One thing you can’t deny about Merida from Disney’s movie Brave: she’s got killer hair. I mean, seriously, I’m a bit jealous of all you red heads out there after watching this movie. Her curly hair hypnotizes you during the movie. You can’t stop looking at it now, can you?

So after becoming envious of an animated characters sweet style, I was especially anxious to meet Claudia at Pixar who was one of the stylists for Merida. Did you know she has an entire team of stylists and designers? Just wait, it gets better. There’s an actual grooming team at Pixar who does “anything fur and hair” for the movie. There’s even a person assigned just to Merida’s eyebrows as her full-time job!

Now if you think about it, you’ve probably never seen hair this unique in other movies. In fact, I’m sure you haven’t because the stylist for Merida’s hair wanted it to be so life-like that she had a curling iron created in the computer to literally curl her hair just how she envisioned! Forget the simple drawing of hair like the old days. Nope, Merida has to spend hours in front of the mirror just like any other girl if she wants soft, voluminous curls that will drive the boys wild.

Other hairy facts:

1. Merida’s hair is 4 feet long when it’s straight.

2. Even though Merida has iconic hair, her horse Angus has the most difficult hair to create in the movie.

3. The scene that you see when Merida pulls off her hood took 2 months to finish.

4. Merida’s eyebrows have more hairs than a real human’s eyebrows.

Disclosure: Thanks to Disney for paying for my travel expenses to visit Pixar Animation Studios for the Brave press junket. Brave hits theaters in 3D on June 22, 2012. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The bags are priced at $38 and are trendy, functional, spacious, and most importantly super easy for the kids to carry and maneuver.

Take a peek at our video of the bags here – you’ll notice there is also a great strap that you can tuck into the back of the bag or leave out if you prefer to sling the bag over your shoulder. This is ideal for parents in case the kids somehow fall asleep, can’t carry their own bag for whatever reason or for whatever other unexpected event always seems to happen when you are traveling with kids.

Available in several designs – monkey, owl, bumble bee, or doggy.

My favorite is probably this owl – cute for boys or girls!

Disclosure: Thanks to Skip Hop for sending us these bags to facilitate our reviews. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own – or Kenzie and Kyle’s

Quiet unassuming Mike dressed up as the GIGANTIC Polar Bear Lars last week for Kenzie’s school’s annual “Teddy Bear Picnic”.

He played the “naughty” bear who wouldn’t listen to the teachers too – so this meant Mike did lots of gesturing, butt wiggling, and dancing while literally BOILING inside this humongous Polar Bear suit. Of course I was the one who volunteered Mike for the gig – but he was a great sport about it….. I was a “Bear Guide” to help the bears to and from the assembly as they had to perform their show and duties 2 times during the afternoon. Mike had a blast and did fabulous – but yes this costume was like a form of torture.

Here’s his video of his routine – and yes the little kids loved it.

During our various 10  minute breaks for the Bears to get a breather, Mike would pull of his bear head and I swear I thought he might have a heart attack. This is a guy who runs under 16 minutes for the 5K but I’ve never seen him so red, sweaty or exhausted looking. As if it wasn’t hot enough – he was also basically blind in the suit – they had you see through the nose but his nose got all fogged up from the steamy heat! The costume is supposed to have a fan running in it – but there was no battery included so Mike was stuck with the steam!

He says if he ever gets the pleasure to wear the ordinary “Teddy Bear” Cubby suit again – as he wore it at Christmas to hand out t-shirts to all the kids in the school – that he will relish it with delight.

And I’m sure he’ll get just that chance – Kyle will be in Kindergarten soon and 2014 will be here before we know it.

What 1st year baby gear couldn’t you live without? I remember so many of my favorite essentials as if it were just last week that Kyle and Kenzie were in their bouncers and jumperoos! You can even see a cute pic of Kyle in his Fisher Price bouncer here!

If you are expecting, in the midst of babyhood, or want to remember those sweet First Year Favorites, join myself and a few other bloggers for a Twitter Party on May 22nd – we’ll also be giving away 10 $50 American Express gift cards! RSVP below so we know to expect you. Thanks!

PARTY DETAILS:

When: Tuesday, May 22^nd

Time: 7pm-8pm EST

Hosts:  Erika @ErikaB, Jennifer @Mami2Mommy, Colleen @classymommy, Dee @twoofakind, Crystal @simplybeingmom

Prizes: 10 $50 AMEX cards will be given throughout the party

To RSVP for and join this Twitter party please do the following:

Post “RSVP” in the comments section below. If you would potentially like to see your Tweets and other materials that you contribute to the Twitter party appear in future Fisher-Price advertising, in addition to posting “RSVP” in the comments section below, also cut and paste the following agreement to the release at  http://www.fisher-price.com/twitterrelease/, followed by Twitter handle:

“I agree to the release at http://www.fisher-price.com/twitterrelease/, including Fisher-Price’s advertising and other use of my content and identity [Insert Your Twitter handle].”

Please be aware that the release includes a broad license for Fisher-Price to use your Twitter party content and your Twitter handle for any other purpose including Fisher-Price’s advertising. See http://www.fisher-price.com/twitterrelease/ for full terms and conditions.

Hope to see you there!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as I’m a host for this Twitter Party. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here is a sneak peek at the movie with this fabulous trailer for the American Girl McKenna movie. My 6 year old and I just watched it and we can not wait to watch this story brought to life on film after reading the books this past winter.

Here’s more official scoop on the movie and cast from Universal Studios:

Forget about training wheels – the idea behind the balance bike is to learn to balance first and then throw in the pedaling.

Here’s a video of Kyle on his Kazam balance bike.

He is a very coordinated kid, but his use of the Kazam Balance bike definitely contributed to his ability to naturally pick up riding a bike as he already had that innate feel of balancing and steering while riding on a 2 wheels. The only downside is the cost – at $99 (Free shipping too!) this is not easy on your wallet but it will save your sanity – teaching some kids how to ride their bike can be a slow and frustrating process for parents. I can attest to this with my older daughter Kenzie who is now 6 and can ride but was just AFRAID to do it for so long despite her excellent balance at gymnastics and athletic skill. Kazam Bikes are lots of fun for all kids – those who can already ride a bike and those who are just learning. It’s low to the ground and gives kids a chance to naturally feel how to balance a bike. It will even reinforce the balancing concepts to older children who are struggling more slowly at picking up riding their bike. ClassyMommy Approved!

Disclosure: Thanks to Kazam for sending us this bike to facilitate our review. All thoughts and opinions are always our own.

Something for Mom and something for baby or the kidlets too!

AVEENO® POSITIVELY NOURISHING™ Collection

Positively Nourishing Lotions – $6.99 for 7 oz. tube

Positively Nourishing Antioxidant-Infused body wash – $6.99 for 16 fl oz. bottle

The AVEENO® Baby® Soothing Relief Line

Soothing Relief bath Treatment- $4.79 /Box of six packets

Creamy Wash-$3.99 for 8 fl. oz. bottle; $5.99 for 12 fl. oz. bottle

Moisture Cream-$3.99 for 5 oz. tube

The AVEENO® Baby® Eczema Therapy Line

Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream - $5.99 / 5 oz. tube

Cleansing Therapy Moisturizing Wash - $4.49 / 8 fl. oz. bottle

Enter to win:

1. Please leave a comment below by May 27th, 2012.

2. Like ClassyMommy on Facebook here and leave a comment telling me you liked our page

3. Daily comments allowed. 

Disclosure: I’m a brand ambassador for Aveeno. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Aveeno for providing products for this giveaway for 1 lucky winner. 

To celebrate expectant Moms and new Moms, Disney Baby and ClassyMommy.com are giving away a Winnie the Pooh Bouncer to one lucky winner. ARV $49.99. I love bouncers – they are lifesaving for Mom and Baby during those early months. This Disney Baby Winnie the Pooh Bouncer is available for purchase at Babies R Us.

Here’s cute photo of the Winnie the Pooh bouncer from Disney Baby that we are giving away on ClassyMommy.com.

Enter to win:

1. Please leave a comment below by May 27th, 2012.

2. Like ClassyMommy on Facebook here and leave a comment telling me you liked our page

3. Daily comments allowed. 

Disclosure: Thanks to Disney Baby for supplying a Bouncer prize for 1 ClassyMommy.com winner.

It’s wonderful to send our children to a preschool where they can love them all almost as much as the parents do!

At our very special and lovely preschool set up on a hill nearly 1/2 mile into the woods, magic happens every morning for the little people. And once a year us Moms get to totally become a part of it when during our special time at Mother’s Day Tea.

The teachers work so hard to prep it all up and the kids work hard to help. From making us special “desserts” that the kids help make- pudding, cool whip, crumbled cookies, and fresh strawberries, to all the decorations and crafts we get to bring home with us. Plus the kids all planted us marigolds from seed in little planters and gave all the Moms a beautiful single rose. And let’s not forget the concert singing songs full of love for Mommy. Really I live for this stuff!