Mommy's Day Out, Outfits

Sending your little one off to Mommy’s Day Out can be traumatizing and rewarding all at the same time. You always wonder if your 18-24 month old can handle the pressures of a classroom. One thing you can be sure about when you send peas off to Mommy’s Day Out, besides the fact that you will be happy for the four hours of freedom, is that you can dress them appropriately.

There are many activities that happen at school that you wouldn’t dare allow on your hardwoods. Like painting, stamps and even pay-doh. And, their little outfits always come home with evidence of the day’s activity. So, make sure the clothes you choose are stain-friendly.

Zutano brand is always a great bet for wearable, playable clothes. Made of soft cotton, Zutano t-shirts and Zutano cardigans can handle finger painting, as well as apple juice. Pair any of them with Zutano leggings and your outfit is guaranteed to come out of the wash just as good as new.

Layering is also a great idea for school. You never know whether your pea will be indoors or out. Sending them in their pretty wool coat could end up a disaster, muddy and ripped. Layer clothes that can easily go in the wash. Like Angel Dear Bear Hoodie or a Mullins Square Fleece Hoodie. Both machine washable, each are made of fabrics that wear, wash and dry easily.

Ease any separation anxiety you may be feeling with some clothes shopping. You and your little are going to enjoy a little time apart. And even though they come back a little disheveled, school is a great learning experience for them. Stains and all.

"Tummy Time" tips

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the recommended sleeping position for your baby is on his back. Since the early nineties, the incidence of SIDS has been cut nearly in half thanks to mommies tucking in their tots safely on their backs.

But with so much of baby’s time spent snoozing on his back, “tummy time” during waking hours has become more important than ever.

The benefits of tummy time:

• gives baby’s tender little skull a break from so much time spent on his back
• builds upper body strength, which helps him to push up, roll over, sit up, crawl, and eventually stand and walk
• encourages fine motor development by enticing him to reach for toys, the blanket, or you!

When and how often to have tummy time:

• you can start as early as two months old if your baby is able to lift his head
• the general consensus is up to 30 minutes per day (all at once or broken into smaller segments if needed)

How to engage in tummy time:

• hold your baby on your chest while you’re lying flat on your back
• hold your baby on your forearms instead of the traditional cradle hold
• place baby on a firm, but soft surface such as a blanket or mat (TIP: Babylicious Yummy Blankets are a great size and weight for tummy time, available at www.twobluepeas.com)

Tips to help tummy time (if your baby bucks it, what do you do?):

• timing is everything; make sure your baby is not tired, hungry, or just in a general fussy mood
• start with shorter time periods and slowly build your way up as he becomes more comfortable with the concept
• interact with your baby and provide entertainment with toys, singing, or anything other silly antic you use to put a smile on that little face
• prop him up with a rolled towel or pillow (TIP: Angel Dear plush pillows are just the right size and softness for baby’s tiny tummy, available at www.twobluepeas.com)

> Babylicious Yummy Blankets (on sale now for just $18!)
> Angel Dear plush pillows (monogrammable for just $8!)

Celeb-inspired style for your little star

Celebrity babies seem to get as much – if not more – real estate than their parents in fashion pubs these days.

Suri cruise and her perfectly polished ensembles. The Jolie-Pitt brood and their Euro-chic getups. These tots are dressed better as toddlers than I was in my twenties.

Sure, their parents have more money tied to clothing budgets than I make in a year. But it doesn’t have to break the bank to dress your little like a celeb. And you certainly don’t have to venture onto Sunset Boulevard to find cool baby clothes. Here’s a few options inspired by Hollywood, available at Two Blue Peas:

	Gwen Stefani's little rock star: Zutano guitar tee BabyLegs black/white stripe baby leg warmers
	Brad Paisley's baby-to-be: Trumpette cowboy socks Best of Chums 100% cowboy/cowgirl gift set
	Matthew McConaughey's hip hippie: Babysoy organic baby clothes
	Ashley Simpson's tiny rebel: Best of Chums black skull onesie Trumpette sneaker socks
	Nicole Kidman's ultra-fem infant: One Girlie Girl hair clips Zutano apple stripe dress
	Nigel Barker's posh princess: Posh Baby shirtdress Trumpette patent leather baby moccasins

Have happy feet!

I love little tiny baby feet. Playing “this little piggy” with a 6 month old just fills my heart. But, as much as I love bare baby feet, winter weather makes it necessary to cover them up. Thankfully there are so many great shoe options for walkers and non-walkers alike.

Non-walkers
Socks are a good start to getting babies toes warm. Sometimes you feel like you need a little more than that to keep frost bite away. Tiny shoes for non-walkers is kind of ridiculous looking in my book. Best of Chums has a great answer, crochet baby booties. Just like your Granny used to make only so much cuter! These baby booties come in elephants, piggies, frogs and polar bears for those of you in the frozen Midwest.

Beginning walkers
Leather baby shoes have become a must have for any parent. There are a few brands out there selling in stores, but our favorite by far are Jack and Lily leather baby shoes. Made of ‘lambs touch’ leather with skid resistant suede soles, these shoes last for a very long time. With the adorable appliquéd animals and shapes, Jack and Lily will keep toes warm and protected while your little cruises around the coffee table or back porch.

Serious walkers
One of our favorite sock brands, Trumpette, has also introduced a line of leather baby moccasins. Very chic and practical, these moccasins were all the rage at Christmas time as they were featured in InStyle’s gift guide. We have selected the envy of all colors, lime green. Made of full leather with rubber gripper bottoms, these shiny shoes will dress up any outfit, boy or girl.

FREE Monogram on Hooded Towels

Right now, Two Blue Peas is offering free monogramming on any hooded towel! A monogrammed hooded towel is the perfect gift for any new baby, since they last a lifetime. Towels, as we all know, get used until they are threadbare. And, babies to school age kids love being snuggled after bath in a warm hooded towel.

This offer is very timely, because recently Two Blue Peas has expanded our hooded towel collection to include 3 Sprouts; giving you more options to choose from. 3 Sprouts adorable hooded towels are soft, modern and come in animal characters that would fit any baby's personality. Along with 3 Sprouts, Two Blue Peas continues to carry Mullins Square hooded towels. Equally as adorable, these towels come in more classic forms of puppies, flowers and lions.

Hurry and take advantage of the FREE monogram offer while it lasts! Offer expires January 23, 2009.

>shop hooded towels

BabyLegs the chameleon

BabyLegs oh BabyLegs, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Sure these little suckers look absolutely adorable on Michelin Man thighs, and they add a touch of flare to any onesie. But perhaps better than their style might be their ability to pull double duty as a practical solution in a pinch that tucks away neatly into even the tiniest of stylish diaper bags when finished.

• I love thee for keeping little legs warm, obviously.


• I love thee for making diaper changes super easy, and snap/zipper/
  clasp-free!


• I love thee for protecting delicate knees that are just learning to crawl.


• I love thee for acting as pants when a poopsplosion occurs in public.


• I love thee for making it easier to go down the slide – one of life’s best pleasures.


• I love thee for keeping chilly limbs (arms included!) toasty in the frozen foods aisle on a hot summer day.


• I love thee for insulating a bottle when the drive takes a little longer than planned.

> shop BabyLegs baby leg warmers at Two Blue Peas

Baby toys: back to basics

Over the holidays, my husband and I were lucky enough to have our two year old nephew in town for a visit. Not only is my house far from baby proofed and filled with glass bobbles and vintage collectibles, but the only toys I have lying around are the mouse-shaped, catnip-filled variety. Hardly enough to keep a toddler pacified for three minutes, much less three days straight.

To my Dad’s chagrin, thank goodness my Mom stashed our old favorites away in the attic “just in case”. As I dug through the treasures of 1970’s wooden blocks, stuffed animals, Little People, puzzles, and books, I noticed something – or the lack thereof I should say.

The most technological (if you can call it that) one of the bunch was the scratch-n-sniff paperback edition of Bambi. No blinking lights, no obnoxious sounds, no batteries required. Just a fingernail, a tiny nose, and a little imagination.

I completely understand the value of today’s electronic toys that teach little ones to count and spell practically before they can walk. LeapFrog and Discovery Toys are absolutely brilliant, and fun for even adults to tinker with.

But I do wish more parents would also look to handmade toys and basic teaching tools like wooden puzzles, blocks, and pretend food. Wide open minds and bright imaginations are what make kids so amazing. And I have to believe that fostering creativity in this way does make a child just as smart, sharp, and inventive as the one playing with the turbo-charged, sing-a-long, glow-in-the-dark learning pod.

I bring all of this up to encourage people to support handmade and help make sure small businesses like Lilly Bean Play Food stay alive to provide our kiddos with such fantastic goods.

In case you have not yet heard, the Unites States Congress recently passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) which mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys, and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number.

All of these things will be easy for large, multinational manufacturers to comply with because of the sheer volume they produce. But for small toy makers, the costs for testing and labeling will likely drive them out of business. The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of children's goods that have earned and kept the public's trust: toys, clothes, and accessories made in the US, Canada, and Europe.

You can read more about the CPSIA and find out how you can help save handmade goods at the Handmade Toy Alliance. Two Blue Peas is in full support of the Handmade Toy Alliance, and we hope you join in too!