December 2009 Archives

My husband bought this game for everyone for Christmas and not for the tots but for grown ups! He's a total techie so I figured he was just into the gadgetry of the laser but it turns out this is a super cool game full of strategy - like chess without all the complicate rules! The laser is not just a gimmick either, it is an essential part of the game. The pieces are moved into place so that the laser can reflect off of the mirrors and hit your opponent. I am pretty sick of playing Candyland so this is an exciting addition to my life. At Super Cool Toy Store for $44.95. Batteries are required so make sure you're covered before you announce, "Let's play a game!".

Not that you're trying to outdo every mom you know, the thing is you're not even trying! You're just that fabulous because you are you! And that fabulous you only uses personalized wrapping paper. You do give the best gifts so don't mess with cards going missing and the recipient not knowing who the awesome gift is from. It is all plain and clear and as memorable as your charming personality =) Personalized Gift Wrapping Paper at Beau-Coup, $30 per 12 foot roll or $48 per 24 foot roll. Comes in different designs with personalized text up to 37 characters.

Now that all the gifts are unwrapped and out for play for a week, I am ready to throw some of them out, namely these ones featured here. People who design these toys clearly do not have tots themselves, or they are hard of hearing. At the top of the list is the Hasbro Playskool Honeybee Hop ($20.99), which plays "Flight of the Bumblebee" at the one volume setting - EXTREMELY LOUD!!! There should be legislation to ban this song. If you need a revenge inspiration for the annoying cousin or friend, this is it.

The Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Scoot So Cute Doll ($25) looks innocuous but is anything but. It crawls and is fun for tots to interact with but what you don't realize is, the entire time it is on it either cries or laughs, there is NO downtime. It is so loud and irritating, I had to duct tape the speaker holes shut to lessen the madness. And the descriptions says it is cuddly - the thing is hard plastic, it is hardly cuddly.

I love Yo Gabba Gabba, the funky characters and cool DJ Lance makes it totally bearable to watch. But the Yo Gabba Gabba Dance Mat ($50) will drive you to hate everything Yo Gabba Gabba. It features songs from the show but the songs change as your tot steps on the mat so it becomes a jumbled mix of pure aggravation. And again, there is only one volume setting - LOUD!!

Share your most annoying toys, I'd like to know so I can avoid them and I'm sure other readers would appreciate the heads up as well!!

Yeah, sure, this is not the cutest contraption out there but if you are tired of sweeping up every 5 minutes and having your car look like the bottom of a trash can, then like me, you won't care about aesthetics. We all have the Snack Trap, which is great for the responsible tots who really don't want to spill because all it does is prevent accidents. It does nothing for the 99% of normal tots who want to spill. Mine opens up the flaps and just dumps everything out because she can. The Munchie Mug does a much better job at keeping snacks in. There is a fabric opening which makes it nice and soft for little hands but also a real challenge to dump. The big slot handles on the sides make it easy to carry around and the big mug makes sure you have enough snacks for the entire trip! At Amazon for $15.95.

Image courtesy of Canadian Family

This holiday season was especially memorable and meaningful for me and my family because we welcomed Milo, my beautiful little nephew, to the mix. My sister was in labor for 20 hours and ended up getting a C-section!! She didn't dilate beyond 5 cm and the Pitocin was stressing the baby out so there was no other options. During this long labor of 4 nurse shift changes and the sheer exhaustion from just being there, we all forgot about the Cord Blood collection. I know a Birth Plan is a must for some, it is just comforting to know that you have dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's but there are those free form people, like my sister who just wanted to wing it without one. Well, now she is paying the price. If she had a birthing plan, every nurse who came on shift would have looked at it and made sure the Cord Blood collection kit went into the OR with her when she went in for the C-section. During the stress of making that decision and the hubbub of getting ready to move all her stuff from the Labor and Delivery room to the OR Recovery, it was just forgotten. I should have insisted she had one, or even did one for her, being the experienced one with 2 deliveries under my belt (both of which had Cord Blood collected). If you are pregnant or know someone who is pregnant, make sure to do one, it only takes a few minutes and Baby Center has an easy check list that prints out for your convenience.

I totally should have featured this before the holiday travel season. If you still have tots on bottles, you know the biggest problem while traveling is the washing of the bottles. And seriously, you're not going to bring an entire drying rack with you. I had a small dinky travel rack that required putting together but it never stayed together all that well. This Babisil Drying Rack rocks!! The entire thing folds out to fit an amazing amount of bottles and accouterments. It folds up flat and easy to pack. This one is going on my list of baby essentials to buy for baby showers gift baskets!! At Honey Bunch for $27.99.

This is nothing new or unusual about this coat, I'm just a sucker for these style of coats. If I had free will as a child (and, of course, independent income) this is how I would have dressed. So just to make sure I'm being a thoughtful and awesome mommy, I'm making sure my daughter only has psychological trauma to complain about in the future =) At Saks Fifth Avenue for $295.

Sometimes, a lot of times actually, I need something easy to do with my tots. I will admit, there are those days when I am lazy physically and mentally. Sitting on the floor with a 100 piece puzzle set seems daunting on them said days. But a simple tic tac toe game is the perfect combo of easy on me and stimulating for my Tot! Plus this is a cute crochet set that is reusable and Eco-friendly! At Arte Bebe for $56.

More storage solutions for after the holiday infusion of stuff! But this is for a smaller problem, these cute storage bins are a welcome addition to any room for an overflow of toys. These collapse which are great if you need a temporary fix. Also a great way to present a present, if you happen to be one of those who are really late. Some of my friends have agreed to do after Christmas gift exchanges to take advantage of sales. Hey, I'm all for that, you get better gifts! =) At Bebe Babble for $39 each.

Christmas time usually means new toys and clothes for the tots. Like everyone else, ours end up with so much stuff, we run out of room to store it all and things slowly creep their way into the garage. Something like the Shelf Pod would come in handy. The zipper enclosure blocks out dust, mildew and bugs from getting into your stored items. We live in a dry area, but for those who live in more humid regions, this definitely is something to worry about. There's nothing like going to the garage to get something and being surprised by a rank odor that doesn't come out. I love the Container Store, for $49.