This message from Amazon was in my inbox a few days ago:

The Amazon Mom program is changing in 2012 and we want to make sure you know about it. Some of these changes affect your membership. Here’s how:

• Starting on January 24, 2012, the maximum discount available on diapers and wipes subscriptions will be 20%. This includes a 5% Subscribe & Save discount plus an additional 15% exclusively for Amazon Mom members who are earning free shipping benefits or have an active Amazon Prime membership.
• Customers who join Amazon Mom in 2012 will get 3 months of FREE Two-Day Shipping benefits. Once the initial free period is over, customers can join Amazon Prime to continue to receive full access to Amazon Mom and Amazon Prime benefits.
• To continue receiving the Amazon Mom diapers and wipes discount once your free shipping benefits end, you can join Amazon Prime for $79/year.

What does this mean for existing Amazon Moms?

I can’t be the only one who was a little confused when reading this! Here’s what I’m getting out of this:

1. All Subscribe & Save discounts will be dropped down to a total of 20% off, even if you have subscriptions that started at 30% off.
2. After 3 months, you’ll need an Amazon Prime membership to get the extra 15% Amazon Mom discount.
3. If you cancel your Amazon Mom membership between now and 1/24, you’ll lose that extra 15% discount immediately.

If you’ve been waiting to sign up for Amazon Mom, What Does this Mean for You?

The good news is that it looks like Amazon is going to open Amazon Mom up to new members again in 2012. If you haven’t already, join the Amazon Mom Waitlist here.

If you’re new to Amazon Mom in 2012, you’ll be able to get the 15% Amazon Mom discount plus the 5% Subscribe & Save discount for 3 months. After that, you’ll need to purchase an Amazon Prime membership to continue getting the Amazon Mom discount.

Is Amazon Prime worth $79 for the Discounts, Freebies and Perks? What do YOU Think?

If you pay $79 for a 1-year Amazon Prime membership, you’ll get:

• Free 2-Day Shipping on millions of items sold by Amazon
• No minimum order size
• Unlimited instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with Prime instant videos
• A Kindle book to borrow for free each month from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library

Here’s where you may spend more if you buy your diapers in stores:

Impulse Purchases ::  Buying your diapers, wipes and other essentials from Amazon with an Amazon Prime membership puts them on your doorstep in 2 days. That keeps you out of Target, Walmart and other stores. If you make a few impulse purchases (who can resist a good clearance endcap at Target?) during those store trips, those may end up costing you more than $79 a year.

Club Membership Costs: A warehouse membership to Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s can cost upwards of $55 for one year of “shopping privileges”. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE shopping at Costco, but it’s not always the cheapest way to go. Plus, impulse buyers seem to be even more at risk in stores like Costco and Sam’s Club, where you get the feeling that the best items will be sold out before long.

Gas and transportation :: If your favorite place to buy diapers and wipes is right around the corner, then you’re in good shape. Those readers who live in rural areas or places where store varieties are limited may end up spending more on gas to go get those items. Lumping a diaper shopping run in with a trip for other errands may mean that you’re not getting the best price per diaper simply because that lower price was a few weeks ago, when you didn’t have any other reason to make the trip.

Possible Sales Tax Savings :: Certain states have to pay sales tax on orders from Amazon.com and other online retailers, but there are many states that don’t. Some of those same states don’t charge sales tax for diapers, but others do. Since it varies so much, I can’t make a concrete statement about this. Consider if you’d save any money on sales tax if you purchased all your diapers and wipes from Amazon.

Time Savings :: Is time money? I have mixed feelings on that, but I do know that it’s tough for working parents to get all the shopping done. It’s even worse when your husband tells you at bedtime on Sunday that you’ll need to buy diapers soon. The convenience, coupled with the discounts and other benefits of Amazon Prime may make it worth the time saved.

Readers, what are your thoughts on the Amazon Mom changes? 

Amazon Mom Program Set to Change on January 24th :: How Does It Affect You? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

Since I’m not done shopping yet, I’m still looking for a great gift ideas for a few adults on my shopping list. I’d love to hear what YOU want for Christmas, and also what’s at the top of your husband or wife’s wish list!

Feel free to answer any of these questions:

1. What do YOU want for Christmas?
2. What does your spouse want for Christmas?
3. What are you GETTING your spouse for Christmas?

I can’t wait to hear your answers!

(photo credit)

Ask the Readers: Moms & Dads, What’s on YOUR Wish List? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

If there was a sort of profession titled Professional Deal Hunter, I think I might have a shot at getting the job! 

Long before I started searching for and sharing baby deals on this site, I spent a lot of time looking for the best deals and and rock-bottom prices on everything I needed and plenty of things I didn’t need! 

I’ve gotten so many great deals on brand new items the years, it’s hard to choose which one is the “best” deal I’ve ever scored. A heavy-duty KitchenAid mixer for $105, a Peg Perego stroller for $22 and a Dell desktop computer for under $300 are just a few of the best bargains I’m most proud of! 

While those were all amazing deals, when I said I spent a lot of time looking for them, I wasn’t kidding! If time was money, those deals definitely cost me! 

In the last several years, the internet has exploded with deal-hunting websites. While it sounds like a great thing, having to sift through all that information to find the deals that are just right for me can be time-consuming and frustrating. 

Now there’s a great site called ChoozOn that evaluates your personal attributes and finds the online deals that are right for you! 

ChoozOn is being called a “personal deal-hunting concierge” because you can tell ChoozOn what you’re looking for, and the site will deliver the deals to a separate inbox for you. It keeps the clutter out of your inbox and helps you focus on the other, more important things! 

One of my biggest email organization problems is the number of “daily deals” I have sent to my inbox throughout the day. One site has three local regions plus national deals, so I get four emails just from them every day! Since I want to stay abreast of the daily deals in my area for my own benefit and national daily deals to share with all of you, I get a lot of those emails alerting me to the new hot deal that just went on sale! 

Now, ChoozOn has created a solution to that problem! ChoozOn is tapped into all the daily deal, flash sale and deep discounter sites.The site can aggregate all the steals of the day for every website that I want it to stay on top of. I can then see the list of all those deals in one place without bogging down my inbox! 

The other perk to using ChoozOn is that it allows users to create social networks around people who have similar shopping interests. It’s always fun to share a good deal with a shopping buddy–it’s about time we could easily do that online! 

Do you love bargain-shopping, or would you rather leave that to me and other deal bloggers? Even if you don’t love it, I have a feeling you’ve taken advantage of at least one unforgettable bargain! 

What’s the best deal you’ve ever scored?

ChoozOn wants to know and is giving away a $1000 shopping spree to one lucky person who registers for their fantastic new deal site. Let ChoozOn scour the web for amazing deals tailored to you!

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment sharing the best deal you’ve ever scored

2. When the contest entry box appears, complete the simple form to enter to win the $1000 shopping spree

3. You are now entered to win!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ChoozOn. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

What’s the Best Deal You’ve Ever Scored? {+ Enter to Win a $1k Shopping Spree} #choozondeals is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

I can honestly say that my mom is a hero to me. There wasn’t a time I realized this more than in the days and weeks surrounding the births of both Haiden and Piper.

There were days that she’d drop everything to travel over 150 miles to be with me and my new little bundles of joy. There were the times she’d answer the phone only to find me, her emotional daughter, in tears and hardly able to speak. There was the time when I was panicking about the state of my house and the possibility of early labor with Piper; I don’t think there’s anyone else who would cancel her plans for the next day to drive three hours and clean my house while I went to work!

On top of those very specific times where my mom overwhelmed me with her love and support, there are many, many other times that her personally heroic actions made me realize how much of herself my mom gives not only to me, but to my brother, my sister, my dad, and all of her grandchildren. 

Since I became a mom, I’ve known I want to be there for my kids in every way possible. As I’ve watched my close family members and friends become parents, it warms my heart to see their own hearts overflow with love for their own babies.

When I hear about the handful of people who are the most “unheroic” parents, I need to stop, renew my faith in mankind, and remember all the moms who simply love their children with all their hearts and do everything in their power to show that love!

Perhaps you know a heroic mom or see one when you look in the mirror. Share your story and be entered for a chance to win $2,500 cash from Allstate. Plus four runner-ups will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card. *The five finalists will be chosen from the Entries receiving the most votes.  

One of the most important things any mom can do is purchase life insurance. Allstate has been helping to protect families’ futures with a range of life insurance products for over 50 years. To get a quote visit allstate.com/life

Disclosure: This is post is Sponsored by Allstate. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Official Contest Rules

Do You Know a Hero Mom? I Do! is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

When I was dating my now-husband, James, I would get so irritated when near-strangers asked me when we were going to get married. When I complained to a friend, she said,

First, people will ask you when you’re going to get married. Then, they’ll ask you when you’re going to get pregnant. Finally, they’ll ask you when you when you’re going to stop having kids.

Isn’t that the truth? 

There was a short time in my late teens to early 20′s when I thought I didn’t want any kids. I was full of career plans and financial goals, and I hadn’t dated anyone who was even close to procreation material. 

As I continued to grow up, my sister had a baby, then another, and more until her family was complete with 4 amazing kids. I met my husband and knew that we had a future together. Gradually, I realized that my life wouldn’t be complete without children. 

While some of my friends had nailed down exactly the number of kids they wanted (some right down to gender and hair color!), I didn’t have any plans for how many kids would be “just right” for my husband and me. James had suggested two kids in our early days of marriage, and that seemed good to me! 

When the time came, we didn’t have a schedule or a plan, we just decided one day to try to start a family. I was pregnant within the week! The pregnancy progressed easily, and I came to the conclusion that I’d like our kids close in age. To my surprise, James was completely on board and we decided that, if everything went well with #1, #2 would be right behind him. 

Haiden was close to a perfect baby, and Piper was on her way three months after he was born. The second pregnancy flew by. Before we knew it, had two babies born 12 months and 5 days apart! 

Having “2 under 2″ was so much easier than I ever thought it would be. Piper was incredibly content, just wanting to be swaddled and held for much of her early months. I found that I was doing everything with Haiden, I was just holding a baby while I was doing it. 

As Haiden and Piper have grown, we’ve gone through easy and more trying periods. Those times have made me think either, We should have another baby! or Our family is big enough. Either way, our family will always be perfect to me. 

My husband feels the same way I do, so we’re not making any permanent decisions about family planning at this point in our lives! It does make me think, how will we make that decision? When will it happen? 

I’m curious to know: How and when do you decide your family is complete? Join the conversation and be entered to WIN the designer handbag of your choice (Up to a $500 value) from Essure!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Essure. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

Let’s Talk About Families: How & When Is Your Family Complete? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

• $2 off 1 box of OR 2 packs of Pampers diapers/training pants
• $2 off any 1 Tide Detergent
• $2 off 1 Downy Unstoppables
• $2.50 off 2 CoverGirl Products
• $2 off 1 Clairol Hair Color Product
• Buy one get one free Old Spice Bodywash

The Brandsaver kicks off the second year of the Have You Tried This Yet? campaign, highlighting innovative products for yourself, family and home – products that deliver top-notch quality, performance and value.

This year, Have You Tried This Yet? has partnered with Kari Bryon from TV’s Mythbusters.  Her role on Mythbusters, coupled with her love and appreciation for innovation and science make her the perfect voice to bring the Have You Tried This Yet? program to life in the coming months.  As a busy woman and mom, Kari definitely understands the importance of finding the right products that get the job done and conveniently meet your, and your family’s, daily demands.

Have you ever wondered just how absorbent your paper towels are? Have you ever questioned how your at-home foam hair colorant works so there is no drip for less mess?  Well, stay tuned, because we’re going to explain all of this, and more, in the coming months!

Beginning in October, visit www.PGTryIt.com for ongoing updates and information on the Have You Tried This Yet? products, including ways to save money on purchasing them.  Kari will also be sharing with you the everyday science behind select P&G innovations, demonstrating the trusted role P&G products play in your daily life.

I don’t know about you, but a few of the brands highlighted in this week’s Brandsaver definitely have a place on my list of top household products. While I’m not brand-loyal, brands like Tide, Downy, Gillette, and Olay are among the unsung “product heroes” in my home, and I jump to buy them when I have the right coupons or come across the best deals!

For additional information about the products being highlighted in this program, as well as savings tips and consumer reviews, you can visit the Have You Tried This Yet site.

Procter & Gamble sent me an advance copy of the 10/30 Brandsaver insert to faciliate the coupon preview and details provided above. 

10/30 P&G Brandsaver Coupons: Save Over $102 with “Have You Tried This Yet?” is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

First, thank you to those of you who nominated me; I’m thrilled! Now, I need everyone’s help! Please go to the Best Blog Award page and click on the little pink oval in my site’s description page to vote for BabyGoodBuys! 

Right now, I’m at the bottom of the list, but I I’m hoping that’s because I just got the email that this site was added. If you’d like to vote, then please head on over here to do it! Voting closes October 15, 2011,  and the winning blogs will be announced shortly thereafter.

Thanks again to those of you who took the time to nominate me! I also want to shout out a HUGE thanks to all of my amazing readers! You motivate and inspire me every single day!

P.S. I’m not doing this for any sort of cash prize or tangible award. The winners will be noted in an upcoming issue of Parent’s Magazine, and I’m just looking to reach more new moms so I can share the baby deals with more people! 

Please Vote: I’m Nominated for the Parent’s Magazine ‘Best Gear & Toys Blog’ Award! is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

Time flies, right? I can’t believe that Haiden, who was just a tiny infant when I started this blog, is now three years old. He is, in fact, at the age where he could go to preschool if my husband and chose to do that. 

My sister homeschools her four children, and she has told me time and again that I’m already homeschooling Haiden and Piper just by sticking to our loose daily routine that we have in place!

While I certainly don’t consider myself a homeschooler, I do want my children to be successful in their mental and social development. I definitely do some things that are direct in their educational objectives, but we also do a lot of “indirect” activities that are fun for Haiden and Piper while also assisting in their overall “readiness” for education.

So, what sort of things am I doing to prepare my own children for preschool? 

Circle Time: I took this routine directly from the home daycare my kids used to attend when I worked at a corporate job. Here’s what we do:

• Sing the “Circle Time” song to gather up and sit together. (it’s a very small circle, since there are only 3 of us!)
• Sing the ABC song and sign the letters with ASL.
• Count to 20
• Sing the “Days of the Week” song
• Sing the “Months of the Year” song. 
• Sing interactive songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Wheels on the Bus and If You’re Happy and You Know It. 

Reading: We read lots of books throughout the day. Sometimes Haiden and Piper simply want to hear a story. Other times it’s far more interactive where they talk about the pictures, answer questions, play “find the…” and sometimes even identify the words on the pages. My husband also reads to our kiddos for about half an hour at bedtime every night. We’re definitely in a reading groove, but I can always use more ideas on how to make reading fun and exciting for all of us. These tips for reading with your child are great if you’re looking to enhance the reading experience! 

Singing: Singing is a great social activity that helps kids learn to work together. We sing songs during circle time, sing to the radio in the car and sing songs just before they go to sleep. 

Arts, Crafts and Activities: My sister is very crafty, and she gives me ideas for activities to do with the kids all the time. In addition to those, Haiden and Piper love to color with crayons, paint with watercolors and mold shapes with different types of colored dough. 

Outings: We get out of the house a lot, and we do a variety of things. I’ve realized that we don’t need to go to a museum to foster learning. Rides in a car spark all sorts of questions about what’s going on in road construction. Walks to the park means we talk about nature and leaves. Trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house mean a whole host of new things to talk about and try! 

I don’t want to stress myself or my kids out, so we also have plenty of downtime where we play outside, snuggle, play “wrestle” and do all sorts of relaxing. All in all, I want my kids to enjoy being at home with me as much as I love being at home with them. It’s the little everyday moments that matter the most in the long run, and I love all of them! 

I’m just a mom, and I don’t have any experience in education or childhood development. It just makes sense to me, however, that taking advantage of all those teachable moments and maintaining some structure in our days are some of the best things I can do to prepare Haiden and Piper for preschool. 

I’m curious to know: What advice do you have for moms prepping for preschool? KinderCare will choose one lucky participant and make donation in their name to the Reach Out And Read chapter of their choice!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KinderCare. The opinions and text are all mine.
Image credit: Brandi Jordan
Official Contest Rules.

Ask the Readers: How Do You Prepare Little Kids for Preschool? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

Here’s the one I’ve had in the back of my head for a few weeks:

Baby Cologne :: Can a baby not just smell like a baby? I know that plain water works for newborns, and a few drops of baby wash does the trick for babies who haven’t been playing in a sandbox all day. Why do we need to put another product on a baby?

What are the most ridiculous baby products you’ve seen? Feel free to leave a link and/or description in the comments! 

Baby Bad Buys :: What Are the Most Ridiculous Baby Products? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

Do you ever forget to eat a meal? How do you grab a healthy and fast meal that fits into your busy day? 

Before I had kids, I was a full-time professional who ate a frozen entree for lunch almost every day. I loved that I could bring five lunches to work on a Monday, store them in our floor’s freezer, and not have to worry about remembering to pack my lunch every day for the rest of the week.

Now that I’m mom to two, I’m surprised that I still need a solution to remember to eat my meals! Taking care of my little ones and my home, along with a  a packed “to do” list almost every day, means that there are times where the clock strikes two and I realize the only food I’ve had to eat is a granola bar and two cups of coffee.

Once I realized that my borderline unintentional starvation might start affecting my overall well-being,  I decided to go back to my roots as a working girl and keep a supply of healthy, substantial frozen meals at the ready in my freezer.

Marie Callender’s has 34 different frozen entrees that provide a tasty, satisfying meal of 500 calories or less! With over 30 choices of meals, I’m pretty sure you’ll find something you like. I received a coupon for a free meal, so yesterday I tried the Smoky Cheddar Mac & Uncured Bacon meal. It’s very rich, VERY smoky and it’s a surprisingly large portion or pasta, cheese and bacon for only having 340 calories!

The meal took 4 minutes to cook and another few minutes to cool down. Meaning I could heat it and eat it in the time my own little ones were having lunch.

The best part? The Smoky Cheddar Mac entree was way more satisfying than a granola bar

Moms: What’s your trick for making sure you eat a healthy lunch?

This post was written for Marie Callender’s. I’m collaborating with The Motherhood on n their behalf to spread the word about this important topic. While I did receive payment for this post, all information, thoughts and opinions are 100% true. 

How Do Busy Moms Eat Healthy Meals On the Go? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

To celebrate summer fun, Redbox wants to know, “What’s your family’s go-to movie night snack?” Plus, they are rewarding 2 lucky people with a chance to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.

Piper and Haiden are just barely two and three years old, so we haven’t started a family movie night tradition yet, but I can assure you, my husband has big plans to start “movie time” with the kids as soon as he can!

I like movies, but I don’t love them the way my husband does, so I’m pretty sure I’ll be leaving the viewing and commentating responsibilities to James. As for me, I’ll be doing one of my favorite things: baking and preparing yummy treats to make movie night extra special!

One of my favorite party snacks is Addictive Candy Popcorn. It’s a concoction the whole family will love! The ingredients are easy to obtain and the recipe can easily be halved if you think it will make too much (trust me, the leftovers won’t last, if there are any!). Plus, it takes less than 30 minutes to make, from start to finish!

Addictive Candy Popcorn Recipe

• 1 3.5 ounce package light microwave popcorn, popped
• 2 cups Kix cereal
• 1 cup pretzel sticks or small pretzel knots
• 5 ounces corn chips (half a 10.5 ounce bag)
• 1/2 lb. almond bark or white chocolate
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (optional)

1. Cover a large area (2 feet x 2 feet, if you can) with waxed paper or parchment.
2. Mix up the popcorn, cereal, pretzels and corn chips in a large bowl.
3. Put the almond bark in a glass bowl and microwave it on high for 30 seconds. Stir, then repeat microwaving in 30 second increments until it’s smooth.
4. If the almond bark doesn’t seem like it will pour well, add the vegetable shortening and stir. Microwave for 15 seconds more, if needed, to get the shortening melted.
5. Pour the almond bark over the popcorn mixture.
6. Work quickly and gently stir the mixture to coat all the pieces.
7. Spread out the popcorn mix on the waxed paper in a single layer if possible.
8. Let the mix stand to harden for at least 15 minutes.
9. Break into chunks and serve in a bowl.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

If I’m not feeling like getting everything together to make my candy popcorn, we can always go for regular popcorn!

Do you have a favorite movie night snack? Please share it in the comments below!

Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*

4 Easy Ways to Enter:

1.  Enter your email address at www.redbox.com/summer
2.  Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)
3.  Reserve a rental online at redbox.com
4.  Text ‘SUMMER’ to 727272
Enter to win today!

This is a paid conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine.

*Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at www.redbox.com/summer.

.

What’s Your Family’s Favorite Movie Snack? White Chocolate Candy Popcorn Recipe! is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

Throughout the day, Haiden and Piper will stop what they’re doing because they want to read a book with me. They also spend time paging through books by themselves. Finally, a solid part of our bedtime routine is having Daddy read to the kiddos before it’s time for lights out.

One thing that helps keep my kids interested in reading is a wide variety of books. I’ve spent plenty of time perusing the kids books at Amazon, plus I’ve picked up plenty of secondhand books over the past few years. My little ones also have generous relatives who love to gift them with books!

Although the favorites constantly change, here are a few books that Haiden and Piper are loving at the moment:

Where the Wild Things Are:: This one is a bedtime staple, and my husband makes it an interactive adventure for both kids. The three of them roar, claw and narrate through the whole book.

Lull-a-Bye, Little One:: This book was read to Haiden over and over last year, and now it’s one of Piper’s favorites. It’s super-cute because she thinks the baby’s name in the book is Lullabye!

Dr. Seuss’s ABC:: This book has been on our bookshelf since before Haiden was born. Both Haiden and I can recite every page, and I’ve caught Piper “reading” it out loud to herself several times recently. I’m pretty sure all kids love this book!

Easy Street :: Haiden loves books with trucks, diggers or other vehicles. This one has a fun rhythm and he reads it along with me.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go:: My husband received this book from his brother when he graduated, and our kids already love it. I’m amazed that a book that interests a 1 and 2-year-old is also an appropriate and popular graduation gift. Dr. Seuss really was an incredible man!

When my kids are in school, reading will still be integral to our day, but it will be extra-important over the summer!

Tell me what your kids are reading this summer for a chance to win a Summer Reading Prize Pack from the Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club!

 -  Grand Prize :: Pottery Barn Kids’ reading chair and a Marc Jacobs Nylon Tote (for mom!)

 - 5 First Prizes :: Personalized Pottery Barn Kids’ Beach Tote

EXTRA ENTRY:

- Children’s Book-of-the-Month is now featuring the My Summer Reading Series!  Kids receive 2 great books at their door each month all summer.  $6.99 a book PLUS a free $25 Restaurant.com gift card!  Check out the different book series, find a book you love and tell us the book title in the conversation for an extra entry in the contest!

This is a paid conversation written by me on behalf of Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club. The opinions and text are all mine.  Contest runs June 28 – July 22, 2011. A random winner will be announced July 27, 2011.  Official Rules

What Are Your Kids Reading This Summer? Comment and Enter to Win a Summer Reading Prize Pack! is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

A recent question from Allison on the BabyGoodBuys Facebook page reminded me that I’m not the only one who’s been wanting to hear readers’ thoughts on video baby monitors.

We bought a MobiCam Audio Video Baby Monitoring System ($109) just before Haiden, my oldest, turned one. The Amazon reviews are spotty, and I tend to agree with some of the negative points, since the audio feed intermittently goes out. That being said, the MobiCam worked well when I most needed it, but it doesn’t seem to be a product that lasts.

There have been many video baby monitors introduced to the market since I shopped for one.  I’m listing some of the most popular ones below, but I really want to know, Do you have a video baby monitor? and Do you like it?

Here are some of the bestsellers:

The Summer Infant Day & Night handheld color video monitor is Amazon‘s bestselling baby monitor, and the ranking includes audio-only devices! Priced at just under $140, this is in the middle range for video monitors. Amazon customer reviews give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

The Motorola Digital Video Monitor is the lowest-priced video monitor I found. At $85, this is definitely a good buy for the price. Amazon reviews average 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Summer Infant Complete Coverage Color Video Monitor with LCD Screen and Handheld Unit is firmly the highest-priced baby monitor in the bestsellers category. List price is $300, Amazon‘s sale price is currently $275. Amazon customer reviews average 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Samsung Wireless Video Security Monitoring System looks like it’s the video baby monitor with the best reviews from customers. Granted, only six people have reviewed it, but you can take a look and see that they’re all positive (and a little surprised that a security camera functions so well as a baby monitor!). Priced at $175, this is a bit higher than other video monitors. Amazon customer reviews average 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The First Years Home & Away portable video monitor looks like it’s the newest to the market. It has a couple of great reviews and the great feature of being able to view the video on Skype! List price is $190, and Amazon has it priced at $144 right now.

Those are the standouts in the bestselling category. Here are a few other popular video baby monitors:

• Lorex LIVE snap Video Baby Monitor ::  3.5 stars  ::  was $400, NOW $129.99
• Levana BABYVIEW20 Digital Wireless Baby Monitor ::  3.5 stars  ::  was $340, NOW $150
• Levana Safe N’See Digital Video Baby Monitor ::  3.5 stars  ::  $159.99
• Motorola Digital Video Monitor w/ Room Temp Thermometer ::  4 stars  ::   was $200, NOW $169.94
• Summer Infant Best View Handheld Color Monitor w/ Screen ::  4 stars  ::  was $200, NOW $187.98
• Philips AVENT Digital Video Baby Monitor ::  3.5 stars  ::  was $220, NOW $169.99
• Levana ClearVu Digital Video Baby Monitor & Night Light ::  3.5 stars  ::  $140
• Summer Infant Day & Night Flat Screen Color Monitor w/ LCD Screen ::  3.5 stars  ::  was $200, NOW $179.99
• Mobicam DXR Digital Monitoring System ::  3.5  stars  ::  was $230, NOW $189.99
• Summer Infant Baby Touch Digital Color Monitor ::  4 out of 5 stars  ::  was $250, NOW $220.29

If you have one of these or a different video baby monitor, we want to know if you like it! Please leave a comment below if you want to answer one or more of the following questions:

Which video baby monitor do you have? Would you buy it again? What do you like the most and least about it?

Ask the Readers: Do You Love Your Video Baby Monitor? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

Now, Redbox is offering video game rentals at over 21,000 Redbox kiosks nationwide! For just $2 a day, you can rent the newest and most popular games for the Wii, Sony PS3 or the Xbox 360! Redbox is truly a one-stop shop for a variety of affordable, family home entertainment.

My kids are just getting old enough to start introducing them to family-friendly video games. I’m not sure what they’ll like, so…

What’s your family’s favorite video game? 

I’d love some suggestions on age-appropriate games that preschoolers enjoy!

Here’s some more exciting news: Redbox is helping us all enjoy summer vacation a little more by giving away $10,000 to two lucky winners in their Redbox Summer of Fun & Games sweepstakes!  

Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*

4 Easy Ways to Enter:

1.  Enter your email address at www.redbox.com/summer

2.  Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)

3.  Reserve a rental online at redbox.com

4.  Text ‘SUMMER’ to 727272

Enter to win today!

This is a provided conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine. 

*Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at www.redbox.com/summer.

What’s Your Family’s Favorite Video Game? + Win $10,000 in the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

A few years ago, “push presents” were all the rage among famous pregnant women and celebrities who had just become new  moms. What is a push present? Essentially it’s a gift a new mom receives from the new dad for going through pregnancy, labor and the physical process of having a baby.

While I’m all about getting gifts, I didn’t even know about push presents until after I had Piper, my youngest baby. Had I even known at that time, I certainly wouldn’t have expected anything! Since my husband doesn’t keep up with current celebrity trends, I doubt he knows about push presents even now! My husband is so sweet, though; if he had known about this type of gift I’m positive he would have come up with a thoughtful sentimental little someting to give to me after the birth of his children.

My take on celebrity push presents is that they’re much more than small token gifts. I’ve heard of some celebrity moms simply getting loose diamonds to custom-craft their own jewelry, while others, like Jennifer Lopez, received an eight-carat diamond ring to celebrate the birth of twins Max and Emme.

Diamonds are definitely a girl’s best friend, and many push presents are purchased from Brilliance.com. Brilliance offers much more than diamond engagement rings, plus every purchase is shipped for free. Buying diamonds and other jewelry online is a big deal, and Brilliance.com definitely gets that! They offer a low price guarantee along with a 30-day return policy, so you can be sure your purchase is exactly what you expected.

So readers, tell me: did you receive a push present? If you’re pregnant, do you want a push present?

Did You Receive a Push Present? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

My son, Haiden, will be turning three in July. I’m knocking on wood right now, because he’s never, ever attempted to climb or jump out of his crib. In fact, I’m pretty sure his crib is his “happy place.” He like to play in his crib and sometimes even asks to go in there if he’s feeling sad!

I keep getting the vibe from a few people that Haiden should be moved into a “real” bed, but I’m not feeling like either one of us is ready for that yet! It seems like most parents I know move their kids into a toddler bed right around the time they turned two. I even know one mom from my hometown who moved her son into the bottom bunk of a full-size bunkbed within days of  his second birthday!

I’m feeling pretty conflicted right now. First, I’m wondering: Is there anything wrong with keeping a child in a crib indefinitely? Will my husband and I just know when it’s time to move him into a bed? Also, what kind of bed should he use once he’s out of the crib? Do you recommend a toddler bed, or did your little one jump right into a twin bed (or bigger)?

I’d love some advice from experienced parents on this topic! Please leave a comment below with your ideas and suggestions.

Ask the Readers: Should I Move My Toddler Out of His Crib? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

To me, the Groupon Tibet commercial managed to make a mockery of the Tibetan plight while attempting to promote their half-off-or-more restaurant deals. My jaw was close to the floor after the commercial aired, and I have a feeling some of you felt the same way.

My reaction to the commercial also left me torn: Should I take down my posts encouraging you to buy Groupon deals? Should I stop writing about Groupon in the future because of the Tibet ad? This baby deals blog is far from a political soapbox, and I don’t want my opinions on one commercial to keep bargains off all your radars if you don’t feel the same. So, I have a few questions:

Readers: how do you feel about Groupon now? Will you buy from them again? Do you want to keep seeing the Groupon deals?

Groupon’s Offensive Super Bowl Ad: Should I Keep Posting Groupon Deals? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

I’m a huge believer in swaddling. I firmly believe it’s what helped both Haiden and Piper sleep through the night at four weeks old! My husband and I learned one method of swaddling when we took our “baby class” before having Haiden. After I gave birth, an incredibly nice nurse (I still remember her name was Mary!) taught us another method that served us well for a few weeks. After that, though, the little Houdini was able to break free from any regular blanket swaddle either my husband or I attempted to wrap him up in.

Thankfully, Becoming-Mom recommended The Miracle Blanket ($29.95) at the exact same time plain blankets stopped working for swaddling. that kept Haiden’s arms secured down. I read about The Miracle Blanket, found a store in the Minneapolis area that sold it, and this mom and baby were out the door to get a Miracle Blanket for that night’s bedtime.

We used The Miracle Blanket and never looked for another alternative. It worked so well that Piper was in one for her first night at home after being born. I hate to say it, but since I’m such a loyal fan of The Miracle Blanket, I really question the usefulness of any other swaddler. Here are some other brands I’ve seen:

• Summer Infant/Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe (from $10.99)
• Halo Sleepsack Swaddle (from $19)
• Woombie Baby Cocoon Swaddle ($22.95)
• The First Years Swaddler (About $10)
• Aden + Anais Cotton Muslin Blanket/Swaddle Wrap (from $34 for 4)

Looking over the list, I’d LOVE to hear readers sing the praises about Miracle Blanket alternatives! While the $32 was some of the best money I ever spent (I feel like I paid $30 to have my baby sleep through the night!), it would be great to spend even less for the same results.

Readers: Do you use a special product or blanket to swaddle your baby? Please share it in the comments!

Ask the Readers: What Do You Use to Swaddle A Baby? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

I feel like I’m a fairly responsible person when it comes to personal finance. Our bills are paid on time, our emergency fund is established and we don’t have debt except for our mortgage. However, there’s one area where I feel like a financial failure: saving for Haiden and Piper’s higher education.

It’s not that my husband and I have ignored saving money for them. We set aside amounts here and there. It’s just that I don’t know how to start a college savings plan that’s both effective and easy-to-manage.  Between traditional savings accounts, 529 plans, savings bonds and everything else, I could really use some help!

Are you saving for your child’s educational future? Do you have any tips for me? Do you have questions of your own? Let’s talk! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Ask the Readers: How to Start a College Savings Plan? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!

We’re at an interesting stage right now in both Haiden and Piper’s book preferences. Haiden just turned two. While he still loves board books, he’s slowly moving into longer books, and I’ve found that he’s very careful when he looks at books with “real” pages on his own. At the same time, if I choose the wrong book that’s too long, he doesn’t want anything to do with it. Piper is a different reader than Haiden was at her age of 12 months. She’s super-calm, and she likes almost any book we read to her. She loves to look at board books on her own, but she’ll sit through some of our longest stories without squirming or getting distracted. Haiden was nothing like that last year!

These are some of our current favorite children’s books:

Cowboy and His Friend :: I picked this one up at the library since I was completely enamored by the simple, classic illustrations. I had no idea Haiden would love it so much! He has comments for every single page and wants to read it several times every night!

Where is Baby’s Belly Button :: This was one of Haiden’s favorites, and now Piper thinks it’s the best book ever! It’s a fabulous lift-the-flap number that makes her smile each time the hidden picture is revealed.

Sleepy Kittens :: Piper just received this for her birthday, but both of my little ones are thoroughly entertained by the story and the attached finger puppets! It’s cute, and I like to make up extra songs to have the puppets dance to after we finished the story.

Snuggle Puppy :: I couldn’t compile a list of favorite books without including something by Sandra Boynton. This one requires the reader to sing, but it also prompts for kisses, which is super-adorable! I have to add that my mother-in-law loves this book so much she’s bought it twice for Haiden!

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear :: It took Haiden a little bit to warm up to this one, but now he can’t get enough of it! My husband likes to act out all the sound effects and create funny voices as the narrator, which Haiden finds hysterical.

Tails :: I saved our best for last! This is a nicely interactive book that has entertained both Haiden and Piper pretty much since birth. It engages the senses and grows with your child. The bright colors are stimulating for baby, and there’s a counting game at the very end for toddlers.

I love sharing our favorites, but my real intentions for posting this are to hear from you. What are your favorite books to read to your kids? What books do your little ones love?

I would absolutely love to get enough responses to put together a little list of the popular books, so please leave a comment with your favorites!

Ask the Readers: What’s on Your Bookshelf? is a post from: Baby GoodBuys. Visit us and find more baby deals and diaper deals!