Greener Nests. Healthier Childhoods.

Though the looks are a bit crunchy for me, for mamas who don’t want their sons to grow up and have passages of Vile Bodies memorized, Barley & Birch  may be for you.

This cherry bolero is lovely, though some of the other natural dyes are a bit…well, natural looking. But all very organic and fair trade, mind you!

(I’m quite sure that a copy of Mother Jones arrives at Barley & Birch every month. Not that that is a bad thing. As I know loads of mums who like a “hempier” look and do scorn a bit at my sons cashmere habits.)

Anyway. Barley & Birch is a new discovery – and for mums that like organic t-shirts with graphics – you’ll be happy to know that they have loads.

Like this one.

Fair and balanced reporting for Green Mums.

I aim to please….

A huge lover of deal a day/week member shopping sites like Zulily  and Gilt (why spend cash you don’t need to on full price or valet?!) – Mini Social is having a great sale on Luca Charles organic basics today.

These are “stock up” pieces that you need for under sweaters in winter and as loungewear when the Spring (finally) arrives.

In all the colors that you need and the simple styles that go with anything (in our case, basics for under blazers), Luca Charles  makes lovely pieces that are slightly thicker cotton than Under the Nile. Perfect for the Midwest – maybe a wee bit heavy for Florida.

I know it seems a pain in the so much bigger than before the baby bum to sign up for these sites – but honestly – they DO have wonderful deals on organic clothes – and as fast as they grow – you’ll need the savings.

Plus. I never really plan my shopping – I kind of enjoy when the universe just pushes it my way.

But I’m a Pisces.

I leave the planning to the Virgos.

Ta!

All green mamas have a stack of Aden and Anais swaddlers – and love them. How mamas lived without them – I’ll never know. But, there is a new organic muslin game in town – and for those who have yet to stack up on Aden and Anais – you may like the “Zen” feel of these prints a bit better.

Available now, on sale, at Zulily, these Zen Organic blankets are a bit more sophisticated than the sweeter prints that Aden and Anais have. These Zen blankets are for any mama that has a Joseph Campbell book about the house. Or who has a well worn copy of Siddhartha.

Just as wonderful as the organic muslin your friends have, these blankets will keep your wee one swaddled in Jungian dreams to be unravelled years later in a “World Philosophy” class at Berkley.

All together now: “Oooohhhmmmmmmm….”

As I have written about before – I believe that the single most important “gift” that an expecting couple can get is a whole house water filter.

The single most important gift that I think a new mama can receive is a Night Nurse. Yes, mamas – a Night Nurse will save your sanity and allow you to actually spend alert and meaningful time with any other chitlins that you may be blessed enough to have. Rather than stumbling about like Dennis Thatcher after dinner, mumbling in what sounds like lispy Esperanto, you’ll be able to string a coherent and grammatically correct sentence together and remember who is President. You’ll also retain your cat like reflexes – which is critical if you have a toddler and stairs (ahem).

Night nurses are not cheap. In a major city, expect to pay between $150-200 a night. Do you know what else isn’t cheap? Therapy. Which is what you’ll be spending your money on if you loose your damn mind.

Instead of asking your parents for that absurdly expensive pram or stroller – let the families know that Night Nurse Nights are what you really want and need. I promise they’ll buy you at least two weeks worth. And if you just have her come every other night, you should remain somewhat sane and lucid.

After you have located the night nurse that your friends all recommend, just remember to ask her NOT to wear any lotion or perfume as you have a ‘multiple chemical sensitivity disorder”. It’s the easiest way not to offend, I have found.

You can’t go on holiday this year anyway – so you may as well pay those Four Seasons prices for a good night sleep so that you can actually luxuriate in being a mama with delicious babies.

Sweet Dreams….

PS: If you live in Chicago, email me at Claire AT The Green Stork DOT com, and I’ll share my Night Nurse contacts with you.

On October 4th, my son, Saxon was born – making me the mother of “children” and making my son a proud Big Brother. My first is my Pride – and now I have my Joy. This mama is complete. Tired. But complete.

For my first son I bought all sorts of organic nursing bras that seemed to involve levers, pulleys and secret buttons and knobs. All very fine and well for the lucid – but at 3am – not exactly convenient.  For this bebe, luckily for both of us – I had discovered – quite be accident, the uber simple, 3am proof Majama bra.

Having once had a bra strap snap whilst looking for organic blueberries at Whole Foods, I just grabbed the most bra looking thing they had, bought it, and slipped it on in the bathroom. I was in love. It was soft, sturdy enough and didn’t have any annoying hooks or plastic bits. I knew that it was the perfect bra for when comfort – rather than support – was the issue.

These bras are as soft as the oldest Tshirt in your drawer and involve nothing more than pulling one side away. Pull and nurse. Easy. Especially in the dark when a hungry babe is in your arms.

I love this bra – which is not for jogging, mind you – and have had my husband buy me a few more this morning. They aren’t La Perla – but aren’t those the bras that got you this way in the first place?

My new babe awaits….

Dear Readers,

I am off to have a baby in a few hours. I will return sometime next week, bleary eyed, happy and hopefully cogent.

Have a wonderful week you verdant vixens.

(To think I’ll weigh 30 less pounds by the end of today!….)

Claire

From Paloma’s Nest and less expensive than tacky sets – is this gorgeous, eco-wood, ready to paint in your child’s room colors table and chair set. This set is worth creating a safari or animal room around.

Even just the tree table coupled with other chairs would be beautiful and suitable to most rooms.

For less than $200 you can order the table and two chairs - which I think is a really good deal, having seen chemically treated sets for far more than that.

Completely unrelated – but from the same shop – are these beautiful party hats that you could also decorate…

and crowns…

So lovely.

And for mummy…

I’m loving Paloma’s Nest and the honest feel of their customizable wooden wares.

Gift giving season is just around the corner…it’s never too early….

Happy Fall!

Sometimes I come across an eco brand  that I fall in love with. Wee Bits is one of those brands. These people get it right across the board.  Classic, heirloom quality eco wool knits that you won’t want your baby to outgrow – perfect for daily wear – but gorgeous enough for pictures – Wee Bits is my new fave.

Look how perfect these little outfits are.

Are you drooling yet?

They make me wish that I could knit.

Wee Bits is in New Zealand – but there is a stockist in Canada - (for a wee shipping charge). But…these beautiful togs are worth it.

Happy weekend!

I never actually believed my friends who warned me that boys – all boys – even ones clad in cashmere – love anything construction related.  My son makes me stop whenever he sees a crane, digger or other large piece of working equipment. For at least an hour (which is all mummy can handle.)  The other day we spent the morning watching a hole being filled on Lincoln. The ENTIRE morning. I had two decafs and and a bagel and caught up on my bills. I honestly could not believe his fixation.

So. When I saw these “construction” onsies over at Winter Water Factory - I had to post about them. Yes, they are organic (of course) – but more importantly – your older son will adore seeing your younger one in them. Trust me. This is what he would choose if he could.

There is also this ship motif…

And they have lovely girl prints – (if you like prints)…

I’m not a fan of prints, or of cranes (except Denny. He was hilarious.) – but I may cave and buy one for my baby boy – as I know my older son will love it.

The things we do for love.

Dig it.

My sons first Halloween was not green. Over an organic onesie, I threw this totally toxic costume, (above), before I had read how utterly foolish a move that had been. I’ve written about this before – and I know that many mums have already ordered far less toxic creations from Etsy (as have I) – but I wanted to mention a few other options for the mums that were too busy at snoozy client meetings to order a costume – and who really aren’t “Halloween People”.

Quite simply – a nice organic check shirt or dungarees + a cowboy hat = non-toxic Cowboy.

My son has both. (I was born in Texas. Its a requirement.)

Vest + Hat + play Tommy Gun = Chicago Gangster (we live in Chicago. Gangsters are still a “thing”) or “Hard Nosed Journalist” (also a Chicago archetype)…

Band vest or Military Jacket over anything = Homage to the Magical Mystery Tour and/or Band Leader and/or Little Soldier…

or…

Anything madras + a golf club = Olde Time Golfer….

(Whats truly scary – is that these are all my son’s “real” clothes….)

For the younger ones, most organic brands makes hoodies with animal ears. Add a bit of non-toxic make up (available at Whole Foods), and you’ll have yourself a little bear cub or other sweet creature….(these were all on Zulily today.)

Or this one…

And there is always just a suggestive print or shape to get baby in the spirit – without smothering him in chemicals…

And for those mums or children who really just aren’t into costumes, these organic “festive” enough to not make you seem like a curmudgeon t-shirts are just the thing…

or…

or…

or…

It’s actually easy to have a greener Halloween than one might think.

And lead is even scarier than these t-shirts.

Just.