Thursday, February 12, 2009

Shi Shu Baby Blanket Giveaway! Day #12~Fabulous February Fiesta!

Who wants to win the most snuggly, softest, most comfortable blanket ever?! Our fabulous friends at Shi Shu Style have offered a Shi Shu Baby Blanket for one lucky reader!

Made of the perfect blend of cotton and bamboo fibers, and bamboo sateen edges, these blankets are sure to delight the littlest of hands and their parents too! Beware, as soon as your peanut touches the natural softness of this blanket, it may become their new "blankey!"

All natural, no harsh chemicals, super soft, eco-friendly, and perfect for your baby's skin- what more could a parent ask for? Don't worry parents, Shi Shu Style makes a Home Line, with the same super soft and snuggly blend of cotton and bamboo in a Classic Weave Throw, just for you!

Want it? Head over to Shi Shu Style and pick out your favorite color and style blankets, add the discount code "LOVEIT" at the check out and receive 20% off!!

Win it!

Here's How:

  • Go check out Shi Shu Baby and pick the color of your choice. Then come back here and tell me what color you want and why you want this blanket or who will be snuggling with it!
  • Email this post to at least three other friends and CC us at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com!
  • Tweet, Digg, Technorati or Stumble this giveaway, please include the link! (As much as you want, more than 1x per day is a-ok!Just make another comment and link back!)
  • Follow this blog and/or subscribe for our feeds!
  • You will get 5 extra entries if you Blog about this contest and add one of our buttons to your sidebar!
  • You get an extra entry in ALL of our giveaways if you follow the directions in this post!!
Special thanks to Tamre from Shi Shu Style for sponsoring day #12 of our Fabulous February Fiesta!

Fine Print: Please include your email or contact information in your comments. YOU MUST post separate comments for each one of the tasks above that you complete. This drawing ends Saturday 2/14/09 at 11:59pm EST. Any comments posted after that time will be deleted. If you post one reply saying you did all methods of entry, you will only receive 1 valid entry. One lucky winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, 2/17. Any questions, please click on the Contact Us button on our sidebar. Thank you for participating!

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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

ME4Kidz Review & Giveaway~ Fiesta Day #11

When I received my package from ME4Kidz, I was so excited! I'm one of those people that try really hard to keep an organized baby bag, but then a sippy cup leaks or the great cheerio massacre happens while I'm making a left hand turn, and well... things don't look as pretty as intended! All of our first aid type stuff (which was about three band-aids, and a thing of Neosporin), was in a very old plastic baggie, barely hanging on. The diaper changing stuff was placed in all the compartments that they typically belong in, but when it was time to use them, they were never where I grabbed. I needed help, badly, and that's where the MediBuddy and Diaper Bag Buddy came in to the rescue!

Both of these kits are sized perfectly to slip into one of those sleeves on the inside or outside side of your diaper bag.. you know the place that the bottles or Desitin are now? But they are made out of sturdy recycled, lead free plastic that even while you're banging through the tiny aisles in Target, will stay where they are, and so will the products inside of them!

The Diaper Bag Buddy is full of all of your "Baby Basics" which is great when you're on the go, and accidentally run out of wipes, or don't have something you need because you left it on the changing table. Packaged individually, there is a ton of all natural & organic products that are safe for babies skin. It's jam packed with diaper rash ointment, tush wipes, a disposable thermometer, aloe vera gel, moisturizer and even shampoo and body wash! LOVE it!

The Medibuddy is overflowing with first aid products for your child! In this kit, you'll find adorable latex free crayon bandages, a larger knee/elbow bandage, a sting relief pad (Oh, how I wish I had this three months ago, when Alex got stung for the first time!), gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, burn cream, and antibiotic ointment, plus happy face stickers to make your little one feel better after their big boo-boo! There's even a coupon code included for a free refill! You can't get better than this, ANYWHERE!

My kids see the Medibuddy come out when they're hurt, and right away start asking for which color crayon bandage or which smiley face sticker they want, and the pain from their scrapes seem to vanish immediately! I am so happy that I found these products, I can honestly say that I am going to be recommending this product to all of my mommy friends!

The customer service and communication with ME4Kidz, is really outstanding! It's very important for me to find companies that still communicate with their buyers, and ME4Kidz was awesome at answering all of my questions personally and quickly.. and made me feel like *my* needs for first aide for my famiy were the most important. ME4Kidz is also family owned and operated, their products are MADE IN THE USA, and they give back 10% of their sales to help the disabled communities! Qualities like that, unfortunately, are very rare in today's society but after my experience with ME4Kidz, I knew that I had to share this all with my readers!

Want it?
Head to ME4Kidz and browse their entire line of first aid products for children and families. Next time you're at Toys R Us, Babies R Us or Target, check the aisles for ME4Kidz products!

Win It!
Our Friends from ME4Kidz have offered a 4BabyAndMom reader their choice of their favorite "Buddy"!

Here's How!

  • Click on ME4Kidz and check out their selection of amazing first aid products for your children and families. Tell me which "Buddy" you prefer and why.
  • Email this post to at least three other friends and CC us at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com!
  • Tweet, Digg, Technorati or Stumble this giveaway, please include the link! (As much as you want, more than 1x per day is a-ok!Just make another comment and link back!)
  • Follow this blog and/or subscribe for our feeds!
  • You will get 5 extra entries if you Blog about this contest and Add our button to your sidebar!
  • You get an extra entry in ALL of our giveaways if you follow the directions in this post!!
Special thanks to Richelle from ME4Kidz for sponsoring day #11 of our Fabulous February Fiesta!

Fine Print: Please include your email or contact information in your comments. YOU MUST post separate comments for each one of the tasks above that you complete. This drawing ends Friday 02/13/09 at 11:59pm EST. Any comments posted after that time will be deleted. If you post one reply saying you did all methods of entry, you will only receive 1 valid entry. One lucky winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be announced on Sunday, 2/15. Any questions, please click on the Contact Us button on our sidebar. Thank you for participating!

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

I think Shamu got me sick. :o(

Oh my goodness.. I have such a head cold right now, I feel like I got run over by a Mack truck! I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of my new followers! I greatly appreciate it! Know that as soon as I can, I will be venturing to your blogs and twitter accounts to befriend you there as well!

Thank you all for your understanding!

Be sure to enter our giveaways this week, as well as the special #9 day giveaway. This contest gives you two extra entries into all of the other giveaways for the rest of this week!!

If you'd like to know more about me, please feel free to send your questions or comments to 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com!

We had such a blast at Sea World on Sunday, and I was feeling marvelous until Shamu's frigid water drenched us during the 'Believe' show. I am trying to figure out the best way to post pictures on my blog without overloading it, I have so many great shots! Anyone have a good suggestion? Thanks in advance!

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Moby Wrap review and Giveaway!~Fabulous Fiesta Day #10

When we found out that we were getting NewBaby, I panicked! All of our baby stuff we got rid of three weeks prior in a yard sale, on craigslist and on Ebay. We had decided that if we had another baby we would buy all new things, because it wouldn't be for another couple of years, blah, blah, blah! Thankfully, I have an amazing group of friends, neighbors and family members that helped us out and gave and loaned us everything under the sun a newborn would need. One of my friends offered me her Moby Wrap and I accepted. I had heard such amazing reviews after I had Abbie that I *almost* bought one, but I was afraid that it would be like all the other wraps and carriers I've tried before.

I'm a bigger woman, (height and weight), and my back, since having kids, hasn't been all that great. Most carriers I've used cuts into my shoulders or digs into my love handles, or doesn't redistribute the weight evenly at all! I end up needing a massage from my husband at the end of the day, and barely able to move the next because of the strain on my back. So obviously, you see why I was a little reluctant- but after she showed me how to use it, I became excited!

When I came home, I pulled it out of the box and showed Brian. He was happy that I was so thrilled, but asked if he should buy more massage oil. I wrapped the Moby Wrap around me, and flipped it over my shoulders, finished securing it into place and put the baby in it. Brian looked at me as if I was a kung-fu princess that just did some wild kick-flip-hi-ya thing.. and then looked at the baby and was amazed at how comfy she looked and that she could actually still breathe while in it. He didn't believe me when I told him that I wouldn't be hurting later, in fact I think he said it was "impossible".

At the end of the night, after cooking, putting two kids to bed and sweeping the floor, while wearing NewBaby the whole time, I unwrapped her, laid her in bed and folded my Moby Wrap as I headed into the shower. Bri asked me again how my shoulders and my back felt, and honestly for the first time ever, (after wearing a baby for ANY amount of time), I could say it didn't feel like I wore a baby all night AT ALL.

The weight was evenly distributed, the baby was comfortable and snuggly, I even tried my neighbors 8 month old, just to see if it was different if the baby weighed more than 6 pounds! The Moby Wrap is wide enough that I could comfortably adjust the width of the pieces that laid on my shoulders, and then the little pouch that helps secure the baby is snug enough that you could feel comfortable doing just about anything with the Moby Wrap on!

The next day, I went grocery shopping with Alex and when he walked in the door, he bursted hysterical laughing. "Mommy, you gotta come look at this," he said through giggles. I walked in with all our bags, and my husband was wearing the baby in the Moby Wrap and loading the dishwasher with a big grin on his face. "See, I told you it was awesome!" I told him as I unloaded the groceries. The baby was snuggled and secure, and my husband was actually able to do things without being called away to a coo or goo or "hold me" cry.

We love the Moby Wrap, it really was the best fit for our family! We love it so much that we had to find one to give away to one lucky reader!

Our friends at Worth The Wait Boutique have offered one Sand colored Moby Wrap to give away today! Worth The Wait Boutique offers an amazing selection of items for parents that are on the journey to adoption, and becoming a Forever Family with the child they always dreamed about! From cute onesies and tees to stationary and other products for bonding, and expressing how much your child was "Worth the Wait!" If you haven't adopted or aren't planning to anytime soon, Worth the Wait Boutique has a sister store called Baby Sweet Pea that has more amazing products and eco-friendly gifts for all!

Want it?
Head over to Worth The Wait Boutique and mention that you read about them here @ 4BabyAndMom! Use the Coupon Code FIESTA to save 15% off of your purchase all month long!

Win it!
Here's how:

  • Spend some time getting to know Worth The Wait Boutique. Adoption is such a special thing, that I'm going to make you work a little harder! Tell me one fact or tid-bit about the family behind Worth the Wait Boutique, and/or tell me what was donated last year, and to which charitable organization.
  • Email this post to at least three other friends and CC us at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com!
  • Tweet, Digg or Stumble this giveaway, please include the link! (As much as you want, more than 1x per day is a-ok!Just make another comment and link back!)
  • Follow this blog and/or subscribe for our feeds!
  • Blog about this contest!
  • Add our button to your sidebar!
  • You get an extra entry in ALL of our giveaways if you follow the directions in this post!!
Special thanks to Elizabeth from Worth The Wait Boutique for sponsoring day #10 of our Fabulous February Fiesta!

Fine Print: Please include your email or contact information in your comments. YOU MUST post separate comments for each one of the tasks above that you complete. This drawing ends Thursday 02/12/09 at 11:59pm EST. Any comments posted after that time will be deleted. If you post one reply saying you did all methods of entry, you will only receive 1 valid entry. One lucky winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be announced on sATURDAY, 2/14. Any questions, please click on the Contact Us button on our sidebar. Thank you for participating!

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Monday, February 9, 2009

Blog Award!


The Love Ya Award

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I received The Love Ya Award from two of my favorite bloggers- Melinda at Look What Mom Found and Marianna at Green Mama's Pad! Thank you both for sending it my way, and I Love Ya too!! *wink*

Now it's my turn to pass it on so here's who I'm sending The Love Ya Award to:

  • Matthew's Puzzle - The dedication of a mother's love is evident in her daily battles for her son with Autism. The great lengths Matthew has acheived because of her strength inspire me greatly.
  • Frugalicious Mommy- I recently connected with Virginia because she won a blog contest of mine. I LOVE the money saving advice and tips on her blog, no mommy should go without!
  • Funky Cheap $kate Mama- In search of the best deals on the internet? Tons of useful freebies, and coupon codes you can't pass up? Follow her!
  • Random Thoughts from a Random Mommy- I just love Melissa and her family! I love her creations and all the pictures of her boys.
  • Crumbs in My Minivan- I love the stories about her kids and the things they say and do! Fun to read, and so, so true!
  • Seeryus Mama- Great giveaways, truthful reviews, just a fun place to read!
  • Therapeutic Reviews & Giveaways- Another site for great reviews & giveaways, with personal experience and personality.
  • No Time for Flashcards- My all time favorite blog, EVER! Great ideas for rainy days for keeping your preschool and early elementary school child active and having fun! Wonderful site for home schoolers too!

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Fabulous February Fiesta Day #9~ BabyTalkBio/The Mama Sphere Review & Giveaway

As a mom, it's very important that you find yourself a community of peers that accept you for who you are and help you through the ropes. There are many ups and downs of parenting that really aren't covered in many of those "what to expect" type books, and honestly, it should be. The most valuable thing you are in charge of is your child's life, and there are absolutely no "how to books" that cover all the bases. Some women are very lucky and have that tight knit group of friends they grew up with, all having babies about the same time. Some find their niche in a playgroup or at the park, or even with their extended family.

When I was pregnant with Alex, I wish there was a place like BABYTALKBIO for me to run to at all hours and post my questions. Alex was my first, and I was young, and the only experience I had with babies was an occasional sitting job and the experience with my two nieces. I questioned all of his bodily functions, spit-up, the formula he was on and even how early he got his teeth! I called my aunt several times to make sure that him sleeping for 7 hours at night was ok, even though he was just two weeks old. I tried a couple of online parenting communities, but with all the cliques and drama, it was just too much for me to deal with. I wanted to find a place that I could go to and ask my questions without feeling belittled and uneducated about whatever topic it was. I am an educated woman, but seriously, did you know what color your child's poop would turn after he ate his first blueberries? Or that raisins or seeds from Kiwi's come out the other end and look just the same as they went in?

What do you you tell your son when he asks you why *he* can't have a purse when you and his sister carry one? "Because you're a boy," seems so... invalid. When you feed your child blueberries and then they poop this wild electric green poop at 11:45 at night, where do you go to look it up? Do you call someone? For the past three and a half years, I have been going to BABYTALKBIO with all of my motherhood questions, stories, experiences, and blunders.

The amazing group of women on this site are real women, with real children, with real stories, and with real questions, and most importantly, with real answers. On BABYTALKBIO you'll find moms who are nurses, police officers, teachers, car seat techs, entrepreneurs, business women, and domestic engineers! They all come from different faiths, different backgrounds, and they don't judge you because you diaper differently, or are having trouble breastfeeding and want to switch to formula; they treat you with respect, help and encourage you, support you, and educate you.

There are things that I learned as a member of Babytalkbio that I don't think I'd ever learn about having kids. I learned benefits of extended rear-facing car seats, I learned that I could make my own baby food if money was tight, I learned how to make my husbands new favorite meal in the recipe section, and I even learned some tips and techniques to keeping my love life.. lovely. *wink*

In the next coming weeks, Babytalkbio is going to be emerging from a beautiful make over & redesign and opening it's wings as The Mama Sphere.

Today is the celebration of BABYTALKBIO'S 4th birthday, and with the upcoming launch of The Mama Sphere,our friends at Babytalkbio are giving away a 2 MONTH subscription for current BTB members only!!!!

**HOWEVER- there is a way to earn MANY extra entries for this weeks giveaways if you become a new member!!
**Are you interested?
Current members:

  • If you are currently a member, tell me one thing that you learned from BABYTALKBIO that you would have never known without them!
  • Refer your friends! Refer on BTB or Email at least three other friends and CC me at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com.
  • If your referred friends join and actively post, (I will be checking!) you get an extra 2 per referral entries in this contest and in each giveaway this week!
New Babytalkbio members: if you do any of the following, you'll receive 2 extra entries in this week's giveaways! There's going to be some amazing stuff, including a Moby Wrap and jewelry from Lauren Nicole Gifts! You don't want to miss this awesome opportunity!
  • Go check out BABYTALKBIO, and create a username. Introduce yourself, and tell the community that you heard about BTB on 4BabyAndMom. Post a little, get to know some of the other members, and then come back here and tell me about it (please include your user name)!
  • Like what you see? Share with your friends! Email at least three other friends and CC me at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com.
  • If your referred friends join and actively post, (I will be checking!) you get an extra 2 per referral!
ALL ENTRANTS:
  • Tweet, Stumble, Digg this giveaway and opportunity!
  • Follow this blog and/or subscribe for our feeds!
  • Blog about this contest!
  • Add our button to your sidebar!
  • You get an extra entry in ALL of our giveaways if you follow the directions in this post!!
Fine Print: Please include your email or contact information in your comments. YOU MUST post separate comments for each one of the tasks above that you complete. This drawing ends Thursday 2/12/09 at 12:00pm EST. Any comments posted after that time will be deleted. If you post one reply saying you did all methods of extra entries, you will only receive 1 entry. Winner will be announced on Friday 02/13/09. Thank you for participating!


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Sunday, February 8, 2009

Day #8, a little late, but better than never!

It's not a giveaway today, as my blog is more than just a giveaway site. I wanted to take this opportunity to answer a couple of questions that some of my readers have about me and my life.

I had all goals of putting my final touches on this post last night or early this morning, but I was invited to attend a Twitter Tweet Up in Orlando. With the opportunity to go to Sea World and meet new, interesting people, I ended up changing my schedule last night, packing bags and getting clothes in order for today. Then I slept through the alarm, and woke up to my friend knocking at my door. All in all, Alex and I had a special date and an absolute blast! There will be more about Sea World on Tuesday, but for now- it's Q&A time!!

If you have any questions you'd like for me to answer, feel free to comment and ask away! I will either reply here or on another getting to know me post this month! :o)

How long have you been blogging?
I started blogging when we first moved down to Florida (Nov. 2004). I created a mommy blog about my son, for my relatives in NY to stay in touch. I updated it about 2x a month, and got frustrated that nobody was really reading it, and in one angry moment deleted it about a year and a half after it was created. Then, (just this past November), I decided to try it out again. My husbands cousin Sarah had mentioned that she wished there was a spot that she could go to online that could tell her about all of the great sites I shop at and save money with, and any of the advice she usually gets on where to shop for XYZ for a third of the price of a regular shopping experience. With that seed that was planted, the idea to merge my family blog with a "me" blog (shopping, product reviews, money saving ideas, etc) blossomed, and before I knew it 4BabyAndMom emerged!

Where did 4BabyAndMom come from?
Well, it's a long story, but I used to have a very small business that I created products for babies and for moms. I sewed handbags, and cloth toys as well as pillowcase dresses. It only made sense to keep my 4BabyAndMom name when I launched my blog.

How long have you and your husband been together?
Brian and I have been married for 5 years, this past October. We met on New Year's Eve, 1999, and have been together since.

Do you plan on having more children, or becoming a Foster Parent- especially since your recent "addition"?
Hahahahaha. Ha. Um. Yeah. I have no idea. Bri and I always said that we wanted a bigger family. He wanted five, I wanted three or four. He told me that he wanted either 2 or 4, so there was no middle child syndrome. We both think 4 is our magic number, but at this point in *my* life, I feel like I am done. Will I change my mind in another year or two, or after the NewBaby leaves? Only God knows.
As far as becoming a Foster Parent... whew- that's a loaded question. I love being able to provide love and stability for a child in need. I worked the three years before having my son in a school with behaviorially, mentally, physically and emotionally challenged individuals. I loved my job, although it was very tough at times, it was extremely rewarding. The bottom line is, I love helping children! Part of me would love the ability to Foster children, but the fact is, I don't know if I could. I don't know if I am strong enough to let the child go again. At the end of February, we'll have NewBaby for a total of 7 weeks. Right now, we've convinced ourselves that we are "baby-sitting". That seems to be working, but for how much longer? What about Alex and Abbie? They're too young to get it.. These are the questions that race through my head ALL.THE.TIME. when it comes to this whole situation. Ideally, I would love to be able to care for and love another child, and give them that home that they need- but probably not until my children are older and can digest the whole process better.

What do you like to do for fun?
I watch entirely way too much TV, but I also enjoy hanging out with my friends, and snuggling with my family. I like to ride bikes with my kids, and I used to love to run. I have a ton of weight I am trying to lose, so a lot of my "fun" has been swallowed up with that. I love to cook, and can throw almost anything together to make a meal. I have a passion for music, and for painting.. I love to paint! I used to paint murals in the Hamptons, and for friends nurseries and community enrichment projects. I'm pretty laid back, so hanging out with the kids or my friends suits me just fine!

Well, there you go! I hope you learned something new and interesting about me tonight, and if you have any more questions, I'd love to hear from you!

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