Friday, September 30, 2011

Fuzzi Bunz OR Rumparooz winner!

Congrats to Staci M...
You are the winner of the Fuzzi Bunz or Rumparooz diaper!
I am e-mailing you now!
Congrats to Kelly Wels on publishing her new book and a huge thank you Kelly for your sponsorship!
Thanks also to all of you that entered!

~Mama of the Littles~

Doable Diapers

This weekend Doable Diapers is having a flash giveaway. They are giving away a Fuzzi Bunz diaper! Hurry over HERE to enter to win!
Ends 2 October!
Good Luck!

~Mama of the Littles~

Thursday, September 29, 2011

"Newborns In Cloth" upcoming #CLOTHDIAPER event!

As I recently blogged about, my sister is having her second baby! Her water actually broke early this morning! I am not going to be there with her in Oregon for the birth, but will be there next week!
In honor of her having a new wee one, I am going to be flying out to meet him with some #CLOTHDIAPERS! I am going to try out some different diapers on my nephew to see which ones work best, and I have some new sponsors to add to the lineup!
Here is a list of current sponsors:
1. AMP diapers has donated an AMP All In Two (AI2) diaper size small!
2. Mommy's Own has donated a Grovia AIO Newborn diaper, a jar of Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter, an Aden and Anais swaddle blanket and some samples of tiny bubbles soap!
3. Madison Organics has donated a Lil Joey cloth diaper as well!
Added to the line up is:
4. Mighty Nest has donated a pack of organic fitted crib sheets (a gift certificate for a giveaway)!
5. The Little Bee Company is donating a Bitty Bee cloth diaper (review and giveaway in Jan, 2012)
6. A secret item from My Precious Kid LLC (I actually get to go to the store and meet Kay)!
6. Ecobubs is donating a wool pocket diaper!

Ecobubs is a company out of New Zealand! They make cloth diapers and are having a facebook contest. Right now, if you go and like them on Facebook, you will be entered to win one of their diapers. There are currently only 226 fans, so that makes your odds pretty darn good!
You just need to like them on Facebook (you can let them Life With My Littles sent you if you'd like)! On October 1st, the winner will be drawn!

Are you excited!
Prayers are appreciated for my sister, and for me as I travel across the country with two littles by myself!!

~Mama of the Littles

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Homeward Bound, and an upcoming #CLOTHDIAPERS event!

Last night I bought tickets.... to where? Oregon! Yes, that's right. I was born and raised in Oregon and left there at age 22 when I joined the Army! I was sent to Germany and that is where I met my husband! After serving 5 years in the Army I decided to get out because I wanted to start a family. I didn't like the idea of husband and wife serving in the Army, and the fact that both could be deployed at the same time, so I decided to get out. I was honorably discharged and got out while we were stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Now we live in Maryland. I have not been home for almost 3 years, when I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer.
My dear sister is pregnant with her second child, a boy! Her first son was delivered via emergency c-section as her water broke unexpectedly at 34 weeks and 5 days!! He only weighed 5 lbs 15 oz!
This time around, she is going to have a home birth. She is due 12 October and I am flying out there to be with her! I am SOOOOO excited! I have never witnessed anyone give birth (except myself)... lol!
In honor of her having this baby, I am going to be doing a blog event when I come home. The blog event is going to be called "Newborns and Cloth."
Here is what I have lined up so far!
1. AMP diapers has donated an AMP All In Two (AI2) diaper size small!
2. Mommy's Own has donated a Grovia AIO Newborn diaper, a jar of Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter, an Aden and Anais swaddle blanket and some samples of tiny bubbles soap!
3. Madison Organics has donated a Lil Joey cloth diaper as well!
I am still taking on sponsors for the event!
I can't wait to try these tiny diapers on my nephew, and offer a few things for a giveaway when I get home! So be sure to stick around! It's going to be lots of fun!
I will have Internet access while I'm away, and the giveways will run like normal. If I don't get back to you in a day or two (if you contact me, or if you are a winner) please be patient!
Travelling alone with two little boys is going to be quite challenging!

Did you cloth diaper your newborn? Which is your favorite newborn clothdiaper??
~Mama of the Littles~

Winners!!! $25.00 GC to Modern Cloth and The Charlie Banana ltd. edition diaper!

Finally I am getting around to posting winners!
The lucky winner of the $25.00 GC to Modern Cloth is:
Katie S. Congrats!!
The winner for the Charlie Banana Limited edition "Goodbye Disposable, Hello Cloth" diaper is:
Carolyn H Congrats!
I am e-mailing you both now. You have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail to claim your prizes!
A huge thank you to Modern Cloth and Charlie Banana for sponsoring these awesome giveways and to all of you that entered!
Don't forget about all the other giveaways still going on right now:
A Rumparooz or Fuzzi Bunz one sized diaper/you choose brand (9/30)
An organic cotton waterproof crib pad from Naturepedic (10/1)
Bottom Bumpers AIO clothdiaper in Iceland (baby blue) (10/4)
Mama Cloth (or cloth diaper) up to $15.00 {Etsy} (10/7)
RedCharlotte {Etsy} Ergo sucking pads or stuff sack (10/7)
Kiwi Pie Fitted Cloth Diaper {The Green Nursery} (10/10)

Good luck!!
~Mama of the Littles~

Monday, September 26, 2011

Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted diaper review and #GIVEAWAY {The Green Nursery}

I love fitted diapers. I have tried a few in the past and have found out that I really like natural fiber fitted diapers (ie: Hemp and Bamboo)!
I was curious about Kiwi Pie Fitted Diapers and the kind folks at The Green Nursery sent me a Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted diaper in "Boyz Rock" for review.
This is what I received:

Here is the inside of the diaper with the two soakers:
Each diaper comes with two soakers that snap together at the top:
You can use the soakers snapped together for maximum absorbency or you can use one soaker by itself. One of the soakers is slightly shorter in length than the other. The shorter soaker can be folded to give you extra protection where its needed, or you can use the smaller soaker for a smaller baby, which will give you less bulk.
Here is the diaper on the smallest setting:
I could totally see a newborn baby wearing this teeny tiny diaper!
Here is a bit more information on the Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted diaper *taken from The Green Nursery's Website*
Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted

The Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted Diaper is made of 2 layers of bamboo blend and 1 layer of cotton knit designer print. With each diaper, you will receive 2 4-layer soakers that can be used separately or together depending on the size setting and absorbency needed. The snaps are made of durable poly resin and coordinate with the print.

The Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted Diaper fits 8-35+ lbs. For a smaller diaper, simply snap down the two rise snaps and lay in the small soaker with the snaps away from the baby. For a larger setting, unsnap the rise snaps, snap 2 soakers together for extra absorbency and lay them in the diaper.

Since this diaper is made with 75% Bamboo, 25% spandex, and a 100% cotton outer, it is super stretchy. It is really easy to put on and get a GOOD fit! There is stretchy elastic around the legs and the back to give you the flexibility to get a perfect fit.
I used this diaper on my 19 mo son, who is a bit on the slender side. Both my boys are tall and long, not chunky at all. This diaper is not waterproof and needs a cover. I have been using it at night time with a wool cover and it works great. No issues at all. It is super absorbent (I use both soakers since I've been using it for night time, and my boys sleep 12 hrs on average at night.
This is a picture of this diaper on my son:


We love this diaper!
You can purchase this diaper from The Green Nursery for $24.95 *and you will earn 96 Gold Points for buying it! What are Gold Points you ask? At The Green Nursery (TGN) each purchase you make earns you points. The points accumulate and can be spent at TGN like money. For instance, 100 TGN Gold Points gives you one dollar! It's a great way to earn points to put towards future purchases. You can read more about TGN Gold Points HERE!
TGN not only sells cloth diapers, but they also offer Toys & dolls, baby carriers, strollers, feeding & teething items, things for the nursing mama, bath & body items and more! 
The Green Nursery has generously offered one lucky LWML follower a Kiwi Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted diaper in winner's choice of print!

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

Good Luck and have fun!
~Mama of the Littles~

Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to The Green Nursery! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Welcome to the Military Monday Blog Hop! 

We invite all of you, military or not, to join in this great blog hop. Would you like to be connected to other blogs? Would you like to increase your number of blog followers via Google Friend Connect? Then this hop is for you. No, you don't have to be affiliated with the Military, you just have to have a blog!  Please don't leave links to your Facebook, Twitter, or other blog hops. Those links will be deleted.
The guidelines are quite simple here!
  • Grab the Military Monday Blog Hop button and post it as a new blog post or on your blog's sidebar!  
  • Follow the hosts publicly via Google Friend Connect {just click the buttons below!}.  Be sure to leave a comment on this post that you stopped by from the Military Monday Blog Hop in order for us to follow you back. The hosts will follow you back, as long as you leave a comment on this post with your blog address. Just give us a few days to catch up with everyone!
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Semper Wifey


  • Follow as many of the linked blogs as you'd like!  But remember...the more you follow, the more followers you will get in return! 




  • *Please note, this linky will close on Monday at 11:59 pm (EST). But don't worry...we'll be back next week!
    Have a Great week!

    Friday, September 23, 2011

    The Little Bee Co. Winner

    Congrats to Caitlin B. You are the winner of the diaper of choice from The Little Bee Co.
    Thanks to all that entered, and a HUGE thank you to The Little Bee Co. for sponsoring this giveaway.
    Did you know that for every diaper that is used as a review and every one that is given away in a giveaway, a diaper is donated to an orphan in need!
    What an awesome way to impact our world!
    There are still LOADS of giveaways going on right now:
    $25.00 GC to Modern Cloth (9/24)
    Charlie Banana Limited Edition "Goodbye Disposable Hello Cloth" sized diaper (9/26)
    A Rumparooz OR Fuzzi Bunz one size diaper (9/30)
    Naturepedic waterproof organic cotton fitted crib mattress pad (10/1)
    Bottom Bumpers AIO OS clothdiaper in Iceland (10/4)
    Etsy Snugs Boutique Mama pads, or cloth diaper (winner picks item, up to a $15.00 value) (10/7)
    Etsy Baby Carrier Sucking Pads or Stuff Sack from RedCharlotte (10/7)

    There are more giveaways to come:
    1 Kiwi Pie fitted clothdiaper, A Moby wrap, wool potion #9 from Nifty Nappy and more!!
    I need to catch up!!

    Good Luck and Have fun!!

    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Baby Carrier {Ergo} Sucking Pads review and Etsy #GIVEAWAY!!


    I've been browsing Etsy for some time now. I simply love that you can find such intricate and unusual items on Etsy that are home made by stay at home moms (SAHM)! One day awhile back I came across RedCharlotte! The shop caught my eye because she had listed a pair of 'sucking pads' for baby carriers. You see, ever since I started wearing my second baby in my Ergo Carrier, he has been chewing and sucking on the straps! Great for him, to relieve his teething, but not so great for my poor Ergo!! So what the sucking pads do, is protect your baby carrier from the infamous teething baby! They simply wrap around your baby carrier straps and your carrier is protected. Not only do they work to protect your carrier's straps, but they also (upon request) can come with cute taggies attached on each end for baby to play with (as seen below). Charlotte graciously sent me a pair of organic sucking pads for review... this is what I received:


    I really love these sucking pads. First of all, they are so stinkin' cute. You can view the current fabric selections for sucking pads on RedCharlottes Etsy page.
    Here is a bit more information about the sucking pads:
    Red Charlotte Sucking Pads (as described by Charlotte herself)
    - My taggie sucking pads are my original design.
    - I started making them because I couldn’t find any cute, functional options on the market.
    - I’m a work-from-home-mom to a 12 month old girl who LOVES her own pair of sucking pads.
    - Each pad includes three layers of fabric; the top layer is designer fabric, with two additional layers of super absorbent, white flannel.
    - A wide range of designer fabric selections, including organic options, available in the shop.
    - The pads are reversible! (Designer fabric on one side, white flannel on the other.)
    - You can buy them with taggies on one side or both sides. My daughter occupies herself for hours playing with the top taggies now that she can reach them.
    - They fit all the major baby carriers including the Ergo, the Mei Tai, the BabyHawk, the Beco, the Boba, the Kinderpack, the Bamberoo, the Baby Bjorn, the Pikkolo, and the Patapum.
    - I have a YouTube video that also explains how awesome they are.

    Here are the sucking pads on my beloved Ergo carrier:


    This is my 19 month old in the Ergo. I usually wear him on my back, but this was a quick photo shoot.... just for the purpose of this review! *as you can see, he does not mind being worn on my front :)
    RedCharlotte not only makes sucking pads for baby carriers (Ergo, Mei Tai, Beco, Boba, BabyHawk and More - Songbird) but she also makes and sells burp cloths, bibs, taggie blankets, and Baby Carrier Stuff Sacks!

    What is a baby carrier stuff sack you ask? I am glad you did. Here is a brief description of the stuff sack: (as described by Charlotte herself)
    Red Charlotte Stuff Sacks
    - My baby carrier Stuff Sacks are my original design.
    - I was inspired to make them when I couldn’t find a neat way to store my Ergo on our sailboat.
    - The Stuff Sack fits all the major baby carriers including the Ergo, the Mei Tai, the BabyHawk, the Beco, the Boba, the Kinderpack, the Baby Bjorn, the Pikkolo, and the Patapum.
    - It’s also a great way to store slings and wraps that are long and cumbersome.
    - You can use the Stuff Sack as a bolster for babies who are learning how to sit or as a pillow when your little one needs a place to lay their head at the park or the beach.
    - My Stuff Sacks are made with designer fabric and come with a coordinating carry-handle on the bottom, a high-quality barrel clasp, and heavy duty shock cord to handle frequent, daily use.
    - I have a YouTube video that also explains how awesome they are.

    To see which stuff sacks are currently available, please click here
    Pricing:
    Baby Carrier Stuff Sacks: $32.95
    Sucking Pads (single-side taggies): $19.95
    Sucking Pads (double-side taggies) $22.95
    ORGANIC Sucking Pads (single-side taggies): $24.95
    ORGANIC Sucking Pads (double-side taggies) $26.95

    Win it! RedCharlotte has generously offered one LWML follower the chance to win their choice of a pair of sucking pads (maximum value $22.95) or a stuff sack (maximum value $32.95)!
    This giveaway is open world-wide!

    To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

    Good Luck and have fun!
    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to RedCharlotte! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

    Thursday, September 22, 2011

    Mama Cloth Anyone??? Snugs AIO Mama Pads (Etsy) Review and #GIVEAWAY

    So I really LOVE Mama cloth/pads. I have done a few blog posts before about using mama cloth. I own some Charlie Banana Pads, some Fuzzi Bunz pads, and a couple of Glad Rags pads. I was searching around on Etsy one day and I came across Snugs Boutique! I first noticed that she {Andrea} made cloth diapers... then I saw that she also makes mama cloth!
    So I contacted her asking if she would let me review.... a few weeks later I received four mama pads in the mail! This is what I received:


    The two pads on the top are 10 inches long (for night time) and the pads on the bottom are 8 inches long. When these pads arrived I first noticed that they seemed a bit stiff (as compared to my Fuzzi Bunz and Charlie Banana)! After I washed them though, they did soften up a bit. I used the bigger pads on the first two days of my cycle and at night, and I had no issues with leaks. These things are SUPER absorbent! I was quite impressed!
    Here is a description of the pads from Andrea's Etsy shop:
    These mama pads are made with a top layer of PUL to catch messy leaks and keep you dry. The inner fabric is a super soft comfort fleece that is ultra absorbent and plush.

    The extra snaps makes the pad adjustable to fit any size panty. Plus is rolls up into a convenient ball to fit in your purse or mama pad case.

    Each pad is 8 inches long and approx 4 inches across, night time pads are 10 incehs by 4 inches.
    These pads are great. I love that they come with two snaps, and that they are so absorbent. Oh, and they wash well too... no stains! Of course I wash mine in Rockin Green soap after soaking them in cold water for about 30 minutes!
    These pads are also WAY affordable. You can purchase 6 Pads for $20.00! These pads are made in Canada, so shipping to the USA will cost a bit more ($6.00), but if you buy two items (she also sells cloth diapers), shipping is reduced!
    Just look at these beautiful pads:
    Wouldn't you like to have one, or two or three?
    Well, Andrea has graciously offered one LWML follower the chance to win any item in her shop with the value of $15.00 or less, and free shipping! If you would like to purchase multiple items from her shop, and it comes out to more than $15.00, then $15.00 would be credited towards your total purchase price. This giveaway is open to the US and Canada!
    To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

    Good Luck and have fun!
    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to Andrea at Snugs Boutique! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

    Wednesday, September 21, 2011

    Have you won something from my blog??

    Hey all. This morning as I am sitting here sipping my perfect cuppa coffee... I got to thinking...
    My Facebook fan page is lacking a bit.
    So, I thought I'd ask those of you that have won something to post a pic (or two) on my FB wall. You can post a pic of what you won, or of your cute babies wearing their newly won items!
    Also, I will be doing a review and giveaway of the Moby wrap in the near future.... you can get two extra entries into the Moby giveaway by posting a picture of yourself, or your significant other wearing your baby (in any sort of carrier) to my FB wall!

    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Tuesday, September 20, 2011

    West coast here I come???? *fingers crossed*

    So my dear sister is due to have her second (and "last" in her own words) baby on 12 October. I am all the way out on the west coast, and she lives in Oregon.
    Her first child was born premature and delivered via emergency c-section.
    Now, my sister is going to have this little bebe all natural, and at home! LOVE!!
    I am dying to get out there to see her.
    So, this is just a little heads up that I may be travelling for a few weeks the first week of October. Don't worry, she has Internet... and I will be checking the blog.
    I do have some giveaways ending in October, and a few that I need to post. We'll have to play it by ear. And I am also going to be trying some newborn fluff on her little one for the blog too *too much fun*
    Her son is almost 2 and I have not even met him yet. It's been almost 3 years since I've been home. The last time I was home was when my father was ill and died of pancreatic cancer, you can read about that here and here. So there are a lot of emotions going on right now. I am thinking I will take the 2 boys with me (prayers are appreciated, for peace and patience and travelling mercies)!
    This is all just a tentative plan as of now (still have to get the hubbs to sign off on it) but I just wanted to keep you guys updated!
    Have you ever travelled alone with two or more little ones?
    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Sloomb/ Sustainablebabyish Knit cover review!!


    Since I discovered the wonerful world of wool, I have been using fitted diapers and wool covers exclusively at night time! My 3 yo son has been doing awesome learning to use the potty and now wears underwear at night ALL THE TIME!! Sometimes he has accidents, but very rare!
    Awhile back, Thanks Mama sent me a beautiful knit wool cover from Sloomb aka Sustainablebabyish in "mineral" at a discount for review.
    This is what I received:
    I love this cover. It is so soft and very bulletproof once it's been lanolized. Most wool items need to be lanolized twice before they are fully 'bullet proof.'
    Here are some pics of the lanolizing process:
    First I put some warm water in a bowl with a few drops of Eucalan wool wash, gently sqeezed the wool and then let it sit for 15 minutes.
    Then, I took the cover out, gently wring out the excess water.
    Next, I fill the empty bowl again with warm water and a drop or two of baby soap. Set some water to boil, add a pea-sized amount of Lansinoh (100% lanolin) to the cup of boiling water. Then I mix the melted lanolin water into the bowl of warm water, swish it around and add the cover. I squeeze the cover to insure the lanolin sticks to the fibers.

    Here is the cover on my 19 month old son (with a Kissaluvs fitted hemp diaper underneath):
    I love this cover. It is so super soft and keeps my baby boy dry all night long! I would have to say that Sloomb so far is my favorite wool cover of all!
    I do have a pair of alpaca longies sitting here for me to review.... I'll have to see how they measure up to wool. I guess with Alpaca, there is no need to lanolize... so that is nice!
    You can purchase Sloomb knit covers from Thanks Mama for $42.00
    A huge thank you to Thanks Mama for providing this wool cover at a discount for my review!

    ~Mama of the Littles~
    Welcome to the Military Monday Blog Hop! 

    We invite all of you, military or not, to join in this great blog hop. Would you like to be connected to other blogs? Would you like to increase your number of blog followers via Google Friend Connect? Then this hop is for you. No, you don't have to be affiliated with the Military, you just have to have a blog! Please don't leave links to your Facebook, Twitter or other blog hops, those links will be deleted.
    The guidelines are quite simple here!

    Grab the Military Monday Blog Hop button and post it as a new blog post or on your blog's sidebar! 

     

    • Follow the hosts publicly via Google Friend Connect {just click the buttons below!}. Be sure to leave a comment on this post that you stopped by from the Military Monday Blog Hop in order for us to follow you back. The hosts will be following you back, as long as you leave a comment on this post with your blog address. Just give us a few days to catch up with everyone!





    Photobucket




    Semper Wifey




  • Follow as many of the linked blogs as you like!  But remember...the more you follow, the more followers you will get in return!  Be sure to leave a comment on this post that you stopped by from the Military Monday Blog Hop and leave your blog address!






  • Monday, September 19, 2011

    Let me let you in on a secret Dandelion Baby will soon be featured on "Plum District"

    So many of you know I recently did a review of a pair of Rileyroo's shoes from Dandelion Baby!
    Well, this store is amazing! They carry TONS of awesome products Rileyroos, Livie and Luca shoes, the Tea Collection clothing, Baby Legs, and Melissa and Doug toys (to name but a few)!
    But what's the big deal?
    Well, this Wednesday on Plum District you can score a $40.00 voucher to Dandelion Baby for only $20.00! This will be great for buying Christmas presents!!

    Want to sweeten the deal? If you don't have a Plum District account, you can click HERE to join and you will receive a $5.00 off your first purchase, but only if you use my referral link! You will get the $40.00 voucher to Dandelion Baby for $15.00 and I will get a $5.00 credit too *I know you all love me*
    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Winners and other news (Livie and Luca and Dandelion Baby)

    And the winner for the pair of children's shoes from Livie and Luca (available to what's in stock) is Christina B. Please e-mail me (angela_heffner at yahoo dot com) and tell me your top 3 picks for the children's shoes and what size you'd need *there is a size chart on their website)! Congrats!

    The first winner chosen didn't respond, so the new winner to the $25.00 GC to Dandelion Baby is Tiffany W.
    Congrats to both winners!
    You have been e-mailed and have 48 hours to respond to claim your prizes!

    Don't forget about all the other giveaway happening right now on the blog:
    Cloth diaper of choice from The Little Bee Co. (9/22)
    $25.00 GC to Modern Cloth (9/24)
    Charlie Banana limited ed. sized "Goodbye Disposable Hello Cloth" diaper (9/26)
    A Rumparooz or Fuzzi Bunz one sized diaper/you choose brand (9/30)
    An organic cotton waterproof crib pad from Naturepedic (10/1)
    Bottom Bumpers AIO clothdiaper in Iceland (baby blue) (10/4)

    One more announcement! I know that 2012 seems really far off, but really its just around the corner. I will be having a huge "Birthday Blessings Bash" that will run from 5 Jan to 3 Feb! Lots of fun and giveaways during those dates. If you would like to sponsor this event, please e-mail me at angela_heffner at yahoo dot com If you are a blogger, this is a great way to get more traffic to your blog, FB and Twitter!

    ~Mama of the Littles

    Bottom Bumpers AIO #CLOTHDIAPERS Review and #GIVEAWAY

    Have you heard of Healthy Baby Boutique? Healthy Baby Boutique is located in Kansas and is owned and operated by Lonnie and Kendra Morford. In 2005 while expecting their first baby, Lonnie and Kendra realized that there was a whole world of natural parenting that interested them and through their learning to live a natural lifestyle Healthy Baby Boutique was born! You can read more about Lonnie and Kendra's story here!
    Healthy Baby Boutique is a wonderful shop that is filled with (of course) cloth diapers, bedding items, clothes, shoes, slings, travel essentials, pregnancy items (to pamper mama), postpartum items, potty training needs and so much more! You can view all these items available in the shop here!
    Healthy Baby Boutique generously sent me a Bottom Bumpers One Size all in one cloth diaper for review! This is what I received:
    This is the diaper opened up:
    Here is a picture of the snaps located inside the diaper for the correct size setting:
    Notice the soaker snaps at the top. The soaker snaps are color coordinated... the white snaps on the soaker snap onto the white snaps on the diaper.
    The other snaps are the sizing snaps. This diaper is a one size diaper that will fit a baby from 8-25+ lbs!
    You can see the size chart here:

    Use the color-coded snaps on the inside
    of the diaper to adjust the size:


    Size Age Weight (pounds)
    Blue (newborn-small) 1 week-6 months 8-15
    Orange (small-medium) 3-12 months 12-20
    Yellow (medium-large) 12 months- potty training 16-28
    White (large-xlarge) 15 months- potty training 25+

    The diaper is lined with certified organic cotton. The soaker is 4 layers organic cotton, topped with bamboo velour. The soaker is really soft.
    This is the diaper on my 19 month old 23 lb son:

    This was the first side snapping diaper I have ever tried. I really like this diaper, and was surprised at how custom I could get the fit. It is really absorbent and easy to adjust. I was also surprised at how non-bulky the diaper was (considering it is an AIO)!
    We used this diaper for long trips out of the house and had no issues with leaks.
    These diapers also come in a rainbow of beautiful colors:
    You can purchase the Bottom Bumpers one size AIO diaper directly from Healthy Baby Boutique for $22.95. Or you can enter to win one here! Healthy Baby Boutique has generously offered one LWML follower a chance to win a Bottom Bumpers one size AIO cloth diaper in "Iceland"
    To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

    Good Luck and have fun!
    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to Healthy Baby Boutique! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

    Sunday, September 18, 2011

    Book sling giveaway at Happenings of the Harper Household

    Happenings of the Harper Household has a great giveaway going on right now for a book sling (Etsy)! You just need to go here to enter.
    Hurry though, ends in 13 days!

    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Petite Bottoms $30 GC winner



    Congrats to the Petite Bottoms $30.00 GC winner
    You have been e-mailed and have 48 hours to respond to claim your prize!
    A huge thank you to Petite Bottoms for sponsoring this giveaway and to all of you that entered!
    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Saturday, September 17, 2011

    Naturepedic No Compromise Organic crib mattress review and Waterproof Organic Cotton Fitted Crib Mattress Pad #GIVEAWAY (RV $59.00)

    Have you heard of Naturepedic? They make GOTS certified Organic Mattress and Bedding Manufacturer! Wait, I am getting ahead of myself here. Let's rewind 3+ years...

    When I had my first baby, I wasn't too conscious about eating organic foods, harmful chemicals, and toxins. He slept the first year of his life on a regular old Serta mattress we purchased at Babies R Us.
    During my infancy of parenthood, while breastfeeding my son I started reading more and more about eating organic foods. I read that most commercial foods consumed everyday contain harmful toxins (think pesticides and herbicides, growth hormones and so on) that can be passed through breast milk to your tiny baby! I started my research and armed with factual evidence, I slowly started making changes.
    I made the switch from commercial foods, to all organic (yes it is spendy, but so well worth it)! I started making my own baby foods out of organic produce! I went through plastic surgery. Not the kind of plastic surgery you think, but I started getting rid of ALL plastic items in my home. From food storage containers, to the baby's plastic toys! Is our home totally plastic-free? No, but we will slowly get there!

    As I continued to research and make changes I came across many articles that addressed the issue of mattress off-gassing! One of my most favorite websites that is choc-full of useful information regarding toxins in items for kids is called Safe-Mama! Safe-Mama showcased an article about off-gassing last March, you can read that article HERE! It explains what off-gassing is, and how you can prevent it. Its a very informative article!
    There has been question as to whether mattress off-gassing plays a roll in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). I would say yes, though I am not a doctor or scientist. As parents we all want what is best for our children. Many (if not all) commercial (non-organic) mattresses (both crib and full sized) are treated with fire-retardants! Fire-retardants are toxic chemicals that are sprayed onto the surface they are meant to protect. After time, these toxic chemicals off-gas and are breathed in by the person sleeping on that surface.
    Healthy Child Healthy World also has great information regarding off-gassing. You can read more about that HERE!
    After conducting the research, I knew I needed to purchase an organic mattress. Why was this such an important change that I needed to make? On average, a child spends 12-14 hours a day asleep on their mattresses!! 10-14 hours breathing in toxic off-gassing fumes!!
    This is how I found Naturepedic No Compromise organic cotton crib mattresses. Was it expensive, a bit. We paid $259.99 for our mattress that we bought from Target! I think for the original mattress we had, we paid around $150.00 for it. So, this one was about a hundred bucks more.... but so worth it, for my peace of mind!
    This is the mattress we bought:

    I took a few pictures of it today while I was changing my son's sheets. This is my 3 yo toddler bed:
    Here is a close-up of the Naturepedic tag:
    You can see the detail on the edges of the mattress here:
    I know that many mom's and dad's can't afford to plop down $260.00 for an organic mattress... but there are other things you can do to help prevent off-gassing. You can purchase a Naturepedic organic Cotton waterproof mattress pad for $59.99 (fitted crib size) which has a thin layer of plastic inside the pad itself, which will not let the gas pass from the mattress into the air!
    This is a very affordable option for those families that currently own a non-organic crib mattress.
    I loved my Naturepedic no compromise crib mattress so much, that I bought a second one when I was expecting my second baby. Mind you, it took a bit of work convincing my husband to spend so much more on an organic mattress.... but I scrimped and saved in other areas to purchase these mattresses.
    I rest assured in knowing that my boys are NOT inhaling toxic fumes when they sleep. Funny thing too, once I made the switch with my oldest son to the organic mattress, he slept better, and longer, but my boys have always been good sleepers. My 3 yo still naps, and today he slept for 3.5 hrs. They go down at 7:30 and are up by 7 am!

    This post was created to share my personal experiences with using child-safe/non-toxic items. It was not created to place blame or condemn anyone for using a non-organic mattress. At the end of the day, we as parents do whatever we think is best for our families... it took me a long time to save up to buy these mattresses. I think that in life you have to decide what things are important to you and then you have to try your hardest to do those things! It may cost a bit more, but it was an obtainable goal!

    Do you want a Naturepedic organic crib mattress? All of the wonderful organic products made by Naturepedic can be found on their website.
    You can purchase the same mattress I did at Target for $259.99!

    Naturepedic has generously offered one LWML follower a chance to win a Waterproof Organic Cotton Fitted Crib Mattress Pad (RV $59.00)
    To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

    Good Luck and have fun!
    ~Mama of the littles~

    Disclosure: This is my completely honest opinion about the item above and may differ from yours. I was not compensated in any way for this review!

    Friday, September 16, 2011

    Giveaway at All Things Diapers (blog)

    Head on over to All Things Diapers and enter to win a G-diaper. I've never tried G-diapers/pants but I'd love to! Of course I'd love it if one of you won too :)
    Ends 19 September

    ~Mama of the Littles~

    Kelly Wels "Changing Diapers: A Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering" book review and #CLOTHDIAPER GIVEAWAY

    I'm sure by now you've all heard of Kelly Wels... right? If you love cloth diapers and giveaways, I am sure you know who she is. She recently wrote a book called Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering.

    I was given an online version of the book for review!
    This book is awesome! I really got into it and couldn't stop reading. I wish it would have been around when I was starting out with cloth 3 years ago! There are so many misconceptions about cloth diapering. So many parents picture pins, prefolds and plastic pants when they hear the words cloth diaper! *that is what I wore when I was a baby*

    This book really lays out the facts of what modern cloth diapering is all about!
    Here is a brief description of the book taken from "Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth diapering" facebook page:

    Modern Cloth Diapers Made Easy! Yes, that is right...EASY!

    The leading cloth diaper expert Kelly Wels has gotcha covered in this definitive guide to everything you need to know about cloth diapering.

    The cloth diaper choice is yours to make. If you're going to be a cloth diapering mom (or dad), you need to know the facts. In
    "Changing Diapers: A Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering", you will have the most comprehensive, easy-to-read, how-to book on the subject of modern cloth diapering.

    Why listen to Kelly?

    Kelly has been an insider in the cloth diapering industry for nearly a decade. She has seen, touched, and tested just about every brand of cloth diaper imaginable. She has documented her experience for several years on the blog http://www.TheClothDiaperWhisperer.com/ and her personal blog http://www.KellyWels.com/

    She was the founder of a large cloth diapering store, DiaperShops.com, that she later sold to spend more time on her passion as an advocate of cloth diapers.

    This book is very well laid out. It is super simple to navigate to find useful answers to cloth diapering questions. There is an index at the back of the book that you can use to look up topics. For instance let's say you are using cloth diapers full-time, heading back to work, and faced with putting your littles into daycare! Simply go to the index (p. 219) and look up the word 'daycare' and you will find that daycare is covered from page 105-117!
    I was surprised when reading this book at how much useful information there was, right at my fingertips. I have been cloth diapering for 3 years now and until I read this book I never knew the difference between a flat and a prefold. Well, Kelly describes flats on p. 60-61 and prefolds on p. 62-63. I never really cared about flats or prefolds, (as you all know I am a 100% pocket diaper-loving Momma and fitteds and wool at night.... until I received a set of prefolds and a cover for review for the blog! So even 'seasoned' cloth diapering parents can learn a thing or two from this read!

    Have you had the opportunity to read this book? You should! I would say it is a 'must have' for every parent/grandparent/daycare provider/aunt/niece you name it to have! It will transform the way you currently view cloth diapers! You will be refreshed and (as a current cloth diapering parent) revived, and confident after reading this book.
    You can pre-order the book Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering HERE. But that's not all, if you order now, before October 14th and use the coupon code AMRC you can get the book for 50% off! {please note the link provided is my affiliate link and I will earn commission from the sale}!

    Are you excited about this book? I can tell you that you will not be disappointed!
    Kelly Wels is also offering a giveaway here! Up for grabs is a one size Rumparooz OR Fuzzibunz diaper AND an eco-friendly tattoo that says "I'm a Hip Mom and Love Cloth Diapers" (please note, the winner can choose the brand of diaper Rumparooz/Fuzzibunz, but not the color)

    To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

    Good Luck and have fun!
    ~Mama of the littles~