Blog Posts by Babble.com

I love big, happy party balloons and I have a feeling I'm not alone. There's a reason why balloons are such a party mainstay - they're just plain ol' fun! The things is, balloons can also be as elegant as they are peppy and either way you shake em up, you're sure to inspire pure joy. So in celebration of party balloons and my incurable love for them, here are 7 DIY balloon ideas perfect for whatever bash you might be planning. It's party time! - By Cyd Converse

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I broke my glasses last night, which - back me up on this, fellow four-eyes - is the absolute worst. But I've been meaning to get some new sunglasses for summer (because, yes, last year's sunglasses are long broken), so I figured I might as well go on an all-out glasses buying binge. And in doing so, I started tracking some consistent trends in the eyewear game for 2013. Instead of sticking with the typical hipster black frames and oversized sunglasses, 2013 is seeing some distinct eyewear trends for spring/summer. Here are 8 of the trendiest pairs out there:

-By Michelle Horton

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Bring the outdoors in with these darling hanging planters! If you have a sad corner that could use an upgrade, consider making one of these cheerful DIY's, no green thumb necessary! They are also a great way to repurpose old bits of fabrics, tins, planters, and even boots they may be missing their match. Take a look at the slideshow below for 7 fun ideas of how to make your own hanging planters. - By Jennifer Hadifield

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Finding ticks on your dog or cat is one of the more troubling parts of being a pet owner. Not only can the dreaded tick carry harmful disease to your beloved pet but it can also infect your children and family. Since May is Lyme Disease Awareness month, there is no better time to think about tick prevention. It is imperative that pet owners remain vigilant about preventing tick infestation in their dogs and cats. While it is not always easy to keep your eye on a rambunctious canine or kitty, there are simple ways to greatly reduce the odds of your pet contracting harmful ticks. The time to think about ticks is now- before your dog or cat ever gets them. Click through for 7 essential tips to protect your pet! -By Danielle Sullivan

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Last week I had the amazing opportunity to yank my tween son out of school (yes, during state testing) and bring him as my date to an incredible blogger event at Disneyland. At the risk of sounding trite, the day was pure magic. Boy Wonder is my firstborn and for the first five years it was often just the two of us as my husband worked long hours and attended school. My son was my partner in crime, cuddle buddy, errand sidekick and anything and everything I needed him to be during that time in my life. Then a funny thing happened; he began to grow up. As much as I wish Disneyland magic was available to us every day, it simply isn't, so I pulled together these potential dates designed to bring you closer together. Click through for 7 creative parent-tween date ideas! -By Lori Garcia

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I know the headline of this post is a bit on the terrifying spectrum, but it's the exact same phrase used on the subheading of a press release issued by Save the Children this week that highlights some of their major findings in this year's State of the World's Mother report. What I find astonishing about the U.S. being the industrialized country with the highest first-day death rate, is that it's so unexpected for all of us that live here. We think that issues like infant mortality are problems faced by third world countries and that distance can make us a bit immune to it, but Save the Children is telling us that issues affecting our babies are hitting home and are, in fact, a global motherhood concern.

Related: 5 lessons I want my daughter to learn about growing fearless

The new report shows that 50 percent more U.S. babies die on their first day-11,300 in 2011-
than babies in all other industrialized countries combined. That's due, in part, to the U.S.'s higher
rates of preterm

Abercrombie and Fitch"In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids," he told [Salon]. "Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely." -Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie + Fitch"

When I read the words of Abercrombie CEO Michael Jeffries, who was recently written about in Business Insider, over 20 years of memories flash through my head, years when I was tormented because I was a fat kid. I guess I'm lucky that by middle school I fit into Abercrombie and could therefore be considered "cool" and "attractive"; as if I "belonged." I think of my life-long struggle to feel beautiful and like I fit in or am worthy because of the size of my waist. Then I think about Columbine, Newtown, The Bully Project. I think about this and this. I think about all the clothes I purchased at A&F, all the

With Kimye's little fashionista and Kate's baby prince or princess expected in July, summer 2013 will surely go down in history as The Season of The Celebrity Baby. But let's not forget all the little ones who've arrived over the past 12 months and in doing so have given their mommies the right to demand and receive extra sleep, breakfast in bed, cards, photos, spa appointments, heaps of jewelry and what ever else they'd like this weekend. These celebrities are newbies to the Mother's Day club, with many years of macaroni art and overcooked scrambled eggs to look forward to. Click through for 7 celebrity mamas celebrating their first Mother's Day! -By Sarah Bernard

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