Dr. Hess Udder Ointment For Baby Butts (4 oz. $9.99) is a product I have been using on my daughter for the past two weeks. The first thing I liked about it was putting it on is that there’s no heavy smell you get from some of the leading brands of diaper rash products. The lotion goes on smoothly and it’s also great for chaffing cheeks and creating a barrier for drooling chins and necks.

Overall: Really like it. Will use this regularly!

Now here’s some background. The website reads: “For over 100 years, Dr. Hess Products have been providing relief for all skin needs. Originally developed for cow’s udders in the early 1900’s, farmers were soon remarking on the incredible healing effects it was having on their own skin. Soon it was a staple in every medicine cabinet. Dr. Hess Udder Ointment is less greasy, absorbs quicker and smells better than other comparable products on the market. They use NO PARABENS.”

The newest addition is the Udder Sticks (a pack of 4 goes for $10). This lip balm has the added SPF 15 sunscreen and comes in four flavors: Original vanilla, mango, pomegranate and vanilla mint.

We haven’t tried these out yet but for me, I’m going to put them in my bag for those chapped lip times.

Available at Amazon.com and Walgreens.

So I whipped out a packet of the Zarbee’s All Natural Cough & Sleep Drink and dissolved it in a cup of warm water. She instantly liked the taste. She also went back to sleep and stayed in bed until the morning. That meant I got some sleep! Having .5mg melatonin in the ingredient helped.

•    Safe & effective for children and adults (2 years +)
•    Pediatrician recommended
•    Soothes sore throats and coughs
•    Contains .5 mg of melatonin to promote healthy sleep
•    Natural Grape flavor with Elderberry
•    6-2 oz. servings

Retails for $8.99. I recommend Zarbee’s because they are all-natural, drug-free and made from antioxidant-rich buckwheat honey, which clinical trials have shown to be the safest and most effective treatment for relieving coughs in children.

Zarbee’s products do not include Dextromethorphan (DM), the most common over-the-counter treatment for coughs. A controversial ingredient not supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, DM has been banned for children ages four and younger and is being scrutinized by the FDA as ineffective and potentially dangerous for children. Zarbee’s products are also gluten free, contain no drugs, alcohol or dyes, have no side effects and carry no risk of overdose.

Zarbee’s products are available at Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Kmart, Kroger, Winn Dixie, Albertsons and Meijer stores nationwide.

Visit the Zarbee’s website.

U.S. News Best Cars, one of the most influential and trusted sources for car rankings and reviews, announced today the 2012 Best Cars for Families Awards featured at www.usnews.com/cars-families.

According to their press release: “These awards help busy parents navigate a confusing automotive market by identifying the cars that offer the best combination of factors important to everyday families.

To determine the winners in each category, U.S. News editors combine the consensus opinion of automotive critics with safety, reliability, passenger and cargo volume data as well as an index of family-friendly features. The awards, and the Best Cars website, are published by U.S. News & World Report, which has a long history of helping Americans make the best choices when it comes to higher education, hospitals and more. More than 20 million people have visited U.S. News Best Cars in the past year alone.

Eight brands won awards across 18 automotive categories, including cars, SUVs and minivans. Honda and Ford led the pack with four winning vehicles each, while Acura, Buick, Subaru and Toyota had two wins each.”

Drum roll please……

2012 BEST CARS FOR FAMILIES AWARDS

CATEGORY
WINNER
Affordable Compact SUV
2012 Honda CR-V

Full-Size Car
2012 Ford Taurus

Affordable Full-Size SUV
2012 Toyota Sequoia

Affordable Midsize Car
2012 Ford Fusion

Midsize SUV with Two Rows 2012 Ford Edge

Midsize SUV with Three Rows 2012 Buick Enclave

Compact Car
2012 Subaru Impreza

Subcompact Car
2012 Honda Fit

Hatchback
2012 Honda Fit

Hybrid Car
2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Hybrid SUV
2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Luxury Compact SUV
2012 BMW X3

Luxury Full-Size SUV
2012 Cadillac Escalade

Luxury Midsize SUV
2012 Acura MDX

Minivan
2012 Honda Odyssey

Upscale Midsize Car
2012 Buick Regal

Upscale Small Car
2012 Acura TSX

Wagon
2012 Subaru Outback

Dora The Explorer fans…there’s a new DVD coming out! Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Easter Adventure releases on Tuesday, February 14th.

It includes tons of DVD exclusive special features, including five Karaoke music videos and an interactive play mode game.  Retail price is $16.99.

And for a limited-time only, consumers can receive a $3-off coupon for the DVD when they visit NickelodeonDVDCoupon.com.

Dora and Boots are waiting for their friend, the Hip-Hop Bunny, to bring his basket filled with eggs and treats for their big egg hunt. Just as the Bunny arrives at the forest, Swiper swipes the basket and throws it far into the Rainbow Garden – where it’s headed for a waterfall! It’s Dora and Boots to the rescue as they join the Bunny on an Easter Day Adventure singing the Hip-Hop Bunny’s Easter song, going past the scratchy flowers at the Garden and racing down the Rainbow River on a giant rubber ducky to save the basket.

Plus Two Bonus Episodes!
The Grumpy Old Troll Gets Married
Dora in Troll Land

Dora’s Easter Adventure will also be made available day and date for digital download on iTunes.  Dora’s Easter Adventure will be the first Nickelodeon release with iTunes Extras.  For Dora The Explorer episodes and bonus features on iTunes please visit iTunes.com/Dora.

We just got two new products from Rooware for my daughter – the Rooplate and Rootensils. Upon reading the description on the packaging I was impressed immediately. It reads “fun tableware made from plants”. That means There are no petroleum or toxic chemicals made to produce their plastic. Plus, it’s different and excellent for your child and the environment. Oh and I have to add they are made in the USA.

There are four characters in the designs: Lexi, Kai, Jazi, and Zach. I like their looks…not too cutesy and appealing for the older kids too.

The Rooplate is awesome. It features a removable divider bowl which is great for separating foods. My daughter wanted to use it right away. Since she’s such a snacker, I let her use it to hold her fruits and crackers.

I really like the colors and the characters and feel that they are inviting to use. The Rootensils comes with a spoon and fork and are perfect for little ones as they are normal sized but usable. No worries on poking eyes with these.

Prices: Roobowls $12.95, Rootensils $6.95, and the Rooware 16.95.

You can only buy these at Rooware.com.

Koto Go Silence is an animated storybook created by a crew of independent artists. It features Koto, a dog that hears things that go bump in the night, and decides to do something about it.

The app can be navigated and children can tap on the sentences to hear the words being read aloud.
Available for $2.99 and can be downloaded for the iPod, iPhone, iPad and Android mobile platforms.

Click the link to watch the YouTube video.

OVERALL: Light Sleepers did a great job in creating Koto. He’s cute! I also like the animation. The only criticism I have is that I wish there was even more animation. Perhaps my children, ages 6 and 3, aren’t heavy readers yet because there are parts with just text and that didn’t hold their interest.

That said, it’s well done and worth downloading. Visit light-sleepers.com for more info on Koto Go Silence and their other apps.

Their products are made with pure plant oils and extracts, natural ingredients that do not clog pores or make it difficult for a baby’s skin to absorb moisture or oxygen. Each product has been created based on the expertise of physicians and midwives to deliver formulations that are specifically for super sensitive and delicate baby skin.

I first saw Weleda in a pharmacy in England. I had bought the Calendula Oil ($15) to use on my son, who was an infant at the time. Even though I thought it was a bit pricey, I was impressed by the quality of the product.

Check out the site and find out more about the following:

•    Calendula Shampoo & Body Wash ($11) – Designed with the mildest organic and natural plant-based cleansers, this shampoo and body wash is gentle on the eyes and skin.  This bath essential is comprised of sweet almond oil that instantly locks in moisture.  Bath-time just got bubblier for you and your little one.
•    Calendula Oil ($15) – The nurturing combination of Biodynamic® calendula and chamomile flower extract calms irritation and softens your baby’s skin.  After bathing, pat your baby’s skin dry and massage with this oil to protect against skin-damaging environmental influences, and offer warming comfort.  The gentle formula can also be used to cleanse the diaper area.  A clean baby means a happy baby.
•    Calendula Diaper Care ($12) – Formulated with zinc oxide, along with an exclusive composition of natural ingredients, this soothing cream offers quick and effective relief from diaper rash.  Redness and inflammation are soothed with Biodynamic® and organic calendula flower extract.  Give your baby a boo-boo-free bum!
• Calendula Baby Cream ($12) – This all natural baby cream, formulated with Biodynamic® and organic calendula flower extract soothes and softens your baby’s skin, wrapping your child in a layer of warmth and protection like a loving hug. Calendula Baby Cream also has essential fatty acids from sweet almond oil that protect your baby’s skin from drying out and render delicate or chafing skin supple and smooth.  Jessica Alba tweeted to a fellow mom that it’s her go-to for eczema!

Weleda Calendula Baby Care is available at Whole Foods and at usa.weleda.com. Celebrity fans include Jessica Alba and Beyoncé and moms-t0-be Jessica Simpson and Molly Sims.

I’ve been looking (and using) shopping comparison sites for over a year now. Another good one is PriceBlink. They are a family-run company and was created to save time and money. They just released the PriceBlink add-on.

The PriceBlink add-on is like a portable comparison shopping tool, notifying you if the product you are browsing is available for a lower price from another retailer, or if there are coupons available from the retailer you are shopping on.

(This could be useful since you don’t want to open a lot of windows to check out multiple store sites.)

PriceBlink makes money through affiliate programs and the user must click for the affiliate link to be generated. You have literally thousands of options (the top five sites that PriceBlink’s users go to are Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, Buy.com and Walmart), making smart shopping even easier. Plus, many sites have exclusive coupons through PriceBlink.

The add-on is free and is available on Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari. You can also get the free iPad app.

Hey, if it’s free why not try it out?

The Sneezy Wheezy Day (Talking Bird Books, January 1, 2012, $14.95) is a hardcover picture book that tells the tale of a brother and sister cub. One day after swimming in the crystalline pool, poor brother cub gets sick so sister takes him to see the animals in the forest. They in return offer silly home remedies.

One friend even tells brother cub, “Tickle your nose with the tail of a goose and do it before the next blue moon rise!” Although the recommendations help, the final remedy is a sibling’s love.

The story, written by Sharon Cramer, is in rhyme. If you have two kids who fight all the time, this is a good book to have them read.

Cramer wrote the first book in the series, Lost and Alone about sibling rivalry, when her youngest son was born 18 years ago. As a mom to two older sons at the time, Cramer says she felt like an expert on “brotherly love” already. The second installment in the series, I’m Just Like You addresses intolerance.

Cramer illustrates the Cougar Cub Tales books in watercolor, with each picture taking her between 18-24 hours to create. She chose cougar cubs because she wanted to create characters that spoke strongly of the Pacific Northwest, where she lives.

To learn more and hear audio of Cramer reading the books, please visit: www.talkingbirdbooks.com.

OVERALL: I like the vivid illustrations and the tale itself. It did hold my 3-year-old’s attention, and the book is so nicely done, it’s a keeper.

I’m always for letting you know about healthy, organic baby foods and Baby Gourmet is a brand I recently was made aware of. The nice part is that the pouch products were originally handmade baby food sold at the farmers’ markets by a mom of two. She was so successful that she started the company having made $30,000 a month at her stand.

The foods are for babies 6 – 12 months and are good mixtures (Vanilla Banana Berry Risotto is my fave)

Recipes include:

6mo – Simple Purees
◦    Harvest Pear, Pumpkin, and Banana
◦    Juicy Pear and Garden Greens
◦    Orchard Apple, Carrot Prune

7mo – Yummy Combos
◦    Baby’s Sweet Potato Pie
◦    Roasted Squash and Fruit Medley
◦    Apple, Sweet Potato Berry Swirl

8mo+ – Tasty Textures
◦    Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
◦    Vanilla Banana Berry Risotto
◦    Tropical Banana Bliss

All products are organic, no salt, sugar, fillers, preservatives, no nuts.  No dairy, except in Old Fashioned Apple Crisp.  Packaged in in a specially designed pouch allows for less cooking time, locking in nutrient values and flavors.  Visit babygourmet.com to see where you can buy them.

Prices vary but you can buy a pack of 12 for $12.71 at amazon.com.