Many parents have noticed that when you hand a baby a soft blanket or stuffed toy, the baby is often more fascinated with the satin tag than with the object itself. Babies suck on tags, chew on them, clasp them and use them to drag the toy around. Taggies are soft blankets, pillows, activity quilts, toys and clothes covered with many satin tags. The best-known product is a security blanket called Little Taggies, a 12- by 12-inch soft square with 20 different tags of various colors and textures sewn to the outside of the blanket ($25; pictured is the Confetti Little Taggie from the Colours Collection). It’s a great “transitional object” for infants or toddlers; it helps them transition from being awake to being asleep and is comforting when baby is faced with a potentially unsettling situation, like a new babysitter. Taggies Big Soft Blocks are exactly what they sound like – large soft cloth blocks with tags, fuzzy animal designs and lots of different textures for baby to examine ($30 for a four-block set). The Taggies Activity Quilt has a ladybug-shaped mirror, a squeaky pig and a crinkly cow, as well as the trademark tags ($50). Another site featuring high-quality infant and toddler toys is Genius Babies, a name clearly aimed at the proud mother and father. Genius Babies’ award-winning offerings include the Nooboo Pound-a-Sound ($25). Your baby can take the soft hammer and hit the toy; with every hit baby will hear a sound or see a pop-up surprise. A completely irresistible item is the jumbo Baby Face Photo Quilt, printed with photographs of babies’ faces ($30). Since infants love staring at pictures of other babies, this is a can’t-miss gift.

With so many vibrant colors — school bus yellows, coral oranges, wild peonies and lime greens — you could look clownish this season if you do not accessorize wisely. Perhaps you’ve already tried wearing black accessories with a new yellow dress — too much like shades de bumble bee? Consider white accessories like these picks from the Washington Post to tone down the volume on the season’s loud colors. But remember that less is more; if you go with too much white, people will say to you, “Oh, Nurse?….” The big white handbag with pockets galore is still, well, big. Take a look at Tod’s restyled D Bag tote (pictured) in crinkled white patent leather with topstitching and polished silver metal hardware ($1,550). This Versace tote is the white convertible you need to tool around town this spring ($3,330); it’s made of smooth deerskin and has flat shoulder straps that can be buckled at the base for backpack wear. Another trend that looks good in white and goes with everything is the skinny belt, such as these from YSL in fashionable patent leather ($196), Cole Haan ($65) or, for much less, Michael Kors ($23). Grab a pair of stylish gladiator sandals in white, like the Leonitus by Steve Madden ($90). Don’t forget the Jackie O sunglasses in white. There are several pairs on Ebay.com, including these ($9). Finally, update that tired old watch, usually made of black or brown leather, with this selection from Fossil, including the Boyfriend, with a white croco leather strap ($95). The Aqua Master ceramic diamond watch is luxurious with more than a carat of sparkling diamonds. Or go over the top with this Gucci lizard cocktail watch with pavé diamonds ($3,190). For something more whimsical, buckle on a white talking Japanese watch from FredFlare.com ($20). Instead of buying a new watch, consider just getting a new strap, such as the white calf Timex basic strap with a silver buckle ($6.95) or the Michele alligator watch strap at Nordstrom ($180).

The world of lawn decor is full of lighting options, some more clever than others, some downright junky. Solar lights can be found in pathway lighting, stepping stones, faux landscape rocks, statuary (check out this gargoyle) and even novelties like the ladybug and turtle garden lights, not to mention gnomes playing checkers. Located at the intersection of eco-consciousness, design fetishism and the impulse that gave us luminarias is the Sun Jar (pictured) in yellow or chilly blue. Manufactured by a British firm with the facetious name Suck UK, the elegantly simple lantern uses the kind of Mason jar your grandma (or, depending on your age, great-great-grandma) probably used to can produce from the garden. Housed within that watertight seal (and therefore weather-proof) is a small solar panel, a battery, and an energy-sipping LED lamp; leave it out on the patio in direct sunlight, and come dusk it will emit a warm glow to light your cookout. The lamp can also be used indoors, so long as it gets charged in direct sun — sitting on a window sill, for instance. Available in the U.S. from Elsewares ($40).

If you’ve decided to take your kids fishing this summer but don’t have much fishing or boating knowledge, get started at Take Me Fishing. Sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, a nonprofit group whose aim is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, the site has select-your-state sections on getting a fishing license and boating and fishing, along with the all-important guide on how to fish and a “fishopedia,” which lists and describes many types of fish. Once you’ve garnered some basic knowledge, you’ll need some equipment. Happily, Cabela’s currently has an online sale for fishing gear, such as the four-piece travel spinning rod (now $40, down from $50) and the more advanced Fish Eagle XML casting rods ($70, down from $140). For the kids, a Pirates of the Caribbean spincast kit includes rod, reel and small tackle box ($7). A good fishing trip wouldn’t be complete without the right apparel. Orvis’s “fishing best-sellers” include a classic fishing vest called the Super Tac-L-Pak ($89; pictured). Real fly fishermen always wear waders; these Silver Label Stockingfoot waders have neoprene gravel guards and an inside storage pouch ($189). Finally, a tackle box will keep your flies, hooks and other materials clean and organized. This classic Wheatley metal fly box , is handmade in England and can be personalizedand ($59 to $98). If that’s too steep for you, Wal-mart has a perfectly serviceable six-tray tackle box ($20).

It’s time to put away your winter togs and bring all of your warm weather clothing within easy reach, including your lightweight summer robe. Every woman should own a breathable, knee-length (or shorter) robe for slipping into after the shower or pool. They travel light and let the seasonal temperatures dry your skin naturally. If you love the feel of a white waffle weave spa robe, you can get your very own at the Cotton Palace. Choose from a basic waffle with half sleeve ($50), a deluxe longer sleeve ($56) or diamond style ($60). If you prefer something more girly and colorful, we recommend the Honeydew Intimates stripe terry robe with ruffle-trimmed sleeves, hem and pockets, and a drawstring hood ($106; pictured). For a solid robe with plenty of ruffles and an empire waist, check out Juicy Couture’s terry robe with jersey ruffles ($138). Not a frills kind of gal? You’ll love Barefoot Dreams Cozy Chic Lite robe ($149). It’s plush without being heavy, has a hood and good clean lines. Equally grown-up is Calvin Klein’s Mix Essentials short robe ($75), made of 94 percent modal and 6 percent elastane. Eyelet is a favorite summer fabric, and Anthropolgie’s got a stunning short robe in navy blue it calls the Blueberry Season robe ($98), while Gilligan & O’Malley’s white eyelet robe is a great bargain at $20. And if you are committed to buying pesticide free, renewable fiber clothing, consider the bamboo short robe ($79) from J. Renee or Gaiam’s 100 percent organic cotton knit robe ($49) in natural or paisley.

What defines a “real” man? A “good” man? A fully developed, “self-actualized” man, untroubled by fears of weakness, inadequacy, or old school stereotypes? With Father’s Day approaching, we decided to take a look at books old and new and Web sites on the subject of manhood. The introduction to therapist Thomas Hart’s 2004 book, What Does It Mean to Be a Man? ($12) begins, “The trouble begins when a little boy is told that boys don’t cry.” The table of contents promises a rich read, with chapters on “Mastering Anger and Violence,” “Putting Sex and Love Together” and “Being a Dad.” Sam Keen’s 1992 best-selling Fire in the Belly: On Being a Man ($11) is still an extremely high-ranking seller at Amazon. It offers a brief history of manhood and asks men to look at their unconscious bondage to certain ideas about “woman,” their dependence on work for self-worth, and their “warrior psyches” and it even promotes ecological awareness as an alternative to destructive, domineering tendencies. It wasn’t too long ago that much was made about the “crisis” for boys as they fell behind in school due to supposed neglect and denial of their gender-specific needs. From higher rates of attention deficit disorder to lower test scores than girls and greater abuse of alcohol and drugs, the crisis gave us the important work of therapist and educator Michael Gurian. His 1997 blockbuster, The Wonder of Boys: What Parents, Mentors, Educators Can Do to Shape Boys Into Exceptional Men, ($10.50) is the bible for how to understand and raise boys. Read Gurian’s Amazon blog to check out his philosophy. And check out Menstuff, an expansive Web site started by Gordon Clay as a not-for-profit educational clearinghouse/resource center for all things related to men’s issues.