Baby food that doesn’t taste–or look–like baby food? Now that’s a novel idea. And it isn’t difficult to find a range of choices at your local supermarket. The question is: are you willing to pay more for organic? Many moms are saying “yes,” especially when it comes to feeding their baby. The benefits of DHA are highly recommended, making the purchase practically a no-brainer. I considered myself a tough sell, though. Having fed my older daughter standard jarred selections four years ago, I felt confident that I’d nourished her just fine. Nevertheless, we decided to throw caution to the wind and sample some of the new flavors from Plum Organics, a company that touts popularity among new moms and its celebrity following. Hey, if it’s [&hellip
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Call it the winter of my discontent…after seemingly endless weeks of snow days, sick kids and a sick husband to boot, it seemed fitting that a baby lotion named Calm landed on my desk–and onto my little one’s skin. My 9-month-old was finally the victim of her first cold and even though she was smiling through her sniffles, I knew a little TLC was just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Natalie Geary, actually. This New York City-based pediatrician, recently launched vedaPURE, her own line of skincare specially formulated for baby’s sensitive skin. The vedaBABY collection goes on smooth and creamy, practically quenching parched skin. It works great just after a bath and even better right before bedtime, especially on these bone-chilling nights as of late. [&hellip
A myriad of products devoted to smoother traveling with kids dot store shelves, but who frankly wants to lug around even more stuff? The Snack & Travel Tray from Star Kids Products is one item worth stashing in your car when you’re on the go with tots in tow. We put it to use in two ways and both times, were amazed at just how handy it came in. My 4-year-old, who always has something in her hands when we’re in the car for extended periods, used the tray to hold her books and games. No need to worry about them dropping on the side, out of reach, because she had everything directly in front of her on a flat surface. Pockets on the side [&hellip
Shoe shopping for kids can be as exciting as shopping for a new pair of jeans for yourself–and you know how that goes. The styles range from red hearts and Dora the Explorer for girls, to basic black or brown for boys and after a while, everything begins to look the same. When I discovered pediped shoes a few years ago, I thought I’d finally struck gold. My daughter was a late walker, so I was especially conscious of investing in a pair of shoes that were flexible and not like those orthopedic-style walking shoes of yesteryear (sorry, Mom). Not only are pedipeds fashionable, but they’re easy on little feet. Their soft soles are much like walking barefoot–and we know how much kids relish that! [&hellip
Boy, did I wish I had Pam Socolow’s Family Facts Pregnancy Planner (www.Family-Facts.com) last year when I was expecting. If you consider yourself an uber-organizer, then this is the mother of all planners–and one that won’t make you feel like you’ve got Pregnancy Brain. There’s a month-by-month calendar that gives you the big picture, but that’s pretty standard. The best parts, however, are the tabbed sections: contacts, health and baby planning. Can’t remember if your sonogram was scheduled for this week or next week? Or whether you are rH negative? Now you have just the place to jot it all down. The mini binder-style notebook lets you pull out pages easily for handy references and it fits right in your bag. And if you consider [&hellip
You don’t need to be pregnant to crave some sinfully rich chocolate every now and then–and if you spend your days with the 5 and under crowd, you’re entitled to some at the end of each day. (Think of it as your reward for a job well done–or at least for not having murdered anyone.) And with all the medical reports of late lauding the health benefits of dark chocolate, (in limited doses, of course), who needs an excuse? One company’s confectionery worth checking out is Nutty Steph’s (www.NuttyStephs.com). Her eclectic mix of ingredients might have you scratching your head, but one taste of the stuff and you’ll never doubt your cravings again. Standouts include Coffee and Donuts Milk Chocolate, Tropical Intercourse (yup, you heard [&hellip
To say a lot has happened since my last entry would be an understatement. I gave birth to a new baby–my second daughter, Presleigh, born last May. Since then, I’ve been learning how to juggle new motherhood once again, but this time with a preschooler along for the ride. At times, it’s been more challenging than I could have imagined, but I find myself closing both girls’ bedroom doors each evening, confident that I have done the best I could manage for that day. Now, eight months later, we’ve settled into our new routine and I’m able to carve out more time for my writing….which brings me to mt new venture: the chance to harness my experience as a professional published writer who knows the [&hellip
Because the baby is due just before my daughter’s 4th birthday, I figured it would be best to have her little friends’ party ahead of time–and out of the house (after listening to some sage advice from family members and friends). I am glad I followed their advice; this weekend’s party went off without a hitch. Since my daughter is very into crafts (she even “rescues” used fabric softener sheets for possible projects!), we had an hour and half-long crafting party at a kids’ place that caters to pint-sized Picassos. With stations set up for drawing (with pastels, no less!), painting and, lo and behold, reincarnating paper towel rolls and egg cartons into mini Thomas the Tank Engines, she was in heaven. I was pleasantly [&hellip
My husband and I took our 4-year-old daughter to the hospital yesterday for a sibling class, geared to prepare her for what it’ll be like when the new baby arrives. I had high hopes, as a friend had recently attended and thought it was extremely helpful. I should begin my mentioning that my daughter is your atypical little girl–NOT a huge fan of dolls (she’d choose Thomas the Tank Engine over a Betsy Wetsy anyday). So, as you can imagine, when it came time to role-play, Peyton was not having any of this. Practicing diaper changing and burping…does it get your blood pumping, too? In fact, if anything, she seemed rather bored and wanted to know when we could go home. More useful, perhaps, was [&hellip
As I count down the weeks (one month to go!) to the birth of my second child, I can’t help but smile a bit knowingly at the wide world of baby gear. Since my daughter was born nearly four years ago, I’ve managed to (finally!) figure out just which products were worth their weight in gold (a digital ear thermometer for painless, barely invasive fever checks) and those that still have me scratching my head (wipes warmer? Give me a break…I wanted my kid to learn early on that not everything in life is peaches and cream.) Today, I’m investing in some items that have emerged since my last time shopping for a newborn: a take-along swing (so much more practical than the bulky, take-up-more-space-than-I-can-bare [&hellip