Children's Gifts : Wholehearted Creative

Hey everybody, and especially mommas and anyone who has a special baby they need to get a gift for this season!

Today I wanted to share some beautiful, well-made products that I can personally recommend to you all.

I love to highlight local shops or small businesses, especially during the Christmas shopping season so here we go.

I got these baby items from Wholehearted Creative, and you can find more adorable stuff here.

I don't know about you but I can't have enough burp cloths during the newborn stage, they've saved my shoulders (and vistors' shoulders) countless times. And what's better than burp cloths that are made well with sweet and classy prints?

I gotta say I was very impressed by the quality and attention to detail as I opened my package from Wholehearted Creative! You can tell great care is taken with each piece and also with the packaging and instructions. 

Remy, my youngest, is cutting teeth right now, so I knew I needed to try out the teethers. Remy approves. And I approve because there are no chemicals going in my baby's mouth. 

I hope you can find a good Christmas or baby shower gift as you look through the Etsy shop. There are quilts, onesies and more.

John and Michael : Neverland Shoot

So growing up if you asked me what my favorite "Disney princess" movies were I would have probably said Robinhood and Peter Pan. I was a tomboy and never really got into any of the Disney princesses, but pirates, Indians, dashing-heroic-foxes, I could get into that! Well, now that I'm a mom and have four little boys there is no lack of pirates, Indians, and imagination around here.
One day I realized two of my kids had some of the same characteristics of the brothers John and Michael from Peter Pan and ever since then I've been planning this shoot. I figured during maternity leave would be a perfect time to get it done.
Every year I have a new baby I have to say no to many wedding inquiries, especially since so far I keep having kids right in the dead center of wedding season. I love shooting, and although I'm happy for a break to slow down and snuggle a new baby it is hard for me to not be shooting, so I try to schedule a few shoots that are low pressure and just for fun or for learning.
Well this shoot was just for the pure fun of it. I hope it's a favorite memory for the boys when they think back on their childhood. I give you John and Michael Darling.

The Three Musketeer's Birthday Party

(Sorry, everyone. Guess I forgot to post this six months ago ;p)

I gotta admit I'm pretty in love with this year's birthday party theme. There are three little boys how could I not use The Three Musketeers idea this year.
And once again our families humored us and dressed up to help set the mood. I got black cowboy hats from various places, pinned the side back and put a large feather from the craft store in. The boys had white collared shirts, and I used a fabric remnant to sew the blue cape thingys. They are far from perfect but I ran out of perfectionism half way through. Party City actually had the plastic swords for $2 and there were only three left so that was cool.
I had a bunch of activities planned for outside like a photoshoot, and manly tests of strengthen and agility but it decided to rain pretty much the entire day. Everyone made the best of being crammed into a small house and it was a bunch of fun.
I picked food that I thought went well the theme but would also be acceptable for kids. No escargot this time. It was fun to try and remember back to what I experienced when I was over in France.

We had:
French bread
French lemonade (whatever that is)
An assortment of cheese and crackers
Sausages
A veggie tray
Strawberry shortcake, tarts, and macarons
And of course lots of 3 Musketeer chocolate bars

The guys competed in a fencing competition that was quite entertaining I must say.