Vanessa Leigh

Vanessa Leigh is a busy mom of three (including twins!), a Midwesterner turned East Coaster, and a chocolate enthusiast. She’s a copywriter specializing in Early Childhood and Motherhood, plus the creative force behind her Etsy shop. When she’s not writing or designing, you can find her indulging in dark chocolate peanut butter cookies at Levain Bakery. Connect with Vanessa at www.vanessaleighagency.com or browse her creations at MamaMagicByVanessa.etsy.com. She loves chatting with fellow parents—don’t hesitate to reach out!

Latest posts by Vanessa

20 First Birthday Party Themes and Ideas to Celebrate Baby’s First Year

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 04/18/2024 - 10:00am

Sure, it looks like baby's party, but it's mostly for the parents at this point, so have fun!

Looking for first birthday party themes and ideas for your baby's first birthday? We rounded up 20 of our favorites!

First birthday parties are a time to really celebrate the successes of a full year of life. Parents, you did it! Since a baby's first birthday is as much for the adults as for the baby, parents want to throw a memorable celebration that the birthday child can enjoy while marking the occasion with friends and family.

But how can you find the perfect first birthday party theme? What should you serve for a treat that will please both babies, older siblings, and adults? We've got you covered with first birthday party ideas that include themes, decorations, and sweet dessert ideas.

Find tons of other birthday bash ideas, including 100 Top Birthday Party Themes, awesome goody bag ideas, and gift guides for all ages, in our Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties and Birthday Party Ideas.

Top Baby-Led Weaning Foods and Our Favorite Baby Food Makers

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 03/21/2024 - 12:00pm

Baby-led weaning has become a popular method of feeding little ones their first foods.

Curious about baby-led weaning? Read on to learn more about this baby-feeding method, including the best baby-led weaning foods and some top baby food makers.

It's about that time in your baby's life. You've dreamed about it. You've worried about it. You've Googled all about it. It's time for SOLIDS!

But now the real questions begin. What are the best first baby foods? Is it better to feed your baby solids, purees, or a mixture? And what on Earth is baby-led weaning?

We are here to answer all your questions about baby-led weaning, baby food, and baby food makers. Our Baby and Maternity Guide dives even deeper into all things baby-related, from the 100 top unique baby names to developmental milestones for baby's first year.

25 Best Board Books for Babies and Toddlers You’ll Love to Read Over and Over

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 02/27/2024 - 10:53am

Babies love books; sure they may treat them as toys or food at first, but a love of reading will come.

Board books for babies are the perfect way to spend time together and foster a lifelong love of books and reading. From classic tales to brand-new reads, there are so many incredible board books that babies can gnaw on, play with, flip through, have read to them, and one day even read!

Sweet, silly, profane, profound, inclusive, and interactive—these are our tried and true recommendations for the best board books to read with your baby.

For more tips on building a fabulous home library check out lists of our favorite banned kids' books, bedtime stories for kids, and even 100 Books Every Kid Should Read. They're all in our Best Kids' Books Guide.

Cloth Diaper Services and Diaper Delivery Services in NYC

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 01/23/2024 - 9:28am

Cloth diapers can be intimidating, but these local shops and services make the cloth diapering journey easier for NYC families.

Cloth diapers for babies have come a long way. Besides the washing and care of cloth diapers, one of the biggest stumbling blocks for cloth diaper newbies is the enormous number of options: snap or Velcro closures, wool or fleece covers, pre-fold, contour, or fitted diaper inserts. We’ve rounded up great cloth diapering resources for NYC families interested in exploring this eco-friendly alternative to disposable diapers, including informational classes.

As you're contemplating the best diaper subscription for your family, consider adding these cloth diaper services in NYC to the mix. We're also including information on two of the most parent-loved cloth diaper wash-and-fold diaper delivery services because many NYC families live without a washer or dryer. Not sure which style or brand of cloth diaper is right for your little one? We even found online stores offering cloth diaper trial deals where you get to sample many cloth diaper styles before settling on the perfect fit.

Looking for more baby services or classes in NYC? Bookmark our NYC Baby Guide, which is loaded with new-parent tips and our baby bucket list for the quintessential things all NYC babies must do before their first birthday.

Best Family Christmas Card Photo Ideas

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 12/05/2023 - 10:34am

Put on a holiday sweater—ugly or not!—and strike a pose!

Want to make your family Christmas photo cards stand out this year? Here's how!

We're making our list. And it's long. We don't even need to check it twice. We need to make sure everything gets checked off easily and quickly. For most families, taking a Christmas photo and sending a holiday or family Christmas card is high on that list. It's also high on the list of activities we don't like to do!

But this year, let's make it easy. We've got you covered with the best ideas for an easy, clever, and creative family Christmas photo shoot. We've got tips for getting the best picture, places to take the picture, the best shops to order the Christmas photo card—plus some really original themes and ideas from family game shows to album cover recreations.

Tell some Christmas jokes for kids to keep 'em smiling, pop a classic holiday movie on a screen to keep 'em occupied, and say cheese! For more holiday fun, check out our Guide to Christmas Activities and Holiday Fun for Kids.

Not-So-Scary Halloween Activities and Toddler Events in Boston

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Fri, 10/06/2023 - 11:08pm

Greater Boston's zoos are a hit with preschoolers for some not-so-scary Halloween fun! Photo courtesy of the Franklin Park Zoo

Looking for some not-so-scary Halloween events in Boston for toddlers and preschoolers? For little kids, Halloween is usually more about the treats than the tricks. The excitement is in getting dressed up for a costume parade, making decorations, and hitting the trick-or-treat trail with a pillowcase or pumpkin bucket in hand.

For fun, not-so-scary Halloween happenings in and around Boston this month, read on. We've rounded up some of 2023's best Halloween activities for families with young children. While older brothers and sisters may want to be spooked (or even scared silly), these activities are for kids and families who just want the Halloween festivities to be sweet.

100 Top Unique Baby Names For Generation Alpha Babies

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 08/29/2023 - 11:56am

Hey baby! Welcome to the world. What should we be naming this new generation? Photo by Nan Ross

Unique baby names are the name of the game (or game for the name?) for Generation Alpha babies!

Move over, Gen Z. There's a new generation in town. What's in a name? Well, Generation Alpha's trending baby names are all unique and individual as befits the times. Gen Alpha is coming through with a few still-popular Gen Z boy baby names and girl baby names, but is coming in fresh with a whole slew of unique and gender-neutral baby names.

Parents of a Generation Alpha baby can find loads of tips, tricks, and favorite products in the Mommy Poppins Baby and Maternity Guide. And our handy Birthday & Holiday Gift Guide for Kids can help you narrow down what to buy for a Gen Alpha baby's first birthday gift, and every birthday thereafter!

100 Popular Kids' Birthday Party Themes for Every Age and Interest

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 07/27/2023 - 12:16pm

Unicorn parties never go out of style! Photo by Malcolm Garrett/Pexels

Looking for the best kids' birthday party themes? We've got you covered!

Choosing a theme is the first step towards planning an epic kids' birthday party, and for picky kids, it can be tricky. We've got a birthday party theme for every interest you can imagine—and then some you probably couldn't!

From trending themes, like Barbie, to classic dinosaur parties, we've rounded up suggestions that will appeal to kids with every obsession. Plus, we've got tips for easy ways to throw the party of your child's dreams.

Here are 100 popular kids' birthday party themes for everyone from 1-year-olds to teens. Visit our Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties for more ideas on throwing your child an epic birthday bash, including birthday cakes you can make at home and the best goody bags and party favor ideas.

Vanessa Leigh

Latest posts by Vanessa

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