Smart Shopper Mom

Sippy Cup Conundrum

2009-11-17T21:00:00.001-05:00

As Brianna nears her 1-year birthday, we know it's time to face the music. Another item that defines her as a "baby" will soon go away - the bottle. So we march on towards the toddler years, losing one "baby" item at a time. Only this one seems to require a more complicated transition that I ever expected.

Bring on the sippy cup.

Round One. We gave our daughter The First Sipster by Playtex, touted as "the perfect first cup for your baby...with easy to grip handles". Yes, agree that the handles are very baby friendly. However, this first sippy cup would have been much more effective if Brianna had the sucking power of a Hoover. Not a drop into the little girl's mouth despite her best efforts.

Round Two. The Mighty Grip by Munchkin, "perfect for little hands...the soft silicone spout lets your child drink comfortably". Strike two. Not a drop to be had for the poor girl. Same problem as sippy cup #1.

Round Three. We are about to try the BornFree Trainer Cup...and bonus, it's BPA free. What caught my attention? "Low vaccuum valve, designed to create a free flow of liquid for your child's comfort". Bingo! I'll keep you posted on our success. Fingers crossed!

My First Target Disappointment

2009-10-31T09:45:00.000-04:00

I love Target. My Walmart and KMart days were behind me after my first Target experience -- the brighter atmosphere, the trendy stationery and giftwrap, the superior baby section -- it sucked me right in. So much to my surprise, I purchased my first Target product last week that turned out to be my biggest baby product disappointment to date. Target brand diapers.

An old friend said to me a couple of weeks ago, "You've GOT to try the Target brand diapers. They're great and so much cheaper...I'm sold on them." Anyone reading this blog knows -- say the word "cheaper" to any mom and she's bound to check it out. And check it out I did.

To Target I went and cautiously bought the smaller package of Target diapers as a trial. They are substantially cheaper...almost $6 per package, which adds up considering how many diapers we go through. But our trial period was cut off after Day 3 -- after triple the loads of laundry were produced by "leakage".

Day 1, I picked up my daughter from daycare with two "backup" outfits neatly placed in plastic bags. We all know what that means.

Day 2, I picked up my daughter from daycare with two more"backup" outfits neatly placed in plastic bags. Deja vu.

Day 3, this mommy had the experience first-hand.

Done with Target diapers. And from what I understand from sites like Slave to Target, these diapers are supposed to be the store's new and improved version.

Sorry, Target. I do still love you despite not loving your diapers.

Sorry, Pampers, for the brief lapse in judgement...we're back.

A First Halloween

2009-09-07T18:22:00.005-04:00

For the first time since my tween years, I am excited for Halloween to come. I've always been "that neighbor" who does little more than turn on my outside light to welcome trick-or-treaters. No spider webs in the trees, no spooky goblin on my front door, no 10-foot blow-up pumpkin in my front yard. You might have seen a jack-0-lantern or two on my front step at some point during the past decade.

...and then came Brianna...that now 8-month-old who inspired this blog. Let the hunt for the over-the-top cute costume begin!

So I found this website for In Character Costumes, and could not believe how much infant and children's costumes have evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of rifling through mom and dad's closests and sewing together something that might actually turn out to resemble a witch, Rainbow Brite or 80's rock star (my personal fav). These costumes are detailed, creative and absolutely adorable. Take your pick -- lion, monkey, bumble bee, bunny, lobster, lizard, duckling...and the list goes on. My personal favorite -- Lil' Baby Blossom. And of course I freaked when I saw "new release, limited quantity, order early" next to this particular costume. And so now it sits in Brianna's closet ready for her Halloween debut.

So let's talk quality and "was it worth the price?" ($44.95 plus shipping). A resounding yes! Looking at these costumes online and in the catalog, I could not get the image of a McDonald's Big Mac out of my head. Strange, I know. But I often look at the Big Mac in the commercial and think to myself, "It doesn't look nearly that good when the real thing is sitting in front of you." Not the case here. The intricate detail, the vivid colors, the apparent quality - it's all there. The fabric is soft and thick and each piece of the costume is made with infants in mind -- complete with leg snaps for easy diaper changing and little booties with skid resistant bottoms. Two thumbs up from this mom!

The Great Shoe Debacle

2009-08-20T21:14:00.009-04:00

My daughter Brianna is about to become very confused. She is 8 months old and this girl has never worn a pair of shoes on her tiny little feet. Well, that's not entirely true. She has worn shoes on several occasions, for approximately 2 minutes each time. Then they are kicked off or fall off. We gave up...and never looked back.

Then one day last week, I looked around her daycare classroom at all the other crawling babies, and low and behold...shoes on all of them. And cute ones at that! I was distraught for two reasons. First, that I've missed out on further accessorizing her very cute outfits with equally cute shoes. And second, that the concept of shoes might throw her for a real loop once she has no choice but to start wearing them.

She is at the "cruising" stage, after starting to crawl rather early, and will be running around before we know it. So I dug into the search, with the goal being to wean her into shoes, and found these FANTASTIC transition shoes by Bibi & Mimi that are designed for babies learning to stand and walk. They are breathable leather, cushioned, skid-resistant, great for indoor and outdoor, machine washable, and have soft elasticized ankles so they stay on! And....super cute!

Problem solved.

Hello World. It’s Me. Just Another Mother.

2009-07-15T15:54:00.001-04:00

And an overwhelmed mother at that! But not for the reasons one would naturally assume…fussy baby, husband who doesn’t help out, too much laundry….and the list goes on. I cannot claim any of the above. My 7-month-old cries only when she’s hungry (seriously), and my husband should be given a cape for all he does to help out…including the laundry (seriously).

My sense of being overwhelmed comes from the complete over-saturation of mailers, ads, commercials and other promotions for baby products. I apparently MUST have hundreds of products – things that are “essential,” “vital” and “crucial” to my daughter’s growth and well-being. I don’t own 90% of these things, and I felt guilty about it…

Until I put my mom hat aside and slid on my corporate hat. I am in marketing, people. I know a ploy when I see it, and I’ve written a few guilt-filled taglines myself. Granted, I’m not in marketing for baby products, but we’re talking apples to apples here. For example, the other day while flipping through a baby magazine (my daughter was taking her 15 minute power nap…don’t get too excited for me) I came across two back-to-back ads promoting the same product by different manufacturers. Both had the claim “#1 Physician Recommended”. Hmm. I then flipped a few pages (quickly…she was starting to stir) only to find an ad that claimed the product is “the only [product] with all-natural ingredients”. A few pages later…you got it. Similar product, same claim.

Hence my quest to figure these products out and buy what will keep my daughter healthy, safe, learning and laughing. The research is time and energy that so many new, working mothers don’t have to spare, but I’ll conjure it up somehow…my baby girl is worth it.

Check back often to see what I’ve discovered…you just might find something I’ve posted to be “essential,” “vital” or “crucial” for your child…although you’ll never catch me using those words.