If companies could have relatives, Crankypants would be Dr.MOZ’s long-lost crafty cousin. Made popular from their hand knit longies, Crankypants has grown to include toddler tees, undies, monster bibs, and other one-of-a-kind crafty goodies with the same funky flair. I

could go on for days about their cool collection of knitted goodies, but I recommend a visit to www.CrankyPantsHome.com where you’ll learn more about their products and Fair Trade Federation certified knitting cooperative in Peru. Of course, you’ll want to check-out their cranky blog to see what’s new as well.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

> tip thanks to Cool Mom Picks Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide!

Hello baby fans! Today is The GoodFather Friday which means that today’s post is dedicated to all the manly-types out there. Here’s a just a few of my favorite daddy blog posts from March 8th-12th:

• Dad Wagon: Thinking About Race in Pre-K – “Last week I went to 112th and Lennox in West Harlem to see the universal pre-K program at P.S. 185.“

• DadCentric: Special Delivery, Handle With Care – “I believe it has been amply demonstrated that we DadCentrists are more than willing, giddy even, to write about the joys and sorrows of that often winced-at bit of scrotal surgery known as the vasectomy.“

• Spain Dad, a baby blog: Hero – “I set down the suitcase and took the envelope out of my back pocket. On the front was handwritten, “Room #526.“

• Daddy Types: This Sesame Street Licensing is Brought to You by American Apparel – “I thought the whole point of Sesame Workshop licensing their IP to American Apparel was to put hipsterish old school characters and artwork into the mix.”

• Rebeldad: Negotiations and Love Songs (Mostly Negotiations) – “Last week, I published a post about the importance of negotiations in winning the “daddy wars” between fathers and their employers.“

• The Evolution of Dad Blog: An Al Jazeera News Segment On Fatherhood? – “Special thanks to Matt Schneider from NYC Dads Group for bringing this news piece about dads from….would you believe…Al Jazeera?”

• Buck Daddy Blog: Should your teenager get a job? – “When I was younger, I had a job. “

Did I miss a post from one of your favorite dad blogs this week? If so, let me know by sharing it in the comment box below.

Have a great weekend!

Dr.MOZ

When we were kids, wearing bike helmets was still a relatively new phenomenon only practiced by those with unusually strict (read “knowledgeable”) parents. The helmets consisted of a massive white Styrofoam base, a thin plastic shell, and a useless chin strap

that was rarely latched closed. If you were really sassy, you might have a nylon cover pulled over your huge can…but I’m still not sure what the nets were for. The second you were able to tear down the street with the big boys, the helmet went straight to the curb with the training wheels.

Want to make wearing helmets fun, safe, and dare I say “cool” for your little road warriors? Let them choose their very own multi-purpose street helmets by Nutcase! Not only are they easy to size with the universal spin-dial fit system, but Nutcase has the coolest collection of helmets I’ve ever seen. Check them out today at NutcaseHelmets.com and tell them the moose sent ya!

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

> tip thanks to Swissmiss

Are you throwing a baby shower for a couple that doesn’t know the the baby’s gender? If so, you are probably wondering what theme do you choose for the baby shower right? My prescription for a gender neutral baby shower, the Oh Baby Baby set found at MERI MERI!

Your guests will love the cute 24 cupcake cases and assorted cake toppers, and the coordinating invitation set with sheer ribbon embellishments will be the perfect way to set the tone.

Do have a tip for throwing a gender neutral baby shower? Share your tips and tricks with your favorite moose M.D. using the comment box below.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

I know that I’ve featured quite a few strange kid-related products and services through the years, but Prague-based Toy Traveling may have just taken the lead in the crazy race.  How it works in their words:

1. Choose the fare you like most.
2. Fill in and send the order form.
3. After we confirm your order, pay the chosen amount.
4. Send your favorite toy to our address. Please ship your friend in a hard robust box which can also be used for the return trip. (Valid for the BASIC fare)
5. We will confirm arrival of your friend by email.
6. Your toy is going to experience an adventurous and unforgettable trip around Prague (Czech Republic).
7. After the trip is over, we will deliver your friend to you in order, together with all the items of the price package you’ve chosen.

Yes, you read that right…send your “favorite toy” on a vacation to Prague. The trip’s services vary by individual package, but the most basic fair includes  (a) 30 pictures on disc, (b) a certificate of successful visit, (c) a Facebook profile (d) a surprise, and (e) daily communication by email. Toy Traveling claims to be “the First global Travel Agency for Teddy bears and Cuddly toys” and of course, the company has a Facebook page to learn more.

I know, you probably think you’ve seen just about everything by now don’t you? Drop by next week…there’s a lot more crazy to come.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

> tip thanks to Springwise!

Did you catch Editor-in-Chief Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks on Parenting with Annie Pleshette Murphy yesterday? Liz shared her list of the coolest gifts to bring to a baby shower and like all cool moms, she included the expecting dad in her gift list. I’m thrilled to

announce her favorite cool gift for dads was The GoodFather gift CD-ROM by yours truly!

You’ll find many more cool picks for mom, baby, and dad, for your next baby shower at CoolMomPicks.com. Thanks for helping spread the word about Dr.MOZ’s daddy gifts and gear Liz!

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

Today would have been Dr. Seuss’s 106th birthday and to celebrate, all Dr. Seuss e-book Apps are on sale for 99 cents! That’s three dollars off my friends, so whip them up while you can if you have a little one in the house. As the good doctor once said,

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~ Dr.Seuss

Are your kids Dr.Seuss fans yet? If so, what are their favorite books?

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Dr.MOZ

Was that you covering the baby’s shoes with plastic bags in a last-ditch effort to keep them dry in the snow? Oh yeah…I saw you out there rock’in the Ziplocs. I don’t mind telling ya’, this frosty fashion faux pas must end my friend. I’d like to introduce Canadian made Stonz

booties featuring soft skid-resistant soles, multiple adjustable toggles, and durable water resistant nylon uppers. Their regular booties are equipped with warm fleece liners, but if you really need to keep those tootsies toasty you might want to turn it up a notch with a pair of Sherpa fleece Linerz. Now that wasn’t so hard was it?

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

> tip thanks to Bambino Goodies!

I ran into an excellent video essay by Katherine Center about motherhood and thought you might enjoy it as much as I did. She created the piece for this year’s Mom 2.0 Summit in Houston, which I hope to attend in 2011 because it looks like a fun collection of bloggers,

brands, and parents.

To learn more about next year’s event, visit them at www.mom2summit.com or follow the Mom 2.0 crew on twitter.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

> found at Mom-101

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting quite a few new and expecting parents through the years and one thing I consistently hear everyone complain about…children’s music. Some go with the flow and attempt to play kid-themed lullabies until their ears bleed. Others bypass

the kiddie tunes altogether only to find that Led Zeppelin and nap time don’t mix. Now thanks to Rockabye Baby!, you can have your baby and Led Zeppelin too!

Rockabye Baby! creates lullaby renditions of 25 artists from the Beatles and Nirvana, to Green Day and their most recent release Journey. Read below to learn about how you can win 4 fantastic rock lullaby albums of your choice from your favorite moose M.D. and Rockaby Baby!

• How to Enter: Visit RockabyeBabyMusic.com and choose your favorite 4 albums. Enter your four favorites in the comments box below by midnight Friday, March 5th (PST) for a chance to win.
• Rules: No purchase necessary to enter, one entry per household, void where prohibited. Due to shipping restrictions, this giveaway is only open to US residents.
• 2nd Giveaway: For a second chance to win, enter again at Dr.MOZ’s Facebook giveaway page at www.Facebook.com/DrMOZ
• Bonus Entries: Include a link showing your blog post or tweet that mentions this giveaway and you’ll receive another entry!

Did I mention that Rockabye Baby! offers gift wrapping services? The winner will have the option of wraping-up their prize which makes Rockabye Baby! the perfect baby shower gift for the expecting parents on your gift list! Our blog is moderated throughout the day, so don’t worry if your entry isn’t instantly viewable.

Rock on my babies!
Dr.MOZ

Want to create fun furniture for children that kids will love? No problem, ask a kid! Designers Lee Soek-ho (4 years-old, chair) and Quentin de Coster (5 years-old, animal table) show that little people know their stuff when it comes to cool kid’s furniture. Wow, I

hope the designers received free furniture for their work!

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

> tip thanks to Yanko Design!

If you are like me, you’re getting a little fed-up with the plastic junk packed in the big baby and toy super-stores. Plastic serves a purpose for safety products like car seats, but when did we decided that everything “baby” had to be plastic…with mirrors glued to it?

Call me crazy, but my next baby shower gift will be from a company like Little Sapling Toys of Boise, ID. Their reasonably-priced toys are made from either reclaimed, or FSC Certified hardwood. Each durable creation is sanded smooth and finished with beeswax and organic jojoba oil (teethers left bare) to bring out the natural beauty of the woods, and a new tree is planted for every toy sold!

Want to learn more about handmade toys created in the good ol’ USA? Visit the Little Sapling Toys etsy store or shoot over to their blog and say hello.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ