MumsTheWurdUnique finds for hip parents and cool kids

I consider myself green.  Okay, maybe not green…more like sage.  But I try to do my part, like replacing all my old school light bulbs with the new compact fluorescent ones, recycling cans and bottles and I try to buy the big gear for my kids from resale shops and stuff.  I would like to do more but it can be very overwhelming to know where to begin.  That is where HappyGreenBaby can help!  HappyGreenBaby is an online baby boutique that selects only the best in eco-friendly and sustainably produced baby clothes and baby gear.  They handpick only those products that are organic, natural and that have a commitment to lessening impact on the environment.

You will find clothes (like the I’ll Save the World Tee pictured left), blankets, sippy cups, furniture and more from great companies like Boon, Baby Soy and Little Twig.  Still intimidated by all the choices out there?  Never fear for HappyGreenBaby can help there too with their handy Learning Center that contains tips and guides for everything from how to start using cloth diapers to how to throw an “all green” baby shower!  And to top all that off HappyGreenBaby is also committed to operating their business in a green, clean, eco-friendly way. Here are just a few of things they do to lessen the impact on the environment:

·  They are a member of 1% For The Planet, in which companies, like HappyGreenBaby pledge 1% of their total annual revenue to benefit environmental charities.

·  They reuse all of the boxes they receive merchandise in as shipping boxes for their customers (with the hope that the customers too, will reuse the boxes again).

·  They print everything on post-consumer recycled paper … and then they reuse that paper, too! You might find a recipe or letter from a “previous life” printed on the back of your packing slip.

Want to start living that Green Life that you have always wanted to?  Then shop HappyGreenBaby and know that you are not just buying quality for your children but that you are also helping to make a better planet for them too!

And to get you started HappyGreenBaby is giving away a $50 gift certificate to their store!

WIN IT!

$50 Gift Certificate

Click HERE to enter and tell us what  you would choose from HappyGreenBaby if you won. Contest ends Friday, September 26th at 10 PM CST. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Good Luck!!

I’d like to thank my mom for guest posting!  She’s the recepient of this awesome, magnificant messenger bag.  I told her she was getting it before I got it in the mail.  When I saw it, I had an eeny, weeney ounce of regret, because this bag looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!  I’m going to ask her to take a picture of it, but I don’t think a picture will do it justice.  My mom is NOT a purse carrier, so I knew this would be great for her, and it’s been a HUGE hit, with her & her pals!  Snaptotes offers a classic collection, leather collection, and a mens collection.  If you feel like it, give a shoutout to Noel & Lennon’s grandmum (also known as Neena) in the comments!  

If you mention a child (or a grandchild) a pet or a vacation, people always ask, “Do you have any pictures?”  Show ‘em your Snaptote!

My handy messenger bag has a cushioning case for a laptop, pockets for pens and business cards, and a large flap that displays your favorite pictures.

Best of all, the reproduction quality of the photographs is beyond expectation.  The messenger bag I have is a higher end purchase, but they have so many choices on their website of more moderately-priced items – everything from wallets and dopp kits (so men can carry their treasured photos, too) to purses and pouches.   

My friends at work want one for themselves or friends.  They are so impressed with the quality of the pictures and the features of the bag as a practical carryall.   

Take a look for yourself.  Snaptotes have lots of choices that are sure to please even the pickiest person!

GET A 10 % DISCOUNT ON SNAPTOTES or at PICSTREET WITH THE COUPON CODE “mums08″!!!

I have decided.  I must declare that of all cloth diapers, I am a big fan of pocket diapers.  The ones I have are well made and I know they are going to last a good, long while.  Before now, my only experiences with pockets had been with some homemade and a Bum Genius, both of which I really like.  Well, add another, because Blueberry and Swaddlebees are here with some amazingly CUTE pocket diapers that you will love as MUCH (if not more…) than your Bum Genius’!

We received a Minky One Size Pocket Diaper (in snaps or velcro) and a Stuffable All In One Front Snap fitted diaper from Blueberry Diapers.  They are both adorable!  I love the bright colors that stay bright.  They’re zany and fun.  These are diapers that you’ll want to show off!

Sadly, The Buddha has already out grown the stuffable.  I know a lot of people find one size diapers bulky in newborns, but since both of my children, as babies, have gotten huge fast, I prefer the one size simply because you can use them for so long.  If you’re not a cloth diapering parent, or have thought about it, but you’re reading this, and have no earthly idea what I’m talking about, you should check out Blueberry’s “Where Do I Begin?” section.  I would have loved to have this resource when I was first considering doing cloth.  For something that seems like it would be intuitive, the cloth diapering world can seem very complex to a new parent!

The Brain behind these super diapers knew she wanted to do the best for her baby and the best for the environment.  Swaddlebees and Blueberry’s are indeed the CLEANEST diaper on the planet!  Sweet, Margarita McClure!

I’ve added some info about cloth diapers, in case you’re interested!

Ecological Facts:

· 27.4 billion disposable diapers make up the 3^rd largest source of solid waste in landfills.

· 90% of them take 250-500 years to decompose.

· Each baby produces 1 ton of solid waste from disposables from birth to potty training.

· Parents spend $2,000-2,500 on 6,000-8,000 diapers through diapering years.

· It takes one cup of crude oil to manufacture one disposable diaper.

Dangers to your baby:

· Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, the same substance removed from tampons in 1985. That’s 24/7 on the babies’ skin.

· Fragrances in disposable diapers can cause headaches, dizziness and rashes.

· Babies can pull disposable diapers apart, putting pieces of plastic in their noses and mouths.

Why Swaddlebees and Blueberry Diapers:

· Our Diapers contain no bleach, no chlorine and no pesticides on the cotton fibers.

· We use only organic cotton to insure 100% good health and safety for America’s babies.

· Our prints use water-based ink, instead of oil-based. The water used is recycled, treated and cleaned before pumping it back into the sewer system.

· Our lamination is a non-solvent based laminate, which does not produce toxic fumes instead of solvent-based urethane laminate, which is what 95% of what most cloth diaper manufacturers use.

· All our fabrics (except for the minky diaper’s outer shell), is made in the US.  This ensures us that the fabric meets minimum standards for safety and is free from contaminants.

· We are the only company that integrates hemp & organic cotton in the absorbent pads for our diapers, which makes them one of the most absorbent diapers in our industry.

· We use all biodegradable packaging on our products.

• Blueberry diapers are  fashion conscious too with  32 designer fabrics coming in a wide range of exciting upbeat colors, stripes and dots like seaspray,  tanzanite and blue latte; chic animal prints like zebra, cheetah and pink Dalmatian.

For more information on Swaddlebees and Blueberry diapers and accessories, visit www.swaddlebees.com andwww.blueberrydiapers.com or call 877-846-6848.

I got a new diaper bag. I have had a few, and this is by far my very, very favorite. Rowdy is a diaper bag company that you can trust to bring you cool products, while providing you with the most versatile bag of this kind that I have seen. It’s got all sorts of features, like an insulated bottle holder, a changing pad, and a removable clutch so you can have a “purse” too. What I like most about this diaper bag, aside from it’s rad look, is that it’s enormous. I can carry diapers for both of my boys, along with snacks, drinks, wipes, etc. I have not found one yet that can hold as much as my Rowdy bag!

There are several styles & colors of bags to choose from. I went with the Rocker Convertible in copper, and I am quite pleased with my choice. However, I could have any one of these and been thrilled. They’re all so uber-cool! Rowdy also offers changing pads and blankets. They’ve also got a couple of specials going right now too.

Just because you have a baby doesn’t mean that you have to give up being a groovy person. You just have to seek out cool products so you and your kid stay hip! Take the first step by getting yourself a Rowdy diaper bag!

*To get 15% off of your purchase, enter “MUMS” when you check out!

With a new baby on the way, we thought it would be good to get some more diapers, and we threw our support to a small eBay business owner, Five Stitches Embroidery. Today is our first day with the diapers, and I can tell already that we’re going to like these. They are all custom made to order and arrived in about 2 weeks time (I had a big order of 11 diapers too!). In the past, my experience with this was waiting over 3 months for my custom diapers to arrive when I was told it was going to be 1 month (long enough if you ask me!).

We have received a couple others for review, the Bum Genius 3.0 One Size, which I am crazy about, and a Bummis Bamboozle with a Super Brite and Super Whisper Wrap, which I just received today and is currently getting washed.

I’ll tell you more about all of these great diapers very soon. In the meantime, I just ask that you have patience with this reviewer who is in her LAST week of this pregnancy! Yahoo!

You’ve got all the accessories for taking your tots out. Cool stroller, a diaper bag that isn’t covered in Winnie the Pooh, but you go to change your baby and you pull out a boring pack of wipes. That’s where Made by Angie comes in! Angie’s handmade baby wipe containers will fit ANY personality. She’s got a huge selection for girls, boys, and gender neutral, in styles ranging from vintage to modern stripes and dots. You guys know how I love vintage, so I was ecstatic to receive this wipe container from Angie herself.
This Boys Will Be Boys style is perfect for me and my one and a half vintage boys. The craftsmanship is also wonderful-very well made! I’m proud to carry my new Made By Angie wipe container wherever I go!

When changing my son’s diapers, I often liken it to wrestling midgets. Wrestling a midget couldn’t be that hard, could it? Just ask anyone that has a squirmy baby or toddler, and their answer to this question would probably be “Ha! YOU try it then!” as they walk off in a huff. The more active my toddler gets, the less he wants to be confined for that 1 minute that it would take to change his diaper (that is, if he were cooperative-the ordeal usually takes about 5 minutes because he spends the whole time trying to get up. No, you can’t explain the logic behind laying still for 1 1/2 minutes vs. the 5 minute battle with a 20-month old-trust me). This is why when I laid eyes on the Ubi, I got excited. Is their possibly an answer to my diaper changing nightmare? Yes!

Not only is the Ubi easy on the eye, it’s design has covered every detail, from a strap that gives you a free hand, to a place RIGHT THERE to store diapers (it even has fastener strips to hold the diaper in place)! The upholstery is hypoallergenic and has an anti-microbial surface, so you can clean it easily and it won’t collect any icky odors. You also don’t have to bother with that piece of extra furniture that takes up a whole lot of space and that you’ll never use again after you have children. Sue Wong took her engineering prowess to where it mattered most-the nursery-and came up with this beautifully designed and highly functional piece of baby equipment. I would show you a pic of us using the Ubi, but I figure Noel’s a little old and I didn’t want him to be embarrassed later, since he’s a big toddler and all. When the new baby is born, I’ll take some of it being utilized and show you how great it actually is. Until then, you’ll just have to “Ohhh!” and “Ahhh!” over this picture here. Go here to see all the other designs they offer, and to purchase one for yourself. The Ubi is also available at several fine boutiques-real and cyber.

Take your keen eye for design, style, and space to the nursery. Get an Ubi for yourself or for a totally unique shower gift. Be the first to have or give the awesome UBI!

I don’t know what I was thinking back when I was pregnant with Hailey and I registered for some random ugly diaper bag. That is SO not my style! But I was a “newbie” and not aware of the fantastic shops out there who have just what this fashionista craves.

Bumble Bags are so stylish and roomy and are available in several different styles; Jessica Messenger Backpack, Kimberly Tote and Madeline Backpack. We have the Madeline Backpack Hanging Stroller Bag in Paisley and it instantaneously became my favorite bag. The material is soft and it is water and stain resistant. There are plenty of sections for mom and baby stuff.

Generally, what you see here is what I carry with me on a daily basis. There is STILL plenty of room after all of this stuff for her toys and whatnot.

The features that I love the most about this backpack/diaper bag are the zipped diaper pocket on the inside, the multiple bottle/sippy cup compartments inside and out and the extra zipped pocket on the outside.

The pop-out stroller straps are great if you ask me. I love being able to attach my bag to the stroller and still have room underneath for all of my shopping bags. I was getting pretty tired of my bag always slipping off of the stroller handle.

The backpack feature of this bag just can’t be beat. I don’t feel like I’m losing everything when I have to hurry up and chase my toddler somewhere. I know all of my possessions are right there in my bag, on my back and not flying all over the place.

Bumble Bags are available at numerous online retailers (our pals at The Polkadot Platypus being one of them!) as well as quite a few physical locations around the U.S. and Canada.

Don’t forget, they also have infant and toddler car seat covers, as well as toddler totes!

***You can win a Bumble Bag! Not here but over at Get Knocked Up from Due Maternity! To enter to win, you pick a body, upload your photo, send to friends and enter to win. Here is me, virtually knocked up. Click the image to be taken to Get Knocked Up for your chance to win!