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If you hadn't heard, teepee tents are all the rage these days! Kids love what a fun secret space they make, and parents love how visually appealing and easy to store they are! We recently got our first one and I honestly don't know who loves it more, me or my kids!! HA!  There are several of brands out there making teepees, heck you can even make your own if you love a good DIY project, but in the end I reached out to Tiny Hideaways and couldn't be happier!! Here are some features we are loving about our Tiny Hideaways Teepee Tent: Visually appealing! Comes in 4 color options, thick white stripes with pink, grey, navy, or turquoise.  Easy to assemble and disassemble! Each of the 4 poles actually consists of 2 separate shorter wooden poles (New Zealand pine) connected by a plastic piece. Connect them all, feed through the slots in the tent canvas, tie together at the top, and you're done! 10 minutes tops! Spread the poles out and it's ready to play in! Here's my visual assembly guide. Pro tip: assemble WITHOUT your kids' "help"... trust me... it'll be quicker and safer LOL, look at #6 and you'll see what I mean...  Easy to store! Simply scoop it up and balance it in the corner of the room for quick storage (shown below left), or you can disassemble it in minutes and throw it in its canvas carry bag for transport (below right).  Built in Peek-a-boo Window  Door that closes with velcro and can be tied open  Good for a multitude of ages and uses! Whether a play center for a pre-crawling baby, a creative imagination zone for a toddler, a reading nook and fun sleep over place for an older child, or even a discreet place to stash the toys when quickly cleaning up, the possibilities for a teepee tent are endless!! It is not waterproof or machine washable, however, so it's recommended for indoor use only.  The wooden feet are covered by the canvas, so it shouldn't scratch up hardwood floors. That said, it should be noted that the teepee does not have a way to lock open in place... when our kids are rough housing it does scoot and the legs can be pushed together so if you're not watching out it can come crashing down unexpectedly. So, especially if you have little ones, please use under adult supervision! We are loving our Tiny Hideaways teepee, and think you will, too!! You can purchase one on Amazon (affiliate link) for $199 (currently on sale for $139), and you can enter to win one along with 7 other prizes in my $350+ value Unique Gift Guide & Giveaway (ending December 12)!!! Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased
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Tis the season for shopping and gifting! But I'm of the mantra that it's not about quantity so much as quality. I try to go with 1 main present per kid and a couple of smaller stocking stuffers. And what do I focus on? Open ended toys that encourage creativity and imagination. Educational products that my kids don't realize are educational. Even practical items they need but will still get excited about. Also, since our living room is basically their play room, we look for items that either stow away easily or are visually appealing.
But you don't need yet another gift guide showcasing all the brands and products you are already all too familiar with! So, I'm excited to bring you my "Unique Gift Guide & Giveaway" focusing on toddlers and preschoolers. I hope you'll leave here with some fun new gift ideas, and hey, you might even win them all and have an amazing jackpot of goodies to shower your little one with!!!
Keep reading for more on each of the brands and prizes in our $350+ value jackpot, and enter to win them all in the Rafflecopter box at the bottom of the post!
Kids love love LOVE having a small space to escape to - whether it's a store bought tent or a fort they make with a couple of chairs and a sheet thrown over top. Your kids will love these adorable teepee tents from Tiny Hideaways! Featuring a doorway that velcros shut or can be tied back, as well as a little peep-through window, they make the perfect reading nook, nap area, and play space. They are so absolutely beautiful, you'll be happy to keep it up indefinitely, but if you don't have the space - no worries! They collapse in a flash and can be stored under a bed or standing in the corner of the room and even come with a canvas carrying bag. They retail for $199.95 but check Tiny Hideaway's website or Amazon (affiliate link) for great sales - most recently $139.95. (See my personal review here.) Our grand prize winner will receive a teepee in their choice of color.
This revolutionary shirt just got backed on Kickstarter (supporters blew right past their $10K funding goal!) and your child could be one of the first to own one!! It features a kangaroo / muff pocket that also has a zippered compartment - kind of like a built in fanny pack. Clothes are one of those "practical" items your child needs, but the unique and fun aspect of PockeTeez will make it seem more like a toy to them - totally a legit gift they will be excited about! My son is obsessed with his shirt (check out my review here), and I'm pretty sure your kids will be, too!! Retailing for $28 - $32, our grand prize winner will receive one short or long sleeve PockeTeez in color and size of choice (pending stock availability).
Pretend play is not just fun, it's an incredibly important way for your child to develop imagination and creative thinking skills! With capes and costumes and accessories to boot, Great Pretenders has everything your little drama queen's or king's heart could desire! My son has spent the better part of the last 2 years playing pretend in his super hero cape (check out my review here), and now his baby sisters are starting to play with it, too! Great Pretenders has a wide selection of quality products, even including capes the child can color in themselves! Our grand prize winner will receive a $30 credit to greatpretenders.ca!
Socially responsible baby and toddler apparel company, Baby Hero, will be sending our jackpot winner its "Star Footie" ($29.95), which is making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others. Every purchase funds life-saving medical supplies for mothers and infants in need and also provides dignified work to low-income women. Baby Hero's products are sewn with 100% Organic Cotton, with ZERO harmful chemicals, and produced with fair-trade materials in an ethical garment factory. Super comfy, worry-free, and a gift that gives life.
Cate & Levi is a family-owned business proudly producing handmade children's products from premium reclaimed or recycled materials in Toronto, Canada. From hand puppets to stuffed animals to clothing and even DIY kits, Cate & Levi has a great selection of adorable, lovable and responsibly made gifts. Our grand prize winner will receive a 12" hand made, one of a kind dog hand puppet, made from premium reclaimed wool (retail value $24.99).
Toys designed for building baby's brain? Yes, please!! We love People Toy Company's core mission for their products: to promote the healthy development of your baby, and have a positive impact on parenthood. They've been a leader in the industry for over 30 years, producing the Pythagoras Plate product line (aka Magna-Tiles), Mochi teethers, People Blocks (magnetic building blocks), and Brain Builders (bran developing toys for babies and toddlers). Our grand prize winner will receive their choice of Brain Builder (see the great selection here!), valued $8.99 - $19.99.
Sneakz Organic flavored milkshakes are certified organic with no GMO‘s, are gluten free, feature organic milk from grass fed cows, and are sweetened with natural cane sugar. Each milk box contains half a serving of vegetables as follows: Chocolate flavor (Carrot, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Beet, Spinach), Strawberry flavor (Carrot, Cauliflower, Beet, Sweet Potato), Vanilla flavor (Carrot, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Spinach). Oh, and they're DELICIOUS, too - check out my review! A 12-pack goes for about $20 on their website or Amazon (affiliate link), but our grand prize winner will receive a variety pack (1 milk box of each flavor) and a Sneakz backpack (pictured above)!
Books always make a good gift, and because our gift guide focuses on unique gifts, here's a book that shows how wonderful being unique and different is!! In Rosie and Friends Positively Different (the 2nd Rosie the Hippo book), you'll follow Rosie and some of her safari friends as they help Olivia the Ostrich learn that Uniqueness is not a Weakness. What a great message! Our winner will receive one copy of the book, valued at $11.99, which can also be purchased on Amazon (affiliate link).
I'm a huge fan of food pouches. It's no secret that my all-time favorite reusable pouch is the Squeasy Snacker, which has an amazing anti-spill function that works extremely well. But we don't always have the time and energy to make our own purees and instead need pre-made options. Unfortunately, the disposable pouches that are oh-so-convenient can also be oh-so-messy... The mom behind ChubChub saw the need and has come up with the solution!! Screw a PouchBuddy onto the top of almost any pouch, giving it handles your baby can hold so they don't squeeze the pouch accidentally and make a mess. ChubChub also features spout that is much easier to drink from. One retails for about $8 and a 2-pack goes for about $15 on their website or Amazon (affiliate link). Our grand prize winner will receive a 2-pack of ChubChub PouchBuddy.
How's that for a gift guide & giveaway, huh?? This one is open to US residents ages 18 and over - enter in the Rafflecopter box below! Every action you take gives you more chances to win (and some you can do daily)!! Our winner will be contacted on Tuesday, December 13 and have 24 hours to respond before another winner is contacted. Good luck everyone!!!
Can you believe it's almost the holidays? We are excited to share some super fun, educational, and problem solving gift ideas for families and bring you another amazing giveaway! Enter to win one of these 12 fabulous prize collections as part of Mommy Scene's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! 12 winners (one per gift collection) will be selected December 12th, 2016!
Gift Collection 1
Gift Collection 2
Gift Collection 3
Gift Collection 4
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Gift Collection 6
Gift Collection 7
Gift Collection 8
Gift Collection 9
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Gift Collection 12
This giveaway is sponsored by Mommy Scene and is open to US entries ages 18 and older. No purchase required to enter. 12 winners (one per gift collection) will be randomly chosen and displayed on the giveaway widget after the giveaway ends on December 12th, 2016. Mommy Scene and participating blogs are not responsible for fulfilling brand-sponsored prizes. Prizes will be shipped directly from each brand.
Last week (November 9) I was thrilled to hit up the Big City Moms' Biggest Baby Shower in NYC. It was just as fabulous as their last Shower back in May (click to check out my recap and "top picks" from that one). How they manage to get so many awesome local and national brands in one place is beyond me, but if you have the chance to go to one of their events around the country, don't miss it!! I spent hours scouring the expo floors for the latest and greatest products out there to bring you my "Best in Show(er)" list. So, are you ready? LET'S GO!!!  Retailing for $1,160, this brand new state of the art bassinet is one of the priciest on the market, and yet, I would have killed for two of these a year ago when my twins were newborns!! What puts it at the top of my "Best in Show(er)" list? Well, let me spell it out for you... 1) It can feel and hear your baby fussing and will automatically start gently jiggling and playing white noise to sooth your baby back to sleep (of course if baby is hungry or just needs some loving arms, he'll keep crying and you'll come to the rescue, but the idea is that the "smart" bassinet will save parents from a good amount of lost sleep when a fussy baby simply needs a little jiggle to get back to sleep). 2) It comes with 3 sizes of breathable swaddles (which we know are fabulous for soothing babies) that are safe for baby's hips, and also hook right onto the bassinet to prevent baby from rolling over into a dangerous position! YES!!!! 3) It was developed with curious/mischievous older siblings in mind, so it is incredibly stable. I gave it a good yank from the top and it did not budge. 4) They have a 30-day return policy with free shipping both ways, meaning you can try it out risk free. But come on, I can't imagine anyone needing to send this back. My only concern would be how to wean the baby from SNOO to regular crib at 6 months. But I'm sure Dr. Karp and the Happiest Baby team have some good suggestions for a gradual and painless transition!  Ellie uses digital UV light to kill 99.9% of germs in just 60 seconds. We're talking bottles, pacifiers, a cup of water, your cell phone, tooth brush... the sky's the limit!! It's a great lightweight (2 pounds) portable size and its Micro USB chargeable battery lasts a whole week. It eliminates the danger of plastic deteriorating or leaching chemicals from being boiled or steamed. It also eliminates concern about the safety of water for drinking or mixing formula - just pour the water in a see through cup or bottle and let Ellie sterilize it in just 60 seconds! With the power to quickly kill things like E. coli, Salmonella, Staph, Listeria, and antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as MRSA, Ellie is likely to become a game changer not just in the baby market, but on a much larger scale! Ellie won't be on the market til April, but you can pre-order one for $77 (40% off expected retail price) by backing their Indigogo campaign!  SleepyBobo, aka "Gerry", is a really cute device that can attach to and bounce or rock most car seats*, swings, baby rockers, moses baskets, et. The timer button allows for a maximum of 30 minutes, so it's not a solution for nighttime sleep but rather a quick helper. There is also a neck extender that can be purchased separately so he'll function with taller swinging cribs. Syki will be distributing Gerry in Canada and the US from this spring, but if you can't wait til then you can find him on Amazon UK (affiliate link). *I just want to throw in here that babies should NEVER be left to sleep unattended in a car seat, as they can quickly get into a position that compromises their airway. #4: NanoBebe Bottle  NanoBebe's revolutionary design increases surface area, giving it the ability to cool pumped breastmilk and warm up stored breastmilk at a much quicker rate than traditional bottles, which means the preservation of more nutrients! It actually warms up 2-3 times faster than traditional bottles. According to the FDA, bacteria levels double every 20 minutes an item is left in room temperature, so being able to lessen the time milk spends on the counter should make it healthier in this regard, as well. What's more? That concave area at the bottom is hollow, so the bottles are stackable!! This unique shape is also easier for younger babies to hold themselves. These bottles aren't on the market yet but you can pre-order on their site for January shipment.  Photo Credit: FizzWizzBaby.com FizzWizz effervescent tablets allow you to fully clean bottles, cups, and any type of container with a sealable lid on the go! Drop in a tablet, fill with water, shake, allow table to fully dissolve and effervesce, pour out, and rinse out. Done! The tablets are non-toxic, made with only premium food grade plant or salt-based ingredients that are safe for the environment. They also have all-natural cleaning wipes, which are great for cleaning off pacifiers, bottle nipples, teethers and other items meant for baby's mouth. You can purchase FizzWizz products on Amazon (affiliate link). Oh, and they're so confident in their products, they have a 30-day money back guarantee! So there you have it, my 5 favorites from the November '16 Big City Moms' Biggest Baby Shower. Were you blown away by any of these? Not so impressed? Have something even cooler on the horizon?? Share in a comment below!!
I'm not the best when it comes to fashion. Sure, I appreciate it. Do I wish I was better at styling myself and my kids? Yes. Do I would love to have the time, energy, and budget to go shopping regularly, pick out the latest trends, and post #OOTD (outfit of the day) pix on Instagram. HELL YES!! But, it's not me and it's not my life. Instead, my shopping generally consists of scrolling through purges on Facebook kids' clothing resale groups. Which can be fun (and addictive), don't get me wrong! But part of the fun of being a blogging mom is working with both well-known and up-and-coming brands who introduce me to their fabulous products, which I get to test out and then introduce to you all! Not every product that makes its way to my door step meets my expectations, and in turn they do not make it onto my blog. But when something is everything I expected and more - It's happy dance time! Well, today's happy dance is brought to you by Bobux, maker of stylish, comfortable, and functional footwear for newborns through 5 years old. Bobux makes great shoes for all stages: soft soles for babies, lightweight and flexible shoes for pre- and early-walkers ("xplorers" and "step up"), and durable grippy "i-walk" shoes for confident walkers!  We recently received two pair of Bobux StepUp Classic "Dance" Mary Jane style shoes in gold and silver for our 1 year old twin girls and we absolutely love them!!  My girls have been walking for over 4 months already (since about 9 months) so they're quite steady by now, but they've been going barefoot at home and in very thin soled Robeez or Freshly Picked moccasins when out and about - just enough to keep their feet clean but thin enough so they can easily feel their footing and walk as if barefoot. But now, they're ready for sturdier shoes to protect their feet better and help them learn how to walk in "real" shoes. These Bobux "StepUp" shoes are perfect for this!! StepUps are built for first walkers with a durable and grippy yet light-weight and extremely flexible rubber sole, they're the perfect shoe to graduate to after crib shoes.  Designed in New Zealand and made in Indonesia, the StepUp Classic "Dance" shoes feature an "anatomical shape," meaning they are built for the rounder shape of new walkers' feet (and they're podiatrist endorsed). They also feature an extremely high quality thick adjustable velcro strap, so it won't cut into baby's foot. They have a flexible and breathable upper leather with leather lining, and come in both silver and gold. They just need to come out with a bronze set and they'll be ready for the next Olympics! Ha!!  I mean, come on, how cute are these shoes?? And if you're into mommy daughter matching, it'd be pretty easy to find a silver or gold to match these! Also, they come in a really nice box, making these a wonderful gift!! Tis the season, after all!  Head on over to Bobux' website to check out their full line of shoes for kids from birth through 5 years! They have free shipping on orders over $50 (which you'll probably reach if ordering at least 2 pairs). They also have a great rewards program - for each customer you refer, you'll get points and they'll get $5 off. You also get points for signing up, following them on social, reviewing products, signing up for their newsletter, and of course purchasing products! Disclaimer: Although I did receive ethese products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased
On the heels of the rather tumultuous election results, many families find themselves worried about what the future holds and whether or not they are embraced by local communities and the nation as a whole. A couple of local Bay Ridge moms (and my dear friends from the FB mommy group I created 3 years ago) decided it was time to step up, and put together a FREE event to celebrate kindness, diversity, inclusivity, and generosity. Seeing how quickly they were able to put it together (in THREE DAYS) was heartwarming - dozens of moms and local businesses jumped at the chance to help out!  Photo cred: Picture a Day by Maia The first "Love On" event brought together over 60 families on Sunday, November 13 from 3-5PM at Play Days & Parties (space donated by the generous Marotto family!), and included activities for the kids, pot-luck style food brought by attending families and businesses, coffee provided by The Coop, donuts provided by Coffee Rx, and a photo wall where families wrote their own messages of what love means to them. Safety pins were distributed to those wanting to grow the #safetypin movement (wearing a safety pin shows your support and willingness to stand up for the vulnerable), as well.  Photo cred: Picture a Day by Maia As the indoor play space filled up, event-goers happily spilled out onto the sidewalk where they mingled and noshed. We even spotted owners of beloved coffee shop rivals The Coop and Coffee Rx meeting, shaking hands, and chatting it up, all in the name of supporting the community!  Photo cred: Picture a Day by Maia Raffle prizes were generously donated by local shops wanting to support this heartfelt community event, including Kaleidoscope Toys, Norma’s Arts & Crafts, Play Days & Parties, Paco’s Tacos Plus, Gourmet Fit, The Coop, Christ Central Brooklyn, Barefoot Books rep Alison DuBois-Eker, Pampered Chef rep Michelle Okabayashi, and Fit Mom Coach Kiera. Photography was generously provided by Picture a Day by Maia.  Photo cred: Picture a Day by Maia The idea is that the movement will grow, with more free events here in Bay Ridge and beyond! The group hopes to show Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, America, and the World that love will win if we "Love On”, and to show our children that everyone matters, everyone deserves our compassion and support, and together we truly are stronger.  Photo cred: Picture a Day by Maia Donations were collected at the event and will be distributed to a charity (TBD - possibilities that are being discussed include Bay Ridge Cares, Planned Parenthood, The Brooklyn Arabic Friendship Center, and ACLU.) I've called Bay Ridge home for over 5 years now and it's a truly remarkable place. Coined a "Small Town in a Big City", it's really an amazing community and its events and people like these that make it so! If you're nearby, get involved, join local FB groups, reach out, feel the love!! If you're in another neighborhood or state or country, why not organize your own "Love On" event. Be sure to share it with me on social at @usjapanfam!!
As a blogger and mom of 3, I love attending baby expos. Checking out the latest and greatest products out there, seeing the excited (and overwhelmed) faces on all the expecting parents (who have NO idea how much their lives are about to change LOL), seminars, activities, you name it! It's always a good time, and this year's NJ Mom Baby Expo did not fail to please!! On top of the usual baby expo stuff, they also had a #WhatSheSaid mom blogger lounge and panel, as well as a "Dad Cave", how cool!!  These "flowers" are CUPCAKES!!! Wow!!! They had a TON of raffle prizes, everything from car seats to diaper pails. I actually won a gift card to WeeBabe and got a text telling me so while I was in the bloggers' panel. Not sure how I was able to stifle the giddy YIPPEEEE yearning to rip from my mouth, I NEVER win anything. Woohooo!!!  It was a beautiful day and families poured in to the expo space at the beautiful W Hoboken. It's a bit of a tight squeeze navigating through the aisles, but well worth it so you don't miss any of the vendors, which included HUGE brands such as Bugaboo and Jet, all the way down to local NJ shops, such as Milk Sugar Love and Squirrel & the Bee.  The #WhatSheSaid panel in the blogger lounge (filled with brunch, coffee, and booze galoore, holla!!) was nothing short of inspiring, with momtrepreneurs Rebekah of BexLife, Jennifer of Neurotic Mommy, and Jen of Local Barre chatting about the highs and lows and tips and tricks to being a successful mom slash mom boss.  And finally, what's a baby expo recap without highlighting a couple of fabulous new products!? Here are two that simply blew me away:  The brand new, as in launched just 6 weeks ago, Austlen Entourage stroller can be extended to 3 different lengths. It can be a single stroller with tremendous storage capability, and also a double stroller using 2 regular seats, car seats, or a regular seat and the built in jump seat or ride on board! All in all there are more than 30 configurations, and this stroller can carry up to 150 pounds in kids and gear - the hanging tote alone can hold 35 pounds, and the basket under the stroller holds a whopping 65 pounds!! That is a whole lotta groceries!!! Unfortunately there's no bar at the back of the stroller, so you could not attach an extra ride on board, meaning there's no way for this stroller to act as a triple (however, with that basket holding 65 pounds, well... I think you can guess what I'm not officially suggesting... HA!)  I'm not a pro with bottles, and none of my 3 children had colic, but this bottle kinda rocked my socks off. It features two revolutionary and potentially life changing things: 1) the nipple must be sucked in order to produce milk, so the baby must work at it, which is much more like breastfeeding and would discourage the baby from preferring the bottle because of ease, and 2) the chamber is air-free and the "air plug" at the bottom moves up with the liquid as it is being drunk - this means baby can drink upright and there is less air ingested, lowering chance of gas and colick! You can find on Amazon for about $15 (affiliate link). Alrighty, that's a wrap on the 2016 NJ Mom Expo! Don't miss it next year, it's truly fun for the whole family (they even have a play room for the little ones!). Disclaimer: Although I did receive entry to this event free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased
Trying to sell your kids' outgrown clothes is a headache, am I right? You take all these photos and post with lengthy descriptions on various apps and in Facebook groups, and then... nada... Ugh! Next stop, donation city, which is great for warm fuzzies and a tax write off, but sometimes what we really want is getting something tangible in exchange, like a big bag of the next size up in clothes, yes? YES!!
I've previously confessed my love for Little Swappies' swap events in Manhattan and Brooklyn, unfortunately it seems to be on indefinite hiatus since the founder has moved abroad. But have no fear - a new swap system (with online and in-real-life swap events) has stepped up to fill the void and I couldn't be more psyched, because swapping = saving money and reducing waste. What a win-win!!
MomsHood is an online swapping site for kids' clothing and toys. In a nutshell, you browse boxes of clothes and get one shipped to you (paying $4.95 for handling and $11.95 for shipping). You must list a box of your own clothes (free shipping) before you can claim another box. So, basically you are swapping a box of clothes (about 10-15 items) for another for just $17 via United States Postal Service. It's super easy to "shop" as you can narrow it down by size, gender, season, or even type in something specific you're looking for. You can leave reviews and follow users whose stuff you love. That said, it's definitely in need of some user growth since my search for boys' 4T winter items came up with nothing and girls' 18-24 months winter came up with only 1 box. Whomp whomp. But, if you all go and register and start using it, and get your friends to, and so on - it could seriously be AMAZING!!! So, get on it!!! But wait, there's more...
MomsHood is also organizing LIVE SWAP EVENTS for kids' clothing, toys, and books!! A $20 ticket gets your whole family into the affair - there's free activities like a family photo booth and a raffle, and tables with reps from various sponsors to check out. For the swap, you must bring at least 8 like-new items and can take home up to 20. All remaining clothes after the swap will be donated to Room to Grow and Little Sisters - how great is that!?
The next MomsHood swap will be on Sunday, December 4 from 3-5PM on the Upper East Side of NYC (more specifically, at El Barrio’s Artspace PS109, 215 99th Street, New York, NY 10029). And...
I'M GIVING AWAY THREE FAMILY TICKETS!!!!!!! Just enter in the Rafflecopter box below! Good luck and see you at the swap (if you're not a winner, you can purchase your tickets here). I love discovering and sharing hot new innovative products. I seriously do! It's one of my favorite parts about blogging!! And today, I've got a new item that your kid, if anything like mine, will seriously go nuts over!! It's not a toy or anything life changing, it's an article of clothing, actually. And I know, I know, unless there's some really cool character on it, kids generally don't care much about clothes. BUT this one is different...  PockeTeez is a children's (long or short sleeve) t-shirt with a pocket in the front. Not just any old pocket though, this one functions two ways: The inner layer of the pocket has openings on the side like a hoody pocket, and the outter layer of the pocket has a zippered water-resistant lined compartment in the front! Kinda like a t-shirt, hand muff, and fanny pack all in one!! With gender neutral colors and designs, it's great for boys and girls in sizes 2/3Y - 8/9Y!  What do I think? It's an awesome idea, well-made, soft, durable, and I love the gender neutrality of it! But what I think doesn't matter as much as how much my son loved it. He absolutely loves pockets, hoods, zippers, all that stuff. So when I showed him what the pocket could do, he absolutely flipped out. He seriously wore it the entire weekend (eww, I know) before I convinced him he had to take it off so we could wash it! Boys huh? Ha! He's been having tons of fun seeing how much he can load in there, and what he can sneak off with - his go to's seem to be toy cars, acorns, coins, and lollipos.  With 11 days to go, PockeTeez have already surpassed their $10,000 goal on Kickstarter! But definitely check out their campaign, because your pre-order / contribution can get you a shirt and also send a shirt to a child in a CAMBA homeless shelter in NYC! PockeTeez is the latest to come from Hatch Things, a small Brooklyn firm owned by Sonjie Feliciano Solomon, artist/designer and mom of 3! Hatch Things' previous and equally awesome products include the SureShop (side bag so umbrella strollers can be loaded up with goods without tipping over) and the ColdSnap (coat-extension cover for winter babywearing). You can check out their SureShop in action in a fun video up on my Instagram, click the image below:  Be sure to follow Hatch Things on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to be kept on the loop on PockeTeez production and more! Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
Let's face it, when your sweet tooth craves sweets, it's pretty hard to resist. But why should you have to resist completely? Wouldn't it be nice if there were some treats that were not only delicious, but also nutritious? Well, you're in luck - I'm thrilled to be working with a brand featuring products that are just that. I'm pleased to introduce you to #MotherNurture!!  Mother Nurture products are marketed toward pregnant and breastfeeding moms, but I'll let you in on a little secret, you don't have to be pregnant or breastfeeding to find these tasty and packed with a little boost of nutrition! So, if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth with a bit less guilt, read on!!   I've tried several kinds of vitamin chews, and while they're not bad, they're certainly not mistaken for regular chocolate or candy. But Mother Nurture all natural Chocolate Truffles (in milk chocolate or dark chocolate with raspberry) are a whole other ball game. They are rich, creamy, melt in your mouth, scrumptious, OMG kinda chocolate. NO WAY I would in a million years imagine they were fortified, but they are!!! One truffle (but really, who eats just one??) contains 50mg of calcium, 40mcg of folic acid, 20mg of DHA, .75mcg of Vitamin D, 1 gram of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 70 calories. So, no, you shouldn't down an entire box, and they're not a replacement for a well-balanced diet and prenatal vitamins, but there's no need for an ounce of guilt for having one (or 3??) a day.  When you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you have to stay really hydrated. But drinking water all day and all night can be a bit tedious. Sometimes, you just need to taste something!! This is where Mother Nurture Enhanced Waters come in. They are sweet, delish, and packed with a nutritious punch to boot! Coming in 3 yummy flavors (Tropical Splash, Mixed Berry, and Pink Grapefruit), each 16.9 ounce bottle of triple filtered water contains 100mg of calcium, 50mg of choline, 75mcg of folic acid, .25mcg of Vitamin B12, 90 calories. There are a whopping 23 grams of sugar, however they use pure cane sugar, so none of those scary artificial sweeteners that you should avoid, especially when pregnant! So, go on, go get you some! Did I mention they are non-GMO, Gluten-free, & Kosher with BPA-free packaging! And don't forget to follow Mother Nurture on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. |
 
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! 
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