gDiapers Review and Deal Offer *Deal Expired*

gDiapers, which stand for green diapers, are an interesting combination of cloth and disposable diapers. I tried these diapers on T when he was a newborn. I really like the concept of these diapers. gDiapers consist of a washable cotton outer layer(called a little gPant), a snap in liner, and a PLASTIC FREE biodegradable insert (also known as a gRefill). The gRefill can be disposed of by either flushing down the toilet, composting the wet ones, or tossing in the garbage. According to the flushing instructions, the refill has to be broken apart in the toilet with the "swish stick" that is provided in the package. I had no interest in standing over the toilet and swishing around an insert so I just went with the tossing option. These inserts are biodegradable so they are still a great alternative to traditional disposable diapers. It can take at least 75 years for a disposable diaper to decompose, however, most sources site upwards of 200-500 years! gDiapers break down in only 50-150 days. To use this diaper you snap the liner into the little gPant, then place the refill into the liner. When your little one is in need of a change you simply dispose of the refill and put a new refill into the liner. You can use the cotton little gPant and liner until they are soiled, then throw them in the wash. gDiapers come in three sizes: small, which fits 8-14 pounds, medium for 13-28 pounds, and large for 26-36 pounds. I found that these do run pretty true to size. I never had a leak with these, and I think they fit incredibly well and were very trim on T's tushie. gDiapers now offer an alternative to the disposable gRefill called gCloth. The gCloth is used in the same way as the gRefill only it is thrown in the wash when soiled. The gCloth makes this system 100% environmentally friendly. A starter set includes 2 little gPants, 10 gRefills, 3 snap-in liners, and a swish stick for $26.99. A package of 40 small refills will set you back $14.49. gDiapers is an expensive system when you compare it to traditional disposables or cloth. This would be a great alternative for cloth diapering mamas and papas who don't want to carry cloth when they are on the go, but who also don't want to pollute the planet with traditional disposables. I definitely recommend trying these diapers, altough, it would be costly to make this your primary diapering system. This is a great way to see if cloth diapering is for you. If you are interested in trying this system out I have a deal for you! For $40 you can own the everyday g's six pack. This pack includes 6 little gPants (3 in orange and 3 in vanilla bean), 6 liners, and a swish stick (does not include gRefills). Add one or more of the everyday g's six pack to your gdiapers.com cart, enter code, g640Wolff, and click the "redeem" button. The price will automatically drop from $70 (regular price) to $40. That's a sweet deal!

(T pictured above in his orange gDiaper at about 8 weeks)

Our first giveaway!

We are proud to have Bodycology sponsor our first giveaway ever! Offering bath and body products at an affordable price, with quality formulas, and delicious scents... bodycology will want to make you toss your perfumes out the window and wear their body mists as your daily fragrance! They offer shower gels, body lotions, body creams, mists, and new antibacterial hand soaps in 12 fragrances; you're sure to find one that matches your every mood. Two awesome things about this product line... first, it can be found in mass merchandisers all over like Kmart, Walmart, Meijer, drugstore.com at an AFFORDABLE price and second, they have reformulated all of the products to be PARABEN-FREE!!!

As a little background, I am proud to say I am the graphic designer for Bodycology and its parent company, Advanced Beauty Systems, and have had my hand on the look of all of these great products since its inception. I have the anti-bacterial hand soaps at all of my sinks and love the body creams in this dry, Denver air.

Bodycology will be offering the winner of this giveaway an awesome reusable canvas tote with several full-size products inside. The canvas tote is a favorite of mine- large enough to use going to the beach or pool this summer and strong enough to hold groceries.

5 opportunities to enter this giveaway:

To enter this giveaway, please visit www.bodycology.com and explore the website... In a comment, tell us a fragrance, aside from the Cherry Blossom pictured above, that sounds delicious to you.

For extra entries, you can do the following:

1 extra entry: follow us on twitter @gagagreenies (link to the right). leave a comment with your twitter username.

1 extra entry: tweet about the giveaway- be sure to leave a comment with a permalink to the tweet.

1 extra entry: follow our blog (see the right sidebar) then leave a comment letting us know you're a follower.

1 extra entry: become a fan on our facebook page (link to the right) then leave a comment letting us know you became a fan.

Contest will run until July 4th at midnight, MST. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, July 6th. Please include your email address in your comment for notification or check back on July 6th to see if you were the lucky winner!

Buy One Get One FREE Nursing Cover!

I am thrilled to share this offer with you!  Bebe Au Lait makes fabulous and super stylish nursing covers.  They are currently offering a buy one get one free promotion.  That's a $35 value!  I took advantage of this same offer last year and got two beautiful covers.  I already had a cover but it was on the small side and T would often try to peak out from under the cover when nursing.  Call me modest, but I'd rather have a little privacy when nursing in public. Jackie, fellow greenie, raved about her Bebe Au Lait cover so when she told me about this offer last year I didn't need any convincing!  My plan was to order one cover for myself and give the free "mystery" cover as a gift.  However, I loved both the patterns so much I kept BOTH!  What I love about the Bebe Au Lait nursing covers is that they are longer and wider than most covers. I was able to tuck the bottom of this cover under T when he was nursing.  That put a stop to T trying to flash me to everyone in public.  This cover has a strap that goes over your head so the cover stays in place, no need to adjust like when covering yourself up with a small blanket.  There is also a rigid neckline which allows you to peak down at your little when without risking exposure! This promotion ends June 22nd at midnight and supplies are limited.  With this deal you pick the first cover and they send you a freebie "mystery cover".  That means, you have no idea which cover the freebie will be.  However, no need to worry, all their covers are beautiful!  In order to get this deal purchase any Bebe au lait, Hooter Hiders, or Simple nursing cover and use the coupon code MYSTERY09 at checkout.  A mystery cover will be added to your order and you will receive 2 covers in your shipment, the cover you pick and the mystery cover that is picked for you!  I already have 3 covers but am tempted to get more for gifts!  

Deal A Day Sites

Deal A Day sites are my new obsession!  I have decided to compile a list of the deal a day sites that I frequent so you can also benefit from the sweet deals.  All of these sites have great bargains, often times at least 50% off or greater!  I have probably shelled out too much cash on these sites already but I have a hard time passing up great deals.  Often times these are rock bottom prices that you won't find anywhere else!  I have stocked up on lots of great gifts and items that I love but would never pay full price for!

If you read the review that the greenies did of Mama Bargains, you already know how much we love it!  This site features more than one great deal a day.  One item is sold at a time and when that item sells out a new bargain appears.  A new item will also appear if an item has not sold in an hour or if the item has reached it's time limit (which I believe is 18 hours). This site will keep your index finger busy with hitting your computer's refresh key!

Are you interested in saving a little green while being eco-conscious?   If so, Green Baby Bargains is for you!  Green Baby Bargains features one deal a day and all items have a "green factor".   

Baby Steals features one deal a day and when it's gone it's gone! They have featured a variety of items from slings - to shoes - to super soft blankies - and nursery bedding!

I was just introduced to True Cuddles.  This is a one deal a week site.  They feature a new deal every Monday.  When that product is sold out you will have to wait until the following week for a new item.  This week the deal is a super cute organic stuffed miYim sleepy time bear.  My son, T, has a miYim stuffed animal and I highly recommend them!   

For those of you with older kiddos Mock Star Baby be right up your alley!  It seems as though most of the items here are geared for older children.  Recently they have featured fantastic deals on winter coats and snow pants.  What a great way to stock up for the next winter season and save!  

Tottlers features one item at a time and when it's gone it's gone! You won't want to wait too long making up your mind, the item might sell out and you may not see it again! Tottlers has featured the Boon Animal Bag a few times but I've always missed it. I am dying to get my hands on a Boon (but only for a great price)!

The last thing I needed was a new deal a day site!  Baby Half Off is brand spanking new.  It launched on June 15th.  I am in love with one of the first deals.  The Amy Kathryn Diaper Bag retails for $120 but Baby Half Off is selling it for $44.50!  What a steal.  It is taking me a tremendous amount of self-control to not order it. This site features two deals at a time. When the two deals featured sell out two new deals will appear!  

Baby Earth will definitely keep you on your toes!  This site offers gaga deals, which are new items every hour (Monday - Friday 9am and 5pm CST).  You pick the price you are willing to pay! An item will start out at full price and as the hour ticks away the price gets lower and lower. I have seen items go for less than $1!  There is a limited inventory on these items, sometimes only one, so when the screen ticks down to what you are willing to pay snag that deal!  

Happy shopping...AND saving!  

Update:  As of 6-26-09, It appears as though the Baby Half Off site is closing.  

Crib Rail Cover

When my son began teething I did not consider that I would need to protect his beautiful convertible crib from his sharp little teeth. Nor did I think I would need to protect my little guy from the chemically treated wood used to make his crib. About 3 months ago I put T down for his morning nap. I heard what I thought was T playing before he fell asleep, but I didn't hear anything that was cause for concern. When he woke from his nap I noticed he had little brown flecks on his face. My first thought was that I had done a horrible job wiping his face after breakfast. Upon further inspection I decided the flecks had nothing to do with leftover breakfast crusted on his face. So, I went to investigate his crib. GASP! The gorgeous crib, a gift from T's grandparents, had scratches all over. My son had gnawed all up and down the whole front rail. Of course I was concerned about the crib, but my primary concern was that if this continued T would be ingesting all sorts of nasty chemicals. I immediately began my quest for a rail cover that would be large enough to cover the front rail of the convertible crib. I didn't have much hope that I would find anything since the front crib rail is exceptionally thick compared to other cribs. Then I found the Leachco brand, offering a variety of rail covers, including an organic cover for convertible cribs. Even though the product description states the dimensions and lists an XL size I was still skeptical that this cover would fit my crib. I ordered it anyways in hopes that it would be exactly what I was looking for. The 3 days that it took to arrive felt like an eternity. I was terrified that the beautiful crib would be gnawed to pieces by my 9 month old. When it arrived I held my breath as I secured it to the crib. Voila, it fit! It secures with velcro straps so there is absolutely no damage that it can do to your crib. It also has velcro straps so you can secure your child's favorite teething toys. I am thrilled that my son can now soothe his gums on a soft padded, 100 % organic cotton cover rather than chemically treated wood. In my opinion, this is a must have BEFORE your little one begins teething.

(Photo - The photo above is of the actual rail cover being used in T's nursery. The paintings in the background were created by a very talented friend, Heather Torkelson. They were designed to match the bedding in T's nursery and they are perfect!)

Boikido Push and Play Rabbit Wagon

For Easter, we decided to get little E a push toy, as he was just about to start crawling and loved walking with the assistance of us. We thought a push toy he could walk behind would be just the fun he was looking for. After researching the options out there and discussing with fellow greenie about what her son had and liked/didn't like, I decided to go with the Boikido Push and Play Rabbit Wagon despite never seeing it in person. It was just too perfect for an Easter gift with its pastel colors and rabbit theme and served as E's easter basket as well, as the inside of the wagon was plenty big to put all of his other Easter goodies.

I ordered the wagon online and it arrived in a surprisingly small package... this was going to require quite a bit of assembly! However, the assembly was a breeze; if you have ever assembled furniture from IKEA, as I spent most of my college years doing, you'll have this thing together in no time. ;) The wagon is made of wood and painted with plant-based paints, all tested to meet European and US safety standards. I prefer the toys I purchase to meet European standards, since they seem to be much more cautious and stringent than US in general, so this toy fit the bill. The wagon has two maze toys on each larger side of the wagon that has entertained E on many occasions and push handle on the wagon is a perfect height and E can pull up on the wagon without tipping it over. The actual wagon compartment is great for storing toys and keeps E entertained because it is just his size to put toys in and remove as his leisure. HE also fits quite well in the wagon part and I have given him many rides around the family room in it, much to his glee.

Boikido is a French company and their toys are similar in style to the much more expensive HABA toys. I had read reviews that the paint on this wagon chipped easily, but I see no chips on the wagon yet and my son likes to take his wooden rhythm sticks and whack the wagon for fun (well, anything in sight, really). The quality may not match HABA toys, but I can assure you they are a great, affordable alternative. The Boikido Push and Play Rabbit Wagon retails for about $54.99, while HABA alternatives retail for $154.99 and UP! Boikido toys (at least some) also boast that they are eco-friendly, but their website is not working for me, so I'm unable to confirm which toys are eco-friendly. But I have found that the eco-friendly aspect is that they are decorated with plant-based paints and made from wood that is from a FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) monitored source.

I think this push toy is great because it is cute, functional, AND will keep E entertained for the long haul. The quality is superb and I know it'll be around for E's little brother or sister, whenever they arrive.

Potty Seat

I came across this Bamboo potty seat when strolling through the aisles at Babies R Us the other day.  My little guy, T, is not even close to being ready for potty training (he's just shy of 1 year).  However, this potty seat caught my eye.  I love the look and simplicity of it.  This is the Growing Up Green 100% Bamboo potty seat that is manufactured by Ginsley.  Bamboo is an eco-friendly, renewable, and sustainable resource.  Some varieties of bamboo can grow up to two feet per day! Bamboo is known for being strong and durable and has been used in construction for centuries.  It is less porous, soaks up less water, and in turn soaks up less bacteria than other woods.  This training seat fits most standard and elongated toilets. The maintenance of this seat should be easy with the only instruction being, "wipe clean".  This simple, classic, and sturdy seat retails for around $15.  It seems pretty reasonably priced since most of the potty training seats I have seen range from $6 - $29.  Plus, let's not forget that bamboo is also supposed to be lucky.  Wouldn't it be great if this potty seat was not only eco-friendly, but also brought good luck to your potty training journey!  

Nature's Purest Organic Bouncer

If there is one baby gear item I could not live without, it would be a bouncy seat! I have the Nature's Purest Organic Bouncer as pictured above and this thing has gotten more use than any other baby item I have. The design is simple, but don't let that fool you- this thing has calmed down little E at his crankiest, screaming bloody murder moments! The vibration is key and I sometimes use the vibration plus a light bounce (using my finger or foot to tap the frame) to calm down my little man. I STILL use this bouncer, despite it not necessarily being designed for an active 10 month old.

The fabric is organic and soft, the design is subtle and neutral. The fabric cover has held up well to over 10 months of use and it has gone through the washing machine a few times as well. My only gripe with it is the toy bar comes off very easily... my solution- just remove the silly thing! I definitely use this chair as a soother not as play-time seating, so the toys were more of a distraction and annoyance than anything else.

Unfortunately, I don't see this listed on Babies R Us any more (where I purchased), but they do have some of the other Nature's Purest collection in this fabric on sale/clearance online and in store. It also appears Summer Infant (the manufacturer) still makes the Nature's Purest collection, but in a new fabric (still neutral and tasteful), so hopefully they'll continue making this bouncy seat. But, in general, if you are preggo and debating on whether or not to get a bouncy seat, I think it is a great purchase- they are inexpensive, can be easily moved around the house, and can be a lifesaver when your little one is inconsolable at 3am!

Free Father's Day Card!

Get a free personalized Father's Day card from Shutterfly.... just pay shipping. Honor that special dad are grandfather in your life with a card that is sure to be unique and a keepsake for years! It is easy to create and customize, I love the classic white template with room for up to 9 photos or the Argyle Blue for up to 4 pics!

Free Photo Prints

Who doesn't love FREEBIES?! I came across an offer for 25 FREE 4x6 picture prints from Walgreens. I'm sure that all of us have a million picures of our little ones, vactions, or events, and it can get costly to print them all out. I have very few pictures printed of my little guy but have tons and tons of photos saved to my computer. I am planning on taking advantage of this offer so I can fill some albums! Father's day is around the corner, maybe dad or grandpa would love some pics of your little tyke! Here is a link to the Walgreens site and the coupon code. This offer expires June 6th. Please remember to read all the fine print for this offer (does not cover shipping, tax, etc.) The coupon code is good for a maximum of 5 uses per account. That is 125 pictures you can print for FREE!