peekabooby! (a GIVEAWAY)

Why is it that a word like "booby" can stop a grown person in their tracks? And why is it that men and boys seem to like that word so much?

Several weeks back my husband and I were laying in bed on a Saturday morning and Levi (our 15-month-old) was bouncing around, climbing on top of us, and generally just being cute. We were practicing naming body parts (like eye, ear, and nose) when he pointed to my husband's chest.

"Booby!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Not so fast Ryan," I chimed right back. (I could just imagine our little son walking around pointing to people's chests and exclaiming "booby!"

"Can you please use another word?" I asked him. Ever since then Ryan has been calling them his "chest buttons" (inspired by the belly button). Classic. I'm not sure "chest button" is any better of a term, but whatever. Hopefully I can at least prevent my son from learning the word "booby" for a few more years.

Seriously. Men and boobies. Unbelievable.

But... speaking of boobies, I do want to introduce you to Peekabooby! breastfeeding covers:

I was given one of these by a good friend of mine when I was expecting and it turned out to be one of my staple baby items. I now buy them as baby shower gifts for nearly every expecting mom I know.

Here's a few things I like about them:

They are great for nursing in public. The neck strap helps to secure the cover in place. The gape at the neck allows you to "peek in" at your "boobies" to make sure everything is happening correctly and leaves you hands free to help your baby attach or position just right. You can fold it up into a very small square, which takes up minimal amount of space in your diaper bag or purse. You can throw it over the stroller to block out sunlight when baby is sleeping or you're on a walk. You can wear it around your neck when babe's snoozing on your chest in a baby carrier to block out sunlight and other stimuli. The come in very pretty fabrics.

And, they are hand-made by a small business owner in Colorado. (I love supporting women's small business!)

this is the one i have... "samurai" because i love all things asian.

In honor of the Memos birthday, we will be giving away two of these nursing covers. (Valued at $39.00 each.)

The first will be chosen randomly and the second will be chosen by Katie Pollock (owner of Peekabooby!) and I according to what we deem as the most creative, convincing, memorable, or funny comment.

There are several ways you can enter. Choose one or all of the following:

1. Minimum entry: Visit Peekabooby! and choose your favorite design, then tell us which one you'd choose in a comment here. It's that easy. No mandatory follow required. :)

Additional entries:

1. Follow the Memos through GFC or RSS or email subscription. (See links on the sidebar.)
2. “Like” the Memos on our new facebook fan page.
3. “Like” Peekabooby! on facebook. 
4. Blog about this give-away. (Make sure to leave me the link in a comment so I can visit.)
5. Tweet about this give-away, including @mommyhoodmemos and @peekabooby twitter handles and the link to this post up to once per day. (Make sure to leave a comment here telling me that you've tweeted to count as your entry.)

For each of the above entries, you MUST leave a separate comment. 

Giveaway extended to May 25, 2011. I will announce the winner the following week.

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. My own Peekabooby! nursing cover came as a gift from a friend. All opinions expressed are genuine and my own. 

Dear friends, I seriously love my Peekabooby! nursing cover. I know you will too.

good luck,


Important update 5/14: Due to the disruption of Blogger this past week, my original Peekabooby nursing cover giveaway post and your comments/entries have disappeared. To-date they have not reappeared. I'm so sorry for your inconvenience. Please enter again below.

Enter to win The Pregnancy Companion. 
Win it for yourself or to give as a gift to an expecting friend.
(Giveaway closes May 20, 2011.)

Yay! YOU get presents in honor of MY birthday!

Are you an expecting mama? Link up with

the Bloggin' Babes and Babies of 2011.

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2011
do not reproduce without written permission

the cadillac of all double strollers

I have been on a mission to find THE double stroller.

Since our kids will only be about 20 months apart, I want to have the option to strap 'em both in without feeling like I'm driving a steam train from behind or trying to move a double-wide mobile home through the aisles at the shops. And since it's our second baby, we won't need much in terms of "gear" this time... just some more cloth diapers (I'd like another 10-15) and a double stroller. (And of course some cute dresses if baby turns out to be a girl!)

So the double stroller - our baby #2 big ticket item.

Pretty sure I've found it... my dream stroller: the Baby Jogger City Select.

Check this high-roller out:

Holy moly.

This stroller boasts sixteen different options for the seats - facing toward each other, away from each other, both forward, both backward, using a car seat, using a bassinet, and all sorts of variations and combinations. (I highlighted my favorite ones.)

I tested one out in our local baby store and it is a dream. One-handed steering? No problem. Quick, easy fold? Check. Amazingly huge sunshades (a must for life in Australia)? Bingo. Massive shopping basket underneath? Yup. Nice wheels for a smooth ride? Done. Easy to move the seats around? Unbelievably. Good fit for both my 6'3" husband and me? Yes! Packs down well to easily fit in the small trunk of our car? Uh-huh.

I could go on and on about this stroller. I'm totally in love... and Ryan is too.

It looks great as well - comes in black, diamond (kind of like a silver/light gray), red, or deep purple.

Another thing I love about it is that you can remove one seat and use it as a single and it still works beautifully. (And doesn't feel like a double stroller "missing something.") It's just so incredibly versatile.

I can envision using this stroller not only with Levi and the new bub, but also if we have any more kids down the road (which we most likely will).

The only problem? The price tag! Here in Australia it retails for $1200. I'm not even kidding... that's nearly the price of my first car back in the early 90's!!! And that's not even including the car seat adapter or any extras.

The good news is that I found it online at a baby boutique in America for $476 with free shipping. Yes, nearly 1/3 of the price here!

Looks like I may be asking my parents if they want to stuff that gigantic stroller into their carry-on when the come visit the baby (and us!) later this year.... We'll see what they think about that.

Dear friends, are your kids close in age? Have you found your dream stroller yet? Any tips you'd like to share about choosing one?

a girl can dream, right?

p.s. This is not meant to be a product review as I don't own it and haven't used it enough to give a complete review. It is not a sponsored post either... Merely a mom's opinion as I shop around, research, and compare.





Are you an expecting mom? Have you linked-up?! Join the Bloggin' Babes and Babies of 2011 here.

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2011
do not reproduce without written permission

baby faves: bumbo baby seat {er... make that a 'bimbo'}

In my house, this little blue wonder is called the "bimbo". After five months of trying to teach my husband to say "bumbo" I finally gave up. He just can't get it. So... bimbo it is.

We started putting Levi in his bimbo at three months old. It was love-at-first-sit! This was weeks before he could sit up on his own, but he loved being able to sit up and check things out around him from a different vantage point other than laying on the floor on his back or tummy. (Or being on mommy or daddy's lap.)

He's now almost six months old and has been sitting up independently since four-and-a-half months old (not sure if the bimbo helped him to be an early sitter?). But even though he can sit up by himself, we still use the bimbo all the time, especially if we want to keep our little scooter contained in one place.

He sits in the bimbo on a chair right next to the shower so that I can pick up the toys that he constantly drops and give them back to him... we set it up in front of the computer so he can have skype dates with his grandparents without wriggling off to chase his ball... we use it to feed him his solids since he's still a bit dwarfed in the regular highchair... and the list goes on.

Overall this is a great product and has definitely made it on my must-have list of baby faves. Although I got mine from a generous Freecycler, it's well-worth the $35-$50 you would spend on it (or make that $85 if you are in Australia - yikes!). We also have the tray which you can buy separately. I don't put the tray in the "must-have" category, but it's certainly handy to have.

And lastly, I figure you can get a good four months use out of this little wonder, which is a relatively long time in baby life. I think we'll need to retire it around seven months since he's getting a bit rambunctious and will--I suspect--be ready to bust out of it within the month.

By the way, this is not a sponsored review, just a tip from one mommy to another. {grin}

Dear mommy-friends, what's your latest must-have baby fave?

baby loves a shopping trip

Shopping just got so much more fun thanks to Levi’s latest milestone and our new Jeep Shopping Cart Cover!

Last week Levi sat up on his own for the first time... but what was really amazing to me was the fact that he went from being able to sit up for about 30 seconds on his own to lasting for several minutes all in the space of a week! As much as I was surprised at his latest (seemingly) overnight milestone, I was also really keen to try out our shopping cart cover.

You can tell by the photo what he thought of the whole experience! He’s never smiled and laughed so much on a shopping trip before. His new big boy status was obviously thrilling to him and the excursion was a big hit.

So, now that this Jeep Shopping Cart Cover is being added to my list of baby gear faves, I wanted to pass along the tip from one mommy to another. I did a lot of shopping around and comparisons and reading reviews online before I decided on this one. [Note: this is not a sponsored review.] 

Let me tell you why I personally recommend it:

Price. I got this one for $24.99 with free shipping on Amazon. That’s half the price of similar covers from other leading retailers (and a third of the price of one purchased in Australia). Bargain!

Germs. It covers not only the seat part of the cart, but also the sides and handle and anywhere that baby (and mommy for that matter) can reach. This is especially great at the moment since bubsy has decided that  everything is fair game to chomp on and put straight in his mouth for devouring. Genius!

Comfy. There’s lots of padding, making it oh-so-comfy, even for the novice sitter like my little guy. Lovely!

Safe. It has a safety harness to attach over little one’s chest to help keep him secure in the cart. Good for little monkeys like mine who are still perfecting the art of sitting up independently and also good for little monkeys who are older and want to be on the move. Phew!

Stylish. I love this brown, blue, green, and orange graphic combo. It’s a little more “boyish” looking than “girly”, but is still unisex enough for me to use for the next several years as we add to our family. Funky!

Convenient. I could easily put the cover in/over the cart with one hand while holding Levi with the other. (If you want to tie it in place with the little fasteners, that will obviously need both hands after bubby is in… but I personally don’t think that part’s all that necessary.) Great!

Portable. When not in use, the cover easily folds/rolls up inside an attached carry bag with handles – perfect to throw in the trunk of the car. Nice!

Handy. There’s a large zippered pocket big enough for a spare diaper, a small packet of wipes, and a burp cloth, as well as my keys, wallet, and phone. Oh, to consolidate! Bye bye diaper bag - woohoooo!! Freedom!

Detail. There are a few little cloth rings sewn onto the front of the cover so that you can attach a couple of toys or teethers without having to worry about you kiddo constantly throwing them over the edge. Wonderful!

Multi-purpose. It’s is also able to double as a restaurant high chair cover… And—though not marketed this way—I also thought you could use it as a change pad if you find yourself in a bind and need to use the floor or a bench or the back seat of your car for a diaper change while you’re out and about. Perfect!

Washable. This cover is fully machine washable. No explanation needed!! Fantastic!

So mommy-friends, I just wanted to pass on my latest and greatest baby gear find. We love it!




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baby faves: fisher price aquarium bath centre

This Fisher Price Aquarium Bath Centre is the BEST baby bath! A friend of mine got it for us as a shower gift and I’m so glad she did. If I was to buy one, I’m sure I would have bought a simpler one (ok, cheaper one) without any “bells and whistles”. While this one doesn’t have any actual bells or whistles, it does have a baby hammock and a couple of toys for “showering” which are attached. It’s the baby hammock that I find so genius. The hammock attaches across the top of the bath for when bubs is a newborn. It allows you to rest the baby in the bath with his head well and truly above the water line as well as be semi-hands free. (Which is so helpful when you’re trying to get that washcloth in between all the chub folds of your precious bub.) Having this hammock insert is wonderful for when your bub is a newborn, especially for first-time-parents getting used to giving baths to a tiny little person. Then, when he outgrows the hammock, there is a reclining“seat” on one end of the bath (with a thin layer of foam on the bottom to help prevent slipping) which is perfect for babies just learning to sit up on their own. And then at the other end of the bath is an area big enough for babies that can sit up independently. It's a genius three-in-one. Love it!!

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baby faves: just one year onsies

I loooooove a baby in a plain white onsie! (Or in a white onsie and teeny little baby jeans!) It’s just my absolute fave. Since we live in the tropics, our son lives in onsies most of the time. We have plain onsies from about four different brands and the best ones I’ve found so far are from Just One Year (a division of Carters). They have nice, soft material and hold their shape well through lots of washes.

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baby faves: childcare captiva pram (stroller)

This is a perfect out-and-about stroller. We were given a Baby Love jogger (which my hubs calls the 4-wheel-drive, even though it’s a three-wheeler:) that we use for tromps around the neighbourhood and on bush walks, but we wanted something smaller to keep in the car that would be useful for me when I’m doing errands around town or going to the shopping centre. The Captiva has a smart, stylish design, it’s one of the lightest ones we found, can be opened with one hand, and only cost us $150 at Target Australia (on sale). The seat folds almost flat and is perfect for newborns, and the incline is on a pulley that adjusts as your child grows older (which also can be done with one hand). It’s exactly what we were looking for… and the price was fabulous considering you can spend SO MUCH MORE.

Update: After having this stroller for a while, I'm still generally very happy with it. BUT, there are a few "cons" that I thought I should pass on. Firstly, the shopping basket is quiet small, and it is also hard to get to when the seat is reclined for a newborn. And secondly, the one-handed steering capabilities are less than to be desired! You can steer with one hand, but not easily. I didn't realize how much this would bother me in the long run... and it's now one of the first things I say to new moms buying a stroller - make sure you can steer it one-handed! (I mostly notice this when I need to make or answer a quick phone call.) Overall, I still consider it a great purchase - good price, small, compact, lightweight, and stylish. It's a great "zip around town" or travel stroller for sure.

This is not a sponsored review, just passing on what I've experienced from one mom to another.

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baby faves: babylove snap-n-go infant carrier

We had a “normal” reversible car seat when Levi was first born, thinking that the infant carrier seats were just one more thing to spend money on that we could do without. Then I went to America and borrowed one from a friend for 10 days while we were there. I was instantly converted! I could go on and on about infant carriers but I won’t. In short, they’re useful when in restaurants, when shopping, when bub falls asleep in the car and you want to let him finish a snooze without disturbing him, and so many other situations. When we got home to America I researched what was available in Australia and this is the one we bought -- the Babylove Snap N Go. It had the best safety and ease of use ratings and was also mid-priced and fairly light weight. We love it and think it was worth every penny, and we’ll certainly use it until Levi grows out of it (and with any subsequent children we have). Great purchase!

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baby faves: moby wrap

I used to see these Moby Wraps on ladies and think they were so hippy-ish. Well, maybe they are but when I was having trouble getting my son to take naps, a friend loaned me hers. I put Levi in it and within 30 seconds he was out! On days when he wouldn’t nap (as a newborn) and I was desperate to get some things done around the house, I’d pop him in there and get nearly an hour-and-a-half sleep out of him. Genius! It was also a life-saver when we took our trip to America at 7 weeks. (Read more about that trip and tips on traveling with an infant here.) You can also use these wrapped in different ways to hold older babies, but we’re not there yet so I can’t comment further. But especially for my son’s newborn days, this worked a treat! You can call me Hippy Momma, but I love my Moby Wrap!!

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baby faves: kiddopotamus deluxe piddle pad

The piddle pad is a small insert to put in your car seat and/or stroller so that when accidents (leaks and blow-outs!) occur you don’t have to remove and wash the entire cover – just the Piddle Pad. (As you can see by the photo they hold up to one cup of fluid. Hopefully our little ones aren't producing a cup of pee at a time, but anyway...) These are a great idea, and only cost about $10. I got one in the car seat and another one in the stroller. Such a fab idea!

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baby faves: swaddleme blankets

Love, love, love these Swaddleme blankets by both Kiddopotamus and by Summer. As most new mommies know, little babes love to be swaddled. The theory goes that it makes them feel more cozy and secure and helps create a womb-like environment for them. Mommies love swaddling because it keeps bub’s arms from flailing about as they drift off into sleep (especially when the “startle reflex” hits) and that means they will fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. I love Swaddleme blankets because they velcro close! When Levi was first born it was easy to swaddle him tightly in any blanket, but after a few weeks he became a little Houdini and could always work his way out (inevitably cutting his naps short). With the Swaddleme blanket, that was solved. He wore the size small until about two-and-a-half months until he started working out how to escape that one too (as you can see by my tarzan-baby photo), and now he sleeps in the large size. Love these!!

baby faves: peekabooby nursing cover

I love to play peekabooby!

Ok, not really… But I do love my Peekabooby nursing cover!

Let me explain.

Early on in my pregnancy I emailed a bunch of my trusty mommy-friends to ask them what products they thought were “must haves”. There are a bazillion things out there to grab your attention. You know the ones? They’re either too handy, too cute, too time-saving, or too perfect to pass up. And yet, I didn’t want to be suckered in by the allure of this whole new world of spending opportunities. Add to that the fact that my husband and I both work as full-time volunteers for a non-profit organization and so you can appreciate that I’m always looking to make my pennies count! (Not that we have pennies in Australia!)

But yes, I sent out my email soliciting advice, and within minutes my inbox was beginning to fill up. I loved my quick responses from these wonder-mommies! (I’ve since learned that moms LOVE swapping tips – so fun!)

Several of my American friends recommended breast-feeding covers. Now, being in Australia I had never seen these. (They are just starting to catch on here – I’ve seen them sold in one store and have yet to see anyone else in public using one.) When my friends described them to me I immediately thought “gimmick!” I wondered what could possibly be so great about a piece of fabric specially designed to cover up my boobs from accidental public exposure. (I mean, isn’t that what receiving blankets are for?!) I reasoned that surely this wasn’t something I needed to be spending money on.

My friends not only disagreed, but two of them sent me covers before I even knew what hit me.

And now let me just publicly say I was wrong!

I looooooove my Peekabooby Fashion nursing cover in particular! It never falls off, I can keep an eye on my little one to make sure he isn’t falling asleep, and I don’t have to worry about flashing unsuspecting Sunday strollers (until my babe gets a bit older and wants to lift it up himself I suppose!). Oh yeah, and let’s not forget they come in such cute and stylish fabrics. (Being obsessed with all things Asian, I absolutely adore my "Samurai" model - here it is pictured below!)

I also use the cover to slip over the pram (stroller) as an extra sunshield, as well as to hang around my neck and cover over bubs when he's in my front carrier. It both blocks out the sun as well as cuts back on visual stimulation when I'm trying to get him to sleep (and I still get my little peek-hole to keep an eye on him and admire him as he snoozes, which I love).

And one other thing, it gives me a great conversation-starter with other Aussie mums when they stare with wonder at my clever American-made mommy's-helper. :)

So yes, I stand corrected! This is no gimmick.

I not only love my nursing cover but have now recommended them to several friends – both mommies that have bubs older than mine (oooooh, can I really give advice to more experienced mums?!) and also to my friends who are glowing moms-to-be. In fact, I recently purchased four of these during a Baby Steals sale to have on hand as gifts. (Unfortunately it was another brand... but a deal too good to pass up.)

I am now a nursing cover evangelist – buy one of these and it will save your [breast-feeding] life! (grin.)

Yes, I love my Peekabooby... and I don't leave home without it.