Mealtime at our house is getting increasingly messy. It’s not just the high chair, the floor, me and the dogs that are covered in food by the end of dinner. It’s all of the areas of our son’s shirt that are not covered by his bib.

Answer: Silly Billyz long sleeved bibs. (They’re sold in North America through Live Love Dream Inc. for only $12.)

Available in nine kid-approved colour combinations and 2 sizes, they’re made of anti-pill fleece on the front and rip proof nylon on the sleeves. (Rip proof = good for teething babies who chew their sleeves and anything else they can reach!) They have a velcro closure that’s large enough to make the neck adjustable – very handy for little people with teeny necks! My son tends to pull all but the most floppy terry bibs off because he gets too hot, but the open back feature of Silly Billyz long sleeved bibs allows him to stay nice and cool. He also has “issues” with many crinkly plastic bibs, but the sleeves of the Silly Billyz bibs are soft enough not to bother him.

Opinionated Parents are all about safety so we were pleased to hear that these bibs are PVC free! Surprisingly, many bibs are not. And an important feature for any bib – just toss them in the washer and dryer!

Order through this link for 15% off your entire purchase from Live Love Dream Inc!

Win it! We have a size large lime/royal Silly Billyz long sleeved bib for one lucky little person (who will soon have much cleaner sleeves!). Just send an email to theopinionatedparent[at]gmail[dot]com with Silly Billyz Bib in the subject line and the answer to the question What is one other Silly Billyz product available at Live Love Dream Inc? Get your entries in by midnight MST on Friday, March 2, 2007. Congratulations, Jackie!

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I have vivid memories of playing superhero games with my friends as a child with a towel hanging from my neck. What kid doesn’t have dreams of being a superhero?

Invisible-Girl (who’s parents never catch her in mischief), JunkFood-Boy (has never eaten an organic vegetable and can still scale tall buildings…fueled by sugar, of course).

Whatever the fantasy, Ellie Bellie Kids capes bring superhero play into the current millennium.

Opinionated Parents are all about creative play and getting kids off their butts and outside. I know having my very own cape would inspire some great play in me…and I’m thirty! It’s sure to work even better for children.

Par.entrepreneur Jennifer Cooper custom makes each cape from your choice of two funky colour combinations and personalizes them with a huge superhero-style letter. It just doesn’t get any cooler than that.

Save 15% on your Ellie Bellie Kids order with the code 15off.
Find Ellie Bellie Kids in the TOP Shops!

Do you know a SuperKid in need of some inspiration? Win a cape personalized with the letter of your choice. Send an email to theopinionatedparent[at]gmail[dot]com with ELLIE BELLIE KIDS in the subject heading and the answer to the question What is another great product available at Ellie Bellie Kids.com? Contest closes at midnight MST on Friday, March 2, 2007.

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NYC mama Heather Flottman is the creative genius (and I do mean genius) behind the hip, indie clothing label liliputians NYC. Inspired by her daughter, she creates limited edition, custom, heirloom quality clothing that are true works of art. Her line is separated in to styles for girls, styles for boys, and Mommy & Me. All liliputians boutique clothing is lovingly hand crafted to custom perfection in NYC. Liliputians offers special designs for every day, unique holiday outfits, trendy appliqued tees, and fun accessories such as dolly barrettes, funky hair clips, and hair flowers.

The liliputians NYC specialty birthday outfits are truly adorable. They’re the kind of splurge that opinionated parents are willing to make and like nothing you’ll find anywhere else. You can feel the quality of liliputians clothing as soon as you touch it. Each item is handmade to the highest of standards and will last through generations of children.

And the amazingly beautiful dresses? Make me really glad I have a son simply so I don’t have to choose! Her pants for girls and pants for boys are available in capri or full-length, and if you live somewhere cold Heather will line them in flannel just for you. Now that’s service!

I am truly honoured that my son will be wearing liliputians NYC clothing to celebrate his first birthday. I am confident that it will last for his own sons and grandsons to wear on their first birthdays as well.

Liliputians is currently carried in 7 other online retailers in addition to Heather’s own store, and 4 boutiques in Japan and the US. The number of brick and mortar boutiques carrying liliputians is rapidly expanding and is expected to triple by the year’s end. The Opinionated Parents wish liliputians all the success in the world. We’ll buy it ~ wherever it is!

Get 15% off your liliputians NYC order with the code OPINIONATED.

You’ll find liliputians on our TOP Shops page too!

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Finding the right shoes for my daughter is a task I do not take lightly. As a young toddler, she was diagnosed with Strabismus, a vision process impairment that in part affected her ability to comprehend depth perception. She needed good shoes, not only for her feet but for her safety as well.

I started hunting for shoes that would be supportive and durable, but still cute. Not an easy combination to find. That is, until I came across Pedoodles. Made of leather, Pedoodles are breathable and flexible. My daughter plays hard and her shoes remain in excellent condition. With flexible soles, she can walk, run and jump just as she would barefoot! My toddler adores walking on her tip toes, something she can do with her Pedoodles on! Oh, and not to mention, no laces! I figure until the kid can do it herself why have laces?!!?

Pedoodles caters to not only toddlers, but infants as well. The First Feet Collection has many styles to chose from, with funky colours and fun designs. The design of the shoes means the shoes will not be slipping off constantly, something that drove me up the wall with shoes when I had an infant! Pedoodles even carries the cutest boots! They now offer both rain boots and snow boots, ensuring that your child is covered no matter what the season.

We already have a second pair of Pedoodles for our daughter. We are constantly getting compliments and are approached by other parents requesting information about her Pedoodles. In my opinion these shoes are by far the best shoes for toddlers on the go!
by Raechelle

Win one of two $30 Pedoodles gift certificates! Send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot] com with Pedoodles in the subject line and the answer to the question What’s the name of the trademarked rubber sole on Pedoodles? Get your entries in by midnight MST on Friday, February 23, 2007.
Congratulations Sasha and Hollow Squirrel!

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Have you noticed that there are many brands of soft-soled leather shoes on the market today? At first glance, they’re all pretty much all the same – until you buy them, at which point you realize that they are not at all alike.

With IsaBooties soft soled baby shoes, you don’t have to wonder about quality. They’re sturdily made of a combination of Ultrasuede and Toughtek, are colour safe, stain resistant, machine wash/dry, and unlike others on the market, the soles maintain their non-skid properties even after long term wear and multiple washings. You also don’t have to wonder who died to make your baby’s cute shoes ~ IsaBooties are 100% animal free, and there’s just nothing bad about that.

IsaBooties are designed by long time friends Libby and Laura. As with the writers here at TOP, motherhood made them much more opinionated. IsaBooties were designed when they couldn’t find any baby booties that met their very high standards. Instead of just complaining like I do, these brilliant mamas had the talent and the ambition to make their own! When their friends started asking for some, the IsaBooties brand was born.

They offer a 60 day no-hassle guarantee. Just send them back for a full refund. I doubt this service has ever been used – you’d have to be crazy – but it’s a great policy nevertheless. Standard gift wrapping is included free of charge, and deluxe wrapping is only $7. They’re currently offering 19 adorable styles and gift certificates are available. I’ll be buying these for my next vegetarian baby shower!

Want to win a pair of IsaBooties in the size and style of your choice? Just send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot] com with IsaBooties in the subject heading and the answer to the question In what year did Libby and Laura found the IsaBooties brand? (Hint: Hit the FAQ page). Contest closes at midnight MST on Friday, February 16, 2007. Congratulations, Bethiclaus!

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Late breaking shopping news!

Amazon has a handful of Dr. MOZ’ GoodFather daddy T-shirts (size Large, XL, and 2XL) in stock.

They are are popular Valentine’s Day gifts for dads of all ages, including new dads and grandpas, and are currently on sale at Amazon at $25.95. (At time of posting there’s one left, so hurry!)

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Though she grew up through the great depression, my grandmother always made sure she and her children had quality footwear. My own mother is the same way. They often say “You only have two feet and you use them all day long. Cheap shoes are not worth the price you pay in foot health and comfort.” They also raised me to believe that many adult foot issues are caused by cheap and/or incorrect footwear during childhood. (Note: by cheap, I don’t necessarily mean inexpensive. I mean in quality.)

When my son was born, I had no doubt that he would always have quality footwear. I’d rather spend a little bit of extra money to support his precious little feet than worry about his comfort and any future pain.

When The Opinionated Parent was given the opportunity to review Vincent shoes, I admit I probably got a little more excited than was necessary. We certainly have more shoes around here than the average family but I’m always excited to try new quality brands.

Vincent footwear is, indeed, “a big step for small feet.” They are very solidly constructed with smart features such as stylish rubber toe caps to protect the leather from little people who are constantly stubbing and dragging their toes.

Swedish designers Patrick Österman and Thomas Elbaum are the creative forces behind Vincent Shoes and the company is a family affair named after Thomas’ nephew, which is pretty darn cool. That’s one famous little boy!

Our team reviewed two of the Vincent models, the Dennis and the William and we cannot say enough good things about these shoes. Not only are they extremely fashionable, but they’re comfortable, solid and seem like they will last through several children. The hand-me-down potential is great. Their styles for girls are just as adorable. Check out the designers’ notes accompanying each style for insight into the inspiration for the designs.

Pre-walker and early-walker styles are available, but we especially love Vincent shoes as the “next step” offering more support and a firmer sole without compromising comfort.

If you’re in the market for some great shoes, shop the Vincent winter clearance sale on now!

We have two pairs of fun, fashionable and functional Vincent shoes in the style and size of your choice (pending availability) to give to our lucky readers.

Send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot] com with VINCENT in the subject line and the answer to the question “If you could have any three styles of Vincent shoes, which would they be?” Good luck choosing ~ it’s not easy!

Contest closes at midnight on Friday, February 2, 2007.
Two winners will be randomly selected and contacted via email.
Congratulations to Tara of PEI, Canada and to Michelle of New Mexico, USA!

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It’s easier said than done. At least it is when you’re pregnant. I spent no less than 5 of my 10 pregnant months hiking my pants up and twisting my skirts back to centre. Now that I’ve had a baby, I have three choices. Clothes that are too small, clothes that are too big or workout wear.

Frustrating? For sure. Is there a solution? Yes, indeed!

Belly Ups, created by par.entrepreneur Laura Kronen (brilliant woman that she is) are miniature suspenders which clip from the bottom of your bra to the top of your pants. They’re completely undetectable under clothing, extremely comfortable and once you have them you won’t know how you lived without them! You don’t have to be pregnant to use and love Belly Ups.I wore my review pair with large (really large) flannel PJ bottoms, several pairs of low rise pants, a skirt and more. The clasp is a tiny bit chilly, being metal, but that lasts for just a couple of seconds and then I actually forgot I was wearing them. Except I no longer had to yank my pants up. The clasp is gentle to even the finest of fabrics as the metal has no sharp points and the fabric is held snugly by small plastic teeth, and they’re machine washable, a huge bonus for the busy mom.Babies receive such a plethora of gifts when they are born, which is wonderful, but how about a gift for the newly pregnant mother to celebrate her amazing fertility and upcoming journey? They are available from Laura’s company, Baby Is A Star, in nude, black and black with pink hearts for only $13 USD.

We have two pairs of Belly Ups to give away to our amazing readers. If you would like a chance to win, send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot] com with BELLY UPS in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What product did Laura first launch into the childrens’ market?” Contest closes at midnight on Friday, January 26 at midnight. Two winners will be selected randomly from all qualifying emails. Good luck!
Congratulations to Gwen of BC, Canada and to Candice of Laos. (How cool is it that we have readers in Laos?)

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Our son received his first pair of real winter boots from his paternal Grandma in early December. I had never seen a pair of boots like this before. They were Stonz, made by Canadian mom-trepreneurs Tracey Von Dehn and Lisa Will.

When we opened the package, I was immediately struck by
(a) how totally freaking adorable they were,
(b) the fact that they had no formed foot space, but were more “tube-like” so they would fit for a long time,
(c) the elasticized drawstrings at both the ankle and calf so they would very likely stay on,
(d) the warm fleece lining and the non-slip sole and
(e) did I mention that they look absolutely fabulous?

They’re available in some mega-cute but not pukey cute styles (We have “stripe.” My mother in law has good taste.)

Since we’re in Canada and it’s winter, we began using them immediately. Our son has worn them barefoot, with socks, over his Robeez and over his Robeez booties and they fit, are comfortable and stay on his feet.

Some of my favourite things about our Stonz, aside from the above list are:
-They have lovely soft soles for those precious little developing and learning to walk feet.
-They’re warm enough to keep his feet and ankles warm on a blustery walk yet not so heavy to prevent us from using them on a windy, rainy or cool day. (They’re water and wind resistant!)
-They’re soft enough that we can squish them right into his one-piece snowsuit comfortably.

We have received more compliments about these boots than any other article of clothing. And our kid has some pretty cool clothing!

Stonz are available in three sizes encompassing birth to three years, and because of their unique shape they really fit and stay on throughout the size ranges.

Oh, and they offer free worldwide shipping when you order your booties without the plastic packaging.

Fashionable, functional and environmentally sound. Does it get any better than that?

Cross your fingers, cross your toes and send me an email to muchmoreopinionated at gmail dot com with STONZ in the subject heading and the correct answer to the question “What are your four favourite styles of Stonz?” (It’ll be hard to pick – trust me.) Have your entry in by midnight on Friday, January 19, 2007.
Two lucky winners will be randomly chosen from all valid entries. Please specify in your email whether you would prefer to be entered for the “cow” or the “flowers” pattern. Update: Prizes are both size medium fitting 6-18 mos. Good luck! Congratulations to CPA Mom of Virginia, USA and to Cindy of Alberta, Canada!

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Robeez aren’t news, are they? Everyone has heard of Robeez’ shoes, or so it seems. But did you know that Robeez is a Canadian company?

It all started in 1994 when mom Sandra Wilson was downsized right out of a job. We all love a mom-trepreneur success story, right? Sandra’s story is an inspiration.

Living in the great white north (the very southern part of the north, mind you), my babe and his buddies wear the shoes in the spring and summer, and the booties in the winter.

Robeez has recently ventured into the apparel market and they’re doing a bang up job of it.

Robeez sent my little monkey the monkey apparel gift set for review and it’s awesome!

There are many things I love about this new product. (Aside, of course, from the freaking incredible cuteness evidenced by the photos of my son above and below.) They are so easy to clean and care for. I’m all about low-maintenance, whether the label says it is or not. Luckily, I won’t wreck these since all Robeez products are designed to be easy. I love the colour schemes – red and brown is my favourite combination right now, so the monkey is perfect for us (and monkey is one of the going nicknames around here) but the little cub and the cuddly kitty are also absolutely fab looking! Robeez always includes the little details that show pride of workmanship, like the tail on the back of the shirt and the shoes. Cute much?

I know I’m reviewing Robeez’ new apparel line here, but I just have to put a plug in for their footwear as well. I have, in my 8 incredible months of motherhood, received or purchased 6 pairs or Robeez shoes and/or boots and will continue to buy them until my son no longer fits into them. Luckily, that means we get to enjoy them until he’s four years old! They stay on his feet like no other product. In fact, in one of our baby groups we refer to them as “really cute sock holder onners.” I also like that they really fit for the whole 6 months stated on the size tag. They stay on easily when they’re a little large and continue to go on easily as little feet start to fill them to the seams.

The one suggestion I have regarding the Robeez apparel line? Make it in Canada. It’s made in India. Not that I don’t love the Indians. I do. I even married one. And you can’t beat a good Indian meal. I would prefer, however, to buy a product that is made in Canada by a Canadian company, and would even pay more for it if necessary.

Look for Robeez shoes, boots and apparel at a store near you, or order online! (Free shipping on orders over $75!)

If you’re wanting some Robeez this month (think Christmas – they ship fast!) then I recommend ordering online. For every pair of shoes or booties purchased on Robeez’ websites in North America, Europe, and Australia, a pair of shoes or booties will be donated to a child in need through Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) To date the Robeez’ Heart & Sole program has donated over 95,000 pairs of shoes and booties, a donation that would stretch almost 8 miles or 12.5 kilometers – almost three times the height of Mount Everest – if laid heel to toe. Robeez regularly provides shoes to children in China, Russia, Romania, Ethiopia, and throughout North America. What’s better than giving while you get some of the cutest outfits available for your kids?

I’m too old to match my clothes to my shoes, and even if I could get organized enough to match, what really matches mango and puke-stained pajamas? At least the matchy-match cuteness of my kid will draw the attention away from me, right?

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