Category Archives: Age 0-1 year

Lamaze spin & explore garden gym at LearningCurve.com

Spinexploregym
This is one of those products that I wish I had a little earlier in Madelyn’s life. She is one now and not able to use this as it is intended to be used (I’ll get into that below), but we sure had fun reviewing the Lamaze Spin & Explore Garden Gym!

For the younger babies:

  • Encourages baby to enjoy tummy time which has proven to be very important in recent years.
  • Gives baby something to focus on other than carpet when on her tummy.
  • Baby will enjoy the fun colors, and sounds all while being on her tummy.
  • The butterfly’s 3D crinkle (fun sound) wings are sure to capture your baby’s attention like they do Madelyn’s.
  • The bumble bee is actually a rattle baby can play with and because it’s attached to the play mat, Mom doesn’t have to worry about losing it.
  • Your baby can put in and take out the baby bird from its nest. What fun! This is one of Madelyn’s favorite features.Spinexploregym_no_spinner

Older babies: (What Madelyn really enjoyed about the Spin & Explore Garden Gym)

  • Remove the spinner and baby can enjoy all of the fun activities while sitting in the middle of the play mat.
  • Madelyn especially loves the bird petal and the mirror. I’ve caught her kissing the mirror on more than one occasion! What am I in for?
  • Obviously, any baby will find the garden gym to be a blast because of the different activities and moms love the fact that it can be easily transported to Grandma’s house.
  • One more thing… Madelyn LOVES to sit on the spinner and spin herself around!  I think she feels a sense of independence when she spins herself.

Where to buy: Learning Curve

Bibbity Bop

Bibbitybop_placematWe are currently on vacation in Florida. We are staying at my father’s house which is on a small lake and we spend most of our time outside enjoying the scorching sun, lizards, and the beautiful lake.

Eating outside could have been a challenge because my father and step mother are not used to having children in the house and therefor do not have ‘child friendly’ utensils, tableware, etc.
Lucky for me I brought our new Bibbity Bop placemat with us to help protect the table from the mysterious globs of gunk we call food.. .that come from Madelyn’s hands and mouth. Eating time can get really gross.

What a lifesaver.
The heavy duty vinyl has come in REALLY handy. Madelyn loves to feed herself now and quite often she misses her mouth and her mushy food lands on the placemat. When we are at home, she uses a highchair so I simply remove the tray when she is finished eating and clean it in the sink. What’s easier than removing a tray?  Picking up a placemat! That’s what.

After Madelyn eats I take the placemat and hose it off. It’s as easy as that. If we were at home, I would simply wipe the placemat off with a washcloth, or paper towel.

I have to say that I am afraid Madelyn won’t want to eat in her highchair when we get home from vacation because she clearly LOVES to eat at the table with us. She looks and I can tell she feels like such a big girl sitting close to the table and using a placemat and utensils like the adults do.

What’s really great about Bibbity Bops placemats is that not only are they kid friendly with the vinyl cover, but they are available in several stylish designs that are sure to please both parents and kids.  I chose to review one of Bibbity Bop’s more adult designs so you are aware that you are not limited to child designs only.

Bibbitybop_placemat_four

My favorite things about this product:

  • Clear, heavy vinyl cover
  • Colorful designs
  • Designs for parents and children
  • Easy to clean
  • Easy to take with you when eating out
  • Affordable enough to buy some for Grandparents house
  • Easy to clean
  • Easy to clean
  • Oh, and did I say.. easy to clean?

Where to buy: Bibbity Bop

COUPON CODE:  The Mommy Insider readers get 10% off!  Enter code mommyinsider when checking out.

Keep an eye out for my review of Bibbity Bop’s bibs coming soon!

 

Continue reading Bibbity Bop

Babycakes, gifts, and glamour

Babycakes_cakeBabycakes, gifts, and glamour… thats what Babycakes of Scottsdale offers expecting and new parents.

I didn’t know what a Babycake was until a few years ago. I thought it was an actual cake that you eat!
To an expecting mom, a babycake is better than the real thing. No calories, but full of fun!

Babycakes of Scottsdale custom creates 1, 2, and 3 tier cakes that are not only beautiful but are practical as well.  Each decorative tier is bountifully packed with baby blankets, sleepers, onesies, pacifiers, booties, that are sure to excite any expectant mother.  Babycakes of Scottsdale will top off your custom made babycake with an heirloom treasure such as a Tiffany® spoon, a Limoge box, or a bear.

Babycakes of Scottsdale also offers a great selection of gifts, and baby clothing that can be purchased individually. Items inlcude super cute  ‘twinkle toe slippers’ with crystals on the bottom, baby blankets, caps, and much more.

Where to buy: Babycakes of Scottsdale
 

Crumb Chum – a mommy must have

Crumbchum_1The Crumb Chum is something we use every day.

I can’t tell you how many times my mother has commented on how messy Madelyn gets when eating. My mother tells me "I never let you and your sister get that messy." My mother said that she always kept a wet wash cloth on hand and didn’t let us feed ourselves because it was too messy.

That is not the kind of Mommy I am. I want Madelyn to experience messes, I want her to feed herself as much as she can, and I don’t want her to be self conscience about getting dirty. The Crumb Chum helps me achieve all of these desires while making it easy and stress-free when Madelyn is finished with her meal.

The Crumb Chum is easy to use, easy to clean, comes in lots of great designs and best of all, it serves a purpose that no one canCrumbchum_pocket deny needs serving. That purpose is keeping baby clean.

The Crumb Chum is one of those things that I think should be included in the "take home" bag when you deliver your baby at the hospital.

The Crumb Chum covers Madelyn from chin to toe. The lightweight material helps Madelyn keep Madelyn cool while keeping her clean and the light weight makes it easy for Madelyn to move around in the bib.  It folds to be very small and can be stored in a diaper bag pocket or purse easily.  The pocket hangs perfectly so that the food that doesn’t make it in Madelyn’s mouth falls right into the pocket.

The Crumb Chum comes in two sizes, 6-15 months and 15 months – 4 years and in tons of great patterns for boys and girls.

Where to buy: Crumb Chum

COUPON CODE: Enter TMI when checking out to get 5% off your order!

What do you think of this product?

lion was here – animal tracks baby onesie

ReviewphotographMadelyn loves our cats. When I saw theminitee.com’s animal track onesies, I knew right away that Madelyn should have the "lion was here" design. What’s really funny is that Madelyn is going through a pouncing stage. She will literally pounce on you if you are laying on the floor. She thinks it’s so funny to run up and ‘attack’ us with her ‘paws’. She’s just like a lion.

The Minitee’s baby onesies and toddler tee’s are a great way to show off your (and your baby’s) love of animals. Does your baby knock the lamps over all the time? Get her the ‘elephant was here’ onesie.

You will also find great designs including "I obviously got my good looks from my uncle", "grandma’s little girl", and many more on theminitee.com.

The Minitee tee’s and onesies ensure that your baby will stand out from the crowd. These are not your ordinary "chain store" styles that you see on every other baby in town.

The Minitee’s motto is ‘to provide individuality
and quality at a modest price. Their pieces are affordable so don’t hesitate to buy a few for your baby or a friends baby today!

Where to buy: The Minitee