I have been a fan of Bedhead Pajamas for decades.  I wore them as I watched Will & Grace knowing that Debra Messing did too.  BedHead Pajamas are loved –and worn – by fave celebs such as Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Oprah Winfrey. And that’s not all; the design-driven PJ’s have put in more TV appearances than most starlets. The brand has become an integral part of the Hollywood community thanks to the flagship store on trendy West 3rd Street where founder Renee Claire can often be found designing the next batch of must-have styles.

So as a mom I was beyond thrilled when I learned that the luxe pajama and loungewear brand has gone baby crazy and this spring BedHead’s signature , vibrant patterns are now available for the newest member of the family starting at size three months.

Dress up your – or someone elseʼs – bundle of joy in the Baby BedHead onesie + hat set (SRP $42.00). The patterns are bright (daisies stripes and big top animals) and the style is too cute for words.  Any babe clad in BedHead is bound to win best dressed.

It’s truly a family affair with men, teens, ‘tweens and tots not being left out of the pajama party. For Daddy, there are cotton robes, PJs and boxers in smart stripes and classic solids. (Great gift idea for Father’s Day)

And a bevy of options from ‘Mommy + Me’ sets to classic stretch styles.  My absolute favorite is the Mod Hearts Pajama set both available for women and their young daughters.  I wasn’t quite as wowed by the selection available for boys.  Which often seems to be the case in the wonderful world of boys fashions.  Although the Blue 3D Stretch Kids Classic PJ (1002-K-334) and Blue 3D Stripe Classic PJ 1002-C-44 is pretty cute.

BedHead Pajamas are sold at its flagship stores in Los Angeles + New York City as well as specialty boutiques and fine departments stores including Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Or get your goods online at www.bedheadpjs.com.

Night, night!  Sleep tight!  Don’t let the bedbugs bite!

Based upon my experiences, here are my rules for dealing with a picky eating toddler:

1. When introducing new foods, offer one food at a time. Offering too much food, particularly new kinds of food, is overwhelming to most toddlers. And overwhelming = whole plates being thrown to the ground.
2. Go easy on the Mickey D’s. It’s tempting when dealing with a picky eating toddler to go with the path of least resistance, the path of McDonald’s French fries and Ice Cream and string cheese. And while this path is OK sometimes, making it a habit will backfire in the long run. Trust me.
3. Try, try, and try again. Just because your child turns down chickpeas the first, second, and third times you’ve offered them, don’t give up. At times, with my daughter, I did give up with certain foods and resign to easier alternatives (see #2). But I learned that usually toddlers will eat what’s given so long as it is given enough times (sometimes in different environments and with other helpers).
4. Don’t throw uneaten foods away (or eat them yourself). Invest in some Ziploc bags or Rubbermaid containers to store uneaten foods. Offer them at a later time when your child is hungry enough to accept them.
5. Give your toddler choices. Toddlers like to feel like they are in control of what they are eating. So with my daughter, for instance, I always made sure to give her two choices for potential meals. I never did more than two because too many choices would lead to mommy meltdowns and tantrums for that one food item that I happened not to have in my refrigerator.
6. Give smoothies a try. Every parent wants their toddlers to eat veggies and fruits. But Murphy’s Law of Parenting dictates that the thing you really want for your toddler will be the very thing they seem to hate/resist/fight most. To get around this law, you have to be “clever.” Rather than offering plain old veggies and fruits on a plate, blend them into a smoothie. Let your toddler drink the smoothie with a fun straw and voila, you have a veggie/fruit drinking genius!
7. Make mealtimes when your toddler is most hungry. When your toddler is most hungry, he/she will be more likely to a) try new foods, b) eat what’s given, and c) not put up a fight.
8. Allow your toddler to be involved in preparing their meals. Allowing your toddler to be in on the preparation will give them more incentive to want to try the foods made.
9. Get help when you need it most. Dealing with a picky eating toddler is stressful, so when needed, enlist the help of a spouse, friend, or family member to help with mealtimes.
10. Be patient. Take each mealtime in stride. Like most things in parenting, know that this too shall pass. Just try to go with the flow and don’t take things personally. The less you give in to their battles, the better off you will be. Trust me!

So in full disclosure, while I was extremely excited to be invited to the Jessica Alba launch event of The Honest Company, it wasn’t to learn about yet another line of non-toxic, chemical-free baby and household products.

But damed if I was going to miss the opportunity to spend a cocktail hour with Jessica Alba only two days after watching her work the red carpet at The Golden Globes.

But here’s the funny thing. As founders Christopher Gavigan and Jessica Alba talked about The Honest Company, I found myself starting to root for the success of their endeavor. How can you not get behind a brand that offers savvy style, sustainability, and extraordinary service & convenience all wrapped in a passion for social goodness, tied with a bow of integrity and sprinkled with a little cheeky fun. The company is obsessed with product design that’s functional, effective and durable – and also beautiful, fresh and fun.

Hearing that a longer shelf life is more important to many companies than a baby’s life really hit home and impacted me.

Gavigan and Alba have set out to redefine the idea of the “family brand” and that’s exactly what they have me doing now as well.

Learn more at http://www.honest.com/

P.S. I devoured a pint of Ben & Jerry’s when I got home from the event (How’s that for being totally HONEST?!?)

This year, many stores opened up for holiday shoppers earlier than ever on Thanksgiving. On our drive home after a decadent feast with family, we passed an outlet center with a jammed packed parking lot. Are people shopping because they can’t miss the sales, walking off their turkey or slipping to stores to avoid more time with their loved ones?

The holidays have become so commercialized and all about material goods.

As parents, it’s up to us to instill the importance of the holidays in your own family. Whether you place emphasis on the religious significance of the holiday, spending time together or giving to charity, your children take cues from you.

Spending time together as a family will reinforce that it’s important to be with your loved ones. Create your own family traditions and rituals that don’t focus on gift-giving. Plan special outings; make holiday cards or other arts-and-craft projects together; watch a holiday classic; bake cookies – the possibilities are endless and will be special to reflect on in years to come.

Engaging in charitable activities is one of the most powerful things you can do to remind your children of the purpose of celebrating the holidays. Whatever you do together to help others, no matter how big or how small, is certain to bring joy to both you and your children.

No matter how you celebrate this holiday season, try to remember that’s it’s better to give than to receive. Ho, ho, ho!