More coolness from recent weeks…

One day at a time

One day at a time

Remember how nice it was when you were a kid and got kudos for oh, say, trying your string beans? Making your bed? Brushing your teeth? While we still hopefully commend our own kids for those things (that is, when they do them!), I am simply in love with this...

Keeping the kitchen art gallery alive

Keeping the kitchen art gallery alive

In this era of the stainless steel fridge, there is one problem befuddling even the smartest of parents: where do we hang the kids' art? Well, fret no more fellow kid-art aficionados, because Petit Collage has a brilliant solution that will change your life--or at...

DIY shirts that’ll tickle kids’ octopi fancies

DIY shirts that’ll tickle kids’ octopi fancies

My 3-year-old is currently in the full throes of wanting to be an artiste. Paints, crayons, felt, tissue paper, googly eyes, she wants to do it all -- especially if she can wear a beret at the same time.  And now there's a new shop offering DIY shirt designs for your...

Kids water bottles get cuter by the second

Kids water bottles get cuter by the second

We've been such fans of Beatrix NY over the years (you might know them as Dante Beatrix), because everything they make is pretty much awesome. Their motley little menagerie of creatures range from robots to bunnies to not-particularly-scary dinosaurs, and are now...

Tell it like it is

Tell it like it is

While there's no shortage of typographic decals that can spell out messages or phrases on your wall, I'm a little wary when it comes to that stuff. It can be really fabulous if you've got a great eye, or it can go horribly, horribly wrong. Still, I like the idea of...

Children’s brand pronunciation guide, part 2

Children’s brand pronunciation guide, part 2

Last year, we introduced a baby brand pronunciation guide for all those baby brands that you might not know how to say. Or really, those brands you only think you know how to say. Let's just say Robeez? It doesn't rhyme with Brobee's. A few readers have written in...

Big sister tees that don’t make anyone feel little

Big sister tees that don’t make anyone feel little

Even though my youngest is still a baby, I can't tell you how many times I hear the other girls argue No I'm the big sister! And technically, they both are - however, my six-year-old is insistent that she's the biggest sister. I don't even try to explain that to my...

The easy secret to an artful life.

The easy secret to an artful life.

Do you know what the secret is to raising a child who loves art? Love it yourself, and have it around, and make it, and talk about it. That's it. Easy. And we've found a really easy way to enter the wide world of art, learn about it, and maybe even invite a few...

The baby book that almost writes itself

The baby book that almost writes itself

My first daughter's baby book is a masterpiece of elaborate details, funny stories and photos. But my second child's baby book? Almost empty. Every time I open it, I'm overwhelmed by all those blank pages and I'm struck with such intense guilt that I invent an...

The glider chair has come a long way, baby

The glider chair has come a long way, baby

One of my most tedious nursery purchases nearly six years ago, was our glider. I went with that ubiquitous glider brand, whose styles were just...not me. It did the job of course, but it never made me happy to look at and it didn't feel right when the nursery was no...

Thank you, oh thank you

Thank you, oh thank you

One of my resolutions this year: Get better at sending thank you notes. Have I broken that resolution already? No comment. But I'm here to tell you that it is not too late to send out thank you notes for your holiday gifts. I know how it gets as the weeks blow by and...

What are your dreams for your children?

What are your dreams for your children?

 No matter how you choose to spend Martin Luther King Jr Day--either at a local event commemorating his contributions to society, by participating in a volunteer event on this Day of Service, or simply using it as an opportunity to start a meaningful conversation...

This week on Cool Mom Tech

This week on Cool Mom Tech

A few recent posts on Cool Mom Tech we think you'll likeAn Etch-a-Sketch iPad case that will totally make you want an iPad. Edible cupcake toppers for the video game obsessed. 5 upcoming tech products at CES made just for moms.The iPhone is finally coming to...

Look ma, there’s a monkey in my food!

Look ma, there’s a monkey in my food!

My son is the proud owner of a Skip Hop Zoo Backpack (a froggie, in case you were wondering), so when I found out they were making a line of tableware to match, I got excited about the idea of luring my son to dinner with something besides bribery. Skip Hop's new...

You can even eat the dishes

You can even eat the dishes

Having recently introduced my girls to the joys of Willie Wonka (yes the original. Sheesh.) they became instantly fascinated with the idea of a teacup that you could actually eat. I had to explain that it was just a movie, and that no, we can not actually eat our...

Cardboard blocks – My kids’ current obsession

Cardboard blocks – My kids’ current obsession

Every week at my daughter's violin lesson, my kids would head straight for the cardboard brick building blocks and play quietly for a solid 30 minutes. That was enough for me to send them as a Christmas gift idea to my mother-in-law, who thankfully heeded my request...

Cribstyles of the rich and famous

Cribstyles of the rich and famous

If MTV's show Cribs was actually about cribs, this is what you'd see: Custom, handmade, super-luxe linens for only the poshest of tots. As narrated by Robin Leach. Of course, you can also buy it retail, but it's still going to cost you. Olena Boyko is pretty much the...