First Year Favourites - Peppa Bonding Doll

I came across this doll while checking out a new baby boutique's website back home in Thunder Bay - Sweet Cheeks Baby Boutique. The doll is called a Peppa Bonding Doll and I fell in love with it instantly. It reminded me a lot of this rabbit thing I had for H that he loved, but unfortunately, his was a few pieces sewn together and it fell apart after a few washes.

The Pepppa Bonding Doll has some neat features:
-made from soft 100% cotton stretch terry, which is coloured with AZO-free fabric dye
-their heads are filled with pure sheep’s wool, which is known to absorb scents easily the dolls will absorb comforting scents of home, of its parents, things that are familiar for baby (parents should sleep with it for a few days to absorb their scents)
-non-toxic and also safe to chew on with no fluff to inhale
-they do not contain any parts or accents that may come loose
-their knotted hands are perfect for baby to hold on to
-hand-washable in cold water and dry on cool, gentle cycle
-manufactured in Fair Trade, i.e. produced in a way where ‘honest’ trading relations with the producers are the main issue

They come in a variety of different styles (Tino-rabbit, Sloppy-no face, Polly-doll, etc.) I personally like the Sloppy style that looks kinda like a rabbit but does not have a face.

They sell for about $22-$24 at stores or online and come in a multitude of colours.

This sounds like a great toy and I am frantically searching online to find the best price and store to order one from!

As soon as I find the best place I will post it as a comment here with this entry and if you have seen them around, please let me know where I can get my hands on one!

Favourite Toys - Manhattan Wood Toys

Tamara shares:

"I really love the wooden Manhattan Toys. They are very clever and well constructed and non-toxic. All of their plastic toys are BPA free."

Tam, I am familiar with the Manhattan Toys, but not so much their wood selections. I love their black and white toys and one of my all-time favourites (and Hs) was The Winkle. It is a plastic toy with all these loops and a square rattle in the middle. It was super easy for him to hold on to as it had so many loops, the colours were nice and bright and you could even put it in the fridge and cool it off for teething.

I was on their website this evening and was surprised to see that they also sold Fraggle Rock dolls. Is Fraggle Rock on its way back? It was one of my all-time fave shows when I was little.

You can check out all of their toys at www.manhattantoy.com

Other Favourites -Family Stickers.com

OK, so it may be a little corny, but I really like those cute stick family figures that you see on the back windows of peoples cars. I did some searching online and found many websites that offer them, but the one with the best selection and price was www.familystickers.com.

The neat thing about this website is that you can personalize each sticker to somewhat look like a member in your family. There are a variety of hair styles, accessories and body styles to choose from. You can also add pets and other unique embellishments.

They sell for about $19 for a family of 4 - which to me is pretty reasonable! The shipping is about $15 - kinda pricey but maybe worth it since you can really personalize all of the items.

This company also sells stickers for items like travel mugs, stamps and stationery, clothing, wall stickers, magnets and other types of custom stickers. These would make great gifts as well!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to order some from here as my husband came home with a set of basic ones from Canadian Tire and I didn't have the heart to tell him I had already decided on something else. Maybe I will order a mug, or the magnets, or address labels? The set from CanTire sold for about $12 if you are interested in that option as well.

Looks Good - Some Neat Websites

Here are a few websites that I have come across in my Internet travels that offer some unique kid items:

River Rock Tees - Hand Screen Printed Clothing - cute and unique T-Shirts
www.etsy.com/shop/RockRiverTees?page=1

Raspberry Kids - sells a variety of kids' items that are Fresh-Healthy-Fun
www.raspberrykids.com

Four Monkeys - Original Art for your Child's Spaces
www.4monkeys.ca

I have not yet purchased anything from these sites, but they offer a lot of neat items that have caught my eye.

Just For Moms -Bath and Body Works Lipgloss

I am a big Bath and Body Works hand soap fan, but was surprised to hear from my gf Dawn that their lip gloss was great too! I know the store is called Bath AND Body Works, but I always think of them more so as a soap type of store.

Just the other day when I was in there I remembered Dawn's suggestion and took a look in their makeup section and was surprised to see such a big selection of lip glosses. I ended up picking a pinkish one for $7.00. I was still a bit doubtful of its "wonderfulness" as I paid the price and left the store. BUT as soon as I opened it and gave it a try I was surprised - it was GREAT! It went on smooth, looked good and tasted great as well! It is a thicker lip gloss that has some colour in it and I have been using it every day since.

Thank you, Dawn, for the suggestion!

If any of you are looking for a good lip gloss to carry around in your purse this summer I would definitely suggest trying one of Bath and Body Works varieties! Right now they have a special, buy 2 get 1 free!

Bathtime Favourites - Folding Potty Seat

We were at a birthday party at a farm a few weeks ago and my girlfriend Andria pulled out this potty seat contraption that I had never seen before - a Folding Potty Seat. What was different about it compared to the regular potty seats that I have seen before is that it folded up into this tiny little thing that made it very easy to take with you. Some other features are that it has a non-slip rubber padding on the bottom and a locking mechanism to make sure it stays open.

I have only seen them at Toys R Us and they sell there for $12.99, but I am sure that you could get them at other places like Walmart and Zellers as well.

If your little one is in the middle of potty training (which mine is not) then I would think this would come in very handy! The only down side I have heard from one friend is that her little guy sometimes got his bottom pinched in the seat.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Summer Favourites - Sunveil Prampopper

Alison shares a summer favourite of hers:

"I bought a sun screen for the stroller and it is great! It wraps all the way around and is a UPF 40 that wont wipe off! Especially for when we are out and my little guy needs a sleep, I just tip his stroller back and put the screen over, even with the sun on him, he is fine (and the bright sun forces him to close his eyes and then he falls asleep). I have even used it inside in a museum and it sort of blocks out the stimuli and lets them drift off. It is called: Sunveil Prampopper by Sun Savant. I got it at Serenity Birth Studios in Barrie. It is really great for when they are younger than 6 months and should not have sunscreen lotion on them too. It can also go over a pack and play, a backpack carrier that has a top cover. If you get the larger one, it is more versatile. It is machine washable too. You can see it on the Serenity website too."

Thanks Al for sharing, sorry it took me so long to post it! With the nice weather that we had yesterday and are having today this sounds ideal!

I found the Prampopper on many Canadian sites online and it sells for about $40. It comes in white only but it is hand or machine washable. Its large size also makes it perfect for any situation!

Bebe Bella Designs Sale

Bebe Bella Designs is having a 64% sale off of their toddler blankets until May 22nd. This means you can pick up a regular $64 blanket for about $23. I just ordered one for H in the blue dot/brown minky fabrics. He is totally addicted to his blankies and this one is much bigger (35" x 43") and a bit more masculine than his current green or blue/yellow one.

Check them out at www.bebebelladesigns.com. The coupon code is may64.

Just for Moms - PC The Decadent Chocolate Chunk Cookie Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

OK, I have been craving ice cream a lot lately! And I think that I may have found the best ice cream sandwich there is out there!

The PC Decadent Chocolate Chunk Cookie Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich is amazing. Imagine chocolate ice cream layered between two chocolate chip cookies. The cookies are soft and contain chunks of chocolate.

Now, one sandwich has 250 cal and 17g of fat, but you don't feel that guilty about it as they are somewhat small!

They come in a box of 6 and cost about $4.

If you are looking for a yummy late night treat, try picking up a box of these!

Feeding Favourites: Ritzy Nurser, Kipiis Bib Clip and Freezer Pods

Here are some more of my friend Tamara's faves!

"Ritzy nurser
The Ritzy Nurser...well this is really stylish, and light weight. I have the licorice swirl one. It is super comfy and not just great for nursing but also covering baby when carrying him in the carrier when he is sleeping. I love it. Normally I don't cover up, but flying with Emirates Airlines (an Arab airline), so it is probably best to cover up.

Kipiis bib clip
The Kipiis bib clip is great cuz you don't need to take bibs with you. Anything can become a bib including a paper towel or serviette at a restaurant. It works like a dentist's bib clip, but gentler and cuter. Very convenient, particularly for travelling which we do a lot of.

Freezer pods
Freezer pods are great cuz you can freeze your baby food in perfect amounts and take as you need. Also BPA free."

Tam, I just love the products and fabrics from Itzy Ritzy. Everyone can check them out at www.itzyritzy.com!

I have posted already about the Kipiis Bib Clip and think it is such a neat idea. They can be purchased from Toys R Us for $14.99. I never ended up getting one with H, but perhaps I will with this little one!

I have searched online everywhere, but Freezer Pods seem to only be available in Australia. They remind me a lot of the Babycubes that many moms use here in Canada.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

One year ago today, 2488 hits and 175 posts later, I want to thank all of you for sharing your favourites with all my readers and for coming back again and again to see what new things I have posted.

I receive many comments from friends and coworkers about how I do it - work full time, take care of my family and find time to write this blog, but I love it and it gives me something to do in my evenings! (I can't just watch TV; I need to multitask so this was the perfect solution!)

I hope to keep this blog going for a long time and hopefully you enjoy visiting it from time to time and actually find some of the things I post useful!

Keep the favourites coming, please! and Thanks Again!

Erin

Favourite Websites - Chapters.ca

My sister-in-law introduced me to this site as a great way to send gifts to people far away. Chapters online offers a variety of items besides books and we find it is really great for kids items.

The best thing about Chapters is that if you spend more than $25 the shipping is free! I have sent birthday gifts, new baby gifts and even ordered a few books for H this way and the shipping cost absolutely nothing!

Chapters also offers an online price, which sometimes is cheaper than the price in the store or other stores for that matter.

One last great thing about Chapters is their actual shipping. You get a tracking link where you can see exactly where your package is and the shipping is so QUICK! Every time that I have used it my order has gotten to the recipient in 3 days after being shipped!

If you have a gift that you need to send to someone in another city then I would highly recommend using www.chapters.ca

Thanks, Lana, for the great idea!

First Year Favourites - Baby Elephant Ears

I had seen this product awhile back on one of my sites, but it was just up again last night on www.babysteals.com and it reminded me that I had not yet posted about it.

Baby Elephant Ears is a multi-use headrest that supports a baby's head and neck. They are supposedely great for places like strollers, carseats, swings, change tables, etc., but are not meant to be used in the crib for sleeping.

They come in a variety of prints, require no attachments or straps and are machine washable. You can purchase them on their own for $21.95 and coordinating blankets can also be purchased to make a gift set.

You can read and find out more about Baby Elephant Ears at www.babyelephantears.com

They seem like a neat idea, not sure if I am quite sold on them yet though!

Bathtime Favourites - Huggies Overnites

Awhile ago we found that every time we put H down at night in a regular diaper he seemed to leak through. That was when I discovered Huggies Overnites. They are nighttime diapers that are more absorbent and made to hold more overnight. Ever since we have been using these we have pretty much been leak free (except the odd night when Bruce puts the night diaper on!)

If you are finding yourself in the same predicament, then I would suggest trying these as your first solution.

A few moms I know have also suggested going up a diaper size, changing the diaper halfway through the night, lessening the amount of liquid your child drinks before bed or putting on two diapers on top of each other as other possible solutions to the night time leaks!

Do you have another remedy? Send it to me at ecurrie33@hotmail.com or add it as a comment below!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms out there!

Hope that you had a wonderful day and were thanked for all that you do!

Summer Favourites - Sunscreen

Hopefully this nice sunny weather is here to stay!

With this comes the constant application of sunscreen. Last year I had posted a few blogs about sites with information on safe sunscreen and also a site where you could check how safe the sunscreen you use is.

As a reminder or refresher here are those links:

http://mommiesfavourites.blogspot.com/2010/05/safety-favourites-sunscreen.html

http://mommiesfavourites.blogspot.com/2010/06/favourite-website-skin-deep.html

http://mommiesfavourites.blogspot.com/2010/06/sunscreen-information.html


From all of this research I ended up picking up some Badger sunscreen for H last summer and will be using the same stuff again this summer!

Check the links out as you may be surprised about the sunscreen you are currently using!

Bedtime Favourites - Grobags and Baby Bjorn Ultra Light Travel Cot

Here are some of Tamara's Bedtime Favourites:

Grobag
"Grobags are sleeping bags that come in different thicknesses depending on the "tog" (0.5, 1, or 2.5). Prevents babies from kicking off covers and keeps them warm at night. I use them here too (0.5 tog) even though it only gets to 26C at night. They are expensive but worth every penny. You can also use some of them in the car seat as some of them are travel friendly with an entry point for the car seat belt."

I found Grobags on many sites. They come in a variety of togs (thicknesses), sizes, colours and patterns. Most sell for about $50-$70. Here is one site that I found a good selection on:
http://www.storksandberries.ca/bed-time/grobag-baby-sleeping-bags-p-265.html?osCsid=01f1d356ca80cb630c12f845cf04356a

Baby bjorn ultra light travel cot*
"The baby bjorn travel cot...self explanatory...expensive but very compact and very very useful especially if you like to travel or go camping. Nice and compact."

I tried to google this product many times, but could not find a store that sold it in Canada (many in the US though). They sell for about $250 US.

Thanks Tam, these are some more greats!

Bathtime Favourites - Blowing Bubbles

For the past few nights we have been having a lot of fun blowing bubbles with H while he is in the tub. Bubble season seems to be here (we have gotten a few as gifts in the past few weeks) and it is all that H wants to do.

I didn't really want to blow them in the house and the weather here has been awful so my clever husband brought them into the bath the other day with H. He LOVED it!!!! and we have be doing it ever since.

Looking for some fun - then give it a try!!!!

Just for Mom - LyziWraps

Gift wrapping is not something that I am known for - actually I am known for my bad gift wrapping- so when I saw these advertised on one of my baby sites I thought they were pretty cool.

LyziWraps are reusable gift wrap bags that are adjustable to fit many sized gifts. They are made from durable nylon fabrics and are washable as well. They come in a variety of colours and sizes and can also be purchased in a combo set that includes four sizes of wraps (xs, s, m, l) and gift cards. Lyziwraps are also available in silk.

The combo set sells for $25 and the individual bags sell for $6-$9.

You can check them out at www.lyziwraps.com