Baby Gear

We recycle in our home and have been for many years. Recently my children asked me why we put certain things in our “other” trash can. I explained recycling to them and then I wondered what exactly is our recycled material made into? I wanted to find out for my kids as well as for myself. I found many things on my travels that are tagged with “made with recyclable plastics” and I feel great about not only buying those items but my recycling efforts!

Now the little red wagon has “gone green” too! This is a green radio Flyer. This great wagon is made from 100% recycled post-consumer HDPE (plastic milk jugs). Over 230 milk jugs were diverted from landfills to make each Earth Wagon. The green and tan colors are infused throughout the boards so color won’t scratch off and painting is never needed.

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It seems to be hard these days to find great baby and kid clothing that doesn’t have some saying that is not appropriate for kids, or is unique. I love finding great clothing for my kids but I am not willing to break the bank to do it either, especially the way my kids grow! Regular readers will also know how I love mom owned businesses. Ooh La La Mama has great clothing for kids and was created in the end of 2006 by wife and husband team, Cindy Parker and Scott Stoughton.

What makes Ohh La La Mama clothing are so unique for kids are the front and back (they use a full-color printing process that is really pretty and extends to both the front and back) real photo designs and fabulous graphics. Finally your kids can be as hip as you wish you were! Perfect for my pint size fashionistas!
My kids love the clothing as much as I do because the ply-cotton blend is soft and comfortable. My son loves his shirt because “it is a cool rock ‘n roll shirt!” my daughter loves her dress because it has a “heart on it and pretty sleeves!”. The onesies are so adorable, my baby looks so cute in it.

These are works of art not just shirts. Check out Ooh La La Mama for your own children’s clothes, a great baby shower or birthday gift for that edgy and different style. Go order some great apparal (from 3 months to size 6) and enter their photo contest for a chance to win $250 of clothing for your little one! I am off to upload our pictures today!

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I have found with this new baby of mine, that he is not an easy sleeper. He is not one of those infants that you can put him down and he will just sleep. After 5-10 minutes in anything he cries. Vibrating seat? Boring. Swing? Okay for a while but then he is done. I wondered how I would ever get this baby to sleep and then I found pippalily slings.

Pippalily was started by a mom whose daughter always wanted to be worn. She couldn’t find the unique and stylish slings she wanted so she made them! These slings are pouches so they are easy to get baby in and out and there are no rings to adjust. Those rings confuse me anyway.
I love that this sling had a deeper “seat” for the baby. It makes me feel that my baby is more secure.
I wear my baby all the time at parties, to the park, it is easy for me to use, K loves it and I have my hands free for my other two kids.

The thing I love most about these slings is that all of the fabric and patterns are simply gorgeous. The silk brocade is fancy enough to wear to a wedding or any other event as well as to the playground. I have received so many compliments on my Chocolate Brown Dragon sling! I love the Morning Glory Coral sling too. I want them all!

Get one for your husband for Father’s Day! Pippalily makes great slings in a masculine camouflage print or a plain black cotton sling. Don’t know how to use a sling? Don’t worry they have instructional how-to videos online for you.
These are going to be my new gift to get for baby showers.

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I always remember how my mother would trot us out to our local Stride Rite every August to buy my sister and I new shoes for school. She would always tell us how important good shoes are for growing kids. There are so many shoe brands for kids out there now, and finding one that is really great is not that easy. I have found that one for you.

Eleven Shoes are some of the best kid shoes I have ever seen. Eleven is a sister company with See Kai Run, another great children’s shoe company. See Kai Run shoes are made for prewalkers and walkers, infants and toddler sizes 3-9, but Eleven shoes are for older kids with sizes 9-1.
Every Eleven shoe has its upper and interior lining constructed from premium leather this is just so soft. That coupled with the padded insoles, makes the shoes breathable and comfortable for your children. The styles are timeless and classic and it is great quality footwear.

What I also like about this collection is that I think some of the shoes would be great for either a boy or a girl. That means hand me downs of the Rio shoes my daughter has to her little brother. We have received many compliments on these shoes since my daughter started wearing them. The only thing I don’t like about Eleven shoes is that they don’t come in my size, I would love a pair! Go get your kids a pair or three, these are great for back to school, and I know you are counting the days until that!

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I am not a fan of most stuffed animals. My kids have a few that they are attached to and a few that they like but never play with. I hate to have things that just collect dust and are just taking up space. I have found a stuffed animal that is more though, one that is very special. Zoobie pets.

Zoobie was started by two brothers on a quest born out of a desire for innovation and a love of children. With a tag line of: Play. Sleep. Love. how can this company not be good? These are no ordinary animals, each pet is a plush toy, a soft pillow and a comfy blanket all in one!
Just detach the velcro and unzip a zipper and your stuffed animal can change into a pillow or blanket and back again. It is easy to use and safe for children.

How perfect is this for children to travel with? Instead of packing a lovie, a blanket and a pillow, you have it all in one with these soft, lovingly made zoobies. The signature faces on each animal all contain micro beads, making them extremely soft and each animal has its own definitive extra-soft-to-the-touch body texture, making for exceptionally comfy pillows. The inner blankets are made of extra soft and warm coral fleece.
Choose from a ton of different animals from either the zoo collection or the safari collection.
My only problem with this toy is that my two older children each want one of their own! This makes not only a great gift for a new baby but kids of all ages will love it too!

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I am always looking for great products that are all natural for my kids. It seems like my baby is just like his older brother and has sensitive skin. I had to use baby detergent for over two years for my older son’s laundry. I used a Johnson & Johnson lotion on my infant and he had a reaction to it an hour later. I don’t need a lotion that gives him a rash, I want one to help dry baby skin and rashes. I want something great for my children but gentle too.

I looked for something that fits that description at my Whole Foods and found Jason Earth’s Best Baby Care Calendula Extra Rich Therapy Creme and I purchased it. I really like it. It is 70% organic without the use of potentially harmful synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.
It is also not greasy at all and non-staining, which is great especially if you have ever tried to get greasy stains out of baby clothing.

The calendula extract possesses anti-inflammatory properties to thoroughly hydrate and calm red or irritated skin, while Vitamin E and Organic Jojoba Oil bring the most delicate and sensitive skin the ultimate in dry skin relief. I also love the easy to use container that it comes in.
It is not cheap lotion but you won’t need to use it as often because it works so well!
Try it, I think you will like it.
Is there a lotion that you use for your kids that you love?

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I loved personalized things as a child and now so do my kids. They only want to use the cups with their names on it, or their name tooth brushes and always look for personalized items when we are out.
It was great when my twins were learning their letters and then to spell things, because they recognized the letters in their name.

Olive Kids has great things for children of all ages and one of them is personalized placemats for children. Olive Kids placemats are thick, durable and will withstand being used over and over again by children. They measure 12” x 18” and are made with heavyweight laminate for easy clean-up.

They have the cutest patterns to chose from. Trains, outer space, Under construction, tea party, pirates, race cars, butterfly, sand castle, flower, holiday and many, many more!

At $9.99 they make perfect birthday or holiday gifts and you can get a few for each child. They even have a five pack of assorted mats. They are a great alternative to the character-based entertainment licenses. They have more classic designs that kids all love.

They also have other personalized items like personalized clocks, gorgeous name and art prints, floor pillows and book marks. These are great for decorating a child’s room or nursery or for gifts. Check out Olive kids today, I am sure you will find many things that will keep you going back!
What are your children’s favorite personalized items?

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I love simple, fun board books as much as my children do. I love the sturdiness of board books for toddlers too!
This is why I find the Hippo board books by Jane Yolen so Great. Each book: One Hippo Hops, Sad, Mad and Glad hippos and Hip Hippos are written with playful rhymes. They teach about the world of numbers, colors and feelings.
The illustrations are beautiful and the simplicity of the story. Each edition has been designed to appeal to the imagination of infants and toddlers.
geared for children ages 0-4 years old these make great gifts. Check all of these great books out on amazon.

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Since I am still new to breastfeeding, sometimes I find it a little difficult. Especially when I am out in public. Where do I breastfeed that is safe, and private? How do I nurse without my breastfeeding pillows? Also, how can I keep myself covered while in public? These are all commonly asked questions by other nursing mothers, I have recently discovered. When I came across the breastfeeding bonnet by MoBoleez, I knew I wanted to try it.

MoBoleez was founded by a nursing mother of two (you know how I love to support mom owned businesses!) who wanted to design something unique for the breastfeeding mom. This 70% bamboo and 30% cotton hat fits perfectly on baby’s head but has a large, floppy brim to cover mom’s breast. The hats come in pink, blue, green, cream and red, and each has a very cute designs on the top and a “hi mummy” on the brim for mom.
The hat is much softer then I thought and it held up well after a trip in the washing machine.

I have a cover up that I use to breastfeed in public but with warmer weather approaching, I think it would be hot for both me and K. I love the idea of this hat, it keeps the sun out of the baby’s face and gives me the privacy I want. Great idea and well executed.
Go order one today for yourself or as a great baby shower gift!

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With my newest baby I am not looking for quantity of clothing, since we are already busting at the closets with the other two kids, but quality. I want clothing that is soft for my baby and earth friendly. A few choice pieces is great for us, as we all know how quickly babies grow out of clothing! The great people at Kate Quinn organics were nice enough to send me a few pieces of clothing for my baby and I am in love.

Kate Quinn organics makes stylish clothing and they are made from the finest 100% certified organic fabrics. The clothing is super soft, and made from all-natural, organically produced cotton certified by Control Union Certifications. Plus, all the clothing has been certified Fair Trade.

Surely I cannot be the only one that thinks babies look so cute in kimono tops? My son is wearing the peacock onesie right now and I love it!
They don’t just offer baby clothing, they have accessories and clothing for toddlers as well. They also offer blankets and hooded towels. If you are buying a gift and are not sure about the sizing, they now offer gift certificates.
Plus women’s clothing is coming soon! I can’t wait for that.

I love this clothing for my children and I know you will too. It washes well and holds up to a busy baby. Although, I do suggest buying a size up because my son is only two months old and almost out of the 3-6 month size onesie.

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There are many cute things for girls these days. Of course, everyone knows it is easier to buy clothes for a girl then a boy, it just seems like there is more out there. When you find something cute, you have to stick with it because you don’t know where you will find it again! Baby Bling is one of those things.

Bling Baby has great * bling* items for boys. The great people at Bling Baby sent my son a cute onesie with his name in bling. It is adorable on and we love it. They also sell hats, pacifier clips and burp cloths with bling on them. I may be biased though, because I love personalized items for babies and kids. Get a shirt with your child’s name on it or their nickname.
They don’t just have items for boys though, check out all they have for girls. These shoes alone make me want to have another baby!
Go get your baby some bling!

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Parachutes are great for kids of all ages. Infants love to lay down and have the parachute go up and down as they watch the show. Toddlers love to be dragged along on them or run under as the parachute falls.
This parachute for kids is worth its weight in fun and is great for physical coordination!

These parachutes are $29.95 fo rthe medium - 11 1/2 ft - 8 Handles and
$57.95 for the large - 19 1/2 ft - 12 handles.

Have your children lie on top of it and makes waves by pulling the parachute up and down around them.
Bounce balls on top of it.
Kids love to run underneath and switch places with others, Number each child around the circle- and then call out a number.

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Zoe and Sprout is a green baby clothing company with a fun line of organic cotton onesies and tees with fresh, funny sayings. All are printed on 100% organic cotton material and are sweat shop free. I have had the pleasure of trying out a 100% organic onesie and I love it!

Zoe & Sprout clothing is soft and holds up well to a washing, no shrinking. They have onesies and shirts for kids 0-3 months all the way up to 6T. Perfect for all of my kids! They make shirts with cute sayings, and I would have loved to dress my twins up in the “I’m a little bit country” and “I’m a little bit rock & roll” shirts when they were small!
Check them all out and support a mom owned business, plus they give back by donating 3% of their profits each year to Keep America Beautiful.

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Babies love to put everything in their mouths, all moms know that. Babies will put any fuzz, piece of food or even your hair in their mouths, just like a puppy! In addition to having to wear my hair back, I had to limit my jewelry wearing when I had the twins because any dangle earrings, or necklace went right into their mouths. Gross and dangerous!
Now there is jewelry that is not only adorable, but is OK for babies to put into their mouths.

Smartmom jewelry makes non-toxic, phthalate free, silicone teething jewelry for mom. The material is non-toxic, latex-free, food–safe, even dishwasher-friendly.
Whether it is a pendant or a matching bangle bracelets, all are cute for mom and safe for baby. No more picking up the teethers from the floor and having to clean them off before you can give them back to your child, now they are attached to you.
I also love that this is a mom owned business!
The best part of it?

I love my teething bling and I have had so many other mothers come up to me and asking me what they were and where I got them from.
Now, if you order any of the Teething Bling pendants and they will automatically add a matching bangle for free.
Go order away, they make great shower gifts. With Mother’s Day coming up get some for your babysitters, Grandmothers or Aunts.
Plus, they are a perfect way to keep a teething baby occupied!

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A lot has happened in the five years since I have had kids. I found out early in my pregnancy that everything my kids had when they were babies from bottles to rubber ducks were laden with BPAs. I was suddenly on the hunt for new bottles and pacifiers for our new baby. Green to grow was one of the companies I found with BPA-free bottles.

Green to Grow was founded last year and makes exclusively BPA-free infant and toddler feeding products. Instead they are made from PES plastic, which gives them a natural golden color. They make 5 oz and 10 oz regular or wide neck bottles from PES plastic and medical-grade silicone, made in Taiwan.
The first thing I noticed about these bottles were how cute they were with fruit faces on the front of them. They are easy to use and clean without valves or other intricate parts. They range in price from $7.49 to $10.49.
You can feel good about buy these bottles because not only are they safe for your baby, but they are made with 100% recycled packaging, soy inks, and 1% of annual profits going to environmental causes!

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