More coolness from recent weeks…
The incredible, edible, obedient egg
Raising two voracious but sometimes picky readers, I've learned that there are a few factors that go into a guaranteed successful kids' board book: Simple concepts, not too many words on each page, and ideally, anything a kid can touch/move/smell/poke/feel or...
Eh, moms get enough freakouts all year long. Let’s skip the April Fools joke this year and go right to the giveaway.
If you happen to get the Medela Mom Mavens newsletter which came out yesterday, you might just have noticed that your humble Cool Mom Picks editors are featured. We're so honored! We're offering up a few As to some good Qs about blogging, how we pick our picks, and...
(Interjection)! Schoolhouse Rock Is back to rock the earth
When my kids heard Schoolhouse Rock was coming out with a new DVD, Schoolhouse Rock! Earth, they were as excited as I was, seeing that they've heard the original songs since they were old enough to say Unpack Your Adjectives. I can't think of a better reason for...
Some girls have all the luck, as the new Ses Petites Mains line will hereby demonstrate
Are you sick of us oohing and ahhing over our favorite girls' clothing for spring yet? No? Good. (Yes? Tough.) Because once again, Beth Miles of Ses Petites Mains is wowing us with her new spring/summer collection of spectacularly gorgeous dresses and separates for...
Because the Easter Bunny loves kids with food allergies, too
My daughter is allergic to milk, meaning her Easter basket is usually filled with jelly beans and stickers while her siblings chomp on those awesome chocolate bunnies. So this year, I'm planning ahead and ordering Divvies' hand-poured, solid chocolate bunny. It looks...
A website for crafts and activities of the non-lame variety
I like doing crafts with my daughter, but usually one of two things happens: either the craft I come up with is lame (like taping purple things to a piece of paper and writing purple at the top) or the sites I visit for inspiration assume that I have such esoteric...
Watch your back, Jacques Pepin
My kids have grown up knowing how important food is to me, so it's not surprising that they are both fascinated by the kitchen. Children's cookbooks are a frequent gift at birthday and holiday time, but I'm usually very disappointed in how so many of them dumb down of...
Full of “Yo Ho Ho” but no bottle of rum
As the only boy with two older sisters, my son knows that he may get stuck playing dolls or carrying his toy cars around in a sparkly pink bag. He has always been a good sport when playing dress-up, donning whatever his sisters put on him, but I think it's high time...
Tie dye – get it?
I've always wanted to create fancier dyed Easter eggs, but I have the artistic ability of a preschooler (no offense to any preschoolers). Now, with the Tie-Dye Eggs Kit by Maude + Claude, I can create decorated eggs that make me look like an Easter egg dying rock star...
Spring in bloomers
We hit a stretch of gorgeous weather here in Atlanta and aside from making me run out for a pedicure and shave my legs (ha!), these balmy spring days have me packing up all the long sleeved onesies and swapping in the warmer weather baby clothes.My top pick thus far...
Hip Hop Speaks to Children (and their parents)
I thought I knew what hip hop was, but after picking up the kids' CD-and-book set Hip Hop Speaks to Children, I have a whole new appreciation for this diverse and often moving art form of "poetry with a beat." Edited by poet, writer and activist Nikki Giovanni, this...
Changing pads with personality (yes, there is such a thing)
After changing three little bums on the go, I've learned never to underestimate the power of a fantastic diaper changing pad. And while lots of diaper bags these days come with their own matching changing pads, the majority tend to be an afterthought and not the prime...
The sun will come out tomorrow
With that first peek of sunshine coming out through the clouds, I head straight for our stash of sunscreen which includes different bottles for faces, bodies, and mommies. Thanks to Azur Natural Sunscreen, I can use one bottle for all us and all our parts. This...
Sending out an S.O.S.
There's nothing quite like those halcyon days with the new baby; the staying awake for hours on end, the endless crying, and -- my personal favorite -- the occasional complaint from a (usually childless) friend that you've fallen off the planet. Arm yourself (or your...
Hot. Dog.
I'm what you would call a dog person. How could I not be when it comes to these adorable plush sausage dogs over at British etsy shop alice apple? These amazing stuffed animals, with their funky, retro fabrics, will stand out amongst any kid's menagerie of ordinary...
One big happy family
I may have a family that looks like we come from a 1950s-era sitcom, complete with curly-haired children and a husband who carries a briefcase, but ours isn't the only recipe for domestic bliss.Acclaimed writer and activist Rebecca Walker delves into the details of...
Making math fun. You heard me.
My oldest is cursed with two parents are good at math. Yes it's a curse, because while we can help her with her homework, we also tend to get frustrated at the drop of a hat: How can you NOT understand that? Guilty as charged.So I was relieved that she took an instant...
Take note
I don't care how many emoticons you use or how pithy an email you write, nothing will ever take the place of a thoughtful hand-written note. I still get a thrill when I receive an envelope in the mail from a friend, which is why I think the Signature Card series of...
It’s a bird! It’s an origami!
I love the idea of decorating your baby's nursery like it's a real room and not a clearinghouse for fluffy lambs and bright colored safari animals. Not that I don't love baby decor, but in this economy, when you're trying to get the most of the room for a baby that...
Cake mixes for the cake mix haters among us
I'm one of those really obnoxious food snobs who turns up her nose at boxed cake mixes. But here's my secret: I always kind of wished I was the type of person who didn't. Mixes provide a lot fewer opportunities for giant messes, and they truly do take less time. But...
Lola et Moi shakes up an otherwise dreary start to spring
The girls' collection from Lola et Moi is vibrant, it's candy colored, and it's definitely not for wallflowers, people afraid of color, or those who live by the adage that less is more. Which is why it's so exciting for spring. (Also, you might want to turn down the...