October 31, 2006
Two New Tees at Threadless
There are two new designs at Threadless this week, and I think they'd be really cute on a child. They are The Average Bear and Ah Munna Eat Choo. Peter actually owns Ah Munna Eat Choo in an adult size, and I'm considering getting one for Andy that matches!
October 31, 2006
October 31, 2006
Red Bowlers Shoes
As Andy is a big boy, he probably would fit into regular shoes now. I know technically babies don't need shoes when they aren't yet walking, but I think they are so cute. And I figure they must add an additional amount of warmth as well. Or maybe I'm just trying to justify how much I love these Red Bowlers Shoes. I've always had a thing for shoes like these, I wouldn't mind owning a pair of my own. And I think they'd look so cute on Andy. Their smallest size is large (12-18 mo.), so I may just have to buy them now for him to wear later in case they don't fit!
October 31, 2006
Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe
Gyminis are definitely a necessity for modern babies. They're basically a safe place to play where lots of rings fall temptingly within the grasp of all but the youngest of newborns. They're also a great place for tummy-time because they provide something a little more interesting to look at than a boring old blanket. The Tiny Love Super Deluxe Gymini pictured here has a lights & music touch pad that plays 10 minutes of continuous classical Mozart. The large plastic mirror encourages your child to lift their head — especially useful during tummy-time. And best of all, the whole thing collapses down flat for easy storage. You could slip it under a couch or behind a chair when you're not using it.
October 31, 2006
Silly Billyz Infant Snuggle Bag
This product probably seems familiar, as I featured one just like it yesterday. However, the Infant Snuggle Bag makes me a little nervous. You see, when we were doing our baby product research before Anderson was born, the cardinal rule for baby seats was NEVER PUT ANYTHING BETWEEN THE BABY AND THE CAR SEAT. This product seems to do just that with a thick cushion of padding between the baby and the back of the car seat. I have contacted Live Love Dream, Inc. to hear what they say about this, but at this point I haven't heard back from them yet.
All that being said, this product does have some usefulness to it. If you have a travel system like we do, you will definitely have a cold baby if you take any walks this winter. So, bundle your baby up to your hearts content on your walks, but just don't take her in the car with this!
October 30, 2006
Twig Diaper Bag by Queen Bee Creations
I just love this diaper bag so much. It's very pretty with the twig design on the front, but it's also quite functional. It's write up at Elsewares says:
Behold the roomy main compartment, 3 smaller mesh pockets (perfect for bottles and sip-cups), 2 medium mesh pockets, 1 large waterproof zippered pocket, and a swivel hook for keys or toys! Two snap closures at the base of 23" handles make sure everything stays securely inside.
It's also handmade and would be great to use even when you don't have your baby with you. It's too cute to limit its usage. I'd want this one for years to come!
Silly Billyz Snuggle Bag
It's definitely starting to get colder up here in New England. Several times this week it's been below 40°F when I left for work. Sure, it does still warm up a little during the day, but that's not going to last for long. This Stroller Snuggle Bag will definitely keep your infant cozy, warm, and dry while you're out for a walk this winter. The front cover is fully removable for easy baby insertion and removal, and the inside is lined with fleece or sherpa (whatever THAT is). This works with most 3 and 5 point harnesses, and is big enough for toddlers up to the age of three. For those of us living in the colder climates, this is a definite must-have if we ever expect to leave the house again.
inababycarriage Birth Announcements Review
The other day, I received some sample birth announcements from inababycarriage.com. Amber Gatej, the owner and designer, started creating these announcements back in 2002 after getting fed up with her dot com
job. She searched for something that she could do out of her house, and decided to direct her considerable design talents towards the creation of these fantastic birth announcements. Typically, after you've placed your order you'll receive a digital proof within one to two business days. After your final approval, your entire order ships within five business days via priority mail.
inababycarriage.com offers a wide variety of products. On the low end there are Photo Cards. These are essentially 5x7" photos that are printed by the folks at Photo Affectations. The process seems pretty straight forward. You pick the design you like best at inababycarriage.com, and then head over to Photo Affectations. There you can specify the text you'd like on the announcement, as well as any customizations like black & white or sepia toned photos. Photo Affectations involves a human at every step of the process — from processing your uploaded pictures, to double checking the information you provided, to creating up to three digital proofs of your announcement. Photo Affectations also provides a very handy page that should help you plan on when you will receive your announcements. The sample we received was printed on 5x7" Fujifilm Crystal Archive paper with a slightly textured matte/luster finish. Since these announcements are real photographs, they will definitely last a long time in your photo album. All orders of Photo Cards include white envelopes made from 80lb paper.
inababycarriage.com also offers Panel Card announcements. The card itself feels amazing. It is press-printed on thick cardstock, so it is nice and sturdy. The color reproduction is absolutely fantastic; it looks even better than the Photo Card. The sample we received had the recommended U/V coating which adds a glossy finish, and apparently helps with the color reproduction. So if you don't get the finish, your colors may not be so vibrant. The best thing about these cards is they are double sided. Normally, the basic design is repeated on the back, but for $25 more, you can add custom printing to the back as well. As with the Photo Cards, all orders include white envelopes made from 80lb paper.
The Photo Mount style is a little more expensive than the Panel Card. These are essentially 4x6" matte finish photographs mounted on 5x7" white cardstock. The cardstock is slightly raised where the photo is mounted. The effect brings a nice white border around your photograph, as well as making the whole announcement nice and sturdy. The border sort of reminds me of older black & white photographs when photos weren't typically printed to the edges of the paper. Therefore, I think this effect looks best with a black & white announcement, although your tastes may vary.
On the high-end, inababycarriage.com offers Envelopments. These are almost twice as much as the Photo Mount style, but when you get one of these in your hand, you can definitely tell that it's worth every penny. The envelopment came sealed in cellophane wrapping, and once opened, I thought it was just a pink envelope. Instead, it was a thick cardstock envelope that opens up completely to reveal the announcement mounted inside. The announcement itself is the Photo Mount style, so again, I think a black & white announcement works well here. Of course, there is so much color in the envelope that I think you could probably reflect that in the announcement. Also included with Envelopments are matching return address labels!
To complete your set of announcements, inababycarriage.com offers sets coordinating thank you notes. Using the same motifs and pictures, these thank you notes will leave as much of an impression as your original announcement. The notes are 4x5.5" fold over cards made out of thick cardstock, and include envelopes. The cards really feel just like the cards you'd buy at your local stationary store, however the included envelopes seem just a tad too large for the card — perhaps they're really sized to accommodate a 4x6" card inside.
Additionally, inababycarriage.com offers a set of coordinating return address labels. These are included for free with the Envelopment announcements, but if you are interested in something a little less expensive, you can order them for as little as $0.24 per label. Just like the thank you notes, the return address labels carry the design you've chosen outside your envelope.
Finally, inababycarriage.com recently started selling mom cards. These are the business cards for today's busy mothers. Give them to the parents you meet at the park, day care providers, or your child's teachers. The cards are professionally printed on both sides and come in glossy or matte finishes. The sample we received in the mail was glossy, and it was very snazzy. And best of all, every design on inababycarriage.com can be turned into a mom card.
Perhaps the best thing about inababycarriage.com is the extensive choice of designs. At the time of this review there are over 140 designs for both girls and boys, and there are even designs for those of you lucky enough to have twins or are adopting.
If you're in the market for birth announcements, I would highly recommend checking out inababycarriage.com. I really like the quality of the products, and the designs are all fantastic. I'm even thinking about getting Laura some mom cards as a gift.
Fly Away Ladybug
Like every other woman pregnant for the first time, I was given a ton of advice and a ton of presents that would help me out. Nothing could really have prepared me for a newborn who was fussy all the time and only napped on my lap. The one product that would occupy Andy long enough for me to take a quick break (whether it was to write a quick email or go to the bathroom) was the Fly Away Ladybug book by Suzy McPartland and illustrated by Emily Bolam. One of my sorority sisters got it for me, telling me how much her daughter loved it and how she had been given it by a friend whose baby also loved it. I had never seen the crinkly paper books like this one is made out of, so I had no idea its affect on babies. But my sister told me that it was magic. I'm really glad I listened to her, as Andy's really loved this book for as long as he was aware of things. I always give it to him when he's sitting in his infant seat in the kitchen. First he just kicked at it a bunch. As he found his hands, he started playing with it. Later it started to go into his mouth. Now he stares at it and examines it for up to a half hour at a time. And as it's a book, I can read it to him as well. Really, this is one of my favorite products out there, and I'm definitely going to be giving it to all of my pregnant friends in the future. Hopefully it'll work for them as well as it's worked for me.
October 27, 2006
Air Happy Tricycle with Pushbar
This tricycle is a bit different from the one we wrote about the other day. While a few dollars more expensive at $169, the Air Happy Tricycle from Kettler has a few more features that are definitely worth it. The tires are real air-filled rubber tires, you can adjust the seat up and down as your child grows from age 1 to age 6, and finally there is a removable push-bar which makes it easy for you to push your child around after a long day at the park. And right now, Oompa is offering free shipping on all Air Happy Tricycles!
Baby Care Onesie by Kee-Ka
I got this Baby Care Onesie by Kee-Ka as a gift right before giving birth. I thought it was a great design (ours was the This End Up design), fitting my humor perfectly. They come in little tubes that could fit mini posters in them, which made it fun to open at my baby shower as well. Other designs say Handle With Care and Keep Dry. We did have a problem with the snaps ripping off, but as I am not very careful with snaps, it's happened to me a few other times on different products as well, making me wonder if it's mostly my fault.
Organic Cotton Turtle
Another Blogpire blog, Really Natural, featured a baby product that we like a few weeks ago, so we thought we'd tell you about it. The Organic Cotton Turtle is made from 100% organic cotton shell with unbleached cotton clippings and embroidered eyes (which is good because they aren't a choking hazard). If you are interested in organic products, this might be a good gift for your baby. They are also handmade in Vermont and are machine washable too. If you like this, you may also like the other animals they make at 2KH including a bunny, giraffe, pony, and more!
Hand Painted Storage Bins
These hand painted storage bins from Koo Koo Bear Kids are great. Anderson has a small toy basket already full of stuffed animals in his room, but a bin like this would hold even more and look great as well. If blue isn't your style, its also available in pink, Surfer Girl, Airplane, and many others!
October 26, 2006
Susanne Maddux Diaper Bags
Susanne Maddux makes diaper bags. However, these don't seem to be just any diaper bags, they seem to be the supreme diaper bags. They are large (17x12x5 inches), have three cargo pockets, a large side pocket for a changing pad and diapers, metalic snap closures, a nylon interior, water resistant nylon canvas on the exterior, large interior zipper and side pockets, a cell phone pocket, an interior bottle holder, metal feet on the bottom, and even a changing pad is included. This is a pretty good diaper bag so far, but I also think it's a very handsome bag. It has a clean look, not too much color so you can still try to match it to your wardrobe. It is available in six colors, my favorites being chocolate & cream with sky blue lining and classic black on black with blush pink lining. Susanne Maddux is a mother, and that is obvious. Too many diaper bags are made to look cute but aren't that great to actually use. They can be too small, not washable, or too heavy. This one seems just right!
Jellycat Truffles
One of the best things about this blog is how I come across all these great products that I can use with Andy or tell my friends about. I just discovered Jellycat Truffles, and I want one for myself. If only they made them in adult sizes! I guess they are big in Europe and becoming collectable items over there. Each design can either stand upright as a stuffed animal or be laid out as a blanket/pillow/playmat. They are available as a few different animals: bunny, kitten, sheep, and a much larger dog version. Although this is something I probably wouldn't buy for Andy myself, I would love to give and receive as a gift!
Montessori Infant Box with Tray
This toy is very similar to the one we posted yesterday, except instead of teaching object permenance, this box teaches children about cause and effect. The Infant Box with Tray may look simple but is a deceptively brilliant way to teach infants who have begun to sit on their own the basic concepts of hand-eye coordination as well as cause and effect as the ball goes tumbling through the hole and into the tray below. Minute variations in completing this exercise will fascinate your child and give them the repeated satisfaction of success. This toy is also hand made in Holland with painted beechwood, and is designed to last a lifetime.
Sample Sale at Baby Star
The first ever sample sale is going on now at Baby Star. Prices are reduced 60% off of their retail price, and tees are only $3! There are no returns allowed on this sale, so make sure you buy what you want. But you really can't beat these prices! Our pick-the bibs we wrote about last month
Sand Digger from Kettler
Okay, if you can look at this and not want one for yourself then there's something wrong with you (or perhaps you're a girl). Not only is the Sand Digger great for building hand-eye coordination, but you get to indulge your child's interest in digging in sand. And who can deny them such pleasure! The coated, steel frame is covered in appealing primary colors. The sturdy, molded seat is perfectly sized for preschool-aged children. And right now, Oompa is offering free shipping on all Kettler Sand Diggers!
October 25, 2006
Fruit Knit Hats by Butterfly Design
I picked up knitting last year, and I've been able to make a few items for Andy so far. He has two sweaters that just barely fit him which still need buttons sewed on (I still cannot sew!) as well as a few fruit knit hats, one made to look like a pumpkin and another like a strawberry. This hat pattern must be popular because I was able to find the identical hat on Etsy. Etsy is a site that allows you to sell your handmade items online. The seller of these particular hats, Butterfly Design, seems to know what she's doing as her hats look better than mine. Besides the strawberry and pumpkin hats, she also sells a blueberry hat, autumn cranberry hat, a lemon hat, a fall apple hat, a watermelon hat, and many more. Starting November 1st, there will also be winter themed hats for sale. I just love these hats and think they are the cutest thing on a baby's head. If I had more time, I'd be knitting all these hats myself, but unfortunately my knitting projects are on hold for the time being. But you might want to consider them if you'd like your little one to match the seasons and holidays!
Radio Flyer at LL Bean
I had totally forgotten about Radio Flyer. Another mother who has a larger baby than Andy (which I can't believe is possible as he's off the charts in weight!) gives me some of her used baby clothes, and two of the onesies had Radio Flyer wagons on them. As she was describing them, I had no idea what she was talking about and felt like a fool. Then I find all these great products in my LL Bean catalog! They don't sell the old fashioned wagon that I remember from my childhood, but they do have a Walker Wagon. Besides that, there's also a Tiny Trike, a Little Red Fire Engine, a Wooden Rocking Pony, a Scooter, a Tricycle, and a Roadster. We think it's great they are still around making products for children, and we're happy we stumbled across them!
Montessori Box with Knitted Ball
I went to a Montessori school when I was a young child. I never really understood what that meant until I started thinking about how I wanted Anderson to be educated. Okay, I still don't really get it. However, Maria Montessori definitely came up with some good ideas back in the 1920s, and toys like this really show how simple and powerful this kind of learning can be. This box teaches children about object permanence — even when they can't see something, it still exists and is waiting for them to find it again! Your child will push a soft cotton ball into the hole in the top of the box and then remove it by pulling the drawer knob and lifting it out in this exercise to develop hand-eye coordination, sophisticated hand movements and simple problem solving skills. The box is made by hand in small batches in Holland, and will last many lifetimes.
Trioli Upside Down Chair
Okay, I admit it. I'm a sucker for really cool design. And let me tell you, the Trioli Upside Down Chair is very cool. I had a tiny little wooden rocking chair growing up. The kind whose wooden slats would always pinch you. This chair definitely doesn't have that problem. In fact, its much more than just a simple chair. Your child can use it in any of three ways: as you see above, inverted to reveal a second seat, and laid flat and rocked. This is definitely way better than a simple little wooden rocking chair, although at $118 it's a little on the pricey side.
October 24, 2006
Free Shipping at Lilypad Baby
From now until October 31, you can get free shipping at Lilypad Baby. Use the code "TREATFS" (note that is an F not an E at the end) at check out to get this deal.
Purple Stork Photo Birth Announcements
When it was time to create birth announcements for Anderson, we went with Purple Stork. We chose them because they have a fantastic photography tips page which really helped us capture the stunning pictures you see above. Now, I would consider myself perhaps a mild hobbyist when it comes to photography, but their ideas for keeping the background simple and lighting straight forward definitely helped our pictures. I was fortunate to be able to borrow a friends digital SLR camera, but I see no reason you couldn't get good pictures from your trusty point and shoot camera.
When it comes to ordering announcements, the process is very simple. You pick the style that you want (we went with the Emma design), then fill in the appropriate text for the announcement. There are lots of things you can customize about your announcement. You can pick the font, whether you want black & white, sepia, or full color photos, and more. We also had Purple Stork send us envelopes ahead of time, preprinted with our return address on the back (with a matching font, of course). That allowed us to address all of our announcements ahead of time before Anderson arrived because we knew afterwards we probably wouldn't be up to a project like that.
The announcements themselves came out wonderfully. They were printed on photo paper, but Purple Stork offers 100# card stock with both square and round corners for $0.60 more per announcement. We could not have been more pleased, and virtually everybody we sent them to remarked that it was the best announcement they've ever seen. As an added bonus, because we ordered more than 75 announcements, we received a free 8"x10" enlargement of our announcement, as well as two or three wallet sized announcements.
Purple Stork's customer service was very prompt, polite, and professional. They answered all the questions I had and weren't confused when I made some mistakes when sending them the photographs via email. They kept me informed throughout the whole process of creating our announcements, and they shipped them to us very quickly. We had the announcements in the mail to our friends and family within two weeks of Anderson's birth!
Overall, I recommend Purple Stork very highly. We will definitely be using them again in the future, as in addition to birth announcements, they also create holiday cards, moving announcements, birthday cards, and much more. They will work with you to create a photo card for virtually any occasion.
What I Don't Want to Buy
From what I understand, children sometimes get hurt a bit. After all, getting a few bumps and bruises is part of childhood. Obviously I would never want Andy to get hurt, but he's done a face plant or two while we're trying to help him learn how to sit, and after a couple minutes of crying, he's been fine. I just don't think I could ever see myself buying the Bumper Bonnet. It's a cushion on the head that protects the baby from hurting their heads on anything. I think as long as you baby proof, you really shouldn't need this. Unless it's for when you go to another person's house maybe? I can't really see the point besides that. Am I clueless about what is in my future, or is this a silly product?
Dad's Diaper Bag
Okay, lets face it Dads: we have to carry the diaper bag too sometimes. I'm pretty fortunate that I actually like our diaper bag. Laura designed it herself, at a design your own purse party
(but that's another post). However, many men are not as lucky. So I say buy your own diaper bag! And what better diaper bag is out there than this one by Fleurville. Sporting a padded breathable mono strap, it has two fleece lined pockets mounted on the shoulder strap for sunglasses and mobile electronics. There is an adjustable outside flap and an offset zipper for diapers on main flap. A wipe case pocket is accessible without opening the bag. There are two storage pockets - one with a carabineer clip to hold keys,and the other a business card/photo organizer pocket. It contains a removable insulated beverage holder with dual mounts on either side, which is useful for when were out with our babies alone because, face it, we're just not equipped for feeding the same way as mothers! Finally a changing pad is hidden on lumbar pocket for extra padding.
Flo by Boon
There are a few different contraptions on the market right now that cover the faucet in the bath tub. They all seem great, and here's another one to add to the list, Flo by Boon. It is made from a soft material so your child won't hurt his head if he hits the faucet, and it redirects the water into a waterfall that moves out as well as down, so it helps with rinsing the head. It also has a bubble bath dispenser on it.
October 23, 2006
$10 Sale at Threadless for Two Days Only!
Quick! Get over to Threadless! They are having another $10 sale, but it's only through Wednesday of this week, and their tees are going fast. Threadless recently started carrying children's sizes 4 through 12, so get a start on your holiday shopping or just buy a few for yourself. Either way, you really should take advantage of this sale. There's tons of designs to choose from, including Cookie Loves Milk, For Sale By Parents, Dark Side of the Garden, In A Comic, and Clever Disguise. Just be careful of the Threadless Select tees, not all of them are on sale and the ones that are seem to be more expensive.
Cardboard Activity House
Back in my day, we would've called this a fort, but I guess now it's called an activity house. It seems like a really neat idea: a pile of corrugated cardboard that assembles into a house shaped structure. The blank walls just beg to be drawn on. Or you can apply some fabric or paint. Decorate the inside and outside to make a unique play area. If you want some ideas, check out these houses made by the Design Within Reach staff. I do wonder how stable the whole thing is, but since its just cardboard, it's probably not too much of a risk.
Diamond Pacifier
Anderson never really got into pacifiers. There were many times early on in his life when I wished more than anything that he would use them so I'd have a break from his constant fussiness. If your child likes pacifiers more than mine and you like a little bling, consider the Diamond Pacifier. Made from Swarovski Crystal Rhinestones, it will certainly be the shiniest pacifier you have! Be careful though, for although the rhinestones are glued on (with non-toxic glue), there is a choking hazard with them, so make sure to watch your baby carefully when she uses it. It was inspired by Baby Shiloh's $17,000 Diamond Pacifier, so if you like to have what the stars have, this is a great item for you!
Parenting-A Collection of Blogs
There is a new website out there, Parenting from Personal Bee, that is a collection of the best parenting blogs on the web. I went to look at this site apprehensively. I feel like there's already a ton of places that push the "Mommy" blogs on us, and I'm a little sick of a lot of them. But I really like this site. The first time I went, there were links to three of my favorite parenting blogs: Ask Moxie (which was also linked to a post very relevant to me right now-breastfeeding and teething!), dooce, and Parent Hacks. All three are really top notch blogs, and you should read them if you don't already. Now I'm very excited that Parenting will show me more great blogs like these that I'm unaware of. I'm excited for it to grow, so please sign up and vote for your favorites!
Pee & Poo Baby Briefs
I don't think I would've ever found Pee & Poo if there wasn't an ad for them on this very page. Having ventured over to their site, I have to say those Swedes are crazy. Okay, I'm only kidding (sort of). Originally created for Swedish designer Emma Megitt's Master Design project, the Pee & Poo characters have gained world-wide popularity as parents all over the world have found them useful for potty training. The Pee & Poo characters can be found on plush dolls, baby underpants like those above, girls' briefs, boys' briefs, t-shirts, socks, keychains, and many more. I may not ever need them when Anderson goes through his potty training, but I have a feeling somebody is going to get some hilarious stocking-stuffers this Christmas!
