iMSN recommends....

[houseelf]

I thought that we could share our favorite baby/kid products because there is so much out there that it is hard to weed through it all. These are some of my favorites:

BABY

*pacifier teether straps- the single best development in baby products? Who has time to constantly resanitize the pacifier?
*vibrating bouncy chair- we'd take the batteries out of the remote to make sure that this thing worked.
*vinyl mattress pads- buy a couple of these because your baby/toddler will leak through the diaper. Strip it off, throw it in the wash, and your done.


TODDLER/PRESCHOOLER

*Dr. Seuss books--kids really start to understand the concept of rhymes and recognize words in the repeating rhythm of these books.
*Brio water canal system toy--I put some water in this toy outside on our deck and my son will play creatively, independently, *and quietly* for hours. They are expensive but you can pick it up on Ebay for a more reasonable price.
*Old Navy clothes--cheap, cute boys clothes
*Shoes with velcro straps

Please share your experience, wisdom, rants, and raves....

Kelly

[/b][/u]

Velcro is essential for toddler shoes!
We wax poetic about the transportation items: baby bjorn, jogger, backpack, etc.
Those Brio water toys look *fun* but the price has held me back. I'll check ebay.
The exersaucer is a big hit our house. Otherwise we would never be able to prepare or eat dinner.

[SueC]

I couldn't survive without my double jogger stroller (if only they made a triple)--it is great for going up and down curbs, going to the zoo, etc. It doesn't turn easily, so I have a "mall stroller" that is used for completely smooth surfaces.
The Graco travel system--we like it better than the Evenflo (we had that with the girls), it is lighter, narrower, and pops in and out of the base easier.
Lavendar baby wash products--my theory is that it doesn't calm the baby, but it calms the parents to have a clean baby that smells so wonderful.
White Cloud diapers--only sold at Wal-Mart (unfortunately I don't like to shop there) but they are cheaper and they are so soft!
Fisher Price Aquarium stuff--I have the little portable swing and the thing that goes in the crib and Mitchell seems to dig it.
Aveeno products are great for treating my daughter's eczema.
Target clothes--you can buy kids separates for about $5 or less that mix and match and they hold up great. I used to buy on consignment but realized I could buy new at Target for about the same price.
Iron Kids crustless bread--one of my few splurges with groceries. My kids don't like the crust and regular bread gets too small once you remove the crust. It's a time-saver and the sandwiches are more uniform and a better size.
Straws of any type--I bought some cool straws at Crate & Barrel and my kids are way better about finishing their milk at dinner because they love to drink out of those straws.
Stride Rite shoes--they are made well, wear well, and the staff does a good job about sizing the kids. They are pricier, so we try to stick with something practical that will go with just about everything.

The Boppy pillow has been a lifesaver with both kiddos.

For babies:
onesies, onesies, onesies!
Fisher Price Aquarium Bouncer
F.P. Sparkling Symphony Mobile
Baby Einstein videos - my toddler loves them too!
Exersaucer

For toddlers:
Little People!
Household appliances - utensils, the vacuum - who needs toys?
Playtex sippy cups - they're the only ones that don't seem to leak
Bathtub crayons

My only rant is that Wal-Mart has a lousy selection of baby/toddler boys clothes. Great prices, and it's great if you have girls, but there's just nothing for boys!

[Flynn]

We really like our Maclaren Techno XT stroller. It's safe for new infants, transitions well to older children and only weighs 11 pounds!! It ROCKS in an airport. Downsides: it's expensive (but this is our only stroller -- we got our jogger free) and there is not a lot of storage but just wear a diaper bag in the form of a backpack and you're set.

The "INFANTINO" changing table mobile was a huge hit. We got it as a gift and it was one of our most treasured items we used all the time.

Having a small CD player with the repeat (that's the key) option. Since we have two big dogs with big tails that make big noise, playing soft music during naps drowns out the noise in the rest of the house.

"Sassy" toddler bowls with tops that half open for snacks. They are fun, colorful and yummy!

I love my Boppy and Baby Einstein videos. Now that summer is here, I find those little rompers are a treasure. The Johnny Jump-Up is a hit for sure, and honestly I use my changing table MUCH more than I thought I would. I thought I would change diapers on the floor most of the time, but its nice not to stoop over all the time.

[Phoebe]

Lots of repeats here-

Boppy pillow
exersaucer
bassinette with wheels
double stroller (evenflo it is new on the market)
glider rocker!
Fisher Price Aquarium
TV remote control makes a nice toy
Old Navy and Target clothes -Speaking of Old Navy- I was shopping online today and they had great sales. You may want to check it out.
Land's End Overstocks
Gerber Wagon Wheels
Sassy Flower Teether Rattle
Medela Pump and Style Breastpump
Little People
sippy cups
Dixie Paper Animal Plates
Disney Princesses
Yogurt Smoothies (homemade or store bought)
Ketchup

Jennifer

[migirl]

Ketchup

Um ... ketchup?? :

Ok, some favorites in our house...

-Mozart Magic Music Cube- both boys have loved it!
-rubber zoo animals.
-rubber snakes.
-ruber insects.
-lots, and LOTS of foam balls, rubber balls, baseballs, golf balls, footballs, soccer balls and one 30" PT ball.






Can you tell we only have boys?

[mommax3]

-lots, and LOTS of foam balls, rubber balls, baseballs, golf balls, footballs, soccer balls and one 30" PT ball.

I am with Matt on that one.....and also have only boys. I can't conceive of ever having too many balls.

I don't think I have any "new" must-haves....

vibrating bouncy seat
exersaucer
Johnny jump-up
Baby Einstein DVDs/videos
Baby Einstein board books
any kind of books (I subscribe to the theory you can never have too many!)
Big Backyard Magazine
Ranger Rick Magazine
National Geographic Kids Magazine
Sesame Street videos
Old Navy clothes
Wal-Mart clothes (for older boys....just basics, but so cheap!)
fenced in backyard with a swingset and Little Tykes stuff (use it all the time )
wagon for walks/long excursions (two of my kids are quite tall and grew out of strollers before they were ready to walk long distances)
onesies and overalls for babies and toddlers
cd player and lullabye cds
"popper" thing that toddlers push and little plastic balls pop around inside a plastic bubble.....all my kids love(d) this toy
blocks/magnet blocks/bristle blocks/tinker toys
toy cars and trucks
trains
Little People
sidewalk chalk
washable markers, crayons, and paper on a roll
Legos and K'nex kits (older kids)
Transformers
hot wheels car tracks (but these quickly lose their appeal and never work as well as advertised.....so beware! )
velcro or slip-on shoes
Game Boy
Game Cube
Jump Start computer series.....we have nine of these titles and all have been played multiple times

I think that pretty much covers the bases of the favorites around here....

Sally

[houseelf]

I have to add one more thing: Chirp magazine. It is expensive (thank heaven for grandma) but my son LOVES getting mail and this is a perfect magazine for a pre-reader.

Kelly

[peggyfromwastate]

Sally I think my kids want to go over to your house to play sometime...

We depend on:

A DVD player for the van
Diaper Genies, which still are stinky but much better than any other diaper pail we've tried...

I'll have to check out some of these things that have been mentioned here!

[peggyfromwastate]

Oh yes- The Children's Place seems to have cute stuff for good prices, too. And I love to get Gymboree deals from Ebay

We also use the Kelty Kids backpacks. I've used the Gerry (I think) aluminum frame ones before, but they weren't as comfortable as the Kelty...

Back in the day I used the double jogger every single day. Out here in Maryland I haven't gotten into the swing of things, and taking that out for a walk has just not happened... Now with the baby, I think I'll buy an elliptical trainer for my exercise at home and DRIVE to parks... Too many kids, not enough hands!

[SueC]

Peggy's post made me think of a purchase we made for this baby that we are very pleased with. We bought the Diaper Champ instead of the Diaper Genie and we love it! It uses regular trash bags and is simpler to use, which is huge when you consider the grandparent factor--neither set of our parents could for the life of them figure out how to use the Diaper Genie!

[peggyfromwastate]

Where do you buy the Diaper Champ? Does it keep out odor? I tried a diaper pail that used regular trash bags, but it didn't twist them off or anything and so it really didn't help with the stink...

Does anyone know how much the Brio water canal toy sells for? Is it around $60? I tried looking it up on ebay but I didn't get any hits... Just looking for a ballpark- sounds like something Steven would like.