Label Love {Snoozebaby}

Snoozebaby Sweet Dreaming Baby Blanket with Tags Sensory Toy

 

The nice folks at Snoozebaby, a company based in the Netherlands that brought their products to the US market last fall, sent me some fun goodies for our baby girl, who is due in July. The Snoozebaby product line consists of four product categories: To Sleep, To Play, To Travel and To Nurse. New items are launched twice a year, all of which have unique sensory tags/labels that vary in size, color and material. While little ones are playing with the labels, their fine motor skills are also being stimulated. The Sweet Dreaming Comfort Blanket which is made of velours and a 100% cotton jersey, has 12 labels and is super soft. Not only will BG be able to cuddle with it, if she’s anything like her big brother was when he was a newbie, she’ll be fascinated by the variety of shapes and fabrics of the labels. The Easy Changing Pad can hold four diapers along with wipes and like the Sweet Dreaming, is incredibly soft. The two snaps enable you to fold the pad into a small package making it even easier to fit into your diaper bag and the 12 labels will surely serve as a welcome distraction when trying to change my squirming babe’s diaper. I tried this out with my son and even though he’s 2+, he was still taken with the labels…though only about half of his body actually fit on the pad. One thing I’m wondering though, is considering the nice fabric and the not-so-nice dirty diapers I’ll be frequently changing, will I constantly be washing the pad? We shall see! The Trendy Wrapping Wrap Blanket is really cool. It features a foot bag, hood, press buttons and handy gaps, making it easily adaptable to a stroller or car seat. Definitely looking forward to trying this one out. I can already picture BG in this blanket, snug as a bug! Once our little girl arrives, I’ll be able to give these lovely Snoozebaby products more of a hands-on test and I’ll definitely report back.

Boppy Designer Challenge {Contest}

Our friends over at Boppy just let us know about an awesome contest they have going on, November 11th-20th – The Boppy Designer Challenge.

Boppy is asking moms (and dads too!) to help them design the next Boppy Slipcover via their Facebook page. The ideas will then be voted on by the Facebook community and the top 2 will become Boppy Designers! They will receive $1000 ($500 cash and a $500 Target Gift Card) and will get to work with Boppy’s in-house Creative Department to design the next patterned Boppy Slipcover. Their names and images will be on the packaging and the slipcovers will be sold online and in Target stores nationwide!

The best part is that no design experience is necessary!

Voting will last until November 27th so get to designing and good luck!

Organic Truffle Honey {easy appetizer}

Sometimes you just need a simple appetizer to put out and nothing is easier than serving a piece of cheese with honey drizzled over the top.  Sounds basic, but if you use a truly delicious honey, like this amazing organic truffle-infused honey from deRosario, it’s a very special treat.  I served it over Tellagio with some simple wheat crackers, and the flavor combination is extraordinary.   daRosario Organic White Truffle Acacia Honey is available on FreshDirect ($16.49/ 4.5 oz jar) and at select gourmet markets.

Note: Honey is generally not given to babies under the age of 12 months so keep this one away from the very little one.

Yelp…It Does a Mama Good

I just have to share a fantastic experience I had the other day and spread the Yelp love. I’m not a big Yelp’er by any means. I think I may have posted about a restaurant once (maybe), but after a better-than-expected service call from an appliance repairman, I felt the need to Yelp about it. This lovely man, Leon, was beyond nice. He unfortunately didn’t find a problem with our washing machine (long story for another post) but took his time eliminating potential issues. After he left, he realized he had over-charged me so he drove to our house the next day to give me the extra money. So honest, right? Needless to say, I was very impressed immediately posted about it on Yelp.

Since Leon’s first visit, I have called him twice to come over and look at our washer and he refused to charge me either time. He said he got a ‘bonus’ from his boss who was very appreciative of my Yelp review and that three people calling about appliance repair had asked for him specifically after reading my review. I now have Leon on speed dial…and an extra $150 in my wallet thanks to the power of Yelp.

Home for the Holidays {Family Travel Tips}

Tis the season…

After traveling back east with our little one for Thanksgiving, I picked up some good tips that I thought I’d share. If you’re getting ready to hit the road (or skies) with your kiddo(s), here are a few things to keep in mind:

* Do your best to schedule flights and road trips during nap time or around bedtime.

* If your babe sleeps in a dark room, pick up these handy blackout shades from Home Depot to have at your destination. They’re super easy to put up and also can be moved easily from room to room.

* If your little one will be sleeping in a travel crib or Pack ‘N Play, try getting him or her used to it by using it for naps a week or two leading up to your trip. Also, don’t forget to pack one of your babe’s unwashed crib sheets (which provides a familiar scent), lovey or favorite plush toy, white noise machine and any other bedtime items that will make them feel more at home.

* If your family is anything like mine, they jump at the chance to help (and hold!) your little ones when you visit. While this is wonderful, what it often means for us is little to no Mama & Charlie time, which is hard on both of us. If possible, try to set aside at least 15-30 minutes a day of cuddle time, as there will likely be many unfamiliar faces popping by to ooh and aah over your babe and it could leave them a bit unsettled.

* Along the same lines, it’s nice to try to fit in a relaxing day or two before and after busy travel days.

* Since we were traveling west to east, we tried to keep Charlie on California time. If you’re traveling east to west, it might be a little tougher but try to stretch out your kiddos’ naps and bedtimes until they are adjusted.

Happy Holidays and Safe Travels!

Kate Quinn Organics Friends & Family – 50% off until 12/1/12 {deals}

Just in time for holiday shopping, Kate Quinn Organics, one of my very fave organic kids clothing brands, is having their friends and family sale.  Receive 50% off any online order using coupon code ff2013a, until December 1, 2012.  

Special thanks to Kate Quinn Organics for providing a grab bag item for promotional purposes.  

Boppy® Travel Pillow + GIVEAWAY

Boppy Travel Pillow

With all of the baby products I’ve been given or purchased myself, I can say without a doubt that I’ve gotten the most use out my Boppy® Pillow. I’ve logged countless hours with my trusty pillow since my little one was born 8 months ago and wasn’t surprised to learn the Boppy® Pillow has once again received the most votes overall in American Baby magazine’s Best Awards 2012 in addition to winning #1 nursing pillow.

As I posted a couple months ago after we returned from our two-week trip back east, I wished I had brought the Boppy Travel Pillow with us. Well, I was finally able to try it out on a recent trip to Austin. Verdict: I loved it. The pillow folds up into an easy to carry bag with a shoulder strap and once opened, is ready to use for feeding. Although it was one more item to carry with us, it made nursing on the plane so much easier. Unfortunately, C man has sort of outgrown the fall-asleep-on-the-Boppy-while-nursing thing, but it still made feeding time much more comfortable for both of us. We also used the Boppy Travel Pillow in the hotel room to prop him up while we played since he still tends to weeble wobble a bit.

If you’re going to be traveling with your little one(s) over the holidays, the Boppy Travel Pillow will make a great addition to your travel repertoire.

WIN IT!!! 

The Boppy Company has partnered with Hip Mommies and is offering one of our very lucky readers a Boppy Travel Pillow.  Simply leave a comment and you’ve entered!!!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

1. Vote for Hip Mommies as a top review mom site (4 entries)

2. Subscribe to our Site (2 entries)

3. Like The Hip Hostess Blog (our sister site) on Facebook (1 entry)

4. Link this Giveaway in Facebook (1 entry)

6. Like The Boppy Company on Facebook (1 entry)

Contest ends November 14, 2012 at Midnight PST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.

USA only please

Special thanks to The Boppy Company for providing a Boppy Travel Pillow for review purposes.

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Hurricane Relief – How to Help Kids in Need {donate}

Looking for a simple way to help support kids that were affected by Hurricane Sandy?  Grab a few packages of diapers, wipes and formula and drop them off at any of the NY Kids Club locations listed below.  They’re accepting diapers, infant formula, baby blankets and baby food for families in need from November 5th through Friday, November 9th, 2012.  Here’s a list of drop-off locations.

Drop-off locations

Upper West Side
601 Amsterdam Ave
(at 89th St)

644 Amsterdam Ave
(at 91st St)

169 Amsterdam Ave
(at 68th St)

Upper East Side
219 E. 67th St
(bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave)

Gramercy Park
38 East 22nd St
(bet. Broadway Ave and Park Ave)

Tribeca/Battery Park
393 South End Ave
(at Liberty St)

Brooklyn Heights
182 Henry St
(at Montague St)

Stick to 100% Cotton for Kids with Eczema {natural remedies}

In honor of eczema awareness month, I’m going to be sharing some of my tips for preventing and treating eczema for little ones.  Each case of eczema is different, and while I’m not a doctor, I do have a kid with eczema and have researched and tried many home remedies to see if any of them will work for my little lady.

 

My first tip is to eliminate all clothing from your baby’s wardrobe that’s made from anything other than 100% cotton, and try to buy 100% organic cotton.  When skin is cracked and dry it’s easier for bacteria and chemicals to get in so organic cotton is even more important for those with eczema.  I know, organic cotton clothes are expensive, but I’ve found that it really makes a difference for my toddler- especially in the winter when her flare-ups are worse.  If it isn’t practical for you to buy all 100% organic cotton clothing, buy cotton (preferably organic) onesies  and put them under every outfit. This money-saving tip works if the eczema is limited to the torso or back, since the onesie will prevent other fabrics from touching the sensitive skin.  Under shirts or leggings can be used for the same purpose, which I have done for special occasions when I wanted to put the little miss in a super cute outfit that wasn’t 100% cotton. I have found that as long as the sensitive areas of skin are only in contact with cotton, you can layer other pieces over the base layer without exacerbating the eczema.  Be sure to check the label of everything – just because it’s “eco-friendly” doesn’t mean it’s 100% organic cotton.  Bamboo and other eco-friendly fabrics are still more irritating to sensitive skin than cotton.

*Stay tuned for a giveaway from Kate Quinn Organics next week – one of my fave organic children’s clothing brands. It’s an amazing giveaway that will help you start an organic cotton wardrobe for your little one so get excited!