Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Best Celebrity Baby Names of the Year

Stars—they’re just like us. Except when they pick some really offbeat names like Moxie Crimefighter or Pilot Inspektor. But there are plenty of stars out there who give their kids names you might actually want to consider for your own baby—even if they are a little offbeat. Here are some of our favorites from 2014!

Exotic Picks
Kaya Evdokia Chosen by Hayden Panettiere & Wladimir Klitschko, this unique name combines a Native American name with one common in Slavic countries.

Esmeralda Amada Ryan Gosling & Eva Mendes picked this gem of a name, which means emerald.

Elizabella Dylan Alyssa Milano opted for this rarely heard mashup of Elizabeth and Isabella.

Word Names
Delta Bell Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard gave their daughter a name with a bit of Southern flair.

Gus Two different actresses picked the cute nickname Gus for their sons this year—Poppy Montgomery and Ashley Williams.

Viola Philomena Actress Megan Hilty chose this name, which has a musical bent.

Hazel John Krasinski & Emily Blunt picked the color/nature name Hazel for their daughter.

River Rose Kelly Clarkson liked this melodic combo of nature-themed names.

Booker Jombe Thandie Newton chose this occupational name for her son.

Rose Dorothy Scarlett Johansson gave her daughter a sweet, old-fashioned name (that had an inadvertent shout-out to the 80s sitcom Golden Girls).

Old-School Names
Ophelia Saint Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl went with this Shakespearean name (and the offbeat word name Saint) for his daughter.

Georgia Marie SNL’s Kenan Thompson picked this vintage place name and a traditional middle for his daughter.

Evelyn Penn Bruce Willis chose an on-the-rise old-fashioned name for his fourth daughter.

Otis Alexander Jason Sudeikis & Olivia Wilde may be bringing back the rarely heard Otis from obscurity.

Bridget Monroe Rosie Pope went with Irish favorite Bridget for her daughter.

Tell us: What was your favorite baby name of 2014? Would you consider any of these?

Thursday, December 25, 2014

5 Tips For Celebrating Baby's First Christmas

A first Christmas is a very special time for the whole family. Although your baby is probably too young to wait up for Santa or help you bake cookies, there is a comforting sense of warmth and joy that fills the home — not to mention all the interesting smells and sights for a little one that make an appearance at this time of year! This holiday season, make it memorable for every member of the family with these five great ideas for baby’s first Christmas.

1. Choose a special stocking. Make sure Santa knows that this is an extra-special Christmas in your house by giving your baby a stocking that celebrates their first Christmas. Stuff it with a few small, sweet gifts and a plush animal or two.

2. Take lots of photos. Print out a few and preserve them in one of your family albums. When planning for Christmas morning, think about a place your baby can sit or lie to be part of the action and make sure they have their own small chair or a cozy blanket spread on the floor.

3. Hang a commemorative ornament. It can be a small figurine that reminds you of their favorite plush toy, or one that’s designed to be a lifelong keepsake, such as a hand print kit or an engravable frame.

4. Snuggle them up in personalized pajamas. Festive sleepwear that’s personalized with their name looks sweet, and the apparel itself may become one of those treasured keepsakes you hold onto long after your baby has grown.

5. Give one very special gift. A tactile, colorful quilt, an extra-cuddly new plush toy, or a music box that plays a sweet lullaby are all gifts that you’ll enjoy giving as much as they’ll enjoy receiving.

Source: Pottery Barn Kids Blog

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Christmas Camp IN

Stake out family fun with an indoor camp out under the Christmas lights, your little ones are going to have the best Christmas of their lives!

Cozy up this holiday season with a Christmas camp out in your family room—complete with shining stars, a comfy tent, snacks, s’mores and a glowing campfire where you can spin yarns all night long.

Sleep in sheer comfort

Create a sleeping oasis by draping sheets or gauzy curtain sheers over the backside of a couch, a large table or a clothesline tied to some heavy furniture. Add white string lights to the outside of your tent for an extra-starry night.

No room for a tent? Just roll out the sleeping bags around your campfire for a night under the stars (i.e., your Christmas tree lights).

Make indoor s'mores

No camp out is complete without marshmallows, graham crackers and lots of chocolate. Create this deliciously gooey concoction with the help of the broil setting on your oven. After all, you’re all warm and cozy indoors—why not make s’mindoors? Try this indoor s’mores dip recipe.

Light a fire

If you don’t have a crackling fireplace to gather around, make your own glowing campfire:

Gather a wide, shallow container, a few strings of Christmas or fairy lights (we used several strands of battery-operated LED lights), some birch logs and some baling wire. Form your wire into flame shapes, and wrap your lights around the wire so the lights are close together. Stand the flames up in the container and hold them in place with the birch logs.

String along stars

Create a starry night with this easy garland you can hang above your tent. Just cut out star shapes from different metallic and glittery papers and attach them to a string. The lights from your tree and campfire will give them a cheerful glow.

Set the scene

No camp in is complete without breathtaking scenery. And if you haven’t taken your family Christmas photo yet, now is the time! Cut out some large triangles from poster board and paint them nice shades of majestic purple. Then add some white snowcaps to the tops out of the poster board scraps. Attach them to the wall with painter’s tape. Then you can set up a rustic bench in front of the mountainous backdrop for a scenic holiday pic.

Make it cozy

Warm your insides with our yummy hot chocolate recipe, and keep your hands comfy with this easy-to-make mug cozy. Wash and dry an old wool sweater to felt it (use a sweater you’re willing to part with). Cut it into strips that fit the height of your mugs and then sew the ends of the strips together at the corners. (Leave the center parts open so they will fit around the mug handles but can be removed when washing the mugs.) Sew jingle bells, pom-poms or other decorations to the top handle areas for a festive finish.

More Ideas

For more sustenance throughout the night, try our reindeer crunch and trail mix recipes.
Braid leather strips into bracelets or tackle some friendship bracelets out of embroidery thread to keep your hands busy while you trade stories.
Scatter stuffed animals and potted plants around the room for some woodland ambiance.
Bring flashlights and teach each other shadow puppets, or send Morse code messages to each other from across the room.
Cut out paper snowflakes and hang them from the ceiling. Paint them with glow-in-the-dark paint so you can see them when you turn out the lights.
Play “I spy” with ornaments on the tree.
Watch old home movies or look through photo albums of Christmases past.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Most Luxurious Holiday Gifts For Kids

by Lisa Horten

Because only the very best will do for your little ones, we've curated a list of the very best luxury gifts for the playground set. While we don't believe in around-the-clock spoiling, treating them to a little something special here and there (especially during the holidays) is a practice that we stand by. Check out these luxe finds for your precious tots — from itty-bitty babes to bigger kids who love to live large.

1- Ralph Lauren Luxe Channel-Quilted Bunting

This is how the poshest of babies venture out in the cold — in Ralph Lauren's faux-fur channel-quilted bunting ($205, originally $275).

2- Jennifer Delonge Ava Child Chair