Baby Fashion Blog - Baby Gifts & Baby Boutique Stories

Merry Christmas from Polka Dot Whale & Baby Fashion Blog!

The year has almost come to an end and, as usual, is all a wonderful blur....  We have been busy at home, at work and with family, busy raising Emme and busy running Polka Dot Whale.  There are many highlights of 2008, but I thought that I would share a few with my loyal blog readers;)

My Favorite Things About 2008 Are:

1.  Emme's 1st Birthday--my sweet girl turned one at a Hello Kitty Cherry Blossom Birthday Party celebrating her infinite sweetness!

2.  Easter and Spring Training Baseball at my brother's home in Arizona--how can you not have fun in super warm Spring weather & great big house full of family (5 kiddos, 5 adults and an English Bulldog_? 

3.  Summer at the JCC Swimming Pool--we had a ball splashing around with Emme all summer in the baby pool and meeting up with my mom-friend Jill and Emme's buddy Evan!

4.  Moving out of our 1-Bedroom Condo and experiencing the joy of a backyard with a toddler--enough said!

5.  (Almost weekly) Playdates and shopping/lunch meetups with some of the very bestfriends a little girl and her mama could ask for--we love you Jill & Evan, Penny & William and Laura & Anabelle!

6.  The Unbelievable Cliffs of Big Sur in October...

7.  Finding Studio Schoolhouse for Emme and knowing that Miss Naraki takes care of Emme like I would, inspires her creativity, teaches her to have great virtues and showers her with love!

8.  Rekindling my passion for helping abused and neglected children find safe, loving and permanent homes by getting my fanny back to work in September!

9.  Watching my family be the best we can be as we gathered together in Sacramento, CA over Thanksgiving '08 to support my sister, brother-in-law and nephew when Russell was suddenly & shockingly diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma...if you aren't already, watch this little guy and our family fight Burkitt's by following Russell's blog at www.boywonder.blogspot.com!

10.  Preparing for Christmas with my daughter in mind...Children make the whole world new again!

RentAToy--An Awesome Holiday Gift for Young Families!

A friend just forwarded me the link to a cool new Toy Rental Service called Rent A Toy.com... What a great holiday gift idea for any family with young children!  The Rent A Toy package offers a Netflix-like service whereby the family selects a list of toys to be sent to their home, kept for about 30 days and returned with prepaid postage, only to have a new toy sent in its place.  Free Delivery!  No Late Fees!  Free Return Postage!  The various plans allow for 2-6 toys at a time.  All the best name brand toys are offered and listings are provided by age group (birth to 8 years old) to make "shopping" for your rental toys very easy.  Here's why I think Rent-A-Toy is such a great idea:

• As parents (especially first-time parents) we buy lots of toys and spend a lot of money buying those toys.  Many such toys are quickly rendered useless and begin to take up space and collect dust throughout the home, eventually making their way to boxes that pile up in the garage.
• It is hard to know what the little one is going like, or what they may initially like and grow tired of, not to mention quickly GROW OUT OF.  If Johnny happens to fall in LOVE with a particular rented toy, simply contact the company and let them know you'd like to purchase and keep that toy.  If Susie manages to damage a toy (or the dog gets a hold of it--not that this would happen at our house;)), simply return the damaged toy and Rent A Toy will charge you wholeage cost of the needed parts or for toy replcement.  
• It really is best for children to not be a surrounded by hundreds of toys at a time and to have their toys rotated to constantly stimulate and interest them with something new to explore.
• Rent A Toy Program is also ideal for those living in urban small spaces or a small space anywhere.  Having a lived with a little one in a very small condo, I can see the value of being able to provide my daughter with lots of toys, just not all at the same time, taking up precious space in my home. 

Visit http://www.rentatoy.com today and sign up yourself or a lucky friend!

Read More About How Rent A Toy Works!

Holiday Family Fun!

We have a December packed with fun holiday activities on the calendar!  Emme is lucky to participate in fun activities everyday at her pre-school celebrating the holidays and at our Mommy & Me program, too.  It is wonderful to celebrate with her this year, as she is so much more aware and is excited by the holiday sights, sounds and tastes:)  Tonight brought her first taste of a candy cane, which came after a photo op on Santa's lap!  We have begun a new family tradition this year with a trip to the Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train.  Holiday lights and decor fill the park and the usual train is decked out for a holiday ride to visit with Santa.  The wait was a little long for the train and for Santa, but well worth the wait!  It was a wonderful night with friends and the beginning of a special holiday tradition! 

The rest of the month includes a Christmas Craft Party with the cousins, a Hanukkah Party & Concert by Emme's beloved HamoRobyn, a trip for holiday activities at Knott's Berry Farm and a Sweet Swap Playdate with "mom friends" and their babes! I have been searching online for fun local activities and many are very low (and even FREE) for families with kids!  Check out what's going on in your area, from parades to "snow days" (for warm climates), to holiday craft parties put on by your city!

Remember to do your holiday shopping for Mommy and Baby this Christmas and Hanukkah at Polka Dot Whale.com!

Cute Holiday Favorite Baby Gifts...Mullins Square & Pineapple Cove!

Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner!  I was feeling like I still had some time until the fun holiday art projects started streaming in from school....Goodness Gracious!  I broke down and picked up some wrapping paper and ribbons today and a Wilton Gingerbread House Kit from Michael's to make with Emme.    I have been collecting gifts for Emme for several months, knowing the economy was taking a nose dive and that I'd be busy with work and the business some December.  There isn't too much to do, but shop for some family members and maybe plan a fun holiday get together for Emme and her friends--maybe a Sweet Swap for the mommies while the kiddos play;)

 Our next job is to figure out what to do about a Christmas Tree!  We live in a larger house this year, so we could actually have an average-sized tree, but aren't even sure what our Christmas plans are yet.  In the past, I had a little faux tree with lights that was 3 feet tall and could sit on a bookcase....it worked our perfectly for our little condo and would even make me happy enough this year.  Unfortunately, it was one of those last lingering items in the garage when we moved and my husband said, "Oh gosh, can't you just get a real tree or something next year?"  I gave in and tossed my little tree.  Here we arrived at "next year" and I'm thinking that going out a buying a tree and lights, etc. isn't really on top of his personal list of things to do!  I'll keep you posted on the Christmas Tree as Christmas approaches:)

I last posted about my favorite gifts under $30 at Polka Dot Whale!  Today, I am posting about some of my favorite holiday gifts for babies and toddlers that didn't make it into my last gift guide!  One of my favorite all around baby gifts I have some of the cutest pics of Emme wrapped up in Mullins Square towels as a baby.  She still enjoys her towels everyday as do many of our friend's children.  Mullins Square towels are our favorite gift to give to personal friends and family because it is fun & functional!  We all need great hooded towels for our little ones, especially hooded towels that are large enough to last up to 4 years of age.  You cannot say that about most hooded towels on the market, but you can say it about Mullins Square!

 

One of my personal favorite treats for moms is the line of diaper attaches from Pineapple Cove.  Whether you select a diapers and wipes case or one of the changing kits, you are selecting a practical gift that is also very classy and luxurious.  These are the very best diapers and wipes cases on the market when you are looking for distinctive design and quality.  The silk diaper wallets are so fun for dressy events and to keep in your nice handbag.  So many moms are choosing to poo-poo the diaper bag (pun intended;)) and stick with a classy larger handbag and use something like the diaper wallets and Infant and Toddler Change Systems by Pineapple Cove!