Guest Post: Dawn Alley

Friends, meet Dawn Alley. She is the smart and talented woman behind the blog Idle Hands, which focuses on knitting and creating and is based out of Washington, D.C. She is a connoisseur of knitted Christmas balls, an expert gift-giver, world traveler, and overall lovely person. She also welcomed her first child, little Joshua, just last year. Joshua is quite possibly the rolliest, happiest, smiliest baby, a true reflection of his happy parents. I know you will enjoy hearing from her. 

Welcome, Dawn!
--
I love O Chickadee's focus on celebrating good design that makes every day more joyful.  I've come to appreciate this even more since welcoming our little boy to the world. Babies can come with so much stuff, and it's hard to know what you really need.  Here are a few of the things that have made our house happier.

1.  Triangle bibs.  Here's the thing: Joshua drools.  A lot.  Before I had a baby, I thought bibs were for food.  Now I realize that they can also be for drool -- and man, do we go through a lot of them (3 or more per day).  If your objective is just to keep your baby dry, you don't really need a full bib.  Also, if your baby is wearing bibs basically all the time, you want them to be cute and to wash well.  Enter zippy bibs.  I love these things.  They are super soft and absorbent.

2.  Portable crib. My husband Nick and I travel a lot, and I am happy to say that that has continued since Joshua's arrival.  Of course, it's a great comfort to know your baby has a safe place to sleep when you're on the road, but traditional Pack N Plays seem like something I would never actually pack, related to the fact that they are giant and heavy.  Not so for the travel crib from Phil and Ted's -- at 7 lbs, it is lighter than your baby, and it is compact and easy to carry.

3. Djeco nesting blocks.  These nesting blocks are the perfect gift for anyone with a baby in a small space. I love the fun, bright artwork, and I love that they are so compact.

Joshua is also a big fan.

What are your favorite kid gifts to give or get?
--
Thank you, Dawn! Your description of Joshua's excessive drool took me back to the baby days with both our boys- they were champion droolers! Remember when we were talking about baby ascots? Ha!