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When it comes to putting a unique spin on children's gifts, no one takes their job more seriously than Scott and Mark, the friends, dads and founders behind Frecklebox, a fabulous online purveyor of personalized books, coloring books (they even come with a pack of crayons), placemats, growth charts, posters and more, geared just for toddlers. And ...

Turn every day into a kid-sized celebration with My Princess Closet's yummy-looking 33-piece Birthday Party! Play Cake set (shown at top left, $20) by Melissa & Doug. With enough slices and toppings - strawberries, jellybeans and gumdrops (dew drops according to Wills) -  for every party guest, kids ages 3-5 can enjoy all the pretend ...

And local yokel One Step Ahead (a Cosmotot fave) has all the costumes, clothing and accessories to make your little ghoul or goblin the cutest character on the block. Little ones who still do their trick-or-treating from the sidelines can still get in on the ghostly fun with the company's whimsical dragonfly costume (shown at top left, $34.95), ...

Who says welcoming a brand new wee one into the family fold has to be a drag for the former one and only? Munchkin Designs certainly doesn't and packs a super cool Big Sister Suitcase (shown a top left, $95 - also available in Big Brother or Train designs or a Custom design, $110) full of goodies sure to stop any blooming baby envy in its ...

Poop and pee-pee. Who knew that once we became parents, conversations about politics and global warming would take a backseat to topics surrounding more basic bodily functions? I sure didn't. But once Wills was born, I talked more about the color, shape and size of his daily deposits than anything else. And now that he's two, it hasn't exactly ...

It's an important message that's getting a green twist these days as kids (from the littlest to the largest) are learning to nix paper and plastic in a collective effort to help the earth stay healthier.  Truthfully, these days, it's pretty easy to keep little feet set squarely on the straight and narrow path of knowledge thanks to all of ...

As much as kiddies are creatures of habit, every tot, from the largest to the littlest likes a little bit of change sometimes. It's what makes life appealing. Well, that and funny fruit-covered PJs (Apple of My Eye shown at top left, also available in Baby Blues-berries, Tickle Me Tangerine, Pretty Peas Please, Bananas in My Belly, and Carrot ...

Boys will be boys, which basically means that if you're the parent of one, their boundless energy and activity level runs on an especially high-quality octane. That's how it is around here anyway. Half the time, I feel like I'm the mother of a long lost relative of the Energizer Bunny. And, with all that on-the-go, endless action comes the ...

Well, yes, that one does come to mind first, but there may just be a new, um, younger story vying for the tip-top spot in this year's Easter basket with The First Adventures of Incredible You (shown at top left and bottom right, $32.95) from newly instated Cosmotot fave, Custom Made for Kids. Before you cringe at the idea of another ...