Category — Fun in the Sun Event

Hi, Amy here, and I am back with another product review for our Fun in the Sun Event: Bummis Swimmi! We live on the coast and consequently my kids get into the water pretty early in life. John went swimming at 3 weeks and LOVED it! (I wish I had a picture, but I did not remember the camera that day.)

The Bummis Swimmi is a great cloth swim diaper. The hook and loop closure allows for maximum size adjustment. The diaper is also great at containing messes! I was uncertain if it would be able to contain the liquid poop of a breastfed newborn, but it does! It is also one of the few swim diapers (cloth or disposable) available that would fit John at 3 weeks of age!The small size is supposed to fit an infant 9-15 lbs. However, I found that it fit John by the time he reached 8 lbs. John is actually a little over 15 lbs now, and you can see that the diaper still fits and still has a fair amount of room for expansion!

You can purchase a Swimmi for your little one at www.bummis.com

Hi, Lisa here with my first Fun in the Sun giveaway!  Amy has been focusing on the sun safety products, and I have been trying to find great products you can enjoy outside with your little ones (while practicing sun safety!).  Little Tikes has been making kids toys since 1970 and just celebrated their 40th anniversary this year!  They are committed to making safe, quality, durable fun toys that encourage discovery and learning, and they urge kids to play outdoors and “Get up and grow!”

I was so excited when Little Tikes offered to sponsor a giveaway on our blog!  I had been looking forward to Davey getting to the age to have ride on toys, especially Little Tikes ride on toys because I remember how durable and safe they are since my younger brother had them when he was little.  Actually, up until recently my mom still had his Little Tikes classic pick up truck from about 13 years ago and it was still in good condition!

Little Tikes sent Davey a Spray & Rescue Fire Truck to try out and I have to say it quickly became his favorite toy!  As you know, I’ve had a lot of family stuff going on lately, so it was actually quite some time before we even took it outside and put water in it, but Davey climbed in and rode it around the house all the time!  It was the first toy he’d go to when he got up in the morning and after naps.  We finally did take it outside not too long ago, and he loves playing in the water and climbing on it outside, though it is a little hard for him to push in the grass outside, as he is on the lower end of the recommended age range (1 1/2 to 5 years).  I love that this is a toy he can grow with and play with for a few more years!

The Spray & Rescue Fire Truck was fairly easy to assemble, though trying to put it together while Davey was awake made it a little more difficult!  It has a pressurized water tank and hose that really squirts water!  The water tank is easily removable which makes it easy to fill up, and it holds up to 2 gallons of water.  Davey was able to move the pump up and down, but of course he did not understand that was what makes the water come out.  It definitely would be easier for a slightly older child to play with on their own though.  There is a button on the end of the water hose to make it spray, which Davey could do himself, but he preferred to have me spray him than to play with the hose himself!

The Spray & Rescue Fire Truck is very sturdy and durable.  Davey climbs in and out of it, even head first over the side that doesn’t have a door, and he has not even come close to flipping it over!  It rolls easily on smooth surfaces, but not so easily that your little one will have it roll out from under them.  It is definitely of the high quality you would expect from Little Tikes!

Little Tikes has offered to send one of our lucky readers their own Spray & Rescue Fire Truck!

Required entry:

• What was your favorite Little Tikes toy (or your siblings’ or child’s favorite)?
• Must be following Mommy and Me Giveaways via Google Friend Connect to enter.
• Also, be sure to give us your email address (You can leave it in name (at) email (dot) com format if you would like).

Extra entries (Leave a separate comment for each entry):

• Follow @LittleTikes on Twitter.
• Follow @MommyMeGiveaway on Twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway (including @LittleTikes, @MommyMeGiveaway, and a link to this post) and give us the permalink (1x per day).
• “Like” Little Tikes on Facebook.
• “Like” Mommy and Me Giveaways on Facebook.
• Sign up for Little Tikes‘ newsletter.
• Blog about this giveaway and give us the link.
• Put our blog button on your blog or website (code is in the sidebar).
• Put our Fun in the Sun button on your blog or website (code is in the sidebar).
• Subscribe to Mommy and Me Giveaways by email.

This giveaway is open to US and Canada.

Giveaway ends August 14, 2010 at 11pm CST.

Hi Amy here again with a discount code for a product specifically intended to keep our littlest ones shielded from dangerous UV rays: The Gypsy Mama Water Wrap! I live on the coast, so my children begin getting in the water and learning to swim at a very young age! During the summers we love to spend time at the community pool! One of the nice things about the community pool is that they offer childcare for $2 an hour! Unfortunately, the child must be 6 months old. This presents a problem when it comes to working with Jessica on her swimming since I either must have John with me or leave him with a sitter at a whopping $10 an hour! Thankfully, I found the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap! The Gypsy Mama Water Wrap is made of a non-chemically treated material that blocks over 98% of UV rays! The fabric feels like swimsuit material so it dries very quickly and is very breathable! You simply wrap it on yourself, tuck your baby in it, and go!!

I bought a Gypsy Mama Water Wrap at the beginning of the summer, and I absolutely love it!!!!! The material is stretchy yet supportive. It really looks fabulous on….perfect if you want to wear your baby out to  a dressy occasion. It is incredibly breathable!!! When we are going to be out on a particularly humid day, this is the wrap I reach for! Keeping John close to my skin also helps him regulate his own temperature during our hot hot summer days!! There are so many wonderful uses for this wrap. You could take a shower while wearing your baby. You could go to the beach or splash pad. You could even get in the pool while wearing your baby. I always wear John when I take Jessica swimming because I need both arms free for her; however, I will add as a retired lifeguard that if you choose to get in the pool while wearing your baby, you need to be very very careful to be continually aware of how deep you are and how you are moving. I also don’t take Jessica swimming anywhere that does not have a lifeguard because i cannot rescue her while wearing John. Everyone at the pool is always so fascinated by the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap, and John absolutely LOVES getting in the water!!! I wish I had a picture of us using the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap, but I use it when I need both arms free, which means I don’t usually have someone around to take a picture! The Gypsy Mama Water Wrap also has the added benefit that it protects most of my trunk as well as baby John. Also when you are not wearing it, you could use it as a UV blocking blanket!

This wrap has allowed me to get Jessica out of the house and into the water this summer while helping John regulate his body temperature and protect him from UV rays. It is an absolutely brilliant idea!!! Now you can get your own Gypsy Mama Water Wrap with 10% off when you use the discount code SUNFUN at www.wrapsodybaby.com through July 28, 2010!

Hi Amy here again with an opportunity for TWO lucky winners!! (I wasn’t kidding when I said we would be having several more giveaways in the very near future with Sierra Summits!!!) If you remember, earlier this summer Sierra Summits provided our readers with a discount code for a limited time on the purchase of sunscreen from their website. Well, now they are giving away bottles of their new Tahoe Kids Sunscreen to our readers throughout the rest of the summer! The Tahoe Kids Sunscreen is the same great product I reviewed earlier this summer, only this time in a fun, kid-friendly bottle!! Currently it is retailing for $12.99 for a 3oz tube. Yes, quality sunscreen is expensive, but protecting your kids from melanoma is truly priceless!  I am a rather frugal person, but I pay through the nose to keep my kids safe from dangerous UV rays. I never want them to look at their own children and wonder if they will live to see them start talking due to melanoma. If you missed my review of the Sierra Summits sunscreen earlier this summer, I have re-posted a portion of it below.

Sierra Summits’ sunscreen was the first to obtain the Melanoma International Foundation’s Seal of Approval. The main active ingredient in Sierra Summits’ sunscreen is Zinc Oxide, which has been used for over 300 years and has a history of being safe for longterm use and effective for blocking UVA and UVB rays. It also does not degrade in the sunlight like Avobenzone so no photo-stabilizing chemicals must be added. They avoid the use of oils, fragrances, and Avobenzone to create a sunscreen that will not irritate sensitive skin. They have also avoided using Oxybenzone (which appears in 98% of mainstream sunscreens) because of its reputation with regard to how it is absorbed by the skin and longterm effects. It also goes on lightly like lotion so you are not stuck feeling greasy all day!! They choose not to offer a spray-on version because you are less likely to get full coverage and effects of inhaling those chemicals is unknown. The average sunscreen you pick up at the grocery store cannot boast of these things and many of them will cause reactions in those with sensitive skin (specifically our little ones). This is a sunblock that the entire family can use and be protected from dangerous UV rays!! (except for those under 1 year of age)

Required entry: Name one thing that makes Tahoe Kids a great sunscreen choice for your family and leave your e-mail address (You can leave it in name (at) email (dot) com format if you would like).

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

• Follow @MommyMeGiveaway on Twitter.
• Follow @sierrasummits on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway and give me the permalink (1x per day).
• Blog about this giveaway and give me the link.
• Add our blog button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• Add our Fun in the Sun button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• “Like” Mommy and Me Giveaways on Facebook.
• “Like” Sierra Summits on Facebook
• Follow Mommy and Me Giveaways with Google Friend Connect.
• Subscribe to Mommy and Me Giveaways by email.

Giveaway ends August 4, 2010 at 11pm CST.

Hi Amy here again with another fabulous giveaway AND a discount code! This time everyone is a winner!! Agoo is sponsoring a $50 giveaway for one of our lucky readers and a 50% discount code to be used by all of our readers on their entire website www.agookids.com!! In case you are unfamiliar with Agoo, they recently sponsored a Leg Huggers giveaway at Mommy and Me Giveaways. Agoo makes it their goal to provide quality kids clothing with their very active lifestyles in mind! All of their products boast of:

• Comfortable 4-way stretch fabrics for all kinds of active play
• Wick-Away fibres that pull moisture away from skin eliminating over-heating and potential chills from damp skin
• Sun Smart UPF50+ UV Protection that allows them to Stay Out and Play safely, guarded from harmful ultraviolet rays
• Stain-Resistant properties that make messes and spills easy to remove
• Soft hand-feel for sensitive skin
• Luxurious drape-ability so clothes stay looking beautiful and last longer
• Our Outerwear includes: reversible windbreakers, rain jackets and Attitude Hoodie Jackets

We have really enjoyed the leg huggers we received from Agoo! I am sure all children and parents would enjoy the benefits these clothes boast of, but I can think of several children with very sensitive skin or a family history of cancer that would really enjoy them! I remember reading an article a while back about a mother who ordered a large amount of fabric with UV protection for someone to make up into clothes for her albino daughter. I am sure she would have appreciated being able to purchase protective clothes for her daughter (especially with a 50% off discount code)!

You can find Agoo on their website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flicker, and their Blog.

Agoo has offered to send one of our followers $50 worth of merchandise and provide all of our readers with a discount code for 50% off all products good through August 1st! Just enter agoo5050 at checkout!

Required for entry: Follow Mommy and Me Giveaways with Google Friend Connect. Leave a comment telling what feature about this clothing line that you like the best.

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

• Follow @KidsActivewear on Twitter.
• “Like” Agoo on Facebook.
• Follow @MommyMeGiveaway on Twitter.
• “Like” Mommy and Me Giveaways on Facebook.
• Tweet about this giveaway and give me the permalink. Include @KidsActiveWear and @MommyMeGiveaway in your tweet. (1x per day).
• Blog about this giveaway and give me the link.
• Add our blog button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• Add our Fun in the Sun button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• Subscribe to Mommy and Me Giveaways by email.

Giveaway ends July 30, 2010 at 11pm CST.

Hi Amy here. Just wanted to remind everyone that the UV Moby Wrap Giveaway will be ending soon! We have really been enjoying our UV Moby Wrap! John has graduated from the newborn hug hold to the lotus position and loves it!!! To enter the giveaway go here.

Hi Amy here again with an opportunity for TWO lucky winners!! If you remember, earlier this summer Sierra Summits provided our readers with a discount code for a limited time on the purchase of sunscreen from their website. Well, now they are giving away bottles of their new Tahoe Kids Sunscreen to our readers throughout the rest of the summer! The Tahoe Kids Sunscreen is the same great product I reviewed earlier this summer, only this time in a fun, kid-friendly bottle!! Currently it is retailing for $12.99 for a 3oz tube. Yes, quality sunscreen is expensive, but protecting your kids from melanoma is truly priceless!  I am a rather frugal person, but I pay through the nose to keep my kids safe from dangerous UV rays. I never want them to look at their own children and wonder if they will live to see them start talking due to melanoma. If you missed my review of the Sierra Summits sunscreen earlier this summer, I have re-posted a portion of it below.

Sierra Summits’ sunscreen was the first to obtain the Melanoma International Foundation’s Seal of Approval. The main active ingredient in Sierra Summits’ sunscreen is Zinc Oxide, which has been used for over 300 years and has a history of being safe for longterm use and effective for blocking UVA and UVB rays. It also does not degrade in the sunlight like Avobenzone so no photo-stabilizing chemicals must be added. They avoid the use of oils, fragrances, and Avobenzone to create a sunscreen that will not irritate sensitive skin. They have also avoided using Oxybenzone (which appears in 98% of mainstream sunscreens) because of its reputation with regard to how it is absorbed by the skin and longterm effects. It also goes on lightly like lotion so you are not stuck feeling greasy all day!! They choose not to offer a spray-on version because you are less likely to get full coverage and effects of inhaling those chemicals is unknown. The average sunscreen you pick up at the grocery store cannot boast of these things and many of them will cause reactions in those with sensitive skin (specifically our little ones). This is a sunblock that the entire family can use and be protected from dangerous UV rays!! (except for those under 1 year of age)

Required entry: Name one thing you have learned about sunblock from either the previous paragraph or the Announcing: Fun in the Sun Event

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

• Follow @MommyMeGiveaway on Twitter.
• Follow @sierrasummits on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway and give me the permalink (1x per day).
• Blog about this giveaway and give me the link.
• Add our blog button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• Add our Fun in the Sun button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• “Like” Mommy and Me Giveaways on Facebook.
• “Like” Sierra Summits on Facebook
• Follow Mommy and Me Giveaways with Google Friend Connect.
• Subscribe to Mommy and Me Giveaways by email.

Giveaway ends July 15, 2010 at 11pm CST.

Just wanted to remind everyone about the great discount offered to our followers by Stingray! Jessica and I recently wore our new Stingray suits at the beach and looked quite adorable if I do say so myself! Stingray suits not only keep me safe from dangerous UV rays, but they also do wonders for a one month postpartum body! For more information check out the original post!

Hi Amy here again, to tell you about a very exciting giveaway that will help you protect your little one from damaging UV rays! If you have checked out our “About” section, then you know that I am a huge fan of babywearing!! Before having Jessica, I had read about the benefits of babywearing: building a strong attachment between parent and child, calming effect on parent and child, keeping both arms free for other activities while keeping baby close, etc. However, it wasn’t until I could not get Jessica at one month old to take a nap during the day that I fully appreciated the benefits of babywearing! She would get up in the morning with me and would not go to sleep until I went to bed that night, and she would get horribly cranky in the afternoon because she was so tired! I tried everything but nothing worked until I started wearing her every afternoon. It was at that point that I was able to get her to take one 3 hour nap every day! It was also at that point that I became an avid babywearer!! I now own several baby wraps, but if you are looking for a wrap made of strong, quality fabric that will truly support your child from birth up to 35 lbs or even twins for daily use, then you are looking for the gold standard in baby wraps: the Moby Wrap! The Moby Wrap is recommended by pediatricians, childbirth educators, NICU nurses and physicians, lactation consultants, and chiropractors. In fact some lactation consultants use the Moby Wrap as a treatment for low milk supply in nursing mothers! Moby has become a name that babywearers trust with their most precious bundles!

One of the many different styles of Moby Wraps.

Now the same people who brought you the Moby Wrap in all sorts of fun colors and prints have really out done themselves this time withe UV Moby Wrap! Although there are some sunblocks that are safe for baby’s sensitive skin, they are not always effective at shielding your little one from dangerous UV rays. Covering up and keeping your little bundle of joy out of the sun remain the best ways to protect that oh so soft baby skin; however, that is not always easy when you have a 2 and a half year old that does NOT like to stay home! Thankfully that is a lot easier for us now with the UV Moby Wrap! The UV Moby Wrap utilizes the patented Rayosan technology by Clariant to increase the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of the fabric to 50+ without changing the appearance, feel, or breathability people have come to expect in Moby Wraps. Baby John absolutely loves being in the Moby Wrap. It is quite obvious that he feels very secure (and safe from his overly enthusiastic big sister)!! When he is particularly fussy, he will calm down and even go to sleep in the UV Moby Wrap, and best of all, when we are out and about in this oppressive heat, I don’t have to worry about his sensitive skin, which as a melanoma survivor is a great relief!! Being so close to me also seems to help him regulate his body temperature even on the hottest of days! It is made of 100% cotton so it is very breathable, and the fabric does not have too much “give” to it. Also, great when you have a toddler and a new baby –  they are washable!! Not to mention, I think we look great in turquoise!

Baby John as happy as a lark in the Uv Moby Wrap AND protected from damaging UVrays!

The UV Moby Wrap retails for $44.95. (Other Moby Wraps retail for between $39.95 and $69.95.) One of you will soon be the lucky owner of a new UV Moby Wrap for free!!! All you have to do is post a comment below stating why you like babywearing or why you think you would like babywearing!

Required entry: Why you like babywearing or why you think you would like babywearing?

Extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

• Follow @mobywrap on Twitter.
• “Like” Moby Wrap on Facebook.
• Follow @MommyMeGiveaway on Twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway and give me the permalink (1x per day).
• Blog about this giveaway and give me the link.
• Add our blog button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• Add our Fun in the Sun button to your blog or website and give me the link (code is in the sidebar).
• “Like” Mommy and Me Giveaways on Facebook.
• Follow Mommy and Me Giveaways with Google Friend Connect.
• Subscribe to Mommy and Me Giveaways by email.

Giveaway ends July 10, 2010 at 11pm CST.

Hi, Amy here again with another awesome product to protect your kids from uv rays! If  you remember, Lisa and I tested some diaper rash cream from MDMoms to see if it was safe for use on cloth diapers, and we were super impressed! In case you are unfamiliar with their company, MDMoms was created by Pediatrician Moms to meet the needs of parents just like you and me who only want the gentlest and safest products for our babies’ skin! As it turns out, MDMoms also carries a sunblock that is safe enough for even the most sensitive skins, including infants! It is also super easy to apply! Simply pull out a wipe, rub it all over your child, and voila! Your child is ready for hours of safe fun in the sun! One towelette is enough to cover the average two-year-old from head to toe! It contains significant percentages of the active ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the only active ingredients not absorbed by the skin and arguably the best ingredients from protecting skin from both UVA and UVB rays! Not only that but it is made in the USA with no animal testing…that is most definitely hard to come by these days! Also for families on the go this summer, these sunscreen towelettes are approved by the TSA for carry-on luggage!My mother visited us recently after the birth of baby John and used the sunscreen towelettes on Jessica when they went to the zoo. She was very impressed with not only how easy it was to apply (and non-greasy) but also how effective it was! I was pleased that it was gentle enough to be used on Jessica’s very sensitive skin! I would caution that if you are going to use this sunscreen on an infant, you should probably also try to make sure they are covered up and limit how much time they spend in the sun as well. Sunscreens in general are known to not be as effective on populations with particularly sensitive skin: infants, those with certain medical conditions, those taking certain medications, elderly, etc. For more information on this, google “photo-sensitivity.” However, that being said I will be using these towelettes on baby John all summer in addition to UV blocking material and limiting our time in the sun. I want to provide as much protection as I can for his skin because let’s be realistic, there is no way I can keep my busy two-year-old cooped up in the house all summer! You can find out more about MDMoms and their excellent line of products through Facebook, Twitter, and their website!