I’ve been browsing costumes on Amazon.com.  Here are some of the cutest OR most terrifying I’ve found.  (From our affiliate, Amazon.com.)

Spiderman!

We have a thing for Dinosaur Costumes around my house.

What could be cuter than this?  Seriously.  Porcupine baby.

Could this Car Freshener costume double as a Christmas outfit?

Not sure if this Flamingo costume is cute or terrifying.  Or both.

Super excited to see Yo Gabba Gabba represented this year.

Do you make your child’s costume or do you buy?  Do you know what you’re getting this year?

Why they’re cool:

• Flavors!  While most babies I know can’t really tell the difference between grape, mango and apple, I know they appreciate the sweetness.  Any little bit of help you can get when it comes to sticking things in your infant’s mouth can go a long way.  (For some reason most infants will put anything in their mouths, but go completely crazy when it’s your idea and not theirs.)
• Convenience.  These are handy for travel.  Just stick a few in your diaper bag or even in your personal makeup bag.
• Great for breastfed babies.  Just do a quick swipe before bed to help prevent tooth decay that may occur if babies nurse to sleep.

Some things to consider:

• Once your toddler gets bitey, the wipes can be a problem.  They’re awesome for infants and gummy babies and gentle toddlers, but I nearly lost a finger when my son reached 20 months and decided to bite back during the Spiffies wiping.  I suggest moving up to one of the other Spiffies products designed for older babies.  Or you can use a finger guard (basically a rubber glove thingy) to protect your fingers.
• Lots of packaging.  If you’re super eco-conscious, you might not be a fan of using something that comes individually wrapped for everyday use.  I’d love to see these eventually packaged in a tiny pop up wipes container, but it’s my understanding that when a pop up package is used, the main ingredients tend to sink to the bottom, rendering the dry wipes on top useless.  You kind of have to weigh the value against your personal packaging ideals.  Spiffies is definitely packaged that way for a reason.
• Teething.  Avoid wiping too hard when your baby is teething UNLESS your baby is a crazy baby like my first baby and enjoys having his swollen gums massaged.

Overall:

I’m a huge fan of these.  I also like the cute packaging.  They’d make a unique baby shower gift.   I keep theme in a little wicker basket in the bathroom and it helps me remember to wipe down my son’s gums, teeth, tongue and the inside of his mouth at bedtime.  Despite the Biting Incident, he already seems to be more open to dental hygiene.

Visit the Spiffies website to learn more about their take on oral hygiene.  When it down, it doesn’t hurt to ask your pediatrician or pediatric dentist about the benefits of Xylitol.

I received a straw sippy cup, a baby fork and spoon, and a sectional plate.

Straw Sippy Cup: This round cup looks like it doesn’t hold that much, so I was shocked to find that it actually holds nine ounces.  More than enough for my 20-month-old.

Here’s why I love it:

• The “roly poly” design won’t tip over.
• It’s easy to put together and easy to wash, especially if you use the mOmma round cleaning brush.
• Did I mention that it’s easy to put together?  The little round ball at the end of the straw helps me keep it from getting lost in the dishwasher.
• Unlike EVERY STRAW CUP I OWN, my son actually drinks all the milk, every last drop.  It’s something about the way the cup is designed.  And I love it.

Here’s what I don’t love:

• With awesome round shape comes the fact that this won’t fit in normal cup holders on chairs or strollers.  We don’t snack on the go often, so it wasn’t a huge problem for me.

Fork and Spoon: These have the same roly poly design as the cup.  Instead of laying flat on the table, they stand straight up.

Here’s what I love:

• They’re interesting!  My son wants to use them because they remind him of toys.
• When the fall over, they land butt-down, so I can pick them back up and re-use without having to clean them.
• Great way to introduce utensil use.
• They come with little covers that makes them great for keeping clean in the diaper bag.
• You can flip the case over and use it to extend the handle if your baby prefers gripping a longer base.

Here’s what I don’t love:

• They don’t lay flat in drawers, so it can be kind of annoying to store them.
• No longer that useful once your baby has mastered eating with a normal spoon.

Sectional Plate: This thing is like a giant flying saucer of a plate.

Here’s what I love:

• Something about the design helped keep food warm.  I don’t know what kind of magic it is, but it works.
• It’s nice and heavy, so despite being easy to pick up, my son doesn’t seem as interested in throwing it.
• Rubber on the bottom keeps it still when my son is scooping up food.

Here’s what I don’ t love:

• It takes up a decent amount of room since it’s so thick.

Overall I’m really impressed with this recent import.  I love that they’re BPA free, I love the colors, and I love the function.  The prices are little higher than some of the brands you’ll find on the shelves at Wal-Mart or Target, so I’d recommend trying a set out to make sure you like them.

If you want to impress a new mom at her baby shower, I’d definitely include one of these adorable and fun sets.

They’re currently running a contest until September 10th:

mOmma, the beloved line of Italian baby and toddler feeding products, is kicking off themOmma’s messiest mOmments photo contest from August 2 – September 10, 2010.  Proud parents can enter a photo of their tot’s messiest mealtime moment for a chance to win a prize pack of mOmma product for themselves and a friend (total value: $104.50). Log onto www.mOmmaUS.com to enter.