Savannah and Pooler GA newborn and children’s photographer: Memories for Keepsake Photography by Nicole

This week, Memories for Keepsake Photography by Nicole is giving away a free studio photography session to a lucky SouthernMamas reader. Or, if you opt to do the baby plan, which covers maternity through the baby’s first year, you can win a free mini album of the session of choice. The idea is “your miracles, your moments…remembering every detail.”

Photographer Nicole Williams excels in maternity, newborns and children. The baby plan is a great way to make sure your baby’s first year is fully documented and it includes a special discount that is exclusive to the baby plan holders.

Please book early. The summer is slipping by and summer spots are almost gone

Mention SouthernMamas and receive 10 percent off portrait prices. Nicole is also offering an amazing special for moms expecting multiples. Contact her for more info.

Here are the rules:

You love real pit BBQ, old pick-up trucks and sipping sweet tea on front porch. And you hope your kids will, too.

Which is why a vintage child’s Southern soft t-shirt that proclaims “I’m the only heck my mama ever raised” is the one for your kid. Or maybe one that reads “Baptized in Muddy Waters,” ” “Daddy’s Lil Cowgirl” or “Darn Right I Got the Blues”

Southern Brand, a lifestyle label evoking the Blues, BBQ, Outlaw Country Music and the lore of the American South, has a new line of Lil’ Ones vintage t-shirts – sweet tees – for children.

Forget that rebel flag, south’s-gonna-do-it-again business. These southern tees feature classic southern fried images of rural Americana including roadside BBQ shacks and phrases born of tradition, hard work and good livin’.

Southern Brand also has an adult line of tees.

These sweet tees and other Southern items, like cowhide koozies, are available for purchase online here.

Southern Brand.com is a down home guide to Southern culture and good livin’ through music, film, food, travel and books.

Island Child loves Lemon Loves Lime and you will too.

You can now pre-order Lemon Loves Lime for Fall 2009. Be sure to get the merchandise you want. FREE SHIPPING on ALL orders over $100. Orders will ship mid-July.

Pre-orders are purchases of merchandise scheduled to ship at a future date. You can order the merchandise for a coming season and be sure to get exactly what you want.

Island Child understands that ordering in advance can be difficult for sizing and are more than happy to exchange sizing or styles for you that do not work out.

Click here for more info or call 888-705-5437 or 843-686-5437.

Island Child, an upscale Hilton Head Island children’s boutique with shopping available online as well, is a sponsor of SouthernMamas

Attention Obama Mamas.
Your little ones love to yell “Obama!” whenever they see our 44th president on TV or magazine covers.
Now they can play with the President’s Air Force One for $18 from Craftsbury Kids.

This President Obama Air Force One Wood Plane is a limited edition Pennsylvanian hardwood toy made in the USA. The collectible is constructed to last a lifetime.

Tara Dry!

Tara wins a bouquet made of baby clothes from Swanky Blooms. Each baby bouquet is handmade to look like a bunch of baby flowers, but made of quality baby clothes, carefully rolled to look like blooms. The baby bouquets double as a baby shower centerpiece and are a creative alternative to fresh new baby flowers or diaper cakes.

Swanky Blooms currently offers a 10 percent discount on the Baby Cupcake Onesies, pictured here. Enter the code YUMMY10 and receive 10 percent on your purchase. Hurry.  Offer expires Sat. Feb. 28!! Click here to start shopping.

Are your little leprechauns ready for the big Savannah holiday?

Our sponsor Kate Rees can help with personalized St. Patrick’s Day outfits for boys and girls. Click here. Once that’s done, you can start focusing on more important matters, such as staking out that perfect spot to view the parade.

Here’s a unique baby or shower gift idea: a bouquet made of adorable baby clothes from Swanky Blooms.

And you can win one this week.

The winner will receive either an essentials bouquet in neutral tones  or she can decide the gender. Learn more about the bouquet here.

Each baby bouquet is handmade to look like a bunch of baby flowers, but made of quality baby clothes selected with a layette list in mind, carefully rolled to look like blooms. The baby bouquets double as a baby shower centerpiece and are a creative alternative to fresh new baby flowers or diaper cakes.

Check out the rules below to enter to win:

Easter (April 12) isn’t far away and the daffodils are already blooming.

Check out these fun spring-is-here gifts for kids from Windowbox.com

Butterfly Garden Watch them grow then let them go! Raise 3 to 5 Painted Lady butterflies while learning all about metamorphosis with this Oppenheim Best Toy Award-winning butterfly raising kit! See each caterpillars transition as it matures, changes into a chrysalid, and finally emerges as a Painted Lady butterfly! After observing your butterflies, experience the joy of releasing them into your backyard! Absolutely safe to release into the environment. Includes colorful pop-up habitat suitable for hanging or free-standing on a countertop, pre-paid certificate for 3 to 5 butterfly larvae with special food, feeding kit and complete instructions.Notice! This kit doesn’t contain any live insects, but contains a mail-in certificate for the live critters. The kit with live insects is available elsewhere in the Insect Lore store.Three butterflies are guaranteed to be perfect specimens. Please allow approximately 3 weeks for your larvae to develop. During extremely hot or cold weather, delivery of live larvae may be delayed. Available only in the Continental U.S. and Alaska.

Flower Pot Painting KitTurn the ordinary into extraordinary! Customize these two terra cotta pots with your own decorations. Kit includes two 3.5″ terra cotta pots, non-toxic paints and a brush.

Butterfly Watering CanReady, set, water! These unique watering cans are the perfect mix of fun and mischief for your little gardener. Fun to use, the watering cans make a great gift for any child eager to help outdoors. The five different designs based on creatures found in the garden add to their appeal, making them perfect for anyone under 12. Galvanized for durability and a topside loop for hanging, your plants (and kids) will be in hydration heaven! Available in Manny Mantis, Webster Spider, Flutter Butterfly, Buzzby Bee or Dot Ladybug.

Nyokki – ChickeeNyokki means grow in Japanese, and that’s exactly what these Nyokki Pets do! These little pet plants are adorable and original and they are hand made in Japan from glazed ceramic. They are shaped like eggs with fabric legs. Filled with a growing media and rye grass seeds, these Nyokki pets are easy to grow – seeds germinate and grass grows to full height in less than two weeks. You can style your Nyokki’s “hair” or cut it and watch it grow again! Choose from Monkey, Chickee, Froggie, Panda, and Piglet.

Dinosaur Plant Grow KitThis one-of-a-kind marvel has lived on the Earth for over 290 million years and has had the ability to come back to life over and over again for hundreds of years! The Dinosaur Plant came to be just before the dinosaurs began to emerge, and it still lives on today! Place this seemingly dead ball of foliage in water and within hours it transforms into a vibrant green evergreen! Let it dry out and it will return to the dried state it ships in. This fantastic specimen can hibernate for up to fifty years and will spring to life every time it is given water. This complete kit contains everything needed for you to grow your very own scaly-leaved Dinosaur Plant: plant, display bowl, and real volcanic stones! Water not included.

This little stool of mine.
I use it all the time.
To reach the things I couldn’t.
And lots of things I shouldn’t.

When it comes to baby gifts, second and subsequent children are tough to buy for. Our newborn daughter had pretty much everything she needed thanks to hand-me-downs from relatives and second-hand baby gear our son used.
Which is why the personalized Kabooster child step stool we received for Frances was such a treat. Something her very own. Something practical. Something she would have forever. Something so cute and well-made.

Kabooster step stools are made of furniture grade birch hardwood plywood and coated with a long lasting protective finish.
The finest joinery techniques are utilized for a lifetime of safe use. Colorful handles make it easy for kids to move them around and explore.

The stools have a 10 year replacement warranty and come in three colors, green, blue and magenta. You can select from 16 different icons, baseballs to tulips. (Francie’s has a butterfly) Click here to check out the step stools and give the kid in your life a boost.

Kabooster is a sponsor of SouthernMamas

Alyson Beasley-Spinks.

Carin Behringer.
Congratulations. You each win one Lia Sophia jewelry item of your choice under $100 from the Spring/Summer catalog or the Kiam Collection.

February is Double Up time: purchase two items at full price and you can add two items for half price. When you purchase three items at full price, you can add three items for half price. And so on and so on. Even better, your half-priced items can be your HIGHEST priced items.

You can either place jewelry orders individually with Kristen or host a jewelry party (and receive amazing hostess benefits such as your choice of any catalog item under $100 or, during February, add $100 of jewelry to your order for only $19). See the jewelry here and check out the hostess benefits here.

Contact Kristen by clicking here and schedule your show today.

Ginger Heidel.

Congratulations, Ginger! She wins an “Off To The Hamptons” dress from Kookie, kids couture for girls only.

Thanks to everyone who participated. Don’t forget, from now until Feb. 28, enjoy free shipping on ALL Kookie orders! No minimum purchase is required. Start shopping by clicking here.

Kristen Grach, a Savannah advisor for Lia Sophia jewelry, is giving away two sweet Valentine’s treats .

Two SouthernMamas can each win one item of your choice under $100 from the Spring/Summer catalog or the Kiam Collection.

Just check out the rules below to enter to win:

We’ll pick two names at random and announce the TWO winners Friday.

February is Double Up time @ Lia Sophia: purchase two items at full price and you can add two items for half price. When you purchase three items at full price, you can add three items for half price. And so on and so on. Even better, your half-priced items can be your HIGHEST priced items. The jewelry comes with a lifetime guarantee. Contact Kristen by clicking here and schedule your show or place your order today.

Kookie, kids couture for girls only, is giving away an “Off To The Hamptons” dress to a lucky SouthernMamas subscriber.

Specifically, you can win the green pique design (shown in the photo). It’s a size 5, so even if your darling daughter is merely a few weeks old, you can save it for when she’s old enough to hobnob with her BFFs in style.

Just check out the rules below to enter to win:

We’ll announce the winner here Friday.

If you can’t wait for the giveaway and want to order from Kookie now, start shopping by clicking here. From now until Feb. 28, enjoy free shipping on ALL orders! No minimum purchase is required.

Kristen Grach loves well-made, beautiful jewelry.

But after the Savannah mother-of-three sold her upscale maternity boutique, Expectations, she had little reason to don her jewelry every day. Then she discovered wearing jewelry and getting dressed in something more than a tee and jeans – even just to go drop the kids off at school – helped her feel better, more put-together and as though she could conquer the world.

Now as an advisor for Lia Sophia jewelry, Kristen gets a chance to share her love for fun and fabulous jewelry, while earning a little spending money and setting her own hours.

You can either place jewelry orders individually with Kristen or host a jewelry party (and receive amazing hostess benefits such as your choice of any catalog item under $100 or, during February, add $100 of jewelry to your order for only $19). See the jewelry here and check out the hostess benefits here.

February is Double Up time: purchase two items at full price and you can add two items for half price. When you purchase three items at full price, you can add three items for half price. And so on and so on. Even better, your half-priced items can be your HIGHEST priced items.

The jewelry comes with a lifetime guarantee. Contact Kristen by clicking here and schedule your show today.

Wild Dill is our latest crush.

Organic. Free-trade. Sweat-shop free. Natural. And this handmade car is on sale for $19.

Check out the outfits from Lemon Loves Lime designer line. Lots of descriptions come to mind – whimsical, fun, and above all, available now at @ Island Child in the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Is. or via the Island Child online store here. 1.888.705.5437 or 843.686.5437.

Island Child is a sponsor of SouthernMamas.com

Bellybar is giving away a gift package of nutritious treats to a lucky SouthernMamas subscriber.

The package is teeming with Bellybar’s delicious, all-natural snacks for women before, during and after pregnancy – bars, chews, shakes and more. DHA never tasted so good! Even if you aren’t pregnant or a recent new mom, these make fun shower and baby gifts.

The winner goody bag includes:

1-5 count box of our improved Berry Nutty Cravings flavor – now with yogurt coating

1-pouch of Citrus On Board Bellybar Chews

1-bar of each additional flavor: Baby Needs Chocolate, Mellow Oat, and Burstin’ Chocolate

1-of each flavor Bellybar Shake, Vanilla Dreams and Due for Chocolate

To be eligible to win, email us the correct answer to this question. This week, a free puppet show is being performed @ two Live Oak public library branches. What classic book is the puppet show based on? Hint: read the post below “Online Newsletter: Best Bets for the Week Ahead.”

Email the answer and your name to anne@southernmamas.com. Deadline is 9 pm Thurs. Sept. 25. Send email to anne@southernmamas.com. We’ll pick a name at random and announce the winner here Friday.

You have to be a SouthernMamas subscriber to participate. Subscribing is free. Click here to do so.

Bellybar has the tastes you crave, the nutrition you need. For more nutrition info, click here or or call 800-95-BELLY. Enter to win great prizes each month through the Bellybytes Newsletter! Sign up here.

Anyone else relieved to see that Target is finally carrying BPA-free BornFree bottles?

So are other retailers, which is good news to moms concerned about using plastics containing the risky chemical BPA. The FDA says BPA is safe, but other agencies – and tests – say differently. Prompting some to question whether the FDA is biased toward the industry that profits from BPA-laden baby products.

Read my column in today’s Accent section of the Savannah Morning News to find out more. Click here to read it.

You can find more products that are BPA, PVC and phthalates free @ The Soft Landing, a site started by an RN and mother of three. In addition to sippy cups etc., the site also has toothbrushes, teething rings, and bibs — all without risky chemicals.

Babble.com also put together a guide of BPA-free bottles – with photos of the products – so you don’t have to settle for risky bottles. Click here.

UPDATE: Just for Baby & More dropped all of feeding products that were not BPA free. The Savannah store @ 7701 Waters Ave. also carries Born Free bottles; Dr Browns new BPA-free bottles; the Medela bottles, which also is BPA free. Just for Baby & More also has the full line of BPA-free feeding accessories- sippy cup, bowl, snack ball, silverware – from Boone and toddler sippy cup/bottles from iplay.

The owners of Island Child on Hilton Head Island are more than just the duo behind the upscale boutique that’s been dressing children for generations.

Steve and Senny Powell – who have seven adopted children and have fostered seven children – also have designed their own line of children’s items produced solely for their store in the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Island.

Check out their very own THINK TINK collection on their online store here. The collection features Tinkerbell, a cute little teacup Yorkie. Picture this THINK TINK tank pictured here paired with these ruffled leggings or pink cowboy boots, both available @ the Island Child, for a fun fall look.

The Powells actually started in the retail business by creating children’s items and selling them to upscale boutiques in the Chicago area. Their dream was to produce their own line and sell it in their own store.

See, dreams do come true.

We’re thrilled to have Island Child as a sponsor of SouthernMamas.com. Watch for announcements on SouthernMamas.com about an upcoming Tink Tea Party to be hosted by Island Child.

Click here for more info or call 1.888.705.5437 or 843.686.5437.

Jen Williams!

Congratulations, Jen.

She wins a $50 Belly Bandit Couture , an abdominal compression binder to help flatten the belly and redefine the waistline post-baby. The wrap also helps decrease bloating caused by water retention, give support to legs and back, improve posture and reduce back and shoulder pain associated with breastfeeding.

Thanks for all your entries and for sharing your plans and tips on losing baby weight. Jen is due Oct 2 with her first baby. She writes her to plan to shrink her post-preg belly includes water aerobics class @ the Chatham County Aquatic Center, breastfeeding and eating right.

Even if you aren’t pregnant or a recent new mom, these tummy wraps make fun shower and baby gifts. Check out the wraps here.

Our wonderful sponsor Love & Blessings is giving away a FREE copy of The Baby Bonding Book to anyone who visits LoveBlessings.com and signs up to receive their monthly newsletter for savvy mamas absolutely FREE.

The Baby Bonding Book makes a terrific baby shower gift. While visiting the Love & Blessings Web site, check out the beautiful, organic gift baskets for baby and mama.

The folks @ Love & Blessings.com are pros at putting special gift baskets together, for moms, new moms, expectant moms. You can create your own gift basket or select one that Love & Blessings already has set up and filled with all their goodies.

Baby weight.

How do you lose it? Why is there so much of it? And why do other moms seem to banish their baby bellies immediately after giving birth?

Maybe their secret is Belly Bandits, an abdominal compression binder to help flatten the belly and redefine the waistline post-baby. The wrap also helps decrease bloating caused by water retention, give support to legs and back, improve posture and reduce back and shoulder pain associated with breastfeeding. Check out the wraps here.

Belly Bandit is giving away a $50 Belly Bandit Couture to a lucky SouthernMamas subscriber. See the giveaway wrap here. Even if you aren’t pregnant or a recent new mom, these tummy wraps make fun shower and baby gifts.

To be eligible to win, email us your name and your secret to losing baby weight (or your gameplan on how you will lose it.) Deadline is 9 pm Thurs. Sept. 18. Send email to anne@southernmamas.com. We’ll pick a name at random and announce the winner here Friday. The winner can select her size of Belly Bandit.

You have to be a SouthernMamas subscriber to participate. Subscribing is free. Click here to do so.

Ginger D. Thompson!

Congratulations, Ginger.
She wins a $50 gift card to use @ Just for Baby & More, which is in a new location @ 7701 Waters Ave. – right across from their former spot. Look for the polka dots.

Thanks to everyone who participated. Look for a different giveaway from a different business to be announced here Monday.

Just for Baby & More is in a new location @ 7701 Waters Ave. – right across from their former spot. Look for the polka dots.

And to celebrate their move with SouthernMamas, Just for Baby & More is giving away a $50 gift card to a lucky SouthernMamas subscriber! To be eligible for this week’s giveaway, just email your name and the answer to the following question to anne@southernmamas.com.

One example of the fun baby gear Just for Baby & More carries are adorable bottle pets – soft, plush bottle covers that turn feeding time into cuddle time. Bottle pets come in a variety of animals. Email us the name of the monkey – pictured here. Or the name of the turtle or the cow. Hint. Visit the Just for Baby & More Web site by clicking here. Then click on toys and scroll down.

Deadline is 9 pm Thurs. Sept. 11. We’ll pick a name at random and announce the winner Friday.

You have to be a SouthernMamas subscriber to participate. Subscribing is free. Click here to do so.