an ad for a good cause

Somehow I recently got on the email list for an online retailer of developmental and learning toys, ebeanstalk.com. They also send out periodical emails with answers to questions about child development, in a concise and accessible manner for parents. I haven't purchased anything from them, because honestly, we are in no need of more toys in our tiny house. But then I got an email from them this week that intrigued me.

Attention all Bloggers. Ebeanstalk is giving away $1,000 worth of toys -- Free!

Like I said, we really have no need for new toys. But. Could I give up the chance to be one of the five winners of $100 worth of toys, or even better, the one lucky blogger who will win $500 worth of new goodies?! It's not even the actual prize that I'm hung up on, it's the fact that I could be that winner. But then, I'd be stuck with a bunch of toys to try to find places for! And then, lovely hubby showed me how thoughtful and compassionate he can be by suggesting that I donate the toys if I happen to be a lucky winner.

So, I'm taking lovely hubby's suggestion, and am officially entering their contest by posting their advertisement here, and I pledge to donate any possible winnings to a Washington DC based organization, House of Ruth.

House of Ruth helps women, children and families in greatest need and with very limited resources to build safe, stable lives and achieve their highest potential. We serve women, children and families who are striving to overcome domestic violence, homelessness, mental health disorders and substance abuse.

Here we go. If you're looking for an online retailer of developmental toys, you can certainly check out ebeanstalk.com!

Ebeanstalk is dedicated to a baby's development. And we 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 our 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.

Hoping for a win,