Sometimes it’s the little things that make baby care easier, and Munchkin is a brand that offers parents everything from toys to feeding, hygiene, and travel solutions at affordable prices. Today, Munchkin contributes to our online birthday party with an assorted gift set including their BPA-free Multi Plates, road trip friendly Safety SunBlock Shades 2-pack, and tubby time Super Safety Bath Ducky and Bath Squirters. Simply check out the rules after the jump and leave a comment on this product line to enter to win.

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Gillian!
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Rules:

Include your name and email in the appropriate fields so we can contact you if you win (your name but NOT your email will be published with your comment. Including just first name or first name + last initial is OK.)

One comment permitted per person; US entrants welcome.

Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded.

Entry period closes tonight at midnight EST, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

Few things calm a baby like being worn, and if you’d like to babywear in chic, eco-conscious style, check out Belle Baby Carriers. Today, Belle contributes to our online birthday party with their organic moss carrier. Easy to use, ergonomically designed, and environmentally friendly, baby can enjoy snoozing, cruising, and nursing in this sweet ride. Simply check out the rules after the jump and leave a comment on this cool carrier to enter to win.

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Sandra R.!
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Rules:

Include your name and email in the appropriate fields so we can contact you if you win (your name but NOT your email will be published with your comment. Including just first name or first name + last initial is OK.)

One comment permitted per person; US entrants welcome.

Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded.

Entry period closes tonight at midnight EST, Monday, July 7, 2008.

And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Coochicoos features a great new nursery inspired by elements from nature. And you could win: a Bugaboo Frog from Car & Caboodle, a LeapFrog Tag Reading system from MomFinds, a Twisted Silver bracelet from One Chic Mama, and one of four Boppy nursing pillows from The Nest Baby.

Summer invariably makes me think about being very pregnant, then in a persistent state of swelter during Laurel’s infancy, during which she wanted to be swaddled, cuddled, and slung constantly but was prone to overheating. If only we had know about the awesome cotton muslin wraps by aden + anais. Forty-seven inches square to ensure a snug wrap, yet deliciously soft and light, these open weave Australian wraps offer a breathable, naturally temperature-regulating solution for summer swaddling. And lucky for winter babes, double layered winter warmth wraps also are available.

Want to win a 4-pack of aden + anais wraps? Here’s how:

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Cheryl K.!
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Click over to the aden + anais collection, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘aden + anais’ in the subject), and name an aden + anais product you would love to try.

One entry permitted per person; US & Canada entrants welcome to enter.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Friday, June 27, 2008.

*Winner will receive a 4-pack of aden + anais baby wraps of their choice of pattern (subject to availability).

Today, Heather offers a cute and practical toddler safety option:

"When it comes to safety, we know all too well that toddlers do not always do as they are told. As parents and caregivers, it’s our responsibility to keep them safe while also encouraging exercise and teaching independence. It’s tricky to negotiate this balance with one busy toddler, and not surprisingly, even more so with my triplet toddlers.

Obviously, when we’re out for a walk, strollers are the best option to keep my adventurous trio confined and safe. But another option I have invested in is a safety harness. Yes, I confess to initially feeling uneasy at the thought of 'leashing' my children. But I have quickly come to feel that they are a terrific option when looking to provide both safety and freedom. I braced myself for judgmental stares and unsolicited snarky comments, but have been pleasantly surprised to receive compliments about how cute the harnesses are, and questions about where we purchased them.

I recommend the Eddie Bauer Harness Buddy - available in Monkey, Dog, or Bear. They are machine washable and work as both a harness and a backpack. The removable tail functions as the tether. My three toddlers love their plush animal backpacks. And I love that they provide safety, are machine washable, and are easy to buckle on and off.

Babies R Us also has harness options, including: the Safety 1st Child Harness, Safe Fit Grow With Me Backpack with Harness, and Safe Fit Grow With Me Purse with Harness."

And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Mommies with Style reviews Chilly Jilly’s wrap-in-a-bag. MomFinds features the latest crop of Crocs for kids. Vote for your favorite bump at The Nest Baby - the winner gets a babymoon in Jamaica. One Chic Mama is giving away an iRobot Roomba 560. Moms’ Buzz is offering up a $100 Toys R Us gift card + Veggie Tales DVDs. And visit Modern Mom to enter to win a Celebrity BUMP Bag valued at over $3600.

It’s the perfect pairing in a way; a mom who couldn’t possibly have prepared for what lay ahead and a mom on a mission to help parents be prepared on a daily basis. The former is Jordana Holovach, a mom who, in the face of her son Jacob’s struggle with Canavan disease (a degenerative birth disorder with severe physical and perceptual consequences), founded Jacob’s Cure to raise awareness and funds for clinical research. The latter is Stacie Mindich-Jordan, the mom behind BabyDish’s BabyBeReady Diaper Bag Survival Kit, a baby essentials tote that helps take some of the guesswork out of on the go infant care.
Inspired by Holovach’s passionate fight and Jacob’s bright smile (he is beating the odds at age 10), Mindich-Jordan created the Jacob's Cure Smiley Bag (shown), a limited edition addition to her line of waterproof, compact diaper bags that can be purchased empty ($45-$50) or fully loaded with gear stowed neatly in the two inner zipped sections ($99; includes onesie, sun hat, bib, burp cloth, diapers, changing pad, travel wipes, rattle, bottle, and pacifier). Not only will you have peace of mind in being prepared, but you’ll feel good knowing that 40% of the proceeds from this bag go directly to Jacob’s Cure.

For chic diapering on the go, reader Sophie from New York, NY wrote in with high praise for the Rio Grande Toddler Change Pad from Pineapple Cove (shown; $50 at the amazing art and design collective Trunkt). Featuring an oversized zipper pocket to securely hold diapers and wipes, and thick padding to comfortably cushion your baby, the interior is waterproof and the pad folds from 34 x 13” to 7.5 x 13” and secures with a Velcro closure. Click here to see Trunkt’s full collection of change pads and diaper wallets from Pineapple Cove.

Although I initially was among those new parents wary of pacifiers, Laurel was so orally fixated as an infant that there were many moments where I desperately wished she would take a pacifier so I could have my pinky (or breast) back. She would have none of the plastic stuff.

Perhaps she would have changed her tune with one of the cute Plush Pacifiers from Baby Dagny. Their exclusively designed WubbaNub pacifier is attached to any of a host of small cuddly critters that little hands will want to hold onto, thus keeping the pacifier in the mouth, not on the ground (shown, the Ultimate Shower Set 7pk included in this year’s Oscar swag bags; $72). These plush pacifiers are machine washable, suitable for babies from 2 months to 2 years, and are offered in a variety of set size/animal combos, starting at two for $29.