Approved Awesomeness: Misha Lulu Style

I get all gooey over Misha Lulu's aesthetic. I can stare at images of their clothes for hours and imagine myself as a kid again frolicking through bohemian forests while wishing on dandelions and building beautiful pillow forts. Just enchanting.

I swear this could be Addison in a few years!
Beautiful Billie Holiday dress from the surplus store.

I adore the photography and COLORS!
Taken from the Misha Lulu blog

Bohemian baby. This is from an old collection
but all of their stuff is worth looking through for
the sheer artfulness and whimsy.

And now they have collaborated with the
iconic Hello Kitty for even sweeter vintage infused fashion!

The childhood I dreamed of.

Addison's Five Favorites: Newborn+ Edition

Shopping for toys is overwhelming for me, especially when babies are at an age in which they barely understand play. Addison is starting to love playing and discovering, but before her real awakening, she had some favorites as a newborn.

ADDISON'S NEWBORN

TOP FIVE

Skwish Classic

I love this toy so so much and forgot who bought it for us. Besides the eye-catching geometric shape and bold colors, this Skwish is made of wood and the pieces are all attached with soft elastic cord that makes the tetrahedron bendable. Some of the larger wooden balls slide which makes a delightful sound while being rattled about. I just remember Addison being so fascinated with this contraption and I felt very safe with her playing with it because of the wood, lack of sharp edges, pliability, and overall design.

Bright Starts: Pretty in Pink Way to Play Bundle Gift Set

Another gift that keeps on giving. Addison seems to love all things elephant and this one is fun because it makes a shaker sound and has chewable hands and feet that make for a fun dance routine. The rattle has a reflective inner surface and beads inside that give them a a soft maracas sound. Then there are the two teethers and keys that Addison has only recently shown interest in.

Bright Starts: Pretty in Pink Bloom and Rattle

This was Addison's first favorite toy. I love the face on this cutie and Addison loved the soft rattling sound, the grab-ability, the crinkly leaves, and the bold colors. 

Infantino Twist'n'Fold Activity Gym

(Vintage Boy)

 I chose the 'boy' pattern because it is WAY cooler than the girls' and seems rather gender neutral to me. This activity mat has a fun bohemian feel with the mixture of patterns and earth tones. I love how kitschy the animals are and how easy this is to store. The bars are soft and pliable. The giraffe plays twinkle twinkle. The only warnings---the pillow is very slippery and is NOT meant to be used under a baby's head (yes I learned this the hard way) and the mirror is more of the circus variety and may scare your baby (also learned the hard way).

Tummy Time Soft Books

The one we were given  is called "I See Shapes" and even though there are tons of these types of books it seems that this company is impossible to find. Addison LOVED her book so much and it definitely helped her with her tummy time since she had something to look at. This book also stood up on its own and gave Addison ample entertainment when sitting up or laying down. She loved to manipulate its accordion shape, gnaw at the edges, and squeal over the colors. I was amazed at how long she could stare at the same things for so long, but luckily the book is two-sided so I could 'change-up' the story line here and there.  

Honorable Mentions

(though I love these even more than Addison does):

Jacques the Peacock

Eric Carle Butterfly Toy

Aren't these so beautiful? I love all of the colors, the crinkly sounds, and all of the little bits to play with...Addison is so so about these. Some days she loves them, some days she could care less. Now that she is older she is moving away from some of these toys and on to new things. Soon we will do a 6month+ toylist.

What are some toys that your newborn responded to?

My Five Essentials: Newborn+ Edition

I would love to be a minimalist, but the truth is I do like to have some stuff...not a lot, but the things I love I REALLY love or tend to be super thankful I had those things. When it comes to babies and children in general, I am a believer in less is more (though I don't want Addison to feel like she is 'without', but she did have more fun with a large plastic cup the other night than with anything else I've seen to date). I digress...Here is a list of some of mine and Addison's favorites (particularly those things that were the best during her newborn days).

THE TOP FIVE

The Boppy

Of the two covers I have this is my favorite!

This is hands down my favorite item in the land of baby care. The boppy is perfect or nursing, propping a baby for naps/tummy time/sitting up, cuddling, mama backaches, the cases are easy to remove/put on AND the pillow is also washable. One of the only things I would say is a MUST have.

Swaddle Me Sleep Sack

Baby burrito!!

I received four of these (the one pictured included) as shower gifts and I have to say these were SUCH a lifesaver. Too often Addison managed to unravel herself from her blankets no matter how tight we wrapped her...heck, she eventually figured a way out of these! Granted you may feel like you are putting your baby in a straight jacket, but Addison was snug, warm, and slept much better in the sack.

Wipes/Diapers Case and Changing Pad

JJ Cole Collections: "Cocoa Tree"
I have the changing pad pictured but not this particular case
(although it is lovely!)

These may seem like 'luxury' items but I found that I really didn't need to lug a whole diaper bag around as much as I needed my essentials--wipes (for all things messy), diapers, and a clean surface. I was always able to fit the latter in my larger-than-life purse (it beats having two bags) and have relied upon that changing pad in every imagined circumstance. I have also used the pad to lay Addison on while hanging out--remember, this is the newborn edition--as in this was perfect for a baby who just lays there.

Sound Sleeper

The one pictured is the Dex Baby Sound Sleeper.
I was given this based on my friend Laura's experience with her own baby.
Addison loves the sounds of the ocean waves the most. 

The sound sleeper helped me as much as it helped the baby. This little machine has an array of soothing sounds to emit some white noise in order to lull your newborn to sleep.  I like that this machine has a function that has a half-hour timer so that you can fall asleep!

Travel System Stroller

The one I have here is the Chicco Cortina Discovery.

 Having a travel system makes life easier and also gives you more bang for your buck. If you drive you need a car seat (heck, they won't let you leave the hospital without one) and the beauties of this bucket car seat is that it comes with a newborn insert and head rest, it serves as a rocker (perfect for napping and letting baby hang out and watch you while you are trying to do...other things)/ The seat also clicks right into the stroller so it is easy to transfer the baby. I chose this system because in the upright position this stroller can last you for years. The main stroller is super easy to open and close (all with one handle), has an adjustable handlebar, bottom storage, multiple cup holders, and it is the lightest of its kind. 


The wheels can get awkward at times (I am a bit of a stroller spaz) and with the seat in the full recline it is hard to access the storage basket...BUT I have managed to do a ton of food shopping/errand run using the stroller, the two canopies are perfect for protecting baby from the elements, and seriously, when there aren't any changing tables in sight (which there rarely are) then using your stroller in the total recline position is great!

All of the above are just my personal favorites! 

What has been something you are happy you had for your baby?

Nurse Out Loud: Celebrating Breastfeeders

One of the highlights of my month was participating in a last minute local celebration of The Big Latch On  for World Breastfeeding Week. It was a small gathering organized by my dear friends of Birth Right Now yet it was inspiring to know that we were all part of an international moment--  a larger collective community. Every woman there had such stories and insights--I feel lucky to have met each one of them and in the short time that we sat and chatted I learned a lot. Mostly, I came away with a feeling that there was even more support out there than there was when I woke up that morning. 

A beautiful group of mamas and babes! 8/6/11

I am a firm believer in breastfeeding though I know how hard it can be for some women. Thus I love to celebrate those who make it work. I remember how much I struggled at first, how much my baby seemed to feed forever, how alienated I felt, how many factors there were riding against me and how little I trusted my own body. I will save my soapbox and use this post to celebrate why it is important to be open and honest about breastfeeding in order to re-normalize the act, and to build up the women who make the commitment. Although I tend to cover up when I nurse in public (which is something I understand the BF community often sees as a point of contention) I have learned now to do what I do for me and not so much for other people who may be 'disturbed'.

Soooo...What I really want to share is THIS ARTICLE FROM "The Babe and the Breast" outlining why more women need to SEE other women nursing.

The next thing I want to share is from "Kind Over Matter"-- a truly inspirational site for all creatives that I have been marveling over for years now! (My other blog was once thanked on there which gave me so much glee!) In KOM's extensive freebie section you can find these thoughtful thank you cards:

You can download them here.

Believe me, breast feeders need a lot of support and celebration in the present cultural climate (thus the need for a term like lactivist--I mean, really?) Here's to all of the BF mamas who have come before me, and those to come! 

Holding On To The Little Things Feature

The thoughtful and talented Jordan Marie of Holding on to the Little Things featured Mama Button as one of her favorite single mom blogs! In the spirit of her blog I am holding on to this moment as one of the key highlights of my day.

To add to this honor I was listed under one of my favorite blogs. Check out the post and reap in my glory! And seriously, hang around Holding on to the Little Things and fall in love.

xoxo

Awesomely Obscure Children's Books

Obscure Children's Books by Adult Authors

From Mark Twain's: "Advice to Little Girls"

Need I say anything more? Wow.

(I especially covet the Wilde one!!)

Approved Awesomeness//Onesie Extenders

This image was featured in the Staten Island Family magazine
for July 2011 and belongs to the etsy shop: Kimeyates

Ideas like these make me wonder why I didn't consider this sooner! I saw these as part of a "New & Noteworthy" section in a local magazine (Staten Island Family) and then had one of those 'aha' moments. My baby (like many I read about) is quite long and lean, thus many of her onesies still fit her in width, but can barely close in length. What a cute way to conserve what you have, reuse scraps or dirty onesie parts, or save from buying larger sizes too soon.

I am a craft-prone mama and decided to look up some DIY's since these seem pretty simple to make. I particularly like the ones at A Girl and a Glue Gun and Diddle Dumpling. If anyone has more resources, ideas, or pictures using these link up, I would love to see them!