Bank on it!

On a recent trip to grandma's house, we witnessed first hand how a bunch of cast iron banks can entertain a child for hours. Actually, they kept the 2 year old, 6 year old and 8 year old all busy and happy. Even the adults had a lot of fun! These banks are replicas of antique iron banks that flip, toss or drop coins in interesting ways. Tons of fun and look great in your living room (much better than plastic elmo phones!). Available at Bits and Pieces.

Perfectly Personalized

Each baby is unique, and in our opinion, shouldn't have to wear the same clothes, sleep in the same bedding and play with the exact same toys as all the babies in town! Besides finding new designers and small boutiques, the best way to ensure originality is to seek out items that can be personalized. The wonderful thing about personalized items is that they instantly become heirlooms to save for when the baby grows up!

You can order completely custom crib bedding at Polka Tot Designs! You pick the fabrics, the type of bumper, skirt and accessories. Add a monogram for a sophisticated touch. Coordinating wall hangings, window coverings and more nursery decor items are available as well.

Select a personalized plate based on your toddler's favorite things - be they trains, dinosaurs, or princesses! Or commemorate your baby's birth, first birthday, or other event with a plate they can use every day for years.

An entire store devoted to personalized baby items! For a wide variety of choices, check out The Initial Baby. These simple, classic styles are timeless and make wonderful gifts.

Rise above the evite this year with a gorgeous custom birthday invitation from Mango Ink. These are so cute, I'll bet Grandma and Grandpa will frame theirs and hang it on the wall!

Spread the cuddly love!

If yours is like the typical American household, you probably have roughly a quajillion stuffed animals lying around, cluttering the house and gathering dust. I recently heard of a wonderful answer via the newsletter of mothering.com. Check out this post on Parent Hacks, a collaborative parenting blog. Edmay Mayers, a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is giving out stuffed animals to the children of Iraq. These little cuddly creatures give a ton of comfort to children who really need it. Send your gently used stuffed animals, toys, school supplies and clothing to:

Edmay Mayers
USACE - GRS
APO AE 09331

(This is a military address, equivalent to a US address. You can send items priority mail, or use "Space Available Mail" - which is less expensive).

What a wonderful feeling to know a small gesture on our part can mean comfort to children living through a tough situation.