Crayola Princess Glitter Paper Set

This coloring set seemed like a great idea. My daughter is not so great at staying within the lines, or on the paper for that matter. So I thought this "mess free" package would be a great way to distract her while I was making dinner or folding laundry. And it was, as long as I didn't consider a snowstorm of glitter all over my house a mess. My daughter loved it, but my house did not.

The Mini Social - Online Sample Sale for Babies and Kids

I love Gilt Group and Hautelook, online sample sale sites where you can get designer goods on the cheap. I was excited to discover that a similar site existed for designer baby and kids clothes and toys.

I have been receiving daily sale emails from The Mini Social for almost six months now and it is the one email from a company that I open every day. Once I see the designer/brand on sale for that day I almost always click through to look through the collection and see what items my daughter just has to have. ;)

Now if you are anything like me, you cannot stomach paying $75 dollars for a t-shirt for a baby. But mark that well designed t-shirt down to $20 and I won't hesitate to snap it up. I have purchased brands like Dwell Baby, Tea Collection, and HaPe toys for well below retail prices. The shipping does take at least a week and a half so don't buy something you need immediately, but I have been very pleased with every item I purchased.

Gazillion Bubbles

Bubbles are a pretty simple toy right? Must be hard to screw them up. Wrong!

I went through a few different types of bubble products this summer before I picked up Gazillion Bubbles and I will never buy another brand. Gazillion Bubbles is true to the name. With one dip into the jar you get a seemingly endless set up bubbles. My toddler was even able to blow a few bubbles even though she can't resist licking the wand.

So what was wrong with the other bubble products I tried? They didn't blow bubbles. Honestly.

On the first sunny day I brought my daughter to Target and picked up the Mega Bubble Kit from Fisher Price. While I turned around 2 hours later and brought it right back to the store to return it. I did feel a bit foolish returning bubbles with the excuse "it didn't work." But it was true, I went through half a jar frantically waving those wands around and got one measly bubble.

The other bubbles I tried this summer before discovering Gazillion Bubbles was a product from Nick Jr. My daughter loves Dora, what 2-4 year old doesn't and the packaging seemed clever. I guess clever is where companies can go wrong with bubbles. First the no-spill container was hard for my daughter as well as myself to operate. I could have excused that but once again, it was nearly impossible to make the thing actually blow bubbles.

So I guess when buying bubble stuff, simple is better but I won't even try another brand anymore now that I have found Gazillion Bubbles.

Laptop Lunch Box

Another must have if you have a child in daycare is the Laptop Lunches bento-style lunchbox. I am kinda crazy about what my daughter eats. I am not strict to the point where she can't have the occasional cookie or piece of cake but I don't want her to become a kid who only eats mac n' cheese (although she does love her Annie's). This bento-style lunch box makes it almost fun to pack her lunch every morning. Everyday she gets a good mix of fruit, veggies, some grains and usually a cheese stick. I occasionally throw in a fruit snack or some other treat. On most days the lunch box comes home empty but if it doesn't I can figure out what food she didn't like and try something different the next day.

I must admit that their website is quite horrific. I did a Google shopping search and found a single lunchbox through another online store. I bought it without the bag as we just toss it in her regular diaper bag. Oh and another great thing is the boxes are BPA-free.

Mabel's Labels

This is one of those products that I just have to share with every mom. I wish I had known about Mabel's Labels 15 months ago when my daughter first started daycare as we would have lost significantly fewer bottles, shoes and sippy cups. Not only are they cute, but they work. You can put them on your kid's plastic belongings, throw them in the dishwasher, the microwave, probably even a volcano and they will stay put. We bought the mini labels and the shoe stickers and now I am thinking of getting some labels for around the house. Easy ordering system and shipping was fast.

Recycled Toys

I don't know what it is but my daughter loves toys that are at least 10 years old and previously used by another family member. I could buy her a brand new toy and she will pass it over but if a relative brings her an old toy that is chipped, stained or simply worn out she will not put it down. Were toys made better back then or is it the Velveteen Rabbit syndrome?

A few of her favorites are a radio shaped music box from Fisher Price that plays somewhere over the rainbow. I think this may have belonged to my brother who is now 25. She is fascinated and frustrated by the Tupperware Shape-O which I believe was actually mine. She also loves the Johnson and Johnson Stack and Fit School which I was unable to find an image of. I think I will be buying all of her future presents by searching for "vintage toys" on ebay.

Baby Bjorn Soft Bib

This bib by Bjorn is brilliant. Anytime my delightful daughter decides to spit out her food or misses her mouth entirely, the food is caught in the bib instead of falling to the floor or getting caught in her seat. It helps to keep my house cleaner and it is easy to clean. No need to waster water washing multiple cloth bibs every week, this is the only bib you need.