There are probably many many lists on the best books to read to your little ones. Truthfully, you can’t go wrong when reading to your tiny baby. Simply read. Anything and everything. They don’t know what you are saying, tone and beautiful language exposure is the key at this age. High contrast pictures are great. As they grow, stories, words, pictures become more important. Still, just the act of reading is what will give your babies a love of books.

1. Awake to Nap by Nikkie McClure is a great book for the high concept pictures. Amazing art that your little one can appreciate!
2. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. is a classic. Illustrated by Eric Carle, you can’t go wrong with these animals. Fun for older babies learning colors.
3. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is another classic. This is a personal favorite of mine for bedtime and often seek it out, even though I have it memorized.
4. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney demonstrates the immeasurable love of a parent for a child and yes, you will get more out of this one than your child will.
5. Harold and the Purple Crayon Crockett Johnson is a celebration of a child’s imagination, and isn’t that what we want books to inspire? Harold and his purple crayon take us on quite an adventure and back to the safety and comfort of his own room.
6. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. is a must-have if you love the rhythm and familiarity of other works by Mr. Martin. This one celebrates wild animals and their need to be free.
7. Peek-a-Who? by Nina Laden is a fun book that even my older kids enjoy reading. Predictable enough for little ones to count on, but with a fun surprise at the end. And what baby doesn’t love looking at their own cute face?
8. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a classic book for any age. Beautifully written and illustrated, the story can be as simplistic as a baby might need but as your child grows, her appreciation for the story will also grow.
9. Ten Tiny Tadpoles by Debbie Tarbett is just fun. Babies love the 3D tadpoles that engage their interest in the page, while older ones love the countdown to the surprise ending.
10. Your Own Photobook. Babies love looking at photos of themselves, their siblings, you! You can talk about the pictures, make up a story, let baby touch, explore, turn the pages, engage them in language.

Tell us what your, and your baby’s, favorite books are…. and keep reading!

This is an amazing Monday Madness special. We are offering a 50% discount off of our $50 gift certificate. Keep for yourself or give to a friend so she can choose something perfect for herself or for baby. This is an amazing deal that you may not see again, so take advantage today!

Our e-certificates are available to send immediately via e-mail. Please insert the e-mail address of recipient in “Special Instructions” box during checkout.

Paper certificates are available to send within 1 business day via USPS at no additional cost. Paper gift certificates can also be added to any gift basket.

What would you buy with your gift certificate? Need to send a hint? Make sure you direct friends and family to this blog post so you can be sure to get the gift you want- safe, sustainable, and eco-friendly.

Women hold up half the sky according to a Chinese proverb, and I might venture they may even more than that. August 26 is Women’s Equality Day. It was first established in 1971 by Rep. Bella Abzug to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment. Women got the right to vote 89 years ago today. Every year our president issues a proclamation for our country that “renews its commitment to freedom and justice for all our citizens.” Is it just words?

Look at some numbers from around the world (most from the Women’s Learning Partnership):

• Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury and death for women worldwide.
• Only 1 in 100 battered women in the U.S. reports the abuse she suffers. Every nine seconds, a woman is battered by her domestic partner.
• Everyday, 6000 girls are genitally mutilated.
• Every year in India, 5000 brides are murdered or commit suicide because their marriage dowries are considered inadequate.
• In Russia, half of all murder victims are women killed by their male partners.
• In South Africa, a woman is raped every 80 seconds.
• In the U.S., one in five women will be victims of rape in her lifetime. A woman is raped every 3 minutes.

• Two-thirds of the world’s children who receive less than four years of education are girls.
• 600,000 women — one every minute — die each year from pregnancy-related causes. Most of these deaths are preventable.
• In the Global South, women traditionally eat last and least. They do not get more to eat even during pregnancy and nursing.

• 90% of the rural female labor force are called “housewives” and excluded from the formal definition of economic activity.
• Where women do the same work as men, they are paid 30 to 40 percent less than men.
• There is no country in the world where women’s wages are equal to those of men.
• Women produce nearly 80% of the food on the planet, but receive less than 10% of agricultural assistance.
• Women own about 1% of the world’s assets.

• Out of over 180 countries, only 13 have elected women heads of state or government.
• In the developing countries of Mozambique, Vietnam, and Namibia, 34.8%, 27.3%, and 26.9%, respectively, of seats in the lower house of parliament are held by women.
• On the other hand, in the developed nations of USA, France, and Japan, 16.3%, 12.2%, and 9.4%, respectively, of seats in the lower house of parliament are held by women.

• Between 60 million and 107 million women are “missing” from this world. In countries where women are severely devalued, they vanish.
• Investing in women and girls might have the highest return on investment in the developing world.

If you would like to do something check out this list of some amazing organizations. I am sure you will be able to find one that inspires you and your family. I know I have some more reading to do.

For some photos with your words, visit the multimedia, A Powerful Truth, or the article “Saving The World’s Women” from the NY Times. Indeed powerful.

We get it. It can be hard to buy everything organic and/or local. Especially once you have kids. There are some foods that are more important than others, though. Those that are more likely to have high amounts of pesticides and multiple pesticides.

Babies’ and children’s exposure to pesticides is so much more harmful because of their small size and lessened ability to metabolize toxic chemicals out of the body. And since they are still developing and their systems so sensitive, pesticides can cause permanent damage to their still developing brains, nervous systems, endocrine (hormone) systems, and reproductive systems. Pregnant women need to be careful as well in what they consume to protect their little ones and themselves.

If you buy certified organic or Integrated Pest Management (IPM) you know that you are making a positive impact on the environment by not exposing soil, water, and wildlife to pesticides and you know that you aren’t exposing your family to those same toxic chemicals. Local Farmer’s Markets are a wonderful place to find local, organic, or IPM produce and you can really learn where your food is coming from.

Top Ten Fruits & Veggies to Buy Organic:

1. Peaches
2. Apples (including applesauce)
3. Nectarines
4. Strawberries
5. Cherries
6. Pears
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Celery
9. Grapes
10. Leafy Greens- including Spinach, Kale, Lettuce

We love every single one of Earth Mama Angel Baby’s products, but this the Angel Baby Organic Bottom Balm has to be one of our most favorites. We have used it on everything from bottoms to eczema to scrapes and scratches with amazing results. We love that it is the safest, most effective diaper balm on the market. No nasty chemicals on baby’s bottom. We have heard from many mamas that it’s safe for cloth diapers making it even better! Even if you think you have tried everything to clear up a stubborn diaper rash, you have to try this. And today you can at 50% off!

Helps heal existing diaper rash and protects against flare ups, but also soothes itchy cradle cap, bug bites, scrapes, chicken pox, minor rashes, burns and, yes, more scrapes. Angel Baby Organic Bottom Balm is vegan and the only balm made with organic olive oil infused with a proprietary blend of organic herbs, shea butter and naturally antibacterial and antifungal essential oils.

It’s hot here today and I love this summer weather, but a part of me is also still looking forward to fall. I love when the leaves change and the air has a crispness. I love being able to wear sweaters and put cute hats on the baby. I love apples and pumpkins and baking. School will be a big part of this fall in our family as the oldest goes off to kindergarten. What a change it will be… but for now it’s still summer!

Ok, so really you don’t even need everything on this list, but these items will make life much more comfortable with an infant.

1. Diaper Bag- I remember when I was pregnant with my first son, my husband did not think we needed a diaper bag. Of course we don’t want to spend needlessly, but it soon became apparent to me that a diaper bag is much more convenient than using a plain backpack and I didn’t worry so much about the inevitable messes. Choose eco-friendly fabrics like Trista Baby’s organic hemp canvas bags.
2. Changing Pad- If you are ever going to be changing diapers in public, you are going to need a changing pad. Most diaper bags come with one, but if yours doesn’t or you decide to go with an unconventional bag, then this is an important essential. Again look for eco-friendly materials and be sure to avoid anything containing Microban, which is an antibacterial pesticide that can be harmful to your baby’s health.
3. Diapers- An obvious choice. Your choice of diapers is anything but obvious though. There are cloth, disposable, and the hybrid gdiapers. I have looked at all of the information comparing them all and I believe that cloth is the most environmentally and financially sound. Natural fibers are always a great choice to put next to baby’s skin and in the long run are vastly cheaper than disposable.
4. Wetbag- If you are going to use cloth diapers, then you are going to need a place to put the dirty ones! Even if you use disposable diapers, a wetbag can be useful. Sometimes garbage cans are not available or you need a place for clothing soiled by diaper blowouts or spit-up covered burp cloths.
5. Wipes- Choosing something that is going to be touching baby’s delicate skin so often during the day, or night, is not always as easy as it might seem. It’s hard to believe that baby wipes might contain potentially harmful chemicals, but many brands often do. You can check the score of over 100 different baby wipes at EWG’s Cosemtic Database. One of the easiest, safe disposable brands to find is Seventh Generation. You can also make your own, but many people find it easier to use cloth wipes at home and disposable in the diaper bag.
6. Diaper Ointment- Angel Baby Bottom Balm is by far our favorite diaper ointment for baby. We have heard from many mamas that Angel Baby Bottom Balm is safe for cloth diapers and it is safe for baby too. I have used it for diaper rash, eczema, and even scrapes and cuts.
7. Burp Cloths- I can’t tell you how many times I forgot my burp cloth and had to walk around the store or doctor’s office with spit-up all over my clothes. Baby girl was a spitter and I never seemed to learn my lesson. Besides the obvious, a good burp cloth can be great for so many things: boogie noses, wiping sand from eyes, drying wet hands or wet bench, protecting baby’s skin from hot car seat straps, and more I am sure you will discover.
8. Extra change of clothes, at minimum a bodysuit in warm weather and a sleeper and hat in colder weather Organic and natural fibers are best for baby. Consider what you want touching your baby’s soft skin day in and day out.
9. Baby Carrier- Yes, you can fit one in a diaper bag! There are pouch slings which are easy to use and great for newborns, ring slings which are great for all ages with a little practice, mei tais which distributes the weight onto both shoulders making it very comfortable, and wraps which can be tricky but rewarding. Again, natural fibers touching baby’s skin is going to be ideal.
10. Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover or Blanket- Helpful for new mamas that may not be comfortable nursing in public without a cover of some sort, for babies that need it a little darker with fewer distractions, to protect baby from sun when in the carrier or stroller, or to lay baby down at the park. Both Bebe au Laits and blankets come in handy in so many situations.

What are your diaper bag essentials? Do you have any great tips to make greener choices?

One of our favorite mamas is scheduled for her third c-section today, so in honor of her and her baby boy, we are featuring Earth Mama Angel Baby’s C-Mama Healing Salve for today’s Monday Madness!

Earth Mama Angel Baby’s products are all wonderful, vegan, and safe, but nothing helps a mama recovering from a c-section heal faster than the C-Mama Salve. Not only is it great for healing c-section scars, but it is amazing for all sorts of skin ailments. I highly recommend it for any woman recovering from surgery.

Specially formulated with 100% natural ingredients rich in Vitamin C, essential fatty acids and amino acids — all nutrients necessary for proper cell regeneration and wound repair. Created especially for cesarean section and other surgical wounds, old c-section scars and stretch marks, and inflamed rashes and burns.

Sending easy labor and healing vibes to all the mamas-to-be out there!

Outright funny, tongue-in-cheek, or plain old useful, enjoy our new feature for Tuesdays: Tuesday Top Ten!

Thought we would start this Tuesday off light.

1. Smile. Simple, but true. Babies love to see their mama (or dada) smiling at them.
2. Silly faces, especially if you shake your head, are sure to bring on the giggles.
3. Peekaboo. Surprise your baby with a little “boo” from behind or around another object.
4. Raspberries on bellies and nibbling necks, fingers, or toes may bring on the sometimes elusive belly laugh. Warning, this one can be addictive.
5. Singing and dancing. Either making a fool of yourself for baby or with baby is great fun for her, plus you can sneak in some calorie burning moves while you’re at it.
6. Pretend to sneeze. A favorite of photographers everywhere.
7. Tickling. Always a crowd pleaser. Just be careful to know when baby has had enough because you will never get enough of squeezing those chubby little baby thighs!
8. Chasing. For older babies this is a great game. Not so great if it’s because you are in a non-babyproofed environment and have to chase her, but you’ll still get the giggles when you catch and snuggle her.
10. Big brothers and sisters. These are probably the funniest people in your baby’s life if he is lucky enough to have them. For those first-borns and onlies, any older child will do, especially if your baby knows them well.