Citrus Lane review (May box)

        My May Citrus Lane boxes came on Saturday and I wanted to share all the fun products that came inside. I was really excited this month because I signed up for a second subscription so we could get a box for our baby-to-be too. So this month we received both a box for a 25-month-old toddler boy and a newborn baby boy. We were so happy with both boxes this month and we really excited with everything we received. There were lots of things to play with this month which always makes us happy and a "mom" gift in each box. Citrus Lane continues to be my favorite subscription box because I am hardly disappointed with what we receive and everything is always useful or fun. Or both!

    Here's the description from the insert provided in the boxes: "We are super excited about this month's box, which includes some of our community's favorites brands! We love Barefoot Books at every age - from the beginning of life babies who love to hear you read to them, around a year they'll start trying to help you turn the page, and before you know it your child will be reading to you! We also love how Green Toys has something fantastic for every age of childhood - from teethers to stackers to vehicles and imaginary play. And in honor of Mother's Day, we're sending you a special treat for Mom. Happy Mother's Day from Citrus Lane!"

   Owen had a blast as usual opening his box and pulling out all the items. Though he was so excited about the first item (a book) that we had to prompt him to keep looking because he just wanted to read the book instead. 

            And here are the details on what we received in our box for our 25-month-old son (scroll down to see our newborn box):

• Journey Home from Grandpa's Book and CD set from Barefoot Books ($9.99): In this I-Spy journey home from Grandpa's house, your little one will be introduced to colors, modes of transportation, and music through various landscapes. Our moms and babies loved the book and CD set that we sent earlier this year, so we're super excited to send a new set to you. We always value the opportunity to partner with Barefoot Books, a company that believes in empowering children through the love of reading. I cannot begin to describe to you how excited Owen was to see this book in his box. After we got Barefoot Books' "The Animal Boogie" in a previous box, we looked up several of their other songs on Youtube and played them for Owen. This one happens to be his favorite. He even began singing the song a little when we pulled the book out of the box and started flipping through the pages. They could not have sent a more perfect book for him from this company. I think we read it about 10 times the day we got it. 

• Submarine from Green Toys ($14.99): This toy sub is a fantastic addition to the Green Toys line of bath toys. Made in the USA entirely from 100 percent recycled milk jugs, it features a spinning rear propeller, a flat bottom for stable water play and a wide-mouth opening for scoop-and-pour action. The cabin opens for air drying between baths, and the entire submarine can be run through the dishwasher to safely rid mold and mildew. We were really excited to receive this product. We have several other Green Toys products and we really enjoy them all. And because bath time is such a fun time with Owen, I know this will only add to it. We have the tugboat bath toy, but this one seems even cooler with the moving propeller. Owen really digs it and for some reason calls it his "acki-eeda." At least that's what it sounds like he's saying. 

• Happy Munchies Rice Cakes from Happy Family ($3.19 on Amazon): A new snack from Happy Family! It can be a challenge to find healthy snacks that appeal to your entire family. But these tasty organic rice cakes are just right for all ages, from teething babies who are just learning how to eat with their fingers to older kids looking for a crunchy snack. USDA-certified organic and gluten-free. I don't typically buy these kinds of snacks for Owen because they can be a little pricey and hard to find where I live, but I gave these to him to try and he really liked them. We asked him, "Are they crunchy?" And he replied, "No, they're good." I gave one a taste too and they are pretty yummy.

•  Moisture Stick from Deep Steep ($5.95): We thought this product was so unique and useful! This multipurpose stick - small enough to toss in your purse - is a great alternative to lotions. Formulated to melt on contact with heat from your skin, it glides on easily and hydrates with coconut oil to prevent flaking, while preventing premature aging. Never tested on animals, it's also free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, mineral oil, and fragrances. I enjoy getting a mom gift every now and then and I was actually pretty excited to see this particular product because many people got it in their Stork Stack box this month, while I received a snack bar instead. (Bummer!) I am really interested to try this because applying lotion can get pretty messy and this seems like a great alternative because you can just dab it on where you need a little extra moisture. 

         My verdict on Owen's box? A home-run for sure! The book alone almost makes the whole thing worth it because he loves it so very much. The retail value of this box is $34.12, about $10 higher than the cost of the box (though I paid a bit less because I purchased a multi-month subscription which is discounted.) The value of Citrus Lane's boxes are always pretty good compared to the price you pay for the items. And since I have never had a month where I didn't use everything in the box, I always feel like I'm getting good value for what I spend. 

         Our newborn box for little brother was great too. Here's a photo of all our goodies and a list of what came inside:

• Rattle Keys from Green Toys ($7.99): A new launch from Green Toys for Spring 2013! We love this adorable set of rattle keys. Unlike other play keys, these are made in the USA from 100 percent recycled plastic milk jugs. With rounded edges and plenty of textures to soothe sore gums, these four "keys" provide clean, eco-friendly teething relief. BPA, phthalates and PVC free, just toss them in the dishwasher for safe, easy cleaning. I am super excited about this toy for our baby-boy-t0-be. We had a set of the traditional keys for Owen, but these seem so much nicer and I love that they can be sanitized in the dishwasher. How awesome is that?  

• "Bear Takes a Trip" from Barefoot Books ($6.99): From the best-selling series of books chronicling the adventures of Bear, this book follows Bear on his exciting journey to the mountains. Our babies loved the Bear adventures we sent earlier this year, so we're excited to send another story from the series. Again, we are never sorry to see books in our Citrus Lane boxes and a new book for little brother is great. Especially because it has yet to be torn apart or chewed on and bent like many of the other books he will inherit from his big brother. Owen is a major book lover, but he can be a little hard on them. This one is super colorful and cute. 

• The Mommy Hook ($9.99): A Citrus Lane Award finalist! Many moms consider the Mommy Hook an indispensible essential. Made from lightweight, heavy-duty aluminum with rubber guides to keep it from sliding. It accommodates bags of every sort, from diaper bags to shopping to camera, plus purses, clothing, and anything else you can hang. It hooks on virtually any stroller handle and you can even use it on a shopping cart. I have never seen or tried this before, but I think with the amount of baby stuff that I carry about to double, this should certainly come in handy. We'll see if it's as essential as some moms claim it to be!

• Travel Size Dish Liquid from Dapple ($1.99): A Citrus Lane favorite, you'll be amazed at how well this soap works to get your baby's feeding items clean, while feeling great about the simple, all-natural ingredients. It took two moms, several experienced pediatricians, and a team of seasoned green chemists to create Dapple - a company that offers a full line of cleaners made for homes with young children. I have received samples of this dish liquid in several subscriptions boxes over time and can't remember actually ever using it. I never knew that the company made other products so I think it would actually be pretty prudent of them to send out samples of some of their other products. Actually now that I think of it, we may have gotten a sample of their detergent before too. Nevermind.

• Gripe Water from Mommy's Bliss ($9.34 on Amazon): There's nothing worse than an upset stomach, especially when it's your baby who's suffering. Pediatrician recommended, Gripe Water is a safe and effective all-natural herbal supplement that eases the gas and stomach pain that goes hand-in-hand with colic, hiccups, and teething. So gentle and effective, it's become the number-one natural remedy for colic and gas. Somehow I never heard about this when Owen was going through his "colic-y" stage. And we tried every remedy on the Internet. I am so happy that we got a bottle of this to try with our second baby in case we have to go through that same stage again. It will be great to be able to give it a try and see if it works without having to buy it ourselves. 

    This month, the newborn box retailed for $36.30, which is more than $10 over the cost of the box. This is a great value for all the items inside, which we found to all be useful and interesting. We were just as happy with our newborn box as we were with Owen's toddler box. This was a great month for Citrus Lane!

   For those of you not familiar with Citrus Lane, it is a subscription box company that offers a monthly box of 4 to 5 full-sized products tailored to your child's age and gender for newborns to age 5. Boxes cost $25 a month, but 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. Additionally, the coupon code TAKEHALF can get you half off your first month's box if you want to do a monthly subscription where you are charged each month. According to Citrus Lane's Facebook page, there is currently no discount code for a longer subscription other than using a referral link to sign up (though those subscriptions are already discounted some to reward people for ordering a longer term subscription). 

      Do you subscribe to Citrus Lane? What did you think about the May boxes?