Toddlers — Page 2

Does Your Toddler Need a Nursing Pillow?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comfort and Harmony for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
“Having a child is surely the most beautifully irrational act that two people in love can commit.” – Bill Cosby… Ah, motherhood. I remember the excitement I had when I was pregnant with Abby, waiting to finally meet her for the first time. I also remember the absolute terror I felt the first time I walked into a Babies R’ Us store for the first time… OHMYHECK. There are 237 different types of bottles. Why are there so many different rattles? Do I need a bouncer and a swing and a vibrating swing and a jumper to hang in the doorway too? With all of that gear, do I even get to hold my baby sometimes?? It was overwhelming, all of those choices. But, I was lucky – we had extended family living with me at the time, so Abby would have to share a bedroom with me, her daddy, and our fluffy little dog. Why was that lucky? Well, it forced me to be super selective about what I purchased – meaning I didn’t go overboard, and I bought things that transitioned well to toddler life. Today I’ll share one great product that you’ll use the heck out of with your new baby, that will be just as popular when they grow into toddlerhood.

Mombo nursing pillow with slipcover and vibration unit [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 19, 2013 Filed Under: Reviews, Parenting | No Comments

Tips for “Spring Cleaning” Your Toddler

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” – Margaret Atwood… Ah, spring. Seriously, one of my favorite times of year. I live in central Washington, where we have four VERY distinct seasons – so spring brings a wonderful break from the snowy cold of winter. And, it means it’s time to get the garden going again! Abby adores helping grandma and I plant flowers and dig in the dirt… I actually just bought her a little Garden Playhouse, since she loves grandma’s planting shed so much. But, while we love working in the dirt, and transforming a big patch of it into something beautiful and full of color – I don’t really want us all to smell like dirt at the end of the day….

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 2, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 20 Comments

Moms Who Get Into Sticky Situations

Kids will be kids. Which is why moms have to be prepared for emergencies… Do you have kids? Are they messy? Hahahahahaha – That was funny, right? Of course they are. I mean, some moms get lucky, and have kids who are more drawn to quiet activities like reading, and coloring, and playing with blocks – versus mud wrestling, building dirt piles out of Folgers coffee for their trucks to haul around, or putting mommy’s expensive MAC make-up on the dog. But even those quiet kids will color on the walls occasionally, throw those blocks and books around – and get into sticky snacks and make messy diapers.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 26, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 1 Comment

Are You Prepared for Mom-Emergencies?

Are you ready for a major emergency?... Everyone by now has heard about the crazy-chaos in the New York area after major-storm Sandy last month. As a West Coaster, up here in Washington State, I didn’t even know until recently that there are a lot of people on the East Coast who have to do major prep for even regular storms during the winter. Here, we don’t have generators, we don’t stockpile food or supplies {unless we’re big-time couponers}, and we don’t have to worry about power outages for more than a very rare hour or two. But now that I have friends on the East Coast, the whole idea of preparing a little more thoroughly for emergencies has stuck with me. And, as a busy mom – preparing for disaster is kind of my middle name, right? [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 20, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways, Busy Mom Solution | 31 Comments

Honestly – Learn Why these Diapers are Worth my Dollars…

“Pretty much all the honest truth telling in the world is done by children.” – Oliver Wendell… Ah…. Motherhood. Kids are such a blessing – and SUCH a challenge at the same time, right? And this quote is so true – kids do fib, of course. But most of the time, they are honest to a fault. You can learn a lot listening to their thoughts, questions, and observations. So when you hear that there’s a new diaper brand called The Honest Co., what do you think? For me – I hoped to find a simplified way to buy affordable, eco-friendly, good quality diapers that worked well. {Meaning no leaks or nonsense, you know?} Is that what I found with The Honest Co.? Find out…

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 2, 2012 Filed Under: Deals and Coupon Codes, Shopping | No Comments

Help Kids Bounce their Wiggles Out with the iBounce!

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” – Irish Proverb… If a lot of laughing and some good sleep are the keys to a good life, then I have an amazing new piece of gear that can help you get your toddler to do both. With no arguments. Amazing, right?

The iBounce by JumpSport – Hop-A-Long with Rompidy Roo!

What is the iBounce? It’s an award-winning children’s trampoline that includes a super cool tablet mount that fits, iPad, Kindle, Kindle Fire, Samsung and most other tablets. Why do you need a tablet mount? Because there are some super fun videos that kids can watch while they bounce, featuring Rompidy Roo, a baby kangaroo who has just as much bouncy energy as your toddler does! Rompidy Roo leads kids through cool activities and adventures, so they really shake all of those wiggles out. Want to see a little peek at the videos?

Did the iBounce Kids Trampoline live up to my expectations?

When I first heard about the iBounce, I was super excited to try it out. We used to have one of those little round trampolines, and Abby loved to get on it and try to bounce, but at 2 years old, doesn’t have the coordination to be able to do it safely. The fact that this one had the handlebars totally sold me! What a super smart idea. I was so hoping it would live up to my excitement. And it sure as heck did! There has not been a day that has gone by in the past couple weeks that we haven’t used it! Want to see it in action, and learn a little more about why we love it, and the cool features? {Including one suggestion that could make it even more awesome?} Check it out:

Let little ones bounce their wiggles out!

As you can see, Abby gets some SERIOUS bouncing on here!! She gets so excited – If you watch the video, you’ll hear her yelling things like, “Looka meeee!!! I’m jumping!!!!” She likes wearing her butterfly outfit when bouncing, so she can “fly” – which cracks me up. In that first clip you see her at the end yell, “Juuuuuuuuuuump!!!” Yep, she likes it. And can you imagine how much easier it is to get her to take a nap after a 15 minute session jumping with Rompidy Roo? Here are a few other awesome features:

The Tablet Mount: When I made this video, we didn’t have a tablet yet – but we still use the iBounce daily, Abby just watches the DVD’s on the TV. But I ordered a new Kindle Fire that should be here soon, and I can’t wait to be able to hook it up and let her watch her own videos while we have something else on the television.
Easy Assembly: This was actually really easy to put together. I’m not usually good at that type of stuff, and was able to complete it all by myself, without huge frustrations or throwing things, lol. And it’s SUPER sturdy.That was a big worry of mine, but even with my limited skills, this is very secure.
Health Benefits: This has SO many benefits for your little one! It’s just plain fun – but it also helps develop balance, coordination, and physical fitness. Plus, as they watch the videos with Rompidy Roo, they practice skills like counting too.

The only thing that I can possibly think of to make this better is if there was a way to make the handlebar section easier to remove and replace. That would make it easier to store this when not needed. We keep it out in the living room, {You can see in the video that we just put up our Christmas decor! It goes up as soon as we put the turkey and trimmings away after Thanksgiving dinner! Annual tradition with my mom and I} and store it in the spare bedroom when company comes. But honestly – this gets used so often, I can’t imagine we’d ever need to put it away for long!

Visit JumpSport.com today to learn more about their products, and watch for special deals on the iBounce sets – that include the trampoline, tablet mount, and DVD’s too!

You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter – to stay updated on cool new products and promotions! And see more of their cool products on their YouTube channel too!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 29, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 4 Comments

My Heartfelt Letter to Santa This Year, for Abby….

Dear Santa, I’ve been really good this year… Like – really good. And so has Abby. She’s been through a really tough time this past few months, with the seizures, the crazy-abundance of doctor and hospital visits, the testing, poking, prodding, and probing. But she’s dealt with it all amazingly – she was a trooper through all of her tests, and cooperated as well as a two year old possibly can during each one, no matter how scary. She’s still the same sweet, silly, smart little cutie pie. She just started on medication – they’re hoping it will control these seizures, but it has potential for some pretty scary side effects. So after the total chaos that we’ve been through lately, I think she deserves some pretty big holiday magic this year at Christmas.

I know that the holidays are NOT all about the presents

We’ve got some awesome family experiences lined up for December – like visiting the Santa Train at the Railway Depot and Museum, seeing the Nutcracker play live at the theater, bundling up warm to watch the Lighted Christmas Parade downtown, baking cookies with grandma, and making homemade gifts and cards for the family. But for a two year old, some amazing new toys under the tree is part of the magic and excitement of Christmas.

Even Santa is on a Budget

I’m sure that even the North Pole isn’t immune to the downturn in the economy. I’ve heard that the elves have had to take a 5% cut in cookies and milk, and you had to lay off both Dasher and Dancer for the season. So, in addition to sharing me and Abby’s Christmas Wish List with you, I’m also going to share a tip to help you get the seasons best new gifts on a tightened toy budget…. One word: Ebay! Yep, all you need to do is jump on that computer that Mrs. Clause set up for you, head over to Ebay, and there is a selection of great-priced top-notch toys that will make even your best elves blush with envy. {Moms around the globe have been using Ebay’s “Buy it Now” option to get great gear that fits their budget for years!} I’ve included a list of our favorites here – if Abby found one or two of these under the tree this year, she’d be as delighted as a nutcracker who just got a new medal. ..

Kids Kitchen Table and Chair Set: How adorable is this? It would give us the perfect spot to play with classic toys from my own childhood – like an Easy Bake Oven, or a couple of energetic rounds of CandyLand!
Fisher-Price Doodle Bear: Abby loves to draw, and loves her “babies” – so this is a perfect combination for her! Plus, this might cut down on some of the, um… artwork… that she leaves on the walls.
Nintendo 3DS in Pearl Pink: We received a big gift package as a thank you for helping to host the Activision Family Game Summit last month, and it included 7 awesome games for the Nintendo 3DS. I know this is a bit advanced for a 2 year old, but I know we’ll have fun playing it together on our long road trips to Seattle Children’s Hospital each month. {Plus, since it’s pink, it’ll stop her cousins from stealing it when they come here each day after school!}

Imaginarium Master Studio Easel: This is amazing! Abby loves to color, paint, and draw – so she would fall in love with a great easel set like this one. And mommy loves all of those storage cubbies underneath, to contain the mess.
Unicorn Pillow Racer: This is PERFECT! Abby’s cousins love to get our pillow pets, and use them to scoot, hop, and slide in races across the kitchen floor. This would ensure that Abby could beat them every time! {And wear her out in time for naptime…}
Little Doctor Kit: I think that this would be a great set for Abby – she’s had so many doctor visits, and sometimes gets awfully scared. This might help her feel more comfortable with it all, and we can play doctor together, fixing up her baby dolls and stuffed animals.
Little People Nativity Set: I am so in love with this. And it’s an amazing value – I had looked at buying Abby some individual animal figures – but at around $6-$7 bucks each, they added up quickly. This set includs a bunch of fun animals, and will be a great way to get Abby to understand the real meaning of Christmas.
Your Baby Can Read: We were super lucky to start baby signing videos with Abby when she was just 6 months – she now knows over 200 signs, and has a pretty advanced vocabulary. We read together every day, and I’d love a set of books like this to help me guide her into beginner reading too.

Great for Busy Toy Shoppers on the Go

Trust me Santa – Ebay is a safe way to shop, and easier than you might think. It’s simple to search by price, category, color, age – or check out their awesome Gift Guide List filled with popular gear for inspiration. And since you’re pretty busy this time of year, why not take advantage of the Ebay app, that you can access right from your smartphone? Whether in the workshop, feeding the reindeer, or up on the rooftop – you’ll have instant access to the best gifts everywhere you go, anytime a great gift idea strikes you! Little Tommy suddenly went from the Naughty list to the Nice, and you need a last minute gift? No problem. And – another quick tip to help you out… Join MyPoints. When you start your Ebay shopping there first, you’ll earn THREE points for every dollar you spend, which you can redeem later for free gift cards to your fave places. {Use them to take Mrs. Clause out somewhere nice, after the holidays.}

Signed – Your biggest fans, Abby, and Meagan.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night….

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of eBay. I received a product sample to thank me for taking the time to participate.}