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Check It Out! Reviews

We Play with i play!



I love when cuteness meets function.  That is why I was thrilled when I received these perfect for the splash pad products from Urban Bubbles.  These products were made by i play. They make a variety of swimming products.  Our Summer Chums Calendar is full of activities and almost all of them include some water play.  


Today we went to the Toronto Zoo and decided that we would skip the animals and sit by the water for a few hours.  Splash pad play requires that the kids have bathing suits that are breathable and dry quickly.  Hats that provide good sun protection, possess the cuteness factor and stay put are also a must.




Bathing Suit Envy

The bathing suits we were given were a perfect match for our saturated lifestyle.  Not only are they super cute with prints that any adult female would wear but they have function as well.  I was given the Ultimate Swim Diaper Bow Tanksuit to try out.  Well my 22 month old tried it out.  I just watched with envy.  The swimsuit has a big name for a reason.  Just check out some of it's awesome features:








- has a built in swim diaper (the diaper itself is super obsorbent and did not bulk up during hours of fun at the splash pad)

-dries very quickly, so when my daughter took a break from the water she wasn't cold and wet (not cool)
-UPF 50+ (need I say more?)


i play with Summer Hats

Don't get me started on the hats!  I love that my daughter can spend hours in the water and still have a hat that stays off her face but covers it completely.  No red cheeks today.  The boys' hat had a cute print with little sharks on it.  It was reversible like the girl's hat.  I loved the slit that the string could fit through when you want to use the other side.  (See photo blow.)  The strings stayed put when you tied them and the hat dried very quickly.  


The Cheer(ful) bit:
-the swimsuits and hat dried quickly 
-the built in diaper did not get bulky and sag
-beautiful prints
-reversible hats 
-hats that provided great coverage and stayed on all day
-fabric that provided excellent sun protection

The Tear(ful) bit:
-I would have liked snaps to attach the built in diaper to the suit (that gives you options if you are potty training)
-not all the hats have reversible prints and slits to pull the strings through

i play makes great swimwear that any Summer Chum and her chummies would love










Thanks for Checking It Out with Myrtle's Turtles.  May all you purchases be cheerful!










WE GO WEE FOR WEE ONES!

Eco Mommy


I finally grew an eco-mommy brain.  This terms stands for both being environemtally conscious and economically concisous.  So I don't mind admiting that it was only after doing the math that I realized I could spend 75% less on diapers if I switched from disposable to cloth.


Images of poppy pails and stinky laundry rooms clouded my mind as I imgagined my new life as an eco-mommy.  Those who know me, know that I abhore germs and even worse I hate having to touch them.   All my frommies (mommy friends) encouraged me - to forget about it.  Their faces showed their displeasure with the tree hugging path I was on.  I pressed on nonetheless.


Diaper Genie (As in Genius)


So here I am 1 month and 10 days into using cloth diapers.  Naturally, I now consider myself an expert.    I decided to use the cloth diapers on my 2.5 year old (at night), my potty-training 22 month old (also during sleeps) and my 40 day old newborn.  It doesn't take a genius to do the math!  I spent an average of $60.00 on diapers per month for 2 children.   That is 1500.00 dollars for 2 years worth of diapers.   It doesn't take a genius to realize that cloth is the way to go.


Choosing a Cloth Diaper Company


Remember the whole purpose behind switching to cloth was to save money.  I compared prices amongst cloth diaper companies and discovered Wee Ones.  I went to her home office and was introduced to the world of cloth diapers.  I was proud that I was supporting another SAHM with this purchase.  I also like the idea of using a local company.  Here is the info that she passed on:


1. You don't have to use the wet pail method.  You can get "wet bags"  that store the diapers for up to 2 days.  You should buy two of these so you have an extra while the other is being washed.


2. If you do laundry every day you don't have to buy as many diapers.


3.  You will use 1/4 of the soap you would normally use to wash your diapers.  (I learned this the hard way.  If you use too much soap in your wash, the soap gets trapped between the layers of fabric and gives out a horrid smell.)


4.  You should air dry the covers to prolong their life.


The Cheer(ful) Bit:


1. The diapers come in a multitude of colours and designs.  You can buy one size and organic diapers but they are more expensive.


2. The diapers are easy to clean.


3. The diapers have enough snaps to adjust to a baby's or toddlers changing waist line.


3.  The price is made lower by ordering some of the diapers from the Wee Ones' online outlet store.  I was able to buy 8 small diapers, 12 medium diapers, 8 large diapers, 18 covers, and 2 wet bags for about $400.00 dollars! This purchase will take me from infancy to potty training.  That could save me almost $1100.00 over 2 years for 2 children!


The Tear(ful) Bit:
1.  When you are using the cloth diapers on an older baby or toddler you do have to deal with  a little bit more of a mess.  The poop should be placed in the toilet and the cloth inserts rinsed.


2. If you plan on ordering the amount of diapers I orderd you will need to be committed to doing laundry every day.  This isn't a problem for me because I do live with 7 other people.  We are ALWAYS doing laundry.


3.  The diapers need to be washed in hot water and will need an extra rinse.  It isn't a bad idea to put them through a rinse after they have been washed.  The extra rinse is need to make sure all the soap residue is out of your diapers.


Thanks for Checking It Out with Myrtle's Turtles.  May all you purchases be cheerful!



















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