Toddlers, of course, want to do everything themselves. Parents would love for them to! But often, the path to independently performing day-to-day tasks is bumpy. Wherever we can create opportunities for our little ones to feel successful throughout the day, we should. It boosts their confidence and self-esteem, and reduces frustration- for everyone! Here are the products (below the video!) I brought to “The 10! Show” that help do just that!

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

• Kid’Sleep clocks $30-$50 – www.livelovedream.com.  Have a little one who wakes you up too early or climbs in your bed? Help them understand when it’s wake up time with the Kid’Sleep Classic clock. It functions as a night light and an alarm clock, but best of all has a wake up indicator. Toddlers can’t tell time, but the can look to the Kid’Sleep to see if it’s “wake up” time; if the character on clock is sleeping or awake. Parents can set the time they’d like for the playing image to illuminate. The Kid’Sleep line also includes the Globetrotter battery-operated, travel version of the Classic, and the My First Alarm Clock which has both a digital and analog clock as the main focus, but still has a mini wake up indicator as well.

• Aqueduck Faucet Extender $12.99 www.peachyco.com.  Kids need to wash their hands so many times a day, the easier you can make it for them, the less likely they’ll fight it! The Aqueduck helps kids reach faucets. It’s super-easy to use, portable, BPA/PVC/Phthalate-free, and fits most faucets.

• Skip Hop Soapster Foaming Soap Dispenser $24 www.skiphop.com. Kid will love getting their own soap for handwashing or tubby-time! Fill the Soapster will any baby wash and water and it will create foamy soap. Kids just press on the penguin’s belly to lather up! Installs with suction cups to tile or mirrors or with screws for permanent wall-mounting.

• Myself Belts $9.99 and up- www.myselfbelts.com . Lots of kids fit pants length-wise but are skinny minis and need a belt. Traditional belts with buckles require two hands and a fair amount of dexterity to manage. Myself Belts are are Velcro belts that use a patented design that allows wearers to fasten their one hand belt using a simple three-step SNAP, SLIDE and SECURE process. Myself Belts are great, and especially useful for potty trainers who are often in a big hurry to get undressed! Available for kids in sizes 2 to 12 and there is an adult line as well. They come in a variety of designs and materials and can be personalized as well.

• Original Ba $14.99 www.newinnovashun.com.   When little ones are ready to self-feed, bottles can be awkward to grasp. The Original Ba bottle holder is designed for small hands to hold their bottle securely and easily. A frame made of FDA approved food grade approved silicone, the Original Ba is BPA-, Pthalate-, Lead-, & PVC-Free.

• My Plate-Mate $7.50 www.myplate-mate.com.   My Plate-Mate is a spill guard for toddlers (ages 2) through age 6 who are getting the handle of scooping food onto utensils. It’s a great learning tool that prevents spills and increases the child’s confidence & independence at meals. It easily slips on a child’s 8-9 ½” plate and is dishwasher safe. The My Plate-Mate is made of FDA approved plastics and is lead-, BPA- and Phthalates-free. Great for at restaurants, too!

Premier Baby Concierge founder, Shannon Choe, Philadelphia’s first baby planner & maternity concierge appears regularly on “The 10! Show” bringing Parent Tips and Product Picks.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com.

BabyPop Superhero Capes (and accessories!)
Open ended imaginative play is so important to a child’s development. These hand made, personalized super hero capes are awesome for year-round dramatic play! Kids of all ages love to dress up, and these capes will be loved and played with for years. At $17, these capes are terrific bday gifts! Masks, gloves, t shirts are also available. $4.50-$54 www.babypop.com

Monkey Swimmers from Monkey’s Inc.
Remember the inflatable swim floaties of our childhood? Monkey Swimmers are the modern answer to the old school swim system. These soft foam adjustable arm bands wont slip or tug on skin, and because of their slim design, are super comfortable, not pushing kids arms out in an unnatural arc. What also makes the design unique, is that as your child gains confidence in the water using Monkey Swimmers, you can remove one layer at a time to reduce buoyancy. Your child is able to enjoy the water and at progress at their own pace.  They come with a book to introduce the Monkey Swimmers and get your kids excited about swimming and using them, as well as a progress chart.
Currently available at www.monkeyswimmers.com for $32. They will soon be available at Amazon.com.

Joovy Tricycoo
There are a lot of different skills involved in riding a trike and sometime trying to tackle them all at once can be frustrating. The Joovy Tricycoo allows little ones to get comfortable with the balance and coordination it takes to master a trike one step at a time. Starting with the parent push handle and using the “baby surround arms” and stationary foot rests, parents can control movement and direction of the Tricycoo, allowing the toddler to safely enjoy the ride! When the child is ready, the foot rests can be folded away, allowing the child to rest their feel on the pedals. The pedals can be set to freely move, so your child can get used to the movement without having to power them. With the parent still in control of the push bar, the child is able to master this stage before locking the wheels and focusing on how to power the bike themselves. Once the “baby surround arms and parent bar are removed, the Tricycoo functions as a normal trike. It has four positions and is adjustable 32.5 to 38 inches. The steel frame supports up to 44 lbs and the wheels roll quietly. The bell and basket make the bike that much more fun! $99.99 www.joovy.com

SKUUT™ Wooden Balance Bike

Balance bikes are becoming very popular because they allow kids to more organically learn balance, steering and coordination without pedals or training wheels in the way. The Skuut (pronounced “scoot”) is a wooden balance bike for kids agest 2 to 5 and up to 75lbs. Children kick off the ground as if running, pushing- or “skuuting”- the bike forward. The design allows the child to feel successful and enjoy the ride, without fear of falling or pressure to coordinate many the many skills it takes to ride a traditional bike all at once. Focusing on fun and learning almost by accident is always a winner in our book! The Skuut’s lowest seat setting is 13 inches, the highest is 16.5 inches. Made of 100% Birchwood and coated with non-toxic lacquer, it has 12 inch rubber pressurized tires and an easy to clean vinyl padded seat. Skuut™ has won numerous awards, including The Oppenheim Gold Seal Award, Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Active Products,

The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, Creative Toy Top Toy of the Year Award, The Toy Man Award of Excellence, and education.com A+ Award. www.skuut.com $74 on www.amazon.com Also available at REI.com.

Fun Fort!

I saw the Fun Fort at the Toy Fair in NYC this year and loved it! It’s a very simple design, but has infinite possibilities for play. It’s an 8×8 piece of tent-like material with Velcro and elastic loops that allow it to attach to anything stable. No more dragging blankets around the house! For use inside or out, The Fun Fort can look different every time you build it. It’s durable, washable and highly portable! This is another toy that kids can play with for years- from peek-a-boo with a toddler to a secret hide-out or reading corner for big kids, forts never get old! $39.95 www.thehappykidcompany.com

I was thrilled to be a part of the excitement at “The 10! Show” Baby Shower show today!  As in the past, Premier Baby Concierge brought some of our favorite registry items and everything we featured will be won by one lucky home viewer!!  I did a second segment to showcase the First Years’ items, two of which EVERY mama in the audience is taking home with them- a Jet stroller and a convertible car seat!!  And finally, Premier Baby Concierge brought swag bags for each mama-to-be as well.  Feeling a bit Oprah-like.

If you are on twitter, you’ll have another chance to win these items!! We are doing a MATCHING twitter giveaway!! Follow @PremierBaby for details!!

Here are the details of the products featured in the “Premier Picks” segment:

1.  Brtiax B Ready stroller www.britaxusa.com $499.99

This stroller is part of the travel system which has an amazing 14 seat configurations seating one or two kids.  It’s compatible with Britax infant car seat or a few other manufacturers’ seats.  The top seat the comes with the stroller is reversible and has three recline positions; great under seat storage, adjustable handle height and other great ease-of-use features.

2.  Britax Chaperone Infant Car Seat www.britaxusa.com $229.99

This seat has a 30 lb upper weight limit. The American Academy of

Pediatrics now recommends that kids ride in rear-facing seats until they are two, so this higher weight limit will allow parents to make this choice. **You’ll notice in the video I goofed and said the new recommendation is rear-facing til 30lbs rather then 2 years of age, which is the correct info. Oops!** The seat has Easy-to-Read level indicators on the base to provide quick reference for the proper angle of recline.  The High Density Comfort Foam provides an extra layer of padding and the True Side Impact protection consists of deep side walls of the seat shell and the adjustable head restraint, which has energy absorbing foam.

3.  Nap Nanny Chill www.napnanny.com $129.99

The Nap Nanny was designed to give infants a comfortable alternative for sleep.  The design has baby “Chill” at a 30 degree angle which many parents find allows baby to more comfortable and sleep longer. It’s also often recommend by doctors as ideal for a variety of reasons (reflux, colds, colic and ear infections, special needs).  The cover is waterproof and mashine washable.

4.  Bosom Baby Nursing Pillow www.lunalullaby.com $48

Whether breast or bottle feeding, a positioning pillow is a great item.  I love this one because it’s super soft, fits women of any size comfortably and the cover is removable and washable.  Bonus: you can use it as a maternity pillow until baby arrives!

5.  Swaddle Designs SwaddleDuo www.swaddledesigns.com $38

Great swaddle blankets are a must!  Two important factors: size (40×40” is ideal) and material.  Swaddle Designs has the Swaddle Duo which is an awesome gift set with two blankets, one in cool flannel for cool to moderate temps and one cotton marquisette with an open weave for warmer climates.  And unique to Swaddle Designs: the 123 Swaddle Tip Tag sewn into each blanket!  Super simple.  

6.  Skip Hop Pronto! Changing Station www.skiphop.com $30

This is a portable diapering essentials kit that is great to throw in the diaper bag and / or keep one in your car for outings when you don’t want to bring a huge diaper bag, but need the essentails.  It has an extra wide changing pad, and wipes case, as well as space for personal items.

7.  And you may have noticed on the table, but we ran out of time to chat about the Paige Lauren Baby clothing! www.paigelaurenbaby.com $13-48.

Such a shame because it’s amazing! The clothes are super- soft and made from 50% micro modal and 50% supima jersey.  The colors are great, the designs are fresh. Definitely doesn’t look like your typical baby clothing.  If you’re looking for a shower gift that will be remembered and used, this is it!!

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com.

Philadelphia’s Baby planner & Maternity Concierge, Shannon Choe, was on “The 10! Show” today sharing PBC “Premier Picks” for gifting that special mom this holiday!  Whether your are shopping for a Mom To Be, New Mom, Seasoned Mom or Grandma, we’ve got you covered!  All of these items are available to order and arrive by Mother’s Day if you act fast!

• The Waiting Band $65 www.tiny-baubles.com.  A ring that fits all sizes from the first trimester to last.  Know a mom to be who has to shed her wedding ring due to puffy fingers?  This sterling silver, open-ended ring has itw own message engraved on the inside and is the perfect gift!
• Serena and Lily Gypsy tote & clutch, $75-175 www.serenaandlily.com The Gypsy Tote has loads of space, and the necessary pockets of a diaper bag, but offers a unique style that doesn’t yell “diaper wrangler!”  The tote is great for a night out and transitions to a diaper clutch with ease, as it has plenty of space to accommodate mommy and baby essentials.  Can be ordered with a changing pad, too.
• Belli Skincare items, $22-$39 www.belliskincare.com .  Pamper mom to be with Belli, a smart choice for mom and baby!  We know that small amounts of skin care ingredients are absorbed in your bloodstream and could affect you and your baby, so moms to be are smart to be especially careful when selecting these.
  • Acne Cleansing Facial Wash: The safest acne wash for pregnancy, Belli Acne Cleansing Facial Wash uses lactic acid to lift away dirt and oil from the facial pores, promoting clean and blemish-free skin.
  • Elasticity Oil: decrease the risk of stretchmarks by 39%
• Precious Metal Prints’ Pendant, $74.99 www.preciousmetalprints.com .  This kit includes everything you need!  Take an impression of your baby’s fingerprint at home, send in and in 2-3 weeks, you’ll receive your pure silver, wearable keepsake!  Use code “PBC Mom” to save 20% off at checkout!
• Zoubaby personalized boots, $89 www.Zoubaby.com These personalized and comfortable personalized boots are a perfect, unique gift for the stylish mom on-the-go.  Availabe in sizes 5 to 11; 4 fonts; 8 thread colors
• Ceiva Connected Digital Photo Frame,  $119.95  www.ceiva.com This is the perfect gift for family that is far away and/or technology-challenged!  CEIVA (see-vah) Connected Photos Frames receive photos sent from you and family & friends – from anywhere in the world!  So easy to use- family and friends can send photos via smart phone, Facebook, etc. and the frame can connect automatically at night via phone line or wifi to receive them.  No need for a computer!  Added bonuses: Store unlimited number of photos online and sign up for CEIVA Channels like Local Weather, Recipe-a-Day and make your own Digital Calendar. Price is frame plus one year of service. ·After one year, the service plan starts at $6.95 per month.
• The Great Remember,  $99 and up www.thegreatremember.com .  This company creatively re-purposes children’s art work favorite clothing items, and/or memorable quotes into nostalgic pieces of contemporary artwork and jewelry.  They have a few Mother’s Day Specific items that they have extended their deadline for “The 10! Show” viewers to THIS FRI, APRIL 29^th:
  • MOTHER’S DAY SPECIFIC ITEMS

1.     “Mother Squares” Canvas – $149  Simply email up to 4 digital photos to The Great Remember, and the company will incorporate them into the 12”X12” stretched canvas with abstract letter forms spelling “MOTHER” and ship the final product directly to you.

2.     “Look Ma” Fabric Appliqué – $199

A hand-crafted, custom-made 8”x8” fabric appliqué.  Send in your child’s favorite cute phrase (70 characters or less) that will be stitched into the existing heart template and  framed in a mahogany-stained shadow box.

3.     Large Locket – $199

Send in your children’s photos, profiles or meaningful fabric, and The Great Remember will turn them into unique, non-traditional lockets that don’t open; rather, they seal the contents permanently like a mini time capsule capturing a moment in time. All lockets are two sided and there are three sizes available.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com.

This was a very special show for expectant and new parents with lots of great info and giveaways galore!  The audience was full of expectant moms and PBC founder and regular 10! Show contributor, Shannon Choe, was thrilled to be part of all the action!

Shannon picked some of her favorite products to share, knowing that one lucky home viewer would win it ALL!  Here they are:

1.  Hot Mama Gowns $119- Be camera and visitor ready with these beautiful organic gowns that are designed for breastfeeding.  Sizes 2 to 22.

2.  Storksak’s Jamie Expresso unisex diaper bag.  This is a great leather bag that mom or dad would be happy to carry!  It’s a great shape and has an insulated pocket in addition to other exterior pockets, and the interior can be wiped-clean.  An awesome laptop bag for after baby!   www.SaksFifthAvenue.com $210

3.  Flip Slide HD This is an awesome HD video camera that takes up to 4 hours of HD footage and can store a max of 12 hours!  It is ridiculously user-friendly when it comes to taping, taking still photos, viewing on screen and uploading to share on Facebook, etc.  Use within two seconds out of the box!   Grandmom will thank you!  $279.99

4.  Apple Park toys- We love these 100% all natural, organic plush Picnic Pals, wrist rattles, etc.  What a great first toy to “shower” mom and baby with!  $12-48

5.  Dapple products- Natural dish liquid and toy cleaner wipes & spray to natural enough to use on baby’s items, but tough enough to remove grime!   Great green items to introduce the new mom to!  $5.99-6.99

6.  Baeba babycook -  Unfortunately time ran short and we couldn’t do the Baeba cook justice on the 10! Show!  We LOVE this one-of-a-kind baby food making counter top appliance!  Making baby food is really easy and the Baeba cook is so great because this one appliance blends, steams, defrosts and reheats.  It’s the perfect size and can cook meat, veggies and fruit in under 15 minutes all while retaining all of the nutritional value!  Not to mention it’s cute.  $149.99

7.  Book- Feeding Baby Green by Dr. Greene- A great comprehensive nutritional guide about how the food we while pregnant and baby eats effect his health during his lifetime.  Dr. Greene is so knowledgeable and communicates the research behind the theories, the numbers, the foods, all without preaching- he lets the info speak for itself and leaves mom to make her own choices.  That’s my kind of teacher!  $11.53

8.  Britax B ready stroller- This stroller is simply amazing!  It can transform from a single- child to a double or twin system, taking baby seats or bassinetts (to a total of 14 different configurations!) and not only that- it does so EASILY!  Check out this video to see for yourself:   http://www.britaxusa.com/strollers/b-ready/videos And of course, it’s a Britax, so they’ve thought everything out from canopy to under carriage storage to cup holder- and best of all:  We LOVE that you can adjust the harness with a slide versus re-threading the whole darned seat.  Love!  $499.99

A HUGE thanks to all of these companies that send their products for feature and giveaway to one lucky home viewer!

Thanks also to The 10! Show for the opportunity to reach all of these excited, expectant moms!  I was able to send my favorite baby proofing item- Socket Lockits, with my PBC logo, no less!- home with each mama in their baby shower swag bag, along with a special coupon for Baby Proofing Assessment and/or Car Seat Safety Inspection (I am proud to be a CPS Certified Tech – aka car seat tech).