With fall arriving in just a few short weeks, I thought I would share with you some of the top Halloween costumes for kids. (From Pricegrabber, of course.)

Baby Nemo Clown Fish: How cute is this? It’s perfect for a chilly October night, as it acts like a bunting and fastens snugly in the back to keep your baby cozy and warm.

Peter Pan: I like costumes that are different and original and let’s face it, kids won’t let you pick out their costumes forever! (For babies’ eighteen to twenty four months)

We like Pirates in my house, and this is about as classic as you can get.  What’s great about this costume is that it really is gender neutral.

Baby Ice Cream Cone: So yummy you’ll want to take a lick. They’ll probably get extra treats for wearing this winner. (Back closure makes diaper changing a snap.)

Princess White Velvet Native American Princess: Pre-teen girls will appreciate this costume, especially if they are into the American Girl dolls or books.

Cherokee Warrior: This impressive costume will complement Princess White Velvet beautifully. (That is, if your daughter will let her brother trick or treat with her!)

Ben Franklin Historical Halloween: For the intellectual child that wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a pirate costume.  This unique costume could win your kid a prize!

Chewbacca: Star Wars is still popular after all these years and again, it’s gender friendly.

Cowgirl: For the tomboy (girl), there’s nothing like the wild, Wild West!

Finally, a Princess:  Every little girl who dreams of being one. (I might be one myself this year!)

I promised some more amazing baby items from this smart and savvy mom, and you won’t be disappointed. Keep in mind the price point for organic cotton is high, except in this case.

Under The Nile uses only the finest Egyptian Cotton, yet their prices are competitive with what you would find in your local department store and in some cases, better.  Plus, you won’t find this brand just anywhere. I was so pleased to come across them and I know you will be too.

Organic Cotton Trouser: Incredibly soft against baby’ skin.  The vibrant color made from all natural vegetable dye adds to the incredible look of these inexpensive little pants.

Organic Cotton Long Sleeve Lap Shoulder Tee: Pair these with the softest trousers ever and you have a simple little outfit that looks great and washes well.  With a roomy shoulder opening, this no fuss top matches everything in baby’s wardrobe. Best to pick up a few.

Organic Cotton Terry Romper: Get them dressed quickly and effortlessly with this one-piece romper from Under The Nile.  Also available in blue, this outfit dries quickly (on a hot summer day!) thanks to its cool and comfy terry lining.

Organic Cotton Loungewear: How cute is this?  We were lucky they even made bathrobes when I was a kid!  This is perfect for those fall evening walks in a stroller or last minute summer dips in the pool.  They’ll be warm and cozy with the attached hood.  Perfect after-bath attire, too

This is just a sampling of some of my favorites that Under The Nile has to offer, but check out the complete collection on Pricegrabber.

Oh, how I love a Poncho.  It makes me think of crisp fall days and my own childhood. I personally own a few and they are the perfect thing to accessorize a boring pair of jeans and a solid t-shirt.

There are many reasons besides fashion to love a poncho.  For one thing, they keep little hands free (especially important when picking up leaves.) Another thing I like about them, is most of them are “hoodless” which means you don’t have to cut the strings off of them so they don’t get caught on anything at the playground.

These Baby Girls DKPinecone  Striped Ponchos by The Childrens Place are the perfect fall outerwear for the truly fashion conscious little girl. Brightly striped cotton/viscose blend and pullover style accented with tiny embroidered flowers will keep her warm and cozy on her busy days. This is an easy alternative to a bulky jacket, especially when buckling her into her car seat.

If she gets too warm, just slip it off and it stores easily like a comfy sweater. This garment comes minus any buttons or grommets, so there is no chance of her putting any foreign objects in to her mouth and choking.

This simple little cover-up has “mad” style, and comes in two vibrant color palates to choose from.

Here’s a product that surprisingly I’ve never seen before, but I definitely recommend. I know, I know it’s another of my “favorite things to give as a gift.” But if you think about it, it’s really hard to find useful and adorable gifts for someone at the mall.

This is a Butterflies Sleeping Bag By Aden & Anais. Its purpose is to mimic the same soothing security your newborn receives when it is swaddled. As your baby gets older and starts to move around the crib, this super soft Muslim gown replaces that tightly bound blanket. Slip this on over their pajamas and it does the same thing. It has a nice inverted zipper, too so it’s easy to get off and on. (No pulling over baby’s head.)

The open weave design of the fabric allows a sleeping baby’s body temperature to adjust naturally, minimizing the risk of overheating, which has been linked to SIDS. This is especially nice for those new parents who live in a warm climate and don’t always need a blanket in the crib but want a little something soft to wrap their baby in, or for those new parents who are concerned about a blanket in the crib at all.

This fabulous product just won the iParenting media award for 2009 and is available in three sizes and other adorable prints like Pink Stars.

I just flew back from the beach and boy, am my arms tired!  Not really but my belly was COLD!  I thought the water was supposed to be warm by July.Luckily, our kids were wise enough to bring along their surf shirts to wear as they boogie boarded and frolicked among the chilly ocean waves.  They were the envy of both my sister and me.

We were forced to run up to the boardwalk and purchase ridiculously expensive shirts to wear over our little two-piece numbers, so we cold actually go in the water above our toes.

That’s why I  recommend the L.L.Bean Sun-and Surf Shirt.  This must-have item for the beach or pool is multi-functional, as it not only offers relief from that first blast of cold water lapping up on your kids belly but it also offers UPF+50 sun protection.

We applied sunscreen generously to their faces and arms (not much leg area as they were wearing board shorts) and they happily played by the waters edge, digging castles and moats.  No worries about harmful rays burning them, and they looked like real surfers to boot! The nylon and Lycra material dried quickly, keeping them comfortable between dips.

This is an inexpensive summer purchase that they’ll happily wear and comes in a couple of styles and fashion colors for boys and girls alike.

I listened with amusement to my sister’s horror story of how she schlepped around SIX stores last weekend while sick with the flu, looking for a bathing suit for my 12 year old niece. I didn’t know they had six stores that sold bathing suits!

They finally found a suit that was agreeable for the very picky and somewhat modest girl at store number six.  She liked the suit, but refused to go in the water the next day for some reason, but that’s a whole other story!

The point is everyone needs to feel comfortable in swimwear, especially pre-teen girls. That’s why I recommend the Patagonia Girls Boardie Shorts. This is what my niece ended up choosing and she happily reports they look “Fierce”

These are a great look for all ages and shapes.  The   micro fiber /poly material dries quickly and the hip longer length offers terrific sun protection.  The colorful print allows you to purchase more than one top to wear with them, so you get a variety of different looks.

You can wear suit bottoms under these as well while in the water.  (They also make a great cover-up)

Everyone is happy and I’m just glad I have a boy.

I came across these leggings and longed for a baby again.  For starters, they’re organic, (one of my favorite words.) And they’re adorable, not to mention green (the color)

Made by  KEE-KA, these 95/5%  certified organic cotton/lycra leggings  are what every mom needs for her infant. This wardrobe essential is made with low impact dyes which have been proven to be less irritating and better for a newborns skin.

These are like a woman’s little black dress.  Because they are cotton, they work no matter what climate you live in and baby can almost wear them year round.  Pair them with a cute hoodie during cooler weather or a sweet t-shirt in the spring.  The contrast stitching adds fun. Your darling little girl can even wear these under a dress for added coverage and style.

The possibilities are endless. Wrap up a pair or two for a new mom and introduce her to something that is good for baby and easy for her.

Suitable for ages 6-12 months, they are machine washable and dryable.  Inexpensive, these are a steal! I would suggest picking up more than one, because you probably won’t want to be without.  Now if only they made my size

Now, why don’t they have more products like these? It’s one of those questions that breed a whole lot of other ones like: Why do women wear strapless evening gowns to the same events that men wear a suit jacket? Someone is going to have some issues with climate control! Or why is it that they make skimpy bathing suits that fall off if you dare to go in the water?

Getting beyond that it’s always a bit sad to watch a little girl tugging at her swim bottoms as she chases the boys down the beach or racing to get a towel on which to sit so she can play comfortable in scratchy sand. These Patagonia Girls’ Baggies Swim Shorts solve both of those problems.

These swim shorts are both fashionably cool and well made with mesh pockets to flush out water and grit and an abrasion resistant material. The comfortable elastic waistband wicks away moisture preventing a soggy tummy and the light nylon material dries quickly so she can readily wear them off the beach too.

They are available in a cool ocean blue or bright poppy red. I do wish they had a pink and a purple option too. No need to be completely gender neutral!

A cute outfit at a good price is what we parents want. I know when I was a child, my mother shopped at department stores for cute dresses and little sets featuring delicate bows and fragile appliqué. We wore our clothes carefully and tried not to get dirty. Arriving home sweaty and covered in mud was just not an option.

Times have changed and we want our girls to participate in sports and rough and tumble. We want them to be comfortable, but we also like cute. We spend less these days on clothes, preferring to pass on the lace edging and spend less time worrying about how we are going to get clothes clean.

But can we find cute at a reasonable price?

This Rumble Tumble 3 piece flower pant suit is both! The three piece set comes with a top with a breezy summer flower appliqué and Capri pants. A coordinated bucket hat completes the outfit.

It’s the perfect outfit for a summer day at a picnic. The sleeveless top and cotton pants keep your little girl cool while the brimmed hat keeps her face and neck protected from the summer sun. And I always prefer longer Capri pants over shorts since they protect young knees which so often end up getting skinned during games of tag and hide-and-seek.

As much as one can, I try to go organic. With prices up and work down, that’s not always possible, but sometimes you see something so cute, it’s hard to pass up.

These Baberoo Organic Cotton Socks are delightfully sweet and perfect for a newborn’s sensitive skin. My experience with children has been one of sensitive skin. While others dressed their babies in hand-me-downs or frilly new clothes, mine developed rashes at the drop of a hat: rashes from diapers that were changed on the hour, rashes from sun hats that touched the ears; rashes from just about anything that wasn’t organic.

So socks made from organic cotton with grown without herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers make me smile.

Though I’m not a big fan of shoes for infants, they aren’t walking anywhere and the more the foot is free, the better it is for them…so I’ve been told, I am a fan of socks. Socks keep tiny feet warm, but don’t constrict and are great of for the quick walk outside when you’d rather not have bare feet.

These Baberoo socks come in a box of four pairs, which is also handy since infants have this bad habit of dispensing with just one sock while out and about. Though I’m a big believer in mix and match, it’s nice to stay in the same family at least!