Laila Ali Loves her Baby Jogger from Goore's

Like most moms after they have a baby, Laila Ali is working hard to get back in shape. We were very happy to assist Laila in finding the right jogging stroller that suited her needs for her workout/training regimen.

“Thank you to Goores.com for helping me make the perfect choice with my Baby Jogger Performance Series Jogging Stroller. Their knowledgeable staff helped me choose the ideal high performance stroller to meet all of my athletic needs. Goores.com is a great site for parents who are in search of the best products for their kids.”
-Laila Ali

Take a look at Laila's Blog to see what she has been up to to get back in shape and about life with Curtis Jr. Laila, thanks for shopping with us! See you again soon.

Richard Goore

Goore's for Babies to Teens

Twitter Moms: The Influential Moms Network

Would You Bike to Work/Play on this?

Every year there are certain days on the calendar I see and think how these could fit into my life - Valentines Day (for the wife), Administrative Professionals Day (the backbone of most companies) and of course the major holidays like the 4th of July and Thanksgiving. Some of the lesser known days on the calendar many people don't even know about. Did you know the Lunar New Year begins on the first new moon of the new year (Jan 26 this year)? Do you have your calendars marked for National Bosses Day on October 16th? I hope my employees do (hint, hint).

This Friday is National Bike to Word Day. I struggle with this as I would like to participate but I am tasked with taking the kids to school each day. I would love to ride my bike more but "life" keeps getting in the way. In my never ending searches of the web I may have found the answer....... Madsen Bikes!

They are not cheap but their utility may be worth it. What do you think? Send me your feedback - Goore's Blog, Twitter, Facebook. I would love to hear it.

Richard Goore

Goore's for Babies to Teens

Don’t Forget Dad! Father's Day is Coming.....

I can’t remember the last baby shower I went to that wasn’t coed. These days, we all know that baby stuff isn’t just for the women, and dads play an active roll in a newborn’s life. Still, when it comes to going out with baby, the majority of the diaper bags on the market today are either oversized women’s purses with feminine (and super-styling) designs, or baby-themed in pink or baby blue. I know my husband would have never gone out to run an errand if he had to tote something like that along.

Fortunately, there are also plenty of options out there for dads that won’t leave them embarrassed. My husband was perfectly happy to traipse around town with the Baby Bjorn Diaper Backpack, which was practical—it gives you hands-free mobility—and gender-neutral.

But maybe you’re a dude, and you’re going to your dude-friend’s baby shower, or you’re a woman, but your favorite little brother is about to become a dad for the first time. Then maybe you want to get him something special that’s just for him. Something his wife won’t get to use at all. The GR8X Messenger Bag is the ultimate in guy’s diaper bags, and comes in a sporty camo print that guarantees he’ll be the hippest dad at the playground.

Or maybe your dude-friend or little brother is about the most clueless person in the world when it comes to babies, and he’s got that deer-in-headlights look about him as he watches his wife’s belly growing bigger by the week. The Daddy’s Toolbag Kit can help. It’s part diaper-bag, part do-it-yourself video, all put together in an easy-to-relate-to tool bag. The entertaining video is full of sound advice on all that new newborn stuff: diapering, bathing, car seat safety, nasal aspiration, fingernail clipping, bottles and burping.

The Petunia Pickle Bottom Scout Rubicon Rucksack comes in either black or brown buffalo leather, and looks, well, nothing like a diaper bag, although it’s designed to function as one. This really is the diaper bag for the dude who has everything. The Scout Rubicon Rucksack comes with two interior linings that can be interchanged—they snap out and convert the bag from a diaper bag to a laptop bag. It even comes with its own antique brass wipes case. And while it may be on the pricey side, it’s something he’ll use well after junior is out of diapers.

Of course, if you want to go for something simpler, you can always get him a t-shirt or a keychain —two things you’re almost sure he’ll use, regardless of if he ever changes a diaper.

Jane

Fun Play Space or Baby Jail

Back when I was a baby, it was called the playpen, but today’s play yards are decidedly friendlier. Still, the change in name brings up a pressing question in many of today’s mom’s minds: is a play yard a horrible, cruel contraption, akin to “baby jail,” or is it, as generations of moms past have felt, an incredibly useful contraption that gives you some sanity and keeps your baby safe?

While I wouldn’t advocate keeping your baby in the play yard for hours on end (unless, of course, he’s sleeping there), small doses of play yard time are indeed sanity-savers—especially when your baby gets to the crawling stage and hasn’t yet left the putting-everything-in-his-mouth stage and you, let’s face it, have to figure out something to cook for dinner. Giving your baby time in the play yard with some toys also means he’ll have time to safely -- and independently -- investigate things on his own, without you lurking over his shoulder.

Today’s play yards are generally softer than the jail-like ones you may remember from your childhood, usually with mesh sides that your little one can easily see out of and rest comfortably against. And not only do they keep your baby safe from things he might get into, you keep him safe from the family pet, menacing older siblings, and stairs.

Play yards are also inherently portable, which means that you will lug it around on family vacations or trips to Grandma’s house for the first roughly two years of your child’s life as a place to sleep. Think about ease of use in setting up, how much the play yard weighs, and how compact it is (it’s amazing how quickly the trunk of a car can fill up when you’re traveling with a baby). It’s nice to invest in a few fitted sheets that fit your play yard if you plan on using it for this purpose.

Many models, such as the Graco Pack ‘N Play or Chicco’s Lullaby Play Yard LX also come with bassinets, changing tables and even musical mobiles, which means you can use them even during your baby’s youngest days.

If you’re worried about your baby feeling confined, think about Joovy’s Room2 Playard, which gives baby a full ten square feet of space to play in. The Room2 is also fabulous for travel; it has a deluxe carry bag with a padded shoulder strap as well as wheels—which, just like the wheels on your suitcase, and just like the play yard itself, you wonder how you would ever live without.

Richard Goore
Goore's for Babeis to Teens

Encouraging A Global Outlook Through Music

Music and food are two of the most important ways we have to learn about other cultures. And while we might not all live in a cosmopolitan enough city to where we can take our children out to experience Ethiopian food on a Tuesday, music is accessible to everyone—even kids.

The Putamayo Kids series is a wonderful group of CDs designed to expose even the littlest ones to music from other cultures. Putamayo Dreamland blends traditional lullabies from Ireland to Africa in a beautifully realized journey around the world that soothes little ones to sleep. My son received a copy of this as a gift when he was born, and we invested in a second when my daughter came along. The music is beautiful and soothing, but never syrupy. We’ve even played it on long car trips when we drive into the evening, and the adults enjoy it as well, though I wouldn’t advise it if you’re driving too late into the evening—its effects are that good.

The entire Putamayo Kids series is a fabulous way to expose your kids—and yourself—to music from different cultures. Titles include African Playground, Caribbean Playground, Folk Playground, French Playground, Latin Playground, New Orleans Playground, Reggae Playground, and World Playground, and Brazil, along with other titles focusing on different themes, such as Animal, Dreamland, Sing Along With Putamayo, and Sesame.
I also find that these CDs make great gifts, especially if you know someone who is eager to incorporate her own background into her child’s upbringing. They are also fabulous tools for continuing to expand our own horizons as adults—something important to keep in mind as we ease into the role of parents.

Jane

Baby in a Basket

I loved my Moses basket. I knew I wanted one even before I got pregnant, just because there was something so cozy about them. What I realized after I had my son was just how convenient it was — easily transported from room to room, or to a friend’s house for an afternoon, or on trips away from home.

Henry and Sophie both loved the Moses basket when they were first born, I think because when they stretched their arms out, they could easily touch the sides, which made them feel safe. They both slept in it for months, and it fit easily in our room without being obtrusive. The Moses basket stand is also a great addition, instantly turning your Moses basket into a rocking bassinet and bringing baby up to bedside height.

Of course, life in a Moses basket doesn’t last forever; once your baby can roll over and push up on his own, it’s time to move him into something more secure. For both of my kids, that was around four months, and they were ready to be in a crib — and my husband and I were happy to have our room back.

Even long after my kids have outgrown it, our Moses basket has continued to get use — as a toy bin, cat bed, or imaginary boat, depending on the day — and is still a part of the kids’ room.