The Shopping Mama

Etsy Easter Basket Finds

by Malia on March 26th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Holiday, Shopping

It’s time to find an Easter Basket for little man and baby, so of course I headed over to Etsy. Here are some gorgeous options. Now to pick one…

This felted wool Easter basket from Mmim for $34 is a unique take on the classic and I could easily find a ton of uses once Easter is past. I just wish the bunny came with it. Available in other colors.

Love this girly pink flower basket from MsSewItAll32 for $20

Finally! A boy basket that isn’t all gingham and frills. How fun is this bright bug covered canvas Easter basket for $30 from aLittleFrayed?

Another cute boy option (I think it could work for a less girly girl too) is this orange and blue bunny basket from LIVbyLouise for $40. Also love her little bird baskets for $45 for the set below.

And finally this is what little man would choose if I let him: Buzz Lightyear basket for $22 from HappyCatBoutique.

Where did you find your Easter baskets?

Televisions and Dressers Continue to Pose Deadly Risk to Toddlers

by Malia on March 20th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Life

When KidCo contacted me asking that I share how important properly secure televisions and dressers against fall is to toddler safety my first thought was, of course! That is such an important message. Then I realized **I** have a television on top of a dresser in my bedroom and neither of them are secured. Que forehead slap and mommy guilt.

Toddlers have an abundance of curiosity and a significant lack of understanding of physics and gravity. Most of the time this just means scraped knees and bumped heads. But when heavy furniture, like televisions, dressers, or bookshelves, and toddlers mix, the results can be disastrous. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says 169 children 8 and younger died between 2000 and 2010 from falling TVs. Add in furniture and appliances and that number rises to 245. More than 22,000 children were treated for tip-over injuries each year from 2008 to 2010.

Reduce Your Family’s Risk

Make sure you use a stand designed for the size and shape of your television.
Mount televisions to the wall properly. (I’m thinking professionals are not a bad idea.)
Don’t put toys or other interesting objects on top of the TV or dressers where children are tempted to climb to reach them.
Secure heavy furniture to the wall with safety straps like KidCo’s Furniture Strap or KidCo’s TV Straps.

This is certainly a reminder I could use, especially since I’m the only Shopping Mama who doesn’t already have all her furniture secured. (I guess that’s a good thing, but does continue with the mommy guilt. Guess what’s on the top of my project list for this weekend!)

Thanks to KidCo for the safety reminder and a sample of safety straps.

Lot of Gerber Good Start Formula Pulled From the Market

by Malia on March 9th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Parenting, Shopping

Gerber has issued a recall of a lot of its Good Start Formula. Gerber is pulling the batch from the market and offering replacement product to parents who purchased the product of concern. The withdrawn product is Gerber® Good Start® Gentle powdered infant formula 23.2 ounce plastic package from batch GXP1684 expiration date of March 5, 2013.

Gerber and the FDA state that the withdrawn product does not pose a health or safety risk, but it does have an off odor that you may have noticed if you purchased this product. There have also been some reports of spit-up and other gastrointestinal complaints. Of course, it’s so hard to tell what causes baby’s spit-up or upset tummy, but formula that might cause fussiness is a great big fail in my book.

Only this single lot number (GXP1684) is affected and Gerber offers its support at the Parents Resource Center anytime, day or night, at 1-800-487-7763. If you have a container of the withdrawn batch, give them a call for a free replacement.

You Are My Sunshine Prints from Paper Llamas

by Malia on February 20th, 2012 | 5 Comments | 28 Days of Design, Childrens Decor

Design: You Are My Sunshine Prints by Paper Llamas

Why We Like It: I love the modern retro look of these You Are My Sunshine prints from Paper Llamas. They would totally go in Baby Kate’s grey and yellow themed nursery, but would look great in an older child’s room too. They would even look great in an adult’s space. The message is a sweet way to tell your child you treasure him and the yellow and grey is great for boys or girls. Paper Llamas also has several other cute pictures. Airplanes and Children’s Bathroom Art Prints are some of my favorites.

Shop! The set of two 8 x 10 You are My Sunshine Prints are available from Etsy for $25 in your choice of available colors.

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Check out all our Children’s Décor & Design picks in the 28+1 Days of Decor.

TORVA Giant Food

by Malia on February 19th, 2012 | 5 Comments | 28 Days of Design, Childrens Decor

Design: TORVA Soft Toy Giant Food from IKEA

Why We Like It: Giant vegetables and a fruit, do I really need to say more? At one to two feet tall, these huge stuffed toys are more decor than play thing, getting to hug a giant broccoli floret is just an added bonus. Help your kids appreciate the fun of healthy eating and add a hint of whimsy to any room with these fun foods from IKEA. See the TORVA toys in rooms at IKEA.com. The only down side, they are only available in store.

Shop! The TORVA carrot and broccoli are $7.99 and the strawberry is $4.99 in store from IKEA.

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Check out all our Children’s Décor & Design picks in the 28+1 Days of Decor.

Swoop Upholstered Accent Chair

by Malia on February 18th, 2012 | 5 Comments | 28 Days of Design, Childrens Decor

Design: Swoop Upholstered Accent Chair from Target.com

Why We Like It: I have some bibliophile friends who are always posting photos of amazing book nooks on facebook and pinterest and I want one for me my kids. This chair strikes me as the perfect seat to use in a little corner reading nook in a girl’s room. It would also make a great place for a BFF (or mom) to perch while dolling out fashion/beauty/boy advice to a teenager daughter getting ready for her first date. With its classic beauty, this chair could transition from a nursery to a dorm room and beyond.

Shop! The Swoop Upholstered Accent Chair is available from Target.com for $199.99 (currently on sale for $159.99).

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Check out all our Children’s Décor & Design picks in the 28+1 Days of Decor.

Infants’ Tylenol Recalled After Only Months Back on the Market

by Malia on February 18th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Life, Parenting

Last May we were excited to announce the changes to acetaminophen (Tylenol brand and others) concentration and packaging that are intended to make acetaminophen safer and easier to use. Ironically, it is these very changes that are triggering Johnson and Johnson to recall ALL their Infants’ Tylenol in the US. The new packaging that is designed to prevent a child taking the Tylenol on his own and improve ease of dosing for parents has malfunctioned in 17 reported cases. The internal cover is being accidentally pushed into the bottle by parents, negating the new safety features. See a video of the new packaging and correct use here: http://www.youtube.com/tylenol.

There are no problems with the Tylenol medication itself and bottles that have not malfunctioned can continue to be used. If you have a package that has been recalled you can go to Tylenol.com for information about obtaining a refund. You’ll also notice that Infants’ Tylenol will be gone from the shelves (again) with no word as to when it will be back. Children’s Tylenol and generic infants’ acetaminophen products continue to be safe to use. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist to direct you to a safe product.

Has anyone used the new packaging? I still have the old concentration in my medicine cabinet. I have to wonder if this problem is Johnson and Johnson’s fault or if it’s really more of a user error problem, or maybe a little of both. What do you think?

Orbital Sphere Pendant Lamp

by Malia on February 17th, 2012 | 5 Comments | 28 Days of Design, Childrens Decor

Design: Orbital Sphere Pendant from Restoration Hardware

Why We Like It: It is so refreshing to see a lamp that clearly says “masculine” without being covered in baseballs, trains or airplanes (not that we don’t love all of those things in this house). This rustic finish lamp suggests the scientific and artistic creativity of Leonardo da Vinci with its industrial materials and concentric metal bands. I love the idea of this lamp with dark woods and a warm tone nursery or a white and light child’s creative space. And while this lamp clearly feels more masculine than feminine, there is no reason it couldn’t hang in a girl’s room. I want it in my room.

Shop! The Orbital Sphere Pendant lamp is available from Restoration Hardware’s Baby&Child for $299.

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Check out all our Children’s Décor & Design picks in the 28+1 Days of Decor.