Stork Stack Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

Lately I have been hearing a lot about subscription boxes where boxes come to your house once a month with samples in them for you to try. There are various kinds of subscription boxes, but the ones I am most interested are those geared towards my children. I was debating whether to try one out when I came across Stork Stack.

I have been checking out their website and Facebook page since they started in June. Each stack contains 3-4 of their favorite products for babies and then 1-2 products for moms. Each stack is geared toward the age and gender of your little one. You can buy a one-month subscription for $28. However, if you buy a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription, they will donate a stack (or two or three) to a family in need. Besides the monthly subscription, they have a Shower Stack for $40 which contains a WubbaNub, Body Butter from Earth Momma Angel Baby, Baby Legwarmers by BabyLegs, Muselin Swaddle from aden and anais, and monthly milestone stickers from Sticky Bellies.

When I found out that I would be receiving the September Stork Stack, I couldn't wait for it to come. Stacks ship out around the first of each month and I couldn't believe it arrived a little early. Opening a Stack is kind of like opening up presents at Christmas since I had no idea what the box might contain. The box itself is cute and appealing and inside I found not only my five products, but two index size cards as well. One containing a greeting and message from The Stork Stack Team and the other explained the five products I received.

September's theme was Lil' Learners, which seems appropriate since my older kids just went back to school. Inside my Stack was the following items:

• The book Tickle Time! by Sandra Boynton ($6.95)-This is probably my favorite item from the Stack. We have a few of Sandra Boynton's books and I love reading them to my little one. He always gets excited as we look at the pages of Tickle Time! I can certainly see why-I just love the illustrations and the words of the book are catchy. Here is a sample: "If you're feeling blue and you don't know what to do there is nothing like a TICKLE TIME to make you feel like new."

• Baby Paper ($3.99)-I got to admit I was not exactly excited when I saw this toy. It is made of a soft material that crinkles and makes a paper sound when touched. I thought why would I pay $3.99 for such a simple toy. This is what makes a subscription box great-trying out new products that you might not have tried on your own. When I gave the Baby Paper to my little one I was surprised that he really enjoyed playing with it. Babies must like the crinkle sound that it makes. It is also nice because it takes up so little space in my diaper bag if I need a toy to keep him occupied while I am out. This toy is so simple but my little one seems to like it!

• Linking Monkey from Melissa & Doug ($7.99)-I have always been a fan of Melissa & Doug toys. They are so well made and my kids enjoy playing with them. Since I sometimes call my little one Chunky Monkey, this toy is perfect for him. I love that it has links, which not only make it easier for him to hold onto, but I can attach it to his car seat as well.

• Organic Cotton Hip Socks from Baberoo ($18)-Even though my little one has hand me downs from his two older brothers, the one thing I have not found are socks, so this package of four will definitely come in handy. I also love that they are organic, since lately green parenting has been on my mind. We just started cloth diapering, and now I am looking into ways to incorporate more green products into our home.

• Joe Jacket ($10.95)-This product is for me. Joe Jackets are stylish beverage wraps that insulate hot cups, cold water bottles, and steel tumblers. It is reversible too.

You will notice that although you pay $28 a month for a Stack, the products inside add up to a whole lot more. Plus there is the excitement of not knowing what you will receive. To learn more, check out their website, and I definitely would encourage you to stop by their Facebook page where you can often find the cutest baby photos.

Disclosure: I received a Stork Stack to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

mOmma Spoon and Fork Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

I have decided to almost exclusively breastfeed my little one until he reaches six months old. I say almost because there has been a few times when we are out when it is easier to give him a bottle of formula. However, that does not happen very frequently. I am looking forward to introducing him to solids when he reaches 6 months. It will be fun not only to try out different foods with him, but to see how he reacts to using a spoon and eventually a fork. The first spoon and fork I will try out with him is from one of my Baby Shower Sponsors, mOmma.

When I received the spoon and fork in the mail, the design definitely stood out from any baby spoon and fork I have seen. The handles of both are round, which not only makes it easier for babies to grip, but also helps with hygiene. With the round handle, the fork and spoon rock but always remain upright. This way the part that goes in their mouths does not touch the table, and the rocking can help keep your baby entertained as well. I also love that there is an extendable handle which doubles as a travel cover. This way I can throw it in my diaper bag when we go out and I do not need to put it in a plastic baggie to keep it clean. I can't wait to try them out when my little one is older. 

As I browsed the mOmma website, I noticed that they also sell no-spill cups, plates, placemats, teethers, and bags for moms. So if you are looking for some innovative feeding products for your little one, check out all the products mOmma has to offer. 

Disclosure: I received the above products to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

 

CJ's BUTTer® Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

A few months ago my sister started cloth diapering my nephew and I got to admit it intrigued me. The diapers were so cute and not at all what I expected. So I started following a cloth diaper forum and I got hooked. I loved reading about all of the different types of diapers and looking at the pictures. The one thing that stood out to me was that you can not use just any type of laundry detergent or diaper cream. I kept reading about using CJ's BUTTer® for diaper cream and then my sister recommended them as well. She said not only was it great for diaper cream but eczema too. So I wrote the company and was thrilled to be given the chance to review a few of their products. Here is a little about the company:

CJ S. Miller started CJ's BUTTer® in her kitchen out of determination to make a cloth diaper friendly diaper cream for her own children. The Original BUTTer® formula she created proved not only to be the best all natural diaper cream available, but there have literally been more than 20 uses found for this amazing product. Since the humble beginnings of CJ's BUTTer® CJ had added over a dozen additional products to our product line many of which are also multi-taskers. All of our products are handcrafted using only carefully selected ingredients, and most are available in over 3 dozen scent options.

My thoughts: I got to admit I could not wait for my shipment to arrive and it shipped quickly. They sent me two of the Original CJ's BUTTer® samples, a 2 oz lotion, and a Bug Banisher. The first item I tried out was the Original CJ's BUTTer® samples. The sample sizes are a half an ounce and a little goes a long way. I received two scents: Warm Vanilla Cake and Monkey Farts. Let me tell you the Warm Vanilla Cake scent is just awesome-I love it.  The Monkey Farts scent, despite its name, smells quite nice. Here is how they describe the scent on their website: A truly unique fragrance that begins with top notes of fresh banana and juicy grapefruit, middle notes of kiwi, bubblegum, and strawberries; and a hint of vanilla as a base note. Although the original purpose of CJ's BUTTer® was to be an all natural cream safe for cloth diapers, it has so many uses. Here are some of its other uses:

• Eczema
• Very dry/chapped skin
• Bug bites
• Sunburn pain and peeling
• Itchy pregnant tummies (I wish I had my samples sooner as I developed PUPPS a few days postpartum)
• Cradle cap
• Stretch marks

I was just amazed when I learned about all of the ways CJ's BUTTer® can be used and can't wait to try some of them. While my little one has not had a diaper rash for me to try it on, I have used it so far for my older son's eczema and my little one's cradle cap, and it worked great for both! CJ's BUTTer® comes in half ounce samples, a 4 oz tube, a 8 oz pot, and a 12 oz tub. They also sell CJ's BUTTer® PLUS which not only has the benefits of the Original, but it has ingredients that treat fungal skin problem such as yeast rashes and thrush.

Next I tried out a 2 ounce size of CJ's Creamy Body Lotion. This lotion contains no alcohol or chemical moisturizers. The scent of my sample was Pink Sugar which is also amazing! I have used it on the dry skin of my heels and I have noticed a difference. I just can't wait to use it in the winter time when my hands get extremely chapped. Last, I tried their Bug Banisher. I had been looking for an all-natural bug repellent so I was excited to try this out. In the summer time, when my boys are outside more at night, they always seem to get bit by mosquitoes and their bug bites really swell up. This product uses a combination of essential oils and other ingredients that bugs hate. Just last Friday I tested this product on my boys. I loved the idea that it was all natural and it didn't smell bad like other repellents I have used. I did notice that the mosquitoes were out, but this product worked and they did not get bit.

Besides the samples I received, they also sell lip balm, a body and linen spray, wool wash and woolie revitalizer, and an all purpose cleaner, just to name a few. I love my samples! Not only do they work great, but they smell awesome as well. As I begin my adventure in cloth diapers, I am well prepared for any diaper rashes they may occur with my Original BUTTer® samples-I can't wait to try out more scents! And even if I do not need them for rashes, there are plenty of other ways I can and will use them.

To learn more about their great products, stop by CJ's Unique Boutique and their Facebook page.

Disclosure: I received samples from CJ's Unique Boutique to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

Pourty Potty Review and Giveaway {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

Potty training is not always easy-I know it wasn't for my two boys. So this time around I thought that I would give Elimination Communication a try. If you have never heard about it before, I'm not surprised. I first heard of it from a friend when my middle boy was around nine/ten months old, and I thought if I ever have another baby I definitely want to try it out.  Basically you watch for cues from your little one for when they need to go and then hold them over a toilet. When you hold them over the toilet you can make a cueing sound like "sss" and this gives them a signal to go. You continue to use this sound every time and your baby will associate it with going. 

Since I wanted to give Elimination Communication (EC) a try, I needed a little potty. If you do not want to buy one, you can hold them over another a receptacle. As I was browsing for a potty that looked easy to use for EC, I came across the Pourty. The Pourty is a one piece potty that was made to be easy to clean. It has an duct in the back so that you can pour the pee or poop out of the back of the potty eliminating any messy dribbles. With my two older boys we had a two piece potty and I can remember thinking that I did not like to clean it, so the Pourty definitely caught my interest. 

I have been trying out EC and the Pourty for about two months now. However, I have been having a hard time with EC. When my little one was eight weeks old, I tried him on the Pourty for the first time and he cried. I think it was a combination of a new feeling on his little bottom, as well as me awkwardly trying to hold him on it. Since he is a boy, I just had this fear that he was going to pee all over me.  After trying a few more times with the same response I decided to wait until he was three months old. At three months old, I put the Pourty in front of a mirror and then sat him on it. This time there was no crying. I think the difference in his reaction was for a few reasons. First, he could hold his head up on his own and so I felt more comfortable holding him on the potty. Second, he loves to look at the mirror. Although it took a while, just last Friday I put him on and a few seconds later he peed. What a proud mother I was! I called my husband up right away to let him know of his accomplishment. I believe that EC works, but it depends on how much effort you are able to put into it.

My thoughts on the Pourty: There are four choices of colors to choose from when you buy your Pourty-blue, white, pink, and purple. Since we have a boy and my favorite color is blue, we chose the blue. In the past we used a two piece potty with my other two boys, but it always seemed like there were so many spaces that collected dust and germs. So I like the idea of a one piece. On top of that, it really is easy to clean. When my little one used the potty I just poured it out the back, filled it with water, and poured it out again. The potty is sturdy and has a handle in the front for carrying.  I also like that the sitting area is wide and there is a high splash guard which is a definite plus when you have a boy.  Lastly, my four month old seems comfortable sitting on it for a minute or two, which is a long time for a little one.

If you are interested, stop by their website where you can learn more. You can find the Pourty online at Amazon, Babies R Us, Walmart, and Sears (just to name a few) for $14.95. Pourty has also offered to giveaway a potty to one lucky reader, so enter below:

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Disclosure: I received a Pourty potty to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

Babee Covee Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

Do you always feel like there are so many things to pack in your diaper bag when you go out? Well I have an item for you called the Babee Covee that will help you lighten the load. I first came cross the Babee Covee when looking for a high chair cover. Usually we go out after church to a nice restaurant with the kids. Although we have not started using a high chair yet with our little one, we will soon. I was always nervous about the germs on public high chairs when my other two boys were younger. When I attended a baby shower this year I noticed that one of  the moms had a high chair cover and I thought that's exactly what I need. So I was excited to be given the opportunity to review the Babee Covee.

Now the Babee Covee is so much more than a high chair cover. It is a 6-in-1 Baby Blanket Cover. If you have ever used a blanket over your infant car seat you might understand that while it serves its purpose of shielding your baby, it is not ideal. It can fall off easily and it is hard to carry. That is what motivated one of the founders to create the Babee Covee. This blanket has a flap in the middle so that it slips over your car seat with the flap closing under the handle making it easier to carry. It also has ties on either side to attach to the base of the carrying handle.

The Babee Covee has six uses: infant car seat cover, high chair cover, stroller blanket, shopping cart cover, nursing cover, and a general purpose blanket. There are three colors to choose from: green, blue, and pink. I received the green Babee Covee with hearts. No matter which color you choose from the backside has mocha dots. One of the first things I noticed when I took it out of the package was how soft it was. It is also quite large and perfect for each of its six functions. I have personally used it as a nursing cover and general purpose blanket. It worked great as a nursing cover and I would feel comfortable breastfeeding with it in public. My little one also enjoyed his tummy time on the Babee Covee when I used it as a playmat, and the other day I used it as a blanket to help him and myself stay warm in an air conditioned room. Although it has been too warm to use it as an infant seat cover, I did try it out on our car seat and it fit great! I can't wait to use it when the weather becomes colder, and of course, I look forward to using it on high chairs in a few months when he is a little older. 

Interested in learning more and buying one for your little one? Check out their website here and use the code 10BCMom to save 10% on your purchase. You can also stop by their Facebook page and "like" them to be entered in their monthly giveaway to win a Babee Covee Budee. A Babee Covee Budee has four uses: security blanket, pacifier/toy holder, burb cloth/lap pad, and a tag-along. 

Disclosure: I received a Babee Covee to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

MommyMilk Creations Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

Did you know that August is National Breastfeeding Month? Every mother has their own opinions on breastfeeding, but for me breastfeeding is very important. Not only does it have many health benefits for my baby, but it is much cheaper too. For me, I love the bond I feel with my little one through breastfeeding. It is the one thing that only I can provide for him. I especially love it when he stops in the middle of a feeding to look up at me and smile.

My next review is perfect to highlight during National Breastfeeding Month. The Etsy store, MommyMilk Creations, specializes in handmade breast milk pendants and special keepsakes. When I saw the breast milk pendants I immediately wanted one. To create these pendants, your breast milk is "plasticized", turned into a bead, and then laid into resin in order to preserve it forever.

There are quite a few choices to pick from on MommyMilk Creations. You are able to choose the size, shape, and color of your pendant, as well as your bead shape. You can also choose to have your child's name on it. Since I have always wanted a special piece of jewelry to represent all three of my boys, I chose a large pendant with triple beads. Allicia, the owner of MommyMilk Creations, is great to work with. She answered a few questions I had and made me feel confident that I was going to love the final product. I chose to go with three hearts with my boys names under each heart. After talking with Allicia and deciding on a pendant, I sent a small amount of my milk through the mail. A few weeks later a discrete package arrived in my mailbox ready for my viewing. 

When I opened up my pendant I was excited. It is exactly how I pictured it. With my two other boys it was sad for me to stop breastfeeding them. So I know it will be exceptionally hard with my littlest one since he is our last baby. When I think about stopping, I get emotional. This pendant is really special for a few reasons. First of all, it holds a little of my breast milk, as a reminder of those special bonding moments I had with each of my boys. I think that it will help me when I do decide to wean because I have this little treasure to keep forever. Second, each of my boys names are written on the pendant and they are one of the greatest gifts that God has blessed me with. 

If you are not breastfeeding, MommyMilk Creations has other special keepsakes for you. She can make a pendant with the first curl or the umbilical stump of your little one. She also sells lucky penny jewerly, cremation pendants, key chains, toe bloomers, and necklaces for your pendant. No matter what you choose, Allicia strives for perfection, and I find my pendant to be a perfect keepsake of the times I breastfed my boys.

Interested in learning more and checking out these pendants, stop by MommyMilk Creations on Etsy and check out her blog as well.

Disclosure: I received a breast milk pendant to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

Kalencom Pacifier Pod Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

When I go out with my little one I always like to have a few pacifiers on hand in case one drops on the ground. I usually carry them in a plastic zipper storage bag for lack of a better option, that is until I came across pacifier pods at Kalencom. Kalencom is based in New Orleans and is one of the oldest diaper bag companies in the U.S. They are also credited with developing the first washable diaper bag. As I browsed their catalog, as well as their website, I was amazed with how many different designs and styles there were of diaper bags. Besides diaper bags, they also sell accessories such as the pacifier pods.

I was sent the Gypsy Paisley Green Pacifier Pod to review. As I checked out their website they have so many choices of designs to choose from whether it is solids, animals prints, stripes, or patterns. When it arrived, it was a little smaller than I imagined, although it was the perfect size to hold a pacifier. Actually I was surprised when I tried it that it could hold two of my little one's pacifiers (size 2-6 months). So the size is perfect because it does not take up much room in my diaper bag. There is also a velcro strap on the pacifier pod that allows me to hook it up to my diaper bag or stroller. 

Interested in learning more about their products, check out their website here.

Disclosure: I received the above product to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

Aurora Crinkle Friends Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

I think that every young child loves stuffed animals. My middle boy has a favorite puppy he likes to sleep with, my oldest has a teddy bear, and now thanks to Aurora, my youngest one has a toucan. The Toucan was recently added to Aurora's Crinkle Friends line along with the Hedgehog, Alligator, and Crab. Here is a little information about their new designs:

The new designs use bright, vivid colors and patterns that invite baby to focus, stimulating vision. The textures invite baby to explore, stimulating tactile senses. While Crinkle, squeak and rattle awaken baby auditory awareness and is designed to keep children busy for hours.

The Crinkle Friends "Brights" are recommended for children ages 6 months and up. Although my little one is only four months old, we still show him the Toucan and make sounds with this plush animal. I think that the Toucan is adorable and very soft. I absolutely love the bright colors of his design. When asked which one of the four I wanted to review, I immediately picked the Toucan because his main color is purple which is a favorite in our house. But besides purple, the Toucan is made up of a variety of bright colors including orange, yellow, and blue. The Crinkle Friends are great for little ones because they rattle, crinkle, and squeak! I just can't wait until my little one is old enough to play with it himself-I'm sure he's going to love it!

Interested in buying your little one a Crinkle Friend? You can find them online here for $17.

Disclosure: I received the above product to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

 

Lansinoh mOmma Feeding Bottle Review {Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event}

Even though I mostly breastfeed, I feel it is still important to have bottles around the house. When my little one was first born, my husband would take a late night feeding in order to allow me the opportunity to get a little extra sleep. There is also the occasional outing where it is easier to give him a bottle as well. For example, recently we traveled four hours away for a family camping vacation and instead of needing to stop, I could just feed him a bottle in the car.

For my Baby Event, Lansinoh sent me their mOmma Feeding Bottle. Now when I first think of the company Lansinoh, their Lanolin and disposable nursing pads come to mind. After each of my three deliveries, the hospital provided me with a sample of their Lanolin to use while I first started to breastfeed each of my boys. I have to admit I did not know that they sold other products as well. As I browsed their website, I learned that they sell Lanolin, nursing pads, breast pumps and accessories, milk storage bags, diaper rash ointment, baby wipes, and bottles.

Lansinoh introduced their mOmma Feeding Bottle with the NaturalWave™ Peristaltic Nipple which is based on 50 years of research. Here are the features of this patented nipple:

• Allows baby to mimic natural sucking rhythm
• Promotes oral, facial, and jaw development
• AVS ™  Air Ventilation System reduces intake of gas, a potential cause of colic or spit up

My little one seems gassy and spits up all of the time so to me it is important to use a bottle that will help him. I also like its unique round shape that makes it easier for your little one to hold, as well as its wide design which is helpful when it comes time for cleaning. In order to learn more, stop by their website or Facebook page.

Interested in buying a mOmma Feeding Bottle? You can find them at Walmart, Target, Amazon, diapers.com, and drugstore.com, and to help you save money, print out a coupon for $1.00 off one feeding bottle here.

Disclosure: I received a bottle to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the product.

Delighting in Babies-Baby Shower Event: Bamboobies Review and Giveaway

With each of my boys I made the decision to breastfeed. With my first two boys, I did not leak very often so I was not concerned with nursing pads. However, with my newest little one, I leak more frequently and of course, it has happened not only at home, but when I am out in public. It even happened at the preschool graduation for my five-year old. I wasn't even due to feed my little one! As a result, it is important for me to wear nursing pads when I go out in public. It is hard, though, to find nursing pads that are not only comfortable but are not noticeable as well-that is until I found Bamboobies. 

Bamboobies is an online store that specializes in washable nursing pads. Here is the story of how the founder, Kerry Gilmartin came up with the idea:

Bamboobies were born out of necessity-'the mother of invention!'

After breastfeeding for a few months, I was still leaking sometimes... I even leaked through the thick washable cotton pads. I was tired of looking like I had round targets on my chest where the pads showed through my shirt. Disposables also showed wrinkles and just created too much trash. And disposables get very expensive!

So one day I decided, just because it was handy, to stuff a washable diaper wipe into my bra-it felt great, but it looked funny and was far from perfect. It was made of organic bamboo velour so it was deliciously soft and wicked and absorbed like a great pad should. I'd never felt anything so soft!

A year into product development and protoyping with different fabrics and designs, we have settled on a couple of unique breast pad designs that mothers love.

My thoughts: Bamboobies sent me a pair of their regular breast pads to review. First, I love that they are heart shaped and ultra thin. The shape helps the pad wrap around your breast in order to make them less noticeable.  Often when I wear disposables, I try to move them around to find a way to not show wrinkles or lines through my shirt. But with Bamboobies, I did not have to worry about this. I also love the pale pink color of the pad. The pads come in pale pink, hot pink, and black. The pads are lined with organic bamboo velour and have a hemp and organic cotton inner layer.  In my opinion, these pads have three great features:

1) They are so soft-I love how they feel against my skin.

2) They are more comfortable and less noticeable than any other nursing pad I have tried. In fact, I do not think anyone would be able to tell that I am wearing them.

3) They are washable and even after I washed them they are still soft!

Now if you find that you need heavier protection against leaking at night, they have Overnight Bamboobies as well. I have to say I was impressed with Bamboobies and I love to wear them. 

Buy it: If you are interested in trying out any Bamboobies product (nursing pads, nursing shawl, therapy pillows, nipple balm) use the code DEAL20 for 20% off at checkout at http://www.buybamboobies.com. 

Win it: Bamboobies has offered to giveaway a $16.99 credit to their site. This credit will allow you to buy a 2 pair pack of Regular or Overnight Bamboobies or your can use the credit to put towards any other item on their site. Note: You are responsible for your own shipping at a flat rate of $4.95.

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