Family Tree

How sweet is this First Family Tree Frame? Fun for baby to look at, and a pretty, sentimental addition to your nursery decor...Just slide your family's photos into the pockets. It comes in a clear carrying pouch and can be spot cleaned. $20 at CalliopeBoutique.com.

Chow Time

At the moment, S's baby food jars are rather precariously stacked on our kitchen counter, ready to topple at any moment. So I am thinking of buying Skip Hop's new CHOW baby food organizer. Part of the designer's new home products line, CHOW is a much more stylish and compact alternative for storing baby's next meals. Each shelf rotates on its own so you can find jars easily. It measures 9.5 inches wide X 15 inches high x 9.5 inches deep; is available in poppy red, marine blue, or white; and costs $26. Go to SkipHop.com.

Reminder- LittleShowoffs.com free giveaway!

Just a reminder that one lucky reader will win a "Warning I'm 2" T-shirt from LittleShowoffs.com. E-mail me here (all I need is your e-mail address, name, and subject line "T-shirt") by noon on Thursday, February 1st and one winner will be chosen at random. Your information will NOT be used for anything else. Good luck!

Crinkle Crinkle

Along with a gorgeous personalized baby blanket (which I will write about another time), my friend S. gave me this terrific toy when Baby S. was born. It's called Baby Paper and it's a stroke of pure genius. It's a tiny 5.5" square of soft fabric that produces a crinkly noise when baby's hands touch it. Proof indeed that the simplest toys are the best ones. Baby S. can not get enough of it (neither can his big sis or mom- crinkling it is strangely appealing, like popping packing bubbles). Available in yellow, blue, pink, or mint, it costs just $4.50 (making it a great add-on to a baby gift) and is machine washable. Buy it at PacifierOnline.com.

Carter's to the Rescue

Due to an unforeseen laundry mishap involving a half-eaten red lollipop (don't ask), I needed to order new fleece PJs for both of my kids. I always go to BabyCenter.com to get Carter's basics and sleepwear. Fleece blanket sleepers and PJ sets are now 50% off and I got great deals on both items pictured here (each reduced from $18 to $8.99). There is still a good selection, plus BabyCenter is offering free shipping on orders over $49. So if you still need some winter PJs for your kids (or want to order ahead for next year), check out the Carter's sleepwear selection at BabyCenter.com

They're baaaack...

I thought we'd seen the last of legwarmers back in the days of Wham! and neon T-shirts, but recently I've spotted numerous upwardly-trendy babies in my NYC nabe wearing Baby Legs, which are funky cotton legwarmers for babies & kids. A baby girl in S's music class last week was wearing striped ones along with her dress, and I have to say they were pretty darn cute.

Designed to eliminate "Gapiosis" (defined by Baby Legs as "the space between the sock and the bottom of the pant, often accentuated by being held in arms or by being placed in a carrier or stroller"), Baby Legs are made of a soft cotton blend and come in oodles of designs ranging from "classic" to "modish." Prices start at $12. Baby Legs protect baby's knees when he/she crawls; make diaper changing a breeze; jazz up onesies, dresses, and shirts; warm up baby's legs on a chilly day; and look oh-so-trendy. Who knows, maybe they'll be this year's Uggs.

Warm up your baby's pulkies at BabyLegs.net.

Little Red Caboose

My son is only 5 months old so I still have a lot to learn about toy trains (although I do know that Thomas trains are expensive). My friend L. (mom of N.) sent me a link to this wonderful personalized baby gift which a little boy (or girl) can use for years. It is the award-winning Name Train by Maple Landmark of Vermont. Each colorful wooden set includes your child's name (each letter about 2 1/2 inches tall) plus a black engine and a red caboose. L. points out that besides being adorable, the trains very conveniently are compatible with the Brio and Thomas wooden track systems. The trains cost just $3.69 per piece (plus shipping) at Be A Star Personalized Books. Take that, Thomas.

Visit Be A Star Personalized Books.

Why I post at 5:30am...and more January bargains

Thanks for all the positive feedback I've gotten about this blog. We are getting lots more traffic and I'm having a great time writing posts. Some have noticed that I post verrry early in the morning. The good news is that Baby S. is finally sleeping 12 hour "nights" (thank you, Dr. Ferber!) The bad news is that these "nights" go from 4:30pm to 4:30am. So here I am posting, with a very alert baby smiling at me from his bouncy seat two feet away. Since I'm here and I'm up, here are some quick finds from RedEnvelope, Talbots Kids, and Exposures. I generally find that these sites are a tad overpriced; however, all are offering amazing deals right now.

From RedEnvelope.com, these luxe cashmere baby booties have just been reduced from $45 to $14.99, making them a delightful Valentine's gift or new baby gift for girls and boys alike. The imported red cable-knit booties are 100% cashmere with sueded bottoms and brown ankle drawstrings. If you're tired of Robeez, try these for a fun (and posh) change.

Over at TalbotsKids.com, these pretty heart turtlenecks (at left) have been reduced further to clearance (originally $24, now a mere $6.75) and are a fun, easy way to dress a little girl for Valentine's Day. Last week I bought two of them for R. at our local Talbots Kids store. The in-store selection was pretty skimpy (the sales associates say they have been selling fast) but online there is still lots of availability (sizes 2-8 in lavender, light aqua, light lime, light pink, or white).


Finally, ExposuresOnline.com has a bunch of clearance items including this gift-worthy set of handpainted frames (at right) for Baby's first three years. You can buy them as a set for $38.99 (reduced from $59), or individually for $15.99 (reduced from $24). Treat yourself, or stock up to give as baby or birthday gifts.

Check out all the sales & clearance items at RedEnvelope.com, TalbotsKids.com, and ExposuresOnline.com.

Terribly Terrific Tee

My daughter hit Terrible Twos three months early, and they lasted well past her 3rd birthday. So we got maximum use out of this wry T-shirt I found at LittleShowoffs.com. The shirt gets a lot of chuckles, and makes a great 2nd birthday gift. It comes in tons of colors for boys & girls, and costs $17 for the short-sleeved version or $20 for the long-sleeved one. Shirts run a bit small so if in doubt, order a size larger (they are available in 2T, 4T, and 6T). Speak the truth and order yours at LittleShowoffs.com.

Win This T-shirt! LittleShowoffs.com has generously offered a free "Warning...I'm 2" T-shirt (in red, your choice of short or long sleeves) to one lucky MyMomShops reader. E-mail me here (all I need is your e-mail address, name, and subject line "T-shirt") by noon on Thursday, February 1st and one winner will be chosen at random. Your information will NOT be used for anything else. Good luck!

The 5-Minute Baby Book

Baby books can be a real drag. Empty ones make busy moms feel guilty. I'm a bit OCD about this stuff so my firstborn daughter has a thick baby book filled with milestones, anecdotes, and keepsakes. Don't hate me.

Most moms though have neither the time nor inclination to fill pages of information about every last tooth that Junior cut. That's why Baby Time: A Fast, Fun Keepsake Album, makes a great (and- at barely $12- affordable) gift for a new mom or for yourself. Created by a mom who had 3 fancy (and blank) baby books for her daughter, Baby Time makes it easy to record baby information quickly. Not just height and weight, but things like how you felt when Baby finally slept through the night (yippee!) or climbed out of the crib (uh-oh). Its design is adorable. Fill out a page any day that you have just a few minutes, and note baby's mini-milestones, moods, likes & dislikes, and more. There are even witty stickers to help you get creative.

It is sassy, fun, and easy. . .and it's the only baby book my secondborn will get (I have no time for thick binders anymore). S. is 5 months old and I've filled out just 6 quick pages, but they are heartfelt, funny, and sentimental. I think he'll like that even better someday.

Available at amazon.com.

Big Foot

Speaking of the popular Trumpette brand (see January 17th post), have you noticed that its infant socks run really small? I know S. is a rather large 5-month-old (he weighs 20lbs and is 27 inches tall), but his 0-12 month Trumpette socks were squeezing his chubby feet at just 2 months. But now I've located the tough-to-find toddler versions (size 1-2 years) of some of Trumpette's designs, including the famous Mary Janes, mismatched Cheeritoes (shown above), and the funky new Camo designs (shown at right). I just received my order of the Cheeritoes for S. and they fit him much better. I ordered them from a small shop, BabyBella.biz, and was very pleased with their prices and fast service. The toddler socks cost $27.95 and there is free shipping for orders over $50. Check out BabyBella.biz.

A Nichol for Your Thoughts

I discovered the stationery of this unique artist R. Nichols at Kate's Paperie in New York City a few years ago. His smart, spare designs (which originate in his studio with colored paper, a glue stick, and scissors) capture slice-of-life moments for stylish women- from pashimas to pedicures. I've been using his Halloween notecards (not pictured) for the past few years as thank-you notes for my Halloween birthday. Pictured here are some of his cool new designs, including birth announcements and NYC taxi notecards. A box of 8 folded cards costs about $15. Personalization is available. Customer service is wonderful- I even received a handwritten thank-you with my last order.

Through February 9th, R. Nichols is offering a 25% discount to MyMomShops readers. Enter code "candy" when you place your order.

Enjoy!

Visit R-Nichols.com.

State of the Union

With our President speaking in just a few hours, I am reminded of this baby tee I spotted at BabyWit.com.

Infant lap tee shown; other styles and sizes with this design available. Prices start at $21.

Speak up for your country at BabyWit.com.

Baby, It's (Still) Cold Outside

Ahhh...there is nothing quite like those January sales to lift your spirits this time of year. While browsing the Company Kids website, I found some terrific bargains. Check them out while they last.

First, a comfy chenille scarf and mitten set for girls, sizes S-L, in pink or purple, reduced 60% from $19.99 to $6.99. And it's monogrammable (if you haven't guessed by now, I go ga-ga for personalized gifts. If they're on sale, even better).

Then, another great personalized item- this toasty Stroller Cozy or Carseat Cozy. It fits most standard strollers or carseats, and is available in nylon (navy or red) or sherpa (lavender or pink). Reduced 75% from $39.99 to only $8.99.

Hurry...while winter is staying around for awhile, these great deals won't last long!

To see all the bargains at Company Kids right now, go to their clearance page.

Note This

I am a self-proclaimed stationery junkie, and I am always on the lookout for cool cards, invites, notepads, and the like. These Naughty Mom Notepads at SeeJaneWork.com immediately caught my eye. Great fun to keep at your desk, or to send a note to your mother-in-law (just kidding). The set of 3 notepads, each measuring 5 x 7, costs $24 and features the following witticisms:

Things to do when I’m not microwaving the family dinner
Things to do when I’m not sitting around drinking wine
Things to do when I’m not doing my child’s homework

I think I will use that first one to write down my next Fresh Direct order.

Available at SeeJaneWork.com.

En Soldes

My husband just returned from a 12-day business trip to Paris (tough, isn't it?) He did a great job following my detailed instructions to buy clothes for our kids. Even better, there were huge January clothing sales. He bought things by Lili Gaufrette, Jean Bourget, and IKKS. I surfed the Net to see if any American websites carried these types of designers and I found a great site called Star Spangled Carousel, which also has winter sales right now. They carry all the brands I mentioned (including the girl's Lili Gaufrette outfit shown below, which is very similar to R's new one, 30% off at $149.77) plus other favorite European brands like Burberry, Coccoli, Deux par Deux, Floriane, Pinc, Tartine et Chocolat and 3 Pommes (boy's outfit shown at right; 20% off at $59.96). Still more expensive than the stuff I'd usually recommend, but surprisingly reasonable for these designers, and, hey, you don't have to pay airfare to Europe. Check out their selection at Star Spangled Carousel. Bonne chance!

Good Gifts Come in Small Packages

This is one of my favorite baby gifts I received for S. a few months ago. Baby's First Alphabet Block displays the baby's full name, initial, birthdate, height, weight, parents' names, and a note from the gift-giver (optional) on the bottom. It has many qualities that I love- it is hand-crafted, sentimental, personalized, and small (this is important when you live in a NYC apartment). I have it on a display shelf in S.'s room and I have started giving it to many friends as a baby gift (or an add-on gift). Like me, they are charmed by it. Baby's First Alphabet Block costs just $14.50 and shipping is free. Stack 'em up!

Buy it at craftefamily.com.

Singin' in the Rain

We've all seen those adorable Trumpette Mary Jane socks for baby girls. Trumpette has now expanded on this great idea and created "Me and My Mary Jane Rain Boots" for trendy little girls.

I happened to spot them a few weeks ago at E.A.T. Gifts (a tony New York City store) and thought they were great (especially since lots of the rainboots I see for little girls involve only princesses or some cheesy design). They cost $27 and are available in white, fuschia, or purple, in little girl sizes 6/7, 8/9, and 10/11. So have fun and let your fashionable darling enjoy those April showers.

Available at Trumpette.com.

Welcome

Welcome to MyMomShops, a blog I created to share with you the cutest, most unique, and best-priced goods and gifts for moms and tots. I (like to think I) am a savvy New York City mom who has spent a LOT of time shopping online for her kids (hey, I was on bedrest last summer, what else was I gonna do?) After realizing how often I was answering friends' questions like "Where do I find a classy but inexpensive personalized baby gift?" and "Where can I get a ruffled diaper cover for my 3 year old who is not yet potty-trained?", I figured I'd have some fun sharing my discoveries.

Without further ado, my first find for you. . .

Here in New York it is still freezing (despite a 70 degree day a few weeks ago). My daughter R., like most preschoolers, refuses to wear any hat that I pick out. Or any hat that will stay on and actually keep her warm. Except this one, which was a gift.

Cute, isn't it? It comes in different designs, either personalized or plain, and in infant, kid, and adult sizes. Prices start at just $17 and for an extra $3, you can get it with ear flaps and a chin tie (I highly recommend this- it provides a terrific, snug fit). Even better- it is machine washable.

A super-cute, and super-practical baby gift, or a great birthday or holiday gift for an older kid.

Check it out at www.namehats.com.