Ciao Baby. Cool Baby Kid’s Final Post.

The Cool Baby Kid story dates back to pre-blogging when I created a website for my classroom using Netscape. No teacher I knew managed a website, and I had limited knowledge of creating one. After finding out my first child was coming into our family July 2006, my focus online became a site for the new baby. Shopping habits turned quickly from the latest lipgloss to finding the ultimate stroller. With some time off of work, all of the above converged as I turned my wiki of cool baby finds into a blog while somewhat unsure of exactly what blogging was all about. Cool Baby Kid was born in 2007 and has seen at least four major re-designs all with a singular focus…brining cool picks and tips to families. From baby products to educational ones, naturally over the years CBK evolved with my own interests. For instance, always a Disney lover, in 2011 when our family joined Disney Vacation Club (DVC), I began to infuse the site with weekly doses of the mouse.

 

Along the way, as with all bloggers who have been in the business of sharing their thoughts online, life happened. In 2009 I met Bridgette (Experimental Mommy) at BlogHer and together we realized bloggers who balance other life tasks–motherhood, careers, fitness–were truly Double Duty Divas.  A network of women bloggers to support each other, eventually adding post opportunities as it grew to over 1,000 members, the Divas became a springboard to Reviewers Retreat, the first blog conference geared 100% to blog/brand relationships.

 

Needless to say, double became triple duty and while relinquishing my blog was once unfathomable, the time came to streamline so many tasks and so, with a heavy heart but an excited one too, I leave Cool Bavy Kid begins to managing the Double Duty Diva blog. Together with the Diva team including Angie at My Four Monkeys and Jena from Ramblings of a Healthy Chic, I can now be found in my new Diva home.

 

Ironically this final CBK post is being finished on the morning of BlogHer12. Three years ago at BlogHer09 the new chapter of my blogging career was set in motion when I walked the streets of Chicago in slippers with two fabulous ladies from New Orleans that I hardly knew, Bridgette and Renee from What Mommies Need. Now, they’ve become close friends, business partners and an integral reason while I’m completely comfortable moving on from Cool Baby Kid to my new role. I will miss cool picks and tips but hope you’ll join me at DoubleDutyDivas.com.blog. The Divas can also be found on Facebook and Twitter although I will be blogging and tweeting as Cool Baby Kid keeping my CBK Twitter handle.
Ciao Cool Baby.

Shoemees: Kids’ Shoes? Toy? Both! {Coupon Code}

Offering cool picks and tips since 2007, it’s rare to come across a completely unique product that forges it’s own path. And while cute kids shoes were one of the first reviews I ever conducted and continue to be a favorite find of mine, none are exactly like Shomees. Part kids’ shoe and part toy, the box it arrives in transforms into a habitat for the plush “Aqua” or “Blaze” which arrive with the shoes. Stickers to decorate along with well-designed graphics a box made from recycled materials, Shoemees make a fun gift which I can’t usually say about shoes since we want the kids’ to be as excited as their parents about a present.

Shoemees, made from a leather/suede combo, are breathable and look super comfortable (although I haven’t tried them on myself). Ranging in size from 10-1 they are ideal for children 4-9 years old and continue to expand their offerings. Shoemees retail for $39.9 and we have a coupon code (see below) and do make a special gift for lucky little ones.

See the Shoemees box transformation for yourself in this short video. I can guarantee you haven’t seen anything quite like it before hence garnering a top pick designation from us!

Cool Tip

Use code “shee1″ for $5.95 (shipping) off your Shoomees order and be sure to follow Shoemees on Twitter and Facebook too.

Mother’s Day Gift Pick: Spa Weekly Gift Card at CVS

When I originally signed up to compete in a Tough Mudder obstacle course mud run, the date didn’t click. Just the other day I realized a morning of breakfast in bed and extra pampering was not to be this year for me. Instead I’ll be getting a different kind of “mud treatment” making a spa trip post-race a delightful prospect.

Spa gift cards are a go to gift for my own mother and mother-in-law each year; we make a ”Spa Day” an annual post-Mother’s Day event. Spa Week Gift cards, which can be remeemed for spa visits nationwide, can be found at CVS along with many other gift card options for mom. As we previously reported from our local CVS pharmacy, they have a vast array of gift card options ranging from restaurants to retail.  So no stressing over Mother’s Day gifts this year. Head to CVS, grab a card and gift card, and try not to spend the day jumping into mud pools or carring logs up a hill!

Q&A: Will you have a 2012 Mother’s Day Gift Guide?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year, rather than a gift guide, I will soon be sharing a Mother’s Day Gift Pick to feature on the site. In the meantime, check out this contest by one of my favorite companies, M-Edge, creator of the coolest covers for your technology.

Post a family photo that you think would make a great iPad or e-reader jacket to M-Edge’s Facebook Page. They will select 10 winners at random to receive their special gift (custom cover) in time for Mother’s Day! All contestants will receive a 20% off promo code to design their own. Contest ends 4/27 11:59 PM EST. Check out their Mother’s Day Gift Guide too.

Family Activity & Gift Idea: Mickey Mouse Greenhouse {Giveaway}

We’ve been spolied in the Northeast lately with mild temperatures and have been outside playing much sooner in the season than normal. This weekend, when the weather turned cooler and wetter, a more typical March day for us, the family was once again relugated indoors looking for dance party and learning time alternatives. The Mickey Mouse Greenhouse by Peachtree Playthings, who partnered with Scotts Miracle-Gro, was just what the doctor ordered. (Speaking of doctors, Doc McStuffins continues to be a huge hit, so I’d like to take this opportunity to lobby Comcast to get Disney Junior channel in NEPA!) I can barely keep the three plants in my house alive, so the idea of a vegrtable garden is foreign to both myself and my children whose idea of gardening is helping to rake leaves. I love that it introduced them to the process as our Disney charachter friends guided us to plant tomatos, sweet peppers and cucumbers. Each character is designated a different vegrtable, and a cardboard cutout reminded us that plants need soil and sun to surive. We added water to special safe and non-toxic Miracle-Gro Gro-Mix, added our seeds and Disney friends and the greenhouse now sits on the kitchen counter, soaking in the sun until mini-veggies appear in a week or so.

With other varieties including the Disney Princess Castle and Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow Greenhouses, Peachtree Playthings Miracle-Gro Flower and Vegetable Gardens are not only fun family activities but will be my go to preschooler gift at just $12.99. Check them all out and find a retailer near you.

Cool Giveaway

Enter to win a Peachtree Playthings Greehouse of your choice by commenting on this post. For extra entries:

Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win. Read the prize claim information; we announce winners on Prizey.net. Contest ends 4/9/12.

A sample  was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% our own.

Top Ten iPad/iPhone Apps for Preschoolers

Fingerprint Big Kid Life: Firefighter

Price: FREE
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Age: 4-7
Review: Put out fire monsters in this adorable Big Kid Life Firefighter which allows firefighters-in-training to test their skills including saving animals and putting out fires.

Fingerprint: Playmaker

Price: FREE
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Age: 4-8
Review: Highly customizable Playmaker teaches math and spelling skills through custom recorded sounds and interactive features for parents as well!

Fingerprint: Do Re Mi 1-2-3

Price: $2.99
Platform: iPad
Age: 3-8
Review: Interact with musical animals in Do Re Mi 1-2-3 while learning pitch and melody which brain research shows "helps forge new brain connections for math and language learning."

Disney DigitalBooks: Toy Story Showtime!

Price: $4.99
Platform: iPhone/iPad/iTouch
Age: 4-6
Review: Disney DigitalBooks are narrated read-along books with sight word and context-based vocabulary. In Toy Story Showtime! Buzz tries to impress Jesse as users read along with an interactive story that moves, shakes and teaches all at once.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast: Storybook Deluxe

Price: $6.99
Platform: iPad
Review: My children absolutely love Belle's maze in this Beauty & the Beast app. I love the ability to narrate the story in a completely interactive tale as old as time which also includes coloring pages.

Disney's It's a Small World

Price: $3.99
Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Review: This kids #1 favorite app at the moment? Hands down It's a Small World . They've been singing the song like crazy, and the app with it's clickable kids from all around the world that each perform different tasks is the best I've seen to date.

Disney's Winnie the Pooh Puzzle Book

Price: $.99
Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Review: Affordable at .99 users can get their Disney fix with Winnie the Pooh and friends in this puzzle book app. Activities including read, finding missing honey pots, and of course puzzles!

Disney Princess Dress-Up: My Sticker Book

Price: $3.99
Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Review: This app takes the prize for most engaging over a long period of time. We downloaded the Disney Dress Up app nearly a year ago, and they still love to change their favorite princesses clothing and accessories, changing them over and over. They can even add their own picture to "become" a princess themselves.

Teach Me: Kindergarten

Price: $.99
Platform: iPad, iPhone
Review: We have more educational apps than we know what do to with. Hand down the best learning app is Teach Me. It's simple but effective and includes sight words, addition, subtraction and spelling. The built-in rewards system with "stickers" is their favorite!

Jumpstart Preschool Magic of Learning

Price: $2.99
Platform: iPad, iPhone
Review: We've been fans of Jumpstart for years when first introduced to their online virtual learning world. The app is just as comprehensive teaching preschoolers math, pre-reading and critical thinking skills. It's a go-to app for both kids, but my nearly 3-year old son is particularly mesmerized.
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Disclaimer

A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% our own.

Cool Giveaway: Enter to win a gift pack of Disney apps including Toy Story Showtime, Beauty and the Beast Storybook Deluxe and all new Disney Publishing’s first Marvel app, The Amazing Spider-Man: An Origin Story by commenting on this post with your favorite kids’ app. For extra entries:

  • Like Cool Baby Kid on Facebook
  • Follow Cool Baby Kid onTwitter
  • Follow Disney Digital Books on Twitter
  • Follow Disney Digital Books on Facebook

Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win. Read the prize claim information; we announce winners on Prizey.net. Contest ends 1/26/11.

Top 5 Green Mountain Coffee Gift Ideas

Spicy Eggnog & Gingerbread K-Cup Coffee

MSRP: $16.49 (24 Count)
Review: Get into a holiday seasonal mood with Gingerbread and Spicy Eggnog coffee which are both Fair Trade Certified so you can feel good about your purchase too!

Green Mountain Coffee Signature Sampler

MSRP: $27.95
Review: Coffee eficinados rejoyce in this gift which brings together some of Green Mountain's most popular coffe blends including Dark Magic Expresso, Breakfast Blend and Vermont Country Blend (fair-trade).

Keurig Brewers

MSRP: Various
Review: My mother received one for Christmas a few years back, and now the entire family is hooker. With Keurig Brewers ranging in price from $79.95-$199.95, there's a perfect one for your gift needs. (I own and love the Special Edition Brewer.)

Thermo Ceramic Mug

MSRP: $17.95
Review: For coffee or tea drinkers who like the feel of a ceramic mug but also want their drink to stay hot, this Thermo Ceramic Mug offers the best of both keeping your liquid gold hot for an hour!

Cafe Express

MSRP: $Free!
Review: Cafe Express gives users Regular Green Mountain Coffee delivery with addes bonuses such as K-Cup portion pack savings, free standard shipping, a free travel mug and replacement Keurig brewer if theirs breaks. Paying ahead for the service could be a great gift idea for those short on time.
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Cool Tip: Visit our other top picks and gift guides for even more holiday gift ideas, top 5 and top 10 posts.

Holiday Gift Pick: Uncle Milton *Fireworks In My Room*

When you have 10 and 13 year old boys, not many toys impresses them anymore. Fireworks in my room did impress both my boys. A matter of fact, my ten year old took this out for a sleep over party and all the boys were highly impressed and were talking to about this to their parents the next day. I’m sure there will be several units purchased after this sleepover.  Allof  the boys said the fireworks were amazing, they kept this gadget out all night.  I was impressed with the quality of the sound effects; there is sizzling sounds and crackles, just like real fireworks would sound. The launcher is very easy to use, first you choose your firework; you pump the launcher with air and pull the trigger to view an incredible firework display from the comfort of your bed. This cool gadget is a hit for all ages and great idea for an age segment whose gadgets are typically quite costly.

Written by Amy, Cool Baby Kid Review Team

 Disclaimer

A product sample was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% our own. 

Cool Tip

Follow Uncle Miltion on Facebook and Twitter for updates and promotions on their cool line of toys. 

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