Review: 'Woody' child costume

Bubby loves the Toy Story movies. So when I was offered the opportunity to review for free any costume of my choosing from CostumeSuperCenter.com, of course I chose their "Woody Quality Child Toddler Costume" ($24.97) for Bubby to try out.

I included the free Woody costume with a couple other costume pieces (a fireman hat and a policeman hat) in the big-brother gift I presented Bubby when recently visiting him and his brand-new baby brother. I think the photos tell you better than I could what he thought of the selection from the online costume store's Toy Story Costumes offerings:

He likes it, he really likes it!

Of course, Gramma, PawDad, Mom and his aunties thought he was absolutely adorable. (It's not that Preston disagreed; he just wasn't there when Bubby first tried it on.)

What I love about the Woody costume: The soft, one-piece costume fit Bubby comfortably and wasn't too hot for the desert climate in which he lives. The colors were vibrant and the replication of the Woody character's outfit was accurate. It went perfectly with Bubby's stick horse (as would any of the other cowboy costumes available).

What I didn't love so much: Cowboys run and ride horses and sling guns like a master, all of which require extensive movement that caused Bubby's cowboy hat to fall off again and again. I commented that a string on it would have been helpful, but as Megan pointed out, that would likely be considered a choking hazard on a child's costume. Maybe a way to tighten the hat to fit a child's head would be preferable. Whatever the solution, a way to keep one's hat on would have been appreciated by the wee cowboy.

Bottom line: Bubby enjoyed the costume, regardless of the hat issue. Not only would it be an awesome Halloween costume, it's a great addition to a dress-up-and-pretend collection.

Review: Riding Dump Truck from HearthSong

Bubby loves trucks. And because GiGi, his paternal great-grandmother who babysits him each Friday, takes Bubby outside or to the window to watch the garbage men collect his trash each week, Bubby especially loves garbage trucks.

So when I approached HearthSong -- a company I've loved and patronized since Bubby's mom was Bubby's age -- to ask if I could review some of their products and they offered up the Riding Dump Truck, I jumped all over that.

HearthSong sent me the oversized truck, which I then sent to Bubby. And here, in photos, is his review:

Bubby posing with the Riding Dump Truck.Checking out the capacity of the mini dumpster.

The mini dumpster is the perfect size for Matchbox cars.Doing a Vanna White display of the rear cargo hold -- the spot Bubby puts Mom's large (size 10!) shoes for hauling around the home.Hopping on for a ride.Mastering the parallel parking skills ... and keeping it safe between rounds of riding.He loves it! He has a little trouble using his feet to push himself along because the width of the truck is a bit wider than Bubby's stance, but the truck is made for kids 3 and up and my Bubby is only coming up on the 2-year mark. So I'm sure his riding skills will improve. In the meantime, a little push from Mom or Dad is all he needs.

One thing that was a bit confusing -- for Bubby, his mom and me when I checked out the truck before shipping -- was figuring out how to make the lift work for the large dumpster on the back of the truck and the smaller one on the side. We couldn't figure out how to make the buckets lift and dump as you'd think they were meant to do. And there were no instructions included, on or in the box. Although, as Megan pointed out, the product is German made, so unless one of us could read German, it would have made no sense anyway.

Overall, Bubby loved the truck. He can't ride it well by himself yet, but that'll come as he gets closer to the age 3 recommendation on the box (age 4 on the website). In the meantime, he uses it to haul all his Matchbox trucks and cars and helicopters ... and his mom's shoes, too.

I was especially pleased with the fact that the truck was made of a heavy-duty plastic. It's tough and sturdy for all the play to come -- especially considering that it holds up to 100 pounds and it's gonna take Bubby a long time to reach that weight! -- but it was light, so shipping costs weren't exorbitant. Of course, grandmas looking to purchase one for a grandchild could always choose to have it shipped directly from HearthSong to the lucky recipient.

Visit HearthSong -- where their tagline is "Toys You'll Feel Good About Giving" -- for more information on the Riding Dump Truck ($59.98) and other nifty, creative toys.