What does your handbag say about you? If you’re a mom, the contents of your purse may reveal more about your day-to-day routine than you’d care to admit: a broken Crayon here, a stray Goldfish there. Let’s face it: As much as we love our kids, it’s nice (and important!) to look and feel like our former selves, right down to our accessories. It’s why we’re thinking the Bucket Bag, from the Bella Tunno Signature Collection Diaper Bags, will be a hit for new moms. Their fashion statement alone is enough to convince us we’re hiding under there, beneath those baby wipes and Cheerios. Besides being attractive, these bags are extremely versatile, featuring removable stroller straps, a wipe-clean exterior and interior and hidden changing pad. We love the monogrammed accent–a perfect touch that proclaims the real you–and that doesn’t scream “Mom” (unless, of course, your name starts with ‘M.’) So if you know a woman who recently ditched her Prada for a pram, treat her to an accessory she’s sure to relish. And it doesn’t hurt to offer to babysit, either.

In a Nutshell: Let the woman in hiding come out! These ultra-hip designer diaper bags will reinvigorate your sense of style, b.k. (before kids), and make a welcome update to your spring wardrobe.

Tags: Bella Tunno, Bella Tunno Signature Collection Diaper Bags, Bucket Bag, designer diaper bags, diaper bags, gifts for new moms, Mother's Day gifts, spring accessories for moms

If there’s one thing about I won’t miss about the baby years, it’s being rid of diapers/pull-ups, once and for all. The stink alone is enough to compete with my already stuffed nose; I can’t imagine what it will be like to be allergy and diaper-free someday! Because of my tenured experience with potty training, we’ve experimented with all types of diaper pails over the years: those of the simplistic step-on/drop-in variety that use specially designed bags, to the “green” models that work with biodegradable liners. While many pails have promised a style that resembles something other than a glorified garbage receptacle, we’ve yet to find one…until now. The sleek lined, wildly hued ubbi diaper pail cleverly conceals the ugly business that lurks inside its vast interior. Call it the Superman of diaper pails, the ubbi is made with coated steel to lock in those nasty scents that manage to permeate even the most air-tight nurseries. Because it doesn’t require any special bags, the ubbi works with any standard tall kitchen garbage bags or, if you’re green-minded, any cloth diaper pail liners. Putting practicality aside, we’re tickled pink over its wide range of color options: from hot pink, to punchy purple. Hey, if someone is still in diapers at your house, might as well make a fashion statement. Your nose will thank you.

In a Nutshell: Diapers are a dirty business. Fortunately, here’s a new pail that doesn’t make the entire diapering process stink so much!

Tags: diaper pails, eco-friendly diaper pail, ubbi diaper pail

Potty-training simply isn’t pretty. It doesn’t matter if you have adorable reward stickers of smiley faces and kittens, or ruffle-trimmed undies to entice your little one to do her business in the bathroom. Sometimes, kids just don’t want to go when they have to go (sometimes?). If you hit any bumps in the road in that otherwise smooth journey from potty to panties, you’ll appreciate any little clever little tricks to get the job done. We’re getting a kick out of the Super Dooper Pooper Before-You-Go Spray from Poo~Pourri. (If you’re an astute Walnut reader, that name may ring a bell since we reported on their Poo~Pourri Santa spray just last month.) Super-sensitive tots who turn up their cute little noses at the slightest unpleasant odor will love the idea of “scenting” their seat before sitting down. Simply mist the spray, let them do their thing and flush. You’ll instantly smell the citrus notes of grapefruit, orange and ylang-ylang; these scents are not only pleasing on little nostrils, but they produce a calming effect during this somewhat stressful part of parenting. Who wouldn’t benefit from a little aromatherapy, anyway?

In a Nutshell: Potty-training got you down? Perhaps one spray of this uplifting scent may just get your little one to go more often. And if the stress of it all makes you want to pack your bags, the glorious citrus smell will make you feel like you’re in sunny Florida…even if it’s only in your mind.

Tags: aromatherapy, Poo-Pourri, potty training, potty-training products, Super Dooper Pooper Before-You-Go Spray

Right about now, I’m feeling like the holidays are catching up to me. I’m all shopped out, have more wrapping ahead of me and still need to go out and pick up last-minute essentials like extra tape and batteries. Speaking of which, I could use a little recharging myself…can you relate? If the holidays have left you a bit frazzled and you realize you still need to make it to New Year’s without losing your spirit, it’s time to indulge yourself. No, I don’t mean to spring for that new pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing all season. I’m talking about something to invigorate your senses and start your day off right. Maclaren’s beginning collection is exactly what this weary mom desires. It’s a new line of organic bath and body care products that your entire family can use. We love the eye-opening scent of the shower elixir that gives you that fresh-from-the-bath smell, and as your day winds down, slather on some beginning body lotion for a calming effect. Other products in the line include shampoo, body butter and lip/cheek balm–winter essentials for dry, parched skin. With New Year’s right around the corner, beginning is a timely way to start off 2012 on a healthy, happy note.

In a Nutshell: New year, new you. The body/bath line that’s gentle enough for babies works on big kids, too. Here’s to babying yourself in 2012!

Tags: baby skincare, Maclaren, Maclaren beginning, organic baby products, winter skincare for kids

Today’s new moms have no excuse for committing fashion “don’ts.” These days, there’s no shortage of hip baby accessories out there, including diaper bags. I can’t say the same for myself when I was a first-time mom. Back then, I thought my lame-o canvas bag in fire-engine red looked cool just because it didn’t have Winnie the Pooh or ducklings all over it. Little did I know the fashion police would be after me…With this in mind, we are loving the latest designer bags from our friends at Skip Hop: the Jonathan Adler Loves Skip Hop line. This collection is awash in bold graphics and a dizzying array of patterns–a signature celebration of the home decor giant’s Happy Chic modern style. The well-named Duo, Dash and the Pronto Changing Station reflect the frenetic, yet always fashionable lifestyle that is motherhood. After all, if you’re going to be toting around poopy diapers all day, at least you can disguise them with a look that conveys coolness. And you won’t have to be on the run from the fuzz either.

In a Nutshell: Motherhood isn’t always pretty. Sling one of these bags over your shoulder when you’re heading out with your baby, and you’ll feel like you’ve got it together…even on the days when you clearly don’t.

Tags: baby shower gift, designer diaper bags, diaper bags, Jonathan Adler, Jonathan Adler Loves Skip Hop, Skip Hop

It’s only October, and I’m already seeing signs of dry skin on myself and my daughters. With more frequent hand-washing during cold/flu season, our hands are a bit chapped and rougher than they were just a few months ago. Because my girls have unfortunately inherited my tender Irish complexion, they are more susceptible to winter’s wrath and therefore are slathered with lotions and creams more often than they’d like. Since the Talking Walnut is always on the lookout for products that combat eczema and other irritated skin conditions, we’re always willing to put new skincare to the test. Well, Episencial’s Soothing Cream is just what the doctor ordered. A pleasant-smelling balm made with a blend of natural ingredients like organic green tea and jojoba seed oil , it goes on smooth without that heavy, greasy feeling of some other lotions we’ve tried. I like that it’s as effective for both my young girls’ sensitive skin as it is for mine.  The ideal after-bath companion, the Soothing Cream seems to absorb best on clean, dry skin, leaving no match for Ol’ Man Winter this year.

In a Nutshell: We’re one step ahead of the colder weather with a lotion that leaves skin soft, smooth and soothed.

Tags: baby skincare, eczema, Episencial, kids' skincare, treating dry skin, winter skincare for kids

My sister’s co-worker is pregnant, and even though the baby shower is months away, she is already researching gift ideas. I don’t know about you, but when I received new baby presents, the personal, yet practical were the most memorable. Bibs rolled into lollipops were a delectable treat (little did I know  just how many I would go through before the next load of laundry!). Diapers fashioned into cakes elicited “oh’s” and “ah’s” from my shower guests, disguising their usefulness as the top nursery necessity. And if there was one thing I remember appreciating from the moment I made my baby’s first diaper change, it was being armed with a tub of bathtime basics: baby shampoo, baby wash, lotion and diaper rash ointment. Seven years ago, the choices were limited to classic brands like Johnson & Johnson, but today your little one can be bathe and cleansed with a variety of spa-worthy products. Our latest favorite is the Live Clean Baby line of eco-friendly personal care products: Tearless Shampoo and Wash, Moisturizing Baby Bath, Moisturizing Baby Lotion, Non-Petroleum Jelly, Diaper Ointment and Moisturizing Bar Soap. Made from natural, non-irritating plant-based ingredients, the collection is gentle on newborn skin and smells heavenly. If my sister’s friend’s shower has a wishing well, any of the items in the Live Clean Baby line will surely make a splash.

In a Nutshell: Babies may be born with great skin, but it’s part of your job to make it stay that way. Wash your little one with the Live Clean Baby line-up, and be sure to inhale the sweet smell of clean.

Tags: baby shower gifts, baby skincare, bath bath products, eco-friendly baby gifts, Live Clean Baby

When it comes to gift-giving, I’m a stickler for presentation. I always notice a package smartly wrapped with a satin bow that looks like it belongs in a young girl’s hair, or a gift bag that’s fashionably stuffed with crinkle cut shredded paper (how very eco-friendly). So when you’re sitting ringside at a baby shower, as so many of us are at some point, you tend to zero in on the presents that stand out from the rest of the pack. What better way is there to select such a gift than one whose wrapping cleverly disguises its contents until further investigation? One present that really piques our interest is the Baby Bunch, a surefire companion to the ever-popular diaper cake. Nestled inside a floral presentation box is a carefully concealed bouquet whose flowers are actually made up of baby clothing! Imagine the “oohs” and “ahhs” that will fill the room as your family and friends pass around this adorable assortment of soft good essentials. Each Medium Baby Bunch contains one bib, one hat, one T-shirt, two Onesies and two pairs of socks–all fashioned from 100-percent cotton. We love that every piece of clothing is styled as a flower bud surrounded by fabric leaves and rosebuds, though we would have loved the addition of some baby’s breath, naturally. Nevertheless, the Baby Bunch is one gift that warrants all the attention and fussing it gets…much like that new baby herself.

In a Nutshell: When you’re tired of giving the same old Onesie and bib combo, consider this innovative baby gift, destined to be the talk of the  shower.

Tags: baby bibs, baby bodysuits, Baby Bunch, baby hats, baby shower gift, baby socks, onesies

A mom friend once posed the following question: “Is it awful if I answer my husband honestly about what I’d like best for Mother’s Day: to be left alone?” Ava Gardner she was not, nor am I that friend. But truth be told, it is nice to escape the mom label every now and then, be it in May or any other day for that matter. If you think you’ve come too close to adapting the full mommyhood routine, take a closer look at that bag you’re carrying. Is it loaded down with diapers, wipes, Goldfish and every other imaginable kid-friendly contraption? Be honest. If you could use something that’s a bit more you–or perhaps the “you” before there were babies in the picture–consider the Kalencom Spize Girls Buckle Bag. This fashionable tote has a retro floral design that’s incredibly stylish. The bag contains three matching accessories–an insulated bottle bag, changing pad and zippered case–that can be swapped out when your little one is potty-trained and/or drinking from a big-kid cup. We love the messenger style because it harkens back to those days of strutting across campus when your biggest decision was whether or not to sign up for an 8 a.m. elective with that cute guy or get an extra hour of sleep. Ah, sleep….what is that again?

In a Nutshell: Those bags under your eyes may reveal your mommy identity, but this hipper-than-thou bag doesn’t have to. Now you can walk around town with a tote that doesn’t wear you–or your spirits–down.

Tags: diaper bag, Kalencom

Today, we said goodbye to being a baby and hello to the world of big girls. And it was all because of a raincoat. Before heading out to drive my almost 3-year-old to preschool this morning, we were greeted with a round of April showers and so that meant scouring the closet for a hooded jacket. I came across a hand-me-down polka dot slicker in size 3T and considered it. Surely she’s too little to fit this already, I mused. But because I have a clotheshorse in the making and lo and behold, it fit perfectly. As my daughter paraded around the room in her new gear, oblivious to my surprise, it hit me hard just how fleeting those days of wearing onesies and footed pajamas can be. Well, at least she can still smell like a baby, so I’m holding on to childhood a little bit longer with the Carter’s baby bath and body care line. Remember the old jingle, ‘If they could just stay little, ’til their Carter’s wear out?’ You can’t help but hum it when slathering on the soothing diaper cream or lathering wispy locks with baby shampoo. The scent is heavenly and all of the products in the line, including wipes, a body lotion and a unique liquid powder that I may just have to covet, are pediatrician-tested and hypoallergenic. We may not be able to stop time, but at least our noses can be fooled into feeling like we have.

In a Nutshell: Breathe deeply and inhale the scent of your little one for as long as she’ll let you.

Tags: baby body wash, baby lotion, baby shampoo, baby wipes, Carter's, diaper rash cream