Show & Tell : Baby Bjorn Active Carrier

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 THE WINNER IS:

Rebecca who said: Looks sweet and cozy!

Congratulations! I'll be in touch soon!


This will be my last Show & Tell for awhile, (more details to come) but it is one that I am really excited to share with you. 

I have always believed that a baby carrier is an essential piece of baby gear. Not only are there great benefits to wearing your baby, but there is also the reality that sometimes, with baby in tow, you still need to have your hands free.

So I was really excited to get to try out the new Active Carrier from BabyBjorn.

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Ever since my pregnancy with Emma, I have had nagging lower back problems. And old college volleyball shoulders still plague me now and then, as well. This makes baby-wearing often uncomfortable for any length of time. So I am always on the lookout for a baby carrier that is comfortable and easy on my neck, back and shoulders. 

The Active Carrier, however has been extremely helpful with all my babywearing "issues". The carrier has sturdy padded straps that are comfortable, not digging into my shoulders and back. And the best part, to me, of this carrier is the extra lumbar support in the back that can be adjusted with the carrier straps.

Carrier back
 Among carriers that I've used, I believe this to be one of the easiest to transition into and get used to using. I have also found my children to adjust to it very easily, too. It can be used for newborns (8 pounds, 21 inches) and then transitioned into an outward facing position as baby grows older. 

And let's also not forget the great colors that the carrier comes in. (I finally decided to stop being neutral in all my baby gear and opted for the pink and navy!)

Carrier pink
 And today, thanks to the generous folks at BabyBjorn, I have an Active Carrier to give away to one lucky MommyCoddle reader. Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered. I'll announce the winner on Thursday. 

(Please note: This post is only open to US and Canada residents.BabyBjorn sent me an Active Carrier for this review.)

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good finds + a giveaway

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AND THE WINNERS ARE::::

One Year of Back Issues: Laura F.

One Year Subscription: Amanda

I'll be sending you an email shortly, to let you know that you've won! Congratulations!!

Both of the things I want to share with you today were supposed to be included in my week of "baby celebration", but because of timing, they didn't fit in the week. So I'm really happy to share them both with you today. 

SproutTote

The first is this great new bag called the Samantha Diaper Tote from Kokopax. It is my use-every-day diaper bag with Birdy and I love that fact that you'd never really know it was toting diapers and extra onesies and burp cloths, unless you peeked inside. So many people have commented on how much they love it's size, style, design without even guessing it falls under the category of "diaper bags". That's my kind of diaper bag. 

bubbles tote_2

The bag is made of 100% cotton canvas with a water-resistant lining. It is full of pockets inside including a zipper pocket and elastic pocket for bottles or sipppy cups. It has a strong magnetic closure and is roomy without being cumbersome. I really love using it. 

Go to the Kokopax website and MommyCoddle readers can earn 10% off any order by entering the code mcoddle2010 . (Also check out their cute carriers--awesome prints and lightweight so you're not adding extra bulk besides the toddler already on your back! :)   

LIVING CRAFTS MAGAZINE

I've really scaled back my magazine subscriptions but one that I still really enjoy for it's inspiration, philosophy and ideas is Living Crafts magazine

Spring 09 cover Half 72 LC sum09 cover 72 RGB half size

"Living Crafts is a community of readers who value the work of their hands, use natural and organic materials, and live an authentically holistic lifestyle.

Living Crafts provides craft enthusiasts with the information, ideas and inspiration they need to support their desire for self-sufficiency, sustainability, and a natural lifestyle."

Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Living Crafts magazine, I am excited to give away one year of back issues and and one year subscription to Living Crafts magazine. Leave a comment on this post to be entered and I'll pick the two lucky winners on Friday! Good luck!


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Show & Tell : Cariboo Folding Bassinet

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About Cariboo:

Cariboo welcomes baby in sustainable style. All Cariboo designs are inspired by a commitent to the safety and protection of children and the environment. Handcrafted in rural Canterbury in New Zealand's South Island, the Cariboo line is constructed from sustainable, local materials including radiata pine and organic New Zealand wool.

the grand finale

My Thoughts:

Since Birdy was born, she has been sleeping in the Cariboo folding bassinet. I knew that I wanted a bassinet for her first few months so that she could sleep in my bedroom making nighttime feedings and daytime naps easy and convenient. I have always admired the simple, modern design of the Cariboo bassinet. And I especially love the convenience of this particular bassinet's ability to easily fold up and be moved from room to room, or even to travel (if I were so adventurous!) 

The bassinet comes with 100% cotton bassinet linens and is made from sustainable wood. It assembled in less than ten minutes (even with help from eager little hands) and it feels sturdy, safe and long-lasting. 

A GIVEAWAY!!

Thanks to the generous folks at Cariboo, one lucky MommyCoddle reader will receive a Cariboo Folding bassinet. Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered. A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, May 3rd.

Good luck! And happy weekend!!

 
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Show & Tell : OhPlah! | Plan Toys | Mothering Magazine

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A few other great finds that are catching my attention these days:


  Ohplah_greent   Ohplah_bluet   Ohplah_blackt   Ohplah_pinkt 


  Luke-with-purple-3 

OhPlah! Teething Cuff

The teething cuff from OhPlah! is one of these great little ideas that are so simple, but so smart. It is a stylish cuff for moms to wear that is made from medical grade thermoplastic. This means that it is non-toxic, bacteria resistant, free of lead, latex, BPA, latex and phthalates. Wear it on your wrist and pass it off to your teething or fussy baby that needs something to chew on, twist, bend or play with to keep him or her happy and entertained. It is durable and flexible and it can easily be cleaned with soap and water. I have one myself and while Birdy isn't teething yet, I've been using it as a nursing reminder--wearing it on the wrist of whichever side I need to start on next. (with sleep-deprived mommy-brain you'd be surprised how easy it is to forget in these early days.) And know what else is great? When you are done with your teething cuff, you can visit the OhPlah! website to print out a prepaid postage sticker to return your cuff where it will be recycled by the company.

Plan Toys 

plan toys matching game

I have always been a big fan of Plan Toys. In fact, years ago, Emma's first big Christmas gift was this dollhouse. And while toys in our household have come and gone, her dollhouse still sits front and center in the living room and gets daily use. Plan Toys is a company that is continuing to make the classic, wooden toys that have become increasingly hard to find. Their vision statement so perfectly sums up what I love about their company :

We create toys that inspire children's imagination as well as promote their phyical and intellectual development. We're also proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality standards while steadfastly following a path of environmental and social responsibility.

We were recently sent this wooden matching game to review as part of Plan Toys new Spring line. It usually sits at our kitchen table and the girls play with it often. Sorting. Matching. Thinking. Another classic added to our collection.

More From PlanToys:

Baby Toys | Developmental Toys | Educational Toys | Wooden Toy

Mothering Magazine

Mothering-159 

When I first became pregnant with Emma, I remember going through moments of worry and fear about the journey ahead. Was I ready to be a mother? Was it too soon? How would I figure it all out? How would I know what to do?

And I can remember during many of those moments of concern, flipping through the pages of a Martha Stewart Baby magazine. Getting lost in the pages, I felt reassured and inspired. I felt like I could do this. 

I believe that magazines can serve a variety of roles in our lives. They can inspire, educate and encourage us, and help us find camaraderie and connection. Or they can can make us feel inadequate, ill-equipped, or lacking.

I believe that Mothering magazine is a publication that does the first--the educating, the inspiring, the encouraging. Mothering magazine is the first to introduce and reach out to the natural family lifestyle:

from their website:

Mothering celebrates the experience of parenthood as worthy of one's best efforts and fosters awareness of the immense importance and value of parenthood and family life in the development of the full human potential...We address contemporary health, personal, environmental, medical, and lifestyle issues in an upbeat, intelligent, compassionate, and courageous way...Each issue contains philosophical inspiration and practical advice about family living...Mothering is a family. We have an independent editorial spirit unmatched in the industry and a readership that is unmatched in responsiveness. Readers who read Mothering share many of the same values. Nowhere else will you find such proactive, passionate, and highly educated readers. In the pages of Mothering you will find an environment of credibility, trust, and authority.

A GIVEAWAY !!

Thanks to the generous friends at Mothering magazine, one lucky MommyCoddle reader will win a ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to MOTHERING magazine. Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered. The winner will be announced on Monday, May 3rd.

I'll be back later this afternoon with one more GRAND FINALE giveaway! 

I can't wait!!!

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Show & Tell : Dress Me Up

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Dressmeup-logo
 

About Dress Me Up

Dress Me Up specializes in beautiful, organic toys for young children that are gentle and safe, and always art-inspired. They are a mama-made (not factory made) independent cottage industry located in Victoria BC, Canada. When you purchase from Dress Me Up, you are supporting their small company directly.

Their products are brought to life by owner, designer and creator Tressa Brotsky and her small team of craftswomen and mamas, all located in or near Victoria BC. Each organic soft toy, teether and baby linen is meticulously and responsibly handmade in small batches, ensuring confidence and loads of good, loving energy in every aspect of production.

Balls04_grande
 

My Thoughts:

I can't remember when I first discovered the Dress Me Up shop, but it has been on my radar for quite some time--one of those things I had stored away in my memory for the days when my next baby arrived, or when I needed a shower gift for someone special. I am always drawn to simple, classic baby toys and I love the "new take" that Dress Me Up puts on the classics. And it is purely icing on the cake that they are a small company, making handmade toys from organic and sustainable materials. After having the privilege of emailing back and forth with Tressa, I'm so happy I can share her amazing shop with all of you. 

One of Tressa's Organic Cloth balls is sitting on the bookshelf in Birdy's room waiting for the days when her little hands are coordinated enough to grab and play with it. And I can pretty much guarantee that when the time is right, I'll be adding one of the Rabbit Rattles or Teething BonBons to her toy basket as well.

Dmu_web002_grande
 

A GIVEAWAY!!

Tressa is graciously offering one lucky MommyCoddle reader the chance to win one of her lovely organic cloth balls in the new Tree Ring Design (in blue). Simply leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. All winners from this week, chosen randomly, will be announced on Monday, May 3rd. 

(NOTE: This giveaway is for US residents only, please.)

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Show & Tell Disclaimer


  


 
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