Thursday, May 31, 2012

Baby Aspen's Baby Pilot Outfit

Every once in a while my husband takes a work trip on a client's company jet. So when Baba G arrived, this client sent us Baby Aspen's Big Dreamzzz Baby Pilot outfit as a gift. How appropriate, no?
The package it comes in is a faux piece of luggage, very creative
It's cool-looking on its own . . .


Ready for liftoff! Or maybe just having fun here on the ground
But even better ON!


The size of this outfit is 0 - 6 months, and it fits Baba G perfectly right now (he's 4 months old and closing in on 16 pounds).

When I was looking up the product information for this post, I saw that the Baby Aspen brand makes a bunch of other unique outfits as well. Here are just a few:


Practical? No. Cute? Oh yeah. Buggin' out!



For all you Top Chef fansGet me a bottle, stat!


I seriously could've pasted in like 200 more pictures. Baby Aspen offers much more than outfits—they have toys, blankets, stuffed animals, etc.—so definitely check out their site if you like what you've seen above.

ANYWHO, I can only speak for the pilot outfit, whose material is nice and soft. I've washed it already and the design held up just fine. Clearly BG found it comfy enough to take a snooze in.

We're stuck on the runway 'cause the pilot's zonked out!
Sorry, this flight has been DELAYED.

The bottom line: The Big Dreamzzz Baby Pilot outfit (about $29 at Amazon) is one of those things that I probably would've never found (or bought) on my own, so I'm very glad we were lucky enough to be given it as a gift. I plan to order Baby Aspen products for friends' kids in the future because they're so unusual and cool. Highly recommend!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Peepee Teepee

In my friend Charles Duhigg's best-selling book The Power of Habit, he talks about how there's no other time in your life where your buying habits are more susceptible to influence than when you're a new parent. So I'm gonna chalk up my purchase of several Peepee Teepee designs to not-being-right-in-the-head new-parentdom.

These things—and their official product name is The Peepee Teepee for the Sprinkling WeeWee—are useless. Why I wouldn't have figured this out before I bought them is beyond me. They're these little cloth-lined cones that are supposed to stop you from getting peed on by your baby boy.

They will not stop you from getting peed on by your baby boy.

Do you really think this little thing is going to stay put on a wiggling newborn? No. No, it is not.

Rock 'n Roll right offa the baby
The "Skulls" design

Absorbent? I wouldn't know.
I guess softness would matter IF IT STAYED ON

I'd picked up three multi-packs of the Peepee Teepees on a whim while in one of my favorite baby boutiques. I returned two of those designs after I realized what an idiot I'd been, but had already opened the Skulls.

So I put one of the teepees on Baba G just for show. The napkin-looking thing he's holding is what we usually use to cover up "that area" in an attempt to avoid getting peed on. Even that doesn't always work, but it's damn sure better than a mini-cone that immediately falls off. At least Baba G stayed still for 2 seconds in order for me to take a picture. But if he knew I was going to post it for all of the world to see, he probably would've revolted.

Really, Mom? Really?
This is the face of a baby planning revenge.

The bottom line: Definitely don't buy The Peepee Teepee for actual use. But if you're looking for, say, a funny decoration or conversation-starter at a baby shower, or maybe as a bow-alternative on a present or something like that, then go wild. They're only about $10 for a multi-pack.

PS - As with all of my reviews, if someone's had a drastically different experience with a product, I'd love to hear about it. But I just can't imagine anyone finding these things helpful.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The HALO SleepSack Swaddle

From the time Baba G was first born until he was around three months old, we'd use the Aden & Anais blankets to swaddle him (using The Happiest Baby on the Block wrapping method). It worked like a charm, and he was a great sleeper. (Don't hate us 'cause we lucked out in that department, all you zombified parents!)

He still IS a great sleeper (once again, don't hate!) thanks to the HALO SleepSack Swaddle. Once Baba G became strong enough to wiggle out of the A&A wraps, we knew it was time for Plan B. I didn't want to go cold turkey with no swaddle whatsoever, because he 1) has a tendency to scratch his face up pretty badly after flailing about during sleep-time, no matter how often I trim his nails, and 2) I didn't think he WOULD sleep through the night if he all of a sudden went from being in a straight-jacket to no restrictions on his limbs whatsoever.

The SleepSack Swaddle is a good in-between, because he can move his legs around but his arms pretty much have to stay in place. He also can't roll over (which he is now strong enough to do when not in a swaddle).

Safe and secure
Zzzzzz...

In case you can't tell from the picture above or have otherwise never seen one of these contraptions, it's basically a sleeveless bag that you put your kid in, and then those side-flaps cross over his stomach, holding his arms down. They attach to the bag with Velcro so you can adjust the snugness as needed.

Baba G, now four months old, is in fact strong enough to move his arms around underneath the Velcroed flaps -- but by the time he's doing that, he's already slept through the night and is on his way to waking up.

One of my favorite parts of the day is taking him out of the SleepSack, or watching my husband do it. I always like to shout, "BREAK FREE!" when we rip the Velcro tabs off, and then Baba G  immediately stretches out like so:

Slowly but surely...
Sssstttreeettttch it out! (Picture taken while bedroom light was still off, hence the blurriness)

Then he takes some time to let the prospects of the new day sink in:

Why are you taking pictures of me in the dark, Mommy?
Light is STILL off at this point


He likes to babble for up to a good hour before feeding time
Lights on... getting in a good stretch!

And then finally he goes for his toes. Once he starts gnawing off his toes and fingers I know it's feeding time. But we are very lucky to have one happy baby boy.


Moves Like Baba
I bet you can't do this! (Or at least EAT your toes...)

Believe you me, I am dreading the day (which is coming very, very soon) where we need to bid adieu to the SleepSack Swaddle. It's so easy to use and I just love it. But Baba G's pediatrician said we need to start phasing him out of being swaddled in any way. Stay tuned on how much longer he keep sleeping through the night . . .

The bottom line: WORTH the $16 - $25 you'll spend (Amazon prices). Can you really put a price on a good night's sleep? No, no you cannot. Be sure you pay attention to the sizing and availability; I ordered one in Blue from Amazon without checking its status and then realized it wouldn't be in stock for several months. There's really only two sizes, too: Newborn and Small.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Trumpette Socks

Many new parents receive a ridiculous amount of socks for their new arrivals. Before they actually try any of them on their little bundles of joy, they might think something along the lines of, "socks are socks." But they would be wrong.

There is one brand that makes far superior socks (that are cool, to boot): Trumpette.



Giddy-up!Don't raise your daughter to be a Black Swan, please...





How dainty! For moguls in the making



These socks rock because they actually STAY ON. The thing about babies is that they wiggle around like fools. They also seem to not like things on their feet. And one of the first things they learn to do is kick. Put all of that together and you have eight pounds of determination to Get. Socks. OFF.

A lot of baby socks are loose or otherwise shapeless and fall off as soon as you pick your kid up from the changing table. Others might last for, oh, TWO MINUTES. But, as I wrote mere seconds ago, Trumpettes stay on.

We received two boxes of the "Skater Johnny" kind and I just love these things.

Rockin' the Mickey hoodie!
Back when Baba G was a teeny little guy

They're just the right colors to be able to match with nearly all of Baba G's outfits. Having two sets has been nice because lots of them are usually in the wash. Although we didn't register for these socks, we're really happy we got the design we did, because my husband wears checkered Vans and that's what the Skater Johnnies look like. (Other designs resemble other popular brands of shoes, like Converse high-tops and whatnot, but they're clearly not able to name them as such.)


Best onesie ever!
He grew! And clearly the socks fit a little bit better now.

Are there socks other than Trumpettes that Baba G can wear happily and not wiggle out of? Yes. And maybe I'll write about some of those brands one day. But nothing's going to beat the Trumpettes!

Dreaming of . . . ? I REALLY wish I knew.
Sleeping happily with warm piggies (that's toes to you normal people)

The bottom line: These make EXCELLENT gifts (most designs come in cute multi-packs). If you don't receive any as gifts, buy some! Or wait until you start losing your mind when your baby's socks won't stay on and his feet are freezing cold and THEN buy some and curse yourself for having to pay an extra $15 for express delivery. They usually go for around $27.50 for six pairs.

PS - I thought Trumpettes only made socks, but they make a lot of other cool stuff for babies and toddlers and kids, too. Check out this "cocoon" thing! How do I get an adult-sized one of these? (I'm serious.)

I'm sure the Snuggie company's already on this.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Unsolicited Advice: Use Dreft for Everything. EVERYTHING.

When I was thinking about starting up this blog, one of the first "columns" of sorts that came to mind was one where I'd give unsolicited advice. Not the kind about how to parent your kid or anything like that, because lord knows there are enough people with opinions out there who will start hollering at you the second they see you with a baby. To those people I would like to say: SHUT IT. Every mom and every dad—with the exception of 90% of reality TV stars—knows what's best for their own children, thank you very much.

What kind of advice am I going to dole out then? The kind I wish someone had given me. The totally random kind. The kind that tells you how Dreft is made by magical elves and/or wizards who've come up with a way for you to turn back the clock on junior's poo- and spit-up-covered onesie. Spray said onesie with some Dreft stain-treater, throw it in the wash with Dreft detergent, and voila! It's like new once again.

See that A and A blankie in there?
Let's do this.
I don't know what it is about baby, um, by-products, but dammit if they don't ruin everything. One day I am going to do a post about the set-up I have when I feed Baba G, and you are going to die laughing at my TEN THOUSAND BLANKETS I have covering every square inch of my bedroom. Why do I go to such ridiculous lengths? Because the one time I didn't, BG threw up all over and it of course leaked onto our mattress and one of my nice pillowcases, and then when I used my normal stain remover on it, it didn't work and now I'm bitter.

But what DOES work? Dreft. After The Bed Incident I started using Dreft on my own clothes that were decimated by Baba G's many types of leaks. My skin will break out if the wind blows on it the wrong way, so I was really paranoid about using a new detergent (I've used Era since I can remember), but lo and behold, I've had no reactions to it.

As I tend to do, I proceeded to go overboard and buy every single product that Dreft makes. ALL OF THE DREFT. That's what I bought.

Why are they only marketing this stuff to parents of newborns? IT IS THE BEST.
Got that one. And that one. And that one . . .
You laugh at me now, but just wait until your fancy duvet cover or the sweater you love or the pants you just bought or some other thing you'd like to use/wear again gets covered in nasty baby goo. Then you will be running to your closest grocery store and crying because they're out of Dreft (this actually happened to me—curse you, CVS!) and wishing you'd stocked up like I told you to.


Friday, May 18, 2012

Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle Wraps

I hesitated before starting this post today, because when a product has literally thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, it doesn't exactly need any additional hype. But then I remembered that my goal in creating this site was to help people who might not otherwise be aware learn about baby and pregnancy products that rock. (Or suck.) And the fact is, I'd never heard of Aden & Anais blankets until the time came for me to build my registry and solicit opinions from my friends. Only then did I realize how universally beloved these wraps are. So I'm covering them on Baba G & Me in case 1) your friends aren't as in-the-know as mine, or 2) you don't have kids (or perhaps you do but they're well past the baby stage) and you're buying a shower/baby gift for someone and wouldn't have a clue about A&A if it weren't for little old me.

I think we have ALL THE DESIGNS
A typical four-pack


Why are the Aden & Anais blankets so special? As my friend CM said when sharing her experience with her newborn son, "They are by far the best blankets for swaddling." Her husband considered himself something of an Expert Swaddler (I'm proud to say my own husband eventually joined those prestigious ranks) and felt that the muslin material A&A used was the key. It is lightweight, soft, and stretchy, and can hold a swaddle-wrap together no matter how squirmy the baby.

Here's poor little Baba G when he was just a matter of days old, not knowing what in the hell is going on, all swaddled up in an A&A blanket next to his friend the fox. (We take this same picture, without him in a swaddle, on his monthly birthdays.)

I can't move -- let me outta this thing!
Mom, this is embarrassing.

BG has grown out of a swaddle at night (we use a Halo Sleepsack now, which I'll write about soon), but we still go through many, many A&A blankets daily. While I rely on the BRU burp cloths for major spit-up duty, I absolutely always have at least two A&A blankets by me when it's feeding time, because they're large, absorbent and really easy to throw across a room. (As in, "Quick, he's spitting up! Throw me some blankets!" - me to my husband, or vice versa, on too many ill-prepared occasions to count.)

We use them for a ton of other things, too. Like putting them under Baba G when he's drooling on his playmat. 


The Bee design is his Grammy's favorite
Bring on the drool!

Or as a lightweight cover when he's taking a snooze on a warm day. (Don't worry, we never leave him unattended with a blanket in the Pack 'n Play.)

Dreaming of turtles?
Too cool for school

Now that BG's showing signs of teething, I sometimes put an A&A blanket over my shoulder when I'm carrying him in case he feels the urge to bite down on something. He seems to like the feel of the swaddles, both to the touch and in his mouth. Who am I to deny him, right?

The bottom line: Since we have at least 20 of these blankets, I think it's safe to say that we love them. They get softer and softer with each wash, too. The only downside is that during the first few washings you will have A LOT of white fluff in your lint filter. But it's worth it! They're about $38 for a four-pack, of which there are ENDLESS designs.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Babies R Us Interlock Burp Cloths

I put my husband in charge of all of the big-ticket items on our registry (he basically just went from whatever was recommended in Baby Bargains), and then I rounded the list out with the basics. Things like onesies, blankets, washcloths, bath stuff, and burp cloths.

I don't even remember choosing the Babies R Us Interlock Burp Cloths out of the ridiculous number of burp-cloth options available, but I'm incredibly glad I did. These things ended up being THE BEST, most absorbent cloths on the planet.

The other three are in the wash, of course
Who knew these would be some of my favorite baby things?
So much so that I ordered six more of them (they come in three-packs) a month ago because I couldn't be without them when the original three were all in the wash together. I've got two blue sets and one yellow set. But they of course also come in pink.

In the early days, Baba G would spit up a ton. Somehow these cloths would take all of that wetness in and still feel dry to the touch when picked up again later on. I think there's some sort of magic in them.

The other great thing about them is their size. Perfect for tucking under dribbly chins without getting in the way.
Approaching Milk Coma status
Chug, chug, chug!
The bottom line: Affordable (they're $10.99 for three, but are often a part of BRU's many, many sales) and SO useful. If you're a new parent or a parent-to-be, put these on your registry without hesitation (assuming you're registering at Babies R Us, that is). If you're buying someone a baby gift and these cloths are NOT on their registry list, buy them anyway. Your friends will thank you later when they realize how nice it is to pick up a cloth that is NOT all slimy and wet, trust me.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Leachco Back 'n Belly Contoured Body Pillow


First and most importantly, I hope all of the moms reading this had a happy Mother's Day—especially the first-timers like myself. A big group of my relatives stayed over at my condo this weekend until Monday afternoon, hence my lack of a post yesterday. But in the continuing spirit of honoring moms, and moms-to-be in particular, I figured I'd review the Leachco Back 'n Belly Contoured Body Pillow today.

As I mentioned when I wrote about the Prenatal Cradle, this pillow is the heavens' gift to pregnant women.
Your significnant other will be jealous, mark my words.
Best. Invention. Ever.

I couldn't sleep without it. I tried (because I didn't have a choice) during the week we went to the Bahamas for our "babymoon," and ended up annoying the Guest Services team at the Atlantis by requesting 20 bazillion extra pillows in order to compensate for being without the Leachco miracle product.

Yes, I really did use them all during the night.
There were even more pillows OFF of the bed when I took this picture

So why is this pillow the bomb? Because you don't need to move it or readjust it or flip it over your body if you switch sides during the night. Unlike the most common pregnancy pillows, which look something like this . . .

Weak sauce.
This is not a gigantic unstriped candy cane, sorry.

. . .  the Leachco Back 'n Belly pillow allows you to move around during the night without hauling the pillow over your body, which—I'm sorry to break it to you ladies in your first trimester—you won't be able to do in the later weeks anyway.

I started using the pillow during my 16th week, before I was really even showing. But by that point I was already uncomfortable at night and HATED the feeling that my stomach was "hanging." I'm usually a back sleeper, and as I'm sure you know, you're not really supposed to sleep on your back once you get a bit bigger because it crushes some important artery (I can't even remember anymore and it's only been a few months!). This pillow saved me. Until the final days before Baba G arrived (he was 10 days overdue, by the way), I was able to get a good night's sleep, which apparently is pretty rare from what others tell me.

I even hauled the pillow with me on a five-hour drive back to Michigan for my baby shower! My only regret is that I didn't buy it a few weeks sooner. Since I took no blackmail pics of me sleeping with this thing, here is one of the marketing photos:

I honestly do wish I'd taken a pic of myself with the pillow now.
Look at how happy she is!

You can't really tell from this picture, but it helps support your stomach and align your back.

So there has to be something wrong with it, right? Well, I honestly had no complaints, but here are three small things that I've seen discussed in reviews of the product on Amazon. I do understand where people are coming from with these gripes:

1) If you have a small bed, this pillow is gonna eat up the majority of your space. But hey, you are bringing a new life into this world, so your significant other can deal with clinging to the edge of the mattress for a few months. We have a king bed and had no issues. In fact, my husband ended up hugging the side of the pillow closest to him half the time.

2) It's not the easiest thing to wash. Its cover is kind of tough to get on and off, I'll admit. But at the risk of grossing you out, I'll also admit that I never washed it during my pregnancy, anyway. I was always wearing pajamas and had a towel over the top part (see #3) so it's not like it got dirty or anything. They also make replacement covers for those so inclined to switch colors up every once in a while.

3) The area where you put your head isn't the comfiest. I NEVER found this to be the case, but some chick wrote a huge post on Amazon, complete with video (if I'm remembering correctly), complaining about how the material stretched in a weird way near the head area and she found it all uncomfortable. There is a ridiculously easy solution to this problem: drape a towel or pillowcase across the top and sleep on it that way. That's what I did because I preferred the feel of my pillowcases (or a towel, if I went to bed right after a shower with my hair still wet) over the cover that comes with the pillow. Voila, problem solved. No need to freak out, crazy Amazon reviewer lady!

The bottom line: This pillow is worth way more than the $60 it costs. BUY IT. You are going to use it every night (and probably during the day for naps) for at least six months of your pregnancy—that's  33 cents a day at the most, people! I actually continued to use it for several weeks after Baba G arrived until I was feeling relatively back to normal.

I threw it out after that point because it's just too hard to store in a condo with hardly any closet space like ours. But if you have any pets, you might consider letting them use it once your little bundle of joy is here.
Some guy posted this on Amazon. My dog's now mad he didn't get to try it out!
Even non-humans agree that this pillow rocks.


Friday, May 11, 2012

Baby Elephant Ears

I picked up Baby Elephant Ears on a whim. I was in a local baby-product boutique to return something, saw them, and bought them (in the style below) because I thought they were cool. They ended up being quite useful, too, I'm happy to report.

Here's what they look like on their own:
And here's Baba G using them in the Rainforest Bouncer when he was teeny-tiny:


So you get the point of them, right? They're for head support when your baby is just a newborn and his head's falling all over the place. I used them with Baba G in the bouncer, his car seat (both in the car and when it was attached to our stroller), and in his MamaRoo (will write that crazy thing up soon).

As you can see from the manufacturer's web site, they make them in more designs than you could possibly imagine.


The bottom line: A useful product, but you'll likely only use it for a few months. Baba G got too big to use the Ears in his car seat/stroller very quickly (because his car seat already had built-in head support, so the Ears crowded him too much). They were helpful for the bouncer and MamaRoo for a month longer, but he was definitely done with them by his three-month birthday.

Worth $21 for a few months? They were for us, but might not be for you, as you can definitely achieve the same results with some rolled up blankets or other means of head support. However, Baby Elephant Ears might make a cute shower or newborn gift, especially if you don't think the new parents would splurge on a non-necessity such as this.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Prenatal Cradle Plus

There were very few products I felt like I couldn't live without during my pregnancy. In fact, there were really only TWO products that I would consider "must-haves": the Prenatal Cradle Plus and the Leachco Back 'N Belly Pillow (which I'll devote an entire post to in the near future).

For today, let's talk about the Prenatal Cradle Plus—which from here on out will be referred to as the PCP.

This is not a spoof ad!
I wore this every day for months. For real.

Yes, this thing is the most ridiculous-looking contraption ever. When I first saw it, I thought it was a sort of mountain-climbing gear for pregnant chicks. But no, it's something that you actually need (if you were as uncomfortable as I was walking around, that is).

Before I was halfway to my due date, I started feeling like Baba G was going to—for lack of a less disturbing visual—fall out. I also caught myself walking around with both hands under my stomach, trying to hold it up. I knew I couldn't go on for several more months like this, so I paid heed to the advice in my Expecting 411 book (a GREAT book, by the way), which claimed that a support garment such as the PCP was the way to go. And they were right.

After I put this thing on, I was extremely mad at myself for not buying one sooner. I would've been so much happier. It makes you feel like you're more compact—that's the best way I can describe it. During the first few months I was wearing it, I'd almost forget I was pregnant. Near the end of my pregnancy, I was never without it.

Also, while it's meant to help most while you're walking around, I wore it constantly. Since I'm a writer, I spend the majority of my day sitting down, and I still feel like it helped. The worst times for me during my pregnancy were when I was in the shower and had nothing to help hold my stomach in and up. So I would clamor for the PCP as soon as I dried off.

Look at me bum! Touch it, love it!
Unfortunately it does not come with this rockin' neon purple Spandex suit

If you don't think you could stand the jock-strap-ish thing, fear not! You don't even have to get/buy that part. I wanted it, but it's the "Plus" in the Prenatal Cradle. Without it, the garment looks like this:

Look Ma! No V2 support!
SO much more fashionable, am I right?

Here's something I learned: that jock-strap-ish thing provides "V2 support." You can click here if you really want to know what that is.

There are two downsides to the PCP:
1) No matter what the marketing copy on the packaging says, it's REALLY tough to hide this thing under your clothes. I was lucky in that I was at the end of my term during the winter months, so I had sweaters that covered it up. It would probably be a lot tougher to do during the summer, but even if you only wore it around at home, I think it would be worth it. 

2) If you get the V2 support piece, I can't lie, you're gonna get a wedgie. But that's a small price to pay in the whole scheme of other not-so-fun things about being pregnant.


The bottom line: I could not recommend the Prenatal Cradle Plus more highly. Every pregnant woman should buy one. It is tied with the Leachco pillow (which, once again, I'll write up soon) for the best $60 you can spend in return for nine months of comfort.

And no, I didn't take any pictures of myself wearing it. Do you think I'm crazy? Can you say "blackmail"?

- e

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer

What better product to give First Review status to than the gizmo that inspired this site? That would be the Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer. I had sent my parents and in-laws (who bought the bouncer for BG) some pictures of BG having a ball in it, and my parents emailed me back with a picture of my brother's old-school "bouncer" from the late '70s. As you can see, I provided all of his entertainment—no flashing lights or moving parts in those days!

Entertain me, dammit!
No frills


Compare my brother's seat to BG's over-the-top gizmo:


Never fails to amuse
Side view: Hello Mr. Toad!





Happy happy Baba G!
Still loving it after 3 months

Aaahhh! What to look at first?
His view: Talk about your sensory overload...

So what does this bouncer DO, you ask? I think the real question is: What doesn't it do?

It vibrates, plays rainforest sounds OR little musical ditties (that I don't find annoying, believe it or not), has a glowing waterfall that appears to be flowing, features two little critters—a toad and a monkey—that pop up and down (BG REALLY likes the toad), a blue bird that bobs back and forth on top if you pull back its spring, and a toucan and monkey hanging down that your little one can grab onto.

BG has actually fallen asleep with one hand gripped on each animal, like a steering wheel or something.

Here's a short video of him enjoying the bouncer's tunes:







Some of my friends' kids love bouncy seats like this one, whereas others seem partial to swings. We have both (I'll review the swing some day soon) and I think BG likes them both (but for different reasons). However, he's in the bouncy seat more. And before anyone hollers at me, by "more" I only mean for short spans of time—not hours and hours, and never unattended. Though on that note I should mention that there's a little belt that straps babies in and keep them from sliding down too much.

There's no way to know if your baby will like a bouncy seat until you try one out. And there are tons of different themes and designs, but I do know that this one we have is especially loved and highly rated by the likes of Baby Bargains.

It retails for around $60, but on Amazon right now it's going for $35.50.

The bottom line: BABA G highly recommends!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Welcome to Baba G & Me!

I know what you're thinking.

WHO IS BABA G?

Baba G (also known as Baba Ghanoush, as well as BG) is my son. Or, rather, Baba G was the nickname my husband and I gave our son while I was pregnant, but we still call him that sometimes. We have no idea why we picked this nickname—probably because it's catchy and it's from one of our favorite movies, Wedding Crashers. Owen Wilson's character calls Vince Vaughn's character "Baba Ghanoush" precisely ONE time during the entire film, but I guess it made a lasting impression on us. (If you want to watch the scene in question, it's here.)

With a fox. Get it?
Happy three-month birthday to me!
SO WHAT'S YOUR KID'S REAL NAME?

Desmond Fox. The story behind his name can be found here.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS SITE?

I've been in awe of all of the crazy gizmos and gadgets, toys and books that our very generous friends and family members have lavished upon little Baba. But let's face it, we hardly NEED any of it. One day I was watching him squeal with delight in his Rainforest Bouncer—complete with moving animals and lighted waterfall and accompanying music—and I got the urge to start writing reviews of some of my favorite (and least favorite) baby (and pregnancy) products.

The last time I felt such a strong pull to write, it resulted in my LOST fan blog Long Live Locke . . . which led to me leaving Corporate America, publishing a book and becoming a film critic, so I've learned to listen to my gut. Besides, I actually have two degrees in Marketing, so I guess the remnants of my past career are rearing their heads and encouraging me to tell it like it is so that pregnant couples, new parents, grandparents, or anyone who ever has to buy someone a shower/baby gift has a little guidance. All of the products I review have either been purchased by me or given to Baba G as a gift. I'm not shilling for The Man!

And as you can see from the pictures below, there are A LOT of things on which I'll be sharing my opinions. The biggest stuff couldn't even fit in the picture!


Yes, I'm spoiled!
The Winner (out of hundreds of shots)
What in the heck IS all this stuff?
The Runner-Up

I already have a long list of products I want to start writing up on a daily basis, and I've got enough in the queue to last months. At the time of this post, my son is four months old, so I'm going to try and tackle all of the true baby/newborn and pregnancy products first while they're still fresh in my mind. But by all means, if you ever have a suggestion for a review, or a question about whether or not we've tried a certain product, please leave a comment and I'll attempt to answer it or move an already planned review higher on the priority list!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy Baba G & Me.

Oh, and just like with my other blogs, don't forget to roll over the pictures for additional (snarky) captions. . . 

- e