Strollerderby : babble best

Babble Best: Puff the Magic Dragon

Amy Kuras — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:03:00 GMT

I am both a child of the 70s and a big, big sap, so it stands to reason I would like folk music. There, I said it, in one of my first posts for an urban hipster parenting blog – way to blow your credentials, Ame.

Ahem.

With both those items in my DNA, I loved Babble’s Five Minute Time Out with Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, and most importantly, the guy who wrote “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

Yarrow talked about rumors of drug references that have dogged the beloved children’s song for years, as well as the recent children’s book with new illustrations by Eric Puybaret.

The song made me horrendously sad as a kid – the idea of the lonely Puff missing his friend who came no more just killed me. It’s got a more hopeful, less sad ending now. My favorite part of the interview was this quote from Yarrow: “It was an important gesture to have the ending include Jackie Paper's daughter, because I'm giving my world over to my daughter, I'm saying "It's yours now, sweetheart, carry it on." That's what I'm doing with the record and the book.”

Awww. I love hippies. It’s easy to look cynically askance at their shining-eyed desire for a better world, easy to scoff at their consistent optimism that maybe the next march or boycott will really make a difference. But we are consistently being lured away from the Big Issues like health care and the war with celebrity worship and trivia. It’s inspiring to hear a voice from the past remind us that hope and love are important, and a better world is within our grasp.

Strollerderby Giveaway: Win a Graco Pack N Play!

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:03:00 GMT

Babble recently reviewed the five best play yards to contain your little mobile ones as part of our ongoing Babble Best series. In conjunction with the review we are giving away a Graco Suite Solutions Pack N Play (a $225 value) to one lucky Strollerderby reader! To enter send an email to babblecontest@gmail.com. Winners will be chosen at random on Friday, August 31.

Good luck!

Things Fall Apart: BREAKING NEWS Stokke Crib Recall

Karen Murphy — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:06:00 GMT

Babble reviewed this stylish roundish crib from Stokke a few months ago and it was 2nd runnerup, which makes me feel terrible that it's been recalled. It turns out that the crib mattress is too small and leaves a gap, the better to ensnare and entrap your precious baby with. We don't want that.

Though injuries have yet to be reported, you can't be too safe about these things. If you have one of these cribs, the recall affects only oval shaped Stokke Sleepi cribs with foam mattresses sold under the following model numbers: 660321, 660320, 660301,660305, 660318, 652268, 652269, 652246, 652247 and 652248. The cribs were sold in a variety of colors, including white, walnut, natural, cherry and whitewash. The model number can be found on the packaging and underside of the crib, and the affected cribs were sold between September 2006 and March 2007.

Contact Stokke at (877) 978-6553 for a free replacement mattress.

More on Co-Sleeping; It's Still Invented by Lucifer

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:01:00 GMT

I love surfing through Babble-pedia and finding great written-by-parents articles on everything from ADHD to banking. (Seriously, check it out.) But the co-sleeping section of the online parenting encyclopedia really struck a nerve.

Co-sleeping is great. No-so controversial anymore. Everyone does it. Yada yada yada. There's a brief mention of how parents might not sleep soundly, but I don't think it goes far enough. So I'm rewriting it.

"Co-sleeping is great for about five minutes or so until your baby starts to kick you in the balls, and then lifts her head high in the air and slams it into your chin -- all night. Co-sleeping should be tried by people who sleep with cups. And not the drinking kind."

But I realize I may be in the minority. How would you write it?

Babble Talk: The Joy of Sundresses

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:38:00 GMT

Sundresses are so cheery and flouncy and full of fun. No wonder so many parents stuff their little tomboys into the pinks and frills despite their protests. Or, if you're lucky, you have one that requests the sweet little get-ups. Geri has it right, frolicking with Bluebell wearing matching mommy-daughter dresses. Oh and flowing locks helps too.

If you get goggly trying to decide which dress is for you, check out Babble's Best Sundresses this week.

The delicacy pictured right is the LuLu by M.N. Bird Company and it's only $47. For more examples of loveliness go here.

Hitting the Bottle: Strap into the "Car Seat"

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:56:00 GMT

We're going on a five-hour family road trip next week, and if there's anything that goes hand and hand with narrow roads, crying babies and seemingly endless miles until the next rest stop, it's alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.

The "Car Seat" is Dana's invention, and she wants everyone to know it. She was sipping her favorite cocktail -- a Side Car -- the other day when we both turned the conversation toward our upcoming trip. It was like a light bulb went off in her head.

"You know what would go really well with this?" she said, lifting her glass, "More alcohol."

Good idea. We mixed, we shook, we drank, and pretty soon the idea of a long road trip didn't seem so bad -- if you have the right car seat that is. (Yeah, that was bad. But the recipe is good.)

Combine:

1 oz rum

1 oz triple sec

1 oz apple cider, or your kid's favorite juice drink. (Apple is best. Sparkling apple is even better.)

1/2 oz lime juice

Combine, shake lightly and pour into a martini glass that has been rubbed with lime on the rim and coated with superfine sugar.

Strollerderby Finishline: One Free Birth at a Time

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sat, 26 May 2007 19:20:00 GMT

Let's be honest here. You're not reading this. You're one day into the summer's first three-day weekend, and the last thing on your mind is parenting. That's why the kids are playing in a van down by the river, or whichever body of water you've taken them to this fine weekend, while you're back at the hotel-lodge-trailer-tent-wherever giving a whole new definition to the term Wi-Fi -- and it doesn't mean finding a connection to read this.

Am I bitter? Just because we couldn't manage to slip away for one day? One, lousy day? No, not at all.

So if, like me, you're stuck at home with a sick kid and waiting desperately for date night and wanting something to do, thankfully there's always the good ol' SD to keep you company. Though it sounds like a horrible, itchy disease, you know it as something else: the best in parenting writing.

This week, Kelly explores the joys of ~~freebasing~~ freebirthing, but I say the practice doesn't go far enough. Give me a birth without a baby, and then you'd be onto something.

Karen wonders about holding kids back, or not, from kindergarten -- and dredges up bad memories of puberty. Oh boy, been there.

Alisyn wages war, as Barbie and Diego team up to take over the house in a never-ending deluge of clutter. Thankfully, Ikea and the Sopranos come to the rescue.

Stefania totally lucks out, because authorities have proof it wasn't her kid who did this. Although I think we all feel sorry for the poor chap who did do it. Do you know how many reincarnations he's just ruined?

Rachael says modern moms have it easy -- I mean, it's not like they churn butter all day. But still, who doesn't need a little TV babysitting every now and then? If only to find the time to think up "in the mood" excuses.

My favorite post of the week? I'll give you one guess, but you and I both know you're not going to need it. That's right, "Hitting the Bottle."

See you on Tuesday!

Babble's New Blogger is Hot (and a Great Writer)

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Wed, 02 May 2007 18:31:00 GMT

Ok I'll admit it. Sometimes I read daddy blogs to check out the hotties. And the new Babble blogger Arthur Bradford is no exception. Check. Him. Out. Oh and? Obviously a loving attentive daddy and husband. Awww.

He's the Diaper Bandit and is daddy to beautiful four-month old Elsie and husband to Maggie. His first post talks about the long road to making and having Elsie and the joys of being a new attractive daddy (not his words).

Welcome Arthur! Next up, "The Men of Babble." Nummy!

Babble Talk: Nuby Victorious in "Battle Sippy Cup"

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 17:21:00 GMT

Babble's Nicole Feliciano recently put five popular brands of sippy cups to the test, and the brand that came out of top—beating out better known brands Playtex and Gerber—is the candy-colored Nuby.

Feliciano likes that the Nuby has no valves or straws, and frankly, I do, too. Washing crusty sippy cups is one of those crap duties of parenting that no one ever tells you about.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Evenflo insulated straw cups, they don't seem to get as grungy, and they hold enough liquid to quench a thirsty preschooler's thirst. What about you? Got any sippies you'd to recommend?

Babble Tests Egg Dye So You Don't Have To

Patti — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:58:00 GMT

Still haven't bothered to grab an egg coloring kit? Let me save you a little trouble: we review five kits and let you know the scoop.

In related news, so far this week I've eaten egg salad on wheat toast, on cheddar-onion scones, and in a tortilla. I expect to eat it in a pita next. Then I'm going to devil some of 'em. Then I still have another dozen or so to deal with. Ideas?