Review and Giveaway: Shaklee Basic H2 Organic Cleaner CLOSED

I never really thought about the nasty chemicals in household cleaners until I became pregnant.  I became ultra sensitive to what I was using and what was in the products I used.  I try not to even think about the dollar amount, of cleaning products, that I threw away (while nesting of course) because I no longer felt they were safe to have around the house.

During my pregnancy, I also became more aware of the smell of the chemicals in the cleaning agents and began to wonder if they smell that bad, how good are they for your to touch, breath, or be around.  So I did a little digging.  Did you know that, according to the EPA, ethylene-based glycol, used commonly as a water-soluble solvent in cleaning agents is classified as a hazardous air pollutant?  or that Diethylene glycol found in window cleaners depresses the nervous system.  What about: Butyl cellosolve, common in all-purpose, window and other types of cleaners, damages bone marrow, the nervous system, kidneys and the liver.

If you answered no to any or all of the above questions, don't feel too bad, neither did I.

How can this be, you ask.  It is because even though cleaners are the only household product regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission under the Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act, their sellers aren’t required to reveal these products’ ingredients because they are considered "trade secrets".  There is no law requiring manufacturers of cleaning products to list ingredients on their labels or to test their products for safety.

Who is looking out for the consumer?

In my search for a more natural cleaning product I came across Shaklee.    The Shaklee Corporation develops and sells environmentally friendly products ranging from vitamins and diet aids, to cleaning products, and they even have a line for children.   For Earth Day 2007, Oprah featured Shaklee's Get Clean Kit as one of her "going green" products and the Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kit  made the her 2007 Favorite Things List.

The Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate can be mixed at varying strengths to make cleaners for multiple household needs from Windows, to Counters, even floors, and barbecues.  According to the Shaklee site, the 16 ounces bottle makes up to 48 gallons of super powerful cleaner when mixed with water.  Shaklee claims that the Basic H2 Cleaner can cut through the most stubborn grease and grime leaving no smeary residue and that it can remove dirt, grease and grime from any washable surface inside and out.

To get the most use out of your Super concentrate, you should pair it with the Get Clean Spray Bottles.  These bottles come labeled with instructions for mixing Basic H² for All Purpose Cleaning, Glass Cleaning, and Degreasing.

If you are like me, you are also concerned about the chemicals in baby products.  Did you know that a baby's skin is five times thinner than that of an adult,  this allows chemicals to be more easily absorbed.  Babies also have a greater ratio of skin surface to body weight and as a result have a harder time flushing chemicals out of their systems.

How safe is the soap you are using on your baby's sensitive skin?  What hazard rating does the product you currently use receive from the Cosmetics Safety Database ?

Shaklee's Baby Gentle Wash  received a low hazard rating of 1.  Compare that to the 7 that  Johnson and Johnson's Cucumber Melon Baby Wash received.  Shaklee Baby Gentle wash is 99% natural and contains 87% organic ingredients.  It is tested by pediatricians and is hypoallergenic.

Which would you rather use on your precious baby?

Over Thirty Mommy's Thoughts:

Shaklee Baby Gentle Wash: Loved the baby wash, it smelled fantastic.  Everyone loves that "baby" smell and I received more comments on how great Wiggle Bean Smelled after using the Shaklee Baby Gentle Wash than ever before.  I didn't notice that it cleaned her better but I felt more at ease that it is made from natural/organic ingredients and received a low hazard rating on the Cosmetics Safety Database.

Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate:  I found this to be easy to mix, the pre-labeled bottles were very helpful.  I used it on the hardwood floors in the kitchen and it worked well on all the sticky spots.  I also tried it on the over the range microwave and refrigerator.  Both are black and I had no issues with streaking.  I used the Window cleaner strength on the fridge and the degreaser on the microwave.  The window strength worked well on the bathroom mirror, leaving no spots or streaks.  What I liked most was the smell, or lack there of!  The "chemical" cleaner smell was non-existent.  I noticed no odors at all. 

Where to Purchase

Shaklee products are sold through independent distributors.  The distributor that I work with is Brandy over at www.livin-healthy.com. 

 

WIN IT!!!

Brandy has generously offered one lucky Over Thirty Mommy reader a 16ounce bottle of the Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate and a set of the Get Clean Spray Bottles.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and fail to include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry: Please visit Shaklee, come back and leave a comment about which product you would most like to try.

You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

Extra Entries (1 each)

-   Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar)
-   Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email.

-   Follow Over Thirty Mommy on Twitter
-  Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a comment telling me you did so and under what username.  Add to Technorati Favorites
-  Grab my Blog Button and add it to your blog (let me know in your comment where I can find it)

-  Post a blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy. (leave a link to your post in comment)

-  10 bonus entries!!!!!  Make any purchase from Shaklee (this distributor only). (orders will be checked.)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave a valid email address for winning notification purposes or make sure your blogger profile is public. Good luck!

Winner will be chosen via Random Drawing.  Winners that I am unable to contact or who does not claim their prize within 72 hours of being sent their winning email notification will forfeit their prize.

Giveaway ends midnight PST on 11/2.

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.  I did receive product listed above to keep for my testing purposes. This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the product.**

Review & Giveaway: SmartZip Sleeper CLOSED

WINNER #55 Jannai

Have you ever wondered how to change a diaper in the night without having to fully undress and wake up a sleeping baby?

Hate it when sleep gowns bunch up around your baby's waist and leave their legs exposed?

Tired of fumbling with a million tiny snaps in the dark?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, than I have the product for you!  

The SmartZip Sleeper from Hello World Clothing Company.

Usually Wiggle Bean is a diaper only sleeper but with fall here and winter fast approaching, I decided that she needs to start wearing pajamas.  We have tried traditional sleepers and I hated that you basically have to strip them all the way down to change a diaper.  Gowns do not work for her because she wiggles (hence the nickname!) around so much in her sleep that they always ended up bunched around her waist or higher.  We have used two piece outfits but it is difficult to get pants on and off without fully waking her up and don't even get me started on those teeny tiny snaps.  I think those were designed to make parents feel stupid.  Seriously, those things are so small! 

At first glance, the SmartZip Sleeper looks like your standard baby sleeper but if you look at it a little longer, you will quickly see that it is so much more.   First, the SmartZip Sleeper is adorable!  It comes in two colors, Made Me Blush for girls and Blue Me Away for boys (or girls!).  The SmartZip Sleeper is available in five sizes from Newborn to 9-12 months.  It is made from 100% cotton and is designed to hug the body for a perfect fit.

The SmartZip Sleeper features a two-way zipper.  Ingenious!  It not only zips like a standard sleeper but it zips from the bottom up so that you can access the diaper area without fully unzipping the sleeper and exposing your baby's body to the cold night air.  

The SmartZip Sleeper also features non-skid feet and a fantastic band at the ankle that keeps their feet in place.  Not sure about your baby but my Wiggle Bean is Houdini when it comes to getting her feet out of pajamas and pants.

Over Thirty Mommy's thoughts

The folks at Hello World Clothing were kind enough to send me the Made Me Blush sleeper in a 9-12 month size.  I loved the SmartZip Sleeper from the minute it arrived on my door step. It arrived beautifully gift boxed.  We washed it right up and put it on Wiggle Bean that night.  

Wiggle Bean is totally adorable in her SmartZip Sleeper. She will be 9 months next week and the 9-12 month sleeper fit snugly.  Not much growing room left but should last through this winter.  It should be noted that we have this problem with most of her clothes.  She is long and thin so we have a difficult time finding clothes that are long enough while still fitting in the waist.  One other problem we usually have is that the feet in most sleepers are too small and Wiggle's feet are scrunched up.  This was not the case with the SmartZip Sleeper, she actually has growing room in the foot area. Nighttime diaper changes were a breeze, just unzip from the bottom up, take legs out, change diaper, put legs back in and ZIP, DONE!  

I would love to see the sleeper available in more colors or patterns and larger sizes. I also think that it would be great to make a summer version that is short sleeved and made shorts length.

All in all, we love our SmartZip Sleeper. 

Where to Purchase

The SmartZip Sleeper can be purchased directly from the Hello World Clothing Company site.  Even better, $1.00 from each SmartZip™ Sleeper sold is donated to the Amani Children's Foundation.

WIN IT!!!

Hello World Clothing Company has generously offered one lucky Over Thirty Mommy reader a SmartZip Sleeper in their choice of color and size.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and fail to include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry: Please visit Hello World Clothing, come back and leave a comment about which SmartZip Sleeper feature is your favorite.

You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

Extra Entries (1 each)

-   Follow Hello World Clothing on Facebook: & comment that you do.
-   Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar)
-   Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email.
- Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a comment telling me you did so and under what username.  Add to Technorati Favorites

- Grab my Blog Button and add it to your blog (let me know in your comment where I can find it) 

- Post a blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy and Hello World Clothing Company. (leave a link to your post in comment)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave a valid email address for winning notification purposes or make sure your blogger profile is public. Good luck!

Winner will be chosen via Random Drawing.  Winners that I am unable to contact or who does not claim their prize within 72 hours of being sent their winning email notification will forfeit their prize.

Giveaway ends midnight PST on 10/31.


**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.  I did receive a SmartZip Sleeper to keep for my testing purposes. This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the product.**

Wordless Wednesday - Sunday Paper

Wiggle Bean was "helping" me read the Sunday paper.

Silly Kids Photo Contest

I have posted this one before as a Wordless Wednesday but I felt it deserved another post and an entry into the Silly Kids contest at 5 Minutes For Mom.

Accepting the FTC Disclosure Guidelines with a Smile

The recent ruling from the FTC about disclosing our relationships with companies who have paid us to endorse or review products is a hot topic in the blog world.

Like most bloggers, I have a main disclosure on my website and I have recently begun adding a short, more specific, disclosure to the end of review/giveaway posts.

Some bloggers are mad about the new guidelines and some do not concern themselves with the new guidelines because they already disclose.

One blog that is definitely making the most of the new rules is Daddy Forever.  I have been reading his blog for a little while now. I was instantly hooked on his blog just by reading his "about me". It reads:

"Dad Blogger: Dad blog by a geek dad with 4 geeky kids. This dad blog features reviews, giveaways, and parenting advice that will ruin your kid's life."

His posts are interesting, funny, and sometimes very touching.  So I was not surprised today when I read his latest post about Daddy Scrubs.  What really got me today was the disclosure at the end of the post.

"Disclosure: I was wearing black and orange underwear when I wrote this review. However, I did not receive black and orange underwear or a set of DaddyScrubs as part of this review. I was also not compensated for wearing black and orange underwear or for writing this review of DaddyScrubs. And no, we're not planning on having another baby."

 Thanks for bringing a little humor to all the crazieness of these new FTC guidelines.

If you have room for one more blog on your reading list, please check out Daddy Forever.  If nothing else, his funny posts will give you a little boost on a down day!

**Disclosure: I was in no way compensated for writing this!   I have never met or talked to the Daddy from Daddy Forever.  I simple thought his post was hilarious (my own opinion, results might vary). **

Giveaway & Review: Annee Matthew Criss Cross Pajama Set CLOSED

WINNER #88 Meet The Browns

One day while searching blogs for breastfeeding tips and advice, I came across Mommy News and Views.  This blog is part of A Mother's Boutique, a fantastic online store that focuses on helping new mothers breastfeed by providing all of the tools that they need in one convenient location. A Mother’s Boutique carries nursing clothing, bras and accessories from a wide variety of quality and fashionable designers.

One of those designers is Annee Matthew.  Annee Matthew is a popular brand with mothers in Australia, Singapore and the U.K. Her original designs make for stylish and comfortable clothes that provide a dual function: maternity pieces adapt after birth to allow for discrete nursing later.  A Mother's Boutique is the exclusive US distributor Annee Matthew.

As a nursing mother, I have found it difficult to find comfortable and functional clothing for nursing or pumping at the office.   The first challenge was in finding tops that I did not need to expose my post baby belly every time I nursed or pumped.  Even at home, having my belly hanging out there made me self conscious.  My daughter is currently 8 1/2 months and still gets up at least twice during the night for feedings.  This led me to my second dilemma, finding comfortable pajamas that I could wear during the night feeding while staying warm.

Judy, the founder/owner of A Mother's Boutique offered to send me the Criss Cross pajama set from Annee Matthew's new fall line to review (Don't they look absolutely fabulous!).  They are just as comfortable as they look.  The top has a criss cross design that makes breastfeeding easy.  To breastfeed your baby you simply pulling aside the criss-cross layers.  They are even great for expectant mothers.  The elastic waistband has plenty of "belly" room.

I was a little confused about the top at first.  I am sure that was a result of my sleep deprived state but I quickly got the hang of how to easily separate the criss cross design and nurse my baby in the dark.   Since the pants are designed to work for both expectant mothers and post pregnancy, they are a little baggy on me.   The top fit perfectly.  It would be great if they sold them as separates so that you could mix and match sizes to fit your individual needs.  My only other suggestion would be to make the pants drawstring rather than elastic.  Other than that, I found these to be one of the most comfortable pair of pajamas I have owned.  They held up great in the wash and I did not notice any fading of colors.

October is Blogiversary month over at Mommy News Blog.  Be sure to visit every day for great giveaways and guest posters.

Buy it: You can purchase the Criss Cross nursing pajamas at A Mother's Boutique for $69.00

Discount: A Mother's Boutique is generously offering readers of Over Thirty Mommy a discount of $5.00 off any $50 purchase.  Use code Over30

WIN IT!!!:  One lucky Over Thirty Mommy reader will win their very own pair of Annee Matthew Criss Cross pajamas (winner's choice of color and size!)

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How To Enter
Mandatory entry: Please visit A Mother's Boutique, come back and leave a comment about which item is your favorite

You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

Extra Entries

1 entry -   Go to Mommy News Blog, grab the Blogiversary button and post it on your site (put link in 

comment) 

1 entry - Enter any of the Blogiversary contests. (One bonus entry for each contest entered, up to 3). Leave 

comment with which contest entered.

1 entry -   Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar)

1 entry -   Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email.

1 entry - For non-bloggers: email 5 friends about the review and giveaway (cc me over30mommy@gmail.com)

1 entry - Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a comment telling me you did so and under what username.  Add to Technorati Favorites

 
2 entries - Grab my Blog Button and add it to your blog (let me know in your comment where I can find it)

2 entries - Post a blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to A Mother's Boutique and Over Thirty Mommy. (leave a link to your post in comment)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave a valid email address for winning notification purposes or make sure your blogger profile is public. Good luck!

Winner will be chosen via Random Drawing.  Winners that I am unable to contact or who does not claim their prize within 72 hours of being sent their winning email notification will forfeit their prize.

Giveaway ends midnight PST on 10/31.

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.  I did receive product or services to keep for my testing purposes. This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the product.**

Click here to see the entire Blog Hop List....

RECALL NOTICE: Daisco Wooden Toys

Wooden Toys Recalled by Daiso Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Wooden Toys
Units: About 430
Importer: Daiso California LLC, of Burlingame, Calif.
Hazard: The toys have small parts that can break and detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves four models of Daiso wooden toys including Penguin Handbell, Pull Doll, Alligator Pull Toy and Rolling Animals. The Penguin Handbell has a small metal bell inside its hollow interior. The Pull Doll’s limbs move up and down when the string is pulled. The Alligator Pull Toy is green and yellow will move in an undulating fashion when pulled. The Rolling Animals are in the forms of a dog, rabbit, cat and mice, and their tails are connected to their bodies by metal springs. Daiso is printed on the product’s packaging.
Sold at: Daiso stores in California from December 2008 through May 2009 for between $1 and $4.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Daiso for a free replacement toy or a full refund.
Consumer Contact: : For more information, contact Daiso toll-free at (888) 580-8841 between 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firms’ Web site at www.daisorecall.com

Please visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10005.html for photos of recalled items.

RECALL NOTICE: Daiso Children’s Toys, Purses and Pen Cases

Daiso Recalls Children’s Toys, Purses and Pen Cases Due to Violation of Lead Paint and Phthalate Limits

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Children’s Toys, Purses and Pen Cases
Units: About 130
Importer: Daiso California LLC, of Burlingame, Calif.
Hazard: The surface paint on the balancing toys and zippers of the purses and pen cases contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint ban. The inflatable baseball bat toys contain excessive levels of DEHP, violating the federal phthalate standard.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves balancing toys in the shape of dragonflies, children’s purses in the shape of the head of a lion, frog or bear, children’s purses with rainbow stripes, children’s pen cases shaped like a piece of candy with stitching “cool ice cream,” “sweet cake,” or “fad hamburger” on the front, and inflatable baseball bats with “Home Run” printed on the side. Daiso is printed on the product’s packaging.
Sold at: Daiso stores in California from March 2008 through May 2009 for between $1 and $4.
Manufactured in: China and Vietnam
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled products away from children and contact Daiso for a free replacement product or a full refund.
Consumer Contact: : For more information, contact Daiso toll-free at (888) 580-8841 between 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firms’ Web site at www.daisorecall.com

Please visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10004.html for photos of the recalled items.

Traveling Without Your Kids

First let me say that I know Wiggle Bean is way to young for us to even consider traveling without her.  We have not even been able to leave her overnight yet (much to my sister's dismay, sorry!). 

In 2006 my husband and I took our first real vacation since our honeymoon.  I say real vacation because it was the first trip that was not traveling to see family or a trip that included other family members.  We went to Disney World with a bunch of my husbands family and even though I loved the Disney part, the trip was not all that relaxing or vacation like.  For our first real vacation we went to Jamaica for 8 days.  We stayed at a fabulous resort, Couples Sans Souci and loved every minute of the trip.  One reason we selected this resort is because it was adult only.  I know what you might be thinking, and no by adult only I do not mean like Hedonism. I mean that they only allow guests over the age of 18 and you must be traveling as a couple, no singles allowed. The Couples Family of resorts are some of the highest rated in the Caribbean.  In 2009 Travel and Leisure named all four of the Couples Resorts among the Top 8 Resorts in the Caribbean on the World’s Best list.  The resort was beautiful, the staff was so friendly, the food was to die for (and drinks were free!!!), and we met some really great people.  One thing I really like about the Couples resorts is that it truly is all-inclusive, you are not allowed to tip any of the staff  (with the exception of the Spa staff).  Employees can actually get in trouble for accepting cash tips.

We had such a great time that my husband took us back to Jamaica and Couples Sans Souci for my 30th birthday in 2007.  This time we went for 2 weeks.  What an amazing birthday, he will be hard pressed to ever top it.  Again, we had a wonderful time. Some of the staff that we met the first year were still there and amazingly remembered us from our first trip.  We would have our favorite drinks ready for us when we arrived at the beach, staff members would greet us by name and were always asking what they could do to make our trip more special.  To my surprise, my husband mentioned that it was my 30th birthday trip to guest services and when we went to dinner on my birthday, they had made me a cake.  The restaurant piano player sang to me and my husband arranged for the jewelry shop to send over the most beautiful bracelet that the server delivered with my cake.  It was an amazing birthday and an even more amazing vacation.  We still refer to it as our second home.

We met so many people that were traveling without their children.  They explained to us that they take a "couple" trip every  year to reconnect as a couple and then a family trip with the kids.  Since we did not have children at the time, a "couple" vacation sounded reasonable but now that I have Wiggle Bean, I am not sure that I could travel with out her.  I understand the importance of staying connected as a couple but how do you leave your baby for a week or two at a time.  I might be able to do a few days but when it takes 27 hours  (from leaving our house, waiting at the airport, flight time, a zillion layovers, trip through customs and shuttle drive to resort) to get to our resort, anything less than a week just does not seem worth it.

Would you consider traveling without your children and at what age is it appropriate?  If you have traveled without your children, how long did you leave them?

Wet Baby

***Warning, this post is about Baby Pee so if you are bothered by the topic, stop reading now***

I need help from all you experienced mommies out there.

When my Wiggle was a newborn, she wore a variety of types of jammies.  We used the footy jammies at first but found that we had to buy them a size or two bigger because she is so long and her feet were always squished.  After that we tried the gowns but I was always afraid that her legs would get cold since we were not supposed to use blankets.  Then we tried the non-footy type and I just put socks on her.  

As the weather got warmer, she decided (by screaming every time I attempted to put her in PJs) that she wanted to sleep in nothing but her diaper.  I let her, if that makes me a bad mommy,  oh well.  It was hot in her room and it seemed to help her sleep better.  Which in turn let me sleep better (I know how selfish of me!)

Now that it is getting colder, I decided that she needs to start wearing jammies again. The problem (and reason for the post) is that when she wakes up for her 2:30ish feeding, she is soaking wet.  Jammies, Sheets and everything.  I have tried one piece PJs and two piece sets and it does not make a difference.  This has happened 3 of the 4 nights that we have been wearing clothes to bed. 

It seems like the jammies are acting like a wick and pulling the pee out the top of the diaper and onto the clothes,sheets and teddy.  She is usually wet only on one side, depending on if she was sleeping on her back or front.  Yes, I let her sleep on her stomach.  She likes it and if I turn her over she just flips back over to her stomach.  I think it is OK now that she can lift her own head and roll over.

So without waking her up in the middle of the night, I have to strip her and the bed down and put on new sheets.

We go potty every night before we have our bed time bottle. If you are asking, how  I know she goes potty it is because we started some basic potty training about 2 weeks ago. She goes potty in her pink Bjorn potty every night before bed.

She usually takes about 8 ounces of milk before bed therefore her diapers are pretty full in the night.  I am sure that is the root of the problem but how can I not feed her if she is hungry?

My questions to all of you are:  How do you keep baby dry overnight?  Am I doing something wrong?  Is there a special night diaper I am supposed to be using?

Man, why doesn't anyone tell you about all of this stuff before you have a baby!  Someone should write a book with all these weird things so that those of us who are clueless will get a real picture on parenting.

Any advise is greatly appreciated, my laundry is piling up and I am tired of holding a wet baby!  We won't even talk about what I hold when she decides to take half of her diaper off in the night and it is full of something other than pee.

Fisher-Price Customer Service

 I wanted to give a big kudos to Fisher-Price and their customer service. 

We have almost the entire Rainforest collection for our daughter (excluding the play yard that was recalled).  One of her favorite things is the Peek-A-Boo Waterfall Soother for her crib.  Lately it has been getting difficult to turn it on so I figured that maybe the batteries needed to be replaced.  Of course I did not have the batteries that I needed so I had to go to the store to get more.  Man, I need to buy stock in batteries!

I gave my husband the batteries and asked him to change them for her.  He came out and his hand was wet.  He thought it felt sticky and said that it was the liquid from inside the waterfall soother.   The crib was dry but there was practically no liquid left in the toy. 

Since the liquid felt sticky, we removed the toy from her crib.  I figured that the liquid was safe (after all it is a childs toy) but I was not going to take any chances.   On September 12th, I called Fisher-Price's customer service line and talked with a very nice lady.  I informed her that the liquid was leaking out of the toy and I was jsut curious as to what it was for saftey reasons. 

She assured me that it was just colored water and 100% non-toxic.   Then she did something that surprised me.  She told me that she was going to send me a mailing label to return the straps from the toy.  Once they received the straps they would send me a new waterfall soother free of charge. 

I did not even mention wanting a new toy.  I was just concerned that the liquid was safe for my daughter.

I had the mailing label in my inbox  within a few hours.  It took me a few days to get the straps in the mail.  I mailed it out around Friday the 18th, on the 21st I received an email that they received it and that they would email me again when it shipped.  Wednesday the 23rd, I received a notice that they shipped it and yesterday it arrived on my doorstep.

I was impressed with not only how fast they processed the "claim" but that they were the ones to offer me a replacement.

Even better, I still have the original that even though it does not have any water left, still works.  Now she has that one to play with in the living room, since it has no straps, and one for her crib.

It is hard to find great customer service these days, especially from some of the larger companies.  Fisher-Price has definitely surprised me with their outstanding customer service.  Thanks to them my daughter has a new working Waterfall soother, we like to call it her TV.  She loves watching her TV.

Children's and Infant's Tylenol recall

September 24, 2009

You may have heard that McNeil Consumer Healthcare (the makers of TYLENOL®) is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Children's and Infants' TYLENOL® liquid products that were manufactured between April, 2008 and June, 2008. All products manufactured met internal specifications. However, the company is implementing this recall because during this period, an unused portion of one inactive ingredient did not meet all quality standards. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it was decided to recall all Children's and Infants' TYLENOL® liquid products listed below, which were made during this time.

Parents and caregivers who have questions or concerns should contact their child's health care provider or our consumer call center at 1-800-962-5357 (available Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time). Consumers can find the lot numbers on the bottom of the box containing the liquid product and also on the sticker that surrounds the product bottle. The lot numbers of the affected products are listed below.

These actions do not apply to Children's TYLENOL® Meltaways and Junior Strength TYLENOL® Meltaways. The voluntary recall applies only to select lots of Children's and Infants' TYLENOL® liquid products.

Recalled Products - Full List

Lot #	Product Description
SBM041, SBM067, SCM037, SDM027, SEM109	Children's Tylenol Plus Cold MS Suspension 4 oz. Grape
SBM042, SCM015, SCM036, SDM034	Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Grape
SBM043, SBM044, SCM029	Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Bubble Gum
SBM045, SCM011, SCM030, SDM035	Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Strawberry
SBM064, SCM033, SDM020	Infant’s Tylenol Grape Suspension Drops 1/4oz.
SBM065, SCM005, SCM006, SDM032	Infant's Tylenol Suspension 1/2oz. Cherry
SBM066, SCM068	Children's Dye Free Suspension 4oz. Cherry
SBM068, SCM035, SCM070, SCM080, SDM005	Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Cherry
SBM069, SBM070, SCM081, SDM006	Children's Tylenol Plus Cough & Runny Nose 4oz. Cherry
SCM012, SCM067, SDM007, SDM068	Infant's Tylenol Suspension Drops 1/2oz. Grape
SCM013, SCM014, SCM069	Children's Tylenol Plus Flu 4oz. Bubble Gum
SCM016, SFM024	Children's Tylenol Plus Cold Suspension 4oz. Grape
SCM017	Children's Tylenol Plus Cough/ST Suspension 4oz. Cherry
SCM082, SDM039, SDM040	Infant's Tylenol Suspension Drops 1oz. Grape
SCM083, SCM084, SDM008	Infant's Tylenol Dye Free Suspension 1oz. Cherry
SDM064	Children’s Tylenol Pediatric Suspension 1oz. Cherry
SDM038, SDM009	Infant's Tylenol Suspension Drops 1oz. Cherry
SDM033	Children's Tylenol Plus Cold/Allergy 4oz. Bubble Gum
SDM078	Infant's Tylenol Drops 1oz. Grape
SCM034	Infant’s Tylenol Grape Suspension Drops H/G 1/2oz.
SDM028	Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Cherry, Hospital Govt.

 

Earth's Best Baby Food Winners

Winners for the Earth's Best Baby Food Giveaway have been selected.

Random.org was used to pick the winners and they are

19
2
23
31

Timestamp: 2009-09-25 12:37:49 UTC

Congratulations to:  Summer, Stacy, FDP 4 Life, and Donna.

 All winners have been notified by email and have 72 hours to respond.

Thank you to everyone that entered and made the first giveaway on Over Thirty Mommy a success.  Keep checking back, there are some great giveaways coming soon!

Wordless Wednesday - Wiggle Bear

GRRRRRRR.  Watch out for the Wiggle Bear!

For more Wordless Wednesday visit 5 Minutes For Mom or  http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Early Potty Training

Has any one tried early potty training?  What is a good age to start?

I ask because this weekend I purchased the Baby Bjorn Potty Chair in pink of course.  My intention was to get Wiggle Bean acquainted with having the potty around so that when we were ready to start potty training it would not be a new thing to her.   Saturday evening she started making her push face (and noises) so I thought it would be interesting to see what happened if I put her on the potty.  


She was a little confused at first but it only took a few moments for her to return to the task at hand.  I was shocked when she actually pooped in the potty.  I did not really count it as potty training since she was already pushing on her own before I got her on the potty but it was still exciting. 


I was confused what to do next.  I did not think that through.  After the poo was in there, I was lost with what to do.  It took a minuted but I figured it out.  I know, it should have been a no brainer but it was my first time, cut me some slack!


Today when we got home from work, I took her to the bathroom with me and put her on her potty.  I told her that mommy was going to go pee pee in the big potty and asked her if she was going to go in her potty.  To my shock and amazement she looked at me and then started going potty.


I spent the next ten minutes running around with her giddy about her going potty.  We cheered and laughed.  I texted my sisters and told them and ran to meet my husband at the door to tell him when he got home.


I know that it was probably a timing thing more than a start to potty training but it is a step in the right direction (I think!).


Can you start potty training at 8 months?  Should I keep putting her on her potty or wait until she is older to do actual potty training?  Any good potty training tips are greatly appreciated.

Hosting a Baby Shower

My sister is having a baby in January and  I am hosting a baby shower for her in November.  Don't tell her but I have no idea what I am doing.  She threw me a fantastic shower last year before I had my baby and I want to do something just as nice (if not nicer!!! we are not at all competitive!) for her.

I co-hosted a shower for her when she had her first son, 7 years ago.  It was a poor excuse for a shower.  My only excuse is that I did not have kids at the time and neither did any of her friends so I had no idea what I was doing.  For her second son, our mom told her she could not have a shower.  I know there is shower etiquet about showers for subsequent children but she got rid of all her baby stuff after her second child and needs to start over.  Also, I think she deserves a proper baby shower.

Kimberly at http://mommiestimeouttoday.blogspot.com has graciously offered to design and provide me invitations to match my sister's nursery theme.  I will will do a full review about them after I get the final design but I am sure they are going to be adorable!

So what I need is your tips for how to host the best baby shower ever.  Games? Location? Prizes? Decorations? Food? Basically Everything!  HELP!!!!! I am lost (Don't tell my sister!)

They Grow So Fast!

Wiggle Bean will be eight months next week.  How can it have been eight months since her birth?  It seems like just yesterday, we were in the hospital recovering from my nightmare delivery (but that is a stoyr for another time)

I am amazed how fast she grows and learns.  When she was born, she was 7 pounds 8ounces now she is almost 17 pounds.

Last week she could not sit up on her own (she could sit but could not push herself up from a lying position).  Saturday, I laid her on the bed in her room and ran back to my room to get her wipes.  When I got back she was sitting.  I was shocked and confused as to how she did it.  I thought that maybe she rolled up on the pillow and used that to sit up but then I had her on the play mat in the living room and watched her roll onto her side and push herself up.  I was so excited!

She has not begun crawling on hands and knees yet, but put that girl on her belly and she can army crawl at lightening speeds.  Why do they always crawl towards the one thing in the room that is dangerous.  Her new favorite "toy" in the living room is the ottoman to my glider chair.

She seems like she wants to just skip the crawling thing altogether and move right on to walking.  She prefers standing over sitting and being on her belly.  She can pull her self up to a standing position with the help of her toys, the coffee table, and the railing of her crib.

The first time I caught her pulling herself up in the crib, I panicked.  She was trying to stand on the bumper pads to get higher.  I know there is controversy about bumper pads but I like them and they help her.  After the pulling up episode, I immediately removed them and she would get her leg caught between the bars while sleeping (that girl is all over the place when sleeping).  Due to this, I compromised and put them back in but tucked them way down close to the top of the mattress so that she can not slide her foot out and can not stand on them.

She has been saying DaDa for a week or so now.  Don't even get me started on how upset I was that she said DaDa first.   I have been trying to get her to say Mama since I brought her home.  Monday, I was home with her since daycare was closed and all the sudden I hear MOM. Clear as day, MOM!  Then all day it was Mom, Mom, MOM MOM MOM MOM!!!!  I am so happy, I love hearing it.  She gets all excited and claps.

I mentioned the latest accomplishments to her daycare lady to "warn" her about the army crawl and the sitting up.  What does she say, Oh yeah she was doing that last week.  WHAT?  Man, I miss everything!

If we did not need for me to have a paycheck, I would stay home with her (at least part time) in an instant.  I like interacting with my co-workers but I love spending time with my daughter more.  Maybe they will let me telecommute!  Probably not (I already asked and they said no).

Sometimes I wonder if working is worth it, I feel like she is growing up right before my eyes and I hate missing these moments.  It is times like these that I wish I lived in Canada and got to spend a year with her. 

Wordless Wednesday Queen Kong

That Monkey didn't have a chance against Queen Kong!

For more Wordless Wednesday visit http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Kelly Ripa and Electrolux team up to support Ovarian Cancer Research

During September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Electrolux and Kelly are holding a "Text-a-Thon for a Cause" to help raise support for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund whose mission is to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer.  Together, they are launching another exciting campaign that utilizes a form of communication that many of us use every day - texting!

Throughout September, you can donate $5 to the cause by texting "KELLY" to 85944 from your mobile phones (standard text messaging rates apply) - or logging on to
www.kelly-confidential.com.  Also, every time you log on to the Web site, you'll be entered for a chance to win an amazing contribution to your home - a luxury front load washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color inspired by the teal ribbon of ovarian cancer awareness.

Also during September, visitors to Kelly Confidential can help spread awareness for this important cause by sending a virtual T-shirt to a friend.  For every virtual t-shirt sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF.  Fashion-forward Moms can also purchase a limited edition T-shirt designed by Ripa; 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go to OCRF. 

Date Night!

Woo Hoo!  Hubby and I got our first night out since Wiggle Bean joined the family.  Ok, so we did go out for dinner for our 10 year anniversary but we were only gone an hour.   My sister volunteered to come up to our place to watch Wiggle Bean Friday night while hubby and I had date night for his birthday.  THANK YOU!!! It was much needed relaxing adult time.  Date Night ended up turning in to hang out with some of Hubby's friends from back home but it was still nice.

We thought and thought about what we wanted to do with our evening as a couple.  I knew I wanted to go to dinner. I tried to get him to agree to take me to a movie but he is anti movie theater movies.  He thinks they are to expensive and a rip off (OK, they are but it is still nice to go once in a while)  We finally settled on putting some major smack down on the all-you-can eat shrimp at Red  Lobster  and then playing it by ear for the remainder of the evening.  Things changed Thursday night when he got a text message (a little last minute!) from a buddy, from Wyoming, who was flying in Friday for a weekend wedding.  Him and his wife wanted to get together to "catch up".   So we changed our plans and met them at the Chapel Pub in Portland.

We have been fans of many of the McMenamins Hotels and Pubs for quite some time and wanted to check out the latest addition.  The Chapel Pub is located in the renovated Little Chapel of Chimes.  It was originally Wilson Chambers funeral home.  The McMenamin brothers open many of their pubs and hotels in old renovated buildings with interesting pasts.  The Edgefield Hotel used to be an insane asylum and The Kennedy School was actually an Elementary school that opened in 1915.  The list goes on and on, I could do an entire post just about their neat places but that is not what this post is about , so back on track!

While on the way to meet the friends, we talked to hubby's brother who was also an acquaintance of the guests so him and his girlfriend.  So just like that we went from date night to double date night to group gathering.  We still had a great time.  The out of town friends were both well on their way to tipsy when we met up.  The wife was a little on the loud side but her and I had a great time.  We talked about our kids, swapped photos and made fun of the boys and their stories of old.  We shared a bottle of wine (my first since before getting pregnant) and had a great time.  I was feeling a little tipsy after my first glass but since it was my night off, I went ahead and had a glass or two more.  We could not waste the bottle!  Man, I am a light weight now.

*** For anyone thinking I am a bad mom for drinking alcohol, I did not nurse my daughter after getting home.  I waited the recommended amount of time for the alcohol to leave my system before nursing.  I had set aside bottles for her in anticipation of having a drink or two***

We got home around 11:00 (I know not that late but it was our first outing!) and Wiggle Bean was already in bed.  I missed tucking her in but made up for it when she got up in the night to feed.

Just wanted to give a huge THANKS to my sister for watching Wiggle Bean for the evening.  It might not have been the date night I planned but it was still nice to get out and interact with adults.

Wordless Wednesday #4 Biker Baby

Got the handle bar, now if I could just reach the foot pedals!

For more Wordless Wednesday visit 5 Minutes for Mom

Earth's Best Baby Food Review and Giveaway - 4 winners!!! CLOSED

Did you know that the average non organic fruit contains more than 20 pesticides? 


If you are eating dairy or farm produce then you are also eating the chemicals, drugs and growth hormones given to the animals.

Pound for pound babies consume two to four times more fruits and vegetables than adults and are exposed to a higher proportion of potential
contaminants.

  
What sets Earth's Best apart from the rest?  

• Organic ingredients grown without harmful pesticides
• No Genetically Engineered Ingredients (GEI)
• Most items made only from whole grains
• No added salt, modified starches or refined sugars
• No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
• Kosher (excluding meat varieties)
• Rigorous Product Testing

We followed the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics and waited until Wiggle Bean was about six months before beginning any solid foods. We started with Earth's Best Whole Grain Rice Cereal. It was a challenge (and messy!) trying to get her used to eating her food, but she quickly figured it out and we began adding a new fruit or vegetable every 4 days.  With each new food, she would make the funniest faces as she tasted them for the first time.  Things changed when we tried  Earth's Best Sweet Potatoes and Chicken Dinner, she couldn't get enough of it from the first bite.  She ate the entire 4oz jar, she never eats that much in a single sitting.


The Most Memorable Feeding Contest is in full swing over at Earth's Best.  Enter a video of your baby's most memorable moment eating Earth's Best products for a chance to be one of 25 Grand Prize Winners.  In January 2010, the new faces of Generation Pure will debut at www.earthsbest.com. In addition to being featured on the website, each winner will receive a FREE month of Earth's Best food, diapers and wipes (over $200 value). Contest runs from August 15, 2009 and ends on November 30, 2009.

As a bonus, Earth's Best will donate one product to support the Feed The Children charity for each uploaded entry.


GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Earth's Best, 4 of Over Thirty Mommy's readers will each win 3 coupons for a Free Jar of Earth's Best Baby Food!


How To Enter

Mandatory entry: Please visit Earth's Best, come back and leave a comment about which jar of Earth's Best Baby Food (can be a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd) you think sounds the yummiest!



You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

Extra Entries

1 entry -   Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar)
1 entry -   Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader.

1 entry -   Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

2 entries - Post a blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy. (leave a link to 
                your post in your comment)

2 entries - Grab my Blog Button and add it to your blog (let me know in your comment where I can find it)

3 entries - Enter a video into the Most Memorable Feeding Contest (be sure to let me know which entry is    

yours)
Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave a valid email address for winning notification purposes. Good luck!

Winner will be chosen via Random Drawing.  Winners who I am unable to contact and who doesn’t claim their prize within 72 hours of being sent their winning email notification and me posting the winner of the prize in the winner’s section will forfeit their prize

Giveaway ends midnight PST on 9/23.