls, and lots of bright lamps as well as curtains.

I love this wardrobe/dresser too! I wish we had room for it! 


We do have a lot of Mia's baby stuff still - some of the crucial newborn things, like a bath seat, change pad, swaddling wraps, and carriers, we held on to. The one thing I had to buy another of at Sears? A Cloud B Sleep Sheep (read my initial review of the Cloud B Sleep Sheep from over two years ago!). Mia still uses hers nightly, and it's so awesome that I bought another just like it for Dexter.
colours brought in with books, toys, and art. He might just need some new

And now for the wonderful news you've been waiting for: 

Sears is generously giving one reader across the Sears Baby's Room bloggers a complete three piece Stork Craft nursery set valued at $800! It includes a crib, change table and side table/chest for storage. You can enter across any of the participating blogs, but there will be only one winner. This giveaway is for Canadians only (sorry - no Quebec :( )!  Fill out the Rafflecopter form below by September 15th to enter! Good luck!!!

For your comment entry, tell me what one thing you *need* to get for baby, or always recommend to new mums?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Back to School with Sears (giveaway alert!) #SearsBabysRoom

Back to school at Sears

My kids are still too little to experience the joy of going back to school, but I remember it with delight! I always loved the fall and return to school - the excitement of seeing old friends and making new ones, the anticipation of who was going to be in my class, and of course the new clothes and school supplies! Nothing beats a new pencil case full of sharp new pencils and a fresh pink eraser.

I wonder if our kids will know that pleasure, with technology in the schools?

Anyway, that anticipation and excited feeling is so strongly associated with fall for me that I have never gotten over. I looooooove me some back to school fall shopping.

So with the only somewhat fictional excuse of the rapid rate of child growth and the need for new fall clothes, I was happy to do some "back to school" shopping at Sears for the kiddos.

 Our little guy scored a super cute outfit from the Carters section of The Baby's Room at Sears.

This three-piece set came with a sweet stripey onesie in cerulean and white, and the grey hoodie and pants. I adore the little hoodie - it has a turtle on the front, and a plastic zipper with a soft fabric pull (it boggles my mind that some companies put metal zippers on kids' clothes).

It's super soft, and I like the jersey weight for the hoodie - not heavy like a sweater, more like a t-shirt fabric - which I think makes it more versatile. It is perfect for a cool summer morning and for all-day wear in the fall.

Mia chose her own outfit, as usual. (I did manage to talk her out of a purple, orange and pink combination that was painful to look at!). She chose a Nevada long-sleeved shirt and some fabulous sparkly pink Osh Kosh leggings.

The shirt is a size up, so she's wearing it like a dress. I'm sure I'm not the only one who buys clothes one size up - you know they're going to fit for longer, right?! It's super cute, grey with tiny pink zebras (which she insists are horses) and polka dots.  The leggings are also the next size up, so she's got room to grow.

Another awesome thing about shopping at Sears - besides the prices (and price match guarantee), brand names, and the selection - is their Kidvantage Lifetime Wearout Warranty. That means if your kid wears out his or her clothing or shoes before outgrowing it, Sears will replace it (with your original receipt). Cool!

You also NEED to know about the great giveaway Sears has for the season: the "Back We Go" contest on Facebook. With 35 daily $50 Sears gift cards and five weekly draws for $500 in gift cards! What an awesome back to school shopping spree that would be! The contest runs until September 5th.

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

International Delight Iced Coffee review & giveaway!

I confess, I'm a coffee addict. Even after switching to decaf with my first pregnancy four years ago, I still need my "fix" of hot coffee every morning, and definitely have a mid-afternoon craving for iced coffee every day.

I used to be that person who would drop five bucks here and there at the coffee shop on an iced coffee - always feeling a little guilty about the spend, but so strong was my desire for the luxury of an iced coffee that I justified it to myself.  This is nothing to be proud of, but my daughter is even quite aware of the big green sign that means a yummy coffee for Mummy and a "'Nilla One" (Kids' French Vanilla Creme) for her!

Talk about an expensive habit.

However, thanks to BzzAgent, I have discovered a new way to satisfy my craving for a good iced coffee without spending a fortune!! I was lucky to be selected for the International Delight Iced Coffee campaign, which meant I got to try out their new delicious coffees for free. It comes in Vanilla, Caramel Macchiato (my personal favourite), and Mocha.



These are available at the grocery store at about $5 for a 1.89L carton. Compare that to the $5.67 for a single 16oz (0.47L) "grande" drink at my favourite coffee shop, and there's really no contest in terms of price. Especially if, like me, you pour it over ice and top up with milk - the flavour is strong enough to take a little extra milk, although it's ready to drink as is - it's WAY cheaper.

But, what about the taste? Well, I'm happy to report that I like International Delight's version just as much as the pricey coffee shop version. I'm a bit of a coffee snob, so hopefully that means something.

This savings-conscious mama loves her little luxuries, but if I can save on them, even better. An extra $5 on my grocery bill that ends up saving me $25 or more on iced coffees is a no-brainer! I will definitely be buying this product again and can happily recommend it to you!

Best of all, I have a free product coupon that I would like to share with a lucky Canadian reader.  Feel free to enter the giveaway below and I'll mail it to the winner! Please note, the coupon is only good in Canada, and baby #2 is due on June 20th so I may need some leeway on the end date/mailing date :)

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Milk Unleashed! (Giveaway)

Hello! It's been a while! Our whole family was pretty much out of commission with that nasty cold. Thank goodness we are almost all better.

Today I want to share Milk Unleashed with you! If you have a little one, you're probably like me and have a stash of snacks ready for even the shortest excursion. Of course, little ones get thirsty, too! I'm not a huge fan of giving straight juice (Mia does get half water, half juice from time to time) like in juice boxes, but it's not always ideal to take a sippy cup with water. Leaky sippies and no nutritional value.

That's where Milk Unleashed comes in! Single serving packs that don't need to be refrigerated combine the nutrition of milk with convenience. They are great for lunch boxes, diaper bags, or, if you're like me, the big giant catch-all purse that stands in for a diaper bag.

Milk Unleashed has a cute little app with fun activities, tips and a fun quiz too!

Take the quiz, it's cute - apparently we are a "Free-Wheelin' Family", ha ha!

So all this fun goodness leads me to a giveaway! Milk Unleashed has a prize pack for one of my lucky readers! The prize pack includes:

• One liter of Shelf Safe Milk (Grand Pre or Baboo)
• Three single serving shelf safe milks (white and chocolate) from: Chokeo Chocolate Milk, Grand Pre or Baboo 
• A calendar and brochure with information about Shelf Safe Milk
• Cool stickers and Tattoos
• Plus, one bonus prize! 

Wow! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below (click "Read More" if you don't see it!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received products to try for this blog post, but was not paid to write it. My opinions are my own.

Shoppers Drug Mart Spin to Win!

Have you entered the 50th Anniversary Contest at Shoppers Drug Mart yet? It's a fun spin to win contest with instant win prizes and grand prizes like cars, trips and shopping sprees!

Bambino Miosolo Cloth Diaper Giveaway!

Following up on my review of the new Bambino Mio Miosolo cloth diaper, Childish Notions has generously offered to give away one of these great cloth diapers to one of my lucky Canadian readers!! The colour will be a surprise (they have a lovely selection, so it will be nice!).

Entering is easy with the Rafflecopter form below (click "Read More" if you don't see it).

Sibu Beauty - Review and Giveaway!

I just got some of Sibu Beauty's new products to try: the Exfoliating Scrub, Purifying Mask and Clarifying Toner.

If you haven't heard of Sibu Beauty before, it is a line of products made from the Sea Buckthorn berry, a remarkable berry from Tibet. This premium line of beauty products is designed to help you care for your skin from the outside and the inside, with products ranging from creams, cleansers and soaps to sea buckthorn berry puree and cellular support tabs. The line is also paraben-free and preservative-free, as well as cruelty-free and fair-trade.

The Exfoliating Scrub is granular to freshen the complexion. I have extremely sensitive skin, so I find I need to go easy with this. The particles of apricot kernel are a little large and coarse for my skin. But with a gentle touch once or twice a week, this is great to get a deep clean and exfoliate.

The Purifying Mask is designed for all skin types. It contains kaolin clay, so is great for taming oily complexions like mine - yet it does not leave my skin dry after using it like so many clay masks do. It is a very light mask, with a creamy texture, almost slippery. Very easy to apply, and in 3-10 minutes you rinse it off. I use this a couple of times a week as well, and I find that it does help with my oily skin. Not to mention helping me feel a little pampered :)

The Clarifying Toner is a refreshing spray that you can use directly on the face, or on a swab. I like using it after cleansing to ensure that all makeup residue comes off. Unlike other toners, it does not leave my skin dry either.

All of these products have a lovely citrusy smell, from the citrus essential oils in them. Nice and fresh, but not overpowering or too sweet.

And here's something beautiful for you - Sibu Beauty has generously offered a prize pack of the same products I received to one of my lucky readers!

Click "read more" if you do not see the Rafflecopter form to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read my previous review of Sibu Beauty products as well!

Fairhaven Health Nursing Time Tea - Review and Giveaway!

I know, another giveaway?! Oh, my. I'm finding it a little hard to keep up with a toddler and a blog (how do those mums of many do it all??), and it seems the rambling posts have given way (for now) to the review posts. Hopefully my lovely readers can stand yet another review and giveaway :) 

I have had the pleasure of working with Fairhaven Health several times already and have never been disappointed by any of their products. I actually reviewed the Nursing Time Tea previously, back when Mia was just about 3 weeks old (read that post here, if you like).  Early on, I was so engorged all the time it was painful, and leaked ounces at every feeding (for about seven months. So glad that doesn't happen - often - anymore). Supply was not really an issue for me!

Now she's 15 months old, and it's a whole different game.  These days, I find that my milk supply changes with the time of the month, and there are days when she lets me know that I'm not meeting her quota!

I'm still nursing Mia frequently - I guess it's not that usual, as people seem surprised when they ask how much she nurses, and I reply, "Well, it's about six times before noon, and beyond that I lose track - as often as she wants!" I am proud to still be breastfeeding, especially after the ridiculous challenges we faced in the early days (raging thrush, mastitis, overactive letdown... it was excruciatingly painful for me and difficult for her). We are stubborn creatures, my daughter and I! (She does eat solid food, of course; she just loves her milk!)

And that's where the Nursing Time Tea comes in at this stage. I find that it helps during those times of the month when my supply is low. It's a relaxing blend of herbs that are lactagogues (promote milk production), help with gas for baby, and contain nutrients for mum and child. The ingredients are organic, and it is caffeine-free. A bag is about a 1-month supply!

I find the flavour to be herbal rather than "lemony" (as it is described) - with a predominant flavour of anise, which I love. Add a little honey or maple syrup in there and it's truly fabulous. I tend to brew a big pot, then keep it in the fridge. Hot, it's relaxing and soothing. Cold, it's refreshing.

Do you know what? I think the loose tea would be lovely in a not-too-sweet shortbread as well. A new kind of lactation cookies? Hmm! I may just try that.

Anyway, I am thrilled that Fairhaven Health has generously decided to offer one of my readers a bag of the loose leaf Nursing Time Tea to try out for themselves!


Click "read more" if you don't see the Rafflecopter form to enter!

Also, feel free to visit some of my past reviews for Fairhaven Health products: FertilAid for Women, FertileCM, FertilAid for Men and Digital Basal Thermometer, Natural Pregnancy Deodorant, DreamBelly Stretch Mark Cream, Nipple Nurture Balm, Nursing Blend Breastfeeding Supplement and Nursing Time Tea, Nursing Postnatal Breastfeeding Multivitamin and DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter. Loved. Them. All.

Finish Quantum dishwasher detergent - Giveaway!

You may have been following along as I tested out Finish Quantum dishwasher tabs. Trial by fire in two dishwashers (the old beast at the rental house we lived in, and a higher-end one in the house we moved into). The results were sparkling!

I don't think I mentioned in any of my previous posts how much I appreciate that there is no strong scent in the product. I really don't like scented dishwasher detergents. Eating off a lemony, soapy smelling dish does not appeal to me at all. One more thing I like about Finish.

 Check out the Finish Canada Facebook page  as they once again are offering FREE SAMPLES!

The kind folks at Finish have generously decided to give TWO boxes of Finish Quantum to one of my lucky Canadian readers!

Click 'read more' if you don't see the form. Giveaway begins at 12:01am May 19th and ends at 12:01am on May 29th (EST). Best of luck!

Fairhaven Health DreamBelly Butter - Review and Giveaway!

I have worked several times in the past with Fairhaven Health and jumped at the chance to test out and review the new DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter.

You may recall that while I was pregnant, I used DreamBelly Stretch Mark Cream daily on my ginormous belly. I managed to pack on about 50 lbs while I was pregnant - yowza! Yet I made it through without a single stretch mark from pregnancy. You can read my previous review of DreamBelly Stretch Mark Cream if you want the full story.

Just for fun, here's my enormo belly on one of the last days of pregnancy, while I was in labour. You will have to excuse the nasty pyjama pants, I was scraping the bottom of the dresser for anything I could get on at that point:

Not one stretch mark! Hooray! I'm not posting a belly shot now - oh, how I miss the days of flat pre-preg belly that was not squishy in the least - but I assure you, it's still stretch mark free.

So, I can personally attest to the awesomeness of that product, and although I am not pregnant (no, this review is not an announcement!) DreamBelly Butter was something I needed to try. With our recent move to Calgary from Ontario, I have realized just how much the humidity (or lack thereof) affects my skin. Calgary is dry as a desert bone and I'm headed that way, too. I was in desperate need of moisture.

DreamBelly Butter has natural ingredients, safe for pregnancy - and honestly, why would you want to use anything that is not safe for pregnancy, even when you're not pregnant? DreamBelly Butter:

Combines the healing power of rosehip oil, aloe vera, honeysuckle and grapefruit, to protect and regenerate skin, and provide soothing relief from itchiness

Provides deep moisturizing from natural butters and oils with no greasy, slippery feeling

Has the mild, pleasant fragrance of milk and honey

Contains no petroleum products, parabens, artificial colors or artificial preservatives

I love the very light scent - to me it smells sweet like candy, but not in a sticky, fake way, like so many lotions.  It's just really nice. Feminine without being girly, flowery or powdery.

The best thing about it is the feel. It is thick and absorbs well without leaving a greasy feeling on your skin. You can really feel it moisturizing, but you don't feel slippery or oily at all. I can't stand applying lotion and then feeling like it's going to get all over my sheets or clothing. DreamBelly Butter goes on and soaks right in. Lovely. I just checked out the reviews on their site, and it looks like other women love it just as much as I do - all 5 star reviews.

One of the things I respect about Fairhaven Health - and this goes for all their products - is that they provide a complete ingredient list on their website for each product. Everything I have tried from them has been fantastic quality. Although I write a lot of reviews, I don't always gush - but this company has me gushing. It's good stuff. 

And now I have some excellent news: Fairhaven Health has generously offered to send out DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter to FIVE of my lucky readers! Get in on this one, you will love this product!

Click "read more" if you don't see the Rafflecopter form to enter!

Tints of Nature hair colour - Giveaway!

I dyed my hair for many, many years - from black to bright (primary) red and pretty much everything in between, including stripes! I did it for fun as I was young and had the time on my hands.

Shall we see some photos? Hmm... Well, here's one I found from when I dyed my hair straight up black. Back when I was just 18. Oh, those crazy university days. Haven't changed much, have I? (shh, just agree!)

These days I'm much more concerned and aware about what chemicals and products I use - both for my own health and for their effect in an environmental sense. So if I were to pick back up on dying my hair (and, honestly, now it would be more for hiding those grey hairs I see coming in than for fun), I would definitely choose one that is low-impact, both on me and on the earth.

Sadly for me I do not just now have the time or energy to dye my hair - I am a low-maintenance kind of girl, especially with a busy (very, very busy, and also still sleepless) toddler. Maybe one day.

However! I am pleased to share with my readers the brand Tints of Nature, which I have learned is ammonia-free, has no parabens, no resorcinol, no propylene glycol, and low levels of paraphenylenediamines (pigment) and highest quality, mildest peroxide. It also contains natural and up to 60% organic (either Soil Certification Organic Standard or certified by ECOCERT) ingredients such as orange, aloe, comfrey, chamomile, grapefruit as well as Vitamins C and E.

Tints of Nature is free from animal products and is not tested on animals (thank you).

There are 24 colours to choose from, including five new shades (Very Light Golden Blonde, Ash Blonde, Medium Ash Brown, Fiery Red and Dark Copper Blonde). Hmm, the names alone make me consider getting back into a little colour!

Inside the (recycled) packaging, you will also find a clarifying shampoo for use before colouring as well as pH balanced shampoo and conditioner for after colour care.

You can pick this up at selected stores such as Loblaws, Superstores, Fortinos and Whole Foods, as well as at organic and health stores.

AND - great news - I am hosting a giveaway for Tints of Nature as well! One of my Canadian readers will win their choice of colour (ARV $18.99)!

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway - wait for the form to load, and if you don't see it click "Read More"! 

Posterjack Prints on Wood - Giveaway!

You may recall a while back Canadian print company Posterjack.ca came out with a nice little offer, a sample 8x12" photo print. Looking back it was about three months ago, just in time for Mia's 9-month check up (today's her 12 month appointment!). I got mine, and was very pleased with the quality and speed of the order. I framed the print I received, and I'm looking forward to moving into the new house in a couple months so I can put it up!

Here's a sample of their framed photo prints:

 

Posterjack.ca has launched a new product that looks really cool. They are now printing on Canadian birch wood. With the light colour and fine grain of birch, it makes a really nice printing surface. I haven't seen it first hand yet (I can't wait to get one), but I think it would look great to have a family photo or travel picture printed on wood. Really different, personalized, and pretty. Each birch wood print also has a frame included, so they're ready to hang on the wall. I think it would fit in in any style of home, from rustic to contemporary.

I have done some paintings on wood panels, and I love the way the smooth surface looks. It's very different from canvas or paper. More natural looking, and it always brings a second look.

This new product is an addition to their already diverse line of canvas prints, framed photos, and photo mounting. You can even get a photo on metal printed.

My favourite photos these days, of course, are of Mia - she's changing so fast that I want to document every moment. 

Here's some more great news: Posterjack.ca has offered one of my Canadian readers a $50 gift certificate towards anything on their site! Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter (click "read more" if you don't see it!).

Bright Starts Having a Ball - Review and Giveaway!

Christmas came a little early for Mia as she has been testing out the Bright Starts Having a Ball Get Rollin' Activity Table!

It comes with six coloured balls, just the right size for little hands, and textured (with animal faces) so that they are easy to grab. The center has a ramp and a hole where the balls swirl around and drop down to one of four legs with catchers at the bottom. I have found that with one ball in the catcher, if another goes down that leg it sometimes bounces out and rolls away.  Here's a ball in action - you can see how focused Mia is on it! I like that the balls are light enough and small enough for her to have no trouble picking them up. They're very rolly, though - on our wood floors I find I'm chasing them around!

You can also see here the gears for turning, and the fish, which has coloured beads in it that tumble when it's spun. Each activity triggers a different song or phrase.

The table has two modes - play and learn - which switch back and forth depending on what page of the book is open. Mia LOVES flipping the page of the book (we read together a lot and she helps turn pages). She flips it back and forth, so we hear "Let's play!", "Let's learn!" over and over! Here she is with that page... you can see the look of concentration on her face!

Here also you can see the alligator, whose mouth flips up to reveal a hiding spot (sized just right for a ball or maybe a treat!). The alligator triggers sound effects, or "open/closed", "up/down", depending on what mode the table is in.

There's also an orange spinner, which can hold three balls - a red lever spins them madly around and they fly off in all directions. I'm SO glad Mia hasn't figured this one out yet, as she's not got the focus at her age to go around picking up the balls!

There's also a cute caterpillar that is also a shape/colour learning tool and acts as a musical keyboard, and the 1-2-3 numbers pop up and make sounds or say numbers when pressed.

The last great thing about the Activity Table is that it is the perfect height for Mia to use as a walker. She's at the age where she wants to walk all the time, but is unable to balance yet - she's been using my fingers, which is hard on the lower back when it's all day long. However, she can lean on the table and push it along while walking - it's not meant to do this specifically, but on wood floors it works a treat. Here she is on the go!

You can use it without the legs for younger babies as well.

If there were anything I would change about it - the alphabet song that it sings says "zee" instead of "zed", and I wish for the Canadian market they would have changed that. I also wish that for Canada they would give a French option. **Edit: the French versions of all the Having a Ball toys should be out in the New Year!** And I wish the balls would always catch in the legs, and not occasionally roll out.

However, those are minor complaints. Mia spends more time playing with this than a lot of her other toys and I like that it has functions that entertain her now (at 9 1/2 months old), and she can grow into other elements of it. What she loves now are the book, alligator, fish, and banging it randomly to see the lights and hear the sounds. What she will grow into are the learning elements - numbers, alphabet, relating the sounds and songs to what she sees, as well as the more complex actions of the ball ramp, spinner, and gears. I think it will be fun once she realizes where the balls go once they drop through the center - and that they could fall into any of the four legs. I also like that it's not huge, it's a reasonable size.

The Bright Starts Having a Ball line has a bunch of fun toys (Santa's bringing Mia the Swirl and Roll Truck for Christmas! Shh!) and they are available in Canada (and the US) exclusively at Toys R Us. Visit Bright Starts for more information about the toys!

Bright Starts has generously sponsored a giveaway for my Canadian readers as well! They have sent me a Swirl and Roll Truck to give away! 

Sozo - Review and Nap Sak Giveaway!

There are fresh new fashions for little ones hitting the market, and I was happy to test out a very cute outfit for Mia from Sozo Canada! I chose this simply adorable giraffe print dress with matching capris. Made of a soft, printed cotton with ribbon flower embellishments, it's super cute and comfy for her! She was fascinated by the flowers. I love that the cotton is prewashed - no shrinking!

Mia's just over 9 months old now, but wearing 12-18 month clothing. We tried the dress in a 12 month size and it fits wonderfully. Her super chubby legs mean the capris are a little snug at the elastic around the calves, but they do comfortably fit her big cloth diaper booty which is great! She didn't have any complaints! I love the length of the dress. It even looks cute with jeans underneath for the cold weather that is coming.

What stands out about Sozo clothing is the bright colours and the fun designs. The cuteness is available in jammies, rompers, dresses, buntings, swaddles, hooded towels, nap saks, and accessories like hats, gloves and mittens, as well as 'WeeBlocks' for little boys! You can see all these products in their Facebook albums, and be sure to like their Facebook page for the latest news (hint: they post current giveaways there as well!)!

The Sozo Nap Saks are super cute. They come in 0-6 and 6-18 month sizes. I have Mia in sleep sacks now for the cold winter months and I can tell you they are great - nice and warm, safer than a blanket as there's no way for them to ever cover baby's face. 

Sozo clothing is available online at Amazon.com and if you do a search you will find lots of other online retailers as well! (You can also contact them to ask about stores in your area! There are lots of stores now carrying this line.) The clothing comes in these sizes: 0-3m, 3-6m, 6-9m, 12m, 18m, 24m, and the loungewear is available in 12m, 18m, 24m, 2T, 3T 4T

Sozo Canada has generously offered to give a soft and cozy Ladybug Nap Sak to one of my Canadian readers!

Tropical Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent - Review and Giveaway!

I've had the pleasure of reviewing a number of different Tropical Traditions products and not once have I been disappointed (some of my favourites: the laundry detergent - great for cloth diapers!, flaked coconut, and organic honey!). This time I got to try out the Powdered Dishwasher Detergent and once again it's a great product!

The Powdered Dishwasher Detergent is natural, safe, and eco-friendly. It is also unscented, which I love - I cannot stand the scent of some of the big brands which adheres to my dishes (especially anything plastic!). You have to wonder what chemicals are in those and how much gets in your food, considering that it leaves enough residue on the dishes to smell like that. Tropical Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent rinses clean and leaves dishes residue-free.

Besides being unscented, this detergent does not contain chlorine, phosphates, or fillers. All you get is clean dishes without the environmental impact of chemical-laden detergents.

I also like the packaging. It comes in a large recyclable (or reuseable) jar with a scoop for measuring the right amount. No more pouring powder out of boxes and making a mess - with the scoop it's more accurate and simple. The jar is a bonus for me. We have a problem once in a while with leaks under the sink, and in the past cardboard detergent boxes have ended up soaking up the water, rendering the powder unuseable. Plus, those boxes aren't recyclable. The Tropical Traditions plastic jar will keep the powder dry in case of leaks!

I'm thrilled that Tropical Traditions is sponsoring another giveaway, this time for a jar of the Powdered Dishwasher Detergent just like I received! I assure you, you will love it (and the jar lasts a long time!).

Zippy Doo Diapers - Review and Giveaway!

I'm so thrilled to introduce you to Zippy Doo diapers!   
Warning: lots of pictures for this review. There was too much cuteness and I didn't have the heart to edit any more photos out.

For the past year and a half - or maybe more - I've been a part of an online forum for mums that took us from TTC to babies! It's been such a pleasure getting to know all the mums from all over and sharing our experiences. One of the mums in my daughter's due date group started making one size fitted cloth diapers. Soon all the mums were asking her if she'd sell them, and Zippy Doo was created!

With a background in fashion design, Natalie's diapers have a professional approach to construction and design. And Natalie really has an eye for a fabulous print! I had a really tough time picking a print for the diaper I was sent to review. In the end, she sent me two so that I could compare the knit to the woven fabric. Both simply adorable!

Tied with a pretty ribbon, and accompanied by a super sweet and soft cloth wipe, the diapers also came with care instructions (it's easy). Mia was thrilled when we opened up the package!

She spent a while just playing with the diapers. And so did I! They are super, super SOFT! Like you wouldn't believe. The inside is a cushy cotton velour, colour coordinated with the outer print. The print fabric is also soft, no stiffness at all. 

 The insert snaps in and has the soft velour on the exterior and an organic bamboo fleece on the inside. Very absorbent, very convenient. I have washed and dried the diapers a couple of times, and the dual layer allows the insert to dry quickly, both on a clothesline and in the dryer. And I should mention, the diapers stay soft even when dried outside on a line - no stiff and crispy feeling at all. Natalie's designed the diapers to allow for any shrinkage in the dryer as well.

The one size diaper has two rows of colour coordinated snaps. A fold down top allows you to adjust the rise for a smaller fit. This pink diaper with the Stormy Weather print is a knit, so it's roomier and has some more give (great for chubby babes like Mia).

 Mia briefly stayed on her back so I could get a shot from the front. She has such chubby thighs, but the fit is just fine and the soft fabric didn't leave red welts on her thighs like some diapers do.

 I absolutely adore the print on this diaper and Mia was fascinated by it as well! She spent ages staring at the cute storm clouds! She kept staring and touching the clouds. I think she was trying to pick them up off the diaper at one point :) Cute!

 Here's the second diaper - the Little Lamb print in a woven fabric - in action. Once again a great fit and super soft!

I know, this is basically a gratuitous cute baby shot. But if you look, you can see the cute Zippy Doo label on the diaper. So professional! I am in awe of Natalie's workmanship! And, you can sort of see that the velour is the part touching Mia at the leg elastic, which means it's soft and cozy, not cutting into her chubby thighs like some diapers do.

So for the uninitiated, a one size fitted is basically a cloth diaper that adjusts to fit small to large, and does not have a waterproof outer layer. Now I am accustomed to using diapers that have a PUL (polyurethane laminate, aka waterproof) layer and was a little intimidated by the fact that these diapers didn't have it. Worry for nothing. You can use a cover if you are going out (or paranoid), but I use these diapers on Mia at home without a cover. You can tell when the diaper is wet because you can feel the dampness. I had her on my lap and the wet didn't soak through at all, I just could feel it when I touched the diaper. Absorbent, for sure! I have covers I could use but I really hate to cover up these diapers. They're just too darn cute to cover!

Natalie has offered one of my readers a $10 gift certificate towards Zippy Doo! The hardest part will be choosing a print!

Fairhaven Health Breastfeeding Multivitamin - Review and Giveaway!

Another great product from Fairhaven Health has made its way to my cupboard. I am currently using the Nursing Postnatal Breastfeeding Multivitamin (yes, both nursing and breastfeeding are on the label!). Like it says, this one's for nursing mamas - specifically designed to help supplement your and baby's health after the birth and during breastfeeding.

I can't even begin to paraphrase all the good information about Vitamin D and B being so important for breastfeeding women, so I recommend you go check out the product page. It's interesting information (honest)!

They even have another option for mamas who need a little help with milk production - the Nursing Blend version contains herbal extracts for just that purpose. As I've mentioned before, I'm like some kind of crazy milk machine so I definitely don't want MORE milk! That one's not for me! But it's awesome that they are helping out mamas who need it.

The Nursing Postnatal Breastfeeding Multivitamin (phew...) dose is two capsules daily. You can take them both at once, or space them out for optimal absorption. Because I don't think I'll manage to remember to take them both if I space them out, I've been taking both in the morning. I was able to remember to take the FertilAid three times a day back when we were TTC, but then my mind was completely focused on the task at hand (like a crazy woman. I had the baby fever and I had it bad!) and it was like second nature to remember things like that. These days I'm scatterbrained enough trying to manage baby care with keeping a relatively clean house, trying to work a bit from home, cooking, you know... the zillion things women do every day and seem to manage in a capable fashion that have me scrambling.

Another plus - it's vegetarian-friendly. No gelatin in the capsule. Yay! 

I've had the pleasure of reviewing several products from Fairhaven Health over the last couple of years - here are some of my previous experiences with their products:

• FertilAid for Women
• Natural Pregnancy Deodorant
• Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream (fyi - didn't get a single stretch mark from pregnancy!)
• Nipple Nurture Balm, Nursing Blend Supplement and Breastfeeding Tea

As you will see, I have nothing but good things to say about Fairhaven Health. Their products are consistently appropriate, safe, health-conscious and great quality.

Fairhaven Health has generously offered one of my readers a one-month supply of the Nursing Postnatal Breastfeeding Multivitamin! I know I have a bunch of lovely nursing mamas reading - this one's for you! 
click read more if you don't see the Rafflecopter form! 

Milk NursingWear - Review and Giveaway!

***This giveaway is closed!***

Winner: Susan E.

Milk Nursingwear is a source for maternity and nursing clothes that I wish I'd found sooner! They have everything from tops, dresses, bras (lots of the big name brands you'll recognize), sleepwear, to accessories like slings, nursing pads, bibs, and so on. And the prices are very reasonable. I was just looking at the Chic Crossover top (nice for fall!) and it's priced at only $12.99! There is a big end of season sale on right now, so definitely a good time to shop!

Style: The one I tried is the Everyday Tie-Front Top. It has an inner pull-aside layer underneath a v-neck that makes it easy and discreet to nurse. The empire waist is flattering and helps hide the leftover bump (let's not talk too much about that. And don't you go looking for it now!). I like the cap sleeves and the colour is lovely - a deep turquoise. The room I was in was very bright so it looks a little washed out in the photo. It is a more rich colour than the photo shows! Excuse my weird expression in the photo! Ha ha! I was in a hurry, making the most of Mia's short naps!

Fit: I opted for a small and it fits exactly like I hoped it would. I wouldn't suggest going up or down a size - the size seems just right!

Durability: I have worn and washed it several times and hung to dry. It does wrinkle when it's hung to dry (and I don't iron) - but the wrinkles soon fall out when you wear it. The picture was taken about 5 minutes after I put it on, so you can still see wrinkles a little. The fabric is a soft, stretchy cotton jersey with 5% spandex - that explains the nice fit and draping. I love how soft the fabric is. I don't notice any pilling at all, either.

Price: Like the other tops at Milk Nursingwear, it is very reasonably priced and on sale now at $25.20 (down from $42).

The only complaint I have is that, despite my efforts to teach her the baby sign for milk, my daughter still lets me know she's hungry by sliding her open mouth across any part of my body that she can reach - including shoulders, any part of my chest, arms, etc. The drool trail she leaves with this behaviour does leave a dark mark on the fabric (that stays dark even when it dries). Of course, it washes out, but if she happens to glom on while we're out, I'm left with a mouthprint on wherever... I have a feeling/hope this is a temporary behaviour!

I really like this top and it's quickly become one of my go-to pieces for comfortable and discreet nursing wear. I would not hesitate to shop at this nursing wear store again.

Milk NursingWear has generously offered one of my readers a $30 gift certificate!

How to enter: This one's a little different from my usual, so pay attention! You can do one or the other of these things to enter. Doing both gets you two entries! Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected.

• Visit Milk NursingWear, find a product you like and would be happy to win, and then tweet about it with a link to the product page

  Example: "Check out this beautiful nursing top: http://www.milknursingwear.com/store/pc/Everyday-tie-front-top-2p2112.htm" - now, obviously, don't just copy and paste this tweet, that doesn't count!

• Like Milk NursingWear on Facebook

That's it! Simple, right?

Of course I would be honoured if you follow my blog, follow me (@emilyisland) on twitter, and/or mention me in your tweet. But these things don't count as entries this time.

Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends August 31st at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn within a few days, announced here, in a separate post and emailed! Prize will be shipped by sponsor. Sponsor is not liable for duties or taxes incurred in cross-border shipping (but if you spend less than $60 on your order you should be fine!)