Review of the Mountain Buggy Nano

Certain things you only learn to appreciate once you have a 25 pound child - and one of those is a great quality light weight stroller. I was SO excited to get my hands on the Mountain Buggy Nano. Not only is it less than half the weight of the stroller I used to use, but it also fits a diaper bag underneath, folds up in to a storage bag for travelling AND reclines so that your mini can sleep while you take over the world! Most light weight strollers force you to compromise on functionality - but not this one!

I never knew until trying out the Nano that you could have all the perks of a larger stroller, but in a compact version (and for a fraction of the price!). Some of my fave features include: 

1. Reclinable seat: most light weight strollers don't have adjustable and reclinable seats so it makes it difficult for your minis to nap. The Mountain Buggy Nano Fully reclines and you can see that Zane thoroughly enjoyed his mid day siesta :).

2. UV protective canopy: The Nano has a retractible out sun hood with UV protection, making it the perfect accessory for summer time strolls.

3. Compact and Lightweight: it folds up with the push of 2 buttons and fits into a sleek carrying case (that is included - no extra purchase necessary #win), making it the perfect flying, travel and road-trip companion. I love that it doesn't take up my entire trunk when folded up and it still has a compartment on the bottom for a baby bag. When it's in the case, there is also an accessible handle, making it a breeze to carry through airports.

Have you tried the Mountain Buggy Nano? Did you know they just released a Double version? So all you mamas with 2 kids - you can now benefit from the same awesome features too! Click here to see more pics and learn more about this light weight and super practical stroller!

Discovering Boppy

Walking into baby stores is so overwhelming at times and with so much available online it's so hard to decide which baby products to try and trust! That's why I LOVE being able to test out new products and brands and give you guys the low down on what I think! This month I'm putting Boppy to the test. First known for their pillows, Boppy was created by a fellow mama (so we know these products were designed for parents) and they now have an extensive line of baby items that range from nursing pillows, to carriers, to teething scarves and even pregnancy pillows! This month I'm reviewing their new ComfyFit Baby Carrier and their Teething Scarves. 

First up was the ComfyFit Baby Carrier. I'm going to be honest and say that I have never been a fan of baby carriers. I've always found them to be uncomfortable for my back, Zane hates them, and 99.9% of the time I can't figure out how to put it on properly, so I was a bit skeptical about trying out another one (I already own 3 that are all nicely packed away in a storage bin). I AM THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE that not only did I figure out how to put it on in under 10 seconds, but Zane was smiling AND it is the most comfortable carrier I've ever put on.

I am so disappointed that I didn't know about this carrier sooner. It comes with a super practical storage bag, is made from a super soft and stretchy material and it can accommodate your mini forward facing or rear facing. Putting it on is SO easy. There's a snap around your waist, you slide in your arms through 2 holes (that are labeled "right shoulder" and "left shoulder" = SO EASY) and you tie the hanging pieces around your waist. That. Is. It. I LOVE the colour, am obsessed with the fact that my husband can wear it too (and figure out how to put it on alone) and am so happy that Zane is now as comfortable as I am when using a carrier! I totally recommend the ComfyFit Baby Carrier.

I borrowed one of Zane's delicious girlfriends for this photo shoot!

Next on my list from Bobby was their Teething Scarves. I was intrigued when I saw this product online because Zane loves chewing on my face, my jewellery, my arms, shoulders, shirt (you get the point), so the idea of having a scarf that was meant for him to chew on seemed like a genius idea! They come in 4 colours (to match every outfit) and not only does Zane love to chew on them, but the fact that it's around my neck means he can't toss this teether on the floor which is a total mom win. We've all been out at a restaurant with a teething angry baby and then they decide to catapult their teether on the dirty floor... this happens to me daily. With this teether, it's around my neck, is super cute and helps soothe Zane's gums! Click here to visit the Boppy website to check out their Teething Scarfs. 

Little baby Ruby couldn't get enough :)

If you've never heard of Boppy, I totally recommend heading over to their website to discover their entire product line. I love supporting fellow moms and this brand won't let you down with their innovations and quality! 

Best Wooden Toys Under $20

If you follow my blog then you know I love children's wooden toys and the ones we have are among Zane's favourite.  I've rounded up the best on Amazon for under $20! Let me know if you have any other amazing finds that should be added to my list! Click the image or product links below for more info :)

Rainbow Stacker Wooden Ring Educational Toy

Promotes hand-eye coordination and concepts of colour and size.

Stack and Sort Board - Wooden Educational Toy With 15 Solid Wood Pieces

Colourful skill-building toy for toddlers and preschoolers. Promotes hand-eye coordination

Primary Lacing Beads - Educational Toy With 30 Wooden Beads and 2 Laces

Promotes hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

Shape Sorting Cube - Classic Wooden Toy With 12 Shapes

Promotes colour and shape recognition and problem-solving skills.

Take-Along Tool Kit Wooden Construction Toy (24 pcs)

Promotes hand-eye coordination, counting, sorting, colour recognition, and problem-solving skills.

Deluxe Wooden Pound-A-Peg Toy With Hammer

Promotes colour recognition and hand-eye coordination.

First Bead Maze - Wooden Educational Toy

Improves fine motor skills and colour and shape recognition

Stacking Train - Classic Wooden Toddler Toy (18 pcs)

Great for hand-eye coordination and imaginative play

Xylophone Musical Instruments Toys- Wooden 8 Key Notes Xylophone Toys Hand Knock Piano Music Instrument for Toddle Kid,Rainbow color

Classic ABC Wooden Block Cart Educational Toy With 30 Solid Wood Blocks (LC)

Features numbers, letters and pictures to identify for vocabulary-building

Deluxe Pound and Roll Wooden Tower Toy With Hammer

Brightly colored, smooth-sanded pieces help build early shape, color, and size differentiation skills

Abacus - Classic Wooden Educational Counting Toy With 100 Beads

Promotes counting, colour recognition, fine motor skills, and early math skills.

Preschool Educational Toy Wooden Balance Scale Toy with 6 Weights for Kids

Learn the theory of balance through balancing the scale and train your baby's hands-on ability

Food Groups - 21 Hand-Painted Wooden Pieces and 4 Crates

Encourages counting, sorting, pretend play, and an interest in food and nutrition.

Top 10 Bath Toys Under $10

Bath time is play time and the happiest time in our home. Below are our current bath time faves! You can click the image or the product name for more info :) 

Skip Hop Zoo Bathtime Basketball! It's so much fun for your mini, and they'll be practicing coordination and dexterity! 

Bathtime Crayons. Safe on all bathtubs, these crayons will provide HOURS of fun and they wash right off! Let your bathtub become your mini's canvas :)

Bath Tub Tunes Water Flutes - Make bath time music time with these adorable noise makers! 

Octopus Hoopla Bath Time Toss. This is a toy that will grow with your child :) At 12 months they'll love the bright colors and that it floats. As they get older, they'll love trying to toss the rings on the tentacles!

Zoo Mix and Match Foam Pals. Zane is fascinated about how they magically stick and unstick to the side of the tub! He loves putting together the animals and the bright colors :)

Fishin' Bath Toy. This game is great for hand and eye coordination and your mini will love the bright colors! The fish are magnetic which makes it not too difficult of a game! Some of the other one's I've tried actually have a hook and are too difficult for a 12 month old.

Bath time Bubble Book - Bath time fun can be educational too! Take the time to read a quick book :)

Float and Play Bubble Bath Toy - Your mini will LOVE these floating see-through colourful toys :) Zane is always so fascinated by the fact that they're transparent. Be prepared to have one happy baby with these floating around!

Squirting Bath Toys - Guaranteed to get a laugh from your mini when they discover that they can squirt water from their fave toys!

Wind up Swimming Penguin - wind it up and let it go! Watch your mini try to catch it and have a blast while doing it!

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! 

5 Awesome Loot Bag Ideas for Babies and Toddlers!

Get 15% off of everything below as well as all regular priced items at at Elfe.com using the code ZANE15. It's only valid until March 23, 2018 (certain restrictions apply) so don't wait!

Are you looking for creative, amazing and practical loot bag ideas for your child’s next birthday party? Look no further! I’ve rounded up my top 5 loot bag ideas for babies and toddlers (and chose 3 of them for Zane’s birthday party last month! You can click here to read all about his Jungle Themed Birthday). I went on the hunt for loot bag ideas that kids would be able to enjoy long after the party ended and I hope you love these ideas as much as I do! You can also get 15% off of everything below as well as all regular priced items at at Elfe.com using the code ZANE15. It's only valid until March 23, 2018 (certain restrictions apply).

1.     Sip N' Snack Cup: This is a cup that’s perfect for self-feeders and kids who can sip from a straw. It’s an adorable and practical loot bag idea that that the kids will want to start using the second they leave the party! It’s a sippy cup and snack container all in one! It has a genius snack container on the top and a sippy cup on the bottom. I decided to sweeten up the bag a bit and add some candy to the loot bags too! We gave these away at Zane’s Birthday Party to the children that were 2 – 5 years old. Click here to find out more!

2.     3-Step Teether Set: We had a few babies at Zane’s party that where under 9 months and so what better gift than colourful, texture filled teethers that will help soothe their sore teething gums? This 3 pack of tethers is awesome because it covers your mini from start to finish during teething! Click here to find out more!

3.     Bath Time Toss: What’s more fun than bath time? Nothing once you have this colourful floating octopus! This Bath Time Toss is great for kids 18 months+ and they’ll have a blast playing with it in the bath. Zane is only 1 year so he doesn't quite understand that he's supposed to toss the rings on the tentacles but LOVES it none the less :) Click here to find out more!

4.     Plush Teething Blanket: This is one of Zane's fave toys at the moment. It’s a teether, a little lovey and has crinkle paper inside so it’s a toy that keeps him entertained as well! I love how colorful it is, the price point is great for loot bags and parents will thank you for sending their kids home with such a memorable and useful toy! Click here to find out more!

5.     Snack Keeper: This cup is PERFECT for children who are at the finger food and snack age. Zane loves to feed himself but also loves tipping over his bowls (and this mama does not love constantly cleaning my floor). It has a special flexible opening at the top that keeps the snacks in, but lets your minis stick their hands in to grab out the snacks! I decided to add some Puffies into the loot bags so that they could start enjoying their bowls asap! I also added in a plastic spoon as a little bonus so that the parents could use the bowl for other things as well. Click here to find out more!

Make sure if you pick these up, you get an extra one for your mini because they won’t want to let them go once they see it (the struggle is real when you pick out great loot bags lol!)

Don't forget you can get 15% off of site wide at at Elfe.com using the code ZANE15. It's only valid until March 23, 2018 (certain restrictions apply)!

The Baby Proofing Must Have Product

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... and it's every parent's nightmare that their little munchkin will injure themselves while exploring. The littlest thing can become such a danger to curious little hands and the more your minis move... the more they'll explore and the more trouble they'll get in! I recently got to try out the Bily Contoured Top Metal Superyard (available at Babies R Us) and I'm now adding it to my list of Must Have Baby Items. This 3-in-1 Superyard can easily transform from a playard to a gate enclosure and can even be used a barrier between rooms! It has a swinging door that can be opened with one hand, it swings shut on it's own and it has a built-in stay open feature. You can even purchase extensions separately if you need it to be larger.

We have a really oddly shaped stair case with a flat piece of metal on one side and holes between our steps so baby proofing our stairs seemed like mission impossible, until we tried out the Bily Contoured Top Metal Superyard. I love that it matches with my decor (so many of the gates are white), I love that it's super sturdy and metal, and I LOVE that is was simple to install. If you're looking for a gate for an oddly shaped stair case, a sturdy playard, or a barrier to block off certain rooms in your home that won't be an eye sore, I have to recommend the Bily Contoured Top Metal Superyard! You can't always baby proof every room... and you won't have to with this product! Just install the Superyard and you can literally block off any door way to any room in your home! You can find more information about this product on the Babies R Us website by clicking here.

Zane wasn't too happy that he couldn't play on the steps anymore, but I am thrilled to have peace of mind that he is safe. Now on to baby-proofing the rest of my home!

Easily opening door with an automatic swing shut system and a built-in stay open mechanism that can be activated.

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!

2-in-1 Travel & Play Tent - Fun Tent with UV Protection for Infants and Toddlers

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!

2-in-1 Travel & Play Tent - Fun Tent with UV Protection for Infants and Toddlers

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

2-in-1 Travel & Play Tent - Fun Tent with UV Protection for Infants and Toddlers

You can click here for more information!

Wash. It. Later. - The Diaper Bag Must Have

I was approached a few months ago by a fellow mom asking me if I wanted to try out a product that she (along with her husband and sister-in-law) were launching in the next few months... when she explained what the product was, my first question was: HOW SOON CAN YOU SEND IT? You all know that the only thing I love more than a great product is supporting a fellow mama... so how fitting that this genius product was created by a mama? Who knows more about what we need than one of our own? 

Wash. It. Later. is a Patent Pending design that will SAVE your children's clothes. It's a leak proof bag with a detergent in it that allows you to soak your children's clothes as soon as the mess happens. You simply add water to the bag, pop in the dirty clothes, seal it up and toss it in your diaper bag until you're home and ready to do a load of laundry. GENIUS. 

I can't tell you how many bibs I threw away, or onesies that I refused to let Zane wear in public because they are stained yellow and orange (why do all the healthy foods stain!?). Or what about the clothes that I just had to throw away because of a poop explosion when I was out of the house (no mom should have to carry around a poop covered onesie without a Wash It Later bag). Those stains could have totally been prevented had I been able to wash his clothes sooner! Zane was also a reflux baby which meant LOTS ad LOTS of spit up... and all my reflux mamas know that spit up stains everything yellow. Had I had this miracle soaking bag, I could have saved money, trips to the store and lots of frustration trying to search through his drawers for something that wasn't stained.

So save your kid's clothes (and your own) and head over to Wash. It. Later. to see what the hype is about (and by signing up to their newsletter, you can get 15% off your first order)!

I've also partnered with them to give 3 lucky winners the chance to win a 3 pack of Wash. It. Later. bags! Head over to my Instagram to see how to enter! Open to US and Canadian Residents only! Contest closes Jan 20, 2018 at midnight. 

bblüv Üvi 4-in-1 UV Sterilizer for Pacifiers, Bottles and Sippy Cups!

As a new mom, I'm always looking for that must have product that will make my life easier. When I was pregnant, I started making my list and sent my husband shopping as soon as baby Zane arrived (I'm a bit of a procrastinator and probably should have bought it all before... my poor husband lol). I was super surprised to discover that there was a portable UV sterilizer that no one had told me about! Available at Canada's Baby Store, the bblüv Üvi 4-in-1 UV Sterilizer is a gem that has changed my day-to-day as a mom completely! You can scroll to the bottom of this post to see my video review :)

This amazing product is about the size of an orange, super light-weight, and runs on 2 batteries. It can easily fit into any diaper bag, purse or kitchen drawer. In 3 minutes, it kills 99.9% of germs and can be used on pacifiers, baby bottles, bottle nipples, and sippy cups! It's as easy as placing it on top of the bottle/sippy cup, or inserting the pacifier, pushing a button and then waiting 3 minutes. No more carrying 4 pacifiers everywhere you go incase your little one decides to throw it on the ground, no more worrying about how to sterilize bottles when you're on the go... the 4-in-1 UV Sterilizer does it all. I will never leave the house without it, and I can't wait to take my next road trip or flight. Zane - bring on the pacifier throwing! I can handle it now :)

The only question I have is: Where has this product been hiding? Because every new mom needs one now! Click here to visit Canada's Baby Store.

See my video review and demonstration here using a Dr. Brown's Glow in the Dark Pacifier (also available at Canada's Baby Store):