My daughter is very active, so I generally dress her (actually, she dresses herself) in comfortable clothes that she can move around freely in.  I’m planning on getting her involved in some activities, something like gymnastics or soccer in the coming months.  Something where she can burn off some of that crazy amount of energy she has.

With this in mind, when I was contacted about a company out of Vancouver, B.C. called LiLiKiKs, a company specializing in sportswear for active girls, I was immediately interested in learning more.  They sent us the Courtney Tank and Borealis Capri for review.  The outfit arrived before our first two trips this summer, so it was a no-brainer for me that Hailey would wear the outfit on our four flights, two of which were five hours long.  I needed something comfortable and durable.

The tank and capri’s have become a favorite of hers (and mine).  The tank is made of Shea fabric and has UVF 50 protection (which makes me happy) and the capri’s are made with KiK Dri fabric (which makes her comfortable and happy).  LiLiKiKs line of active wear for girls and tweens range in size 6 to 14 (XS to XL).  I like it that you can shop by sport on their website.  Makes narrowing down your choices much easier.

As soon as a decision is made as to which sport(s) we’ll try first, I know I can confidently shop at LiLiKiKs for quality and comfort.

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So many people comment on my 10 month old’s stunning blue eyes, so, I feel the need to protect those baby blues while we’re spending our days outdoors, underneath the hot, glaring sun.

I know how bad that beautiful sun can be for our skin and eyes, so it’s my job to make sure my kids have reliable eye protection.  Said 10 month old is going to rock the above Pink Camo Baby Banz (sent to us from Baby Banz), at the beach next week.  With 100% UV protective lenses, I can feel at ease about her gorgeous baby blues.

Speaking of her gorgeous eyes, just last week I had her vision checked under the FREE InfantSEE program.

It was easy enough to do.  I just went to the InfantSEE website and used their Dr. Locator search to find an InfantSEE provider in my area.  I made a phone call to one of the AOA members and made the appointment.

A series of vision tests were performed on the baby and she only fussed a little when the optometrist was trying to get a really good look into her pupils (all he did was try to hold her eyelids open so he could look in, nothing terribly traumatizing).  It was easy as pie and now, I have peace of mind.  Second best part was – we walked out of the office without paying a dime.

If you happen to live in the Chicago suburbs – I highly recommend Scott Eye Care in Oswego, IL.  Dr. Ronald Weingart was simply amazing with the baby.

Another reason I bring up the InfantSEE program is because Baby Banz is a member of the InfantSEE Family Tree.

Baby Banz was founded in 2001 in Australia and debuted in America in 2002.  Since their beginning, Baby Banz has added just under a dozen styles of different baby sunglasses to their collection, as well as, UV clothing and accessories.  Their kid-size wrap-around sunglasses have 100% UV protective lenses and retail around US $20.

We’re kicking off summer with a Baby Banz giveaway.  Winner gets a pair of Baby Banz sunglasses of their choice.  This giveaway is open to continental US residents only.

To enter:

1. Leave your entry comment on this post with your favorite style of Baby and Kidz Banz.  Choose from: Adventure BanZ (ages 0-5), Ultimate BanZ (ages 0-5), JBanZ (ages 4-10), Retro Banz (ages 0-5)

2. Want a second entry?  FINE.  Head over to Baby Banz Facebook fan page and “Like it”.  Come back, leave another comment and let us know.

3. Really want to win?  You can leave another entry comment on this post if you Tweet about this giveaway.

Just come back here and leave a comment with the link to your Tweet and your Twitter “handle”.  I’ll make this part easy, you can copy and paste the following text for your Tweet (it just fits, I checked):

Do you know how cool @babybanz 100% UV protective sunglasses are? Just ask @ParentSphere – they’re giving a pair away http://bit.ly/chnsVj

(Whatever you end up Tweeting, just make sure you mention @babybanz and @ParentSphere in your Tweet!)

You have until midnight PST on Monday, May 24, 2010 to enter.  Winner will be chosen using Random.org’s number generator and will be emailed and publicly announced on Tuesday.

Please check out these fantastic sun-safety tips on your way out.  Good luck!

***ParentSphere readers can also take advantage of 10% off all orders from the US Baby Banz site now through June 30, 2010.  Enter code:  PSPHERE

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When my 3 yr. old lays eyes on this Bambi dress, she’s going to wig out.  She adores Bambi.

A Tante Tinus creation available at Zazou.eu for $34.95.

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I recently learned about FairIndigo.com and if you read their About page, well, it doesn’t get any more transparent than that.  This company stands behind its values.  They are a Fair Trade company, paying workers what they’re worth and manufacturing and selling quality recycled and organic products.

A brand new product on the Fair Indigo roster are the Joobles.  The Joobles are soft, knitted stuffed animals that would make a perfect baby gift.  They are manufactured using eco-friendly dyes and organic yarns.

There is a handful of these adorable stuffed animals to choose from, as well as matching sweater, hat and mitten sets.  An excellent gift for the baby.

There are other gift options at FairIndigo.com besides gifts for the baby.  They have apparel and accessories for him and her, as well.  I believe they offer $5 shipping to boot.  Happy shopping!

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Our winner has been notified via email

The Children’s Place is a store that I think of when I want bright, colorful clothing for my little girl.  I have never been disappointed with the quality and I have owned many different outfits and outerwear from their collection.  Most recently, a certain 3 year old that I know received a couple of outfits from The Children’s Place for her birthday; like the yoga babydoll top, yoga pants, the shine heart hoodie and these fleece pants.  And, since potty training is in order at our house, she can’t always wear one-piece footie jammies.   So, these adorable monkey pj’s work perfectly.

I could drop a ton of links back to The Children’s Place right now because there are so many cute things to choose from but I’d rather give you the chance to head to a store near you or click over to their online store and do some shopping withe the two $30 gift cards we have up for grabs.

To enter: leave a comment on this giveaway post (comment section is located below the post, under “Category” and “Tags”.  In your entry comment, let us know if you win these two gift cards, valued at $30 each, if you will spend them on your own kiddo or if you will give one or both of them as a gifts.

A winner will be chosen at random and emailed the day after the giveaway closes.  Last day to enter is Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at midnight PST. Be sure to check your SPAM folder so you don’t miss the email notification.  This post will also be updated with the winner’s name and blog/website (if provided).

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*Take me back to the Holiday Giveaway Guide so I can enter more giveaways!
*Hosting a giveaway or posting a gift guide at your site?  Make sure you link to it on Mr. Linky HERE
*Do you “Twitter“?  We’d just adore you if you would “Tweet” about this giveaway!

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Sometimes I feel it’s necessary to wear apparel on my toddler that will help people understand the things that she has a hard time communicating.

Punky Mae has all kinds of tees that will help the expressionally challenged kids.

Like, maybe they think Preschool is Cool or that Kindergarten Rocks.

Help them express what is really on their minds.  Check out Punky Mae for more where these came from.

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Lands’ End rocks our world with all of their quality apparel. Lately, we’ve been eying up their swimwear. What’s so great about it? Well, when you have a toddler that you want to protect from those damaging UV rays, you pay more attention to valuable facts like Lands’ End swimwear provides 50 UPF protection. That’s MAJOR protection for that delicate little skin.

There are many different swimwear selections for boys and girls and for the adults too. Mix and match. Pick up a beach towel or tote and some beach gear.

We’re giving away a Lands’ End GIRL’S swimwear package. Here’s the scoop:

One lucky ParentSphere reader will win:

Side-tie Tankini
• Double crisscross straps stay up on her shoulders
• Ties at the side allow slight fit adjustments
• Sun sensible with 50 UPF protection
• Quick-drying convenience
• Front lined for added coverage
• MSRP: $32.50

Short Sleeve Side-tie Rash Guard
• Partial-zip front eliminates overhead struggles
• Ties at the side allow slight fit adjustments
• Can be worn alone with swim bottoms or over her suit
• Sun sensible with 50 UPF protection
• Quick-drying convenience
• Front lined for added coverage
• MSRP: $26.50

Kids’ Beach Towel
• Generous 32″Wx64″L; plenty of space for kids to wrap up or bask in the sun
• 100% cotton, plush and absorbent
• Provides cushioning from the pool deck or sand
• MSRP: $17.50

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post (comment section is located just under the post title above, after you click the comment link, scroll back down to the end of the post) Your comment will be counted as one entry. One entry per person and this contest is open to residents within the continental U.S. Contest ends on Thursday, June 26th. Winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email.

*MumsTheWurd! is giving away a Lands’ End BOY’S swimwear package. Go ENTER.

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We know cool, online apparel stores when we find them and Sandbox Threads fits that description mighty nicely.

Sandbox Threads is a place where you can find unique t-shirts and onesies for the little ones, just take a look at their selection of Famous Faces and Vintage Toys and Ads selections.

Of course I had to get my hands all over that Clash design on a pink and brown Raglan tee for my toddler (pictured above). It’s pretty cool (I think) when your two and a half year old can tell you “That’s The Clash” when you ask her who is on her shirt. Same goes for our little buddies, Noel and Lennon. Our friends at Sandbox created these special, one-of-a-kind tees for these two little guys (to your left). Talk about customer service!

Sandbox Threads just celebrated their one year birthday and we’re here to wish them many more! The more they celebrate, the more great quality tees we have to drool over. They are also one of the few online stores who still offer lower prices on their apparel. Owner/SAHD, Andy, blogs at Sandbox’s “The Thread” blog and says this:

“We still believe we are offering a better quality product at some of the lowest prices around. Most of our competitors charge four, five, and sometimes ten dollars more than Sandbox Threads. We could probably charge that much also, but we just don’t want to do it. I started Sandbox Threads to offer an alternative, and we plan to continue to do just that.”

Sounds good to us! This post is going up a little late but if you hurry, you can still help celebrate their birthday by getting a discount on your purchase before the end of the month. Until 3/31/08, enter code “bday15″ at checkout for 15% off your order.

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Tee shirts? We don’t need no stinkin’ tee shirts! Actually, tees are something that just about everyone needs. We here at Dapper Dads recommend the surf-inspired shirts from The Ryde. With tons of great designs, these comfy and great fitting tees are just what you need and are also available in womens and baby sizes as well.

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Here is my lovely daughter, Hailey, proudly wearing her “Drama Queen” tee from the hip online boutique, Baby Rock Apparel. I’m going to go ahead and make the assumption that they had Hailey in mind when they designed this tee. She has “drama” written all over her face!

Baby Rock Apparel carries a variety of little onesies and toddler tees, all the way up to size 8T (on select designs)! That’s quite a range to keep your kiddos looking totally rock into their school-age days.

Here is Noel in his “Honor They Mother” tee (click image to enlarge). I kid you not, this is the SOFTEST, stretchiest toddler tee I have ever gotten my hands on. It is a semi-sheer fabric and has a true vintage worn-in feel.

They’ll also throw in this cool tin lunch box with a gift note for an extra $10 bucks per order and gift wrapping as well. Anyone who is willing to add a note and wrap my gifts for me is tops in my book.

Aside from rad onesies and tees, Baby Rock Apparel also carries footwear, tunes, caps/beanies and gift sets.

Kim and the fine folks at Baby Rock Apparel, Inc. donate a portion of their profits to The Pediatric Cancer Foundation, a charity that is near and dear to their hearts.

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