Top Ten Safe Sunscreens for Kids

Spring is finally here and we are so excited to get back outside! And although that sunshine and fresh air are good for the soul, we still need to protect our skin. It is the largest organ of the body after all. Sunscreen is a summer staple for all the mamas, just trying to keep that sweet sensitive baby skin safe. But while it may be offering sun protection, is it actually safe itself? 

The Environmental Working Group has an entire guide to sunscreen but it's pretty in depth and extensive. So I did the homework for you. Unfortunately, like many a skincare product, sunscreen can and often does contain harmful ingredients. It's not something we tend to think about when using a product that we think is protecting us. So first thing first, I made sure each of these sunscreen options for little ones has a clean rating. No scary safe. Check. Then I read reviews. As good as they get. Check. And of course I read further info. from the people who matter most. Moms. They approve. Check. I've put together this list of the top rated, best sunscreens for kids at various price points. Of course you should always take extra precautions like limiting sun exposure, wearing hats and sunglasses and staying hydrated. But rest assured these products safely protect that precious baby skin.

Baby Jogger City Select Review

This post is sponsored by Buy Buy Baby. I was compensated in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Looking for a stroller, whether it's your first time or you are ready to upgrade, can be so overwhelming. I did a lot of research when I was pregnant with Fallon. We also visited our local Buy Buy Baby store to ask questions and to test drive some of their floor models in person. It was such a great experience and we left very confident in our decision to purchase the Baby Jogger City Mini single stroller. We've now had it for over 2 years and it's managed to go on all of our adventures but remain is great condition!

After welcoming Axton into our family I knew we would want to get a double stroller but I was in no hurry. I wore him in my wrap for months while Fallon rode solo in our trusty City Mini. But toward the end of the summer I knew it was time to upgrade and was SO excited and grateful to have the chance to work with Buy Buy Baby. We've been so impressed with the Baby Jogger brand and knew that it would be compatible with our Britax infant carseat. I had tested out the City Select with the second seat, asked tons and tons of mama friends and even embarrassed my husband by approaching strangers in public who were strolling with this model to ask them how they felt about it! When I was finally satisfied with my rock solid research, we went forward with our choice and waited excitedly to receive it. 

We have now had the Baby Jogger City Select in onyx with silver trim and the second seat kit for a few weeks and have taken it so many places already! Our family is fairly active so it's been to the park, the zoo, all around our neighborhood, a few pumpkin farms and even apple picking. All the reasons we chose the stroller have been justified and we are so happy that we went with this model! 

Obviously a double stroller is heavier than a single. It has support much more weight! But this one so light compared to many I've tested. The seats lift off with the click of a button and the frame is so easy to fold, just hold + push and it collapses for easy trunk storage. I especially love that the adapter pieces are so simple to take on and off and there are L and R markers to know which side to put them on at a glance. They can also stay on while the stroller frame is collapsed! One of my favorite features is the hand break. That may sound silly but wow does it make quick stops to put a pacifier back in or toss the toddler a snack so easy. The storage basket is spacious and can be accessed from both sides and the front when the stroller is only being used to seat one child. The handle is adjustable to suit all heights and both seats are the same size so there will not be any arguing over who gets one over the other! Did I mention that the fabric is removable and machine washable?! If you have a third child or just want the capability to stroll with three kiddos there is a glider board attachment. Lastly but arguably the coolest feature of all, drumroll please......with the Baby Jogger City Select there are 16 possible configurations for this stroller!

We are thrilled to have a stroller to push around both of our babies in on all of our adventures that meets all of our requirements and has so far lived up to our standards. Most importantly, the Baby Jogger City Select is Fallon approved, and she can be quite tough to please. The day it arrived she was so excited that she sat in it in our living room for so long that we thought she had fallen asleep! Now that my friends, is a stroller success story!

Nursery Theme with Lorena Canals

Stylish, natural, functional, washable. These aren't words that typically all describe an area rug. But those are exactly the first three words that come to mind when thinking of Lorena Canals. I learned of these magical rugs when I was pregnant with Fallon and had to have one for her nursery. We actually tested out the washable quality long before we imagined when something spilled while setting up her room. A sugary orange drink was spilled right on the pretty little pristine white stars on baby's brand new rug. Everyone sort of panicked until I said it's washable! The orange was long gone before Fallon was born and that rug still looks brand new. 

When I was thinking about a nursery theme for baby #2 I just couldn't quite come up with anything I loved that was gender neural. We've chosen not to learn the sex of our baby, like we did with Fallon, until he or she arrives. And then I was shopping for something else one day and it hit me. A bit of a minimalist, understated take on the classic jungle theme. Black + white with some pops of green. Yes, that was it. White walls with black accents would be perfect! So, you bet I was excited when Lorena Canals was kind enough to send us a gorgeous black berber rug with tassels that was exactly what I wanted. I love that they have options for any room in your home and that can transition from nursery to toddler room and beyond. 

The rug arrived just as we were finishing up painting and moving in the furniture. You can tell right away the quality level of these rugs when you feel the weight and material. When we rollout and positioned the rug it was clear this was THE rug for the room and really pulled all my ideas together. If we change things up when baby is little older, the rug could find a new home just about anywhere else in my house. It's so versatile, handmade with all natural dyes and VCO free. And I mean, how can you not love a pretty rug that's easy to run a vacuum over or throw right into your washer to clean?! As a mom to a toddle tornado with outstanding mess making abilities plus 3 dogs and 3 cats, these qualities in a rug are everything. I want a Lorena Canals rug for every room in my house!

Why We Love DockATot

This post is sponsored by DockATot. I was compensated in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Nearly every time I share a photo or video featuring Fallon's DockATot I am asked this question, "is it really worth it?".  We have both the Deluxe and the Grand models and to be honest, we did not pay for either. Our Deluxe was a gift from my mom when I was pregnant with Fallon. Last year I started working as a social media influencer and DockATot was one of the very first big companies I collaborated with. We received the Grand dock and I reviewed it when Fallon was about 9 months old. Nearly a year later I am thrilled to be working with this company once again, because friends, I stand behind this product 100%.

The Deluxe is the perfect sized cozy little cot to lay a sleeping babe down just about anywhere. It's so light and portable and saves you from having to drag a bassinet up and down stairs, from room to room or have multiple for a 2 story home. We received a brand new Deluxe with one of the beautiful banana leaf pattern covers for our pending arrival and now we can send the old one to Grandma + Grandpa's house! Seeing it next to Fallon's dock I was surprised that I had forgotten how truly tiny newborns are. I cannot wait to see our sweet little babe sleeping in it in less than 2 months!

DockATot was also kind enough to send us a matching cover for Fallon's Grand dock. She has loved this little bed from the moment it arrived and truly I would pay full price for it as it's been invaluable to us. She plays in it all the time, piling up her babies and reading books and you'll almost always find stray goldfish crackers or other snack crumbs lurking in the corners. The covers are so easy to unzip and remove to wash and put back on and have held up extremely well against my toddler tornado. Fallon is still an incredibly inconsistent napper but she's improved so much in the last few months. I love knowing that if she falls asleep somewhere other than her bed (usually in someone's arms) we can just bring in the dock, transfer her over to it and she will sleep safely and peacefully. No traipsing upstairs and hoping she doesn't wake or being stuck under a sleeping babe when it's the only chance to get something done. 

Recently we transitioned Fallon from crib to twin bed and it's been so shockingly easy we are still in disbelief. I definitely think a major factor in this success is having the Grand dock in the bed. It's familiar and cozy for her to sleep in and helps keep her from rolling all over the big new space. I think it will be so nice when the baby arrives that each kiddo will have their own, matching covers and all! We are incredibly thankful to be able to work with such a great company whose product we truly love to use. But when I respond that they are totally worth it, this is my testimony as to why. 

Baby Monitor Review: iBaby Labs

This post is sponsored by iBaby Labs. I was compensated in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

When iBaby Labs offered to send us a brand new video baby monitor and an air purifier I was Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch excited. The frustration with our old monitor  losing the picture and constantly needing to be charged had peaked and we were in desperate need of a good quality model. Thankfully that wish was granted. 

The iBaby Monitor M6S looks like some kind of cute little space robot if you ask me. But don't be fooled, this little camera is far more than a fun nursery accessory. If you want a baby monitor with ALL the features, this bad boy is for you. 

-Pan/Tilt/Zoom 

-Prerecorded lullabies, record your own, and add your own from Google Music, Apple Music, and mp3 

-Temperature, Air Quality, and Humidity sensors

-Two-way audio  

-Unlimited users & 4 viewers at the same time 

But if you're still not convinced, let me share our personal experience. The initial set up is actually EASY. This is coming from the girl whose husband had to stop her from actually throwing the old one out the window because she couldn't figure it out. And he said that one wasn't even that hard. If you can read and use your phone charger (USB cord) you can do it. It's just perfect that your phone becomes the monitor because that's one less thing you have to worry about charging or carrying around the house. I really love that there is an attachment for the bottom of the camera so that it sits flat on whatever surface you choose to locate it. It's very lightweight and easily portable, which will be so nice to bring on vacation next month! It's also pretty cool that Chris can check in on Fallon from work to catch a glimpse of his baby girl snoozing. The picture quality is amazing and the pan/tilt feature can show me pretty much around Fallon's whole room! 

Remember how I mentioned we also received an air purifier? Yes, iBaby Labs was kind enough to send us not only 1 but 2 monitors. That's right, the AirSense actually doubles as an audio baby monitor. So while it's detecting and eliminating common household VOC’s such as Formaldehyde, Benzene, Carbon Monoxide, Ammonia, Hydrogen, Alcohol, Cigarette Smoke, Flavor it can also play music and let you know if baby is awake. There are 100s of lighting colors to choose from and it syncs right up to your phone in addition to any other iBaby Lab devices you have. 

I hope y'all know by now that my reviews are always honest. I tend to choose products I'm fairly certain I will love, hence the positive feedback. But I am actually difficult to impress with baby gear and I just can't find any cons to share about these products. We have been blown away by the quality and functionality of our iBaby Labs monitors and I would recommend them to anyone on the hunt. It's hard enough to make the day to day decisions of being a parent and those big tough ones too. So trust me on this one and take it off your plate.  

Babo Botanicals

I recently shared 7 facts about myself over on Instagram. #2 was that I'm the anti germaphobe. Germs don't scare me. But what does scare me are chemicals. Give me dirt every day of the week over toxins. It's disturbing how many icky chemicals are found in products we not only use on ourselves but that are marketed for use on our babies. 

As a mom, I'm always trying to find truly safe options for my daughter. Enter Babo Botanicals. I was beyond thrilled to give a couple of their products a test run after checking out the company's fantastically informative website. Chris and I immediately agreed that Babo met our standards and were blown away by all the testing that is done to ensure that not only the products but also the packaging are safe. You can even read exactly how everything is tested! They aren't hiding anything and that speaks volumes to me as a consumer and a parent. 

We've been using the hand and face wipes and not only do they have my baby and her mess wiped clean with one cloth, they smell amazing! I've typically shied away from scented products but the smell is not derived from artificial means and doesn't cause a bit of irritation on Fallon's sensitive skin. We even used them to wipe our dog's muddy paws!

The other Babo product we can't say enough good things about is the diaper cream. Wow is this stuff amazing! Fallon has been teething like crazy and battling bouts of horrific diaper rash. I'm talking a blistered and even sometimes bleeding little booty. I know it's part of childhood but goodness I do feel so bad for her. The first time I used the Babo diaper cream her rash had severely diminished by the next diaper change and was zapped altogether just hours later! I could not believe it. I love that it's a thick cream but spreads easily and one good swipe does the trick. 

If you want one less thing to worry about as a mom, because God knows we worry enough as it is, head over to the website and see for yourself why we're so in love with this brand. 

The items reviewed in this post were sent c/o Babo Botanicals but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.