Parker Time Potions Review & Giveaway

I'm not going to lie.  I rubbed the Parker Time Relax Potion on myself more than I did my infant.  The last month has been NUTS.  We got married (MARRIED!), finished up a school year, and are going through all the processes involved in selling two starter houses and buying one big forever house.  Anything that helps anyone in this house relax is priceless!

Parker Time Potions Pediatric Massage Oils showed up at my door at the right time!  It's specially formulated, all-natural body care that offers numerous moisturizing properties.  I love that it's a mom-created product born out of necessity, and also that a portion of all proceeds funds autism research.  

Each bottle contains a blend of sunflower oil, jojoba oil, calendula oil, and Vitamin E that work to safely moisturize even the most sensitive skin.  The gift pack comes with three varieties: Original, Play  (infused with sweet orange essential oil to not only promote the parent child bond but to also promote play) and Relax ( with Lavender Rose essential oil to promote calmness). 

    

And now you have a chance to win a set of your own to try out.  

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**Disclosure: Park Time Potions sent me products to review and is providing products for the giveaway. All opinions are my own.

BooginHead Review & Giveaway

BooginHead is a mom-owned business that specializes in parenting essentials that make life easier (and more stylish) for us all.  

It all started with the mom-invented SippiGrip, which can be used with bottles and cups of different shapes and sizes and is available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. It has an adjustable length to use with strollers, car seats and high chairs, and my favorite feature is that it is machine washable.

It keeps K3 from throwing everything off his highchair- and keeps me from constantly fetching everything he throws.

Now that three of us bring a packed lunch every day, Keith and I made a big effort this year to be as green as possible in our packing.  I stocked up on all different kinds of reusable containers, and Booginhead's Eco-Friendly Pack'Ems Reusable Snack Bags are a great addition to our stash.  They come in two sizes, have a convenient stand-up design, and are dishwasher safe.

They are much more cheerful on my desk than a plastic sandwich bag.

It is no secret that we love squeezy pouches in this house.  They are a fun, on-the-go snack for the bigger kids, a quick thing to grab for my breakfast on-the-run in the morning, and an easy-to-pack meal for K3.  Squeez'Ems Reusable Food Pouches are a much Earth-friendlier alternative to disposable store-bought premade food pouches, because they are refillable and reusable.

We can use them for our homemade purées, smoothies, applesauce, yogurt... just about any of our favorites.  It's all one piece (there are ENOUGH pieces floating around our kitchen from bottles and sippies) and has a 100% leakproof seal.

And thanks to BooginHead, you can win all of these products!

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**Disclosure: Booginhead sent me products to review and is providing products for the giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Kinsights Review & Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a terrible memory.  How much does the baby weigh now? When did James start walking?  I. Have. No. Idea.
I figure if I really need to know, I can always go back through my photos, check the dates and do the math.  The doctor gives us little cheat sheets of the kids' info at every visit, and those are all tucked in a folder. But when the boys' agent calls asking their height and weight, I frantically flip though my phone hoping I made a note at the last visit. I feel like a mess.

Kinsights to the rescue!  Kinsights is an online Pediatric Personal Health Record Keeper for parents. I can organize their growth, immunizations, medications, test results, and more, all in one spot.  I especially love how I can check off each developmental milestone when they reach it, so I'll always remember when K3 started showing off his thumb-finger grasp skills!
It has an easy, user-friendly setup with different pages for each child.  And it also has a community page where you can join groups (there's at least one for every type of family and special need) to seek and share answers to parenting questions.

Here's a sample of a Q & A page.

Medical info is kept private, but you can send anything you enter to a doctor or hospital in an emergency.  
(This is obviously not my kid- it's a sample.)

Check it out, and find me (search Tryitmom)!  And while you're browsing around, take a moment to enter my $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway from Kinsights!


**Disclosure: Kinsights is providing the gift card for the contest. All opinions are my own.

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Feltman Brothers Review & Giveaway

(Don't worry.  We lowered the mattress after we showed him how to do this the pics.)

K3 is ready for Fleet Week!  And his cousin's First Communion.  And any other occasion that calls for more than his usual onesie and sweats.  

His fancy new threads are thanks to Feltman Brothers and their handmade,  heirloom-quality baby clothes.  Since 1916, this family-owned business has been designing special occasion wear that can be passed down through generations.  Their special embroidery techniques are still performed on machines that are almost 100 years old!

K3's knot romper is 100% cotton and machine washable. I found it true to size, soft, and snuggle-able.  I can't wait to have a reason to buy a friend with a baby girl one of their precious dresses.  

Find more beautiful designs from Feltman Brothers by visiting their website.

And you can win an outfit of your own for a sweet little one in your life.  

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**Disclosure: Feltman Brothers sent me a free outfit to review.  All opinions are my own.

Cardiff Travel Headrest

When I was approached to review Cardiff's Travel Headrest, my first question was about safety.  I know that it is not safe to have "extra" things in the car that could become dangerous in a crash, but I was assured that it meets the FMVSS213 and CMVSS213 standards.   

My kids definitely have a bobble head affect when they fall asleep in the car, and it looks so uncomfortable!

A three-way car nap is awesome, and this is how it starts with James.  A few more minutes and he's slumped over with his head hanging over the arm rest

Once assembled (I had a little trouble snapping the pieces together, but it's SOLID, high quality stuff), it was quick to install.  It can stay in the car all the time because the arms can swivel up and out of the way.  The arms of the headrest have soft, padded fabric sleeves that are removable and machine-washable for easy cleaning.
It didn't work with our high-back booster, but it was great with the BubbleBum.  I think I'll claim that seat on road trips so I can nap!

sweet dreams. no sore neck.

Here is JD with all three products from the giveaway: Cardiff Headrest, BubbleBum, and MyBuckleMate.

I'll be posting car-related posts all week, ending with one big giveaway of all the items, including the Cardiff Travel Headrest!  
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**Disclosure: Cardiff sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

MyBuckleMate

I'm continuing my week of car-related posts with MyBuckleMate.  Anyone with a kid in a 3rd row knows how important it is for that kid to be able to buckle themselves.  JD has been buckling himself in for a while now, but sometimes it takes a while, and time is precious in our morning routine!  After installing MyBuckleMate (which took seconds), he said that it was "easier because it doesn't move around as much".  It keeps the buckle propped up and easy to reach.  

This is how the buckles usually look.

This is how MyBuckleMate props it up.

It even fits in the tight place next to JD's booster.  

I'll be posting car-related posts all week, ending with one big giveaway of all the items, including MyBuckleMate!  Enter below and keep checking back all week for more posts & chances to win.
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**Disclosure: MyBuckleMate sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

BubbleBum Review & BIG car accessory giveaway

When I was pregnant with K3, Keith and I knew we would both need new cars to accommodate our growing family.  We looked at EVERY make and climbed into the back of EVERY model to assess how the car seat situation was going to work.  We settled on the Honda Odyssey for me, and that is the vehicle we do almost all our family travel in.  

One giant vehicle was enough, so Keith decided against a super-sized SUV with a third row and got a Jeep Grand Cherokee.  He keeps an infant base and a high-back booster latched in the backseat, but BubbleBum is what makes it possible for him to fit all three kids safely if he needs to. 

All 3 in the backseat!

BubbleBum is an inflatable booster seat for kids ages 4-11 and weighing 40-100 pounds.

With Little League season starting up, and two of our kids on two different teams, I see carpooling in our future.  I can send James with this if someone offers a ride, or keep it in the minivan for any extra kids we accumulate.  Deflated, it's also small enough to throw in my diaper bag for taxi rides in the city.  And because I'm always worried about car safety, I checked out its rating: the IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety) named it their “Best Bet” in their booster seat evaluation report.

I'll be posting car-related posts all week, ending with one big giveaway of all the items, including a BubbleBum inflatable seat!  Enter below and keep checking back all week for more posts & chances to win.
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**Disclosure: BubbleBum sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

Isabelle Grace Jewelry Review & Giveaway

When I was asked to choose a piece of Isabelle Grace Jewelry to review, I spent way too much time browsing their site and daydreaming about all the different ways I could personalize each piece, gifts I could give to my friends and friends' daughters, and the gifts I would like to receive.

I liked that each piece is meant to be an heirloom, and I could create a piece that tells my story.  Instead of using my boys' initials, I decided to tell my love story and get a piece with my and Keith's initials.  

As with all their pieces, the necklace I designed is handmade in the USA.  It arrived surprisingly quickly and beautifully packaged.

This is the Initial Bar necklace I chose.

I love the way it came out, and it's perfect for everyday wear.

It survived a lot of this!

Isabelle Grace is kindly offering another necklace for a lucky reader.  Use the easy entry below, and good luck!
If you're looking for more, check out Isabelle Grace Jewelry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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**Disclosure: Isabelle Grace Jewelry sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

Pish Posh Baby Review & Giveaway

I was not familiar with Pish Posh Baby, so I was very excited to get to know them and get my hands (and K3's hands) on these new products.  

With our big move getting closer and closer, we have been packing boxes every day.  I am pickier than ever about what I'm keeping, packing, and moving to our new home.  Even though the Blooming Baby Bath will take up some box space, it is definitely a keeper!

I have never done baths in the kitchen sink with any of the boys, but we will never go back to bathing a tiny baby anywhere else.  And even with a 17 pound 6-month-old, it was wonderful to stand and wash him.  The Blooming Bath is handmade and very cuddly, safe, and adorable.  I plopped it in the sink, washed the baby, and then cleaned it in the laundry with a load of towels.  Easy peasy!  K3 loved it just as much as splashing in the tub, and I wish I could be snuggled in something so cushiony and soft in my bath!

Skip Hop is a brand I have bought in the past, but the Hug and Hide Activity Toy was a new addition to the baby toy basket.  There has been a lot of playing and learning since we took this sweetheart out of the box, and the monkey or bear will probably make an appearance in K3's Easter basket.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, K3 took his time testing (and tasting) each feature of the toy.  There are 10 (TEN!) activities including a mirror, crinkly and squeaky things, and teething pieces.  It's my go to keep-the-baby occupied while I make dinner/make a phone call/do homework with older kids/empty the dishwasher.  

And, thanks to Pish Posh Baby, you can win these two products to love in your home as much as we do! 

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About Pish Posh Baby

The dream of PishPoshBaby was born out of a desire to find the more reliable baby products and advice available to real moms just like you.  Their high-quality store supplies facts and advice to parents who are completely lost in the whirlwind of baby gear. 

**Disclosure: Pish Posh Baby sent me free products to review.  All opinions are my own.

Mabel's Labels Giveaway

It's back-to-school time, which in our house means Mabel's Labels.  I've been ordering from Mabel's Labels since I met them at a media event years ago, and I keep going back.  I had already ordered labels for K3 when they contacted me to do a review and giveaway here, but the more labels the better!

Here is a Tag Mate on a smock.  We're big into hand-me-downs and sharing here, so I use the boys' last names on the labels.

We use them for labeling all the school supplies (smocks, lunchboxes, etc.) as well as clothing (coats, sweaters, hats... basically anything) and bedding and pillows.  JD and O used to bring labeled sippy cups to daycare and the labels lasted longer than the cups!  K3 will need a ton of labels for changes of clothes, bottles, diaper cream- and eventually food containers, sippies, and all that other toddler stuff I'm forgetting about.

We've used them to label sporting equipment and shoes- especially snow or rain boots that they change out of at school, and I would highly recommend labeling dance shoes and cleats.  (As a former dance teacher, nothing is worse than losing a toddler ballet slipper in a room full of little people changing in and out of identical shoes.)  

Lasted the whole season on JD's bat handle

The Ultimate Back-to-School Combo contains 40 Skinny-Minis (dishwasher & microwave safe), 50 Tag Mates (washer & dryer safe), 16 Shoe Labels (waterproof and UV resistant), and 2 metal Teeny Tags with rings (also waterproof and UV resistant).  You can choose colors and designs from a huge selection, and they ship super fast!

You can win an Ultimate Back-to-School Combo of your own with the easy entry below!  And if you don't want to wait to win, they are currently offering 10% off for signing up for their mailing list and free shipping (dispatched in 24 hours) on their website.

Disclosure: Mabel's Labels provided me with an Ultimate Back-to-School Combo to review and another to give away. All opinions are my own, and I've happily paid full price for all my other labels.  It's money well spent!
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Swelling, Pain, and a Solution

I will start this by stating that I know how blessed I am to have had a healthy pregnancy so far.  However, the swelling (especially in my hands) has gotten out of control.  It's so painful in the morning that holding a toothbrush and washing my hair are things I contemplate skipping or begging someone else to do for me.  While at work, any amount of time holding a pen or typing leaves my fingertips numb and my hands stiff.

The good news is I got the a-okay from my obgyn tonight to use Arnica to treat the pain and swelling in my joints, and I couldn't be more excited.  I've never experienced swelling like this during my previous pregnancies, and when I did have any pain, I took regular Tylenol.  Since reading about a study linking Tylenol to ADHD, and an overall nervousness with medications during pregnancy, I was really hoping to get the Arnica approved.

The nice people at Boiron had sent me a couple of their Blue Tubes of Arnica 30C Pellets, and since I've known the Arnica Gel to work for me for post-workout pains pre-pregnancy, I'm optimistic that tomorrow morning will be much better.

I also received a tube of Calendula Cream from Boiron, which I had planned to use to treat some stubborn dry skin on JD's scalp.  But the plans changed when Keith and I got some wicked sunburn last weekend.  (I excitedly dug a hole in the sand for my belly so I could lie face down, fell asleep, and burnt the heck out of the back of my legs.)  It feels so good to slather on the cooling cream, and it will speed up the recovery, as the last thing I need right now is to be uncomfortable sitting due to sunburn.  

Boiron, the world leader in homeopathic medicines, has offered to ship these products to a lucky reader, so please enter below.  There is a wealth of information on Boiron's website (a long with a $2 off coupon), and they even have a free medicine finder app.  They also have a giveaway running for an awesome Grand Canyon adventure.

*Boiron sent me these products for free and is providing additional products for a winner.  The opinions, swelling, and sunburn are all my own.

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Cravings??

When I was pregnant with JD, I craved raw veggies.  With O, I couldn't get enough cupcakes/cake.  It couldn't be a doughnut or a cookie- it had to be a form of cake.

This pregnancy I have been drinking sparkling water seemingly by the gallon.  I attribute this craving to the fact that I have developed an aversion to the taste of tap water, I'm trying desperately to stay hydrated, and I want to avoid juice and soda as much as I can.  I've been careful to avoid the flavored versions packed with sugar, but they are so yummy!  

Then a couple weeks ago I attended the Brooklyn Baby & Family Expo, and I was pumped to see a booth giving away flavored sparkling water.  And not only was it yummy water, but it was a special folic acid and vitamin enhanced water for moms and moms-to-be!  A bottle includes all the good stuff from your prenatal vitamin, while being all natural and low in sugar and calories.  Tasty, refreshing, hydrating water, and I could drink it in place of my ginormous vitamin? Sign me up!

Bump Water offers both flat and sparkling flavors, but who wouldn't choose bubbles, right?

I didn't get anything from Bump Water except their samples at the expo (Keith had one too- they're not ONLY for preggos), but they did kindly agree to give a case of either Lemonade or Cranberry Ginger to one of my readers.  To be the lucky winner, follow the Rafflecopter directions below.

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Bump Water is available for purchase by the case at bumpwater.com and amazon.com.

Winner!

Congrats Gianna, and thank you, everyone, for your suggestions!  I am working on Disney & Beach sets right now :)  


And if you're still interested in the cards, you can snag a set here!

Traveling with a Baby? Check This Out & Enter to Win!

I am so excited to finally share one of the projects I have been working on!

This idea came to me a while ago when I realized there wasn't really much out there to prepare my boys for what they will experience while we are traveling.  I wanted to show them what to expect when we are in the airport and in our vacation destinations.  (As a teacher, I always recommended parents make family trips as educational as possible -especially when students were missing class to go away!  This includes learning about where you are going.)

I found an awesome artist who worked with me to create child-friendly, realistic images to go along with the vocabulary.  After printing, they are laminated (because every flash card I have ever bought JD has been folded up, ripped, and eaten), and I bound them together with ribbon.  The first set (in what will hopefully become a big "What Will I See" series) is called "Airport ABC". For each letter of the alphabet, there is something you will see in an airport, so children can learn the vocabulary and familiarize themselves with the images before travel and even play I Spy at the airport.  Next up, I am working on "NYC ABC".


This giveaway has ended, but you can now find the cards in my Etsy shop!