Bath time not noisy enough for you? Pooky’s bathtub is just full of bath toys (I thought it was a really good idea to get all those alphabet letters and numbers). We try to keep her occupied so that bath time is easier on us since she can be quite fussy about taking a bath these days. These Tub Tunes Water Drums can definitely keep a kiddo happily banging away. The pitch of the drums change depending on how deep they’re submerged into the water. Of course, pots, bowls, and tupperware probably work just as well. Or maybe you’d like to skip the musical tunes altogether and just stick with the splashing. $12.95 at Amazon. (via Boing Boing)

Hate to admit it, but we just watched the “big announcement” episode of Jon and Kate Plus Eight. If you’re wondering where to purchase one of those crooked houses that was featured on the show, you can go here. If you were thinking (like I was) that they were probably purty expensive, they are. Prices range from $1,249 for the Original Playhouse to $4,449 for the Double Deluxe Playhouse.

It’s 4′ long, 4′ wide, and 3′ tall and can fit Pooky and one parent. The bottom is waterproof, and it has a cutout round window on one side that can be fitted with one of the fun tunnels available from Pacific Play Tents. The tent lives in the corner of Pooky’s room, and she loves taking naps in it.  We also purchased it thinking we could tote it on vacation and set it up on the floor or bed to encourage Pooky to sleep better (and on her own) in unfamiliar places.

We reviewed an older version of the Beco a while back and, since then, this baby carrier has gone through a number of different changes to arrive at the most current version known as the Beco Butterfly 2. I’ve been searching for a carrier with the convenience of buckles and ability to carry both a newborn and an older baby, so I decided to give the Butterfly 2 a try.

The Beco Butterfly 2 has a removeable infant insert that attaches to the inside panel with velcro. It allows newborns to be carried in it froggy-legged without being swallowed by the carrier and before they’re able to spread their legs out. I was really attracted to this feature. After a few times wearing Baby Brother using the insert, I realized that he was actually already large enough to go without the insert. This was back when he was about two months, weighed 10-11 pounds and measured just under two feet. We still carry him froggy-legged (legs tucked in at his side in the carrier with weight on his tushy) and were glad to be able to remove the infant insert because it was actually a bit of a pain to try to get him into it unless you actually had the time and space to insert the baby into the carrier before putting the carrier on.

As I mentioned above, the infant insert that I was looking forward to turned out to be not so convenient for quick in and out, but what about the rest of the carrier? Once the baby is in and adjustments have been made, it’s a very comfortable carrier. The padded waistband transfers weight to your hips and the lightweight material is sturdy without being bulky. I love how easily the side buckles adjust (just pull to tighten and lift the tab to loosen) and the sleeping hood is large and useful for supporting baby’s head as well as providing shade from the sun. Both Josh and I can wear the Beco comfortably, and the ease of adjusting the side buckles makes it much simpler to switch the carrier back and forth between the two of us and adjust for our different sizes.

Although the Beco is stylish and comfortable, there’s just too much to it. It’s more complicated than I think it needs to be. I miss the simplicity of the older versions of the Beco. The Butterfly 2 has a lot of buckles and a Y-shaped panel that’s not removeable (baby sits between this Y-shaped panel and the outside panel). The buckles and panel make it a hassle to put on and get the baby into the carrier. I’m always having to untangle the carrier before putting it on because it gets all twisted with the many different parts to it.

I really thought I would eventually get used to the Butterfly 2 and all the things that bothered me about it wouldn’t bother me so much anymore, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. A buckle carrier should be quick and simple, and this carrier isn’t. It’s a shame because it comes in great fabric and color options and is very comfortable once you actually get the kid into it. Price: $140.

One Amazon Dream Registry Sweepstakes winner will be selected each month from May through December for up to eight chances to win.

To participate, create an Amazon Baby Registry and add 10 items to be automatically entered into the sweepstakes. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Drawings monthly. Ends 12/31/09. See Official Rules for details.

The Skip Hop Dash was one of my favorite bags when toting things around with Pooky (review here). Unfortunately, the black lining of the bag really got to me because everything disappeared into this dark hole when it went into the bag. Although I loved its size, sturdiness, and organizational design, I eventually stopped using it because of the “black hole” factor. Apparently, this has been fixed with lighter color linings in the improved design of the Skip Hop Dash Deluxe model.

With the arrival of Baby Brother, I was on on the hunt again for a diaper bag, and I kept coming back to the Skip Hop bags. However, with the dismal state of the economy, I wanted a cheaper alternative. Skip Hop now makes a line of diaper bags for Target stores called Spark. I decided to check them out and ended up purchasing the Cargo Tote
(pictured in the middle in the above image). Skip Hop diaper bag prices start at $54. The Spark bag I purchased was only $29.99.

The Spark Cargo Tote is a great bag! I’m a light diaper bag packer, and this bag is a perfect medium size bag that fits items for both my newborn and toddler (change of clothes for both, diapers for baby, bib, wipes case, sippy cup, changing pad, burp cloth, plus room for more). It has a bright orange lining which is perfect for finding things inside the bag. The inside has two large pockets on either side and the nifty stroller straps are contained in pockets on the inside gutter so they’re always available but not in the way. I love that this bag has both tote handles and a longer detachable strap so you can wear it across your body as a messenger bag. I leave the strap on at all times, and it doesn’t get in the way. There are two mesh bottle pockets on each side, a large external slip pocket on the back of the bag for the changing pad, and a small zippered pocket on the front for mommy items. In addition to being daddy-friendly, it also stands up on its own and doesn’t tip over when full.

The Spark Cargo Tote has been a wonderful everyday diaper bag that can be had for a great price. Although I opted for the cargo tote so that both Josh and I could carry it, the other Spark bag styles I saw at Target (pictured above) seemed like great choices as well.

Now through May 9th, you can find some great deals on Britax car seats at Chit Chat Baby:

Britax Frontier on sale for $229.99
Britax CS on sale for $279.99
Britax Marathon on sale for $229.99
Britax Boulevard on sale for $259.99
Britax Diplomat on sale for $199.99

Our family recently expanded with the arrival of “baby brother.” We had three car seats already (an infant and two convertibles) but were looking for another seat since both of us would be driving the kids to or from daycare in a few months. This time around, I was searching for something that would last a while. Well, with the Graco Nautilus, I believe we found the last car seat we’ll ever need.

I picked it up at a great deal a few days ago from Target for $159 (originally $179). Installation was a snap (quite literally, it was a matter of snapping the headrest in place). It’s very well padded and the material on this particular style, “Reese,” is soft and plush. I would say the comfort level is definitely an improvement over the Fisher Price Safe Voyage seat and almost as comparable to the Britax Decathlon. The anchor and tether straps are very easy to use. The harness straps are easily adjustable and don’t twist easily. The headrest adjusts for taller kids, and the crotch strap has two adjustable positions.

We’re currently using it as a car seat with the built in harness strap, but once Pooky outgrows that we can take out the harness and use the seat belt, and the last stage would be to disassemble the other parts and use it as a booster. I’m thrilled she’ll be safe in this seat and we won’t need to buy another one. Pooky liked it immediately and couldn’t wait to sit in it. She was especially excited about having a built in cup holder and two open side bins that she could use to stash small toys.

The car seat is extremely heavy, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re needing to move it around a lot or take it with you through the airport. It comes in several different styles, including the “Matrix” style pictured above.

Now through March 12, See Kai Run is having a great sale on baby and toddler shoes. Regularly priced at $32-50, they have lots of cute styles for half that price. See Kai Run are really great, high quality shoes that are perfect for when you little one is ready to move on from soft soled shoes (our review is here).

bublove is closing shop, and everything is $5. Click on this link, and you’ll get an additional 10% off.

Check out these cute baby hats from Etsy seller, roslynscloset. They come in different colors and adorable felt applique patterns and can be sized to fit a newborn through 2T. Price: $16.

Date night, anyone? Unfortunately, Josh and I have not been very good about making time to go out on our own without the kid. We’ve also cut back on eating out quite a bit and don’t find ourselves sitting in a restaurant very often with or without kid. This has actually worked out pretty well; there’s nothing quite like a home cooked meal (unless you’re always the one cooking).

Deals like the one being offered right now through Restaurant.com, though, definitely have me browsing the site and stocking up on gift certificates. I’ve noticed that the restaurant selection has definitely improved from a while back when I first ran into this site. You can basically purchase $25 gift certificates for $10, and through December, you get an additional 50% off. Sounds pretty good to me. Please note that you can only use one certificate at each visit, and restaurants usually have a minimum order amount. It’s still quite a bit of savings and can purchase many date night meals.

Just click through this link to apply the 50% off on your entire order.

Nurseryworks Goodnight Glider

Very simple, modern glider by Truck Product Architecture available in multiple colors. Regularly $1200, but on sale now at ModernNursery for $600.

A worker was killed in the crush Friday after a throng of shoppers eager for post-Thanksgiving bargains burst through the doors at a suburban Wal-Mart, authorities said . . . “He was bum-rushed by 200 people,” co-worker Jimmy Overby, 43, told the Daily News. “They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too. … I literally had to fight people off my back.” - As reported by the AP

From toys to electronics, don’t miss the great deals at Amazon on this Black Friday.