Kawaii giveaway: WINNERS!

Well, it's been an exciting two weeks following the action on my very first giveaway for 2 Kawaii Snazzy Minky OS pocket diapers! 524 total entries - what a great turnout! Welcome to all my new blog, FB and twitter followers and hope you enjoy what you find here at Manager to Mom! I have a whole slew of ideas for upcoming posts, and I'm just putting the finishing touches on my PR Friendly page which should lead to more great giveaways very soon!

Without further ado, here are the two lucky winners of the Kawaii giveaway:

Winner #1: Ashley, you won the cow print diaper!

Winner #2: Lindsey, you won the leopard print diaper! 

 

Congrats Ladies! I am emailing you both shortly. Please respond within 72 hours to claim your prize or I will need to draw another winner. 

Finally, a quick announcement/reminder - the Charis Designs Diaper Cover Wrap giveaway is still on (until May 1st) and currently has LOW ENTRIES! If you haven't done so already, enter it here!

Family-Friendly Giveaway Roundup for Canadians - 04/29

Here is an up-to-date roundup!

04/29: Bummas cloth wipes (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry:Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:222

04/29: Flip cover and inserts (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:675

04/30: Sloomb knot longies (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Knocked Up and Nursing
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:614

04/30: Sloomb starter kit (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:425

04/30: Oh Katy diaper (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry:Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:373

04/30: Charlie Banana cloth wipes (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:313

04/30: 2 Itti Bitti cloth diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Momccupation
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:556

04/30: Virtual bra fitting event (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 5; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:211

(NEW) 04/30: Cloth Wipes from Sweet Bobbins (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways
Mandatory entry: N/A
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:230

05/01: Crane Humidifier (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Multi-Testing Mommy
Mandatory entry: Facebook like; Twitter follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:254

05/01: Bummas cloth wipes (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mom Always Finds Out
Mandatory entry: Facebook like; Twitter follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:248

05/02: 3-pack of Day Pads from GladRags (CAN/US)
Hosted by: A Mommy's Blessings
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:76

05/02: 2 ComfyRumps diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Reynolds Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:503

05/02: MiniMaestro cloth diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Not Just Baby Brain
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:188

(NEW) 05/02: Envibum diaper + absorbency pad (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Cloth Diaper Fairy
Mandatory entry: Facebook like; Twitter follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:196

(NEW) 05/02: 2 ComfyRumps diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Sweet T Makes Three
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:285

05/03: 3 BumGenius 4.0 diapers from Euphoria Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1485

05/03: 3 Mama Cloth pads from Moms Crafts 4 U (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: All Aboard (the review & giveaway train!)
Mandatory entry: N/A
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:184

05/03: Bumkins Superbib (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry:Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:98

05/04: Swaddlebees Econappi snap diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Marni's Organized Mess
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 28; current entries:742

(NEW) 05/04: Best Bottom system (shell + 3 inserts) (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:508

(NEW) 05/05: 2 Itti Bitti Diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Reynolds Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:397

05/08: Flip, BumGenius and Thirsties Duo from Ten Tiny Piggies (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:890

(NEW) 05/09: Best Bottom system (shell + 3 inserts) (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Oh So Savvy Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit; GFC follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:360

(NEW) 05/9: Blissful Booty AIO diaper and booster (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:320

(NEW) 05/10: Wash & diaper cream OR wetbag & Flip from Baby Bottoms Boutique (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 3; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:518

05/10: Zookies cover (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Mama's Passions
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:69

(NEW) 05/10: Zookies cover (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: A Mommy's Blessings
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:47

(NEW) 05/10: Spark Story Starters (CAN/US)
Hosted by: West Coast Mama
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:5

(NEW) 05/10: Envibum diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Happenings of the Harper Household
Mandatory entry: GFC follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 6; current entries:624

(NEW) 05/10: $75 to Zutano Organic (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Natural Mommie
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:N/A

(NEW) 05/11: Sleepy Wrap (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Not Just Baby Brain
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:58

(NEW) 05/15: AppleCheeks prize pack from Snuggle Bugz (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:623

(NEW) 05/17: Bye Bye 'Sposies - 2 grand prize packages! (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: GFC follow
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 24; current entries:N/A

*******************************************

Notes:

• Giveaways are listed in chronological order by closing date
  
• Most of the giveaways I'm currently scouting out are for cloth diapers and related products, so there is a heavy lean toward these
• All giveaways I post will be open to Canadians; some exclusively. I'll indicate whether a particular contest is CAN/US, CAN ONLY or WORLDWIDE beside each listing.
• To help you decide which giveaways to enter, I will list the mandatory entry, the number of winners (# winners), the number of daily entries per person (daily entries pp) and the current number of total entries at the time of this writing (current entries).
• Giveaways which have just been added to the list this week have a NEW tag.
• If you know of a great family-friendly product giveaway open to Canadians which is missing from my list, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Thanks! (Note - I may add a linky to this post in an upcoming week.)

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Easter from S and Great Grandma Catherine!

Aaaaaand SWITCH!

Being present

Yoga is one of the activities I have enjoyed the most over the past several years. It's so wonderful for the body, mind and spirit, and it's also a nice way to spend time with good friends (as I learned during my prenatal classes and more recently during mom & baby yoga w/ S.) One of the core principles of yoga which I believe is so important is the ability to be present. We so often live in the past (evaluating what has taken place) or in the future (planning all the things we need to do) that we don't spend a lot of time just being conscious, alert and mindful of what's going on right now. While it's important to learn from the past and plan for the future, we are living in the present and will never get back the moment that is happening RIGHT NOW!













Now that I have a beautiful daughter, it's never been more important for me to be present. S is growing and changing so much every day. Sometimes I just gaze at her in awe of her sweetness and innocence, or feel totally in the moment as I rock her to sleep, singing and drinking in her beautiful baby smell. But then other times I catch myself lost in thought while I'm with her. For example, I'll be playing with her while changing her diaper and then something will cross my mind which will monopolize my focus (for example, a blog post I want to write, people I need to call back or how I plan to schedule my time over the day), then all of a sudden I'll come back to the present, see her looking at me expectantly and have no idea how long I was gone for! 1 minute? 3? And what was S thinking or feeling while I was lost in my own mind? Was she worried? Confused? Hurt? I'd inevitably feel a bit sad and guilty in this moment, and tell myself not to let it happen again! But yet it would happen again. When it comes down to it, that's me - I'm a thinker, a reflector, a planner and somewhat of an introvert. It's easy for me to get lost in my own head! I like that I have the ability to do this in general. It allows me to delve deeply into a problem which needs to be solved and block out noise when I need to focus on the task at hand (certainly a boon when I was working!) And it helps what could otherwise be a mundane event (for example, driving somewhere or showering) become more interesting and productive. It's only a real problem when it creeps into other activities which need me to be alert and mindful. Case in point - those beautiful moments with my child that I can never get back!

So today I made a vow to myself. I am going to make a conscious effort to be present when it comes to spending time with S. I'm sure that saying is true - that no one ever looks back on their life and wishes they spent more time cleaning (or planning, or scheduling, etc.) But many people do, unfortunately, look back and regret that they did not spend more good, quality time with their loves ones. I don't want to be one of those people!!

Review: Sophie Leash from Lil Divas Bowtique

A sure sign that a toy has reached astronomical levels of popularity is when 3rd party vendors create accessories specifically catered to that toy. Such is the case with Sophie the Giraffe, the 100% natural rubber sensory toy from Paris which has recently become ubiquitous in the homes, carseats and strollers of little ones everywhere here in North America! I was even told that I would be a bad mother if I didn't get a Sophie for our DD-to-be, so of course I registered for one and it was one of the earliest purchases made off of our registry. :)



During S's first couple months, she didn't care so much for Sophie. It's not as bright and cheery as some of her other toys and she wasn't yet able to grasp and mouth to feel its awesomeness first hand. But somewhere within her 3rd month, she really began to heart the li'l giraffe so it became a mainstay in our diaper bag on day trips. Then around this time when I was just getting into the giveaway "scene", I came across a contest at Not Just Baby Brain to win a Sophie "leash" from an Etsy store called Lil Divas Bowtique. My first reaction was amusement. Really? A strap designed specifically for cette petite giraffe française? But when I thought about it some more, I realized that a) Sophie would probably be DD's predominant travelling companion for some time, and that once she started realizing that "throwing is fun!" it would be quite practical to have the giraffe on lockdown and b) Although the leash was marketed specifically for Sophie, its design did not preclude usage with other toys as well. And browsing around the Lil Divas Bowtique shop, I fell in love with all the adorable little patterns. So I entered the contest....and won! :D

Before I get to the leash itself, I want to mention that Shannon (the shop owner) was super friendly and helpful when it came to selecting and delivery the prize. The customer service experience definitely left me feeling warm & fuzzy! I ended up deciding on the "tumbling monkey" pattern - so stinkin' cute! The order was delivered promptly and it came lovingly wrapped and paired with a business card for the Bowtique. What a nice touch!

The leash is simple but practical in design. It is made of a high-quality ribbon with snap closures on both ends. And, most importantly, the tumbling monkeys are just as cute as advertised! ;)

Each end snaps onto itself to form a loop. The "Sophie end" is a set size, but the end which affixes to a car seat, stroller or what have you offers two sizes depending on the girth of what you're attaching it to and/or the length of strap you want to achieve.

One thing I really like is that when snapped into place, the closures are nice and snug. Baby would need to eat a helluva lot of spinach to get that puppy detached!

So how does the leash hold up in practice? Well, we've been using it S's carseat for a few weeks now. The length of the strap is perfect - long enough for S to move it around in her hands and get it up to her mouth, but not too long that it can fall out of reach. She has definitely reached the "let's drop/throw toys just for the fun of it" stage, but Sophie hasn't yet fallen victim to this trick! ;) Sometimes she will gnaw on the ribbon itself rather than Sophie, and so far the ribbon has held its own nicely through all the gumming and drool. (Time will tell if it will be able to withstand little teeth!)

So far, we've used the strap with Sophie exclusively, but it would definitely work with the majority of her other hand-held toys; anything that has a small loop or handle feature, really! Good to know in case she gets tired of her Sophie or if we just want to mix things up.















All in all, I love this oh-so-practical li'l accessory! I've won quite a few prizes through giveaways over the last couple months, and this is one of my favourites!

Buy It:





Want a Sophie Leash of your own? Head on over to Lil Divas Bowtique and pick out your favourite! At just $6.98 USD each, you're definitely getting a lot of bang for your buck! Shannon also sells other adorable & practical accessories such as pacifier clips and headbands in her quest to "turn clutter into cute". Take a look at everything else she has to offer!

Charis Designs is now on FB and Twitter - Additional entries available

I'm happy to let everyone know that Charis Designs now has brand spankin' new Facebook and Twitter pages! Additional entries into the diaper wrap giveaway are now available for following her new pages, so check 'em out and get in your extra chances to win!

The Great Cloth Diaper Change @ EBS Waterloo!

What an exciting day! :D

Chris, S and I participated in The Great Cloth Diaper Change at the Extraordinary Baby Shoppe in Waterloo, Ontario! In total, 29 changes took place at this location and 30 changes took place at the Ottawa location, so it was an excellent turnout!

I was so stoked when I discovered that EBS was hosting a GCDC location. The store has such great merchandise (focusing on cloth diapering, babywearing and other natural parenting and eco-friendly products) and the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful! I bought my AMP duo dipes there as well as Country Save detergent, Eucalan, dryer balls, a Planetwise wet bag and other great stuff!

When we arrived today just before noon, 25+ parents & their babies were milling about, socializing and browsing around the store. I was a bit perplexed as to how we'd all fit in the rather small back room for the change, but we managed! They did enforce a rule of one parent per child, so Chris took the opportunity to snag some footage of the event. Here are all the mamas, papas & little ones getting organized:

EBS staff reviewing the official rules of the event! (Note: Chris had to compete with other camera-wielding Dads for front row viewing, so we've got mainly back-of-head footage here, but some nice crisp audio!)

S and I right before the big change!

He left the camera off for the change itself as we didn't feel it was appropriate to capture the naked bums of other folks' babies. :) That said, the experience was certainly fun, a little chaotic and very memorable! I changed S from a prefold with a Bummis Super Whisper Wrap (celery dot pattern) into her brand spankin' new blue giraffe Best Bottom dipe (one of my favourite blog giveaway wins so far!)

EBS gave away some great loot bags containing amber teething anklets, Buncha farmers stain remover sticks and laundry detergent samples to the first 20 registrants. (We were late to register so didn't qualify, but that was actually a good thing as we already have most of this stuff and were happy that other parents could try it out!) We did win S a cute pair of Baby Legs in a separate draw though - w00t!

Chris commented on how all the babies at the event seemed so happy! That's cause babies love fluff, I told him! :) Not only that, but many CDing parents embrace other natural parenting approaches as well (such as breastfeeding and baby wearing) which also invoke warm 'n' fuzzy feelings in our little ones! <3

Oh and finally, some BIG NEWS! Many of you have surely been following our no poop for almost two weeks saga. Well guess what? S pooed into her GCDC diaper! YAYY! She was obviously inspired by the event as well. ;)

Thanks to EBS for allowing us KW region locals to take part in such an historical event!

Family-Friendly Giveaway Roundup for Canadians - 04/22

Here is an up-to-date roundup!

04/22: 2 ComfyRumps diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Giveaways for Mom
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:246

04/22: 1 Mother-ease Sandy's System (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Marni's Organized Mess
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 31; current entries:339

04/22: 3 Sprouts Storage Bin from Saplings Sustainable Kids Decor (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:375

(NEW) 04/22: 2 ComfyRumps diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama Days
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 3; current entries:426

(NEW) 04/24: Build-Your-Own Fitted from Bum Covered Diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Giveaways for Mom
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:181

(NEW) 04/24: Zookies diaper cover (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Nicki's Cloth Diaper Reviews
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:60

(NEW) 04/24: AppleCheeks, MonkeyDoodlez & Dimpleskins (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Beautiful Calling
Mandatory entry: Baby arrival day/time guess! (Fun entry :)
# winners: 3; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:238

04/25: AppleCheeks Mini Test & Softbums Basic Pack from Pure Modern Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1369
 
04/25: 2 AppleCheeks Mini Test Kits from Pure Modern Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1240

(NEW) 04/25: $25 to Kranky Krab (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Not Just Baby Brain
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:30

(NEW) 04/25: $150 Burt's Bees gift basket (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Natural Mommie
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:N/A

(NEW) 04/25: $50 Lunchskins gift certificate (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Natural Mommie
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:N/A

04/26: Happy Heiny, Rumparooz & FuzziBunz from Bitty Bottoms CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1468

04/26: Happy Heiny, Rumparooz and FuzziBunz from Bitty Bottoms (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1229

(NEW) 04/28: Rumparooz & Bum Genius Elemental from Lullaby Kisses (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1163

(NEW) 04/28: Sweet Pea OS diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: What Mama Wants
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 12; current entries:721

(NEW) 04/28: 3 "Lift the Flap" books from Owl Kids (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Glimpse Reviews
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:189

(NEW) 04/29: Bummas cloth wipes (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry:Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:139

(NEW) 04/29: Flip cover and inserts (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:329

(NEW) 04/30: Sloomb knot longies (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Knocked Up and Nursing
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:411

(NEW) 04/30: Sloomb starter kit (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:313

(NEW) 04/30: Oh Katy diaper (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry:Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:246

(NEW) 04/30: Charlie Banana cloth wipes (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:238

(NEW) 04/30: 2 Itti Bitti cloth diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Momccupation
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:307

(NEW) 04/30: Virtual bra fitting event (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 5; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:170

05/01: Crane Humidifier (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Multi-Testing Mommy
Mandatory entry: Facebook like; Twitter follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:180

(NEW) 05/01: Bummas cloth wipes (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mom Always Finds Out
Mandatory entry: Facebook like; Twitter follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:188

(NEW) 05/02: 3-pack of Day Pads from GladRags (CAN/US)
Hosted by: A Mommy's Blessings
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:62

(NEW) 05/02: 2 ComfyRumps diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Reynolds Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:305

(NEW) 05/02: MiniMaestro cloth diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Not Just Baby Brain
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:95

(NEW) 05/03: 3 BumGenius 4.0 diapers from Euphoria Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:990

(NEW) 05/03: 3 Mama Cloth pads from Moms Crafts 4 U (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: All Aboard (the review & giveaway train!)
Mandatory entry: N/A
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:62

(NEW) 05/03: Bumkins Superbib (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry:Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:42

(NEW) 05/04: Swaddlebees Econappi snap diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Marni's Organized Mess
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 28; current entries:408

(NEW) 05/08: Flip, BumGenius and Thirsties Duo from Ten Tiny Piggies (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:216

(NEW) 05/10: Zookies cover (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Mama's Passions
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:28

*******************************************

Notes:

• Giveaways are listed in chronological order by closing date
  
• Most of the giveaways I'm currently scouting out are for cloth diapers and related products, so there is a heavy lean toward these
• All giveaways I post will be open to Canadians; some exclusively. I'll indicate whether a particular contest is CAN/US, CAN ONLY or WORLDWIDE beside each listing.
• To help you decide which giveaways to enter, I will list the mandatory entry, the number of winners (# winners), the number of daily entries per person (daily entries pp) and the current number of total entries at the time of this writing (current entries).
• Giveaways which have just been added to the list this week have a NEW tag.
• If you know of a great baby product giveaway open to Canadians which is missing from my list, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!

Our current sh!tuation

Excuse the pun. I couldn't help myself.

So S hasn't pooed in 11 days. That's right - 11.

At about the 5 day point, I did some research and was relieved (no pun actually intended on this one) to discover it's quite normal for EBF babies not to poo for several days at a time. Plus, she didn't seem in discomfort at all, so I wasn't worried. Now that we're approaching 2 weeks, however, I've become somewhat concerned. In addition to the sheer length of time since her last BM, she's recently been doing A LOT of stinky farting, last night she woke up a few times crying and today she's been fussier than normal. I ended up calling the doc this morning and he suggested that I incorporate more fibre into my own diet and try giving her some juice (unsweetend prune or apple). First one - easy peasy. I promptly bought some Fibre 1 and had a big bowl when I got home. Boom - about 12 grams of fibre. I then made smoothies with prune juice. Another 3-4 grams. Several hours later, still no poo from S so now I'm thinking of moving to the second suggestion. I'm hesitant, though. She hasn't had anything to eat or drink except BM so far (well aside from a chunk of napkin the other day, but that's another story). So I'm a little skittish about giving her juice, especially before she has started on "milder" foods such as rice cereal or veggies. But - tomorrow will be 12 days. That's a LOOONG time without a poop!

Have any of you been through something similar with a little one? If so, how long did the "no poop" period last? Did your kiddo eventually just go on his/her own, or did you introduce something like prune juice or an infant suppository to help move things along? And what was the first BM like after the drought? Normal? Overly plentiful? Was it the same consistency or different? Interested in hearing from others who have been through the same thing!!

Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms and White Beans {Recipe}

Our household has been battling the sickies lately. First S and I got the sniffles, and then things caught up with Chris a few days later and it's still lingering a week later. Poor guy! I don't know about you, but when we're sick, we pretty much just want to eat warm, soothing comfort food. And nothing's heartier and healthier than a big, fat crock pot o' beef barley soup!!!

There are dozens of BBS recipes out there, but I like to jazz mine up a bit w/ mushrooms and a can of white beans! Extra fibre, protein and heartiness! Plus, this is one of those recipes that just gets better w/ age (to a certain point, of course :) It continues to thicken and takes on a stew-like texture which I love! And finally, it's sooooooooooooo quick and easy to make. I'm not fast in the kitchen by any stretch, but this is a recipe I can actually do in 30 minutes. ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package stewing beef (about 1 1/2 lbs) chopped into 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 lb of carrots, diced
• 4 stalks of celery, cut in half length-wise and diced
• 1 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms (I use button or baby bella)
• 1 large can (28 fl oz) of diced tomatoes
• 1 can (19 oz) of white beans
• 2 large containers (30 fl oz or 900 ml each) of beef broth
• 1+ cup of pot barley, washed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt & pepper to taste

Steps: 

1) Brown onion and stewing beef in a skillet on medium heat
















2) Add beef and onion mixture along with all other ingredients except white beans into a large (4 qt) crockpot. 


 













3) Cook on low for 6+ hours

4) Add the white beans and cook another 1/2 hour


 













5) Add salt and pepper to taste, serve and enjoy!

Memorable Monday 4/18

I haven't had a chance to do a lot of blog reading this past week so today's MM will be on the short side, but the following posts did catch my eye:

A Beautiful Calling for outlining how parents can take control of their children's attachment to comfort objects (or "loveys"). No more frantic searches or stringent laundering times with this approach, as if you follow the suggestions, you'll have multiple "loveys" in circulation. Great idea!

Another great and practical article from Doable Diapers on travelling with cloth diapers. Bringing your own detergent and being somewhat conservative with your travel stash size are a couple of the helpful tips.

Julie from Knickernappies on tips and tricks for green cleaning. We already clean with vinegar in our humble abode, but I have yet to try some of her suggestions such as using essential oils (e.g. grapefruit seed) to leave behind a fresh scent, and mixing lemon, baking soda and vinegar together to create a powerfully natural cleaning paste. Good stuff!

A Beautiful Calling once again on the benefits of choosing a midwife. Although I did have a positive experience overall going the OBGYN route (and our local hospital, Grand River, provides excellent childbirth care), I think I'll opt for a midwife next time around, for a number of the reasons cited in this great article (possibility of home birth, lengthier prenatal appointments and encouragement to birth in "non-standard" positions to name a few!)

And finally, this isn't a blog post per se, but thanks to Darcy at Tales From the Nursery, I found myself learning about baby led weaning on wholesomebabyfood.com. S is a week shy of 5 months old so we'll be starting her on solids quite soon. Up until this point, I assumed we'd take the standard approach of rice cereal followed by a rainbow of purees (home made), but BLW suggests an entirely different way of going about solids introduction. Food for thought! (Pun intended.) I'm sure I'll be blogging on this further so stay tuned!

FF Giveaway Roundup for Canadians - moving to Wednesdays

Quick note to let everyone know that I will be moving my weekly Family-Friendly Giveaway Roundup for Canadians from Sundays to Wednesdays, in the spirit of keeping weekends more open for family & friend-related activities and less online-intensive. Apologies to anyone who was really chomping at the bit for this week's update! Just a few more days to go until the next one. :)

Charis Designs diaper cover wrap giveaway! (Closed)

I am super excited to announce another great cloth diapering giveaway here at Manager to Mom! If you've been a follower here for a little while, you might remember me posting a review of my wonderful diaper cover wraps from the Etsy shop Charis Designs. Well guess what? I've been in touch with Kim, the WAHM Mom behind Charis, and she has generously offered to give away one of these same great wraps to a lucky M2M reader!

 Before we get to the "how to" of winning, I want to mention a terrific promotion that is taking place at Charis Designs this month! To celebrate Earth Day and encourage more people to cloth diaper, Kim will be offering a 15% off sale from April 20th to April 30th! Not only this, but Charis is part of a larger Etsy Cloth Diaper team, and many other shops are offering promotions and discounts this month as well. Check out the full list!

I also thought I'd post a pic of S sporting her snazzy green Charis cover on St. Paddy's Day. Unfortunately she didn't have the "lucky of the Irish" that day and win the contest we entered, but doesn't she look derned cute?

The Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive a Charis Designs diaper cover wrap of his/her choice from either the Diaper Cover or Diaper Cover with Ribbon section of Kim's store! All in-stock items are available, and Kim includes suggested height & weight info with each item description to held the winner select a size.

To enter, please leave a separate comment for each entry, and include your email address with each one. The number beside each action denotes how many entries it is worth, so make sure to leave the corresponding number of comments if you complete that action. I'll be checking each entry for validity, so please ensure that you complete all actions as indicated.

Mandatory entries:

• Read my Charis Designs diaper wrap review and let me know something that you learned about Kim's shop or about the covers themselves! (+1)
• Visit Charis Designs on Etsy and comment on either your favourite wrap or another item in her shop that you love! (+1)

Additional Entries:

• Follow "Manager to Mom" publically via Google Friend Connect (see right sidebar); include your first name and last initial (+1)
• Follow the Charis Designs blog publically via Google Friend Connect; include your first name and last initial (+1)
• Follow the Etsy Cloth Diaper Team blog publically via Google Friend Connect; include your first name and last initial (+1)
• Like "Manager to Mom" on Facebook; include your Facebook first name and last initial (+1)
• Follow @managertomom on Twitter; include your Twitter username (+1)
• Subscribe via email (see right sidebar) (+1)
• Subscribe via RSS (see right sidebar) (+1)
• Grab my button for your blog and leave the link where it can be found (see left sidebar) (+3)
• Grab the Charis Designs button for your blog and leave the link where it can be found  (+3)
• Blog about this giveaway and leave the link to your post (+3)
• Add this giveaway to a Linky List and leave the URL so I can find it (+1 per list)
• Vote for me on Picket Fence Blogs; can be done once daily. (+1 each)
• Tweet this giveaway; can be done once daily. (+1 each) Please use the following tweet or create your own; must contain @managertomom and a link to this giveaway post: 

#Win a snazzy & snug #clothdiaper cover wrap from @managertomom and @Charis_Designs ! http://tinyurl.com/5ttxzfz CAN/US 05/01 #giveaway

Additional Entries - newly available as of April 25th!

• Like Charis-Designs on Facebook; include your Facebook first name and last initial (+2) 
• Follow Charis_Designs on Twitter; include your Twitter username (+2)

Thanks for entering and GOOD LUCK!!!

Open to residents of Canada and the US. This giveaway will end on May 1st, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org, emailed, and announced on my blog shortly after giveaway ends. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen.

Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner(s) by Charis Designs.  I was not compensated in any manner for writing my review or offering this giveaway.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.

Where do you find the time?

I have to admit something here. In order to find the time to host & enter giveaways, blog and otherwise "do my thing" online, something's gotta give. Usually it's sleep (I will often get up an hour or two before DD and DH to get some "me time"), but sometimes it's also household duties (the carpets really need to be vacuumed right now) and husband time (often in the evenings, we're both on our laptops rather than spending quality time together!) And we just have one child - and a healthy, happy, easygoing one at that!

As some of you may recall, I wrote a "Day in the Life" post a few weeks back documenting what I do over the course of an average day. The post had a good 60-70+ line items, so I was doing stuff over pretty much the whole day. Yet still I didn't even get around to making dinner and ultimately not too many other things "got done" either. "Where does the time go?" I ask myself day to day!

As such, I'm in awe of all you mamas out there who seem to do it all. Many of you have multiple children, host giveaways almost on a daily basis, blog & tweet frequently, spend quality time with the whole family and with friends AND cook & clean regularly. How do you do it? Do you find that you sacrifice sleep in order to get things done? Have you just gotten really darned efficient at everything? Have you surgically attached a couple extra hands to your body? :D I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips you might have!

On a related topic, a question for those of you who babywear: do you find you're able to get a lot done while you're wearing your baby? What types of activities and chores are you able to do and/or do you enjoy doing while babywearing?

And one more question: What do you tend to do while your child naps? Do you tend to use this for "me time" (for blogging or what have you) or for getting things done? Awhile back I tried the method of doing a half hour of chores at the beginning of each nap prior to me time, but then our daughter started having such short naps (only a 1/2 hour or so at a time) such that this wouldn't allow me *any* me time! So I've been tending toward jumping at this time while I can, and doing most chores while baby is awake. On the one hand, I feel a bit guilty about this (ahhh mother's guilt) but on the other hand, I frankly NEED some me time or I start feeling sluggish and/or resentful. Am I alone here or do others feel the same way?

Love to hear thoughts from other mamas (and papas too, of course) on all this! :)

Mini Giveaway Roundup for Canadians - ending soon!!

I've decided to do a mid-week mini giveaway round-up as I've recently found several great giveaways which are ending before Sunday (when I'll be doing the next full round-up.) Wanted to highlight these for anyone who would like to enter, and of course I get a few extra entries as well for blogging about these contests. ;) Here y'go!

04/15: $250 gift certificate to Old Navy (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: My Wee View
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:1832

04/15: Melissa & Doug deluxe wooden floor easel (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Natural Mama
Mandatory entry: Email subscribe; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:727

04/15: $50 Tea Collection gift certificate (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Natural Mama
Mandatory entry: Email subscribe; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:507

04/15: $50 to BabysOrganic (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Natural Mama
Mandatory entry: Email subscribe; VIP sponsor sign-up
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:222

04/15: My Posh Pads (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama Days
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 3; current entries:230

04/15: Blossom Pads Intro Kit (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama Days
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 3; current entries:237

04/15: Rockin' Green (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:205

04/16: Rump-a-rooz OS diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Cloth Diaper Fairy
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:465

50-Follower Giveaway: Kawaii OS Snazzy Minky pocket diaper! (CLOSED)

So here it is! My long-awaited first blog giveaway to celebrate 50+ followers!

What's up for grabs? 1 or 2 vintage Kawaii Baby One Size Snazzy Minky pocket diapers! (That was a mouthful, wasn't it?)



So what's this 1 or 2 deal, you ask? Well, I'll be giving away 1 diaper regardless of turnout, but I'll throw in a 2nd diaper (awarded to another lucky fan) if I can reach either 100 GFC followers OR 100 Facebook fans by the time the giveaway closes! So get the word out, folks! :D

APRIL 19 UPDATE - We're at 102 GFC followers so I will be giving away 2 diapers! :D :D Welcome to all my new followers and thanks to those who promoted my blog and/or this giveaway. You all ROCK! :D 

And why vintage? 'Cause you can't get these particular patterns anymore! Kawaii recently came out with an entirely new set and discontinued the old ones. So you could grab yourself a li'l piece of cloth diapering history here! ;) (On this note, should I keep at least one more in the packaging? It might be worth something one day!!)

Here is the "official" product description from the company website: 

This Super Soft Minky One Size AIO Pocket Diaper is suitable for babies from newborns to toddlers.  We recommend this diaper for parents who are new to cloth diapering.
 
Nine Layers of Fabrics

The nine layers of fabrics are designed to be highly absorbent yet still remain very breathable.  The outer shell contains two layers of waterproof Minky and one layer of high quality microfleece.  There is an additional six layers of microfiber in the two inserts.
 
Environmentally Friendly Microfiber Liner/Inserts

The Liner/Inserts (or soaker pads) are made from 100% unbleached microfiber.  The material has many tiny strands and is environmentally friendly.  It has 40x more absorbent surface than cotton and is less bulky.  They are soft and easy to clean.

We include 2 ultra soft microfiber inserts in each diaper – one for daytime and the second for nighttime or heavy wetter.

Quick mini-review: We love our Kawaii SM diapers! They've been our go-to night dipes since we started cloth diapering our DD. They certainly are ultra soft, very absorbent (particularly when stuffed with both inserts) and breathable; baby's bum always looks healthy & happy after wearing a Kawaii - even after 12 hours of overnight use! They're also quite durable; after 4 months of usage, ours are showing very little wear! Best of all, they're really affordable, currently selling at $7.99 a piece directly from the company website. (The seller also posts bulk deals on eBay; I scored mine this way!) We had some leakage issues recently when our daughter started sleeping on her side, however we basically nipped that in the bud by stuffing with a 2nd insert. They *are* quite bulky dipes, but this isn't really a big deal for night diapering or wearing around the house.

S loves her Kawaiis too!!



Alright here's the important stuff - how to enter! Please leave a separate comment for each entry, and include your email address with each one. The number beside each action denotes how many entries it is worth, so make sure to leave the corresponding number of comments if you complete that action. I'll be checking each entry for validity, so please ensure that you complete all actions as indicated. I love learning about my readers so I've added a couple "getting to know you" entries in addition to the standard stuff - hope you have fun with these! 

Mandatory Entry:

• Tell me which of the two available patterns you would choose if you won! (See top photo. Left: leopard print; Right: cow print) (+1) (Note - if I end up giving just one diaper away, winner gets his/her choice. If I reach the above follower goal and give away two, the first name drawn gets his/her choice and the second gets the remaining diaper.)

Additional Entries:

• Tell me how/where you discovered my blog or this giveaway (e.g. Twitter, Linky List, blog hop, etc.) (+1)
• Share a cloth diapering story, your favourite cloth diaper and/or or something you've learned about cloth diapering. As much or as little as you'd like here! (+1)
• Follow "Manager to Mom" publically via Google Friend Connect (see right sidebar); include your first name and last initial (+1)
• Like "Manager to Mom" on Facebook; include your Facebook first name and last initial (+1)
• Follow @managertomom on Twitter; include your Twitter username (+1)
• Subscribe via email (see right sidebar) (+1)
• Subscribe via RSS (see right sidebar) (+1)
• Grab my button for your blog and leave the link where it can be found (see left sidebar) (+3)
• Blog about this giveaway and leave the link to your post (+3)
• Add this giveaway to a Linky List and leave the URL so I can find it (+1 per list)
• Vote for me on Picket Fence Blogs; can be done once daily. (+1 each)
• Tweet this giveaway; can be done once daily. (+1 each) Please use the following tweet or create your own; must contain @managertomom and a link to this giveaway post: 

#Win an ultra-soft Kawaii Snazzy Minky OS #clothdiaper from @managertomom! http://tinyurl.com/5tp3qfb CAN/US 04/28 #giveaway

Thanks for entering and GOOD LUCK!!!

Open to residents of Canada and the US. This giveaway will end on April 28, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org, emailed, and announced on my blog shortly after giveaway ends. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen. 

Disclosure: The giveaway prize is not sponsored by Kawaii Baby Diapers or any other company. The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner(s) by myself. This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.

Memorable Monday 4/11

OK so it's technically Tuesday now, but we'll let that slip, right? :)

This week's list:

•  Doable Diapers for explaining that order is indeed important when it comes to stuffing your pocket diapers! A simple article, but one that made me go "Ahhhhh - good to know! And I thought I knew everything about CDing!" (yeah right) 

• Simple Organic for inspiring me to go screen-free for a week later this month (or at least limit screen time, because let's be realistic here :). The article links to some great resources containing dozens of ideas for spending fun, creative family time outdoors (or indoors with the TV off when the weather is less than ideal.) Very helpful to me as I'm a researcher and assimilator; not a creator per se!

• A Mommy's Blessings for managing to invoke in me a desire to bake something pastry-esque. This doesn't happen often, but c'mon: sausage, gravy, eggs and cheese - need I say more? (Note - haven't made it yet but am planning for it to be on the menu for Mother's Day Brunch! Will need to do a test run first, of course!)

• Nicki's Diapers (via guest poster Sarah) for a fascinating article on cloth diapering a preemie. Definitely something you don't hear about day to day! Heck, we didn't even CD our sizely newborn daughter until she was almost 2 weeks old (though next time around, assuming there is a next time, I'd like to start from day 1!)

• Growing Up Gamers for laying out 10 "easy" steps (ha!) for teaching board games to kids. As somewhat of a gamer geek myself with fond childhood memories of family board games night, I'm definitely eager to carry on the tradition with our kids! The GUG family obviously knows a thing or two about gaming with kiddos, judging by the loftiness of their board game stash and the fact that their 5 year old knows how to play Settlers of Catan well enough to write a review on it! These guys rule. :)

• Cloth Diaper Blog for some great "how to" info on combining CDing with working outside the home. Yes, as it turns out, the two can happily coexist! This is encouraging since we'll be in this position when I return to work this Fall. The article also links to a CD-friendly daycare directory (CAN/US) which includes a few listings from my area. A great place to start, as CDing will be one of our stipulations when it comes to finding a childcare provider. On a related note, I also found this article from FuzziBunz on encouraging your daycare provider to cloth diaper your baby. Some excellent tips here!

• Maple Leaf Mommy for her friendly reminder to show some appreciation to those blogs you heart. Possible methods include voting, commenting, following and showing some sponsor love! On this note, you may have seen a couple buttons at the top of the left sidebar on my own blog....???? .....! :D
  

"Indian Inspiration Week" Recipe 3: Pav Bhaji

Rounding out "Indian Inspiration Week" is another favourite I discovered thanks to Bharti Vibhakar at Spice of India: Pav Bhaji!

This is considered a fast food dish and is a popular street food in most metropolitan areas in India, in particular in Mumbai. It's generally prepared in a huge flat pan and served with bread or a bun (the pav).

When Bharti's store was still open in downtown Kitchener, she had a freezer full of her dishes prepared ahead, including pav bhaji. The first time I tried this tasty stuff, I was instantly hooked! I loved the flavour balance, and being a spicy food lover, I was all about the chilis as well. I probably went back to the store 8-10+ times after that to buy more, at which point I thought hey, I should try to make this myself! There are of course many pav bhaji recipes online, but I wanted the Real Deal, so I asked the manager at the store if Bharti would be willing to part with the secret to its g00dness. The answer was a conditional yes - I buy her Spice of India book (which strangely enough doesn't include this dish) and she'd throw in her (hand-written) PB recipe as a bonus. DEAL!

I usually go against the tradition of the dish and serve it with basmati rice, but since the first two recipes I made this week incorporated rice, I served it on whole wheat buns instead!

The recipe below is very similar to Bharti's but with a few adjustments/clarifications. It serves about 4 people.

Ingredients:

• 5 medium potatos
• 5 medium, ripe tomatoes
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 300 grams of frozen peas
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green chilis, finely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala or garam masala
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tbsp butter

  
Steps: 

1) Peel potatoes and boil until soft

2) Cut cauliflower into pieces and boil until soft (in a separate pot)

3) Heat oil on medium-high. Add onions and cook for about 2 minutes.

4) Add potatos and fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly and breaking up the pieces















5) Add all spices, cauliflower and tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture is really dry/thick. 















6) Add peas and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  
7)  Add cilantro, green chilis and butter.

8) Mix and serve with your choice of bun, toasted bread or basmati rice. 

I hope you enjoyed these recipes! I plan to post more moving forward when the "inspiration" strikes! :)

Family-Friendly Giveaway Roundup for Canadians - 04/10

Here is this week's roundup!

04/10: BecoPotty (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Beautiful Calling
Mandatory entry: Product comment
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:135

04/10: Cow Patties Famous Pocket Fitted diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Sophie and Momma
Mandatory entry: GFC follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries: N/A

04/10: GoGreen Champ OS Pocket Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Cloth Diaper Geek
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 3; current entries:724

(NEW) 04/10: Boba Carrier (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Buggie & Jellybean
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; product comment
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0 current entries:176
 
(NEW) 04/11: Dinkledooz pocket diaper from Go Go Natural (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mommy and Me Giveaways
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries: 417

(NEW) 04/11: LSG Cloth Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Little Sprout Growing
Mandatory entry: Answer two questions about cloth diapering
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries: 178+

04/12: 1 FuzziBunz & Rumparooz OR 1 Thirsties Duo & 1 gDiaper from Zukababy (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 4; current entries: 1650

(NEW) 04/12: FuzziBunz (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Reynolds Mom
Mandatory entry: GFC follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries: 796

04/13: $150 Charlie Banana gift certificate (CAN/US)
Hosted by: {Natural} Mommie
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries: N/A

04/13: $50 to My Lil Sweet Pea (CAN/US)
Hosted by: {Natural} Mommie
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries: N/A

04/13: 2 Itti Bitti diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: A Mommy's Blessings
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries: 172

(NEW) 04/13: Blissful Booty AIO diaper OR Pail Liner (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 2; current entries: 570

04/14: Yo-Yoo pocket diaper, wet bag & inserts from Snaps & Snails (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:823

04/14: Yo-Yoo pocket diaper, wet bag & inserts from Snaps & Snails (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:770

04/14: Bambino Mio Swim Nappy + Mio Wipes (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Glimpse Reviews
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:130

04/14: Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted & Duo Wrap (CAN/US)
Hosted by: What Mama Wants
Mandatory entry: Product selectio; GFC follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 12; current entries:1157

(NEW) 04/14: Amber Child's Teething Necklace (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Obsessions of the Trophy Wife
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:57

04/15: Sprout Change Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Lindsay's Family Reviews and Giveaways
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:278

04/15: Guidecraft Spindle toy chest from Hayneedle (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:502

04/15: Itti Bitti diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: West Coast Mama
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries: 159

04/15: Sustainable Babyish night diapering kit (CAN/US)
Hosted by: A Year With Mom and Dad
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:308

(NEW) 04/15: Juppy Baby Walker (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: A Year With Mom and Dad
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:N/A

04/16: SmartBottoms AIO (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Facebook Like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:522

(NEW) 04/16: SmartBottoms AIO (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:463

04/18: 6 Charlie Banana OS diapers from Little Buns (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:1404

(NEW) 04/19: $25 to Suburban Tree Hugger (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries: 561

(NEW) 04/19: AMP pocket diaper + insert (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:640

(NEW) 04/19: $25 to Baby Bellhop (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Glimpse Reviews
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:80

(NEW) 04/21: FuzziBunz OS from Baby Belle Bottoms (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:475

(NEW) 04/21: FuzziBunz OS from Baby Belle Bottoms (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:337

(NEW) 04/21: Incredibellas Pocket Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Diary of a Devil Dog Wife
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:83

(NEW) 04/21: Busy Little Bee fitted diaper from Green Sprout Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Knocked Up & Nursing
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:127

(NEW) 04/22: 2 Comfy Rumps diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Giveaways for Mom
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:23

(NEW) 04/22: 1 Mother-ease Sandy's System (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Marni's Organized Mess
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 31; current entries: 116

(NEW) 04/22: 3 Sprouts Storage Bin from Saplings Sustainable Kids Decor (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:66

(NEW) 04/25: AppleCheeks Mini Test & Softbums Basic Pack from Pure Modern Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 2; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:504
 
(NEW) 04/25: 2 AppleCheeks Mini Test Kits from Pure Modern Baby (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:513

(NEW) 04/26: Happy Heiny, Rumparooz & FuzziBunz from Bitty Bottoms CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama B
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:135

(NEW) 04/26: Happy Heiny, Rumparooz and FuzziBunz from Bitty Bottoms (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Double Duty Mommy
Mandatory entry: Product selection
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:123

(NEW) 04/29: Thirsties Duo Wrap (CAN/US)
Hosted by: A Year With Mom and Dad
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:146

05/01: Crane Humidifier (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Multi-Testing Mommy
Mandatory entry: Facebook like; Twitter follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:94

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Notes:

• Giveaways are listed in chronological order by closing date
  
• Most of the giveaways I'm currently scouting out are for cloth diapers and related products, so there is a heavy lean toward these
• All giveaways I post will be open to Canadians; some exclusively. I'll indicate whether a particular contest is US/CAN, CAN ONLY or WORLDWIDE beside each listing.
• To help you decide which giveaways to enter, I will list the mandatory entry, the number of winners (# winners), the number of daily entries per person (daily entries pp) and the current number of total entries at the time of this writing (current entries).
• Giveaways which have just been added to the list this week have a NEW tag.
• If you know of a great baby product giveaway open to Canadians which is missing from my list, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!