Baby Gear

Strolling in style with the Britax B-Ready! ~ Giveaway

Published May 9, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

Are you ready for a little stroller love? Because the past month has been smooth rolling for me with my new BRITAX B-Ready stroller.

Among the fun things I get to do as a blogger is meet and greet the companies behind the products – which I did about a month or so ago at a media brunch sponsored by BRITAX . They showcased all their new colors and features (and fed us yummy food).

I’m relatively new to the BRITAX brand, but I was impressed by the sturdy construction and the attention to both safety details and comfort/usage details.

BRITAX gave me a B-Ready stroller and the BRITAX Chaperone infant carrier car seat to review. And I likey, likey!

First – the car seat… now we don’t have little Baby 2.0 yet to fully test it out but there are some features I already love! For one, the rebound bar attached to the base – a rebound bar is an important safety feature – in the event of a crash, it will keep the carrier from rebounding into the back of the car seat:

Also, the generous canopy to protect baby from sun, wind, rain… I told my son his baby brother would ride in there, and he was trying to figure out where, exactly, is this “baby brother”!

And… it’s compatible with all the BRITAX strollers using the integrated CLICK & GO adapter system, plus with other stroller brands using the BRITAX adapter strap (which is included! So thoughtful!).

Which leads me to… the amazing BRITAX B-Ready stroller system. Where do I start? First – the frame – simple, sleek and wait till you see what it can do:

For your first baby, see, you can pop on the BRITAX infant carrier right on the front. Click!

(Did you have twins? The B-Ready can handle TWO infant carriers top and bottom!).

When your first baby grows out of the carrier, pop the carrier off, pop the stroller seat back on. Voila – regular baby stroller. The seat on the 2012 model has 4 recline angles!

Oh, you’re ready to have another baby? (Me too!). Guess what? Add a backseat! (Sold Separately). YES! And then pop that baby carrier back on the front, and you have toddler and baby rolling along in style!

My son LOVES sitting in his backseat ride:

Guess what else – babies grow up… soon we’ll have TWO toddlers and that regular stroller seat can go back on the front and the BRITAX B-Ready is once again ready for a two-toddler stroll.

Oh my goodness – does it get better? YES! When you have a toddler riding up front and preschooler who doesn’t want to sit in a stroller seat behind… Get the new Stroller Board for the back and your youngster can hop on and off for a ride to rest their still-young legs. How cool is that?

Other awesome features:

Simple Fold with Automatic Chassis Lock
One-step linked brake locks both rear wheels with one step
All-Wheel Suspension for a smooth ride
Removable storage bag with insulated drink holders
Included accessories: adult cup-holder, rain cover, CLICK & GO BRITAX infant car seat adapters

So… it’s fair to say I’m BRITAX’s new “biggest fan” – we’ve taken this stroller out on many-a walk now, and I am delighted with the one-handed steering capabilities – I can steer WHILE holding and drinking my cup of coffee – that is how smooth and responsive this stroller rides!

If you’re gearing up for baby, check out the BRITAX line of strollers and car seats.

And you simply MUST check out the BRITAX Registry Rewards program - it’s a no-brainer to earn a FREE $319.99 BRITAX Boulevard Car Seat… all you do is create a registry (like you haven’t already!), then receive as a gift or purchase yourself 1 eligible product from each of 5 categories (Stroller, Car Seat, Baby Carrier, Large Accessory, and Small Accessory) on the New Parent Checklist. There’s a submission process to claim your free car seat – read about it by clicking the link above! It’s a great way to earn a free car seat!

Now for the big news! Who wants to WIN IT? Yes, BRITAX has partnered with me to give away a BRITAX B-Ready stroller system to one of my readers!! ARV $499.99. Enter in the Rafflecopter form below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY RULES: Open US/CAN. 18+ to enter/win. Winner will be emailed directly and have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize! Ends 11:59 on June 4, 2012. Fulfillment handled by Britax. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook.

Thanks to BRITAX for sending the stroller and car seat for review and offering this GREAT giveaway! All opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Posted in baby gear, Current Giveaways, fitness, Giveaways, review, travel | 157 Comments

Good Nights with HALO Sleep Set ~ Giveaway

Published May 3, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

Baby’s coming! And with him… sleepless nights. For me, at least. He will be sleeping soundly (I hope!).

With my first son, I couldn’t even find a crib set that didn’t come with huge, puffy bumpers. Sure, it’s adorable when everything matches and you have all that softness around the bed. But it’s actually unsafe for the baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends not using a crib bumper.

Now, HALO Innovations introduces the Safe Sleep Crib Set^TM designed to create an attractive and safe sleep environment for babies. “Too often parents ‘overdress’ the crib with quilt and bumpers, both of which can pose a breathing threat for baby,” said Bill Schmid, founder of Halo Innovations.

Their new Crib Set is the perfect answer for moms searching for nursery decor with no bumper.

The five-piece HALOSafe Sleep Crib Set includes a HALO SleepSack wearable blanket, SleepSack Swaddle, two coordinating crib sheets in cotton jersey, and a matching crib skirt. The snug fitting crib sheets add to the safety of the crib set (never have loose bedding with infants in the crib).

Now, I think it’s much better to have TWO sleeping outfits included in a crib set than to have a puffy (unsafe) crib bumper! The patterns are cute – My Dog Sam (pictured above – what my new little one will be sleeping in!), Friendly Caterpillar and more! They come in several color choices to complement most nursery decor.

For more sleep safety tips and product info, “Like” HALO on Facebook, Follow HALO on Pinterest, and Follow HALO on Twitter.

BUY IT: The new HALO Safe Sleep Crib Sets are available on amazon.com and babiesrus.com.

WIN IT: One reader gets their choice of HALO Sleep Crib Set in blue, green, or pink! ARV $115. Enter in the Rafflecopter form below!
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Posted in baby gear, first year, gifts, Giveaways, review, safety | 1 Comment

At my book signing

Published May 3, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

The plan was to make all my own baby food….never run to the store for jars of purée. I did pretty well for awhile…

then the mess associated with making homemade food in bulk…
thawing frozen chunks, hoping it was peaches in the morning and not butternut squash because in my haste to freeze I’d forgotten to label the food…
not having time to thaw the food before we needed to be at an appointment, church, etc…
my son’s refusal to eat the thawed food…

Well, I started keeping jarred baby food on hand… then that became too convenient… before I knew it I was making less than half of my son’s food myself!

Until I got the Baby Brezza food maker… You all know how much I love this gadget….and how excited I was to have two of my recipes featured in the Baby Brezza cookbook… I insist this bit of baby gear got me back on track making my own baby food regularly!

About a week ago, fellow blogger Brett from This Mama Loves Her Bargains (also featured in the cookbook) and I hosted a cookbook signing at our local MOPS group! We were thrilled to give away about forty signed (yes, me! Autographs!!) copies of the Baby Brezza Cookbook to other mamas!

I think the general consensus among the moms was in line with my experiences….wishing to make their own foods, but not knowing where to start, or running out of ideas. Everyone was excited to get their books and check out the recipes, and I hope they find the ideas and tips helpful as they go through the early years of motherhood!

Also the photographer who took my photos for the book stopped by to pick up a copy! Marissa was such great fun to work with, and I was excited to share the completed book with her!

As a writer, being published in a book is a big deal, although I never foresaw it would be a baby food book! I can’t wait to see what other adventures await as a writer and blogger!

Get your own copy of the Baby Brezza cookbook online at their website! (note: this is a great cookbook for new moms even if they don’t yet have a Baby Brezza food maker…..but I think everyone should have one!!).

Posted in about me, baby gear, book | 2 Comments

Safe Sunshine with UVSkinz ~ Giveaway

Published May 2, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

Today I’m thrilled to give you a review and giveaway from my May Sponsor, UVSkinz, and a peek into company founder, Rhonda Sparks’ mission for UVSkinz!

A Year With Mom and Dad: What inspires you?
Rhonda Sparks: It is extremely inspiring to see the ‘light bulbs’ going on for parents that understand the importance of sun protection, and who absolutely love the peace-of-mind and efficiencies our products bring. I love knowing we are helping families protect their loved ones from the potential dangers of the sun!

AYWMD: What’s your favorite part about what you do? The most challenging?
RS: Favorite part is working with my team to make WOW experiences for our customers. Our mantra in the office is to ‘exceed the customer’s expectations’ … give them something they weren’t expecting! The most challenging aspect of what I do is managing cash flow and budgeting.

AYWMD: How do you incorporate your children/family into your business?
RS: I run all of our designs by our kids to get their opinions and I also listen to ideas they have. I also use our younger kids as fit models and catalog and website models. The joke in the office is that I had more kids because I needed more models for the company – ha!

AYWMD: Do you have a favorite quote or idea that motivates you?
RS: “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” – Lewis Carroll

AYWMD: What do you most want people to know about you and your mission with UVSkinz?
RS: That we are more than just a fashion company, trying to make money. We have a mission to ‘get all kids covered!’ across the world and our goal is to touch each of our customers (and potential customers) with our passion and commitment to education about the importance of sun protection. We don’t measure the dollars that we earn, but the potential lives we save with each unit sold.

Thanks, Rhonda!

UVSkinz is truly about more than making money – Rhonda is personally motivated by life experiences (she lost her husband to melanoma at 32 years old) to educate consumers about the need for adequate sun protection.

95% of skin cancer is preventable! And, when children get a sunburn, they double their risk of skin cancer as an adult. So, let’s prevent and protect!

The baby / kids’ lines from UVSkinz have fun prints and styles so kids will want to “Live in their Skinz.” My favorites are the UVSkinz Combos - short, shirt, and hat sets that coordinate! Check out my little dude in his Surf Set!

With UVSkinz UV protective clothing, my son doesn’t need as much sunscreen on, cutting down on chemical exposure. Plus, it doesn’t wash off like sunscreen does! And, UVSkinz are perfect for the pool because they are chlorine-resistant!

UVSkinz are designed with a comfy fit, not a skin tight fit, which makes them easy on/off clothing for kids – they feel silky and smooth and slide right over kids’ heads! Check out more great features of UVSkinz:

Last year, after reviewing the baby sunwear from UVSkinz, I got hubby and myself each a UVSkinz shirt and am happy to say none of us got sunburnt at all last year!

BUY IT: Check out the baby, kids, and adult lines from UVSkinz – get your whole family protected from the sun this summer!

DISCOUNT:
Just for my readers!! 25% off UVSkinz orders through June 30, 2012! CODE: UVAYMD25

FREE SHIRT: May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, UVSkinz pitches in with their Save a Baby’s Skin campaign. EVERY purchase in May receives a FREE Baby Skinz shirt! Also UVSkinz is donating thousands of UVSkinz swim shirts to maternity wards and pediatrians across the country! I told you they were more than a business! It’s truly a giving operation!

WIN IT: Discounts and free shirts aren’t enough? One lucky reader wins a UVSkinz shirt of choice (baby, kids’ or adult!). ARV $25-39! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below!

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