Today's Kool Idea: Bamboo Fabric Bedding Sheets

We at The Daily Kool have a confession to make. We have been having a really hard time getting out of bed in the morning lately. Yes, we know we have kids to take care of, places to be and readers to write for. But when the alarm goes off, we find ourselves stubbornly pressing the snooze button (over and over again) and snuggling deeper in our covers. Though we are admittedly a lazy bunch by nature, this is kind of over the top...yes, even for us. It's not our fault, though...really! We have a couple of dear, dear friends who are totally responsible for our recent indolence. We won't mention names, but they know who they are. Boy, are we grateful for them!

We were having dinner with our friends about a month ago and somehow got on the topic of bamboo fabric bedding sheets. Bamboo? We'd heard about the many environmental benefits of bamboo fabric, but we ignorantly assumed that there was no way this material could possibly be that comfortable to sleep on. Our friends insisted that their bamboo fabric bedding sheets were softer and more luxurious than we could ever imagine. Nope, we'd stick with our expensive European cotton sheets, thank you very much.

A couple of weeks later, we received a package from our friends with a note that said, "Just try them." Okay, fine. See the first paragraph of this post for the results. The feeling of these sheets against our skin is almost indescribable ...kind of like a blend of silk and cashmere, but definitely softer to the touch than our cotton ones. And, did you know that bamboo fabric can actually adjust to body temperature? Apparently, the very fast wicking properties allow it to be 3-4 times more absorbent than cotton. Our bamboo fabric bedding sheets will keep us cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Increased air between the body and skin prevent overheating, which is relief for those of us who experience the dreaded night sweats. There's a reason why bamboo fabric bedding sheets have been labeled "the first menopausal sheet."

As if the buttery soft comfort of our bamboo fabric bedding sheets wasn't enough, the organic and natural fiber properties make it naturally hypoallergenic. Bamboo is non-irritating to the skin, working extremely well for anyone with allergies, eczema, dermatitis or other skin sensitivities. We found several scientific studies online that demonstrate the antimicrobial and hypoallergenic properties of bamboo, resulting in sheets that stay cleaner and fresher longer. Apparently, the natural antibacterial properties of bamboo fabric come from an inherent quality of bamboo commonly called "bamboo kun." Bamboo does not require pesticides to grow because of this natural antifungal agent, which functions in the spun bamboo fibers as well. Okay, we know we got a little technical here, but the bottom line is that bamboo acts as a natural deterrent to bed bugs and mites, with a 99.8% antibacterial kill rate, making it an ideal bedding choice for children as well.

Here’s the kicker...bamboo fabric is completely biodegradable. Bamboo is one of the world's fastest growing, greenest, most renewable resource. It takes in five times the amount of greenhouse gases, and produces 35% more oxygen than an equivalent-sized tree. Plus, bamboo textiles are made from Moso bamboo, not the type of bamboo that giant pandas eat, in case you were wondering (we did). These bamboo plants can grow up to a foot per day, so deforestation is not a concern. Because it can grow so densely without the need for pesticides or herbicides, a bamboo forest has about 40% more biomass than a regular hardwood forest. Bamboo is truly one of the most eco-friendly materials around.

If you decide to try them, make sure that you only purchase 100% bamboo fabric bedding sheets...apparently there are blends out there that do not have all of the same properties and benefits. The real thing is a little pricey, but oh so worth it! We have ours from a company called SleepBamboo.com, but we have found a lower thread count on clearance from Bed Bath and Beyond that you might want to check out. There is a natural sheen to bamboo fabric bedding sheets that may not be for everyone. And keep in mind that they should always be washed on the delicate cycle (tumble dry low) and removed promptly from the dryer to minimize shrinkage and wrinkling, respectively.

There are so many wonderful things to say about our bamboo fabric bedding sheets. Hypoallergenic, environmentally conscious and heavenly to sleep on, these sheets are a perfect fit for any bedroom. Soft, supple and silky to the touch...so luxurious, we never want to sleep on another fabric again. We'll just have to start going to bed earlier in the evening...sounds like a "kool" idea to us!

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Today's Kool Idea: Miracle Blanket - Baby Swaddling Blanket

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, July is the most popular month to have a baby. Surprised? We're certainly not. It seems that everyone we know is pregnant these days...yep, we at The Daily Kool have been getting some major baby fever. This month has been filled with baby showers galore, and we have had the arduous task of trying to find that "perfect" gift that everyone will love. What do new parents need most? Well, sleep of course, but let's face it...we can't package sleep and wrap it in a pretty bow no matter how much we'd like to. Or can we?

Introducing the Miracle Blanket baby swaddling blanket. What is swaddling, you ask? Well, it's a way to wrap your newborn securely in a blanket, creating a slight pressure to give them a sense of security. Many experts suggest that swaddling in the first several months eases babies through the shock of suddenly being out of the womb by duplicating many of the same sensations. Many babies do not handle this transition well, and some recent research suggests that this may be the main cause of fussiness. Swaddling actually helps limit movement so the baby can relax and calm down.

Swaddling a baby properly has almost become an art form, and is often difficult to do. Most blankets do not provide for a secure swaddle, allowing the baby to squirm loose. The Miracle Blanket makes baby swaddling incredibly easy and, most importantly, fool-proof. The Miracle Blanket is made of a breathable, cozy fabric that babies love, and because it doesn't use velcro, knots, buttons, straps, snaps or zippers, it will leave your baby in scratch-free comfort. The Miracle Blanket is endorsed by pediatricians and other baby experts everywhere, and has even earned the "thumbs up" from the Good Housekeeping Institute.

For many babies, the secret to a longer, more restful sleep is swaddling. A proper swaddling will help a baby sleep on his back to reduce SIDS concerns, and can often eliminate colic symptoms. We have yet to find a baby swaddling blanket that works quite as well as the Miracle Blanket. Though it is a bit expensive, The Daily Kool would readily argue that the extra sleep it will give baby and parents is well worth every penny! Just be careful...there are many knock-offs available out there that are not made quite as well as the original. The Miracle Blanket is definitely a "kool" gift idea that every parent will appreciate.

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Today's Kool Idea: Nomie Baby Waterproof Car Seat Cover

Last month, we carpooled with a friend and her children to meet a group of four other families for a quick (but crazy) weekend trip to the Florida Keys. Thank goodness for the invention of the minivan...we just put four car seats in the Honda Odyssey, strapped the kids in, and away we went. We all had a wonderful time, but wow...you should have seen those car seats when we got back! Imagine the coagulated mess...apple juice, chocolate milk, mushed M&Ms, cookies, crackers, chips...the list goes on and on. Combine all that with the sand, ocean water and tar from the beach, and we had a serious mess to clean up. Oh, and did we mention the projectile vomiting incident that spanned across the entire second row?

Cleaning the kids' car seats has become the bane of our parental responsibilities. Don't get us wrong...we absolutely love our Britax car seats, but the hassle of taking the cover off the base and putting it back on again is an absolute nightmare. In fact, the process is complicated enough, Britax actually felt the need to add an instructional video on their site. Our other favorite brand, Graco is no better...and they even recommend drip drying the car seat rather than using the machine. There has to be a better way!

We found the Nomie Baby waterproof car seat cover through our Twitter connections. The company's promise of no more disassembling straps was just too intriguing to pass up. So, The Daily Kool contacted Nomie Baby and asked them to send us a sample to test out. We received the navy blue (one of six color options) Nomie Baby waterproof car seat cover and immediately took it out to test on our Britax seats. The first thing we noticed is how soft and cool the quilted material is...this was a definite plus, especially with the summer season on its way. We have to admit that we did look for instructions and were surprised that there weren't any included with the product...that is, until we realized just how easy it was to install. The Nomie Baby has Velcro openings for the harness shoulder straps and two slits for the bottom buckle. We didn't have remove the car seat, or unbuckle a single strap...so simple, and yet so genius! Plus, the elastic edges fit securely and comfortably on our standard Britax Marathon seat, although it was a bit too tight for our other, Husky version.

The next step was to test its durability...and boy, did we ever! We selected a panel of five moms to abuse our Nomie Baby waterproof car seat cover over a 10 day period. This poor thing has gone through the mill...formula spills, potty accidents, vomit and all of the dirt, grime and gunk a typical toddler gets into. It has already gone through several machine washings and has held up beautifully so far. Even better, the kids absolutely loved the Nomie Baby. They all thought it was soft and comfy...one even threw a temper tantrum when her mom had to give it back to us.

The Nomie Baby waterproof car seat cover is absolute dream come true and a must-have for every mom (and dad, of course!). It's comfortable and affordable, attractive and durable. It does such a great job, it will undoubtedly extend the life of your car seat. What a great gift idea! We like that there are versions for both an infant seat and toddler seat...we would like to see a Nomie Baby stroller and/or booster seat (with back) cover soon, though. We cannot recommend this product highly enough. In fact, every one of our moms said they would love to have their own Nomie Baby waterproof car seat cover...sorry, ladies...you'll have to get your own, because we're keeping ours!

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Today's Kool Idea: Photo Collage for Mother's Day

Pictures of the kids or grandchildren seems to be a popular gift choice for Mother's Day. But, who says you have to give Mom just an ordinary photograph?

Picture if you will (ha, ha...sorry), a professionally printed image of your pride and joy, meticulously composed of all your favorite shots. The Daily Kool came across this "kool" idea for a photo collage from a company called Picture Evolution. Picture Evolution will take a primary photograph of your choice, and create a composite by cutting and joining a number of other photographs (also provided by you).

We at The Daily Kool love this gift idea. If you are at all like us, you probably have hundreds of digital pictures of your kids. With Picture Evolution, all you have to do is upload and submit at least 50 of your favorites and they'll take care of the rest. Don't be skimpy on the pictures though...Picture Evolution needs enough variation in color and contrast to accurately recreate the main photo, so the more you give them, the better (there is no limit). As you can see from our example, the photo collage results are astounding.

We like the convenience that comes with uploading our selected images to Picture Evolution to create the photo collage. Don't worry, though. The company assures us that all photographs are handled with complete care, respect and confidentiality. Imagine the look on Mom's face when you present her with this beautiful piece of art. A photo collage is the ultimate expression of your special memories and a truly unique Mother's Day gift idea that will undoubtedly surprise and delight the special woman in your life.

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Today's Kool Idea: No Throw Baby Bottle Tether

Yesterday, we met the newest baby girl in our extended family. Our one-year old cousin was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise male-dominated group. And the way she has all five of her brothers wrapped around her little finger...well, let's just say it was love at first sight between us! The difference between girls and boys even as infants is astounding, especially to those of us who always favored nurture over nature. Who knew? Of course, there is at least one thing that seems to be consistent across genders...an undeniable obsession with throwing things on the floor.

We remember when our second child went through this stage...he logged in hours of entertainment with the bottle-tossing game. Our older son, sweet in his innocence, was always eager to help his baby brother at the first hint of upset. Poor thing...it took him a while before he stopped falling for those baby blues...ahem...grays. Yep, definitely early manipulation at its finest! Where was the No Throw baby bottle tether when we needed it?

Turns out we just didn't know about it at the time...such a shame, too! This product is truly simplicity at its finest. Our new friends at No Throw have developed this tether to secure any bottle or sippy cup to a car seat, stroller or high chair. The company has several adorable designs...choose from princess, dinosaurs, even animal print. We love that it is so reasonably priced...inexpensive enough to have several designs. Washable, durable, adorable and practical...what more could a parent want? Apparently not much, especially for the celebrity parent. No Throw has also been touted by several, including Jenna Elfman (Dharma and Greg) and Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives).

Yes, the No Throw baby bottle tether is definitely a convenience we think no parent with little ones should be without. Just think of the convenience...think of the safety. Though the No Throw website does not point this out (and they should), the tether not only protects bottles and sippy cups from germs, but it can also help prevent parenting-related car accidents. We can't tell you how many times we've carelessly turned around and/or reached for a sippy cup that has fallen on the floor while driving (shush...don't tell anyone!). With the No Throw, toddlers can now retrieve their own cups. We wonder if this product would work on toys also...think about those mall trips. One thing to keep in mind though...since toddlers are undeniably curious, it may be sooner rather than later that they are able to dislodge the velcro. Our advice...try to distract your child so he/she doesn't notice how you are attaching the No Throw. This may buy you more time.

Peace of mind for parents and independence for children...definitely a winning combination. Granted, our baby's bottle-throwing game was a great excuse to get some squats in...but really, who are we kidding? This product would have been a godsend to us with our little ones. Well, you never know...the No Throw baby bottle tether still might come in handy someday. Until then, we're just passing this "kool" idea along to you.

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Today's Kool Idea: Baby's 1st Toothbrush (Angel Brush) by Baby Buddy

Poor baby! One of our dearest friends has been having a problem soothing her seven-month old teething baby. He is getting four teeth at the same time and is understandably miserable. A dentist once told us that if adults had to go through the agony of teething like our babies, the majority of us would need some major pain medication just to be able to function. Yep, our pain tolerance definitely decreases as we get older, folks. For those of us who cry over a paper cut (it's okay...we admit it also), knowing this makes it that much harder to see our babies suffering. So, what can we do to give our little ones some relief?

We at The Daily Kool have sought several options to help alleviate our babies' teething pain over the years. We've tried several teething rings, blankets and toys...one of our children favored his teething blanket (purchased at our local supermarket), another one preferred to chew on toys (and our fingers...ouch!). However, there was amazingly one product that all of our babies fell in love with...Baby's 1st Toothbrush (Angel Brush) by Baby Buddy.

Yes, you heard us right. We used the Baby's 1st Toothbrush as a teether for our babies. Oh, do we love it when a product serves a dual function in our household! Baby Buddy recruited the expertise of a dentist to design the H-shaped head of the Angel Brush. Baby's 1st Toothbrush has tiny, soft bristles to clean all sides of top and bottom teeth and gums at the same time. How "kool" is that? Not only does the Angel Brush introduce good dental hygiene to our infants, but it will also also relieve that painful, itchy feeling that comes with teething. We love that the small size and shape make Baby's 1st Toothbrush easy for an infant to hold and maneuver. It's made of 100% food-grade silicone (BPA, Lead & Phthalate free), and though it is a little strange looking, the texture was a favorite for infant gnawing. We kept several of Baby's 1st Toothbrush in our home (and diaper bag)...they were a particularly great distraction for our babies during diaper changing.

Okay, to all you cynics out there (you know who you are)...yes, we are well aware that the baby teeth all fall out as our children get older. But, baby teeth are just as important to take care of as permanent ones. Okay, we didn't buy it completely either...but our pediatric dentist insists this is true. It is highly recommended to clean your baby's gums even before the first tooth comes in...go figure! Baby's 1st Toothbrush by Baby Buddy will get your little one accustomed to having something poking around in his mouth, making it easier for you keep his teeth and gums healthy...even if you use it mostly as a teether (like we did). We bought a two-pack at our local baby store to give our friend next Saturday, and hope her infant loves the Baby's 1st Toothbrush as much as ours did!

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Today's Kool Idea: Comfy Cozy

When a friend asked us to give a recommendation for an extra-special newborn gift, we at The Daily Kool knew a product review was on its way. Check out the very first (and still the best) cuddly friend our oldest child received...the Comfy Cozy Lamb. Shhh...don't tell anyone...but he's now seven and still sneaks it for comfort sometimes when he thinks no one else is looking. Our younger son likes to teas his big brother about it...while holding his own "Doggie" Comfy Cozy of course...he's four.

Baby Gund is a 106-year-old company known worldwide for its award-winning, top quality, soft and huggable plush designs. They definitely don't disappoint with this wonderful product. The Comfy Cozy features fabulous textures and satin paws that babies love to rub. So incredibly soft, yet amazingly sturdy. They claim to be surface washable, but who are we kidding? If your children are as attached to them as ours are, you will definitely have to put them into a washing machine (delicate cycle) at some point. We have, several times, and all of our Comfy Cozies (we own five of them) have held up remarkably well. These items are a bit expensive, but you are definitely getting value for your money.

Although our children have their preferences, there are several different animals to choose from, each more adorable than the next. All of our Comfy Cozies are about 24", just the perfect size for little ones to carry around with them. Some places will offer personalization options, if you prefer. We at The Daily Kool never recommend putting a child's name on anything that may leave the home for safety reasons, but it is available. This product is such a beautiful nursery accent and a great item for the crib, rocker or bed. You definitely "Gotta Getta Gund!"