Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks

I received the Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks for free in exchange for my review.

Now that I have two boys, aged 3 and 1, I usually only buy white socks. Why? Well, because I am awful at losing socks, and I swear there really is a monster in the dryer eating up all the socks. So, to keep it simple, I buy the same type socks in the boring white color.

Now though, after having SO much fun with the Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks, I had to buy a couple more pairs for the boys. I received one pair free (see the picture of JR wearing them on my main blog) that fit JR, and so I ordered 2 pairs for Little Dude and another pair for JR. The best part? The size is on the sock.

Because even though I solve the missing socks and different sock sizes problem by just sticking with one color, it is still annoying to sort them, since the boys feet are close in size already.

So, with Zonni ConFEETi 3D Socks, the boys get CUTE animals and characters on their feet PLUS I get the skid proof textured bottom that displays the sock size, for easy, quick sorting.

I've also washed them a few times already and they have stayed just as soft and snuggly while the textured bottom has not torn or cracked, which was the one complaint I had with the textured bottom socks you can find at Target or Walmart. (Those seemed to crack or tear after just the first few washes).

Looking for some fun socks as a baby shower gift, or even just as a fun item for your kids to enjoy? Then I highly reccomend the Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks, and you can buy them here. Who knew kids could enjoy playing with socks? JR is in love with his puppy dog ones, and so am I!

Eating Right Kids

I work part time from home, which is really hard to do with my two little boys. I love my job, and I love that I get to stay home with my sons, but meshing the two together can be a huge juggling act.

Something that will now be making my life easier? Eating Right Kids, a new food line from Safeway and Warner Brothers. Eating Right Kids is a line of affordable, healthy, quick food choices for busy families. What I love? My sons love the fun characters on the packages-can anyone say no to Bugs Bunny?-and by seeing the label, I can trust that the foods are nutritious,healthy, packed with vitamins, and free of harmful additives.

Sounds like I have a new time saver, and I am so happy that my grocery shopping has just gotten a little easier. Now instead of spending time staring at labels, trying to decipher serving sizes, saturated fats, and figure out what the dirxanthexWhatChaMaCallIt additives ARE, I can spend that time doing more important stuff. Like enjoying a fun picnic at the park, chasing the boys around, or even finding some quiet time to myself(I can dream).

Would you like to make sure your kids are Eating Right Kids? Keep an eye out for the Eating Right Kids products coming to grocery stores now.

My kids were able to try the ravioli (made with wheat and veggies), the granola bar (packed with vitamins and low fat/low sugar), all natural 100% juice drink and the fruit cups (in real fruit juice, not syrup) and it all disappeared FAST. There wasn't even any left for me to try! .

But I don't mind, seeing my kids eat every last bit of whole wheat pasta and veggies is enough of a taste test for me and the Eating Right Kids food products will now staples in our pantry.

*I was given the Eating Right Kids food items, ravioli, granola bar, fruit cup and juice drink for free in exchange for my review.*

Melissa and Doug Puzzles

A few weeks ago I was asked to test toys for a company called ebeanstalk. They sent out a number of baby toys and toys for 1 year olds to everyday moms for their review. Through reviews such as mine, this helps ebeanstalk select great learning toys . The toy they sent was the Geometric Shapes Puzzle from Melissa and Doug, who makes lots of wooden toys.

I was so excited when we were sent the Melissa and Doug Geometric Shapes puzzle to review with JR. I just love puzzles, but since JR is only a year old, we were not able to play with any of the other ones we had because they all had some pieces that were still small enough for JR to put in his mouth.

So, whenever Little Dude wanted to play with his puzzles, we would have to make sure JR was either napping or in another room, otherwise he would find a way to chew on a puzzle piece!

When the large Melissa and Doug Geometric Shapes came,from ebeanstalk.com, my worries about JR eating the pieces was put to rest. The pieces are LARGE and they have great nobs that are perfect for JR's little hands to grasp and move. The puzzle is also great because the shapes are color coded, as well, making it a great tool for teaching shapes AND colors. Jr is just in love with it, and that makes me love it, too. You can watch JR loving his new Melissa and Doug puzzle below:

Primrose Schools

Before I started staying at home with my munchkins, I worked as a day care provider for other people's munchkins and loved every second of it. In fact, if Bill's job had not transferred him to Tennessee shortly before Little Dude was due to be born, I would have gone back to work at the day care and just taken Little Dude with me. I loved my job that much and knew he would have a blast with the other teachers I worked with.

I loved working at the preschool/day care I worked at, and becoming an "adopted" part of each of my children's families was a huge honor. In fact, I still keep in touch with the majority of parents whose children I cared for over the years I worked.

So, I was super excited when Primrose Schools contacted me and asked me to take some time to review their preschool and new blog on early childhood expert tips and fun by Dr. Mary Zurn at www.DrZandMe.com. Can I tell you I am in love with Primrose Schools? I really enjoyed the preschool system I worked with, and would go back to working there in a heartbeat; however, Primrose Schools has so much to offer, like Spanish, Music, Physical Fitness and special programs for children with special learning needs.

My favorite part of Primrose Schools is their Balanced Approach to Learning. Most preschools/day cares go too far one way or the other. Some are purely child lead learning, and others are purely teacher lead learning-but Primrose has figured out the best way. They have a balance of child lead and teacher lead learning to help your child get the most time dedicated to what they are interested in while still getting the instruction and direction to try learning new things.

Their new blog, www.DrZandMe.com is a great resource, too. You can find summer time boredom solutions, rainy day activities, and you can ask Dr. Z all your early childhood questions. I know I will be calling on Dr. Z for help in busting the apartment boredom blues!

You can check out Dr. Z's blog now to get instructions on 10 summer time activities your children are sure to enjoy and you are sure to enjoy creating with them. Have fun!

Leslie Patricelli Kid Books

As a mom, there are some classic books you turn to and immediately add to your child's bookshelves, knowing they will be loved and read many times over in the years to come. Well, get ready to make a little more room.

Leslie Patricelli is an author/illustrator that has just released a set of children's books that are sure to make some of the top spots on bookcases around the world. Her lovely, yet simple illustrations lend creativity to her simply story lines, and offer great backgrounds for letting you or your child improvise new story lines and new fun!

I was able to read "Higher! Higher!"-a story about a little girl getting pushed in a swing by her daddy-with my toddler, and he fell in love with it. The story is simple-the little girl keeps asking to go higher and higher; however, the expressive illustrations offer the real story. She went higher than a building, a giraffe, and finally met an alien boy getting pushed higher and higher in HIS swing!! My toddler loved to answer us when we asked, "What is she going higher than?" And he loved pointing out all the items in the scenery she was flying over! The story was also simple enough that he has it memorized, even though he is only now getting to the point of recognizing his letters. Little Dude feels so special for "reading" the story to us sometimes too! "Higher! Higher!" is a book I highly recommend to the parents of any toddler. What I loved: Everything. What I didn't love: Nothing.

Leslie also has a group of board books targeted towards infants, and I got the "Baby Happy Baby Sad" one. This book also has the same fun and creative illustrations, and the simple story line also lends itself to imaginative expanding to the simple story. Geared to teach the simple concepts of happy and sad, the book was fairly effective, though honestly my 9 month old, JR, was not terribly taken with the book. I think perhaps the images could have been a little more clear, perhaps of real babies instead of a drawing, or perhaps a bit more of a story to go with the drawings, instead of just repeating "baby happy, baby sad" on each page with an extemely simple image explaining each. Overall I thought the book was cute, but I do wish there had been a little more story to go along with the images, or vice versa. What I loved: The size of the book; perfect for my son's little hands and sturdy enough to take a beating and still look great. What I didn't love: Wish there had been a little more story along with the word repetition.

Overall, I think "Higher! Higher!" will be an instant classic for many children, and a very special story for a father to share with a daugther, since the characters are a father with his daughter. I will be checking out more of Leslie Patricelli's children's books and adding them to my children's library for sure! I hope you all enjoy them as much as we did.

The Secret Mountain Publishing Group

I am a bookworm and always have been. I remember reading Les Misérables in high school and crying when it was over. I wanted more.

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with both of my boys, I started reading out loud whatever I was reading at the time, just for the fun of it. Now I get to read to them everyday and both my boys are already showing a love for books.

My 5 month old has a love for eating books so far, but my Toddler has advanced to wanting me to read stories OVER and OVER...and nothing makes me happier than to oblige him. We will read the same book as much as he wants, and when I start to tire, I will simply start asking him questions about the story-what colors are the characters, what are they doing, where are they going, who are they helping, etc. Books are WONDERFUL teaching and learning tools.

There is so much magic in reading to your children too; new places explored, imaginations expanded. I am so glad my boys are enjoying the family reading time as much as Bill and I do.

A new couple of books we have added to our reading time are courtesy of The Secret Mountain Publishing Group. The books we received from them are so stunningly illustrated with fanciful paintings and drawings that my sons are in love with just staring at the pages.

Many of the children's books from The Secret Mountain have won literary awards, and after seeing my Little Dude's reaction to the books, it is easy to see why. These are the new books we now read over and over and over...but lucky for me, the pictures are so beautiful and the stories so wonderful that I enjoy them as much as my son does.

We have read these three stories, and they became instant classics in our home:

*Down at the Sea Hotel
*A Duck In New York City
*Dream Songs Night Songs From Belgium To Brazil

It is hard to pick a favorite of the three, but I have to say I LOVE the story of A Duck In New York City. The story is about a little duck that keeps getting told that his dream of dancing on Broadway is crazy and will never come true. But the little duck keeps trying, and keeps telling himself, YES I CAN-and in the end, his hard work pays off and he indeed achieves his dream.

How wonderful of a message for young children is that? It is so refreshing to read a story that encourages children to chase their dreams, be them to become a doctor OR a garbage man (yes, right now that is my son's dream). Because, you know, someone has to be a pro baseball player or ballet dancer...or garbage man. So why not? There is no better way to build a child's self esteem then to give them the power of feeling that they CAN do and achieve their goals. And that is just what you'll share when you read A Duck In New York City to your little one.

Another reason I love The Secret Mountain books? They come with CDs. OH AWESOME, because I also love music and LOVE exposing my children to music! It has been so fun to read the stories and listen to the accompanying CDs. The music that goes with Dream Songs Night Songs From Belgium To Brazil is my very favorite-it has lullabies from all around the world, sung in the native languages for your family to enjoy! The music is just beautiful and a fantastic way to introduce other cultures, stories and lullabies to your family.


Want to know where you can get them? Go to The Secret Mountain and order them quickly and easily online! You can also get the books in English or French (easy lullabies are a great starting board for teaching a second language!) for $22.95; CD included with each book.

One Step Ahead-What's Inside? Toy Box

I love to play with my kids-to me that is the greatest thing in the world and I could do it all day long. But, as an ex-preschool teacher, I also look for toys that stimulate those "keywords" I learned while in school...gross motor skills, fine motor skills, sensory development, tactile learning, texture integration......who knew teaching preschooler involved covering so much in lesson plans? I digress.

Anyway, as you can imagine, and toy I come across that encourages these developmental lessons while being super fun for my babies and me to play with, I buy them up and tell all my friends. And you know what I love the best? Most of the time, the best toys for stimulating these activities are not high tech, expensive gadgets, but instead very budget friendly! Yippiee!

What I love about the What's Inside? toy box:
*it works on gross motor reaching and depth perception
*it works on fine motor grasping and inserting of objects
*it comes with 8 little toys to take in and out of the box, each with their own simulators like different textures, sounds, fabrics, and colors
*it develops hand and eye coordination skills,
*Great tactile development on the outside of box with sounds, crinkles, tags, and objects
*encourages exploration and imagination

And so, to all of my internet friends out there (yes, I know, doesn't sound good, but it is cause that includes you!)I have a video review of my latest baby toy find, the What's Inside Box by One Step Ahead.

What a great Christmas Present this toy box would make too!! It is meant for kids ages newborn to 12 months; however, my 2 year old loves it as well, so this is a toy that will last you a long time and give hours of enjoyment as he or she discovers "what's inside" again and again! You can buy it for $34.95 or try to win it here.

Watch my video, take a look around One Step Ahead's website and you could win a What's Inside Box for the apple of your eye! Just simply leave a comment here telling me what your favorite One Step Ahead toy is OR what you think of my video. Also, you can comment here OR you can email me at coordinatedchaos@yahoo.com. Oh yes, I make it easy for you. Winners will be contacted through email, so if you don't have it on your blog make sure you give it to me! The Contest Ends Nov. 21, 2008 at midnight. Good Luck!

Bugaloo Kid's Soft Soled Shoes

There is nothing more wonderful to watch than your child's first steps! The amazement on his face (and on yours!)is so fun to experience.

But as a parent, it can be oh so NOT FUN to find shoes that fit your new walker but also don't hamper his new found freedom. For new wobbly walkers, hard soled shoes are out because they lack the give and take bend on the foot that helps our newest upright citizens balance!

So, the most logical option is to get a soft soled shoe that shapes the foot without constricting balance or movement and ensuring your child quickly gains confidence in his or her walking. The problem? Such shoes are usually VERY expensive and don't wash well in the washer. Trust me, I have experienced the 40 dollar pairs you can find out there, and they are great, but that is so expensive for something that will be outgrown soon and can't be washed!(and if you wash them, they come out all faded, twisted and are never as soft again) And the cheap kinds form Target? Yea, they wear out faster than anything, and in the end you've spent 40 dollars replacing them over and over....and over.

So what's a budget conscious and foot conscious mom to do? Turn to Bugaloo Kids!! The mom behind the design, Heidi, is a genius! She has made super durable soft soled shoes that will help your child grow and walk without damaging his feet AND at an affordable cost! The shoes come in all kinds of cute and wonderful designs and at $15 you can afford to have a couple of pairs!!

Also, I washed one shoe 4 times, and in the end, I can't tell the difference between the one I washed and the one I didn't-now that is quality!

Product information (click image below to enlarge)
Bugaloo Kids shoes have:



Bugaloo Kids is MADE IN THE USA, so you can be sure the product is top quality. But that is not even the best part! Every purchase helps to fight childhood slavery. 5% of each purchase goes directly to International Justice Mission to help fight human trafficking and to help the victims of such horror, most of which, sadly,are children.

That's something those $40 dollar shoes I bought can't claim. And helping children, along with the high quality, cute designs and budget friendly cost ensure I will be buying many pairs of these shoes for my son.

Love it? Sign up for Bugaloo's Newsletter by leaving your email so you can learn of discounts, sales, new designs and products first! And by signing up for the newsletter through me, you will be entered into a giveaway for a pair of shoes (the giveaway will actually take place in a few weeks, so check back for more info on when the drawing will be held).


EDITED:: THE GIVEAWAY WILL END NOV. 14th

pHisoderm Baby

EDITED: GIVEAWAY ENDED

Remember your awkward teen years? I do. But you know what? Mine were a little bit easier once I discovered pHisoderm face wash. At least then, if I had to go through the teen years I could do it with clear, soft skin!

Well, now the brand that saved my skin (and still does) from break outs and oiliness makes Baby pHisoderm tear free gel wash! Fantastic! I gave Baby pHisoderm tear free gel wash a try and it worked wonders on my JR's sensitive skin. After only a few uses his skin is clearing up from irritation around his tummy, legs and arms that has been occurring no matter what kind of material I clothed him in! What a miracle, because though the dry, red areas may not have bother him, they bother me and I am so happy to have found something that has helped balance the pH of my son's skin!

More reasons to LOVE Baby pHisoderm:

*Phthalate-free formula and packaging
*Dermatologist recommended
*Designed for babies prone to dry skin conditions
*pH balanced to moisturize baby's skin as it cleans
*Soap free gel formula rinses easily and won't over-dry or irritate
*Allergy tested for your little one's skin
*Leaves your little one smelling baby fresh

Baby pHisoderm is also made in tear-free Cream Wash

Love it? Want to win some? I have two bottles of Baby pHisoderm Tear Free Gel Wash to give away to TWO lucky winners!! Leave a comment here or email me to enter. Make sure I will have a way to contact you, otherwise a new winner will have to be chosen! Good luck!

Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment

Before being a stay at home Mom, I worked at a daycare for ages 6 weeks to 6 years and After School Care aged children. I was blessed to have experiences teaching 4 year olds preschool for a few years and even more blessed to take over as Infant "teacher" for a new group of wonderful babies (who are now starting to turn 4!)

Anyways, with the years I spent with that wonderful group of babies all the way to their two year old years, I went through A LOT of diaper ointments and creams. Parents brought in whatever brand they preferred, and I would use it on little Ben, Sophie, Rebecca and Isabelle, but honestly, all the brands worked about they same, they all took a number of days to start being effective for bad diaper rash, and they ALL STAINED THE BABIES CLOTHES LIKE CRAZY.

It would be so frustrating to try to put diaper rash on a wiggly older baby or toddler and try to avoid getting the creams on the clothes because no matter how much you washed or scrubbed, those creams just wouldn't come out. The brown ones, the white ones, the creamy ones, the organic ones and the perfumed ones-all eventually worked on the rashes, but they all stained and ruined cute little outfits!

Finally though, I have discovered that Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment WILL NOT STAIN. In fact, Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment is a pale white in color, but rubs on as a clear, non greasy, Triple Protection Formula to soothe your baby's bum and prevent irritation from coming back!!

Lansinoh's Diaper Rash Ointment contains:

*Lansinoh HPA® Lanolin-the world's purest lanolin, forms a protective barrier to help seal out irritating wetness and promote natural healing
*Microfine Zinc Oxide-unlike other zinc oxide formulas which go on thick and white, Lansihoh's innovative formula allows the ointment to go on white and rub on clear. It is light when applied to the skin and provides strong, lasting protection.
*Dimethicone-an excellent emollient, allows for superior spreedability while softening and soothing your baby's delicate bum.

Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment is fragrance free, hypoallergenic and has an elegant, non-greasy texture so that it wipes on and off easily, unlike all those other brands of diaper ointments out there! Also, Lansinoh HPA® Lanolin uses ultra-pure, medical-grade lanolin that is created with a patented refining process, making it the ONLY lanolin available that contains no preservatives or environmental impurities of any kind, so you can use Lansinoh products even if you are allergic to wool. Lansinoh ensures it's Diaper Rash Ointment is so pure and safe, it can be used on even the most sensitive and delicate of skin.

Best of all? IT WORKS QUICKLY.

My son, JR, poops constantly, and has very sensitive skin, so he almost always has a bit of diaper rash going on. I have used just about every cream and ointment out there, all of which offered relief after many days of using them. So, needless to say, I was skeptical when I first tried out the Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment, but within the first day, JR's diaper rash had cleared up!! I was absolutely amazed-no more sensitive red area for my son AND I didn't have to worry about getting it on his clothes-fabulous! Truly, a mother's dream come true!

So, to honor my excitement over Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment, I am hosting a little giveaway! I have a gift basket of Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment,Lansinoh HPA® Lanolin, and a travel pack of Lansinoh Clean & Condition Cloths (which I have also fallen in love with!)All you have to do to win is head over to Lansinoh's site for Moms at:

http://www.lansinohmoms.com

Check it out, and tell me what your favorite part of their website is! Please leave comments here or email me at coordiantedchaos@yahoo.com and make the subject Lansinoh Giveaway (make sure to leave contact info so I can reach you if you win!) The giveaway ends November 1st at midnight. Good luck!

And, for those of you that don't win, don't worry, you can buy Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment at a wonderfully low price in most retail or grocery store baby isles as well as online!

Holgate Blocks

Simple is best, in my opinion. That is especially true with children's toys. Simple items inspire greater use of the imagination, and that, my friends, is what childhood is all about.

The basic, simple toys of all childhood should be wooden blocks. Blocks to stack, sort, build, balance, and knock down can teach way more to your child than any rigorous study program at any preschool, because your child learns through play. Stacking the blocks works on eye and hand coordination, gross motor skills, and, as the stack gets higher, fine motor skills to keep the blocks balanced. Your child will learn spacial relationships between objects in the world by building, tearing down, building, and knocking down the blocks over and over.

If your child has blocks with images or numbers, you can bring in color, number, and shape sorting to the floor play. Most of all, by playing with blocks, your child is NOT watching TV, and is even developing his use of language as he exercises his imagination to build whatever he can dream, hopefully with you buy his side.

As opposed to "educational toys" that light up and talk to your child, simple blocks encourage an imaginative give and take kind of play between a child and himself (or imaginary friend), children and other children, or parents and children that build and develop the use of language and roll playing that are so crucial to a child's self image, understanding of trial and error, and overall development.


Blocks are truly a parent's best friend and a child's greatest learning tool, and my favorite blocks are Holgate Baby Blocks. They are made of sound wood, the beautiful brightly colored images don't chip off after rough use (trust me, if my two year old can't scratch or eat the images off, nothing can), and best of all, THEY ARE MADE IN AMERICA. Yes, you can heave a big sigh of relief when your child does decide to try licking the blocks because everything is safe, non toxic and made to last for your kid's grandkids to use. I am in love with the blocks and have already ordered more to give as gifts. Everyone should have these lovely, colorful and made in the USA blocks on their children's gift lists this holiday season.

Fisher Price-My Little Lamb Cradle and Swing

So, as all of you know from my blog, my son JR has not been the easiest, nor happiest of babies. In fact, he has been known to cry for hours on end, as my husband and I try rocking, carrying,bouncing, and even wearing him in slings around the house to keep him happy. Some are hit and miss, and just depend on his mood, which can be frustrating for us, and of course makes us sad that we can't figure out what our son needs!

Well, no more of those days, my friends! Why? Because I found the Fisher Price My Little Lamb Cradle and Swing!! This swing is AMAZING. You can see my son, here enjoying it and get a close up look of the swing:


http://www.newbaby.com/miche

The Fisher Price My Little Lamb has really saved my life. My son LOVES to see himself in the mirror that hangs above and the soft fabric is just so cuddly and gentle. Also, a fantastic feature is that the My Little Lamb swing can turn to sing 3 different ways! It can swing front to back facing left OR right, as well as the cradle side to side swinging, so I can change his viewing range without having to move the swing! Also, the swing is incredibly light and easily folds up to store in a closet or to just move to a new spot on the house.

As you can see in my video, there is a lovely toy and food tray on the swing, but what you can't see is how easily it comes on and off- I am able to do it one handed! Also, the the product designers at Fisher Price did an amazing job of making the swing so beautiful and eye pleasing, even with the tray is not attached! There are not bumpy or pointed edges my son might hit or scratch himself on when the tray is removed because it is all ONE PIECE (also incredibly easy to keep up with!) and the clips for the swing are on the bottom sides, so all my son has tucked around him is plush, soft, cradling fabric.

The music is wonderful, too. Soft nature sounds with birds, water, crickets, and frogs along with 8 nurturing lullaby music tracks. The great sound track choices, along with the softly colored moving mobile and mirror, keeps JR very happy and entertained as he focuses on the moving images and enjoys the soft music.

You can buy the swing here: Fisher Price

And trust me, it is well worth the price because it makes my son happy, and that my friends, makes me a happy Mommy!