More coolness from recent weeks…
Owl love you forever
Owls are some seriously cool animals. They have big eyes, they're nocturnal, and they "whoo." They're also the requisite cute kids motif of the decade, which you know if you're an avid Cool Mom Picks reader.You know what's cooler than an owl though? An owl with a tie...
A safer, cozier place for baby to sleep than the car seat
Editor's Note: The Nap Nanny and Chill have been recalled by the CPSC. You should discontinue use immediately and return it to your retailer. The last 8 1/2 months have not been easy. That's how long ago our second child was born. And that was the last time I got...
Old-fashioned modern dolls
I grew up playing with muñecas de trapo (rag dolls) so when I saw the new modern doll line by Cool Mom Pick favorite Petit Collage I was instantly smitten. They're just like the dolls I grew up with -- except that, well, they're not exactly made of...
Beastly and silly coloring fun? Yes, please.
Open ended coloring books are simply divine. They give children (and adults--I admit, I love to color!) just enough of a prompt to get things going. The finished pages from your kids are pure magic. In the case of My Beastly Book of Silly Things: 150 ways to doodle,...
A sweet new line for tots and tweens–hold the bling
When I go shopping for my nieces, I often find myself wishing I could just shrink my own wardrobe for them. There are so many brands out there that feel it's necessary to splash sequins all over their duds or plaster them with silly little sayings. Thankfully, there's...
The best baby carrier for a new parent (who’s new to baby carriers)
One of the most frequent questions I'm asked by pregnant friends is what is the best baby carrier to get. Okay, so not everyone is going to want a hundred million carriers (as I have apparently needed over the years, ahem), but it's still tricky for me to pick just...
Pearls & Popcorn – Parisian kiddie style now available stateside
I often get stuck in a rut when it comes to buying clothes for my kids. I automatically order their jeans and sweaters from big name chains and then am continually disappointed about the fit or the fact that a hole appears after only a couple times on the playground....
A Dolphin Tale
"I got water in my eyes!" my son wailed. But he wasn't crying. Actually, he looked like he was trying to cry and couldn't."Doesn't hurt, does it?" I said smugly. And he shook his head no. A perfect chance to pitch a fit, lost to products that actually live...
A convertible stroller blankie that changes with the seasons
After a very generous stretch of unseasonably mild weather in New York, the freezing cold is here (sigh). Rather than pretend I live in LA, I have to take winter seriously this year since I have a new-ish baby to keep warm. Thankfully I found a new stroller blanket...
From the gulf stream waters to the redwood forest
My kids have always been fascinated by maps and globes, which I think is great. One of my greatest dreams is to raise children who love travel. So we love looking for postcards, artwork, and books that commemorate some of the places we've been. But I haven't seen...
The non-petroleum jelly that stole my heart (and lips)
Is petroleum jelly safe? Well, let's say since having children, we've switched to kinder, gentler beauty products. No sulfates, no parabens, no horrible-things-that-might-cause-cancer-or-dye-the-children-pink.The one product I couldn't let go of was petroleum...
LegalZeal – Great help for small business owners.
We know a ton of our readers are small business owners, just like we are. And we know first hand how confusing all the legalese can be when you're getting established. I've badgered accountant friends for info and lawyer friends have helped me distinguish an LLC from...
Cool Mom Picks in Martha Stewart Living!
Well of course you all know we already love Martha Stewart Living, but we now have an extra- special thing for the February issue, since you'll find Cool Mom Picks in it. What a huge, huge thrill for us! Check page 30 for our tips from us on putting together a theater...
I need your scarf to keep me warm
I am not liking this cold snap in the northeast. Not one bit. So it's not surprising that I've got scarves on the brain. The handmade merino scarves from Etsy's ScarfGuy (love that) are so classic. Handthreaded, handwoven, and hem stitched by Ohio's Fred Ullom, the...
A nursery that smells like…well, not the diaper pail.
My 8-month-old son's nursery really stinks. He's very prolific in the poop department, which means a Diaper Dekkor full of smelly diapers. Thankfully, I discovered a new spray that literally spritzes the stink away without icky chemicals. The spray is aptly called...
New Year’s Resolution Help: Healthier snacks for the whole family
If you're anything like me, your diet consists of the meal you've made for yourself and then all the leftovers you nibble off your kids' plates while you clean up the dishes. So if your New Year's resolution is to eat healthier and be a little more mindful of the...
Charity begins in your t-shirt drawer
We love finding ways to make our purchasing dollars do good in the world. Now we have another one to add to the list, along with Tiny Revolutionary, Jedidiah, and do-gooder deal site Pure Citizen.Welcome, Sevenly! Each week, Sevenly sells one gorgeously hip and...
Cleaning dirty pacifiers on the go with Dapple SurfaceWipes
My 8 month-old is going through the slobber-filled teething stage. That means a lot of wiping his drooly chin and giving him plenty of teething toys to alleviate some of the pain. One thing that I find incredibly frustrating is when he drops those teethers on the...
New Year’s Resolution Help – More family time
One of the biggest resolutions we're seeing this year is a commitment to spend more quality time with family. The reality is that even for a homeschooling mom like me, our lives are so busy and interests so varied, we have just as much difficulty wrangling everyone...
Sir scratch-a-lot
When my first daughter was born, I had absolutely no idea that babies scratched themselves (oops!), so I found myself putting socks on her hands to protect her face. Brilliant for about two minutes until they'd fall right off. Too bad they didn't have these adorable...
New Year’s Resolution Help: Drink less with these great mocktail recipes
We're continuing our series on help for the biggest New Year's Resolutions with one that we're seeing a lot of from our readers this year: Cutting back on the booze. Whether you're trimming the budget, slimming down, or maybe even popping out (!) with a bun in the...