My best friend (who lives in London) recently had her second baby. I wish so much I could be there to lend a helping hand. She had an emergency C-section, has had to deal with mastitis, an infected healing site from the surgery and, as anyone who has had kids knows, the non-stop demands of a newborn, all while trying to get well herself and give some time to her older daughter.

Ads related to newborns, babies and toddlers tend to show the sweet side - an angelic sleeping baby, a happy baby smiling up at the camera. Yes, babies are bliss, but they are also a lot of hard work and the first several weeks of adjusting can even cause some tears from the parents (did I mention my friend's baby also has acid reflux, so feeding her is a challenge as well).

I promised her it will get better, and I know it will. She will get back to good health, the baby will outgrow the acid reflux, everyone will get sleep again. I told her how much I wished I could be there to help, and she said just talking about how she was feeling lifted her mood a lot. Sometimes we all just need someone who will listen and who can understand our problems. Moms - let's all band together. No one else can understand our woes better than a fellow parent.

Just wanted to share my first guest blog, on a site called Mommy Warriors. It's about competition among young kids (in sports) -- how young is too young to encourage serious competition?

It's been a while since my last blog. I guess that's how it is when you have a 6 year old, an almost 3 year old, freelance writing and editing work and a website. Moms are a busy bunch.

I have added a lot of new products to Tot-Bot Baby Gifts - all kinds of personalized gifts for babies as well as for new moms, and even some items for the new dad.

I'm really excited about offering organic personalized body suits. These come in super cute owl, monster and baby block themes. A perfect gift idea.

Our jewelry for moms features all kinds of exciting new items - personalized pendants with birthstones, boy/girl name and birthstone necklaces and a girl birthstone charm bracelet. With all of the fuss over the new baby, the new mom is sometimes forgotten. These personalized jewelry items are a great way to wow the new mom.

And let's face it - dads do a ton of work nowadays when it comes to taking care of baby. They're up at night along with mom during feedings, they change diapers, some even play Mr. Mom when the real mom goes back to work. Hats off to all fathers! We just added some fun gift ideas for dad - Daddy Scrubs (for the delivery room and beyond) and I'm the Daddy t-shirts and hats.

I love being able to offer such a variety of fun, personalized baby gifts for this special, unique time in people's lives. If you come across something you think would be great for the site, let me know - email me at info@tot-bot.com.

My husband is much better at keeping things in perspective, noting that she is not the only toddler who is a fussy eater, that she'll outgrow it, and reminding me that she is growing well and, according to her pediatrician, developing terrifically. I, sadly, don't have as much patience. But the next time I'm picking up food thrown onto the kitchen floor, I will remind myself what we parents have to say to ourselves so many times: This too shall pass.

I am not the only parent who, in that moment of watching their first born go off to kindergarten, was flooded with memories: the moment he was placed on my lap in the hospital on the day he was born; his first smiles and giggles; his first cautious steps (he continues to be careful and methodical to this day, never jumping into anything); the way he used to love dancing to "The Wheels on the Bus," running around the kitchen island. We all cherish the big milestones our babies reach but there are also little, unique things your baby/toddler will do that will stand out in your mind and live forever in your heart. Be there for those things, remember those little moments. They add up to a lifetime of what will *always* be your unique, wonderful baby.

August and back to school may be right around the corner, but the summer heat is on! Here in Southern California, the heat sometimes stays with us through October (every year around Halloween time, I hope that evening will be cool and fall-like, not 90 degrees). I always find it odd that stores have sweaters and jackets out when it's the hottest part of summer; hot-weather gear seems to be gone from the shelves by May.

Babies have gentler skin that needs special protection from the sun. Some smart practices include putting a sun hat on your baby when outdoors, using baby-safe sunscreen and getting your tot used to sunglasses as early as possible. (If you are one of those lucky parents whose baby/toddler does not mind wearing sunglasses, consider yourself blessed!) 

Stroller umbrellas are a great way to protect baby from too many rays. The universal clamp on these umbrellas fits most strollers and joggers, and a 180-degree pivot offers maximum maneuverability. The umbrellas provide SPF 50 and are water repellant. They are available in a variety of solid colors as well as fun prints such as sock monkeys, retro jungle and rocket dots. Click here for more information.






Tell us: what are your summer tips for keeping little ones safe? And how hot is it where you are?