Nuby No-Spill Insulated Cool Sipper Toddler Cup Review

I have some awesome news to report - I have been accepted as a Nuby Mommy Blogger!  This means that I get to try out some awesome baby and toddler products and share my findings with all of you - and there may even be a fun giveaway from time to time.  I am definitely smack in the middle of the baby/toddler phase of parenting, and I hope you will enjoy hearing about some of the latest products for little ones on the market today.  Make sure you are also following my Nuby Mom Pinterest Board to keep up to date with all my new Nuby posts!

When your baby turns into a toddler, it's inevitable that one day they will suddenly become fiercely independent and demand to do everything all by themselves.  Around here, this has most recently resulted in Lincoln throwing some pretty epic tantrums when we do not let him use a "real" cup or water bottle if he wants whatever we are drinking.  Never mind that he doesn't understand how to use a normal cup yet and that he literally dumps water all over himself when given the chance.  We have been working on drinking from a real cup, but I don't think he fully understands the concept yet.

Enter the Nuby No-Spill Insulated Cool Sipper!  This cup is available in a variety of fun colors and designs - so you can certainly find a special new cup for your toddler boy or girl.  The Cool Sipper features a drinking spout that encourages children to learn how to use a real cup.  Yay!  It's so much easier to teach a toddler a new skill when you have a tool to help them along the way.

I didn't have to give Lincoln any encouragement to try out this cup.  He saw it in the package, as pictured above, and practically ripped it from my hands. It did take him a few tries to get the hang of the new spout design, but he figured it out all on his own.  He loves it - and I love that it has yet to leak at all.  If you've been through a sippy cup or two, I'm sure you know that this is kind of a rarity!  I am planning to buy several more for our ever-growing sippy cup collection. The cup holds 9oz of liquid.

The only downside to this cup is that it is not dishwasher safe.  I realize that I should accept that I am a grown-up who can wash a sippy cup by hand every now and then (probably in the same amount of time it would take me to load and unload it from the dishwasher).  I love the design of this cup enough that I will use it even if I have to hand-wash it - and that's saying a lot at our house.

You can purchase the No-Spill Insulated Cool Sipper from Buy Baby Direct, Amazon, Diapers.com, K-mart, Babies R Us, Target, and Wal-Mart.  Make sure you follow along with Nuby on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to keep up with all the latest products and promotions!

 I am writing this post as part of the NUBY Mommy Blogger Program.  I did not receive compensation for this post, although as part of the program I may receive items to sample or review.  All opinions are my own and are 100% honest.

Lincoln's 2nd Birthday Adventuring

We had such a fun day celebrating Lincoln's second birthday on February 19!  It was a low-key day with just our little family, which was perfect after the extravaganza of his Mickey Mouse Clubhouse birthday party. Fair warning: this is a pretty photo-heavy post!

Birthday morning - the first thing to do was obviously play with cars!

Healthy birthday breakfast!

Daddy was able to come home from work a little early, so that we could head off on a birthday adventure!  We went downtown to Crown Center and had a late lunch at Fritz's Restaurant.  Lincoln was amazed by all of the trains!  This restaurant is so fun - you use a phone on the table to place your order and your food is actually delivered by train.  There's a track running all along the top of the restaurant and the train visits your table when your meal is ready.  So awesome.

Ordering lunch at Fritz's!

Every time a train went by, he watched it go all the way back to the kitchen!

Little miss was really happy,
once she got to nurse!

GIANT Birthday Sundae for a BIG 2-Year-Old!
(Daddy helped eat it and Mommy was bummed that she can't have dairy.)

Can you just hear him shouting "CHOO-CHOO!!!!"  He was in heaven.

I think it's safe to say he had a good time.

Love this little face. Also yes, he IS wearing a Batman windbreaker.

Checking out the Choo-Choo with Daddy.

After lunch, we headed down to Crown Center's latest free exhibit - Funville!  I didn't expect this exhibit to be as amazing as it was.  Lincoln ran himself absolutely ragged, going from one display to the next.  He rode a truck, a tractor, a spaceship, visited a theatre, a barber shop, a science lab, a movie studio, a car garage, a doctor's office, the Oval Office...seriously - it was so fun.  I was carrying Addie, so Andrew was chasing Lincoln around and climbing through all the really small doorways to get into each room. 

Riding a "track-y!"

Tiny little news reporter!  Love this!

This was the only display he didn't love - I think it scared him.

President Lincoln. ;)

When he started falling over from running so hard in between rooms, we decided it was probably time to head home.  It was such a fun little adventure - and inexpensive too, since Funville is FREE!  Once we were home, we spent the evening playing with all of his new birthday toys.  He may not remember this birthday when he grows up, but for what it's worth, I think he had a good day.

How do you celebrate birthdays with a very young child?

Hope Harris: Picasso, That's Who! CD Review + Giveaway

When I became a parent, I started paying a lot more attention to how things in the world will appear to my kids.  And one thing that definitely made me think twice was the music they might encounter.  We've never been much for current music trends or radio listening around here, but wow, if you just flip through a handful of radio stations, you are likely to run into a host of songs that are not quite appropriate for little ears.  Thus began my quest to stock up on some good, wholesome, entertaining music to play around our house and on road trips!

When I was given the chance to review the latest release from Hope Harris, I was very excited!  We're big fans of her 2010 album release, Cousins Jamboree (my husband and I sing "hang on friend, you've got to wait in line" at Lincoln all the time, when he is being a typical impatient two-year-old!), so when I received Picasso, That's Who! and so can you!, it went straight into our CD player and has been riding around in our car ever since.  

Picasso, That's Who! is one of the most unique children's albums I have encountered.  Each song is written about a different 19th or 20th century visual artist.  I'll be honest - I am a crazy theatre lady, but I don't know a whole lot about the history of famous paintings, so a lot of these names were new to me.  There are songs for everyone from Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet to Georgia O'Keeffe and Henri Matisse.  This album has a more targeted feel, which is actually really fun!  While my two-year-old doesn't understand who any of these artists are yet, I imagine that when he takes an art class someday, he'll have an early advantage and may just break into song when someone mentions Monet!

If you look up the work of each artist and listen to their corresponding song from Hope's album, it's obvious that a lot of care and consideration went into the composing of each piece!  The musical styles vary greatly, but fit perfectly with their artists' work.  I can't imagine how much time it must have taken to research each artist and create a song that reflected their style!

Here's a blurb about the album from Hope's website -

Hot on the heels of her 2011 Parents’ Choice® Silver Honor Award winning CD, Cousins Jamboree, independent children’s musician Hope Harris is excited to embark on a lively new adventure into the world of art with the May 22 release of Picasso, That’s Who! (And So Can You!). The album takes kids and families through a tuneful celebration of 19th and 20th century visual artists, offering musical mini-lessons in art appreciation and encouraging listeners to pick up a brush or a crayon and try creating art! Expertly produced by Rob Friedman, co-producer of the Dan Zanes family albums, Picasso, That’s Who! (And So Can You!) invites kids to hop a train with Romare Bearden, action paint like Jackson Pollock, take a line for a walk with Paul Klee, jump off the diving board into a painting by David Hockney, look closely at the petals of a flower like Georgia O’Keeffe, and more.

This artistic collection is a winner in our book, and I hope it inspires my kids to pick up a crayon or a paintbrush and craft their very own masterpieces!  Picasso, That's Who! is the winner of the 2012 Parents' Choice Gold Honor Award.  You can purchase this album from CDBaby or Amazon.

Giveaway

One Director Jewels reader will win a Picasso, That's Who! and so can you! CD.  This giveaway will end on March 10 at 11:59pm CST.  This giveaway is open to US readers only.

To enter the giveaway, follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below (you may need Javascript enabled to see the form and it may take a moment to load)!  Once you complete the first entry, the other options will open up so that you can complete them as well.  All of the "extra entries" are optional - you can do just one, or as many as you want!  Winners will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Hope Harris for providing my review sample and the giveaway prize!  I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own.  For more information, you can read my Giveaway Policy and my Disclosure Policy.

These Little Things...I Will Miss

I can't believe how fast this year is passing us by.  Today is March 1 and that just blows my mind.  Wasn't it just yesterday that Adelaide was born?  Or that Lincoln wanted to brush his teeth every five minutes? 

Those moments slip by so quickly and are easily forgotten in the midst of the daily responsibilities that come with having babies.  I am trying so hard to keep up with my Project Life album and also record stories here on the blog.  Someday, I know I will want to remember the things that they say and do that may seem insignificant now. 

Here are a few memories I am currently holding onto tightly - hoping that they don't end too quickly.

-Precious little smiles and excitement about nursing.  When I grab the Boppy and pull her close, she is so excited.  It's like nursing is the best part of her world.  I love this time before she realizes there are other things to do and see throughout the day!

-Rocking my sweet boy to sleep. How much longer do I have left until he decides it's not cool?  There have only been a handful of nights in his two years (maybe 3-5) that I have not rocked him before bed.  What will I do when this ends?

-The startle reflex. It may freak some people out, but I think it's adorable.  She only does this a few times a week at this point.

-The first time he said mama - and meant it (unlike when it referred to his binky).  Yes - my heart flips every time he says it to me.  I've waited a long time.

-It drives me absolutely crazy, but the way he runs headlong into my legs.  Or runs over my toes with a toy.  I'm pretty sure we are both bruised, but the boy loves with absolute reckless abandon.  He deserves some credit for that.

-The fact that she can't move yet.  This one is so close to being over - she actually rolled from back to tummy yesterday morning, but it was on the somewhat angled couch so I'm not convinced she has mastered the skill yet. 

-How nursing is good enough to fix any problem.  For both of them.  It's like magic.

-The way he holds my hand when he wants to show me something.  Seriously, little man.  You know how to get to Mommy's heartstrings.


Do you have any particular memories with your kids right now that you especially want to preserve?

Disney on Ice: Rockin' Ever After is Coming to Kansas City! {Ticket Giveaway}

It really is no secret that I am a little bit Disney obsessed.  It's been over three years since we made a pre-kid trip to Disney World, but I remember the magic like it was yesterday.  I've actually been feeling quite Disney-deprived, so I am very excited that Disney on Ice: Rockin' Ever After is headed to Kansas City!

Get ready to rock out with some of the most magical idols of all in a musical showcase that features the hottest tunes and talent from across the kingdom in Disney On Ice presents Rockin’ Ever After! Jam to a Scottish jig as a group of royal contenders from the latest Disney•Pixar film, Brave, competes to win the heart of headstrong, sharp-shooting Merida, making her ice debut! Experience a show-stopping performance as Sebastian breaks out of his shell for one night only to make waves with Ariel. A chorus of harmless hooligans from Tangled unleashes musical mayhem when they get a visit from the sassy and spirited Rapunzel and her charming ally Flynn. And, get your feet moving as the Beast and his castle’s enchanted entourage take center stage in a spectacular show for Belle. It will be a rockin’ remix of royalty when Disney On Ice brings this superstar line-up to your hometown!


Looks like a blast, doesn't it?  Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald are sure to make an appearance as well - I'm guessing Lincoln will be a little more excited about them than Rapunzel, Belle, Ariel or Merida! 

Rockin' Ever After is coming to the Sprint Center and tickets are on sale now.  There are nine performances to choose from between March 27-31.  Use promo code BLOG to get $5 off your ticket purchase.  Promo code is not valid on Front Row, Rinkside or VIP seats;on Opening Night; or on kids seats.

Giveaway

One Director Jewels reader will win a Family 4-Pack of Tickets to Disney on Ice Rockin' Ever After at the Kansas City Sprint Center.  Winner will be able to choose from the following performance times:
Wed. March 27, 7:00pm Thurs. March 28, 7:00pm Friday March 29, 10:30am

This giveaway will end on March 15 at 11:59pm CST.  This giveaway is open to local Kansas City area readers only.

To enter the giveaway, follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below (you may need Javascript enabled to see the form and it may take a moment to load)!  Once you complete the first entry, the other options will open up so that you can complete them as well.  All of the "extra entries" are optional - you can do just one, or as many as you want!  Winners will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Feld Entertainment for providing my review tickets and the giveaway prize!  I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own.  For more information, you can read my Giveaway Policy and my Disclosure Policy.