Tip of the Week: "Manolo Blahniks For Tykes"

I couldn't help but notice the adorable fuzzy booties on baby Adler at a Triple B meeting today. Dubbed "The Manolo Blahniks For Tykes", Yo My Booties are a favorite of new celebrity moms and are available for newborns and babies in 2 sizes: 0-3 months and 3-6 months.

Thank goodness these were not around when my daughter was a baby, she would have had a closet full of them! Although Yo My Booties is known for their fuzzy angora booties, I fell in love with the metallic booties and the fringed, suede ones, too. Check out all of their adorable styles here.

Tip of the Week: Kid-Friendly Pumpkin Patches

One of favorite times of year, Halloween, includes one of my favorite yearly traditions. Since my daughter was born, we look forward to our annual visit to a pumpkin patch!

My favorites include Geobbert's Pumpkin Patch and Sonny Acres:

Goebbert’s is located in Hampshire, Illinois. They won me over with their apple cider doughnuts, but my daughter loves it for the corn maze and the mechanical pumpkin-eating dragon! There is a little something for everyone, but it caters to families with younger children.

Trip Tip: Be sure bundle up if you choose Goebbert’s, it's located in an open field and the wind can be strong.

Visit their website here for more information.

Sonny Acres is located in West Chicago, and is my absolute favorite. It has everything from a petting zoo to corn on the cob, from face painting to hay rides and even small carnival rides. Of course, they have pumpkins too! Kids of all ages will delight in the fall festivities at this quaint must-see, just off of North Avenue.

Trip Tip: Beware, Sonny Acres can get pretty crowded. I recommend visiting early in the morning.

Visit their website here for more information.

Tip of the Week: Handmade Halloween Costumes (without hand-making them!)

As a child, I was fortunate enough to have a mother with sewing skills! She handmade my Halloween costumes every year. Unfortunately, she did not pass along her knack for sewing to me, yet I long to give my daughter the same experience that I had.

Problem solved! Visit Etsy.com to find beautifully hand-sewn costumes, just like your mother used to make. No one has to know that you didn't make them yourself, and your child will be the bell of the ball!

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