Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best finds here!!

[Blenheim]

Pandora - glad you found a carrier you liked! Back carries take some practice- just do it over a bed, or while sitting at first.

Sunkist -

He loves board books, mostly to open and turn the pages and chomp on them. I've tried to get ones that I'd enjoy reading again and again and again when he gets to that stage.

This is his favorite teether. He has the circle one, which is very easy for him to grab and munch on. We did not get Sophie as she squeaks and the dogs go nuts over anything that squeaks, so it seemed like a really bad combo.

I have Max and the Sassy Dove to keep in the diaper bag/stroller, and he loves both of them. Max clacks around if he shakes it, and has a ring at the end to grab and chomp on (see a pattern here, LOL?).

He also likes his stacking cup set, which can be stacked, nested, banged against each other, chewed on, etc. They have small holes in the bottom so that they can drain if you use them in the bath. (ETA - They're also the favorite toy of my mom's boyfriend's 11 mo old grandson, and IMO they're cheap enough they're worth just getting.)

He has fun with blocks. Right now he enjoys chewing on them and banging them on against the floor, as well as knocking over towers that we build. But they should grow with him pretty well.

We have a bead maze with suction cups on the bottom that we keep on the high chair tray when he's not eating, like if I need to put him down to do something in the kitchen. In addition to keeping him entertained, I think it has helped with fine motor development as he already has the pincer grasp down pat.

Not that an exersaucer would fit under a tree or in a stocking, but he likes it.

He loved the drum at daycare and so our Christmas present to him is a drum. He loves to bang on stuff. For some reason, he's not very interested in rattles though.

He loves the Lamaze Octotunes when my mom plays with him, but I'm a bit inept with music and so I can't put a tune together. But each of the 8 legs is a different note, and so you can theoretically play music together on it. The legs are big enough that he's not able to make them play yet though; he just likes to watch someone else playing with it.

 

[fieryred33143]

Sunkist-Sophie is on sale on Amazon right now.

Sophia is 5 months (almost 6

). She''s really into toys that light up and make a lot of noise. She has a couple of light up dolls and a bunch of small rattles that she has finally learned how to bang around before putting it where everything else ends up: her mouth

 

[MustangGal]

Infant toys - Kyle really liked things that crinkle. I''ve got the catapillar from the "Very Hungry Catalpillar" book that''s crinkly all the way down it''s body. The fabric books with crinkles/textures and squeekers are good too. Anythign that can go in their mounth (since it will!) and be chewed on is great.

 

[Mara]

MG I have the hungry caterpillar on my registry but I will get it if no one else does. Loved that book.

My girlfriend gave me Sophie for the shower. She said most of her friends kids just love it. But apparently it does squeak so if you have a dog, a lot of times the dog wants the toy too haha.. I know Portia will for sure. Anything that rattles or makes noise she looks at me like WHY ISNT THAT MINE?? Oh it''s just one of the small changes girlfriend, get ready dog!

So the Born Free bottles came last nite, my girlfriend sent them with the bottle sterilizer. They are so fatty squatty looking!! Interesting nipple too. Hopefully they work out.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

This was a favorite of T''s when she was little.

For girl mamas this is the PERFECT first doll. She still loves it more than her others plus I think it is cute. Some of those dolls are scary looking IMHO.

Can''t go wrong with the classics.

This is the best baby toy ever. The legs come off so it is perfect for a long time. She STILL plays with it sometimes.

This hooks on to the stroller/car seat.

For those who have older babies this is a great walker.

This is great for plane rides.

 

[sunkist]

Thanks for all the toy suggestions everyone!!! These look great

 

[KimberlyH]

Quinny Buzz's and the travel system w/ the Maxi Cosi carseat are on sale at albeebaby.com for 45% off.

 

[Mara]

Kimi that is soo tempting!!!! I love the black.

i posted this on preggo thread too but does anyone have experience with the Target brand of diapers and wipes? one of my friends said her mom friend HUGELY recommended them and they are WAY cheaper than pampers. also what about seventh generation, same thing, WAY cheaper. the reviews on target are mixed, some people seem to love them and others say they leak but i am wondering if that is a function of your own kid and their habits??? for diapers i might just try one pampers and one seventh or up & up (target brand) just to see. we were thinking of starting with pampers swaddlers sensitive. but longer term i''d like to go more cost effective if possible/

apparently the wipes seem to be a big hit in general and they are SO CHEAP, like $2 for a container whereas pampers is like $8.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 12/14/2009 7:16:24 PM
Author: Mara
Kimi that is soo tempting!!!! I love the black.

I know, it almost changed my mind about my stroller choice. I mentioned before I spent a long time talking to the saleswoman at Albee Baby while we were in NY and I went with her recommendation (purchase one umbrella stroller, a Cybex) and the cost is comparable tot he Quinny, but that thing doesn''t look like it will fold up easily. We''re 1/2 in and out of the car 1/2 walking around from home. I think I''ll be hunting down a jogging stroller on consignment about 6 months out (when they are recommended for use) so I can jog with the kid.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/14/2009 7:16:24 PM
Author: Mara
Kimi that is soo tempting!!!! I love the black.


i posted this on preggo thread too but does anyone have experience with the Target brand of diapers and wipes? one of my friends said her mom friend HUGELY recommended them and they are WAY cheaper than pampers. also what about seventh generation, same thing, WAY cheaper. the reviews on target are mixed, some people seem to love them and others say they leak but i am wondering if that is a function of your own kid and their habits??? for diapers i might just try one pampers and one seventh or up & up (target brand) just to see. we were thinking of starting with pampers swaddlers sensitive. but longer term i'd like to go more cost effective if possible/


apparently the wipes seem to be a big hit in general and they are SO CHEAP, like $2 for a container whereas pampers is like $8.

We hated the target wipes. They are SO thin and crappy compared to the Costco ones (but are very comparable to the pampers, etc. ones which we also hated). In my experience we needed to use twice the number-so no cost savings there! Plus the Costco ones come in self-sealable pouches which I liked a lot. Target ones you need to put in a tub.

As for their diapers we don't use them regularly (we like the Costco ones) but they worked great for us. The Costco ones just fold up smaller and although that may sound silly I can fit a lot more in my portable diaper holder which is important for twins! But if it weren't for that we would use the Target ones too-they worked very well.

 

[Blenheim]

Target Diapers - While I have no experience with them, I do think that a lot of what makes a diaper work well is fit, which is something that you won''t really know until the baby is here. I have a long, lean baby and what works best on him probably won''t work the best on my friend''s tanker baby. If the price is good, why not try just one box?

 

[Mara]

Blen that is what I am thinking... I am going to get a Pampers Sensitive Swaddler pack for sure since it seems like that is what most people I have talked to prefer to start. And then maybe try Target when he is ready for the next size or something. But yeah was just curious what PS moms thought since I hadn''t seen much about the Target brand before and my friend noted her friend SWORE by them and just loved them plus she said they were super cute HAHA.

Tacori, I think I''ll try the same thing with a few wipe brands to see. We won''t be using Costco as we aren''t members (and when we were all we did was overspend hahaa).

 

[MustangGal]

Mara - I haven''t used the Target brand, but had no problems with the Walmart, Costco and Babies R Us brands of diapers, so I imagine they''d be similar. The only time we have leak issues is at night, so I was using the store brands during the day, and Huggies at night. I hated the Walmart wipes, but Costco and Babies R Us were both good. And I''m also one of the people that can''t stand how Pampers smell (I''ve heard this is pretty common), so I try to stay away from them. Have you ahd a shower yet? I received sooo many diapers at my showers that I didn''t have to buy any until he was 5 months old.

 

[Mara]

MG...I''ve had three showers and no diapers hahaa. There are only a few things left we ''need'' and this is one of them..diapers and wipes really. and our waterproof mattress pad. Kid has enough clothes to outfit an army.

I did hear that some people recommend the Target ones for day only as well. Anyway we''ll experiment hehee.

 

[MustangGal]

Wow, 3 showers and no diapers

. DH''s family does a "diaper raffle" at their baby showers. Everyone brings a pack and gets entered in a drawing for a prize. It''s a great idea, and got me tons of them! I''d just suggest not buying more than a couple packs. You''ll be able to snitch some from the hospital, and you never know what size you might need. We only used 1 pack of newborn, good thing that''s all people gave me!

 

[Mara]

MG oh that is a fab idea for showers!! too bad mine are done hehee, i could have tried to incorporate that on the third one hehee. I will have to suggest it to my other preggo friends.

I planned to get one pack of newborn and then one pack of Size 1 just to start since we don''t know what size we''ll really need for how long so this seemed to be what most ''lists'' recommended.

Silly Q but how many wipes a day do you go through in the beginning? One or two boxes to start and just see or do you go through a lot more than that and I should stock up?

 

[curlygirl]

Mara, you can never have enough wipes! That is the one thing that you will not go wrong on if you buy them in bulk. Kids don''t grow out of them, one size fits all and you will use them for everything. We prefer the Huggies wipes as they are thicker and we buy them in bulk at BJ''s or Costco. We also like the Costco wipes because they come in their own packaging that you can carry with you or move from room to room.

And I didn''t get a single diaper at my shower! I didn''t register for them because I just thought that was weird for some reason and nobody decided to take a chance and buy any for me!! Just to add to your survey, we are die-hard Pampers fans here. Went from Swaddlers to Cruisers and never had any issues but I have girls so I''m not sure if that makes a difference. I have heard that boys do better with Huggies but I think it really depends on your baby''s body. For nighttime, we use Huggies Overnights and they''re great.

 

[qtiekiki]

Ditto on buying wipes in bulk. In the beginning, I used a lot of wipes since newborns (especially BF ones) poop a lot. I say about 3 wipes per poopy diapers, and 1 wipe per wet diaper. I like Huggies wipes the best, like the thickness and moistness; I don''t like Pampers ones b/c they are very wet initially but dry out very fast. Costco ones are good too, but I actually don''t like the packaging b/c there''s too much wiggle room for the wipes as they get used up (but it''s just my own weird reason).

Diapers - We tried a bag of Huggies newborn, and Meena got a horrible diaper rash. So we never used it again. We''ve been using Pampers since, so I am not much of a help.

 

[fieryred33143]

Thritto wipes in bulk!

We got the unscented kind which oddly enough stinks! I hate it and we have something like 2,000 wipes lol.

QT-I hate huggies too and prefer pampers (although I have heard that huggies is better for babies with big thighs which is Sophia all the way).

 

[Tacori E-ring]

How funny how personal wipe/diaper choices seem to be. Personally I LOVE Huggie''s wipes. I like them better than pampers. I agree the cheap wipes don''t really save you much money b/c you have to use twice as many. I also like the plastic pop up containers. Works for us. For diapers the only cheaper brand I tried was Luvs and HATED them. I realized I really like the tabs to be elastic. Much better fit that way. It is trial and error.

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 12/16/2009 12:47:19 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
How funny how personal wipe/diaper choices seem to be. Personally I LOVE Huggie''s wipes. I like them better than pampers. I agree the cheap wipes don''t really save you much money b/c you have to use twice as many. I also like the plastic pop up containers. Works for us. For diapers the only cheaper brand I tried was Luvs and HATED them. I realized I really like the tabs to be elastic. Much better fit that way. It is trial and error.

I hate Luvs too!! I thought I just didn''t know how to put on a diaper correctly because she kept getting pee all over her clothing until I switched to swaddlers.

 

[Mara]

ok so load up on wipes and try swaddlers first.

i am going this wkd to target to get any outstanding stuff, looking fwd to being ''done'' with getting the basics so i can finish up organizing the room during holiday break.

 

[qtiekiki]

Mara
I suggest getting the swaddlers sensitive to start with b/c it has a wetness indicator. It''s very helpful in the beginning when the amount of pee isn''t much.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Toddler mamas this is a new favorite. She is OBSESSED!

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 12/16/2009 10:51:34 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Toddler mamas this is a new favorite. She is OBSESSED!

This looks great and not plastic/musical or blinking either! I''m guessing better for over 2 set...

 

[curlygirl]

Date: 12/17/2009 10:05:58 AM
Author: janinegirly

Date: 12/16/2009 10:51:34 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Toddler mamas this is a new favorite. She is OBSESSED!

This looks great and not plastic/musical or blinking either! I''m guessing better for over 2 set...

Lily would go crazy for that but I''m not sure I want her to learn how to work all those latches and locks!!

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 12/17/2009 10:24:17 AM
Author: curlygirl

Date: 12/17/2009 10:05:58 AM
Author: janinegirly

Date: 12/16/2009 10:51:34 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Toddler mamas this is a new favorite. She is OBSESSED!

This looks great and not plastic/musical or blinking either! I''m guessing better for over 2 set...

Lily would go crazy for that but I''m not sure I want her to learn how to work all those latches and locks!!

Good for a 3 year old??

I want to get my friend''s son a Christmas gift but have zero clue what to get.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

janine, I heart Melissa and Doug toys.

Curly, that was my FIRST thought too. My mom sent it. But then I figured oh well. It is good problem solving and we don''t have any furniture or doors that have these types of latches anyways.

fiery, the age range says 36 months + so I think it would be perfect for a 3 year old! I think she said she got it at Borders or Barnes and Noble and they were having a buy one get one 50% off for M&D puzzles so T also got the "paper doll" that is actually a magnet and the clothes/shoes are magnets. She likes it but she is too young to really get it.

 

[mrssalvo]

I have no idea if these are in this thread yet but i just found these at target after loving the one's they provide for you at Chick filet...

disposable placements for eating out!!! they stick right to the table.. oh and they were only $8 at my local Target, not $18...

http://www.target.com/Sesame-Street-Stick-Place-Mats/dp/B000R7L80C/ref=br_1_1?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=15697981&node=15697981&searchRank=pmrank&searchPage=1&searchSize=30&id=Sesame%20Street%20Stick-%20Place%20Mats

 

[Burk]

Date: 12/16/2009 10:51:34 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Toddler mamas this is a new favorite. She is OBSESSED!

Thanks Tacori....I ordered it! I figured I could give the Melissa and Doug puzzle I intended to give T to my nephew (who I was one gift short on) and her this one.