Let me tell you a little story about two brand new parents who were getting ready to take their nine-day-old baby out for the first time. This story isn’t about me and my husband, no way… we always have it together. *ahem.* So anyway, it was raining, of course, and the new mom threw a blanket over the car seat handle and made a run for it. The blanket slipped around, made the carrier hard to carry, and by the time they got inside, they were all soaked. Later, on the way home, the mom peeked into the back seat at the baby and saw that the blanket was over her – not over the handle, but over her. And her face. The dad couldn’t understand why the mom thought that was a problem, because hadn’t she used the blanket as a cover earlier?

If only we the nameless couple had had one of these – the suffication hazard problem would have been avoided all together!

Do you know what’s under there??? It’s a baby! In an infant carrier! Is that adorable or what?

It’s called the BabbaCover and I love it.

Here’s an excerpt from the website:
When it’s cold or windy outside, what do you do? You throw a blanket over the infant car seat handle, but it never works. BabbaCo created a better solution that is functional and super cute. BabbaCover keeps your baby warm, dry, and well-rested as you live your active lifestyle.

The BabbaCover is cute and functional, but what hit me first about it when I took it out of the package was how well made it is. It is made of high-quality fabrics and it’s put together really well. The design is great – it’s easy to use and it has everything from “windows” to pockets on the side (great for keys, diapers, cell phones, etc!). It couldn’t be easier to use and fits on all infant carriers. They have really thought of everything.

The BabbaCover is fabulous, and it’s a great alternative to bulky coats and snowsuits, yet it keeps the baby warm and cozy. I highly recommend this product! And guess what? Our readers can get a 15% discount on a BabbaCover! Just go to BabbaCo’s website at www.babbaco.com and enter the code: GETABABBA when you check out!

To find out what else is getting some love around the blogosphere, go see Jill at the Diaper Diaries!

Years ago, when Joshua and Kate were babies, Emily first told me about Robeez shoes. I had never heard of them, but on her recommendation, went out and bought Joshua a pair. They were awesome! They are sweet leather soft-soled shoes that really stay on well. They are easy to clean (I always just cleaned his up with a baby wipe, but they are machine washable!) and very durable. And of course, they are ca-uuu-ute CUTE! Joshua had three different pairs until he was too old for them *sniff* and when Sophie came along, I of course got her some Robeez too. But, since she is a girl, she needed twice as many pairs to get through her baby and toddlerhood. Now that she is about to turn two (*sniff* again!) she is ready for some big-girl shoes! So, I was thrilled to find that Robeez has come out with a new line of hard-sole shoes called Tredz.

I haven’t taken the plunge and bought her any yet, but I am thinking they are going to be her “big” birthday present (because she is two and has no clue what is going on and won’t cry about not getting a toy!) I also really, really want to get her these boots, but mostly because I wish they came in MY SIZE!

Have any of you ever tried the Robeez Tredz, and if so, what did you think?? I’m curious, and hoping they are as awesome as the original!

Robeez footwear is what I love! (The Robeez people aren’t even paying me to say this, but once again, Robeez folks, I can be bought!) For more mommy loves, head over to Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries.

We all know how important it is to put sunscreen on our kids, right? Of course. Which is why we look for SPF 9gazillion and reapply it about every 20 seconds. But as I lather my kids up, I sometimes wonder about the chemicals that I’m putting on their delicate little skin. So I was very excited to learn about SmartShield.

Smart Sheild is SPF 30 – yes, you heard me right, 30. Because I found out that SPF 50 provides less than 1% more protection with over twice the amount of chemicals than a lotion with SPF 30. And 1% more sounds like my raise last year is not really very much!

Here are some other fun facts about SmartSheild:
*UVA & UVB protection (FDA doesn’t require UVA blockers)
*Oil-free and PABA free
*hypoallergenic and fragrance free (great for sensitive skin)
*Waterproof, sweatproof, won’t stain clothes
*Aloe Vera based; moisturizes and absorbs into the skin
*Available in convenient spray and towellette forms perfect for travel or
extra swirmy kids!

I was excited to try this because Sammy has eczema, so I am always on the lookout for hypoallergenic products. I had been using another kind specifically for babies, and it didn’t break him out, but it beaded up on his skin almost immediately after application, which made me wonder how much actually stayed on him. SmartShield didn’t do that at all – it rubbed in immediately.

I definitely recommend this stuff! Click here to learn more.

When Joshua was born, I remember Jenny and Bobby exclusively using Pampers Swaddlers on his little behind. Kate was not so lucky – I hadn’t tried them out and didn’t know what the fuss was all about… Until Sammy came along and Jenny threw me a “diapers and wipes” shower, and I got several packages of them as gifts (it is nice to be the beneficiary to Jenny’s CVS habit!).

I love them. They are so soft. Sammy has super-sensitive skin, and many diapers cause his eczema to act up, but we didn’t have that problem with the Swaddlers.

Now my only problem is that he’s in a size three diaper and Swaddlers don’t come that big! I am very bummed about this fact, and he has quite the diaper rash as we speak.

Pampers people, if you’re listening, help me out here. Make a bigger Swaddler! Or if there is already some kind of bigger diaper that is comparable, let me know!

And Jen – you were right!

Ever taken a shower with one arm because the other one is permanently draped across your chest? If you’ve been pregnant or nursing, I bet you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s during that time that something that’s normally soothing – a nice warm shower – becomes really painful.

But now you can shower with two hands again, thanks to the Shower Hug!

In the shower, the Shower Hug provides support for engorged breasts and protects them from being directly sprayed with water. Pretty cool, eh?

It’s super soft and very comfy – so comfy, in fact, that I slept in it! It’s a nice alternative to a sleep bra or cami.

The Shower Hug can also be used around a c-section incision or after breast surgery.

I love buying out-of-the-ordinary things for baby showers, especially things the new mom will never know she needs, and this fits the bill perfectly. Best of all, it’s made by moms for moms, so go check it out!

For more great items you can’t live without, check out Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries!

It’s Things I Love Thursday, and today I am going to tell you about my new favorite hair accessory for little girlie girls that Moms will also love – Bugalug!  The folks at Buglaug sent me some samples to try, so I tested them on my Sophie, whose favorite past time is to pull out hair clips.  They first thing I tried were the barrettes.  Right away I thought they were super-cute, and they looked very similar to others I had tried.  Turns out, they are very similar, but they stay in better!  Sophie has some of the Ribbies Clippies from Target, and I really like those, but the Bugalugs go them one better. They have a grippy silicon strip in the middle that has the most staying power of any clip I’ve tried. So kudos to them! Since they stay in so well, they can go anywhere.  Sophie wears hers to church, but also to play.  Here’s a photo of her in her Bugalug “Berry Delight Multistripe” barrette, playing at the river on our family vacation.

The other Bugalug product I tried was one of their headbands.  What I love about this is it is big enough for me and can be adjusted small enough for Sophie!  That’s right, she’s only 19 months old and  we are already sharing accessories!! What I like about the headbands is they are very easy to adjust, look great, and stay put really well.  They are also comfortable; when Sophie has hers in she never messes with it.  Here’s a picture of her rockin’ her headband:

I love that I can wear it too! It is ca-uute!!

There are a couple of other reasons to love Bugalug: All their products are handmade in Canada by stay-at-home moms and they have many, many designs to choose from which are hip, cool, and cute but not cutesy. Plus, their prices are VERY affordable!! As you all know, I am quite cheap. So a quality product at a reasonable price is important to me!

I love Bugalug! Go check ‘em out – I am sure you’ll love them too!  For more great Things I Love Thursday goodies, go see Jill at the Diaper Diaries!

The nice folks at Karen Neugurger sent Sammy a couple pairs of their new Plush Infant Socks to try, and let me tell you, they are awesome!    They are chenille “lounge socks” (because after a long, hard day, babies just need to relax!) and they are so cute.

Take a look:

They come in pearl and blue or pearl and pink, and they are designed to fit babies newborn to nine months.  They’re machine washable (thank goodness) and retail for $16 for two pair. 

The best part?  They actually stay on!!!  I know, it’s hard to believe, but they do.  Sammy’s been wearing them a lot, and it’s so nice not to have to constantly put them back on his feet.   AND, Sammy has a slight case of baby cankles, but since these socks are so soft, they don’t leave awful red rings around his ankles like some of his other socks do. 

These socks rock.  They are a great purchase to make for your own kids, or would come in super handy if you’re trying to buy a gift for the baby who has everything   Visit www.karenneuburger.com to order.

Hola, faithful readers!  I started this blog so Emily and I can write reviews and blog about things that we may be restricted on our main site. So, if need be, I will direct you all from Mommin’ It Up over here from time to time.  Thanks for checking in!