Baby Bibs

We went through a lot of bibs, or rather our kids did, before we found the perfect one. Mom- and dad-designed Mally Bibs from Mally Designs are the answer to even the messiest mealtimes. Made of leather, they’re durable, easy to clean (a quick rinse under the tap is usually all you need) and come in a variety of cool designs. Magnets sewn into pockets in the neck straps allow you to adjust the size and also make them easy to store between meals (we just pop ours on the fridge). Mally bibs are reversible, with a handy spill pocket on one side and come in two sizes: baby and toddler. mallybibs.com

BabyBjorn Travel Crib

With two kids apiece, our days of travelling light are over–or so we thought. On a recent holiday we left our old travel crib behind and opted for a BabyBjorn travel crib instead. Light as an ocean breeze, it folded into a compact carrying case that took up almost no space in the car and, once we reached our destination, it literally took seconds to set up. But it’s only deceptively small–the bottom opens out wider than the top, so even our three-year-old had plenty of room. As an added bonus, both the mattress cover and bed fabric are machine-washable. Babybjorn.com

To see it set up: http://www.babybjorn.com/en/American/BabyBjorn-Travel-Crib-Light-Competition/

Stainless Steel Dishes for Kids

We’ve searched high and low for kids’ dishes that are both fun and earth-friendly (i.e. not made out of plastic), but that also offer a little more in the style department than bright colors and cartoon characters. Enter the ANYWare stainless steel collection from mom-run Untangled Living. The stylish five-piece sets are durable, dishwasher safe, environmentally friendly and engraved with charming gecko or butterfly designs–perfect for a casual mac&cheese night or a formal dinner party with the playgroup. (We also found that a simple game of “find the gecko” led to one of the cleanest dinner plates we’d ever seen.) Untangledliving.com

Travel Toy Organizer

We just wish we’d thought of this ourselves­–Hold It Baby is the ultimate toy organizer for babies on the go. Simply strap it to your stroller, car seat, high chair or shopping cart and you’ll never have to worry about leaving anything behind. The non-toxic, adjustable strap lets you tether up to six items in close proximity to your child–no more diving for dropped toys or searching for somewhere to wash pacifiers or sippy cups that bit the dust. We took it for a test drive and have to agree, it is sanity on a string. holditbaby.com

Potty Perfect

Our main trepidation with toilet training was not the prospective accidents, but the ugly mound of plastic that would take permanent residence in our homes. Luckily, boon designs a sleek, modern potty that even doubles as a step stool. The potty bench is easy for toddlers to use. Just flip up the lid and take a seat. Afterwards, you can pull out the drawer and discard waste. There are even two side drawers for tissue and training pants storage (although our boys prefer to fill them with cars and trucks). The only drawback? The deflector is a little small for taller boys.