Before we moved to a new house a few weeks ago, we used to live in an apartment building. Parking in the basement, large elevator, and the rooms conveniently laid-out on one single level. Disadvantage: no garden. Advantage: no stairs.
Last week I came home from work and found my 4-year-old daughter sitting on the sofa with a package of frozen red cabbage wrapped in a tea towel, pressed to her forehead. A bump the size of an egg was slowly developing. You guessed it, she fell from the stairs (or, as she stated, her little brother pushed her, but I’m not sure how much of a truth there is in that). Poor girl.
Now I’m not against red cabbage, (we prepare it with a little sugar and apples — truly delicious with good sausage or game), but don’t you think this cute little elephant from Goodies of Desire would do a much better job at soothing a little (or bigger) owie? I do, and thus, from now on, I keep one in the freezer compartment of my fridge for cases of emergencies. Good to have around.
The friendly elephant is filled with cherry pits and the label says that in addition to the usual bumps and bruises it can also be useful for ‘Kopfenschmerzen & Kater’ (headache & hang-over) or ‘Milchstau’ (engorgement). VERY good to have around.
If you find it a pity however to hide the friendly fellow in the freezer, you may also warm it in a medium warm oven to treat colds or to use it for relaxation. Or, thanks to its cotton elephant skin and natural cherry pit filling, you can safely give it to a baby as a cuddling toy/rattle.
What a multi-purpose little fellow… And, to make it even better — it’s machine washable.
It has seriously been freakishly cold here in Paris. We have seen snow, snow, snow and more snow. First it was fun, then it was plain cold, and now it is just fustrating. It means that children have to play indoors most of the time and it is really hard to keep them from going completely stir crazy…
So we have been building forts, castles, caves and jungles — it is amazing how much you can do with some chairs and a couple of blankets… and some dress-up items.
One of the big hits of this winter has been a lion mask we got from the gorgeous Shak Shuka online eco-boutique. It looks great and it is amazing how much one mask can stimulate a game that is starting to go stale. I am really glad there is no one living under us right now, as I am not sure what they would think of the lioness and her cubs roaming around in the flat above them…
It takes something special for me to want to buy it in the way of kids’ toys. Don’t get me wrong. Little C doesn’t live a deprived existence — it’s more a matter that he plays with the washing basket and items in the utensil drawer more than his actual toys.
However, at Christmas he got two tricycles (mad, I know) — one from my mum and one from an aunt. And he LOVES them. So as he will be turning two in June I’d love to get him one of these Kiddimoto. Yes, they’re not cheap but I figure he’s going to get many years’ use. And I’ve got quite a few months to start saving. They’ve just become available in Australia, and here’s the UK website.
I do love new designs/books/characters that appeal to grown-ups and kids alike. My girls are going crazy for the Noodoll characters I brought home recently, and so am I.
Noodoll lives in Noodle town where everyone and everything is made out of noodles. His main arch enemy is Rice Head, who is constantly trying to stop the Noodles. The illustrations are great, very simple and funky.
The world of Noodoll and Ricehead spans from books to accessorizes and toys. And, if you have a spare second do check out the website — the noodle and rice recipes are some of the best I have ever found!
Like many households with children, we are the proud owner of an Ikea Bekvam step stool, which lives in our kitchen and is used all the time. It helps the kids reach the counter, it helps our Peruvian sitter to reach the upper cabinets (mounted extra high to accommodate tall Dutch genes), and it helps me to reach the upper, upper cabinets that even tall Dutch girls can’t reach!
A handy gadget, this Bekvam. It’s not, however, the most original piece of interior (hear the architect speaking?), and to be honest, mine is so much in need of a layer of paint that I hardly dare to display it in my kitchen!
Thankfully we now have the beautiful, modern, fresh, and well-designed Tess stool in the house. A lovely addition to our household! It’s being used in the bathroom to brush teeth, dragged to the kitchen when there’s a threat of a fight over the Bekvam, and used as a side table or stool where and whenever needed.
Designed by the two lovely Dutch ladies of NU (who share 5 kids between them), the Tess is well tested and proofed, and characterizes typical Dutch no-nonsense, practical modernism. My cup of tea! (And as soon as we have a house with a fireplace as in the photo, I WILL make sure I have three Tess stools in the house, lined up as pictured.)
Tess stools are made in solid oak and available plain or lacquered — just send an email to NU for information (go to the contact page of their website).
After two children I felt I just couldn’t justify putting my third one in that same old car seat. For some reason (hormones?) I felt it should be new, clean and pristine, like the little baby who will be in it. I had already started working on convincing my husband that we really need to buy a new maxi cosi (he doesn’t automatically feel the same way about it as I do, so odd), until I came across the universal car seat covers from Hagou Originals.
Hagou Originals was created by Emilie, nicknamed Hagou, who’s had a fondness of creating all things beautiful since she was given her first sewing machine on her 8th birthday. And yes, beautiful is the right word to describe her dream covers. When I received a gorgeous pink, cloudy dream in the post, I understood immediately that our old maxi cosi will be given a second life, and will look far more stylish than it ever did in its previous existence, and that our new baby will be more comfortable and cozy than her brother and sister have ever been!
Hagou Originals dream covers are hand made from 100% Toy de Joule cotton in 5 different designs, and have a soft and fluffy fibre-fill filling. They are machine washable and supposedly fit all baby car seats. Just email Emilie for questions, orders and shipments outside the Netherlands.
The Antoine and Lili flagship stores must be some of the cutest rows of shops I have ever seen. I was walking past them today and they were so bright and cheerful on a grey winter’s day!
They can be found along the canal St Martin, an area which, for a long time now, has been attracting lots of little shops and restaurants. If the rumours are to be believed the Antoine et Lili shops were actually the first independent shops to open up in this area, turning the area into a trendy little spot.
Anyway, if you are in Paris and like kitsch and bright colours, Antoine et Lili is a must. The kid’s store especially is a bright, bright space with great toys, presents and clothes from the world over. It is definitely not minimalist, but colourful and loud! I also love the homewares shop were you can find great Mexican waxcloths and fabulous melamine plates for the whole family.
Antoine et Lili
95 Quai de Valmy
Paris 75010
Tel:+33 1 40 37 58 15
My daughter’s new treasured possession is this cool rucksack from Dabbawalla Bags. It’s made of neoprene (like wetsuits) which is lead and PVC free and it’s stain-resistant and machine washable.
The name ‘Dabbawalla’ was inspired by one of the founder’s travels in India where she was fascinated by the complex system of lunch-box delivery men known as dabbawallas.
The bags are made in Taiwan in a women’s cooperative which pays fair wages. Dabbawalla also participates in fundraising activities by donating their bags to charity auctions — these bags are as ethical as they are functional (and hard-wearing!).
There are plenty of designs to choose from, all of them cute and colourful. They use the appliqués technique for their pictures instead of printing and it makes them really special.
You can find them on their American website, in the online European boutique Shak-Shuka or in a few other places around the world!
Last week we had snow in the Netherlands, which doesn’t happen very often, so when it does we make the most of it! We took the children to the south of the Netherlands (where I’m originally from), and enjoyed the beautiful white landscape on foot. Even though my kids were well equipped with snow boots, they started to complain about walking fairly quickly (such wimps!), and so we carried them on our backs for the remainder of the hike.
I had my nearly-3-year-old in our conventional back carrier, and my husband carried our 4-year-old daughter using our new organic ERGObaby carrier. Which is, by the way, such a great invention! Using the infant insert, you can use it for a newborn baby (which I will hopefully be able to try out soon), and without it it can safely be used for kids up to 18 kilos!! Which will spare you a trip to the gym, thinking about it (at least, that’s what I kept telling my husband).
The ERGObaby can be used in front, hip and back carrier positions, depending on the age of the child and the specific need. It’s really simple to use and according to my husband (and daughter) very comfortable! I like the simple look of it (we have the chocolate coloured one), and the fact that it’s fairly small (especially compared to a conventional back carrier), which makes it easy to take with you while traveling.
P.S. The guy in the picture is not my husband. (Cute nevertheless.) And, might you be thinking, it is also not my daughter! (I like her outfit though.)
Little Lunalu is new UK webshop with a cute collection of kid’s clothing, accessories, toys and other baby essentials. They’ve just designed their own range of cute Bugaboo buggy covers (foot muffs and matching canopies) so you can customize your buggy and keep your babies nice and cozy this time of year. The buggy covers are reversible and come in five different designs — a great way to give an older buggy a face-lift, or personalize a new one.
My family is in the grip of ‘Masterchef’ fever! My kids are so enthused by this reality television program that I practically have my youngest deriding me for not making the terrine for his school lunch. And while the downside for me is that the bar has been raised (my rather unspectacular cooking now looks even more… unspectacular), the show has reinforced the value of good eating, team-building and the importance of accepting constructive criticism. My daughter particularly has been caught by the cooking bug. This morning she made us a lovely, albeit slightly burnt dish of scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, and baby spinach — we devoured it… every char-grilled morsel!
A friend recently introduced me to a great children’s cooking website called Wholesome Productions which creates a fabulous range of children’s cooking kits. They also sell party cooking kits for those brave enough to host their own kid’s cooking party.
The Pizza Baking Kit (pictured) is particularly adorable because it comes in a genuine pizza box and includes an apron, chef’s hat, a pan, rolling pin and an easy-to-follow washable recipe book… a great present for this holiday season! I have also found a ton of kid’s cooking utensils and baking sets at Mini Whisk and these are worth a mention because they come in a range of cool themes (Australiana, love hearts, flying etc.) and they are really well-priced too. Alternatively, add a cute little recipe book to some mini-sized cooking tools, or a little chef’s hat to a pint sized rolling pin and there you have some practical and fun gift ideas for all the aspiring master chefs out there!
Like Mo said earlier, dragging the kids out to do holiday shopping is unbearable! And how are you supposed to buy gifts for your kids in front of your kids? Thank goodness for great webshops like Smallable — which has SUCH a lovely and wide selection of beautiful children’s gifts, toys and accessories. Whether it’s something big like the Offi Rocking Horse, something crafty like the Mitik Mask’Animo Kit, or something beautiful like the Lalé Suitcases, there is something for everyone.
Smallable recently asked us to choose 8 of our favorite products for their Babyccino Chrstimas Selection (yes, only 8 — can you imagine how long it took to narrow it down?!). And in return, they’re offering our readers 20% off the selected 8 items! Just enter discount code NOELBABYCCINO at check-out (offer good until Dec. 21st). Holiday shopping just got easier!
We have already sung the praises of the Stokke Tripp Trap chair here on Babyccino. I think some of us have even admitted to owning two — one for each child. (And I’m even contemplating buying a third one!) I personally think it’s the best highchair on the market, especially considering how long it can be used.
I suppose the only qualm people have with the chair is that it doesn’t have a tray (where will you put the Cheerios? how do you keep your table from being destroyed? what if you want to use the highchair in the kitchen, away from your dining table? etc.).
The PlayTray is the perfect solution. It’s a scratch-proof plastic tray which goes easily on and off the chair to be used whenever necessary. The design is sleek yet functional, it easily wipes clean, and it has an outer edge to keep spills and messes at bay. It’s also free of phthalates, PVC and BPA. Brilliant!
Sad but true, I am writing about the many accolades of a step-stool. I saw this at a friend’s place and noticed that her two-year-old could easily climb up to the sink to wash his hands. Then I saw it… a step stool — but taller than usual. Genius!!!!
Isn’t the whole point of a stool to be able to get to things out of reach? I invested in the eye-catching Baby Bjorn one and it’s like 7” tall and hoists my girls to exactly the point where they are frustrated and start screaming for me to pick them up. We also tried getting to the sink on those pretty wooden stools with the inset name in block letters but those things are deadly. I can’t tell you how many times they have toppled over.
This Ikea stool is what you need if you have a pre-schooler at home because with it they can actually reach things. It’s sturdy and does not slip, it’s over a foot tall AND it’s only $5.99 USD (which means with the exchange rate it is probably free in Europe!) Note – these are not in the Ikea Kid’s section! I found them near the check-out counter.
The lunchbox. So much at stake. Such a reflection as to the type of parent you are. Such a public declaration of the inner core of your child’s personality.
While some parents opt for the simple, eco-friendly lunch “satchel” (yawn)… others may opt for a more elaborate plastic one in the shape of say, Hello Kitty’s head. And yes….there are even those who will simply throw lunch into a brown bag and call it a day (oh, the humanity!). Whatever the choice – just know that you are being judged. I am not sure why this happened but I have amassed quite a bit of lunchboxes over the last few years — none of which really seemed to work out. They were either too big and bulky or too small and flimsy. This one from Pylones however seems to have hit the right spot on all fronts — and it’s cute! It fits nicely into a small backpack and it has a detachable interior wall to separate hot from cold items.
From the cubby it quietly whispers: “Dina is a good parent, she cares very much that the grilled cheese does not heat up the juice box, and her kids are really cool because they like bright colors and good quality products…..”
In all seriousness, I have road tested a bunch and this one is far and beyond the best for the pre-school years. Not to mention the Foogoo thermos fits perfectly!
I just love it when people come up with different ways of using an object; it’s nearly like inventing something new!
Apparently the Ikea Bekvam step stool is quite prone to being reinvented. I particularly like this idea from lovelydesign to use it as a children’s desk. It’s great for small flats but also as a portable back-up desk.
You can take it in the kitchen while you cook or in the living room while you read the papers (do you still have time for them?).
Courtney and I have had more than one discussion about ‘which bib is best’. Amongst the two of us and in the past 4 years we have tested a fair amount of different varieties and in the end we have both agreed on our all-time favourite bib. (We also talk about other things, BTW, but we seem to have a strange interest in bibs).
The advantage of our favourite bib is that it’s so big it covers a lot of your child, including the shoulders. It is made of terrycloth, which makes it ideal to use as a napkin during dinner or to wipe faces and hands with afterward. It can be washed at high temperatures, doesn’t require ironing at all and still looks great. It is super durable – it is well possible that my grandchildren will be using these bibs! And last but not least, they are easy and cheap to make yourself: you can use any old towel you have around and for the binding you can use any old piece of fabric you have left over from previous sewing projects. You’re free to make your own colour combinations — the possibilities are endless! And you can make plenty – I always have a nice, clean stack of these bibs on hand.
Now, even though I love sewing, I’m not at all an expert in this field, so forgive my clumsy way of explaining everything… But I made a bib for my son, Pim, from a kitchen towel and photographed the different steps in the process to give you an idea of how to do it…
Step 1:
Print these 2 download-able patterns: here (1) and here (2). Cut out and stick together following the directions.
Fold fabric (if there’s a print, make sure it will look good) and cut out bib. Don’t cut where the fold is! Don’t worry about seams — there are none.
Step 2:
Cut out 4 cm (1,6″) strips from any cute fabric you have laying around. Iron strips in half lengthwise, then iron edges to fold as shown in pictures. You need about 120 cm (47″) and 90 cm (35″) of binding. (You can also use store bought binding.)
Step 3:
Pin binding around bib at straight edges. Fold binding at the corners as shown in picture. Sew binding to bib. Cut off excess binding at neck part.
Step 4:
Pin binding neatly around neck part of bib. Start in the centre of the circle (with the middle of the binding) and work towards edges. Sew. (The neck part looks sort of tiny but it’s correct!)
Step 5:
Presto!
Step 6 (optional):
I made a little doll bib from the leftover terry cloth and binding, here’s the free download-able pattern. You need about 15 cm (6″) of binding for the neck part, and 82 cm (32″) for the bib part and tie strings. In this case you first start with the neck part and after sew on the bib part (including tie strings).
I hope this explanation is clear enough — the bib is really easy to make! Honestly, it took me much longer to write these instructions down than to make the bib and the doll’s bib together!
xxx Esther
P.S. For on the go: fold bib lengthwise, roll up starting from bottom, tie with tie strings.
P.P.S. These bibs are more suitable for 1+ than for babies!
Babies seem to come in waves and in my group of friends, the third wave has hit… We all started having kids roughly at the same time and while I have stopped at two, some people are going for three (Courtney being a prime example).
The thing is, what do you give people as a present for the third baby? They already have everything! Whatever they missed out on with baby number one they received with baby number two. They have tried the gadgets, and figured out which work and which don’t. So practical things are not possible. Clothes are also no good; number three will always be wearing hand-me-downs from number one and two. So I have decided that the way to go is to to buy lovely stuff, something that will be kept for a long time, something a mom would maybe not buy herself, but which will make number 3 not feel like….well… a number 3!! My newest discovery in the birth gift department are the cot blankets from Lulu and Nat.
Lulu and Nat are two friends who met at London’s boutique mecca, The Cross in London. Lulu is now based in India and together they design beautiful handcrafted pieces, produced by traditional methods. I love the vibrant colours! Check out their range here.
Especially now that winter is creeping up I like the idea that my friends’ kids are snuggling up underneath a cozy blanket, not their elder sibling’s faded covers…
The time has finally come to stop washing Little C in the bathroom sink. He’s 15 months old now (how did that happen?!) and we almost have to oil him to get him out of the teeny tiny basin. In our new apartment we don’t have a bath, and I don’t really want to buy a baby bath – after all, what on earth do I do with it once he’s finished with that! Space is at too much of premium to just store things. So I’ve taken the plunge and bought a Tubtrug from the Australian storage mecca of Howards Storage World. I know some of you probably have a Tubtrug already to store toys, but I was won over by the new shallow design (and that sunny yellow). It kind of reminded me of the paddling pools I had as a child and thought it would make the perfect bath… and washing basket, and toy storage…
When I flew to London with my three-year-old twins I was in a complete and total panic. For weeks I would lie awake at night picturing nothing but six hours of high pitched screams and death stares. When I asked for advice on how to cope, one friend suggested that I flood the first class cabin with water, freeze it, and hire the escapades to perform. Another friend simply said “M&M’s, Sticker books and Benadryl.”
Like any rational parent with the will to live, I have no shame in busting out the DVD player… so when they grew tired of the doodle pads and pulling apart everything within reach I broke it out and fanned a selection of their most prized Nickelodian shows (cue the sound of angels singing). What made the DVD even more of a hit were the Califone headphones that a friend told us about. Unlike other cumbersome headsets, Califone headphones are made for smaller heads and they fit nice and snug. Choose from a crowd pleasing panda, tiger or bear. The earphones put a smile on the skeptical faces of my surrounding passengers who, like me, were thankful for a peaceful, scream free flight.
Before we moved to a new house a few weeks ago, we used to live in an apartment building. Parking in the basement, large elevator, and the rooms conveniently laid-out on one single level. Disadvantage: no garden. Advantage: no stairs.
Esther in Amsterdam
March 3rd, 2010
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