We’re pretty confident that this new Walk On from the Brio range will become another one of the stylish pieces products that Bebe is well known for. Suitable for children aged 9 months plus, this is the perfect gift for a first birthday present for your favourite little person who is ready to get up from their knees onto their feet behind something sturdy. Featuring a sliding panel to hide toys, wheels set back for extra safety and an adjustable wheel brake for greater shelves this will bring a smile to any little one who is ready to do some serious moving!

Also from Brio we’ve got the Brio Ride On in gorgeous modern colors, which is a fabulous sturdy timber toy with a comfy textile seat for added comfort. With wheels featuring rubber trim wheels for extra traction and safety, this lovely walker encourages ambulatory and general motor skills and will fit comfortably into the most modern or classic of homes. Goes to show you cant go wrong with Brio.

We have just received our delivery of the popular Mamas & Papas Go Go Rockers. The Go Go Rockers  represent clean, minimal style, with reversable colours . They are ergonomically designed for comfort and support and have the unique feature of a removable head hugger to provide addiional head support for younger babies.

Check out the 

Raspberry/Grape Go Go Rocker

(shown above) and 

Chocolate/Sky Blue Go Go Rocker

here.

Most of us dont have the time , or possibly the desire, to spend our weekends pureeing organic vegetables for our child. I recall religiously pureeing on a daily basis with my first child for a few months, then gradually resorting to mashing left overs (which had lost half of their nutritional value within hours of being in the fridge) and worse still, popping open jars of “organic” baby food which was not as fresh as it looked.  There’s just too much happening in that first year to get everything right, and whipping up something healthy and fresh for bubs whilst important, can be very tiring.

One health minded US mum has recognised a gap in the market and established Pomme Bebe, an organic baby cafe serving fresh, organic home cooked meals for babies and toddlers.   Pomme Bebe prides themselves in offering great tasting and organic baby food that is freshly cooked on the premises and containing NO nasties! We love that this cafe features a Baby Lounge and Baby Tasting bar (shown above)  which is aptly decked out with Bloom Fresco Loft High Chairs for a true baby comfort and style. If you dont have time to “eat-in”, they’ll even bring it to your car, curb side or deliver to your front door.

Pomme Bebe is located in Newport Beach, Los Angeles (Orange County - how’d you guess?!). As fellow baby business entrepreneurs, we think it deserves a big thumbs up and definitly a stop by on your next family trip to Disneyland.

We love the Eeni Meeni Miini Moh Pure range for its timelessness, soft fibres and practicality of design. We’re giving you the opportunity to win an Eeni Meeni Miini Moh Newborn Prize pack valued at $450 just by signing up three friends to our fortnightly newsletter. Or if you’re not yet a subscriber yourself- just sign yourself up plus two friends! Bebe online’s fortnightly newsletter is a great way to stay on top of bebe news, special offers, sales and store events.  

Prize includes the winners choice of pink or blue Eeni Meeni Miini Moh Newborn prize pack including items shown above and listed below:

Bib & Burp Cloth, Beanie Booties & Mitten Set, Hooded Wrap/Throw, T-Shirt & Shorts Set, Monogram Wrap, 2 x Singlets, Playsuit, Long Sleeve T-Shirt & Pants Set, Jumpsuit, Sleeping Sack.  

To enter, please email us three genuine, valid email addresses to info@bebeonline.com.au. Winner will be drawn on 14th October, 2008  and announced here on the bebe blog.

In the meantime, check out the Eeni Meeni Miini Moh range here..

MORE new products, you ask?

Yes, we’re pleased to share we have some more great products that have just arrived in-store. Branberry is one of Australia’s favourite baby blanket suppliers, with each blanket being hand knitted and crafted in Australia. Made from 70% pure fine combed cotton and 30% extra fine merino wool, these blankets have been loved more many years for their soft feel and versatility - keeping babies warm in winter and cool in summer.

Branberry have just released a range of blankets in new modern bold stripes, which we have welcomed like a breathe of fresh air. Contemporary baby blankets are surprisingly still quite difficult to find, and we can tell you now, these bold striped blankets fit the brief for the modern nursery. Check out these new Branberry blankets here.

by Pinky McKay

“Have I ever done anything abusive to you?” I asked my daughter who had just affirmed that I had never smacked her. After a bit of a pause, my self image as gentle mummy was shattered. “Yes, you have” she said with absolute conviction. “When I was little, if we went out, and I had a dirty face, you would spit on your hanky and wipe it.”

That’s hardly a childhood trauma is it? Heck, I can remember my Nana, all dressed up in her hat and gloves, dabbing at my own face wtih a bit of spit on her lace hanky. It got me thinking how easy it is to simply do things to small children and babies, without even considering  how intrusive or disrespectful it might feel to them. Just for a moment, put yourself in your baby’s bootees: What if someone was shovelling food into your mouth, for instance, then if they wiped the leftovers off your face with as much sensitivity as they would mop up the high chair tray? How must it feel to have your legs pulled up in the air and your pants peeled off without so much as a ‘please’ or ‘thankyou’? We can be mindful how we do things to babies.

Firstly, you can tell your baby what you are about to do, rather than just sneaking up on him, and if you want to do something with your baby that isnt absolutely necessary, such as giving him a massage, ask his consent first. You might be thinking, what is the point of asking consent from a baby who can’t understand me, but even very tiny babies give very definate cues. By responding to their cues appropriately, we are teaching babies to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to things that are pleasurable or not and that they have choices. Really, respecting babies and little children is all about empathy - seeing yourself in your child’s place and interpreting her cues. A little respect goes a long way.

About the author - Pinky McKay is an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant, a Certified Infant Massage Instructor with Infant Massage Australia and respected baby-care author.  Check out Pinky McKays books here.  For more information about Pinky - www.pinkymckay.com.au.

These are one of the coolest and greenest toys that have hit our shelves all year! Made in the USA from 100% recycled milk bottles, these gorgeous toys contain no Phthalates or BPA, and are packaged in recycled currugated boxes. We fell in love with them the moment we saw them, and when you discover them too, we’re sure you’ll feel the same. The Green Toys Tea Set lets young hosts brew up an imaginary pot of tea whilst doing something really good for the earth. In gorgeous shades, this is the perfect give for that special little girl (or boy!) in your life to fill their days with a little old fashioned magic that only a tea set can bring.

Sure to be a hit as the weather warms up, the Green Toys Sand Play Set will have your little builders searching for treasure and creating the lightest of footprints on the sand this summer. A four peice set, it’s a great stocking filler, or a great present for a little beach bunny who loves to dig. The third edition to the Green Toys family is the Cookware and Dining Set. A beautifully presented set of 27 pieces, this is a gift that is sure to delight any child, or have your little ones serving up gourmet meals straight from the cubby to your table.

Check the Green Toys range here

Eating out with kids can be fun, but can often prove stressful  when littlies have an attack of the wriggles and will happily poke out their eyes with chopsticks if it means they get to leave the venue faster. 

My family eat out at least four times a week, and our little one looks forward to this ritual, always enthusiastically choosing a take-along toy to bring. Colouring in books were a cafe favourite, however this activity was abruptly bought to an end when he “tagged” a microsuede upholstered chair with a charcoal texta marker.

Below are my  favourite take-a-long toys for dining out with kids. These ones work well both as “self amusement” toys, but also for some one on one play with a loving family member.  These toys are all compact enough for handbags and resiliant enough to handle the inevitable babycino spills.

AGE 0-1 YEARS

Rattle Ring by Bajo

This natual wooden rattle is sized perfectly for little hands. Great for the teething baby as well as those that like to play their own music by giving the rattle a good shake

 AGE 1-2 YEARS

Pull-along Snake by Plan Toys

A stack of fun can be had with this toy - from watching his body wriggle as he’s pulled along, to learning of colours and counting the beads that make up his body.

AGE  2-3 YEARS

“My First” Shorty the Dog by Brio

Brio’s Take along toys and train sets have endless play options including pulling along the magnetic wagons and make believe play. Shorty the Dog’s stomach is un-zipped and used as storage for other small take-along toys.

AGE 3-4 YEARS

Auto Transporter by Bajo

This four piece set includes movable cab and two cars, meaning making it a perfect activity toy that captivates the imagination

AGE 4-5 YEARS

Dado Cubes

My son is obsessed with building using these cubes. Given that they pack into themselves, they are the perfect size to bring along in the hand bag. My tip for restaurants is to perhaps bring a scaled down version (half of the amount of cubes), to prevent any sky scraping projects.

 AGE 5 YRS +

Brio Labrynth

The object of the game is to navigate the marble through the maze - concentration levels on this one may just require extra babycinos for brain power!

Bebeonline is offering 35% Off the super-comfy and ever popular Robeez Booties . These booties make great ”inside” pre-walkers for your little one at any time of the year.  Now could be good also be a great time to stock up on a bargain for next winter!

Check out the Robeez Booties here..

Still undecided? Read some reviews from fellow bebeonline customers on Robeez Booties -

This offer is only available in the colours and sizes shown as available online and while stocks last. See more bebe specials  here..

Dado Cubes and Squares combine art, science and fun as children build their own personal masterpieces from these fabulous award winning toys. Encouraging children to explore the architectural principles of proportion, balance, structure and color, Dado provides a fabulous new twist to building blocks. The Dado cubes engage childrens imaginations as the slits on each cube are interlocked to create an unlimited number of three dimensional structures. The Dado Squares too will be sure to stimulate and entertain the young minds if your life. Strong visual skills are a crucial element to a childs life, and through the Dado intuitive system of construction, children of all ages find these cubes and squares engaging.

We’re sure that these fabulous new toys to bebe will be a hit! Allowing children to demonstrate what their incredible minds are able to see and create is a wonderful way to set their creativity free, giving them the passion to create structures which are unique and fun! Whether it be a house they construct, a stable, or  a spaceship - Dado products gives them the freedom to choose and do it their way.

Dado helps children improve fine motor skills, including hand strength, finger dexterity and coordination of small muscle movements, and psychosocially children develop skills as they share ideas and talk about their constructions.

Check out the Dado toy range here..