The Shopping Mama

A Cruisin’ We Will Go

by Kate on November 22nd, 2009 | 5 Comments | Blogging, Life

As I write this I am preparing to leave my little ones for two nights. It’s the first time both kids will be away from both parents for two nights. I know they’ll be in good hands with my in laws, but it’s still a lot little nerve-wracking. I know they’re good, well adjusted kids and they will be fine, but it will probably be a bit rough on Baby Girl. She’s been pretty clingy with me lately and I’m still breastfeeding. She did fairly well when I traveled to ShopAtHome.com in September, and this time there are two caregivers so the ratio is better. I’m hoping that means all the extra hugs and kisses from her grandma and grandpa will help make the two days bearable for her. I know Toddler Boy will be fine – he’ll probably talk them into giving him cake for breakfast and stay up way past his bedtime to cuddle and watch movies on the couch.

oasisoftheseas Anyway, I am so, so excited about the little getaway for my husband and me. We are going on a preview cruise of the Oasis of the Seas by Royal Caribbean! (All thanks to Cat from 3 Kids and Us. She was invited – I am so not that cool – and was unable to attend. I got uber lucky and she passed her invite my way.) Oasis of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship and is set to officially launch in December. I hope to blog and twitter from the ship so keep checking back for updates and photos. From what I’ve read and seen, this ship looks amazing!

G is 4 Girl: Positive Clothes for Girls

by Kate on November 20th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

Gis4Girl G is 4 Girl is a fabulous online shop that sells products with positive messages for girls. The intention is obviously great – to empower and build girls’ self esteem – and the designs are just as cute. If you’re shopping for a girl this holiday season, G is 4 Girl is a great option for something special.

About G is 4 Girl

G is 4 Girl was launched in December 2008 by print designer Erin Boudreau. Located just outside of Chicago, G is 4 Girl was developed with one purpose in mind: to provide girls of all ages with clothing and other products that are both fun to wear and that boosts their attitude, confidence and self-esteem.

Our designs are clean, unique, positive and inspiring. From phrases such as “You Grow Girl” and “Sm;)e” to “Girls are A-Mazing” and “Inner Beauty Queen,” you’ll find a great gift idea for the girl in your life at G is 4 Girl! We offer a wide variety of products including t-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, and sweatshirts, to reusable SIGG(tm) water bottles, messenger bags and adorable t-shirt wearing bears.

You Grow Girl

How freaking cute is this onesie for Baby Girl? It’s just the best thing ever. The “You Grow Girl” design is printed on a Rabbit Skin onesie and I love it. It’s a 12 month size, but it’s still a tad loose on her so I know she still has several months to wear it. This message is also available on teddy bears, water bottles, sweatshirts, tote bags, note bags, stickers and more. So even if you’re not shopping for a young girl you can get this fun design on something more suitable for teens, tweens or grown ups.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I *love* the message and purpose of these clothes. The fact that the designs are cute, bright and fun is icing on the cake. The onesie we have is something I”m proud for my daughter to own. And, I have to plug my alma mater and say that as the graduate of a women’s college, G is 4 Girl will be my go-to shop for the daughters of my college friends.

Or Not to Buy… Well, if you are shopping for boys then this probably isn’t your ideal destination! LOL

positive message for girls

Shop! Check out G is 4 Girl for everything from onesies to tees to hoodies and water bottles. The You Grow Girl onesie is $13.99.

The Fine Print: Thank you to G is for Girl for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed in this review are mine and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

Uno Moo Review: A Game Your Toddler Can Actually Play!

by Kate on November 19th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Reviews, Toddler, Toys

Family game nights are a tradition in many homes, but most board games are not toddler or even younger kid-friendly. I’ve been really excited to start playing formal games with Toddler Boy – there’s just something about it that is so appealing to me. So, many times I’ve walked the board game aisle, picked up a game, read the description and thought “There’s just no way he’ll get this.” And, like all parents, I think mine is brilliant, but realistically I knew he wouldn’t get it and it would just be frustrating for all of us. So, naturally, I was excited – and a bit hesitant – to try Mattel’s UNO Moo!

How to Play UNO Moo!

Gotta get the critters back in the barn! Round ‘em up by matching colors or animals. Is there a blue pig on the roof? Pair it with any blue animal or any color pig. Or use a farmer figure — he’s wild and matches anything. The first player to get all their figures back in the barn wins the game!

UNO Moo! is a toddler’s version of the classic card game UNO. Rather than matching numbers and colors, players must match animals and colors. The game comes with 28 animal and farmer pieces in five colors, a barn for storage and game play and four haystacks to shield players’ animals.

Our Experience

uno moo game We’ve had so much fun playing UNO Moo! that we’ve played literally every single night since we received it a couple weeks ago. It’s become part of our nightly routine – we play after Baby Girl goes to bed. Toddler Boy picked up on how to play the game almost immediately and loves when someone gets “skunkeded” – his term for having to pick 2 animals if the player before you plays the skunk. He doesn’t really get the strategy behind the game, but he does understand the basics so it’s easy for us to play. The game is also quite a fast play with minimal set up so it is perfect for a toddler’s non-existent attention span.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… UNO Moo! is a great introduction to the patience and rules and such required to play a board game. I have really, really enjoyed playing the game and Toddler Boy asks to play every single day so I think he likes it, too! I highly recommend it for a fun holiday gift. It’s also an affordable option for a toddler birthday.

Or Not to Buy… I wish there was a way to pick animals from the barn without opening the top to see all the available animals. If you’re sneaky and competitive, like my husband, it’s very easy to pick and choose what animals you pick.

Shop! UNO Moo! is available in stores nationwide and online at Mattel – where ground shipping is currently FREE – for $20.99.

The Fine Print: Thank you to Mattel for providing a sample product for the purposes of this review. The opinions expressed here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of gift. Others may have a different experience.

If you are looking for the actual instructions that come with the game, visit the HOW TO PLAY UNO MOO post.

Lots of Winners

by Kate on November 19th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Giveaway Winners

Lots of All About Baby event winners! Thanks so much to all who have entered. A couple great giveaways end tomorrow, so check out the Current Giveaways page and make sure you’ve entered for your chance to win! As always, all winners have been emailed and posted on the Giveaway Winners page.

4moms Cleanwater Tub: Karen B

Stay With Me Socks: Leena

Safety 1st Complete Air Convertible Car Seat: Amy McCathran

Medela Freestyle Breastpump: J. Melendrez

Sesame Street Activity Center: Mom2Boys

Playskool Walk N Ride: Tammy

Thursday Giveaway Linky

by Kate on November 19th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Giveaway Linky, Weekly Features

giveaway linky

Thanks for stopping by to link up your giveaways. I love seeing the amazing contests other blogs are working on week after week so make sure you take a minute to browse some of the great giveaways on the linky.

Have a great week!

The Shopping Mama Facelift

by Kate on November 18th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Blogging, Life

You probably noticed The Shopping Mama is sporting a new look. Again.

The switch to WordPress has been an adjustment, to say the least. I’m glad I switched from Blogger, but the original theme I was working with just had too many weird things I couldn’t work around. For example, all the images had to be centered and in between paragraphs for the posts to look remotely normal. That just wasn’t going to cut it.

Thanks to Kate from ParentTrend.com I am now rocking a new and improved theme that I hope you like. Kate was totally patient and we spent many late nights emailing back and forth to try and get it perfect. She helped me with little things like changing font size to big things like keeping all my Google Friend Connect followers. (By the way, she just posted a quick and simple tutorial on how to transfer Google Friends Connect, if you are interested.)

I still have a couple little things to figure out, but I promise nothing major will change. Thanks for being patient as I iron out all the little wrinkles. I do love this new layout and am excited to have a format that works for me. And, like I said, hopefully you love it and it works for you, too!

Quick question, do you like me to maintain a list on the sidebar of current giveaways? You can find all the giveaways by clicking the Giveaways button on the bottom navigation bar, but I’d like to know if you prefer a simple list as well. the shopping mama screen shot

Dino Roars Stompers Review

by Kate on November 18th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Reviews, Toys

We have a new little pet in our home. It’s great – he’s already housebroken, doesn’t require neighborhood walks for exercise or food and water. But, he does walk, roar and react when we touch him. Our new pet is a Triceratops! We’ve been enjoying our Kota & Pals Stompers Dinosaur and think he’d make a great gift for lots of wee ones this holiday season.

About Kota & Pals Stompers

With exciting movements and lifelike sounds, these walking dino pals are sure to become toddler’s best friend. Push a sensor on the dinosaur’s back to see it “come to life!” The lively triceratops stompers pal marches and throws its head back, and the adorable anklysaurus stompers dino swings its tail as it stomps forwards.

Playing with the Triceratops

Kota & Pals Triceratops Stomper is a big hit in our house. My son is very into dinosaurs so he took to our Triceratops right away. He loves that he can pat or rub the dino’s back and get a reaction. There are two sensors on the back – when you touch the upper sensor closer to the head, the dino roars and when you touch the lower sensor, the dino walks and stomps. The dino behavior is actually rather endearing, particularly when he moves his head up and down. What’s cool is that the toddler-friendly size and soft material balance out the fierceness of the roaring and stomping. Toddler Boy can stomp with him in one moment and then cuddle the next.

Stompers In Action

Here’s a short video of our Triceratops in action so you can get an idea of how he roars and stomps.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Our Stompers is great fun. Both kids really enjoy touching his back to get a reaction from him. For a dino fan, Kota Stompers can’t be beat.

Or Not to Buy… The roaring and movement might scare some younger children and those not so into dinosaurs.

Shop! Kota & Pals Stompers are $24.99 and can be purchased at the Hasbro Toy Shop and in stores nationwide.