Baby Chunky Cheeks Blanket Giveaway!

Welcome to my very first blog giveaway post!   A huge thanks to Jenna for helping me out with this.  Jenna and her Mom recently started an Etsy shop called Baby Chunky Cheeks and they've already got a lot of adorable baby items up for sale.  In addition to the receiving blankets featured in this contest, they also sell nursing necklaces, overalls, and diaper covers/bloomers.  Jenna has agreed to give away a cozy blanket to one lucky blog reader just in time for winter!  The winner of the contest will have the choice of one of the blankets posted on my blog.  Of course, if you love them and must have one, please support a small business and stock up on your Christmas gifts early.  I already reserved my Cookie Monster blanket for Connor...I can't wait to see his reaction to his new cozy, winter blanket. Om nom nom!

First, more about the blankets!

They are thick, double-sided, reversible blankets made of warm flannelet.  They are nice and roomy measuring at approximately 40" x 40" so they will grow with your child.  They are wonderful for swaddling newborns, perfect as carseat blankets on cool days, and great for keeping the sun out of babies' eyes on sunny days.  They even work great as a nursing cover. You might just end up cuddling up with one of these yourself!  

Now, let's get to the details of the big giveaway!  There are three ways to enter the contest.  I will be numbering entries and using a random online selector to pick the winner of the giveaway.

 You can receive up to three entries:
1. Comment on this post and tell us what your favourite receiving blanket is on the Etsy site.  Each blanket has a design name and you can click on the images for a larger view.
2. "Like" Baby Chunky Cheeks on Facebook and "like" or comment on Jenna's post about the Giveaway.
3. Follow my blog so you don't miss out on any future giveaways!  Please mention this in the comments since I don't know everyone's nicknames.

The contest will be open for one week and I expect anyone that has a baby or knows someone with a baby to enter especially my friends, family, acquaintances and people I don't even know.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 10th.  We'll make arrangements to get the blanket to you at that time.  Good luck and have fun!

Favourite Baby Things - Part Three

The following baby (and toddler) things are items that I bought but haven't had a chance to use yet.  A couple of them just arrived in the mail recently and others aren't needed yet for various reasons as you soon will find out.  However, they all look like excellent products and I look forward to trying them out.

Dapper Snappers

I am constantly pulling up Connor's pants and have been looking for solutions to this problem.  I am hoping that Dapper Snappers will be the answer to this problem for us.  They are woven through the loops of pants and then snap together to cinch the waistband.  I have yet to try them out but it sounds like a promising concept and I've heard good reviews about them.  I bought a set from Babysteals.com as they are fairly pricey otherwise.  These are the Dapper Snappers that I received in the mail this week.  I put one of them through the back of Aleena's jeans to show how they are attached.  

Ally Zabba Blankets

I have been trying to find a special blanket that Connor will get attached to.  I have yet to succeed and it's resulted in buying way too many blankets!  The Ally Zabba blankets were featured on Babysteals.com a few weeks ago and a lot of people were raving about how much their kids loved them.  I haven't actually taken the blankets out of the lovely organza pouches them came in.  I plan on using them as stocking stuffers so I want to keep them in the bags for now.  I took a picture of what they look like when they arrive in the mail.  The picture of the actual blankets is from the Ally Zabba website but they are identical to the colours/style that I purchased.  One side is made of silk and the other side is soft and plush.  Apparently babies are supposed to like the silky texture so we shall see!  These blankets cost about $35 each including the shipping cost.

 

Little Soles Shoes

I bought a couple pairs of Little Soles shoes when I saw them on Babysteals and I haven't been disappointed.  The ones I got also happen to be squeaky shoes although the squeaky parts are easily removable.  We took Connor's out because the squeaking made him really upset for some reason.  Here is a picture of one of the pairs I bought.  These will be for Aleena at about a year old.  They are cute, trendy and the soles are perfect for new walkers as they are flexible but sturdy enough to wear outdoors.  The quality of the material is excellent compared to many other kids' shoes that I've seen.  Ordering them through Babysteals cost about $21 per pair including the shipping cost.

  

KidSwitch

I ordered these after a lot of consideration. In some ways, I like the fact that my two year old can't reach the lights.  On the other hand, I anticipate that I'll appreciate my future 2-5 year olds being able to turn the light on for bathroom trips.  I am guessing a lot of people leave the bathroom light on for toddlers so this will save us some energy and empower our little guy.  I don't plan on installing these immediately but we will likely begin using them when Connor is ready to go to the washroom by himself.  We may also put one in his bedroom because I often leave his light on so he can go in and out during the day.  This way, he can turn it on when he decides to go in his bedroom and the light will stay off otherwise.

Gimme Clips

Yes, I know my baby girl doesn't have any hair yet but a mommy can dream!  We are set for a while after I bought these adorable Gimme Clips.  With shipping included, each clip or set of barettes turned out to be $2/each.  I would spend that much anywhere else for clips and these are much better quality.  I was very impressed with the detail that went into each clip and the unique accents like the buttons in the photo below.

Future Gimme Clip Wearer Testimonial

"I don't have any hair yet but I know I am gonna look real cute in Gimme Clips!" - Aleena

Favourite Baby Things - Part Deux

Here are a few more of my favourite baby products.  

Born to Love Hats

• When I saw these adorable hats, I had to have them!  All I could think of was how cute my kiddos would look in a photo shoot with matching (sort of) hats.  Connor isn't a huge hat fan but he sometimes decides it's fun to wear.  I just haven't managed to get a picture of him with his hat on yet but he does like it which is impressive because it's hard to get him to wear hats.

 Katelyn & Co

• This company makes really cute apparel for girls including these headbands.  They also offer a wide variety of other baby products and the quality is amazing.  Their pettiskirts were also featured on BabySteals and KidSteals earlier this year.  I nabbed one for Aleena's first birthday party.  Yes, I am planning in advance!

Baby Banz

• The next product has been likely the least useful for us so far.  I had great intentions in buying these sunglasses for my toddler but I wasn't able to convince him to actually wear them.  I am holding onto some hope that he'll wear them next summer and they won't be a total waste of money.  Of course, I am more than willing to put my little girl in blue so they might be hers instead.  Baby Banz also makes many other products including swim wear.  I bought the little outfit beflow for Aleena.  She hasn't tested it out yet but we're starting swimming lessons for her in November so her little outfit is ready to go.  It should fit her into next summer and I love the fact that it covers her up well so the nasty UV rays don't burn her sensitive baby skin.   I am also not really a fan of skimpy swimwear for baby girls so this was perfect.

 Single Stone Studios

• I am taking a little break from Daily Deal website products now.   When I was trying to figure out how to create a gender neutral nursery, I came across some beautiful wall murals that I loved and still love.  Single Stone Studios has lots of beautifully designed wall murals that can be applied easily.  Okay, it wasn't really easy to apply but it wasn't that hard either.  Of course, I was just an observer of the application process so it looked easy from my vantage point.  Here's the tree that I fell in love with.  Grandma Kelly made us some pink birds to add to the tree.  They also make wall murals for any wall..not just nurseries.  I'll post a picture of one of my favourite non-nursery murals below as well.

 

The Ergo Baby Carrier

• I had a very difficult time finding a baby carrier that I liked.  I bought a Snugli at a garage sale a couple years ago before I knew much about baby carriers.  Connor hated it and it has been sitting in the back of the closet since.  Then, I tried the Baby Trekker which worked well but was rather cumbersome to haul around and I never really got proficient at putting it on/taking it off quickly.  After I had Aleena, I tried a wrap type carrier called the Blue Celery.   She seemed to love it but I found it restrained my arms.  They felt like they were pinned to my side. It also didn't feel structured enough for me as it was simply some stretchy material that needs to be arranged in a certain way and I was never sure if I had it on right.  It felt like my baby could fall out at any time so I returned it and bought myself an Ergo carrier.  I am finally happy with a baby carrier.  It is comfortable for myself and my baby girl.  She often falls asleep in it and I appreciate how easy it is to put on.  I don't have to be a pro at the art of material folding to get it on just right.  I can just do up the belt at my waist, put my arms through the straps and clip it at the back.  Easy, convenient and comfortable.  This is why I love my Ergo.  The Ergo baby carriers are quite expensive and I paid full price.  I wish I would have known they were a regular product on BabySteals and I would have waited to get one half price.   They also have fun patterns and designs compared to the plain ones sold at our local baby store.  

The Blue Celery Wrap (She sure looks like she loves it.  In all fairness, my baby loved it but I found it was a bit restrictive for my upper arms and just not quite as secure as I would have liked.)

My Ergo Carrier (except I don't have the pretty pattern on my baby cover..mine is tan coloured)

There are many, many more products to be shared but that's all I've got for tonight. 

These are a Few of My Favourite (Baby) Things

Based on the feedback I received on my Daily Deal websites post, I now know that I am not alone with my addiction.  It should be noted that I am currently going through a self-imposed rehab program to address this problem.  Apparently the credit card has suffered some irreversible damage and isn't ready to forgive me yet.  Until we reconcile our differences, I am going to avoid making any more impulsive purchases.  However, a really, really useful product could convince me otherwise but I am currently practicing a great deal of restraint.  At the very least, I have admitted my problem and I believe that's the first and most important step.  Okay, I really don't know much about rehab except that it's hard and it isn't working for Lindsay Lohan.  I also know that every movie I've seen about it starts with the addicted individual stating their name and confessing their problem.  I believe I've already done that so we can continue on now.

Since I am on a temporary hiatus from deal websites, I would like to cherish the things I have and share how wonderful they are with others.  I also plan on being honest if I didn't particularly like a product because not everything is rainbows and sunshine after all.  I am tired and it is late so there will be more to come in future blog posts..perhaps tomorrow if a certain little gaffer actually naps.

So, without further ado, here are some of my favourite baby things:

BabyLegs 

• These are super cute leggings for babies and toddlers.  The company also makes tights and socks in addition to the BabyLegs that they are known for.  I have to admit that looking at their website was a lot of fun..they have some adorable Halloween and Christmas apparel that I didn't know existed.  
  

BabyLegs Tights

BabyLegs Leg Warmers

BabyLegs Socks

Taylor Joelle Ties

• When I wanted something cute for Connor to wear to a wedding this summer, I discovered Taylor Joelle ties on BabySteals.com.   The Taylor Joelle company has a wide variety of baby products but their ties are my favourite.  FYI, they also have a "Weekly Hot Buy" on their website that I don't think a lot of people know about.

 Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bags

•  Even though I already had a diaper bag (or two), I really wanted a new one after I had my little girl.  For one, my Graco diaper bag had seen better days.  The strap had ripped off and the snap on the side of the bag somehow didn't snap anymore.  We still use it for swimming trips though and it is holding up well enough for occasional use.  My other diaper bag was the Nestle freebie so that one doesn't really count.  I "stole" the Petunia Pickle Bottom bag from BabySteals shortly after I had Aleena and I absolutely love it.  It is well-made, functional, roomy, and, most importantly, pretty.  I use it daily and it holds everything a mommy of two needs for a day trip.  I doubt I would have bought this diaper bag at regular price but it was very reasonable at half price.  Here's the gorgeous bag that I have.

Candied Ginger Shoulder Bag

Lollitops

So far, I've listed items that really have been useful.  I don't feel so bad!  I guess it's time to come clean and mention something that was totally frivolous but ridiculously cute.  My baby girl is going to look so sweet in these hats.

That's all I have the energy for tonight.  As I got going, I realized that I could probably do a post a week on this because the number of amazing baby things out there is almost endless.  That doesn't mean the amount of baby items I have is endless.  There is an end to it.  Really!  I just have yet to find it.

I will make an effort to write at least one post a week about some of my favourite things...mostly baby and toddler related since that's where my experience currently lies.  Perhaps sharing with others will be therapeutic for this recovering addict.

Aleena's Big Race - Video Evidence!

I would edit this video for length but it was shot in HD and it would take me a very long time to figure out the program required for such a fancy format.  It's a bit shaky...not sure what Jeremy was doing...my guess is laughing.  I wasn't abandoning my baby during the race in case you are wondering why I am often out of the picture. I was trying to keep Connor happy behind me.  Just multi-tasking like us mommies of two are required to do.  I think it's safe to say that the concept of baby crawl races is kind of silly but it was entertaining.

Here's our post race photo.  Mommy loves her little girl very much!

Aleena's Race Report

After a good night's sleep, Aleena was excited for her first race. She knew the odds were stacked against her since she had yet to actually crawl. However, she had done plenty of visualization and hoped it would carry her through the big race. Since she was one of the younger participants in the event, her heat started off the Baby Crawl event at 1 pm this afternoon. Prior to the race, Aleena decided to go watch her brother swim as a form of pre-race relaxation. It seemed to work as she had another little cat nap before the big race.

After the trip to the swimming pool, we went to the Northgate Mall and checked in at the race registration desk. Aleena received her lane assignment: Lane 5 out of 8. Naturally, we assumed this lane assignment meant she was one of the top seeds in the heat. She gave us a big smile to show her approval.



We had a few minutes before the race so we rushed off to get her older brother some lunch to keep him occupied during the big race. We were a bit rushed taking our place at the race position but it didn't seem to affect her mood. The announcers were local TV and radio personalities: Greg Morgan and Twyla West. They introduced the racers in each lane. We took our position in Lane 5 and waited for the official race start.

We were reminded of the rules:
- No touching the baby during the race.
- You may use lures to encourage the baby but nothing can be placed on the mats.
- Babies were allowed to cross into other lanes.
- Babies were not allowed to stand or walk as this would result in disqualification.

We reminded Aleena of these rules, particularly that she was absolutely not allowed to stand or walk. She looked at us with what seemed to be a deep level of understanding.

It wasn't long before the babies took their place on the starting line.

"On your mark...get set...go!"

Aleena pushed up on the mat and stared ahead with a look of determination......for 5 minutes. That's right. She managed to push up and look forward quite happily for the 5 minute duration of the race. She was in good company. Only one of the eight babies in the race actually crawled across the mat. The most action that happened in her lane was when the winning baby decided to crawl into it and rest for a moment before scooting to the end of the mat.

The first and second place babies were to continue onto the next heat. Since no other babies actually moved, Aleena was in good shape. Her long arm reach was almost enough to push her through to the next heat. One judge was giving it to her but they were over ruled by the announcer. Jeremy felt this was rather unfair and that Aleena should have advanced based on her ending position. The baby that was awarded second place had more forward progress but crawled backward before the race ended. Either way, we are very proud of our baby girl for her efforts. She stayed awake, didn't cry and seemed quite interested in what was going on. Furthermore, if there had been an award for most drool, she was clearly the winner!

Unfortunately, I don't have any race photos to post as of yet. The camera has taken a trip to Penzance for the evening where Jeremy is helping his family get started on an addition to their house. I promise to post some evidence of this monumental race very soon. Until then, here are some pre- and post-race photos of our blossoming athlete.

Pre-Race Photo - Excited and ready to go!



Post-Race Nap

Getting rested up for the big race!

Tomorrow is Aleena's first race. We're starting her early. She's participating in the Northgate Mall's Baby Crawl. Her first heat is in the 5-6 month category. If by some miracle she gets up and starts crawling, she might have a fighting chance of winning the race and advancing to the finals.

She has been taking an odd approach to her pre-race training that I am not familiar with. For example, she has been resting a lot! I suppose this strategy could work but I expect that some push ups, legs pushes or bums ups might have been more beneficial. It's hard to reason with her though. I have tried to teach her everything I know about races but she simply looks at me, grins and coos. I am choosing to believe it's her way of telling me that it's okay and she has it under control. At this very moment, she's staring at herself in the mirror. She seems to be doing some sort of race visualization, a very effective and advanced technique for such a young racer.

Her race attire will be a short-sleeved onesie in hopes that she'll be able to somehow maneuver her body at least partially across the mat. Regardless of what transpires, we are looking forward to watching her "perform" tomorrow and we will always be proud of our baby girl.

Here are some photos of our baby girl "training".





By the way, the registration fee for the "race" is a donation to KidSport so it's all for a good cause. Each baby gets a few free gifts for participating.

Here's a link to the event poster.

Daily "Deal" Websites (Updated January 9, 2011)

Okay, it's time to come clean. My name is Trudy and I love my daily deal websites!

For those of you unfamiliar, daily deal websites are websites that post a deal a day. Most products are largely discounted and there is limited stock available. Once something has sold out, you are out of luck. Some products seem to pop up again from time to time but there are no guarantees. It's really a very clever marketing technique!

A few months ago, I discovered daily deal websites that sell baby/kids products. I'm sure there are these types of websites for all sorts of things but my focus in life happens to be babies and toddlers right now.

My personal favourites are babysteals.com and kidsteals.com. I check them almost every morning to see if there's anything worth buying. Yes, I realize that life as we know it will continue whether or not I nab that daily deal. I try to reason with myself and ponder the options. Do I really need it? Admittedly, there are likely few things I truly need from these websites but I sure do WANT a lot of the stinkin' cute products they keep coming up with. I mean, really, what baby doesn't look amazingly cute in a pair of Babylegs?



...or a Katelyn & Co. headband?



...and what little boy doesn't look adorable in a Taylor Joelle tie?



If you are interested in super cute baby products at great prices, I highly recommend the ones I mentioned above. Here's a list of the various sites I visit and peruse. In actuality, I have only ordered from 3 but I like to look. ..kind of like virtual window shopping. I'll include a short review of each and list a few of the items I have bought. I should also mention that some of the websites have archives of products that are still available or have become available again for whatever reason.

1) Babysteals.com "it's not just a deal, it's a steal" - This is my favourite of them all. They offer high quality baby products and all sorts of interesting things I've never even heard of before. I know they've got the good stuff because I took a trip to our high-end baby store in Regina (Hello Baby!) and saw many of the same products that they carry. Babysteals has a huge following due to great marketing and amazing customer service. They even have pajama parties for locals at their warehouse and transmit the events online via video chat websites. They interact with their fans on Facebook and get to know their customers through discussions, questions, providing hints and commenting on photos of fans with things they've bought from the company. You can get updates on daily deals through Facebook, Twitter, e-mails, etc. They are so customer service oriented that the two CEO's actually hand delivered "steals" to several Canadian customers in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary last week. The company is based out of Utah!

They have other fun events like secret steals at random moments as opposed to their usual time of 9 am. You have to follow their Facebook page pretty closely to catch those. They also have lots of giveaways you can try to win by entering contests.  Edited to add:  They recently began having two steals a day just in case your pocket book wasn't already suffering!  You can check out their deals at 9 am AND 9 pm (MST) now.  Happy Stealing!

Archives: http://www.babysteals.com/dailydeals/archive.php

Items I've bought: BabyLegs, Katelyn & Co. headbands, Born to Love hats, Tiny Soles Squeaker Shoes, Baby Banz Swimwear, RoSK UV cover for stroller, Clean Shopper (high chair/shopping cart cover), Ally Zabba baby blankets (still waiting for these to arrive!), UMI sandals, Dapper Snappers, and my most treasured "steal" to date is my Petunia Picklebottom Diaper Bag. I LOVE my diaper bag...it's so pretty and functional and holds a lot of stuff.

2) http://www.kidsteals.com/ - A close second as my favourite. The same company that operates Babysteals also runs Kidsteals (The Steal Network). They also have a Scrapbooksteals for anyone interested in scrapbooking (not me..no time or patience for gluing and cutting...although I might try digital scrapbooking).  KidSteals isn't quite as big as Babysteals although I'm sure it will grow with its faithful crew of current followers.  My guess is that the mommies of older kiddos aren't at home waiting for "steals" because they are at work while the kids are at school.  That, and most older kids like to pick out their own clothes or toys themselves so it's risky for Moms to buy something on a whim when it might be rejected by said child.

Archives: http://www.kidsteals.com/dailydeals/archive.php

Items I've bought: DC Toddler shoes, Myself Belts, Chalk Mat, Ruby Love Headwraps, Taylor Joelle Tie, Spunky Stork T-Shirts

3) http://www.mamabargains.com/ - This is a fun site too. I have only bought a couple things from here but it's always interesting to check. They aren't a daily deal website per say since they actually have deals throughout the day. They post items and wait until they sell out and then post another item. They also let customers know how much is left by having little mommies running alongside each item. Mamabargains also uses Facebook to connect with its fans. So far, I've bought a Buckley Boo (bear with buckles since Connor has a bit of a buckle obsession) and some headbands for Aleena.

As I said, there are lots of websites out there but these are the only three I've actually bought anything from as of yet. I have checked out lots of other sites...it's really interesting to see what's out there. Here's a list of some others I've come across:

4) http://www.babyhalfoff.com/ - They post a deal a day as well. I believe it's posted at 8 am local time but I never remember to check their website and anything I would want is usually sold out. They seem to be a reputable website and have lots of followers as well.

5) http://www.hippobargains.com/ - Another daily deal website.  They recently updated and re-launched their website and it looks great!  They have lots of information on their page which is a refreshing change to some daily deal websites.  I prefer having all the details laid out for me with plenty of contact information.  While they don't have an archive, they do have a directory with previous deals so you can get an idea of what types of products they normally feature.  Another interesting aspect is that they sometimes offer free shipping which is almost unheard of for baby deal websites.  I think they just earned themselves a huge fan over here!  At first, I thought that would only apply to American orders but I went through the process of adding today's deal into my shopping cart and it gave me the free shipping option for Canada.  It almost made me want to buy today's deal but I've got way too many backpacks and diaper bags in my life already.  As you can tell, I'm rather excited about this new discovery.  Time to add hippobargains.com to my toolbar bookmarks!

6)  Babyheist.com (Burlington, Ontario) - The best way to keep up with their deals is to 'like' them on Facebook.  They have daily deals but also have additional deals throughout the day which they notify people of through their Facebook fan page.  They call these "SHHH" deals and you'll have to click through to the winking face on their website to find them.  This site doesn't sell out as quickly as some other daily deal websites so it's still worth checking out at any time.  They also keep deals up so they aren't "until they're gone" like most other deal sites.  You can still buy things and combine shipping which is a bonus .  Their archives are located here: Baby Heist Archives.  Baby Heist also offers coupon codes with an online store called momsfinds.ca.  I am not sure exactly what their business partnership is /(or if it's actually the same store?) but they carry many of the same products.  Maybe someone can clarify this for me in the comments.  I just ordered my first items from them so I'll update with how fast it arrives.  They just shipped it via Canada Post today and I believe I ordered yesterday so that's a good start.

7) www,greenbabybargains.com - They have eco-friendly baby products each day. I always forget to check their site too but it's a well-developed website with excellent quality products based on what I've seen so far.

8) Olivia Place - A new daily deal website with some adorable products!  In a way, it's almost better when the sites stay small so you have a better chance of nabbing the deal.  Their deals are 40-80% off retail and shipping seems to be very reasonable.  Thanks for adding this one in the comments!

9) BargainMoose.ca- According to the website, they "strive to bring you all the best Canadian coupons, freebies and deals."  They find deals on all sorts of products including baby/kids' items.  They were great at finding and reporting deals during Boxing Week for example.

10) Truecuddles.ca and Motherofadeal.com (New Westminster, BC) - Truecuddles.ca and Motherofadeal.com are baby deal websites owned by the same company. (Please note that these two websites are totally unrelated to the Mother of a Sale deals website)   Motherofadeal.com is a website that provides Moms with insight on freebies and great deals.  You can "like" www.motherofadeal.com on Facebook to find out about the deals, coupons and promotions they are sharing.  Truecuddles.ca, on the other hand, has "cuddles" (aka deals) once a week as well as lots of other things going on like giveaways, featured products, mom entrepreneurs and product reviews.  Of course, you can find their social networking site on Facebook as well.

11) http://www.babycheapskate.com/ - They also find deals from all over the place. In fact, I just found a summary of daily deal websites including a few that I haven't heard of. Here they are! 
Daily Deal Sites (11/18):

• Mamabargains.com: Knuckleheads, Hula Mula clothing
• Green Baby Bargains: Paddle and Quack wet bags (new sales start at noon)
• BabySteals: Bebe au Lait burp cloths
• KidSteals: Big Box Entertainment Soft n Shiny Books
• KidsWoot: Dozy Dotes Contemporary Child Rocker Recliner
• EcoBuys: Potty Praiser
• Ga Ga Deals: (one hour deals – check it out)
• MiniBargainz.com: Pedoodles Groovy Hats (new sales start at noon)
• BabyHalfOff.com: GroVia Bio Wipes (new sales start at noon)
• BabyHeist.com: Healing Hazel teething necklace
• Olivia Place: Hot Hot Tees onesie
• Hippo Bargains: Bumble Collection Paige Purse
• Jasmere.com: Eco friendly jewelry from Blend Creations (starts at noon)

12) Kidcrawl.com - The Steal Network (see babysteals and kidsteals above) launched a new website called kidcrawl.com.  I am still trying to grasp the whole concept but from what I understand, it is basically a search engine for baby and childrens' items with product reviews.   You can ask questions about something you're interested in buying online and answer others' questions if you have experience to share.  Their tagline is "crawling the web for the lowest prices".  Updated: They have added a great feature for Canadian consumers where you can indicate you are Canadian in your profile and this will then result in a little Canadian flag popping up next to companies that actually ship to Canada.  Despite this feature, there doesn't seem to be a lot of companies actually shipping to Canada!  What I'd love to see is more (any?) Canadian stores actually listed as well such as Chapters.ca, Toyrus.ca, Dearbornbaby and so on.  I'd find that a lot more useful if I was in the market for something like a car seat or stroller.  I don't even bother looking at US stores because of everything involved (e.g. customs, duty, regulations). 

13) Funky Tricycle - Another Canadian deals website based out of BC.  Currently, they only have one deal a week on Mondays and I've only seen bibs and envirosacks posted so far.   Hopefully, they'll feature some other great Canadian products.  At the very least, they have a very nice website and set up.  You can also keep up with them through a variety of social networking tools including Facebook. One disadvantage is that they don't ship things out until they are sold out or until the end of the week.  If you live in Victoria, you can contact them and arrange local pickup though.  I'll update more about this site in a couple weeks once I see what else they've got for sale!

14) Mama's ReTreat (Nanaimo, BC) - This is another newer site and so far, I really like it!  I was looking for some Zoobies on daily deal sites before Christmas and couldn't find ones I liked.  Then, Mama's ReTreat came through and I got both kids a Zoobie for Christmas with Express Post shipping at a very reasonable rate.  It was a nice change to receive a package literally a couple days after I ordered it compared to the 3+ weeks I am used to with US baby deal sites.   Most items are offered with flat rate shipping which is great for buying multiple items or taking advantage of combined shipping offers when they are available.   Mama's ReTreat makes an effort to feature lots of Canadian products although not exclusively which is fine with me.  They also take requests and make an attempt to get those things for customers.  Finally, there is a reward program on purchases and referrals although I think you need a whole schwack of points before it's worth very much.  It's still a benefit so people might as well use it since it's there and earn a few dollars towards future purchases.  There isn't an archive but you can view previous "treats" on their blog.  Of course, you can also "like" them on Facebook to stay up to date with their deals and special promotions.

Whew! I think that's about it. If anyone knows of any sites that I've missed, please add them in the comments.