• baby gear Archive

    When my older daughter was a baby, we were fortunate to move to a home with a beach at the end of our street. As a new mom, I couldn’t wait to head down to the water with my baby in tow. After precariously loading up our stroller–with beach bag, sand toys and extra-large blanket tucked underneath; folded beach chair balanced on top; and umbrella bag slung over my shoulder–we headed out. Of course, we didn’t get very far without me having to stop every minute to shift my position and re-adjust all of our belongings. Luckily, my daughter remained intact, but I couldn’t say the same for my sanity. Eventually, I learned to master our beach-bound excursions, but had always longed for a stroller [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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. [&hellip

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    I’ve always been envious of babies in cozy cover-ups–and it’s not just because I detest cold weather. When my daughters were younger, I got such a kick out of snuggling them into their zip-up car seat-ups as I schlepped them around town. Just the thought of seeing only their little heads peeking out gave me the giggles (or maybe I was just punchy from being so sleep-deprived). Whatever the reason, the very act of being all wrapped up with one, quick zip–rather than being stuffed inside blankets that easily came undone and dragged on the ground–was sheer genius…but one that wouldn’t still benefit from some improvement. That’s part of the reason we love the Pookie Poncho Light from 7 am Enfant. This multitasking product is [&hellip

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    Last weekend at church, I watched as a young baby dropped his rattle repeatedly, only to watch his doting grandpa bend over and pick it up again and again. Much to my and my fellow parishioners’ amusement, this game got pretty old pretty fast for Grandpa…but only continued to elicit giggles from the precocious little tot. Too bad this baby’s diaper bag hadn’t been packed with Loopy Gear, an inventive baby gadget that only a mother who’s been there, done that could have dreamed up. It works by attaching the larger loop to your baby’s wrist and the smaller loop around his rattle or small toy. Available in a variety of stylish cotton prints, Loopy Gear can also be attached to your child’s car seat, [&hellip

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    When my preschooler was an infant, boy, could that kid cry! Pacifiers were never enough to soothe her; she’d spit them out faster than I could pop them back in. And bouncy seats never offered enough movement to satisfy her for any considerable length of time. Thank goodness then for her swing, a newer, portable model that replaced her older sister’s bulky floor model. It didn’t matter that it offered more music or an extra cushiony seat; for this temperamental tot, it was all about the constant motion that kept her smiling and her mommy, sane. Amazed as I was four years ago to see the transformation in her swing’s more sleek design, I marvel today at the strides in innovation that make baby gear [&hellip

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    Today, on our weekly supermarket jaunt, my 3-year-old and I were treated to a display of hearts-shaped place mats, cupid cookie cutters and all things red and pink. That can only mean that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. If you happen to be the proud parent of a new bundle of joy, or have a best bud who’s expecting, it’s time to introduce that little babe to the good life with an infant seat she’ll simply love. Bloom’s limited edition coco rosso rocker may be designed for a baby, but it definitely has grown-up appeal. We love that it looks as comfortable as it feels, thanks to a specially designed Plexistyle soft seat. The 5-point harness ensures that your little one stays put, [&hellip

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    One of the most useful, unexpected baby gifts I received was a baby footmuff. I don’t recall the brand or name, but I do remember taking one look at this strange contraption and thinking, “Yeah, right. I don’t think I’ll be taking that out of the box anytime soon…” Little did I know that when my daughter’s first winter arrived, I’d be struggling to fit her puffy coat inside her car seat straps day after day. I imagine wrestling a crocodile was easier than this! After many failed attempts at getting her in her seat without any tears, I had a lightbulb moment and quickly ran upstairs to unpack that suddenly practical present. This is genius, I thought, as I carefully stripped off her bulky [&hellip

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    In my family, if you were said to have ‘thick skin,’ it meant you didn’t let things get to you. I’d like to think that over the years, I’ve developed quite a few layers that have enabled me to withstand criticism…at least for the most part. Growing a protective shell doesn’t happen overnight unless, of course, you’re a turtle. And when you’re a new parent shopping for baby gear that will stand up to wear and tear, this animal’s tough exterior comes to mind. How fitting that Kolcraft’s TurtleTot Activity Center is centered around this very creature. The newest stationary activity center to come to town, it features Toby TurtleTot who sits amidst a group of playful pals–a worm, butterfly, bee and rattle–inviting your little [&hellip

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