Fly Belly Maternity Clothing | Interview & Giveaway

When I was 8 weeks pregnant, I begrudgingly took out my Rubbermaid of maternity clothes; I only made it to 10 weeks the first time, so I'm not sure why I was so surprised, but I was.

As a working mom, I can't get away with wearing sweatpants and oversized t-shirts; I work in an office and I need to look presentable and professional.  That being said, I also can't justify spending a lot of money on new clothes, when I have a rubbermaid full of slightly stretched, slightly faded, slightly stained but still perfectly good maternity clothes.  I scoured the internet looking for good deals that I could justify, I mean every pregnant momma deserves at least a couple new clothing items right?

After much searching, I came across Fly Belly, a fantastic online maternity store with a unique selection and affordable prices.  I bought myself 3 shirts and with shipping (to Canada) they came out to about $26 each and arrived at my home quite quickly.  Fly Belly is a Momma-run business and Liz the Momma behind Fly Belly is super sweet and has offered to giveaway one shirt of the winners choice to a Momma Stuff Blog Reader.  But don't take my word for it, read on for my interview with Liz, the woman behind Fly Belly!

Can you tell us a little bit about your vision or mandate for Fly Belly?
My goal for Fly Belly is to provide cute, trendy and AFFORDABLE maternity clothing.  Truth be told, I want to be a household name among women - that's my vision.  I've browsed the internet for cute, trendy maternity clothes and am ASTONISHED to find that most websites that carry adorable things charge over $50.00 for a SHIRT!  I don't understand how regular women can afford things like that, so it is my goal to make shopping fun.  

Women should be allowed to feel beautiful during this special time in their life WITHOUT having to take out a second mortgage to pay for clothing.  My number one goal is customer satisfaction.  I LOVE what I do and love to work with my customers to do anything I can to make them happy.  I have had some BAD customer service experiences and I never want someone to feel like I don't care.  I want people to know that I am a real person and I do care about their shopping experience.  As I grow and hire employees (some day) they will be trained in customer SERVICE. 

How did you decide to embark on the entrepreneurial journey that is Fly Belly?
My journey began in July of 2005 when I was pregnant with my second little bundle of joy.  I was looking for a way to make a little 'me' money.  I was a full time stay at home mom and my husband was supporting our family.  I felt so silly taking money that he had earned to buy him a birthday present.  I wanted to find a way that I could earn money to pay for things like birthday and Christmas presents as well as a way to eat out or buy something to pamper myself every once in a while.  My sister had given me some name brand jeans and they didn't fit me.  I had purchased a few things on ebay before and decided to try my hand at selling.  I was SO surprised to find that the jeans sold for 26.00!!  I couldn't believe someone would pay 26.00 for a pair of USED jeans!  After that, I would shop at my local thrift store every Monday where certain colored tags were 99 cents.  I would buy ALL the name brand jeans I could find and list them on ebay.  I probably didn't make a profit of more than 20.00 a month, but that 20.00 was something that I could contribute to our family.  After I had my baby, I got all of the clothes I had that I didn't wear and sold them--they did AWESOME!  I didn't realize there was such a high demand for maternity clothes, so I added used maternity clothes to my ebay selling.  After doing some research, I realized that people were paying a lot of money for NEW maternity clothes...so I looked around and did a little research and realized that I could buy new clothing and re-sell it on ebay.  I started VERY small--only purchasing enough inventory for ONE lot.  Then I would take the money I earned from that and go buy more.  I am happy to say that I have not gone into debt at all to open my business.  I started small and grew as I could afford to.  

I had been kicking around the idea of launching my own website for about a year or so because I was sick of ebay raising their fees.  I had a good friend who was a graphic designer but was out of work, so I decided...what the heck, let's give it a shot!  I worked with him to design my website!  What you see on flybelly.com is completely designed by me and Dennis West Designs.  I wanted paisley background--he designed it.  I wanted a certain font...he made it happen.  I even got my own models (my sister...who was pregnant with her SIXTH baby) and my friend (expecting number 4).  I wanted REAL women--not itty bitty stick girls with a tiny little bump.  

Fly Belly officially launched August of 2010 and all the products for sale are BRAND NEW usually with tags.  Sales were pretty slow to start with, but have gradually picked up as I have done advertising and people have spread the word.  I LOVE my customers and am always so excited when I have repeat buyers (which quite a few people are!)
 
How do you find and choose all the lovely maternity products that you carry?
I can't share my secrets about where exactly I find my clothing, but please know that I HAND PICK each and every item that is on my website.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE to shop and whenever I find something cute, I can't WAIT to share it with others!

I read on your website that Fly Belly is a one-woman show, what's your biggest challenge since starting Fly Belly?
The biggest challenge since starting Fly Belly is finding time to do everything!  Since I hand pick everything, I have to take time to do that, I have to find time to take pictures (which right now is in my bedroom!), edit the pictures, list them on the website.  Then, when they sell, I have to gather up the order, package, weigh and print labels at home.  Add to that being a full time mom of 4 children aged 7, 5, 3 and almost 2.    So, my biggest challenge is just TIME.  I would love to hire an assistant...some day....

On the flip side, what is it about Fly Belly that truly makes your heart sing?
When customers email me and tell me how happy they are with their purchases and how the clothes make them feel and how GRATEFUL they are to have found affordable clothing!  The internet is such an amazing thing and I have made some great friends through my business.

Can you share a little, or a lot, about yourself as a mother?


I'm a 28 year old mother of 4!  That basically says it all, haha :)  I'm a basket case!  I married my sweetheart Adam when I was 19 and we have been happily married for nearly 9 years.  We had 2 little girls 23 months apart.  When I was pregnant with baby number 3, my husband fell in love with a little foster baby that one of his friends was caring for.  He felt very strongly that this baby was supposed to be a part of our family, so when I was about 14 or 15 weeks pregnant, he called me one day and said "How would you feel about adopting a little baby?"  WHAT??!!  I thought he had gone insane, but we agreed to make it a matter of prayer, and the answer we got was that this little girl, named Faith, was to be a part of our family.  We became foster parents and got custody of the 11 month old just 4 months before I gave birth to my baby.

I always wanted to be a 'mom'.  In fact, in college, my major was 'Family Science' so basically I took a lot of child development and parenting classes.  Being a mother has been the HARDEST thing I have ever done, but also the most rewarding.  Children are amazing and teach me so much.  I am grateful to be able to stay at home with them and am also grateful for their patience with me.  I am so imperfect and have so much to learn about being a mom.  I think it's a lifelong process!

Does the constant exposure to great maternity items, set your baby fever in overdrive?
Not really.  I try to focus on the women who are ALREADY pregnant and who will get to wear these great maternity clothes.  I do, however, have quite the collection of maternity clothes for when baby number 5 decides to join our family!  

Is there anything else you'd like to share with Momma Stuff Blog readers?
Being a mother is one of the most amazing, scariest, frustrating and humbling things you will ever do in your life!  We have been entrusted with these little beings that rely on us for everything.  It is overwhelming at times, but when we remember we are raising the next generation-the leaders of the future--it makes it all worth it.

A little about my 'office'.  When you asked about including a photo of my office, I had to laugh.  Mainly because my home IS my office.  My baby's room doubles as my inventory room.  It has his crib, a dresser and lots and lots of maternity clothes!  Items that are for sale on ebay are in his closet and items that I need to take pictures of and list are in totes on the other side of the room.  Mine and my husband's room houses my maternity mannequin as well as items that are ready to be photographed.  Out in the living room is the desk with my computer on it where I do all my work!  Next to the desk is items that have been photographed and need to be listed.  My basement has lots of totes of off season items as well as all of the listed inventory for Flybelly.com.  Fly Belly has taken over my house!!  One day I will be able to rent a small office, but for now I am content to stay at home with my kiddos around me wreaking havoc on the house while I work!

Enter to Win

One Shirt of the Winners Choice

First Entry:
Visit the Fly Belly Website and leave a comment sharing which shirt you'd like to win
Please make sure you include your email address if its not in your profile otherwise I won't be able to contact you if you win!
Additional Entries:

Please leave a comment for EACH additional entry

 Follow the Momma Stuff Blog via Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)
Like the Momma Stuff Blog on Facebook

Like Fly Belly on Facebook
Share this post on your Facebook Profile 
Follow Flybelly on Twitter
Subscribe via email (and activate the subscription) to the Momma Stuff Blog (left sidebar) 
Follow the Momma Stuff Blog on Twitter

  Tweet this giveaway (once per day - leave a link) 
I entered to #win a super cute maternity shirt from @Flybelly | http://bit.ly/gEkHxo | @mommastuffblog
 

Giveaway closes Sunday January 2nd, 2011 at 8pm (PST).  Winner will be determined by a random number generator. Winner will be notified via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new name will be drawn and contacted.

Contest is now closed.
Congratulations to our winner, comment #22 Sweetone624!

Agoo Clothing | Coupon Codes

One of my absolute favourite clothing lines for the boy, is Agoo.  Their clothes are essentially yoga-wear for kids; the fabrics have 4-way stretch, but never get stretched out, the clothing is wick away and quick dry with a UPF 50+.  I initially bought Agoo clothes primarily for travelling in Asia as I knew they would keep the boy comfortable, cool and protected from the sun. Now I love every single article of Agoo clothing we own and I know the boy does too - doesn't he look comfortable (and super cute) playing in his Agoo track suit?

I reviewed the Agoo Playful Pant and Leg Huggers back in April and today I just wanted to take a moment to share some great sales coming up for the holiday season on the Agoo Website.

In honour of American Thanksgiving, between November 26th and 30th.  Enter code BFCM40 at checkout to get 40% off your entire purchase, with no minimum order required!

And in case you need a little more time to finish your shopping Agoo is offering 40% off from December 1st to 15th with a minimum order of $40.  Just enter code XMAS40 at checkout.

I'm thinking that I'll be doing some shopping this weekend, the boy might just NEED some of Agoo's new Canuck Hockey Huggers for Christmas.  Hockey is a big deal around here and this shorts/leggings combo will not only be adorable, I bet it will keep the boy toasty warm.

Happy US Thanksgiving and Happy Shopping!

I am a member of the Agoo Affiliate program, however I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Stride Everyday Panties | Review & Giveaway

Do you ever 'pee dance'?

You know, the 'pee dance'...you're so close to home and suddenly the urge hits and there's no fooling, you've got to pee.  You know you can make it, but you just have to get control for another couple minutes, or even seconds.

I am intimately familiar with the 'pee dance' and in truth have been doing it as long as I can remember.  As a child I remember clutching myself and squatting, rocking a bit, hoping I could make it the final few steps up the driveway.  When I lived in an apartment, as soon as I stepped into the elevator, it would hit me - every single time.

When I heard about Stride Everyday Panties, with a built in liner to keep you dry, I knew they would be perfect for the days that the 'pee dance' isn't quite so effective.  Stride panties come in a variety of styles, none of which are 'granny panties' because seriously if that was all Stride had to bring to the table, I'd rather just wear panty liners. 

I chose to test out the seamless panties; they were comfortable to wear, stayed in place and they lived up to their name, no visible panty line.  I have to be honest, so far, I haven't needed the leak protection any of the days that I have worn my Stride Everyday Panties, but knowing it was there gave me such peace of mind.  Perhaps that's why I didn't end up doing the 'pee dance' those days; the mind is a powerful thing after all.

Stride Everyday Panties are designed to hold up to an ounce of moisture, wick away moisture and keep you deodorized fresh.  They are machine washable (and handled laundering just fine at my house) and are designed to last up to 100 washes.

With prices starting at $14.99 a pair, Stride Everyday Panties are a little bit more expensive than my everyday panties, but then again, they aren't everyday panties are they?  I think they would be great for special occasions or those days when you know a washroom isn't going to be quite so accessible, perhaps on travel days?

If you do the 'pee dance' a little more than you'd like to admit, Stride Everyday Panties are worth checking out.  The great people at Stride Everyday have teamed up with the Momma Stuff Blog to give you all Free Shipping on orders over $30 AND we are giving away one free pair of Stride Everyday Panties in the size and style of your choice.

Coupon Code:
Free Shipping on Orders over $30
http://www.strideeveryday.com/index.php
Enter Code: STUFF456
Expires November 30, 2010


Enter To Win:

One pair of Stride Everyday Panties in the Size/Style of winners choice

The First Entry is mandatory; all other entries will be disqualified if it is not included.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  

First Entry:
Check out the Stride Everyday Website and tell us why you want to try out Stride Everyday Panties.

Additional Entries :
 Follow the Momma Stuff Blog via Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)
Like the Momma Stuff Blog on Facebook
Like this post on Facebook (click the link below)
Follow the Momma Stuff Blog on Twitter

  Tweet this giveaway (once per day - leave a link) 

'Stride Everyday Panties' are Stylish & Functional | #Review & #Giveaway @Mommastuffblog http://bit.ly/aI5snK  #CMTT 

Giveaway closes Sunday October 17th at 8pm.  Winner will be determined by a random number generator. Winner will be notified via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new name will be drawn and contacted.

Contest is now closed.  Congratulations to comment #11 Cherdon.

babibu beautiful.bamboo.babywear review

Do you ever think about starting your own business, about leaving behind your current life and taking a chance on a dream?  I think we all do, sometimes.  Sometimes I think in another life I could have opened a gluten-free bakery or written a book, but right now, in this life, I'm right where I want to be.

And I'm willing to guess that Sarah Lopez, mom behind babibu is pretty happy where she is too.  Sarah was recently the featured mom on True Cuddles, where you she shares her story; how it all started as a way to clothe her own son in eco-friendly, stylish attire, and now less than a year after the launch, babibu is a 'beautiful.bamboo.babywear.' reality - way to go Momma!  And her son was born the same month as the boy - seriously, kudos to you Sarah! 

I was fortunate enough to receive a pair of karate pants for the purposes of this review and they are soft, really soft. When I pulled them out of the envelope, they immediately went to my cheek.  The bamboo is light and flowy, wicks away moisture, is hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-static; perfect for the boys sensitive skin.

I found the sizing on these pants generous, I simply rolled the waistband down a few times and the pants fit perfectly.  Since bamboo is so thin, there was no bulky roll around his waist.  The karate pants washed and dried easily, and didn't seem to pill up, which some of my other bamboo products have done in the past.  They did however catch some cat hair on them, but not enough to be bothersome.

In terms of aesthetics, I think they look adorable, however both my Mom and Sister told me they looked like culottes.  They went so far as to tell me they would make great 'house pants'.  So, what do you all think?  Cute pants or or not-so-cute culottes?  The pants are also available in slim, which may have been a better choice for the boy's little bum and hips.

Designed and handmade in Toronto, I'm a fan of supporting Canadian entreupeners, particularly when they make quality, eco-friendly products.  And babibu is doing just that, make sure you check them out on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on all their news. Babibu makes super soft, eco-friendly products, I rate them a 4!

Funny Hunny Bunny Organics Toddler Tee Review

Before the boy was born my mother-in-law had never really shopped organic; she bought the boy beautiful bamboo sheets and couldn't help remarking how plain and boring all of the organic products in the store were.  I explained that the natural dyes used in sustainable clothing is often less vibrant than traditional dyes.  That doesn't mean however, that sustainable clothing is boring.

Funny Hunny Bunny Organics (FHB) proves just that point, with their fun alternatives to the 'same old' organic clothing.  The products are adorned with adorable, hand-painted/printed images that just make you say aww.  With one simple t-shirt your child can instantly be transformed into a doctor or a rockstar.  We chose to try out the Daddy-O tee, I can't resist a little man in a tie!

All FHB products are made from 100% certified organic cotton in sweatshop free conditions.  Each design is hand painted/screened using non-toxic paints, and those products that are coloured, use non-toxic dyes and/or food grade hydrogen peroxide.  All of these actions support the company's "main goal...to provide a healthy garment for children that's stylish, fun and has a positive impact on the environment. We hope that in doing so, it will peak people's interests in buying and learning more about organic cotton so that our environment can become a safer place to live & grow."  Personally, I love a company that takes the education and outreach component of green living to heart.

We tested out the Daddy-O tee and when it arrived all beautifully wrapped with tissue and a hemp bow, I almost didn't want to put it on the boy, knowing it would be covered in drool in mere minutes.  I found that the tee was generous in size, in particular I found it long.  The cotton is extremely soft, though quite thin.  The tie painted on the tee is bright and vibrant and shows no sign of wear after a couple cycle's through the washing machine.  And of course its environmentally friendly and absolutley adorable.  The boy wore his Daddy-O tee at my birthday bbq and was definitely the most handsome man in attendance.

FHB was created by a woman looking for the perfect, environmentally-conscious gift for all her new momma friends; when she couldn't find it, Funny Hunny Bunny Organics was born.  They carry certified organic onsies, tees, hats and shoes.  At $30 for a single t-shirt, the price is on par with other sustainable clothing lines and when you consider that the products are all hand painted/screened the price isn't a total deal-breaker.  I'd definitley buy a FHB Tee as a gift, though I might have a slightly harder time splurging on the boy, but I'm cheap and that's just me.  The Funny Hunny Bunny Organics Daddy-O tee rates a 4/5!

Don't forget to check out Funny Hunny Bunny on Facebook and Twitter!

pediped® footwear review

We have received many pairs of shoes for the boy, some new and many used but I have only bought three pairs.  All three pairs have been worn daily until they were outgrown and all three pairs were pediped^® footwear.  I did a lot of research before I bought the boy his first shoes, I wanted something soft and natural, not restricting around the ankle but still durable, supportive and well-made.

Pediped^® footwear has three collections 'The Originals', 'flex' and 'couture'.  We have only tried out the Originals, but they have definitely met my expectations.  Given the track record, our next shoe purchase will definitely be a pair of pediped flex.  Pediped Originals are a soft leather soled shoes that resemble the shape of the foot.  Without the thick rubber sole I didn't have to worry about the boy tripping as he learned to walk, or even when he was crawling.  The elastic faux laces, velcro and generous width all make it super easy to fit the shoes onto the boys feet.

The sole itself feels smooth, but despite my concerns, they truly are slip-resistant, I found that when the boy was just gaining his balance, he actually seemed to be more stable with his pediped^® footwear on.  Now that he is walking, running even, I'm happy to report that I have yet to see him slip as a result of his shoes.  And even though he has been wearing his current pair of pediped footwear during his foray into walking over the past two months, the soles show no sign of wear despite their regular use outdoors.

Most importantly the boy seems comfortable in his pediped^® footwear, he has never really pulled or tugged on his shoes (until his recent obsession with velcro) and he rarely, if ever, fights us when its time to put them on.  In fact I sent the boy to my Mom house the other day wearing some second hand sandals that were a bit cooler, but he still came back home in his pediped footwear.  My Mom informed me he was much more comfy in his Brady pediped^® sandals.

I love that the inside of the shoes feels cushy, like memory foam.  I remember my delight the first time I stuck my fingers in his sweaty little shoes and could feel the boys toe indentations.  He had just learned to pull himself at the time and as I ran my fingers over the grooves in his shoes, I relished in the moment hoping to keep the memory with me forever.

In addition to all of the other great features, pediped footwear is podiatrist recommended, and reasonably priced for the quality of the product.  Did I mention they come in tons of adorable styles and are super cute?  If I had a little girl I would definitely have more trouble buying only one pair per size.  We love pediped^® footwear at our house, and I truly have no complaints; in my eyes, an absolute 5/5!

Akumu Ink

As much as I love all the absolute adorableness of our everyday baby clothes, sometimes I just want to mix things up.  Akumu Ink is a Canadian online t-shirt company that can help meet that need.  Their designs are "heavily inspired by everything coming out of Japan from its cute pop icons to its terrifying horror movies."  The staff of two, designs, markets, prints and ships their t-shirt themselves.  Wow!

When Dora offered to send me a t-shirt from their new Little Monsters Line to review, I jumped on the chance to try out something a little different.  This new line includes t-shirts and hoodies for children, t-shirts for toddlers and onsies, hats and bibs for infants.  The designs are cute, though they are a little reminiscent of Halloween; I'd love to see a few designs that lean more towards the Japanese "cute pop icon" side of their inspiration.  That being said, the existing designs are great, I personally had trouble picking between the Mummy (because I'm a mommy of course) and the Reaper tee for the boy.  What do you think of my choice?

Akumu Ink shirts are printed on American Apparel and are made of very soft cotton.  The boy is quite long in the body and this t-shirt (size 2T, though he fits an 18 month perfectly these days) still went over his diaper and past his hips.  The neck opening is generous and easy to get on and the printing on the shirt is very thick and seems to be well adhered.  Our t-shirt has been through the washer and drier a few times and it still looks great and its even softer than it started.

Unfortunately, due to strict US Laws, Akumu Ink cannot ship their Little Monsters Line to the United States, please see their FAQ's for more details.

Amuku Ink t-shirts are a fun and creative way to help your child express themselves, without traditional icons like dinosaurs and butterflies.  They are well constructed and seem to be holding up well in the laundry.  I rate them a 3.5/5.

Agoo Leg Huggers Review & Giveaway

I reviewed the Agoo Playful Pant and Twozie a little while back; two of my favourite items in the boys wardrobe.  Now I would like to add to the list the Agoo Leg Huggers, graciously provided to me by the fine people at Agoo for the purposes of this review.

There are a lot of different brands of childrens leg warmers, and if you shop on Etsy, your options multiply dramatically. If your crafty you might even want to try making your own; but don't trust the pattern and buy ankle socks unless your making leg warmers for a brand new infant.  I learned that lesson the hard way.

What's different about Agoo Leg Huggers is that they are made with 100% sustainable bamboo that is wick-away, non-irritating, anti-bacterial and odour resistant.  These are important features for me, the boy has sensitive skin and eczema, so breathability is important.  Agoo Leg Huggers are also oh-so-soft and the fabric has a pretty (though not girlie) sheen to it. 

The boy doesn't walk yet, but he is a master crawler, so we put Agoo Leg Huggers to the test as he roamed the house including crawling up and down the stairs.  I'm happy to report, the elastic is strong and the Leg Huggers stayed put, all without leaving the telltale red marks on the boys thighs.  Leg Huggers are one size fits all, and they are quite long.  I'm confident they would fit even an older toddler quite easily. 

Aesthetically, Agoo has a lot of cute patterns, including some great ones for the boys, which can sometimes be a challenge.  We tested out the racer argyle, but I also liked the Army friends pattern.  Our Leg Huggers maintained their shape through the washer and dryer, though there was a slight fuzzing of the fabric, but it truly only added to the softness.

The boy isn't potty training yet, but I can easily see how Leg Huggers would be a great alternative to pants with a potty training toddler - I have a feeling when the time comes at our house, Leg Huggers will become a wardrobe staple, even if the hubs does start singing Flash Dance.  At only $10.00 a pair, Eco-Friendly Leg Huggers are not only comprable, they are cheaper than many other leg warmer brands.

And I'm very excited to see that right now, Agoo is working with "Helping Orphans Worldwide" (HOW); for every pair of Leg Huggers or Socks sold, Agoo will send one pair to Orphans in Vietnam.  Seriously, how can you feel bad about that.  Kudos to you Agoo!  This also applies to the coupon code offer below!!

Agoo Leg Huggers are made with sustainable fabrics at an affordable price, they performed well and kept the boy warm and protected as he crawled around the house.  Definitley a product I would purchase and recommend.  A true 5/5!

Wanna win your own pair?  Agoo Apparel is providing one lucky reader with their own pair of Leg Huggers in the pattern of their choice.  They have also provided a Leg Huggers Coupon Code good this weekend only!  Buy 2 pairs of Leg Huggers and get the third pair for 1 cent!  And don't forget your purchase will also get an orphaned child in Vietnam a pair of leg huggers to keep them warm and cozy!!

Coupon Code:
Buy 2 pairs of Leg Huggers and get 1 for a penny!
To get YOUR third pair of Leg Huggers for one cent,
enter code 1fb4m at checkout! 

Enter To Win:
One pair of Agoo Leg Huggers in the pattern of your choice. 

The First Entry is mandatory; all other entries will be disqualified if it is not included.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry, seven chances to win total.  

First Entry: Visit the Agoo Leg Hugger website, take a look around and tell us what Leg Hugger pattern you would choose if you won.

Second Entry: Follow The Momma Stuff Blog through Google(left sidebar)

Third Entry:  Like Agoo on Facebook

Fourth Entry: Like the Momma Stuff Blog on Facebook

Fifth Entry: Follow Agoo on Twitter

Sixth Entry:Follow Leg Huggers on Twitter

Seventh Entry: Follow the Momma Stuff Blog on Twitter

Giveaway closes Sunday May 16 at 8pm.  Winner will be determined by a random number generator. Winner will be notified via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new name will be drawn and contacted.

This contest is closed.
Congrats to our winner!

Stonz Booties - Review & Coupon

With Spring just around the corner, you only have to glance in a store window, or browse your favourite online shops to see that retailers are bringing out the cute little sandals, shorts and tee-shirts, convincing us that hot, lazy days will be upon us shortly.  I live in Vancouver, BC and although the sun shone for the Olympics, we get a lot of rain here.  Seriously, a lot of rain.  I personally don't plan on picking up sandals for the boy anytime soon.

What I did pick up recently [ok I admit it, I ordered them online] is a pair of Stonz Booties for the boy. Stonz Wear is a local company, created by mothers, for mothers.  Stonz Booties are water and wind resistant, fleece lined with a skid resistant sole and machine washable.  My son doesn't walk on his own yet, so what that really means is that when I'm helping him walk across the backyard, or park I know that his little feet are warm and dry and its pretty unlikely that he's going to lose his footing.
 
What's particularly great about Stonz Booties is the wide circumference of the bootie; it doesn't narrow down much at the ankle.  I admit that I initially thought this feature made the booties ugly, but practicality quickly took over when I realized just how much easier the wide opening made it to slip my son's flailing foot into the bootie.  The two toggle system (one around the ankle, one at the top of the bootie) allows Momma (or Daddy or Gramma or Aunty...) to quickly tighten and secure the booties while ensuring a nice snug fit for your little one.  These boots are staying put!

As booties, they of course come midway up the calf and combined with the snug fit of the toggles, Stonz booties keep my son's legs protected from the elements even when he is crawling like crazy, exploring grass, rocks and everything that is nature. They also keep his legs covered while in the baby carrier, and they are much quicker to put on than babylegs - my old solution to bare legs in the carrier.

Stonz Booties come in sizes small through extra-large and are designed to fit little ones from newborn through three years.  The extra-large size is a fairly new addition to the line and not all sizes are available in the larger sizes.  That being said, Stonz bootie sizing is generous; I have a size large intended for children aged one to two and a half and at this point they fit great with shoes on.  That's right, I just slip his feet, shoes and all, into the booties when its time to go outside.  I have had absolutley no problems fitting the shoes into the booties, or having his feet slip around inside the booties.  By buying the larger size and wearing them with shoes now, and without later, I figure I am maximizing the boy's wear and spreading my dollar a little farther. 

At a price of $46.95 CDN a pair, it seems worthwhile to purchase Stonz Booties early and ensure your little one wears them lots.  They are well constructed, sturdy and absolutley worth the price.  I am very happy with my sons' Stonz booties, he wears them in the backyard, in the park or even in the stroller on particularly wet and windy days.  Truly, I have no complaints about Stonz Booties and give them a 5/5!

Coupon Code:
Since the people at Stonz Wear are totally awesome, they are offering readers of The Momma Stuff Blog an opportunity to save 10% on their purchase if they order between now and April 19.  Keep in mind this discount applies to your entire order, so be sure to check out the Linerz, Hatz and Mittz as well as the Booties!  To get your discount, type in promo code mommastuff when you checkout!

Special thanks to Stonz for providing The Momma Stuff Blog with our very first promo code!

Agoo Apparel - stay out and play

Although jeans, cords and button-up shirts look absolutely adorable on little boys, they really aren't the easiest to get on and off during diaper changes, and I can't imagine they are quite as comfortable to wear as a pair of sweatpants.  Sometimes, we all want to wear something comfortable and easy, and if it looks good, all the better.  Truly, this is the exact reason that Lululemon pants are so popular these days.  In my mind, Agoo Apparel fills this niche for infants, toddlers and children alike.

I made my first purchase from Agoo before Cole and I went on our trip to Asia, and with features like a UPF +50 rating, wick away fabric and 4-way stretch they seemed like a perfect fit for our 3 week adventure.  I took two pairs of Playful Pants on our trip and I don't think I will ever travel without them.  They washed and dried easily in hotel bathrooms and kept my little guy cool and protected from the sun in Thailand but also worked great as long underwear under fleecy pants when we were traveling in the colder areas of China.

Cole seems so comfortable in his stretchy playful pants, he can move around and crawl without any difficulty.  Although he now wears 18 and 24 month pants now, he still fits his 12 month playful pants and I can still whip them on and off lickety split to do a diaper change.   Although they are stain resistant and do wash up super easily, I have noticed that any food spillage that lands on the pants, will show on the fabric until they are laundered again.

Speaking of laundry, watch out for velcro when these pants are in the wash, it sticks like crazy.  There really is no need to put these pants in the dryer; they have usually air dried by the time the rest of the laundry is done.  That being said, I have accidently left them in the dryer a few times and for the most part they seem to be holding up fine.  The uber cute silk screening seems to be the exception.  I found that the cute little grasshopper and Agoo branding both seemed to start peeling off the pants within the first month or so of wear.  It's not the end of the world and it likely has to do with those few trips the pants have made into the dryer.

Although Agoo is available in stores, I purchased my products online and found the checkout process quite simple and straightforward.  As I made my purchases during a great end of season sale (read 60% off!), a few of the items I ordered were out of stock and I received great customer service, including a phone call from the VP to discuss substitutions and a follow-up call to ensure I was happy with the products I had received.  On my second order [my Mom actually made the second order for Cole's birthday after I told her what I wanted to buy], we were once again sale shopping and needed some substitutions for our choices, and everything still went off without a hitch.

Twozie Hoodie - Mallard/Coco

Speaking of second orders, most of what we ordered doesn't fit him yet, but I absolutely love the Agoo Twozie - how has no one come up with this before now?  A onsie that looks like a shirt; it keeps his belly warm and covered without looking like he's wearing baby clothes.  The twozie only goes up to size 18-24, but don't let that stop you, the fit is generous.  Cole just fits most of his 18-24 month onsies, but the Agoo twozie fits comfortably, both with regard to length and width. I think my next purchase will be an Agoo Puddle Jacket - they just look amazing!

Overall, I have had a great experience with Agoo Apparel.  The clothes are well constructed, high quality and easy to wash.  I find the prices are a little bit more than I like to spend (are you noticing a trend here?) though not particularly expensive, and in truth the product quality is well worth the price, plus they offer free shipping on orders over $50.  If you get on their mailing list you will get first hand notifications of their amazing sales (I've learned its worth it to shop early or you risk substitutions) as well as a chance to win a $100 shopping spree.  I give Agoo Apparel a 4/5!