Tag: baby


Nov
2020

Holidays On The Go

categories: Reviews

We have three boys and we’re still finding kids equipment that we didn’t know we wanted or needed! The KidCo brand designs products that are so great for any family with children.

KidCo was developed in 1994 and is the first company to introduce metal safety gates to America.

This family owned and operated brand is well trusted by parents. They offer child home safety products, baby gates, bed rails, and travel gear.


The GoPod travel activity seat is so perfect for the coming holidays. We just recently went on a trip and brought the seat with us, it was a life saver. Our baby used it a lot because our friends didn’t have a seat for him. Eating meals, playtime, and just relaxing during the day, the seat was used constantly.

At just seven pounds, this portable seat is ultra light weight. Folding it up is super easy and makes it the perfect size for on the go travel.

The seat includes a carry bag too, so wether you are using the car or headed to the airport its a breeze to bring.

The seat is so easy to set up and take down. There is a latch at the bottom of one of the legs that clicks into place. This ensures the seat will stay sturdy and not collapse while baby is in it. To collapse the seat press the button and fold up!

With four different height levels, this chair will grow with baby. It’s simple to adjust the height too. Just fold up the fabric, press the silver button (in third photo), twist the black triangle piece, and either push the seat leg down or pull it up. Our 10 month old is sitting at the second level height, so there is lots of room to grow!

The activity seat has an attached floor pad that keeps baby’s feet off the direct floor. Location versatility is made easy with this pad. By the fire, on a picnic, watching siblings play sports, or in the house baby’s feet will stay clean and dry.

Included on the top of the seat are two holders to keep a snack and a drink. We have also used these holders to keep toys in as well. There are also five nylon loops on the top that allow for toys to be attached. These are great because the toys stay up by baby and don’t fall on the floor.

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This KidCo GoPod is the perfect travel seat and will be such a great help this holiday season. Keeping gatherings small means that there wont be bunches of great aunts who will hold the baby; this seat is going to be so handy!

If you have kids who aren’t walking quite yet, or who need to be closely supervised, I highly recommend this seat. My family plans to bring it to both our Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, and any in between.

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Oct
2019

New Home, New Baby, New Products

categories: Reviews

When you first have a baby, you’re surprised by how much stuff you need to buy in order to keep your little ball of noise joy happy and healthy. From a baby bottle sterilizer to a portable changing table to thousands of diapers, the list of items you need is almost neverending!

Add to that the fact that we have just recently moved into a new home and it caused a lot of chaos! The new house is much bigger than our previous house and so requires many different items and new additions. One has to make the most of your outdoor space to accommodate the new baby and also put in some safety measures that can help the baby be safe. Now those are the things that we didn’t previously have. We’ve moved a bit further out than our previous town, so we used a local moving company to get all of our belongings where they needed to be. Nevertheless, it is still chaos here!

Bye bye budget!

With a new home though, and with baby boy number three on the way, there are just a few things on our registry this time around.

I mean, its the third boy, what more could we possibly need for him?

Not much, that’s for sure. But a must have on the list is a new baby monitor.

I’ve been hunting, and researching, and digging into articles to find the perfect monitor. One that fits every single aspect of my list.

Well, I hate to break it to you new moms out there, but that just isn’t possible. You will [almost] never find the a product that is exactly what you were searching for. Some will be much, much better.

That’s where Babysense comes into play for us.

Their baby monitor and baby movement monitor meet so many items on my must have list, I thought I had to give it a try.

Video Baby Monitor

This baby monitor is seriously so great. The features that the monitor offers work well and many of them exceed my expectations.

These features include:

  • Interchangeable wide angle lens
  • Long range – up to 960 feet of open space
  • 2x’s digital zoom
  • Room temperature monitoring
  • Multi camera expandability – pair up to four cameras
  • Two-way talk back
  • ECO mode option
  • Auto infrared night vision
  • Night light
  • Lullabies & white noise sound

The ECO mode feature is my favorite of all the features. When the baby unit does not register sound for 30 seconds, the video on the parent unit shuts off, and so does the sound. The monitor goes into standby mode. When a sound is detected on the baby unit, the video and sound start transmitting to the parent unit. This ensures that you aren’t missing anything when the video and sound are in standby mode. This is a lifesaver for my husband too because he’s such a light sleeper. All the lights (even a little tiny green “on” light) need to be off in order for him to sleep.

There are three sensitivity levels in ECO mode – low, medium, and high. The sound level that is required to reactivate the transmission act in accordance to these sensitivity levels. Choose the sensitivity level you wish, or turn off ECO mode all together and use a constant transmission.

I really appreciate how clear the video is too. There is no eye straining to see if kiddo is actually in bed or not. Crystal clear video is just what you want! The night vision and brightness that the monitor gives really allows us to see well during the day, as well as throughout the night.

Baby Movement Monitor

New babies are such a blessing, and with them come a whole new slue of things to think about and be aware of. As parents we already don’t get very much sleep, then adding a newborn baby to the mix, and you’ve got even less of it. This baby movement monitor will really bring peace of mind when our new baby is born. We never had a movement monitor for our first two kiddos, so this will really help ease some unsureness.

The under mattress monitor is super easy to install and there are no visible cords, so baby is completely safe from danger. The control unit is connected to the under mattress sensor pads. A provided hook attaches to the bottom of the crib. The control unit connects to the hook and the cords from the pads attach to the control unit. All the cords are kept under the mattress and out of reach from baby.

An alarm will sound if no movement is detected for 20 seconds or if the movement rate slows to les than 10 micro-movements per minute. This will alert parent to check on baby and will hopefully startle baby awake if/when it sounds.

The sensors are HIGHLY sensitive and detect very slight movement through the monitor. This gives a lower risk of false alarms, which obviously no parent wants. I recommend that you test the monitor before placing baby in the crib. If you will be using a fan make sure you turn that on while testing to ensure the alarm doesn’t sound from the fan.

One downside that of the movement monitor is that you have to manually turn the unit off and on when putting baby in and taking baby out of the crib. This is something that is easily forgettable. Remembering to turn the monitor on when laying baby down is easier (for me) than remembering to turn the monitor off when getting baby out of the crib. This is more of an inconvenience than anything. The monitor itself is well worth the investment.

Diaper Caddy Organizer

Diaper caddy’s are so helpful when a new baby is in the home. Changing diapers constantly is just part of life with a newborn, so having diapers in multiple parts of the home is a necessity.

For our family, living in a larger home now will be much different with a newborn. That is why I am so excited to have this large diaper caddy. All the essentials I need in one place, that can be easily moved around is going to be a game changer.

I love the darker fabric that will hid much of what may get on the caddy. There are tons of pockets on the outside of the caddy – eight in all! Lots of space for changing pad, diaper cream, nail clippers, comb, etc. The inside gives three larger compartments, two of the same size and one slightly larger. These are where you’ll keep the essentials – wipes, disposable diapers, cloth diapers, wet bag, and anything else you may want to have near.

Not only is this caddy awesome for diapers, but it is great for an on-the-go travel caddy. Whether you’re going on vacation or just strolling around town, this caddy is a lifesaver to have in the backseat. Fill it with whatever car or travel essentials your kids like, and you’re set for hours!

This caddy is really great and I am excited to have it on hand when baby number three comes around.

The Babysense products are top of the line, and I completely recommend them to any new parent. Safety is a top concern when caring for our kids and Babysense really plays a roll in fulfilling that.

Be sure to go to the Babysense website to order and use this unique coupon code for 15% off your order!


Mar
2019

My Usborne Family

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

– Dr. Seuss

As a child I hated reading! I remember it being hard, I remember being made fun of for making mistakes, and I remember my heart pounding whenever I was asked to read aloud.

It never really became a huge issue until I hit high school and was struggling in my honors math and science classes!

MATH and SCIENCE!

The problem was I couldn’t read fast enough to complete my tests. I eventually took speed reading classes to better improve my efficiency and develop better strategies for tests and note-taking.

After high school I pursed my dream to become an elementary teacher and quickly became passionate about children’s literacy. I took additional classes on phonics as well as studied children’s illustrations, language arts methods, and best practices for teaching in a pluralistic society. After graduation I took my first job in the inner city as an academic specialist. My job: get title 1 3rd and 4th grade students to read at grade level.

The love for literacy only continued to grow as I taught elementary school kids, after school programs, and then eventually my own children.

I was the determined teacher training first graders to read silently for 45 minutes a day.

I was the innovated dance teacher incorporating literature into tap class.

I was the passionate mom reading books to my 1 day old baby in the hospital.

I am THAT homeschool mom checking out the maximum number of books from the library.

I have experienced first hand how reading can actually change your life for the good or bad. I’ve seen the facts, statistics, and testimonies how early exposure to books can build a beautiful foundation for children.

PC: Cherish’s Literacy Corner VIP’s

 

So when I met Cherish, I was instantly inspired by her love for literature and learning! As a past high school English teacher her knowledge of literature is extensive, while her heart for student learning is enormous. As a mom, Cherish has establish a home that invites learning with fun and engaging activities

But her passion for education doesn’t end there, Cherish works to enrich the families around her by helping bring high quality books in their homes through Usborne books.

As an Usborne book consultant, she is passionate about equipping parents with the best resources for raising life long learners!

 

Meet Usborne Books 

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In 1973, Peter Usborne saw TV and comics controlling the attention of kids and wanted to give non-fiction books a fighting chance. This led to the birth of Usborne books and the mission to make both reading and learning fun, not intimidating. The magic of Usborne books is that they break down children’s resistance to reading and learning at home. In return, it opens the door for parents and children to explore and absorb the world of learning together.

Today Usborne books are high quality, innovative, engaging, and educational! There are over 2000 titles to choose from covering a wide variety of subjects and age ranges.

Usborne in my Home

As a past educator, a mom, and homeschool teacher I can’t express the amount of times I’ve been grateful for Usborne products in our home.

It all started with the That’s Not My collection. From a young age my children were drawn to the high contrast but simple illustrations. They loved to feel each new texture as well as look for the silly mouse hiding on each page. We read the same book too many times to count until I happily discovered Usborne had a HUGE collection of That’s Not My books. I honestly did not love reading the same type of book, but I persevered because those books helped open a world of reading to our children. At a young age they were exposed to the wonders of reading and built stamina to sit through 2-3 long picture books each night.

 

Now with preschool aged kids, Usborne’s collection of activities are a real hit. Usborne provides hands-on educational activities for babies to middle school aged kids. My family uses their sticker books for long car trips, water painting books for quiet independent play, and craft books for art projects. 

As a homeschool mama I’ve only just had a tiny taste of how Usborne can enrich and support our curriculum.

Each month we study a different theme that supports and connects to the Core Curriculum standards for preschool age children. Some of the topics include family units, habitats, space, hygiene, and plants. I was delighted to see Usborne’s books align with State Standards and therefore I could find at least one developmentally appropriate book for each of my units.

For most subjects I have a variety of titles and forms to choose from; peek-inside, lift-the-flap, Big Books, wipe-clean, young beginners, and so much more. Cherish even went the extra mile to examine my preschool syllabus and offer book recommendations for my units.

Usborne wipe clean books have also been instrumental in developing my children’s fine motor skills as well as practicing and refining their writing.  The lively illustrations and game-like set up makes handwriting drills a fun reward rather than a frustrating mundane task.

Working with Cherish

Cherish is not just an Usborne consultant that throws parties and sells books. She works almost daily to post innovative ways to bring reading into your home.

I would highly suggest checking out Cherish’s Literacy Corner on Facebook!

Cherish posts fun activities she is doing with her little ones and ways she incorporates reading into her home.

In addition, her literacy corner keeps followers up to date on Usborne new releases! Often when there is a big release Cherish goes live on social media to give followers an inside look into the books. If there is a book you have your eye on but not quite sure, Cherish helps to provide you with a real view video so you can fully see the illustrations, text, and story line.

Last but not least, her page provides insider deals and specials!

Check it out!

I’ve truly only scratched the surface on Usborne’s collection. Their website is a must see when looking for quality literature to bring into your home! To take it the next step further follow Cherish’s Literacy Corner to join a community of families who love and pursue the benefits of reading!

 

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Sep
2018

Toomies Toys

categories: Reviews

When you come across a company with the mission of: make the world smile, then you know it’s going to be a hit in your home.

That’s exactly what Toomies toys did for our family.

Toomies is a brand underneath the umbrella brand of TOMY. Some other brands that TOMY represents are John Deere, Lamaze, and the First Years. Their innovative, high quality toys are products that your children will love.

Seeing their mission come to life didn’t take much with toys we were able to play with. That’s why we are a big fan of the TOMY toy line – Toomies.

 

 

Available at Target and Target.com, the Toomies toy line is very easy to come by. And trust me, you’re going to want to check them out.

One of my favorite aspects of these Toomies Toys is that they don’t require batteries. Each of the toys we’re featuring are free of batteries and 100% child (or parent) operated. Like, seriously, what more could a mom of two boys want (besides a massage :D).

 

Pop & Hatch

This cute little mom and chick toy is perfect for an older infant/young toddler. My one year old loves this one. Push down the head of the chicken and off she goes!

The push and go action of the chicken gets your kiddo moving. My son has tons of fun chasing around the mommy chicken. My husband even commented on how fast the chicken moves; he was pretty impressed!

 

 

The chick is a hit too. It hides in the egg and then pops up; great cause and affect for him.

 

Sort & Pop Spinning UFO

This is my two year old’s favorite. Similar to a shape sorter, putting the shapes in their corresponding holes will cause a fun reaction that your toddler is sure to love.

 

 

This toy is educational; allowing your child to differentiate the shapes.

Another learning opportunity that presents itself with this toy are the colors. The bright and vivid colors give your child great potential with color recognition.

 

 

My sons favorite aspect of this toy is the ‘pop and spin’ feature. Once the shapes are in their correct spots, push down on the middle on the UFO then let go. Watch as the toy spins, then POPS!

Seriously endless amounts of fun.

This feature is a little difficult for my two year old to do. It’s hard for him to push down enough on the center piece in order for the toy to spin. He needs just a little bit more muscle power. Luckily he is very persistent, so he eventually gets it to pop and spin on his own.

 

 

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Flappee Stackees

 

This toy is my favorite out of the ones we tried out. I love the colors. The blue and pink are adorable, then add in the orange car; what more do you need?!

This is a fun one because no matter how you stack the different pieces, they all fit together. Just like the name says, this toy is stackee. Creativity is endless with this toy because there are many different options stack it; you could stack it different every time!

 

 

When you push down on the pieces that are connected to the car, off it goes!

This is another great one to have your child chase after; continuous fun.

 

Pirate Bath Ship

Making bath time a tug-a-chug blast is the new Pirate Bath Ship from Tomy.  This interactive bath toy will get your imagination stirring and make bath time a true pirate adventure. With a canon that splashes out water, a tiny separate boat to send your pirate a’ sailin’ and a squirting octopus you will have tons of fun while scrubbing your kid clean.

This toy is not only great for bath time, but it’s perfect for water tables and can be uses as a pool toy too. No batteries are required for this easy to dry toy.

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Sep
2018

Mom Shopping List – What to Buy Before the Baby Arrives

categories: Article

Image Source: Pixabay

As an expectant parent, you will be surely surprised how much stuff a human the size of a fat rabbit needs. The items, from clothes, pacifiers, diapers to blankets, toys, milk bottles can make even veteran parents feel overwhelmed. How quickly you can pass the hours in a baby shop! But do not worry! Stocking up before your new family member is not as hard as it seems. Although it might be tempting to delay it as much as possible (are there still people out there who hate shopping?), it is best to prepare yourself so you do not get caught empty-handed. This article will help you figure out what to buy for the baby. Here are the things you need to buy before the baby arrives.

Nursery

The first thing that many parents do after finding out the baby is due is preparing the nursery because as much as you enjoy spending time with the kid, everybody needs some alone time. Preparing the nursery is not an exact science, and it all comes down to how much time you are planning to spend. For moms who are breastfeeding, a glider chair with ottomans is ideal because they support long hours of sitting. As for the other items you need for the nursery:

  • A crib and a mattress and bedding for it.
  • A diaper changing table with straps to prevent the baby from falling over
  • A diaper pail
  • A mattress pad, preferably waterproof
  • Laundry bag
  • A toy bin

Outdoors Basics

As for preparing yourself for the time when you will take the baby outside, you will need two important things. First, a stroller with an umbrella. Secondly, they have an ergonomic, foldable design, which will make both your and your baby’s life much easier. You could also invest in a travel bed as it would work like a crib while travelling. You could check sites like https://www.safebabymonitor.com/ for the same.

Other items that you should include in your baby traveling gear are the following:

  • Diaper and wipes case
  • Baby carrier for indoor spaces where strollers are not ideal
  • Diaper bag

Another area where you will need to make several adjustments is the car. Mainly, you will have to buy a reliable car seat, at least a month before the due date for the baby. But do not just buy the first one that you see online – make sure it has been federally approved and that it respects all the safety standards regarding design and construction.

Furthermore, if you can’t figure out how to install the car seat properly, there are many businesses that provide this exact service. And improperly installed baby seat is a safety hazard, not to mention a slight annoyance – just imagine finally walking out of the hospital with your baby only to realize that the car seat is decentered.

Pack a Hospital Bag

Most expecting couples will be told to prepare a hospital bag once the pregnancy hits the 36th-week mark, because the baby could technically arrive at any time from that point forward. Many couples may pack some basic items such as pajamas, a few toiletry products, some extra clothing and nothing much else, which is a really bad idea for several reasons.

When you are in hospital, you will realize that the basic necessities that you have taken for granted for the majority of your life are exactly the things that you miss most because you did not think to pack them. We are talking about things like your favorite soap, a book, a phone charger (Yikes!), wet napkins (you will be sweating a lot), a crossword puzzle (you will get bored with your smartphone sooner rather than later), and generally stuff that will make your stay in the hospital more bearable.

Clothing Items

Once the baby gets out of the hospital, you will want to have several clothing items waiting for you at home because trust us, you will not feel like going on any supply runs during those first few days. These are the basics that a baby needs – although, let us be honest, you will not be able to resist buying more than what is required:

  • A baby swimsuit, assuming you gave birth during the summer
  • Out of the hospital clothes – you do not want to get out of the hospital with the baby wrapped in a towel.
  • A sun hat and a warm winter hat
  • Winter coat
  • Shoes

General Baby Care

Sadly, that soothing baby smell will not last for long – you will be surprised how messy babies can get. So, it is a good idea to buy some general baby care products that will last you for those few first days until you figure out what else you might need:

  • A baby monitor with good features
  • Baby formula
  • Baby shampoo and a body wash
  • A baby bathtub (assuming you do not like the idea of bathing the kid in an adult-sized tub)
  • Baby nail clippers
  • Hooded baby towels
  • Thermometer
  • Nasal aspirator
  • Infant-safe sunscreen

Feeding the Baby

Last but not least, before the baby arrives, you will have to decide whether you will breastfeed or bottle feed. Regardless of your choice in this matter, these items cater to both scenarios:

  • Bottles
  • Baby formula
  • Breast pads
  • Burp cloths and clothes (I think we do not need to explain this)
  • Bottle and pacifier sterilizer
  • Bottlebrush
  • Breast pump
  • Lanolin cream
  • A drying rack for bottles
  • Support pillow for breastfeeding

 

The list of items that a baby needs can intimidate even veteran parents, but as long as you put a little thought into it, nothing can really go wrong. Make sure to read through our list and you will learn how to get everything that you need for that special day.

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Jun
2018

The Facts: Should Baby Buggies Face the Front or the Rear?

categories: Article
With the numerous styles of double buggies available in the market (tandem and side-by-side being the broadest categories), there’s another factor to consider: should baby face you or face forward? What this really boils down to is how a forward or rear facing double buggy can impact the development of the kids.
Although there’s copious amounts of research on rear facing and forwards facing car seats, the research on the same principles for double buggies is pretty limited.
We can, however, take some cues from the safety and developments of car seats that face forward and rear. The choice in a double buggy to face you or not also relies on the age of the kids, as well as their social and emotional needs.
Talking to your babies: Many times, it’s assumed that if the kids are facing you, then you’ll talk to them more. However, this tends to be limited to single buggy styles. It can be challenging to engage both kids who are facing you, regardless of their ages, and watch where you’re steering your double buggy.
If you are able to multitask and want to talk to both babies, a tandem style could benefit you. It puts both kids in the same line of sight and allows you to not worry about the width that you’re taking up with the buggy through doorways or narrower sidewalks. Many tandem styles, if they aren’t used for newborn carriers, can be used for one child who is older, and a newer arrival. If both seats are rear facing, the toddler may become bored, which can make the buggy ride an exercise in patience, instead of enjoyable.
A rear facing side-by-side style could be beneficial for kids who are older. The seating arrangement allows them to more easily connect with each other, if you need to focus more on where you’re headed directionally, or what you’re picking up in a store.
Forward facing in either of these styles can help with engaging in surroundings, however. Many times, walks are beneficial for some communication time. They are used as a way to relax and spend time together in a way that doesn’t involve screen time. Parents of older kids can converse with each other just as well in a forward facing double buggy, perhaps even better than a rear facing double buggy, because the kids can point things of interest out, and see more.
Safety: Just as rear facing is typically best in the car, the same reasoning can be applied to a double buggy. As it is usually used in motion, harsh stops could potentially cause a whiplash type of reaction in a forward facing double buggy. The theory is that, if a child’s seat is rear facing, the motion of a harsh stop won’t cause rapid head movement because the spine and head are better situated and protected. They won’t have to deal with the opposite force in direction.
This can also be attributed to age. The younger children are, the less developed their supportive muscles are for their necks and heads. This means that a rear facing buggy could probably be better. Naturally, you won’t be running nearly as fast as a vehicle, but in the event you have to stop suddenly, even a three to four mile per hour speed can hurt.
How to choose:
If your children are older, a rear facing double buggy might not be necessary. In addition, many double buggies, whether forward or rear facing, have the option for the seats to fully recline. This is more common in a side-by-side style, which features more room to do this, but tandem styles are becoming better at incorporating full recline options.
Sites such as https://doublebuggyreviews.com help to compare how the different features available for a double buggy might change depending on the need for rear or forward facing, and how they might impact kids of similar ages or differing ones. Doing plenty of research on the right style of double buggy, and the best direction that will meet the needs of you and the kids, will help to decide if you should invest in a rear or forward-facing double buggy.
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May
2018

Our New Friend Leo

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

We have a new friend and we hope you are as excited to meet him as we are!

If you haven’t heard of ikiki shoes then PLEASE pop on over to read our ikiki review we did in the fall!

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Thanks to our ikiki shoes leaving the house has been fun, simple, and extra comfortable. We finally have shoes that are easy to put on, made for developing walking feet, and inspire my independent free spirited children. So when we saw they were releasing new friends we knew we needed to add them to our ikiki zoo!

This spring ikiki released a new friend Leo Longfire.

The moment my son saw Leo’s lime green skin with cool spikes he was ready to take him on an adventure.

 

Leo’s ikiki Adventure

On a bright sunny day Leo heard a cry for help from his home of iron and rock. 

As he listened closer he recognized it was Princess Patty Potamus!

She needed help!

Leo quickly jumped into action to save his precious friend.

With high tops, breathable skin, and durable soles he knew nothing could stop him on his voyage! 

Leo quickly suited up and tightened his velcro.

Then with an ikiki battle cry, he began his quest to save Princess Patty.

With strong ankle support he charged up the green mountain towards the magic castle. 

With every squeak he knew he was one step closer to seeing Princess Patty’s glittering soles! 

When he arrived to the castle he spotted Princess Patty!

She was squeaking for help from the top of the castle’s tallest tower.

But the castle was full of challenges and obstacles to trip Leo up!

First Leo turned off his squeakers in order to not attract any bad guys.

He quietly descended the steep shoot without leaving a trace of evidence by using his white nonskid bottoms. 

Then with his breathable skin, Leo kept cool while crossing the firey lake of lava.  

With durable rubber soles Leo conquered each step up Slipper Slope Mountain.

At last he met his final obstacle!

With flexibility Leo grasped each stone rung to climb the giant beanstalk.

Princess Patty was saved!

Princess Patty and Leo were finally reunited to make the perfect ikiki pair! 

The End

We hope we’ve inspired you to find your little one their ikiki solemate and take them on a wild adventure!

 

 


May
2018

The Chair that Grows

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

Hey Mamas!

We wish you the happiest of Mother’s Day and hope it is spent doing what you love best!

I love this day of celebration mostly because I get a chuckle out of watching my husband take on the impossible task of independently feeding and clothing two kids for church and brunch. I can’t help intervening to inform my husband our daughter isn’t wearing shoes or my son yet again took off his dress pants and switched back to pajamas.

That’s why Mother’s Day always involves brunch right? Dad’s can’t keep the kids alive and clean all the way to dinner so we have to get the celebration out first thing in the morning!

Then nap time rolls around and exhausted dads everywhere finally find the time to sit and praise their wives with the common phrase

“I don’t know how you do this all day, everyday!”

Moms are a special beings because we do it all day every day…and love it.

Yes we love the drama, kissing ouchies, sweeping a forever dirty floor, and even dare I say it, changing diapers. We love the chaos because it’s OUR chaos brought to us by OUR kiddos. We love our kids unconditionally and want nothing but the best for their lives.

Which leads to my husband getting a chuckle from my Mother’s Day want list. You see the word “want” has lost a lot of value since being a mother. Why waste money on things I want when there are two little humans with a ton of needs. But the funnest part is I actually geek out over baby and house wear items! One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was an avocado tool.

So my husband struggled yet again between finding a balance between getting me something beautiful and getting me something I wanted for our house.

But if you geek out over baby gear like I do, you will agree the Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair is not only practical its a beautiful piece of accent furniture for your home.

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Tripp Trapp Chair 

  • Brings baby closer to the family

My family is a huge supporter of family dinners. I think it is important to have everyone in one place at one time with no distractions. Family dinners is also one of the reasons we chose to introduce solids with baby led weaning. We want our children eating what we are eating and engaging in the same healthy habits we choose for ourselves. The Tripp Trapp Chair was specifically designed to fit comfortably against a table. An infant, toddler, and adult can all find a perfect fit up against any table with the adjustable seat and diagonal design.

We love having our children at the table and using our Stokke chair for meals, crafts, games, and baking.

 

  • Adjustable seat

Any little one can find maximum comfort by having the perfect height and depth combination with the adjustable seat and footplate. The goal is to promote correct body alignment for a seated child by getting their feet to rest squarely on the footplate. A 6 month old and 60 year old can both find the same comfort and support in the Tripp Trapp Chair.

I love that my 3 year old can easily climb onto this chair and be at the perfect height to reach his food.

My 6 month old nephew can be supported and secure in the Tripp Trapp and still have the benefit of eating at the table with the family.

And I actually love using this chair when I am sewing! I adjust the seat so that my foot rests perfectly on the sewing pedal. The leveled seat and angled backing supports my postures and prevents me from hunching over. It is encouraging to know that once my kids eventually stop using this chair it can still find use in our home.

  • Safe and Secure

I truly appreciate the ingenious design of the Tripp Trapp Chair! We use to have a lot of chair battles with our kiddos. My 3 year old son liked to push against the table with his hands and consistently got disciplined for sitting on his knees. My 18 month old daughter liked to push against the table with her feet and watch me have a panic attack.

The concave design of the chair back helps me scoot my kids’ lower half under the table; preventing their legs from escaping.

The Tripp Trapp chair extender gliders provide increased backward stability. Meaning pushing, rocking, and backward arching isn’t going to tip this chair. Our first dinner using the Tripp Tripp my daughter was being ornery and pushed the table with her hands to try and rock backward. Her chair scooted away from the table and didn’t rock in the slightest bit. I was amazed and my daughter was defeated and frustrated her little “trick” only made her food unreachable.

 

Also included with the Tripp Trapp chair is a 5-point harness. The straps are durable and very easy to clean.The back of the straps includes a fastener that can be adjusted to keep the straps from slipping off baby’s shoulders. My 6 month old nephew felt very secure strapped in and my 18 month old could not escape.

 

 

  • Easy to clean

Yes! My favorite part of this high chair! I had a fancy chair with a cushion for 2 months. 2 MONTHS and then I gave it away! Personally I thought it was the dumbest baby product in our home. Even with a toothpick and toothbrush I couldn’t completely clean the cracks and crannies of our highchair, which resulted in mold!

The Tripp Trapp Chair is pretty straight forward when cleaning. The solid beach wood is easy to quickly wipe down with a wet cloth and there is no place for food to hide. I am confident our chair is clean and there isn’t dingy food bits wedged in crevices waiting to mold.

  • Variety of colors

Check our the variety of woods and colors the Tripp Trapp Chair comes in. You can easily find a chair that accents your kitchen, matches your dinning set, or is a bold vibrant pop of color in your house.

 

Tripp Trapp Baby Set 

One accessory you can buy for your Tripp Trapp Chair is the baby set. The environmentally friendly plastic accessory easy attaches to any Tripp Trapp chair. The set was made to support children from 6 months to 3 years.

   

For my newly sitting 6 month old nephew, the hi-back and seating rail supported him from loosing his balance.

He was able to sit at the table without the risk my face planting into our oak table top. He was certainly happy to be sitting at the table with his older cousins.

Although my 3 year old does not need the baby set to sit securely in the Tripp Trapp chair I appreciated he can fit in it. We have the baby set on our chair to keep my 18 month old safe and secure. My son eats multiple snacks a day while I work, clean, or tend to his sister. He thinks it is awesome to sit in her cool chair while I appreciate the assurance of his safety while I am multitasking. With the baby set my son can’t get down without my help, he can’t sit on his knees, he can’t fall off a chair, and he can’t tip the chair back. So if you have multiple little ones under 4 you can use the Tripp Trapp with the baby set without having to remove baby set to fit the older ones.

Tripp Trapp Cushion 

For an extra splash of style and comfort Stokke makes cushions for the Tripp Trapp chair. These lush comfort cushions prevent babies from slipping down during meal time and provide extra support on little backs from 6 month to 3 years. The 100% polyester material comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

We loved our cushion was able to to fit on the baby set as well as directly onto Tripp Trapp chair.  The versatility and durability make it a practical addition to our chair.

My sister was completely impressed when she started to wipe down the cushion after her son “ate” an avocado. Everything cleaned up perfectly without staining or scrubbing.

I personally loved how waterproof it felt as my daughter dumped her cup on herself. Baby can be ready to sit back on the cushion without having to let it dry, which also means the inside stuffing is safe from molding.

More from Stokke

If you love the ingenious deign of the Tripp Trapp Chair then chances are you will love Stokke’s other baby products as well!

 

We hope you have a beautiful Mother’s Day and you get spoiled on this special day!

Heres to many more years of wishing for clean floors and geeking out on baby products!

 

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Apr
2018

Meet Fun and Function

categories: Uncategorized

As a mother and past educator, now homeschooler, I am always trying to find a happy medium between teacher and parent.

I want the best for my child.

The mother part of me wants them to be happy and health. As a teacher, I want to create life long learners that love to learn. The balance is meeting my children where they are and equipping them with the right tools for optimal learning and development. Best practice is building on a child’s schema and teaching in an engaging and exciting setting.

Best practice also means identifying where my children are gifted and deficient.

Knowing where my children struggle allows me to address any specific emotional, cognitive, or social needs that could potentially be hindering their ability to learn.

Fun an Function was started by a family looking for kid-friendly sensory tools and toys that would make an authentic difference in the lives of children.

Who is Fun and Function

The founder of Fun and Function used her expertise in occupational therapy, as well as being a mom, to develop products that support children with special needs. Everything designed is kid-friendly, affordable, and most importantly, makes a real developmental and therapeutic difference in the lives of children. Fun and Function listens to their customers in order to refine and develop tools that meet the needs of real children.

Fun and Function products cover a vast variety of needs and resources. As their name states, their tools are not just for special needs but also to make learning engaging and developmentally appropriate.

Their website is a great resource for searching for the perfect tool that is in your budget, meets special needs diagnosis, or helps with deficiencies. In addition they provide resources for parenting, finding therapists, and running productive intervention sessions.

Connect with

Fun and Function 

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

YouTube

Blog 

 

Cocoon Climbing Swing

Both of my young children are introverts but often project themselves as extroverts. As a result, my children often get over stimulate after interacting with large crowds or having an eventful day. At first I blamed their bad behavior and melt downs on fatigue. As a grew as a mother I started to recognize signs of over stimulation and my children looking for a outlet to recuperate.

So when outfitting our homeschooling room, I wanted to cater to the specific needs of my children and create a “detox” safe place.

The Fun and Function Cocoon Climbing Swing was the perfect solution!

My 3 year old son is able to climb in and out of his swing independently. This means his safe place is always accessible whenever he feels he needs it. I love that he doesn’t have to ask, but rather can jump right in on his time.

A durable cushion is easily installed in a zip pouch in the bottom of the swing. The cushion is inflated with air which keeps the swing light weight; which means less stress on the suspensions.

It also gives the base structure so children can easily adjust and move without feeling like they are trapped in a bag.

I love that my son is able to sit cross legged and read or lay down and relax.

The high backing assures my children are safe and won’t tumble out during swinging.

The Cocoon Swing is made with highly durable fabrics and can hold up to 100 lbs. Since my children are still young they are even able to share the swing together. It is a safe quiet place for siblings to bond and share a good book.

When the suspension is moved to a single point, children can have more active play. This swing can be a great outlet for all those little monkeys who love to climb and swing. I am sure as my son gets older and develops more balance strength he will love the play of spinning and twisting on his swing.

Most importantly, this swing is fun! It engages little minds and bodies while developing and challenging them to grow towards success.

Something for Everyone

I do really want to stress that while Fun and Function has a passion and talent for designing for special needs children, their products are universal.

All children benefit from active, engaging, developmentally appropriate learning!

Sensory play has proven to support the brain’s growth while also improving cognitive, social, and emotional skills.

As all moms know, children have a LOT of energy. Physical activities keep kids healthy while positively impacting cognitive skills and academic behavior. Not to mention exercise has been said to help increase oxygen for to the brain and improve its function.

 

 

 

I lastly want to note that all kids have strengths and weaknesses. As parents looking for the best for our children, I find it so important to meet our child at their weakness. Even if that “weakness” is just a skill waiting to be developed. Rather than avoiding or discipling our children’s fixation, fidgeting, hyperactivity, or anxiety we have the power to celebrate their uniqueness. As parents we can empower our children with tools to find success and build confident life long learners.

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Apr
2018

Button Diapers are Super!

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

Who loves Fluff Mail?!

This month I had the opportunity to try out Buttons Cloth Diapers. My sister has used them for both her boys so I wanted to see why she was so loyal to this particular brand.

Meet Button Diapers

Buttons was created by your typical mom who wanted to keep things simple. Her and her husband’s goal was to keep cloth diapering affordable and easy to use.

Their diapering options continue to expand and new adorable prints are frequently released.

 

 

 

 

 

I also want to add their social medias are a delight to follow! They always give great encouragement to cloth mamas and have fun revealing new prints!

 

Connect with Buttons

Facebook.

 Twitter.

 Pinterest.

 YouTube.

Instagram.

 

 

 

 

The Diapers

Buttons diapers takes a new and improve twist on past cloth diapering systems. The outer shell is waterproof and wipeable, meaning it can be used multiple times before washing. Rather than changing the whole diaper (like inserts and AIO), just the insert can easily snap out and be replaced with a fresh clean one.

 

It also makes it convenient to use the same diaper night and day. Snap the daytime insert in for play time then at bedtime add a nighttime insert underneath a daytime insert for a peaceful dry night.

Sizes

Button Diapers covers have the same great quality in three different sizes.

Newborn, One-Size, and Super.

I especially loved their sizes because one-size really doesn’t fit all!

NEWBORN

Both of my cloth diapering sisters had babies in the fall. My sister with newborn Button diapers started cloth diapering way before my sister with one-size. The cut of these pip squeak diapers fit perfectly around even tiny newborn chicken legs and while still preventing mega leaks.

It is a big deal because after changing and washing 6-12 diapers a day, no one wants to add wardrobe changes to the laundry. Also with the estimation of newborns using over 300 newborn diapers, cloth can be a mega money saver in the end.

ONE-SIZE

One-size diapers are a great option for frugal cloth diapering. Both of my kids were born weighing over 8 pounds, so I assume I would have been able to put them in One-Size diapers before a month old.

I do find a lot of mom’s prefer waiting a month or so before switching to cloth. It gives them time to recover and relax before taking on diaper laundry.

Since these diapers can fit up to 35lbs it is likely they will fit until potty training. My son being of of those kids! So if you have a pretty average baby, one-size Button diapers could be your one stop shop for cloth diapering.

SUPER

Now a mom with an above average size babe, I appreciate the Super size. My daughter has always been in or above the 85% range for height and weight. Before she was mobile she was especially rolly-polly.

All the more to love right?!

I remember around 6-9 months thinking she was going to outgrow her one-size cloth diapers! The snaps were on the second to last spot and her back side would creep out when she was sitting. Fortunately, when she started walking and crawling she leaned out and developed more of a toddler shape. I actually was able to snap her diapers tighter.

However, the hight issue stayed the same. I could never find a diaper that completely covered her bum, and more importantly kept messes from spilling out. I feared she would exceed the maximum weight of her one-size diapers before we hit potty training.

The super sized diapers became a great addition to our cloth collection. They provide maximum coverage and maximum protection!

As if my daughter knew I was reviewing her diaper, she almost immediately “tested it out” if you know what I mean. I was happy to say her Buttons diaper held strong through crawling, rolling, walking, and even a dance party.

Inserts

Buttons offers a variety of snap inserts to meet the needs of your diapering preference.

DAYTIME: Buttons cloth inserts snap right into our diapers covers to keep inserts from shifting around.

  • Hemp/Cotton 3 Pack
  • Bamboo 3 Pack
  • Microfiber 3 Pack

NIGHTTIME: They work as a doubler when snapped underneath Buttons daytime inserts.

  • Hemp/Cotton 2 Pack
  • Bamboo 2 Pack
  • Microfiber 2 Pack

Since we are new to Buttons diapers we tried out their Hemp/Cotton Daytime Inserts.

These inserts are made with an incredible 4 layer absorbent system. Moisture-wicking fleece sandwiches layers of hemp and organic cotton.

The inserts are very durable and feel well made. I especially loved the seem and edging on each insert. It is rare to find both, and honestly I think it helps all the more to lock moisture in and prevent leakage with movement.

The snaps hold the inserts in place and are easy to remove and replace.

Overall I loved joining the Buttons Diapers family!

And to especially support Earth Day I wanted to leave you all with a few diapering facts!

  • Over 92% of all single-use diapers end up in a landfill.
  • No one knows how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but it is estimated to be about 250-500 years, long after your children, grandchildren and great, great, great grandchildren will be gone.
  • Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.

 

 

 

 

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