SoBeBabies

Silk Do'Rags for Babies, Kids and Adults! On Sale While Supplies Last

2010-08-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

Oopa Do'rags (FINAL SALE)
~~$25.00~~ $11.99
Save: 52% off

While supplies last! Hurry, limited quantities.

Get yours here!

Posh by Tori Diaper Bag on sale until the end of the month!

2010-08-18T18:44:00.000-04:00

Posh by Tori Diaper Bag SALE!

Posh by Tori Diaper Bag
Starting at: ~~$147.00~~ $79.99
Save: 46% off

Buy yours here!

Features:

100% cotton or silk brocade exterior
Black lining
Two side exterior bottle holders
Large exterior pockets for keys and easy access
One interior bottle holder
One interior cell phone holder
Large side interior zipper pocket
Measures 17"W x 10"H x 5"sturdy base
Comfortable shoulder handles
Metal accent rings
Top zipper closure
Made in the Posh USA

Posh by Tori Skinnie Mini on SALE!

2010-08-18T12:17:00.001-04:00

Posh by Tori Skinnie Mini

Posh by Tori Skinnie Mini

On sale for just ~~$86.00~~ $54.99
Save: 36% off

Buy it here!

Oilily Shoe Blowout Sale!

2010-08-17T18:15:00.003-04:00

All remaining Oilily Shoes and Boots on sale until the end of August! Stock up in time for Back to School!

Babywearing is in Danger! Please join the BCIA

2010-08-10T21:04:00.001-04:00

Recent CPSC reports have led the public to believe that all baby carriers are unsafe. This is partly due to their misuse of the industry accepted term "sling" to describe the recalled Infantino product. It is also due to their advice that certain baby carriers not be used in the first few months. They are attacking some companies with safe products who have had the misfortune to have had a baby die in their product. This would be like recalling a mattress because someone died in their sleep. Okay, perhaps not exactly, but the cause of death would have been related to misuse of the product or other extenuating circumstances. Hotslings, a major manufacturer of safe baby carriers, has announced they are closing, in no small part to the public misconception of babywearing being unsafe. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Vendors, babywearing advocates, and supporters from around the world are scrambling to try to change this trend. An organization called the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance has formed and is actively seeking members at this time. Please, please join this organization and find out how you can help save the future of babywearing. Yes, the need is that dramatic.

Lose Your Mummy Tummy Splint is now Diastasis Rehab Splint

2010-06-07T17:03:00.001-04:00

The Lose Your Mummy Tummy Splint is now called the Diastasis Rehab Splint. Same great product you've come to know and love. Heal your diastasis no matter when you had your baby.

EasyWalker QTRO SALE!!!!!

2010-04-15T21:49:00.002-04:00

EasyWalker QTRO ~~$499~~ $399 with free shipping from April 19th-June 1st.

Great things about the EasyWalker QTRO Stroller

Comes in cool colors!
Folds easily with no need to remove wheels
Bike tires and suspension for smooth ride
Adjustable handle
Easy to assemble
Huge storage baskets; this really hauls stuff!
5 point harness
Front wheels swivel for city and track for serious walking
Stroller tracks straight
No need to ruin your shoes to set the break; the bar is easy to hit and works properly
Reclining seat is so useful! I even use it as a place to put my daughter down for naps (she is in it even as I type)

Expert Author

2010-03-23T21:35:00.002-04:00

Check out our Ezine articles!

Giveaway! Toddler Backpack

2010-03-20T00:25:00.004-04:00

We are giving away a toddler backpack to one lucky winner as part of a series of giveaways.

In order to win, please do one or more of the following and comment on this blog with which things you did. The winner will be chosen randomly from all the entries received. You may enter multiple times by doing more of the things but post once for each!

How to enter:
1. Sign up for our mailing list
2. Fan us on FaceBook
3. Post a link to http://www.SoBeBabies.com or our FaceBook page on your blog and post the link to your blog here.

The winner will be chosen from all the entries on March 31. The winner will be posted on our FaceBook page as well as here. The prize must be claimed by contacting us with mailing address within one week of the contest close date.

Fleece Baby Carrier Cover

2010-03-19T23:53:00.003-04:00

There is nothing like keeping your baby warm on a chilly day. The fleece cover is so versatile because you can wear your own jacket under or over your baby carrier and your little one can be bundled up separately! So if you find yourself getting warmer, you don't have to sweat it out under a heavy babywearing coat or oversized jacket. You can take off a layer and leave little nice and cozy!

Spring is in the air and it's a great time to get out and walking and enjoying the fresh air! Grab a fleece cover for your baby carrier today!

Flat Belly

2010-02-14T16:50:00.000-05:00

After writing about health and fitness for ages on various blogs, I've decided to start sharing some of the resources that have been most useful to me. I've been following a diet program (not dieting) for about a year now and have seen amazing results. See more of the incredible shrinking me here.

I am not a fan of dieting nor calorie counting. I am loving this way of eating because it's mainly foods I would have eaten anyway (organic, raw, naturally raised, etc) but I've learned a lot about how important it is to avoid certain foods. I've also learned that my husband and I are different types and it's a simple matter to put some more of the carbs on his plate and a little more protein on mine.

Check it out and see my awful iPhone pictures. You can't blame me; who takes a lot of pictures when feeling not photo worthy? Please let me know what you think!

Kid's Ceiling Fans!

2010-02-12T13:24:00.000-05:00

We just added super cute ceiling fans and pulls. There is something for everyone; there are so many themes. And these are not just for kids. Most ceiling fans are, let's face it, pretty boring. These will jazz up any room.

Your liver and fat loss

2010-01-19T11:52:00.004-05:00

Here is some not very sexy information taken from Isabel de los Rios' presentation at Transformation Domination. I've already been following Isabel's program (The Diet Solution Program) for some time, but I did not understand some very basic information. To be honest, when she started talking about the liver, I started to prep my mind for the college empty hole place where you set your features to attentive and try to keep your eyes open. The truth is, I was not faking being attentive; this stuff is fascinating! And so helpful!

So, without consulting my notes, here is my understanding of what was said. Any errors are my own!

When you don't eat properly, which pretty much sums up the Standard American Diet (SAD), you take in lots of toxins. These would flow around your blood and pretty much kill you within a very short period so your liver cleans them out and tucks them away into fat cells to protect you. Nice. Only, then you not only have these jacked up fat cells (I actually don't know what "jacked up" but Isabel said it a lot and it sounds good), you've still got the toxins instead of having gotten rid of them as a waste product.

So you want to detox. We've all heard of that. Mostly, I think of intestinal cleansing. But maybe that's not all there is to it! Huh! Who knew? It's about clearing out those fat cells.

We're all afraid to eat fat; everyone has it stuck in their heads that they should avoid it or they will get fat. But we need fat in our diets and we will hold onto the stored toxic fat if we don't get clean fat coming in. Plus water.

So in a very over simplified view of detoxing, you need lots of water, plus healthy fats, plus clean foods, to clear out the toxic fat cells. It's really as simple as that!

This is totally from memory now, so again, forgive any errors as they are my own!

Water: in ounces, half your body weight in pounds, daily. Carry a water bottle! I recommend Kleen Kanteen stainless steel and reverse osmosis filtered water from home so you save money and the environment. I took a five gallon container with me to the conference because it was driving distance for us but when I fly, I just buy gallons at the super market and refill my water bottles from that.

Healthy fats:
Examples are raw nuts (not peanut or cashew, the former being highly allergenic and the latter being not a truly raw product as it requires heat to extract the nut from its shell), coconut oil, raw olive oil, raw butter (grassfed organic of course), and some other stuff I've forgotten. Get her program!

Clean foods:
Just quit wheat, dude. Trust me. Yes, that includes bread, cereal, pasta, cake, donuts, etc. You might even want to give up all grains and potatoes for a few weeks to kick start. And quit milk too. Yup. You can do without cereal for breakfast, I kid you not. In fact nothing but single ingredient foods. Why? Because you are going to want to keep a food log of every ingredient and it's too hard to type that stuff up. Okay, that's not why. I believe you'll know why once you read labels. If it comes in a box, it's probably not food.

Now go let your liver stop tucking away fat in your blood cells and go start clearing out the toxins you have been storing all your life!

Fitness, running a business, and mothering?

2010-01-19T11:40:00.003-05:00

What do fitness and health, running a business, and striving to be the best mother possible have in common? In our culture, pretty much nothing. In my life, everything. These things are my life, my chiseled focus. Things upon which I dwell and strive to improve.

I have been floundering a bit for the last year and have finally started taking some action. I have noticed that when one becomes more effective in one area of life, the others follow. Because I had no energy, I have been working very, very hard on health and fitness and the culmination of a huge effort was going to the Transformation Domination weekend seminar this weekend. I have come away renewed, reinvigorated, inspired, and ready to start taking action in so many areas of my life. It was everything I had hoped it would be, tenfold. Seriously.

I expected to gain new knowledge about health and fitness. I did not expect to learn how to be a more effective parent and business owner, but this conference was so packed with amazing speakers, there was much coverage of these areas as well, even if not completely intentional on the part of the speakers! We each take away what we see and I can frame things in terms of my life even when the speaker is coming from a different frame of reference. Many are indeed parents, even some moms, so there was definitely some focus on balance and striving to be here for the most important "thing" in our lives.

I am just so overwhelmed right now but I am eager to start sharing so stay tuned as I find the time, while learning to make more effective forward progress in all aspects of importance in my life, to share from the book of notes I took! Yep, I exhausted an entire notebook and more than one pen. I am jazzed!

Pregnancy&Newborn CatBirdBaby Pikkolo Review

2009-12-10T16:21:00.003-05:00

Read the review!

Buy your Pikkolo!

Pikkolo New Print: Georgia

2009-11-24T18:08:00.001-05:00

Gorgeous new Pikkolo Baby Carrier print now available in limited quantities! Hurry because these are not going to last!

Powered by Moms: The Future of Business

2009-11-19T12:34:00.005-05:00

Ever notice the header on my website? It says "Powered by Moms". That's not just some random thought. That is a big thought! In fact, it's a driving force of the philosophy behind my business.

Six years ago, I was searching around for a way to bring in some income and do something challenging. I didn't even consider working for the first few years because my first born baby was a super high-needs challenging baby and she took all my attention plus more. But by the time my second was about to be born, I was starting to realize I could give back to the world and I had one of those huge epiphany moments.

I was searching for a business idea and I had amassed special skills! It all fit and SoBeBabies was born as a business to bring safe, comfortable, efficient babywearing to more families. As time went on, it became clear that I needed help, but how's a mom working from home to know who to hire? That's where my values took the front seat.

It was clear to me how difficult it is get paid employment while still giving my children the attention they deserve. What better way to continue the gift than to share it with other moms who valued their children just as much as I do! And so, when I began to search for employees, I made it clear up front that they put their children first. That's right; their children are more important than my business! (Well duh!) If a child is screaming in the background, that is not something to be ashamed of. (Well, sure, the needs of the child might need tending to, but the customer should not be shielded from the fact that there are children underfoot! And I don't want to repeat here what Susan's child was just screaming while she was taking an order! Too funny!)

Just now, I was on the phone with a manufacturer's rep and explained that yes, I'd gotten her email but that I would likely not get back to them until 9pm because I work weird hours. Soon it came out that she does as well. She's at home in a different state than her company with her two kids underfoot! I love it! I can't tell you how often I am emailing back and forth live with a company I work with and it's after midnight or 6am or whatever weird hour we both happen to be online.

Moms are an important part of our workforce. It is imperative that people start to recognize the reality that we have not lost our brains just because we chose to make our children top priority while we can. And just because we may only be willing to work 8-20 hours a week, it does not mean those are not quality hours! The world would do well to take advantage of this hidden power and hire more moms!

Groovy new Fleurville

2009-07-30T22:15:00.005-04:00

I love me some Fleurville! I was thrilled when I was able to start carrying this wonderful brand. The prints are so yummy and the quality is great. I use the bags myself. I have just gotten a shipment and will be using two of the bags for personal use. That is saying a lot as I am super picky.

Here are some of the gorgeous new prints that just arrived.

Suspicious order with Indonesia ship-to address

2009-07-06T17:42:00.003-04:00

I just got a very suspicious order.

I mean, what business owner does not love to open their shipping cart and see an order more than ten times the size of an average order!

But that was my first red flag.

A few minutes quick research revealed quite a few red flags. One red flag alone does not cause me to cancel an order, but all together, this was too much.

Here are all the red flags of this particular order:

many of the same item (who needs 4 of the same brand of baby sling?)*
different country on the shipping and billing address. I have many good orders where the order is shipped to a different address than the billing address, but a different country is a red flag.
shipping address in Indonesia. A bit of quick surfing reveals that they are now second for Internet fraud. It seems the scam is they claim the goods never arrived and do a credit card charge-back, leaving me out the goods. Which brings me to my last point,
a request to ship via USPS Priority Mail, not Express - the claim being that Express mail causes them to have to pay higher taxes. It all goes to the same post office, so I highly doubt that one would incur higher tax than the other. Express Mail International is a highly reliable and highly trackable service. It is also insured. I am not quite understanding how using Priority gets them around this but perhaps their post office doesn't treat it very well and the charge back claims hold up somehow. How awful that credit card companies go along with this.

Sorry, prospective customer, but not today am I willing to give away this much inventory. Perhaps you'd like a nice free pencil sharpener instead?

Wouldn't it be ironic if the person who placed this order was just a mom, trying to make a little extra cash for food for her kids, just like me?

*Except a reseller - and in that case, they should be getting their own wholesale account

Pikkolo is awesome

2009-07-01T14:36:00.003-04:00

Have you seen the Pikkolo baby carrier? It is the only baby carrier I recommend that does a facing out position that supports proper hip positioning for the baby.

Most mainstream baby carriers leave the baby's legs dangling down. This has been linked to issues such as hip dysplasia. Even if other carriers don't cause a developmental problem (this point is directed to those of you, who, like my five year old, will argue that nothing happened to your child - as I often say to her, just because you didn't get hurt, it doesn't mean that what you are doing isn't unsafe), common sense says it's not comfortable to be supported by a narrow strip of fabric. Would you want to hang like that?

The Pikkolo is suitable from birth for most babies and can be used front or back, with straps crossed or uncrossed. The straps have memory foam, which makes for a super comfy and contoured fit.

The material of the Pikkolo is so soft. Some buckle carriers use harsher, more scratchy materials. It's also gorgeous! Check out the current prints!

Beco Butterfly Return

2009-05-11T16:32:00.003-04:00

Beco Butterfly II

Open Package

$150.00 $105.00
Save: 30% off

Easy Walker Stroller Sale!

2009-05-11T16:03:00.002-04:00

Easy Walker Stroller

with Carrycot

Starting at: $668.00 $548.00
Save: 18% off

Manufactured by: Easy Walker Strollers

Special sale while supplies last on the Easy Walker Stroller with Carrycot!

Bootleg Ergo Baby Carriers!

2009-05-11T15:38:00.003-04:00

Did you know that there are counterfeit Ergo Baby Carriers being sold? All authorized and legitimate Ergo Baby Carriers are sold for at least the MSRP. Do not be fooled by super deals! Be certain you buy from an authorized Ergo Dealer. The fake ones are not covered by warrantee. You get what you pay for!

SoBeBabies Giveaway!

2009-04-20T12:19:00.001-04:00

Check out the Homeschool Blog Awards SoBeBabies Give-Away!

Website facelift

2009-04-13T18:19:00.004-04:00

SoBeBabies.com has had a facelift! There are still improvements in looks and efficiency going on behind the scenes to improve your shopping experience. Have a look and enjoy! Feedback is welcome!

Flair Highchair!

2009-04-08T12:08:00.005-04:00

A gorgeous new high chair in super fun colors!

Easy to use. Easy to clean. Stylish enough for your lifestyle.

Introducing the Ergo Sport Baby Carrier!

2009-03-02T23:30:00.001-05:00

Finally! Everyone is always wanting the Ergo to be a bit cooler for those dog days of summer. The Ergo Sport is the answer to everyone's requests.

It's chock full of new features and the reviews are great! Here are some of the features/improvements:

removable hood
breathable fabric
longer straps so great for both larger and smaller wearers
padding on shoulder straps extended to the delight of many babywearers
black, but yet doesn't attract lint!

One of my employees is absolutely loving hers! Go click on the link to see what she's saying. She has relinquished her beloved X baby carrier in favor of the Ergo Sport! Amazing!

New Pink Baby Carriers!

2009-02-07T22:22:00.005-05:00

I love me some pink baby carriers! As do my girls! So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the exciting new pink Ergo baby carriers for both mom and daughter!

DadGear and DaisyGear Diaper Bags Blowout Sale

2008-12-12T18:51:00.005-05:00

Bumble Bags Kimberly Tote 40% off!

2008-12-12T16:21:00.002-05:00

Beco Butterfly Clearance! Now $79.99 (45% off)

2008-12-12T16:07:00.002-05:00

2 Red Hens Bag 40% off

2008-12-12T15:54:00.002-05:00

Oilily Shoes 50% off!

2008-12-12T15:35:00.003-05:00

SoBeBabies Gift Registry!

2008-12-10T18:53:00.001-05:00

Great news! Enjoy our new gift registry! Sign up for the gifts of your choice and share your list with family and friends!

CPSIA Impacts on Children's Apparel Industry

2008-12-03T18:19:00.001-05:00

I don't like to post about stuff that I don't fully understand, but something has to be done. So I am sharing what I currently understand the situation to be and I urge you to do your own research, come back and comment, and spread the word.

I just signed this petition mentioned below. It is all very confusing but it looks like there was legislation enacted that baby carrier manufacturers in the USA all missed but that could affect all manufacturers and perhaps put them out of business if they are found out as not having done the required expensive testing. The deadline is either November or Feb. The intentions are obviously good, but something seems misguided about it all. It seems it would require every single type and color of fabric or other material to be individually tested. And there seems to be an underlying assumption that baby carriers are more like a toy, than, say, a mom's coat, if you see what I mean; the latter would not be subject to the same requirements. Many things around the house get mouthed by babies. This legislature seems designed (intentionally or not) to put the industry out of business. It would certainly affect me and could leave me, literally, holding the bag with a lot of inventory I could not legally sell for use with babies.

Here is the petition link:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA?e

Going Green With Baby book

2008-12-01T20:46:00.005-05:00

My dear friend, Jennifer Lo Prete, coauthor of the Itsabelly blog, did me the honor of asking me to write some sections for a book that has just been published called Itsabelly's Guide to Going Green with Baby.

I am thrilled to finally be able to see what she's been working so hard on. This book is wonderful. Read my review!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T18:19:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and today I am frantically making last minute preparations. Tomorrow, we will enjoy a feast with family and close friends.

I love knowing that on this one day, everyone in the country, regardless of religion, citizenship, heritage, race, or political beliefs is included into this powerful and yet gently peaceful celebration of peace and community.

When we go around the table and share what we are grateful for, I will take an extra moment to reflect on how blessed I am to have such wonderful customers and employees.

Warmly,
Naomi
Owner SoBebabies.com, Inc

Black Friday Sale

2008-11-26T18:16:00.003-05:00

Most baby carriers, including the Beco Baby Carrier, on sale for Black Friday 3 day weekend! Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY to save 20% on many items throughout our store. The Pikkolo is on sale for 15% off the regular price. Enjoy!

Sales and Specials!

2008-11-20T17:20:00.002-05:00

If you are subscribed to our mailing list, you already know about our upcoming huge sale! If you didn't get the mailing, sign up now so you don't miss out! December might offer some surprise savings.

Great deals on Karma Baby Pouches for a Great Cause!

2008-11-12T22:56:00.003-05:00

SoBeBabies just donated five (5) Karma Baby Pouches for a fund raiser. The prices are all amazing! Go bid! It's good Karma, baby!

Why I am Having Trouble Finding Your Order

2008-11-12T18:50:00.003-05:00

Would you believe the dog ate it? Well perhaps not as we don't have a dog.

But we have a cat. He is the size of a dog. Does that count?

He has decided he lives in front of my computer monitor. That's nice; I love the sweet company. But look how big he is!

See those legs? Yes, they are all over my keyboard. And yes, he does hit keys with them. Random things have started happening, like emails disappearing. Seriously!

The other day, while waiting for dinner to finish baking, I answered a customer call and he rushed over to hang out with me. Only I could not see the screen with him standing in the way. He's so cute, preening, purring and relaxing, I don't have the heart to push him aside. I hope my customers understand....

Ergo Baby Carrier Sale!

2008-11-06T13:45:00.002-05:00

All Hawaiian Ergo Baby Carriers are on sale for just $90 with FREE shipping! Regular price $110. While supplies last. Hurry!

Oilily Rockerfeller Center Skate Boots - last chance!!!!

2008-10-12T20:46:00.002-04:00

The Oilily Rockerfeller Center Skate Boots are being clearanced off on Ebay! Get them before they are gone forever! These are gorgeous!!!!

Babywearing International's Vijay Owens Babywearing Advocacy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Promoting Babywearing

2008-10-07T22:33:00.003-04:00

I love Vijay! And now there is an award with her name! It's a no-brainer for SoBeBabies to sponsor this award! Here is a link to the award:

The Vijay Owens Babywearing Advocacy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Promoting Babywearing

making labels - multiple labels to a sheet

2008-09-30T15:11:00.003-04:00

I have just about pulled my hair out! I often do up special brochures for events and I like to have a specific coupon code for each event so I can track sales and know what works. This is just plain business sense; if I pay $75 for a bag insert at a La Leche Conference and then don't get one single sale, that was perhaps not a good idea. Of course, it's always possible that it was a success because it got my name out there and people now see my business as credible and bought at some later point without the coupon. But still, I like to see some sales.

So, I got this brilliant idea to buy my flyers in bulk and then print my own labels and stick them on. I designed my flyer with a nice empty space and bought clear labels 18 to a sheet for a great price. All good. And then the fighting started. The labels came with a template and I had a grand old time designing in PhotoShop. And when it came time to print, no matter what settings or program I tried, only the first few labels lined up. There was always way too much space at the bottom of the page so the last rows of labels were off.

I contacted Labels Online and they gave me some ideas, but it didn't help at all. Perhaps because I'm on a Mac; the settings mentioned weren't even choices for me. Then it hit me. I just set it up to print 3 rows of labels and I printed each sheet twice, feeding the other end through the 2nd time to print the other 3 rows. Perfection!

Now. I have to stick on 350 labels for an upcoming La Leche Conference! And quickly! The deadline fast approaches!

I love Enflyer for email marketing

2008-09-25T17:38:00.004-04:00

I sent out a mailing (email) the other day. The next morning, I tracked clicks to see how many sales had come from the mailing. Two sales, one rather large. There. Enflyer paid for for the month. That was easy!

Haiku Bag Lineup

2008-09-22T18:21:00.002-04:00

SoBeBabies Proudly Presents the Haiku Bag Lineup!

Compare sizes at a glance of the

Follow me on Twitter!

2008-09-12T14:03:00.002-04:00

What a fun way to keep up! Mostly business, but some personal tidbits. Short and sweet. I got the idea from Guy Kawasaki, author whose blog I've followed for years. Oh and he's also a customer! He bought an Ergo for his wife a few years ago.

New: Haiku Large Tote

2008-09-10T21:04:00.004-04:00

I love this new bag in sustainable jute: the Large Tote from Haiku. Featuring sustainable jute with cotton in gorgeous rich colors. The fabric used in the body of these bags is 50% jute which is considered a sustainable fabric due to its rapid growth rate and the fact that no pesticides or fertilizers are used in its production! I am in awe. These are awesome!

Twitter!

2008-09-10T17:57:00.001-04:00

Follow me on Twitter and keep up to date on

sales
specials
new product listings
other exciting news

Action Baby Carrier Sale

2008-09-10T16:49:00.002-04:00

Action Baby Carrier Sale!!!! Now only $55 with FREE shipping!

Beco Butterfly further reductions!

2008-09-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

Beco Butterfly further reductions! Now only $99.99 with FREE shipping while supplies last!

Action Baby Carrier Recall

2008-09-05T11:54:00.003-04:00

There was a small recall for the Action Baby Carrier.

Read about the Action Baby Carrier Recall.

We will be contacting our customers who may have been affected by this recall but we sold at least one of the affected carriers at the Babywearing Conference and do not have contact information for that person. Please contact us or Optave immediately if you need a replacement chest strap!

Mean People are Mean!

2008-08-25T16:43:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, we were going to finally go to the local town pool with the big slide! We verified the hours, had plenty of time, got packed up and off we went. On the drive over, it started to thunder and pour. At the door, we were told that it was closed for 30 minutes due to lightning. We cheered up the girls and drove around in the rain, hoping it would clear but after 25 minutes, it went nuts. The skies opened. We drove by the pool just in time to see them closing the doors for the day.

The girls were so sad and to cheer them up, off we went to see what matinee we could catch. And that's how we found ourselves watching House Bunny, a sweet and perhaps predictable but nonetheless easy to watch movie.

The star, an ex-Playboy bunny, is a nice person. My favorite scene is a zoom to her bumper sticker, "Mean People are Mean". I love this line. It's so true!

I have always thought that there was merit to "The Customer is Always Right", but, well, not when the customer has a chip on his or her shoulder.

A local restaurant has a sign at the door that says, "Be Nice or Leave". A bit too direct, perhaps, but I totally take their point.

Our staff does strive to be nice but we also don't appreciate abuse. I had a bit of a shock when I first worked with customers as a support rep. Some people think it is okay to get on the phone and go directly into abuse mode. I can work with someone who is frustrated, stressed, who has been wronged. But when the customer is abusive, well there is just no call for that.

So yeah, Mean People are Mean! Be nice! Being frustrated is allowed. But be nice!

Be BOLD!

2008-08-25T15:07:00.004-04:00

Are you going to see the BOLD play near you this Labor Day? I was so sorry to miss this last year so I am very excited about this opportunity this time around. BOLD is a play where about 7 women play out some different birth experiences.

I got to see a sneak preview this weekend and it blew me away. It is very emotional and raw. I wanted to cry almost from the first dialog, but my husband wanted to shout! It made him angry!

I know I still have anger about my first birth but oh, the anger that rose up in us about some of what was unfolding when we watched this play. Some of it was familiar; I'd definitely experienced women shouting "Push" in unison and acting as though I was not trying hard enough or was a burden. And that unspoken threat that if things didn't go quickly enough, my "natural" birth would be taken away.

I did learn from my experience and was much more lucky the second time, but so many women don't know there are any other options. I consider myself lucky for the resources I found, such as The Mother Magazine, where I read incredible birth stories of empowered women.

Go to this play. Tell young women about it. Catch them before they become entrenched in incorrect thinking about birth!

Oh, and I'm also a sponsor. I'll have a small table and will share a little about babywearing. No matter what your birth experience was, babywearing is a wonderful next step to maximize the joy in your parenting experience.

Baby Safety Month - Carseat safety

2008-08-22T12:59:00.002-04:00

Never allow a child to travel in a moving vehicle unless properly strapped into an approved carseat. It is not safe to hold babies on your lap nor use baby carriers in moving vehicles.

JPMA Guidelines for proper selection and use of a child restraint system.

·Children should always ride in a back seat restrained in a car seat or safety belt.

·Infants should ride in rear-facing car seats until they weigh at least 20 lbs and are at least 1 year old. Do not put a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of a vehicle with an active passenger air bag.

·Children over 1 year old and weighing between 20 lbs and 40 lbs should ride in forward-facing car seats.

·Children ages 4 to 8 weighing between 40 lbs and 80 lbs should ride in booster seats restrained with lap and shoulder belts. A regular safety belt won't fully protect a child this size in a crash.

·Children and adults weighing over 80 lbs should use a safety belt for every ride.

This year, JPMA is proud to support Child Passenger Safety Week (September 21-27, 2008). Child Passenger Safety Week is sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a reminder to all parents to use a child safety seat in the back of their vehicles, restrain their child properly and in accordance with their size and age. The National Seat Check Saturday takes place on September 20, 2008- A Great Day for Your Car Seat Clinic- to educate parents and ensure that all child seats are installed properly.

Visit http://www.jpma.org/bsm/2008/ for additional in-store promotion ideas and ways you can take advantage of this month long celebration and help JPMA spread the word about car seat safety.

For more information on Child Passenger Week, please visit http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/childps/planner/index.cfm and en espanol,

go to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/childps/planner/Spanish/index.cfm

Fay heading towards Gainesville - Possible shipping and communication delays

2008-08-20T12:11:00.002-04:00

There will be shipping and communication delays if Fay hits us or if we need to shut down due to lightning or flooding. We thought we were in the clear but Fay is meandering around at sea at the moment, perhaps picking up steam for another land attack. One thing we like about being so far inland is any hurricane or storm should lose a lot of power by the time it reaches us. But even so, wind and rain can require us to shut down or we can lose power.

We appreciate your understanding. We will still have customer support when possible and we usually have limited access via the Edge network (iPhone is great!!!)

La Leche League again

2008-08-19T22:48:00.003-04:00

It's coming around to that time again; last year I went to the Florida La Leche League conference mostly to see Hathor speak. But I was so pleasantly surprised by the quality of the speakers and what a great family vacation it was that we're going again this year, even without Hathor there! Just spending time around families that parent in the way most there do makes for a relaxing time.

Regular attendees don't have to do anything but show up, but us vendor types have to get our butts in gear well in advance of events.

I am donating a new Scootababy baby carrier for the fundraising auction and will also have a nice little surprise in the gift bags.

Ergo Baby Carrier in Cranberry is Discontinued!

2008-08-19T22:35:00.002-04:00

Very soon, you won't be able to get a cranberry Ergo Baby Carrier! We only have a few left in stock.

When they're gone, they're gone!

This has been a very popular color so grab yours now while you can!

"That should keep you busy!"

2008-08-19T15:30:00.003-04:00

I have sponsored The Natural Child Project for over a year and will continue to do so because I love Jan's work and what she stands for. And I've been meaning for some time to make it a priority to get a counseling session from her.

Last week, I hit a parenting snag (okay, crisis) that sent me straight to my computer to send the money over. My four year old daughter (Jan says it seems like a very high percentage of her clients have four year old children) was pushing all my buttons with her issues around food and control. I really needed some help getting out of the trees and finding the forest.

Obviously, not all our issues are going to get solved in an hour and I've done phone counseling before so I just let Jan do what she does best. She ran quite a few ideas past me but what she made clear at the start was that I would not have to take notes; she'd send a follow up email with information on all the resources and techniques we discussed. I just got the email (that was fast!) and the last line is:

"That should keep you busy!"

Yes indeed! I can't wait to get started on all this! I now have what I need most: Hope!

Beco Butterfly Madness!!!!

2008-08-15T16:20:00.004-04:00

All Beco Butterfly baby carriers are on sale! Nearly 25% off! You won't see another sale like this any time soon! Enjoy!

The Beco Butterfly is suitable from birth and right up through toddlerhood. It can be worn front or back.

Huggalugs Baby Leg Warmers!

2008-08-12T17:52:00.003-04:00

Gorgeous new product for us!

Like everything we sell, we test it first.

Boy, was it a hard choice to figure out which one to try. Well, hard for my four year old! She immediately narowed it down to two flower prints, pink and purple, but then it was touch and go while she deliberated, finally deciding upon pink (as I knew she would!)

My older daughter likes them as arm warmers!

New Improved Scootababy - Best Hip Carrier!

2008-08-11T12:37:00.004-04:00

It didn't need to be made better! But Scootababy did it anyway! They managed to take the ideal hip carrier and make it even better!

First, and most important to me, it's prettier! This is just one of five gorgeous new prints, most of which are even guy friendly.

Second, it's taller, so it will accomodate even taller toddlers.

Third, baby's seat is contoured for improved fit and ease of use.

For more improvements, surf on over to the Scootababy product listing.

Beco Butterfly Sale!!! Still plenty left!

2008-08-07T13:34:00.005-04:00

Beco Butterfly Sale Still Going on!

At these amazing first ever Beco Butterfly sale prices, many prints are already sold out and gone forever, but there are still amazing choices left, including:

Allison

Aubrey

Avery

Carnival

Chloe

Espresso

Joshua

Martini

Morgan

SoBeBabies is a Featured Store at The Mama Log!

2008-08-02T21:58:00.002-04:00

Check us out under:

mamaShops

BABY & TODDLER GEAR

Plus a lovely writeup in the latest newsletter with an exclusive coupon for Mama Log subscribers!

Beco Butterfly Sale!

2008-08-01T15:35:00.003-04:00

All Beco Butterfly baby carriers are now on sale! This is the first sale ever! We have loads of inventory right now but limited numbers of many prints so hurry and get your first choice!

Join our mailing list to get news on upcoming sales plus special discounts!

Shipping speed

2008-08-01T14:21:00.005-04:00

Wow. Sometimes customers get angry about how long things take to get to them. Items generally ship out the next business day, but for certain items, shipping can take longer. I just had an order with Amazon take 5 days to ship out. It wasn't shipping from an Amazon store, but from Amazon directly. That was why I chose that item; I assumed they'd send it right out! Five days! Wow. I thought I'd have these by now. Still waiting. Just saying!

Appearance of Doing Good More Important Than Actually Doing Good?

2008-07-24T21:12:00.002-04:00

I am speechless. The other day, I was listening to NPR and there was a quote to the effect that it's more important to give the appearance of doing the good than to actually do good.

Really?

I do lots of things in my life and in my business simply because I think they are the right things to do; not for any kind of recognition. I actually feel funny saying what they are because it sounds like bragging. Perhaps it is worth saying some of them?

I use a minimum of packaging. I certainly love to get a package with pretty tissue paper around it, but I resist the urge to do this because it's unnecessary waste. I hope my customers will appreciate the reasoning but I doubt it. And so I struggle with the little voice that says to buy tissue paper!

I save and reuse packaging supplies. It makes me go weak at the knees when I get a package that has so much extra packaging. I can't bear to toss it all. I have never needed to buy packaging supplies for my business! I simply save all the plastic bubble wrap and air bubble thingies and use them again. I have bins of this stuff.

I try to find a realtor closer to the customer. If I get an order from overseas, I feel quite strange causing a package to go around the world when there is already one sitting in that country, so I defer the sale. I know this probably sounds mad but I have to do what is right for me. No customer has ever said, "Good for you!" but that's okay. I can sleep at night.

If a customer accidentally misses the place where they could have paid $15 instead of $45 for international shipping, I refund the difference. They may never buy from me again since I mainly ship one product overseas and it is not one you'd buy again, but I'd feel bad taking the extra profit and knowing they paid that much to ship such a tiny package.

Would you like a "slouch"?

2008-07-23T14:47:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, when I'm on the phone with a customer, my tongue gets ahead of me. Oh, who am I kidding. Sometimes my tongue just gets tied in a knot. Like the other day while my husband was driving and I started to say "Slow down!" but then quickly had to turn it into "Stop!" because of an animal darting into the road. Unfortunately, what I actually shouted, much to everyone's amusement, was "SLOP!!!!"

So the other day, I asked a customer if she was drawn to "slings and pouches". Only I didn't say that. What I actually asked her about was "Slouches". Then I cracked up. Oh poor woman. She didn't get the joke at first and it took me a sec to compose myself and explain.

Babywearing Conference is over!

2008-07-17T14:06:00.002-04:00

Well! Sponsor and Teach and Exhibit, oh my! Not to mention extras like donating baby carriers, a diaper bag, and a Lose Your Mummy Tummy Splint & DVD to help raise funds and modeling two carriers in the Fashion show!

I didn't realize that doing all that would take every waking moment and every ounce of energy plus some. I returned from the adventure with a deficit that took a good two weeks to make up for! I am not cut out for exhibiting, that is for sure.

Well that and I worked around the clock for months to get ready for the conference. I loved all that. If I ever have a booth again, someone else will run it! I didn't realize how slow it would be. The last day was hopping and that was great and literally flew by. But "hurry up and wait" just isn't my cup of tea.

Introducing Haiku Karma Neutral!

2008-05-19T16:47:00.003-04:00

Gorgeous new Karma Neutral bags! Completely vegan! Great "sushi" prints. Delish!

Fun Backpacks and Bags for Kids

2008-05-19T15:54:00.003-04:00

What little girl doesn't love a fun kid's backpack or bag? My girls are taking turns with this gorgeous Oilily Hippo backpack. We're super into pink. Can you tell?

I must be crazy!

2008-04-01T13:21:00.002-04:00

I don't know why I did it, but I agreed to have a booth at the Babywearing Conference! I am so busy with doing all the sponsorship tasks and thinking about teaching, and now I have to figure out how to be a vendor too! I have so much to learn! I have been sinking every dime into more inventory so I'll have a good selection of products to choose from. I've been combing forums for ideas about booth layout. It is all so daunting! Every day, I learn something new at this business but this is a whole other animal. I thought I could do this smallish but it sounds like people are taking it super seriously. One vendor keeps asking me what kind of flooring and gridwalls I am going to get! Yikes! All that stuff costs a fortune and then what do you do with it? I don't want to just leave it there; that is so wasteful! But I haven't been able to find any leads on 2nd hand stuff. It seems strange to me that you can't just rent all this stuff. I guess that probably exists but also isn't cost effective. I don't think I'll ever be doing this again; the sheer waste of all the extra shipping stuff around keeps me up at night!

Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier Voluntary Recall

2008-03-08T22:42:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Beco Baby Carrier announced a voluntary recall of the Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier. You can read the full text here:

Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier Recall

If you purchased one of the affected baby carriers, you should have been contacted by now by the vendor you bought it from. If you have not heard from them, please contact them immediately to find out about repairing your Butterfly Baby Carrier at no cost to you.

Swiss Strolli Rider Spring Madness Sale!

2008-02-29T19:34:00.003-05:00

The Swiss Strolli Rider is now 25% off regular prices! Hurry! These go back to full price on March 29th!

We moved!

2008-02-26T12:20:00.003-05:00

Well, SoBeBabies is no longer South Beach Babies! We've moved to north central Florida and we love it! So many trees! No more condo living for us. An actual sweet little house with a yard and a pool. A pool which is currently full of leaves from those trees. Sigh. Shortly, I will do the daily dredging. It's all good. Very meditative, in fact. There are actual seasons here! At night, you can tell it's winter! And yet, we have a citrus tree in the backyard!

Active Mom Carriers

2008-02-25T23:05:00.004-05:00

I love getting new baby carriers in! We recently got our first shipment of Active Mom Structured Baby Carriers (AMC II). We were lucky enough to test these and give feedback on the design. The finished product is amazing.

I was so glad to find out that many people had the same reaction I did during the testing process; we just wanted to pet the carrier and didn't get to using it right away because it's so pleasing to so many senses. I can't say this of any other baby carrier. The fabrics are very lush and rich. And soft and so nice to the touch. Sort of like petting a kitty. Plus the foam is wonderful and makes for a super comfy ride.

Another great thing about the AMC II is the minimalist green packaging. I love working with environmentally responsible vendors.

New at SoBeBabies: Active Mom Structured Baby Carriers!!!

2008-02-14T00:29:00.004-05:00

My order is nearly ready to ship to me. I can't wait to see how the silk looks and feels. I had one of the testers with the Minky lining and I mostly just pet the fabric before even wanting to try putting in a baby. It was very cool to find out I wasn't the only one with that reaction to this baby carrier. I have to admit I've never reacted like that before or since but the Active Mom Structured Baby Carrier is so yummy, you'll see what I mean!

Beco Butterfly

2008-01-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

These just arrived! The newest innovation by Beco Baby Carriers! Everyone has been anticipating the Butterfly and it is going to live up to our expectations and even exceed them! Of course the fabrics are the beautiful Beco look that we have all come to know and love. And the details of this carrier are exquisite. The comfort is as good as or possibly even better than the Fourth Generation.

After watching the DVD, I was able to confidently play around with my Butterfly. Buy this baby carrier and you will never need anything else!

Like a frame backpack, you may load the baby into the baby carrier first. But unlike a frame backpack, there is no frame between you and your baby. When I started babywearing, frame backpacks were one of the baby carriers I tried. I found them bulky and uncomfortable. The Beco Butterfly has added the versatility of a frame backpack without the bulk and discomfort.

The newborn insert features narrower leg openings to accommodate a little one's shorter legs. There is another insert for older babies. These unique inserts allow for much safer loading and unloading and especially for much easier and safer back carries. Since the baby gets loaded into the carrier first, there is no need for hip scoots or Santa tosses and that scary moment of time when you can't see your baby and don't have a good grip. With the brilliant design of the Butterfly, you simply put your baby into the carrier and start putting the shoulder straps on first, then go ahead and secure the waist strap. This is the same way you would load a frame backpack.

These are sure to be a fast seller so grab yours now!

Babywearing Conference

2008-01-17T13:17:00.001-05:00

I am so excited! I was asked to teach at the 2008 2nd Babywearing Conference in Chicago! I was not planning on going. I did do a bronze sponsorship but that is all I was going to do. It will be so exciting to meet everyone in real life! I am a bit nervous about the travel. We are moving in a few weeks and when I agreed to do this, my husband said we'd all go. But in our new town, airfares are a lot more expensive and I am afraid I am going to wind up traveling with my youngest. That sounds tiring! Oh well. I've never been to Chicago. It'll be fun to see a new city!

I think I'm in love!

2008-01-15T16:30:00.000-05:00

I recently hired someone who is helping out with special projects and shipping.

It's so funny - people always ask, "Where did you meet her?"

The fact is, we've never met! Not yet, anyway, but we will in June at the Babywearing Conference. Until then, we are getting to know each other and learning things about each other.

Recycling, reusing, and avoiding waste is very important to me. So I sent her an email asking her to save all the packaging she got. I was in a bit of a panic, thinking she'd been throwing it out all this time. Some of the products do seem to come with an awful lot of it!

And do you know what she said? She's been using the paper that comes in the boxes to put on her daughter's playroom wall for "murals". And she already saves this kind of stuff.

Sigh!

It doesn't get any better than this!

I have my period and don't even know it!

2007-12-03T11:59:00.001-05:00

I have used a Diva Cup for over a year now. I love this thing. I wish I'd always known about it. It is so much better in every way than tampons, sponges and pads. I never buy any of those things any more. I feel very off the grid!

What is the Diva Cup?
It's a silicone cup that stops the blood from leaking. When it fills, you rinse and reinsert. There is also a rubber version, quite similar.

How do you use the Diva Cup?
Put the cup in in the morning. I am able to wear it all day without leakage. At night, I remove, rinse and reinsert. I can do this for my whole period. I can swim, exercise, go to the bathroom, whatever! There was a learning curve for me but it's been so worth it. Every once in a while I don't do it correctly so now I know to dance around a little to make sure it's in correctly.

Where to buy Diva Cup?
I'm not going to tell you! Just google it and find a place near you. It is around $40, which sounds like a lot of money but come on, you know you spend that on pads and tampons within a few months.

I think my favorite parts are that I never have to worry about changing pads/tampons in a public bathroom. That can be such a pain. And now that I am always with my kids, it's even better!

Just one more thing

2007-11-25T20:11:00.001-05:00

So I thought I was done but then I tried my website in Opera and it would not give me the lock. Picky, picky. After some serious digging, I uncovered yet one last image that was not https and now Opera likes me! LA LA LA LA LA!

Online Security: SSL

2007-11-25T14:17:00.000-05:00

I consistently work on ensuring a safe shopping experience. I've come a long way in this regard. As far as I know, my website is very secure, but I am always open to hearing about any issues.

Like yesterday, a customer called and said she was not comfortable ordering because there was no lock on the browser. I had noticed this before but hadn't addressed it because, well, an entrepreneur always has a million things on her plate. But if it's costing sales, it suddenly becomes Issue Number One.

So after frantically researching this, it turns out that the issue was due to some images from external websites that were not being addressed by the full secure pathnames. If a website is set up for SSL, you can get to the same place by using either the http:// pathname or the https:// pathname. Some external images were not being accessed by the secure pathname, even though the script was created by the vendor. Their bad!

I've kludged my way through and put in proper secure pathnames to all external images and now the lock shows up. But not on all browsers. So read the article for more ideas to ensure you are buying from a secure website before sharing your credit card information.

Please note that my site was secure all along. Now it's just able to show that it is secure.

Proud Sponsor of the Babywearing Conference 2008

2007-11-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce that SoBeBabies is a Proud Sponsor of the 2008 Babywearing Conference. I've also been asked to speak about Structured Baby Carriers!

Demo & Used Baby Carriers 50%-99% off Sale!

2007-11-18T23:53:00.000-05:00

So what was I taking all those photos of? Go check out my online yardsale and see!

Behind the scenes

2007-11-18T15:32:00.001-05:00

Sometimes people get the impression that SoBeBabies is a large corporation or at least a staffed small business. Nope. It's still a one-woman show.

Today, in trying to get at my actual inventory, not just the overflow, I decided to tackle a much-needed project and clear out some extra stuff. I'm in the process of listing amazing deals in my online yard sale. Here's a peek at some of what's involved in that.

See that strange contraption? It's a small light box I picked up on eBay. I am somewhat in love with it. It all comes in its own bag which folds up like a large briefcase with a handle. It comes with that small tripod - the camera isn't on it because I needed to take a photo of the whole setup - and it includes two super nifty lights that fold down into nothing and fit in outside pockets.

I have found that the lights don't throw anywhere near enough light so I just use it outside on my balcony and harness the power of the Florida sun. I still need to do a fair bit of work on the images after the fact. The background still must be extracted and the images properly cropped and sized. All in all, it takes a good 5-10 minutes of work per image to get it listed, sometimes more. And this is after getting the hang of this process; it used to take 30 minutes or more.

So that's a sneak peek behind the scenes!

P.S. Some of the photo editing was done with a toddler on my lap. Once she finally drifted off for her nap, I popped her into bed and carefully sneaked away. I had to hit the floor once because her eyes popped open. Then I tiptoed ever so quietly away and hopefully I can now finish up listing my yard sale!

ScootaBaby Hip Baby Carrier

2007-11-17T14:17:00.000-05:00

We are fully stocked on the Scootababy Baby Carrier and it is being very well received.

So what's so wonderful about the Scootababy?

Easy of Use
The Scootababy is so simple to use. It comes with instructions but really, you just put it on and pop your baby in. It's totally intuitive. And you can wear your baby front or back safely on the very first try without someone to help you! It is also easy to switch sides; no need to rethread or struggle with buckles behind you.

Comfortable Hip Carrier
There are plenty of hip carriers out there but none of them accomplishes the two important things that the Scootababy does. First, the Scootababy supports the baby's weight mainly on your hips with the wide, padded strap. And second, the shoulder design on the Scootababy means that the strap spreads the weight out well and doesn't ride up your neck.

Baby Can See!
You baby can easily see to the front or the back since he or she is sitting on your hip. Baby is happy! You are happy!

Oilily shoes

2007-11-17T14:03:00.000-05:00

I got hooked into Oilily when my first daughter was around two. A crazy friend of mine had been dragging me to their seasonal sales and I was overwhelmed and couldn't get into it at first. But over time, seeing her daughter appear in such cute outfits, I started to make the effort to overcome my fear of the price tags and dressed my daughter in The Most Fun Clothing Ever!

Over the years, I got more into boutique clothing and I am always just that much happier when my girls have on something super cute.

We got a huge shipment of Oilily Girl's Shoes in a few weeks ago. Nearly all the photos and descriptions are uploaded. My older daughter nabbed a pair of blue sneakers. They are very retro and she adores them. All the moms notice them when we're out and about. I know they probably think I'm nuts, dressing my girls in Oilily but I don't care. I can admit it. I am that shallow and I still love my girls naked but I happily admit I really love seeing Oilily on them. Truth be told, most of us are shallow in that way but it's somehow not okay to admit it. It gets whispered to me over the phone often enough that I am going to boldly declare it.

I care what my girls wear!

So come on over and check out some Oilily Shoes! And subscribe to the SoBeBabies Newsletter. Those on it just saw an Oilily coupon. Lots of holiday sales are being announced every day!

Just for fun

2007-11-17T13:59:00.000-05:00

We went camping a few weeks ago in Key Largo. We went with four other families who also homeschool their kids. It was so relaxing. The kids played together all day and well into the evening and were thrilled to wake up and see each other first thing in the morning. What a treat!

I haven't paddled in years. I used to be an avid whitewater C1 paddler. A kayak on flatwater isn't the same but it sure was fun!

When it was time to pack up, my three year old was not happy to see the tent disappear. She wanted to always sleep in there!

The Ergo Lady

2007-10-31T01:09:00.003-04:00

Many people know one of my first huge babywearing loves was the Ergo. Most people probably don't realize that I created a whole website devoted to The Ergo Baby Carrier!

This website is chock full of information on how to use the Ergo but it was badly in need of a facelift. I had been hard at work on this for ages but my computer crashed badly and I lost a lot of data. Recovery has been a slow, ongoing process.

Today I unveiled the new look for The Ergo Lady. Stay tuned for more updates over the coming months.

I'm going to see Hathor at the LLL Conference!

2007-10-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

I am so stoked! I am going to see Hathor speak at the LLL Conference on Friday! I've been looking forward to this for months and months! This is the coolest thing ever!

Donated a Baby Carrier

2007-10-08T19:02:00.000-04:00

I was reading Stephanie's Adventures in Babywearing Blog, and she mentioned Jodie, an amazing mama who is adopting a premature baby. I offered them a gift certificate along with some suggestions on a baby carrier that might work for such a tiny baby and I am happy to say she has taken me up on it.

I love that more and more adoptive parents are using babywearing as a means to help the bonding process. This little baby will need all the loving he can get after this rough start and I know he couldn't be going to a more wonderful family. I wish them the best of luck!

Woman Owned Business: The Goddess Store

2007-10-07T21:47:00.000-04:00

The Goddess Store is owned by a fascinating mama called Goddess Carmen. She's got two adult children and loves to dance. And her store has always intrigued me. I've found some very interesting treasures there.

I was totally thrilled when she agreed to host the monthly babywearing meetings in her dance studio. I had been looking for a new location for a few months and hadn't found anything that worked for people. The Goddess Store has generously hosted the meetings for over a year. Going forward, we will have a new location.

Carmen also hosts other events such as poetry readings. I went to one and found it, um, illuminating! The Goddess Store participates in the Art Walk, where people enjoy wine and cheese as they wander from store to store in Downtown Hollywood.

Woman Owned Business: Delicious Organics

2007-10-06T21:47:00.000-04:00

When my first child was born, I had discovered how wonderful it was to have groceries delivered to get through the rough patch of recovering from birth and getting used to no longer having hands. And since my little one was so high needs and couldn't just happily sit in a shopping cart, I enjoyed grocery delivery for almost a year. But I grew tired of the lack of organic items and went back to shopping.

I've been shopping at Delicious Organics since I was pregnant with my second child. I felt silly at first but I was very exhausted and this service really helped out a lot. I told myself after a time that it was frivolous to continue to have groceries delivered when I could perfectly well shop myself, but the fact is, here I am three years later, still getting practically all my groceries delivered. I feel very lucky that I can have the highest quality organics brought right into my kitchen. Getting through a shopping trip with my kids in tow totally stresses me out. Getting everything in from the car is exhausting.

Annie and Jack started this business out of their house. Then they mortgaged their house in order to grow the business. I was so impressed watching them start with so few offerings. Every week, I'd ask about such and such a product and Annie would add in everything I wanted, keeping it if it did well. She still continues to answer emails within minutes, seven days a week, practically 24 hours a day. The website now is so robust and I know exciting changes are coming.

Through all this, Annie seemed to breeze through a pregnancy, birth, and raising a toddler. Annie and Jack work with their kids underfoot when necessary. They went from a tiny staff to a huge staff and from their kitchen to one small warehouse to what they have now - a few adjoining warehouses.

I wish them continued success with their business. I love that they intermingle their life and raising the kids with their values of bringing the highest quality organic food to this area.

Woman Owned Business: Yogarosa

2007-10-05T21:46:00.000-04:00

I learned of the Yoga Rosa studio indirectly through a local mom who does prenatal yoga. I might blog about her at another time but right now, I want to talk about Rosa.

Rosa may look friendly and approachable, and the truth is she is all that and more. But I am also learning that she's a savvy business woman who helps other local business women to network. This really touched me deeply as I think it's so critical for women to help each other out. And most women who are also moms can get quite isolated so having support of other women is very, well, supportive!

My daughter has been taking kid's yoga with Rosa for a few months and I am so pleased with the quality of the classes. I've paid for a lot of classes over the years and have gotten quite picky so I know what I'm talking about when I say these classes are excellent.

My daughter is doing yoga. Real yoga. She is not being disciplined or entertained. And she is enjoying the process. That's really all you could ask for.

The classes I took at the studio were impressive. I showed up once with a very bad cold, and couldn't do much because of my coughing. The instructor had me do a few things for that and soon I was breathing freely. This was such a gift after days of struggling for air.

I love the light, open, airy studio with windows on two sides. I also am very intrigued by all the props. At first, I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of using so much "stuff" to do yoga, but I am really getting how helpful it all is. My daughter is loving hanging upside down on the wall. It's her absolute favorite part of the class.

We'll attend classes at YogaRosa as long as we are in the area!

Kid's Slings

2007-10-05T16:34:00.000-04:00

What a great day! All three styles of kid's baby carriers arrived in the mail today and my girls couldn't be happier! I can't wait to get some photos of my girls with their dolls.

First of all, we got the Beco Toy. This fits both my girls very well. At first, I wasn't sure how to do a front carry and manage to keep the shoulder straps on. Then I crossed the straps and it was quite simple. We all love the gorgeous purple colors. There are actually a few different prints. I can't wait to get them listed. The back carry is very easy with straps not crossed.

Next, they tried the EllaRoo Children's Mei Tai. My older daughter knew exactly how to use it. I was very proud! Like a real mei tai, this is suitable for front and back carries, and I'll be teaching my girls a hip carry as well. It's so pretty!

The third kid's sling is an actual sling. My daughter found this the easiest to use and currently this is her favorite. She's got her dollie in there right now, sleeping peacefully!

Woman Owned Business: Synergize Weight Loss

2007-10-04T21:10:00.000-04:00

I just heard about this place recently and was enjoying the helpful emails Shondelle, the owner sends. And then she sent one with a free offer for three semi-private trainings.

Now, I've worked out a lot in my life. I think I know a thing or two about fitness. But the fact of the matter is that since becoming a mom eight years ago, I have made a few aborted come backs, and slimmed way down after both kids, but I've really not been fit for all that long. I'm at my highest weight ever.

I wasn't sure what to make of trainings from a weight loss center.

I also wasn't sure to make of semi-private trainings. I had a personal trainer once and was considering body building at one point. I was training for the Whitewater Open Boat National Championships. I couldn't quite picture how you'd train four people at once.

As it turns out, this couldn't have been better. It was just the kick in the pants I needed.

I work a lot. I've turned out to be a bit of a workaholic. I value the seriousness in myself but the sedentary nature of what I do is taking its toll on my health.

The camaraderie of working out with a few other women really does help. It's not like we're standing around chit-chatting or anything. But just seeing them doing their best and being serious and focused was right on.

The workout is deceptively simple. I have done interval training in the past but the thing is, I was super fit when I did that. Self-motivation has become more difficult for me. I was a member of a local gym for two years and was just plain bored there. This was just better.

The trainer had us rotate through stations, spending around 45 seconds at each station. The maneuvers were ordinary enough but doing them for 45 seconds is challenging. By the end of each circuit, each of us has faced our own individual limitations. There was also some aerobic interval training. The entire workout is an hour.

After just one workout, I felt back in it! That hasn't happened for me for years and years! I felt like I was really doing it again. Tonight I just did my second workout and I am feeling so grateful. I really want to keep momentum this time. I think this is going to do the trick.

Local Woman Owned Businesses

2007-10-04T21:07:00.001-04:00

There are so many absolutely wonderful businesses in my area. These are businesses with amazing women at the helm. Businesses I want to support because of what they have to offer and who I interact with. Businesses I am so grateful exist and that I want to support so they continue to exist.

So I am going to do a series highlighting some of these businesses so you can see what I am lucky enough to see.

Just for fun

2007-09-25T22:04:00.000-04:00

An actual conversation today with a customer who was really fun to chat with:

-Hello! This is SoBeBabies.
-Hi! I was talking to you earlier. About that carrier I asked you about before - did you say the waist band had a stain?
-No, I didn't say anything about a stain. There is no stain.
-(Laughing) I didn't say stain!
-Oh sorry. I picked up the call on my cell phone. What did you say?
-I asked if the waist bands were the same.
-(Kidding now) What's that? Are they in Spain?
-No no! I said, 'Are you insane?'
-No. But thank you for asking!

SoBeBabies

Silk Do'Rags for Babies, Kids and Adults! On Sale While Supplies Last

Posh by Tori Diaper Bag on sale until the end of the month!

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Babywearing is in Danger! Please join the BCIA

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EasyWalker QTRO SALE!!!!!

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Beco Butterfly Return

Beco Butterfly II

Open Package

$150.00 $105.00Save: 30% off

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Easy Walker Stroller

with Carrycot

Starting at: $668.00 $548.00Save: 18% off

Special sale while supplies last on the Easy Walker Stroller with Carrycot!

Bootleg Ergo Baby Carriers!

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New Pink Baby Carriers!

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2 Red Hens Bag 40% off

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SoBeBabies Gift Registry!

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Great deals on Karma Baby Pouches for a Great Cause!

Why I am Having Trouble Finding Your Order

Ergo Baby Carrier Sale!

Oilily Rockerfeller Center Skate Boots - last chance!!!!

Babywearing International's Vijay Owens Babywearing Advocacy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Promoting Babywearing

making labels - multiple labels to a sheet

I love Enflyer for email marketing

Haiku Bag Lineup

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Action Baby Carrier Sale

Beco Butterfly further reductions!

Action Baby Carrier Recall

Mean People are Mean!

Be BOLD!

Baby Safety Month - Carseat safety

Fay heading towards Gainesville - Possible shipping and communication delays

La Leche League again

Ergo Baby Carrier in Cranberry is Discontinued!

"That should keep you busy!"

Beco Butterfly Madness!!!!

Huggalugs Baby Leg Warmers!

New Improved Scootababy - Best Hip Carrier!

Beco Butterfly Sale!!! Still plenty left!

SoBeBabies is a Featured Store at The Mama Log!

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Beco Butterfly Sale!

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Would you like a "slouch"?

Babywearing Conference is over!

$150.00 $105.00
Save: 30% off

Starting at: $668.00 $548.00
Save: 18% off