You know what outerwear you need for Portland summers – lightweight layers, right? But it’s such a shame for the little girls to cover up their sweet little sundresses! Compromise with your mini-fashionistas by having them don these open-front euro-style jackets. Of the lightest cotton with adorable print linings, these jackets from LaLu Baby let dresses play peek a boo and keep arms cozy on chilly summer days. $35,
www.lalubaby.com

Soft… just sooooooft. You know that thick, thick yummy cotton that never wears out and is so delicious to the touch? The kind you ooh and aah over at the baby showers? Now imagine it in 100% certified organic cotton. This small-scale boutique clothing line offers new pieces seasonally and this season is just too cute. Little scrub pants, onesie dresses, lap tees… essentials, naturally.
Prices vary, www.gonaturalbaby.com

This Portland company wants you to love your brain. The goal of Nutcase is to inspire people to wear helmets by making them fun. And fun they are! Nutcase helmets are available for biking, snow sports, water sports, and skateboarding with new lines coming soon. And good news for the littlest riders, ages 2-5: “little nutty” comes out at the holidays. Around $40-ish; available at independent bike shops locally; also Freddies and Target, as well as online at
www.nutcasestore.com  read more »

The other day, my four-year-old daughter was telling the mailman about how Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both want to be president. The mailman was amused and made a comment to the effect of ‘wouldn’t that be something.’ It occurred to me that what everyone is saying about this election being “historic” is true enough, though not for the reasons I had thought.  read more »

Parents of new eaters quickly learn about bibs. It doesn’t take long to realize that being washable is key – that vinyl stuff is a pain to handwash and can get moldy - yuck. Being absorbent is also key – tots sure can spill… and spill! These too-cute, generously sized bibs from Plum Tot combine form with function and meet the real needs of feeders everywhere. Lucky for us, the company is proudly local.

$16, www.plumtot.com

This line of furniture is chic, tasteful, and simple – and green. As part of that ethic, the company designs pieces that minimize environmental impact. The straight-backed, adjustable toddler chair grows with your young one, from coffee table snacks to bistro table appetizers. Your big boy will never feel babied seated in the Babylon.

At Posh Boutique $198, www.poshbaby.com

The Festival of Flowers celebration officially opens June 6th in the Portland’s Downtown! This year’s design of an Urban Meadow, created by The American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment (COTE), will be on display at Pioneer Courthouse
Square through June 18th.  read more »

On Sunday, we made our way down to the Rose Festival at Waterfront Village. Our plan was to check out the "pirate ships" and sort of avoid the carnival scene... it worked, for the most part. The kids loved being on the ship. Me? well... not so much.  read more »

June is a big month for me. It’s always been my favorite: school lets out, summer begins, *someone* has a birthday (hint, hint), graduation, father’s day, flag day… I could go on. June is also the beginning of BBQ season and the official kick-off of summer eating.  read more »

French Bull Dishware
These plates are perfect for little diners. Made of nonbreakable melamine they withstand heat, are dishwasher safe, and won’t chip or shatter if your wee one drops them. But check out the designs! The “monster” line (we call them robots or superheroes) is seriously retro and modern all at once. We’re also fans of the nifty compartment tray.

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