Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Pacifier Clips: No More Destroying My House!

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My baby is really serious about her pacifier. She has always been a baby who has needed to suck in order to comfort herself, and I quickly lost interest in serving as her personal pacifier. As soon as we got the green light from our pediatrician to give her a binky (at 2 weeks) we did!

Darah is now 4 months old. She is learning how to grab things, which is absolutely precious. She seems to be especially fond of grabbing her pacifier, taking it out of her mouth, and dropping it somewhere. Usually, within minutes she is crying for it, but she doesn’t yet know how to locate it and pop it back in her mouth. Tim and I are CONSTANTLY roaming around the house looking for lost binkies. We decided that we either needed to purchase 10 pacifiers and place them all over the house, or we needed to get something that could help hold her pacifier in place (a cheaper and more logical choice, obviously).

I found some ridiculously cute pacifier clips at the Etsy store Freakie Toes (don’t you love that name?!). Varinia, the shop owner, kindly sent me a clip to try out on Darah and review for you. I received the clip pictured on the right (cute packaging, right?). There are many pacifier clips on the market, but here’s what I particularly love about the clips from Freakie Toes. First, the snap on attachment works with both popular styles of binkies. You can snap it around a pacifier that has a hook on it, or you can snap it around the base of a pacifier that doesn’t. Darah has rejected every pacifier out there except for MAM, and they don’t have the hooks on them. This made finding a pacifier clip very difficult. But the clips from Freakie Toes totally work!

The second thing I really like about these clips is that they are downright lovely. I’ve seen many pacifier clips that can get the job done, but they are so unfortunate looking that they can make the cutest outfit look a bit sad. This just won’t do for my little doll. The flower that serves as the attachment piece is absolutely precious! Notice that is has a little rhinestone in the middle, too! Darah’s pacifier clip is basically a little brooch, and it adds to the cuteness factor of whatever she wears.

Freakie Toes has several clips to choose from on their site, and if you want to customize the color of the ribbon, that can be done. This especially great for anyone who dresses their little ones in colors beyond the traditional pinks and whites. Varinia also has some really cute beaded clips for sale if you aren’t interested in having the flower on the clip, or if you just want something different and fun! Either clip sells for $9.00. Trust me when I say that if you don’t have a pacifier clip, you’ll spend way more than $9.00 replacing pacifiers as they get lost!

Buy It!
Freakie Toes has precious and practical gifts for any little one who loves a binky (and the parents will enjoy it, too!). These clips would be perfect stocking stuffers or would be appreciated at your next baby shower. For the week of the contest, Freakie Toes is offering a 10% discount (less shipping) to all of my readers. Simply convo Varinia with what you want to purchase and she can make a custom listing for you with the adjusted price (don’t forget to tell her that you are a Stuff Parents Need reader).

Win It!
One very lucky parent is going to snag a pacifier clip for his/her little one! This contest will run until December 21st at 7:59pm CST. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments or have it listed in your profile. The winner will be selected via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification. Open to residents of the U.S.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Head over to Freakie Toes and tell me if you would prefer a beaded pacifier clip or a flower rhinestone pacifer clip, and what colors you like best.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Make a purchase at Freakie Toes (5 entries, so leave 5 comments). Be sure to leave the email address you used when making your purchase.
3. Grab my button and add it to your blog roll (leave a url so I can find it!)
4. Follow me on Google friend connect
5. Enter my mineral makeup giveaway (listed Monday, December 14th)

Disclosure: I was sent a pacifier clip for review purposes only. No other form of compensation was received for this review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Mineral Foundation Reviews: Achieve a Beautiful Look Naturally

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Mineral Foundation Review

I have been a fan of mineral foundation for about 2 years, now. I was very skeptical about how something that looked like powder could possibly offer the coverage of a liquid foundation, but a girlfriend of mine encouraged me to give it a try after she has success with it. I gave in and ordered some Bare Minerals (a place where many people start), and pretty much never looked back. The makeup, in my opinion, is of a very high quality. Unfortunately, the price tag is also high (I know that more expensive makeup definitely exists, but when you are used to paying drugstore prices, $25 for a month’s supply of foundation totally stinks).

I know that part of what you are paying for when you use Bare Minerals is the name brand. They spend a fortune on advertising, and pass those costs right along to the consumer. I tried some of the drugstore versions of mineral makeup, but did not have any success with that venture, as I personally found the quality to be seriously inferior. I knew that there had to be some company out there that offered excellent mineral makeup but for a more reasonable cost than what I was paying. Friends, I found such a place!
mineral foundation reviews for Tiara Minerals
Let me introduce you to Tiara Minerals by Colorful Designs, an etsy store run by a fabulous woman named Gail. This company, which also has a website, offers a really large variety of options for anyone looking to try out mineral makeup, or anyone who is looking to spend less on their makeup but maintain the great look they are currently achieving with higher priced brands. Gail is a huge fan of mineral makeup, and her love of it as a consumer turned into a business. She only uses the highest quality minerals in her products. If you are on the fence about whether or not mineral makeup will work for you, listen to what Gail has to say: “Traditional liquid makeup have oils and waxes in it that can clog your pores and feel heavy on your skin. Mineral makeup is so feather light and pure you can sleep in it.” You heard right, folks. YOU CAN SLEEP IN IT. Any mother out there will rejoice at the sound of this news! This is one less thing for us to do at night on those especially crazy days! Woo hoo! Gail also offers sample baggies so that you can try out some shades before making a commitment.

I was sent a 10 piece sample bag to try out for myself (incidentally, you can snag this sample set for yourself at the sale price of $9.99 right now!). I blended the shades fair and fairest light together, as that is what I normally do with my Bare Minerals to get the right shade for my skin. I did a test by putting Bare Minerals on one half of my face, and Tiara Minerals on the other half. The coverage was equally good, and the colors matched up so well that I was able to wear the makeup out of the house as is (I did put some mineral veil over it just to smooth it out a bit). One thing that really makes me happy about Tiara Minerals is the way the foundation is sold. You can actually buy a few different shades at once so that you can custom blend the colors just for you! With any set that you purchase, be it foundation, eyeshadow or blush, colors can be swapped out in order to best meet your needs. I am especially impressed by this ability to customize your order. Whenever I order from Bare Minerals, for example, I always get a few things that I don’t personally want or need (such as the bronzer), simply because it comes with the set.

One other standout for me was the Clear Luminous All Over Color. Remember that pregnancy glow? This actually returned a bit of that glow to my face, and if I can achieve that look again without having to be pregnant, sign me up!

Overall, I was so pleased with the products I received from Tiara Minerals that I opted to wear the makeup for our Christmas photos. I like a soft, natural look that makes my skin feel healthy, and that’s exactly what I got with Tiara Minerals. I also love how fast the application process is with mineral makeup. Anything that can save me time AND look terrific is a winner with me. I’ll be placing an order in the future, for sure!

Buy It!
Tiara Minerals foundation sets start at $3.99 for a sample bag and $12.95 for a set. Most of the products are available with free shipping to save you even more money! If you are looking for a new makeup to try out, I really recommend that you start with Tiara Minerals! Edited to add: if you aren’t comfortable shopping on Etsy for some reason, Amazon does now offer a really nice selection of mineral foundations. Just be sure to read the reviews before making a purchase!

Win It!
One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a 10 piece baggie set (net wt 14 g) of their choice. Choose from Fair, Light or Tan! The contest will run until Sunday, December 20th at 7:59pm CST, when a winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Tiara Minerals. Come back here and tell me the product she sells that you want the very most!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Become a fan of Tiara Minerals on facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Tiara Minerals (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)
4. Add my button to your blog and leave me a url so I can find it! (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
5. Follow me through Google friend connect
6. Enter my pacifier clip giveaway (it goes live Tuesday, December 15th)

Disclosure: I received product samples for review purposes. The views in this post are strictly my own.

AffordableChristmas Toys for Babies

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what to get my baby for Christmas. Of course, I want the day to bring her joy and laughter, but I know that it is completely unnecessary for me to overwhelm her with material objects in order to bring a smile to her face (and I pray that I never lose sight of that fact!). I’ve been thinking about finding just a few  interactive toys for baby that are developmentally appropriate for her (looking for baby toys for 6-12 months), and that are affordable. If you’ve ever shopped for toys for babies, you know that you can certainly find cheap stuff out there, but that doesn’t mean that it will engage a child’s mind. You can also find some really engaging toys that hit your checking account awfully hard. In my opinion, Playskool is a brand that offers the toys that children can learn and grow with, minus the heavy price tag. If you have a baby or toddler on your Christmas list, I want to highlight a few really great affordable toys for babies from Playskool, all under $20.

christmas toys for babies For babies ages 6 months and up, the Tumble ‘N Twirl Top is an excellent option. Balls can be dropped into the chute, and then the button on top can be pressed to start twirling them around! A baby can also open the door to release the balls and enjoy crawling after them. This product retails for $19.99.

Another great option for a baby 9 months and older is the Blocksters Blockimals. These are stacking blocks with a twist! The outside of the blocks have different animal characters on them. The blocks also have an animal on the inside of the blocks for additional fun! The blocks come in sets of 3 and retail for $14.99.

If the baby in your life is 12 months or older, Playskool has a really cute and thrifty option for you. Wheel Pals are soft and squeezable animals on wheels! Your young toddler will really enjoy rolling these along the floor time and time again. The price also cannot be beat, as these retail for $3.99. These would be a terrific stocking stuffer, or put together a few of them (there are 12 varieties from which to choose) for a really fun gift.
christmas toys for babies
For the kids ages 2 and up (and let’s be real, also for the grown ups), consider a Classic Themed Mr. Potato Head! christmas toys for babies If you never had a Mr. Potato Head growing up, I encourage you to indulge yourself and get one! They are SO MUCH FUN, and of course, they are even more fun when you get to introduce them to a child for the first time. Pretty much everyone is familiar with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head figures, but did you know that Playskool also offers a Firefighter Spud that comes with an extinguisher and Captain Potato Chips, complete with a peg leg, eye patch and hooked hand? Imagine the fun to be had with these toys, and for the low price of $9.99!

I hope that this post gives you some ideas for truly fun toys for babies at a price point that won’t make you squeamish. The folks at Playskool do an excellent job of creating great toys that children will reach for again and again. They are definitely buy-worthy, in my book!

They are also win-worthy! Playskool is offering a Stuff Parents Need reader some of these excellent toys! One of you will win a Firefighter Spud AND 2 Wheel Pals! You will be giving hours and hours of fun to the little one in your life who will receive these, I guarantee it! This contest will run until December 15th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected via random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with requested information. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry: You must follow or subscribe to my blog! Options include following me through Google friend, subscribing through email, or subscribing via RSS. Let me know which one you use in your entry.

Additional Entries:
1. Follow HasbroNews on Twitter
2. Tell me another Playskool toy you really love!
3. Check out the For Parents section of the Playskool site, and tell me something you learned there!
4. Enter my giveaway for swaddling blankets (ends 12/12)
5. Enter my Delicae Gourmet giveaway (ends 12/13)

Disclosure: I received no form of compensation for this post. I just love Playskool! Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you.

The Lowdown on Receiving Blankets: The Key to Infant Sleep (Giveaway!)

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swaddling blankets for babies

(Image from Target.com)

Before I had a child, I thought that receiving blankets (or swaddling blankets for babies) just like the ones shown to the right made the perfect gift for new parents. After all, babies like to be swaddled, right? So a receiving blanket would be an extremely useful gift!
Only now do I realize how very wrong I was. I shudder to think about how many receiving blankets I’ve given at baby showers.

You may be very confused right now. Am I saying that babies don’t like to be swaddled, and therefore, don’t need blankets? Absolutely not! Most newborns absolutely love to be swaddled, and really NEED to be swaddled to help them feel secure, especially during the first 3 months of life (my little one is days away from being 4 months old, and she is still all about the swaddle). The blankets pictured above, along with the vast majority of receiving blankets you will find in stores, are simply WAY WAY WAY too small (the ones above are 30 x 30)! Darah was a smallish baby when she was born, and when we got her home we found that her receiving blankets could not contain her 6 pound 9 ounce little body. We received a homemade receiving blanket at a shower, and it was HUGE. We couldn’t imagine that we needed something that big, but in fact, it became our saving grace at nap time. Our traditional receiving blankets are sitting in her closet gathering dust while her homemade blankets are working overtime.

I haven’t really seen receiving blankets in any national chain stores that are truly big enough (edited to add, since writing this post, Amazon has started to carry some larger ones…always check the size!). But I have found a store on Etsy that makes exactly what you really need. Let me introduce you to Ahmelie. This shop carries a large selection of swaddling blankets that can actually get the job done (they measure 44 inches square for the large blankets). I was blown away by the beautiful patterns she offers. The price is outstanding, as well, starting at $11.00 per blanket. If you are expecting, I am begging you to get a large swaddling blanket like the ones at Ahmelie. If you are going to a baby shower any time soon, this would be a gift that the parents will thank you endlessly for once their bundle arrives (I promise!).

swaddling blanket for babies
Buy it!
Ahmelie has swaddling blankets with a designer look, but without the designer pricetag. Head on over and stock up for yourselves or for your friends and family who have babies on the way! All orders come with a blank hand sewn card. BONUS: Anyone who places an order and mentions this post in their note to the seller will receive a free bib/nusring clip, which can be used to turn napkins and burp cloths into bibs or to secure a blanket in place so it can be used as a nursing cover!

Win it!
TWO lucky readers are going to win 2 swaddling blankets each of your choice from Ahmelie! Oh how I envy you! The contest will run until Sunday, December 12th at 7:59pm CST, when the winners will be chosen at random and emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Ahmelie’s swaddling blankets. Come back here and tell me which two you would pick if you won!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Become a fan of Ahmelie on facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Ahmelie (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)

Disclosure: I received no product or compensation for this review and giveaway.

Slow Cooker Meals Made Even Easier (Giveaway!)

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EDIT: THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

I have been back at work for 5 weeks, now. My husband and I each work 4 day weeks (10 hours each day). He has Mondays off, and I have Fridays off. We are very lucky; I know most working parents are away from home Monday-Friday, and sometimes even more than that. Even with that said, I’m still going to complain about Tuesday-Thursday. They are absolutely INSANE! We get home around 6pm. Our little one is very tired by that point, and pretty much eats and goes right to sleep. Once we’ve put her down, it’s 6:30pm and we have to figure out what to eat for dinner. We typically eat lunch around noon, so by 6:30 we are VERY hungry. We’re also pooped! Does this painful weekday scenario sound familiar to you? It’s so tempting in those moments to call Papa John’s or run out to Taco Bell for something quick. But doing so really takes a bite out of your budget and does nothing flattering for your waist line!

I was recently able to try out some yummy food from Delicae Gourmet that really did make a few of our weeknight meals MUCH less hectic. Delicae Gourmet has a line of slow cooker meals. You simply need to add a few extra ingredients (such as meat), turn on your Crock Pot, and walk away. We tried out the Big Easy Jambalaya and the Thai Curry Lentil Soup. The jambalaya was very flavorful, and was something with a much more complex flavor than anything we would normally eat on a weeknight. And yet, it was pretty close to effortless to prepare! The Thai Curry Lentil Soup was also a huge hit at my house. It tasted fresh and it felt good eating it, because the ingredients are so very good for you. These sell for $5.95 and $6.15, respectfully. I thought that the price tag was just ok until I made the dishes and realized how excellent they tasted, and even more notably, how much food we had leftover! The box tells you that these make 8-10 servings, and this is the truth, in my experience. Now I think that they are an excellent deal for a tasty home cooked meal!

When you check out Delicae Gourmet’s online store, you’ll quickly see that the slow cooker meals are only one of many different categories of food that they carry. We tried two other items in their line, the Sun Dried Tomato pasta sauce and the Lemon Pomegranate Marmalade. We used the Lemon Pomegranate Marmalade as a filling for crepes. OH MY WORD. This stuff was insanely delicious, and tasted so fresh! I would not hesitate to give this as a gift to someone for the holidays. It is a winner! The Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce. runs $8.50 per jar, so it costs a bit more than what I normally spend on canned sauces. Therefore, I expected it to really impress me. It honestly did! I thought that it tasted incredibly fresh. If I hadn’t prepared it myself, I would have bet money that the sauce had been made that very day, using all fresh ingredients. I would definitely use this in a dish that I would serve to company, and I might even take the credit for how delicious it is when the guests rave about it (because they definitely will)!

The owners of Delicae Gourmet, Barbara and Lenny, have a passion for gourmet food, and that really comes across in their products. Nothing that I sampled tasted canned, boxed, or stale in the flavor department. I would definitely shop from them again, and I would also recommend that you think of Delicae Gourmet when you are trying to come up with a creative gift for new parents, or for anyone who could use some help in the kitchen!

Buy It! If you are having a difficult time getting good food on your dinner table (that didn’t come from a restaurant) then go ahead and give Delicae Gourmet a try. I promise, their products can help make weeknights less hectic, and the price is much more reasonable than going out to eat!

Win It! The folks at Delicae Gourmet want to give one Stuff Parents Need reader a $25 gift certificate to their store! Shezam! The contest will run until Sunday, December 13th, at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my winning notification email. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Go check out all the amazing products at Delicae Gourmet, and come back here and tell me one thing that isn’t mentioned in the review that you’d love to taste for yourself!

Additional Entries:

1. Subscribe to this blog (3 entries, so leave 3 posts!!!)

2. Make a purchase at Delicae Gourment (leave me the email address you used for the purchase) (5 entries, so leave 5 posts)

Disclosure: I was provided with samples for product review purposes. The views expressed in this post are strictly my own.

The Importance of Nursing Pillow Covers (Giveaway!)

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As a breastfeeding mama, I have to say that I have gotten some serious use out of my Boppy nursing pillow. It provides a really nice way for Darah and I to both be comfortable, which makes meal times much easier for both of us.

When we got our Boppy it came with a nursing pillow slipcover. We also registered for and received a second cover. I thought that the second cover was a bit excessive since we already had one, and I seriously doubted that we would get much use out of it.

I WAS TOTALLY WRONG.

Here’s the thing about breastfeeding: it can be EXTREMELY messy. It takes a while for you and the baby to get in sync on this thing, and as a result, milk is sort of going everywhere. The covers on these nursing pillows are absolutely crucial in order to extend the life of the pillow itself. I’ve already had to wash my nursing pillow a few times, and while it is still working pretty well, it doesn’t have the same firmness that it used to. A pillow cover can help prevent the milk from soaking into the pillow, though in my experience they are what I would call “water resistant” and not “water proof.” Therefore, having more than 1 is really ideal. If I had to do the registry thing over again, I would have requested one more cover for a total of 3.

I have found that breastfeeding pillow covers come in a very limited selection of patterns at major retailers, and they can be very expensive (Babies R Us is selling some of theirs for $20!). I have found some super cute ones that you can buy for a better price at Dance with a Dragonfly on Etsy!

Edited: Thankfully, prices seem to have come down since I originally wrote this piece. There’s now a nice selection of Boppy nursing pillow covers on Amazon starting around $9!

Erica’s covers are priced right, starting at $12.00 each. She has a huge selection of patterns to choose from, as well, so that you can have a custom made design that stands out from what everyone else has! Also, keep in mind that you will be spending A LOT of time looking at this pillow, so you might as well cover it with something beautiful.

boppy nursing pillow cover
Buy It!
Dance with a Dragonfly is a terrific resource for any breastfeeding mom. Trust me when I say that you will want more than 1 (or even 2!) covers for your pillow. Check out what she has to offer, and go ahead and buy something lovely from her! While the contest is running, you can snag 20% off any purchase of $15 or more (less shipping) simply by sending Erica a convo with “Stuff Parents Need” in the message along with what you want to purchase, and she’ll make a custom listing for you with the discount! Sweet!

Win It!
Dance with a Dragonfly has kindly offered up a nursing pillow cover to a lucky Stuff Parents Need Winner! The winner will be able to pick from a selection of fabrics that Erica has on hand at the time of the drawing. The contest will run until Sunday, November 29th at 7:59pm CST, when the winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Dance with a Dragonfly . Come back here and tell me one other item she sells or describe your favorite fabric from what is shown here.

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Make a purchase at Dance with a Dragonfly (5 entries, so leave 5 comments).
3. Become a fan of Dance with a Dragonfly on Facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)

Disclosure: I received no product for this review, nor did I receive any compensation. i just think Erica has beautiful pillow covers!

Handmade AND Inexpensive Toys for Baby

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Darah has hit an age where her arms are flailing all over the place. She’s having a lot of fun with this, and has really been wanting to test out her newly discovered appendages. I wanted to find some toys that would help her understand that she is actually controlling her movements. A wrist rattle is one of the handmade toys for baby I would recommend the very most.

I found a great Etsy store called Lil’ Bit Sassy. Rhonda runs this shop, and she had the perfect item in stock. She kindly sent me a wrist rattle for Darah to try. People, this thing was a major hit the second I put it on her! Her face just lit wrist rattle handmade toys for baby up when she heard the jingle in the rattle, and it was so precious to watch her as she started to realize that she was making the noise by moving. Rhonda makes these in a variety of patterns, and she has priced them at a point that will make any frugalista smile: only $3.00! The picture to the right is a little bit blurry because Darah was constantly moving her hand, playing with her new rattle.

Rhonda also sent along a matching taggy toy for Darah. These are made from soft cotton fabric with ribbon tags on all four sides. These are also priced beautifully at $4.50 (if you’ve ever priced these taggy toys in stores you will know what a bargain this is!). When I took a stroll around Lil’ Bit Sassy, though, I learned that you can buy a taggy toy and wrist rattle set for only $6.00! These would make fantastic shower gifts, and the price is simply unbeatable. The taggy toys come with a teething ring, also. Darah is especially fond of this component of her new toy!

Additionally, Rhonda sent a burp cloth for review. These are new additions to her store. Darah received a super cute burp cloth with pink and purple owls (which happen to be the mascot of my college sorority, so that made me smile!). I really love the design of these cloths, with indentations for your shoulders. Darah put its absorbency to the test, if you know what I mean, and it totally passed! These are currently selling for $5.00 and come in a great variety of patterns.

Buy It!
Lil’ Bit Sassy has some truly terrific handmade toys for baby, at a price anyone can love. Please check out what she has to offer your little one! Rhonda says that she loves a challenge, so she welcomes custom requests, even of things that aren’t listed! Now that’s some serious dedication to customer satisfaction! She has a wide array of fabrics from which you can choose for your items here: http://www.lilbitsassyfabrics.shutterfly.com/. Rhonda is also offering you a smokin’ hot deal. While the contest is running, make a purchase and save 20%! Just put “Stuff Parents Need” in the notes to the seller and wait for an invoice from her before paying. I’ve already placed my order!

Win It!
Lil’ Bit Sassy wants to give one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a taggy toy and wrist rattle set along with a burp cloth. You lucky ducks! The contest will run until Sunday, November 22nd at 7:59pm CST, when the winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Lil’ Bit Sassy. Come back here and tell me your favorite item sold there other than items mentioned in the review.

Additional Entries:
1. Share this post via any of the venues at the bottom of this post (digg, stumbleupon, twitter etc.). Leave one comment with a link for each way that you shared or your username on these sites!
2. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Lil’ Bit Sassy (5 entries, so leave 5 comments).

Disclosure: I was given the above products for the purposes of writing a review, and received no other form of compensation.

3 Reasons Why I’m an iPhone Mom

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Since I claim repeatedly on this blog to be a frugalista, it may come as a shock to learn that I am an iPhone mom. I jumped on the iPhone train 20 days after my baby was born, on my 29th birthday. People, I AGONIZED over this decision for months and months. The one time expense of the phone was tolerable enough (since the price went all the way down to a cool $99.00). The big hang up for me was the monthly cost. Tim and I have always had the cheapest cell plans possible, pretty much. Our monthly bill for two phones used to be $65/month. To go from that to $150/month was absolutely sickening to me, which is why we steered clear of switching for as long as we felt we could stand it. And then Darah was born and something somehow changed. Maybe we just got tired of worrying over the issue. Maybe we wanted something more reliable than the crappy phones we had and the spotty service within our house (dropped calls, anyone?). Maybe we were just in a really happy place and decided, “What the hell?! Let’s do it!” I think that was the case, actually.

And even though the monthly bills totally blow as compared to what we used to pay, let me tell you why this languished-over-and-yet-ultimately-impulsive decision actually worked out great and why I’m so glad to be an iPhone mom.

1. PODCASTS! Yes, I know that podcasts are not strictly for folks with iPhones, but it is soo convenient to download them to your phone. The reason that this is a particularly awesome feature for me is because it provides me with entertainment that doesn’t take my eyes off Darah while I’m feeding her, and the built in speakers allow me to listen hands-free. I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate this. I think that if I had absolutely nothing to do while feeding this child 8 times each day that I would start to grow a bit resentful. I’m just being completely honest. I spend most of the time listening to mommy podcasters and learning some really great parenting tips. Darah also gets to listen to some cool new words. Everybody wins!

2. Taking pictures. Yes, I know camera phones have been out for several years. It shouldn’t surprise you to hear that Tim and I, in addition to always having the cheapest plans, have also always had the cheapest phones. So this is a new experience for me, personally. When I was on maternity leave, I emailed Tim photos of Darah each day while he was at work, and he said that it really helped him feel connected to us. It also helped me to get to share some of the details of my day with another adult, which was really nice. Also, I basically have a photo album with me at all times, and this has come in handy!

3. Checking email quickly. I absolutely love that I can check my work, personal and blog email accounts in mere seconds, and from anywhere that I am. This is a HUGE time saver for me, as it keeps me from worrying that I’m missing something important (because I am a worrier). While it isn’t faster to respond to an email on the iphone as opposed to a computer, checking my accounts is much faster. I love it!

There are many other fantastic features to the iPhone, and many more reasons why it makes my life easier, but those are the main three. Does anyone else have an iPhone or any other similar phone and find that it makes life easier? Does anyone find that it actually seems to be complicating their lives a bit more?

Playskool Gloworm Giveaway!

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If you missed my post about just how much my infant loves her Lullaby Gloworm by Playskool, check it out here. We are BIG FANS in my house. The Gloworm can calm my baby when she is all worked up and it can also make her smile most any time. After I made that post and the second post, I just didn’t feel right going on and on about how cool the Gloworm is while leaving all of you to feel jealous, so I contacted Playskool. And aren’t you lucky, because now you can

Win It!
One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Gloworm for themselves (er, I mean, for their kid!) The contest will run until Thursday, November 12th at 7:59pm CST, when the winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their contact information. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States. Thank you, Playskool!

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go to the Playskool website and tell me one other toy you’d love to have for your little one! (1 entry)

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS (3 entries!). Leave 3 comments with your email address for the subscription.
2. Share this post via any of the venues at the bottom of this post (digg, stumbleupon, etc.) (1 entry per method). Leave one comment with a link for each way that you shared or your username on these sites.

Ready, Set, GO!

Disclosure: I was not provided with any form of compensation for this giveaway or for my previous review. I just love the gloworm!