PerryWinkles Kids Blog

New York and babies aren’t exactly a match made in heaven but having a baby shouldn’t stop you from going to New York City, as you’ll discover a new side of this fantastic city. 

My first concern when heading there last week with my 10-month-old was transportation.  You would be insane to rent a car in a city that is dominated by aggressive drivers and yellow cabs.  Taking the bus proved a little unwieldy, as you are expected to fold up your stroller to get on the bus, but to my surprise cabs were a lot more laid back about taking babies than I had expected.  Although we ended up walking most of the time, it was a relief to know we had a viable option if needed.

The highlight of this last trip were not the fantastic dining experiences or wandering aimlessly from shop to gallery through the Village but, rather, the playgrounds in Central Park.  I had never noticed this before but there are play grounds every few meters in Central Park.  In fact, there are 21 playgrounds in this one park!  Also, on the Sound end, right by 5th Ave. is a Children’s Zoo.  I just love wandering aimlessly through this park and seeing where I end up after each turn.  I’m still amazed that a place can be so serene and be stuck in the middle of Uptown Manhattan.  The perfect escape from the crowds and the shopping when traveling with a baby.

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Up to now, 9 months after lugging my diaper bag everywhere I go, I have been pretty happy with my Skip Hop diaper bag, a gift from a friend at my baby shower.  It’s handy and fashionable, durable and spacious enough to hold everything I need for the day.  I was very disappointed last week when one of the strap clips cracked.  As you know, a diaper bag that you can’t carry over your shoulder or snap onto your stroller is, simply, useless! 

To my great relief Skip Hop customer support was immediately responsive to my issue; I was told that the store where the bag was purchased would replace it.  Sure enough, the store asked no questions nor needed to see a receipt to replace the damaged  bag with a new one.  Even better - I lucked out with the new model that now has me raving about Skip Hop’s product development.  Basically, they have addressed all the little annoyances that the old model had.

The new model of the Duo Deluxe has magnetic closures, which means no sweaters caught on the velcro; the lining is now a contrasting colour, which makes it easier to find things inside a black bag; the strap now has a shoulder pad; and, my favourite new feature, the new clips mean you don’t have to switch straps when you go from hanging it on your stroller to putting it on your shoulder.  I love the new model!  So, deep down, I’m glad I got a defective bag the first time!

I’m convinced that good customer support is what sets great companies apart.  And I’m definitely checking in frequently with Skip Hop for new models, since they seem to be so in touch with their end users!

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Clothing

This past weekend a catastrophic cyclone hit Myanmar and, as of the time I write this, took 22,000 lives and 41,000 are still missing.  Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962 and is usually in the news regarding human rights violations.  In September 2007 hundreds of monks got organized in anti-government protests but nothing fundamentally changed, other than increasing the outside world’s awareness of the oppression taking place in South East Asia’s largest country.  This time it’s Mother Nature that has taken the world’s eyes to this part of Asia.

I visited Myanmar in 2004 and was touched by the warmth of its people.  How can people living in an oppressive military state be so happy and have such warmth towards outsiders?  While there we visited the stunning palace in Rangoon, bicycled through the mystic ruins of Bagan, saw the sun set over the spectacular U-Bein bridge, meandered in a boat through Inle Lake and its nearby towns, met a buddhist monk in the mountains near Heho, among other adventures.  Everywhere we went, my husband and I were met with big smiles and, inevitably, by the time we parted from a new acquaintance we had been handed a token gift.  In spite of the bad reputation this country has, I never felt threatened while traveling there.

Now in desperate need of emergency relief, the military government is not fully opening the doors to external aid.  You can help by contacting the relief organizations listed here.

PerryWinkles Kids

This Summer we will be back at the Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show in Bracebridge, Ontario. Now in its 46th year, Muskoka Arts & Crafts’ Summer Show is Muskoka’s oldest and largest outdoor art show. Set in a beautiful park, the Summer Show features 200 creative artists from across Canada. Shop for PerryWinkles Kids’ hand-smocked dresses there from July 18th to 20th.

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Clothing

I am (not very anxiously) awaiting the day that I need to trick my baby into eating healthy foods.  So far she doesn’t have much choice but also she hasn’t yet been exposed to the world of candy, ice creams and fried things.  From what I hear from other moms, though, most kids will go through a stage when anything green or healthy is yucky and the only way to get them to eat them is to negotiate with them a sugary reward at the end of a meal.  So besides buying organic produce, it looks like one must search for healthy recipes that don’t necessarily seem that way! 

Baby and Me Organically, an online store that provides natural and environmentally friendly products for children and pregnant women, has a couple of fantastic kid friendly recipes.  Their ‘Mouth Watering Brownies‘ recipe features no butter, no dairy and are high in fibre, with ingredients such as flax seeds, cinnamon and whole wheat flour.  I think I’ll make a batch of those for myself!

Baby and Me Organically’s list of products include environmentally friendly gear for carrying meals and drinks, herbal cold and flu soothers, first aid homeopathic medicine, vitamins, feeding bottles, and all-natural products for expectant mothers. 

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Smocked Clothing and Dresses

I knew it would happen.  Every baby goes through it and I knew the day would inevitably arrive when our baby became aware of how powerful dropping a toy on the floor from the height of her high chair could be.  The first act happens innocently enough - “let’s see what happens when I place my hand in the air and open it!”  Down goes the toy to the floor and makes a noise.  And down goes the baby’s mommy to pick up the toy that fell on the floor…or so she naively thought!  Then they perfect the throwing-toy-on-the-floor technique through trial and error.  There’s the sweeping of the arm across the tray, then the picking a toy with their little fingers and dangling it in the air before releasing, and the grabbing with their whole hand and projecting in the desired direction.  And they all have the same desired effect of mommy or daddy bending down and picking it up for them only to wait two seconds before the toy finds its way back on the floor. 

I admit that I find this little game charming and amazing.  It’s cute to see a bit of personality coming through in a baby and, also, it’s incredible to witness learning and skill development happening in front of your eyes.  First there’s object permanence, which teaches them that objects still exist when they’re not in their view anymore; then there’s the dexterity developed in their fingers through all those Cheerios and little bits of fruit they pick up from their plate; there’s finally being coordinated enough to grab an object and move their arms in the direction they want them to end up.  And I’m sure there’s tons more at play!  I don’t consider this little game in itself a form of manipulation because babies (we suspect) find this fun.  So why not indulge them.

What did concern me (in a humorous way only) was when I realized that Clara, now over 8-months-old, had incorporated this little game into her feeding routine to get me to get her toys for her when she wanted.  The game goes something like this: we start happily feeding, mouth is popping open, food is going in easily.  Then Clara starts fussing a bit so I give her a spoon or bowl to distract her, and we continue happily feeding.  A few minutes later off goes the arm in the air dangling the bowl, looking back at me before releasing her little fingers, then excitedly looking over the side of her chair to see where the bowl landed.  Nice throw!  It’s what followed that shocked me when I realized I was being manipulated by my sneaky baby: Clara sits back on her chair looking at me who should obviously know to pick the toy back up.  When I try to feed her at that moment she softly closes her eyes and looks sideways.  I initially thought she was just full and done eating so didnt’ think much of it.  Except after I finally handed her the bowl she immediately popped her mouth back open, I filled it with food and she threw the bowl on the floor again! 

Upon realizing this was going on, of course I first persevered and tried to get her to eat without giving in to her game.  I don’t know how long this fascination with toys on the floor will last and my back is stiff enough as it is! Soon enough, however, I just wanted her to finish her meal and I knew the only way was to play along.  So I did and had a great laugh at my baby’s cheekiness!

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Smocked Clothing

We are pleased to announce that you can now shop in person for PerryWinkles Kids fine girls’ smocked dresses in Baton Rouge, Lousiana.  This wonderful store is called Oh Baby! and it is located at 8210 Jefferson, Ste B, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.  Give them a call at: 225.930.0089 for their store hours.

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Smocked Clothing

We recently ventured out West to Vancouver for a long weekend with our 8-month-old.  These were some of our favourite kid-friendly destinations:

1. Walking the sea wall at Stanley Park.  Nothing like getting some fresh air and catching some rays…specially when they’re soft at 6am.  Don’t forget the sunscreen if you’ll be out and about when the sun is stronger closer to noon.

2. Vancouver Aquarium at Stanley Park.  Check out the kids zone in the lower level where they have story time, games and a pretend animal hospital for kids.  They will even arrange a sleepovers for kids who want to see the aquarium after hours.  Even at $20 a head it was worth it just to see Clara laugh hysterically at the seals swimming past the viewing window.

3. Granville Island.  The public market is always fun and delicious to walk around but if you’re with kids you’ll want to head to the kids market, two floors full of toy stores and activities for kids.

4. Tampopo Sushi on Denman St. by Davie St..  Ok, not necessarily top of the list when thinking of destinations to go with kids but this all you can eat sushi place served the best tuna sushi and it was spacious enough to fit strollers comfortably and service was efficient.  You will have to carry the stroller up the stairs as they don’t have an elevator.

5. Whistler/Blackcomb.  If you want to get some skiing in whlie you’re out West, driving to Whistler/Blackcomb only takes about two hours.  If your baby is over 6 months and is comfortable with strangers, you can use their day care services for $100/day.  Be sure to book ahead as this service is popular.  Also check with your hotel for what they offer for older kids.  Babisitting Whistler also offers babysitting services and baby gear rental.  They will deliver to your hotel rental baby gear, including carriers if you decide to go for a hike or snowshoe and didn’t bring a baby carrier along, for example.

6. Elixir Restaurant.  We found this French style bistro walking around Yaletown and the first thing that caught our attention was that they had breakfast starting at 6am!  We knew it would be our list of places to hit.  Although the food was nothing to rave about and the prices a little steep, we loved being able to sit down at a real restaurant with a full brunch menu at 6am.  We were the only ones there so our little one didn’t disturb anyone and the server was happy to provide a high chair for her and even gave her a piece of toast to munch on. 

7. Easter Brunch at The Westin Hotel in Whistler.  The Westin served a tasty buffet brunch on Easter Sunday.  The highlights for the little ones: the kids buffet table (only a few inches off the ground, kids could help themselves to chicken fingers, jello and many other kids favourites), the chocolate fountain and the Easter egg hunt in the hotel lobby.  The highlight for the adults (other than all-you-can-eat incredibly fresh smoked salmon!) was the kid-friendly environment, high-chairs included.  (The lowlight would have to be the $45 a head!) 

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Smocked Children’s Clothing

Ever since my husband and I started talking about having kids, we decided we would not let this new phase change our adventurous spirits and our urge to travel and see the world.  At 8 months, Clara has already been to South America twice (once in my tummy at 2 months pregnant, and once after 5 months of being born), roadtripped along the California, Oregon and Washington coast (babymoon at 5 months pregnant), visited Saskatchewan in the winter at 4 and a half months of age (visiting family at Christmas) and ventured West again to Vancouver this past Easter long weekend.

I have to admit, up to now I haven’t shaken my head and wondered if what I was doing was smart until this last trip to Vancouver.  Clara is a baby that is full of energy and life and all day long she wants to be exploring new things and moving, jumping if possible.  Her excitement is contagious and makes me very happy, except for when it translates into her jumping on my lap for five hours on the plane from Toronto to Vancouver!  I was lucky to be sitting next to a very patient man who I am sure by now has vowed never to have kids or at least never to travel with them!  This may have something to do with Clara accidentally spilling all her food on top of his laptop and shoes (which, shockingly, none of the flight attendants at Air Canada had any inclination to help me clean), or with the fact that Clara just wanted to babble while he was trying to sleep, or with Clara’s insistence on playing on his keyboard while the man decided to try to get some work done.  Thank goodness this man was so patient he didn’t even give me a bad look the whole time.

We had already prepared ourselves for early mornings but adults’ circadian rhythms surely adjust a lot quicker than those of babies because Clara’s wake up calls at 2am and 3am felt like it was the middle of the night (which it was!) instead of it feeling like we were waking up at the usual time at home.  Todd and I both groaned and moaned and looked at each other to see which one of us would jump out of bed when Clara announced it was time to get up while it was still pitch dark outside.  It did feel a little insance to be playing and singing songs in the middle of the night.  By 6am when we would leave the hotel Clara had already had her first nap of the day and only two hours later it was time for lunch!  We would walk for hours waiting for the first Starbucks to open (Vancouverites are not early risers, we found out!).  Then we would try to jam in as much site seeing as we could get done by 3pm when it was bedtime for the baby.

In spite of the travails with the time difference and flying with an active baby, we did enjoy having a weekend in true Spring weather, seeing the cherry blossoms in bloom and visiting and tasting some of what Vancouver has to offer.  I came home after our short West Coast stint feeling more relaxed and like we’d had a little adventure.  Alas, the flight back is one hour shorter and I learned my lesson and only fed Clara while on firm land on the return.  I would suggest if you go somewhere that is a few time-zones behind your home town with a baby to get to bed early, as baby’s schedules are unforgiving!  But, certainly, keep on exploring your favourite places with your new bundle of joy.

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Smocked Children’s Clothing

In the past month, my daughter Clara, now 7 months, has graduated from her original choice of baby toys. She no longer lingers on the grabbing toys but is fascinated by balls and anything that rolls, as well as stacking blocks.   Also on her favourites list are stuffed animals that make noise.

Having gained more control of her movements she can now pick up balls the size of her palm, as well as get her hands into beachballs. She is still at that fascinating stage where she can’t not reach for something if you put it in front of her, which makes distracting her from getting into dangerous things easier.  But the wonderful thing is she’s also learning cause and effect so you can almost see her brain light up when she shakes a toy and hears a noise coming from inside it.  Then she figures if she shakes the toy really quickly more noise will come from it…and if she bangs it against another toy!…soon we’ve got a concert going on!

Clara’s current collection of favourites includes:

1. A beachball that is not fully inflated so she can grab easily with a couple of fingers. ($2 at Gymboree)

2. A colourful ball that makes noise and she can grab with both hands.

3. Small, animated balls that fit easily into her hand.

4. Mandarins that she can push around and quickly grab and get her teeth into. (She needs to be supervised during this activity, lest she actually eat the citrus fruit that her stomach is not ready for yet!)

5. Stacking blocks are fun to hold with all its textures, sounds and colours but even more fun is stacking them and letting Clara hit them and watch them tumble.  We can do this activity over and over again without her tiring of it!  ($15 at Manhattan Toys)

 I can’t wait to see what the next stage will bring!

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Clothing