http://www.mommyq.com MommyQ

The majority of today’s playpens/playards come with LOTS of bells and whistles. Not to mention they require a zillion batteries. If you’re looking for a simple option that is reminiscent of the playpens of yesteryear, yet much much safer, take a look at this treasure from Sorelle, the Soft N Play Playpen.

The colors are bright and cheery with cute little sun and flower decorations, as well as soft animal friends. There are grippy handle in the plapen so your little one can grab on and stand up easily. Other helpful features include washable cushions, a removable mat cover and padded rails. When it comes to keep baby safe and entertained, the Soft N Play Playpen is a great option. Retails for $199.

MommyQ is happy to announce a special giveaway on Babble. Ever wonder what all the fuss is about over these cute little snack orbs? Find out for yourself by winning one…

Click here to visit Babble.com and read about the Snack Ball-A-Day giveaway. You simply email your name and email address to enter. We’re giving away five total, one-a-day, until Sunday, January 18th. Enter today!

When I watch Ace of Cakes, I’m blown away by the details and amazing creativity. I felt the same way when I stumbled across these magical diaper cakes. You can customize your very own five tier diaper cake thanks to Diaper Cakes Made by Becca. Based in Arizona, Becca aims to please. She delivers creativity, enthusiasm and attention to detail. She also creates adorable diaper wreaths and personalized gifts. If you want to throw the perfect baby shower, skip the edible and give the inedible a taste. Diaper Cakes by Becca.

Are you guys thinking Partridge Family or is it just me? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, who knew felt could be so dreamy!

This decorative Deco Mobile features four felt Storybook Birds with – get this – a Happy & Sad Cloud dangling in the center. Too cute! Each doll is hand-cut of real felt wool and hand-stiched. Dolls are lightly stuffed with hypo-allergenic polyester stuffing. This makes a wonderful gift because it’s packaged in a ribbon-tied handmade bag. Shop Gifts Devine for more retro-inspired goodies for baby. Love it!

This holiday season was the weakest since at least 1969. A report came out today from the AP Wire stating discount giant Wal-Mart (the world’s largest retailer) reported smaller sales gains than expected in December. Health and wellness items fueled sales while electronics remained solid. Clothing and jewelry aren’t selling. In addition to Wal-Mart’s woes, Macy’s is closing 11 stores which will put about 960 employees out of work. Here’s a list of the store closings.

From the wealthy to the middle class to the lower income, everyone is cutting back. It really sucks because I finally thought this would be the year we’d get to buy our first yacht. And by “yacht” I mean “boat” and by “boat” I mean “rubber ducky for the tub.”

Last month I was quoted in an article, “How do you tell your kids you need to downsize Christmas?” and it got a lot of national attention. Even Rush Limbaugh himself had to discuss it on his show. He read my quote and then made some backhanded comment about it. Shocking, right? You can read the transcripts here.

Anyway, I do think it’s okay to spoil your kids, even if times are tough. But I think the definition of “spoil” means certain things to certain people. I don’t spoil my kids as in letting them run around like crazy maniacs without rules or discipline or manners. That’s not what I’m talking about.

This year we skimped on our Christmas presents to make sure the kiddos got theirs first. And nobody got ridiculous, expensive, anti-functional gifts that would be enjoyable for all of 10 minutes. I found cute toys on sale at Marshall’s and Tuesday Morning. In reality, my children are small so they don’t notice if they got more or less gifts than usual. But they LOVE opening presents – just like most adults – so why not let them have fun? We bought just as many presents, but spent far less money. And before we brought one new toy into the house we donated a lot of toys and clothes to local charities.

I find it funny that everyone wants to chime in about topics like spoiling your children (and Jennifer Aniston v. Angelina). Even people who don’t have children of their own. Unless you have kids, I don’t think you can really understand what what it means to be a parent. How it feels in your heart. How it completely transforms your life, your soul and spirit. Even the most superficial, self-absorbed, shopaholic parent would make sacrifices. That’s what love is all about. Did we learn nothing from the movie Cliffhanger?

My answer to Rush is simple. Yes, it’s important to spoil your kids even if they don’t know they’re being spoiled. And yes, I do know what a real economic downturn is. Thanks for your concern.

Looking for a way to avoid bumps on the noggin? Need a cute monkey blanket? (Who doesn’t!) Shopping for sleek sophisticated nursery furniture? Or maybe a bathing suit for a little princess? It seems like baby always needs something. Wouldn’t it be nice if something was cool AND free?

To kick off 2009 with a bang, MommyQ is entering the wild world of giveaways. I’m so excited! My first item up for grabs is one of my most favorite baby products EVER.  I’ve blogged about it and bought lots of them. I am so excited to give moms the chance to get one for FREE! Here’s a clue….Boon.

Do you know what it is? Leave me a comment with your guess and you could win the first one! I’m giving away seven total starting next week. Make sure you enter your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win. Let the chaos begin!

MommyQ is a tremendous fan of Petunia Pickle Bottom. It doesn’t matter if the bag is big or small, it’s always delicious. Check out this diaper tote clutch on Droolicious. YUMMY!

As a parent, I find it funny that I was less aware of screaming babies and loud obnoxious children BEFORE I had kids. They just kind of blended into the background noises of life. Now, as a parent of two small kids, I notice those sounds a lot more. And they bother me. Okay, let me preface that. They bother me if I’m not with my own children.

For example, if we have a “date night” and the kids aren’t with us, I’m super aware of my proximity to small children. If we’re at a nice restaurant and they seat us near kids, we ask to be moved. We usually get mean glances from somebody, either the waitress or the hostess, because they think we hate kids. That’s not true at all! We LOVE kids, just not on our nights off.

If we happen to travel without the kiddos, we never want to sit near a baby on a plane. Again, not being heartless here, I’ve been in those shoes many times. But again, if we’re “off duty” so to speak, we’d like to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Now don’t get me wrong, I can never completely turn off the mom mode. In fact, I’ve helped out frazzled moms traveling with babies on a few occasions. They’re usually shocked when I offer to hold a fussy baby or lend a hand calming a screaming toddler. What kind of stranger would step into a world of potential spit-up accidents and stinky diapers? Well, probably any mother, whether she’s on or off duty. And plenty of dads too.

Maybe we need a universal sign for “parent off duty.” Like a handshake or a complicated wink and nod combination. Something to make sure people know we’re not kid haters, without having to launch into a long-winded explanation. Maybe a necklace charm with “Mom Off Duty” etched on one side and “Mom On Duty” etched on the other. Personally, I think that would clear up a lot of misunderstandings.