Tuesday Giveaway: Flip Trainers!

We're just so excited about the new Flip Trainers, we can't contain ourselves. We thought it would be fun to pass the time before they arrive at the Cotton Babies warehouse (we expect them in late November or early December) with a little giveaway fun!

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, share the best (or worst) tips you have for potty training. Not training someone yet? Share your best diaper changing tip. Let's share what we've learned along the way and help other parents out.

Three winners will be selected at random from all eligible comments to receive a Flip Potty Trainer Pack in the color of their choice from Cotton Babies. Prize will be shipped once the Flip Trainers arrive and begin shipping from Cotton Babies.

Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Central time, Wednesday, October 26, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, October 27, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Genius Gear Giveaway!

For today's Tuesday giveaway, we are continuing the fun from our announcements last week. For those who have been around the cloth diapering industry for a while, you may already know that the All Baby and Child Expo will begin later this week. ABC Kids Expo is a trade show for the juvenile products industry and Cotton Babies is proud to be a part of it. Not only do we demonstrate our bumGenius, Flip and Econobum products to retailers, but our Cotton Babies buyer travels the expo hall to find great new products to bring to you, both online and in our retail stores.

Each year, when we show photos from the show, our customers ask for the gear that our team wears to coordinate with our show theme. This year, we've invited you to participate from home even before the show starts. Be sure to check out our "I'm a genius" cold cups, travel mugs and t-shirts.

This week's winners will each receive a free I'm a Genius t-shirt and their choice of a cold cup or travel mug. To enter, leave a comment below telling us what is the most genius thing you've ever done. We've all had at least one great moment in life, so share with us what you are proud of and what makes you a genius.

Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Central time, Wednesday, September 21, 2011. One entry per household, please. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random following close of contest and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page. Note: there may be some delay in winner notification and shipping as several of the Cotton Babies team will be at the show.)

New Product Giveaway!

To celebrate the launch of our new bumGenius Freetime and Flip Training Pants, as well as our new colors and Genius Series prints, we're hosting a giveaway!

It's easy to enter this contest. Just share about your favorite new product, print or color with your friends through your favorite online social media venue. If you share as a tweet or status, feel free to tag @CottonBabies, @bumGenius or @FlipDiapers. Then come back here and leave a comment telling us what you said and where you said it! One entry per household, please.

Each randomly chosen winner will receive their choice of a free bumGenius Freetime or a Flip Potty Trainer Introductory Pack. These products will begin shipping in late November and December. (Please note: prizes will not be shipped immediately, they will ship when these new products arrive at our warehouse.)

Did you miss the announcement? Here's our video with more details:

Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Central time, Thursday, September 15, 2011. One entry per household, please. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Friday, September 16, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Cotton Babies Britax Online Stroller Parade Winners!

Announcing the winners of our Britax / Cotton Babies Virtual Stroller Parade!

First place: Waiting for the stork

by Kelly E. in Ohio

(We are pleased to announce Baby O arrived

a few days after this photo was taken!)

Congrats, Kelly!

Second place: Batman

by Meghan S. in Iowa

Third place: Go Wild!

by Jodie N. in Illinois

Be sure to check out the entire Flickr group to see all the amazing entries in our stroller parade. Thanks to all who took time to decorate their photos, snap photos and share them online with us!

Britax B-Agile Stroller Parade Contest!

Only two days remain to get your entry in for our Cotton Babies Britax Virtual Stroller Parade. You may have seen the photos we've posted from our in-store stroller parade last weekend, so now is your chance to play along!

To participate in the Cotton Babies Virtual Stroller Parade, create your own stroller float, take some photos and submit up to 3 photos to our special Cotton Babies Stroller Parade Flickr album. You can use a Yahoo or Google account to log into Flickr or create a Flickr account for yourself, but no worries, it's free and just takes a few minutes to set up. You'll need to join our group to submit your photos. Only photos submitted to THIS Flickr group will be eligible for the prizes in each of the three categories. Please tag "Cotton Babies" in your photos as well. Make sure your photos are public so our judges can view your entry.

Once you've uploaded your photos to your account, visit our Cotton Babies Britax Virtual Stroller Parade group. Click "Add Photos" just below the group name. Select the photos you want to enter. Keep in mind, you can only upload 3 photos, so choose your favorites! Click "Add to Group" and you are entered!

First place for our online stroller parade will receive a bumGenius 4.0 3 pack and a new Britax B-Agile stroller. Second place will receive a Flip Stay Dry cloth diaper Day Pack. Third place will receive a $50 Cotton Babies gift card. There are no categories for our online stroller parade, but feel free to use the in-store categories as inspiration for your float.

Entries must be posted into the Flickr group no later than 11:59 p.m. PST Wednesday, August 3, 2011. Winners will be notified via Flickr messaging system or by e-mail no later than Wednesday, August 10, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

Win a FREE Britax B-Agile in the Cotton Babies Stroller Parade!

Maybe you've already heard about the Cotton Babies Britax Stroller Parade event coming to Cotton Babies stores this weekend. Don't live near a Cotton Babies store? Don't worry! We have a Britax B-Agile reserved for a special online version of the stroller parade!

For our local store customers:

We are welcoming the newest stroller in the Britax line, the B-Agile, to the Cotton Babies store at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 30, 2011. Of course we like to celebrate in style, so why not have a parade! Come out to our stores to get a peek at the brand new Britax B-Agile stroller and B-Safe car seat. No matter what stroller you own, convert your family and your stroller into a parade-worthy float and we'll cruise down the sidewalk. The "Most Genius" grand-prize winner will take home a brand new Britax B-Agile and a bumGenius 4.0 stay dry cloth diaper 3 pack.

One-day sales, specials and fun activities will be happening in our stores throughout the day! The special events begin at 10 a.m. with the Britax Stroller Parade. We have three categories to inspire your stroller creations:

Most Genius: Be creative. Think Best in Show. Judged on creativity, uniqueness and effort; the winner of the Most Genius award will receive a bumGenius 4.0 3 pack and a new Britax B-Agile stroller!*

Glorious Green: Create a cloth diaper or earth-friendly themed stroller. Winner of this category will receive a Flip Stay Dry cloth diaper Day Pack .*

Go Wild! Animals are the inspiration for this category. Let your imagination run WILD! Winner will receive a $50 Cotton Babies gift card.*

We will have other special in store events immediately following the parade from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. including car seat safety checks, face painting, special deals and more. Events vary by location, please call your local store for more details.

To be eligible to win prizes in the Britax Stroller Parade store event, you must register for this event at: http://bit.ly/CBParade

For our online customers:

To participate in the Cotton Babies Virtual Stroller Parade, create your own stroller float, take some photos and submit up to 3 photos to our special Cotton Babies Stroller Parade Flickr album. You can use a Yahoo or Google account to log into Flickr or create a Flickr account for yourself, but no worries, it's free and just takes a few minutes to set up. You'll need to join our group to submit your photos. Only photos submitted to THIS Flickr group will be eligible for the prizes in each of the three categories. Please tag "Cotton Babies" in your photos as well. Make sure your photos are public so our judges can view your entry.

Once you've uploaded your photos to your account, visit our Cotton Babies Britax Virtual Stroller Parade group. Click "Add Photos" just below the group name. Select the photos you want to enter. Keep in mind, you can only upload 3 photos, so choose your favorites! Click "Add to Group" and you are entered!

First place for our online stroller parade will receive a bumGenius 4.0 3 pack and a new Britax B-Agile stroller. Second place will receive a Flip Stay Dry cloth diaper Day Pack. Third place will receive a $50 Cotton Babies gift card. There are no categories for our online stroller parade, but feel free to use the in-store categories as inspiration for your float.

Entries must be posted into the Flickr group no later than 11:59 p.m. PST Wednesday, August 3, 2011. Winners will be notified via Flickr messaging system or by e-mail no later than Wednesday, August 10, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

* Prizes for the winner of each category will be determined by an independent panel of judges (non-Cotton Babies employees). Each registrant is eligible for a maximum of one prize. Judges decisions on the day of the store event are final. You must be present to claim your prize for the in store parade.

Change 3 Things Giveaway!

It's been a little over 4 months since we launched our Change 3 Things campaign. In that time, Change 3 Things participants have changed more than 3,250,000 cloth diapers. That's more than 3 million diapers that are not going into landfills! This means that together, participants have prevented waste equivalent to more than 1,895 babies wearing disposable diapers for a year. That is an amazing amount of impact in local landfills by parents who commit to change at least 3 cloth diapers a day.

We want to spread the word about Change 3 Things, so for today's giveaway, share Change 3 Things with a friend. It's easy. However you choose to share, whether it's through social media, e-mail, text or phone, just tell someone about Change 3 Things today! Leave a comment on this post telling us who you shared with (first name or relationship is fine) and how you shared.

Winners will be drawn at random and will each receive a Change 3 Things t-shirt, a bumGenius 4.0 cloth diaper for you and an Econobum trial pack to get your friend started on their cloth diapering journey.

Eligible entries must be posted by Wednesday, July 20, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, July 21, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Tuesday Giveaway: bumGenius BabyLegs!

Here at Cotton Babies, we love a practical item. Add a bit of beauty to it and we are SOLD! We just love our bumGenius BabyLegs that coordinate with some of your favorite bumGenius and Flip colors.

We agree with Kelsie, a Cotton Babies customer who said:

These are so cute and can be worn all year. They help keep socks on, and protect baby from carpet burn and sunburn. I would definitely recommend these.

We also love to give them away, so today's prize packs will include your choice of a bumGenius 4.0 cloth diaper and one pair of bumGenius BabyLegs. To enter, share with us in the comments below the best thing that has happened to you this week. Did your little one learn a new trick? Did you feel the first kick of your unborn child? Did your 2 year old say something really funny? We want to hear it!

Eligible entries must be posted by Wednesday, July 13, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, July 14, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Tuesday Giveaway: White Flip Diaper Covers!

Last week we announced the arrival of WHITE Flip diaper covers and our Flip Freedom Sale. Today is the last day to catch those great deals on some of your favorite Flip products; the sale ends at midnight tonight, July 5, 2011.

We're continuing the celebration today by giving away prize packs that include a brand new White Flip diaper cover with snap closures and a Flip stay dry insert.

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, leave a comment on this blog post and tell us your favorite dish to take to summer time parties. Do you have a go-to recipe that friends and family rely on you to bring? Do you try new things each time? What dish means summer to you?

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, July 5, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Entries are now closed. Congratulations to Amanda C., VagabondBride and BashamAdventure this week's winners! Check your e-mail for details on how to claim your prize.

Father's Day Photo Contest Winners

Congratulations to our Father's Day Photo Contest winners. Thank you to all who entered, it was very difficult for Cotton Babies staff to choose our three favorites. There were so many fantastic and touching photos. The winners are...

First place: Amanda L.
Second place: Heather D.
Third place: Sarah B.

Randomly selected winners were:
Naomims
Heather M.
Amber325
MorganEsee
Lornie_pie14
Sulmanangela

Please check your e-mail for details on how to redeem your gift codes on www.cottonbabies.com

Tuesday Giveaway: bumGenius Threads!

Did you know Cotton Babies has t-shirts for your little one designed to coordinate with your favorite bumGenius brights? They are a great way to keep your little one cool this summer while sharing your love of bumGenius!

Sizes 6 months, 12 months and 18 months come in a snap body suit style; sizes 2T and 3T are a classic t-shirt style to show off the cloth diaper. Choose your favorite design from froggie, dragonfly, hearts and butterfly. Limited styles and quantities remain, so get them while you can.

Today's prize winners will each receive a prize pack that includes a bumGenius Threads short sleeve t-shirt of their choice and a coordinating bumGenius 4.0 solid color cloth diaper in the closure of their choice.

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, leave a comment on this blog post and tell us about your plans for the long Independence Day weekend. Will your little one being be participating in their first cookout or viewing fireworks for the first time?

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, June 28, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Contest is now closed. Winners have been selected and notified via e-mail. Noelle R., Sarah S. and ConsumingFire please check your e-mail (including spam folder) for details on how to claim your prize.

Tuesday Giveaway: Father's Day Photo Contest

Instead of our usual Tuesday giveaway this week, we'd like to remind you about our special Father's Day photo contest that runs through this Sunday, June 26, 2011. We're giving away several prizes including $100, $50, $25 and $10 gift certificates to CottonBabies.com

For full details on how to enter, please visit the Celebrating Fathers Cotton Babies Style post from last Friday. Be sure to leave your links to enter the contest on that blog post.

We'll see you next week for our regularly scheduled Tuesday giveaways!

Celebrating Fathers Cotton Babies Style

Admitably, I’m a bit of a daddy’s girl, as my bio shares I’m the oldest of four, and no kids of my own yet. This is a fun picture of my family from years… and years… AND years ago. I’m the one in red with the slightly mischievous look on my face. By the way, I was a cloth diapered baby, when I was growing up we didn’t have much money but my parents made us feel like we had something special and rich every day.

Pictures like this one are so valuable because they captured one of those moments where life – no matter how hard it was – still felt joyful, it’s clear from the expressions and the bed-head that there was lots of love in that moment.

Dads have a special place in our hearts at Cotton Babies. Of course, there are the obvious reasons why fathers are wonderful, but we have special admiration for the “Cotton Babies dads” when we see awesome, HILARIOUS comments like this….

"My husband is gonna FLIP just like the new bubble cover I got! HAHA!...I know I know not a seconds but I wanted it!"

And trust us, we see comments like this frequently, so let us first say – thanks for the entertainment – we get a kick out of your passion. Many a Cotton Babies dad has been the (perhaps unknowing) subsidizer of the latest and greatest cloth diaper, amazing seconds sale stash, or even that newest color gracing your finger tips as you click way on Facebook. So how could we pay proper homage to the man in your life this Father’s Day? We thought we’d give you a chance to give dad's wallet a little break. We know the word dad has many different meanings for many different people. We know your children are so blessed to have a parent such as yourself to love and care for them no matter how conventional or unconventional the person holding the title of “dad” is. We’re hosting a special Father's Day photo contest with the top prize a $100 gift certificate to CottonBabies.com

Here’s how to enter the Cotton Babies Father’s day photo contest.

Post pictures of a special “dad” moment for you or your little one on your favorite social media website and post the link here on the Cotton Babies blog. One entry per family, please.

Entries must be received by Sunday, June 26th. The winners will be announced by Friday, July 1st. It may be sooner, but we're anticipating quite a few entries to sort through. We want enough time available to give each entry a fair review. Please be sure your e-mail address is visible to our Cotton Babies staff, winners will be notified via e-mail only.

Winnings:
• 1 grand prize winner ($100 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
• 1 second place winner ($50 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
• 1 third place winner ($25 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
• 3 additional runners up per 100 contest entries ($10 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
Gift certificates will be e-mailed to the winners and can only be redeemed online through the Cotton Babies website. You must either live in the United States or have a shipping address in the United States to be eligible to win. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

Cotton Babies Econobum Giveaway

This week, we are back to the basics. From our neighbors in Joplin, MO cleaning up after Sunday night's storm to our cloth diapering community acquiring new skills with a Flats Challenge this week, we know there are times in life that just require a simple, tried and true method of cloth diapering.

We appreciate the simplicity and accessibility of Econobum cloth diapers. They are designed to be affordable for any family. The inserts are made of cotton, an absorbent, natural fiber. The one-size diaper cover means they can serve a family with children of multiple ages and sizes with just a few simple snaps. Put simply, they get the job done.

Today's prize winners will each receive a prize pack that includes two Econobum covers and prefolds, a Cotton Babies Cold Cup, and because it's still May and we are still celebrating mothers - a You're One Good Mum t-shirt.

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, leave a comment on this blog post and let us know if you've tried an Econobum or other cover and prefold style cloth diaper. What do you love about Econobum? How do you use them? What about Econobum surprised you the most?

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, May 24, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

I'm Glad You Were Born WINNERS!

We had some amazing entries in our "I'm Glad You Were Born" contest. There we so many inspirational, moving and loving stories share with us, we hope you had time to read a few and be inspired about the blessings that children bring into our lives and our world.

Here at Cotton Babies, we really enjoy getting the opportunity to learn a bit more about the people we serve every day. It was a pleasure to read what you shared about you, your family, your hopes and your dreams. One of the core values of Cotton Babies is that we want every mom (or dad, grandparent, etc.) to leave our stores feeling that they are a "good mom". We are here to assist you on your parenting journey, so we appreciate these little moments and feel so privileged you gave us a special glimpse into your world.

It was a very difficult task to choose the top three responses. As we read your responses, you made us smile, laugh and cry (especially the expecting mother on the judging panel, she cried a LOT!) So without further ado, here is the $100 Cotton Babies gift certificate grand prize winner:

Chris said...
I’m so glad you were born because the world needs more women like you. You’re a fearless leader. You forgive quickly. You are not afraid of heights, bees, or snakes. Where there is music, you will dance and sing. Wearing your bathing suit is cause for celebration. You understand that a loved one’s kiss can heal wounds. You’re not afraid to be the loudest one at the party. You hug your friends when they cry, and join them when they laugh. You can, and often do, laugh at yourself. You think broad daylight and nudity mix well. You get up quickly after falling. You are not afraid to try again if you fail the first time. Your deep belly laugh makes a smile appear on the grumpiest of faces. You like broccoli. You eradicated all fears I had about what kind of mom I would be.
In the 19 months your soft, round, warm little body has graced my world, you’ve allowed me to be the woman I had spent 32 years trying to become. That such a petite little girl can so fundamentally change my worldview leaves me with no doubts that your mark on this world will extend beyond me and your dad and the dog and cat you love to chase. I’ll always be proud to be your mommy, pumpkin. Now go get ‘em, girl.

Our second place prize, a $50 Cotton Babies gift certificate, goes to Jenica who wrote:

"When did you become so patient?" my step-mom said to me just the other day. I was dealing with a very stubborn two-year old while attempting to negotiate with my four year old and soothe my 7 week old. When did I become so patient? Had you asked me four plus years ago what my good qualities were, patience would not have been on the list. In fact, I was known for saying "Patience is not my forte."

There are many reasons I'm glad that my three kids were born, but one of the big ones is all the things THEY have taught ME! Sure, I've taught them many things, but they teach me more every day.

*They teach me patience when they act up; I have learned to stay calm through it all.
*They teach me forgiveness when they hug me and tell me they love me five minutes later.
*They teach me to be humble when they tell me I'm the most beautiful mommy.
*They teach me humility when they share their bodily fluids with me (haha!!).
*They teach me selflessness when I help them with what they need first when what I really need to do is run to the bathroom!

And most importantly, they have taught me that love knows no bounds, that it can grow infinitely. I never thought I could love my husband more, but seeing him as a daddy has increased that love. I never thought I could love another child as much as I love my first, but my love has grown three times. And for this, I'm so glad all of you were born - Taryn, Alaina & Elizabeth.

Third place, winner of a $25 Cotton Babies gift certificate, goes to Sara who wrote...

Darling Penelope,

When I try to recall life before you entered my world, the details are fuzzy. I feel as though everything leading up to your birth was meant to prepare me for the miracle that awaited me, and even though you’ve only been here for a few short months, you’ve already taught me more than I have learned in all my previous years. You’ve taught me more than patience, selflessness and gentleness… you’ve taught me to live life in the moment. Phone calls, dishes and laundry will wait very patiently, and, desperate as I am for a shower, the most important thing I can do right now is watch your chest softly rise and fall as you drift off to sleep. That’s why my first Mother’s Day as a mom brings me to this realization: Mother’s Day isn’t so much about celebrating mothers as it is about celebrating the children that make us mothers; each one unique, each one a precious gift. I am so thankful for this moment—this brief pause—that I can spend in quiet wonder, thanking God for you.

We also found an "honorable mention" that moved us as well, so Amy will also receive a $10 Cotton Babies gift card:

You frustrate me. You make me feel inadequate, confused and lonely. You demand much and give so little. Because of you, I will never have another moment where I am not thinking about someone other than myself. And that, my dear girl, is why I am so glad you were born. You prevent my selfishness and demand my best. You do not give in wealth or fame, but what you do give is fundamental and refreshing. For the hours of incessant cries comes a burst of delightful giggles. You give in affection, satisfaction and allegiance. Each inch you grow and skill you master bear out the fact that the privilege of guiding you through life is mine. You remind me that my inadequacies are conquerable and my loneliness is unnecessary. You are the jewel of my crown, my joy, the answer to my question. I am a mother, and you are my child forever. And that, my angel, is why I am so glad you were born.

Since we had more than 250 entries, we're giving away 6 randomly drawn winners who will also each receive a $10 Cotton Babies gift card. Those winners are:

• DesignerJules
• Lisa B.
• SarcasticRedhead
• SamSanow
• MomLovesDeals
• Amanda J.

All winners will receive an e-mail from Cotton Babies with their gift code no later than 5 p.m. Central time on Monday, May 23, 2011. Thank you to all who participated and remember to watch this blog for our Tuesday blog giveaways!

Mother's Day 2011: I'm glad you were born

Last year, we introduced “I'm So Glad You Were Born” as a special mother's day promotion. We were overwhelmed with the responses and really moved by your amazing stories. We loved the results so much, we just had to host this contest again. But this time, we're just going to make sure we have a big box of tissues ready for the judging session.

For those who are new to Cotton Babies or may have missed last year's contest, here the original blog post and inspiration for the contest:

Have you ever told your kids how happy you are that they were born? I was looking at my children wrestling on the couch the other day and had a melty mommy moment. Andrew has such a gentle heart. Oscar loves to laugh. Elsie is fourteen months old now and turning into a little dancing (and couch wrestling!) diva. She was such a pleasant surprise. I didn't know how much I could love another little person. Now I know. I tell my kids almost every night that God put them in my belly and that He decided that I was supposed to be their mommy. I am so glad they were born.

It's Mother's Day this weekend. As I was pondering how to have a Mother's Day promotion at Cotton Babies, I realized that I feel most rewarded as a mother when I'm talking to my kids about how much I love them. Flowers are great. Lunch is great. New clothes are great. A hug is fun... but truthfully, my heart gets the biggest thrill from that knowing nod my four-year-old has when he hears that I'm glad he was born... now that's a Mother's Day present. So, in honor of Mother's Day, I want you to write a comment on this blog post about someone little in your life (biological, adopted, foster, god-child, in-utero, in-mind or even some other status I didn't think of) and why you are glad they were born - or are going to be born. One person is going to win $100 Gift Certificate to Cotton Babies!

How to Enter:
Write one comment on this post about a child in your life using the theme "I'm So Glad You Were Born". One comment (one entry) per person. Comments should be limited to 250 words. Contest entries only please. Inappropriate or irrelevant comments will be deleted. If you have a comment about an entry, want to support a particular entry or have something else to say, feel free to leave a post on the Cotton Babies Facebook page.

Entries must be received by Sunday, May 15th (note: contest extended due to Blogger outage). A winner will be announced by Friday, May 20st. It may be sooner, but we're anticipating quite a few entries to sort through. We want enough time available to give each entry a fair review. Please be sure your e-mail address is visible to our Cotton Babies staff, winners will be notified via e-mail only.

Judging:
First, second and third place winners will be selected based on content. We are looking first at the content and quality of what you wrote. Please check your spelling and your grammar. If we have trouble deciding between two entries, we will also consider how many of the optional things (see "Extra Credit Opportunities") you did to promote the contest and your favorite baby retailer, Cotton Babies. Additional runners up will be drawn at random. For every 100 entries, 3 random winners will be drawn (i.e. 200 entries = 6 random winners; 500 entries = 15 random winners).

Extra Credit Opportunities:

• Tweet about the contest by using the #cottonbabies hashtag and linking to this post.
• Subscribe to this blog.
• Blog and encourage others to enter this contest and to shop at Cotton Babies.
• "Like" this post (below) to share it with your Facebook friends.
• Join our mailing list to receive notifications about coupons, sales and second quality merchandise exclusively available through the Cotton Babies "In The Loop" newsletter:
  
  

  Join Our Mailing List

  Email:

  
  or use this link to subscribe to the newsletter: http://bit.ly/bfl7VT
• Add a link recommending Cotton Babies to your blog using this text and image:

<a href="http://clothdiapers.blogspot.com"><img src="http://www.cottonbabies.com/images/mothersday2011/GladUWB_button180x180.gif"></a>
Please provide relevant links to your tweet, blog, social media page and forum post in your comment if you chose to complete these steps. Remember, this isn't required... and please don't harrass your friends on Facebook or Twitter to get "extra" entries. Once is good enough!

Winnings:

• 1 grand prize winner ($100 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
• 1 second place winner ($50 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
• 1 third place winner ($25 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)
• 3 additional runners up per 100 contest entries ($10 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)

Gift certificates will be e-mailed to the winners and can only be redeemed online through the Cotton Babies website. You must either live in the United States or have a shipping address in the United States to be eligible to win. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

Final Thoughts:
Please keep what you write and share it with your child when they are old enough to understand it. I'd love to know how you decided to do this when the time comes!

By the way, thank you for shopping with Cotton Babies and for using our brands (bumGenius, Flip, Econobum & Hemp Babies). Have a great weekend everyone!

May Day Giveaway!

Happy (belated) May Day! I'm not sure about you, but May is a busy month for our family. We have lots of events, travel and days away from home planned. May brings Mother's Day, weddings, graduations, birthdays, end of school events and more!

For today's blog giveaway, we're giving Mom (or Dad) the gift of convenience. If you haven't already seen it online, the newest addition to our Flip product lineup is the Flip Travel Pack. This pack includes two Flip covers and 18 Flip disposable inserts. At Cotton Babies, we know that life gets busy, sometimes you are away from home and sometimes a disposable option can alleviate a bit of stress. Most of us keep at least one package of Flip disposable inserts at home, just in case.

Whether you'll be traveling in May or all you really want for Mother's Day is a day off laundry duty, we have the prize for you! Today's winners will each receive a Flip Travel Pack and a Cotton Babies Cold Cup.

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, leave a comment on this blog post sharing what May event you are looking forward to most. Would a Flip Travel Pack or Cotton Babies Cold Cup make that day even better? Tell us.

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, May 3, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page, please.)

April Showers Deals & Giveaway!

April shower bring May flowers, but here at Cotton Babies we are showering you with two great deals!

If you need to stock up on cloth diapers or have a few colors you need to add to complete your collection, now is the time to buy with the bumGenius 4.0 Buy 5, Get 1 Free sale. This is one of our most popular sales. This is the first time ever that we have offered the mix and match solid color 4.0s with bumGenius 4.0 Artist Series.

* Get it while you can, sale runs through May 31, 2011 or while supplies last.

If cloth diapers aren't your thing, we're offering a free pair of bumGenius Baby Legs for purchases over $100. BabyLegs are a must have in every baby shower gift I give now. Whether you cloth diaper or not, these are a must have item for any new mom, they make those frequent diaper changes so much easier. They are also great for diaper bag emergencies, they take up a lot less space than an entire outfit, but will keep baby warm in a pinch.

To get your free Baby Legs with qualifying $100 purchase, you must add your choice of the bumGenius BabyLegs to your cart and input the code FREEBABYLEGS in the coupon code line at checkout.

To celebrate these two great specials, today's blog giveaway package will include your choice of bumGenius 4.0 cloth diaper (solid color or Artist Series) and your choice of bumGenius BabyLegs. To enter, just leave a comment below sharing your favorite rainy day activity.

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, April 19, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. All winners will be drawn Wednesday, April 20, 2011 and notified via e-mail.

Share The Cloth Diaper Love: Econobum Giveaway

If you've been following the blog recently, you know we've been thinking a lot about how to spread the word about cloth diapers to families who may not know cloth diapers are a viable option. Last week, Jenn shared how to diaper your baby when you can't afford disposable or cloth diapers.

To keep with the idea of spreading the word about cloth diapers and sharing the love to families in need, today we're giving out two Econobum trial packs - one for you to keep and one for a friend. We really like the simplicity and value of the Econobum trial packs, each comes with one diaper cover and three prefold diapers. It's enough to give cloth diapering a try and at only $11.95, it's about the same price as a small package of disposables, but will last a lot longer than 30 diaper changes.

To enter today's blog contest, leave a comment below telling us your favorite tip to share with someone new to cloth diapering. It can be simple, easy, a must-have product or a laundry tip. What would you tell your friend to ease the beginning of their cloth diapering journey?

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, April 5, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. All winners will be drawn Wednesday, April 6, 2011 and notified via e-mail.

Change 3 Things / Flip Diapers Giveaway

Last Friday, we hit a new milestone of 5,000 "Likes" on the Change 3 Things Facebook page. That means we now know for sure that every day we are changing at least 15,000 cloth diapers; which may be preventing waste equivalent to more than 8 babies wearing disposable diapers for a year! That's every single day! In three weeks' time, cumulatively, we may have prevented waste equivalent to more than 125 babies in disposable diapers for a year.

As parents, we know how frustrating it is to do those repetitive tasks like dishes, laundry, picking up toys, and changing diapers only to turn around and do it again a short time later. One of our favorite parts of the Change 3 Things challenge is you can take one of those repetitive tasks and turn it into an opportunity to create lasting impact that your two year old can’t undo in five minutes.

To celebrate, today we will be giving away prize packs that will each include a Flip diaper cover with Stay Dry Insert, a Change 3 Things t-shirt, a Change 3 Things silicone band and 25 Change 3 Things Share Cards.

To enter today's contest, visit the Change 3 Things Facebook page (if you haven't already), and leave a comment here on the blog telling us the main reason why you chose to cloth diaper - is it for the cost savings, environmental impact or another reason?

Eligible entries must be posted today, Tuesday, March 29, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. All winners will be drawn Wednesday, March 30, 2011 and notified via e-mail.