Nifty Knees Review and Giveaway ends 10/15

Nifty Knees contacted me to do a review and giveaway, and I quickly responded! With Fall approaching, I love to find cute new fashions for my little one to stay warm (we have a few cool days in Florida). We were sent one pair of leg warmers in bright pink and a cute floral print drool bandana. The leg warmers look great with a onesie for younger babies or with a cute dress or shorts for toddlers. The drool bandana would be perfect for a baby who is beginning to eat solids.

Nifty Knees has some great leg warmers in seasonal colors/patterns on sale for just $6. These would be awesome as part of a Halloween costume! They also carry mini leg warmers for newborns and infants, drool bandanas, custom tees, and fleece hats.

Lydia is beginning to take her first steps - Nifty Knees leg warmers are a great way to keep your baby's legs a little bit safer while he/she is learning to crawl or walk.

Funny story - The day our Nifty Knees leg warmers arrived in the mail I attended an 80s theme bachelorette party. Even mommies can wear these leg warmers as 80s accessories on their wrists or ankles!!

BUY IT! Visit Nifty Knees and use the promotional code hmreview to receive a  15% discount off your purchase. Offer is valid until December 1, 2010.

WIN IT! Win a $25 gift certificate to use online for any Nifty Knees items, including leg warmers, drool bandanas, custom tees, or fleece hats.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Nifty Knees and tell me what items you'd love to have for your little one!

For additional entries, you can do any of the following (one entry each):
1. Become a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect.
2. Like Nifty Knees on Facebook.
3. Follow Nifty Knees on Twitter.
4. Like Abi's Place (the non-profit organization where I work) on Facebook.
5. Follow my sister blog Moms on a Mission.

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to contact you. This giveaway ends on 10/15 at 11:59 pm EST. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck!

*I received this product for free, and I was not compensated for writing this review.

GladRags Nursing Pads Review & Giveaway ends 7/20

I was approached by GladRags to review a pair of reusable organic cotton nursing pads. The organic cotton is very soft and is grown without the use of pesticides or any other chemicals. I have seen other pads that are organic/reusable, but they are usually much bulkier, which may be awkward when wearing a form-fitting shirt. These are thin, but absorbent. To clean the nursing pads, simply machine wash and dry. For increased absorbency, wash in hot water before using them for the first time.

The best feature about these pads is that they have a slit from the center outward so that you can shape them into a more natural-looking nursing pad (see image below). This also makes for good protection against leakage. The only time I leaked regularly was probably for the first 3 - 4 months, during the night. These would've been great inside a comfy night-time bra.

For those of us who use cloth diapers, we have already learned how easy it is to use eco-friendly, reusable products such as these. You don't ever have to worry about them "running out" as you would disposable nursing pads. I recently wrote about my period returning, so I definitely want to look into some of their reusable menstrual products as well (like cloth pads and pantiliners, cups and sponges).

There's also a great GladRags Blog that discusses important women's issues - with a focus on menstruating, going green, and healthy lifestyle choices.


BUY IT! GladRags makes so many other great products for new mommies, like nipple butter, bath herbs, and organic cotton hankies, as well as alternative products to tampons and disposable sanitary napkins.

WIN IT! You could win a pack of 3 pairs of nursing pads PLUS an Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter (RV over $35).

Mandatory entry: Visit Gladrags and comment with the product you are most interested in trying.

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' GladRags on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow GladRags on Twitter.
4. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
5. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
6. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
7. Vote for Zimmerman School House dba Abi's Place to win $500,000 in the KOHL'S Cares campaign by clicking the link to the right (just above the Facebook Badge).
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)
 

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 7/20 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Congratulations to Stephanie! Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway.

Plum Organics Baby/Toddler Food Review & Giveaway Ends 6/13

EcoMom sent me a sampler pack of the Plum Organics Baby and Toddler food to review. Plum Organics makes several great products:

~ Spouted pouches of single pureed fruits and veggies for babies and toddlers
* Spouted pouches of fruit/veggie combinations for babies and toddlers
~ Fiddlesticks - crunchy fruit/veggie & grain snack sticks for toddlers
* Fingerfuls - bite-sized dried fruit and grain crunchies for toddlers (and for hungry mommies who also like fruit and cereal)

Our sampler pack included several spouted pouches and a box of carrot Fiddlesticks. The spouted pouches were in delicious flavor combinations, such as Baby Spinach, Peas & Pear and Sweet Potato, Corn, & Apples. These are really great to grab and throw in a diaper bag when you're on the go. We even experimented with a few of the flavors, mixing them with cooked brown rice and pasta now that Lydia is 9 months old. She loved them!

The ingredients in Plum Organics products are so simple: organic fruits, organic veggies, and lemon juice (as a preservative). It's as if you cooked fresh produce at home, made purees, and packaged the purees in convenient pouches.

EcoMom also carries another great line of food that can go from the high chair to the lunch box: Revolution Foods. I did not receive a sample to review, so when I spotted the Berry Mash at a local store, I had to try it. From firsthand experience, I can tell you that these are quite delicious as well! 


BUY IT! You can purchase Plum Organics food for toddlers and babies at EcoMom, along with other great organic clothing, bath & body products, toys, and so much more! Use discount code SBBL187 to receive 15% off your first order.
For even better savings, including a 15% discount + free shipping with every order, check out the EcoPass for just $99 annually.

WIN IT! Would you like to win a sampler of Plum Organics and Revolution Foods (RV $20)?  Mandatory entry: Visit EcoMom, and tell me which food items sound the tastiest for your little one - choose either a Plum Organics or Revolution Foods product!

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' EcoMom on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow EcoMom on Twitter.
4. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
5. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
6. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)
 

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 6/13 at 11:59 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Green to Grow Glass Bottle (4-pack) Review & Giveaway

Because I breastfeed Lydia and for the first 8 months of her life I either worked from home or brought her to work with me, I rarely used bottles. In fact, I only had about 5 of them. She used bottles maybe a dozen or so times, always with pumped milk, so I didn't think too much about it. When Lydia was about 4 months old, every time I went to drink from a regular glass, she'd grab my glass to take a sip (and expressed very little interest in using a bottle). I'm a big water drinker, so no real harm in her trying some of my water, even if she spilled a bit.

HOWEVER, I recently (and temporarily) returned to work full-time, and I didn't want to pump milk only to have it spill everywhere in an open cup. So, I had to find some bottles to use. Luckily, during a trip to Whole Foods, I came across the Green to Grow glass bottles. I contacted the company, and they sent me 4 bottles to review: two 4 oz. bottles and two 8 oz. bottles (pictured below).

Here are a few facts about Green to Grow bottles:
1. The bottles are made in the U.S.A. Why is this important? This means that they wasted less fuel transporting these bottles from abroad, making them ecologically-friendly and economically-friendly.
2. They are BPA-free and phthalate-free.
3. The bottle-opening is a standard size, so the nipples can be used on other bottles.
4. The nipples are made of a medical grade silicone. They are slow flow nipples, which are recommended for young babies (esp. if you are breastfeeding).
5. The packaging itself is made from 100% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable. If your bottle accidentally breaks, it is also recyclable.

These bottles have been helpful to store pumped milk in the refrigerator and are safely transported using a small insulated cooler bag with an ice pack! I feel great knowing that my child is drinking from something that is safe when she is away from me. Besides, who wouldn't love those cool, funky designs on the bottle? Did I mention that green is my favorite color?

BUY IT! You can purchase Green to Grow bottles online or at your local Whole Foods Market. Green to Grow also sells reusable totes, cloths, and BPA-free plastic bottles.

WIN IT! Would you like to win four eco-friendly glass bottles for your little one (RV $31)?  Mandatory entry: Visit Green to Grow, click on the 'learn' link, and tell me something you learned!

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' Green to Grow on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow Green to Grow on Twitter.
4. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
5. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
6. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)
 

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 6/7 at 11:59 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

**Congratulations to Rachel! Thank you to all who participated.

Baby Legs Review & Giveaway - Ends 4/30

In anticipation of Blogmania 2010, I decided to post one new giveaway a day, all ending on April 30th at 11:59 pm EST. One of the giveaways will be available for ONE DAY ONLY!

Lydia and I were given an exciting opportunity to review BabyLegs!  They sent us two pairs: the Wish Upon Leg Warmers and striped Supersoft Leg Warmers.

The Wish Upon leg warmers have so many beautiful colors, like a bold aqua and sunny yellow. These would be great to dress up all of those simple onesies or pair with a super-cute tutu!

The Supersoft leg warmers are just that - super soft!  The pair we got features stripes in a bright pink, soft yellow, and light aqua. How cute are they??

Lydia is at the stage now where she is just beginning to crawl. Living in South Florida, it's already in the 80s outside, so I don't want to put her in warm pants all the time to protect her knees. The great thing about Baby Legs is that they actually protect her knees as she attempts to crawl around our tile and laminate floors...but they are lightweight enough that she won't get too warm. They also offer sun protection, so I don't have to worry as much about her little legs getting burned outside.

Another cool feature is that they grow with your child. While Lydia can wear these from ankle to thigh now, when she's a little older, the same pair can be worn from the ankle to the knee. Babies grow out of clothing so quickly, it's great to know that these will last her for quite a while.

Would you like BabyLegs for your little one?

BUY IT! Visit Baby Legs and use the promotional code Blogmania to receive a  15% discount off your purchase. In addition to leg warmers, BabyLegs also sells cute baby socks and tights.

WIN IT! Win a grab bag of BabyLegs for your little one!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit BabyLegs and tell me which pair you would love to see on your child.

For additional entries, you can do any of the following (one entry each):
1. Become a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect.
2. Become a fan of BabyLegs on Facebook.
3. Follow BabyLegs on Twitter.
4. Become a fan of Abi's Place (the non-profit organization where I work) on Facebook.
5. Grab my beautiful new button (when it becomes available) and tell me where I can find it!

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway and all my other Blogmania giveaways end on 4/30 at 11:59 pm EST. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck!

*I received this product for free, and I was not compensated for writing this review.

**The winner of this giveaway is Julie. Thank you to all who participated!**

My First Book Review ~ The Eco-nomical Baby Guide

Let me start by saying I am so honored that the first book to review on my blog is The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet by Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley. The authors have an amazing blog, The Green Baby Guide. This book is practical, sensible, and flexible. Let me explain...

The book begins by describing a spectrum of green parents, from 'defiantly ungreen' to 'extraordinarily green.' I think I'm at about the 'gladly green' level, and I found it to be very valuable. Although I was always fairly eco-friendly (brought paper home from work to recycle, avoided eating meat/poultry, looked for cars that got good gas mileage), it wasn't until I gave birth to Lydia that I realized how truly wasteful we are as a society. As I enter my garage, which I will now refer to as 'the plastic graveyard,' I am instantly reminded of all of the "need to have" items that I purchased or asked for as shower gifts. So many items are that mass-produced are only useful for the first 6 months, 3 months, or perhaps not at all because your child just doesn't like them. For Lydia, big ticket items included her bouncer and swing. In addition, you also learn that some of your earlier choices were just not that safe. This includes some of the baby carriers I initially purchased. The Eco-nomical Baby Guide gently reminds you that can live without so many of these items, but you also need not be critical of your own previous (or current) decisions. The authors are not suggesting you hand-sew your child's clothing out of potato sacks or hitchhike across the country as a family vacation to save a few dollars. The ideas are practical, and for the most part, quite convenient!

Here are a few ideas/suggestions that touched me personally:

1. I love the focus on saving money now to put toward college later. Earning my doctorate in 2008 was probably my greatest personal accomplishment ever. It has already opened so many doors for me. Richard and I already began putting money toward Lydia's college education through the Florida Prepaid College Fund. It's about $100 a month, but gives my family the security we need to plan for her future.

2. I was appalled when I saw the cost of feeding your child organic baby formula for the first year of life - about $8,000!  I had no idea. I breastfed Lydia since the day she was born. When the doctors in the hospital suggested we supplement with formula because of her jaundice, I cried. Breastfeeding has been an amazing (and economical/eco-friendly) journey for us as a family. I could not imagine paying thousands of dollars for something that is not nearly as good as what I am fortunate enough to be given for free. However, I understand for some people breastfeeding is not an option, so we are lucky to have many formula choices on the market today, and this guide evaluates those choices for you.

3. I love the emphasis on living a vegetarian lifestyle. Being a pescetarian has been a very important aspect of my life for about 3.5 years now. That decision has guided so many other decisions that I am proud to have made. While pregnant, I cut out a lot of my seafood intake, so I lived off of fruit/vegetables, pasta, rice, and dairy. Many of my friends/family members were concerned that I was pregnant and vegetarian...but when Lydia was born 8 lbs 7.7 oz, my sister said she had never heard of such a big vegetarian baby (and my sister is a nurse)! I've also been asked if I am going to raise Lydia vegetarian. I feel like that's a decision she will have to make once she is informed and understands the benefits of making that decision. Until then, she'll eat primarily fruits, veggies, grain, and dairy, but I will also prepare her some fish(wild)/poultry(free-range). I love cooking, so this should not be a problem!

4. The list of suggested companies for baby gear, feeding utensils, toys, cloth diapers, etc. is great! I even like the section where they suggest items that are really worth the splurge vs. those that you can get for less money and still be satisfied. This advice would have been amazing as I was planning my baby shower. Fortunately, though, I can use this information to advise my friends who are expecting. It's even shaped the types of gifts I'm giving to friends. I've learned that being eco-nomical doesn't mean purchasing the $20 wooden teether. It means giving your child a celery stick to gnaw on instead.

5. I began composting a while back, but I did not actually do it properly until recently (see my post on composting).  What this book taught me is that even when you discard items that are biodegradable (paper products, cardboard, etc.), they end up trapped under items that are not biodegradable. As a result, they are basically preserved in garbage heaps. This is why recycling and composting are imperative! The great thing about composting, as expressed in this book, is that you are creating nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Living in Florida, I am able to garden year-round, so composting is very beneficial to us.

6. There are just so many other amazing topics discussed in this book, such as cloth diapering with cost-comparisons, making your own baby food, living on a restricted budget, caring for children as a single parent, and caring for multiples.

Overall, the emphasis is on trying your best...not expecting to be perfectly eco-friendly, yet disappointed when you want to take a relaxing bath every night or take a drive to the beach in your SUV. The book reminds you that you should actively think through each decision you make for your family, evaluate your options, and do what's best for your family and the earth. It's already given me some great green ideas for Lydia's first birthday party, and she's not even 8 months old yet!

Thank you to Rebecca and Joy at The Green Baby Guide for allowing me to review your amazing, practical guide.