Another item I couldn't live without as a nursing Mom: my GlamourMom tank tops. Julie raved on and on about these and I wish I had listened sooner. I had one sitting in my closet for weeks before I actually went to put it on. And I haven't looked back. I recently ordered more at SuperMomz because I prefer wearing these to wearing a nursing bra.
Why they're so great: easy access. I love it especially now, in the winter months. I always wear a tank top under whatever shirt I'm wearing, so we're talking three layers I have to get through when I have a baby screaming for milk. The GlamourMom tanks feature clasps on the straps - simply undo the clasp to nurse - it's easier.
And I love that it covers my stomach - let's face it, post-baby my stomach isn't anything I'm looking to show off (nor was it ever!). Even with the Hooter Hider, I'm still showing (stomach) skin. That's another reason the GlamourMom is great besides the fast access: complete coverage.
Buy them on the SuperMomz site, discounted to $36.95 each. Use coupon code mwsfree for free shipping on your order of that or anything on the site. GlamourMom makes maternity tanks too...
Could this be the ONE? Loving a Buggster Stroller...
I am the Elizabeth Taylor of stroller affairs. I've had 25 relationships over the years. Some lasted a few years, others were mere airport flings. I've also been polygastrollus for the most part - hitched to multiple strollers at a time. It's so hard to find just one stroller to love. Especially when you need one in such a variety of situations. And if you've dabbled in doubles. So for years, I was a stroller swinger, swapping models like some people swapped keys in the 70s. But I thought I'd finally settled down. I thought I'd got over my stroller commitment phobia, when I got it down to one stroller for my newborn son, two years ago. We called it the "Wonder Buggy".
But then my dear son rather precociously outgrew his $799 Wonder Buggy at the milk-mustachioed and fishy-cracker-crusted old age of 18 months. I had a moment of pause and felt the deepest of disappointments. I hadn't really expected to find myself back on the stroller scene again after that last interlude. I was older and poorer. And everything had changed. It was a brave new world of strollers.
First I did a little online research. I found Melissa at Let's Go Strolling to be a sage counsellor, getting me back up and rolling. I told her my criteria. At first I aimed low. "I need a cheap umbrella stroller" I whined.
But Melissa, like any wise advisor, set me straight. She questioned if I was really going to be happy with an umbrella. Oh... she knew me too well!
"No", I admitted. "What I really want is a stroller that does all the things my $799 Wonder Buggy did, but that has a bigger basket. It has to fold up in one piece and it hopefully folds up much smaller than the Wonder Buggy, so I can leave it in the car and still get groceries. It has to be lightweight, steer with one hand and have a good recline. Oh - and it must cost less than half the price of that dang Wonder Buggy because now I'm broke! Make the seat big too - I don't want another ride that my son is going to outgrow well before his third birthday." Was I nuts? Was this too much to ask for? One stroller that did it all?
Melissa rolled up her sleeves ( I could not see if she rolled her eyes, though I deserved it) and took a few hours to get back to me. I awaited her email like a fortune from the mechanical genie at the fair.
And of course she was right. Although the Buggster did not come with a bassinet (one is sold seperately), it definitely outperformed the Wonder Buggy for versatility. And it does come with a lot of plush extras, including a boot, bug, and rain screens. Family owned Valco makes a high quality product and really cares about their users. They want to make strollers that work for parents of all aged kids, not just itty bitty babies. It shows. For starters, my son fit in it with room to grow. The Buggster goes up to 50 lbs and heights well into the 90th percentile. The seat is wide and the back is tall. Which is a good thing for those of us raising small Paul Bunyons.
Despite this roominess unfolded, it folds up small enough to stay comfortably in most car trunks. Only slightly bigger and bulkier than an umbrella stroller. Yet it manages to boast all of the features I wanted; generous storage basket, multi position recline, and a hood that stays in place and keeps your kid sheltered even when fully reclined. It turns on a dime, one handed, thanks to the third rotating wheel up front. And as a bonus feature mine's a hot head-turning Orange color. We stopped traffic when we mall tested this stroller (accessorized with a cute color matching bag by Tokidokki for Lesportsac.)
My request was a tall order, but Lets Go Strolling and Valco both delivered admirably. I have to declare the Buggster the best mid-priced go everywhere, do-everything stroller that I have found to date. I only wish I'd gotten a bugster sooner. Caveat emptor: if your daily life involves rocky mountain trails and airport aisles, then perhaps keep looking, I am probably not writing this review for you. But if you are like me - with pickups and drop offs at school for older kids, nonstop mall and grocery runs, daily trips to the park, sportsfield, playground, whilst laden with toys and supplies, then this is the stroller for you too. It can do it all, beautifully and faithfully. It's quite possibly the "ONE"
I don't know if I should be admitting this, but this onesie is very appropriate for our house. Because we're certainly under the tv influence here. (You know it's sad when your child sings the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song each time he sees a Mickey.)
And this is just one of many fun designs from Tomat Kids. Their tees remind me of something you'd see in Urban Outfitters - not so cutesy - but edgy with a little 'tude and retro flair to reflect your taste and style.
They've got onesies for infants and tees for toddlers - all of their clothing is 100% cotton and comfy! They're also favorites of celebrities Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, whose daughter Matilda owns a few pieces from Tomat Kids.
Use coupon code MWS0207 for 10% off your order. Your discount will appear after checkout. The coupon expires March 27th. And there's free shipping if you order 3 items or more.
Are you sick of the same old same old? Even with so many luxe baby bag choices out there these days, it's easy to fall into a brown leather and perky plastic bag rut. Sometimes you don't want to blend with all the other mommies at the park. Sometimes you want to flaunt your hip and arty, boho mom style. At the risk of sounding high-school, you are far too unique and special for an ordinary mass market bag. Why, you'd whip up a bag yourself from scratch, if you weren't so damn tired. And if that last experience with the sewing maching hadn't left permanent scars. So you just want to buy yourself something special already. But the latest bag from designer abc, in popular fabric choice xyz, isn't rocking your slightly cranky post partum world. You need something a little more powerful to get your groove back. A pure mix of one of a kind couture bag fashion, from MyRebe.
One thing's for certain. When you get a MyRebe bag, it's not just another baby bag, its your bag, baby! Crafted from artistically pieced vintage and modern print fabrics, with bits of kitschy epherma thrown in for good measure, there is virtually no chance that someone at playgroup is going to be sporting the exact same bag as you. You get to choose your own colors, so you have an important role in the creation of your bag. Or should we call it functional artwork? We moms never get to forget about function do we? But I am pleased to say the diaper sac is certainly a hardworker, keeping itself and the kids clean and dry with oilcloth lining and a washable oilcloth and fleece changing pad. The adjustible shoulder strap allows you to wear the bag as a neat shoulder bag or crossbody for hands free action. My fave feature of the diaper sac is the signature framed entry has that "Lady with the Alligator Purse" feeling of power. Like whatever you need, you'd be able to reach in and whip it out effortlessly with one hand tied behind your back. No slacker mom you. Your binky retrieval stats are easily under six seconds.
This bag not quite big enough for you? Feeling frumpy while out with your whole tribe of tots? Well there's a My Rebe bag for that too. Check out the Matilde and Connie (equipped with a computer compartment) sacs. Both are available in multiple sizes for uncompromisingly fashionable moms of multiples.
Mommies With Style, rock your spring wardrobe when you shop and save 20% on MyRebe bags through the month of March. Just enter the code mom when you check out. And smile that slighly knowing high school smile, knowing you will be the only one, the cool girl, the one with "that great bag", that noone else will ever have. Feels kind of good doesn't it? Especially since you did not even have to make it yourself.
Hooked on Phonics with the Beautiful Futures Mommy Rep program
So I thought this was a cool incentive worth blogging about for anyone who may be interested. Beautiful Futures (who makes cool tees for your kids) is looking for local Mommy reps. A Mommy rep sells their line at local boutiques - earning extra cash while selling their stuff.
Anyway, their current initiative involves a Kit from Hooked on Phonics - you receive one of three Hooked on Phonics Kits (you pick -- you pay S&H -- the kits have a value of up to $199.00) when you become a rep. Check it out on the Beautiful Futures site.
I recently checked out one of the Hooked on Phonics Kits and I'm excited to try it with my older son. (We got an ages 4-7 kit and he's not quite there yet for the reading skills, but soon... flashcards with letters, phonics and more.)
There are good gifts, and not so good gifts. Gifts that are oh-so-cute and not-so-useful—like stuffed animals. As much as I love a few furry and cuddly ones, I’m fairly certain that of the dozens and dozens… and dozens of stuffed animals, my husband and I purchased none of them. And, as cute as they are, they cause an organization and neatness problem. Where do you put all of those cuddlies?
After receiving an Animal Bag by Boon, finally, all the animals have a place to call their own, and its not stacked on top of my sons’ pillows or at the bottom of their closet. No longer will we find life-size Simba roaming the hallway, or Doby the Beanie Baby® hiding under our bed.
Boon, known for their clever, useful, modern children’s items, recently introduced the Animal Bag. Available in a variety of colors and shapes, this stuffed animal storage and soft seat is a furry, large bag, with zippered holes (we have the oval, and it has 4 holes.) These holes open and stuffed animals of most shapes and sizes can be stuffed inside. When full, or even partially full, the Animal Bag takes on several uses:
1. a bean-bag pillow, large enough for the kids to climb, cuddle and relax
2. a super large stuffed “animal”—furry enough to snuggle with, especially because it holds all of the beloved animals
3. my favorite, a place that holds all of the stuffed animals, dolls, toys, etc, in our house
The zipper tabs are large enough for my 3-year-old to open and close. And with the holes scattered all over the bag, all the animals are accessible for whatever the need (like suddenly feeling inclined to portray a showing of The Lion King in our playroom.) This bag is strictly for plush toys. When we first received it, we stuffed in pseudo-plushes, those that are part plush, part hard-plastic. Not such a good idea when your children are going to jump, head-first, onto the Animal Bag. And when you get yours, don’t make the mistake I made: make sure you turn off all sound-making stuffed animals. There’s nothing as “lovely” as hearing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as sung by a big yellow duck, over and over and over, because another animal is laying on it. Of course, it was at this time that it became difficult for me to access that animal.
The bag, when full, is not the typical bean bag chair of our childhood. It doesn’t move to conform to your size and shape. It’s a bit lumpy. Of course, if life-size Dora is in an uncomfortable spot, you can reach in and move her around a bit.
Overall, Boon Inc's Animal Bag is a clever idea. It gives parents a relief of organization, finally, for all those animals, without having to stealthily send them to “another place.” And it uses the beloved animals to create a piece of “funiture” for the kids.
So, maybe my hope of not finding Doby under the bed was a little unrealistic. Perhaps, as we saw today, Simba will, once in a while, break out and we’ll trip over him in the hall. But, usually, now that we have our Animal Bag, they’ll be in their home.
These gorgeous keepsake plush chenille Tooth Fairy Pillows are original, one-of-a kind designs from Fairy Princess Designs. Each handmade pillow you receive is an original work of art and will be different from the next one made. The pillows are filled with non-allergenic premium stuffing and come with beautiful double faced satin ribbon, an adorable character of your choosing, sweet embellishments and genuine Swarovski crystals.
Your Tooth Fairy Pillow arrives with a little sachet bag filled with stars so the tooth fairy can find her way, a tooth fairy poem in the pocket and a sweet keepsake charm. Free personalization is included on all pillows with a little hang tag that is decorated with embellishments and is sewed on to your pillow with satin ribbon or embroidered letters. The Tooth Fairy Pillows measure approx 10 x 9 (not including the ribbon handle) and are perfect for hanging on a bed post, chair or door knob. There are boy and girl versions available!
Since every Tooth Fairy Pillow is considered one of a kind, the pillows will not exactly match the sample pictures online (those are examples of past designs). The character and chenille will always be the same but due to the availability of embellishments, accent fabric, and ribbon, the design will vary. If you have a preference of color or would like something close to the design pictured, please contact them and they will check to see what they have in stock or if they need to order something.
They say the pen is mightier than the sword. And while most of my communication these days flows from my keyboard, rather than my ballpoint, I have to admit that e-mail just can't compete with the warmth of a hand-written note.
Here's a great reason to put that pen to paper. In addition to the 15% at Push the Envelope that Mommies With Style already get (MWS15), you can now receive FREE SHIPPING through March 30 with the code BOUNJOUR07.
I just love these super-fun mama-to-be notecards. And, make sure you check out the Stock Up for 2007 section for great prices ... including personalized notecards starting at only $15.
Donate $50, get a $50 gift certificate to Tiny Sprouts
Hey guys - here's a cool way to donate to support something good. Tracey from Tiny Sprouts is doing the Walk of America in support of her niece who was born prematurely and passed away recently. She is matching whatever her donors contribute on her website, Tiny Sprouts. In other words, you donate $50 in cash to her cause and you'll receive a $50 gift certificate to her website. It's a great way to support something worthwhile.
You can check out her page to donate on her March of Dimes page here. Her offer to match your donation is good for the next three days - expiring at the end of the day Wednesday. As soon as your payment posts to the March of Dimes site, she'll email you the certificate.
Kids really love to have their rooms personalized! My daughter, Megan, just recently got her own room. Now that she has her own room, she is having fun making it her own personal space. One of her favorite additions to the room are her new painted wall letters that she got from Craftcuts.com.
Craftcuts.com offers a great selection of wooden letters , both painted and unpainted. Their letters are great for craft projects and room decor. They offer so many customization options with each of their products that it is so fun and easy to create something that fits your style and decor.
With Megan's letters we got to choose a font (127 choices), color (27 choices), height (4" - 18"), and thickness (1/8" - 3/4"). We also had the option of ordering them unpainted so we could pick out our own paint color.
Craftcuts.com has been featured on the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition and in the magazine Kids' Rooms.
The bottom line is that personalizing your child's room can be as easy as ABC!
Have you checked out the Spring Shopping Guide yet?
Coupons... discounts and more! Have you checked it out? It's a great place to shop! Some sample coupons include:
-VINCENT SHOES - MWS20 for 20% off (cute shoes, great sales too)
-GRAY C GLASS- "mommieswithstyle" into the comments section for 20% off (refund after purchase). I just bought one of these nightlights for Nate's room and it's adorable!
-NINA & TOM - "mommieswithstyle" for 20% off everything (great tees)
-ARTISTIC SENSATIONS - "BLOG" for 10% off (bedding, furniture and more)
Marcia Made it Through a Double Pregnancy with a Single Dress!
Celeb moms somehow manage to look stellar all through their pregnancies. Sometimes its the custom maternity clothes. And sometimes its knowing exactly what fabulous piece of couture will still work when you are halfway through a twin pregnancy. And don't want to compromise your style.
Enter LA darling designer Single Dress. Why do stars like Marcia Cross love Single? Well for starters, it is the silk. Buttery soft and light as air. These dresses and tops float around you, and might make you feel a little like you snuck out in your pjs. Except for the fact that you look so completely put together and chic as you comfortably stroll along.
Single Dresses and tops are not maternity clothes. So while several of their styles are cut generous and flowy enough to contain a bump, you will not want to part with these garments after the baby, or ever! They are as classic as an Hermes scarf. Your daughters will someday try to steal this from you - when they are in college and raiding your wardrobe and acting all shocked at what hip and fabulous stuff you have hiding in there.
Baby Dish Delivers Twice the Smiles with new Benefit Bag
BabyDish, whose BabyBeReady Diaper Bag Survival Kit is used by celebrity parents such as Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner, and Gwyneth Paltrow, has joined the fight to find a cure for Canavan Disease, a rare genetic disorder that has no known cure. Designer Stacie Mindich-Jordan, BabyDish’s founder, has now created the Jacob’s Cure Smiley Bag.
Who's carrying this new bag? Marcia Cross got a double stuffed version for her brand new baby girls, as did Patrick Dempsey for his twin boys.
The exclusive new bag, which retails for $50 empty & $99 stuffed with newborn essentials, is sold in select stores and on the BabyDish website. It is inspired by the luminescent smile of Canavan sufferer Jacob Sontag, a 10-year-old boy from Harrison, NY, who, though wheelchair bound and unable to speak, touches the heart of everyone he meets with his “thousand-watt smile.” Forty percent of the profits from the sale of every bag will go directly to Jacob’s Cure, a non-profit foundation started by Jacob’s mother, Jordana Holovach.
Front door service on bulk diaper orders: 1800diapers.com
We buy most of our diapers at BJs (wholesale warehouse). It's pretty much the biggest reason we've been going there for years - we go and stock up on bulk diapers and wipes. So I was psyched to learn of a new service that sells the same diapers in bulk, at great prices and shipped to your door.
1800diapers.com has recently launched and they offer lots of products for your baby needs, including formula, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, sippy cups, bottles and more. And here's what else rocks: they claim your shipment will arrive in 2-4 days (mine came in 2), and there's free shipping over $50 (easy to spend, just get two boxes of diapers and you're already over that).
Overall, I was very impressed with the service. I paid the same as I would have at BJs, I didn't have to go anywhere, and my order was here before I could think about it. Use coupon code STYLE to receive $3 off your first time order. Enter the coupon in the "new customer savings" box. In addition, receive a $1 credit for every person you refer to the site (and they get $2 off!)
When my girls first heard the news that Zoey 101, the Complete First Season was being released on DVD, they literally jumped for joy. And then, secretly behind their backs, my husband and I high-fived. We're all Zoey 101 fans, and have long had our Tivo set to record episodes.
The thing I love most about Zoey 101, is the thing that is missing. Nasty, snide, backstabbing reparte by the main characters. The heroes and heroines of this show are refreshingly kind, respectful and real. Also missing is canned laughter and tired teen jokes. The stories are witty, funny, intelligent and engaging. It's amusing even if you are not a tween or teen.
In case you are not familiar with Zoey and Pacific Coast Academy (PCA), let me give you a quick primer. PCA is a recently turned coed institution. Zoey moves into dorm room 101, and finds that she and her new friends have a lot of groundbreaking to do as the first females on campus. From taking on the basketball team to repurposing a urinal, the show kicks off on the premise of equality, but it doesn't stagnate there. Over the course of the season, as characters evolve and we get to know them, the real story is one of friendship.
Most people know that the title character, is played by Jamie Lynn Spears (AKA Britney's little sister). But it doesn't take long before you recognize Jamie in her own right. And while Zoey may be the star of the show, her pals are the pillars. This is a true ensemble cast and that is part of what makes the show work. Their interactions feel genuine and make the viewer feel a part. And dialogue has a purpose that is not always about the sarcastic punchline. That's refreshing in a tween show!
Not a night has gone by, since we got this DVD, that we have not watched it. And even as I type, my husband is chuckling about something that Zoey's best friend/love interest Chase just said. If you have a daughter between 6 and 16, this is a definite must for your DVD collection. Check it out on Amazon. The two disc collection contains bloopers, some behind the scenes footage and a previously unseen episode, "Quarantine".
Here's a really classy-looking carrier: 5 months plus
I wasn't big into the whole baby wearing thing the first time around. Part of it was due to the fact that I had a bad c-section and healed poorly - therefore those first few crucial weeks I couldn't really put any pressure in front of me. By the time I attempted to carry Nate (in a Baby Bjorn), he was four months old and 18 pounds so it just wasn't happening.
I've had more success with Cole, but I have to say, he's already getting heavy on my back at 3.5 months. I'm eagerly awaiting better head control so I can try the side/hip carry. One carrier that looks great for the side baby-wearing (and is super-trendy looking) is the Portamee. I've had my sister-in-law testing it out with her 8-month old and she just loves it. She had been complaining too about the added pressure on her lower back with the Bjorn and my growing niece, and since using the Portamee they've both been much happier.
It's padded for additional comfort, and simple to use. No crazy straps to confuse you, and quilted and padded for comfort.
It's sold in Nordstrom but you can also buy it online on the Portamee site. After ordering, email them on the contact page and reference Mommies with Style and this review to receive a free detachable insulated bottle holder with purchase.
There is just something about reversible clothes that never fails to amaze and delight me. Everytime I see them, I have that big cheezy voiceover in my head "But Wait! There's More!"
It's particularly exciting when both sides of the garment have charming prints. And the garments produced by Right Bank Babies, are long on charm, short on fuss. Their core pieces, a romper and a sundress, make it effortless to dress your kid. Got a little spill? Flip it!
Recent celebs who flipped over this collection include: Heidi Klum, Extra’s Dayna Devon, Kylie Bax, The Office’s Melora Hardin, Men In Trees’ Justine Bateman, Mimi Rogers, and Linda Evangelista.
MWS readers mention this article and save 10% when you place your order.
I own two Skip Hop Duo Bags - and they've always been some of my staple bags in my closet. I don't pull them out because they make me ooh-and-ahh over them, there's nothing flashy or over the top about them, but their functionality can not be denied which is why I always come back to them. But I hadn't used one in awhile for whatever reason.
Then I recently got a Skip Hop Duo Glam - which is the same style as the Duo with the added pizzazz of the funky print on the outside of the bag. I pulled it out to stuff it for a short trip out. I wasn't sure if it would fit my current needs: baby and 3-year-old who is potty training (i.e. second set of clothes for him that I don't usually carry). But I was surprised that I had forgotten how roomy these bags really are. Again, function-wise, it can't be beat. And I love the addition of the "Glam," and having the fun print to jazz up its style makes me love carrying it.
Use coupon code MWSSH to receive a free gift with purchase, expires March 6th.
The same day our "Cole" plaque came, I turned around and ordered one for Nate - they're gorgeous and they match each of my boys' rooms.
Litsy Designs makes these beautiful name plaques. You can select from all sorts of designs for boys and girls - stripes, dots, themed-designs. And the prices are very reasonable for a personalized gift. Just love this for a baby gift or first birthday. Or forget names - you can select several and have words painted on, like these cute splish, splash, soak plaques.
And if you are a Grey's Anatomy fan at all, you've already seen some of their work, even if you didn't notice! The set of Grey's Anatomy is adored with canvas art from Litsy Designs - next time there's a nursery scene, check out the wall art in the background!
22 weeks pregnant...creating memories for my child
I love to journal and scrapbook for my son, but time (and patience!) doesn't allow me to truly do what I want to do. And now that I am pregnant with my second child, taking time to create memories for him adds even more to my plate. So I tend to look for products that make journaling and preserving memories easy, but that are also beautiful too.
One product that fits perfectly into my lifestyle is the Tummy Talk pregnancy book. This all-in-one book combines journaling, photos, scrapbooking, and lots of keepsake moments. You can start using it from the minute you discover you are pregnant, to the time you bring your baby home from the hospital.
Not only is it a beautiful, classy looking book, but it covers every memory you may want to preserve about your pregnancy. Tabbed sections within the book include:
- "Tummy Talk" -- pregnancy stories, like symptoms, name choices, nursery planning, etc
- "Prenatal Progress Report" -- details of each OB checkup and pictures of your pregnant belly
- "Weeks in Waiting" -- weekly journaling
- "Showered with Love" -- details and pictures of your baby shower
- "It's about Time" -- all of your labor and post-birth details, including a family tree, what's happening in the news, and more.
I highly recommend this book to any pregnant woman who is looking for a beautiful, classy, and easy way to capture her pregnancy for her child.
Take advantage of a special 10% off discount by using code: mommies10% when you purchase your Tummy Talk pregnancy book.
We say it again and again, e-mailing is nice and easy, but joy, well-wishes, happiness, love... they're truly sent through Snail-Mail.
Joy by Mel Lim takes notewriting and gift giving seriously. You'll find her stationery and notecards to be sophisticated and unique. Through the paper, you'll send love, cares and joy. In addition to greeting cards and note-card sets, Joy by Mel Lim also creates personalized notecards and accessories. Gifting a child? Check their Meli and JoJo line (shown right), which adds a little bling to the cards.
Owned by couple Mel and Joe, the paper products combine Asian Culture with a Modern Lifestyle. Recently, Mel Lim, was commissioned to create a baby announcement Jonas Rocket Delong, son of children's furniture designer Jennifer DeLonge and her rocker husband Tom DeLonge (of Blink 182/Angels & Airwaves). Surely you'll agree that her artwork is astounding--notice how she took elements of each of their lives to make the announcement original.
In honor of the Chinese New Year, Joy by Mel Lim is offering 28% off, with code Chinese28 through February 28. Send an e-mail for more information about custom designs.
Lunafest '07 kicks off in LA, with a Green Carpet Event
Last week in LA, stars walked the Green Carpet to catch the first screening of Lunafest '07, a collection of short films by, for and about women. The film festival is a travelling event and may be coming to a screen near you. Paramount studios donated their posh private theater on the Paramount lot for the event. All proceeds from ticket sales went to benefit CHEC, a children's charity dedicated to children's health and environmental safety. Several celeb moms lent their names to the cause, including Brooke Shields (mom to Rowan, 3 and Grier, 10 months), Laura Dern (mom to Ellery 5 and Jaya, 2) and hostess Amy Brennerman (mom to Charlotte, 6 and Bodhi, 1). Amy, a captivating speaker, really drove the point straight home commenting how we don't think about what products we use to clean our floors, until we have small children at home licking those floors on a daily basis.
Both CHEC and all of the films made an impression on the audience. Several of the filmmakers were in attendance, including filmaker/mom Lori Benson. Her film, "Dear Talula", documented her diagnosis with breast cancer just 14 short months after becoming a mother to daughter Talula. The film was raw and intense, but ultimately uplifting. Even more so, later on that evening, seeing a bright and spritelike 5yo Talula happily flitting between her mom and the many guests. She was the darling of the night. The films crossed boundaries of race, ethnicity, culture, and class but all were elementally tied to a message of empowerment. The power of women to change the world for the better, one small act at time. It's a message near and dear to a mom's heart. We know how our smallest choices make a world of difference to our kids.
Other celebs in attendance included Melora Hardin (mom to Rory 6, and Piper 1) of "The Office", Kate Vernon (mom to Annabelle, 6) of "Battlestar Gallactica", Jessica Tuck (mom to Samara, 4) of "Wild Hogs" and Maggie Grace. Guests attended a reception with food and wine donated by Whole Foods Market. And lucky VIPs left with goody bags stuffed with CHEC certified child and mommy friendly goodies from vendors such as Baby Soy clothing, Sigg Sippy cups, Boon, ONE coconut water, Dagoba Chocolate, Josha wipes, and of course, plenty of yummy and healthy snacks from Luna. To learn more about Lunafest and the charities it benefits and cities it will tour to, check out the calendar at Lunafest.org.
We're in the deep freeze here in Illinois, but my three year old daughter is asking me when she can go outside and ride her tricycle. I told her she has to wait awhile until it gets warmer outside and the snow and ice melt.
Although it seems like it will never come, Spring is just around the corner and we need to be prepared.
Safety is always a priority for me, so when I spotted this Child Safety Sign, I was sold. My kids love to play in our driveway, so this sign is great to alert motorists that children are playing.
Be Alert for Billy has a BIG and IMPORTANT message for motorists that can be read from over 100 feet and the sign itself can be seen from over 500 feet away. At 31 inches tall and 20 inches wide, it is the largest sign on the market.
Exclusively at Childsafety.com and priced at $24.95, this sign is key to child safety!
This game should be in every Reading Teachers’ classroom. It belongs in every Kindergarten classroom. And, if your child has any interest in learning to read, then grab a copy to keep in your home.
For the past few weeks, we’ve been playing Word Chase. A game for 4 – 7 year-olds, players are given 5 word-cards each. Their goal is to find these words on the board, land on the spaces with their words, claiming all 5 as their own.
The words featured are, in educational terms, known as “site words” or "High Frequency Words", the 25 words that appear most in English language. These are the words we learn first, some don’t follow the words of phonics and “sounding out,” others do. Regardless, these words are seen often enough that they become memorized words—those you are expected to know by site.
The game is simple; very child friendly. Carson and I have enjoyed games and games of laughter while we race to claim our words. My husband and I are amazed each time we play—through the repetition of reading words, searching for words, finding words, and reading words again, Carson has quickly learned a little over a third of the site words. For a 3-year-old, not too bad.
Created by Beyond Learning, use code 10PERCENT and receive a 10% discount. Beyond Learning donates a percentage of profits to the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition’s Blue Butterfly Campaign, which works to educate the public about preventable childhood illnesses and disabilities caused by exposure to toxins in the environment.
If you have a little girl, and she has hair ... and I mean even the slightest, wisp of a lock ... you need to order some of these Giddy Giddy clips.
And though I'm resisting the very strong, over-the-top urge to proclaim that I am "positively giddy" about these cute-as-a -button hairclips (even though I AM, I really am!), I WILL say that every single design is thoroughly, oooh-out-loud cute. Seriously, every one of them. I am somewhat partial to the food designs (love the Cupcakes, Peapod and Big Apple!), but the Flowers and Animals are super-sweet too!
These clips will have you running screaming from those plastic snap barrettes with hardly a glance back. And like every good product, they score high marks in function as well as form. They stay actually stay in (just make sure you choose the right size ... the small clips work best for baby girls whose lovely locks are a bit more Homer Simpson than they are Rapunzel.)
Mention MWS in an email to Giddy Giddy, and receive $1 off each clip for ONE WEEK (through February 23).
How sweet is this? It’s Candy Land Fun On the Run Game. My daughter has many favorite games in our house that we seem to play over and over again. One of her favorites at the top of her list would have to be Candy Land! I can’t blame her either as it was mine when I was her age. Who doesn’t like thinking about candy and gingerbread men!
Well the classic game is now available in a new portable edition. It contains everything you need so you can take it anywhere! My daughter doesn’t want to leave home without it when she knows we are going to a restaurant and will have time to play more. It’s fine by me since it has really helped to keep her busy while waiting for meals!
Boy, has my world changed since having children. Gone is MTV along with any other station I once youthfully deemed as cool. I now chuckle at how I used to turn to these stations to figure out what was hot. But I’ve grown up. Now, I get my trend-setting tips from little blue puppets on tv. Especially when it comes to what’s going to be hot in the music world. Yes, Jack of
Another item I couldn't live without as a nursing Mom: my GlamourMom tank tops. Julie raved on and on about these and I wish I had listened sooner. I had one sitting in my closet for weeks before I actually went to put it on. And I haven't looked back. I recently ordered more at SuperMomz because I prefer wearing these to wearing a nursing bra.
I am the Elizabeth Taylor of stroller affairs. I've had 25 relationships over the years. Some lasted a few years, others were mere airport flings. I've also been polygastrollus for the most part - hitched to multiple strollers at a time. It's so hard to find just one stroller to love. Especially when you need one in such a variety of situations. And if you've dabbled in doubles. So for years, I was a stroller swinger, swapping models like some people swapped keys in the 70s. But I thought I'd finally settled down. I thought I'd got over my stroller commitment phobia, when I got it down to one stroller for my newborn son, two years ago. We called it the "Wonder Buggy".
Are you sick of the same old same old? Even with so many luxe baby bag choices out there these days, it's easy to fall into a brown leather and perky plastic bag rut. Sometimes you don't want to blend with all the other mommies at the park. Sometimes you want to flaunt your hip and arty, boho mom style. At the risk of sounding high-school, you are far too unique and special for an ordinary mass market bag. Why, you'd whip up a bag yourself from scratch, if you weren't so damn tired. And if that last experience with the sewing maching hadn't left permanent scars. So you just want to buy yourself something special already. But the latest bag from designer abc, in popular fabric choice xyz, isn't rocking your slightly cranky post partum world. You need something a little more powerful to get your groove back. A pure mix of one of a kind couture bag fashion, from 
This bag not quite big enough for you? Feeling frumpy while out with your whole tribe of tots? Well there's a 
There are good gifts, and not so good gifts. Gifts that are oh-so-cute and not-so-useful—like stuffed animals. As much as I love a few furry and cuddly ones, I’m fairly certain that of the dozens and dozens… and dozens of stuffed animals, my husband and I purchased none of them. And, as cute as they are, they cause an organization and neatness problem. Where do you put all of those cuddlies? 
These gorgeous keepsake plush chenille 
Here's a great reason to put that pen to paper. In addition to the 15% at 
Celeb moms somehow manage to look stellar all through their pregnancies. Sometimes its the custom maternity clothes. And sometimes its knowing exactly what 
When my girls first heard the news that 
There is just something about 
I love to journal and scrapbook for my son, but time (and patience!) doesn't allow me to truly do what I want to do. And now that I am pregnant with my second child, taking time to create memories for him adds even more to my plate. So I tend to look for products that make journaling and preserving memories easy, but that are also beautiful too.
Not only is it a beautiful, classy looking book, but it covers every memory you may want to preserve about your pregnancy. 
We say it again and again, e-mailing is nice and easy, but joy, well-wishes, happiness, love... they're truly sent through Snail-Mail. 
Owned by couple Mel and Joe, the paper products combine Asian Culture with a Modern Lifestyle. Recently, Mel Lim, was commissioned to create a baby announcement Jonas Rocket Delong, son of children's furniture designer Jennifer DeLonge and her rocker husband Tom DeLonge (of Blink 182/Angels & Airwaves). Surely you'll agree that her artwork is astounding--notice how she took elements of each of their lives to make the announcement original.
Last week in LA, stars walked the Green Carpet to catch the first screening of 
Other celebs in attendance included Melora Hardin (mom to Rory 6, and Piper 1) of "The Office", Kate Vernon (mom to Annabelle, 6) of "Battlestar Gallactica", Jessica Tuck (mom to Samara, 4) of "Wild Hogs" and Maggie Grace. Guests attended a reception with food and wine donated by Whole Foods Market. And lucky VIPs left with goody bags stuffed with 
This game should be in every Reading Teachers’ classroom. It belongs in every Kindergarten classroom. And, if your child has any interest in learning to read, then grab a copy to keep in your home. 
How sweet is this? It’s 
Boy, has my world changed since having children. Gone is MTV along with any other station I once youthfully deemed as cool. I now chuckle at how I used to turn to these stations to figure out what was hot. But I’ve grown up. Now, I get my trend-setting tips from little blue puppets on tv. Especially when it comes to what’s going to be hot in the music world. Yes, Jack of