Staying Well During the Flu Season Starts with You:

With reports of the H1N1 flu (or swine flu) spreading like wildfire, especially in kids, and the start of seasonal flu, many parents are worrying about how to keep their children from getting sick this fall and winter. There are many ways to keep the germs at bay. Check out the five tips below to help you (and others) stay well as the flu pandemic escalates.

• Teach your child good hygiene by encouraging them to wash their hands repeatedly throughout the day, especially before meals when their hands will be at their mouths. When washing your hands, tell your children to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice to ensure the proper washing length.

• Show your children how to use a tissue to cough or sneeze into and then have them immediately discard it in the trash. If there is no tissue readily available, then show your children how to properly cough or sneeze into the inside of their upper arm. This will ensure that their germs are not spread to others.

• When out in public, carry hand sanitizer with you wherever you go, and apply it to your kids’ hands often. When your child touches areas or things that many other people may have touched, such as grocery store carts and doorknobs, help your children use hand sanitizer. However, when possible, soap and water is best, so as soon as you return home, have your children wash their hands the old fashioned way.

• Teach your child to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth when at all possible during the flu season. Encourage toddlers to not put things in their mouth that do not belong, as this is the surest way to ingest germs.

• Keep your children away from adults and children who have been sick. Make sure you wait the proper incubation period when allowing your children to see family and friends that have been sick. Although a friend or family member may be feeling better, they could still be a carrier of the flu and still be contagious. If you are unsure of how long someone is contagious, call your doctor.

Stay healthy during this flu season!

Stay Warm and Cozy this Winter with SwaddleDesigns’ zzZip Me Sack!

Research shows that sleep sacks (or wearable blankets) are a safe way to keep your baby warm as the temperatures drop outside. Sleep sacks eliminate the need for loose blankets in the crib and are a perfect solution to keep your babies warm once they graduate from wanting to be swaddled.

Pure and Honest Kids carries some darling sleep sacks from SwaddleDesigns that are perfect for any new bundle of joy! Called the “zzZipMe Sack,” this product is a wearable blanket that features a clever 2-way zipper that opens from the bottom as well as the top!

The zipper zips down from the top making it easy to place baby into sack and also zips up from the bottom keeping baby snugly warm during diaper changes. So easy! Featuring plush fuzzy fabric inside and out with soft satin trimmed edges.

SwaddleDesigns zzZipMe Sacks have passed rigorous third party testing in the US and UK, and meet CPSIA requirements. Fuzzy Plush zzZipMe Sacks have a TOG rating of 2.2 which is perfect for year round use and the TOG rating recommended for temperatures of 65- 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature range medical experts recommend for sleep environments.

Celebrities, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck and Mariska Hargitay, are fans of SwaddleDesigns. Check out the write-up of these great sleep sacks here on Celebrity Baby Blog.

Pure and Honest Kids carries the zzZip Me Sack in three beautiful designs, including: Lime with Brown Mod Circles, Pastel Blue with Brown Mod Circles, and Pastel Pink with Brown Mod Circles. These stylish yet practical sleep sacks are available at Pure and Honest Kids for $36.00.

For other wonderful SwaddleDesigns products, such as the Ultimate Receiving Blanket and the Ultimate Organic Receiving Blanket, all available at Pure and Honest Kids, click here.

Halloween Costume Tips- What Parents Should Look For!

The haunted holiday known as Halloween is right around the corner! If you and your little ones have not chosen the perfect Halloween costume yet, here are some costume buying tips from Pure and Honest Kids!

• Choose costumes that are brightly colored so your children will be easily seen on Halloween night. If your child wants to dress up as something that requires dark clothing, be sure to use reflective tape somewhere on the costume so your little ghoul doesn’t blend in with the night too much!

• Check to see if your child’s costume is fire resistant. Remember you will most likely be walking by jack-o-lanterns lit up by candles, and you don’t want a cape or a long, flowing dress to catch fire while trick-or-treating.

• Make sure your child’s costume is not too long or too cumbersome. You don’t want a long princess dress or dragon tail to trip your child or anyone else!

• Comfortable footwear is essential to a successful trick-or-treat experience. You don’t want your children to fall or twist their ankles when climbing up and down your neighbors’ steps. Your little Cinderella may want to wear the dainty glass slippers, but your princess may not make it to trick-or-treat at many houses without some comfortable shoes!

• If your child’s costume requires a mask, make sure it fits properly. You do not want the mask to impair their vision or be too tight, causing lightheadedness or dizziness.

• Dress for the weather. If it is going to be a cool night, make sure your child layers and wears a long sleeve shirt under the costume or wears a coat on top of the costume. If it is going to be hot, make sure a heavy costume, such as a gorilla, has proper ventilation and breathability.

Happy Halloween from Pure and Honest Kids! We hope it is a fun and safe night for you and your kids!

Celebrities Love ERGObaby Carriers!

We spotted another celebrity using the ERGObaby Carrier to tote their little one around town!

Check out Ethan Hawke on Celebrity Baby Blog sporting the ERGObaby Organic Carrier in Cranberry, available at Pure and Honest Kids for $134.00.

You'll love this practical and comfortable carrier, too, because the ergonomic design supports a correct sitting position for the baby's hip, pelvis and spine growth. It also balances the baby's weight to parents' hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent.

Check out the other great features of the ERGObaby Carrier here. This is a must-have for any parent that likes to be on the go with their babies!

For other colors and styles of the ERGObaby Carrier, click here.

Don’t Drop The Pacifier!

Don’t you hate it when you drop your baby’s pacifier on the dirty ground? How about being out in public with your crying baby and you reach for the magic binkie only to find it is missing? Even celebrities worry about dropping their baby’s pacifier. (Check out the article on Celebrity Baby Blog on celebrities that use pacifier clips.)

Avoid pacifier drama with Belle Binkers from Bella Tunno!

These stylish pacifier clips, available at Pure and Honest Kids, are fashion-forward and functional! The Bella Binker is a safety-tested pacifier clip that keeps binkies close and clean. Bella Binkers come in over 30 grosgrain ribbon options, making a child's outfit funkier and a mom's life easier.

Check out all the different grosgrain ribbon options here. Bella Binkers are available at Pure and Honest Kids for $8.00.

Are You a Fan of Eric Carle and The Very Hungry Caterpillar?

Are you a fan of Eric Carle and his famous children’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar? If so, you have to check out this new Zoobie pet, available at Pure and Honest Kids. It is inspired by Carle’s book and is absolutely adorable!

Recently, Eric Carle was on The Today Show to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to children in celebration of Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record,” a campaign seeking to set a world record for the most people reading the same book on the same day.

It is such a wonderful book, and now there is a fabulous toy to go along with it! Zoobies has teamed up with the World of Eric Carle to bring you the Zoobie Very Hungry Caterpillar. This limited edition plush character folds into a pillow with a butterfly print blanket zipped inside. The package also includes the classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar hard cover storybook as well as a certificate celebrating the character's 40th anniversary. This toy, blanket and book combo is sure to be a hit for children and collectors alike.

This award winning toy (Winner of Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Creative Child Magazine 2007 Top Toy of the Year Award and JPMA Innovations Award Finalist in 2007) is available at Pure and Honest Kids for $40.00.

Check out the other Zoobie Pets available at Pure and Honest Kids here. You are sure to find a Zoobie Pet you can’t live without!

Also, if you are as big fan of Eric Carle like we are, then you should also check out the Brown Bear Floor Puzzle here. Inspired by another one of Carle’s books, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, this colorful floor puzzle makes another great gift for children! The puzzle, packaged in a sturdy box with a colorful rope handle, measures 2X3 feet, and comes with 24 jumbo pieces. This puzzle is perfect for children ages 3+. And no worries, parents! The puzzle is as safe as it is fun. The puzzle is printed with nontoxic inks. Available at Pure and Honest Kids for $17.00

Dining Out is No Longer a Thing of the Past…

If you want to brave the world of restaurants with your kids, you better be prepared! Here are some tips on how to make eating out with children a more pleasant experience for all:

- Choose your restaurant location carefully. Make sure it is family-friendly and also has quick service.

- Think about timing when it comes to reservations and meal times. Select a time to arrive at the restaurant that is earlier than your normal meal time in case there is a wait. If you pad your meal time, you will avoid meltdowns from hungry kids!

- Have a “restaurant” bag filled with crayons, coloring pages, small toys, and snacks. Your restaurant bag will help entertain your kids while you wait on your meal and will help your dining experience go a little more smoothly.

- Order the kids food first so it comes out as soon as possible.

- Ask for the bill once your food arrives so you don’t end up having to wait on it once everyone has already finished their meals.

Dining out with your children does have its challenges, but it also can be a lot of fun! Taking your kids to restaurants can also be a great way to teach your children about waiting, manners and social graces.

Before you go out to eat with your family again, check out this wonderful product available at Pure and Honest Kids called the “Designer Diner.” It is a wipe clean placemat that reverses to a reusable chalk mat…talk about fun and functionality! Your kids will love to draw on the chalk mat and you’ll love how the Designer Diner can also act as a placemat to keep germs at bay! It comes with a 12 piece box of non-toxic chalk and detachable chalk pouch.

The Designer Diner is a life saver when it comes to taking your kids to restaurants and would be a perfect addition to your “restaurant bag." It is available for $22 at Pure and Honest Kids!

Motherhood, Party of One…How To Stay Connected to your Friends Without Kids

I was one of the first of my group of friends to have children. Having a child puts you in a different frame of mind and in a different stage in life than when it was just you and your significant other, that’s for sure! I had to figure out how to navigate my friendships once I had my sweet daughter and life was turned upside down, and years later, I have found that many of my friends are now mothers themselves! It has come full circle. But what do you do in the meantime, when it’s just you that is experiencing the wonderful world of motherhood?

Once you have kids, you are not able to hang out with your friends the way you once did. Last minute movie dates, all night concerts, and weekend getaways are a thing of the past (at least, at first they are…you work your way back to those luxuries!) But how do you stay connected to your friends that do not have kids?

Here are some tips on how to make the relationships work with your friends without children.

- Utilize your phone, but wait and talk to your friends on the phone once your kids are napping or after their bedtime. It is so hard to have a conversation with a friend when your child is trying to get your attention or grabbing the phone to try and talk. If you want to have a meaningful (and let’s face it, non-annoying) phone conversation, wait until your children are asleep to phone a friend!

- Make plans ahead of time. If you want to hang out with your friends, then make a point to get some plans on the calendar far in advance so you have time to get a baby-sitter. That way, your friends can’t complain that you “never hang out.”

- Invite your friends over for dinner. Entertaining at home, especially when you have a newborn baby and he still sleeps a lot, is a great way to stay connected to friends. For older children, set the dinner time close to their bedtime so your friends can still visit with your kids, but it leaves you with plenty of “adult time” to enjoy your friends’ company once your children are in bed.

- Be sure to ask your friends what is going on in their lives and try to curb the baby talk. Yes, your baby or child is a huge part of your thoughts, but try to steer the conversation to other places, too, so your friend feels comfortable conversing with you about what’s going on in their lives as well.

Relationships most certainly go through stages, but all it takes is a little time and attention to keep your friendships flourishing during motherhood!

Beautiful Bows!

Are you looking for a beautiful bow to complete your little girl’s outfit that will actually stay in your child’s hair? Look no further than No Slippy Hair Clippy, available at Pure and Honest Kids!

A bow is always a great way to finish off a look for your baby girl, and Pure and Honest Kid’s has the perfect bow solution for you…the No Slippy Hair Clippy! No Slippy Hair Clippy bows have a special velvet lining and tiny magnet in each clip that will make the hair clip stay so well in your daughter’s hair. This one-of-a-kind hair accessory differentiates itself from the competition by using unique designs and color combinations, as well as mirroring current trends in the fashion industry.

Even celebrities, such as Jessica Alba, love these bows! Check out her daughter, Honor, wearing a No Slippy Hair Clippy here on Celebrity Baby Blog.

Serena and Lily Kate Bedding- A Must See!

Are you shopping for crib bedding for a baby girl, but not thinking totally pink? Then look no further than the Serena and Lily Kate Crib Bedding Set. It is one of the new bedding sets from the Serena and Lily’s latest collection, and it is gorgeous!

The Serena and Lily Kate Crib Bedding set features a sprout damask bumper with pink piping, sprout penny dot piping and a white pleated crib skirt trimmed in pink with sprout pleats. This set is sure to create a beautiful nursery!

A twist on traditional damask, this fresh pink-and-green floral makes Kate a favorite for baby girls. This three-piece crib set includes a bumper, straight crib skirt (17" drop) and fitted crib sheet, all packaged in a vinyl keepsake bag perfect for storage or gift giving.

Serena and Lily offers timeless, sophisticated and simple baby and children's bedding that is fresh and style-driven, with dynamic color and pattern combinations. Check out the Serena and Lily Kate bedding today!

Layering for Fall

Are you having trouble figuring out how to dress your kids right now with this fickle fall weather? With cool temperatures in the morning and evening, and hotter temps during the day, your best bet is to layer your child so they can be comfortable all day long!

Here are some tips on how to dress your best for fall weather!

- Dress your kids in lighter, breathable fabrics when layering during fall so you don’t overheat your kids at the peak of the heat of the day.

- Purchase a cardigan or light jacket for first thing in the morning and in the evenings.

- Consider dressing your little girls in leggings and dresses. This combination works perfect for fall because the leggings keep their legs warm in the morning and then you can remove the leggings when the temperature spikes during the day.

- Leg warmers are also a great solution to stay warm when the temperatures are lower. You can remove the leg warmers once the sun has reached its apex.

- Blazers and hoodies are a great layering tool for the little men in your life. Pair with a great shirt underneath for when the blazer becomes to hot.

Fall can be a challenging time for dressing your kids for the whole day, but Pure and Honest Kids is here to help! Check out some of our favorite pieces for layering, all available at Pure and Honest Kids!

Daily Tea Little Bot Hoodie
$29.00
Rich red chili pepper and a little robot graphic design makes this one irresistible hoodie! Paired with your favorite tops and shirts, this hooded design adds the perfect extra layer for any little boy. This hoodie pairs perfectly with the stegosaurus double-decker tee shirt and the rocketbot double-decker tee shirt. 100% cotton. Machine wash.

Daily Tea Kiddo Ume Drop Waist Dress
$27.00
What's not to love about a Daily Tea kiddo drop-waist dress? With traditional kimono styling and a fresh Ume print, this dress is the top of the class! Worn with coordinating leggings or all by itself, this dress is a real treat! 100% cotton. Machine wash.

Daily Tea Kiddo Parfait Bootcut Leggings
$23.00
Who doesn't love Daily Tea bootcut leggings? Parfait pink will mix or match with the entire collection. Pair this fan favorite with your best tops, tunics, or dresses for stylish comfort, every day! 100% cotton. Machine wash.

Blue Plaid BabyLegs
$12.00
Pale blue plaid pairs perfectly with his favorite onesies! Perfect for diaper changes or potty training, these BabyLegs are functional AND cute! 80% cotton, 15% polyester, 5% spandex. Machine wash. BabyLegs are for everyone! From babies to big kids and arms to legs, stay warm and stylish any way you wear your BabyLegs.

Purple Polka Dot BabyLegs
$12.00
Royal BabyLegs! So pretty in purple, with plum dots scattered on a grape background of these playful and perky BabyLegs are great for keeping little ones warm and toasty. 80% cotton, 15% polyester, 5% spandex. Machine wash.

Rapture Rose Cardigan
33.99
This cardigan, by Deux Par Deux, has fun written all over it! From the bright color swirls and flowers to the multicolored knit covered buttons and lacy knitted edges, the details never seem to end on this beautiful cardigan sweater that she will wear over and over and over! Machine wash.

Neige Grey Martine Cardigan
$54.99
This precious little cardigan is made out of a luxuriously soft cashmere blend. Two shell buttons attach at the neck. Extra-fine details such as the moss stitch trim and gathering at the back of the neck make this piece super-special. This heather gray cardigan adds a touch of class to any outfit. 80% wool, 20% cashmere. Hand wash.

Navy Contrail Stretch Softshell Jacket
$70.00
The Contrail jacket is from the Mountain Sprouts Sky Series. Made in the USA, this lightweight all-weather softshell is made with 9.9 oz stretch nylon/lycra blend. The weather-resistant DWR protection is stain resistant, and breathable and carries a multi-generation guarantee.

Celebrities Love the ERGO Baby Carrier!

Practical and stylish, the ERGO Baby Carrier should be mandatory for every parent…just ask Matthew Settle, also known as “Rufus Humphrey” on the hit TV show, Gossip Girl. His wife, actress/model Naama Nativ is seen on Celebrity Baby Blog sporting an ERGO Baby Carrier, with their six month old daughter in tow. Kids love to ride in this comfy carrier, and parents love it, too!

Why the ERGO Baby Carrier, you ask? The ERGO Baby Carrier's ergonomic design supports a correct sitting position for the baby's hip, pelvis and spine growth. It disperses most of the baby's weight between the hips and thighs, which helps to eliminate compression of the spine when hanging by the crotch which most other designs require. The ERGO also balances the baby's weight to parents' hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent.

The ERGO Baby Carrier also has other wonderful features, such as:
- One inch, high density foam in shoulder straps, making it a comfortable fit
- High Quality buckles tested by SGS
- Waist belt circumference from 25" to 43"
- Fits from 5' to 6'5" body height with adjustable shoulder and chest straps, so it works for most everyone
- Sleeping hood with elastic, adjusts in length to growth of baby
- Reinforcement stitching used at all fabric intersections
- Durability/strength tested up to 90 pounds
- Machine Washable - cold, gentle cycle

The ERGO Baby Carrier is available at Pure and Honest Kids and comes in the Original design, the Organic design and Sport design. Check them out here, at Pure and Honest Kids!