misosouper, a shopping blog

I’m not a big fan of the diaper bag, because, simply, it’s a bag meant to carry diapers.  Which makes it awfully close kin to a trash bag.  Which is what the diaper bag will smell like after a few months of forgotten burp cloths and ground-in Cheerios.

My position:  diaper bags become dumping grounds.  And that doesn’t make anyone’s life easier.

For my purposes, this Skip Hop Pronto changing wallet is perfect.  It’s compact enough to be thrown in a purse or clip unobtrusively onto a stroller, yet expansive enough to hold a couple of diapers, about 50 wipes, and a fold-out, wipe-down pad that makes changing baby in a public restroom actually sanitary.  And it’s made of virtually indestructible black nylon.  (Really.  I’ve crushed mine with the stroller not once, but twice.)

Now that Skip Hop has paired with Target on an exclusive line, you can buy the cheaper version that is much more cheerful than the model I ended up using with baby #1 three years ago.

Eventually, you’ll figure out how to feed yourself and the kid (this took us a good two months); you’ll even be brave enough to go to a restaurant, toting a small canister of baby food.  This Boon food dispensing spoon looks like so much fun that I can’t wait for the days of squirt and shovel to arrive.

Best baby shower ever:  friends and family each bring big trays of ziti/moussaka/meatloaf/otherwise freezable meals, with these labels describing what and how to cook them.  An act of generosity second only to relieving the new parents so they can take a nap.

Because while you’re shopping for the baby, your big kid is prancing out the door to school.  Scary, right?  For more, check out TheFind here.

As the new school year draws near my search for the perfect lunch box goes into full swing. I was looking for a PVC-free and lead-free bag that is insulated and can accommodate a Sigg bottle and bento box lunches. Of course it has to be modern, good looking and easy for my preschooler to carry. After a thorough online search I have found the perfect lunch tote. The Stoh lunch tote by Milkdot meets all of my wish list requirements and it comes in a sweet pink/brown color combo. The Stoh also comes in blue/brown. Not to mention the fact that the Stoh lunch tote is designed by a very chic New York mom named Janet Cho who is a graphic designer and founder of Milkdot. The Stoh lunch box has modern appeal for me and I’m sure that we’ll be taking the tote on outings as well. I’m impressed by the thoughtful functionality of the Stoh lunch tote. For one it can fold flat, a plus for storage. It has ID tag which will hopefully prevent it from going missing, inside pockets to hold ice packs, a water repellent finish, outside pocket for utensils and napkins, and there is a magnetic closure to keep the handles together when carrying the tote.

Every baby needs one special blanket, an artifact from her early days that can be drooled on, picnicked upon, and passed down to the next generation of babies.  Luckily, I have a BFF with a talent for spinning burlap into silk; she sewed us a much-beloved quilt that my daughter prefers over her squishy duvet.

If you don’t know someone with such nimble fingers, my friend Summer, who stocks the most gorgeous items in her shop fawn&forest, has hand-selected 10 heirloom quilts from Got Me In Stitches.  These exquisite pieces can hang on your wall as modern art long after your babies have found their legs and crawled away.