Ethos Babywearing Tester Review

When a local mama starting a woven wrap business asked me to be a tester, I jumped at the chance!  I love trying new wraps and seeing what's new in the wrapping world.  This has been a fabulous experience and I'm so grateful for Ethos Babywearing to have offered me this honor!  I am VERY excited to see this company grow!

Ethos Babywearing was started by a babywearing mama that heard the community's wish for affordable, quality woven wraps.  Babywearing should be accessible to all price ranges!  One of the most common complaints is that woven wraps are too expensive or that the more economical options are not as soft or supportive as the higher end brands.  Ethos Babywearing also feels it's important to give back and will be donating 10% of their profits from every release to a charitable cause.  The woven wraps will be fully tested and CPSC approved for the new compliancy  laws coming into effect October 1, 2014.

My girls and I were over at a friend's house for a play date when the Ethos Dusky Argyle testers arrived, the lovely W dropped was so excited to share them with us and we couldn't wait either!  It was like a bunch of kids at Christmas, ripping open the cellophane packages in the street.  My first impressions were WOW!  This is soft!!!  And so thin (I like thin wraps).  It's so difficult to get a thin all cotton wrap to have the support I need for toddlerwearing, but Dusky Argyle is a dense 254 gsm and fits the bill easily.

I grabbed E and threw her up in our go to carry lately, Pirate Carry.  Dusky Argyle needs no breaking in! It came prewashed and ready to wear!  At first touch you notice the silky texture and softness that makes it a truly snuggly wrap.  The passes glide easily, but I wouldn't call it slick or slippery.  It has enough texture to hold your carry without being difficult to make passes or tie easily.  One of my concerns was the thinness causing pressure points or digging at the shoulders, but I found it very comfortable!  Not cushy like marshmallows, but it had just the right amount for my taste.  It even came with sleepy dust as E fell right asleep.  I was able to carry her sag free for the "nap test" while we chatted and the other children played.  My only complaint is the thinness cause some digging at the knots on my chest while in a candy cane chest belt.  These test wraps have some nubbiness that will be resolved before release, however it does not effect function and I actually think it enhances the design. 

When I get a new wrap, I like to really focus on it and use exclusively for a while.  Dusky Argyle made this easy!  You really wouldn't realise it's a budget wrap if you weren't told.  It doesn't compare at all to the Little Frog wraps I've tried.  I've loved it in every single or multi layer carry I've tried!  The combination of amazing diagonal stretch and thinness really make it moldable, perfect for squish wrapping. 

Ethos Babywearing Dusky Argyle is planned to release next month with the projected prices: 3.6m $90, 4.2m $100, 4.6m $110, and 5.2m $120

Photos courtesy of Shelby Marie Photography  

Mommy Daughter Dates

My girls are best friends, but I still feel it's important to have some one on one time with my oldest!  Her favourite activity is going to the park and she loves to play in the sand.  Every day she asks if we're going to the beach (she remembers that best from our vacation in July) and always wants to bring her bucket and shovels to make sandcastles.  I think she could stay there from the time she woke up til she passed out from sheer exhaustion! 

This Wednesday, little sister E fell asleep right before we got ready for our playdate at the park.  My husband was home sick that day and I left little E napping while we went off on our own little adventure!  The local mamas that go to our church started the weekly playgroup again and we decided to give it a shot.  Unfortunately, Pippi's only friend moved and there is no one her age, so she didn't have a the best time while the other kids where there...  So I told my husband we'd be later than expected and let P stay as long as my allergies would allow. 







We had a blast!  We went up and down the slides, "climbed" the tree next to the picnic table, made pretend birthday cakes, and took a bunch of pictures.  The time together was great for both of us and I hope we can keep having opportunities to enjoy each others company for many years to come!

Snugabug

My toddler is not a fan of being wrapped.  She knows that it's non-negotiable in some situations, like when we have to park a ways off at events or in bad weather, but she definitely doesn't like being wrapped at home!  She is far too busy for being restrained!  Sometimes I can bribe her into trying new carries with her paci or a special treat after, then she gets all excited and finally consents.  Just because she doesn't like to be wrapped on me, doesn't mean she's not a fan of wrapping!  Every day, she asks to go snugabug (her words for "snug as a bug") and picks a different wrap for her mood.

Wraps are great play toys and food for imagination!  Not only does it help break them in, but it helps justify the cost for me.  One of P's favourites is "Red Riding Hood" and she'll play it for hours.  "Make me a hood mama!" "Where's my riding hood mama???"  Then she runs around the house and pretends that baby sister is the big bad wolf, "No catch me Evahlee!  Eeeeeeek!"

This busy little toddler is also not a fan of naps...  She hasn't napped regularly since E was born (I would lay down and nurse her to sleep) and some days that can be hard!  There's been a few days where she'll be playing in her pack n play and fall asleep, but this was one of my favourite crash naps.  The handsome husband is pretty much the only one who wears Erna right now, so I like to keep it out for P to play with and make me feel better that it's getting used frequently.  One day she decided she needed the wrap and hauled it over to the couch.  I thought she'd climb up on the couch and play with it, but no!  She decided she was going to just play on the floor in front of the couch.  "Sleep now!"  Wiggle wiggle wiggle... "Wrap me mama!!!"  *I cover her up from head to toe* "Thank you!"  I wrapped the very cranky E up and started walking around to put her to sleep.  Once she had settled down, I noticed it was suspiciously quiet...  *Peek under coffee table* P was out like a light!  Wraps even come with sleepy dust without having to be worn!