For the Kiddos

Melt my freakin heart...

With friends makin babies at a somewhat more regular pace lately (here they come!) I've been exposed to more and more kiddo paraphernalia, inspiration and apparel of the absolutely adorable variety. So here for all you Mommy, Sister, Auntie or beloved Friend types is the next installment of "For the Kiddos"!

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, a beloved (and adorably illustrated) kids book for this tiny generation is part of a series!! I never knew, but I think I will be gifting several Pigeon books in the future, including his newest bath time adventure.

Oh man... so efficient, looks adorable and no more cutting up sandwiches into tiny pieces!! Click HERE to purchase the Fun Bites Squares from Amazon and be sure to browse all the other adorable shapes they sell! (Pin it here)

So apparently "balance bikes" are all the rage these days. I see them all over NYC and one of my favorite chic mamma bloggers over at Lady and Prince is always raving about her kids' Strider Bikes. The goal is apparently to work on balance first (even as young as 2!) then get to the pedaling later. HERE is a great roundup of all the best (at least in Babble's opinion!) balance bikes on the market.

I could see this "go fishing" DIY being perfect for distracting your little one on a long line, an airplane or just on any boring afternoon. Small enough to tuck in your purse and very do-able from a craft standpoint, click HERE for the full instructions from Doodle Craft.

Is there anything more adorable than a plush rocker?! I think not (says the auntie who purchased a pastel cow and airplane for her niece and nephew respectively!) I love these adorable rockers as new baby gifts because they're unique and will last a while (first as decor in the room, then as a ride on toy for 2-3 years). Plus, Wayfair.com has an amazing selection at very reasonable prices HERE.

* A little something for the Mama's:

- I typically read Copy Cat Chic for the amazing save-on-decor advice, but when Reichel, Mom of 2 shared this post about her favorite maternity/breast feeding friendly clothes, I took note.  boob (yup that's really the name) looks chic and flattering and the price point is somewhere perfectly between very reasonable (Old Navy Maternity) and absurd (Hatch Collection)

* And even some great reads for Dad:

- On making the most of your paternity leave

- Advice for new Dad's from my favorite Dad blogger (yes I have a favorite Dad blogger:)

* Some good reading:

- An interesting theory on why babies cry at night

- Why isn't the baby industry working harder to revolutionize the breast pump!?

- A very interesting (but LONG) article about "The Overprotected Kid"

- Just in time for summer road trips, a book of kid friendly adventures in the Hudson Valley.

Lastly, THIS little girl's reaction to finding out her mother is pregnant literally brought tears to my eyes.

For previous "For the Kiddos" posts, click HERE.

Pack MY lunch!

The creative parents of the world have won my heart once again. Like Dinovember before it, today's post is dedicated to David LaFerrier, the awesome Dad who in 2008 began packaging his sons' lunches in the most adorably creative way.

Now David has somewhat of an unfair advantage over other parents/lunch packers in that his graphic design background clearly translates to some serious creative and artistic talent, but it's his dedication to seeing magic in the ordinary that really blows me away....

David says “The sandwich bags are something that my boys and I share together, but the comments people leave about a parent doing something similar really touches me, because there are other parents that love their kids just as much. And they love them enough to leave a little note, a little whatever it may be… that’s just something that brightens their day when they get to their lunch.” How amazing is this guy!?

David's work has been featured on Sharpie's website and he receives messages from other parents who are inspired by his work on a regular basis. Click HERE for more about his awesome bag-drawing endeavors or HERE to visit his Flickr.

Peels Please

Over the weekend, as I was diving into a tasty Peels tuna salad sandwich, I realized that it's been a while since I did a restaurant review over here and man oh man is Peels worthy of a mention! I discovered Peels, located at 325 Bowery St. (btw E 2nd & 3rd) thanks to a favorite fellow blogger, Rebecca over at The Daily Muse. Always looking to expand my restaurant repertoire, Dr. H and I eventually made a visit of our own and Peels lived up to expectations!

The first thing to love about Peels is the decor. The gorgeous exposed brick, tin ceilings, wood bar, green booths and crown moldings are so beautiful, I wouldn't mind one day having a home that feels just like Peels inside. Peels also has a solid amount of outdoor seating which is great for sunny Sunday morning brunching. Then of course, there is the food:

Tuna Salad Sandwich image via Foodspotting

Though I have only been to Peels for brunch/lunch (served all day!), my love affair with their cuisine is so strong that I'm going to guess dinner is a home run too. I've tested all matter of their eggs, their salads are made with greens so fresh you can taste the healthiness and their pastries, from biscuits and bread to muffins and donuts are straight up killa. But for the Peels pièce de résistance, one absolutely must order the "Build a Biscuit"....

"Build-a-Biscuit" image via Foodspotting

The Peels Build-a-Biscuit invites you to pile on to a (super tasty) buttermilk biscuit any (or all!) of the following: eggs, bacon, sausage, fried chicken, country ham, avocado, cheese and gravy. When the bartender (awesome bloody mary's in case you were wondering) proposed I order his personal favorite of scrambled eggs, fried chicken, bacon, pimento (or was it jalapeno?) cheese and gravy, I couldn't say no (and was thrilled that I didn't!) Gluttony well spent, my biscuit was hands down one of the best breakfasts I've ever eaten.

With large upstairs and down stairs dining rooms (plus outdoor seating), a basic menu which gets manageably adventurous while sticking to a reasonable price point and truly delicious food, Peels is an awesome spot for brunch, lunch (and I'm sure dinner!) with friends. (PS- they also deliver!)

Note: Unless otherwise attributed, all images shown are the work of Rebecca Baust, The Daily Muse. She is an amazing photographer <-- click here to see more.

My midday meal slump...

My lunch rarely looks this glam

What are you eating for lunch? I find myself eating the same half dozen or so lunches ad nauseam (hehe) out of a combination of habit, convenience and lack of creativity. I try to make lunch 4 of 5 days every week (though I'd say I average only 3 days) because my homemade lunches are healthier and eating out can be expensive ($8-15 per day adds up fast!!) You'd think that because I am the creator of my lunches, I'd get creative, but the reality is that I throw lunch together in a maximum of 10 minutes before I run out the door each morning (I have no interest in making tomorrow's lunch after making dinner each night) and when I buy lunch, I gravitate to the same handful of places where I order the same handful of foods. Here's what's on the menu:

Homemade: turkey sandwich (occasional variation of turkey type and condiment); tuna sandwich (both on "lite" bread with no lettuce or tomato - too soggy by 1pm); green salad w goat cheese and avocado; "sides" are almost always carrots and hummus, fruit, Popchips/Special K crisps and sugar free pudding snacks (might as well bring a lunchbox with a note from my mom right!?)

When I buy: udon soup; chicken salad sandwich; make your own salad (and I "make" the same exact salad 90% of the time!); veggie dumplings and egg drop soup

Perhaps for some this is a lot of variety, but after years of the same things, I'm looking to mix the routine up a bit. What are your favorite quick/easy/filling lunches? Healthy (specifically PointsPlus friendly) suggestions are welcome (leave a comment! share the tastiness! talk amongst yourselves my hungry, merry readers!) Plus, have you ever tried the "Wheel of Lunch"!?