After reading a lot of information on products containing BPA (Bisphenol-A), I ended up deciding to replace all of my sippy cups. They were due to be replaced anyway as they were showing a lot of wear.

I started researching cups made of material that did not contain BPA. During the first stage of my research, I was quite disturbed. The cost of BPA free sippy cups were utterly ridiculous! It was quite obvious that some manufacturers were taking advantage of this scare. Some cups were as high as $17 a cup! Um, sorry.... no way will I pay that much for a sippy cup.

Finally, my search led to an old standard when it comes to baby products. Playtex makes a sippy cup called the Playtex Baby Coolster Tumbler. It costs a reasonable $4.99. The Playtex store is out some of the colors but a lot of other sites carry these cups. I bought mine on at Toys R US and Amazon carries them too.

There are more advantages to these cups. They do not have a spout. This helps train kids better for drinking from a regular cup in the future. Also, a cup without a spout is better for speech and is recommended by speech therapists. I was not sure how my 21 month old would do without a spout but I had no need to worry. He loves this cup and drinks from it just fine!

The cup does not leak. Now, we all know that if you hold a sippy cup upside down and shake it, a few drops will come out. That is true about this cup too but what cup doesn't? This cup is definitely one of the better ones when it comes to not leaking. Overall, I love these cups and so do my sons! If you are interested in BPA free cups that do not cost an arm and a leg, I highly recommend these!

I am starting to wonder if they make diapers like they used to. My youngest son ends up soaking wet by the time morning comes. This happened occasionally with my other sons, but it was not an every day occurrence like it is with Baby D.

I have tried switching brands, the overnight diapers and using a larger diaper. In addition, I have cut back on the amount of liquids my son drinks later in the day. I always put on a fresh diaper at bedtime. The poor little guy still wakes up soaking wet practically every morning. This little problem is not only gross, it is costly considering the water and detergent I have to use to launder his sheets daily.

I read about something called Diaper Doublers. I am going to try them but will have to order them online. They do not sell them at my local grocery store. In the meantime, I did discover a trick last night. I had some old pull-ups from when I was potty training my other son. I put one on Baby D over his diaper and he remained dry! The pull-up absorbed the liquid that would normally have leaked. Who knows, I might just stick with this method as long as it continues to work!

Reports of sluggish sales by retailers are creating great prices for last minute shoppers both in stores and on-line. If you have money left to spend, now is the time to get out there and get those deals!

One such sale kicks off today at Gymboree. Their Big Red Balloon semi-annual sale is in full swing, so if you still need Holiday gifts check them out. Avoid the crowds by shopping on line, what a beautiful thing!

" You must know the drill, your mobile is ringing, it’s at the bottom of your bag, and you frantically search for it amidst all the junk until you’re whipped into a mad frenzy and resort to chucking everything out! Finally managing to find the phone, you hit the answer button and the caller drops…

Most of today’s baby bags are cute, but in organizational terms, a disaster. And so, in the Spring of 2006, alexandra bee was born - a collection of trendy oversized baby bags featuring numerous hidden compartments that carry all of a fashionista’s essentials: blackberry, ipod, diapers, wipes, bottles, sunglasses, baby clothes and more!"

Their baby bags are so luxurious, made out of genuine Italian leather and hand crafted by skilled Italian artisans. They are versatile enough to go from day to night in a snap! My favorite is the Virginia Bag. It comes in nine designer fabrics and even one that is made entirely of Italian calfskin leather. Now that's a chic baby bag!

A few years ago a woman named Ashley Gaddy gave birth to a son named Fletcher. He was a beautiful baby but a bit colicky and to Ashley's amazement, she found that he was much happier being next to her body. She found that with a hands free baby sling she was actually able to get a few things done around the house.

Through this experience Ashley quickly learned the value of "babywearing" and sought out stylish baby slings. Unfortunately, nothing on the market met her aesthetic standard so she developed her own line of slings that are simple and stylish for the fashionable mom.

A few years later, the family is bigger (Fletcher has become a big brother) and the company is too. Their fashionable accessories are just to die for with stylish prints and modern functionality. Like the Grab 'n' Go Clutch. Sometimes all mom needs are the essentials...diapers, wipes, pacifier and lipstick. The Grab 'n' Go Clutch is the perfect way to slip out of the house in a chic and stylish way.

Sweet Fletcher's signature fabrics are also available in these gorgeous custom made quilts. Boy, I wish they had these when my kids were little. With satin edges and beautiful patterns to choose from your baby can have a wonderful stroller blanket, picnic blanket or just something to snuggle up with at nap time.

Bushel & Peck is Sweet Fletcher's newest line of baby clothing, catering to a more functional and whimsical type of clothing. Their zodiac shirts have incredible graphics. I love the "Leo" t-shirt.

Their store online has a complete list of products as well as a comprehensive list of retailers that carry their products throughout the United States. And right now Sweet Fletcher is offering free shipping on all products to the readers of Loveshakbaby. By entering this code SFLoveShak, you will receive the discount at check out so check them out!

I came across with what I think is a clever product for a mom with a baby and a toddler.  A product that is inexpensive and easy to bring with you wherever you go. Have I sparked your curiosity?  It is called a Buggypod and it is a portable stroller that snaps on to any baby stroller. It can even be used with a double stroller if you have more than two children.....

"The Buggypod  website shows you how it snaps on to almost any design of stroller (including double buggies, for twins-plus-one families), and - crucially - how it can be folded neatly aside when not in use."

At Babygadget there are so many neat options for strollers. What I like most about this one is that a stay at home mother of three invented it.   GO MOMMIES GO MOMMIES.

I came across a product that I wish I would have had when my kids were babies. While I was on the Parent Hacks weblog I found the the new Water Bottle Nipple Adapter. I can't tell you how many times that I either left without a bottle, (I know, you're asking how a mom could do this) or was someplace hot and needed a drink for my baby. This product has been getting great reviews from moms out there...

"I remember the first time I used the Water Bottle Adapter, It was at my son's soccer game and everyone had their water bottle but my littlest son AJ, seven months. He was thirsty too so I just screwed the adapter on and he had his own water."

Everyday new products are coming out to make our lives as mothers easier. Whether you work outside the home or stay at home full time, having products like this one on the market is a huge help. You can go directly to BabySport Online and check it out.

I am all over these hooded towels from Dwell Baby. Well, actually they are all over her when she gets out of the bath or shower.  Lined with terry cloth, the outside comes in various progressive modern prints for the contemporary baby.

The bloggers at Coochicoos encourage parents to get their baby cozy and dry with  these mod towels from Dwell's line of bed linens. What a nice way to wrap up babies evening after a bath.

If you're looking for other great baby shower gift ideas check out Design Public for great Dwell Baby bibs and stroller blankets all featuring Dwell's geometric shapes and modern colors.

We were just wondering, along with the bloggers at Baby Fashion Gift Blog, what has made celebrity babies and their accessories so fascinating this past year?   According to Danielle, at Celebrity Baby Blog, in an interview with MSNBC, she explains the fact that so many A-list celebrities are already so hyped up in the media that the anticipation of baby's arrival puts the baby in the spotlight even before he/she arrives.

"Lullaby Loot" is what they're calling the baby goodies in Tinsel Town these days and moms like Madonna and Brittany are cashing in on some really cool baby items that even a non-celebrity mom like me can afford for my little "star".

Petunia Petunia thinks all children are beyond ordinary and their chic, hand knit and crocheted baby items offer graphic icons and vigorous colors to otherwise ordinary baby bed linens and accessories. I love the Knitted Tooth Fairy Pillow and evidently, celebrity moms are snatching this item up faster than a child can say, "I lost a tooth!"

While babies are becoming a Hollywood accessory in themselves so is baby's footwear. Toddler Treads, a particular favorite of Angelina Jolie and Gweneth Paltrow, are so functional and comfortable for a toddler that they have become a "must have" on the list of celebrity baby shower gifts.

It's so fun to be a mom in this day and age. The maternity clothes are more stylish than ever, the books on parenting are so much more informational than they ever were, and just the excitement of bringing home a baby seems to ignite a huge party from showers to storks in the yard.  Even baby accessories are being marketed as a fashion statement for the modern mom of today.

Charlotte, from StorkCalling, mentions that women have really changed the way they view mommyhood in terms of functional baby products.

"Modern mothers are looking for fabrics and accessories that showcase the baby and the momma, avoiding the strict utilitarian methods we tend to associate with Moms."

She goes on to say that while the majority of moms don't usually indulge in designer baby goods, the market is starting to cater to products that offer more affordable, functional and fashionable items on a designer level.

Farah, at She Finds Mom, boasts that Chic Tots products are just that, they are "stylish, functional, and mom-inspired." Chic Tots realized that when it came to baby products, style and function were not in accord, "functional products lacked style and fashionable products weren't practical." They have developed some cool solutions that are "functional, comfortable and versatile without sacrificing the 'chic-factor'." One of those items is the Chic & Carry Wristlet.

I wish I had this when my kids were still in diapers.  What a fashionable way to carry just a few diapers and wipes for those quick trips out that don't warrant the full diaper bag. Heather, at Swanky Moms, just loves the idea of a smaller bag too.  She thought the "Royal Heinie" diaper purse was a clever idea as soon as she saw the name. She's tried it and raves about the interior wipe dispenser and great color combinations and patterns.

When I think of all the suffering I went through as a mom without access to all the cool items that are on the market today, I can't even begin to imagine how I got by. At least by the time my girls are ready to start their families I'll be able to encourage them to maintain chic and style at a functional and affordable level.