It seems like everywhere I go now I see BabyBjorn Carriers on new moms and professional nannies alike. And why not? They’re so clever! My good friend had a baby a few months ago. I had seen so many of BabyBjorn’s products in parks and walking down the street that I thought it would make a neat gift idea. Well she hasn’t stopped thanking me! The straps on the BabyBjorn Carriers are wide and extra padded so they’re comfortable, even on long outings.

But my favorite feature is the flap in the front that folds down so that babies old enough can face outwards and see the world, or turn around and face mommy for a nice mid-day nap. Another great feature about these products is that they cultivate closeness and touch between mom and baby, which makes baby feel happy and secure all day long. Also, she doesn’t look as though she has got on some bulky, ugly, contraption all day. Quite the opposite, the BabyBjorn Active Carrier has a sporty classic look that keeps her from looking like a child’s toy herself.

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about BabyBjorn is that they always manage to incorporate a certain sense of style into whatever they make. In fact, my friend loved the baby carrier so much that she did a little research of her own and ordered the Babysitter 1-2-3. It’s the perfect seat for baby and its clean and modern design is so stylish I tend to forget it’s a seat for the kids. BabyBjorn also makes a smart toilet trainer that is designed just for little ones and has an adjustable wheel built in to snugly fit any toilet seat. The BabyBjorn carrier was the perfect gift for my friend. So perfect, in fact, that even her husband has no qualms about taking the baby for the day!

Everyone knows what it’s like to have a hard time leaving bed in the morning—what could be more comfortable? Well I had a similar problem: I didn’t want to leave the house in the morning because I knew I would have to leave my super-soft Barefoot Dreams robe behind. I bought it for myself a few months ago and since then I haven’t been able to leave it be!

I wake up in the morning, have my coffee and read the newspaper, all in my lovely, comforting Barefoot Dreams robe. All of this comfort makes me wish I could take it with me to work. Given the lack of professionalism in that fashion statement, however, I decided to let the robe stay home. Well, no longer do I have to miss my Barefoot Dreams robe at the office and while running around town because I just received my Barefoot Dreams Hoodie!

Not only is it just as soft and comforting as all of the other Barefoot Dreams products, but it is completely wearable. It’s made of the same material so you know it’s easy to take care of—all those coffee stains go straight in the wash and come out softer than they were going in! Also it comes in so many stylish and practical colors that I had no trouble at all finding one that would match my wardrobe.

I especially love the Barefoot Dreams Hoodie when it starts to get a little bit cold. Unlike all of my other jackets and sweaters, which are heavy and weigh me down while they keep me warm, this hoodie is incredibly light-weight and allows me to move freely while still keeping me comfortably cozy. Not to mention, it’s so stylish that no one knows that it’s really the softest thing around! I highly recommend this as a gift to any friend, I mean who wouldn’t love a good snuggle all day long?

Kids usually dread rainy days. They can’t go outside and run barefoot through the grass, or play on the swings or any of the fun stuff they’re used to doing. What’s more, they become resistant and tend to resent us for wanting to dress them in proper rain gear so that they don’t get sick. Well, I think I’ve found the solution to all of that. Kidorable Rain Gear is the way to go.

Kidorable understands that kids are little individuals with growing personalities and like to express them every chance they get. They have made the cutest line of umbrellas, towels, rain boots and coats, and backpacks—basically everything a little one could need for stormy weather. I got my niece a set of rain boots and coat with matching umbrella all in the adorable Ladybug style and she just loves it. She’s so attached to it in fact that she even tries to wear it on sunny days! Her brother now has the same items in Dinosaur, but there are lots more like Lotus, Butterfly, Fireman, and Frog. My nephew loves to jump into puddles making roaring noises and pretending he’s a great big t-rex—all while staying safe and dry!

Rain gear is truly a great gift for any little ones in your life. You can show them that you care in a way that expresses who they are while giving them something practical they can use when the weather is dreary. Kidorable raingear looks like nothing else around, my sister tells me that she doesn’t have to worry any more about her little ones coming home with someone else’s raincoats—they know exactly which ones are theirs!

I’m pretty new to the world of baby blankets so when my best friend’s baby shower rolled around I was pretty much at a loss for what to get her. Luckily, I found these adorable Little Giraffe Velvet Blankys. They’re incredibly soft velvet on one side of the blanket and cool satin on the other.

My friend now tells me that her baby loves the blanket because the satin side is cool against her skin, while the velvet side is textured and smooth. Another great thing about these blankets is the huge variety they come in. I found them in smooth velvet as well as a floral velvet and dot velvet, not to mention several different colors. They come in everything from light pastels like lilac to deep colors like slate, which was essential for me as my friend is especially picky about the color scheme in her baby’s room.

I also found these blankets to be a great gift for the friend who loves celebrity sightings and brand names (baby Suri Cruise has been seen with her Little Giraffe Blanket). More importantly, I’ve found that these are truly high quality baby blankets, which any new mom is sure to appreciate. Another way to make them extra special is monogramming, I put her baby’s initials on the blanket so she can look back on it when she’s older as something uniquely hers. Although I must admit, after feeling the baby blanket I bought for my friend, I went out and got a full-sized Little Giraffe Throw for myself—they’re just that soft!

The Webkinz craze has swept the nation, and on this occasion I think it is a good thing. I will admit, at first I was skeptical of the craze, but after much begging and pleading I finally gave in and purchased one for my niece—the Clydesdale horse (she just loves horses). Well she took it home and I logged on to the website with her to check it out, and it really is a great thing for kids.

There are lots of games that little ones can play that exercise their thinking skills and help them become goal-oriented. Once they finish playing games they earn KinzCash, which they use to feed and dress their online pets and furnish their rooms with special items. The kids get to feel really involved in their online pets, and when they’re not near a computer, they can take the real thing with them. This way they have a pet all day long! It’s great for kids to feel like they have a companion that they can actually take care of, and good for their self-esteem to know it’s all up to them. Another thing I really liked about Webkinz is how safe the website is. Kids can only interact with each other by sending preset messages, so there’s no threat of unwanted conversation, and there is a Parent’s Site that allows you to monitor your child and set safety settings on their Webkinz interactions.

I have found that taking care of a Webkinz pet is an easy and safe way to teach kids about responsibility. My sister told me that my niece had been asking for a puppy for a long time, and monitoring how well she took care of her Webkinz pet showed her that my niece was ready for a real puppy. Now she has a whole family of pets including a Webkinz Pug to match her new pug puppy!