More coolness from recent weeks…
The Ultimate Keepsake Baby Book – Before You’ve Even Filled In a Line
If you've been pining for the kind of baby book you might still pull off your mom or grandmother's shelves when you go for a visit, why I think we've actually found it. Mother Stork's Baby Book: 100th Anniversary Edition is a beautiful volume, harkening back to the...
One Good Egg
In my 20's, I'd go to a small dark club in Rhode Island to watch obscure indie rock bands play loud, jangly music. We were a fairly homogeneous group, save for one earplugged little girl of about 3 who would sit on her dad's shoulders and watch her mom play the...
What What? Monster Butt
I'm generally not so keen on clothes that emphasize a baby's already cute-as-it-is butt with ruffles and words like, um...juicy. But a monster -- like the one on Sckoon's Ha Ha Tee and Monkey Pant Set? Cripes, I can't think of anything more fittingly adorable for a...
Cool Mom Picks loves Parents Magazine
If you're one of the millions of moms who, like us, pass the time in the OB waiting room by flipping through Parents Magazine and then sneak it out in your bag (shhhhhh!), chances are you might have caught Cool Mom Picks co-founder and editor Liz Gumbinner...
Made in China? Absolutely.
When it comes to buying gifts for my friend's kids, I really try hard to find unique items that no one else would think of, but aren't so obscure that the poor kid has to ask his parents what the heck it is.Enter the Dumpling Dynasty Explorer Kit, one of a slew of...
iglooplay: Go Jump On The Furniture
Have you ever entered a room in which the kids have been playing (usually too quietly) only to find that they have rearranged all the couch and chair cushions so that they can walk (tumble, jump) around the entire room without stepping on the (enchanted quicksand)...
Yadda Yadda Yadda Blah Blah Blah
You wouldn't think a bunch of blabbermouths like our family would need help starting a conversation, but I've got to thank The Chatterbox for providing some welcome encouragement in that area. Instead of questions about obscure Baby Boomer-era trivia, the cards are...
A Parade of Organics
My favorite baby clothes were always the beefy cotton ones - just good, simple soft basics that felt cushy and cozy, that I knew wouldn't start to look worn or faded after a few weeks of the puke-wash-puke-wash cycle. Parade Organic's Pure Collection would have fit...
Can It, Kids
Despite my insistence that it would never happen, the toys have in fact eaten our living room whole. I evidently can't keep the toy animals and crayons and blocks and play silks restricted to the kids' room, so the least I an do is find some storage that works with...
Hint Water – Totally Indulgent and Yet Totally Calorie Free. Figure That One Out.
Have you tried Hint Water yet? You have to. You just totally have to. Take it from me, because I'm not a flavored water fan. Mostly I think water is pretty darn good, and it doesn't need a whole lot of flavoring. But Hint Water--all natural, no sweeteners, lots and...
Breathing New Life Into That Old Bjorn
Thanks to Cool Mom Picks, I've expanded my babywearing horizons to include wraps and slings, but I can never abandon my beloved Swedish front carrier standby, no matter how much drool coats its surface. However thanks to My Little Roo, I can dress up my old standby in...
Mrs. Moon Lullabies for Bedtime. And Crafters.
I have yet to figure out why for most lullaby books, the illustrations seem to be an afterthought. I suppose the justification is that if the words are effective enough, the kids eyes will be shut? Or something. Not so Clare Beaton's Mrs. Moon: Lullabies for Bedtime....
Definitely spongeworthy
The siren song of convenience is strong, even for a greenie like me, and at times I've been compelled to some of those one-use cleaning wipes. I never feel right about it though, so I switched back to a bright purple sponge to use with organic all-purpose cleaner....
Hipster Babies: Your Clothes Are Ready
Wish as I may that I could dress my kids in retro hipster clothing, the combination of my southern locale and my preppy husband make it a look that I just don't think we can pull off. But if you've got a kid that can sport a derby to the park, then he's definitely got...
Jellio Furniture – Roald Dahl Would Be Proud
I am not of the mindset that children's furniture should be serious - or any furniture for that matter. Give me some bright lime green plastic dining room seats over a set of stern Teutonic stiff-backed chairs any day. Oh wait, I already have them. No surprise then...
Over the Rabbit Moon
As I was perusing the selection of fall boys clothes at my regular haunts I noticed one overwhelming commonality: Unless you're into super duper trendy duds or have a taste for the alternative, artsy stuff, the regular boy clothes are pretty darn cheesy. Just give me...
Green Kids Furniture at Sparrow. (And Pink. And Orange. And Brown.)
It is not generally cheap to go green. I mean sure, compact fluorescent bulbs can save you money in the long run and hybrid cars make sense with gas prices these days. But we all know that feeding the kids the organic mac n cheese and decorating the nursery with...
Because the World Does In Fact Revolve Around Your Kid
Custom photo confetti? At first I had a hard time imagining what anyone would want with that. Teeny tiny pictures? Wouldn't they just look like pixelated blobs? But that was before I had a look at some actual Partydotts, oversized confetti featuring up to six of your...
This One’s For the Fall Babies
Hello to the onslaught of new fall babies, including my own, thanks to those cold boring winter months and crazy holiday parties (ahem). Even though I've got no baby shower in sight myself, that won't stop me from snagging one of these amazing Salvor...
Baby Sleep Consultants? Yes. Oh God, Yes Yes Yes.
The dirty little secret of parents everywhere is that their babies don't sleep. I know because every time I confess to a mom friend that my youngest was up every two hours for bottles until 11 months, I get a similar story in return. What is with you kids anyway?...
Reform School Rules, Rules!
With my daughter all puzzle-crazy these days, I am adoring the heirloom-quality Cinderella puzzle illustrated by children's book artist Jen Bulthuis of Fidoodle and accompanied by the classic tale reimagined by writer Shannon Gerard. The magnetic pieces come apart to...