I understand the appeal of the Disney Princesses, I really do.  What little girl (and, truth be told, her mother) wouldn’t love to be beautiful and adored and have a life story that ends with “happily ever after”?  It’s no wonder the majority of the pre-K set loves to put on those princess dresses and twirl around, waving their magic wands…until they accidentally swat their younger brother in the face and we have to take the wand away.

Not that such a thing has ever happened around here.

CJ loves dolls.  More specifically, she loves any doll that has hair that can be combed.  Actually, she’ll happily whack away at a stuffed animal with her hairbrush, but dolls with nice long hair…those are her favorites.

She doesn’t cut their hair, thankfully.  But she does like to spray conditioner on it and then comb and comb, and comb some more.  I wish she’d comb her own hair so willingly.

And while she does adore the Disney Princesses, she’s not exactly the girliest girl out there.  So when I was offered a Disney Princess doll for her to comb enjoy, it was no contest.  Mulan is my girl’s kind of princess.

Even though Mulan’s not really a princess.  Just a badass soldier who loves her daddy and oh, by the way, saved China from the Huns.  Not to mention winning over Li Shang, who has got to be the hottest cartoon man ever drawn.

Naturally, CJ loves her new Mulan doll.  She wants to take her everywhere, which means that Mulan has to be strapped into the car seat belt along with CJ.  She’s gone easier on the spray conditioner, which I certainly appreciate, even if Mulan doesn’t know the difference.

I’m impressed by the size of the doll and her elaborate costume.  But what I like best about her is that she’s not so fancy that I feel as if she needs to be put up on a high shelf, where CJ can look but not touch.  Mulan is meant for playing, for pretending, for being a constant companion.

So while Mulan is my girl’s kind of princess, she’s also my kind of doll.

Find Mulan and the other Disney Princess & Friends dolls at Disney.com for $16.95 (or 2 for $25!)

It’s been a year or so since Tacy finally started sleeping with the lights off.  For a long time, she needed the overhead light.  Then a plugged-in Hello Kitty night light would suffice.  Now we turn off all the lights, but the door still has to remain open.

Meanwhile, CJ is still in the stage where she needs the light on.  Fortunately in her case, it’s just the bedside lamp that needs to remain on all night long.  Still, just a nightlight doesn’t cut it.  Not even the super cool PalPODzzz from SYLVANIA.

Don’t get me wrong; she adores her ladybug - which functions as both a nightlight and a rechargeable flashlight - and the little green leaf upon which the ladybug rests while she’s charging her batteries.  It’s the cutest darned nightlight I’ve ever seen, also available in a rocker ship design, and I hope SYLVANIA will come out with a few more models.  I’d gladly buy one for each child.

Why do I love this nightlight?  A few key reasons:

1. It plugs into the wall, just like a regular nightlight, but the “pod” rests on a surface like a night table or dresser.  One aspect of traditional nightlights that I don’t like is that kids can yank them out of the socket, leaving a vacant outlet that’s just waiting for a baby to jam an errant hair clip in there.  With the PalPODzzz, just plug it into an outlet that’s covered by a piece of furniture.  Potential problem successfully avoided.

2. It includes a rechargeable flashlight.  If you’re a parent of children older than three, there’s really no further explanation required.  But I’ll happily indulge those who haven’t yet groped for their emergency flashlight during a thunderstorm only to discover that it’s been relocated to a child’s bedroom, where it was left on all night and the batteries are completely drained.  Oh, and of course, there are no replacement batteries anywhere in the house.

Bottom line: A flashlight that doesn’t take batteries and is specifically intended for the kids = TOTALLY FREAKING AWESOME.

3. It’s cute whether it’s plugged in or not, whether it’s night time or not.  So much kiddie decor is just awful.  Even that damn Hello Kitty nightlight Tacy used went against my “no licensed characters” rule, but in the interest of sleep preservation, I did what I had to do.  The PalPODzzz nightlights are decor-neutral and haven’t been infiltrated by Dora or SpongeBob.  God knows I get enough of them on TV; I do not need them in my kids’ rooms.

What don’t I like?  That CJ can drop the ladybug flashlight behind her bed so that I have to lift her entire mattress off the platform in order to retrieve it.  But I suppose that’s actually a good thing; it reminds me that I need to change her sheets.  Plus, she could do the same with any other flashlight (and has).

Of course I wish that PalPODzzz had been the magical solution to the energy drain of CJ’s bedside lamp, but really, that’s too much to expect from a cute little ladybug.

But knowing that my emergency flashlight can rest easy in its kitchen drawer?  That’s more than enough for me.

Find out more about SYLVANIA PalPODzzz from the other PBN bloggers who checked out these nightlight/flashlight combos!  Or if I’ve already convinced you that you must have one, find them on Amazon!

Sometime in the the early years of our marriage, Kyle and I bought a white noise machine from Brookstone.  It was originally intended to help block out the sound of his snoring, but soon it served multiple purposes - masking noises from surrounding apartments, distracting him from the sound of MY snoring when I was pregnant, and muffling the whimpering of our babies as each one learned to self-soothe.

Now we take it on every trip, and when I travel alone, I miss the low whirring sound like snow on analog TV channels that are just out of range of the rabbit ears.

Cloud B knows all about sleep.  Not only do they provide a resource center for parents who are struggling to help their children sleep, they carry many products that are designed “to achieve a better, safer sleep for baby.”  These products, such as the LullaBag and Sleep Sheep & Friends, are “developed in consultation with an advisory board of pediatricians and sleep specialists.”

When I heard about Dozy Dolphin, part of the new Cloud B sound and light collection, I knew it would be a great fit for us.  The dolphin is a plush toy with an internal sound machine which has two ranges of sounds - cheery ones for playtime, and soothing ones for naptime or bedtime.  Plus, it’s made from bamboo, which is one of my favorite materials - amazingly soft, hypo-allergenic, and eco-friendly.  What’s not to love?

Of course, Oliver thinks Dozy Dolphin is pretty cool.  He loves any toy that makes noise, especially the soft huggable ones.  It did startle him one night when he jostled it in his sleep and the white noise came on suddenly, so I’d suggest keeping the volume pretty low when it’s time to sleep.

The girls think it’s a neat toy too.  Because it’s in Oliver’s crib, they’ve deemed it a baby toy, but really, Dozy Dolphin would be a great sleeping companion for any child.  I think it would be even better for a toddler who’s just starting to have night time fears, particularly since a toddler can manipulate the sound buttons themselves.

Come to think of it, since I’m on the road now, I’m kind of wishing I’d brought Dozy Dolphin along with me.

Dozy Dolphin is currently on sale for $24.95 (reduced from $64!) at Amazon.

Last year for Christmas, Tacy received a pink Nintendo DS Lite. It’s one of her most prized possessions, and I’m truly impressed by how well she cares for it. I haven’t even had to break out the spare stylus (although I’m sure I totally jinxed myself simply by typing that).

She and CJ have both asked for a pet. While I’m sure they’d love a pet dearly - even more than Tacy loves her DS - I’m not confident that they’d care for a pet as faithfully as they should. Of course they’d give it plenty of love (perhaps too much, based on how much CJ carried around my aunt’s cat last summer), but I can’t envision either of them willingly scooping poop.

So I thought a copy of Littlest Pet Shop for the DS would be a nice indoctrination to pet ownership for them. Because not only do the Littlest Pet Shop pets require love and attention, they are pretty darned cute too - even if you can’t pet their soft fur and carry them all over the house.

Me: Tacy, what do you like about playing Littlest Pet Shop?

Tacy: Well, it’s sort of um fun because it has um well it’s just um you know you can make characters um why do you keep putting um? Mama… (giggle giggle)

Me: Okay, what else?

Tacy: And the characters are cute and um you get to play games at the arcade um and it just is really fun.

Me: What do you not like about the game?

Tacy: Um…if you mess up you can’t get the stuff back.

Me: What stuff?

Tacy: Like um, I um, well the stuff is (stares up at ceiling) well it’s just that if you send them to another place if you send too much of them then you don’t get them back.

Me: What don’t you get back?

Tacy: Your littlest pet shops that you sent there.

Me: Meaning, the pets?

Tacy: Yes. Because um the pets um you can send them to different places so when you send them to different places sometimes if you send too many of them you can’t get them back, you have to switch pets, and sometimes you want lots of pets to go back to the places they want.

Me: Did you help your sister play the game?

Tacy: Well, I did. A little bit. But usually she doesn’t play it.

Me: Why not?

Tacy: Cause um she um she’s usually doing something else.

Me: Like asking for another cup of milk?

Tacy: Yeah.

So there you have it. The only drawback to Littlest Pet Shop is that sometimes the pets don’t come back. Which I suppose means that there isn’t a Littlest Pet Shop Pet Sematary yet.

Honestly, I like Littlest Pet Shop because it’s not World of Warcraft. And because it will likely buy me another few months before I have to succumb to actual pet ownership.

Check out other blogger reviews of Littlest Pet Shop over at PBN, and if you’re so moved by Tacy’s assessment of the game that you must purchase one yourself, you can buy Littlest Pet Shop at Amazon.

As far as I’m concerned, one of the coolest kids toys you can possibly have is a good old fashioned dollhouse. I wasn’t yet five when my mother and my grandfather built one for me in the workshop in my grandparents’ basement. My love for balconies - which endures even now - was sparked by that beautiful dollhouse, which had a balcony off the master bedroom. The interior was decorated with wallpaper and carpet remnants, and we regularly added new furniture and accessories, complete with the tiniest of details.

Given my fond memories of my own dollhouse, naturally I was thrilled to get one for my girls. When the Caring Corners Mrs. Goodbee Dollhouse arrived, I knew that even if Tacy and CJ didn’t play with it, I certainly would.

I needn’t have worried; both girls fell all over themselves with excitement. CJ and I put it together while Tacy was out, which was a great way for her to get first crack at playing with it without arguments immediately ensuing. By the time Tacy got home, CJ was ready to show her the dollhouse and explain all the details of how it worked.

Look at the proud homeowner!

Yes, it’s a dollhouse, but it’s so much more than that. Mrs. Goodbee is your hostess - a cheerful British lady who’s not quite as spit-spot as Mary Poppins and not quite as granny-ish as Mrs. Doubtfire - and she talks and sings each time you push a button. Ring the doorbell, and she greets you. Rock the baby’s cradle, and she instructs you to get milk from the fridge (and then congratulates you when you open the fridge door). Tap the boom box on the rooftop patio, and she sings about cleaning up - and not in an annoying way reminiscent of that purple dino we all know. We’ve got a lot of talking and singing toys around here, and Mrs. Goodbee is by far the most pleasant of the bunch. I honestly like listening to the girls play with the dollhouse, and not just because it’s nice to hear two sisters enjoying each other’s company.

The dollhouse itself is full of neat details that impressed all of us. CJ was enamored by the sound of the flushing toilet and water running in the sink, as well as the hooting owls and chirping crickets that sounded off when she flipped the window panes to reveal the nighttime scene. Tacy immediately created a plot and dialogue for the dolls, which was augmented well by the input from Mrs. Goodbee as doors were opened and buttons were pushed. We’re still discovering all the ins and outs. Even Oliver was curious enough to take a peek - and then he promptly fell over and bonked his head on the rounded corner of the dollhouse. Caring Corners indeed - thanks for rounding them off and saving me a trip to the ER!

But the really neat part about the dollhouse is how it advocates thoughtfulness and good behavior. Not only do we hear from Mrs. Goodbee herself, but Caring Corners is partnered with Goodwill. A pamphlet that comes inside the dollhouse box suggests asking your child to fill the empty dollhouse box with items for donation - things of hers that she doesn’t use anymore, but that another child might like to have. Then take the box to Goodwill to receive a Certificate of Appreciation. Use the code on the certificate to access more activities at CaringCorners.com.

We’re all having a great time playing with Mrs. Goodbee and her dollhouse. Next month, I’ll be back to post about how we helped another little girl get a chance to become a homeowner too.

Much to my chagrin, Tacy has not inherited my compulsion to always read the directions. Instead, she has taken after her father and his “jump right in and figure it out as I go” approach to just about everything in life.

Granted, reading the directions doesn’t always mean that I do everything right on the first try - because, yes, that is my primary motivation for reading them - but at least it gives me a better shot at it. Fumbling around blindly takes all the fun out of it for me.

So when the V.Smile Cyber Pocket game arrived in the mail, I made both girls wait until I’d finished cleaning up the kitchen before opening it, because - of course - I wanted to read the directions.

I only made it to the part where I popped the Smartridge into its slot before Tacy said, “Okay, I know what to do,” and I gave up and handed it to her. My compulsions can only handle so much anxious, high-pitched whining.

Fortunately, the whining ceased as soon as I handed the Cyber Pocket over to her. In fact, all three kids were silently absorbed in the wonders of technology. It was a moment I’ll never forget:

In all seriousness, the Cyber Pocket is a fantastic little gadget. It can go along just about anywhere - trains, planes, and automobiles - and it’s compatible with all the VTech Smartridges. Cross-compatibility is a huge plus for me, even though we actually don’t own any other VTech offerings yet. Knowing that I can use the same Smartridges in different systems is a major incentive for me to buy more of them, so VTech gets two thumbs up from me on that point.

I also like the fact that it uses AA batteries. Yes, it’s a pain to change them and they’re wasteful, but they provide instant gratification. Plus, if you go on a vacation and forget to bring your Nintendo DS charger, then you have to listen to incessant whining from the third row for umpteen thousand miles.

One more point of convenience - the stylus is attached with a string. The DS stylus fits nicely in a little slot, but if a little sister jostles her big sister, and the big sister lets go of the stylus and it falls onto the airplane floor, then everyone has to unfasten their seatbelts to look for it. Which is especially problematic when the plane is on final approach and the FASTEN SEATBELT sign is illuminated.

Tacy did get frustrated a few times with the game (the Cyber Pocket comes with Zayzoo: An Earth Adventure, which I thought was pretty cool). I handed her the booklet of directions, which she flipped open and tossed aside: “Mom, I looked at the PICTURES!” But she got the hang of it. More power to her, I suppose.

I’m not a fan of the licensed characters; they’re just not my bag. So I wish that more of the Smartridges weren’t so character-focused. For Tacy’s part, she doesn’t need to identify with a character in order to be interested in a game either.

But I love how the VLink connects the Cyber Pocket to the computer to let her track her progress. She’s already quite motivated by games that have a serial aspect to them, where successes and earnings accumulate. That’s another big plus for the Cyber Pocket.

And as long as VTech keeps making Smartridges that are cross-compatible, I expect that I’ll buy at least one of their systems for Oliver, and then Tacy can hand the Cyber Pocket down to CJ. Again, it’s a great motivator to me for investing in the systems when I know that all of my kiddos can use them eventually. Good on you, VTech!

Go here to buy your own Cyber Pocket, and for more VTech system reviews, check out PBN!

If you haven’t already figured this out from reading my personal blog, I’m a fairly laid-back parent where it comes to my children’s development.  Even when it became obvious that CJ would need a little extra help in the language department, I figured it would just take time for her to catch up.

Likewise, my approach to choosing a day-care-slash-preschool for my kids was also pretty basic.  My top priorities were their safety and comfort.  Academics were secondary.

But I’ve always loved reading, and I couldn’t help twitching a bit every time the girls would put down a book and stare raptly up at the TV.  I wanted them to love reading, but I didn’t want to push them into a love for reading.

The LeapFrog Tag Reader has been a great resource in helping them enjoy reading, especially CJ.  Tacy can already read on her own, but CJ is still learning her letters.  She’s not yet sight-reading any words (except her own name), but with this magic pen - the Tag Reader - she’s well on her way.

She runs the electronic pen over the pages of the LeapFrog Tag books (including Olivia, one of her very favorites), and the stories are read TO her - word by word.  She can go back and explore the words on the page at her leisure, which is especially cool and prolongs the reading experience.  It won’t be long before she’s starting to sight-read on her own.

LeapFrog is the first sponsor of the Savvy Source sidebar widget, which links to a quiz on the Savvy Source site that assesses the developmental stages of your child, based on your answers to a series of questions in a dozen different skill categories.

If you haven’t already heard of Savvy Source, you must not read blogs - or you’ve been hiding under a rock.  Several prominent parent bloggers (including a few PBN bloggers) post regularly for Savvy Source about family activities in their respective cities - their Being Savvy initiative.  Beyond that, Savvy Source is a fantastic reference for preschool research, particularly in big cities where preschool selection is an Event with a capital E.

The Savvy Quiz generates personalized recommendations for your child - toys and games and activities - based on their developmental stage.  Any parent of more than one child knows how vastly different they can be in terms of their personal skills, even when they’re the same age.  For example, Tacy was always highly verbal, whereas CJ is extremely physical and artistically inclined.  The same toys, games, and activities that interested Tacy when she was three aren’t necessarily what CJ enjoys now that she’s three.  The Savvy Quiz provides guidance for choosing what’s appropriate for a child’s developmental stage, not just their age.

Finally, the sidebar widget (over there, look to the left), is a revenue generator (whoo!) that bloggers can install on their blogs (main sites and review blogs) to guide their readers over to the Savvy Quiz while earning a few extra bucks.  Right now the widget is invitation-only, but all the PBN bloggers who are participating in this campaign have invitations to dole out - so start sucking up!

On Tacy’s sixth birthday, she wanted to go to Build-a-Bear Workshop.

We drove to the location where we thought there was a Build-a-Bear, only to discover that we were wrong. Thanks to the lousy weather that afternoon (snow…on April 9…ugh), we decided to forego looking for another location and went out for pizza instead.

But she hasn’t forgotten about Build-a-Bear. So when fellow blogger Average Jane asked if we’d like to check out Tropical Hello Kitty, courtesy of Build-a-Bear Workshop, I jumped at the chance. It’s not like we needed another stuffed animal around here, but unlike almost all of the others, I knew Hello Kitty would be special.

And she is. The girls ADORE her. We’ve had to draft a schedule for her sleeping arrangements. Clothing has been sacrificed by American Girl dolls so that Hello Kitty can change her clothes a dozen times a day. The little girl two doors down has a Hello Kitty too, and the two cats got together for a playdate yesterday.

What makes this kitty so entrancing? I’ve got to admit, she is extremely huggable. Much more huggable than any real live cat I’ve owned. Plus, I love her because she doesn’t shed. A huggable, hairless cat - my favorite.

Tacy agrees with the huggability factor. When I asked her, “Why do you love Hello Kitty?” she gave me a look as if to say, “Well, DUH. Why do you think?” When pressed for actual words to describe that love, she told me, “She’s beautiful and soft and cuddly.”

On the Build-a-Bear site, you can purchase your own Hello Kitty and dress her up any way you please. Check out all the furry friends there - personally, I love the donation animals, where a portion of the proceeds are donated to local pet shelters and rescue organizations.

I’ve got a $25 Bear Bucks card to give away to a lucky reader! Email me at mothergoosemouse AT mothergoosemouse DOT com by midnight PST on Monday, June 9, and tell me how you’d spend your Bear Bucks at the Build-a-Bear site. I’ll draw one winner at random (US and Canada only!) and announce on mothergoosemouse on Wednesday, June 11.

While I prefer to decorate my living spaces with more neutral colors, I do understand that bright colors and babies go together like peanut butter and jelly. And just like peanut butter and jelly, bright colors can be revolting if done poorly (like those PB&J sandwiches in the elementary school cafeteria), but they can be fabulous if done well.

Kushies knows how to do bright colors better than anyone. Their Zolo Toys have funky, offbeat designs with plenty of bright colors that are truly easy on the eyes. The Linko Clip Together Teether and Toys resembles other linking toys, but it includes lots of different textures and color combinations to keep little ones (and their aching gums) occupied.

The Mobilo Crib Carousel Mobile provides plenty of entertainment value too - the hanging stuffed animals are detachable (by parents, not by baby), the underside of the carousel canopy is mirrored, and it’s got the same fantastic variety of color combinations.

My favorite Zolo Toy has to be the Stacrobats Magnetic Stacking Acrobats. These five little guys stick together (and to the accompanying colorful balls) to form all sorts of poses on the magnetic base. I must have played with these Stacrobats for a good fifteen minutes all by myself. If they can occupy a thirty-something woman who really ought to be vacuuming, I’m certain that babies and toddlers will find them infinitely entertaining.

But it’s EQ - the Theory of Emotional Intelligence - that makes these toys really cool and unique. With the help of child development experts, Kushies created these toys to tap into kids’ self-expression and emotional self-confidence. The idea is that playing with toys that are geared toward EQ involves more and different brain cells than most other baby toys, which in turn “helps to create more open-minded and flexible thinkers.” Even after having three kids, I’m still no child development expert, so I’ll have to take Kushies’ word for it - at least until my youngest child grows up and I can evaluate whether his Zolo Toys helped him become a more open-minded and flexible thinker than his big sisters.

Kushies is about more than just toys. They’ve got a wide range of gear, including clothing, swimwear, and outerwear - including buntings, snowsuits, and the adorable Splish Splash Rain Jacket and Pant Set. Like the Kushies Zolo Toys, it’s the details of this set that make it so fantastic. The hood of the jacket has a visor (genius!), and both the jacket and pants have reflective strips to ensure that the wearer is visible, even in stormy weather. And the bright colors - including cornflower blue, petal pink, and sunny yellow - make the set all the more appealing.

Has Kushies converted me to the bright side? Well, that depends. If the brightness comes from them, I’m definitely on board. Just keep it confined to the adorable child and his nursery, that’s all I ask.

If I could be anything in the world - if there were absolutely no limitations on my career choice - I’d be an astronaut.

As it is, I couldn’t have been an astronaut, thanks to my nearsightedness and my apparent inability to earn an engineering degree. But neither of those constraints can stop me from exploring space right here at home - whether I’m reading, watching TV, or choosing toys for my kids.

Toys? Yes, toys. Like the Spark Talking Telescope, sent by the Discovery Channel Store via the Parent Bloggers Network.

I knew my girls would love the telescope. In true geek fashion, following in the footsteps of their geeky parents, they love to watch shows about space - whether it’s the Zula Patrol or any of the Discovery Channel shows. And we’re thrilled to indulge and encourage their interest.

Sure enough, the telescope has been a tremendous hit - both with my older daughter (who is not quite six), and my younger daughter (who’s just shy of three). We took it out of the box, popped in a slide, and started winging it. So much for the scientific method of reading the directions - but with this toy, you really don’t need to. It’s very intuitive. In fact, even though she doesn’t use it “properly” - going through the facts and taking the quiz - my younger daughter probably plays with the telescope more frequently than my older one. It’s that easy to use and enjoy.

My older daughter punches in the codes on the slides - full-color NASA photographs that are truly stunning - and listens to the facts and takes the quizzes. I love that she shows such interest!

But I have to admit that it’s even more fun to watch my younger daughter play with the telescope. She can remove and replace the drawer of slides herself, but needs help getting the slide inserted properly. She tends to push the buttons randomly, but she knows which one turns the telescope on and off. If I’m not right next to her, she calls every celestial body “MOON!” But if I am there, she’ll ask, “What’s that, Mommy?” and then repeat what I tell her. Again, I love that she shows such interest, and even though she’s only parroting me now, I’ll bet the knowledge will start to sink in soon.

Best of all, this toy is compact and apparently indestructible. The drawer of slides fits neatly in the base of the telescope, which I think is absolutely ingenius. And once, my younger daughter accidentally knocked the telescope off the kitchen table and onto the tile floor. Not a lick of damage. I could hardly believe it.

Given how much they enjoy the telescope, I’m tempted to get them the microscope next - perhaps for my older daughter’s birthday. Plus, considering how rugged it is and how much it appeals to both of them, I’m sure that it will still be around when their little brother is old enough to check it out.

We love the Spark Talking Telescope and would highly recommend it, even for kids younger than the target age range.