Since I've got a house full of kids, it's a safe bet that my holiday cards are going to feature photos of those kids. But I still want those cards to reflect my taste--which means no cards with ice-skating penguins or dancing candy canes…
Out of consideration for my post-baby figure, I rarely bake any more. It's just one of the sacrifices I make in the name of vanity. But at holiday time, my no-bake resolution goes out the window (and takes my willpower right along with i…
I think it's been at least five years since I used an actual telephone book. With a wi-fi broadband connection to the all-knowing Internet, those old books are now only useful to me as makeshift booster seats and yet they continue to sho…
I'm one of those goofy, sentimental types where it comes to personal correspondence. If you send me a card, you can be sure it will occupy a place of honor on my refrigerator. But if you send me one of these holiday scratch 'n' sniff car…
I'm actually glad that I pitched all of the bottles I used for my first two kids and had to buy new ones for surprise baby #3. Because with all the recent news about plastics leaching BPA and who knows what chemicals into the milk, I've …
All three of my kids totally dig toy animals. Even the baby happily bangs the horse and cow and pig against the roof of our wooden play barn. It's pretty easy to see that a bunch of new animal figurines would make fantastic stocking stuf…
The weather is finally turning cold here in Colorado, which means that it's time to begin our annual battle over the thermostat. My husband turns it up, I turn it down, and round and round we go until April. I think I might have finally …
My baby boy and I are closing in on nine months of successful breastfeeding but unfortunately, that's just the problem. Based on my first two babies, I planned for only a few months of nursing and that's left me in dire need of new nursi…
Feet certainly don't get any cuter with age, so I figure I might as well leave my kids' toes bare for as long as I can. But while bare toes are adorable, they look a little out of place paired with a velveteen dress or flannel trousers i…
Call me ecologically bankrupt, but I'm willing to pay for convenience . Disposable dipes and wipes are a mainstay around here, as was jarred baby food--until I tried the Beaba Babycook . (Update: Now the Beaba Babycook Pro, shown below.)…
Here at CMP, we see a lot of fabulous products created by entrepreneurs. But we don't always get a chance to delve deeper into the stories behind those products. So we've been waiting eagerly for the brand new product discovery site, The…
I love to choose sentimental, personal gifts that say something more than "I dropped $50 on you." (Hello, gift cards.) Problem is, sentimental, personal gifts can border on cheesy if you aren't choosy. The design-your-own photo frames fr…
Long before Cool Mom Picks, I was a big fan of diaper bags that made a statement beyond "I wipe poopy butts all day long." But after treating myself to something pretty, I soon discovered pretty didn't necessarily keep me any more organi…
I used to collect books the way other people collect whatever it is they collect, but since having kids, my book-buying budget has been re-allocated to board books, and a trip to the library means sitting in a circle for story time. Then…
With each successive child, it gets progressively more difficult to haul around my brood. I started with one of those gargantuan travel systems that's more trouble than it's worth. Then I moved on to the stroller frame that accommodates …
I have allowed my children to invade nearly all areas of my life. There are chicken nuggets in my freezer, tricycles in my driveway, and hordes of toys in every room of the house. But I admit I've drawn the line at listening to children'…
As far as I'm concerned, the greatest gifts are the ones that you'd feel far too frivolous buying for yourself, but are unexpectedly practical. That theory goes double for new baby gifts. That's why the Car Seat Cardigan from Pomegranate…
I'm in favor of pulling out all the stops to decorate my children's rooms beautifully. But since a little redecorating is inevitable between preschool and high school, that means choosing furniture with some built-in flexibility. Woodwor…
If you want to make a statement, and you're not above using your baby as a billboard (we're not), try +E (positive energy) Awareness Apparel. These soft, 100% certified organic cotton tees and onesies are designed to deliver the social, …
I used to be really good at remembering names and faces. A little stalkerish even. But then I had children and a good percentage of my brain cells expired from lack of sleep. Now I'm lucky if I remember my own name, let alone the names o…
While I'll happily spend hours browsing through all types of stationery, searching for just the right mix of simplicity and elegance, greeting cards almost always leave me cold. Blame it on years of searching for some idealistic notion o…
Apparently the upcoming Presidential election is a hot topic at the local elementary school, so I've become a little more careful when spouting off, lest my words be repeated at recess: Well, MY mom says... Thank goodness Linda Ellerbee …
I'm already on record as not being a fan of fluffy pastel nursery decor. How are children supposed to develop good design sensibilities if you don't show them the way? This striking mobile from Contexture , aptly named "As the Crow Flies…
My kids love to admire the aisles of Halloween-themed kids' clothing almost as much as I love to admire the aisles of Halloween-themed candy. But I can't bring myself to buy any those jack-o-lantern shirts and "happy halloween" bibs beca…
