Hello Josiah!

Uncle Luke...

Welcome to the world, baby!

Monday marked the arrival of a little someone special in my life:
my new nephew, Josiah James.

this is sweet.

{found here}

gift guide for (real and) imaginary children

{image ffffound here via tumblr}

I love reading the blog Peanut Petunia partly because it is always brimming with decorating inspiration but also because every so often it reminds me that I'm not the only one that thinks about, plans for, dreams about, and shops for my imaginary child. As much as I miss my nephews and nieces down in Texas (and boy do I), I would be absolutely broke if they lived near me. Kids books are probably a primary weakness but there are oh so many other lovely little doo-dats and whatsits for tots these days to saturate my attention.

like these play and freeze ice cream makers

rockabye baby albums


sckoon organics cloth diapers & onesies

haba swings and seats

wee gallery art cardsmoses baskets
radio flyer wagons and wheel barrows
classic blocks and, of course, fantasy blocks

And Katie makes three

{photo by Anne Geddes, of course!}

My sister had her third baby on Saturday.
Little Katie has been much anticipated.
We're so happy she's here!

Coming into the light with over 9 pounds of health
and a head full of black hair
I've got a feeling this one is trouble.

Pink-Periwinkle Love, or why I want a baby girl!

Today I made a treasury on etsy!

For the next two days you can find it {here}
sources/shops from the top, left to right:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

I heart etsy

{photo by SS Photography via Paisley & Posies}

I have been coming across the most awesome etsy shops recently.
Perhaps it is because I have a growing number of little ones in my life
or maybe just because goodies for babies are so little and cute...

Check out these tutus by Paisley & Posies on etsy or visit their {blog}
and how cute are these toddler leg warmers from Knotty Baby Wear?
I have a hard time deciding between these and these and these and...!

Is it just me or does etsy need a wishlist/registry feature?

{photo by Heather Lynn Photography via Knotty}

so...

...my will-be mother-in-law had a dream the other night that I was pregnant. At first I just thought it was funny but, I'll admit, it started to freak me out. Joe, her boyfriend, heard that I'd been a little freaked out by the dream-premonition and decided to help out by leaving a couple of 'baby maps' in my apartment.


umm... isn't it an unspoken rule that pregnancy jokes are not funny?

I'm going to be an aunt, again!

{a photo of my niece, Emily}

M

y sister Jodi is pregnant with her third child expected sometime late this month. They finally decided on a name and had a funny story to tell about it. As they sat their children down to tell them their soon-to-be little sister's name, my nephew Ben decided it was only fair that he play a part in the naming process. Jodi & John were planning on a "Kate" but by the end of the conversation it was an official "Katie". Way to go Ben.

Ben's enthusiasm with the name is actually a big step too. When he first found out the boy-girl balance in the house would soon be against him he started crying unconsolably. In fact, my sister wasn't able to get him to stop until she'd promised him a hamster.

Of course, as soon as I found out they'll be having another {little girl} I started collecting a few presents to send along as Katie's birth neared. In a lot of ways my gift-gathering was an accidental trial run for etsy - an experiment to see just how talented these crafters really are. There are four especially brilliant artists who I've had the pleasure of supporting:

1. Mama Robot, an artist who silkscreens her images on American Apparel onsies along with a variety of shirts for adults. She also offers the cutest little gift tags featuring reproductions of her art.

2. The PataCakeBaby, a company based in Idaho that sells handmade blankets, wet bags, diaper diddies, onsies, etc...My favorite thing about this shop? They've got a whole line of items in Alexander Henry's "Juicy Jungle" fabric! {I came accross "Juicy Jungle" in my local JoAnne and pretty much wiped them clean. But, my eyes are bigger than my ability in terms of sewing right now...} I went for a diddie and I plan to make a blanket myself in a few weeks... I might make a tee pee or a sleeping bag too for the big sister!

3. Sugar Plumb Tree, based out of California Jenny Plumb creates all sorts of accessories for toddlers and kids. I purchase the cutest pair of leg warmers with felt flower appliques. Even though my sister lives in Texas and the baby will only get to wear them a few times, they were absolutely worth it!

4. Finally, Aurelia & Annalise (now ivory&moss), is a wonderful shop that carries the most amazing handmade shoes for babies. Every order is made custom and styles can be modified to your liking. I really had to control myself in this shop - particularly after I recieved these. Maybe as summer rolls around I'll break down and order a pair of these and these and * maybe even * a pair of these (even though they're meant for boys) for my new niece.

Do Not Do This!