High Style Highchairs

Since Andy has mostly outgrown his Bumbo seat, I'm forced to consider an alternative for feeding him. That thing was really great for meals. I could sit it on the dining room chair and feed him at the dinner table. I could put it up on the counter and feed him while I surfed the internet. It went out in the yard where he sat quietly and played in the dirt in the garden, too. When we were done, all it needed was a quick hosing off (which is more than I can say for the baby who occupied it).

I'm not overly crazy about most of the highchairs on the market. Its like most companies want to create the biggest, bulkiest piece of plastic possible. If thhat's not your style either, you're in luck, because there are some very cool, very modern choices out there. Some are reasonably prices, others require a trip to the bank for a small loan.

My favorite,and probably the one I'll purchase, is the bloombaby Nano. The Nano is sleek and modern and has a small footprint when open. It has an even smaller footprint when its folded up - Just 7 1/4", perfect for those of us limited on space. Its adjustable, too. The footrest has 2 positions and the tray has 3, and it detaches for "up-to-the-table feeding". For safety's sake, it has a 5-point harness. And it weighs just 12 lbs., so I don't have to get a hernia moving it.

Nano is engineered from recyclable plastic and metal parts including the stainless steel hardware and FDA-approved food-contact grade plastics in the trays, to the recyclable grade plastics of the seat. It exceeds all applicable safety standards in every country it is sold. All of its materials, finishes and textiles are lead free, phthalate free, PVC free, heavy metal free, and AZO dye free. This makes Slightly Crunchy very happy.

Oh, and to make your Chic Center happy, Nano is available in 6 stylish colors: Midnight Black, Coconut White, Blossom Pink, Paradise Blue, Henna Brown, Harvest Orange, Rock Red and Gala Green.

To buy: $179 from retailers all over the internet. Look for one offering free shipping, as well as one not in your home state, so you don't end up paying sales tax.

Learn more at http://www.bloombaby.com/.

Fabulous Fabrics

In my job that pays (no, writing a blog doesn't pay my bills, unfortunately), I get paid to pay attention to trends in the craft, textile and art world (its not writing a blog, but its a pretty sweet gig, nevertheless). A fair portion of the time, I see things and don't give them a second thought. Weeks or months later, I'll be doing something else and I'll have a spark. "Haven't I seen that before? Where have I seen that??" As I delve further in the world of baby gear with modern flair, I'm seeing a distinct crossover between the modern textiles I deal with at work and the fabulous products I'm loving for my baby.

Armed with a little knowledge about the fabrics that adorn your favorite baby gear, you can satiate your own Soft Chic Center by using matching and coordinating fabrics elsewhere. Case in point - Planetwise Wetbags. "Where have I seen that before??" Oh right, that print is a fabric by Heather Bailey. Planetwise (who is probably throwing things at my blog right now for giving away their secrets) may be calling this print Green Meadows, but I know that its from Heather's Pop Garden line of fabrics. Heather's line if beautiful and if you want to coordinate your diaper bag (assuming you sew, or can pawn the project off on someone who can) with your new fabulous wetbag, the sky's the limit.

Here are just a few of the other gorgeous fabrics from Heather's Pop Garden line:

Heather Bailey isn't the only designer to be embraced by the baby gear industry, either. More and more I'm seeing awesome products sporting prints by Amy Butler. The Peanut Shell Baby Slings are a great example (again, Peanut Shell people throwing things at their computers). A number of their styles use Amy Butler prints, including some of their newer products, line the swaddlers shown below).

The talented people who create unique clothing on Etsy.com are in the mix, too. The print on this dress is also a Heather Bailey print.

So if you're a crafty momma, get out there are coordinate your gear! If you're not, well, you need to find someone who is!

Baby Carrier Cage Match...And the Winner Is...

I finally made a decision and purchased a new baby carrier. Soft, Chic Center won out in the end. I ended up with a (very comfortable) Beco Butterfly 2. I picked out this adorable owl print on rust colored organic fabric (so that Slightly-Crunchy can be happy, too). Sweet enough for me, not too girly for Daddy.


I put it on when we got home this afternoon and toted Andy around for an hour or two. SO easy to get on and off (the exact opposite of the old carrier). Let me tell you, no longer does The Moose feel like a bag of dogfood. I had him on the back and sucessfully did some work in the garden, then I swapped him around to the front and was amazed at how comfy he was to wear that way, too. Now, if I can just figure out how to keep him from using my ponytail as a set of reins when he's on my back...

Beco Butterfly 2 vs. The Ergo

At my baby shower, I received a baby carrier. How exciting, hands free with baby! As it turned out, that carrier was pretty uncomfortable. The buckles seemed to never line up with my body, so they dug in all the time. The weight distribution system wasn't great, so my moose of a baby was like hauling around a bag of dogfood. But, by the time we'd figured all of this out, he'd puked on it, so we owned it.

Well that carrier's days are numbered. It has a weight limit of 20 lbs. (I think). At his last checkup, Andy was 19lbs 5oz., so the time has come to replace it. Decisions, decisions...

There are two choices, the Ergo (shown left) and the Beco Butterfly 2 (shown right). Both are touted as easy to use, with excellent weight distribution systems (my shoulders and back are already cheering). The Ergo looks more comfy to me with its padded, cushy straps. Plus, you can buy cool accessories like sucking pads, sleeping hoods, backpack attachments, front packs, a weather cover (uh, if I need a weather cover, we're going indoors) and changing pads. However, the nougatty chic center wants the Beco. The prints they pick for the carriers are so fabulous. The straps look pretty cushy, too!

I'm making a choice soon, so stay tuned!

Ergo Baby Carrier - MRSP $105.00 to $135.00

Accessories - $8.00 to $46.00

http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/

Carry Style:

Front or Back

Comes with:

- Sleeping Hood

Recommended Weight Limit:

40 lbs. (Ergo states they have tested it up to 90lbs.)

Beco Butterfly 2 - MSRP $140.00

http://www.becobabycarrier.com/

Carry Style:

Front or Back

Comes with:

- Head Rest (Hood)

- Infant Insert

Recommended Weight Limit:

45 lbs.