Fisher-Price Fun 2 Imagine Cash Register (also available for about half the price at TRU where we got ours!)

With Snowpocalypse II coming and this time NOT sparing the New York area I thought I’d recommend one of the toys that we’ve gotten the most mileage out of over the past few months!

We original got this cash register as a gift for Jasper’s friend Daphne for her second birthday. Daphne liked it, but not nearly as much as Jasper who can’t get enough of all the buttons to press and the wind up to open drawer!

It even has a separate button for sale (coins drop into the drawer) and change (coins come out the little ramp on the side).  The coins are color coded and are different sizes so the toddlers have to match the coin color with the correct slot so the coin fits – that’s the educational element.  My only complaint is that sometimes the large red coins in particular get stuck unless you press sale or change to clear out the coins first, but Jasper actually sort of likes it – he says “stuck!” and I’ve taught him to press one of the buttons to clear it.

It’s rare that a toy holds his attention for more than a minute or two these days, so I thought it was worth recommending if you are stocking up on a few things to entertain your toddler during the impending storm..

Speaking of which, poor Jasper is sick AGAIN. Nothing like spending two days trapped at home with a whiny crankenstein because his cough is keeping him from sleeping.  Poor baby.. and poor mommy :(

I hope he gets better soon so we can at least get some sledding in!

How do you all keep your tots entertained during extended periods at home? I need some new craft and activity suggestions so we both don’t lose our minds..

I’ve been meaning to extoll the virtues of Boogie Wipes for… almost a year now I think! I actually won them in a giveaway on Jill’s awesome blog. I have to admit, I was less than excited at first.. the only thing I have ever won on a blog giveaway and it’s a glorified snot rag? Well, now that I am the self proclaimed queen of the sickies, I am finally getting around to telling you that there are more to these wipes than meet the..er.. nose.

First of all, they are soaked in saline. Saline is what is in those nasal sprays that you use on stuffy noses – it actually DISOLVES the caked on boogs – brilliant!  Secondly, they also contain soothing ingredients like aloe and vitamin E.

But most important of all, Jasper loves them with a devotion I didn’t know could be reserved for something as mundane as a tissue. But he does. In fact he often runs towards them saying “nose, nose!” because he loves to wipe his nose with them (snotty or not).  I credit boogie wipes for the fact that Jasper will not only let me wipe his nose but will also wipe his own nose and has recently started actually blowing his own nose! ( I am irrationally excited about this new motor skill -  almost as excited as I was about him starting to walk because it is almost as useful!)

Personally I like the fresh “original” scent and the grape scent more than the menthol, but whatever scent you buy, I guarantee you will be “blown” away. Pun intended :)

Boogie wipes are available at BRU and Target and probably other places too, but those are just the ones where I’ve consistently noticed them.

Sorry it’s so sparse in the infant category… since I have a toddler as do most of you all, it’s all pretty toddler heavy!

PS, if you are in the market for a DSLR or any other expensive gadgets, now (as in today!) is an excellent time to purchase.. Several merchants are offering extra % cashback at www.bing.com/cashback – up to %20 even! For example you can pick up an xsi for just $471 from Dell.com after the 20% cashback. But many of these extra percentages end tonight at midnight so make up your mind quick :)

FOR INFANTS (0-12 MONTHS)

Every baby needs a Sophie Le Giraffe! ($17.61)
Trust me. Or trust readers Lindsey, Aggie and Amy who all also recommended Sophie.

Monkey Earflap hat from Etsy. $28. Need I say more?

Skip Hop See Me Mirror -$8.99. I love that it rattles and squeaks and even better, comes with Velcro to attach to stroller or carseat!

Flenstead Sheep Mobile $29- Even little ones need to count their sheep sometimes! Check out the rest of their stock in tasteful mobiles.

Fisher Price Soothe & Glow Seahorse $14.63
Jasper never had one of these, but I remember bringing him to BRU recently and he GLOMMED on to this toy! I didn’t get it for him because I thought it was for younger babies, but according to the rave reviews on amazon even toddlers enjoy this one! ( Recommended by readers Amy and Michelle)

Create your own custom board book $27.95 – A while ago I searched EVERYWHERE for a website that would let me do this.. and thanks to readerSusan, I now know where to get one! Perfect for printing pictures of baby’s favorite people or things.

FOR TODDLERS (12m-24 MONTHS):

Sevi Xylophone $34 from Oompa.com or from Amazon

*LeapFrog Learn & Groove™ Musical Table
(Recommended by reader Sara B.)

Sevi Pull Along Cowboy $39.99 from Oompa.com – Cute and whimsical!

notNeutral Wood Block Set $29 – A visually stunning modern twist on a classic!

Melissa & Doug Farm Wooden Chunky Puzzle

Eco Friendly Pull Along Elephants $35 from I Love My Planet Toys – Eco Friendly and gorgeous, made from organic cotton and naturally sustainable rubberwood. See the other three animals here!

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Hide and Seek Board

Plan Toy Solid Wood Drum

Storkcraft Rocking Horse $39.88 (I know, storkcraft.. but I don’t think there is no recall on rocking horses!)

Schoenhut My First Piano II or This Version from Melissa & Doug
I think the Schoenhut one is prettier, but the shipping is less expensive on the M&D one!

Crayon Rocks – Just Rocks in an EcoBox – I LOVE these – can’t wait to get them for Jasper:

• Crayon Rocks have vibrant colors and make beautifully textured art work.
• All natural soy wax crayons made from USA grown soybeans and colored with natural mineral powders.
• Designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles, preparing fingers and hands for handwriting.
• The shape allows small fingers to color in large, wide strokes creating pictures rich in color.
• Used by occupational therapists to develop fine motor skills.

Use with the IKEA Mala easel ($24.95) that is a chalkboard on one side an a whiteboard on the other:

and don’t forget the paper roll!

LeapFrog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set – $10

Jasper LOVES playing with fridge magnets and he broke most of the ones we collected from places around the world- these will be perfect for keeping him entertained while I’m preparing his food in the morning!
(Recommended by reader Sara B.)

This Little Piggy’s House eco-friendly cardboard playhouse – $49.99

I LOVE that this is a playhouse and art canvas in one.. you also have to check out the individually hand-painted butterfly ones they offer for inspiration – gorgeous! (via the Focus Organic Holiday Gift Guide)

Every baby needs a Bimmer right? I just had to put this here for any of you car snobs.. Honestly though, at around $100 USD (+$20 shiping to the US) this isn’t much more expensive than some of the more “primary” colored plastic versions I’ve seen. And I’m sure it handles much better :)

Giraffe Growth Chart Vinyl Wall Decal in customizable colors, $49.95 – Cute and fun all at the same time!

Remember my post about great music for toddlers? Here are two more albums to add to the list:

C’mon, the brand new album from Renee and Jeremy (link goes to iTunes)

Family Time by Ziggy Marley (link goes to iTunes)

Woodpecker Baby Walker – Plan Toys $70, definitely easier on the eyes than many other versions I’ve seen!  (Recommended by reader Amy)

Little Partners Learning Tower $171 from Amazon.

Reader Carolyn just bought this one for her two year old. I keep coming across this toy and must say I’m intrigued. It’s pricey, but can you really put a price on toddler independence? Plus I love it’s versatility, from easel to puppet theater – this truly seems like a gift that grows with your child.

Pottery Barn Kids Anywhere Chair – On sale for $80 including slipcover!

Jasper is OBSESSED with being up on the couch. I am hoping that purchasing his own chair that seems like a “big person chair” will cure this obsession?  We shall see! Recommended by reader (and good friend) Dawn!

Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube – $15.  Recommended and purported to be non-annoying to parents by reader Shane :)

Edoche Sheepskin Moccasins, $40 – Keep those little piggies warm this winter the coziest looking footwear I have ever seen for toddler or anyone else!

For a more affordable option, I just bought these Ministar fur-lined boots for Jasper and they are sooo cute and warm:

$19 at your local Target or from Amazon

Reader Samm swears by the Classical Baby DVDs and if the 153 5 star reviews on amazon are any indication, I’m inclined to believe her!

FOR SHUTTERBUGS/MAMMARAZZI (ladies, send your husbands over this way! ;)

Say goodbye to your boring black canon or nikon camera strap and cover it up with something prettier and more fun! Seriously, I get happy on the inside when I see my Amy Butler fabric covered strap. There are TONS of these available on Etsy, but I liked this Australian seller’s fabric choices and the cute little lens cap holder:

From Etsy Seller HappySnapz

Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home Photo Bag, Black/Gun Metal
Holds a ton of stuff and looks cute too!

Or, this one from Etsy that I am totally coveting right now:

$79 from Etsy seller GypsyRose.

ColorVision Spyder2 Express Win/Mac – $62.  Anyone semi-serious about taking good images (and getting prints made of them) should consider calibrating their monitor!

Adobe Photoshop Elements 8, $62 from Amazon or  from Adobe via digital download.

Most of the images I post here do NOT look that way right out of the camera – people email me asking how I got “that look” and part of it is equipment, part of it is skill and part (sometimes small and sometimes big) is editing the image with software.

I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS 4, but those are hefty investments. If you are new to image editing Elements will get allow you to get your feet wet and learn digital editing.  Highly recommended!

Impact Portable Backdrop Stand – $99 from B&H. Stop the wrinkled sheet madness! One of those things that you don’t know how you managed without after you have one. Use in conjunction with a roll of savage backdrop paper and a bamboo floor mat and you have an instant portable studio!

Digital Grey Kard – $19. The littlest thing that can save you HUGE amounts of time in post processing.. no more guessing at correct white balance, if you shoot in RAW and take a shot with this grey card in it simply use it with your neutral color picker in your ACR editor or Lightroom and voila, your white balance is perfect!

FOR WOMEN/MOMS

A Sterling Silver Hand Stamped Personalized Necklace from ByHannahDesigns on Etsy or

Tiny Tokens Designs.

Mommy Dearest Personalized Charm Necklace $35 from Charmed & Dangerous – my mom’s website :)

Lucy B. Wild Australian Jasmine – $42 or any of their purse sized roll on perfume oils for just $24. As if the beautiful bottles and sumptuous fragrance weren’t enough, these scents contain flower essences said to have vibrational healing powers!

FOR MEN/DADS

Dad’s job of “video taping” the holidays just got a whole lot easier – and cheaper! Do it in hi def and style with the Creative Labs Vado HD 8 GB Pocket Video Camcorder (this is the newest version of the one I use and cary in my diaper bag at all times!)

Silk silver Lion Screen printed tie $30 from RokGear

Josh Golden Yellow Star Cuff Links $16

Love Dagger Cuff Links $25

Custom Sterling Silver Guitar Pick from Etsy – $46

Old School Funky Rugged Belt Buckle from Fosterweld

HOSTESS GIFTS

Williams-Sonoma Essential Oils Collection, Winter Forest – $39.95, Recommended by reader Jaimie. I can smell the minty freshness from here!

Clairebella Personalized Melamine Tray – $43 from Laila Grace

Jonathan Adler Bud Vases – $25 from Lavish Giving (which incidentally gives 10% to the charity of your choice with any purchase over $100 and has many beautiful and unique products!)

Flower Charm Bookmark – $12 from hookmarks, my parents’ website :)

Pewter Bird Cheese Markers from Beehive Kitchenware $52

the world's best snot sucker

Here’s a product tip aimed at our moms of younger babies and moms to be:  With the arrival of fall also comes the snotty/stuffy nose that, at least in our house, seems to last straight until spring!  Last winter I couldn’t have lived without the Nosefrida, I used pretty much daily to clear out Jasper’s nose before nursing or bed.  A squirt of  saline solution and a good suck on the nosefrida and even the stuffiest nose becomes clear again.

I first read about the Nosefrida in Dr. Sears’ Baby Book. He recommends it because unlike bulb syringes that  irritate the delicate lining of the nasal passage inflaming them even further, the Nosefrida doesn’t go IN the nose.  I remember when Jasper was a newborn I was terrified of sticking that big syringe into his tiny little nostrils . I really wish I had had the Nosefrida then, I only bought it when he was 5 months or so. Personally, I think they should be standard issue and no family should be allowed to leave the hospital without one!   Such is the high esteem in which I hold the Nosefrida.

So why doesn’t everyone have one?  Well, partly because no one has ever heard of it, but also because most people can’t see past THIS product image:

Yes, it looks like what you are doing is sucking the babies snot right into your mouth!

But I’m here to tell you that this is definitely NOT the case. What you are doing is sucking in to create the vacuum action, but there is a chamber with a sponge and the snot CANNOT get into your mouth, despite all appearances to the contrary.

Now that we have that all “cleared up”, I can tell you that if you have a young baby or are expecting a newborn for the winter season you will grow to love the nosefrida as fiercely as I did!

Now, does anyone have recommendations on how to clear snotty nosed toddlers? Jasper can imitate a blowing action, but not strongly enough to actually clear his nose effectively yet. And I don’t see him letting me suck his nose with the Nosefrida anymore, though maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised!

My grandmother’s friend Pat (funny huh?) gave us Pat the Bunny at my baby shower.  I was excited because I can remember it being one of MY favorites when I was a child, but also I remember thinking it would be a long time until Jasper could do the interactive “activities” that make this book so much fun.  Every month or so since Jasper was around 7 months I would try to sneak it in his bed time story rotation, but Jasper had other ideas…

I don’t know if I’ve blogged about this before, but Jasper has VERY strong opinions about his bedtime stories.  If I start reading a book he doesn’t want to read he actually grabs the back cover and shuts the book and then pushes or throws it away. (Nice mild mannered child eh?) Since he started asserting his opinions so strongly a few months ago, we’ve been through a Dr. Seuss only stage, then it was the nursery rhyme book only stage and then fast forward to a few weeks ago when I tried Pat the Bunny again. And guess what? He LOVED it!

He’s finally at the age where he can do all the activities.. he can pat the bunny, put his finger through “Mummy’s” ring, touch Daddy’s scratchy face, play peek-a-boo with Paul and most of all he can smell the flowers. He thinks the smell the flowers page is hysterical because I put the book right up to his nose. That’s the fun part, I’m not even sure he noticed or cares about the smell, it’s the putting the book on his nose that he loves and will do for the next few pages!

This was really cute and fun for a day or two until Pat the Bunny became the ONLY book he wanted to read. Pat the Bunny 4 or 5 times a night for 4 or 5 days straight gets a little old!

That’s why I was so THRILLED when my mom found Pat the Cat and Pat the Puppy!! I didn’t even know there were spinoffs of Pat the Bunny, but  the original author’s daughter continued the series and they are just as great as the original.  So great infact that I created a new problem – instead of now having THREE “Pat the x” in our bedtime rotation, Jasper now wants nothing to do with Pat the Bunny anymore – He only wants the Cat & Puppy. Well at least TWO books at bedtime are better than one!

But that is the rather long and roundabout way of saying if you have this classic and have been waiting for the right age/time to pull it out, 11-12 months is a good time. If you don’t, I definitely recommend it as well as the other books in the series..just keep your fingers crossed it doesn’t become the ONLY book your baby wants to read at bedtime!

The thing is, I LOVE Weleda baby products. They are so fabulous that I would love and recommend them even if I didn’t have so much personal history with the company. But I do have a personal history with the company, too much to recommend their products and not disclose that history, plus putting this post together has been a fun trip down memory lane for me.

Ok, so here’s the backstory..

Weleda was my first employer. My two best friends and  I started working there when we were just 13 years old making minimum wage, which back then was $3.33 an hour!

I worked there every summer and three days a week after school until I graduated high school and went to college out of state.

My highschool sweetheart Sean was the son of the couple who ran the company at the time, and I even was the model in a print ad they did for their Citrus Body Oil. I’ll never forget the copy: “Girl at Beach with her Weleda Citrus Body Oil.”

They received so many complaints that they called me “girl” rather than “woman” that they had to pull the ad almost right away!

I became close with many of the people I worked with there and was delighted to run into one of those old friends, Dena, who I learned had become a mother since we had last seen each other and was now the customer service manager and also blogger at Weleda.com!

I had been meaning to write about our love for the Calendula products for a while now, but reconnecting with Dena was just the catalyst I needed.

Finally getting around to the point..

The point is that I have a fierce love for all of Weleda’s Calendula baby products, but the Calendula Shampoo & Body Wash is the one I could not live without.  It’s natural, reasonably priced, smells great, and best of all it’s so CONVENIENT! One product at bath time -that’s all we need.

Obviously when it comes to natural baby products there are a million choices that have cropped up recently to satisfy the organic/natural craze. Far from jumping on the bandwagon, Weleda practically FOUNDED natural body care. They cultivated their products biodynamcially back in the 1920’s before anyone even knew what biodynamic WAS!

What you get with Weleda isn’t just a modern natural product, you get years of history, thought, care and wisdom about nature and it’s interaction with the body and spirit and that’s why I love and trust their products completely.

Back in the day when I worked for Weleda they were relatively obscure and the distribution of their products was limited to a few specialty health food stores and the like.  The good news is that now the rest of the world has caught on and you can pick up their baby products at Babies R Us and even at Target.

And… right here right now by entering the Weleda Baby Starter Kit Giveaway!

The starter kit includes a trial size version of ALL of the Weleda Baby Care products and is not only a fabulous why to sample each product, but is super convenient for traveling and/or just throwing  into the diaper bag without adding extra weight.

To enter, simply go to the Weleda site,  browse the baby care products and post a comment here stating which product you would most like to have!

Entries will be accepted through Thursday June 18th, winner will be selected via Random.org and announced next Friday June 19th.

If you simply CANNOT wait and want to try the Shampoo & Body wash, Click here for a printable coupon to use at Target to get $2 off!

Now that you know everything you need to know about how to enter the giveaway and way more than you wanted to know about me, you may want to never come back stop reading.  But just in case you want to learn more, Dena graciously answered these  two questions I had about the products that maybe you were wondering too:

Me: “What is so special about the Calendula flower that makes it the key ingredient and foundation of the Weleda baby products?”

Dena: “Weleda’s founding as a natural pharmaceutical company gives us special insight into the healing powers of plants. The Calendula or marigold is a beautiful, orange-yellow flower that captures the warmth of the sun. It contains valuable antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. In Weleda Baby Care it provides gentle, soothing care for baby’s delicate skin.”

Me: “When do you use Calendula Baby Cream vs. Calendula Diaper Care? “

Dena: We suggest the Baby Cream for daily use as a preventative against diaper rash and for treating areas of dryness. During teething or at other times a more severe diaper rash develops. The Calendula Diaper Care is a medicinal product, used at these times. The zinc oxide allows the skin to be protected, despite the moist conditions, so rash can heal. Once the diaper rash is better we recommend returning to daily use the Baby Cream as often as needed.

So there it is, as promised.. recommendation, autobiography, interview & giveaway all rolled in to one.  No wonder it took me two weeks to pull this post together!

(Are you still with me? ;)

Ikea FYLLEN hamper – $9.99

It’s cheap, collapsible and holds a TON of toys (ours has long since been full). But the best part is that you can easily see what’s at the bottom!

And while you’re there, here are a couple other favorites from our fine Swedish friends..

BARNSLIG hooded bath towel, $7.99
It’s twice as big as the Carter’s versions so I can really wrap him well when he gets out. There are more colors available in store (whe have a white one with red trim.)

ANTILOPE high chair, $19.99
So simple, so cheap, so effective. Make sure you get the tray (sold separately!)
*If you are short on space and have a table the right height (it has no tray) this high chair is a great alternative

BARNSLIG placemat – $1.99
Maybe it’s just my nutty child but Jasper is OBSESSED with this place mat (as a toy, not a place mat of course!).. could it be the cute colorful design? Still not sure, I’m just going with it.

MULA bead roller coaster – $7.99
Jasper really liked playing with this one when he first started to sit. Now he’s too busy standing to be interested, but we got a good run out of this one!

What are your favorite Ikea baby finds?

PS: If you don’t have an Ikea near you, I feel your pain!

Thank god for the day when I showed up at Jay & Sarah’s without any food for Jasper and they introduced me to Happy Baby frozen baby food.  Jasper had just started solids and was liking them, but I’d never seen him go as nuts as he did over the happy baby carrot puree!

Because they are frozen from fresh, there are no preservatives or added anything, so they truly are the next best thing to homemade including the thickness. You know what I mean right? The jarred baby food is all really runny and tasteless. This stuff is thicker like when you puree it fresh from home, even the colors are more vibrant!

They come in convenient little cubes, also just like if you make your own and freeze it in an ice cube tray.. pop one, two or three out depending on baby’s appetite.

The most impressive thing to me though is the  amount of thought they’ve put into every ingredient, for example their Salmon & Prunes use wild salmon, not the icky farmed stuff. Plus it has coconut oil because coconut oil has super healthy stuff like Lauric acid also found in breast milk. They even add mint to their peas to soothe colic.

The only hard part is finding the stuff, but if you have a local Wholefoods you are in luck!  They also have a long list of other retailers on their website, but I’m not sure which ones carry their frozen foods rather than say their dry cereal. (They list BRU as a retailer but I’ve never seen it there so I’d call ahead.)

I’ve never seen them in a store so didn’t even realize until today that they also make organic puffs!  I’ve been conflicted about giving Jasper the regular graduates puffs.. they just seem like such empty nutrition, plus one of the first ingredients is sugar.

These puffs still have some sugar, but it’s half the amount as the other brands. Plus  they are jam packed with nutrients and are organic.  They are available on Amazon with free shipping. I’m definitely ordering these. (Let me know if any of you have tried them)

Have a wonderful fun-filled holiday weekend everyone!

PS: If you haven’t seen the new Star Trek movie, I highly recommend it.. so much fun. If you can see in on iMax like we did (last night for Jeff’s birthday) even better!

Jasper "reading" Hand Hand Fingers Thumb

Shot with my Canon Digital Rebel Xsi
Sigma 30mm 1.4 lens at these settings:
F 2.5
Shutter speed 1/80
ISO 200

We are big Dr. Seuss fans in our house. There isn’t a story time that doesn’t feature at LEAST one rendition of “Hand, Hand, Fingers Thumbs” ,  “Mr. Brown can Moo“  and “The Foot Book“.

There are many ways in which Dr. Seuss is brilliant, but for young babies I think it’s the rhythm that really holds their attention… I lightly bounce Jasper on my knee to the “beat” as we read and he flaps his little arms in excitement.

The other, perhaps less desirable quality of these books is that they are like crack for your brain… totally addictive and impossible to get out of your head!   If you have ever read Dr. Seuss’s ABCs then you know of what I speak (Big B little b, what begins with B? Barber Baby Bubbles and a Bumblebee…)

The bomb in the series (as far as I’m concerned) is “Ten Apples up on Top” which is one of the few in the series not written by Dr. Seuss himself.   I don’t really have a problem with that, but is it just me or has anyone read this and thought that it was written by someone who doesn’t speak English at all?  Plus the illustrations are just sub par in my opinion. We use that one as a “teething” book rather than a bedtime story.

Despite having almost the whole Dr. Seuss collection as well as Goodnight Moon and Polar Bear Polar Bear What do you Hear?  and Jasper’s other absolute favorite “Peek a Who?“, I am definitely craving a bit more variety in our bedtime story collection.. Jasper doesn’t have a problem with reading the same 5 books over and over but sometimes I do!

So what are/were your child’s favorites? What “must haves” am I missing?

PS: You can often find the Bright & Early Board books for $3.99 each at TJ Maxx & Marshalls!

PPS: Jasper still has a fever :(

Shot with my Panasonic Lumix point & shoot – feeling lazy!

When I saw these Koala Baby Robeez style shoes at BRU last week I was skeptical.. $14? Were they made of pleather?

But I’m happy to report that they are made of real leather and every bit as comfy and easy to get on and off as his Robeez. And they are super adorable don’t you think?

I wish they had more, this was the only style my local BRU had and it was the last pair in his size. They don’t have them online at all.  Have you seen other cute styles at your BRU?