Send Your Toddler Off With A Roar

Monday, June 29th, 2009 | Feeding, On Sale | No Comments

All mommies know that even at a very early age - like two - your child can destroy a backpack. I have no idea what happens to these little bags, but they take some serious abuse.  From rips and tears to splatters and drips, they never seem to look as great as they did on that historic ‘first day’ of school.

Why not go for cute and durable? This is Rory The Lion Little Kid Backpack. It is made from nylon and laminated canvas so it’s easy to clean. For extra comfort on little bodies, it has a padded  back panel and padded straps. It also has a patch on the back for your little cub’s name. It’s on sale now at Posh Tots for $36!

Sushi Rattle Set: Great Gift for the Green Gourmet

Monday, June 29th, 2009 | Eco-friendly & Organic, Play. Play. Play. | No Comments

The line of eco-friendly knit toys from Yellow Label Kids is hard to beat. Take a look at this delicious Sushi Rattle Set. Cuddly, creative and made through fair trade practices. The perfect gift for your favorite eco-conscious mommy and her sweet ‘green’ baby.

This yummy set retails for $34 at Arte Bebe. The only thing missing is a knit chunk of wasabi and a knit ice cold Sapporo…

A 30-Something Mom’s Tribute to Michael Jackson

Friday, June 26th, 2009 | Mommy Musings & Humor | 1 Comment

Michael Jackson was my very first idol. I was a child who happened to love dancing, whether it was tap, ballet or jazz, and I loved pop music. My first memory of Michael Jackson was dancing to ‘Beat It’ during a dance recital. I was the only girl in the class who had fully mastered the ever-popular moonwalk. It came to me naturally and I remember trying to teach other girls in the class how to do it because they had trouble figuring it out.

I was a huge Michael Jackson fan for many years. Thriller was my most favorite album and I listened to it on a daily basis. I knew every song by heart and absolutely loved them all. After much pleading and begging, I finally convinced my mom to let me hang two of his posters in my room, as long as I didn’t use too much tape as she didn’t want me to ruin the walls when they came down. I also remember innocently thinking to myself, “why would I ever take them down?”

My cool friends were all into Duran Duran and other more hip groups during that time. I was often the butt of jokes for liking Michael Jackson, owning two pair of parachute pants and wearing big white socks with black shoes, but it didn’t phase me. Watching him sing and dance was electrifying. His talent and skills moved me in a way I couldn’t explain. He was mesmerizing and seeing clips of his performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show still gives me chills.

I even used Michael Jackson as a gauge for how bad my colds were when I was a kid. For example, if I were home sick, was I too sick to dance with Michael? Like if he magically showed up at my door and wanted to dance with me, was I too sick to dance with him? If so, I was pretty darn sick and probably running a fever. If not, I wasn’t very sick.

Needless to say, the posters eventually came down. I don’t remember what motivated me to take them down, but they were never replaced with someone new.  It may be selfish, but this is how I will always remember the King of Pop. I do not care to think about his scandals, his eccentricities or his surgeries. He will always be an inspiration to me and I hope others choose to remember the good years too. Rest in peace, Michael. And thank you for the memories.

A Laugh for the Day…

Thursday, June 25th, 2009 | Mommy Musings & Humor | No Comments

While it may seem like I’m addicted to Facebook like everyone else, I’m not. I use it for business purposes too like promoting my MommyQ blog and the blogging I do for Droolicious on Babble.com.

Anyway, when I post items to my profile sometimes I quickly scan my home page to see what’s going on. I was scanning it today and noticed a very popular photographer in Austin TX,  John Langford, was having a special promotion. His ad read, “Get a New Photo & Get Noticed.” In my haste, I read it as, “Get a Nude Photo & Get Naked.”

Needless to say, I was like, “what in the world???” As soon as I re-read it, I laughed and laughed. MommyQ  hopes you got a giggle out of my “mind in the gutter” moment! If you want to take advantage of John’s “new” photo promotion, check it out on Facebook!

Follow MommyQ on Twitter!

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 | Celebrity Scoop, Fashion & Shopping, Mommy Blog, Mommy Musings & Humor, Parenting | No Comments

If you want real news from the mom trenches, follow MommyQ on Twitter. Find me at http://twitter.com/mommyq and stay up-to-date about baby gear, nursery items, baby and toddler clothes, crib bedding, eco-friendly toys and more! Not to mention my goofy perspective on mommy moments — how can you miss those!?! - fashion and celeb gossip.

Thanks for Ditching the Plaid, Burberry

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 | Baby & Toddler Clothes | No Comments

If you’ve followed MommyQ at all, you know how much I relish in making fun of Burberry. I have no real rhyme or reason to do it, but I do. I’m not a plaid hater and I didn’t have a horrible plaid incident as a child. I did have a goose sweater incident, but that’s an entirely different post.

Anyway, this adorable little Ruffle Neck Dress is 100% Burberry, yet you probably wouldn’t know by looking at it. No plaid! And might I add, Hallelujah! This pink pique knit dress features a sleeveless A-line shape.  Okay, so there is a bit of plaid inside the neck placket…but that doesn’t really count. Retails for $120 at Nordstrom.

Pregnancy Today: Throwing a ‘Green’ Baby Shower

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 | Baby Shower Gifts, Eco-friendly & Organic, Mommy Blog, Trends | No Comments

Have you thought about throwing an eco-friendly baby shower? Why not, it’s all the rage. Just because you have to skip lots of the wrapping paper fun, doesn’t mean it’s a boring alternative. Pregnancy Today writer Katherine Bontrager explores lots of great ideas for showering mommy with a party that is fun and green.

Forget the pink and blue, folks. Get your creative juices flowing and make plans to throw one of your own. You can read the full article here. And looks for MommyQ’s input starting on page 2. You know I have a lot to say about this topic.

Meet the C-Panty: After Cesarean Undies

Saturday, June 20th, 2009 | Parenting, Trends | 2 Comments

If you’ve had a c-section, you know exactly how difficult those first weeks after surgery can be. In addition to the wacky hormones, helpless newborn and post-delivery fatigue, you have this brand new incision to worry about.

Enter C-Panty! I’ve seen a lot of “new” baby and maternity products over the years, but this one is really top-notch. It is a panty designed specifically for post cesarean use. Instead of wearing those big, mesh, hospital-issued boy shorts or granny panties, you can wear these. They have special panels and a silicone layer to protect and support your new scar during healing.

Hop over to Droolicious (a Babble blog) to read more about the C-Panty. Now that’s one smart pair of undies! If you have mom friends with a c-section on the calendar, make sure you send them a link to this post!

Are We Ever Genuinely Happy for Someone Else’s Child?

Friday, June 19th, 2009 | Mommy Musings & Humor | No Comments

I will call this post a ‘Mommy Moment’ and you can decide if you agree or not…

The other day I was at a store and overhead a little toddler counting. She had beautiful flawless skin, big bouncy curls and expressive brown eyes. She was adorable! She counted to 20…then to 30…and finally stopped at 50. Her mom beamed and she smiled at me when she was finished because she knew she had a small audience. Amazed, I asked her mother how old she was. She was three and a half. “Good job,” I said enthusiastically. I was lying.

My mind immediately started racing. Was this normal? Can all kids her age count to 50? Are my young children on track? Is she ahead of the curve? Are my kids behind it? Thoughts were racing through my head and I wanted a computer so I could Google it until my heart was content.

Luckily, the non-mom side of my brain kicked in and squelched the mom racket. The fact that this little girl could count had nothing to do with me or my children. This was someone else’s moment, not mine. I realized how easy it is and how nature it feels to be competitive with other children. Which makes me wonder, are other parents ever genuinely happy for someone else’s child? I sure hope so. After reflecting on my actions, I’d like to congratulate that bubbly little girl on her impressive counting skills. She deserves it.

The Britax Chaperone for Babies on the Moooove

Friday, June 19th, 2009 | Car Seats | No Comments

MommyQ is a huge fan of Britax car seats. While not every car seat we have is Britax, we do have two that are and I’m constantly impressed by them. I blogged about the new Britax Advocate Convertible Car Seat earlier this month and want to mention the new Britax Chaperone Infant Car Seat.

In addition to the fun ‘Cow Bay’ print - yes, I’m a fan of all types of animal prints! - the list of features is impossible to ignore. This is why Britax is one of the leading car seat manufacturers around:

• Tangle Free, 5 Point Harness with 7 harness heights and 2 buckle positions for a snug and secure fit
• True Side Impact Protection shields from vehicle intrusion, contains head and  body, and keeps head, neck and spine aligned to limit injury and distributes crash forces
• Anti-Rebound Bar stabilizes child seat by minimizing rotational forces associated with front and rear collisions
• Ergonomic Carry Handle allows comfortable carrying of child in carrier by contouring to forearm and body
• Extra Large Canopy protects baby from rain, harmful UV rays and blocks wind
• Front Harness Adjuster provides easy front adjustment when loosening the harness system
• Easy to Install Seat-to-Base design self-guides carrier into proper locked position

This is just a partial list! Check out all of the features at BabyEarth, where you can buy a Britax Chaperone for $230.

Did We All Have Bad Hair Pre-CHI, Or Was It Just Me?

Thursday, June 18th, 2009 | Mommy Musings & Humor | 1 Comment

For most of my life I have been the poster child for bad hair. It’s not that my hair isn’t healthy or decent, it’s the fact that I never knew how to style it until I reached my mid-20s.  Trust me, if I posted photos of the various hair disasters I have sported over the years, this blog would be an overnight success. Unfortunately, I am not man enough or woman enough to go that route for publicity. To make this less painful for everyone, I will categorize my downfall. Welcome to my hair nightmare!

Uneven Bangs
It all started back when I was in elementary school. My first foray into the bad hair lifestyle was uneven bangs. Bless her heart because she meant well, but my mom consistently cut my bangs an inch too short and totally uneven. A week later, nobody could really tell. But since these infamous bang trims always occurred the night before Picture Day, these lopsided moments were captured on film - FOREVER.

Perms
In the fifth grade I discovered that sleeping with my hair in braids gave me this big, frizzy, kinky hair the next day. It was awesome! Over time, my mom and her poor tired fingers got tired of braiding my hair hair every night ,so I started begging for the next logical step. A perm!!!!

Perms Continued
My first perm was quite a milestone in my bad hair diary. I still remember gagging on the stinging, stinky, highly toxic solution they used back then. I held a hand towel over my mouth and nose while the perm processed because the fumes made me sick. After the watering eyes subsided and my new ringlets were dried, I had the huge, puffy, curly hair I had always wanted. It was heaven. Needless to say I permed my hair for many years after that. Then I cut it all off.

Rat Tail
This is when I officially deserved the title of ‘bad hair’ because I cut my hair super-short and had one loooong strand in the back. Yes, folks! MommyQ had a rat tail. It was even a few shades lighter than the rest of my hair. I had this hair style in the seventh grade and it rocked. Other kids were jealous of my rat tail. And my Hunt Club jeans, parachute pants and faux Member’s Only jacket. I also had a killer black pleather skirt that I wore with turquoise opaque tights. Oh, yeah. I was a fashion nightmare.

A Rainbow of Colors
My final faux pa happened when I realized you could buy hair color in a box. I did bright red for a long time and then switched it up by turning my hair into a wacky shade of blondish-red that does not exist in nature. One time I actually had spots in my hair, a debacle resulting in 6 hours at the hair salon in JCPenney, on a Sunday, trying to get it all back to one color.

CHI Flat Iron
Thanks goodness for the invention of the CHI Flat Iron! It saved me from a lifetime of hairstyle don’ts! I can’t even remember my life pre-CHI, but I know it wasn’t pretty. Thank you, CHI Flat Iron for heating up to an insanely hot temperature that people should never have near their heads, eyes or ears. Your ceramic plates are my hair saviour!

Inglesina Strollers Boast Italian Luxury

Thursday, June 18th, 2009 | Strollers | No Comments

If you haven’t heard of Inglesina strollers, it’s time to get acquainted. Inglesina is recognized as one of the leading international manufacturers of juvenile products including strollers, high chairs, car seats and accessories. During my stroller research as a new mom, I got to know the Inglesina brand because of their vintage prams. The Classica Pram is something to behold!

Inglesina also makes sporty strollers like the Zippy, Trip and Swift. All three of these colorful strollers come with a long list of great features that moms on-the-move appreciate. The Zippy is the fully-loaded version, next is the Trip and last is the Swift, a scaled-down umbrella with lots of perks.

The Zippy starts around $349, the Trip is $169 and the Swift is $119.  You can find all three strollers, as well as many other Inglesina products, at BabyEarth.com.