When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I knew I wanted an old-fashioned pram in which to parade my new little love around town. By the time my second daughter arrived on the scene, I had grown weary of the neutral-colored baby gear I had acquired along the way. Sure, a cream-colored bouncy seat may have fit into my traditional home decor, while a steel grey car seat meshed well with my car’s interior. But at the end of the day, I found everything to be a bit…oh, how can I put it? Bor-ing. If someone had told me that those first few months of life with a newborn would be filled with lots of cat-napping, diaper changes, rattle shaking, sleeping, bathing, feeding–did we
The Traveling Walnuts Archive
Whenever it was time to feed my baby daughters, I was never without my Boppy. The donut-shaped nursing support pillow that made a name for itself as a must-have baby shower gift, this product got quite a bit of mileage over the years. But because I did not take it along with me whenever I left the house (Lord knows how much other baby gear I had to lug around!), I always felt the substitutes lacked the same comfort that this mommy security-type blanket offered; couch pillows and folded-over comforters just didn’t do the trick. So when I heard about the mom-invented Comfy Cradle, I knew this mompreneur was onto something. Designed by an Ohio mother of two who realized there must be a better
When I want my hot tea, I want it fast. As in “5 minutes ago…but (insert big sigh) now will do.” But when you’re talking about your baby in need of her bottle, that’s 5 minutes you just don’t have. And if you happen to be in transit with a little one during feeding time? Well, you get the idea. Getting moms and dads out of tough situations like these is an ingenious new baby bottle that puts basic models to shame. The Mixie is a self-contained, formula-mixing bottle that is waiting at the ready for the hungry child. By taking the convenience of a snap-on formula container one step further, it holds the formula compartment at the base of the bottle. Unscrew it from
Who doesn’t love getting gifts for a new baby? If you’re a new or expectant mom ready to welcome a new arrival in the new year, have we got the contest for you! Maclaren’s ‘Tis the Season holiday giveaway is offering select new merchandise on the next few weeks on its Facebook page. Today’s featured contest, ending at 11:59 p.m. EST: 4 Universal Organizers to contain all your stroller accessory needs. Next Tuesday, December 18th, 4 Footmuffs will be given away and on Thursday, December 20th, you’ll be given the chance to win one of 4 Quintessentials Stylesets. Mark your calendars and good luck! Tags: baby products giveaway, Maclaren, Maclaren Holiday Giveaway
When my girls were babies and we hit the road (even for a day trip to my parents’ house), I was always lugging tons of gear for my own precious cargo. Stroller, portable crib, booster seat…you name it. While I couldn’t, of course, duplicate all the comforts of home, judging from the trunk of my car, you’d have thought I was! For those babes on the go who can’t quite settle down without a little traveling music, comes the ideal solution. Tiny Love’s Take-Along Mobile looks just like the standard-size model snapped onto her crib back at home, but in a travel-friendly version. It attaches to most strollers, car seat carriers and play yards, so your little one will never feel compromised. Five different melodies
Until earlier this week, when our electricity was restored following the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, family time was all about board games, crafts and anything that could be played by firelight. While those first few rounds of Candyland were doable, the novelty soon wore off. (I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t envisioning an escape plan–for one.) And with school closed for more than one week, I began seeing signs of brain drain I hadn’t seen since summer vacation. Before I was ready to throw my hands up, our mailman delivered a welcome treat: a trial sample of Little Passports, one of the more entertaining boredom busters we’ve seen in a long time. This subscription-based service lets kids ages 7-12 play armchair traveler
My 4-year-old’s favorite time of day is undoubtedly the afternoon. After a fun-filled morning at preschool, lunch and (hopefully) some outdoor play, she’s content to hunker down in her room for a while and settle in with her stuffed animals. I’m not rushing her off to be somewhere, so her mind is free to wander. It’s during these moments, the experts say, that kids get to “be kids” and when their imagination really takes shape. For those with an active fantasy life, but who also need to recharge their batteries with a little down time, comes CuddleUppets, a 2-in-1 plush toy that’s as fun on the go as it is for naps or bedtime. We’ve seen other soft travel toys, but none that is as
When my now 8-year-old was a toddler and we went out to eat, I always kept my bag stashed with crayons, coloring books and the requisite bag of Goldfish (in times of desperation, I’d break out the snacks before the art supplies, rebel that I was). When a colleague sent me a pack of tear-off, stick-on activity place mats, I went through them almost as fast as a bag of Goldfish! I always meant to order more of them, but never got around to stocking up. Wouldn’t a reusable mat work wonders for the time-crunched parent, the one who only realized she’d forgotten the Crayolas and paper after leaving home? (Yup, I admit to that being me on at least a few occasions…) Enter Jaq
When my daughter was a baby, you could tell when I was planning to visit my parents simply by gazing into the back of my car. The amount of baby gear rivaled a Babies R Us boutique, if there ever was one. Sandwiched in between my diaper bag and umbrella stroller was the all-important fish-printed bouncer. Even though it was rather cumbersome and bulky, it was my American Express of baby stuff: I never left home without it. Not only did this seat act as a secure place for my just-sitting-up babe, but it often gave her the opportunity to doze off, courtesy of its soothing vibrations and bubble-making. Despite its immeasurable value during that first year, that seat and I had a love/hate relationship.
Getting ready for vacation always puts our family in a good mood. But packing for the trip? Not so much. Trying to figure out just how many books/stuffed animals/toys can be crammed into our generously sized car still proves challenging. That means there is only so much space for kiddie DVDs and CDs (or at least, that’s what we tell them). This summer, however, we don’t mind making room for some of the newer, travel-friendly releases that put even our “driver” in a toe-tapping mood. Among the ones we’ve got our ear buds plugged into this season is The Harmonica Pocket’s Apple Apple. Not only is it seasonally appropriate, as the summer days segue into autumn, but it offers a fine balance between lively sing-alongs