Momessentials

The Learning Tower

For a child, the world around them is a magical and curious place. They learn by mirroring Mommy and Daddy with the ultimate goal being "to do it myself" and feel like an active member of the family. That's why Little Partners created the Learning Tower: a sturdy, non-tip structure that welcomes the child to safely participate with parents, caregivers, and siblings by raising them to countertop height. Brand new to the market, the Art Easel accessory set attaches easily to The Learning Tower, and features a dry-erase board on one side with a chalkboard on the other for twice the artistic fun. There also is a Playhouse Kit which includes an easily-attachable roof, red curtains, and 4 theme signs to create a puppet theatre, doll house, drive-thru or lemonade stand.

I bought my Learning Tower when Alexander was 1. It is so well made, that he and Andrew still both use it years later. It is a lifesaver when I am making dinner at night. They both climb in the tower and "help" mix ingredients at the counter. My alternative would be to hold Andrew and cook with one hand. . . Making them a part of the meal-making process has an added bonus: they are more willing to try new foods. The Learning Tower also is great for making and decorating cookies - it is offers a safe way to raise your child to the countertop and you won't have to worry about a stool or chair tipping over. 

City view (by Risa): I have limited space in my apartment and have to be picky with large toys. The Learning Tower is great because it serves 3 functions: it is a playhouse, an art easel, and also a sturdy stand.

Suburban angle (by Tina): We take the Learning Tower and the Playhouse Kit out in our backyard when the weather is nice. It is a portable playhouse!

Aden + Anais

 Aden + Anais swaddling blankets are practical and fashionable at the same time. Not only are they used for the obvious: Swaddling your baby - but you can use them to shield your baby from the sun when the stroller canopy isn't enough coverage, as a sheet for your bassinet, a comfy blanket etc..

These blankets are made out of a soft breathable muslin - so they are great for newborns - especially newborns that sweat alot!  they come in really cute patterns such as critters, dots and apples and classics such as stripes, circles and flowers.  The best part: they come in a pack of 4 and have a summer weight and a winter weight - so you can be fashionable all year round!

The Quinny Zapp

I can easily justify owning multiple strollers and The Quinny Zapp is the perfect example of why I need a Quick Use, lightweight, easy to transport and quick to fold stroller. There are many features to brag about. Although when folded, it is the smallest buggy in the world, this is no umbrella stroller - it is full-size, can hold up to 50 pounds and is compatible with the Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat (adapters are included). It weighs just 13 pounds and folds down in 3 easy steps. The wheels rotate 360 degrees and turn on a dime - I could steer it perfectly with my 5 year old in it using just one pinkie finger- and the locking mechanism makes varied terrains easily maneuverable. The stain-resistant seat fabric zips out for easy spot cleaning and is machine washable! The colors are eye-catching and the design is head-turning. It is an amazing travel stroller and can store in overhead bins on the airplane, behind your seat in the car, even under your table at the restaurant. Accessories included are travel bag, rain cover, sun canopy and shopping basket. I can say this is one of the most comfortable rides my daughter has taken as she easily drifts off to sleep when in the Zapp.

When we travel to amusement attractions, we never leave our stroller parked outside the entrance. We used to split up - one of us would go inside with the older child and the other would stay behind guarding the stroller. Now we easily fold up our Zapp and carry it around inside the attraction. It usually weighs less than my diaper bag!

City view (by Risa): Baby Gear can take up all your space in your apartment! The Zapp folds compact and can be stored almost anywhere. I was looking for the perfect lightweight, non-twin stroller for the boys and love my Zapps. They are light and easy to maneuver, even when using them both at the same time.

Suburban angle (by Barb): We drive everywhere, and on a day of multiple quick errands the Zapp leaves more space in my car for other things, and folds/unfolds quickly and easily between each stop. Bonus- I store it right on the floor under baby's car seat instead of walking to the trunk every time.

Mommy Hook

 There are many stroller hangers out there, but none of them compare to The Mommy Hook. The Mommy Hook is a stroller hanger made from heavy duty aluminum that easily hooks to stroller bars without sliding or breaking like the cheap plastic ones have a tendency to do. Its unique rubber grip keeps it from sliding.

It is perfectly designed to hold everything from shopping bags to diaper bags.  The Mommy Hook makes shopping while pushing a stroller extremely easy. What will we do when the kids are too big for strollers???

Get your giggle on with BellyLaf

BellyLaf’s eco-friendly, anti-microbial, softer than the softest cotton wash mitts are bathing must. Grippees™ are adult-sized wash mitts that make it easy for parents to bathe squirmy kids from behind the ears to between the toes. They incorporate soft gripping dots on the lower palm of each mitt that give parents more confidence when bathing infants. MiniMitts™ are a thumb-less easy on and easy off pair of child size wash mitts designed for "little hands" mastering personal hygiene skills. Fun and colorful shapes on the tops of Grippees and MiniMitts make bathtime interactive, and the mitts are composed of fabric made from bamboo, nature's most sustainable, hypoallergenic, thermal regulating, odor free and naturally regenerative resource. Kudos to BellyLaf for its committment to finding treatments for children stricken by rare genetic diseases that steal giggles away from kids and their families. Whenever a customer purchases a BellyLaf product, BellyLaf will donate 10% of profits to The Hide & Seek Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises money for research into deadly childhood diseases.

Orbit Baby

Have Baby...Will Travel!  The Orbit stroller has been all the rave lately...with its recent plug on the hit show "The Office" We had to see for ourselves if it lived up to its hype.  The Orbit is the stroller that has a complete infant system...car seat, stroller and the car seat base.  The stroller swivels 360 degrees, has a built in paparazzi shield (it's the stroller of choice for lots of celebrities ie: Nicole Ritchie, Jessica Alba  and many more) clicks into its own car seat base and is eco-friendly!

 

Here is what we thought of the Orbit:

 

City view (by Leslie) I love this stroller - as a new mom I love to stroll my baby everywhere...she is 7 weeks old, so she is still young enough that i can take her to a restaurant and she will sleep the entire time - which is important for us as NYC parents we eat out all the time!  I can swivel the seat to face us and the stroller is out of the way of the busy waiters.  Another cool feature which most new strollers have is that the handle bars adjust to different heights - which is great for me as I am short and my husband is very tall.  One of my favorite features which most people would probably not pay attention to is that the basket underneath which they call the "pod" doesn't hang open on the bottom - it actually closes like a purse and clicks into the a slot under the base.  I keep an extra swaddling blanket under all my strollers as you never know when you may need it - and I am always concerned that dirt from the dirty streets of NYC will get on all my items that are in the basket.  We also travel out of the city to see family on the weekend - so the car seat/stroller combo comes in handy. Once your infant grows out of the seat - you can purchase their new toddler seat.

 

Suburban angle (by Barb)

We are constantly in and out of our cars going from place to place - so the best feature for us is that we don't have to struggle fitting a bulky stroller in the trunk as the seat of the stroller is our car seat as well.  The same way the seat swivels when its on the stroller - it swivels on the car seat base - which makes it so easy for me to lock the seat into the base - I can lock it in facing me at the door and turn it to be rear-facing.  My in-laws love this feature as they are always making silly faces to my daughter when she's in the car to calm her down before we start moving - as they can see her head-on before I swivel it to the back.  The stroller also folds with one hand - and I can carry the car seat by the soft handle at the same time.  I highly recommend this stroller if you travel a lot and are strolling in tight quarters as its very compact and easy to maneuver.

Play & Learn Baby Spoon

The Play & Learn Baby Spoon by Baby Human is truly innovative. It is a soft, dual-ended, ergonomically-shaped spoon that fits perfectly in a little one's hand - just right for that somewhere between "I want to do it myself!" to "I can do it myself!" Its been a great item for us. The soft, rubbery texture makes it a great teether. The curved handle, which has a groove for little thumbs to rest in, helps develop and practice the skills and coordination needed to self-feed. The guards keep baby from sticking the spoon too far into their mouths and gagging. I still don't understand why my daughter always has the need to wrap her hand around something and not let go. I guess it's a comfort thing. This spoon fits perfectly in her grip, making it one of the first items I reach for to distract or pacify her. So for us, it's the Play & Learn & Teethe & Comfort Spoon.

JJ Cole Essential's Blanket

JJ Cole's Essential's Blanket is the essential blanket.   It is perfect for the park, beach, playground, the pool, a picnic, a playdate, etc...   Its durable outer fabric is ideal for any surface, and the inner lining quickly wipes clean.   The best part of the blanket is it folds up nicely and has a strap so you can hook it on your stroller or simply carry it on your shoulder.

City view (by Risa) The blanket is always on the bottom of my stroller because I never know when I will have a last minute playdate in the park.  The blanket is big enough for my whole family to sit on and it is comfortable too!!!   When the boys were little I used the blanket as a backdrop for pictures.

Suburban angle (by Tina) I keep the blanket in the trunk of my car.  It is perfect for the playground, the zoo, and especially outdoor concerts.

HALO'S Technical Comfort System™- Bodysuit

You know how there are days that you know are going to be physically exhausting so you reach for your most comfortable outift - the one with just the right amount of stretch and breathes just right? HALO has designed such wearble comfort for little ones: The Technical Comfort System Layette with innovative Coolmax® fabric. My daughter spends most of her waking hours crawling, climbing, rolling, twisting and cruising and can easily become so warm that she develops a heat rash. The Technical Comfort System Bodysuit is made to keep babies skin dry and comfortable any time of year.

After repeated washes I was not surprised to find the bodysuit looked and felt brand new -HALO's quality has always been superb - my SleepSacks have been through three children and still feel great.

City view (by Leslie): Comfortable and stylish, and perfect for all the temperature changes New Yorkers experience.

Suburban angle (by Barb): This is a must for the hot, muggy summers or the coolest winters.

PortaMEe

In today’s busy world of multi-tasking and attachment parenting, Baby Carriers are a necessity. From the sling to the front carrier to the hip carrier, I have used and pushed to the limit each kind. I wore my son until he was three years old and would have kept it up if my back hadn’t given out. I found the hip carrier style to be the most functional for an older child. When my daughter was big enough to be worn in this way I knew I needed to replace my old hip carrier and hoped to find something that would be more comfortable on my back. I found it:

The most amazing hip carrier I have used to date is the PortaMEe.  The Mercedes of carriers, this is the ultimate combination of convenience, function, comfort and fashion.  It is very easy to put on and not only keeps your offspring close to you, but your keys, wallet, phone, sunglasses, mp3 player, camera and even a bottle or sippy cup (the bottle holder is insulated)!  It’s like Batman's utility belt!

Comfort features include a gel padded shoulder strap and orthopedic lumbar support. 

Now that I have finally lost most of the baby weight and can fit in my cute clothes again, I want a “hip” hip carrier and the PortaMEe is a fashion statement with its leather trim, warm colors and plush fabric.

It is easily one of my top five must haves. I use it for hours every day -while helping my oldest dress, cooking or cleaning, working, shopping at the store, loading and unloading the car, picking my son up at school, at the airport, or to calm her down before bedtime.

   

City view (by Risa): New Yorkers walk everywhere and need to be hands-free. The extra pockets and storage solutions in the PortaMEe mean I don’t have to carry a bag. It is secure and stylish!

Suburban angle (by Barb): I love my PortaMEe. It goes where strollers can not and my daughter stays cool and comfortable in it. There is no reason to break your back carrying a wiggly baby with one hand when you can use the PortaMEe comfortably and have both hands free.