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Frugal Novice

Baby Gear You’ll be *Stokked* to Have in Your Home

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If you haven’t heard of Stokke before today, you’re going to be glad you read this post. We love the modern aesthetic of clean lines and smart design, and we definitely love products with varied functionality and room for growth built in. Stokke products are innovative, sustainable and child-centered, providing smart solutions for your baby’s needs and fitting easily into your home and life.

We received the Tripp Trapp high chair and baby set in Walnut to review, and I purchased one of their cushions to go with the seat. I. love. this. chair. LOVE it.

Can you blame me? It’s sleek and modern, not bulky like a lot of high chairs. The cushion is coated for easy clean up and can be removed and machine washed if needed.

One highlight of the chair is that it can be pushed right up to the table so that your baby is sitting with everyone else. This also means that when it’s not in use it is tucked away under the table. We have a small house, so that feature is really appealing to us.

Stokke has taken great measures to add to the safety of the Tripp Trapp, now providing extended gliders that attach to the bottom of the leg backs, preventing babies from pushing off of the table and tipping the chair backwards.

The chair grows with your children, and even adults can sit in it. You can see the various height levels available:

In the early stages, you’re able to pair the seat with the Baby Set, allowing babies as young as 6 months old to easily sit and enjoy their meals with the family. We loved how easy the Baby Set was to install. The cushion was a little trickier, but we discovered that Stokke has a YouTube channel with helpful videos, and once we watched the installation video it was a breeze. I really thought about getting a girly print for the cushion, but we loved this gender-neutral one so much that we couldn’t pass it up.

The Tripp Trapp retails for $249.99, which is more expensive than other high chairs on the market. The versatility of this chair makes it worth the price, in my opinion. For instance – we have the chair now, and our baby won’t be 6 months old until March of 2013. In the meantime, we’re going to remove the baby set and cushion, and our 3-year-old will use the chair as a way to reach the table better (right now he has to sit on his knees in a regular chair to be at table height). Years from now, when the children are older, we can continue to use the chair for teenagers and adults to sit in. If you consider that an average high chair cost is around $120, and then you only use it for 1, maybe 2 years, that’s a cost of $60/year. You can use the Tripp Trapp for decades, which provides a greater overall value.

Stokke also makes other baby gear that is sleekly-designed and uber-functional. I think their Xplory stroller is a work of art:

The Xplory is as functional as it is attractive, with three different options for use:

Their Sleepi convertible Nursery bed is yet another example of their products’ versatility, allowing parents to use it from when their children are newborns all the way up to 10 years old.

If you want to keep up with all the great Stokke products, be sure and follow them on Facebook and Twitter – they’re really active on social media!

Note: We received a Stokke Tripp Trapp and baby set to facilitate our review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.

Adorable, Affordable Clothing From The Children’s Place {Giveaway!}

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I’ve been a huge fan of The Children’s Place for a long time now. The boys have worn clothes from there since they were babies, and I’ve even done a couple of reviews with them in the past. Of course, I’ve always looked at the boys’ side of the store, so now it’s pretty fun going in and getting to look at both sides!

On my last trip to the store I went in with a mission: newborn clothing. I found several items in the layette area that were just too sweet to resist (including one non-clothing item that I think you’ll love).

Love the pastel pink, the footies on the pants, and the little jacket with contrasting cuffs! This will be perfect for cooler days and I especially love the option of being able to layer.

I love stripes, and the cuffs on these pants with a slight ruffle are a great detail. I was glad to be able to find some long-sleeved onesies even now during the summer – this will be perfect for the fall and winter.

How anyone could pass this sweet face up is beyond me. It’s super soft, too, and will be a perfect first lovie.

Beyond the layette area, there were a lot of other pieces in newborn sizes that I loved and had to bring home:

I picked out three sleepers. Those of you who know me will definitely know that the elephant prints were perfect for us, and I really liked the reds and pinks popping out against the navy of the seahorse sleeper.

I got this color blocked dress in a larger size to save for next spring. I love that it’s t-shirt material and is lightweight, and I think it’ll be a fun, casual dress for the baby to wear.

I’m seriously in love with this dress. The floral pattern is bold and has a sketchbook quality to it, and I think it’ll be great for next spring. And just in case it’s chilly at all when she’s wearing it, I got this next piece (my favorite):

Ahhhhh! Tiny denim jacket! Do you love it as much as I do? The boys had one, and I had to get one this time around too. I think it’s absolutely adorable, and I love it paired with this dress.

You know why else The Children’s Place is great? They agreed to let me have a giveaway! And not just one, but TWO (check back later this month for the second one)!

One lucky reader will win a $25 gift card to The Children’s Place!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Friday, July 6. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

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Note: I received a gift card to facilitate my review, and the gift card for the prize is also being provided by The Children’s Place. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Beyond Bedding: Take Your Nursery to the Next Level {Giveaway!}

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When you’re planning your nursery, picking the furniture is always fun, but it’s the bedding that really sets the tone for the whole room. The boys both used the same bedding set (which we loved) but this time around I wanted to do something different.

We decided to go with a neutral pattern and then have the option of bringing in color on the walls and with other accessories. I started looking at the Beyond Bedding site and honestly had a hard time picking just one! They have a ton of options, but they do make it easy by allowing you to search by gender, by color, or by theme.

Brian and I finally landed on this gray and white diamond pattern, which is modern and very “us”. Don’t you think it’d look great with a brightly colored fitted sheet, or in front of a boldly painted wall?

This set comes with 9 pieces:

  • Crib Blanket
  • 2 Window Valances
  • Crib Skirt
  • Fitted crib sheet
  • Bumper
  • Diaper stacker
  • Toy bag
  • Pillow

We don’t have our nursery set up yet, so my friend Amanda was nice and let me set up the bedding on her daughter’s crib for a couple of photos:

We don’t use a bumper in our crib until our babies are pretty mobile, but I do like that this bumper came in four separate pieces. It allows for you to have just certain sides on if you’d like, and it makes it easier for storage too! The little bolster pillow is adorable – again, not something you’d putin the crib but I love the idea of having that in a chair next to the crib to tie the prints together. You can see in the photo above that I paired the bedding with another sheet. LOVE that you can do some mixing and matching with this bedding!

My set sells on their site for $189.99. With all the pieces included, this is a really economical price for the set. I know with many sets you’d have to buy the valances and diaper stacker and pillow all separately, for instance!

Here are a couple of my other favorites:

Wouldn’t you like to have an adorable bedding set from Beyond Bedding? You might just win one! I’ve partnered up with Beyond Bedding and some other bloggers to offer a HUGE giveaway with over 10 bedding sets, so be sure and enter!

Note: I received a bedding set from Beyond-Bedding.com to facilitate my review, and they are providing the giveaway prizes. I was not compensated monetarily for this post, and all opinions are honest and my own.


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Fun On the Go: Baby Einstein Travel Mirror

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We all know rear-facing is best for babies in cars. It’s the safest option, and of course as parents that’s got to be our priority. Of course, we also know that it kinda stinks not being able to see your baby’s face, and that they’re just staring off into the back of the car.

I remember when C was a newborn; his little head would always slump forward when he was asleep in the car, and I was paranoid he couldn’t breathe well that way. We didn’t have a mirror, so I stuck my arm back to check on him all the time, which got old quickly (but there was no way I was going to stop checking, either).

The idea behind the Baby Einstein travel mirror is great in that it serves two purposes. It gives parents a way to see their babies’ reflection in the mirror, and it keeps the baby entertained and engaged.

I’ve read some that this mirror does take some adjusting to get it where the baby can see his reflection and you can see him. In my attempts for installation in our van, it installed easily on the head rest but I could see a need to use a towel or blanket to adjust the angle downward. Aside from vehicle use, the mirror can also be attached in a crib and is a great addition for that.

The mirror is well-constructed, and the mirror surface is not glass, so you don’t have to worry about safety in the instance of a car wreck. The bright colors and contrasting black & white border are sure to grab your baby’s attention and engage them.

The mirror teaches colors in English, French and Spanish. It has four modes to pick from, and having the versatility is really nice. You can have learning mode, music and lights, lights only, or music only. I could see having the lights only going in a crib, for instance, or at night in the car. The music that is played is all classical pieces, introducing your little one early on to some of the greats.

Another feature about this mirror I love is that you can set the play length on the mirror for either 10, 20, 30, or 60 minutes. You’re not stuck listening to it endlessly, and you don’t have to worry about it turning off suddenly before you’re really ready for it too.

Overall I think this is a great item for entertaining your infant. It retails for $29.99, which is a little pricier than other mirrors out there on the market. If you think of its possibilities as a toy for both your car and the crib, and all of the settings you can pick between, the value for the price makes more sense. However, the mirror may be more challenging to install in some vehicles, limiting its use to the crib. Either way, it’s an educational and fun item your baby will really have fun with!

Note: I received a mirror to facilitate this review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

A Must-Have: Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper {Giveaway!}

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Both of our boys loved their rocker seats, but it’s been a couple of years since C was a baby {sniff sniff! Where has the time gone?} and we didn’t hang on to our baby gear {small house = no space for storage}. So of course I was thrilled to get the Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper for review. The “rocker” part alone had me sold, because I knew from experience we’d love that.

This seat is so much better than either of the rockers we had with the boys – its versatility is what really sets it apart.

This rocker easily converts from being a seat where your baby can play and interact with you, to a comfy napper with sides up like a miniature bassinet. The raised borders make a more cozy space for the baby, and in our house will also serve as a shield from any stray toys that big brothers accidentally send flying her direction! By simply squeezing the handle on the back of the seat…

You can easily switch the seat between three different reclining positions:

As you can see in the photos, the seat also comes with a (removable) mobile. A lot of seats have a toy bar that goes completely over the seat, connecting on both sides. This can be really annoying when trying to get the baby in and out of the seat, so I love that this mobile is connected on just one side.

It’s got two cute plush figurines hanging from it, it plays music, has lights, AND you can flip it vertically (as seen above) for easy play when your baby is in the most inclined position of the seat. It’s nice that the versatility of the seat continues through with the mobile, giving you the choice to have just music, just lights, both, or none. And as I mentioned, it’s easy to remove the mobile for when you want to rock the seat or try and get your baby to sleep.

This seat also vibrates – there’s a switch on the side that allows you to turn the vibration on and off, and an arm (the red part seen below in the photo) that runs underneath the middle of the seat allowing the vibration to be easily felt and spread evenly throughout.

Brian wanted me to be sure and mention how easy it was to put this seat together. It did come disassembled with several pieces, and it came with a traditional instruction manual. What he loved was that there was a QR code he could scan that took him to a YouTube video with step-by-step instructions – and he quickly set it up for that to stream to our TV, making it incredibly simple for him to assemble:

Are you in love with this seat yet? Good, because you now have a chance to…

One lucky reader will win a Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Thursday, July 5. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.
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Baby Bags You’ll Love to Carry

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Picking a diaper bag is always a big deal to me, because I know it will virtually replace my purse for a long time. There are a lot of bags out there on the market that are cute, but look more like they’re designed for the babies’ tastes than the moms’.

Especially with having a girl this time around I knew I really wanted to have fun with my diaper bag selection. I felt like I could go a little more girly with the print, and I wanted something I knew I’d love carrying for a long time. Of course, it has to be practical too, so I was on the hunt for that perfect bag that combined great design with great function (a.k.a. pockets, pockets, and more pockets).

Vera Bradley has been around for 30 years, providing bags, luggage and other accessories with a feminine touch. They’ve become internationally recognized and are a favorite with many women. It only makes sense, then, that Vera Bradley would also offer baby bags – after all, new moms want to be stylish too!

 

 

Their Baby Bag has a total of 11 pockets inside and out, including a full zippered back, and holds everything from bottles to extra clothes. We’ve added a special clip for disappearing pacifiers and lined the interior for easy cleaning. Also includes a 26″ x 14″ terry-covered changing pad with coordinating trim.

As with all Vera Bradley bags, there are a TON of prints available to choose from, including their newest Summer 2012 colors:

For my review, I chose one that stood out to me immediately as a favorite – Lime’s Up.

If you ask anyone who knows me, I’m a huge fan of teal and lime green. Add to that a bold black and white pattern, and I’m sold! I really liked the touches of yellow, too – this bag feels cheery and feminine without being too girly.

But like I mentioned, a diaper bag has to have function, too. This bag delivers! Let’s take a look at some of the details:

The front side of the bag has a flap with magnetic closures, and when you open it, three pockets are revealed (along with contrasting fabric in the same color scheme – LOVE).

On the back of the bag there’s a zipper pocket that would be perfect for keeping a wipes case in, or I might use this as my “purse” area for my wallet, phone, etc.

On either end of the bag are pockets perfect for holding bottles:

The inside has a ton of pockets too, and is lined for easy wipe-down (an essential feature, for sure).

Another thing I love about this bag is that it’s machine washable. Just remove the solid bottom panel and voila – you can freshen your bag completely!

Oh, and what diaper bag would be complete without a coordinating changing pad?

This is an all-around great bag. It retails for $99.00, which is comparable to other Vera Bradley bags and, for that matter, to other diaper bags on the market (that aren’t nearly as cute). Be sure and visit their site to check out all their bags for yourself, and you can keep up with all the latest on their Facebook page, too!

Note: I received the diaper bag to facilitate my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Give Your Little One Global Style with Tea Collection

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I love gorgeous clothes. Who doesn’t? Sometimes, though, it’s easy to think that “gorgeous” is an adjective for adults’ clothing and you’ve got to stick with “cute” for kids. That’s not the case, as I discovered with Tea Collection.

Each season the minds behind Tea Collection travel to an international destination and, inspired by the beauty we discover in their travels, design a collection of classic and unique styles. They interpret their discoveries into beautifully classic and unique styles and designs for children, ages 0-12.

The boys are set for clothes right now, although I did take a little while to browse through the boys’ line to check out some of the great designs… I am SO getting the kids’ outfits for holiday photos at Tea Collection this year! Take a look at some of my favorites for boys’ clothing right now:

 

Of course, right now I have little girls’ clothing on my mind, so I had a blast picking out outfits I love. This was my first shopping experience with Tea Collection and let me tell you, I’m hooked on their beautiful designs, quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. Take a look at what I picked out, and you can oooh and ahhh over these pieces along with me!

Painted Vines Knot Dress I love the pattern and the contrasting bow!

Dyed Dots Romper – This romper’s shape is adorable, the print is bright and cheery without being juvenile, and I love the pintucked detail at the neckline and button at the back.

Akita Shirred Neck Dress – Can be worn with bloomers or paired with pants. Since Texas weather is unpredictable, I opted to get the pants too to have options!

Slim Cuffed Pant – Great to go with the adorable dress, but I can see pairing these with onesies and a lot of other tops as well.

Jasmine Ikat Romper – I was drawn to the pink embroidery that pops out at the shoulders of this great navy romper, and I love that it’s short sleeved so it can be worn in warmer weather or paired with a sweater or jacket when it gets cooler.

I’d highly encourage you to go visit the Tea Collection site – just be prepared to do some shopping, because you won’t be able to resist these designs! This is a higher-end company but they have sales often (like right now, hint hint!). And keep up with Tea Collection on Facebook, too!

Note: I received a gift card to purchase items for my review. All opinions in this post are honest and are entirely my own.

Let Your Baby Sleep Safely with Halo SleepSacks & Swaddles {Giveaway!}

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Back in 2007, as a first-time parent of a newborn, I went through a phase I think most parents do – checking all.the.time. to make sure my baby was breathing and doing just fine. Both of the boys slept in their pack n’ play in our room until they were at least 6 months old, and our daughter will most likely do the same. We also took a lot of precautions to help prevent SIDS, and one of those precautions was having no loose blankets in bed with them. Of course, J was born in August so when he was just a few months old it started getting colder so we had to come up with some way to keep him warm at night…

Then we discovered HALO Sleep Sacks, and we had our solution. They were a safe way to keep J safe and warm. Now we’ve been introduced to yet another great product from HALO, their SleepSack Swaddles.

In addition to helping your baby sleep safer, the SleepSack Swaddle helps him sleep better, too. Its adjustable swaddle wrap immobilizes your baby’s arms to prevent the startle reflex. It is the only 2-in-1 adjustable swaddle that allows for swaddling arms in or arms out for baby’s comfort and to ensure an easy and gentle transition to the SleepSack wearable blanket when it is time to stop swaddling.

In addition to the safety features and giving your baby better sleep, The International Hip Dysplasia Institute has approved the HALO SleepSack & SleepSack Swaddle as “Hip Healthy”. Hip dysplasia is the medical term for instability, or looseness, of the hip joint that affects thousands of children each year. This ranges from mild instability to complete dislocation. Approximately one out of every 20 full-term babies has some hip instability and two or three per thousand will require treatment.

Some other features of the SleepSack Swaddle that I love are:

– The zipper goes from bottom to top, so when it’s closed it’s at the baby’s feet and not accessible (or annoying right at their neck).

– Velcro on the swaddle:

This ensures that it stays snug, and makes it harder for your little Houdini to wriggle out. It’s also really easy to swaddle your baby’s arms out when they get to the stage of preferring that, or when it starts to get warmer, so this can serve as more of just a SleepSack as well.

The SleepSack Swaddle retails for $28.95 and I think it’s worth the cost. It’s also worth mentioning that you can find some even lower prices on various online retailers – just make sure to look for the HALO logo on the tag and their “Back is Best” trademark reminder on the outside.

Be sure and keep up with HALO on social media and get all sorts of tips on helping your baby sleep safely:

· “Like” HALO on Facebook
· Follow HALO on Pinterest
· Follow HALO on Twitter

One lucky reader will win a HALO SleepSack Swaddle!  This contest is open to all U.S. & Canadians residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Monday, July 2. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

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aden + anais = Baby Linens You’ll Love

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Swaddling was a necessity for us with each of the boys – it calmed them, it helped them sleep better, and it helped us sleep better. With both of them, though, we never did find a swaddling blanket we loved. They were all too small, making it hard to create a swaddle that the boys couldn’t wriggle out of.

If only I had known about aden + anais then! I’ve since discovered their muslin swaddles, and oh do I love these! I first saw them when my friend Amanda used one on her daughter, and it was love at first sight. aden + anais provides soft swaddles and fashion-forward prints that provide style and function. I know being in Texas I’m especially excited to have blankets made of lightweight material – even in September, when I’m due, it can still be insanely warm. The breathable fabric allows a baby’s body temperature to regulate itself naturally, helping to reduce the risk of overheating (and keeping baby safer).

Aside from the quality of the material used, the prints themselves are seriously darling (and that’s a word I very rarely use, so I really mean it. These are darling).

I received the “For the Birds” set, which has four different patterns – owl in a tree, birds, paint stripe and medallion in the colors pale pink, peony pink, silver grey and slate grey. The fabric is soft and airy, and I can’t wait to use these in September!

Remember how at the beginning of this post I mentioned all the blankets we had for the boys were just so small? Well, that’s definitely not a problem with aden + anais swaddles:

Huge, right? The swaddles measure at 47″x47″. I love this aspect. And because the fabric is so lightweight, you don’t have to worry about the swaddle being too bulky with all of that fabric. It has a good amount of stretch to it, too, which is key in getting a good, tight swaddle. The 4-pack of swaddles sells for  $49.95, but you can also buy 2-packs or single swaddles.

In addition to the swaddles, aden + anais has a ton of other linens – here are two things I am totally adding to my wish list:

Burpy Bibs – these look GREAT for burp cloths.

Sleep Bags – We had a ton of these for the boys, but having them in breathable muslin seems like it would be perfect!

They also happen to make adorable crib sheets, but I’ll wait to tell you more about those in an upcoming post. :)

Note: I received a pack of swaddles to facilitate my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Long-Term Fun for Baby With the Sesame Street 2-in-1 Walker

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I’d guess that most parents around my age probably have fond memories of Sesame Street from when they were younger (I know I do!) so it’s especially fun to see our kids then become familiar with our favorite characters too. And what small child doesn’t know and love Elmo?

It’s easy to introduce your baby to the beloved Sesame Street friends with the Elmo Tiny Steps Walker and Walk Behind, a sit-to-stand walker that grows with your baby. The walker is brightly colored and features fun toys, buttons, lights and songs that will really engage infants – and the best part is that you can use it with or without the seat, making it something your baby will be able to use for a long time.

There are swivel wheels in the front, making navigation easier, and the seat is a soft, brightly patterned fabric featuring Elmo & Cookie monster along with fun polka dots.

This is a great piece of baby gear. It’s lightweight and can be folded compactly for storage or travel. It’s colorful and engaging, and it’s reasonably priced (available at Walmart for $39.67 – and if it’s not available in your local store, be sure and check online about Site-to-Store shipping). On carpet it takes a bit more effort for the wheels to roll while it’s in the walker format, but as a parent that’s something I like because I don’t want my baby to have too much mobility!

I’d recommend this as a fun, affordable, and versatile item for your baby.

Note: I received this walker to facilitate my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

My Blog Had a Special Visitor!

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If you’re a blogger, it’s likely that by now you’ve heard of the Fairy Hobmother, who goes around sprinkling a little happiness on blogs when you least expect it. I’ve seen lots of bloggy friends who’ve had visits, and I kept hoping I’d get a visit soon. Well, with all the fun of my Pregnancy & Baby Extravaganza I guess it was too much to resist stopping by, because I was visited this weekend.

If you haven’t been visited by the Fairy Hobmother yet, be sure and leave a comment on this post (and include your URL so you’re easy to find)! This magical little guest comes all the way from the UK at Appliances Online, where they sell things like fridges and freezers but also find time to drop by a little gift to lucky bloggers in the way of an Amazon gift card. I am planning on using ours mostly toward baby stuff (surprise, surprise) but I may get a Kindle book for myself too. :)

Don’t forget, comment on this post and YOU just might get a visit too!

Note: Like I mentioned, I received an Amazon gift card, which does make this a compensated post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Expect Fun From Lamaze Toys Featured in Movie! {Giveaway}

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If you’re pregnant or have ever been pregnant, you’ve probably heard of the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” book, which provides a guide for you throughout the 40 weeks of pregnancy. I think it was probably the first book I bought when pregnant with J! Well, the book was made into a recently released movie that features a ton of celebrities and chronicles different people’s journeys through pregnancy & adoption.

In the movie there’s a group of dads that meets at the park every week with the kids, commiserating and getting some guy time. Their kids’ strollers have some pretty cute companions – toys from Lamaze! Let’s take a look at the three guest stars:

Stretch the Giraffe (ARV $16.99) is a friendly guy who can be easily clipped on to a stroller or infant car seat. He features a brightly colored soft body and head, teether rings around his neck, and stretchy legs that rattle, crinkle, jingle, chime, and squeak. His legs also have ribbons and knots, adding to the knobbly-kneed look we love and providing lots of visual interest.

Octivity the Octopus (ARV $24.99) is a visitor from the ocean and is made up of fun textures that babies will love.  Some of the tentacles include a crinkly noise, some are soft, and one even includes a starfish that can spin around. This colorful guy is sure to make a splash!

Hula Girl (ARV $16.99) is a native Hawaiian. She loves to dance, whether it’s from the motion of a stroller or from her infant friends helping her move. She features fun textures like the taggie-type skirt, and her bright, bold colors and patterns encourage babies to focus.
You can’t tell it from the box, but her base includes a velcro strap, making it easy to strap to the stroller bar:

One lucky reader will win each of the superstar toys mentioned above!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Friday, June 30. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway