For a long time, I had heard great things about Robeez shoes, but I have to admit it took me a while before I finally broke down and bought a pair for my son. So, what exactly was the straw that broke the camel’s back? A 9 month old little tornado that became obsessed with slipping and sliding all over my kitchen tile floor. Yes, my son, the wild child that he is, absolutely loves to cruise on this slippery surface, and more often than not ends up slipping in his socks and falling down, quite unhappily.

When I bought the Robeez shoes, my intent was to get a soft soled leather shoe, as he is not ready for anything with hard soles, and also to get a shoe that was most importantly non-slip. Well, the Robeez shoes I bought him were just adorable, and they did wonders for his “ice”capades in my kitchen. They fit really well and stayed snugly on his feet (i.e. he wasn’t able to take them off himself, which is a plus!).

Robeez shoes are all leather soft-soled shoes that come in various colors, patterns, and designs for both boys and girls. The are durable and washable (another plus for leather shoes!).  They run in size from 0-6 months to 3-4 years. Robeez also makes hats, bibs, bodysuits, t-shirts and also the cutest booties, which I will be getting soon as the weather continues to get colder here.

For more information and to purchase Robeez products please visit:

Popularity: 4% [?]

How do you tactfully get across to other people that you would rather them not kiss or touch your children? How about when someone tries to touch your child without washing their hands first? Or how about when someone lights up a cigarette near them? Well, Wordsies Wear makes it easy to make a statement, without having to actually “speak” a word. Wordsies is a line of unique infant and toddler shirts that tell and remind others that babies need that extra special care and caution.

I received my Wordsies shirt in a package just before Thanksgiving, and I was delighted when opening it. It was packaged with such care and it looked like it was wrapped to be ready for gift-giving! The shirt was just adorable, made of the softest cotton. And the statement “Please Don’t Smoke Near Me” was so fitting, as I have on numerous occasions been in the presence of people who didn’t realize that I did not want them to smoke in the presence of my children, and I never knew how to tell them tactfully to stop. I always just took my child and left, without trying making a scene. This Wordsies shirt is just what I was looking for because I am so non-confrontational, and this allows me to make my stance on smoking known to everyone around me without offending anybody.

Wordsies shirts come in short or long sleeves onesies or t-shirts that range in size from 3 months to 24 months. Wordsies has also just expanded their line with new embroidered hats that are super cute. And best of all, Wordsies is a philanthropic company, donating a portion of all its proceeds to SIDS research. For more information about these products and to order Wordsies Wear, please visit the Wordsies Website. Use the coupon code “Germs″ and receive 10% off of your purchase!

Popularity: 6% [?]

When I last visited Poland I came upon a brand of shoes called Bartek. These shoes were all leather and of impeccable quality. There was a fantastic selection of shoes, boots, and sandals, of which I ended up buying my son his first pair of winter boots. He loved these boots, as they were very comfortable to wear, had a lot of room for his feet, kept his feet warm and dry, and best of all - looked cool!

Bartek shoes pride themselves on being comfortable and anatomically healthy for a child’s developing feet. A lightweight custom injection molding is used to form the flexible soles of the shoes and the exterior is made of a soft natural leather. The winter boots also have something called Sympatex which makes the shoes 100% waterproof, yet allows breathability and wicking away of moisture or sweat from the child’s foot.

Bartek is becoming a well-known name in the USA, and it is definitely a sought after brand in Europe. I found that many stores in the Chicago area, as well as online children’s boutiques carry this brand of shoe. They offer sizes ranging from baby, all the way up to teenagers. For more information about Bartek shoes and to browse a small online catalog, please visit Bartek’s USA Website.

Popularity: 6% [?]