What a great notepad! The fill-in-the-blanks make it simple for busy parents to include all the pertinent information babysitters and other caretakers need.

“With prompts for all possibilities, you’ll remember to clarify everything from food quirks to bedtime rituals. Each sheet outlines where you will be, what to do in case of emergency, and how you want your children cared for while you are gone. There is even room at the bottom for your babysitter to leave you feedback about how your kids behaved!” (…Or not!)

60 pages. $7.75 at OnlineOrganizing.com

Any exhausted parent who’s had a fussy, inconsolable, no-napping baby understands how absolutely maddening it is when said baby finally does go to sleep, only to be woken up by a doorbell. And when that doorbell was rung by a solicitor or other equally unwanted visitor you may likely want to give them a piece of your mind, ring their neck, or simply cry out of sheer frustration.

I cannot stress how much I do not want to join your church group, go to a Mary Kay party, or buy meat in bulk quantities- (what’s the deal with that, by the way? Is it some east coast thing I am not familiar with? Or am I just in a weird neighborhood?) I am this close to putting up a big, flashing, neon “Naturally-Beautiful Vegetarian Atheist” sign on the front door. Seriously.

My son has been having terribly terrible-twos, or what we’ve begun to call “day terrors”. So yesterday when he finally went down for a nap, I was relieved he could finally get some much-needed rest. And then… Yes, the doorbell rings. The dogs start barking. All hell breaks loose. (It was the church people again, just in case you were wondering.)

So I just had to share what I found when I Googled “do not disturb baby”: These wonderful (and funny) solicitor-deterrent doorknob signs from BabyKnobNots.

They feature a red stop symbol, a picture of a baby sleeping, and your choice of message. My favorite is “Baby Sleeping. Mother Will Hurt You.” Perfect. I am so getting one as soon as I finish posting this, and will report back as to it’s effectiveness.

There are a variety of different messages made for parents or different caretakers, and can be personalized with your child’s name if you want to pay a little more. You can choose blue, pink, or yellow, and even purchase them in a variety pack- especially handy if you’re on the go or vacation, etc.

I realize these signs are not for everyone, as many parents either don’t share my sense of humor or don’t want to condition their babies to sleep only when it’s quiet. However, for those with colicky/possessed kids like mine who need a moderately relaxing environment to get just a bit of shuteye, I don’t see anything wrong with attempting to give them some peace and quiet in which to do so. Now I just hope this sign will help me with that a little.

$3.50 each at BabyKnobNots.com

There are some quotes from famous movies that we’ll never forget. And now, thanks to Baby Fish Mouth, you can even have those words emblazoned on your kidlet….with a twist.

Made from 100% cotton and sporting quotes from movies such as The Godfather, Spinal Tap, Apocalypse Now and Titanic, these fun shirts make a wonderful baby shower gift.

As a bonus, these shirts come already perfectly wrapped in an old-fashioned movie popcorn box….perfection!

There are days when I wonder if I should just buy a couple of these in advance for my kids……of course it is still a toss up who will need therapy first: me or them.

$28 by Pamela Barksy

If you haven’t seen these yet, you’re in for a treat. With the exception of Lost, these commercials are just about all I look forward to on TV these days, so I thought I would share them and give myself an excuse to watch them even more. They’re thoroughly amusing… (I could swear that’s my kid!)

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