Lots of moms like to think out loud, and Jo Aaron is one of them. Here is one of the latest posts to her Mommy Brain blog.

While innocently looking for a restaurant suggestion online the other day, I stumbled across an anti-parent, anti-child blog entry that just annoyed me. It was an angry (and narrow-minded, in my opinion) piece about how awful it is when this particular person has to dine with families at his favorite restaurants. He/she literally suggested that families shouldn't be allowed to dine in restaurants at all, and most definitely not the ones that are any good.

Here are my guesses:

#1, this person is somewhere between 21-26.

#2, this person will have a completely different blog in about 5-10 years when he/she has kids of his/her own and realizes that going out for dinner is like parental heroin . . . you know, your fix is having someone else prepare and clean up your meal while all you have to do is watch the kids and make sure they don't drive the other patrons nuts. Because that's the easy part. Right.

So, while I get that I shouldn't be carting my kids off to the Pump Room for a 9PM Saturday night reservation, I don't think it's such a crime to have them enjoy a 5:30PM reservation at a local haunt regardless of how cool and trendy it is this week. Instead of digitally flicking this guy or gal off by replying to his/her post, instead I thought I'd make a list of all of the ways that the world would be a better place for those of us with kids . . . maybe this will drive it home:

• If the world revolved around families, there would be no such thing as lines at the grocery store. Instead of spending 15 minutes telling our kids to stop touching everything in the checkout line, like candy, magazines, or batteries, we'd just breeze through the aisles, yell our credit card numbers out to the teller as we beelined to our cars. No fuss, no muss.
• If the world revolved around families, there would be a Starbucks with dozens of drive-thru windows and on-duty baristas somewhere between my house and school.
• If the world revolved around families, there would be TVs with DVD players and current Disney movies playing in every waiting room in the United States. This includes all airport terminals as well. And speaking of airports...
• If the world revolved around families, there would be such a thing as teleportation like on Star Trek (yes, I'm a nerd), so that families would never, never, never, ever have to deal with air travel at all.
• If the world revolved around families, no one with kids would ever have to go to the DMV, post office, or emergency room.

Keep reading for more of Jo Aaron's funny observations!

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and MiaFT is one of them. Here is one of the latest posts to her Baby Love blog.

I have to admit, I did it. I bought Audrey a wrap dress from the Diane von Furstenburg for Baby Gap collection. I mean, how could I not? I actually don't usually spend that much on a dress for her unless it is for a holiday. I try to spend a max of $30 on any items for her everyday wardrobe. But I think she will end up wearing this to a party, so I can make an exception! Plus I'm sure she'll wear it again and again. It's a great item for her Spring/Summer wardrobe. And I just think that it is darling to have a mini wrap dress for a toddler. I can't wait to put it on her! I'll be sure to share pictures!!

Want to see more? Start following Baby Love or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and CherylDee is one of them. Here is one of the latest posts to her Lipsticks to Baby Bottles blog.
This is probably one of Kiara's favourite dishes, and I believe many Asian kids, too! It's easy peasy to make and tastes delish!

What you'll need:

• Minced chicken
• Diced carrots
• Rice (brown rice if you want a healthier choice)
• Bovril (optional)
• Garlic (optional)
• Chicken stock (optional)

For all the items that I stated as optional, it's really up to you which you would prefer. Some would rather skip Bovril and garlic and just use chicken stock, whereas some would do the opposite. So that part is really up to you and depends on how you would like your baby's food to be. I personally have used all three methods, and Kiara likes them all the same.

Step one: Add rice and carrots to a pot of boiling water (or boiling chicken stock). You can add finely chopped garlic if you would prefer to add more flavor to the dish.

Step two: I let this simmer in for about 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots are softer. Plus the rice takes a while to cook, too! Once done, add your minced chicken, which cooks quite fast since it's itty-bitty pieces.

Keep reading to see the rest of the recipe.

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and House of Anaïs is one of them. Here is one of the latest posts on her House of Anaïs blog.

A little while ago, we went to a lovely birthday party, and the kids absolutely loved it. Give the young son some glue, and he is glued to the activity forever and ever. Give the girls some fairy wings and fancy decor, and they will make their own fairy tale. Give the parents some mimosas and the most amazing sweet and savory treats, and they will not want to leave the party ever.

Since the hosting family is a pretty green family (think of growing chickens in the middle of city), we chose more sustainable wooden presents, and this time, they all ended up being from Melissa & Doug. The presents are always a hard one for me, as the etiquette is not so simple to figure out — when you have multiple kids, should you get a little present for each to give, or just have one together?

And talking about presents, I think it's great experience to let children help shop for the presents and put some thought into what their friends might like, but with so many parties to go to in a year, I am thinking that our shopping might move more online, as everything always seems to be discounted somewhere . . . Sad, but at the end of the day, it will save a lot of money.

Keep reading to see all of the details from the party!

Lots of moms like to think out loud and marybabysteps is one of them. Here is an excerpt from one of her recent posts to Every Day Baby Steps.

Whew! Christmas is over. What takes such a big toll on your budget, you sanity and your time is blown away in a matter of minutes while the kids rip open their presents, scurry around searching madly for batteries and try to figure out their new toys without bothering to look at the damn book. All this with barely a "Thanks, Santa." But you know what? It's worth it. We had a very nice, small Christmas at home. The kids got what they wanted (Thank you, Grandma!), and I loved watching their faces light up and spending the morning just watching their excitement as they played with their new stuff.

That being said, I must confess that for the last couple months that I've been trying to work from home without the help of part-time daycare, I've nearly pulled my hair out on a daily basis. I gave up my two day a week sitter in an attempt to save money, and I'm beginning to wonder if I gave up my sanity with that decision. Playing blocks, watching endless pre-school TV and begging Brady to, "Please, go potty." have just about sent me over the edge.

But just the other day, I saw a post on Facebook that led me to a blog I had never visited before, Girl on Saturday. The post was about how poor Karen is now known as "Penis Mom" by the parents and teachers at her kids' school, but that it's okay because she took a stand against ridiculous gender stereotypes and was a role model for her kids. Karen is pretty cool. So cool, in fact, that I took a look at her other posts. Each one spoke to me and conveyed a lesson that I needed to learn or to be reminded of. I was especially moved by this post that gave life-changing advice on surviving the first few years of raising kids. Karen reminded me that, though parenting can certainly be mind-numbing, it can also be some of the best moments of your life. She emphasized what's important, and I intend to keep those things in mind when I'm thisclose to having my next breakdown. If you feel like you just can't take one more second of the mind-numbing routine that has become your life, please head over to read Karen's advice. I guarantee it will help you out.

Want to see more? Start following Every Day Baby Steps or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us here at LilSugar! We wish you and your loved ones the happiest of holidays and all the best in the New Year! Like lots of moms, MiaFT loves to show off her pride and joy! This is an excerpt from one of the latest posts on her Baby Love blog.

Just sent out our Christmas cards, so I thought I'd send holiday wishes to all of you as well!

Audrey's dress and faux fur jacket set is by Iris & Ivy, which is from Nordstrom. That's the only place to go for holiday dresses!  I searched for the longest time for perfectly darling shoes, and ended up getting these at Payless. They are so cute and they were a terrific deal at only $12.99! I know it's hard to see the detail in the outfit, so I will post more pics when she wears it again on Christmas day. And if you think this outfit is cute, wait until you see her glamorous outfit for Christmas eve!  Wait and see....

Want to see more? Start following Baby Love or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site! Pictures of lil ones playing around the Christmas tree, opening presents, and enjoying their families on a holiday morning are sure to be classics. So why not share yours with us in the Sugarbabies group. We want to see them! It's super easy, and your tot will get a kick out of seeing himself on the site!

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and MiaFT is one of them. This is an excerpt from one of the latest posts on her Baby Love blog.

So this is what Audrey is going to get this year for Christmas!  Yes, I went a little overboard, but I couldn't help myself!

So let me give you a rundown of all of her loot. As you can see, I hit the Disney Store...hard! I bought her both nightgowns for Snow White and Belle, as well as the Animators' dolls. I also bought the Mrs. Potts tea set, from Beauty and the Beast, as well as the movie itself. It's her new favorite. I recorded it recently, and she is in love!

How cute is the little red rocking horse....I mean, moose? She saw that at Ikea and we literally had to tear her off kicking and screaming. She is going to love it! I'm sure she'll be on it all Christmas Day.

I also shopped at Buy Buy Baby and got some great stuff! The cutest Melissa and Doug clock puzzle. What a great toy! On this one little toy she can learn about numbers, shapes, colors, and time. I challenge you to find a more educational toy. I also picked up the Melissa and Doug mailbox. She is always fascinated by the mailboxes we pass on the street. I think she'll love having her own! I picked up a cute little Wizard of Oz book, which is kind of for me since it still is my favorite movie ever. Oh and I got her a VTech digital camera. Yes, you read that right, a digital camera. It is only $40, so don't think I'm crazy.  But it is built kid-proof, and can actually take pictures and videos. I am looking forward to seeing the world through her little eyes!

Finally, I stopped at Kohl's. I got a little fish tank lamp. She is in love with fish (since her Nemo phase) and it will be much easier than getting a real fish tank that would have to be cleaned. While I was there, I also picked up their Nancy Tillman hardcover books. They are part of Kohl's Cares. They only cost $5 each and 100 percent of the profits will support kids' health and education initiatives in communities nationwide. It's a great deal, and it helps others. And books make the best gifts!

Christmas is really for the kids, and I can't wait to see her smiling face on Christmas Day!  I guess now I have to start shopping for everyone else on my list...

Want to see more? Start following Baby Love or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and MiaFT is one of them. This is an excerpt from one of the latest posts on her Baby Love blog.

I'm so excited! Bugaboo has finally come out with a snack tray! I'm thrilled!

As you can see, it doesn't attach to both sides of the stroller as the bumper bar does. I am a little disappointed about that because there are many times I will just seat Audrey in her stroller without belting her in, but she stays put because of the bumper bar. So I will have to make it a point to belt her in always. But it will be worth it. Audrey likes to snack and have her cup when we are out shopping or at the zoo for the day. It keeps her from getting too hungry and cranky. We are able to stay out longer, and have more fun! I've found it online for prices ranging from $39-$52, but I haven't found it available until January. I have been eagerly awaiting this! I just wanted to share the news in case you were too!!

Want to see more? Start following Baby Love or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and MiaFT is one of them. This is an excerpt from one of the latest posts on her Baby Love blog.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  And I hope Audrey's outfit doesn't disappoint!  She's wearing H&M for UNICEF from head to toe.

Audrey loved her little kitten shoes and purse!  I could hardly get her to take them off!  I also got her the cute little scarf from the collection. She also had another smaller hair bow for the occasion.  As you know, it's all about the accessories!

I love this outfit!!  And Audrey loved it too!  It may be a bit much for some people, but I think that fashion is especially fun for kids.  They are so cute, they can get away with anything!

Want to see more? Start following Baby Love or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and CherylDee is one of them. Here is one of the latest posts to her Lipsticks to Baby Bottles blog.

A few days ago I decided to try out a recipe I found online. It sounded delicious, well in a baby delicious sorta way! So let's jump right into it. Here's a list or more like pictures of the items you will need to create this dish for your bubs.

I know I did not state any carrots in the title, but I did add in some, purely just for color. Well and K loves carrots, but I added just a tiny bit. So there you have:

• Heinz Baby Pasta Stars (You can get this from any leading supermarkets)
• Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Carrots (if you want)
• Tuna in water or flakes if it's easier

So just chop up the items and pop them into a pot of boiling water. Chopping them up to smaller pieces makes it easier to mash up later when they're fully boiled. While your vegetables are boiling you can start doing your pastas in a separate pot. For one serving you can just use 1 tablespoon worth of pastas. Up to you if you prefer the stars version or the spaghetti.

Keep reading to see the rest of the recipe.