I decorated my house before I had kids. I spent a lot o' money on fancy schmancy stuff that looked fabulous but was highly impractical. Highly. Impractical. Gorgeous fabrics on custom-made pieces with fine detailing and sharp corners, amazing antiques, stunning but fragile this-n-thats—who knew? 8 years and two kids later, you should see these once showpieces...or what's left of them. Oh, the decisions I made in my mid-twenties. Oh, the decisions. We've slowly but surely been getting new stuff that jives better with our life (and the 5-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl in it). Gorgeous, fine, one-of-a-kind are out. Safe, easy-to-clean and functional are in. Oh, and so is affordable. The good news? There's actually a lot out there that fits our needs. Case in point: Foamiture. Made from lightweight, durable foam (called Reflex Plus Natural), this super duper child-friendly furniture captures every last child-weary parent's needs, including spot-cleaning and incredible prices. Plus, many pieces (and all of the kiddie pieces) are light enough for the littles to tote from room to room. As parents, we need furniture that's going to further our lifestyle, not exclude it completely. To get your living on, go to www.Foamiture.com. Get 5% off with code TFG5.    

  For the Mom Who Loves Sweet Surprises: Collage Photo Blanket from The Memories Place Give her the warm fuzzies—and keep her warm—with a woven Collage Photo Blanket. Choose seven to 12 images, and the designers at The Memories Place will work their magic, blending the photos together in a way that will make this present a precious keepsake. You’ll get multiple arrangements to choose from, and you always have the final say before a blanket is created. Others who have ordered this gift say things like “it stole the hearts of everyone who saw it” and “the workmanship on this throw is outstanding.” (from $95.95, www.thememoriesplace.com)

Angels Danced Hand Stamped Locket Necklace from Bella Merce Crafted entirely by hand, this sterling necklace will literally hang near her heart while figuratively touching her heart. Featuring a domed-disc design, the outside is personalized with the name of the child, date of birth, and a spiral heart, open heart, or angel wings graphic. On the inside, the phrase “Angels danced the day you were born” is hand-stamped around the perimeter, with the birthstones of both mom and child in the center. She keeps her children close at heart, anyway—but this is a beautiful reminder of that. ($85, www.bellamerce.com)  

Grandma Life Story Frame from The Grandparent Gift Co. For those grandmas who can’t get enough of their role, The Grandparent Gift Co. offers personalized presents, items with many different grandma names (like Mimi and Nana), and even ultrasound gifts to say a grandbaby is on the way. One particularly thoughtful present is the Grandma Life Story Frame, which traces her life in photos from young girl to new mom to proud grandma. The classic black frame is something she’ll cherish now and future generations will cherish later. ($24.99, www.grandparentgiftco.com)

Given that designer Yuni Kristina cites her mother as her inspiration, this silk shawl from the Indonesian artisan is a fitting Mother’s Day gift. In a mesmerizing pattern that was once exclusive to the courts of central Java, the shawl is an example of the batik art form, which Kristina learned from her mother, an artist herself, at a young age. Batik was designated by UNESCO in 2009 as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage. Says Kristina: “I would like the batik of Bali to become well known around the world, since its beauty is outstanding.” ($49.95, www.novica.com)    

Your favorite mom has brought a lot of positive energy to your life, so make sure the energy around her is the best it can be. Himalayan salt crystal lamps help with that, as they cleanse the air naturally and charge it with healthy ions. Each lamp from Solay Wellness is hand-chiseled from 250-million-year-old salt to preserve its energy and retain its healing benefits, which include everything from sleeping to breathing better. As an added bonus, the eternally lasting lamps emit a serene light that will prettify any room. ($24.95 to $144.50, www.natural-salt-lamps.com) Get 15 percent off with code GROOVE

Help her hike, travel on airplanes, head to the beach or just run around with baby in tow without all those bags weighing her down with the Mom’s Utility Vest. It’s like a diaper bag you can wear, but it’s much cooler than that—the pockets easily hold everything from a swimsuit and towel to water and snacks to wipes and diapers. Each V-neck vest is made out of a soft, breathable material and is better for backs, necks and shoulders than a bulky bag is. Plus, the vest allows her to keep her hands free for holding onto what matters most: her little ones. ($79.99, www.vestopiaclothes.com)

Got places to go and people to see this spring? Make sure baby is always ready for her close-up with this trio of photo-op-worthy fab-haves from Funky Fleece.       Crocheted Flower Hat or Headband (or both!) ($12 to $18)        

Poncho Tutu ($20)

Mix and match these super cute closet essentials for countless looks that are as wallet-friendly as they are guaranteed to keep your little darling dressed to the nines 24/7.

For more top looks for your tot, go to www.FunkyFleece.com.

Get 20% off with code familygroove.

     

Gear up for your little one with oh-so dreamy crib bedding from New Arrivals Inc. Their luxurious, beautiful, timeless and unique selection, available in a range of prices, guarantee that baby's decor won't be a snore. Seriously, how fabulous is bedding like this? (We are loving gray lately.) Plus, with monogram and mix-and-match options, your sleeping beauty can rest assured that her room will be as special as she is. Boys can pull up to a bumper, baby, too (yes, we are quoting Grace Jones)—a bumper that's part of a high-quality set you won't tire of, thanks to its classic, clean, playful, fun design. For a good night's chic—uh, we mean sleep–go to NewArrivalsInc.com.

It's been 10 years since I moved from Manhattan to the beachside 'burbs of Monmouth County, NJ. When I venture back in for a meeting or (ever so rarely) a night out, one governing thought comes to mind: Man, am I out of practice. Out of practice for what, you ask? Oh, everything. Everything that goes into being a gal about town. (Barneys, can you hear me?) When I was offered a chance to try out The Carlyle Hotel's new "Super Adventures of Sophie at The Carlyle: The Sophie Experience," a family-friendly offering based on the popular Super Adventures of Sophie in the City series of books, I was thrilled—and nervous. It had been a long time since I stomped those Upper East Side grounds. Things to know about The Carlyle:

• It's legendary
• Kings, queens, presidents and famouses like The Rolling Stones stay there
• It epitomizes the UES, at once capturing and setting the standard for its timeless elegance and ever-aspirational, over-the-top-in-a-most-tailored-way chicness

Things to know about The Super Adventures of Sophie in the City:

• There are two books in the series: All in a Day's Work and Grand Central Escapades
• They were written by Kelly Florio Kassouf, whose father headed Conde Nast during its storied heyday
• Oscar de la Renta designed a dress for his children's collection inspired by the books' spunky and very well-dressed title character

And from the moment we entered The Carlyle's hallowed halls, we were immediately transported into the magical world that is Manhattan. In the kids' bedroom of our fabulous, beautifully appointed two-bedroom suite, we greeted by a gorgeous display fit for a Sophie—or in my case, a Scarlett, 7, (and a Marlon, 4, though the experience is definitely more geared to girls)–including:

• A signed copy of Kelly Florio Kasouf’s book "The Super Adventures of Sophie and The City: All in a Day's Work" and her latest book “Grand Central Escapades”
• A specially designed “Sophie” cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery (that my kids ate before I could snap a picture)
• An exclusively designed “Sophie” pillow by luxury linen designer, Matouk
• An on-loan iPad Mini to follow Sophie’s Virtual Tour to her favorite NYC spots

(FYI: The Super Sophie Experience includes the Oscar de la Renta dress and a Lulu Frost cameo necklace and charm suite. May-jor.) My kids were immediately invested into the experience. Not only did it help them feel comfortable and welcome but it fostered an air of fancy, just like the book does. It really engaged them in a way that allowed them to become part of things, instead of just being bystanders to them. Every bit of our stay became special to them (and to my husband and me). In fact, after dinner at the kid-friendly-but-still-adult-worthy Sereafina, we rushed home to hang in our suite and enjoy the good life—or should I say the Sophie life, a new kind of family-friendly chic so masterfully created by The Carlyle that even out-of-practice me felt like I was back in the game. You know what they say: You can take the girl out of Barneys but you can't take Barneys out of the girl. For a memory-making NYC romp avec the littles or the perfect mother-daughter weekend, go to www.TheCarlyle.com.