friday finds: shoemees

At two and a half, my daughter has not yet discovered the joy that is shoe shopping, but she does have an opinion about which shoes goes with what outfit.  There's no question about it: we have a bonafide GIRL on our hands, which I must admit I not-so-secretly love about her. Until she discovers the bliss that is shoe candy, I'll enjoy shopping for her little feet. Wouldn't you agree -- take any ol' run of the mill shoe, make it miniature and it just becomes CUTE.


I recently discovered Shoemees, which takes a fun, environmentally-friendly approach to children's footwear. Let's start with the outside: the box your child's shoes arrive in will not be tossed in the recycling bin or left to gather dust in a closet somewhere, as it was designed to be a carrying case (or "purse," according to my tot) which can be played with long after the shoes have been taken out.  The box, made out of recyclable materials, can also be folded completely flat for easy storage.

Inside, along with your shoes, you'll find stickers and a little accompanying stuffed toy -- Blaze or Aqua, who answers environmentally-related questions on the inside of the box. In addition to just plain fun for your child, the goal of Shoemees is to teach your child about recycling.

While this may seem gimmicky (it all comes down to the actual product, right?), I'm happy to report that the sneakers themselves are well-made and adorable! Retailing at $39.95, the soft leather/suede exterior is durable and the inside is cushion-y, giving her the support she needs as a growing girl (in the photo below, we chose the red and pink pair).

So here's the best part -- Shoemees is offering an additional $5.95 off to Baby Meets City readers! Just enter shee5 at checkout. Here's to shoe shopping made fun and easy, and in the words of Shoemees founder Melissa Oldfield, "Our goal is to save the planet one shoebox at a time!" I'll shop to that.

Happy Friday!



Disclosure: I was provided a pair of Shoemees for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed, as always, are my own.

review: field station: dinosaurs

When you have a dino-obsessed daughter in the house, you look for ways to entertain her. You buy dino books and stuffed animals. You take her to the American Museum of Natural History for a look at dinosaur fossils. You watch her glee as she watches Dinosaur Train and Dino Dan, and you have to admit, it's kind of infectious. You find yourself learning a thing or two about Pteranodons and the Triassic Period.

And then you hit the jack pot. You hear about something so cool, so Jurassic Park without the scary parts, that you race to your nearest New Jersey Transit train to see it. I'm talking about Field Station: Dinosaurs, of course. Thanks to the lovely ladies at Mama Drama, I was able to bring my family to check out this truly one-of-a-kind dino experience which is a only 1 stop out of Manhattan in Secaucus, New Jersey (once off the train, we walked the 10 minutes to entrance, but there are free shuttles available on the weekends).

In a surprisingly rural and country-like setting (the Meadowlands), we first got our "passport" tickets stamped and headed off on our dino adventure. As we walked the path, we met moving animatronic dinosaurs that are VERY realistic-looking. Not only do they move their heads around but they also "growl" (or whatever you call dinosaur speak). I thought for sure that my dino dahlin' would be scared, but that only happened once with a Velociraptor, and even then it was short-lived.

In between dinosaurs, there are camp sites where you can stop off and take part in activities like digging for fossils, bird-watching or "Raptor Feud," a game show with questions about (you guessed it) dinosaurs and archeology. These educational activities are a fun way to break up the dino tour and keep you wondering about what's around the next corner.

There is a limited menu of food and beverages available for purchase, but I liked the fact that you can bring in your own lunch and sit under a covered area with picnic tables. We took a break here before we headed out to meet a few more prehistoric creatures, and it was nice to get out of the sun for a bit.

Sufficed to say, it was a fun day out at Field Station: Dinosaurs. If you have a dino-lovin' kiddo at home, I highly recommend this quick and easy trip out of the city. Here's a video of my gal meeting a T-Rex for the first time. In a way, it was like she was seeing an old friend that she'd been missing.



June 24th is Hudson County Day at the Field Station! There will be special discounts for Hudson County residents and special dinosaur crafts to take part in.

Disclosure: My family and I were provided with complimentary tickets to check out Field Station: Dinosaurs. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

heart health with jenny craig & valerie bertinelli

On May 31st, I participated in the American Heart Association's Wall Street Run and Heart Walk with a number of NYC bloggers. The invitation to join "Team Jenny" came from Jenny Craig and their spokesperson Valerie Bertinelli, and I was honored to help raise awareness for this cause.

I hate to start with a downer, but these facts simply can't be ignored:

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in American women, and over 42 million women are currently living with some type of cardiovascular disease.

While I haven't been directly effected by heart disease, I also can't deny the fact that I'm getting older and need to start paying more attention to healthy eating and exercise (GULP). Smart decisions now will help in the long run, plain and simple.

Valerie Bertinelli (who stars in TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland"), lost 40 pounds with Jenny Craig in 2007, and is an advocate for heart health and the Jenny Craig Weight Loss program.  When her mother, Nancy, required emergency heart valve replacement surgery, the cardiologist pulled Valerie and her brother aside and told them that if her mom hadn't previously lost weight, she would not have survived. Nancy lost 54 pounds on Jenny Craig after seeing her daughter's success with the program.

It was a pleasure meeting Valerie and seeing firsthand what an event like this means to her, not to mention the thousands of other walkers and joggers in attendance. You could feel a palpable energy in the crowd as we walked the streets of the Financial District.


With Bertinelli (which also makes me one degree away from Betty White!)

Inspired by the American Heart Association’s healthy-living initiative My Heart. My Life, Jenny Craig launched My Heart. My Life. My Jenny, which focuses on educating the public regarding the significant health risks associated with weight-related diseases, including heart disease and stroke. Jenny Craig is encouraging the public to eat better, get moving and live a healthier life.

So with that, I'm going to try a month of the Jenny-Set-Go program. I'm going to start (consistently) hitting the gym and making small changes in my diet while keeping my eye on the prize -- a healthy heart and body! I've already started opting for skim milk instead of cream in my iced coffee... that's something, right?

At last count, the Wall Street Run and Heart Walk raised $1,492,837 in donations!

Here's to healthy living. If you'd like to share your favorite healthy recipe or exercise tip, I'm all ears!



Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. My participation was sponsored by Jenny Craig and I will be receiving one month of the Jenny-Set-Go program.

friday finds: the comotomo bottle

One of my struggles in early parenthood was discovering which bottle my daughter would like after I stopped primarily breastfeeding. And boy did we ALL agonize over the choices. We finally settled on the Playtex Nuk after trying several "designer" brands first (if there is even such a thing as a hip baby bottle), all of which she refused under no unnecessary terms. I'd prefer never to re-live the days of watching my baby squirm and scream as we made our way through this process.

Note to self and others: don't try and get your baby used to a bottle a week before you go back to work. Can we say rookie?!

Naturally, when Baby Sister came along, I just assumed she would go for the Nuk as well. Because all siblings are so similar. HA. Once again, rookie mistake. At least this time I started the bottle adjustment period earlier. After several failed attempts, we tried the Comotomo, and are so happy we did.

The Comotomo describes itself as a "natural feel" bottle, and let me assure you Husband gave his 2 cents on the subject: "Hmmm. Remarkably boob-like." Gee thanks, honey. In all seriousness, not only does it kind of look like a boob but yes, the material is soft, squishy and "skin-like" [Permission to insert boob joke here]. Nipple confusion wasn't an issue and Baby Sister took to the Comotomo with ease. Thankfully, I was spared the transition period I'd so been dreading. Whew. 

A few other things about the Comotomo --

It's easy to clean.  Hurrah!  The wide neck design and width of bottle itself makes it a breeze to clean. No nooks and crannies to deal with, which I really appreciate, especially at 1am in the morning when I've decided it's a good time to wash the dishes. 

We haven't experienced any leaking issues. This bottle has been put to the test... Baby Sister has enjoyed milk in any number of different positions and locations, has sat on it accidentally, rolled over it (you name it), and milk on her clothes has never been an issue. Double yay.

The design is sleek, modern and clean. I guess baby bottles can be hip after all?

The Comotomo baby bottle is available on Amazon, and I must say I recommend it.  Of course, all babies are different, but I think the fact that this bottle is so, er, "remarkably boob-like" puts it above the pack.

Disclosure: Comotomo sent me 2 bottles to try out for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

if mom had 3 minutes, what would she do?

On behalf of Clorox, I'm excited to help spread the word about a new e-book called "If Mom Had 3 Minutes," available for FREE download via their Facebook page. The e-book, written by celebrated children's author Karen Kaufman Orloff (and inspired by moms nationwide who sent in their tips!), is a hilarious look at the many ways moms multi-task every day.

Did I mention you'll get a $1 off select Clorox cleaning products if you download the book?  Yay, savings!

Here are a few of my favorites from the book:

If mom had 3 minutes, she would... work on sculpting her biceps by doing the "Putting Away the Groceries Workout," lifting those bulky items like bags of flour and soup cans way above her head for a few seconds before they get stored away.

If mom had 3 minutes, she would... stick a goofy mask on the vaccuum, they play a game of "Chase The Scary Monster Through the Living Room" with the kids.  The kids would squeal with delight and the living room carpet would get a good vacuuming -- a win-win situation! 

If mom had 3 minutes, she would... challenge her three-year-old to a cleaning contest. Mom would clean the kitchen counters with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, while the three-year-old used baby wipes to clean up her play kitchen. The winner would get to take a nap! (With any luck, it would be a tie.)

I'm hosting my first Twitter party TONIGHT at 8pm EST to talk about time-saving tips with fellow moms, share some of my own and hopefully learn a few new ones in the process!  I'll also be giving away 3 Clorox prize packs to 3 lucky moms who follow the hashtags below and join in the fun!  (FYI: this will be the first party I attend in my pjs.  Love!)

#IfMom
#ebook4free
#coupon

My Twitter handle: @babymeetscity

See you tonight!


Disclosure: I am currently working with The Clorox Company on behalf of the If Mom Had Three Minutes program.

friday finds: "my pregnancy, a woman's story"

I set this up to go live yesterday (I'm currently out of town for the weekend -- sans Husband! and children!) but it didn't work... so here's my belated Friday find... enjoy!

I had the pleasure of meeting world-renowned photographer Anne Geddes last weekend. Anne, in partnership with Destination Maternity, has produced a gorgeous magazine called "My Pregnancy, A Woman's Story." The pages are filled with photos and stories of women during their pregnancies, and each story is unique and inspiring in it's own way (one in particular left me in tears... on the subway, no less). The photos, well, they're simply gorgeous.

There were moments during both of my pregnancies where I felt beautiful, but more often than not, I felt somewhere between cow and even bigger cow-like.  So to document women during this truly joyful time in their lives, to make them feel beautiful, must have been such a wonderful moment for all of them. Anne has plans for 2 more issues this year. I think "My Pregnancy, A Woman's Story" would make the perfect add on to a baby shower gift. The magazine is available at Destination Maternity, A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood locations in the US and Canada.

I must add that Anne and her family were simply lovely, and I so enjoyed chatting with all of them.  I couldn't resist asking Anne for a little photography advice, too, and here's what she shared with me:

-- Try and get on your child's level when taking photos. See the world from their perspective and it will show through in your photos.

-- Keep your camera out! You never know when there will be an opportunity for a photo, and you'll want your camera handy.  She mentioned how camera phones are great for capturing a quick moment.

-- My favorite piece of advice: get in the photo WITH your child! You will look back one day and wish you were in more photos, and your now grown child will have a great time teasing you about your outfit or hair style. Ha!  This one really hit home with me, and I'm going to start putting myself in front of the camera with my sweeties a little more.

With the talented Anne Geddes

mommy & me day

I took a day off from work last week so the Little Gal and I could have some quality time together and attend a couple events for Baby Meets City. SUCH FUN, as you might suspect. First, we headed to a "Little Mommy" party celebrating the latest baby doll dreamed up by Mattel. Hosted by the very pregnant Rosie Pope at the always delicious Dylan's Candy Bar, the event was awash in pink and everything girl-y. If only I could paint the scene for you... try picturing a small army of 2 and 3 year old girls contained in one room (did I mention high on sugar?) ... yes, that's a good place to start.  The party was lots of fun, however, and the Little Gal enjoyed rocking her new doll to sleep in one of the bassinet accessories provided and taking her for a ride in a Little Mommy baby stroller. Meanwhile, Mommy enjoyed having a brief exchange with Tiffani Amber Thiessen, who attended with her daughter, but resisted asking her about what it's like to kiss Zach Morris. Journalistic standards, people!

While it's quite possible the Little Gal may have actually enjoyed "reading" books and bouncing on the seats at Dylan's (again, the sugar high!) more than anything else, I can attest that the new baby doll has happily joined the ranks of her other doll "friends" at home.


Bouncing around with A Mommy in the City's daughter

Next up, we hailed a taxi and headed across town to Times Square for a performance of Plop! at the New Victory Theater. I must mention that I am not a fan of putting my 2 year old in a taxi without a car seat, but there you have living in New York City with kids. While I yelled at the taxi driver to drive slow and watch his swerving, Little Gal had the time of her life. And yes, we sang "The Taxi Song" about five times during the trip.

Plop!, based on the book The Terrible Plop, is playing at The New Victory Theater until May 13th. If you have a preschooler at home, I encourage you to check out this show! It's a wonderful way to introduce your child to live theater, and Little Gal just loved every minute of it. I could explain the plot of Plop! (sorry, couldn't resist), but all you really need to know is that your child will find it entertaining -- there are lots of funny sounds, an opportunity to dance and two very cute bunny puppets. Need I say more? Your child can engage in arts and crafts before the show begins, and children are encouraged to sit on the floor for the best seats in the house. With a running time of 35 minutes, your child will be engaged and excited, and it will be over before they have a chance to get fidgety. After the show ends, audience members are invited to come on stage, experiment with the music used in the show, pet the bunny puppets and put their fingers in a giant tank of water (again, don't want to give anything away!) Watching Plop! together was such a treat, and it just makes me more excited about taking advantage of New York City's theater scene with her as she grows.



On stage after a performance of Plop!



All in all? A pretty perfect day with my Little Gal.



Disclaimer: Little Gal was given a "Little Mommy" doll and gift bag by Mattel. I was provided with free tickets by The New Victory Theater for the purposes of this review. All opinions, as always, are my own.