Natural Creation is a Canadian company that hand-makes all natural products for women. It was founded by two doulas, Chelsea LaFrance and Emily Baxter. They specialize in products for pregnancy, labour & postpartum, as well as babies. In addition to making organic cotton and hemp ring slings, Natural Creation offers natural solutions for nausea, headaches,exhaustion, varicose veins, stretch marks, perineal healing, stress, teething pain, cleaning and more. All of their products are made in small batches to ensure quality and freshness and are vegan and free of synthetic perfumes, colours, and preservatives.

As someone who cleans almost exclusively with vinegar and baking soda but often yearns for something that smells a little more pleasant, I was thrilled to discover Tea Tree Clean - a mixture of tea tree and lemon essential oils in purified water. The mixture is naturally antibacterial, antiviral, and deodorizing. While it’s technically labeled “for diaper bags,” Tea Tree Clean mist is awesome as a hand sanitizer or for cleaning change pads or toys. It’s perfect for wiping down shopping carts & restaurant tables, doorknobs and almost anything that could use a little bit of a clean up. It smells great and wonderfully clean, and the lemon lightens the strong tea tree scent just perfectly. The 120 ml glass bottle sells for $15.95 - a great deal since I’ve been using it many times a day for a few weeks and have barely made a dent in it.

Win it! We’ve got a bottle of Tea Tree Clean up for grabs. To enter, leave a comment on this post letting us know some of your other fave products from this page. Contest closes at noon mst on November 25, 2008.

Every child loves to see their name in print and if there’s a way to make seeing your name in print more exciting, it is seeing your picture along side it. Proud Canadian company Mini Me Books has gotten it just right with their creation of The Octopus Book.

There are three available options, all of which are fantastic and only get better as you put a few more dollars into it. The first, with personalized text including the name of the child and their parents, sells for $32.99. For $39.99, you can personalize the names of the characters, and upload an image of your child. Finally, for $49.99 you can personalize text and photo for your child and 2 adults. My son has the $49.99 edition of The Octopus Book and I can tell you very honestly that it’s worth every penny and you will love it as much as your child will! The quality is second to none - better, in fact, than many of the thousands of books that fill my house and classroom from bookstores and other sources. The pages are thick and shiny and the paper is certified to the environmental and social standards of the Forest Stewardship Council. The binding is sturdy and tough, and the integration of the uploaded photographs is professional and…perfect. This does not look like a homemade book. It’s one that we have read daily since it arrived and will continue to read for many years.

Sure, it’s more than you’d spend on an average book at the store…but this is no average book. If you’re able to make the investment for your child, I assure you that you won’t regret it. I highly recommend it.

Save 10% on your Mini Me Book purchase with the code TOP10.

Win it! We’re giving away a personalized Mini Me Book valued at $49.99 to one lucky TOP reader! To enter, leave a comment on this post letting us know what little person in your life would be the lucky recipient before 11:59 mst on October 10, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Helmets for people under the age of 18 are the law in my neck of the woods, but it’s not that way everywhere. Even here, the law doesn’t always supersede stupidity. It doesn’t happen often on bikes but I regularly see kids on scooters, rollerblades & Ripstiks with their craniums bare for the smashing. With my background working with the brain-injured, it makes me cringe every time. (Wanna know what makes me cringe more? Helmet wearing kids bike riding with their soon-to-be-useless-bare-headed parents. Now I’ll step off my soapbox and tell you about a great solution for the raging stupidity!)

Tail Wags helmet covers are fun new accessory that has kids excited to wear their helmets! There are over 30 animal characters to choose from. From tigers and bears to turtles and dinosaurs, children love playing dress-up with Tail Wags helmet covers whether there’s a helmet around or not! My son wears his monkey on his head around the house, on his bike helmet and his hockey helmet and this winter we’ll be bringing it to the ski slopes as well because Tail Wags fit them all - even equestrian helmets!

Designed by Canadian mom Karyn Climans and made exclusively in Canada, Tail Wags not only encourage little ones to develop the helmet habit but they also help to increase the visibility of the wearer on the slopes, roads and skating rinks. Tail Wags are made from warm high quality fleece and are designed with a slit at the back to allow the wearer to access the helmet’s goggle clip. They’re made from top quality materials, are resistant to colour fading and tearing, and are sturdy enough to be worn under all kinds of conditions.

Check out the promotional video at the Tail Wags site or on YouTube.

Tail Wags helmet covers are available online and in retail stores worldwide for $40. Wouldn’t it make a great accompaniment to that new bike & helmet or skates & helmet that you’re buying? I think so.

Save 10% on your Tail Wags helmet cover order with the code opinion.

Win it! We’re giving away an adorable & gender neutral lion helmet cover from Tail Wags to one randomly selected winner. To enter, leave a comment on this post listing your two favourite animal characters from the Tail Wags line before midnight on September 9, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

As a two time unplanned cesarean mama, I’m the queen of numb belly skin & scar tissue - the mark of a C-Mama. I know - you’re jealous of my hottness.

One of our favourite Canadian online shops, Ecobaby Canada, has post-surgical mamas like me in mind with their C-Mama Healing Salve from Earth Mama Angel Baby. The clinically tested healing salve was created with 100% natural ingredients rich in Vitamin C, essential fatty acids and amino acids — all nutrients necessary for proper cell regeneration and wound repair. Formulated especially for cesarean section and other surgical wounds, old c-section scars and stretch marks, and inflamed rashes and burns, the C-Mama Healing Salve is toxin-free, cruelty-free & certified vegan.

I’ve been using this salve on my well-worth-it-war-wounds and it’s absolutely lovely. It keeps the scar soft & supple and if I could see past the flab I’m sure I’d see it looking better too.

Ecobaby Canada was also featured on T.O.P. here and here.

Win it! EcoBaby Canada is giving one randomly selected T.O.P. reader their own C-Mama Healing Salve valued at $44.99! To enter, leave a comment on this post with your favourite product(s) available from EcoBaby that are not mentioned in this post. Contest closes on September 2, 2008.

Canadian residents can receive an additional entry for this giveaway by voting for Andrea in the SavvyMom Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Go vote (you’ll need to confirm your Canadian citizenship) and leave an extra comment letting us know you did.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & winner will be emailed asap

A child’s name is usually the first and most important word they learn to print. When Canadian teacher and parent Lee-Ann O’Neill had a preschooler she, as we all do, was continually dotting out her name for tracing purposes. As an early childhood teacher and a mother, I spend more time dotting than I can keep track of.

Lee-Ann developed a stamp for her daughter and shares it with the rest of us via The Little Stamp Company. Her self-inking “signature stamp” features a large ‘dotted’ font so that children can stamp their own name on paper, colouring pages, artwork etc. and then trace the letters of their name. She offers three custom options for you to indicate your child’s name, select the ink colour, choose whether you would prefer ALL CAPS or Lower Case. (ECS teacher recommendation: Lower Case Please!) The ink Lee-Ann uses is edible and made entirely with FDA approved ingredients. It’s water based, child safe, washable, eco-friendly and lasts for thousands of impressions. My son has probably broken a thousand now (not all on paper so I can attest to the washability!) and his signature stamp is still going strong.

At $24.95, it might be a little more than you’d normally spend on a stamp but in my opinion as both a teacher and a parent, it’s totally worth it. They’ll love the sense of accomplishment & independence and it will save you hours of dotting time.

Save 15% on your signature stamps with the code TOP15.
This code is also among friends in the TOP Shops, where we feature exclusive online shopping discounts just for you!

Win it! Your child could win their own stamp from The Little Stamp Company! One winner will be randomly selected from all comments left on this post before August 29/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

It’s no secret that we’re baby-wearers around here. We’ve told you about some great babywearing options in the past and will continue to do so. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to tell you about the wrap that finally converted me to a wrapper.

The CuddlyWrap™ from Canadian based family company Peapod Creations is an incredibly long piece of awesomely soft organic cotton that I first tied on when my youngest child was just a few days old. I had watched the accompanying DVD which took a lot of the fear away, but it was still slightly intimidating at first. Once I did it once, though, my little girl lived in that thing. With a tiny little newbie it was my most comfortable option. She was snug as a bug in there and was completely supported. I got many compliments on wearing my baby in a wrap and just as many questions. Most of them were either “Is it comfortable?” or “Is it hard to tie?” In a word, yes and no. My standard answer to the former question was “It feels like I’m wearing a t-shirt with a baby inside it” and that’s the truth. For a young baby I have never worn a more comfortable carrier. There was no pressure anywhere. The CuddlyWrap is designed for use from birth to 30+ lbs but it was most comfortable for me from birth to about 15 lbs. After that the fabric started to sag a bit and needed to be retied and washed a little more often. Not a big deal, but when I can easily throw on an Ergo for a larger baby I probably will do that rather than wrapping. As for the ease of tying, there’s really nothing to it once you either watch the DVD, have a seasoned pro show you the ropes or check out one of the many online wrapping tutorials.

When my own daughter was born with a mop on her head, I was pretty pumped to put girlie things in it to prevent little old men from calling her a “husky little guy.” (Yes, that happened. She was wearing pink and looks very girlie. Moron.) However, within a month she looked like her Grandfather, with hair only above her ears and some peach fuzz left on top. How depressing.

Ladybugs and Lullabies to the rescue! The huge assortment of clips designed by Canadian mom Allyson Grabish include both snap clips and alligator clips for kids with everything from peach fuzz to long thick locks. Her snap clips are the most amazing little things. With a clip that’s designed especially for Ladybugs and Lullabies, these cute little bows, bugs & more stay in, literally, one strand of hair or a patch of peach fuzz. My daughter wears one pretty much every day and we’re constantly complimented on how cute they are.

Allyson uses only top quality, non-toxic materials on her bows and clips and all ribbon ends are heat sealed - even the ones you can’t see. There are no chemicals used at all - no stiffeners, anti-fray liquids or strong adhesives. You can tell when you see them up close that they’re made with attention to detail and will last for years. When you’re done with yours, pass them on. Because every girl deserves a bow.

TOP readers save a whopping 25% off with the code TOP25. Find this code in the TOP Shops, too!

Win it! We’ve got an assorted 5-pack of clips to give away. To enter, visit Ladybugs and Lullabies and come back to comment with your favourite style(s) from the collection. Contest closes on August 21, 2008.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Teach My Toddler, founded by mom Christy Cook, is a fabulous all-in-one learning system made especially for toddlers. The light blue plastic tote is divided into four sections - alphabet, numbers, shapes and colours. Each section contains a teaching chart (great for wall posters too!), a board book, a foam puzzle and a set of flash cards. The tools within each section are fully coordinated so the toddler receives a consistent message throughout. If “A is for alligator” on the chart it’s also for alligator in the book and on the flashcards. When children are in the early learning stages, this is incredibly important. You don’t want to skip from alligator to apple to airplane just yet. The pictures within the tote are all simple and clear - definitely age appropriate.

The teaching tools within each section work together to reinforce the message. Your toddler can match the puzzle pieces to the teaching chart, the book or the flash cards. Plus, while turning the pages of the board book or pointing out the pictures on the teaching charts, the toddler can pick out the corresponding flash cards. The combinations are endless.

In addition to the details, the great thing about the Teach My Toddler tote is that it works. My little guy is barely two and loves to dig into his tote. He knows all of his upper and lower case letters as well as the sounds they make and has even come up with ways to include other toys in our play with the tote. If we’re playing with numbers, for example, he’ll grab 5 legos and make a “tower of power” to match the numbers on the chart. Christy recommends about 20 minutes a day of fun, educational play with your tote, and I concur. Let your child lead, make it fun and you’ll be surprised what they can learn!

Take a look inside this awesome product here, and watch the demo video for a thorough look at the product at work. (Make sure you have flash installed…)

Not only is this a fantastic product for your own children and grandchildren at home, but it’s also fantastic for pre-schools and kindergarten classrooms. If you purchase one (they come highly recommended!) then I’d suggest donating it to a local preschool when you’re done with it. As a teacher, I can vouch for how much it will be appreciated.

Teach My Toddler is available from teach-my.com for $39.99 (ships for just $5!) and also in 28 stores across Canada.

Win it! We’ve got a Teach My Toddler tote to give away! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on August 7/08. One winner will be selected at random.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I have admitted here many times that I’m a snob. A blanket snob, a toy snob, a clothing snob…and yes, a butt cream snob. If it’s toxic, it’s sure as heck not getting rubbed on the nether regions my babies. I’ve tried many creams over the past few years (organic, natch) and they’ve all been satisfactory enough, but the Bottom Balm from Lalabee Baby Bathworks surpasses even my expectations. It clears up diaper rash in a flash (seriously, I’m talking an hour) and there’s nothing in it to irritate baby’s tender skin. Applying it feels like a strange cross between unsalted butter (but not greasy…is that possible?) and really thick olive oil. There’s no resistance and it makes my baby smile even when her little butt is at it’s most tender.

The entire Lalabee line is handcrafted in small batches using certified organic and natural ingredients in beautiful Kelowna, BC by mom Sara Johnson. There are no chemicals, preservatives or dyes in any of the Lalabee products and they use only edible ingredients purchased from local suppliers where possible.

All of the Lalabee containers are reusable or recyclable and the tins are food grade - no plastic to be found. Check out the rest of the baby line and the mama line too.

A portion of sales is donated to buy Heifer International Honeybees. Canadian, mom-run, organic, green, and helping the less fortunate? You’ve gotta love that.

Win it! We’ve got a tin of the fabulous bottom balm for one lucky reader! To enter, leave a comment on this post before 11:59 pm mst on August 7/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We’re taking the day off tomorrow to enjoy Canada Day with our families. In honour of Canada’s birthday we’re featuring a fantastic Canadian business from which you can acquire the wares of many others. Enjoy, and HAPPY CANADA DAY!

---

You know when you read repeatedly of a shop but don’t take the time to click through and explore? Well, I did that and feel like a moron for not knowing about Apples n’ Oranges sooner.

Owned by Ottawa moms Lara and Vicky, Apples n’ Oranges carries only Canadian brands. I am ashamed to say that I had no idea we Canucks had such amazing style. The selection is fabulous. With 33 brands to choose from, and growing, there’s no need to pay customs fees anymore. My wallet thanks you, ladies!

Apples n’ Oranges is the exclusive online retailer for my newest love, Vancouver based Peekaboo Beans - a functional and fashionable line of playwear that’s perilously close to being too nice to be playwear.

Each piece meets a “no fuss dressing” mission and is easy for children to get on and off when potty training or learning to dress themselves. Every piece mixes, matches and layers with the others and they’re more versatile than any line I’ve seen before - pants become capris, tunics become tanks and skirts become dresses to lengthen their lifespan. They’re also reversible for the inevitable spills while on the go. Made with high quality materials and super comfortable fabrics, there’s extra strength and durability built into the construction and the pieces are pre-washed. The pants feature a wide, flat waistband for comfort and all pieces use flat, seamless stitching for itch free wearing. The shirts are A-shaped and are a longer length than standard to accommodate those adorable kid-bellies. Added safety features are included, such as reflective piping, chin guards, and ironed in personal identification labels.

Peekaboo Beans is everything you want in a kids clothing line - perfect for playdate, playground and playtime…but you’ll want to make time for an impromptu photo shoot before you leave the house. This stuff is just that nice.

Save 20% on your first purchase with the code firsttop.

Win it! Apples n’ Oranges is giving away a Peekaboo Beans top AND bottom of the winner’s choice. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your choice of outfit should you be the lucky winner. (Be specific. As always, you can’t win if you’re too lazy to click through to this awesome shop. It’s bad karma.) Contest closes at noon MST on July 5/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I am pleased to announce that approximately a week and a half ago my daughter grew some hair.

Like anything, there are positives and negatives about that. The great thing is that she can wear her fabulously fantastic Bugalug barrettes in the tuft on top of her head, but the bad news is that she’s getting closer to telling me to “Just back off and get your own accessories, Mom!” I admit it - I’ve been wearing her clips from Bugalug for weeks now. But I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on them so they must not look too bad on a grown woman.

Bugalug clips are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and are designed with an innovative non-slip grip like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s a silicone type grip - and it works! The clips stay in both my daughter’s hair and my own. The clips are also glue free and can withstand the washer and dryer and never get bumpy with glue like many do.

I was most impressed with the quality of Bugalug clips. Everyone’s next door neighbour makes clips these days, but Bugalug clips stand out from the rest as some of the finest I’ve ever seen. There are no raw ribbon edges visible and the ‘crafts-woman-ship’ is worth every penny of the…oh wait - they’re only $4!

She’s not yet old enough for headbands, though, so I don’t have to share those for a while. At their new longer length of 26″, they fit any head and are fully reversible and adjusted via plastic toggle. They’re available in tons of gorgeous ribbon selections.

Bugalug is so concerned with safety and quality that they’ve declined producing the baby clips that many of their customers are asking for (after lots of research) simply to reduce the chance of a child choking on a Bugalug clip. That’s commitment.

Save 10% at Bugalug Baby with the code TOP10.

Win it! We’ve got a gift package of 4 clips and 2 headbands to give away to a reader. To enter, visit the Bugalug Baby site and comment on this post with your favourite products. Contest closes at noon MST on May 26/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

I’m a labeling freak. There are labels everywhere in my house - even the bin that holds the labels is labeled!

Lovable Labels is a Canadian mom-run company that carries a large selection of customized labels as well as some cool stuff to help a mom around the house. Goodness knows I need all the help I can get.

My kids especially love their unique fun stickies that are shaped like butterflies and dinosaurs and are available in lots more cool shapes (pictured at right). Believe it or not, they’re less likely to leave their things lying around the park when they have their own special label on them. And for those days when they do, I’ve got a better chance of getting them back eventually!

Have a child with allergies or medical issues? Check out these cool vital ID wristbands. The kids I know would be much more comfortable wearing those than a metal bracelet. And while you’re looking for things that make your kids ecstatically happy? Personalized notecards and way cool books would be fantastic gifts. Is it too early to shop for stocking stuffers? I think not.

Mention that you heard about Lovable Labels through the The Opinionated Parent during the checkout process and receive 15 FREE Red Regular Sticker Bonus Labels with your purchase. One per family. Expires May 30, 2008.

It’s Mabels Labels‘ 5th Birthday and to celebrate they’re giving YOU presents!

Orders placed between 12:00am and 11:59pm EDT today, Thursday March 27th will be shipped with a coupon for free sticky labels (valued at $18.50), their original product that started it all.

Happy Birthday/Anniversary Mabel and friends!

Finally.

I was so sad when I had to give up my children’s Robeez (except the booties, which we use as indoor slippers all year long) because they’re just too rough and tumble to wear something with a leather sole. When they began to tear through a pair in less than a week I knew it was time to invest in some shoes with more durable soles. But my oh my I missed those Robeez.

On February 4th the infamous Robeez are finally launching their new line of ourdoor shoes as a fabulous option for the transition between soft soles and firm soled walkers. Robeez Tredz are available in three sizes, 12-16 mos, 16-20 mos and 20-24 mos. There are more than 20 adorable designs and each one has a durable water-resistant sole, adjustable velcro fasteners and the classic Robeez elasticized ankle to keep them where they’re supposed to be.

When our first sneak-preview pair showed up on our doorstep I was giddy with excitement. The pictures are cute but these shoes are so much cuter in person. Even the box is high quality. (Yes, I keep all of our shoe boxes for consignment sales. Go ahead, call me a dork.) They’re comfortable, cute and safe. Perfect? I think so!

(Enter to win up to six pairs and a $500 gift certificate here!)

It was almost exactly a year ago that we featured a review of T.O.P. fave Mabel’s Labels and we still love them just as much as (if not more than) we did then.

Apparently you agree because as Christmas nears we’re getting tons of emails asking about a discount code for the best labels on earth.

Dear readers, ask and you shall receive!

Save 10% at Mabel’s Labels until February 10, 2008 with the code TOP10FEB

The moms in my baby group often referred to the Robeez we all had as “cute sock holder-on-ers” since the kids didn’t really need shoes when they were wearing them but they looked fab and kept their socks on when nothing else would.

They still look great, and now for a limited time you will receive a pair of matching socks with the purchase of select designs (starting September 17).

There are 15 designs available in 3 sizes: 0-6 months, 6-12 months, and 12-18 months.

Girl designs available: Bunny, Butterfly, Circles, Crown, Daisy, Flower, Hibiscus, and Hearts.

Boy designs available: Baby Dino, Bull Dog, Elephant, Fire Truck, Rocket, Shark, and Turtle.

Happy Shopping!

I am officially in love with this fabulous organic hemp & cotton sleepsack from one of our new all-Canadian faves Kohlr Baby. It retails for $63 which is a very reasonable price for such a safe and high quality product that your child will wear for up to 12 hours a day (for your sake, we hope it’s at night) for 6+ months. The non-organic alternative is just $48 but it’s worth the extra $15 for organic if you’re concerned about chemicals and your baby. At least that’s our opinionated opinion.

Sleepsacks are available everywhere of late, and in almost every price range. I think it’s great that people are becoming more aware of the hazards of giving babies blankets and are turning more toward this safe and practical alternative. By investing in a quality sack from Kohlr Baby you’re really investing in a better sleep for the whole family. Middle of the night diaper changes are quick and easy with the great bottom access zipper that goes all the way up in to the arm pit in case of a major in-sleep-blowout. Our reviewer loved the light, soft corduroy feel of the organic sleepsack and chances are your child will love it too, along with the great sleepy sheep appliqué and soft tags attached. If you’re more of a fleece person you can rest assured that only top grade athletic fleece is used and liquids like sweat are quickly wicked away from your baby’s soft skin.

Designer Jill Koehler has done everything right with this company. Among many other things, we love the alternatives for the organic mama, the ‘zero waste’ manufacturing policy and an awesome no hassle 100% satisfaction lifetime guarantee. What have you got to lose?

Win a blankie buddy from Kohlr baby in the beautiful and gender neutral butternut and moss colour scheme valued at $20! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with KOHLR in the subject line but midnight MST on 9/25/07 and tell us another item that’s available from the website. Congratulations ‘Organic Girl’!

We’re sent a lot of kids’ music to review that doesn’t ever make it onto this site because, quite frankly, it sucks. I don’t see the point of paying money for a CD that your kids might like but is going to annoy the hell out of you and therefore will never get played. I sort of feel that way about a lot of the music that’s designed for babies. It’s tinkly and music-box like and the tracks are about 45 seconds long ending in a 20 minute CD that’s hardly worth my time.

And that, my friends, is why I love the Canadian-made Baby Concerts. I am a classical fan myself, among many other things including lots of GnR, and this is real music. Like, really real. Actual musicians performing the works of many composers. Pedro Eustache is the amazing musician anchoring the ensemble and is only part of the team behind this set of 5 wonderful compositions. I’ve only heard the first two CD’s but they’re a glorious mix of classical pieces that happen to be intended for children but if I didn’t know that the music certainly wouldn’t have given it away.

What a great gift these CD’s would make for a pregnant mother who is oblivious to the way her life may soon be taken over by annoying beeping plastic toys. At least she’ll still have some enjoyable sound in her life (other than the cooing of her beautiful baby, of course).

We’ve got TWO sets of CD’s to give away. Both prizes will include the prenatal/newborn and the infant CD. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 9/20/07 with Baby Concerts in the subject line and tell us what charity the sales of Baby Concerts supports. Congratulations Betty and Amie!

As with most kids, ours play a lot and they play hard. It’s hard to spend $40 on a tee, no matter how great, when you’re pretty confident they’re either going to wreck it or grow out of it within a month or two. And that’s why we were SO excited to discover The Mini Tee - a Toronto based (Go Canada!) online store with great unique tees at wonderfully unique modest prices.

The sibling collection is my personal favourite, and at only $12-$15 I assure you that it will be yours too. Can you even make a shirt for that much? And they ship free with orders over $40 too. Don’t think that you’re getting transparent crap for these prices - these are some great quality thick cotton shirts that wash great and wear well.

There’s a large selection of shirts for boys and for girls. I can’t help but tell you the prices again - $12 for the tees and $15 for the onesies. Amazing. I’m almost speechless. I’ll pay extra to support small mom-run business but with the Mini Tee I don’t have to! (Who am I kidding? Now I’ll buy four.)

You can also get custom designed shirts for only $1 extra! I know - I didn’t believe it either!

Win a Mini Tee of your choice in any size! To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with MINI TEE in the subject line and tell us what your choice would be if you’re the lucky winner! Contest closes at midnight MST on Wednesday, September 12, 2007. Congratulations Linsey!

Founded by Canadian mom Candace Alper, Name Your Tune is a children’s music CD that is made-to-order and personalized for your child. They hear their name more than 80 times throughout 14 well known songs ending with a lullabye - brilliant for bedtime tunes!) We had a CD sample made for the grandchild of a TOP reviewer and she really enjoyed it!

Leery of personalized CD’s? I wouldn’t blame you. There are some horrible ones out there but I assure you that NYT CD’s incorporate your child’s name in flawlessly and it certainly doesn’t sound like a different person did a crappy voice-over job in each song like many other’s I’ve heard. It sounds like each song was actually individually recorded just for your child, and the tunes are totally easy on the ears. You can listen to the tracks here and see for yourself. There are over 2800 names & pronunciations available and if you don’t find what you’re looking for you can ask them to add it to their database.

The only complaint was that the CD came automatically with “from Mommy” printed on it and it wasn’t from her mother. It wasn’t such a concern because they pretended it was from her mom, but had she not had a mother in her life it could have been much more serious. When you order, you’ll have the opportunity to personalize it your way, which is great.

Check the links under their header for more cool personalized kid goodies!

Learning to nurse is enough of a challenge for many moms that they don’t need to worry about flashing at the same time. While we’re of the opinion that boobs are for babies and if you don’t want to see them - don’t look, we do understand that the risk of flashing stresses many moms out. Though we don’t agree with covering up for other people’s comfort, we’re all for YOUR comfort and we think you’re better off doing it in style! There are a plethora of ugly & bulky nursing covers & capes available today that shout “I’m breastfeeding!” and/or “I have no sense of style now that I’m a mother!” and we think you deserve better than that.

The nursing covers from Generation Baby, a mom-run Canadian company, are about as fashionable and functional as a nursing cover’s going to get.

We tested out the beautiful chocolate damask pattern and it’s stunning. The fabric is a light & airy cotton and the pattern is such that you could easily wear it as a dress and you’d look fabulous. (It’s the top one pictured at right.) All of the nursing covers are machine wash & dry and feature an adjustable neck strap. It wasn’t long before my son figured out how to disengage the velcro & snaps on my nursing covers (which were, incidentally, incredibly ugly compared to this one) and a receiving blanket worked for about a week before I gave up altogether so I was pleased to hear from our reviewer that the fastener on the Generation Baby cover was easy for her to manipulate but no matter how hard her daughter pulled it didn’t come off. They’re large enough to cover mothers of all sizes (and to be used as a light blanket or stroller sun shade, which came in handy during our review due to the +40 C temps) and the rigid neck line makes it easy for mom to see baby without letting anyone else take a peek. Lastly, being that it’s very light cotton, it folds & fits easily in a diaper bag or even in a pocket.

We don’t think you need to cover up, but if you want to you deserve to look good at the same time.

Get 15% off your Generation Baby purchase with the code “coupon”

Win a nursing cover of your choice! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with GenBaby in the subject line and tell us the name of your favourite nursing cover fabric. Contest closes Thursday night at midnight MST. Congratulations Janice!

Founded by Canadian mom Janet Beatty, Sugar and Spice is my new favourite online source for little girl bows. While I don’t have a daughter of my own at this time, I have nieces and several friends with daughters who I love to shop for. (And if the baby I’m currently manufacturing is a girl, look out Visa!)

Bows are tricky, though, because many of them are either ugly, huge or they fall out. Janet’s Grippy Clippys are the alterna-bow! She hand makes each one and puts a special soft gripper strip inside to make them really grip even the finest and thinnest hair.

Even the fanciest of fancy bows is only $6. (That’s Canadian, so our American readers can count on paying even less.)

We’ve got a bow holder complete with a pair of Grippy Clippys for one randomly selected T.O.P. reader. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with GRIPPY in the subject line and tell us one of the non-Grippy Clippy items available from the Sugar and Spice site. Contest closes Friday at midnight. Congratulations Avery!

I’ve always loved buying baby gifts and hated buying the accompanying cards. There’s always some cheesy saying and a rather uninspiring creepy cartoon baby.

Now that I’ve discovered the new Canadian company Speckles & Weeds, however, I can hardly wait for the next opportunity to give new parents a card. (It’ll accompany a gift, of course.)

These cheeky and oh-so-true motherhood cards are the perfect way to express your joy and welcome another woman into the wonderful world of motherhood while not pretending it’s all pastel bubbles & butterfly kisses.

Like my personal favourites pictured here, A newborn baby’s head smells sweet. Yours, however, is oddly reminiscent of an armpit and Welcome to motherhood. Luxury has been redefined. All of the Speckles & Weeds motherhood cards ring true. From snarky to hilarious, there’s sure to be one for the moms on your list. Come on, be a good friend. Don’t subject them to the cartoon baby.

Speckles & Weeds cards are made in Canada and are printed on recycled paper. They’re blank inside with lots of room for your own real-life mothering tips & well-wishes. They ship free on orders over $25. You can find Speckles & Weeds cards at retailers across Canada and anyone in the whole wide internet-friendly world can order online.

Type ‘opinionated parent’ in the optional second address line and receive a free card with your order.

You’ll find Speckles & Weeds in the TOP Shops
along with many other awesome exclusive discounts for TOP readers.

Win a full set of motherhood cards from Speckles & Weeds, a $60 value. To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Speckles & Weeds in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What’s one of the upcoming projects Jane is working on?” Contest closes at midnight MST on 5/10/07. Congratulations Jenny!

Lots of crunchy, semi-crunchy and wanna-be crunchy parents choose to use cloth diapers. What used to be the norm is now viewed by some as too much work & too much mess. I can tell you definitively that it’s not much work, and if you’ve got too much mess you’re either not doing it right or you’ve got the wrong diapers.

I’ve always been an all-in-one girl (the lazy way to protect the environment) but I’ve been testing out Mother-Ease diapers & covers for the last month. Honestly, I always thought covers would be a huge pain in the you know what, but they’re not.

The Sandy’s diapers have lots of elastic at the legs & back of the waist and they fit like a dream - even on my skinny mini kid. They’re amazingly absorbent. Even after several hours (oops!) the outside of the diaper was not wet. These are my favourite cloth diaper ever. I’ve never had a leak - ever! (And, sadly, my way-too-expensive all in ones from a major brand leaked out the leg holes all the time.)

The Mother-Ease one size diapers really do fit everyone. Strategically placed snaps are manipulated to accommodate your baby’s growing needs, and are reinforced to ensure that they never pull out of the diaper. They’re easy to use, soft & absorbent and the cute covers aren’t a pain at all. They’re super easy to use, fit great and aren’t made of that nasty plastic that the box store covers are. (And they now come in some cool eco-themed prints!)

We’ve got a Mother-Ease Introductory Package to give away, including a one size diaper, an absorbent snap in liner and one air flow cover in the eco-Savanna print. To be entered in the random draw, simply email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with MOTHER-EASE in the subject line and tell us one of the diapering accessories available from Mother-Ease. Contest closes at midnight MST on 5/5/07. Congratulations Cara!

When Parade launched 4 years ago & decided to offer a full baby line, founders Bernard & Laura wanted it to be produced in a socially & environmentally responsible way and so the decided to go with 100% organic cotton. Grown without chemicals & pesticides, organic cotton is not only better for the farming communities where it is grown but it’s softer and longer lasting than processed cotton. All Parade clothing is made in sweatshop free environments through Fair Trade practices and they’ve also just started to manufacture some of their line right at home in Vancouver.

We love the innocent & environmental theme of their designs. They seem to have hit on all the names we call our babes-in-utero that carry over into life outside, like Bean & Peanut. The Parade Organic line of newborn kimonos are absolutely adorable (seen on the little peanut above) - and new parents quickly learn that anything that doesn’t have to be pulled over the head is sure to be worn again and again. The lounge sets, consisting of a lap neck onesie or tee & pants roomy enough to be comfortable over cloth diapers, make a great gift (hint hint to any relatives reading - our next baby wants the bean onesie with the pear green pants). The cotton gets softer with ever wash and is made to be handed down. Also be sure to check out their matching caps & blankets.

The Parade Organic line is available online or at retailers across Canada, the US, Australia & New Zealand.

Want to win? Of course you do! We have a 0-3 mos bug kimono onesie and a 12-18 month sprout t & coordinating brown pants to give away to two separate winners. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with your preference of PARADE kimono or PARADE set in the subject line and tell us one other Parade design not mentioned in this review. Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/24/07. Congratulations, Tyla & Rochelle!

Canadian stay at home mom and par.entrepreneur Alli Grosberg is the talent behind Alli’s Originals. She creates gorgeous personalized custom-made-to-order, hand stamped sterling silver jewelery for anyone and everyone, including the family pet.

Beautiful bracelets & earrings make a great gift for any mom, and Alli’s Princess Charming Collection is such a cool way to celebrate the amazing relationships in your life. It’s all about “wearing your heart on your sleeve.” Alli uses only the finest quality materials giving her creations a feminine, elegant feel. Wearing one of Alli’s pieces is sure to brighten anyone’s mood. She will create custom gifts for moms, friends, bridesmaids, teachers & more and will do her best to accommodate any request.

Each piece purchased is packaged in an organza drawstring jewelry bag and includes a jewelry care card and optional gift card free of charge.

Additional charms can be added to any piece from the a la carte page.

Check out Alli’s blog regularly for new designs, sales & great contests.

TOP readers save 10% on your Alli’s Originals orders
when you mention “The Opinionated Parent”
You’ll find Alli’s Originals in the TOP Shops!

Enter to win a $30 Alli’s Originals gift certificate! (to be used by 4/30/07) Simply email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Alli’s Originals in the subject header and list any item available from Alli’s website that’s not mentioned in this review. Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/3/07. Congratulations CPA Mom!

Stikins(tm) clothing labels by LabelLighthouse.com are yet another great tool for the organized (or trying really hard to be organized) parent.

Developed by Canadian par.entrepreneur Lena Grierson out of pure need, they’re available in easy to attach garment labels, mid sized shoe & item labels and tiny micro labels.

They’re perfect for all of those clothes that get left at playdates, the shoe pile at the gym and the matching sippy cups at daycare. Make sure you get that favourite sweater back - without having to remember where you left it! Stikins(tm) are also great for seniors - label their clothes with their name & phone number to help get the sweater - and the person - back home where they belong.

The garment Stikins(tm) have a unique shape - like an uppercase H - that sticks easily to any tag and stays in place wash after wash and is even dryer friendly. They’re really great!

The shoe labels stay put under the tongue of the shoe (don’t put them under the foot - they come off), and the micro labels are perfect for school supplies.

Order your Stikins(tm) online at LabelLighthouse.com.

Get 5 additional labels free of charge with your order…
just use the code TOP.

One lucky TOP reader will win a Super Package of 120 Stikins(tm) labels in 3 different sizes, a $39.95 value. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Stikins in the subject header and tell us What’s another item that the shoe labels can be used on? Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/2/07. Congratulations to Catherine R.

We’re primarily organic folks here at TOP. We spend a lot of time preparing food for our son so that we can be assured he’s eating high quality, pesticide free food that not only tastes good but won’t give him cancer in 40 years. After several late night steaming sessions trying to get enough food prepared for the next day, we knew it was time to have a convenient backup plan but highly processed jars of food don’t quite meet our standards. Luckily, my local grocer carries BOBOBABY products.

Burnaby, BC mom Kalpna Solanki has a public health and environmental background which led her, like us, to strictly evaluate everything that entered her daughter’s mouth. She quickly realized how much work it is to feed our children this way and decided to offer her high quality foods in age-appropriate and convenient portions to other parents. BOBOBABY is a proud supporter of ‘Success by Six’, an agency that is devoted to provide all children with a good start in life.

Frozen in recyclable cube-like trays and sealed tightly, BOBOBABY foods are all certified organic with no salt, preservatives or colour added. Every dish is free of the top nine allergens (eggs, nuts, soy, dairy, wheat, fish, shellfish, meat and poultry) and they’re all certified kosher. Feeding BOBOBABY is completely worry free.

There are twelve available products, separated into 6+, 7+ and 9+ months. We love that the ingredients are fully disclosed and are all organic, fresh and easily pronounced - just like we’d make if we always had time. We tried two from each category and, I’m embarrassed to say, some of them actually looked and tasted even better than my homemade foods because of the creative combinations. The lentils and mixed vegetables is so good I copied the ingredients and made a similar dish for my husband and I. It wasn’t quite as good, but he knew better than to say it!

The only problem? They’re so good that you may want to thaw an extra cube or two. You know you’ll be sampling.

Win a high quality, snap closure BOBOBABY 100% cotton embroidered bib. We have ten to give away! Email theopinionatedparent[at]gmail[dot]com with BOBOBABY in the subject heading and the answer to the question How did BOBOBABY get it’s name? Contest closes at midnight MST on Friday, March 9, 2007.

Want to get TOP updates in your email inbox?
Don’t miss another contest…

Enter your Email

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

Our son received his first pair of real winter boots from his paternal Grandma in early December. I had never seen a pair of boots like this before. They were Stonz, made by Canadian mom-trepreneurs Tracey Von Dehn and Lisa Will.

When we opened the package, I was immediately struck by
(a) how totally freaking adorable they were,
(b) the fact that they had no formed foot space, but were more “tube-like” so they would fit for a long time,
(c) the elasticized drawstrings at both the ankle and calf so they would very likely stay on,
(d) the warm fleece lining and the non-slip sole and
(e) did I mention that they look absolutely fabulous?

They’re available in some mega-cute but not pukey cute styles (We have “stripe.” My mother in law has good taste.)

Since we’re in Canada and it’s winter, we began using them immediately. Our son has worn them barefoot, with socks, over his Robeez and over his Robeez booties and they fit, are comfortable and stay on his feet.

Some of my favourite things about our Stonz, aside from the above list are:
-They have lovely soft soles for those precious little developing and learning to walk feet.
-They’re warm enough to keep his feet and ankles warm on a blustery walk yet not so heavy to prevent us from using them on a windy, rainy or cool day. (They’re water and wind resistant!)
-They’re soft enough that we can squish them right into his one-piece snowsuit comfortably.

We have received more compliments about these boots than any other article of clothing. And our kid has some pretty cool clothing!

Stonz are available in three sizes encompassing birth to three years, and because of their unique shape they really fit and stay on throughout the size ranges.

Oh, and they offer free worldwide shipping when you order your booties without the plastic packaging.

Fashionable, functional and environmentally sound. Does it get any better than that?

Cross your fingers, cross your toes and send me an email to muchmoreopinionated at gmail dot com with STONZ in the subject heading and the correct answer to the question “What are your four favourite styles of Stonz?” (It’ll be hard to pick - trust me.) Have your entry in by midnight on Friday, January 19, 2007.
Two lucky winners will be randomly chosen from all valid entries. Please specify in your email whether you would prefer to be entered for the “cow” or the “flowers” pattern. Update: Prizes are both size medium fitting 6-18 mos. Good luck! Congratulations to CPA Mom of Virginia, USA and to Cindy of Alberta, Canada!

Want to get TOP updates in your email inbox?
Don’t miss another contest…

Enter your Email

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

(more…)

Her name is Mabel.

Okay, maybe Mabel’s not a real person, but her labels rock! Mabel’s Labels just might be the best thing since sliced bread, as they say.

Developed by a group of 4 (now related - cool story!) Canadian moms who were frustrated with losing their childrens’ items everywhere they went. They decided to form a business together and develop labels that were attractive, yet tough enough to go through the dishwasher and the microwave, and survive being left out in the sun & rain. For clothing, they needed to stick to many fabrics and withstand the washer & dryer. After lots of research and testing, they came to the conclusion that they’d developed the perfect labels. They claim that their “dishwasher- and microwave-safe stick-on-labels can be used on cups, bowls, toys, books, sunscreen bottles, lunchboxes, wipes containers, show-and-tell items, and more. The stick-in shoe labels are extra-tough, because shoes are tricky to label. Their iron-ons are so simple to apply, you’ll be amazed at what you can label!”

When I stumbled upon their site, I must admit I thought it sounded too good to be true. I have, and love, my label maker and it crossed my mind that maybe they were selling something I could easily make myself. Boy, was I wrong.

Mabel’s Labels are available in many different and highly useful categories. I tested out the sticky labels and the household labels. For reference, I compared them to labels printed from my household label maker.

I used the sticky labels on sippy cups, a travel wipes container and large toys. I’ve put them through the dishwasher multiple times (20 or more) and also in the microwave, and they just won’t die. (In this case, that’s a good thing!) Conversely, my homemade labels lasted a wash or two but then began to slip and mash together.

The household labels are just as awesome. Organizing is one of my addictions, and these super secure labels make it easy and fun. (Yes, I said it. It’s fun!) Even if you’re not a freak like me, these super cool (Canadian made!) labels will make the sometimes daunting task of organizing your belongings a little easier. If it’s not fun, it should at least look good! (Seriously, even the press kit they sent me was adorable and made me want to have these ladies over for coffee.) They thought of categories that even I didn’t think of. I now, thanks to Mabel’s Labels, have a ’sell’ and a ‘donate’ bin in my basement which I am loving! I have also created a “Mend/Fix” bin and have gotten rid of my pile of grocery bags stacked with my sewing machine. They have labels to separate your stored childrens’ clothing from birth to size 6. There are labels for spices, food staples, holiday items, recycling and much more, all in one set!

Ordering is easy and secure from 84 countries worldwide. Shipping is free in Canada and takes up to 14 days (way less, in my experience), depending on Canada Post. It’s only $3 to the US and $5 worldwide, regardless of the size of your order.

I’m thinking…stocking stuffers?

YOU CAN WIN a Mabel’s Labels gift certificate to order your own set of personalized sticky, skinny mini or shoe labels! Just send an email before midnight MST Friday, December 8, 2006 to muchmoreopinionated [at] gmail [dot] com with MABEL in the subject heading and the correct answer to the question: What types of labels does Mabel’s Labels offer that are not featured in this post? (Choose one.) A winner will be chosen using a randomizer and will be contacted after the deadline. Congratulations Jenny of Shlameel Shlamozl!

Want to get TOP updates in your email inbox?
Don’t miss another contest…

Enter your Email

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

Why, a pee-pee teepee by Beba Bean, of course!

These Canadian-made, 100% cotton cones are designed to cover the sprinkling pee-pee during diaper changes. Anyone with a son knows why that’s necessary. We were given these as a baby gift by a good friend, and the simple act of putting these into the parcel turned her into a great friend. In the few weeks between the birth of our son and the arrival of her package, we had both been peed on multiple times. We had pee on the dresser, pee on the change mat, pee on stuffed animals, pee on the carpet, pee in the drawers, pee on our clothing, pee on our faces…you get the idea. They’re such a simple concept, and yet so very intelligent. We have since packed them away for a future child (should we ever have another boy) but would gladly still be using them if they came in a larger size. (Not that my kid is extremely well-endowed or anything…ahem.) Any new parents of a little boy would be ecstatic to find these among their stash at their baby shower.

Beba Bean Designs was kind enough to send some products from