More coolness from recent weeks…
A headband that’s even sweeter than it looks
I'm eagerly awaiting the day that we can trade our winter hats for springy headbands, but one look outside my Brooklyn window and uh, yeah. Not gonna happen so soon. But when it does, I'll be prepared with the new Ellie headband from CMP fave Bella Tunno. The design...
Have a Heart for Haiti – hurry over for some retail philanthropy
It's getting to where so many generous companies are donating to Haiti, it's becoming harder to keep track of them all. And that's a good thing. So I was so happy to see that one of our favorite bloggers and great friend of CMP, Christine Koh of Boston Mamas, has...
Pure. Good. Purgood.
Sometimes I have a major case of the Holden Caulfields when I'm looking for bath products worthy of my children. They say "all-natural", and I cry, Phony! Fake! Liar! and snarl at the petrolatum and mineral oil hiding behind the organic aloe vera. But not...
This DVD knows how to hail to the chief
President's Day has typically marked nothing more than a vacation day to my kids. But this year, I feel pretty good that they have actually learned something about their government after watching the smart but entertaining So, You Want to be President?. . .and More...
A (free) singing Valentine from Laurie Berkner
Laurie Berkner, the melodic singing songstress that I most recently loved when I reviewed Rocketship Run, is back to raise awareness for a worthy organization called the Pajama Program by giving us a sort of singing Valentine. Her love note comes in the form of a free...
Free Valentine’s Printables – for when I’ll have to say I love you in a song
If Valentine's Day is coming closer and closer (and it is), and you still have no idea what to give your beloved, don't fret. Instead take a look at what Ayako Akazawa, a senior designer at Chronicle Books, has put together for those of us with a soft spot for the mix...
Bedtiming – Making sense out of sleep training
After a few weeks of a ridiculous lack of sleep, I decided it was time to do something about it. And do something I did--with much success--thanks to Bedtiming: The Parent's Guide to Getting Your child to Sleep at Just the Right Age, an awesome sleep book written by...
Well, hello kitty
It turns out our Valentine's Day card contest did more than help us put together one cool card, it also introduced us to some really exciting new artists. One of them is Montreal's Stay Home, which makes all kinds of happy little felt things from custom dolls to plush...
Great First Communion dresses that are sweet, not mini Bride? – Reader Q&A
Please help me find a First Communion dress that is a) not a bazillion dollars and b) not made out of that super scratchy cheap lace? The dress needs to be mostly white and dressy, but not too mini-bride! -Cathy We totally get what you mean about avoiding the "mini...
Celebrity maternity clothes, on a real mom budget – Chiarakruza comes to Target
We're always on the lookout for cool maternity wear, and we've got a good feeling about this: Celebrity favorite Chiarakruza is bringing their maternity line to Target! Starting February 15, you can get the look of a Hollywood mom-to-be -- for a lot less. All while...
Oh Canada
In honor of our friends up in Vancouver, we thought we'd celebrate the 2010 Winter Olympics opening by helping the littlest among us to get into the spirit - with the fantastic leather maple leaf bib from Mally Bibs. It's a great way to commemorate a baby born during...
Goodbye Quiet Hours Toys, hello 40% discount
It breaks our heart when our favorite shops go out of business, for whatever reason, as with Quiet Hours Toys which is shutting its doors this spring. We've featured them so often over the years, always a fan of this mom-run shop's exquisite taste in children's toys,...
The hot new baby gifts of 2010, courtesy of Hoppop
We saw a whole lot of baby gear (a lot) at the ginormous ABC Kids Show in Las Vegas last summer, but very little stays with us all these months later. One exception however, is the cheerful European Hoppop Baby gear, which Kristen, Julie and I all made a beeline for,...
Hello Baby Hawk, my new love.
I'm so sorry, old buckle carrier, but we're breaking up. I met someone new.My new love is the Oh Snap! by BabyHawk, and I'm trying to find out if it's legal to marry your baby carrier. I'm a monogamous sort of girl, and even though I have two bags of slings for...
Born with a silver shoe
Just because the holidays are behind us doesn't mean it's time to put away the sparkle. Especially when it's as subtle as the lovely silver mary jane baby shoes from Chickpea Kids. I fell in love with these butter-soft lambskin shoes when I first caught them at a...
The real tooth fairy – keep away from open mouse traps
Only recently did I learn that the origins of the tooth fairy may come from a French fairy tale called The Good Little Mouse (La Bonne Petite Souris ) in which a fairy mouse convinces a mean prince to be nice so that his teeth will turn beautiful and white. Yes, it's...
Vogue Bambini gets me excited for spring
This past fall I got a look at some of the new spring kids fashions on the runway, courtesy of our friends at Vogue Bambini.The theme was Garden Style, so there were plenty of flower baskets, clogs, and fun florals - just the thing to get you excited for spring if...
All Around Ralph’s World without leaving the living room
With so much "together" time indoors these cold winter months, my kids' music has become my music. So I had better like what they have on heavy rotation these days. With their current favorite CD du jour, the new All Around Ralph's World, I think I'll retain my sanity...
Women helping women with supima cotton
Are you heart-ed out yet? No? Good. Because we just discovered the charity-minded Michael Stars Joyful Heart tees, created in part by Mariska Hargitay and pimped out by fab friends like Jennifer Aniston, Hilary Swank, Debra Messing, Courteney Cox, and others who spell...
Get into the Valentine’s Day spirit from the top down
Okay, so I couldn't resist featuring just one Valentine's Day themey, adorable heart barrette. Especially after I was kind of wishing I had one at my daughter's preschool Valentine's party this past weekend. (Not for me - for her.) The heartfelt clip from Natty...
Kindiefest 2010! Get out your child-safe Zippos.
I'm so excited to be speaking on a panel this spring at the third annual Kindiefest, the conference for all that's cool in family music (or as we affectionately call it, kindie rock). In other words, the kinds of CD reviews you see on these here pages each week,...