Thursday, September 25, 2014

New Gear for 2015

Those of you who follow me on Facebook, Instagram (@betterbabyyourbaby), and Twitter (@betterbabybaby) have already seen a sneak peek of some of these products that were just revealed at the 2014 ABC Kids Expo. Check out the brand-new gear below that created a buzz at the trade show and keep your eyes peeled for some awesome new products to hit the market in late 2014 or the first half of 2015

Baby Jogger City Mini Zip

Lightweight and Travel-Friendly Strollers

Baby Jogger City Mini Zip - Like its big brother, the ever popular City Mini, the Zip offers some full-size features on a lightweight stroller. The fold on the Zip is the new feature and comes in 50% smaller than a standard umbrella stroller. It weighs in at only 16 pounds and will retail for $249.99.  
Mountain Buggy Nano -  This stroller might take the cake for frequent fliers. It weighs 13 pounds and folds compactly enough to fit into most overhead carry-on compartments! It is also equipped with a car seat adapter that fits several leading brands and turns this lightweight umbrella stroller into a full travel system! This thing is a great value at only $199.99.

BabyZen YoYo - Another stroller with an amazing micro-mini fold, the YoYo is the first stroller to be fully compliant with IATA guidelines for cabin baggage dimensions. Easily slips into an overhead compartment, under a train seat, etc. 

 Double Strollers


UPPABaby Vista - Big changes are happening for the 2015 Vista! What used to be known as the Vista has been renamed the Legacy and the new Vista is joining the ranks of grow-with-your-family strollers that easily convert from a single to a double and back again, much like the Britax B-Ready or Baby Jogger City Select (review here). In 2015, the Vista will be able to accommodate two toddler seats, bassinets, or infant carriers, making it ideal for parents of twins! The Vista frame and single seat will retail for around $800, with additional seats and accessories being sold separately. This stroller also won the 2014 JPMA Stoller Award and The Bump Editor's Pick!
2015 UPPABaby Vista
Baby Jogger Vue Double - Baby Jogger got great feedback with the introduction of the Vue: an umbrella stroller with a seat that easily converts to forward-facing or rear-facing. In 2015, Baby Jogger is introducing a double version! The seats will be independent and allow a younger child to be parent-facing while big brother or sister faces forward. It should retail for $399.
UPPABaby G-Link - The G-Link is the double version of UPPABaby's already popular G-Luxe umbrella stroller. (You can find my review of the G-Luxe here.) This stroller will weigh in at only 20 pounds and feature a nearly-flat recline for the smallest babies.In my opinion, a flat recline is an AMAZING feature on a stroller!

Luxury Joggers

Orbit Baby O2 - In Summer 2015, Orbit Baby will enter the world of jogging strollers with the introduction of the O2. The frame will feature a low seating position for jogging or a higher seating position for city strolling and will accommodate your Orbit Baby seat. Like other joggers, the O2's front wheel will lock for jogging or swivel for everyday use.
Bugaboo Runner - The Runner frame will easily accept any Bugaboo seat for jogging in parent-facing or rear-facing mode. Featuring air-filled tires for a smooth ride, the Runner will have a fixed front wheel. It should arrive in stores by spring 2015 and will retail around $425 for the frame and $650 for frame and seat.

Car Seats

Britax ClickTight - The new ClickTight system makes correct installation a breeze! It's never been easier to install a car seat using a vehicle safety belt in cars without LATCH anchors or when you exceed the LATCH weight limits. ClickTight will be available in the Britax convertible models that we all know and love (Boulevard, Marathon, and Advocate) as well as the Frontier and Pinnacle Harness-2-Booster models.
Cybex Cloud Q - Most doctors advise against leaving infants in their car seats for extended periods of time due to their developing spines. The Cybex Cloud Q is the first infant carrier that will recline when clipped onto its frame, thus turning into a bassinet and letting sleeping babies lie! This car seat is going to come in gorgeous colors and should retail for $399.
Doona Infant Carrier

Doona - Wow. This thing is a game changer! This infant carrier weighs 15.5 pounds and has integrated wheels and handlebar to transform into a snap-n-go type stroller in an instant. All those times that you just need to run into a store to grab something or pick an older sibling up from school just got a little easier! This seat will retail for $350.
Phil & Teds - This duo has a new uber-lightweight infant seat hitting the market that weighs well under 10 pounds! No more fiddler crab arm from hauling a heavy car seat around!
Whew, that's a TON of stuff to keep your eyes peeled for over the next year! There are also plenty of miscellaneous items hitting markets as well: EZPZFun No Mess Happy Mats (integrated silicone plates and mats with some serious suction), Silikids silicone toppers that can turn any cup into a sippy cup, and beautiful new play mat prints from Skip Hop that give playrooms a chic makeover!

Stay Tuned!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Hang In There.

I just came across a quote that, after the day we've had, couldn't have been more perfect:
When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.
--Unknown


Thursday, September 18, 2014

Nobody wants to have THAT kid in the restaurant.

Have you ever sat down for a nice meal with your toddler at a restaurant and quickly realized that you would rather be literally anywhere else on the face of the earth than sitting at the same table with this crazy demon child?!

At our house, Niamh is just on the verge of turning two and she must be getting a head start on the "terrible two's." For some strange reason, she can be the sweetest little helper all day long and as soon as we go out in public (especially to a restaurant), she flips a switch and does the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde thing. They must derive some great joy from embarrassing us in the most public of places.

Enter momma's big bag of restaurant tricks. I now carry a secret pouch in my diaper bag loaded with small toys and things to help keep Niamh happy (read: distracted) long enough to get in a quick dinner. Some of my favorite items are random things in the bins as soon as you walk into Target. Everything ranges from $1-$3 and features the stuff of magic to a toddler: crayons and mini coloring books, princess stickers, small containers of squishy stuff like play-doh, things that light up, etc. Another favorite are the Melissa & Doug Reusable Stickers Pads. I stick a scene in the diaper bag along with some of the stickers and, voila, we've bought ourselves a solid 15 minutes. Plus, they work like window clings and keep her occupied at home too!


Saturday, September 13, 2014

Mama Must-Have: Initial Jewelry

MomentusNY on Etsy


Every Mama nowadays knows that you just HAVE to have a beautiful piece of jewelry with your little one's name or initials. You can find popular items at Restoration Hardware Baby & Child, Pottery Barn Kids, or various Etsy shops. I am in love with my double charm necklace from MomentusNY's shop on Etsy! If you're looking for chic, simple designs, definitely check out this shop!