Winners! Totally Toned Arms giveaway

I chose the 5 winners tonight for my Totally Toned Arms giveaway.

The lucky people are: dor; Tylerpants; newmami_rgv; creative gal; pish

I've emailed you all, please write back within 48 hours!  Congrats!

Review and giveaway (giveaway closed): Zoodles!

Congrats to my winners: Sarah Osborne; heavenlysavings; momtoem, ShawnaMichelle, moushka

Ethan and I recently had the chance to test out a fun computer program for kids- Zoodles! I found out about this program through my involvement at the Product Review Place and am glad that I did. Zoodles is an online service that makes playing on the computer safe for kids.  It's really easy to use, you just go to the site, enter information about your kids including their ages and some other questions, and Zoodles will personalize a browser for them. 

The personalized browser is full-screen and specialized, so when your child is playing, they can't accidentally get into other computer programs or surf to sites that might be inappropriate for them.  On their personalized screen, they'll see a toybox filled boxes with pictures of different websites or kids' videos or online games or puzzles- all sorts of fun!  

Not only does Zoodles provide a safe, age-appropriate place for your child to play, but you as a parent can go to the website and further customize the site to focus on particular areas of learning for your child. You can also see a report of what the child has been playing and what topics they've been learning. You can also block certain games, websites or branded characters. 

Ethan is only 2 1/2 and, much as he would like to try, I think he's a little young to be pounding on the computer keyboard by himself. But I had a great time playing on his browser with him- playing the games, singing along with the songs and just having fun.  I also liked that this site introduced me to new kids shows and singers that I wasn't aware of- it opened a whole new world to us!  Ethan's super high energy, so sometimes getting him to sit still for book reading is a challenge, but he loves the computer, so this has been a great Mommy and Ethan thing for us. As he gets older, he'll be able to play on the computer more alone, and this site will be even better for us. 

The great news is that the nice people at Zoodles are letting me give away 3-month premium memberships to 5 of my lucky readers!

Mandatory entry (must be done for extra entries to count):

Visit Zoodles and let me know what you like best about this! 

Extra entries! (please leave a separate comment for each):
1. Become a  Zoodles Facebook fan.

2. Become a fan of Growing a Baby Reviews on Facebook!
3. Follow my blog on Google friends
4. Put my button up on your blog (I have new code posted for  my button- if you already have it up, I'd love it if you'd update to the new version!)
5. Enter giveaways at LuvnLife- one entry per giveaway entered there!

6. Subscribe to my blog via email (prior subscribers okay!)

Good luck! Giveaway will close at 9 PM PST on March 1, 2010.  I'll choose a winner with random.org and will email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond. One entry (mandatory plus extras) per person, please.

I was not compensated for this review, but was provided a 6-month premium membership to Zoodles so that I could test out the site for myself. All opinions posted here are mine and mine alone. 

Review: popchips!

There are a lot of great things about being a review blogger. But do you know the absolute best thing?  When a box of potato chips shows up on my doorstep. :)  Especially when I opened the box and realized that the potato chips were new popchips! which are a great, low fat, low calorie snack.  We've tried popped potato chips before and have liked them, but the kind we tried were just plain potato chip flavor. These popchips! come in lots of flavors- barbeque, sour cream and onion (my favorite), cheddar, sea salt and vinegar, salt and pepper, parmesan garlic and original.  And they're really yummy! Both my husband and I enjoyed all the flavors that we tried out. 

We've actually eaten most of our samples already- I think we're down to just one left!  My favorite part of this snack is that a serving (a good sized one, at that!) is 120 calories and 4 grams of fat. Since I'm trying to get into shape again, I'm always looking for good snacks that fill me up and don't have lots of fat and calories. And these chips aren't fried or baked, they're made by applying heat and pressure to a potato! I'd LOVE to see that process in action!  They also all natural with no preservatives, no artificial flavors or colors, no cholesterol, no saturated fat and 0 grams trans fat. 

You can learn lots more about the popchips! here- including the most important fact, where to buy them! 

I was not compensated for this post, just provided a sample of popchips! for myself and my family to sample. All opinions here are mine and mine alone. 

If you're looking for a personalized holiday card or announcement

Think about checking out my bloggy friend Andrea's custom card site, Photo~Stork! She just told me about this yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to review a card for myself. But the samples online look totally cute! She filled me in on some of the details yesterday- everything is custom made and printed on commercial grade matte finish card stock using a high resolution printer. She'll work with you to make a card using either a photo you like or a pattern or a color scheme... you name it!

Here are just a few samples from her site that I particularly love, but there are so many other cute samples on her site:

So, if you have an event coming up and need a card, think about visiting her site. In addition to getting a custom product made just for you, you'll be supporting a mom's at-home business. That's my favorite kind of shopping!

I was not compensated for this post, just passing on some information!

This week's topic at Bare Escentuals Rethink What Matters

Last week I blogged about Rethink What Matters, a new website by Bare Escentuals. Go here to read all the details from my post last week and here to visit the Rethink What Matters site. This week's topic is Rethink Your Environment, and they will be giving away 500 instant wins of bareMinerals blush. Go check it out!

I was not compensated for this post- but I will be working with Bare Escentuals in the future to offer a great giveaway to one reader. Stay tuned!

Review and giveaway: Boogie Wipes!

Congrats to my winner: momtoem!

There are times when a product shows up on my doorstep at EXACTLY the right moment.  Such as last week, when Vivian started catching a cold, and my samples of Boogie Wipes showed up on the doorstep on the same day. Good timing!  Since Vivian kindly shared her cold with her brother and I, we've had plenty of opportunity to test them out for ourselves.

Boogie Wipes are one of those things that you think sounds completely useless and silly and "why can't we just use a tissue". And then you get a cold, and you get to use this soft, moist wipe on your nose instead of a scratchy tissue and it feels divine. I especially liked how strong these wipes were- they held up to lots of wiping and nose blowing and I didn't feel like I was getting yucky things all over my fingers. I ended up using them as much on myself as on my kids- it was hard to go back to using a tissue on my sensitive nose after using one of the nice wipes! Since the wipes are soft and not scratchy, my kids weren't running away from me when I was trying to wipe their noses.  The other great thing is that, since they are moist wipes, they take care of the yucky crusty stuff that gets around your kid's nose when they get sick, without scrubbing and making your kid even more cranky.

You might be wondering how these are different from baby wipes- here's the answer from the Boogie Wipes website:

• Made with Natural Saline to Dissolve Mucus
  
• Hypoallergenic
• Alcohol Free
• Moisturize with Vitamin E, Aloe and Chamomile
• Fun Scents Kids Love
• Gentle Enough for All Ages
• Phthalate & Paraben Free

Boogie Wipes come in three scents- Great Grape, Fresh Scent and Magic Menthol. We used the Fresh Scent ones and I was very pleased. The smell was nice, but not too strong.  You can buy Boogie Wipes online or find your local store here using the handy store locator.  The cost is remarkably close to that of a box of good tissues, and the Boogie Wipes are so much better. Like I said, this is something I never imagined that I would need, but now it's something that I don't plan to ever go through a cold/flu/allergy season without!

One of you is going to get the chance to try these out for yourself! You'll win two packs of 30-count wipes! (US/Canadian mailing addresses)


Mandatory entry (must be done for extra entries to count):
Visit the Boogie Wipes website and tell me something about Boogie Wipes that I didn't mention in the review.

Extra entries! (please leave a separate comment for each):
1. Become a Boogie Wipes Facebook fan.
2. Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter (let me know your username)
3. Sign up for the Boogie Bunch (you'll also get a coupon for $1 off Boogie Wipes!)
4. Follow my blog
5. Put my button up on your blog (code on the right side of this page)
6. Enter giveaways at LuvnLife- one entry per giveaway entered there!

Good luck! Giveaway will close at 9 PM PST on March 1, 2010.  I'll choose a winner with random.org and will email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond.

I was not compensated for this review, but was provided samples of Boogie Wipes to try out for myself. All opinions posted here are mine and mine alone. 

Review: Fool's Gold

I recently had the chance to review a young adult book from NavPress, Fools Gold, by Melody Carlson. This is the 6^th book in the TrueColors series from Melody Carlson, and is the story of Hannah Johnson, a missionary kid from Papua New Guinea who is sent to spend the summer with her relatives in California.

Once I got past all of the Australian slang that the character uses and figured out what she was saying, I really liked this book. Hannah is very well written, and she’s a very believable character.  I have a number of friends who grew up as missionary kids, and I know they often felt like Hannah does in this book- that they are the product of a different culture, even if their passports say they are American.

The book moves quickly and deals with the topics of materialism and shopping. I know this is a problem for women all over the world- we often shop to make ourselves feel better on a bad day. I like how the book shows how easy it is to fall into the trap of buying “just a little something” here and there, and how quickly that can get out of control. It also addresses the very important topic of focusing more on what’s on the inside than how we look on the outside- another universal topic for women!

This is a book that I would really recommend as a great read for a young woman, and for us not-so-young adult women as well. It's a good story with a lot of truth in it! 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Why you should keep your kids' carseats rear-facing until 2 years old

"Your small little love is 75% less likely to die or incur a serious injury if rear-facing when riding the car."
"Your beloved little babe is five times safer in a car crash while riding rear-facing when between 12-24 months than if you flipped them forward facing."
From this article. 


I know not everyone will agree with this- and that's fine. Carseats are kind of my one obsessive-mom thing, so I wanted to pass on this information. 


I've been hearing from various news sources the new information that we should keep our kids rear-facing as long as possible- it was an easy choice for my family since my son didn't pass 20 pounds until closer to 2 than 1. We didn't turn him around until a couple of months ago.  If you have a kid in the 1-2 year old range, think about turning them back. And if your baby is almost 1, think about waiting a while before turning the carseat. Read this great article by a Seattle pediatrician for all the information.

Friday Giveaway BlogHop!

Here's your chance to enter lots of great giveaways! And please, come back here on Tuesday to link up on my list as well!

Congrats, winners!

I chose winners tonight for the Survivors Club giveaway: moushka, Jaime , Misusedinnocence, Joyful Girl Naturals, momtoem

And for the Baby's First Phone Call giveaway: Domanda3, @EBMR,  Heidi, momtoem

I've emailed you all, and you have 48 hours to get back to me! Congrats!

Recap of a really old review: Strollaway by Metrotots! (giveaway closed)

Congrats to my winner: Beverly Hernandez

Back when I started this blog in August of 2009, there were a number of companies who were so kind to me and my brand-new review blog. These companies were so generous and sent me items to review, even though I had hardly any readers and low blog traffic at the time. I am eternally grateful to these companies and think of them fondly.

One of the great companies that said "yes" to my email asking for a product to review was Metrotots, the makers of the Strollaway. I am not exaggerating when I say that this product has had a huge impact on our quality of life in our condo. I hate clutter and stuff in places where it doesn't belong, and avoiding that is so hard with two small kids. When we brought a double stroller home and added it to the pile in our entryway, along with our umbrella stroller and our single stroller, I about cried.

Then we got the Strollaway and since then our double stroller has been neatly stored on the back of our bedroom door. It's out of sight, off the floor, and away from where toddler fingers can play with the dirty wheels.  We've had no problems with it holding our bulky double stroller, and even I, at only 5 feet tall, have no problem lifting the stroller up onto the hook. It's secure and easy to use.  I LOVE this product. It's the first thing on my list of recommendations when I'm talking to other families who live in a small space. Go here to read my original review, complete with pictures of where I store my single stroller!

Our double stroller, neatly hung up on the Strollaway. 

The Metrotots website has a complete list of places where you can buy a Strollaway. 

Or, you can just hope to win this giveaway!  (US mailing addresses only, please).

Mandatory entry (must be done first for extra entries to count):

Visit Metrotots and let me know what your favorite feature of the Strollaway is. Or where the most convenient place would be for you to buy one!  

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Follow my blog on Google friends.

2. Become a fan of Metrotots on Facebook. 

3. Become a fan of Growing a Baby Reviews on Facebook.

4. Put my button up on your blog (let me know where to find it)

5. Visit LuvnLife and enter one or more of her giveaways! Leave a separate comment for each one that you enter. 

6. Blog about this giveaway with links to Metrotots and this post. 5 extra entries- leave 5 separate comments, please!  

Giveaway will close at 9 PM PST on February 28, 2010. I'll choose the winner via random.org and will email the person who will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

I was not compensated for this post in any way, just given the opportunity to give a prize from a company I love to a lucky reader!

Get your Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max sample- and maybe even win diapers for a year!

If there's one thing that we're experts on in this house right now, it's diapers!  I currently have two in diapers, and judging by my son's early responses to potty-training, I will likely have two in diapers for quite some time :)  So I'm excited to hear about the new Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max. These are new diapers that are 20% thinner (no more bulky diaper bum!), but do not sacrifice in performance. They can even lock away wetness for up to 12 hours. The other great thing about these new thinner diapers is that they will have less impact on the environment, by containing 10% less material weight. If everyone who is now using the current North American Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers switches to the new diapers with Dry Max, they could throw away the equivalent of the weight of 1 billion less diapers every three years!

Love it! You'll be able to buy these diapers at the store in March. But starting tomorrow, January 29, you can visit pampers.com to request a sample 3-pack. And, if your sample pack contains a diaper stamped with Team USA (randomly inserted in select sample packs), your baby will win a year's supply of Pampers diapers! 

Pampers will also be helping out Team USA during the Olympics by outfitting Team USA athletes and their families with branded Team USA Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max during the Vancouver Olympics. Pampers is directly teaming up with two athlete families- those of Olympic gold medal speedskater Chad Hedrick and his family and skeleton (forward-facing luge) World Champion and Olympic hopeful Noelle Pikus-Pace and her family.  Check pampers.com for photos and videos of the Olympic Winter Games experiences through the eyes of these families!

There's another fun aspect to this launch- your child has an opportunity to be on TV during the closing day of the Vancouver Olympics! Starting on February 12, go to Pampers.com and upload a video of your baby crawling left to right. Pampers will take randomly selected videos and will edit them into a Pampers commercial that will air during the closing day of the Olympic Winter Games.

So, go to Pampers.com tomorrow to get your sample pack and try them out with your little one. And get ready to cheer for Team USA in just a few weeks! The Olympics are almost here! 

I was not compensated for this post, just passing on some information. I will be receiving some Pampers to try out on my kids, and will write a review here when we're done testing them! I will also have a giveaway to go along with my review, so stay tuned! 

Giveaway (CLOSED): Bravado Designs nursing bra!

Giveaway now closed- thanks everyone!

I originally planned to keep this giveaway item for myself, but now my daughter seems to be giving up on nursing, so I'm going to give one of you the opportunity to win it for yourself! Bravado Designs have some gorgeous nursing bras- and as a mom who has been wearing nursing bras for several years now, I can tell you that cute nursing bras are few and far between!

Look at how pretty this Sublime Nursing Bra is!

There are lots of other options in the Bravado Designs line of maternity/nursing bras.  These Embellished Microfiber nursing bras are also really cute!

One of you will get to win your choice of bra from the Bravado Designs collection (US mailing addresses only, please).  


Mandatory entry (must be done first for extra entries to count):

Visit Bravado Designs and let me know what bra you like best. 

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Follow my blog on Google friends.

2. Subscribe to my blog via email (on the right side of the page)

3. Become a fan of Growing a Baby Reviews on Facebook.

4. Put my button up on your blog (let me know where to find it)

5. Visit LuvnLife and enter one or more of her giveaways! Leave a separate comment for each one that you enter. 

6. Blog about this giveaway with links to Bravado Designs and this post. 5 extra entries- leave 5 separate comments, please!  

I'll choose a winner at 9 PM PST on February 11, 2010. I'll choose the winner via random.org and will email the person who will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

I was not compensated for this post in any way, just given the opportunity to give a prize to a lucky reader!

Shopping for cute aprons?

February and March are big gift receiving months for me- Valentine's Day, our wedding anniversary and my birthday fall pretty close together. So I'm always browsing for inexpensive gifts for my husband to give me (our marriage works better if I just give him a list).

Lately I've been looking at cute aprons on Etsy. Now that I'm cooking every day, I figure I need to look better. Some of the cutest aprons that I've found have been from these two stores- SugarPieChic and Sassyapron.

Just look at this cute Martha sassy apron from Sassyapron. Love it! This is just one of the many adorable options that this store has to offer!

And I'm completely in love with this apron from SugarPieChic. The colors are great and I just love the top part.

So, if you're in the market for a fun new apron, check these Etsy stores out!

I was not compensated for this review and received no products for review. Just passing on some information to you all!  If you know of a great Etsy store that should be featured here, let me know! 

Winner- PatientStyle slipper socks!

I chose a winner tonight for the Patient Style slipper sock giveaway!

Congrats to Sarah Osborne!  I emailed you, and you have 48 hours to respond!

Sarah is actually my most frequent giveaway enterer by far- she enters every single giveaway I post, with pretty much every entry possible. Thanks for your loyalty, Sarah!

Seattle-area moms- here's a great way to help out other moms in need

I'm currently the mom to two kids in diapers, and I've never once had to worry about how my family was going to come up with money to buy those diapers. Nor have I had to figure out how to get money to pay for a car seat or a crib.  We whine about those costs, but we are able to cover them.

However, there are lots of parents who honestly can't come up with the money.  As we all know, diapers are expensive, up to $100 per month. And they are not an expense that is covered by WIC or other programs.  That's why families in need rely on organizations like Westside Baby, organizations that provide for those basic needs. Westside Baby is in its 10th year, and has to date distributed more than $5 million in basic needs items to families in the King County area.

So, how can we help?  The Westside Baby website has a list of ways that they suggest helping out.

• Donate money to help provide essentials like diapers, clothing, cribs and car seats to local families in need.   Did you know we can process monthly gifts?  $100 over a year is less than $9 per month.

• Consider joining our Giving Circle with a monthly commitment as low as $41.67!

• Shop for our most needed items in the Buy it For the Babe Shop.  

• Organize a diaper or donation drive. We make it easy for you to run a diaper drive at your school, business, club, or church.

• Volunteer at WestSide Baby. We have volunteer opportunities for every skill level and almost any level of availability.

There's another way that we can help, and have fun at the same time! On February 6, 2010, Westside Baby and Huggies will be teaming up for the 9th Annual Benefit Tea. This annual event is where Westside Baby raises nearly half of its annual budget.  Tickets are only $20 per person. The tea will be held at Jerry Brockey Center, South Seattle Community College, from 2-4:30 PM. Go here if you're interested in buying tickets.

Please, if you live in the Seattle area, think about attending the tea or donating supplies. And if you live further away, think about donating through their Buy It For the Babe shop.

I was not compensated in any way for this post, just passing on information from a worthy organization. 

Giveaway (closed): The Studio by Danielson Designs!

Congrats to my winner: Debbie

A few weeks ago I posted about my favorite new piece of home decor- this gorgeous sign by The Studio by Danielson Designs.Go here to read the full review.

The Studio by Danielson Designs has an absolutely enormous selection of frames, signs, awards and plaques that can be personalized. And the whole process is so easy- you just pick the item you want personalized, enter your text and choose your colors, and it is shipped to you within 48 hours! Honestly, the biggest challenge is just picking the item that you most want from all of the gorgeous options.

If you'd like to order something from The Studio by Danielson Designs (great Valentine's Day present, or you could plan ahead for Mother's Day and Father's Day!), I have a promo code for you. Just use the code GROWING10 to get $10 off your order. Good through the end of March, 2010.

The good news is that one of you will soon have the chance to choose your favorite item from The Studio by Danielson Designs! I have a gift certificate for one of you for any item, up to $39.95 (includes free ground shipping!).  (Continental US mailing addresses only)

Mandatory entry (must be done first for extra entries to count):
Visit The Studio by Danielson Designs and let me know what you like best.

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Sign up for The Studio newsletter. 

2. Follow my blog on google friends.

3. Become a fan of Danielson Designs on Facebook. 

4. Become a fan of Growing a Baby Reviews on Facebook.

5. Put my button up on your blog (let me know where to find it)

6. Visit LuvnLife and enter one or more of her giveaways! Leave a separate comment for each one that you enter. 

7. Blog about this giveaway with links to The Studio by Danielson Designs and this post. 5 extra entries- leave 5 separate comments, please!  

I'll choose a winner at 9 PM PST on February 27, 2010. I'll choose the winner via random.org and will email the person who will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

I was not compensated for this post in any way, just given a gift certificate to give away to a lucky reader!

Seattle mom on MSN's the Victory Project!

I just found out today about MSN's Victory Project- an online diet/fitness/makeover show that's starting out here in Seattle. I especially relate to Jocelyn, a Seattle mom that's part of this project. She's a 31-year-old first time mom who's trying to get back in shape after a lifetime of dieting. I can SO relate to that! Except I'm the mom of two and a little older- maybe I need to nominate myself for the show?  I'm looking forward to seeing what Jocelyn's diet and exercise plan looks like and how she does. Go Jocelyn!

Here's a link to Jocelyn's fitness tips from fitness expert Kacy Duke. And here's a link to her nutrition tips from Katherine Brooking, a nutrition expert.  And stay tuned for her makeover after 6 weeks of following the plan!

I was not compensated for this post- just passing on some information!

Live near Branson? Check out this great weekend getaway!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary at the end of February and so have been looking for great getaway ideas.  When I saw this cool weekend idea in Branson, Missouri, it made me wish we didn't live on the other side of the country! I've never been to Branson myself, but have heard great things about it, and think it looks like a lot of fun for everyone. 


On the 26th and 27th of February, the Hilton Branson Convention Center will be hosting an Italian Culinary Weekend.  On Friday night there will be a reception with antipasto and hors d'ouevres paired with Italian wines. This will be followed by a hands-on cooking demonstration on Saturday, which will highlight some of the items that were served the night before, and some of the items that will be served at a 5-course dinner on Saturday night. Yum! 


Packages for this Italian Culinary Weekend weekend start at $429.00 for two people (double occupancy, excluding tax and gratuity) and include deluxe king or double queen accommodations for Friday and Saturday night, the Friday night reception, Saturday cooking school, Saturday five-course dinner and a take-home goodie bag of items to use for your home cooking. Just make reservations prior to February 23, 2010.


And during the times when you're not cooking or eating, there are lots of other things to see and do including great shopping nearby, as well as a river walk and other great restaurants. My husband and I would definitely be found at the shopping center- we love to browse through stores and see all the fun things that there are to buy. But there are lots of other great activities in the area as well. On Saturday, you could start your day with a round of golf at a nearby golf course, or visit a lake or museum. And Sunday, after a weekend of great eating, burn off some of the calories by visiting the theme park or go to one of the live entertainment theaters. There's something to keep you busy every minute!


If you can't make it to Branson at the end of February, the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel have lots of other great packages including Bed and Breakfast Packages and Romance Packages. Both hotels have all the amenities you'd expect at a Hilton hotel and look like great places to stay.  Go check them out! 

A great website for saving money on baby gear!

Hopefully you are all already following Baby Cheapskate, but if not, I highly recommend that you head over there and start following! It's a great site- very simple and to the point with information on great deals on things you need for your kids. I've gotten so many good deals on clothing and diapers from the posts here. Go check it out!

Not compensated in any way for this post, just wanted to pass on some information! 

Review and giveaway (giveaway closed): Belli Skincare!

Congrats to my winner:  Darcie K.

I recently had the opportunity to review some amazing skin care products from a local company, Belli Skincare. I've seen this line of products in Seattle-area stores, and they're utterly beautiful. The products that I reviewed (just a few of the many they have to offer) were no exception- gorgeous packaging, lovely products, overall-- completely amazing. Belli is a great line of baby/mom skincare- beautiful and dedicated to safety for moms and babies during and after pregnancy. From their website:

 Belli Pregnancy has set a higher standard for prenatal safety, as the only skin care line in the world that is teratology screened. We search through over 16 million medical research articles in over 5000 international journals, and use this information to exclude ingredients with even remote links to birth defects or other problems with pregnancy.  Belli Motherhood is LactMed screened to avoid ingredients linked to harmful effects during breastfeeding.  Belli Baby is screened for xenoestrogens—chemicals which can act like hormones that interfere with normal development of the reproductive system.  So no matter which Belli products you use, you can have peace of mind erring on the side of caution.

The first two products that I tested were from the Belli Baby line of products, in this case, the Calm Me Hair and Body Wash and the Nourish Me Body Lotion. Both of these products were beautifully packaged in nice pump containers. I currently have them sitting on my bathroom counter, and they make me smile every time I walk in the room.  In addition to looking nice, both products have been great for use with my kids. I really like that the Calm Me Hair and Body Wash is good for both hair and body- when I'm trying to wrangle my toddler or baby in the tub, the last thing I need is to deal with multiple bottles. I'm a big fan of the all-in-one. The smell of the wash is great too.

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And the lotion- where do I start? It's light and soft and goes on so nicely. It's not a heavy lotion that feels too thick- it provides just the right amount of moisturizing. The scent of the lotion is also gorgeous- it smells slightly honey-ish, and totally expensive. I have to admit, I've been using it on myself more than I've been using it on my kids. It's perfect for when I want to smell nice but not perfumey. I think these two products together would make amazing baby shower gifts- so different from what anyone else would buy, and they look and smell totally luxurious and beautiful.

I also got to try out the Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer. This is definitely another favorite in my household.  We have a bunch of hand sanitizers, and all of them either smell super mediciney or super girly.  This hand sanitizer is really nice because it doesn't have any strong smell. It just does the sanitizing work and gets done! It's also a nice moisturizer, which is good, since I'm using hand sanitizer 4-5 times per day when I'm out and about.

Next up in our testing was the Protect Me Diaper Rash cream. My kids have (fortunately) not had a lot of problems with diaper rash, but we still have an arsenal of products from the few times that they have suffered from this. I liked how easily this rash cream went on, that it was thick and stayed put on my baby's bum,  and I really loved that it didn't smell like some of the other diaper rash creams that we've used in the past. My baby smells nice and I don't like her baby smell being overpowered by diaper rash cream smell. So this one was great!

The final product that I got to test out was one that I think is an utter must have for all moms, no matter what the age of their kids!  It's the Eye Brightening Cream- and it has made me look about 100% better! My kids are not big fans of sleeping at the same time, so there has been little sleep in my house for the last 3 years or so. This is a nice, light cream, that you apply in a small amount to your undereye area.  And thanks to the ingredients, your undereye area will be brightened. I've been using it under my eyes every day, and I really think it's helping me look much less tired.  I have fairly sensitive skin, so I've been nervous about using undereye creams in the past, but this one goes on nicely, cools my undereye area, and helps my eyes look so  much brighter and not tired.

If you'd like to shop at Belli skincare, I have a discount code for you! From now through February 16, 2010, use the code: GROWING to get 15% off your order.

And- more good news! One of you is going to win a tube of the Belli Skincare Eye Brightening Cream! (Retail value $37) (US mailing addresses only).

Mandatory entry (must be done first for extra entries to count):
Visit Belli Skincare and let me know what (other than the products listed here), you would like to have.

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Sign up to be a Belli VIP- upper righthand corner of the Belli homepage

2. Follow my blog on google friends.

3. Subscribe to my blog via email (on the right side of the page)

4. Become a fan of Growing a Baby Reviews on Facebook.

5. Put my button up on your blog (let me know where to find it)

6. Visit LuvnLife and enter one or more of her giveaways! Leave a separate comment for each one that you enter. 

Giveaway closes at 9 PM PST on February 26, 2010. I'll choose the winner via random.org and will email the person who will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review, but did review Belli skincare products to test out for myself. All opinions posted here are mine and mine alone. 

Giveaway Tuesdays!

Link up your giveaways here, and please enter the giveaways that are listed!

Giveaway (CLOSED): EcoSmart - Safe pesticides!

Congrats to my winner,  Jaime!
I recently learned about EcoSmart, a company that sells pesticides made from proprietary botanical oil blends- meaning that they are safe for use around kids, pets, and foods- as well as everything else! I love this idea! From their website:

Safe around children, pets, and the environment

Since EcoSMART’s proprietary botanical oil blends attack attributes that are specific only to pests, they have no effect on people, pets or the environment. The primary active ingredients in EcoSMART products are approved as Direct Food Additives or classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. These oils are commonly used to add flavor and aroma to many cosmetic, beverage and food products, including cake, candy, sweetener, gum, soft drinks, and lipstick. Children and pets are safe. No need to clear them out after application or be concerned if they are near our products. Our products have no adverse effect on mammals, birds, and fish and also will not contaminate water sources.

EcoSmart sells a number of products, including natural bug spray, flying insect killer, wasp and hornet killer, insect repellent, weed and grass killer, lawn insect killer, garden insect killer, garden fungicide, and home pest control. If you have a creepy crawly in your home that you need to deal with, they have a great product for you!

I did not personally review any of the EcoSmart products because I live in a condo in the city and have no contact with bugs. Which is how I like it! But one of you is going to get to win a product of your choice! (US mailing addresses only).

Mandatory entry (must be done for extra entries to count)
Visit the EcoSmart website and let me know what product you'd like for your home.

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Follow my blog on google friends.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (on the right side of the page)

3. Become a fan of Growing a Baby Reviews on Facebook.
4. Put my button up on your blog (let me know where to find it)

5. Enter my other giveaways- one entry per giveaway.
6. Visit LuvnLife and enter one or more of her giveaways! Leave a separate comment for each one that you enter. 

Giveaway will close at 9 PM PST on February 26, 2010. I'll choose a winner with random.org and will email that person who will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post- just given the opportunity to host a giveaway for one of you to win a product from EcoSmart.