It’s that time again, and after lobbying for the past year, there’s now a category for a children’s store.
Go to Time to Vote and vote for your favorite locally owned kids’ store. We know it’s going to be Bellani, right? All entries must be in by May 1st.
And to thank you for voting for Bellani, we’re going to give you 10% off your entire purchase the next time you’re in. Just bring in your email confirmation from RI Monthly.
Best, Shannon
We’ve been waiting for the arrival of the Flap Happy Hat for several weeks now, and it finally arrived. Aside from being so cute, the brim on the hat makes it very practical for blocking out the harmful rays of the sun.
There’s the full brim of the eyelet hat, the true neck protection for the beach, and the cute styles of crushers for boys. Come and get them while thery’re here. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
I would have never thought of this. Leave it to our customers to come up with the best ideas. I just wrote about the Feme pad. A cooling gel pad for post partum moms. However, this mom came in and got one for her husband who was getting snipped later in the day. No need for ice, just pop this puppy in the freezer and like magic, instant relief for both mom and dad. Thanks for the great idea!
-Shannon
This is a really cute product that has just arrived. My Mommy’s tote is an interactive activity for all children. Inside includes a clock with hands that move. A write-on wipe-off board and marker. A maze to navigate. Two spin wheels for learning the alphabet and numbers. Mommy’s laptop and cell phone, planner and wallet (a magnet for every little kid—this one has a removable credit card). Plus a key ring and photos, a real handkerchief, and an intriguing mystery: Can you find the missing red sock? In all, there are more than 75 objects, 30 activities, and seven spreads where things lift up, slide out, unfold, flip open, turn, and beguile.
We also have My Granny’s Purse in-stock filled with all sorts of things granny’s would carry. Sure to keep the kids busy for some quite time for mom.
From their first hat, to their first board book, we are supporting the littlest in Red Sox Nation. Come in soon for the best selection of Red Sox gear.
Go Sox!
(I have to tell you that I am secretly a Mets fan. I know, I know who on earth is a Mets fan, but I grew up in NJ so bear with me).
-Shannon
We just received our shipment of two wonderful new products. The Feme Pad provides soothing and cooling pain relief in the vaginal and rectal areas from pain caused by childbirth and childbirth stitches. It can also relieve other vaginal irritations and inflamed hemorrhoids. So instead of using an ice pack or ice cubes that can leak, just pop this into your undies and relief is yours. It comes with two pads, which is great to have one your using and one ready in the freezer.
The Breast soother is filled with a soft and flexible gel designed to provide comfort and relief from soreness associated with breastfeeding and will not interfere with lactation. What’s really great is it can be used warn or cool depending on what is comfortable for you. Simply place in a fridge for one hour or in a bowl of warm water for up to 7 minutes. Can be cleaned in hot soapy water and comes with a polythene bag for storage. They say they are discrete and can be warn with maternity bras. I’m not sure about the discrete part, but they do fit well in bras and are perfectly fine to wear around the house.
-Shannon
This was an interesting article in Time magazine today on sleeping. I think we all know that bad sleep habits can have life long effects for our children. However, there is so much debate over what’s right. Here’s another study that was done. Maybe it can help you if you are having difficulties getting your child to sleep or stay asleep. Click here to read the article.
-Shannon
Guilt. We as moms know this word all to well. In fact it’s something we can’t get rid of no matter how hard we try. And it is absolutely, a mom thing. How the male gene isn’t capable of this I haven’t figured out yet (lucky for them). All I know is work, family, one child, two children, pesticides, organic fruit, whole wheat, trans fat, pba & phalate free, soccer, baseball, gymnastics, yard work, house work…hmmmmm, and I wonder where the guilt comes from. I guess it’s a good thing males don’t have these genes or my children would be neurotic. I like to have a schedule: dinner by 5:45 pm (it takes them forever to eat), bath at 6:30 and in bed by 7:15 (now that my oldest is reading book times takes a really long time also). Why do I feel the need for such a schedule? Because if they don’t eat well and sleep for 10 hours (I have 6:00 am wakers) then I feel guilty that somehow it will hamper my oldest performance in school, and foster breakdowns for my youngest.
My husband has a completely different view of the situation. Let’s take Tuesday for example. I pull in the driveway at 6:25 pm to find my husband in the tree house (he’s building one for our boys, although I know he is enjoying it), my youngest runs over to me and gives me the biggest hug, and my oldest yelling from the tree house saying “look Mom, Dad got the railing on, now we won’t fall out”. With the ending to that sentence, the nail gun goes off and on goes the railing. I wait a second and yell “have they had dinner yet?” I know the answer, but feel the need to ask anyway. I go inside and start to make something that resembles a nutritious dinner, yet they can be fed and in bed within 40 minutes. I used to be upset about a situation like this. I would replay the sentence “how is this not obvious to him” in my head a hundred times. Until I realized what he is seeing. He is seeing his two boys enjoying being outside building a tree house. I mean a tree house 10 feet in the sky with a ladder, trap door and everything. What on earth could be better than this? Dinner? Who needs that. I’ll give em’ some pancakes, wipe them down with a baby wipe and will be ready for bed. Guilt? What’s that? I feel guilty because I’ve been at work and not home in time to make dinner, but he’s been home, so what on earth do I have to be guilty about? But we still do, because we are moms.
The conclusion - we as moms have guilt. Guilt about everything. The choices we make, the ones we don’t and the ones we should have made. And the hard fact is it will NEVER go away. That’s where the Momfidence comes in. Momfidence is taking the outa, shoulda, woulda and coulda as described by author Paula Spencer and being ok with the fact that we can’t do everything. Her subtitle is “An Oreo never killed anybody and other secrets to happier parenting. I think that sums it up pretty well.
I think her book is wonderful and highly recommend it to all moms out there. Each month I’m going to be talking about a new book, and each one that is reviewed will be available in our resource library. Members can take it out for a week. Of course you can always purchase it too.
Happy reading, Shannon
