CSC Review and Giveaway: Munny Journey

This contest is now CLOSED. Please see our Contests page for the latest giveaways on Chic Shopper Chick!

Did you know that if you invest $1 a day in your child that you make them a millionaire at age 65? Or, if you make a one-time $5,000 deposit for your child will also make them a millionaire by age 65, with NO ADDITIONAL deposits?

If we follow the plan outlined in the keepsake book "Munny Journey", then Little AG will have $43,115 sitting in the bank by the time she's my age. If she left it alone until age 65, she could retire with $1,354,229 from our initial $5,000 deposit, without ever having contributed anything additional to it herself. At my age, to know I would have that kind of security down the road would feel quite good, I've got to say.



As it is, hubby and I do invest in our futures, but would it be nice if each one of us also had one of these as a back up plan? Unfortunately, it's too late for hubby and I now -- babies have the element of "time" on their side. The keepsake book "Munny Journey" shows you how to help give your children the financial boost they deserve, starting from birth. We all want to do everything we can for our children -- and helping them to prepare financially for the future is no different!

Munny Journey will also take you through steps like choosing a financial advisor, and keeping tabs on your baby's stock or mutual funds. If you're stuck or confused, the Munny Journey Website has additional ideas and tools for you to use.

This would make a great baby shower gift or new baby gift -- especially if you are always looking for that "special" gift. You can purchase Munny Journey through their website for $29.95. It also comes with an Audio CD!

Win It! The folks over at Munny Journey have graciously agreed to offer a copy of Munny Journey to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below:

• Visit the Munny Journey Website, and come back here and tell me what you "number" is! Also, I would love to know why you would like to win!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US and entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 2nd, 2008.

It's Kind of a Big Deal...

Serena and Lily, everyone's favorite brand of nursery decor is 15% off through the month of August. It's kind of a big deal, because S and L never allow their products to be marked down! So, if you have had your eye on that terrific bedding set for your new baby's nursery now is the time to take the plunge and buy it!


Also, Caden Lane products are 10% off through August as well. If you aren't familiar with Caden Lane, they offer a terrific selection of diaper bags, car seat covers, blankets, etc. Head on over to Pure and Honest Kids to check it out!

CSC Review and Giveaway: Ju Ju Be "BeLight"

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.

The search has ended. I've found IT. The queen of all diaper bags. The Big Kahuna. The whole enchilada. The...well, the other clever stuff I can't think of. You get the point.

This is it.

It's called the WannaBe, and frankly it's because all other diaper bags WannaBe just like it.

This is a diaper bag that seems like it is especially geared towards being at the beach or the pool, because it is totally summer inspired. There is a soft-lined iPod pocked with a little place for your headphones to stick out of without having to unzip the picket. There is a mini-cooler pocket that is fully insulated and is bigger than some those portable ice chests. There are two transparent zippered "mess shuttle" accessory bags to keep wet bathing suits in, and a pocket on the outside that is just perfect to carry a couple of magazines and a book.

You know, even if I didn't have a kiddo I would still rock this bag at the beach. It even has plush padded backpack straps (completely removable), a towel strap on the OUTSIDE of the bag (that way it doesn't take up precious interior room), plus, it has this really awesome Sand Trap™ at the bottom -- you unzip the solid bottom of the bag to reveal a second, mesh layered bottom where all of the sand (or cracker crumbs in our case) can fall through and be shaken out of the bottom WITHOUT having to take everything out.

That's my favorite part, actually. The Sand Trap. Wouldn't it be nice if every bag had those?

Is the WannaBe looking cool to you but maybe a bit too roomy? Check out the BeLight, the lightest diaper bag on the market -- weighing in at a mere 6.4 ounces. This is nice for those quick trips to a friends house or to a playdate where you don't need to bring the kitchen sink with you but still need a few important essentials. I especially like that the strap can be tied in different ways to make the bag longer or shorter depending on your preference. Don't worry though, at 6.4 ounces, it's still has it's own changing pad, a zippered pocket, a divided pocket, and is completely reversible!

These bags are both made by one of the coolest companies on the market, Ju Ju Be. They really make quality products (remember these really awesome stroller clips that I talked about in April?) that still have nice little touches. I love the rhinestones on the zipper pulls and on the buckles of the bag. As the expression goes, it's all in the details!

The WannaBe retails for $165 and the BeLight retails for $35.

Win it! Win your very own BeLight! To enter, follow the rules below!

(If you don't win the BeLight here on CSC, Ju Ju Be gives one away EACH week in their Pink Room, so head on over and check it out!)

• Go look at the different color options of the BeLight and come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what color you would choose (OFFICIAL COLOR NAMES ONLY PLEASE)!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end at 11:59 pm on August 12th. Good luck!

Tees for Change

I'm in love with this line of eco-friendly organic cotton and bamboo tees that are simultaneously inspirational. Tees for Change are adorned with messages such as "Today Matters", "Choose Happiness", and "Embrace Change".

I also love this organic baby onesie that says "Dream Big".

Even cooler, Tees for Change has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for EVERY eco-friendly tee that they sell. Check them out at the Tees for Change website -- they come in a variety of cuts and colors, and they retail for $32.

Want it? Tees for change is offering Chic Shopper Chick readers a coupon for 15% off through August 31st. Just enter code CHIC at checkout.

I see London, I see France...

Steps. Europe has lots of STEPS. As in stairs. To climb. And, alright, I know that France and England were well established before good ole' Columbus had ever even THOUGHT about sailing the "ocean blue" but I mean, c'mon, haven't they every heard of elevators over there?

Steps aren't an issue for me, but of course, it was a new consideration with a 18 month old in tow. She would need a stroller, and it would have light enough to carry when needed, and need to fold up quickly and compactly. Lucky for me, I was aware of all of these things before I left and prepared accordingly.

We brought with us the Micralite Fastfold, a stroller that holds true to it's name -- it is small and light, and really does fold up quite quickly! It made our trip MUUUCCCHHHH easier, and we discussed several times how impossible it would have been had we been using another stroller.

Ok, so there is so much to say about this lean, mean, pushchair machine that it's easiest for me to make a list -- so read on to find out my loves and a few little nitpicky things that I would improve.

I love the Micralite Fastfold because:

1) At 16 lbs, it was light enough for me to physically pick up and carry for a short distance, if needed.
2) The larger back tires are filled with air, which made for a much smoother ride, and it made it easier to hop up over bumps by popping the stroller backwards.
3) The design is really cool -- it almost looks like it is in the shape of a triangle.
4) There is mesh at the back of the seat to keep air flowing through, which is really important in the summer especially -- so that Little AG wasn't sweating.
5) There are reflectors lining the edge of the entire stroller, which really messed up my pictures but was great for crossing streets at night, especially in London, where they drive on the wrong side of the road.
6) The handle for pushing goes all the way across AND it has two little sections on the side for both hands. This is convenient for one-handed pushing as well as using both hands.
7) It collapses and sets up in under 3 seconds. Yowza!
8) It came with an AWESOME raincover that would have been a lifesaver for us in London if I had only remembered to actually bring it with me from the hotel room. In all seriousness though, I did eventually get to use it and it rocked. Everyone in London had a raincover for their stroller. It was nice to blend-in and very functional.
9) Little AG was very comfortable in it -- it is almost like sitting in a hammock, the way it is designed.

The nitpicky stuff that I would change but wouldn't stop me from getting another one:

1) The front wheels aren't air-filled. I wish they all were, as it is a nice feature.
2) The sun canopy is miniature and does close to nothing for keeping the sun out of Little AG's eyes. However, I used the Protect A Bub Sunshade with it and it worked like a charm.
3) It's oddly shaped, making the front wheels of the stroller further apart than the back wheels, which causes problems when trying to squeeze through tight spaces.
4) You can't hook a diaper bag or even a small grocery bag to the back handles (which is stays very clearly in the instructions, for the record). This stroller is very back-heavy and when I took little AG out of the stroller, it would instantly flip backwards. Trust me, I broke a coffee mug in a souvenir shop by not remembering this very factoid. Slightly embarrassing, and I had a feeling they were muttering "stupid American girl" under their breath as I sheepishly offered to pay for it.
Places we maneuvered the Micralite Fastfold:

1) The wet, packed streets of London.
2) Through the overpriced department store of Harrods.
3) Up stairs in Tube and Metro stops.
4) Onto the Eurostar Train.
5) Through the cobblestone streets of Paris.
6) Through the Catacombs of Paris.
7) Up the Arc de Triomphe.
8) On the Metro (aka Subway).
9) On Escalators.
10) On the rocky beaches of Nice on the French Riviera.

Overall, the Micralite Fastfold ROCKS my world. Hubby and I both agree would couldn't have made it through Europe using our other stroller -- this one was a lifesaver. Did I mention how cute it is? We get compliments about it everywhere we go. The girl in London called it a "Posh Buggy" and I swooned. :)

The Micralite Fastfold is available in Red and Black. It holds up to 42 lbs.

CSC Sponsor: Pure and Honest Kids

Chic Shopper Chick is fortunate enough to have a great sponsor in Pure and Honest Kids a site that carries some truly unique and beautiful gifts. I really like this Brag Book as a gift for anyone -- a mom, dad, or grandparent -- to carry around photos of the new little arrival in. It retails for $14.99 and also comes in the Baby Boy version!

I also love these pint-sized rocking chairs for the little ones in your life. I had a little red rocking chair when I was little and I loved it -- it was always a place of my own. These great chairs retail for $56 and come in green, blue, pink , or orange. How adorable is this assortment of play donuts? They can be served along with "tea" for an afternoon of great fun! They even come in their own little hand-loomed box complete with ribbons. My personal favorite is the one with sprinkles -- it almost looks good enough to eat! You can purchase the set of 5 with the box for $35.
How sweet is this "Blast Off" swimsuit and t-shirt set for little boys? It is festooned with rocket ships, planes, and planets -- perfect for any little guy. It retails for $41.Don't forget to click around Pure and Honest Kids and see what else you may like. Remember, your support helps to keep CSC going, and we really like being here with you, so go ahead and click around a bit!

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway: Ugly Dolls

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.

Is it bad to start a review by saying that the product is just down right UGLY? Because really, they are. But they are so ugly they're actually cute! Of course, I'm talking about none other than the Ugly Dolls, those amazingly soft and plush figures that are eternally popular with celebrities and us common folk alike. Christina Aguilera has them in her son's room, and they are certainly beginning to replace the firetrucks and airplane motif for little boys rooms the world over.

I have to admit, when I pulled my first Ugly Doll out of the box, I was skeptical. It was odd looking, and perhaps a bit frightening. That is until Little AG in all of her 17 month old glory, cruised on by and snatched little Poe out of my hands, immediately collapsing onto the ground in a giant hug with him. After a bit of patting him on the back and petting him, she hopped back up, stuck his wing in her mouth, and continued to bop around the house, all with Poe by her side.

So now I'm hooked. If you had seen that same adorable display, you would be too.

Ugly Dolls are the brain child of the creative husband and wife team of artists David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim. Ugly Dolls began as a drawing of a playful orange character known as Wage. Eventually Sun-Min sewed Wage into a plush figure as a surprise for David, and the rest is history. Since then, there have been many new characters and Ugly Dolls and have since turned the Uglyverse upside down!

So what do you think? Ugly or cute? I can't decide, but I do know that either way, I like em'!!

Win it! I am giving away one Ugly Doll in Original Size to THREE different Chic Shopper Chick readers. I have one Poe, one Gato Deluxe, and one Peaco to giveaway. To enter, follow the directions below.

• Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite stuffed animal or plush companion as a child. Then let me know which Ugly Doll you would choose if you won.
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! Simple, eh? This giveaway will end on July 27th, 2008 at 11:59 pm CST. So what are you waiting for? Start commenting!

From Diapers to Diaper Bags

I've blogged before about my love of Seventh Generation products for baby (I use the wipes for Little AG) because they are all safe and non-toxic products that you can feel good about using around your children. Well, this time around, I'm experiencing a new level of love for the company because Seventh Generation has paired up with Healthy Child Healthy World and Rickshaw Bagworks to create Wee Generation Diaper Bags.

The designer fabric is created from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and it has all sorts of great features that you would want in a super organized, eco-chic diaper bag. All of the colors are gender-neutral, so no worries about a bag that is too girly or too masculine, either. It has lots of pockets for storage, a PVC-free liner, a waterproof bottom, and a comfy padded carrying strap.

My favorite part is that 100% of the profits from these bags (one hundred percent!!) go to non-profit Healthy Child Healthy World to teach children stay away from the toxic stuff that is all around us in our environment. You can buy a Wee Generation Diaper Bag from the Wee Generation website.

PS-- If you are thinking about buying it, go ahead and take the plunge now -- the first 500 bags sold will be chock full of goodies from Seventh Generation!

Wee Go are still a Go!

I don't know if you remember but I talked about these fabulous bottles from Baby Life, called the Wee Go baby bottles back in April (you can see that post here). Well, apparently I wasn't the only one in the world who thought that these were fabulous bottles! They have been sold out for well over a month and Baby Life couldn't speed production along fast enough to keep up with the supply in demand!

Last week I received one of these awesome (and I do mean awesome) bottles in the mail and I've gotta tell ya, I'm just as impressed, if not more, as I was when I first heard about them. The bottles are glass, but they are covered with a non-toxic silicone sleeve that is just as stylish as it is functional. There are 6 different colored sleeves to choose from, but I love the entire rainbow of colors! The best part about these bottles is that they are BPA free so you don't have to worry about what your baby is really drinking in along with that milk! (Not familiar with BPA? You should be. Read the Wikipedia article on it here to catch yourself up!)

The nipple of the bottle is made of the highest-grade silicone, is crafted in France and meets the most stringent EU guidelines for baby products (which tend to be more strict than US guidelines). Of course, all of the products used in production are completely safe and non-toxic.

The Wee Go Baby Life Bottles are pricey at $18 each, but will hold up over time and will be a good return on your investment. I know that each of our old Avent bottles cost us around $9 each and weren't nearly as good of quality as these are. You can purchase these awesome bottles directly from the Baby Life website.

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway -- Growth Sprouts Tees

Back in April I wrote a post about how much I loved these snap tees for each month in baby's first year of life. I certainly wish that I had found them before Little AG passed the one year mark, because they are SOOO smart! Every month, when she hit the mark of being another month older, we would put her in a little outfit and take pictures of her so that we could remember what she looked like at one month, two months, three months, etc. If I would have had a set of these snap tees from Growth Sprouts/Culpeper General, I wouldn't have had to set the date on my camera -- I would have known how old she was just by looking at the pictures!



They offer several different patterns to choose from, so you can pick what suits you and your baby the most. They are all so adorable that I am having trouble choosing a favorite! Each tee is handmade on 100% cotton Gerber onesies by heat transfer. And, being the gift snob that I am, can I just mention that I think that this would be the most AMAZING shower gift??? Can you imagine the oohs and aaahs that this sweet gift will elicit when the parents-to-be unwrap it at the shower? A set of 6 tees sells for $40 and a set of 12 sells for $75. Check out their Etsy storefront of Culpeper General for more information!



To top it all off -- this is a small, family owned business -- they sell most of their products on Etsy -- and you know how I love to support both family businesses and Etsy stores!

Want it? Culpeper General is offering one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader the chance to win a set of 6 growth tees in their choice of pattern! Winner will be able to choose from either a 1-6 months set of tees or a 7-12 months set of tees! To enter, just follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Go to the Etsy storefront of Culpeper General and look around. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which set you would choose and in what pattern!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
  
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US entries only!
  
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

Good luck! This contest will end on June 30th, 2008 at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be chosen via www.random.org and announced on here and on PRIZEY Fetch.

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway -- Warm Biscuit Bedding Company Giftcard

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

I have been LOVING the weather here in DC. Back home in Louisiana, we have had the air conditioner running and the baby pool out and filled since late March (when it hit 85), and we haven't looked back yet. However, I realize for those of you who live in parts of the country or world where summer doesn't exist year round, summer is officially upon you too.

Warm Biscuit Bedding Company has lots of fun things to keep kids busy over the summer. One of my favorites is this ladybug tree swing that sells for $29. Matter of fact, I love it so much I sort of wish they made a big-girl version of it too! What can I say, I'm a kid at heart!


I also love this complete kit of Camp Gear -- it comes with a polyurethane rain cape in a neoprene bag, a synthetic alarm whistle in case of trouble, and a screw-top box for items found on the way. How much fun would this be for overnight camping trips in the backyard? It retails for $35.
It rains here at 2 pm almost every day during the summer -- sometimes it is a brief shower and sometimes it lasts into the night, but during a Louisiana summer you can bet on rain almost every day. So what to do with the kids once the rain comes? You can try out this "Look and Cook Cookbook", with 50 simple kid-tested recipes to occupy the youngest chefs in the making. It retails for $20.

Want it? Warm Biscuit Bedding Company is graciously offering one Chic Shopper Chick reader a $50 gift card to be used towards the item or items of their choice. To enter, follow the rules below.

• Go to www.warmbiscuit.com and look around. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what you would use the $50 gift card to purchase.
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
  
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US and Canadian entries!!!
  
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

This contest will end on Thursday, June 26th at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be chosen via www.random.org and announced on here and on PRIZEY Fetch.

Good luck!

Baby in a Bag

We stopped swaddling Little AG when she was 6 weeks old, and moved to sleep sacks for night time instead. They are great because I know that she stays warm but I don't have to put a blanket in her crib that a) increases the risk of SIDS and b) she will kick off in 2 seconds flat. Babies in Europe have been sleeping in sleep sacks for years now, and the trend is finally catching on here -- for the two reasons I have already mentioned. We initially used a sleep sack that we found at Babies R Us that was made of fleece, but after some internet searching, I came across these European "Pamper Sacks" that I truly feel are superior to the other ones. You can buy different types of Pamper Sacks in different materials, but we stick to the lightweight summer models, even in the winter, because it stays at 69 degrees in our house all year long, no matter if we achieve that temperature via air conditioner or heater. I did initially purchase a winter sleep sack and a summer model, but we've never used the winter model due to the reasons above.

Anyway, check out their site, www.babyinabag.com for the different options. The summer model that we use retails for $24.95 and Little AG has been wearing a size medium since she was 7 months old (now she's 16 months). The way that they are made allows them to be adjustable to fit kids as they grow, so when you consider that we use it every night it ends up being one of the best investments that we've made.

Let's Twist Again

This Twisty Moby from Wonderworld is really neat. The pieces are created from sustainable harvested wood from rubber trees, making it eco friendly. Plus, it is painted with a water-based, non-toxic paint, so you don't have to worry about your baby putting it in their mouth.

The entire toy changes shape, encouraging your baby to develop their fine motor skills and further encouraging hand-eye coordination. It can also be used as a teether, though I'm sure that is the first place it will end up anyway.

I wish I had seen these when Little AG was at this stage. I was just so overwhelmed that I didn't think to look for things like this. Anyway, wouldn't this make a great add-on to a baby shower gift? You can find this "Twisty Moby" on Amazon.com for $9.99, and it will qualify for free shipping if your order exceeds $25.

I wanna Rock!

Need a last minute Father's Day gift idea? Check out these cute lap tees from Lil Nola. They say "When I grow up I wanna rock like my dad". Hubby would love to see Little AG in something like this. He is a drummer and would love nothing more than for her to be a little rocker chick one day.

You can grab one of these or browse the other great Father's Day gifts at Lil Nola. It's a mom-owned and run boutique, which scores major points in my book! This tee comes in sizes 6 months all the way through 4T and they sell for only $13.99.

Bath Luve Giveaway Winners

Congratulations! The winners of the Chic Shopper Chick -- Bath Luve Giveaway, as chosen via random.org on June 8, 2008, are:

#48 -- Kathleen W, who wrote: What a great idea! I have been using like 3 baby washcloths for my 2 month old who shivers in the bath. They always slide off, so this would be nice to use. The fish is my favorite.

#90 -- Ames who said "I would get the frog for my baby coming :)"

#127 -- Anonymous who said "This is a great idea. Sometimes the water gets cold sooo fast that you either have to add more water or rush to finish the bath. I like the frog and I would give it to my daughter-in-law to use in about six months."

Look for an email from me today! Winners must respond within 72 hours or a new winner will be chosen. Thank you all for entering, and don't forget to enter our current contests -- you can see them all over at the Contests and Giveaways page.

Chic Shopper Chick -- Neat Solutions Giveaway

Not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I AM A GERM-A-PHOBE. Seriously. I won't even eat/drink after hubby, which he naturally finds ridiculous. I can't stand for things to seem germy. I won't cook in a kitchen unless I am confident that all of the pots, pans, and utensils were sufficiently cleaned, and sometimes I clean them again -- justincase. I carefully inspect restaurant glasses, plates, and utensils, and have to refrain from asking for my drink to be put in a to-go cup with no ice (ice machines have germs -- didn't you see that Oprah?) That's not to say that my house is even close to what you would call clean -- clutter can be everywhere, but the countertops MUST BE WIPED DOWN.

Yes I'm odd and quirky. I'll be the first to admit it. My own family makes fun of me.

Well, I may be extreme, but you don't have to be a germ-a-phobe to appreciate the products that Neat Solutions produces! For example -- when Little AG was old enough to sit in a high-chair in restaurants (that is a whole 'nother post that I promise to write in the future), I started having the problem of her touching all over the grimy table. Eww. We would wipe it down with Baby Wipes, but c'mon, those things aren't antibacterial. Neat Solutions knew there were moms like me out there freaking out about this type of thing, so they created their Table Toppers, that come in a variety of patterns (like Winnie the Pooh, and Baby Einstein). Table Toppers are disposable placemats that essentially stick in place on the table of the restaurant (or dining hall, like at the youth retreat I am currently helping at). We wrap ours on top but also along the side of the table, since Little AG likes to stick her hands all over the place. The best part is that we can pull apart a piece of bread or something, and put the pieces on the Table Topper so she can feed herself and we might be able to get more than one bite in at a time!

I also really like their XL changing pads -- the little one that came with my diaper bag never seems quite big enough to cover those gross public changing tables, but these do the trick. I like to slip the one from my diaper bag under it to give Little AG a little extra padding, and then place the Neat Solutions on top of that one.

What about public toilets? We are going to Europe this summer with our youth group, and I plan on taking the Potty Toppers with us to take care of those icky airport and public restrooms.

Taking your kiddo to visit your great-aunt who is fanatical about cleanliness and has her sofa from 1974 still covered in plastic? Bring along one of the Floor Toppers and stick it underneath the chair where you and the little one will be sitting. After the meal, you can make sure that any stray crumbs are safely picked up and not ground into the carpet.

I was watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 the other day, and I noticed that Kate had put these disposable bibs by Neat Solutions on the sextuplets when they were eating ice cream. We don't use bibs as much as we used to for Little AG, but sometimes, like for spaghetti dinners or any other rather messy food, these bibs are perfect. I can keep them in the diaper bag and just pull one out when I need it -- they don't take up a lot of room, so it's not a hassle to just keep them there.

Neat Solutions is just that, a neat solution for life's little messes, and you know a lot of them come with having children. You can check out Neat Solution's Website for info on where to buy their products at a major retailer near you.

Win It!!! Neat Solutions has generously offered a Neat Solutions prize package to one Chic Shopper Chick reader! This package includes one package of each of the following: disposable bibs, floor toppers, table toppers, potty toppers, multi-use pads, and XL Changing Pads!

To enter:

• Comment on this post with the name of the mom who invented Neat Solutions, as well as which Neat Solutions Product you like the most.
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
  
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US AND CANADIAN entries. (Wooo hoo, Canada friends! Get your entry on!)
  
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

This giveaway will end on June 10th, 2008 at midnight CST. Good luck!

PS -- Like free stuff? CSC just started running another giveaway today for a beautiful purse from The Kat Sak. Check it out!

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway -- Bath Luve

The owner and creator of Bath Luve, Amy Seckinger, was so excited about the review of the Bath Luve from yesterday that she has generously offered to give THREE Chic Shopper Chick readers a Bath Luve of their very own! If you haven't yet read the review from yesterday, you can read it here -- but in a nutshell, I think this is one of the smartest mom-invented products yet! It will keep your infant or toddler warm in the bathtub, making it a more pleasant experience for all!

Amy is giving away one Bath Luve in each of the 3 available patterns. To enter, follow the easy-peasy giveaways guidelines below!

• Comment on this post with which Bath Luve you would choose if you won and who you would use it for/give it to. Head on over to the Bath Luve website to see your choices!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
  
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US AND CANADIAN entries. (Wooo hoo, Canada friends! Get your entry on!)
  
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about me and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

This contest will end on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at midnight CST. The three winners will be chosen via random.org and announced on Friday, June 6th.

AS OF MIDNIGHT, JUNE 5th, 2008 THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED! All entries received after this time will not be considered. Please check out our current giveaways by going here!

Lovin' the Bath Luve

Poor Little AG's first experience in the bathtub was rather unpleasant for all involved. Even though we tried to make it warm for her, she screamed like a banchee the entire time -- until her daddy finally had to feed her a bottle while I finished bathing her (you should see those pictures -- they're hilarious). Well, unbeknownst to me -- there was a fabulous, mom-created product that could have helped us to soothe Little AG during that bath.

Bath Luve (Love-ee) are these awesome clothlike drapes to dip in the water and place on your infant's chest, shoulder and torso area. They keep the baby warm and soothed, which in our case, would have been such a blessing! They come in 3 different designs, a duck, a frog, and a fish -- oh so adorable! These are a must-have for any mom of an infant, and they would also make a great add-on to a baby shower gift!

Head on over to the Bath Luve website to grab one of these for the baby or babies in your life! You can purchase them directly from the website for 6.99 each! What a steal!

Perfect Pediped

In my house, we have a love/hate relationship with shoes. On the practical side, we all hate to wear them. At any given moment, you will likely find at least 2 out of 3 of the occupants of this house without shoes or socks. Plus, the best I can muster in the extremely hot Louisiana summers is a pair of fashionable flip flops. I'll never forget how disgusted my Italian Professor was in college -- seeing us all in these casual flip flops (mine at least had some sparkles) and commenting on how they would never wear "zees zchoos een Eee-tayl-ee". However, on the fabulous and fashionable side, I am in love with shoes of all kinds, and have been known to buy a great pair of shoes and then find an outfit to match them.

With that in mind, Little AG and I were fortunate enough to be able to try out a pair of these fabulous Pediped shoes. I have to tell you, they were awesome. I love the soft-soled leather bottoms, yet they look so sophisticated on the top (not like slippers). The little velcro closure is perfect -- these shoes actually stayed on. And I don't just mean for a minute -- I'm talking ALL DAY. We played outside, inside, she crawled on pavement and stumbled through the grass. We even went to the grocery store in them and managed to leave without ever having to retrace our steps for a missing shoe. I'm in love.

Pediped shoes were developed by two parents in 2005, Angela and Brian Edgeworth, who were desperate to find the perfect soft-soled shoe for their baby daughter. Well, they did it right! Pediped shoes also meet both US and European (more stringent) standards for children's products, meaning there is no chance of lead or any other unhealthy toxins being ingested by your child, even if they choose to lick these shoes (hey, kids do strange things). You can purchase them in more than 35 designs and the original Pedipeds come in 4 different sizes (0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, and 18-24 months). Too small for your child? Try the brand new Flex line from Pediped -- which has sizes from 6-12 with a soft rubber sole. The designs for both lines are precious -- my favorite is the "Giselle" for girls (pictured top right), and the Liam in Chocolate Brown and Baby Blue for boys -- (pictured bottom right). Prices on the Pediped website range from $30-$48 dollars per pair, so go check them out!

Want it? Use discount code hapr08 for Free Shipping at www.pediped.com!

Sippy Grip

Last night was a late night for me, though a fabulous one (NBA Playoffs from a Super Suite, need I say more?) but it involved putting my bedtime at somewhere close to 4 am. Of course, when I woke up this morning at 8 am with Little AG (who had a refreshing 12 hours of sleep) my eyes felt like they were glued shut. Of course, at breakfast, my darling 15 month old daughter delights in throwing her sippy cup off of the high chair tray (she claps when she puts it in the right place, and then *Whap!* knocks it right off onto the floor) and so this morning I was wondering (grumbling?) why someone hasn't come up with a way to make these stay put.

You see where I'm heading with this yet?

I found some! They're called the SippiGrip! They are adjustable in length up to 12 inches, and can fit high chairs, strollers, and car seats. I am totally ordering some of these for our trip this summer -- picking up sippy cups from the ground gets old, fast -- and our luck she will throw them under the Tube or in the street where they will be promptly run over. For all of your lovers of Blue and Red, I have good news -- you can get one of these SippiGrips for $6.99 on Amazon, but for you lovers of Black and Pink, I have better news -- how's $4.99 each sound?! Grab 'em while you can on Amazon!