Meet Jack- our adorable baby of the week!

• Jack is 22 months old
• His favorite book is Llama, Llama Red Pajama
• One of his favorite things to do is play in a sand box
• His favorite word is currently “uh oh”
• And his dad, Rick, works at Tiny Prints!

I was babysitting an 18 month-old a few nights ago, and was shocked to see that she absolutely adores taking a bath! I honestly could not get her out of the tub. And here I thought babies always squealed and squirmed their way through bath time!

I think she loves it so much because she has some really cool bathtub toys to play with. In my family, bath paints have always been all the rage. You can buy some great ones from Avon (they even list the ingredients online if you kids have allergies!), or make your own using this recipe from Family Education.

But this little splish splasher preferred to stick Rub a Dub ABC letters all over the bathtub instead of painting it. She could even say all of the letter’s sounds! I was impressed.

If you are looking for tips on making bath time more enjoyable for you and your kids, check out Love to Know’s section of inexpensive activities that are perfect for soaking in the tub. You can also try one of these fun ideas:

• Play a story on tape.
• Read poetry aloud.
• Have your kids make up stories about what their floating toys are doing.
• Review all of the fun things you did together that day.
• Give your little ones cups, bowls, and ladles from the kitchen to play with.

Teens are probably one of the hardest groups to shop for. Fads come and go, and it’s difficult to find out what’s the most popular “in” thing right now. Here’s a few great gifts that are sure to survive through the latest trends. It makes me dream of being a teen again…almost.

Orange Burst and Summer Garden Thank You cards from Tiny Prints can be personalized.

The Flip Video and wish bone necklace are from RedEnvelope.

Bright colors make any gift fun. And this hot pink cuff bracelet from Quirk Gallery and MP3 player recharging dock from Target are all about fun!

When you are a new parent, everyone’s advice is always, “When they sleep, you sleep.” But, as baby gets older, many parents go from snoozing during this precious break in the day to frantically doing housework, grouchily handling business affairs or wasting time dazed in front of the TV.

Today, when you put the baby down for a nap, don’t reach for the bleach just yet–instead, read through some of these great articles about the best ways to relax and still be productive during your break! They just might help you get back to blissful naptimes for you and your little one:

-Suite101 gives you tips on making the most of your baby’s naps, including turning Mom’s rest into the top priority!

-With 45 free minutes, you can do this entire at-home yoga routine from Women’s Health! If you don’t have that much time, try searching the site for a shorter workout that will leave you feeling energized and exercised at the end of naptime.

-Get some quick tips for reigniting your passions as a happier, healthier role model on Parenting.com.

-Ultimate Parent focuses on nurturing your support system as a key element in being a positive and productive parent (finally, a great excuse to catch up on all the gossip with your girls!).

-Even if you only have five minutes to yourself, you can still come out of your break rejuvenated and relaxed! Work It Mom tells you how.

This Baby Bird baby shower theme begins with the bird’s nest favor from Moments of Elegance above. Those adorable mary janes are from Etsy. The bird’s nest cookies are from Martha Stewart. The Little Lad Overalls are from Etsy, and the Sleepy Little Sparrows mobile is from ThisNext. And, finally, the Sweet Chicks Baby Shower Invitation is from Tiny Prints.

If you are a regular Tiny Talk or Diva Dialogue reader, then you might already know that I have a puppy. Well, this week, I am excited because our pup is turning 1 year old tomorrow!

I am especially excited about this birthday because I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now that he is older, I can see his bad puppy habits are starting to fade away.

Being as excited as I am, I have tossed around the idea of throwing a doggie birthday party. While I don’t have any children of my own, I thought it would be fun to spoil our pup in his own way. Some people think I am crazy, but I think it would be a neat idea.

If you like the idea of celebrating your pup’s special day, here are some fun ideas:

• Bake a cake: Search online for some pet friendly cake recipes for your dog.  Some favorites that caught our eye include Peanut Butter Delight and Kibble Cake.
• Buy a special toy & wrap it: Does your dog have a favorite toy?  If so, why not buy him a shiny new toy that isn’t already all chewed up.  And, for even more fun, you can wrap it and let your dog tear off the paper without getting in trouble!
• Head to day care or the dog park: Is your dog socialized?  Then, let your dog play with his neighborhood friends by sending him to day care or taking him to the dog park.
• Head somewhere new & take a long walk: Rather than taking the same old walk, go somewhere different and let your pup explore the new surroundings.
• Have a party: Invite the neighborhood dogs over for a party.  Let them run around in the background and nibble on the birthday cake that you made. Some websites like Good Dog Express offer fun dog party supplies.

When students go back to school, it’s a big change for kids and parents alike. Everyone has a whole new routine, complete with new rules to follow and new kinds of responsibilities. To help ease everyone in your family into the school year, I asked some local teachers for their top five tips and tricks for back-to-school bliss:

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1. Get their supplies together. Visit your local school’s website or call the school’s front office to find out what supplies your kids will need on their first day. The school staff will be on campus at least one week before school starts, so feel free to contact them and make sure your kids are prepared for their first day back.

2. Set a new sleep schedule early. One week before school starts, set your children’s bedtimes earlier and wake them up at the same time they would need to be awake to get to school on time. This will ease their transition into the school year’s sleep routine, leaving them bright-eyed and ready to learn when that first bell of the day rings.

3. Take an informal tour. Since the campus will be open for teachers early, you can take your kids to visit the school before the first day. This is particularly important if your child is starting at a new school, or even if they are just transitioning from one part of the school to another. Show them where important landmarks are, including their classroom, the closest bathroom, the library and the front office. They might even get a chance to meet their teachers! This will help reduce their first day jitters.

4. Flex your power. Many parents don’t fully understand how much power they have over their children’s education. By simply talking to your child’s teachers and school administrators, you can make dramatic changes in their learning environment. If you think your child would thrive in a certain program or under another teacher’s care, don’t be afraid to speak up!

5. Talk to your kids. Sometime before the start of the school year, take a moment to check in with your kids and see how they are feeling. Approach them individually, asking, “Madeline, you are starting the third grade! How do you feel about that? What are you looking forward to this year? Is there anything you are scared or worried about?” Taking a few minutes to take their emotional pulse will help you prepare for any potential back-to-school stress over hurdles like making new friends or handling tougher classwork.

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As you all get back into the swing of things, keep in mind that teachers are your allies in helping to shape a nurturing learning environment for your children. Stay in contact with them to make sure that your little ones are still on track all school year long!

I first heard about MBT’s (Masai Barefoot Technology) in my recent issue of O, the Oprah magazine. They claim to be physiological shoes with benefits ranging from improved posture to increased ab, butt, thigh and lower limbs activity. The downside to these seemingly perfect shoes? They’re a little expensive at about $250 a pair, and a bit odd looking. So what do you think? Cool or crazy shoes?

MBT Women’s Chapa and MBT Women’s Kaya Mary Jane, both from Footwear etc.

For many families, the back-to-school season also means back-to-sports. Organized team activities like soccer, baseball and softball can be great ways for kids to make friends, learn about teamwork and develop a passion for physical activity. Plus, the 2008 Olympic Games offer great inspiration for kids and parents alike to pursue fun sports and fitness activities during this time of year.

But, if your kids are slacking on the soccer field, don’t be too quick to count them out as natural athletes just yet!

Family Education has an interesting article explaining that many kids quit sports simply because they aren’t having fun. When I was in school, I was always the girl sitting in the outfield making daisy necklaces while the other kids played kickball. I wasn’t even vaguely interested in team sports until I started playing tennis in the eighth grade and fell in love.

So, if your kids don’t seem excited by sports these days, why not give some of these alternative sport ideas from PBS a try? They are a fun way to keep your kids entertained and energized all school year long!

• Badminton
• Baton twirling
• Fencing
• Figure skating
• Karate
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Rock climbing
• Sculling (rowing)
• Skateboarding
• Surfing
• Synchronized swimming
• Tennis
• Triathlons
• Wakeboarding
• Water skiing

If your kids still insist that they don’t like sports, have them take a look at this helpful article from Kids Health. You can also start including them in activities you enjoy, taking short hikes or playing a few holes of golf with the kids in tow. Before you know it, your whole family will be happy, healthy and enjoying the beautiful fall weather together!

Sending your kids off in style and in a way that’s good for the environment isn’t too hard these days. Here are a few ways that’ll help you help the environment and get them ready for school.

This may be hard to believe, but this fancy journal is made out of recycled elephant waste fibers. Target sells them for $12.99 each. The Green Office features a variety of eco-friendly supplies, some of which are their Back to School Kits for various grades. They include recycled notebooks and pencils made from recycled newspapers.

Leed’s Eco-friendly backpack is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material, and you know what? It’s cool too! And this SIGG water bottle from REI is designer and great for teens and kids.