Archive for July 2010
It was chilly morning as you put on your trench coat, grabbed your leather clutch and headed out the door. The heel of your shoes made a rhythmic clacking against the cobblestone street keeping your walking to a steady, quick pace. You had to hurry as you knew he would be waiting there at your favorite place — the one not far from the Louvre, the one that sells pie made with Armagnac. And as you approach the cafe, you see he has already ordered you a coffee and basket of pastries. He waves and smiles as he says — BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Nothing, because your alarm has rudely interrupted reminding you, it is just a dream.
Well, you may not have the family vacation in Paris (not just yet, anyway) but you can still dream of it. Why not remind yourself of your future vacations in the cutest way possible? Bobo Choses Paris Cotton T Shirt is here to save the day. This terrific Bobo Choses tee is everything you love about Paris, perfectly combined for your little one: classic style, bold colors and of course, a wink and a smile. A steaming black coffee mug adorns the front, adding a fun and funky touch to the classic silhouette of the shirt which pops with vibrant stripes.
Made with 100% cotton, Bobo Choses Paris Cotton T Shirt is a snap to clean and as soft as the croissants in your dream cafe. And like all Estella tees and shirts, this is a great staple to your child’s wardrobe.
Now if only they sold tickets to Paris…
I was so excited to see baby rompers on the runways this summer. For me. Not for my daughter. Now I can dress in those comfortable little one-piece ditties, and no one will think twice.
You can be sure, however, that my rompers won’t be as whimsical as my little girl’s. Mine are designated to only khakis, browns and blacks, whereas she can romp around in something a tad more adorable like this apple romper from Spanish designer Bobo Choses.
Consider it big apples for the little apple of your eye. Dotting this comfy one-piece, the bright red fruity delights and brilliant stripes add tons of fun to your baby’s wardrobe.
An apple a day keeps unhappy babies away. Easy-to-navigate romper snaps mean in and out in a flash, so she can get right back to rolling, romping and having a great time.
Yes, our closets will be stocked full of rompers this summer, for both myself and my daughter. She will, of course, have her say in which ones look good on me and which don’t. After all, the fashionista doesn’t fall far from the tree.
You learned how to drive in your grandmother’s station wagon. It was a large, beast of a car – about the size of a beached whale and the color of a ripe avocado, and it had side wood paneling. Oh, the paneling! Your father took you out for your first few lessons, but it was then apparent to the two of you that he wasn’t quite cut out to be a driving instructor. Your grandfather entered the picture at that point. “Let’s go out for a spin!” he’d tell you. Over the next few weeks that great summer, long ago, your grandpa taught you how to parallel park The Beast, how to do a three-point turn and how to
change lanes with complete confidence. It is no wonder you have a
soft spot for station wagons.
Enter Bobo Choses Cotton Car Baby Onesie. This terrific little baby onesie not only takes you back to your youth, it will look absolutely adorable on your little young one. Spanish company Bobo Choses is known for their quirky, fun pieces and the whimsical car silhouette, which pops perfectly against the blue and white striped background, is certainly proof.
The rounded neckline and snap closures make changing a breeze. Made with 100% machine-washable cotton, Bobo Choses Cotton Car Baby Onesie is sure to become a favorite item in baby’s wardrobe.
What’s not to love? It will drive you to smile!
Back in the day, I didn’t play with any fancy shmancy instruments. But that didn’t mean I was silent in the music department. On the contrary, I made plenty of music (truth be told, my mom may have considered it noise). I kept the beat with plastic bottles filled with dried navy beans. Banged it out with Quaker Oat boxes and spoons. Nothing fancy. Just good old-fashioned music.
Plan Toy understands this back-to-basics method of music. Its wooden “Clatter” rattle is the perfect toy for every baby to shake, rattle and roll. A rainbow of rattling, this “green” toy has it all for teaching tiny tots while having a little fun with every movement. Maraca-esque handles are just the right size for little hands to grasp, and the colorful disks create a gentle click-clack rhythm that is music to a mother’s ears. Maybe. It depends on the mom.
I’m sure mine would have welcomed this addition to my bevy of instruments. It definitely beats (no pun intended) the pots and pans that I would use for extended dance mixes and jam-band concerts. I guess you could think of it this way—if your little one ever needs to channel his or her inner rock star, now you’ve got a plan.
She is the apple of your eye. That little lady always has been and always will be, yet what exactly does that saying mean? You suppose there is a certain wholesome goodness to apples and when you look at your little cutie (apple) pie, you definitely think of wholesomeness and all things good. Her round, red cheeks seem to pay homage to every red apple in every orchard out there and you always seem to want to nibble on them.
Apple of your eye…well, you will look it up later (Wikipedia, here you come!) but for now you will just imagine that the delightful saying simply means when you are longing for something bright, sweet and always perfect, an apple will be just the thing you are looking for. So why not adorn the apple of your eyes with Bobo Choses cotton Apple Baby Onesie.
Equally at home in a summer wardrobe as it is in a fall one, this whimsical onesie is the perfect compliment to your little one’s wardrobe. Bobo Choses Apple Baby Onesie is made with soft and breathable 100% cotton, always perfect for baby’s skin. The red and white stripes give the onesie a fun nautical nod with a heavy dose of cute. And the snap closures at the legs make changing as easy as pie.
Crisp, clean and lovely! Just like the apple of your eye.
Walking down the street in sweltering humidity and scorching sunshine the last thing I want to do is think about fall fashions. Those outfits look pretty in the store windows, but every time I see adorable baby clothes such as tights and boots under a wool skirt on a mannequin in August my body temp goes up a few degrees.
So why doesn’t this happen when I see a baby all cuddled up under one of these blankets by Little Giraffe. There’s nothing that says “too hot” more than a big blanket, especially in the summer. So how come, regardless of heat or humidity, there’s nothing cuter to me than a little sweetie pie resting comfortably is an envelope of faux fur and chenille? It makes me even want to snuggle up with them, all comfy and cozy. Is it chilly in here, or is it just me?
This baby blanket has the sweetest touch, perfect to keep your little one warm—something you wouldn’t normally think of during the hot months, unless you consider sometimes frosty A/C conditions. The tiny satin border is a gentle reminder that the baby warmly wrapped up won’t always be this tiny. So, cherish every moment. Keep them cuddly and toasty.
All this talk of cuddling, blankets and warmth almost makes me long for winter. After all, I do have some great boots and wool skirts.
“We accept it! We reject it! We accept it! We reject it!” You vaguely remember that Popeye cartoon which featured Olive Oyl dressed as Justice (or was it the Statue of Liberty) explaining to everyone how the government worked. Quite a lofty ambition for Popeye to be sure, but what you remembered from that cartoon was a great hall filled with elephants on one side and donkeys on the other, opposing each other. That’s how you learned about Democrats and Republicans. Little did you know that your adult life would be centered on Democrats and Republicans, living side by side.
You’re a Democrat and your husband is a Republican so you live a bipartisan life – most of the time anyway — and even though you don’t agree on most issues, you can agree on favorite restaurants, movies and vacation spots and in the end, it is mostly the little things that count. Still, you can give your husband little gentle ribbing every now and then. Just the other day, you purchased Evisu Boys Democratic Party T-Shirt. Made with 100% cotton, this soft T-shirt is a little bit of funky and a whole lot of fun. Perfect for those cool summer nights, your little future voter can make a statement without saying a word.
Designed by Evisu Bonsai for Estella, this T-shirt may not bring the two parties in your household together, but it is bound to bring a smile to the party.
You’ve always had a soft spot for caterpillars. For as long as you can remember, those fuzzy little creatures have always been able to make you smile. Why is that? If you try to recall where this love comes from you think you can pinpoint it to one particular day. You must have been about four years old and it was your cousin’s birthday (that jerky cousin, Georgie, who always pulled your ponytail). You weren’t particularly thrilled to be there but there you were watching him play Pin the Tail on the Donkey in the park. And as you were sitting there with your shoes off, at the foot of a tree, you noticed a bright red and fuzzy as yarn caterpillar marching across your toes. Hello, friend!
How could someone not love caterpillars? They are gorgeous and filled with promise and potential and they end up as butterflies! It is no wonder that Plan Toy’s Pull Along Caterpillar Toy caught your eye. This cute and quirky wooden toy will go straight to your heart and your little one’s too. The Pull Along Caterpillar Toy is beautifully crafted using natural rubberwood, E-Zero glue and non-toxic water-based dyes. Vibrant reds and the smooth round shape make it visually appealing as well.
Have your little butterfly pull it along and the caterpillar wiggles its body back and forth. Perfect for early walkers who need a bit of encouragement to spread their wings.
I was relaxing with my friend the other day, enjoying a nice iced coffee, when suddenly…thud thud thud. Thud thud thud. I peeked out the window to witness her toddler son on his Big Wheel, riding at top speed up and down the driveway. I went back to my tasty caffeine on ice, when I heard another noise. After another peek outside, I saw he had hopped off his trike and switched to roller skates, these adorable little blue Thomas & Friends ones.
Do little boys just have the energy and bravery of gladiators or what? They bike, they skate, they run, and usually in between those things, they fall. Scraped knees are something that all little boys have seen (and felt) before.
To avoid the worst of the worst boo boos, it’s best to don them in denim for all rough and tumble adventures (just in case there’s a bumble in there too). The hutch baby jeans from Earnest Sewn Lit’l Earnie’s baby clothes collection are the perfect way to keep them covered, safe and sound. Super-soft denim and an adjustable waistband means they’ll also be super comfy while they’re doing all those things that make you a little bit uncomfy.
These classic jeans are also great for dressing up, something that makes them a tad uncomfy. And there aren’t any tags, because we all know how those tough guys hate to be irritated by pesky itchy tags. Especially when he must get on his bike and ride. The open driveway calls.
Summer to our family is the season of the ice cream cone. This dairy delight usually is prefaced by an intricate dance between my daughter and I. It goes a little something like this. Step one: Begging and pleading to go get one. Step two: Bouncing up and down while waiting for one. Step three: Furtive licks when one finally arrives from over the counter. Step four: A declaration of “fullness” and a handing over of unfinished cone to the nearest parent. Step five: Parent eats the remaining cone. Step six: Repeat the following afternoon.
Since this seems to happen every day, and we’re certainly not going to hit the ice cream shop that often, I’m always looking for a great way to distract her.
So I needed to have a Plan. One that didn’t involve sugary cones. Luckily, green company Plan Toys has one for me. This graphic wooden cone sorter has it all. Stack it, sort it, hide little toys in it—no matter how she decides to play with it, this learning toy cone gives her the wonders of play minus the drippy mess. Just as sweet as the real thing.
This clever and colorful cone bides time for a bit. Then it’s back to the ice cream dance for two. I guess I could only hold off the sweet teeth for only so long. After all, this one doesn’t come with sprinkles.
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