Toddler — Page 3

Pretty Toddler Party Dresses – Massive Clearance Event!!

Pretty Party Dresses and Discount Deals!

Totsy has a massive clearance on all infant and toddler party dresses – The dress above, the “Floral Print Cap Sleeve Dress”, is normally $120, and today is only $20 bucks!! Wow, right? This would be a great spring party dress for any little princess – I love it!

This pretty little “Toddler Embroidered Organza Dress” is regularly priced at $49.99, but you can get it for only $13 bucks until it sells out!! This would be so pretty in the spring, or even next fall – I love the pale yellow print.

One baby, one tree

With every purchase you make through Totsy, we will plant one tree in the name of your child to help reduce the effects of deforestation. Who says shopping can’t save the world?

Check out the amazing sales on party dresses – Plus the other great events going on too: Kids footwear and toys, plus shoes, lingerie, and apparel for you!

Shop Totsy Today!!

Frugal DIY Fun: Toddler Exploring Set

“Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music.” – William Stafford

I’m a crafty girl – I love glitter and rhinestones, Mod Podge and Tacky Glue, pretty papers and ribbons…. and I have so much fun sharing my love of all things creative with the kiddo’s in my life. And, crafting with kids has helped me see new things – kids are so fascinated with new textures, shapes, sounds, and colors. That led to the creation of our Toddler Exploring Set – a super easy DIY idea, made from totally inexpensive materials. Even if you’re not usually much of a DIY’er, you can do this. So… Let’s get started! {You might remember me mentioning these Exploring Sets earlier this year in 65 Fun Fall Ideas for Kids – we love making new sets!}

“Having a two-year-old is like having a blender that you don’t have the top for.” – Jerry Seinfeld

You probably already have most of the supplies you’ll need – But one thing that you will need to get in advance is a set of empty water bottles. We used the mini ones – they’re easiest for tiny toddler hands. You’ll also need a good glue {I used Quick Dry Tacky Glue}, so that you can glue each bottle closed. You also might want to get a small shoe box, or cute basket, for your little one to carry their new Exploring Set around in – they love that. Now – the fun part! Read through the list and find some fun ideas to try. All of the bottles are really simple to make, and will totally delight your little one. Enjoy!

“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.” – Walt Streightiff

Sound Bottles: In the Red bottle above, I used white beans mixed with some fun red glitter – these are nice and noisy when you shake ’em! You can also use things like rice, popcorn kernels, or jingle bells. Kids love discovering the different sounds.
Bubble Bottles: Fill half full of water, add a little bit of dish soap, and a squirt or two of food coloring. Your little one will love seeing a plain bottle of water turn into a bubble party when they shake it up!
Discovery Bottle: Fill a bottle half way with sand or rice, and add a few tiny toys too. Kids will learn that the toys are there even when they can’t see them – and will love learning how to find them again!
Glow Bottle: Fill a bottle with glow in the dark stickers or glow sticks. Show your kiddo how different it looks when they crawl underneath their blanket – what a surprise!
Silly Bottle: One of our favorites is to fill a bottle up with little Glitter Pom Poms – these are the cutest thing, and Abby loves them! They look super cute in the bottles, and have such bright and vibrant colors!
Snow Globe Bottles: Fill bottles with a mixture of water and glycerin, add food coloring if desired, throw in a pinch {or more, you can never have too much!} of glitter, and add some fun little toys or trees. So much fun!
Slow-Down Bottle: Fill a bottle 2/3 full of clear corn syrup, then add sequins, or tiny toys. As they tilt the bottle, they can relax and slow down while they watch the toys sloooowly slide to the side.
Nature Bottle: These ones are more temporary – grab a tiny branch off of an evergreen tree, some fall leaves, dandelion flowers, acorns – whatever is in season. Your little one will delight in getting to really look at these things up close – you’ll delight in knowing that they won’t EAT them while they have them up close!

Big Kid Options

Magnet Bottle: Fill a bottle with rice or sand, and add a few metallic items, like pennies, old game pieces, etc. Then – let them use a big magnet against the outside of the bottle to ‘magically’ pull those hidden items into view!
Guessing Bottle: Fill a bottle up with tiny pebbles – or something fun like Jelly Beans! – and have your kids guess how many are inside. Don’t glue the top on this one, since you’ll then want to dump it out, count it together, and see how close they were. Our boys love to challenge each other.

Do you have any fun ideas to add?

There are so many different variations you can use – and I’d love to hear your creative ideas! We love to make new bottles all the time, and sometimes it’s hard to keep coming up with great ideas – so I look forward to what you guys come up with. Keep it crafty!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 15, 2011 Filed Under: Uncategorized | No Comments

Busy Mom Solution Giveaway – Win a Sili Squeeze for Easier Toddler Meals!

Win the Sili Squeeze!!

I am SO SUPER EXCITED to be able to give one of my lucky fans this amazing product – It’s one of those things that, once you start using it, you wonder what you ever did without it. Seriously – it’s that great.

Please – Take a minute to read more about the Sili Squeeze in my post so that you can let me know why YOU are excited to win one! You can enter your answer on the easy peasy Rafflecopter entry form below. Here’s the post….

Busy Mom Solution – Sili Squeeze Take the Mess out of Toddler Meals!

Check it out, learn why this is a total must-have busy mom product – and then enter to win! Good luck!

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 14, 2011 Filed Under: Giveaways | 2 Comments

Busy Mom Solution: Sili Squeeze takes the Mess out of Toddler Meals!

“A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it.” – Jerry Seinfeld

The Challenge: Feeding a toddler is a messy job. Your options – Serve her finger foods that she can pick up and feed herself. This is time-saving, and mostly un-messy, but they usually just throw all of their “bites” on the floor for the dog. You can feed them their dinner, bite by bite – but it’s possible that you’d like to eat your own meal too, right? Or, you can get brave and start letting them learn to use their own spoon…. But that can turn into a disaster pretty quickly. This was Abby’s first attempt at using a spoon. {FYI: Do not turn your back on a toddler with a cup of chocolate pudding even for a minute. Things can get out of hand so quickly….} There are lots of foods that she’s getting skilled at feeding herself – but things like yogurt, pudding, and applesauce are awfully tough for her to handle on her own.

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.” – Franklin P. Jones

The Busy Mom Solution: The Sili Squeeze! Ohmyheck – I am simply in love with this totally genius idea. I can give Abby great snacks like pureed yogurt or applesauce – or even use the Baby Brezza to blend up some great purees of fruits and veggies – and she can use the Sili Squeeze to eat them all by herself, no mess! Read a little more…

“The Sili Squeeze™ was developed out of the desire to feed my growing baby nutritious food on the go whether in the car seat, stroller, or shopping cart. The squeeze is “mommy hands free”, so your little ones can squeeze themselves silly, without the mess and wastefulness of a disposable squeeze.”

“Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky.” – Fran Lebowitz

There are a lot of products out there that are marketed as great toddler snacks, but not all of them are all that practical. We tried these applesauce pouches – I thought that they’d be a great on-the-go option. The older kiddo’s love ’em, but Abby squeezes all of the applesauce onto her shirt in about 60 seconds. As you can see, the Sili Squeeze is similar in size {just right for little hands} so I just add the applesauce into the Sili Squeeze instead. The difference? The Sili Squeeze works differently than anything you’ve seen – it’s got a totally spill-proof nipple. So, when your kiddo gums or pinches it, while squeezing at the same time, the food will come out. If they just squeeze it, nothing. It does take a couple of tries for them to “get” it, since they’re usually used to things coming out pretty easily. But once they do get it – they love it. Squeeze-controlled independent feeding! And unlike those store-bought pouches, these are reusable.

“There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Sili Squeeze is great for babies too – You can give this super-helpful squeeze to babies starting at about 6 months. Fill it with baby food when you’re in need of a meal on the go, so baby can eat “Mommy-Hands Free!” And, they’ve got an awesome new product on the way – the Sili Squeeze with Eeeze, for ages 4+. It’s the same convenience and fun of the original, but with a free-flowing nipple valve. It’s no longer spill-proof, but at that age, they’re independent enough to handle that just fine.

The Sili Squeeze is easy to take care of –

The food-safe silicone body and nipple are naturally UV repellent so you don’t have to worry about the chemical breakdown of the Sili Squeeze if left in a car.
Because the Sili Squeeze is made of silicone, you can conveniently wash your Squeeze by hand or on the top rack of your dishwasher.
Coming soon – replacement nipple valve 2-packs! Available in early 2012. This is a great addition to their product line.

What do YOU think?

Are you excited to get one of these too? Imagine how great it will be to give your tiniest family members great snacks and meals filled with fruits, veggie’s, and yogurts – while you have your hands free to enjoy a great meal too, with no mess to clean up. Share your toddler meal-time challenges in the comments!

You can find order the Sili Squeeze online – either the 4 oz shown here, or the larger 6 oz size – Order Sili Squeeze Today!

I also recommend this book –The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet. There are over 60 super simple, super healthy, and super yummy, baby food puree’s in this book! This isn’t just for babies either – Abby loves to try new puree’s in her Sili Squeeze – and it’s such an easy way to get more fruits and veggie’s into her diet.

Connect with the Sili Squeeze makers online too – You can find them on Facebook and Twitter!

Want to WIN your own Sili Sippy? Head over to the giveaway page to enter to WIN one of your own!! Hurry – Giveaway ends on December 28th! Good luck!!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 14, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 4 Comments

Beech Nut Baby Food Coupons – Plus Freebies and Deals!

Big Savings on Beech Nut Baby Food!

Abby ate anything – From the very first time I put a spoon up to her mouth, there was NOTHING that she wouldn’t finish. She’s my little Chunka :) I have a Baby Brezza, and made most of her baby food – but I’m a busy momma, and there were plenty of times that she got jars of pre-made food too. Beech Nut was my favorite – the flavor, texture, and color are much closer to “real” foods. And Abby ate them twice as fast as other baby foods, so I know she preferred them too! {Lol.} I know feeding a baby gets expensive quick, so I wanted to share these great coupons I found with you guys –

Printable Beech Nut Coupons

More Baby & Toddler Coupons:

Baby & Toddler Freebies:

American Baby Magazine – Free year subscription, packed full of promotions and coupons in addition to their super helpful tips!
Baby Talk Magazine – Another one that I relied on for great tips, and amazing savings!
Free Baby Book – This makes a really cool surprise for family living far away – Set up a full book, with pics and memories, and then send the access link to grandparents. They’ll LOVE it!
Planning Family – Great resource for diaper coupons. Plus, check out their updated free sample section a couple times a week to stock up on food, formula, and other must-haves.
More Baby Freebies – This site is similar, and also filled with great freebies and coupons, plus resources to find more savings.

Baby & Toddler Deals:

Christmas Ornaments – Make really fun personalized ornaments for Baby’s First Christmas, or to build a yearly collection for your kids.
Totsy -Huge savings on toys, fashion, shoes, and gear for little ones. They also have events for moms too, with really great deals on accessories and fashion. It’s one of my go-to’s for deals.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 9, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | No Comments

Build a Better Smile – Oral Health Care for Toddlers

Taking Care of Toddler Teeth

Abby got her first teeth really late. She was born at the end of July, and started teething in November. I could feel little teeth wanting to poke through, and thought that it meant she’d have her first little pearly white pop through any time. I was so wrong – she didn’t get her first tooth until she was almost a year old!

First Dentist Visit

Since she just started to get her teeth at 12 months, I hadn’t even thought about going to a dentist yet. But I recently learned that it’s recommended that kids see the dentist for the first time when they get their first tooth, or by a year old – so at 15 months, we’re behind schedule. Many parents have the misconception that baby teeth don’t require too much care or concern, since they’re just going to fall out anyway. But this is why it’s important – 40% of children will suffer from cavities by the time they reach kindergarten. Getting an early start on good oral hygiene ensures that children will have healthy gums when their “Big Kid” teeth come in, and that they’ve developed good habits to take great care of them.

Some Challenges and Solutions:

It’s tough trying to use a toothbrush on a baby: While those infant-style toothbrushes might be cute, they can be a big challenge. An easier option is to use baby teeth wipes to remove plaque from baby’s gums and budding teeth. Super simple, and very effective.
I’m worried the visit to the Dentist will be scary: Kids can be scared of what they don’t know – so teach them about the dentist early on! Read toddler books about teeth brushing, or fun videos, to get them used to the idea. Abby watches her Baby Signing Time videos daily – and one of them talks about brushing your teeth. Soon after, she became super interested in watching us brush, and wanted to brush too! Watching the videos and reading the books has made it fun for her – so I’m sure our first dentist visit coming soon will go smoothly.
What else you can do: Avoid putting baby to bed with a bottle after 12 months. Limit the amount of juice or other sugary drinks that children drink out of a sippy cup during the day. And of course, have kids brush after eating sticky candies or snacks – that sticky food can do a lot of damage to those little teeth.

Oral Care is Important for the Whole Family!

Those baby and toddler teeth aren’t the only one’s that are important – the rest of the family needs to build some great habits too! Cavities are no fun for anyone – they can be really painful, and the bills for dental work add up really quickly. That’s why I’m excited to announce a new campaign from Listerine and Reach – the Oral Care Challenge!

The Oral Care Challenge

To get started, gather your whole family together, and build some excitement for the challenge. Maybe offer rewards, or break into teams. Talk about why oral health care is so important, and then let them know what their challenge will be…

The challenge is for everyone in the house to Brush, Floss, and Rinse every day, twice-a-day, for two full weeks.

Why is this so important? Because, while your family might be great at brushing every morning and night, brushing by itself misses 75% of the germs in your mouth! By flossing between teeth, and following with a great rinse, you’re doing a much more effective job, and fully protecting all those pretty teeth in your family’s smiles.

Protect Your Family’s Smile: From Toddler Teeth to Grown-Up Grins!

The smiles on your families face are the best part of the day – so make sure you’re helping them protect them! On your next shopping trip, make sure to stock up on some new products, to help make the challenge fun – Learn more about the full line of products from Listerine, and how they can help. Sign up for the ListerineKids newsletter for some money-saving coupons. And read some fun facts and tips on smart oral health care for kids too.

Savings Alert: $1.25 off when you buy any ONE LISTERINE® SMART RINSE® Anticavity Flouride Rinse

Join Me in the Oral Care Challenge!

Stay tuned in two weeks to learn how our challenge went – how successful we were, what challenges we faced, and our plans to improve. Are you planning to join the challenge too? Share your story in the comments!

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Listerine and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 6, 2011 Filed Under: Tips | No Comments

Busy Mom Solution: Dapper Snappers Rescue Droopy Drawers!!

Dapper Snappers to the Rescue!!

Dapper Snappers are the perfect busy mom solution – they’re Mom-Invented, made in the USA, versatile, affordable, and fun! Keep reading to learn more…

The Problem:

Not all kiddo’s grow quite the same way – but kids clothes all seem to built pretty similar. If your little one doesn’t fit that “average” build, you’re going to face some big challenges! And, with so many of families on tight budgets this year, many of you are probably like us, and taking advantage of hand-me-down kids clothes. These can be a huge help, since kids usually outgrow clothes quicker than they wear them out – but they can bring even more fit challenges too! You don’t want to spend all your time doing alterations, when you know they’ll grow again any day – and belts on toddlers are pretty much out of the question, right? {In my house, we’re lucky if we can get them to remember to zip AND button, a belt would be a disaster, lol.}

The Busy Mom Solution:

Dapper Snappers!! This is such a simple – yet totally effecive! – idea: Slide the Dapper Snapper Kids Belts through a few of the back belt loops on any pair of pants that’s too big in the waist. Then, take the ends, loop ’em over, and snap ’em into place. You can adjust it to just the right size, pants will stay up easy peasy, and they’re cute as a button too! See them in action:

A few of my favorite features:

These are one size fits all – from 9 months to 6 years old. Hard to believe, but totally true! We use the same one’s on on Abby {15 months} and my 5 year old nephew!
Convenient – Don’t have to take them off at diaper changes, and when you use them as a Toddler Belt, since they’re on the backside of the pants, they don’t get in the way when potty training.
These are Mom-Invented, and made right here in the USA!
Dapper Snappers are totally affordable – and help you get a ton more use out of the clothes you already have on hand!

Check out the Selection:

You’ll find a ton of other great items on the Dapper Snappers website – From Girls and Boys Belts, to Women’s Belts, to my favorite, the Mitten Clips – there’s something for everyone on the Dapper Snappers site! Check it out today – and watch for a giveaway coming in a couple of day!!