Juice Pal!

Taylor's new obsession is drinking from a juice box, specifically, Motts for Tots apple juice.

I guess it makes her feel like a "big girl." And while I think it is adorable, and I already have dozens of pictures of her sipping from her juice box, I do not find it adorable when she squeezes the juice box with a mischievous smile on her face, and juice comes flying out everywhere!

That's why I purchased the Juice Pal from One Step Ahead. It's the only juice holder that fits ALL size boxes and pouches — and is insulated to keep drinks cold!

So now, instead of squeezing her juice box (and spraying sticky juice everywhere), Taylor can hold onto her Juice Pal's soft-grip handles and sip away! A practical gift that moms everywhere can appreciate.

Available at One Step Ahead for $3.95.

Miss (or Mister) Manners....

It is never too early to teach your children the art of writing a gracious thank you note. Even Katie (Holmes) Cruise taught little Suri that a nice thank you note does not go unnoticed.

We just ran out of Taylor's thank you notes, so I am on the hunt for some cute, new ones. Here are some of my favorites I've found below. Which one to order? Tough choice because I love them all!

If you have a favorite stationary line for children, send it my way so I can check it out! E-mail me at trendytykes@gmail.com or add a link in the comments section below.

Some of my favorites: (Prices vary. Available at Swoozies and Tiny Prints.)

The Diaper Bag Extravaganza!

One of my favorite stores, Pure and Honest Kids, is having a Diaper Bag Extravanganza that you don't want to miss!

Save Up to 40% on all diaper bags from Pure and Honest Kids!

Now through April 30, save up to 40% on this season's hottest diaper bags!

Featuring name brand diaper bags from Timi & Leslie, Caden Lane, Reese Li, Kalencom, and more!

Pure & Honest Kids has fantastic selection of unique boutique diaper bags for stylish moms and dads.

From animal print diaper bags to matching 5-piece tote sets, you'll love the trendy styles, handy features, and coordinating accessories available in our collection of boutique diaper bags.

PLUS Free Shipping on orders over $75! Now is the time to order!

Here are some of my favorites below.

Cool Toys for Toddlers

My niece, Mollie, is about to turn three, so I am on the hunt for a cool, fun toy for her to enjoy this summer!

So far, the toy in first place is the Noddo Croquet Set, from Land of Nod. This sturdy, well-made wooden croquet set is the perfect toy for outdoor play this summer. It's a great game for siblings to enjoy together, or the croquet set can be fun for the whole family!

The Noddo Croquet Set includes six colorful, multi-patterned wickets, 24 stands, two mallets and two polka-dot balls. It can be used both inside and outdoors.

Ages 3+. The cost for the set--- $44.00.

Easy to store- the entire set doesn't take up a lot of room at all! What more could you ask for?

Robeez Has Your Toddler Ready For Summer!

Summer is right around the corner, and Robeez has just come out with a new line of sandals to have your baby ready for fun in the sun!

For pre-walkers and cruisers, Robeez Soft Soles are the perfect choice! The soft sole shoes have durable, breathable leather, are skid-resistant and are tested for safety and free from any harmful materials. The Soft Soles also stay on your little one's feet because they slip on with elastic.

For toddlers who are already on the move, try Robeez Tredz. They are lightweight and flexible but provide plenty of protection for all the outdoor play that your toddler will embark on this summer.

Both the Soft Soles and the Tredz feature airy cut-outs to keep your baby's feet comfortable and cool.

Here are some of my favorite Robeez sandals for this summer!

Moo! Roar! And So Much More...

Taylor is 18 months now, so we are working on building her vocabulary. It seems like every day she says a new word! I am trying to think of creative ways to introduce new vocabulary words to her. That's why I love Melissa and Doug's wooden animal magnets!

The Melissa and Doug magnetic animal set comes with twenty highly detailed, wooden magnets that beautifully illustrate a wide assortment of first animals. Great for early vocabulary development!

Comes with a lion, cow, monkey, fish and many more of your favorite animals! We put one or two magnets up on the fridge a week, and focus on that particular animal. As Taylor masters each animal, we add another magnet. She loves it! We also work on animal noises, too!

Purchase at many stores across the country, including Country Toys and Amazon.

$9.95 a set.

Yite Bub- Another Great Idea!

I was at a baby shower yesterday, and was turned on to a new clothing line I had not heard of before---Yite Bub! (Which is baby talk for Light Bulb!)

Yite Bub's clothing line is vintage inspired with a modern twist. Creative, comfortable and functional, your little one will look darling in Yite Bub's spring collection.

Here are a few of my favorites for boys from the Yite Bub line.

And here are some of my favorites for the girls.

Purchase at http://www.yitebub.com/ or other stores across the country.

Stylish Onesies!

"Onesies" are on every new mom's essentials list, so I made it my mission to find the cutest onesies out there!

After searching high and low, here is my favorite- Tea Collection kimono style onesies, called the "Orgnaic Hoshi Bodysuit!"

Most babies hate things being pulled over their head...it especially gets old when it's the third time you've had to change their outfit in one day! That's why the kimono inspired onesie from Tea Collection is perfect!

This onesie snaps across the front, making it easy to get those little arms and hands through the arm holes! And no over-the-head madness!

The fabrics are darling, and your baby will feel so comfortable and snugly in these very soft fabrics. In fact, the onesies soften with each wash! A bonus, it is made of 100% organic cotton!

Comes in sizes 0-12 months.

$25.00

Available at http://www.teacollection.com/ . Comes in both blue and pink (pictured.)

Shoes, Shoes and More Shoes!

Spring is here and so is the season for outdoor play! Looking for some fun, new shoes for this spring and summer? You must check out these fun and durable shoes by Cienta. Adorable!

In pretty pistachio green with white polka dots, these great cotton mary janes are just what she needs for summer fun in the sun! The best party- machine wash and you are back in business after a dirty day in the great outdoors.

I also love these red polka dot slingbacks, also by Cienta. Again, machine washable and great for outdoor play!

Both are $40.00 and both are available at Pure and Honest Kids. Sizes range from 6.5 to 10.

Getting "Sassy" in the Bath Tub!

One of Taylor's favorite times of the day is bath time! Usually a coveted time of day for Taylor and her daddy, these two splash and sing and have a grand ol' time. I am always keeping my eyes peeled for fun, new bath toys to keep the good times rolling and to keep the water splashing!

That's why I love this new bath toy I just came across. It's called the Sassy Scoop, Pour and Squirt, by Sassy Baby! Very affordable (only $6.00) and a top pick from Fit Pregnancy's 2008 Buyers Guide, it will surely be a great addition to your bath time routine.

The easy-to-grip handle enables toddlers to easily engage in two of their favorite tub activities—scooping and pouring water. Starfish and frog squirters are included. 12 months and up.

Purchase this award winning toy at http://www.sassybaby.com/

The Toddler Cafe

Do you ever get in a rut when it comes to your toddler's mealtimes? I know I do, so I plan to check out a new book by Jennifer Carden, entitled, Toddler Café: Fast, Healthy, and Fun Ways to Feed Even the Pickiest Eater.

Every toddler goes through the stage where they want nothing but Goldfish, cereal and fruit snacks...junk food city!

The challenge for parents is getting kids to ask for fruit salad instead of cookies.

Faced with this seemingly impossible task with her own child, Jennifer Carden has created The Toddler Cafe , a guide to making mealtime with children fun and interactive, but also healthy!

Carden has created over 50 unique recipes that encourage families (including toddlers) to work together to prepare, eat, clean up, and best of all, look forward to a healthy, delicious meal.

The photos in the book, taken by the author's husband, Matthew Carden, are of very messy toddlers eating. They will make you laugh, and if your child is anything like mine, the photos might remind you of mealtimes at your own house!

Purchase at Amazon for $14.95.

Milk Bands

For breastfeeding mothers, here is another great product to check out!

Milk Bands are the latest solution for breastfeeding mothers who wish to keep an accurate nursing log of their baby's feeds without the hassles of nursing journals, safety pins, or switching bracelets from wrist to wrist.

Milk Bands were designed to conveniently provide the feeding information of the infant to the nursing mother all on one wrist.

Milk Bands incorporate a "side indicator" that allows mothers to know which breast was used at the last feeding. When finished feeding, simply flip the band to the other side, and at next feeding session, you'll know which breast to use to feed your infant.

Milk Bands also have a time tracking device that can help you remember the following:

• Record single feeding sessions to the nearest five minute increment
• Record multiple feeding sessions over the course of a full day
• Record the number of times the baby fed in one day
• Record the number of soiled diapers in one day
• Reminding the mother what time the baby last fed
• Reminding the mother what time the baby is to feed next
  

Wow! All that information on one small wrist band!

Milk Bands work in the dark and and can be worn during any and all activities, including showers and baths!

Purchase at many stores across the country. Only $6.95 each. Comes in multiple colors.

Upside Down Fun!

With spring here and summer on the horizon, we are spending a lot of time outdoors. With a closet full of dresses, how are we going to navigate playgrounds, slides and swings?

I found a perfect solution to upside down fun! Hanna Anderson carries the most adorable knit dresses that come complete with coordinating "capris" (they look like little matching shorts.) Many customers of this dress swear by them and say they last for years, not just seasons.

These sets come in stripes and polka-dots. Approximately $36 from Hanna Anderson. Comes in size 12 months up to 12 years-teen.

Hope for a New Mother....

Do you know someone who is having a difficult pregnancy? Someone who is ready to have their baby, but still have a few, LONG months to go? If so, here is the perfect "pick me up" gift for the mom-to-be...The Hope Jar.

The Hope Jar is bottled inspiration! It contains 30 daily, faith-inspiring affirmations to be read during your pregnancy or just after the birth of your new baby.

The Pregnancy Jar is filled with fun quotes and humorous advice for new mothers. Some daily affirmations include:

• Think of stretch marks as pregnancy service stripes.
  
• Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.
  
• When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.

Makes a wonderful and unique baby shower gift! Purchase at http://www.thehopejar.com/ for $18.95.

Here Comes The Sun...

Are you all "wiggled" out by your child's favorite Wiggles CD? Have you had enough of "The Wheels on the Bus?" Well, try playing these CDs from Bingo Records called "Beatles Hits for Kids" and "Motown Hits for Kids." Both you and your children will love it!

Raise your kids on the classics! These great CDs will have you both singing your hearts out. These award-winning CDs feature authentic sounding re-creations of the greatest songs of all time, but sung by kids!

The "Beatles Hits for Kids" features some of my favorites, including Hello Goodbye, All You Need Is Love, Eight Days a Week and Blackbird.

The "Motown Hits for Kids" features Do You Love Me, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, My Girl and Dancing in the Streets, plus many more great songs.

All songs are appropriate for all ages. Packaged in “kid-resistant” eco-friendly digipak. No plastic case to break and clean up!

Available at Amazon for $14.99.

Language Littles!

A friend's daughter had a Language Littles doll this morning at playgroup, and I had to share- it is adorable!

Language Littles are educational dolls that are both sassy, lovable and fun! Winner of the Oppenheim Best Toy Award Gold Seal 2004, Language Littles dolls speak both English and another language. For instance, the Jolie doll speaks French and English!

Press Jolie's right hand to hear a series of greetings! Press her left hand to hear her favorite colors and the days of the week. Press her knee to hear, "I love you!" Jolie includes a translation booklet for learning & reading along as she speaks.

While this doll is by no means going to make your child fluent in another language, it will serve as a catalyst to introducing a new language. And as many teachers and educators have told me, there is no greater educational gift, besides instilling a love for reading, than to give your child a head start in a foreign language.

Also comes in the following languages:Korean, Greek, Chinese, Russian, Hebrew, Japanese, Spanish, German and Italian. Check out all the different dolls here. What a wonderful way to teach your child about family heritage, too.

Purchase at The Toy Hunt for $32.95.

Here are some of the other Language Little Dolls.

Lizzie Spanish Speaking doll

David Hebrew Speaking doll

Sophie Italian Speaking doll

Zutano's New Spring Line

Zutano has become one of my favorite children's lines because of its colorful patterns, high quality fabrics, comfort fit for active toddlers and its affordability, not to mention, it washes so well!

Zutano is a seasonal collection that changes every Spring and Fall. I am loving the new Spring 2008 line. It is inspired by hints of nautical and vacation themes.

Here are a few of my favorites from Zutano's latest spring line for boys.

Here are a few of my favorites for the girls from Zutano!

Zutano runs in sizes 12 months to 6 years. Available in stores across the country.

Announcing Baby!

There are so many choices out there for birth announcements! When it was time for us to choose Taylor's birth announcement, it took us forever! We loved so many, but finally decided on the line, Simply Put.

Simply Put, by Ashley Woodman, offers a minimalist approach to design as well as a strong respect for classic style. Featuring simple design elements balanced with intricate illustration, these designs speak to both the traditionalist as well as modernist.

Here are some of my favorite Simply Put birth announcements, available at Always Invited, and many other stores across the country.