Get ready to drool... The Suzy Diaper Bag by Stef Hammitt is so incredibly cool, even Angelina Jolie was spotted carrying one. I'm not usually into celeb promototed products, but when I saw Pax's mom toting around this work of art, I instantly fell in love. After a quick search on the web, I found the Hammitt collection website and ordered up one in Brandy. Here's the thing: it isn't cheap. At a price tag of around $500, it's a bit of an extravagant purchase. However, when I received the bag, I knew that I had just done myself a favor... I will have this bag forever! The combo of the gorgeous leather, bold but feminine hardware, and perfect sizing makes this tote great for the transition into a travel bag when the little ones ditch the nappies. Always one to rationalize, I figured I was spending less on clothes, plane tickets and wine so I may as well treat myself. I'm sure glad I did!

One of the cutest things in life is seeing a child gleam with pride over their accomplishments. Recently, I got to witness my niece graduate from kindergarten and she was so adorable! If you are lucky enough to have a child experiencing a school graduation milestone, consider one of Hello Little One's hip and modern graduation invitations. They are perfect to both announce your child's accomplishment, and also invite them to the small (or large!) party you are having in their honor. Remember, you will be able to preview your card online with your personalized text before you purchase :) Congrats!

When I found out I was pregnant, one of the things I was most excited about (besides the baby :) was that I could start designing a cool and modern nursery for my baby boy. I knew I wanted to create a room that was unique and hip, but also a source of inspiration for my little one. I enlisted the talents of my mom, a graphic designer at heart and amazing seamstress, to help with the process. I had a rough idea of my colors -- green, black and white -- so we headed off to the fabric store to see what we could find.  We were lucky enough to discover some really cool panels of fabric by one of my favorite textile manufacturers called Marimekko. With birch trees outlined in black set against an aqua and lime sky, the colors served as a perfect palette for my nursery. We decided to make these panels the curtains, and they worked out perfectly.

With the color palette now in place, I had to pick a wall color. Although I was drawn to the greens in the curtain, we decided on a light blue. I know blue is a common color for a little boy, but I picked it to represent the sky, seeing as the curtains had a landscape feel about them. To drive home the sky look, I ordered bird wall graphics from blik. I positioned them across one wall, flying towards the windows.

One of the hardest choices I had to make was what kind of crib to buy. I LOVE all of the modern cribs, and if I had an endless amount of money, I would have been happy with a number of them. However, I wanted to keep the cost reasonable, without sacrificing quality. I finally settled on the Sparrow crib by Oeuf and I love it. It's durable, safe, and super cool. For the bedding, I couldn't find anything pre-made that I was happy with, so I enlisted the help of my mom. We bought some more Marimekko fabric: bold black and white patterns, as well as some green fabric to help tie in the curtains. I have to give a big shout out to my mom for doing an amazing job. If you know how to sew, I would recommend this route--your bedding will be unique and a lot cheaper than a lot of brand name designers (although if I had to buy a set I would head over to Target as Dwell Studio is now designing for them and they have GREAT stuff!)

Finally, for the rest of the furniture, I headed to Ikea. I love their minimalist style and endless customizable furniture. I wanted a changing table, but wasn't happy with any of their nursery furniture, so I improvised. In their collection of office furniture, I found some cool shelving units with doors that were the exact width and depth of a changing pad. I bought two of them and put them side by side to provide excess storage and surface area. When I remove the changing pad, these two pieces look like they belong in a boy's room, not a baby's nursery, enabling the furniture to grow with my son.

I hope this serves as some inspiration as you plan your baby's nursery. Combining ready-made products with creative solutions will give your room a unique and special feel. Good luck and have fun! 

I love cute and unique baby gifts, and one of my go-to online places to buy gifts for new moms is dapperdiapers.com  I was first introduced to these by my friend a few years ago, and I've been ordering them up ever since!  You can order a 2-6 pack and choose the ribbon that goes on each cloth. And of course I love how you can pick the font! Alicia, the owner, is great to work with and also owns a childrens boutique in Scottsdale, Arizona. Check out the photo of the ones that my friend Kate got me for my new son, Leo. So cute!

Having just had a baby, I thought I'd share some tips and tricks about the time spent in the hospital before and after the birth, as well as the first days home. Some of these tips are from friends, some are from the hospital staff, and some are from experience. With any pregnancy and baby related advice, the decisions are yours... these are just some opinions to take or leave :)

The hospital stay: what to pack / bring / expect:

• Have 'birth goals' not a 'birth plan.' My hospital stay was longer than most, due to a 30 hour labor followed by a C-Section (after getting all the way to 8cm!). My number one goal -- to not have a C-Section -- got nixed (and thankfully so, since Leo turned out to be 10 pounds instead of the 8 predicted). Birth 'goals' instead of a ' birth plan' lets you keep in mind that this is the most unplanned and unpredictable time of your life.
• Buy and bring a 'Swaddle Me' Wrap. A friend of mine had recommended these to me. My favorite is by Kiddopotamus and is available at Babies R Us and other baby super stores. I find this to be a brilliant product and having had the C-Section, it made swaddling super easy. My husband, doing most of the work besides feeding, also fell in love with the Swaddle Me.
• Make it clear if you are having visitors. This is a touchy one, but essential. If you are unsure, you may want to say you are not, and then pleasantly surprise those who call to congratulate with an invitation to come and see you and your new little one.
• Ask the nurses tons of questions. They love sharing their opinions and you can take and leave the advice that you get.

If you are nursing:

• Use the lactation consultant. They have loads of priceless information... and leave your modesty at home.
• Let the nursery know not to use a pacifier if you don't want them to. Some hospitals have nurseries that can take the baby during the night if you wish. Make sure they know you are nursing and do not want a pacifer. We put a little note in our bassinet when he would visit the nursery for vitals, etc.
• Bring Lanolin Cream. I like Lansiloh brand (the kind in the purple box / tube)
• Ask for a prescription for APNO Cream before you leave. This stuff is amazing for cracked nipples (which you most likely will get... even with a perfect latch). Note that it needs to be compounded so call your local pharmacy to see if they compound, or go directly to an apothecary. I found this link that explains APNO in more detail.
• Inquire about 'cup feeding' if your milk comes in late. My milk had still not come in by day three (C-Sections can delay the process by a day or so), and my 10 pounder was so hungry. I didn't want to bottle feed and lose the great latch Leo had shown early on. One of the nurses suggest we supplement by feeding him a little cup of formula. It worked like a charm! Even if you know you are going to exclusively breast feed, it may be good to have some formula at home.

If you have a C-Section:

• Take your pain meds. It's better to be on top of the pain rather than chasing it. This will also help you  get up and walk around, aiding in quicker healing.
• Bowels beware. Your bowel system shuts down during surgery, and takes a few days to recover which causes -- you guessed it -- back up. You'll want to have Colace, laxatives and glycerin suppositories at home. You'll be tempted to be embarrassed about this, but please don't. It's a normal (although very uncomfortable and sometimes painful) part of recovery. Everyone I know who had a C/S has had bowel issues for some time after the surgery.
• Recovery is fast, then slow. After the first few days, I felt so much better. Then around day 4, recovery flat-lined for about 10 days or so. I wasn't in pain so much as heavy discomfort, and it was frustrating. I was also back in my home, walking longer hallways, without the luxury of nurses 24/7. Make sure to ask for help from friends and family members, and know that recovery will come in time.

Good luck and remember to take care of yourself!

Please note these are only opinions of Hello Little One and we do not endorse any products or medications without a doctor's consent.

I just wanted to give a shout out to my friend Maureen, an amazing Boston area photographer who just completed a photo session with our new son Leo. Her blog address is createtruelife.com which will give you access to her portrait as well as wedding sites. She works with natural light which give her photographs a magical quality that I love. She's a true talent and fills her calendar quickly so contact her as soon as possible if you are interested in her services.

For anyone who is looking to have a photo shoot with their newborn, Maureen recommends that you schedule your appointment within the first two weeks of your baby's life--before baby acne sets in and while he/she is still fairly tiny and willing to be positioned in various cute poses. Researching and booking your shoot in the last weeks of pregnancy is a great way to pass the time before your little one arrives.

One of the highlights of my pregnancy was when my husband and I took our babymoon in the Bahamas. For those of you unfamiliar with the term 'babymoon,' it is essentially a vacation taken while pregnant, before the round-the-clock feedings and diaper changes begin. We went when I was about 6 and a half months pregnant, which for me, was the best time of the 9 month journey. I was showing, but not gigantic, and my lethargy from the first trimester had turned into a new found energy. We wanted somewhere warm and relaxing (to give us a break from the cool Boston November days), and on the beach. Bahamas was perfect for us. Here are some tips on taking the perfect babymoon:

• According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the safest time for a pregnant woman to travel is between 18-24 weeks. This would be in your second trimester, when the nausea has subsided and you are feeling a bit more spring in your step. It's also when most preggo women feel the most sexy: glowing skin, round little belly, and maternity clothes finally fit!
• Try to pick somewhere that won't have you on a plane for more than 6 hours, and direct flights work best. I chose the Bahamas as it's a 4 hour flight from Boston...
• Don't go anywhere that doesn't have adequate medical facilities. Angelina and Brad should not influence your choices :)
• Check with the airline to see if they have any restrictions against traveling while pregnant. You are usually good to go in your second trimester, but some airlines get hinkie regarding women 32 weeks or beyond.
• Bring the phone number of your OB. Better yet, this is a good time to have it plugged into your and your husband / partner's cell phone.
•  Overall, chose a place where you know you will be able to relax. The whole point of a babymoon is to pamper yourself and rejuvenate your mind and spirit.

Photo: the location of my babymoon, Compass Point Resorts in Nassau. It is the number one rated resort on Trip Advisor and for good reason: it rocks. We had an amazing time and can't wait to go back.

This entry is purely to show off the newest member of the Hello Little One family: Baby Leo! My husband Simon and I welcomed Leo into the world on February 27th, 2008 at 5:28 pm. He weighed 10lbs and measured 22 1/4 inches long. He's a dream baby (so far) and we couldn't be happier. Thanks to everyone for all your love and support during my pregnancy, and the birth of our beautiful son.

Throwing a party can be stressful, expensive and time-consuming, especially if it's for a friend or family member's big life event: like a baby shower! Make it easier on yourself (and way more fun) by adapting a theme that starts with the invitations and ends with the favors. Your guests will love the way you have tied everything together. Need an idea? How about some Spring chicks. Little chicks are cute and reference the birth you are celebrating. Hello Little One has an invitation called "Sweet Chicks" that have a mother and chick sitting on a branch... it's whimsical and modern at the same time. For a dessert, try mini chick shaped cakes or cupcakes with chicks frosted on them. Do a google search for an illutration that you like and bringing it in to your local baker. For favors, I found these adorable salt and pepper shakers at beau-coup.com that round out your theme. The mom-to-be will be pleased that her host thought of everything from start to finish!

Everyone has a zillion photos of their baby from birth to school age and beyond, but don't forget about the special time when your little one is in the womb. I recently had a maternity photography session with my good friend Maureen Ford, who is a super talented professional photographer working out of Boston. At first I was a bit nervous about baring my belly - odd looking navel and all... But after I saw the finished results, I was so happy I did it. All the 'wonders' of pregnancy (like swollen ankles, sore back, and bathroom pleasures) make us forget that this is the time when others see us as our most beautiful. So don't be shy ladies... schedule a maternity shoot. Start to research local photographers in your fifth and sixth months. You'll want to really be showing for the shoot, so around 7 to 8 and half months is a good time to get your pics taken. For a list of photographers that Hello Little One likes, see our links and resources page here. (Yes, I'm due very soon! 11 days to be exact!)