Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Tiny Love Bouncer Review

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Erik is 8 weeks old now and has started smiling and interacting with everyone in the family. So sweet and adorable! It also means that he’s not as content now to just lie in his bed and look up at the ceiling. With 5 other children to tend to, I can’t hold him and interact constantly, so I’m very grateful for the Tiny Love bouncer we found at PishPoshBaby; it’s his new best friend.

This brightly colored Gymini bouncer has some really great features:

  • Three colorful toys hang down to satisfy baby’s curiosity (there are additional loops for hanging more toys, if you want)
  • The arches on either side can be adjusted to several positions, and will even fold completely down and out of the way so you can easily get baby in and out of the seat.
  • The hanging crab plays music and lights up to entertain your little one.
  • The vibrations are very gentle and may help soothe babies that like this sort of thing (Erik does!)
  • It’s lightweight and easy to move. My 5 year old can easily pick it up when empty.
  • The seat can be gently tilted back if baby falls asleep.
  • The pad is washable and easy to get on and off.
  • Non-skid feet means it stays put. My toddlers can’t push it around, and believe me – they tried!
  • Available in blue/yellow or Tiny Princess (pink)

Shopping at PishPoshBaby:

When you buy at PishPoshBaby, you’ll always get FREE shipping on orders over $75.00. That means on big purchases like strollers, car seats, baby carriers and bouncer seats, you don’t have to worry about postage. They also guarantee their best price, and will do a match if you find a better deal somewhere else; just email or call for approval.

The customer service is excellent! The first time I tried to order online there was a problem with applying my coupon code. When I emailed PishPoshBaby about the problem, they suggested that I order over the phone. A real person picked up within 10 seconds and my order was placed in minutes. Our bouncer seat arrived in TWO DAYS. I’ve also used the online chat feature and got a response within minutes as well, so despite the initial hiccups, everything was worked out to my satisfaction. And the representatives I’ve chatted with have all been super friendly and professional.

 

* Giveaway Closed *

InGenuity Baby Washable Playard Review #smartbabyproducts

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The InGenuity Baby Washable Playard arrived on our doorstep a few weeks ago, and to say I was happy for the opportunity to review it is an understatement. We’re living with six children with limited space in a small farmhouse so a playard which includes a changing station, a bassinet AND little “nest” to sleep in is definitely a welcome addition! The adorable, gender-neutral animal print is called “Shiloh.” And it’s machine washable; more on this neat feature later…

It took my son Joseph and me about 10 minutes to unpack and assemble the playard. Very easy! All of the extra components snap on to the sides with sturdy plastic clamps. You push down firmly and they pop right into place:

The Dream Centre is a very soft and cozy little bed that snaps on top; a perfect newborn “nest.” It’s easily within arms reach; no stooping over to get your baby in and out. Mesh panels on the side allow airflow around your little one. There’s a canopy that you can snap on, with toys that hang down. For some reason, I had a lot of difficulty getting the clamps to fasten on this particular component, and I noticed that the toy animals aren’t really in Erik’s line of vision. They are high and back, which means he has to tilt his head to see them. Other than the issues we had with the canopy, I love the Dream Centre and Erik does, too. He’s already taken quite a few naps there, and it’s a handy place to lay him down when I’m busy.

There’s also a little snuggly pillow with a giraffe applique:

Like the other snap-on components, the changing station is designed for younger babies. Erik is 2 months old and 10 pounds and you can see there’s just a little bit of extra room in the compartment. The removable/washable cover has a slick white surface which can be wiped clean, but it’s also a bit cold on bare skin. To make things a little more comfortable for Erik, I usually just lay an old diaper or burp cloth under him during changes. The changing station can be flipped up and over to get it out of the way without unsnapping.

The Accessory Tray can attach to either end and holds changing supplies, toys or whatever else might be handy to have near your baby. 

It’s difficult to get to the battery compartment on the Soothing Sounds Station which attaches to the side of the playard. The opening is very narrow. But once we got that done, attaching it was a breeze. You can choose between five songs which are very quiet and restful, and three nature sounds (water, birds, chirping, etc.). There’s a high and low volume setting.

Washable: Why is it so important to me that this is a washable playard? Over the years we’ve had many messes in our playards that were difficult to clean, and even after a lot of scrubbing and sanitizing I wasn’t satisfied. It’s easy to miss tiny remnants of dirt and germs stuck inside the tiny openings of the mesh sidewalls. With my InGenuity Baby playard I don’t worry about that at all anymore. It’s made of fabrics that can be completely removed and tossed in the washing machine. That means our playard can be 100% clean and sanitary. Everything unfastens in minutes by way of velcro tabs at the outside corners and zippers inside.

And on top of all those features, the InGenuity Baby playard also includes a bassinet, which sits higher in the playard and is perfect for when your newborn outgrows the little sleeper. Even better: you can fold the entire playard up without having to remove the bassinet. Genius! And of course, there’s the large playard itself which is great for infants and toddlers. It really is very roomy – Samuel and Susanna played happily in there this morning while I did school work with Joseph and Catherine:

So all this means that in our family, three of our children can enjoy this one product; not bad at all for a price tag of $179.00!

Here’s a short video clip which highlights a few of the features:

If you aren’t familiar with InGenuity, they are a Bright Starts brand, and their mission is to transform smart ideas and into innovative baby products that make life easier for us mothers. You can discover more of their products at the InGenuity Baby website, and connect with InGenuity on Facebook and Pinterest.

I really love the features of this playard and wish I had it when my other children were babies! Besides the minor issues that are mentioned above, I’m VERY impressed with this product and can’t wait to see what else InGenuity has to offer.

Each blogger has a unique link to use in their post for this campaign. The links point to the Babies R Us purchase page for this product. My unique link is:

 

 

This review was made possible by Double Duty Divas and Kids II. I was provided the featured product free of charge to facilitate my review, but all opinions are 100% mine.

 

Baby Roo Review & Giveaway

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Shandell over at Baby Roo on Etsy nurtures her love of sewing by creating cloth diapers, toy slings for dolls and bears and nursing accessories for attached mothers. She was kind enough to send me an assortment of products from her shop so we could sample the best of everything!

First up is a one-size pocket diaper that Shandell made from duck-print PUL. It has a soft microfleece inner, crossover snaps on the waist and three snap settings on the rise to adjust as baby grows. With one standard microfiber insert, the absorbency is average and works well for when Susanna wets just once. It’s easy to boost this diaper by adding an additional insert, as long as it’s not too bulky. Baby Roo pockets are designed to fit from about 7 pounds to 26 pounds, depending on how your child is built. This is a super cute diaper with a nice slim fit and comfortably encased leg and back elastics! Compared to some of our other pockets, it seems to run a little small so the size range to me is very accurate (many on the market are advertised to fit up to 35 or 40 pounds). So how does it fit on a newborn? Scroll down to see our Baby Roo pocket on 9-pound Erik!

I was super glad to try out the bamboo nursing pads since Erik has arrived and my milk is in! Shandell makes hers with super soft bamboo and a waterproof PUL backing to contain leaks. I think the guitar print on mine is really cute and the side that goes against my skin is blue minky! My pads have worked to hold in leaks even at night when Erik will go 3 hours or more without nursing. They aren’t too thin or too thick; perfect for wearing at home or while sleeping. I can wear them out with a sweater, but they do show through a little with a knit top or lightweight blouse. At just $3.00 a pair, Baby Roo pads are a great bargain and if you buy 3 or more pairs Shandell offers 10% off with the coupon code “breastisbest.”

Now look at this neat wet bag which has two separate zippered pockets and an attached handle. Don’t you love the damask fabric? So chic! I like that you can store items separately because there are two compartments. Baby Roo wet bags start at just $12.00 and go up from there. Again, I think these are really great prices for the quality workmanship and boutique fabrics.

And I saved one of the cutest things for last! Catherine was thrilled to use this little pink doll sling for her baby Mary. She said “Look, mama, I can carry my child just like you!” The sling is completely adjustable, so Catherine can loosen it to fit her big plush teddy bear inside. I love toys like this that aren’t just cute and fun, but teach useful lessons and help children to feel a little bit “grown up.”

What we received is just a small taste of what’s available at Baby Roo. Everything Shandell makes is gorgeous! I absolutely love the fabrics she digs up for her creations!

* Get Some Baby Roo! *

Check out all the cute stuff Shandell’s been sewing
in the Baby Roo Etsy Shop

* Enter to Win!! *

One lucky mother will receive a super chic gray Chevron pocket diaper
AND a pair of bamboo nursing pads. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

*GIVEAWAY CLOSED*

BALM Baby Diaper Essentials Kit Review

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Last month I introduced you to a wonderfully soothing skin cream called Mama Belly from Thincskin. Today I’ll share about the BALM Baby Diaper Essentials Kit which retails for $29.95 and includes:

  • Diaper Balm, 2 oz. size
  • Juice Those Wipes concentrate, 9 oz. size
  • Sanitize Those Hands!, 2.7 oz. size
  • BALM Baby “Little One”, 1/2 oz. version of the Diaper Balm
Malena packages everything so attractively, and in containers made of renewable materials like aluminum and glass.

The Diaper Balm: This is a great little ointment made from olive oil, coconut and macadamia nut oils, calendula and chamomile, Vitamin E and a lovely-smelling blend of essential orange, lavender and tea tree. Malena’s versatile little balm is also recommended for cradle cap, eczema, burns and dry skin. For everyday diaper rash or redness, BALM Baby does the job. I’m very impressed with its performance in just one or two changes! My only issue with our BALM Baby ointment is due to the fact that it’s a relatively “clear” formulation, it can be kind of hard to tell how much you’ve put on and where (as opposed to a white diaper cream). It also doesn’t “stay put” as well as a traditional, thicker white cream, but it works and it’s all-natural….and I really like that.

Juice those Wipes Concentrate: This is wonderful stuff that’s made with a gentle Taylor’s Soap base and essential oils of orange, lavender and tea tree (just like the BALM). The witch hazel that’s added means your wipes solution will stay fresher longer and keep mold at bay. Using just 1 tsp. per recipe means the concentrate will render 48 batches; what a great value! It’s ridiculously easy to use; just add a teaspoon or two to 32 ounces of distilled water. Dip your wipes in, squeeze out the excess and store in an airtight container. Or, you can keep the mixture in a spray bottle and use with dry wipes. It’s smells great, cleans and moisturizes your little one’s skin, costs just $13.95 and will last you a really long time.

Sanitize Those Hands: This might not be a BALM Baby product you’re familiar with, but it’s actually one of my favorites. The idea of a natural yet hard-working sanitizer is very appealing. I like the fresh citrus scent and it kills 99% of the germs on your skin using just 4 natural, simple ingredients. I use it to spritz my hands after diaper changes. Another plus – the spray doesn’t just clean my hands – it actually softens my skin. Very neat! The alcohol-based sanitizers you see everywhere else don’t have this nice little touch.

 * WHERE TO GET IT *

You can find all the great BALM Baby products
(soap, diaper-safe creams, wipes juice, ointments, sprays, etc.)
at THincskin’s online shop 

* HOW TO WIN IT *

If you’d like a chance to win this fabulous Diaper Essentials Kit for your little one,
there’s great news! On November 1st I will post my Thankful for Fluff giveaway.
The prize package will include a BALM Baby kit, plus a one-size pocket diaper, blanket and burp cloth set!
You can get a jump on the giveaway by telling me in a comment below what you’d like to
add to YOUR diaper bag from BALM Baby!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

StartWrite Handwriting Software Review

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My thanks to StartWrite for sending their software in exchange for a review!

I recently discovered StartWrite, which is an easy-to-use software program that generates customized handwriting practice sheets for your child or your students. We’ve been using a lot for homeschooling and my children love it! Writing words and letters is much more fun when you’re writing about things you like. Using StartWrite (aff link), the sky is the limit. For example, this morning I created a practice sheet for Benjamin and it took about 3 minutes. He loves knights, so that was the theme I used.

Here are some of the neat features in StartWrite:

1. You can easily add borders, images and clipart to your sheets. Use pre-installed images, or your own.
2. You can change the density (number of dots), size and style of the text for your child to copy, trace or read.
3. You can add “start dots” to your letters, which are great helpers for little ones who are just learning the strokes.
4. You can add color to your letters!
5. There are 20 different classic manuscript and cursive fonts to choose from.

That’s just an overview! We’ve been using the program for a few weeks and I’m still discovering great features in the program.

Besides school, here are a few more of my ideas for using StartWrite:

1. Children can create notes and letters for friends and family. Your children will be proud of their neat handwriting and the colorful artwork.
2. You can make posters and flyers for your children to complete and display for private or even public use (for example – a lost and found or yard sale ad).
3.  StartWrite would make it easy to design storybooks for or by your children.
4. Use StartWrite to write and teach Bible verses, prayers, poems and famous quotations – and embellish with art.

After downloading StartWrite, I was literally using it within 5 minutes. There are easy video tutorials on the website if you need help.

Here’s a screen shot of me working on my first project: a single line of text to trace, along with a color illustration. The interface is very straightforward and user-friendly. It has most of the same features you’re familiar with in a word-processing program – open, save, print, copy, paste, cut, hightlight, font size, etc.

You can also purchase pre-made themed packages of practice sheets, starting at just $1.50. All the work is done for you. Just download and print. Here just a few examples of the packages available: farm, fall and space:

* How to Get StartWrite *

You can download a FREE trial at the StartWrite website
SPECIAL DISCOUNT: To purchase the StartWrite software for  $24.95 with 10% off use code AFF12

* Connect with StartWrite *

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartWrite
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/StartWrite
View sample worksheets at: http://www.startwrite.com/sample_sheets.php