droolicious : babies

Green Baby: b.wise papers Birth Announcements

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Sure, they're printed on paper, but b.wise papers' birth announcements still aim to reduce your new arrival's carbon footprint before it's been fitted for baby shoes.

The eco-smart announcements are printed on 100% recycled (50% post-consumer) card stock using vegetable- and soy-based inks, and they're even made up at a wind-powered printing facility. Plus, as the b. delightful ($138 for 50 cards) sample above shows, they look pretty great.

Prices vary but lean toward the higher end overall -- check out the whole collection (including holiday and save-the-date cards, as well as labels) at b.wise papers. (Image: Laura Negri Photography)

An Organic Tee Perfect For Nursing Babies

Lisa Estall — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:43:00 GMT

This 100% Mommy's Milk t-shirt by MamaOm is exactly what my 6-month-old would say since she refuses to take the bottle!

The material is made of 100% organic baby rib cotton and is suitable for boys and girls to wear.

It’s $20 and would make a nice baby gift. Mamaom sells beachwear for moms and kids too so check them out.

Petit Bateau Introduces Organic Clothes For Spring

Lisa Estall — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:30:00 GMT

When I was living in London, I used to always visit the store Petit Bateau. They have wonderful clothes for children. Shown here are some of the new Spring items in their collection. The Organic Short Sleeve Tee ($17) and Organic Panties ($11) are for children ages 2-12.

Click to see the organic baby romper.

Visit Petit Bateau

Baby Bling: RUN DMC Chain Bib

Lisa Estall — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:42:00 GMT

Since I'm not a rap fan I probably wouldn't buy this bib for my daughter. That said, I'm sure there are plenty of parents out there who will. This RUN... DMC chain bib by Sourpuss could make your baby the talk of the playground. Make sure you bring the boom box with you too.

It's $12 and sold at Babesta.com

Twinkle Kids Hair Accessories

Lisa Estall — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:16:00 GMT

Now that I have a baby girl, I occasionally look for cute hair accessories to put in her hair when it gets long enough. I discovered these adorable hair clips by Twinkle Kids, Their handmade wool felt hair snaps and bands come in different styles.

Your child can wear animals, treats, initials or swanky snaps in their hair and be the unique one at playgroup. I particulary like their cow and duck snaps.

$15 for set of two.

Visit twinkle-kids.com

Travel In Style With These Taxi Booties

Lisa Estall — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:59:00 GMT

Growing up in New York City, I have probably been in over a thousand taxis. When I found these Taxi booties I just thought they would make a great gift for a baby born in the Big Apple. These hand crocheted booties fit 6 to 12 month olds and have been spotted in Everyday With Rachel Ray. Continue reading to find out where to buy them.

The Taxi Booties are $33 and come in a felt gift container.

Sold at Spoon Sisters.

A modern take on changing mats

Lisa Estall — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:20:00 GMT

My 3-month-old daughter has been lying in comfort on her Kuster Jelly Baby Changing Mat. Isn't it just so modern looking? Kuster has thrown out the traditional rectangular shape for one that's curvy and unique looking, thus getting the name jelly baby.

The Kuster Jelly Baby Changing Mat is made out of soft memory foam so feels kushy to the touch. The high tech material feels warm and soft which makes for comfortable diaper changes. It's easy to wipe clean too. I recommend this highly!

The Jelly Baby is sold at Goores.com for $49.99.

Mozart Magic Cube: A Whole Orchestra in Your Hands

Erin Behan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:57:00 GMT

I remember the revelation of sitting in music class and hearing the individual parts of an orchestra being broken down--flute, violin, French horn, etc. I'm impressed, then, that this toy teaches babies what I had to wait until kindergatden to learn (the horror). The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube (a tidy 6"x6") makes sure your child won't be left in the dark. It plays eight tunes and touching each instrument button either adds that instrument to the mix or subtracts. There's also the option of playing the full orchestra version of any song. If you're looking for a well designed, durable musical toy that won't take up a lot of space, this is it. Buy the cube at Amazon for $19.96.

Star Baby: How Does Salma Hayek’s Daughter Suck?

SunnyChanel — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:37:00 GMT

Salma Hayek’s daughter Valentina, while strolling with Mommy along the streets of Paris, sucked away on her Gerber Silicone NUK Orthodontic Pacifiers. Lucky for Salma, her baby won’t likely lose this binky, which we all know is a nightmare for pacifier lovin’ babes (and their parents). The vibrant orange and green color is hard to miss when it falls out of a baby’s mouth. Plus Valentina is using a pacifier clip, which really cuts down the odds of a losing the object of her oral fixation. ($4.99 for a set of two)

(Photo: via justjared.com)

Fisher-Price Does the Hedgehog

Erin Behan — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:12:00 GMT

I've written before about my love of the hedgehog and how hard it is to find hedgehog toys in the U.S. (seems to be a decidedly European thing). However, I'm happy to report that Fisher-Price has a touch and cuddle hedgehog toy ($10.95) that is pretty good looking for an American mainstay brand. The 6-inch by 9-inch toy also sports the tactile and sound experiences that young babies love--a squeaky nose, a squishy beanbag, crinkly ears and lots of soft quills to explore.

ABC Kids Expo 2008: Sound Sleep For Babies

Chris Ford — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:23:00 GMT

One of the more interesting product demos I saw at ABC was from a company called SoundScience. They make a CD to help babies sleep, but unlike "lullaby CDs" this one concentrates on the low frequencies infants were used to in the womb. And unlike other "womb sounds" products, they also add some ambient music in there so parents don't go crazy too.

The basic idea is that babies react to higher pitched sounds when they are awake and learning, but when it's time to relax and go to sleep, high pitched noises like a lullaby only keep the baby awake and upset. I stood there and listened to SoundSleep while the creator was talking about it, and while it didn't put me to sleep, when he turned it off abruptly there was this feeling that something was missing. It's hard to describe, but it definitely convinced me that there is something to it.

On their web site there are tons of product testimonials, and they describe it all in much more detail. But twenty-five bucks seems like a pretty low price for a shot to get your infant asleep.

Sound Sleep for Babies from Sound Science, $24.95 from SoundScience.us.

7 Days of Bath Time: The WashPOD

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Maybe you're of the mind that once baby's been ejected into this cold, cruel world, there's no need to keep him or her coddled in a womb-like state anymore. For the rest of us, the Prince Lionheart WashPOD at least helps to make bathtime a little closer to the cozy confines of Mama's belly.

The WashPOD is designed to slide babies up to 22 pounds into the fetal position, and despite looking a wee bit like a wastebasket from Target, it comes physician- and midwide-recommended as a boon for bathing. Just add warm water, and let the cooing ensue.

$28 from Baby Bliss.

Tea Collection 50% Off Sale!

SunnyChanel — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:03:00 GMT

Time for a little afternoon Tea. No, no, not the kind you sip but the kind your little kid will love to slip into. And best of all, you can get some gorgeous Tea Collection pieces for your child's and/or baby's wardrobe for 50% or more off like the above Girls Ghana Batik Dress is $25 (regularly priced at $59). The sale is thru the Gilt.com – the “invitation only” only sample sale site.

Since it is invitation only, you can email us at babbledesign@gmail.com with the subject line Gilt and we’ll have a invite to their site emailed to you. Warning, the Tea Collection sale will only be on for a couple of days.

Plush Baby Photo Albums from Gund

Chris Ford — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:19:00 GMT

Baby books for newborn babies are always a good gift, but I've always been a fan of baby photo albums. We've been the recipient of a few soft sided books with family pictures in them over the years, but my favorite are from Gund.

We have the traditional "My Family Photo Album" (shaped like a house), but Gund makes a lot of other versions too. There's the "Look At Me!" photo album, the "Grandma, Grandpa and Me" photo album and my favorite, "Big Sister Photo" photo album (pictured). Most are available for $9.99 to $17.99 at Amazon.com.

A Plush Grill Set for Baby Grill Masters

Chris Ford — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:03:00 GMT

Before you have kids you think the weird toys will be the ones that don't look like anything in particular - the toys that just rattle, have a lot of black and white stripes and seem to have the sole purpose of being put in a baby's mouth. But as it turns out, the truly strange baby toys are the things that are supposed to be things in your life that you never thought someone would make into a toy. Case in point - My First Grill Baby Activity Toy from Russgril.

I suppose I shouldn't think this one is all that strange. There are tons of baby toys out there shaped like food, but I've never seen plush baby tongs or a spatula before. Regardless, it's a pretty fun idea and something that would probably make a funny gift at a baby shower or something. Just so long as baby makes my burger without cheese.

My FIrst Grill Baby Activity Toy, $14.99 from BestBabyShower.com

7 Days of Beach Bests: More UV-Protectant Swimwear

Erin Behan — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:09:00 GMT

In our 7 Days of Summerwear feature, Aaron challenged readers to find an attractive UV-protectant swimsuit that ships from the shores of the U.S., not the U.K. I think I've found one.

The Sunsafe baby suit in the basic blue and white ($42) is has pleasant nautical hints and easy zipper and snap openings. Best of all, and the reason you'd spend the $42 on it, it filters 97.5% of the UVA and UVB rays. I'm not responsible if you decide to go with the company's floral print below, though. Ick!

7 Days of Summerwear: Daily Tea is Our Garanimals

elizabeth leach — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Tea's collection of clothing, adeptly named "Daily Tea", is today's version of Garanimals. For those of you who missed the seventies, Garanimals were clothing that mix and matched so kids could learn to dress themselves. Tea's line of play clothes is sophisticated and stylish and nothing like Garanimals.

With the superb quality that we expect from Tea, Daily Tea is made from 100% cotton and holds up to playing in the sand, sitting on the grass, or just crawling around the house. Choose from a variety of sundresses, skirts, leggings, tank tops, t-shirts, polos, shorts, and rompers. Machine washable and for ages three months to five years.

(Actually, Garanimals still exists and is sold at Walmart. I didn't know that until Googling it just now. Fascinating.)

All photos are of Daily Tea clothing, not of Garanimals.

7 Days of Summerwear: Ozone/Sposh UV-Protective Sunsuit

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:04:00 GMT

Looks should probably be secondary when your mission is finding a UV-protective infant suit for beach or poolside, but you'd be surprised at how far you have to travel -- to Australia via the U.K., in this case -- to nab a sunsuit with some character. Available in the two collar styles pictured here, this cotton/lycra suit from Sposh (the U.K. brand of Aussie swimwear company Ozone) is designed to provide 97.5% protection from harmful UV rays, while its aesthetic appeal (to me, at least) comes from the fact that it makes baby look like a little jailbird.

£28 from Born2BeCool -- and if you know of a good-looking alternative that's available in U.S. dollars, fire away in the comments.

Cute Summer Clothes from Kit + Lili

Chris Ford — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:52:00 GMT

Last summer my baby lived in dresses and rompers, and I've recently found some cute baby clothes (including rompers) worth checking out from children's clothes designer Kit + Lili. Short tank tops (with chubby legs hanging out) are the perfect thing for the summer heat.

Kit + Lili make products for children, and the textile prints (on clothes specifically) are my favorite. There are some cute dresses, rompers and onesies in all kinds of patterns - from fish (pictured) to polka dots.

Check out their web site KitLili.com, or check out some of their new products (like the Fish Romper, $44 pictured) at BlackWagon.com.

Wee*Go's Soft-Shelled Glass Bottle Defies Toxins, Breakage Alike

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:04:00 GMT

On first glance, this Wee*Go bottle from Babylife looks like another questionably safe plastic drinking implement, but appearances can be deceiving. Not only is the bottle itself 100% glass (which, of course, immediately takes it off the "may leach dangerous chemicals" list), but even the soft protective sleeve that houses it is also non-toxic and free of plastics.

The Wee*Go's latex-free silicone nipple is also free of toxic materials, and the plastic ring, plug and cap are food-grade, polycarbonate-free and recyclable. While such attention to safety should please anyone who's tired of Googling bottle manufacturers' names for BPA, phthalate, PVC and polycarbonate findings, it does create one slight drawback: The softer, safer plastics Babylife uses in its cap and ring may not hold up under repeat boiling or automatic dishwashing, so hand washing is recommended. The sleeve and bottle, however, can take whatever high-temperature fury you unleash on 'em.

Available in the six sleeve colors pictured here, the 9 oz. Wee*Go is $18 from the Babylife store. Enter coupon code SIXORMORE at checkout for free shipping on orders of six or more bottles.

Two New T-Shirts from Small Paul

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:16:00 GMT

I've always been a fan of funny t-shirts on kids, and there are some new designs from Small Paul worth checking out. The fake tuxedo on a t-shirt is a classic that never goes out of style (pictured), but the t-shirt that made me drop my hard-earned $20 is after the jump.

This "I'm Allergic To Peanuts" absolutely rules me, mostly because my kids are allergic to peanuts. But also because peanut allergies are one of those things that no one really wants to talk about, and putting it proudly on a t-shirt makes me smile.

The Small Paul "Filbert" T-Shirt is available in pink and brown, $20 from BlackWagon.com

Sassy Fascination Station is a Great Restaurant Toy

Chris Ford — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:59:00 GMT

Thinking back on the toys and things that got us through the first year of both of our kids, one of the top things was this little toy, the Sassy Fascination Station. It's just your average multi-colored rattle with one big difference. It has a suction cup on the bottom, making it (in my experience) the perfect restaurant toy.

Taking a baby to a restaurant can be a stressful experience, no matter if it's Chuck E. Cheese or your local French bistro. The cool thing about the fascination station is you can put your child in the high chair at the table, stick the toy to the table and let your kid have at it. it spins and rattles, but stays put on the table. It's not going to keep your baby's attention for the whole meal, but it is a good addition to your arsenal of distractions.

Buy the Fascination Station for $7.99 from Amazon.com

7 Days of Eco-Friendly Clothing: BabySoy

Chris Ford — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:01:00 GMT

We've written about BabySoy clothes before, but during "7 Days of Eco-Friendly Clothing," I think it deserves a second mention. All the textile products from BabySoy are made from soybean fiber, a a renewable natural resource.

What I've gathered from their "about soybean fiber" page, the way you get soybean fibers is you get some soybeans, liquefy them to remove the proteins, and then solidify the liquid to get the fibers. However they make it, they make a number of baby clothes, bibs, teddy bears - and now they have toddler clothes too (pictured).

Oh, and did I mention the fabric is incredibly soft? Just ask our Editor-in-Chief.

Check out all the products at babysoyusa.com

Tripp Trapp: Not a High Chair but a Transition Chair

Chris Ford — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:01:00 GMT

If you're looking for the perfect high chair for your brand new I-just-started-eating-solid-foods son or daughter, then check out some of the other chairs we've written about. However if your child has outgrown that high chair and you're looking for something better than a booster, then the Tripp Trapp from Stokke might be the chair for you.

The Tripp Trapp from Stokke (or KinderZeat in Europe) is a clever design that allows the seat and foot rest to adjust as your child grows. I guess the theory is that if young legs aren't swinging about (as they would in a normal dinner chair) then your child will be less fidgety at the table. Better than that though is the way it looks. Reminiscent of the Rietveld Zig Zag chair, it's a chair you won't mind having to look at every day.

There are cushions you can buy, but I think they kind of ruin the look, not to mention they become one more thing to keep clean. There's even a plastic enclosure so an infant won't fall out, but I don't recommend that either, Leave the high chairs for the babies, and this chair for the big kids.

Oh, and one last thing. Having just purchased my second, I'm definitely not a fan of the new strap system they've implemented (you can find pictures on their web site) I prefer the old lap belt only. But as a chair for kids who have graduated to the family's table, it's still my favorite.

Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair is available in many colors for $229. Find a local dealer here.

Green Baby: Organic Stuffed Animals

crazedparent — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:01:00 GMT

I would never think of buying a baby a stuffed donkey, but look at this cuteness? Those striped arms and legs plus that sweet little smile...just waiting for some cuddles and baby kisses. The fact that it's made of 100% organic cotton and pure wool is just icing on the cake.

The Lana Organic Donkey sells for $46.95 at Pure Home Products. They also sell an organic stuffed goose and dinosaur.