I always wanted to be on Broadway.  I absolutely adore musical theater and if it were not for my desire to have kids at a very young age and my absolute need to pay off an enormous burden of college loans, I may have pursued my stage dream after college.  3 kids and many years later, I keep this dream close to my heart and I am waiting for the day when I can audition for local theater.  I miss the stage more than I can put into words.  Seeing a show brings me immense joy.  Being on the stage again would be pure BLISS!  Someday…

So…One day on twitter a bunch of us stage girls were chatting Annie.  You know the “Tomorrow” and “It’s a Hard Knock Life” Annie and we dubbed ourselves the BlogHer Glee Club.  Yes, we are total stage dorks and don’t care at all.  We thought it would be fabulous to see a show while in NYC for BlogHer.  Kristen from Rage Against the Minivan actually made it happen!  She totally rocks as she is living in a hotel room with her husband and 4 kiddos post a  flood and still had the organizational chutzpah to get anything done!  Thank you Kristen!

Art Meets Commerce provided my group with ticket’s to see Promises, Promiseson the Wednesday night before BlogHer with Kristen Chenoweth and Sean Hayes from my absolute favorite…Will & Grace.  I heart these two actors and I was not disappointed!

The show was very cute a la Mad Men office politics and sex from the 1960′s.    Married men cheating on their wives with single secretaries who think they will leave said wives and don’t.  Er.  Leave them!  Kristen Chenoweth is one such girl.  Note to us mommies – we need to find away to ingrain into all of our daughter’s heads that married men are, in fact, off limits and VERY bad news for their family and your precious heart.  The nice guy is Chuck Baxter, played by the ever adorable Sean Hayes. The two are very cute together and without giving any spoilers – my favorite scene of the duo finds them in his apartment after a harrowing and heart breaking night!

Whenever I see a show I have to imagine who I would want to play and I have to choose my favorite scene.  Of course when I was young I always thought I should be the lead but was usually cast in the large but not lead role of the funny girl.  Finally at the ripe old age of 32, during this show, the funny girl scene was my absolute favorite and the funny girl is the role I would want should this show ever come to the local stage and should I have the chance to audition.  A very drunk Chuck and Katie have a fabulous, sexy, hilarious scene that I loved!  I am not the only one who loved it – these two were brilliant together and produced laughter and great applause from the whole audience!

 The whole show was adorable and I would highly reccomend it for a night on the town in NYC!

As much as I love the theater, the best part of the night was meeting some fabulous ladies for the very first time and confirming that they are just as awesome as they appear.  My Broadway Blogger Bunch included Jill from Scary Mommy and Loralee from Loralee’s Looney Tunes - two women I was excited to meet!  It was a great start to BlogHer to do something without 2400 people and, um, have that something be an awesome show!  Ladies, I totally heart you.

If you want to go see the show you can go to the Broadway Offers site and enter the code PPAMC56.  Enjoy the show!

I will be posting on my entire BlogHer experience so stay tuned!  I just wanted to say thank you to Art Meets Commerce right away for the awesome night!

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I love to have beautiful things for my kids.  I actually get excited when a blanket or bib matches their outfits and looks chic and modern!  I sometimes wish I had such a stylish piece for me!  It is no surprise that I was ecstatic when Cindy from KIOKKO Baby Couture sent me a fabulous blanket, bib and 2 washcloths to pamper baby Violet.  I Love them!

KIOKKO Baby is also providing a giveaway for a $50 Giftcard and a 15% discount with free shipping for Mommy Words readers!  Just enter mommywords at checkout!

My Thoughts on Kiokko Baby Couture:

When the package arrived I was impressed.  It was beautifully wrapped with a lovely card and would make a perfect baby gift!

KIOKKO in the Box!

KIOKKO has so many gorgeous fabrics with the modern vintage style I adore.  I love the Red Lotus Wallflower blanket we received!  The fabric is a super soft lightweight cotton backed with a very chic plush minky in a pearly white.  It is perfect for the warmer months as it gives Violet a comfortable blankie without making her too hot. 

Violet Rocks the Red Lotus

Sophia calls it Violet’s picnic blanket and it is perfect to throw on the grass or on the carpet so Violet can be a part of our daily indoor picnic parties!

Sophia and Violet Relaxin'

I love that the blanket is larhe enough for Violet to have floor time but also easy to fold up and throw in my bag so I always have something to put her on that is cute and makes for great pictures and a comfy baby!

She Looks Good on the Red Lotus!

The bibs are perfect for me because I bear droolers and spit uppers who need bibs through toddlerhood to protect their clothes.  They are a wonderfully thick cotton on the front and backed with the same adorable plush minky for maximum comfort.   They provide full coverage of the baby’s chest and are not too loose or too tight in the neck.

Violet Rocks her Kiokko Bib

Sophia loved the bib pattern so much that she asked to model it for my computer work (i.e. the Blog).  Of course I agreed.  She is almost 4 and has not asked to put on a bib in almost 2 years.  She knows chic when she sees it!

Sophia's Modeling Debut in Kiokko!

Overall

I love Kiokko Bebe’s style and function and would recommend them for any stylish moms and babies!  These definitely get the Mommy Words Woo Hoo!  Cindy has bibs, blankets, burpcloths, washcloths, pacifier clips and nursing covers! If you want to place an order you can go to Kiokko Bebe Coutureand enter in the code mommywords for your 15% discount! 

I will be using this discount code to purchase some more bibs and I am loving the nursing covers she has!  They are gorgeous!  You could not find a more fashionable way to feed your little fashion plate!

Giveaway

One lucky Mommy Words reader will win a  $50 gift card to be used at Kiokko Bebe Couture!  How fabulous is that?  How do you win?  It’s easy!  

Required Entry:

Simply check out the Kiokko Bebe Couture site and let me know what you would pick if you won in the comments!  You can pick something else if you win! 

Extra Entries:  You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done.  If you already follow / fan Mommy Words or Kiokko Bebe this counts – just let me know!

1.  Follow Mommy Words publicly by joining through Google Friend Connect and tell me you are. 

2.  Become my Facebook fan here and leave me your Facebook name.

3.  Become a Facebook fan of Kiokko Bebe here and leave me your Facebook name.

4.  Follow @mommywords on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name. 

5.  Follow Kiokko Bebe on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name.

6.  Purchase anything from Kiokko Bebe and get 5 extra entries!  Please leave a comment for each entry.

7.  Tweet about this giveaway 1 time each day and let me know you tweeted!  Please tweet – Win an fabulous $50 giftcard to the sophisticated and practical Kikko Bebe Couture @mommywords!  http://tiny.cc/9nrki Ends 7/11.

8.  Subscribe to Mommy Words via RSS reader or Email and tell me you are .  You can find the buttons at the top of the site.

9.  Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the cute banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. You can can click up to 3x for more entries.

10.  Post about this giveaway on your blog for 5 entries!  Just leave me the link in 5 comments!

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. It begins on June 21, 2010 and will end on July 11, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be contacted via email if I have his or her email and must respond within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Good luck!

I was provided with the Kiokko Bebe blanket, bib and washcloths in order to facilitate my review.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my own opinions and honest experience with this product.

Yes, you read that right.  Chili’s Grill and Bar gave me a $50 gift card to enjoy a night off from cooking and they gave me an extra $50 card so you can enjoy a night off too! 

Budget Friendly Family Fare

We were able to get two grown-up meals, two kids meals drinks and a dessert for just over $50 including our tip!  It’s great to take the family out without breaking the bank!  If you are looking for a very reasonable lunch, they now offer the Bottomless Express Lunch.  You get chips and their house made salsa, soup and salad with unlimited refills for $6.99!

So Many Choices (Even if You Always Get the Same Thing)

I love to eat out with my family and Chili’s makes it easy to make everyone happy with a huge menu full of yummy choices from their new healthy fresh salads to the well known (sing it with me)

Chileeeeeees Baby Back Ribs. I want my Baby Back Baby Back Baby Back Ribs. 

Seriously – my husband did not need to look at any new menu items.  When he goes to Chili’s he gets the baby back ribs and we all sing the little jingle.  You have to – it makes it so much more fun.    He liked that you can mix and match your rubs but he liked the Memphis Dry Rub a lot more than the new sweet ‘n’ tangy sauce.  I always get the Chicken Fajitas or the Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich and I’m never disappointed.  All of the new salads look really yummy and I like that the menu makes it clear which choices are healthy with a GG (Guiltless Grill) classification.

Not guiltless was the Chocolate Molten Cake we ate for dessert.  Totally worth the guilt.  Yummy!

Your Kids Will Like Something and be Entertained

I really like the kids menu at Chili’s too and more importantly, so do the kids!  The Pepper Pals kids menu is a little activity book that comes with crayons and introduces a cute cast of characters.  The best thing about the kids menu is that it includes 10 entrees and possible sides and the meal comes with an entree, a side and a drink.  I have a huge pet peeve with restaurants that do not include drinks for kids and some sort of actual choice in the entrees and sides.  Sophia chose the quesadillas and Miles got a cheese pizza.    They ate.  They colored.  We sang.  What more can a mom ask for? 

Overall

Chili’s is a great place to bring the family with budget friendly choices that the whole family will enjoy.  We love the big menu and all the choices for kids.  There really is something for everyone and it was a blast having a night off from my kitchen!

Giveaway

One lucky Mommy Words reader will win a $50 gift card from Chili’s that can be used at Chili’s, Macaroni Grill, On the Border and Maggiano’s!  How do you win?  It’s easy!  

Required Entry:

Simply comment telling me why you need a night off from cooking!  The winner is randomly picked but I just like to get to know my readers a little better!

Extra Entries:  You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done.  If you already ”like” Mommy Words or Chili’s this counts – just let me know!

1.  Follow Mommy Words publicly by joining through Google Friend Connect and tell me you are. 

2.  Like me on Facebook here or by clicking the like button on my sidebar and leave me your Facebook name.

3.  Become a Facebook liker of Chili’s here and leave me your Facebook name.

4.  Follow @mommywords on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name. 

5.  Follow Chili’s on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name.

6.  Tweet about this giveaway 1 time each day and let me know you tweeted!  Please tweet – Win a$50 giftcard to Chili’s @mommywords and enjoy a cooking night off!  http://bit.ly/adYnri Ends 6/6. #giveaway

7.  Subscribe to Mommy Words via RSS reader or Email and tell me you are .  You can find the follow me buttons at the top of the site.

8.  Post this giveaway on your blog for 3 extra entries.  Just leave me your link in 3 comments!

9.  Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the cute banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. You can can click up to 3x for more entries.

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. It begins on May 24, 2010 and will end on June 6, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be contacted via email if I have his or her email and must respond within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Good luck!

I was provided the $50 gift card from Chili’s marketing team in order to facilitate my review.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my own opinions and honest experience at this restaurant.

This giveaway is now closed.

I am a firm believer that parents design the best products for families and I am happy to report that the Easy LunchBox system was  created by a mom and it rocks!  Kelly Lester is the mother of 3 behind this product and I am so glad she made these fabulous lunchboxes.  She asked herself  “what would other parents want” and she hit the nail on the head.  I have had this Easy LunchBox set for a month and have used it almost every day for school lunch, for picnics in the park and for snacks on a car trip. Ready, Set, Go is right! 

A Few Key Facts

These lunchboxes makes packing lunches easy.

Food separation is key for my kids as they don’t like to eat things that are touching.  Lucky me, I know.  Easy LunchBoxes save the day.  And hey, I don’t like a soggy sandwich either, so I get it.

I pack lunches for Sophia and Miles every day of the week and because they are so young, I need to pack different items for each of them.   There are 3 compartment sizes here so I can mix and match a whole slew of different items.

We Like Different Things

The compartments are sized to fit both kids and grown ups.  I like taking my own lunch in these boxes because they hold a whole sandwich, a small salad and some dressing.  They will also hold the small fruit or applesauce or drinkable yogurts that we sometimes use.

I have been able to put liquids in the compartments without a problem and this saves money!  Applesauce, Ranch dressing, yogurt, and canned fruit have all been a part of my lunches and I have never had a leak.  This thing works better than my sippy cups. 

The lunch bags can fit 2 containers and my ice pack or 1 container and a thermos or sippy cup and an apple or banana or whatever you wish.  On the weekends we put containers in one bag and have an extra bag that we put drinks in.  It works really well.

These lunch bags are washable.  Thank God because my sippy cups have leaked.  And the chocolate Easter bunnies that were left in the bags after the egg hunt at school melted.  I threw them in the wash and they look like new!

I have not used my myriad of tiny Tupperware containers that my kids could not open anyway since I received this set.  Hallelujah.

My kids can open these themselves without any accidents and they are almost 2 and  3 1/2.  Props to Kelly.  One less thing I have to do.  They can also figure out which way the lid goes on and can put it back in the lunch bag themselves and zip it.  Can I get a woot woot?

Our pre-school teachers have commented on how easy it is for the kids to eat their own lunch without spills.  Unlike the  tiny Tupperware containers this is a stable place for food.  It does not tip over.  The compartments are big enough for  a spoon to easily get the yogurt out.   My little one’s little hands do not have to try to hold a container and a spoon to eat and inevitably have something tip over.  I love this feature.  It helps them to be more independent.

 The Easy LunchBox containers are FDA compliant and are made of non-toxic, food-safe polypropylene (PP or plastic #5). They are very high quality and are BPA-free, phthalate-free, and non-toxic. 

These containers are safe for refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher.

We all want to be greener.  Say bye bye to all those plastic bags!

This system saves space in your cupboards or drawers.

Short on Space - No Problem!

The price is right!  The Easy LunchBox system comes with 4 containers and lids.  Then you choose a lunch bag in one of 5 cool colors! The containers are $13.95 and the lunch bags are only $7.95.  We have been fine with 2 kids having 1 set of containers and 2 lunch bags but when Violet starts eating I will definitely be adding another set of containers! 

Great Choice - Great Price

Overall

The Easy LunchBox gets my Mommy Words Woo Hoo for both grown-ups and kids.  It is simple, affordable, practical and eco-friendly!  You can even find tons of great lunch suggestions on Kelly’s site!  Great job Kelly!  This mom loves your lunch boxes!

Giveaway

One lucky Mommy Words reader will win a full Easy LunchBox system with a set of containers and a great lunch bag!How do you win?  It’s easy!  

Required Entry:

Simply check out the Easy LunchBox site and let me know your favorite thing about this neat product in the comments.  I will contact you by email if you win!

Extra Entries:  You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done.  If you already follow / fan Mommy Words or Easy LunchBoxes this counts – just let me know!

1.  Follow Mommy Words publicly by joining through Google Friend Connect and tell me you are. 

2.  Become my Facebook fan here and leave me your Facebook name.

3.  Become a Facebook fan of Easy LunchBoxes here and leave me your Facebook name.

4.  Follow @mommywords on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name. 

5.  Follow Easy LunchBoxes on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name.

6.  Tweet about this giveaway 1 time each day and let me know you tweeted!  Please tweet – Win an awesome Easy LunchBox system from @mommywords and make packing a lunch easy, fast and eco-friendly! http://bit.ly/dg09vY Ends 5/4.

7.  Subscribe to Mommy Words via RSS reader or Email and tell me you are .  You can find the buttons at the top of the site.

8.  Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the cute banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. You can can click up to 3x for more entries.

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. It begins on April 20, 2010 and will end on May 4, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be contacted via email if I have his or her email and must respond within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Good luck!

I was provided the Easy Lunchbox containers and 2 lunch bags in order to facilitate my review.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my own opinions and honest experience with this product.

Blanket for Baby Carrier, Stroller, Car Seat, Picnics, Playdates and…nursing cover!

{This giveaway has now ended.  Thank you for entering!}

I love my WooBee and B Blanket’s from Rain or Shine Kids.  The ‘B’ Blanket is in the picture below.  It’s the super mod, soft, plush feeling baby carrier blanket covering Violet in the Baby Bjorn.  It ties on and I can flip it up to cover her head in the sun.  But it is SO much more.

All Comfy for Our Walk

My family uses these blankets every dayand we have since I bought our Woobee for Sophia in 2006 when she was just a baby.  All my babies have stayed cozy and dry wherever we go!  Here is Violet with the WooBee!

Cuddly and Warm in the Stroller

I contacted Rain or Shine Kids to tell them how much I LOVE these blankets and they offered to send me their newest blanket for review as well as provide one for my readers.  You can win your own beautiful ‘B’ Blanket!

We have already covered my huge crush on MacGyver and my belief that all things made for babies and small children should attempt to behave like this magnificent always ready with a solution man! 

That is to say, stuff for kids should be pretty simple, very sturdy and really USEFUL.  When it is possible, children’s items should be good for more than one thing and more than one age.  The WooBee and ‘B’ Blankets pass all of my silly tests!

The Facts

1.  This really is a water resistant mini picnic blanket.  These blankets are unbelievably cozy on one side and water resistanton the other.  This makes it an indispensable piece of baby gear.  With one thing you can keep drops of rain off your kids and keep them warm.  On a baby playdate you can have one blanket for stroller, park and inside.  Picnics fly by with totally dry tushies!   I love it!

The Girls in the Sun

2.  There are 2 ties on the upper part of the blanket so that it can be attached to a stroller or car seat or used as a nursing cover.  Like my actual nursing cover – Miles and Sophia also use these as capes too.  A multi-tasking blanket!  Yep – Violet is under there and able to eat while we play outside in 50 degree weather.  Perfect!

Nursing with Neighbors

There is enough room above the ties to flip this part up if you need to cover the baby’s head to shield her from rain or sun!

Cozy & Warm in Car Seat

 3.  The quality is excellent.  My Cow print Woobee Blanket is now more than 3 years old and has been washed many many times and it still looks as good as new!  Now Violet gets to use it!

Chillin' on Wet Grass on the WooBee

4.  The patterns and fabrics are awesome.  The Woobee is available in tons of colors and 3 fun prints including the Cow Ranch print shown above.  The ‘B’ Blanket is made out of polar fleece (think fuzzy and warm) and is available in the Rings pattern that I received as well as a pink Sunburst pattern and a blue Squares pattern. 

5.  Rain or Shine Kids is a mom owned and operated company and these blankies as well as their bibs and burp cloths are all made in the USA in the pacific northwest.  Gotta love that!

Overall

I use these every day.  I keep them in my stroller and we literally use these blankets to keep warm, to keep dry, to have picnics…basically these blankets help us to enjoy the outdoors no matter what the weather.   The only thing I might change is to add a snap on each side so that when it is used as a car seat cover it is not hanging way off the edge and can be snapped up.  That’s a tiny thing though.  These blankets get a big huge Mommy Words Woo Hoo!

Giveaway!

One lucky Mommy Words reader will win a Rain or Shine Kids ‘B’ Blanket in their choice of pattern!  How do you win?  It’s easy!  Simply comment and let me know your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Required Entry:

Leave me a comment telling me who this little blanket would be for and / or how you would use it!

Extra Entries:  You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done.  If you already follow / fan Mommy Words this counts – just let me know!

1.  Follow Mommy Words publicly by joining through Google Friend Connect and tell me you are. (1 Entry)

2.  Become my Facebook fan here and leave me your Facebook name. (1 Entry)

3.  Follow @mommywords on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name. (1 Entry)

4.  Tweet about this giveaway 1 time each day and let me know you tweeted!  (1 Entry each Tweet)

Win a fabulous All Weather ’B’ Blanket from Rain or Shine Kids and @mommywords here http://tinyurl.com/yl4u7jp Ends 4/4

5.  Purchase anything from Rain or Shine Kids and let me know what it is! (5 Entries)

7.  Subscribe to Mommy Words via RSS reader or Email and tell me you are.

8.  Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the cute banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. You can can click up to 3x for more entries.

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. It begins on March 21, 2010 and will end on April 4, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Good luck!

I was provided the ‘B’ Blanket from Rain or Shine Kids in order to facilitate my review.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my own opinions and honest experience with this product.

Like this post? Don’t want to miss a Mommy Words Moment? Then subscribe via RSS or by email to get all the latest from this Mom’s mouth! You can also use the social buttons below to add this post to your favorite sites or send it to your friends. Please spread the MOMMY WORDS!

Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover as Peek-a-Boo Toy and Blankie

{This giveaway has now ended.  Thank you for entering!}

I love when one of my favorite companies send me a gorgeous brand spankin’ new product to review and provides a giveaway for my readers!  Bebe au Lait sent me an absolutely gorgeous and super soft nursing cover in the Papillon pattern for me to review.  You can win a fabulous nursing cover (as I model in this post) or set of burp cloths  in your pattern of choice!  What a great gift for you or for a new or expecting mom!

Bebe Burp Cloths

I have used my first Bebe au Lait cover since just days after Sophia was born in 2006 and I was sort of itching for a new pretty thing and with the gorgeous fabrics I was not disappointed.  Now I have 2 covers, one for home and one for away and I use both of them daily.  How very cool!

As a Nursing Cover

I used the cover to nurse within hours of Violet’s birth as my in-laws came to hang out with us in the hospital.  While I firmly believe that moms can nurse with or without a cover and wherever the heck they want to, I personally prefer my brother-in-law and mother-in-law remain unaware of how my boobs or nipples look.  You know, cause I am a prude like that.  So I whipped out my gorgeous cover in the hospital and seriously people, I got ooh’s and ahh’s from my family and from all the vital check nurses and from Violet’s nurse and from my OB.  These covers are gorgeous!

And yes, they work.  No one saw my goods who was not supposed to.

I present to you a picture of me and Violet in the hospital before she needs to eat. 

Brand New Baby and her Sassy Bebe au Lait Cover

Then, easy as pie, here is a picture of her nursing.  Can you see my boobs?  No ma’am.  See – it works for what it is supposed to.  As you can see – I can see baby Violet when she eats.  She can see me.  It is my favorite thing about these covers.  I still feel connected to my little one and she does not feel totally covered up with a plain ol’ blanket covering her head.  This cover does not really even touch her head.  The rigid neckline keeps the cover away from hers so she has the room to breathe, eat and be comfy!

Baby Under the Bebe au Lait

I use the cover at home when I want Violet to have a calm place to nurse without all the excitement of Sophia and Miles running around.  I also use it at home if a repairman or contractor is in the house.  I can nurse her while doing a walk through of a project with no boob showing and a very satisfied baby.  I also use the cover when we are outside so that she is not blinded by the sunshine.  When we are out and about – I use it all the time for my comfort and hers.

Other Uses for this Gorgeous Cover

It is a burp cloth.  It has two little terry triangles on the bottom corners that also have tiny pockets for pacis and stuff.  These are awesome to have!  I sometimes curl one up to put under Violet’s cheek to help deal with the enormous amount of milk that comes out with my hyper lactation.  This way I have something right there that can absorb some of the milk the sprays out when she needs to take a break from gulping!  Not sexy I know, but SO helpful!  Saves my clothes and hers from being soaked!

We use this as a light blanket all the time.  After nursing I just wrap Violet up and put her in her rocker and she is happy as a clam!  I also lay it over her car-seat to provide protection from sun or wind when we are running from the car into the store or something.  It can also be used on top of a baby carrier like an Ergo Baby or a Bjorn for coverage of the head and extra warmth and then you have it available to nurse!

Bebe au Lait Blankie

We play peek-a-boowith the Bebe au Lait.  All of my babies have loves grasping the rigid neckline so it is fun!

Sophia and Miles use the Bebe au Lait as capes.  I think this is hilarious.  My own nursing super heros!

This works as a travel changing pad too.  I do use the pretty side just in case anything got on the blanket it would not ever be next to baby’s face.  It is much better than laying your baby on the ground or a public nursing station.

An emergency outfit / diaper.  I went through 2 full outfits on my first plane trip with Sophia and all but one of my diapers.  Her little 2 month old tummy exploded multiple times on our way to New Orleans.  I ended up with nothing clean except my Bebe au Lait cover.  I wrapped her up in it around my last diaper and asked the stewardess for a clean blanket.  This was how Sophie met her cousins.  I thought it was a great alternative to being naked or covered in poop.  For other great travel tips with little ones you can read my full post here.

Other Products:

Bebe au Lait also makes the cutest and softest burp cloths, which I purchased before Violet was born.  I have not yet tried their 4 way bibs or hooded towels but I may just have to break down and get them because they are just gorgeous and the reviews of them are great!

Hooded Towel

They also have a line of jewelry called Family Ties that expresses the bond between parent and child.  Well, be still my heart – how adorable!

Family Ties

Overall Bebe au Lait is a wonderful company with a fabulous product that I recommend over and over to nursing mothers.  The nursing cover is listed on my Things I used in the First 2 Weeks with a Newborn, which you can find here.  I really don’t have any negatives.  My firstcover is still great after 3 years and while it is a little faded from so many washings it is still beautiful.  Any product that lasts that long through that many kids and daily use is awesome in my book.  The craftmanship is commendable and the fabric is super soft!  My only suggestion is that they start making adorable blankies and swaddlers out of these fabrics.  I love them!

Giveaway!

One lucky Mommy Words reader will win a Bebe au Lait (a.k.a. Hooter Hiders) nursing cover or Set of Burp Cloths!  How do you win?  It’s easy!  Simply comment and let me know your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Required Entry:

Visit Bebe au Lait and leave me a comment telling me your favorite pattern or favorite product.

Extra Entires:  You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done.  If you already follow / fan Mommy Words or Bebe au Lait this counts – just let me know!

1.  Follow Mommy Words publicly by joining through Google Friend Connect and tell me you are. 

2.  Become my Facebook fan here and leave me your Facebook name.

3.  Become a Facebook fan of Bebe au Lait here and leave me your Facebook name.

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5.  Follow Bebe au Lait on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name.

6.  Tweet about this giveaway 1 time each day and let me know you tweeted!  Try tweeting…Win a fabulous Bebe au Lait nursing cover from @mommywords here http://bit.ly/bVUiXO Ends 3/15.

7.  Subscribe to Mommy Words via RSS reader or Email and tell me you are .

8.  Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the cute banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. You can can click up to 3x for more entires.

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. It begins on March 8, 2010 and will end on March 15, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be announced on this blog and contacted if I have his or her email and must respond within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Good luck!

I was provided the Bebe au Lait nursing cover in order to facilitate my review.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my own opinions and honest experience with this product.

I was so excited to receive this Fisher Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleeper in the mail for my review.  I am a huge fan of Fisher Price products and have always gone to them for my newborn gear including my swings, bouncers and toys!  The quality is superb and they seem to last through many children.  Violet is my 3rd baby in just over 3 years and while all of our gear is still in great condition I was excited to get something new!

My new baby Violet loves her new rocker!

Happy Baby

I am adding this rocker to things you should have when you come home with baby.  You can see my post of things I used in baby’s first 2 weeks here.  I am not a full co-sleeper or a full attachment parent, but I like to have my babies near me every moment.  I think it provides the littlest people with a sense of security and trust when they open their eyes and see a caretaker.  This little sleeper works perfectly for my schedule and parenting style as it is higher up than most bouncers and lets her sit right by me when she is relaxing or taking a little cat nap and gives me a little babywearing break.  I can easily rock it with my leg and it also slides easily across the floor when you tip it up so you can move baby from room to room without lifting the piece off the floor or waking baby.

While we do not use this sleeper at night, it meets industry standards for a bassinet and can be used for baby to sleep in at night in lieu of a co-sleeper or bassinet.  It elevates baby’s head which gives baby a better view and makes sleeping babies more comfortable.  Many babies sleep better with thier heads elevated.  This position can help both with breathing and with stomach issues such as reflux.

Where We Use the Rocker

The rocker’s height is great for being next to me while typing or eating lunch, but it is not really high enough to go near my bed.  Violet would be much lower than my mattress height, so I prefer the co-sleeper as I can make it level with my bed.  However,  I think this is a great option if your bed is lower, you are not co-sleeping or you need the elevation.   Still, we use this everywhere but by the bed!

Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper

As a travel bed for little ones, this rocker was awesome and can hold babies up to 25 pounds!  It weighs almost nothing and folds up to almost nothing in a flash!  We took it to Charleston for an overnight and it easily slipped in the back of the car next to our suitcase and easily fit in between the bed and the wall in the room.  It took about 5 seconds to fold it up versus 5 minutes (or more if you hit a snag) with a pack ‘n play.  In your home it could just as easily slip under a bed or in a closet for storage.  This is a huge plus! 

Fits in Tight Spaces

We also take this to restaurants and love having Violet out of her car seat and in her own place next to us.  You can easily carry it with one hand and it is so convenient and so much safer and more comfortable for babies.  It fits easily next to the table and lets mom enjoy her meal!

Basically we use this rocker all over in the house and out of the house because it works so well for our little one.  I would say we use this more than the swing or the bouncer because it puts baby Violet so close to us and provides such a calming and safe place for her.

Great Things About the Rocker 

The rocker took all of 5 minutes to put together.  This includes taking the tape of the shipping box.  It was that simple.  There were no screws or strange small parts to figure out. 

Miracle of all baby gear miracles, the cover easily attaches to the frame and stays attached and just as easily comes off for washing.  Finally! 

The rocker is lightweight, compact and extremely easy to move around or store.  You can (and we do) take it anywhere!

This sleeper is a jack of all trades.  Baby can sleeep, baby can relax, baby can play! 

There is a cute little toy bunny and a pocket on the outside for baby stuff.  I keep a burp cloth, some wipes and a paci in there with the bunny!

The high sides are fabulous for newborns.  I have a Fisher Price bouncer upstairs that we have had for 5 years and used for all of our kids and passed around to other babies and everyone loves it.  They no longer make it and I was really trying to find one for downstairs.  It too has wonderful high sides for extra support and a feeling of safety for babies.  They just came out of the womb and many babies prefer to be in tighter spaces.  This is why we swaddle them!  In the picture below you can see violet in the standard style of bouncer these days and you can see that she is falling a little to the side.  You can also see how the product comes and the size versus the bouncer.  We weren’t using the bouncer much because she seemed uncomfortable at her young age.

Bouncer Lacks Support

In the rocker she does not fall to the side at all and while she has freedom to move, her neck and torso are fully supported.

Violet Chillin' Out in Rocker

The design is simple and does not require batteries.  I will admit sometimes I miss the good old vibration feature but after much thought and observation of my 3 and 1 year olds I have decided it is wonderful to have something that does not fascinate them.  Sophia and Miles can help to gently rock her, but there is no music or toys on it to make them go crazy!  You can see Miles “helping” violet above.

Things I Would Like to See

The legs attach to the rocking frame with the standard pins and I would love if the height was adjustable.  Just a couple of inches would provide a lot of versatility for moms who wanted to sleep next to their babies.  An extra couple of inches would make a big difference.

The color and design is gender neutral and very cute, but I always like when a product is available in a “natural” color.  Creams and beiges and browns are also gender neutral but feel more modern and more easily blend in with home decor.

I would love a toy bar that could attach to the sides when Violet gets a little older.  This would give her a little entertainment while not leaving her on the floor when my kids and dog are running around!

Overall Opinion

I love this rocker from Fisher Price.  It was exactly what I was looking for to keep Violet near but give me some hands free time.  I have used in more places and situations already than any other piece of baby gear, and that is saying a lot.

You can purchase the Newborn Newborn Rock ’n Play Sleeper for approximately $50 from many baby stores and online retailers. 

I would highly recommend this product.  The Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper gets a big Mommy Words Woo Hoo!

Disclaimer:  Thank you to Fisher Price and MomSelect for providing me with this product free of charge in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Like this post? Don’t want to miss a Mommy Words Moment? Then subscribe via RSS or by email to get all the latest from this Mom’s mouth! You can also use the social buttons below to add this post to your favorite sites or send it to your friends. Please spread the MOMMY WORDS!

{This Giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for entering!}

We all know how much I love my family, my crafts and my house projects.  BUT!  Did you know that the standard Q-Tip is a jack of all trades and is indispensable in my house when it comes to taking care of myself and my kids as well as helping around the house and with all of our fabulous art projects?  As it turns out it can help me to look prettier as well.  This little cotton swab really has a lot going for it, don’t you agree?  Now that little Q-Tip has gotten a very Nursery and Kid-Friendly Facelift!

I will reveal some of the many ways we use Q-Tips around my house soon, but I specifically mentioned the little gems here in my post listing the things I used in my baby’s first 2 weeks so I will begin with their uses for baby and kids and announce an awesome giveaway!

Q-Tips teamed up with Wendy Bellissimo for the launch of their new adorably designed nursery Q-Tips package.  These packages are now available at your local Target or Walmart stores.  I think we can agree that these are MUCH cuter than your standard blue Q-Tip box, especially since you will want to keep the Q-Tips near your diaper area and easy to reach while you are taking care of your little one!

I recieved a Perfect Nursery Product Pack from Q-Tips to review and I have one to giveaway! It includes both Q-Tips designs as well as a super cute little elephant bank!  I do not have nurseries for my kids as newborns since they sleep in my room, so my adorable little package is on the bookshelf I use in my room for my baby essentials nest to our co-sleeper.  It is especially nice to have something cute since it is a corner of my bedroom!

Q-Tips Space Saving Packs with Baby Elephant Bank

So how do I use them?  Q-Tips are Great for Our Littlest Ones,   I use them for…

1.  Cleaning the umbilical cord with alcohol before the area has completely healed.

2.  With diaper changes I use warm water and a Q-Tip to clean all those really small private areas that get so much moisture and can cause rashes in even the tiniest babies.  A Q-Tip dipped in warm water can get to every little area and keep baby clean and dry.

3.  While you should never use a Q-Tip in the ear canal I do use it to clean the outside and behind the ears as well as in between tiny fingers and toes.  I have even used one dipped in warm water to clean the folds of a very chubby neck on my little boy!

4.  With a circumcised boy, you can use a Q-Tip to apply to petroleum jelly to the penis during a diaper change.  It is a lot better than using your hands and I always felt like it was cleaner.

And for the slightly older crowd – toddlers and up…

4.  Q-Tips and warm water can make cleaning a crusty boogered nose a breeze!

5.  My 3 year old loves to use them to put on make-up when we play.  She doesn’t destroy my brushes and I can throw them out!  They are also great to have for face painting at birthday parties!

6.  Q-Tips are perfect paintbrushes for tiny hands.  Have one for each color and toss when you are done! I use them for my craft projects too – perfect for tiny hand and for tiny spaces!

7.  Q-Tips are arts and crafts masters – from applying glue to building your own Q-Tip cabin these babies should be part of your craft caddy.

Are you convinced you need some of these around?  I will be following up with a huge list of general uses for Q-Tips but this can get you started!

Now, don’t you want to win a set of the cute Q-Tips and that precious little elephant bank?  My one and 3 year old both want the bank and the Q-Tips to go in their rooms so I know these animals are a hit with the little ones.

How do you win this adorable set?  It’s easy!   Simply comment and let me know your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Required Entry:

Leave me a comment telling me what is a must have in your perfect nursery or baby area or a way that YOU use Q-Tips besides clenaing your ears!

Extra Entries: (You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done)

1.  Follow Mommy Words publicly by joining through Google Friend Connect and tell me you are.

2.  Become my Facebook fan here and leave me your Facebook name.

3.  Follow @mommywords on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name.

4.  Subscribe to Mommy Words via RSS reader or Email and tell me you are .

5.  Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the cute banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. You can can click up to 3x for more entires.

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. It begins on February 15, 2010 and will end on February 22, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be announced on this blog and contacted if I have his or her email and must respond within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Good luck!

I was provided the Q-Tips Perfect Nursery Product Pack.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my own opinions and honest experience with this product.

Like this post? Don’t want to miss a Mommy Words Moment? Then subscribe via RSS or by email to get all the latest from this Mom’s mouth! You can also use the social buttons below to add this post to your favorite sites or send it to your friends. Please spread the MOMMY WORDS!