SwaddleBuddy Review: Thanks to you, my kids are sleeping in the same room.

Go ahead, read the title again. That's right -- I have a 2.5 year old and a 3 month old sleeping in the same room thanks to Pea Wee Baby.

We've known for a while that Lia (3 months) had to move out of our closet and into a room with her big sister Kira (2.5 years). First of all, a closet in an earthquake-prone area is not the best place to put an infant. Secondly, although I was getting more sleep than when she was next to me in a bassinet, the fact is I still would wake at every snort/shuffle she makes, plus she was waking up at night with arms out of the swaddle. With me going back to work, something had to give.

So I started researching. From Kira, I knew that the key to a successful night's sleep was a successful swaddle. However, it was hard to get a good swaddle around Lia, who was much bigger (and stronger) than Kira was at this age. At my wit's end, at three in the morning, I started imagining a device that would keep Lia's arms down so she didn't bust out of the swaddle and wake herself up.

Thank goodness Tamara at Pea Wee baby saw my tweet about my little Houdini baby! Pea Wee Baby offered to give me a swaddlebuddy in exchange for an honest review. This is my fourth night of trying it out, and let me tell you:

SWADDLEBUDDY WORKS!

My daughter has YET to bust out of the Swaddlebuddy and has slept soundly from 9pm to 7am. In fact, she sleeps so well now, we are sleeping both daughters in the same room without major incident. Incredible.

Lia in her normal wiggly way...
In her Swaddle Buddy
And in a minute, she is calm...
..and ready to SLEEP!

What I love about the Swaddlebuddy:

Durability: it is a durable but simple design that pins down the arms using velcro in the back. We've used it for four days, and I don't see any wear and tear on the swaddlebuddy.

It adjusts as your baby grows: The velcro is durable, and the "catch" portion of the velcro is wide, allowing you to adjust your swaddle as your baby grows.

Use any swaddle you like: The Swaddlebuddy comes with a nice receiving blanket, but works just as well with a SwaddleMe or any other brand of swaddle contraption.

It allows you to loosen up that swaddle just a bit: When I was swaddling without the Swaddlebuddy, it was always a struggle to get the swaddle tight enough so that Lia's arms wouldn't escape without feeling like I was "squishing" her. Now I can lighten up a bit on the tightness knowing that the Swaddlebuddy will keep Lia's arms down without tension.

Nice colors: I reviewed a pink swaddlebuddy with nice brown detailing, which is very cute.

Honestly I don't see anything in the design that I don't like. If you are a parent of an infant and like sleep...this is absolutely a tool you need in your sleep toolkit!

If you would like more information, check out Pea Wee Baby's website and facebook page. Here is a video that shows you how it works (and yes, it is that easy to swaddle an infant in a swaddlebuddy):

Ergo Baby Giveaway

Hi Everyone --

Long time, no Post :) I have a reason though...just had a little baby girl Lia. She is now three months old and we're always out of town trying to find wonderful places to take her.

Here's the problem --she is BIG and HEAVY so all of the things we used with Kira will not work with her! Yikes!

Me and my arms are dying for an ergo baby carrier. I see a LOT of women using them up here in Alaska, and they look so comfortable!

If you would like to check it out (and enter a giveaway for one) here is a link to Modest Mom! Giveaway ends 9/30!

Safety 1st Car Seat Giveaway

This summer, my family's world turned upside down literally in a rollover car accident on a busy road. While I was out running a half marathon, my husband eased our chevy tracker containing our toddler and dog from a high point to a low point in a construction zone and the wheel fell off. This sent the car into a 2.5 time rollover into a median. The car was more than totalled but more to the point, our dog was thrown out of the car and my husband was torn up from head to toe from plastic and glass shards from the rollover and going through the window to get our daughter who was hanging upside down in her carseat. My daughter, who was in a safety 1st car seat, escaped with a very minor scratch on her neck.

Let me say that again, my daughter endured a major accident in her Safety 1st car seat and escaped with no major injuries.

So, I can tell you, Safety 1st's car seats are safe and the best thing you can buy for your child.

There is a giveaway right now at The Shopping Mama for their new car seat called Complete Air. It was specifically made to handle side impact crashes, which is something that many car seats do not do so well for.

If you need a car seat, please consider entering at the Shopping Mama or buying a Safety 1st car seat from your local retailer. The Giveaway ends 11/16.

Another Happy Green Bee Giveaway

OK I've said it before -- I have a thing for Happy Green Bee clothing. This is my favorite dress:


Playground For Parents is having a giveaway for a hoodie which is really cute too:


Go to Playground for Parents above to enter! Ends on 11/6.

Gami Works giveaway!

GamiWorks is a wonderful etsy shop of chiyogami inspired accessories. The beautiful paper inspires these designs.

Mom's Focus Online has a giveaway for a beautiful dogtag-style pendant like this one:


Giveaway closes on 10/31 so HURRY!!!!!

Hannah's Little Ladybug Tutu/Wings

Kira loves her ladybug wings and antennae from Little Diva Tutus! Here is a video of her minutes after opening the box:



Yes, I know, this is a ladybug costume and not a butterfly costume, but frankly K has come into contact with very few ladybugs in her life and is OBSESSED with butterflies.

We have had the outfit for a few weeks now, and I can tell you that it is standing up well to a 19 month old's whims. Kira now puts the outfit on herself, usually as soon as she gets back from daycare. While the antennae bend a bit, I have not seen any wear and tear, nor have any of the spots on the wings fallen off. Anytime Kira has, well, run into walls with the wings on, they have been easily bent into place. This is one tough outfit!

So, other than the toughness of the wings, I really like the fact that the wings and headband stay put, even on a 19 month old who is small for her age. The colors are spot on, and the entire assembly is well constructed. I also like the fact that a purchase of the ladybug tutu benefits St. Jude's.

Now, if only I can get her into the tutu -- the tutu fits, I am sure, but K seems wary of the purpose of the tutu. Maybe we need to watch more Angelina Ballerina cartoons. We will try to get her into it this weekend for Trick or Treat town. Wish us luck!

See Kai Run Giveaway at Lolidots.com

See Kai Run has fantastic shoes for little ones. We were lucky enough to find a set online last year, and K is finally getting to be able to wear her last-season's shoes. These shoes have very flexible soles, which is really great for little runners. The shoes we have are suede, and have stood up well in the mud/grime of pre-winter Anchorage with a little bit of weatherproofing protectant (a MUST for cold weather gear). The shoes we have are well lined even in the sole, which is also great for warmth.

Lolidots.com is giving away a set of these fantastic shoes! Please enter here by 10/26, don't miss your chance!