something fun for the itty bitty ones

I stumbled upon this adorable little site not long ago, and couldn't get enough! Oh, and it's great fun for the little one too. I hope all of you mama's with bouncing baby's enjoy it as much as we do!

At Kneebouncers.com, choose from a fun selection of interactive baby activities, such as underwater adventures, music, all aboard, peek-a-boo, and several others. Watch baby's adorable reaction to what results from her banging away on the keyboard.


http://www.kneebouncers.com/kneebouncers.html
No coupon necessary, this is a FREE web site! Enjoy!

Congratulate the new mom with a symbol of life

Every now and then a product comes along that is so unique, so exquisite, and so precious. This is one of those products. Inspired by the birth of her twins, Amanda Jaron created Rocks to Buy Baby; a jewelry collection consisting of pacifier charm necklaces, binky bling leather bracelets & enamel rings. Each piece, created & worn to represent the birth of a child, is available in pink or blue.

Although Amanda launched her collection with the pacifier necklace, which has attracted many celebrity followers as "the must have" petite symbol of love, I especially love the rings. Amanda says, "The Circle of Life—this ring symbolizes for unity and completeness. We've engraved our hand-finished sterling-silver ring with the words "It's a Boy" or "It's a Girl" on the insides. Vibrant enamel in Pink or blue on the outside celebrate the new life of your baby girl or boy."

I wish I had known about this collection before the birth of my 2nd son, as I would have much preferred one of these pieces over the spa gift certificate I received from my well-meaning husband! Anything from this collection would make the perfect baby shower or holiday gift for yourself or the new mom in your life. Ladies, this is one BabyLuxe link that you must pass along to your man!

View the entire A. Jaron Fine Jewelry collection at http://www.ajaron.com/

BabyLuxe readers receive FREE SHIPPING with code "LUXE" at checkout. Expires 12/31/07

On the go luxury for little ones

Although I've said many times this season that I'd be doing all my holiday shopping online, I couldn't help myself when I saw the Baby Nika, Can-Go-Roo Bunting. It is so beautiful & luxurious that I just had to get to the mall, and try it out!

So bright and early this morning, after dropping my older son off at preschool, off we went, to the mall. Now mind you, my baby is by far the worst shopping companion I've ever endured. So needless to say, it's been a while since we've been to the mall together. So long that I didn't even know what time the mall opened. We arrived an hour early! Lucky for us, the adjacent bookstore was already open.

This early morning excursion meant keeping Alex away from his crib during the morning nap hours. With a little luck I thought, I could get him to nap on the go. Generally, I would not even attempt such a feat. But when I saw the Can-Go-Roo bunting, I knew that it was a good possibility. With its silky smooth minky lining, I know that I could surely fall fast asleep wrapped in it, so why couldn't he?

Proving my theory correct, he was asleep within minutes. Yes, my awful shopping companion turned out to be a perfect angel for four whole hours this morning, thanks to the Can-Go-Roo bunting! Not a peep. No, the nap didn't last quite that long, but I was truly in shock at how content he was just riding along, letting me shop. I was even able to experience a peaceful fitting room at 4 different stores!

We have the cow print bunting, and oh my goodness, is it adorable! You wouldn't believe the amount of "oohs" and "ahs" that we received while shopping today. I had several women ask where I got such a cute little stroller accessory. This reversible bunting is made from 100% polyester, and is machine wash. Designed for infants through preschoolers, the bunting can also be used as a sleeping bag. When my little guy started to feel too warm, I simply unzipped the top, and pulled out his little legs. The bunting fits almost all strollers, with several different slits for various harness types. Also, it takes just minutes to attach to the stroller, which is a very important attribute for me.

This is truly a fabulous, high quality product, perfect for families on the go with a stroller this holiday season!

View the entire collection at: www.babynika.com

Designed by big kids, for little kids

Just when you think you have enough t-shirts, a wonderful company like Colin Maguire turns up, and gives you a reason for more.



Created for kids, by kids... The talented children residing at The Children's Inn at NIH, along with founders Carrie & Matt Eckert, have lovingly designed all of the shirts that you'll find on this site. The National Institutes for Health provides state of the art care for seriously ill children, and the Inn provides comfortable living conditions for these children and their families while they undergo treatment.

Colin Maguire’s partnership with The Inn at NIH supports the Inn financially, but it also helps to share the spirit of these special children and their loved ones with children across the country. The spirit of these children shows through the unique "About the Artist" hang tag that comes with every shirt.

These shirts are made from 100% super soft cotton, with contrasting stitching and distressed hemlines. They are quite the stylish pick for the little man in your life {although little girls love 'em too}! My favorite design is the "All American Toddler Team" that my little guy wears with pride.

Get the kids in your life a Colin Maguire shirt, and contribute to a great cause this holiday season. A portion of all sales goes directly to support The Children's Inn at NIH.

Visit Colin Maguire here: http://www.colinmaguire.com/

The perfect accessory for your princess

This product speaks for itself! Prissy Poofs are fun and nothing short of adorable. When I was asked to review this product I was thrilled. I quickly learned though, no one was as thrilled as my 3 year old daughter. It was a battle just to get the “Poof” and antlers off at bedtime.

The other battle occurred when my 1 year old daughter saw her sister parading around in the “Poof” and wanted to wear it herself. I immediately knew I had to order another. Then it came to me, “What a fabulous photo this would make for this year’s Christmas card.”

Now we have two “Poofs” and two little reindeer scurrying about our home. Their imaginations run wild as they run around the house. Prissy Poofs have taken my daughters dress-up to a whole new level.

The quality of both the “Poof” and antlers are great! There are layers upon layers of tulle, which makes the “Poof” magical. It is very easy to get on and off as well. It has even survived an attack from our new cat! The antlers also fit perfectly and seem very durable.

In order to have the “perfect” outfit I also purchased “Poof Apparel” from the website. Long sleeve brown t-shirts made their ensembles complete.

I cannot wait to send out this year’s Holiday card. What fun we all had during the “reindeer photo shoot”! I also mentioned to the grandparents they could add to the “Poof” collection throughout the year.

- Written by guest writer, Shannon C

View the entire collection here: www.prissypoofs.com
Take 20% off your entire order with the code "babyluxe"

Leather, on a baby?

I recently had the opportunity to try out the much hyped up Mally Bibs, and now I know what all the fuss was about. These bibs are truly wonderful. It is the only bib we've used for the past week, and it seriously looks brand new. That is quite the amazing feat when you are dealing with a 10 month old. Even the vinyl bibs don't hold their own against spaghetti sauce and mashed carrots ~ but the Mally Bib does.


Mally bibs are the epitome of BabyLuxe ~ practical & oh so luxurious! Made from 100% baby safe leather, they are made to last. The leather is soft and comfortable for the baby to wear, and it won't irritate their skin. The reversible bibs have a unique magnetic clasp that adjusts to fit sizes 6 to 36 months, and also serves to stick the bib right on the fridge {although we have ours stuck on the wall-oven since that is closer to our baby's seat in the kitchen}.

But aside from all this practicality, these bibs have got to be the cutest ones I have ever seen. With over 40 designs to choose from, there is something for the discerning taste in every child!

Find your Mally Bib at this great new online boutique, tickle tickle. Don't you just love the name? They carry many of the Mally Bib designs, and also carry some of my other favorite things ~ many of which I've reviewed in the past: BabyStar, Wall CandyArts, Hotslings & Hooter Hiders.

Check them out here: http://www.tickletickle.com/

Take 10% off orders through December 7th with code BLUXE10!

More Friends & Family codes

Hi everyone! So sorry for the lack of reviews this week, but our whole family has been hit with the stomach bug, which is keeping me either sick or busy taking care of them. I am hoping its out of our system by the end of today, and reviews will become more regular.

But here is something to get excited about today!

Banana Republic Friends & Family on line code- 30% off Dec 1-3
QLOV5931S3G5

Gap Friends & Family on line code-30% off Nov 30-Dec 3
D1L36GG596NL

Old Navy-Friends & Family on line code good from Nov 27-Dec 3---20% off codeF8JXXP9RGCNJ

Sephora.com 20% off (NEVER HAPPENS)
Use code: FF2007

The Holiday Shopping Guide has arrived!

For all your holiday greetings, travel & gifting needs, you'll find it on the BabyLuxe Holiday Shopping Guide! Whether you're looking for whimsical or preppy greeting cards, top of the line strollers and travel gear, newborn gifts, toddler gifts, baby's 1st ornaments, or something in between, we've got you covered. Check our Holiday Guide today, and be sure to use the coupon codes and discounts that have been so generously provided exclusively to our BabyLuxe readers.

Friends & Family Sale at Bediboo - 30% off!

Now is the time to stock up on some great holiday gifts that you've been coveting, but were hesitant to pay full price for! Enter the code"friendsand family" at checkout. Code expires tomorrow!

Babystyle Toy Sale - 20% off!

www.babystyle.com
Use code PLAY20!

Beads for babies!

During the first few months, with each of my pacifier~using babies, I always found myself losing binky's, washing binky's, buying new binky's because of all the ones I lost, almost wrecking the car while fumbling in the backseat {while driving} trying to find the binky... You get the point. So of course, a few weeks into the madness, when my pregnancy~brain wore off, I decided that a binky clip was a definite necessity.

So off I went a searching. And while I came across {and regrettably purchased} many adorable pacifier tethers over the years, none were quite up to par with my needs ~ most are made from a fabric or ribbon material which ends up soaked in baby spit within seconds of attaching it. Another issue I've had with a mass-marketed brand, was the mechanism used to clip it on. It used a flimsy slide gripper connector that only seemed to work with clothing that had some sort of flap big enough to grip. Well, I don't know about you, but my babies wore a lot of sleepers and onesies when they were little. They didn't exactly need pockets back then...

So between the nastiness of the ribbon & the dysfunctional clips, I eventually reverted back to the losing, washing & buying of binky's. Thankfully I have yet to wreck the car. If only I had known about Binky Beads several months ago, I could have avoided all that trouble the 2nd time around!

Binky Beads are the most durable, colorful and unique pacifier tethers you can find. Made of the highest quality German wooden beads, these beads are saliva resistant & cleanable. They are completely non-toxic and guaranteed to look great for years. My little guy just loves his Binky Beads. They are so colorful & fun that he actually uses them for a toy, when they are not serving their tether needs.

Each bead is hand strung right here in my very own state of North Carolina, so you know you are getting a high quality product. Choose from over 50 designs, or select to have a personalized one custom-made for your little sweetness!

Binky Beads make a wonderful, personalized & unique new baby gift!

View the entire colorful collection at http://www.binkybeadsonline.com/.

Something new for your little baby star

With all of the fabulous prints that baby star is so well known for, it was only a matter of time before they came out with diaper bag accessories to match their bibs, burps & blankets! Recently, they've done just that with their new Quick Change, diaper pouch.

Along with the great selection of fabrics, I prefer this diaper pouch over others, for its generous size. Let's be logical here. By the time you outgrow the need to lug an actual diaper bag everywhere you go, your baby is probably wearing size 4 {or even 5} in diapers! So realistically, you'll want a diaper pouch that can accommodate those needs.

The Quick Change diaper pouch is available in baby star's 16 exclusive 100% cotton and formaldehyde-free fabric designs. The pouch has gusset sides and a reinforced base that allows for expansion and it fits four large diapers plus a wipe case comfortably.

For a super luxurious baby gift, pair the quick change with several of the other baby star essentials that are available in all the same patterns. The poodle minis, blankets & throws are almost positively the softest blankets on the market.

View the entire collection at www.babystar.com {there are plenty of amazing sales to be had in the select sale section}!

Baby star believes in responsibility, sustainability and creating safe products for children.

there's a monster in my closet!

Like most 3 year old little boys, my son is obsessed with monsters, trucks & dinosaurs! So when I discovered this great little indie site, monster in the closet, I felt compelled to get in touch with designer, Sarah May. With a full time career as a school teacher, her business venture came about by accident, yet captures the heart of all who stumble upon it.

Monster in the closet shirts are all original works of art, created with hand-carved block prints stamped onto the front and back side of each individual shirt. Choose from a variety of American Apparel (US made) 100% cotton t-shirt styles and colors. Then choose from a huge selection of designs, in whatever combination strikes your fancy for your front and back image. These shirts are not just for boys ~ there are design options for everyone on your list!

For a unique customized touch, shirts can be personalized with your child's name, on the lower right, back side of the shirt.

These shirts are super soft, super comfy and super cool! Layer them over a thermal or under a hoody for colder months, and your little monster is sure to be a trendsetter!

To see nearly 40 equally adorable monster in the closet designs, check out the web site today!

http://www.monsterinthecloset.net/

BabyLuxe readers get FREE PERSONALIZATION! Just mention it in your order.

Holiday sanity saver - tip #2!

Instead of dressing your sweet baby girl in a pile of frou-frou this holiday season, why not let her stay comfy & happy in a precious little outfit like this!

1. Sparkle "BELIEVE" onesie, by Baby Posh. Available at Luca Bleu
2. Candycane baby leg warmers, by Babylegs. Available at Luca Bleu
3. Lambskin booties, by Kina Collection. Available at Contempo Tot {opening November 15th}
4. Peppermint candy wool felt hair clip, by Twinkle Kids. Available at Twinkle Kids {buy 2 holiday hair snaps or bands, and get the 3rd one free, with code "BabyLuxe2007"}

BUZZ Contempo Tot Re-launch BUZZ

I am so excited to bring you this little sneak preview at the re-launch of Contempo Tot! All I can say is that the new owner has big things in store for my former "baby", and that makes me so proud. I actually was a bit teary-eyed when I saw the preview yesterday.

The grand opening is scheduled for November 15th. So make sure you get over there, and sign up to be included on the mailing list! Everyone that is signed up will have a chance at some seriously awesome giveaways that will be a part of the grand opening celebration!

*** Hint hint, many of the giveaways are pictured above!

http://www.contempotot.com/

The new diaper bag accessory must-have!

As a social family, we try to get out as much as possible... However, with two young children, it can be very difficult to properly execute an afternoon or evening out of the house. Case in point, yesterday we were invited over to some friends house for the 1:00 game. Yet of course before the game, we had to run several errands that had been so conveniently ignored all weekend... This meant packing a bag at 10:30 in the morning, for both kids, to last us until 4:30 in the afternoon. That is, snack, lunch, nap & snack again. You can imagine how much stuff we had to pack for the excursion! On top of all the food, accessories & naptime essentials {including the beastly pack n play} the last thing I wanted to add was our nasty old booster chair.

Luckily for me, I had this ingenius little booster seat replacement ~
My Little Seat!

With its compact matching carrying bag, literally the size of a diaper, this little seat is the perfect new diaper bag accessory!

Now baby can have a seat at any table, no matter where you end up! While it may look a bit complicated at first, I will assure you it is NOT. I didn't even have to read the little instruction card {that comes with every purchase} and I had my little guy strapped into it in no time! For those of you that are mechanically challenged, instructions are also provided and illustrated on the web site!

My Little Seat comes in a handful of fresh & fun flannel/cotton combo fabrics, in two styles, one for Chill Baby and one for Active Baby. We have the active version, and it suits our 9 month old's needs perfectly! We have tried My Little Seat out on 4 different chair-back styles; a short ladder back, a regular square back, a curved back & a very tall narrow back. While it was a bit snug on the tall one, it still worked like a charm!

And as icing on the cake, my little guy was so happy and comfy in his own My Little Seat. He really felt like part of the crowd!

See the collection here: http://www.mylittleseat.com/
BabyLuxe readers earn 15% off your order, simply by sending an email to sales@ mylittleseat.com, and mentioning that you saw them on BabyLuxe!

The quest for a gender neutral kitchen reveals this!

So our holiday shopping has officially begun! My first quest, a gender-neutral kitchen. Although my husband is showing his old school roots by strongly opposing this "kitchen" business with two sons, I've made it clear to him that one way or another, our kids will have a play kitchen. I mean, he has seen all of the reality shows about chefs. It's quite obvious that professional cooking is a male dominated industry. And besides that, Colin has been attempting to play pretend kitchen quite a bit lately. I say attempt because with the absolutely zero play food toys that are in this house, he has done a rather good job with his imagination. Last night, using some stacking cups, he served me wine, while he made himself some chocolate milk. That's my boy! Today, he decided he was going to make some vanilla rice... Not really sure where he came up with that one. We eat a lot of rice in this house, but never vanilla.

So in my search tonight, I found this one, and just had to share it with all you lucky girl mama's! Could you imagine my husband's reaction if this were to appear under the tree this year? Ha!

This pink beauty is available for a really great price, at Oompa Toys.

Anyhow, I think we'll do well to get a kitchen into this house, and keep it here, as long as it is a gift from someone other than Mommy or Santa. So I think I've played my cards right, and put the bug in the right person's ear. Yes, Papa will be doing the dirty work this year.

Here is one that we are looking at, also available at Oompa Toys. It is double-sided, with a sink and dishwasher on one side, and a stove and oven on the other. Seems to be pretty sturdy, and extremely gender neutral, which is key in our situation.

Oompa Toys also carries a great assortment of wooden play food and accesories.

And to go along with the pink kitchen, tea anyone?
And for an added bonus, Oompa Toys is offering FREE SHIPPING on all purchases over $65.00!

The new BabyLuxe "look"

I was going for something a little more catchy and fun! As much as I loved the old BabyLuxe, I needed something a bit more "refreshing" if you will. I hope you all like it as much as I do. If anyone wants a new BabyLuxe button for your web site or blog, links or press page, please send me an email ~ babyluxedaily at gmail.com

I'd also love to hear my readers' thoughts on the new look.
Comments are good. :)

my new favorite baby product & why

So we have a nine month old on our hands... While he is at that super cute, learning new stuff every day stage, he is also teething. Horribly! On top of that, he is also discovering the great wide world of table food. Unlike my 3 year old, this one loves food - any kind of food imaginable, he will eat. We introduced him to table food early on, starting with puffs & cheerios around 7 months. Then we moved on to cut up pasta & rice several weeks ago. On Halloween night, he actually devoured a whole slice of pizza, cut into minuscule bite size pieces of course. My goodness, the way he ate that slice, you would think we were starving the poor child.

So tonight he was a bit cranky. His teeth were killing him, and we were out and about all day, which meant he napped very little. So I stuck to his usual dinner routine & menu: Puffs for an appetizer while I warmed the jar of chicken noodle puree. After his main course, a few more Puffs, as I cleaned him up, just to make sure he ate enough.

Fast forward several minutes, and he is throwing a fit. I wasn't sure if he was tired, in pain, or still hungry. So I thought a few seconds about what else I could feed him. I glanced over to see the two brown bananas that had been sitting on the counter all week. Perfect ~ healthy and mushy! Then I remembered that I had one of these nifty little Sassy Teething Feeders in my cupboard from when my first child was a baby {but for some reason, never used}. I pulled it out, cut off a chunk of ripe banana, slipped it inside the mesh pocket & tightened the handle. He looked a bit puzzled as I handed this new contraption to him, but within moments of getting his hands on it, he became delirious with joy! By the time we were done, I had re-filled it 3 times, and I had nearly 10 minutes of an overjoyed baby on my hands. How's that for the perfect excuse for having overly ripened bananas on my counter all week?

For those of you that already use this ingenius contraption, I'd love for you to comment on other food suggestions for its use. I want to use it all the time, and a kid can only have so many bananas!

If you have a teething, table-food eating infant, you must get one of these! Just make sure the bananas that you stuff it with are good and mushy.

Besides this new favorite product, we own and love many other Sassy brand products, including Bugs on Board, Me in the Mirror, and the Who Loves Baby photo book.

Sassy feeding products are available at Babies R Us, Toys R Us, and online at Baby-wise.

Holiday sanity saver ~ tip #1

Now that Halloween is over, it's time to start thinking about the Holidays!

There is no better time than the month of November, to start thinking about all those holiday cards that you need to send. Why not order your cards early this year, and have them in the mailbox the day after Thanksgiving? I did that for the first time last year, and it was one of my best "holiday sanity savers" to-date!

So to get your creative picture-taking juices flowing, check out Peanut Butter Kisses adorable selection of holiday cards. Not only is her web site totally adorable {make sure to turn the volume up}, but her design gallery is precious.

And for those of you with November and December babies on the way, there are some sweet combination {announcement & holiday greetings in one} designs to choose from. With all those newborn cuddles ahead of you, holiday shopping, tree trimmings, thank you cards to well-wishers, cooking & cleaning, addressing and stamping one less set of cards will be a heaven-sent to you. Trust me, I've been there!

Order early, and you'll have more time for real holiday cheer come December!

http://www.pbkisses.com/
Don't forget to mention "BabyLuxe" in the comments section, for 15% off your entire order!