Archive for the ‘Product reviews’ Category
Laura on November 26th, 2009
If you’re shopping for new parents or parents-to-be, there are a couple of must haves that we swear by.
Leapfrog, of course, has items for all ages, but our new favorite is My Pal Scout. Scout connects to the computer and can be personalized with your children’s favorites & he will even say their name. Scout teaches early learning skills, such as:
- First words
- Daily routines
- Early number sense
- Feelings and emotions
- Animals
Scout is a great first toy, that is guaranteed to be a favorite for years.
BUY MY PAL SCOUT!
One of the best ways for new parents to bond with their baby is through babywearing. All of us have been or currently are babywearers and we’ve talked about it many times. A couple of our favorite companies are TogetherBe and Rockin’ Baby Slings.
I just passed on my favorite “I’ll Stop the World and Melt with You” pouch from Rockin’ Baby Sling onto our new mom *and soon to be new MUM*, Diane. I can’t wait for her to tell you more about it. I absolutely loved this pouch. All of my slings and pouches have been comfortable, but this one is particularly pretty, and so very 70s. All of Rockin’ Baby Sling’s designs are so unique and cool.
Rockin’ Baby also has a great deal going on right now! Through the end of November, you can save 40% on any non-sale item!
Because I’m only toting around 1 toddler these days, I passed all of my carriers but one on to Diane. I kept my TogetherBe Mei Tai. The Mei Tai is a great carrier, because it will carry an infant or a toddler effortlessly. Like Rockin’ Baby, TogetherBe has beautiful fabrics from which to choose. You’ll carry your baby in style.
The Mei Tai straps might seem intimidating, but once you learn how to tie it on (there are instructions online and with the carrier), you’ll be wearing your baby in no time.
Slings and wraps are a great gift for new parents, and we think these are two of the best places to find quality and style for anyone you might be shopping for this holiday season!
Amy on November 25th, 2009
We were given the Britax Parkway GS Booster Seat to try out this past summer. We have an ever-so-quickly growing 4 year old who more than meets the requirements to ride in a booster seat (just to make that clear). We asked our preschooler what she likes best about the Parkway booster and she said, “The pillows on the sides of my head”. I always ask her if she’s comfortable and her reply is always “yes”.
I feel like she is safe in this booster seat and that matters a lot (obviously). She’s comfortable, which is also great but she also looks secure in the backseat.
I like the safety features of this booster, mainly the True-Side-Impact Protection and the SecureGuard for the seat belt to help keep it in place.
Also, if you’re in the market for an infant carrier; hopefully you also read my post about the Britax Chaperone travel system.
In closing, I just want to say that you can’t go wrong with Britax. The car seats are well worth the money. You can’t beat the safety features and the comfort of the seats. It’s obvious that this company takes kid’s safety in the car very seriously. I have a 4 year old and a 4-1/2 month old and if I had it to do all over again, I would go with Britax. Hands down. I’m not just saying that because they gave me seats to try out. The truth is, you need to make sure your kids are safe in the car and that’s not something to mess around with. If you’re going to spend money on a quality baby or kid product, Britax is definitely the way to go.
*Cross-posted from ParentSphere
Laura on November 5th, 2009
The Leapfrog Zippity is yet another genius toy from this forward thinking company. The Zippity gets your child moving, jumping, and thinking all at the same time. The Zippity comes with 8 pre-loaded Disney-themed games, including Mickey Mouse and Little Einsteins.
The Zippity is a large pad with a big, easy to use joystick attached. The games usually begin by jumping to “start” your rocket, scooter, etc. The game will then get your child thinking by asking them to find specific things, or move to a specific color on the pad. All the games are very simple, and increase in skill as your child becomes more adept at using the Zippity.
Noel loves using the Zippity and was able to use it out of the box. The instructions are simple and walk your child through the process easily. With some initial parent set-up (again, very easy), you’ll be Zippity-ing in minutes. The Zippity will keep your children active during the long winter when it’s too cold, rainy, or snowy to go out and run around for any length of time.
If you’d like one of your own, we’ve got one to give away!
WIN IT!
Win one Zippety for your child to enjoy. The Zippity is age appropriate for children about 3-5. Go HERE and enter (use “Zippity” as the contest name)! It’s that simple! We’ll pick one winner on November 20th, 2009 at 10 PM CST. Good luck!
Molly on October 28th, 2009
I have been a fan of Hotslings since 2005. I purchased my first shortly after my daughter Arwen was born. It was secondhand and I did not wind up with the right size. I passed it on to a friend who used it for her new baby. A few months later, I purchased the correct size using the sizing chart at www.hotslings.com and loved it! I used it on a trip to Washington DC we took to visit a friend. Arwen and I had our picture taken at the White House.
The owner of the Hotslings frequented www.thebabywearer.com and I made sure to send her a photo. Hotslings has always had exceptional customer service and quickly developed a loyal fan base.
When I heard about the new adjustable pouch I became very excited. Finally a perfect gift for new parents! The MSRP of $48 is an affordable gift for any new parent and measuring for the perfect fit is no longer an issue. The pouch can be adjusted for use by wearers up to 220 pounds eliminating the need for multiple pouches of different sizes to fit different caregivers. The Hotslings Adjustable Pouch is recommended for babies from 8-35 pounds and can be used for several carrying positions.
The pouch comes attractively packaged in a matching fabric drawstring bag which can be used for storage or for carrying small items while out and about. I selected the La Vie En Rose pattern which is a chocolate with a bold floral graphic nicely suited for fall.
I love the safety arrow on the underside of the pouch indicating proper placement. A person who had never used a baby carrier could take this out of the package and put it on easily and safely using the enclosed instruction booklet. The size of the pouch can be adjusted using concealed buckles ensuring a perfect fit. The pouch is easy to tighten and loosen and is very comfortable on the shoulder. Padding on both sides of the rail mean comfort for baby’s legs if sitting upright or head if in a cradle hold or nursing. Additional instructions and videos are available at www.hotslings.com
I am very excited about this new adjustable pouch and it has exceeded my expectations. I plan to have several friends of try it out and give their impression. Stay tuned for action shots photos and further thoughts!
Laura on October 3rd, 2009
Strange Co., Purveyors of the Peculiar, make toys, but they’re not you’re everyday Ken dolls…
Strange Co. develops & distributes high quality & designer toys for kids, kids-at-heart, and toy collectors alike. Their artist-designed offerings range from bizarre plush & vinyl to figures & prints. Strange Co. is attempting to make the “art toy”, which as a collector of old games, toys, lunchboxes, and figurines, I find this concept quite appealing. From their About Us page, Strange Co. says, “Working closely with contemporary artists from a variety of subculture art genres – pop surrealism, graffiti & street art, independent comics, illustration, graphic design and others – STRANGEco takes original character design and transforms it into beautiful three dimensional art objects.”
I find Strange Co. creations irresistible. Next time you’re looking for something truly unique for a child, a collector, or your weird friend, stop by Strange Co. You’re sure to find something they’ll love!
Follow StrangeCo. on Twitter & Facebook.
Follow me…I’m @LauraTheMum
Laura on September 19th, 2009
Surely you’ve not forgotten about Space Monkey, that cute, loveable, cuddly monkey from space that brings color, fun, and light to boring places, have you?
Space Monkey will brighten up even the darkest night with his whimsical, fanciful, and beautiful art, but now, he can be worn, and bring all this goodness to you! Now, you can show off Space Monkey with an organic shirt, a hoodie, a bib, an organic onesie, a water bottle, even a messenger bag! There’s so much to choose from, it’s bananas.
Soon, we’ll add more art & more gear that will have you going ape. Think Beatles meets Space Monkey…enticing, isn’t it?
Amy on September 14th, 2009
This is our new baby, Teagan Reese. She arrived on July 8th and we’ve been knee-deep in babydom ever since. After Teagan arrived, I anxiously awaited the arrival of our new travel collection from Britax, the Chaperone. The Chaperone infant carrier and stroller were sent to us for review by the company.
Even though the new travel collection was gifted to us, I could still say that I’m not happy with it if I truly wasn’t. But truth of the matter is, I can’t say that I don’t like it. I love it and highly recommend it and would have gladly purchased it myself.
Almost four years ago, we were given a hand-me-down infant carrier and stroller of another popular brand. I always complained how uncomfortable my then infant seemed to be in the seat and the stroller, although lightweight and compact, it wasn’t the greatest when it came to steering and rolling on surfaces. But enough about that.
Let’s talk more about the Chaperone. It’s a brand new product from Britax. What we have here is True Side Impact Protection. The infant seat is roomy enough and comfortable (at least it looks comfy). The car seat base has an Anti-Rebound Bar, which was introduced by Britax in 2004. All in all, I’m confident that this car seat is going to protect my little one in the unfortunate event we’re involved in an accident.
Here is the Chaperone stroller that is paired with the infant carrier. There wasn’t an instruction guide with the stroller but my husband was easily able to figure out the assembly and by watching the Chaperone video on the Britax site, I was able to figure out how the carrier works with it and how to fold and unfold it. (I spoke to a Britax rep via Twitter and they’re going to send me the instructions.)
I’m completely thrilled with the stroller. It’s ridiculously easy to push around, one or two-handed. It strolls gracefully over all surfaces (at least the store/pavement/cement/grass surfaces I’ve had it on so far). I could go on and on about the features but you can find all of that information on the Britax site. I’m just here to tell you that if you’re thinking about purchasing this travel system, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Well worth the money and they have a good deal going on right now, $100 off if you purchase the Chaperone infant carrier along with the Chaperone stroller. Not a bad deal at all.
Laura on September 11th, 2009
Unique baby and children’s items & gear can be hard to come by, but if you’re a long time reader of MumsTheWurd!, you know we can find them. Polkadot Patch Boutique sent me a most adorable sock monkey onesie before Lennon was born, and he wore it until I could stretch it no further around him. Since then, Polkadot Patch Boutique has expanded their line and now offers an even wider variety of hip, cool & unique clothes for your babies and kids. The Morfs Sock Monkey line now includes hats & dresses! They’ve also got robots, many organic & eco-friendly items, fun & funky clothes and gifts, even items for parents, like maternity shirts, slings, and carriers!
WIN IT!
Polkadot Patch Boutique is giving one lucky reader the funky cheetah hands-free carrier that you see pictured here. To enter, go to Polkadot Patch, and tell us HERE what your favorite item is. It’s as simple as that! The contest runs through September 30th, 2009 at 10 PM. Good Luck!
Laura on September 2nd, 2009
We love finding unique companies with a keen eye for children’s clothing. We happened to stumble upon a company that carries interesting, cool, fun, and eye-catching duds for your little ones. It always makes my day when people ask, “Wow, where did you find that??” Invisible Stripes is just one of those special companies that caters to parents like us, that want their children to stand out from the crowd. In their own words, Invisible stripes is a lifestyle boutique that carries street inspired contemporary clothing (and they do have a men’s & women’s line too!).
Invisible Stripes carries hip onesies & shoes for infants, and outerwear & t-shirts for the tots. Noel is the proud recipient of Cheshire Toddler. This 
cool cat puts on his blue stripes when he’s in contact with sunlight! I had no idea that the shirt changed colors until I took him outside. It’s adorable and always catches people’s eyes when they see it change from no stripes to stripes right before their very eyes (and it’s not anything like a hypercolor shirt 
). Lennon’s “I’m Kind of a Big Deal” shirt is actually 3-D and came with an old school pair of 3-D glasses! Both of my little guys look so cute in their Invisible Stripes shirts, and there are many more styles to choose from, that are perfect for gals & guys of any little age. I’m particularly smitten with “Bird Flu” & “Hungry“, and they also have the super popular Lumberjack T’s!
Wouldn’t you LOVE one of these super cool shirts for your hip kid? WIN IT! Win a t-shirt + 2 50% off coupons (to give to friends (or to keep for yourself!) Visit the Invisible Stripes website & tell us your favorite style. ENTER HERE! Contest ends September 15, 2009 at 10 PM. For a 2nd entry, tweet me, and tell me that you’re following Invisible Stripes on Twitter as well!
Laura on August 27th, 2009
Aden & Anais is a favorite around these parts. My youngest son has his in bed with him right now. Not only did it provide a great swaddling blanket when he was an infant, but it is now his “blankie”. It’s soft, breathable, and keeps him warm or cool, depending on the temperature, thanks to the muslin fabric. You can read more about my experience with this blanket here.
Aden & Anais wants you to have one of their newest lines: The Muslin Sleeping Bag. Although I have not personally used this product, I know you are sure to love it. Your little one will stay cozy and safe in this adorable sleeping bag! To enter, go HERE and tell us your favorite style. The winner will be picked September 7th, 10 PM CST.
