Fem* One2Stay Chair ~ WELCOME TO AMERICA!

One of the cool things about being in the military is that most of us have lived in many different states and countries. While living in Germany I noticed many cool baby products that I wished were in America. America definitely has the best products, but Europe has quite a few that would be very popular over here. One being the Fem* (Fem-star) High Chair.

A long long time ago when I kept my personal blog updated, I documented my pregnancy. It was so fun sharing with all of my close friends and family my ever growing belly even though I was overseas. Anyway, if you followed my blog, you probably remember me telling you about the high chair we bought. It was our FIRST baby purchase. My husband and I were so excited! Ok, I was probably more excited, but still. At first I thought it looked a little silly and maybe a little “campy”, but that’s because it’s “euro” as I like to call it. I received so many emails asking where these high chairs could be found. I had a very sad response – you’re out of luck unless you want to have it shipped to you from the Netherlands!

Guess what folks! The 2011 Fem* chair has been approved to US standards and will be sold exclusively at Zoolu!!! Yay! Now everyone that was lusting over MY high chair can have one.

Why is this high chair so great, you ask? We take ours everywhere with us - restaurants, the park, friends houses and soon we will be taking it to my Mom and Dad’s house. At first the chair was a little stiff to open, but now it opens so easily. I love that my Fem* is so lightweight (about 4lbs), can be kept in your car and scoots right up to a restaurant table. I even sit my baby in it when I’m sitting at my desk so she can play and be at eye level with me. Once the weather gets nicer and there is music in the park I will DEFINITELY be bringing my Fem*. I know it sounds silly, but I love when people ask me about the high chair. “Oh, I got it in Europe….” I’m ok with bragging a little here and there!

There are pictures and product information on Zoolu!, but here are some more for you. In the picture with the chocolate-covered strawberries it’s hard to tell, but my little one is sitting in the chair. She is 5 months old and has PLENTY of room to grow in to the chair. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Click HERE to pre-order your Fem* One2Stay Chair. You’ll be the talk of the town, I promise!

Your Pregnancy, Childbirth and Postpartum Questions Answered!

Are you currently expecting your little bundle of joy?!?  Or, have you just brought your little one home from the hospital?!?  As all expecting and new parents quickly find out, this is a time in your life when questions are flowing! 

While pregnant, you may be questioning everything from “What should I or shouldn’t I eat?” to “How will I know when it’s really time to go to the hospital?”  Unfortunately, the questions just multiply once you bring your baby home.  From “How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk” to “How can I train my child to be a better sleeper?” – you will always be asking that trusted friend to unleash their secrets to help make your journey less stressful. 

Zoolu! is proud to introduce you to our in-house childbirth educator and doula, Megan G.  For years Megan has been teaching expecting couples the ropes of pregnancy, childbirth and parenting, and now she is here for you! 

So, fire away!  The more questions you ask, the better!  Megan will be sure to get in touch with each of you regarding the questions you have (but either you forget to ask…or feel uncomfortable asking your doctor) and may even write about your question/concern in a future post.

If you’d rather contact Megan directly, please e-mail her at megan@shopzoolu.com!

Menu Monday

Good morning everyone! This week I’m only cooking two big meals since my hubby is flying nights. Both of these recipes can be done in the slow cooker which I am always a huge fan of. I'm really not a leftovers girl, but if it’s soup, sign me up! It’s true what they say – soup is always better the next day!

BBQ Pulled Pork
Recipe from: Make it Fast, Cook it Slow

One night I will serve pork on buns and the next night it’ll be pulled pork tacos. I will serve the tacos with some delicious mango salsa that I found at the grocery store. YUM!

Ingredients:
4 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
1 onion, sliced into rings
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions:
Spray crockpot bowl with nonstick spray.

Trim the fat off of the meat. Place in the crockpot and put the sliced onions on top.

Mix the remaining ingredients (once you pour out the ketchup, add the warm water to the ketchup bottle and shake it up to get the rest out) into a medium-sized bowl. Pour over the pork and onions.

Cover and cook on LOW 8-10 hours until the meat shreds easily with a fork – takes about 9 hours.

Serve on buns…..or use for tacos!

I hope mine look as yummy as the picture!

White Bean Chicken Chili

Saute in pan:
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
Add above ingredients to a soup pot, then add:
4 cooked, shredded chicken breasts (you can make it easy by buying a cooked rotisserie chicken!)
3 cans chicken broth
2 cans chopped green chilies (4oz cans)
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp red pepper
2-3 cans of white beans (I like the s&w brand best) I use 3 cans when making a bigger batch
Top with: 2½ cups grated monetary jack cheese
Serve with: Warm tortilla shells

Combine all ingredients into one pot. Simmer and serve. Mmmmm

Bon Appetit!

What will you be making for dinner this week? I need new recipes.

Annoying or helpful?

A friend of mine forwarded me this hilarious article today. I have actually reread it a few times because it makes me feel better knowing that I’m not the only one that gets a teeny bit annoyed when seasoned parents think they know what’s best for me and/or my child. Sure, I appreciate the advice when I ask for it. Really, I do. I also realize that people want and love to share parenting advice and their own personal stories. It’s the unsolicited advice that gets me. I’d like to think I’m good at asking questions though because I certainly don’t have all the answers!

Number 2 is the “advice” that always made me do a major eye roll. One time someone said this to me and I asked them if they had children of their own….because if they did, they’d know that sleeping when the baby sleeps is just comical! I’d rather eat some lunch or do a little laundry.  

The MOST ridiculous piece of advice someone gave me though was to shave my baby girl’s head. Are you for real? I made a comment saying she had a little fuzziness on the back of her nugget and they responded by telling me I’d have to shave her head for that to go away! Um. NO WAY JOSE! I have actually heard of people shaving babies heads and their hair comes back even fuller than before, but I think it’s a little silly….that little patch of fuzz is gone and already missed by me. I actually kind of liked it!

What piece of advice were you given that seemed a little too far fetched for you take? I bet there are some great ones out there!!

I copy and pasted part of the article below….

1. "Sleep now, because once that baby comes you'll never sleep again." Technically this is a pregnancy tip, of course, but I'm shoving it in here anyway. Yes, Great-Aunt Hildy, I will sleep throughout my entire third trimester. Because I am part bear.

2. "Sleep when the baby sleeps." Everyone gives you this one — annoying relatives, pediatricians, the cashier at the drugstore where you were buying newborn diapers. Are these people all robots, capable of instantly dropping off to sleep whenever their child is unconscious? Do they not have other things to do, like bathe, or simply relish the rare moments of silence you get when you have an infant?

3. "I think your baby's hungry." Whether you're nursing or bottle-feeding, everyone assumes you don't know how to feed your child. And every time your child cries, whines, grimaces, or squirms, they are going to assume you are starving your poor baby and you need reminders to feed it. Lest you forget! This advice is especially maddening when they turn out to be correct.

4. "Relish every moment of your baby's first years, because they'll be grown before you know it." You mean, time only moves forward? I had no idea! I thought we'd be like this forever and ever! This sort of advice, obvious and innocuous as it seems, always put me on the defensive, as if I had just been carrying my baby under my arm like a football, muttering, "Grow up already, why don't you. Just GROW UP."

Related: Celebrities on Motherhood

5. "I hope you're sleep training that child. Do you WANT him to be spoiled?" Oh, distant relative/person whose aisle I shared at the supermarket, I'm so glad you know exactly my child needs. And that you know, from your years of scientific research, that any child not allowed to cry it out will be a horrible waste of flesh! (See #6 for this parenting tip's counterpart.)

6. "I hope you're not doing that 'crying it out' thing. It's so barbaric. Enjoy your baby all through the night!" Again, kudos to you, whoever you are, for knowing what's best for our unique family situation! I will be calling you at 4 a.m., so you can enjoy our baby as well.

7. "Why are you bringing your child outside when it's so cold out?" It never ceased to amaze me that, no matter what my child's age, total strangers will express alarm and revulsion that I dared expose him to the elements. "And WHY ISN'T BE WEARING MITTENS? He's going to get consumption!"

8. "Your child isn't really sad/angry/injured. He's just manipulating you." There's no doubt that children can push our buttons as if they've had professional training in it, but the notion that my kid's authentic feelings are in fact manufactured to elicit a reaction really chaps my hide. If that were always true, he'd be a pint-sized sociopath.  I'm pretty sure that's not the case.

9. "Schools are just glorified prisons. If you loved your child, you'd homeschool." Oh, if only I loved my child enough to abandon my livelihood, tear him away from the community he so enjoys, separate him from the professionals who have dedicated their careers to childhood education, and forced him to stay home all day with me, where we'd be at each other's throats for hours! If only! Please note: I am not opposed to homeschooling, at all — in fact I wish it would work for us, but it would not.

10. "If I were you, I'd just—" OH NO YOU DON'T. I know where this is going. Listen, unnamed distant acquaintance who last parented in the 19th century (it's true — I often get my unwanted advice from ghosts) you don't know diddly about my kid, and our relationship, and what works for us.

GIVEAWAY: Petunia Pickle Bottom de ja vu :-)

Remember way back when we had a Petunia Pickle Bottom bag giveaway? Wait, was that just last week?! Oh my goodness….where do the days go?! Well, Chani never replied to us so she missed the opportunity to receive this AWESOME bag for free! Sorry Chani. Maybe next time! The good news is that there is a new winner! WOOHOO!

Winner winner CHICKEN DINNER!

Angelica J. said...
What an amazing giveaway! PPB will make anyone's day, especially mine! My vote for your next giveaway is a Babyhawk, it would be so helpful for moms with babies like my son who loves to be held ALL day.

FEBRUARY 8, 2011 7:57 PM

Congratulations Angelica J. Please contact us at megan@shopzoolu.com within the next 24 hours so that you can start carrying this adorable bag!

Zoolu! is today’s feature on Eversave – it’s a steal!

Have you been eyeing a special something on Zoolu! lately? Today through Friday, take advantage of this incredible offer on Eversave – pay $25 for a $50 Gift Coupon to Zoolu!  Whether you are hoping to buy a stylish diaper bag, an oh-so-popular wrap, an assortment of baby necessities, or an adorable personalized gift for your little one…you will not beat a deal like this! 

Are you new to Eversave?  Eversave is a Daily Deal site that posts amazing deals that you won’t want to miss out on!  “From spa treatments to restaurant discounts, ski packages to yoga classes - Eversave finds the best deals and delivers them to you - in the form of a Save.”  And the best part, if you are new to Eversave, you will receive a $2 credit redeemable immediately – making this a steal!  Only $23 for $50 worth of merchandise – wahoo!

Indulge yourself…indulge in a gift for a friend…or both!  You may purchase two saves at this price and share them as you please.  But hurry!  There are only a limited number of saves available, so don’t delay!

If you have any questions regarding the Save, please e-mail us at ZooluCares@shopzoolu.com and we’ll be in touch ASAP!

phil&teds Voluntary “Recall to Repair” of the Metoo Chair

Hot off the presses!  Attention phil&teds Metoo owners!!!  Just yesterday, phil&teds released a voluntary “Recall to Repair” for the Metoo chair.  Be advised…this voluntary recall is only applicable to Metoo chairs manufactured BEFORE March 2010.  (FYI…if you have bought your Metoo chair from Zoolu!, all of the chairs we have sold were manufactured AFTER March 2010 and are therefore not affected by this recall!) 

According to phil&teds, there were a “small number of reported cases where one or both table clamps have come free from a table, posing a fall hazard”.

How do I know if my Metoo was manufactured before March 2010?

If your chair does not have the rubberized clamp grips (seen in the photo on the right), then you are eligible to receive the free kit from phil&teds to repair, and therefore enhance the safety of, your Metoo chair.

                 

*Metoo with bare aluminum table clamps        *Metoo with rubberized clamp grips

How do I request my Replacement Kit?

If your Metoo does not have the rubberized clamp grips, phil&teds strongly recommends that you request your replacement kit via one of the following methods:

1) Phone: Customer Care at 877.432.1641

2) Website: www.philandteds.com/support

phil&teds Customer Care is AWESOME!

I love companies that truly stand by their products and commend phil&teds for offering the voluntary “Recall to Repair” to ensure that all of their products meet the highest of safety standards!

Just recently, the brake on my Vibe Stroller stopped working.  I called up phil&teds Customer Care, sent them the receipt from my purchase (made over 2 years ago) as well as the SKU and within one week, we had a brand new Vibe frame sitting at our doorstep.  So, if your Metoo is affected – rest assured that phil&teds Customer Care will go above-and-beyond to ensure that your replacement kit arrives to you ASAP. 

(p.s. – their answering system is hysterical….if you ever need a good laugh, call their Customer Care line and it is sure to bring a smile to your face!)

A Smile a Day…

Keeps the doctor away!  If only it were that easy, right?  As parents to young children, we often find that brushing our toddler’s teeth can be quite challenging (images of me sitting on the toilet with my toddler draped over my knee attempting to get the tooth brush in his wildly moving target come to mind)!  With my son not yet two, I often wonder if it is worth the struggle.  I don’t want this daily battle to become ingrained in his head so that this hopefully temporary toddler behavior becomes a learned reaction that lasts for months, rather than days or weeks.  However, I also don’t want him to dictate what he does or doesn’t have to do based on throwing a minor (okay, major) tantrum!

Luckily, our resident dentist, Molly L., has come to my rescue with a number of great ideas to make brushing his teeth a lot more enjoyable.  I have even found that these tips work great with washing his face after eating, changing his diaper and more! 

Here is what Molly has to say:

Brushing an infant or toddler's teeth can be a very challenging and frustrating job for the child and parent. Here are some tips and tricks that I have used with my own daughter. First off, you don't want to make it a negative experience. If the child is putting up a huge fight,  do the best you can at that moment and try again at the next tooth brushing opportunity.

 

1) Children love to copy their parents, so be sure that the child sees you brushing your teeth. Get at eye level with the child, let the child hold your brush and let them brush your teeth. While he is occupied brushing your teeth, you brush his teeth. This worked well with my daughter, distraction works very well with children! 

2) Let your child pick out their own toothbrush, there are so many options out there today. The battery operated brushes are great (try to buy the one with the smallest head size), and come with characters such as Dora, Diego, and Sesame Street characters. You can also let them pick out their own toothpaste, just be sure to keep the toothpaste in a safe place.

3) Use a footstool and a mirror so the child can see themselves. Count your child's teeth using a toothbrush. Give them a cup of water to use also. Make it a fun experience, not a negative one!

You can sing, make funny faces, count in a foreign language...anything that distracts your child and makes them look forward to brushing time (ok, maybe "look forward" is going to far) but at least make it an experience that doesn't leave baby and Mom/Dad in tears! No matter what you do to brush your child's teeth, know that young children lack the manual dexterity to brush their own teeth. So after they are done brushing, be sure you do a thorough brushing for them! Who knows - they might even let you floss eventually...ok that's definitely pushing it!

Happy brushing!

Menu Monday

Happy Valentine’s Day! My family and I don’t celebrate V-Day, but I realize that some of you do so I figured I’d recognize. Zoolu! Celebrates it though! Did you see the new sale going on over there? Check it out. Mondays are always hard…hopefully everyone had a nice weekend that was productive but also relaxing. Last week was a particularly long week for me and for no reason at all. I couldn’t figure it out! I just couldn’t wait for the weekend. My weekend was wonderful though and the 70 degree weather didn’t hurt!

Are you excited for Menu Monday? I sure am! I am really hoping that we can all get some new dinner ideas to spice some things up. Below is my list and a few recipes. Hope you enjoy!

Monday – Chicken Fajitas – this is just a random recipe I throw together

Tuesday – Mango Chutney Chicken – This recipe is from HERE. I LOVE this blog. I get a lot of my recipes from here. It’s actually my old squadrons cooking blog. My favorite recipes tend to fall under the names Jennifer Attaway, Deanne Anderson, Megan Glynn and Kelly Birckett. You can find their names on the left-hand side.

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts
Salt/pepper
1 red pepper
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1 minced garlic
1-2 t. curry
1 T. red chili paste (Sambal Oelek)
1/2 c. mango chutney
Slivered almonds

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 225 C
2. Cut chicken – season – fry in frying pan (or boil/bake if that is quicker/easier for you)
3. Dice pepper and mix with chicken in an oven-safe dish.
4. Whisk whipping cream – add all ingredients.
5. Pour over chicken and bake for 20 minutes.

Wednesday – Chili – again, just a random thing I throw together. A secret ingredient I like to add is a ranch dressing packet. Everything else is normal chili stuff.

Thursday – Pizza Roll – I went to a party a few weeks ago and a gal had brought this super easy dish. The nice thing about this is that you can change it up as much as you’d like.

Dough (I buy premade wheat dough frm Trader Joe’s

Marinara, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese.

Unroll dough, place ingredients on the dough, roll up and place in oven. 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I made a few of these to throw into the freezer for a night when I don’t feel like cooking. Easy peasy!

Friday – Probably eat out.

Misc – I decided to make Monkey Bread for the week. Have you ever had this? It is sinful and delicious! It's basically a cinnamon roll mess of pure goodness. I think it's good for the soul.

3 cans of "Grands" size biscuits (10 in each can)
1 cup sugar
3 TBS cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar

Cut each biscuit into 4ths. Toss sugar, cinnamon, and biscuit pieces in a ziploc bag until well coated. Lightly spray bundt pan with Pam. Layer biscuits in pan. Sprinkle pecans on top (I probably won’t do this because my husband isn’t a huge fan). Next mix butter and brown sugar and pour over top of biscuits. Bake at 350 degress for 30-45 minutes. Let cool slightly and then pull off bite size pieces and enjoy!

Now it’s time to pay it forward with some of your delicious recipes and meal ideas

FOOD!

Do you ever find yourself in a recipe rut? I feel like I ALWAYS am. I love love love cooking, but I feel like I go through a lemon chicken-lasagna-spaghetti-chili phase a lot. Don’t get me wrong, all of those things are delish, but I get sick of them. To help get out of this recipe rut I thought it might be fun to do “Menu Monday” every….Monday. What do you all think? This way over the weekend we can plan out meals and on Sunday or Monday (or whatever day you shop), we will have our trusty little grocery list handy. Not only will this keep me organized at the grocery store, but it might even keep me from buying all the other STUFF I tend to come home with. HEY, that’ll even save me some moula and make the hubby happy! Half the time I grocery shop I come home with tons of food, but none of it actually makes a meal. Ugh. It’s so frustrating.

I’m telling all of you fabulous people now so that come Monday when I say HEY IT’S MENU MONDAY, you will all leave some love in the comment section and let us know what you’re cooking for the week. Maybe even include your recipe. We can all inspire each other to cook outside the box (Get it? Cook instead of think? mwahaha)! Doesn’t that sound like fun? We will be helping each other out one meal at a time!

Have a zawesome weekend (that’s Zoolu! talk for all you newbs hehe)! If you’re one of the lucky ones that are in a very cold climate, stay warm! I’ll be enjoying the 70 degree weather where I am. See ya Monday…..

Winner: Petunia Pickle Bottom

Did you lose sleep last night because you couldn’t stop thinking about the Petunia Pickle Bottom bag? I’ll just cut to the chase and tell you who won! The winner is….Chani M. Congratulations!

Chani M said...I am dreaming of carrying a PPB around with this new baby :) And my other dream is winning a brand new UppaBaby Vista! FEBRUARY 4, 2011 10:08 AM 

How exciting that you have a little one on the way and will get to use a pretty new bag too! Please send an email to megan@shopzoolu.com with your mailing information. Congratulations on winning Zoolu!’s first giveaway prize! Good luck with the new little one, Chani!

If you aren’t Chani, you’re probably really sad. I guess we can’t win them all. If we had 78 bags to giveaway, we would do it! Don’t worry, we will have many more giveaways for you to win something fabulous. Until then, don’t forget to stop by Zoolu! and check out all the great stuff we have AND use your Zip scratcher codes that you receive in the newsletters!

Have a wonderful day!

What Your Pediatrician Wishes You Knew….

“Quick Fixes” Unfortunately Do Not Exist

Most pediatric illnesses are viral and get better with time. Pediatricians are happy to see kids who are sick, but get frustrated when parents demand a "quick fix" when, in reality, there isn't one.

We should use antibiotics very, very judiciously. They need to work when they are indicated, and if given too liberally, they will not work as effectively when your child does in fact have a bacterial infection.

That’s it for today!

REMINDER: Petunia Pickle Bottom….

Only a few more days left to sign up for the PPB giveaway! If you haven’t signed up yet, make sure you click HERE and leave us a comment. Don’t forget to let us know what you think our next giveaway should be. We will be announcing the winner of the Boxy Backpack on Thursday!

To all of our Zoolu! fans – thank you! We love reading your comments. I get an adrenaline rush when I see new comments. A lot of you said you’d like to see Melissa & Doug products and some sort of baby carrier (Moby, BabyHawk, Bjorn etc) for our next giveaway. These are all wonderful products! Melissa & Doug products happen to be my go-to toys for my niece and nephew.

The most popular giveaway item that was mentioned was….a GIFTCARD. Hmmm I will see what we can do. This would be a wonderful way for all of the new Zoolu! shoppers to see what we have to offer you. We are constantly expanding and adding to the store. Remember, if there is something you’re looking for and don’t see it, please let us know. We will try our best to get you what you need! Our goal is for YOU to be happy and for Zoolu! to be your one stop shop. Maybe we will be the next Amazon?

I had to laugh at the “fluffy” comments. Being a cloth diapering mama I would LOVE to do a cloth diaper giveaway. However, we don’t sell any in the store (yet). Maybe someday soon we will!

Before I forget, I also want to remind you that phil&teds strollers and accessories are still on sale. Get one while you can and spread the word! 20% off plus FREE SHIPPING. These do not go on sale very often.

Have a great Tuesday!!

Zap, Zing and Zip – Learning the Zoolu! Lingo!

Don’t worry…we know these terms may sound foreign to you now, however, within no time at all you will be “in the know” and loving every Zap, Zing and Zip that comes your way! Of course with a name like Zoolu!, we wanted to create fun and catchy words (all starting with “Z” of course!) to bring some fun to the standard giveaways, sales and discounts that all customers love!

Zaps

Are you a fan of Zoolu! on Facebook? If not, fan us on Facebook TODAY for your chance to be “zapped” with a $20 Gift Coupon. It’s as easy as that…fan us and you are automatically eligible to receive this FREE $20 Gift Coupon – otherwise known as a “Zap”!

We are often asked…how do we decide who to zap? It’s very straightforward. Once you “like” our page, you name is entered into a spreadsheet and given a number. To see your number click HERE. When we get the itch to “zap” a few of our fans, we simply go to www.random.org – enter in our total number of fans and select “Generate”. The name that matches the number that is generated is the lucky winner!

Tips for being “zapped”…be sure to interact with our page often. “Like” or Comment on our posts to ensure that our posts show up in your News Feed. With each zap, you are only given 48 hours to e-mail us in order to receive your code – so you don’t want to not see the post and ultimately miss out on your free $20 Gift Coupon!

Zings

Zings are fun, 24-hour sales through our Facebook page that allow you to enjoy up to 35% off our top brands. These sales are not available to the general public. Rather, you will be given a special code to enter at checkout to receive this exclusive discount! As always, check in with our page often to make sure that you don’t miss these deep savings on your fave brands such as Melissa & Doug, aden + anais, Moby Wrap, BabyLegs and more!

Zips

Zips are the secret codes sent out with each of Zoolu!’s newsletters (roughly 2 per month…we promise we won’t inundate you with useless information!) that award our loyal customers either 10, 20 or 30% off their ENTIRE purchase! Each Zip is good for a specific period of time. Once it is “live” – enter the code on our site to see what your Zip secret code is worth! Now you can enjoy all your favorite brands for less!

Have you signed up for our newsletter yet? If not, click HERE and sign in using the “Stay Informed” box at the bottom of the left menu!

Any questions? Let us know…we’re here for you!

Which brands would YOU like to see most in our upcoming Zings?

It’s all in the name…Zoolu!

We are often asked…why the name “Zoolu!”? Here’s the long and the short of our story :-)

As we were brainstorming ideas for our company, choosing our name was very fun, yet quite overwhelming. There were so many options…where do we start? As time passed, we couldn’t stop thinking about big-time companies like Yahoo!, Amazon, Google and Zappos – they all had two things in common: 1) they are VERY successful and 2) their names were not part of our vocabulary prior to them becoming big (okay, maybe Amazon was…but today when you hear Amazon, what comes to mind first: the company or the rainforest?) With that, we focused on finding a one-word name that was catchy, easy to pronounce and most importantly, was the kind of name that left you with a smile on your face!

The minute Zoolu! came to mind, we knew it was the perfect name for our business! It’s catchy, nobody mispronounces it (even though we have to spell it out for people quite often!) and we have definitely received many remarks (from company reps and customers alike) saying, “Zoolu!…I like it!” For those of you that are military, many of you know that Zulu is the term used to ensure that all pilots, regardless of their location, are using the same universal 24-hour clock in order to avoid confusion when coordinating flights between time zones. In both the flying world and at Zoolu!, timing is everything! We felt that Zoolu! was a great spin on the time-related word, Zulu, and that it embodied what Zoolu! sets out to do on a daily basis -- saving our customers both time and money by providing thousands of top name-brand and personalized products at competitive prices with unparalleled customer service…all with VERY fast shipping too! (Our loyal customers often remark..."Wow! Your package came SO FAST!")

In addition to loving its relation to time, we also love how the name Zoolu! is not specific to one area of retail. Though our focus right now is on products that will simplify the lives of young families, we have often been asked, "When is Zoolu! going to add pet products to your site?" or "When will Zoolu! expand to include home decor?" The possibilties with Zoolu! are endless and we look forward to continuing to expand to serve the needs of families both stateside and abroad in the years to come!

What Your Pediatrician Wishes You Knew….

As moms of young children, most of us have gotten to know our pediatricians on a first-name basis. From the common cold with a newborn to a broken bone as a toddler, the pediatrician becomes our go-to source for information as we navigate the crazy world of parenting. The Zoolu! Zone is lucky enough to have a pediatrician on our team to answer some common questions that we come across day to day. Dr. Kawan is here to answer questions, give advice and to let us know if something we heard is a fact or if it’s a myth.

Tip Number 1: A Fever is Your Friend!
· A fever is the body's way of fighting an infection. Never let the number of the fever alone frighten you. Higher temperatures MAY mean your child has a more serious bacterial infection, but the most common type of illness will be viral, and can only be healed with time.
· When younger, pre-verbal children are sick, how they are acting and behaving is often the most important sign of what is going on. A pediatrician is always interested in hearing careful observations of the child's activity. That is often more important than how high the temperature has reached on the thermometer.
· Pediatricians are much less concerned with a child who has a 105 temperature and is running around the exam room than a child who has a temperature of 100 and is very lethargic.

More to come next time! Hopefully this tip will make you feel more confident the next time your little one has a questionable temperature.

GIVEAWAY: Petunia Pickle Bottom!

How exciting is this....our very first giveaway in honor of Zoolu!'s FIRST birthday is a PETUNIA PICKLE BOTTOM BAG! First of all, we feel so fortunate to have been given one of these bags as a giveaway. This company is awesome! As you know, Zoolu! only carries the very best products, so carrying PPB was obvious! We love them. Second, if you don't already have one of these diaper bags, you should consider buying one. They are adorable, durable and practical. Practical is a must especially for all of you multitasking mamas out there.

How many times a week do you leave the house with makeup and a cute outfit on? If you're like me the answer is NEVER. If you buy a Petunia Pickle Bottom bag for yourself, you will always feel dressed up. Aside from your sweet baby, this is a great accessory. You won't even feel like you're carrying a diaper bag because of how cute it is. I love this particular PPB bag because it can go from a shoulder bag to a backpack. So whether you're strolling the mall or running in the airport to catch your plane, Petunia Pickle Bottom has your back...and your binkys, diapers, changing pad, tickets, wallet.....

Petunia Pickle Bottom makes more than just diaper bags! How beautiful are these clutches?

You have until midnight PST, February 10th to sign up. To enter to win the Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack in Evening in Essex just leave us a comment. When you leave a comment let us know what our next giveaway should be! We will announce the winner on the blog as well as on our Facebook page!

Good luck!

phil&teds SALE – 20% off ALL Strollers and Stroller Accessories!

What is a party without a HUGE SALE on one of our most popular brands of strollers!?!  The phil&teds inline strollers are the go-to stroller for expanding families…and they are now 20% off at Zoolu!  Whether you are out and about running errands with just one child, or spending the day at Disneyland with the whole family – this stroller easily adapts from being a single stroller to a double stroller – all with one click!

     

The minute I found out I was pregnant with my second child, I knew we just had to have the phil&teds stroller!  I promptly sold my Graco travel system and started saving my pennies – and I am so glad that I did!  The stroller easily adapts from carrying an infant/toddler combo to two toddlers…making getting around with our two young boys VERY easy.  Two years later, we are still using this stroller everywhere we go.  The flexibility and durability, without the double-wide bulk, has made this one of our best baby purchases to date!

For four days only, Zoolu! has all phil&teds strollers and stroller accessories marked down 20%!  And with free shipping for all items $75+, you won’t be stuck paying an arm and a leg for shipping either!  Don’t just run…sprint over to Zoolu! today – as these are sure to fly off the shelves!