Little Green Baby...

Santa visit

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Toy Drive for Lydia Home

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Annual Toy Drive

Join us for our annual toy drive benefiting Lydia Home (http://www.lydiahome.org/). Lydia Home is a group home for children located on the city’s Northwest side. They offer many programs that support families and children. Each year we a do a toy drive to help ensure that each child that Lydia Home services receives a gift and knows that they are cared for. Please join us, if you can, in collecting toys for these kids.

You can drop off your toys now through December 15th at LGB or contact me to make arrangements for us to collect the gifts. Lydia Home requests that all toys be new and unwrapped as they need to make sure they have enough gifts for each age group. Thanks for your support!

Santa!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Santa Clause is coming to Little Green Baby!

Santa will be coming to Little Green Baby! Plan to bring your kids (and your camera) for a photo with Santa on December 12th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:35:00 +0000

I love this Holiday - just spending time with family and friends...no pressures...just a lovely day. I am so thankful for my amazing family and to have another year together. I hope everyone enjoys their day!

Now comes tomorrow BLACK FRIDAY!!! We have some big sales going on at Little Green Baby - if you are in the area please come by! Here is a sampling below:

2009 model UppaBaby Vista Sale $579.99 (Reg. $669.99)
10% off all in stock diaper bags!
Daily Tea Children’s Apparel 20% off
Plan Toys all 30% off!
Melissa & Doug Rock & Trot Rocking Horse Sale $79.99 (Reg. $99.99)
Melissa & Doug Wooden Railway Set (compatible with all Thomas & Plan Toys Wooden Railway sets) Sale $99.99 (Reg. $119.99)
Melissa & Doug Multi Level Dollhouse Sale $119.99 (Reg. $149.99)
Melissa & Doug Shopping Cart $49.99 Sale $39.99 (Reg. $49.99)

and lots more!

Featured Artist: Sandy Washington

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:44:00 +0000

We get questions all the time about the artwork we have at LGB. One of our favorites is local artist, Sandy Washington. Sandy does the personalized painted canvases you see on our shelves. She also creates the ABSee Your Name and the ceramic birthday/holiday plates as well. All of these items make fantastic birthday and holiday gifts, so keep them in mind for the upcoming holidays! Below is some info about our local artist -

Sandy Washington received her Art Education degree from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Her career began in 1994 teaching Art at Chicago Southwest Christian Schools. As a result of teaching different ages and classes, her love of several different mediums is evident in her current work. Sandy’s work ranges from sketches and murals, to ceramics and photography. She is a full-time mom of two daughters and full-time practicing artist for five years. “CHICAGO” is from her A.B.See Chicago collection, established in 1997. All photographs are taken within the city of Chicago and their locations in the city can be noted by the artist on the mat board. Sandy has two websites http://www.sandywashington.com/ and http://www.abseechicago.com/

You can see samples of her work and place orders by stopping in LGB as well. We have some samples below:

Ceramic pieces are created on high quality bisque, fired to be food safe as well as dishwasher and microwave oven safe.

And her favorite creations to date:

(Hi Sam & Bella!)

Indoor Gardening...

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:43:00 +0000

Now that most of our outdoor plants have died or gone to sleep for the winter, it is time to focus on bringing some greenery and flowers indoors. There are some common "holiday plants" that do well indoors and are almost guaranteed to bring a smile.

One of the biggest and brightest of these "holiday plants" is the Amaryllis. The blooms are huge and beautiful. When purchasing the bulb, look for one that is at least 2 &1/2 inches in diameter. The larger the bulb, the more blooms you may get. Bulbs should be firm with no soft spots or discoloration. The container for the plant should be at least 2 inches bigger than the diameter of the bulb. It should have good drainage and be planted in a mix of perlite and peat moss. Using equal parts of each will work well. One third of the bulb should be left above soil level. Water thoroughly after planting and then keep soil consistantly moist, not saturated. Do not water over the nose of the bulb as it may rot.

Amaryllis should be kept in temperatures from 70 to 75 degrees as the flower buds are forming. Flowers should appear 6 to 8 weeks after planting. Reduce heat to 65 degrees to prolong flowering. Keep the plant in indirect light. Fertilize with a complete fertilizer every two to three weeks. As each flower fades, cut off flower. When all flowers are gone, remove flower stalks. Do not remove leaves. The leaf foliage feeds the bulb.

During warm weather plant the whole pot outside. In late summer reduce watering so leaves die down. When completely dead, cut off all foliage. Store bulb in its container in 50 degree temperatures for eight to ten weeks, then bring into warm room and start over. Next time we will talk about Cyclamens, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter Cactus and Paper Whites. Until then remember in even Chicagoland, we can garden all year round!

Carol De Jong

University of Illinois Extension, Master Gardener

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:10:00 +0000

Give-Away Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Congratulations to Jessica for winning our recycling contest last week and winning a bitty block necklace! Contact me within the next two weeks to tell me which bitty block you choose!

Our give-away this week is:

Picnic Playground CD
Musical Treats from Around the World

We have a new line of children’s CD’s at LGB. Putumayo Kids is the children’s and educational division of Putumayo World Music. Putumayo Kids is committed to introducing children to other cultures through music from around the world.

Picnic Playground provides a veritable feast of international songs about food, cooking and healthy eating in a global gumbo of musical styles and languages. American artist Jay Mankita’s opening song “Eat Like a Rainbow” sets the tone for the album, and the delectable songs that follow from Australia, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany, Canada and Trinidad add to the exuberant musical smörgåsbord. These fun, upbeat songs will help get kids moving and dancing to the rhythms.

These CD’s are available in our store for $15.00. A great stocking stuffer!

What is your favorite childhood lullabye? Let me know in the comments section below and you are entered to win! This contest will end on Sunday, November 1st (really, November 1st already???) and a winner will be posted on Monday, the 2nd. The winner will have 2 weeks to contact me to claim their prize. If I do not hear from you within 2 weeks another winner will be chosen. Good luck!

Give-Away Monday!!!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:45:00 +0000

This contest is now closed.

“Give-Away Monday” is back!

So this week we have a new item that I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! These adorable necklaces are made using reclaimed Scrabble Tiles and Dominos, each pendant is carefully handcrafted using sterling silver findings and a genuine Swarovski crystal embellishment for that extra bit of sparkle! These fabulous charms are made in the USA (southeastern Pennsylvania)!The makers of Bitty Blocks have been generous and have offered a free necklace for our Give-Away Monday! The sample tiles above are the ones the winner will get to choose from. I think this is the perfect gift idea for the Big Sister when the new baby arrives...something special just for her!

So here’s the deal – everyone is trying to do their part and recycle. Tell me what you do to recycle in your home and a winner will be chosen from those who leave a comment below!

This contest will end on Sunday, October 25th and a winner will be posted on Monday, the 26th. The winner will have 2 weeks to contact me to claim their prize. If I do not hear from you within 2 weeks another winner will be chosen. Good luck!

New videos....

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:03:00 +0000

Videos of Aidan helping me make brownies and fingerpainting...enjoy!

Winner of Last Week's "Give-Away Monday"

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:45:00 +0000

Congratulations to Megan, the winner of last week’s Give-Away Monday! - our basket filled with goodies from Happy Baby. Contact me via email (kim@littlegreenbabychicago.com) to claim this awesome basket.

Give-Away Monday! will return next Monday and I promise it will be worth the wait!

Cali Part II

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Our next day was in SanFrancisco, a city I fell in love with 10 years ago, so it was fun to share it with Nathan. First we had a picnic at the waterfront. Our view was of course the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

Next we took a trolley ride - Aidan had a blast! He is obsessed with trains and basically anything with wheels.
Next we walked down by Pier 39 and saw all the seals (again) and saw a street break dancing show - Aidan thought that was pretty cool too!

We took Highway 1 back to San Jose - you just can't beat the views! These were the biggest waves we've seen - it was amazing.

Nate bought a new video camera for the trip - it was really fun to have that with up. I'll post more video clips soon!

California Dreaming.... part I

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:46:00 +0000

Aidan did really well on our four hour flight out to California - thanks for all the suggestions - we had movies, stickers, tatoos and suckers - they worked great!

Day one of our trip we stayed at our hotel and enjoyed the pool and hot tub. We pretty much had the whole thing to ourselves as apparently 82 degrees is "cold" to these Californians! Aidan had a blast. Outside our room is a really nice pond and Aidan spent the night throwing rocks...ahem...I mean bread...to feed the ducks. It was really cute.

So today we drove down to the boardwalk in Santa Cruz - Aidan loved the seals and the arcade...

Next we cruised down to Monterey...we stopped at the State Beach - it was so beautiful! The waves were HUGE and of course Aidan had to run right in and make me a little nervous! He started out with a sweatshirt on and ended up shirtless. Nate was dying to get out there surfing but I think even he was a little intimidated by the huge waves. We looked for shells (per "Aga" DJ's request) to no avail. We had a picnic on the beach - such fun!

Next we went to the canery area of Monterey Beach. It is not your typical beach town (you know what I mean, a tee shirt shop every other storefront) ...it was very upscale and lovely.

This one is for you Mom G!

Aidan's favorite part of Monterey Beach was the Ghiradelli ice cream...mine was the beautiful scenery and architecture. We cruised back on up to the beach and spent a few more hours there, then the wonderfully beautiful scenic drive back up Highway 1 to San Jose. Overall it was a fabulous day. Tomorrow we head up to San Francisco - can't wait!

Give-Away Monday!!!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:46:00 +0000

So we have a winner for our California Baby give-away - JenniferK and Isabella! Please contact me via email (kim@littlegreenbabychicago.com) so we can make arrangements to get this great gift set to you!

Maggie from Happy Family Brands dropped off this awesome “green” basket filled with goodies from Happy Baby for our Give-Away Monday!

HAPPYBABY is committed to providing families with the healthiest, most optimal nutrition possible. Besides using the best organic ingredients, we also incorporate the best nature has to offer when it comes to added nutrition, like our sustainable source of DHA, pre and probiotics, and supergrains like Salba and Quinoa. The basket contains:

Happy Family Nutrition Guide by Bob Sears, MD and Amy Marlow, MPH RD CDN

Happy Family Recipes

FAQ about Probiotics and DHA

2 canisters of Happy Baby Puffs (the only organic puffs with whole grains, real fruits and vegetables and 1/2 the sugar of the leading brands)

Coupons for:Happy Bellies cerealHappy Baby frozen organic baby foodHappy Bites healthy kids mealsYo Baby organic yogurt for babies

So you know the drill…leave a comment, maybe a comment about what kind of snacks you like to give your kiddos and you could win this great basket of yummy treats!

Baby Bedding Blowout Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Baby Star bedding is on sale this week for $99.99! Check it out in the store or online: BabyStar Bedding

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:32:00 +0000

It’s a sad day in my house…I dropped my favorite camera. Of course we are leaving for our vacation on Thursday and all I’ll have with me is my little point & shoot…on the bright side – maybe it’s time to upgrade???

Oh yeah, and about that vacation - guess who is going to be joining us on our romantic get-away? Aidan!!! Looks like we are having a "family vacation" instead...I am really looking forward to it!

“Give-Away Monday”

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:37:00 +0000

California Baby Products Give-Away!

So after a fun weekend who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up on Monday? So our new tradition for the LGB blog will be our “Give-Away Monday”…I can’t guarantee that there will be a give-away every Monday…but be sure to check back and see what fun items and contests we have going on!

In honor of my upcoming vacation to the sunshine state (that will be another post…suggestions for things to do and see in the San Francisco Bay area on our first trip without Aidan) – we are giving away a variety of California Baby items (bubble bath, shampoo/body wash and Calendula cream gift set). To enter to win this fabulous give-away just leave a comment below – any old comment will do! If you are no familiar with the California Baby line of products, feel free to check them out at the LGB website: CaliforniaBabyProducts

This contest will close on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. – I will have Nate pick at number for the winner.

And the winner is....

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:04:00 +0000

The winner of our summer photo contest is Susan (and Leah) Hine - this adorable pic was taken at Foster Beach. Susan, I will contact you via email to get your cute pair of LegHuggers - they will be perfect for Leah now that the cooler weather has arrived!

Here is a gallery of some other summer fun submissions - thanks everyone! We will be announcing our next give-away/contest on Monday, so stay tuned!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this blanket...

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:56:00 +0000

We spend so long picking out the perfect name for our little one - who wouldn't LOVE to have it displayed on a blanket that will be a keepsake forever (not to mention the blanket is super soft and comfy)?

The blankets come in white/blue scallops, white/pink scallops, solid pink and solid blue. The blankets are by Angel Dear, a fantastic company and the embroidery is done locally here in Chicago. The embroidered blanket retails at $45.00 (blanket without embroidery is $30). The turn around time is 2 weeks, so keep these in mind when you are looking for your next baby gift!

Pana Sunsets

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Last weekend we spent at our cottage down in Pana, Illinois. Such a different way of life down there than living in the city...sometimes it's nice to step out of our daily grind and just take a deep breath...

A new old bike....

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:17:00 +0000

It used to drive me crazy that my mom would pull over on a whim whenever she saw a garage sale sign... little did I know my mom was just ahead of her time doing her part to "recycle"! I now LOVE a good garage sale...I am always on alert when I see a garage sale sign to see if they have "boy stuff" for Aidan.

So last Saturday Auntie Paula (Aidan has actually gotten into the habit of calling her Uncle Paula...but don't tell her that), anyway...she SCORED! Apparently her little neighbor, Charlie, is moving to Canada for a few years and has outgrown some of his stuff. Paula came over with a bag full of Thomas the Train engines...lots of 4T clothes....AND...well just look below...

A new "helmu" and a big boy bike - he was so excited. Thanks Uncle Paula!!!!

New Store Hours...

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:38:00 +0000

Due to popular demand we have decided to change our store hours to include being open on Mondays! We are trying this on a temporary basis but will begin Monday, September 21, 2009. Our hours will be 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hope to see you then!

Recipe - Hummus

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:53:00 +0000

If you are anything like me, I am always trying to come up with new, healthy snack options for my little guy. He (and me) get so sick of having the same things over and over and over again...so one thing we LOVE to snack on at our house is hummus...love it so much I figured I would try to make it....and it was a success! So I thought I'd share:

1 16 oz can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)

1/2 the liquid from can of chickpeas

4 tablespoons lemon juice (or lime)

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 crushed garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Optional: roasted red pepper, roasted tomato…

Dump all of the ingredients into your blender. Blend into a nice paste. Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, as a spread on a sandwich or cover and refrigerate.Aidan loves hummus as a dip for fresh veggies. He eats lots of fresh carrots (or just sucks the hummus off the carrots...depending on his mood) simply for the love of the hummus. Enjoy!

Photo Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Can it be that summer is really already over? It seems like summer never really came here in Chicago. So for those cool Fall days we are carrying a new product – Leg Huggers! Send me your favorite picture of your kiddos from your summer adventures and you could win a free pair of Leg Huggers!

Leg Huggers is a new brand of leg warmers for your little ones. They are made with Bamboo, UV protective, odor resistant, biodegradable and antibacterial.

They're great for keeping legs cozy in cold weather. They're terrific for EC babies ad toilet training. They're perfect for crawling on hard surfaces. They're ideal for those with sensitive skin.To check out Leg Huggers stop in at LGB or order online: LegHuggers

To enter our photo contest is easy - post a comment in the comments section and email me your favorite summer picture to post! kim@littlegreenbabychicago.com

Contest ends Friday, September 18th at 4:00 p.m.

FuzziBunz

noreply@blogger.com (About this blog) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:20:00 +0000

With all the interest in doing our part for the environment and being "green" cloth diapering has made a huge comeback. There are many reasons that moms decide to cloth diaper - cloth diapers are good for baby and good for the environment. Also, disposable diapers do not easily break down in our landfills. There is also no concrete timeline as to how long it will actually take for a disposable diaper to break down - some estimates are anywhere from 200 years+!

Today's modern cloth diapers are reusable, washable and can actually help prevent diaper rash. The materials used in their manufacture are vastly different from the diapers of old making them comfortable, durable, stylish and environmentally friendly. Material like microfleece, hemp, bamboo and laminated polyester are just some of the components used today.

Another reason to use cloth diapers is that you will save money in the long run - yes, the initial up front cost will be anywhere from $350 to $700, depending on what system and the number of diapers and inserts purchased. However, disposables cost anywhere from $2300 to $3500 for each child you have. Most cloth diapers, if carefully cared for, can last for more than one child. Even if you would want to buy new ones for each baby, you could sell your diapers privately, or on websites such as diaperswappers.com and get anywhere from 50-70% of your original cost back.

Realistically, cloth diapering is a personal choice and your choice of diapering has to work for you and your family. Some choose to do a combination of cloth (while at home) and disposable (when with a childcare provider and/or overnight).

We hope that you are as excited as we are at LGB to be expanding our cloth diapering section of our store. Currently we are carrying Bummis, FuzziBunz and Under the Nile cloth diapers and accessories. We will be adding additional lines in the next couple of weeks so stop by and check them out! We hope to be offering an inexpensive cloth diapering class in the very near future so if that is something you are interested in let us know and we'll keep you posted!