My neighbor was recently searching for a gift for her nanny who is moving away and I was able to wholeheartedly recommend the Memory Maker Share Your Heart line. Each necklace, bracelet, keychain and bookmark has a chunky heart or square charm that can be personalized with photos or a message.

I wore the toggle bracelet with 4 braided cords and a heart charm ($15) for my daughter’s second birthday party and received several compliments. It is also casual enough that I could wear it to a pool party, which is important as I chase a toddler around during the summer. Not all of their jewelry is made from genuine silver but they still look great and it keeps the cost down — between $8 and $16 for most items. They also make an elastic, adjustable bracelet that kids love!

CBB Deal: Save 20% with coupon code CBB2009.

– Ann, NJ mom to persnickety and playful 2-year-old Lia and child psychologist, appreciates functional and smart designs

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear - Cool stuff for adults, Fashion & Gear - Jewelry, Fashion & Gear - Mother’s Day, Main

My neighbor was recently searching for a gift for her nanny who is moving away and I was able to wholeheartedly recommend the Memory Maker Share Your Heart line. Each necklace, bracelet, keychain and bookmark has a chunky heart or square charm that can be personalized with photos or a message.

I wore the toggle bracelet with 4 braided cords and a heart charm ($15) for my daughter’s second birthday party and received several compliments. It is also casual enough that I could wear it to a pool party, which is important as I chase a toddler around during the summer. Not all of their jewelry is made from genuine silver but they still look great and it keeps the cost down — between $8 and $16 for most items. They also make an elastic, adjustable bracelet that kids love!

– Ann, NJ mom to persnickety and playful 2-year-old Lia and child psychologist, appreciates functional and smart designs

CBB Deal: Save 20% with coupon code CBB2009.

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear - Cool stuff for adults, Fashion & Gear - Jewelry, Fashion & Gear - Mother’s Day, Main

Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker

I have wanted an ice cream maker since I was a kid. Seriously. I know, I know, you can just buy a pint of ice cream at any corner store… but I like a challenge. So you can imagine my glee when I got to take the Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker ($30) for a spin (literally) this summer — and found it easy to use.

Just mix together your ingredients — the machine comes with a bunch of recipes in the manual — and 20 to 40 minutes later, the entire family is enjoying delicious, creamy, homemade ice cream. No cranking, no rock salt. Just turn it on, pour in the ingredients, and you’re good to go. Sure, the noise might drown out your dinner music, but it’s worth it!

The biggest convenience is that you can control exactly what goes into your kids’ ice cream. Organic? Easy. Less sugar? No problem. Fresh fruit, maple syrup, nuts … whatever you want to add to keep your ice cream healthier is up to you. And ultimately, it’s cheaper, too. Turns out kid-me was really onto something!

Hamilton Beach Ice Shaver

Back in the day, if you didn’t have a Snoopy Sno-Cone Maker, your friend certainly did. (And you wished you had one.) Well, the Hamilton Beach Ice Shaver ($30) is like a grown-up version of that very thing. It’s simple to use, inexpensive, and — if your kids are anything like mine — you’ll be using it daily. Just pop in some plain ice cubes and start the machine. Seconds later, shaved ice lands in the mixing bowl and you can choose what to add to it (we use fresh juice in my house). Yum!

Cuisipro Scoop & Stack

Here’s a nifty way to have a little fun with all that ice cream you’ll be making. The Cuisipro Scoop & Stack ($15) is a funky way to serve up the cold stuff this summer. It creates cylindrical blocks of ice cream that are perfect for stacking or decorating. Your kids will love the push-button release as they drop perfectly shaped stacks of ice cream into their bowls. Who knew frozen treats could get any more fun?

CBB Deal: Save 15 % off regular priced items on any of these websites www.emilehenryusa.com www.rosleusa.com www.cuisiprousa.com
using coupon code ‘CBB15’ (expires 12/31/09).

Ice Pops

When all is said and done, there’s something about a classic ice pop that is just so summer. There are lots of fun-looking ice-pop molds out there, including these girly Tovolo Freezer Gems Popsicle Molds ($10 ) . For nostalgia, there’s the classic Tupperware ($19.50) mold. And for the best deal, the Solig IKEA molds ($2) fit the bill. I’ve been using a version of these for my kids and we always enjoy them. Easy popsicle tip: Try pureeing some fresh summer fruit and mixing it with yogurt for a yummy and healthy frozen treat.

— Stephanie, crunchy, urban Canadian mama to a 4-year-old contrarian son and a 1-year-old philosopher daughter who loves all things green, gadgety and glam.

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear - Cool stuff for adults, Main

Safety 1st’s Nature Next Bio-Plastic Infant to Toddler Bathtub ($11) is made with Bio-Plastic, a durable plastic developed from renewable plant resources like corn and tapioca, instead of fossil fuels, and incorporates bamboo (a renewable resource) and recycled plastic. This basic tub can be used with an infant or a toddler — when your child is older, turn them around in the tub to sit flat on the bottom. There are two accessory holders for shampoo and body wash and a shower hook to help dry and/or store the tub.

Other products from Safety 1st’s Nature Next line that we’ve reviewed include:

• Bamboo Pressure Gate
• Bio-Plastic 3 in 1 Potty
• Bamboo Booster Seat
• Bio-Plastic Booster Seat

– Nancy, Queens, NY mom to budding comedian 3 ½ year old Ben and princess-in-training 1 ½ year old Allegra, loves finding stuff that makes her family’s life easier.

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear - Bath and Body Care, Main

Tandem strollers carry two kids, one in front of the other.

We find, from talking to loads of mamas, that you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em.

The lovers rave that they fit through every doorway.

The haters rage that kid No. 2 kicks kid No. 1 all day.

I looked at the Jeep Traveler Tandem stroller ($230) and discovered that it has a lot of great features and a few limitations.

Assembly and Fold
It took about 15 minutes to assemble the Traveler Tandem. It wasn’t particularly difficult, though I did have to use pliers to insert the axle pins. The instructions were cryptic in places because the photos are of very small details, but it wasn’t rocket science.

The fold is pretty convoluted, but the result is impressive. First, you push the two sun shades down. Next, tilt the back seat forward using the recline mechanism. Then, push the adjustable handle all the way down. Now — are you still with me? I’ll spare you the rest, but trust me — the extra work is worth it. The stroller automatically locks into a snug fold that’s about the same size as many single strollers we’ve tested. The manufacturer, Kolcraft, says “No SUV required,” and they are right. It slips easily into even a small car’s trunk.

I wouldn’t want to go through all that to fold it five times a day, and I think it could be challenging to teach another caregiver how to do it, but I got used to it over time. If storage space is an issue, this is a great option for a double stroller.

Seats, Recline and Ride
Both seats on the Traveler Tandem recline. The rear seat reclines flat and accommodates many brands of infant car seats (Britax, Chicco, Graco, Evenflo, Combi and MaxiCosi, to name a few) without costly adapters. When not in use, the car seat strap fits neatly into a little pouch on the side of the stroller. When the infant seat is in place, the front seat will not recline.

I put my 4-year-old son, Finn, in the front seat and my 15-month-old, Egan, in the back for several walks in the neighborhood. Both are average size for their age, but the sun shade brushed my big boy’s head. When I reclined the front seat, Finn’s head went beyond the seat back by several inches. It also encroached on Egan’s leg room, causing him to pitch a fit and kick his brother in the head. Less than optimal, I admit.

Maneuverability is an issue with this stroller and I struggled with it. The Traveler Tandem is 3 ½ feet long, which is about the same length as my full-sized single jogger, but carrying two passengers front-to-back made it feel a bit like a battleship. The wheels are hard plastic and offer no traction, but the ride is pretty smooth. Steering was difficult and took a firm grip with two hands, and it pulls hard to one side if the sidewalk is even slightly sloped, but a wide, grippy push handle is the best design for the job. Because the bigger child goes in front (he’s 34 pounds), I was unable to get enough leverage to tilt the front wheels off the ground to get over a curb. I had to back up and lift the rear wheels over, then pull the front wheels up and over.

The brakes work one at a time, but are quite effective. An adjustable handle works in three positions to accommodate taller parents. The safety restraints are cushy and padded with mesh. They are easy to manipulate and comfy on the kids.

Storage and Bells and Whistles
One big advantage to a big stroller is huge baskets, and the Traveler Tandem has two. The front basket is accessible from the front and sides of the stroller and the rear one clicks down so you can reach in, even when the seat is reclined or the infant car seat is in place. It also has little Velcro pouches attached to the sides for the kids’ stuff, a snack tray and cup holder for the front child, and a cup holder for the grownups.

A cute steering wheel toy was a hit with both my kids, but there is only one. Finn managed to detach it easily but a smaller child wouldn’t be able to yank it out.

Sun Protection
While the sun protection is ample for both passengers, the shades can be easily wiggled out of position by the kids. One needed addition: a window for looking in on the infant without stopping. 

Pros: Extremely compact fold for a double stroller. Nicely padded shoulder straps. Older children can get in and out without detaching the toddler bar. Adjustable handle. Compatible with most popular brands of infant car seats.

Cons: Not enough head room for taller kids. Plastic wheels give no traction. Steering is difficult on anything but a perfectly flat surface.

Final Verdict: The Jeep Traveler Tandem is a solid tandem that won’t work for tall toddlers, but would be a good choice for parents who prefer the front-to-back setup, have a small car, or need lots of storage.

Recommended For: Parents who have a small car and two small kids who are close in age.

– Kristen

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear - Strollers, Main

Photo courtesy of Oompa.

After a disastrous finger painting debacle I knew my 17 month-old twins were still a bit young for arts and crafts.

So until my daughter learns not to chew on crayons or lick paint I’ve got VTech’s Paint & Learn Art Easel ($26) to help them channel their inner artists.

With two height settings to grow along with your baby, the interactive toy for ages 12 to 36 months engages babies in multiple ways.

The easel has five colorful buttons that activate music and lights when pressed with little hands or the light-up paintbrush (thoughtfully attached to the board so it won’t get lost the first week). In addition to the main easel board, which teaches colors, there’s a double-sided learning card that can be easily clipped on the board. One side teaches numbers and shapes and the other side has the five first letters of the alphabet that coordinate with adorable insects. When not in use, the extra card gets clipped to the back of the board for handy storage. The two modes of play — learning and music — along with a colorful piano keyboard and spinning disc palette keep little ones engaged. I especially love that they use a “paint brush” to click on the easel because it’s helping develop their fine motor skills. Unlike some electronic toys, I don’t find the noises and songs annoying. And my twins have a blast while learning their colors, shapes, numbers and letters.

– Sarah S., mom to twins Lily and Logan, 16 months, works part-time and obsesses over things that are perfect for two while simultaneously making her life a little easier

CBB Deal: Save 20% at Vtechkids.com using coupon code CBBVtech909 (expires October 1, 2009).

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear - Toys, Main