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Kids Rooms Parenting

We test drive the designer Bugaboo Cameleon3 by Diesel

I never thought I’d get excited about a stroller until I had a baby. And then I became aware of  whole new world of good looking baby transporters which showcased great design in form as well as function. And you can’t go past market leader Bugaboo in both stakes.

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We started our stroller journey with the Bugaboo Bee3 (with bassinet). We loved that neat little pram (and I loved the fact you could choose everything from frame colour to seat and hood colour, not to mention the bevy of accessories…). We went for a grey and blue combo, safe in the knowledge if we used it for a second (one day!) baby and fancied a change, we could simply buy a new hood. Its highlights for me are ease of putting up and down (I’m really lacking in hand-eye coordination!) and its compact size and light weight. Taking tight corners in shops is no problem, even one-handed! It doesn’t take up much boot space (we had a Golf when we first got it but have of course now upgraded to a soccer mum car) and it weighs very little. I carried the pram with Seb in it up and down stairs multiple times. This pram also came with us to the UK in a carry case).

Was he really ever this small?! Seb in his Bugaboo Bee3
Was he really ever this small?! Seb in his Bugaboo Bee3

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When we moved to the ‘burbs of Wahroonga though, I found our little city pram struggled a bit with all the high kerbs so when given the opportunity to check out Bugaboo’s well known Chameleon3 with its bigger wheels, we were keen to give it a go! But little did we know how obsessed Sebastian would be with it! We certainly appreciate how much easier it is to get around with but he absolutely loves it too. Perhaps its because it is bigger, he is up higher and he loves holding onto the bar across the front. Or maybe he just loves the look of it! It certainly has style in spades!

Did I mention the useful compartments on the back for storing your keys and phone and the very roomy basket underneath? All very important. In fact I’m not sure what I’m going to do once Seb’s out of a pram and I can’t use it to lug my shopping around anymore?!

We have the Diesel collaboration Military version and it’s a very cool looking bit of kit! Seb even tries to climb into it when we’re not out and about and has been known to get back in of his own accord at the park. This never happened before! And he loves trying to push the big wheels along too. Who needs toys?!

Despite being a much bigger stroller, the Cameleon3 easily comes apart and folds flat, taking up way less space in your car than you’d imagine. Check out this video to see how that works:

It has plenty of other cool functions, like the ability to have your child forward or rear-facing at the click of a button (or two), fully adjustable suspension, wheels and handlebar height (I actually find this much more comfortable to push than the Bee3 and because it’s higher, I save my back by not having to bend down so much). A bassinet is also available separately. We loved our bassinet for the Bee3, and it was a great place for Seb to sleep when we stayed overnight somewhere too.

We have no issues getting up and down kerbs anymore (although negotiating the tight aisles of the post office isn’t as easy as with the Bee!) and on and off the train is also a breeze!

This video shows you all the different seat positions and how easy it is to change between them…

The military stroller was the first of three cool collaborations with lifestyle brand Diesel and there’s the denim and rock versions too.

Bugaboo introduced the first Cameleon stroller in 1999, with the idea to create the perfect all-in-one: a stroller that’s flexible enough to go anywhere and everywhere. This was the blueprint for today’s Bugaboo Cameleon³.  The combination of high performance, long-lasting quality and innovative design, plus countless fashionable special editions, has made it a true design classic.

The Bugaboo Cameleon3 by Diesel retails at $1,699. Matching camouflage accessories are available and include a seat liner, parasol, mosquito net and foot muff.

Find out more about the Bugaboo by Diesel strollers.

Disclosure: We were gifted the Bugaboo Cameleon in return for an honest review.

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Bedrooms Kids Rooms

Jen’s 10 best baby blankets

Aha! I do believe when it comes to blankets, I have found something which fits (perhaps loosely) into the category of homewares, therefore I can blog about baby stuff sans guilt. Am I right?!

This baby of mine has more blankets than you can shake a stick at but they’re actually all getting used in rotation because let’s face it, in this weather, you can never be warm enough. It’s actually pretty hard keeping a baby warm in this weather. Our power bill is going to give me a heart attack this quarter, I just know it! So here are 10 of my favourite baby blankets; many of them Australian, half of which we already own and the other half Seb wouldn’t mind adding to his rather impressive collection.

5 BLANKETS WE OWN

1. Mooi Baby Reversible Foxey Star Blanket $159.95*

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This is our latest acquisition and current fave in the blanket department. Made of baby alpaca and pima cotton, this is double-sided and oversized so super warm. I may or may not have stolen it a few times for my lap on the couch. And we love everything foxy and/or navy in this house so this was always going to be a winner. You really have to see and feel this blanket — which comes in its own cloth bag — to appreciate its quality, which is extremely high. Rightly described as heirloom quality in my opinion, it would make a gorgeous gift for a new mum. They have other designs too.

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Sebastian

2. Sunday Ganim Stripes Blanket in grey $129

I’m a fan of a neutral when it comes to most linen, even baby linen, but this one hits a very happy medium with its touches of pale blue and bright yellow. This one always gets comments. Its 100% Egyptian cotton makes it a nice light option which we often fold double in Sebastian’s bassinet or pram. The cotton holds the Okeo-tex® Standard 100, which guarantees the highest sustainable and ecological practices in textiles. I also love that this one’s made in Melbourne.

3. Kate&Kate The Jane Baby* $109

I’ve long been a fan of Kate & Kate’s grown up blankets, so no surprises I love the mini versions too! This is a simple design but it’s the details that count, like the lovely blanket stitching around the edges and the cloth bag it comes in. Another 100% cotton option, this one also gets used in Seb’s bassinet. It also happens to match his blue and grey pram (the Bugaboo Bee3 with bassinet) perfectly!

4. GatherKids Pure Cotton Soft Blanket* from $180

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If you love an old fashioned crochet blanket, a la Princess Charlotte, you need this GatherKids option. We have the bassinet size in grey and love it. Because it’s smaller we often taken it out with his capsule or in his pram. I just love how this looks like it could have been passed down generations but is in fact brand new! It’s a beauty! These are made in New Zealand and individually knitted, pre-shrunk and tumble dried.

5. Pottery Barn Kids Honeycomb Stroller Blanket in grey* $49

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This is a great size for bassinet or pram and you can’t go wrong with grey and white, especially if you’re buying for a baby whose sex is as yet unknown. I love the navy version too and at $49 it’s great value. Cotton/acrylic blend.

5 BLANKETS SEB’S GOT HIS EYE ON

1.Kip & Co Baby Tartan Pom Pom Blanket $129

How cool is this?! No wonder it’s currently sold out. In true Kip & Co style it’s totally out there but who said all baby blankets had to be pastel and pared back? I love the pom poms! In peach and red 100% merino wool, I’d say this is a unisex option. (We love the nap wraps they recently gifted us too).

2. The Camo in blue by Atelier/Child $225

Atelier/Child is the new luxury children’s knitwear label founded this year by ex Vogue Australia deputy editor and founder of The Grace Tales Georgie Abay and communications consultant Jessica Baird Walsh. This on trend blanket is made of a cashmere/wool blend.

3. Little Bonbon Rocking Horse Beige/White $49.95

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There’s something wonderfully old school about this rocking horse design and I do love a neutral option. This Australian-designed, reversible cotton knit blanket is the perfect size for a pram or bassinet or perhaps just snuggling on the lounge! Little Bonbon also sell some lovely baby shawls, including this one which is rather reminiscent of Princess Charlotte’s!

4. aden + anais Organic Muslin Dream Blanket $89.95

Everyone RAVES about their oversized muslin wraps for swaddling, so it goes without saying aden + anais’ organic muslin blankets would be something pretty special. They promise to get softer with every wash. This 100% organic cotton four-layer blanket is the ultimate in breathability; warm in winter and cool in summer.

5. Weegoamigo Knitted Baby Blanket Geo Charcoal

This on trend geometric is just one of the fun designs by Weegoamigo, available from The Little Linen Company (who also sell the Airwrap, the safer cot bumper alternative). A premium double-layered knit blend of 30% bamboo rayon and 70% cotton, this one’s nice and warm and comes gift boxed.

Disclosure: Blankets marked with an asterisk were kindly gifted to Sebastian with no promise of coverage.