Women aren't necessarily turning into their mothers these days! Here are 10 traits of a modern mom.

1. Your Facebook profile pic is your child.
2. You hear about the new Bugaboo Donkey and know it's a stroller, not an iPhone app.
3. You're waiting in line for tickets to the latest cool kid act, not the next Scissor Sisters concert.
4. You splurge on Stella McCartney duds for the kids, not date night.
5. Your freezer is full of cubed purees, because you would never dare give your baby mass-produced baby food.

To see the rest of the list, read more

Let kiddos create their own story on and off the pages! Friendship Books ($18) prompt tots to record thoughts and memories in a diary-like book, which is then shared and built upon by friends. Based on traditional German memory books, these tomes encourage kids to fill in personal information about themselves (favorite music, athletes, etc.) and then have their friends do the same — adding stickers, drawings, and their perspective. The book's owner can share the text with up to 30 friends. Available in school, pet, and animal themes, the books encourage social skills.

Chicken — it's what's for dinner . . . a few nights a week! When time is of the essence and there are hungry mouths to feed, mama needs a few tricks up her sleeve to get dinner on the table. Takeout may be fast, but it takes a toll on the wallet. Rotisserie chicken — be it the $6 kind from Costco or a $20 version from a gourmet shop — gives moms endless options for providing the family with a nutritious meal. Here are 10 kid-friendly ways to serve up the dinnertime staple without it ever feeling old.

• Chicken Pot Pie: The favorite comfort food can be whipped up over the weekend and reheated on a busy school night.
• Rotisserie Chicken with Dried Fruit and Pine Nuts : The sweet addition of dried fruit will win over picky eaters who shun the protein.
• Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas: This south-of-the-border dish sneaks in iron-rich spinach hidden beneath melted cheese.
• Chicken Pita Pockets: Cold sandwiches are ideal for families who squeeze in dinner between soccer practice and homework.
• Chicken and Mozzarella Panini: These warm, pressed sandwiches also pack well for school lunches.

To see the rest of our rotisserie chicken meals, read more

Every playground has one. The mom who seems to be there from dawn to dusk, rain or shine. The one that other moms nod hello to in recognition as well as sympathy, knowing that she'll be spending her entire day there...again. She's the Playground Princess and if you're spending more time in the park than anywhere else, she could be you. Here are 10 signs that you should be crowned royalty at your playground.

1. You have a favorite bench, and nobody else dares to sit in it.
2. You know the park keeper's schedules so well — and they know yours – that you bring each other coffee each day.
3. Friends don't ask where to meet for a playdate, they just show up at your park at the appointed time.
4. You enter the park's restroom on a steady schedule – exactly two minutes behind the cleaning crew's schedule.
5. You know which kids hog the swings and can slip your lil ones onto the equipment before the others notice.

For five other ways to know you're the playground princess, read more

Pop a wheelie! Doodle Wheels ($50) customized hubcaps are made from heavy-duty decorative plastic and make a bold statement on any buggy. Available in a dozen designs — ranging from athletic-inspired artwork to a series of cityscapes — the hubcaps attach directly to the rims of stroller wheels and make a pram easy to pick out. They're made to fit Bugaboo buggies; we wonder how they'd look on the new Donkey! Doodle Wheels also plans to launch sets that fit Uppa Baby and Phil & Teds' strollers soon.

Skinny jeans may slim a mom's figure, but they aren't the most practical trend for tots. Before squeezing your mini me into a pair of tight dungarees, consider these adorable alternatives. From loose harem pants to jeggings and skeggings, we've got active tykes comfortably covered.

Clockwise from top left: BabyGap Silky Harem Pants ($13), 77Kids Skinny Cargo Pant ($30), Pop on Pop Skegging ($21), Chopstix Crown Bling Pants ($37), Miss Sixty Mini Balloon Jeans ($98).

How does Shiloh Jolie-Pitt travel? With a party on her back! The 4 year old and her big sis Zahara were spotted hand in hand with mama Angelina as they made their way through LAX airport yesterday. The junior jet-setter appears to know a thing or two about packing light for a flight. She was wearing a plush Yo Gabba Gabba Brobee backpack ($60). The girls aren't the only Jolie-Pitts who love the popular Nick Jr. show. Last year, papa Brad dressed up as DJ Lance for Halloween.

Everybody dance now! Some mamas begin the education process while their lil ones are still in the womb with music and language gizmos that attach to their expanding bellies. Others start placing their tots on preschool wait lists hours after they are born. But between those extremes, many parents turn to mommy and me classes as their first scheduled activity with their offspring. Though the classes (often music, swimming, or yoga) tend to tout the bonding experience that occurs over the course of the sessions, parents are often the primary beneficiaries of the programs — using the classes to meet other moms of similarly aged kids.

When did you take your first mommy and me class?

If good workout gear can inspire a new gym routine, can new nursing clothes encourage a breastfeeding mom to keep her commitment? Larrivo, Italian for "the arrival," brings nursing gear out of the bedroom and onto the streets with dresses and camisoles ($62-$80) that can be worn as either sleep or outerwear. The silky designs feature lace detailing and ruched ribbon trims like the styles found in major department stores, but hidden snaps reveal drop-down cups so mom can easily nourish her tot. A built-in bra provides the support engorged moms need.

Step on up! Give mom's arms a rest and her tots some independence with a step stool that boosts lil ones to new heights. Sturdy steppers not only bring lil ones closer to the sink, but they can be moved throughout the home too so kids can aid in meal prep, reach their favorite toys and books, and climb into bed on their own. From modern stools that won't compete with decor to fun designs that complement themes, I've rounded up a few of my favorites.

Clockwise from top left: KT Steppers KidsKreate Chalkboard Stool ($59), Kabooster Step Stool ($45), Lil Surfer Step Stool ($45), Damhorst Toys Books & Name Puzzle Stool ($90), Cowboy Step Stool ($90), bObles Foam Crocodile Step Stool ($110), Ecotots First Wave Step Stool ($85), Princess Frog Crown Step Stool ($56).

Fumble no more! Mamas who have felt their way through a 3 a.m. diaper change will love this glow-in-the-dark sleep sack that makes finding baby without turning on the light much easier. The Baby Dee Dee Sleep Nest ($36) is a blanket that keeps a tot SIDS-safe and has a zipper that glows. Created by a mom who hoped to give infants the cocoon-like feeling adults experience when wrapped up in a duvet, the sack has a soft cotton exterior with two shoulder snaps. Available in five colors and two sizes, the garment fits tykes up to 28 pounds.

There's no rule that says a baby can't have sweets until her first birthday, but many parents use the milestone to give their lil one their first taste of sugar. Though a mama can't always control when her tot gets her first sugary taste, an Australian study found that 25 percent of moms deliberately feed their children cookies, cake, and juice in the first six months of life, which can lead to dietary issues. When did you introduce your offspring to the sweetness of sugar?

Source: Flickr User kirinqueen

Many a couture garment made an appearance at Fashion's Night Out, but Heidi Klum talked overalls at the Destination Maternity event. The model and mom of four (Leni, 6, Henry, 4, Johan, 3, and Lou, 11 months) kicked off the store's Fall shopping season by unveiling her Lavish and Loved lines. I had the opportunity to chat with the Project Runway host and fashion designer as she walked on the pink carpet.

BabySugar: Was it any harder getting back into shape after giving birth to Lou than Leni?
Heidi Klum: I don’t think it has anything to do with baby one up to baby four. You know, you get older and I think that has more to do with it getting harder. I’m 37 now and it’s definitely harder at 37 than when I was 31.

BabySugar: Did you go for a certain look with your last pregnancy?
HK: I wore a lot of different things when I was pregnant. Whatever I could get my hands on to be honest. I tried to fit into my non-maternity clothes for the longest time until I realized that’s just impossible. And then I thought, I’m going to be cool and go into all these different stores, but to be honest, it’s just really hard to find cool things.

BabySugar: What aspects of your maternity wardrobe did you try to incorporate into the Lavish and Loved lines?
HK: When I started designing — sure some things just look better (in black) and it’s just really slimming — it’s easy to mix and match your things and it just always works with anything and everything. But then you get bored so I created some things you can put on when you are bored of your basic things. I brought in some cool prints. Basically the same things you wear when you’re not pregnant that you can wear when you are pregnant.

To see what Heidi had to say about her favorite maternity wardrobe item, and balancing work and family, read more

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