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I love cloth diapering. I tried it with my first son and it seemed like too much work. When I had Spencer I promised myself I would try harder and I did. We’ve been cloth diapering on and off for 2 years. I’ve tried almost every cloth brand out there and I have my sure favorites. When I was approached by Family Review Network to test out a brand that was new to me I wanted to see how it would go. The AppleCheeks mini test includes one cover in your choice of size and color and 3 bamboo inserts which is a perfect gift for a new mom trying out cloth. I gave AppleCheeks reusable cloth diapers mini test a try and was pleased with how they worked.

AppleCheeks are a bit different than my favorite diapers, known as pocket diapers. AppleCheeks are called envelope diapers. The way they work is instead of having a pocket at the back of the diaper to put your insert, they have an opening in the middle. I wasn’t sure I was going to be a fan of this style, I somehow felt it would just get really messy with an opening in that area, but I was wrong. It didn’t bother me at all. I didn’t notice any extra mess.

The absorbency of the bamboo inserts was not quite strong enough for my 2 year old. He is a big boy and when he pees I guess he pees a lot. I had to double up, but honestly that isn’t a problem at all. I want to mention that so if parents who are new to cloth diapers purchase AppleCheeks they aren’t put off by this. There are many diapers that need to be doubled and the good thing about AppleCheeks is that adding a second insert does not make the diaper too puffy. The bamboo inserts are rather thin so it keeps a nice fit on babies bottom.

The one thing about AppleCheeks that I wasn’t pleased with was the fit. My son is big, just over 30lbs. The AppleCheeks diapers come in two sizes. Size 1 goes to 20lbs and Size 2 goes to 35lbs. Spencer won’t be wearing the AppleCheeks very long because even on the furthest snap they are a bit snug. Keep this in mind when purchasing. However if your baby is small like my first born, these diapers will last you a long time.

One last thing I wanted to mention is the quality. This diaper is one of the best made diapers I own. It is super soft, continues to be super soft and the hardware is strong. I have popped a snap off of a few brands of diapers but I have not done this with AppleCheeks. I’ve given the diaper quite a few firm tugs and everything has stayed in place.

I recommend AppleCheeks diapers to parents new to cloth diapers and those who have been practicing for years. As long as you keep the fit in mind you should be fine. AppleCheeks can be found on the web at http://www.applecheeks.com

This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program for AppleCheeks, who supplied The MiniTest for review.

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I’m a big fan of educational toys. Cause and effect is my favorite type of educational toy for Spencer. The way his eyes light up when he realizes he made something happen is one of those mom moments I won’t soon forget. Learning is a gateway to the imagination. When the people with Buckletoy.com contacted me to see if I’d like to review their Bucky the Buckle Turtle I knew it would be a fast favorite for Spencer.

Bucky the Turtle is a soft plush that has 4 buckles that run across his body in three different styles. Spencer has the ability to learn dexterity while also being given immediate gratification when he hears the buckles make a “click” sound and stay closed. Sometimes the buckles can be a bit hard for his little hands to unbuckle but he always figures it out.

Bucky also has the numbers 1-10 written on his tummy in bright colors. Spencer loves to count 1-10 and this gives him the chance to actually feel and touch the numbers as he counts. On Bucky’s shell is a zipper pouch that can hide one pack of fruit gummies. We use this toy in the car so that Spencer has something to keep him occupied and a snack. Bucky also has shapes on his shell which Spencer is in the process of learning. He has the colors down with no problem, but saying the names of shapes doesn’t come as easy.

This is one of Spencer’s favorite toys. He always tries to sneak it out of the car, once going as far as to put it in Jason’s lunch box. Mommy wasn’t born yesterday though and knows that if this toy makes it into the house it won’t be a novelty anymore. Much to Spencer’s dismay, Bucky the Buckle Toy stays in the car seat and continues to be a favorite.

Right now BuckleToy.com is offering one Bucky the Turtle to a lucky reader. Enter below:

To Enter (worth ONE mandatory entry):

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner using the link on the left. Come back and tell me who you are.

Extra Credit (worth 5 separate entries each you do):

1. Follow BuckleToy.com on Facebook by clicking here. Come back and tell me who you are.

2. Follow BuckleToy.com on Twitter by clicking here. Come back and tell me who you are.

3. Follow me on Twitter using the link on the left. Come back and tell me who you are.

4. Tweet: “Win an @buckletoy on MySentimentExactLee.com @mysentiment”

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will end on Wednesday March 10th 2010 at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

*Bucky was sent to me free for review.

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2010-03-19 12:54:56 UTC
Congrats to Stephanie Grant

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