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.

Peltor Kids Earmuffs

When I saw this image of Apple Martin I thought it was adorable. But then it got me thinking about the headset she was wearing as I knew that my husband and I would want to take our daughter to a concert at least once during her young life. I discovered that these "earmuffs" are made by Peltor, the leader in hearing protection products. They were a bit hard to locate here in the US but I finally found a retailer online, Envirosafety, and ordered a pair for my daughter, in pink.

While I wouldn't call these essential for all parents they are a necessity if you plan to expose your child to any loud environments. We have used them multiple times already and my daughter is only 10 months old. She went to her first indoor concert, a recital for my brother, at 6 months and loved the music and vibrations. I didn't realize just how much noise was being blocked until I took them off during a quiet piece in the concert and she started crying when everyone clapped. We also took her to an outdoor concert, stood right near the speakers and she fell asleep in my arms. Beyond concerts we have used them at the fireworks, an airshow and during a parade. They let enough noise in so that your child can enjoy the experience without damaging her ears.

Baby Food Processors

If you own a regular food processor, a stand or hand-held blender then you absolutely do not need a baby food processor. And if you don't own any of the above, then buy a blender. In two months time your baby will be moving on to finger foods and you can use it to make margaritas. Baby food specific processors are a waste of money and will quickly end up in the back of your cupboard collecting dust.

KidCo Faucet Cover

Don't even think of buying one of those gigantic plastic animal themed faucet covers. All they will do is attract your kid's attention which is exactly what you don't want. Fortunately I found the KidCo Bath Spout Cover before I was able to purchase a hard plastic frog cover. My daughter takes a bath every night and has never once gone near the faucet. It isn't shiny and doesn't look like a toy so she could care less about it. Perfect!

Chicco Travel Seat

If you read this blog you know we hate spending money on frivolous baby gear but at the same time we like to maintain some sense style. When we started our search for a high-chair I was initially attracted to some of the beautiful European made chairs that are on the market but there was no way I was paying $300 for furniture that would become spackled with oatmeal and carrots. So I looked at the more conventional baby chairs but hated how big, plastic and ugly they were. That's when I stumbled upon Chicco portable hook-on chairs.

We have been using the Chicco Adventure Travel Seat for two months now and we love it. It hooks-on to the end of our island and our daughter gets to sit there, watch what we are up to and throw food all over the place. Oh what fun. Besides being minimally invasive to our decor it is extremely easy to wash. Every other week I unhook it, take off the hook parts and throw the cover in the sink. I then lay it on our porch to dry and within hours it is ready to be used again looking brand new. This is key since my daughter drops half of every meal in her seat and smears her oatmeal crusted hands all over the arm rests. I think I will keep her in this thing until she is 12.

BPA Free Bottles

Yes I am jumping on this bandwagon. I am sure I don't need to say much about BPA as it is covered in the press ad nauseam. I had heard the concerns about BPA a few months before it blew up and had people throwing away all of their hard plastics. I just didn't think it was that big of a concern. There is so much to worry about that I just decided to put the concern out of my mind and focus on other things.

Then it was the big news headline for a few weeks. It was everywhere I turned. I began to question if I should continue sending my daughter to daycare with her hard plastic bottles, BPA filled bottles. Again I pushed it out of my mind as much as possible until I saw a piece on the Today Show. Their resident medical expert made a statement that changed my mind. She said that as a doctor and scientist she could not say that there was any link between BPA and cancer or any other medical ailment. However as a mother she said that she would find alternatives for her children. That was it. I tossed my daughter's bottle out that day and went to Babies R' Us to buy her the two remaining Born Free bottles that were on the shelf. I also learned that http://www.medela.com/ISBD/breastfeeding/products/bottles_bisphenol-a-free.phpbottles that come with the pump are BPA free so I started using those as well. Just this week I received the free sample that Playtex offered of their drop-in model and think I will start using that now as well.

So now that I don't have to worry about BPA anymore. What should I be worrying about now? ;)

Mam Pacifiers

Even if you believe that pacifiers are a bad habit and shouldn't be used for that long you will need to use one at some point during the first year of life. Don't kid yourself into thinking that you will be strong enough to soothe your child in other ways. Trust me there will come a time when you wish you had one just to give you 5 minutes of peace.

I didn't have any issues with my daughter using a pacifier. My problem was that my daughter couldn't seem to keep them in her mouth. When she was in the co-sleeper I would often fall asleep with my finger in her soothie so that it would stay in place. Or we would zip her jacket up just high enough so that she would keep her pacifier in during the car ride to daycare.

I tried every brand of pacifier that existed and tried larger and smaller sizes and couldn't seem to find one that worked. Until I bought a couple Mams. I popped the Mam into my daughter's mouth and it was like magic. It didn't pop out. I threw every other brand out and now that is all we use. Besides working for my daughter they are also great because they are weighted on the reverse side so that when they do fall out, they don't land on the pacifier so unless you are a germaphobe you don't have to sterilize it before handing it back to your child.

I also just learned that you can buy customized Mams with your child's name. I wish I had known as this would have been great for daycare as it seems that all the kids have the same pacifiers.

Tiny Love Gymini Total Playground

I bought this for my daughter right around 3 months of age. My friend had one for her son and while we were visiting I laid my daughter down on the mat and she entertained herself for 5 minutes. This seems like no big deal now that she is 6 months and plays on her own, for sometimes over 15 minutes. But at 3 months, even 30 seconds of self-amusement is a welcomed break for mom.

My daughter still uses the Tiny Love Total Playground everyday. She loves looking at herself in the mirror and lately has been looking behind the mirror trying to figure out where the rest of the baby is that is staring back at her. The rattle that hangs from the bars makes a really satisfying noise and she was so excited when she finally had enough hand control to shake it on her own. I have to admit that we don't use the kick pad as the music it makes can get very obnoxious after awhile. The mat surface is great, easy to wipe up and hides stains. It is also washable yet we haven't done that yet. I probably should get on that since it now has 3 months of spit-up on it. The other nice thing about this mat is that it packs up very easy. I recommend saving the case it comes in so that you can pack it up and bring it to grandma's.

Top Ten List 0-3 Months

My daughter is 6-months old and parenting is really getting fun. Before I put a close to the early months when I was walking around in a haze created by lack of sleep, I wanted to post a list of the top 10 baby gear items by stage. I will try to do this every few months.

Top 10 Baby Gear Items, 0-3 Months
1. Burp Cloths - have at least 10 on hand to cut down the amount of laundry you have to do each week
2. Swaddle Blankets - waffle blankets with a little stretch are the best
3. Bibs - have 5-10 on hand, the best are Carter's with the waterproof backing
4. Nursing Wraps/Covers - keep those hooters out of site and nurse confidently in public
5. Carter's Lap Pads - get a couple of packs, I think there are 3 in each
6. Arms Reach Co-Sleeper
7. Medela Pump InStyle Advanced
8. Onesies - have at least 15 in either newborn or 0-3 sizes on hand
9. Footed Pajamas - this is your staple outfit for your baby for the first few months. Why bother with tops, bottoms and socks when this will keep them warm and comfortable.
10. Sling - I used the peanut shell but any sling will work. You need something to keep the baby close and your hands free otherwise you won't be able to get anything done around the house.

Don't Buy, Try

Here's some news, babies are expensive. One way you can save money is to purchase some of the pricier baby items from secondhand retailers, especially if it is an item your baby will only use for a few months. Some suggestions are swings, strollers and nursing gliders. If you take good care of your baby gear, then chances are you can resell it for close to the same price at which you purchased the item.

I am a big fan of Craigslist. I have been buying and selling on Craigslist for the past 5 years and have never had a bad experience. The people I have encountered through Craigslist have always been pleasant and helpful. The best part of Craigslist is that it is local. If you find something you like you can generally pick it up from the seller within a day. There is no need to pay for shipping and wait for the UPS man to arrive.

Ebay is a good option for smaller or hard to find baby gear. The waiting period is a bit longer as you have to wait for the auction to close and then again for the seller to ship the item. However it is great for buying used clothes is lots. Think of how quickly your child outgrew their newborn outfits and how many of them you had received as gifts. Newborn and infant clothing on ebay is as good as new.

JJ Cole Bundle Me

I tried to make it through the winter without investing in car seat blanket/cover for my daughter. I had read somewhere that they were not necessary as snowsuit or jacket works just as well. That made sense to me until I realized how time consuming it could be to get a squirming infant into a snowsuit and then try to get the puffy bundle strapped into the car seat. So I broke down and purchased a used Bundle Me on eBay.

I am so glad I did as now getting ready for an excursion outside of the house is not as much of a process as it was before. We just pop our daughter into the car seat and zip the Bundle Me up around her. Even on the coldest days she stays warm and toasty but without overheating. I also washed it recently and found out that it is washer and dryer safe, no issues with shrinking.

Luxury Stroller

It is easy to fall into the luxury stroller trap and decide that your offspring requires a $500 set of wheels. After all it seems like every new mom I see on the street is pushing a Bugaboo or some other elaborate contraption. But I am here to tell you that putting $500 into your child’s 529 plan is a much better decision given that a basic Graco frame stroller works perfectly fine especially during the first 6 months.

Getting a newborn in and out of a car seat is a delicate procedure, and generally it is not something the baby is thrilled about. Why would you then want a stroller that required you to take your child out of his car seat everytime you use it? Instead get the frame stroller so you just have to snap the car seat out of the base and then onto the stroller. Now that is smart.

We love our Graco frame stroller. OK so people don’t take notice when we are pushing it down a fancy shopping street but that’s alright as I can fold it with one hand and throw it into the back of my car in less than 30 seconds. All without having to wake up my child and remove her from her comfortable car seat.

YoMommy Yogurt

I love Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt so I was excited to learn that they had developed a line of yogurt tailored toward pregnant and nursing moms. Introduced in January, YoMommy has added folic acid, DHA and vitamin D. A line-up of essential nutrients for growing babies.

As a member of Bzzz Agent, I received a coupon for a free sample of YoMommy. It took a few weeks for it to be available in a store near me, but now that it is I buy it every week. It comes in single-serving 4-packs with flavors like blueberry, raspberry, peach and strawberry. As a nursing mom I was eating yogurt anyway for the calcium but now I am glad to have an option with added nutrients that are beneficial for my growing daughter.

Designer Dribbles

My daughter spits up a ton. You risk ruining your outfit if you pick her up without a burp cloth on your shoulder. My mom saved many of my old cloth diapers and we use those when we are hanging around the house. It sounds gross but they have been laundered, many, many times and they are more absorbent than any fancy burp clothes you can buy. But having a plain, old white rag on my shoulder got tiring so I ordered a few cloths from Designer Dribbles after a friend's recommendation.

Designer Dribbles embroiders modern cloth diapers with monograms or fun images with your child's name, like the one on the left. For $9 you customize them with a name and the thread color of your choice. For $6 more you can add a chenille backing. I ordered 3 and I get so many comments on them. They are also my go-to gift when friends have new babies.