Check out ebeanstalk for toys

This time around, now that I'm (ahem) an "experienced" mom, I'm even more interested in child development. 

Ebeanstalk is dedicated to a baby's development. And they select the best baby toys matched to a baby's development. To see great information on how a baby grows up, check out the info on their baby toys page.

Picking toys for a baby is not as simple as it sounds. Here are some quick baby facts:

• Toys for a newborn baby: A newborn baby is briefly looking at objects and attempting to imitate facial expressions. They can follow objects with their eyes and usually quiet down, when they are picked up.


• Toys for a three month old: They will enjoy ‘frolic play', reaching for objects and will repeat enjoyable activities. Believe it or not, they will respond to ‘no' (about half the time) and will start babbling.


• Toys for a six month old: They'll search for hidden objects (object permanence). They'll reach for themselves in the mirror, play peekaboo, crumple paper, roll from their stomach to their back and even respond to their name.


• Toys for a nine month old: They are pushing toy cars, playing pat-a-cake and looking for hidden sounds. The baby toys they are playing with are also getting more fun.

Now, here is a 15% discount on any first purchase at ebeanstalk — TGS345 — just enter the code at the shopping cart. Have fun!

Review: MyPunchbowl.com & Contest

We're celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday this summer, with friends relatives joining from 11 states and Ontario. Hey, that's Canada - I suppose this makes it an international celebration!? 

There's a good deal of coordination involved, from organizing the location & site rental, to lining up hotel rooms and of course, inviting everyone. 

I've used Evite in the past, but this time I decided to use MyPunchbowl to send invitations online. The user interface is really intuitive, with clear step-by-step instructions. I designed the invitation, set up the guest list and attached map links in just a few easy steps - it probably took 15 minutes in all. And that included my design tweaking and fiddling.

Once the invitation went out, I could monitor the guest list. The host functions allow you to see who opened invitations and when, plus monitor their responses. Like a lot of other sites, guests can add guests, host can add guests without having to re-blast the initial guest list, leave comments on a message board.

Probably the unique selling proposition of the site (at least, to investors) is the constant opportunity to buy products to support the event. Each communication includes a link to the MyPunchbowl store. Guests who RSVP are walked through the invitation details step-by-step and the final screen (after they've confirmed) is also a sales offer. It's not obtrusive, but it's clear (to me as a marketer) that this is where they'll make their money - traffic to the e-commerce section of the site.

All-in-all, I'd recommend MyPunchbowl to others. It's intuitive, quick and easy to use, and who doesn't want that? When you're excited about planning a party, inviting of guests should be fun, too. This site does all that and more.

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CONTEST: I'm giving away TWO memberships to MyPunchbowl Premium. This is a one-year subscription, valued at $49.95, and gives you special access:
- Premium designs 
- More fonts, papers, and ribbons
- Advertising free invitations and eCards
- Priority tech support

- Exclusive partner offers

To enter in the contest, please leave a comment below. First come, first served!