Favorite Mommy Things

This is a quick list of some of my favorite baby investments. I've meant to do this for some time but I suppose late is better than never. Oh and I've had a year to let my opinions on the purchases "marinate" so perhaps they can be of help to others:

1. Storksak Gigi Diaper Bag- I'd had another bag for months, but realized that I don't really like the "baby looking" diaper bags and preferred something more discreet and with more pockets and dividers for organization. This bag is beautiful, the handles adjust for a stroller accordingly and the only negative is that my small infant child chewed on the straps and there's a mark on one of them.2. Pottery Barn Bassinet- This was a sizable splurge. And Mason only slept in it for maybe the first 2 or 3 months of his life. But I don't regret it one bit. It's still an heirloom piece that I've aesthetically enjoyed more than any other bassinet I've seen. 3. Polo Ralph Lauren Clothes- An infant hits growth spurts and will shoot out of his clothes in no time, but I've had too much fun playing dress up to notice. And admittedly, I've made horrible clothes choices probably spending somewhere close to $300 on smocked clothes; with at least half of those that will end up never being worn {wrong size for the season or I just decided it was too frilly} or that will only be worn once. Bad, bad investments...must RESELL!

But I waited and purchased all of his Polo RL clothes on clearance so there's not been one complaint from me. Mason is petite so he was able to stay in the infant sizes all year; although Polo RL runs small {well, I like to say it runs "true to size"...potatoes...potahhtoes"}. But his 12-month outfits are starting to fit snuggly. Thankfully the great thing about button-down shirts is that you can roll the sleeves up when they're too large and do the same thing again when it's too small for a preppy casual look.

4. CatBird Baby Pikkolo Carrier- I have 3 different baby carriers, and babywearing is something I support...particularly for nursing newborns. My all-time favorite is still the Pikkolo. I rave about it {HERE}. Oh and I can still carry Mason comfortably, only now he's worn like a backpack.

5. Pedipeds- These shoes are the bomb! They have a flexible leather sole that's durable enough for outdoor wear, but it ingeniously allows for movement...considered "the next best thing to being barefoot." I'm still sick over the fact that I lost one of the shoes. Mason is walking in stiff-soled shoes, but something I think around the house it'd be better for him to wear these rather than just his socks {which can sometimes bunch up and trip him}. 6. Boon Squirt Feeding Spoon- I cannot count the number of times that people have stopped us in restaurants after they're in awe of this cool contraption. It's a huge lifesaver when feeding on-the-go. The squeezable rubber compartment acts as an insulator for the baby food and you can actually fit about 6 oz of baby food inside. I've learned however to make sure that I only use Stage 1 or very pureed Stage 2 foods because anything with lumps will not squirt correctly.

7. Boon Flair High Chair- Wow! Can I just add that this high chair may be my all-time favorite purchase PERIOD. It's extraordinarily easy to clean up, I roll Mace around the floor like he's on an amusement park ride, it's a sleek and non-invasive design, and I really like that it easily adjusts heights so I can sit him at the kitchen island, the table, or even wheel him in front of me while I'm on the sofa. Amazing!

8. BOB Sport Utility Jogging Stroller- I use my Chicco travel system stroller for store trips, but there's no way that I'd be able to run without this jogger. The BOB was graciously gifted to us from Gigi and Grandadder before Mason was even born. It's been a life saver. I've kept sane by being able to exercise with Mason and right now I'm just itching for it to get warm again so we can go back out to the park for a jog. It's also the best BOB for us because of the natural park trails where we run; the suspension is a great feature!

High Chair Heaven

Despite fighting off a little cold (Mason's first sickness...blehhck runny nose...blehhck sneezing...blehhck baby coughs), today's been a great day. He slept 9 hours straight last night (WOOHOO!) and today we had a great surprise arrive via FedEx.

Our Boon Flair High Chair! Woohoo!

Look at his sad little smile...he's forcing himself to be happy, his eyes aren't bright, and you can tell he's just not himself.

At least the chair looks good (ok, I'm teasing...sort of).

Day 2 of trying bananas.
Man this chair is INCREDIBLE! He doesn't even mind being strapped in. I can roll him around the kitchen smoothly, big messes are easily cleaned (even the straps are removable for washing), and the pneumatic lift makes it adaptable for many purposes and surfaces.

I highly recommend www.babycatalog.com for shopping Online. I also Googled a 5% coupon prior to placing my order. I want to report that I had a horrible experience with http://www.happybabystore.com/ and am still awaiting my refund. Note: I usually search for Website reviews in addition to product reviews, however I failed to do it this time and am paying for it now. At least I paid through PayPal so I'm able to dispute the charge.

The Boon-er the Better

We have the Frog Pod...perfect for storing bathtime toys and there's a shelf for shampoo and body wash.

I'm thisclose to convincing myself to get the Boon Flair High Chair. It's bit more modern than my usual taste. For aesthetics, I originally wanted a wooden high chair, but after reading reviews some shared 1) you must use a chair cushion, which is additional cost and I'd imagine a pain to clean out; 2) they're not necessarily the safest as a child could slide out the bottom or smash their fingers with the tray (sheesh!); 3) although it's wood, evidently they're tough to clean especially those with slats like the Jenny Lind style.

The Boon has a pneaumatic lift (read: adjusts like a Barber;s chair), is very safe, is easy to clean including the pad, has a dishwasher-sized tray, rolls on 6 coasters and doesn't scratch floors (with a super easy brake), and it can transition to pull up to a table or counter. The cons are: the seat doesn't recline, the brake doesn't keep the chair completely stationary (did not appear to be a safety hazard though), and the tray is small although some moms said this was nice as it trained their children to eat off of a smaller surface.

And check out this cool feeding spoon! You insert your food in the handle and squirt a small bit out for feeding. It comes with a cover which means you can easily prepare a meal for the go and not have to deal with keeping up with another container for the food...and one less thing to clean up.

This trainer cup is ergonomically designed. We're not ready for a sippy cup yet, but I'd imagine this fits better in the diaper bag than other cups with handles that protrude.

Check out the other Boon products at www.booninc.com They donate 10% of their profits to children's charities. Cool baby cool!

Feed Me

Finding a decent High Chair has been quite a challenge.

My criteria have been: black, wooden, preferably an old-fashioned type.

Unfortunately, when I do find a wooden high chair, it's almost never comes in black. Although, I do have some time before the little guy will be able to use one, so the search continues.

Safety 1st Solid Wood High Chair in Vineland @ $80

Kettler Kombi High Chair in Natural Solid Beechwood @ $80 it may look odd/ugly, but it also converts into a child's playdesk
This is the closest to what I'm looking for (only in black).

Angel Line Jenny Lind High Chair @ $85

And I found these high chair pads from koryskradle on Etsy.com and will definitely try sewing this myself =)