I love supporting local business so when I discovered Baby Star – local to my current home of Portland, Oregon – I was thrilled to see all of the fabulous products they offer! Mostly made of eco-friendly cotton and organic soy, they offer far beyond simply stylish and snuggly apparel. Take the time to check out their crib bedding, hooded towels, and one of my favs – the quick change diaper pouch! Through 12/8 find Baby Star up to 45% off on zulily.com.
The more I look, the more absolutely darling 
gift ideas I’m finding so I just had to share a few more for baby, toddler, and mama. My newest obsession is the Oona Slug Lovey ($25) made with organic fleece and vintage Marimekko fabric! I just can’t get enough of this cozy little slug. Each one is unique and entirely too cute for words; from KLTworks on Etsy. Another fabulous find I couldn’t resist are these adorable Fortune Cookie Booties ($24) from Etsy. Even if they don’t make it under the tree, they would be a fun shower gift!
More fun ideas: Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug ($60 on Amazon.com). Also available in cow, tiger, bee, and ladybug characters. Kitty Egg Crayons ($14) on Etsy. They come in sets of 4 or 6 in various color combos! MARC BY MARC JACOBS ‘Pretty Nylon’ Baby Bag ($278) on Nordstrom.com. Other colors available. Sofie La Giraffe teething toy ($23) available on Amazon.com and from Nordstrom.
Skip Hop Treetop Friends Hug and Hide Owl Activity Toy ($18 on Amazon.com). Origany Kimono Bodysuit ($26), organic cotton with embroidered Alpaca. Vintage-looking handmade Alphabet, Number, and Puzzle blocks ($42) from maternalNEST on Etsy. Made with hand cut poplar. The Lonely Little Monster storybook + plush Nola monster ($36).
If you are enjoying our blog, please take a minute to VOTE here! 
Featured in InStyle magazine among others, Isabella Oliver Maternity is one of the most chic, simple and sophisticated lines of maternity that we have found. As I’ve mentioned before, a few quality maternity pieces are worth the investment and in choosing something from this collection, you can’t go wrong!
Here are my top five favorite basics:
1. Rouched midi dress (pictured to the left) – sassy enough for cocktails, business enough for work
2. White tie front blouse – a darling take on the classic white button up
3. Rouched T (set of 2) – comes in black, white and gray. Also available in a cami version.
4. Pencil Skirt – figure flattering and classic; this would be my number one go-to piece!
5. Tailored Trousers – the jersey waistband helps with coverage and support.
Also – if you happen to have a black-tie or red carpet event to attend, Isabella Oliver consistently offers options proven to make the bump look glamorous! Try the Wrap Column Dress or (my personal favorite) the Audrey dress.
Inspiration for today’s gray and yellow nursery came from two from two things; a Mother Goose nursery rhyme and this fabulous piece of artwork found on Etsy. The beautiful black and yellow giraffe printed on a vintage dictionary page (pictured below) would be gorgeous in any room of the house and especially charming for baby!
1. Botanical Print Rug (unknown) 2. Bella Notte Pebble Colette Satin Crib bedding 3. Curtains from Anthropologie 4. BOJA pendant lamp from IKEA 5. Charcoal alphabet print from studiolyon on Etsy 6. Giraffe print from Etsy 7. Corrigan Chair from Anthropologie 8. Mirrored Dresser from Anthropologie
Giving thanks for:
Spending time with family and friends. Precious little ones in our lives. Home and work. A delicious Thanksgiving dinner. Getting to decorate for Christmas. Upcoming holiday parties. Football Saturdays. That our loved ones are all healthy and accounted for even though they are spread across continents this Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and cheers to the start of the holiday season!
XOXO
If you’re like me, you start thinking about holiday shopping sometime around September. Laugh all you want, but a detailed list including store strategy and itinerary in-hand before I head out is a must. It helps me battle the day-after-Thanksgiving masses with record efficiency!
However you get your holiday shopping started (or finished), it helps to know exactly what it is you’re looking for so here are a few fun ideas I’ve found to help you get started on the little ones in your life!
1. ‘Organic Baby’ bib from Under the Nile 2. Charlie Banana cloth diapers 3. handmade knit rattles from Zubels 4. Western Chief monster umbrella (matching boots + coat available too!) 5. dress from KoKo – shop them on Zulily thru 11/26 6. Zuzii Bijou baby boots
With all the things that mamas need to get done each day they can’t afford to have one (or both!) of their hands tied up holding baby. So what you ask, is the solution? Babywearing to the rescue… life-saver of many a multi-tasking mama! Whether you choose sling, pouch, wrap, or soft structured carrier this is the key to being a hands-free super mom (or Dad!).
A few tips and tricks in picking the right one for you:
– Two shouldered is almost always better than one. It spreads out the weight and you’ll get tired less quickly.
– For a newborn, a stretchy wrap (like the Moby Wrap) is often best. One downside – especially as baby gets bigger – it is a lot of fabric and can get hot depending on climate.
– A woven wrap is the most versitile, able to be tied in over 20 different ways (try the German Storchenwiege wrap). Not to mention, one of our favs for the fashionable mama!
– More structured carriers like the Ergo Baby Carrier or Baby Bjorn are great for infant through toddler and can be one of the easiest to use. This category is also usually dad’s favorite.
A few comfort tips for any 
style you choose: 1. Straps of the carrier should rest on the ball of your shoulder, not the neck. 2. Baby should rest at or above your belly button. 3. Hold baby as close to your body as possible. 4. Support baby properly. In a recling position ensure back and head are well supported. In a seated position, baby’s thighs and buttocks should be supported, as well as the back.
Read more about babywearing here!
Photos: courtesy of my friend Lisa of she and her handsome little man Blake! Their favorite carrier is the Baby Bjorn.
