My brother recently came for a visit and stayed with us for two weeks.  During that time, he and my daughter bonded through dancing, playing, reading stories, rough housing and cuddling.  Unfortunately, there came a day when he had to go back and there was no way we could communicate this to my one year old and prepare her for his leaving.

We were lucky enough to have his departure coincide with the arrival of the Sleepy Wrap from the Weecare Diaper Company which I received for review.  In the wake of my brother’s absence, my daughter needed extra love and attention, which meant having her “on” us all day long.  The Sleepy Wrap was a great way to still get some adult things done while meeting her needs; we have eaten in it, prepared meals, gone to the bathroom, folded laundry, paid bills, made calls, checked on our neighbour’s house… all without having to leave the sanctuary of the wrap.  I even considered taking a shower in it at one point, but I stopped myself.  The wrap has a natural give to it, so when you are walking around the baby bounces slightly and my daughter really enjoyed this.  We tried all of the holds recommended in the booklet (with the exception of the newborn hold) and found that we both preferred the Love Your Baby Hold (snug and secure, close to the body positioning).  The wrap is machine washable and you can either put it in the dryer or hang it to dry.  The wrap is completely without buckles, snaps, zippers or anything else that can dig into your babe’s tender skin.  The wrap comes with a matching carry bag.

Weecare Diaper Company carries a full selection of baby needs, including a wide range of cloth diapering options.  Weecare says that one of their hottest sellers is their high quality California Baby Skin Care line, which includes shampoos, calendula diaper cream, sun block, diaper area wash, lotions, rash cream, bubble bath (for different moods) and bug spray.  Sounds like a perfect shower gift.

Buy it: To purchase, visit Weecare Diaper Company online

Giveaway: One luck reader is going to receive a tan Sleepy Wrap

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Giveaway closes March 12th @11:59 pm PST.  Open to US and Canada

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**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on My Wee View.  The product features expressed in this post are those of My Wee View and have not been influenced in any other way.  Please see the full Terms of use.

Christmas Gift Idea for Kids

The internet is a marvelous place!  I live on the east coast of Canada, and it seems that we have been forgotten when it comes to all the latest and greatest products. There are no brick and mortar stores that sell a lot of the items I have featured on by website and I live in an urban area! I feel really terrible for those that live in Northern areas or hours away from a city, because there is no chance that their local Mom and Pop shop are going to have any of the hottest new trendy items.  And if you are lucky enough to find something, the price has usually been so inflated it should be gold plated.  This is what makes the internet so amazing – no matter where you live, you can find exactly what you are looking for, and it can be shipped straight to your door.

Narissa Singh, a  mommy of 2, lives in Northern Alberta and has had the trouble of trying to find the perfect products for her own kids for special occasions, yet alone the perfect gifts for others.  With a Bachelors Degree and 10 years experience in the financial industry, Narissa was ready to set out to a new adventure – starting an online store with quality products.

Play and Learn Toys is very picky when they decide on which suppliers to choose from, they want good quality toys and also have the environment in mind as well – with most of their products being eco-friendly wooden toys.  I had the opportunity to review some of the products that Play and Learn Toys have in the past.  For example, they carry Haba.  Haba makes excellent quality wooden toys that keep children interested with their bright colours and ability to makes noises.  Plan Toys also makes excellent wooden toys that are age appropriate for learning and development.  Play and Learn Toys also carries Melissa and Doug, this is a top of the line company that makes so many great toys, including puzzles and classic toys like blocks and trains.

Play and Learn Toys also carries high quality quilts, receiving blankets, bunting bags and bibs by companies such as Swaddle Designs and Bizoux Bizoux.  These companies are very hip and modern, there are no fluffy bears on any of their designs.  These would make excellent gifts for new babies as you would be sure to be giving a product that is unique (can’t get it at your local big box store) and modern.

The Play and Learn Toys website is well laid out, you can shop by age, category, price or brand.  There is also a gift registry available which makes shopping for a new bundle, a birthday or even Christmas really easy.   If you are in the Rainbow Lake, Alberta area, Narissa would also be more than happy to have you come to her house to show you all the great options there are outside of the regular products you will only find at your local brick and mortar.

Buy it: To purchase, visit Play and Learn Toys

Giveaway: 1 lucky My Wee View reader is going to win a $100 Gift Certificate to Play and Learn Toys

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Giveaway closes December 18th @ 11:59 pm PST. Open to US and Canada

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Christmas Gift Idea for babies, toddlers and kids

Like adults, children’s clothing sizes varies depending on which company makes them. At 8 months our little dude  weighs a whopping 24 lbs. He can wear a size 6-12 months or a 12-18 months depending on the particular pants. He’s adorable but lets face it, he’s kinda chubby. As well as being a bit chubby, we are a cloth diapering family and with the extra padding, few of the pants that are supposed to fit him do. More often than not the 6-12 month pants fit him in the legs but are too small in the butt and belly area so we move up to the 12-18 month pants so more often than not he’s wearing a size bigger to accommodate for the extra room needed in the butt area. Like his mommy, the pants that fit him in the butt are too long and too big in the waist. I thought it was only women who had this problem!

Lucky for us, we were sent for review the Dapper Snappers in chocolate brown with blue snaps from Baby Grins.

Dapper Snappers are essentially an elastic with snaps that has been designed to act like a belt without interfering with changing the diaper or potty training. The Dapper Snappers are intended for children aged 9 months to 5 years so you will definitely get your usage out of the Dapper Snappers. They have 4 snaps so you are able to use for a variety of sizes; perfect if your child is chubby like mine and if you need to go up a size in clothes or for those thin kids whose legs fits the pants and the waist is too big. Either way, this solves the problem of a waist too big for the pants, irksome for many parents.

Baby Grins started in my home province of Nova Scotia and is now run from Leduc, Alberta. Searching for a way to combine making an income and spending time with her children, owner and operator Marcie Paige started Baby Grins as a website as an online store to promote all her favorite baby products.

Along with the Dapper Snappers, Baby Grins has a great assortment of modern baby products and they are very conveniently sorted into categories; mealtimes, breastfeeding, diapering, outdoors, music and developement, etc.

I love that there is a huge selection of products and I especially love that there are lots of price points for those savvy shopper like myself. As much as I love online shopping, its very easy to get carried away. Baby Grins offers products for mom and dad with a mix of  trendy, stylish products (how I love the organic bedding sets) as well as lots of practical items that come in handy and you can use every day.

Baby Grins is pleased to offer free shipping on orders of over $150.00 and offers a convenient  gift registry. Additionally,  Baby Grins is proud to offer parents and families of multiples an exclusive discount; order one item at regular price and receive the second of the same item at 40% off all products on the website. How great is that?

Buy it: To purchase, visit Baby Grins online

Giveaway: One Lucky My Wee View reader is going to receive a $50 Gift Certificate

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Giveaway closes December 11th @ 11:59 pm PST. Open to US and Canada

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Since becoming pregnant and subsequently having the cutest baby on the planet (as we all think our babes are) I am obsessed with all things baby. In particular, I’ve searched the Internet high and low for the perfect items for our nursery. At 8 months old, his nursery is still a work in progress, it may always be but I was amazed at all the wonderful products available for baby; groovy things to create your dream nursery, amazing gift sets and fun toys for the babes. Originally I was on a chocolate brown and baby blue theme, then it was a green/blue polka dots, then it was dinosaurs and finally its become all things animal; especially monkeys.

Not sure why, but monkeys are my thing these days so I was pleased to receive for review the Five Little Monkeys 5 peice gift set from The Corner Stork Baby Gifts and More.

The Five Little Monkeys Gift Set comes with a plush brown-and-tan super soft stuffed monkey which rattles, a bright-yellow, partially peeled, smiling banana which also rattles, a baby-sized, soft “lovie” blanket and a wooden door hanger which features a long-tailed monkey hugging a pillow, that lets everyone know “baby’s sleeping.” All four items are kept in natural-wood keepsake basket lined with white fabric that cascades over the brim and down the front, where the first part of the rhyme (5 little monkeys sitting on the bed) and a smiling monkey face are embroidered.

The Corner Stork was started by three Mommy friends in Atlanta, GA who wanted to combine the unique and adorable gifts often found in trendy boutiques with the convenience of shopping on-line. The three friends carefully handpicked the best of baby gifts with an incredible  mix of contemporary/ modern to traditional/keepsake pieces with everything from bath toys to room decor, personalized gifts to clothing. You know how I love anything personalized, it very easily makes a nice gift into and a gift sure to receive lots of oohs and aahs. The Corner Stork is proud to offer expert customizing on over 200 items in their catalog including personalized baby blankets, personalized onesies, engraved photo albums, and lots more.

I like that there is a such a mix of items appealing to all tastes,the website is incredibly easy to navigate. This is a plus for me as I have limited time, I want to find what I want in a few minutes, if it takes too long to find or buy something I keep moving. I love that all the  items are divided into categories; you can shop by collection, necessities, best sellers, price and category. As a bonus if you need help finding the best gift there is a toll free 1-800 number as well as live on-line chat. As much as I like to think I am pretty savvy, knowing the extra help is there is great. Prior to having a baby, I am sure I gave some horrendous gifts, you often don’t know what to get for someone. I love the live chat idea, all the products are tried and tested by the families so you know they offer the best and will be able to help you choose the best gift.

Buy it: To purchase, visit online www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com

Giveaway: The Corner Stork Baby Gifts would like to offer lucky My Wee View reader a $25 Gift Certificate

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Giveaway closes October 27th @11:59 pm PST.  Open to US and Canada

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Baby products are not just about satisfying baby’s needs. Sure, it is important to look at form and function, practicality, thoughtfulness and a little ingenuity, but parents crave an additional element that is often overlooked: style. The Modern Baby Co. is exactly what every parent is looking for.

For review, I received a “Pink Diamond” baby bib, a “Butterflies” burp cloth and a “Blue Diamonds” mini plush baby blanket with toy / pacifier strap. Let me say at the outset that I loved them all – and how could I not?

The baby bib is made of a thick, durable polyester cotton blend that looks fantastic. The terry cloth backing increases the bib’s absorbency and can double as an extra face cloth in moments of panic (a.k.a. the kind of moment where you wish you had ten extra cloths and at least three extra arms to handle the mess your kid joyously just created). The bib fastens with a double snap (for adjustable neck sizing), so it presents a wee bit more of a challenge for those who like to pull their bibs off mid-feeding (not pointing any fingers here).  And it washes like a dream.

The burp cloth is made of the same material as the bib, making it a perfect must have item for going out. Or, if you prefer, use it at home when you have seen one too many rosebud or truck patterns in your day and need a fashion pick me up. The burp cloth stores easily, so it does not add too much bulk to your already large diaper bag.

Our favorite was the mini baby blanket. Again, made of the same polyester cotton blend chic design, but the backing is an absolute delight for baby. Made of a soft plush microfiber, Genevieve could not decide which she liked more: sucking on the blanket or squishing the softness between her toes. This mini blanket, measuring at 15 x 20 inches, has a great flap of material with snap closure so that you can either attach the blanket to your stroller or affix your soother. I love this feature. Love it. The website, www.themodernbabyco.com boasts a selection of coordinating wall art, pillows and mobiles.

The The Modern Baby Co. has a beautiful website and a wonderful array of fashionable baby gear. In addition to the above, they also carry baby and toddler bedding, mobiles, decorative pillows, apparel (these are absolutely adorable, by the way), larger plush baby blankets, change mats (that roll up with its own fastener!) and wall art. This is especially good for those of us who cannot coordinate to save their lives; The Modern Baby Co. is a one stop shop. All products are manufactured in the USA.

Buy it: To purchase, visit online at The Modern Baby Co.

Giveaway: The Modern Baby Co. would like to offer lucky My Wee View reader a gift pack that that includes a bib and 2 burp cloths ($38)

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Giveaway closes October  16th @ 11:59 pm PST. Open to US and Canada

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Shopping for a new baby can be overwhelming, especially when you have your new bundle with you in a brick and mortar store.  Thankfully, with the Internet busy parents can shop in their jammies!  I can tell you from experience, shopping in my jammies online with a small baby at home beats a day at the mall.  For a store that has it all, visit Tiny Toes – an online boutique in Listowel, Ontario.

Although you would think with a name like Tiny Toes, they would only carry shoes, but they carry way more products for babies and toddlers.  The website is well laid out, and easy to navigate.  Whether you want to shop by brand, category or price, you will be able to find the products you are looking for.  Most products on the site have all been tested out by owners Sarah, Chad and their kids.

All the products at Tiny Toes are brand name items that we all know and love, from Jack and Lily’s, Baby Banz, Melissa and Doug toys and Babylegs.  They also carry slings and wraps by Pippalily and Peanut Shell, which are very popular and sleep sacs by GroBag.  Many of these products are hopping all over the blogosphere right now.   You will find only the most popular items at Tiny Toes.

From nursing to organics to teething, Tiny Toes has a wide variety of products for your child all in one convenient place.  They have excellent prices, and have a sales and overstock section that have even better prices.

If you are in the Listowel area, you can save on shipping costs by picking up your order in person.  Most products at Tiny Toes are available on site and not dropped shipped – there are a few local retailers that Sarah picks up before shipping out.  Shipping is less than $13 within Canada, only $9.95 in Ontario, and purchases over $200 receive free shipping.  Remember American readers, all prices are in Canada dollars, so the prices are much cheaper for you.  Tiny Toes will also make shopping for gifts easy, they will gift wrap and ship the gift for you – it couldn’t be any easier.

Take a peek around Tiny Toes, and you will see all the great products they have to offer!  Happy Shopping.

Buy it: To purchase, visit Tiny Toes online

COUPON CODE: “Weeview” for 10% off (excludes sale items) expires October 15^th, 2009

Giveaway: Tiny Toes would like to offer a lucky My Wee View reader a $25 Gfit Certificate

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Giveaway closes September 25th at 11:59 pm PST. Open to US and Canada

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