More coolness from recent weeks…
Anka from Svan: Affordable high chairs that don’t scrimp on style
We've always loved modern high chairs but they tend to be on the squint-your-eyes- as-you-hand-your-credit-card-over side of things. Even so, the cheap plastic versions aren't a very appealing alternative when you consider the damage to the planet-- and your home...
Hugs make the world go round
Call me a total dork, but I get all teary and melty every time my three year-old hugs one of her friends goodbye. There's is something beyond adorable about two little girls squeezing each other tight-- and anyone who disagrees has a heart of coal and dryer lint. So...
Natural. Beauty.
Don't you love 20-something models advertising anti-aging creams? And yet, I fall for it every time. I have the drawer full of cosmetic jars to prove it.Admittedly I'm a sucker for hope in a bottle so when I had the chance to review the Ma Mi Skin Care line,...
A St Patrick’s Day book for kids that’s entirely free of green sparkles
This St. Patrick's Day, instead of wearing the green plastic crap my quarter-Irish mother insists on sending us in the mail every year, we're celebrating by hauling out the wonderful children's book, Fiona's Luck.The story by Teresa Bateman with illustrations by Kelly...
Stroller hooks that work: A thing of pure beauty.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones - for every ten pitches we get for products you didn't know you needed and really, still don't, we get one for something like the Mighty Buggy Hook, which totally improves your stroller (and kind of your life).From...
Take a walk on the mild side
By my third child, I learned that once the walking starts, the trouble really begins. But unless I kept him in a playpen (like our mothers did with us, right?), I knew my kid would eventually start toddling around, using a chair as a makeshift walker. The Wooden Baby...
Raven and Lily – Cards for a cause
While I love to send a card and a little something to our friends and family on special occasions, that "little something" can definitely add up. So if you're looking for a way to send just a holiday or birthday card and not look like el cheapo, you'll want to visit...
Bag the plastic habit
I realize that there are about 400 different kinds of reusable grocery bags out there these days. But that just means you have 400 more opportunities to stop using disposable plastic or paper bags, right? Well, let me present you with option 401-- Bag the Habit. At...
There’s a fine line between flower girl dresses and pageant dresses
Recently a reader and friend asked us about finding a flower girl dress for a little girl, hold the poofy, froofy, pageant-y thing. We referred her to favorite labels like Ses Petites Mains, Tea Collection, and the selection at Bean NY. And now there's another option...
A little Rat Pack for your rug rat
Some people think having a sense of environmental awareness and a sense of humor are mutually exclusive. This awesome kids' Mensch t-shirt featuring Sammy Davis Jr. proves them wrong. In fact the folks at Curly Monkey take irreverent and eco-friendly to a whole new...
Everybody farts
We made a trip to the emergency room recently with the wee one (everything is fine). She was scared, we were scared, and only maudlin humor would do. Fortunately, we had along Fiona Bayrock's Bubble Homes and Fish Farts, an entire nonfiction children's book...
Celebrating Green Planet Parties’ greening of the party scene
I've planned eighteen birthday parties so far for my three young children and each time, my eco-friendly heart feels a little sick to see the amount of trash left behind after the last guest leaves. The two moms from British Columbia who started Green Planet Parties...
Yes, We Like Waffles
After listening to the 24 bite-sized songs on Parry Gripp's Do You Like Waffles?, I'm pretty certain he could come up with a rockin' song about any food product out there. In fact, this album was born after Parry tried his hand at commercial writing for some sort of...
Psst…I know a mom…
At Cool Mom Picks, we love to cheer on our fellow moms, spreading the word about cool stuff created by parents we know and the ones we wish we knew. Whitney Hill, founder of iknowamom.com, has brought together hundreds of those moms she knows in an ever-growing index...
I shall hug him, and squeeze him, and call him George
The stuffed animals I painstakingly selected for my babies as to be "loveys" were never the ones they ended up dragging everywhere. When it comes to that special attachment, kids don't care if it's pretty or where it came from--they care that it's soft and easy to...
Books for boys, beyond baseball
When I go to teacher conferences, the thing I hear the most about my son-- always said with great reverence-- is, Wow, he sure likes to read! I come from an entire family of readers, so this doesn't seem odd to me... but it is odd, because boys trail girls in...
The mood necklace
I'm intrigued by the idea of versatile, interchangeable jewelry; however, I have to admit that interchangeable rings, necklaces and bracelets of the sort I usually see at the jewelry store rarely strike me as something I'd actually wear. But when I saw Mini Mosaic, I...
Welcome to the jungle
Thankfully, I have undergone a baby mobile intervention since having our first child, and am happy to report that we are free of all fuzzy, robotic sounding mobiles in our home, mostly due to the amazing choices out there today. Like this beautiful Petit Collage baby...
Crackity SNAPPITY POPPITY Pop!
I'm a woman without singing ability. Also, my sense of rhythm is limited to 4/4 time. But when my daughter developed an interest in scat after hearing about it on a kids' television show, it was time for some musical research. No need for my kid to be stunted by...
Ouchies: Turning owies into art
They say hell hath no fury like a child denied a Band-Aid, but that's only because they've not seen one of my kids offered the wrong Band-Aid (which is even worse). Heaven forbid I have nothing left but butterflies when my son has an invisible scrape.Thanks to...
The year of the owl
If you haven't noticed, 2009 appears to be the year of the owl-- at least when it comes to baby accessories. I suppose that it's sort of fitting, seeing as how owls are awake all night long, not unlike some babies I know. Sigh.At least this lovely soft owl music box...