A Few of My Favorite (Kid) Things: Corolle Dolls

So, we have a lot of dolls around here! Dolls that pee, dolls that are filled with water (so as to feel warm and, therefore, more real), dolls that can be dressed like their owners, dolls that speak, and dolls that.... okay, this could go on and on. The point is that, by far, the most beloved of all the dolls- is this little guy?/gal?
He is called the Calin Blue Striped doll and he comes from the Mon Premier line at Corolle, the French manufacturer of a huge number of lovely dolls! In fact the toy experts at Corolle have broken their dolls down by age, making it easy to find the perfect one for your little gal/guy. This particular one is geared for kids ages 18 months and up. It has a soft beanbag body with a plastic head and plastic extremeties. Because of the beanbag body, this doll can sit in a number of different position.
Originally called Max in honor of her not-yet-born baby brother, Lilly freely changes the name, gender and personality characteristics of this baby regularly. Amid a sea of other dolls, it is the only one called, "my baby". It is the most often dressed, undressed and re-dressed doll, a frequent diner with us at the kitchen table and most the most often toted around town baby.
"Max" has a special spot in Lilly's airplane carry-on bag and his?/her? own car seat and high chair. You get the idea.
The question is, with all of the other dolls to pick from, why is this one the chosen one? I think there are a couple of reasons. The first has nothing to do with the doll itself, but rather with the timing- This doll was purchased for Lilly by her Grandma just a few months before our real little guy was born. There was a lot of talk about babies around our house at that time and I think that Lilly liked having one of her own. She was born with very nurturing instincts! The second major reason is the look and feel of the doll- it is the perfect size and weight. At 12 inches tall and with a little extra weight because of the beanbag, it feels just a little realistic, but is easy to carry around as well!

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Review: Bugaloo Shoes

We are fans of shoes around this place- Shoes of all kinds, but especially ones that are super-comfortable and stylish and....are you ready for this?? Affordable!! All at the same time. Welcome Bugaloo shoes! They meet all of our criteria for being soft and flexible for our little guy, but also tough enough to handle the (pre)school playground!And they are only $14.99! Bugaloo is also one of those companies that the more you learn about it, the more you want to buy their stuff. It is a mom-owned and run company. The reason that the shoes are so much more affordable that similar brands who shall go unnamed is that there is very little overhead cost- the shoes are shipped right out of the owner's house! Plus, check out this statement by the owner, straight from the website "Though making money is certainly fun, there is more to life than dollar bills. I love baby shoes, but even more, I love the little customers that wear them. Since the beginning, I have been committed to donate 5% of each sale to the International Justice Mission, an organization that fights sex and slave trafficking across the world."
Click on Read More for the Official Review.

Official Review (on a four star scale):
Design and Ease of Use:**** Bugaloo shoes are similar in style to many of the other soft-soled leather shoes out there (which only makes me more annoyed that all of the others are twice the price!) They have been very easy to get on and off, even with thick socks on and have never left those little pinch-y marks that make you feel like a terrible mother for not noticing that your kid's shoes were too tight!
Materials and Durability: ***1/2 Bugaloo shoes are made of super soft leather on the top and a tougher, but still flexible leather on the bottom. I really like that the leather on the bottom is so dark because I think that it hides stains better. They have held up well on the playground and at home, and have sustained only the front toe scuff marks that all toddler shoes get!
Style:**** Bugaloos comes in a bunch of cute styles, everything from the classic-looking mary jane style for girls to the athletic-style ones for boys that we reviewed (complete with faux laces- see below), plus a whole zoo of animals and creatures of all kinds!
Sizing:*** These shoes come in four different sizes: 0-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-24 months. This is my one less-than-four-star area and it is primarily because I have a 18 month old who only just now fits into the 12-18 month size- For a long time, they were huge! I think that the sizing is just different than other brands. I will say that there is a handy guide to measuring on the website, but as you know I have a tendency to order what I think without wasting time measuring little feet-- Now I know better!
Price: **** Four stars here for sure. And you already know why- Did I mention that they are only $15! Plus, if you are brave enough to predict your child's size ahead of time and order for the future (or simply want to load up on cute shoes!) , they offer free shipping on orders of 3 or more!
Overall:***3/4 :) Great shoes. Great price.

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Fire Safety

So this weekend my fellow blogger and sister-in-law, Crystal, and I headed to Kansas City for some Fourth of July fun with our husbands' family (that's two husbands, one family, lest you be confused). Unfortunately, at 10pm on the fourth we found ourselves scooping up our babies and our preschoolers and helping to round up dogs and family members as we evacuated our in-laws' home because of a small fire. We are fine. The house is fine. The garage, where the fire started in a garbage can sustained only minimal damage. The psychological impact: enormous. The girls (preschoolers) each talked about the fire and all of the insuing events throughout the day today. They replayed the events of the night and Lilly asked if it would be okay to tell her teachers at school. And that was just the children! As for the adults, once the engines, medics and fire investigator were gone, we spent a good hour replaying the scene- how we each reacted, what we could have done differently, all with a whole slew of what-ifs-- What if we had not been in the house? What if it had been 2 hours laters and we had all been in bed? Suddenly all of those lessons of fire prevention come rushing back-- Do you know two ways out of the room that you are in? Do you know how to open those windows? Do you know better than to go back in for "stuff"? Would you have had the presence of mind to call 911? Would your children? Yikes, this could go on and on!! I don't want to be too much of a downer here, but as the daughter of a former fire chief and sister of a professional fire fighter, I would feel better if you would just do me this favor- Check for two ways out of the room you are in and then check out some of these great websites for lots of fire safety information:


Sparky the Fire Dog- Fire safety games and activities for kids

US Government's Fire Safety Website

US Fire Administration for Kids

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Review and Reader Discount! Piggy Paint Fingernail Polish for Girls

I am so NOT a girly-girl. Not really in any way; I'm not sure I ever was. So, when I found out that Nadia was a girl, I immediately panicked...How was I going to raise a girl? I don't know anything about make-up or dresses or dance recitals! Luckily, so far, I seem to be raising a little miniature version of myself. Nadia is not really all that girly, although she's not much of a tomboy either. She likes books and dinosaurs and Littlest Pet Shoe and will wear a dress, but doesn't have to. One girly luxury that I do indulge in more and more frequently is pedicures. I love having my feet pampered! Of course, this means I always come home with pretty toenails which Nadia then wants for herself, too. Enter Piggy Paint! Created by a SAHM of two, Piggy Paint is an all-natural, non-toxic, odorless and totally kid-friendly fingernail polish designed especially for little girls! Now your little gal, no matter how girly, can be pampered, while you feel good that you are keeping both her and our planet safe!

Click on Read more... for my full review.

Functionality **** - The first time we broke out our Piggy Paint, we painted both Nadia's toenails and her fingernails. Ummm, thank goodness Piggy Paint is non-toxic. The Piggy Paint dried quickly and really was odorless, but by the time Nadia got up from her nap, she had scraped/chewed almost all the polish off her fingernails. I knew she was going to, I don't know why I agreed to paint her fingernails, but again, Piggy Paint is totally harmless which meant I wasn't worried in the least. We've stuck to only painting her toes since then. :) You can also purchase all-natural nail polish remover from Piggy Paint, too. It's hypo-allergenic and odor free making it perfect for getting Piggy Paint off when you need to!

Style **** - Thank you Piggy Paint for making such beautiful and little girl friendly colors. While there is a bright orange, a black and a bright shiny red, most of the colors are much more pastel and appropriate for even the tiniest of "piggies". I would feel comfortable putting any of the other colors on my 3-year old's feet, although I'd obviously save the orange, red and black for when she was a little older. Nadia's been wearing Girls Rule which is a bright and shimmery magenta color. So Nadia!


Price *** - You can buy one bottle of Piggy Paint for $9.99. OK, maybe a little on the pricey side, but you can get a gift pack of 3 colors for $26.50, or two colors and one remover for $27.50. Again, I know it's early, but what a fantastic stocking stuffer! Or, how about a birthday gift for all the little princess friends? Remember, you're getting an all-natural, non-toxic and ODOR FREE product which is always worth paying a premium. Plus, Piggy Paint offers free shipping on all orders over $25!

Overall Rating ***1/2 - Like I said, Nadia is not particularly girly, but she does like having pretty nails, just like her Mama. With the beautiful colors available from Piggy Paint, I feel comfortable that her look is age appropriate and that even when she decides to chew the polish off, I know she's safe. Even the youngest of princesses can be pampered safely with Piggy Paint!


Now for the discount! Starting today through August 31st, 2009, you can save 15% on ALL purchases, even sale items, at http://www.piggypaint.com/. To take advantage of this exclusive discount, enter the code KIDDIE15L at checkout. And remember, shipping is free on all orders over $25. Shop Now!

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A Few of My Favorite (Kid) Things: Rody

There us no single toy in our home that gets more universal attention and use by every kid who enters here! We originally bought Rody for Lilly, but as Max quickly approaches 18 months, he has begun to get the Rody-fever that Lilly had at this age. This lovable bouncy guy is advertised as being for children ages 2-4, but every toddler loves him just the same! You can even get a hard plastic base to attach Rody to that will allow him to become a rocking horse for the little ones. One of the really cool things is that Rody can grow with your child, simply by adding more air! He is made of super strong vinyl (no latex) and I have never once worried about any child breaking him. Rody is made by an Italian company called Gymnic who offers a whole line of similar, large-motor type toys. Also used by therapists,Rody is great for any kid who just has to jump!
Still not convinced that you should own this smiling horse? Check out the video-- you will be convinced!

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Review: Fabulous Hat from A Toy Garden

Mmmm... Strawberry picking! A delicious, but hot and sunny adventure even at 9:30 am! Good thing that Lil had on the Fabulous Sun Hat from A Toy Garden. The wide brim and long flap on the back of the hat kept her well-protected from the morning sun. You can see from picture on the left how much shade this hat really creates!
Now, I have to admit that when I got this hat in the mail, I was a little confused. I had thought (because of my poor reading skills) that I was getting a hat for Max--what came was this crazy-big, adjustable thing that I jokingly put on my own head- Turns out it was no joke, the Fabulous Sun Hat is actually intended to be a hat for all ages! Click on Read More to see the full review.

The Official Review (on a four star scale):
Design and Ease of Use: **** The hat is very easy to use and easy to adjust for any size-- really! You just push a button and pull on the string to tighten or loosen- this can even be done while the hat is being worn. There is also a string on the back with a clip on the end, which I like especially because Max has a tendency to just rip his hat off and toss it without warning! Although we have not had much use for the zippered pocket, I can imagine that there are many different situations in which it might be handy. The brim of the hat is wide enough to provide a lot of protection and well-designed so as not to droop down in front of the child's face (another problem that poor Max experiences!) Inside, there is a really soft terry cloth strip that rest right on your head (good for sweaty folks and for not catching on hair as well!)
Materials and Durability: **** The Fabulous Sun Hat is very soft and flexible and very comfortable to wear. It has mesh areas on the sides that allow your head to "breathe". I had imagined that having all of that fabric hanging down her back would bug Lilly since she has never worn a hat like this before; however, since the fabric is so lightweight, she did not seem to mind. The hat seems to be very well made and although I have not yet had the need to wash it, I do imagine that it would wash well because of the high quality material and stitching.
Style: *** I am always honest with you, right? The thing is, my husband has stated that he will not be wearing this hat and I have to admit, although I imagine myself to not be all that vain, even I will consider my audience before donning the hat. It is really pretty big! That said, both of kids will be wearing it this summer! And it is at least cooler-looking than ones that look like a baseball cap with a flap attached or some of the other sun-protection options out there.
Sizing: **** Four stars here-- I guess one size fits all really does say it all!
Price: Priced at $21.59, the Fabulous Sun Hat seems to me to be a pretty good deal for something that can be worn by anyone in the family!
Overall: ***1/2 With an spf of 45 and priced at about $20, I do recommend considering this hat if you are looking for a high quality sun hat! Plus, one of the really great things is that you will be making a purchase from one of my favorite online stores: A Toy Garden! I love that their toys are chosen to "inspire peaceful play" and that they are designed to allow for creative play. They have everything from play silks (you can read Crystal's review of those here) to art and craft items to a wide selection of dolls. They have a lot of unique items, many of which are US-made or fair trade items. The prices are good, they do free gift wrapping...I could go on and on!

Want to win a Fabulous Sun Hat for your family? Visit A Toy Garden and choose two of your favorite items from the selection of hundreds. Come back here to this post and tell us your faves and you'll be entered to win a Fabulous Sun Hat in your choice of color. Entries must be received by 11:59 CST on Wednesday, July 8, 2009. Winner must be a resident of the U.S. and 18+ to win. Check out our giveaway rules here.

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Sunday Conversation: Up, Up and Away....

For many families, last week's official start of summer means the start of travel season! As for us, the two little ones and I will be heading off to Kansas to celebrate the upcoming birth of a new cousin (Yay!) and then will return to MI ever so briefly before heading off for an adventure with old friends on the East Coast. I did the math- that is almost 10 hours worth of flight time! Not to mention the time spent just sitting on the plane waiting to take off (or the peculiar amount of driving around in the plane that goes on at the Detroit airport). Some of you may remember the series of posts and giveaways that we did back in the fall called Travelin' with Tots. While that series was packed full of great ideas and cool products- I must admit I still feel at a bit of a loss when it comes to amusing my one year old for more than 2.5 minutes at a time! My hope is that now that he is approaching the ripe old age of 18 months that he will get into stickers (instead of just trying to get the stickers into his mouth!). But aside from that and a thousand different snacks, I would love to hear any great ideas that you have about traveling with a one year old-(a man too old to be amused simply by things that move or make noise, but too young to be trusted with a marker). Thanks in advance. And as always, if you have a great product that you have seen and would like to see it reviewed on KBP, feel free to tell us about that, too!

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