blabla kids - stuffies, mobiles and more

www.blablakids.com

you've seen their soft knit stuffed animals clutched by tots everywhere you go. you've eyed their mobiles in chic boutiques. you've even possibly been silently coveting their tiny finger puppets. "but where are all these things coming from?" you ask. "i must have them for myself! i mean, my child!"

your prayers have been answered! i bring you: blabla. lovingly handcrafted by expert peruvian knitters (no, really!), blabla brings a snuggly softness to all of their fantastic products. blabla brings their signature simple, vibrant style to handmade stuffed animals, brightly colored knit mobiles, even backpacks, finger puppets, blankets and clothing!

all blabla products are made from natural fibers, making them extra cuddley. their modern design coupled with the feel of something that's already been lovingly worn in make them perfect presents for little - and even bigger - kidlets.

blabla's stuffed animals are prized possesions and their 100% cotton clothing is mom-tested and baby-approved. their whimsical knit rattles come in a wide variety of designs, from fruit and vegetables to a medley of songbirds to a giraffe in a hat (a favorite in our house. yeah, i don't get it either.).

who says you can't buy friends? purchase a few new ones for your tot from blabla and they'll never be lonely again.

SwaddleDesigns: blankets, burp cloths and lovies

www.swaddledesigns.com

one of my best friends - who's pregnant herself - asked me for new baby gift suggestions yesterday. i was forced to reveal to her some of my favorite "can't fail" baby presents, knowing full well that she'd be the recipient of most if not all of them. i've already shared two: the bundle me and trumpette socks.

there was one go-to gift, however, that i had yet to post. my knight in shining armor, swaddle designs. they have great gifts that would please any mom-to-be.

swaddle designs makes THE best swaddle blankets. don't let anyone talk you into getting anything else. we swaddled cole until he was almost 5 months old, so believe me when i tell you that i am the swaddle master, and the swaddle designs blanket was my savior.

swaddle designs swaddle blankets are big enough to actually wrap up your little one snugly without any middle-of-the-night jailbreaks, and cute enough to use just as a regular blanket. they are made of pre-shrunk cotton flannel, come in lots of patterns and styles and are even available in certified organic cotton for little green babies.

swaddle designs also makes sturdy but sweet burp cloths (that match the blankets, of course) with a super-absorbent center panel and stylish fabric stripes. they're perfect for cleaning up little messes and are attractive enough to break out in front of childless company.

and there's more! swaddle designs gives us little lovies - for the uninitiated, small fuzzy security blankets for your tot to tote on trips. theirs have a silky satin border for baby to snuggle with and a touchy-feely middle. at 14"x14", the perfect size to take to bed, to grandma's house or, let's face it, everywhere.

the good news? my friend now has a great baby present to give. the bad news? she will not be at all surprised when she gets her baby presents from me. sorry, jen!

the blanket lady

www.blanketlady.com

more baby showers = more baby shower presents. but what to get for that someone special? when it's your good friend having a baby, buying them a diaper genie just won't do.

from my friend talia comes "the blanket lady"! don't let her - ahem - "rudimentary" website fool you. the blanket lady makes beautiful personalized gifts for your little one or someone else's lucky baby. the blanket lady will create a luxurious customized blanket using your baby's name as a pattern. want more? you can choose from over 50 colors to mix n' match for your own personal touch.

customized blankets from the blanket lady are double sided, super soft and generously sized at approximately 25” x 46”. not only is the pattern made up of baby's name, but you can put baby's full name and birth date on the bottom. as an added bonus, blankets are machine washable and dryer safe – no shrinking or fading. perfect for those new moms who don't have time to hand wash or drip dry!

believe me when i say the picture does not do these blankets justice - i've seen one of them in person and can attest that they're a really nice quality - soft, but still with a good heft to them. perfect for carrying around in the car, to the park and especially on playdates - you'll always know which one is yours!

jj cole bundle me

www.jjcoleusa.com

welcome to another one of my absolute favorite baby shower gifts and winner of our little dictators seal of approval!

i am crazy about jj cole's bundle me. better than a blanket, the bundle me acts as a little sleeping bag that you can fasten into baby's car seat, stroller or jogger. soft velcro openings allow safety straps to come through and baby to be securely fastened in.

although we have some blankets that i love, for running out and about, the bundle me is the best bet. it zips up the sides to keep baby snuggly warm and there are no loose ends to get tied up in your stroller wheels or closed in the car door by accident. (um..... not that this has ever happened to me. recently.)

the bundle me comes in three great and different warmths. the original has a plush shearling lining and soft fleece exterior. the urban has a rain-proof quilted outside with soft microsuede inside. the lite, which was my baby shower gift to my friends with spring babies, has the soft thickness of a summer blanket with sassy stiching on the outside.

for some crazy reason, i waited until cole was a few months old before investing in the bundle me. i kept thinking, "why spend the money when we have 100 different blankets?" but i was oh so wrong. for heading outdoors or even in the car, the bundle me is far superior and well worth the money. which is why every new mom i know gets one from me as a present.

after all, as i always say: why blanket when you can bundle me?

little giraffe blankets

www.littlegiraffe.com

a few years ago, long before i was even pregnant, one of my girlfriends was expecting and i went to her baby shower. i was determined to get her the Best Present Ever!

so i looked around and tucked away in a cute children's boutique i found a little giraffe blanket. it was the coziest thing i'd ever felt - made of snuggly chenille with a sumptuous satin trim. it came in beautiful soft colors and was coming home with me!

fast forward to my baby shower last year. i opened up one of the boxes and..... HOORAY! my friend katrina got me a little giraffe blanket! all was right in the world! and let me tell you, we used that blanket for everything. in the car, in the stroller, on our laps, to lay down on the floor, in a box, with a fox, you name it.

oh, and at my friend's shower? well, she got ten million blankets that day. but i knew mine was the best. (and i also at that moment decided against opening presents at my own shower so that no one would know they were the ten millionth blanket giver.)

zutano cotton sherpa booties

http://www.comfykid.com/

zutano's fleecey sherpa booties are fantastic to keep little feeties warm. they come in a wide variety of colors, from moss to tangerine, and are great when baby socks keep falling off. which they will.

booties come in snuggly fleecey warmness and also lighter weight cotton booties in a ton of different sassy prints.

they're especially helpful for those 0-6 month old feet who can't quite fit into robeez but still want to stay warm when you're baby bjorn-ing them about town. (and yes, bjorn-ing is now a verb. you'll see.)