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Babycake Truffles. Forget everything you know about truffles because you've never had one like this before. A Babycake Truffle may look like an average chocolate, but when you bite into it everything changes! As the name suggests, these sweets are filled with a heavenly cake-like confection that is both delicate and smooth. The truffles are handmade in Austin, TX and can only ship from November to March so get yours now! Priced from $4 at babycaketruffles.com. |
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Bin-Go. This canvas bin makes tidying up a breeze. Stash stray toys and when you've got a minute (or the bin is overflowing) use the generous handles to carry everything back to the toy box. We also love the smaller version which makes a fabulous at-home diapering station, keeping the essentials contained but handy. $20-25 at skiphop.com |
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Tooth Tunes. In this age of multitasking appliances, why not a kids' toothbrush that plays music in your head? It's real, folks. My 3-year-old son used this brush once and although it does not spin or vibrate and he has to do the work himself, he was hooked. His model plays "Hakuna Matata" from The Lion King while he brushes. I was so curious I grabbed it from him to brush my own teeth, and it's true, you can hear the music like it's playing in your own head -- strange but fun. The music inspires my son to brush for the recommended length of time, and when he's finished, the brush says "Good job!" Those words never meant much from me, but when the toothbrush speaks he listens. $12 at amazon.com. |
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Berenstain Bears. Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Sister and Brother may be blasts from my past, but they are still just as lovable as ever. In fact, my three-year-old can't get enough of the Berenstain Bears. No longer just in books, the Family and Friendship DVD seems to be on repeat in our player. So of course I was drawn to the new Sensible Sippers from R.W. Knudsen Family. These juice boxes are Mama Bear approved, made with 50/50 fruit juice and water, to reduce the amount of sugar in each serving. The banana flavor is surprisingly good. |
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Personal Labelmaker. "I really should get organized." You say it to yourself every so often, but who has time? The answer: Nobody. You have to make the time, but might we suggest you also make the job a little more fun with a handy gadget like the DYMO Personal Labelmaker -- so much better than scrawling with a pen on masking tape! It is incredibly easy and quick to use, so you can get the job done before your kids see what you're doing and want to try it out themselves. $30 at dymo.com. |
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Hands-Free Heaven. Being moms, we have loads of reasons to need our hands free -- driving included. So we were intrigued by Spracht's Bluetooth-enabled Aura Mobile BT speaker, which connects with not only a cell phone, but also a cordless home phone or a computer. We tried it, and it works fantastically in all capacities. The audio quality it delivered was as good as an old-fashioned land-line phone, with no volume problems or static. Best of all, it includes noise cancellation to make it easier to chat while the kids are yelling from the backseat. Unfortunately, it only cancels the noise for the person on the other end of the call. $150 with free shipping at amazon.com. |
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Handy Sanitizing Spray. For being so tiny, this hand sanitizer packs a big punch. It kills 99.9 percent of all germs and can be used anywhere without water. Compared to most gels this spray is totally mess-free and a lot easier to use with kids. We love the fresh and sweet citrus smell -- much more like a whiff of nice perfume than floor cleaner. Just $5 for a three pack at cvs.com. |
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Potty Trained. Need a shameless bribe to help close the deal with junior? This cool tee might do the trick. There is a boy version too (which is tastefully missing the lace on the undies) -- a literal badge of honor that he or she can wear with pride. In fact, after all you've been through with the whole potty training ordeal, you'd probably wear the t-shirt yourself, if it came in your size. $24 at huddybuddy.com. |
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Pediped Flex. We love Pediped's baby shoes. In fact, one of our editors was recently lamenting that her daughter had outgrown Pediped's largest size. Of course she was thrilled that Pediped just released Flex -- a line of toddler shoes made with their signature styling and ingenious flex-fit system that allows the shoes to be worn through two sizes. Boys and girls styles available for sizes 6-12. $39-45 at pediped.com |
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Skip Hop Bedding. Finding just the right baby bedding can be a nightmare. Sure the options abound, but so many are downright kitschy or else carry a hefty price tag. Thankfully the smart folks at Skip Hop (creators of our favorite Pronto! changing pad) have just introduced a line of adorable and luxurious bedding, in cool mod prints at a fraction of the cost of most designer sets. Sure they're not as cheap as some of the ones you'll find at Target, but all it takes is brushing your hand over the satin-like cotton of the Skip Hop set and you'll be sold. We love the Mod Dot collection because it is fabulous for boy or girl.
Priced from $20-220 at skiphop.com. |
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Frog Prince. When we first saw this binky/plush toy all of us Mamas said, "Ugh!" Our thoughts: who in their right mind would want a purple frog hanging out of their mouth? Evidently, baby does. Put this toy in front of a 3 month old and he/she will know just what to do with it and, in fact, might never want to part with it.
Clearly grown-up eyes are not always the best judges of baby toys. I guess it is a good reminder for us moms that eventually (and perhaps sooner than we'd wish) our opinions won't count for much. $45 for four frogs at babydagny.com. |
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Sleeping Beauty. Nothing says "do not disturb" better than this swanky silk sleep mask. Peppermint aromatherapy pouches are hidden inside the mask to help ease tension -- like say, from too many hours of whining. $20 at bathbybettijo.com. Use code "MommyTimes" for 15 percent off your entire purchase. |
