Momessentials

WubbaNub

 The WubbaNub was born from two innovative parents who found themselves holding a soothie to their baby's mouth for an entire trip away. The design is simple: a one-piece silicone pacifier sewn in to a soft, cuddly plush animal. The plush is the perfect size for baby to hold or to lay on baby's chest, keeping the pacifier close by. I just knew my little one would love her  WubbaNub Plush Animal Pacifier and I was right. The adorable animal plush satisfies her need to wrap her fingers around something and the soothie attached to it satisfies her need to suck. By attaching the paci to the plush, WubbaNub also satisfies a parents need to keep the pacifier from being spit across the room or dropped with each yawn. I love the variety of cute animals; with friendly faces and stimulating, vibrant colors. They also make great companions for older babies. While relatively easy to clean, I'd love to see a version that allows parents to detach the pacifier for sterilization or to replace with a favorite brand.

Miss Gigi-Mae Tether System

Tethers seem to have hit the baby market heavily in the past few years. I've noticed several different brands and styles. Although the functionality a tether has in keeping toys off the ground has always appealed to me, I'm not a big fan of the many fabric tethers that look homemade. They just don't fit my style, and I knew someone could do it better. Kudos to Stacy LeFevre, a mom with a doctorate in psychology. Her creation, the Miss Gigi-Mae tether, surpasses all other tethers on the market. This cute ladybug has three velcro strips (two on the bottom and one on the back) that make it easy to attach to almost anything. I've tried it on a big stroller system, smaller travel stroller, highchair, exersaucer, shopping cart, a convertible car seat, the Learning Tower, my diaper bag and my own backpack - it fit easily on all. The ladybug has four retractable tether clips. This means that you can avoid buying a stroller toy bar and can instead attach four or more toys to Miss Gigi-Mae. The tether system comes with a "Learns to read" book with the same loveable ladybug character. In fact, the very best part about this particular tether system is that the cute and colorful ladybug character put a smile on my son's face! He didn't really need anything attached to enjoy pulling the retractable clips. If you're looking for a tether that also acts like a leash, this is not a good fit for you. If your goal is keeping toys or books off the floor (and not pulling out your hair when your little one goes through the cause and effect stage), you will not find a better tether.

Reisenthel Reusable Shopping Bag

I love finding products that combine style, function and that are environmentally-friendly. The Reisenthel Reusable Shopping Bag has this down to a science. This trendy bag neatly folds into its own round, zippered pouch. It is made of durable rip-stop fabric and has long handles for carrying over your shoulder. The colors and designs are breathtaking, and I appreciate that the bag does not have a logo on it. The bag is light and small enough to keep in a purse or diaper bag, and the larger ones can hold the contents of 2-3 plastic grocery bags. Most styles are under $10.

City view (by Risa): The Reisenthal bag is perfect to keep in the diaper bag or stroller for both planned and unexpected shopping trips. I often make unplanned purchases when walking in New York and I like having this fabric bag on hand instead of taking a plastic bag or simply throwing the items at the bottom of the stroller. The Reisenthel bag and case even clip to the side of our stroller so I don’t have to dig for it when I need it.

Suburban angle (by Tina): I looked in my pantry a few minutes ago and counted nine reusable shopping bags with different store logos on them. I used to try to keep them in my car so that they were handy when I was shopping at specific stores, but almost always found myself missing the bag from the particular store to which I had pulled up and felt guilty using a bag that had the logo of a specific store on it while shopping at a competitor's store. Reisenthel takes care of this problem in one stylish, logo-free, compact reusable bag.

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!