Big Sister and Brother Kits

Becoming a big brother or sister is a momentous occasion for a child, and it's important to make them feel special when the big day arrives. I really like the idea of the Big Sister Kit and Big Brother Kit. The kit includes a camera and photo album, activity book and crayons, bubbles, and a Big Sister or Brother Checklist. If you're worried about your older child feeling left out, this might be a good way to help him or her feel important and a part of the event.

Birthday Bib

If you want to celebrate your baby's first birthday in style, consider a Birthday Bib. They are available in both a boy and girl variety, and they can even be personalized. The best part is that the bib is reversible with a non-birthday side so you can continue to wear it long after the birthday celebrations end. It's also made in the USA and machine washable.

Classic Metal Speedster

Andy received a car just like this classic metal speedster for Christmas. He loves getting on it and riding around, even if he hasn't quite mastered the art of pushing himself forward yet. This car is a high quality metal car with the colors and decals of a classic speedster. It is solidly built and will last for generations and will only look better as it develops a few scuffs and a patina. If you use the code FILLY10 at checkout, you can receive 10% off your order!

The Baby Bunch

If you're looking for a good baby shower present for a new mom, the The Baby Bunch is perfect. Each bouquet contains a full set of clothes for a new baby. There are ones for boys, girls, and surprises as well as organic bunches. There are many different varieties or bouquets, but many come with a bib, booties, a hat, onesie, a lap tee, and pants. Each also comes in an adorable decorated pail too.

Miracles & Milestones Select-a-Show Soother

We've found that a noise-maker is invaluable when you have a baby that refuses to sleep soundly. It helps even out the sounds of a creaking house, so they don't startle your baby awake. Fisher Price makes the Miracles & Milestones Select-a-Show Soother to help keep your baby soothed and rested. You can choose between Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Beautiful Dreamer, classical selections from Bach and Beethoven, and nature sounds like a babbling brook or tweeting birdies. This device also projects a changable picture onto a wall or ceiling. By changing the card you can choose between a high-contrast newborn oriented design, complex shapes and colors for young infants, and a moon and stars scene.

Linko™ Clip-Together Teethers + Toys

I mentioned before how much Andy loved Linking Letters. I think that the Linko™ Clip-Together Teethers + Toys would have been even better. These linking toys include a mirror, talking doll, squishy bobble, picture frame, and teether. They have lots of different textures and colors and can be added or removed from the chain. They will keep your baby entertained for months.

AirCrib

The AirCrib is a great way to keep your infant contained whether your travelling, heading to the beach, or out in the woods camping. This crib can be set up in less than a minute, and fits infants up to 28 pounds. You could use this as a play pen, a crib, or both! It comes with a fitted sheet, hand pump, mattress and a carrying sack.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Super Cool Baby! We'll be back tomorrow bringing you more super cool finds. Enjoy the holiday!

Skuut Walking Bike

A friend of mine recently bought the Skuut Walking Bike for her toddler. I was surprised since I thought that was a little young for a two wheeler! But this is a great idea. It's a walking bike that helps your child learn balance and eventually to ride a real bike. The seat height can be adjusted, it is made otu of heat-treated soft and hard woods, and it is coated with a non-toxic lacquer. It's also safe too. To start or stop, all your child has to do is put his feet down. There's felt filling that won't let the front wheel turn too sharply, and there are no sharp parts or places for little fingers to get stuck. This bike is great for indoors or outdoors, and it's light and therefore very portable. I know my friend is very happy with this bike, and when Andy gets a little older I will probably be buying it for him too.

Battery-Powered Around-The-Tree Train Set

Growing up, I had a friend who always had a train set going around his Christmas tree. It was such a neat tradition. Well, with this Around-the-Tree Thomas the Tank Engine Train Set, you can start a Christmas tradition of your own. The train includes a gift car which you can use to deliver presents. Other people have found that the engine is strong enough to pull several extra cars. And when you put the tree away, you can still use the train set, as there doesn't seem to be anything too explicitly Christmas-y about it.

Pregnancy Survey

We recently were told about a website for new and expectant parents called Pregnancy Survey. I was not one of those expectant parents who reads up on everything ahead of time, and I wish I had been. Figuring out issues as they came along led to many situations where I had no idea what to do and a lot of added stress. The next time I get pregnant, I am going to read up a lot more to prepare myself. I also cannot believe how much I've already forgotten about pregnancy and those early months with a newborn, so this is a good resource to have. If you are pregnant or hoping to be in the future, bookmark this website!

Phil & Ted's Sport Buggy

Your typical jogging stroller can take a little getting used to, since you usually have to pick up the front wheel in order to turn. However, with this Red Sport Buggy, you can change the front wheel from a fixed position to a smooth ride swivel wheel. The stroller itself has a lot of different positions, enabling your baby to go from lying down to sitting up. And there's even a kit to turn the stroller into a ride-behind double stroller. You'll definitely get a lot of use out of this one.

Busy Gears

Here's a toy I know I would have loved as a child, which may show how weird I am. Hasbro Playskool's Busy Gears is made up of 11 interchangeable gears that fit onto brightly colored posts. You turn it on to start it moving, and there are music, sounds, and flashing lights to accompany it. If your baby is interested in moving pieces and figuring out how things works or if you want to encourage hands on exploration, this may be a good toy to try.

Last Minute Gift Cards

Forgot to buy a present for someone on your Christmas list? With time running out and many stores no longer guaranteeing receipt by Christmas, one great option is to buy a gift card. The following places allow you to send the gift card via email, so you can truly get one last minute:

• Amazon.com
• iTunes
• Baby Age
• LEGO Holiday Gift Shop
• Walmart Online Gift Card
• One Step Ahead
• Leaps and Bounds

Ladybug Play Mat by Latitude Enfant

Andy's always been a big fan of ladybugs, so I'm a fan of the Ladybug Play Mat by Latitude Enfant. The head of the ladybug is cushioned, and there is six feet of velvety mat after that. There are six different activities including a squeaking flower, teething rattle, and flower mirror with velvet petals. It also is machine washable and comes in a case with a fabric handle.

Pull-Along Cricket

It's pretty obvious if you look at our other posts that we really like wooden pull toys here at Super Cool Baby. Here's another adorable one, the Pull-Along Cricket. It has legs that look like their hopping, moving up and down as the cricket is pulled. Your baby will love pulling it along to watch the legs move!

Tip 'n Sip

The Tip 'n Sip uses a unique design so that toddlers don't have to tip their cup back too far in order to get a drink. This will hopefully help the switch to real cups, where tipping it too far would be a mess. The handle allows toddlers to learn to drink one handed as well. Unfortunately, this product is for sale in the UK, so shipping to the US can be a little expensive, but for our European readers, this is a great find!

Super Spiral Play Tower

If your baby likes to watch moving balls as much as mine does, the Super Spiral Play Tower by IPlay could be a great toy for you! There is a tower with a spiral slide perfect for balls to spin down. The balls, as well as a penguin and frog, are included. The toy also has a bunch of different sounds accompanying it. The Super Spiral Play Tower was the winner of the 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and the 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio SNAP Award (Special Needs Adaptable Product).

Car & Stroller Snack Tray

Need a snack tray for the car seat? Or maybe a cup holder for your stroller? This one does it all! This Snack Tray from One Step Ahead versatile snack tray attaches to almost anything, with telescoping arms, pivoting clamps, and a flange to fit in your car window. Let's families on-the-go snack neatly, with two extra-deep cup holders and two utility hooks.

We Love Baby Photo Puzzle

Andy's into looking at pictures of himself. I had a photo album for him, but he tore it apart. The We Love Baby Photo Puzzle probably would have been a better option for us. It can hold up to eight 4" X 6" pictures, has a bright handle for easy carrying, and there are chewy textures that are perfect for teething. If your baby loves pictures, this is a great gift for him or her!

Review: WaddaJuice

Recently, we received a sample of WaddaJuice here at Super Cool Baby. The word from the manufacturer is

WaddaJuice is a great tasting all natural beverage for kids that has half the sugar and calories of 100% fruit juice. We?ve blended pure fruit juice with purified water and fortified it with vitamins and minerals to create a better juice for kids. WaddaJuice is nutritious and simple - no added sweeteners, flavors, dyes, preservatives or additives - absolutely nothing artificial.

We received all three flavors to taste: Apple, Wild Berry, and White Grape. I tasted each before I gave them to the Official Juice Reviewer (our son Anderson). They definitely don't taste like your regular sugar-loaded juice. The added calcium seems to affect the flavor a little bit, but our Official Reviewer loved them nonetheless: the first time we gave it to him, he had finished the whole bottle within about 10 minutes.

Continue reading: "Review: WaddaJuice"

Review: Learning Puppy

The Laugh and Learn "Learning Puppy" is a toy we've had for a long time, so I'm surprised we haven't reviewed it yet. A friend gave it to Andy, and it's been a great toy for him. At first he used it more as a stuffed animal because he was a little young to understand how to use it. But as he's grown, he's used it more and more. The puppy says different things when his nose, belly, feet and other body parts are pressed. He sings songs too when you press the note button on one foot. The songs include "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" as well as a number song and the ABC song. There's even a dog bone collar that lights up when the buttons are pressed. This is a good interactive toy for a baby, and Andy's gotten a lot of use out of ours. My only complaint is that it can be a bit of a ghost toy - suddenly coming on and saying something when you aren't near it. It's done this to me a few times in the dark which has spooked me out a bit! But besides that, it's a great toy and I recommend it to you and your baby!

UPPA Baby Vista Stroller

I just discovered this new stroller from UPPA Baby, and I really like it. In fact, if I were buying a new stroller this definitely be the one that I would get. It's got lots of great features like:

• Easy one-step fold — with or without the seat attached
• Includes both bassinet and seat — completely interchangeable and requires no fabric swapping
• Reversible seat and 3 position seat angle adjustment
• One button, telescopic handle-height adjustment
• Rubber-coated tires that never go flat
• Welded and formed aircraft aluminum alloy frame
• Floating arch, "no kick" rear axle
• Red/Green successful attachment indicators
• Reversible pram mattress adjusts to cold or warm weather
• Removable and machine washable fabric
• Weather shield and mesh sunshade and bug cover included
• Suitable from birth up to 40 lbs.

Seriously, this stroller has just about everything that I would want in a stroller. You can even get an attachment to make it comapatible with popular infant car seats.

Rattle Ring Zmooz from Keptin Jr

Looking for something a little different for a new baby? Consider the Rattle Ring Zmooz from Keptin Jr. This cute rattle is also a doll with a large pointy (but soft) hat. It's made of 100% terry cloth, filled with pure wool, and hand washable. It's currently available in two colors: red and yellow.

Baby B'Air Infant Flight Vest

Traveling for the holidays? Well, it never even occurred to me, but if you travel with your young child on your lap, you could be putting him in danger if you encounter any violent turbulence. Why take the risk when you can get one of these Baby B'Air Infant Flight Vest. This vest is currently the only solution for lap held children who fly that is FAA approved for in-flight use. It works by securing your child to your lap belt. Your baby can now be held, fed and even changed while you both remain securely fastened in your seat.

Plasma Car

If your toddler needs a car, consider the Plasma Car. This car is made from state of the art plastics so it's rugged and durable. It doesn't use batteries or any other power supply besides your child's energy, so it's quiet too! All you need is a flat surface to use. We love the sleek look of it and know that your child will too!

Musical Fingerpaint

Finger painting is a ton of fun but rarely worth all the work. Musical Fingerpaint changes all that though. The baby sized easel has a special goop surface that is fun to touch and responds with colorful designs and music. Your baby can use either his fingers or one of four drawing tools included to make the colors, and the music plays whenever the surface is being touched. There's also a button that will play three songs when pushed. To erase the picture, just move the roller bar. And the best part is that clean up is easy! No messy hands and floors to wash, just a toy to put away!

Also at Amazon.

Frog Bead Maze

Every baby needs a maze toy like this Frog Beat Maze Toy. The wooden frog sits atop a wooden frame surrounded by a bead maze. The wooden beads are colorful and non-toxic and can move in and out of the frog's mouth. This toy encourages hand-eye coordination, color recognition and will give your child lots of fun play.

NooBoo Pound a Sound

If you have a Bam Bam baby that likes to pound things, the Nooboo Pound a Sound is perfect! When the baby whacks at it, he will hear different sounds such as jumgle drums or a BOING! A plush hammer comes with it, and this toy is soft and baby safe.

Also available at Amazon.

Moving Elephant from Plan Toys

Need a stocking stuffer for your little one? He'll love to watch this little elephant from Plan Toys zoom across the floor. The elephant has big floppy felt ears, and wheels made of rubber. Like all Plan Toys, this elephant is made from natural, chemical-free rubber wood and is finished with non-toxic colors.

Little Superstar Sing Along Stage

Andy loves music, and I love singing to him, so I like the idea behind the Little Superstar Sing Along Stage. There are fix songs that you can sing along to with your baby, and when the music plays there are four dancing spotlights, a pop-up audience, and a large mirror for your baby to watch him or herself. There's also a microphone that starts the music when shaken, and four musical instruments lining the bottom that play the appropriate sounds when pressed. It also has features that will grow with your child as he does.

BB2 Rocker

Every kid needs a chair of their own. Andy has really taken to sitting in chairs that are just his size, so I know he would love the BB2 Rocker over at Modern Seed. This rocker is made from environmentally friendly, industrially grade materials. It's remarkably easy to clean and would make a perfect addition to any play room, bedroom, or living room! And best of all, enter coupon code FILLY10 at checkout to save 10% off order.

Play N Ride Train

For the toddler obsessed with trains there is the Play N Ride Train. It can be used as a push or a ride on toy, has a lot of neat features such as a lever that makes a squeaky noise and a smokestack funnel with a lever that makes the barber pole spin. It has a working steering wheel, a removeable backrest that can also be used as a push bar for beginning walkers, and a seat that opens up to a secret compartment.

Fun Ice Teether Babies

These Fun Ice Teether Babies are more than just rattles, they're teethers that you can stick in the freezer and in the washing machine. They have multi-textured paws and feet that are filled with a stay-soft gel. After you stick it in the freezer, the teether will offer some great cooling relief for your baby's tender gums.

Diaper Cake Giveaway Reminder

Don't forget about our diaper cake giveaway from Diaper Cake Walk! The winner will get their choice of a three-tier diaper cake from this page. The cake will be shipped to you, or a recipient of your choice within three days! All you need to do is send an email to newstips@supercoolbaby.com with your choice of diaper cake from this page by Friday December 14, 11:59pm EST to enter.

Review: Baby Jamz

We've been lucky enough to be able to review a few products from Baby Jamz, a new toy company started by the father and sister of singer Beyonce. According to the company,

This musical toy line is the first ever hip-hop/rhythym-inspired preschool toy line that promotes learning, creativity, and movement through music. Solange (Beyonce's sister) can be heard singing many of the nursery rhymes featured with the toys and on the accompanying CD.

First up is the Baby Jamz Mix Master Chair. There were a few buttons that you could press while it was still in the box, and Andy seemed to love it before it was even put together. He kept going back to it, pushing the buttons over and over. It was easy to put together, all we needed was a Phillips screwdriver. Once it was completed, Andy was quite excited. He sat in the chair, pressed the buttons, stood up and pressed them some more, than sat down and did this all over again. And he hasn't stopped. All he wants to do is play with this toy. He's dragged it all over our upstairs wherever he's gone.

Continue reading: "Review: Baby Jamz"

Baby's First Sports Bag

Want to introduce your infant to sports nice and early? Check out Baby's First Sports Bag over at Corner Stork. This plush playset includes a baseball that crinkles, a basketball that rattles, a soccerball that boings, and a football that squeaks. The balls are small, only 2" around, so they'll fit in your baby's grasp. And they all fit inside the bag. I bet babies will love taking them out and putting them back in!

Baby Einstein Discover & Play Teether Book

Andy's liked books from a very early age, but we never owned anything like the Baby Einstein Discover & Play Teether Book. The pages crinkle and squeak, there are real pictures of baby's world, there are soft textured teether edges, Spanish and French are introduced as well as English, the book is machine washable, and it's held together by three rings. I wish I had known of this when Andy was younger, he would have loved it! The book above is about numbers. There's also a farm version at Amazon.

Christmas Dresses

I hate to ignore the boys, but girls in holiday dresses are just adorable. Maybe it's because I don't have a girl to dress up for Christmas, but I can't stop looking at some amazing and beautiful outfits for girls. Here are a few of my favorites from a few of my favorite children's boutiques:

Red Embroidered Taffeta at Tiny Tot Dress Shop

Miss Santa RED Dress-3piece set at Tiny Tot Dress Shop

Gingerbread Corduroy Dress w/ Personalization at B.Swanky

Christmas Stocking Corduroy Personalized Dress at B.Swanky

Biscotti Scarlet Bubble Winter Dress at Adriana Primadonna

Biscotti Scarlet baby Tulle Dress at Adriana Primadonna

Pirate Rocking Boat

Looking for a rocking horse that's a little off the beaten path? Or maybe you've got a lover of the season on your hands. Either way, this Pirate Rocking Boat definitely fits the bill. It's not entirely clear if the steering wheel turns, but it definitely looks like a neat place to sit and rock, while the waves crash against the hull. There is some assembly, but hopefully it isn't too difficult.

New Product at Threadless Kids: Hoodsies

Threadless Kids has a new product: hoodsies. They are a combination of a onesie and a hoodie, and we are obsessed. If only they had these when Andy was little! I am the biggest hoodie fan you will ever find, and I would have bought these all up instantly! Right now they only have them in a few designs: The Accident, Everyone Poops, Hi, So Far, and In a Comic. Threadless is also having a sale through December 16. All their tees, including kids sizes, are only $10. Hoodsies are $20, and we aren't sure if that's a sale price or the normal price of them.

Sit Me Up Cozy

The Sit Me Up Cozy reminds me a lot of Harold the Hound. Two inflatable half-rings with a soft plush surface connect (via Velcro) to a super-soft playmat. You can prop up your infant or lay her down. And when she gets fussy, there are four removable toys: a cow bell rattle, chicken squeaker, lamb rattle and mirror flower.