GEAR: Kolcraft Tour Sport Umbrella Stroller (SB Pick)

3/4

Pros: Sturdy, reclinable, lightweight, easy to fold with one hand, comes with mesh storage bag and cupholder, inexpensive.
Cons: Canopy is pretty useless, front wheels often start off sideways, a little difficult to maneuver with one hand, 3-point harness only.

I got this Kolcraft umbrella stroller for SB when he was about 11 months old. We needed a lightweight stroller for a trip we were taking, and there was no way I was lugging our travel system stroller on the plane. We have the Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe travel system, which is great for taking walks, but it is much too bulky for travel.

I had a feeling that once I got a lightweight stroller, I would be using it a lot more than our travel system stroller, so I wanted one that offered all (or at least most) of the convenient features of a regular stroller. These were the things I looked for:

-reclinability
-storage bag or basket
-ideally, a snack tray, but at least a cup holder (now I know that you can purchase a separate attachment to hold things like cups and snacks, but who wants to shell out more money if you don't have to?)
-canopy

In addition, it of course had to be lightweight and easy to fold, preferably with one hand, and cost less than $100. That may be a lot to ask for in an umbrella stroller, but I was still a little surprised to discover how hard it was to find one that satisfied these requirements. I did a lot of research on the web to see what umbrella strollers people liked best, but I found really mixed reviews for almost every one that I looked at (see bottom for comments on other strollers I looked at).

The Kolcraft stroller was the only one that satisfied all of my requirements and also got pretty good reviews. Plus, it was one of the cheapest of all the ones I was considering. It is lightweight (just over 11 lbs.), easy to fold, and reclinable, and it comes with a small mesh storage bag as well as a detachable cup holder. I have been using the stroller for about 6 months now, and I am pretty happy with it. SB seems comfortable in it and has even taken a nap in it. But I do have a few complaints, which is why I gave it a 3/4 thumbs up instead of a full one.

In terms of the good points, it is pretty well built - the fabric is durable and the metal frame is sturdy. Also, as mentioned, it is lightweight and easy to fold, even with one hand. It has a lever in the back that you push to the left and then up to fold the stroller. It took a few tries to figure out how to do it with one hand, but it's not difficult. Also, the detachable cup holder is very handy for holding either my drink or SB's, though it does come off occasionally when the stroller is folded up in the back of the car (I would remove it before the stroller is stowed on a plane). It doesn't come off easily when you're actually using it. I like that the seat back is padded and easy to recline. You just unhook two plastic hooks and hook them onto two lower bars. The storage mesh bag is small but still handy. It's big enough to fit a few diapers and diaper wipes. It can also hold a couple of water bottles.

As for the bad points, one of the annoyances is that the canopy doesn't provide much sun protection. Although it is adjustable, it is not very wide from front to back, so the coverage is minimal. Also, it tends to pop off when you fold up the stroller, which is fine if you're just putting it in the car, but when you're out and about or going on a plane, it is annoying, because you end up having to carry it separately. The other annoyance is that, for some reason, the front wheels tend to be in the sideways position when you start pushing. This requires putting some muscle into the first push to get the front wheel position to go from sideways to straight forward. Once you get going, it is pretty easy to maneuver, although not with one hand. Another point that might deter some people is the fact that the stroller's weight limit is only 35 lbs. Also, the seat back is not very high, so big kids might not have much to rest their head against. Lastly, it only offers a 3-point harness. This does not bother me so much, since SB is big enough not to fall out of the stroller when leaning forward, but I would not use it for a small baby.

All in all, I think the Kolcraft stroller is a pretty decent umbrella stroller, especially for the price. It has its weak points, but I don't know if any umbrella stroller is perfect. If the annoyances I mentioned wouldn't bother you too much, then I would say that this stroller is a pretty good choice.

Retail Price: $39.99 (available from Amazon and other retailers)

Comments on other umbrella strollers:
MacLaren Triumph
If I had been willing to go over $100, I might have gone for the MacLaren Triumph umbrella stroller, as it got pretty good reviews. It has a recline feature, and reviewers say it is easy to steer, lightweight (11 lbs), and easy to fold with one hand. Also, it comes with a storage basket, carry strap, and rain cover, though it does lack a cup holder. It has a 5-pt harness, and the weight limit is 55 lbs, which is a nice bonus, since most other umbrella strollers are limited to about 35-40 lbs. The main issue with this one was that it was just too pricey for me.

(The strollers below all sell for under $100.)

Chicco C6
It has most of the stuff I was looking for: reclinability, lightweight (11 lbs), storage basket (but no cup holder), and it even has a handy carry strap and bag. I decided against it, though, because many reviewers complained that the placement of the handlebars cause you to constantly kick the rear wheels when you push it. I thought that would be pretty annoying and a little jolting for the rider. It does have a 5-point harness, though. Can hold up to 37 lbs.

Graco IPO
It's reclinable, has a storage basket (but no cup holder), is foldable with one hand, and looks sturdy. It also has a 5-point harness and accepts up to 50 lbs. It got pretty good reviews, but what put me off about the stroller is its weight. It weighs 17.5 lbs! If I wanted one that heavy, I'd probably just stick with my regular stroller. Most other umbrella strollers I looked at weigh 10-12 lbs.

Evenflo X Sport Convenience
This got a lot of good reviews. Almost all reviewers said it was a great buy (you can get it for about $40) and found it easy to use. It is lightweight (about 10 lbs), has an adjustable canopy, and even comes with a storage basket and a console that has 2 cupholders and additional storage. Some people did complain that the basket is too small for any practical use, and others had the kicking the rear wheels problem. (The X Sport Plus version of this stroller has adjustable handle height, which would probably fix the wheel-kicking issue, but it's a little more expensive.) Also, it only comes with a 3-point harness. The main thing that stopped me from purchasing it is that it doesn't recline. Can hold up to 40 lbs.

Combi Flare Lightweight Stroller
This stroller has all of the features I was looking for. It is lightweight at just over 11 lbs, has partial recline, adjustable canopy, a storage basket, and a removable cup holder. It even has a carrying strap, and it can hold up to 55 lbs. It is compatible with a Combi shuttle infant seat if you have one of those. The main reason I did not get this one is that it is more expensive than the Kolcraft (though under $100), and several reviewers commented that it is hard to maneuver and that the seat is narrow.


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TOYS: Rub a Dub Stickers for the Tub: Beep Beep! by Alex (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Bright, fun colors; good variety of stickers; makes bathtime fun for SB; easy cleanup; comes with a mesh storage bag that can be suctioned to the bathtub.
Cons: None.

I bought these Rub a Dub foam "stickers" for SB recently, as I was looking for something to make bathtime extra fun for him. He had fallen out of love with baths for some reason and would wail as soon as I turned on the bath faucet. He has some bath squirt toys (rubber ducky, fish, whale, etc.) that he used to love playing with, but they no longer were enough to make him happy about bathtime. I was reluctant to buy new squirt toys for him, because I have found that squirters tend to get mildewy inside if you don't get every last drop of water out of them after bathtime (especially in our humid FL climate). On too many occasions has SB squirted out mildewy water into the tub. Not my idea of getting clean.

So I started looking for some alternatives to squirt toys - preferably ones that involve cars, trucks, etc., since SB loooves anything that goes "vroom" - and I came across these Beep Beep foam bath stickers. If your little one is not into cars, there are a variety of Rub a Dub bath sticker sets to choose from, including ABC letters, farm animals, an ocean theme, numbers and shapes, a garden theme, and more.

The set of Beep Beep stickers contains 27 foam pieces that include cars, buses, trains, motorcycles, planes, traffic lights, signs, and interconnecting roadways. They are very bright and colorful, and the colors would appeal to either boys or girls, in my opinion. The pieces float in the water, and when they are wet, they stick to the bathtub or wall. They don't have any adhesives, so they're not stickers in the traditional sense. They're just made of foam. They come with a mesh storage bag, which makes for easy cleanup and drying. The bag has two suction cups that can stick to your bathtub or wall, so you can hang it up easily. So far I've had no mildew issues with these foam pieces, which makes me very happy.

So did they succeed in getting SB to fall back in love with bathtime? The answer, happily, is "yes!" I showed the stickers to SB before his bathtime, and he immediately wanted to play with them. Although he still protested a little bit initially when I put him in his bath, it only took a couple of days before he started smiling again when I announced, "Bathtime!" In fact, now he doesn't even want to get out of the tub, because he enjoys playing with the stickers so much. There are so many stickers in the set that I've only given him about half of them to play with. The other half I'll save for if/when he gets tired of the current ones. He loves to take them out of the bag and stick them all up on the wall while saying "vroom vroom vroom."

The maker of these foam stickers, Alex, lists the recommended age for this product as 2+ years, but I think they're fine for 1+ years (SB is 15 months). Foam toys typically are described as choking hazards for kids under 3, but since these are for bath use and I assume that a parent is always supervising the child in the tub, there should be little risk of your little one biting off a piece and then swallowing it. The Beep Beep stickers are quite durable, and none of the individual pieces are small enough to be swallowed whole.

Retail Price: $13.99 on the Alex site (available for $11.99 at Target online and in stores, $14.20 at Amazon.com [eligible for Free Super Saver shipping])
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GEAR: BabyBjorn Baby Sitter 1-2-3 (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Seemed very comfortable for SB, has 3 recline positions, foldable for easy storage, portable, no batteries required.
Cons: Teddy bear toy bar is not especially stimulating.

We received the BabyBjorn Baby Sitter 1-2-3 as a gift when SB was about 3 months old. At the time, I didn't think we needed a bouncer, because we already had a swing, but, boy, was I wrong. This bouncy seat turned out to be extremely handy, and it really lives up to its name.

SB seemed very comfortable sitting in the chair, and unlike with the swing, he would sit happily in it for more than 5 minutes without fussing. This was a lifesaver for me. Up until getting this bouncy seat, my hands were barely ever free to do anything (including going to the bathroom) unless SB was napping or someone was around to watch him. With this bouncy seat, I was finally able to eat lunch with two hands. Hooray!

I like the fact that the bouncer adjusts to three recline positions - play, rest, and sleep, although I usually just used the highest position (play). SB never slept in the bouncer, but I can't say that I ever used the sleep position. My parents bought the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium bouncer for SB to use in their house, and that one didn't have adjustable positions. In that bouncer, SB reclined so much that he was unable to reach the toy bar. We had to put a cushion behind his back, which didn't seem very comfortable for him. SB did enjoy the lights and sounds that the toy bar makes on that one.

The toy bar on the BabyBjorn bouncer, on the other hand, didn't quite captivate SB. It has three wooden bears and some wooden balls, all of which can spin. Although they are quite colorful, SB never seemed to take much interest in them besides wanting to chew on them, so I eventually just removed it.

He did seem to enjoy the bouncing motion, which is nice and gentle. The bouncing is simply activated by the baby's movements or by pushing on the sides. No batteries required. The seat restraint uses a toggle button, which made it very easy to put SB in and out of the seat. Another nice feature is its portability (lightweight and folds flat).

I stopped using the seat regularly with SB when he started to crawl, because at that point he no longer had the patience to sit in the seat for more than a few minutes. However, I reintroduced it it to him at 14 months after removing the seat restraint, and he now likes to use it as his "reading time chair." He actually goes to the chair himself and sits in it when I open a book. He thinks it's funny when I bounce the seat for him. The weight limit on the seat is 29 lbs, but the seat is already a bit small for SB at 23 lbs, so I'm not sure how much longer I can use it.

It seems that BabyBjorn just discontinued this model as of this year (2009) and has replaced it with a slightly pricier version called the BabySitter Balance, which apparently has an improved folding mechanism and improved adjustability. It does not come with a toy bar, though you can purchase one separately (for $39.95!). This new version retails for about $170, which is $70 more than the BabySitter 1-2-3. However, some retailers are still selling the BabySitter 1-2-3, so if this model interests you, seek one out!

Retail Price: $99.95 [found it on several sites including Albee Baby (on sale for $87.99), CSN Stores, The Portable Baby, Amazon.com (selling for $109 by Portable Baby even though it's selling for $99 on the actual site-strange), and Kohls.com (selling for $125)] Read more...

CDs: Rockabye Baby! Albums (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Can introduce your little one to your favorite rock band and soothe him/her to sleep at the same time. (yes, really)
Cons: None.

If you're tired of the old, standard lullabies and want to add something a bit more "contemporary" to your little one's bedtime mix, then the Rockabye Baby! CD album series might be just the thing. We received two of the Rockabye Baby! albums from a friend when SB was born: "Lullaby Renditions of U2" and "Lullaby Renditions of Radiohead." Sound intriguing? As you might guess from the titles, this album series transforms familiar rock/classical rock/punk rock/heavy metal tunes into soothing lullabies, if you can believe it. The music sources range from U2 to the Rolling Stones to Nirvana to Bjork to Led Zeppelin to Metallica. Yup, you heard me - Metallica. There's much more. Check out the selection of 24 albums here.

If you're wondering how in the world the music of Metallica could be made to be soothing and relaxing for babies, then think harps, glockenspiels, and vibraphones. It's all soothing instrumentals with a slowed up tempo. From the time he was born, I nursed or rocked SB to sleep with the calming music of "U2" playing in the background, and it became an integral part of our nighttime ritual. When I turned the music on, he seemed to know it was bedtime. It was so relaxing it often put me to sleep, as well!

I love these CDs, because I can recognize my favorite tunes and enjoy them along with SB. I'm a big U2 fan, so I tend to play that one over the Radiohead one (though don't tell my friend that or he'd be insulted). I think they'd make a great gift for any rock-loving new parent. Any AC/DC fan who just had a baby would surely want to play "Lullaby Renditions of AC/DC" for their little one. Music appreciation can never start too early!

Retail price: $16.98 on Rockabye Baby! website (available for $13.99 on Amazon.com)


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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)

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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
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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
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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

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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

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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.)

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SNACKS: Baby Mum-Mum Rice Rusks - updated (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Great as a first finger food, low choking risk, tastes good, not very messy, packaged conveniently for on-the-go snack, does not contain wheat.
Cons: Not sold in most supermarkets (have only found them at Walmart and Sam's Club and on Amazon.com), caused me temporary panic b/c they are made in China and contain skim milk powder BUT there seems to be no cause for concern.

I've been giving Baby Mum-Mum rice crackers to SB as a snack since he was about 7 months old, and it was love at first bite. I taste all the stuff I give to SB to see how edible they are, and I have to say that they are pretty darn tasty. The crackers are very light and airy and sort of melt in your mouth as you chew (or mash in SB's case). They have a lightly sweet taste that makes them easy to eat. The box contains 12 conveniently wrapped packages of 2 crackers each - perfect for sticking in your diaper bag for snack time on the go.

After SB's bottom front teeth came in at about 6.5 months, I started looking for a teething cracker or biscuit that doesn't have wheat in it (I read that it's better to wait until baby is 9-12 months old before introducing wheat due to the allergy risk) and couldn't find anything in the grocery aisles, surprisingly. Then I came across Baby Mum-Mums at my local Walmart, which are made of rice, not wheat. Although Baby Mum-Mums aren't exactly a teething cracker, they were close enough for me. I mainly wanted something that SB could practice biting and chewing on. They've turned out to be the perfect starter finger food.

Initially, I would hold the cracker for SB as he chomped on it, but after a little encouragement, he started taking the cracker in his own hand and feeding himself. Yay, his first successful attempt at finger food self-feeding! The crackers were great for giving him finger food practice, since they are easy for his little hands to clasp and big enough for him to find his mouth with it. As you can see from the picture, they have a long oval shape and are pretty thin, so it's easy to bite off pieces. And they don't create much mess at all - a few crumbs here and there. I've found them to be a great distraction for SB when he gets fussy on car rides or in his stroller.

There are a lot of things to like about Baby Mum-Mums. The box highlights the following:

-No Artificial Colors or Flavors
-No Preservatives
-Gluten, Egg & Peanut Free
-Baked, Low in Fat & No Trans Fat
-No Added Fats or Oils

But there is another important thing to note about these crackers. They are made in China AND contain milk powder. About a week after the melamine-tainted milk scandal came to light in China, it suddenly hit me that my SB's beloved Baby Mum-Mums might be one of the foods affected by the tainted milk. I went straight to the web to see what information I could dig up on Mum-Mums and the melamine issue, and...it seems that they are safe. A big sigh of relief. This is what I found:

Statement from National Importers (importer/distributor of the product): This basically states that Mum-Mums contain milk powder imported from New Zealand and that food authorities in China, Australia, Canada, and the US have tested batches of Mum-Mums with results all coming back negative for melamine contamination.

Baby Mum-Mum Official Blog Site: Similar statement to the one above.

Australian Baby Mum-Mum Site: An explanation of the New Zealand origin of the milk powder used in the crackers.

Baby Purity website: This site requested melamine information on Mum-Mums from the company's rep and posted the rep's response.

I decided to continue to feed Mum-Mums to SB based on these statements. But if the statements aren't enough to ease your concerns, then another option to try is their Organic Baby Mum-Mum and Toddler Mum-Mums, neither of which contain skim milk powder. Unfortunately, I have yet to try either of these, because I haven't found any stores that carry them and I haven't been able to find them online.* If you've been able to find them somewhere, please let me know! The original Baby Mum-Mums are a bit hard to find, as well. I haven't yet found them in any local supermarket, but Walmart and select Sam's Club stores do carry them. If your local Walmart or Sam's Club does not happen to carry them, you can purchase through Amazon:

Original Baby Mum-Mums on Amazon
Vegetable Baby Mum-Mums on Amazon

*UPDATE: Amazon is now selling the Organic Baby Mum-Mums and Organic Toddler Mum-Mums, as well as strawberry-flavored Organic Toddler Mum-Mums. In case you still have concerns about melamine, note that these organic versions do not contain any skim milk powder. Amazon price is $15.69 for a pack of 6 boxes. We just received our strawberry-flavored organic Mum-Mums, and SB gives them a BIG thumbs up. Quite tasty, if I do say so myself. (Note: We had an issue with Amazon's fulfillment of our strawberry Mum-Mums order. They sent us just one box instead of the pack of 6 boxes that we ordered. They sent us a replacement order, which again was just one box instead of the pack of 6, so I just had to cancel the order. I did get 2 free boxes of Mum-Mums in the process, but note that you may have a similar issue.)

Retail price (Baby Mum-Mums): Approx. $2-$3/box

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TOYS: Shake, Rattle & Drum (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Sturdy wood construction, drum has real rawhide drum head (not plastic), nice variety of instruments for drumming and shaking.
Cons: The drum and tambourine stick make quite a bit of noise.

This percussion set was our one and only birthday present to SB, and I like to think it's his favorite :) Actually, he really does like it a lot, since two of his favorite activities of the moment are to bang on things and to shake things that make noise.

I chose this set after doing some online research on music toys that SB could bang on that were sturdy (i.e., not made of cheap plastic) and that preferably included a drum and maracas. I initially was going to go for a Melissa & Doug Band in a Box set that included a tambourine (but no drum) and maracas, as I had heard good things about Melissa & Doug toys. But after reading the reviews on Amazon, I decided against it. More than one person commented that their kid broke the tambourine within hours of playing with it, because the cover is made of flimsy material - something like thick paper. So that was that.

Then, I considered a wooden toy drum made by Plan Toys, a company known for making good-quality wood toys in an environmentally responsible way. But after some thought, it didn't seem worth it to pay $19 (or close to it) for a solitary toy drum that comes with only one drumstick.

Next, I considered the Bee Bop Band Music Toy Set by Parents Magazine, because it comes with a whole bunch of toy instruments with a cute bug theme: a caterpillar tambourine, ant jingle bells, a ladybug xylophone, a bee maraca/clacker, and centipede drumsticks for the plastic drum that doubles as a container for all the instruments. Unfortunately, my main interest was in the drum, and several reviews that I read said that the drum's top and bottom are made of flimsy plastic and tore after some use. One mom wrote that her son happily got a year's worth of use out of the drum, but shouldn't toys last through more than 1 year of use?? I do want to note, though, that almost all of the reviews I read on this product stated that their child was very happy with this set, so if you don't care so much about the plastic drum, then this could be a good purchase for you.

SB can be a bit rough with his toys, so I do care about the drum being sturdy. That's why I ended up going up with the Shake, Rattle & Drum set shown above, made by Sounds Like Fun. As you can see from the photo, the drum comes with 2 maracas, a tambourine stick, and a handled castanet. The set is well made, with the main parts being made of wood. The tambourine stick has real metal cymbals, and the drum has a natural rawhide drum head. Really durable stuff, so perfect for SB! The drum has a short rope handle, so you can turn it upside down and use it as a bucket to store the other instruments when not in use. I know that a lot of parents are concerned about the noise factor when it comes to toy instruments, and I have to say that the tambourine stick is pretty loud (which can be a bit annoying), but the drum has a good, resounding sound that I don't find unpleasant. The maracas are very mild in terms of noise level, and the castanet makes a clacking sound that kind of sounds like hands clapping. All in all, you will definitely get a bit of noise with this set, but in my opinion, it's not too bad, and for me, it's worth it for the fun that SB gets out of it.

And let me tell you, SB really loves to bang on that drum with the drumsticks and with his hands. (He also occasionally likes to use the drumsticks to bang on other things in his playroom, but overall, he's been pretty good about sticking to the drum itself). Ever since I've been reading him the book, Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins, which is his favorite book, I've wanted to get a toy drum for him. (In case you're not familiar with this book, it's about monkeys that like to drum on drums. Very cute! See my blog post on it.) Now, I can read him the book and drum on the drum to illustrate what the monkeys are doing. He's really gotten into the other instruments, too. What can be better than shaking things that make noise (besides drumming on a drum, of course)? Recently, SB, his dad, and I had a grand ole time playing the instruments together, with his dad on drums, SB on tambourine, and me on maracas. We made a great percussion band.

I should note that the recommended age level for this set is 3 years+, but I personally think it's appropriate for kids 1 year+. There's nothing in the set that is a choking hazard, and as long as your child likes banging on or shaking things that make noise, then I don't see why s/he wouldn't enjoy this. SB certainly does!

Retail price: $39.99 (can be purchased for $35.99 at sites like Oompa Toys and Amazon)

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SHOES: Robeez (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Good quality leather, flexible construction for healthy foot development, soft sole allows SB to walk more "naturally," cute styles!
Cons: Suede sole is not waterproof, in-sole is not cushioned.

I bought SB this pair of soft-soled Robeez shoes as a pre-birthday present (view shoes on Robeez site). In case you're like me, a newbie to the wide world of pricey toddler shoes, here's a quick description. They're kind of like moccasins in that the whole shoe is made of soft leather (the sole is made of suede, to be exact), which makes them less restrictive on growing feet. Apparently, soft-soled shoes are better for pre- and beginner walkers than rigid shoes, because their flexibility allows for healthy foot development and proper walking. Toddlers grip the floor with their toes for balance when they first start walking, and the soft sole allows them to feel the floor, so it's the next best alternative to walking barefoot. The Robeez have a gathered ankle, so they don't slip off easily, and the suede sole seems to provide a pretty good grip on the floor (i.e., no slip-n-falls).

This information may be all well and good, but the question is how well do they work for SB.

SB has two pairs of shoes - these Robeez and a pair of Stride Rite sandals. SB has become a pretty proficient walker over the last month, but he still stumbles now and then, and I noticed that he does a lot less stumbling with the Robeez. He seems to have a more natural gait with them. I think it's because of the whole "feeling" the floor thing. They slip on pretty easily (except for when SB so conveniently curls his toes) and are roomy enough for his wide, chubby feet, which is a big plus. :) (SB is 12 months old, and I got the 12-18 months size for him.) Also, the leather is good quality. It doesn't hurt that they look very cute on his feet, too. :) Robeez actually offers a lot of cute shoe styles. Check out some sample girl styles and sample boy styles.

One thing to note is that the sole doesn't have any cushioning - it's just one layer of suede. This is good in that SB can feel the floor, as mentioned above, but bad in that it doesn't provide much support for walking over anything but smooth or semi-smooth terrain. I think the shoes are fine for walking over things like the wood chips on playgrounds, but probably not anything bumpier than that. Also, if the sole gets wet, the foot also gets wet pretty quickly - i.e., they're not made for toddling around after it rains. I also wonder if they would make SB's feet hot if he were walking on hot asphalt with them, though I have yet to check that out. [Note: Robeez just recently came out with a new line called Mini Shoez, still with soft soles but designed to look more like a "real shoe" as opposed to a moccasin. The soft soles in this line are water resistant, and the shoes have cushioned insoles. That solves the issues I mentioned above, but unfortunately, they seem to run smaller than the original Robeez. According to the Robeez site, this line comes in sizes up to 18 months, but the 12-18 months size is equivalent to US size 4.5-5, whereas the original Robeez 12-18 months size is equivalent to US size 5.5-6.5. Strange, no? Anyway, that rules out that option for SB.]

Overall, they are a thumbs up for SB, primarily because of their comfort points and the fact that they allow him to walk more naturally and don't constrict his feet. I should note that I mainly bought these shoes for SB to wear inside the home, though he does wear them outside on our patio on occasion. He primarily wears the Stride Rite sandals outside, because they have a sturdier rubber sole (though still flexible), which I thought he needed since he is now walking here, there, and everywhere, including over pebbly terrain.

Btw, Robeez now makes not only soft-soled shoes but also shoes with a flexible rubber sole, called Tredz, for intermediate walkers. I was originally going to get him a pair of those instead of the Stride Rite sandals, but I wanted to have him try them on first, since they are more structured shoes and his chunky feet may have trouble squeezing into them. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a store near me that carries them. That's one issue with a lot of these soft-soled/flexible-sole shoes. I realized after some web surfing that there are a bunch of brands that make these types of shoes (I listed some of the more popular ones below), but a lot of them are either sold online or at boutiques or other small retailers. If you live in a city like NYC, I'm sure it would be easy to locate a nearby store that carries the brand you want, but in my little FL town, not so easy. So if you're the type that wants a try-on before you buy, you may be out of luck. I originally was thinking about going for either Robeez Tredz or PediPeds or See Kai Run shoes, but I didn't want to take a chance on the size. In the process of hemming and hawing, I did a lot of web searching to see what's out there in the realm of soft-soled/flexible sole shoes, and here are some of the ones I found. If you're interested in these types of shoes, hopefully you'll have more luck finding a nearby retailer.

PediPeds:
A lot of moms seemed to be recommending this brand on the forums I visited, along with Robeez, but I was hesitant about them, because some moms mentioned that the leather (not suede) sole is not very skid resistant and can be slippery on smooth surfaces like tile or even wood floors. One mom mentioned that her toddler kept slipping in them when walking around the mall. Unlike the Robeez Soft Soles line, though, they have cushioned insoles, so they provide a bit more protection in that area. They also have a Flex line - shoes with flexible rubber soles like Robeez Tredz for more advanced walkers. Gotta say, though, that the boy styles are not as cute as the Robeez ones. Retail price of original Pedipeds: $32

See Kai Run:
Really cute styles, but they seem a bit pricier than Robeez or PediPeds. They have 3 lines: Smaller (their new line of soft-soled shoes with non-slip rubber pads), See Kai Run (shoes with flexible rubber soles for the intermediate walker), and Eleven (shoes with sturdier leather uppers for the more active toddler/kid). Retail price of Smaller (soft-soled shoe): $32

Preschoolians:
They have 4 levels of shoe wear - from "Crawlers" to "Adventure." They also have a Design Your Own shoe option where you can customize shoes using various style and color choices. Retail price of Crawler (soft-soled shoe): $29.95

Bobux: Similar styles to Robeez. Apparently, this is the "original" soft-soled shoe brand. Made in New Zealand, they are constructed of what they call Eco-leather, which is supposedly buttery soft. Like the other above brands, in addition to a soft-soled shoe, they have an intermediate and advanced walker shoe line. Retail price of original Bobux: $26.50

Ministar by Bobux: I just found out that Target carries a more inexpensive line by Bobux called Ministar. They are made of leather with suede soles just like the original Bobux, but I assume they are made of a lower quality leather given the price difference. Based on the reviews I've read on the Target website, most moms think they're great, but several complained that the suede soles wore out very quickly (one mom said they got holes after about a month) and that the colors faded or bled. Some said that the quality is poor compared to Robeez, but it sounds like they are pretty good for the price. Retail price: $12.99

Pedoodles

Puddle Jumper Shoes

Stride Rite

And last but not least, here are some forum posts that were helpful to me in my search for the right soft-soled shoe:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=927340

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/archive/index.php/t-711998.html

Retail Price of Robeez pair above: $27.95 (retailers like Amazon, Piper Lime, and Zappos carries them)

NOTE: Amazon.com currently has a deal for $10 off $50 orders of Robeez shoes (as of 10/24/08).

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