The perfect shoe?  It’s full of bling and they will never out grow it.  This new keepsake is the perfect girlie baby gift (at ther perfect price $38.50 / $34.65 on sale).  Not only is it adorable but mommy can inscribe the bottom of the shoe with babies info.  A tiny treasure that is the perfect display and keepsake for years to come.

Click here to buy

Are you in search of the perfect holiday gift?  Look no further than an amazing photo shoot with NYC children’s photographer, Lindsey Gray. Lindsey specializes in children, families, maternity shots and even can be hired to capture special moments like a child’s first birthday. Her work is truly spectacular!

Winning is easy…

*Become a TBC facebook fan (by Nov 30th) by clicking here…  TBC Facebook Fan Page

You are entered!

Winner will be randomly selected and contacted after Nov 30th.

Rules & Restrictions

*The free portrait sitting must take place in Manhattan

*If you reside there it can be at your home, otherwise the shoot will be outdoors.

*Timing is up to winner

*Prize includes 1 5×7 (the remainder of prints must be purchased)

visit  www.lindseygrayphotography.com to check out her portfolio.

All TBC fans who book a sitting before Nov 30th use discount code tbcpics for 10% off your own sitting.

email lindsey @ lindseymgray@gmail.com

We are huge daily candy fans…we think their latest find is worth a shout out.  YummyFun Kooking Club is an innovative and creative way to get your kids hooked on cooking (and eating for those with picky appetites).  The subscription is only $26.95 for the year. I think it’s a great big brother/ big sister gift or even a third or fourth bday gift.  Check it out at http://www.yummyfun.com/.

I was shocked when I read this in the NY Times…

Parent alert: the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for all those “Baby Einstein” videos that did not make children into geniuses.

They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.

“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been pushing the issue for years.

Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/education/24baby.html?_r=2#

There’s not a day that goes by lately where you don’t hear about the h1n1 virus…and you don’t even have to turn on the tv or read a newspaper. Between emails, facebook updates, and worried parents at the playground, the question on everyone’s mind is, ‘to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?’ Well considering my little one’s 1yr check-up is next week, I’m thinking we need to decide quickly. But what I’m more worried about is protection against the virus in day to day life.

With a 4 year old in preschool, daily visits to classes and the playground, and routine daily contact, I guess in this day and age you can’t be too safe. But what about strangers who think they are entitled to touch your children?

I was never so worried when someone wanted to pat my pregnant belly, and was ok when someone wanted to ruffle my big one’s curls and slap him high five. Thanks to an MD brother-in-law, I was of the belief that kids needed to be exposed to certain germs. But just today alone 2 strangers reached out to touch…not just my child…but his hand…with their hand!! I was speechless.

We’re in the process of visiting schools for my big one to go to kindergarten next year, and actually visited a school yesterday that said, ‘We’re not shaking hands this year in light of the flu season.’ It made me like the school even better.

But I’m stumped with how to handle the random person passing by who thinks my 1 year old’s outstretched hand, waving, is an invitation to grab it or stick their finger in the palm for him to grab (note to people: that’s a good trick for an infant, but 1 year olds don’t need to be grasping fingers.)

After much thought, I think I’m going to go with, ‘Oh…he has the sniffles…you may not want to touch his hand…’ and quickly veer the stroller away.

spill the beans wants to know what you would do.

Maybe I missed the memo about this amazing service, or maybe I discovered gold, but either way I needed to pass along this great find.  Belly-Jeans, is a priceless service that takes your favorite jeans and for about $27 makes them into maternity jeans. It KILLS me to spend big bucks on maternity clothes, but let’s face it, a girl can’t go 10 months without a good pair of jeans.  Belly-jeans takes your jeans and adds the maternity band so you still get to enjoy the one piece of clothing you can’t live without.  I sent her my Jbrand jeans (that probably would be out of style by the time I could fit back into them again) and she did a fabulous job converting them.  It makes me feel great to wear a piece of clothing from my “real wardrobe” and they are totally comfortable.  I don’t know if they will really last til the bitter end, but I’m not greedy, I’ll take what I can get.  The process was made easy and painless by the one woman show (and get this…mother of 6), Cheryl, who owns and operates the whole operation.  Find out more at www.belly-jeans.com or email cheryl at cheryl@belly-jeans.com.  Tell her we sent you!

It’s one of the age old questions that every pregnant couple of this technologically advanced society asks…Do we want to find out the sex???  When I got pregnant with my first my husband was definite that YES, we needed to know.  I kept hearing about the thrilling moment in the delivery room when the doctor shouted out it’s a…boy!  And I truly felt part of me (the part that wasn’t dying to decorate immediately) was missing out on that high.  A customer had shared with me an idea, that I eventually adopted, that I felt was a great compromise between the ultimate surprise and being in the know.  Basically we had the doctor who was doing the sonogram (20 week) write down on a piece of paper the gender of the baby and put it in a sealed envelope.  With my first, we met both sets of parents at a divine restaurant that same night and opened the envelope all together.  We captured the exciting moment on video and it truly was magical.  Instead of being drugged up in a delivery room, I was able to rejoice with my family and share in the excitement.  (After all who really gets the glory of the delivery room reveal…the daddy… who let’s face didn’t just push an 8 pound baby out of a very small part of part of his body.)

With my second, who I am currently carrying, we wanted to include my daughter in this special day.  She is old enough to recognize letters so we had the doctor circle a B or G on a piece of paper and Stella was the official envelope opener.  She got to play hookie from school, come to the sonogram, and have an early lunch with her grandparents (score!).  She was more than excited.  The morning of the appointment I realized that there was a slight possibility of a negative reaction on her part considering in her mind there was zero shot she was getting a brother.  Being the wise adult I am (plus  taking into account my own motherly instinct), I knew there was pretty good shot she would be wrong.  Still, I forged ahead with my plan.  My husband was hesitant, but againl I wanted my moment.  Like round one we had the video camera, the still life camera and our loved ones to share in the moment.  Now at a more kid friendly restaurant (Cheesecake Factory), we were ready to go.  I have attached the video for you all to see…it’s a classic kid moment that could not have been scripted any better if I tried.  Needless to say, Stella is getting a brother, and like many 3 year old giris, not getting what she wants doesn’t always go so well…that’s putting it mildly.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GVkhF-GRxA

Well the suspense is over…and of course my motherly instincts were correct (again)…and the baby is indeed a boy! Much to my daughter’s dismay and my husband’s delight we will be welcoming junior in 5 short months.  Most important baby looks like a strapping and healthy young lad! Thanks to everyone for your inventive, unique and thoughtful names.  Your 15% off code “name” is valid through Oct 12th at midnight (EST). Our lucky grand-prize winner of a $500 shopping spree is Jessica!!!  Thanks Jessica for your great names, and great naming advice.

As reported by one of our fav blogs Stroller Traffic-Cookie Magazine, a Conde Nast pub will no longer be published.  We are sad to see it go.  It was definitely one of my personal favorite mommy resources.  Read more at Stroller Traffic.

My son wants to be a dinosaur for Halloween. It’s a recurring theme in our household and we are swimming in plastic dinosaur figures, dinosaur games, dinosaur candies…you name it. I’m not a huge fan of the giant costume with head poking out for a 4 year old. (I mean, a wild 4 year old running around in that? Not so safe… Remember, I’m a nervous mom!) My sis found these awesome dino hoodies on etsy, which got me trolling around on the site. I’m loving the possibilities of a homemade costume…made by someone else! There’s just not enough time in the day to whip something up, so why not rely on the talent represented on etsy?

I’ve scouted some cute things for our readers who didn’t order their kid’s Halloween costumes in June:

Dinosaur Stomp:

Too cool for Barney? How about these adorable dino hoodies? Pair them with a dino tee, maybe some dino slippers from the Gap, and you’re good to go. Plus, the hoodie is cool long after Halloween is over!

For the extremely laid back Halloween costume, how about this adorable dinosaur skullcap?

Are you a good witch or a bad witch:

Your little girl may have a witching hour, but she’s more of a good witch. She’ll look too cute in this witchypoo tutu.  A candy corn inspired tutu would make for great pics.

Let us know what your kidlets are being for Halloween this year, and any great Halloween costume finds you come across!