Eggcellent for You Baby's Health

Its truly amazing how many items have been invented in the past few years for babies and children. Check out this "Egg" which takes moisture out of the air to help those with allergies to mold and mildew. It actually dehumidifies the air and notifies you when it is full. You can just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and empty it of moisture and start again.

Under Lock & Key...

When it comes to "childproofing" I automatically think of having to drill through beautiful wood cabinets & big plastic devices hanging from kitchen drawers. What I recently found, (actually my husband found) was the only no-drill magnetic cabinet locks. They are self-adhesive and invisable from the outside of doors and drawers. $19.95 includes 2 locks, key & key holder. We have them in our house and I love them!

Starfall

As they say, "the best things in life are free" and so they are. A great website for learning and fun is http://www.starfall.com/. It has been recommended to my by parents and teachers alike. My kids love it and best of all... its free! Kids can spend hours learning how to read and about phonetics with this wonderful website. Check it out!

Bigger Is Better...

When it comes to bath mats... bigger is better! Most bath mats I have seen in stores only cover a small surface area but this Ulti-Mat Bath Mat found at http://www.onestepahead.com/ is big enough to cover the entire area of a standard bathtub. In addition to size, it also has 200 suction cups to keep it in its place and has a soft cushiony surface. $19.95

Stop the Sizzle

While living in Arizona during the summer, I always had to hunt for shade to park underneath so that the seat belts and car seats for my baby wouldnt get too hot. I knew that when it was 108 degrees outside, the inside of my car was closer to 125 degrees- as hot as an oven. I just found this great seat cover that would have saved me the concern that my baby would get burned in her seat. For only $8.95, you can find this at http://www.leapsandbounds.com/.

Old School Is Cool

I know we all love photo birth announcements but I found a company that uses classic letterpress printing with super cute designes all on recycled-cotton paper.

You can find a variety of styles and fonts at www.oblationpapers.com

Splat Mats

When I first had an infant, I ordered a splat mat to keep the floors clean and now that I have two that are a bit older, they use the mat for art and a ton of activities. I have to admit, it was a great investment. I stumbled across these splat mats from http://www.landofnod.com/ for $49.00 and although they are a little more pricey, they are cheaper than damaged furniture or floors from an art project gone awry. Land of Nod has cute patterns and you can even get a matching apron.

Clean & Green

A quick and eco-friendly alternative to clothing detergent is the Ecozone Eco-Wash Balls. They are rubber balls filled with ionized pellets that atttract dirt. All you do is place three Ecoballs in your washing machine instead of detergent. They are reuseable for up to 1000 washes! Just imagine not having to haul around big boxes of detergent any more! Hypoallergenic so suitable for sensitive skin including babies and children. Ecoballs are also anti-bacterial. I found them on www.amazon.com $20.00 for 150 washes.

Cush Tush

A friend of mine told me about the Cushie Traveler which she uses for her little hip hooligan who is in the midst of potty training. What I love about it is how easy it is just to fold it up and bring it with you and then whip it out at that critical moment. It saves the toddler from having to hold themselves up on a dirty toilet seat. For someone who hates public restrooms, this is a must. You can find it at http://www.onestepahead.com/ for a mere $12.95

Here Comes the Sun...

Summer is here and our babies need protection from the sun! I found an ad in a magazine about Pure & Free sunblock by Neutrogena and went right out to get some. Pure & Free has 100% naturally-sourced sunscreen ingredients. Unlike most sunblocks out there, this one goes on smooth, not chalky and contains no irritating chemicals, dyes, oils, or fragrances, is hypoallergenic and won't run and sting eyes. It comes in a tube or you can get it in a stick (ideal for face and ears). It runs about $9.00 and can be purchased at www.drugstore.com or any local drug store.

Write On

Anything that helps my life become more organized is a good thing, so I was thrilled when I came across these dry erase bins at http://www.pbteen.com/. Just throw items in the bin and write the contents on the outside with the dry erase marker and erase the label when you need to. They actually are on sale now for $25.00-$55.00 depending on the size and they come all different colors.

Milk Madness...

Here is a product I wish I would have known about when I had my hip hooligan...a test for breastmilk that lets you know if you have too much alcohol in your system to breastfeed.

Milkscreen was created to help extend the life of breastfeeding. Maternal self-confidence is critical to maintaining breastfeeding so milkscreen was created to help give mom the peace of mind that her breast milk does not contain a level of alcohol that may negatively impact Baby. The test kit is $10 at www.drugstore.com

Stay Put

I love the idea of this stay put plate, utensils, and place mat. If your child loves to decorate your floor with food or fling their plate at mealtimes, this is for you! It also keep utensils where they belong. Plus when you remove the plate to clean it, underneath is a little smiley face. You can find this at http://www.moolka.com/ for$19.99

BamDino for your Bambino

Introduce your hip hooligan to sustainability with all natural bamboo dinosaur head utensils. www.branchhome.com says...

"They're made from organically-grown bamboo with no bleaches or dyes. And measuring at 5.5" long, they're designed for small hands and mouths.They're durable, lightweight, and a great alternative to plastic utensils, either at home or on the go."

I love the look and the purpose behind these...too cute! $9.00 for the set of 3. There is also a spoon and fork for older kids!

The Gift of You

Since Mother's Day is just around the corner, I tried to think of a great gift to give. Then I realized there is a great gift we can give our own Hip Hooligans, the gift of who we are as people, not just moms and dads. I found this book called "Picture of Me: Who I Am in 221 Questions " by Kate Marshall and it is basically a diary that prompts you to write about who you are based on your answers to questions. You can find it almost anywhere on line for as little as $8.50. Just Google it and see what you find. What a special gift to give your children when they are older, the gift of you...

It's time for a drink!

Here is an innovative product for kids and adults...stainless steel drinking straws. Kids love using straws and Hip Hooligan parents hate adding to land fills. A 4 pack is $8.99 at www.alwaysbrilliant.com Buy these once and never throw away another straw again. They made with polished stainless steel and are dishwasher safe.

Permission Pad

Once your kids head off to school or day care, they may start heading home with someone other than yourself. Instead of taking the time to write out all the details, how about using a permission pad? This pad, does most of the writing for you, leaving you to only fill in the details. It is a time saver and a great way to stay organized. You can find it at http://www.tickletickle.com/ for $5.95