Lilly Gold
Lilly Gold has two really cool options for getting your car seats around. The 2 in 1 Zoomer (pictured left) is a cart for your car seat that has latches compatible with your car seat's latches, so it fits securely onto the cart, and has a wheel base and handle that allows you to push it just like a stroller! They also have a car seat, the 5-in-1 Sit 'n' Stroll that actually turns into a stroller. Both of these seem ideal for families that use taxis or car share (ZipCar, etc), and for vacations where you'll be traveling by air, bus, train, taxi, etc. No more lugging those strollers around - push them easily, with your kids riding safely in them!! Available on Lilly Gold's website and Amazon.

Buggy Balance
Does your stroller flip over backward when you try to hang anything from the handles? Or every time your child hops out of the seat? Buggy Balance has created little weights (3 pounds each) that will keep your stroller from flipping over! These seem great for daily use on tipsy umbrella strollers (frankly, many non-umbrella strollers could use them, too!), and if you have a day of lugging the stroller up and down the subway stairs, simply leave the weights at home! Available on Amazon.

i-Angel Hipseat Carrier
I was kinda blown away by how versitle and practical this carrier is. You can see all the different ways to use it in the image to the left - wear your baby on the front, back, or hip; rest your baby on the hipseat or strap them into the full carrier! It's amazing! It also promises to disperse the weight through your hips rather than your back and shoulders, which sounds mighty comfy! Available on i-Angel's website and Amazon.

Babyhome's Side Light
Not only is this a great looking and functional toddler bed rail, but what makes it really stand out is its built in LED night light!! The light automaticaly shuts off after 30 minutes (when child is fast asleep), and the rail includes see through mesh and removable/washable fabric. Available on Albee Baby and Amazon.

Love To Dream
This swaddle really caught my eye as it swaddles baby in a really unique position, actually baby's most natural position - arms up! The Stage 1 Swaddle Up (0-4 months, pictured far left) has baby fully inclosed but still able to self-sooth, while Stage 2 Swaddle (4-8 months, pictured near left) includes removable sleeves. Made of 93% cotton and 7% elastane, they also include a travel slot (for use in stroller or car seat). Also, a genius twin zipper allows for diaper changes while arms remain swaddled! Available on Regal + Lager's website and Amazon.

BabySmile Portable Nasal Aspirator
I've tried a few nasal aspirators and they all have their pros and cons, but this is the first one I've tried that 1) gets the job done easily and quickly, 2) is not powered by your mouth, 3) is quiet, 4) is portable, 5) is reasonably priced. So, yeah, it's pretty great! (My full review is coming soon - stay tuned!!). Available on Amazon.

Eco Nuts
Looking for an organic laundry detergent? You can't get more green than Eco Nuts! When agitated in water, these berries produce a naturally occuring surfactant called saponin, which gently cleanses laundry! Place 4-5 of the Soap Berries in a bag and reuse them up to 10 times. They also have a liquid version (better for HE machines) and a variety of other products. Available on Eco Nuts' website and Amazon.

So, what do you think. Amazing right? What products are you most impressed with?? Share in a comment below!!

I’m a very sentimental gift giver. I’d much rather make something meaningful than go out and buy the newest gadget or trendy piece of fashion. Sound familiar? If so, these idea are for you! I've put together a list of some fabulous handy DIY gifts you can make with your kids for Father’s Day that will be cherished for years to come – all of these feature creative ways to make gifts out of your children’s hand or footprints!

Framed with a Photo

This is what I ended up doing last year for our first Father’s Day. I stamped baby’s feet on a pre-cut mat and put a cute photo of daddy and baby in the middle. I’ve seen others using a collage of photos, hand and foot prints, and other memorabilia inside a shadow box. Anyway you do it, it’s going to be cute—and demand a prime spot on your wall.

Dad’s Little Slugger

Getting baby’s handprint on a ball is a must for any baseball fan dads out there. It may look a bit challenging, but you can wing it or buy a kit like the First Pitch Baby’s First Handprint Baseball on Amazon.  <Photo Credit: Army Wife & Mommy>

I’ll Drink to That

If dad is a big coffee or tea drinker, why not give him a mug adorned with the adorable hand or foot prints of your little one! Need help from the pros? Hit up your local paint your own pottery store such as Color Me Mine.  <Photo Credit: Busy Bugs>

Hand in Hand

You’ll have to be sneaky and creative to get dad’s hand print, or perhaps even let the cat out of the bag about what you’re doing, but it’ll be worth it. Crafts displaying both dad and baby’s handprints (or you can even do the whole family together) are adorable—and an awesome thing to do each year to document how much the little ones are growing.  <Photo Credit: PrintFusion>

Walk This Way

Another great idea is to create a handprint or footprint stepping stone each year for Father’s Day (or you could create a whole walkway in one go by doing each hand and foot of each kid and pet on a different stone!). There are a ton of kits available, such as the Midwest Products Kids Garden Handprint Stepping Stone Kit.  <Photo Credit: Amazon>

Tips for Stamping Little Hands and Feet

• There’s no need to purchase an ink pad specifically for babies or children. You can buy a regular ink pad or even use paint and a paintbrush. Just make sure it’s non-toxic and clean the ink off of their skin as soon as you're done.

• Have tons of baby wipes or wet paper towels on hand to wipe off the majority of the ink before heading over to the sink for some soap and water action. Get one hand or foot stamped and cleaned before proceeding to the next one—kids love to swing and kick an inked up appendage to and fro!

• Infant hands are usually balled up making it really tough to get a hand print; it's much better to use the feet until they’re a bit older.

• Be prepared for many takes—there will be smudges and prints that don’t even come out. Do a few practice runs and make sure to have a backup plan. I used a photo frame matte that was the same on the front and back. It was a good thing: We screwed up on the first try, but it's now hidden on the backside!

• Strip little ones down to their diapers to avoid staining clothes, and put down newspapers all around—just in case!

• Get a helper. Trying this by yourself is a recipe for disaster. Having one person to hold the item to be stamped (on the floor or against a wall is easiest) and the other person navigating baby’s foot or hand will make things go much smoother. You also have more cleanup help!

• Don’t forget hands and feet can be creatively arranged for fun or sentiment. From hearts to deer, the sky’s the limit!

I recently wrote a post for Mommy Nearest about crazy things my toddler has eaten. One of them being his horrifically dirty and disgusting stroller tires! Well, he didn't eat them, but he went through a phase where he would lick them!! SERIOUSLY!! We have a small apartment so the stroller just sits in the entry way. Wait, scratch that. The stroller just SAT in the entry way. That's right - past tense - because I found...

The StrollAway by MetroTots!!

The StrollAway is made of heavy-duty steal that can hold a stroller of up to 40 pounds! I got a white one which is great since all of our doors area white! Look at the photo above, it just blends right in! Unfortunately the stroller does not... but at least it's up out of the reach of my toddlers eager mouth!!

The little arms on the StrollAway can swing left and right freely, so they easily adjust no matter what kind of stroller you are hanging up and can fold flush to the door when not in use. My favorite part is there is NO INSTALLATION or setup! It's ready to go as soon as you open up the box, which to be honest, was the hardest part (it's a super thick plastic box)! Haha!

Emptying out the stroller, folding it, and hoisting it up to hang on the StrollAway is certainly not a fun process. But the alternative of it sitting in the middle of your entryway or living room or whatever precious real estate it's taking up? No thanks! Never again!! Oh, and FYI, a little birdie tells me they have a wall-mount version coming out soon.

You can buy your StrollAway here, but one is part of my $1500 Mother Of Giveaways running through May 26 so why not take a shot and enter to win!!

*Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, I was not compensated in any other way to do this product review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

Baby wipes are on a short list of things that every baby absolutely needs (no, not every baby NEEDS a bouncer, you know!). Whether you're using wet wash cloths or a big brand name of disposable wipes, you've got to wipe baby's bottom off with something or you're asking for all kinds of trouble! Out of convenience, most people go with some sort of disposable wipe. You probably did. But, do you know what is in baby wipes?? Often parabens, lanolin, alcohol, perfume, phthalates, benzoates, triclosan... (see my post on why these are baddies).

Here's a great video on it (no one ever mentioned the option of water and cotton balls to me... that sounds pretty great for a newborn actually)!!

So, you can understand why I was so super psyched when I came across these 100% natural baby wipes by WaterWipes.

Yep, you read that right - 100% natural!! Ingredients are: 99.9% water and 0.1% fruit extract. WHAAAAAT!!?? Hallelujah, that is freaking fantastic!!

I have to say that my husband was confused when I brought them home. "If they're just water, what's the point?? Can't you just use a wet towel?" to which I said "Sure, of course you can, and some people do. But I'm not a cloth diaperer and other than the occasional blowout on clothes I do not want to be dealing with all of that washing of pee and poop! I want something easy that I can just throw away, but that is safe and gentle on my baby." I could see the light bulb go off in his head. Got it!

I was surprised that the WaterWipes really have no smell. I was expecting to smell that bit of grapefruit seed extract, but nope. They really do seem like they're just water! They were nice and moist, but not too much so, and strong (they only tore in one direction - with the grain - but it takes a good pull so it shouldn't rip accidentally), and were easy to keep a grip of (weird to mention grip, but a brand I recently tried and shall not name is impossible to keep a hold of!! it's the WORST when wiping a poopy butt, ughhhhhhh).

So, let's recap why WaterWipes are so awesome:
1) They're a 100% natural baby wipe
2) They're great to prevent diaper rash as they'll do the clean up without leaving any chemicals or fragrances behind on on your babies, ummm, behind :P
3) They're especially helpful if your baby suffers from allergies or eczema
4) You can stop buying separate "pacifier wipes"
5) I'm pretty confident using these would not result in THIS (warning, photos not for the faint of heart!!)

I also tried the facial wipes by WaterWipes, which were equally awesome. They're fragrance-free, alcohol-free and consist only of water, sea salt, and grapefruit seed extract. They were true to their promise in that they didn't dry out my skin or sting (and I even wiped over my uber sensitive eye and eyelid area!). These will become a staple in the diaper bag and travel bag - I can picture using them many times on our flight to Japan this fall!!

I’ve always been a very independent kinda gal. (Except when it comes to putting together Ikea furniture, that is.) I just didn’t realize how more independent I would have to become when having a child and becoming a “work widow”. My husband works long hours - he’s out the door around 7:30am and not home again until 8pm or later most nights, and often on the weekends. He also travels a lot. I was thrown right into it – left all by myself for a week with a brand new two week old baby. But you know what? We survived!! And I was so proud that I did it all by myself and have continued to do so. Do I NEED my husband to be home and helping out? No, I guess I don’t. Do I WANT him to be? Yes, of course!! But we’re making do just fine and here’s how:

Communication is Key

You may have days (or weeks, or longer) where you don’t see each other because of his hours or travel. Make sure you still keep lines of communication open – have a quick daily chat on the phone or Skype (this is especially great for getting the kids involved). Text a photo or video of your little one doing something silly. Make sure to tell each other that you’re thinking of them and love them.

Quality Time Together

Sure, you’ve found your groove taking care of the house and the kids all by yourself – congratulations! But, when your partner is actually home, don’t let him annoy you by “getting in your way”. Don’t let him sit around like a house guest, either! Involve him in the daily grind such as changing diapers, story time, and fun at the park. And don’t forget some much needed adult private time to keep the spark alive.

Have Support

I feel this is true for anyone, work widow or not. You need a good support system – friends, family, you name it! People who are understanding and sympathetic. Some good shoulders to cry on, to vent to, and to make you laugh! It can be tough to make mommy friends, but they are so so so important (see my tips for making mommy friends)!

Don’t Be Negative

Being a workaholic doesn’t mean he loves you any less. It doesn’t mean he prioritizes work over family. (I mean maybe yours does, haha, I don’t know him, but anyway it’s not a given!). Try to see the positive – he’s working hard to provide for his family, and he takes great pride in his work! Do make sure he knows how you feel about his work schedule (I’ll reference above – communication is key), but don’t complain about it all the time – this is not productive and will likely lead to fights and stress.

Know Your Breaking Point

Do you feel completely overwhelmed taking care of everything at home yourself? Maybe he can help out more or you can get some outside help such as an occasional babysitter, housekeeper, etc. Do you feel like you two are drifting apart or having major issues? It might be time to consider marriage counseling, but sometimes it’s as simple as getting away from it all and reconnecting on a vacation!

Are you a work widow? Share your tips for surviving below!

You had chicken pox when you were a child and it was no big thing, right? That’s what I thought till I started researching. In mild cases it is really just an inconvenience – your child is uncomfortable and has to stay home from school, which means you have to stay home from work or arrange for child care. But did you know 1 in 80,000 healthy children who get chicken pox will die from it?

In 1995 they came out with a vaccine, but unfortunately it’s only 90% effective in preventing chicken pox, and because it’s so new we don’t yet know how long the vaccine is good for. On the other hand it’s 100% effective in preventing severe cases. For this reason it has become a standard vaccine given at between 12-15 months. To enter school you have to prove your child has immunity through the vaccine or having had the illness. Because many people are wary of vaccines, and probably had such mild cases of chicken pox themselves, they would rather their children gain immunity through the illness. And thus we have the introduction of the Pox Party. Say what!?!?!

Yep, Pox Party

You want your kid to get chicken pox? Take them to a pox party where one of the children has chicken pox! It’s highly contagious, you know.

I’m not endorsing pox parties by any means, but I can see why some might find then enticing. While I’m definitely wary of vaccines, I have decided to vaccinate my child for all standard ones, on an alternative spread out schedule. Most recently, he just got his first MMR (which is what he was waiting for in the above photo), and we'll be back in a month for his chick pox vaccine. This is for the sake of my child as well as the community. Having a high enough percentage of people vaccinated in a population helps prevent outbreaks (and we are in the middle of an "outbreak" of measles here in NYC - there were 21 cases as of last week).

Think about all the babies and pregnant women and other immunocompromised people out there. I see vaccines as taking one for the team. But, to each her own and I don’t judge anyone on their decision to vaccinate or not, as long as they’ve done their research!

It also comes down to which kind of guilt I would feel less guilty about, in a worst possible case scenario. Frankly, I would feel worse if my unvaccinated kid spread a terrible illness to an itty bitty baby (perhaps his own sibling or that of a friend), than if a vaccination caused him to have a nasty reaction. Of course, both of these scenarios suck, you just have to decide which is the lesser of two evils for you, make your decision, and hope for the best!

Related: Cuddling Through Vaccines

So, how do you feel about vaccines? Comment below!

Living in New York City certainly has its perks. Besides having everything at your fingertips or a short taxi or subway ride away, there are events and expos going on at every moment for just about anything you can imagine, including all things pregnancy and baby! I’m happy to share with you my list of very cool must-do Baby Expos coming up this season!

Mommy to Bee Expo
Location: Bronx (Villa Barone Manor @ 737 Throggs Neck Expressway).
Date: March 23 (Sunday) @ 11AM – 3PM.
Tickets: $8.50 for 1 or $15 for 2, register here.
Other Info: This event is for moms-to-be and new moms in the Tri-State area, featuring over 60 top companies in the baby industry, a one-stop-shop for growing families. Parents, friends and family will enjoy mingling and shopping with other expectant moms while learning how to prepare for their growing families. This is the biggest Baby Shower event in the Bronx. You’ll receive a gift bag valued over 2x your ticket price and enjoy free onsite childcare!

Brooklyn Baby & Family Expo
Location: Brooklyn Heights (St. Francis College @ 180 Remsen Street).
Date: April 6 (Sunday) @ 11AM – 3PM.
Tickets: From $15 to $120 per person, register here.
Other Info: Presented by A Child Grows, this is a family-friendly event for expectant, new and seasoned parents (of children up to age 8) and will be a day of fun and education, where participants can interact with other parents, exhibitors and experts. Exhibitors will showcase products and services covering all phases of life as a parent of young children! Hands on activities, raffle prizes, gift bags, & live kids’ entertainment!

Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower
Location: Manhattan (Metropolitan Pavillion @ 125 W 18th St).
Date: April 29 (Tuesday) @ 6:30PM – 9:30PM.
Tickets: From $65 to $200 per person, or $175 to $250 per couple, register here.
Other Info: Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower is held several times a year in several cities (the next one in NYC is November 13). With over 100 of the best companies in the baby industry, it's a one stop shop to test out, touch, feel and get educated on everything you can possibly need for your growing family. Enjoy mingling with other expectant and new parents while you enjoy sweet treats, mocktails and more in an elegant setting.

The Mamas Expo
Location: Queens (NY Hall of Science @ 47-01 111th St).
Date: May 4 (Sunday) @ 10AM – 4PM.
Tickets: $15 (General Admission) and $45 (VIP), register here.
Other Info: The Mamas Expo is open to all parents, expectant moms, and children, from pregnancy to age 6. Part baby expo, part county fair, and part something entirely different, the Mamas Expo is a one day family friendly gathering that celebrates parenting culture in New York City and beyond. It brings together local resources, businesses, brands, educators, caretakers, parents, grandparents, performers, artists, and of course kids to receive an exclusive look at all of the new resources available and of course, have fun!

NY Baby Show
Location: Manhattan (Pier 92 @ 711 12th Avenue).
Date: May 17 & 18 (Saturday & Sunday) @ 10AM – 4PM.
Tickets: Single $20, Family $30, register here.
Other Info: Presented by New York Family, the New York Baby Show is a family-friendly event for new and expectant parents from the Tri-State area and beyond. Explore a mix of top products and services for maternity, baby and toddler (over 100 brands!), along with an inspiring menu of speakers and demonstrations from highly regarded and beloved figures in the world of parenting and pregnancy. You’ll also find mom and dad lounges, play area, classes, and a stroller test track!

Living in New York City without a car… no problem. Living in New York City with kids and no car… not quite as easy, but totally doable!!

Taxis / Car Service:

Legally you don’t need a car seat in taxis and car services, so the ball’s in your court here and though I've done it, I really really don't recommend taking a taxi ride without a car seat. As if a ride in a NYC taxi isn't terrifying enough, this really takes the cake. Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures, but know that there are several companies that offer car seats and boosters when reserved ahead of time (my personal go-to is Eastern Car Service based out of Park Slope, they usually charge $5 extra for the car seat or booster). There’s also a service geared especially for families called Kid Car.

Car Share:

You’ve got a small selection here, and depending on where you live they may or may not have parking locations convenient to you. But they offer hourly rental, and gas and insurance is included in the price! How awesome! Check out Zipcar, Hertz 24/7, and Carpingo. You’ll have to provide your own car seat, which is required by law.

Public Transportation:

Not a glamorous way of travel, but cost effective and for the most part, pretty easy. My contention with the subway is the dearth of stations with elevators - check the MTA’s accessible list.

The tough part on the bus is you are required to collapse your stroller. With an infant, diaper bag, and who knows what else you’re lugging around under the stroller, this can be a mama’s worst nightmare. For this reason, the subway wins out in my book, even if you have to solicit help to get up and down the stairs (go here to see which "Subway Mom" you are!)!

Walking:

Most parts of NYC are pretty pedestrian friendly, so throw on some sneakers and show your little one all there is to see around the city! And bonus, you’ll save some money and work off some of that baby weight while you’re at it! I recommend at least one of the following: a carrier, a stroller, or a leash/harness (if your little one is walking and likes to dart into traffic).

Here in Bay Ridge, we often organize a "stroller caravan" where we walk in groups to meetups such as Babies and Books at the library or open play at Baby/Mama. I think our record was an intimidating lineup of 15 strollers!! We seriously rule the sidewalks in Ba(b)y Ridge!

I won't deny it - I used to watch a LOT of TV, and now just don't have time for it. I even blogged on Mommy Nearest about missing my TV family! Ha! So when the Oscars were set to air last night, I hadn't really planned on watching. You know - so much to do, so little time and all! But, little one was quietly sleeping, and with our big move coming up in a couple of weeks we've got to drink all the booz in our fridge hubby and I threw caution to the wind and sat down with a couple of bottles of cider in front of the boob tube!

I love love love Ellen, so I really enjoyed her opening dialogue and running commentary throughout the night. She has such a dry sense of humor that always has me LOL'ing! Watching it with my ESL husband, I have to help him get a lot of jokes, most of which are lost in translation, but it's such a sense of accomplishment when he actually gets one and LOL's right along with me! Phew!!

I was really touched by the speeches of Jared Leto and Lepita Nyong-o's acceptance speeches - I love when actors can be so gracious and also bring light to incredibly important causes without beating us over the head with them.

But right before I was about to call it a night (at 10pm, sorry I know it's lame but Kenzo is at night 5 of waking up about 4 times a night - damn canines and molars are all coming in at once!!), Ellen did something I found to be super duper cool! haha!! She joked about Meryl Lynch being nominated a record 18 times, and said she wanted to set a new record with her - for retweets on Twitter! All of a sudden, a bunch of other celebs (Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Kevin Spacey, Lupita Nyong'o, Jared Leto, Channing Tatum, & Bradley Cooper) all jumped in the MASSIVE selfie photo and BOOM, history was about to be made! At first, I logged onto Twitter just to see if the photo was for real. And for real it was! It took me a few attempts to retweet because Twitter must have been on complete overload. I mean, in the 30 seconds it took me to finally retweet, it had jumped from 60K to 80K retweets! Apparently it hit over 1 million in an hour, and now 12 hours later it's over 2 million!!

I don't know why I am just getting a kick out of being part of this! Haha!! I love it for one, because it's so fun to see celebrities acting "real" and being silly. And 2 because it's cool to see how powerful Social Media can be. It wasn't part of a campaign to save the world or donate X amount to X charity for each retweet or anything like that. It was just PURE FUN.

So, are you part of the record breaking retweet?? Or think it's a rediculous waste of time? Comment below!!

It seems like we’ve just been getting walloped with one snowstorm after the other and you’d think it’d be getting easier. But, it’s not. On the bad days, we stay home and battle cabin fever, big time. On the not so completely treacherous days, we venture out. But all of our usual methods of getting around the neighborhood have been failing us when it comes to this wintery weather.

Our stroller, my wonderful lovely so easily maneuverable Britax B-Agile stroller (yes, one of the ones just recalled for potentially injuring parents’ fingers while collapsing it…but I don’t hold that against it!) has been doing better than most in the snow, but there’s only so much a stroller can handle! On the regular sidewalk I can push that thing with my pinky finger, I’m not joking either, I’ve done it to prove a point to my poor friends lugging around those ridiculously heavy carrier-stroller combo systems. But in deep slush or powdery snow, it’s like, where are my freakin’ sled dogs already!? In the ice, I worry about me falling and losing grip of the stroller, watching it careen off into the nearest intersection as I’m laying there with a broken ankle screaming “NOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!” They need to come up with a lock system similar to that on the treadmill. Or a leash like surfers wear. (*Lightbulb* going off in my momtrepreneur brain!) Then you have to deal with the ice and salt stuck to the wheels when you come inside. Like most city dwellers, I don’t have a safe space to leave the stroller outside or in the hallway, so my apartment’s foyer has become a disgusting sticky salt coated space. Yuck! One must for getting through the winter with your stroller? The scrumptiously cozy 7 A.M. WarMMuffs, a warm stroller bunting, and a good rain shield to keep your little one dry and out of the bazillion below zero wind chill!

Babywearing may seem like a great alternative to the stroller in the snow, but I only do it if my destination is REALLY close, like, across the street. I was terrified being pregnant in the winter, and it’s almost as terrifying for me to wear (or worse, carry) my baby while walking around on the slippery ice and snow covered streets of New York. If I go down, we’re both going down. Hopefully my derriere would take the brunt of the fall, but who knows!? It’s a risky game. Also, you have to be a bit more diligent about bundling baby up since you can’t use the stroller bunting and rain shield.

Finally, those of you with a car have the option of driving. But you probably got blocked in by 10 feet of snow from that dang plow in the middle of the night. Yeah, good luck with that! I’ve never been so glad not to own a house or a car as I have been these last couple of weeks. That is a whole lot of shoveling and digging that I am not sad to be missing out on!

So how have you been getting around this winter? Share your successes or failures below (bonus if they're hilarious LOL)!