Sunday 04 May

Notepads Perfect For Kids. And Narcissists.

The oversized story/art notepads from custom photo stationers, Marmalade Ink are right up my daughter's alley, personalized with her name and photo. ...

Wednesday 16 April

Mommytrack'd Helps Gets Moms Back On Track

When a product is presented as the "Ultimate Family Organizer" it's setting the bar pretty high. You nearly expect it to come with a personal assistant and three more hours in the day ...

Wednesday 09 April

Thomas Paul: From Wallpaper of the Rich and Famous to the Pencil Holders of the Cluttered and Not-So-Famous

With Mother's Day on the horizon, there is definitely one gift you do not need and that's a World's Greatest Mom mouse pad. Or pencil holder. Or stationery. ...

Tuesday 08 April

Let the Mommy Cards Do the Talking

If you'd rather pick up playdates in style, check out the mommy cards from...Mommy Cards. ...

Sunday 06 April

Don't Forget

Do you consider yourself brilliant and utterly intelligent? How about busy? And forgetful? If so, then we have found the to-do list for you. ...

Thursday 03 April

Family Photo Sorting Help, Just In Time for Mother's Day

Inspired to tackle our own mess of family photos for the benefit of the next generation, we're counting on CatchMyMemory to help get the job done. ...

Saturday 15 March

Bring it On, IRS

Even with my own invented envelope system, I still find myself swimming in a sea of receipts and records when it comes time to file my tax return. So when I heard the organizational gurus from Buttoned Up had put together a tax filing system, I had to take a look. ...

Thursday 13 March

There's a Reason This Baby Organizer is Called Essential

The Essential Baby Organizer has been a fabulous resource for keeping me up to date as the days and weeks go by. ...

Tuesday 11 March

If the Easter Bunny Used Labels

As the mom of two little ones these days, I'm probably not going to go overboard with the Easter baskets. But the fantastic Easter tags from Tattered Tags, a paper shop owned by designer Brooke Campbell, almost make me want to go big. ...

Sunday 24 February

And the Seasons, They Grow Round and Round

My philosophy is if you're still looking for a desk calendar in late February, then you're the type who needs one the most. Take this Plantable Eco Calendar found at the Olive Barn. ...

Sunday 03 February

The Journey to Adoption Just Got More Beautiful

While adoptive parents can certainly document their child's first steps, first foods, and first booger-flnging incident like any other, the baby book pages about prepartum cravings can be a little awkward in their emptiness. ...

Friday 01 February

Make-Your-Own Valentine

Upon scoping out the selection of Valentine's Day cards at our local card shop, I was nearly eaten alive by the sea of licensed characters professing their love. Eek! ...

Tuesday 29 January

I Want to Be the Girl With the Most Cake

The sigOth and I had this great idea to save all of our daughter's birthday hats, ostensibly to watch the progression from Elmo to Diego to Toodee, if one day Yo Gabba Gabba licenses their characters to party supplies. ...

Wednesday 23 January

Little Details Making a Big Difference

My husband decided to invite a few more people than I had intended (um, that would be none) to my son's first birthday celebration. Instead of freaking out and slapping together some terrible goody bag... ...

Tuesday 15 January

Pulp Non-Fiction

You'd think it would be easy to shop for a newly pregnant woman, but it's harder than it seems. Especially if you don't know whether the mama-to-be would prefer a pedicure or that everyone just leave her alone and stop touching her, dammit! ...

Sunday 06 January

Details, Details

Much to some people's surprise, I'm a fairly crafty person. That's not to say you'll see me making my son a commemorative first birthday quilt or anything, but I do what I can to add personalized touches for parties and special occasions. ...

Sunday 02 December

Gift Wrap Without the Guilt

If you've been around the web anytime in the last few weeks you'd know there are eco gift guides galore. But I always have to snicker at the idea of some biodegradable hemp-based lipstick (or whatever) beautifully gift wrapped in one-time use paper. ...

Friday 30 November

Killing Three Baby Books With One Stone

Was it just me or is it every pregnant mom's shower nightmare to get fourteen cutesie baby books that haunt you, unused, from your closet months after your baby is born. ...

Friday 30 November

Because a Whole Lot of Kids Think That Christmas Celebrates the Birth of Santa

You might want to skip this pick if you left your sense of humor at the office, because this is quite possibly the holiday item that's made us all laugh the loudest this year. ...

Wednesday 28 November

Next Stop, Oprah's Book Club

I have yet to nail down the perfect way to effectively collect and display my daughter's massive amounts of artwork. But then I found Little Author, an awesome mom and dad-run business that will take your kid's artwork and turn it into a real live book. ...

Monday 19 November

Gifts That Make You Wish You Had Cooler Friends

Each holiday season, I make sure to stock up on a box full of emergency hostess and holiday gifts. They're the kinds of things you can pretty much give to anyone when you get a last minute invite, or--horror of all horrors--someone hands you a gift and you haven't reciprocated. ...

Tuesday 13 November

The Modern Family Tree

Sometimes you just want a little something to send to a new parent, something with a Cool Quotient that exceeds the price tag. We've found that very thing in the limited edition Fill-in-the-Blank Family Tree. ...

Wednesday 31 October

Keeping the Boogeyman At Bay

So what do you do when you and your sweet little fairy princess or pea pod or happy clown run to answer the door tonight only to find...17 year-old trick or treaters wielding bloody machetes? ...

Friday 26 October

And Then There Was The Time I Barfed On My Boss...

While I spend a whole lot of my life online, I understand that not every mother does. In fact, there are some pregnant women who actually (gasp!) don't have blogs. So how's a expecting mama to keep track of all those memories? ...

Sunday 07 October

Scribble Me This

If I have to draw one more cat or tree or apple on demand for my daughter, I think I might just lose it. Let's just say I'm best equipped for being the guesser at Pictionary. But thanks to Taro Gomi's amazing Scribbles: A Really Giant Coloring and Drawing Book, I've been totally off the hook.

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Saturday 29 September

Give Me Clarity

No matter how many electronic organizers they come up with, I'm still a pen and paper kind of girl. We've pointed out a few great multi-schedule organizers for moms, and now we've found another we're liking a lot.
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Sunday 02 September

Taming Food Allergies

Ever since I learned about my niece's egg allergy, I've been on the lookout for helpful products and services to help her mama out.
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Saturday 18 August

No Trees Were Harmed in the Making of This Trite Screenplay Idea

I'm a journal whore. I cannot have enough blank books in every room of my house, just waiting for me to jot down inspired nuggets of brilliance, poetic stanzas, novel starters, effervescent bon mots. Or a shopping list that identifies that that I'm out of Pledge. ...

Tuesday 14 August

Get In Mah Belly!

Like many dutiful first time mothers, I took pictures of my growing belly (and unfortunately, thighs and butt) every month until I had my daughter. But what exactly are you supposed to do with those photos? And don't say "screen saver." ...

Tuesday 24 July

Stuck on Stickers

My daughter has officially reached that very important developmental milestone known as the sticker age. If it's got an adhesive back, then to her it's the single greatest thing since ice cream--Scotch tape included. ...

Saturday 07 July

No Hidden Agendas

Ever since I was introduced to momAgenda, I've scoffed at those other datebooks. Try fitting pediatrician appointments, playdates, and field trips for two or more kids into those little spaces and you might as well just write it all on the back of your hand. ...

Saturday 30 June

Like You Needed Another Reason to Buy More Books

At the request of my husband, I have curtailed my purchases of hordes of children's books for my avid little reader. And while being relegated to the library isn't such a bad thing, there's something about a crisp new book that I just can't let go of. ...

Thursday 31 May

Sealed With a Goose

Nothing says "last minute afterthought" than a present in a regifted gift bag. Believe me, I was the worst offender. But since having children, there's just something about watching a little one tear through a nicely wrapped package that warms my heart. ...

Sunday 27 May

Because New Dads Are in For The Shock of a Lifetime Too

It seems that poor dads-to-be get shafted in the baby gifts department. Sure, maybe they're not so into opening up cute onesies or the softest burp cloths, but that doesn't mean the dads don't deserve a little token too come shower time. ...

Thursday 03 May

Showing Off the Kiddos, Old School

With the digital age upon us, there's no shortage of pictures of my kids. But unless I want to my friends huddling around my laptop, there's no actual enjoyment of my handiwork (the kids and the photos) to be had. I think it's high time I develop a few of the photos and get an album that's just as beautiful as the kids inside. ...

Sunday 29 April

Making Grandma's (Mothers') Day

I am not a diy-er, crafter, Martha-in-training, or whatever you want to call people who have the genius ability to make things that don't look, well, like they made them. This is not a big deal until my own mother gets on the phone and tells me to "make her something" for Mother's Day. And I don't think she's referring to the new grandbaby on the way. ...

Friday 23 March

She Works Hard for the Money So You Better Treat Her Right

One of the hardest aspects of being a working mom is that first day back to work after maternity leave. All things being equal, most of us would rather be at home wiping bums than at the office with our noses up one. Or at least for a few more months. ...

Wednesday 21 March

Maternity Clothes Guaranteed to Fit

Nothing can prepare a first-time pregnant friend for the ordeal that is maternity shopping. Except for maybe you. That is, if you have it in you to dash her expectations that she'll look adooooorable in those chic low-rise jeans for the entire nine months. ...

Sunday 18 March

Making Even the Most Disorganized Mom Look Put Together

Having a baby can even the most organized of mothers a run for their money. And save having a personal assistant, it seems like it's a common known fact that moms just aren't going to be able to keep everything together as well as they did pre-kiddo. ...

Friday 09 March

Where is the Love? Right Here, In this Book

I've got a few friends involved in adoptions these days and I've gotta say, it's really hard to find the perfect gift. I love the idea of something unique to their circumstances, but not all of them are the types to wear an "I'm an adoptive parent" tee shirt either. Then I stumbled across the Adoption Book and I thought, aha! That's it!
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Friday 02 February

Feeling Groovy, We Hope

My first child, I'm fortunate to say, is healthy as a horse. But my second child: Ear infections up the wazoo. Even though there wasn't a ton of medical info to keep track of, especially compared with children with real illnesses, there are many times I wish I'd written down what that Motrin dosage was or which antibiotic had her spewing fluids from both ends. ...

Friday 26 January

Say Goodbye to Preggo Brain

 

With all the hormones rushing through my body and my brain cells being sucked away by the minute, there's no way I could possibly keep up with everything that goes along with having a baby. OB check-up stats? Baby Registry? Daycare interview? Ack!

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Saturday 25 November

Not Just Any Book Will Do

The lovely yet ill-conceived baby book is almost a guaranteed shower gift. While we all love to keep track of the milestones as best we can, let's be honest, those early days are exhausting. If you're going to spend the energy keeping track of details, it's not going to be things like "the outfit baby wore on her sixth day" or "the date he got his fourteenth tooth" ...

Tuesday 15 August

Brag Smaller

I'm not a brag book kind of gal. It's not that I don't love showing off pics of my daughter--just ask anyone who's ever come within six inches of me over the past year--it's that I don't need yet one more big thing to weigh down my already overloaded bag.

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Friday 21 July

On My To-Do List: 1) Find a Better To-Do List

Are you a member of the scrap paper/atm receipt/used envelope scribblers club? The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. And considering my husband has a penchant for throwing away any piece of paper that is not attached to a spiral binding, I'm in desperate need of some list therapy. ...

Saturday 08 July

No More Ring Around the Coffee Table

There were a few precious pieces of furniture we sacrificed after having kids, but our gorgeous coffee table? No way. ...

Friday 07 July

Journal-ist

While every new mom-to-be has an insane list of things she needs (wipe warmers not withstanding), there's nothing cooler than getting her something she needs but doesn't yet know she needs. ...

Friday 05 May

Everything I Needed to Know About Parenthood I Learned from a Cocktail Napkin

Margarita_1In honor of today's Cinquo de Mayo festivities, we scoured the web for a pop culture pinata or a designer sombrero. Just some little knick-knack or doodad, that we might pay homage to one of the most underrated holidays outside your local Chili's. ...