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ZEBRA TRIM DIAPER BAG PERSONALIZED EMBROIDERY W/ 3 ITEMs WE OFFER 200 FONTS | ![]() |
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US $29.00 | 3d 10h 46m |
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ZEBRA QUILTED DIAPER BAG BLK TRIM | ![]() |
0 Bid | US $24.95 | 1d 23h 35m |
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Kalencom Laminated Buckle Zebra Diaper Bag in Black and Hot Pink 2960LMZEBRA-HP | ![]() |
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US $69.99 | 1d 4h 58m |
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Carter's Out n About Tote Diaper Bag - Zebra Print | ![]() |
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US $39.99 | 29d 17h 39m |
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MONOGRAMMED PINK ZEBRA DIAPER BAG PERSONALIZED | ![]() |
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US $34.99 | 28d 8h 43m |
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Monogrammed Zebra Baby Diaper Bag 3 Piece Set Personalized FREE Hot Pink & Zebra | ![]() |
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US $37.95 | 25d 5h 58m |
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Wet Dry minky Bag Washable Reusable Swim Cloth Diaper bag waterproof 15x11inch | ![]() |
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US $6.99 | 24d 19h 37m |
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2 pc hot pink zebra/dot diaper bag | ![]() |
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US $79.00 | 16d 4h 34m |
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Monogram Personalized diaper bag (Black/white/Pink) Zebra | ![]() |
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US $39.99 | 28d 6h 42m |
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Zebra Print Diaper and Wipes Case Holder Clutch Pouch | ![]() |
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US $16.99 | 25d 5h 18m |
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FQ WATERPROOF REUSABLE ZEBRA BABY DIAPER WET BAG 707 | ![]() |
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US $6.99 | 11d 17h 34m |
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"DEAN" Zebra print BROWN and CREAM DIAPER BAG baby tote NEW! | ![]() |
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US $21.99 | 24d 3h 23m |
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Monogrammed Zebra Baby Diaper Bag 3 Piece Set Personalized FREE Purple & Zebra | ![]() |
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US $37.95 | 29d 7h 53m |
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Large Personalized Diaper Bag (Pink/black Zebra Print, Bag Only) | ![]() |
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US $49.00 | 29d 27m |
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New Polka Dot and Zebra with RED diaper bag | ![]() |
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US $125.00 | 28d 21h 2m |
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Kalencom Laminated Buckle Zebra Diaper Bag in Black and Blue 2960LMZEBRA-BL | ![]() |
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US $69.99 | 28d 16h 7m |
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XL Diaper Bag Pink Zebra Changing Pad Embroidery Option | ![]() |
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US $27.99 | 28d 8h 13m |
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"Tyler" Blue DIAPER BAG baby tote Zebra Giraffe Jungle NEW - exactly as shown | ![]() |
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US $27.99 | 28d 1h 27m |
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Hot pink /Lime Zebra/dot diaper bag | ![]() |
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US $89.00 | 17d 4h 16m |
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CUSTOM HANDMADE ZEBRA PURPLE DIAPER BAG, TOTE, CARRY ALL BAG YOU CHOOSE NAME | ![]() |
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US $46.99 | 19d 22h 31m |
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Quilted Diaper Bag Purse Tote Bag Black Zebra Bow Embroidery Option | ![]() |
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US $26.99 | 20d 12h 25m |
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Peace Out ZEBRA Heart Stripe UNIQUE Rag Quilt Diaper Bag Tote Purse | ![]() |
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US $34.87 | 26d 14h |
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Lime Green Black Zebra Rag Quilt Diaper Bag Tote | ![]() |
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US $34.86 | 26d 2h 34m |
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Kalencom Madonna Diaper Bag in Zebra Black and White 2990ZEBRA-BK-WH | ![]() |
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US $100.99 | 26d 57m |
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Hot Pink Purple Zebra Dot DIAPER BAG/MATCHING WIPE CASE | ![]() |
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US $69.00 | 16d 15h 3m |
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Zebra Diaper

Little Known Facts..................?
The Elephant's afraid of an itty-bitty Mouse.
A Zebra doesn't really like the Prairie Grouse.
The Monkey throws his feces at the Ol' Pit Viper.
And so the hell would I, if it weren't for this diaper.
10 minutes ago - 4 days left to answer.
Caz...lol--tried to post this, but it failed for some reason. So I copied and pasted, and tried again. Oops. Copied a bit too much.
Astoria...lol Love it! Of course I wear a diaper...I mean, geez, I'm only 7 years old!
Beeg...I'm very happy you liked it. I'm not sure why you're so darn important to me...but you are. Thanks, sweetie.
5-7...See...? I told you they were 'little known'.
Derrick...Odysseus? You give me waaaay too much credit... I thought it was Dr. Suess. Was pleased to see R gave me a nod, tho. I was proud of that little answer.
And careful with the compliments, really, I don't wanna hafta start tryin' too hard.
You are intriguing. Someone who reads translations of the Odyssey+ writes something that on the surface appears almost facile but having read it once I then read it again - a sign of good writing! Fascinating! And also very funny.
+Well, you certainly know some of the details of the voyage of Odysseus.
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ZEBRA TRIM DIAPER BAG PERSONALIZED EMBROIDERY W/ 3 ITEMs WE OFFER 200 FONTS | ![]() |
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US $29.00 | 3d 10h 46m |
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ZEBRA QUILTED DIAPER BAG BLK TRIM | ![]() |
0 Bid | US $24.95 | 1d 23h 35m |
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Kalencom Laminated Buckle Zebra Diaper Bag in Black and Hot Pink 2960LMZEBRA-HP | ![]() |
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US $69.99 | 1d 4h 58m |
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Carter's Out n About Tote Diaper Bag - Zebra Print | ![]() |
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US $39.99 | 29d 17h 39m |
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MONOGRAMMED PINK ZEBRA DIAPER BAG PERSONALIZED | ![]() |
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US $34.99 | 28d 8h 43m |
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Monogrammed Zebra Baby Diaper Bag 3 Piece Set Personalized FREE Hot Pink & Zebra | ![]() |
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US $37.95 | 25d 5h 58m |
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Wet Dry minky Bag Washable Reusable Swim Cloth Diaper bag waterproof 15x11inch | ![]() |
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US $6.99 | 24d 19h 37m |
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2 pc hot pink zebra/dot diaper bag | ![]() |
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US $79.00 | 16d 4h 34m |
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Monogram Personalized diaper bag (Black/white/Pink) Zebra | ![]() |
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US $39.99 | 28d 6h 42m |
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Zebra Print Diaper and Wipes Case Holder Clutch Pouch | ![]() |
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US $16.99 | 25d 5h 18m |
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FQ WATERPROOF REUSABLE ZEBRA BABY DIAPER WET BAG 707 | ![]() |
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US $6.99 | 11d 17h 34m |
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"DEAN" Zebra print BROWN and CREAM DIAPER BAG baby tote NEW! | ![]() |
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US $21.99 | 24d 3h 23m |
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Monogrammed Zebra Baby Diaper Bag 3 Piece Set Personalized FREE Purple & Zebra | ![]() |
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US $37.95 | 29d 7h 53m |
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Large Personalized Diaper Bag (Pink/black Zebra Print, Bag Only) | ![]() |
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US $49.00 | 29d 27m |
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New Polka Dot and Zebra with RED diaper bag | ![]() |
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US $125.00 | 28d 21h 2m |
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Kalencom Laminated Buckle Zebra Diaper Bag in Black and Blue 2960LMZEBRA-BL | ![]() |
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US $69.99 | 28d 16h 7m |
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XL Diaper Bag Pink Zebra Changing Pad Embroidery Option | ![]() |
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US $27.99 | 28d 8h 13m |
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"Tyler" Blue DIAPER BAG baby tote Zebra Giraffe Jungle NEW - exactly as shown | ![]() |
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US $27.99 | 28d 1h 27m |
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Hot pink /Lime Zebra/dot diaper bag | ![]() |
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US $89.00 | 17d 4h 16m |
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CUSTOM HANDMADE ZEBRA PURPLE DIAPER BAG, TOTE, CARRY ALL BAG YOU CHOOSE NAME | ![]() |
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US $46.99 | 19d 22h 31m |
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Quilted Diaper Bag Purse Tote Bag Black Zebra Bow Embroidery Option | ![]() |
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US $26.99 | 20d 12h 25m |
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Peace Out ZEBRA Heart Stripe UNIQUE Rag Quilt Diaper Bag Tote Purse | ![]() |
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US $34.87 | 26d 14h |
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Lime Green Black Zebra Rag Quilt Diaper Bag Tote | ![]() |
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US $34.86 | 26d 2h 34m |
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Kalencom Madonna Diaper Bag in Zebra Black and White 2990ZEBRA-BK-WH | ![]() |
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US $100.99 | 26d 57m |
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Hot Pink Purple Zebra Dot DIAPER BAG/MATCHING WIPE CASE | ![]() |
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US $69.00 | 16d 15h 3m |
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Baby Phat Infant Girls White & Pink Zebra Print Diaper Bag Size 11'' L x 9" W | ![]() |
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US $11.99 | 24d 8h 31m |
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Monogrammed Quilted Tote Diaper Bag 3 Piece Black White Zebra | ![]() |
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US $29.99 | 15d 23h 56m |
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MONOGRAMMED HOT PINK ZEBRA LARGE 3 PC DIAPER BAG PERSONALIZED | ![]() |
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US $36.99 | 15d 6h 47m |
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NWT! BABYMEL Zebra Grey Red Tote Purse DIAPER BAG insulated bottle pouch & pad | ![]() |
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US $64.99 | 21d 13h 5m |
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Hot Pink & Black Zebra Rag Quilt Diaper Bag Tote Purse | ![]() |
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US $34.86 | 21d 12h 5m |
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Kalencom - Madonna Tote - Luxury Diaper Bag - Zebra Black / White | ![]() |
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US $129.95 | 21d 9h 55m |
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Kalencom - Madonna Tote - Luxury Diaper Bag - Zebra Pink | ![]() |
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US $129.95 | 21d 9h 52m |
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BABY DIAPER BAG WIPE CASE ZEBRA / HOT PINK | ![]() |
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US $11.95 | 10d 14h 33m |
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Pink Zebra Print Diaper and Wipes Case Holder Clutch Pouch Bag | ![]() |
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US $16.99 | 19d 12h 54m |
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CUSTOM HANDMADE ZEBRA HOT PINK DIAPER BAG, TOTE, BAG | ![]() |
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US $46.99 | 18d 23h 48m |
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Zebra Diaper Bag in Turquoise Trim $39.95 The Zebra Diaper Bag - Turquoise Trim is a wonderful bag to have while traveling or running errands. This messenger diaper bag has multiple pockets so you can store all kinds of things. It has a velcro closure so you can be sure all of the contents will be secure. As a bonus there is a detachable changing pad. All of our zebra print baby products are very fashionable for every mom and baby. And taking a look at the rest of our Diaper Bags is a must! Size: 14" W x 12" H x 4" Deep Color: Black/White Fade Color Mapping: Multi-Color Type: Diaper Bags |
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Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag (Eggplant) $134.95 The fabulous Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag is perfect for the fashion-forward parent. Featuring four pockets, the Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag is easily one of the most functionally stylish diaper bags. The Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag includes a parent's section in front, superb organization throughout and a separate changing area in the back. Plus, the Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag is stylish enough to be used as a purse long after your baby is all grown up! Features & Benefits: Fashion-forward Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper BagLightweight, durable and stylishSubtle zebra embossingAdjustable double shoulder strap (11" drop length)Adjustable double shoulder strap can be worn cross body or on shoulder4 pockets for maximum organization2 internal baby bottle or water bottle pocketsChanging pad (14"W x 24"L)Pacifier holderKey ringTop magnetic closureExpandable sides on topSlip pocket on the b |
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Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag (Black) $134.95 The fabulous Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag is perfect for the fashion-forward parent. Featuring four pockets, the Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag is easily one of the most functionally stylish diaper bags. The Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag includes a parent's section in front, superb organization throughout and a separate changing area in the back. Plus, the Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper Bag is stylish enough to be used as a purse long after your baby is all grown up! Features & Benefits: Fashion-forward Amy Michelle Zebra Diaper BagLightweight, durable and stylishSubtle zebra embossingAdjustable double shoulder strap (11" drop length)Adjustable double shoulder strap can be worn cross body or on shoulder4 pockets for maximum organization2 internal baby bottle or water bottle pocketsChanging pad (14"W x 24"L)Pacifier holderKey ringTop magnetic closureExpandable sides on topSlip pocket on the b |
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Green Daisies with Zebra Diaper Cake $68 Something special and useful for the new mom--a fabulous diaper cake, available in two or three tiers, festooned with silk flowers and a keepsake baby block! (2-tier cake measures 12"" x 12"" x 12"" (40 Luvs Stage 1 diapers that fit baby up to 14 lbs., and 3-tier cake measures 16"" x 16"" x 16"" (100 Luvs Stage 1 diapers that fit baby up to 14 lbs.) |
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Girl Diaper Bag in Lime & Zebra Print $29.95 Any parent with a baby girl is going to want this Girl Diaper Bage - Lime & Zebra Print. The large diaper bag is perfect for going on trips or long shopping days. You can just throw everything you need into this bag and head out for a busy day. Our lime green baby clothes are the perfect accessory to this adorable bag. There is a coin purse attached to the bag and velcro to keep the bag closed. It is made of canvas material which makes it durable. We have many other Diaper Bags that are worth checking out! Size: 15" W x 11" H x 6" Deep Color: Black/White Fade Color Mapping: Multi-Color Type: Diaper Bags |
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Boogaloo Zebra Day Tripper Diaper Bag $47.21 The essential baby bag for short trips, this Day Tripper bag features the unique Boogaloo Change 'n' Go system. This is a great compact stylish diaper bag suitable for mothers and fathers. Ideal for short day trips with babies or toddlersComes in a fun zebra printClear internal pockets make it easy to find every thing quicklyComes complete with an insulated bottle holder and a pacifier/toy cord |
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Oi Oi Hobo Diaper Bags In Leather PocketedZebra $250 Oi Oi Hobo Diaper Bags In Leather Pocketed/Zebra |
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Zebra $4.49 Zebra |
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CoCalo Kayla Satchel Diaper Bag In Zebra $99.99 Please Allow 7-14 Days For Delivery |
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Boogaloo 68 Day Tripper Zebra Diaper Bag $39.58 The essential baby bag for short trips Features the unique Boogaloo Change n Go system. A compact stylish bag suitable for Mothers and Fathers. Ideal for short day trips with babies or toddlers. Clear internal pockets make it easy to find every thing quickly. Comes complete with an insulated bottle holder and a pacifier/toy cord. |
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Zebra Baby Costume $32.95 A striped sweetie. The zebra costume is a lined jumpsuit with attached character hood made from soft chenille. Features embroidered eyes, attached mittens, screen printed feet, and snap closure on legs for convenient diaper changing.Spot Clean Only |
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Black Leather Hobo Diaper Bag $250 Stay abreast of the latest fashion trends with this black leather bag with zebra print interior. Features convenient stroller straps and leather adjustable buckle shoulder strap. Full width pocket front (pleated) and back (flat) are perfect for holding bottles, cell phone and wallet. Zipper closure conceals zebra print nylon interior with one main internal compartment and three elasticized pockets for babys essentials. Zebra print micro-fiber changing pad, wipes case, insulated bottle holder and zip-top wet bag are also included. |
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Infant Zebra Costume $37.95 Is it safe to say that babies are basically the cutest animals on earth? I think, yes, yes it is. If you agree with me on this point, then you?ll also agree that baby costumes are one of the few ways in which to make them cuter. The Infant Zebra Costume is an adorable conflation of African equids and tiny, tiny little humans.The Infant Zebra Costume comes with a character hood and a chenille jumpsuit with animal hands and feet (with snap closure on legs for easy diaper change). Pair this with a dog dressed like a lion for double the adorability. The Infant Zebra Costume is an adorable and exotic costume for your baby this Halloween. Gender: Unisex Theme: Traditional Size: 18-24 Months Color: None |
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OiOi Hobo Crossbody Diaper Bag) $249.9  Black shrunken leather with contrast double stitching and buckle detailFull width, pocket front (pleated) and back (flat)One main internal compartment with 3 elasticized pocketsNylon lining and accessoriesLeather adjustable buckle shoulder strap and fixed stroller straps Large padded micro fiber change matInsulated bottle holder- insulation 2 hours - (Max bottle size 13 Inches)Wipes case, nickel hardware and protective metal feet on base Brand: OiOi Color: Black Leather (Zebra Lining) Color Mapping: Black Gender: Female Material: Black shrunken leather Type: Diaper Bags |
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Baby And Toddler Zebra Costume - Animal Planet Baby Costumes $28.87 Baby And Toddler Zebra Costume This Baby and Toddler Zebra Costume from the Animal Planet Collection includes the black and white zebra striped chenille jumpsuit with the character hands and feet and the zebra hood with ears. There is a snap closure on the legs for easy diaper changing. Gender: Unisex Age: Kids Size: 12-18 months Color: As Shown |
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Designer Tote Bag in Zebra Print $19.95 This Designer Tote Bag - Zebra Print is a wonderful all purpose bag. The tote bag has a coin purse and multiple zippers to keep your things secure. It is made of canvas material that has zebra print. You can use this bag as diaper bag or for just toting your belongings around. It goes great with black baby clothes or even white baby clothes. There are many other zebra print products that are perfect for accessorizing with this tote bag. Size: 12" W x 12" H x 4.75" Deep Color: Black/White Fade Color Mapping: Multi-Color Type: Diaper Bags |
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Baby Girl Shower Gifts: Trendy Zebra Diaper/Tote Bag
What They Have
WHAT THEY HAVE
A Personal Essay by Boyd Lemon
I stumbled out of my tent at our lakeside campground in Malawi, Africa and headed for the black iron gate. Several monkeys followed me. I waited at the gate, greeting my 12 fellow tour group members as they arrived in groups of two or three. Shouting and laughter of young male Africans reverberated from outside the gate. I wondered aloud if they would swarm around us to try to sell their crafts, art or trinkets, an experience tourists in Africa commonly encounter.
The gate opened, and we braced ourselves. A young man stepped in and closed the gate behind him. He said hello, shook the guard's hand and waived at us. He shouted his long African name above the din, but I didn't get it and forgot to ask him. I'll call him Kea, the name of a Tanzanian man I met later in Zanzibar.
"I will be your tour guide," Kea said, as the voices outside quieted. "The name of the village we will visit is Mbamba." (The "M" is silent.) Kea collected $5.00 each for the tour, then opened the gate and asked us to follow him. In a flash the men crowded around, then disbursed among us as we walked. Two of them walked on either side of me. One, a tall, chunky man with short hair introduced himself as Cisco and asked me my name. I told him, and we shook hands. The other said he was Bush Bebe (phonetically spelled)—unlikely, I thought, as I shook his outstretched hand. "Glad to meet you," he said. His head was shaven, and compared to Cisco he looked about four feet tall. Cisco said he lived in the village with his grandmother.
"I live in the village too," said Bush Bebe. I noticed that two young men flanked each of the other tour members. Everyone chatted as we walked.
Neither Cisco, nor Bush Bebe, mentioned selling anything, but I was certain they would. At the end of the tour my prediction came true. I bought a t-shirt that we designed together. As we stood outside the campsite gate, we agreed that on the back it would have a map of the five east African countries we planned to visit and pictures of a fisherman and women grinding cassava into flour. The village name, Mbamba, would be on the left front. I chose a black shirt and said it was up to them to choose colors for the graphics. They said it would be ready outside the camp gate at 6:00 o'clock. Obviously, their sales technique was effective. I probably wouldn't have bought anything, certainly not a $35 t-shirt, before we became "friends." I handed Cisco the money with only a fleeting thought that I might never see them again. About five hours later, at two minutes to six, the guard walked over to our camp and told me Cisco was waiting for me. The shirt is beautiful.
We walked along the dusty path—it hadn't rained in a few days--toward the village, surrounded by the lush foliage and red and yellow flowers sprinkled about the jungle-like terrain. I recognized mango trees, cassava and groves of banana plants. Cisco said he was 19, had gone to secondary school and hoped to go to the university. His English was clearer and more grammatical than most of the Africans I had talked to. He said the villagers usually spoke Swahili among themselves. Bush Bebe said he was in secondary school. They both said they had lived in the village their entire lives and intended to stay.
We began to see thatched roof huts near the path. In about a mile we reached a small outdoor market and a water pump surrounded by thirty or so huts—the village center. Small wooden tables and brightly colored cloths draped on the ground were covered with fruits and vegetables—tomatoes, corn, potatoes, avocados, beans, bananas, fruit I didn't recognize; and arts and crafts--paintings on animal skins of traditional dancers, animals, warriors; and wooden carvings of the wild animals of Africa--elephants, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, monkeys, lions and leopards. There were handmade drums and local woodwind and string instruments of various shapes and sizes, and CD's of African music. I doubt if anyone in the village had a CD player.
A line of women waited at the water pump chatting with each other and their children. As a child worked the pump handle, a woman filled a plastic tub. When it was full, she hoisted it up to her head, took the child's hand and walked down a path with the heavy tub balanced on her head.
Kea asked us to gather around. The scene at the water pump continued. Kea said that most people in the village were subsistence farmers, growing cassava, tomatoes, beans, corn, rice, bananas and mangos. Some kept chickens. A few earned a living from tourism. There was no other work for the villagers. He told us that the well and pump had been provided by a charitable foundation, that it was the only source of potable water for the village. People who lived on the outskirts had to walk miles for water. He led us over to the outdoor market and said what we saw was the surplus produce that the villagers grew and arts and crafts the villagers made. He didn't mention the CD's. Nor did anyone try to sell us anything. He said there were no mangos or cassava flour at the market, because everyone grew cassava and mangos.
Kea said he would take us to visit the village school and the hospital, and then we would come back to the village center for lunch. He asked us if we would like to visit his home. We all said, "Yes." Our individual guides left us. Cisco said they would rejoin us when we came back to the village.
We followed Kea for 50 yards or so. He gestured toward a hut made of mud bricks and a thatched roof. "That's my home." He said matter of factly that the thatched roof leaked. "I wake up with water dripping on me. Needs lots of maintenance." He laughed.
The 13 of us couldn't fit in the small home--a living room with a smoldering fire on the dirt floor, about eight feet square and two other tiny rooms with openings in the interior mud walls. We took turns, entering in two compact groups. He said they cooked over the fire. He pointed at a small table and two chairs. "This is where we eat," he said, as he pushed them to the side to make more room. It was the only furniture; the house had no plumbing or appliances.
"Two bedrooms," he said, pointing again, "mine and my grandmother's." The bedrooms were just large enough for a single bed sized pad on the dirt floor—nothing else.
He said one in five people in the village was infected with HIV, more women than men. He didn't say, but it occurred to me that was why he and Cisco lived with their grandmothers. Probably, their mothers had died of AIDS. In answer to a question, he said that the average age for girls to marry was 15. Men, women and older children all worked on the farms.
As we left Kea's home and headed up the dirt path for the school, 25 to 30 children appeared from somewhere. They looked as young as 3 or 4 and probably as old as 10. A boy on my left and a girl on my right grabbed my hands. They chattered away, always smiling. I couldn't understand a lot of what they were saying, but they asked where I was from. They smiled broadly and shook their heads up and down when I said the United States. The girl, about 10, wore a dirty beige dress that was too big for her. The skirt almost touched the ground. The top was torn and top buttons were missing, exposing most of her chest. Many of the children were dressed in near rags, likely hand me downs from long ago. Only a few had newer, brightly colored clothes. Most of the girls wore dresses. The boy who held my hand, about 7 or 8, dressed in red shorts and an oversized yellow t-shirt, had a mango partly in his mouth, covering most of his lips. His hand was sticky. Several of the children picked up ripe mangos that had fallen from the trees, split them open with their hands and shoved them in their mouths.
As we walked, although it was just past 9:00, the humid heat closed in. Sweat covered foreheads and dripped from noses. We passed cassava fields and mango and banana groves. Each hut had crops growing behind or beside it. Those working on their small plots of ground were either cultivating with hoes or planting by hand. Kea said that they harvested by hand. We walked by dozens of people working, and many walking, usually carrying something on their heads—no vehicles or animals, except chickens. A girl, probably no more than 16, bathed a protesting baby in a plastic tub. I commented that babies the world over disliked baths. Cisco smiled and nodded.
In our travels in east Africa, except in the cities, we saw few vehicles or animals. Occasionally, people cultivated with a hand plough. Only once did I see an ox pulling a plough. There was no irrigation. Usually, there was enough rain, I assumed.
As we continued to walk behind Kea, I wondered how far the school was, but I didn't ask. The children sang, first together, then by themselves. Sometimes they skipped in the sweltering heat. They were almost always smiling, chattering or laughing when they weren't singing. The older children looked after the youngest. No adults came along, except Kea.
The two children holding my hands pulled me up to the front next to Kea. He smiled and asked me where I was from. "United States," I said. He smiled broadly. "Obama," he shouted, raising his hand in a fist. I smiled back, nodding.
"Yes," I said. I voted for him. "Good. He's a good man," said Kea.
I asked if the people of the village had enough to eat. "Yes, usually," he said. "We take care of each other. If a family is in need, we help out. We look after each other." I asked about crime in the village. "Crime? No, none," he said. We kept walking. Most adults and children near the path waived at us with big smiles as we passed. A man standing in front of a hut walked up, patted me on the shoulder and said "Welcome."
After walking more than a mile from the village center, we finally arrived at the school. It was made of the same mud bricks as the houses, but with a sheet metal roof. I counted ten classrooms. It was a Sunday, so school was not in session. We followed Kea into a classroom. The children stayed outside, laughing, playing, shouting, much like a group of American kids would have done. The classroom floor was concrete.
One of the teachers started his presentation. Kea shushed the children outside without much effect. The teacher told us there were eight grades and ten teachers. They taught math, English, Swahili, art and music, he said. I thought of our schools in the United States that were eliminating art and music from the elementary school curriculum. Music and art flourished all over east Africa. Are art and music more important to the poor?
The teacher told us there were about 1,500 hundred students in the school. For most it was all the education they would get. Some went to secondary school in a larger village that required them to leave their parents. A few went to the university. He said that the school was built by charitable donations and it survived because of charity. He pointed to a plain wooden box with a slit in the top and asked us to donate. Most of us did.
After the teacher's presentation, we looked around the classroom. The books on shelves in the back, except for math and English, seemed almost random, donations, I assumed, including many novels, some classic—Ivanhoe—some not so classic—Danielle Steele—for children? I saw no children's books. The children's art hung on the walls, much like an elementary school in the United States. They depicted mostly village and family scenes.
I asked the teacher if the school had a computer. He said they would like to have one, but they didn't. After I got home, I read an article in the New York Times about an organization that was dedicated to providing computers for all African children by 2012.
When I trudged out the classroom door, sweating, I thought of the children that would be sitting in the sweltering classroom on Monday. Our child companions rejoined us, shouting, "Hi," laughing and holding our hands again.
We walked about a half-mile down another path to the hospital, a brick building, smaller than the school. It had a main room with a concrete floor, where we congregated—again the children stayed outside—and two other rooms in the back that we didn't enter. I didn't see any x-ray machines or other medical equipment that you would expect in a hospital. Maybe equipment was in the back, but then where were the patient rooms?
The hospital administrator, a tall, thin, young man, who spoke excellent English, told us that care at the hospital was free. Like the school teacher, he asked us for donations. Nobody asked any specific questions about the care that was given. I can't imagine that it was much beyond first aid, but I don't know. Nevertheless, the man spoke to us with a sense of importance and an urgency and pride in what he was doing.
By the time we went outside to join the children, it was even hotter. They still laughed, skipped and chattered as we took the long walk back to the village center. Different children held my hands this time and asked me questions—where was I from, was it hot there, did I like living in Boston, how many people lived in Boston? Sometimes I couldn't understand what they asked. Kea had told us that English is their second language. A couple of times they skipped off for a moment, and then came back and grabbed my hands.
When we got back to the village, our individual guides rejoined us. At the village center near the water pump, a large blanket was spread out on the dirt. About 20 yards back a fire under a grill flared and smoked. Kea asked us to sit. Men and women set down large bowls of food and brought plates, spoons and forks. Others handed us bowls of soup--sweet potato, Kea said. The women dished chicken, beans and rice from the steaming bowls onto our plates. The food was spicy, similar to the spices in Indian food. We were served bread made from cassava flour. It all tasted good. The portions were huge. I feared embarrassment from wasting food I couldn't finish.
The children stood behind us talking and laughing. Someone asked why the children were not eating. Kea told us they would be given what we did not eat. They were excited, he said, because they didn't get chicken very often. We all left a lot on our plates, especially chicken. When we finished eating, adults handed the children our plates. They gobbled the food quickly.
I gave a few children coins. They grabbed at them with gusto. Others gave them pens and paper. Children in towns and villages we had passed through begged for pens and paper when we stopped. That was usually their first request.
The children who had pens and paper sat down in the dirt and started drawing immediately, but Kea interrupted them, put away their pens and paper and organized them into a line. Drummers appeared and started playing. The children danced and sang and invited us to join them. They tried to teach several of our women how to do the traditional African dance. The village men laughed and beat their drums. Whether they were dancing, singing or just talking, they reverberated a vibrant energy. The joy was contagious. We danced with them.
It was easy to focus on what the people of Mbamba don't have. They don't have vehicles of any kind, either personal or for work; washing machines, dryers, refrigerators or any other appliance; electronic entertainment, such as radio, TV, Walkman, IPod or computers; showers, bath tubs or toilets; animals or machinery to help farm; diapers; modern toys; telephones; air conditioning or heating; make-up; deodorant; tissues; glasses; dental care; flooring; curtains; electric lights or any means of irrigating their crops. Instead of lawn mowers, they use machetes to "mow" during the wet season when the grass grows high. As best I could tell, they had no underwear. At least, the children didn't. The list of what they did not have seems endless.
What they have is less obvious and concrete, but defines their lives: joy in their everyday lives; a sense of community; the pleasure of helping someone in need; the gaiety of lives filled with music and dance; the fulfillment of creating music and art; the satisfaction of eating what they planted, grew and nurtured with their own hands; the natural peace of connection with the land; living surrounded by the natural beauty of the landscape and wild creatures of Africa; the love of an extended family and clan; small, simple pleasures; the accomplishment of making with their hands things they need to live; the time to enjoy the company and comradery of each other and their children; real human communication with those they care for; respect for and from each other; the incomparable enjoyment of watching and nurturing children; knowledge of what is really necessary; I suspect, the joyfulness of sex without it being promoted endlessly by media; the ability to distinguish the important from the unimportant; acceptance of life; acceptance of death; thankfulness for what they have. These people, desperately poor by our standards, lacking every comfort, convenience and entertainment that we deem necessary, are alive in the most human sense of the word.
In every village, town and city we visited or passed through in east Africa, most people we came within hearing distance of waived, smiled and said hello. Many said, "Welcome," asked where we were from. Some tried to sell us something, and some did not. Everyone, selling or not, was unabashedly friendly. Never before in any other place have I had so many conversations with strangers. They were curious, as well as extroverted. They asked questions. They wanted to know about us. They were interested in other human beings, and they took the time to show that interest, and to try to relate to all of us.
When they found out I was from the United States, they often invoked the name, "Obama." Many asked if I had voted for him. A few asked if I knew him. Most said something positive about him. Pride showed on their faces, not just in Kenya, but in Mbamba and everywhere between.
I remember a similar openness, friendliness and zest for life when I was growing up in a small town in California in the 1940's and 50's. It no longer exists in the America I know today.
It has been said that all other things being the same, it is better to be rich than to be poor. I suppose that if you isolate those two conditions, that is true. But life is more complex than that. It cannot be isolated into rich or poor. Life involves a complex set of conditions, relative wealth being only one. The villagers of Mbamba taught me that wealth is not the most meaningful condition and may even distract one from real human fulfillment, as it has many Americans. Of course, if you do not have enough to eat to quell hunger or to maintain health, or are sick with no means to obtain medical care, or have no shelter, life cannot be fulfilling.
I don't mean to imply that the people of Mbamba do not suffer or to minimize the hardships they endure. If I thought their lives were nirvana, I would give away all my assets and move to Mbamba to be a farmer. But many Americans could learn something valuable from the way they live with what they have.
The people of Mbamba taught me that if you have those necessities, you don't need anything else. You don't need what Americans strive for, so desperately that if we don't have enough of what we seek—and we never seem to have enough—we numb the effects of our perceived failure with pills and alcohol; we don't experience either the pain or the joy that life brings. Many of us never realize what we have done to ourselves.
When the singing and dancing in Mbamba concluded, the children who had accompanied me on our tour ran over, said good-bye and hugged me. I hugged them and turned my head away so they couldn't see my tears. My tears were not for them.
About the Author
Boyd Lemon is a writer and retired attorney living in Paris, France after a lifetime in southern California. He has completed a memoir, Digging Deep: A Writer Uncovers His Marriages. It will be published in 2011.






































