Girls and Boys

Any mother of a boy has recognized the general dearth of cool baby boy clothes out there. I compared my searches for Infant Boy clothes to Infant Girl clothes, and found a serious discrepancy. For example on Overstock.com I found three pages of girl clothes vs. one page of boy clothes, and on Macy's site I found ten pages of girl clothes vs. eight pages of boy clothes. Not only are there simply more girl clothes out there, but there are better designs and styles for girls as well. Boys seem to be relegated to wearing stripes, animals, cartoon characters, or sport themes. I find this a little disappointing. The closest thing to cool, and hip infant boy clothes I could find were some of the sweat suits that are out there. There are some cute hip hop style suits out there:

At Macy's I liked
Sean John Baby Boy Hoodie & Pant Set


In this outfit from Overstock.com my nephews could look just like their Opa when he dresses up in his velour jogging suit
Phenomenal Sweat Suit



I also liked this set from C&C California

Baby Boy Vintage Polo


Baby Boy Heathered Crop Pant


As for girls clothes. The options are limitless. Today, I am in love with the simple Polo by Ralph Lauren Little Girl Jody Pleated Polo Dress available at Macy's. It is very Margot from the Royal Tenenbaums. I also am digging the Sophias Style Boutique Girls Jungle Dress Set that is discounted at Overstock.com. It is way more flowerdy, but it is fun.

Diaper Bag

The essentials of a diaper bag are compartments to put your wipes and diapers in, and a changing pad. This means almost any bag can become a diaper bag if it just has enough compartments and you have a changing pad you can stick in it.

This DIY project of turning two thrift store rain jackets into my own changing pad with extra pockets, cost me less than $10, and I can just throw it in any bag and go.

I turned these:








Into this:








Click here for detailed directions.

Of course, if you are in need of the essential bag component of the Diaper Bag you can find lots of new and fun bags. Most come with a changing pad, and there are a lot out there that would be great to use even after you are done with the diapers. This is one of my favorites available at Giggle: Fleurville MotherShip Bag

The Joy of Eating

Every mom and marketer knows eating time is not just for nutrition, but also a time for fun and learning. Just take a look at Jello if you need an example. So, why not make the meal more exciting with some awesome feeding sets.

My favorite eating gear:

Available at Giggle the Puppet Club 6-Piece Dining Set. It is a little pricy, but very awesome, and the utensils can be used as finger puppets!:



My next favorite set is more affordable, and available many places all for about the same price. The set does not seem to have a name, but one place you can get it is from BabyUniverse

Catch Bowl-Blue/White

Fluid Toddler Cup - Blue/Orange

Benders Toddler's First Utensils-Blue/White

MacLaren V. McLaren

The first time I heard of MacLaren baby carriers I thought 'That is strange who knew the race car team made baby strollers?' That thought in turn led to thoughts of super fast crazy sleek baby pushers. However, it turns out the MacLaren baby strollers are rather practical looking, and probably go just your average stroller speed. It also turns out the British company MacLaren actually has nothing to do with the formula 1 race car team/guy McLaren.

I am afraid this whole race car reference is going to be lost on a lot of moms and my husband. I discovered this weekend that he has no clue about any race car - period. Now, I actually know very little about race cars. I am simply not a fan, and watching machines go in circles is not my thing no matter how fast they go. But, when i heard my uncle was building a Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, I had at least heard of the car. I also tried my husband out with the term Lotus Esprit (one of the most awesomest 80's cars) - he had never heard of it. Oh well...

Anyway, the MacLaren strollers are currently on sale at BabyUniverse. Some descriptions from the many reviews on the MacLaren XLR were - Porsche of strollers, light weight, easy to fold, great maneuverability, durable, versatile, roomy, and the list goes on. Most of the reviews i read also included the phrase 'Love It!' The one complaint i found was that the car seat adapter bar was not so great. It had to be removed completely in order to fold the stroller.

Shoes

It is true that little ones are often shoeless, or just in socks. Especially those who are pushed, worn or otherwise not on their feet. However, it is still winter in many places, and a nice pair of cozy slippers to augment the socks are important to keep baby warm. I have seen the Papush shoes (pictured) in several stores. Today I read several reviews about them, and everything i found said they were durable, easy to put on, and fit well. As far as price goes, you can find them discounted for around $24. Overstock.com has several papush slippers with different animals on them. I am partial to the penguins.

Old Pony, New Trick

Sleep sacks are great. Baby can’t kick them off in the course of the night, and they stay warm and cozy no matter how acrobatic their wiggling may be. In Texas – where I live – the thick fleece style sleep sacks are often just too warm, but you still want something covering baby while they snooze. My solution was to create my own out of an old pony hoodie that was made of a thick knit. The bottom catch for the zipper on the hoodie did not work right, so this was a perfect way to re-use and recycle. For the sleep sack pattern, and detailed directions click here.

If you are one who lives in colder climates or you don't have the time and/or inclination for a DIY project, you can find some really cute sleepsacks out there. They often come with just a couple of snaps, instead of the zipper style like the one I made, but both are easy to use and keep baby tucked in all night.

Here is a nice thick sleep sack I thought was cute that is available from giggle.

Space age eating egg!

Oh i want this high chair! The Fresco chair is so perfect. I also love when it is in it's laying down position for newborns. This chair now also comes in a high rise version - the Fresco Loft Chair. I could only find a few reviews on the product, but everyone seemed pleased with the quality. The one complaint i found was that one owner did not love the straps.

This chair offers some things that no other high chair does. For one, the new baby recline feature is totally unique. Also, many reviews praised its versatility and the grow with your baby functionality. Most importantly for me, (and no doubt for lots of consumers) it is such a rockin', modern, and stylish high chair design.

In honorable mention for hip high chairs there is also the Svan Chair. I like this simple wood chair and it also has the coveted grows with child feature that the Fresco has, perhaps even more so.

You can find both of these high chairs and much more modern baby gear here: best in stylish yet practical baby gear from giggle

For the mom who needs it ALL

Macy's is offering this 22 piece set from Carter's at a steal - $38.25. It comes with body suits, t-shirt and diaper cover, booties, hats, mittens, socks, wash clothes, towel, toy keys, and brush and comb. Basically everything a mom would need to get started. It comes in pink, green, or blue, and it is Carter's so you know it is quality. It is simple, without too many frills or cutsie additions other than polk-a-dots. It comes all wrapped up in a hat box and would be a unique baby gift to give at a shower.

Lighting Matters

I hate the overhead light glaring in my eyes when I lay down in bed. I don’t know what babies think about it exactly, but I do think it is important to have some more ambient lighting in the room for when a baby is playing, or resting.

So many lamps for nurseries are over the top. I do like the one that goes with the bedding set I listed in my last post from Dreamtime Baby

But unless you find the perfect thing, I say just go with a simple lamp you like. You can always spruce it up to match your décor if you want. I like to take a sheet of primed canvas – you can buy a pad of this from almost any craft store. It is forgiving and flexible and will not yellow or turn brittle under the heat of a bulb. Then cut out a cute pattern you like and simply adhere it to the inside of your lampshade. You can do your child’s name or a pattern that matches the nursery using this technique. Here is a simple owl design I made. For detailed directions and the owl template click here.

Metro Baby

Boy? Girl? Who really cares what version you have. Decorating for today’s metro baby is more about creating a simple, inviting, and hip space rather than pinks or blues. So, if you are like me and your favorite color is blue then go with it regardless if you have a girl baby or boy. My little girl enjoys a blue and grey combo in her crib.

For those of you expecting, and choose not to know the sex before hand, all the better! But, if you are worried about scarring your little one, there are many beautiful, and hip gender neutral sets out there . Crib décor is so much fun, and a good bedding set can make a nursery. You hardly need any other decorations if you have picked out the right comforter and bumper.

Dreamtime Baby has some really cute modern bedding choices mixed in with more traditional stuff. I love the simple zen baby set, but my favorite (even though it uses a gender specifier in its title) is the Migi Classic Boy. My little girl would look very nice cuddled up in this set.

It is good quality, not too pricy, and is so simple and clean, while still being striking.

Organic Baby

Organic cotton, produced without the use of harsh chemical bleaches or dyes, is perfect for babies. The lack of allergens is great for baby’s sensitive skin, and it is the healthier choice not only for your baby but also for the world you baby will inherit. The problem with traditional cotton and many other fabrics is that producers usually use liberal amounts of insecticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers. This can leave latent chemicals in the clothing that can disagree with sensitive skin or be absorbed into the blood stream.

Till recently, if a mom wanted to dress their baby in organic, they had to choose from rather boring and expensive options. Nowadays, things are looking up for the eco-friendly and modern baby who wants to be environmentally friendly, healthy, and look like a million.

Here are a few options you may want to check out:

Babies R Us offers a wide variety of almost everything organic for your little one. There are layettes in bright, cute prints for under $10. Check out these prosh infant leg warmers.

For those who are looking for something a little more stylin’ and hip and are also willing to spend a little more, giggle.com offers a large variety of organic baby products. I love the onsies.

you are looking for a unique baby gift for a baby shower or for a tree hugger friend who must have all organic for baby, look no further than the organic bunch available at BabyUniverse. It is a cleverly arranged bouquet of organic baby clothes that will definitely make any mom to be smile.

Baby Style

Who doesn't want their little one to look great? Baby clothes and products are becoming more affordable and adorable all the time. However, thanks to the undeniable truth that babies and toddlers just don't seem to stay the same size or like the same things for more than a day or two, it is important for mom to be a smart shopper when looking for baby apparel and products. The modern mom and modern baby can find what they are looking for with a little shopping savvy.