Best of 2011: Baby Gear

by Kate on January 2nd, 2012  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Reviews

It’s that time of year again… time for our annual Best of the Year lists on The Shopping Mama. We’ve reflected on the products we’ve tried, tested and abused and are sharing our very favorites. These are products we recommend without reservation, use often and generally really, really like. Here are The Shopping Mama’s Best of 2011 in Baby Gear – in other words, our favorite gadgets and gear to make raising, wrangling and caring for your babies easier.

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Best Lightweight Stroller: Bumbleride Flite {Movement Edition}. If you’re looking for a stroller that will serve multiple functions and replace all the other crappy strollers in your garage, the Flite is your answer. It’s light in weight, but full on function, including the ability to use a Carrycot for infants, a car seat adapter to turn it into a travel system and all the quality and features we expect from Bumbleride.

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Best High Chair for Little Ones: BabyBjorn High Chair. This little high chair is unlike any other we’ve used. It’s small, with a thoughtful ergonomic design to promote safety for little ones so they can focus on eating and you can enjoy mealtime worry free. The price tag is a bit steep, but we love and trust the brand and have no doubt the chair will last through several hand-me-downs.

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Best Baby Seat / Positioner: Mamas & Papas Baby Snug. The safety of infant positioners has come into question lately, which is why we like the two-piece design and wide base of the Baby Snug. It’s easy to clean, comes with an insert to grow with your child and will accommodate chunky legs, too!

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Best Diaper Bag: Skip Hop Via Messenger. If you’re looking for a diaper bag packed with functionality that is super practical, look no further than the Via Messenger. The bag has pockets galore and makes outings with baby infinitely easier.

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Best Sanity Saver & Dirt Avoider: Dropper Stopper. Once you start using this brilliant little product, you’ll never go back. The Dropper Stopper can be adjusted to keep track of bottles, pacifiers, teethers and plush toys so you don’t have to send your entire walk/lunch/play date retrieving items from the floor.

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Best Stroller Accessory: Protect-a-Bub. This oversized large sunshade provides the highest rating protection possible from ultraviolet sun rays. Don’t settle for a skimpy stroller shade because the Protect-a-Bub will fit on all strollers and joggers with a canopy.

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Best Swaddler: BabyBonkie. When Laura tested the BabyBonkie swaddling blanket with her son Charlie she called it a game-changer. And, when it comes to getting babies to sleep we’ll do just about anything to help them settle quickly and easily. BabyBonkies swaddle your baby in luxury so you can get some sleep, too.

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Looking for more of our Best of 2011 picks? Check out the Best in Children’s Design & Decor and the Best Children’s Clothing, Shoes & Accessories.

Best of 2011: Children’s Clothes, Shoes & Accessories

by Kate on December 31st, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Clothes, Reviews

It’s that time of year again… time for our annual Best of the Year lists on The Shopping Mama. We’ve reflected on the products we’ve tried, tested and abused and are sharing our very favorites. These are products we recommend without reservation, use often and generally really, really like. Here are The Shopping Mama’s Best of 2011 in Children’s Clothing, Shoes and Accessories – in other words, the goodies we stock in our children’s closets and dressers.

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Favorite Clothes: Tea Collection. For the second year in a row, Tea Collection tops our Best of 2011 children’s clothing list. There’s just no denying the style, quality or downright perfection of the clothes. We are particularly fond of the Wardrobe Sets – a great way to mix and match and get more wardrobe bang for your buck.

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Basics with Flair: American Apparel. When we first checked out American Apparel for Kids & Babies, we expected to find affordable basics in solid colors – a practical find, but nothing particularly exciting. We were wrong. The collection offers patterns, fun and loads of possibilities all at a very affordable price tag.

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Best Girly Girl: Kangacoo Designs. Ruffles, pinks and prettiness – oh my! Kangacoo Designs clothing offers a distinct aesthetic and look you won’t find anywhere else. The Footless Ruffle Tights and Summer Tank and Shorts sets are must haves for your girly girl.

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Organic Baby Clothes: Finn + Emma. Based on the idea that organic does not equal boring, Finn +Emma creates clothes that balance sustainability and and style. The company uses 100% organic cotton, eco-friendly dyes and provides collections with colors and whimsical design.

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Unexpectedly Perfect Shoes: Crocs. From the color-changing Chameleons to perfect for school Slip-Ons to totally wearable Winter Boots, Crocs has delighted our little feet over and over throughout the year. If you think Crocs is limited to summer shoes with lots of holes, think again. You’ll be pleasantly surprised like we are.

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Most Stylish Shoes: Venettini. Beloved by celebrity moms and us regular folk alike, Venettini shoes offer a modern, wearable twist on classic shoe styles like the Mary Jane. We adore the unique colors, fine quality construction and overall adorableness of these shoes. They are worth the splurge!

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Soft-Soled Shoes: ShooShoos. My kids have enjoyed wearing ShooShoos for years, but this year Malia and Laura’s children also got in on the action. We all agree – ShooShoos are fabulous soft soled baby shoes. They are easy to put on, actually stay on and there’s a great range of cute styles for boys and girls.

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Hair Accessories: lizzie, izzie & james. Handmade with love, lizzie, izzie & james headbands and hair clips pack a style punch in a sweet package. The pieces offer unmatched detail, a keen eye for lovely color combinations and we simply can’t get enough.

Best of 2011: Children’s Decor & Design

by Kate on December 30th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Children's Decor, Reviews

It’s that time of year again… time for our annual Best of the Year lists on The Shopping Mama. We’ve reflected on the products we’ve tried, tested and abused and are sharing our very favorites. These are products we recommend without reservation, use often and generally really, really like. Here are The Shopping Mama’s Best of 2011 in Children’s Decor and Design – in other words, great things to decorate your child’s nursery, bedroom or playroom.

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Best Baby Bedding: Carousel Designs. Because of the innovative and easy to use Design Tool, the crib bedding designs from Carousel Designs are unlimited. You can literally create your own bedding from start to finish and get exactly what you’d like. And, they don’t skimp on quality. The materials are top-notch and worthy of your little prince or princess.

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Best Wallpaper: Tempaper. This is not your mama’s wallpaper! Modern, hip designs, easy to install and removable and adjustable – there’s noting Tempaper can’t do. The new Tempaper Tots line is focused on children’s rooms, but we love the “adult” collection and Tempaper “You”, which is a blank canvas for you to design.

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Best Wall Decals: weeDECOR. These are not your average wall decals as they are made from eco-friendly fabric in modern and colorful designs. Many styles are available with monogrammed or your child’s name and you can always select colors to make them fit in your tot’s space.

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Best Art: ModTots offers hand painted modern and minimalistic artwork that still manages to be childlike and warm making it perfect for children’s spaces.

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Best Storage: CompanyKids. Just because it’s functional, storage doesn’t have to be boring. The great storage bins, hooks and coordinating accessories from CompanyKids are proof of that. Maybe your little one will even help put things away knowing they’re going to such a cool container?

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Best Personalized Special Touch: Le Papier Studio. We are smitten with the lovely handcrafted silhouette art from Le Papier Studio. The personalized art prints are a lovely personal touch in a child’s room of any age and make a thoughtful new baby gift to adorn a nursery.