A Day at the Beach with Paul & Paula {Guest Post}

today i have a guest post from my friend peggy over at paul & paula. peggy takes us on a trip to beach with a fun little story...

i am taking my navy blue hat to the sea. sitting on my striped beach towel. watching the seagulls and waiting for my dad to come back from the car. we have the same shrew swimshorts, me and my dad. i like yellow. together with my godzilla tee and cool shoes i actually think i look awesome. ha! i got a very cool swim watch for my birthday and the goggles, i always feel like a fish. for my next birthday i want an underwater camera. i love water. taking some home in my bottle. for my mum because she could not come today. she has to work. my mum always insists to take the swim ring... but it is not yellow. she bought this funny sailing boat bag as well, to bring my other favourite tee.

Ahhsome this Week

blue skies forecasted this weekend! enjoy some baby blue picks this week...

1. nara dog from vilac 2. otto boots from caramel 3. parachute tee from baobab 4. liberty print baby towel

Word of the Week: Dog Dog Dog!

my toddler is becoming quite verbose these days. he'll fixate on one word and repeat it endlessly... i thought it would be fun, and somehow therapeutic, to do a weekly round-up based on whatever word he is focused on at the moment. right now it's dog, which walking around new york city you see a lot of dogs!

1.  rosso dog pull toy (shak-shuka) 2. blabla doggie backpack 3. areaware terrier cushion 4. stella mccartney kids dog sweater 5. wooden dog puzzle (moolka) 6. jcrew vintage spot tee 7. bobtail dog (oompa) 8. bow wow wow onesie (ittikid) 9. st. bernard figurine 

Ahhs: A New High Chair is Björn {Giveaway}

babybjörn is launching its first high chair next month and i was able to get a sneak peek of it last week.

the babybjörn chair is the sports car of high chairs: sleek; compact--folds totally flat and even the legs come off if you need to travel with it--and highly functional. designed for children five months to three years, the ergonomic design features bpa-free plastic, a curved backrest and rounded adjustable table that snugly supports baby. the best part? the molded plastic construction, so no nooks and crannies for food to hide, meaning easy clean-up.

the babybjörn high chair will be available for pre-order at www.giggle.com beginning june 1st and exclusively in giggle stores through August 31st, then at retailers nationwide. retail price $299.95 in the u.s. 

{the giveaway}

what you will win: a goodie bag--or i should say feed bag--from babybjörn including a soft bib, cup, smock, plate and spoon and a happybaby organic cookbook. $81 retail value.


how to enter: leave a comment on this post stating what design features of the new chair appeal to you. open to u.s. and canadian residents. the winner will be chosen at random after close of giveaway on wed, june 1, 2011 at 2:00 pm est.

Fashion Coos Street Edition {Vests}

i promise this will not become a henry style gallery, but since we have had non-stop rain this month i am a bit short on shots!

vests are great for layering on cooler summer days. little lila knows how to accessorizes hers with a button and a scarf, and henry makes a statement by pairing his with lighting bolt socks and opus liberty print shorts.

Fashion Coos: Two Tees for Kids

a new line of simple organic kids tees from two. i especially love the amigo donkey tee and, well, all of them! available at poppy's closet.

Ahhs: A Jump Start on Russian Lit

in the hopes to attract a new generation of readers, penguin had pentagram design these whimsical book covers for seven nabokov classics. our kids are a bit young for these now, but in the meantime wouldn't they be lovely on a shelf or bookcase? perhaps a literary-themed nursery! buy them on amazon.

Ahhs: Aden+Anais Blankets by Serena & Lily

these could have been an ahhsome this week post, but i couldn't wait! all babies need to be swaddled in these beautiful new designs! 

Adorn: Studio Visit {Areaware}

i have one million things i could post about tonight, but for some reason i can't focus... so i am posting some eye candy. a few weeks ago i stopped at the areaware showroom, which is just a few blocks from my apartment, to see what they were up to...

if you have never heard of areaware, you have at least seen these pigs. they now have a full array of colors

 they added more cubebots to the line

these new shipping container vessels i thought would make a cute addition to a boys transportation-themed room

obsessed with these bins made from reclaimed plastic buckets and woven with rattan. these would make very stylish toy organizers

 are there still latch-key kids? well, i was one and thought these keychains are perfect for kids...hard to lose

love their wood animal collection and victor the wild boar is a welcome addition

Ahhsome this Week

here are some bright picks to end the week with! i can't wait for some sunshine this weekend. 1. fluorescent socks from zara 2. april showers print blanket 3. oui onesie by atsuyo et akiko 4. ah, quel plaisir abc cubes

Fashion Coos: I Dream Elephants

i dream elephants is a uk-based webshop for kid's that features an eclectic mix of european and australian brands for little lads (and ladies) as well as babies. i know we are about boys here on coos & ahhs, but i love, love that they have an anti-pink section and it's full of delightful pieces for girls and boys.

i dream elephants has some great essential pieces for summer including shorts by finger in the nose, organic reversible sun hats for baby--only $10!! guitar pillows from berlin, as well as basic pieces from kidcase and caramel and much much more. shop now at www.idreamelephants.com

Fashion Coos: Stepping Up the Color

i'm still staring at a grey wet city today. i think we have four more days of this...sigh. here is some bright footwear that will jazz up any outfit.

 1. natives miller 2. easy peasy blublu 3. saltwater sandals 4. zara old school hi-tops

5. morgan and milo olly shoes 6. adidas sneakers 7. naturino sport sneakers 8. easy peasy mok

 9. livie & luca slip-ons 10. tiny toms 11. veja (organic cotton!) sneakers 12. easy peasy bootie

13. vans crayola shoe 14. keep hi-tops 15. havaianas flip flops 16. bensimon lace-ups

Adorn: Graphic Brights {Darling Clementine}

as you might have noticed by now, i am feeling the birght colors this week-- i think it will last past this week throughout the season..

the graphic goodness of darling clementine comes to life in their pillows, plates, and paper goods.

Fashion Coos: The Future is Bright

with all this rainy dreary weather in nyc, i am craving the sunshine and bright colors! american apparel kids is rocking the brights this season with 80s timex watches; highlighter hoodies; old school shorts; and basic tees in every color of the rainbow! shop all the bright lights at www.americanapparel.net.

Fashion Coos: Appaman at Target

i am not the biggest appaman fan, but i do love these sleepers from the collection they did for target! maybe it's because i am headed to the motor city this summer but the motorcycles are the cutest!

Adorn: Bright Out

now that the sun is shining i am all about bright colors. decorating with saturated hues can be tricky. i like to match brights with lots of white: white walls, white furniture and white accents make color pop.

bright but soothing room (clockwise starting with the masks): donkey, duck and sheep masks; desk lamp and nightstand cb2; felt pail; bed, ikea; and donna wilson fox and pillow.

if you have the space, a reading area in a little guys room is the best! get a simple piece of furniture that can double as a bookshelf/bench and decorate with mismatched pillows to make it cozy.
a colorful reading corner (clockwise from left): heart cushion, jonathan adler; blue cushion, cb2; owl cushion, donna wilson; books, seasons and game of mix & match; floor pillow; offi bench; and areaware torch--for nightime stories/play!

toys are a jumble of color, so keep it simple with a clean white chest and solid baskets. a bright idea for a play area (from the left): baskets from land of nod; kidsonroof mobile home; spinning top; duck on wheels; ikea chest; petite pan ball; and paper balloons.

Fashion Coos: Street Edition

the weather has been so nice this week and the kids in brooklyn are bringing it!

these two know the power of accessorizing: duke is chilling in his leather moccs; and little lila rocks a scarf, heart tights under her jumper, and red boots! genius! 

push or slide these boys know the power of the all-over-print! calvin in a bobo choses henley and henry in a mini rodini one. (henry's photo is taken by one of my mommy's on the street the lovely kacy from letters lubell.)

Ahhs: DearJohnnies {Gowns}

you certainly wouldn't wear acme medical supply to walk down the aisle! why wear it when you give birth? 

mama-designed dear johnnies are the stylish and practical alternative to the hospital gown. the gowns feature modesty snaps and ties in the back as well as shoulder snaps for easy breast feeding. available in a range of styles and colors including matching robes!

Ahhs: Soft Storage

beautiful soft felt buckets from the little collection come in a rainbow of lovely colors. perfect for storing toys or books, even if you don't have children.

Fashion Coos: Petit Pan

this is my kind of baby stuff!!! check out patterns galore at petit pan.

Ahhsome this Week

this is random this week, but papa coo's (my dad) decided to make a surprise visit to the city! super fun, but no time to pull together a post...

i have been loving on these guitars from vilac, including one by nathalie lété, and these amazing fairytale tees by monikako.

Hunt & Gather: Poshling {The Democracy of Style}

if you follow me on twitter you know i am addicted to flash sales sites (gilt, the mini social, etc.) it seems like everyday there is a new one to add to my list of temptations, so when i heard about poshling launching this weekend for mother's day, i thought another one? but poshling is different, or i could say, it's my dream come true!

pictures are representational, not all are sale items

similar to gilt, poshling is a membership flash sale site featuring luxury children's products and maternity, but at poshling, members vote and nominate their favorite brands for future sales! the top-voted brands in fun categories like "best summer outfit" will be offered at exclusive prices to members.

the first-week's lineup includes: baby cz, appaman, shoes from morgan & milo, amber hagen cashmere and tom & drew. additionally, they will have maternity and nursing styles from heather lehmann and belabumbum. all at discounts around 30-50% below retail and the majority of the styles will be current season items.

no more crossing your fingers for that bobo choses sale! sign-up and start nominating now at www.poshling.com.

Ahhs: Severina Kids

nevermind that these adorable plush toys are handcrafted by local artisans in spain. who cares that they feature organic peruvian cotton, argentinean merino wool, and eco felt recycled from postconsumer pet bottles, and are also stuffed with recycled polyester from postconsumer bottles?

ok, yes, that all is amazing, but what i find even more amazing is the little personalities that are peeking out of these little guys. it is spooky-cute! buy online at www.severinakids.com

  

Ahhs: Tapikid Playmats

playmats tend to be the most aesthetically offensive of children's toys, not to mention bulky. these compact organic cotton mats from tapikid are not only beautiful--can i just drape this over my sofa? they allow for your child's imagination to go wild! i am thinking of packing one in my carry-on for those long airport layovers this summer! get them online at shak-shuka or noeuf.

Fashion Coos: Street Edition

finally, the first street style post of the summer! i was channeling bill cunningham and scott schuman this weekend. checks and stripes are in on the brooklyn playgrounds!

from the top: henry in acoustic kids vintage inspired checked shorts paired with an american apparel top, phoebe in a beautiful contrast striped jcrew silk dress; benji's rocking some awesome yellow jeans with a checked shirt from polarn o pyret, and his little brother casper is sporting a classic ralph lauren mariniere sweater.