Review: My Plate Mate

We wrote about My Plate Mate a few weeks ago, and the folks over at My Plate Mate were kind enough to send us a sample so that we could do a full review of this really neat product.

We’ve been using the My Plate Mate for a about a week now. It fits perfectly on our plates (we have a set of plates from Ikea that we use for meals). At first Anderson was a little mystified. Whenever we put it on, he immediately stopped whatever he was doing to remove it from his plate. But after a few days he stopped doing that and doesn’t mind it so much.

Anderson was never one to really want to feed himself, so he hasn’t gotten much use out of the My Plate Mate. But there will come a time, hopefully in the very near future, where this product will prove absolutely indispensable.

My Plate Mate is really easy to clean. Usually a quick rinse, or dip into a sink of soapy water will suffice, but when it gets really dirty, I just toss it into the dishwasher. It’s come out perfectly each time.

It’s made out of a fairly rigid plastic. I gave it a few good hard tugs: the kind you’d expect a troublesome toddler to make, and wasn’t able to do any damage to it. I think it’ll hold up well in most households.

I think My Plate Mate is one of those products that every family with a toddler can use. It’ll make your mealtimes easier, and teach your kid how to feed himself that much faster (and cleaner!). So be sure to order yours today.

Mess Free Meals with My Plate Mate

Teaching your child to feed himself from a plate can be very messy business. Believe me, we know all about that these days. However, with this great product your meal times can be a lot less messy. My Plate-Mate is a plastic guard that attaches to any 8.5-9" child's plate. It keeps messes contained, and gives your child an opportunity to push those stubborn bits of food onto a fork. After meal time, just toss it in the dishwasher for an easy cleanup. This product would definitely be useful in our household; it would give Anderson a lot more opportunities to feed himself!

Review: Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat

When we were done with our high chair, we moved on to this Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat. We wanted something that we could strap right onto a chair and buckle Anderson into, and this one fit the bill. This booster seat comes with a tray that snaps in, and another tray "liner" that snaps onto that tray. This gives you 2 trays to use through the day, so hopefully you don't have to clean a try for every meal. There's also a snap-on lid that goes over the trays, but we never found any use for it. The seat height is adjustable. It has three positions, but we've been using the highest position since we got it. You might have to adjust it depending on your table.

The best part about this seat is its portability. The seat can fold up and squish down into something that's quite small. We stowed it in the back of our car on a recent car trip, and it gave us a guaranteed child seat no matter where we went.

Beaba Babycook at Williams-Sonoma

Many families never make their own baby food because it seems so inconvenient. And I totally agree, cooking two meals every night isn't something that I'd do with any regularity. However, with the Beaba Babycook that's been all the rage in Europe, a lot of the inconvenience is gone. With this little machine, you can steam cook vegetables, fruits, meat and fish in less than 15 minutes, preserving their vitamins and flavors, and then puree or blends the food to the desired consistency. You can also use it to quickly reheat or defrost precooked foods. Best of all, the mixing bowl and steaming basket are both dishwasher safe to make for easy cleanup.

via Kitchen Contraptions.

Thermos Foogo Leak-Proof Bottle

Looking for a way to keep your child's drink cool on those long car rides, or at picnics at the park this summer? Well, check out the Thermos Foogo Leak-Proof Bottle. It has a push-button lid and a popup straw to help prevent spills. It's got an unbreakable stainless steel interior and exterior that will withstand daily wear and tear. It's double wall vacuum insulation will keep your liquids cold for up to 12 hours. To clean it, just pop it in the dishwasher. But please, be extra sure not to leave milk in there for a long time. That smell takes a long time to get out! If you like this, also check out the Thermos® Foogo™ Leak-Proof Food Jar and the Thermos® Foogo™ Sippy Cup.

Unisar MiniFridge at The Land Of Nod

Here is a brilliant invention that could really be useful in those first few months of your baby's life. The Unisar MiniFridge is the perfect size for a few bottles or anything else you may need in your kitchen. You can hook it up in your bedroom, the nursery, or anywhere else convenient to you so you don't have to be walking around a dark house looking for things in the middle of the night. You can also bring it along with you for any of your trips. I can think of many times since Andy's birth that a refridgerator in our hotel room would have been very useful.

Body Bibs at Lima Bean Baby

I think these Body Bibs at Lima Bean Baby are really cute. It grows with your child and can be used for arts and crafts as she gets older. I love this idea as most of Andy's bibs are way too small for him now, and he's always been a messy eater and needed to be covered or stripped before every meal. The bibs have a front pocket that can catch falling food or can be used as a pocket later on for holding utensils or things like crayons and paint brushes during craft time. The bib has four ribbon ties at the back and is machine washable. It also comes in four different prints.

Exclusive for Super Cool Baby readers, use the code 0003 to get 20% off all products at Lima Bean Baby.

Review: Personalized Placemats and Nametags from Olive Kids

The folks over at Olive Kids sent over some their great personalized products the other day. We've had a chance to check them out and we wanted to tell you what we thought. We received a set of 5 placemats, and 2 personalizable nametags.

The placemats come in a wide variety of designs. We received "Out of This World", "Under Construction", "Wild Animals", "Game On", and "Pirates!". These placemats are so colorful and engaging, they instantly give Anderson something to study at every meal. The placemats are all 12"x18", and are made from a heavy laminate. When we're done with our meal, we've been putting them right into a sink full of soapy water, and they clean up in a snap. You could probably just give them a good wipe if they weren't too messy. They've been standing up well to the abuse we've given them. The laminate is so think that they're nearly impossible to bend, so we don't have to worry too much about Anderson destroying them.

These placemats would be great for big families. Since they're personalized, everybody knows exactly where they're spot is, and who's responsible for the big mess after dinner is over!

We also received two personalized nametags. These nametags are made from the same heavy laminate as the placemats. So we know that they're nearly indestructible. They feature the same colorful designs, although in a smaller form. On the back is a place to write down your name, address, and phone number. Each nametag comes with a 9" lanyard, made from plastic. That wouldn't be my first choice, since i was able to break it with a strong yank. I would consider replacing the supplied lanyard with your own one made from a nice nylon rope or something like that. The lanyard lets you attach the nametag to your child's belongings. With a longer one you could even put it around an older child's neck, for the next time you go out to a crowded place.

Olive Kids makes a lot of great products. In addition to placemats and nametags, they personalize clocks, floor pillows, framed and unframed prints. They also carry lots of other products, including some great bedding and rugs. Be sure to check them out!

Keep a Journal for Your Newborn

When we first brought Anderson home, we tracked everything we could in a little notebook that we carried around the house. We did this because we had no idea what we were doing, and we wanted to answer the "how often" questions they ask you at your first pediatrician visits. Well, if you're bringing a newborn home soon, check out this Baby Tracker: Round the Clock. It's a specially designed spiral-bound journal to keep track of feeding, sleeping, diaper changes, and play time. You can keep all your facts, figures, todo's and notes all in one place. Plus, it'll be a neat keepsake for when your child is older.

Construction Utensil Set

Anderson got some construction equipment toys this past Christmas and he seems to like them a lot. I bet he'd love this construction utensil set. It's comprised of a bulldozer pusher (to push those last few peas on to your fork), a fork lift, and a front-loader spoon. The easy grip handles are textured, allowing small hands to grasp easily. And best of all, they're dishwasher safe.

via Rare Bird Finds

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!

Miracles & Milestones: Table Top Playmat

One of our biggest problems going out to eat is what to do to keep Andy entertained. The Miracles & Milestones: Table Top Playmat is perfect for this problem. It is made of vinyl so it's easy to wipe clean. The sides have suction cups to stick to the table. The activities on the sides include tracking beads, a pop up lid with mirror, a clicking toggle, and a textured roller. It can be washed with or without the side toys as the actual mat unbuttons. And it folds for easy storage.

Silikid Bibs

The Silikid Bibs at Baby Dagny seem to be a much better designed bib than most of the ones I currently own. This one is designed to lay flat against your baby, is made of a wipe-away material that won't stain, and it's even dishwasher friendly. It's perfect for someone on the go! It's even available in four colors.

Road Work Mess Kit

Is your dining room floor getting a little messy like ours is? Well, this Road Work Mess Kit comes with everything you need to keep meal times tidy. A 42" square laminated splat mat keeps spills (deliberate or accidental) off the floor, and the bib and terry wash cloth keeps the little devil in the high chair clean too.