The Lilaguide: Baby-Friendly Chicago Area, 2005

Book excerpt: "When Dr. Sears can't help, "the lilaguide" can."-"San Francisco Magazine" "A great resource that's long overdue."-"SF Weekly" "The definitive owner's manual for families with babies and toddlers."-"San Francisco Downtown Magazine" Like they say, everything changes when you have a baby. That's why "the lilaguide" has become the essential item on every new parent's checklist. Most parents wish their baby came with some sort of user-friendly handbook. Luckily, babies come with a lot of excellent word-of-mouth advice from other parents and friends. In fact, we found that nearly every parent out there has a great piece of child-rearing advice, like which baby store is the most helpful, or which restaurant tolerates strained carrots on the floor. Someone, we thought, should write this stuff down. And that's how, please pardon the pun, "the lilaguide" was born. Our guides are literally written by parents for parents, through thousands of volunteer surveys. It's what happens when someone writes down all the parental wisdom, organizes it, calculates it and presents it in an easy-to-use format. Apparently a lot of other new parents appreciate the inside scoop provided by the lilaguide, because our little green-striped books are quickly becoming a staple item in diaper bags across the country. You'll find us in bookstores, toy stores, gift stores and maternity wards. Not to mention at a whole lot of baby showers. We're rapidly expanding into major metro markets throughout the country, making the lilaguide the only national guide of its kind.