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Baby boy is starting to draw and color more often, and especially shows an interest if he sees his older sister doing so. I want to encourage his creativity and let him color, draw, and even paint, but I often worry about him making a mess. Since he’s only two-years-old, he definitely doesn’t have full control, which is a little nerve-wracking at times.

Thankfully, products like Crayola Color Wonder exist to help parents out with such things. This line of products only works with special paper, so the Color Wonder markers and paint don’t get on your tables, chairs, floor, etc. We’ve been using them since our older daughter was younger and we’re pretty happy with the way they work. The Color Wonder line is especially handy in the car, since our kids can color and draw and we don’t worry about them getting marker on their clothes. The only caution I do have is to be careful with the Color Wonder paint gels – though the color won’t show on anything but the special Color Wonder paper, it can still create a sticky, gel mess if the kids scoop up too much paint gel on their brush (or fingers!).

Through the Walmart Moms program, Crayola sent us complimentary samples of some of the products that you can currently find on sale at Walmart as part of their Rollback savings. Here’s just sample of what you can find on sale in-stores and online through the end of May:

• Crayola Color Wonder Kits (paper pad plus markers) on sale for $6.97, like this Hello Kitty set
• Color Wonder Coloring Pads (just the paper) on sale for $4.97
• Color Wonder tools (paint brushes, markers, and gel paints) on sale for $4.97

*Additionally, you can print this coupon for a FREE Crayola Color Wonder® Refill Book when you buy $10 or more of Crayola Color Wonder® Products! (Redeemable only at Walmart and expires July 31, 2013)*

Another product Crayola sent us as part of the samples was the new Crayola Washable Sidewalk Chalk that feature bright, bold colors and an anti-roll shape. We’re really looking forward to getting outside this weekend to try them out and let baby boy experience the joy of sidewalk chalk for the first time. His big sister is definitely excited to try out so many different colors! You can currently find a 24-count box of this new sidewalk chalk in Walmart stores for only $2.97 – great, isn’t it?!

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Photo © Melanie Edwards/40weeks Plus

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Though two-years-old may seem young for a first bike, we recently decided to get our baby boy his first bike so he can begin to learn to ride along with his big sister. Since May is National Bike Month and Walmart has free shipping on all bikes this month, we took advantage of the opportunity to purchase our baby’s first bike. He doesn’t yet know how to ride his bike, but he sure does look good sitting on it! Plus, it’s cute to see him trying and it will be a great way to get him started early on learning.

Riding bikes is something that’s almost like a rite of passage for kids. Our older daughter is working on learning to ride her bike better and has a goal of riding without training wheels this summer. Since we know we’ll be spending a lot of time outside with her practicing to ride her bike, it seemed fitting to get baby boy his own bike so he can join the fun! Who knows? Maybe he’ll get the hang of pushing the pedals and begin to actually ride a bit. Regardless, at least he has that first bike that he can practice with in the coming year.

Our baby’s first bike is the 12″ Huffy Rock It Boy’s Bike from Walmart, which we chose because it is a good size for him (our boy is tall for his age). It actually still gives him room to grow into it as he gets a little older. The price point of $39.97 is fair too for a first bike that he’ll use to learn to ride. Did I mention that Walmart offers free assembly on most bikes? Our bike was already assembled when we arrived to pick up our Site to Store order, so it was super convenient.

Our baby boy loved his bike when he saw it at the store and especially likes the star on the seat! At only two-years-old, it’s these little things that make him happy. It’s wonderful to see our baby boy so excited about his first bike. When we went to the store to pick it up, he right away said, “Is that my bike?!” and beamed as we walked his bike out to the car. Now at home, he continually points to his bike and announces, “That’s my bike…see?”

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™

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A baby’s bath is easily part of most parents’ bedtime routine for baby. Everyone has their own bath time ritual for baby, bath games they play with baby, and preferred bath time products to help baby quiet down for the night. Using relaxing baby washes and lotions is something I always found useful and even enjoy for my own skin, so naturally we try to make it a part of our baby’s nighttime routine. Let me share more with you about our baby’s bath time ritual, plus some fun information on a Mother’s Day promotion between Walmart and Johnson & Johnson.

Our baby’s bath time usually consists of some fun tub games while enjoying the soothing water and getting clean. We normally have an empty cup in the tub, a few squirt toys, and of course, a boat or rubber ducky. While our baby boy plays in the water, we bathe him using a soft rag and body wash. Because he has eczema, we now use fragrance-free products, like AVEENO® Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash, but when our daughter was a baby we often used Johnson’s baby wash. In fact, she still loves using baby wash and was happy to use the complimentary sample we received for herself, saying she likes it because it smells “super good.” (She’s also enjoying using the Johnson’s baby lotion we received for the same reason!)

A fun game we like to play while the kids are in the tub is to name each body part while washing. This helps our baby boy learn the names and we also take the opportunity to practice learning the same words in Spanish. Of course, we also let him fill and empty the cup several times in order to encourage exploring the properties of water.

To help you celebrate Mother’s Day and care for your baby, Johnson & Johnson is currently offering a free 1-year subscription to Parents or Family Fun magazine. All you have to do is purchase $9 (or more) worth of participating products at Walmart within one shopping trip from now through May 31, 2013 and send in your receipt. Easy, right? You can see more details in the image below.

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Photo © Melanie Edwards/40weeks Plus

*Sponsored giveaway*

“How do you get a baby to sleep?” is probably one of the most asked questions new parents ask. Every baby sleeps differently and every parent creates a baby sleep routine that is different. When it comes to babies and sleep, it’s an important topic. After all, if baby doesn’t sleep well, then parents don’t sleep well – and we all like our sleep!

One of the things that is often an interruption for babies’ sleep at night is a leaky diaper. There’s nothing more annoying than having to wake up in the middle of the night, half-asleep, to change baby’s diaper, wet clothes, and bed sheets. A good diaper is key to helping avoid overnight leaks, though not a guarantee, since accidents do happen even when you try your best. Personally, we’ve always used Pampers diapers, since our oldest daughter was a newborn through today for our two-year-old.

Recently, we’ve been alternating between Pampers Baby Dry diapers and Pampers Cruisers diapers, though the Baby Dry diapers have been in our house the longest. Pampers claims 12-hour protection and overnight dryness for their Baby Dry diapers, which is great and helps avoid those overnight diaper leaks. That means we’re one step closer to ensuring our baby boy sleeps soundly at night!

Pampers Sweet Sleep Time Giveaway ***Giveaway Closed***

Because we want your baby’s sleep to be at its best at night, we’ve partnered with Pampers for a Babies Sweet Sleep Time promotion. To try to help you get your baby to sleep better and encourage a sweet baby sleep routine, we’re giving away a Pampers Sweet Sleep Time gift pack (similar to the one pictured above) full of night time books, a projecting glow animal toy, and of course, Pampers Baby Dry diapers. See giveaway details below and be sure to grab a one-time printable coupon for $1.50 off Baby Dry diapers (through June 30, 2013)!

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this giveaway for a Pampers Baby Dry diaper gift pack, simply leave a comment telling us about your baby’s sleep routine. Do you read a story to baby, give him/her a massage – how do you get your baby to sleep good at night? Tell us all about it!

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following (1 time only): Enter to win a @Pampers gift pack from @modernmami for baby’s sweet sleep time! http://bit.ly/pampersgv #giveaway #PampersBabyDry
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this giveaway. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident. No purchase necessary. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 72 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be provided and fulfilled by giveaway sponsor and modernmami™.com is not responsible for lost or damaged goods.

Disclosure: I received complimentary samples in order to facilitate this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Baby car seats are something all parents have to purchase, but it can be daunting to know which car seat is the best for your child. There are many brands of car seats, many styles, and you also have to keep in mind the size and weight limitations for each. One of the most recognized child car seat brands is Britax, but it’s one I had yet to try with my own children. Through a Walmart Moms campaign, we recently tried out the Britax Roundabout 50 Classic Convertible Car Seat with our two-year-old. Read on to see what we thought!

The Britax Roundabout 50 Classic Convertible Car Seat can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing, so it’s a car seat that will grow with your baby. Infants from 5-35 lbs and toddlers from 20-50 lbs (all up to 49″ tall) are both safe to use this car seat, according to the manufacturer’s description. Other features as stated by the manufacturer include a 5-point harness, side-impact protection, rear- and forward-facing recline, and energy-absorbing foam liner. These are all great features that I know my husband and I looked for when we purchased our current car seats.

After using the Britax Roundabout 50 Classic Convertible Car Seat with our toddler, we think this car seat is a great option for new parents. Since it can be used from the newborn stage right on up to the toddler years and beyond, it really is a cost-effective car seat for only $119 at Walmart. You really won’t have to buy another child seat as your child grows – not due to size and weight restrictions anyhow. Our baby boy is comfortable in this car seat and when he falls asleep, the recline feature really comes in handy to help keep his head from falling forward.

You should definitely seek out all your child car seat options and look over each thoroughly to be sure they have the features you’re looking for and provide your child with safety. As you do, though, check out the Britax Roundabout 50 Classic Convertible Car Seat at Walmart and see what you think for yourself.

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received a sample and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Photo © Melanie Edwards/40weeks Plus

If you talk to many pregnant women, you’re likely to hear concerns about stretch marks, specifically, how to get rid of stretch marks after pregnancy. Pregnancy marks are normal and a sign that your body is growing to accommodate for the growing child in your womb. Though most women are proud of their pregnancy stretch marks, it’s still something moms wish to prevent. But how can you prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?

Check out these 11 tips for preventing stretch marks, including eating healthy, drinking water, taking vitamins, and of course, using creams and ointments to avoid pregnancy marks on your belly.

How to Avoid Stretch Marks: 11 Tips for Preventing Pregnancy Stretch Marks

Infographic created by Natural Healing Oils.

When babies cry or wake up at night, it can be a guessing game to see what’s wrong. Sometimes nothing is really wrong; your baby might just want some comfort. Depending on your baby’s age, your reaction and handling of middle of the night crying and night waking may be different. It’s hard to know if you should rush to them when babies cry or if you should wait a bit to let them self-soothe. That’s why I love hearing the input of other parents. Here, 8 moms share how they handled their babies’ night waking and middle of the night crying.

When Babies Cry or Wake Up at Night: 8 Moms Share How They Handled Night Waking

“It all depended on the type of cry. Once you get to know your baby you know what he/she needs. I was a light sleeper once they were born so I did creep up. If they were just whining and I knew it was mealtime I would go warm up the bottle and come back. If they were really screaming, of course I would comfort them. On the weekends hubby and I alternated.” ~ Eileen Carter-Campos, mommyteaches.com

“We always went to her because she was a champ sleeper unless she was hungry and rarely woke up otherwise. Mostly it was my husband who cared for her at night. He had a long commute and was gone long hours during the day. He said the night time feeding gave him extra time with her so he liked to do it.” ~ Nancy Nally, scrapbookupdate.com

“I practiced co-sleeping and breastfed the babies when they woke up.” ~ Cynthia Koerner, birthingwithheart.com

“I woke up with him to nurse him and just checked email, social media sites, etc. while doing the late night feeding. The hubster and I never alternated shifts because he goes to work early. Sometimes, I would be so tired I would just fall asleep in the kid’s room.” ~ Pattie Cordova, LivingMiVidaLoca.com

“Still going on. Hubby gets up, gets the ‘baby’ (she’s 2), and brings her to me. We nurse and co-sleep for the rest of the night.” ~ Claudya Martinez, unknownmami.com

“We give it a few minutes to see if they fall back asleep on their own. But not too long that it turns into a screaming cry because then the other one wakes up. When they were infants we rushed to get them. My husband usually got up and brought the baby to me to nurse.” ~ Lexie, laprimerablog.com

“For the first six weeks, my eldest woke up every night from 11 to 3 or 4 in the morning. Hubby would get up with her from 11 to 1, then I stayed up with her from 1 am until she fell asleep around 3 or 4 in the morning.” ~ Leslie, lacocinadeleslie.com

“I had a cradle next to my bed with my daughter and would just reach my hand in to comfort her, or I would pull her into bed with me to nurse her, then put her back in her cradle when she fell asleep. My son had GERD really bad, so he slept in bed with us and slept with his head up on my chest or shoulder. He only woke up occasionally to nurse, then went right back to sleep. When they were older, but still in the crib, yes, I’d get up and walk over and comfort them back to sleep. They have great sleep habits now and I think comforting them when they were babies is the reason.” ~ Monica Olivera Hazelton, mommymaestra.com

Even though we just celebrated Easter this past weekend, if you’re thinking ahead for next year’s Easter and wondering how you can celebrate Easter with your baby or toddler, then check out these ideas! From Easter crafts and Latino traditions for celebrating Easter, to baby-friendly Easter recipes and bilingual Easter books for babies and toddlers, you’ll find a variety of ideas that are great for celebrating Easter with babies or toddlers!

Celebrating Easter with Babies and Toddlers: Baby-Friendly Easter Crafts, Recipes, Books and Traditions Perfect for Your Next Easter Holiday!

• Baby’s First Easter Basket: Even as an infant, my baby boy received an Easter basket. Check out what I put in his first Easter basket and get some ideas for making your own!
• Easter activities and printables: As your baby grows into a toddler, you can let him or her doodle and color along with these free Easter printables and activities. This is especially great if your baby has older siblings, as they can all have fun together!
• 3 Disney-Inspired Easter Crafts & Activities for Babies and Toddlers: Even though babies and toddlers may not be able to do a lot of Easter crafts, these Disney-inspired Easter activities are perfect for their little hands.
• Latino Traditions for Celebrating Easter with Babies and Toddlers: These Easter traditions typically celebrated throughout Latin America are great for babies and toddlers!
• 7 Baby-Friendly Latin-Inspired Easter Appetizer Recipes: You’re going to love these delicious Easter appetizer recipes that are not only baby-friendly, but have a Latin flair too!
• 7 Spanish & Bilingual Easter-Themed Books for Babies & Toddlers: Check out this list of Spanish-language and bilingual Easter books to read with babies and toddlers!

There’s so much to talk about when you think of babies and toddlers – from purchasing baby products and picking out a baby name, to wondering when your baby will take his first steps and enjoying some of your toddler’s phrases – there’s so much to share as parents! I explored some of these topics recently and shared my own personal experiences; check out a few of the recent stories I shared on Disney Baby and feel free to leave a comment over there too!

• 11 Popular Toddler Phrases: I shared some of the more popular toddler phrases, which my two-year-old is currently saying!
• “I Want It!”: It seems like baby boy “wants” a lot these days, but this particular toddler phrase means a couple of things for our sweet son.
• My Son’s Favorite Nursery Rhymes: Nursery rhymes are some of the most loved early stories parents read to their babies. I shared some of my toddler’s favorite nursery rhymes that he currently loves hearing!
• Why Blankets Are A Parent’s Best Friend: When preparing for your baby, you may not know all of the baby products you’ll need, but check out why I think that blankets are a new parent’s best friend.
• You Never Know What Baby Products You’ll Need: You may research baby products and prepare for your baby’s arrival, but I’ve found that sometimes you just don’t know what baby products you’ll really need.
• Real Moms Share: When Did Baby Take First Steps?: I asked a few moms and they shared with me when their babies took their first steps and started walking!
• Real Moms Share: When Did Baby Start Sleeping Through the Night?: Sleeping through the night is a popular subject when talking about babies – a few mom friends of mine shared when their baby first started sleeping through the night. Check out what they had to say!
• 15 Spanish Baby Names Inspired by La Primavera (Spring): If you’re looking for baby name inspiration, consider these Spanish baby names inspired by Spring (la primavera)!

Babies sure do some funny things, don’t they? There are plenty of times you find yourself laughing at the pure comedy that babies can be. Luckily for parents, we’re now able to capture those funny baby moments on video to remember and laugh about at a much later date. Perhaps our children will not share the humor with us when they’re older, but we’ll have those ever-lasting memories preserved.

Of course, these days, many parents also share the humor with the world and happily share their funny baby moments for all to see. Lucky us! I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the most hilarious babies on the web in an effort to get you laughing. Have fun watching these funny baby videos!

5 of the Funniest Baby Videos on the Web to Get You Laughing

Paper Ripping Hilarity

Best Baby Laugh Ever!

No, Mommy, Don’t Blow Your Nose!

20 Questions, Baby Style

Daddy’s Socks