I never gave a second thought to the everyday products I used to clean my house prior to having children. However, after my son was born I started to realize that it was practically impossible to keep my son from coming into contact with the toxic chemicals in these cleaners. So, it was with great excitement and relief when I heard about cleaning products that are non-toxic, organic, and 100% safe to use around children, namely Babyganics.

Currently, my 8 month old is teething and has the need to chew on everything - toys, furniture, remote controls, you name it and he’s chewed on it. So, my dilemma was how to clean my house and the items with which he comes into contact, without exposing him to harmful ingredients in the standard brand-name cleaners that we use. Plus, everytime I washed my floor, I had to make sure to rinse it several times in order to try and get rid of any residue left by the standard household floor cleaner, which certainly took quite a long time to do. When I first used Babyganics, I noticed that my cleaning time was cut in half - no more need to rinse and rinse and rinse. Best of all, the Babyganics line of cleaners worked even better than the brand-name cleaners I had been using! The shine on my oven and microwave was streakless and perfect! My son even helped me test out the All-Purpose Household Cleaner when he delightfully took a crayon to my countertop. The crayon just wiped right off - no scrubbing, just Babyganics and a plain old rag. This line of cleaning products is truly fantastic and it is 100% safe!

Babyganics has four different cleaners available for all types of cleaning jobs: Tub & Tile, All-Purpose Household, Floor, and Glass & Surface. Babyganics products are available nationwide in retailers such as Babies “R” Us and in select Wal-Marts and Target stores, or you can purchase them directly from the Babyganics Website and use coupon code “hbb10″ for 10% off your entire order and free shipping on orders $30.

Babyganics is also available for purchase through Amazon.

I highly recommend Babyganics cleaners to everyone so that we can keep our children safe and healthy, and so that we can do our part in helping to reduce toxins in the environment.

Popularity: 8% [?]

I have very active kids, who are constantly in motion and absolutely love jumping! I noticed that every time I would hold my son under his arms, all he wanted to do was kick his legs and jump up and down. I got the Fisher Price Jumperoo when my oldest son was young, and not quite able to walk yet, with the hopes that it would help him burn off any extra energy and satisfy that urge to kick their legs. I never knew how much both of my kids would end up love it! My youngest is currently using the Jumperoo and can occupy himself with jumping for a good 15 minutes. It is nice because it can free up your hands to get things done while your little one happily jumps next to you. And that’s one of the perks, that you don’t have to be limited to a doorway (which I never thought of as too safe) and can basically place this thing anywhere that you are. The Jumperoo easily folds and has handles which help you take it from room to room. But best of all is the smile on my sons face while he is flying through the air is just priceless!

The Fisher Price Deluxe Jumperoo is made of a very stable and sturdy steel base, and the springs are covered with soft cloth. There is a removable, toy tray in the front that has lights and music activated by the jumping motion. The Jumperoo also features 4 height adjustments so that it can grown with your child. The weight limit is 25 lbs and the height limit is 32″. For more information please visit the Fisher Price Website.

Popularity: 10% [?]

What can you do when you are out and about with your “potty-trainee” and you hear “Go potty?” I know that my son doesn’t like to sit on a large toilet seat just yet, because he fears that he will fall in even with me holding him. Plus it’s just not comfortable or very sanitary for that matter. The Cushie Traveler Potty Seat by Mommy’s Helper is a great solution for taking a portable and comfortable potty seat with you wherever you go. This is one of the items I always pack in my tote or diaper bag if I have to go somewhere with my newly potty trained son.

The Cushie Traveler Potty Seat is a folding, padded potty seat that fits on top of standard and some elongated toilet seats. The padded seat means that there are no pinched bottoms to worry about. The seat itself can be cleaned with a wipe or with soap and water, and it folds compactly into a washable carrying bag, which you can easily fit into most diaper bags. Take it with you to grandpa’s place, the restaurant, the grocery store, and wherever you may find yourself hearing “Go potty?”

For more information about the Cushie Traveler Potty Seat, please visit Mommy’s Helper, Inc.

Popularity: 5% [?]

When I breastfed my children, I needed to pump breastmilk in order to increase my supply and also to store some for times when I would not be home. I had tried the electric pump while in the hospital, but for some reason I wasn’t able to express much milk and I could never find a setting which seemed comfortable. I then decided to purchase a manual pump so that I could control the rate of pumping, the flow, and the comfort. I decided to try the Avent ISIS manual breast pump since I already had the Avent bottles, and I knew the two were compatible with one another. After trying it for the first time, I realized that I was more relaxed because it seemed more comfortable to use, and thus I was able to express more breastmilk. I then used the Avent bottles to store the milk in the refrigerator - it was super simple! Plus the Avent ISIS was so much more quiet and discrete than the electric pump.

The Avent ISIS breast pump features a trademarked Let Down Massage Cushion for faster and easier let-down and has been clinically proven to be as effective as an electric breast pump. The pump is interchangable with the Avent bottles, which allows you to pump, store, and feed from the same containers, reducing time and cleanup. For more information, please visit Avent’s website.

Popularity: 8% [?]

My son’s favorite book for some time has been My Little Word Book by Roger Priddy. This colorful and educational board book has over 300 essential first words and colorful pictures which help him learn about the world around him and stimulate his imagination. I can’t tell you how many new words he has learned simply from me reading this book with him. At age 2, he can name and describe practically every picture in this book and is so excited whenever we pull it out to “learn”. Also, because it is a board book, it stands up well to a lot of toddler wear and tear.

Priddy Books publishes many types of wonderful children’s books, all with vibrant and educational pictures. There are books about shapes, numbers, colors, animals, first words, trains, etc. Some of the books are cloth, others are board books, and they even have feel-and-learn type books. The books are geared toward three different age groups: Happy Baby (0-2 years), Preschool (2-5 years), and Smart Kids (over 5 years). Priddy Books are also translated into 30 different languages, and several bilingual versions are available. Overall, Priddy Books are a great and fun developmental tool for all ages!

Popularity: 4% [?]

When I last visited Poland I came upon a brand of shoes called Bartek. These shoes were all leather and of impeccable quality. There was a fantastic selection of shoes, boots, and sandals, of which I ended up buying my son his first pair of winter boots. He loved these boots, as they were very comfortable to wear, had a lot of room for his feet, kept his feet warm and dry, and best of all - looked cool!

Bartek shoes pride themselves on being comfortable and anatomically healthy for a child’s developing feet. A lightweight custom injection molding is used to form the flexible soles of the shoes and the exterior is made of a soft natural leather. The winter boots also have something called Sympatex which makes the shoes 100% waterproof, yet allows breathability and wicking away of moisture or sweat from the child’s foot.

Bartek is becoming a well-known name in the USA, and it is definitely a sought after brand in Europe. I found that many stores in the Chicago area, as well as online children’s boutiques carry this brand of shoe. They offer sizes ranging from baby, all the way up to teenagers. For more information about Bartek shoes and to browse a small online catalog, please visit Bartek’s USA Website.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Almost every picture of my son, has the Nuby Straw Sippy cup somewhere in the foreground or background. He takes this sippy cup with him everywhere. This is an item that gets used everyday, all day! We also take it with us whenever we leave the house and go out. This has definitely become our sippy of choice. My son took a liking to this sippy cup at about 8 months of age. He wasn’t able to tip up the regular spout sippy cups, and I read that straw cups were supposedly better for a child’s dental development as well as reduced cavities. So, I decided to get the Nuby Straw Sippy cup, thinking he might find it easier to use and that it could be better for him in the long run. From the moment he tried it, there was no going back to the other sippys. It was very easy for him to hold and sip from, and he did not need to tip the cup up at all. Now, even my youngest has taken a liking to his big brother’s sippys!

The Nuby Straw Sippy cup features a spill-proof silicone straw which adjusts the flow to how hard your child sips from it. My son throws this cup around a lot, and it truly is spill-proof! There is a sliding mechanism at the top to hide the straw for travel. The Nuby Straw Sippy does require some care in putting it together, but after doing it once or twice it became pretty easy. For more information about the Nuby Straw Sippy cup and other Nuby items, please visit Nuby’s Website.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Have you ever wanted to make your own customized Christmas cards with your children’s pictures? Were you ever wondering what would be a great unique gift for Grandma for the Holidays, such as a coffee mug with your daughters picture on it? Did you ever want to make a present for your kids of a book with them as the star? Are you expecting a baby and want to stay at home after the birth and custom make your baby announcements, having them delivered to your door within three days?

Well, this is where Shutterfly becomes an invaluable online photo service. I have been using Shutterfly for almost two years now - printing pictures, making albums, creating baby announcements, sending out Christmas cards, and giving unique presents to the grandparents, all without leaving my home. Every time I send something out or give a present, I hear “Where did you get this! It’s great!” or “Wow, what a fantastic gift!” My father uses his coffee mug, covered with a collage of his grandson, proudly at work. My in-laws love to play cards, and they have a great deck of cards with their grandchild’s picture on it. I have send Christmas cards with my kids’ pictures for two years now, and this past March, Shutterfly was the only place I thought about using for my son’s birth announcements.

Shutterfly is free to join and very easy to use. You upload as many pictures as you want onto their website, and then the sky is the limit. You can order prints in sizes from wallet to 20″ x 30″. They have a store where you can order custom cards, calendars, mugs, story books, magnets, and a ton of other great items, all featuring pictures of your kids and family. Any project that you start can be saved on their website so that you can always return later to edit and finish it. You can have your orders shipped to your home address, or if you want your prints now you can send them to the one hour photo at your neighborhood Target store! Shutterfly is also very affordable, and they constantly have deals that change weekly. I have gotten a free photobook, free custom cards, free prints, and a lot of free shipping promotions! All for just being a member on their site - which is free to join!

For more information please visit Shutterfly.

Popularity: 6% [?]

There are times when you wish you could see what is going on with your little one when they are in bed without wanting to disturb them. For example, the past few days my son has been sick, and we have the Summer Infant Video Monitor setup in his bedroom overlooking his bed. I was able to comfortably and discretely watch my son while he slept without coming into the room and waking him. It was a relief to see him sleeping soundly. I have been using this monitor ever since he was born. It has given me peace of mind to be able to “see” instead of just hear what was going on in his crib or bed.

The Summer Infant Video Monitor has a nighttime function that automatically kicks in whenever the room gets dark. A small LED light gives off enough light that you can clearly see your child in the darkened room. The 5 inch display is sufficiently large that you can see a lot of detail. There is a sound function so that you can also listen to what is going on, and the screen has a convenient on/off function where you can turn the video off yet still have the sound portion of the monitor off. This way you don’t have to sleep with a bright screen staring you in the face at night.

Overall, the Summer Infant Video Monitor is a great item to have if you want to monitor your child day or night,and have the peace of mind being able to see them and know what they are doing. For more information on this and other video monitors by Summer Infant, including the dual camera and portable screen monitors, please visit Summer Infant’s Website.

Popularity: 8% [?]

My son loves frogs. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find the Boon Frog Pod for storing bath items. I bought the Frog Pod with the thought that I needed something to store all of the toys after bath time. This cute and stylish Frog Pod hangs on your shower wall above the bathtub, with three different mounting options: adhesive strips, suction cups, or screws. We went the screws route because my son is a wild child, and thus far the Frog Pod has stayed on the wall very well.

The Frog Pod features a removable scoop for easy gathering of the toys once bath time is over. The scoop itself has holes in it so that you can rinse the toys with clean water that will drain out - meaning no slimy bath toys! There is also a small shelf on the wall mounted portion for storing shampoo and body wash bottles, plus the frogs hands and feet can be used to hang washcloths and other bath accessories. It is great having something so compact, clean, and stylish to store all the bath accessories and toys. As an added bonus, my son decided that he would be the one to scoop up all the toys and rinse them before exiting the tub!

Boon Inc. offers 10% of their profits to charity, which gives them a big thumbs up in my book! For more information about the Frog Pod and other Boon products, please visit Boon, Inc.

Popularity: 4% [?]