Mother Goose 7 Piece Set

If you're thinking up a theme for your nursery, a Mother Goose theme is a great idea. We think it's really cute, and it'd be easy to find lots of items for it in a bunch of different stores Mother Goose doesn't go out of style! We like the "Mother Goose" 7 Piece Gift Set, which would be a great place to start your theme. The set includes a large Mother Goose stuffed animal that has a zipper compartment where three other plush nursery rhyme characters are kept, along with a soft book for each. This is a set that your baby will use for a long time.

Wonder Weeks

Ask Moxie has written often about the book Wonder Weeks. It was out of print when Andy was first born, so I have never seen it personally. However, after hearing so much about it, I think it'd be a really great book to have on hand if you have a baby in the house. It's now been reprinted and is available at Amazon, and we suggest you check it out!

Keep a Journal for Your Newborn

When we first brought Anderson home, we tracked everything we could in a little notebook that we carried around the house. We did this because we had no idea what we were doing, and we wanted to answer the "how often" questions they ask you at your first pediatrician visits. Well, if you're bringing a newborn home soon, check out this Baby Tracker: Round the Clock. It's a specially designed spiral-bound journal to keep track of feeding, sleeping, diaper changes, and play time. You can keep all your facts, figures, todo's and notes all in one place. Plus, it'll be a neat keepsake for when your child is older.

Easter Books

If you celebrate Easter, you may want your little one to start a collection of Easter books. Here are a few that I like and am considering for our bookcase: The Night Before Easter, Where are Baby's Easter Eggs, Easter Bugs, My First Easter, and Happy Easter. There are others out there too, and many more that are not board books as well if you have older children too. Along with celebrating every holiday, one of my goals is to have books for them all too.

Inca Kids

We recently learned of a great online store called Inca Kids. This site, which sells fair trade and handmade products, supports unprivileges Peruvian artisans. They sell children's clothes, toys, and products for adults too. Everything is made to order, and most items are made from 100% Alpaca wool or 100% Peruvian cotton. Some of our favorite items from this store include the Chullo (a hat), the Mellisa Sweater, the Arpillera Backpack, the Arpillera Storybook, and their Finger Puppets.

The Year of the Rat: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac

Another year, and another book in the Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. Last year we looked at the Year of the Pig, and this year we have the Year of the Rat.

The Year of the Rat is the story of Ralph the Rat. He's a mischievous little creature who's trying to learn his way in the world. At first, nobody thinks much of him as he gets into trouble learning to be a rat. But then he saves the day for his master and the family, and those bad habits don't seem so horrible anymore. The story teaches the reader to be true to oneself, and eventually others will come around to appreciate you.

The artwork, by Miah Alcorn, is very similar to the other books in this series. It's playful and expressive, and it goes with the story very well. The action in the foreground is easy to follow, and the background illustrations are done in muted colors, so its easy to tell which is which.

We Love Baby Photo Puzzle

Andy's into looking at pictures of himself. I had a photo album for him, but he tore it apart. The We Love Baby Photo Puzzle probably would have been a better option for us. It can hold up to eight 4" X 6" pictures, has a bright handle for easy carrying, and there are chewy textures that are perfect for teething. If your baby loves pictures, this is a great gift for him or her!

Baby Einstein Discover & Play Teether Book

Andy's liked books from a very early age, but we never owned anything like the Baby Einstein Discover & Play Teether Book. The pages crinkle and squeak, there are real pictures of baby's world, there are soft textured teether edges, Spanish and French are introduced as well as English, the book is machine washable, and it's held together by three rings. I wish I had known of this when Andy was younger, he would have loved it! The book above is about numbers. There's also a farm version at Amazon.

Review: Practical Wisdom for Parents: Demystifying the Preschool Years

Some time ago, we received a copy of Practical Wisdom for Parents: Demystifying the Preschool Years in the mail. It's a book written by Nancy Schulman and Ellen Birnbaum, two directors of the 92nd St Y Nursery in New York City. They wanted to share their years of experience and wisdom to give parents of young children some guidance and understanding as they navigate this unique time of their child's life.

The book is written in two different parts: School and Home. In part one, we learn all about pre-schools. How to choose one, how to apply, what to expect on your first day, how to deal with the social life of your young child, and transitioning to Kindergarten. In part two we learn about discipline, teaching your children morals and ethics, encouraging (and dealing with) independence, and so on.

Anderson is still another two years away from heading to preschool, but I found many aspects of the book to be useful. First, it's nice to be prepared for when he does go to preschool. And second, there are many behaviors and situations that the book talks about that apply to younger children like Anderson.

The book itself is well written. Each chapter is broken down into sections with their own heading. The sections range from a few paragraphs to a couple of pages. The authors don't preach, they simply describe their experiences and what has worked for them in different situations. They definitely realize that every child is different, and don't provide one-size-fits-all solutions.

I definitely recommend this book for everybody before their child hits the preschool years. It has lots of information that every parent will find useful and helpful. So, if that describes your child, pick up your copy today!

Kwanzaa Books

I don't know much about Kwanzaa, but I thought it'd be nice to find some books that help celebrate this holiday. I could only find one board book, The Seven Days of Kwanzaa. However, there were a few others that while aren't board books are for children and look promising. They are The Children's Book of Kwanzaa: A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday, My First Kwanza Book (their spelling), and My First Kwanzaa. If you know of any other good Kwanzaa books, comment to let others know!

Christmas Books

Christmas books were always very important in my house growing up, and I want Andy to love them as much as I did. I did some research on board books for this holiday, and my top picks are A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree, Who is Coming to Our House?, Christmas in the Manger, The Night Before Christmas Board Book, and Mouse's First Christmas. Another favorite of mine that both my husband and I grew up with is The Sweet Smell of Christmas. It's not a board book, but it's a classic to us!

My First Touch 'n Feel Flash Cards

When we reviewed Goosie Cards earlier this year, I was surprised at how much Andy liked them. Even now, he hands them to us to read to him all the time, or else goes through all the pictures. Here is something similar, the My First Touch 'n Feel Flash Cards. Each card has textures on the picture as well as the word underneath so your child can explore the cards as he learns the words for them. The back of each card also offers talking points for parents and the word in four other languages as well.

Little Puppy: Finger Puppet Book

I'm always looking for new books for Andy. He is obsessed with them, and honestly I am tired of the ones we currently have after reading them all to him all day long every day. I think the Little Puppy: Finger Puppet Book is adorable and would make a great addition to his library. The book has a finger puppet attached to the book and peek-a-boo holes in every page. Andy would love this one because he is obsessed with dogs, but the book also comes in butterfly and kitten versions too.

Hanukkah Board Books

Hanukkah is earlier this year that we expected. Here are some good books we found for the holiday! They are My First Hanukkah, Hanukkah Puzzle Book, Hanukkah!, and Hanukkah Lights. We are pretty sure all of these are board books. There are others if you'd prefer hard cover or paperback.