Baby Feeder Revisited

Two and a half years ago I reviewed this baby feeder and gave it one star mainly because my son would not even put this in his mouth.  Good thing my mother-in-law never read that post because for Christmas she bought our youngest son this feeder and he loves it:

This is a similar but simpler design than the other feeders.  The first style that I reviewed had a total of three pieces, where as these new ones are just made of one piece.  I like the simplicity of this design better mainly because there aren't any parts to lose.  The best part?  They are dishwasher safe and that makes clean up a cinch!

So far Asher has only enjoyed chewing on a hunk of banana, but I'm sure more foods will make their way into these great feeders.  I guess this just goes to show (again) that just because one baby likes or doesn't like something it doesn't mean the same will be true for any subsequent babies.

Popsicle molds: 4 Stars

My mom use to always make homemade kool-aid popsicles in the summer time. I think she had a tupperware version of these popsicle molds. Well recently I found these at Wal-mart and made some blueberry yogurt pops for Ethan. They were really easy. I just used my food processor to blend the blueberries into a slurry and added vanilla yogurt. The proof is in the picture:

He loves them! I know summer is almost over, but maybe you can find some of these molds for sale in the upcoming months. I also have a chocolate pudding pop recipe, but I haven't tried it out yet.

Insulated Food Container, i.e. a Thermos, 5 Stars

I recently went shopping for my son's new year at preschool. This year he has to bring a packed lunch everyday (what a big boy!). Not only does he have to have a packed lunch, but it needs to contain all finger foods! When I shopped for lunch boxes at Target and Walmart I was shocked to find that the lunch boxes of old are gone! There are no more plastic boxes with matching thermoses. I was shocked, and a little sad. Instead they did have food sized thermoses, but they were all over $12.00. Well, my friend suggested that I check out Land's End online for lunch boxes and thermoses. They sell a set of two of the above "insulated food containers" for only $15.00. How cool is that? Not only do I think I got a deal, but I have two thermoses so I don't have to wash his thermos everynight.

So, what will I put in this thermos for my son to eat? In September of 2007, Parents magazine published a list of suggested foods to go in a thermos that would remain hot until lunch time. Of course, I suggest priming your thermos with boiling water before placing your food in it. I'll let you know how these suggestions work out as I use them, and if you have a suggestion of thermos stuffers, please leave it as a comment here! Some of these are more finger food friendly than others, but I'm sure I'll try them all before we get to grade school.

• Mexican rice and beans
• Pizza bread (cut to fit)
• Chicken nuggets
• Bacon and eggs
• Leftover Chinese food
• Chili (with chips on the side)
• Mini ravioli with butter and grated Parmesan cheese
• Pasta rings with peas and corn
• Grilled cheese (cut to fit)
• Red beans and rice
• Pasta salad (cold)
• Macaroni and cheese
  

I'll be posting more lunch ideas on my family blog so look there if you are looking for some alternates to PB&J. I hope everyone had a great start to the school year and I hope these lunch ideas spawn some creativity in all of us!

Bébé au Lait: 4 Stars

So even though I did not get to breastfeed my son, I had hopes to and I bought this before he was born. Since I could not use it I let my friend Laura (who had a 6 month old at the time) borrow it for the duration of her lactation (ha!). This neat breastfeeding cover fits like an apron and has a plastic half loop in it to keep it open while your little one feeds. The adjustable strap is awesome because no matter how much your little one squirms or pulls on the cover, it won't come off or drop down. The loop also holds the cover open so you can see what your little one is up to with just a glance. On one corner of the cover there is a piece of terry cloth for "quick clean up" if needed.

I look forward to using this cover in the future, and as for Laura her comment was, "Where has this thing been for 6 months?"

Bébé au Laits can be purchased from their website and come in all different patterns. They just came out with an organic cotton line and a silk line that I think would be neat (and beautiful) too. They are also sold under the name of Hooter Hiders which makes me grin every time I see the label. For those really in style moms they also sell matching burp cloths! These might seem a little pricey but since purchasing mine I have received several coupons that I have been able to pass on to friends.

Booster Seat: 5 Stars

When we first registered for our baby we registered for a beautiful full size wooden high chair. After receiving the high chair we asked for, we realized just how much space it would take up in our house. With two 75+ pound dogs and their two crates in our dining room we realized something smaller would be better for our family. We returned the big highchair in exchange for this booster seat by Fisher-Price.

We never could have imagined how much this chair has come in handy. Not only is it small (the back folds down and the bottom feet collapse in), but the height is also adjustable. It has made the trip to several friends' houses and my in-laws have even bought one of their own. It is also great because if you are having a dinner party after the kiddos are in bed, it can be taken off of the chair it is on and the chair is now free for your guests. The extra tray is nice but I have to admit that I don't use it often. Actually right now we hardly ever use the tray at all. We just set the chair to the tallest setting and pull it right up to the table. This seat can be found at any of the major retail stores and is about $30.00. After I saw my friend with quads using these seats I knew my investment was wise.

Baby Safe Feeder: 1 Star

I'm interested to hear from other moms what they think about this product. My son has had texture issues from the beginning of his life. Not a big shock since I also struggle with certain textures (beans being inedible in most cases). I tried this feeder several different times with multiple foods in it but there was no doing! My son could not get past the fabric on this feeder. He would gag every time you would try to put it in his mouth.

Treat Dispenser: 4 Stars

On a recent road trip these proved to be so helpful. Other treat dispensers that I have seen looked too rigid to not hurt the little fingers going in and out of them. I love that the tops on these are rubber so they are really flexible. I cut up chicken nuggets and put them in here and it worked great for our road trip. I found mine at Wal-mart and I really haven't seen them any where else. I think I paid around 5.99 for two bowls, but I don't remember exactly.