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Do you live in or near Massachusetts? Have an adorable baby? And are pretty photogenic yourself (or have a friend who is)?
We are looking for parent and baby models for the next Sakura Bloom photo shoot. If you’re interested in being considered, please send contact information, child’s age, and current photos of both you and baby to info@sakurabloom.com
Mothers and fathers both welcomed!
We just got back from a wonderful four days in Chicago at the 2nd International Babywearing Conference.
Babies everywhere. More baby carriers than I’d ever dreamed seeing in one place. And wonderful, wonderful women (and some men, too!) from around the world!
The conference organizers held a gigantic raffle to benefit thebabywearer.com which is the world’s largest resource for information about baby carriers. A Sakura Bloom signature Blackberry Stripe sling was one of the prizes.
Here I am with the lucky winner—Genevieve from Pittsburgh, PA. Blackberry Stripe looks just gorgeous on Gen and her adorable son!
Congratulations to Genevieve and all of the other winners. Thanks also to the organizers for a fantastic conference!
Welcome to our first installment of Sakura Bloom’s Men In Slings!
Our first father is Marco from Fremont, California, pictured here with his beautiful daughter. We love how comfortable they look, his daughter’s sweet polka dot pants, and that West Coast foliage in the background!
Read on for Marco’s insights on why baby slings are just as good for dads as they are for moms:
What is your favorite thing about a ring sling?
This is a bit selfish, but I love the freedom and independence it gives me. I’m able to do things without lugging around a huge stroller or worrying about accessibility.
Describe the moment you *got* it.
My wife has worn our daughter from her second week of life, so I’ve always seen that she was happiest that way. At first we had a Bjorn, but it pulled on my shoulders. I used it for a bit and then my wife did a lot of research and found out that Sakura Bloom ring slings are much more ergonomic and enjoyable. So after many conversations and trying out her slings, I got a Sakura Bloom of my own.
What do you wish other fathers knew about baby slings?
I wish other fathers knew how wearing your baby helps you to carry on doing the same things you did before you had the baby. I think a lot of dads think they’re stuck on the floor playing with their kids without being able to do anything else. I do chores, I am on the computer, I cook, I work on the garden, and I know exactly where my daughter is.
What is your Sakura Bloom sling of choice?
Although we own several Sakura Blooms, there is one that is just mine: its a Storm Simple Linen.
What do you use your sling for most?
I use it to put my daughter to sleep at night. When she’s really fussy and in a mood, cradle carry and a song puts her to sleep in 10 minutes!
(A big thank you to Marco from everyone at Sakura Bloom!)
Just in time for Father’s Day, we are launching a new feature on our blog:
Men In Slings!
People often assume that its just women who use baby slings, but no. Slings are for fathers, too.
So, starting this week, we’ll be showcasing fathers carrying their children in Sakura Bloom slings.
Dads who use slings will tell you that they can be like magic: soothing an unhappy child, perfect for nap time, and fun for a walk.
For those of you who haven’t yet discovered baby slings, here’s some encouragement from the SB Men In Slings home team:
Top 10 Things a Man Can Do While Hands-Free in a Sakura Bloom Sling:
10. Walk around Home Depot.
9. Play Tiger Woods ‘08.
8. Watch the Red Sox.
7. Clean bottles.
6. Fix stuff.
5. Tie flies.
4. Make a sandwich.
3. Read the sports page.
2. Play at the park with your toddler.
and
1. Cuddle with your baby.
Joyful. Soulful. Absolutely delightful.
We’ve been rocking out to Dan Zanes’ music for kids–for the whole family, really–for over four years now and still do not get tired of it. Tired, actually, is probably not a word in the Dan Zanes vocabulary. This is music to make you smile, sing, tap your feet, and get up and dance.
It crosses all genres and each CD is just as wonderful as the one that came before it, making it next to impossible for me to pick a favorite.
Rocket Ship Beach and Family Dance have a special place in my music heart as they were the first two we got, but we all also love House Party and Nighttime too. And Catch that Train! of course. Its easier to pick songs than CDs, so here are some of my highlights:
1. Welcome Train with the Blind Boys of Alabama, on Catch that Train!
2. Pigogo, an absolutely beautiful and haunting song on Catch that Train! sung by a children’s choir from South Africa.
3. Pay Me My Money Down and Rattlin’ Bog from Nighttime.
4. In the summer and fall of 2005, my son refused to listen to anything other than Hokey Pokey from Family Dance.
5. Polly Wolly Doodle, Go Down Emmanuel Road, and Father Goose from Rocket Ship Beach.
Our current favorite is the new CD featuring Father Goose: It’s a Bam Bam Diddly! Try, just try to put this CD on and not start smiling, if not dancing, the minute the first track “Bam Bam” starts playing.
We’re big reggae and dancehall fans around here, but can’t imagine anyone not loving this CD. As they say on their website, its a “rollicking mix of west indian folk music, rock, gospel, and father goose original tunes.”
In March, we went to see Dan Zanes and the band here in Boulder with some friends. They opened with Welcome Table, my son’s favorite song, and put on a wonderful show, but we were sad that Father Goose wasn’t there.
So, after the show, we asked one of the band members where he was, and heard that he and his wife were expecting a baby any day. Of course, we couldn’t think of a better reason for Father Goose not to be there, and we hope that he, his wife, and their new Baby Goose are all doing well!
There’s something simply amazing about communicating with your infant via sign language.
The first time they sign to you just stops you in your tracks. Did my baby just sign to me, you think? Could it be? Wow! My baby is brilliant!
I signed some with my son (okay, confession: he really only signed one sign—”more”) and am now teaching my infant daughter to sign. We started when she was about eight months old, inspired by seeing Rachel from Signing Time perform at Baby Celebration LA.
L’s first sign was the one to nurse, and its still her most consistent and used sign (well, along with bye-bye). She’s also made up her own sign or two which we are working on deciphering.
There are many claims made about the benefits of signing. I don’t doubt that its beneficial to some degree, but mostly I just think its fun. Pamela Paul has an insightful article on Babble about infant sign language: Hands Across America: Is Baby Sign Language Essential or a Rip-off? Will it make your kid ace the SATs and get into Harvard? Probably not. Will it be a neat way to communicate with your infant? Yes, or at least, it has been for our family (albeit in our own limited, ad hoc way).
Today I decided to teach her the sign for baby sling. Turns out that you use the signs for “baby” and “carrier.” Click here to see a very serious woman demonstrating this sign for you.
Do it like she does, but please, add a smile and have some fun!
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Sakura Bloom Baby Slings is joining with one of New York’s hottest baby boutiques, the Upper East Side’s Metro Minis to present their extraordinary slings.
Sakura Bloom designer and founder, Lynne Banach, will be at Metro Minis showing slings from each collection: the extraordinary Belgian linens baby slings ($88-160), stunning dupioni silk baby slings ($198-340), and the new sustainable silks of the Luxe Collection baby slings ($540-1120).
All who purchase a sling at the show will be entered in a drawing for a suite of Sakura Bloom slings–FOUR SLINGS OF YOUR CHOICE! One Pure or Hana sling, one linen Simple or Essential sling, one silk Essential or Artisan sling, and one tussah silk Luxe sling. This is an $874-1160 value depending on which slings you choose! Read here about our last winner, here about the current contest, and best of luck to everyone!
Come to Metro Minis on Saturday, May 3 from 11-2 to see, feel, and try on these gorgeous baby slings! Not sure how to use a baby sling? The Sakura Bloom team will also do free hands-on demonstrations during the show.
Metro Minis is located at 821 Park Avenue (at the corner of 75 Street); 212-313-9600.
Carrying your child in your arms is fine….for a while. Then you start getting tired arms, a tired back, and a tired body. Enter the baby carrier!
Parents have been carrying their children for centuries. Anthropological evidence shows that throughout human history, we have carried children in seated or recline positions. Some of the first carriers were made from bark or other natural fibers. The advent of weaving gave us simple cloth carriers. Many of today’s baby carriers are direct descendants of these early, homemade carriers.
Sakura Bloom Baby Slings proudly carry on the baby carrier tradition, providing a carrier that is ergonomically correct for both parent and child.
Ergonomically correct for parent: the weight of the child is supported across the entirety of your back, rather than just on the shoulders or the hips. Each Sakura Bloom sling spreads wide and comfortably across the back.
Ergonomically correct for children: ring slings (1) position children in either a seated or recline position, and also (2) conform to your growing infant’s spine.
Sakura Bloom Baby Slings: simple, comfortable, natural, and luxurious for you and your baby!
Once again, a parent somewhere came up with the next greatest idea in the world: the combo coffeehouse and playspace.
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
Almost 4 year old R., baby L., and I went to our local here in Boulder—Play Grounds—for the first time today and were immediately smitten. A great menu. Healthy choices, but still enough chocolate to keep Mom (aka me) happy. Nooks and crannies to explore. Things to play with, jump on, climb up. Arts and crafts projects to make.
And, kids everywhere (babies, too) all supervised (more or less) by their parents (well, mostly mothers, though there was at least one father, a handful of grandmothers, and some nannies in attendance too). Best of all: IT WORKED. Again, kids everywhere, and it felt more like safe and organized fun than random chaos.
We’re already plotting our return and calling friends to tell them about it.
Wishing there was something similar where you are? There might be already. Here are some other parent/kid coffeehouses we’ve heard about (and if you want to add one near you to the list, just send us an email!):
Calgary: Coffee and Scream and Jump ‘n’ Java
Chandler, AZ: Way 2 Play Cafe
Detroit area: Jungle Java
LA area: Swork
Marietta, GA: The Coffee Park
Montreal: Maman, Bebe, et Cafe and Cafe Kavaloo
New York City: AppleSeeds
Oakland, CA: Play Cafe and Tumble and Tea (shown in above photo)
Portland, OR: Cafe Au Play (coming soon)
San Diego: Java Mama
Toronto (Mississauga): Gingerbread Lane
Woodinville, WA: Tot Spot Cafe
Just in time for spring!
The Pure Collection is all about comfort and simplicity: our finest Belgian linens in a single layer of sling perfection.
Easy to use, easy to care for, and with unsurpassed Sakura Bloom quality and attention to detail, including our signature bamboo box…..all at $88!
In a gorgeous array of colors: Pebble. Seagrass. Bluejay. Sunrise. Marine (shown here). Twilight. And Raven.
Perfect for mothers. Perfect for fathers. Perfect for you!
Starting tomorrow, Lynne and Eric from Sakura Bloom Baby Carriers will be at the Mom2B trade show in Las Vegas showing the entire SB collection!
The new Pure Collection. The cross-over Hana Collection. Our unbelievably soft Belgian linens in both solids, the Simple Collection, and two-color reversibles, the Essential Collection.
And our silks, oh, our silks. The original dupioni Silk Essential slings. Our signature Artisan slings. And, the exclusive wild silks of our Luxe Collection.
Going to the show? Be sure to stop by the Sakura Bloom booth to say hello and try on one of our slings. The world’s finest baby slings—-there’s nothing else out there like them!
We had a wonderful time at last January’s Mom2B show in L.A. (that’s us at the L.A. show above) and look forward to seeing you in Vegas!
Getting two small children to bed is no small task. To ease things in this department, I recently decided to start a new bedtime ritual: a nightly massage for both my infant and my preschooler.
Off I went to my local natural grocery store in search of a calming massage oil for children. To my surprise (as it seems there are massage oils for everything these days), there was none.
Not to worry though as one of the herbalists had the perfect solution: Aura Cacia apricot kernel oil, unscented, to which she added ten drops of German Chamomile essential oil.
It turns out that German Chamomile is just the thing to get little ones (and moms, too!) ready for bed. Believe me, it smells absolutely dreamy.
So, get yourself to your local natural pharmacy (ours is Pharmaca), search out the German Chamomile (not the Roman, which has different properties), and get massaging! Need help in the actual massage department? Check out our earlier post on infant massage.
What’s better than one sleeping baby? Two!
Here Baby L. and her cousin, Baby G., nap happily in their slings. Ahhhh…..
We have a new and wonderful store here in Boulder: MomentuM, a fair trade shop with a great selection of products from around the world. Over the holidays, I went a little nutty buying children’s books there and one of our new faves is Somewhere in the World Right Now.
Written and illustrated by Stacey Schuett, this is a gorgeous book that takes the reader around the world starting with the near break of day in London and east through Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas until arriving at bedtime in Boston.
Beautifully illustrated and laid out, with text that inspires curiosity about the world in little minds, this is a book to keep and savor as your children grow.
Already in love with this book? Then check out some of Stacey Schuett’s other books; next on our list is A Tree Is a Plant. What’s on your list?
When my son was born, a friend gave me a subscription to Brain, Child.
Cool, I thought, something new to read.
Well, almost four years later, I’m still reading and loving it (and renewing my subscription every year!).
Brain, Child, the “magazine for thinking mothers” is everything the other parenting magazines aren’t: its smart, its independent, it allows for disagreement, it doesn’t tell you what to do, it has articles that feel as if they were written by friends.
Espousing no particular parenting philosophy, Brain, Child instead provides an outlet for dealing with the experience of parenting. In their own words, magazine founders and editors Stephanie Wilkinson and Jennifer Neisslein explain Brain, Child as treating “motherhood as a subject worthy of literature.” Down-to-earth, commonsensical, and curious in a smart, articulate, but never snarky or cooler-than-thou way.
The current issue has articles on secret baptisms, diaper free infants, a debate on whether or not kids can have too many toys, recommendations for books and music and so much more: check out the table of contents and some of the articles here.
If you haven’t yet come across Brain, Child at your local bookstand, then trust me and treat yourself to a subscription. Then when the kids are asleep, run yourself a nice hot bath, grab your copy and get reading!
Sound simple? It is.
Putting on a baby sling is absolutely as easy as pie. That doesn’t mean we don’t have some tricks up our sleeve for how to do it!
1. We both like to put the sling on our non-dominant shoulder, leaving our dominant arm fully free.
2. Put your dominant arm through the sling loop, and put the sling on your opposite shoulder.
3. Make sure the rings are high so that your pouch will be the right size for your baby.
4. Spread fabric wide in the back.
5. Adjust the rails, put your baby in, and you are ready!
Sound hard? Its not. Once you’ve got it down, this should all take 5-10 seconds.
Check out our video demonstration for How to Put Your Sling On to see just how to do it.
Have any other tips? Feel free to share them here!
The two slings that probably get the most wear time in my wardrobe are wildly different: the colorful Sakura Bloom Stripe silk sling and the simple Midnight linen sling.
The Midnight is my Little Black Sling.
Perfect with just about anything. Disappears when you want it to over blacks, provides a striking contrast over other colors, and always, always looks classy and comfortable. In two layers of the softest Belgian linen you can imagine.
I can’t imagine being without it.
But….if I had to give up my beloved Midnight linen, here’s what I’d replace it with: one of the sassy dupioni trimmed linen slings from our Hana collection–black with violet, black with ginger, or black with periwinkle.
Or, if I’m allowed to dream, Moondance! Its not black, but its colors are beyond belief and close enough for me!
Hanging innocently on the rack at Planet Kid were a row of shirts and sweaters. Innocent, that is, until one got close enough to see the detailing on them.
Then there was no walking past them.
Wildly hip tees and sweaters for girls and boys made from repurposed retro and vintage textiles: old tees, sweaters, sports shirts. Fashionable serged and raw seams round out the craftster look.
Each cooler than the one before it from the talented hands of Toronto designer Susan Harris.
Insanely stylish for your little ones, and available in womens’ sizes, too! Sold in stores around Canada, as well as Susan Harris’ studio at 135 Tecumseth right off Queen Street West.
This is part of a series about cool Canadian things!
Live in or near Ottawa? Then you simply must get yourself to Milkface Nursingwear in Westboro for the best baby slings and nursing clothing around! Over in BC or up in Newfoundland? No problem. Milkface is also an online store with some wonderful products for new mothers.
Boob nursing shirts from Sweden. Breastfeeding information and support.
Sakura Bloom baby slings including the new Hana Collection. Sling loan programs. Babywearing workshops and playgroups.
Canadian-made (and gorgeously packaged) Substance bodycare products: mineral soak, herbal sitz bath, baby body foam and more.
Milkface is an amazing resource for mothers everywhere, whether you live down the street or on the other side of the world!
Ooh, ooh, ooh! We just got an email from LINObaby and they are having a 20% Valentines Day Sale!
Get beautiful red linen or velvet Thai Easy Pants (see our blog post below) for $35! Also on sale: t-shirts, bibs, and hats. Check it out:
Like just about everyone else we know, we’re trying to get rid of excessive plastic in our lives. You know, the plastic things that you never really noticed before, the ones that have just always been there, especially in the kitchen.
One casualty of my new plastic-be-gone mode are all my son’s plastic utensils (okay, maybe not all of them, but most of them). And with Baby L’s six month “first food” ritual pending this weekend, it was time for some baby spoons worthy of the task.
Enter Kett Made wooden spoons.
Hand made in Ontario by Mark Kett, a professional luthier (that’s a guitar maker for all you civilians out there), from a range of beautiful woods, these are spoons that you cannot wait to use.
Ebony. Snakewood. Curly Maple. Purpleheart. Bubinga. Each more gorgeous than the one that came before it. Shaped perfectly for feeding a little one or for them to hold when they are ready.
Kett Made: Fine Woods. Craftsmanship. An elegant, safe alternative to plasticwear. Get your spoons and serving utensils at their etsy shop and happy eating!
This is part of a series on cool Canadian things!
Walking down Toronto’s Queen Street West, we passed a tiny store front with hip, but unusual looking onesies in the window. In we went.
Once in the store, LINOliving designer and owner Cheryl Chapin showed us her LINObaby line, including her brilliant Thai fisherman’s pants for babies: the Thai Easy Pant. Wide legged, with a fold-over waistband that grows with baby, and made out of to-die-for Japanese cottons or perfect linens for summer. In two sizes: 4-14 months, and 15-24 months. An absolutely brilliant re-interpretation of a Thai classic.
Did we mention that these pants are brilliant?
On the spot, barely even looking at the price (although they were on sale at the time), I bought Baby L. an outfit (see above). Cream and dark charcoal. Colors one doesn’t often associate with babies, but that look just divine and seriously fashion-forward. In addition to being well thought-through in terms of design and fabric, the finishing on these pants is just superb. They are beautiful, right down to the cuffs, which are designed to be rolled up and then let down as baby grows, and to look perfect at each stage.
Really. Someone must start importing these to the U.S. and soon!
Now if only they came in adult sizes (especially for pregnant or postpartum women and all that growing and shrinking going on), then all would truly be perfect in the design world.
This is part of a series on cool Canadian things!
Fidoodle is one of those kids’ companies that makes me wish, really wish, that I was a child again. Not that I won’t play with their things now (I will), but they would just be all that much more fun if I was a kid.
So, what is it that Toronto-based Fidoodle makes?
Just about the coolest things you could dream up: puzzles that turn into puppets that turn into art. Story based, interactive mobiles. Animals designed to be held and to inspire dreams.
I fell in love with the Cinderella jigsaw puppet at Planet Kid. So smart, so creative, so fun! Get yours in Toronto at Planet Kid, or for the rest of us, on Etsy!
This is part of a series on cool Canadian things!
Baby L. and I recently took a trip to Toronto. I’m starting a new research project there and needed to get the lay of the land. Turns out that the neighborhood where I’ll be working is right next to some of the city’s hottest baby and kids’ boutiques!
Together with a friend, we walked up and down Queen Street West. If you haven’t been to Toronto lately (or ever, as this was my first trip), its time to get yourself there. I was blown away by some of the stores we found:
ella + elliot is a newish boutique specializing in all things modern for baby. We loved their selection of products, from Netto to Dwell to all sorts of European labels new to us. A beautiful store (pictured at right) with a thoughtfully chosen selection of items.
Polka Dot Kids is a narrow, airy store full of treasures to discover, including many from Japan. It was here that I saw the most delicious Imps and Elfs grey woolen smocked trapeze dress. I doubt it will be there when I return this summer, but if it is, I’m buying it!
Kama Kazi Kids is one of those kid stores that you wish you could shop at …. for yourself! They have one of my favorite U.S. lines, Imoga, and lots that were excitingly new to me such as Chipie and Minisu.
Kol Kid is a store stocked with classic and popular treats–toys and clothes that were familiar to (and loved by us). Lots of good standards such as Haba and Skip Hop and excellent quality items from throughout North America and Europe.
My favorite store, however, was one that specialized in only Canadian designers: Planet Kid. Some amazing, amazing things, many of which need to make their way down here to the U.S., and in honor of which we are naming this Canada Week. Each day will have a new post about one of the great Canadian, including many Torontan, designers featured at Planet Kid.
We were in Toronto on a chilly, but brisk and sunny day in December. Queen Street West is a neighborhood full of hot boutiques, trendy galleries, and enticing restaurants, bars, and cafes. Most irresistible to us after an afternoon of walking and shopping? Dufflet Pastries. Dufflet is a Toronto institution and has more than earned that title!
Think up the perfect dessert, be it chocolate, or caramel, or raspberry, or whatever it is your heart desires. Add yummy drinks on top of that, lots of unique Dufflet label chocolates and other goodies to go, and Dufflet is a must for any Queen West outing.
Good chocolate and stunning baby and kids boutiques. Other than some warmer weather, there’s not much more that I need!
Oh happy day!
We’ve just added three new colors to our amazing Luxe Collection of baby slings. The I’m-dreaming-of-a-Caribbean-vacation Belize, the deep, mysterious blue of our Lapis sling, and the frosty perfection of our Glacier sling.
Each of these colors is just stunning in our tussah silk. The depth of the weave accentuates each of the hues as if were invented for the first time today.
Simply gorgeous. Complexly simple. Simply Sakura Bloom!
Living in New York? Traveling to New York?
Find an amazing collection of baby carriers and other great baby and toddler items at MetroMinis Boutique. From Haba toys to cloth diapers to Sakura Bloom baby slings, MetroMinis has what you and your urban baby need.
Not just a great boutique, MetroMinis also holds all sorts of workshops and has a big, kid-friendly area in the back of the store. Baby yoga classes, Strollercize, parenting workshops, sling tutorials, and more!
Buy your Sakura Bloom sling in person from MetroMinis and you will be in the hands of experts!
MetroMinis; 821 Park Avenue, on the corner of 75th Street.
Want a whole new look?
Take your sling off, unthread it, turn it around and rethread. Put it on, put your baby in, and off you go. A brand new you!
All Sakura Bloom baby slings are reversible, and most reverse to a different color or pattern.
With our Chocolate~Terracotta sling from the silk Essential collection, you can wear chocolate on the outside, terracotta on the inside: 
Or reverse it so that the terracotta is on the outside: 
The striped slings from our Artisan Collection reverse beautifully. Haven’t seen one in person yet? They have the handpieced striped pattern across the entirety of the sling. That’s right, not just on the visible part of the sling, but the entire length of the sling.
Wear the solid side out for a burst of color at the tail:
Or, turn the sling around to wow everyone with the stripes on the outside!
Either way, you can’t go wrong!
We have a winner for our sling wardrobe contest!
Drum roll, please……….
The lucky winner of four Sakura Bloom baby slings, one each from our Hana Collection, a linen Simple or Essential, a silk Essential or Artisan, and a tussah Luxe sling is:
Rachel H. of Norway who purchased a Sakura Bloom sling from our retailer Attached to Baby!
GRATULERER, congratulations, Rachel!
Its one of my favorite times: when Lynne gets creative with new color combinations! As of yesterday, we’ve got some gorgeous new slings available in our Silk and Linen Essential Collections. These are our signature two-color reversible slings, and ooh, do we have some divine combos now available!
Sophisticated, yet cuddly Flax ~ Cream. Strong, vibrant Driftwood ~ Berry. And, I’m-dreaming-of-warmer-weather Driftwood ~ Pool. All crafted from our unbelievably soft Belgian linen.
In our silks, the new gorgeous Ginger ~ Blush and Ginger ~ Bluestar for parents looking for something both a bit traditional, but also absolutely contemporary. And, Chocolate ~ Blush for all those smitten with this color combo: parents of girls and boys alike.
My favorite of the new slings is Forest ~ Spruce, perfect for winter and in colors that will flatter everyone (and their babies!). Licorice ~ Silver has instant classic written all over it, and Licorice ~ Lavender is just right for everything from jeans to a little black dress.
The brand new Sakura Bloom baby slings: all babies deserve one!
One is good for a quiet walk. Two is right for a quiet talk. Three is nice for having tea. Or for counting one-two-three.
Sandra Boynton’s One, Two, Three was my son’s first book. Technically, it arrived as a gift in a box of six of her board books, but for us, it stood alone. We read it every single day his first year of life, and now that he’s almost four, he “reads” it to his baby sister. He (and I, and many of you I would bet) have the entire book memorized.
And when you want to go explore, the number you should have is four.
Sandra Boynton’s children’s books are truly a gift. Their cadence, their rhymes, their characters, so lovingly illustrated. They’re silly. They’re fun. They’re heartwarming.
And, they are perfect for the youngest of children (and their parents, too). Who couldn’t love Birthday Monsters? Or Oh My, Oh My, Oh Dinosaurs (crammed in an elevator)? Or Hey, Wake Up!?–”Good Morning Sun! Happy Morning Everyone!”
Babble’s Gwynne Watkins recently interviewed Sandra Boynton and we were delighted to read not just about Boynton, her books, and music (check out Blue Moo!), but also to learn that there’s going to be a Sandra Boynton retrospective at the Norman Rockwell Museum in 2009. If you didn’t already have a good reason to go to the Berkshires, now you’ve got one!
My favorite book is one of the least assuming ones: The Going to Bed Book. Its about animals on a boat getting ready for bed. Its got all the classic Boynton-isms. Adorable drawings. Clever rhymes and rhythms. Simple messages for children (brush your teeth! wash your face! exercise!).
The best part, however, is its double ending. The first time I read it, I thought this was the ending: “The day is done. They say goodnight, and somebody turns off the light.” That was perfect, I thought, until I turned the page. There it said, “The moon is high. The sea is deep. They rock and rock and rock to sleep.”
Ne’er a better ending has there been for lulling a child to sleep. Thank you, Sandra Boynton!
Mommies With Style is one of our favorite mom sites: lots of good info, tips, message boards, coupon codes, and more. They’re hip to the latest, greatest products and more than once we’ve wished we could go raid their offices. What a little-kid-in-the-candy-store kind of pleasure that would be!
Just yesterday, MWS columnist Ciaran offered up her favorite picks for 2007. Check out her fantastic choices, including the Ubi Baby changing table, which we also saw and fell in love with at the ABC show in Las Vegas; Tiny Revolutionary shirts for infants and toddlers (we love them all, but our current favorite is the “War is Poop” one); Deglingos stuffed toys which are perfect for hipster babies everywhere; and tons of other irresistible, high quality, well thought-out gear (including, we’re happy to report, Sakura Bloom Baby Slings).
If 2007 looked this good, we can’t wait to see what 2008 brings!
Just like butter.
One of the beauties of natural fibers like silk and linen is that they move through the rings of a sling like butter. As a result, our Sakura Bloom baby slings adjust like a dream, and then the grippiness of these textiles ensures that they stay put once you have them adjusted.
Here’s a simple trick to make sure your sling always adjusts easily: keep the inner and outer edges of the fabric unbunched in the rings. That is, maintain that the inside and outside rails–the parts you pull on to adjust your sling–are flat and unbunched in the rings. The rest of the fabric can (and should!) be bunched in the rings. Bunch it any way you like. But, keep the edges flat and neat.
For more tips, see our Threading Your Sling instructions. Take the time to make sure your edges are smooth, and you’ll be working the rings like a pro!
Its winter here.
Cold and snowy, prompting dreams of someplace warm and tropical.
Blue skies. Sandy beaches. Calm blue seas. A gentle breeze.
Ahhhhh. Feel the relaxation.
Our Azure baby sling from the Sakura Bloom Luxe Collection inspires dreams of blue perfection, of a cloudless sky and an inviting ocean.
Crafted from exquisite wild-sourced tussah silk, the Azure sling is perfect for winter days as well as summer ones.
Vibrant and yet subtle at the same time, this color matches just about everything and flatters just about everyone.
Try out our Azure sling. What perfectly blue things does it have you dreaming of?
Here’s another great mother invention: Babylegs which are legwarmers for your baby or toddler.
They’ve been around for a couple of years now, but if you haven’t heard of them, pay attention! These are one of the greatest things since sliced bread. Really. We kid you not.
Babylegs are fantastic for cold weather, to fill the gap between your child’s pant legs and socks. They’re fantastic for cool or warm weather, when you child can be like my son and wear his or her babylegs with shorts. He totally digs the funky look. His favorites are the rainbow ones, with the cow ones and flames tied for second place. 
Try some out and see what creative uses you (or your child) can come up with for them! We’re loving the new organic ones, especially the “earth” prints.
They come in every possible color combination and are definitely as much for boys as they are for girls. My son rocks his Babylegs with regularity, so if you have boys, don’t shy away from ordering some. Let your son in on the choosing, and see what fun he has with them.
And if you have girls, well, take one look at the combos and colors and just try to choose one pair. I dare you.
Attached to Baby is running a Babylegs special right now: any order over $50 will include free shipping as well as a free pair of holiday Babylegs! Looking for something to buy from them? How about a Sakura Bloom baby sling?
Other online Sakura Bloom retailers selling Babylegs are Big Mama Slings, Lotus Barn, Nurture Center, Sling Jax, and Tender Cargo.
So, whether you’re a new parent or just new to Babylegs, either way you can’t go wrong. They’re practical, they’re fun, and at $12-15 per pair, they just plain make sense!
We just must share our newest favorite holiday song. (Well, its really an old, traditional song that we’ve been singing year-round, but so be it.)
Its “Come and I Will Sing You” as sung by Great Big Sea, from the “tropical island of Newfoundland” for those of you who have not yet encountered these amazing boys from up north.
Come and I Will Sing You is a call-and-response song (perfect for toddlers) combined with a counting backward song (a la Twelve Days of Christmas; also perfect for toddlers).
Come and I will sing you.
What will you sing me?
I will sing you one-o.
What will the one be?
One the one that’s all alone and ever more shall be, so…..
And on the song goes, all the way through 12 and back down to 1. Its next to impossible to understand what each of the lines is as sung (and if you’re like me, you’ll just make it up as you go rather than google the lyrics), but part of the fun of singing it can be to create your own verses with your kids.
Listen to the entire song here, or check out this You Tube puppet version.
Enjoy!
Children love slinging their babies, too!
Swoon, swoon, swoon.
These gorgeous Italian-made baby clothes (and big kids, too) just need to be seen in person. Online photos just do not do them justice.
Album di Famiglia presents high-end clothes that are instant classics: beautifully cut, handsome fabrics and colors, lush to the touch, and modern, attractive designs.
We first saw them at Sons and Daughters in NYC; if you’re in the city, Estella-NYC also has a great selection. In the UK, shop Little Fashion Gallery or Elias and Grace. And in Italy, well, if you’re in Italy you probably don’t need us to tell you where to find tailored baby clothes!
Check out the Pupa Onesie Dress from this past fall’s collection; in sand, grey, and black, its a gorgeous design for an infant girl. For my son, the Kimono Down Coat. I’m also lusting after the Summer Onesie from last summer; if anyone has a size large they wouldn’t mind parting with, I know a sweet baby who will wear it well.
As for you, what to wear with Album di Famiglia? Simple. One of our Sakura Bloom linen baby slings. Try our Storm or Midnight solid slings. Or, our Midnight-Flax reversible sling. A perfect pairing with Album di Famiglia!
We just discovered this delightful book by Oliver Jeffers.
Lost and Found tells the story of a lost penguin. Or, so the boy whose home he arrives at, thinks.
My three year old son adores the tale of how the boy slowly discovers that the penguin isn’t lost, but lonely.
What he needs is a friend.
The illustrations are as precious as the story. It turns out that Oliver Jeffers has a number of other kids’ books, all of which are award-winners (and all of which will be coming to live at our home sometime soon!).
If you already know Lost and Found, it might be time to check out: How to Catch a Star, The Way Back Home, or The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Get yourself a book or two, then snuggle up with your favorite toddler and get reading!
Have baby in, but something doesn’t feel right?
No worries. (Really.)
Just take your baby out of the sling and try again. Or, reach your hands into the sling to adjust his or her legs. Whatever it takes to get yourself and your baby comfortable.
In the beginning it might take a week or so to master using your baby sling. Once you’ve got it down, though, its as easy as riding a bike.
Never fear following our rule of thumb: when in doubt, adjust. Even the most seasoned ring sling used will start over if he or she got it wrong the first time!
Check out our video instructions for using your Sakura Bloom baby sling. We also have fabulous photo instructions for using your slings on our site.
I’ve always loved chocolate.
Always.
Did I say always?
Anyway, in January 2001 my husband brought home some chocolates for me to try. These were not your normal chocolates. Not. At. All.
In front of me, he placed Michael Recchiuti chocolates infused with bergamot tea, with lavender, with grapefruit and tarragon pink peppercorns and anise, jasmine, burnt caramel, and other amazing things. At that time, I had never seen, never mind tasted, such chocolates. And, oh, were we in for a treat! 
My favorite in their classic black box is the sesame nougat chocolate. Its the one in the bottom left corner in the photo—with a honeycomb pattern on the top.
These are so good that I can keep a taste-memory of them going for two years or so, and then I need another fix. Luckily, you can now buy these online, or if you’re in San Francisco, Michael Recchiuti now has a store at The Ferry Building.
If you’re anywhere in the Bay Area, get yourself there now!
They’ve got something for everyone, from beautiful gift boxes to dark hot chocolate mix to grown-ups’ s’mores to cocoa dusted burnt caramel almonds.
Best of all, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, they’re currently offering a great special: with every online order, they are including a free chocolate bar when you enter the code GR808 at checkout.
So, put in your order now, or perhaps you have a good friend like mine: recently I received a surprise package in the mail. “Hmmm,” I thought, “was I expecting anything from her?” I opened the package and be still my beating heart. Inside was a box of Recchiuti chocolates and a container of their signature truffles. I’ve successfully kept the truffles hidden