Eco-novice's Top 10 Posts of 2012

awards,babies,baby,celebrations,people,persons,Photographs,prizes,special occasions,trophies,winners,winnings

In reverse order for dramatic effect!

10. Early Potty Training Reprise
  9. Homemade Yogurt
  8. Labor and Delivery Hospital Bag Packing List
  7. Homemade Chewy (Not Crumbly) Granola Bars
  6. Natural Deodorant that Works for My Husband
  5. What Does a Baby Need?
  4. Potty Training a 4-month-old Baby
  3. Avoiding Toxins in Baby Products
  2. Natural Nursing Pillows

And the most viewed post published in 2012 was:

  1. Non-toxic Crib Mattresses


Those are all posts published during 2012. Click here to see the list of posts that were viewed most during 2012. The suspense!

What was your favorite post of 2012?


Quiz: What Do You Do When Your Kids Receive a Gift Card?


Your child just received a gift card (or cash) as a gift. Do you:
A. Take the card/ cash and spend it on toilet paper, nose drops, that DVD you've been wanting, or a birthday present for another child.
B. Let your child pick out whatever he or she wants.
C. Purchase for your child the toy you would want him or her to pick (a puzzle, board game or Legos, not the latest collectible plastic figurine).

The Poop Report: Diapering and Pottying at One Year

Sometimes my 3yo entertains my 1yo on the potty for me.

Potty
My one-year-old reliably uses the potty when she wakes up in the morning and after her two naps. In fact, I will even leave her in a Kissaluvs fitted diaper with no waterproof cover for a nap because I know she will not pee on the bed when she wakes up. She'll wait until we put her on the potty. And she occasionally wakes up dry in the morning too. She will pee many more times on the potty if we put her on it. One day I realized around 5 pm that she was still in the same diaper I'd put her in that morning. We go through few enough diapers that often I realize I haven't washed diapers for five or six days. Once I ran out of cloth wipes before anything else.

A Few Favorites from MightyNest

Rainbow stacker ($78) sold by MightyNest

MightyNest is one of my favorite online stores for eco-friendly products. Their Registry and Wish List tools make it easy to help friends and family find gifts for your family that you'd love to have in your home.

Today is the last day for 15% off and free shipping at MightyNest on any order over $25 (use the coupon code REINDEER15). Your order today is also guaranteed to be delivered by Christmas! So it seems a great time to share with you some of my favorite products from their store that are difficult to find anywhere else. We own and have test driven for many months the first six products.



Rainbow stacker ($78). I reviewed this toy recently here. In addition to being a stacking puzzle, this toy by Germany company Grimm's Spiel and Holz can be used to make bridges, arches, tunnels, homes, boats, or for construction play. The larger size is really cool, but the smaller size is just $16.99. All of Grimm's toys are beautiful and open-ended. I also have my eye on the Color Connect Game ($34.95), which would be super cool for making designs as well as for playing a strategy game.

stockmar beeswax crayons

Beeswax crayons ($13.49 to $39.99). Do your kids eat crayons? Mine do. That's why I decided to invest in some crayons made with something besides petroleum. The rectangular ones are fun for rubbings.


Blessed Nest organic nursing pillow ($87). Before my third baby, I tossed the hand-me-down My Brest Friend (stuffed with polyurethane foam containing flame retardants) and invested in natural nursing pillows. My baby is one-year-old, and I am still regularly using my Blessed Nest Nursing Pillow, made with organic removable and washable organic cotton cover and filled with organic buckwheat hulls. Read my full review of this nursing pillow here.



Stainless steel 8 oz. cups by Sanctus Mundo ($7.95). We first purchased these cups about 18 months ago. Since then, several friends and many family members have purchased them after trying them at my home or based upon my recommendation. Dishwasher safe, made in Thailand, and just the right size for little hands, I wrote about why these cups make the perfect child's cup here.

Stainless steel plates by Sanctus Mundo ($8.95). Because we liked their cup so much, I decided to also try Sanctus Mundo's stainless steel plates. The smaller 8" size is a good size for my children and they clean up beautifully in the dishwasher.

Stainless steel sippy cups ($16.50 and up). We love both the Klean Kanteen sippy cup (which my 5yo and 3yo now use with the sport spout) as well as The Safe Sippy. Stainless steel containers mean beverages are not sitting in plastic. They also keep their drinks colder longer. We use The Safe Sippy at home and the Klean Kanteen in the car and on-the-go (church, lunch at the park, etc.). My kids have one of each. Note that The Safe Sippy is not leak-proof (liquid dribbles out slowly when not upright). Klean Kanteen recently changed their sippy spout, so I cannot comment on that one (the old one leaks a little, but less than The Safe Sippy). Click here to read a review of all the stainless steel sippy cups we've tried.
stainless steel divided plate
Din Din Stainless Steel Bus Plate ($17.95). Dishwasher safe and made in Korea. We haven't tried this one yet, but I think it is very charming and would make a great gift for a toddler or young child.

casa cabana print

Casa Cabana Cardboard Playhouse ($45.95). Made of recycled cardboard, this 27 x 27 x 41 inch playhouse features a door, 7 windows and spyholes and is ready to decorate. An eco-friendly way to encourage both artistic expression and pretend play. 

Gift Sets ($25-$100). Still not sure what to give? Check out MightyNest's Gift Sets (examples: New Baby Gift Set, Young Artist Gift Set) 

Or just give a Gift Certificate.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate for MightyNest  Many links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see my full disclosure policy here.


This post is part of
Top Ten Tuesday

Looking for a Wooden Monster Truck?

Dog Wood by Dave's Monster Truck is 10 inches long, 6 inches tall,
weighs nearly a pound and a half, comes in several colors,
and costs $15.95 (plus $12.95 US shipping).

Look no further. I found one for you on Etsy. This truck is made by Dog Wood by Dave and it made the perfect birthday gift for my 5yo.

Ten Green Goals for 2013



My green goals are designed to help my family reduce waste and energy use, reduce exposure to toxins, and improve our connection to nature. 

1. Expand my homemade snack repertoire. I currently have two main snacks in my repertoire: healthy whole grain "cookies" and chewy granola bars. I like snacks that are easy to make in bulk, kid-friendly, good for on-the-go, and, of course, healthy. Any suggestions?

2. Transition from cloth diapers to training pants/ underwear by 15 months. I have been practicing early potty training with my third child since she was four months old. At one year, my daughter uses the potty at least 3 times a day and for all of her poops, and holds her pee for hours at a time. It's time to switch over, but because I don't have a million training pants, it will require that I commit to taking her to the potty more consistently than I am now. I'm psyching myself up for this. I waited until around 20 months to transition my second child out of diapers and later felt that I had waited too long.

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