Little One | Spring gifts

I am charmed by these pants—Diane von Furstenberg for Gap—and this set of wooden Wind in the Willows characters. I highly suggest you buy one both of these for your babies. Or mine. And yes I would put in Bruno in those Zebra leggings in a heartbeat.

Toys & Books | Duplo

I have so many things to blog about, like Cody's last day of classes at Duke, trips to the park, hilarious things that my babies are doing these days, and Bruno reaching the 10 mo. mark. But as is often the case when I have so much to share that I don't know where to start, I am breaking the blog silence by sharing with you something that, in the grand scheme of things, is pretty insignificant: Duplo. Who am I kidding? It's life-changing. Whatever great thing you've heard about other blocks is a lie. Duplo is where it's at. I want to kiss the person that thought of these blocks. The only thing that could make them better would be if they were made available in more natural colors... I, of course, would love that. But as is, they're not so bad. Even this mama couldn't part with her Duplo when she rid her home of every toy that wasn't eco friendly or made of wood! They are pure magic, I tell you.

A few nights ago when Katie came over, Sebastian sat on the floor with his Duplo and made a dinosaur while we talked. No one told him to make one, and no one told him how to make it. It was his first real show of creativity with blocks, and I couldn't have been more thrilled at seeing his imagination in action.

I have been thinking a lot about what things we'll be taking with us to Germany, and Duplo is at the top of my list. Even if for some reason Sebastian's interest in Duplo waned, Bruno's will pick up.

But I don't think we need to worry about Sebastian...

Little one | Play idea

Sebastian is really into games right now. He discovered our board game stash hidden away in a vintage suitcase and he's never been the same. But how on earth do you play a board game with a 2-year-old? Last week Seb was particularly determined to play Sorry!, which I quickly discovered he had already played with daddy... he wanted to get a Sorry! card so badly that when he didn't draw one after a few tries he started saying, "Sorry!" and swiping my piece off the board and across the room. Obviously, toddlers don't feel the need to play by the rules, which got me to thinking... he really didn't need all the particular pieces and elements of the game, he just wanted a part of it. He wanted to play in a way that he could understand, and yet would feel special and new. Likewise, Cody quickly discovered that when he plays Chutes and Ladders with Seb, that the really fun part for him are the action parts, i.e. going up the ladders and down the chutes.

So when Seb and I played Sorry!, we took away the choking hazardous pieces (since Bruno was playing, too) and used the wooden rings from our Melissa and Doug rainbow stacker. It was more like air hockey than Sorry!, but is that a bad thing?

Little one | Everything baby shorts should be + tractors

It's a good thing these shorts only go up to 12-18 months or I would probably buy one in every color for Bruno. How 'bout that smoky lilac!? Okay, so maybe that color isn't quite Bruno's style, but still!

I'm also digging this Etsy shop—tractors!

Little One | Shops

Goodness gracious there are so many creative people in this world. As much as I get terribly annoyed with technology sometimes, I'm so glad to be able to have such easy access to the amazing talents of those near and far. Here are a few shops that I've come across that you should check out.

SweetKM makes the most lovely pixie hats. Recently Cody and I were watching Christmas in Connecticut, and one of the babies wore a white pixie hat with red ties throughout. I fell in love and have been searching for something similar ever since. I wonder if she does custom orders...

My friend Kaite started InfinityMOM, where she sells her ingenious infinity scarf style nursing covers. If you are a nursing mama, you're going to want to check these out.

Have you visited Catherine's blog, Lucy and I, or her clothing shop, Playland? I am so inspired.

Enjoy, my friends! Credit for this post must go to my husband who has given me time to finally share these with you. Love that man.

P.S. Image is of SweetKM's pixie hat.

Little one | Tights for boys.

If you have a little boy to buy for this Christmas, please do the world a favor and get him a pair of these.

Dear Little Titans, what a good idea, and very well executed.

via

Create | Fall 2012 KCWC

I've been wanting to take part in the KCWC (Kid's Clothing Week Challenge) for a while now, but as of yet, have been unable to for one reason or another. Happily, this fact doesn't prevent me from thoroughly enjoying the amazing creations of everyone participating! The Fall 2012 KCWC kicked off today, and I'm soaking up all the amazing creations of those participating. An easy way to keep up is to follow the group Pinterest board. You can also get a recap of the entire pre-KCWC amazingness (including her Day 1 post) here at Elsie Marley. Or, last but not least, you can check out the KCWC Flikr pool.

Both pants (Top & Bottom) and pictures by the seriously inspiring Groovybaby and Mama.

Little One | Nifty

Cody frequently makes fun of me for my "tab problem." At any given time I'll have 25+ tabs open in multiple windows of things I want to blog about, tutorials I want to try or catalogue, blogs or articles I want to read, or things I just don't want to forget.

So in an effort to close another tab, and to give you a break from the delicious deluge of baby photos, I give you Nifty Kidstuff. I say "bravo" to this little shop. It's so refreshing to see some truly unique kid designs. I love the folk art, vintage feel, and the creativity and craftsmanship that shines through the designs. If you don't believe me, take a peek at this Quiet Book.

Also pictured:
Little Lion Man
Owlie Stroller Toy

Decor | Wooden things for the little ones

Highland Wood offers two items that are top on my wishlist for our home: A simple wooden baby gym and a similarly simple toddler bed. Aren't they lovely?

And since we're on the topic of toddler beds... please please tell me what you've done for sleeping arrangements for your kids. We have an amazing mini crib (Bruno's bed), and then Sebastian is in a full-size crib with standard mattress (which I would love to get rid of). At some point, and soon, Seb will need to move either into a toddler bed or a twin size bed. What is the next best step? I want to buy as few things as possible, and also have the best transition for him, but it's hard to figure out what's the most practical, and cost effective, solution.

One thing I love about Highland Wood's toddler bed is that it comes as flat wooden pieces and simply slides together. This would be a great option for storage when it wasn't needed, and let's face it, for those of us who are construction and instruction challenged!

P.S. In the same vein, check out yet another incredible Etsy shop: Smiling Tree Toys.

All this via my new favorite blog. Seriously, check it out.

Create | Mini felt storyboard

Take a box...

for a moonlight drive through the city,

or for a walk in the park.

This project may fall flat on my 2 year old, but if that's the case, I'll just save it for later. I'm going to try to find a few special little toys for him to play with that fit the scenes. I love that this project is reminiscent of Polly Pocket, and the possibilities are endless! Any ideas for what I could add to these scenes to spice them up a little more?

Coming up... a shoebox racetrack! Can you tell I'm gearing up for our August roadtrip?

Little One | Baby girl shoes

All you mamas of sweet little girls, you might want to head on over to On the First Day of Marriage to enter this giveaway. Wow wow wow if shoes can be delicious, All About Heidi shoes are precisely that. And what about sweet little Phiney in her darling new shoes!? Cutey.

Little One | The pants

These pants were made for Bruno. Commencing... operation "how-to-get-these-on-his-cute-little-tush-like-yesterday."

Little One | Bears and Chickens

I ran across these sweet items and wanted to share. The onesie would make such a lovely gift for a boy or girl, and I can't help but look at that mama bear and her cubs and imagine Seb having such a fun time putting them all together like a little puzzle.

Beso has a great roundup of 9 Indie Kids Boutiques that you should definitely peruse if you have a little time.

Little One | Aden & Anais, and the one reason I wish I had an iPhone

I had my 36 week prenatal appointment at the birth center yesterday morning, which means that I also got to peek into the boutique and ooo and ahh over all the lovely goodies. Lately, they've had a huge Aden & Anais display right as you walk through the door, and I was seriously tempted to spend a chunk of birthday change on a blanket for the baby. Cody got me a single layer, organic one for Christmas last year, and it has been so wonderful to use for Sebastian. He always wants me to cover him up before he sleeps, but HELLO!, it's like 80 degrees in his room. With this super thin blanket, I can cover him without him getting too hot. So basically, I've always been in love with Aden & Anais, but I'm more convinced now that I have one of their products, that they're the best, and can't wait to get my hands on some more.  One of my favorite blankets is the Super Star Scout in blue, but I can't find any place to buy one individually online. The boutique has one, though! Shopping in the flesh is just so much better sometimes. 

So where does the bit about the iPhone come in? Well the display was so lovely, I just wanted to take a little snapshot of it, but one just doesn't lug around an SLR for jobs such as this. Quality photos need to be taken, but how fun is it to be able to document a moment in time, even if the quality isn't so great? Someday, perhaps, they'll make an "iCamera" just for me.

P.S. I got a lot off track... the main reason I wanted to post about Aden & Anais was to tell you that they carry crib sheets now! Liam the Brave is so sweet.

Little One | Good finds

Hi friends, I've been away because Sebastian and I decided on Monday to leave at the crack of dawn on Tuesday to go visit some dear friends in Virginia. More to come about the trip later, but I'll just say that it was both wonderful and empowering. Sure there were hard moments, as it was our first time traveling by ourselves, but it was such a refreshing trip for me, and so fun to see two of my friends who also have little ones and hearing about how they parent. I learned some amazing things from both of them, and felt challenged and encouraged. I can't wait to write down some thoughts and share them with you!

And since, of course, when you get home at 2:30 a.m., what else are you going to do bright and early the next morning but go shopping!? There is a consignment boutique in Chapel Hill that I had been wanting to visit, and decided that today was the day, and then Seb and I would go to the library afterward. Sadly, we never made it to the library because as we were in the mall, headed to The Red Hen, we stumbled on the Kid Cycle! Helloooo goodies! I bought a pair of loafers for Seb to help him stylishly fill the role of ring bearer in my brother's upcoming wedding, and two pairs of shoes for the baby boy who jumped on my bladder during the whole five hour car trip home last night (I love you, too, baby). I also scored in the puzzle department. Seb only has one right now, so these are for his birthday. I love old, used puzzles. And hey, check out the Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel puzzle. What a beauty. I'm pretty sure consignment sales make for the best shopping experience ever.

I hope your week has been adventurous and lovely just like mine!

P.S. Little boy shoes make me want to have a million little boys.

Little One | Wooden Baby Gyms

1 / 2 / 3

With the arrival of this little baby boy just 10 weeks away, I've been thinking a lot about all the baby stuff we'll be pulling out of storage and using again. Which makes me think that I would love an update  on our play gym. Well, not an update, just one that's more my style. We got one as a hand-me-down for Seb, and it worked well, so I'm sure it's what we'll be using again. But that doesn't mean we can't appreciate the lovely wooden play gyms out there that effortlessly blend in with the surroundings! So charming, aren't they? Tell me, did any of you snag the $25 IKEA version while it was available?

A special message from Ocracoke Island, N.C.

Little One | Broken Tricycle & Leru Babies

I kind of hate Zulily because just this week they've introduced me to two of the most lovely baby clothing lines and I don't have money to buy some of their gorgeous pieces for my little men. So since I can't buy them, I thought I'd tempt you. So kind of me, I know. Also, in case you're wondering what's so special about the sea of solids that Leru Babies boasts, notice the incredible colors they have in their footed pants. Pants with feet are God's gift to mamas in my book and nearly impossible to find in any color apart from pastels or white. I don't think Broken Tricyle needs any introduction...

P.S.  Snag what's left of Leru Babies & Broken Tricycle on Zulily before I do, and consequently commit a terrible crime against our bank account.

Images via the Broken Tricycle Lookbook

Little One | Trousers

This is the sweetest collection of little pants I've ever seen. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to put little boy in for my brother's wedding this summer. I'm thinking flouncy linen or cotton pants, a lightweight button down, and a homemade bowtie. As for Sebastian, it will be his first gig as the ringbearer!

P.S. I love this polo!

Say hello to my little heartbreaker no. 2

That's right. We have another little boy, which means Cody and I were both dead wrong. But hey, at least there's no losing when it comes to the sex of your baby, since this is undoubtedly one of those win-win situations. In fact, Cody and I treated ourselves to circus peanuts and chocolate, respectively, just for being parents times two. In short, we are in love with his cute little self already. And in more good news, my due date was moved from June 20th to June 9th, which means I'm 20 weeks! Hooray for being half-way and not even knowing it.

So it looks like I'm going to have to throw out my ideas of infusing some florals into the nursery. Sebastian is doing a little dance. Not really, but if he understood florals, he would be.