http://www.mommyq.comMommyQ

It’s hard to believe, but MommyQ has been writing for Droolicious for almost a year! Wow. The folks at Babble are just incredible and I’m constantly impressed with the talented writers. You have no idea how much creativity and dedication it takes to keep Droolicious and Strollerderby rolling.

Here’s a quick list of some of may fave items I’ve found this month. Remember, I do not get one penny from any of these companies, so I’m choosing these products based on my personal feelings. And since I’m rather superficial, my feelings way heavily on cuteness.

Fleecy Friends Slippers
By the time I finish writing this post, all of these slippers will probably be gone. They are just so cute and the style is perfect for active little feet. Hanna Andersson has quickly become one of my favorite online stores for affordable and attractive baby, toddler and youth clothes.

Pretty as Can Be Winter Coat
Yes, this is one of my favorite items for winter. This coat is just as cute as can be and it’s different. I love the small details, especially the tulle trim on the ruffle. How sweet!

Bag It!
I’m a big fan of cool weekend bags and luggage. This is a great option for any mom looking to travel in style with a tot or two. I love the fact that the interior is water resistant.

Peekaboo Barn iPhone App
This is a great game for a baby or toddler. We use it when we go out to eat if we need to entertain the kiddos. They love the animals and the sounds. It’s certainly worth $1.99!

Bunting Bag & Chubby Babies
The photography might be better than the product – not sure. But I know a bunting bag is a must for cold weather and these are cute enough to distract you from how annoying these bags are when it’s time to change a diaper. That’s why I avoid cold weather at costs.

MommyQ is pleased to announce a glamtastic giveaway, thanks to the fine folks at Gallery Direct.  One lucky winner will receive a 36” x 48” piece of artwork, Aix Les Bains, by artist Leonetto Cappiello. Retail value is $200!  The print will be a Canvas Gallery Wrap which means the image wraps all the way around the mounted canvas. No frame necessary for this retrolicious look. Add a splash of whimsy and color to any room in your home!

If you have not heard of Cappiello, he is famous for being a self-taught advertising genius. For example, this bright and brilliant piece is actually selling a wonderful little town in France, Aix les Bains. You see, Cappiello created bold figures popping out of black backgrounds, which was a startling contrast to the artwork being painted at that time. He is known as “the father of modern advertising” and produced more than 530 posters in his lifetime.

To participate in this giveaway, follow this link over to the Gallery Direct website. Enter your information in the form on the “Request a Catalog” page and you will automatically be entered. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, November 16, 2009. Good luck!

I’m not a big person on the act of being scared. I don’t like the sudden rush of adrenaline or feeling my heart skip a beat. Last year, I did a blog post titled, Enough of The Motion-Activated Shrieking Decorations in Drug Stores and it was well-received. Lots of people responded and about 90% of them agreed with me. This year, my thoughts turn towards the actual trick-or-treating because this year I’ve got two youngsters. (Last year I had one youngster and one baby who couldn’t walk.)

My neighborhood embraces Halloween like most neighborhoods embrace Christmas. We are fanatics about anything inflatable. I love to imagine the conversation that takes place when these items are purchased. I think it goes a little something like this,

“Honey, we should get the inflatable Grim Reaper this year. It’s really cute! It comes in a casket and everything.”

“No, how about the inflatable carriage hearse with glowing skulls. Ten feet of terror, honey!”

You can drive down our street and see huge orange pumpkins, big black cats, spooky ghosts, freaky ghouls and more. It is a feast for the eyes, especially at night.

I am a little bit worried about the actual night of Halloween, because some people answer the door in costume. A few ladies dress up like witches and a few folks have my fave, the shrieking motion-activated thingies, right up next to the front door. My oldest won’t be phased, but my little one might not like it. My heart goes out to timid little tots that try so hard to be brave. If I see a happy face crumple because one of those darn things scare the pants off of him, I’m gonna feel pretty sad about it.

What do you think? Is it possible to prepare a toddler for scary things that are only pretend scary?

Did you know Bugaboo makes a bag? It looks like an egg, but it seems to be muy popular anyway. It’s a limited edition, white leather (BUGABOO)RED messenger bag. It includes a changing mat and removable food and drink containers. Like every other Bugaboo product, 1% of total revenues on these products will go to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

More than a Bugaboo diaper bag, the Bugaboo Bag displays a modern look that goes from playground to business meeting. The Bugaboo Bag’s gender neutral, clean look works with every wardrobe – be it mommy or daddy.

What do we think of this moms? Venturing into bags is a good thing or should Bugaboo stick with strollers?

My hubby and I went shopping for our kiddos yesterday because they have a minimal amount of Fall gear. We were actually shopping out of necessity, believe it or not. We went to this cute little story for sporty kids and the Puma clothes were just adorable.

The store we were at does not have a website – go figure! So I had to find some of the outfits online elsewhere. Take a look! I just love the colors. Some of these are infant sizes and some are toddler.

Girl’s Hooded Tunic & Leggings

Boy’s Retro Track Suit (Jacket only!)

Girl’s Fresh Zip-Up Suit

Girl’s Ruffle Dress

I blogged about a funny dog costume earlier this week and since I’m a cat person, I had to be fair. Well, the selection of costumes for cats is far less vast and amusing. In fact, there aren’t that many costumes for cats. Then I thought about it a bit and realized why. Cats HATE wearing anything but their own fur. Even the sweetest kitty will scratch your eyes out if your try to put a fancy collar on it, let alone a costume.

I did find a few hats for cats at SpoiledRottenKitties.com.Find something better? Send me a link! (Is it me, or does that white cat look scared out of its mind.) I think the tabby actually likes being king. Go figure.

I won’t argue the harness vs. lap belt debate. Let’s just say I will keep my children strapped into a car seat for as long as possible. I would like to make them wear helmets or have a HANS Device too. Anyway, due to the size of these car seats, some parents just want a more streamline option. I do admit, the booster seats are prettier.

Let’s look at some of the toddler seats with 5-point harness systems:

One of the bestsellers, according to BabyEarth, is the Orbit Baby Toddler seat. In fact, they are currently sold out. It’s sleek, sophisticated, safe and goes up to 50 pounds. Retails for $360 at BabyEarth.

Next on the list is the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat and it is a much better price. You can get all of the safety features minus some of the luxury, for about half the cost as this car seat retails for $160 at BabyEarth. It holds children up to 65 pounds.

Another good-looking, popular model is the Recaro Young Sport Car Seat. This is one is intended for toddlers, but as they grow into the 30-80 pound range, it is recommended that you use a lap belt. If you want to use the harness, it goes up to 40 pounds. You can find this beauty at BabyEarth for $249.

The last one I’m going to mention is the Britax. You can’t do a list of car seats without mentioning them! This is a hulk of a car seat otherwise known as the Frontier. It is big! It weighs 23 pounds by itself!  But it also holds a child up to 80 pounds in the harness. You can use it as a booster too. Retails for $229 at BabyEarth.

I think we all know how adorable the furry animal suits are for kiddos, but what about these costumes for canines? I was laughing out loud at these. So – feeling generous – I decided to share. Take a look at this Star Wars Yoda costume for your pup. From small to x-large, they are all currently in stock. You’re in luck!  Yoda Dog sells for $18 at Chasing Fireflies.