Introducing dringdring hand-painted bicycle bells!  dringdring designs and creates the most beautiful, bright, artistic, colourful and unique bicycle bells I have ever seen.  I don’t know who was more excited when the company agreed to send us one to try out, me or my son (I think it was me, actually).  Each original metal bicycle bell is hand-painted at the company’s Montreal, Quebec-based studio, and I promise that you will have a hard time choosing just one.  The bells are painted using Eco-friendly paints without solvents or toxic fumes, and they are first painted and then baked, making them resistant to all types of weather.  I love that the company uses a local organization that provides employment to young people from a diversity of backgrounds to apply the bells’ base coats.

Oliver was sent the company’s Bike Alarm bicycle bell (pictured above) to try on his new bike, and it is not only very cool but also very shiny with the most pleasant dring dring sound I have heard (neither harsh nor shrill).  My son spent the better part of his first time out with the new bell attached to his bike pushing his bike alarm ‘on’ and ‘off’, pretending to park the bike to go to work.  The bell was really easy to install (Oliver helped), and it is a quality bell that is built to last (both hardware and artwork-wise).

dringdring makes a huge range of beautiful bells with five categories to choose from: flowers (love the Orange Daisy), people, animals, special edition, and all (the LITE-BRITE, Broche, Polka Dots, and ART DECO are all right up my alley, while some fun ones for kids include the Ice Cream, Little Princess, and Soccer Ball versions).  Buy one for each member of your family or as a special gift starting at $24 CAD through the dringdring website, from the following retailers, or if you are in the Montreal area, at the company’s studio (I love the photos on this page).

dringdring’s hand-painted bicycle bells may just inspire you to get on your bike instead of into your car this spring … dring dring into spring!

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Silkberry Baby was founded by Carrie Shan, who started the company because of her daughter’s allergic reaction to synthetic fibers and polyester filled bedding.  What’s unique about Silkberry Baby’s line of products is that they are made using  mulberry silk floss, which is the highest quality of silk available on the market.  Mulberry silk floss is:

• 100% natural, odourless, and hypoallergenic.  Natural materials like silk and cotton result in less allergic reactions, and both my three year old son and 18 month old daughter have incredibly sensitive skin so this is really important to me.
• Soft, light. and durable.  When the Toddler Comforter arrived, I couldn’t believe how light the bedding was given its generous size (117cm x 102cm).  And soft … I can’t even begin to tell you how incredibly soft the comforter is!  It was such a big hit upon arrival that Charlotte and Oliver fought over the blanket all afternoon, alternately laying on the floor snuggling in it and exclaiming, “It’s SO soft, Mama!”
• Breathable and comfortable.  My children sweat like crazy when they sleep, so I was excited to learn that silk filled bedding absorbs moisture and releases it into the air, which regulates body temperature and keeps babies and toddlers from feeling too hot or too cold during the night.  Sure enough, after testing it on my son for a few weeks, I can honestly say that he is no longer ‘sticky’ at night and wakes up having slept much better because of the even body temperature the comforter provides.
• Eco-friendly and sustainable.  Silk floss comes from renewable resources as it is produced by silkworms, the farming of which leaves little ecological footprint compared to the production of petroleum-based bedding products.

I am absolutely thrilled with the quality of the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter.  It is incredibly soft and unbelievably well-made (so well made that I had trouble finding the well-hidden zipper to see how the silk filling could be removed).  I love how it keeps my son or daughter (depending on who wins the fight to sleep with it) warm but not overheating at night, and that it is light and portable yet durable and easy to clean.  Also, I cannot say enough about the charming art work adorning the company’s products – how cute is the sheep on the Toddler Comforters or the elephants on the Sleeping Sacks?  Adorable!

Silkberry Baby has a great range of Eco-bedding products for children including Comforters, Sleeping Sacks, Silk Fleece and Bamboo Blankets, and Cuddly Pillows.  The company also has a mulberry silk-filled Candy Pillow and a line of Eco-friendly bathing products coming soon!  Purchase Silkberry Baby Eco-bedding through the company’s website, or from the following retailers.

I am so delighted with the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter that I’m heading to my local retailer to pick up one of their amazing Baby Sleeping Sacks with removable silk filling for my daughter this week!

Silkberry Baby has TWO fabulous promotions on right now!  Get a FREE Cuddly Pillow with the purchase of a Toddler Comforter (valid until April 26, 2011) or get FREE SHIPPING with the purchase of a Sleeping Sack (valid until March 31, 2011).  To take advantage of either of these great offers, make your purchase online through www.silkberrybaby.com and then email the company at carrie@silkberrybaby.com (for the free Cuddly Pillow, use subject line ‘Buy One, Get One Free‘).

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I adore the company’s value statement: Natural.  Pure.  Simple.  Clean.  I spend a lot of time and effort ensuring that the food I put into my children is natural and good for them, so why wouldn’t I do the same with the potions and lotions I put onto them?  Coco & Tini’s product line includes Body Wash, Bubble Bath, Shampoo, and Conditioning Detangler, and each bottle is adorned the most adorable graphics (check out the owl, below, and for extra fun meet all of the Coco & Tini characters on the company’s fun Our World page).

We have been using the entire Coco & Tini range of hair and bath products for about two months now, and I am in love, love, love.  Aesthetically speaking, my kids get a real kick out of the cute graphics on each of the bottles (and this is how they remember what is in each bottle at bath time).  I can honestly also say that my kids have never been cleaner … I don’t know, but somehow after a Coco & Tini bath they’re especially squeaky clean and lovely smelling.  I think this has everything to do with the natural products the company uses, and there’s just something about the scent of lavender and chamomile that is so pleasantly clean and wholesome smelling.  If I’m in a rush, I use only the Shampoo and Body Wash, but I have to say that the Conditioning Detangler gives the kids’ hair an extra nice sheen and leaves it silky smooth.  When we’re really cutting loose, we add the Bubble Bath to our water as well, and despite the company’s disclaimer that natural bubble baths won’t ‘produce bubbles up to the ceiling’ I actually find the bubbles produced to be just the right amount.

I think that the only thing which may hold some people back from purchasing Coco & Tini hair and bath products would be the price.  The product line is sold in 225ml bottles, and the Shampoo retails for $16.95 CAD, the Conditioning Detangler for $19.50 CAD, the Body Wash for $15.95 CAD, and the Bubble Bath for $19.95 CAD.  However, I’ve been using these products sparingly on my two children for over two months and I’m not even a quarter of the way through any of the bottles – a little goes a really long way to get your little mud monsters clean, which is enough for me to justify purchasing these fabulous products.  Coco & Tini all natural hair and bath products can be purchased through the company’s website or from these fine online and local retailers.

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Coco & Tini is generously giving away full sets of their hair and bath product line (Shampoo, Conditioning Detangler, Body Wash, and Bubble Bath – valued at $72.35 CAD) to TWO lucky Spilt Milk Moms reader!  Thanks Coco & Tini!

To Enter: Go to Coco & Tini’s website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us why you are interested in trying out OR what you like about this line of hair and bath products. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @CocoandTini and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN the full @CocoandTini all-natural hair&bath product line for kids! http://tinyurl.com/4mqcxlb @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries. This entry method will count as TWO ENTRIES for this giveaway (leave two comments, please).
• If you ‘Like’ Coco & Tini on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry. This entry method will count as TWO ENTRIES for this giveaway (leave two comments, please).
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Tuesday,  February 8th, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  The winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before other winners are selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

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Have you ever thought about pulling your hair out and poking yourself in the eye at the same time as you wait and wonder how much longer you’re going to have to be in line at the border, or for the plane to start boarding, or in line at the grocery store? And all of these thoughts were there because you have a child, or even worse, children who do not like to be still, and so you’re trying in vain to think of things to keep their brain, and them, occupied. Not to worry, hope has arrived in the form of the Spark Your Imagination Story Starters!

Spark Story Starters are exactly what they sound like: story starters. The idea is that you read a question aloud from the card, and every member of the family has a chance to answer. The best part about them is that there is no right or wrong answer, and they can’t be answered by a simple “yes” or “no”! What do you think your family would answer for this question: If you could have only one word on your t-shirt, what would it be? Why?

Because my son Travis has only recently started using real words in his vocabulary instead of barking like our dog, I couldn’t test the scenarios out on him, so I used my grade 6/7 class instead. I was interested in seeing how these cards would fair in a class of 12 and 13 years olds as opposed to younger kids, and I wasn’t disappointed. The cards are so creative, that even the “coolest” of kids got into answering the questions. I think the class favorite was: You have been asked to invent a new ride for an amusement park that will attract people from all over the world. What does it do? – - – I think it helps that we all live in East Vancouver and Playland is at our back door!!

The idea came to Kamloops, B.C. based mom Tamara while she was thinking of ways to encourage her two boys to think creatively and outside of the box. Her boys are very active, and enjoy partaking in various shenanigans, but by using Spark’s Story Starters at the dinner table the family now enjoys creative stories with their meals instead of boy buffoonery!

What’s really nice about Spark Story Starters is that they were written so that the scenarios would not be dated … five years from now you could pick up the deck and they would still be relevant. Also, because the questions are so open ended, kids can think of new ideas each time you re-read the card.

You have two choices when acquiring Spark Story Starters – you can purchase the deck of 50 playing cards for $11.99 CAD (special Spilt Milk Moms promo!!), or you can buy the App for your phone for only $0.99 so that you never forget the cards when you need them most!

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Spark Story Starters is generously giving away Spark Story Starters to THREE lucky Spilt Milk Moms readers (the winners will have a choice of the deck or the App for their phone)!!!  Thanks Spark!

To Enter:  Enter by writing your very own open ended story starter and leaving us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) . Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN a Spark Story Starters GAME for your family (APP or cards)! http://tinyurl.com/6gga7gp @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Wednesday, February 3rd, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  The winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

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I was introduced to quinoa last year, when I learned that it is one grain we are actually allowed to eat on Passover (when we give up bread, pasta and other grains for eight loooong days).  It is extremely versatile, yet I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it – that is, until I came across the website, and later the cookbook, Quinoa 365 (by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, Canadians no less!).  This cookbook has recipes for using quinoa for breakfast foods to desserts – who knew?

First, a quick primer on quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”).  Quinoa 365 has a great introductory chapter on quinoa, its history, and where to buy it.  It’s not actually a grain, it’s a legume – so very useful for those with gluten allergies.  It looks like couscous but is more translucent when cooked.  The nutritional benefits are vast – take a look at this chart for the full stats.  Basically, it is high in protein and fiber, contains all eight essential amino acids as well as many other vitamins (riboflavin, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid and beta carotene).  It is also high in linolenic acid, which I had to look up – one of two essential fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for various biological processes, but cannot synthesize them from other food components.

Science aside – quinoa is tasty!  At first we just used quinoa flour to make crêpes during passover because we were tired of eating matzo for breakfast.  But with the cookbook Quinoa 365, we now had a slew of recipes to try out.  Here’s my take on our experiments:

Broccoli Cheese Soup – Outstanding.  I was in heaven.  Highly recommended and my favourite recipe thus far.

Mushroom Broccoli Quisotto – I’ve never quite been ambitious or patient enough to try cooking real risotto, so this was a great alternative, and very tasty.

Bocconcini and Oregano Salad – Had to omit the bocconcini because our guest isn’t a fan of cheese, but the rest of this salad was delicious!  It would be great even as a main dish in the summer when lighter fare is in season.

Tasty Tuna Casserole – I have made this many times.  It’s a healthy update to plain tuna-casserole-with-canned-soup.  It’s very family-friendly; our baby started liking this around 9 months old (it’s just a bit messy cleaning up quinoa afterward…).

Light Open-Faced Salmon Burgers – Also a hit with the little guy.  I didn’t follow the rest of the recipe which describes how to prepare the bun and trimmings, but the burger itself is delicious.

Carrot Spice Muffins – This is the only recipe I have tried that was so-so.  It calls for quinoa flour and not quinoa, and I think my flour may have been past its prime, because the muffins had a bit of a strange taste.  I’ll have to try it again though, because the balance of spice and muffin consistency was just right.

As far as the book itself – each recipe has an icon on top which indicates whether it is Kid-Approved (i.e. has actually been tested with real kids!), Gluten-Free or Vegetarian.  This is very handy for picking recipes with just a quick glance as you flip through the book.  Serving sizes are indicated, but prep and cook time are not, which would be a useful addition.  In terms of content, there is so much variety (quinoa in smoothies! pizza dough!) that you are bound to find something you like.  You can even try out a recipe from their website.  Overall – thumbs up!  Quinoa 365 is available for purchase at Chapters for around $20CAD.

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Want to keep you newborn infant warm in his or her car seat this winter?  Check out these gorgeous Winter Pockets by Canadian company Ocena.  As beautifully embroidered as the mimiTENS, their fleecy soft interior will keep your little one snug and cozy when you’re out and about.  Intended for babies aged zero to nine months, Ocean Winter Pockets can be purchased through the company’s website for $96 CAD.

US company Patagonia produces well-made outdoor and winter clothing for babies, kids, and the entire family.  One of our all-time favourites is their Kids Puffer Vest, but now that a West Coast winter is in full force, we are loving Patagonia’s Baby Down Sweater and Reversible Puff-Ball Jacket.  Cozy warm and cool!  Purchase at your local Patagonia retailer or through the company’s website (prices vary).

Canadian company Stonz makes the funkiest flexible and cozy winter boots for little feet.  These water, wind, and skid-proof booties are super light weight, stay on kid’s feet, and can be machine washed.  We especially love that you put multiple layers of socks and/or slippers on your child’s feet before putting the Stonz on – that’s how roomy they are!  Stonz can be purchased through the company’s website or these retailers from $46.95 CAD and fit children aged zero to three years.

Let us know how you’re keeping your children cozy and warm this winter.  Leave us a comment telling us about your favourite product of the season!

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For those of us who get a head-start on gift-giving for the holidays because we celebrate Channukah, it can be a bit harder to find that perfect gift for kids that doesn’t scream holiday kitsch.  Luckily there is a time-tested classic that entertained ME as a kid (as a vinyl record…oy, I am dating myself!) that will hopefully entertain yours – a little CD called Latkes and Hamentashen by the talented and Canadian Fran Avni.

This CD will not only educate your kids about Channukah but also incorporates the story of Purim (hence the Hamentashen), a festival-holiday celebrated in the early spring (our dress-up costume-equivalent of Halloween).  Each song is fairly short, and in between there is a little dialog that explains the story of the holiday.  So for those of you who know Channukah as the Festival of Lights and Chocolate Dollar Candies, you can now learn about the story of Judah and the Maccabees and how that little drop of oil they found in the destroyed temple lasted eight days.  Plus there are catchy tunes!  Fran Avni’s musical style is gentle and almost folky.  My personal favourite is The Chanukiah (How many Candles), though it does run the risk of becoming an earworm, repeating itself in your head for the full eight days…

The CD can be ordered directly from the artist’s website for $18USD including shipping, or the album can be purchased on iTunes for $9.99.

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Now that it’s Fall and Winter is approaching quickly, I was packing away Charlotte’s floppy summer hats when I stumbled across BabyBoo’s unique hats at a local boutique.  Olga, the company’s founder, was lovely enough to send me one for Charlotte to try out (it arrived in a beautiful envelope adorned with ribbon and the company’s tag – ready to be gifted).  The Canadian company’s tagline, “bamboo baby toques with style”, describes their hats perfectly.

Perfect for the chillier weather on the way, BabyBoo’s hats are functional, funky, and stylish, too!  BabyBoo carries a variety of different designer styles to match your child’s unique personal style and these hats make FABULOUS gifts.  If you want to be involved in the creation of a hat for someone special, the company is also happy to make a one-of-a-kind hat designed just for you.

BabyBoo carries hats for both boys and girls, and fit children aged zero to 12 years (LittleBoo fits 0-6 months, MiddleBoo 6-12 months, and BiggerBoo 2-12 years).  The hats in the Boys line are more edgy, and include mohawks and nifty appliques and fun names like Return to Neverland, Mo-Style, and my favourite Top Gear. The Girls line is whimsical, pretty, and feminine, adorned with beautiful flowers in various sizes and colours as well as a touch of bling.  My favourites include Ballet (pictured above), Happily Ever After, and Blackberry Jam.  There is a hat for every season and occasion!

After looking at all of the choices available in the Girls line I couldn’t make a decision about which hat would suit Charlotte best, so I sent Olga an email describing my little Miss and basically leaving it up to her.  When the hat arrived about a week later, Olga had nailed it!  Her grey bamboo toque with a single flower and a vintage button in the middle is absolutely stunning against Charlotte’s dark hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.  She’s been wearing the hat everywhere, and we are often stopped on the street by strangers exclaiming how cute she is in her beautiful toque.  Her BabyBoo hat gives her a sophisticated, classy, and feminine touch (which is nice given that she hardly has any hair and I’m sure most people think she’s a boy).

BabyBoo baby toques are made out of Eco-friendly bamboo and are handmade in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada.  Charlotte’s hat is incredibly soft and I’m thrilled that its bamboo content makes it antibacterial and hypoallergenic, especially because she has such sensitive skin.  If you’re looking for a unique and stylish gift or simply a unique hat for your child made to your specifications, take some time to browse the BabyBoo website.  And be prepared for plenty of smiles and comments from strangers about how cute your child when wearing his or her hat!

BabyBoo’s bamboo toques with style cost a reasonable $25 to $27 CDN (depending on the size of the hat) and are available for purchase through the company’s website.

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BabyBoo is generously giving away hats to TWO lucky Spilt Milk Moms readers in the style and size of his/her choice!  Thanks BabyBoo!

To Enter: Go to the BabyBoo website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which of these stylish toques you would choose for your child if you win. Once you’ve entered by leaving this comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @shopBabyBoo and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” #WIN 1/2 stylish and warm @shopBabyBoo bamboo toques for your baby, toddler or child! http://tinyurl.com/27e8wm4 @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• If you ‘Like’ BabyBoo on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Tuesday,  November 16th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

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I admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, because the consistency of this ointment is nothing like any other diaper creams I have tried in the past.  It is far from pasty white; it is yellow-orange, and feels like a cross between sorbet and butter (I can’t quite think of another way to describe it!) in its consistency.  You don’t need to put on very much, and results were very fast!  Any redness that I saw at one diaper change had virtually disappeared by the next.

Now let’s talk about the ingredients – here is the complete list:

I’m no expert, but I don’t see anything nasty in there at all.  Plus I like the extra moisturizers (the butters and oils) that are not just there for preventing future rashes, but for treating the existing redness.

So far this is the second product that I really like from Matter Company (see a previous review of their sunscreen) – I hope to try many more!

The Nappy Rash Ointment sells for $18 for a 2.8oz/80g jar, from the company’s website (also available at retailers, listed on their site).

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If you’ve read my past reviews, you’ve probably noticed a common theme with me: a desire to find cool clothing for boys! Not to disappoint, Fig Kids is a Canadian clothing line based in Vancouver made from 95% super soft organic cotton blended with 5% Lycra. They have both a boys and girls clothing line, and their products go up to size 8!

Everyone wants what’s best for their children, and we all know that organic cotton is great, but what makes Fig Kids even better is the fact that their clothes are bright and colourful with innovative, original prints. My favorite tee for T-dog is their Olli Oop design (above, right) in lime green. Fig Kids makes their clothing from certified, organically grown cotton in factories that treat employees ethically. It makes me feel good knowing that I’m buying from a responsible and caring company.

You can check out their clothing online; however, they are currently in the process of redoing their online store so you might have to wait to order from the company directly. Shirts retail for around $36 CAD at many online stores. Fig Kids is a funky kids label from the founders of Twice-Shy, the company’s adult clothing line, and produces clothes that kids will love to wear and adults will love to dress them in!

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It can be very tricky finding the right clothes to wear once your baby is born; you’re not feeling your most beautiful and you require functionality and privacy for the times you are nursing in the company of others.   I would pull the necks down of all the shirts in the stores to see which was elastic-y enough to accommodate breastfeeding, but that proved to be a rather ineffective and time-consuming method for finding nursing clothes.  Finally I was lucky enough to receive a nursing top from Momzelle – and how I wished I had this top from the beginning!

Momzelle makes a full line of maternity clothes, ranging from tank-tops to t-shirts, hoodies and even nursing nightdresses.  The company was founded by a Canadian mom who couldn’t quite find the right clothes for nursing her baby, and thus this attractive nursingware was born.  Most of the nursing tops work by having a panel of material at the top which stays in place while a panel underneath slides down for nursing.  Thus you get maximum coverage (no pancake tummy exposed).    I chose the criss-cross t-shirt, which to me looks slightly less obviously like a nursing shirt than the others (though now I am coveting the hoodie…).  The sizing is perfect – a close-fitting shirt with enough length to feel sufficiently decent (yet doesn’t form a tube on my hips like other long tops tend to do).  The material is soft and very comfortable.  And most importantly, it is easy and quick to get that boob out when the little one needs it!

Most of the tops are offered in a few colour selections and range in price (averaging about $50CAD).  They can be purchased directly from the website or in retail stores.

Momzelle has been kind enough to offer our readers a $5 discount for items purchased from their website! Just enter the code ‘spiltmilkmoms’ in the coupon code box at checkout and there’s free shipping for orders over $79.  Thanks Momzelle!

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I was a little skeptical about the Tag-a-Tag clothing labels (I mean labels that stay on in the LAUNDRY?), but they’ve already survived several washes with no sign of giving up their stickiness anytime soon. I also love the size of the slim labels – they’re subtle and their small size means they can fit on items other name labels can’t.

I absolutely love everything about these Emily Press labels, from the designs to the size to the cute little booklet they come in. I may have also fallen in love with their EP Chic Baby Labels and can totally see using the très magnifique Parisian (belle) labels for myself. (Seriously how cool would it be to have chic labels for all us grown ups?) The First Class school label pack costs $40.95 (for 93 labels!), but is only available until September 30th so don’t hesitate!

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Just in time for Back-to-School, Emily Press Labels has generously offered up a First Class School Label Pack for one lucky reader to WIN!  Thanks Emily Press!

To Enter:  Go to the Emily Press website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which icon best suits your child.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @EmilyPress and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a limited edition First Class Label pack w/@EmilyPress & @SpiltMilkMoms http://tinyurl.com/236g8wj #giveaway #contest “and leave us the link for extra daily entries.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday, September 17th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.

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There are so many features that make this hat great.  It is adjustable to several different head sizes using the head strap, has an extremely large brim that really keeps the sun off the face, has a neck strap with an easy-to-use toggle, is made with 100% cotton, and folds into a small bundle for easy storage.

Grow-with-me Sun Hats are available in a variety colors and  patterns and come in three different sizes (small, medium and large) to fit children aged zero to twelve years old.  These sun hats retail between $13.95 to $17.95 CAD, and are available directly through the Twinklebelle website or from these retailers.

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Let me preface this by stating that I hate sunscreen.  I hate needing to remember to put it on, and now I also have to remember to put it on my son.  I hate the chemical-ness and questionable ingredients of most sunscreens.  I hate the smell of coconut (and coconut anything in general, but that’s another story altogether), and most sunscreens add this perfume so that you feel like you are on some beach somewhere far from your urban turf.  I hate having to smear the cream in hard-to-reach places like my back.  But – I have managed to find a sunscreen that I don’t mind – correction, that I almost look forward to – smearing on myself and my son: Matter Company‘s Natural Sun Care Creme!

Sunscreens work in one of two ways: either the main ingredient provides a physical barrier against UVA and UVB rays, or the ingredients form a chemical neutralizer of these rays once absorbed in the skin.  Personally I find physical barriers more enticing, and this sunscreen fits the bill since its main ingredient is 20% zinc oxide.  Apparently zinc has other beneficial properties, according to the manufacturer – “including being anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory; beneficial to sensitive, delicate skin.”  Sunscreens with zinc sometimes remind us of those 1980′s-style ski-bum photo shoots including people with white stripes on their noses and cheeks (and fluorescent ski suits)… but this creme rubs into the skin much easier than its predecessors.  It does take slightly more rubbing than cremes without zinc, but it is not too difficult (even on a squirmy baby).

The other ingredients include moisturizers and various oils and tonics for soothing over-exposed skin.  The combination of these also leaves the product with a very pleasant scent, yet has not irritated either my or my son’s sensitive skin like other creams with synthetic perfumes.  The creme is also water-resistant; but like all sunscreens, it should be reapplied after swimming or bathing (I have noticed that the creme does come off in the water if it was not rubbed in completely).  The creme is stated as SPF 30, or equivalent to 40 minutes in the sun.  Finally, Matter Company is Canadian –  hooray for supporting our own!

The company lists retailers on their website.  I purchased mine at a baby store in Montreal; retail price is approximately $18 for 125mL.

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