CART COVER: Infantino ICO Savvy Seat (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Fits all sizes of shopping carts, easy to put on carts, padding makes shopping cart seats and highchairs more comfortable, durable fabric, has small storage pockets.
Cons: A little bulky for highchairs, attached toys are not that interesting.

When I first saw a cart cover like this being used by a mom in Babies R Us, my initial thought was, "Isn't that a bit much?" That was when I was still schlepping SB around in his carseat or stroller in stores. When he started to sit up on his own and I tried putting him in a shopping cart on our shopping trips, I realized how handy these cart covers could be. The main purpose of cart covers is to provide a barrier against all those germs that could be lurking on shopping cart handles and seats. But an added bonus is that they also provide comfy, padded seating for your little one's bottom instead of hard plastic and metal bars. I didn't know how important that was until I started trying to sit SB in a shopping cart when he was about 6 months old and he looked so uncomfortable and acted it, too (lots of fussing).

So that's when I broke down and purchased the Infantino Savvy Seat 2-in-1 cover. It is made to fit both shopping carts and restaurant highchairs. I can't compare it to other covers, because I haven't tried anything else, but I have to say that I am very satisfied with this purchase. And I think SB is, too. He has fussed a lot less in shopping carts and restaurant highchairs since getting this cover. I think it just makes the seat more comfortable for him. He sometimes even lays his head on the side when he is tired, which would be pretty uncomfortable with plain metal bars.

The Savvy Seat has Microban Protection, which supposedly inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Mine has never started to smell bad, so I assume it's working. Made of 65% polyester/35% cotton, it's not the softest fabric around but it's not bad, and it has held up pretty well in terms of durability. The nice thing about this particular model is that it fits all size shopping carts - even the big ones at Costco and Target. I did some research on other models, and many of them only fit standard supermarket shopping carts. This one provides complete coverage on all carts - it goes over the handlebars, sides, and the entire seating area. Now the actual need for all this germ protection is debatable (see this Consumer Reports article), but it can't hurt to be safe, right?

Some other nice features are its storage pockets for holding things like your wallet and cellphone and the four toy loops that you can use to attach small toys. It comes with two cheapie toys - a little plush lion toy that squeaks and a thin, plastic teething ring. SB has shown very little interest in these toys, so I can't say that they are a bonus, but if you have fun toys that have a loop on them, you can just attach them to the two additional velcro-close loops. The cover also comes with a storage bag. Just fold the cover up and stick it in the bag. That way, you don't have a bulky item sitting in the backseat of your car. And it is a bit bulky. So much so that it gets a little bunched up on those small restaurant highchairs. It does work with them, but it's just a tad unwieldy.

I have the Savvy Seat in the Olive Mod color. It's a pea green color with a brown, light purple, and olive green geometric pattern, as you can see in the photo above. I know - it's not the most attractive pattern around, but I like it because it's gender neutral and not garish. I've seen other covers with crazy patterns, which is not my thing, but if you like bright and colorful, this same model is also available in a color called Candy Paisley (it's more of a girl pattern).

I found that Infantino also is now offering a slightly upgraded version of the Savvy Seat, called "Shop & Dine Deluxe," which comes in a pattern called Happy Hula. The pattern looks like a blue Hawaiian flower print shirt. This "deluxe" version has a prop-up pillow for a headrest, as well as a plush lion toy and plush monkey toy that play music and squeak against a circus background. Also, there is a slightly different version of the Savvy Seat, simply called "2-in-1 High Chair/Cart Cover," that comes in a pattern called Blue Flower/Dots (or Pink Flower/Dots). I like this pattern the best - it's very subtle and has nice, gender-neutral colors. I would have gotten this version if I had known about it before purchasing the Olive Mod. The only difference I can see between this model and the Savvy Seat is that it doesn't come with any toys. Interestingly, the price of all of these models is the same at $39.99. Based on my online research, this price is about mid-range. I have found that prices of cart covers range anywhere from $20 to $100. Can't imagine how any cart cover is worth 100 bucks, but we have found this $39.99 Infantino cover to be more than sufficient for our needs.

Retail price of Savvy Seat: $39.99 (available at Target, as well as sites like Target.com and Amazon.com) Read more...

BIBS: Baby Bjorn Soft Bib (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Easy to clean, deep pocket catches all kinds of food/liquid mess, neck is easily adjustable, made of PVC-free plastic.
Cons: Can't fold it up for easy portability.

A friend of mine bought SB this Baby Bjorn Soft Bib for his 1st birthday. It's one of the best gifts he got. It's made of thick, easy-to-clean, PVC-free plastic that is flexible yet durable and has a deep, contoured scoop for catching spills. When SB first started eating solids, I had started off using the usual cotton bibs, but I soon found out that they get way too messy way too quickly, and I'm not one who likes to be bleaching out stains or scrubbing bibs night and day.

I initially found the solution to this issue in an Ikea bib that is very similar to the Baby Bjorn bib. Like the Baby Bjorn, it is made of flexible plastic with a contoured scoop bottom. It worked great for about five months until the scoop formed a big crack, which made it basically useless when it came to liquid spills. The liquid would basically seep through the crack onto SB's lap. But I guess you get what you pay for. Ikea sells it for the whoppingly low price of $2.99, which includes a matching sippy cup, bowl, and spoon. I actually think it's worth the price, since I still use the other feeding accessories.

But back to the Baby Bjorn bib. This gift came right after the Ikea bib formed a crack, so it was great timing. The Baby Bjorn bib is a big improvement over the Ikea bib in that it is made of more flexible and more durable plastic. You can bend it without worrying about any cracking. Also, the neck is a little easier to adjust. The Ikea one has "teeth" that catch onto the bib through a hole, while the Baby Bjorn neck is formed like a bead necklace and you can pop any part of the necklace into the fastener.

What I really like about these scoop bibs is that they are so easy to clean. Either wipe them down, hand wash, or stick them in the dishwasher, as they're dishwasher safe. Our blue bib sometimes does get stained temporarily by a tomato-containing food, but the stain always disappears after a couple of hand washes. (If you get it in red, the bib may be better at hiding any food stains.) What SB loves about the bib is that if he drops a Cheerio, instead of it landing on the floor, it lands in the scoop pocket where he can rescue it and happily pop it into his mouth.

One small negative about the bib is that you can't fold it up or roll it up for travel purposes. You can bend it down the middle so that it's more compact but that's it. It's small enough that it will fit in my diaper bag, but it ends up taking up quite a bit of the space. I tried out vinyl bibs that have a pocket at the bottom, because I thought they might work as well as the Baby Bjorn and be more portable at the same time. I found out very quickly that those pockets are basically useless. They don't stay open, so they don't catch any spills, so it's almost the same as not having a pocket at all. So much for those bibs.

I recently did a quick web search to see what else is out there, and I found another soft plastic bib on the market- it's called the Bibbity Bib by Kiddopotamus. The bib looks very similar to the Baby Bjorn one, but apparently it is flexible enough that you can roll up the top part and tuck it into the scoop part, making it more portable. Some other good features are that it's BPA free, lead free, PVC free, phthalate free, and latex free. I haven't tried it out yet, but I'm interested in seeing whether it's as good as the Baby Bjorn bib. Stay tuned... (2-pack available for $11.99 at Target, making it cheaper than the Baby Bjorn bib)

If you have a little girl, you might also be interested in this cute Hello Kitty scoop bib I came across on the web recently. I haven't seen it in person, so I can't comment on how flexible or durable it is, but it's definitely cute! It is made of polyethylene, which does not contain BPA, phthalates, or PVC.

Retail price of Baby Bjorn bib: $9.95 (2-pack $17.95) on Amazon and $9.99 (2-pack $19.99) at Target (available in blue, green, yellow, pink, and red)

Read more...

BOOKS: Big Little by Leslie Patricelli (Sammy Bear Pick)

Board Book
For Baby to Preschool
Simple, playful text and brightly colored pictures make for a fun book on the concepts of "big" and "little."

I discovered the book Big Little in our local library, and it has become one of SB's favorites. I really like the illustrations in this one. SB seems to love the cute toddler character that is featured on each page - he (or she?) has a big, round head with a little curlie q on top and is dressed only in diapers. SB also seems to like the bright, bold colors of the illustrations. He stares intently at the pictures as I read, and this was one of the few books that really captured his attention when he was around 9 months old.

On each pair of pages, the book illustrates something big on one side and something little on the opposite side. Some sample text: "Elephants are big. Mice are little" and "Boats are big. Rubber duckies are little." Some of the pairings have a silly, humorous touch. It's a fun way to teach your little one the meaning of "big" and "little." I spread my arms out wide when I say "big" and then put my fingers together for "little." I don't know if SB gets it yet, but he will someday soon, I hope!

Leslie Patricelli, the author, has created a series of books that illustrate various pairs of opposites. In addition to Big Little, there is Quiet Loud (which we just bought and SB loves), Yummy Yucky, No No Yes Yes, and Baby Happy Baby Sad. After I saw how much SB loved Big Little when we borrowed it from the library, I wanted to buy him another from the series to have as a permanent addition to our home library. After reading some reviews on Amazon, I decided on Quiet Loud, which has turned out to be a great choice. Yummy Yucky and No No Yes Yes seemed to be popular choices, but some of the Amazon comments deterred me from getting them.

Yummy Yucky illustrates things that are yummy as opposed to things that are yucky and shouldn't be eaten - e.g., "Burgers are yummy. Boogers are yucky." It also mentions things like worms and earwax being yucky. While that is pretty humorous, I was afraid that SB would take this as a hint to try those yucky things (he already tried to eat a bug once). He's very impressionable, and he loves to do things that he shouldn't because he thinks it's funny (it's amazing how early that behavior starts!). It's the same issue with No No Yes Yes. Sounds like the text is amusing, but the last thing I need is for SB to get ideas from the book on various activities that are no-no's, like drawing on the wall, eating dog food, putting toys in the toilet, etc. He simply loves to do all things that are a no-no. If you have a kid who is angelic and doesn't copy bad behavior, then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend those books, but otherwise, I would think twice. Quiet Loud seemed to be a safe option, so I got that one, and SB loves it. It shows things that are quiet (e.g., whispering, sniffles, snow) as opposed to things that are loud (e.g., screaming, sneezes, rainstorms). I use a soft voice for the quiet things and a loud voice for the loud things, and SB finds it all very amusing.

There are other books by Leslie Patricelli besides the ones on opposites, just in case you're interested. There is Binky (the tot character looks for his lost binky), Blankie (the tot character describes his relationship with his blankie), and The Birthday Box (the tot character gets a birthday gift in a big box that turns into an airplane, a sailboat, a sled, and a robot).

Retail price of Big Little: $6.99 Read more...

DECOR: Wee Gallery Wall Graphics (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Cute wall designs. The peel-and-stick decals are easy to apply and remove. Can be repositioned (made to re-stick easily), so good choice for indecisive wall decorators like me.
Cons: Would have been better if the background of the stickers was transparent instead of white, but that's a minor point.

When my sister-in-law introduced me to these Wee Gallery wall graphics, I immediately wanted to get a set for SB's playroom. They are really cute and make a nice alternative to standard framed pictures. They are basically peel-and-stick wall murals, which means they are non-permanent and much much easier to apply than a real mural. The wall graphics are sold as a set of decals with a theme such as the elephants shown above. In addition to the elephants, there are themes ranging from "Jungle" to "Undersea" to "Garden." A total of seven Wee Gallery decal designs are available on a website called What is Blik, which offers all kinds of cool wall decals. I found an eighth Wee Gallery decal design on Amazon.com that features dinosaurs. Not sure why Blik doesn't carry that one. The large, black and white animal graphics are designed to appeal to babies and children of all ages, even newborns, who tend to be interested in contrasting black and white shapes.

I purchased the elephant decal set for SB's playroom when he was 11 months old, and at first, he didn't seem to notice them (I placed them kind of high up on the wall). Once he did realize that there were these chubby elephants and orange and green swirls on his walls, he became really interested in looking at them up close and touching the stickers. I had made sure to place them high enough so that he couldn't peel them off (he loves to pick at things), but that of course means that when SB demands it, I must pick him up and take him from sticker to sticker when he wants an up-close look. As you wish, your majesty :)

I like the fact that you can position each decal in the set however you like and create your own custom mural. The great thing about these decals is that they are re-stickable, meaning you can peel them off and reposition or reuse them without damaging your walls. For example, if you wanted to move the decals from a bedroom to a playroom, you could do that. It's very handy for people like me who like to try different options before settling on one. I repositioned a bunch of the decals, and they came off the wall very easily and still retained their sticking ability very well. I would keep the backing sheet the decals come on for future use.

Before purchasing the wall decals, I had called Blik to find out whether they would stick well on orange peel textured walls (commonly found here in the Orlando area, where we live). Blik carries another line of decals that are very thin, which supposedly do not work well on textured walls. Blik assured me, however, that textured walls are not an issue for the re-stickable Wee Gallery decals, and I found that they do in fact stick fine on our walls. The decals are made of eco-friendly polypropylene.

The decals are also available for purchase on the Wee Gallery website, but for some reason, only five of the designs are offered. Wee Gallery also offers art cards, greeting cards, mobiles, wrapped canvases, and prints with the same images found in the decal sets.

Retail price: $38.00 for a set of stickers
Read more...

BOOKS: Wibbly Pig is Happy! by Mick Inkpen (Sammy Bear Pick)

Board Book
For Baby to Preschool
A short-and-sweet book featuring a cute pig character. This is an especially good pick for kids under the age of 1 because of its short, basic text and colorful illustrations.

I first found Wibbly Pig is Happy! at our local library, and from the first time I read it to SB, he was smitten. He loves Wibbly Pig! I have to admit the book is pretty cute. It's very short with 14 pages of text and illustrations, and the text is very basic (e.g., "Wibbly Pig is happy!" and "Wibbly Pig is hungry.") The text is written in big, crayon-like writing, and the drawings are clear and colorful, which SB seems to like a lot. The book illustrates various emotions. Wibbly Pig goes to the beach and goes from feeling happy to upset (when he drops his ice cream on the ground) to back to happy again (when his dog gives him a lick on the cheek). There is a part in the book where Wibbly Pig has dropped his ice cream and needs a hug. SB always turns around and gives me a hug when I get to that part - I love it! This is one of the books he continually brings me to read to him (I ended up buying the book for him).

The book is part of a series of Wibbly Pig books by Mick Inkpen. I have yet to explore the other ones (our library only has this one), but these are some of the other titles: It's Bedtime, Wibbly Pig!, Wibbly Pig Likes Bananas, Wibbly Pig Opens His Presents (could be a good birthday book), Wibbly Pig Can Make a Tent, Tickly Christmas, Wibbly Pig!, Everyone Hide From Wibbly Pig (a lift-the-flap book; UPDATE: My sister-in-law just bought this one for SB for Christmas, and he loves it. You lift the flaps to find the piggy friends hiding from Wibbly in a hide-and-seek game.), and In Wibbly's Garden (a lift-the-flap book). Some of these are hardcover, not board books.

Retail Price: $5.99
Read more...

ECZEMA: Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Fast results, thicker than regular moisturizers but not very sticky, absorbs quickly, fragrance free.
Cons: Slight oatmeal scent from the oatmeal it contains (only a con if you don't like the smell of oatmeal).

When SB started showing signs of eczema at 1 month of age, I started my quest for the magical cream that would make it go away. I've suffered from eczema rashes as a child and even as an adult, so I know how bad it can get if you don't keep it in check. I did my research, tried various options on SB's sensitive skin, and my number one recommendation is this Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream (along with the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash for bathtime).

I did a lot of digging around on online forums to see what other moms use for their children's eczema rashes, and I noticed that many of them recommended either Aquaphor Baby or this Aveeno moisture cream. Our pediatrician's office had also recommended Aquaphor Baby when SB was a month old and had suddenly developed this red, itchy-looking rash on his neck. So I tried it on him, and I have to say that I am not a fan. It is almost like Vaseline in consistency - greasy and sticky, which I didn't like. Also, I didn't see any noticeable difference in the rash after using it on SB for a couple of days. In fact, when I used it on his drool rash, it looked like it got worse. Before trying Aveeno, I had also tried Vaseline and Cetaphil based on recommendations, but neither worked very well, although the Vaseline worked okay on very mild rashes. When I tried the Aveeno Baby on SB's drool rash, it was almost completely gone the next day. It worked quickly on his eczema rashes, too. I had found my miracle cream!

The cream is a little thicker than regular moisturizers. It contains emollients and natural colloidal oatmeal for soothing the skin and is gentle enough even for newborn skin (I started using it on SB when he was 1 month old). I use it on SB's face and entire body after he gets out of the bath. According to many dermatologists, an important key for eczema-prone skin is to take lukewarm, not hot, baths and to moisturize immediately after the bath to lock in the moisture. When SB has an especially dry patch, I moisturize it a few times during the day, as well. By religiously applying the cream, the dry eczema patch will usually go away in 2-5 days, sometimes even the next day if it's a mild rash. This cream has also worked on his drool rashes, as well as on a very bad contact dermatitis rash he got on his back from the tagless labels on Carter's clothing (see sidebar for articles on this). His eczema is now about 99.9% gone (occasional small flare-ups only), and I mainly use the cream now as a preventative measure. I use it as soon as I see any dryness, and it has really kept his skin baby soft and smooth. It's so nice to see his smiling face without any angry red patches!

I should note, however, that there was one mom on a forum that commented that the Aveeno cream made her baby's rash sting. I'm not sure if she was basing that on the fact that her baby cried when she applied the cream or what, but SB has never shown any discomfort when I apply it and he has very sensitive skin. I also personally use it on my own eczema rash and have never experienced any stinging. I have noticed that it does sometimes cause a slight tingling sensation (almost like menthol ointment does), but not stinging. It could be that it causes stinging if there are breaks in the skin from scratching. I can't attest to that. But it is something to be aware of in any case. I personally am a huge fan of the Aveeno cream, because it is really the only thing that has worked to clear SB's rashes. Also, I like that it is fragrance free (better for sensitive skin), though it does have a slight oatmeal scent, which doesn't bother me.

The other products in the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief line are the Creamy Wash, Diaper Rash Cream, and the Soothing Bath Treatment. I can't provide any feedback on the diaper rash cream and the bath treatment, because I've never tried them, but I regularly use the Creamy Wash on SB, and I really like it because it doesn't dry out his skin as much as other bath washes I've used. For sun protection, I also recommend Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sunblock with SPF 55. It is designed to be mild for sensitive baby skin, and it hasn't irritated SB's skin at all. A friend of mine had tried using Water Babies sunscreen on her 9 month old, and he broke out in a rash all over his body. She later tried Aveeno Baby sunscreen on him, and no problems.

The Aveeno moisture cream comes in tube form, which is available in two sizes: 5 oz and 8oz. You can purchase it at most drug stores, as well as at stores like Babies R Us, Walmart, and Target and online at sites like Amazon.com, though I wouldn't buy it online if you have to pay shipping. Make sure you don't confuse Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief with Aveeno Baby's other lines (Calming Comfort and Daily Moisture).

Retail price: In-store prices vary but you should be able to get the 5 oz tube for around $4.50-$5.50 (in my area, Walmart has the cheapest price); Online prices range from about $2+shipping (Amazon.com vendor) to $5.69+shipping (drugstore.com) for 5 oz tube

Read more...

BOOKS: Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins (Sammy Bear Pick)

Board Book
For Baby to Preschool
Written with a fun rhythm, the book rhymes about monkeys that like to drum on drums with their thumbs, among other things. Your little one will be entertained!

SB has loved Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb ever since he received it as a gift at the age of 6 months. At that age, I know he couldn't really understand most of the words, but the rhythm and fun rhyming text really seemed to engage him. In fact, it was the first book he actually sat through (it also helps that it is pretty short).

Some sample text: "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb. One thumb One thumb drumming on a drum. Dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum." The rhyme has a great beat, and I always drum on the book or on the floor as I read to illustrate the drumming (I recently bought a toy drum for SB, which makes this even more fun to read with him). Ever since he started walking, SB has proactively brought the book to me to read, and he almost always demands that I read it a second time. It remains one of his favorite books now at age 1. I like it for its simple text, engaging rhythm, and funny illustrations. It's also good for teaching the words "monkey," "drum," "hand," "fingers," and "thumb," because they are repeated frequently.

Retail Price: $4.99

Read more...

DVDs: Classical Baby: The Art Show (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Colorful, entertaining visuals; provides educational value by introducing famous works of art; soundtrack is relaxing classical and jazz; good for quiet time.
Cons: Can't think of any.

SB loves loves loves this "Classical Baby" video (created by HBO). Before getting it as a gift, I wasn't a huge proponent of sitting a baby/toddler in front of a TV as a form of entertainment, but I have to say that this DVD has made me somewhat of a convert. It helps that it's an educational DVD that introduces your little one to famous artwork and great classical and jazz music. It uses bright, eye-catching animation to showcase works of art by artists like Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and Pollock. SB is completely mesmerized by the visuals and is basically glued to the screen when I put this on. It's been a great way of calming him down when he is tired and fussy and could use some quiet time. (It has even allowed me to go to the bathroom in peace when SB is being especially clingy!)

The accompanying music is a mix of classical and jazz/ragtime, and it's alternately relaxing and fun to dance to. SB likes to bop to the jazz music when it comes on (I love when he does that). The featured composers include well-known greats like Bach, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, and Bizet in the classical arena and Duke Ellington and Count Basie in the jazz arena.

There are 14 segments to the DVD. Each one uses some form of animation (e.g., animated animal/bug characters, spinning shapes from modern artwork, faces from various masterpieces, etc.) to bring the art to life. For example, in the first segment, two little frogs hop into a Monet waterscape painting and start swimming around the lily pads. In another, cartoon people take you on a tour of famous modern works of art in a museum. Some of the segments use scenes/faces/aspects of various famous works of art to create engaging visuals rather than focusing on the specific paintings as a whole. How is that educational, you may ask? Well, your little one may not be getting a full-blown course on modern art, but I can tell you that SB still finds the images fun to watch, and I try to make each segment a learning tool by pointing out animals, shapes, and colors.

The other thing I like about this DVD is that, at 30 minutes, it's short enough that SB doesn't get bored and long enough for him to really relax and calm down when he's in a fussy mood. I find it to be just the right length for quiet time in the afternoon when he needs it.

I recently found out that this DVD is part of a series of "Classical Baby" DVDs. There is also "Classical Baby: The Music Show" and "Classical Baby: The Dance Show." You can buy all three as a packaged set (available through HBO.com, Amazon.com, and other sites and would make a nice gift, methinks). "The Music Show" showcases great classical composers like Bach, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky, while "The Dance Show" highlights famous dance choreographers like Balanchine, Graham, and Robbins. Like "The Art Show," they use animated characters to create lively visuals. Also, HBO just recently came out with a new one called "Classical Baby: The Poetry Show." It features poetry classics by the likes of William Shakespeare, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Langston Hughes, as well as a celebrity cast including Susan Sarandon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Geoffrey Wright. I have a feeling this one might be geared toward a slightly older crowd than the other three (i.e., more for the toddler/preschooler than the baby/toddler).

Recommended Age: 6 months to 4 years

Retail Price of "Classical Baby: The Art Show": $9.97 (Can be purchased for $5.99 at Amazon.com. Available at full price at the HBO Store.)

Read more...