Stuffed Aminals

"From their world, for their world". Fantastical kids illustrations brought to life in these plush versions. Just like childrens drawings ought to be, these stuffed Aminals are not limited to the correct colors, shapes, or sizes - they are imaginative, fun, and lovable. Well, at least I know I love 'em. And Freida would go positively nuts for them! But be forewarned, if your kid is a perfectionist of any sort - steer clear of these misspelled, misshaped, and severely misunderstood creatures. : )

Made from 100% organic cotton - inside and out! (I'm especially fond of that "Dady doll"...)

Aminal Dolls $24.99

Low-profile Play

If any of you mamas out share my nesting issues; you'll appreciate the concept of a good toy that blends into your home decor. I admit to being a total stickler for organization - i.e toys residing in the play room. And (unfortunately for my children)... I don't see myself wavering that often. It's great to have a nice looking toy bin (or an ottoman with storage) for stashing a few living room play things, but it's especially nice when the toys themselves don't wreak much feng shui havoc (I know, I'm psychotic). Found these wonderful foam blocks at an art store in my neighborhood, I thought they were the perfect weight and size for Freida to learn how to stack and build (to my architect-husband's delight), the fact that they were a well-designed faux bois was just a lovely bonus!

Step2 Soft & Sturdy Timber Blocks $12.71

(They seem to no longer be on the Step2 website, and they were rather difficult to track down online, so if you want some - grab 'em while they're there.)

Corolle Doll Evolution

I usually talk about how I can't believe that certain toys have not evolved or upgraded their options since I was a kid, however once in a while comes a toy so great and so lovely that I'm super grateful the exact same versions still exist for my little one. This is the case with Corolle dolls. Way long before American Dolls became a fad and made their way into my little-girl bedroom, I grew up on Corolle's. This fabulous French doll company has been making award-winning baby dolls since 1979. The dolls are now sold in more than 29 countries across the world, and in my opinion are better than anything else out there.

Never mind the superior quality and look of the dolls, I just love how many options there are!  Corolle makes dolls in a myriad of sizes and forms; you can buy bald ones or babies with hair, dolls for infants, toddlers, and little ladies, and if you're searching for a soft-bodied doll that can go in the bath tub, they make those too!

Freida got her first Corolle from her Bubby when she was 4 months old - a soft rattle doll with a "lovie" blanket attached to its hand. We bought her a second at around 8 months old - a version a tad bigger, bean-filled body, and bald. Her third was sent from her Great Grandma in Chicago (who spent hours with me when I was a kid in FAO Schwartz picking out the most beautiful ones!) - perfectly short hair, visible teeth, and realistically well-shaped hands and feet.

My absolute favorite thing about these dolls is the fact that the "new-doll-scent" last forever, because they bake the doll "skin" with fresh vanilla beans!! Wait 'til you take a whiff - lovely!

And believe it or not, they are priced well, to boot!

If you don't know of a toy boutique near you that carries them, you can buy one here.

Play with Perfume

I'm always looking for scents to keep on the go: solids for the diaper bag, samples for my evening bags etc. You never know when you'll need a good freshening up, and a scent is one of the simplest ways to get that refreshed feeling. Re-apply some lipstick, add a spritz of fragrance - and you're good to go! I love this perfume-bubbles concept from Francis Kurdjian! Lightly perfumed, and simplistically packaged, these bubbles release a subtle fragrance when blown; offering some desperate entertainment during a toddler-meltdown-moment, while providing the drained mama with some fresh scented solace. And better  yet - these bubbles won't stain even your delicate fabrics!

In Cut Herbs, Cold Mint, and (my favorite) Pear. Available here.

In the Swing of things

Talk about limited options! While we're on the subject of baby gear that's been the same since I was in diapers- I thought I'd bring up the taboo topic of the (extremely bulky, rather unsightly) home baby swing. Not many available to the masses, are there? Or have you never thought about it...?  Well, I have. I've been thinking about it for a while actually, always trying to dig up some designer - somewhere out there - who is brilliant and savvy enough to come up with a chic little swing that can blend in with the rest of the home (or the backyard), rather than overwhelm our space. And so, with much gratitude to this lovely designer, I bring you the Filzschaukel by John Mohr. Impressive, eh?

Originally created by this Austrian designer for his daughter, this swing  has now even won a design award! Not that it's all that affordable to us Americans by easy means (at about $210 plus the international shipping rates), but it gives me great peace of mind to know that we are well on our way to a more simple, beautiful, ergonomic era of children's goods. : )

You can view the details (felted wool!) and color options (breathtaking!) here. You can also check out the rest of his designs at Mohr Polster.