New Swimsuits-Cruise

One of the main differences between American and European children’s clothing companies is the number of seasonal lines they produce.  European clothing manufacturers offer only two seasons a year – Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter.  We started buying Fall/Winter 2011 in January 2011 and delivery began in July.  Spring/Summer 2012 became available in June of 2011 and those clothes will begin arriving in January or February.

American Companies offer four and sometimes six different seasonal lines throughout the year and the time between buying and delivery is much shorter.  New merchandise keeps arriving at the store on a regular basis and helps make a store seem fresher.

The end of November begins the American cruise wear season. When you live in freezing, snowy places, fashionable resort clothing is necessary for those lucky enough to spend Christmas vacation and/or Spring Break in warmer climates.

At 98% Angel, cruise season heralds the arrival of our new bathing suit collections – just in time for those holiday getaways.  We spend a great deal of time and effort sourcing bathing suit lines and looking for complimentary bathing suit cover-ups. This year’s selection is outstanding.  Come visit and take a look.

Swaddling Your New Baby

Swaddling is a much used method for comforting newborns.  After being confined inside the womb for nine months, freely moving arms and legs surprises babies and can wakes them up.
If a baby is properly swaddled, the legs are still able to move while the upper part of the body is snugly secured. This is important since tightly restricting an infants leg movement is not recommended.  Remember that the operative word is snug, not tight because everything involving baby’s needs to be gentle.

Swaddling a newborn is not simple, especially for new parents. Practicing on a doll might make the process go more smoothly. The photos and instructions below should help.

To begin this process, lay the swaddle flat and fold down the top corner; then place the baby with its neck at the top of the fold.

 

1.  Holding it’s hands gently together on it’s tummy, grasp the edge of the fold on the baby’s left and bring it around the baby’s neck under the chin. 

2.  Take the corner of the swaddle on the baby's left and pull it diagonally across
the baby's body up to the right shoulder: then tuck it under the shoulder.

3.  Grasp the bottom corner of the swaddle, pull it up to the same shoulder (right) and tuck it under, too.

4.  Take the edge of the fold near the baby’s right shoulder and pull it snugly across the baby’s upper chest.

5. Gather up all the remaining fabric from the right corner of the swaddle in one hand and snugly pull it completely around the baby.  If you do it right, there should be enough corner fabric left to tuck into the folds of fabric on the baby’s chest.

Nursing Tips and More...

After nursing for almost a year myself and talking to other nursing mothers in the store, I thought I might pass along a few bits of information I’ve collected along the way.

Keeping records has proved to be very important.  I use an app called “Total Baby” that allows you to track everything.  It’s proved to be very useful.  An example – at 10 months, my daughter had been sleeping through the night, mostly. When she started waking up crying several times each night, I was able to check my records.  I realized I had introduced spinach into her diet two weeks prior and the problem began the following night.  No more spinach, no more problem.  It turns out that her great grandfather had been allergic to spinach.  It can be difficult to figure out a problem and keeping records has really helped me.

Nursing has a major impact on a mother’s diet.  I’ve found that fennel, oatmeal, stout and fenugreek pills can all increase milk flow.  I roast the fennel in olive oil with a little salt.  I love it. 

Asparagus gives your milk a flavor that babies find unpleasant. I found that out the hard way shortly after my daughter was born. Plus, I’ve had to give up all forms of broccoli and its relatives because it gives babies gas.  Lettuce is a no-no as well.  I can eat salads now, but I really missed them for many months.

Nursing and especially pumping are a challenge, but for me it has been worth it.  I wish all of you nursing mothers the best of luck.                                                                                                                                                               

Helena Baby Dress

I thought I would share one of my favorite holiday outfits on the sale section of our website.

This red velvet holiday dress is from the Texas company “Helena and Harry”.  They are well known for beautiful special occasion clothing.   You can find more examples of Helena and Harry on sale at significant savings.   Don’t forget to check our sale shoes. 

The Other 2%

Since we opened our store 19 years ago, at least once a day we are asked “What is the other 2%?’  When we first thought of the store name, it seemed obvious that the answer was 2% devil. Since an average child rarely falls into the 98% Angel column, we thought we were being generous. Rumor has it that 50% of children are made of ‘snakes, snails and puppy dog tails’

As the years wore on and we faced this question day after day, the creativity of our answers and our sense of humor started to fade.  We decided that perhaps we needed a more concrete approach – an actual 2%, as it were.

When Zoe and I first opened, we were equal partners.  We each had 50% of the company.

One family member wasn’t an owner.  He had definitely “wanted no part of that crazy venture”.  We were successful and over the years Fred became an integral part of the company.

Have you guessed?  Zoe and I each gave Fred a company share. He is now officially the other 2%.  If he’s in the store when someone asks the daily question, we just smile and point at Fred.

Packing for Holiday Travel with Baby

The holiday season is upon us, and for many families that means traveling long distances to visit loved ones. When you’re traveling with a baby, be sure you are prepared for joyful travel with these baby travel tips:

• Check the weather forecast for the area you will be visiting. Weather varies greatly in different locations, and even from day to day in the same area. Be sure to check the temperature as well as the wind and precipitation forecast for the area and pack for your baby accordingly.
• Bring appropriate clothing to dress the baby in layers. In cold weather, wearing layers is the best way to keep warm. Bundle your bundle of joy in multiple layers to keep her warm in frigid winter temperatures. You can easily remove layers when indoors where it is warm or for diaper changes. Some clothing items to consider are:
1. Long sleeve onesies
2. Baby hoodies and baby sweatpants
3. Baby winter coats
4. Socks
5. Warm baby hats
• Pack several warm infant blankets. Not only will you need blankets for carrying your baby outdoors and for bedtime, bringing blankets from home will give your baby a familiar item to snuggle in an unfamiliar place. If you are traveling by car, be sure to pack extra baby blankets to keep baby warm in the event of a breakdown.
• Bring more of your baby’s food than you expect to need. Whether your baby is on formula or baby foods, overestimating what to bring is better than not bringing enough. If you are nursing, don’t forget your pump (if needed).
• Pack more diapers and wipes than you think you’ll use, along with a portable changing pad. It’s always better to have too many diapers than not enough, and ensuring an adequate supply will alleviate hassle if your travel plans meet unexpected delays.
• Don't forget a place for baby to rest her head. Travel cribs can be folded for easy transport and give your baby a comfy bed that can be set up as close to yours as you would like.

Amidst getting the baby ready for travel, not to mention yourself and the rest of your family, don’t forget to bring your camera with a charger or extra batteries so you can capture this year's holiday memories for years to come! Safe travels!

Have more tips for traveling with a baby? Leave us a comment!

Seasonal Ginger Snap Cookie Recipe

It has become a holiday tradition that from Thanksgiving 'till Christmas we have home baked ginger snaps in the Malibu Store. Customers have long come to expect them.
Since we are often asked for the recipe, we decided to post it for all to enjoy:

GINGERSNAPS

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light molasses (blackstrap makes a stronger tasting cookie)
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger











Cream butter and sugar; add molasses and egg; beat well. Add dry
ingredients; mix well.

Roll the dough into small balls; dip the balls into granulated sugar and place
on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly
with the bottom of a glass dipped into the sugar.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Note. Watch the cookies carefully while they are in the oven, as they burn
easily. Remove them from the cookie sheet immediately.

There you have it all. Good luck, but it really should be very 101.

Let us know how they turn out by posting a comment on this blog.

Winter Wardrobe for Baby

Winter is upon us, and with it comes the need to update your baby’s wardrobe to ensure that he or she stays warm and toasty throughout the season. Here are some tips for preparing a winter baby wardrobe:

• Stock up on clothing that works well in layers: Layering long sleeve onesies with pants and outerwear such as sweaters or hoodies is a great way to keep your baby warm and cozy this winter. Dressing the baby in layers makes it easy to transition her outfit from outdoors to indoors, where she could get hot in heated areas. Long sleeved thermal shirts are great for layering in colder climates.
• Choose great fitting baby hats: Every baby needs at least one warm hat for the winter! The type of hat you choose depends on how frigid the winter temperatures are in your area. If you live in a cold climate, be sure to invest in a warm winter hat for your little bundle of joy. For areas with less harsh winters, a baby beanie alone or under a hoodie may be enough to keep her warm outdoors. Remember to consider winter temperatures in your area as well as where you plan to travel this year when selecting the perfect winter hat for your little one!
• Have plenty of warm baby blankets: Baby blankets are a must when bringing babies outdoors. You can either swaddle the baby and hold her to share your body heat, or use the blanket in her stroller for added protection from the elements.
• Make sure to have warm baby pajamas: Even when your baby is indoors in the comfort of her crib, she needs to be shielded from cold drafts on long winter nights. Make sure your baby is dressed for warmth with pajamas that are appropriate for the temperature in your home. Consider pajamas with footies if your little one has a habit of kicking off her socks.
• Invest in a heavy winter coat, if appropriate in your area: Depending on where you live, you may need to purchase a winter coat for your baby to protect her from frigid temperatures this winter. Keep in mind that bulkier garments may not fit well in car seat straps.

These are some of the basics of a winter wardrobe for baby, but this is far from a comprehensive list! Have more ideas to keep baby warm for winter? Leave us a comment!

If you can’t find what you are looking for in our online store, please contact our Malibu store at 310.456.0069!