I often took things too literally as a child so you can only imagine my terror when I first heard the expression, “When pigs fly…” As if I wasn’t already scared enough of being a toilet target for birds, the idea of 500+ pound creatures soaring above seemed pretty horrifying, but that was before I played this game!

Pigs DO fly in Doink, the exciting game that will put you in a grab-happy frenzy! Try to grab the colored pig that best matches your hand of cards; the first player to get rid of all of their cards wins. Think fast and swipe swiftly, but just watch out for that “Doink!” card! Here’s one way to easily beat boar-dom.

Doink!

It’s high flying pig fun with Doink! Carefully balance the five colored pigs on the platform, and deal out the farm animal cards. Try to match your cards by color or by farm animals, but watch out for that Doink! card! Now it’s a frenzy to grab the colored pig that matches the most cards in your hand! Be the first player to get rid of all of your cards to win! Doink! – the card game where pigs DO fly!

• It’s high flying pig fun with Doink!

• Match your cards by color or by animal, but watch out for the Doink! card

• Quickly grab one of the pigs from the platform that matches the most cards in your hand before the pigs go flying

• The first player to play all of their cards wins!

• For 2-6 players, ages 6 and up

There’s a great line that says: “If you want to get something done, ask a mom.” That ethos is the perfect description for one mom who gets things done: Arpi Khachatryan. As CEO and original designer at Luli Bebé, her inspiration for this new line of diaper bags and accessories comes from her own experience as a new mother.

Unsuccessful in finding the perfect accessory for her own use, Arpi wanted to create a functional diaper bag that was also elegant and stylish. After all, becoming a mom doesn’t mean giving up fashion but so many diaper bags on the market didn’t have that necessary cachet. So Luli Bebé was born.

The Monaco Diaper bag line was designed with function, and style, in mind.

Available in two sizes—Monaco and Petit Monaco—the soft vegan faux leather texture is gorgeous and easy to care for. Worn as a backpack or a shoulder/crossbody bag, with clips provided to attach to it to a stroller, this diaper bag is versatile and beautiful.

The central satin lined storage space is ringed by pockets for a total of nine storage spaces, to keep all of the baby’s things organized and easy to reach.

The exterior design and elegant colors make this diaper bag look runway worthy, with shades of Ebony Black, Pearl White, Stone Grey, Pastel Pink, Latte Brown and Caramel.

Celebrity moms including Irina Shayk, Natalie Portman, and Anna Kournikova are stylin’ with their Luli Bebé bags. And instagram influencers like Tara Henderson (@taralynnn) and Madison Bontempo (@madisonbonte) are loving the look of the Monaco Diaper Bag.

“I love how my Monaco bag doesn’t look like a typical “diaper bag”. It’s chic yet practical and I always get so many compliments on it when I’m out and about.” ~ Tara Henderson

In addition to the main featured diaper bags, Luli Bebé has created matching snack bags and travel bags, with the same gorgeous vegan leather exteriors, quality zippers and satin interiors, for easy maintenance and elegant design.

The Monaco Diaper Bag is the perfect gift this Mother’s Day for the new mom who will appreciate the subtle and elegant design that is practical and gorgeous, all at once.
 

Visit the website at https://www.lulibebe.com/ or on Instagram!

As a pediatrician, entrepreneur and mother, Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP has a unique vantage point as to what mothers need to do to make sure they’re OK and so their kids are OK.

Because now more than ever, moms are conflicted about where to draw the line between their own self-care and what’s best for their kids, leading to feelings of stress, being pulled in too many directions at once and burnout (none of which is good for families).

In The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting without Losing Yourself (American Academy of Pediatrics; May 11, 2021), Dr. Casares offers a practical plan that covers:

·       setting priorities

·       cultivating self-care

·       finding childcare

·       establishing an equal parenting partnership

·       delegating whenever appropriate

·       and much more

Publishers Weekly raves:

“Pediatrician Casares (The New Baby Blueprint) encourages working mothers to identify their priorities and align their lives accordingly in this upbeat and practical guide. “There is joy waiting for us as we mother, not in spite of our work but alongside it,” she writes, and urges readers to ditch the guilt, cultural expectations, and perfectionism that plague modern parenthood. Casares guides readers through creating a self-care routine (which she posits is critical for working moms), touts the value of modeling resilience to children, and gives tips for finding childcare and putting dinner on the table night after night. A chapter on how to successfully share parenting responsibilities with a partner is especially useful: she encourages couples to divide tasks based on strengths and weaknesses, not to expect a partner to do a job “how you would do it,” and to keep in mind common goals. Anecdotes are mixed in seamlessly with advice (“A few summers back, I had the ultimate self-care revelation. I took a mommyhood vacation”)…. Still, millennial moms especially will appreciate Casares’s encouragement and sensibility. (May)

Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a board-certified, practicing pediatrician and the creator of the popular website modernmommydoc.com. She is the mother of two young daughters and lives in Portland, OR. Media features include Sirius XM Radio, Good Housekeeping, The Bump, Scary Mommy and more).

In addition to colorful flowers and emerging buds on trees, spring brings a bounty of fresh

flavors that make a healthy meal, snack or filling for teethers, such as teetherpop™. Start introducing babies at least six months old to new tastes by making homemade smoothies, purées popsicle and juices using in-season vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Seasonal produce may vary by region, based on growing conditions and weather; but generally,

in the U.S., one can find a slew of favorite in-season produce including: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, carrots, kale, kiwi, lemons, pineapple, strawberries, and more.

Make purée popsicles for little ones using an easy-to-digest combination of fruits or vegetables that your baby is familiar with. Be sure that any ingredient you include in the smoothie has been previously given to baby separately, to rule out any food allergies or digestion issues.

Here are some Flavors of Spring Purée Popsicle Recipes to get you started.

Kiwi, Kale, Banana, Nut Milk/Breastmilk and Chia Seeds 

1 kiwi

1 cup of kale

1 banana

1 cup nut milk or breast milk

pinch of chia seeds

Banana, Strawberry, Almond Butter, Vanilla, Nut Milk/Breastmilk 

1 banana

1 cup strawberries

1 T almond butter

1 t vanilla

1 cup nut milk or breast milk

Banana, Carrots, Apple, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Nut Milk/Breastmilk 

1 banana

1/2 cup carrots

1/2 an apple

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 t vanilla

1 cup nut milk or breast milk

Let cool slightly then transfer to a high efficiency blender (ex. Vitamix) or an appropriate container if using an immersion blender. Add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve as a meal, snack or filling for teetherpop.

For additional information about teetherpop(TM), visit https://www.teetherpop.com/.