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 [&hellip
Diapering for Walnuts Archive
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
Back strain can bring you down–literally and figuratively. Every spring, I make a point of cleaning out my purse to minimize the droop in my already-slouched shoulders. That’s what years of schlepping around a textbook-laden backpack will to do you. And those diaper bag years haven’t exactly helped matters either. To make whatever bag you’re lugging around town a little less cumbersome, Go GaGa’s Urban Sherpa Strap may just be your new best friend. Even if you don’t want to part with your favorite diaper bag, purse or laptop case, you can still use it by updating it with a strap that evenly distributes the bulk across your back and shoulders. Just remove the current strap and clip the Urban Sherpa one onto the metal [&hellip
When my daughter was born, a friend and colleague sent me a memorable gift: a painting of a clothes line featuring little girls’ dresses with my daughter’s name inscribed below. Packaged in a cellophane gift bag and tied with a bow that matched the gingham check in one of the dresses, this gift was more than just personable. It demonstrated creativity and forethought…something that I wish I had more of as a mom. I know that when I’m giving a special gift to a friend, I want her to know–just by looking at it–that I put thought into my selection. So when I come across a baby gift line that features high-end materials and matching accessories, it earns points in my book. New to this [&hellip
As one of my favorite PSA ads professes, it’s too bad babies don’t come with an instructional manual. Do you remember what it was like to leave the hospital with your bundle of joy, only to arrive home and realize you didn’t have the slightest clue what you were doing? (I’ve been a mom for nearly seven years, and some days, I still feel that way!) To make newborn care a little less daunting comes a new book that aims to take the guesswork out of much of the day-to-day crying/burping/feeding/sleeping that has become your routine. Written by occupational therapist Megan Faure, The Babysense Secret focuses on picking up on your baby’s cues by reading her body language. Does that cry mean she’s too warm [&hellip
Practically every Saturday night is takeout Japanese in my family. What started out as a convenient way of grabbing dinner on my way home has developed into a tradition that we’ve come to relish. The fact that my 2-year-old is learning to use my chopsticks and that my 6-year-old knows her sushi from her sashimi is something we can be proud of–really. Perhaps it’s my love for Japanese food that prompted me to take a closer look at the Bento ultimate diaper bag. There aren’t too many other bags that I’ve seen with their own Bento box for keeps baby foods and snacks mess-free in their own separate containers. An insulated cooler bag and freezer pack keep a stash of grapes cool…so you can keep [&hellip
Remember when you opened a diaper bag at your baby shower and it practically screamed “I’m a Mommy…and there’s nothing I can do about it!”?…Well, the days of satchels adored with pastel bunnies and fuzzy ducklings are long gone, thanks to a number of designers that recognize that women don’t have to leave their sense of fashion behind just because they now have kids. One brand worth checking out is the CoCaLo Couture Diaper Bags, a versatile accessory that can help update your grown-up ensemble in a pinch. Not only is there plenty of room inside to stash all your baby necessities, but from the outside, no one will ever believe you’ve actually got wipes and Pampers in there. The bags are available in satchel [&hellip
I finally decided to bite the bullet and clean out my purse. (Hey, when you have 5 minutes to spare, these are the exciting things we moms do.) Amidst the countless used tissues, gum wrappers and broken crayons was a lone diaper…with a hardened piece of gum stuck to the bottom. It really set me off–not just because it was vile-looking, but because diapers don’t come cheap and this one was headed straight for the trash can. Since I don’t think I’ll ever be one of those moms that can whip out a fresh wipe and diaper packed together–and if you remember my post from last week, you know I love Ziplocs–I can appreciate the convenience of Diaper Buds. These individually-wrapped diapers fit right into [&hellip