Archive for December, 2008

The holidays are, at their best, a time of appreciation, so we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, our faithful, funny, intelligent and inspiring readers. UrbanBaby will be back on the beat in 2009, to bring you a hip daily dose of style, gear, tips, tricks and everything else to help you have a blast with your kids. Until then, take a look back at some favorites from the past year.

1. Stay savvy, smart and sane as a SAHM.

2. Juggle not one baby, but two (or more).

3. Teach your kid it’s chic to be a geek.

4. Get ready to make a comeback.

5. Help your DD act her age.

6. Make time to work out — even while pregnant.

7. Find a job that’s family friendly.

8. Kick postpartum depression to the curb.

9. Turn a picky eater into a little foodie.

10. Raise a bilingual child. Si, se puede.

Still looking for the perfect present? Check out the UrbanBaby gift guide.

Happy holidays!

Winter plus pregnancy equals hibernation (though you prefer the more PC term, nesting). Project time! Instead of buying truckloads of onesies, you had the grand idea to make your own baby clothes.

Before you pick up that needle, check out The Expectant Knitter: 30 Designs for Baby and Your Growing Belly. This warm and witty guide by Marie Connolly, owner of the Stitch DC yarn shops in the Washington, DC area, offers projects for all skill levels and arranges items by trimester. For example, opt for simpler undertakings in the weeks when hands (and heads) are less than agile. Start with a swaddle blanket or pinwheel quilt, then progress to alphabet block toys and a big sister sweater. And fear not: The knitting primer and step-by-step instructions (not to mention the sage advice) will keep you on the ball.

Knit, purl, repeat.

Available at amazon.com.

Your family holiday tradition of wearing festive pajamas never gets old. The kids look forward to a new pair, and you love picking out the cutest ones each year.

Little shining stars will stay that way in these classically cool PJs from Elephant Couture, a new kids’ clothing line from celebrity photographer Leslie Hassler. Global travel inspired these cotton designs (conceptualized in New York and manufactured in India) that are made with all-natural fibers and colorfast ties to keep it green. The collection maintains a funky bohemian style, from India ink dresses to patch T-shirts. And kids will find a new friend in the sweet handmade toys, from giraffes and hippos to of course, an elephant.

Don’t forget.

Available at elephantcouture.com.

Kids love coming to your house because there’s always a fun project to do — which is exactly the point. Entertaining the little ones means the grown-ups can retain their sanity at your well-planned holiday party.

This year, Gumdrop Cookie Shop’s Van Gogh gumdrops will keep them occupied at least through cocktails. The custom cookie kit includes a dozen blank sugar cookies for kids to decorate with 10 edible-ink markers. After they’ve drawn a masterpiece snowman or angel, wrap up the cookies as to-go favors with the included cellophane bags and raffia.

That is, if the sweet treats haven’t already been devoured.

Available at gumdropcookieshop.com.

An influx of holiday greetings means — oops! — you forgot to schedule that perfectly posed family photo. And buy cards.

While you may have missed the Festivus deadline, it’s not too late: My Good Greetings offers a jolly good selection of New Year’s cards that you can customize for 2009 with a personal picture and message. Not to mention, the cards are printed on 100-percent recycled paper with a high post-waste fiber content, and are printed with soy-based inks in a facility that uses renewable energy. Not only will your card stand out from the pre-holiday frenzy, it will outrank the other 25 billion cards on the eco-friendly scale.

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Available at mygoodgreetings.com.

Rewind to 1974: The Dow was around 600, polyester was far too prevalent and Vogue featured Beverly Johnson on the cover. It was also the year actress Marlo Thomas released the kids’ cult classic Free to Be…You and Me, a book (the record actually preceded it) celebrating diversity and challenging stereotypes about gender, class and race.

How timely that the book’s 35th anniversary edition has just hit shelves, and Obama is now getting ready to take up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Free to Be has all your old faves — “Boy Meets Girl,” “William’s Doll” and Shel Silverstein’s “Ladies First” — plus selections from new contributors, including Tony DiTerlizzi of The Spiderwick Chronicles. A new CD and whimsical illustrations are also part of the makeover. Plus, all book proceeds go to the Free to Be Foundation, a subsidiary of the Ms. Foundation for Women, which benefits children and families.

Sometimes even the classics need a facelift.

Visit freetobefoundation.org.

It’s been a long year, so take a load off. But where? Seating visitors and squirmy kids is always a challenge, no matter the square footage — the sectional only holds so many, and the giant glider is best left in the nursery.

Stock up on stools for the next family fiesta. Colorful Tam Tams commemorate the 40th anniversary of Henry Massonet’s iconic 1960s stools. The simple design works in any room for any age, and the removable top is a perfect storage solution. To start the year green, let kids rest their tushes on an eco-friendly (formaldehyde-free, FSC Certified) wood stool from Ecotots. Or for the few who don’t know the word “budget,” take a look at the cozy family-friendly Storytime Poufs by design firm Marmol Radziner, available in large and small sizes (or in a group).

And sit pretty.

Tam Tam stools, $50 at yoyashop.com. Boogie board stool, $90 at ecotots.com. Storytime poufs, $436-$1730 at modernchild.net.

There’s always one in the group — that RoboMom who lost the baby weight in 3 weeks, whips up organic baby purees and quotes Nikki Giovanni. Her one downfall? She’s perpetually late for playdates. Help keep her on track in 2009 with momAgenda’s super organizer that’s a combo calendar, folio and notepad. Pages and interchangeable tabs keep phone numbers, schedules and menus within arm’s reach. Plus the monthly calendar has slots for up to four kids, in case she decides to add to the brood.

Since she’s up for a promotion (of course), a few business trips are on deck for the new year. But nights away from home will be a little more comfy with Scandia Down’s ultra luxe travel pillowcase. Fitting any standard hotel pillow, the down-filled case will help her get the proper beauty sleep (not that she needs any) on the road.

momAgenda All-in-One planner, $48 at momagenda.com. Hotel pillow down travel case, $75 at scandiadown.com.

Whether you’ve got a newborn or a precocious preschooler, a beautiful holiday book always makes the perfect present. Check out these new titles that celebrate the best of the season, then snuggle up and read together.

Board Books
Little Snowman: Finger Puppet Book
This pocket-sized peek-a-boo book is fun for parents and babies to read and play.

Baby Elf’s Christmas by Jane Cowen-Fletcher
A little one learns the season’s special holiday traditions.

Maisy’s Christmas Day by Lucy Cousins
The popular mouse celebrate the day with her friends.

Classics
The Nutcracker by Stephanie Spinner and Peter Malone
This beautiful retelling includes a CD of Tchaikovsky’s music performed by the Utah Symphony Orchestra (recommended ages 4 to 8).

The Snow Queen by Naomi Lewis and Christian Birmingham
The beloved winter’s tale by Hans Christian Andersen is translated in this keepsake edition (recommended ages 4 to 8).

Around the World
Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story by Hena Khan and Julie Pashkis
Kids can experience the traditions of Ramadan and Eid through the story of a 7-year-old girl (recommended ages 4 to 8).

Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World by Roseanne Thong and Elisa Kleven
Charming customs across the globe, from Japan’s Star Festival to jumping waves in Brazil, show kids how people come together (recommended ages 5 to 9).

For Fun
A Present for Santa Claus by Dana Kubick and David Wood
This pop-up book follows a boy who searches for the perfect gift for Santa.

The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas by Anne Muecke and Nathan Hale
A dino twist on the classic poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas celebrates the fossils at NYC’s American Museum of Natural History. An accompanying CD features Christmas music and a reading by Al Roker.

Unless you’re awfully careful, the minute you spawn you’ll find your abode filling up with primary-colored plastic crap. You won’t be able to avoid the ticky-tacky goody bag landfill fodder, or discount-store dross from Grandma and Grandpa, but what you can do is buy big basics in high-quality wooden versions so at least large swathes of your house aren’t given up to plastic eyesores.

The 1-2-3 Grow With Me cart is one wooden toy that will go the distance. This convertible toy can function as a wagon push toy for new walkers, a scoot-along riding toy for toddlers, and finally, a shopping cart, baby buggy or wagon for preschoolers. It’s sturdy, solid, and most of all, won’t make you sigh every time your eyes fall upon it.

Another big-footprint toy to consider is a wooden play kitchen. Properly set up and placed, a play kitchen will entertain kids from age 2 to 8. Something you’re going to have around for that long had better be nice to look at. And Elves & Angels’ Julianna’s Kitchen fits the bill. It’s made of oak and white pine, finished with a non-toxic linseed oil finish that leaves the natural wood grain exposed but is safe to put real food on. Hinges are solid and heavy, doors open and close smoothly. This toy might be nicer than your actual kitchen.

1-2-3 Grow With Me, $110 at magiccabin.com. Julianna’s Kitchen, $234 at blueberryforest.com.