More Santa's Lap

Think back to your days in a crowded mall, standing in line for days (it seemed), nervous, watching the other kids before you to meet Santa Claus and tell him what you wanted for Christmas? Remember this?

Over half of the time the scene looked like this.  Parents frantically waving their hands to let the kids know where they are and that it's OK, they don't need to cry, trying to get a picture, come what may. One kids crys and they ALL cry.....Ahhh, memories. Santa definately has his hands full this time of year!

Screaming Meanies

As my husband and I are sitting down to a nice meal in a not-too-cheap Cantonese and Sushi restaurant recently (looking forward to a quiet dinner), I am guilty of the oh-no-eye-roll as the hostess seats the booth next to us with two parents and three children under the age of 4. I do this because I suspect what will happen to my quiet dinner. I wasn’t wrong.


Now, I’ve heard talk here and there on the web that small children should be banned from restaurants and I do not agree. Families have a right to eat out just as anyone else. That being said, I also think that other patrons of the restaurant have a right to a dinner sans children screaming, crying or in our case, banging a spoon on the table for nearly 40 minutes.

I love kids, don’t get me wrong, but what I don’t love is parents that do absolutely nothing to quiet, comfort or remove their screaming children (or perhaps just take the spoon away). Kids will be kids and parents, well, you had the kids and it’s your job to teach them how to behave in a public restaurant. Becoming a parent involves sacrifices, not mine, yours. Common courtesy should be the words of the day….and before you tell me that I have forgotten that I was a child once too, I will tell you that I certainly was never allowed to act out in a restaurant (or any public place), throw food, run around between the tables, scream or throw a tantrum. I do remember being a child; I spent some time being escorted outside until I could calm down before going back to my seat.

We all know it’s hard, hell impossible sometimes to keep all the children cool and calm. We get it, just asking for some actual parenting. If it at least looks like you’re trying, I’m good. Oh and maybe you replace the banging spoon with a breadstick or something?

Santa's Lap

Why is it that kids get so excited to see Santa and so terrified to sit on his lap?

It's an age-old tradition to visit Santa and tell him what you wish for at Christmas. When I was really small, of course, I don't remember screaming though my mother says I did.  When I was a bit older, I remember being so excited and nervous and then chickening out when I got close up on line after waiting for 45 minutes.  Mom wasn't pleased!  When I finally got there, motivately only by threats that I wouldn't get anything if I didn't tell him what I wanted, I made it through but he smelled funny and no one I knew had a big hairy beard like that. I do remember the wonder of it and I thought he had a very nice voice. For the most part, I wasn't traumatized.....some kids aren't that lucky.  How about you? (picture from www.humor-articles.com)

No More Tears

Although, I have a hairdressing background, it was a long time ago that I stood behind the chair. When I heard recently that Johnson and Johnson were being questioned about the ingredients in their baby shampoo, I thought of a boss I had at one time who insisted that the shampoo had novocaine in it and that was the reason it didn’t hurt baby’s eyes. Novocaine, really? … she said her mother told her that, and she believed it.


Obviously that’s crazy but, we were taught in school that J & J had simply balanced the PH of the shampoo so that it wouldn’t be alkaline or acidic and that was the secret of the “no more tears”.

Now, consumers and activists have pressured J & J enough apparently, that they are now, according to the Huffington Post, “continuing efforts to remove traces of two harmful chemicals from its baby products around the world.” The two chemicals, 1,4-dioxane and quaternium-15 are the ones in question now although J& J have removed other dangerous chemicals and ingredients from their baby products before. The worry is in the fact that babies have more sensitive and highly permeable skin than adults which contributes to higher health risks. J& J has no known plans to remove these chemicals from their adult product lines at this time.

To read the Huffington Post article in full: http://tinyurl.com/br9ntja

Viral Baby Video Stresses Mom out

I watched a cute video the other day because it had a baby, went viral quickly and I wanted to see what people were talking about. A mother taped her 2 year old having a tantrum and the family dog had a reaction to it. Cute, right? No one was hurt in the taping, no one was mistreated, no one was humiliated, it was just a very short, cute video of a 2 year old and a dog.


It actually started to get some major attention but it was the negative comments from the "internet crazies" that may cause Mom Caroline to need therapy. Internet anonymity causes people to be cruel and mean spirited for no apparent reason. Shame, shame! Read more from this mom here: http://tinyurl.com/6qpgcya

Too Particular to Push?

When I was younger, elective c-sections were unheard of. Women actually wanted to avoid a c-section. It was more recovery time and they really didn’t want the scar. Of course, that was back when recovery from a vaginal birth got you a week or two of rest time in the hospital; and that was with no complications.


This trend of elective c-sections for convenience bothers me. I’m old fashioned I guess, but I feel like convenience goes out the door when you have children and you might as well get used to that from the beginning. If you can’t even be inconvenienced to have the baby naturally, how are you going to deal with the day to day of a child?

I have a friend that’s “going there”. She’s due in late November but has insisted they wait until Dec 1 because….get this… she doesn’t like the birthstone for November.

Now some facts; elective c-sections have been on the rise steadily for at least 15 yrs. Some critics even question how many elective c-sections the patients truly choose and how many are surgeries pushed by medical professionals who don’t want their weekend or vacations interrupted by a spontaneous delivery.

Researchers say that elective c-sections are safest for the baby when done between 39 to 41 weeks of gestation. Some experts also believe that elective c-sections can lead to premature births due to inaccurate dating and these preterm babies can face a host of health problems.

Women who have a first baby by cesarean are also at increased risk of complications during their second delivery, regardless of how they birth, according to statistics.

At any rate, if this is a purely convenience decision for the mother, I hope she’s not shocked when she finds out that the baby won’t be checking her daytimer before needing feeding, burping, changing, sleeping, crying, changing, bathing, dressing, changing, etc. I ask you, do we really need to be scheduling something as important as the birth of our babies like hair appointments?

"Because I said so, that's why"

In my house growing up, I didn’t hear this very often. And it wasn’t because I never asked, “Why”? It was because I was raised by authoritarian parents and you didn’t dare say anything but “Yes, Sir” or “Yes, Ma’am” when told to do things, especially if they were mad. Nevertheless, my siblings and I did hear it, as do most kids at some point in their upbringing. I swore I would never say it as an adult.


While the younger set just says “No” multiple times, toddlers have a tendency toward asking “Why”? over and over and over again. That’s because at this point they are discovering the back and forth art of conversation, even if they don’t understand what’s being said exactly.

Experts say these are words you should never speak….and that you should have a good answer/reason why you’re asking the child to do something. What? Really? As if once you explain it to your little darling, that will be the end of it. As if the child won’t look you right in the eye and continue doing exactly what you asked him not to and ask, “But, Why”? Right!

Believe me, I have a reason “why” but I refuse to stand there and banter back and forth. I’m the adult and this child needs to understand that pecking order. I’m teaching him to follow rules, right? …and respect his elders, right? Besides, sometimes it’s all you have the energy for. I get it now. So I said, “Because I told you to”.…and it worked, I guess cause there’s no real good argument against it.

Barbie's got Ink

The latest Barbie out now on the market is the new Tokidoki Tattoo Barbie which comes sporting permanent tattoos. This new doll is causing quite a stir amongst some parents! The controversy over tattoos on Barbie is not exactly new territory. Back in 2009, Mattel released “Totally Stylin’ Tattoos Barbie” that included a set of tattoo stickers to place anywhere on her body.

Tokidoki Barbie comes dressed in a pink miniskirt, leggings and a black sweatshirt with skull heart and crossbones, that fall off the shoulder so you can see the tattoos around her neck. Pastel pink hair and silver heels complete the look. Truthfully though, compared to some of the past Barbie offerings, this version is positively tame in the clothing department; if you can just get past the tats.

I know tattoos are more commonplace than ever in the real world and that’s fine; to each his own…..for adults. But, do we really need to stimulate imaginings and thoughts of getting tattoos to very young girls?

This new Barbie is a limited edition and can only be purchased through select locations and the Barbie collector website. Whether you like the tattooed Barbie or not, you have the same choice as you do for TV shows you don’t like or radio stations you can’t stand; if you don’t like it, don’t buy (watch, listen) to it! That’s all good and Mattel says the doll is not marketed to all audiences but that doesn’t mean your daughter’s friend won’t show up at your house with one. Teaching moment, anyone?

Real men have diaper parties

Modern men no longer sit by the wayside and casually watch as the women plan and execute baby showers for their children-to-be. But they don’t have to bake cupcakes and string crepe paper either. They can celebrate the upcoming milestone of fatherhood in their own way….with alcohol, food, sports and bad jokes! Congratulations to go around.

The idea is for the guests to bring boxes of diapers in lieu of gifts; no wrapping paper, no games, no registry, no hassle. It’s a perfect way for guys to support their friend transitioning to a new part of his life.

So fire up the grill and chill the beer but don’t forget to remind the guys to bring different sizes. Babies have a tendency to grow.

Night Terrors - What is going on?

Night terrors can be scary for both toddler and parent. These sleep episodes are fairly rare and affect only a small percentage of children and are characterized by crying, flailing, whimpering, screaming or even bolting out of the bed. Even when their eyes are open, they are not awake. Night terrors usually start at the age of about four, however, they can start as early as 9 months and go into early adolescence.


It’s hard to know what to do when this is happening to your child. Your first instinct will be to comfort them however, they won’t respond since they are asleep. It’s best to just stay with them and make sure they don’t hurt themselves. The episode should pass fairly quickly; most last between 15 to 20 minutes, and your child should go back to sleep. The good news is, they won’t remember it in the morning.

There are a few things you can try to head off these night terrors. Make sure they are getting enough sleep. Overtired children are more likely to experience sleep disturbances. Also, watch the pattern; most kid’s night terrors start in the first part of the night, about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Try waking up your toddler gently about 15 minutes before an episode usually starts to interrupt the cycle.

An occasional sleep episode is not cause for alarm. See your pediatrician if it becomes a frequent thing. For more information on night terrors, there’s a great article on the Mayo Clinic’s site at:  http://tinyurl.com/3lya4uz

Baby Loves Disco - Bust a Mini-Move

Ever heard of this? You would have had to hear about it on the grapevine because without any traditional, advertising, marketing or publicity, this monthly event is spreading baby fun and disco throughout the US!

What is it? Baby Loves Disco is an afternoon dance party featuring real music spun and mixed by real djs blending classic disco tunes from the 70s, & 80s guaranteed to get those little booties moving and grooving. This fast-growing national network of night clubs sanitize the setting for the day-care crowd. Local parents organize the event intended to introduce kids to adult music and socialize with other children.

It's great for parents looking for something new and different to do with the kids. This is a fun and healthy (lots of excercise) alternative to the playground for a change and parents actually enjoy themselves also.

It's BYOB or BYOJB (juice box). The thing is, this IS your mama's disco!

For more info visit: http://www.babylovesdisco.com/  and shake your groove thing!

Halloween is around the corner!

 It's almost October and we have some great toddler tees and fun infant playwear with funny Halloween themes and witty sayings for your great wicked cool kids!  Stop by the website and see all the fun new designs! http://www.wickedcoolbaby.com/

Kids Say the Darndest Things - Embarrassing moments for Moms

Kids say the darndest things and often it's embarrassing and surprising, some more than others.  Funny story:  Back in a former life, when I was doing something else for a living, I had a client who had dropped by school to pick up her 5 yr old before coming to see me. Once in the office, as we were talking, she casually asked her daughter what she had learned in school that day to which the 5 yr old excitedly replied, "I learned the F word today!".

I thought this woman was going to have a coronary; she almost fell off the chair.  She was able to compose herself long enough to ask her daughter what, in fact, the F word was.  The 5 yr old half covered her mouth, and giggling replied, "Fart", hee hee hee! The relief that washed over this woman's face was comical....but only if it's not your kid...right?

Young children have little impulse control and have not cultivated empathy for other's feeling yet so things just fly out of their mouths. Babble child development suggests, if they're saying something about someone loudly it's best to get down on their level and tell them quietly "You are right." and tell them you'll talk about it when you leave. 

If they are cursing, don't place too much attention on the particular word and try and distract them to another topic until later when you can talk to them and tell them that is a word we don't use in our family. If they realize they're getting a reaction, they may just use it more often for attention. Just another challenging aspect of raising little darlings!

Whoop, whoop, whoop, Helicopter Parents

When did we (as a culture) decide to sterilize, over-dramatize and hover over every aspect of our children's environment?  It didn't happen overnight, it was a slow progress, starting in the 90's that eventually led us to the overprotecting and overinvesting moms and dads of today.

Fear of danger: We can kind of understand this although let's be rational. We're not talking about car seats, seat belts and bike helmets here; these are the rational side and we need these. We are speaking of parents who lobby to remove the jungle gyms from playgrounds and schools who have the kids "pretend to jump rope" instead of actually using real ropes because "some children are more uncoordinated than others".

Fear of failure: Again, not talking about helping your child with homework or coaching the little league. You know, the parents who insist that their elementary-school kids start working on college prep or produce a full blown campaign video for their 3rd graders run for class president. Every toy they own has to be educational. And what about the organized team program who insists that they tell the kids on the team who didn't win the game, that they didn't lose, they just came in second.

You really want your children to succeed? Learn when to leave them alone. Let them be creative, inventive and use their imaginations on their own. Let them try to problem solve for themselves. Take the knee-pads off your baby and let them play in the dirt sometimes. Too much hovering can produce anxious and unadventurous children. Keep them safe but dial down the irrational stuff....balance Daniel-san.

Macrobiotic cupcakes anyone?

Child Tethering

How do you feel about child tethering?


I'm usually not particularly opposed to this practice, especially in crowded public places, and I do understand the need to keep tabs on an active child, however, I was at a stock car race last weekend (not my cup of tea but went with friends) and I was sitting several rows behind a mother with a 2 year old that was using this "leash" harness in the same fashion you would reserve for a rabid dog. Yanking and telling the child to stay close. At one point she even lifted the child off the ground dangling in the harness. Another woman sitting close by and I exchanged looks.

I guess I have less problem with the item (tether) and more problem with the way some people use them. What do you think?

(And did I mention that this woman had no ear protection for her baby either) tsk tsk

Are real Dads getting angrier?

Now that dads are starting to get more hands-on with raising the kids, are they "feeling the burn" of all the weariness that Mom's have dealth with for years?  We're seeing more disgruntled dads emerging in culture, from Adam Mansbach’s children’s book, Go the F**k to Sleep,  to the big screen with the new movie, The Change-Up where Jason Bateman's character is a father of three and compares his kids to raising little heroin addicts.  Is art imitating life here? 

Not from what I can see.  I know several Mom's who would be thrilled if dad would actually help out with the kids.  Maybe the real dads I know are worried their lives would look like the dads on the screen if they did.  Sure they help out topically when asked (grumbling under their breaths), but I don't know too many dads that really get in there and get dirty with it. That's not to say those dads aren't out there and kudos to those that do, but lets not expect too many brownie points for doing what hard working Mom's have been doing for decades.  As for being angry about it dads, well, they're your kids too and you have to present a united front when raising children or they'll walk all over you. Now you know why Mom needs a glass of wine sometimes to take the edge off.

Baby first words? Ga Ga, Goo Goo

Whether it's ice cream or ficticious baby outfits, Lady Gaga is still the "it" thing!

Lady Gaga appeared on Jimmy Kimmel last week and proved that she has a great sense of humor by doing a funny sketch about a line of baby clothing called "Gaga Goo Goo". Fans of the superstar know she doesn't lend her name to real products but kudos to her for having a little fun with it. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2011-07-29/gaga-goo-goo/

This is not to be confused with the "Baby Gaga" ice cream that caused such controversy earlier in the year offered by a London based company who incorporated human breast milk into a recipe for an exclusive ice cream. Their ice cream has been on and off the market in the last several months due to city officials seisure and concern over the health and safety of the product. It certainly caused a stir, which is why the company did it no doubt, and even Lady Gaga expressed her irritation at the name of the ice cream. The owner of the company claimed that it wasn't named for the singer, it was named so because "Ga Ga" is a common stereotypical first words of a baby....Funny though, he had his employees dress up like Lady Gaga to serve it.
http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2011/03/01/breast-milk-ice-cream-seized/

Doula or Don't cha?

Will you contemplate having a doula for your pregnancy?  Don't know what that is?  A doula refers to someone who assists the mother before, during and after the pregnancy.  This is not a midwife; doulas do not provide any sort of medical care like a midwife.  Doulas focus solely on the emotional, spiritual, physical or informational needs.  Doulas can help with the birth itself or postpartum issues of the mother providing additional support after the baby comes home.

There is a certification process that a doula can go through; an experienced doula can cost $500 - $900 and usually includes the birth and a few visits either before and/or after the birth.

Do we really need this service? Just sayin'.....where's Dad BTW?  Is he out buying a "push present"?

Push Presents - Latest Trend

Have you heard this term, "Push Presents"?  It's the term used to describe gifts given to the new Mom by the new Dad at the completion of the pregnancy term. Apparently, lot's of people are doing it. Was this started by the celebs and now everyone's doing it or the other way around?  Is this the men feeling guilty about the sacrifice and pain the women go through or more like an "atta girl"? And does this matter to the women who are getting the diamond jewelry in the end?

What do you think?  Snobby trend or rewarding benefit?

Check out Wicked Cool Baby's new Political and Topical Section!

Like Lady Gaga?  Love making fun of Trump and Palin? Wanna show off your political affiliations? Check out our new section of funnies pertaining to the current topics!  Are you raising a junior Democrat or a new little Republican?  Get them wicked cool tees or onesies to show off about town!

Wicked Cool Baby - Re-Vamped

Hey Fans!  After a not-as-brief-as-we-would-have-liked-it  hiatus involving and old server and a *$#@} hacker, we've returned!  Wicked Cool Baby is back creating and better than ever!  We've added more garments this year (we now embroider long-sleeved tees) and some fabulous new designs!  As always we'll continue to add funny new designs but specifically, we are in the process of creating designs embellished with rhinestones so your babes can have "bling" and some fun new solar designs that change colors, indoor to outdoor, for the summer!  Check in over at the website, register for an acct so you can be notified when we've added these new items!