Muslin swaddling blankets are amazing for their breathable qualities. You want it all for your newborn - warmth and comfort! The Australians had it right for years but now we get to take advantage of their discovery. Koala Kuddles kicks it up a notch with a fully organic line that is as cute as it is essential and best of all, affordable. These super lightweight blankets are easy to take anywhere with you and service multiple functions such as sun protection, picnic blanket, nursing shield and nice cushion on the park bench for new mommies with sore bum bums. They get softer with each wash and continue to be durable and useful. Comes in a set of 3 for $29.95 at Koala Kuddles.

Rose Petal Tutu
Ballerina tutus are universally loved by all little girls and why wouldn't they? The puffy tulle and flower pedals on this fun and adorable skirt will have her beaming from ear to ear feeling like a real life princess. For $36.

Manhattan Toy Automoblox C9 Red Sportscar
Boys love Valentine's Day just as much, but just in different ways. The Automoblox is like Lego's with a twist. Race car red is just what he asked cupid to send. For $24.17.

Luna Luna Cha Cha Biker Shorts
Under a skirt or by itself, this ruffled bloomers makes the outfit. Especially cute for tots still in diapers! For $48.

Pediped Ashley
Some wear their hearts on their sleeves but Shoe Snobs always express themselves in their shoes. This chocolate brown leather upper and two-tone Nubuck heart accents Mary Jane is perfect for all occasions but the best timely gift for Valentine's. For $23.

Holidays Snap Set Tee
Valentine's Day now but then it'll be St. Patrick's day next. No room to keep specific wardrobe for all the holidays? This tee has 6 snap-on designs for Christmas, Valentine's, St. Patrick's, Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Get this now since now is the first holiday of the series, but make sure you size up to make it through the year. For $54.

I Love You More Than Rainbows
I love this book of great rhymes, sweet sentiments, bright bold illustrations, and easy-to-understand text. Your tots know you love them even if you cannot fully articulate it (no one can properly articulate that amount of emotion!) but it is still nice to hear it said out loud. For $10.19.

I complain that my tots' birthday parties go overboard because I want it to be fabulous for their sake, but in reality, I just love planning parties!! So with a 5th birthday coming up for my daughter, the research for the most creative and awesome party is underway. The cake of course is the most important feature of a party - this book, Birthday Cakes for Kids has some serious cute and unique designs - that you can make yourself!! Believe it or not, most of these cakes are easy to make, even though they will impress any crowd. The book comes with templates and cut outs for you to follow. Some of the best ones, like the castle, is the easiest once all the instructions are laid out. Spend your money on the goodie bag (the most appreciated part of a tot's party) and save money and make it an experience with your birthday tot by making your own cake. At Amazon for $15.17

With so much debate and controversy over BPA and it's harmful affects, I decided to speak to Ron Vigdor, President of Born Free, maker of BPA free sippy cups and bottles. The importance of the discussion regarding BPA cannot be over stated. It is because of consumers like us who demand change that the industry and government has taken action. There has been decades of conspiracies to cover up this known harm because plastic is a $374 billion industry. The FDA has known about the potential danger of BPA since 1997 yet they have not banned BPA and are only influenced by lobbyists from the plastic industry. Meanwhile, children in the US have been and are still being exposed to the possible harms while more studies and test are conducted and analyzed. There are technicalities that make this issue terribly confusing but instead of waiting for the FDA to give us a clear understanding, we have decided to rely on the one rule parents have always followed - to better be safe than sorry.

Why did you start Born Free?

I saw a documentary in 2006 regarding the harm caused by BPA in plastics and it inspired me to develop products that would do good and be good.

Why is BPA so dangerous?

BPA (bisphenol-A) is an endocrine destroyer, hormone mimicker, causes cancer, diabetes, early puberty and learning and developmental delays and alters the gene physiques in the womb if ingested by the mother. It was used as a birth control substance in the early 1900's. BPA is particularly harmful to fetuses and babies under the age of 3 because of their inability to properly and fully synthesize and filter waste. The waste stays in their bodies longer and this causes more damage.

No time to clean the floor? Don't worry, just slip on these Evriholder Slipper Genie Microfiber Cleaning Slippers and clean your floor as you run back and forth chasing your tot around the house. OK, it's not the cleanest cleaning, but hey, it's better than nothing. Every little bit of lint and dirt you pick up is icing on the cake! If there is one thing mommies are good at, it's multi-tasking. Plus, the chenille slippers are pretty comfortable. When you're done, throw them in the washing machine. Comes in women's and men's sizes, for equal participation. At Amazon for $11.97.

My shoe obsession spills over to a shoe obsession for my tots, of course! It is actually pretty obscene how much shoes my girls have. But how can I control myself when there are so many cute shoes out there in the world?! The Spring See Kai Run collection is seriously testing my will power. The Shari ($40) in the biggest color this spring, lemon yellow, just shouts out happiness and sunshine (it even has a matching yellow sole!). The flowers appliques and leaf cutouts will coordinate perfectly with her Easter dress. For boys, they get equal share when it comes to spoiling. The Theodore ($38) sandals are a little bit rock 'n roll and a little bit surfer dude. The straps and closures are perfectly placed for a sure fit.

I have all the car seats I need until I won't need car seats anymore. But this Clek Oobr booster seat is making me want to upgrade. Most boosters do not attach to the car, you just use the seat belt across the body. But this one is attached via the latch system, for good measure and in my opinion, a necessity, even if it is just a mental one. Some cars' seat belt system does not register a rider under a certain weight and the latch is not meant for anyone over 40 pounds. Although I always lock the seat belt (I pull it all the way through so it locks and will not extend farther) when using a booster, I still want the added benefit of having the seat tightly in place. The latch in this seat is rigid to ensure the seat does not shift and also makes it easier to install. There is a quick release in the front of the seat making it easy to transfer from car to car. The Clek Oobr seems to have the upper hand in superiority with advantages and features like its high safety rating, a reclining back for sleeping, comfortably padded, stain resistant Crypont Super Fabric, great looking design and colors, and has a removable back to convert and grow with your tot. Of course, price is the real issue here, I already spent $280 on 2 Britax car seats so spending $274.99 on another 2 (I have 2 tots!) is a major consideration. Clek Oobr Booster Car Seat at Amazon for $274.99.

In Eat, Pray, Love (yes, I'm reading that) the writer equates traveling with having children - it is a huge hassle but the joy and love of it makes it all worthwhile. So does that mean traveling with tots is ten times more joyous? Because it is ten times the hassle! I travel a lot with my tots and have found very helpful products to get me through it as breezily as possible. But nothing has been as fantastic as this, which does make traveling ten times more enjoyable - for you and your tot!! This ride on / pull along suitcase will make your time at the airport seem like an amusement park, to quote my daughter, "It is the mostest fun suitcase I ever had". And the bonus is of course, they are carrying their own stuff!!. There is a long strap for you to pull your tired tot or when he/she decides she wants to run now, you can easily pull it behind you or on your shoulder. Toys, books, snacks, extra change of clothes and DVD player all fit nicely in there but the inside is not lined, it is just the plastic of the case. There is a criss cross band that holds things in place. It is incredibly lightweight and very well thought out and designed. The latch has a lock so things don't accidentally spill out, but the key to the latch is on the strap so you'll never lose it. When you're at home (or hotel room), it acts as a ride on toy! The only downside is, tots over 48" will have a hard time scooting. The Trunki Harley the Ladybug Rolling Suitcase is $59.99 and Tipu the Tiger Rolling Suitcase at Amazon for $59.99. Solid colors are $49.99. Worth every penny, in fact, it's worth double!!

As the weather heats up, you will need to start planning activities for the great outdoors. My 4 year old is trying out her best on a bicycle with training wheels but that leaves my 2 year old in the dust. So I got her the Plasma Car which is really easy for her to ride. The car moves with momentum so all you need to do is swivel the steering wheel with very little effort to get the car going. There is a place to put the feet up. All you need is a safe flat surface. I don't have a driveway for this but we go to the basketball court in the park where she has plenty of room to roam around. Sturdy enough for grown ups to take it for a spin, I did and it is really fun!! PlasmaCar at Amazon for $54.99.

I just discovered the most wonderful and precious shoe line, Livie and Luca. I found them at Baby Wright's in Manhattan Beach, one of my favorite boutiques for tots, and both my daughters just fell in love. They look handmade with love and has a comfortable flexible rubber sole and a padded Achilles heel for blister protection. They are also made wide for those with lovely padded feet. The designs are whimsical and charming, like they were made by fairies! The designs are very fairy-eque with flowers, butterflies and mushrooms motifs. I was expecting to pay a kings ransom for such gems but they are only $45 at Livie and Luca's website. I paid $50 at the store but with shipping, it comes out to be the same. The company is committed to using recycled leather, so not only are your tots reducing their environmental footprints with their footprints, you get the benefit of the savings!! Win Win Win for all. The Livie's Pink Wings Mary Jane with six colorful butterflies for $45 and the Pio Pio Pink, which is the sound birds make in Spanish, has a pink bird with contrasting green base (also comes in other color ways) for $45.50.