Indestructible sunglasses for kids? Never heard of ‘em. My almost 4-year-old has already been through 3 pairs, and they never manage to make it through an entire season. Whether her shades end up in the bottom of my beach bag, haphazardly having been crushed by a carelessly tossed rock or seashell, or are inadvertently stepped on (don’t ask), it seems kiddie sunglasses can’t withstand the power of play…until now. At the suggestion of a loyal Talking Walnut subscriber, we decided to check out Babiators, a line of child-sized sunglasses designed to outlast your kid (or at least until she makes it to grade school). At first glance, we were a bit suspicious; how could anything that fits into a package the size of travel-sized toothpaste [&hellip
The Accessorized Walnut Archive
When we “spring clean” in my house, it’s all about boxing up last season’s duds and making room for bigger sizes. My heart always breaks a little when I realize that we finally, after two kids’ worth of usage, have to part ways with a precious piece of baby clothing. Be it a pint-sized pom pom hat, or a miniature faded sundress that still smells of sunscreen, I find it hard to believe that a few swatches of fabric can practically reduce me to tears. For the nostalgia factor alone, I now look at baby clothing through a different eye, a seasoned lens that recognizes the days of sweetly scented baby clothes are fleeting. Despite my sensitivity, I haven’t abandoned my shopping philosophy: one that [&hellip
Do you have a Mini Me in your house? My almost 8-year-old is (already!) embarrassed to hear people say she looks a bit like me, and yet my preschooler, who’s a dead ringer for my husband, enjoys pretending she’s Mommy. I can’t help but chuckle when she stylishly drapes one of my old silk scarves (now relegated to the dress-up box) across her shoulders, or when she shoves her tootsies into my favorite flats and clomps around the room. I still haven’t given up on my second grader just yet, though. As she slowly starts her descent away from parental influence, I figure maybe I can subtly influence her taste in a few things here and there. Like, for instance, her choice in footwear. Lucky [&hellip
Last weekend at church, I watched as a young baby dropped his rattle repeatedly, only to watch his doting grandpa bend over and pick it up again and again. Much to my and my fellow parishioners’ amusement, this game got pretty old pretty fast for Grandpa…but only continued to elicit giggles from the precocious little tot. Too bad this baby’s diaper bag hadn’t been packed with Loopy Gear, an inventive baby gadget that only a mother who’s been there, done that could have dreamed up. It works by attaching the larger loop to your baby’s wrist and the smaller loop around his rattle or small toy. Available in a variety of stylish cotton prints, Loopy Gear can also be attached to your child’s car seat, [&hellip
During a recent walk on the boardwalk at our local beach, I happened to notice a woman sitting on a bench, her stroller parked nearby. A large blanket was draped across her upper body, which surprised me, given the warmth of the morning sun. But after doing a double-take and realizing that the stroller was empty, I then saw that it was her baby who was underneath that blanket and that she was simply breastfeeding her child…except it appeared anything but simple. She continued to shift her body weight and adjust herself and her baby as she nursed. Even while joggers, walkers and other passersby went about their business, it was clear that this woman did not want any onlookers (such as myself) to pay [&hellip
Psstt…wanna know a secret? If you happen to be a new mom, then you’ll really want to pay attention. The secret to surviving the first year of your baby’s life is…wait for it…not having to do laundry every day. Now you may think that’s not exactly classified information, but if someone had told me to keep an endless supply of bibs and onesies on hand–and not just stock up on diapers–I would have spent a lot less time with my washer/dryer and more time chilling out. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have wanted to have your baby looking her finest at all times (you never know when someone will drop by unannounced and bestow a new baby gift upon you). For those who can [&hellip
I must admit: I’m not a big fan of kiddie tatoos. Sure, I realize they’re not the same as the permanent ink versions sported by more and more people these days (even a cool children’s librarian I know has a little one hidden on the inside of her wrist)…but the mere thought of perfect, unblemished tender skin being tainted by some silly wash-off sticker just doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s because every birthday party goodie bag seems to contain a sheet of Dora or Diego stick-ons…where’s the originality in this so-called art? So when tattly, a line of ultra-hip tatoos for kids and grown-ups alike, recently crossed my desk, I figured they were worth a look. Created by a team of graphic artists and lead [&hellip
My 3-year-old is at a bit of loss when she doesn’t have pockets. These days, she is constantly picking up stones, flowers and other treasures courtesy of Mother Nature, yet never seems to have a spot for safekeeping. While her standard outfit of pants and tops usually offer plenty of pocket space, we’re often at a loss when it comes to dresses. It’s one of the many reasons we love the oh-so-adorable Maggie Pocket Dress from MUNY Shop. This vintage-style one-piece is the perfect pull-over for the precocious preschooler: one who loves to dress up, but who needs her clothing to accommodate her sense of adventure. We love the contrasting print of striped pockets offset by the sweet flower bodice of this 100-percent cotton design. [&hellip
Before kids, I used to set aside money every week for a trip to Hawaii. After my weekly grocery store run, I’d put aside money saved from all the coupons I had used and kept a running tab of all my earnings on an index card affixed to the fridge. (Mind you, this was way before extreme couponing became a trend.) Any time I had a bad day, one look at that card told me I was that much closer to doing the hula while sipping some tropical concoction out of a coconut shell. Well, it’s nearly 8 years later and I’ve yet to make it to the Big Island, or any island for that matter. I’ve since traded in my coupon earnings for college [&hellip
What does your handbag say about you? If you’re a mom, the contents of your purse may reveal more about your day-to-day routine than you’d care to admit: a broken Crayon here, a stray Goldfish there. Let’s face it: As much as we love our kids, it’s nice (and important!) to look and feel like our former selves, right down to our accessories. It’s why we’re thinking the Bucket Bag, from the Bella Tunno Signature Collection Diaper Bags, will be a hit for new moms. Their fashion statement alone is enough to convince us we’re hiding under there, beneath those baby wipes and Cheerios. Besides being attractive, these bags are extremely versatile, featuring removable stroller straps, a wipe-clean exterior and interior and hidden changing pad. [&hellip