Mommies With Style

I’m often getting emails about super soft  baby clothes. They don’t always pan out as promised. But Baby Eggi is the real deal. These tees are the super softest, plushest ones I have touched in ages.

The designs are really cool too. Not obnoxious phrases or overly kitsched out art. It’s real graphics, hip, laid back motifs by graphic artist Mark Mahoney, that both mom and kiddo can appreciate. Which is refreshing. I’d like to think my kids are sophisticated enough to appreciate not being pimped out in the kiddo equivalent of “I’m with stupid”.

We tested out the boy tees and especially loved the Nite Owl and Tree tees with the striped sleeves. This is just another twist that sets Baby Eggi apart from the competition, design wise.  I’m a little sad that I don’t have a baby girl to dress up in their clothes, because if I did, I would be all over their affordable ruffle dresses.

One more reason to love Baby Eggi is their charitable ethic. A full 20% of the net proceeds of your purchase are donated to the charity of your choice (make your selection at checkout). Head over to Baby Eggi for their summer sale and you can look and feel good about your purchases!

I have found memories of game night when I was a child and was eager to start the tradition with my own family.  But my oldest only just turned three which felt like it limited the number of suitable board games we could play.  Fortunately I’ve come across two that have been toddler-appropriate and great additions to our game repertoire.  The first is a game called Zingo by ThinkFun.  Geared for kids 4 and up, Zingo’s tagline is “Bingo…with a twist!”  The game comes with a collection of double-sided bingo sheets (easy and hard side), tiles with words and pictures on them and a tile holder that you slide to release and reveal two tiles at a time.  The goal is to cover all the spaces on your card with tiles.

Why I Like It:  The game is simple, but offers lots of variations.  You can play against each other or work as a team.  You can play the easy side or the hard, with one Zingo sheet per player or multiple.  Since the tiles have both words and images, the game is great for pre-readers and early readers (even my 1.5 year old is picking up on matching the bird tile to the bird picture), and if you’re looking to build skills in other languages, Zingo is also available in Spanish, Hebrew and French.  I also like that it’s a game we can play together (up to 8 people), but my toddler can also have fun with it alone too.

Why My Toddler Likes It: One of my son’s favorite parts is moving the tile slider and trying to guess which two tiles are going to come up next. This isn’t really supposed to be an exciting part of the game, but it’s one of the things that keeps him most engaged.  He also loves that “race” element – if two people both have the same picture on their Zingo sheet, the first person to call it out, gets to take the tile.

ThinkFun produces lots of enjoyable educational games, many of which are single-player games that can be a godsend as quiet time activities or times when you need your little one to play solo.  Though Zingo has been the most age-appropriate for my little one, we’ve also checked out a number of other ThinkFun games: Hoppers Jr. (a frog-based, single-player strategy game, ages 5-7), Clever Castle (pattern matching game with princesses and dragons, ages 5-7) and Rush Hour (a super portable, single-player problem-solving game, ages 8 and up).  And I love the Think Fun keeps us moms in mind – many of their games have storage bags to keep all the pieces organized and make clean up a breeze.

Want to win your own copy of one of these ThinkFun games?  Leave a comment that answers - What was your favorite childhood board game? - and an email to contact you if you win. Contest ends July 7th and four winners will be chosen at random.  Good luck!  And long live family game night!

The following is a paid Advertorial from Baby Kaed: 

Brand new to the Baby Kaed collection is not one, not two, but three brand new styles. Noinoy, Shyla and Jacey!!! All amazingly functional and fabulous for the stylish parent. Available in metallics such as bronze and pewter and the classic brown and black!

All baby kaed diaper bags come with accessories galore: changing mat, wipes case, zippered pocket, drawstring mess bag, cell phone pocket, key clip and duster bag!

Whatever your personal style is, baby kaed is sure to have a bag for you! The goal at Baby Kaed is to make bags that are stylish, fun and functional….something that you can even use beyond your babies diapering years if you want to – something that doesn’t scream “diaper bag”.

Especially for MWS readers, baby kaed is offering 15% off and free shipping on all orders over $99 use code “MOMMIES” at checkout.

Being a mommy can be exhausting and we all need reminders to take care of ourselves, breathe, take a moment, examine our priorities etc. That is why I am loving these Infinity Charm Necklaces from Rejuvenation Gifts. 

First pick your chain length and style and then choose your message to inspire yourself of a friend.There are dozens of messages to choose from. One other nice part? They don’t cost a fortune. Necklaces (with two charms) start at only $20 and you can add additional charms for $5 each. So no need to practice your Lamaze breathing when you pay for this purchase! 

Take a minute while you are on the Rejuvenation Gifts site to check out their upcoming retreats and other gift packages for busy moms like us. Looks like a dream vacation to me!

I like to consider myself a hip mom. And I try to find hip, fun, and cute shirts for my boys. Urban Bratz is a cool new line of t-shirts that is exactly my (and my boys) style…fun mottos, interesting graphics, and nice, quality tees.

My favorite tee’s include “Future Trophy Wife” for your little princess, “I only date models” for your little stud, and “I’m with the Hottie!” (Hey, why not?!) Check out the great styles Urban Bratz offers.

Available in both onsies (size 3-6 through 12-18) and tees (size 2T through 4T), all of the tees are CPSC certified and are made of the best materials for comfort and a great look.  I got to try the adorable “Momma’s Boy” shirt with my younger son in a size 2T, which was nice and roomy but had a great fit. We got a lot of compliments on the shirt!

Have fun checking out this new, fresh line of funky clothing!

Coupon code SALE20 to receive 20% off and free shipping on all orders over $100 at the Gap.  Today, July 2nd only - get moving!

I’ve asked myself this question time and again… with the answer, clearly, no, not yet. So it was really fun to ask my 3-year-old this same question today. I asked it when I read to him the new book by Barney Saltzberg, Cornelius P. Mud, Are you Ready for Baby? Together we talked about Cornelius, the adorable little pig who in the first illustration is sitting with his pregnant mom, reading a baby name book. By the next page, Mom brings home a little piglet.

The illustrations are cute, vibrant, preschool friendly; the text, very simple. On each page Cornelius asks if baby can do different things, like eat and play. And on each page, Mom answers “no, not yet.” With the answer to the “what can baby do?” being the very funny line “He can sleep, drink, pee, poop and cry.”  Cornelius also shows some insecurity asking “Do you love him more than you love me?” and Mama reassuringly replies “I have enough love for both of you.”

The brief story opens up so many windows of opportunity for discussion and relating with a preschooler about to become a big brother, it was quick to become a new favorite. It only arrived in the mail Monday and he’s already “read” Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby? several times (as in his chosen book for the past 3 naps and 3 bedtimes): loving the story and the discussions each time.

I have a problem with commitment. Especially where my clothing is concerned. I wring my hands over what to buy and tend to spend the most on versatile pieces. So I dread making the big decision when I get a new pair of jeans: Heels or flats? Jeans are expensive! Why should I have to choose? 

Good news is I don’t have to. A clever woman has come up with the solution. Zakkerz are magnetic fabric pants-holders that keep your jeans (or other pants) perfectly cuffed when you want to wear flats. Lose them when you need the extra length. 

It’s simple and it’s brilliant. Every mom needs a pair or three of these. Extend your wardrobe without overextending your budget. No surprise that I discovered these clever devices at a store dedicated to clever items for busy moms. Pick up a pair of Zakkers for yourself at the Clevermom.me shop.

I’m telling you, once you start playing You’ve Been Sentenced, you aren’t going to want to stop. And the winners of our giveaway are sure to agree. Congrats to Chris of OH, Adelaide of VT, Jessica of PA and Lauren of WA… they’re all receiving games to play with their friends and family and all they had to do to win was be on our newsletter list!

Want to host a fun game night? Pull out the game You’ve Been Sentenced and you’re nearly guaranteed a night of fun. Read my review for more information.

Have I mentioned the pain I feel with this pregnancy? Its painful to sleep on my side, so I unconsciously roll to my back. Which alarmed the doc. She suggested I try wedging in pillows.

So I sent out a request to sample the Prince Lionheart Pregnancy Pillow and its been working for me. I’ve found a few uses for it that have eased the pressure on my back while I lay and sleep. The cushion of the pillow is a very firm memory foam which conforms really well when wedged between or under my knees while I sleep and alleviates a great deal of back pain. With regular pillow behind my back, there is also less chance of me wanting to, or needing to, roll onto my back (which has the potential to harm me or my baby.)

Its also been a lifesaver for reading. During “rest” time, I’ve found I can wedge the Pregnancy Pillow under a higher part pf my belly (and a bit of my chest.) Reading on the side hasn’t been easier… I may have to keep this pillow as a reading buddy even after baby is born.