No, this is not the title of the latest Stephen Colbert book.  It’s the new go-to CD for kids in our house, “Picasso, That’s Who! (And So Can You!)” by Hope Harris.

My Bean is really hot for this  CD.  She asks for it in the car.  She wants me to play it at home on the stereo.  She’s such a little dancer–her first ballet recital is approaching and I fear she may be paralyzed by nerves and spend the entire presentation in my lap.  Which is fine.  She’s four.  But I just know how much she loves to dance.  She doesn’t walk around the apartment…she prances.  Hands on her hips.  Toes pointed.  The whole nine yards.  Hope Harris’s new CD, “Picasso, That’s Who!” is the accompaniment of choice for her these days.

But more than that, Cate has been asking about the artists Hope Harris sings about on the CD.  Each song features a different famous artist.  The lyrics tell a bit of the story of the artist’s life and the nature of her work, and the song style typically reflects either the artists’s country of origin or something essential about her creations.  The title track has an awesome Latin beat; “A-C-T-I-O-N”, a song about Jackson Pollock, rocks a funky 60′s groove; and Grandma Moses is expressed with lots of country bluegrass pickin’. This is the first CD about artists I’ve come across and I think it’s a really clever and inventive idea to introduce kids to art…through music!  I think we’ll listen to the CD before taking a trip to the Met this summer.  How cool will it be to show her pictures created by the artists she dances to. And I can’t imagine a better CD for art teachers to play in their classrooms.

In Hope Harris’s words (I don’t usually do this, but I think she really talks about her work insightfully):

With Picasso, That’s Who! (And So Can You!) my goal is to spark curiosity and inspire creativity.  I want kids to look at the world around them, be motivated to visit art galleries and museums, and to realize that artists are everywhere making all kinds of art.  I’d like to say to every child who hears this music, ‘Now it’s your turn … paint it, glue it, draw it, mix it, try it!  All the artists on this album did, and you can, too!  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  Use your imagination and have some fun!

I hold out that CDs for kids are some of the best birthday presents you can give.  Our kids are drowning in plastic toys and stuffed animals.  Give the gift of music this birthday!  You’ll be so glad you did!

Picasso, That’s Who drops on May 22nd.  Buy yours on CD Baby when it’s released or check out her current album, Cousins Jamboree on Amazon.com.

Fisher-Price has done it again!  Their new Fisher-Price Little People Fixer Ride-On is a winner in this house.  The marriage of the push-vehicle, ride-on, and tool kit could not be any better.  Both boys (CW is now 4 and MD is 11 months) love it.  CW loves to sit on it, while MD pushes him around.  MD loves to run it into walls.  CW loves to make it go faster than humanly possible, while maneuvering around the Matchbox cars and toys on the floor.

The Fixer Ride-On is very difficult to tip over, and even when a child sits and leans back, there is a safety stopper to prevent such tipping!  The removable toolbox includes a hammer, saw, screwdriver, and wrench in bright primary colors.  Your little fixer can use the hammer and screwdriver on the “dashboard” to make fun sounds, and the music will have your toddler bopping to the beat! And with built-in storage in the seat, your child can store his tools there as well (or his beloved Matchbox cars).

We love these little vehicles in our house…both boys learned to walk while pushing them (we have the Time To Learn Ride-On also).  The only drawback is that I wish the toolbox snapped in so that it didn’t fall out quite so easily.  Otherwise, there is not a thing I would change about it!  If you have a child who isn’t as into fixing things as my boys are, Fisher-Price also has a Music Parade Ride-On, Fire Truck Ride-On, and an Ice Cream Truck Ride-On.  Perfect for your beginning walker and your creative “big kid!”  Hours of fun are in store for you and your kids!  Perfect as a first birthday gift, your child will be so excited to take it for a spin!

Kristin is a former high school English teacher and show choir geek enjoying time as a stay-at-home mom to CW and new baby brother MD.

Thanks to Fisher Price for the chance to try out their new product! As always, all opinions are Kristin’s and her boys’ and were not influenced by anyone.

Babies Gotta Have It is an Amazon.com Affiliate

It’s Springtime! The flowers are blooming, the grass is green…and if you’re anything like me you have a whole bunch of events to attend before the lazy days of summer roll on in and slow life down.  In the next few weeks I have my dad’s retirement dinner, preschool graduation, a Mother’s Day tea, a baby shower, and kindergarten orientation.  I officially need nice clothes for four of those events, and despite my typical penchant for jeans and a tee shirt, even nice jeans and an awesome tee shirt, I really should find myself some sort of outfit for the orientation and get-to-know you hoopla at Bean’s new school so everyone isn’t thinking “cute kid, but who’s the homeless woman with her?”

I am fairly certain I was born without both fashion sense and the gene that makes me care enough about it to really work at acquiring some.  As a stay-at-home Mom I can eke by in workout clothes.  As an actress, someone else designs clothing for me to wear.   Still, I watch women in this city who seem to have it together–the right clothes for the right occasion.  Women who wear cute and practical summer dresses to the playground–they look comfortable, age-appropriate, and together in some way that I in my jeans and Keens just simply don’t.  There’s a French Mama who brings her daughter to ballet at the same place Bean goes, and every time I see her arrive I think to myself “Man, I really need to look in the mirror before I walk out the door.”  French Mama is usually wearing a skirt or dress, often boots but sometimes just great shoes, her hair in a chic pony tail, and she just looks effortlessly elegant. Of course she’s French.  Plus she could be Kristin Davis’s twin sister.  She’s that pretty.  But still…is effortless fashion really impossible for me?

I suppose the secret, of course, is that effortless is never effortless.  Some thought, in addition to some instinct no doubt, goes into her look.  And did I mention she’s French?  But also having a closet which contains the elements of the perfect playground or ballet drop-off or Kindergarten Orientation look is kinda necessary. So when Shabby Apple, an online boutique featuring gorgeous women’s dresses,  approached me to review one of their dresses and give one away to a reader (yeah, you heard me) I said, absolutely!

I don’t know about you but I get nervous buying clothes online unless I really know a brand well.  But the Shabby Apple dresses come with sizing guides (most of which say that the dresses fit generously so buy a size smaller than usual–gotta love that) which I found to be accurate.  I ended up ordering the Ballerina dress to review and buying the DaVinci dress because I honestly couldn’t decide between the two, and I knew I needed to pick up a few things for all these events.  The Shabby Apple styles are gorgeous.  They have a wonderful variety for all sizes and all occasions. Check out the “Fit to Flatter” questionnaire that directs you to dresses perfect for your body type.  You can even message them them for “style advice” using an online form on their site! How cool is that?

The Shabby Apple collections are divided into Vintage Inspired and Boutique Collections and are so different from the cookie cutter looks you find at the mall.  Yet the styles are wearable and contemporary at the same time.  So how did I do?  Well, in the interest of full disclosure I will again, post photos of myself in the clothes I got.  Again, forgive my lame photos.  But, I’m really happy with them both.

The Ballerina Dress, which is the one we’ll be giving away here, is made of a poly/rayon/spandex blend so it travels well and is very comfy.  The fabric is a really pretty purple color, and the v neck and ruched midsection are both super flattering, especially to New Mamas and anyone wanting to conceal a little around the tummy.  Shabby Apple even lists this dress in its “New Mamas” section.  They suggest you order one size down as the dress “fits generously” and I definitely agree.  From the comments, this dress is probably not best for you petite gals, but for anyone who is a little bit bigger or taller I think it’s great.  I think it’s going to just be a really versatile summer dress.  It’s my choice for the Mother’s Day celebration at my Grandmother’s assisted living residence tomorrow!

I bought the Da Vinci Dress, and I’m kind of in love with it.  This is my choice for Kindergarten Orientation I think.  I love the kangaroo pouch pocket and the poly/rayon/spandex jersey is even softer and silkier than the Ballerina dress (which is a heavier weight fabric).  It’s less forgiving around the tummy, even with the drop waist, but it gives me incentive to keep spinning.  I really love it.

New Spring and Summer frocks! Yeah, that’s something Mama’s definitely gotta have.

And you can too!  One lucky Babies Gotta Have It reader will win the Ballerina Dress from Shabby Apple pictured below (I was gonna pose like that in my photo too…) valued at $54!  Want to enter? Read on!

To Enter the Shabby Apple Ballerina Dress Giveaway:

• MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Your mandatory entry is two parts!  First, you have to “like” Shabby Apple on Facebook.  Then leave me a comment saying that you did, and sharing another item from Shabby Apple you think would be great this summer. That’s it!  Entering is that easy!
  

***Want extra chances to win? After you have made your first entry as described above, do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of seven entries per person.

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway only open to those with U.S.  addresses. Must be 18 or older to win. Giveaway begins on Friday May 11th and ends on Friday June 1st at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. Very soon after,  Random.org will select the winner and  I’ll email them immediately. After my daughter called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my daughter, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!

It’s a rare treat for this English major to review a children’s book that teaches such a lasting lesson.  With fresh rhymes, colorful illustrations, and important lessons, you cannot go wrong with “Where in the World is Away?” by author, musician, filmmaker, and humanitarian Michael Franti.  The book is a thought-provoking journey that makes children responsible for the planet on which we live.

CW, with his perpetual fascination of vehicles, is a bit obsessed with garbage and recycling trucks as you can imagine.  “Where in the World is Away?” follows a recycled bottle to the recycling plant where it is turned into “goo” and then into something else again.  It reminds children (and parents) to reduce, reuse, and recycle, because although you may throw that bottle “away,” it is really just “somewhere else.”  Lee and Lou and Mo the Crow show the reader how trash is affecting the plants and animals around us, and increasing our own footprints on the Earth.  Teaching the benefits of recycling, “Where in the World is Away?” is my new favorite book about the impact of garbage on the things around us.

The book even comes with a CD for a musical “read-along,” which CW immediately asked if we could “do that again!”  And although I didn’t think it was possible, the book gets better!  It is printed and manufactured in the United States; printed with environmentally friendly soy ink; and printed on elemental chlorine-free (ECF), sustainably harvested, recycled stock!  So, if the prospect of a recycling-focused children’s book with catchy rhythm and cute characters isn’t enough for you, hopefully you will be impressed by such an environmentally friendly process to create the book!  Get your copy here.  Your child and the Earth will thank you!

 
Kristin is a former high school English teacher and show choir geek enjoying time as a stay-at-home mom to CW and new baby brother MD.

Babies Gotta Have It is an Amazon.com Affiliate

This is a must-have baby, toddler and preschooler product review blog.  But every Mama’s gotta have a little bit of the cowgirl in her.

Not to mention every girl.  These are the new Fat Baby Flower Boots by Ariat which come complete with “wiggle room” so your little pardner will have room to grow.  These amazing pink cowboy boots for girls definitely go from city to country with pizazz, and I know my little fashionista would love a pair for back to school!

And then there are these…sorry I had to pause to wipe the drool off my keyboard.  I don’t know what they are called, but I know they will be available from Ariat this Fall and they are divine.

And these.  Forgive the blurriness of my cell phone pic.  I was trembling.  They are just too gorgeous for words.

So. I drooled over adorable and incredibly functional boots for girls, salivated for tooled leather for women, fondled a cowboy boot or two…and then I checked out the line of women’s apparel.  Did I mention I lived in Texas for three years when I was a kid?  I did.  And I still fancy myself a transplanted country girl here in the city.  The new lines of Ariat jeans are totally gorgeous.  They sent me a pair to try out.  I chose the Turquoise Stretch Moonshadow jeans that are available now, true to size, in a long (I love a company that accommodates tall girls who want to wear boots), and I absolutely love them!  They have a nice mid-rise to reign in that baby belly but are in no way, shape, or form “mom jeans.”  The denim is soft, just stretchy enough, and lightweight.  Form fitting around the legs, gentle boot cut on the bottom.  And I think they’re kinda hot!

I wore them the first night I got them to meet friends in Tribeca and then see a kinda hip downtown theater production. With plain black boots, a lavender velvet top, and a vintage bracelet I inherited from my grandmother.

Forgive the silly poses and the grainy pics.  I was doing my best.

Anyway, Ariat is definitely moving from the rodeo circuit right onto the busy sidewalks.  The new styles are gorgeous and the clothes are beautifully made. Hello Mother’s Day! Hear that Daddy?  Skip the flowers!  Mama wants boots!

Matching cowboy boots for Mama and baby?  Yeah, that’s something every gal’s gotta have.

How’s this for a cool name for a kindie band?  The Sippy Cups.  Yup, Sippy Cups aren’t just things from which you drink, but they are also a rock band for kids.  And Alison Faith Levy, Sippy Cups band member formerly known as “Sippy Alison,” has returned to the kindie music scene to create a solo album for kids!  Her newest CD, World of Wonder includes such catchy tunes as “Reach for the Sky,” “Like a Spinning Top,” and CW’s favorite “Detours” (which is all about driving and the detours we take)!

While Levy is not a stranger to the music stage (she spent five years on tour with “The Sippy Cups” and then performed with her grown-up band of “McCabe & Mrs. Miller”), her new album World of Wonder provides new pop songs for kids, with a fresh new sound.  When we popped the CD into the car stereo, I didn’t feel like I was trapped in the car with a CD for the kids.  I felt like I was listening to the radio.  And CW has nearly memorized “Detour” after only listening a handful of times.  It is catchy, I will admit.  There are songs for the whole family on there.  Levy even does a new rendition of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” which had MD bopping along in his high chair!

If you’re looking for something new and lively to listen to, you cannot go wrong with World of Wonder.  Alison Faith Levy will open up a whole new world for both you and your children.  Her rich voice and pop tones will be a welcome break from the other songs you hear over and over in your head, I can assure you!  And if you’re lucky enough to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can attend the “World of Wonder” CD Release Party at the Bay Area Discovery Museum on May 12th. So, say goodbye to Barney and hello to a World of Wonder!
Kristin is a former high school English teacher and show choir geek enjoying time as a stay-at-home mom to CW and new baby brother MD.

Babies Gotta Have It is an Amazon.com Affiliate

I have been asked by many friends, “What are the items you just cannot live without as a new mom?”  I started compiling a list.  There are just so many great baby products on the market, and this list certainly does not encompass them all.  Soon, I’ll assemble a list for the older boys…but for now, these are the things I cannot live without with my baby boy.

The Fun

The Bumper Jumper has been a lifesaver for both of my boys.  It allows us to have conversations as adults, to eat dinner peacefully, to shower quickly, and to use the bathroom alone!  I cannot even say how important this tiny item has been in our lives.  We take it with us to everyone else’s houses as well.  If your doors do not have trim, however, then this will not work for you.  Instead, may I recommend the Rainforest Jumperoo, which we bought for our nephew.  The Jumperoo even collapses to make storage and travel easier.  Just be sure to follow the weight and height recommendations with both, please.  If your baby cannot hold up his head, the Bumper Jumper is not appropriate for him yet.

Many might say that the Bumper Jumper and Exersaucer are redundant, but we use both equally. Typically, the Exersaucer allows MD more entertainment, so he plays in it while I make dinner, and he used to play in it during dinner (now he eats with us in his high chair).  We were given a hand-me-down exersaucer, so the one we have no longer exists to buy, but there are SO many different ones.  Ours adjusts to three heights, which is great for those tall babies.  And, MD can spin a full 360 degrees in it.  None of the sounds work anymore, but MD does not care.  He will play in it for thirty minutes at a time.  I used to shower while CW was in it, but now it’s too hard to lug up our stairs (we moved since the time when CW was little).

Another must-have for a newborn (really great to crawling and beyond…in fact, CW at age 3 still likes to play in it) is the Baby Einstein Play Gym.  Play mats are so awesome that we actually had two (one for our basement and one for the main floor).  The Baby Einstein play gym was our favorite, though.  Both kids loved the “star” that plays music and lights up, and they would roll to see it wherever we placed it.  MD likes to sit at it and make the toys swing now.  It is great for brain and physical development.

When your baby is about eight months old, you may want to start teaching him to communicate with you.  I found these Sign Language Videos to be extremely well done.  They are filled with classical music, real animals and babies, and they do not move fast.  CW learned the basic signs within a month or so (I used them constantly), and MD is already signing “milk” and “dog” consistently.  These were truly a wonderful investment.  Although babies cannot verbalize their thoughts with words, they are able to sign them at a much earlier age.  It saves both the baby and the parents from so many frustrating moments.  Your baby will be able to tell you what he needs, and you will know that you are increasing his vocabulary at a young age!

 The Sleepy

Because we travel often to places where renting cribs is impractical, we bought a Pack ‘n’ Play.  I used it for the first month of MD’s life for changing his diapers in our basement.  This allowed my body to heal after his birth without going up two flights of stairs fifty times a day.  We have taken our Pack ‘n’ Play to a ton of places in the course of four years, and it is very handy; however, keep in mind that Pack ‘n’ Plays are heavy, large, and a bit unwieldy.  They take up a lot of trunk space, even when folded down.  Still, we would not have made it without one.  And although our parents both have cribs at their homes, this would be an ideal idea for at Grandma’s house if she wants a cheaper (and easier to hide when you’re not there) version of a crib.

For the first few months, your baby will sleep in Sleep Sacks and Swaddle Me sleepwear the best.  We used the Swaddle Me for the first 1-2 months, and then the sleep sacks after that.  The sleep sacks are great for quick nighttime diaper changes, and the Swaddle Me is so much easier than trying to perfect the nurses’ swaddles from the hospital (and then you don’t have to worry about your baby somehow getting loose)!  These come in many different patterns, colors, and materials.

 The Helpful

Something I used often with CW, but use one hundred times more with MD is the Baby Bjorn.  I grocery shop, cook, walk, Swiffer, and dust with him in the Bjorn.  He can go everywhere I can go, and I have my hands free to do other things.  This is great because his older sibling often needs help, or wants to play outside.  And, I often want to get something accomplished, but he is too heavy to hold all the time.  CW can ride his bike, while I walk with MD in the Bjorn…that way I can get to CW with more ease than a stroller allows (I also found that CW would constantly run into the stroller because he can’t steer straight).  The Bjorn allows me to place CW in the stroller for longer trips at the mall.  And, MD loves watching everything that is going on around us.  Again, they come in many different styles and colors (and can be used with very small babies (8 lbs.) and up to 25 lbs.!

Something that is not a necessity, but I personally could not live without is the Glider Rocking Chair (with a footstool).  I spend a ton of time in that rocking chair (feeding, reading, and rocking).  Both boys love the chair, and I love putting my feet up and laying my head back while I’m doing my middle-of-the-night feedings.

The Practical

Although I nursed full time with both boys, I would imagine the Boppy Pillow could be helpful to all mothers (as I have seen many mothers lay their babies in the pillow on the floor, and I often place it behind MD so he doesn’t fall over backwards).  But, I could not live without my Boppy Pillow for nursing.  MD is so heavy that I find my hands fall asleep if I have to nurse him without the Boppy for long.  Something else that is very helpful for nursing mothers is the nursing cover, or hooter hider.  It is great for providing privacy while feeding your baby out in public, or even with friends and family.  I will admit that I used it much more with CW.  I was more comfortable with my breastfeeding status as a second-time mom.  Many are so pretty they can even be considered a fashion accessory.  There are many colors and designs, so enjoy the search!

When you look at infant carrier car seats, you will most likely be overwhelmed by all of the choices.  I have heard great things about many companies, but I was most impressed by the Chicco KeyFit30.  It has three heights to adjust to and goes up to 30 pounds.  It is so simple to attach the base to your car, and even easier to put the seat into the base.  And, there is a converter to place it into my favorite jogging stroller, The Bob Revolution Stroller.  We do not have one of these jogging strollers (we have a different brand that did not allow the car seat to sit in it), but rented one at the beach a few years in a row and love it.  The front wheel can be stationary or moving, the handles are comfortable, and the seat is cushy for your little ones.  It had the least friction while running, and seemed to have the best shocks to protect your baby from those big bumps!  Easy to maneuver and fun to use, it is my favorite jogging stroller by far!
Kristin is a former high school English teacher and show choir geek enjoying time as a stay-at-home mom to CW and new baby brother MD.

Babies Gotta Have It is an Amazon.com Affiliate

Bean’s favorite New York City Museum is still, The “Muzz-ee-um of Matural History.” She has so few malapropisms left, I can’t quite bear to correct that one. So she was pretty thrilled when we headed over to The American Museum of Natural History last week to check out the new exhibit “Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence.” This exhibit, running through January 6, 2013, is glowy and dark and super cool.  Bean, at 4 and a half, is a bit young for most of the science, but she was entranced by the glowing mushrooms that met us at the entrance to the exhibit, and she spent a good deal of time speculating about where the fairies were hiding.  Also, the museum provides an educational handout with activities appropriate for younger explorers.

The fireflies area was a particular favorite of both of ours.  Honestly, I would have loved to have spent more time reading all about these fascinating little…beetles!  Yes, I learned fireflies are actually beetles.  Cate loved wandering about in the dark, soaking in the glow, and exploring the interactive displays. The ambiance was eerie and phosphorescent but not too scary.  Move from a meadow in New England surrounded by fireflies to the Waitomo Cave of New Zealand where glowworms attract their prey and beyond.  Super neat.  I have no photos of us in the exhibit…because it was too dark! Watch the video and check out the website for more!

And if you’re heading to the museum in the next few months there are lots of neat events coming up!  Here are some events and exhibits that are definitely must-sees!  The descriptions were provided by the museum–I certainly couldn’t write them better.

Spiders Alive!

July 28–December 2012

For centuries, spiders have inspired storytellers, from Ovid to E. B. White to the creators of the eponymous superhero, but their actual role in diverse ecosystems around the globe is just as captivating. Spiders Alive! immerses visitors in the fascinating and complex world of spiders, among the most versatile animals on the planet: they inhabit every continent but Antarctica and are able to survive in environments that range from deserts to rainforests to crowded cities. Spiders are also important predators. By one estimate, the spiders on one acre of woodland alone consume more than 80 pounds of insects a year. Scientists have identified over 42,000 species of spiders to date, and there are at least as many more to be discovered.

Among the live spiders visitors will encounter in this exhibition are the goliath bird eater, one of the largest spiders in the world, whose prey includes snakes, mice, and frogs; the venomous western black widow, one of the few North American spiders harmful to people; and species from other arachnid orders, including African whip spiders, whose whip-like feelers, up to 10 inches in length, help the animal find its way.

 Spiders Alive! will explore spiders’ silk, venom, and little-known defensive mechanisms such as mimicry and noise making. The exhibition will also include larger-than-life models, videos, interactive exhibits, and fossils, and Museum staff will be handling live arachnids for visitors to see up close. Gallery 77, first floor

Mystery at the Museum: An Accomplice Experience (this looks so cool!)

May 26-27, 2012

From the creators of Accomplice, theatrical experiences set on the streets of New York City, Hollywood, and London, comes an exciting new way to explore the American Museum of Natural History for the whole family. Part game, part theater, and part walking tour, Mystery at the Museum is an immersive and unique adventure through the Museum’s halls. Visitors meet characters, follow clues, and solve puzzles as they unravel a tale that takes them through iconic Museum locations and behind-the-scenes areas. Mystery at the Museum is a unique experience sure to engage, entertain, and enchant children and parents alike. Appropriate for ages 10 and up.

Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration

Open through August 12, 2012

Beyond Planet Earth launches visitors into the exciting future of space exploration as it boldly speculates on humanity’s next steps in our solar system and beyond. The exhibition features a full-sized re-creation of a lunar habitat, a model of an elevator reaching up into space, a walk-through diorama of the Martian surface, and challenging interactive simulations. See authentic equipment and models of historic spacecraft from select voyages in the past. Learn about robotic missions that are currently headed deeper and deeper into our own solar system, and what they might reveal. Understand why geologists are so interested in specimens from moons and other planets and what we can learn from them. And explore some possible spectacular missions of the future: mining the Moon, landing on and deflecting a potentially deadly asteroid, or traveling to Mars—and perhaps even establishing colonies there. Is it possible within our lifetime? Will we discover evidence of life, past or present, on another planet? Find out what experts think the future will hold for us beyond planet Earth. Gallery 3, third floor

Cate likes to hear stories about the time when she was “in Mama’s tummy.”  I show her pictures and tell her how we called her “the squiggler” because she was always squiggling around in there.  So naturally, and yet still somehow unexpectedly, the day came last year when, in the midst of such reminiscing, her little face screwed up into a puzzled twist and she said “How did I get out of your tummy?”

She was three.  I said “the doctor helped.”  And again, not surprisingly and yet still somehow unexpectedly that question was followed by “Well, how did I get in your tummy?”  I had a less satisfying answer for this question.

I have every intention of demystifying the reproductive process for my wee one.  Her Daddy is, after all, a doctor.  And, of course, I want her to feel that she can talk to me about anything.  However. Call me old-fashioned, but I think that at three, there’s just no way pulling out the anatomical diagrams is gonna be remotely useful.

How happy I was to discover “We Made You Out of Love”!  Aptly subtitled: “The Answer To The Number One Question on Every Child’s Mind: “Where Did I Come From?”  Co-authored by a pediatrician and a writer, this terrific picture book for kids ages 5 and up (but I really think it would have been perfect for my inquisitive three-year-old) introduces us to Jeffrey who is on his quest to solve the mystery of his own birth.  The book fancifully and colorfully follows Jeffery as he asks his parents questions like “Was I hatched from a giant egg?” and “Did Daddy build me?” and “Did you win me at the carnival?”  The answer, as the title suggests, is ultimately “We made you out of love.”  It’s offered with a gentle, non-sexual explanation that I think satisfies little ones and can provide a bridge to a longer discussion with older children.  The book is sensitive and thoughtful and a great resource to any parent with a seriously precocious preschooler.  Got anyone like that in your house?

Call me crazy, but I think this is a book to have on hand starting when your kid is a toddler, so you can be ready to pull out when the question is asked.  And trust me, it inevitably will be asked.  And it will take you off guard.  I did eventually expand a bit upon how the Bean got out of my tummy.  She hadn’t really asked again about how she got in there to begin with, but we read this book together when it arrived (thanks so much to the authors for sending it to us to review) and seemed totally satisfied.

A ready answer to a really tough question.  That’s something Mamas and Babies definitely gotta have.

Cate was pretty darned excited to get a chance to try out the new Bounce-A-Long Buddies animal shaped bouncing balls! In the video, Cate is riding Trotter, the inflatable hopping horse, who comes in at 20″.  Though as you will see in the video, her particular Bounce-A-Long Buddies pony was given her very own name. Also available is Moo Moo an adorable 17″ inflatable riding cow.  Both are available online for $39.99 and will be in specialty stores this Spring.  The Bounce-A-Long Buddies bouncy balls come deflated and can be easily inflated with a home bicycle pump equipped with a needle.  Trotter and Moo Moo are durable, created for indoor and outdoor use, designed for children ages 3 and up, and rated up to 220 pounds.  So, yeah Mama, you can take a ride when your kid’s at preschool.

An kid-powered, indoor/outdoor hopper that even Mama can take out for a spin…that’s something babies definitely gotta have.