I was really delighted when I found out that this store ships world wide so I could get my hands on some pairs of their wonderful shoes. Based in the US, Bear Feet set out to create the perfect baby shoe – soft and non-constricting, but also stylish. In my view they have succeeded, Bear Feet shoes are really soft and pliable and they mould to the shape of your baba’s foot (rather than making those little piggies conform to a pre-defined shape). They are also really light which makes a change from those heavy clunky children’s shoes that seem to be everywhere. There are buckets of gorgeous styles to chose from but these are a few of my favourites:

Lucky Miss Lollipop is now the proud owner of a pair of Lavander Tie Flower Power Boots and a pair of pink slip on Bear*lerinas and judging by the amount of time she spends with her toes in the air admiring them, I think it’s fair to say that she is very pleased:

Shipping is really good value ($9 for orders under $125 and free for orders over $125) and Amanda from Bear Feet was really very lovely to deal with. Really, there is no good reason not to check them out: www.bearfeet.com

Short dresses:

Maxi dresses:

Little Pips is the UK distributor of Ribbies hair accessories (a US company run by two sisters, Kim and Kristen). Ribbies hair clips are light weight, secure hair clips covered in beautiful ribbon. According to the website, the simple design makes them extremely easy to put in (bonus !!) and because there are no clasps, grips or magnets they are extremely kind to fine chidren’s hair. They have a foam grip which keeps the clips firmly in place. Ribbies come in a huge range of different designs and cost £4Stg for a set of two.

Above are a few of my favourites but there are so many to chose from, including several plain colours in case you wanted something more simple. I really like these and will definitely give them a try for Lollipop. Thanks for the tip-off Cathy !

What I like about the range is that it is full of really bright colours, for my money, muted colours are too boring for babas. The clothes are made from organic cotton and there are some really funky designs. Check these out:

When it became clear that snow was coming along with the consequent cold temperatures, I started to look for a pair of proper gloves for Mr Moo. Most days I try to walk to creche with Lollipop in her Bugaboo Bee and Mr Moo on his Bibi Strolli. While Lollipop is very toasty in her fleece pram blanket, Mr Moo is quite exposed to the elements. I wanted to find something that would actually protect his little hands from wind, cold and rain. A simple task you might think, but not so! Up to now, all I’ve been able to find in most shops are knitted gloves which are fine when its not so cold but when they come into contact with water (like they do once that first snowball is thrown) they act like little sponges and are utterly useless. So I popped into POP to buy him some of their snow gear but apparently I wasn’t the only Mammy out there thinking about cold little fingers as they had completely sold out of gloves. I therefore dispatched Mr McSpendy (whose office is quite a bit closer to town/the shops than mine) to purchase I pair and to my delight (and, if I’m honest,  surprise!) he came back with a pair of Barts Mitts.

These mittens have a nylon waterproof exterior and a soft and warm fleece lining. They have Rubbertec grip on the palms which makes gripping things (which is not always easy in a pair of mittens) very easy. They come with snow cuffs which makes them easy to get on and also means they stay on once they are on. Lastly, they also come with a detachable ’Don’t Loose ‘M Cord’ which enables you to string the mittens through the sleeves of your child’s coats so that they are always hanging there ready for action. If you or your baba don’t fancy that, the cord easily clips off so that you can use the mittens in the ordinary way.

Mr Moo loves his mittens and has never complained once about the cold when he wears them. These would be particularly ideal to get if you are planning on hitting the slopes with your baba this year. We got the mittens in blue but the also come in pink, red, black and silver (which I can only find  in the smallest size). They come in a range of sizes and the size 1-2 years have no thumbs so they are really easy to get on and off.

Although we’re well into winter at this stage, our weathermen keep warning us that there is plenty more cold weather to come so it’s not too late to get a pair of these. Plus, because they are generous sizes, your baba is likely to fit into them next year too. Barts mitts start at around £9.99 a pair.

I just can’t keep it in any longer….I am so excited about Christmas !!!

I know that I still have to wait 37 more days till Santa gets here but I’m confident that I can occupy myself with some shopping. I’m almost ashamed to admit it but I’ve already got most of my presents sorted so my attention has turned to festive fashion for my two little Christmas elves. There is a lot of really tacky Christmas clothing out there – the children’s fashion equivalent of bad quality tinsel – but you can also find some really cute things.

Here are a few items that would have your baba looking ‘cool this Yule’ (…..sorry, I can’t just do Christmas like a normal person, I have to do full on cheesy festive wonderland!)

We’ve had a lot of rain recently not least this weekend when the fringes of Hurricane Tomas hit our shores. But the good news is that after each rain shower a wonderful new playground is revealed outside… an array of puddles ! Lollipop has just discovered the utter joy that is splashing around in puddles and she can’t get enough of it!

Rainwater doesn’t do anything for the longevity of most children’s shoes so rather than ruin your baba’s mary janes or little brogues get some galoshes ! There are a vast array of children’s wellies out there so you are sure to find a pair that tickles your fancy (and that your baba will just adore). Here is a little taster of what’s out there:

For slightly older children, check out the Little Joules range:

Hunter are the Rolls Royce of wellies so these sparkly silver galoshes must be the absolute pinnacle of rain wear:

Unsurprisingly, I don’t just pick up the first costume I see….what? and waste an opportunity to shop around for something more interesting than a miniature Frankenstein costume? No chance. Cue a joyful evening spent with a glass of wine and my lap top. Before embarking on my search I decided on my criteria: The costume had to be something that

• would be comfortable enough for Mr Moo to wear all day (and something that he can still use the bathroom in !!); and
• has a life after 31 October , I wanted something that Mr Moo would want to play with again and again and would not grow out of anytime soon.

My first port of call was Etsy and it turned out to be a stroke of genius on my part as almost immediately I stumbled on Little Hero Capes.

Every child dreams of having super powers at some time in their childhood. Recently Mr Moo has been continuously drawing my attention to the fact that he can run ‘super-fast’, can jump ‘super-high’ and can shout ‘super-loud’ (it will come as no surprise to know that, as the mother of a little super hero I can confirm that this is not an ideal super power for your diminutive super man to be blessed with). Mr Moo considers himself to be a genuine Little Hero so getting him an outfit that lived up to his new found powers was a no-brainer! I simply couldn’t resist.

Allison of Little Hero Capes is like a real life Edna Mode from The Incredibles – she dresses super heroes! Allison offers lots of different designs and colour palettes for her capes. You can also chose to customise your order or add a matching mask and set of power cuffs. For Mr Moo, I went for the personalised option – Mr Moo’s cape is red on the outside and yellow on the underside, on the back is a large yellow lightening strike which is emblazoned with the letter ‘M’. The matching cuffs are the same colour and have the same motif while the mask (which is reversible) is also red and yellow. The package arrived in Dublin from Allison’s Massachusetts workshop on Monday (not even two weeks after I’d ordered it) and as soon as Mr Moo saw it he was smitten. He put it on immediately and has barely taken it off since (there have been a few occasions when I have had to practically wrestle it off him to have a bath or go to bed). It’s so wonderful to see his imagination working in overdrive as he is no longer bouncing on his bed – he’s soaring over the clouds, that’s not his toy box he’s climbing on – its huge mountain that he’s scaling in a few bounds, that’s not his little sister he’s man-handling – its a fair maiden being rescued from peril.

The capes, cuffs and mask are really well made using good quality materials. The personalised cape was €37 (capes without personalisation are about €32) and the matching cuffs and mask were roughly €20 and I reckon that they were a worthwhile investment for our family’s dressing up box as they are effectively a one-size fits all option and so can be worn by children of varying sizes/ages.  And, they are not just for boys, check out these super ladies:

Admittedly, when she inherits these things from her brother,  I may have some difficulty explaining to Lollipop why there is an ‘M’ on her cape…..but I can always try telling her that super hero alter-ego could be ‘Mightypop’ …..!?!

These lovely aprons are printed with your baba’s name on the front together with a large pocket which comes in your choice of a number of fabrics (see below). This apron comes in two sizes (18 months-4 years & 5-9 years) and costs £12Stg.

Or how about these aprons with some amusing quotations from Aristotle, Socrates or Plato. These are one size (age 2-5 years) and cost £10Stg:

Or something more traditional, like this fair trade Goose Apron (which comes in one size and is £12.50Stg) or this floral apron (which costs £19Stg, has adjustable neck ad waist and fits young ladies between 18months and 5 years):

I can smell those muffins baking already…..