Becoming a mother gave me a new awareness of all sorts of things in life from the rate at which a baby's nails grow to why feeding strained prunes while wearing linen is a bad idea. Soon my enlightenment extended to the political arena t…
Oh sure, today you could dig out the Old Navy flag tees that you get to wear once a year--or that your kids get to wear once, total. But we love the idea of showing your true red white and blue by grabbing the conceptual American Civil L…
When I discovered the mixed media art from Jessica Pisano , her butterflies reminded me of my grandmother Dorothy's house. She collected photos and paintings of butterflies, as well as the real thing, stuck through with pins and mounted …
When I was expecting my first child, I packed my hospital bag quite ambitiously with pair of pre-pregnancy pants for myself (don't laugh) and a few newborn hats so my sweet baby's head would not have to suffer in those awful polyester on…
Regular CMP readers know that Kristen has described bibs as "outfit spoilers." I feel the same way about baby carriers. (Plus I've always felt they stop me from showing off my postpartum cleavage.) So it's for purely selfish reasons that…
A note to my neighbors: I truly am sorry. I have tried to explain to my children that dandelions are weeds. Weeds that you do not want in your yard. I'm sure you don't mind when they pick armfuls of bright yellow flowers as we stroll the…
If you heeded our advice and snatched up much lauded performer Frances England's debut album, Fascinating Creatures , then you and your kiddos will be glad to know she's got another great one to add to your collection. On Family Tree, Fr…
I don't think I've seen a good happy face redux since that mutant icon with the single eye. (Doesn't anyone have any idea what I'm talking about?) In any case, Foxibaby has taken on the task with great charm, turning their happy baby fac…
I bombed Goody Bags 101 at my youngest daughter's party. The Play-Doh bits ended up all over my couch, the babies ate the crayons, and the cheap imitation slinkies broke faster than you can say choking hazard. The one thing I did get rig…
I'd love to decorate my walls in big black and white framed photos of my kids. But until I start taking super fantastic pictures, I fear that's not the best idea. Instead I'm turning to Fat Kat Design . Granted they're not framed photos,…
If you spent less time picking out baby names than trying to find a birth announcement that's unique, fabulous, quirky, and perfectly free of gingham and teddy bears, you are very much in luck. We found some of the coolest, most inventiv…
That's it, it's official. Organic baby gifts are officially taking over the world. Not that we take issue with that, mind you. What could be better than knowing that the bibs and blankets your little one is bequeated are free of icky che…
I have some friends who do this insane July 4 party every year as if heads of state were showing up. The food is awesome, the drinks plentiful, and the local parade passes right by their home, guaranteeing a perfect day, humidity not wit…
Here is how I recall my daughter's first year of life, seven years later: Birth. . . blur . . .neediness. . . blur. . .crawling everywhere. . . . blur . . . The big memories are there, but the details have become blurry over time. It's t…
We've had a thing for funky coat hooks around here lately, it seems. (See also: Elephant hook, j hook, and rock star monkey hook). And now there's another one that's just meant to love. In fact, it's all about love; it's the LOVE double …
Nothing says "welcome baby" like a personalized gift. But aside from all the economically unfeasible keepsakes out there, I've only found a few options that 1) I can afford and 2) won't end up shoved in the back of a closet somewhere. So…
As a wife of a pilot who takes advantage of the perks and does a fair bit of traveling alone with two kids , I'm always on the lookout for travel helpers that make the experience a bit more tolerable. First tip: A bag of jellybeans. Seco…
Since moving my fair-skinned family to Georgia last year, I've really had a baptism by fire(ball) when it comes to sun protection. Oh, sure, we took precautions in the sun up north, but the sun here is fiercer, hotter, and completely rel…
How can we resist falling instantly, madly in love with a card company called Pretty Bitter ? We can't. And we didn't. Which is why you're reading about them today. We've already told you about their awesome Man Notes. But the fabulously…
When my daughter was a toddler, it wasn't only cleaning supplies that had to go into high or locked cabinets -- we also had to hide the band-aids, lest she plaster herself head to toe every time she experienced a boo-boo. Real or imagine…
We couldn't leave you mamas with sleepaway-ready kids out of Happy Camper Week on Cool Mom Picks, so we found some camp stationery we couldn't resist. And, hopefully, neither will your kids. Which really is the point. The Camp Kits at Re…
I'm pretty sure that even if I weren't Chinese, I'd still have a penchant towards Asian-inspired kids clothing. Given the chance, I could probably dress my daughter in gorgeous lotus fabrics and mandarin collar dresses all year long. But…
With extra protective parents and a ton of great outdoor resources right near our home, I saw my fair share of day camps growing up. So along with my swimsuit and an extra change of clothes, my mom always had to pack me a lunch . Of cour…
Mostly we're fans of handmade plush around here, but we also understand that not everyone wants to spend $85 on a penguin hand-knit from recycled sweaters then hand-stuffed with locally harvested cotton (even if it is totally awesome and…
