House Portrait Pillow

My parents just celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary this past weekend (Happy Anniversay, Mom & Dad!) and I gave them a custom silkscreened house portrait pillow ($59 including insert) from the Etsy shop Not Without Merit as our gift. I scanned in a photo of their home in New Jersey (which they have lived in since 1985, but will eventually selll) and Not Without Merit turned it into a beautiful keepsake which they will be able to cherish for years to come. They love it. I highly recommend it as an anniversary or housewarming gift! Visit Not Without Merit.

Superhero Thank You Cards

S. was running low on thank-you notes so I ordered a small batch of these "It's a Superparty" thank you notes to match his Batman-themed 5th birthday party. They turned out super cute (I put his full name all in lowercase letters which, in my opinion, always looks better from a design perspective). These were also a good value since they were from Tiny Prints' lower-priced "Studio Basics" collection and cost as little as 84 cents per card. Need new thank-you notes for your little ones? Check out Tiny Prints' assortment of Personalized Thank You Notes.

MyMomShops Giveaway: Amazon.com Kids Boutique $50 Gift Certificate

Longtime readers of this blog know how much I love Amazon.com. I've been ordering from it since 1998 (want to take a trip down memory lane? Look at your past order histories at Amazon). But I never really bought my kids' clothing there, until now...

Amazon.com has just introduced its Amazon Kids Boutique which features top designer brands like Splendid Littles, Levi's, and Tea Collection. Not only is the clothing selection great (rivalling any top boutique) but the prices are often discounted, and if you are an Amazon Prime member you will get free two-day shipping on most items. Which is a much better deal than paying full price at other sites, plus hefty shipping fees even on small orders, don't you think?

I recently got to attend a Fall Preview by Amazon Kids Boutique and was very impressed with the brands that they carry--I spotted Hartstrings, Charlie Rocket, and Hatley (including S's farmer raincoat), among others:



The generous folks at Amazon.com gave me a $50 gift certificate to try out the Amazon Kids Boutique, as well as another $50 gift certificate to give away to one of my readers (scroll down for contest details). I bought a back-to-school outfit for S, including new Levi's jeans that he badly needed:


Charlie Rocket Boys Mini Thermal Hoodie (reduced to $18.97 from $38, sizes 2-7)



Levi's Boys Slim Straight Jean (reduced to $24.99 from $40; sizes 2-7)



I didn't get anything for R. this time, but I did see some terrific girls' clothing for back-to-school:

Splendid Littles Girls Tri Blend Stripe Tunic Set in Teal ($62, sizes 2T-6x)



Mimi & Maggie Girls Toddler Village Flower Dress in Rose ($68, sizes 2T-4T)

Go check it out! Visit Amazon Kids Boutique for more top back-to-school threads.


Win it! One MyMomShops reader will win a $50 gift certificate to the Amazon Kids Boutique. The winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced on Friday afternoon, September 2nd. Here are the contest rules.

1) Visit the Amazon Kids Boutique and then leave a comment here about what you might buy with a $50 gift certificate. Leave your comment on THIS post (click on "comments" below).
2) You may leave 2 extra entries, 1 if you follow MyMomShops on Twitter (please indicate your Twitter handle), and 1 if you are a subscriber to the MyMomShops newsletter (e-mail me to subscribe).
3) Post your comment by 12pm noon EST on Friday, September 2nd. One entry per person please. U.S. entries only.
4) One winner will be chosen at random (using Random.org) and announced on Friday, September 2nd at 2pm.
5) NOTE: If you wish to be contacted by e-mail if you win, please include your e-mail address in your comment. Otherwise you must check back on Friday, September 2nd after 2pm. If the prize is NOT claimed within 48 hours, the next random winner (using Random.org) will be contacted.

GOOD LUCK!

Please note: I received two $50 gift cards from Amazon.com for this giveaway--one for me to purchase products and 1 to use for a giveaway.

When Are You Due?

What do you all think of those "Due In..." maternity T-shirts? Cheesy or cute? During my pregnancy with S. I had a light blue long sleeve tee with "Due in August" printed subtly on it, and I loved wearing it that year. It was from Little Showoffs, a site which sadly seems to have gone out of business. If you search online for "Due In..." shirts, you'll may stumble onto some pretty awful ones, but here's a more elegant alternative from Baby Browns, on sale for $39.99. Do any of you moms-to-be wear shirts like these?

Boys' Halloween PJs

I had already bought S. the Halloween word pajamas shown at left a few weeks ago, which is too bad since they went on sale today at CWD Kids along with several other Halloween-style PJs. I particularly liked these because the word-themed design is something different from your standard orange, pirate-and-skull themed boys' PJs for the holiday. Grab them now while they're on sale for $23.99 (regularly $30) in sizes 2-16 (cute for siblings!) at CWD Kids.

Vivienne Westwood Girls' Shoes

Shoe-loving mamas, have you seen these adorable rubbery kids' shoes by Vivienne Westwood in collaboration with Brazilian footwear brand Melissa? I wonder if SJP has these for her twin girls. I spotted these shoes earlier this summer at a store outside of NYC, but you can order them online from Brooklyn shop Epaulet. Caveat: They cost $70/pair (and that's the sale price).

Little Einsteins

Is your new baby a genius? Of course! Or do you know an intellectual mom or dad who's welcomed a new arrival? Check out these Baby Genius Onesies at Mod Mama. Inspired by the Periodic Table of Elements, this affordable baby gift (just $18) is available in sizes 0-6mos in pink, blue, or gender-neutral orange. Buy it at Mod Mama.

Hurricane Irene

We were very lucky here in Manhattan--it was not nearly as bad as anticipated. Just a lot of rain and wind overnight. My apartment is dry, fully powered, and now contains many extra flashlights, batteries, bottles of water, etc. Perhaps S's placement of Spiderman on the balcony door to "protect" us really worked (yes, I brought the balcony chairs indoors before the storm started). I know many others were not so lucky. Good luck getting everything returned to normal...we are thinking of you.

Boys' Elastic Waist Pants on Sale

I know that some of you are looking for boys' elastic waist pants for Fall. Since my own 5-year-old has some fine motor delays, he's not quite adept at buttons and zippers. I'd prefer to send him kindergarten in elastic waist pants. But he now wears a size 6/7 and many brands only use elastic through toddler sizes. If you, too, need to find boys' elastic waist pants in larger sizes, check out the Elastic Waist Pants Sale this weekend at CWD Kids, which includes brands like Mulberribush and Wes & Willy. These all-cotton, preshrunk Twill Pants by Wes & Willy are now reduced to $19.99 from $27) and are available in eight colors from sizes 2T all the way up to 14. Shopping tip: buy boys' khaki-colored pants early in the season. They always sell out first!

All-In-One Radio/Flashlight/Charger

Boy, being Type A has really paid off today. I already had a few flashlights at home (plus spare batteries), plus in our hall closet I unearthed this helpful Etón American Red Cross Self-Powered Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger which I'd purchased a few years ago. I knew I was Type A for a reason! When I did some errands before, I was the lucky one who did NOT have to stand in line for flashlights and batteries (I can not understand why New Yorkers--a highly educated bunch--do not keep a flashlight or two at home year-round). So do yourself a favor and stock up on supplies for the next hurricane right now. The digital radio/flashlight/charger costs $30 and is a top-ten seller today at Amazon.com.

No-Brainer Emergency Kit

Hurricane Irene is due to hit here in NYC in about 36 hours. Yesterday I fished our old "go bag" (remember that from post-9/11 days?) out of the hall closet. Wow, it had been a long time since I updated it. It had masks, duct tape, latex gloves, expired Cipro (you know, to fight Anthrax), and even baby food jars and size 1 diapers (my kids are now 5 and 8 so this tells you old this stuff is). Luckily, I remembered that last year I also purchased a Quakehold! Grab-'n-Go Emergency Kit, 2-Person, 3-Day Backpack, a sort of easy-way-out (pun intended) for disaster preparation. For $62.99 you get all of these emergency supplies to sustain 2 people for 3 days: food, water, and emergency blankets, plus a 33-piece First Aid kit, two 12-hour safety light sticks, dust masks, nitrile gloves, emergency whistle, emergency ponchos and pocket tissues. It's all packaged in a handy backpack. Warning: do not let your children discover this kit, unless you want them parading around in silvery ponchos telling you about all the now "toys" they have found. Ahem. But seriously, it can't hurt to have this stored in a closet, just in case. Stay safe this weekend, everyone.

Shutterfly Rosh Hashanah Cards

I just ordered Jewish New Year's cards from our affiliate Shutterfly. I was pleased to see that they had several Rosh Hashanah designs (in past years, you just had to adapt one of their existing templates). I chose Abundant Joy , a cheery pink and blue design that worked well with a photo of R&S that I took on our summer vacation. Bonus: the 5 x 7 flat cards are 20% off right now, so if you order, say, 21-45 cards, you'll pay just $1.67 each. Also, make sure to use coupon code "SHIP50" for free shipping if your order totals $50 or more. Happy New Year!

20% off Back-to-School at Children's Place

While ordering some new school uniform jumpers (on sale for $18.71) for R. at The Children's Place, I stumbled onto some cute items for S. And with a 20% off coupon (minimum $75 order) from Retail Me Not, I saved a bundle:

Awesome Bro Graphic Tee (already on sale for $7; $5.60 with additional coupon)

Racer Maverick Shoe ($22.95 originally; $18.36 with coupon code)


Striped Rugby Shirt ($24.95 originally; $19.96 with coupon code)

Use code Y4E2011 at The Children's Place for 20% any order of $75 or more. Limited time only.

Bargain Alert: 50% Off Everything at Hatley.com Today Only

There's a fantastic offer at our affiliate Hatley.com today--50% off absolutely everything, no coupon code needed (prices already marked down). As I've mentioned here before, I buy my kids' PVC-free rainwear here, and also comfy, snug-fitting pajamas. So these are the kinds of deals you can score today (note that each pattern is often available in other styes--for example, there are also Elmo raincoats and rainboots, and Farmer Jack PJs):

Farmer Jack Boys' Raincoat (now $24.19)


Red Elmo Loves You Infant Coverall and Knot Cap (now $14.99)


Visit Hatley.com today while the deals last.

Wordless Wednesday: Birthday #8

(Again, this is not really wordless. Whatever).

The birthday girl woke up to pink balloons on her big day. I do this for my kids every year.



I must say, the Princess Peach pinata I bought on Ebay was quite impressive.



The pinata was pull-string but the girls wanted to beat with a bat instead. Someone's dad bravely held the pinata in the air. No limbs were lost.



The highlight of the party--a birthday cake from Carlo's Bakery, aka "Cake Boss." Yes, it was expensive (but it was her one "big" gift from me), and yes, it tasted fantastic, too.




Making a wish.



Want to know what's inside those 3-D figures that Cake Boss Buddy makes? Rice Krispie treats.



There was also a "red carpet," pillow-case decorating, toenail painting, and a visit from our building's doorman, not necessarily in that order. A wonderful time was had by all!

NYIGF Winner: Manny & Simon

Of all the products which won Best Baby & Child product awards at last week's New York International Gift Fair, the top winner was an eco-friendly California-based company called Manny & Simon, which won the "Blogger's Best" award for its pink wooden stroller ($150) and wooden vehicles (about $36 each for helicopter, tow truck, fire truck ,and dump truck). You'll also spot Manny & Simon products everywhere from Giggle to Barneys. These not only are fantastic, high-quality toys, but make beautiful nursery decor, too. Visit Manny & Simon.

Perfectly Manicured Gloves

Coming this winter from Oeuf (the designers who brought you those Squeeze Me mittens a few years ago). . . new "Finger Gloves" that your little girl will love. Made of soft alpaca, these natural-colored gloves have cheery pink fingertips, just like painted nails. They're handmade in Bolivia and--great news--they stretch to fit adults, too. I want these! Look for them online soon (they'll retail for $60) at Oeuf.

How You Can Tell If You're Pregnant (c. 1969)

At my parents' house recently I unearthed an (unintentionally) hilarious book that my mom saved from when she was pregnant with my sister back in 1969. Oh, how times have changed!

The book is called "The Expectant Mother" and was published as a mass-market paperback back in 1967 by Redbook Magazine. Think of it is a very early, very ignorant version of What to Expect When You're Expecting:


(By the way, I don't know about you, but I did not look like a serene brunette in a long frilly nightgown when I was pregnant. More like a tired, nauseous woman with a messy ponytail, wearing the same sweatpants for the 3rd day straight):

Let's peek inside to find out all the ways a woman might have known she was pregnant, shall we?



Hmmm. A doctor hearing a heartbeat, a doctor feeling a "fetal movement" (I guess the mom feeling it doesn't count for much), or an x-ray that "shows a fetal outline." X-rays confirming pregnancy? Super idea!

I also learned that the TLC show "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" actually hearkens back to this era. Apparently even the erudite male obstetricians of 1969 could not detect that one 300+ lb fertility patient had indeed already conceived:

Great stuff, right? Just wait until labor & delivery draws closer....and when Mama has to bring that Nixon-era baby home. More to come as I scan it in!

Melissa & Doug Canvas Creations

I first previewed these cute Melissa and Doug Canvas Creations at the 2011 Toy Fair last February. They're now available at Amazon.com and at about $5/$6 apiece, make an easy gift (or party favor) that both parents and kids will appreciate. My favorite is the Fire Truck canvas. Each kid includes a canvas with outline, six bright (washable) paint colors, and a paintbrush. Browse the selection at Amazon.com.

Shop Report: John Barrett Braid Bar at Bergdorf Goodman

Remember earlier this summer I told you about the new "braid bar" at the John Barrett Salon at Bergdorf Goodman? On Friday I got an appointment there courtesy of a friend and had the chance to pick out a new 'do (a $45 value for braid alone; more if you get a shampoo, too). I chose a "double french braid updo" based on a style Jessica Alba wore (this is probably about the only thing I will ever have in common with Jessica Alba). My stylist Kayley was fantastic and whipped up this hairstyle in about 15 minutes. She used dozens of bobby pins (all of which remained hidden), and while that made me feel a bit too much like a bride getting her hair done (I remember removing about 3 dozen bobby pins after my wedding), I loved the end result. My kids were less impressed. R. insisted, "Turn your hair back to regular for my birthday party. It looks weird." While I don't think I would wear my hair like this every day, the braid/updo is guaranteed to last at least several days. . . and in 85-degree weather, it is mighty refreshing, too. If you are in NYC and want to try it out, book an appointment at John Barrett Salon.

Bargain Alert: Serena & Lily Moses Baskets

I've always loved pretty Moses baskets for babies but never bought one because they tend to be expensive--and, let's face it, how long do they remain practical? But if you want to buy one for your newborn without spending a bundle, I have good news for you. Sveral styles of Serena & Lily's popular (but pricey) Moses Baskets are now available for much less. With the sale prices as marked--plus the coupon code below--you can grab one of these beauties for as low as $100 (regularly $250, so it's a 60% discount). You can also purchase a monogram for an additional $12 which would make it an extra thoughtful baby gift. My favorite style: Chocolate & Chambray.


Enjoy an additional 20% off sale items with code JUSTFORYOU now through August 22nd at Serena & Lily.

Baby, What's Your Sign?

Need an inexpensive baby shower gift or cute add-on gift? I just found these Astrological Sign Bodysuits for Baby at Old Navy. Each of the 12 signs is represented, and the color palettes are all unisex (white, green, gray, and yellow). So if you have two of the same (I've got two Leos) these could work as hand-me-downs. Sizes 0-3mos through 18-24mos at Old Navy.

My Girl Turns Eight

Do you remember everyone telling you "Enjoy it; it goes too fast" when you first became a parent? And you didn't really believe them because when you are up feeding a baby every hour of the night, time feels anything but fast?


Well, it turns out that Everyone was right. You blink and your baby is a big kid:

Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter who has made the past 8 years everything I could have imagined. . . and then some.

Shade Clothing: Gymboree's Line for Women

Did you hear that Gymboree just introduced an all-grownup line of clothing? It's called Shade Clothing, and it's cute, modest, mom-appropriate clothing that I'm guessing will appeal to many of you. It looks promising to me. I like the low price points and the free shipping/returns (no minimum) that they're offering to encourage you to try the brand out. One of my favorite looks, shown at left: "Cozy Weekend" outfit, including plaid roll cuff shirt ($39.50), chunky open cardigan ($54.50), and cami ($14.50). Mamas-to-be, note that there is also a small but decent selection of maternity wear, too. Visit Shade.

From the Archives: New York State of Mind

Editor's Note: I first posted this a year ago today. I moved to New York City on August 18th, 1994. Many lifetimes ago both for this city and for me...but I still can't imagine living anywhere else. I would love to hear other "First New York" memories from my current (or past) NYC readers!


I moved to New York City sixteen years ago today, August 18, 1994. My first apartment had a Jennifer convertible sofabed, a card table, a mattress, an empty refrigerator, and a clunky princess phone. No computer, no e-mail, no cell phone (just a roll of quarters for the pay phone downstairs). That year in New York City, Rudy Guiliani was the (relatively new) mayor, a quick cab ride cost only $3, and there were no Metrocards (tokens only, please). I was two months into my first post-college job as a curatorial assistant at the Whitney Museum, and I slowly built a new social life while my college boyfriend and I were "on a break." I was 21 years old. It is hard to believe that I felt "old" at the time. Ha!

That first year out of college is a special one no matter which city you're in, I'm sure, but personally I think it is even more exquisitely experienced in New York City, where, like it or not, you're going to "live a little" in every possibly way. New York bombards you with people, places, experiences, sights, sounds, and smells 24/7. It's overwhelming at first, but it gives you a lot of fun stuff to recall later on. I look back at that time in my life with sweet nostalgia.

If you're a New Yorker and know what I mean, you should check out this book My First New York: Early Adventures in the Big City (As Remembered by Actors, Artists, Athletes, Chefs, Comedians, Filmmakers, Mayors, Models, Moguls, Porn Stars, Rockers, Writers, and Others). I flipped through it in a bookstore several months ago and I loved it. There is something so wonderful (and, to use a cliche, "so New York") about recognizing the same feelings experienced by contributors including Amy Sedaris, Andy Samberg, Chloe Sevigny, Kara Walker, and Parker Posey. The trepidation, the panic, and eventually the love affair that (often) sets in between you and this great big town.

My fellow New York City readers, how long have you lived here?

What a 5-Year-Old Boy Wants

S's birthday just passed, and R's is tomorrow. I don't recommend having your children's birthdays one week apart! Before I move on to everything Princess Peach (R's obsession at age 8), here is a final post about S's birthday and the gifts that he especially loved. Perhaps your 5-year-olds would enjoy them, too:

Monopoly Jr. ($10.99 at Uncles Games)



Baseball Guys by Kaskey Kids ($24.99 at Amazon.com)



NJ Transit Multi-Level Commuter Passenger Car ($9.95 at Amazon.com)


Fisher Price GeoTrax Batcave RC Set ($59.99 at Toys R Us)


Fisher Price Trio Western Town Building Set ($29.99 at Toys R Us)

Bargain Alert: Little Packrats

Little Packrats is a brand I actually just discovered this week and it turns out they're having a sale at The Mini Social right now. These are super cute preschool sized backpacks that can be used not only for school but also for collecting toys and such around the house (the company founder was a mom/artist who wanted something funky to store her kids' mini toy collections). The backpacks are made in the U.S.A. and are on sale for just $13 each (regularly $40); I like the "Super Mouse" and "Super Bear" designs above the best.