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Party Like It’s 2012

Five cool trends for a stylish baby shower

Party Like It’s 2012

We asked Elizabeth Demers of Bump Smitten to pick some fresh and fabulous (yet doable) shower trends. Here's what she's loving right now.
 
Steer away from the usual pastel palette.
"I like an all-white shower for spring and summer. You could also try pairing gold with pink, or a stage a rainbow-themed baby shower."

Offer a milk-and-cookies bar.
"Similar to this winter's trendy s'mores bar, the milk-and-cookies bar is a lot of fun (but no work!) for guests. Offer an array of cookies—from traditional to avant garde—and glasses or pitchers of milk, maybe in more than one flavor. Don't forget the straws."
 
Create a Wishing Tree.
"Place a few tree branches in a vase with pebbles or candy. Provide some cute stationery or tags and a few nice pens and have everyone write a special note for the mom-to-be. Hang the notes on the wishing tree with ribbon or attach them with clothespins. After the shower, collect all the notes and assemble them into a keepsake book."
 
Go for a look of rustic elegance.
"Mix rustic logs and vintage tableware with fresh flowers. Wrap twinkly lights around potted trees or tree branches in large vases."
 
Send real invitations.
"Electronic invites are overplayed. Paper feels modern again. Boxed invitations are very trendy, especially those with a small trinket or candy inside. I also love the wraparound label: print the address and return address on one sticker and wrap it around the envelope. Fast and easy!"

The Gear Guy Guide: January Edition

Checking out the Foonf, Origami, Bounce ‘N’ Sleep and promenade

The Gear Guy Guide: January Edition

Our trusted Gear Guy, Jamie Grayson (a.k.a. The Baby Guy NYC) shares his thoughts on the biggest new product releases in baby land: Clek's new toddler car seat, 4Moms' super-gadgety stroller, Stokke's take on the bouncer, and phil&teds' new buggy.

Clek Foonf, $475
"Clek's new convertible car seat is one of the most anticipated car seats to ever hit the market. Suitable from six months (once child is holding his own head up) through 45 pounds, the Foonf allows for extended rear-facing to meet the AAP's new recommendation that babies rear-face until at least age 2.  Forward-facing, the Foonf has a weight limit of 65 pounds, and a height maximum of 49 inches. As with all Clek seats, the Foonf uses Rigid LATCH install, which means you basically “slam” the LATCH attachment into place, making installation a breeze. The Foonf also features a new safety technology called REACT, which functions much like a crumple zone in a car—absorbing energy in a frontal crash that can reduce crash forces by 40 percent. Bonus: the Foonf is one of the narrowest car seats on the market, enabling three-across in most back seats. Did I mention it's also 100 percent recyclable?"

4Moms Origami, $849.99
"Billed as the first-ever power-folding stroller, the Origami has been catching a lot of buzz. How's this:  power fold and unfold (amazing!), headlights, LED Screen that reports temperature, how far you've walked, and if a kid is in the seat (so that the stroller will never fold with a child inside). Oh, it charges your smartphone, too. WHAAT?  It is a smooth ride, but the built-in generator makes it a much heavier vehicle to push. The Origami is suitable from birth (with optional bassinet attachment or adapter for Graco infant seats) to 40 pounds. Downside? It's tough to cough up $850 for a stroller than only offers a forward-facing seat."

Stokke Bounce 'N' Sleep, $449.98
"It's been a long wait for Stokke's version of the bouncer, and I'm thrilled to say they're nailing it. The Bounce 'N' Sleep comprises two separate components: a wonderful bouncer that can sit at an angle or recline completely flat (!), and a separate daybed that can be used independently. The mattress support is well-ventilated to promote proper airflow, and you can carry around the entire unit with integrated handles. Bonus: it will accommodate babies up to six months, outlasting any bassinet you can find. And, since it's hardly an eyesore, the Bounce 'N' Sleep can double as storage once your baby has outgrown it—it's really deep and will hold a LOT of toys."

phil&teds promenade, $849.99
"phil&teds has graduated from all-terrains into the wold of modular strollers with the sleek design and VERY flat fold of the promenade. Like most modular strollers, the promenade features a bassinet, car seat compatibility, and a toddler seat. What really sets the promenade apart is an adjustable foot rest—and the fact that the bassinet and toddler seat is the same unit—there's no removing fabric, no extra pieces to store . . . you just release or fasten a strap to convert. Other nice features include a handle that telescopes outward for comfort, and a reversible seat that's very easy to flip around. The promenade converts into a double, and unlike most other strollers where the additional seat has a lighter weight limit, both seats can accommodate up to 40 pounds. There's also a swing-away belly bar, a huge sun canopy with extended sun shade, and great storage underneath. The wheels are foam, which means no flats, and independent suspension results in a nice, smooth ride.  I do wish it came in something other than black, but it will do quite well for now."

It’s A Girl!

Ten fabulous gifts for little ladies

It’s A Girl!

Last week we shared our favorite gifts for newborn boys. Herewith, ten ooh- and aah-worthy presents for baby girls.
 
Gucci Baby Lace-Up Sneaker, $185
Her first Guccis: you want to hate them, but you just can't. $185 at gucci.com.

Sky King Junior Tricycle in Petal, $179
It'll be a while before she can actually ride it, but this tricycle—a replica of a 1936 design, featuring chrome accents and a working headlamp—will look really good in the play room until then. $179 at rhbabyandchild.com.

Rag & Bone Baby's First Book in Little Birdie Pink, $68
Rag & Bone's handmade ribbon-bound baby book captures details like "how we picked your name" and even has a vellum envelope for first-haircut trimmings. $68 at ragandbonebindery.com.

Tiffany Bows Brush, $275
We love the old-school fabulousness of this sterling silver baby brush from Tiffany. $275 at tiffany.com.

UGG Infant's Erin Bootie, $50
Under 12 months is really the best age for pulling off pink UGGs. $50 at uggaustralia.com.
 
Madeline, $11.29
More than 50 years later, little girls still have a thing for Madeline's bold spirit. $11.29 at barnesandnoble.com.

Links of London Dummy Charm, $80
Start a chic charm bracelet with one of Links of London's 300 sterling silver, gold, and enamel charms. From $60 at linksoflondon.com.

Baby Lilly Shift, $48
Regardless of whether you lean preppy, there's just something about a baby in a Lilly Pulitzer sundress. $48 at lillypulitzer.com.

"It's A Girl" Hershey's Kisses, $6.95
They might not be a keepsake, per se, but a bag of "It's A Girl" Hershey's Kisses are certainly a cute way to celebrate the arrival of a little girl. $6.95 for a 7-ounce bag at hersheysstore.com.

Jellycat Carousel Hobby Horse, $37.99
No one does plush like Jellycat, and their take on the hobby horse is as adorable as you'd expect. $37.99 at yoyo.com.

It’s A Boy!

Ten great gifts for little guys

It’s A Boy!

There's been a lot of fuss about gender stereotyping lately, but the truth is that most of the really fun baby gifts out there skew boy or girl. With that in mind, we're taking the next two weeks to share our favorite gender-pegged finds for expecting mamas—starting this week with ten brilliant gifts for baby boys.


The OMG-inducing cuteness of crib shoes is hard to resist—especially when they've got street-cool style, like Adidas, Puma, or Converse kicks. From $22 at zappos.com.

The Tiffany Race Cars frame is about as classic (and statement-y) as a baby boy gift can get. $425 at tiffany.com.

Baby Gund's super-soft "My First Toolbox" comes with a rattling hammer, crinkly screwdriver, and squeaky wrench. $17.95 at babyscholars.com; personalize it for ten bucks more.

It might not have hand-me-down value, but a monogrammed Ralph Lauren infant polo is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. $34.50 at ralphlauren.com.

Nothing celebrates the spirit of "boys will be boys" like Where the Wild Things Are. $17.95 at amazon.com.

The Jonathan Adler Junior Letter Pillow is made with 100 percent handloomed baby alpaca, and works with just about any design scheme. $98 at jonathanadler.com.

With chrome hub caps and grab bars—plus a working bell and flashing light—the American Retro Pedal Fire Truck is as much a nursery center piece as it is a killer ride-on toy. $382 at barneys.com.

Crewcuts' new baby collection includes the perfect cashmere baby blanket, at a fairly reasonable $188. Available at jcrew.com.

It might take an infant quite some time to appreciate an authentic Louisville Slugger bat with his name on the barrel—but we think it's a pretty cool baby gift nonetheless. $45 at sluggergifts.com.

Imagine the photo ops in a pair of tiny Burberry swim trunks. $60 at neimanmarcus.com.

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