Blankets make great gifts for all ages, from newborns to grandparents, but there’s a definite quality discrepancy out there. If you or your child has ever been the recipient of a high end blanket that didn’t come from a big box store, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, you should. There’s nothing like it.

Fill in the Blankie (by Sonya Bebeblankee) blankets are uber-personalized blankets that are perfect for giving as baby, christening, birthday or just because gifts. Fill in the Blankie blankets are the kind you keep forever; not the kind that goes in your garage sale bin.

Fill In The Blankie recently sent a blanket for a school-aged child we know who’s in and out of the hospital right now. The “As Good As It Gets” blanket consists of two panels of 400 thread count Italian Frette sheeting (Frette produces some of the finest linens in the world) sewn together and wrapped with a 2″ wide satin binding. The result is one of the softest, most understated, yet elegant blankets I’ve ever seen. The 32×32 size ($123) would be perfect for a baby but is a little small to cover this child in her hospital bed. The 36×54 ($165) would have been better for this situation, but for a newborn or toddler gift the mid-size is just peachy.

The Fill In The Blankie company was launched in 2004 and is unique in many ways. While many shops, online and brick & mortar, offer personalization, it’s usually just a monogram or 20ish characters and takes at least a few weeks to reach the recipient. Fill In The Blankie blankets offer up to 200 characters per blankie and a 3-7 day turn-around. The FITB website is also brutally honest about what you’re getting when you choose a blanket with ratings on a scale of 1-10 for the cuddle factor and the quality of material and construction and lists the blanket weight (light, medium, heavy) and size. There are no shocks when you work with a company like Fill in the Blankie – except the shocked look on the recipient’s face when they realize the amount of thought you put in to finding the perfect gift.

Order your Fill in the Blankie here – select your favourite style, choose a blanket color and click on “personalize & check out.” They’ll run you anywhere from $39 – $123 for baby/toddler sizes and every penny will be well spent. Prices include complete ultra-personalization.

Win it! Email theopinionatedparent at gmail dot come with FITB in the subject line and your fave blankie in the body before noon mst on March 26, 2010 for a chance to win it!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Not THE common cold. Not the one that involves lots of snot and ears that feel like they’ve been stuffed with cotton.

The Nuddle cures cold – like the thermometer dipping kind of cold. The Canadian kind of cold, even.

The Nuddle Blanket (nap + cuddle = nuddle) is a truly luxurious blanket. Whether you have the adult version ($68), the kids version ($48) or the baby version ($38), you’ll be amazed when you feel the fabric. Just pure ultra-plush heaven. It has holes for your arms, a foot pocket and an outer hand pouch like a muff. The arm openings are just the perfect size – not large enough to let a bunch of cold air in but large enough to fit pretty much anyone’s arm.

The Nuddle Kids blanket (which my two fight over constantly – “It’s MINE!” “No, it’s MINE!”- comes in three delicious colours: cherry, fudge, & blueberry, and is the perfect size for children from about 2-12 after which they’d likely be ready for an adult Nuddle. (Though it says 4 and above, my daughter who will be 2 in a week or so would fight you on that and she’d win. She always does. I have no idea where she gets that from. Heh.)

The Nuddle Baby (available in neutral oatmeal, bubblegum pink & cloud blue) is the newest Nuddle product and it’s intended for use in the stroller. It measures 24″ x 32″ and has the classic Nuddle foot pocket and holes for the five-point safety harness on your stroller. While I no longer have a baby who rides in a stroller (sniff) I asked a local new mama to test the Nuddle Baby for us and her words follow: “Wow, this is an amazing stroller blanket! It’s impossible to get it to fall off, even in our crazy winds, and it’s SO soft! The foot pocket is fantastic and keeps my little guy snuggly no matter how long our walks are. What a great product!”

Sure, they’re not as cheap as a Snuggie, but have you felt a Snuggie? They’re only worth the $10-$20 you’ll pay for them and not a penny more. It’s like comparing a Lamborghini to a Kia, so don’t bother. (If you’re desperate for sleeves, which you needn’t be, then shun the Snuggie and get a Slanket. Trust me.) < /ramble > If you want a quality blanket that washes well over and over again, that keeps you & your babies warm & cozy and may prevent you from leaving the house because you’re just to darn cozy, then you need a Nuddle.

Win it! We’ve got a Nuddle Kids in fudge and a Nuddle Baby in oatmeal to give away to one very lucky T.O.P. reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on January 15, 2010.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED!

Well, maybe not swaddle. That might be a little too straight-jacket-ish for me, but I’d certainly like to be draped in the stuff. Unfortunately, Aden + Anais doesn’t make muslin wraps or sleep sacks in my size so I’m stuck with regular old sheets & blankets, but your baby is in luck!

I happen to love and use my muslins all year long, even in the great white north, but it’s in the summer that I am particularly thankful for them. They’re perfect for keeping the children covered and protected without making them sweat. We totally dig our sleep sack ($30). As soon as the thermometer hits about +20, it’s time to pack away the thick winter Grobag and pull out the muslin. It’s one of the great signs of summer, and the sizes range from newborn through the toddler years which is absolutely awesome for those kids who move so much they wake up crying because they’re uncovered & cold. Cursed air conditioning.

For those of you who perhaps don’t want to invest in a package of Aden + Anais’ fab (truly! fab!) wraps, Aden + Anais has just introduced a new single wrap that’s available in both conventional ($20) and organic ($35) muslin.

Celebrate those summer babies with some awesome muslin baby gifts – you’ll be the star of the baby shower, I promise.

Win it! Aden + Anais is giving away one winner’s choice of both a sleep sack ($30) and organic or regular single wrap valued at $50-$65. To enter, choose your sack & blanket from the links in this block and let us know what to send if you win! (Yes, you actually have to choose. No, “anything will do” will not do, actually. But nice try.) Comment before noon mst on June 23, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Spring has GOT to get here to the great white North eventually, right?

When it finally arrives, I’ll be thrilled to pack up the heavyweight Grobag and pull out our brand spanking new muslin sleepsack from T.O.P. long time fave Aden & Anais. Check out our previous reviews at the following links: lightweight swaddling blankets & winter warmth blankets.

They’re available in 6 great patterns – bee in a neutral yellow, blue stars, blue elephant, pink stars and pink butterflies – and in sizes small through extra-large for new babes up to 2 years. When I was able to get my hands on an XL (18-24 months) for my daughter, I was so glad to know I’d be able to keep the blankets out of her crib for a little while longer.

Like the Aden and Anais blankets, the sleepsacks are light and airy and get softer with every wash. They’re designed with a smart upside down zipper so you can perform a stealthy diaper changing maneuver without, if you’re really good, waking up your baby.

Find these fab lightweight sleep sacks via this Amazon link and check out the Aden & Anais site for all of their fab wraps.

Win it! We’re giving away an Aden and Anais muslin sleep sack in the winner’s choice of size & print. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on March 17, 2009 letting us know what exactly to pop in the mail to you should you be the lucky randomly selected winner.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

On their website, the creators of Little Stars Bedtime Cards share a quote from Barbara Coloroso’s A Pocket Guide to Kids are Worth It. “Bedtime is a special time, a time of transition. It is an opportunity for closure to one day and a preparation for the next. It is a small turning point in the natural rhythm that gives structure and meaning to life. With care and patience and awareness of our children’s needs, each bedtime can be its own celebration of love and life.”

As parents, we all wish for bedtime to be a positive time, but all too often it’s filled with whining, demands & less than stellar patience levels on the part of both parent and child. Canadian moms Shannon McQuillan & Linda Komori created Little Stars Bedtime Cards to help parents make bedtime the affirming and positive experience that it has the potential to be. They’re not designed to teach new concepts, but to ‘affirm positive qualities that already exist in your child.’

The Little Stars, Sparky, Blaxe & Shiner help parents ask “big questions for little people.” There are some great reasons for using questions as opposed to statements. According to the site, “when we have a specific lesson or message that we need to communicate, teaching or telling our child is very effective. However, when the goal is to connect and deepen our understanding of our child, questions about thoughts and feelings can be incredibly effective for the following kinds of reasons:

~It becomes a two way conversation
~It feels good when someone takes and interest you (even if you don’t have a lot to say)! The very nature of asking questions is an expression of the desire to learn about the other person
~There are no right or wrong answers when you are talking about thoughts and feelings
~Your child will feel loved knowing that you care enough to ask the question and to listen to their response (again even if they don’t have a lot to say)
~You see the world through your child’s lens and may end up talking about things you wouldn’t otherwise (you may be surprised to learn just how opinionated and observant your three year old really is!)
~It keeps your attention focused on your child and children love to have a parents undivided attention even for just a short while
~Children are naturally curious and while they love to answer questions, they may start to ask questions themselves which is lots of fun too.”

Any one of those reasons would have been enough for me to try these cards. I’ve seen them in action with my own little guy and I think they’re every but as awesome as they sound. The cards sell for $15 and ship for just $3. They’d make a great gift for your child who is transitioning to a big kid bed, don’t you think?

Win it! We’ve got a set of Bedtime Cards to give away to a randomly selected reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on February 27, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

There are baby blankets and then there are baby blankets. If you or your child has ever been the recipient of a high end one that didn’t come from a big box store, you know what I’m talking about.

Fill in the Blankie (by Sonya Bebeblankee) blankets are ultra personalized blankets that are perfect for giving as baby, christening, birthday or just because gifts. Fill in the Blankie blankets aren’t about to end up at the thrift store or shoved in a bin in the garage but are more likely to become treasured family heirlooms.

We gave my daughter a FITB for her recent first birthday and were thrilled with the results. The blanket is gorgeous & well constructed, the embroidery is great quality and, most importantly, she loves it. It’s a very usable blanket that she sleeps with every night and drags around to random places during the day and it’s machine washable.

The FITB company was launched in 2004 and is unique in many ways. While many shops, online and brick & mortar, offer personalization, it’s usually just a monogram or 20ish characters and takes at least a few weeks to reach the recipient. FITB blankets offer up to 200 characters per blankie and a 3-7 day turn-around. The FITB website is also brutally honest about what you’re getting when you choose a blanket with ratings on a scale of 1-10 for the cuddle factor and the quality of material and construction and lists the blanket weight (light, medium, heavy) and size. There are no surprises when you work with a company like Fill in the Blankie – except the surprised look on the recipient’s face indicating that you gave the perfect gift.

Order your Fill in the Blankie here – select your favourite style, choose a blanket color and click on “personalize & check out.” They’ll run you anywhere from $39 – $109 and every penny will be well spent. Prices include all personalization.

Save 10% at Fill in the Blankie with the code omom

You’ll find this code in the TOP Shops (linked under our header) where we feature exclusive discount codes for TOP recommended online stores.

Bitten by the shopping bug? Hit the TOP Shops first so you never pay full price!

Win it! (U.S. readers only – so sorry…) To enter, leave a comment on this post listing the blanket style and colours you’d choose if you win before noon mst on January 26, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED (Congrats Tuesday! It’s so rare we have a winner with a blog that I simply had to take an extra moment to link to her!)

Luxurious Italian baby bedding manufactuere Picci debuts their Natura Collection for 2009. This exquisite bedding in a stylish ivory and chocolate color combination, is made from 100% certified organic materials. The cotton used in Natura is grown using natural fertilizer and free from chemical treatments with no heavy metals used to dye the fabrics and soft stuffing. It is also free from impurities and derived entirely from maize ensuring that it is hypoallergenic. Even the threads used in embroidering and sewing the Natura Collection are certified organic. Picci respects a child’s environment and health with this beautiful new organic bedding offering.

The retail for the 3 piece set is $450 at Goores and there are many accessory items available as well.

Save 10% on any Picci order from www.goores.com with the code top10pic.

I’ve read a lot, as you can imagine, about green living and creating a low chemical home for my family. One of the things that I never did invest in and feel a little guilt about every once in a while is an organic crib mattress. I do use organic bedding and hope that makes up for it a little bit.

Naturalmat products, available from ModernTots, are the best of the best when it comes to organic mattresses and bedding and the place I’d turn if an organic mattress was on my list right now.

Natural is best for so many reasons. All of the naturalmat mattresses are 100% organic with no glues, bonding agents, chemicals or synthetic materials. Handmade in Devon, England, Naturalmat mattresses are non-allergenic and anti-dust mite, naturally fire retardant without the use of chemical treatments and offer support that is far superior to conventional mattresses. In addition, the company uses raw materials that come from 100% renewable and sustainable sources that comply with Fair Trade policies and uses packaging that is 100% biodegradable and 100% recyclable.

The mattresses are available in three compositions – coco ($400 crib, $999 twin), latex ($525 crib) or mohair ($625 crib). Each one has it’s benefits and the level of luxury you choose is really a personal choice. Once you choose to go organic, what’s an extra $200? Pocket change.

Mention theopinionatedparent to receive a 10% discount on any Natural Mat order from ModernTots.

Simply Baby Blankets is a new find for me. As someone who can’t sew a simple square of fabric without it looking like it was done by a six year old, I love that I’ve now got a go-to site to purchase simple flannel swaddlers as baby gifts that are inexpensive (less than $10-$20) and of great quality.

Simply Baby Blankets are oversize and rectangular (42 x 50) with rounded corners – a great size and shape to attain the perfect swaddle without a fancy specialty blanket. At such great prices, Simply Baby Blankets make a great shower gift but also fall under the umbrella of layette items that are perfectly affordable to purchase for yourself. At over twice the size of many standard receiving blankets, Simply Baby Blankets can be used for years after the swaddling days have ended making them an even thriftier choice.

Get one free blanket with your purchase of three with the code OPINIONATED until October 31, 2008.

Win it! We’re giving away a set of SIX Simply Baby Blankets of the winners choice! To enter, leave a comment on this post letting us know what blankets from the site you’d choose. Contest closes at 5:00 mst on October 15, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

On our recent staycation just a few hours from home, we packed the lives of four people into a minivan. Unfortunately, there was no room for the crib or even the playpen – our kids have a lot of crap, apparently. My husband would tell you that I do too, but this isn’t his blog so I’ll blame it all on the kids. When we settled in for our night away, we were incredibly thankful for the Kidco Peapod.

The Peapod is a travel bed (and play tent when you’re home) that’s easy to fold and fits in a small circular carry bag. When folded it’s only 5″ thick and 14″ in diameter. Unlike most tents, the bottom is fitted with a secure (zipped in) inflatable air mattress to help protect kids from cold, damp floors while providing a comfortable place to sleep. The pump is included. The fabric contains UV protection making it great for using outdoors, and the zippered panels allow parents quick and easy access.

I also love the Peapod for the beach and the back yard – it keeps the sun and sand off baby and doubles as a fort. The inflated base ensures baby can nap without rocks and shells bothering her. If you’ve ever slept in a tent on a rocky ground, you know how important that it!

With gas prices the way they are, staycations are becoming more and more popular. If you don’t have room for a big playpen in your vehicle and you want an overnight trip with baby, check out the Kidco Peapod.

(I apologize for the photo quality – our ftp isn’t hooked up yet since we lost everything so I had to rely on WordPress and it didn’t do such a good job of conversion.)

I am such a blanket snob since having children. I will admit that I’ve given many brand new blankets gifted to us to the local charity simply because there are better ones out there and why should my child snuggle with anything but the best? (I know, I’m horrible.)

My daughter sleeps under one of the great quilted fleece blankets from Designs by Mimi and Lola that was personalized for her and it surpasses even my blanket snob standards.

Made by a mother and daughter team, the non-pilling double layer premium polar fleece is the plushest of plush and the crafts(wo)manship is second to none. You know when you pick up an item and you can’t help but moan a little? A Mimi and Lola blanket just might make you moan twice.

They’re available in three sizes – baby (27″ x 36″), toddler (38″ x 49″) and kids (51″ x 59″) and they range from a very reasonable $43-$98. They’re machine wash & dry and my daughter’s blanket has yet to show even the slightest sign of wear. To order, see their order page. Matching pillows are also available for just $20-$25.

Save 10% on your order simply by mentioning that you’re a reader of The Opinionated Parent!

Win it! We’ve got a baby size blanket up for grabs, personalized with your child’s name and valued at $48. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your choice of either the awesome pre-designed blankets in their collection or the three colours you’d choose from the palette at the bottom of the collection page. Contest closes at noon MST on July 4/08.

Additional entries available – up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

When Jeanine Altreche had her baby boy, she developed a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome in her hand – so severe that it was painful even to snap up his cute little jammies. With the sheer volume of diaper changes that are necessary with a baby, Jeanine decided to create her own solution to alleviate the pain, and Stuk On U was born.

Whether you have medical troubles or not, chances are you’ve been frustrated by missed snaps or woken a baby when you’ve had to zip open the entire sleeper and expose their chest just to change a diaper. Jeanine uses a patent-pending design of soft (and nearly silent!) Velcro down the chest and legs so you can open and close just the areas you need. The Velcro is sewn in such a way that it never touches baby, and it completely eliminates the risk of pinching delicate skin in a zipper.

Stuk On U rompers are tagless and the available in sizes 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 and 18 months. They fit on the small size so order up if in doubt. (9-12 months fit my average size 4 month old perfectly.)

At just $11.99 (cotton) and $18.99 (fleece), a Stuk On U romper is a great alternative to snaps and zippers.

Save 10% with the code Oparent until December 31, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Now that I’ve got two children with tentative plans for more (did I just say that?) I have had to find ways to make this baby a lot more portable. While I’m a devoted baby wearer, it’s not always comfortable or convenient and sometimes my two year old just wants to have his mama all to himself. For those times, I am in love with the baby zabu™ from wagamama baby.

Whassa wagamama? (That’s exactly what my husband and my son both asked. Genetics much?) It means “spoiled rotten” in Japanese.

My own spoiled rotten baby now gets to enjoy the great outdoors and the living room floor alike in the zabu, a luxuriously soft mat with tie-up soft bumper walls that’s a playpen alternative for babies of the non-mobile variety and a playpen insert for when you need a little more security with added padding and cleanliness. Leave it untied for a great playmat too.

When you’re done, the baby zabu™ rolls up like a way cushy yoga mat and comes with a coordinating shoulder strap for travel or storage.

The baby zabu™ is currently available in two sizes and nine styles which include two eco-friendly bamboo options and range from $88 – $135.

Save 15% with the code TOP15 until 5/31/08.

My children’s cribs have a very-annoying-runs-for-only-ten-minutes- has-no-remote-control baby entertainer in them which make it very difficult to get the mattress in and out to change the sheets. Even when I remove the annoying appliance from the crib first, I still have to take the mattress out of the crib and wrestle with it on the tiny floor of the bedroom in order to change the sheet. And then I still have to put it back in. For that reason, my kids’ sheets don’t get changed as often as they should. Gross, but true.

It was, anyway, until my recent discovery of quick zip crib sheets from Clouds and Stars. These things are absolutely genius! You place the mattress in the zipper base, lay their brilliant flat mattress pad on the mattress and zip on the top. Then when the top sheet is dirty, you simply unzip it and zip on a clean zipper top. With no need to remove the base, the mattress wrestling is a thing of the past. The base covers the bottom and all four sides of the mattress so it stays in place with no risk of popping off. The zipper is completely covered and never touches baby. The entire set is made of 200-thread count preshrunk 100% cotton and there is an organic option.

I also tried out the new playyard sheet which is as fabulous as I’ve come to expect from this company. It’s like a pillow case that slips over the mattress from the side and is secured via velco at the other side safely under the edge. I tried the cotton version and it’s luxuriously thick and soft.

Invented by two moms, the Clouds and Stars quick zip sheets are the easiest and most logical bedding option available. Only a frustrated mother could come up with something so perfect. And I’m so glad they did. These are definitely a TOP pick for me!

Win it! Clouds and Stars will send one winner a sheet set with an extra top and even include a mattress pad (which you may be tempted not to replace when you purchase these sheets but I assure you that you totally need it!) This ‘everything you need‘ set is valued at $71.99. To enter, leave a comment on this post before April 28 with your colour choice from those listed at the site.

Get up to three additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

2.Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your subscription.

AND/OR

3. Place our button in your sidebar or add us to your blogroll. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid url so we can confirm the addition.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.theopinionatedparent.com"><img src="http://www.theopinionatedparent.com/images/topbutton.jpg" alt="The Opinionated Parent" /></a>

Maximum four entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

If you’ve ever tried to decorate a room for a child, you likely already know how difficult it is to find bedding or accessories that aren’t plastered with licensed characters. If you’re as opinionated as we are then you’re likely looking for bedding that’s all about childhood and not about advertising for a television show; and if you’re not looking at Olive Kids then you’re probably not having much luck.

Olive Kids, founded ten years ago by parents Anita Oliveira Brandwein and Russell Brandwein when they couldn’t find great bedding for their own daughter’s room, has by far the best bedroom designs on the market. Whether you’re looking for boys or girls, Olive Kids has great child-friendly classic designs like wild animals, flowers, heroes, mermaids and more, all at extremely reasonable prices.

In addition to their awesome kid-room decor, Olive Kids carries all sorts of cool personalized products and a huge selection of goodies in every theme.

Olive Kids donates all of their returned product to the needy and have kindly donated a brand new bedding set to benefit a charity in our neck of the woods too! The company is fabulous to work with and their shipping is fast and extremely reasonable.

Win a 5 pack of personalized placemats from Olive Kids valued at $44.99!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with a valid email address and tell us which set of placemats you’d choose if you win and your favourite design of children’s bedding available from Olive Kids.

The randomly selected winner will be contacted via email for their mailing address and will have 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is chosen. You must leave a valid email address and all required information or you will not be entered in the draw. Comment approval is always at the blog owner’s discretion.
Contest closes March 12, 2008.

Get an additional entry into this contest by blogging about it!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment on this post (in a separate comment from your other entry) or send a trackback to receive your second entry.

Congratulations to Bet, who said “I’d choose the boys set, and I love the wild animals and the Trains, Planes and Trucks bedding!”

We’ve told you about the fabulous muslins from Aden + Anais before, and are now SO excited to share with you their new winter warmth blankets.

I loved the summer weight ones when my son was born in late April and used them for everything including swaddling, covering the stroller on our summer walks and as a nice light nursing cover. Now, having had a January baby in the snowy Rocky Mountains, I’m incredibly glad that they’ve launched the winter warmth line. They’re double thick and just about the perfect weight for doing all of those same things during this nasty Canadian winter. Though lovely and thick, they still maintain the awesome airy feel of waffled muslin and get softer as you wash them. I particularly like that they’re still light enough that if it were to cover my daughter’s face she could easily breathe through it and yet heavy enough to add a little extra warmth at night. They’re also incredibly absorbent too, should you find yourself need that kind of thing. (They can soak up a heck of a lot of baby puke and are large enough to cover pretty much your whole body if you require a shield. Can you tell what kind of week we’ve had?

Every home with an infant would benefit from a set of Aden and Anais muslins. The winter warmth blankets come in a set of two for $49.95.

Win it! Head to the Aden + Anais site and pick your favourite winter warmth pattern because we’re giving away a set in your choice of colour scheme!

We’re trying something new for this contest just to see how we like it. Don’t be surprised if you see us do this once in a while. Instead of emailing your entry, leave a comment (must contain a valid email address) with the pattern you’d choose if you win. Tell us anything else you want, too, since it’s your first chance to comment at this site. Comments will close on 2/29/08. The winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is drawn.

Get an additional entry into this contest by blogging about it!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment on this post (in a separate comment from your other entry) or send a trackback to receive your second entry.

Congratulations to winner Karry! Karry said “I would love the aqua/brown color pattern! I am painting the nursery those colors for my son who’s due in a few weeks! These blankets would complete the package!”

When I was pregnant with my first child, I thought for sure I had enough blankets and would never need any more as longs as I lived. Then, when I ran out of blankets after about three days home from the hospital and hadn’t recovered enough from my labour and surgery to do laundry yet, I realized that a mother can never have enough blankets.

You use them so often and for so long that it’s especially nice if they’re snuggly and worthy of the public eye. Ga-Ga Online has a selection of luxuriously soft and well-made blankets that fit the bill. There’s the dinosaur pattern shown here and also an airplane, flower and butterfly pattern. They’re all very simply designed and extremely cozy. They’re also just the perfect size for the floor, crib or stroller.

I think you’ll find that Ga-Ga Online has a lot more than just blankets you’ll want to check out! For example, these absolutely fabulous and totally non-toxic wooden toys. Your purchase helps the disabled adults that make them, and we think that’s simply wonderful.

Sign up for the Ga-Ga Online mailing list and get 10% off your order! Simply click here, and include the message “I came from The Opinionated Parent.” The magical little elf that lives inside their computers will fire you back a discount code so you can place your order!

Feeling the need to cuddle? Ga-Ga is giving one of our amazingly intelligent and beautiful readers their choice of blanket! To enter the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Ga-Ga in the subject line and tell us the retail price of these blankets. Contest closes at midnight MST on 11/23/07. Congratulations to 3girlzmama!

A friend of mine who had her daughter just a few weeks before my son was born was often distraught when trying to find the things she really wanted for her baby in local stores. She’s from Germany where toys aren’t coated in lead and toys aren’t generally plastic and loud, and shopping in Canada was extremely disappointing. She often came back with almost a plane-load from her visits home to Germany of things she couldn’t get here, most of them organic, natural and/or o extremely intelligent design.

I clearly remember her describing a stroller insert that “everyone in Europe” uses when they walk their babies for the entire few hours of nap time at all times of year. When I opened the box of the EuroTote from Lillebaby I found myself wishing she was having more babies because I had finally found it for her!

The EuroTote is a fabulous new product that is really five products in one. It’s a moses-style carrier, a car seat cover, a warm stroller bag, a play blanket and a bunting bag. You might even be able to think of more. There are so many great features that it’s going to be a challenge to remember them all but I’ll sure try!

-It’s non-toxic and machine washable, both a must for anything that’s going near your child.
-It’s one size fits all from newborn to 3 years and comes with two interchangeable covers, a warm one for winter and a mesh one for summer, and the zippers are two way for ease of use.
-The board that keeps baby secure when using the EuroTote as a moses carrier is removable for comfort in the other applications.
-It comes in four great colour combos.
-In case you’re paranoid like me, it has been crash tested and shown not to interfere with car seats.
-Safety straps, both 3 and 5 point, secure directly over the child so there’s no fear of over-cushioning the straps.
-It adjusts in length so that it always fits your child comfortably.
-The lining is 100% cotton and is SO soft and cozy.
-It has a 180° buckle system which makes it very secure for even the tiniest of babes.

We tested out the EuroTote with a 2 month old (as a moses carrier), an 8 month old (as a play blanket and a carseat cover) and a 17 month old (as a stroller bag). In all cases the EuroTote was very easy to use, despite our initial apprehension. The children all seemed very comfortable in it and in the case of the stroller bag it was absolutely wonderful to know that the little guy was snuggly and warm and that there was no risk of a blanket blowing off him on the very cool fall day that we did our testing.

The Lillebaby EuroTote retails for $120 USD. Click here for a list of retailers.

I am officially in love with this fabulous organic hemp & cotton sleepsack from one of our new all-Canadian faves Kohlr Baby. It retails for $63 which is a very reasonable price for such a safe and high quality product that your child will wear for up to 12 hours a day (for your sake, we hope it’s at night) for 6+ months. The non-organic alternative is just $48 but it’s worth the extra $15 for organic if you’re concerned about chemicals and your baby. At least that’s our opinionated opinion.

Sleepsacks are available everywhere of late, and in almost every price range. I think it’s great that people are becoming more aware of the hazards of giving babies blankets and are turning more toward this safe and practical alternative. By investing in a quality sack from Kohlr Baby you’re really investing in a better sleep for the whole family. Middle of the night diaper changes are quick and easy with the great bottom access zipper that goes all the way up in to the arm pit in case of a major in-sleep-blowout. Our reviewer loved the light, soft corduroy feel of the organic sleepsack and chances are your child will love it too, along with the great sleepy sheep appliqué and soft tags attached. If you’re more of a fleece person you can rest assured that only top grade athletic fleece is used and liquids like sweat are quickly wicked away from your baby’s soft skin.

Designer Jill Koehler has done everything right with this company. Among many other things, we love the alternatives for the organic mama, the ‘zero waste’ manufacturing policy and an awesome no hassle 100% satisfaction lifetime guarantee. What have you got to lose?

Win a blankie buddy from Kohlr baby in the beautiful and gender neutral butternut and moss colour scheme valued at $20! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with KOHLR in the subject line but midnight MST on 9/25/07 and tell us another item that’s available from the website. Congratulations ‘Organic Girl’!

Sound asleep, maybe. But are they really safe?

As parents, we’ll do anything to protect our children. We’d practically go into bankruptcy to feed them organic food and buy them safe toys and clothing. We’d throw ourselves in front of a bus to keep them safe.

But what about when they’re sleeping? Kids spend a lot of time in their bedrooms breathing in whatever is in there with them. We’ve had a Hepa air purifier in our son’s room forever, but I do worry about what he’s breathing in with his face smushed into his mattress. It’s not so much of a concern with a plasticized crib mattress, but when he moves to a traditional mattress this winter…well, just thinking about it gives me the heeby jeebies. Bed bugs (pictured top right) and dust mites (at left) are more common than any of us would like to admit. Both of those images are dramatically enlarged. Chances are you won’t know they’re in your child’s bed until you see the bites or the symptoms of asthma and/or allergies, because they’re actually incredibly small and are talented at hiding.

And that’s why I’m loving the Protect Your Sleep website and the Clean Rest products. Clean Rest sells encasements for mattresses, crib/toddler mattresses, box springs, pillows and duvets. Anywhere that these allergens and nasties live can be easily & completely encased with a Clean Rest product. The MicronOne™ technology blocks even the tiniest of micro-toxins but is still breathable so you don’t have to worry about a little face being suffocated against the mattress (any more than you would without a Clean Rest cover, anyway).

When I first opened the packages, I was leery of the slightly crinkly plastic-like feeling. As soon as they were out of the washer & dryer, that feeling was almost gone and I’m happy to say that we don’t really notice them on the bed or pillows. But we do feel a lot more clean. The encasements are completely waterproof and are awesome for children’s beds. No more worries about accidents ruining mattresses when liquids roll off the side (or soak right through the seams) of a regular mattress cover. I would highly recommend Clean Rest products to anyone concerned about the quality of the air their family is breathing as they sleep. (Who isn’t, really?)

If you’re having troubles or just want to know more, see the very thorough bed bug guide and dust mite guide at ProtectYourSleep.com

We’ve got two great prizes from Clean Rest to give away. Two randomly selected winners will each win one mattress encasement and two pillow encasements in their choice of sizes. Each prize is valued at between $120 and $170 USD and, in my opinion, worth every penny of that if you’re one of the hundreds of entrants who don’t win and have to buy them yourself. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with CLEAN REST in the subject line and tell us one “healthy tip” available from the website. Contest closes at midnight MST on 9/4/07. Congratulations Betty & Jeet!