droolicious : infants

CES 2009: Canon Vixia HF200 HD Camcorder- Great For New Families

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

At the Canon booth I asked one of the camcorder representatives to suggest a good HD camcorder for new families. The scenario I gave him was a couple is having a baby for the first time, and they want to buy a camcorder that still recorded in HD, but wasn't too expensive. The camera he suggested was the Canon VIXIA HF200.

The Vixia HF200 records in full HD (1920x1080) directly to a SD card. It has HDMI out, face detection and image stabalization. It doesn't have an on-board memory (the SD card is the only option) but at that price it's a camcorder with a ton of features that you'll be sure to have for more than a few years.

Canon Vixia HF200 will retail for around $849 and should be available in the US in March.

Kinderware: Soft, Funny-Looking Doll for Babies

Erin Behan — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:02:00 GMT

This doll harkens back to a time when dolls were handmade from available materials. It's crafted from fleece, which is balled up and strung on a cord. The result is a soft, colorful, pliable doll that's easy for even small children to easily grip. Like any good doll should, after you look at it for a while, it really starts to grow on you. Somewhat ironically, the doll is meant to evoke a sense of Americana, but is handmade in Bolivia by Aymara Indians. Hey, at least it's made under fair-trade practices. Buy it for $25.99 at Oompa Toys.

Star Baby: Christina Aguilera and Son Riot in New York

SunnyChanel — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:43:00 GMT

Songstress and mom about town Christina Aguilera took her 9-month-old son Max to the streets in chilly New York City. Little Max was buddled up in a couple layers including a Kingston T-shirt. The one he is wearing looks like it could be the aptly named Diaper Riot Tee for infants ($48). We all know what a Diaper Riot looks like and it pretty, but this shirt at least makes it stylish.

You can join the Riot here.

The Sensible Stroller Purchased By The Scranton Branch On The Office

Chris Ford — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:01:00 GMT

A lot of people have commented on my post about the Orbit stroller Dwight Schrute punished unmercifully on last week's episode of the Office, and a lot of them agree with Dwight that a $900 stroller is way too expensive. This led me to think, "If the Orbit was so expensive, what kind of sensible stroller did the Dunder Mifflin Scranton office get for Jan and her new baby?" The answer - a much less expensive option, but by no means a cheap stroller at all.

The Scranton branch pooled their money together and purchased a stroller frame and infant car seat from Graco. The Graco SnugRider Infant Carseat Frame folds up nicely, has two parent cupholders and a basket underneath. More importantly, it only costs $59.99. The car seat they purchased is the Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat in the Sterling pattern. It has all the typical car seat stuff (five point harness, a base, a handle etc.) and is (according to Graco) "America's favorite infant car seat."

The car seat costs $99.99 bringing the total price tag on the gift to $159.98. Which is a pretty good gift for the baby shower of your bosses ex-girlfriend's baby (that isn't even your boss's baby in the first place).

Huh? You kind of have to watch the show.

You can buy stroller and the car seat from Babies R Us.

And check out the Office on NBC.

Also on Babble.com - The Office's Dwight Schrute Crash "Tests" An Orbit Stroller

Big Deal: Super Sale at Kumquat

Erin Behan — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:33:00 GMT

We've posted about Kumquat before, and I wanted to let Droolicious readers in on a pretty incredible sale going on through November 2. Enter the secret code and save an extra 25 percent off all of Kumquat's already heavily discounted merchandise. That means this cute dress was $37, is currently $24.05, and with the extra discount comes out to a cool $18.04.

The secret code is "candy."

The Office's Dwight Schrute Crash "Tests" An Orbit Stroller

Chris Ford — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:52:00 GMT

Wondering what kind of stroller Dwight K. Schrute abused so unmercifully on tonight's episode of The Office? Well, for one it's not just a stroller, it's a total "Infant System." And it's actually a little cheaper than the $1,200 price tag that set him off on the show. At least the part he was running over with his car.

The Orbit Infant System is a modular stroller/car seat system, designed to adapt and grow as your baby grows. With the infant system (the part Dwight was "testing" on the show) you get an infant car seat, a base and a stroller, all for about $900.

The Orbit Bassinet and Cradle was also shown on the show (in the conference room while Dwight was in the parking lot running over the stroller with his car). The Bassinet attaches to the stroller, as well as a Rocker base that can swivel and lock, allowing your baby to rock either front to back or side to side. That part sells for around $280. And eventually as your children grow up, you can buy a regular stroller seat and a regular car seat from Orbit as well.

The Orbit is definitely one of the top stroller/car seat systems out there, and it was cool to see it featured so prominently on The Office tonight. And for $900 (minus the bassinet), it's still cheaper than Dwight's bomb shelter.

Check out the Orbit Infant System at OrbitBaby.com (and find a local or online retailer here).

Or check out the official web site for The Office at NBC.com (and don't miss Dwight's official blog, Schrute-Space).

Also on Babble.com - The Sensible Stroller Purchased By The Scranton Branch On The Office

New Paci from Born Free

Erin Behan — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:37:00 GMT

For those of you who swear by BornFree products, there's a new BPA-free one to add to the mix: The BornFree pacifier for day and night use. As with any new plastic product these days, this one is free of Bisphenol-A, Phthalates and PVC. Other features--a flexible handle, a collapsable orthodonic nipple and a breathable, soft-contour shield. The pacifiers come in 0-6 and 6-plus month sizes and are $7.99 for a pack of two at the BornFree site.

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.

ABC Kids Expo 2008: Netto Louis Crib and Changing Table

Chris Ford — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:04:00 GMT

First, in the interest of full disclosure, David Netto (an occasional contributer to Babble) makes my favorite children's furniture. We've had a Netto crib, changing table and dresser in our house for over four years now. Back when I was shopping for children's furniture in early 2004 there wasn't much out there, and if you ask me most of the "modern" children's furniture makers that exist now owe him a debt of gratitude.

So this year at the ABC Kids Expo I'm happy to report that the NettoCollection's new "Louis" crib and changing table didn't disappoint. While the new Louis line of baby furniture still has the Netto white lacquer and wood, the shapes and curves of the pieces are a departure. Gone are the straight lines and in are curvy legs and doors, evoking (according to the Netto Blog) "French 18th century style." To me, those that may have been put off by the strict straight lines of the NettoCollection will be very happy with this new line of furniture. And according to David and everyone else at the NettoCollection booth at ABC, the reception has been great.

The Louis line is a convertible crib and combined dresser/changing table and should be available in early 2009. Check out the blog entry about Louis at Notes from NettoCollection.

ABC Kids Expo 2008: Me In Mind Footwear

Chris Ford — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:03:00 GMT

I've been a big fan of Trumpette socks for a long time now, but I've never really been happy with the selection they have for boys. At ABC today I found a great alternative from children's shoemaker Me In Mind. Me In Mind have shoes for boys and girls in great styles and colors - everything from Vanns styled slip on sneakers to Robeez type slip on leather booties. But my favorite products are the new socks. Every pair of socks are made from organic cotton and have have a corresponding shoe style. The "Rocker Socks" have guitars, dragons and skulls; and the "Sneaker Socks" make it look like your infant is wearing a sweet pair of canvas shoes - perfect for your little grommet.

Sneaker Socks and Rocker Socks, $26.00 for a 6-Pair Set from MeInMindFootwear.com.

Star Baby: What Pop Star's Baby Sports Old School Kicks?

SunnyChanel — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:01:00 GMT

Christina Aquilera's baby Max! Her little one went all old school is a pair of classic Stan Smith white Adidas Infant sneakers. Not like the kid's gonna be hitting the court anytime soon, but there is plenty of support in these baby shoes in just case Max gets called out for a little B or T Ball... depending if he can even walk yet. These Adidas will run you $33 and you can get yours here.

(via Just Jared)

Big Deal: Sale on Kumquat

Erin Behan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:51:00 GMT

Kumquat has been one of my favorite baby clothing brands since I started noticing that baby clothing brands existed, so I was a bit gleeful when I discovered the Kumquat site was having a big sale. And, it's not just on summer stuff, find long-sleeved onesies, sleep sacks, union suits and more at big savings. I know little Devin will be happy to know that his mom just paid $12.19 for the city scene pants that used to be $18.75.

7 Days of Back-to-School Clothes: Speesees - clothing for a better planet

alibaba — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:20:00 GMT

Speesees is not just a children's clothing company, it's a company on a mission to change the world. They work with cotton growers in India to hand-pick cotton that is 100% skal-certified organic for their line, and then make sure that the cotton is dyed using herbal dyes. Speesees is committed to crafting and selling clothes using methods that are sustainable as well as following social accountability standards at their factory in India to be compliant with the Fair Trade Act. You've got to feel good about buying clothing from a company where the owners spend time in India getting to know their farmers (seriously - check out speesees.com). And best of all, the clothes are cute, cute, cute.

The Grass Raglan is available from Fawn & Forest for $18 online.

Baby Yap Yap Designs: Too Cute!

Erin Behan — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:41:00 GMT

Is there room in the world for one more cute baby onesie? I think so, and Baby Yap Yap makes a strong contender with its series of swirly animals with cute, but not too cute, sayings. My personal favorite is night owl for $14.95 short-sleeved and $16.95 long-sleeved (might it have anything to do with the sleep training I've recently embarked on?), but there's more cut animal designs to go around. And you can also order them in a boxed gift set for $24 with onesie and hat.

Predict Your Baby's Future with a T-Shirt

Erin Behan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:09:00 GMT

One shower gift I'm sad we didn't get? A Mr. Mysterio T-shirt. The wise and all-knowing Mr. Mysterio predicts any baby's future for just $12.96--and having the coolest shower gift in the room after only spending $12.96 is quite the feat these days. The best part about these T-shirts is that you can't tell what's inside the sealed bag, so it's a bit like having a baby. Only cheaper, and easier, and less sleep-depriving ...

Hand Made: Screenprinted Onesies For Your Little Urbanite

Erin Behan — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Full disclosure: I know the designer/screenprinter behind the new Etsy site fauxsure, and the above photo is of my son Devin wearing one of fauxsure's designs. Yes, Devin looks super cute in his monster onesie, and your kid can too for just $16.50. We've even taken to calling him Devin-monster when in this outfit.

If your tastes run more towards the electronic end of the spectrum, you'll want to check out the speaker stack onesie or lap T, which is hopefully not a sign of volumes to come. And as a bonus on fauxsure's Etsy site, when you buy three T-shirts (maybe pick one up for yourself in an adult size), you get a tote bag free. Totally rad. And I have it on good authority that new designs are coming soon.

Beachy T for Your Little One

Erin Behan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:30:00 GMT

Normally I don't go for the cutesy baby gear with tongue-in-cheek sayings, like the above T-shirt, but something about my trip to Cape Cod this week is winning me over to Pure+Sweet baby's "I'm a little crabby" T-shirt ($15.99). Made from 100 percent Pima cotton, the shirt was designed with super-softness in mind. Regardless of the feel, I have a hunch that I'll get extra lobster on my roll when toting my little one around in this beach-appropriate top.

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!

Cute Prints for the Tiny Babies

Erin Behan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:20:00 GMT

When I was shopping for my baby-to-be, everyone said, "Buy things big! They grow out of clothes so quickly." And I did (and they were right), but I may have taken people's advice a little too much to heart because my 7-pound baby was swimming in most of his clothes for the first three weeks. If I had it to do over again, I would have picked up a few items from Zutano's Itzy-Bitzy line, especially in this adorable snail print ($23.95 for the onesie, $17.95 for the wrap bodysuit or kimono top and $19.95 for the longsleeved dress). Yep, I would have gotten this design even though pink snails are perhaps not the most manly of prints.

Mr. Big and Full-Body Sweet Potato Armor

Meredith Broussard — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:35:00 GMT

This is not just a gratuitous photo of Chris Noth because I've had him on the brain and I want to see the Sex & The City movie.

This is here because when my kid was learning to eat, I used to dream of a device that would cover him from neck to wrist and down past his lap to his toes. Chris Noth, in this photo, represents most of my dreams come true.

I've seen long-sleeved bibs before, but this is the first time I've seen a bib that covers baby from neck to ankles. The Bib-a-roo full body bib comes in pink and blue skull prints as well as a variety of wild kid-friendly prints.

I like to imagine that if I had had this bib, my kid wouldn't have ended up sweet potato stains on his clothes. Heck, I suppose I could use one of these myself most days!

Bib-a-roo full body bib, $25 at lildarlings.org

The Only Sun Hat He'll Wear

elizabeth leach — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Distract baby. Quickly put hat on baby's head with the strings already tied. Distract baby again until baby forgets about hat. Repeat as necessary. Sound familiar?

In all my years of experience (almost one), I have found that a sun hat that doesn’t tie on the baby’s head is useless. Hats with Velcro are also of no use because by the time you get the hat Velcro-ed, the baby protests so much you have to take off the hat. And then try to get the sun block on him...

The Hanna Anderson Floppy Sun Hat is my favorite sun hat because the ties are long enough, the brim is wide enough (blocks 95% of UVA/UVB rays) and the style is simple enough (no decorations) to match my baby's outfits. The hat comes in ten colors, eight of which are only $10, and the other three are $14. They are made of 100% cotton and are machine washable.

Big Deal: $20 off Pampers and Luvs from Amazon.com

Chris Ford — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:26:00 GMT

Right now through May 31st, Amazon.com is giving a $20 Amazon credit with the purchase of $99 worth of Pampers or Luvs. You have to buy them all in one order, but as long as you don't cancel or return your items, they'll send you a code for $20 off your next purchase at Amazon.

Buying diapers is a necessity anyway, and especially if you've got two or more kids in diapers (and Pampers is your brand) this might be worth checking out. And for those of us who subscribe to Amazon Prime (which gives free two day shipping), it's a no-brainer.

Check out the sale details here from Amazon.com.

7 Days of Must Haves: Moses Basket Rocker

Erin Behan — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:32:00 GMT

I'm sure, as our baby progresses (almost 7 weeks and counting), we'll have another must-have, but our current savior is the Moses basket rocker ($85 at Giggle). I'm sure all parents know the drill. After x-amount of walking, soothing and rocking, the baby is asleep--finally! A ginger arm-hand-elbow shift is executed. The baby is gently placed in his bed, and then, one eye opens, a hand wiggles, and the dance begins again. BUT with the Moses basket rocker, one can simply rock the basket. Brilliant. I don't know why cribs don't come with a rocking function. Our rocker stand usually buys me an extra 30 minutes in the morning as our little angel is starting to wake up for the day. Of course, you'll also need a Moses basket.

Six Bunnies’ Pink Skully Jar Gift Set for Baby Grrls

Heather Kuldell — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:35:00 GMT

Somehow my friends seem to keep making boys, which is a shame since Six Bunnies makes an adorable gift set for little girls.

I know some folks might be over skulls on kids’ clothes – I’m not one of them, so the Pink Skully Jar Gift Set calls to me. It includes a beanie, a bib, a t-shirt and a onesie covered in skulls, crossbones and stars. And yup, it’s packaged in a jar and while I have no immediate suggestions for the jar, I think expecting parents could find it handy somehow.

Available at Urban Baby Runway for $40. And if no one steps up on the girl front, it comes in black, too.