Here’s a head’s up for you stroller aficionados: the European brand, Cybex, is making its grand entrance onto the U.S. and Canadian markets. The high-end strollers look both stylish and functional with its distinctive, bold colors and clean lines. These umbrella-style strollers are described as being lightweight and travel-friendly, with easy maneuvering and quick-fold function. Cybex strollers come in the Ruby, Onyx, Topaz and Callisto designs and based on their different functionalities, range from $140-350.
Always one to admire stylish but durable strollers, I’m particularly excited about this 
new line. Though I have yet to check out these strollers in person, I love the sleek design and the way the stroller seat is higher off the ground than other umbrella strollers. My favorite of the group, the Callisto, seems versatile and multi-faceted with its various features; it touts a pram function, comfort suspension and a one-pull harness system. I’d be interested to see how these strollers really withstand city streets and everyday use, which is obviously paramount for families like us. I love the way the vibrant colors contrast with the light-colored frame. The design is a definite head-turner and reflects its German influence; compared to the umbrella strollers already on the market, Cybex could be the Volkswagen of strollers…or maybe even BMW.
Cybex strollers will be available on August 1st at select retailers. The Cybex baby carrier will be available later this year as well. If I ever have a chance to test drive these strollers, I’ll be sure to report back!
Tag: toddlers
Spotted at BlogHer
While at BlogHer, I had the chance to peruse the Expo floor a few times. The Expo floor was basically a trade show for women bloggers that featured products to be used in the kitchen to spiffy vacuums to gold kiwis (based on Tweets, seemed like the belle of the ball!) and of course, the latest and greatest kids’ products.
Lucky me, I got to check out a few products that I’ve blogged about here on NKT.
I took a look at the Complete Air Car Seat that features Safety 1st’s new Air Protect technology. As I envisioned, it’s a sleek-looking car seat that has the hard-to-miss side head cushions. The pictures of this car seat certainly don’t do it any justice, especially the cool brown and orange colored Complete Air car seat which first caught my attention. I liked that it’s not a huge seat, like the one we currently own. This car seat has definitely piqued my interest!
I also spotted the Disney Netpal, the kid-friendly laptop that I blogged about last month. Again, it was much cooler in person. It’s as petite as I imagined, but not overly kiddie-centric at all. The rep. at the booth walked me through a lot of its functions and reiterated its kid-friendliness. After speaking to her, I was sold; I actually want one for myself, now 
At $350, I thought it was a decent deal for what you get. At this day and age, electronics, especially ones that are educational and functional for school-aged kids, are a great, if not imperative, investment.
Safe Baby, safe baby 1,2,3…
Even though summer is in full swing and I’ve already raved about one of our favorite sunscreens, I thought I’d share another great sunscreen that I had the chance to try out.
Safe Baby, which is part of Skin by Monica Olsen line, is a paraben-free, waterproof sunscreen with SPF 50. Monica Olsen, a former model, but more importantly, a conscientious mama like many of us, was in search of natural baby products that she liked. Since she couldn’t find anything that she felt comfortable using on her new babe, she decided to create her own line.
Safe Baby contains organic flower extracts, vitamins and doesn’t use any harsh chemicals such as alcohol. Who’d want those nasty, harsh chemicals irritating baby’s skin anyway?
I love the way Safe Baby applies; it’s not too thick or overpowering, like other sunscreens I’ve tried in the past. The scent, at first, I thought was a bit too flowery for my taste, but it dissipated and became a subtle, sweet scent once applied. As a mama with a fair-skinned babe, I like that it’s SPF 50, too. Again, like most natural products, Safe Baby is a bit pricier than I’d like to pay. There are a few ingredients listed that I can’t pronounce, and perhaps because it’s newer, I couldn’t find these products in the Cosmetic Database yet. But after a day in the sun, Safe Baby worked wonderfully and didn’t leave everything greasy or stained.
Safe Baby is worth checking out. It’s a great alternative to the chemical laden sunscreens and good option for a more natural and safe sunscreen. If you’re in the NYC area, SKIN by Monica Olsen is available at Duane Reade. Safe Baby is also available at other stores, as well as online.
Want Safe Baby for yourself?
Tell me another product in the Skin by Monica Olsen line and comment below!
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YoBaby Meals Review + Giveaway
Last month, I professed our love for Stonyfield Farms and I also mentioned YoBaby’s new packaging , as well as the introduction of YoBaby Meals. As a refresher, YoBaby Meals are a mix of yogurt, fruit and veggie purée–all in one 6 oz. cup. The YoBaby Meals come in three different flavors: Pear & Green Bean, Peach & Squash, Apple & Sweet Potato.
Under the Sea with Jimi Rock
It’s no surprise, really, that online entertainment and education, especially the virtual world segment, has grown at an exponential pace over the last few years. In fact, according to research, over the course of 2008, an estimated 8 million teen and pre-teen kids in the U.S. visited virtual worlds on a regular basis.
One virtual world that I’ve become a fan of, after learning about it from the Go Green Expo this spring is, Jimi Rock Under the Sea Adventures. It brings a whole new perspective to education and exploration, with its emphasis on marine biology and environmentalism. Featuring a kid-friendly interface with vivid graphics, this virtual world has so many interesting and educational facets where school-aged kids can play games, take interactive quizzes, chat with friends create art and even learn about interesting new places and sea creatures.
When monkeys fly…
Always a fan of mom and dad entrepreneurs, I can’t resist these shirts and onesies by eight3one. With their unique, but classic and cool designs, eight3one shirts definitely stand out in a crowd.
My personal favorites are the Flying Monkey onesie and the T-Rex t-shirt, both of which received animated approval by my little dinosaur fan, as I typed this out! The designs are fun, modern and never too cutesy.
HiLo can you go?
I first spotted this eye-catching high chair at the Big City Mom’s Biggest Baby Shower event a few months ago. The HiLo High Chair by Age Designs is an innovative high chair that multi-purposes into a chair for bigger kids.
The dual heights of the chair—its high and low seating features—are interchangeable with a quick flip. The HiLo can be pulled up to the dinner table or kitchen counter, but when the time comes, its lower height is suitable as an alternative to a booster seat or desk chair for older kids. I like the molded seats in the simplistic, yet modern design and smaller footprint. But ultimately, the allure of this chair is certainly its sustainability and multi-faceted function. The HiLo High Chair, which comes in red, beige, green and orange, can be found online at Modern Nursery.
My Green Dollhouse by Green Lullaby
Some kids love the cardboard boxes their toys come in, more than the actual toys, but the My Green Dollhouse by Green Lullaby is a new—and quite literal—take on cardboard-turned-toys.
An alternative to the mammoth plastic version, this eco-friendly dollhouse that boasts pink and neutral hues, is constructed out of cardboard made from recycled materials. Both recyclable and biodegradable, the My Green Dollhouse is easy to assemble and disassemble, complete with a carrying case. Because all of Green Lullaby’s products are made with super sturdy cardboard, similar to the kind of cardboard that’s used for packing fresh produce, they resist moderate amounts of water. In addition to all paints, lacquers and adhesives being non-toxic, the dollhouse is treated with a non-toxic, non-hazardous fire retardant, making it a truly green toy.
For families like us, who don’t have much space to spare, a collapseable and sustainable dollhouse like this is the best of both worlds! The My Green Dollhouse is exclusively available at giggle.
Getting Funky for Music Monday
Happy Monday, everyone. We had quite an exciting music-filled weekend, and I can’t wait to share all about it. But in honor of yet another fun adventure with NKT in mind, I’m happy to announce another weekly editorial focus. Every Monday will be fittingly dubbed, Music Monday, and will feature music-influenced posts.
To start off the first Music Monday, how about some funky, jazzy kids tunes? I recently had the chance to check out Funky Kidz, which is a musical compilation performed by several artists from New Orleans and features covers of children’s songs. Including classic kiddie songs like “Hokey Pokey” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” the award-winning CD includes musicians include such as Ivan Neville of the Neville Brothers; The Radiators; George Porter Jr. of The Meters; Bonerama, and more.
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Sprout Launches New App Sprout Player
Sprout has launched its latest iPhone App, the Sprout Player, designed by The Studio at New Wave Entertainment. The Sprout Player is a video player application that streams podcasts of 3-4 minute Sprout shows currently available in Apple’s iTunes. The Sprout Player is available for download in the iTunes store for free.
Designed for parents with preschoolers on the go, the video player offers audio instructions voiced by Kelly Vrooman, one of the hosts of Sprout’s “Sunny Side Up Show.” With the Player, parents can view Sprout’s programming schedule and click on clips for upcoming events. Read More