Review: Prima Princessa presents Sleeping Beauty

I had already reviewed two previous videos by Prima Princessa, and we loved them, so I was happy to get a copy of this one to review. It did not disappoint. I think this one may even be the girls' favorite, because the story is somewhat familiar and it involves a prince and princess.

Prima Princessa presents Sleeping Beauty follows the same format of Prima Princessa's previous productions in that it features a shortened version of a ballet, performed this time by the Royal Ballet from London. Between segments of the ballet, dance steps are demonstrated by ballet students and then viewers are encouraged to try the steps and dance along with the children on the DVD. The programs are arranged specifically to hold the attention of young children. They can enjoy watching a ballet and learning about dance whether or not they can attend a live performance or participate in a dance class.


The girls wanted to get involved in this one. Suzi, who barely touches anything girlish these days, felt moved to run upstairs and fish a pink tutu out of the dress-up basket. I took about 30 pictures.



Ivey wanted to play too. She grabbed the tutu, put it on herself and pranced around the living room in circles saying "I Aroya! I Aroya!"


So they both loved watching the ballerinas in Sleeping Beauty. I enjoyed it too, as it's much more pleasant to hear and watch than almost any kids' show and encourages them to get off the couch and move around.

Also, Prima Princessa presents Sleeping Beauty has a little something extra at the end--arts and crafts, a tea party, and acting demonstrations. My girls were happy to see the DVD keep going after the ballet was over. The cute craft ideas were my favorite (and there are more craft ideas on their Tutuzone website). Since we are homeschooling, we frequently enjoy making things together!

For all the entertainment and fun activities this video provides, the price cannot be beat. It can be purchased here on Amazon. I think it'd be especially good to save for a rainy day or a playdate!

Review: Prima Princessa Presents the Nutracker

You might remember how Suzi and I enjoyed Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake. We were so happy to be asked to review their new DVD, Prima Princessa Presents the Nutcracker! They sent us a DVD and it arrived just in time to comfort Suzi on her sad first day of dance class.

If you are not familiar with Prima Princessa, their programs feature shortened versions of ballets performed by famous ballet companies. Between segments of the ballet, dance steps are demonstrated by ballet students and then viewers are encouraged to try the steps and dance along with the children on the DVD. The programs are arranged specifically to hold the attention of young children. They can enjoy watching a ballet and learning about dance whether or not they can attend a live performance or participate in a dance class.

First of all, I love Christmas and I love The Nutcracker. Unfortunately, where we live opportunities do not abound for seeing this ballet live, and with my two little ones, it's hard to get to any cultural event. I am happy to share this with Suzi (and Ivey) at home until we finally do get to take them to see more things. This version of the Nutracker, shortened and with breaks for dancing here and there, is fun for them and holds their attention. Suzi tries out the suggested dance steps, and a little while ago as they watched together, I noticed 13-month-old Ivey twirling in circles as well! They are cute to watch.

Not only is this a fun outlet for a kid's energy and a good alternative to turning on a movie which will keep them seated on the couch, it also reinforces some of the same dance steps Suzi is learning in her dance class. Glissade, in particular, is something not all the girls immediately grasp in class, and now Suzi has extra motivation to practice it at home. I was pleased at how the dance steps featured on this DVD are different from the ones in Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake. It's a totally new program.

Whether or not you have the first DVD, I'd definitely recommend adding this one to your collection. It can be purchased here on Amazon, and the price cannot be beat. It's lovely to watch for both children and adults, and we'll probably be hitting the play button year-round.

Review: Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake

Suzi just started her very first dance class, a short summer program. She's almost as excited as I am (she's adorable strutting around in her dance outfit). So it was perfect timing for us to review Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake! We were sent a free copy to review.

This 40-minute DVD features excerpts from Swan Lake performed by the Paris Opera Ballet narrated by a cartoon ballerina, Prima Princessa. Ballet steps are explained and demonstrated by ballet students between acts, and little girls are shown dancing and having fun in their tutus.

Suzi loved it, of course. With the help of the narrator, she caught on to the story quickly. She loves stories with princes and usually pretends to be the prince. When Prima Princessa said "now it's our turn to dance," she made me get up and dance with her. Then she made her daddy dance. She tried out the steps being taught and made up some of her own. Cute!

Here she is enjoying the show:

I know it's blurry but I couldn't resist sharing. Suzi strikes a pose!

I don't have anything negative to say about it. As an adult, I would've preferred more of the ballet and less of the dance demonstrations, but it's best for little ones the way it is. The dance lesson montages each play over again, which Suzi loved. Also, I don't know if the DVD could've held her attention the way it did with any more of the ballet, especially if it had been presented without breaks. I think it does a good job of making the ballet something little children can understand and enjoy.

The price? Only $6.99! You can't beat that. It can be purchased on Amazon and would make a great gift for a little girl who already has oodles of toys. Prima Princessa presents the Nutcracker is coming out in September, and Sleeping Beauty will be available in January. We will probably end up getting the whole collection eventually. I don't mind; I liked it too!

The Puj Tub: simple and convenient

I wanted a Puj Tub when Ivey was smaller but we never got one, so I was excited when I got an email saying I'd been chosen as a product tester and would be getting one to try out!

There are only so many ways you can bathe a little baby, and they are nearly all aggravating. The first thing we tried (with Suzi) was a big oval tub, which was extremely heavy when full, nearly impossible to drain, and took up a bunch of space.

We also have a deep, round tub like this, and it's nice, but still heavy when full of water. It's a bit of a pain to clean and, like the oval tub before it, is cluttering up our bathroom. We have hardly any storage space. Consignment sale, here it comes.

Our old standby is this mesh "bath sling" in our kitchen sink. It works okay, but Ivey slips and slides around on it. I also have to leave it out to dry for a couple of hours after a bath before I can put it back in the closet.


For all these reasons, I eagerly awaited the arrival of our Puj Tub. When I came home to find it on our doorstep a few days ago, I quickly unwrapped it and put it in the sink--and that brings me to the main issue we had with it. I thought we had standard sinks. They have always worked fine for us, so I never gave it a second thought, but apparently they are much larger and shallower than most. All three of our bathroom sinks are similar in size, and here is the fit:


I still bathed Ivey in it (with the tub leaned back) and it did work, but it wasn't ideal. It worked better with a folded hand towel placed under the foot of the tub. To be sure it was just our sink, I took the tub over to my parents' house and tried out theirs. Sure enough, it fit like a glove.




I gave Ivey a bath in it at my parents' house, and it went pretty well. Here are my favorite things about the Puj Tub:

1) Perfect for travel. We are visiting our in-laws over Christmas, and our Puj Tub will be going with us. It's so lightweight, easy to clean and dry, and hardly takes up any room in the car! Just throw it in on top of your luggage.
2) Snaps together with magnets. This is one of the first things I noticed. You don't have to line it up just right; it falls into place easily. You can set up the tub while holding baby in your other arm.
3) Doesn't take much water. Other tubs take a lot more water than this one. It gets the bath underway faster and saves a little water, too.
4) Baby doesn't slide. This was a problem with our bath sling, but the Puj Tub cradles Ivey perfectly.
5) No need to lift a heavy, water-filled tub. You just take baby out, then tilt the tub forward so the water runs out the hole. Then it's ready to unfold.
6) Doesn't get mildewy. I hate mildew! Because this tub hangs flat against a door or wall, water won't pool in it. It's also anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
7) Soft for baby. The material is not only smooth, it also has a little squish. It cushions baby and retains warmth far better than any other bathing item we've tried.
8) One-handed cleanup. Don't you hate reaching down into cold, forgotten bath water to pull the plug? I do. Cleanup only takes a few seconds with the Puj Tub, and you can do it while holding your baby.
9) It's simple. A simple design is almost always the best way to go. With a simple product, there are fewer things that can go wrong! The Puj Tub is a simple (but great) idea.

There are also a couple of things I think could be improved upon:

1) I wish it fit our sinks. It'd be nice if there were a Puj 2 for bigger sinks or kitchen sinks. However, we can still use this one during travel and, as I said before, with a folded towel to improve the fit.
2) If it held just a bit more water, rinsing would be easier. I seriously doubt this would be an issue with a newborn, but Ivey is a chubby little 4-month-old and when I put her in the tub, a lot of the water came out :-)

Ivey loved the Puj Tub, though. I could tell she was comfortable in it. See?



I think this is a cool product and I would recommend it, but it'd be best to get it while you're still pregnant or right after your baby's birth so you'll have it for the brand-new baby days. Once Ivey can sit up for a bath, we'll be tucking our Puj Tub away for our next baby. I bet it'll make newborn bathing a ton easier!

Check out the Puj Tub for yourself at the new web site exclusively for baby bath tubs!

(And in case I didn't say this clearly, I was sent a free Puj Tub to review.)

Product Review: chicks-n-chickens Lullaby Exercises

I just had my butt kicked by an exercise DVD--in a good way. What was it, you ask? Well, it wasn't an intensely choreographed routine demonstrated by a bunch of flawless ponytailed women in head-to-toe spandex. Actually, it was chicks-n-chickens Lullaby Exercises, with mom Darcy Novo Albrecht leading a group of lovely mamas and their babies in a simple, fun, and fast routine that any mom can work into her schedule. You're taking care of your baby anyway; might as well work in a little you time!

I loved so many things about this DVD.

The music is good! There are certain situations in which we must listen to music we did not choose. Sometimes that music isn't so great, such as the strange techno music on my Dance Dance Revolution games (NOT babywearing-friendly, by the way). The music Darcy chose for Lullaby Exercises is good. It's something I'd listen to by choice. During the workout I was thinking, gosh, it would be nice to have a CD of this! Then I remembered--there was one in the case! You can enjoy the music and play the sleepy songs to calm your baby. I am thinking of including at least one of the songs in my homebirth soundtrack.

The moms are so fun to watch. For me, there is nothing fun about exercising alongside a woman with a figure like a Barbie Doll. It was refreshing to see moms of all shapes and sizes leading the exercises with Darcy. It made me feel at home. Darcy is adorable and upbeat. I loved how she incorporated inspirational musings about calming and nurturing our babies in the routines.

I didn't trip over my own feet and fall on my face. This is important when you're wearing your baby! The few times I've tried any dance-type exercise program, the steps have been over my head. (I was a five-year-old dance class dropout.) But Darcy demonstrates and explains everything several times to make it easy, and none of the steps are too complicated in the first place. You can do the whole thing holding your baby, after all!

It facilitates bonding with baby while allowing mom to get what she needs. This is my favorite. When baby is screaming, your first priority as a mom is to hold him and love him until he feels better. You drop what you're doing and take the baby. Sometimes this calls for creative multitasking (when Suzi was a couple of days old, I once had to breastfeed her while on a sitz bath). Being so suddenly in demand can be frustrating, but this DVD helps mom and baby relax by turning a potentially tense situation into a bonding opportunity. I particularly love "Patience," the last song in the Sleep Set.

The price is affordable. I didn't check the price before I tried the workout. As I went through the routines and thought about what I would write in my review, I wondered what the price would be. I honestly figured it would cost at least $30, maybe $40. But, wow, it is only $14.95! For that you get the DVD with the exercises and the CD with Lisa Phenix's beautiful music. Shower gifts, here we come!

I am currently 15 weeks pregnant and my midwife approved of this workout. This DVD is perfect for me. I can exercise at home while I take care of my daughter--even if she's in a bad mood. I can't wait to try the routine with a little infant, and this fall I'll get to!

Order your copy of Lullaby Exercises and feel good about staying home from the gym for once. Exercise with your baby held close to your heart instead of leaving them with somebody else.

Product Review: Itty Bitty Bookworm's Bailey Curriculum

Because I hope to homeschool Suzi one day, I was excited to review Itty Bitty's Bookworm's literature-based Bailey Curriculum (for toddlers and two-year-olds). They sent me the December CD, which contained a PDF file with all the plans. It was far more detailed and comprehensive than I'd ever expected. It didn't just include plans for activities centered around the books; there was a complete daily (and half-day) schedule outlined hour-by-hour with various songs and activities to reinforce age-appropriate skills. You can tell it was put together by experienced childhood educators (read about them in the FAQ)!

After calling the library and local used bookstore, I had to order the books online, but they were inexpensive and easy to find in good used condition. Our favorite was This Old Man. After I sang it for Suzi a few times she started to sing it herself, which was so cute! She had a good time coloring in the face of her "old man" we made with a paper plate. While she was coloring hers, I made one too and poked holes for the eyes so she could look through it as we sang the song. She got a kick out of that.


She also enjoyed making "music makers" out of cups and dried beans. Her favorite part was scooping up the beans and putting them in the cup--although she was quite put off when I tried to put the other cup on and tape them together. This, along with several other of her reactions, helped me realize I had to tailor the plans to suit her 19-month-old sensibilities. I allowed her a few extra minutes of pushing beans around with a spoon, and let her color a plain paper plate when she'd finished with her old man's face. I know she learns more when she is allowed to do her own thing and be creative.

We liked the two books, and I know Suzi will enjoy singing along with This Old Man for years to come. There are also plenty of animals and things to count in that book! She is coming right along with her counting, and we are so proud.

The Itty Bitty Bookworm's Bailey Curriculum would be great not only for homeschoolers, but also (and perhaps especially) for small preschools and in-home daycares. Many of the featured activities are best for a small group of children. I love how the curriculum precisely outlines the schedule and explains which skills are reinforced with each activity.

The Itty Bitty Bookworm specializes in curricula for children ages 18 months - 5 years. The program is affordable and discounts are given for subscriptions of 3-12 months. Go here to read over the options and order your curriculum now!

Book Review: The Paper Bag Christmas (CLOSED)

This giveaway is now closed, and the winner is Mel (dancerinthemaking). Mel, I've emailed you and will need a response with shipping info within four days. Thanks for entering, everyone!


I read about Kevin Alan Milne's The Paper Bag Christmas on someone else's blog and it looked like a great Christmas read, so I was excited to get the chance to review it! On the outside, it's a beautiful book. It's a hardcover with an embossed jacket, which would make it a lovely Christmas gift.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher's website:

Dr. Christopher Ringle is the last person you'd expect to find moonlighting as Santa Claus at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving. But it is there that he meets a young man named Molar Alan, who desperately needs a new perspective on the underlying value of Christmas. Dr. Ringle recruits Mo and his older brother as volunteers at a nearby children's hospital for the holiday season. At the hospital, Mo is tasked to help bring holiday cheer to the young cancer patients on the fifth floor. His biggest challenge is befriending a decidedly angry girl who is so embarrassed by her scarred appearance that she hides her face behind the safety of a paper bag. Almost in spite of himself, Mo finds that Christmas joy emanates from a source far greater than the North Pole, while the young girl learns that she is more beautiful than she had ever imagined.

As a person who read a lot of difficult books in college, I found this book to be an easy read--in a good way. Nothing about it is hard to understand, and I think younger people could enjoy it as much as adults. Milne did a wonderful job of creating dynamic, lovable characters. One of my favorite professors once told us that a character should be like an iceberg: readers will see just a tiny bit of the character by his actions and words in the story, but there is so much more than that beneath the surface, and the author must know all of it before the story is written. That's what I think Milne has done with his main characters, Molar and Katrina. The storyline was seamless and engaging, and it's amazing that it all fits into 150 little pages. You could read it in an afternoon! (I am a slow reader and it took me 3-4 hours.)

If you are an elementary, middle, or high school teacher looking for a book to read aloud to your class during the month of December, this one would be perfect. (A couple of my teachers did that when I was in school and I loved it.) The main characters in the book are between nine and twelve years old, so I think children could relate to and enjoy this book possibly even more than adults could. This would also be a good book to give to your own children to read before Christmas or to read together as a family.

The Paper Bag Christmas is the perfect book to help young and old alike refocus on the meaning of Christmas. I am glad to have read it, and now I'd like to pass it along to someone else. I thought it'd be fun to do a sort of giveaway, but really more of a book pass-along. (What's the point of keeping a book you've already read?) If you'd like to have The Paper Bag Christmas, just leave a comment on this post telling me who you will pass the book along to after you've read it. This will end on Thursday, December 4 at 11:59 pm. The person chosen will be emailed and will have four days to get back to me with a mailing address.

If you don't get my copy, or if you'd like a copy now, there are some good deals on Amazon.

Grab yourself a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket and curl up in your recliner with The Paper Bag Christmas!

*Updated with winner* Glow Mama... the drink made just for you

And the winner is... Hannah! I will be emailing her and she'll have four days to get back with me with her address so they can ship her drinks. Thanks for entering everyone!

What did you drink when you were pregnant? Gatorade was my beverage of choice, as I'd always enjoyed it during my (brief!) athletic experience and when I was sick. But the aftertaste? Not ideal for a morning sick mama-to-be. And the sodium--wasn't I puffy enough already? Unfortunately, Gatorade was my only option, as flavored water drinks made me gag and I wasn't about to subject the baby to my caffeinated favorites of Coke and iced tea. But Gatorade isn't made for moms.

Glow Mama is! Flavored lightly with kiwi, it contains a bunch of mom-to-be essentials you won't find in other drinks: fiber, vitamin B6, and folate, to name a few. It's also perfect for nursing moms.

I can't say for sure because I'm not pregnant at the moment, but I just bet Glow Mama would help counter morning sickness. When you were pregnant, did you ever feel as though anything you ate or drank could put you over the edge and make you vomit? I felt that way a lot. At times like those, I would have been relieved to have a light, refreshing drink like Glow Mama. Besides, one bottle has 25% of your daily vitamin B6, which is known to ease nausea. Because of my morning sickness I was also unable to take regular prenatal vitamins (have you tasted one of those things?!). How comforting to know you are getting a lot of what your baby needs just by enjoying a refreshing drink!

I know you are curious about the taste. It's hard to describe, but it's important to note that Glow Mama is water-based and flavored with fruit juice. It is not meant to be juice; even 100% pure apple juice with no added sweeteners contains several times more sugar than Glow Mama. It doesn't taste like a sugary soft drink, but if you look at the label and see what is in Glow Mama, you'll be wondering how they made it taste so good. It will also leave you feeling more refreshed than a glass of water will.

The one drawback? Most of us can't make a quick run to the store for a case of these. While I hope to one day see them next to the Gatorade in my local Bi-Lo, it is currently necessary to order them online because they are sold in California and that's about it. There are several options at different price points in Glow Mama's online store, or, if you prefer, you can order them on Amazon where they are eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping! Incidentally, Glow Mama has received impeccable ratings from Amazon customers.

Glow Mama has generously offered to let one of you try a two-week taster pack (16 bottles) of their drinks for free! To enter, please visit the Glow Mama website and leave a comment here telling me your favorite Glow Mama mocktail! I am anxious to try one myself, because normally I'm terrible at making drinks.

For extra entries, you may do one or all of the following for a total of five possible entries:

1) Sign up to receive the Glow Guide in your email (bottom left of their home page). Glow Mama has an informative blog which covers all sorts of mothers' issues and products.

2) Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to Glow Mama's website.

3) Add Babyfingers to your blogroll or feed list.

4) If you purchase any Glow Mama during the contest period I'll give you an extra entry (use coupon code TM842 for 15% off).

Please leave a separate comment to tell me each thing you did, or the extra entries won't count!

This giveaway is open only to United States residents. Please be sure to leave an email address if I can't access one in your blog profile! Otherwise I will have to pick another winner. It will end on Wednesday, November 26 at 11:59 p.m., at which time the winner will be chosen randomly and announced on this post within a few hours. I will email the winner and she will have four days to email me back with shipping information. After four days I will have to pick a new winner. Good luck!

If you want your Glow Mama now, you can order some at 15% off with coupon code TM842!

Thanks, Glow Mama, for a great giveaway!

Earthlust Bottles: beautiful, simple, green (Updated with winner!)

The winner of this giveaway is:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

38 

Timestamp: 2008-10-19 04:10:13 UTC

Sara!

I have already emailed her and she has until Thursday to send her info.

Thanks to all who entered, and thanks to Earthlust for the awesome giveaway!





Ever since the recent ban of BPA-laden products, I've been in the market for a new water bottle. Because I am picky it has taken me this long to find just the right one. I refuse to drink from anything with a "sports top." (I'm an adult, you know? I don't need a sippy cup.) I liked the idea of stainless steel, but didn't want anything with multiple layers because water tends to get trapped between them. And of course, I didn't want anything ugly.

When I found the Earthlust line of stainless steel bottles, I was in love. They weren't just affordable; they were everything I could want in a water bottle and more. My only problem was trying to pick my favorite design out of all the beautiful choices. I finally decided on the Red Crow. I was drawn to it, and besides, it matches my purse, see?


Here are my favorite things about my new Earthlust bottle:

1) It's beautiful. I don't see any reason why we can't incorporate beauty into everything in our lives. Just because an item is utilitarian by nature doesn't mean it can't reflect our personal style. My favorites are the Red Crow and the smaller Growing Tree.

2) The design is simple. I decided against several other brands purely because they featured multi-layer designs and/or complicated caps. All I wanted was something that would last a long time, be easy to clean, and would not leak, and that's what I got! The lid screws off to reveal a plain but perfectly contoured opening, making it easy to enjoy your drink without spilling, even if you're walking or riding in a car.

3) The lid makes this bottle convenient. As a mom, I rarely find myself with a free hand for carrying a drink. I usually have Suzi in one arm and at least one bag in the other! The lid on my Earthlust bottle seals tight (I turned it upside down to test it!), which allows me to throw it into a bag without worrying about soaking all my stuff. (Or me. Once on my way to work my insecure drink toppled over into my seat. I almost had to go home and change.) Even better, the lid has a mini-carabiner clip attached so you can clip it to a backpack or bag. You could even hook your keys to it. It's a good way to keep everything together.

4) It's safe for us and for the environment. I have peace of mind knowing my water is not steeping in toxic plastic. Earthlust bottles are made of high-quality stainless steel and adorned with non-toxic paint. They allow you to forgo a disposable bottle of water and keep a ton of waste from going to landfills. (And that's not all. Did you ever think of how much fuel it takes to ship all that bottled water to stores? Bottled water is not green!)


I know you are wishing you had an Earthlust Bottle of your very own. Good news! Earthlust has kindly agreed to give one reader the bottle of their choice. To enter, all you have to do is take a look at their designs and leave a comment on this post saying which one other than the Red Crow is your favorite. For one extra entry, blog about this contest and leave a separate comment with the link to your post. If your email address isn't posted in your blogger profile, please remember to leave it in your comment. I will accept entries until 11:59 pm on Saturday, October 18, at which time the winner will be chosen randomly. I will email the winner requesting a mailing address and if I don't hear back within four days I will draw again. Good luck!

If you don't win or just want to buy an Earthlust Bottle now, you can do that online at Nubius Organics or Online Fitness (I got mine at Nubius).