If she can use something as a footstool to help lift her on to higher ground, it is fair game. The dog is none too happy about that, let me tell you. Since we are obviously so close to full blown walking, it was time to consider getting her a pair of shoes. I know that often doctors recommend that babies are better off being barefoot, or sock-footed as opposed to wearing baby shoes, but Robeez Footwear shoes for babies are nothing like the stiff hard baby shoes of years past.

Robeez Soft Sole Shoes carry the American Podiatric Medical Association’s “Seal of Approval” which means that the American Podiatric Medical Association recognizes Robeez as a product that “promotes normal foot function.” Robeez shoes have soft soles which are very important for pre-walkers and walkers to help promote healthy foot development.

I recently received a pair of Robeez Mini Shoez Marigold Dark Brown Boots to review and so far they live up to my expectations. I received the 12-18 months size for my daughter. She is 9 months old but has very big feet and I thought we’d get much more mileage out of the larger size. They are a little too big for her length-wise, but that didn’t stop her, nor did it affect the fit and function too much.

My daughter has never worn shoes until this pair of Robeez and at first it actually hindered her getting up on to her feet. Not physically, but because I think they confused her. Five minutes after having them on she was back to her normal monkey-like behavior, cruising and climbing as if the shoes weren’t even there.

The Robeez Mini Shoez Marigold Dark Brown Boots are made of brown suede with fuchsia, light pink and lime accents for the flowers. They have an elasticized back and an adjustable strap for just the right fit. They come in sizes 3-6 months, 6-12 months and 12-18 months and have cushioned, flexible soles that are appropriate for indoor or outdoors. They sell for $34.95. Inside and out, these shoes are soft and simply adorable. I love how this style looks like real boots and that they stay on her feet. They appear to be durable and made with quality materials. Their flexibility and fit really do make them an ideal first shoe for those precious first steps and beyond.

Written by Kim, who is a “recovering former working mom” and used to play an Architect (not on TV), but now plays a mommy (much more fun - than architecture, not TV) to 2 kids.  When she’s not bossing people around, she spends a lot of time on her personal blog What’s That Smell? or trying to find the source of some foul odor or another.

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Be forewarned, the following product is addictive. You will look at it every single day, morning and night, and sometimes will even stare at it for extended periods. The “it” in question is the Grobag Egg from Keen Distribution. The Grobag Egg is a digital thermometer for your child’s bedroom which changes color based on the temperature, telling you if the room is too hot or too cold.

Why is it addictive? I find myself adapting behaviors according to the egg. When it turned red (too hot) I added a fan to my daughter’s room. During a cool spell last week the egg turned yellow, so I decided it was time for pajama bottom pants. I’ve even carried it around the house to watch it change color! It’s like my own personal Goldilocks, and I always know the temperature in my children’s rooms are just right. This is a must-have for your home!

by Cecelia

When I first heard about the Fit Flop, I was both curious and skeptical. Could a shoe really help improve my fitness and shape my leg muscles? I was willing to give it a try to find out. The Fit Flop is now my favorite pair of shoes. I literally wear them everyday, everywhere I go. They are very comfortable, and offer quiet a bit of support to the foot. And yes, they do give your leg muscles a work out!

On the website they do recommend that you start out wearing them a little bit at a time, and I have to agree that if you were to start out wearing them 8 hours a day, you would feel it a lot. The first day I wore them, I didn’t notice any leg muscle soreness, but my feet did have a bit of soreness in adjusting to the different angle. It’s not a high heel by any means, but if you are used to completely flat sandals or shoes, you will feel a difference in the angle of your foot.

I am already saving up to buy another pair (or two) because I love them so much. They look great (I have the black pair, which goes with everything), they are very comfortable and easy to keep clean. And the fact that they actually do help tone my legs is an added bonus! I don’t know what I will do in the winter months when snow is on the ground and sandals are no longer an option!

by Aimee

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To enter visit Robeez’s new boys or girls collection and leave a comment here telling us which new style you would pick and why. The contest is open until August 22, 2008.

You can receive a second entry by blogging about the contest (linking to it) or adding us to your blogroll. Just e-mail us with a live link or let us know you have it posted on your site. You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

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I really like them a lot! They’re incredibly soft on my daughter’s feet and they don’t leave any elastic marks around her ankles (and we have had issues with this). So far I haven’t noticed the toes getting scuffed up from so much crawling either.

The selection is great, and not just for girls. It’s hard to find adorable boys shoes, but they have everything from animals, sports and music to your classic loafers and more. Of course the girls selection includes shoes with ribbons, hearts and bows. Plus they have the classic Mary Jane’s and just about everything else you’re looking for. The new fall collection is superb as there is truly something for everyone.

You can’t go wrong with soft-soled shoes. Robeez is approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association and recommended for baby feet; don’t miss out on these great shoes. I’ve certainly changed my opinion on them.

Written by Andrea, who is a stay at home Catholic wife and mother. She strives daily to perfect her vocation as wonderfully as possible. Andrea has two young children and hopes someday to have more. Her interests stem from being a mother and living her faith. She blogs for fun about things that interest her at Momma In Flip Flops.

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If you have done more than your fair share of picking up dropped sippy cups, then you will love the No Throw leashes. The design allows you to keep cups or bottles from been tossed and retrieved continually, because babies and toddlers like to throw things. These simple to use, whimsical printed leashes fasten to the drink container and then the stroller, car seat, high chair or shopping cart. The goal is to keep your child from being able to drop them.

You can stash the leashes in the diaper bag for on-the-go usage. These worked great on our recent Disney vacation when the kids needed to have drinks all day and I could not keep track of all the cups, tickets, purchases and snacks. With the No Throw straps I never worried about missing cups.

by Helene

Do you love flip flops as much as me? I can’t seem to live without them. My feet, however, ache after a day of flip flopping around. After years of aching feet, I have finally found a remedy to the whole situation. Croc flip flops are my new best friend and definitely a warm weather must have.

The Crocs come in a huge selection of colors and variations. Best of all, after wearing them all day (even all day at an amusement park recently) my feet don’t hurt! The footbed conforms to your foot for a custom fit and they are odor resistant. I will never wear cheap flip flops again! To check out all of the styles and colors available go to their website now!

by Jaime

You’re all dressed up and looking nice, because for once you finally had time to iron your clothes and look nice for the family outing (too wherever). Then, you hit a bump in the road and spill coffee or juice on your outfit. Of course you don’t have extra clothes for yourself in that huge bag of children’s things. For times like this it is great to have the Tide to Go instant stain remover.

Yes, it works and being so small it fits easily into your purse or car for those quick touch ups. Don’t make one little stain ruin that great moment. Keep this stain remover with you for all the future messes to come. It has certainly become a must have for me!

by Andrea

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I’ve tried many pairs of flip flops and was recently disappointed by a pair of LL Bean ones that just weren’t comfortable. They looked great online and I had big hopes that the red dog pattern might be new favorite, but upon sliding my toes between the webbing, I discovered they were no match for my Tevas. The foot bed wasn’t squishy and comfortable as I’ve grown to expect. There was absolutely no arch support which means they wouldn’t be comfortable for a walk to my neighborhood grocery store, a trip to the beach, or a park playdate.

Sorry LL Bean, I love many of your other products but I’m a big fan of the Olowahu and Mush Tevas. The newest addition to my collection is a pair of Mush in the super cute Shirley Rose pattern. I love the pale and dark pink flower pattern that also comes in a blue floral and a myriad of other stripes, patterns and textures. While Mush are the more traditional flip flops, Olowahus morph from casual to dressy with a great criss cross pattern. I have a pair of solid black ones that I can wear to the pool and then out to dinner with a sun dress. Just beware, wearing Olowahus too many days in a row can result in criss cross tan lines on the tops of your feet.

Teva also makes great flip flops for men. My husband got his first pair of Mush (solid black) last year. They are his only pair of Teva flip flops and despite wearing them all day everyday last summer (can you tell he works from home?), they are as good looking and comfortable as when he first got them.

These flip flops are a steal for $22 a pair. My first pair was bought three years ago and are still going strong. For the best selection go directly to the Teva website. Major props to Teva for such fine flip flops!

Now that you know what I’ll be wearing on my feet this summer, do yourself a favor and pamper yourself by ordering some peppermint foot products from The Body Shop to bring your feet out of hibernation, replacing that cheap polish with a couple of good bottles of OPI in fun colors and slide those feet into comfy some comfy Teva’s! You’ll look marvelous and will be ready for a great summer!

Written by Leticia, a part time working multitasking mama who loves spending time with her husband and two children, exotic vacations, and cooking great meals. Leticia writes about technology products and technology issues affecting children through her blog, Tech Savvy Mama.

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You can receive a second entry by blogging about the contest (linking to it) or adding us to your blogroll. Just e-mail us with a live link or let us know you have it posted on your site. You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

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I have never seen a pair of baby shoes that stayed on better than these. Even on his abnormally small feet, these shoes do not fall off. He can’t even fit into a size one yet and they still stay on.

The other thing I love about them is that they match everything and are not the kind of shoes that look like baby shoes. If they were twenty times bigger and had soles I would buy them for my husband. I think he might actually wear them too!

Robeez shoes are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) and have soft, suede soles that are the closest thing I’ve seen to just having comfy, bare feet. I also like that they are made of leather, so they are more durable than others I have seen. The Weekend Collection is available in 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months and 18-24 months, and are available in a variety of fun styles and colors. You can buy some for your kids, but you’ll have to beat me to them!

Written by Andi, who teaches local high school students about abstaining from sex. She has also had two kids in 16 months. Andi’s husband thinks she needs to practice what she preaches. You can read about her adventures (or misadventures) in motherhood at her personal blog, Parenting 101.

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New Balance has a large variety and style to choose from for the entire family. I recently purchased a pink and white pair that I absolutely love. I honestly do not purchase anything other than New Balance and I am able to find them on sale most of the time. One of the greatest attributes of New Balance is their choice of wide width shoes. While I do not have the widest foot out there, I do have a tendency to swell which can make my shoes rather uncomfortable.

I am not sure if you have noticed, but most shoe companies, especially tennis shoe companies, do not carry wide widths. If they do the only way to get them is by special order. When I go shoe shopping I want my shoes right then, not two weeks later.

When purchasing a pair of tennis shoes I look for fit, style and price. You notice the price is last, right? If New Balance stopped making tennis shoes tomorrow, I would be so lost. Thanks to to them my feet feel better!

Written by Laura, chauffeur to five beautiful children ages 9-18, freelance writer, amateur photographer, wife of 14 years and so not politically correct. Come visit her at Work At Home Mom to Five.

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How often do we tell kids it’s alright to go get their shoes dirty? For a clean-freak like myself, that would be unheard of until now, but these are so easy to clean that I’m alright with it. Our 5 year old choose the gators in army green and it’s been a struggle to explain to him that in 15 degree weather he cannot wear them to school. So instead he chooses to wear them around the house, strutting his “awesome” new shoes. I let him test them in the snow recently and the gator footprints could be seen all over our driveway. Who would have thought about making shoes entertaining for a kid?

I was shocked that such a cute, new shoe was cheaper than the traditional Crocs. What a deal! They come in sizes 4 for infants/toddlers through 2 for older children. I predict these will be all the rave this spring when the weather warms up, so get your kids a pair now. Visit Polliwalks for a list of retailers and online stores where they can be purchased for $24.95.

by Emily

“Once upon a time, children’s shoes were taking themselves a bit too seriously, and feet were not having any fun.”

I was recently sent a pair of shoes to review, or really I guess they were for my daughter to review. I opened the box and instantly liked the colorful, fun ladybugs clogs inside. I showed them to Sophie and I swear it was love at first sight, they are just about the only thing she will put on her feet now.

She likes them because they are fun to look at and comfortable to wear. I like them because they are fun to look at, easy to get on and a breeze to clean. They also have a funky tread on the bottoms that will leave imprints of ladybugs in dirt, mud or sand. As soon as it’s not 20 degrees outside you can be assured that we will be testing out this fun feature.

Really, if I had to say these have a downside it is only that Sophie keeps bugging me to put them on her. I am so impressed by Polliwalks that I will be purchasing another pair for her when she outgrows these. Seriously, get in the car and go buy these now, or go order your own bit of kid goodness. Your children will love you even more!

by Andi

Polliwalks is giving a pair of shoes to a Props and Pans reader. All you need to do is visit their site and leave a comment here telling us which style is your favorite. (If you win, we will contact you to get the size and color.) Comments will be open until Saturday, January 26th, then we will randomly choose a winner. You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

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