The Next Kid Thing

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released its latest reports on children’s booster seat evaluations.  With safety in mind, IIHS, a non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, carries out research and produces ratings for passenger vehicles, as well as for certain consumer products like booster seats.  In reading the report, it’s not just the seat that’s important, it’s how the seat and seatbealt fit the child.  Most booster seats, unlike carseats, utilize a vehicle’s seatbelt.  Carseat.org (link to an informational PDF) says booster seats are typically used by children 4 until 10.

According to IIHS, it’s important to note that the Institute doesn’t conduct vehicle crash tests to evaluate boosters because boosters don’t do the restraining in a crash. It’s the fit of the belt that’s important.  A good booster routes the lap belt across a child’s upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at midshoulder.

IIHS says that this year’s top-rated boosters outnumber ones that they don’t recommend.  Brands such as Britax, Chicco, Clek, among others make the list.  Read more to find out which seats make IIHS’ list.

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Nickelodeon is set to air the much-hyped Mega Music Fest tonight at 8pm—and what a mega fest it is!  Back in May, NKT was onhand at the Brooklyn Academy of music for the taping of the powerhouse kiddie music show which brought the likes of The Roots, Colbie Calliat and Wyclef Jean onstage for a variety of musical performances.

Hosted by John Leguizamo, Nickelodeon’s Mega Music Fest merges together the energy of Nick Jr. characters with the vitality of music, which in turn will make the littlest music fans and big ones alike want to get loud!

If you’re an NKT fan on Facebook, hopefully, you didn’t miss a few of our teasers from the taping.  With so many fun characters onstage and animated, everyone was dancing and smiling throughout all the fun numbers. The aisles were packed with wee ones jumping and dancing; I can’t wait to see how that captured that element of the show on tape.

The Roots played my family’s theme song, “Lovely Family” (and probably many of yours, too!), which made the kid and husband light up and sing every single word.  DJ Lance, Muno, Plex, Toodee, Foofa and Brobee danced and sang along to a few of the songs that we know by heart, but it was, perhaps, the Vegetables that almost stole the show.  If you’re a YGG, I’m sure you know which song they were singing!

One of my favorites of the day, however, had to be Colbie Callait’s version of “Walking on Sunshine.”  The little ones might not know who Colbie is, but if they’re Nick Jr. fan, I’m sure they’d be familiar with her singing partner, none other than Kai Lan!

Throughout the show and in between performances, Leguizamo threaded silly bits about finding his dancing shoes for the party.  Sherri Shepherd even made a few onstage appearances, and kept the crowd smiling as she acted as the stage manager.   In addition to the live characters, there were special appearances onscreen from Dr. Phil and Justin Beiber, who added their own fun flair to the Mega Music Fest. Family favorite, The Laurie Berkner Band contributed to the Mega Music Fest with an on-screen version of “My Family.”

But it was the dancing, singing and music school-going quartet that made my kid’s day.  My guy was dancing with all the other toddlers and preschoolers in the aisles for almost the whole show, but when he saw Shout, Twist, Marina and Kiki appeared, he stepped it up.  The Fresh Beat Band, who had a few issues getting to the party, tied it all in, and as usual, they made it a great day.

As huge Nickelodeon fans and true music junkies, my family thought the Mega Music Fest was a great show, from start to finish.  The last number got everyone up and out of their seats, just like a good concert should!

The fun for us didn’t stop after the last number, either!  We were also invited to attend the amazing afterparty.  And when I say party, I mean PARTY!  Nickelodeon’s Mega Music Fest afterparty was a kid party extraordinaire.  From sweet treats to finger sandwiches (with no crust) to ice cream to french fries to chicken strips, the food selection was like a kid’s dream.

The afterparty had a cool seating area/play area where my kid spent almost the entire afternoon diving headfirst into pillows.  Nickelodeon kept the music theme going at the afterparty: there was a musical instrument creation craft area and a toy area with a variety of kid-sized music-inspired toys.  And really, anything that a kid would love, it was probably there at the afterparty.  Our favorite experience of the day was getting to meet some of our beloved Nickelodeon favorites.  We met and got pictures with Joe from Blues Clues, the Fresh Beat Band and we got to see our YGG friends again.

Nickelodeon’s Mega Music Fest is a fun musical showcase that I can’t wait to relive when it airs tonight at 8pm.  They hit it out of the park with their first Mega Music Fest, and it’s my hope that Nickelodeon makes it an annual event, and perhaps, a live festival that even more families can experience!

Be sure to tune into Nickelodeon at 8 for the Mega Music Fest.  And who knows, maybe you’ll see us in the audience!

Encore presentations of the Mega Music Fest will be shown on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT and on Thursday, Sept. 9, at 1:00 p.m. ET/PT.

I’ve been more MIA than usual the past few weeks since we’re finally in our “new” old house.  As part of our ongoing renovation and the eventual move-in, I’ve been researching ideas for the kid’s playroom.

There’s so many options, so many ideas, but only so much budget to go around.  I know the hurricane may or may wreak havoc on some parts of the east coast, what better time to share a new option for indoor playhouses.

Modern Playhouse recently debuted their new line of minimalist and sustainable indoor modular play structures.  Designed by momprenuers and San Francisco based designers Gitane Royce and Nisreen Witt, the playhouses were designed to be durable and safe for the children and environment.  Modern Playhouse uses FSC Certified wood products that are treated with non-toxic, non-formaldehyde containing, and naturally pigmented finishes. The metal fasteners and hardware contain no lead.

The Playhouses, which come in the Wedge or Circle option, also have furniture accessories that can be purchased separately.

I love the simplicity, yet contemporary edge to these playhouses, and their sustainable features make them even more attractive.  These gorgeous playhouses would be a great fit in our new playroom, but alas, at $1450, it’s not quite in the budget right now.

Like many of you, I’m a bargainista—or at least I try.  I have always said that the driving force for me nowadays to shop for discounts and clip coupons is so that I could use the money I save and put it towards buying “better” meat for my family.  After reading so much about food recalls and watching Food Inc., it’s a fact that, as parents, we have to be cognizant of what’s going on with our food and how we feed our families.  And for me, it’s one of my priorities to overhaul how I shop for groceries all together.

On that end, I recently had the chance to taste a sampler of Bison meat from High Plains Bison.  If you’ve ever had bison, then you know that its taste is distinctively different from beef and has less fat.  (You can see the marbling in the bison ribeyes below.)

Doing some research for this post, according to Bison Basics, grass-fed bison has less calories and more protein than lean beef, turkey and pork.  And according to High Plains Bison, while bison may not be considered health food, it is healthier.  Bison is low in cholesterol, low in sodium, a good source of iron and also contains a healthy dose of Omega 3 fatty acids too.

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I’ve pledged my affinity for a variety of sustainable toys, among them, of course, are the fun and educational toys from Hape.  Hape has a fantastic selection of toys that’s appropriate from babies to school-aged kids, but I personally covet their educational playsets and wooden puzzles.

Speaking of puzzles, today on The Mini Social, one of my favorite flash sale sites, is featuring Hape’s bendable Anamalz, Sporty E-racers and educational puzzles.  It looks like some of the toys are half off for a few days, making them great for stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts.  You do have to sign up, but the sales on The Mini Social are well worth it.

Tons of great things happening with NKT fave, Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! Tour.  The tour, which is set to kick off on August 27 in Bethel, NY, just announced a Cool Tricks contest.  The Cool Tricks contest gives fans a chance to unveil their, well, cool tricks.  Beat boxing, breakdancing, playing the piccolo—be sure to share it to win cool prizes for cool tricks.

Fans can upload a :30-:60 second video demoing their Cool Trick for a chance to win a VIP Family 4 Pack and have their winning video played during intermission at the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!: There’s a Party in My City show closest to their hometown. Oh, and it doesn’t end there, fellow Gabba friends, all participants are also entered into a sweepstakes where one fan will receive a five night trip for four to the Caribbean or Mexico and a three-month supply of organic snacks and meals from Plum Organics and Revolution Foods.

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If there was ever a good time to walk down memory lane, this week would be it.  After months of waiting to close on our house, we’re still displaced.  Needless to say, it’s been a rocky road for our family this summer:  all of our stuff still remains in storage, our poor kid cries for his toys, my heart aches every time he begs to go “home” and all we can do is just wait…

But, throughout this trying time, we’ve had each other.

The week before we moved out of our apartment, we had a photo session with our favorite family photographer, Maegan Dougherty.  It was a fun time, which yielded another set of great photos that serve as a great reminder of what’s truly important in life.

I met Maegan on a message board I used to frequent, and was immediately drawn to her photos.  Shortly after the kid was born, Maegan shot our first session and made our memories that much brighter.  Her photography has graced our Holiday cards, were the source for our kid’s headshots, they line my mom’s refrigerator, and soon, after all this waiting, these photos will line the halls of our new home.

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Beloved British baby brand, Mamas & Papas, has officially landed stateside.  Mamas & Pappas, which is synonymous with a simple, yet modern aesthetic, launched a line of strollers, lightweight strollers, travel accessories and toys online and at select Babies ‘R’ Us and Toys ‘R’ Us this week.

The lineup of Mamas & Papas products that are now available in the U.S. include:

The Urbo, Sola and Luna-Mix (below) comprise M&P’s travel system compatible strollers that are now available in the U.S. Both the Urbo and Sola come with or without bassinets.  The Urbo is more reminiscent of a pram, whereas the Solas has a sleek, modern silhouette.  The Luna-Mix is a three-wheeled stroller that has a compact fold and can be coupled with complementary or contrasting accessories.

Light weight strollers that offer a convenient carrying strap, perfect for urbanites trekking on public transit, as well as parents who seek a swift option for strolling. Each stroller varies in features ranging from basic to reclining seat to extra cushion for comfort. Trip, Trek, Tour (below), Cruise and Voyage

High chairs that don’t compromise style, safety or flexibility, the Loop Highchair boasts a high-lacquer white shine and bright green seat pad accessories and the Go Eat Highchair is a black and white chair that features convenient fold-up capabilities.

Many babies and their parents rely on bouncers for the first few months to soothe and play.  Mamas & Papas offers the Magic Astro (below), Apollo and Ripple bouncers that feature music, toys and plenty of cushion to cradle any sweet babe.  With its MP3 compatibility, the Magic Astro sounds like both gear and a gadget that would’ve landed a spot on my must-have baby list.

And because babies just can’t have enough cool toys when on the go: Mamas & Papas offers Made with…Love Activity Spiral, Travel Charm and The Jumbles Collection, which look like such sweet, fun play things.  These guys would make great shower gifts, carrier and stroller toys.  I’m doting on the Are We There Yet Charm Toy (below.)

Mamas & Papas product pricing varies by product description ranging from the Urbo stroller at $499 all the way to the travel toys at $9.99.  Mamas & Papas products are available exclusively at select Babies ‘R’ Us stores.  An expanded selection of Mamas & Papas gear and accessories will also be available at Toys”R”Us Times Square, Babies”R”Us Union Square and FAO Schwartz Fifth Avenue in NYC, as well as online at Babiesrus.com/MamasandPapas.

Magazines: I know many of you love them as much as I do.  There’s truly nothing like flipping through glossy pages and indulging in feature stories, cool products and advice columns.  In my case, I’m always looking for inspiration, whether it’s for writing, design or to just shop.

On one of my recent trips to Target I found a new magazine called Yum Food & Fun for Kids.  Always, in search of new ideas on how to improve my efforts in the kitchen and at the dinner table, especially where the kid is concerned, I think this new publication fills a void at the newstands.

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One of the best aspects of staying with our family* for the past few weeks is that we’ve been able to hang out with my husband and kid’s cousins.  Since I don’t have a daughter, these two adorable little girls have helped me better grasp the latest in cool girl play things.

I typically cover girls’ products, trying my best to go beyond princesses and dolls.  Ultimately, many girls love princesses and other girly-ish toys, but other that, what else is there?   Two words: cupcakes and pets.

I was introduced to Petcakes, a new collectible plush toy, at the Time to Play Spring and Summer Showcase.  Well Made Toys, the brains behind these plush toys, had the foresight to combine two things that many girls crave:  lovable pets and the ongoing trend of cupcakes.

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