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As a mom with two boys, I never get to do anything fun with pink and faux rhinestones. My world is blue. Blue shirts. Blue shorts. Blue shoes. Blue sheets. Blue, blue, blue and maybe a few shades of green.

I have a word of advice for moms with boys. Spend some time with pink. Do something girly and fun that you might never get the chance to do otherwise. Today I “blinged” a hot pink Baby Bjorn potty. I’ve never blinged anything before, so it took me a little while to figure it out. Now, many tacky cheap gems later, I’m somewhat of an expert. The potty is cute and will certainly serve its promotional purpose. And on a bright note, I got to play with glittery shiney stuff!

If you’re a mom like me, you have a tacky train table located somewhere in your house. Sure, it’s perfect for the train set, but that’s it. Nothing more can be done on this table unless you take all of the trains off. And for those of us that aren’t engineers, they never quite seem to fit the same again…

Well, a clever company called P’kolino has devised a Play Table that truly captures the spirit of creative play. The company, founded by two dads, has been featured on the Today Show and in many national magazines including Time (April 2008).

Since the photo doesn’t do this table justice, let’s see if words can help paint the picture. What makes this table unique is it is actually a modular piece that can be reconfigured a zillion different ways. Yes, a zillion. It’s constructed with high quality materials that do not include nuts and bolts. Rejoice – you don’t have to drag out your dirty, unorganized toolbox! The wood is bent maple that has been machine pressed for increased strength and protected with a clear water-based finish. P’kolino also uses high density foam and premium stain resistant fabrics. You’re in love, right?

Here’s more:

- Interchangeable play kits fit into the table for neat storage and are easily removed and replaced for a quick activity change.

- The uniquely designed foam benches offer a soft, safe seat at the table as well as a fun rocker when flipped, and the removable foam blocks act as puzzle pieces or objects for a game of catch.

- Color schemes include light blue & purple and blue & green.

It’s a pricey piece – $1,399 – but if you think of it as bedroom furniture that provide hours and hours of creative play for your kids for many years to come, it’s certainly worth it. When all is said and done, you’ll spend that much on trains. Trust me.

Parents with contemporary homes and decor can finally breathe a well-deserved sigh of relief. They no longer have to sacrifice style for functionality. After all, parents make enough sacrifices as it is. Bloom has created a sleek sophisticated baby rocker sans ruffles and plaids.

At first glance, the Coco Baby Lounger just looks like an interesting piece of furniture. But its iconic form does far more than the eye can see. The lounger, which can equip infants up to 12 pounds, is built to give baby a smooth self-rocking experience. The design creates a comfortable “nest” environment for baby, which newborns love. Remember, infants are rather fond of tight spaces. It also has a 5-point adjustable padded safety harness.

What makes this lounger unique is the micro-suede/ micro-leatherette seat pads come in a variety of beautiful vibrant colors: Coconut White, Bermuda Blue, Harvest Orange, Midnight Black, Rock red and Henna Brown. The base frame also comes in a variety of different styles and finishes. The patented plexistyle is available in white or black, and the patented stylewood is available in Natural and Cappuccino. Combined with the various pad color options, parents can choose the perfect color combination. And baby can rock out in style.

Today I came across an interesting factoid. Do you know who the Gerber baby is? It’s a face we all know and love, even if you don’t have kids. It’s the standard for cute babies, boy or girl. “Oh, he looks like the Gerber baby!” That’s a huge compliment, even if he is a she.

The real Gerber baby is Ann Turner Cook, a mystery novelist and retired English teacher. She was the subject of a simple charcoal sketch by Dorothy Hope Smith, an artist who specialized in drawing children.

In 1928, Gerber was ready to launch a campaign to market its brand new line of baby food. But they needed a face first. A face that would move mountains, sail ships and yes, sell baby food. Smith, the artist, submitted her drawings amid competitors who submitted elaborate oil paintings. The Gerber executives fell in love with that cute little smush-face and she became the most popular baby in the world.

In a short amount of time, Gerber adopted the sketch as its official trademark in 1931. Since then, the Gerber Baby has appeared on all Gerber packaging and in every Gerber advertisement. Now that’s exactly what should happen when you win a cutest baby contest, right? Today we just get a fake magazine cover image, geez.

In December 1996, Ann Turner Cook herself was present at the unveiling of Gerber’s first new label in more than 40 years. And while Gerber Baby Foods embraced a new look, Mrs. Cook’s young face is still a part of the Gerber image. Awe.

Updated October 14, 2008 – Funny story… MommyQ was is Las Vegas a few months ago and actually met a real Gerber baby. This guy, who happens to work for MySpace, claimed he was an official Gerber baby. Evidentally there are quite a few. He didn’t have a certificate or anything, but for some reason I totally belived him!