Tag: goodies

Baby Gear, Goodies and Gadgets We’re Excited About this Spring

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I’m choosing to ignore what the forecasts are saying for Friday. No more snow, thank you very much—especially on the first day of Spring.

Instead, I thought I’d share some baby gear, gadgets and goodies that are perfect for those of you whom, like me, have Spring on the brain.

Cetaphil Baby

Cetaphil, known for its powerful yet gentle products that are recommended by dermatologists, recently introduced their new baby line, which touts natural ingredients and formulations perfect for gentle skin.

Cetaphil Baby Product Line Lockup copy

The line debuted at Buy Buy Baby in January and consists of diaper cream, Wash and Shampoo ($9.99), Ultra Moisturizing Wash ($5.99,) Daily Lotion ($9.99) and Moisturizing Oil ($6.99.) All Cetaphil Baby products are paraben free, mineral oil free, hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested. What I love most about Cetaphil Baby Daily Lotion is the fresh calendula scent. In the past only prescription creams have been able to heal my tot’s very sensitive and dry skin, but Cetaphil Baby Daily Lotion and Moisturizing Oil have been able to soothe his problem areas. In addition to Buy Buy Baby, be on the look out for Cetaphil Baby at Babies ‘R Us shelves this month. 

Evenflo Platinum and Symphony DLX All-In-One Car Seat

PTRU1 17431814enh z6This cozy and sleek carseat has been turning heads since its reveal last year. It features Outlast Performance fabric that can absorb hot and cold temperature, which is ideal for kids who spend a lot of time in their seats, whether its in the school car line or long road trips. Boasting a 60 second installation time, the SureLatch Technology is another feature that’s helpful for quick and secure installation. The key feature for me on the Symphony DLX All-in-One Car Seat is the e3 Side Impact Protection which is designed and tested to reduce side impact forces up to 50%. The Symphony DLX All-in-One Car Seat ($230) with fabric as shown above is exclusive to Babies ‘R Us.

Love to Dream

Love to Dream has been on my mind lately because I’ve had so many friends who have been having babies. Love to Dream has several products in their line but their SwaddleUp comes to mind first.

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The SwaddleUp is designed to swaddle babies who prefer to have their arms up, rather than tucked away. The Love to SwaddleUP is step 1 in the Love to Dream sleep system. It’s designed for 0-4 months and allows baby to sleep with arms up, allowing baby to self-soothe. The Step 2 in the Love to Dream Sleep System is the 50/50 , which helps baby transition from a swaddle towards the arms-free independence of a sleep bag.

Fifty

Geared to babies 4-8 months, the 50/50 is particularly helpful for this transition stage when baby starts to become more mobile. Step 3 are the Inventa and Nuzzlin Sleep Bags. The Inventa features the Genius Cooling system which helps regulate your child’s temperature without disrupting sleep, which is great in spring with cooler and warmer temperatures.

Inventa1

The Nuzzlin is a light and breathable sleep bag that can keep a tot cool on warm nights and warm on cool nights.

Britax B-Agile 3

Britax’s light weight and quick-fold stroller, B-Agile 3, is now available in bright and bold colors this Spring. The B-Agile 3 new shower collection includes hues reminiscent of jewel-toned Easter goodies that are synonomous with the spring season.

Britax Agile-3 Shower

The B-Agile 3’s new colors include Limeade, a citrus yellow; Concord, a vibrant grape purple; and Aqua, a light turquoise. Meadow, a lush green, and Sapphire, a royal blue, are nods to the tones of the classic Britax ruby red fabric. These five colors of the shower collection round out the Britax fashion spectrum by joining the original Black, Red and Sandstone options.


NKT Faves: Friday Fab 5

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

 

Influenced by hip hop legend Fab 5 Freddy, I thought I’d jumpstart a weekly feature list: Friday Fab 5. As a product blogger, I often acquire really great samples and don’t get to post about them until way later.

With Friday Fab 5, I thought I could photograph a group of finds that we’re using and currently enjoying, whether we bought them or were provided as a sample. I plan to include kid and family-centric products, and maybe a few products that I enjoy for myself.  As always, I will include the info about the find and whether we bought or received as a sample.

NKTFidayFab5

 

 

1. Melissa and Doug Water Wow

My husband often brings home random samples from his office. One morning this week, he left this activity book on the couch. Littles found the book and begged for me to open it. Upon first investigation, admittedly, I was annoyed that this used water, because toddlers + water typically equals wet mess. Melissa and Doug proved me wrong this time around. The Water Wow uses a chubby water filled paintbrush to “color” thick cardboard pages. After filling the refillable paintbrush, the child can easily swipe the brush on the dry white pages to reveal a pre-determined colorful picture. After coloring all four pages of animal-themed images, my guy was excited that he could do it all by himself. Unfortunately, he was quickly frustrated that he’d have to wait for the pages to dry to color the in the book all over again. I love the size of the Water Wow book because it’s perfect for small hands and easy to throw in a bag for travel.  However, I’d love to see a few more pages, or perhaps, even a bigger book to engage kids even longer. The water color concept isn’t anything new, but I have to say, this mess-less water color play pattern is ingenious!

Melissa and Doug Water Wow can be found at Michael’s and Amazon. 

 

2. Wet ’n Wild Fantasy Makers

I honestly haven’t used (or seen) Wet ’n Wild since my jr. high days. And clearly, I’m not your most knowledgeable beauty source; however, I love this fun polish. I believe I received this Wet ’n Wild Fantasy Makers in a Halloween sample pack from an event. I was in need of a quick polish change and remembered I had this. The polish was light and easy, and quick to dry. Surpringly, it stayed on for almost a week! Loved this black color with fun sparkles.

 

3. Disney Creative Studio Deluxe Stylus

As major Disney fans, we’re always onboard for reviewing Disney-themed gadgets. I’ll do a thorough review soon, but the boys are both loving the capabilities of this the Disney Creative Studio Deluxe Stylus. They’re able to draw and color via the Disney Creative Studio platform. And truly, I can always get behind a product that entertains both kids and promotes imagination.

 

4. SoapSox

SoapSox is another product that I received to review. It’s been sitting on my desk for months, and I just haven’t had the chance to unpack it to share with the kids…until last night. I gave each kid one SoapSox to play with and it was an absolute hit during bath time. The shark was a true hit with my Sharknado-obsessed kids. You can load the soap through the designated soap pocket and then play with the bath-friendly stuffed animal. I love how functional and fun SoapSox is during bathtime. Best part of this bath toy, after using it, you can pop it in the washing machine! 

 

5. Thames & Kosmos Mini Volcano

Science projects are always a big hit in my house of geeky boys, but projects that blow up and make messes are always favorites. I received this small kit in a Toy Fair gift bag from a visit to the Southard showroom, and let me tell you, it kept my guys entertained for hours. Baking soda and vinegar volcanoes are a staple for creating erupting volcanoes, but this project took it up a notch with a little plastic volcano and some red dye.  Let’s just say I was not a fan of the red dye, but we will be using this mini volcano and goggles over and over again. The goggles might be my favorite part!

 

US News and World Report: “Can I Afford a Baby?”

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

“Can I Afford a Baby?”  That’s a loaded question, right?

I know we asked ourselves this very question a few years ago, and maybe you’ve done the same.  A new article in US News and World Report asks this question and uncovers several important points to consider.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is $12,000 for the first year alone (for middle-income couples earning between $56,700 and $98,000).

So that’s where our money’s been going!

Even though I don’t focus just on baby products on NKT, as a mom and writer in the baby-rearing stage, when I decided to start NKT I considered my personal interests and the ongoing growth of this niche.  I knew baby and kid gear was a sector where the story well wouldn’t run dry any time soon.

In light of the economic disparity that was going on two years ago when I started, research showed that parents were and still are spending beaucoup bucks on our kids.

And despite the recent recession, the baby products industry continues to grow at a steady clip: Market research firm Mintel estimates it’s now a $9.8 billion industry.

Aptly titled, “Can I Afford a Baby” and filed in the finance section, this US News and World Report article outlines several important points that all new parents should consider such as, some of the itemized expenses one could expect in the first year, hidden costs (I wish someone would have told us about the cost of out of network hospitals and emergency procedures!), common mistakes and more.

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Round Up: Elmo Gear, Gadgets and Goodies

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

In the past, I’ve profiled a variety of Sesame Street-themed toys, home goods and more.  Last year, Elmo’s image and branding transcended toys and books; we found Elmo on digital media, accessories and more.  Indicative of how connected our kids are these days, you better believe our kids’ favorite characters are following suit.
In honor of Elmo’s birthday, here’s a just a few fun Elmo goodies and gadgets that are worth checking out.

Elmo’s A to Z Wii Game

From Warner Brothers, Elmo’s A to Zoo Adventure is an educational video game that is one of two games that mark Sesame Street’s entry into the gaming sector.  In the game, kids can supplement their alphabet lessons with Elmo’s assistance.  Geared to the pre-k set and up, learning the alphabet gets a new dimension in Elmo’s A to Zoo Adventure where kids can interact with animals and Elmo.  Designed with the help of educational professionals, the details of the video game and the way it’s played cater specifically to the younger kids’ capabilities.?  Having attended the launch event of this game last fall, we’ve had a fun time testing out this game out, and it’s added a fun element to our daily lessons.  I love the little Elmo Wii controller cover–seriously so cute and the kid loves it.  Reluctant to recommend video games to the young ones, Elmo’s A to Zoo game is a great way to change up the usual alphabet-learning routine.

DreamGear Accessories

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Ok, so maybe the little guys don’t have their own iphone or ipads yet (or maybe they do?), but companies like DreamGear are helping mom and dads outfit their smartphones and tablets with fun kid-friendly accessories.  The silicon iphone case from DreamGear is durable, fun and washable–perfect for parents that appreciate Elmo’s cuteness.  I received a Cookie Monster case from DreamGear for review and receive so many compliments from parents and kids alike.  Who knew a phone case could be such a conversation piece?  Beyond phone and (fuzzy!) tablet accessories, DreamGear has a whole line of Sesame Street branded gaming and electronics accessories that are suitable for kids.

Elmo USB

I chatted about this cool Elmo USB from ATP case before it hit the market, and I still think it’s pretty cool.  It has room for storage for your files and for a video that’s included.  In addition to it being waterproof, drop proof, the plug and play convenience of these Sesame Street video usbs give our favorite furry monsters even more tech cred.

Earth’s Best


Earth’s Best has had Sesame Street branded food for the wee ones for quite some time, but they’ve been adding more to the mix.  Characters all over food isn’t my most favorite thing in the world, but when the food is a healthier option, then I’m on board.  Earth’s Best offers organic foods that don’t contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.  We are big breakfast people, so I have Elmo’s Oatmeal and O’s cereals on our must-try list.

Elmo Birthday Talking Plush


All Elmo fans must have their own plush furry monster, especially the toteable, talking kind.  In honor of Elmo’s birthday, I’m kind of smitten with this Elmo Birthday Talking Plush.  I might have to add this guy to my first birthday present ideas for my Sesame Street-loving nieces and nephews.

Happy Birthday, Elmo!

Check it

All of these fun Elmo gear, gadgets  and goodies can be found on one of my affiliates, The Sesame Street Store.  As always, shopping at my affiliates and sponsors helps me to make this website possible.

Full disclosure:  Select samples were provided for review purposes.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Toys “R” Us introduces $1-$2-$3 Fun

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Fellow barganistas, behold: Toys “R” Us has set up a new shop with us in mind. Toys”R”Us has introduced a new concept within their stores called $1-$2-$3 Fun!

1-2-3-fun-low-resThe feature shops are located in the front of its stores nationwide and are aimed to provide affordable fun.  In this economy, you can’t go wrong with inexpensive and fun goodies.  In the same vein of Target’s Dollar Spot and other discount store concepts, each shop features around 100 items for $1, $2 or $3. The shops will showcase different themes such as dinosaurs, games and fun toys, princess dress up, musical instruments, art supplies and party favors. The goodies found in $1-$2-$3 Fun would be ideal for party favors, stocking stuffers and other daily events where inexpensive goodies are appreciated!

Who says you can’t get anything for a dollar anymore!?