With the school year just ending, returning to school is the last thing on kids’ minds, but here at Gator Tots, we are already beginning to prepare for the mad rush of back-to-school shoppers later this summer!

Insulated Lunch Box by Crocodile Creek

Insulated lunch boxes are always on top of the school supply list, and you want to make sure to purchase a quality insulated lunch box that will last your child throughout the school year.  As always, we continue to carry the ever-popular Crocodile Creek line of kids insulated lunch boxes but with many new prints, including styles for older elementary children with a more “sophisticated” style!  Crocodile Creek insulated lunch boxes are durable, PVC-free, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and vinyl-free…which many bargain store lunch boxes can’t boast!  And they come in so many fun prints perfect for preschoolers and elementary kids!

Personalized Lunch Bag

If you’re looking for insulated lunch boxes that are a tad more unique, check out our new personalized lunch bags.  Yes, that’s right, your kiddo’s lunch box can’t get lost so easily after Gator Tots embroiders his/her name on the insulated lunch box!  What a cool gift for your child to have an embroidered personalized lunch bag!  How does it work?  First, you select a super funky insulated lunch bag or box on www.GatorTots.com, scope out the embroidery options for thread and fonts, make your selections, and let us personalize your insulated lunch box as fast as a speeding bullet!  All embroidered items at Gator Tots are personalized in-house and usually shipped by the same or next business day!

Enjoy your summer, relax by the pool, eat some juicy watermelon and corn on the cob…but don’t miss out on these fabulous insulated lunch boxes, as they will start flying out of our warehouse before long!

Be Spicy Ju Ju Be Diaper Bag

Last fall, with my toddler becoming more independent and needing fewer items toted around for him in my diaper bag, I began to shop for a smaller diaper bag.  Though I am not normally one who is concerned about being trendy and stylish (jeans and flip flops are staples in my closet), I found myself unimpressed by the diaper bags at our local “baby megastores”.  I then turned to shopping for diaper bags online and found quite a few overly priced diaper bags that looked like huge fancy purses that had little unique to offer in terms of fabric options and organizational features.  Eventually, I stumbled upon Ju Ju Be diaper bags.  It was love at first sight!

Gorgeous fabrics with super fun names…Purple Paisley, Drip Drops, Perky Perennials, Citrus Sorbet, Zany Zinnias, and the list goes on.  FINALLY, diaper bags with true character instead of boring black, navy blue, or cute duck appliques.  (My first diaper bag actually had ducks on it.  Yes, I am ashamed.)

These rockin’ fabrics grabbed my attention and sucked me into the world of Ju Ju Be diaper bags.  I hungered to learn more about these eye-catching cute diaper bags.  In less than ten minutes of perusing the Ju Ju Be diaper bag line, I fell in love.  Obviously, a woman was involved in the development of Ju Ju Be diaper bags, because they have super smart features that certainly a man would not likely think of (sorry, guys)!

Smart WASHABLE fabric: Ju Ju Be diaper bags have waterproof outer fabric that is treated with Teflon to help icky stains from sticking.  The lining (which is made from smooth, shiny satin that is brightly colored so you can see your stuff easily) is treated with AGion to help prevent scary stuff from growing inside your diaper bag from spills or moisture (AGion is actually derived from the silver ion, so it’s “nature’s antimicrobial”).  If it does get dirty, toss it in the washing machine.  YES, a diaper bag that is actually washable - yipee!!

Mommy pocket: If you’re like me and carry your diaper bag as a purse (way easier than toting two bags around), having a specific compartment just for your wallet, cell phone, keys, etc is SOOOO helpful.  I live in the “mommy pocket”…NO KIDS’ STUFF ALLOWED!!!  This feature of Ju Ju Be diaper bags is probably my favorite, and it makes paying for groceries way easier since I don’t have to go fishing for my wallet.

Oodles of organization: Do you like pockets?  If so, you’ll be quite impressed with Ju Ju Be diaper bags.  Most of their cute diaper bags have bottle pockets on the outside, a back pocket that holds the changing pad, and interior pockets galore.  Again, the light colored lining helps your items “pop” and be easy to find inside the diaper bag.

Tons of bag styles: Ju Ju Be diaper bags come in at least nine different styles, depending on how much stuff you need to tote around and what type of bag you prefer.  They have large “carry everything but the kitchen sink” diaper bags, medium “I have a toddler and a baby” diaper bags, and small “my kiddo is growing up and doesn’t need me any more…but I still want a Ju Ju Be purse” bags (this would be the Be Light Ju Ju Be by the way…which I LOVE for quick trips to the store when I don’t want a large diaper bag…yes, I have SEVERAL Ju Ju Be diaper bags!)

Accessories galore: Why is it that accessories are so much fun?  I don’t wear bracelets, necklaces, or

Ju Ju Be Be Thrifty

belts, but my Ju Ju Be diaper bags are dressed to the nines and lovin’ every minute of it, baby!  Be Quick for diapers and wipes, wardrobe station for a change of clothes, Paci Pod keeps baby’s binky attached to the shoulder strap, Be Set baglets for whatever stuff you want to organize, Be Rich and Be Thrifty wallets to match your bag, and the list goes on.  Ju Ju Be accessories are totally addicting and super fun to use!

Which Ju Ju Be is right for me?

Don’t forget to check out our product videos for most Ju Ju Be diaper bags!

Be All Ju Ju Be Diaper Bag

A great starter bag for new moms or moms with more than one kiddo to pack for is the Be All Ju Ju Be diaper bag.  The main flap secures with a “smart magnet” that won’t wake your baby like noisy Velcro and is really easy to use.

If you have a ton of gear to pack and like a tote style diaper bag, the Be Spicy Ju Ju Be diaper bag may be for you.  It can be carried with the tote straps OR the shoulder straps and has luggage feet on the bottom too - how spicy!

Want a second diaper bag for quick errands?  Are your kids older but you still want a Ju Ju Be bag?  The Be Light Ju Ju Be is sized like a cute purse but can hold a few diapers, wipes, and a change of clothes along with your wallet, key, and cell phone.  The Be Light Ju Ju Be is reversible too!

Be Light Ju Ju Be Diaper Bags

Need a hands-free diaper bag?  Check out the backpack-style Ju Ju Be diaper bags: Be Right Back, Packabe, and Mini Be (from largest to smallest) are helpful if you have to carry your baby on your hip and hold your toddler’s hand…your diaper bag won’t be sliding off of your shoulder since it is getting a piggy-back ride on your back!

Are you drooling for a Ju Ju Be diaper bag yet?  If not, then you definitely need to check out the product videos for these cute diaper bags to see exactly how a Ju Ju Be can make your life a lot easier (and a bit more stylish too)!  Get your Ju Ju Be diaper bags here at Gator Tots!

As a new feature of the Gator Tots blog, I am hoping to post a book of the month where parents can share comments and activities about each book with other blog members.

September’s book of the month is The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Mary Ann Hoberman.  If you don’t have this wonderful children’s book, try checking it out at your local library, and it’s available at Gator Tots too!  Gator Tots offers the board book version for $6.95 or the bookand plush alligator purse set for $36.95.

Summary:

Miss Lucy’s baby Tim was eating some soap and isn’t feeling well.  In come the doctor and the nurse who suggest measles and mumps as the illness…but then the lady with the alligator purse suggests, “Pizza!” as a cure.  A funny sing-along story with vivid illustrations and silly rhymes babies and young children adore.

Activities:

For babies -

As you read through the story, encourage baby to point to objects you name - such as the alligator, Tim, bathtub, bed, etc.

For toddlers -

After you read the book a couple times, pause mid-sentence and challenge your toddler to fill in the blank with the missing word.  For example: “In came the doctor.  In came the nurse.  In came the lady with the - “.  Your child will probably know that a word that rhymes with “nurse” goes at the end (purse), and he/she can add the noun alligator before it from recognition of the pictures.

For preschool/elementary children -

You and your child can draw pictures to illustrate several key events in the story (Tiny Tim eating soap and drinking water, Tim sick in bed, and Tim well again).  Write a summary below each picture.  Read each summary and challenge your child to place the pictures in the order that they happened, pointing out that the story had a beginning, middle, and end.

Do you like The Lady with the Alligator Purse?  What activities have you tried?  Share your thoughts and comments below!

Subscribe to our newsletter for advance notice of each month’s book (and coupons too!).

Though our name says “Tots,” I wanted to begin offering a wider array of unique baby gifts perfect for pleasing expecting mothers at baby showers and babies during their first birthdays.

“What to get?” I pondered. Why not some really nifty baby bibs, feeding products, and adorable reusable swim diapers and baby swimsuits?

Thanks to my wonderful mother and hubby for giving me some toddler-free hours (and days…and days) to load these wonderful unique baby gifts, Gator Tots is becoming a more well-rounded kids’ gift site…it’s not just for toddlers and preschoolers anymore!

But wait, I’m not done yet! New products for babies, toddlers, and kids have already been ordered and will be here in time for back-to-school. This includes lunch boxes made in the USA, American made backpacks, and European toys for babies, toddlers, and kids. As long as Visa extends the credit, I’m going to keep buying! So go ahead and browse some of these cool unique baby gifts!

It only took a year, but I finally got the Gator Tots their very own blog! I have nothing against Blogger, as it is a fantastic free blog service, but it was kind of like renting a home but dreaming of being a homeowner. Now, I feel like I really “own” my blog.

So, maybe it isn’t that “fancy” as the title says, but I’m pretty darn proud that I copied and pasted my way to a functioning blog…well, Wordpress helped a little bit.

Now, on to the most important question that I must now focus upon: What to do with this new-fangled blog thingy that I have? Here are my ideas…

1. Have giveaways. Lots and lots of giveaways. Giving away cool stuff for babies, toddlers, and big kids. Need I go on?

2. New Gator Tots products. Yep, when we get fancy new stuff in, I’ll brag about it on the blog.

3. My life.  I don’t have a personal blog and probably won’t have time to keep one (hey, running Gator Tots takes my son’s entire nap time and then some!). Therefore, I need to whine and complain to someone about life’s daily mishaps, so you’re the lucky listener - er - reader…whatever!

4. Isn’t that enough? It was hard enough for me to come up with the first three ideas. Kidding.

Have you subscribed to my feed yet? Go ahead, you can always delete the feed (but that wouldn’t be very nice). You’ll know whenever I post cool stuff - like giveaways - on the blog, and you can even get the feed through your email like a regular message. Have I begged enough?

Stay tuned for great things at Gator Tots…giveaways and a ton of new products just in time for back to school and yes…Christmas shopping!

Diane