Mom Maps
We’ve all been there. You are on the go, whether it is running errands or sightseeing and your lil’ sport is about to lose it. They’ve had enough ‘mom’ fun and need some kid fun. Well, guess what? There’s an app for that. read more »
Ball Pit at Well Baby Center in Mar Vista
Today Lexi and I spent the afternoon playing in a ball pit, climbing a jungle gym, sliding down slides, cruising on push cars, hanging with other kids and having some snacks. Sounds like your typical dream if your almost 11 months old, doesn’t it? Well it is and it is dream for Mama too. Well Baby Center in Mar Vista offers Drop in Infant or Toddler Play Groups throughout the week. On this somewhat void stretch of Venice Blvd – though there is a great coffee shop just a few doors down and a new Creperie Down the street, you will find a baby haven. In their quiet (if you can believe it given the location), shaded and safe play area, you can sit and chat with other moms or spend your time chasing and playing with your own wee one. I did a bit of both. One of the many great things about it is that they open their play area for moms over the course of 4 hours – so you can drop in when it suits you and your babies schedule. Which for me and Lexi works out great. She’s not an ‘nap exactly at’ kinda gal, so the swing for naptime can vary greatly for us. But this way, we don’t have to miss out on the fun. read more »
Occasionally I run across a product that is too bizarre not to share with all of you. The Tinkle Tube TM definitely fits the bill. I’ll let the product description given by the company do the talking:
If the Tinkle Tube TM sounds like something you need, you can check it out (and purchase) here. If not, enjoy the video and I hope this product review put a smile on your face!
Diamancel Foot Files
Of course you are. If you are a mom like me, those weekly or bi-weekly pedicures are a thing of the past. I can’t even recall the last time I had a ‘real’ pedicure. That being said, sometimes a girl just needs to soften those soles a bit. read more »
Back to school season is here…and, sometimes, that means some tears…tears at having to spend a day away from loved ones and loved things. Mom. Dad. Sister. Brother. The family pet. A favorite stuffed animal. A favorite toy. You name it. All reasons for mini-heartbreak in the morning.
A few months ago a friend shared a GREAT idea that is sure to minimize the sniffles. Her son was very attached to his toy truck and would throw a mini-tantrum when he was not allowed to take it with him to pre-school. They struggled and struggled for a few weeks until she came up with a brilliant solution. She took a color picture of the toy and had it laminated (about the size of a playing card when all was said and done). She then punched a hole in the laminated photo and tied it to his backpack so that he could “take” his much-loved truck with him every day. It worked like a charm!
This easy, fast and fun solution is applicable to MANY objects of attached affection and is a super way to help get your kiddo through the door. With my daughter only being 5 months old, we aren’t quite there yet. That said, this tip was too good not to share. Hope you find it helpful!
I consider myself a pretty competent person. Usually. Motherhood – somehow – has shaken my confidence in ways I could not imagine. Every “first” fills me with serious trepidation. Our first airplane trip was no exception. Would I pack the right things? Would we hold up the airport security line and cause a small riot? Would I hear the dreaded snickering from fellow passengers?
Thanks to some great advice from a number of my mommy friends, however, our first adventure in the friendly skies was a success.
Remember how excited you were to leave your newly fallen tooth under your pillow? I remember sleeping with my hand under my pillow to ensure that it didn’t fall off my bed. I can now only imagine how nervous my parents were as they gingerly moved my hand to replace it with the quarter that we got for our lost tooth.
My how times have changed! I’m pretty certain from talking to friends that a quarter would be laughed at and that bills are more in order. But the same nervousness of waking your child prevails. Problem solved! With the Jolis pas Beaux Tooth Fairy Mouse, you can provide your toothless wonder with a protector of the tooth and a clever place to put the cash reward. The adorable soft toy mouse has a little pocket in his outfit to hold the tooth and comes with his own matchbox bed.
You can buy the Jolis Pas Beaux Mouse Tooth Fairy box here on Amazon.
Photo of my daughter by Jihan Abdalla
I am a sucker for free stuff. And that includes free classes. I joined Natural Resources (a a pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting center in San Francisco) just before I gave birth and have enjoyed a number of free classes there. One recent class my husband, baby and I attended was focused on tips for creating fabulous photos of our kiddos. Led by a local professional photographer, the seminar was chock-full of tips to ensure that us parents are the best papa-paparazzi possible. So what did we learn? read more »
With summer vacation around the corner – and trips to the park, beach and other crowded places a likely bet – you’ll want to make sure your kiddos are as safe as possible. Help them stand out from the crowd with Tottoos Safety Decals. This mom thinks these temporary tattoos are a brilliant idea and should be standard issue at daycares, birthday parties, etc.
Non-toxic, water resistant and customizable, Tottoos are just one more way you can protect your loved ones (and they will last 12 hours or more if properly applied!). Check out www.tottoos.org for more information about their product lines.
Click here for a 15% OFF coupon available courtesy of Parents Connect. Coupon valid through July 18, 2010.
I admit it. I am less than perfect when it comes to having my camera at the ready for those oh, so precious moments. And I do find myself envious of those mothers that have every sweet, tender moment documented of their child – why can’t I do that? What’s wrong with me? Well, nothing now that I’ve downloaded quite possibly the coolest camera app on my iPhone! Camera + from taptaptap.com allows you to shoot like a professional or at least like a mom in the know. It has an enhanced zoom feature for focusing on those fingers and toes, a stabilizer and a grid to help line up those photos (lets face it, after a night of no sleep, we tend to be a bit shaky) and a plethora of effects that can turn a ho-hum shot into a work of art. For an introductory price of $2.99, it is worth every penny. This mom is soon to become an official baby paparazzi. Gotta go, my baby just smiled….
My usual bad shot....
Voila, now a possible masterpiece
