As Cool Mom Picks' de facto kids' music reviewer, I'm as big a fan of indie, family-friendly music as even the fans who are oh, 30-35 years younger than I am. But, that's not going to stop me from pogoing around the Kindiefest Festival o…
Growing up, we had a big framed photo of my family that was a Mother's Day gift for my mom. How I hated that photo only five years later, with our embarrassing clothing, my poofy hair style, the cheesy backdrop. It isn't something I plan…
So my girls have grown to like princesses just as everyone promised me they would. It's their genetic imperative and I am powerless to resist it. Uncle, uncle! I give in! Even so, I'm always looking out for imagination-building princess …
We call my baby Big Hoss because he's burly and loves all things rugged-- trucks, Star Wars, and motorcycles. But when it's diaper changing time, Big Hoss is now a fan of sweet, sweet Smoochie Baby . This baby body care line from the ube…
You may already know how much we love Shokay , the little e-shop that put yak hair on our collective radar. Soft, cashmere-like, and socially responsible (the shop supports struggling Tibetan yak farmers), this luxury fiber makes some of…
Everyone always asks where we find children's books , and the truth is, the best ones always come recommended by my mother. How lucky we are to have a teacher in the family! This past weekend, my four year-old grabbed Byrd Baylor's Every…
I'm a somewhat nervous traveler, but unlike most of our kind, it's not the flying I hate. More like I need to know exactly what we're doing when. My husband, on the other hand, is happy to just plan "camping" and "figure it out when we g…
I'm trying to find a good elementary school fundraiser for my daughter's school to change things up a bit in the coming school year. I'd love to do one that doesn't involve that ubiquitous cookie dough or wrapping paper....and would be t…
The short, tongue-in-cheek "prayers" you'll find in Tracy Mayor's Mommy Prayers are perfect for believers and non-believers alike. Because no matter our faith, we can all agree that yes, we've all recited some version of the Before the M…
You can't throw a rock without hitting a Twilight t-shirt, but now you can finally use 100% cotton to demonstrate your devotion to the greats of the literary world. Salinger. Hemingway. Rand. Bradbury. We're talking total street cred wit…
My heart is aflutter after taking a peek at Magpie Lovely again. We've raved about the site before, and its enchanting selection of original handmade work by a number of different independent artists, but I have to admit, I'm spending th…
In 2009 in the US, there were over 200,000 patent applications and over four million births. Clearly, we are a very creative country, if you get my meaning. So if you know a one-of-a-kind baby, we've got a great gift idea: Celebrate ente…
While we don't tend to cover a lot of local events, we've got so many NYC readers (holla!) that we'd be remiss if we didn't tell you new moms and mamas-to-be about this one: Our friends at Big City Moms and The Bump are hosting a huge ho…
We're all trying to eat better, right? And preparing fresh, healthy food for our families is no problem at all, what with our busy lives, children's picky palates, and our own dietary restrictions as we head into swimsuit season (ahem). …
Earth Day is fast-approaching, but this isn't just any Earth Day. This year happens to mark the 40th anniversary of the eco-celebration and to celebrate, Design Squad on PBS KIDS GO is launching the nationwide 2010 Trash to Treasure comp…
Normally, wire coat hangers kind of skeeve me out. The way they get all tangled together makes me a crazy person. Therefore, you must understand what it takes for me to fall in love with anything made of wire with a pesky hook on top. Th…
I've seen first hand the joy that pets can give to people who really need it, which is why we're so honored to be part of the It's Good to Give series sponsored by Milk-Bone, which helps support the Canine Assistants Program . Since I wa…
Even though I homeschool, I'm more than okay with farming out some subjects. Especially if my kids will do them happily on their own, instead of fighting with me for an hour. So, when Headsprout asked if my five year-old beginner reader …
Writing for CMP I'm exposed to a ton of the most unique, clever and eco-friendly products around, but I have to admit, this may be the one that combines those three elements the best for me so far. The Baby Egg Nest by The Baby Bunch get…
Sure, it's awesome to be gifted all kinds of needed gear and cute outfits when you're having a baby. We're the first to tell you that! But maybe you're doing well enough to afford all of that stuff on your own. Or maybe this is your seco…
I first discovered Kneebouncers about a year or so ago, back I was looking for easy toddler computer games that my kids could play on their own. But since then, the completely free computer games for toddlers website has undergone a pret…
I admit that when I first saw Lynn Hirshfield's new book, Girls Gone Green , I mistakenly assumed it was a collection of tween and teen celebrities sharing how they use eco-conscious nail polish or consume locally grown avocados in their…
Of all the iPhone apps we've reviewed lately, this one is definitely giving us the biggest chuckle: Virtual Nose Job: Children's Edition . It's the brainchild of a top Palm Beach plastic surgeon, who realized that when his patients' daug…
We figure if we weren't be laughing at all the challenges of motherhood, then we'd probably be crying, so it's no surprise that we've been long time fans of the hilarious selection of baby gifts at Wry Baby . And we'd be completely remis…
