Fun Bites are a fun, easy and kid-safe way of cutting food into small pieces.

You may think “Can’t a knife do that?”

Well, yes. But after the hundredth time you’ve cut something ‘just so’ for your picky little eater, you’d pay in gold for these things! I love that they have no metal parts so the kids can grab them and cut away. They’re much more likely to eat the food you serve if they play a part in the preparation – and Fun Bites are so easy to use that even a two year old can do it!

Win it! We’ve got one set – as pictured – to give away. To enter, comment on this post before noon mst on February 20, 2012. Don’t forget your extra entries!

Each December we love to remind our long time fans and encourage our new ones to get the most for their money this season of spending. There are so many things you can do, costing from nothing to unimaginably ridiculous amounts, to make the season extra special for your children. I say, if you do only one “extra” thing for your little lovelies, make it a personalized phone call from the big man himself!

Over the last five years, we have seen our share of mall Santas. Some are great, some are rude, some are rushed, some smell like onions. You just never know what you’re going to get. With Santa Speaking, you’re guaranteed a great experience. The calls range from 3-5 minutes (single call) to 8-10 minutes (extended call) and I highly recommend the extended call if you have more than one child or one that either really likes to talk or make take a few minutes to warm up. No matter what happens, the well trained (and background checked) Santa will fill any empty space with questions and comments about your child’s life that only Santa could know. Even the skeptics will have their hearts opened by a call from Santa Speaking. SantaSpeaking.com will send you a MP3 of your child’s call and/or a mini-CD ornament to both listen to and hang on your tree year after year. We have listened to our previous calls each December and they area absolutely precious!

The set up of the call is as simple as can be, and they’ve thought of everything in terms of ensuring that Santa knows a ton of information about your child. He knew the names of my son’s best friends, about his classes and hobbies and so much more – all of which I was able to effortlessly enter prior to the call.

At SantaSpeaking.com, you can read the North Pole Gossiper, dance to Santa’s Groovy Hits, get the recipe to make Santa’s fave hot chocolate and so much more. Whether you’re purchasing a call or not, it’s a great site to visit. However, once you experience a call from Santa Speaking you’ll likely be ordering a call every year. From $20 – $50, there’s one that’s affordable for most families. If you do it once, you’ll want to find a way to make the magic happen every year!

SAVE WITH TOP Use the code MB2011 for 10% off your call.

There are a lot of great options to help keep your baby safe in slumber. There’s just no reason a baby should be in bed with a blanket or loose sheet anymore thanks to products like the Eco Fleece baby sleepsack ($48) from Canadian company Kohlr Baby. These sleepsacks are awesome for lots of reasons:

-2 layers of luxurious Repreve TM (recycled microfleece).
-100% breathable.
-Quick-dry (helps prevent rashes).
-Hypo-allergenic.
-You can choose from an adorable Sleepy Sheepy Applique or TAGS for baby to play with.
-2.5 TOG rating.
-No carcinogenic flame-retardants.

But even moreso, these sleepsacks are 100% made in Canada – for children, not by children. They are safe choice for not supporting third world child labour. Kohlr Baby has a zero waste policy and they are working towards recycling 100% of their scrap cloth.

There are three sizes to choose from: Small fits 2-10mths(29″), medium fits 10-24mths(34″) and large fits 24-36mths (39″).

The sleeping bag style zipper makes middle of the night changes fast and easy.

Yet another great Canadian company – well done Kohlr Baby!

Seventh Generation has long been my go-to brand for dishwashing, laundry and home cleaning products, and when I had a child in diapers they were my disposable choice. Since becoming pregnant with my first babe, I have tried to be as “green” as possible in everything I do. There are some things (like two vehicles and paper towel!) that I’m not willing to sacrifice, but buying from a great company like 7th Gen is an easy way to make a big difference. I just can’t see polluting the earth that I am leaving to my babies, their babies and their babies after them.

For more than 20 years, it’s been Seventh Generation’s mission to help us (i.e. normal people on budgets!) protect our world with our naturally safe and effective household cleaning and personal care products. “Seventh Generation is the nation’s leading brand of household and personal care products that help protect human health and the environment. Established in 1988, the Burlington, Vermont based company remains an independent, privately-held company distributing products to natural food stores, supermarkets, mass merchants, and online retailers across the United States and Canada.” The name of the company comes from this statement: “…in our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” When I buy products with the Seventh Generation name on them, I know I’m doing the right thing – for the earth, for my family, and for the people who come after us wondering what the heck we did to jeopardize this amazing planet we call home.

You can like their facebook page for great tips and information,and join the 7th Gen Nation (it’s free!) for great coupons.

Win it! One lucky TOP reader will win a 100% organic cotton Seventh Gen Eco lunch bag as well as coupons for a FREE package of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers, Free & Clear Baby Wipes and dish washing products. (The same goods that I was sent to try out for this review – most of which I used and loved before!) To enter, I’d love to hear your best tip on how to be more environmentally conscious (but, as always, any comment can enter, and you can also email in your entry to theopinionatedparent at gmail dot com for you non-bloggy folks who always love to enter!) Canadian residents only for this one, please.

Enter by noon mst on September 25th.

Affectionately known as “The Grateful Dead for kids,” Ben Rudnick & Friends have hit the mark with their soon-to-be-released CD Live in Lexington: Under the Copper Beech. As a bit of a closet dead head myself, I love the sound of these guys (and my kids did too, but whatever.) These are some mega-musically-talented dudes, and their style is really their own. It’s a fabulous addition to your kiddie music collection for sure.

The CD will be released on August 30th and you’ll find it at our affiliate, Amazon.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

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I have another new-to-me treasure to share with you.

In The Nick of Time (by Nick Deysher) is about to release the new CD “Making Silly Faces.” Geared toward kids aged 2-8, Making Silly Faces is an eclectic mix of fabulous creations like my son’s fave “Pirates Never Say Please,” my daughter’s fave “The Sun Is Up (And So Am I) and mine “You’ve Got To Have Patience.” You know your kids will love this one, because Nick is a preschool music specialst 5 days a week, and an after school music teacher too. Suddenly I feel the need to take music lessons!

Check it out at In The Nick of Time Music.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

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Disclaimer

In just four days, Sing Along!, the new CD by Caspar Babypants, will be released. It’s as fantastic as his previous CDs and follows the same modus operandi – keep it simple, silly! Old favourites like Ring Around the Rosie and Ba Ba Black Sheep get a new twist, and many amazing guests artists that we have grown to love join Caspar to help out. Weird Al? Got him. Frances England? Yep. Eclectic, much? It’s pretty awesome.

Caspar says he makes music “to help families sing together and relax and open up and endure stressful times with humor and grace.” That, he does.

Pick it up on August 16th at our affiliate, Amazon.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

1. Readers get one entry for commenting or emailing their answer to the question posed in the post.

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I haven’t hear any of the previous tunes from the “Celebrate Earth” series, but this one is as unique as they come. I had no idea what to expect when I popped “Wild Child” into the stereo, but I didn’t expect what came booming out. It opens with ‘Earth Lullaby,’ a very calming piece with earthy undertones (well, duh). It brought my family to the living room from all around the house with it’s soothing beats, and they stayed for an African dance party for the next 13 tracks. It gave us a jumping off point for a great discussion about African animals and the at-risk environments in Africa and around the world. If ever a CD screamed African culture, this was it.

Check out Recess Music for this CD and more.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

1. Readers get one entry for commenting or emailing their answer to the question posed in the post.

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I’m a new Ted Jacobs fan, and a big one at that. He uses his tender voice to turn some of the world’s most beloved poetry into beautiful acoustic songs. Available at House At The Corner, Back to the Garden is a showcase of Ted Jacobs’ talent featuring some very cool pipes, the pennywhistle, accordion, and dulcimer among others. It’s a CD that I find hard to describe, but you won’t be sorry if you pick this one up. It would make a great baby gift with his soft Cat-Stevens-like voice that the parents will love, too.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

1. Readers get one entry for commenting or emailing their answer to the question posed in the post.

2. Blog about the contest using one of the top three images found here. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

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Brilliant in it’s simplicity, I Caught Santa can help you turn a typical Christmas morning into something spectacular. For less than $10 anyone can bring back the wonder of Christmas and be a hero to children by catching Santa “in the act.” In just three simple steps that anyone with an internet connection can do easily, you upload a photo of your tree or fireplace, choose and place your Santa, and download your unmarked jpg file which can be printed anywhere you like or just left right in the laptop that had the “Santa Cam” turned on all night!

Want Santa by the Christmas tree? Coming down the chimney? Eating milk and cookies? Sleeping on the sofa? Stealing a kiss from Mommy? Easy peasy lemon squeazy! Check out some examples of photos in this YouTube video.

Win it! We’re giving away TEN photos from I Caught Santa! If you’d like to surprise someone you love with this on Christmas morning, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on December 17, 2010.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Waiting in line for half an hour at the mall to see a creepy Santa with hummus breath and then paying $15 for a crappy picture of my kids with him isn’t my idea of a great Christmas memory.

What is my idea of a great Christmas memory? Santa phoning my children each year and getting them so excited about his upcoming stop at their house and about the entire season that they can’t talk about anything else.

The calls range from 3-5 minutes (single call) to 8-10 minutes (extended call). I highly recommend the extended call if you have more than one child or one that either really likes to talk, like mine, or one that may take a few minutes to warm up. My children are 4 1/2 and nearly three and their call from Santa this year was, as always, the absolute highlight of their year. It is nothing short of amazing to watch them light up and tell Santa their Christmas wishes. Whether your child talks for 10 minutes non-stop or just sits & listens, the well trained & background checked Santa will fill the empty space with questions and comments about your child’s life that only Santa could know. Even the skeptics will have their hearts opened by a call from Santa Speaking. You can get an MP3 of your child’s call via email and/or a mini-CD ornament to both listen to and hang on your tree year after year. After hearing the children speak to Santa this year, we listened to the CDs of the calls from the last two years and were amazed by the change in the sound of their little voices. So incredibly precious.

The set up of the call is as simple as can be, and they’ve thought of everything in terms of ensuring that Santa knows a ton of information about your child. He knew the names of my children’s best friends, their activities and hobbies and so much more – all of which I was able to effortlessly enter online prior to the call.

Don’t forget that Norad is tracking Santa’s progress on Christmas Eve so be sure to check in with him, and check the weather at the North Pole. You can even have him call you four times throughout the day to update you on his progress. At SantaSpeaking.com, dance to Santa’s Groovy Hits, get the recipe to make Santa’s fave hot chocolate and so much more. Whether you’re purchasing a call or not, it’s a great site to visit. However, once you experience a call from Santa Speaking you’ll likely be ordering a call every year. From $20 – $50, there’s one that’s affordable for most families.

Santa Speaking is under new ownership and has undergone a re-design – now you can also get more great gifts, like a personalized letter from Santa!

Win it! We’ve got a pretty sweet hook up for three of our readers, and a little something for everyone!

One reader will win an extended call with CD ornament. ($52.90 value, including S&H)

Two additional readers will each win a set of Santa Speaking’s new pre-recorded Christmas Eve Messages. ($12.95 value, each)

To enter, simply comment on this post before noon mst on December 12th. The three winners will be notified by 5 pm mst that day to leave you enough time to book your call if you’re not the lucky one!

Everybody Wins! SAVE 10% on your call this year with the code TOP2010.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED – Merry Christmas!

Children who have never experienced missing one or both of their parents are few & far between these days. Parents work, travel for fun without their children, get deployed, get sick…there are so many things that take parents from their children, and Cuddletunes aims to make those times a little easier on everyone. Cuddletunes began when five year old Olivia missed her daddy. Olivia’s parents, Cuddletunes cofounders David and Cherie, were tucking their daughter in for bed the day before David left on a business trip to New York.

“I’m going to miss you so much honey. You know how much I love you right?” David kissed his daughter on the forehead and she nodded.

“I wish you could tell me that when you’re gone and I’m going to sleep at night. I wish I had a daddy doll so I could hear your voice when I miss you.” This gave Cherie and David the idea that eventually led to Cuddletunes. They talked to their friends Denise and Mike, also parents, who came on board as cofounders. Four years later, in 2007, Olivia’s idea has been transformed and they’re selling bears, but their focus is the same: helping families stay close.

When it comes to comforting a child, there is nothing quite like a good old-fashioned teddy bear. The Cuddletunes Social Networking Bear is a hybrid: she is just as cuddly and sweet as the teddy bear you loved as a child, but is also equipped with a built-in MP3 player. Parents, grandparents, and loved ones can record a story, song, or message from anywhere and upload it to the Cuddletunes site and it is in turn downloaded onto the MP3 player inside the bear via a USB connection. She’s called a social networking bear because in conjunction with their website she’s helping families stay connected more than ever before. Each bear also includes five lullabies sung by professional singers and customized with the child’s name.

My daughter received a Cuddletunes bear and it’s utterly awesome. You can’t feel the mp3 player at all – the bear really is as soft as any other good quality teddy bear – and the quality of the recordings are fabulous. Setting it up online for her was ridiculously easy – her name was available in the professionally pre-recorded songs so I simply had to type in her name, and then I recorded myself reading her a personalized story using the built in mic on my camera (fully guided by Cuddletunes – I’m not that creative!) The Cuddle Tunes Bear with pre-loaded player retails for $59.95.

Win it! Enter to win your own Cuddletunes bear with a comment (or up to five comments!) on this post before noon mst on August 14, 2010.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED (Congrats Betty!)

Scoop food. Lift food. Dump 90% of food on lap. Lick spoon. Repeat.

If you’ve watched a toddler learn to feed themselves with utensils, you know it’s almost laughably ridiculous. Laughable if you aren’t the one that has to remove the stains from their clothing.

Thanks to a cool new toddler eating utensil, Mount St. Laundry just got a little bit less difficult to conquer. Little Grips for Little Hands were designed with your toddler in mind.

It has a no–choke safety handle that fits easily in the palm of your child’s hands and allows them to use their arms and wrists for better control. Other utensils require finer finger controls that are still undeveloped, creating a frustrating experience for your child. And you. The ergonomic design that takes advantage of a toddler’s stronger grasping and overall hand–movement skills, while still allowing them to learn proper feeding motions.

Kid feels better. Laundry gets easier. It’s a win-win!

Little Grips sell for $11 at the Little Grips for Little Hands website.

Win it! Comment on this post before noon mst on August 3, 2010 to be entered to win a set of Little Grips for Little Hands. Don’t forget you can get up to 5 entries in every TOP giveaway!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

There are many joys, big and small, for a mama with a little girl. One of the small joys that I adore is choosing new hair bows & clips to match every outfit. I have no time for crafts, so luckily there are a ton of shops online selling fabulous products at reasonable prices, like fromalicebows.com

The variety is great – check out their signature collection – and the prices range from a very reasonable & demure $4 to a gorgeous, layered & fancy $15.

Win it! We’re giving away a selection of 5 “pretties” valued at $40. Visit From, Alice and comment on this post with one of your faves before noon mst on July 31, 2010 to be entered to win!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

At times in the Canadian prairies it’s tough to find those great natural & open ended toys that many of us believe in (toys that allow children to play…and learn…without getting overstimulated or ingesting nasty chemicals) without paying insane shipping charges and customs fees. We recently discovered a northern Albertan company, Play and Learn Toys, that solves that problem for parents all over Canada. Owner Narissa Singh, a UNB Business graduate, has lived in northern Alberta for nearly ten years and struggled to find Canadian sources for quality toys for her own children. She has chosen to offer a super array of products from some great manufacturers known for their quality & safety, and runs her business out of her home since her tiny town doesn’t have retail space for a store.

Play & Learn Toys carries many products that I’ve seen on European sites and been curious about, so I was thrilled to see that they’re available in Canada now – and being from a mom-run business makes it even better!

My children are absolutely loving their new Stepped Pyramid ($54.99) from Grimms. It consists of a square wooden base filled with blocks in a variety of colours, sizes and versatile shapes. With an open ended toy like this, the possibilities for learning are endless. We now use them daily for imaginative building play and they’ve been castles, rocketships, dragons, post offices, houses and so much more. That’s the thing with great toys – they don’t do the imagining or noisemaking for you, so they can be anything at any time. Grimms’ products are made in Germany of wood and non-toxic colourings.

Another super product the Play & Learn Toys carries is Contina by Bamboo ($29.99). This is not just another sets of blocks. Contina includes a rainbow of colors, black and natural finishes on 100 bamboo sticks which are small and lightweight for children 3 years and up. Combine colors, create a rainbow, stack lengthwise like dominos or pile them high for tons of creative fun. The possibilities are endless with Contina. It’s no wonder that Contina won the Best Toy award from Child’s Magazine.

Join Play & Learn Toys on Facebook.

Save 10% on your order with the code TOP10.

Win it! You can win a set of Contina by Bamboo from Play and Learn Toys. To enter, visit the Play & Learn Toys shop and comment here with another yet un-mentioned toy or item from the shop that you kinda dig. Contest closes at noon mst on February 9, 2010.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Joe Rothstein, a speech-language pathologist trained in early childhood education, has recently released his groundbreaking CD Power Tunes. Normally we’re excited to tell you about CD’s that are perfect for the whole family, but this CD is definitely just for the kids. Power Tunes meets children’s most simple language needs with ten upbeat, original tracks.

Tracks include School Song, Train Song, Food Song and Red Light, Green Light pick kids up and get their bodies and brainwaves moving together while empowering them with important language tools. They’re educational and address many language learning skills but are so fun that kids will never realize they’re learning. That’s my goal as an early childhood educator – to make learning so fun and engaging that kids don’t realize what’s happening. I have several students with speech issues in my room this year and was thrilled with the results of playing this CD for my class. Whether your children have speech concerns or not, it’s a great CD for all children and is particularly great for toddlers who are in the early stages of developing language.

I give it a ten out of ten – even if I wouldn’t listen to it without my kids around.

My daughter, until two weeks ago, had never had her nails painted. There just wasn’t a safe enough option for those porous little nails. Sure, there’s toluene & formaldehyde free polishes everywhere now, but the other ingredients are enough to send you screaming & running in the other direction.

We recently discovered Piggy Paint and are now thrilled to be able to paint her nails any time she’s feeling the need for a little extra pink.

It’s got no harsh, nasty chemicals in it – it’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone. Check out the difference between Piggy Paint and other children’s nail polish on a styrofoam plate. It’s rather astounding. Piggy Paint is non-toxic, low odour, water based, hypoallergenic, and the fun colours all dry to a hard & durable finish. My daughter absolutely loves having pink nails to match her pink clothing, pink boots, pink coat, pink toys…you get my drift.

We also have some Piggy Paint remover but actually haven’t used it yet because the Piggy Paint wore off fairly quickly. It looked great for about 3-4 days and then came off over the next day or three. Perfect for a little girl who would hate for me to use remover on her. We didn’t cure it with a blow dryer as they recommend, and just put on two coats. I honestly wouldn’t want polish on my child that lasted for much longer, so she and I absolutely loved it. It’s going to make it much easier to change colours regularly as well. When we do need to use the remover, I’ll use it without reservation because it also is made from natural ingredients, is low odour, acetone-free, hypoallergenic & biodegradable.

Piggy Paint was founded by mom of two Melanie Hurley and is made in the USA. Natural & safe products for kids that are still sparkly & fun? Piggy Paint is just the kind of product and company that Opinionated Parents love to recommend and support with our own hard-earned cash.

Save 15% on your Piggy Paint (including sale items) with the code OPINIONATED15L until January 31, 2010.

Win it! Comment below before noon mst on December 24/09 with your favourite Piggy Paint shade to win a $15 gift certificate!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

This weekend I’m planning to brave the mall so my kids can see Santa. Actually, the only reason I’m considering it is because I got some adorable frames for the annual Santa pics last year and I have a mental block to leaving the old pictures in them. Poor kids. A nicer mother would keep them as far away from the mall as possible and just go straight to SantaSpeaking.com.

Founded by Anne Gaskell (aka Elf Annie), a mom of three, Santa Speaking is absolutely top notch. There are a lot of sites out there that we’re asked to check out & recommend to you, and the one we’re consistently impressed by and the only one we’ve tried that we think is good enough to recommend at this point is Santa Speaking. Elf Annie is well aware that the mall Santa may not quite meet your expectations, so she developed this service to “offer personalized Santa Claus experiences that are modeled after the ideal Santa Claus figure.” The calls range from 3-5 minutes (single call) to 8-10 minutes (extended call). I highly recommend the extended call if you have more than one child or one that either really likes to talk, like mine, or one that may take a few minutes to warm up. My children are 3 1/2 and nearly two and their call from Santa Speaking was the absolute highlight of their year. This year, just like the last two, it was nothing short of amazing to watch them light up and tell Santa their Christmas wishes. They could hardly wait to call Grandma to tell her all about the phone call from the big guy, and were just bouncing off the walls with excitement all day! Whether your child talks for 10 minutes non-stop or just sits & listens, the well trained (and fully background checked) Santa will fill the empty space with questions and comments about your child’s life that only Santa could know. Even the skeptics will have their hearts opened by a call from Santa Speaking. You can get an MP3 of your child’s call via email and/or a mini-CD ornament to both listen to and hang on your tree year after year. We just listened to last year’s call and were amazed by the change in the sound of their little voices. Precious.

The set up of the call is as simple as can be, and they’ve thought of everything in terms of ensuring that Santa knows a ton of information about your child. He knew the names of my children’s best friends, their activities and hobbies and so much more – all of which I was able to effortlessly enter prior to the call.

SantaSpeaking.com is tracking Santa’s progress this Christmas Eve so be sure to check in. You can even have him call you five times throughout the day to update you on his progress. Santa also has a blog! At SantaSpeaking.com, you can read the North Pole Gossiper, dance to Santa’s Groovy Hits, get the recipe to make Santa’s fave hot chocolate and so much more. Whether you’re purchasing a call or not, it’s a great site to visit. However, once you experience a call from Santa Speaking you’ll likely be ordering a call every year. From $20 – $50, there’s one that’s affordable for most families.

Win it! We’ve got a $60 SantaSpeaking.com gift code for one lucky T.O.P. reader! That will cover the whole she-bang – an extended call and a mini CD ornament/MP3. We’ve only got a couple of weeks until Christmas eve, so leave your comment by noon MST on Monday 12/14/09, and the winner will be notified that afternoon./blockquote>

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Well, maybe not swaddle. That might be a little too straight-jacket-ish for me, but I’d certainly like to be draped in the stuff. Unfortunately, Aden + Anais doesn’t make muslin wraps or sleep sacks in my size so I’m stuck with regular old sheets & blankets, but your baby is in luck!

I happen to love and use my muslins all year long, even in the great white north, but it’s in the summer that I am particularly thankful for them. They’re perfect for keeping the children covered and protected without making them sweat. We totally dig our sleep sack ($30). As soon as the thermometer hits about +20, it’s time to pack away the thick winter Grobag and pull out the muslin. It’s one of the great signs of summer, and the sizes range from newborn through the toddler years which is absolutely awesome for those kids who move so much they wake up crying because they’re uncovered & cold. Cursed air conditioning.

For those of you who perhaps don’t want to invest in a package of Aden + Anais’ fab (truly! fab!) wraps, Aden + Anais has just introduced a new single wrap that’s available in both conventional ($20) and organic ($35) muslin.

Celebrate those summer babies with some awesome muslin baby gifts – you’ll be the star of the baby shower, I promise.

Win it! Aden + Anais is giving away one winner’s choice of both a sleep sack ($30) and organic or regular single wrap valued at $50-$65. To enter, choose your sack & blanket from the links in this block and let us know what to send if you win! (Yes, you actually have to choose. No, “anything will do” will not do, actually. But nice try.) Comment before noon mst on June 23, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Over two years ago (stone age in the blog world) we reviewed the Your Baby Can Read early literacy system.

We enjoyed it then, and my children are still enjoying it now. (Disclosure: Me? I find it highly annoying after over two years, but I have very little input into what the daily dvd is.)

We probably get more emails about this program than any other review we’ve done in well over three years.

Wanna try it?

Win it! Your Baby Can Read is giving one of our fab readers a complete YBCR system valued at $200! To enter, just leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 22, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Generations of children have frustrated their parents by playing with the box more than the costly toy that came inside it. Color Me House, founded by April McCray, offers a genius solution that makes kids happy, saves parents money, and encourages unlimited creativity.

The Color Me line of products is made of strong, sturdy, 100% recyclable 2 ply cardboard that’s safe for kids of all ages with no staples or sharp corners. (Provided they won’t eat it – it won’t necessarily hurt them but it’s not vitamin-packed either.)

There are currently two products available – The house sells for $40 and the rocket will set you back a mere $50. A small price to pay for hours and hours of creative entertainment. If you grew up making forts from cardboard boxes, you’ll love sharing Color Me House with your kids. Simply open & assemble (a few minutes, tops) and set the kids free with their choice of creative paraphernalia – crayons, paints, markers, glitter glue, wallpaper, stickers or anything else that makes a mark.

We’ve had a bit of a strange spring here in the great white north, and we’ve been loving the Color Me House & Color Me Rocket for those snowy (wth?) May days. We leave them inside on the sunny days (though they can be taken outside if you have a dry location) so they’re a great novelty for the times when we trade in the swimsuits for the snowboots. The next one I order will be an awesome addition to our mid-January forced-to-stay-inside birthday party.

Order yours from Color Me House or find a location near you.

Win it! We’re giving away a Color Me House or Color Me Rocket – your choice – to one lucky USA-based (sorry ’bout that!) reader. To enter, leave a comment letting us know which one you want and your state on this post before noon mst on June 3, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Over the last few years, I’ve invested in a cupboard full of glass containers for freezing & storing food and ditched 90% of the plastic that we used to use. It’s costly, but totally worth it for the health of my family. I consider it an investment. They’re endlessly reusable which means I save money, the earth, and the bodies of the people I love most.

My husband and I often take leftovers for lunch in glass, but I’m not about to send glass with my three year old. Even if he didn’t smash it on purpose, he’d surely do it accidentally by the end of the first week. Since he mostly eats dry snackies, fresh produce & cheese all day long, I was thrilled to discover LunchBots. Made from the highest quality 18/8 stainless steel, LunchBots won’t leach chemicals into foods like plastic does.

The LunchBots uno (blue lid) is perfect for sandwiches or a larger quantity of the same snack. My kids love it for trail mix or cookies. The LunchBots duo (orange lid) is the same container but with a divider welded in to hold two portions of snacks. The divider is not water tight so LunchBots are not intended for wet foods, but if you pack fresh like we do then you’ll be very happy with these. For extras like dips & yogurts, you’ll need to supplement with another type of container. We love the duo for cheese & crackers, raisins & cucumbers, fresh fruit salad & veggies sticks and so much more. Both measure 6.5″x4.5″ and fit easily in lunch bags, diaper bags & most purses. I recommend buying both because no matter which one you choose, you’ll wish you had the other one as soon as you start packing lunches! They’re both great, and used daily in our home.

US readers can purchase directly from LunchBots ($14.99). Canadian readers can purchase from Parenting by Nature ($22.98).

Win it! We’ve got a LunchBots uno AND a LunchBots duo to give away to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 12, 2009. Feel free to share your great “dry lunch” ideas!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

My children love music. In all my years of childcare and teaching, I don’t think I’ve ever met a child that doesn’t love music, actually. When we received the DVD Trebellina from The Cristofori Baby Company I was thrilled to have another to add to our collection, though I had no real idea what we were about to watch. I assumed it would teach the kids a little about music and I had no doubt they’d enjoy it since it’s musical, but that’s about it.

Trebellina, the cute little treble clef character shown at left, teaches preschool children to read music (yes, actually read music. I know. I was shocked too!) and helps develop their pitch. Trebellina’s patented method of teaching note reading and pitch is entertaining and engaging for children – an important quality if they’re to sit through it – and it’s quite effective. The Trebellina DVD also introduces instrument names and their sounds, and demonstrates how different instruments sound individually and collectively in a piece of music. Whether you’re just looking for an educational electro-babysitter or you actually want to jump start the musical education you intend to pursue once your child is older, at just $20 the Trebellina DVD is a worthwhile purchase. The learning of a new language (and music IS its own language) does wonderful things for the developing brain so anything that facilitates that is a great purchase in my opinion. Particularly when it costs a fraction of what a music class does each semester.

Win it! We’ve got a Trebellina DVD to give away to one randomly selected reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on April 23, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Who knew there were so many different brands making soft leather baby shoes. T.O.P.’s newest discovery, Bobux Original Soft Soled leather shoes, are hand made in New Zealand of 100% ‘eco-leather,’ which is safe for your baby and our environment. Even the packaging is entirely recyclable – something opinionated parents can get behind.

Bobux soft soled leather shoes, one of three lines currently available, are easy to put on and they really stay on. They’re slip-resistant, as is evident by my daughter running through our house and not taking a header, and the soles are made of flexible & naturally breathable leather. Unlike other leather shoes we’ve tried, the Bobux character designs face the baby instead of their viewing audience. It doesn’t matter much for a toddler or preschooler but that’s a pretty cool feature for a little baby with relatively little to look at.

Save 15% on your Bobux shoes with the code BLG0815.
Bobux also offers FREE shipping to the US and Canada for any order over $55.00.

Be sure to check out some of the equally cute shoes on clearance starting at just $13!

My daughter wears the milk butterfly style as her indoor slippers and absolutely loves them. Her Dad and I love everything I’ve told you about above. She just thinks they’re comfortable and cute.

Win it! Enter to win your choice of original soft soled Bobux shoes by leaving a comment on this post with your choice of style and size before noon mst on April 2, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I live in a drought ridden area of Canada, but have a lot of family & friends on the coasts where the rain is so prevalent and so heavy that it’s not only depressing but also keeps people inside when they should be out playing. We love to visit, but it’s always so nice to get away from the rain when we leave.

Some people can’t just fly home to dry off, though. For those, thank goodness for Raindrops Baby Gear, a company based in the small & rainy community of Pitt Meadows, BC. Owner and designer Corri Seers has created some awesome designer style baby & toddler rain hats without the accompanying designer prices. Both of my children wore a Raindrops hat in our last (relatively rare so always exciting) rain and not only did they love being able to play out in the rain without a cumbersome hood restraining their movements and restricting their vision, but I loved that they looked far cuter than really should be legal. The wide brims actually kept water off the children’s faces, unlike their hoods, and the velcro straps kept the hats on while they puddle jumped with an insane amount of energy. If you’re looking for a fashionable way to get your kids out in the rain, you’ll find it at Raindrops for under $30.

Corri uses 100% designer cottons that have been coated with polyurethane to make them waterproof. The hats are lined with either soft bamboo cotton or bamboo fleece. All of her products are both designed and manufactured in Canada, and Raindrops Baby Gear uses sustainable products wherever possible. Sizes XS – XL are available, covering newbies to school aged kids.

Win it! Raindrops Baby Gear is giving away a hat to one randomly selected T.O.P. reader. To enter, visit the Raindrops site to choose your style and size and then leave a comment letting us know your choice before noon mst on March 31, 2009.

(Thanks for the emails about the link issue. It’s now fixed, and fyi you can click on the image in any post to be taken directly to the reviewed site.)

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

In the dead of the cold Canadian winter, nobody in their right mind takes their kids to the park. Sure, we’re tough up here. We can get bundled up in balaclavas and down skidoo suits, with nothing showing but two squinting eyeballs, but once we get outside we can barely walk for the bundling and the kids sure couldn’t get up on any playground we were crazy enough to take them to. (And if they did, how long do you think it would take before someone’s tongue was stuck to the slide?)

Enter Toronto based DreamGYM Inc., the first company in Canada to produce indoor jungle gyms for home use. Company founder Marina Mironov has created an ingenious product which allows children to stay physically active all year round, regardless of the weather. DreamGYM Indoor Jungle Gyms and wide variety of accessories can be installed in almost any space of the home: a kids’ room, basement, or a spare bedroom. Children have a blast climbing ladders, scaling monkey bars, swinging on a trapeze bar, or doing flips on gym rings right inside their homes.

We tried out a few of the DreamGYM accessories with a local preschool group. The gym rings, trapeze/ring combo and disc swing all mounted very easily & safely in a room with exposed rafters and were a huge hit with all of the children. They’re obviously well made and feel very solid – almost industrial. The accessories are very affordable, especially for such high quality equipment. They range from just $15 for the trapeze bar to just under $200 for the four sided rope ladder. The basic model of the jungle gym sells for $950 (pine) or $1270 (maple), and all prices are in Canadian dollars so Americans get even better prices than that! Obesity prevention and health benefits aside, we all know that an exercised child is a happier child, which equals a calmer and quieter child. You’re welcome.

All DreamGYM Inc. products are available from their online store.

Win it! DreamGYM is giving away an accessory pack (gym rings, trapeze/ring combo and disc swing, an $80 value) to one randomly selected winner. To enter, pay a visit to the DreamGYM Inc. site and come back here to comment with what other items not mentioned in this review that you would love to have in your home. Contest closes at noon mst on March 25, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

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Spring has GOT to get here to the great white North eventually, right?

When it finally arrives, I’ll be thrilled to pack up the heavyweight Grobag and pull out our brand spanking new muslin sleepsack from T.O.P. long time fave Aden & Anais. Check out our previous reviews at the following links: lightweight swaddling blankets & winter warmth blankets.

They’re available in 6 great patterns – bee in a neutral yellow, blue stars, blue elephant, pink stars and pink butterflies – and in sizes small through extra-large for new babes up to 2 years. When I was able to get my hands on an XL (18-24 months) for my daughter, I was so glad to know I’d be able to keep the blankets out of her crib for a little while longer.

Like the Aden and Anais blankets, the sleepsacks are light and airy and get softer with every wash. They’re designed with a smart upside down zipper so you can perform a stealthy diaper changing maneuver without, if you’re really good, waking up your baby.

Find these fab lightweight sleep sacks via this Amazon link and check out the Aden & Anais site for all of their fab wraps.

Win it! We’re giving away an Aden and Anais muslin sleep sack in the winner’s choice of size & print. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on March 17, 2009 letting us know what exactly to pop in the mail to you should you be the lucky randomly selected winner.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Many of our readers are bloggers who are proficient designers, SEO optimizers and all around tech geniuses. Many of our readers are bloggers who know how to post from a blogging platform, Tweet a little and use Facebook. Some of you, we know, are simply folks who sit at home entering contests just for fun. We’re cool with all of you, and though we certainly identify more with the first group, this review is leaning a little toward the latter groups.

Christina Tynan-Wood’s How To Be a Geek Goddess from No Starch Press is geared specifically towards women who want to know more about all sorts of technology. Whether you’re buying a computer, surfing the web, shopping for a cell phone, checking your email, wanting to keep your kids safe on the web ro are wandering aimlessly in the electronics aisle, Christina has you covered. She has a great grasp of how the “average” woman and the “average” man differ (yes, I know…none of us are “average”…) and she gives the non-geek woman a comprehensive and incredibly easy to read & understand guide to today’s tech in this book.

How To Be a Geek Goddess is going for only $16 at Amazon right now, and qualifies for free super saver shipping.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of this fab geek read! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on March 6, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

It would come from this awesome new T.O.P. discovery.

There is certainly no shortage of pitches from people who make hair bows & clips in our inbox every week. We’re choosy about those we choose to check out, and even choosier about who we recommend once we give the product the opinionated-mom-test.

I am THRILLED to introduce you to Sarah’s Bowtique, a Chilliwack, British Columbia based business that features an absolutely huge variety of hair bows, clippies and tiny little snappies. There are small bows, medium bows, korkers in several styles, amazingly cute holiday styles and some of the most gorgeous and functional bow holder boards I’ve seen to date. You know, one with more than two usable ribbons? Count them – twenty! Twenty ribbons with room to clip 50 or more bows, depending on the styles you like. The photos on the site don’t do the holders or the bows justice – they’re truly awesome. Owner, designer & mom Kendra Christie covers all of the bases for your little one’s hair, from newborn peach fuzz to long school aged locks.

As if great style weren’t enough, the no-slip grip used is free of latex and toxins, and the ribbon is heat sealed to stop fraying without toxic glues. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

Want to help your friends save money on these fab bows and earn a store credit for doing it? Have an e-party! One of the best ideas I’ve heard in a while!

Another way to save – check out the bow of the month which is always buy one, get one free!

Yeah, I know I’m perhaps a little too excited about bows. I mean, they’re just bows, right? But these? Worth it.

Win it! We’re giving away a bow holder and a selection of super duper cute bows (including at least four of those pictured above, package valued at over $50) from Sarah’s Bowtique. To enter, visit the site and take a look around. Come back and comment with a few things that you hope are coming your way if you’re the randomly selected winner!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ve always wanted a tutu. < / embarrassing confession >

The tutus from Janie Dale’s Baby Cha Cha Boutique fit the bill perfectly if you’re looking for a sassy tutu for your little girl. (Or for you – she can custom make anything so I’m sure a 30″ waist wouldn’t be a problem.) They’re all elasticized to grow with your little girl and made with a metric tonne of soft-ish tulle so they’re super fluffy & full as a tutu should be.

The standard sizes run from newborn to seven years. The newborn (0-12 months) sample we received was too small for my daughter at 10 months (which, quite literally, broke her heart because it’s so darn cute) so I recommend buying a size up if you have a child with any sort of belly going on. (Mine is very long & lean but has a nice solid Buddha thing going on which makes the elastic too tight. It would have fit her as a newborn, though. Just something to keep in mind when you’re ordering.)

You’ll also find some longer halter style tutu gowns in the Baby Cha Cha Boutique that I know would be a huge hit with any little girl. She also makes adorable hats, headbands, bows, onesies, flip flops and some wall decor for baby’s room – all of which are equally adorable and sassy.

Win it! We’ve got a white crochet headband with a red rosette attached to give away to one randomly selected reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon mst on February 11, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We’ve told you about the fabulous and thrifty ShooShoos before and are absolutely thrilled to unveil their new line of toddler shoes! Smiley Soles feature light, flexible & durable rubber soles that leave a trail of smiles wherever you go.

The Napa leather shoes are manufactured in Cape Town, not China South Africa and are buttery soft. I love the finished ankle – a feature that you don’t see in many shoes that sell for twice the price.

Smileys sell for $25 and the originals range from a mere $13 – $20. I’m so glad such a great company (started in 1996 in South Africa to uplift disadvantaged communities) has joined the ranks of great toddler shoes and made non-department store shoes available to more kids with their affordable price point.

Win it! Your choice of Smileys is up for grabs. Leave a comment before noon mst on Feb 10 with your preferred style & size to be entered.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Even here in the great white north, we get a lot of sun. Enough that our little ones’ noggins need protection, and wouldn’t it be a shame if that protection wasn’t fashionable?

How cute is this? A bandana for your baby! Not that my baby has any hair to keep out of her eyes, or works up much of a sweat in her Exersaucer, but she looks super hip with her baby bandana from Tsitah Threads on!

Tsitah Threads was founded by a new mom with a “desire to outfit her babe in comfort, happiness, and cheetah print”. This cute little bandana is 100% cotton and has a Velcro closure to allow for adjustable sizing. My daughter who is 7 months old not only looked adorable in her bandana, but had no trouble keeping it on. Just beware of the other children around that may try to snatch it from your baby’s head! Tsitah Threads currently makes these fashion statements for infants 0-12 months as well as a newly released toddler size. Organic cotton is available as well. They come in a variety of patterns and colors, so check at www.tsitah.com for your faves.

Be aware that the baby ones do fit a tad on the small side so if you have a baby with a large cranium or who is over 6 months old, you may want to grab a toddler size.

Tsitah Threads. Quality designs inspired by Earth & made in Canada. - By Susan

Win it! We’re giving away a baby girl bandana from Tsitah Threads on size 0-12 months. To enter, check out the Tsitah Threads site and come back to comment with your favourite fabric style. Contest closes at noon mst on January 30, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We love to eat out and I am totally one of “those moms” who brings a high chair liner and cleans everything in sight with Cleanwell before my kids touch it. Because, ew. Did you know that the numbers of bacteria on tabletops are 214 times greater than numbers of bacteria on placemats? And the number of pathogenic bacterial colonies is 100 times greater on tabletops than placemats. When I see people putting their kids’ food on tables in restaurants without cleaning them, it makes me want to puke. Or hand them a bottle of Cleanwell.

Elizabeth Kavanaugh, C.E.O of www.BebeChacha.com is the same way and when her daughter took up the sport of dinner plate Frisbee at a restaurant she invented a placemat that would keep her meal space clean and couldn’t be tossed to the floor. It’s got a full adhesive backing that holds it securely to the table, but peels off easily when the meal is over. A pack of twelve is only nine bucks so now if I don’t want to give up my Cleanwell I’ll just toss the mama a placemat.

Win it! We’ve gota twelve pack of Bebe Cha Cha Sticker Placemats to give away. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on January 28, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

PLEASE NOTE – This giveaway was never received by the winner and the owner of this company chose not to respond to our many attempts to contact her. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU SHOP HERE.

Having a portable record of your child’s growth over their young years is priceless. I am amazed when I look at the growth chart on my son’s bedroom wall, and he’s only two and a half. As we continue to mark it over the years, we’re creating memories. Memories that don’t include taking a piece of door moulding with us when we move.

I’ve been looking for one for my daughter but unfortunately the awesome one we have for my son has been discontinued. I left it alone for nearly a year because I just couldn’t find what I was looking for. Now she’s the proud owner of a growth chart from Sugarplum Dreams and it’s a great addition to the decor of her room…and to our memory making.

We’ve got the “My Japanese Garden” one, pictured at right, and it’s gorgeous. It sells for $54, but you’re going to want to splurge the extra $10 to get it personalized unless you’re sure you can make a beautiful match on your own. My daughter’s name is printed in a beautiful blue matching the blue flower on the chart and it looks perfect.

The charts feel like a laminated canvas – heavy enough to be sturdy but light enough to hang on just one nail. There are holes in all four corners so you can choose to hang it from a ribbon (as pictured, but the ribbon is not included), on nails or tacks, or with any other hanging device you can dream up.

Let me share this bit of wisdom with you if you’re on your first child: No matter how much you think you will, you will NOT remember how small they were. Get a growth chart like this and you’ll have a tangible memory when your own fades.

Save 15% on any purchase over $50 with the code TOP15.

Win it! We’ve got a growth chart of your choice inscribed with the name of your choice to give away! To enter, let us know the style & name for inscription. Contest closes at noon mst on December 30, 2008

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Kutoka Interactive has some awesome options for kids of all ages (we reviewed one of the games in their Mia series here)

We’ve now been playing a game from the grade based learning series, Didi & Ditto, with my three year old for a few weeks now and it’s something he asks for every day. The subtitle of the preschool game is Mother Nature’s Visit, and it’s targeted at children ages two to four years old. Didi & Ditto is also available for kindergarten and grade one.

It caught my 3 year old’s attention instantly (while still in the box, even) and kept it for a long time. There are sixteen engaging activity options related to pre-reading, pre-math, science, music and art.

Didi and Ditto are brother & sister twins who are preparing to welcome Mother Nature’s visit to their hometown. Smart Valley is a crazy place where spiral trees and goofy folks are everywhere you look. “Zolt, a sneaky purple wolf, is trying to ruin the party by breaking all of the musical instruments and hiding all of the food. He then plans to step in and be the hero when Mother Nature arrives. Didi and Ditto notice that Zolt is acting strange and decide to keep an eye on him. It is up to the player to decide which beaver will watch Zolt very carefully while the other one helps Hootdini get ready for the festivities. In the game, children will work on recognizing letters and numbers, counting, classifying, identifying shapes and sounds, as well as developing observation abilities, understanding oral instructions, and more. These skills are seamlessly incorporated into the game play as the player helps Didi and Ditto.” Children can choose to play the game as either Didi or Ditto which, though a simple choice, is a very big thing for a three year old.

The suggested retail price is $20 U.S. and $30 CDN. I would never have thought to buy my three year old a computer game, but now that we’ve played this one we’ll definitely be buying the subsequent ones when the time comes and wouldn’t hesitate to buy another Kutoka game at any time. -by Betty

Win it! We’ve got a game of Didi & Ditto Preschool to give to one T.O.P. reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon mst on December 24, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We all know that babies need to be pampered – both in skin and in spirit. We mamas, though, are often a little neglected in the self-care arena and there’s no time we need it more than when we’re raising young children.

However, with the heightened concern about chemicals in body care products it can be tough to find pampering items that are sure to be safe. It’s hard to relax when you could be giving your child cancer or changing the structure of your own ovarian cells.

(I happen to know there are still a lot of people out there who think that products such as those that rhyme with Dohnson and Gahveeno are safe. No, my friends. Throw them away.)

The Belli Baby collection is the only brand in the world that teratology screens every product, ensuring that none of their products contain ingredients linked to birth defects. Even organic brands contain ingredients like aloe vera, which is a teratogen and should be avoided during pregnancy. Belli is the only baby collection free of ALL xenoestrogens (ingredients that mimic estrogen and can cause problems with reproductive development) and not just the highly publicized phthalates. The Belli Motherhood collection is LACTMED screened to ensure safety for nursing moms and their babies. Due to their unprecedented safety standards, they are the #1 OB/Gyn recommended brand in the US and Australia.

Now that I’ve found some strong reassurance in Belli Skin Care, I’m happy to report that both my children and myself are getting some much needed safe pampering. My baby girl is tickled pink with her massages using her Nourish Me enriched body lotion ($19). It’s lightly chamomile scented and, after the initial ticklish giggling subsides, is wonderfully relaxing.

Every new mom needs to check out the Belli eye brightening cream ($37). Even if it’s psychological (which I’m fairly confident it’s not) I love the way my eyes look when I remember to use this on a regular basis. The dark circle, while still puffy with lack of rest, are noticeably lighter and I’d swear the fine lines are less visible.

During & after pregnancy, we could all use the Stretch Mark Minimizing Cream ($52). This healing skin repair treatment is specifically formulated to decrease the appearance of existing stretchmarks. Applied to stretchmarks morning and night for 4 weeks postpartum and then once daily until desired results are achieved, it has been clinically shown to reduce stretchmark length and irregular surface area by up to 52% and stretchmark depth by up to 72%.

No matter what you’re looking for, the large selection of products for both mamas & babes in the Belli Skin Care line has likely got you all covered. And covered safely, which is really the most important thing.

Win it! We’re giving away full size bottles of each of the three above products with a total value of $108. To enter, you need to go browse the Belli Skin Care Line and comment here with at least one additional product the piques your interest before noon mst on December 24, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We spent an afternoon a couple of weeks ago at the mall with friends doing some shopping and visiting Santa. My two and a half year old son enjoyed it well enough (for the first time ever) but my daughter – not so much. To her it was akin to torture. Whether your children enjoy the mall Santa or not, we’re bringing back our favourite way – hands down – for your child to contact Santa during this awesome season.

SantaSpeaking.com was founded by Anne Gaskell (aka Elf Annie), a mom of three. She knows that the mall Santa may not be all you were hoping for so she developed this service to “offer personalized Santa Claus experiences that are modeled after the ideal Santa Claus figure.” The calls range from 3-5 minutes (single call) to 8-10 minutes (extended call) and I highly recommend the extended call if you have more than one child or one that either really likes to talk or make take a few minutes to warm up. My not-usually-shy little guy happened to receive his call at what should have been his nap time on a day when he wasn’t feeling well so it took him that long to get across what he wanted to say. If you have an older child, they’ll may talk the entire time or they may just listen wide-eyed, but no matter what happens, the well trained (and background checked) Santa will fill the empty space with questions and comments about your child’s life that only Santa could know. Even the skeptics will have their hearts opened by a call from Santa Speaking. You can get an SantaSpeaking.com will send you a MP3 of your child’s call and/or a mini-CD ornament to both listen to and hang on your tree year after year.

The set up of the call is as simple as can be, and they’ve thought of everything in terms of ensuring that Santa knows a ton of information about your child. He knew the names of my son’s best friends, about his classes and hobbies and so much more – all of which I was able to effortlessly enter prior to the call.

SantaSpeaking.com is tracking Santa’s progress this Christmas Eve so be sure to check in, and Santa also has a blog! At SantaSpeaking.com, you can read the North Pole Gossiper, dance to Santa’s Groovy Hits, get the recipe to make Santa’s fave hot chocolate and so much more. Whether you’re purchasing a call or not, it’s a great site to visit. However, once you experience a call from Santa Speaking you’ll likely be ordering a call every year. From $20 – $50, there’s one that’s affordable for most families.

Win it! We’ve got a $60 SantaSpeaking.com gift code for one lucky T.O.P. reader! That will cover the whole she-bang – an extended call and a mini CD ornament/MP3. Being that it’s only ten days until Christmas (yikes!) we need to close this one off soon so get your entries in quickly! Leave your comment by noon MST on 12/17/08, and the winner will be notified that afternoon!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Am I showing my age if I tell you that the iCrib made me laugh out loud? Technology in bed? Who needs it? Then I had kids and woke up. My two year old son can work my laptop’s touch mouse as easily as I can, and ‘dot com’ was one of his first words. It’s here to stay so we might as well embrace it, right?

Intellitoys’ brand new smart-e-bear is a joint venture with Kids Preferred, a company you’ve read about here before. “Together they created the newest software tucked in a very soft bear, dog and cat. These technology-friendly pals are simple to program and easy to customize. Parents need only connect, click and then hand over for cuddling.”

Retailing for $79.99 and directed at non-reading 2 to 6 year olds, smart-e-bear/cat/dog “encourages children to discover and explore through a library of literally thousands of award-winning songs, interactive stories, educational games and other content that parents can selectively purchase through the Internet and download to the toy with a super-easy USB connection.” Sounds crazy, right? But it’s SO cool! My aforementioned two year old learned how to connect & disconnect a USB device (God help me) and worked with me every step of the way in downloading stories, games and songs. Simon Says is a huge hit around here, and thanks to Smart-e-Bear we’re playing it constantly. And I do mean constantly. Whether Smart-e is around or not. There’s a huge selection of songs including some from one of our previously reviewed faves, Dog on Fleas. The animals are 13” tall and contain an electronic insert about the size of a deck of cards. They’re truly enchanting and there’s always something for kids to discover as the software changes and grows with the child’s interests from the nursery to kindergarten.

One of the coolest features we tried was to download my child’s name from a long available list and the smart-e-bear calls him by name. He and I both love that it can tell him stories, sing songs and even go to bed with him playing soft & relaxing tunes while we cuddle. Show me a kid who wouldn’t like this toy and I’ll show you a…

Never mind – you won’t find one.

Win it! Your choice of Smart-e-animal is up for grabs. Unfortunately, this one is US shipping addresses only. Our sincere apologies to the other half of our readers – we try not to ever let that happen but sometimes it’s necessary. American friends…to enter, head over to to www.smartebear.com and peruse the Musical Artists, Games and Stories available at the bottom of the page. Come back and comment with some faves that you would download if you had a smart-e-bear. Perhaps you will very soon. Contest closes at noon mst on Friday, December 19, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED – Congrats Krissy!

We are full to the brim with Christmas spirit around these parts. As anyone with a preschooler can attest, Christmas rocks. Having an excitable child in your midst makes the holiday season truly wondrous. There are so many traditions to pass on from our own childhoods and more to start fresh with our children.

One tradition that I was excited to start this year was Elf on the Shelf (caution: music loads automatically). I was excited when I decided I was going to do it, and now that the kids have experienced him I’m even more excited and thrilled that we’ll be able to use him every Christmas season to come and start a tradition that we hope our children will pass on to theirs one day.

Elf on the Shelf, founded by mom, entrepreneur, former teacher & writer Carol Aebersold, who teamed with her daughter Chanda Bell, also a former teacher, and award-winning illustrator Coë Steinwart to create The Elf on the Shelf in 2005. The tradition of the shelf elf began for her family when her own children were young.

She says, “Plagued by their desire to know how Santa really knew who had been naughty or nice, I searched through the Christmas decorations for a plausible explanation. Nestled among them was the answer; a small elf doll from my own childhood. With that discovery, the idea for the elf tradition was born.

Unwittingly, the tradition provided an added benefit: it helped the children to better control themselves. All it took was a gentle reminder that the “elf was watching” for errant behavior to be modified.”

Seeing the look on my children’s faces when they first spotted the elf and their excitement as I read them the story was the best gift of the season thus far. Each morning as they wake and search for the elf the spirit of the season just keeps on giving. The gift of seeing that innocent wonder & bubbling excitement in a child is the best gift a parent can receive, and the Elf on the Shelf gives it to us every single day. Also a great gift? A little help with the crazy behaviour that comes with December. Just a little added bonus.

Elf on the Shelf sells for $30 US and is available for purchase from their gift shop (shipping to US & Canada) or by phone @ 877-919-4105 (for shipping worldwide or if you’d just rather not buy it online). I also spotted one in the card shop at my local mall for $40, but it was the last one and every other store I checked was sold out so online is the way to go if you’re as excited about getting this tradition started as I am. There’s an additional activity book available for $15.

Win it! We’ve got an Elf on the Shelf gift pack including the book & elf to give to one lucky reader. In order to allow the winner to use this for more than a few days, we’re going to make this contest a little shorter than usual.

To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on Monday, December 15, 2008. The randomly selected winner will be contacted via email within the hour and the parcel shipped that afternoon so that it can be enjoyed to the fullest this season. Good luck! (and if you haven’t gotten an email by Monday at 1 pm mst, order one! Your family will love it!)

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

My children, it seems, were fortunate to inherit my husband’s long, lean figure. It’s wonderful…until their pants fall down. My son, in particular, loses his drawers with astounding frequency.

That is, he did. Until I found Dapper Snappers. The adjustable waist on all his pants don’t adjust enough to fit him well because of the size he needs to accommodate his height. Invented by a mom of two skinny toddlers, Dapper Snappers attach to the belt loops on the back of a child’s pants and cinch them tighter without the dreaded belt. The last thing potty training or gotta-go-right-now youngsters need is a belt to fiddle with.

If you’ve got a slimline kiddo in your midst, I highly recommend the Dapper Snappers rather than a belt – you won’t be sorry when you’re not undoing & redoing a belt multiple times a day. They’re just the right size for a stocking stuffer, too. They’re available online from ToddlerTech USA for only 9 bucks or buy big in a three pack for $24 or a six pack for $40. For girls, the cutesie Snapcessory collection is stepped up a notch for $13. Totally worth it for something as necessary as keeping your pants on. (Unfortunately, I don’t have that problem. I just can’t get them on in the first place.)

Win it! We’re giving away two original Dapper Snappers to two separate winners. To enter, visit the shop to choose your favourite colour. Contest closes at noon mst on December 16, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

I’m the first to admit that I’m a shoe snob. Not for myself, as is evident by the worn out Birks in my closet, but for my kids. Pedipeds are an awesome combination of comfort, quality & style that passes even my perfectionist standards.

Pediped™ footwear is designed to be the “next best thing to bare feet.” They allow children’s feet to develop naturally and provide optimal support and protection during the developmental stages of babies’ feet – from initial crawl to the first steps and beyond. It’s made with premium, non-toxic, ECO grade leather and has foam insoles & padded heels for a comfortable fit & shock absorption. The distinctive styling – over 45 styles – is nothing short of exceptional. Whether you like Mary Janes, patent holiday shoes, traditional penny loafers, breezy sandals or ultra‐cool athletic shoes, Pedipeds is sure to have a style – or ten – that you’ll love and can’t resist.

Shipping is only $5 within the US and $10 to Canada.

Win it! You could win a pair of Pedipeds Originals of your choice. To enter, go take your pick and then leave a comment on this post with your fave style & size. Contest closes at noon mst on December 11, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

BellyLaf is a newly launched company with two great products for parents & children.

For those of you with or expecting newbies or looking for a great shower gift, Grippees are wash mitts that gently grip baby with soft “GrippeeDots” on the palm. If you’ve ever bathed a slimy newborn, you know what a great idea these are! They’d be great for bathing a child of any age, actually, since it’s rather convenient not having to hold a wash cloth, but particularly for newborns these are fantastic. I especially love the complete elimination of nail gouges in my baby since I started using these. Now it’s only her big brother that makes her look like she’s abused. They retail for $16.95/pair and are available in five cute “Smart Shapes” designs. Each Smart Shape has a name and a story that the kids will love!

MiniMitts are just that – mini mittens for children to wear when they’re learning to wash themselves in the bath. They’re great for increasing confidence and independence, and are also a hit with my son for covering his eyes while his mean parents rinse his hair. (We never get water in his eyes and are rather proficient kid-bathers. How old are they when they understand that if they look down before we wipe their forehead off, their eyes are going to get wet? Anyway…)

Both Grippees and MiniMitts are made of 60% super soft bamboo, which is naturally anti-microbial, hypoallergenic, thermal regulating and odor free. Bamboo is naturally grown without fertilizers, pesticides or insecticides and is biodegradable. The other 40% is cotton.

What a great gift these would make – Grippees for baby and the folks, and MiniMitts for the older sibling!

Win it! We’re giving TWO winners a set of both Grippees and MiniMitts! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on November 20, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I recently reviewed the Eebee’s Adventures series of books, which we continue to love. Even though I made fun of the name (and I still think it’s dorky) the creator of the series, Stephen Gass, left a comment offering to send the Eebee’s Adventures DVD series for review.

The package showed up just as we were leaving town so I was able to put them in our van’s DVD player right away. (As opposed to the months it often takes me to review music and DVD’s because we just don’t use them often.) I didn’t actually watch them but listened from the drivers’ seat as my children enjoyed them. And enjoy them they did. The voices are rather annoying to adults but kept the kids enthralled for the duration.

There are three in the series. The first one we watched was “Figuring Things Out“. It’s the only one for ages 12 months & up. (The others are 6 months & up.) Apparently it was a hit because my two and a half year old watched the entire thing while talking about the flashlights, blocks and more that were featured in the video and then immediately asked me to put on another one. I happily obliged because traveling with a two year old? Not always fun. The other two were just as popular and I’m sure they’ll be put in to regular rotation on our trips.

Each DVD contains multiple adventures which showcase things such as colours & textures, properties of matter, cause and effect, methods of movement and so much more. To me they may just be a slightly annoying method of keeping my kids entertained in a moving vehicle but to them they’re a highly entertaining & educational method of keeping their mother from telling them to “Just read another book and we’ll be there soon!”

Save 10% on purchases made on www.eebee.com with the code eebee.

Win it! We’ve got all three of these DVD’s to give away to one randomly selected reader. To enter, leave comment on this post before noon mst on November 17, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Whether you’re still in the space of packing everything but the kitchen sink every time you leave the house or you’ve moved on to the days of trying to remember a diaper & a few wipes, you’re going to love the Diaper Change Travel Kit from well-known baby & child manufacturer, Munchkin.

No matter where you are, you can have a comfortable, clean surface to change your baby. The design is truly awesome and I leave mine in my vehicle so I’m never without the necessities. (As long as I remember to restock it!) There’s a zippered outside pocket for storing your personal items and interior mesh pockets hold diapers, wipes (it comes with the case) and other essentials. The changing pad detaches easily for separate use, though I’ve never had a need to do so, and there’s a cushioned pillow for baby’s comfort. The carry strap attaches to any stroller or, in my case, the handle on the back of a vehicle seat. It comes in three colours – tan, pink and black.

Win it! We’ve got a Munchkin Diaper Change Travel Kit in black to give away to one randomly selected reader. To enter browse the Munchkin products and comment on this post with at least one of your faves (not including the Diaper Change Travel Kit, natch) before noon mst on November 13, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Karate Kat Graphics is an online family enterprise started in 2006 by a Chicago area mom and her three children and named after their dearly departed feline friend. Their Zazzle store features a huge range of products based on their children’s artwork. Most items are under $30 and many are under $5. Half of every dollar earned is donated to children’s charities. I love that.

Their customizable sticker sheets for kids are fabulous (and stuck all over my house…). They make great affordable stocking stuffers, sibling gifts to accompany baby gifts and are cheap enough to be just because gifts.

The Karate Kat birth announcements are not done justice by the images on the site. They’re fantastic! Whether you like the thick & sturdy magnets or the shiny & professional looking postcards, they’ll be personalized with your own picture(s) and information and you are sure to love them as much as I do.

They offer some super cute t-shirt designs too. Given the time of year, I’m especially digging the cutesie Merry & Bright tee (pictured) and at only $19 each of my children can have one.

Check out Karate Kat Graphics for high quality, playful & very affordable holiday & all occasion shopping.

Win it! We’re giving away the pictured tee in size 2T. To enter, visit Karate Kat Graphics and window shop a while. Come back and leave a comment telling us what product(s) you dig that are not mentioned in this post. Contest closes at noon mst on November 11, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Robeez are some of the best & most popular baby shoes on the market today. My children have both worn pair after pair (and still are) and I’ve given a number as gifts as well.

You may or may not be aware that the Robeez line includes some fabulous holiday footwear in addition to their everyday pairs. Every little girl needs her “special shoes” and now even our boys can have some great footwear options for the winter season.

The Robeez Holiday Collection (newborn to 4 years – $28) consists of six special soft soled designs which capture the holiday spirit. With styles for girls and boys, these make a great reasonably priced gift for under $30.

The Robeez Made-to-Match Gift Sets (newborn to 18 mos – $40) each contain a pair of Robeez Soft Soles with 4 pairs of made-to-match socks. There are four designs to choose from for both girls and boys.

The Robeez Cozy Collection – my personal fave – (newborn to 2 years – $32 to $50) are lush & luxurious booties accented with faux fur that bring high fashion along with warmth and comfort to little feet. They’re also available in girls and boys styles. My daughter is sporting the black fashion booties this winter and they’re cute enough to melt even the hardest of hearts.

If you’re looking for a great gift for a little one this holiday season (or if your kids have feet – that’s reason enough) be sure to check out these great holiday picks from Robeez!

Win it! We’re giving away one pair from each of the above collections for a total of three winners! To enter, choose your line (holiday, made to match or cozy), visit the appropriate link above to choose your pair and leave a comment letting us know which pair from which line and which size you’d like to win. Contest closes at noon mst on November 7, 2008.

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

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

It’s no secret the we love See Kai Run in all forms.

Well, now you have the chance to see if you love them as much as we do.

We’re giving away THREE pairs of SKR shoes!

The three pairs pictured at right are up for grabs.

1. The Julie girls boot in limited edition pink! Size 7. Value $46.

2. The Brian boys shoe. Size 9. Value $40.

3. The Paul boys shoe in limited edition blue! Size 3. Value $40.

Sizing information is available here.

To enter, leave a comment on this post listing the style you’d like to be entered for. Closes Oct. 4.

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

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED.

As a green-ish primarily organic mama, it’s often hard for me to find exactly what I need locally. My next turn is always the internet but I refuse to pay shipping from another country unless I absolutely can’t find it here. (Also, there’s almost always a free shipping code somewhere. Check here.)

Now that I’ve discovered the Canadian online shop Nayla Natural Care I can find almost anything I need in one place and support a Canadian family at the same time.

The TruKid products available at Nayla Natural Care are some of my new favourites and they’re all available at Nayla Natural Care for very reasonable prices. (And when you spend $150 they ship for free. You could fill your whole family’s stockings in one fell swoop!)

The Hero Stick is the newest permanent addition to my arsenal. It’s a soothing stick for bumps & boo boos packed with herbal remedies that have been used for centuries to nourish the skin & fix owies. I can officially sell my stock in Spiderman bandaids. Hero Stick to the rescue!

Happy Face & Body Lotion is a very lightly fruit scented lotion that’s perfect for toddlers. The scent is attractive enough to get them to sit still for an application but not strong enough to repel the parent that’s putting it on. It’s thick enough to be moisturizing but light enough to be used any time of the day or night.

The Spiffy Spearmint Lip Balm is a great before bed lip soother for these windy fall days. It’s enhanced with spearmint essential oil which is slightly cooling and also contains Stevia so it’s sweet enough to make the mint attractive to the little guys. As opposed to bubblegum – ew.

Win it! We’re giving away one of each of these great products to one randomly selected winner. To enter, visit the Nayla Natural Care site leave a comment on this post mentioning at least one other item you like before noon mst on November 5, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

My family has been reviewing the eebee’s Adventures series of baby books from every baby. I’ve got to tell you – when I heard the name eebee, I was pretty sure they’d be incredibly stupid. Because, come on. eebee?

But honestly, these are some really super great baby books! Available at Barnes & Noble for $15 each, they are the perfect addition to a baby gift, first birthday gift, a Christmas package or your own bookshelf.

There are three single books and a two book package, all of which are much more than your average soft book. They’re interactive in ways that are engaging for infants and entertaining for toddlers, too.

A little blurb on each from the press release:

eebee’s Having a Ball Adventures: Babies will play around with some big ideas in this adventure: up, down, over, under, in, out . . . and my turn—your turn. This interactive book includes a soft, tethered ball, inviting babies to exercise social, motor, language, and thinking skills in games from catch with eebee to basketball.

eebee’s Laundry Time Adventures: Babies will explore words, sounds, and textures; exercise fine-motor skills; play imaginatively . . . and get the laundry done. Interactive play activities include taking towels out of the laundry bag and putting them “into the washer”; spinning the peek-a-boo washing-machine wheel; hanging eebee’s pajamas on the line; and putting them away in the drawers.

eebee’s Peek-a-Boo Adventures: Where’s eebee? On the cover of this book, open and close the curtains. Inside the book, look for eebee behind a silky purple scarf, inside a big, shiny raincoat, and behind a movable stack of soft blocks. From exploring textures to anticipating outcomes, there’s no hiding the opportunities for playful skill-building in this exciting search.

eebee’s Hug and Splash Adventures is a two-book set in which each book is also a game. All About Me & You is all about eebee’s body, and a baby’s body too. Fold-out the book-sized mirror to “look and play” along with eebee. Exercise your baby’s social, motor, language, and thinking skills, exploring the body from head to toe! Eebee’s Bath Time Adventure is sure to float a baby’s boat. Open the book and place it cover-up in the tub. Watch eebee float! Submerge the book to fill the squirter and then squeeze it for a gentle spray. Press eebee’s tummy—squeak—eebee’s all clean. As eebee takes a bath, every baby will play and learn with water.

My two year old has claimed the Bath Time Adventure book for himself and delights in squirting his baby sister in the tub and then trying to keep it away from her until he gets a chance to do it again! Both children love the other books and I love that they’re entertaining enough to give me an occasional few minutes of uninterrupted latte drinking.

Save 10% on purchases made on www.eebee.com with the code eebee.

Win it! Three readers will each win a copy of eebee’s Laundry Time Adventures. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on November 4, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED