Citrus Lane review (March box)

      My March Citrus Lane box came yesterday and I wanted to share all the fun products that came inside. March's box was the third box we have received after Citrus Lane made several changes to their subscription box program. For instance, they have done away with monthly themes so that they aren't limited by them as to what they can send each month and they can give out new products quicker without having them need to fit a theme. Though there is no theme, products will still be chosen based on the season and of course age and gender. 

       Also, starting in February, Citrus Lane began offering boxes for preschoolers in addition to infants and toddlers. You can have a subscription for kids from newborns to age 5. Boxes cost $25 a month if you order a monthly subscription. If you order a three-month, six-month, or year long subscription, you receive a discounted price. 

      Here's the description from the new insert provided in the box: "I can do it myself! Around this age, your little one may be growing more independent each day. During this time, we found ourselves searching for new toys to challenge our little ones and new foods to satisfy their increasingly picky appetites. Keeping this in mind, we included some of our favorite items to help you make it through this stage with a smile. Providing healthy snacks, helping new skills develop, and encouraging snuggling with your little one!"

      Owen, of course, loved opening his box by himself again this month. He recognizes the Citrus Lane box and comes running to unpack it when I bring it in from the mailbox. We were happy with our box this month, but it wasn't our favorite. I don't mind getting a "mom" item every once in a while, but I feel like a coupon like the one for JustFab.com is something that should be included as an extra. It really has no value unless I intend to use it and since this is a subscription company that I would have to sign up with in order to use the coupon, I probably won't be using it. The items in my box retailed for $38.93 (not including the JustFab coupon. This is more than $10 over the price of the box itself. 

And here are the details on what we received in our box:

• Slumber Friends Plush Pillow from Cloud B ($21.95): After a busy day at the playground, little ones will love relaxing with this snuggly pillow friend. The pillow includes a removable lavender-scented aromatherapy pouch for extra soothing. Depending on your mood (or fondness for scent), take it out or leave it in! You can also pull the strap through the side loop to create an adorable animal. Enjoy during cuddle time or use the pillow at night whenever a little reassurance is needed - especially helpful when overactive imaginations kick in around age 2 or 3 to help alleviate bad dreams and fears. Not recommended for use in a crib before 2 years. I like this pillow and I think the scent is really pleasant, but so far Owen hasn't shown any interest in it. But that's not to say that he won't at some point. We love Cloud B products. We have the Sleep Sheep sound maker and the Twilight Turtle night light and use both nightly.

• Puzzle Wheel from Mudpuppy ($9.99): This double-sided puzzle is made of six extra-thick pieces that are easy for little hands to manipulate, fitting into a central hub to form a circular puzzle. We love the simple format, making it a good choice for our younger toddlers who are just learning to put the pieces together. It's also two puzzles in one - turn over to help little ones learn their colors. Made of 90 percent recycled paper and printed with non-toxic, soy-based inks. I really like this puzzle. It's a good introduction to jigsaw puzzles for little kids. Owen immediately wanted to play with this as soon as he pulled it out of the box. He still has trouble fitting the pieces together, but it is a great tool for matching colors. I believe we have put it together no less than 10 times in the past day. The robot one we got is really cute. Girls got puzzles with princesses on them, I believe. 

•  Jungle Tattoos from Wee Gallery ($5): An extension of Wee Gallery's ever popular art cards (a Citrus Lane favorite for babies), we are excited to deliver the same assortment of captivating line drawings to our older toddlers and preschoolers in the form of temporary tattoos. We love the bold, graphic design and kids flip over tattoos - a surefire hit as party favors. Easy to apply and just as easy to remove with baby oil or rubbing alcohol. Pack includes 12 tattoos. These are a really unusual pick, but the designs are cute. I'm not sure about when and how we will use these, but I'm sure Owen will think they're super cool. After looking at Citrus Lane's Facebook page, I noticed that there are lots of moms complaining about temporary tattoos for toddlers (obviously it will make social deviants of them), but I thought it was cool that Citrus Lane offered a bunch of alternative uses for them as they will apparently stick to a lot of different surfaces. 

• Banana and Apple Pouch from Peter Rabbit Organics ($1.99): Who said pouches are for babies? Perfect for all ages, this 100% organic fruit pouch by Peter Rabbit Organics is a delicious and nutritious grab-and-go snack option that doesn't contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. Enjoy them straight from the squeezable pouch or squirt onto oatmeal or cereal. Throw an extra one in your diaper bag or in the car for a quick pick-me-up for you too! Once again, Owen had to eat this immediately upon opening his box. He slurped it right up. I do sort-of wish that Citrus Lane would include a couple flavors when the boxes have food items. One pouch doesn't last us very long (approximately three minutes). Once again, folks on the Facebook page are complaining about "pouch" food for toddlers, but my kiddo loves them and they are a super convenient snack.

•  $20 from JUSTFAB: We wanted to introduce JustFab.com to all our busy Citrus Lane moms. This fashion-savvy subscription service combines the luxury and convenience of a personal shopper with the expertise of industry insiders, offering a one-of-a-kind shopping experience from the comfort of your own home. Each month, Style Experts handpick a customized selection of on-trend shoes and handbags to fit your unique fashion style based on a questionnaire. I am disappointed with this because I don't plan on signing up for this subscription service. I don't mind coupons when they are for one time purchases, but I don't want to have to join another subscription company to be able to use my code. Also, I have read a lot of criticism about this company online so I'm probably going to steer clear for that reason too. So for me, this has no value. Hopefully future mom items will be more along the lines of last month's awesome lip balm. Seriously, that stuff is magic.  

     Another new change at Citrus Lane is the referral program and current coupon codes. Currently, new members can save $10 on a subscription if they sign up through a referral link from someone who is already a Citrus Lane member. The Citrus Lane member will also receive a $10 credit. My referral link can be found HERE. I am unaware of any additional coupon codes currently since they started this new referral system, but the great thing about Citrus Lane is that they offer deals for subscribers to renew or add to their subscriptions a few times a year and that is how I've gotten a big discount in the past. The coupon code TAKEHALF has been a frequent advertised coupon code to get half off your first month's box. You can always try that too. 

     I have subscribed to several subscription boxes for babies and toddlers and Citrus Lane has been the only one to consistently impress me with the quality of their products, their customer service, and their price. In fast, I have canceled my subscriptions with all their competitors because I was tired of being disappointed by them.