Lug Puddle Jumper

I got this Lug Puddle Jumper Bag to use as my diaper bag/carry on for our FL trip. This thing did not disappoint. I was a little skeptical at first because it does not have a shoulder strap and you need all your hands and then some to get through an airport with a baby. But I didn't find myself having to keep pushing it back up on my shoulder. The straps are long enough that it works well. There are more than enough compartments and I found it really easy to reach down and find what I needed quick. I purchased mine online from SleepyHeads.com

Baby Bjorn Soft Pocket Bib

If you have a toddler in the 'I'm feeding myself' stage, you need these NOW. These Baby Bjorn Soft Pocket Bibs are amazing! This has to be one of my favorite inventions ever. I have other pocket bibs but they are made of cloth or plastic and do not catch nearly as much food as these do. I get so excited when I see how much food is in the pocket at the end of a meal. Jax has even figured it out and now looks down and eats whatever he finds in there. My husband joked that we should just put his meal in the pocket. Not a bad idea I say! We got ours from BabyEarth. They offer free shipping on orders over $99. That would add up to a lot of bibs, but they are that great. We have 2 and I will be ordering more.

Boden Surf Suit

I got this SPF Surf Suit for our upcoming trip to Florida where we will be spending lots of time in the water and sun. It has UV protection and that is huge for me since my little guy is very ice creamy. I will update when I get a picture of Jax wearing it but right now it's difficult just trying to put one outfit a day on him, much less subject him to a wardrobe change. You can get yours at Boden USA where they are having a Mother's Day Special 12% off and free shipping and returns through the end of May.

**UPDATE** Finally posted a picture of Jax in his suit. This suit is so awesome. I will definitely be buying next year's from Boden.

Inglesina Club Highchair

Last week our Inglesina Club Highchair arrived. We originally purchased a Stokke Tripp Trapp and had been using that for the last 4 months. But, it never really worked well with our table as we have a base below our tabletop which prevented us from being able to pull it very close. We put it out in storage and hope to use it when Jax gets older. The Club is great and the tray is super easy to clean. Also, it's modern enough that it won the approval of my husband which is very important around here. We got ours from CSN Baby and they offer free shipping on orders over $49.

Boden Applique Shorty

I got this Elephant Romper a few weeks ago and Jax was finally able to wear it since the weather started warming up. So cute! They also have it in red with a turtle applique. You can get them at BodenUSA and right now for Mother's Day they are offering 12% off with free shipping AND free returns.

BebeSounds Portable Video & Sound Monitor

We got this BebeSounds Portable Video & Sound Monitor system after the first one we bought bit the dust. Our first system was also a video monitor and there was no way I was not going to get another one. Otherwise, I would never have known it was possible to sleep while sitting! The picture on our previous set always had lines running through it and if we had the volume up there was always a crackly sound. Not with this one. If you have wireless internet or 2.4GHz cordless phones, then this is the system for you as its 900MHz frequency does not interfere with any of these, even the microwave. We got ours from CSNbaby where the shipping is free.

World's Finest Chocolate

YUM. I love almonds and chocolate. Am I the only one who ate these obsessively growing up? Probably. I can remember a time in high school when I would eat 3 of these a day! Well you can buy them online at World's Finest Chocolate, the only catch is they come in huge lots - 50 bars per box. It's hard to justify buying that much, but they make special occasion wrappers for birthdays, thank yous, or it's a boy/girl. They would make great shower or birth announcement gifts. Or you could just eat them all. By youself. Like I just might.

Press N Go Inchworm

I recently purchased this Press N Go Inchworm at a local boutique toy store. This thing is great if you have hardwood floors. My son has enjoyed watching my husband and me play with it and although he hasn't quite mastered how to make it go fast, he has enjoyed pushing it around and gnawing on the antennas. It was a winner of the Oppenheim Best Toy Platinum Award in 2006. I found it online at KazooToys.

Gorjana Silver Stackable Rings

Can you tell I have a thing for Gorjana Jewelry? These Stackable Rings are highly versatile and can be worn with anything. They are available at Max & Chloe. Use code T7PR8 at checkout to get $10 off any purchase over $100.

Gorjana Sun Set Earrings

I love the look of dangle earrings worn with hair pulled up. And these Gorjana Sun Set Earrings are no exception. They are available at BlueBee and they also come in gold. I chopped all, all of my hair off almost 3 years ago. My hair grows so slow! But, I'm getting close to being able to pull it all up in a ponytail. I hope these are still available when I'm ready!

Gorjana Silver G Bangles

These Silver Bangles are just what I like - simple. They can be worn when dressed up or dressed down. They are available at Max & Chloe and the same deals mentioned in the previous post apply.

Gorjana Black Gold Glacier Ring

I recently became a fan of Gorjana Jewelry (see below post) and there are about 10 different things from her line that I would like to have. This Black Gold Glacier Ring is one of those things. Size 6 if you're reading this T. I found this ring at Max & Chloe and if you use code T7PR8 at checkout you can get $10 off any purchase over $100.

Gorjana Silver Ring Necklace

I found this Gorjana Silver Ring Necklace online at BlueBee. It is very lightweight and simple and look how cute that box is! I have never been one for over the top accessorizing, always preferring simple, nice looking pieces. This necklace is about the cheapest thing you will find at BlueBee - a very hip online boutique (they have a real store in Santa Barbara's famous shopping district on State Street) where you can find - jewelry, shoes, handbags, and of course, clothes. This place has a lot of 'wants' that I will definitely be posting about in the future.

LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table

The LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table was my Christmas present to Jax and I would have to say, his favorite toy for the past 3 months. At first, he could only push the keys and would sometimes get lucky with hitting something that started the music, but now he loves to open and close the green cubbyhole flap and flip the page back and forth in the book. You can switch between English and Spanish for letters, numbers, and basic words. I got mine from BabyCenter and right now it's 15% off.

Maxi Cosi Priori Convertible Car Seat

We became fans of Maxi Cosi when we first got our Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat as it worked so well with our Quinnys. So they were our first go-to when Jax outgrew his infant carrier. We went with the Priori Convertible Car Seat. We love this car seat as it has adjustable positions and faces rear and front. If you are only looking to buy one car seat, this one is great as it can be used from 5 - 40 pounds. You can get them online at Baby-Wise or at BabyCenter.

Quinny Zapp

When Jax was 2 months old we planned a trip to Seattle. The stroller we had at the time was a Quinny Buzz (see previous post) - which is great for here in town but not so much for traveling. I found the Quinny Zapp online and available in the US and we ordered one from BabyCenter. We needed it quick and at the time they only had it available in lime, turquoise and orange. We went with the orange but probably would have gone with the black had it been available. I love all the vibrant colors but my husband was not about to let me get turquoise! This stroller is great for traveling! It is very light and folds up in a cinch. Our Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat also attached and we used it this way until Jax outgrew it. We were just at the mall today and had 2 people comment on it. I rarely go out with either of my Quinnys without drawing attention. I only have a stock photo but will update if we get around to taking any soon.

Quinny Buzz

Before Jax was born my husband and I made a deal that he had to pick out/buy our carseat and stroller. He had seen a bugaboo around town and liked the look of it. He wanted to find out more about strollers/carseat compatability and what not and so he went online and did some research. What he found was that the bugaboo was considered very 'LA'. This was unacceptable to him as he is not into being trendy. While researching strollers, he came across the Quinny Buzz and decided this was the stoller for us. It was not available in the US at the time and so he ordered it from like, the Netherlands. I remember getting a knock on our door around 9pm one snowy night this time last year and I was thinking - who could this be? Well, it was the UPS man and we owed him some $40 for import tax!

I am happy to report that they are now available in the US! I have found them at BabyCenter. This is my all-time favorite place to buy baby things online. They are the cheapest and almost always have free shipping.



For the first 5/6 months of Jax's life we used the Quinny Buzz Dreami Bassinet and it was handy in more ways than one. Not only did we use it on the stroller but for the first 2 months after he was born, Jax slept in the bassinet in our bedroom.



Also, we bought a Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat that was easy to use in the car and clipped right onto the Buzz stroller. Jax as since outgrown the infant seat, but for 7/8 months it was awesome!

Needless to say, we love this stroller! So much so that we purchased another Quinny stroller that I will post about next.

Tax Time!

I am the CPA in the family but you would never know it as my husband does our taxes! We use TurboTax as it is simple to use and easy to navigate. It has to be easy if my husband can do it for his business and our individual return. All I had to do was review. I don't know any CPAs who do not use software to prep tax returns these days, so why not save yourself a lot of $ and prep it yourself? The cost of the software is a lot cheaper than even 1 hour billed by a CPA. TurboTax even offers FREE filing if you qualify.

Alligator Xylophone Piano

I searched the web over trying to find where you could get one of these and the only luck I had was eBay. I swear I just saw them at Target within the last couple of weeks but I was not able to find them on their website. Jax got his as a Christmas present from his Uncle K and he loves it. The keys are easy to push and, it has wheels! So maybe, while he's playing with it he spends the better part of the time chewing on the stick and I'm the one banging out the first few notes of "Jingle Bells" over and over again. Still, it ROCKS.

**UDPATE - I was just at Target (Friday, 03/29) and they still have these, they are called "2 in 1 alligator go" or something.