I’ve pretty much come to accept the fact that life with a 3-year-old is going to be messy. Sometimes really messy. So when Smicko’z came onto the scene, I was rather excited. It’s not-quite-a-bib and not-quite-an-apron. It’s a Smicko! Dubbed as cover-ups for the child who is “too old for bibs… still spillin’ like a villain,” Smicko’z really fit the bill at my house.
Continue reading "Smicko’z: They’ve got your big kid covered " »
If you are looking for a great way to keep your children shaded in the backseat -- check out UPPAbaby's Easy Fit Car and SUV Sunshade ($8.99 for one). This has my seal of approval for two reasons - it actually attached securely and it really did a good job of keeping out the sun. It was the first sunshade that my toddler could not dismantle. He's ruined quite a few of them (the pretty ones and the not-so pretty ones) that I've tried to put up. The Easy Fit Car and SUV Sunshade was so quickly and easily installed. Just open the shade and attach the four super-grippy suction cups (that you can tighten). The stretch black mesh shade material was great -- I felt like I was looking through a stocking, rather than a typical kid's sunshade. The soft sun blocking material was a big improvement over other kinds we've used and actually easier to see through while driving. Just remember to pick up TWO packages, only one comes in each package.
Features:
Go to UPPAbaby to find a retailer.
Regular readers might know that my daughter has quite the clip collection. I'll admit it: I love everything girlie and clips certainly fall into this category. I am always thrilled when I find a clip that really makes me think that I definitely need to add it to my -- ahem, my daughter's -- collection.
Kenzie Klips definitely fall into this 'must-have' category. Made of 100% wool felt, these clips have a non-slip strip that ensure that they stay put in even the finest hair. And if you have the type of kid who, like mine, says "me do it" a lot and must adorn her own locks, fear not because Kenzie Klips are designed specifically with chubby little hands in mind and won't unravel at the edges.
What I like about these clips is that they are made over a single prong alligator clip -- these just work better in curly hair like my daughter's -- and that they come in so many designs. And now that my daughter's hair is finally long enough to be pulled into pig tails, I love that all the clips can be made into pig tail holders too. Anyone feel another collection coming on?
Check out the abundant selection at www.kenzieklips.etsy.com.
Exclusive for CBB Readers: Enjoy a FREE Perfectly Pink Flower Hair Clip -- perfect for summer -- with any purchase over $25 when you enter the code CBBFREEBIE into the 'Message to Seller' section at checkout. Expires 7/19/08.
If you love your phil & ted's inline stroller, but worry about sun protection for the doubles seat -- you have a great option in Protect-a-Bub's new Backseat Tandem Sunshade ($39.99). Protect-a-Bub created this sunshade especially to protect the doubles seat on the phil & ted's buggies (read the Sport review here and the Vibe review here). Now, when your little one sits in the doubles seat in this increasingly sunny weather, they'll be protected from the harsh ultraviolet rays.
I tested this out recently on a sunny jaunt to the park. After settling my son in the front seat, I tied the Backseat Tandem Sunshade on easily, strapped the baby into the doubles seat (she's big enough now) and set off. The Backseat Tandem Sunshade protected the baby's delicate skin from the sun. To fold the stroller, I did have to untie the sunshade, but it unties within a few seconds.
Features include:
To purchase, click here.
CBB Deal: Enjoy 10% off your order by using the code protect4spring.
It happens to the best babies. The public blowout, the sudden spit up, the mashed potato mess. And though you try and prepare yourself for the inevitable, it's easy to get caught out without a change of clothes. Even veteran diaper bag packers such as myself have been known to dress their poor soiled babies in little more than a paper napkin and rush home for a change. For shame! The problem I had in the past was not having a designated disaster preparedness kit like the one that Baby Sparewear so excellently puts together. Sure I have been known to toss an extra tee in the bag, but then my husband uses it and I forget to check when I head out on the next trip. We all know this story has a baby wearing a paper napkin at the end, right? And do you like how I blamed my husband?
Continue reading "Baby Sparewear: Saving you, and celebrity moms too" »
Alex Casey Baby is a great gift destination for babies and kids. I know I'm always looking for new gift ideas -- and I also try to get personalized items whenever I can.
Owner Jill Notkin carefully selected two gifts for my children that were wonderful. She sent a large personalized towel with a hood ($50) for my son Ben. Jill went above and beyond when she used his full name -- Benjamin (a pleasant surprise, because I figured it would be easier for her to just sew B-E-N). The soft cotton terry has a red minky dot hood and cut out red polka dot letters. I love that my 2 ½-year-old asks for his Benjamin towel. After weekly washings, this towel has held up perfectly with no pilling and the colors (royal blue for the towel and red for the minky and letters) look as wonderful as when the towel came to us.
Continue reading "Alex Casey Baby: Welcome baby creatively " »
By Guest Reviewer: Kara
My seven-month old baby girl is hair challenged, aka bald. I personally don't mind, except for the "What a cute boy" comments. Even dressed in pink dresses, we still receive boy references. So you can only imagine how excited we were to try hair accessories from Bows2Cute. Being a skeptic of infant hair accessories, I was blown away by Bows2Cute. They specialize in "bows for fine, thin or barely there hair". I was impressed by the quality, variety and customization of these hair accessories.
Each bow is handmade -- the loops are tight, even and firmly secured to the clips. They offer such a variety of snappies, headbands and bow styles. The bows offered are mini bows, animal bows, fruit bows, holiday bows and much more. I particularly liked the lovebug and butterfly clips. Every purchase is a customized order. For most bows, you can select from over 60 solid and 50 striped or polka dotted ribbons. You may also select from 6 different clip/hair band options - baby no-slip 1/5", no-slip 1.75, snappie, alligator clip, french clip and pony -o.
The No-Slip clips are Bows2Cute's most popular clip. The No-Slip clips are lined with felt and available in two sizes (1.5 " and 1.75"). They really do fit snugly with just a few strands of hair. The alligator clip is recommended for thicker hair, but it stayed on my little girl's bald head. How could I not love that!
CBB Deal: Take 20% off with coupon code: Celebritybaby. Expires June 1st. Shop Bows2Cute.com.
With summer approaching and pleasant spring weather bringing us outside on a regular basis, don't forget to cover your child's head and protect his face from the sun. Zutano's adorable sun hats are a great way to keep those harmful rays off your little one's face. I love that they tie because Anya was constantly pulling her hats off. (I am hoping that now she's older and has better dexterity that she won't be unable to untie them this year!)
They're offered in an assortment of fashionable Baby Basics prints to coordinate with their Zutano outfits or other clothes. Zutano sun hats are 100% cotton and available in sizes 0 – 24 months. Gwen Stefani’s son Kingston Rossdale was spotted in the Z-love print sun hat!
You can purchase them directly at Baby Supermall and Bugs and Blossom.
I really loved these hair clips from One Lil' Cupcake. I've mentioned them before, but I didn't realize just how much I loved them until Catie actually lost her pink heart clip during an unfortunate incident on the slide. We left the park in tears and I was so busy consoling her that I didn't realize the clip had fallen off until we were well on our way home.
I am so lucky that the kind people at One Lil' Cupcake so generously replaced our heart clip and also made us the proud owners of a chocolate flower and an indigo cupcake! I really, really love these, partly because they stay in her hair 99.9% of the time (note to self: check hair next time head is bumped on slide) but mostly because they are just so darn adorable. I mean really, really adorable.
Click continue reading for the entire One Lil' Cupcake review.
Continue reading "One Lil' Cupcake: The best felt hair clips" »
It is really such a blessing that I had a little girl, if only because I get to share all her hair accessories. I love all the clips from Taia Hair Clips, but most especially the chunkier style ones (as pictured here) b/c they look great in my own curly locks! Created by a makeup artist and now stay at home mom of two, Taia Hair Clips are handmade with a Velcro lining that ensures that they won't slip out of even the finest baby hair. With over 74 clips in the collection you are sure to find one you love.
Taia Hair Clips recently participated in a
Valentines goodie bag (Moms for Profit/Hybrid Mom) and gifted Leah
Remini with 12 hair clips for her little girl.
Exclusively for CBB Reviews Readers: Enter code celebrity for 15% off your first purchase! Expires 01/02/10. Check out the full selection at www.sweettaia.com. Shipping is always free on orders over $35.
As a mom of a girl I am always looking for new ways to accessorize her hair -- specifically if it means that said accessory gets her hair out of her face! A while ago a reader of this column asked me to check out Baby Dews, head scarves for children and babies, and I fell in love.
These adorable scarves are made to look like they're tied on but really they're little headbands with elastic that you pull over your kids head (can't hurt them). Made from vintage material (the selection is unbelievable -- you'll find that you can't choose just one), they are really soft and embroidered with a flower.
These are really adorable and come in sizes small through extra large. Check out the selection at www.babydews.com. Shipping is always FREE!
There are two types of gift-givers at a baby shower: The registry enthusiasts, and the registry rebels. I used to fall into the former camp, dutifully buying the bouncy seat or diaper stacker, but as I've gotten older -- and had a few kids of my own -- I have a newfound respect for those who dare to bypass the registry altogether. If you're one of these renegade gift-givers, someone who appreciates the thrill of both giving and receiving a gift that is 100% original and handmade, then One Lucky Baby is for you. Owner Erin Vertolli started One Lucky Baby in 2004 after she was unable to find the "fun and sophisticated" items she wanted for her own child, and lucky for us she did!
We recently tested a toddler blanket in the Mod Flowers print ($65; see picture, above left). Measuring 30 x 40-inches, the blanket was the perfect size for our 4-year-old to snuggle with while watching his favorite cartoons. On one side, the blanket is backed with 'minky' -- an ultra soft fabric that Owen loves to feel against his face. On the other side, Erin chose the Mod Flowers print, which -- while not quite as plush -- is still totally soft to the touch.
Continue reading "One Lucky Baby: Thanking my lucky stars for this blanket" »
Lovely Little Lovelies describes exactly what these are. My daughter was born with a HUGE head of hair, so since day one I've been searching for the perfect bows and clips. And believe me, there's one to match everything! It's so much fun. I am not particularly a bow person so I found these clips to be different and absolutely beautiful. You can tell that the owner Liz pays very careful attention to every clip she makes. She was very accommodating when I had asked her to make certain ones for me in a smaller version for my daughter who is 4 months and with a velcro piece inside to stay on (they literally do not move on her head) and that I just wanted one clip, not a set.
I think the best part of Lovely Little Lovelies are the fact that Liz obviously has amazing taste because the colors and the ribbons she chooses are beautiful. She is willing to help you with your needs, and I promise you, you will not be dissapointed with the quality. The details on some of her button clips are perfect and beautiful. I think I am going to be ordering some more soon ... to add to my already 10 or so clips!
For more of Doryn's reviews and tips, go to www.dorynsdish.com
My two year old was sick with an upset stomach a few nights ago. After my husband scooped him out of his crib, I had to quickly change his sheets. Usually changing a crib sheet is a hassle. You have to untie the bumpers, and even though it's supposed to be snug fitting for safety reasons, putting on a clean tight-fitting crib sheet when you are trying to get your baby back in their crib isn't very easy.
I have been testing out the Clouds and Stars' QuickZip Starter Set - which consists of the QuickZip Sheet and Zipper Base. Clouds and Stars was started by two moms, Joan and Elizabeth. When I had to quickly change my toddler's sheets the other night, I didn't have to untie his bumpers, all I had to do is unzip the QuickZip Sheet from the Zipper Base and zip on a fresh, clean QuickZip Sheet. After putting my son in new pajamas, he was back in a clean crib immediately.
Click continue reading below to read the entire QuickZip Sheets review.
By CBB Guest Reviewer: Kat C.
From the second we got the iBert safe-T-seat box, my toddler Kenzie was
attracted to the vibrant green seat. She knew this was something for her and
just her size. We decided that even though it was 45 degrees out that we would
still go out for family bike ride. We have had our eyes on this bike seat for
months!
My husband John took on the role of putting the seat onto his bike and Kenzie wanted to help, too! The box came with very detailed directions with photos. These were very easy to read and it only took 8 minutes to adjust his bike and 10 more minutes to attach the safe-T-seat to his bike. Even with a curious toddler on your side, it can assembled very quick and easy. As the assembling continued, Kenzie grew more and more excited that this vibrant green seat was for her to sit in!
We had never taken Kenzie on a bike before and luckily, she was not at all
intimidated by this seat. John put the bike on our bike rack on
our suv and it was easy and quick. Once we got to the bike trail we
loaded Kenzie into the safe-T-seat. It was very easy to get the 3-point harness over her
head, and even over her snowsuit and jacket! Her eyes lit up and she was thrilled instantly. There is plenty of leg room and space throughout the seat for the riding child. The
lap bar is fantastic, it gave her a place to put her hands and feel in control.
Off we went...our
family in 45 degree weather. We were a bit nervous that it would be too cold,
but once we started biking, Kenzie was in heaven. The bike had perfect balance.
John's vision was not impaired at all. Kenzie insisted he bike "FASTER!" I could
see her moving her hands in the direction the bike was going and I could hear her
say, "VROOM! VROOM!" It was an absolutely priceless day biking. As other bikers
passed by, they were amazed at this seat and what it could do. I can't wait to
spread the word and tell Kenzie's friends to get their dads to buy one of the iBert safe-T-seats. We can't wait to go out for another family bike ride!
To read more about the safe-T-seat ($90) and its benefits and uses check out ibertinc.com, you can also order one on their site or find a local retailer.
My little guy has a narrow waist. If I don't have the exact sizing right, his pants fall down! This recently happened when we were up at my inlaws. The jeans he was wearing had one of those adjustable buttons with elastic (which promptly broke when I tried to tighten the waist). My father-in-law rigged up something with a safety pin, but I kept wishing I had a belt for my kid!
Enter South Florida mom Katie Safriet and her business Baby Beltz. She had the same problem I did, her baby son's pants kept falling down also. So, she created her own belts for little ones - and it turned into a successful business! Katie sent me the boyz rocker stud belt with a D-Ring buckle that easily held my son's jeans up. This belt was recently featured in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine in a story about the Rock Star Baby. Since we aren't really toilet training yet, the belt worked wonderfully and was so cute! And his pants didn't fall down (yeah!!). Each belt retails for $18 and comes in sizes 0- 6 months, 6-12 months, 12- 24 months, 2- 4 years and 4 -6 years.
Choose from several types of buckles: Nickel d-rings, rhinestone buckles, velcro adjustable buckles, and military buckles. You can choose boy, girl or unisex styles. In the girls' styles, I really liked the girlz mod coco belt, girlz lady bug belt and the girlz polka dot belt. The boys styles that I thought rocked, were the boyz biker flame belt, boyz skull belt (pictured above), and the boyz football belt (which most dads will love). There are also several unisex choices and a really cool custom baby beltz option - pick your buckle, describe that you want as a pattern and they will custom make it for you. And the cost is only $25, $7 more than a regular belt. I think its a bargain!!
Shop babybeltz.com.
Exclusive for CBB Readers: Use code celeb15 for 15% off your order.
I recently tested out DaBib - funny name, but a good product! You can choose either the Hugs or Giggles style (each retail for $12.99). It was designed by a mom (which I love!).
According to the DaBib website, the Hugs style of DaBib is "a solid blue, pink or yellow micro fiber terry front with a complimentary waterproof backing. All of our bibs feature our patent pending, 'Scrunch Neckline' and the reversible crumb catcher. Its made of 80% polyester and 20% nylon."
The Giggles style of DaBib is described as a waterproof bib that wipes off with ease! It's machine washable too! It's made of 100% polyester and has a pocket to catch food.
I tested both bibs with my toddler. I liked the Giggles style for mealtime and Hugs for playtime. I liked that it was non-toxic and lead free (tested by an independent lab).
DaBib has a celeb following. Debra Messing took one of each style at a recent event. Leeza Gibbons called the design "brilliant" and took a few of each style, both Hugs and Giggles. Kevin Dillon raved about the bibs, taking a few Hugs bibs for his daughter Ava. Expectant mother Constance Zimmer was also an admirer of Da Bib at the 59th Annual Prime Time Emmys.
Ready to buy? Shop dabib.com. Free shipping when you buy three or more bibs!
My 4 1/2 year old niece loves ballet. She can often be found twirling around her house with her envious 2 year old sister looking on. Since they have oodles of toys, I decided to get them each a tutu, after hearing about Jill Cufley's store on etsy: www.mylittleminky.etsy.com.
Jill will make you a custom-made tutu starting at only $23!! And with shipping a very reasonable $5, it's all the more reason to snap one up for your little angel. You can get tutus in the following colors: hot pink, dark pink, light pink, white, ivory, red, yellow, light blue, lavender, orange, lime green and black. If you want another color, Jill will work with you to make that happen. I found her so pleasant to deal with. You can add a ribbon accent for $2 (another bargain) and you can even do two colors of tulle together. The way the sizing works is easy - just measure your little one's waist (from the belly button around).
Jill sent me a light blue tutu and a lavender tutu. They arrived perfectly (and so quickly) and were wrapped up in tissue paper. I loved the quality of Jill's work and was very pleased with how quickly they were at my house! I think my nieces will both now twirl around the house, wearing Jill's tutus.
Jill's a nurse by day, crafter by night and weekend as well as a mama to a 3 year old boy. Jill also makes other adorable products, such as fancy burp cloths ($10), lovey blankets ($15), and knit hats (loved the tomato hat ($12)).
Winter arrived early here in Southern California. It rolled in with the cool morning mist a couple of weeks ago. But it's fickle, because it tends to warm up by noon. This presents some unique dressing challenges for my kids. If I send them to school in a longsleeve tee, and pants they are miserable by lunchtime. They still want to wear short sleeves, shorts and skorts but I can't bear to see all that bare skin every a.m. when my own teeth are chattering.
Huggalugs to the rescue! I am just loving these cosy, soft and stretchy Australian-made leg and arm warmers for all three of my kids. They keep their arms and legs cosy without adding on unwanted extra clothing. My kids love all the fun patterns (choose from stars, stripes, dots, skulls, flowers and argyle) which add a little funk to their daily ensembles. I actually prefer the fit on these to other leg and arm-warmers that I have tried.
Huggalugs are just the thing for potty training tots and crawlers, keeping their legs warm and protected from hard flooring without the hassle of pants. And they are somewhat addictive. Once you start collecting them, it is difficult to stop. I've even borrowed them from the kids for myself. They make excellent foot warmers with flip flops when you head out for a pedicure!
Exclusively for Celebrity Baby Blog Reviews readers: Save 15% off your Huggalugs order at Bediboo with the code CBB15.
Like most moms, I try to carry at least band-aids with me when we go to the playground or indoor place spaces, in case of accidents. But what if my child really hurts himself (luckily it hasn't happened yet). Could I take care of even a minor injury? What should I have with me? These are questions that I'm sure have gone through your head too.
Me4kidz.com attempts to solve this issue with their on -the-go Medibuddy Kid Friendly Kit ($4.95), which was created by a mom. It has 40 items packed compactly in a eyeglass case size plastic pack. It fits perfectly in a diaper bag, car trunk, or stroller basket. And for that low price, it makes sense to keep one in your diaper bag or stroller and one in your car. It's also perfect for vacations! I don't leave home without it anymore.
The On-the-Go Medibuddy Kit contains:
(15) 3/4 “ X 3” Red, Blue & Yellow Crayon Bandages
(1) 3” Knee & Elbow Bandage
(1) Sting Relief Pad
(4) 2” X 2” Gauze Pads (2 Two Packs)
(3) 5” X 8” Antiseptic Wipes (sting free)
(1) Burn Relief Cream
2) Antibiotic Ointments
(12) Kid Friendly Fun Stickers
All products are latex free. The price is reasonable and I like that I don't have to worry that I won't be prepared if my son falls down and scrapes himself.
For the house, you could obtain the original Medibag Kit (which has 117 items). They even make a Medibag kit for pets!
Shop for this and their other products at me4kidz.com. It is also available at Babies R Us.
Sooo Soxy - headed up by Erin Ives, specializes in handmade clothing, accessories, and of course, socks! Erin makes adorable embellished socks and represents many items from other talented designers' lines on her site.
She sent me two pairs to check out. She currently has five lines of socks, Vintage Baby, My Pretties, Rock-a-baby, Baby Boy, and Holiday Baby.
The first pair was from the "My Pretties" line. We saw the Pretties #4 socks ($10) - (pictured to the left) which is a pair of white cotton socks with lavender beads and silver-plated dragonflies securely crocheted on the cuffs. The socks were adorable. I actually was wondering if they were safe for my child to wear, but after seeing how securely the beads and dragonflies were attached, I was impressed.
Erin says on her website, "As a mother with two children I understand the safety issues. I want you to know that I have yet to have any of my socks come apart. In fact, from my experience, the sock will wear out before the embellishments come off! On most of my socks, I use beads that are small enough not to pose a choking threat. On socks that have larger embellishments, I have not only sewn them in place, but have glued them down with washable glue. My socks are very sturdy and (most) are machine washable/dryable."
The second pair was from the "Rock-a-baby" line - the saucy "Lookie Ladies" socks ($12) - sweet white cotton socks with pinup girls that are sewn AND glued and black hand crocheted cuffs.. You're going to have to handwash these socks by Erin (but she indicates that on the product page and they are so cute that I don't think you'll mind).
Erin told me via email how she began her business, "Sooo Soxy! By Erin started a few years ago. I started with my socks and then built a website based upon people's requests to see more socks. Soon, Sooo Soxy! became www.sooosoxy.com and expanded to a whole line of new items, all handmade just for children. I guess being a mom is what initially inspired me. I was always on the lookout for something unique for my own children that was classy and high quality. I know that every mom wants their child to look great!"
Sooo Soxy carries over 27 product lines by designers (a little too many to list!). Clothes for babies, toddlers, and little kids, soaps, toys, boxers for boys, hair clips, a mei tei baby carrier, diaper cakes..etc... All handmade. How awesome is that?
I also checked the darling Mocha Bloom Bloomers Set ($33) by Michele. It features the uber popular retro print on a chocolate brown background (which is so hot this season) and it comes with a sweet baby blue lap short sleeve tee with a flower applique with a yellow button. My little girl will be wearing it this summer and I loved creativeness of it! I also liked the Cowboy/cowgirl booties, by Sarah, the charming newborn hair clips by Amber, and the vintage inspired onesies and tees by Deb.
Shop Sooosoxy.com.
I recently tested out the Kiddie Kangaroo - car seat version. It's basically two pockets (one on each side of your child's car seat) that can be used for storage for toys, books, snacks, sippy cups and anything else you and your child can think of to put in it. I loved it because while my toddler happily holds his snack trap, I usually have to tuck a toy truck or a sippy cup next to him in his car seat. Inevitably, it falls and then I have a toddler screaming until I can help him.
With the Kiddie Kangaroo, I saw a difference immediately. It was easy to install. Place it on the car seat with the rounded base towards the front. It said to put the center buckle of the car seat through the hole and the pockets on either side of the seat. I found that it worked a little better to not put the buckle through the hole in the Kiddie Kangaroo, and kind of slide it back towards the back of the car seat. Though for safety reasons, I liked that you could secure it that way (but your child's weight on it will also make sure it does not move). The pockets on the sides of the Kiddie Kangaroo were very accessible for the child (I used a Britax Roundabout with it).
When Ben asked for his snack trap (when we first tested this) which is always filled with some sort of small cheddar crackers, I was able to tell him to get it out of the side pocket. And he did and happily chowed down on his "baby goldfish" crackers. I loved that his Playtex Insulator Cup was safely stowed in the other side pocket (and since each pocket was divided in to two sections, there was plenty of room for a small toy truck or a small book). Now, he still drops things and screams for me to help, but I can remind him that he can reach for a toy or a book until I can help him. It calms him down immediately - now only if it came with a mechanical arm to pick up those dropped items!!!
You can also get the Kiddie Kangaroo for Strollers. Looks perfect for an umbrella stroller that does not have a snack tray. Stick a snack on one side and a drink on the other - your child, like ine, will love the independence.
This product was developed by a mom (I love that!) named Joya Machabee in Reno, Nevada. According the the Kiddie Kangaroo website, "A new mom, frustrated by the lack of storage for her son's drink cup, toys or books while traveling, Joya found herself constantly reaching back or stopping the car to retrieve items from the floor."
Get 20% off now, during their web launch! Shop http://www.kiddiekangaroo.com/
We're finally done renovating our kitchen. Since we have an active toddler and a baby on the way, we wanted to make sure we had a good kitchen gate to keep the kids out. We needed a pressure-mounted gate because we didn't want anything that would leave a mark on the new cabinet or the wall (we knocked down the wall that was between the kitchen and the dining room).
To make this even harder, we needed an extra-wide gate that could be extended to 54 inches. They just don't sell that width in the huge baby stores and online. I actually could only find one company that made such a wide, extendable gate. Luckily Dream Baby, owned by Australian-based company Tee-Zed, makes an extra wide hallway gate with extensions. I had reviewed this company last month. Click here to read that review. You can also use their great gates to protect your Christmas tree or holiday displays.
To close off our kitchen, we chose the extra wide hallway gate in black (which will fit spaces from 38" to 42") with two 7" extensions. The fit was perfect. We chose the black color which matches our appliances and counter top! White is also available - but the black looks so terrific. The pressure-mounted gate and extensions were very easy for my husband to install. With this gate, you can get pick extensions from 3" ($12.99 each ), 7" ($18.99 each) or 10" ($23.99 each). This one-handed gate is very easy for adults to work (and I love that it automatically shuts behind me). Also, you can open it in both directions - so cool. I had never seen that before. A very helpful function when a toddler has planted himself in front of the gate and is trying desperately to get inside. My son has been trying to open it himself, but hasn't been able to figure it out (yeah!). I believe it is so secure that he won't be able to figure it out for years.
Thank you Dream Baby - you saved us from having our toddler run amok in our new kitchen!! Click here to find a Dream Baby retailer.
Though I get to sample a lot of different hair accessories I rarely see a selection as great as the one from Out to Tea®.
Handmade in the United States with meticulous attention to detail and using only the finest materials, Out to Tea® offers a wide selection of adjustable headbands and non-slip hair clips. Seriously, when I say wide selection I mean it. Not only is the selection great but the clips are actually really different from most that I've seen on other sites (which, quite honestly, are all trying to rip each other off). I also love that it offers dress-up clips (for holidays or fancy occasions) as well as everyday clips (we use hairclips on a daily-basis because Catie's curls are always in her face).
All Out to Tea® clips are fully lined so they stay put even in find hair. The elastic headbands are adjustable for a perfect fit (and I will confess that I wear two of them regularly).
Like most great products, Out to Tea® clips are made by a mom! All the clips and headbands are individually crafted and use materials of the highest quality (the French clips are actually imported from France).
The selection is a little overwhelming but it pretty much guarantees that you will find what you are looking for. Check out the adorable Holly clip -- great for the holidays!
See the entire selection at www.out-to-tea.com.
Exclusive for CBB Readers: Use code CELEBRITY for 10% off!
Stroller bunting is a required item for my child. We walk outside a lot, in all kinds of weather, here in NYC. I love putting taking him outside, snuggly and warm in his stroller blanket (and skipping the uncomfortable winter jacket when I can). The cuddlier the stroller bunting, the better.
Red Castle, brought to the US by the very smart Euro-Baby brand, makes the fab Red Castle Whizz Stroller and the new Red Castle Sport Multi-Position Carrier. Did you know they also make stroller accessories that will fit on practically every type of stroller? They recently sent me one of their Red Castle footmuffs for stroller use and the Topsit Plus Footmuff for an infant car seat.
We tested out the Footmuff in Frosted Brown with the Turquoise lining. Ben loved snuggling in it (and it fit several of our strollers perfectly). You can also use this in a carrycot before your baby can sit up as cozy, warm bedding. The two-way zippers makes it easier to take your child in and out of it. Just zip off the top blanket layer off if the weather requires it. This footmuff is stain repellent, breathable, wind and waterproof. It was long enough to ensure that he could use this next year also.
For infant carseats, Red Castle's Topsit Plus is a intelligent idea. Simply place this waterproof, warm, fleece lined outer cover over your child's infant car seat. No need for complicated snowsuits or tugging a jacket onto a sleeping or cranky, wriggling baby. The fitted hood keeps baby's head warm too. I love that the Topsit Plus is warm, stain-proof, zips up or down easily and is machine washable (always a plus). We will be taking this to the hospital with us in January (when I give birth) to take the new baby girl home in. I didn't really want to put a snowsuit on a newborn - too huge anyway and its hard to keep a child swaddled in a car seat. This way, I know she'll be safe and warm and we won't have to worry about a jacket. Since this product easily slips over the infant car seat, it does not interfere with straps, buckles or safety requirements. We're loving it!
Click here to find a Red Castle retailer.
Every toddler in our apartment building owns the same bunch of the Playtex Insulator Sport straw cups. When we have play dates or lunch dates, it gets confusing to remember who has which cup that day (even if the colors are different, the kids aren't going to remember). During one such playdate, my son walked over and grabbed his friend's cup and took a sip! Luckily, I just was able to give his little friend a clean cup of my son's (at least it wasn't cold/flu season yet). I quickly took some blue painter's tape and a permanent marker to denote my son's cup, but after I removed it later, it took off most of the design!! Not a good solution.
A better way to solve the problem is to use BumpyName Orbit Labels by Inchbug. The company was kind enough to send me a package personalized with 4 rubber labels with my son's first and last name.
Now, all I have to do is make sure a label is on his cup whenever we leave our apartment. They fit on every kind of cup we own- how awesome is that? No, the toddlers can't figure out what the labels say, but the parents and I can. It came in handy two weeks ago at birthday party at the apartment downstairs. We had all brought the same orange straw cup that day. I was able to keep an eye on Ben's cup (and I had to stop a few toddlers from it).
We were at another party the last weekend. I had set Ben's cup down on the carpet when I took him to change his diaper. The child's father picked up the cup and immediately knew it was ours and made sure we didn't forget it.
I love this product. Besides working well, it is reusable, non-adhesive, as well as microwavable and dishwasher safe. You can use it to label baby bottles, all sorts of sizes and types of sippy cups and toiletries (this would work well for shampoo and conditioner bottles when your child is at sleep-away camp on a trip). I may try to see if it fits on my Snack Trap - because we don't leave home without one. You can choose from a 3-pack pre-printed labels for $7.95 (many popular first names to choose from). You can get a custom 4-pack for $11.95 - with one line for a name or $12.95 - with 2 lines (perfect for children with allergies or medical conditions).
Invented by a parent (of course), the BumpyName Orbit Labels have braille on them. It will help children learn a little braille. On the custom labels, the braille says "Inchbug", but on the pre-printed, the braille matches the name printed on it. Every parent I come across who sees this product wants to get it for their child. I plan on ordering a personalized set for my unborn daughter and as presents for my nieces for the holidays this year.
Shop Inchbug.com.
Exclusive for CBB Readers: Use code CELEBRITY for 15% off the BumpyName Labels (expires December 15).
Baby Nika, out of Canada, has some wonderful products for the cold weather.
We checked out their gorgeous double sided chenille coat ($80) in pink and cream with collar. Sweet and feminine. This yummy jacket comes in pink and chocolate bear (little ears on the hood!), pink and cream bear, and pink and chocolate hood.
Keep warm in their luscious Minky Can-Go-Roo Bunting ($100). Comes in one size (will fit from infants to preschoolers) and there are 9 fun patterns (like cow print, giraffe, leopard and solids. Fits most strollers including Bugaboo, Maclaren and Peg Perego. I love the minky fabric and we all know a good stroller blanket is worth its weight in gold!!
Have you heard about their TUCKler ($68) yet? A celeb fave, it can be used as a blanket, mat or cover. Use it to keep your babe warm in a infant carseat, front sling carrier or stroller. The bottom is elasticized and "tucks snuggly around harnessed baby in a carrier and fastens securely with fleece tabs - no more blankets falling off or exposing little feet to the cold, " says the Baby Nika website. The TUCKler is reversible and is made of two layers of Polar Fleece. I am eying this for my winter babe, who's coming in January. I hated wrestling coats on and off a wriggling baby and love a snug product like this to use in the colder weather!
Last Spring I wrote about how much I love the backpacks from Four Peas. The two toddler backpacks we own have been with us back and forth from grandma's house everyday and through two European vacations and still look great. I recommend these backpacks to everyone and am already planning on getting a school book sized one for when pre-school starts. Now Four Peas has come out with a great line of messenger and lunch bags.
The messenger bags are kid-friendly in many ways but even
parents and older children will love them. The bags are 14x12 and can expand up to five inches when full (though
they are two inches deep when flat) so you can actually get good use out of
them. They also close with kid-friendly
Velcro pieces and have four snaps on the strap so that they can be snapped onto
the handlebars of a bike or onto a stroller.
The lunch bags (my personal favorite) are a nice 7x7 square shape (big enough to fit Catie's straw cups) and have an interior
mesh pocket to hold items securely. The insulated
bags also have a zipper closure around three sides of the bag to help you fill
(and empty!) them easily.
Both the messenger and lunch bags come in the same great designs that you are used to seeing from Four Peas bags and you can actually buy them all as a set or individually...but really, just buy the set because what is cuter than a kid with a matching backpack and lunch bag?! These sets would actually make a really great holiday gift.
Check out the selection at www.fourpeasonline.com.
Exclusive for CBB Reviews Readers: Four Peas is offering a 15% discount for our readers. Just use code CELEBS at checkout!
Some of our favorite shops are mom-owned and run. Though small, these shops always seem to have the best items. Most importantly, the mom-to-mom service is always great.
Here is a roundup of a few of my favorites.
5. Laurie’s Lagniappe
Yes, I may be one of the last few on this Earth who still
enjoys sending mail the old-fashioned way but a lot of my family in Spain
doesn’t have email and sometimes a phone call won’t do. I love my return address stamp from Laurie’s
Lagniappe.
The site also offers a full section of customized room décor and personalized stationery so be sure to check out the entire site.
4. Little Miss Princess Tutu
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love me some tu-tus! One of my favorite mom-made tutu stores is Little Miss Princess Tutu . The custom, hand-made tutus are some of the plushest I’ve seen and with six different tutu styles and 30 different tulle colors to choose from, you are bound to find what you are looking for. Mom can even get a matching one!
In addition the tutus you can also find tops, leotards, bloomers, and accessories. All product are made upon order and take approximately 2-4 weeks.
Check out the selection at www.littlemissprincesstutu.com.
3. Mama Merit Badges
We get puked on, pooped on and then we get to wake up every
two hours to nurse a screaming baby. Have
you ever thought, “I need an award for this?” Well one smart mom created Mama Merit Badges.
The badges are 1½ inches, iron on, and 100% embroidery. They can be worn on your diaper bag, purse, tote, jacket, jeans, scarf or baby carrier. Stick them on your wall, fridge or bulletin board. Each badge come individually packaged with a description of the badge included.
Share your warrior mom story on the site and check out the full selection at Mama Merit Badges.
