ABOUT DONORSCHOOSE.ORG:

DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that connects you to schools in need. They help fund school projects in support of education and literacy. You can narrow your search by a school, state, city, etc. You can also read about their projects and needs – like a new carpet, books, pencil sharpeners, smartboards – and I even saw a request for the beloved Tag Readers! You can choose to give any amount and it tells you how much more they need and what time span they are working on to accept donations. It is really easy to donate.

And regarding that LeapFrog Tag request, there was a note that LeapFrog will fund 50% of this project if someone provides the remainder. That’s because LeapFrog has partnered with DonorsChoose.org to help teachers who want Tag Readers and books for their classroom.

MY CHOICE:

So, the Mom Buzz was given the opportunity to donate $25 to a school in need through Donor’s Choose. It was a hard choice! I would have loved to donate to my son’s school, of course, but the school wasn’t on the list. So I was looking far and wide, trying to choose between PE games, science equipment, butterfly kits and more. But I finally settled on donating to the Jumping Into Learning classroom project requested by Mrs. Garcia on Sep 27, 2011. She only has 22 more days to collect for her cause. What she wants is a Leapfrog Learning Center to assist her students in learning alphabet letters and sounds, numbers, and problem solving activities while building fine motor skills. What can I say, LeapFrog is paving the way for others to help thousands more children to learn to read with Tag™, the #1 selling reading system!

I can definitely approve of her project, since my son had a LeapFrog Tag center in his pre-K and it was successful. Plus, we have Leap Frog products at home where I can actually see my boys learning as they play. So, I made my donation and hope she gets the rest she needs to make this a successful project!

GIVE-AWAY!

Since 2009, LeapFrog has donated more than $1.5 million in Tag Reading Systems and books to the classrooms of more than 20,000 students. And not only did they give the Mom Buzz the opportunity to give $25 to a school project in need, they also have some for one lucky reader:

• The Opportunity to Donate $25 to another school in need via DonorsChoose.org
• A Tag system with 6 books!

Why not help LeapFrog bring $100,000 total in Tag Readers and books to classrooms in need? LeapFrog has already donated $50,000 and will match donations dollar for dollar up to $50,000!

• WIN $25 to donate to a school project in need through DonorsChoose.org
• Win a Tag reader and 6 books
  

HOW TO ENTER:

To enter this contest, you can any or all of the following. Leave a separate comment(s) for each action:

• Check out DonorsChoose.org and tell me what school project you would donate to – leave their link in your comment!
• Add theMomBuzz to your Twitter and Tweet the contest. Leave your Tweet Link. (1 tweet per DAY is allowed.)

• Like Leapfrog on Facebook 
• Blog about the this give-away – leave the link to your post in a comment. (5 entries, leave 5 comments)
• Visit LeapFrog.com and tell me what you would add to your LeapFrog Learning Center at home?

Contest ends 2.14.12. This is open to the USA – no PO Boxes. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. A school of the Mom Buzz’s choosing was provided with a Tag School Kit. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products!

We’ve been using a simple Lightening McQueen Umbrella Stroller, but it has no “perks”. It’s just a simple stroller that has started to sag underneath his 36 pound body. So we were introduced to Baby Cargo 200 Series Lightweight Umbrella Stroller to give it our thoughts!

Baby Cargo 200 Series Umbrella Stroller Review

We’ve been using the Baby Cargo 200 for 1 month now. Our first trip with it was to the zoo for their holiday event. It gave the boys a chance to sit when they got tired, and allowed us to stick with the group since we also went with my sister and her older kids. It also gave us a real chance to compare it to a lower-end umbrella stroller.

Storage: One of the first things I have to chat about is the ability to store goodies, both underneath the stroller in the basket, as well as with a small pocket on the back of the seat. So I was able to keep larger items, like extra coats and and scarves, underneath the stroller. While I used the small basket to hang on to small knick-knacks the kids were winning at the holiday event. This smaller pocket can also be buttoned with snap buttons for security.

Shade: The Canopy sits higher, so it wouldn’t land on my son’s head when I opened it. Our other umbrella stroller we can’t put down the flat canopy, because it lands on his head. The canopy on the Baby Cargo 200 also has a “viewing window”, so you don’t have to pull it back to see what your child is doing.

Accessories: It came with a cup holder and a rain cover, which is tucked into the basket area when not in use.There is also a shoulder strap, so you can carry the lightweight stroller easily.

Leg Rest: It has a unique, adjustable leg rest. You can keep it high for little ones or lower for toddlers and preschoolers. It is a little tricky for me to adjust the leg rest, I usually end up getting down to look at the shifting buttons to make sure I am totally unlocked so I can move the leg rest where I want.

Multi-position Back Rest: The back rest also is adjustable, pretty much however you want it. It does not fully recline in a flat position, but it does recline far enough to be comfortable for a baby.

Fabric: The fabric is soft, cool and seems easy to clean.

Safety: The Baby Cargo 200 has a 5-point harness to keep a baby safely in the stroller. For my preschooler, I simply tuck the seatbelt back so he can go in and out of the stroller easily when I walk around the zoo, mall, etc.

Comfort: My husband is more comfortable using the Baby Cargo than our other stroller, because the handles sit higher. You can grab the handles comfortable between 41″ – 44″.

Who can fit in the Baby Cargo 200? The baby can be used from birth on up. It sits my 36 pound child easily, still offering him a smooth ride. I estimate that it can be used up to 40 – 50 pounds.

Dimensions and Weight: The stroller is “lightweight”, weighing just 13.7 pounds. It folds pretty “tight”, folded dimensions are 42″ x 12″ x 10″.

COLORS: I have a stain-hiding Ocean/Stone color combination. Most of the outside color (facing the world) is a dark blue, while the inner side (facing the child) is stone colored. Other colors include a gorgeous Pomegranate/Cherry Combo (my favorite) and Smoke/Mirror – which is a beige-like color combo.

Want to learn more? Visit BabyCargo.com to see the 200 Series, as well as their 100 and 300 Series of Strollers.

Baby Cargo Online Retailers

• Baby Cargo 200 Series Lightweight Umbrella Stroller on Amazon
• Baby Cargo on aBaby.com
• Baby Cargo on Wayfair.com

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The Mom Buzz did receive a Baby Cargo for review.

The Sunshine Baby Shower features bright and cheery designs in yellow, cream and shades of gray – the perfect look whether the mom-to-be is having a girl, boy or even if it’s a surprise! Kim has created party planning how to’s, step by step tutorials, recipes and complimentary downloadables including an invitation, banner, party circles and more.

Visit here to see TomKat Studio’s Baby Shower Design: Sunshine Baby Shower

This information was provided to theMomBuzz to share with her readers. TheMomBuzz found it buzzworthy so she shared.

Llama Llama Red Pajama is about a little llama who is ready for bed. He wants to delay a little and have his busy mom come in RIGHT NOW. When she isn’t in his room immediately, he has a Llama tantrum. She comes in and gently reminds him that she’s always there for him, even if she’s not right there. It is a fun rhyming book and a great bedtime read. It’s suggested for ages 3+, but I’ve been reading it to my youngest since he’s been 2. It comes with a hard cover and regular pages. It has 40 pages, but just a few sentences (if that) per page. It is by the author Anna Dewdney.

We also own Llama Llama Mad at Mama and Llama Llama Misses Mama. They are both written in the same format, each book is 40 pages long. At home, our books are soft cover. In Llama Llama Mad at Mama, he goes shopping with his Mama and has a fit at the store, because face it – he was overwhelmed and bored. As always, the Mama Llama shows utmost patience in helping her son move past the drama and have a happy outcome. In Llama Llama Misses Mama, little Llama is on his way to his first day of school. He misses his Mama and doesn’t know what to make of the new environment. But once he relaxes and joins the other kids, he realizes he can love school and his Mama too. Both books are also by Anna Dewdney and for suggested for ages 3+.

I would say Llama Llama Mad at Mama could be read at a younger age, just be careful of the pages. And Llama Llama Misses Mama is great for little ones as they start a early childhood program or their first day of Kindergarten.

**TWO NEW LLAMA LLAMA BOOKS! ***

Now, there are two new Llama Llama books for even younger readers! These new books are suggested for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. They are 14 pages long and in a board book style for durability. They are a smaller size for little hands, measuring 6.8 x 6.8 x 0.4 inches. And they are a comparable cost to other board books, retailing for$5.99. The new titles are:

Llama Llama Wakey-Wake: This quick read lets your little one wake up with Llama Llama. He brushes his teeth, brushes his hair, gets dressed, eats, gets ready to go out for the day … and after some kisses he is on his way.

Llama Llama Nighty–Night: This book features the end of the day for Llama Llama as he gets ready for bed. He brushes his teeth, takes a bath, gets his famous red pajamas on, goes potty, chooses a bed-time book, snuggles and then the lights turn off and he’s asleep.

These new board books were just released on 1.5.12. They are part of the Penguin Young Readers Group.

OTHER LLAMA LLAMA BOOKS AND PRODUCTS:

If your child loves Llama Llama, there is a snuggle plush doll available. And there are two other books (which I so want) also available. See the list below:

Llama Llama Home with Mama: Llama Llama has a little cold. Back to bed, no school today for Llama Llama! He’s home with Mama. By lunchtime, though, hhe’s beginning to feel a tiny bit better, but Mama starts getting sick! Can Llama Llama help his Mama feel better? This book is a good read for those days when children (or their parents) are feeling under-the-weather.

Llama Llama Holiday Drama: Okay, this is the book I wanted to buy this year! I have to get it for my youngest son. We all now Llama Llama hates to wait. But during the Christmas season, all he and Mama are doing is rushing around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree  – but when will it finally be Christmas? The story has a nice ending, teaching Llama the value of spending time with family and friends over gifts.

Llama Llama 13.5″ Plush Stuffed Animal Doll: The Llama Llama Plush is 13.5″ long, features Llama Llama in his red pajamas and he is carrying his own Llama Plush. It receives 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

MORE:

For more information and news, visit Llama Llama online at www.llamallamabook.com.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contestsso you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The Mom Buzz did receive the two Llama Llama Board Books to consider as buzzworthy. Since she is a fan of Llama Llama, she decided to introduce them along with other favorites to you.

The Roll & Chase Bumble Bee is recommended for ages 6 – 36 months. It is shaped like a round, baby bee. It is bright yellow with bold, black stripes. He has red, bulbous antenna and four little red feet. His antenna and feet do not interfere with him rocking. If anything, he never lands on his head, he just seems to rock around on his four feet. He also has tiny blue wings on either side, which I think make him easier to grasp.

He has three, large buttons on his front that light up. There is a red circle with a 1 on it, a star shaped blue that has a 2 on it and a green triangle with a three on it. He also has a switch on the top of his head that can be turned off, onto learn mode or onto play mode. Play mode is indicated by musical notes and learn mode is the letter symbols.

When I turn him onto play mode, I’ll push the buttons and he’ll play a song, lights will turn on and he’ll be “dancing’” to the music as he rocks and turns and wiggles around. He doesn’t ZOOM and ROLL around. It’s more like a simple rocking, wandering motion for babies and toddlers. Zooming and fast rolling would be for older children, and this is designed for children 6 – 36 months. On the learn mode, pressing the buttons will cause him to tell them the shape, color and numbers. Also, each button plays three melodies, for 9 songs in all. The Roll & Chase Bumble Bee comes with 3 AA batteries, but you will want to put in fresh ones for optimum performance.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

If your little one gets frightened easy, this toy does a lot of shaking, moving, bright lights and sounds. But if nothing phases them, this will be AWESOME. My boys would have loved it when they were younger. My goddaughter, not so much, since she doesn’t like loud noises. But my godson is an active, crazy child and he’d love this.

I do think that 36 months is a “reach” age-wise. I wouldn’t purchase this for a child older than 24 months. I would consider buying it for a child 6 – 24 months.

I read other reviews and saw some people had trouble pressing the buttons. I find no issue with ours, it requires a light touch to get him going – so toddlers will have an easy time getting a reaction out of him.

This toy is fun, educational and sturdy. Totally Mom Buzz approved!

PURCHASING INFO:

Roll & Chase Bumble Bee has a MSRP of $14.99. Here are two of my favorite retailers:

• Amazon has the Roll & Chase Bumble Bee for $21.24
• Toys R Us has the Roll & Chase Bumble Bee for $14.98

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contest sso you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The Mom Buzz did receive a sample..

My youngest just turned 4T, so he was my model for this review. We chose the Ribbit Ribbit says the Dinosaur tee in long-sleeve. The fit was perfect, with the sleeves extending just barely past his wrists and the length being just past his waist. My son is 90th percentile in height and slim, to give you an idea on fit. Currently I have him wearing 4s in pants and shirts, with some 5T shirts to allow for growth. I was thinking the 4T might end up being too tight or small, but it’s just perfect for this winter.

Lots of tees we review are thinner material, which makes them soft and perfect for hot summer days. But with weather hitting the 20s right now, I need something thicker for my son, yet still comfortable. The long sleeve tee from Me Giant was PERFECT for now. It is thicker, high quality, 100% jersey cotton. All the tees come in white, with your choice of long sleeve or short. They don’t seem to feature too many long sleeve pics on their site, so to the right is my son in his. He just measured 42.5″ today and is 36.6 pounds, so he’s a little taller than the suggested height for the 4T, still the fit rocks. But definitely pay attention to the sizing chart when ordering.

The designs are simplistic and not overdone. It gives them a modish look, clean and “cool”. Goes just as well with jeans, sweatpants, shorts or khakis.

My top pick was the Ribbit Ribbit says the Dinosaur, which is funny in a kid-appreciated way. It’s my top pick for boys. If I had a girl, I’d probably choose the Oui Oui says the Poodle. You can see a complete selection of kid tee designs here: Funny Kid T-Shirts

Tees and onesies (aka creepers) are currently $25 each. You can pick up bibs and hats for $15.

COOL LINKS:

• Shop Me Giant
• Say hi to Me Giant on Twitter
• Follow Me Giant on Facebook

One reader will win a Children’s Tee or Onesie (aka Creeper) of choice, packaged in a retro lunchbox.

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY:

What is your favorite children’s tee or onesie (creeper) from MeGiant.com?

SECOND: EXTRA ENTRIES:

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED/MANDATORY entry. But for extra entries, you can do the following – leave a comment for each:

• Add theMomBuzz to your Twitter
• Follow Me Giant on Twitter
• Share this contest on your Facebook page – Link it to @theMomBuzz – Here is the text:

Win a funny children’s tee or baby onesie @theMomBuzz from @MeGiant . Give-away ends 1.31.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20094

• Tweet the following – can be done daily:

#win a funny children’s tee or baby onesie at #themombuzz from @MeGiant – Visit http://themombuzz.com/?p=20094

• Stumble any review or post on theMomBuzz.com (Please don’t Stumble Give-aways). Let me know what you Stumbled!
• Follow Me Giant on Facebook
• Visit theMomBuzz on Facebook! Let me know how you dress your kids (or pets or youself) for winter!
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)

Contest ends 1/31/12. This is open to the USA. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The Mom Buzz did receive a sample for review.

The problem with the swing was it was HUGE. It just took up most of my living room, especially when it was on and swinging. And it ate 4 D batteries like they were going out of style. It was just hard to buy 4-packs weekly when I was already on a tight budget, thanks to diapers and formula. But nowadays, they have so many compact options that will still soothe your baby. One affordable option to look out for is Bright Starts Ingenuity Signature Edition Automatic Bouncer from Toys R Us.

I fell in love with it when I saw it. The material is soft, like microsuede. It has complementing colors of cream, light brown and light green. It has two removable head supports, so that it’s always a good fit for your growing baby. You seat belt your baby into the chair with a clip on either side of their hip. It keeps them semi-inclined, which is great for babies with reflux. I remember my goddaughter spent her first year sleeping in a chair with a similar upright design.

Overhead is a mobile with two hanging plush animals who are supposed to be an elephant and a rhino. This overhead mobile bar can be removed or you can change the angle on the bouncer. The base acts like a gentle spring, for soothing bouncing.

One interesting thing about the bouncer is that it mimics a “mom’s” natural bouncing/rocking motion. So it isn’t just up and down or vibrrrrrrrating, instead it has a specific cradle-like bounce that will comfort a baby when your real arms are busy washing dishing, folding clothes or working from your computer.

It also can play a heartbeat rhythm, which I love. I always buy friends a HeartBeat Bear, because they really comforted my kids when they were younger. And you know when you are rocking and cradling your baby, they hear your heartbeat. So it’s nice to have that feature on the Automatic Bouncer.

For a change of pace, it also plays 8 melodies, and 3 nature sounds. I don’t know if that huge selection is more for baby’s amusement or mom’s sanity! You know how it is when you hear the same toy-song over and over and OVER. Oi. There is a volume control on the left side of the control panel. On the right is where you choose either song or nature sound mode.

This bouncer is also a little “green”. Well, yes … in the color pattern. But it also has this exclusive Hybridrive Technology™ to improve energy efficiency and provide double the battery life when compared to other bouncers. I remember always having to keep a screw driver handy for my babies’ chairs and swings. So it’s a nice touch – and green touch – to extend the battery usage on the bouncer.

The Bright Starts Ingenuity Signature Edition Automatic Bouncer is exclusive to Babies R Us. Since in my opinion that’s the most common place to register for gifts, that makes it easier to request and purchase. It retails for $59.99.

PURCHASE OR REGISTER for the Bright Starts Ingenuity Signature Edition Automatic Bouncer: CLICK HERE

LEARN MORE ABOUT OTHER BRIGHT STARTS PRODUCTS: CLICK HERE

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The MomBuzz did receive the products above for review.

But seriously, doesn’t everyone shop from Amazon now? You can find almost EVERYTHING online at Amazon.com – even baby registries! And shoppers can often find a better price on Amazon.com, compared to actual stores!

Pretty  much, this chart shows a 10 – 13% savings by shopping for popular baby items at Amazon.com! Plus, the Amazon Baby Registry gives you the following convenient features:

• 365 day returns
• Universal Functionality (Wish from ANY WEBSITE!)
• Baby Registry JumpStart tool to walk you through 15 registry essentials to consider, showing the most popular items from  bottles to swings to car seats.
• Registry Thank You Tracker
• 10% Completion Discount to help you get everything on your list at a price you can afford

ONE ITEM TO ADD TO YOUR REGISTRY

Real quick, if you are expecting and need an awesome stroller, check out the Britax B-Agile Travel System. First off, just to show the savings you get on Amazon – normally it retails for $399, but you can get it for $339 on Amazon. It is available in black (great for hiding stains) and red (which is just FABUOUS). It comes with the carrier/car seat and stroller. Features include:

One reader will win a B-Agile Britax Travel System ($399 Value)

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY:

Check out the Amazon Baby Registry Page and the information above. What are you most excited about regarding Amazon’s Baby Registry?

SECOND: EXTRA ENTRIES:

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED/MANDATORY entry. But for extra entries, you can do the following – leave a comment for each:

• Add theMomBuzz to your Twitter
• Share this contest on your Facebook page – Link it to @theMomBuzz – Here is the text:

Win a Britax Travel System ($399 Value) @theMomBuzz. Give-away ends 1.18.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=19541

• Tweet the following – can be done daily:

#win a Britax Travel System at #themombuzz – Visit http://themombuzz.com/?p=19541

• Stumble any review or post on theMomBuzz.com (Please don’t Stumble Give-aways). Let me know what you Stumbled!
• Leave a comment on any post here at theMomBuzz – let me know where you left a comment
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)

Contest ends 1/8/12. This is open to the USA. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contestsso you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz.

Many children with unique sensory needs mouth and chew objects for oral motor input. Most plush toys are unsafe to mouth–and as a result, many parents are reluctant to give them to their sensory seeking children. Borris is made of chew safe, non-toxic materials, constructed with reinforced seam ing, and a double layer of organic canvas and bonded plush.

Borris was the brainchild of Soft Co-Director Suzy Kogen Friedman, who struggled to find a plush toy for her Autistic nephew. “Having a soft, cuddly plush toy is an important part of childhood—a companion to come along on trips, take to bed, cuddle with for comfort, and play creatively with. My nephew would often chew his toys for oral motor input, and the plush ones were always the first to go. I wanted to develop a toy he could love, but not destroy, with safe dyes and fabrics.” Stated, Suzy Kogen Friedman.

Boris retails for $25 from SoftClothing.net.

This was provided as press to the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contestsso you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz.