Our bedtime routine with JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® #JohnsonsNatural

When I just had one child, bedtime was a simple thing. We had our routine of potty, bath, tooth brushing, pyjamas, stories and cuddles down pat.

With two, it gets a little more complicated, especially while Baby D is still so little. He needs to go to sleep around 7:00 pm, while my daughter's bedtime is 8:00. He needs about half an hour of quiet nursing and cuddles to fall asleep - and my daughter has Crazy Time right before bed when she is full of beans and noisy as anything.

On good nights, however, we do manage to coordinate bath time so they can have a bath together (it's usually a two-parent job at our house!). My daughter adores the bath, and my son is starting to really enjoy splashing and relaxing in the water (though coming out of the bath is his cue to WAIL!). Even if my daughter is tired and getting whiny, the promise of a bath is enough to get her to behave and change her attitude. And a cranky baby is always soothed by warm water!

She loves "helping" by pouring water on him, and we're extra careful to explain that splashing is fun, but we don't splash each other in the face! 

Bath time, while they're small, is a time for them to play together and relax after busy days. We are still using JOHNSON’S^® NATURAL^® baby products at bath time which I feel helps keep things consistent. The familiar smell is a part of the routine, and they associate it with sleepy time. And as an informed and concerned parent, I appreciate that they are paraben-free, dye-free, and phthalate-free.

I think if there's one thing that is a must for bedtime, it is story time. I strongly feel it's important to instill a love of reading in our children. Reading to kids is such a wonderful way to share time with them, explore language, discover new worlds (real and imaginary), and set them up for a lifetime of enjoyment and education through books. The only times our little ones go to bed without a story is if we've been away on a day trip and they've fallen asleep in the car - or if they've lost the privilege of story time by being naughty (my almost-three-year-old is very aware of her behaviour near bedtime so that she doesn't lose story time!).

We always let our daughter choose her two stories, and it's fun to see which ones she chooses to hear us read each night. Sometimes it's a streak of one thing or another (currently, Dr. Seuss is on heavy rotation), but sometimes she surprises me by pulling out an old favourite. It's also fun to watch our son as we read the stories aloud - he looks carefully at all the pictures and is fairly patient (for a four-month-old!) as we read through two books.

After story time, lights go out - we have a star projector for my daughter's room, and a night light for my son. Darkness helps cue the brain to sleep, and we try to keep things pretty dark without a complete blackout. 

With a consistent bedtime routine, soothing all the senses, little ones can drift off to dreamland easily.

Disclosure – I am participating in the JOHNSON’S^® NATURAL^® Blogger Campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of JOHNSON’S^® NATURAL^®. I receive compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.

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).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.  

Nursing Pad Showdown

Last time I was nursing, I used a combination of disposable Lansinoh pads and washable pads. This time around, I am still using my washable pads at night and disposables again during the day, especially when out and about.

I'm a big milk producer, apparently, so tend to leak a LOT when I let down. Lucky me. I have been in a mall and had milk soak through a washable pad, bra, shirt, sweater, and a jacket... walking around in public with big dark wet spots on your front is neither comfortable nor attractive! So, pads are a must, and washables don't cut it unless I can change them and/or my shirt in a hurry.

Disposables are expensive. I mean, really... they cost so much more than pantiliners and aren't they pretty much the same thing in a different shape? Perhaps it's a demand thing. Anyway, I decided to try out some different kinds as I found that Lansinoh are pretty much at the top of the price scale.

Here's what I've learned so far.

For comparison, I've tried out Medela, Lansinoh and Johnson & Johnson disposable pads so far. Here are the pros and cons of each:

Medela
Pros: Come individually packaged, which is great for tossing in your purse. Cheaper than Lansinoh at around $10 a box of 60. Thin, so not as apparent under your shirt.

Cons: Individual packaging means they're more wasteful. I find the packaging difficult to open. There is an "open here" arrow that points to the side of the package, yet they rip most easily down the middle. The wrapper is also staticky, so once you tear it open it sticks to your hands. Weird pleats in the shape mean you get lumpy looking boobs. Just one adhesive strip means they shift around a lot, especially as the bra is up and down all day with nursing - and that means they're not always in the right place, and they get more lumpy as they start to break down. The worst thing about these is that they do not keep moisture away from the nipples. On a hot day if you are sweating or if you are leaking at all you will be able to feel moisture on your breasts under the pads. To me that screams bacteria - and I wonder if it's a coincidence that I got mastitis again with these pads. I will never buy these again.

Lansinoh
Pros: Come individually packaged, which is great for tossing in your purse. Very absorbent. Two adhesive strips means they stay in place - all day if necessary. Thin, so not as apparent under your shirt. A quick rub seems to smooth out any folds that show.

Cons: The most expensive at around $12+ for a box of 60. Individual packaging means they're more wasteful. The plastic packages are a little tricky to open (but not as bad as the Medela ones).

Just a note here that Lansinoh pads in Canada and the US are slightly different. The US ones are marginally better - packages are easier to open, and the pads are slightly more shapely. I discovered this after using American Lansinoh pads and then buying them here and being a little disappointed about the quality difference.

Johnson & Johnson
Pros: Very thick and absorbent. A single adhesive strip seems to work with these - because they are much more stiff and hold their shape better than the thinner Medela and Lansinoh. Again around $10 for a box of 60.

Cons: What is up with the "nipple" on these? I think it's bizarre! Completely visible under a bra and shirt, it looks like you have erect nipples (and Google is going to bring some strange visitors now I've said that) all day. Weird. Also, the pads are very thick which means they are also quite visible - they are smaller than the other pads, so you have a thick round circle on the front of your boob with a fake nipple on it. They look strange. And to me, already somewhat body-conscious so soon after baby, that's not good at all. No individual packaging means you can't really stick them in your purse unless you tuck them in a sandwich bag or something... and even if protected by a bag, they will get squashed and lose their shape. Then they'd be even more lumpy.

Overall, in my experience, the Lansinoh pads win, hands down. They may cost 20% more but they are worth it. I'm not sure I'll bother trying more brands unless someone recommends them to me. Do you have a favourite nursing pad? Or, one you don't recommend? I'd love to hear about it.

Staples - office supply bliss!

I am thrilled to be working with Staples Canada! I had the opportunity to visit my local Staples store here in Calgary after doing some virtual shopping online. Between the two I think I have managed to see just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the sheer number and variety of office supplies they offer.

Here are some of the fruits of my shopping excursion:

When you think of Staples you might think of the standard office supplies. Things like printer paper, pens and markers, scissors, tape and mailing labels.

Well, of course they have all that (and more... think of an office supply and you will find it there). I remember working in an office years ago, and being the person who ordered office supplies. Whenever we needed something specific, Staples was the solution to our problem.

As a small business owner myself, I know I can count on Staples to have what I need - if I run down the road 5 minutes to the actual store, or do anytime shopping online. So YES, you will find the office supplies you need at Staples.

But there is a lot more fun stuff in the office supply category as well! Did you know they carry the Martha Stewart line of office organizing tools and supplies? I got these great vertical files from that line to replace my shamefully battered, cheap-looking and falling-apart old ones (see picture).

Yeah. I needed those!


Our office looks a LOT more organized and tidy now that we're not storing the files we need handy in cheapo cardboard vertical files. The Martha Stewart ones have cute little labels and are a pretty faux leather. They're extremely sturdy and I know these will last ages and still look good.

This picture from Staples Canada

I was totally crushing on the Martha Stewart wall organizer - but I wasn't sure it would fit in our yet-to-be-renovated laundry/mud room, where I'd want to put it as a catch-all and reminder station.

It is modular, so you can pick and choose what format and functions you want - white board, chalk board, bulletin board, shelves and containers and so on! Is that not awesome?! Maybe once we get that room finished (sometime soon I hope... having an unfinished laundry room is making me crazy!) I will pick it up!

One of the things that has been on my wish list for AGES - I mean, YEARS - has been a label printer. They have gotten a lot more awesome in the years since I first saw them (remember those old ones that pressed raised letters into a plastic strip?).

I finally got this amazing Brother label printer. LOVE. Okay, it's pink and I have to say the "cutesy" design is not really my style - it's sold as a scrapbook labeller and I'm not a scrapbooker at all (though I do appreciate the acid-free labels). But it is so cool. It's really easy to use and I may just have to label everything, everywhere.

I started with some new durable plastic report covers with lots of pockets that I got to hold the kids' medical info. I'm always hiking it to appointments with them and these will make it easier to store and organize all the paperwork that goes along with that.

Next, I think the linen closet and kitchen need some labels.... hey, it's not just for offices!

The final thing on my list was something to keep my two-year-old occupied while I play with my new labeller. Okay, I admit it: I love shopping for art supplies for her. I love watching her explore and discover her creativity.

Staples has loads of art supplies! I picked up some washable paints, a pad of blank paper and some pipe cleaners for her to play with. Hours of fun!

So that was what was in my basket at Staples. It was so fun and easy to find what I was looking for. I love things to be neat and tidy, so it was also inspiring to see all the different tools to get organized in the office and elsewhere.

One last thing. This week I sold a painting (yay!) and we decided to get a new tablet for me to use. I settled on the Google Nexus 7 2nd generation after some research. And guess who had it in stock - Staples! So I picked one of those up as well. Lucky me! I really like it!





Disclosure: I received products to review from Staples Canada. My opinions are my own and honest, and I was not required to write a positive review.

A safe and happy bath time with JOHNSON’S® NATURAL®

When we first started trying to conceive, years ago, I made a very conscious effort to rid my life of unnecessary chemicals. Products with parabens and phthalates were among the first on my "toss" list as I cleared out my cupboards. (Read more about why this is important for your health, and check out this fantastic - and scary - video as well)

I found that purchasing natural products made me feel better and more informed about what I was using on my body, but it also can be expensive and tricky to track down products that fit the bill.

Since I've had children, my views on ingredients in skin care products hasn't changed one bit - but I am happy to discover that there are some options for our little ones that are widely available, 97-99% natural, and paraben-, dye-, and phthalate-free: JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® Baby line.

We have been testing out these products for a couple weeks and I'm happy to say I like them.

The JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® Baby Shampoo is lightly scented (not that - sorry, but - nasty baby powder smell, either), and foams up quickly and well for good coverage of little heads. I use it on my two-year-old with her mid-back length hair as well as on my one-month-old with his 1cm of fuzz. I find it quite liquid, which makes it easy to spread out in a hurry. I emphasize the time aspect because the baby haaaates bath time for now, and getting his hair washed and clean fast is important!

 The JOHNSON’S® HEAD‐TO‐TOE®   Body Wash is also very lightly scented (the scent on both these products fades fast, I find). I appreciate not being overwhelmed by scent. It is great to use on a baby washcloth, getting nice and bubbly without using a ton of it.

The last product we are trying out is the JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® Baby Lotion. Of all three, this is the one I was least impressed by. The lotion smells lightly, and smooths on easily. It has a nice consistency, not too thick or thin. However, I feel like it goes on well but doesn't seem to absorb or do as good a job moisturizing as I would have hoped. My baby has some dry skin - nothing serious, not eczema or anything like that - but the lotion didn't seem to help that much with it. I do like this lotion for baby massage, though, as it's nice and light and slippery! 

Bath time for my daughter is a pleasure - she loves the water and would happily play in the tub for hours, playing with her water toys if we'd let her! She's not crazy about the practical aspects of it - hair washing, for example - but is thrilled to show off her burgeoning swimming skills by doing back floats and blowing bubbles with her face in the water.

Bath time for my son is a different story. He's still too little to really enjoy it, and mainly we try to minimize his discomfort by getting through it as fast as we can! He sits in his bath seat while we keep pouring warm water over him and get him washed and rinsed quickly. Draping a warm, wet washcloth over his body helps a little. The best part of his bath time is the cosy towel snuggles and his sweet fuzzy head after!

Disclosure: Product provided as promotional consideration to Emily's Latest by Johnson & Johnson Inc.

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 :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Always Infinity put to the test (video review)

As a BzzAgent, I occasionally get to try out new things from companies. This time I was selected for a campaign for Always Infinity - a super thin maxi pad with new Infinicel technology, which can hold up to ten times its weight in liquid! I received free product samples and coupons to try out the Always Infinity pads and thought I'd share with you how I put them to the test in comparison with a regular Always Maxi pad.

Always is one of those tried and true brands for feminine products. This is "my brand" when I'm shopping for pads. And with a baby coming, I'm going to need to stock up. Thank you so much, Mother Nature, for lochia (if there are any guys reading... well, what are you doing reading this far anyway? Weirdo!). I can look forward to a few weeks of constant pad use. So I'm happy to test out a new kind from Always, especially one that is so crazy thin that I won't feel like I'm the one wearing a diaper!

The Infinity samples I received were for heavy flow, and the Always Maxi pad samples were for regular flow - I'm just amazed at how THIN the Infinity pads are in comparison. Check it out - the green wrapped pad is an Infinity pad, the yellow is a regular Maxi pad:

Here's my video review (I don't do videos too often, aside from taping my daughter's antics, so you'll have to excuse sloppy camera work, awkward pauses, and my narration technique!!).

Our Fisher Price Favourites (and a discount code!) #FPFavourites

 I bet every family you know with kids has something - or many somethings - by Fisher Price. Their classic, fun toys and practical gear are on must-have lists for parents and kids. We certainly have used our share of Fisher Price toys and baby equipment in our family - and will be acquiring more as we head into baby #2, I'm sure!

Our gear favourite - and I mean, I could NOT have gotten along without it, especially as an overwhelmed first-time mum last time - was the Fisher Price Baby Papasan seat.

I'm not even sure this is still available, but it was a LIFESAVER. It allowed me to take a shower (with the seat within view). Go pee. Sit for a few minutes without a baby on me, knowing Mia was safe, secure and comfortable. She napped in it, sat in it, played in it and joined us at the dinner table in it so that we could eat with two hands free. Best. Thing. Ever. Would I have survived the first six months without it? Debatable! I am not sure it's possible to thank my sister in law enough for this one, as it was a gift. I am seriously kicking myself for passing it on to another new mum after Mia outgrew it. Sure, it wouldn't have fit in the car on our jam-packed drive back to Ontario... but it was so awesome... argh!

The current crush in baby seats (and we're going to need one very soon) is the My Little Snugabunny Cradle N Swing.

Music and motion (side to side or head to toe), a moving mobile, and a cute bunny plush... oh, it looks awesome. I like that it's gender neutral as well. And, not hideous - you won't be cringing at the way it clashes with your decor. Some baby seats are just garish, aren't they? Not this one.

One thing I loved about the papasan seat was that it was quite portable - this one, not so much - but it has way more features.

As far as toys go, we are enthusiastic over here about the Little People Animal Sounds Farm. Mia got it for Christmas and it's gotten daily use ever since. Cute little animals and movable parts make for fun farm adventures.

In fact, I decided to leave the batteries out until just a couple of days ago. When I put them in, the new sounds it makes
absolutely delighted her - it's like a new toy!

Seriously, she plays with this every single day.

These are just a couple of the products on the 12 top must-have list for mums that Fisher Price has put together. Here's that list (if you're creating a registry or gift shopping for a tot, take note!):

1. Ocean Wonders Aquarium
2. My Little Snugabunny Cradle N Swing 
3. Infant to Toddler Rocker 
4. SpaceSaver High Chair 
5. Discover’n Grow Jumperoo 
6. Brilliant Basics Rock a Stack 
7. Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy 
8. Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set 
9. Laugh & Learn Click ‘n Learn Remote 
10. Brilliant Basics Stroll-Along Walker
11.  Little People Wheelies Stand ‘ n Play Rampway 
12. Little People Animal Sounds Farm

Generations of little ones and their parents have loved these products world-wide, and they have passed the test of time (and the test of children... a tough one!).You can read more about the Fisher Price Favourites at this special site they have set up.

Fisher Price and Mom Central are offering an exclusive discount code at Toys R Us for all of the Fisher Price Favourites - to give you 20% off!!! Awesome! Use the code FISHERPRICE20 at Toys R Us until April 30th to receive the discount!

Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price Blogger Campaign 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.

Wean Green review

Let me say right off the bat that this is not a paid review. I wasn't asked to write it at all. I just wanted to share an excellent experience with a company - so rare these days!

Wean Green is a Canadian company that makes air-tight glass containers. They are perfectly sized for snacks, lunches, or even tiny servings of homemade baby food. The lids come in bright, fun colours like raspberry, carrot, pea and blueberry. Cute, right?

I got some of Wean Green's Wean Cubes about 2 years ago. I got them to use for Mia's baby food when she was starting solids. Eight little Wean Cubes have been in heavy rotation in our kitchen ever since - now that she's well past baby food, we use them for salad dressing, snacks for the purse, cut up carrot sticks, and so on. They've been great.

Then, within the last month or so, two things happened. First, one of the clips on one of the lids snapped off. The lid still seals okay; it's just short one clip.

Then, one day I opened the dishwasher to find that one of the Wean Cubes had absolutely shattered in the dishwasher - just on a normal wash, not high heat or anything. Bear in mind, I have been using the dishwasher to clean these all along. I guess this container just finally gave up the ghost. There was glass all through the bottom of the dishwasher. You know, it didn't occur to me that there might be glass slivers on our dishes or cutlery - I didn't even check. Luckily, there seem to have been no ill effects, so I guess we're okay on that front.

Surprised, I contacted the company on their Facebook page just to make sure that they were dishwasher safe (the packaging had been long ago recycled).

Within hours, Wean Green had responded and asked me to send an email to them directly. Their immediate response to my problem was to describe how they have changed their manufacturing (down to moving to a different country for factory production) and improved their products since my Wean Cubes were made. And beyond that, they offered to replace the products I had.

Wait. Let me repeat that one. They offered to replace products that were two years old and well-used, just to ensure a happy customer. They provided a gift code for me to shop on their site - and when I had some technical difficulties, spent time on the phone with me sorting it out and making sure that my order was placed and on its way.

Within a week I had new sets of Wean Green products, which we are happily using already. And I'm also left with a really positive impression of the nice people and a company that stands by their products. I'm so impressed with their level of customer service. I'm thrilled that they have improved on the original products, and wholeheartedly recommend Wean Green to anyone!

Firmoo: Fabulous Glasses!

I was delighted to try out a pair of sunglasses from the international company Firmoo.

Firmoo provides prescription and non-prescription glasses to the discerning customer. I wore glasses for many years, until finally getting LASIK surgery. So I know how hard it can be to find a nice pair - and how expensive they can be!

At Firmoo, your first pair of glasses as a new customer is free (just pay shipping)! And, they ship all over the place: read the list of countries they ship to here!

With over 300 pairs to choose from (and at extremely reasonable prices), I'm sure you will find something you like. I sure did: I chose these awesome sunglasses:

I love the turquoise colour and the fun silver detail. The lenses are not too dark, and graded so that they're lighter on the bottom. They are very lightweight and comfortable - I like that I can wear them for a long time without any pinching or pressure points.

The glasses came with a soft pouch as well as a hard case and a soft polishing cloth. I appreciate the extra details! I always seem to have fingerprints on my glasses, from myself or my sticky-fingered toddler, so a cloth is great to have handy. The cases will keep them from getting scratched, as I tend to leave sunglasses in the drink holder of the car or in my purse.

Shipping was fast and by registered mail.

Another nice feature of the Firmoo site is the Virtual Try-On System. Upload your photo and you can virtually test-drive glasses - and even share it on Facebook to get your friends' opinions on your choice(s)!

I don't know how many of you are thinking about Christmas shopping yet, but this would be a fantastic gift for anyone - and so inexpensive, especially if you're a new customer! Just pay the shipping for a lovely pair of new glasses or sunglasses for someone you love.

Playtex Twist 'N Click Snacker and Bowl Review

As any toddler's parent knows, snacking is suddenly extremely important. A hungry toddler is a CRAZY toddler, if mine is anything to go by. She gets whiny, cranky, and wild if she does not have snacks!

Some days it feels like all I do all day is prepare food, with three meals and three snacks each day (okay, the last snack is just my hubby and I after Mia's gone to bed! ha ha!). And on days when we have errands to run or anything that takes us out of the house for any length of time, it can be a challenge to make sure Mia gets a healthy snack before the meltdowns begin.

So anything that makes it easier gets my attention! Playtex has a couple new products that do just that.

Mia knew these were for her and could not keep her hands off even for a moment!

The Twist 'N Click Bowl comes in a set of two (suggested retail of $7.99 in Canada). It has an audible click when the lid is properly sealed, and is guaranteed leak-proof! It has a spot for a name on the bottom in case you are sending it to day care or school, for example. It's just the right size for a child. Mia is not a big eater and would probably not finish a whole bowl at this point, but it's a great size for taking along to the beach, errand run, hike, long drive, or any time you might want a bit of snack for everyone (I confess, I like to share Mia's snack most times!). I think in future it will be a perfect size for packing in her lunch for school as well. 

The Twist 'N Click Snacker (suggested retail of $5.49 in Canada) is a great design for a snack container. It has a snap-on lid that twists around to the base, so food stays fresh when it's closed and it acts as an extended handle and a sturdy base when it's open. The lid that stays screwed onto the cup has a flexible opening that little hands can easily reach through for grabbable snacks. And the screw top has a nice feature of an arrow that points to where you want to tighten it to for the best seal. It's nice and light, easy for Mia to hold with the handle, and it is tough.

 Here is the Twist 'N Click Snacker in action. Mia can open the snap lid herself and twist it around to the base. She quickly got the hang of reaching in and pulling out the cereal I'd put in there for her. And the lid of the Twist 'N Click Bowl makes a great plate, apparently! I just hope the cereal all made it into her mouth and not down between the couch cushions...

 Here's the arrow that indicates the area for the best seal. You can't see too clearly, but it's really obvious where you need to close it to on the bowl.

Mm, perfect for strawberries!

 My favourite bits? I love that these are durable, portable, leakproof, and dishwasher safe. I love the fun colours they come in, too! We got the lime green and hot pink combination - nice and bright.

I also like that the Snacker doesn't spill the goods even when tipped over... My daughter can't remember to keep things upright at this age. 

Overall, great products. I'm torn between which I like best. I think the Snacker has fun functionality, but the Bowls might be more practical in the long run.

Mia's current favourite snacks are: berries, fish-shaped cheese crackers (or any kind of cracker, really), dry cereal, pudding (bad mum!), those squeezy applesauce pouches, hard-boiled eggs, olives, buttered toast fingers, and baked marinated tofu cubes.

 I could use some more inspiration. Mia's diet is pretty varied, but I tend to head for the same easy snacks time after time... What are (or were) your toddler's favourite snacks?

Bambino MioSolo Cloth Diaper Review!

I was honoured to be chosen to review the Bambino Mio MioSolo cloth diaper with Mia from Childish Notions!

Childish Notions is an importer of unique and brilliant baby products - products with innovative and thoughtful design that these two moms have discovered in other countries and brought to Canada! I've been browsing their site and can see a number of products that look like they'd make parenting so much easier. One that just caught my eye is the KiddyLoo - a combination step-stool/potty seat for the toilet that I can totally see making toilet training easier. (I'll be embarking on that adventure soonish with Mia...!).

The MioSolo is a one-size all-in-one diaper, new in Canada from the UK. There are different kinds of AIO, and this one has an attached insert and a pocket (as opposed to the type where the absorbent core is sewn right into the diaper). I prefer this type, as it dries faster both in a dryer if you choose to go that route, or on the line.

The Bambino Mio Miosolo in Flying Saucer.

With insert in. Super soft lining!

The MioSolo has features that set it apart from your typical AIO diaper and make it a much better choice, in my opinion.

Let's begin with the regular features:

• The PUL cover is brightly coloured and ours has not faded at all over a bunch of washes. Perhaps it will fade over time, but so far, so good.
• The microfleece liner is so, super soft. No pilling to date, and it remains soft when hung to dry.
• The insert is also soft and stays soft when hung to dry. I hate when inserts get crunchy on the line, so I appreciate this! The insert is very absorbent for my heavy wetter. 
• No leaks to date! 
• The cross-over velcro tabs are pretty much standard good quality velcro. Mia has recently discovered how to undo velcro, so for us this is definitely a diaper for under clothing, not to be worn on its own beneath a dress or on a hot day! 
• The laundry tabs have not failed in the wash. 
• It has snaps for different rises. My toddler at 17 months is on the biggest rise setting, but this would also fit a much smaller baby. 
• As for fit, on my little one who is about 25 lbs with a smallish waist and ridiculously chubby thighs, it fits well. 

It looks super tight, but it's not - she's just chubby. No red welts and no leaks either!

 Now, what makes it special?

• The insert has loops to tug it out before washing. I have to be honest, I usually just let inserts come out in the wash on their own. I don't like touching wet inserts (and definitely not soiled ones), and most of the time they will self-unstuff in the wash. But with the loops it's simple to tug it out without getting icky fingers.

Easy unstuffing loops!

• The insert also has a handy pocket at the end that makes stuffing it back in easier. I really like this feature! 



See the pocket at the end? The loops can be seen here, too. Mia added her toes to the picture :)







• It is a remarkably trim diaper

Look how trim! Hardly any bubble bum at all.

And, it goes with her favourite shirt... the one with the DAWWWW! on it!

Overall, this is a good one - if I were starting out with cloth diapers, the MioSolo would absolutely be a brand I'd choose for my stash. It will fit long-term, has great unique features, and is a quality diaper.

Disclosure: I received a Bambino MioSolo diaper to review, but was not obligated to write a positive review or paid for this post. I honestly like it! Thanks, Childish Notions!

vTech Toys Video Review - Disappointing!

This review of the vTech Crazy Legs Learning Bugs Ladybug and the vTech 3-in-1 Zebra Scooter is my own opinion - you can watch the video and judge for yourself. These toys were not sponsored for review. They were purchased for my daughter.

This is my first ever video review so go easy :) If it is vertical on your screen, be patient - it's being processed and will be horizontal soon, says YouTube. 



We got two vTech toys last Christmas for my daughter. It is now early June, so these toys are about 5 1/2 months old. And both are broken.

Let me preface by saying that my daughter is easy on her toys. She doesn't drop or throw them. She's a careful little girl and gentle with her stuff, not a rough player at all.

The vTech Crazy Legs Learning Bugs Ladybug was fun for a while. It played music and you can match the shapes by plugging in the 'feet' to the appropriate shape and then tap the bug on top to release them. It's pretty cute and the sound is not terribly loud. My daughter loves music and would play it just to dance to the music.

About two months ago, the music began to slow down and speed up randomly. Not a battery issue, it just seemed to start changing the tempo. Not the end of the world, though it did make it harder for me to sing the words to the songs for her.

Then last week, it began to play only little snatches of the voice or music in loops, OVER AND OVER. I am sure you can imagine how annoying that is.

Our other vTech toy, the 3-in-1 Zebra Scooter, was recommended by a friend who had a baby just a bit older than ours. Their daughter loved it so my husband picked it up as a special gift for Mia for Christmas. Special because we found it pretty expensive for a toy at $60.

It's a neat toy because it has three positions: a walker push-toy for littles just learning to walk, a ride-on toy for toddlers, and a scooter for when they're a bit older. Besides that, it has fun lights and buttons to push, music, and animal sounds and tidbits of information.

Mia used it as a walker for a couple months, and now happily rides it around. She loves the music and pressing the buttons. The other thing she's quite interested in is the way the seat can be adjusted up and down for the other functions, so we sometimes raise it up or lower it. And that's where the trouble is.

As you can see in the video, the plastic screw that holds the seat up in the scooter position has snapped right off in the middle. It can never be used as a scooter now. We hadn't tightened it too tight. It was simply the stress of torque on the plastic causing it to shear. Checking out the reviews on ToysRUs.ca, I can see that the same has happened for other people as well.

I contacted vTech Canada with the contact form on their website. I asked if there was a way to purchase a replacement screw for the zebra, and a way to repair the bug. Soon after, I received a form email telling me my email had been received and that I'd be hearing from them within 2-3 business days. Two weeks passed and I hadn't heard anything, so I called their toll-free number.

The recording on the other end asked if the toys were under or over 3 months old. Since we got them at Christmas, I chose "over". It took me directly to a recording stating that our toys were no longer under warranty. Five months old and broken, and they assume no responsibility.

The kicker for me is that the very next thing the recording says is that I have the "opportunity" to purchase more vTech toys on their website. Um, really? Somehow I don't think we're going to follow the $60 we spent on the zebra and the $25 on the ladybug with giving more of our hard-earned money to vTech.

So my verdict on these two toys? Don't waste your money. You may get a few months' use of them but if they break (and based on my experience, it seems likely that they will), you're out your money and your child has broken toys. That is definitely not fun.

Little Tikes Ladybug Pillow Racer Review

It's fun to ride!

Mia is pleased to review the Little Tikes Ladybug Pillow Racer by MGA Entertainment.

One of her very first words is "bug" (well, "buh", which means: bug, bird, banana, bath, button, bunny, bum, and bear), and she looooves spotting ladybugs in the grass when we play outside. So what a treat to try the Ladybug Pillow Racer!

The Racer is easy for a parent to assemble. The wheels on the bottom are a lot like office chair wheels - they swivel in all directions, so no more riding a toy into a wall and not being able to turn around. This toy can spin! Not pictured in the above image (but you'll see it in the ones with Mia) is the anti-tip stabilizing piece at the front of the bug, so it can't topple forward.

The handle is the perfect size for little hands. Mia likes to hold on to it with one hand and take her dog along for a ride with the other! Another fun option is playing with the cute antennae!

One thing to note is that it is recommended to wear shoes while riding the Pillow Racer. Mia was barefoot the day I took pictures, but really she should have had shoes on. A wheel accidentally rolling over a foot would hurt.

The soft pillow top is comfy to ride on and good for cuddles, too. It is removable and can be washed - my one complaint is that it's hand wash. Of course the first thing Mia did was share her banana with the bug... But it came clean with a little spot wash.

The height is just right, easy for her to get on and off. I have noticed at play places some of the riding toys are too high or too awkward for her to get her leg over to ride or get down from a toy. She's about 31" tall and has no trouble with this one.

It's fun to push as well!

The Ladybug is very light. Mia can pick it up herself.

What a fun toy! Great for indoor play. I'm sure this will last her quite a while. At 16 months she is about 25 lbs or so, and it will handle up to 50 lbs! And I like that it has no batteries - no songs or noises that are annoying long after they are cute.

Build A Bear Review

I never thought I would be impressed by Build a Bear. It's a weird concept and seemed totally gimmicky and lame.

If you haven't been (as I never had before today), here's how it works - you (for "you" assume you or your child, if your child is old enough) choose an unstuffed animal, you can choose a sound pack to put in it (for an extra fee), you take the animal to the fluff machine where a staff member fills it with blown-in stuffing. You can press the pedal to power the machine if you like. Once the animal is full, you choose a small heart to add to the animal. Then the staff pull the pre-stitched threads to close it up, and you can either take it home like that, or spend more money in the "boutique" on outfits, shoes and accessories (even small plastic branded wardrobes, ugh) for your stuffed animal. A little upsell attempt at the till to negotiate, as they tried to sell me some kind of mesh carrying bag. If you don't opt for the upsell, you can take it home in a printed house-shaped cardboard box (I opted out of that too - it would just go directly in the recycling).

All that sounds awful to me as I write it out.

But I had a $20 gift card and also a $5 off $25 printable coupon for Build a Bear (click the link to get your own coupon - not affiliated or anything, just sharing). So with $25 burning a hole in my pocket, we had to go. 

We took our 15.5 month old daughter there today, and here's the thing... she LOVED it. I mean, she was in a grouchypants, complainy mood (molars, I needn't say more). And the minute we went into the store it was all squeals of delight. She's in a phase where she adores stuffed animals, so it was really no surprise. She spent a great deal of time hugging and squealing at the unstuffed animals, armfuls at a time, until we spotted The One - a chocolate lab much like our beast of a dog, Cadbury.

Pure joy!

The dog was $27 and we did not choose a sound pack or any outfits or accessories. Total cost to me after tax and my coupon and gift card? $3.10. She went to bed with it tonight.

So. Worth. It.

If you are thinking of what to get a child (anywhere from 15 months to, I don't know, 12?) for a gift, maybe a gift certificate for Build a Bear would be a good one! It's a fun experience for them.

Disclosure: This is in no way a sponsored review.

Stash review update

I've updated my cloth diaper stash review with mini-reviews of Rumparooz, Happy Heinys and a note on the WuddaH diaper.

Read all my mini reviews of cloth diapers here! I've got a lot of variety in my stash, and am still on the hunt for the perfect diaper. I wonder if she'll potty-train before I find it?

Mom4Life

I just wanted to share with you an online store for mum and baby products. Mom 4 Life is US-based (and offers free shipping with no minimum order in the US - if only that was for Canada, too!), and carries loads of products that take you from maternity through labour and delivery, to parenthood.

I love the name, it really resonates with me. Especially with Mother's Day just past, I really feel the honour, joy, and responsibility that comes with being a mum. Definitely a mum for life!

A couple of products they carry that I can personally recommend are the Ingrid and Isabella BellaBand (fabulous for pregnancy, it's a firm yet stretchy fabric that keeps your belly comfortable and covered - and there are some in the clearance section! Deals, mamas!) and the popular BabyLegs - super cute legwarmers that make diaper changes so easy! Mia has several pairs and they're great. Mia also has a Wubbanub that she loves. She never took to soothers (fine with me) but adores her cute Wubbanub puppy. It's a plush toy with a soother attached, which I find helps keep track of the soother and makes it harder to lose! They carry cloth diapers as well!

It's  a store to check out if you are doing some online shopping for babies, mums, or mums to be!

Disclosure: Mom4Life sent me products in return for an article on their store. My opinions of the products I've mentioned are honest and my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Goodbye, Goodlife

We've been Goodlife Fitness members for years. I mean, I joined in 2001 - back when the bi-weekly rate was $16 (it's now $23, or $21 if you sign up during a sale). I was always a big advocate of the club, too. I loved their Les Mills classes. BodyFlow was my favourite - a mix of tai chi, pilates, and yoga. I brought several new members into the club myself with my glowing praise and enthusiasm for it.

Over the years I was thrilled to keep my locked-in member rate as prices increased. In 2007, I moved to a location that was fairly far from a club, and terminated my membership. What a mistake that was. I ended up missing it enough to make the 20 minute drive and re-signed soon after at a higher bi-weekly rate. It was not ideal to pay more than I had been, but I recognized that I'd cancelled my membership and was considered a new member.

Then my husband's company started a corporate partnership account with Goodlife. We got a great rate by going with the corporate plan. Knowing their tendency to increase rates, we asked the club before we switched to the corporate plan if we could return to our current rates should we leave the corporate plan. "Sure," they said, "No problem." And with that sorted - or so we thought - we went ahead with it.

And guess what? A year later, my husband has changed jobs and provinces, and we are no longer eligible for the corporate plan. Fair enough. But when we tried to switch back to our old rates, we were told that was not possible, despite what we'd been assured of before.

We went to the local club to talk about it. The staff member disappeared several times into an office to "call the district manager" and every time came back saying there was nothing they could do. If we wanted to stay at the club, we could pay the sale price (ending the next day - no pressure!) of $21 bi-weekly each.

One staff member enthused about the Jump Fitness child care at the gym, as she saw that we had Mia with us - I found that ironic considering my recent, first and LAST experience with that - read my review of Goodlife's Jump Fitness Child Care to see why!

We were happy and loyal members and felt like we had just been treated like dirt. Broken promises, what a disappointment.

So goodbye, Goodlife.

We're going to spend the summer (if it ever gets to Calgary - it snowed today!) outside exercising and making the most of the beautiful parks, lakes and mountains around us. And in the fall, we'll look for a new fitness club. Hopefully one that honours its promises and has some interest in keeping loyal members.

If there are any co-ed fitness clubs in the south of Calgary that are interested in a review, well, my husband and I would be happy to test out your facilities :)

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!

A Supreme Green Mess #FinishRevolution

This week I have been trying out a few new recipes from my stash of cookbooks. One of the ones I tried was Supreme Green Spaghetti, from my Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook. Usually I love the recipes from Vegetarian Times - they can generally be relied upon to transform simple ingredients into delicious dishes. I was eager to test out the Supreme Green Spaghetti, because it looked so healthy and simple.

Well, it was simple and fairly healthy alright, but seriously devoid of flavour and had a disappointingly grainy texture! I usually happily modify recipes after the first by-the-book test - but this one is just not worth it. So I won't bother sharing it (it's not even on the VT site). Suffice to say, it involved blending cooked broccoli and spinach with milk, butter, salt and garlic to create a sauce for whole grain spaghetti. And even though I love all those ingredients, it was a mess. Not particularly tasty, the raw garlic had too much bite (although I'm a garlic lover), the texture was icky.

The only one of us who enjoyed it was my 14 month old. Bland pureed vegetables are okay with her.  My husband barely ate five bites - he said he wasn't that hungry, but I know he was sparing my feelings. And I managed half a bowl before giving up. The next day I added some organic tomato sauce to the dish and tried again, it was still not worth eating.

It's not too often that I create an absolute unsalvageable failure in the kitchen, but it does happen!

At any rate, the mess of a dinner came with a mess of a blender as well.  The blended bits of broccoli and spinach are exactly the kind of thing that tend to dry on and stick like glue to dishes. The dishwasher in our grotty rental house (we're moving by the end of the month to the new house, hooray!) is an old beast and does not do a great job by any means. So this was a big test for the Finish Quantum dishwasher tabs that I've been trying out. Here's the blender as it went in to the dishwasher:

 ...and that is how it sat in the dishwasher for four days. We're a small family of three and weekdays, as my husband only eats one meal a day at home, we take a while to fill up the dishwasher. So there it sat until we finally had a full load.

Oh, the suspense. Would I be washing that blender by hand afterwards? I HATE hand washing dishes, so I really was hoping for the best.

Well, you can stop biting your nails with anticipation - here's the result, fresh out of the dishwasher. Sparkling clean!

I am positive the tabs I was using before (store brand green tabs) would have left not only dried-on bits of green goo but also detergent residue on the glass. So I am quite happy with this result. If only we'd gotten a tasty dinner out of it!

Disclosure: I am part of the Finish Blogger Program by Mom Central. I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own.