Tip of the Week: A Fantastic Tale of a Tail!

I am so thankful that my mother saved my favorite childhood books for me to share with my daughter, as now she and I enjoy them together. They are stories that have withstood the test of time, and I hope someday she will share them with her children.

One of my all-time favorites is “The Spooky Tail of Prewitt Peacock” by Bill Peet. It is the story of a peacock whose tail is so scraggly, that it appears as if it is a large, green-eyed monster. Although not as beautiful as the other peacock’s tails, it serves to scare away a hungry tiger who lurks in the nearby woods, and Prewitt becomes a hero when he protects the other peacocks. This is a wonderful book appropriate for ages 2 and up!

Tip of the Week: Smiley Snack

Sometimes I feel more like a short-order cook than a mother, because I am constantly striving to please my daughter’s taste buds. I’ve learned though, that it isn’t my cooking skills that win her over, but my creativity in the kitchen.

One of my daughter’s favorite creations is the “Smiley Face Sandwich." Spread peanut butter or honey on a plain rice cake or toast. My daughter prefers M& M’s (but you can also use a healthier alternative like raisins or any other dried fruit) for the eyes. For the hair I use either corn flakes or rice crispies, and then I make a face. If you have a finicky eater, this is a fun and fairly healthy alternative!

Tip of the Week: Savvy Selling, Sharing and Shopping for Moms

Now that my daughter is getting older, I’ve realized that it is time to de-clutter my home of all of the cute accessories and tiny pink clothes that I accumulated when she was a baby. Consignment stores, craigslist.org and Ebay are the obvious options, but why not go to straight to your target audience? These websites cater specifically to mothers interested in selling, trading or donating their children’s clothing and belongings. Below is a list of some of the better options:

Freepeats.org – Register to pass on your baby clothing, gear, toys, maternity wear and more to other Chicago parents, and find items you want that are being giving away.

HandMeDowns.com – The classifieds for moms.

SwapBabyGoods.com – A website that provides a friendly place for parents to buy, sell or swap baby items.

Swap.com - You can trade your Baby Einstein DVDs, parenting books, music and more!

TradingCradles.com – A free online marketplace to sell or give away items that your child has outgrown.

Zwaggle.com - Online marketplace for parents to share their child's used gear with other families. Zwaggle also provides opportunities to donate used items to charities!

Tip of the Week: Superior Nursing Bras

Finding the right nursing bra can be a challenge, and there is nothing worse than one that is ill-fitting or uncomfortable! To achieve the right balance of comfort, support, convenience and accessibility in a nursing bra can take some research. To help cut through all the mediocre nursing bras out there, listed below are the top five, voted on and recommended by other mothers like you. Their selections were based on comfort, support, coverage and flexibility.

1) Bravado Body Silk Seamless bra

2) Tee-Shirt Underwire Bra from MelindaG

3) Molded Cup Nursing Bra from Dynabelly

4) Gilligan & O’Malley nursing tanks

5) Motherhood Maternity: Flap Sports bra