Baby Shebang Part III: Items of Interest

Back in July I started this trilogy on baby gear. Despite appearances, I did not forget about it; I've just been reluctant to commit to the finality of finishing it. What if I find one more cool thing I want to add? Well, I've solved that problem by deciding to do a monthly post on all my newest favorite things. So now I can finish Shebang.

As a review:
Part I: The A-List contains my first choice stuff, the best of the best that I've found, that I use all the time, and my go-to list for baby shower gifts.
Part II: Honorable Mention includes things I do like and recommend, but don't meet all the criteria for the A-List.
Part III: Items of Interest contains things that I do not own or have not tried, but might like to in the future, like when we have another baby or when the girls are older. This post also contains websites I like to browse.

And here they are, in no particular order:

DadGear Diaper Vest (and Cargo Jacket) - What a million dollar idea! Manly baby gear for Dads is long overdue on the market - Dads are dying to be more involved without looking and feeling ridiculous. I commend the genius of these designs and highly recommend watching the demo videos on their website!

Momono by MayaLena - A kimono-inspired housecoat for a new generation of moms. Side ties allow for easy breastfeeding and give you room while you work your way back down to "normal" size. Or wear it over your clothes during other messy times to keep your clothes clean. The prints are chosen to purposely mask oatmeal/banana/spitup smears or whatever is the stain du jour. I was tempted to get one this time around, but just couldn't quite justify spending the money. I noticed, though, that the price has dropped. I think it was over $60 when I first found it; now I see it is $40 - much more reasonable.

Dressy Dribbles carseat covers - I'm a sucker for the Chinese silk look. Put super soft minky on the other side, of anything, and you've got me drooling. While the infant carseat covers are so beautiful with their matching canopies, they're not really necessary since infant carseat pads are removable and machine washable (at least on my Graco it is.) However, my toddler seat isn't removable and I'm secretly hoping that after Ginger is done with it, it will be so crusty that I can justify a slipcover. The purple Asian brocade is my favorite; I'd go with the silver/navy for a boy.

PUJ sling - I have several baby carriers: a pouch, a sling, a wrap, a Bjorn, and a backpack, to be precise. They all have their place and do a good job in some situations, but I'm still on the lookout for something better. There's no shortage of possibilities, either, but you can't buy them all! My latest interest is this sling by PUJ - simple, stylish, presumably comfortable. It's on my "when I have an extra $50 laying around" list.

Libby Dibby "Hip Reversible Skirts with Vintage Flair" - Sigh. I just love, love, love cool fabric! Here we find it in a design I like in a size that will fit me - this is a real find. These are for anybody but with wrap-around adjustable sizing, can be especially postpartum friendly. My only problem is which one to choose?

Piggy Banks from elegantbaby - There are a lot of dumb, ugly piggy banks out there. I got Hazel a cute wooden ladybug bank at World Market last summer and she loved getting spare change to deposit. It was so small, though, that it filled up fast, so I emptied it into a jar and starting searching for a real piggy bank. Paint-your-own-pottery places usually have banks so that could be a fun way to go, but for buying one, this is by far my favorite. I was thinking Christmas but decided to wait a year or two until Hazel is old enough to take better care of breakable things. Love the hand-painted polka dots!

Hipseat - I am soooo curious about this product. It looks awesome for around the house, trips down to the laundry room, and when big heavy Hazel wants to be held. Even Ginger is getting big and heavy for hip holding. But I've always got better things to do with $109 than buy this. Let me know if you ever try it.

Muslin swaddling wraps by aden & anais - I am a major proponent for swaddling babies. It has worked wonders for our family. I love the Miracle Blanket I've mentioned before, but when they're new to about 2.5 months square blankets work better. Mine are flannel which has worked out for winter babies, but these blankets are made of lightweight cotton muslin so babies don't overheat...plus of course there's the pretty fabric factor.

Some Toy Brands I Like: Haba, eeBoo, Discovery Toys, Plan Toys, Kidkraft

Some Websites I Like:
Urban Baby Runway (especially the vintage-inspired clothes and bedding)
Kool Roomz
Kate Quinn Organics
Belle and Boo
Savvy Mommy
Natural Pod
Modern Nursery