Baby Gear

I never had any problems with my kids at bedtime for the first few years of life. When I separated my twins into their own rooms, suddenly my son was scared of the dark. Really it just turned out to be a delay tactic to stay up a little bit longer every night, but it worked. We tried a bunch of different things to make him feel better. The cat sleeping with him, the bedroom door open, the closet light on, etc.
If I had found this glow bear I think this would have done the trick!

Glo-e bear is a light up snuggly bear. It lights up in seven different colors! Use the magical wand to activate the bear. It automatically turns of in fifteen minutes, just enough time to let your little one fall asleep. It comes in your choice of colors, white or pink (the pink is $3.00 extra). If you are not crazy about the bear or have more then one child, they also offer a puppy, a monkey or a heart or square pillows. At 21.99 it is not much more expensive then a regular stuffed animal.

This might just get your kids wanting to go to bed at night. Even if your little one is a great sleeper, this is a nice gift for Valentine’s day, Easter or a birthday for kids of all ages.
Or, you can go a more traditional route and just get a personalized night light that is monogrammed or with just an initial!

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There are some baby gear items that I would have loved to have when I had my twins. We had the swings, the vibrating seats, the boppy and the activity seats, all of which the babies loved. Of course there are new things coming out all the time and I feel like my Mom when I say “Wow, we had nothing like that!”

The Fisher Price soothing motions glider is one of those baby items. The first thing I noticed about this glider was that is so plush. It looks so comfortable for a new born baby. It has two reclining positions for baby one for new babies and one for older babies. It glides in two ways - side-to-side or front-to-back, which is amazing. The other thing I love about this seat is that it seems to be designed for Mom as much as baby, it rotates 360 degrees so the baby can always face mom and it has handles so you can carry baby from room to room.

This chair also has music and over head toys to stimulate baby. The pad is also machine washable which is a huge plus, babies are always dribbling or drooling. It is for newborns up to 25 pounds, but I am not really sure a baby over 20 pounds would fit into this glider. It has great reviews on Amazon.com and it is priced at about $70.00. It is not a must have if you already own a baby seat and/or swing because you probably would not use it for very long, but it seems like a great baby item to have on a “wish list”.

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When you are pregnant for the first or fourth time you know there is a lot of things you need for a baby. They may be small but they can take over your house with their “stuff”. Some things you need for day to day living and some baby gear is a luxury. Besides diapers, wipes and clothing, a baby monitor is very necessary.

When I had my twins I received a baby monitor as a shower gift. We were living in a apartment and the traditional monitor was ok, although I would get to hear the occasional phone conversations of my neighbors that the monitor picked up. Now that I am pregnant again I wanted a monitor that allowed me to see the baby now that we are mostly downstairs during the day and the baby’s room is upstairs.
I had the pleasure of reviewing Summer Infant Day and Night Handheld Video Monitor. This 900 MHz monitor blows away my old traditional monitor. This portable handheld unit is perfect for moving around the house and still being able to see your baby. There are also traditional sound lights that visually show baby’s level of activity. There are nighttime LED lights on the camera that makes the baby fully visible both day and night!
The video monitor has batteries or you can use it with an AC adapter. It also has a kickstand which is perfect for me to view it while I am doing dishes, using the computer or watching TV.

Don’t get this monitor just for a new infant, I would have loved this for my twins when they first transitioned into their toddler beds. It would have saved me countless trips upstairs to see what they were up to. Parents love this monitor, go ahead and read the reviews yourself. This is one of my new favorite baby products to tell all parents about.

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Are you looking for something a little more stylish for your baby’s first bed? Cradles are a great choice for next to your bed in your child’s first weeks of life, or for a place to put the baby in another area of your house. Check out some of these splurge-worthy, modern, unique cradles that are not necessarily budget friendly.

Check out this Caiboo Earth folding bassinet. It is made with sustainable pine and collapses for easy storage. It comes in tow stain colors and is stained with water-based, biodegradable finishes. Perfect for limited space or apartment living. It also has all-natural cotton fabric with are unbleached. Exclusively at giggle.com for $450.00.

This cradle is from a Berlin based initiative called E27. When your baby has grown too big for the cradle, you can remove the cradle and use that as a basket, and attach the included saddle to change the cradle into a modern rocking horse! How fun! It is nice it does something else for $438.00.

I love the idea of this Lullaboo rocking cradle. It comes with an organic cradle mattress and with four finish colors to chose from. It is $590 and comes flat packed and is easy to assemble. This also comes in a non-rocking version for the same price.

Lastly, treat your baby to real style with this iron cradle. This cradle is very ornate and looks like it belongs in a palace. It comes with the mattress and has various choices of finials and colors for $1,199.00.

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Mobiles were invented by the American sculptor Alexander Calder in the early 20th century. Nothing says “nursery” like a great mobile. There are so many different kinds these days. The primary colored ones, the pastel ones that match your room’s decor or the kind that come with a remote control. Which one is best? That is up to you but I will help you narrow down a few choices!

I love anything handmade and this pinwheel mobile fits the bill. Kids love pinwheels and you can point a fan towards this and get a fun show. Very cute at $35.00.

If it is bells and whistles you want this mobile by Tiny Love is for you. It requires no winding up, has 4 different types of movement and motion and plays classical music. It is a lot of mobile for $39.99.

Are you looking for black and white? This sheep mobile is for you. Originally designed for MoMA, this mobile is simple and pretty. It also comes fully assembled!

This bunny mobile is so cute I want one for my room! They are made of lightweight plastic and will flow around in the slightest breeze. At $27.00 it will not break the bank either.
Modern tots also has fish or bat mobiles.

Make your own mobile. Here are some cute, easy mobiles you can make yourself or let your young child make with ordinary things you can find around your house.
What kind of mobile did/does your baby have?

{tags] mobiles, fun mobiles, baby mobiles, baby gifts, baby registry, nursery, decorating the nursery, babies, infants [/tags]

Although I never had one, I just love the idea of a moses basket for babies. There are so many unique ones on the market today. It seems like such a cozy, safe place for an infant and I also just love the esthetics of it! It is also great to travel with. Now you have something to put baby in for nap or play when you are visiting friends or family.
It is also an alternative to a baby hammock or bassinet.

These moses baskets are warm and cheery. They each measure 32 x 12 x8 and come in various, beautiful patterns. They each include the soft bedding and a matching blanket.
Babybeemine.com has many choices when it comes to moses baskets. They are more traditional with the removable hood. They also offer many fabric and lining choices and the basket can be used until baby is approximately 15 lbs.
This site also have some with faux fur lining and matching blanket!

These baskets get as elaborate as you would like them to. They have chenille, fur, cotton and organic baskets on the market today. These baskets really make amazing baby gifts. Add things inside like bottles, bibs, outfits, pacifiers and toys then wrap the entire basket in cellophane and decorate with ribbon. Everyone will want to invite you to their shower when they see you walk in with this! This is the show stopper.

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Every parent I know is concerned about lead in children’s toys, baby gear and accessories for kids. I know I have been going through my cabinets, throwing away plastic cups and plates and trying to replace them with safe products. It will make me sick to throw away all the sippy cups and bottles I have saved for this baby. Never mind all the baby toys I have saved that I now have to test for lead. Every week up until Christmas I will list some safe toys made for babies and toddlers and none of them will be made in China.

This Nest Jax toy cube is made from sustainable materials including organic cotton and recycled wood. Made in India through a fair-trade partnership. Perfect as a toy bin in a child’s room, closet or as a hamper. This comes in orange, green, pink and purple.

This Nest Seat is great for one or two children. It has interlocking parts to share with a friend or sit alone. Better then a bean bag chair and more durable. Made from sustainable materials including 100% certified organic cotton and is also made in India through a fair trade partnership.
It comes in orange, purple and green.

Little Tykes 5-in-1 Adjustable Gym is perfect for babies from birth to three years old. It adjusts into twelve different positions and for five different stages of development.
Little Tykes makes over 70% of their toys in the U.S. and tests everything it sells.

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One of the web sites I love is dwellshop.com because they are the greatest unique things for your home. I was so caught up in looking for things for my own house that I didn’t realize they sold great things for baby.

Check out this beautiful crib set from dwell, Garden Blossom. It comes in a traditional crib size or for oval cribs. It is beautiful without being overly frilly and would go with any home’s decor. They also sell matching hooded blankets, bibs and burp set, pillow and stroller blanket. I have never seen that before with any other crib set. It is priced at $384.00 for the crib set.
They sell so many beautiful crib sets with modern, unique fabrics that goes beyond Pooh Bear and polka dots.
Think it stops at baby bedding? You would be wrong, Garden Blossom and other sets are available for kids beds too. They have duvet covers and sheet sets for twins and full beds. I am always happy when people carry sheets for kids in full sets because that is what my children each have and it is a pain to get sheet sets that are cute enough for kids but lovely enough that I want to look at it for a year!

Are you looking for a upscale baby gift? What about a cashmere/cotton receiving blanket? It is of generous size at 28 x 34.5″, comes in chocolate and pink or chocolate and blue. It is reasonably priced at $84.00.

They also make great toys for baby like these soft blocks or these hand puppets that all babies seem to love.

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Do you not want a typical Pooh or Mickey Mouse nursery theme? Are you looking form something more interesting then pink kittens or blue bears for your child’s room? Maybe you rent a home and cannot paint or wallpaper the way you would like to. Whatever the case, you should try wall decals.

Removable wall decals gives you a ton of options for a child’s room or a nursery. It is even terrific for playrooms or any adult room. It is a great alternative to wall paper and if you are sick of them, or want to change it up a little just remove them with no damage to your walls. This DottiLicious pattern would be great for a nursery, little girls room or even a teen.
Do you have a race car fan? This one would be perfect. Or reach for the clouds with this airplane and clouds wall stickers.

For a playroom these chalkboard circles would be perfect. Don’t let them draw on your walls, let them draw on these fabulous chalkboard circles that comes in four colors!
Are you looking for a border instead? Try this lamb border.

Or maybe you just want a splash of color. This would do perfectly even in your bedroom.
All of these ideas are a great way to transform any room into a cool room.

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Looking for a great baby gift? Are you trying to be more green and environmentally conscious these days? Check out www.greenkits.com. they sell reusable natural or organic grocery bags, environmentally friendly household products and fresheners. They have a ton of amazing items for you and your household to save money and help the environment.

They even have a baby green kit. Perfect for a baby shower or new baby gift, this kit is everything a new mom would need. It includes everything an ecologically aware parent needs to ensure that only pure, non-toxic ingredients touch baby. The kit includes:
Non talc baby powder- No talc means no danger to baby’s breathing
Baby shampoo and body cleanser- this tear free soaps are natural and sulfate-free
Calendula baby lotion- Made with sweet almond oil and organic jojoba oil
Diaper Cream- mineral balm with natural zinc oxide blended with organic almond and sunflower seed oils
Baby laundry wash-Plant based and non-toxic
Baby wipes-These do not contain alcohol or synthetic ingredients
Travel baby wipes

All this for the same price of $55.00. You can also get it placed in environmentally friendly gift packaging or placed in a personalized tote. Very cute, very earth friendly and a gift any new parent, new grandmother or new baby would love!

Do you use earth friendly products in your household? Do you think it is important to use plastic free, recyclable and green products around your children?

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Let’s face it, there are so many things you buy for a new baby that the either never use or use a couple of times and you wonder “I paid all that money for that? What a waste”. I am sorry to have to tell you this but many times the things you buy or have to have for your baby will not be used as much as you hope it will.
I love finding baby gear that is functional but also can grow with my child.

This Stokke Sleepi crib does exactly that. This is more then a crib, it is a sleep system that grows with your child. “Just like mommy’s tummy” is the motto for this crib and I can see why. First it will be a crib, then by adding pieces you can make it a larger crib to accommodate your growing child. Then it can be made into a bed with a drawer underneath and finally into two stylish chairs.
It can accommodate a child from birth to seven years. It is also fitted with wheels so it is easy to move from room to room, which would come in handy when you first have the baby.It is made from cultivated beechwood and comes in four colors, white, walnut, natural and cherry. It retails for $749 - $1,089, which maybe pricey for a crib but this would last your child for years.

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What I hate about baby and children’s bedding it that it is very hard to find soft, well made bedding. Crib bedding is a little easier to find, but you will pay for it, with some crib sets going for upwards of $300 a set.
I stumbled across this site which offers eco-friendly comfy bedding.

Kukunest.com offers children’s and toddler bedding made from 100% Öko-Tex certified cotton, as well as wall art. All bedding is soft, 200 thread count cotton percale and is made to Öko-tex environmental standards. Öko-Tex is a European certification process which ensures that certified textiles do not contain chemicals harmful to human health. They have just awesome patterns meant to fuel children’s imaginations. They do this by “experimenting with fresh new color palettes and interesting themes, all manifested through uniquely modern and whimsical designs.”
They offer six different, unique patterns on kids bedding and two different pieces of wall art.

They go beyond Dora, dinosaurs and Elmo. Which, personally, I am sick of. Also most sheet sets I see for kids are infantile and do not match any decor I have in either of my children’s rooms. They are usually always made of poorly manufactured, stiff fabric that pills and is no more then 180 thread count.
They also use minimal packaging composed of recycled paper or reusable materials. They are helping out the environment while still making great products. That is my kind of company!

[tags] children’s bedding, toddler bedding, crib bedding, children’s sheet sets, eco-friendly bedding,

Now that we are pregnant with our last child, I am wondering what we need and what we have for this baby. Since we have boy/girl twins, we have many things that we saved from them and will not have to buy. Equipment is one thing we have plenty of, and some things we even have two of. I am debating whether to keep our old monitor or buy a new one since we now live in a larger home with two floors not a ranch style home like we did when we had the twins. I was thinking of investing in a monitor with a camera to eliminate the excess running up and down the stairs. Also for safety because I am paranoid like all mothers.

There are so many monitors on the market. I have seen at least three different camera monitors, ranging in price from $99.00 to $169.99. One of them has a small television monitor that you place in a central location, and the others have a screen on the portable monitor. They both seem great and received good reviews.
My Graco monitor is now 5 years old and I wonder how well it will do in this larger house. I will have to dig it out and see how many Mhz it has. I want to hear my baby crying but I also need privacy from my neighbors!

Do you have a monitor you love or that you would recommend?

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Do you live in an apartment? Is space an issue for you where you live? We all know babies are small but all the stuff they need is not. I have found a perfect changing table for you if your space is limited.

The Cariboo Folding Changing Table is functional, modern and folds flat for storage or travel. Made from sustainable New Zealand radiata wood and it comes in two finishes teak and mahogany.
They also have a matching bassinet!
At $309.00 it is not the cheapest changing table, but it is perfect for New York City apartment living.

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Did you watch the show Friends? If you did, then you may remember this letter pillow that Rachel had on the wall of her apartment. Letter Pillows are perfect fro spelling out your child’s name on a bed or a wall.

They come in so many different styles, colors, fabrics and trim. They come in 13 inch pillows or 20 inch pillows. They even make small doorknob pillows. These would be great for kids who share the same room or twins.

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