Super Cool Baby

Halloween Books

2008-10-06T11:46:00Z

Looking for some books to introduce your little one to Halloween? Some ones that I think look good include Touch and Feel Halloween (these are always a favorite in our household), My Halloween Sound Book, Scratch and Sniff Halloween, A Spooktacular Halloween, Halloween, and Peter Rabbit's Halloween. If there are any others that you like, leave a comment to let our other readers know!

Juggling Twins: The Best Tips, Tricks, and Strategies from Pregnancy to the Toddler Years

2008-10-03T11:09:00Z

When I first discovered I was pregnant, one of my biggest fears was that I would have twins. I had even convinced myself that I was early on and was terrified of how I would manage in a tiny apartment. I did only have one child in that pregnancy, but when I see my friends who have twins juggling two car seats and double strollers, that panic comes back. If you know someone who has twins or is pregnant with them, a good gift would be Juggling Twins: The Best Tips, Tricks, and Strategies from Pregnancy to the Toddler Years. This book helps parents with such issues as breastfeeding twins, how to deal with getting them in and out of the car easily and safely, how to get them both on the same schedule, when to find time to sleep, and other helpful hints. It is also written by a friend of a friend of ours, which makes it just that more special for us. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Halloween Costumes at Amazon.com

2008-10-02T11:39:13Z

Amazon has a great selection of Halloween costumes available, like this Pea In The Pod. Halloween is coming fast, and now is the time to get a costume for your little one. A good costume can really turn your Halloween into something special. We've dressed Anderson as Batman and as a Pumpkin. I'm not sure what we're going to do this year, but I hope its something fun like one of these costumes!

Pony Sisters Ponchos

2008-10-01T10:50:00Z

Pony Sisters Ponchos was started by a woman whose daughter refused to wear a coat. The grandmother made a loose fitting poncho with a hood, and the company was born! They sell both fleece and sweatshirt ponchos in some fun prints, and they are also available in four sizes.

September Monthly Round Up

2008-10-01T06:53:00Z

Peter and I had a lot of neat finds in September. Here's a look back!

Bed Time

Rock-A-Bye Crib Base

Books

The Woollyhoodwinks: vs. The Dark Patch

Chairs and Bouncers

HiLo Chair

Clothing and Accessories

DVDs, CDs, and Software

New DVDs in September 2008

Diapering and Diaper Bags

Feeding

Furniture

Nursery

Reviews

Review: Munchie Mug

Safety

Slings and Carriers

Peekaru by TogetherBe

Toys

Eric Carle Animal Flash Cards at The Land Of Nod

3-in-1 Activity Gym

2008-09-30T11:25:03Z

This 3-in-1 Activity Gym from One Step Ahead looks like so much fun. It has a high-back swing (with security harness), a gently angled slide, and the best part: an irresistibly fun ball pit! The gym can be used indoors or outdoors, and comes with 50 balls. You can buy up to 100 more. I've seen ball pit balls at lots of different places, including Target. All three stations can be used at the same time, and the gym supports up to 231 pounds total.

Peekaru by TogetherBe

2008-09-29T11:51:00Z

When Andy was small, Peter would take him for walks around the neighborhood in the evenings to give me a break, but we had to stop once the colder weather came. If we'd owned one of these, they could have gone much longer. The Peekaru is a fleece vest that zips over a soft baby carrier that keeps both the baby and parent warm. It is much easier than worrying about blankets that can fall, and much less bulky too. It is also made from 85% recycled fleece, so it is also environmentally responsible. It is available in four sizes and five colors.

Alternatively, the company also sells a Peekaru Ozone which does the opposite, keeping the baby covered in the warm summer months so UV rays to affect him while also keeping the baby cool. Also, they have a hands free baby carrier for sale that works with both of these products.

Little Boogies

2008-09-26T12:07:00Z

Little Boogies is a new company that produces crisp white onesies for infants and toddlers. The onesies, while simple, each feature a unique and contemporary animal. These onesies are refreshing and appeal to the innocent and playful spirit of infants. Each animal has a complex depth and texture that you definitely don't see in your typical mass produced clothing.

In addition to clothing, Little Boogies sells reprints of the original watercolor creatures. These creatures would make a great addition to every nursery, and can really finish off a theme if it matches one of the 24 delightful creatures.

The Woollyhoodwinks: vs. The Dark Patch

2008-09-25T12:10:00Z

The Woollyhoodwinks vs. The Dark Patch is a new book from the childrens' publisher Immedium. We've reviewed a couple of their books in the past. We've always been delighted, and with this book we are again. Written by collaborators Asa Sanchez and Phil Dumesnil, the Woolyhoodwinks are five cuddly creatures who live in the Black North Forest. When a piece of the sky falls to the earth, a Dark Patch appears and begins to grow, disturbing the Woolyhoodwinks carefree existence. The five friends take turns trying to solve this strange mystery, and do in an inventive way!

The Woollyhoodwinks themselves a species of plush woodland critter created by San Francisco artist, Jeff Root. Each character is handmade, so each one is unique. You can buy each one separately, or all together over at the Woollyhoodwinks shop.

Rock-A-Bye Crib Base

2008-09-24T11:28:00Z

When Andy was first born, he loved being rocked. However, he hated his bassinet, so this caused a lot of issues for us. The Rock-A-Bye Crib Base would have been perfect for us. It is four rocking feet that attach right to the crib which allow it to gently sway when you push it. It stops when you stop pushing, and it is slip resistant, so it is nice and safe. It also installs without tools. The best part is that it is only $29.95, so it won't break the bank.

Unusually Cool Kid's Furniture

2008-09-23T11:44:44Z

Over at WebUrbanist they have a list of 10 pieces of unusually cool kids furniture, including the great, but expensive, Space Shuttle Bunk Bed pictured above.

Some of the other pieces include Mushroom Forest Tables, an Accordion Dresser, even a Cinderella Pumpkin Coach bed. I never knew kids furniture could be so extravagant. So check out the whole list and see if there's anything that would make the perfect gift for your little one.

Diaper Sprayer from bumGenius

2008-09-22T10:23:00Z

I never used cotton diapers, and I really regret it. I had no idea how to get started and all the neat items that are available to help out with it. The Diaper Sprayer from bumGenius is an ingenious invention for all of you who do use or would like to try out cloth diapers. It is a high pressure sprayer that rinses clean diapers, keeping your hands clean. It can later be used for rinsing potty chairs. It says it is easy to install, and the package includes the sprayer, fixtures, a hose, and mounting clips.

Formula Mixing Pitcher

2008-09-19T10:41:00Z

Andy was mostly breastfed, so we didn't use very much formula. But if you are, I'm sure the clumps are bugging you. They annoyed us! We've discovered a Formula Mixing Pitcher which is supposed to cut down on the clumps. It has mixing blades that remain immersed so there are no air bubbles. You simply pump the handle up and down to mix the formula quickly and easily. It will do up to 32 ounces at a time and has a lid lock so nothing will spill out. It's also dishwasher safe. If you are using formula often for your baby, this might cut down on the time you spend making bottles as well!

Mod Mom: Owyn Toy Box

2008-09-18T11:07:26Z

I love the look of this Owyn Toy Box from Mod Mom. This is definitely furniture that could find a use in nearly every room in the house. The nice and simple theme could complement nearly any nursery. This toy box is 30 inches wide, 15.5 inches high, and 14 inches deep. It's made from eco-friendly birch plywood and painted with non-toxic paints. It has Mid-Century Modern style tapered legs and the wood veneer "branch" is drawn and cut by hand.

Firefighter Revolving Bookcase

2008-09-17T10:30:00Z

If you need a space saver for your nursery, look no further than the Firefighter Revolving Bookcase. This bookcase revolves so your child's books are easy to get to. There are 10 inch and 12 inch shelves, fire truck bookends, and a fire hydrant with real chains on the hose. It's just over three feet tall. Also available are similar ones with princess, time, and sugar plum themes.

Review: Munchie Mug

2008-09-16T12:13:46Z

Sick of cleaning up crumbs from the crease in your car seat? Ever wish they made a "sippy cup" for snacks? Well, guess what, the folks at Witty Works Inc have answered the call with the Munchie Mug. They were kind enough to send us a mug so that we could review it for our readers!

It's large. It holds 16 oz, which is important because your child has to stick more than just his finger tips into the mug in order to retrieve a bite. Besides it wouldn't make much sense to fill the whole thing up, since you have to be able to push the fabric opening aside.
It works well. After a few days of usage, there weren't any spills to clean up.
Easy to use. Andy was able to figure out how to extract his fish crackers and dried cranberries in no time. The website states that kids as young as 10 months have had no trouble using it, but its probably best for kids 18 months and up.
Cleanups up great. Just stick the whole thing, fabric top included, on the top rack of your dishwasher. Obviously you want to let the thing dry out before you start using it again.
It's made with safe materials. Witty Works got each component of the Munchie Mug certified as food-safe by the FDA. And it is made with Phthalate and BPA-free plastics!

The one drawback to the Munchie Mug is the separate air-tight screw-on top. In order to use it, you have to take off the fabric top and screw it on. I wish there was a way to have them both on the Munchie Mug at once, as it seems a lot less likely to get lost that way. But, if you do lose it, you can always keep your snacks in a separate container (like a ziplock bag), and pour some into the Munchie Mug when you're ready to eat!

The Munchie Mug is great for car trips. You can fit quite a lot of snacks in there, and you don't have to worry about them getting everywhere every time you go over a little bump in the road!

I heartily recommend picking up a few of Munchie Mugs. You'll find lots of different ways to use it, and who knows, when your child grows up, you can use it to store easily-accessible odds & ends!

HiLo Chair

2008-09-15T10:02:00Z

I think one of the most fun baby products to buy is the high chair. There are so many interesting ones on the market now with tons of great features. But more importantly, there are a lot that are cool looking and very modern. The HiLo Chair is one example. It has two heights, curved armrests, a raised plastic tray, resistant nylon wheels, and a three point seat belt. It comes in four colors too: asparagus, carrot, portobello, and raspberry.

Evening Out Pad

2008-09-12T10:55:00Z

I'm nervous about babysitters. My regular ones I trust, but I still have to walk them through the bedtime routine every time they come over and give very detailed instructions on how to reach me. If you are like me, you might like the Evening Out Pad. It is a really quick and easy way for the babysitter to have all of your information. The critical information is already highlighted for you and is easy to read at a glance. The back side also has an activity log so the babysitter can write down all that your child does while you are away. The pad comes with 50 pages total, which we think will last a long time unless you go on a lot more dates than most parents!

Farmyard Symphony-In-Motion Mobile

2008-09-11T10:15:00Z

The Farmyard Symphony-In-Motion Mobile seems like a great mobile for your crib. It plays classical music (Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven), has farm animals that move around, and lots of squiry shapes and bright colors. While it might not be great for getting your little one to sleep, it's perfect if she wants something fun that she can giggle to.

Spill-Proof Cap

2008-09-10T10:48:00Z

Many times I've wished that I could give Andy a regular water bottle. I have forgotten to bring along a sippy cup and not had a straw either, so he'd have no way to drink. Until he learns to drink from a cup, I think the Spill-Proof Cap is perfect for us. It basically is a cap that turns plastic beverage bottles into sippy cups with no spilling or leaking. This set comes with four screw on caps, two for wide-mouth juice bottles and two for different sized water bottles. They fit most leading brands and are dishwasher safe. They are also small so they easily fit in your glove compartment or purse. It has great reviews, so we think it must work really well!

Infant to Toddler Dental Starter Set

2008-09-09T10:07:00Z

Every parent looks back and realizes something they could have done better with their children. For me, I wish I had started brushing Andy's teeth sooner. I had no idea I was supposed to start so young! We have it all squared away now, but for my second child, I will get this Infant to Toddler Dental Starter Set. It has a unique oblong shape that can't be inserted too far into the baby's mouth, so you don't have to worry about choking. It's easy for the baby to hold, and since your baby loves to put everything into his mouth, it will actually be used! This set comes with a Teether Tongue Cleaner, Safety Toothbrush, Safety Toothbrush Step II, and a storage case.

Loopa Bowl

2008-09-08T10:40:00Z

Sick of all your child's snacks ending up on the floor of your car? Try out the Loopa bowl, a spill resistant bowl that will dip, swivel, and oscillate in order to keep the snacks where they should be. It has a weighted inner bowl that rotates 360 degrees. It has three handles on the outside of the bowl and three feet so it can stand on carpets. We haven't tried it personally, but if it works, it's an essential for all parents!

Green and Clean Changing Table Cover

2008-09-05T10:27:00Z

I've stopped carrying a diaper bag, but Andy is still in diapers so sometimes I need to change him in public bathrooms. I hate to do it because who knows when the changing area has last been cleaned. I think the Green and Clean Changing Table Cover is perfect for someone like me. It is a cover that goes over the bathroom changing table so you don't have to worry about them being germ free. It is also biodegradable, decomposing in a few months, so it isn't hurting the environment. It comes in a diaper bag friendly zip pouch, but I'd just pull one out at a time and keep it in my purse just in case.

Eric Carle Animal Flash Cards at The Land Of Nod

2008-09-04T11:25:00Z

Anderson is at a stage where he loves to name things. So these Animal Flash Cards, beautifully illustrated by celebrated children's artist Eric Carle, would be great for him. The cards are printed on thick, sturdy board that's perfect for his small hands. Suited for ages 1 and up, these flash cards would make a great first birthday gift!

Number Tree Shirts at Twisted Twee

2008-09-03T11:00:00Z

I love cute t-shirts for Andy, so I was thrilled to discover the Number Tree t-shirts at Twisted Twee. Each shirt design has a different tree with numbers on it. There are five in all with numbers 1 to 5. Each shirt comes in five different colors and has sizes ranging from 0-6 months to 4T.

New DVDs in September 2008

2008-09-02T12:44:29Z

Galloping Minds - Preschooler Learns Spanish

A fun-filled bilingual DVD appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers to help them grasp the Spanish language. Spanish and English words, both written and spoken for each engaging video clip and accompanying Spanish phrase allow your preschooler to pick up new words with ease. The entertaining clips and enjoyable music will keep your child's interest while teaching them common Spanish words and phrases. The DVD covers the fundamentals including colors, numbers and words using beautiful images and classical music.

Bob the Builder On Site: Houses and Playgrounds

In this DVD, Bob mixes real-life construction action with animated fun to show how to build the perfect house and playground! You'll see footage from real-life construction sites featuring giant diggers, trucks and mixers working together to build your dream house. From demolition to the finishing touches, you'll learn everything you need to know to get the job done and have some fun. To top it off, bob will build your fantasy playground out in the back yard!

Garfield's Fun Fest

In this all-new Garfield movie: it's the annual talent competition for the funniest comic strip in Carton World, and Garfield wins it every year. A handsome new contender threatens to unseat the fat cat. In desperation, Garfield sets out on a journey to rediscover the meaning of funny. He then returns to Fun Fest to duel his adversary in outrageous talent showdown. In the end Garfield learns the importance of just being himself.

The Best of Barney - 20 years of Sharing, Caring and Imagination

Are you ready for some Tee-riffic fun? Laugh and sing with your favorite purple pal, Barney, in this super-dee-duper collection celebrating 20 years of enchanting imagination. Barney's opening his magical memory chest to share the best and brightest moments -- from the charming songs and piano tunes, to elephant rids, car racing and more! See the stories that made Barney the most beloved dinosaur by children for over 20 years!

Halloween Spooktacular

Join your favorite friends for some lovable Halloween Fun! Barney takes you trick-or-treating in your very own magical costume. Bob the Builder gets you worked-up with a batty adventure. Fireman Sam teaches fire safety with scary jack-o-lantern. Angelina Ballerina dances the night away, and Thomas & Friends takes you on a hair-raising ride to see a ghostly engine that disappears in a puff of smoke. Don't miss this season's biggest treat, the Halloween Spooktacular!

Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery -- The Movie

Thomas the Tank Engine stars in an all-new movie guest starring Pierce Brosnan as the narrator! Sodor Day is coming and all the engines are busy preparing. When Thomas gets lost in the mountains, he discovers the old town of Great Watertown! Soon the whole island is buzzing with the news of Thomas' discovery and restoring the town in time for the big day. Join the fun and meet a new engine friend named Stanley!

Monthly Round Up - August

2008-08-31T23:33:12Z

There were a ton of great discoveries in August here at Super Cool Baby. Here's a quick refresher!

Bed Time

Blankets

New Vintage Line at Kidcosmic

Books

Chairs and Bouncers

Fresco Loft Chair

Clothing and Accessories

Feeding

Nursery

Outdoors

Pacifiers and Teethers

Gummi Crib Rail for your teething baby

Play Gyms

Lamaze Spin & Explore Garden Gym

Stuffed Animals

Toys

Kick and Grow Tummy Zone Developmental Mat

2008-08-29T10:06:00Z

Tummy time was one of the hardest things for Andy. He hated it with a passion, and I couldn't stand doing it. Every time I did, I'd take a happy baby and make him miserable. I think the Kick and Grow Tummy Zone may have helped our problem because it is at an angle so it doesn't take as much strength to look around. It has a large monkey toy that reverses to a mirror at the top of the slope too. It's also machine washable!

Giftlit

2008-08-28T12:42:00Z

Need a good idea for a child's present? Try Giftlit, a book of the month club that gears the gift towards the age of the child. Choose between babies, 2-5, and older ages. In each age group, there are different options grouped by theme and age. You can buy a 3 month, 6 month, or 12 month subscription. It's also great because any book can be substituted or returned. The books are chosen by advisory board of librarians, educators, authors, and industry experts. There's also groups for young adults, adults, and families too, so you can use this site to do all your holiday shopping or birthday gifts for your entire family!

Children's Clothing at Bonbi Forest

2008-08-27T10:11:00Z

Bonbi Forest sells handmade and independently designed goods from artists, crafters and designers from across the globe. They are one of my favorite t-shirt companies for adults, but they sell some children's clothes as well. I love their Panda tee, and the Lion Onesie is pretty cute too.