droolicious : The Babble Review

The Babble Review: Little Mommy

editors — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:03:00 GMT

If you have a newborn and a toddler who is obsessed with babies this doll could save your infant’s little life. And if you think that’s a dramatic statement perhaps you’ve never had to shield your two-week-old’s soft spot from the hammering fist of a pre-schooler who just wants to "love him."

The Little Mommy Scoot So Cute Dolls crawl, coo and giggle (two more skills than my six-week-old has right now) just like a real baby. While that may sound annoying, when I tossed the decoy in front of my three-year-old who thinks her little brother is her own personal baby doll, it distracted her for an entire half hour. Put it on your baby shower list for parents bringing a new and vulnerable baby into their toddler-inhabited household. – April Peveteaux

Get it at Amazon for $29.99

The Babble Review - Kata 3N1 Camera Bag

Chris Ford — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Taking photos with my DSLR camera - especially taking photos of my kids - has become one of my passions. But the problem for me and most parents is, how do you deal with carrying a big expensive camera while still dealing with kids and all of the stuff that they require? In fact, I've spoken with many parents who have complained of this same problem. So I've been searching for the perfect camera bag, and although I think ultimately the idea of a "perfect" camera bag may just be an illusion - I might have found a pretty close one - the Kata 3N1 Camera Bag.

My complete review after the jump.

At the bare minimum, my requirements for a great camera bag are it needs to hold my camera, two additional lenses, a flash and have a space for some personal items (cell phone, keys, water bottle etc.). Also, I was really looking for a bag that would work as a sling, so I wouldn't have to constantly be taking the bag off to grab my camera to take a picture. This part is especially important for parents trying to deal with kids and a camera at the same time. The great thing about the Kata 3N1 is that it met all of those bare requirements, plus had a lot of features that, while I wasn't specifically looking for them, have proven to come in very handy.

The Kata 3N1 holds my Canon 50D with a lens on the body, as well as a medium telephoto and 50mm lens in the bag. It also holds my external flash as well as all of the other normal stuff you'd want to carry in a camera bag (memory cards, extra batteries, remote trigger cords etc.). It also has a decently sized compartment at the top for personal items. But the best part about the bag is that it works as a sling as well as a backpack. The bag can be configured to be a right-handed or a left-handed sling, as well as a backpack for when you're hiking or know you won't need the camera at a moment's notice. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's the only left-handed sling camera bag on the market.

When taking pictures with kids, this sling feature is immensely helpful. I took the bag to birthday parties, to the park and other outdoor activities; and whenever they did something cute or spontaneous that I wanted to take a picture of, I could just twist the bag around my body, pull open the top and have the camera ready in a matter of seconds. In fact getting to most of the other stuff in the bag was equally easy - but it will depend on how you set up the bag for yourself.

The other great thing about the bag that I love is that while it holds a lot of stuff, it really isn't that big or bulky. I tested the Kata 3N1-20 which is the medium-sized bag in the line, and it seemed there was a place or a pocket for every piece of gear (memory card pocket, easy access external pouches for filters or batteries etc.). And to me at least, the look of the bag doesn't scream "I've got an expensive camera over here! Check me out!" It really just looks like a small black backpack, which is important not just for modesty's sake, but also safety (cameras in bags that don't necessarily look like camera bags are less of a target for thieves).

Besides all of that, it's got all of the things you'd expect in a camera bag from a company like Kata. There is a waterproof cover for the bag in case it rains, a great handle on the top of the bag and very sturdy construction. Oh, and it also has the signature Kata yellow interior lining - which might not seem like that big of a deal, but anyone who's dug around the bottom of a black camera bag looking for a black camera accessory can understand how cool this feature is.

In fact, I tried very hard to find a problem with the bag, but ultimately I came up short. It's not even that expensive, especially considering how expensive the camera and gear you're putting into it likely is.

The bag won't hold a laptop or every last item of your camera gear (like a tripod) so it might not be great for long vacations or trips. It also won't hold a lot of the kid-stuff that parents sometimes have to lug around so it won't work as a camera/diaper bag combo, but it has become my personal day-to-day camera bag and is my absolute recommendation for parents with a DSLR camera.

You can check out the Kata 3N1 camera bag line at Kata-Bags.com.
Or purchase the Kata 3N1 20 for $99.95 at Amazon.com.

The Babble Review: Cape Clogs

editors — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:33:00 GMT

When I first thought about putting clogs on my toddler I imagined lots of falling to the ground in these wooden-heeled Nordic shoes. Surprisingly, our tester was up and on her feet in no time declaring her “big girl” –ness to anyone who didn’t hear her coming. Cape Clogs are the hefty answer to Crocs this spring for the sustainable crowd. They offer a myriad of styles - a dramatic change from the earth tones of my college years – and are delightful for little girls who think there’s no such thing as too much color in one outfit. – April Peveteaux

Get them at Cape Clogs for $50

Susie’s Supper Club For Kids – With Delicious Giveaway!

editors — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:33:00 GMT

We’ve been getting a lot of press releases lately (and samples – yummy!) from companies specializing in fresh organic food for your baby and toddler. While it may seem a little tone deaf to be launching high-end food for people who can’t even keep it all in their little mouths, we were nothing if not curious about the luxury of meals made by anyone but us. Happily Susie’s Supper Club for toddlers is giving away some of their delicious cuisine to YOU (info on how to win after the jump).

To answer your first question, yes there is a difference between “normal” food and “kid” food according to Susie Cover, a professional chef who launched the delivery service. Susie focuses on pleasing the picky eater while getting in healthy ingredients and makes sauces on the mild side. Plus the club uses only organic and sustainable foods so you feel extra good about what you’re putting into your little ones. Susie’s Supper Club delivers fresh daily in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Queens and the Bronx, (and for that matter the rest of the country) you are out of luck. One serving is large enough for your toddler and you, which I’m thinking is their selling point because really, shouldn’t I be eating as well as my three-year-old?

We laid out a smorgasbord for our picky toddler and here is what she had to say:

Asian Fish Cakes ($10) – “Yummy”

Turkey Meatballs ($10) – after much convincing she finally put one in her mouth and declared, “This is delicious” and promptly ate three more.

Polenta Fries with House Made Ketchup ($7) – there was no talking as she scarfed these down.

Brenda’s Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting ($5) – “Who made these? I like it.”

Chocolate Chip Cookies ($5) – duh…

My picks:

Asian Skirt Steak ($12)

Creamy Tomato Soup with Whole Grain Cheddar Croutons ($6)

Quinoa Cakes with Mozzarella ($5)

Spinach Squares ($5)

Verdict: If you want to order takeout for dinner and Susie’s Supper Club delivers to your neighborhood (check here) it will run you about the same or a little less than your local eatery, but requires more planning. If you just want to simplify your life while making sure your kids are eating healthy, cook large on the weekends and freeze. – April Peveteaux

Giveaway: Susie’s Supper Club is giving away dinner for four! You choose an entrée, side, vegetable and dessert. Send an email to babblecontest@gmail.com with the subject line What’s For Dinner, Susie? to win. Winner must be in delivery area.

The Babble Review: Sloppy Baby Is Quite Neat

editors — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:03:00 GMT

When shower present shopping one often goes for the baby blanket because, well, blankets are soft and cute. It’s a no-brainer for even the shower illiterate. Sloppy Baby is the new kid on the baby blanket block and we got to check out their take on the classic.

Sloppy Baby’s one size fits all fleece-lined bibs and burp cloths have been around for a little while, and now have a friend to hang out with (they name their designs after their favorite kiddos). I have to say I played favorites with Finley. You get the cuteness of the sock monkey in this unisex design combined with a patch work of soft fabrics the baby will appreciate on their smooth, delicate skin. Pick up a blankie on its own, or pair it with the bib and burp cloth and you will go from being the baby gift zero, to a baby gift hero. – April Peveteaux

Get the set at Sloppy Baby for $68.

The Babble Review: Egg Baby & Sale!

editors — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:32:00 GMT

Egg Baby first came to our attention during the Republican National Convention when even infants were not immune to the calls of "What are they wearing?!" So while you may not be shopping on the government's dime, if you want a special item for your favorite baby or toddler, Egg Baby has splurge-worthy sweaters, alpaca jackets, rompers and more. A few of our fave's:

This organic knit romper comes in eggplant, chestnut or ivory. Exactly the kinds of colors one would expect when paying $65 for this Peruvian made one-piece with wooden buttons. It can be a breathable summer staple or throw on a long-sleeve shirt for when cold weather attacks.

Your kid will make an entrance in these alpaca and cotton blend sweaters in ash and magenta (again with the fancy colors). We think you should consider having more children just so you can pass this down to the next very well-dressed babe.

When it's time to hit the hay, the Mother and Child Layette in pink or blue ($65) can button together to create a sleeper. It also buttons into pants if your life-of-the-party is still going strong. It's 100% cotton and so baby soft you'll never want to take your tiny one out of it – ever. April Peveteaux

Get them all at Egg Baby.

SALE ALERT! Friday, November 8th - Sunday, January 4th there will be a massive Egg Baby sample sale in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Here are the deets:

Monday - Saturdays 10am - 6pm

Sunday - 11am - 5pm

143 Front Street

Brooklyn, NY

F Train to York Street

Go crazy!

The Babble Review: Bumkins Bibs with Giveaway!

editors — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:37:00 GMT

Perhaps you’ve seen these stylish bibs on the sidelines of Drool. Look! They’re right over there →. We got to see them in person and yep, they’re cute! The Bumkins come in a wide variety of hip design options; we especially like Chunky Monkey, as seen above. These durable bibs are waterproof so you can just wipe them off after a dousing of butternut squash mush - a most appealing alternative to damp, smelly cloths piling up around the house. (Although they are also machine washable if you’re the disinfecting type.)

You can feel good about wrapping these soft bibs around your babe's neck, as Bumkins are vinyl, PVC and Phthalate free and made in the USA. They are also available super sized and with sleeves. All sizes and shapes of Bumkins come with “the pocket” - that catch-all device on the bottom of the bib that grabs the big chunks before they hit the floor and your cocker spaniel gets a second dinner. Or maybe that’s just my house . . .

We've got the new paisley design in Super Bib style to give away! Drop us a line at babblecontest@gmail.com and tell us how many loads of laundry you do now that you have your kiddo on solids (or even on drippy bottles) and we'll pick a random Babble reader and send one right out! Good luck. - April Pevteaux

Get the Bumkins Starter Bib for $5.95 at Bumkins.

Related Posts

Baby Bottle Bibs

Dining Out With Baby

Babble Best: Organic Baby Food

The Babble Review: Robeez Weekend Collection

editors — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:38:00 GMT

Add these to the long list of kid couture you wish were in your size. The sneaks in the Robeez Weekend collection are perfect for the following activities: flea market shopping, xtreme sporting event, summer concert series. Special features include nine fashionable colors made from machine washable materials, elasticized ankle band, non-skid leather bottoms and pull-on tab for easy hip-ifying. - April Peveteaux

Get them for $27.95 at Robeez.

The Babble Review: Summer Collection from Tea

editors — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:08:00 GMT

Summer styles have been arriving in the Babble inbox, and even though it is a cruel reminder of the bitter weather hanging on outside, these batiks from Tea Collection managed to warm up the room. The bold colors and breezy fabrics are inspired by West African textiles, and even if you’re not planning on exotic international travels, they are ready-made for keeping the sweat off your baby’s bod for the summer. Our pick – the Dodi Linen Halter dress, which will ensure that your little girls continue to dress better than you.

We also have a shout-out for the Accra Batik Camp shirt (pictured above) mostly because that little boy in the photo has the BEST hair on any baby model we’ve seen all year. - April Peveteaux

Get it from Tea.

Childish Maternity & Baby Wear - Giveaway!

editors — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Unless you’re being ironic, your pregnant body does not have to hide under a mumu anymore. LA mom (and former MTV exec) Skye Hoppus proves this with her maternity line, Childish. We got a look at embellished jeans, basic tops and slinky dresses you can rock all the way to the delivery room. And we’ve got a giveaway from Childish! If you need maternity clothes in size L (such as the beautiful dress pictured above) check out the website and answer this question to win: Who is Skye’s rocker husband? Enter at babblecontest@gmail.com with subject line - Childish. - April Peveteaux

Introducing Pediped Flex - with Giveaway!

editors — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:35:00 GMT

Babble was snacking and gawking at the Pediped Flex event at Dylan’s Candy Bar last week, and maybe it was the sugar high, but we were all kinds of hyped up to try out these new rubber-soled shoes built for your running/dancing/jumping toddlers. The Flex Pedipeds are also made of soft leather or canvas and while some of the Flex designs are the big brother or sister to your favorite originals, (like the Annie – seen above) some are altogether new.

Pediped is letting two of you pick out your own pair of Flex’s to strap onto the kid who has graduated from soft leather and needs something that can handle a bounce. Enter to win at babblecontest@gmail.com, subject line ‘Pretty Pedipeds Please!’ and visit the website to see what styles your little one can’t do without this spring. More pics here. . .

This is the 'Conner', and he's serious about his hide 'n' seek.

'Leilani' knows her 'it' colors.

7 Days of Baby Carriers: Over the Shoulder Baby Holder

editors — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:05:00 GMT

Over the Shoulder Baby Holder – $44.95

The Over the Shoulder Baby Holder people are sling makers with a mission. Pioneers in the baby wearing movement, the creators of the Over the Shoulder have been in the carrier business for over twenty years with strong beliefs in the principals of breastfeeding and baby wearing. But most importantly, they’ve created a sling that is by far the easiest to use of our gang of carriers. You slip it over your head, put your baby in and pull the straps through the shoulder ring to tighten or loosen. Tada! You can carry your baby in the cradle position, on your hip, on your back or sitting up just by moving the carrier around; even while your baby is inside. The quick and simple adjustability of baby also makes it easy to find the best nursing position while remaining under cover.

Usually any of the slings that only utilize one shoulder, kill me as soon as a baby goes past the 10 lb marker, but when I threw on the OTSBH I was surprised at how comfortable it was to carry a 15 lb’er around. The edges of this carrier are stuffed to create a pillow effect around your shoulder and around the baby, keeping everyone comfortable. The reading materials that come with the sling (and there are a lot of materials) say the design evenly distributes the weight over your torso, hip, shoulder and back so that must be part of the back and neck pain solution.

The downsides of the OTSBH were minimal. I could have done without the flyer included with the sling entitled The Diseases of Non-Attachment, but hey some people live by the words of Dr. Sears. And while they offer a huge variety of designs and colors, my tastes don’t lean toward denim blue or Hawaiian prints so I didn’t feel super cool toting it around. And while the ease of use outweighs the way one looks in public, I have to admit it was still a factor. But at $44.95 a pop, you can afford to lose some style points on your baby outings.

Get it from Babyholder.com.

Big Deal: Tiny Prints Holiday Cards

editors — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:19:00 GMT

If you’re like me and you justify procrastinating on your holiday mail by saying ‘well the season technically ends in January’ then there is still time to persuade you to check out the modern and fab holiday cards by Tiny Prints from Tea Collection. Personal, classy and easy to order, Tiny Prints has a variety of greeting cards as well as gift tags and return address labels. Bonus – enter the code TEAPAPERS at checkout and get 10% off your order. - April Peveteaux

Cards start at 1.24 each from Tea.

The Babble Review: Lilly Gold Nap-Sac

aprilpeveteaux — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:30:00 GMT

Putting the Lilly Gold Nap-Sac through the ringer made me realize how awesome it would be if someone carried around a bed, snacks and a fresh outfit for me for a change. In the absence of a super strong butler, we’re going to have to settle for making a little one’s life more luxurious, yet again, at the schlepper’s expense. The Lilly Gold Nap-Sac is not compact, but it is lightweight enough to throw over your shoulder (even better, go for the backpack option to reduce the number of things hanging about your thighs). But it does fold up to a manageable size considering that the Nap-Sac can easily hold a change of clothing, enough diapers for two cross-country trips, bottles, books, toys, your Grandmother’s china you’re bringing back home and the baby. You have to unfold for the baby part, but if you’re flying and are lucky enough to get the bulkhead, the Sac could act as a bassinet-on-board. The waterproof nylon makes cleaning up accidents a snap, and since the pockets really can hold everything, the zebra print blanket can be thrown on for more comfy napping. If you were the type who could travel international style with one carry-on bag and now hyperventilate at the thought of one more baby item to lug around, this is not for you. If you, however, are someone who wants all your baby business in one place, consider the Nap-Sac your new travel buddy.

Buy it here - $69.95