The latest and greatest in gadgets, gear and goodies
First Doc Martens, and now Vans! America’s favorite bow-wearing kitty is partnering with the preeminent skate and street shoe company for a rather girly and super cool line.
The Hello Kitty-themed Vans, available in kids and adult sizes, are set to debut June 1st at select Vans and Sanrio stores.
I’m eyeing the pink patterned slip-ons for myself and can’t wait to pick up a pair of Hello Kitty baby Vans for a friend’s tiny girly girl. They’re too cute for words!
For today’s Music Monday post, “Love Me For Who I Am” from Brady Rymer is a celebration, as much as it is an appreciation for all things sweet and special. As you may already know, April is Autism Awareness month, and Brady Rymer is underscoring this important message with his fun and infectious new release Love Me for Who I Am.
Debuting tomorrow, April 12, Rymer’s 10-track cd, Love Me for Who I Am, embraces kids of all sizes and more importantly, celebrates kids of all abilities. Hints of folk, rock, pop and reggae aid the colorful flavor of this cd, that’s full of inspiring lyrics and gives a nod to adventures and experiences that make childhood so piquant.
With funny and relatable reasoning that “food should never rub elbows and flavors should never move,” for those of you with kids with discerning palates, “Picky Eaters” is their anthem! And track eight is one that can’t be missed where perennial preschool favorite, Laurie Berkner lends her melodic vocals to “Soft Things” a song that praises the tactile joy and sweet smells of all things soft. And in the spirit of “celebrating and invigorating,” the upbeat and effervescent title track says it all, “please don’t try to fix me, love me for who I am.”
Natural skin care and beauty care brand, Burt’s Bees, recently rolled out new versions of their popular Baby Bee Nourishing Lotions. The Original, Lavender and Fragrance Free formulas are pediatrician-tested, 99% natural and hypoallergenic.
In addition to being paraben-, phthalate- and petrochemical-free, part of the “new and improved” equation is that the fragrances in the Baby Bee Nourishing Lotions are also 100% natural.
I like the thick, but non-greasy consistency of the Fragrance Free Baby Bee Nourishing Lotion. The combination of aloe, shea butter and other ingredients create a gentle moisturizer for the tiniest babies, but are just as effective for rough and tumble kids, such as my own. This is my new go-to baby lotion, and one that’s worth checking out.
I’m convinced our house is where pairs of socks come to lose each other. Nevertheless, I appreciate fun socks, most notably for the kid and as gifts for my friends’ kids.
And behold! I spotted these fun socks at the Brooklyn Baby Expo a few weeks ago. Retro, sustainable and functional, these tube socks from Hank & Jojo are now on my must-have list.
Hank & Jojo tube socks recall the socks from our own childhood, but instead of the bold spectrum of super-tall knee-hi socks, Hank & Jojo’s soft socks for the wee ones are made from bamboo and feature subtle colors, free of AZO dyes.
Ideal for baby shower gifts, Hank & Jojo socks come in baby and kid sizes and are packaged in an adorable recyclable box that can later be used as a lunchbox.
Baby tube socks not your thing? Check out this adorable “Green is the New Black” organic onesie. Hank & Jojo tube socks can be found online and at sites like Uncommon Goods.
Traveling, like writing and shopping, is one of my many passions. But unfortunately, we just don’t get to do enough of it, other than occasional trips to visit our extended family who are spread across the U.S.
Now, combine a social media conference with Disney? We’re so there, I thought. After all these weekends working on our house, and the stress that’s come with it, we needed a vacation! So, when the Disney Social Media Moms conference registration rolled around this year, I crossed my fingers and hoped that our stars would align.
As luck would have it, I got in this year…and well, here we are.
But before any vacation, comes the packing and shopping!
I love getting ready for vacation: the packing, planning, excitement, but most importantly, the shopping! And vacationing in the winter/early spring brings with it a boatload of sales.
Shopping for this trip turned out to be a double mission (kinda like this post!) I’d shop for new Spring clothes for the kid and also grab bargains for next season in the next size. By sharing what we packed, I also get to share some new fave products and fun clothes that I found for super cheap!
Last Fall, I posted about H&M’s awesome sale. When I went back then I scored some 4T shorts for $5 each. Not just any shorts, but cool shorts for boys that don’t make him look goofy. Is it me, or do the fit on most pants/shorts for boys make them look like Steve Urkel? Anyway, I love H&M for their trendy styles and affordability. Love.
Get a pair of shorts (or a few outfits) for Spring and Summer for the kids. From now until March 27th you can get 20% off of your kids purchase with this coupon.
The Children’s Place is my go-to for inexpensive staples for the kid. Khaki shorts, funky graphic tees, classic collared shirts–you name it, TCP is always one of my first stops.
The other week, I participated in a great dialogue on TheMotherhood’s Cooking Connections about “Expanding Your Family’s Palate by Placating Picky Eaters.” The hosts and co-hosts were some of my favorite bloggers, many of whom blog about food and parenting and topics in between.
There were so many great takeaways from our discussion about picky eaters, and I was sure to add my two cents about the experiences I had growing up with an extremely picky sibling. I loved hearing other parents’ suggestions about getting picky eaters to try new foods, as I’m sure it’s something many of you have experienced firsthand.
My favorite suggestions for placating picky eaters includes eating and introducing colorful foods and involving kids in the cooking process. My friend Carol said it best: “involving kids in the kitchen gives them a sense of accomplishment…”
Some great insight from the other participants and hosts was the effectiveness they had with the “one-bite rule” to get their kids to try a food before simply refusing it.
“Our rule is you just need to take a full size bite, chew, swallow and then say, ‘Yes, please’ or ‘No, thank you,’” said host Jennifer Leal, Savor the Thyme.
Since we’re chatting reader feedback, I have to mention this one: last week, my dad sent me a link to a very interesting Slate article.
It was an article about a teether—not just any teether, but Sophie the Giraffe.
Sophie the Giraffe, a rubber teether of international fame, has been a favorite among new parents for quite some time. And unlike the article insists, most new parents I know swear by Sophie because their friends swear by it. I couldn’t tell you what celebrity baby had Sophie, but I can tell you which of my friends did.
We’ve all been there: when a kid’s teething you’ll do anything to soften the cries and lessen the pain. That is, anything that’s safe and effective. And for me, I hardly consider a teether a social status.
For many parents who opt to go the natural route, numbing medicine is replaced by teethers and homemade methods. Likened to the feel of a bottle’s nipple, Sophie’s rubber resistance against a baby’s aching, teething gums has been called a lifesaver when nothing else worked. And just like the article mentions, when concerns started to rise about the safety of products from China, parents turned to less questionable products, including the rubber giraffe from France named Sophie.
Sophie the Giraffe is made of 100% natural rubber and food paint, making it completely safe to chew for babies. Her unique size and shape make it easy for tiny fingers to grasp as well.
Regardless of how she got her rise to fame, Sophie is a beloved teether in the parenting community. Sure, she costs a little more than her plastic counterparts, but for many, her effectiveness and safety is worth the expense.
Be sure to check out this interesting article on Sophie the Giraffe on Slate.
Sophie the Giraffe from Viulli can be found at specialty stores and retailers like giggle. I even spotted her on Bed Bath and Beyond‘s site and diapers.com.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to abandon the monotonous gray and black palette, heavy coats and snow boots in favor of brighter shades that scream Spring. Oh yes, the snow is melting and the days are getting longer, which means it’s almost time to break out the Spring clothes.
Many of our favorite children’s brands have been previewing their Spring lines for weeks now. But one that’s caught my eye—and ears—is Ralph Lauren Childrenswear. Ralph Lauren, a purveyor of classic styles for the entire family, debuted its Childrenswear Spring line with a new installment of its RL Gang, a unique video storybook.
An online video and interactive page-turner, the RL Gang is narrated by Uma Thurman and features a gorgeous, diverse group of kids that form the RL Gang. The story, complemented by an artistic watercolor backdrop, follows the RL Gang on an imaginative school-based adventure in welcoming a new student. Each kid showcases a stylish Ralph Lauren look, embodying a spectrum of styles and personalities as diverse as the kids themselves.
Often characterized by chic stripes, classic plaids and different shades of Americana, Ralph Lauren’s Spring Childrenswear line also boasts a burst of bright colors and trendy details. My personal favorite looks from the RL Gang are River’s multi-colored striped polo and Mae’s ruffled Rugby Dress, which both showcase bold colors and modern details that are dominant throughout the rest of the Spring line.
If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out this new RL Gang shoppable storybook. Want to shop for the styles seen in the story? Be sure to check out the kids’ closets or hover over the character to get more information.
What’s even cooler about this shoppable storybook? It has a charitable aspect: proceeds from the RL Gang shopping experience will support the Room to Grow organization – a not for profit offering parenting support and essential baby items for babies born in to poverty.
Can you see your cute kid as part of the next RL Gang? You’re in luck: Polo Ralph Lauren is hosting an international search for one child to be cast in an upcoming installment of The RL Gang. To nominate your kid, head over to Ralph Lauren’s Facebook page.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so I thought it’s a good a time as any to share some cute finds that channel lots of love, practicality and a whole lot of springtime, too.
A big fan of giving practical gifts in lieu of trinkets that will get sucked up by the vacuum, I wanted to spotlight a few of the many cool hot pink snack containers and bottles that are out right now.
Even though I’m in the “Valentine’s Day is everyday” camp, I can’t help but share some favorite goodies that celebrate all things heart-y. While chocolates and candy are yummy treats, I can think of so many other ways to spread the love.
Books, even in the era of iPads, will always remain one of my favorite gift-giving ideas. With a love for robots, gear and gadgets, I think this book is a fun gift idea for our fellow robot fans.
The Robot Book by Heather Brown, a thoughtful and multi-faceted book about a robot, gets into the nuts and bolts of what matters most. From page to page, the interactive book features working and moving gears, cogs, nuts, and bolts throughout the creative illustrations, leading to what makes robots tick.
All of the interactive components of the book, paired with a straightforward storyline, make The Robot Book a fun read for babies to big kids and robot enthusiasts alike.
Because of the kid’s love for robots, The Robot Book always finds its way into our bedtime storytime list. We love turning the knobs and talking about how each part works together, which usually leads to more silly stories and laughs. It’s a story that engages imagination, thoughtfulness and conveys a message that everyone should take to heart.
Check out the cool trailer after the jump.
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