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Essential Baby Gear {A Giveaway}

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on November 30, 2011

Baby Gear

Those two words conjure up a wide range of feelings for me. Memories of everything from anxiety to excitement fill my memory. And these days, just a twinge of sadness is felt.

Of course, over the last eleven years I’ve seen more than my fair share of highchairs, carseats, strollers and bouncy seats. But, that sadness does show itself when I think about my days as a mom of teeny tiny babies being over.

I now have seven very mobile children and no infants.

Sigh.

At any rate, when I think back to when I had lots of babies to snuggle, and remember all of the baby gear we needed, I’m happy to be entering a new phase of parenthood. In those baby years, however fun, we had a house full of Pack ‘n Plays, bouncy seats, activity centers, swings and even Johnny-Jump-Ups hanging from the doorways. Yes, long before the Jumperoo.

All of these items I found to be essential at different points during my babies’ first year. If not for their enjoyment and development, for my own sanity.

There were some things that I wanted but didn’t have, simply because there was no more space in our house! Thanks to the advice of other parents, things like a changing table didn’t enter our home until this last year – we changed the first six on the bed, couch or even the floor. We didn’t even have room for a crib for a couple of babies, but cleared out a safe place in our master closet and set up a Pack ‘n Play for a cozy nursery.

Over the years our list of essentials changed, too, of course. Table chairs replaced highchairs, after a few babies, and potty seats replaced potty chairs. However, one thing has stayed the same through the years – the need for safe and comfy baby carriers, car seats and strollers!

What are your essential gear products? Leave me your answer in the comments and you will entered to win a $25 gift card to Fisher-Price.com. Winner will be chosen at 9pm (PT) on Friday, December 4th.

This post is sponsored by BabyCenter in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network. All prizes and compensation are provided by BabyCenter.

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Lunchtime!

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on April 29, 2011

I captured on film Timmy’s first taste of table food. It was a delightful two minutes of video wherein he cooed and giggled as he tasted oatmeal and bananas. Unfortunately, however, that video (along with over 400 photos) will never be seen again due to the fact that they were eaten by my laptop. {sniff}

Anyway, I decided to snap a couple of photos at lunchtime today. Timmy tried a new fruit today – apples – and boy, did he love them! His little face is just too darn cute, even when it’s covered with fruit, don’t ya think?

I would someday like to make all of Timmy’s food, and I’ll be sure to let you know when I do, but for now Timmy eats mostly Sprout baby food – an organic line that is now sold at Walmart Supercenters. (Yes, I’m telling you about it because Walmart initially sent it to me, but it is now the only baby food Timmy eats.)

Sprout was co-founded by 15-year Food Network veteran Tyler Florence, a trusted chef, restaurateur, author and father. Tyler believes the best way to encourage healthy eating habits is to feed babies flavorful, nutritious and organic ingredients starting with their first foods. Sprout uses Tyler’s home-cooking methods, like baking and roasting and adding herbs and spices, to bring out delicious flavor in complimentary foods that babies love.

Sprout features a full line of organic baby food in three stages — Timmy is still noshing on the Starter stage, but there is also an Intermediate and Advanced. All of the food for every stage is cooked right in the pouch in which they are sold. And, the pouches are BPA-free and re-sealable. How cool is that?

Find more information at www.sproutbabyfood.com. Sprout is also on Facebook and Twitter.

I received samples and have been compensated by Walmart, as a Walmart Mom, for my time and efforts to create this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Getting Ready for Baby

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on October 2, 2010

Our house has seen a bustle of activity the last few days, with Baby’s pending arrival… Baby clothes are being sorted, washed and folded; arrangements are being made for my older kiddos; and I’m gathering some of those must-have products that will make those first several months with Baby that much easier.

Can I tell you about some of them?

lillebaby Stockholm diaper bag I have my líllébaby Stockholm Diaper Bag packed full of goodies to take with me to the hospital. Of course I have a few things in there for Baby, but mostly it’s full of what I will need after Baby is born.

Some of the following fabulous Simplisse Breastfeeding Products are tucked in my bag:

Developed and produced by a team of lactation consultants and moms, to naturally support the positive bond between moms, babies and breastfeeding, Simplisse products will be just what I need for keeping as comfy as possible between feedings.

We’ve been well taken care of by Macy’s for our newest little addition. Not only did they send me a set of First Impressions Baby Clothing, but we also received a couple of sets when we attended BOBNOLA this last summer. These 4 piece gift sets are absolutely adorable, but I just can’t resist the shorts sets and overalls!

I plan on wearing Baby. A lot. I have my Moby Wrap, and a Rockin’ Baby Pouch, but I’m excited to try the líllébaby EveryWear Baby Carrier. It has an adjustable seat for correct ergonomic carrying at every age, so I can begin using it to carry Baby right away.

I began using the Baby Briefcase the day I received it. It contains all of my kiddos’ birth certificates, shot records and even their baptism certificates. It’s the perfect size for keeping all of those special – and important – documents safe, no matter how many kiddos you need to keep track of!

mOmma bottle Now, you already know that I plan to breastfeed, but I also plan to introduce Baby to the bottle, so as to provide myself a bit of freedom and also allow my older kiddos to participate in feeding Baby on occasion. The mOmma line of feeding products for infants and toddlers will make feeding Baby fun. How? Well, mOmma’s ergonomic design features a distinctive “roly-poly” shape that allows bottles (and even cups, forks and spoons) to rock back-and-forth, keeping the kids entertained (and eliminating spills all at the same time). The stylish collection comes in a choice of brilliant orange or vibrant green and is PBA and phthalate-free. Can’t wait to begin using this line!

Benefited review

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Sweet Dreams for Your Little One

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on March 4, 2009

serta They say that the secret to a good night’s sleep is a good mattress and pillow. “A worn mattress is like an old running shoe,” says Bert Jacobson, a professor of health and human performance at Oklahoma State University. “It loses its support and its comfort.”

Is this true for babies? Just as your own sleep is affected by the type of mattress you have, so does your baby’s crib mattress affect his sleep. Finding the right baby mattress is very important to help ensure a good night’s sleep for your little one.

The Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress provides just the right amount of support and comfort, AND it’s eco-friendly!

Made with organic cotton fill, the Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress cradles baby in a healthy, natural environment. Designed with comfort and durability in mind, the mattress features continuous heavy coils, flex mesh support and six-gauge border wire. A heavily laminated cover made without Phthalates protects from dust mites and bacteria, and there are eight air vents keep the mattress fresh while providing a safe sleeping surface. The crib mattress, which also fits a toddler bed and retails for $199.99

My littlest guy has been enjoying a Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress, now maybe your little one can, too! That’s right, you can enter to win a brand new crib mattress!

Here’s what you need to do:
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Leave me a comment on this post, by 9pm on March 18th, telling me about your bedtime rituals.

You may enter a second time by leaving another comment, telling me about your favorite childhood bedtime memory.

For additional entries feel free to grab my button and place it on your sidebar, send a tweet, or leave the link to this giveaway on your Facebook page. Be sure to leave me a separate comment with a link to your blog, tweet or Facebook page.

You may also subscribe to my blog feed for yet another entry, and leave me a comment saying you did so. You must remain a subscriber during the entire duration of this giveaway.

One lucky commenter will be chosen at random, and will be notified via email, so make sure you leave a valid email address in your comments.

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