New York-based designer Theo Richardson is obsessed with simple, functional designs. A RISD grad with an interest in “anonymous design”, Richardson takes a studied and meticulous approach to his work, and it shows in pieces like this beautiful, streamlined, yet completely age-appropriate maple and vinyl modular play set for P’Kolino. Richardson is the kind of designer who makes me think about having kids for almost a full two seconds, before I realize I could just buy the table and scrap the procreation - and then I realize I can’t afford either. ($1000 at PKolino.com)

I gotta think our mothers must all be slightly annoyed with the state of parenting today. I mean, there is just so much great stuff for kids and parents to make life infinitely easier.

Gone are the days of 1000 pound strollers, scratchy baby clothes and ill-fitting diapers. And toy chests? That’s so 1901. Today’s toy catch all must be a mix of form and function. Like these animal bags from Boon discovered by the modern-parenting-meets-modern-design blog coochicoos,

...continued: Fun New Finds For Kids and Parents

Mr. Nice Guy of The Blogfathers doesn’t know quite what to make of the whole ‘tattoo’ thing…but he thinks about it long and hard in a recent post, prompted by the publication of a new book, Mommy Has Tattoos, and its companion piece, The Tattoo Coloring Book…which, he’s convinced, “encourages your 5-year-old to get a head start in considering which tattoo would be best for her: angel-slut wings on her shoulder blades or some Maori symbol, the meaning of which she will never quite get straight, on the inside of her ankle.”  He may not be far wrong: The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reports that about 24 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 50 have at least one tattoo, up from about 15 percent in 2003, and 36 percent of those between 18 and 29 have a tattoo.

Is he pro or con tatts?  He admits, he’s not quite sure.  But he does seem to recall an excellent Life in Hell cartoon: “Two old fogies are sitting in a nursing home looking at each other. They’re heavily inked and pierced. One says to the other, ‘So I see you were stupid in the ‘90’s too.’”

Anne-Marie Nichols, the Mother of All Bloggers, produced A Mama’s Rant and about two zillion other blogs, all of ‘em worth reading.  And Rants isn’t a “bookie blog”, (though it does have a great ‘bookroll’).  Still, now and then Anne-Marie gets enthusiastic about a particular title, and then there’s no stopping her.  Like Flirting with Forty by Jane Porter.   “In this classic bit of chick lit,” she says, “a single mom finds herself divorced with two kids and wondering if this is the life she is meant to have. On a Hawaiian getaway trip to celebrate her 40th birthday, she meets a sexy young surfing instructor. A long distance romance ensues, much to the chagrin of her jealous, but supposedly happily married friends. I won’t give it away, but it does have a bit of a fairytale ending (too good in fact).”

Some bloggers stories are automatically, immediately compelling — that is, you just have to stop and read t hem.  Baggage That Goes With Mine is one of those: the blog of a single engaged mom trying to figure out how to raise 10-year old Bug who was adopted from foster care.  And amidst all of her frank and fascinating talk (she’s an ex-Marine and an abuse survivor, as well), there’s also some down-to-earth ‘listing’ going on.  Like this shot of daughter Bug’s brand new Converse.  The shot had only this for a caption: “My daughter is a bad ass.”  Frankly, she ain’t the only one…

Andrea and Emily UG of Red, W(h)ine and Boo are two progressive moms blogging about life at large and the raising of their two babies, Boo and Red, who may be the cutest baby on the planet. And they’re blatantly honest, too: they are careful to recommend good baby-raising tools an educational toys, like the Leapfrog Learn-Around Playground…but they also freely admit that Boos’ current fave toy is a piece of direct mail and a left-over party favor. “So the moral of this story,: Mama Em says, “next birthday all gifts will be either purchased at the dollar tree, sent to us as junk mail, or dug out of some dusty back room and regifted. Yay for Mommies budget!”

Casserole of my Life is a “sweet, sour, bitter, spicy” blog about a young mom and her family…and the beautiful things she finds in life, including this gorgeous handmade jewelry by Suz. “My friend has a very fine eye for details and most of her pieces are rather interesting,” sesame says. “They’re not the usual faux baubles because these are all semi-precious stones set in sterling silver or 14K gold-filled chains. “

Mommyblogger (actually, multi-blogger) Heather at Queen Bee Confessions has a new additction – “So new,” she says, “I barely have words.” It’s the Moolatte from DQ Grill (formally Dairy Queen). “I don’t know what possessed me to buy one the other day. I don’t like coffee and this is iced coffee. But something whispered in my ear and said “moolatte, mocha moolatte”. I listened. OOOHHHHH I listened. It is cold, it is sweet, it is HEAVEN. I really have no words, I am misting up and I need a fix right now. I live 25 minutes away and I am going to dream about this moolatte all night. Say it with me “Moolatte” It even sounds nice <moooo laaaa tee> (I am southern, don’t make fun of me!)”

Hey, you never know where you’ll find good product picks. Consider Celebrity Baby Blog, the remarkably warm and fuzzy gossip/baby site where Danielle and her friends not only tell us about (obviously) celebrity babies, but make some interesting recommendations…including Frye Boots, organic pouches, and Playtex’ Diaper Genie System, that helps manage the mess and odor of your baby’s diapers.

Superhero Journal is the lively day-to-day of an extremely pregnant mom is full of energy, good humor, and “diversions,” like this recommendation on The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer. “It’s my new bible,” she says.

CrabbyKate of Tripping the Life Unbalanced is trying to raise a smart, strong daughter…and she’s just getting started. But Gwen here is helping (and if you can’t read her T-shirt, we’ll help: it says CHICKS ROCK.)

Christina’s A Mommy Story is just hilarious. And accurate. And true-to-life. And thought Christina doesn’t actually recommend the Blue’s Clues plush, it is already the center of her toddler’s life and that cause of much insanity…while she doesn’t really say you should give Glenlivet to your baby when she’s teething. But if you want to see what it’s really like to have a just-turned-two-year-old around the house… read on.

ClassyMommy offers a variety of very cool pics for the thoughtful parent, from the highly practical to the just plain cute. The “Bear Light” teddy bear/night light is just one example. “My daughter Mackenzie would love this,” ClassyMommy says, “especially if we remember to bring it on overnight trips when there is no night light in her bedroom.” Its removable silicone belly emits a soft glow of its own, even while the bear itself stays soft and squeezable. “An ideal companion on those late night trips to the bathroom,” Classy says.

It all started for Danny of Dad Gone Mad at a theme park.  He was there with his son the Champ, waiting in line for a ride that everybody was excited to try, when a voice came over the loudspeaker and announced that the ride had broken…and the Champ through the “greatest tantrum of all time. The spontaneous collapse. The whining. The mortified father who seriously regretted leaving our tazer gun at home. “  As his son lay on the ground screaming, Danny turned to his fellow blogger Fruit Cup Dave, a psychologist who has worked extensively with children, and begged. “Help me. What should I do? Is it time to send him to Siberia?”  Dave suggested a book called 3-2-1 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 by Thomas W. Phelan…and after much “hemming and hawing” and some tough self-examination, Danny read it, applied it, and admits to this day: “It works.” 

Snow White, 7 Dwarves and PDD is a blog about “7 kids, autism, a large blended family & so much more,” SuperMom, the blogger herself, says there’s “never a dull moment…” and if you’re looking for an affecting, personal, and informative place to learn about living day-to-day with autism in the family, this is the place.  At the same time, SuperMom can give you insights into a wide variety of other adventures, including everything from the blended family to…wedding favors.  “When I was growing up, there were a lot of weddings in the family. My parents attended many of them. What I didn’t understand was that they almost always had the same wedding favors. I was sure that there was a reason for this, but I never asked. It wasn’t because I wasn’t curious, it just slipped my mind. Today I finally read the meaning of this particular wedding favor…Almonds are a reminder that life is both bitter and sweet. Five sugared almonds represent five wishes. The five wishes for the happy couple are health, wealth, happiness, children and long life. Isn’t that cute?” she says. “At least, now I get it…”

Beth of So the Fish Said… is a busy blogger, with a new baby and another on the way, but that doesn’t keep her from reading – particularly books that define and enrich her life as a thoughtful parent (and human in general).  Here’s a snapshot of her current bedside stack,   The titles are Life in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Anne Lamott’s bird by bird: some instructions and writing and life, Where I’m Calling From by Raymond Carver, Hey, Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland, Jay Rayner’s Eating Crow, On Writing from Stephen King, Garcia’s Sign with your Baby, James W. Nichol’s Midnight Cab, Phillip Levine’s What Work Is, and Everyday Blessing: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Myla and John Kabat-Zinn.  What a list!

The blogger behind My So-Called Supermom Life describes herself as “Wife, Mom, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Event Planner….should I go on or are you already as exhausted as I am!!??” And there is a certain breathless quality to her blog. But Supermom also finds time for quiet moments, inspiration, and some contemplation of the things that make her life worthwhile…simple things like this bedspread from Crate & Barrel.

Meredith Henning is “A Catholic home-educating mother of four living a sweet life with her dh of 12 years,” and Sweetness amd Light is a terrific resource for a continuing series of gentle, inspiring, and sweet books for kids. Her current favorite is Elsa Beskow’s newest, Peter in Blueberry Land. “Elsa Beskow has been one of our favorite picture book authors for some time,” she says. “Her stories are so intriguing and there’s always such a playfulness in how she presents her characters, even if they are trolls or mischievous little children. Her illustrations are so precious and there is just enough detail to make you want to linger on each page before going on to the next.”

Elizabeth is an Op-Ed columnist, a blogger at Parenting.com, and an online entrepreneur, and she keeps all those balls in their air on top of keeping DaMomma up to date. This is a woman who calls ‘em as she sees ‘em in a funny, fast way, and her product pics are part of the process – like these plain-spoken bibs and onesies for babies that tell the awful truth: High Maintenance … Too Freaking Cute … Warning: No Nap. How amazing: truth in parenting.

Veronica Mitchell of Toddled Dredge, mother of two and a constant reader, took the advice of fellow mommyblogger Life in Mamaland and tried out Bembo’s Zoo, a surprising and hilarious Shockwave application that uses animal sound effects to teach the alphabet. “JellyBean [her two-year-old] is learning her letters enthusiastically with this.”