Winners and News!

You may have noticed a lack of posts these last two weeks.  I purchased new web hosting and The Children’s Nook is getting some upgrades done that will soon allow me to use Rafflecopter and hopefully save you some time when entering my giveaways.  I will be hosting a Holiday Gift Guide in November so be ready for some fun giveaways coming soon!  In the mean time, here are some winners:

Dark Shadows DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack: Sherrie C.

Daily Decadence Book: Kristie D.

My First Weitzmans Baby Shoes:  Sherrie C.

About these ads

Pediped: Children’s Shoes for Everyday, Holidays, School, and More!

When shoe shopping for my children, I look for style and comfort.  No matter how cute the shoes are, your kids are not going to wear them if they are not comfortable.  Not to mention you don’t want your growing and some times klutzy children tripping and falling because their shoes don’t fit or feel right! One of my new favorite places to shop for shoes for my boys is Pediped.  Their shoes are designed with function and fit in mind and best of all they are super cute!

The Jones Flex shoes are a great shoe style for my boys because they are slightly sporty but also simply a fun stylish casual shoe.  They look great with jeans, khakis, shorts, and even some of my son’s running pants.  Plaid shirts are big in boys fashion right now and these shoes look great with a lot of my son’s plaid shirts as well.

 

Pediped Flex shoes are perfect for fast growing children because the Flex System allows you to adjust the fit of Pediped Flex shoes with additional insoles helping them fit longer.  I have bought more shoes than I care to count that were barely worn by my children because they simply grew out of them so quickly.  My boys start wearing their Flex shoes with the extra insoles in their shoes, and once they have a growth spurt, I simply remove the extra insoles to provide them with more room and a better fit.  These shoes are a dream come true for a mom due to the prolonged wear and custom fit.  Select styles of Pediped shoes are even machine washable!

      

Are you looking for great running shoes for your child or grandchild?  Pediped recently introduced new athletic footwear with Ultra Light Technology.  My oldest son really wants to be fast and loves to run, so these shoes are already on his Christmas wish list!  Go here to check out what Major League Baseball player Tom Glavine has to say about these shoes.  What style shoes are children in need of with cold weather fast approaching?

Buy It!

 

You can purchase any variety of Pediped shoes for baby, boys, and girls online at Pediped. While you are there, be sure to sign up to become a Pediped Insider today on www.pediped.com to be the first to know about new products and promotions.  Pediped just introduced their new cold weather boot line, so be sure to check those out.  I am excited to explore this new boot line since my baby boy is in desperate need of new boots and I want to get him a pair he can actually walk in!

I received the Pediped Jones Flex shoes for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone.

Get Baby Soft Skin with BabyGanics Smooth Moves

BabyGanics makes all-natural products for you, baby, and your home.  As a mom, there is nothing that concerns me more than the health and safety of my family.  I know my fabulous readers feel the same way, so I am excited to tell you about this wonderful company created by two family guys, Kevin and Keith.  These founding fathers admit to being honest-to-goodness clean freaks and their concern for the well-being of their wives, children, and pets resulted in the creation of BabyGanics.  I have been using BabyGanics cleaning products for many years now and now I recently discovered I also love their Smooth Moves product line.  Their sun block won the 2012 Cribsie Award for safest sun block, so I plan on trying BabyGanics sun block next.

BabyGanics Smooth Moves daily lotion is made up of a non-toxic formula that features plant-based ingredients.  You will find NO Parabens, Sulfates, or Phthalates.  When I received my bottle of BabyGanics Smooth Moves lotion, I decided to compare the ingredients with those of a few bottles of baby lotion made by well-respected baby brand names.  I was amazed by how many unwelcome ingredients were in these other bottles of lotion.  Several types of alcohol and parabans just to name a few and they print “natural care” right on the bottle!  We have been using BabyGanics lotion for some time now and it works just as well as those other lotions yet we don’t have to be exposed to all of those unwelcome ingredients!  Smooth Moves daily lotion is available in Cucumber scent or Fragrance free.  We have the Smooth Moves 16 oz. bottle of Cucumber daily lotion.  This lotion is packaged in a bottle with an easy to use pump.  I love being able to access this lotion with only one hand since my other hand is usually busy trying to keep my wiggling little boy in reach.  BabyGanics Smooth Moves lotion is also available in 3oz. tubes which are perfect for keeping in your diaper bag.  If you are looking for SPF in your lotion, BabyGanics also offers a Smooth Moves lotion with 15 SPF.

Buy It!

You can purchase Smooth Moves daily lotion online at BabyGanics. If you are an Amazon shopper you may want check out BabyGanics at Amazon.com.  They are offering 20% off select BabyGanics products during the month of October.

I was provided a bottle of the BabyGanics Smooth Moves Cucumber daily lotion for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

October’s Pick: The ABC’s of Rock

Every child needs an ABC book.  If you have ever read to a child, you have most likely spent hours identifying every letter, number, and animal on the page.  A child’s mind is like a sponge, and they are extremely eager to discover the world.  This is one of the very reasons I love children’s books.  You never know when a simple illustration will result in a profound 20 minute discussion with your child!  As fun and challenging as these conversations can be our children are also creatures of habit and often want us to read the same book over and over again.  My son had an obsession for many months with letters and my hubby and I found ourselves reading the same ABC book over and over again for weeks.  I quickly began a search for some unique children’s books on the alphabet.  Since my hubby and I are both fans of rock music, I was thrilled to discover The ABC’s of Rock. I knew I had just found another alphabet book to throw into our story time rotation!

The ABC’s of Rock has one page dedicated to each letter and a rock band beginning with that letter.  This book features a variety of artists ranging from Fleetwood Mac to the White Stripes.  When your children are young, you can simply focus on teaching them the alphabet with this book.  However, when your children grow a little older, you could actually play a song from each band and introduce them to new music.  The inside cover in the front and back of the book has the entire alphabet printed on the pages and my children really love to sing the alphabet while pointing at the letters on this page.  If you are looking for an untraditional alphabet book, The ABC’s of Rock is a great alternative to the classic ABC book.  Each letter is located on a different place on the page and several of the letters are different sizes and fonts.  The font may be linked to the band’s logo and the illustrations almost feel like they could be album covers….simple yet artistic.  The actual size of this hard cover book is rather thin and large making it close to the size of an actual LP.   The ABC’s of Rock is truly a fresh approach to teaching the alphabet.  My hubby and I often find ourselves discussing music after reading this book to our son.  You may find with this book that music time often follows story time!

Buy It!

You can purchase The ABC’s of Rock online at retailers such as Amazon as well as in many stores.  The 77 Kids store in our mall even sells this book!

Tricycle Press provided me with a copy of The ABCs of Rock free of charge.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

My Teethease: Teething with Style Review & Giveaway

Whether you are a parent of a baby or not, you have most likely held a teething child at some point in your life.  What most likely made that experience memorable was the child eagerly trying to chew on your jewelry, clothing, shoulder, and/or anything else his or her sore gums could get into contact with.  My Teethease offers a variety of fashionable jewelry that it also safe for your baby to explore.  Their jewelry resembles many popular styles you will find in modern boutiques and shops.  However, this is not your average jewelry.  My Teethease jewelry has a soft and smooth texture that is easy to grasp onto.  My Teethease necklaces have safety clasps that release when pulled.  All of their jewelry is BPA, PVC, and latex free and easy to clean.  In fact, My Teethease products are dishwasher safe!  A prime example of where fashion meets function.  Teethease truly is teething with style.

When I am out and about with my teething baby boy, I try to wear my Rock•ease classic necklace. I love the grey color because it goes with so many outfits.  This fabulous accessory goes everywhere with me and I am always prepared when my little guy’s gums need some stimulation!  When his teeth are not actually bothering him, he still likes to play with the necklace when I am wearing it and explore it with his hands.  My Rock•ease necklace has provided both entertainment and relief for my baby boy, and I always enjoy wearing it.  The best part is I can actually wear jewelry when my children are around me and not worry about them destroying it!

   

Buy It!

You can purchase the Rock•ease necklace I reviewed as well as any of the other fabulous accessories online at My Teethease.  When visiting My Teethease online, be sure to check out all of their new styles that just arrived this fall!  I am loving the sweetheart bangle. The question is, what color should I get?!  I may just have to get more than one.

Win It!

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook is going to win the My Teethease pendant of his or her choice!  Mandatory Entry: Visit My Teethease and come back here to leave me a comment sharing what item you would love to own.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

• Follow The Children’s Nook on Google+ (2 entries)
• Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
• Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
• Follow Teethease on Pinterest (2 entries)
• Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
• Follow @myteethease on Twitter (1 entry)
• Tweet the following: “Enter to WIN the Teethease pendant of your choice @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1Tk” (You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
• “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
• “Like” My Teethease on Facebook (2 entries)
• Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog (1 entry)
• Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page or Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your blog post in the comments below (2 entries)
• Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
• Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on October 31, 2012.  This giveaway is open to residents in the U.S and Canada.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

I received the Grey Marble Rock•ease Classic Necklace for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Swaddling Made Easy with HALO SleepSack Swaddles Review & Giveaway

October is S.I.D.S. Awareness Month and HALO Innovations has made it a company goal to provide parents safe sleep products that can help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  The award-winning HALO SleepSack is a wearable blanket that will allow you to keep your baby warm without needing loose blankets in you baby’s crib.  Parents of infants all wish for their baby to get sound sleep, yet our own ability to get much sleep is often hampered by worries of safety.  I still clearly remember the first night my boys slept through the night.  I woke up in a panic worried that they must not be breathing.  Of course, they were okay and were just thankfully having a great nights sleep!  Safe sleep is a concern for every parent, so here are a few tips to help your baby sleep safe and sound:

SAFE SLEEP TIPS

• Place baby to sleep on his or her back at nap-time and at night-time.

• Use a crib that meets current safety standards with a firm mattress that fits snuggly and is covered with only a tight-fitting crib sheet.

• Remove all soft bedding and toys from your baby’s sleep area (this includes loose blankets, bumpers, pillows and positioners). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests using a wearable blanket instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.

• Offer a pacifier when putting baby to sleep. If breastfeeding, introduce pacifier after one month or after breastfeeding has been established.

• Breastfeed, if possible, but when finished, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe sleep area alongside your bed.

• Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts, sheep skins etc.)

• Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperature 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where someone has recently smoked.

Not only is the HALO SleepSack a great way to help reduce S.I.D.S, but it can also be a great tool to prevent infant hip dysplasia.  Incorrect swaddling is said to be related to the increase in infant hip dysplasia.  The HALO SleepSack Swaddle is an easy product to use in place of swaddling your baby with a blanket.  It has an adjustable swaddle wrap that easily secures with velcro.  The bottom of the SleepSack is loose around baby’s legs, so his or her hips can move freely.  You can also visit, http://www.hipdysplasia.com, for even more information on hip dysplasia.

Dr. Charles Price, a pediatric orthopedist, offers these hip healthy swaddling tips to help avoid hip dysplasia:

• If using a blanket, wrap firmly around the arms but loosely around the legs so hips can move freely
• When Swaddling baby, avoid stretching the legs out straight or pressing them together
• Encourage baby’s hips to be spread and bent as if riding a horse.
• Consider using a sleepsack product with a roomy bottom such as the HALO SleepSack Swaddle which is a fool-proof way to swaddle baby in a hip healthy manner.

 

I used HALO SleepSacks with Little D from birth until he could walk.  He was a winter baby so the micro-fleece SleepSacks did a wonderful job of keeping him warm on cold nights.  I switched to cotton SleepSacks once the weather warmed up.  I found HALO SleepSacks to be very durable, warm, and soft.  They performed great but he solid colors and limited patterns were not the most fashionable.  Therefore, I am extremely excited to inform you that HALO recently introduced a line of 100% Cotton Fashion SleepSacks!  These designs are cute and fun, and you still get the great performance of a HALO product.

Buy It!

You can purchase HALO products online at HALOsleep.  Get FREE Shipping when you purchase two or more items!  No promo code is needed.

Win It!                   

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook is going to win a Halo SleepSack Swaddle.  (Winner can specify boy, girl or neutral.)  Mandatory Entry: Visit Halo SleepSack and come back here to leave me a comment sharing which Halo product you would love to own.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

• Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
• Follow The Children’s Nook on Google+ (2 entries)
• Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
• Follow HALO on Pinterest (2 entries)
• Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
• Follow Halo on Twitter (1 entry)
• Tweet the following: “October is #SIDS Awareness Month! Enter to #win a Halo SleepSack Swaddle #Giveaway @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1Tw” (You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
• “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
• “Like” Halo on Facebook (2 entries)
• Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog (1 entry)
• Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page or Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your blog post in the comments below (2 entries)
• Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
• Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on October 30, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

I was provided product information and a Halo SleepSack Swaddle for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Winners!!

I have a few winners to announce before we all go off and enjoy the weekend!  Here are the winners:

Bioken Enfanti Giveaway: Allison Downes

Hicural Giveaway:  Thao Nguyen

Pillsbury Prize Pack Giveaway: Becca

ZipFizz Giveaway: Kristie D.

Winners have been emailed.  Congrats!  Also, don’t forget we have an amazing giveaway ending this weekend.  Be sure to enter to win the My First Weitzman’s Designer Shoes Giveaway!  This fabulous giveaway ends 9/30.

Dark Shadows DVD & Blu-Ray Combo Pack Giveaway

If there is one actor I love to see in a film, it is Johnny Depp.  I just might be even more excited than Warners Bros. to announce the DVD and Blu-Ray release of the film, Dark Shadows.  This movie is loaded with a great cast and an intriguing plot.  I love that this movie combines humor and horror into one film.

From the incredible mind of Tim Burton comes the hit film Dark Shadows, based on the classic television series! Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover. Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever-changing 1970s and save his family’s business! With an all-star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more, Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun.

Buy It!

The Dark Shadows DVD and Blu-Ray Combo Pack will be available for purchase at most mass retailers October 2, 2012.  Perfect timing to get you in the mood for Halloween!

Win It!                       ******CLOSED******

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook is going to win a Dark Shadows DVD & Blu-Ray Combo Pack!   Mandatory Entry:  Take the Are You Creepy Enough quiz and share your results in the comments section below.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

• Follow The Children’s Nook on Google+ (2 entries)
• Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
• Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
• Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
• Tweet the following: “Enter to #WIN a Dark Shadows DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack starring Johnny Depp @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1S6 #DarkShadows” (You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
• “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
• Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog (1 entry)
• Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page or Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your blog post in the comments below (2 entries)
• Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
• Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)

Congrats to Sherrie C. on Random.org choosing her winning comment!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on October 16, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  No P.O. Boxes please! The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks to Warners Bros., I will receive a Dark Shadows DVD and Blu-Ray Combo Pack for hosting this giveaway.  All opinions are mine alone.

Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink Milk Drinks

Is your baby now toddler?  I don’t know about you but it seems like each of my children went from being tiny little babies and turned into running toddlers in the blink of an eye.  One of the biggest changes in a toddler’s life is his or her transition from breast milk or formula to milk.  This raises one major concern for most parents.  Is my child getting all of the necessary vitamins needed for his or her development?   Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink milk drinks were created to ease that very concern and help parents ensure their active toddlers are consuming the necessary nutrients.  Enfagrow Older Toddler milk drinks are available in natural milk or vanilla flavor.  They are packaged similar to shelf safe milk so Enfagrow Older Toddler milk drinks are convenient and easy to take with you wherever you go.

 

Both of my boys tried the Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink Milk Drinks.  My four year old was not a fan of these but truthfully he is a too old for them.  He just thought they looked really cool and had to try them.  He did say he liked the vanilla flavor a little bit.  My youngest son is in fact a toddler, and is in the age range in which these drinks are intended for.  My 20 month old loves to drink Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink Milk Drinks.  He loved both of the flavors and really enjoyed the the packaging.  He honestly loves the duck and soccer ball on these little milk drinks!  Funny right?  My little D also can’t help but smile when he gets to drink out of a straw.  My toddler goes through phases with food so I am constantly trying to figure out ways to make sure I get enough needed nutrients into his little body on a daily basis.  Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink Milk Drinks have been a great solution for me.  I no longer have to stress out on the days when he doesn’t eat as well as I think he should.  I simply offer him an Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink Milk Drink with his meal or snack.  I love knowing my baby – oops, I mean toddler, is getting everything he needs to help him grow and develop.  He may be a toddler now, but he and his brother will always be my precious babies!

 

Try It FREE!

Do you have a child aged 1-4 years?  Join SheSpeaks today and you can take part in the Enfagrow program too!  Go here and see if you qualify for the program, so you can try fabulous new products like Enfagrow Premium Older Toddler Milk Drinks.

Buy It!

You can purchase Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink milk drinks in natural milk or vanilla flavor in 4 packs.  Go here to find Enfagrow products at your favorite stores.

I received Enfagrow PREMIUM Older Toddler Ready-to-Drink Milk Drinks via SheSpeaks for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

BabyGiraffe: A Must Have Baby Registry Item!

BabyGiraffe is a brilliant product that conveniently holds your baby’s bottle, toys, sunshade, and more!  When I first came across the BabyGiraffe, I will admit I thought it would be great to have an extra hand but seemed a bit unnecessary.  Oh, was I ever wrong!  I love my BabyGiraffe!  I wish I had this from the very first day I became a mom.  Since I do not have any children in an infant carrier at this time, I have not used the bottle holder yet.  However, my boys absolutely love the BabyGiraffe sun shade.   We used to have those sun shades that suction to the car window.  They provided little to no shade for my kids and created quite a blind spot for me when driving.  I find those window suction sun shades to be a complete waste of money.  Since the BabyGiraffe securely attaches to almost anything, I was able to attach it to my son’s car seat easily.  The best part about the BabyGiraffe is the flexible spine.  You can easily position the spine of the BabyGiraffe to suite your child’s needs.  My 4-year-old can even adjust the BabyGiraffe as the sun moves during long car rides.  The BabyGiraffe sun shade has made our car rides much more enjoyable.  No more whining about the sun being in their eyes!

I am loving the versatility of the BabyGiraffe.  This is a product that can be used for years!  You can attach the BabyGiraffe to car seats, high chairs, bassinets, strollers, and more. My boys love it and I hope to use it with our infant carrier and more when we have another baby someday.  The Baby Giraffe is definitely on my Must Have Baby Registry list!

  

Buy It!

Want to give someone a great baby gift or are you simply in need of an excellent sun shade for your kids?  Then I would highly recommend the BabyGiraffe.  The BabyGiraffe would make an excellent baby shower gift for any new parent.  The cute giraffe design even makes it gender neutral!  You can purchase the BabyGiraffe online at the BabyGiraffe website.

I received the BabyGiraffe for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.