There are many lists out there of what a new mother needs and what she can do without, and each list seems to have totally different things on them depending on who is writing them. This basically tells me that all babies are different, all mothers are different, and you have to figure out what will work best for you and your family. That being said, if I had to choose only one product that I think is a necessity for all parents of newborns, it would have to be the Baby Bouncy. It can be used for a ton of things, including a chair at your desk, a workout ball, and a birthing ball (I couldn't believe how much it helped with my contractions while I was at home waiting to be allowed to go to the hospital), and I've used it for all three. But it is worth a billion dollars for getting Anderson to sleep every night. We would bounce him at bedtime, and it always helped him sleep. If he was cranky, we bounced him and he calmed down. He loved the ball, and therefore it became my best friend. Now that Andy's a little older, we aren't using it. But it really is the one thing that I couldn't have lived without because what a new mother needs more than anything is sleep. And boy did it help Andy, and therefore me, sleep. It comes with a stand, which I didn't have and didn't need, as well as a pump. Also available at Amazon.
I hope all of our readers continue to have a joyous and fulfilling holiday season. Posting will continue to be light as Super Cool Baby brings in the new year. In the mean time, get a load of these awesome Felt Baby Clogs. Made by Swedish designer, Pia Wallen, these clogs have a felt sole studded with rubber dots for durability and traction. Unfortunately, the clogs come only in one size, and fit babies between 4 and 12 months. Anderson is probably way to big for these, considering he's already in 12-18 month Robeez. Still, these clogs are so cool, I would almost consider having another baby just to get them. If green isn't your thing, the clogs also come in red and black.
There are a few post Christmas deals that we want to make sure you know about. We'll update as we hear about more, but here's our current list:
True Genius is having a two day sale today and tomorrow. Get 50% or more off all of their clothing.
Kid Surplus is having their biggest clearance sale ever right now.
The Children's Place is having a monster sale with a ton of items at $9.99 or less.
The Winter Shilav Collection at Cute Little Me is 20-30% off to make room for the spring collection. There's also up to 60% off dozens of items in the rest of their collection.
Craftsbury Kids is having a New Years Sale. It ends on December 31. Also get free shipping by using the code "NY06" on all orders of $50 or more.
Updated December 29
Everything is on sale at Sophie and Lili. Get up to 60% off fall and winter items.
Pottery Barn Kids is also having a sale, with up to 65% off to celebrate the new year.
One Step Ahead is offering 15% off through the end of the year (that's Sunday!) on orders of $75 or more. Use the code BABY15 at checkout to get this discount.
I love owls, so when I discovered the plush owls handmade by Lori Marie at Craftsbusy Kids, I couldn't wait to tell you all about them. They each have fun color combos, different fabrics that your baby will love to feel, and hand stitched wings. There's a bunch of different ones available, including the Orchid Owl, the Daisy Owl, the Frederik Owl, and the Kingston Owl.
I've been a big fan of Salt Lick NYC for a while now as they make really awesome women's tees. Well, their children's shirts are pretty great as well. They sell onesie and hat sets and long and short sleeved tees. Each one is hand stitched, and the designs are just too cute for words. We really love the ladybug design as we have a ton of ladybug stuff around the house for Andy. Tulips is beautiful, and I love the bumble bee. Salt Lick NYC also sells tees for women, men, and even pets.
The post holiday deals are already starting. At Amazon, you can get up to 70% off of toys and up to 50% off of baby products. If you need a few things, this would be a great time to take advantage of some great deals, whether you're buying for upcoming birthdays or for an expectant mother! We'll let you know about other deals as we hear about them.
Peter wrote about A Little Lark on Monday, but I just had to add to it. They have a ton of great designs, and they will soon be making adult clothing too, which I am totally excited about. When I saw the tee Tree, I just knew that I'd found one more favorite company. It is so beautiful and stunning, and I'd love to wear it myself. A few others I adore include Twig and Geese. You all know that I'm a shirt snob and take my tees very seriously. And this site I really love.
We wash Andy with a baby washcloth, but it isn't easy. It never stays in your hand very well, and he wants to put it in his mouth all the time to suck out the water. And that obviously doesn't fly after we've already put soap on it. So I think we could really use something like the Little Twig Scrubbing Mitts at Arte Bebe. They are made specifically for babies and small children, so they won't be too rough on their soft skin. They are super cute, but more importantly they'll help make bath time easier on you. Just stick one on your hand, and you're all set to lather them up without having to worry about the wash cloth.
I first wrote about Festa Tees on my other blog Shirt Snob. They sell clean and fun tees that are area specific. I'm actually getting a New England tee soon that I'll be reviewing over there in the next few weeks. But they sell onesies and children's tees as well we just discovered. These don't encompass the entire country, but if you have a Chicago Girl or a California Boy, you might like these for your little one. They have a bunch of other areas, although we noticed that New England is absent. There's also a few area code shirts ala Ruben Studdard on American Idol. There's lots of women's tees as well, so you can do one stop shopping for a bunch of your friends and family!
I have said once or twice before that I don't mind loud noises when Andy's playing. Maybe it's because if he's occupied and happy I don't have to be hurting my back holding my 30lb behemoth of a baby. Or maybe it's because I could be sitting down and reading a magazine or checking my email or getting a couple of "me time" minutes for a change. As long as Andy is happy, I'm happy. So of course I love Flapsi, from Oompa. When you hold one end and shake this toy, the wooden disks hit, making a loud clanking sound. As with all Haba toys, the lacquers are non-toxic, so when your baby puts it in his mouth, you don't need to worry. The best part is that it's not that expensive, so you can buy a few Haba toys at once
Anderson, like most kids I would imagine, loves to jump up and down in his Exersaucer. He always squeals with delight when we put him in there. I think he would really love this Baby Gymnastics Bounce & Spin Zebra. It's made for toddlers from 1 to 3 years and allows them to hop on the Zebra and bounce up and down and spin round and round. Sounds, lights and songs will reward your child's play while they further develop their hand-eye coordination, motor skills and balance. Everybody seems to love this toy, so I hope that you do as well! When we get it for Anderson in a few months, we'll be sure to post a full review.
If you need a good last minute present for someone with a baby, consider the Onesie of the Month Club at Babesta. Each month, the recipient will receive either a onesie or a t-shirt, and they make sure what they send matches the growth pattern of the baby. This is available in 3, 6, and 12 month options, and it's available for children up to 4 years old. Luckily, I didn't forget to buy presents for anyone this year. But if you did and really want to make it up to someone, this is a nice gift for their children.
It's going to be a while before Anderson is eating off of a plate, but when he does I bet he'd like these animal plates and bowls as much as I do. They feature really colorful designs, they're made of durable melamine, they're dishwasher safe, and can handle as many whacks, spills and drops as your toddler can dish out. In addition to I'm Not Lion and Bronto Stripus pictured above, giggle also offers Whacky Pachy, and Monkey Daisy styles.
My Aunt Pat is a very generous woman. When I saw her in October, she gave me a few presents for Anderson, including the cd Baby Love: Quiet Time. On the drive home that day, I ended up in Friday afternoon rush hour, and my drive ended up being 3 hours instead of an hour and a half. Anderson, you can imagine, was very upset about the long car ride. He was bored, cranky, had a wet diaper, and wanted to be home. And he let me know it through his cries and whines. I remembered the cd that I had just been given, and I put it into the cd player hoping it would distract him a bit. Oh, did it work wonders. By the time the first song ended, he was once again nice and quiet, and somewhere in there he fell back asleep.
This cd quickly became my favorite cd in the car. I'd play it for Andy during our long car rides to visit my family, and he started sleeping during each car trip. If I forget to put the cd on, he lets me know by not napping well and being generally unhappy. And I really can't blame him as I love this music too. The songs are beautifully sung by two different artists, and many of the songs are new to me, so I am not bored listening to it. Before giving birth, I'd assumed that all children's music would be grating, like nails on a chalkboard. But this cd is one I would even listen to on my own! I cannot recommend it enough. It's quickly become a staple for all of us.
Check out this awesome onesie from A Little Lark. It's made in the USA from super-soft 100% organic cotton, and is hand silk-screened. The packaging is letterpressed and each onesie comes with a small muslin gift bag that is hand printed and reusable. A Little Lark is new around these parts, and they're going to be making things for bigger kids and even Mom & Dad soon. We're definitely going to keep our eye on them!
I realize that I may be a bit of a dork, but I would have loved this next product when I was a toddler, and I'd still love to play with it now (assuming no one was watching). The Silk Streamer is a rainbow streamer attached to a wooden wand, and you can run all over, moving the streamer around, and watch it do circles, zig zags and more. It reminds me of the accessory used in rhythmic gymnastics, which I always look forward to watching during the summer Olympics. I think I could play with this for hours, pretending I'm an Olympian! For ages 3+.
If you still need to buy some gifts, then be sure to check out these last minute deals. At this point, you may have to pay a little extra for shipping, but it still beats having to head out to the mall! Your best bet is probably Amazon.com, where you can get free shipping from select merchants through December 20th. And of course, there's always the option of an Amazon.com gift certificate which arrive via email within hours. They can also be sent to multiple addresses (so you can do all your shopping at once), and they can be sent as an email or an e-card.
Black Wagon is offering 10% off when you donate a toy or gift to needy children. Give them a call at 866-916-0004 for more information.
Swell Baby is offering 20% off store-wide through December 20th. Use the code "HOLIDAY06" when you checkout to get this discount.
Baby Wit is also offering 15% off store-wide when you order before December 20th. Use the code "BETTERLATE" when you checkout to get this discount. You can also help Baby Wit test out their new website and earn a $25 gift certificate if you find any problems.
PetuniaPetunia is offering a whopping 25% off store-wide. They're shipping up until Friday, December 22nd, as long as your order is received by noon EST on December 22nd. To get this great discount, use the code hohoho during checkout.
Get 15% off your order at Georgie Tees until December 24. Discount will not appear at checkout but will be reflected once the transaction is processed.
Briar Patch Heirlooms is offering a 20% discount towards the purchase of all December featured artists' (Carol Menninga, Sandy Vohr, and Pily Torres) works. Simply enter the promotion code December20 during checkout to receive this discount.
Sometimes when I see fun patterns with bright colors, I get totally excited and need to buy whatever it is immediately. I know it's crazy, but I just love when someone mixes it up a bit and puts orange with pink or some other weird combo that you normally don't see. So when I discovered Petit Pan, it was all I could do to control myself and not reach for my credit card (what a shame I've already spent so much money this holiday season!). I originally fell in love with this designer because of the Patchwork Quilt and Pillow. But I love all of their Baby Blankets, the Mao Corduroy Jackets, and more. I am not a fan of fish though, so I will be staying away from the Paper Fish Mobile (I can barely even look at it-creepy!). But check out all of their stuff at nonchalantmom, a great website.
Pallets is having a clearance sale on select items. You can get up to 80% off at this sale, so it's worth checking out what they have for sale. You can still get packages by Christmas if you ship using FEDEX 2-day.
Gaga Goods is offering up to 25% off their Holiday Design Apparel. They're also offering free shipping on orders of $25 or more. Use the coupon code HOLIDAYSHIPPING to get the free shipping. This offer ends tonight at midnight!
I've mentioned before how I tried to do a teddy bear theme for Andy's nursery. It didn't work out as I had a hard time finding teddy bear items and then I lost interest when he was born and I wasn't sleeping. I wish I had seen this a year ago (and had room for it in his nursery now!). My First Bear Sofa by Kaloo is a great place for your toddler to sit, a chair all his own! There's also a cat version bunny as well.
We received our copy of Goodnight Moon well before Anderson was born. I used to occasionally read it Laura's growing belly. Now, reading Goodnight Moon is almost always part of our bedtime routine.
There are a few things that make this book really great. First, its a board book, so I'm not too concerned when Andy grabs the pages made from thick paperboard. In fact, I encourage him to help me turn the pages. Second, while the story is easy enough that I could probably recite the whole thing from memory right now, the classic illustrations are captivating enough to hold my interest. I enjoy pointing out the mouse as he travels around the room. Or noticing that the rabbit turns to face the objects to which he says good night. Or perhaps trying to read the titles of the books on the bookshelf. Or noticing that the picture of the bears on chairs has a picture of the cow jumping over the moon on the wall.
If for some reason you have a nursery without Goodnight Moon, then I implore you to get it as soon as possible. And if you know anybody expecting, it makes a wonderful shower gift!
I don't know anyone who isn't a fan of Eric Carl. I love his books so much and read them to Andy (I need to go out and get them all!), so I was very excited to discover the Hungry Caterpillar plush toy that goes along with his The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book. This toy has ten pockets that each contain a different fabric food object that is attached with an elastic cord. The objects make noise (rattle, crinkle, etc), have a variety of different textures and are made with bold colors and patterns. This is exactly the type of toy Andy would love right now.
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PetuniaPetunia is offering a whopping 25% off store-wide. They're shipping up until Friday, December 22nd, as long as your order is received by noon EST. To get this great discount, use the code hohoho during checkout.
Ambajam is offering a one time 10% discount, but only when you sign up for their mailing list. So get on over there to receive your personal discount code.
True Genius has up to 35% off right now, with free shipping. All long sleeve tees are $20 and all hoodies are $25. No code is necessary for these deals!
Sparkability is offering 10% off store-wide. If you order by noon tomorrow, you can still use standard ground shipping, but the coupon code xmas06 is good on all orders through December 25th. Make sure to use the code at checkout to qualify.
Laura and I were just discussing how we really needed some divided trays with which to feed Anderson. Then today, I stumble on these awesome melamine trays made by a company called Goodnight Moon. These whimsical trays are a product of British artist Liz Murphy. In addition to Pirate, they are also available in Animals and Princess. And most importantly, the trays are dishwasher and microwave safe (just don't put them in the oven!).
I know I've said before how noise doesn't bother me (check out my clacker post), so I always debate writing about them as I seem to be in a huge minority here. But I just love these Maraca Shakers from Urban Monster. They are really inexpensive at only $2.50 each, come in five great colors, and are the perfect size for your little one's hands. If you don't want the noise in your household, these may be a great present for the child of someone you don't like!
Swell Baby is offering 20% off store-wide through December 20th. Use the code "HOLIDAY06" when you checkout to get this discount.
One Little Monkey is offering $10 off orders of $50 or more. Use the code "jinglebells" when you checkout to get this discount. And don't forget, One Little Monkey is offering free shipping through the end of the year on all domestic orders.
Baby Wit is also offering 15% off store-wide when you order before December 20th. Use the code "BETTERLATE" when you checkout to get this discount. You can also help Baby Wit test out their new website and earn a $25 gift certificate if you find any problems.
Arte Bebe is offering 10% off store-wide. To get this discount, you simply have to sign up for their email newsletter. They will send you a coupon code which you can use at any time.
I bet you already know somebody for whom this onesie would be perfect. I know I sure do. Wolfgang's Vault doesn't feature too many baby items, but they do have a great line of retro onesies like this Led Zeppelin Onesie. Why the avocado you might ask? Well, Artist Randy Tuten had tired of seeing blimps in every Led Zeppelin advertisement, so he came up with the green avocado for a Fillmore West and Winterland concert poster. Tuten liked it so much he "... wanted to do one a month that way- a series of crazy fruit posters."
There are a few more deals we discovered over the weekend:
Get free shipping on orders $100 or more at Chasing Fireflies when using the code "free1" at check out. Deal is good until December 13.
Receive one free pair of baby legs for every two you order at Craftsbury Kids. Just include the style you want in the comments section at check out. Offer expires at midnight tomorrow. Baby legs were featured on The Today Show last week, they seem to be a hot gift this holiday season.
Genius Jones has free shipping until 2007. No code is needed for this deal.
Get 15% off your order at Georgie Tees until December 24. Discount will not appear at checkout but will be reflected once the transaction is processed.
I found this next product from someone else's blog (I forgot to take note of whose unfortunately). The Plush Menorah is a great idea so that little children can partake in the Chanukah festivities. There are nine multi colored candles and two pockets that hold the candles when they aren't being used. I know I'd be terrifed of having Andy near any sort of open flame, so what better way to be safe while celebrating?
The Bilibo is an innovative new toy from Switzerland. Its deliberately designed to provide as little pre-determination as possible, limited only by your child's imagination and expressiveness. This toy will appeal to children of many ages, and be an integral part of their development as well. The Bilibo is very simple: it's basically a half-shell. On one side it provides a stable platform, and the other it wobbles around. It can hold all sorts of objects: marbles, sand, water, other toys. It "grows" with your child, as they realize different possibilities for games. The Bilibo is available from the Modern Nursery, and comes in red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and purple.
Between now and December 15, get free shipping at Lilypad Baby when using the code "HolidayFS."
At the Baby Center Store, spend $29 or more, and you'll get free shipping. Use the code "FREESHIP29" at check out, and make sure you place your order by December 15.
There's also a sale going on at Best & Co. You might be able to find something cute for your little one to wear when visiting the family this holiday season!
Finally, get 10% off your purchase at Black Wagon when you purchase any toy or gift donation for needy kids. You must either call them at 1-866-916-0004 or email them at blackwagon@lists.blackwagon.com for more information though. What a great way to help out children in need while also helping out yourself!
Updated Dec 9: Get 20% off and free shipping on orders of $50 or more at SandboxCouture. Be sure to use the code snow20 at checkout. This is good for this weekend only!
Oompa Toys has a list of the top 20 toys. I'm not sure if they are the best selling toys from their site or what they think are the most educational or what, but when perusing the list I found a toy that I wish I had when I was young. The Rallina Ball Track by Selecta is made up of a few different levels, and when you place a ball at the top, you can watch it go down a track from level to level. As the ball goes down, it goes under a mouse, hits a bell, and more. This reminds me of Mousetrap a bit, a game I loved when I was younger. The balls are large and easy to grasp, and the wood is covered with non toxic paints and finishes. The list has a bunch of other great items, including the Bear's Cave that my husband wrote about in October.
Check out these totally awesome ROBOT plates by French bowl. Each depicts a different ROBOT character on a patterned background. Anderson would totally get a kick out of cleaning his plate off, if he wasn't so interested in throwing his Cheerios on the ground. But someday, he'll appreciate their inherent coolness. These 7" square plates are dishwasher safe, but they are NOT microwave safe. If you or your child love robots, be sure to check out these awesome limited edition prints by the talented Eric Joyner.
Bub love (who we reviewed last month) has a great deal right now. Buy two tees, get another free. Type in the style and size you want for your free tee in the comments section at check out. Also get free shipping when you buy two tees, just select "hugs from the bub" as your shipping method.
When I was little, I was so in love with myself that my favorite doll was even named after me. My mother must have thought I was crazy. I think I would have loved this next product, a personalized book. The Change is Strange books, which won the 2006 iParenting Media Award, is a great way to help your child get through a hard time. The four stories that can be personalized are Mommy and Daddy are Going on a Trip, My First Day of School, No More Pacifier, and We're Having a Baby. What better way to help your child through an issue than for her to be able to see herself in the story? You can also buy the books not personalized as well as personalized posters and
Super Cool Baby Monthly Round Up-December
