Indulge Yourself with a Cake Clutch
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!
January 6th, 2009 - Posted in Baby Shower Gifts, Mommy Time, Nursery News!, Travel | | 1 Comments
Lovable Lunch Buddies
Meet Benny, Lefty, Meadow and Boo. There’s nothing ho-hum about lunch time at school with these animated animal totes. Built in NY Munchlers Insulated Lunch Bags features four different animal friends. Made from polypropylene, a washable plastic, these lunch bags are designed by award-winning children’s book illustrator, Stephen Savage to evoke a chuckle. Love, love, love these quirky cuties! $12 at Wrapables.
December 27th, 2008 - Posted in Feeding, Travel | | 0 Comments
11 Pounds of Luxury: UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller
When it comes to lightweight strollers, the UPPAbaby G-Luxe is the heavyweight champ. Similar to its older sibling, the G-LiTE, the G-Luxe fully reclines. In fact, it is the lightest full-size reclining umbrella stroller in the U.S., weighing in at only 11 pounds. Oh, mama!
The G-Luxe has a huge laundry list of outstanding features like adjustable recline from upright to 120 degrees, pop-out SPF 50 visor, stands when folded, aluminum frame, removable cup holder and many more. Maximum weight is 40 pounds, so it will last into the preschool years. It comes is a variety of gender neutral color combinations too. Retails for $160 at BabyEarth.
December 27th, 2008 - Posted in Parenting, Strollers, Travel | | 0 Comments
Joovy Caboose: A Stroller for Two
It’s hard to go shopping with a baby and a toddler. Not for the obvious long list of reasons, but simply because you can’t seem to haul them around successfully in one compact double stroller. Me? I did not want to buy a tandem stroller - or tantrum stroller, as I like to call it. They just seemed too big. I wanted to stroll through the Steve Madden store without knocking over every neatly displayed wedge sandal in my vicinity. (Salespeople love that, by the way.) Then I met the Caboose and it changed my mind.
We bought the Joovy Caboose Stand-On Stroller in May 2008, and it’s the perfect stroller solution! We put the baby in the front seat and my toddler stands or sits on the back. (You get a car seat adapter that pops on, so you can secure an infant car seat right on the stroller!) An older baby can sit up straight or recline a bit, thanks to the two seat position options. It’s easy to maneuver, even in a small turning radius. The sun canopy works really well, even though it doesn’t look that big in person. I also love the color options. The storage basket under the seat isn’t super-duper easy to access, but it does accommodate a small to medium sized purse or diaper bag.
Your older child can sit on the back when feeling tired and stand for a more exciting ride. In fact, we went trick-or-treating with the Caboose this year and it was great.
The Joovy Caboose Ultralight Stand-On is a newer version with some extra features.
December 13th, 2008 - Posted in Nursery News!, Parenting, Strollers, Travel | | 0 Comments
Festive Fuzzy Butt is Too Cute
I’m sorry, but these are just too cute not to blog about. I was looking for something fun to write about on Babble, when I came across these fancy baby pants.
Festive holiday treats for baby’s top and bottom have arrived in the shape of Baby Jake’s Fuzzy Buns. Diapers covers are super-luxurious thanks to the “Poodle Shag” fabric. Holiday set comes with matching fuzzy hat. If you just want some everyday fuzziness, you can find these sets in pastel pink, baby blue, mint green and periwinkle with an optional matching hat. What a great gift idea for $35.
If fancy pants aren’t your bag, how about these luxurious Monogram Blankets (also Poodle Shag) on sale for $54. Cute! Cute! Cute!
December 11th, 2008 - Posted in Baby Shower Gifts, Holiday Shopping, Nursery News!, Travel | | 0 Comments
Things You Don’t Wanna See Going 80 MPH
MommyQ has a rather long daily commute. I take several different highways so I’m usually going pretty fast most of the time, as opposed to be stuck in stop & go traffic. Well, over the past few months I’ve observed some seriously peculiar (and alarming) events that have nothing to do with drivers texting or talking on their cell phones. Here’s my list of the Top 3 Things You Don’t Wanna See Going 80 MPH.
#1 - The driver beside you is taking swigs from a bottle of wine.
True story! I was driving home from work at 6:45 p.m. and happened to glance at the guy driving beside me. He took a swig from an incredibly large bottle. Today beverages do come in huge bottles, but this one was way too big and the bottle had a long skinny neck. Then it hit me - it’s a WINE bottle!!! I glanced at him again and sure enough, it was a very recognizable wine label featuring a kangeroo. Some people like to sip their Yellow Tail wine out of a fancy glass at dinner, while others prefer to swig it right out of the bottle doing 80 mph. Way to exercise your freedom of choice, dude.
#2 - The driver beside you is going 20 mph.
Another true story. I’m driving home and notice lots of cars swerving over to the RIGHT lane to go around someone. I get there and could not believe the person was going about 20 mph in the left lane! The speed limit is 65mph. In this instance it’s just impossible not to gawk as you drive by. Is the driver missing a head? Will I see a headless driver? Has he been injured? Will I see a knife coming out of his chest? Is he dead? Is he an alien? Is a dog actually driving this car? Maybe a small child is at the wheel? Nope. It was just a guy who seemed perfectly fine cruising along at 20 mph in a 1991 Honda Civic, totally oblivious.
#3 - A cow standing in the middle of the road.
Yep. Mooooo! A poor huge cow escaped his herd and was hanging out in the right lane on the interstate. I have no idea how he got over the guardrail. Trust me, I thought I was halucinating. And no, I wasn’t drinking out of my bottle of wine at the time. I felt so sorry for him and still wonder what may have happened to him. Can you imagine hitting a cow? Two words come to mind - big mess. I did call the non-emergency police as usual, so hopefully they were able to herd him or do whatever it is you do with cows on the highway… corral, round-up, shepherd?
In last place as something I wouldn’t want to see going 80mph is this big green bug. I saw a funny post on Kirtsy yesterday about this enormous wacky bug that WOULD NOT let go of the windshield. This bug would’ve scared me to death, unlike the other very normal things I’ve witnessed on the road.
October 17th, 2008 - Posted in Just for Fun, Travel | | 0 Comments
Sneak Peek: Maclaren Gives You An Apple A Day
When it comes to fun stroller patterns, Maclaren is always one step ahead of the competition. In 2009, the company will introduce a new Apple-licious pattern that will certainly be a hit with parents. This gender-neutral pattern features bright colors, functional color schemes and a sleek, sophisticated look.
The color options are black and white with lime green accents; dark green and yellow; pink and yellow with bright pink accents and light blue and orange.
This cute new pattern will be available on the sporty Quest Mod stroller. This is one of the most popular stroller styles. Look for it in January 2009.
September 16th, 2008 - Posted in Strollers, Travel, Trends | | 0 Comments
Traveling with Tots not Tantrums
Every now and then MommyQ needs a few days off and welcomes contributions from friends, fellow moms and interested readers. This entry was submitted by a friend with experience in the hotel industry. Having witnessed firsthand catastrophic hotel meltdowns and tantrums (thrown by both children and adults), she’d like to remind readers how to travel drama-free.
1.) Do your homework. It pays to spend extra time researching hotels and lodging options until you find the right one. If you’re looking for amenities such as room service, a spa and car valet, a full-service hotel is likely the best choice. Or, if you prefer a more casual home-like atmosphere with an equipped kitchen and more living space, renting a condo or private home might be the right option.
2) Location, location, location. I cannot overemphasize the importance of selecting the right location for your needs. Most properties have links to maps on their website plus detailed information about local transportation. Take advantage of these services because no one wants to take baby on a 12 mile enduro-hike to get a cup of coffee.
3) Call the property. Once you have selected the appropriate lodging, call the property directly about two weeks prior to arrival. Most times when you are booking a reservation, you are calling through a central reservation service. Central reservations typically lack intimate property knowledge or use older information when describing the rooms and services. By calling the property directly, your odds of achieving tips 4-6 greatly increase.
4) Ask for the front desk or rooms control. Not only will you dazzle people with your knowledge of hotel jargon, but also you will increase the likelihood of speaking with someone who handles room assignments. By calling two weeks ahead, you will allow the hotel enough time to plan for any special needs such as early arrival, a crib, etc. Of course, make these requests at the time of booking but be assured, it’s always a good idea to reconfirm with the property directly.
5) Plan your activities. After you have confirmed your room, ask to speak with the concierge desk. If your little ones are old enough to attend children’s activities, these people can assist you with selecting age-appropriate activities and booking them in advance. If you are visiting a resort destination, these activities always book in advance. Speaking of booking in advance, if you are planning a special night out and require babysitting services, book those in advance, too.
6) Have fun. Traveling can be unpredictable and tiring for everyone so a good attitude is essential. Plus, since you have followed the previous tips, this one should be much easier!
August 20th, 2008 - Posted in Parenting, Travel | | 0 Comments
