Celebrity Baby Blog Reviews

Kushies Cloth Diapers: Our adventure with cloth diapering

I was shocked at how many disposable diapers we were using per day for my two kids. Then I pictured all of those diapers in a landfill. Scary, huh? So, I decided to try cloth diapers from Kushies for our 5-month-old (and stepped up the potty training for my toddler). There are a few factors for me to consider when it comes to cloth diapering: We live in an apartment and we use coin operated washing machines in the basement. Due to schedules, I can only do laundry a few nights a week. What was I going to do with soiled diapers? How much was it going to cost to wash all these diapers and would I have to wash them multiple times? Since we had just gotten a new diaper pail, the Diaper Dékor Plus, I used it to store the soiled ones. When I needed to use a disposable diaper, I would just use my old pail.

I was really impressed with Kushies' Cloth Diapers. Baby Allegra loved them from the start -- they were so soft and comfortable for her. We tried the Classic Infant Diapers 5 pack ($57.25) and the Diaper Wraps ($8.60 each) -- which you can put over the diaper to give it a little extra absorbency during nighttime, naptime, etc. Kushies' diapers are made with 8 layers of 100% cotton flannelette. They have velcro tabs, so no diaper pins needed. They have a special flap allowing for more absorbency (folded in front for boys and in the middle for girls). The prints are very cute too. During the summer, they can even look like part of an outfit. I definitely had loads of questions - how to wash, etc., but I easily found the answers in their FAQ's.

Click Continue Reading for the rest of the review & an exclusive coupon code.

Organic Baby Bunch: The best flowers you’ll ever receive

Picture this: you’ve just had a baby. A delivery of beautiful flowers arrives at your door. Nice, right? Sure. But then you have to find a vase, put water in it, trim the ends of the flowers, find somewhere to display them where the cat won’t knock them over… you see where I’m going.

Now imagine a similar scenario. Only what arrives at your door isn’t your typical flower arrangement. At first glance it is, but when you look closer you see that some of the flowers in the Organic Baby Bunch are actually made of unbleached, organic cotton. And, once you’ve spent enough time ogling the pretty bouquet, you can unwrap the cotton flowers to find all kinds of useful baby clothes. Which flower delivery would you pick? The Organic Baby Bunch, of course!

Mama Mio Helps New Mom Nicole Kidman Get Her Body Back

We're told that Nicole Kidman’s personal spa therapist Sarah Choi loves Mama Mio, especially their Smoothie Kit ($58), a great choice for expecting mamas -- it contains their Moisturizing Shower Cream, Body Buff (natural pumice micro-granules blended with sweet almond oil), and their omega packed O-Mega Oil to make your body silky smooth. Sarah LOVES all the products and professional spa treatments, available at The Ritz-Carlton Spas and exclusive spots like Spa Terre at Little Palm Island, and recommends them for all of her pregnant clients.

While Mama Mio is best known for their maternity products, they now have a line for body after baby. Celebrity postpartum stories highlight fitness and nutrition but no one seems to mention the slack skin that comes from the big strrrrretch of the pregnant belly, thighs, and boobs. Their products promise to return your skin to pre-pregnancy condition by healing scars, minimizing stretch marks, and softening and tightening up skin.

CBB Deal: Get free standard shipping (UPS Ground) and a free deluxe Mama Mio bodycare sample when you use code CELEBSKIN at mamamio.com (expires July 31, 2008). One per customer, while supplies last, can’t be used with any other coupon.

Mally bibs: Everything's better in leather

We stopped using bibs in our house when my son started refusing to wear them. He’s rather convincing, so I resigned myself to doing more laundry. Fast forward a year or two, to the day I opened a package from mally bibs. Two beautiful leather bibs -- yes, leather! -- slid out and my son’s shirts have been clean ever since!

Made from special kid-safe leather that easily wipes clean with a wet cloth, mally bibs aren’t your average bibs. But yours aren’t the average kids, either, are they?

Spa Baby Tubs: Turn your bathroom (or counter!) into a spa

Baby: "I'd like to book a 7:30 Spa treatment in the Master Suite? With Mom, please?"

Me: "Let me check our availability..."

Baby: "Look lady, I'm willing to go with Dad if Mom's already booked, I just really need my treatment!"

Pushy kid! Ever since we got a Spa Baby European Style Bath Tub though, my baby seems to think he is entitled to bathe every single day. I've tried telling him that Europeans are notorious for bathing less frequently than Americans but he's not interested in this trivia. He's just loving his spatime too much.

Butt-Ums Up Baby: For a Stylish Change

I'm fanatical about always being prepared for a quick change anywhere, anytime. In the car, at Grandma's house, in the family room, at the park and the mall -- wherever I go with my baby, I need a fully stocked changing kit close by! Which is why I love these compact stylish changing kits from Butt-ums Up Baby.

Cloaked in fun minky fabric and sized just right to hold your wipes and 2 to 4 diapers, these handy kits are perfect for use at home and on the go. The entire kit unrolls in a flash, one-handed. The changing surface is waterproof and generously-sized and the wipes and diapers are stored right where you need them. Near the baby's butt! The Butt-ums up Baby changing kit is small enough to fit in a large diaper bag and convenient enough to throw in or clip onto your stroller for walks to the park or traveling. The kit is machine washable, if things get messy.

If you love to make matchy with all your accessories, check out Butt-ums Up Baby's receiving blankets and travel blankets. Made from coordinated super soft minky fabrics and silky satins, these blankets soothe and comfort babies at home or on the go.

Shop the entire line at the Butt-ums Up Baby website.

Baby Sparewear: Saving you, and celebrity moms too

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?

UPPAbaby Bubble: Through snow, wind and rain, protect your infant car seat

Ever tried to tote your infant car seat in bad weather? Even using a huge umbrella, one of you is going to get soaked (okay, you are). For a better solution, try the UPPAbaby Bubble ($19.99). It will protect your baby's infant car seat from the elements, whether you are holding or strolling with your infant car seat and you'll get to use the umbrella at the same time.

The Bubble pops right open from its package and fits right over your baby's infant car seat. It will protect your babe from rain, wind, sun and bugs. It's from the cool folks that brought you the awesome UPPAbaby Vista Stroller, which I reviewed last year (click here to read the review).

5 Minutes Apart: A little pampering when you need it most

Get ready, get set, get packed!  It's the end of your pregnancy and if you are like me you likely have lists out the wazoo of all the stuff you want/need to pack for your upcoming delivery. The only problem is that you feel more like getting a pedicure and taking a long nap than rushing out to the pharmacy for some travel sized shampoo and conditioner and a pack of hairbands and lollipops. Putting together a hospital bag during your third trimester can be a real drag.  Fortunately there are options to make it easier like the pre-packed hospital bags from 5 Minutes Apart. 

5 Minutes Apart puts together a complete list of what you'll need to have ready on the big day and then gets you up and rolling with a stylish, rolling bag filled with all the toiletry essentials you will need -- plus a few little extras. Their supplies are luxurious and nurturing, bringing a little spa pampering to your hospital room. And if anyone deserves a little pampering, it's you, mama!

Alex Casey Baby: Welcome baby creatively

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.

Kuster Jellybaby Change Mat & Bath Toy Storage: Change' em and clean 'em

A few weeks ago, my toddler came down with Shingles (luckily they were not painful, just a contagious rash). We realized our baby could be exposed through contact on our changing table, which she shares with our son. We had just received Küster's Jellybaby Change Mat ($69.99), which fit right onto the current changing pad on our changing table. Weeks later, my son is fine and we're actually still rotating the different changing pads for both kids (because it really helped to keep things sanitary). The Jellybelly Change Mat comes with a terrycloth cotton liner and fits all standard change stations. Available in blue, cream and pink, the mat is made of very comfortable memory foam and is never cold (important for those middle of the night diaper changes!). The mat is very easy to clean and comes in a plastic carry bag, which is good because this one will be coming on car trips with us. We love it!

If you are anything like us, you have too many bath toys in your bathroom and never have a good place to keep them. We were using a sand toy bucket, but when you toss wet plastic bath toys in it with no ventilation, they got moldy. We ended up throwing out a bunch and and had to buy more. This time, we tried laying them out on a towel to dry, but it took up too much room in our small bathroom. We found a solution in Küster's Bath Toy Storage Pail ($24.99). It's actually two pails together -- one with holes on the bottom that fits into a solid pail. It's designed to scoop up and hold the wet toys and then allow them to drain free of water -- you simply tip the water out afterward. It's also very compact and comes with handles. It takes up less room than the other bucket we were using. Now if my husband would just build a shelf to keep it on....

Buy Küster products at barebabies.com.

CBB Deal: Use code: cbb10offkuster for 10% off.

 

Muffin Mat: The perfect spot to rest your little muffin

Oh, do you know the Muffin Mat? Well, if you’re the mama of a baby you certainly should! I opened my Muffin Mat ($125) the second it arrived. With a 3-year-old and a new baby I’m always looking for ways to keep both kids happy. The Muffin Mat just might be the secret.  When the novelty of jumping on it wore off for my son, I lay his 4-month-old baby sister on the unfolded mat. The second her little body touched the soft, sage green mat a huge smile appeared on her face and she started to coo. And my son and I started to play with trains. It was perfect!

myubby Personalized Blankets: Wrapped in comfort and love

You might think that baby blankets are a dime a dozen, but the myubby Personalized Blanket will change your mind. I have NEVER held something so lush and soft and it makes me happy to tuck my daughter into that softness every single night. First of all you get to design the myubby Blanket of your dreams for your little one (they have Pre-Built ones at discounted price), choose a one-sided or two-sided blanket and then pick the material, colors and patterns that adorn the blanket. Next choose the border trim and then decide if you want a 54-character or less inscription or a monogram.

I personally went with Side A: Swirly Marshmallow, Side B: Fluffy Sky with a Cholocate Plum Standard Edging, I chose not to personalize my blanket. The swirly side of our blanket is like sleeping in down feathers without the itchiness or allergic reaction and the fluffy side helps give the blanket a little weight and extra softness. I am not exaggerating when I say this is the softest and most cuddly blanket I've ever touched. My mommy friends have all drooled over it, as well -- oh, and drool is very easy to clean, just throw it in the wash on the delicate cycle and do a gentle cycle dry or let it air dry. Prices range from $27 - $74 and the blankets are approximately 35"x45". With the personalization this makes a FABULOUS baby shower gift!

Start creating your myubby Personalized Blanket today at myubby.com!

Eura Le: Charming Organic Gifts

Looking for a shower or new baby gift for the mom to be that pampers both the mom and the baby? Organically even? Then check out this adorably packaged Mommy and Me gift set from Eura Le.

This little bundle of goodness matches up organic diapers, and an organic teething toy for the baby, with a pair of pretty crystal earrings for Mom. The presentation is gorgeous and makes for a very thoughtful package that any new mom is sure to love.

I just love the pairing of the crystal earrings with the earth friendly goodies -- a little inspiration to tap into the earth mama within us all. The included diapers are from the Seventh Generation line of chlorine bleach free diapers, and the toy is by Under The Nile. The earrings are unique to Eura Le -- check out their other jewelry designs on the site as the gift package can be tailored to your requests.

Exclusively for CBB Readers: Save 20% when you address an email to eurale@aol.com with your order!

Graco's imonitor Digital Baby Monitor: Can you hear me now?

I'm a big fan of Graco's imonitor Digital Baby Monitor ($89.99) -- because it lets us listen to our baby girl WITHOUT hearing static or interference.  When my son was born two years ago, we used an analog hand-me down baby monitor - but I didn't like it. There was too much static and I would hear the baby downstairs some of the time (we live in an apartment).  We still used it anyway, until it died. Then we got another brand's monitor and it was actually worse!  It interfered with our home phone.  Luckily the third time's the charm, because we love the imonitor. This digital baby monitor is crystal clear and I don't hear any other babies, but my own. The range is huge (I have a large apartment). The two parent units are very compact (literally half the size from our first monitor). They can clip onto your waistband or be stashed in a pocket - which comes in handy when chasing my two year old son around!

Click here to read the full Graco imonitor Digital Baby Monitor review.

Dress Me Up: Organic, understated cool

Seriously, people, if you're not shopping on Etsy at this point I question your sanity!  But then again, I'm on Etsy so often, I'm beginning to question my own.  I recently had another zen Etsy moment when I stumbled across Dress Me Up, an adorable line of organic and upcycled baby products by designer and creator Tressa Brotsky.  The Little Seed, Soleil Moon Frye's eco-friendly baby boutique in LA, likes Dress Me Up so much that they recently agreed to carry the line in-store.  We were lucky enough to test Dress Me Up's receiving blanket and burpcloth set, teething bonbons and rainbow soft block set and all I can say is -- Wow! -- what a find. 

Click 'continue reading' for the full review.

Polka Dot Frogs: A fresh take on a new favorite

Looking for a thoughtful gift for a girlfriend expecting her second (or third, or fourth) child?  Try a burp cloth/diaper clutch set from Polka Dot Frogs, and give her a little something for baby and for solo outings with the new big brother or sister.  Owner Stacy Lang, a mother of three, says she started Polka Dot Frogs both as a way to showcase her love of beautiful fabrics and as a way to share with others a more simplified approach to being out and about with baby. Two weeks ago we received the gift set in lime, and I'm definitely impressed with Stacy's products.

Click continue reading for the entire Polka Dot Frogs review.

Bawl Baby Burp Cloths: Don't cry over spit up

Bawl Baby's funky burp clothes makes spit up look good -- well, at least a little more glam. As a mom to a 2 month old, who spits up constantly, I go through so many burp cloths a day. Baby Allegra is using her older brother's burp cloths, most of which were handed down from my friend's kids. While they are clean, they are definitely not attractive. When guests come over, I pull out one of the two gorgeous Ultimate Burpies that Bawl Baby sent. Then I quickly hide my old dingy burp cloths from sight. Since the baby loves to eat constantly, I keep the Ultimate Burpie next to me. When my guests burp my little darling, I don't get embarrassed by handing over a stained burp cloth. 

Click continue reading for the entire Bawl Baby burp cloths review.

blabla: Neat knits for your kid to love

By New CBB Reviewer: Jen W.

I stocked up on way too many knitting materials when I was pregnant. Yes, I was under the very mistaken impression that I’d have the time to create booties, hats, mittens and stuffed animals for my baby girl while she would stare in wild wonder at her Symphony in Motion mobile for hours on end. Well, nothing against that truly fabulous mobile, but it only buys me about 7.5 minutes of freedom. I barely have time to bathe, never mind knit.

Thankfully, there’s a company called blabla that has already made everything I could have hoped to create myself. My daughter has fallen in love with Lulu the Garden Doll, a very silly 24-inch tall colorful creation that looks like it could have been knit by a very cool grandma -- or at least very close to that. Like all of blabla’s beautiful products, Lulu was hand-made by a group of artisan women in a Peruvian village that owner Florence Wetterwald and Susan Pritchett visited on a trip to the country in 2001. At $42, blabla’s dolls aren’t the cheapest toys you can buy for your little one, but it’s guaranteed that she or he will drool over it. And on it, of course, but no worries, the dolls are all machine washable.

You could and would expect such a fabulous line to have a celeb following and they do! Gwyneth Paltrow, Heidi Klum, Tori Spelling, and Adam Sandler are all blabla fans.

Get blabla dolls at local baby boutiques or from the blabla website.

Bronwyn's Note: I, too, am a HUGE blabla fan. We have Leopold (the lion) and he's just so cute and cuddly. The products are VERY well made and I was not disappointed by the money I spent to get one.

Why I bought my ... Philips SCD 589 Digital Baby Monitor

By New CBB Reviewer: Jen W.

My husband still hasn’t installed the camera in the baby’s room like he promised (I’m sure he’ll get to it someday), but thankfully the Philips SCD 589 Digital Baby Monitor ($200) gives me a clear idea of why my baby’s doing even without seeing her.

My favorite part? Thanks to a digital wireless technology that results in a crystal clear, no fuzz, no interference, sound, I can hear her every breath if I want to. But of course, most of the time I don’t (hey, Mama needs her sleep, too!), which is why the “sensitivity” option is the next best thing about this monitor. When it’s at the lowest level, I don’t hear all those gurgles and fussing noises that my darling daughter makes throughout the night. Nope, I only get woken up when baby means business!

As I grow more comfortable with letting her “soothe herself back to sleep” (yes, I know, that’s just a nice way of saying “cry it out”), I’ll turn down the volume so that only lights flash with every cry and I’m spared the ruckus. Then I hit the menu button on the monitor, and, from the comfort of my own bed, turn on one of five calming lullabies for her. Most of the time, she goes back to sleep within a few minutes. Other great features, a temperature monitor, so you can see if your little one could be too hot or cold, and a night light that can also be turned on from the parental unit. Now if only they’d add a video feature so I wouldn’t have to wait for my husband to get a free moment to install that camera!

Read CBB's original review of this item, here. Find a great price on the Philips SCD 589 Digital Baby Monitor on thefind.com.

Lillebaby Eurotote: Carry on and on...

Tired of lugging around that bulky infant car seat? Or are you looking for a way to keep your baby warm in their stroller? The Lillebaby EuroTote ($119) by Scandinavian Child is an alternative way to transport your child (though don't discount babywearing!) or keep them snug in their stroller -- plus several other ways to use it. Brooke Burke, Jessica Alba and Kim Raver have all been recently gifted with this item.

I started testing it around two weeks ago, when baby Allegra was about a month, old. I had started resuming my normal activities -- like taking my son to his twice weekly gym class. But I had a dilemma, how could I get BOTH kids there?

Click continue reading for the full Lillebaby EuroTote review.

 

Diaper Cakewalk Diaper Cakes: Cake - Calories = YUM!

Baby diaper cakes are a great way to celebrate the birth of a new baby. Diaper Cakewalk recently sent one to congratulate me on the birth of my daughter. I had actually never seen one in person and this is one cake that I happily dived into! It's practical because it's full of diapers that a new mom can actually use, as well as other items for baby, like blankets, rattles and burp cloths. And it's an adorable way to welcome baby.

We checked out the Pink Caramel Diaper Cake. It came to me via the mail and arrived in perfect condition (from Georgia to New York -- how awesome is that?). Currently the company does not ship internationally.

Click continue reading below to read the entire Diaper Cakewalk review and to see which celebrities have been gifted with one!

Earth Mama Angel Baby - Breastfeeding Support Kit

I absolutely love Earth Mama Angel Baby. Wonderful owner Melinda Olsen, hereby referred to as Mama, sent me much needed support at the end of my pregnancy in the form of some discomfort relieving products. She also sent me the Breastfeeding Support Kit and the C-section Healing Kit, as well as some heavenly products for my new baby girl (who had her first bath in their organic Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash). For this review, I will discuss the Breastfeeding Support Kit.

It contains:

Natural Nipple Butter: An amazing nipple cream that really helped me in the hospital and when we got home.
1) It soothed my really, really sore nipples (my baby had a poor latch)
2) It was safe to nurse your baby after using it
3) It smelled positively divine (wow!!)
This cream is made from cocoa butter, shea butter, mango butter and healing calendula. And it is lanolin-free. Since most nipple creams are made OF lanolin, I was a little curious about that. The company says on its site,

Lanolin is used as a moisture barrier, but some are concerned about trace pesticide and antibiotic residue. Another concern is wool allergy.

Bosom Buddies: An organic herbal breast compress. The herbs come loose with two little muslin bags. You brew the compresses and then use them for sweet relief. These were amazing to use and helped me to heal. And yes, I made these in my hospital room -- I was in so much pain that I broke them out as soon as I started to get sore.

Milkmaid Tea: A great lactation tea (very yummy). Mama describes it as,

Herbal galactagogues wrangle lethargic milk ducts in this battle for the lactating-est bosoms in the universe...Milkmaid Tea is a delicious blend of herbal galactagogues, herbs traditionally used to help increase breast milk supply.

The way I brewed this tea (yes, loose tea can be a little daunting) is that I boiled water and then put one tablespoon loose tea per cup of water and let it steep for 15-20 minutes. Then I took a little kitchen strainer and strained the tea into another container. It sounds harder to make than it really is. You can enjoy it hot or iced (I have been enjoying this one iced). The company says to drink 2-3 cups a day. It's organic and caffeine free. This is a very popular product and I know a lot of moms who rave about it. Add me to that list! In fact, as I write this review, I am drinking it iced.

Booby Tubes: Great name, great way to treat sore breasts. They are a gel-free breast pack with an organic cotton shell filled with flax seed. Freeze to help with engorgement. Or microwave to comfort the symptoms of infection or mastitis, or even to encourage milk flow, promote let-down, and maintain open milk ducts to prevent clogged ducts. It is heaven! I have used it both ways to help. This is a must have for breastfeeding moms.

The Breastfeeding Support Kit retails for $49.99 and is a great, thoughtful gift for a new mom. If you are anything like me, I didn't admit I needed help with breastfeeding the first time I became a mom. I am a little smarter this time, I made sure I met with a good lactation consultant, and I had products around to help me feel better and boost my milk supply. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Breastfeeding Support Kit is donated to the Libby Ross Foundation  and Le Leche League.

Shop Earthmamaangelbaby.com.

QuickZip Sheets from Clouds and Stars

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.

Picci Bedding: Anything but ordinary!

We had such boring bedding for my son when he was an infant. White sheet, white bumper. No frills, nothing special. For my second baby, I wanted something a little fun (plus his bumper and sheets were so grimy and didn't hold up very well anyway). I came across crib bedding from Picci and fell in love. 

We chose the Hippy Balls Bedding Set ($350), from Picci's Contemporary Collection (pictured to the left). I went with this playful 100% cotton soothing swirly palate of aqua, green, tan and white with chenille accents because it perfectly matched the colors in our Sea and Sky themed nursery. The set contains a fitted sheet, bumpers, dust ruffle and comforter. I liked the fine quality of the bedding (and most likely the bumpers and the comforter will be used as our baby girl gets a little bit older).

From the elegant Cotton Collection, you can choose from 13 different styles. If I was going to go for pink, I'd check out the Hippy Flowers ($350) -- a fun modern floral collection of hot pink, pale pink and white, or the Scarlet ($300) -- a classic pink with tiny white ruffles or the Taormina ($300) -- a sweet pink and white set with organdie trim. They have several blue and neutral color bedding sets, also. If you want to go really luxe, choose from Picci's silk collection - absolutely stunning! Choose from Champagne, Caterina, Grace or Aspin.

Founded nearly 40 years ago in Florence, Italy by Paola Cherubini, Picci's gorgeous collections are handmade in Italy from 100% Egyptian cotton and 100% silk. Picci also uses hypoallergenic padding and non-toxic paints in all bedding and accessory products.

Celebrities such as Marcia Cross, Heidi Klum, Usher, Nancy O'Dell, Ming-Na, Tony Hale and Casey Affleck are fans. Picci's Petra bedding set was featured on the season opener of ABC's Extreme Makeover  Home Edition on September 30, 2007.

Exclusive for CBB Readers: Shop Barebabies.com and use coupon code CBB-10. This will entitle you to free shipping for any Picci order over $99 along with a 10% discount for anything from Picci.

DaBib: De lovely!

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!

Abe jones: For your growing individual

I recently came across abe jones, a great line of clothes. As the tag line on the website says, it is style “for your growing individual.” These clothes for boys or girls are individual, unique and gorgeous. They are also beautifully made. I love the boys’ yellow cowboy shirt and the pants are cool enough for any mini-hipster.

The girls clothes are so adorable, that they really do make me wish I had a girl, luckily I have a niece. I love the pleat tank dress  and the infant tank dress. They are beautiful and I’d probably wear them myself. They are girly in a way that even I, who am not usually very girl, can really appreciate. They're simple, stylish and absolutely gorgeous. And the colors are lovely. The T-shirts are really cool too. We have the “Hot Rod” (shown at left) for Grae and Finn is very jealous. I love the gray color and, of course, we all love the image. These are great for both boys and girls and come in sizes from 3 months to 6T. Very soft and comfy as well as super cool.

There are also some lovely ribbon tees for girls that are adorable- a small appliqué of fabric in the front and a ribbon that ties in the back. Finally the lounge sets are perfect for a lazy, wind down outfit. No reason why your baby can’t be stylish while lounging about, too. Grae loves his bedtime lounge set for wiggling around on the floor. Since it’s a nice stretchy cotton top and bottom, it works really well now that he has decided to skip crawling and at 6 months is working really hard at walking. These come in sizes for  6 –24 months.  He’s not really into lounging, he's too busy trying to be his 2 year old brother, but it works for him anyway.

The abe jones Spring/Summer 08 line is coming soon and I’m sure will be just as wonderful. It will be available for purchase online in March. Several items from the Fall/Winter collection on the abe jones  site are currently on sale. Please visit abejones.com for more information, as well as to find retailers that offer these beautiful clothes.  I have to say that these clothes are even better in person than in the pictures and they are beautiful in the pictures.

Especially for CBB readers: go to abejones.com to use coupon code celeb15 for 15% off of all purchases through February 11, 2008.

Tiny Tales: catcher and keeper of baby’s first stories

Tiny Tales is an amazing idea. I cannot say how much it means to me to have had this to try out. When my first son was born, I had plenty of time to write everything down. His baby book has every detail of everything he did from the moment he was born (until his brother was born anyway) and is full of pictures. Actually we have 4 or 5 albums full of pictures. For baby two, all of that fell by the wayside and we have nothing done. We have maybe a handful of pictures of him in the hospital and in his first days home instead of the hundreds we have of his brother. He has an album, but it is still empty, completely,  and he is now 6 months old. We would have no record of anything he’s done in his life beyond his birth date if it weren’t for Tiny Tales.

Tiny Tales gives you an acrylic box with a pad for recording milestones and a set of dividers. We have the “Baby Tales” kit. And thank goodness we do. The box contains two 4x6 notepads (you can leave one at home in the box and take one with you if you really want to be ready) and four dividers for baby’s first year.  The clear acrylic box makes it easy to see what’s inside so you easily remember to mark important moments down on the pad and the dividers make it easy to organize the sheets or add photos. They suggest that you compile the results into an album of baby’s first year. Hopefully we will someday transfer the contents of Grae’s “Baby Tales” into his very nice, empty album along with all of the other mementos and the piles of photos we have managed to compile. Without Tiny Tales we’d be missing the important details like when he first rolled over and sat up and everything else he’s doing very quickly every day.

The pads offer check boxes to get you started and a place for the date and notes on the details. Also available are “Toddler Tales,” “Expecting Tales” and “Personalized Tales” that you can customize with your own divider headings. Refill pads are also available. Any of these, or all, would make a great gift.

Especially for CBB readers, visit www.tiny-tales.com for 10% off with coupon code CBB through February 4, 2008.

Update: Town Tote Now Available at Babycakes of Scottsdale

Update: Babycakes of Scottsdale is now promoting some of their own, exclusive products. I fell in love with their new Town Tote ($119). Great for the beach, strolling with baby or even as a bag for mommy. So many pockets and its so cute!!! Comes in 6 metallic colors: pink, light blue, silver, gold, dark blue and black. You're not going to want to miss out on this!

Original review: Looking for a great gift idea for a baby shower or a new baby present? Be sure to check out Babycakes of Scottsdale. Not a diaper cake, this marvelous gift looks and smells like a fragrant flower arrangement. It's filled with cleverly hidden baby items. Choose from one, two or three tiers at different price points ($190, $294 and $399). Packed creatively, this will look gorgeous on a hospital bedside or in baby's nursery. 

The Babycake I checked out was stunning. It had of 6 onesies in various pink patterns, 6 flannel receiving blankets, several washcloths, a bib, a pair of lacy white socks, a pink plush chenille blanket, pink and white flowered stuffed bear by Amy Coe, a deep pink skull hat and adorable ivory lace booties.

I was hesitant to take it apart completely because it really was gorgeous! I kept finding baby items inside, which delighted me. The Babycake was decorated with life-like silk flowers and smelled incredible. I loved this scent so much that I asked about it. Owner Hillary Rubin told me each bouquet is misted with Anne Fontaine home spray from Paris.  She feels that "Every mom deserves an everlasting splash of freshness."

You can also customize the Babycake. How great is that?  Want to match a nursery's decor? A baby shower theme? A favorite color? The company will work with you to make a custom cake to your specifications.

Celebs also love this product. Amanda Peet, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Tori Spelling, Marcia Cross, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, as well as Nancy O'Dell have all been gifted with fabulous Babycakes. How delicious it that? For more information, go to Babycakesscottsdale.com. They ship everywhere (and it will arrive in perfect condition).

Kumquat: the perfect clothes to keep and to give

Kumquat makes the most adorable clothes. Not only are they cute and stylish, but they are comfy too. Offering a wide variety of styles, these exceedingly cool baby clothes for boys and girls are offered in sizes for preemie through 24 months. There is so much to choose from. The line offers several prints and stripes each season for their very cute onesies, pants, skirts, dresses, tees, kimono wrap tops, blankets and so on. There are just way too many options to mention and each one is cuter than the last. I was lucky enough to receive two of their Fall 07 boy gift sets to try out on my son, Graedy. We love them. They are soft and stretchy and the fit is perfect. Plus they are adorable. He looks so cute. We have the airplane and the polar bear. Each one came with a long sleeve lap tee and a pair of pants that can be worn together or mixed with anything else. They are a really great gift option, as are any of the other items. The gift sets come in versions for both boys and girls that are perfect for the new baby gift.

Kumquat offers so many things I love that I either need more babies of my own or many more babies to buy gifts for. The clothes for girls are so cute they make me wish I had a little girl. They are very stylish and girly in a way that even I, who is not very fond of girly- girly anything, can love. I especially love the girl’s “Heartbeat” (featured for gift sets on the catalog page) and “Black Dandelion” (photo above, left) gift sets for Spring 08. The Spring 08 line offers more great prints and stripes as well as some very cute seersucker and, of course, the gift sets. The very fashionable clothes are not just popular with me and Graedy, Kumquat appeared in an episode of Sex in the City and more recently was worn by Danielynn for her 1st Birthday party as seen on The Insider and in US magazine, as well as here on CBB. You can find Kumquat at www.jujubeaneboutique.com or visit kumquatbaby.com for more information.

Especially for CBB readers: Use code CBB to receive free domestic shipping and flat rate international shipping for the month of December at www.jujubeaneboutique.com

Sooo Soxy: Embellished Socks for the Tiny Set & Much More

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,