Diaper Wars Wipes Edition: WaterWipes Review #WaterWipes #IC #ad

“This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”

As many of you know I am pretty picky about diapers. I have an entire series comparing different diaper brands. However, as picky as I am about diapers I've never been that picky about baby wipes. When I had my first I just found the sensitive skin wipes that were the cheapest and have stuck with that brand for almost 4 years.

The last couple years I have been trying to increase the health of my family. One of the things that I have done is working on eliminating as many man made and toxic chemicals as possible. I have been using homemade laundry soap and tooth powder. I make the majority of our food from scratch. And we recently switched to cloth diapers for the children. I will admit that the main reason for switching to cloth diapers was the cost factor. With 3 in diapers, the cost of disposables was killing our budget. But I also appreciate the environmental and health conscious side of cloth diapering.

One thing I had never considered a health thing before was baby wipes. To be honest I never even considered the fact that wipes had ingredients. I have always bought the sensitive skin ones and made sure that they were perfume free and alcohol free. So if they are free of things then they must have something in them; but I never wondered what was in them.

When I finally looked at the ingredients I found a long string of unpronounceable words. I never imagined that there would be so many ingredients in wipes. I have thought about using washcloths and water, but even with using cloth diapers, cloth wipes seem inconvenient. I use a diaper sprayer for the poopy diapers but I don't want to spray down bunches of wipes. I may get there someday, but I'm just not there yet. That's where WaterWipes comes in.

WaterWipes are baby wipes that are completely unique. What makes them unique is that WaterWipes  only have 2 ingredients (besides the wipes themselves :)): 99.9% purified water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. You get the naturalness (yes, I just made up that word :)) of washcloths and water but the convenience of a container of wipes.


Pros:

• Only 2 ingredients! 
• Man made and toxic chemical free!
• They are very durable. I asked my 4 yr old to try to rip them and they didn't come apart.

• They stay moist well. Because the top opener is a sticker (see below in the cons about that) it is not easy to leave sitting open (which is a weakness of mine :() so the wipes don't get dried out as quick. I read in some reviews that the water might settle to the bottom sometimes but if that happens and you find your top wipes to be dry all you have to do is turn the package over and squeeze it a little bit to allow the water to redistribute.
• They are very soft and smooth.
• They clean poop off well. Trust me, with 3 kids in diapers I get plenty of chances to test that. And these do the job well.
• Good for cleaning faces and hands. I admit I have used other brands of wipes on my babies faces and hands when I needed to. I have been uncomfortable with it because of the ingredients but didn't have another option. Now I have another option!
• The wipes are not connected. I know some people don't like this, but I don't mind it. 
• Available in stores. WaterWipes can be found in many stores, including Meijers, and online. Check out their store locator to find where they are available near you. I recommend calling your local store to make sure they are in stock before going. 

Cons:

• The package does not have an easy open top. It is a plastic sticker that you peel back and replace. It is completely able to be sealed but not quite as convenient as the hard plastic openings that I am used to. Also my husband had a hard time figuring out how to open them. Since we have used the same brand for the last 4 years he didn't know that were other opening styles available. If I hadn't been watching he would have ripped open the package which is  not good because putting the wipes in a different container will eliminate the sterile environment.

• They cost more than other brands.
• They don't last as long as other brands. Because they don't have any man made chemicals in them they don't have any preservatives. Unopened packs can last as long as 15 months, but once the package is opened they recommend using them up within 1 month. There are only 60 wipes per package so using them up within a month is not a problem for me, but if you do not use very many wipes it may be a consideration for you.

Conclusion

These are good wipes. I like them as wipes. I like the ingredients. The price isn't my favorite. But these are great wipes!

If you want to know more about WaterWipes you can check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest pages. And again you can check them out at Meijers or find out where else to buy them on their store locator page.

Hotline to God Story Stix: Review of a great Children's Toy #sponspred

I received the products in this review for free in exchange for writing a review. All opinions are 100% my own. The products were supplied by Hotline to God. I signed up for the review through Buzz Plant's BuzzBlogger program.


When I received the package from Hotline to God we were having a crazy day getting ready for Little Man 2's first birthday party. I didn't have time to deal with it so I put it up on a shelf and forgot about it. I remembered it the other day when it was raining all day and I needed something to occupy the little men so I wouldn't go crazy. When I pulled them out and let the kids play with them I wished I wouldn't have waited so long.

The kids loved them! Little Man 2 was the first one who got to explore them because he woke up from his nap earlier than Little Man 1. He couldn't figure out how to push the buttons so I pushed them for him. You should have seen the huge smile when it was talking to him. Then he put it up to his ear like a phone (he has seen Little Man 1 talk on various objects like a phone). He gestured and smiled just like he was listening to someone on the phone. Whenever it stopped talking to him he handed it back to me and I started it again. I wish I could post the pictures I got of him listening and smiling, they are super cute. But Mr. Random and I agreed when I started this blog that I would not post pictures of any of our faces. You can see a few pictures below of my kids cute arms etc and their new favorite toys.

When Little Man 1 woke up he loved them too. He pushed the buttons over and over. He also loved the Serenity Prayer key chain. He really loves key chains right now. He will loop them around his fingers and carry them around. This key chain recites the serenity prayer when you push a button. SO now I hear the serenity prayer a lot :)

Hotline to God sent us 4 Story Stixs, 1 Key Chain, and 1 Phone to God. I haven't gotten batteries into the phone yet, but I have no doubt the boys will love that too. They both love pretending to talk on the phone. The story sticks are interesting. Each of them tells 1 bible story: Jesus, Noah, David & Goliath, and Adam & Eve. The stories are broken down into 6 parts, each button tells a sentence or two of the story. If you press each of the buttons in order you will hear the entire story. But they also set it up so each button makes sense on its own. They were well designed. The only thing I would change is the option to turn down the volume. The website says they are recommended for ages 3 and over, but my 2 (almost 3) year old  and 1 year old love them.

If you are looking for a good toy or present for a children these would be great!

Diaper Wars 8 the New! Huggies Little Snugglers #MC #sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Huggies and Target. I received samples and a promotional item to facilitate my review.

Let me apologize in advance, my shift button is not working well so capitalizing is twice as hard as usual. So if there are any words incorrectly capitalized I am sorry. This is what happens when little hands pry off your keyboard keys and putting them back on just doesn't fix it right.

I reviewed Huggies Little Snugglers diapers before and I was impressed with them, so when I was offered the opportunity to review the New! Huggies Little Snugglers diapers I jumped at the chance. These are some of my favorite diapers and if i could afford to I would use them all the time. As it is, I do use them when i have a newborn because I feel they are gentler on newborn skin.

Part of the review was that I had to go in store to Target and buy the diapers there (with a gift card provided by the sponsors). This was no hardship for me because I love Target! I buy all my diapers there anyways so this was nothing new. Target is always easy to navigate and find what I am looking for, and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. I also love their selection!

Target also has an excellent baby registry. I have registered there with both my boys. You can register online or in store (if you register online make sure you go in store to get the free gift bag, there are some really good coupons and freebies in there!). And right now if you create a Target baby registry and register for Huggies Little Snugglers diapers and Natural Care Wipes you can enter to win a year supply of free diapers! You can sign up for the sweepstakes on the Huggies Register Your Wish website.

Huggies Little Snugglers

Positives

Softness
The New! Huggies Little Snugglers are incredibly soft! I think these may be the softest of all the diapers I have tried. If you have read my previous reviews then you know that softness is very important to me. I don't like putting something on my child that I would never put against my skin. And hard scratchy diapers are not something I am willing to use. The softer the better in my opinion (as long as it doesn't reduce the use-ability). So this is a huge positive for me with Little Snugglers. I have no compunctions against using these on my son and i would have no problem using them on a newborn (I use store brand diapers most of the time, but i do go for the higher quality, softer diapers for my newborns). These diapers really feel like they would be a soft hug for newborns.

Absorbancy

The Huggies Little Snugglers are absorbant. They have a new GentleAbsorb* Liner  with hundreds of tiny absorbant pillows to help draw the mess away from the skin and keep them dry. Little Man 2 has not had any hugely wet diapers yet, but so far we have had no leaks. Even when he sleeps in them all night. And they seem to be helping with his rash a little (he has had a really bad rash for several days and using these in addition to diaper rash cream seems to be helping). So they are great skin care for your little one.

Wetness Indicator

Huggies Little Snugglers does have a very nice wetness indicator. The way that it works is that there is a yellow line on the outside of the diaper extending from the front to the back. When the diaper is wet the line will turn blue. It is easy to read and shows up even if there is only a little wetness. That is pretty important in the first few weeks when you don't really know what you are doing and have a hard time telling if your baby has peed and you are supposed to be recording how many times they have peed every day. I definitely recommend these diapers for the first month or so with your first child.

Rewards Program

Huggies has a rewards program. You earn points by entering codes from diapers and wipes, and other Huggies products, and inviting friends (by the way send me your email address if you want an invitation, you get 10 points for signing up through an invitation). Apparently you can also get points for reading articles and writing reviews but I'm not sure how that works because I haven't done it. As far as the rewards go you can get shutterfly products like photo books and photo prints, magazine subscriptions, and things for your children.

Deals

I see coupons for Huggies all the time. Usually for $1-3 off. On amazon right now there is a coupon for $2 and $4 off Little Snugglers. 

Fit
These diaper are very stretchy! They have a unique SnugFit* waistband in the back that stretches to provide a gentle secure fit. They have a flexible pocketed back waistband to help keep in the mess. They also have an umbilical cord cut out for newborns. I didn't need this feature, but I know it is great when you have a newborn. The stretchiness works well to make the diapers fit. The only area I'm not sure about is around the legs. I got size 2 because that is the size that my son wears in other diapers. But Little Snugglers runs a little bit smaller than the other diapers so it is possible a size 3 would have fit better in the leg. One problem with diapers running smaller is that your child grows out of each size a little faster, and the smaller sizes are slightly cheaper so staying in the smaller size saves you a little money. But this is not a deal breaker for me.

The stretchy back waistband

The pocket in the back waistband. It really does work to keep in the mess!

The stretchy sides.

Availability
You can find New! Huggies Little Snugglers in most grocery stores and mass retailers.


Neutral

Blowout Rate

Little Man 2 has been pooping a Lot lately. So I got a chance to test this out. He had one blowout. It came out around the leg, so it could have been our fault. Mr. Random put the diaper on so I didn't see how it fit around the leg.  And I don't really blame Huggies because Little Man 2 has been going through a blowout phase, and is having blowouts in any diapers I put him in. What I did like about these diapers is the pocketed waistband in the back (see picture below) because it stopped the blowout from going all the way up his back.

Negatives

Price
Prices are for size 1 diapers for equal comparison.
Walmart - Box of 216 diapers for $47.17 = $0.22/diaper
Amazon- Box of 198 diapers for $46.86 (with subscribe and save, free shipping) = $0.24/diaper
Target - Box of 216 diapers for $47.19 = $0.22/diaper

*Prices reflect the price at the time I checked, they will vary. I am not responsible for difference between these prices and current prices.


Conclusion
These diapers are great! The only downside is the price. But I am willing to pay the higher price for diapers for newborns. And of course when I find a great sale or coupon I would jump at the chance to get these diapers. They are great diapers and the changes are only for the better!


I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Huggies and Target. I received samples and a promotional item to facilitate my review.

Billy and the Monster Who Ate All The Easter Eggs Book Blast - 2 giveaways - copys of the book and $50! #Sponsored

Disclosure: I got to put an entry in the giveaway (make sure that you read to the bottom to be entered to win!) and I was entered in a separate giveaway for blog tour participants. I also got the chance to have new readers come visit my blog (welcome new readers! please feel free to stay and browse a while!). None of the links in this post are affiliate links for me. If you are a blogger and would like the opportunity to participate in future blog tours and blog blasts sign up at Mother, Daughter, & Son Book Reviews.

About the Book

Title: Billy and The Monster Who Ate All The Easter Eggs
Author: David Chuka
Publication Date: March 23, 2013
Publisher: Pen-n-a-Pad Publishing
Pages: 32
Recommended Ages: 3 to 8
Summary: Join Billy and Monster in this third episode of the series titled Billy and the Monster who Ate All the Easter Eggs. Billy and Monster love all the holidays as they get to spend quality time together. However, their best holiday is Easter as they get to eat their favorite food...CHOCOLATE! This year, they're spending Easter with Grandma Chocalicious who loves Chocolate even more than Billy. She's an expert at making chocolate cake, chocolate waffles and even chocolate pasta. This year Grandma Chocalicious has made a pyramid of Easter eggs for her party on Easter Sunday. Billy and Monster want one of the Easter eggs but Grandma says they have to wait till Easter Sunday. What happens when Billy and Monster tip toe downstairs and the pyramid of Easter eggs comes falling down? Get your copy of this funny book for kids of all ages that is not only full of laughs but also has a lesson weaved in that you'll love sharing with your loved ones.  

Book Trailer

Purchase

* Print copy includes FREE coloring book inside *

Amazon (Print) | Amazon (Kindle)

 

The Buzz

"Experience is the best teacher as Billy and his "purple shadow" learn a sweet lesson in Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs. Beautifully illustrated, nicely formatted, this quick, easy story will be read over and over again." ~ 5 Star Review, Julia B., Amazon

"My daughter has really been enjoying David Chuka's Billy and Monster books. This is another fun addition to the "family." As always, the story has a lovely moral (this time teaching the value of moderation - definitely the biggest word in the book)! It's based on the very realistic theme of overindulging in chocolate/sweets, which virtually anyone can relate to and which kids find a lot of fun. And, awesome pictures as always. Definitely recommend it." ~ 5 Star Review, Renee B., Amazon

"I really like the little monster in this book and how they get into trouble together. What child hasn't snuck into the cache of candies that their parents have hidden? Cute story with a lesson for the little ones in your family!" ~ 5 Star Review, Patricia T., Amazon

"This is a cute story about a little boy Billy and his funny friend Monster. They love chocolate so much that they forget about obeying to older. At night, they sneaked to the chocolate egg pyramid, started eating the chocolate eggs and made a big mess. On the morning, they not only got in a big trouble, but they also got a bad stomach pain. They both had to learn a lessons about MODERATION. Nice illustrations, book well written." ~ 5 Star Review, OPV, Amazon

"Billy and his monster friend enjoy lots of fun in this book, filled with great pictures and a cute story. It shares a lot about celebrating holidays, and intertwines humor and family love throughout the story. Hidden in the story is a nice message about eating in moderation, a well needed lesson in our culture of over-eating. Billy ends up being proud of himself and makes good decisions by the end of the book, while all the while sharing some adventures with his cute monster friend. Great read to share with your children or grandchildren year round, not just for the Easter holiday." ~ 5 Star Review, Katie W., Amazon

 

About the Author: David Chuka

David Chuka lives in London with his lovely wife and two adorable children. His family are usually the first people to hear his funny and quirky tales. He was inspired to write his first book, 'If You See a Doctor' after he struggled to find a book for his daughter who was a beginner reader.

He's gone on to write more books including the popular 'Billy and Monster' series, a funny set of books about a little boy and his Monster who get into all sorts of funny situations and learn about moderation, friendship, self control, bravery etc. Young children can relate to Billy and you'll love sharing his adventures with your children, grandchildren and loved ones. As a father himself, he has parents at heart when he writes. He recognizes that bedtime has to be one of the best parts of the day for parents and grandparents as it gives them the opportunity to bond with their little ones. He believes you'll enjoy sharing his stories with your loved ones at bedtime. In David Chuka's books, you can stay rest assured that quality and captivating images will always complement the story to ensure your loved ones are spell-bound as you read to them. Beginner readers will also enjoy discovering new words as they read his books. He has so many stories to tell and can't wait to share them with you and your loved ones.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Google+ | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page

 

Want to win a copy of Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs?

Enter for your chance to win 1 of 2 print copies of Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs by David Chuka in a Goodreads giveaway (Open U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia; Ends April 17, 2014).

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs

by David Chuka

Giveaway ends April 17, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

* $50 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: May 13, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, David Chuka and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Copyright © 2014 Mother Daughter Book Reviews, All rights reserved.

Good Night Animal World Book Review and $25 giveaway!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free in return for posting my review. I also got to put an entry in the giveaway (make sure that you read to the bottom to be entered to win!) and I was entered in a separate giveaway for blog tour participants. I also got the chance to have new readers come visit my blog (welcome new readers! please feel free to stay and browse a while!). None of the links in this post are affiliate links for me. If you are a blogger and would like the opportunity to participate in future blog tours and blog blasts sign up at Mother, Daughter, & Son Book Reviews.

About the Book

Title: Good Night, Animal World: A Kids Yoga Bedtime Story
Author: Giselle Shardlow
Illustrator: Emily Gedzyk
Publication Date: September 20, 2013
Publisher: Company: Kids Yoga Stories LLC
Pages: 32
Recommended Ages: 2.5 to 6 years
Summary: Say good night to the animals of the world! Calm your mind and body before bedtime by taking a journey around the world with this kids yoga storybook. Join six Kids Yoga Stories characters as you perch like a bald eagle, crouch like a tiger, and curl up like a sloth. The book includes a list of Kids Yoga Poses and a Parent Guide with tips on creating a successful bedtime experience. Learn something new, explore movement, and unwind together before bedtime!
   

My Review

I asked to be included in this tour because this book sounded interesting to me. And it is super cute! The story is about saying goodnight to a bunch of different animals across the world, but the really fun part is the yoga poses that go with each part of the story. The yoga poses have something to do with the animal (although sometimes that something is a bit of a stretch :) ) and you do them with your child as you are going through the book. I haven't been able to get Little Man to do them with me yet, but I will keep working on him :). I love the idea of doing yoga with my children! Oh and in case you are wondering how a yoga book is a good night book. The poses work their way from more active poses like the kangaroo hop (get those wiggles out!) to the resting pose. At the end of the story they would be laying down in bed. So this would be a great story to read together right before bed. At the end of the story there is a map showing where the animals are from around the world, so it would also be great for talking about geography and the variety of animals found in different places. Then there is a parents section with a list of the poses, animals, countries, a picture of the pose, and some tips for reading and doing the book together with your child. Overall this book is a great resource and I really enjoy it.

The Buzz 

"This book has been so amazing for my 2.5 year old daughter! The illustrations are adorable! She is always so rambunctious at bedtime and this lets her get out some of that excess energy. She loves the book so much that this has been one we read every night. It helps my daughter fall asleep faster which means more time for mom in the evenings." ~ 5 Star Review, cwalt047, Amazon

"Another GREAT book!! I used this book for my kids yoga classes for ages 2-5 years old. After a very active yoga class, we read this book and did the yoga poses before the resting portion of the class. My little yogis loved the pictures and saying Good Night to all of the animals one by one. I played a calming song with some animal noises in the background and we were then able to quiet our minds and bodies for the pose of rest. I think this will become a regular pre-resting story for my classes with this age group. My 5 year old son loves to read this book again and again too! Keep the great books coming!" ~ 5 Star Review, Stacy Daniels - Kids Yoga Teacher, Amazon

"What a delightful book to get young children reading and moving in a wind-down, calming story about saying goodnight to the animals of the world. I am a k-12 Reading Certified teacher who blogs about parenting at The Educator's Spin On It. I am big fan of literacy activities that combine movement and geography in a loving parent / child interaction experience and Good night, Animal World does just that. This book would be a great addition to your book shelf." ~ 5 Star Review, Amanda at The Educators' Spin On It, Amazon

 
Coupon

There is a coupon code available for the Book Tour which will provide a discount of 20% off the current sale prices on all of the Kids Yoga Stories books. Here is the link to the website:

http://www.kidsyogastories.com/

To apply the coupon code, you simply enter "marchtour" before you checkout and you will receive 20% off the cart value. The coupon expires on 04/01/14. Note that the 20% off will be on top of the current sale prices.

About the Author: Giselle Shardlow 


Giselle Shardlow is the author of Kids Yoga Stories. Her yoga-inspired children’s books get children moving, learning, and having fun. Giselle draws from her experiences as a teacher, traveler, yogi, and mom to write the stories found at www.kidsyogastories.com or on Amazon (amazon.com/author/giselleshardlow) worldwide.      

Book Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+

 
Good Night, Animal World Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

March 10

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)

My Devotional Thoughts (Review)

Books Direct (Author Interview & Review)

Amanda's Books and More (Review)

K&A's Children's Book Reviews (Review)

March 11

Brooke Blogs (Review)

Doodles, Doodles Everywhere (Review)

Reading List (Review)

Coffee & Books & Art (Review)

March 12

When I Grow Up I Wanna Write a Kids Book (Review)

Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)

Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)

Alwaysjoart (Review)

March 13

Baby Bookworms in Black Words - White Pages (Guest Post)

Christy's Cozy Corners (Review)

Christy's Houseful of Chaos (Review)

Hazel Nutt's Toddler Talk (Review)

March 14

For the Love of Books (Review)

Books, Babies and Bows (Review)

Sweet Day's LifeBook (Review)

March 15

Stitch Says (Review)

WS Momma Readers Nook (Review)

Edventures With Kids (Review)

The Reading Room (Book Spotlight)

March 16

Deal Sharing Aunt (Review)

Lakshmi Gosyne (Review)

Growing Intentional Families Together (Review)

March 17

BeachBoundBooks (Author Interview)

Adalinc To Life (Review)

A Year of Jubilee Reviews (Review)

No Doubt Learning (Review)

March 18

Generation iKid (Review)

Domestic Randomness (Review)

Identity Discovery (Review)

Storytime Books (Review)

March 19

Victoria Simcox's Blog (Author Interview)

Mommynificent (Review)

Desperate Homeschoolers (Review)

March 20

Looney's Literacy (Review)

Dawn's Disaster (Review)

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys (Review)

Hershey Wishes and Kisses (Review)

When Did I Become My Mom (Review)

March 21

Lobo's Follies (Guest Post)

Grandbooking (Review)

Picture Books & Pirouettes (Review)

Say What? Savannah Mae Kids (Review)

March 22

Nana Three and Counting (Review)

Once Upon a Time (Review)

Learning and Growing the Piwi Way (Review)

March 23

The Owl's Skull (Review)

The Squishable Baby (Review)

A Leisure Moment (Review)

Living as We (Review)

 
* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: April 8, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Giselle Shardlow and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Copyright © 2014 Mother Daughter Book Reviews, All rights reserved.

When Baby Becomes Big Sibling - an ebook review and giveaway! - sponsored

Disclosure: I received a free copy of When Baby Becomes Big Sibling in return for this review. Great news I was also provided a copy to giveaway too! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been following Paula Rollo from Beauty for Imperfection and Blogging on the Side for a while now. It all started when she won a month sponsorship and I got the privilege of reviewing her blog Beauty for Imperfection. When she started Blogging on the Side with some other bloggers I loved that blog too. Paula is one of the most inspiring bloggers that I have read. She is so encouraging that every time I visit her blog or get a post in my email I feel better.

When Paula announced that she had published her first ebook I knew I had to read it. Especially since the book was about integrating a new baby into a family with a toddler. I just went through that 5 months ago and I think one of the reasons our transition has been so smooth (relatively :)) is because of the great advice I read on Paula's blog in posts like Preparing Big Brother for a New Baby, and 8 Ways to Help a Toddler adjust to the New Baby.

When Baby Becomes Big Sibling did not let me down. It was as inspiring and encouraging as I expected it to be. Filled with practical advice and lots of humor this book is a great read for anyone who is about to have their second child (or third, or fourth, or tenth), or anyone considering having more children, or even anyone who has had more than one child. I found myself nodding my head a lot thinking she described my experience perfectly. And it was an easy read. I finished it in about an hour (partly because I couldn't put it down :)). I am very glad that I got a chance to read this book, I will probably reread it multiple times for encouragement and ideas, especially if we are blessed to add another member to our family.

Here are a few quotes from the book:

And Paula was gracious enough to provide a copy of When Baby Becomes Big Sibling for one of you lucky readers to win! This copy is PDF only. It is not a kindle copy. If you want a kindle copy you will have to go here to buy one. If you would like the chance to win a PDF copy enter through the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a free copy of When Baby Becomes Big Sibling in return for this review. The giveaway copy was provided for free too. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All opinions are 100% mine.



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Kidoodle.TV - TV for Kids! Sponsored

I participated in a Blog Blast program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kidoodle.TV. I received a promotional item and a free trial as a thank you for participating.


Today I have the privilege of sharing Kidoodle.TV with you. I got to try it out for free and you can too! Make sure you read all the info so you can find out how you can try it for free!

Kiddodle.TV is a revolutionary new screening website just for kids. There are tons of cool features:

• Built for kids, not just aimed at them, Kidoodle.TV is designed specifically for the use and navigation by kids (ages 12 and under), ensuring an age-appropriate viewing experience.
• Featuring a brightly colored, easy-to-use user interface, customizable Kid Profiles for up to 5 kids, and great entertainment and educational content from a variety of sources, Kidoodle.TV is child oriented and convenient, with no adult content and with robust controls for parents. 
• Parental controls include age category filtering and title selection and de-selection, which allows parents to tailor available content to each child’s needs.
• Once logged into Kidoodle.TV, parents simply select a Kid Profile and hand off the navigation to the child. 
• Kidoodle.TV features content appropriate for its audience and is free of advertising within the service. 
• Kidoodle.TV offers the freedom and diversity of Internet access but with parameters built in to assist with child safety.

My Experience:

I tried out Kidoodle.TV with Little Man 1. We got signed up and watched a few shows. I had only heard of a few of the shows, but we watched a couple of shows I hadn't heard of and they were pretty cute. I love that Kidoodle.TV has the option to make different profiles for each kid and set controls as to which shows they can and cannot watch. That makes it easier for me to feel comfortable letting him watch a show because I know he won't accidentally wander into a show he shouldn't be watching.

Right now Kidoodle.TV is doing a holiday giveaway. All you have to do is sign up to try Kidoodle.TV for FREE!

• Try Kidoodle.TV for FREE and enter by December 31, 2013 to win 1 of 10 tablets or 1 of 10 Kidoodle.TV year-long subscriptions!
• To enter the giveaway, go to Kidoodle.TV to sign up for a free trial. Follow the on-screen directions and submit!

Check out the Kidoodle.TV Website in your post: https://www.kidoodle.tv/ . Follow Kidoodle.TV on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidoodleTV or Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidoodleTV 

I participated in a Blog Blast program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kidoodle.TV. I received a promotional item and a free trial as a thank you for participating.

Diaper Wars Review 7: Huggies Little Movers

Positives

Softness
These diapers are very soft. Huggies is really good about making their diapers soft and snuggly. They are flexible and move well.

Rewards Program
These are a Huggies product so they fall under the Huggies reward program. Here is the info on the program.
Huggies does have a rewards program.You earn points by entering codes from diapers and wipes, and other Huggies products, and inviting friends (by the way send me your email address if you want an invitation, you get 10 points for signing up through an invitation). Apparently you can also get points for reading articles and writing reviews but I'm not sure how that works because I haven't done it. As far as the rewards go you can get shutterfly products like photo books and photo prints, magazine subscriptions, and things for your children.

Deals
Huggies offers coupons on their diapers pretty regularly. I have seen coupons for little movers many times, and often if you pair these coupons with cvs sales you can get these diapers for the same or less than the cheaper brands.
If you order your diapers through Amazon make sure that you check www.amazon.com/coupons before you order because they have coupons you can use on Amazon orders  for several diaper brands including Huggies Little Movers.

Fit
These diapers are extremely stretchy. Both the back and around the legs stretch well (while still being soft) so they fit very well and comfortably.

Neutral

Absorbancy
These diapers are about average absorbancy. They didn't have any major leaks. They held up as well as many of the other brands.

Blowout Rate
I didn't have a chance to test this, because he didn't have any poops that could have been blowouts.

Wetness Indicator
There is no wetness indicator, but that is fine because at this age you can generally tell if the diaper is wet.


Negatives

Price
Prices are for previous brands are for size 1 diapers for equal comparison, however Little Movers only comes in sizes 3 and above so these prices are for size 3 diapers
Walmart - Box of 186 diapers for $47.17 = $0.25/diaper
Amazon - Box of 72 diapers for $18.78 (with subscribe and save, free shipping) = $0.26/diaper
Target - Box of 186 diapers for $47.19 = $0.25/diaper

*Prices reflect the price at the time I checked, they will vary. I am not  responsible for difference between these prices and current prices.

Conclusion
These diapers are very good diapers. If you can find them on a good sale with a coupon they are worth getting. I personally wouldn't pay full price for these diapers, because it isn't worth it. But they are definitely worth buying on sale (there are some brands that I will not buy even when on sale). Overall a good diaper.

Big Announcement!

I have a wonderful announcement for you! And Little Man is going to help me make this announcement. If you can't guess from the pictures I will explain it at the bottom :)

If you didn't get it, yes we are expecting again! Right now I am 19.5 weeks along. We are super excited and can't wait to meet this little one!

I couldn't wait to make Little Man his first Big Brother Shirt. I made it the same way I made the Dude Family Shirts. If you want your own you can find in on my Etsy Shop! I wanted to use this to announce the pregnancy to our families, but since we found out on Christmas day, and wanted to tell the families a few days later (and I would have had to tell my aunt in order to use her machine to make the sticker stencils) it wasn't practical. So we simply made an announcement to each family.


When we found out we were expecting Little Man we announced it to our families buy buying them a baby related picture frame and putting a note in it saying Picture to come in December 2011. My sister was studying abroad in Spain so we sent her a baby card to announce it.

How did you announce to your family that you were expecting?

Let's Talk - A fun little Mommy Quiz

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Let's Talk - A fun Little Mommy Quiz

I found this mommy quiz and thought it looked like too much fun so I thought that I would share it with you guys (along with my answers of course :) I would love to hear your answers to any or all of the questions!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? We didn't have a specific plan, but we were very happy.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Excitement!

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? Not even remotely

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 23

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? I had a feeling that that month was different, then tried to calculate dates (I am horrible at keeping track) and became pretty sure, then went in for a pregnancy test and knew for sure

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Mr Random

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes

9. DUE DATE? December 4

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yes, but it wasn’t too horrible

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?  Fruit, fruit, and more fruit (little man still loves fruit). Also had to stop stocking pickles because I was having trouble keeping myself to just 3 pickles, and when I wasn’t eating the pickles I was daydreaming about eating the pickles. Other than that it was just small random blips, something would be mentioned on tv and it would sound good, most of the time if we didn’t have it, or it would have been too much work to get I just lived without.

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Boy

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I did originally wish for it, and I do still hope for a girl someday, but little man is the sweetest, most wonderful child I could ever imagine and I would not trade him for anything in the world.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?  Way too many, sorry that's all you get :)

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yup, three of them, one with Mr. Random’s side of the family, one at church, one with my side of the family.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew for all three

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? I had gestational hypertension (high blood pressure in pregnancy, I heard it so many times that I learned the dr words :), and they tested me twice for preeclampsia. The first time I didn’t have it. The second time we never found out because my water broke the night that they were doing the test. I also had horrible pain in my hips that I couldn’t sleep directly on my side or walk very far (which unfortunately did not go away completely after giving birth). I also was sick or had an infection almost constantly. Pregnancy is super fun (not :) but totally worth it.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? An awesome local hospital

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? A little under 12 from when my water broke to when little man was born. Labor itself from when I was induced was closer to 9 or 10 hours I think.

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Mr Random

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Mr Random, my mom, a couple nurses, and the dr.

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Natural

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? I had an epidural, it kinda started wearing off towards the end though

25. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7 lbs 15 oz

26. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? November 18

27. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Sorry, all you get to know is Little Man

28. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 16 mo