Cole (5) took one look at the Alphabet Pop Top and proclaimed that baby toys were much better today than they were when he was a baby.  (All those maaaaaaaaaaany years ago!)  But I have to admit, this little toy is definitely compelling.  Even Cole sat by the box to play with it for a bit.  It plays fun music that you can turn on or off (Moms everywhere thank you for the “off” option, Bright Starts) and baby/toddler can press on the various colorful buttons to hear different songs and do different things.

As you guys can see in the picture, the animals on the bottom “pop” off at random which I am sure would delight any baby.

We didn’t play with the Chase Bumblebee but I would imagine this would also make any crawling or newly walking toddler very happy.  Press the buttons to get the toy to roll around, encouraging baby to move/crawl/walk after the Bumblebee.  Adorable, right?

Sometimes I see a baby product and I think, man, I wish I had that when my kids were younger!  The Pognae Baby Carrier is one of them.  Soft and comfy, this baby carrier is one both you and your baby will love!  I was a huge fan of baby carrying with my youngest – it’s so key to be hands free when you have more than one you have to deal with when you’re out and about.

One of the key things to look for with a carrier is comfortable straps.  Depending on how much your baby weighs, you want something that’s going to support that baby weight.  Love these padded straps from Pognae to help support carrying the baby.

There’s also a mesh cooling vent to help keep you and baby cool (it can be a workout to carry baby around).

The Pognae Baby Carrier comes in 8 different patterns that are all super cute!  They are normally $89 but range in price on sale right now for $55-$65.

Disclaimer: A sample (which is now being happily used by a friend with a newborn) was provided of a Pognae wrap.

In addition, they are launching new styles that will exclusively be available at Target including two styles with the Muppets, just in time for The Muppets movie which is being released on Nov. 23.  How cute are these new designs?   I’m literally laughed out loud at the gray “Party Animal” now – that’s just so perfect for a little baby boy.

A three-pack is $11.99 and here is a coupon for $3 off the 3-pack!  That’s a great deal!

When you’re shopping for a baby monitor, you’re more likely to end up at Babies R’ Us than at Best Buy, but here’s why you might want to consider this wireless network camera for your nursery.

Multi-purpose. Yes, it can work as a baby video monitor, but it can also function as a nanny cam, a homework time checker, a cat-better-stay-off-the-couch watcher, a who-really-is-eating-cookies-at-night viewer, a grandparents-in-Florida-can-watch-Junior’s-birthday-party device and a security camera. Plus with the built-in microphone, you can see and hear everything that’s going on.

Plug and play. D-Link makes set-up simple with their plug-n-play technology which only requires 3 easy steps to set the camera up. No configuring routers, no complicated wires. Simple, easy and done in minutes.

View from anywhere with internet access. Your living room, your neighbor’s house, across the ocean or on your smart phone (yes, there’s an app for that). Anywhere you can access the internet, you can log on to mydlink.com, enter your username and password and view the camera’s contents. This means you can check in on your baby while doing email in the living room, watch your house while you’re on vacation, or allow faraway relatives to get a glimpse of daily life or a special event.

Wireless. No need for wires draped across the room. The camera connects wirelessly to your network so the power cord is the only one you’ll have to deal with. (It can be plugged in too if your house isn’t wired for WiFi.)

Camera Management Software. While the camera is simple and easy to use, advanced users can access some of the product’s fancier features with the included D-ViewCam management software. With this software, users can set up trigger motion detection, record directly from the camera to a local hard drive, create recording schedules or e-mail alert notifications, and add additional cameras. (Software for for Windows PCs only.)

The mydlink-enabled Wireless N Network Camera ($79) definitely costs more than a basic audio baby monitor, but it’s comparable to some of the more expensive video and audio baby monitors on the market. And it can do a whole lot more.

Visit D-Link to learn more and find an online or local retailer.

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Note: D-Link sent a sample of this product for review.

The Month 1 Box from Citrus Lane includes all these great goodies pictured

Hey pregnant Moms & Moms of newborns, here’s a great giveaway from Citrus Lane:   The folks at Citrus Lane would like to give away one of their care packages.

The winner can choose from any of these four existing boxes, Newborn, Month 1, Month 4, and Bedtime for Year 2. Check out the pictures and click the ”See inside the box” link to see more details for each one.

Each box is valued at $45. Think of Citrus Lane is similar to a book of the month club.  It’s a subscription based service and subscribers receive 4-5 products in each box geared toward a specific baby age (newborn, one month, 18 months, etc, depending on which you choose).

It’s a surprise in each one!  Which is pretty neat because each product inside is a tried and true product that has been tested by real Moms.  You’ll may get products you didn’t even think to buy but can’t live without!

It’s a cool concept.  And one lucky Mommies with Style winner will receive one box of their choosing. Just enter by commenting below. One winner will be selected at random after September 6th.

Official Third Party Rules for Citrus Lane giveaways

With my first two children, we had a basic audio monitor and thought it was fine. I thought, at the time, that a video monitor was a frivolous purchase and not necessary. But after using the Slim&Secure video monitor, I have changed my tune. There are a number of reasons why.

We have been having my daughter sleep in her crib in her room from day one. With my other two children, I kept them in the bassinet, partly for convenience, but also because I wanted to be able to see them. This time, though, because of this video monitor, I have the confidence and peace of mind to leave her in her room. I can see and hear exactly what is happening with a crystal clear picture (in color, no less!) and crisp sound. Even in the dark at night, the picture changes to night view in black and white and is super clear and very easy to see. I never have to sneak into my daughters room to check in on her, I can just look at my monitor! (And I can see a much better picture on the monitor in the dark than I can if I were to sneak in the room!) Also, unlike my audio monitor, I have yet to have any interruption or cross-signal with my cordless phone or other electronic devices.

Some of the features that make this particular video monitor a great one include:

• 2.4 GHz digital technology for amazing picture quality and reception
• a large 2.5″ LCD screen, with bright color display during the daytime, and crisp black and white night vision
• Rechargeable batteries
• a super-light weight, easily portable, sleek-looking parents unit with belt-clip and stand
• conveniences like a screen that automatically turns off when not in use to save batteries and visual sound lights
• an A/C powered camera that can be wall-mounted or can be placed on a table top
• the capability to add up to 3 more cameras and easily switch between camera views on your parent handheld. This is great for use in other kids rooms or other areas of your house

All of these features add up to a great video  monitor that allows me to feel confident that my daughter is safe and happy in her crib. Check out the Slim&Secure color video monitor by Summer Infant as well as some of the other video monitors and great products that they offer for babies and kids.

She embroiders bibs and burp clothes with initials and baby’s name.  New Moms love personalized items and a bib and burp cloth makes an affordable and classy gift.  I love bringing a set to a hospital when I plan ahead.

Baby Sophia Gifts now offers a new product – Baby and Toddler Dresses for little girls. Personalize baby’s dress with an embroidered initial and a matching ribbon and this makes the ultimate gift.  Even better, the dresses are $22 each – a great price for a personalized gift.

Check out BabySophiaGifts.com – get free shipping on orders over $50 – be sure and mention Mommies  with Style at checkout so they know where you came from!

Find it at NurturedFamily.com.

mOmma also offers cups, bowls, spoons – find at Diapers.com.

There are a ton of websites out there that sell baby products, but how many can say that they also help to serve a cause?? I don’t know the exact number, but if I had to guess I’d say NOT MANY! One site that can say that is Annie Wear , which is a site that offers animal themed items for newborns, toddlers and kids up to a size 7. Who doesn’t like animal items??

The most rewarding aspect of AnnieWear is that portions of their sales are passed on to animal rescues. At least while you are shopping you can know you are doing something good at the same time! The site offers items in the categories of accessories, Apparel, bath time, bed time, blankets, footwear, hats, toys, gifts, for mom,  and outerwear. Not only do they sell some brands you may know like the Aden and Anais muslin sleep sacks, they also created their own product line. The Life Line and the Annie Line! Both offer 100% ring-spun combed cotton onesies and T-shirts in traditional and contemporary colors. The Annie Line features cute little Annie the dog.

Some featured brands on the site are:

• Aden + Anais offers muslin swaddle blankets, hooded towels, and washcloths. Muslin is a great material for newborns because it maintains breathability, as well as baby’s body temperature
• B’Amici – Check out B’Amici if you want a cute gift for a newborn without having to think! Packaged in sweet storybook boxes, their layette sets are no-brainer hits.
• Kicky Pants makes nearly all of their products from bamboo. Softer than silk, bamboo is the best material for babies with sensitive skin.
• Picolo Bambino offers such plush stuffed animals, lovies, and blankets that we just had to get them! See for yourself why we adore their products.

Among many others!

Annie Wear has something for everyone, and is a great place to buy yourself or someone else that special gift. Plus you can feel good that you are helping out animals in need.

Annie Wear is offering the Mommies With Style readers a 15% discount! Just use the code BLOG2011 at check out!

I was provided with a sleep sack and outfit from Anniewear for the purposes of this review. As always all opinions are my own.

Diapers.com has made it easy on a new Mom by releasing a list of their top 10 Car Seats and top 10 Strollers from 2010 based on sales on their website.

The neat thing too is that the Car Seat list is broken down into categories.  They’ve got infant car seats, convertible car seats, toddler seats and boosters so you can see based on the age of your child.  The Britax Marathon was the #1 for convertible car seats, which I noticed is currently 20% off on the site if you’re in the market. (All Britax are 20% off, use coupon code 20BRITAX)

Strollers are broken down into the following categories:  lightweight, standard-size, jogging strollers, double & triple strollers and travel systems.   I was thrilled to see that my favorite stroller with my last son, the Baby Jogger City Mini made #1 for Lightweight strollers.

New Moms, be sure to check out the lists and find what’s right for you.  There are some wonderful suggestions on all of the lists and it can be tough to navigate the decision with all of the information out there – here you see what ranks top repeatedly over the course of a year and I think it’s invaluable information.

You can also have a Baby Registry on Diapers.com to list some of these great car seats and strollers!

This post is sponsored by BabyCenter in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network.