The First Years Minnie Mouse Feeding Seat

Disclaimer: I was provided with the products in this post at no cost however all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible!

The baby is at an age where mealtime is no longer a complete challenge so long as we allow her to do everything herself. And I mean everything. She prefers sitting at the table with us rather than her high chair so when we had the chance to check out The First Years Minnie Mouse Feeding Seat we jumped on it! And I'm glad we did. 

It's the perfect solution between a high chair and sitting in an actual dining chair. The seat straps securely to the chair and it even comes with a tray, which I can see being convienient if you wanted to save space and minimize the number of products you bring into your home. I've been on a minimizing kick the last year or so and the first thing that came to mind when I saw that The First Years Minnie Mouse Feeding Seat came with a tray was: this is perfect because now you don't even need a high chair! Because not only could you use this at the table as a booster with no tray when your child is older but you could also use it as a high chair by popping the tray on. The tray is adjustable as is the safety harness so the seat can easily grow with your child. Ours gets use at mealtime time and at play time as I find this scene often:

We were also sent coordinating dish ware. I really enjoy trying different types of dishware for kids, I feel like that should be a proper job title. You know, like a food critic? Except it'd be a baby/toddler dish ware critic. Okay, now that I typed it out it admittedly sounds a bit ridiculous but humor me, please. 

These forks and spoons are a definite keeper. And the sippy cups are a winner too. There's also a bowl as well as a sectioned place which is nice if you have a picky eater that doesn't like their food touching. *Cough Cough* My littlest. 

Click here to see more!

Giveaway with Nuby!

*Full Disclosure: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I receive products at no cost. However all opinions are my own. 

Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible.

Little miss independent isn't always content in her high chair. And for the last couple of months she'll opt to sit in an actual chair at the dining table with us. She seemed content on her knees but I knew that wouldn't work long term and that I needed to find a booster seat. So when I saw Nuby released their Easy Go Fabric Booster Seat I had to have it! 

Avery thinks it's so cool, she likes to buckle herself in then looks around the table like: yeaaaaaaah, I'm sittin' with the big kids.

The Nuby Easy Go Fabric Booster Seat conveniently collapses for easy travel, wipes clean, and holds up to 50 lbs! One of my girlfriends keeps one in her car at all times and uses it when her family goes out to eat at restaurants or to friends' houses for dinner. So smart! And it folds up so small (about the size of a lunchbox) that it would definitely be a simple item to pack and bring on a trip. 

Photo credit: Nuby

Its small foot print is just so ideal. I dreaded getting a high chair because I didn't want a big hunky piece of plastic chilling in my house for years taking up space and looking sooooo not cute. I did finally find a small wooden high chair I adore and still use sporadically when the baby obliges but more often then not she ends up in an actual chair and now in her Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat. Shop the Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat at select Walmart stores and online. It comes in blue (click here) or grey (click here).

And now it's giveaway time! For your chance to win your own Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat head over to my Instagram account and follow the super simple instructions. Good luck!

Fun Bites

Full Disclosure: This post was made possible by FunBites, however all words and opinions are my own. 
Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible.

Quacked like a duck, made thee most ridiculous sound effects whilst simultaneously injuring my vocal chords, and did a little shimmy whilst beatboxing. These are all things I've done to get my youngest entertained and sidetracked enough to eat actual food. Ri.dic.u.lous. But we've all done some form of this for something regarding our children. Let's be real. Right? So I love when I find ways for her to get so excited about eating that she, well, eats.

Avery is an absolute busy-body. Like, I don't know how I don't have the tightest, hardest, most amazing body on planet Earth because between running around with this kid and solely living off her scraps I'm pretty sure I should look like Beyonce from the neck down but whatevs. 

I digress. 

This kiddo needs something awesome to keep her attention. I have found a few things that work:

1. Letting her sit at the actual table rather than her highchair. She loves it.

2. Letting her color while she eats. Hey, it works for us.

3. Cutting her food into fun shapes. It's super easy, keep reading.

The fine folks at FunBites sent us this adorable tool that cuts her food into the shape of a heart. The first time I used it she gasped and said, "Sooooo pretttyyyyyyyy." And I felt like a total Pinterest mom but without all the work because all you do is place the curved cutter on your food, rock it back and forth, and use the other piece called the "popper top" to pop the food through the bottom. Too easy. 

Photo: Funbites.com

Second best part (the first is that my kiddo is more focused on her food) is that its dishwasher safe. Can I get a hallelujah, can I get an Amen? (Name that song). I'm all about easy food and easy cleanup.

And since I'm the Queen of making one thing work in multiple ways, leave it to us to break it out at play time as well. We talk about the different shapes we can make with it and cut out loads of hearts.

And if you think that heart is cute, head to FunBites.com to check out their other shapes. So much fun stuff over there, friends. Tell me, what gets your kiddo excited about meal time?

Re-Play

Full Disclosure: This post was made possible by Re-play, however all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible!

Happy Humpday, ya'll! Hope your week is going well! Ours has been so busy, we've spent literally hours on the road due to appointments far from home. My oldest daughter recently had surgery (all is well) and haer follow-up appointments are like a 73 hour drive away so that's been loads of fun. Then the usual activities that the kids are involved in and lastly the hubby has his plate full(er than usual) at work too so I know our whole house is ready for a relaxing weekend. Phew!

Anyway, I'm popping in today to tell ya'll about a company called Re-play (Re-think It). They make eco-friendly tableware for kids. The cliff's note version is that their products are made from recycled milk jugs, how neat is that?

One of the great things I love about blogging is that I am introduced to so many neat companies. I would have never know about so many great products and wonderful companies had it not been for this ole blogging gig so I hope you all enjoy learning about them too. Its a win-win, right?!

They have loads of tableware products. Our favorites are the utensils, drinking cup, and the sectioned plate.

While they offer a non-sectioned plate (photo below) I prefer the sectioned plate. It keeps food separated (the baby is picky about that), and its pretty spot on with the portion sizes that I give the baby as well.

Photo: Re-play.com

Re-play.com

While we like the sippy cup they offer, we prefer the drinking cup. It's what Avery used to help her learn to drink from an open cup. She's always been very independent when it comes to things like eating, dressing, and the like so the drinking cup and the fork were great for us back when she was perfecting her skills.

We keep their snack stacks (pictured below) stashed in the car for times when the baby needs "nummies!" Which is basically like two minutes after getting in the car all the way until we reach our destination. Amiright?

I love that their products are all durable but what's also won me over is the sustainability of it all, they save waste from the landfill and turn it into items we use each day.  And in just the six or so months since I've been introduced to the company they've came out with more products. They have bowls, plates, utensils, teethers, you name it and they probably have it, so go check these guys out! You'll love them.

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Silikids

Full discloure: The products in this post were provided to me at no cost however all words and opinions are my own. 
Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible!

Today I want to introduce you to an amazing company that has the neatest feeding products. So parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone looking for neat and useful products for the baby and toddler in your life, check out Silikids. Their products are made from 100% food grade silicone and they're dishwasher safe, need I say more? No? Well I will anyway because that's what I do best.

The Silimap is perfect when going out to eat or simply to keep your kiddo busy, I use it during the witching hour at times and its a life saver. The baby can color on it and when she's all done I just run it under the sink to clean off the washable markers she uses on it. Then it folds neatly back into a square and i just slip it in her cabinet in the kitchen or diaper bag if we are out at a restaurant.

The Siliskin silicone cups are my favorite universal cup. Its safe for little ones to tote around because its made of strong silicone and yet it holds its shape because it has a stainless steel ring inside. And perhaps my favorite part is that they are dishwasher safe. We use these cups for everything, we keep a few down in the kitchen to use as drinking cups for the baby and we keep some in her bathroom to use to rinse shampoo out of her hair, rinse the toothpaste out of her mouth, or just for pure entertainment purposes when she's filling up and pouring out water when playing in the tub. 

We use the Universal Siliskin Sippy Tops on the silicone cups but we also use them on pretty much every cup we have. They're flexible so if you can stretch it over a cup, it will work on said cup.

Its totally leak proof so its the only cup I let the baby take to bed with her. She's been in this phase where she asks for 8 million items prior to nap and bedtime and "Wawa!" is one of those things, so I always put her water in this cup with these sippy tops because I know her bed will stay dry.

The last product we've enjoyed is the Silicone Baby Spoon, it was especially wonderful when the baby was getting the hang of self-feeding because the spoons feature easy to grip handles and wide bases.

I'm so grateful I was introduced to the Silikids brand and I hope you are just as excited to check them out. If you don't know where to start I recommend getting a set of the silicone cups and the universal sippy tops, they are a game changer! And you'll be able to minimize the amount of sippy cups in your cabinets since the lids can go on anything! And right now Silikids have FREE shipping on orders over $30, so head on over to their website and check them out, you won't be disappointed!

Nuby Snack n' Sip

Full Disclosure: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I receive products at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.  

Is it just me or does every parent need to pack an arsenal of goodies any time you're leaving the house with a baby or toddler? Seriously, I could be going to the gas station two miles from the house and my 20 month old will ask for her blanket, her book, her water cup, her snack, and 3 million dollars in small bills all before we even make it halfway to our destination. And guess what, I oblige because, well, she runs the show at times. Let's be honest, when you spend 10 minutes going through how they want their toast cut and what toppings to go on it, they're calling the shots.

As she's getting older I don't carry near as much around with me as I used to when she was a baby. And Nuby's Snack N' Sip allows me to grab only one item and yet fulfill two purposes. It's a cup, but at the top there is a compartment to fill with snacks. The snack compartment has a lid so snacks stay fresh and off the floor and the straw design allows your child to drink from the cup while still digging for a bite. The cup features a silicone straw that prevent leaks and also acts as a teether on little one's gums. 

My youngest has always been very independent when it comes to feeding and doing things for herself. The kid's utensil handling skills have been on point since she was a year old. So she loves that she's the boss when it comes to opening and closing her snack cup as she walks around with her Snack N' Sip. Whether you have a Miss Independent like me or simply want to simplify you life (what parent doesn't?!) check out the Nuby Snack N' Sip at Toys R Us, it comes in several designs and colors. And head on over to Instagram for a chance to win one!

Nuby 360 Wondercup

Full Disclosure: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I receive products at no cost, however, all words and opinions are my own. 

Can you all believe that we are already halfway through November? I seriously feel like summer was just here a couple weeks ago and now here I am planning my Thanksgiving dinner menu. And can we talk about Thanksgiving really quick? Because it's a real thing, ya'll. Just wanted to put that on your radar in case you're one of the ones I've seen posting Christmas lights and trees. Seriously, when my best girlfriend showed me she has her tree up as of almost two weeks ago I was all:

via GIPHY

But whatevs, right?

And with the year coming to a close it also mean our baby girl is just that much older - 20 months old to be exact. And she's wanting to do big girl things like go potty (I know, she's so young but my oldest daughter was the same way and was fully potty trained right before she was two so I see Av heading that way as well), walking down the stairs ALONE (who does she think she is?!), wanting to walk the dog (like, hold the lead and everything), and drink from a normal cup.

She's getting really good at drinking from a proper cup so long as she's not in a hurry, and I'm convinced one thing that really helped her learn was Nuby's 360 wonder cup.

It acts as a sippy cup in that there is a lid that prevents spills and yet it acts as an actual cup in that your child puts their lips to the edge of the cup, sips, and gets liquid. I was so interested in how it worked that I tried it for myself and its really neat. 

The Nuby 360° Wonder Cup features a 100% silicone 360° valve that allows for drinking at any angle! Nuby 360° Wonder Cup is the available in 3 options: 

-Two Handle for easy grip

 -Easy Grip for exploring independent drinking 

- Insulated Easy Grip that keeps drinks cooler for longer

Av loves it and like I said, I think the Nuby 360 wondercup is one reason she is pretty good at drinking from a proper cup already. Want one? You're in luck, Nuby wants to give one of my readers one! All you have to do is head on over to my Instagram for details on how to enter (it will take you less than a minute)! Can't wait? Grab one at Babies R Us or online. 

BBox

Disclaimer: This products in this post were provided to me at no cost, however, all words and opinions are my own. 

This post may contain affiliate links.

If you have kiddos you likely have kid products galore, but I hope this post can help you pare down  in the area of sippy cups. With my oldest two there weren't many options because they were born in 1810 so there were like two types of cups on the market, not a lot of options. But man, once baby three came along and now baby four...get out of here, there are soooooo many different options out there now. Many look neat in theory but don't end up living up to their promises but today I'm going to show you one that you need want to try. Its that good. Of all the sippy cups we have, I have two favorites. I've even trashed a few because they just didn't do it for me but this one is in my top favorite two (I'll show you the other one next week). 

Its by BBox, now I had never heard of this brand prior to being introduced to this cup and I'm not quite sure why because this cup is amazing. 

A few noteworthy features include:

Flip top: You can easily open and close the top to protect the straw when not in use

Leak proof: This is one cup that truly is leak free, every sippy I've seen claims this but few truly are leak proof, this one lives up to the promise of no mess.

360 use: No matter how your child tilts (or doesn't tilt) this cup it will still work. It has this long flexible weighted straw inside to allow your kiddo to get liquid regardless of the angle they are holding the cup at.

Source

And its cute! Now go check out BBox (this cup comes in a rainbow of colors!) and let me know what you think of their products when you try them for yourselves! Happy Tuesday, friends. Xx

Summer Fun with Nuby

Full Disclosure: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I was provided with the products in this post at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.

With summer in full-swing I find myself, like many other parents, trying to find that perfect balance between making certain my kids aren't just laying around the house and yet not cramming a million activities into each day. Each of the kids have at least one structured activity they go to regularly on their own (gymnastics, for example), then there are things we go out and do as a family, and then there are things we do right here in the comfort of our own home that keep us entertained as well. Like, the art project I did with Av the other day and she ended up eating part of it...she wasn't supposed to eat it...ce la vie.

Speaking of Av, she loves the water, always has. Ever since she was born we knew giving her a bath was a surefire way of calming her down and making her happy if she was sassy. As she got older we brought her to the pool often and thankfully she still adores it. So when we need something to keep the littlest entertained around here, water is always a good idea. Whether it's in the backyard, bathtub, or kitchen sink.

For her tub we needed a sprout protector because she's a wild child so when I saw Nuby's Hippo Safety Bath Spout Cover I knew I had to have it. But here's the thing, it protects her little noggin from when she's playing in the tub which I care about and it provides all sorts of fun for her which she cares about.

The mouth of the hippo hinges open for the faucet water to flow freely through ooooooor you can close the mouth hinges and the water squirts through the hippo's nose like a fountain. The fountain feature? It blows. my. child's. mind. Favorite bath toy ever. Shop the Nuby Hippo Safety Bath Spout Cover at Amazon. 

Photo credit: Nuby

And outside the tub one of my go-to items for Av lately is Nuby's Nibbler. It's safe to say most of us have seen this baby item, and I don't know about ya'll but I always saw it as a safe way to introduce solids to younger infants and since Avery is past that stage you'd think, what are you using it for? The answer is...teething! I pop in some chilled watermelon cubes or frozen strawberries and BOOM! She's in paradise. And if I want to let her roam about the house with it I put plain old ice cubes in it, that way I'm not worried about sticky messes. Shop the Nuby Nibbler with Hygienic Tavel Cover at Babies R Us, TJ Maxx stores, and Amazon.  

You know the drill, head over to my instagram and enter to win a Nibbler with Hygienic Tavel Cover. 

Snacking on-the-go

Full Disclosure: The products in this post were provided to me at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.

If your toddler is anything like mine, you stay prepped on your outings with an arsenal of goodies to tame the wild that inevitably comes during errand running. My diaper bag weighs about 4,376 pounds because I carry so much to keep her entertained, happy, and not grabbing everything within her reach. The struggles.

But not only does my little one want a snack when the time comes, she wants to do it herself. And that's just her personality. Always has been. She wants to do nearly everything herself. 

I started her on solids at around seven months old and she let me feed her for less than a week before she wanted to do it herself - so I let her because why not?! It made her happy and now she's awesome using utensils, well, relatively speaking. And she's awesome at keeping Samantha fed as well because I mean, come on, who could resist those puppy eyes. Literally. Puppy Eyes.

So when it comes to snacking on-the-go it's the same; she wants to do it herself. And after a few incidents of her spilling a box of raisins or dumping her crackers, I knew there had to be a product out there that could help. Enter; Ubbi. They have such cute products and the one that caught my eye immediately was their Tweet Snack Container. It's adorable (shaped like a bird), comes in fun colors (red, green, hot pink, robin's egg blue, and orange), and it's functional. 

The top is where the magic is; kids can get their hands in the container to reach their treats but the design prevents treats from falling out as well as kids from pulling out a massive handful at a time. 

And then there's the lid that snaps closed to keep snacks fresh. It latches well enough that it stays closed and opens easy enough that my 15 month old can flip it open when she decides it's snack time at the splash pad.

This is by far one of my favorite kid products I've used to date. We use our tweet snack containers everywhere; at home, in the car, in stores, you name it. 

They're available on Amazon or Buy Buy Baby. Check 'em out! And stay tuned because these will be included in an awesome giveaway coming up. Happy Thursday, friends!

Mealtime Help

Full Disclosure: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I receive products at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.

So at mealtime, Sam is like a ninja - a large dog ninja that observes every member of her pack (AKA us) and decides who is likely to give her (whether willingly or due to not having perfected their utensil-using skills) the most food. That person is typically Avery because, well, she's 14 months old and has a tendency to be buck wild regardless of if she's eating or not. So Sam sits watch and waits ever so patiently for my little girlfriend to drop her bowl or plate from her highchair. But guess what, ya'll? Little Sammy is a little sadder these days and I'm a little happier because the Nuby Miracle Mat suctions to the highchair. Hallelujah Amen.

We use it every. single. day. And have ever since receiving it about a month ago and let me tell you, she rarely even tries to pull her bowls and plates off the table or highchair tray now. So I think of it as a learning tool as well, between the suction preventing her from lifting it and me reinforcing a "Keep your plate on the tray until you're done eating, please" we've been able to teach her some proper table manners. We still have a little work to do in other areas though.

Another learning tool has been Nuby's 

Clik-It™ FlipN'Sip™ Cup with 360° Weighted Straw. When kids are first learning to use sippy cups, they don't understand to tilt ones that needs sucked from, and to keep a straw cup upright, so this 360 cup is perfect because no matter the angle the cup is being held at your child will get the liquid due to the weighted straw. Confused? I didn't understand it either until I physically opened the cup and saw how it was made. And for older babes that have been drinking from sippys for a while like Avery that understand the concept, this 360 cup is still handy during situations like snuggling on mama's lap while watching TV. When she's partially laying and drinking from it the last thing on her mind is to hold it at the proper angle so again, even if she gets lazy and holds it at a less than ideal angle she'll still get liquid from it. And it doesn't leak, just ensure you here the CLICK when putting the lid on and you're all set!

So while I don't have an au pair or a personal chef I do have help at mealtime in the form of some convenient Nuby products. And since I know my fellow parents can also use a little help head on over to my Instagram to find out how you can win Nuby's Miracle Mat!

Happy weekend, friends. Xx