Cubo Ai Plus Review - Giving Me Peace of Mind
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After testing for over a month, I'm sharing my Cubo Ai Plus review! In this post, I share my favorite features including their amazing baby-safety additions (plus a promo code)!
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The Truth About Pregnancy Pillows
/The truth about pregnancy pillows: THEY WORK.
I didn’t buy any when I was pregnant with Zane… mostly because I was skeptical and not really sure why a pregnancy pillow would be that different than the 20 pillows I had on my bed already. I remember with Zane, I had 1 pillow under my belly, another between my legs, 2 behind me so I wouldn’t roll on my back and a few others depending on how uncomfortable I was. They didn’t really help for long periods of time because they always shifted, moved out of place, or when I eventually had to get up to go pee, it was mission impossible getting them all back into place.
I got my hands on 4 different pregnancy pillows from Boppy and am here to tell you: Don’t make the same mistake I did. Their pillow are affordable, amazing quality and will save your sanity by allowing you to comfortably sleep during your pregnancy! Go. Get. One. Now.
Total Body Pillow: It supports your head, shoulder, belly, legs and ankles. It really is a support for every part of your body. You can use with while lounging or sleeping and it really is the ultimate solution. I LOVE my regular bed pillow, so this full body pillow I would mostly use while lounging. I asked a friend for her opinion and after her first night sleeping with it, she told me it was the best sleep of her pregnancy! Even her husband asked why she didn't get one sooner!
Support Pillow: It supports your Head and Shoulder, Baby Bump and Shoulders, Baby Bump and Legs, or Back and Legs. It allows you to use your own bed pillow (which I love) and is compact enough to bring anywhere! I will definitely be packing it in my hospital bag!
Side Sleeper Pillow: It supports your Back and Baby Bump and is especially helpful for women who are used to sleeping on their backs but need to learn to sleep on their sides during pregnancy. It gently cradles your baby bump and sits behind your back, preventing you from rolling over! The stretch panel will grow with you throughout your pregnancy!
The Wedge: It supports Knees, Back or Baby Bump. This is probably the most underrated product out there. I would have NEVER thought a tiny wedge could make such a difference… but it’s incredible. It alleviated so much pressure off my hips and back during my pregnancy!
I sleep with the wedge under my belly and the support pillow between my legs. Whether you are pregnant, know someone who is, or are currently trying to conceive, pregnancy pillows will save you and I would definitely consider them a must for every pregnant woman!!! I love my pillows from Boppy because they are durable, affordable and you can remove the covers to easily wash them. I wish I would have tried them sooner!!!!
All of Boppy’s pregnancy pillows have removable covers, making them super easy to wash and reuse pregnancy and pregnancy. I regret so much not investing in one for my pregnancy with Zane! Head over to Boppy to check out all the other amazing products that they have for pregnant and nursing mamas!
The Play Gym Built by Experts!
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Save $10 off your purchase of a Lovevery Play Gym by clicking here
We stumbled upon Lovevery a few months ago and I was instantly attracted to the beautiful design, gorgeous colours, and array of learning tools for babies! The more I found out about Lovevery, the more I knew I needed to get my hands on one of their play gyms!
Made with sustainably-sourced wood, the design is just stunning. It takes 2 minutes to assemble and disassemble so it can be easily moved to any room in your home and taken with you when you go visit friends and family!
Every item on this play gym was purposely chosen and the detail that went into designing each piece is exactly what you want as a parent! It comes with an Organic Cotton High Contrast Montessori Ball, a Sustainably-sourced Wooden Batting Ring, Organic Cotton Teether with BPA-free Silicone Rings, a System of interchangeable cards to help stimulate every sense and encourage learning and a Play Guide with activities designed by child development specialists.
There are 5 development zones on the Lovevery play gym that you can cover up or leave exposed to prevent overstimulation and encourage learning! The 5 zones include:
Learning to focus
Making sounds
How things feel
Hiding and finding
Exploring colors
Bath Time Essentials For A New Baby
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With a second baby on the way, I am being a lot more particular about the products that I MUST have. I saw super quickly with Zane which products were useful, a waste of money, and which didn’t stand the test of time with a baby. Bath time can be a total bonding experience with your baby or it can be super stressful as a new parent so being fully equipped is SO important!!
I’m rounding up my MUST HAVE bath time products for new and experienced parents alike who are expecting a new baby! These items will also make amazing baby shower gifts!
A light, portable and adjustable bath tub is a MUST. You don’t want one that’s only for newborns because you’ll be replacing it shortly after your baby arrives and one that isn’t specifically for newborns will drive you insane. You will either be constantly holding up your baby so that they are propped up, or you’ll have your baby constantly sliding down the slippery inclined plastic.. I recommend the Moby Smart Sling 3-Stage Tub. This tub is awesome because it grows with baby through three stages: Stage 1: Newborn (0-3 months; up to 15 lbs); Stage 2: Infant (3-6 months; up to 20 lbs); Stage 3: Sitters (6+ months; up to 25 lbs). There are 2 positions that you can place the tub in and then you can completely remove the interior mesh once your baby can comfortably sit. The mesh also provides a type of “grip” that a simple plastic tub won’t provide which is great for newborns. Click here to learn more.
An easy to grip, light, ergonomic bath rinser. I love the Moby Waterfall Bath Rinser by Skip Hop. We actually have this one in blue and have used it since Zane was born! It’s designed to keep water out of your baby’s eyes and ears, it’s light, and the one we currently have has lasted us over 2 years already! We actually ordered a second one because Zane loves to help rinse himself off in the bath so now I can get him rinsed off and he can help too! Click here to learn more.
A large and soft bath towel. Don’t make the mistake of getting a small newborn one… it will last about as long as your clean shirt with a new born. I totally recommend getting a larger one that is soft, has a large hood (Zane had a big head that never full fit in the new born towels) and one that is good quality so that it can withstand daily and sometimes 2 times a day baths! For Zane and our new baby, we have always used the Skip Hop Zoo Hooded Towel. It’s soft, bright and vibrant, and great quality! Click here to learn more.
A SINK BATH! Before having Zane, I had never heard of these, and I won’t make the mistake of having another baby without using one! The Skip Hop Moby SoftSpot Sink Bather™ is the perfect size for newborns and infants. It allows you to give them a bath in the kitchen or bathroom sink. It’s GREAT for when you’re on the go, visiting your parents or friends houses and accidents happen. It’s also super practical when you’re alone and your baby has an accident. It’s hard sometimes to contain the mess, undress your baby all while trying to fill up a bathtub. With the Sink Bather, you can put your baby right in the sink and use the sprayer or tap to keep them warm and start bathing them immediately! It has a velcro strap so that it can be easily hung to dry, it has neck and head support for babies and a mesh centre so that your baby is cradled. I am SO excited to give it try when our mini arrives in a few short weeks! Click here to learn more.
Toys Toys and more Toys. They will keep your mini’s hands occupied and out of their soapy hair and will give you the time you need to properly wash them. I always recommend toys that move, toys that can easily be disinfected and toys that don’t have a ton of grooves and holes so that you don’t have any moldy surprises. Our 3 fave right now are: Count & Play Bath Puzzle, Zoo Paddle & Go Owl and the Mix & Match Foam Pals Bath Toys (these actually stick to the sides of your tub and will keep your baby entertained and as grow with them as they learn that they can move them around and make different animal combinations!).
If you think I’m missing anything, please let me know in the comments below! You may have noticed that all our products are from SkipHop. We did a massive haul at SkipHop and keep returning to them for our baby products because we love the quality, price and design of all their products. They’re a brand we trusted with Zane and they haven’t let us down! Click here to see their full product line!
Baby & Toddler Essentials from bblüv
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I’m always on the hunt for quality, useful and gorgeous baby and toddler items to share with you all. This month I got my hands on 3 items from bblüv and they didn’t dissapoint!
Mülti Miles Reversbile Playmat
I was looking for a playmat for Zane’s room. He likes to play with trucks and books on the floor and wanted somewhere washable yet comfortable for him to play. The catch? I wanted one that could transform from a fun and vibrant mat, to a simple and modern looking mat that could be used in other areas of my home without being an eyesore. The Mülti Miles Reversible Playmat does just that! It’s reversible - one side has a fun and exciting road map for Zane to play around on with his cars, and the other side is a simple solid grey. The added bonuses are that it’s non-toxic, easy to clean, rollable (so it can be easily stored), waterproof and SUPER padded - so even when he asks me to sit my super pregnant butt down and play with him, I am comfortable. Click here to check out the Mülti Miles Reversible Playmat (it comes in 2 awesome patterns!)
Viziö All-In-One Digital Video Baby Monitor
I learned with Zane (through trial and a LOT of error) that finding a good video baby monitor is not as easy as it sounds. They all say they’re great… they all say they’re easy to use… they all boast about great picture quality. But then you get home, can’t figure out how to set it up, turn it on and once you finally do, you can’t even see your baby clearly. Not surprisingly, Viziö All-In-One Digital Video Baby Monitor does exactly what it said it would! It has CrystalVu™ technology that gives you motion activated sound & image during the day and it has invisible led light so you can see them at night! It has a 3.3” color LCD display, an easy to navigate menu and zoom function, wireless technology, temperature sensor, 8 lullabies and it alerts you when the temperature is too hot, too cold, when it’s low on battery, when it’s out of range and it even has a baby feeding alarm! Click here to check out the Viziö All-In-One Digital Video Baby Monitor. It definitely made the top of my list!
Ümi – 2-in-1 Ultrasonic Humidifier & Air Purifier
Before the Ümi, I had yet to find a Humidifier I liked (in fact, I have gone through 3 with Zane so far and not only have they all broken, but they’ve all been mediocre at best). For starters, the fact that the Ümi is not only a humidifier, but also an Air Purifier makes me jump up and down with excitement. Clean air is the first step to keeping your mini’s healthy and happy and now I don’t need a separate machine to do that! It requires no filters and it maintains the level of humidity in the room for up to 28 hours! I love the backlit LCD screen because I can sneak into Zane’s room while he’s sleeping and turn it on or off if I want without needing a light, it has an automatic shut-off when water levels are low, and you can even add essential oils to the diffuser! It has an awesome night light with changing colors that can be turned on or off and it covers up to 538 sq/ft so no matter how large your child’s room is, it has you covered! Click here to check out the Ümi – 2-in-1 Ultrasonic Humidifier & Air Purifier and read about all it’s awesome features!
Top Recommended Books for Toddlers - by YOU!
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I put up a poll on my Instagram a few weeks ago asking you for your top recommended books for toddlers! Who better to recommend books than fellow mamas? Take advantage of free shipping all summer from Indigo.ca and stock up on the adorable books below! Missed my poll? No problem! Add a comment below with any books that I missed so we can check them out!
1. THE LITTLE BLUE BOX OF BRIGHT AND EARLY BOARD BOOKS BY DR. SEUSS
Inside this adorable blue box (with a handle that your mini will love), include the 4 books: Hop on Pop; Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!; Ten Apples Up On Top!; and The Shape of Me and Other Stuff. They survived 2 weeks with my son undamaged so these books will withstand any child lol. Click here to visit Indigo to learn more.
All of your fave childhood nursery rhymes are in this adorable hard covered book including: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; Humpty Dumpty; Little Miss Muffet; Rockabye Baby; Sing a Song of Sixpence; Ladybird; Pussycat, Pussycat; Jack and Jill; Baa Baa Black Sheep; Hey Diddle Diddle; Rain, Rain, Go Away; Mary Had a Little Lamb; Pat A Cake and Hickory Dickory Dock. Click here to visit Indigo to learn more!
I was curious how many other words Zane could learn before saying Mama LOL. This board book has bright and bold colours that your mini will LOVE. Click here to learn more.
Learning the alphabet is fun with these little critters and this adorably illustrated board book. Click here to learn more!
From the best selling author Sandra Boynton, this colourful and fun board book is all about.... dancing dinosaurs! What else!? Click here to learn more!
A beautiful book with a powerful message: We all have a lion and a mouse inside. Click here to learn more.
This book about self-esteem encourages children to love themselves! Such a great read and an important message to start teaching your children at any age. Click here to learn more.
This New York Times best selling series is all about what makes a Hero. Click here to learn more.
9. GIRAFFES CAN'T DANCE
Gerald the giraffe just wants to dance! With his long legs, it's harder than you think. When he finally receives encouragement from a friend, he realizes he can do it! This book is an inspiration for kids who dream big! Click here to learn more.
This lively alphabet rhyme makes learning the alphabet fun! Click here to learn more.
Don't forget to take advantage of free shipping ALL SUMMER at Indigo.ca!
Top Recommended Books for Toddlers - by YOU!
/I put up a poll on my Instagram a few weeks ago asking you for your top recommended books for toddlers! Who better to recommend books than fellow mamas? Take advantage of the awesome shipping promo they have going on right now: every book ships for free all summer long for plum membersfrom Indigo.ca and stock up on the adorable books below! Missed my poll? No problem! Add a comment below with any books that I missed so we can check them out!
1. THE LITTLE BLUE BOX OF BRIGHT AND EARLY BOARD BOOKS BY DR. SEUSS
Inside this adorable blue box (with a handle that your mini will love), include the 4 books: Hop on Pop; Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!; Ten Apples Up On Top!; and The Shape of Me and Other Stuff. They survived 2 weeks with my son undamaged so these books will withstand any child lol. Click here to visit Indigo to learn more.
All of your fave childhood nursery rhymes are in this adorable hard covered book including: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; Humpty Dumpty; Little Miss Muffet; Rockabye Baby; Sing a Song of Sixpence; Ladybird; Pussycat, Pussycat; Jack and Jill; Baa Baa Black Sheep; Hey Diddle Diddle; Rain, Rain, Go Away; Mary Had a Little Lamb; Pat A Cake and Hickory Dickory Dock. Click here to visit Indigo to learn more!
I was curious how many other words Zane could learn before saying Mama LOL. This board book has bright and bold colours that your mini will LOVE. Click here to learn more.
Learning the alphabet is fun with these little critters and this adorably illustrated board book. Click here to learn more!
From the best selling author Sandra Boynton, this colourful and fun board book is all about.... dancing dinosaurs! What else!? Click here to learn more!
A beautiful book with a powerful message: We all have a lion and a mouse inside. Click here to learn more.
This book about self-esteem encourages children to love themselves! Such a great read and an important message to start teaching your children at any age. Click here to learn more.
This New York Times best selling series is all about what makes a Hero. Click here to learn more.
9. GIRAFFES CAN'T DANCE
Gerald the giraffe just wants to dance! With his long legs, it's harder than you think. When he finally receives encouragement from a friend, he realizes he can do it! This book is an inspiration for kids who dream big! Click here to learn more.
This lively alphabet rhyme makes learning the alphabet fun! Click here to learn more.
Don't forget to take advantage of free shipping on every book all summer long for plum members at Indigo.ca!
Kiko Miami Diaper Bag Review
/With winter coming to an end (hopefully soon) I am allll about the backpack diaper bags. I find it so much more practical to have your arms free and with so many options on the market, there is no reason to settle for one that is less than perfect for you! I got my hands on a Kiko Miami Dipaer Bag and here’s what I thought:
I tested out the Freedom Diaper Backpack. First off, I LOVE that this bag comes equipped with so many extras that you normally have to buy. It comes with 2 built in bottle insulators (to keep things hot or cold) and it also comes with two straps so that you can hang it from your stroller handle bar and not take up room under your stroller. It has 8 pockets in total and has two large handles at the top if you want to carry it in your hands.
My fave feature is that it stays open on it's own and stays upright without tipping over! So m any of the backpack diaper bags I’ve tried have not had these features which means you need both hands when searching for something – one to keep the bag open and the other to grab what you're looking for.
This diaper bag is so compact yet has SO much room, you will never need to bring along a second bag for full day trips. Kiko Miami has a ton of other diaper bag options if you’re looking for something other than a backpack. You can click here to visit their website!
Baby Bundles from The Children's Place!
/Disclosure: I have partnered with YMC and The Children’s Place and have received compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.
Leaving the house with a baby is tough... and such a long process. Between picking out an outfit, the diaper changes, the spitting up and then getting myself ready, it's often a full day affair. I'm all about finding ways to speed it up so that we're on time and still smiling by the time we get to the car. The Children's Place came to the rescue by launching their incredible Baby Bundles! They've created a one-stop shop where you can find perfectly coordinated outfits and multi-packs to help speed up the getting ready process so you can enjoy more time with your mini! You no longer need to worry about finding coordinating outfits or about not having enough of a certain item... Baby Bundles from The Children's Place have it all and they include affordable, stylish and PERFECT items for every baby :).
Zane is starting to stand and wobble around so we've now added a new closet staple to his wardrobe: socks with grips on the bottom! But let's be honest... baby socks are going to get lost, so you can never have too many! We picked up this great Baby Bundle: Baby Boys Athletic Stripe Midi Sock 12-Pack
With spring just around the corner, I can't get enough of the bright and beautiful colours at The Children's Place and we ordered a pack of the Baby Zoo Party Pants. With Zoo animals, stripes and elephants, these pants can be paired with a basic plain Tshirt and worn every day!
There's nothing I love more than babies and rompers so I NEEDED to get my hands on this Baby Bundle. It's called the Camo Rockstar Faux-Layer Top Romper And Pants 3-Piece Playwear Set and I am OBSESSED.
The sizes go from newborn to 24 months so if you have an expecting mama friend, look no further for the perfect baby shower gift! Head over to The Children's Place to see what all the excitement is about :)
My 3 Tips for Finding the Right Baby Bottle
/The search for the right bottle for a new baby can be a long one. Every baby is so different and even as they grow, their preferences can change overnight. There are so many bottles on the market all promising to do different things, so I'm going to share with you what I looked for and why I'm recommending the Baby Brezza Bottle (they are sold at Buy Buy Baby and at Walmart)
1. Find a bottle that is EASY to clean with as few parts as possible - Many of the bottles out there, specifically the one's designed for anti-colic, have 3, 4 even 5 different parts. No one wants to be taking apart a 5 piece bottle to clean multiple times a day. The Baby Brezza Bottle, for example, is an anti-colic bottle with only 2 parts and a TruFlo Vent System to minimize colic and discomfort from gas so there is no need to give up function for simplicity. You can have it all in a bottle with Baby Brezza!
2. Find a bottle that mimics the shape of the breast and nipple for an easy transition in feeding - Whether you are breast feeding, formula feeding or both, any bottle that closely resembles the natural breast will make your feeding journey easier. It means your mini will inhale less air while drinking and will have an easier time switching back and forth from bottle to breast. The Baby Brezza Bottle has an ultra wide mouth and a breast-like nipple which will help avoid nipple confusion!
3. Make sure the bottle you ultimately choose is easy to hold, both for you and your mini - the shape and weight of a bottle is so important. You will be using bottles for the first year, if not longer of your baby's life, and the ultimate goal will be to teach your baby to feed themselves. A bottle that is too heavy, too thin, too wide or an awkward shape will not only be a nuisance for you, but will make it difficult for your baby to learn to be self-dependent! The Baby Brezza Bottle has an ergonomic design that is easy to hold and it is super light weight making it great for every stage of feeding!
We loved that the Baby Brezza Bottle was easy clean with only 2 parts, was light weight and easy to hold, and that the shape mimicked the natural breast so Zane hasn't had to deal with extra gas from air intake. The cute sayings on the bottom were just a bonus!!
These bottles are sold at Buy Buy Baby and at Walmart!
This 2-in-1 Travel and Play Tent Will Save Your Summer!
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So you're on a beach or in a park and your mini wants to take a nap, play with toys, or just roll around. What do you do? I often felt like the bucket seat or stroller was often too hot - and if I covered it with a blanket to shield my mini from the sun, it literally became a sauna. I recently had the chance to try out a product that I WISH I would have known about in the summer when Zane was younger, but I'm thankful that I got to discover before we have another baby!
The bblüv 2 in 1 Travel and Play Tent is a portable tent that folds up into a small carrying bag and can be brought ANYWHERE. It fits in the bottom of your stroller, can be carried over your shoulder and even fits in a suitcase! It opens up to full size on it's own and is large enough for your baby to comfortably play and relax in.
I found it a bit difficult the first few times to figure out how to close the tent back up into it's carrying size, but thankfully bbluv has some great tutorials online so I recommend watching a few of their videos first until you get the hang of it :)
Some of my fave features:
1 - It's SUPER light weight and easily folds up to be carried anywhere
2 - It has an anti-UV coating (SPF 50+) to protect your mini's skin from UVA and UVB rays from the sun
3 - It has a mosquito net that can fold down to keep out the bugs!
4 - The canopy helps to not only protects baby’s skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays, but also from wind and sand
5 - It easily wipes clean so you never need to worry about putting down at the park, beach or anywhere outside
From Dragons to Princesses to Farms... You Will Find It All at PLAYMOBIL!
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PLAYMOBIL® is known for their iconic figurines and imaginative play. They have everything from Ghostbusters™ to NHL® to Christmas themed play sets for children of all ages! So in time for the holidays, we got a chance to try out 2 of their toys from the 1.2.3 Collection, which is meant for younger children. We tried out the 1.2.3 My Take Along Noah's Ark and the Ladder Unit Fire Truck.
We loved the Take Along Noah's Ark! For starters, the deck opens up so that all the animals and accessories can be stored inside, which means no lost figurines and no clutter! #momwin. Zane loves the animals and the bright colours, and soon enough he'll be using his imagination to create new adventures for all the animals :). This toy is recommended for 1.5 years+ because some of the pieces are a little small, so I stored the smaller pieces in the arc, and let him play with the ones that were appropriate! The Take Along Noah's Ark even has a handle on it so when your minis need to go with you to grandma's house or over to someone's for dinner, it's a super easy toy to pack up and bring along.
The Ladder Unit Fire Truck is also great! It has a ladder that swivels around and it even comes with a little fire man figurine so your children will be able to save the day and put out any imaginary fires that they may find! I may get the Fire Rescue Helicopter next for Zane that so that his Fireman has a friend :). The firetruck has room in the basket or the driver's seat for any of the 1.2.3 figurines, so if you have another one of their sets, you can turn any character into a fire fighting hero! I really recommend checking out the PLAYMOBIL website - they have Take Along Farms, Ships and a ton of other figurines and sets that your littles will love! Click here to visit their website to find the perfect gift in time for the holidays!
Recreate the Whimsical World of Luna Petunia in Your Own Home With to Funrise Toys
/Luna Petunia, the Netflix exclusive show that is inspired by Cirque du Soleil, is a fave in our house since we discovered it last month! The show is all about the adventures of a little girl named Luna who learns that she can do anything with the help of her friends. The animated series is bright, whimsical, fun, exciting and Luna's friends are sure to become characters that your little ones look forward to watching! We were so happy to be able to welcome our Netflix friends into our home thanks to Funrise Toys :).
Funrise Toys has released a preschool Luna Petunia line in time for the holidays! It includes a large talking Luna Petunia doll with hair that you can style, a large soft and plush doll that you can hug all day long, figurines to create your own adventures with and these adorable plush beanies! We got all of Zane's faves: Luna, Bibi Bubbles, Sammy Stretch and Karoo!
The figurines and beanies make perfect stocking stuffers and your little one's eyes are sure to light up when they can play with and hold their favourite TV characters :). Click here to see the entire Luna Petunia toy collection from Funrise Toys.