When it comes to toys our little miss 2.5 often tags along with the big two, she loves joining in with their board games and outdoor play and it is easy to forget she is only two. Yet other times I see her enjoy a real toddler toy and she can be so happy with it, like when she got given LeapFrog Farm Mash-Up.
LeapFrog Farm Mash-Up is designed for children aged 12-36 months and while our daughter is at the end of the age range she still very much loves playing with it. The compact ‘basket’ is perfect for small children’s hands and thanks to the handle it can easily be carried from room to room. When the handle is up the basket is automatically ‘locked’ so the contents can’t fall out when your little tot is on the move.
LeapFrog Farm Mash-Up (RRP $29.99)
Inside the basket you’ll find 12 different farm animal tiles. Of course they are fun to play with and hold but they can be really brought to life by placing them in the dedicated area on the lid. Kids will love finding the matching pieces but also creating their own silly combinations. There are 36 unique combi-animals to be made with just those 12 base tiles. Not only do those ‘made-up’ animals look funny, they sound funny too! Listen to funny songs and discover what sound a dog-cow or sheep-pig would make, my daughter loves this (and the older two think it is hilarious too). We often take LeapFrog Mash-Up with us on car rides as it keeps them busy and entertained for ages.
LeapFrog Mash-Up is a relatively small toy but there is lots to see, do and listen to. Learn about colours, practise sounds and animal names and sing along with familiar children’s songs (it plays 5 famous nursery songs like Old MacDonald and Farmer in the Dell) and new songs about the animals you’ve made (36 different songs). Of course placing the shapes in the right spot on the lid and pressing the music button it also great exercise for fine motor skills.
To find out more about LeapFrog, to take a closer look at the range and to locate stockist near you visit www.leapfrog.com.au.
If you are a regular Hip little one reader you may have read that our smallest addition is a very cute but not overly happy baby. Now of course I would love to sit down and hold her all day but the reality is that that is just not possible when you have 3 other children to look after and a household to run. Some people might say it won’t hurt her to cry a little but I can’t listen to her sad little baby cries without wanting to pick her up and cuddle her. The best way to keep everyone happy is to keep her close and content in a baby carrier whilst still keeping my hands free for everything else that needs to be done, it’s the perfect solution for all of us.
The world of baby wearing can be quite confusing, there are so many different brands and styles and everyone has an opinion on what is best. My advise: Don’t just pick the cutest colour/print, first make sure your new carrier is safe (encourages an orthopedically correct seating position), comfortable (for you and baby), genuine (there are lots of counterfeits on the market!) and suitable (for your baby’s weight and your activity).
German label Manduca is one of the world’s leading baby carrier brands and very popular here in Australia. Manduca carriers promote the healthy M-position, the natural shape of babies’ legs which supports their spine and pelvis. Your baby’s (future) health is not something to take lightly so please pick your carrier with care. The Manduca carrier is not just comfortable for baby but also for mum, it is fully adjustable with wide, padded shoulder straps and a supportive waistband.
Being a so-called soft structured baby carrier the Manduca is both sturdy and supportive yet flexible at the same time, just the way I like it. It gives me the confidence that baby is well protected and in the right position and it easy to put on, pretty much like a backpack but then at the front. We use the Manduca Blackline, made of 100% organic cotton it is soft (right from the start) and safe (no nasties).
Sybil is perfectly comfortable in the Manduca (see the M position of the legs)
Most soft structured baby carriers have a minimum weight requirement of ca. 5.5kg (Ergo) – 7kg (Boba), so they would not be recommended for a newborn unless you buy a specific newborn insert to fit. The Manduca however is designed with an inbuilt newborn insert (3.5kg+), this means most babies can be carried in a Manduca straight from birth. Not only does it save you the cost of buying an extra insert, it also very practical as you can’t forget it. This great video shows exactly how the insert works, it didn’t take me long to get the hang of it with our newborn.
She loves being close to mummy and being able to look around
Another fantastic feature of the Manduca carrier is the built in suncover. It is nicely tucked away in the special pocket at the front and can be rolled out when you need the extra coverage, the cover is very handy for sunny days, to protect your sleeping baby from curious people/light and to provide privacy when breastfeeding, it also gives extra head support. As you can tell the Manduca has got your whole day covered, from sleeping to feeding to awake time and from sun to rain and in between.
A Manduca carrier is a great investment as it can be used from newborn all the way up to 20kg, that’s the weight of my 4.5 year old! As your baby gets older and heavier you can start wearing your Manduca on your back, something we still do with our 2.5 year old sometimes. It’s great for long walks or days out, we don’t have to bring a bulky pram but she can have a rest when those chubby little legs get tired.
The Manduca Blackline is available in three different colours and is priced at $189.
You may have noticed that over the past few weeks and months several big Australian (online) kids stores have closed down, so very sad but unavoidable in the current economic situation. With that in mind it is even more special when fabulous Australian brands do really well and grow bigger and better every year. This month the awesome Cheeky Little Soles label is celebrating its 8th birthday, such a great milestone! As a thank you to all their wonderful customers they are running a fantastic promotion:
Buy one pair of Cheeky Little Soles shoes and get a second pair (of equal or lesser value) completely FREE! This offer is only valid on the Cheeky Little Soles website, simply enter your choice of style/size for the extra pair in the comment section. Hurry as offer ends May 11, 2013.
If you’ve had your eye on one of the brand new Cheeky Little Soles designs now is the time to order. The latest arrivals are selling like hot cakes, the new Cowboy Boots in particular are winning hearts all over the country. They are made from soft leather with a soft sole and are suitable for hip boys and girls. The Cheeky Little Soles Cowboy Boots ($49.95) come in four stylish colours and are available in size S-XL.
Also new to the range are the gorgeous Party Time Baby Shoes ($39.95, size S-L), perfect for your little girl’s next birthday party or special occasion. This cute style is available in classic black/white or white/silver, timeless colours that will compliment your lovely party outfit beautifully. The soft leather soles are non-slip to reduce the risk of accidents so they are the ideal shoes for those first wobbly steps.
If you have been on the hunt for a stylish, neutral coloured shoe the Cheeky Little Soles Tweed Baby Shoe ($29.95, size S-L) is just what you are looking for. These shoes feature a tweed fabric panel on top and a matching leather back, you can dress them up or down as you please. There are four natural colours to choose from and with the current ‘buy one, get one free’ offer you might as well order a few!
For your chance to win a pair of new designs Cheeky Little Soles of your choice (subject to availability) visit www.cheekylittlesoles.com.au and answer the following question: Which of the new designs Cheeky Little Soles shoes would you choose if you were to be our lucky winner?
Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.
If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:
On tv, in the catalogues, at the shops and on Facebook, it looks like everyone is gearing up for Mother’s Day and there is no escaping it even if you wanted to. At gr8x they have been counting down the days too and to help get you in the mood they are giving away their brand new Alice Shoulder Bag in the very unique black/tan colourway. Try your luck here on the gr8x Facebook page and you might just win!
To confirm what we already knew about mums (they are generous and always share) they have also given us one of these lovely bags to give away to one lucky hip mummy:
The new gr8x Alice Shoulder Bag ($189.95) features a stylish black patent outer with warm tan coloured trim, a festive combination and great colour choice for the winter season. On the outside the bag offers multiple snap lock and zipped pockets that are easily accessible, they’re perfect for your lip balm, car keys and some spare change for the parking meter. Of course you can also count on the unique gr8x external wipes pocket to make nappy changes a breeze.
There is nothing as stressful as digging through your bag for a dummy whilst listening to a screaming baby, which is why the Alice baby bag comes complete with cute tan flower purse to keep the dummy clean and within reach. Keeping your nappy bag organised and tidy is easy thanks to all the clever internal storage pockets. Nice bonus: a soft padded change mat and insulated bottle holder are included. If you would like to unwrap one of these lovely bags on Mother’s Day you better be quick and send hubby off to one of the many gr8x stockists Australia wide.
To find out more about gr8x, to browse the range or to order online visit www.gr8x.net.
For your chance to win the gr8x Alice Shoulder Bag (Black/Tan) visit www.gr8x.net and answer the following question: What is on top of your Mother’s Day wish list?
Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.
If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:
At our baby’s 4-week check up the child health nurse asked me to describe Sybil in a few words, it sounds horrible but all I could come up with was ‘grumpy’. Those first few weeks she cried day and night, didn’t sleep longer than 30 minutes at a time and was just generally unhappy. All we could do was shower her with hugs and kisses, hold her close and keep going.
After about 8 weeks the screams slowly started to make room for smiles and now we are even enjoying some gorgeous giggles and baby laughter, it makes my heart melt. The sleeping is still a struggle, she usually only sleeps in my arms and I often wished for an extra set of mummy hands so I was over the moon when I discovered the MamaRoo by US brand 4 Moms is now available in Australia.
As soon as I had seen the MamaRoo video clip I knew it was exactly what I needed: a super clever infant seat that recreates the soothing, rocking motion of a loving mama. Designed by real mums the MamaRoo offers a range of different motions just like the ones most mums make whilst holding their baby. Going well beyond the standard motion of ordinary rockers, bouncers and swings the MamaRoo is so life-like that babies feel comforted and safe as if they were in mummy’s arms.
The 4 Moms MamaRoo is easy to assemble and you can tell straight away that the materials used are durable and of high quality. Once you have set up the frame of the seat the cover simply zips on, click in the toy bar and you’re ready. The reclining seat with 3-point safety harness is adjustable to any position making it suitable from birth. The seat cover is washable which is very practical, we all know accidents happen with little ones.
The MamaRoo toy bar offers great entertainment (black/white pattern on one side, colours on the other)
To start using the MamaRoo just turn on the power (AC/DC power adaptor is included), select the motion of your choice and press start. With five great motions to choose from your baby will never be bored in the MamaRoo. Our two favourites for bedtime are the rock-a-bye and car ride, whilst the kangaroo is always a hit for playtime. The handy LCD display shows the moving pattern of each motion and speed level (1-5) and as the screen is backlit you can even control it in a dimmed room.
Sometimes it takes a little more than movement and visual entertainment to keep your baby happy. Whether you like to cheer your baby up with traditional nursery rhymes or the tunes of your favourite band, it’s all up to you. Simply plug your portable music player into the MamaRoo base and your baby can share in your complete music library. Alternatively the MamaRoo also plays five soothing nature sounds like the sound of the ocean or white noise which are perfect to put your little one to sleep, the volume is adjustable.
MamaRoo Backlit LCD Display
Whilst we still have a long way to go with the sleeping I am extremely grateful for the improvement we have seen. When Sybil falls asleep in my arms I just place her in the MamaRoo which continues the rocking motion for me. She sleeps peacefully, oblivious to the fact she is being tricked, and I can spend time with my other children and even do some chores. For our family the MamaRoo has become unmissable and it looks great in the living room too.
Fast asleep and I’ve got my hands free!
If you are like me and you don’t always have an extra set of hands to hold the baby the MamaRoo is a brilliant assistant to have. It is cheaper than a nanny, always ready for duty and it is quieter than your mother-in-law, for me it has been a real sanity saver. The MamaRoo has a generous 11.3kg weight limit so it can be enjoyed much longer than most other seats around. Priced at RRP $379.95 it is a little more expensive than most other seats on the market but as it is much more than just a seat I think it is well worth the investment.
The MamaRoo is available in three different seat designs to suit your taste and decor: Black, Multi-colour and Silver.
You can tell Mother’s Day is around the corner by the type of junk mail in your letterbox. If you can believe the catalogues perfume, pyjamas, chocolates and toiletries are the most popular gifts and let’s not forget jewellery. Now I don’t know if it is just me but you would not make me happy with most of the jewellery in stores. Aside from the fact that it is often far from beautiful (in my opinion) most of it is also not practical for busy mums.
Delicate chains that brake at the tiniest pull of baby hands, small gaps for bacteria to grow in and rock solid (or even toxic!) materials that will damage that cute first tooth of your inquisitive, teething baby, surely there has to be a better option? Australian mama Jennifer decided to take matters into her own hands and designed a beautiful range of teething jewellery that is both safe and stylish for mum and baby and so Harper+Hudson was born.
The Harper+Hudson range offers a lovely selection of teething necklaces and teething bangles in a rainbow of colours and styles to suit your taste, mood and outfit. All products are made with non-toxic 100% food grade silicone that is gentle on baby’s gums and teeth. Silicone is a fantastic choice of material as it does not support the growth of bacteria, fungus or mould and it is also completely free from BPA, PVC, phthalates, cadmium and lead. No nasties near your baby!
Baby Sybil may not be teething just yet but she is starting to get a little fidgety while feeding, these colourful necklaces are a great distraction and she often grabs hold of them (no more scratching my skin or her own little hands). If I get to wear my necklace that is because my other two girls love wearing Harper+Hudson too. Handy for mum: You can even wash your Harper+Hudson jewellery in the dishwasher, how easy is that?
To find out more about Harper+Hudson, to browse the range and to order online visit www.harperandhudson.com.au. Shipping is free Australia wide.
For your chance to win a 3-piece Harper+Hudson prize pack containing a Dahlia and Willow necklace and Allegra bracelet in your choice of colour (subject to availability) visit www.harperandhudson.com.au and answer the following question: Which colours would you choose if you were to be our lucky winner?
Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.
If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:
LeapFrog Farm Mash-Up is designed for children aged 12-36 months and while our daughter is at the end of the age range she still very much loves playing with it. The compact ‘basket’ is perfect for small children’s hands and thanks to the handle it can easily be carried from room to room. When the handle is up the basket is automatically ‘locked’ so the contents can’t fall out when your little tot is on the move.
LeapFrog Mash-Up is a relatively small toy but there is lots to see, do and listen to. Learn about colours, practise sounds and animal names and sing along with familiar children’s songs (it plays 5 famous nursery songs like Old MacDonald and Farmer in the Dell) and new songs about the animals you’ve made (36 different songs). Of course placing the shapes in the right spot on the lid and pressing the music button it also great exercise for fine motor skills.
