Tis’ the season to bring out the cold weather gear!  Weather or not it’s rain or snow, our favorite folks at Hatley sure have you covered this season.  Their patterns are only getting cuter and their quality is as always superb.

Starting out, a great choice for fall is their raincoat and matching boots!  Hatley’s Raincoats aren’t your average stiff, straight-cut raincoats, but are instead quite comfortable and stylishly cut to look and feel great even on the gloomiest of days.  The raincoats are lined in cozy and absorbent terry cloth and have a generous hood.  They are sized in a way that your little puddle stomper will have some room to grow too! Also, there are over 12 styles to choose from for both boys and girls!

The matching Rain Boots are just darling and a true classic, little pull-on handles and all!  They are lined in cotton jersey so even they have that extra little bit of cozy that we just love Hatley for!  The sizing runs pretty accurately on these boots, but with a thick pair of socks you might want to run the next size up just for kicks.

Hatley also has a new line of snow gear!  It is truly spectacular and the ultimate in cold weather apparel for any little kid this winter.  Hatley is a Canadian company too and we trust them to know how to handle that cold weather!  The Snow Jacket is flawless with lots of puff and an extra dash of cozy.  The faux fur trimmed hood is just too cute with your little pumpkin’s face peering out of its fuzziness too!  “Looks like a lioney mommy, Roaarrrrr!” was Little Bellaziza’s reaction.  Too cute, right?  We of course think so!

The Snow Pants have a great fit to them and both the Snow Pants and the Snow Jacket leave you without that usual feeling of not being able to move around well.  No more “I can’t move my arms!”  Little Randy from A Christmas Story should have had Hatley Snow Gear.  We particularly liked the way the straps at the top of the Snow Pants adjusted.  They scooch up just like any pair of snow pants, but they have comfortable elastic belting for straps, and the adjustment range is generous making it quite possible to get two winters out of them, or at least get Junior through a huge growth spurt with no issues.

Hatley’s matching Snow Boots are really the icing on the cake.  The Snow Jacket and Snow Pants are definitely cute enough, but with the matching boots it’s a real showstopper!  These boots aren’t a joke either!  They incorporate an easily removable and washable super insulative thermal liner to keep those little toes toasty and have a cinch cord at the top to keep the snow out.  The Velcro fitting at ankle provides both comfort and a secure fit, and they are made of 100% polyester upper with polyurethane coating for water resistance and a double rubber sole.  Yes, Hatley’s a Canadian company…did we mention?  Brrrr!!!

We absolutely adore the entire snow collection, which comes in Prancing Horses for girls and Bear Country for boys, but the boots would have to be our Favorite.  One note with them though is to definitely buy the next size up from what your little one would usually wear.  The thick thermal lining may not give much room for socks if not.  Boots should be worn a little large anyway to promote ample circulation to the toes and prevent a chill to the feet.  Just one size up.  You’ll thank us for that!

The Raincoat ($40), Rain Boots ($34), Snow Jacket ($96), Snow Pants ($64) and Snow Boots ($58) are all truly exceptional and definitely a fabulous choice for your little one this season.  They come in sizes to fit from age 2 to 7 and do check out Hatley’s Baby Snow Gear too!  It’s so cute!!!

Visit www.HatleyNature.com for more information.

By this point, every one of you has to have heard of Plain Mary, right?!?!  It’s causing a little hysteria on the baby scene in LA these days, as everyone just HAS to have one of Plain Mary’s Kensington Play Mats for their little one(s) and their other Plain Mary essentials like their tees, bibs and burp cloths too!  Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have them for Knox and Vivienne.  Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have them for little Max and Emme.  Jennifer Garner, Heidi Klum, Brooke Shields, Nicole Ritchie, Uma Thurman, and more have all used them with their babies too!  In short, if there was one single baby item that everyone in-the-know just could not live without, Plain Mary’s Kensington Play Mat would have to be it.

We first saw the Kensington Play Mat at a trade show in New York last fall.  We thought it was beautiful, but didn’t really see it up close to be able to appreciate the real reasons that it has become SUCH a success for Plain Mary!  After seeing a recent sample and putting it through our little battery of textiles tests, we can see why it’s so popular and an amazing product totally worth the $190 price tag.

It’s not just your average play mat, which is apparent from the beginning.  Where are the toys?  Where are the cutesy characters and patterns?  How about the chimey-digitized “music” that is sure to drive you nuts?  You’ll find none of those things here.  What you will find is twice the size of a traditional play mat!  It’s B.Y.O.T., but we like that since it can be overstimulating to have the usual ten different toys suspended overhead anyway!  The fabric is the most luxurious microfiber and it is virtually impossible to stain.  It is very cushy with the thick quilted padding,  hard for little hands to grasp (so it stays in place) and is surely one of the most useful things that you could have for your little one!

What we love most is the fact that after repeated wash and drys, stain tests, and more, not only does it look great, IT STILL LOOKS NEW!!! That’s amazing, and we really do try! We love the sturdy stitching in the quilting and the silk threaded embroidery is just luscious.

Jennifer Garner and soon-to-be big sister Violet stopped by Petit Tresor last Friday. They were in and out pretty quickly, our sources said, leaving with one of Huddy Buddy’s new Rock Star shirts that are available in both girl and boy colors!

They are one of our Favorite Things from way back so check them out online at www.HuddyBuddy.com and pick up one of their edgy onesies or t-shirts for your little sweetie today! They even have a bunch of great picks on sale for a limited time!  Just click HERE or on the SALE tag at the bottom of the page to view the available selection.

Photo courtesy of JustJared.com

With Tom Brady out of the game due to his recent knee injury and surgery, it’s given him more time to spend with that sweet little Jack!  It definitely sounds like a win-win to us, well unless you are the Patriots or a fan.  Oh well, all of our best wishes to Tom and the Pats!  He’ll be back before you know it!

In Tom’s extra little off-season, besides surgery a week ago, recovery and starting rehab soon back in Boston, he has been doing a little shopping for Jack!  He’s been in LA for a few days before heading back to Beantown and ordered some lovely things from Petit Tresor!

Tom’s picks for Jack were none other than a collection of super soft baby sweaters and a cardigans from babycottons, a super cute ‘hunk’ giftset from Plain Mary, and a luxurious “Blanket of Snow” Quilt from Bunnies By The Bay.  Enjoy that baby Tom…they grow up so fast!

Happy Breast Cancer Awareness Month from the our friends at Plain Mary!  They have selected a special assortment of their favorites in PINK and are donatinghalf of the proceeds to The National Breast Cancer Foundation!

Check out www.PlainMary.com for more info and do shop your hearts out on this one girls!  Plain Mary’s line is just lovely and breast cancer research and prevention are something we can all get behind!  SHOP for the CURE!!!

Matt Damon and his wife Luciana recently welcomed Gia Zavala, baby girl #3 into their family.  Matt must feel a little overwhelmed by all of that estrogen from our guess, but absolutely elated as well!  Congrats Matt and Luciana, and welcome little Gia!

Baby, we’re sure that there were tons of gifts, but we recently got some insider 411 on a nice little surprise that was sent from the uber-chic celeb favorite MilkShop.com!  The package contained some beautiful things and we thought we’d pass the info along just in case any of you have your own little new arrivalettes that need a little something extra special.

Arriving at Chez Damon: a Piggy Doll by BlaBla, a Pasha Silk Kurta in pink by Leaves of Grass, an ultra luxe Larucci Leopard Blanket in cream, the entire Kiehl’s Baby Product Collection, and last but not least, an absolute necessity for any little princess, a Mason Pearson Child’s Hairbrush in pink.

Last week we posted late, so here’s early!  To win your choice of your very own Backpack and Lunch Tote from Hatley valued at $50, visit their website and email us with what you love most about their super cute collection.  Email swag@bellazizasfavorites.com with ”HATLEY SCHOOL SWAG” in the subject line.

All entries must be received by Monday, September 29th at midnight, PST. You may enter once per email address per day. Winner will be chosen on Tuesday via random.org. Winner will be fetched using Prizey.net.

EXTRA ENTRIES are available for subscribing to our blog, blogging about us on your blog, AND/OR adding our button to your blog too!  Just email swag@bellazizasfavorites.com letting us know what you did for your extras and we’ll make sure to count them!

Hatley is one of our absolute Favorites for that indispensable genre of clothing that might not fall into the extraordinary every time, but that none of us can live without…Everyday Clothes!  Hatley’s new colors and patterns for this fall are beautiful and so much fun!  They are of course in keeping with their Nature theme, apples, horses, dinosaurs, the ever popular moose, and this time around there’s even some alien action!

Hatley’s new backpacks and lunch totes are pretty impressive.  They of course are made with the high quality that we would expect form all things labeled Hatley, but they spare no expense in the design and production departments!  It’s so great when something works and functions as well as it looks, right?!?!  That’s typically Hatley!

The backpack is very roomy without being oversized, and makes great use of its’ compartments.  The lunch tote fits very neatly inside too!  The zippers are made for kid-use and the canvas that they are constructed of is absolutely made for loads of loads and multiple washings.  We love the apple print the most but were a little concerned as it is mostly white…hmmm…SCOTCHGUARD, GIRLS!  It works fabulously and will keep people in wonder and amazement of how you could be that good to keep your little sweetie in a white backpack that always looks new!

The Lunch Tote is fabulous too and makes a great little travel cooler as well if your set hasn’t reached school age yet.  Again, it washes quite well and you can keep it looking new forever with a little Scotchguard.  The inside is lined in plastic, and there’s an elastic tether to keep things from bouncing around inside.

The Backpacks are $30 and the Lunch Totes are $20 and are available to ship immediately.  Check them out online to browse or place your order, CLICK HERE or on the button below to see their website.  All items ship from Canada, so give a little extra time for shipping.

Also, stay tuned for our upcoming reviews of their fabulous new outerwear collections including matching Rain Essentials (raincoats, rain boots, and the weetest little umbrellas you’ve ever seen) and Snow Essentials (fluffy snow jackets, snow pants and matching snow boots fit for the Canadian cold!).  They are all absolutely adorable!!!

To win your very own gorgeous ensemble for a boy or a girl from Cha Belle by Right Bank Babies valued at $125 – $200, visit www.chabelleforrbb.com and email us with what you love most about their gorgeous collection.  (CLICK HERE to download their catalog.)  Email swag@bellazizasfavorites.com with ”CHA BELLE BY RIGHT BANK BABIES SWAG” in the subject line.

All entries must be received by Tuesday, September 23rd at midnight, PST. You may enter once per email address per day. Winner will be chosen on Monday via random.org. Winner will be fetched using Prizey.net.

EXTRA ENTRIES are available for subscribing to our blog, blogging about us on your blog, AND/OR adding our button to your blog too!  Just email swag@bellazizasfavorites.com letting us know what you did for your extras and we’ll make sure to count them!

We recently came across the best ever way to teach your little one all of the numbers, letters, colors and shapes!  It’s called Teach My Toddler and it really is fabulous.  Mom-inventor Christy Cook came up with the idea after being disappointed by the selection of products available to help her to teach her 18-month old son Finn.  We are so glad to have found Christy and her fantastic product and we know you will be too!

The system includes the case which is separated into four sections – Letters, Numbers, Shapes and Colors.  Each section is filled with flashcards, board books, posters and puzzles that relate to each.  Everything is made to be handled and will hold up to your toddler’s repeated use.

Our Favorite Thing about Teach My Toddler is the fact that it is so much fun!!!  Kids do love to learn, and it ‘s a great way to bond with your child.  Take it as a special time with them for about 20 minutes a day (as suggested by Christy) and you will see just how excited they get, and how great you feel too, Super Mom!!!

The entire system retails for only $39.99 plus s/h and makes a wonderful gift.  Here at Chez Bellaziza, we particularly enjoy the puzzles and are happy to say that we now know all of our letters and colors!  It’s a fabulous educational tool, and one that will really bring you and your child closer together.  Please visit www.Teach-My.com for more info on the product, a video tour and how to order.

We have been doing some behind the scenes work here at Bellaziza’s Favorite Things and wanted to make sure that none of you are left behind.  Please be sure to use the address www.BellazizasFavorites.com exclusively from this point on, disregarding www.bellaziza.com/blog ( which many of you may have set to your browser’s favorites or bookmarks).

We are doing lots of great techno-type things here to improve the functionality and usability of the site and promise to continue to deliver only the absolute best to you, our fabulous readers!  It’s only going to get better!!!

HINT: Be on the lookour for our new MEMBERS ONLY SWAG section where you can be automatically entered as a subscriber to win our MOST incredible Favorite Things ever, starting very soon with a Phil&Teds VIBE Double Inline Stroller…GASP!!!

Boy oh boy, nobody tells you how to weed through all of the “essential” baby products out there like we do!  How many “Must Have” products are really that must have? It’s our mission and we are constantly out there looking for the best products so that you  A) get the best, B) live with less clutter, and C) not waste your time, space or money!

Luna Lullaby is a new Favorite of ours with three of their products – the ball, the blanket and the pillow.  ALL of them have multiple uses to carry you through pregnancy and well into the toddler years without having to buy loads more stuff to do what these three products do so well on their own.  Simply genius!!!

First is the Bounce-A-Bye-Baby Ball.  It’s the perfect birthing ball, pre and post-pregnancy excercise ball, and it also works incredibly as a soothing motion seat – bouncing little Junior into a trance-like state almost instantly!  It really is the perfect parenting companion!  It also comes with its own hand pump for easy inflation and a simple-to-assemble and transport stability stand.  It’s definitely something you don’t want to do without for so many reasons.  Any product that promises to help you through both labor and delivery and then a colicky baby too is definitely a must have!

Luna Lullaby’s Soothing Blankets are another fabulous part of their baby must-have trifecta!  They are made of super chic and breathable cotton muslin and are oversized which is a long-overdue change to receiving blankets for sure!  They are really very soft too and wash beautifully!  We love the fact that they come with a detailed instructional DVD too so that you too can learn to construct the Perfect Swaddle!  (How smart was that?!?!)  You can also use your Soothing Blankets as a sunshade for stroller rides, a lightweight and breathable nursing cover, a playmat, or a great accessory for an always popular game of peekaboo!

The third product that we just love is the Bosom Baby nursing pillow.  It not only functions as a nursing pillow, but again multitasks through pregnancy and beyond starting as a very comfortable maternity sleeping pillow, a great support pillow for baby’s tummy time, and a cozy pillow for your toddler to curl up to their favorite cartoons in.  It’s multi-functionality is really impressive and it’s something that your family will enjoy for now and for years to come.  It is also PERFECT for twins, which most other nursing pillows are not.  It has lots of room and is definitely wide enough to support two at once!

All three products are a dream for any expectant mother and something that would so make the perfect shower gift.  The Bounce A Bye Baby ball sells for $52.00, the Soothing Blankets come three to a set with the DVD for $42.00, and the Bosom Baby pillow sells at $58.00 with extra covers available at $34.00 each.  For more information check out www.LunaLullaby.com and tell them who sent you!

THIS JUST IN: Yet another great sale from GILT Group!

Chic parents and kids alike love Baby CZ for their soft cashmere and beautiful designs.  Trousers to dresses, these timeless styles can be passed down for generations.

Sale starts tomorrow, Tuesday August 19th at 12 noon EST. at www.gilt.com.

To win your very own Phil&Teds MeToo, visit the RegalLager website and email us with which of their many products is your favorite and why.  Email reviews@bellaziza.com with ”SWAG METOO” in the subject line.

All entries must be received by Sunday, August 17th, midnight, PST.  You may enter once per email address per day.  Winner will be chosen on Monday via random.org.  Winner will be fetched using Prizey.net.  Good luck to all!

We recently found the absolute cutest line of tee’s for kids – Huddy Buddy!!  They have the most adorable little  illustrations on them and take on a little bit of a retro twist, which we really love.  Check them out at www.huddybuddy.com to see all of their designs.  

We especially love the “We Take The Cake” shirt with it’s too cute cupcake shop theme.  It is also Suri Cruise’s favorite Huddy Buddy shirt, but we share the same love for cupcakes in general with her and her mommy Katie, so that’s no big surprise here.  Great minds think alike… and love cupcakes!

They also have a really nice line of sibling shirts which are soooo the perfect gift for your neighbors who are expecting #2 or more!    

One lucky reader will win their choice of any Huddy Buddy shirt too!  Just email us at “reviews@bellaziza.com” with “HUDDY BUDDY SWAG” in the subject line.  Visit their website and let us know which of their designs is your favorite and why.  All entries must be received by Sunday, June 22, midnight, PST.  You may enter once per email address per day.  Winner will be chosen on Monday via random.org.  Good luck to all!!!