My Top Four “Baby Gear Worth The Dough” List

Welcome to 2010, folks! I thought I’d start the year off with a few fabulous products you might consider to make life with your baby/toddler easier for everyone. Why are these products fabulous? Because they have lasted for five years in my household and have not fallen apart yet! That’s why these baby items are worth the dough, in my opinion.

bob-jogger#1 – BOB Sport Utility Stroller – This is one of the best items we ever purchased because it is sitting in my garage right now and works perfectly. We’ve blown a few tires over the years, but that’s about it. The suspension system, handling and even the fabric is un unbelievable condition. My oldest child is five and we bought this BOB jogger when he was six months old. Yes – worth every penny. Retails for $299 at BabyEarth.

TIP: Get a pedometer so you can total up the miles you put on it. I wish we had b/c I trained for 10k races with ours and would love to know that magic number.

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#2 – Joovy Caboose Stand-On Stroller – We bought this dream vehicle when my youngest was about six months old (he’s two now) and it still looks wonderful. We have used it so many times for a variety of activities. It has been the perfect stroller solution when we need to get around with both kiddos. It’s not the most luxurious or the most comfy, but in certain instances it has been a lifesaver. Now you can get the Joovy Ultralight which weighs quite a bit less. It retails for $160 at BabyEarth.

tripp-trapp#3 – Stokke Tripp Trapp – I’ve read both pros and cons about this chair and my feeling is it is worth the money. I’m not sure how sensible it is for babies, even with the cushion and infant seat, but it works great for toddlers. It looks cool, it’s easy to clean and easy to climb into for youngsters. I love the way it adjusts to different heights and fits under every kind of table perfectly. I’ve had this for about two years and still love it, as do my kiddos. It retails for $250 at BabyEarth.

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#4 – Britax Car Seats – I know it’s hard to fork out this kind of money when you have to buy multiple car seats, but it’s worth the moolah. It’s just hard to beat a Britax car seat for so many reasons. In addition to all of the impressive safety features, these seats are easy to install – and easy to install correctly. There is one for every age and every weight category. Gotta give them high grades. You can find a huge selection of Britax car seats at BabyEarth.

Wheely Bug: One of the Best Gifts for Kids Age 2-5

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I’m a Wheely Bug junkie! If any of my friends ask me for a great gift idea for little kids, this is at the top of my list. I seriously think it’s one of the BEST gifts you can give a child age 2-5. If you’re still trying to find that hip, fun, lasting Christmas gift, you’ve found it! Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug – Bug – Large

Last year, I even wrote an ode to Wheely Bug on MommyQ. Yes, I’m that obsessed. And so are my kids. Our Wheely Bug is a constant source of fun and learning. I say learning because it really helps toddlers develop motor skills and balance.

The Bee and the Lady Bug are cute, but you just can’t beat the Cow. There’s something about those little wooden horns that makes you grin. Make sure you buy the large Wheely Bug. Your children will outgrow the small one way too quickly. Even if your kiddos are little, buy the big bug because they will grow into it in a flash.

Halloween for Toddlers: Prepare To Scare

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I’m not a big person on the act of being scared. I don’t like the sudden rush of adrenaline or feeling my heart skip a beat. Last year, I did a blog post titled, Enough of The Motion-Activated Shrieking Decorations in Drug Stores and it was well-received. Lots of people responded and about 90% of them agreed with me. This year, my thoughts turn towards the actual trick-or-treating because this year I’ve got two youngsters. (Last year I had one youngster and one baby who couldn’t walk.)

My neighborhood embraces Halloween like most neighborhoods embrace Christmas. We are fanatics about anything inflatable. I love to imagine the conversation that takes place when these items are purchased. I think it goes a little something like this,

“Honey, we should get the inflatable Grim Reaper this year. It’s really cute! It comes in a casket and everything.”

“No, how about the inflatable carriage hearse with glowing skulls. Ten feet of terror, honey!”

You can drive down our street and see huge orange pumpkins, big black cats, spooky ghosts, freaky ghouls and more. It is a feast for the eyes, especially at night.

I am a little bit worried about the actual night of Halloween, because some people answer the door in costume. A few ladies dress up like witches and a few folks have my fave, the shrieking motion-activated thingies, right up next to the front door. My oldest won’t be phased, but my little one might not like it. My heart goes out to timid little tots that try so hard to be brave. If I see a happy face crumple because one of those darn things scare the pants off of him, I’m gonna feel pretty sad about it.

What do you think? Is it possible to prepare a toddler for scary things that are only pretend scary?

Walking Wings Giveaway: Save Your Back, Support Your Tot

walking-wingsYour newly toddling toddler is so cute waddling around. Yet the aches & pains you’re feeling in your back from being hunched over aren’t so cute. Thanks to the innovative thinkers at UpSpring Baby, Walking Wings will rescue your aching and back and support your baby on-the-go!

Walking Wings help your child improve balance organically, because you can support them in a unique hands-free way.  That means you can protect them from falling, yet you won’t impede their natural development. The improved design offers more support for baby and increased control for parents.

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Want to give it a try for free? Enter MommyQ’s Walking Wings Giveaway by emailing your name, mailing address and whether you have a boy or girl to: email-addy1

A winner will be randomly selected on Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Good luck and tell your friends! If you’d like the opportunity to win another fabulous product from UpSpring Baby, milkscreen, click here to enter the Droolicious giveaway!