Finally, a bouncy seat that matches all my cool Ikea furniture. I love Swedish design!

The stylish BabyBjörn Babysitter Balance is really more like a designer accessory than a piece of baby gear. The reversible fabric gives you four color schemes in one, and the solidly constructed frame has three positions for baby–play, rest and sleep. There’s also the ability to fold the entire seat flat so you can store it under the bed, the couch, or in the trunk of the car…

We love these high-quality Easter shoes from Vincent Shoes. The Nova is a fun and stylish cross between a sandal and a Mary-Jane. Sweet enough to wear with an Easter dress but sturdy enough for a day at the park, the Nova is a practical choice. If you are looking for something less practical and more glam, the Stina closed-toe sandal would be perfect for Spring parties. The Stina is adorned with a flower and comes in shiny silver, bright fuschia or purple.
Save 10% on all Vincent Kids Shoes. Use Code: VIN-SWEET-10

Traditionally consumers had to choose between scratch-resistant (SR) and anti-reflective (AR) coatings for their lenses, since each has to be on the top layer to be effective. In fact some AR coatings seem to highlight even the tiniest smudges. But the newest coating on the market manages to combine both features: Sold as “Crizal Avance with Scotchgard Protector,” this is a remarkable product that combines anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and dirt repellent properties all on the same lens.

I had the opportunity to try a pair of Essilor’s Airwear polycarbonate lenses with this new coating. They are less than half the weight of my glass lenses, and their coating really works as advertised.  Ask your eye care provider about Airwear lenses or visit LighterSaferGreener.com for more information.

The newest Disney Princess is set to make her DVD debut next week when the The Princess and the Frog is released on March.

In the meantime, we have glamor from Hollywood Royalty. Which of these fabulous designs may have drawn inspiration from the brave, bright, and bold, and always fashion-forward, Disney Princesses?

Remember what it was like to be a kid?  Not the carefree, chasing butterflies days but the no-one pays-attention-to-me-except-to-tell-me-I’m-all-wrong days?
Two new DVD releases will send you right back there, complete with breathtaking views and knock-the-wind-out-of-you emotion. Neither The Fantastic Mr. Fox or Where the Wild Things Are is really a children’s film.  Although both preserve the whimsical and quirky moods of the original tales, you would be far better off reading the books to kids.  Taken off the page and onto the screen, complex, dark, and even sometimes brutal, psychological …

We’re fans of the HAPPYBABY philosophy. Delicious, organic, nutrient-packed baby foods. HAPPYBABY partners with the eminent Dr. Robert Sears and dietician Amy Marlow to produce food that you can be confident about sharing with your baby.

Now they have come up with HAPPYMELTS, an organic, freeze-dried, yogurt snack, which is a great for toddlers if you can pry it out of mom’s hands.

I’m serious. I ate half the bag…

After seeing firsthand how Britax car seats perform when really needed, I am incredibly thankful that we choose Britax and their “True Side Impact Protection”.

“According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, approximately one in four of all motor vehicle crashes that involve children occur from the side, and these crashes result in a significantly higher injury rate than front or rear crashes.”

Britax sent us two new seats, including Advocate CS, a convertible toddler car seat. The advocate is very similar to the Boulevard CS, with an additional “Side Cushion Technology”…

Snowed in? Still bitter that last night’s Project Runway was a repeat (or is that just me)?

I have the perfect cure…shoe shopping! Of course, shopping for chic adult shoes can put a real dent in your wallet, so how about some of the cutest, most stylish children’s shoes on the planet?

At Vincent’s Shoes Winter Sale you can get 35-75% Off. You may still need them for this year–or stock up for next year. Plus use exclusive Mamanista Vincent Shoes coupon code MAMA25OFF, valid for 25% off on all Closeout Cubby items through Monday night…

Nicole Caccavo Kear is a college friend, a fabulous actress, and a stunning writer–plus she lives in Brooklyn and has launched a witty, honest, and insightful blog about motherhood, A Mom Amok. So, she is a natural fit for checking out New York City events for kids and parents. She visited the Hasbro Showroom and found some new twists on classic toys and games…