More coolness from recent weeks…
Editors Picks of 2007: The coolest of Cool Mom Picks
We know we're not supposed to have favorites, at least when it comes to our kids. But when it comes to our kids' stuff...well, some things we love just a teeny bit more. So this past week, while you've been wrapping the lead-free toys and decorating the wholesome...
An Amazing Gift for Any Kid: Values
It's important for me that my kids grow up understanding the concepts of charity and benevolence, and that the holiday season isn't only about what's under the tree. Not everyone can spend Christmas volunteering at soup kitchen or collecting Toys for Tots, but...
The Anti-Bling Pacifier
With all the scary news lately (toxins and plastics and pthalates, oh my) I'm starting to look at everything that goes into my baby's mouth in a whole new way. Starting with her pacifier.Well hooray for Zoë B organic, a shop stocked with all kinds of organic...
Solid as a Clock
Thanks to frequent military moves and furnished rentals, my daughter's baby room decor was an eclectic mix of favorite items and gifts. Which is a nice way of saying that it had no style whatsoever.But now that's we're settled in one place, I'm excited to...
Stroking the Kid’s Ego With the Printed Word
In African folklore the aardvark is much admired for its diligence. This is a completely appropriate characteristic for the Aardvark Adventure Stories namesake, because this can-do online shop has some of the best, most on-top-of-it customer service that I've...
No Designer Fabric is Too Good for My Kid’s Poopy Butt
Lately, I've got a new baby gift plan. Along with something the mama's requested from her big baby superstore registry, I like to surprise her with something handmade and gorgeous and still essential. The beautiful baby accessories from Baby Dry Goods fit that bill in...
Merry Christmas to All and To All, Free Legally Dowloaded Music
With all my gift budget tapped, I tried to save some cashola by searching the (extremely picked through) Christmas music offerings at the library. Bad call. Instead I'm turning to Magnatune, the brainchild of John Buckman and "the first real internet-era...
Paying it Forward (and Jewelry Too)
As the year draws to a close, we hope you're looking for a few well-deserving organizations to which to bequeath a few tax-deductible dollars. Not that there's any lack of such dot-orgs in the world, but we thought we'd add a really cool one to the list: Trickle...
My Blanket is Smarter Than Yours
Calculating the formula for the seasonally correct baby blanket is almost as complicated as the quadratic equation. Do you get a winter baby a heavy blanket that can only be used for a few months, or do you give her something that she can use later, even though the...
Good Vibrations
With my son working on teeth numbers 7 and 8, I'm desperate to find anything that will keep him chewing on something other than me. You think I'm kidding. But with all the research on the effects of some plastics out there, it's tough to do better than a frozen...
It’s a Bird. It’s a Train…
We've got our first ever two-child plane trip coming up and I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't a little nervous. I figure if I can pack enough fun stuff to keep the two year-old entertained, maybe I can actually suck down a cocktail and relax. On my must-pack list:...
When You Just Have to Give In To the Cuteness
Maybe it was all those bad seasonal sweaters we grew up wearing in the 70s and 80s that somehow infiltrated our consciousness, but sometimes we just can't help ourselves - we must must have a snowman-emblazoned onesie for the kid this winter. The limited edition...
Not Late, Just Picky
If I don't count the looooovely dress my mother-in-law bought my daughter (note the sarcasm inherent in the word loooooovely), I technically don't yet have a Christmas dress for her. I've been waiting for just the right dress to call to me. Except there's only one...
Lightweight Bags, Heavyweight Fashion
Lord knows I love me some leather diaper bags, but as great they look, they're heavy. Jimeale has devised a fashionably fabulous solution in its Emily and Edward diaper bags (spotted on a few celeb mamas recently - ahemcoughislafishercough). They're light as a...
The newest teething solution for babies: Mushrooms
Continually asked for safe teething toys by parents, we're always quick to suggest Sophie Giraffe, Vulli's European fave for decades. But now the company has transitioned from the animal kingdom to the vegetable garden, with a trio of totally cute mushroom teethers....
Cute Bear ISO Good Home. Fingers Will Do.
All I can say about Cheryl A Smith is that she's a nut. A crazy, creative, crafting nut. Why else would she personally number each and every sweet little finger puppet that she makes and sells? Especially considering that she's now past the 2,000 mark. That's a whole...
New, and In No Need of Improvements
It's been said that babies are a marketer's dream - if only they could make purchases themselves. Which is why I'm quietly chuckling over the new New! onesies from new mom/pop run shop, Huddy Buddy. It's the newness trifecta. Of course there's inherent hilarity in...
Estrogen surges: preserve the memory
So I always thought estrogen was exclusively about raging hormones, hot flashes, and that lovely monthly visitor that comes knocking at the most inopportune times.But not according to Raven Hanna, a jewelry artisan and self-proclaimed science geek. Thanks to her...
Attention: Lazy Gift Card Redeemers
Not to look a gift (card) horse in the mouth, but I when I get one I often forget to use it in time. I guess it's people like me who account for the $8 billion in gift cards that gets wasted each year. Yikes. If you anticipate a few gift cards this holiday season, you...
A Little Separation Between Your Kid and the Dining Room Table is Never a Bad Thing
Just because my daughter can feed herself does not mean she actually gets all the food in her mouth. Hence our love affair with Bibbitybop's Placemats. These hearty vinyl-covered placemats come in such fantastic fabric choices that you can set them out for...
Going Soft
After having two babies, I am a certified blanket snob. There's just no reason to settle for a mildly soft blanket when there are so many amazing ones to pick from. Take this simple yet gorgeous velour blanket from Satsuma Designs. Now I was instantly sold on its...