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

Tip of the Week: Stuffed Animal Overload

My daughter’s stuffed animals had officially taken over her bedroom.

I realized that these fluffy creatures serve no real purpose. I also realized that after a little cuddling, they usually get thrown into a basket never to be played with again. In spite of all this, I couldn’t bear to throw them out. I remember the joy of bringing home a new stuffed animal to add to my collection as a little girl. So, even though her collection has become a bit unruly, I hadn't wanted to deprive her of that happiness.

Voilà! A solution -- Boon's "Animal Bag". This over-sized, plush bag is covered with see-through, durable mesh windows. My daughter was able to fit all of her stuffed animals in it, and it doubles as a comfy seat too! Thank you, Boon, for the perfect storage solution for all of her treasured, stuffed animal, friends.

Tip of the Week: Hands-Free Feedings

Moms on-the-go may find the Podee Hands-Free Bottle to be a handy tool. It is an 8-ounce, BPA-free bottle with tubing attached to the nipple so that your baby can eat upright. It is also helpful in preventing ear infections and colic! Not only is it good for baby, it makes mom’s life easier too. It's convenient for using in the car seat or stroller, and great for parents with multiples. Podee also offers a converter kit to convert your standard baby bottles to give you the same convenience of the upright and hands-free Podee Bottle.

Click here to visit their website and get information on where to buy.

Tip of the Week: A Mammoth LEGO Event

Is your child a lover of LEGOs? If so, visit The Field Museum Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th to take part in reconstructing the Ice Age, LEGO style. A LEGO Master Builder will be creating giant murals of some of the biggest creatures in history, including mammoths and mastodons! Free with general admission, this exhibit even allows children to participate, assisting the builder as he recreates a scene from long, long ago. For more information click here.

Tip of the Week: Beat the Heat!

We've been enjoying a warm Chicago summer, but with the sun comes the heat, which can be a challenge with a little one strapped among all of the padding and straps of their strollers and car seats. As I tell the mother’s in my stroller fitness class, a quick way to ensure that your child is comfortable is to wrap a small, soft lunch-box size ice pack in a towel and place it in the stroller with them. The ice pack should be wrapped securely so it can't touch your babies skin or interfere with the safety of the straps. I've found this to be an easy and inexpensive way to "air condition" your child’s stroller and beat the summer heat!