Wondering if it’s possible to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy? Maybe. Genes, diet, weight gain, hydration are factors that come into play. For example, drinking eight or more glasses of water a day may go a long way toward maintaining skin elasticity.

Oils and creams specifically blended to ward off stretch marks may help, too. Like Earth Mama Angel Baby’s Natural Stretch Oil. You and your beautiful, growing belly will love this delicately scented oil, which is made with pure, organic essential oils. Earth Mama Angel Baby’s line of pregnancy wellness products are toxin-free, too.

There are plenty of mamas out there who swear by stretch mark creams and oils, and I’m one of them. Earth Mama Angel Baby makes “the only line of 100% natural skin and body care products to support the entire birth process”–pregnancy, labor, postpartum, even c-section recovery. This is one company that has figured out how to give expecting moms and new moms the products they want and need for skin wellness and beauty, without harsh chemicals and toxins like phthalates.

If you’re expecting or looking for the perfect gift for a new mama, don’t miss Earth Mama Angel Baby pregnancy wellness products–when it comes to preventing stretch marks, there just aren’t any second chances after those nine months!

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March 25, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of Backyard and Beyond Metal Water Bottles, distributed by Downeast Concepts Inc., of Yarmouth, ME. The recall affects model numbers 67402, 67404, 67442, 67444, 67742, 60442, 67744, 67746, 67748 and 60448 printed on the hang tag.

According to CPSC, “Surface paint on the metal water bottles contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.” Consumers are advised to discontinue use of the bottles.

The recall affects about 18,000 units.

For more information about the recall, check out the news release here.

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Note: Since last year, thousands of aluminum water bottles have been recalled for violations of the federal lead paint standard. However, not all aluminum bottles are affected by these recalls. For example, check out SIGG eco-friendly water Bottles.

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I’ve raved before about California Baby products, and since I’m not one to stay quiet for long, I’m going to rave some more. I stumbled upon California Baby in a natural food store weeks before giving birth to my first child. What then attracted me to California Baby was my mother-to-be obsession with finding natural and organic products for my baby. Only the best, right? My first California Baby purchase was Calming Shampoo & Bodywash. I admit, given that I was expecting a baby girl, the product’s label featuring an adorable little girl sealed the purchase decision. Hmmm…I guess the company knows how to make great products and market them, too!

California Baby’s Calming Shampoo & Bodywash cleans and smells delicious. While there are plenty of shampoos and bodywash products on the market that clean and smell good on babies, not many can claim they contain organic or sustainably grown ingredients. And few can claim that they don’t contain Sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, or other ingredients that could potentially impact health. California Baby Calming Shampoo is a popular choice for babies or older kids (even adults) with sensitive skin. No tears and non-irritating, too.

Since I bought that first Calming Shampoo & Bodywash product, California Baby has greatly expanded their natural care line for babies, kids and sensitive adults. California Baby offers organic and natural options to traditional baby essentials such as non-talc baby powder and diaper cream, as well as unique baby products like Colds & Flu Bubble Bath. California Baby even sells products in travel sizes and sampler totes.

If you’re looking for organic and natural products for your baby or young child, check out California Baby. You can find a huge selection of California Baby products at baby-Wise.com. There’s a lot of piece of mind that comes along with buying and using a product on your baby that is as natural as baby care products probably get.

Do you have a California Baby Love Affair, too? If so, please leave a comment and give other parents the scoop.

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I spent the entire day STUCK in an airport–me, myself and I…plus three young children (a preschooler, toddler, and a baby). Given that the flight was supposed to be short and entail a very brief airport visit, I didn’t spend much time packing entertainment toys in the diaper bag. As shocking as it may sound, after eight hours waiting in the terminal, we finally walked off the plane at our final destination with big smiles on our faces–and still in good spirits.

Curious how I managed to survive all those hours WITHOUT losing my cool or dealing with meltdowns? Thank Melissa & Doug! As soon as I realized we were officially STUCK, we headed off to the terminal bookstore in search of puzzles. I found a fabulous, gigantic Melissa & Doug floor puzzle. We all plopped down on the floor near our gate and the kids spent hours assembling, disassembling and reassembling the puzzle. I even had a chance to read a book while they played beside me!

I’ve always loved Melissa & Doug products, but now I’m a bigger fan!

Do you have any airport survival tips for parents traveling with kids?

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The first time I heard someone speak the words “Tripp Trapp,” I couldn’t help but conjure up the kids’ song “This Old Man” (Knick-Knack Paddy Whack). Quickly enough, however, I learned that Tripp Trapp had nothing to do with music (even though it kind of rhymes with knick-knack, don’t you think). Nor anything to do with tongue twisters (think, “Betty Botter had some butter…”).

Instead, the Stokke Tripp Trapp represents the ultimate in versatility in the world of children’s high chairs. The chair is the chair that grows with the child. Not only does the Tripp Trapp enable a child to sit at the same height as an adult at the table, but it provides support for growing, little legs. Unlike some traditional high chairs that are only used for a limited period of time, the Tripp Trapp can be used for years and years. You can buy a separate five-point harness, rail and cushion for use with babies, meaning you can pass on the “traditional” high chair.

In my mind, the Tripp Trapp is one of those baby products that is definitely worth the investment. The Tripp Trapp is built to last, constructed with solid materials. The Tripp Trapp is also pleasing to the eye–available in a variety of colors. Plus, Stokke offers a 7 year guarantee on all wooden components. If you’ve ever tried to find a used Tripp Trapp for sale, you probably know that finding one is nearly impossible. Why? Because people hang on to a Tripp Trapp for years. People love Tripp Trapp chairs because they’re just so darn functional.

If you’re looking for the perfect high chair, you’ve found it! A must have for any hip mama.

Are you a Tripp Trapp fan?

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St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t a big deal in my family when I grew up. It definitely was for other neighborhood families, but not mine. This year I resolved to change course–start some leprechaun traditions. Up until this year I didn’t do much to celebrate other than dress the kids up in green. For days (if not weeks), I determined today would be different. I explained to my children that on March 17th, leprechauns the size of their thumbnails come out in droves to visit homes. A lie? Yes. But I rationalized the lie as being hardly any different than Santa Claus.

I set off early to Hallmark. Cliche? Perhaps. I darted to the St. Patty’s section. I loaded my arms with a bunch of inexpensive, somewhat tacky, but guaranteed to amuse, treats…clover pens, glow stick glasses, gummy bears, to name a few…and a little stuffed leprechaun toy. I returned home.

While cleaning the house, I shrieked, “Oh, my gosh!” The kids came running. I told them I thought I saw something scurry across the floor. A leprechaun perhaps? While the kids hunted under appliances with flashlights for a mysterious leprechaun, I set off to work. I put the stuffed leprechaun toy out for the kids to discover. Their eyes bugged out with delight. They couldn’t believe it. Leprechaun magic.

Later in the day, the leprechaun mysteriously moved around the house. Tricky, leprechauns, eh? Each time the kids discovered the leprechaun, they found a treat. At the end of the day, after cutting out construction paper clovers, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a green cake and green milk. While getting ready for bed, the kids discovered the glow in the dark glasses on their pillows, along with a “goodbye, see you next year” note from a leprechaun.

I’m certain my kids will talk about this day for many days to come. The excitement on their faces today was priceless–something I will think about for many days and years to come. Now, how’s that for breaking tradition?

Do you have a St. Patrick’s Day family tradition to share?

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Growing up, the Easter Bunny often left creative, sometimes even practical “baskets” filled with goodies. Rarely did a traditional basket make its way into the house. I’d still take a toy wheelbarrow, laundry basket, or garbage can any day over a traditional pastel basket.

If you’re also into unique Easter baskets, check out this totally chic kid Shopping Cart by Plan Toys.

What young child wouldn’t be thrilled to find this cart loaded up with a gigantic chocolate bunny on Easter morning?

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I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard someone say this about boys, usually in the context of toddler boys. As a mom of an almost preschool age boy and a preschool age daughter, I’ve known from early on that boys and girls are different. Very different, especially emotionally. Somehow (in the midst of my latest book binge) a copy of Dr. Bonnie Macmillan’s Why Boys are Different and How to Bring Out the Best in Them (Barron’s, 2004), made its way into my reading stack. A fascinating read. So interesting in fact, that I can’t understand why there aren’t any book reviews for it on Amazon.

Macmillan goes beyond just talking about genes in explaining boy behavior. She dives into boy communication, emotions, behavior, and takes a good look at environmental influences on behavior, including the impact of the mother-son dynamic. In simple language, Macmillian provides refreshing tips and solutions for bringing out the best in a boy.

The short discussion on “Mothers and Sons”–a combo talk on genetics, socialization, psychology–alone is worth grabbing a copy of the book. If anything, as food for thought. For example, MacMillan outlines three common mistakes mothers can make with boys:

1. Mishandling hurt feelings. Mothers tend to stress feelings, “their [own] feelings” (e.g., “you will hurt my feelings” if…) when dealing with misbehavior, and young boys may be less capable of empathizing with their mothers because of their need to preserve the ego.

2. Underestimating independence. Mothers are sometimes over-eager to help. This can backfire, especially when a boy misbehaves and mom wants to “improve” his behavior.

3. Betraying trust. Macmillian suggests that thoughtless comments or actions which betray trust, and might be more easily forgiven by a girl, can contribute to lasting trust issues for boys.

This book suggests that there is indeed something behind the expression boys will be boys–and in the long run it may prove worthwhile to understand why, especially if it leads to bringing out the best in a child.

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With three children, I realize it’s likely that I’ll hear the C word–CAVITY–uttered from a dentist sometime before the nest empties. After all, research shows that 79 percent of children will have a cavity by age 17. But even with this dark statistic, I know that with regular brushing, there is still hope for avoiding drills or lasers.

Thankfully, in my household, my children love to brush their teeth. Not that I’m bragging, but I’ve yet to experience a battle. But, I realize this is not the case for many families. Often there is a lot of fuss around the toothbrush. Some parents make up jolly “brushy-brushy” songs, as a way to convince little ones to brush. Some simply let their children (usually toddlers) chew on a toothbrush while mirroring brushing technique in front of them. Some parents use sticker charts as incentives. Some even play dentist, taking turns brushing each others’ teeth. Some buy gigantic toothbrushes and oversized, plastic teeth for the playroom. Some resort to bribery.

While there is certainly no substitute for good hygiene and developing positive brushing habits, a researcher at UCLA has come up with a lollipop solution to cavities. Apparently the “candy” combines ancient Eastern medicine and cutting-edge technology to create a cavity combating, kid-friendly answer to preventing cavities.

I’m surprised to think that the lollipop concept is new. But from a parenting perspective, it does sound like a brilliant idea–provided the lollipops actually taste yummy.

What do you think? Would you buy anti-cavity lollipops? Do you think these lollipops send the “wrong” message about candy?

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March 13, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of Battat Magnabild Magnetic Building Systems (108-piece and 68-piece sets, item numbers BB1439H and BAT-34). This recall follows a January recall of other Battat Magnabild toys. Consumers are advised to immediately discontinue use unless otherwise instructed.

Small magnets inside the pieces pose a hazard to young children. According to CPSC, “If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.” The recall affects approximately 7,000 units (plus 125,000 recalled earlier this year).

Although no injuries have been reported, CPSC and the manufacturer have learned of several instances of magnets coming out of the building pieces.

For further information about the recall, check out the CPSC news release here.

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