Author Archive

You’ve seen him once or twice at the playground — the totally involved and evolved stay-at-home dad. Who is this thoroughly modern man, and what makes him tick?

The Daddy Shift: How Stay-at-Home Dads, Breadwinning Moms, and Shared Parenting Are Transforming the American Family, offers a look into the changing world of fatherhood today. Inspired by author Jeremy Smith’s year spent at home with his young son, this book investigates the stories of a diverse group of dads who have embraced care giving and egalitarian marriages, from both a social and economic standpoint.

How 2009.

Available at beacon.org.

You kindly volunteered to throw a baby shower for your best friend/college roommate/sister-in-law. Now what?

The best keepsake of her special day is the sentiment. Baby Bliss in a Box is filled with cards for guests to write down their fondest wishes and homespun parenting advice (36 cards for a day-of shower activity plus 12 fold-and-mail cards for friends and family who cannot attend). The mom-to-be keeps the box as a memory and re-read the words of wisdom again and again after the baby is born.

Now that’s bliss.

Available at randomhouse.com.

The sunshine says summer, but your baby sling screams winter. That black canvas carrier won’t feel so comfy come July. Humidity plus an infant strapped to your chest equals…oh forget it, you’ll just stay inside.

Update for the season with Serena & Lily’s new peacock-inspired sling. This collection features vivid, multicolored crewel embroidery reminiscent of its beautiful namesake. The sling itself is made from one seamless piece of organic cotton without buckles, belts or straps — it’s snug, sleep and easy to wear. It’s a breeze.

You’ll be walking as proud as a peacock.

Available at serenaandlily.com.

Twinkies and Ho Hos? No, no, no. The thought of making organic desserts sounds too time-consuming, but luckily the process has been simplified.

Organic and Chic: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets That Taste as Good as They Look by organic baker Sarah Magid shows you how to create everything from pretty pineapple upside-down cake to hearty sweet potato cookies. Included in the 60 recipes is a special chapter devoted to children’s goodies, with suggestions from after-school treats to bigger baking projects for rainy days. Magid, a Brooklyn-based mom, uses her background in fashion to created unique and delicious desserts made with organic and farmer’s market ingredients. Her new user-friendly book, however, is much simpler than growing your own plums for the perfect galette.

Start preheating the oven now.

Available at amazon.com.

A fairy mural might look nice, but Sonny and Cher is more your speed when it comes to a quirky kid’s room.

Mr. T, Andy Warhol, Spock and Joey Ramone are just some of the people painted by artist Seana Corcoran, who creates these hipster portraits after her three children go to bed. The original artwork, done in fun, bright colors, grow with a little one and blend from crib to big bed.

Plus it’ll teach him about who was cool in your day.

Available at lumalum.com.

Now that you’re pregnant you know what you should not eat — but what are the best foods for the next 9 months?

Feed the Belly by new mom and nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth features nearly 70 easy-to-make recipes smartly categorized by craving (salty, sweet, spicy). This healthy eating guide for pregnant women shares easy-to-follow tips, like what should and should not be on your shopping list, how to choose the healthiest fish and what to eat to boost fertility. Kick off your new and improved diet with the book’s simple seven-day eating plan that will boost your bump and your pre-baby bod.

Available at amazon.com.

Your decorating style is uniquely yours (art deco-meets-African?) but you want your little one to have a room of her own.

Start with art: Honeybee Gallery offers an eclectic assortment of original art for a kid’s bedroom or baby’s nursery. Developed by a mom and experienced family therapist, this online gallery of child-oriented pieces ranges from vintage-inspired silkscreens to contemporary oil on canvas. Sure there are the usual ducks, bunnies and princesses, but you’ll find offbeat renderings as well. The well-organized collection is broken down by artist (don’t miss Anne Leuck Feldhaus or Maureen O’Connor), style (whimsical, folk, retro) and theme (music, animals, things that float) for easy searching.

Point, click, decorate.

Available at honeybeegallery.com.

Forget the baby stuff: Your kids like real music, but it’s a challenge to find something the whole brood can enjoy.

Ziggy Marley’s new album, Family Time, will be released tomorrow with a rainbow of kid-friendly tunes that adults will want to jam to as well. Themes of family, from those at home to the worldwide community, are echoed through the voices of Marley and friends like Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Elizabeth Mitchell and Laurie Berkner, who collaborate on various serene songs. Inspired by Marley’s two young children, this feel-good music inspires peace, creativity, open minds and open hearts.

Play it during family time.

Available at ziggymarley.com.

Too bad you didn’t save your old baby frocks, because as your mom says, they don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Rediscover classic clothing: Belle Heir is a throwback to the hand-stitching, smocking, pin-tucks and pleating of an earlier time (perhaps when children were seen and not heard). Original vintage pieces for newborns to 5-year-olds include precious little rompers, short sets and dresses from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. Items are classified by the condition they’re in (like new, near perfect, gently used), and measurement details help you figure out the fit.

How thoroughly modern.

Available at belleheir.com.

Another Mother’s Day, another bottle of perfume. This year, go for something more personal.

Foreverlily is a new fragrance inspired by author Beth Nonte Russell’s memoir of the unexpected adoption of her daughter Lily from China. Throughout her book, Forever Lily, the power of scent helps draw parallels with the personal awakenings Nonte Russell experienced during the incredible journey that all parents will find inspiring. This resulting eau de parfum is an Oriental blend that reminds you of life’s sweeter moments — however unexpected.

Available at goodtruebeautifulinc.com.