Posts filed under 'children'
We’ve found another kids cup to love: The Safe Sippy by Kid Basix.
Bret Plate, a father of two, was worried about the toxic components of plastics and how they may leach from his kids’ drinking cups and into their beverages. In search of a better alternative, he designedbeverage container of food-grade stainless steel, inside and out. All plastics used on the product are certified or tested free of BPA and pthalates (the company says it pays for independent lab tests to ensure the cups are free of these substances). The interior no-spill valve is made from silicone. Why are there no plastics on this cup, then? As the company says, nobody wants to sip on a steel straw.
The no-spill valve isn’t absolutely leakproof; the company admits that while the valve will prevent major spills, there still will be drips and dribbles when the cup is inverted. I haven’t found a perfectly hermetically sealed sippy cup, so I can live with a few drips. And I appreciate that this one’s easy to put together, and has saved us from those leaks caused by “assembly-mom error.” The removable outer sleeve adds a nice grip-factor for kids, especially if you choose not to use the sleek little handles, and also insulates cold drinks from their little mitts.
The Safe Sippy is easy to clean, and is dishwasher safe. We wash ours the fast, easy and green way: in the recommended solution of baking soda, vinegar and hot water, the same way we wash our other stainless steel containers.
And, well, the cup’s styling is just plain cool. It comes in three great color combinations: stainless steel and orange paired with bright blue, turquoise or hot pink. In fact, it’s so cool, my kids fight over the single Safe Sippy we have. Guess I should finally purge all those plastic cups and stock my shelves with these.
Mama Kate
August 18th, 2008
My husband and I have been spoiled with the most amazing cousin who lived in town and was available to watch and love our daughter when we needed to get out on a date or run errands etc…we were so happy for her graduation and subsequent move out of town, but then there we were…no babysitter to call…
I found a few here and there, but nobody has been reliable, or near like our Anna—those of you with amazing people who watch your children will know what I mean…the bar has been raised!
Now, how do I go about finding this person since my informal searches have left me frustrated and feeling like I will never find one…I’ve come home from a date night only to be up cleaning for two hours after a baking experiment occurred in my kitchen, had no-shows, found my daughter up and running around at 10:30, people who are impossible to reach or inspire a call back from…fun…lots of fun.
Enter Babysitter Connections from Tiffany Kinder, who also runs the phenomenal Nanny Connections . Nanny Connections is a must stop if you are looking to get in touch with outstanding, pre-screened nannies , but I had no idea there was this amazing Babysitter Connections available to those of us who need a sitter, but not a more fully scheduled nanny. By the way, I have met one of the nannies who came from Nanny Connections since she works for my friend. I didn’t know that she was the nanny for a while because I thought she was a family member! That is how unbelievable she is!
So I decided to give Babysitter Connections a whirl!
There is a small fee required to access information on available sitters that includes their reference contact information, picture, personal contact information, background check, wage desired, experience and little bio.
Wooohooo! Unbelievable…I am babysitter shopping!! I have heard back from most of the girls I have emailed this week and will begin some face-to-face meetings tomorrow. I am giddy over the fact that I may have someone I can call, rely upon, and trust with my little one soon. Thank you Babysitter Connections for such a phenomenal service for Wisconsin and what looks like is beginning to reach out farther than that!!
Feel free to take a peek before you sign up. You can see which sitters are in your area and/or are available at a specific time prior to joining. You just don’t have their contact information until you pay the small fee to have access. Helping parents be successful in their sitter hunt??? Now, that has MomAppeal!!!
Whichever you are looking for, Babysitter Connections and Nanny Connections are sure to give you a HUGE leg up!!!!!
Mama Jen
July 24th, 2008
Look at these amazingly cute, cute, CUTE bath capes! I absolutely love the idea…functional, imagination inspiring and fashionable!
These 100% terry cloth bath capes drape over your shivering little superhero and button in front so your little one can run around hands-free and warm!!! These would solve a big problem in our house—chattering teeth because our daughter’s towel—even though it has a hood— falls off, or is flailing wide open while she is destracted with some fun task her hands have gotten her into. A button would fix that in a heartbeat!
This Chicago based company that hand makes these capes, will emblazon a bath cape for your child and ship the item out two weeks or less from the time of order.
Mama Jen
June 11th, 2008
Like the rest of you parents out there, I think some of my kids’ artwork is super cool. Now I can have it with me constantly (around my neck or wrist, on my keychain) and show it off at will. All you have to do (dads, this means you) is upload a scan of your child’s artwork and, vóila, the gals at Mommy Tags will emblazon it on a 1-inch-wide circular tag made of recycled silver. Last step is to order a chain — silver or leather — and wait for the masterpiece to arrive. And, you get a professionally mounted rubber stamp of the artwork as well — great for making cards, Ts, etc.
Mommy Tags is very clear that YOU own the copyright to your child’s artwork; they will not use or distribute it.
Tags are $95. Chains start at $15.
And, dads, while your order probably won’t make it by Mom’s Day at this point, you at least can frame the original artwork and let Mommy know what’s on the way.
Mama Kate
April 27th, 2008
OK. So I’ve often thought I could make my own gift bags — just some cool fabric and a few zigzags on the sewing machine, right? Well, that means that I actually have to get out my sewing machine and go to the store to pick out fabric, iron it, make sure the kids are outta they way before I try to run the sewing machine, etc. etc. So, pretty much, my little spurt of craftiness is not gonna happen.
Enter Lucky Crow fabric bags, owned by Green Approach LLC in Portland, OR. Though I’m a fine papers fanatic, the sustainable/green aspects of our MomAppeal personas LOVE these. By design, they are reusable and, made of fabric, are much sturdier than any of the old paper gift bags, wraps and trimmings I have filling up two bins in my basement. And, the ribbons are attached and the fabric are cool: From the Retro-Rocket Rascals and the Sock Monkey patterns to some ’60s flashback prints (Carnival, Free Spirit and Happy Tree) and even holiday and hip organic prints, you’ll find a design that matches your gifting style and theme.
Lucky Crow bags are sold individually in a range of sizes ($4.50-$13.50), including those that just the right fit for tiny bling boxes, wine bottles, CDs, books and even bigger gifts. The largest size almost fit a Rody bounce-on toy; two extra large bags would work better, and allow you to wrap other similarly sized assembled gifts (we all know wrapping those well with paper is just about impossible).
Or, make your life really easy and choose from one of five collections ($17.99-$115.99) that include bags of assorted sizes and patterns. We love that the Lucky Crow tells you how much purchasing by collection saves vs. ordering oodles of individual bags, and that the company has some fun and free gift tags you can print from your browser window.
Here’s something else we like: Lucky Crow is a member of 1% for the Planet, an international group of businesses that donates one percent of their sales to nonprofit environmental organizations.
Lucky Crow has created a special promotion code for MomAppeal readers — so you can stock up now and be set for birthday parties, house warmings and holidays for the rest of the year. Type in the promotional code MomAppeal at checkout and you’ll receive 20% off any order of $50 or more. Thanks Lucky Crow!
Mama Kate
March 24th, 2008
If you are interested in teaching your child yoga, Little Yoga: A Toddler’s First Book of Yoga is a great place to start.
Full of colorful illustrations of beginner poses and whimsical text, you can both take a much needed breather and practice yoga together. (This works great especially if your child was more interested in taking props from other little yogis while in yoga class…not my daughter of course)
Watch for the DVD to come out—Gwyneth Paltrow will be doing the commentary since she loves the book for her children. Currently, the book is available at most book stores including Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble.
Namaste!
Mama Jen
March 20th, 2008
This modern mom is all a-twitter about Little Lark and its hand-printed baby clothes and cards. The Ts are hip little statements in graphics form that transcend the usual standbys of butterflies and trucks on girlish pink and boyish blue (though you can find those sweet colors stylishly paired with modern brown). Instead, it’s artful wear for all, including a small selection for mamas and papas who like a little sophistication to their Ts.
The clothes are deliciously comfortable. I’ve outfitted myself and my own little larks in shirts of the same vein (Tree and Birds styles) — we call them our mama bird and baby birdies outfits. I’m drawn to the simple strength and sweetness of the organic images — the birds, fiddlehead fern and tree branches designs — but love the playfulness of the gnome, robot and bike graphics, too. Little Lark offers shirts, onesies, hats, pants, bags, hoodies and even individually letter-pressed cards. I could’ve bought enough of the latter to supply my correspondence needs for a year — the paper is a great heavy stock and the colors of the crisp graphics and envelopes among my favorite combinations. But truly, the cards are so beautiful I framed and hung them in groupings to make some bold statements on my walls.
But there’s more to squawk about when it comes to Little Lark: The conscientious side of me loves that the attire is 100% cotton —onesies are organic— sweatshop-free, American-made fabric. The arty side of me loves the individuality of the pieces: The inks are hand-mixed, the designs hand-printed. Even the unique labels are hand-printed on recycled fabrics and pressed into the inner shirtback. I’m a sucker for packaging, and dig that the shirts arrive in their own little printed muslin bags.
This mama-owned business in Portland, OR, is creatively powered by Christy Nyboer, a painter, sculptor and mom to two boys. She and pal/neighbor Jean Sammis co-founded the company in 2006. (While the two still inspire each other, Sammis now focuses solely on Lark Press.) Nyboer is busy prepping the spring line and gearing up to carry LoveMily, “little old man meets baby” cardigan sweater designs (these cozy little handmade cotton pieces — we’ve seen ‘em — come in chocolate brown or heather gray).
We think all of Nyboer’s stuff is something to chitter about!
Mama Kate
February 6th, 2008
The New Day in May Jacket from Skipping Hippos is wonderful on so many levels. It is 100% pure cotton wale corduroy and has the most darling dogwood pattern at the bottom which floats around the base of the jacket in a modernistic whimsy. The inside of this jacket has a beautiful floral and polka dot pattern for a little twist—I am always a fan of wonderful fabrics on the inside of coats and purses…
This jacket is absolutely adorable and will keep your toddler comfortable in cool weather. What a chic way to ring in the spring! The other huge plus to this jacket is that a portion of the proceeds go to the wonderful charity Love Without Boundaries which provides important surgeries to orphans throughout the world. One of the more common surgeries that are provided are surgeries to correct cleft pallets which is a life changing surgery for people who need it.
Skipping Hippos is a great little online boutique run by a San Francisco mom, who built her business around her fabulous baby and toddler ponchos—great, great, great!!!
Mama Jen
January 21st, 2008
I just received my Gretta Poncho from Skipping Hippos last week for my daughter, and I am wowwwwwed!!!
It is amazingly soft and adorned with the most fun and whimsical pom poms and decoration. Even the hood has a fun tassle on it’s top!
Each poncho from the San Francisco based company has it’s own personality, so you can find exactly the perfect one for your little girl. I can’t wait to gift these to people and get more as my daughter grows. They are soooo snuggly soft and truly unique. I have never seen anything like this for kids. Skipping Hippos got it right with this amazing little number! Be sure to check keep an eye out for their newest mlle everyday jacket, which is a feminine, 100% fleece pea coat styled coat!!
October 17th, 2007
My daughter absolutely loves her “own” space. She has a little tent that she adores going into and hiding things and playing for a little bit, which is great for her. I love seeing independance sprout here and there from my very rooted-in-everything-mommy little girl!
I assume, as she gets older, the whole mess of hand made, close-pinned sheet tents will bring her much joy…They will make me nostalgic for some of my hand spun fort wonders—until I am the one that has to fold all the sheets up neatly in the linen closet! I absolutely dislike folding!!!
When a friend mentioned a Play Tent from Lucy and Michael, I drooled over the adorable little abodes for kids on their website…take a gander, you’ll see what I mean!!! Great for your home or a wonderful gift… Mama Jen
October 9th, 2007
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