These onesies start at size 2T and run all the way up until 6T.  They are, as the company name implies, purely white – basic, yet easy to match with any outfit.  There is a great amount of detail on the quality of the construction, cotton, dying process and strength of the snaps.  I can attest that through several washings, the onesies still look and feel like new.  I did follow the instructions and have never put them in the dryer out of fear of shrinkage; you can always go for a larger size if you plan on putting them in the dryer.

Essential Whites offers a selection of long-sleeve, short-sleeve or sleeveless bodysuits.  Each kind can come with either a lap (my preference – less fuss as you pull it over baby’s head) or round collar.  Pricing is very competitive given the quality of these garments – each starts at $8USD (sleeveless or short-sleeve) or $9USD (long-sleeve), and increases in price with size.  Essential Whites also offers buy-3-get-1-free which is what I opted for.  I did contact customer service to check on my order, because it took almost three weeks to arrive from the USA.  Their response was quick and friendly – impressive!

These onesies are great for those who like the concept.   An added bonus: now that my toddler has started to figure out how to undo his diaper (which doesn’t happen too often, because I had enough foresight to buy most of my cloth diapers with snaps), wearing a onesie makes this impossible (well, for now, until he gets really smart).  So kudos to Essential Whites for filling a need in the baby garment industry!

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The concept is so simple, and appeals to kids and adults alike – playing cards that float in the water and also stick to the bath walls!  Ingenious!  (in fact, the idea came about to the inventors when they decided they wanted to continue their card games in their hot tub with their friends).  In one package you get a nice stack of cards, equally divided among heads, bodies and legs.  My son at 17 months old does not partake in the actual card game but rather simply enjoys handling the cards and sticking them on the wall.  But this can become a real game, for 2-4 players, aged 2-11 years of age (or older, in my opinion).  Each card has a point value so your kids can also hone their math skills while playing the actual game.

The cards have a nice soft texture and the illustrations are very mod and hip.  They come in a mesh net bag which makes drying a cinch.  My only issue was that when the cards arrived they had a distinct chemical odour, but that quickly disappeared after rinsing them and after the first bath.  According to their site, all products undergo safety testing and they post the results of the tests for all to read.

All of their games can be purchased directly from Milliwik’s website for $10.95USD, and they have a list of retailers and distributors on this page.  They can be ordered from Amazon US for $9.99-$14.99USD (including the also-cool Splashimals set which I am coveting!).

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This is a story about all kinds of sheep: a bath sheep, a bed sheep, a thin sheep, a wide sheep, … you get the idea.  Each page has a different sheep.  After every four pages (i.e. sheep), we get asked “but where is the green sheep?”.  The whole book is a search for this elusive green sheep.  I won’t give away where this sheep is found in the end, but the various sheep presented along the way are extremely cute and the ending worth the wait.

This book is nearly perfect.  It rhymes.  It has rhythm.  It has a story.  It has really cute and funny illustrations.  It amuses baby and parent alike.  It even teaches some “opposite” concepts.  Come to think of it – I’d say it IS perfect!

We started reading this at a very young age; the amount of text per page is short so it should not bore the late-infant-early-toddlers.  Now that my son is about 16 months old, he is able to fill in the words as he recognizes the types of sheep.  He often picks out this book for me to read to him.  If that isn’t saying “instant hit”, then I don’t know what is!

I had nothing negative to say about this book until doing a bit of nosying around the web for this post.  I found Mem Fox‘s blog, and I have to say I’m a bit disappointed in how negatively she portrays her feelings about writing a children’s book (the post can be found here).  I could be misinterpreting sarcasm, but I don’t think so.  Therefore, I’ll try to push that post out of my head as I continue to enjoy the book with my family.

Where is the Green Sheep can be found in various editions; we enjoy the sturdy board book, priced at $8.99CAD on Amazon.ca.

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(image courtesy of mommyfootprint.com)

Here at Spilt Milk Moms we are always looking for cool new products.  Goodness knows I love trying out the newest gizmo and am always on the prowl for the next best thing.  But sometimes, as I evaluate the overflowing storage bins of toys in my house which my son intermittently plays with anyway, I wonder if we can just make do with what’s around the house.  Hence this review, of the “non-toy” toys that may be lurking around your house, or ideas for common items that can spur the imagination.

This concept is not original by any means.  Basically I’m hoping to make your life easier by compiling a list of websites that can give you some ideas how to creatively use common goods to buy some more playtime (before mealtimes, or melt-downs, or other toddler-related events occur).

I first came across this when reading the blog ohdeedoh (which has really cool stuff!); here is the post on non-toy toys.  The post has many useful comments from readers as well.  In a nutshell:

• CD spindles find a second life as spinning tops!
• Masking tape – the possibilities are endless – but can include demarcating streets, creating train tracks, indoor hopscotch areas…
• Bath toys – use your kitchen utensils!  Funnels, basters, measuring cups and spoons, strainers, small colanders, whisks, egg beaters, slotted spoons and ladles… you get the idea.  Supervision required for these items (well, for all of these ideas, really)
• Clear plastic shoe organizer – great for sorting skills.  Let little ones sort their lego pieces or playing cards or coloured objects.
• Flashlights – the night-time treasure.  Little ones love the on/off thrill (yay! more push-buttons!).  Best to invest in one that can operate by cranking rather than battery.
• Old checkbooks, calculators, calendars, etc. – I love this one.  No need to buy kid-specific ones if you have some old ones lying around (as long as they don’t have too many little pieces that could pose a choking hazard).  Plus consensus seems to say that kids don’t go for the fake ones anyway (hey, would you go for a fake iPhone if the real one was right next to it?)
• Salad spinner – who would ever have thought to use this for art projects?

Some comments on this post (also from ohdeedoh) also suggest using empty mini cereal boxes and empty food tins to create your home grocery store.  Who needs the plastic version?  Also suggested is the classic plain old big cardboard box as a toy…let the kids’ imagination run wild.

Another blog called Are So Happy had a similar post that was so popular that it became a document that you can download – which can be found here.  This list includes seashells, nuts, empty glass jars (I bet you have some of those lying around, post strained-peach-mush-days), buttons, baskets, and junk mail (my personal favourite).

Finally, you can probably go to your favourite online mommy (or daddy) forum to find other parents’ ideas – one particular post on a Babycenter forum had some great suggestions:  plastic bottles filled with dried pasta, plastic baby-wipes container filled with washcloths, mobiles made out of tissue paper, just to name a few.

That’s just scratching the surface; more can be found by Googling “non-toy toys”.  And now it’s your turn – what creative uses have you found for stuff around the house to entertain your little ones?

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Toys can easily start to take over one’s house.  And they often get bigger as the child gets older.  Thankfully, my parents bought my son a multi-purpose walker – Radio Flyer’s Push Pull & Ride.  This is a three-in-one toy: a push-toy walker, a ride-on, and a pull-toy storage/transporter for your child’s favourite toys!

The concept is fairly simple; the “seat” of the ride-on can be placed facing down (for ride-on position, as in photo above) or facing up (for transporting things).  In each position there are convenient slots to snap the seat in place.  The handle is wide enough for grasping for pulling or pushing.  The wheels are rubber so no damage to our hardwood floors.

So far our son has tested the push/pull method but not the ride-on, as he is still a bit too young for that mode.  My one issue with the push method is that the toy is very lightweight, so if your young one is just learning to walk, there is not enough resistance to prevent the child from walking forward too quickly (and ending up doing a face plant).  We easily solved this problem by placing a heavy item inside the bin – a small pumpkin (during Halloween season) or a large jug of vinegar (for any other season).  This weighs the toy down sufficiently to allow our son to stroll along at a comfortable pace.  Another thing is that the wheels do not pivot (which can be a good thing…) so if your child is young you will have to coax him or her in a straight line and assist in turning it when obstacles are confronted.  Luckily our place has a long corridor which works very well for this kind of toy!

Another issue we had with this toy was that it took forever to assemble.  It arrived on my son’s birthday, and my brother-in-law spent a good 30 minutes putting it together.  So if you plan to give it as a gift, consider assembling it at home beforehand.

Overall – I like the concept of this toy for its several uses.  There are definitely other single-purpose walkers out there, but babies soon lose interest in them once they start to walk; the Push Pull & Ride will still interest our son as he gets older for when he wants to lug around his trucks or other toys.

The Push Pull & Ride can be purchased from Radio Flyer’s website for $39.99USD

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I was introduced to quinoa last year, when I learned that it is one grain we are actually allowed to eat on Passover (when we give up bread, pasta and other grains for eight loooong days).  It is extremely versatile, yet I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it – that is, until I came across the website, and later the cookbook, Quinoa 365 (by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, Canadians no less!).  This cookbook has recipes for using quinoa for breakfast foods to desserts – who knew?

First, a quick primer on quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”).  Quinoa 365 has a great introductory chapter on quinoa, its history, and where to buy it.  It’s not actually a grain, it’s a legume – so very useful for those with gluten allergies.  It looks like couscous but is more translucent when cooked.  The nutritional benefits are vast – take a look at this chart for the full stats.  Basically, it is high in protein and fiber, contains all eight essential amino acids as well as many other vitamins (riboflavin, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid and beta carotene).  It is also high in linolenic acid, which I had to look up – one of two essential fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for various biological processes, but cannot synthesize them from other food components.

Science aside – quinoa is tasty!  At first we just used quinoa flour to make crêpes during passover because we were tired of eating matzo for breakfast.  But with the cookbook Quinoa 365, we now had a slew of recipes to try out.  Here’s my take on our experiments:

Broccoli Cheese Soup – Outstanding.  I was in heaven.  Highly recommended and my favourite recipe thus far.

Mushroom Broccoli Quisotto – I’ve never quite been ambitious or patient enough to try cooking real risotto, so this was a great alternative, and very tasty.

Bocconcini and Oregano Salad – Had to omit the bocconcini because our guest isn’t a fan of cheese, but the rest of this salad was delicious!  It would be great even as a main dish in the summer when lighter fare is in season.

Tasty Tuna Casserole – I have made this many times.  It’s a healthy update to plain tuna-casserole-with-canned-soup.  It’s very family-friendly; our baby started liking this around 9 months old (it’s just a bit messy cleaning up quinoa afterward…).

Light Open-Faced Salmon Burgers – Also a hit with the little guy.  I didn’t follow the rest of the recipe which describes how to prepare the bun and trimmings, but the burger itself is delicious.

Carrot Spice Muffins – This is the only recipe I have tried that was so-so.  It calls for quinoa flour and not quinoa, and I think my flour may have been past its prime, because the muffins had a bit of a strange taste.  I’ll have to try it again though, because the balance of spice and muffin consistency was just right.

As far as the book itself – each recipe has an icon on top which indicates whether it is Kid-Approved (i.e. has actually been tested with real kids!), Gluten-Free or Vegetarian.  This is very handy for picking recipes with just a quick glance as you flip through the book.  Serving sizes are indicated, but prep and cook time are not, which would be a useful addition.  In terms of content, there is so much variety (quinoa in smoothies! pizza dough!) that you are bound to find something you like.  You can even try out a recipe from their website.  Overall – thumbs up!  Quinoa 365 is available for purchase at Chapters for around $20CAD.

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I love a good pun.  And I like simple family games.  So when I was offered to try out the Staccabees Orange Channukah game (designed by Daniel Singer and Bruce Kothmann) I got the best of both worlds!

For those not yet familiar with the channukah story (you didn’t listen to your Latkes and Hamentashen CD?), the Maccabees were the underground group of Jews who managed to fight off their oppressors for their freedom.  So the name “Staccabees“, for a stacking game of blocks with a channukah twist, is just too cute!

This game is for two to six players ages six and up .  I have to admit that I did not have the chance to try it out with kids; rather, we played a game with six adult players one evening, and had a rollicking good time!  But I think that kids would love this game too.  The instructions are very clear, and even include a sample game sequence to further illustrate a possible sequence of events.  Each person starts off with nine blocks, three each of three different sizes.  The object is to get rid of all of your blocks by stacking them on the common stack (called “STAC” in this game).  Each person takes turn spinning a dreidl (another channukah-specific item, basically a four-sided top).  Depending on the letter that results, you put or take blocks onto or from the STAC.  There are two versions of the game, one with Hebrew letters on the dreidl and one with English letters.  I was sent the latter.  So “S” is for “some” (put half of the blocks of one type onto the STAC), “T’ is for “take” (take one block from the STAC), “A” is for “all” (put all of one type of block onto the stack) and “C” is for “cipher” (do nothing).  This is my only negative comment on the game; “cipher” is a tough word for anyone to understand (never mind kids… we adults had to Google it while playing!).  We brainstormed a bit and came up with “continue” as a viable alternative.  But wording aside, the suspense kept mounting as the STAC grew taller and more wobbly, and we all squealed when it toppled over.  We were hooked!  One game round takes approximately 20 minutes, which is a great length for a game with kids (or multiple games with adults).

The game comes as a little canvas bag with the blocks inside, so it is easily transportable.  My fellow players commented positively on the tactile feel of the blocks.  For kids, the inventors claim it helps with fine motor skills, counting and also rounding (when you have to put half of your blocks on the STAC, you round up if you have an odd number).  I think they are right on!

Overall this game is a winner.  Staccabees retails for $19.95US from the creators’ website.  Happy STAC-ing!

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For those of us who get a head-start on gift-giving for the holidays because we celebrate Channukah, it can be a bit harder to find that perfect gift for kids that doesn’t scream holiday kitsch.  Luckily there is a time-tested classic that entertained ME as a kid (as a vinyl record…oy, I am dating myself!) that will hopefully entertain yours – a little CD called Latkes and Hamentashen by the talented and Canadian Fran Avni.

This CD will not only educate your kids about Channukah but also incorporates the story of Purim (hence the Hamentashen), a festival-holiday celebrated in the early spring (our dress-up costume-equivalent of Halloween).  Each song is fairly short, and in between there is a little dialog that explains the story of the holiday.  So for those of you who know Channukah as the Festival of Lights and Chocolate Dollar Candies, you can now learn about the story of Judah and the Maccabees and how that little drop of oil they found in the destroyed temple lasted eight days.  Plus there are catchy tunes!  Fran Avni’s musical style is gentle and almost folky.  My personal favourite is The Chanukiah (How many Candles), though it does run the risk of becoming an earworm, repeating itself in your head for the full eight days…

The CD can be ordered directly from the artist’s website for $18USD including shipping, or the album can be purchased on iTunes for $9.99.

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There are a few players in the wooden high chair world, most notably the Scandinavian-designed Stokke chair, among other mostly European brands.  However, the Keekaroo came in at about half the price and had more features that we liked.  We ordered it from the US because it is a bit hard to find in Quebec (and is much cheaper in the US!).  It was not very difficult to set up and very soon our son sat in it for the first time and it was amazing – he looked (and appeared to feel) like a king at the table!  Since then he still seems extremely happy in the chair.  Now for some details:

The seat – we ordered the Infant Insert Combo with Tray, mostly for the insert (we use the chair at our table so don’t really need the tray).  It is the same kind of hard-yet-mushy material like the Bumbo seat and contours the baby’s behind very nicely.  There is a 3-point lap belt that passes through the insert.  The insert comes in a variety of fun colours and is very easy to clean (it attaches to the base plate with velcro).

The chair – it can be used until the “child” reaches 250 pounds!  This chair is meant to be used as the child grows since the seat and foot plate are height-adjustable.  Manufacturers of this style of chair claim that children stay at the table longer and have much better posture when seated in these kinds of chairs.  Given how long our son manages to sit in his chair (45 minutes for a dinner, and he’s one year old!) I hope this trend lasts as they claim!  Everything is adjustable with an allen key (provided).  Though the chair is wood, we have been able to wipe it off with a damp cloth with no permanent water damage so far.

The verdict – love this chair!  It is stylish, functional, comfortable.  I have only two little gripes – the length of the straps for the harness are a bit short when used with the infant insert, and they are a bit difficult to use (adjusting the length should definitely NOT be done with an impatient-for-food child in the seat as it can take a long time, and the buckle can be a bit tricky to undo).  But the company is constantly making improvements – for example, they have just come out with a plastic cover for the tray based on user’s requests and comments.  I also tend to trip on the back legs rather often, but that isn’t really the fault of the chair (and I imagine I would do the same with any high chair).

The chair costs around $149USD; the chair + tray + plastic cover + infant insert cost around $200USD.  They can be purchased at Amazon US and a list of Canadian retailers can be found here.  We bought ours through Country Moose Kids as they offered free shipping to Canada.

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I admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, because the consistency of this ointment is nothing like any other diaper creams I have tried in the past.  It is far from pasty white; it is yellow-orange, and feels like a cross between sorbet and butter (I can’t quite think of another way to describe it!) in its consistency.  You don’t need to put on very much, and results were very fast!  Any redness that I saw at one diaper change had virtually disappeared by the next.

Now let’s talk about the ingredients – here is the complete list:

I’m no expert, but I don’t see anything nasty in there at all.  Plus I like the extra moisturizers (the butters and oils) that are not just there for preventing future rashes, but for treating the existing redness.

So far this is the second product that I really like from Matter Company (see a previous review of their sunscreen) – I hope to try many more!

The Nappy Rash Ointment sells for $18 for a 2.8oz/80g jar, from the company’s website (also available at retailers, listed on their site).

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It can be very tricky finding the right clothes to wear once your baby is born; you’re not feeling your most beautiful and you require functionality and privacy for the times you are nursing in the company of others.   I would pull the necks down of all the shirts in the stores to see which was elastic-y enough to accommodate breastfeeding, but that proved to be a rather ineffective and time-consuming method for finding nursing clothes.  Finally I was lucky enough to receive a nursing top from Momzelle – and how I wished I had this top from the beginning!

Momzelle makes a full line of maternity clothes, ranging from tank-tops to t-shirts, hoodies and even nursing nightdresses.  The company was founded by a Canadian mom who couldn’t quite find the right clothes for nursing her baby, and thus this attractive nursingware was born.  Most of the nursing tops work by having a panel of material at the top which stays in place while a panel underneath slides down for nursing.  Thus you get maximum coverage (no pancake tummy exposed).    I chose the criss-cross t-shirt, which to me looks slightly less obviously like a nursing shirt than the others (though now I am coveting the hoodie…).  The sizing is perfect – a close-fitting shirt with enough length to feel sufficiently decent (yet doesn’t form a tube on my hips like other long tops tend to do).  The material is soft and very comfortable.  And most importantly, it is easy and quick to get that boob out when the little one needs it!

Most of the tops are offered in a few colour selections and range in price (averaging about $50CAD).  They can be purchased directly from the website or in retail stores.

Momzelle has been kind enough to offer our readers a $5 discount for items purchased from their website! Just enter the code ‘spiltmilkmoms’ in the coupon code box at checkout and there’s free shipping for orders over $79.  Thanks Momzelle!

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• bumGenius Organic One-Size All-in-Ones (“AIOs” in diaper lingo)
• Flip (by bumGenius)
• AMP One-Size Duo
• Tots Bots Pocket Tot
• FuzziBunz One Size pocket
• Bic et Biquette AIOs

After using them for about four months, I can now give a detailed summary of my experience – here we go!

For my review I’ll assume you are familiar with the various types of diapers – if you’re not, you can refer to this handy reference guide.  I chose almost all diapers as snap closures (exception noted below), since I did not want the Velcro closures to degrade with time.  Many companies offer replacement Velcro kits, but I couldn’t quite envision myself replacing Velcro if it involves any kind of “crafting” abilities.  We could also enter into a whole other discussion about cloth diaper accessories (a good pail is necessary, detergent and diaper rash cream have to be selected carefully, and it is definitely easier to use flushable liners to deal with the solid messes) – perhaps another time!

bumGenius Organic One-Size AIO ($28.75CAD)

Format: The bumGenius Organic One-Size AIO is a waterproof diaper cover with an all-organic cotton absorbent material inside.  The insert is sewn into the diaper cover so you throw the whole thing into the wash.  One size, adjustable with snaps.

Pros: I found it to be the most absorbent with the slimmest profile.  I like not having to do any preparation or assembly of the diaper after the wash; it is essentially like using a disposable diaper.  The diaper has a great fit.

Cons: It does take the longest to dry after washing.  I put it in the drier with the rest of the diaper inserts and it comes out still damp so I hang it overnight to finish drying which works well.  If your baby is fussy about sitting in a wet diaper this is not for you, because the cotton can feel quite wet against baby’s skin.  My baby doesn’t seem to care though!

Flip ($19.95CAD microfiber/ $23.95CAD organic cotton)

Format: The Flip diaper is also by bumGenius and has a waterproof diaper cover (no fleece or fancy lining inside) with either an organic cotton or microfiber insert (I have both). One size, adjustable with snaps.  You can also buy disposable inserts for on-the-go ease ($7.99CAD for 18 inserts), though I have not tried these.

Pros: Both insert types are very absorbent.  The outer cover can be reused several times (just change the insert), you can just wipe it with a damp cloth if needed.  Very economic choice.

Cons: It fits a bit wide in the crotch.

AMP One-Size Duo ($20CAD diaper cover, $5-$7CAD for insert)

Format: The AMP One-Size Duo is a waterproof diaper cover with fleece lining.  I use bamboo tri-fold inserts.  Can be used either as an All-in-Two (AI2)  diaper or as an AIO if insert is pre-stuffed into the pocket. One size, adjustable with snaps.

Pros: When used as an AI2, you can reuse the cover a few times (I have found about twice is max).  When heading out, you can just grab an extra insert for diaper changes instead of grabbing a whole extra diaper.  When used as AIO, the lining is very soft against baby’s skin.  You can adjust the amount of absorption by adding extra inserts or boosters.

Cons: I found these to be the leakiest of the diapers – it could be the insert, it could be the fit of the diaper, it could be the diaper cover material – hard to know.  I find the fit to be tricky, and the diaper insert can get bunched up, leaving room for some leaks.  If used as AIO, you have to pull out the wet insert before dumping into the pail.

Tots Bots Pocket Tot ($24.75CAD)

This product is no longer available, but the Tots Bots Easy Fit seems like a similar and nicer replacement.

Format: Pocket diaper with bamboo/microfiber insert.  This one has Velcro (“Aplix”) closure.  One size, adjustable with snaps.

Pros: Soft against baby’s skin, Aplix closure is faster than snaps and holds well.  Absorbs well.  Dries quickly.

Cons: The elastic along the legs is not as strong as the other diapers I have tried, which makes it potentially prone to leaks.  It could be my laundering techniques, but the inserts tend to retain the urine odour over time.  You have to use the insert that comes with the diaper (you could probably try a different kind or use boosters as well).  I find the fit not quite right on my son.  I don’t like having to pull the wet insert out before dumping into the diaper pail.

FuzziBunz One Size Pocket Diaper ($25.99CAD)

Format: FuzziBunz One Size Pocket Diaper has a microfiber insert.  One size, adjustable via an inner elastic with buttons.

Pros: Soft against baby’s skin.  Absorbs well.

Cons: I can’t seem to make this diaper fit well.  It adjusts in two places with the inner elastic but it doesn’t quite work for me.  It comes with two inserts, a larger one and a smaller one, and I feel I need to use both to get the right amount of absorbency – but then the diaper becomes very thick and bulky, and then the leg elastics don’t hug the body well.  I don’t like having to pull the wet insert out before dumping into the diaper pail.  I’d say this is my least favourite diaper.

Bic et Biquette AIO ($27.99CAD)

Format: The Bic et Biquette AIO is a waterproof diaper cover with fleece lining.  The absorbent material (four-layer bamboo and QuickDry surface) is snapped onto the lining, so can un-snap for washing and drying.  There are two of these absorbent pads, a large and small, which can be used individually or together (my son needs both, but it does not bulk up the diaper).

Pros: Absorbs and fits very well.  The inserts dry well in the dryer.  I like that the inserts stay in place because of the snaps.  No need to handle the diaper when tossing it into the dirty diaper pail.

Cons: The absorbent material tends to retain odours (again, could be my washing technique that needs refinement).  Reassembling the diapers after washing is a bit of a hassle.

Overall conclusion:

My favourite is the BumGenius AIO Organic.  It is the closest to a disposable in terms of ease of use and convenience, even though it may not be the most economical option.  Runner-up is the Bic et Biquette AIO.  Also I should point out that I still use disposables for overnight; I have not had much luck using a cloth diaper for longer than four hours.  When choosing a brand - cloth diapers are truly an individual experience – you have to decide what your priorities are when choosing diapers so that you get the right ones for your lifestyle.

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The main reason I like to see my son while we ride along is so I can tell whether or not he is sleeping.  This way I know to stop my endless monologue in the hopes of providing some entertainment for him, and it also lets me know the duration of his nap and whether or not I should expect crankiness or happiness at our destination.  I imagine later on it will be useful to encourage him to play with a particular toy or discourage him from doing something naughty to a potential future sibling.  Also, your rear-facing child is able to see YOUR face via the car rear-view mirror, which will certainly delight him or her!

The mirror attaches in two possible ways to the backseat.  Either you can use the string provided to tie it over the headrest or to the anchor point behind the headrest.  There is also a beanbag, which adds weight to keep the mirror in place.  The video instructions for installation on the company’s website which are quite handy!  The mirror itself is large, of very good quality, and does not distort the face (as do many other infant mirrors).  Once the baby faces forward, you can tie the mirror behind the front seat so that the baby can see himself.  Alternatively, the mirror can be used in the baby’s crib (before the baby is old enough to stand in the crib).

The mirror comes in five cute animal forms: Tan Bear, Panda, Pinky Pup, Monkey and Puppy.  I purchased mine (Monkey) for $35 CAD at a local store, but you can find one at any of the following retailers.

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We started off with the standard plastic bath for infants (the Safety 1st Comfy Bath Center), which was great until our baby reached about six months old and outgrew it.  We had received an inflatable tub (Safety 1st Kirby Inflatable Tub) for the next stage, and it was inexpensive but awful – inflating it took forever, the plastic valves hardly stayed closed, and the bathtub leaked from somewhere.  I came across the EuroBath and from the description, wished I had bought it from the start.  Once we bought it I was hooked.  This bath has a unique shape that allows it to be used on one side for infants (there is an incline) and on the other side for babies up to two years old.  The side for older babies allows the toddler to sit up, with a raised bump between the legs to hold them in place.  My baby just LOVES to sit in the tub; he sometimes even holds onto the plastic bump, and I feel reassured that he will not slip and fall backwards (though supervision is required, of course).

The EuroBath is a bit larger than traditional baby bathtubs and so it can be quite heavy when filled with water, but I just use a plastic container to first remove some of the water to lighten it up and then dump out the rest.  It also has a hole so that you can hang it up on a hook (we just keep ours upside-down in the tub).

I wish I had done some more research before buying a baby tub, because I would have started off with Primo’s EuroBath hands down!  This baby bathtub can be purchased in white or blue from Amazon for $25 USD or from these online retailers.

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Let me preface this by stating that I hate sunscreen.  I hate needing to remember to put it on, and now I also have to remember to put it on my son.  I hate the chemical-ness and questionable ingredients of most sunscreens.  I hate the smell of coconut (and coconut anything in general, but that’s another story altogether), and most sunscreens add this perfume so that you feel like you are on some beach somewhere far from your urban turf.  I hate having to smear the cream in hard-to-reach places like my back.  But – I have managed to find a sunscreen that I don’t mind – correction, that I almost look forward to – smearing on myself and my son: Matter Company‘s Natural Sun Care Creme!

Sunscreens work in one of two ways: either the main ingredient provides a physical barrier against UVA and UVB rays, or the ingredients form a chemical neutralizer of these rays once absorbed in the skin.  Personally I find physical barriers more enticing, and this sunscreen fits the bill since its main ingredient is 20% zinc oxide.  Apparently zinc has other beneficial properties, according to the manufacturer – “including being anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory; beneficial to sensitive, delicate skin.”  Sunscreens with zinc sometimes remind us of those 1980′s-style ski-bum photo shoots including people with white stripes on their noses and cheeks (and fluorescent ski suits)… but this creme rubs into the skin much easier than its predecessors.  It does take slightly more rubbing than cremes without zinc, but it is not too difficult (even on a squirmy baby).

The other ingredients include moisturizers and various oils and tonics for soothing over-exposed skin.  The combination of these also leaves the product with a very pleasant scent, yet has not irritated either my or my son’s sensitive skin like other creams with synthetic perfumes.  The creme is also water-resistant; but like all sunscreens, it should be reapplied after swimming or bathing (I have noticed that the creme does come off in the water if it was not rubbed in completely).  The creme is stated as SPF 30, or equivalent to 40 minutes in the sun.  Finally, Matter Company is Canadian –  hooray for supporting our own!

The company lists retailers on their website.  I purchased mine at a baby store in Montreal; retail price is approximately $18 for 125mL.

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