Tailored Tadpole Blog

To My Valentine...

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Happy Valentines Day, "P." I love you.

Love Sonnet LXXXIX

by Pablo Neruda

When I die, I want your hands on my eyes:

I want the light and the wheat of your beloved hands

to pass their freshness over me once more:

I want to feel the softness that changed my destiny.

I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep.

I want your ears still to hear the wind, I want you

to sniff the sea’s aroma that we loved together,

to continue to walk on the sand we walk on.

I want what I love to continue to live,

and you whom I love and sang above everything else

to continue to flourish, full-flowered:

so that you can reach everything my love directs you to,

so that my shadow can travel along in your hair,

so that everything can learn the reason for my song.

Happy Birthday to me...kind of...

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Yesterday was my birthday, and a beautiful day for the beginning of February. I am usually sick on my birthday, so I woke with cautious optimism that this year would be different. Well, I wasn't disappointed. It was definitely different. Here's the rundown:

*) Wake to hugs and snuggles from the kids and Papi--"Happy birthday, Mama. Can we have some birthday cake?"

*) Change Soren's diaper. He won't be still, I get green poo all over my leg and clothes.

*) Take shower and start over.

*) Feed Soren and Marina breakfast. Cereal for her, fresh oranges and blackberries for him--tons of them. All is well. Cool.

*) Decide to go to Nauticus museum for awhile, then have picnic and take Rocco the dog.

*) Pack picnic, dress kids, having fun. Load kids in carseats and Rocco in the back.

*) Start to drive away. Soren's breakfast revisits us. All over the carseat, his clothes, his hair, his toys.

*) Soren gets a bath. We try leaving again. I think it was a mistake to give him citrus, and then milk. Lesson learned.

*) Scratch museum idea. Better just go to the park. Pick up carrot cake. Feed Soren applesauce.

*) Applesauce revisits, all over carseat and clothing and toys. I start to worry. Use last spare outfit.

*) Wonderful time at the park with invited family. Kids play, fly paper airplanes, adults play cards and soccer. Lie in the sun's warmth on a blanket. All is well. Sigh of relief.

*) Soren continues to be happy and does not appear sick in any way except the vomiting. We come home and I feed him. He covers me in vomit. At least the park was fun.

*) Begin to research causes of vomiting. Remember that he pulled some craft beads from a box this morning and spread them all over the floor before I found him. Maybe he swallowed some?

*) Call emergency nurse line. She tells me to take him to the ER immideately. May have beads stuck somewhere. Drag Marina out of the tub and rush to ER. I would rather be sick myself. My poor baby!

*) Spend next 5 hours in ER. I am told not to feed Soren anything. He is starving and screaming. Marina is restless. Papi thinks I am crazy for dragging them all here.

*) Staff is wonderful and caring. I see many people with children much sicker than mine, parent's faces riddled with worry. Infants screaming and teenagers in pain.

*) Soren is OK. They do x-rays and find nothing. He drinks pedialite and then eats crackers and keeps it all down. I hug my babies tight and smile at my husband. This birthday was not so bad. I shared it with those I love most, we are safe and happy and healthy (for the most part) and life is good. I have nothing to complain about. I've lived to see another year and I have a good feeling it's going to be the best yet!

Vote for Tailored Tadpole

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:46:00 +0000

Support Tailored Tadpole in the 2009 StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition

Posted using ShareThis

Betta Fish Blues--Help!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Marina was given our betta fish, Felix, for Christmas by her Ghee & Papa. She loves him and takes comfort that he "sleeps" in her room with her at night. I just found that he is ill and has a large hole in the side of his head! The picture is terrible, but you can make out the white spot on the side of his face. He is the only living thing in his tank, besides a water lily sprouting. We feed him flakes and dried worms, what is commonly recommended for bettas. Does anyone have any advice on what to do with this little guy? Marina will be heartbroken if he doesn't make it. This is our first attempt at fish, so any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

Adopting Rocco

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 19:31:00 +0000

We have a new family member! We welcomed Rocco [he was already named and Marina insists in keeping it as such] into our family on Thursday after adopting him from a local animal shelter. The search for the right dog for our family's two small kids was long and grueling. I have never seen so many sweet, sad-eyed dogs in need of love. The overcrowded, desperately needy city shelters were so vastly different from the privately funded SPCAs and similar organizations with their ample space, clean cages, and attentive staff. These people have the patience of saints and hearts of gold. I wanted to take them all home and found it difficult to choose. Then I saw Rocco. I almost passed him by because he has no features that jump out at you and he almost escaped my notice. But finally,his gentle eyes and wagging tail caught my eye and I was in love! He is fantastic with the kids and they adore him.
His first night in his new home, we figured out he had something wrong with his ears. They told us at the shelter that he had fly bites from being tied outside in the summer. It turned out to be a double ear infection! Poor thing was miserable. But, he is on the mend now.
We gave him his first bath in the tub this morning. He must not be a swimmer, because he definitely hated it. Oh well, he smells better at least.
We were so glad that he seemed calm and relaxed, no shoe chewing, jumping on the kids and the furniture, barking... But, after his bath, he seemed to have been renewed to puppy form and promptly found Soren's monster toy and promptly ripped both its eyes off! Some things just are too good to be true. That's ok, Roc, I forgive you for destroying my favorite toy. Uh, I mean, Soren's favorite toy. Grrr. :) Welcome to the zoo, Rocco!

Upcycled sweater turns Doll

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:42:00 +0000

I'm always on the lookout for unique toys for my kiddos. And, I have a weakness for anything with birdies on it. (Just look at my Paperbird collection.) That's not why I love these dolls though--it's just a bonus! They are absolutely fantastic! Made by Viola Studio out of New York, each one is unique and partly made of recycled materials.
Made from soft 100% wool pre-washed recycled sweaters and fabric. Other details include hand stitched features, eyes of suede, hair of fleece plus removable stockings and tangerine felt button shoes. Both come with a handmade felt card and a bag for giving.
These are adorable. I must have at least one! Check them out at Quiet Hour Toys.

My Interview with Chic Galleria Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Check out my interview with Chic Galleria Magazine's Beth Anderson. This is a great publication! (and not just because they interviewed me :)

13 month old does sleep study

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Hi, I am Soren Balderas. My mom has asked me to be the guest blogger today. I want to inform you of the results of my latest sleep study. In the event you find the information helpful, no need to thank me, I'm happy to help.
First, let me start by saying that if you have a choice, don't go for that "crib" stuff. What kind of treatment is that?! They sleep together, what makes them think we want to sleep alone? So if you happen to awake and find yourself in this unwelcome environment, my advice is that you make your opinion known as loudly as you can, to ensure a secure spot in the "real" bed.
Once you're there, you will discover that mom is usually more snugly than dad. Stick with her. No really, stick with her, like glue. Given a chance, she will probably try to position you somewhere in no-man's-land-middledom. Don't go for it. If you are not up next to her, you won't feel it when she tries to escape to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
The best way to keep your eye on her and still get some shuteye is to place your head directly on top of her's. My mom likes to sleep on her side, so this makes it easy to lie cheek to cheek. Try to lay your head down gently, but hey, accidents happen! If you fall asleep like this and drool starts to drip from your open mouth, don't worry about it. She was probably thirsty anyway.
In the event that this head sandwich style doesn't work for you, and immediately carry you to the land of sweet dreams, try repeatedly slapping mom's forehead with the palm of your hand.
As far as dad goes, try to ignore him while keeping him in his place. From the head sandwich position it is easy to lie horizontal in the bed, forming a wedge with your body between mom and dad. You want to prevent any kind of interaction that may result in ending up back in the crib!
Take it for what it's worth, guys, but it works for me! Now go get some zees!

Businesses like Tailored Tadpole in danger. Please read...

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:38:00 +0000

This comes from Elizabeth Barnes, of Hoobaleedoos. Please take a moment and read through it. You can vote from January 5th-15th on change.org

Elizabeth writes: "I just wanted to make you aware of some new legislation called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. It is already a law but goes into effect Feb. 10 2009 and was created because of the increase of items with lead coming into the country from China. In essence, this law requires that items for children under age 12 be submitted for lead and phthalate testing. Testing is extremely expensive ($100-$1000/item) and destroys the product being tested. Any items that are not tested as of Feb 10 2009 will be considered "hazardous" by the CSPC and will have to be destroyed. If a manufacturer is caught selling with out a certificate of testing, they can face around $100,000 in fines per item that was sold. While in theory a good law, the details are horrendous.

This legislation will KILL handmade baby and kids items. Under this legislation, each one of a kind item will have to be tested. Since all my items are one of a kind and special, they would each have to be subjected to expensive testing and then destroyed making it impossible for me to continue with Hoobaleedoos. This legislation, that was designed because of problems with imports from China, will leave consumers with no choice but to purchase import items from China. Huge manufacturers will be the ONLY ones that can afford this testing. This will eliminate the wonderful, unique and already safe goods that handmade offers.

This legislation will not only impact me as a manufacturer. This legislation will increase the costs of baby/kids goods that are already purchased by consumers. Large manufacturers will have to increase their costs due to the costs of testing. Many people in our country are hurting financially already and this will only increase their financial problems. The CSPIA will, also, impact charity donations. Items without certification of testing will not be allowed to be donated to ANY organization. This eliminates things like grannies donating knit caps to NICU units and donations of toys and clothes to the Salvation Army! After Feb 10 2009, I couldn't even donate my items to any charity organization. The CPSIA will, also, impact you! Any baby/kids items will have to be pulled from your shelves as of Feb 10th 2009, which has become known as NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY DAY. I don't know how much of your stock is for kids under age 12, but many small brick and mortar stores will have to close because they do so much business in baby/kids items.

I cannot emphasize enough how this legislation will negatively impact all of us and the need to fight for amendments to it.

If you would like to help fight the CSPIA as it is written now, please look over the links below. We have until Jan. 30th to get our voices heard! We are in dire need of your help!

Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might be able to help!

Youtube video that sums up this law very well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUlY6zOMPqQ&feature=related

Please take a moment to vote to help save us all from the CPSIA!!
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia
According to change.org:
"The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, and more than a dozen leading nonprofits after the Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy."

Sign the petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/

An easy way to write your Senator/Congressman about the CSPIA:

http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx

Make a statement or ask a question to the CSPC about the CSPIA
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx

60% off 2008 Ultimate Baby Blankets--Stock your gift closet!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:46:00 +0000

OK, so here's the deal. I have stock from the past two years I need to clear out of my studio. NO SPACE in here! So I am offering an amazing 60% off on these limited designs. You won't find any retailers carrying these designs, they are unique. The retail price of $50 will be cut to $20. I will combine shipping if you want to purchase more than one. Have these great shower gifts on hand for 2009. What's the catch? Because the stock is so varied and many are one of a kind, I cannot possibly photograph each one. So you send me an email at linde@tailoredtadpole.com and tell me the gender you wish them to be for. I choose the designs and you get to be surprised! I will invoice you for a paypal transaction or take a cc over the phone. Your choice. This is an amazing opportunity to fill your gift closet of your baby's closet!

Peanut Butter & Pickle Reviews-Tailored Tadpole Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:44:00 +0000

To register for a free Itty Bitty, check out little this giveaway! Good luck! Expires January 9th @ midnight. Hurry!

http://pbandpickles.blogspot.com/2009/01/tailored-tadpole.html

The Best New Years Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Happy New Year to everyone! Is it just me, or did 2008 fly by? Well, it was a very exciting year for my family and for Tailored Tadpole, and I hope it has been for you. I wish you all the best in 2009.
We took the "lay low" approach on New Years and stayed at home most of the day, just being together. I took the day off and we had a great time playing with the kids and cooking, reading books and watching movies. Marina (she'll be 4 in June)received doll house furniture from her Auntie K for Christmas and it was still lying in the box. She already had the Chalet Doll House from Plan Toys, but not many of the fun accessories.
So we got them out and had a blast together. I never had a dollhouse as a child, so this was super fun for me. I couldn't resist grabbing the camera and capturing some of the things she did. I used some of the scraps I keep around from my designs, and made blankets and throws, towels and tablecloths. I just cut the scraps with pinking shears and Marina issued the designated use with a triumphant, somewhat bossy tone. "This blue one is for the fiesta, mami." "I need another one for this deck chair, this grandma is tired." and then, "Mami, not there! It goes with this boy. The boy doesn't want pink!" When I went to dump the memory card on my camera, she did the first photo all by herself. "Look, they're having a fiesta!" My heart swelled.
So we carried on for hours. Papi went to sleep on her bed, Soren played with the bed's canopy and wrecked the furnishings whenever he saw the opportunity, occasionally hurling it across the room. It was a great time. I figure the new year is going to be a great one with a start like this. Cheers!
Plan Toys is a green company, making green, healthy toys in modern styles and fun colors. I absolutely LOVE their products. Check them out.

Finally...A plant I can't kill!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:23:00 +0000

I have to pat myself on the back--I have met the insurmountable challenge of keeping alive a houseplant for an entire year! The ZeeZee plant--no it's not a joke. I saw it in Home Depot last December and read the tag. It bragged about the plant loving neglect. Well this had to be the plant for me, so I took it home.
I kill everything green! Palm trees, corn plants, rubber trees, ficus trees, ferns, spider plants... You name it. If it's green and needs any care whatsoever, it will meet a quick end in my house. Even the paperwhite bulbs I was given to force for Christmas met an untimely demise just before they bloomed. They became top heavy and took a tumble in the middle of the night. Marina and I awoke to the massacre of tender roots, new buds, and water-stained wall from mantle to floor. It took a while for her to stop crying about her "flowies."
Anyway, my zeezee has not grown much over the course of 2008. But it survived a lengthy move into a new home, extensive travel, dark unwelcoming corners, and yes...much neglect. But hey, it has faithfully stayed green while every other plant I own (only purchased to stage the home we sold. I'm not completely foolish!) has left me in a haze of guilty resignation as I bid them farewell with a toss into the bushes where they will fulfill their destiny as fertilizer.
Here is a pic of the little fellow, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens. They state, "This plant is so easy it's almost a challenge to kill it." Well, thanks BHG, but I face enough challenges. Why work at something that just comes naturally?!

FYI--the zeezee plant is poisonous if ingested by kiddos or pets. So keep it out of reach.

Spring 2009 catalog online!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:01:00 +0000

Want to know what's coming for Spring 2009? Well, it's finally here! The catalog is online and can be viewed here. Look for these designs in boutiques starting this Spring. Or, if you can't wait, you can email regarding purchasing online. We love this collection and hope you will too!

Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:58:00 +0000

And the lucky winners are(drum roll)....
Kate, Jenny, Sarah, and Rebekah. That's right! Four winners! CONGRATULATIONS! Send me an email girls, with your address and the final size and style selection.
Thanks to all of you who commented on the posts and looked at the site! I would like to offer those of you who did not win, 20% off your tee order. Just email me with the details of the order. Happy Holidays!

Limited Edition Pillowcase Designs--SALE!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:04:00 +0000

On sale at $42 down from $66, these are some of our limited edition designs available for those special "grown-ups" in your life. See post below for details.

Holiday Shopping Made Easy--SALE! 35% off Ultimate Pillowcase

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:32:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I am tired of dragging 2 kids through the crowded stores checking off the Christmas gift list. I spend most of the time making sure Soren isn't pulling things off the shelves as we pass and saying "that's breakable!" to Marina.
So, I am offering you an easier way to complete your holiday shopping. Aunts, Uncles, Parents, friends, teens, college students, for anyone!**
The Ultimate Pillowcase is the perfect gift. They are machine wash and dry and so super soft, you have to touch it to believe it. Everyone needs one! My husband packs his before his clothes when we travel--(shh...don't tell him I told you). They are the ultimate luxury. Just for the holiday season, I am doing a few limited edition styles in more grown-up prints for your gift-giving ease. These are normally $66, but we are offering a one time special of $42! And, if you buy 3 or more, we'll take an extra 10% off! So just email us with the design you would like and we will send paypal invoice or call you to take a credit card by phone. It's that easy! Limited edition designs available are shown in above blog post. Don't forget to see link above for our standard selection also. Happy Shopping!

**It is not safe to give infants pillows, so check with your doctor to see what age is right for your babe to begin using a pillow.

Oops! Major Email Glitch

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:23:00 +0000

Disturbing news on the email front--I had a major glitch with the studio@tailoredtadpole.com email inbox and was not receiving emails for some time. It has been corrected now, but I may not have received your email. If you tried to contact me and your email bounced back, please resend. I am so sorry for this error and hope no inconvenience was caused to anyone but me. :0
This is what happens when technology out-smarts its user! I can always be contacted at lindebalderas@gmail.com also. Thank you!

When I grow up...

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:03:00 +0000

My 3-year-old daughter, Marina, has said for months that she wants to be an "animal doctor" when she grows up. She insists that she wants to make sick animals better by listening to their heartbeats. However, when I put her to bed tonight, she told me that she wants to be a man when she grows up. Shocked, I asked her why. "So I can cook, Mama."
Guess you know who does the cooking in my house!

And One to Grow On

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:27:00 +0000

My sweet baby Soren turned 1 yesterday. A bitter sweet day, I have to say. He is our last, so seeing him grow up is a bit sad...and yet thrilling. He is such a happy, loving, endearing babe, I feel so fortunate to be his mama. So, at one, he is crawling--the same funny crawl that his sister did. He loves balls, rough-housing, big kids, the grocery store cart, climbing stairs, books, his sister, sleeping swaddled, anything he can put in his mouth, bare feet, and saying "that." He doesn't love getting dressed, wearing hats, sleeping alone, or the car seat. He is the boy I always dreamed of, but 100 times better than I could have imagined. His Papi and I are sleep deprived, usually covered in food, up to our eyeballs in diapers, and usually embarrassed in restaurants, but...loving every minute of it!
Happy Birthday Sory! I love you!

photo by: Kristina Whitman

Thanksgiving Giveaway!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:30:00 +0000

Inspired by the mogul mom to give back in this Thanksgiving season, Tailored Tadpole is giving away (yeah, FREE!) three LONG-sleeve tee-shirts from our new collection!

1 Rock-It tee
1 LollyTree tee
1 Eli Elephant tee

You have a choice of sizes 6-12 month, 12-18 month, or size 2T. So what's the catch? All you have to do is comment on any blog post. Then tell us which design you would like and who you would give it to. If you post us on your blog, let us know and you will be entered twice! Good luck! Winners will be posted on December 8.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Twig--"Green without envy"

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:04:00 +0000

Or should I say, Green with Tailored Tadpole envy? You have to check out TWIG, a fabulous eco-conscious boutique in Chapel Hill, NC! They now are carrying Tailored Tadpole's Organic Lounge Sets (not even available on the website)! Twig is the only place you can currently find these fantastic green designs in NC, so hurry over! They offer a fun approach to a very carefully selected range of unique products for home, pets, garden, gift-giving, and local artsist work you may not find elsewhere. Tell them I sent you!

PeaceLoveMom tee GIVEAWAY!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:56:00 +0000

PeaceLoveMom is giving away one of their Grateful Mom grass green thermal tees(a $50 value)! See Boutiquecafe.com and post a comment, then tell what is your favorite thing about motherhood. These are fun, comfy designs for moms. Great gifts too! Have fun!

UrbanBaby New York--Doudou Project

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:40:00 +0000

This weekend, you can take your child and his/her favorite "lovey" to be photographed by Davina Zagury. Check out the details here. The event is sponsored by Pomme boutique in DUMBO, Brooklyn. One of NYC's finest boutiques, Pomme will host an exhibit of the photographs.
Anyone going to be close by that loves their Itty Bitty?

The Tailored Tadpole gets a Makeover!

noreply@blogger.com (Linde--Tailored Tadpole) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Yes, Tad has been complaining for some time now that he is outdated and needs a facelift, so out of the mercy of our hearts, we have pulled in the big dogs and treated him to a modern makeover. Check it out... You'll be seeing him around.