How to Wash Baby Clothes

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Before the baby clothes are worn, make sure that they have been washed. Though most new parents are aware of the fact that baby clothes ought to be washed before they are worn by baby, many do not heed the warning as well as they should. It may be unlikely for your baby to be seriously harmed by new, unwashed clothes, but there is a risk of skin irritation and allergy which will make baby feel uncomfortable and can easily be avoided. Babies can be sensitive to sizing, a finish that is put on new clothes in an attempt to keep them looking nice while in the store. These same clothes may also have been exposed to dirt, dust, bugs or rodents through the shipping process, and there is no way to tell what could be making contact with baby’s skin.
A special detergent is not required for baby clothes. Many companies have produced extra-gentle detergents that are targeted toward baby clothes, but those soaps are not necessary. If you are interested in eliminating any risk of skin allergies, you may want to use a dye-free, scent-free detergent, including Tide Free and All Free & Clear, but again, this is not a necessary step, especially if your baby does not appear to be bothered by clothes laundered in the detergent your family normally uses. For the sake of baby clothes, there is no real need to purchase a completely different soap.
It is important to always keep up with laundry for baby clothes, as babies tend to go through several outfits in a single day. The first option keeping a handle on the baby clothes laundry is to make sure that the baby has enough clothes that he or she will be able to change outfits several times a day, while still having enough clothing for several more days. If you have a smaller budget and a schedule that allows for more laundry loads during the week, you may opt to buy fewer outfits and simply have them washed more often throughout the week.
Many of the things that come in contact with baby’s clothing are difficult to remove, making it important to pre-treat stains if you're interested in removing them completely. Simply taking a little bit of extra time to work on the stains before putting them in the wash may seriously improve your success rate, and keep baby’s clothes looking like new for considerably longer. For clothing that has been allowed to sit for a while, it is worth trying a paste-type pre-treatment, as these treatments can sit on the fabric for up to a week, and will usually get the more stubborn stains out. A spray-on stain treatment or laundry additive should work just fine for most other, newer stains.
For stains that are not responding to the basic stain fighting treatments, a more aggressive approach is necessary. A paste made of Oxy-Clean and spray stain remover has been a popular concoction among many moms. The paste is added to the clothes, then the clothes are added to a mixture of boiling hot water and Oxy-Clean, along with Era detergent in order to pre-treat the stains, and Zout stain remover afterward.
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How to Throw a First Birthday Party-Party Ideas and Birthday Dresses

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Your baby’s first birthday is an unforgettable event that only happens once. There are a wide range of ideas on what a first birthday party should be, as a result. Some parents prefer family-only, quiet parties at home, with simple themes and only a handful of gifts. There are also parents who throw big carnival parties with clowns, popcorn machines and pony rides. There is no real need to be extreme in either direction. Go with what works for you and your family, instead of taking cues from neighbors, friends or columnists in baby magazines. Here are some things to consider while planning your own party:

• Many parents begin planning for a first birthday party when their child is around six months of age. This is because your life is already likely very hectic, and it will take a while to squeeze in all of the extra party preparations. There is no harm in beginning to plan early, you can slowly stockpile decorations, research cake ideas and pour over craft books so that when the big day draws near, you are as prepared as humanly possible.
• Consider inviting friends from your child’s playgroups, as well as friends of yours who have children around the same age, but if you are planning to have quite a few guests, do not require them to bring gifts.
• Both babies and toddlers are fascinated by bubbles, so consider renting or buying a bubble-blowing machine. This will provide entertainment for hours, with no need for expensive clowns or ponies. There are many options for entertainment for little ones, without resorting to high-priced rented-by-the-hour affairs that may actually end up terrifying the little ones sooner than amusing them. While the children are little, stick to quiet entertainment, like a movie geared toward their age group, bubbles, or a romp in the backyard. It honestly does not take very much to entertain small children, so you can save your expenses for when they’re older and want boy bands to entertain their party guests.
• Baking your own cake will save money, and further personalize the event for your little one.
• Many people, like my mom, insist that baby girls should be dressed to resemble a princess on their first birthday. This is by far not your only option. You can dress your little girl up in a variety of ways; like a princess, in any pretty dress, or in one of many outfits designed especially for birthday babies. Shop SophiasStyle.com for the picture perfect first birthday dress or outfit!

Lil’ Jellybean Girl’s Clothing - Trendy Playwear for Little Girls

Lil’ Jellybean is on the cutting edge of new fashion this fall for little girls! Whether you are looking for a cool baby gift or a unique (and may we mention affordable) outfit for a toddler or little girl, Lil’ Jellybean is sure to have exactly what you need.

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The Lil’ Jellybean leopard styles are, without a doubt, something to roar about! From denim jacket and pant sets, to fun dresses and jumpers, you can find styles to please any pallet.

Find more fun Lil’ Jellybean girl’s clothing at SophiasStyle.com!

Fun Playwear at Sophia’s Style Featuring Lil Jellybean and JB Kids!

Playgroups can be fun and what better way to enjoy them than in fashions by Lil Jellybean and JB Kids at Sophias Style Boutique childrens clothing store! These cute as a button outfits are perfect for playwear or back to school. Both Lil Jellybean and JB Kids offer styles that are unique, comfortable and just plain fun to wear! Find these and many other apparel lines at SophiasStyle.com where you can find unique kids clothes at discount prices!
Lil Jellybean has denim jacket and pant set that your little girl will look adorable wearing. The sweet kitty outfit is an adorable jean jacket and jeans set adorned with faux leopard fur! The pink top has a kitty applique. This set is sure to keep her warm this fall!

JB Kids is also in on the fun! Shop at Sophia’s Style and you will find just the unique children’s clothing that you want. Take a peek at JB Kids 'Born to Shop' top and pant set. This adorable outfit is shopping or school ready. It goes anywhere! The set features a fun layered look top with rhinestones 'Born to Shop' , and coordinating striped cotton pants. Your little girl will be setting trends and turning heads with this set from JB Kids, now at Sophias Style Boutique.
Shop at SophiasStyle.com for these and many other discount children’s clothing. Filled to the brim with unique baby clothes, kids’ clothes and tons of accessories, Sophia’s Style is your one stop shop for dressing your child in the fun and unique fashions of Lil Jellybean and JB Kids.

I Knew I Could!- Building Confidence in Kids

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There is a very old (and very bad) joke that goes something like this: Why did the first monkey fall out of the tree? It fainted. Why did the second monkey fall out of the tree? It was tied to the first. Why did the third monkey fall out of the tree? Peer pressure.

Not to compare kids to monkeys, but kids do the same things. If everyone is falling out of the tree, so to speak, so will they. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Children who are confident are more likely to stand up to peer pressure and more likely to be successful at it. Kids aren’t born with confidence, though; it takes work and nurturing from parents and caregivers. There are three things that you can give kids that will help them gain confidence and help them stay out of trouble.

Give them trust. I told my teenagers that I would trust them until they give me a reason not to trust them. I also set very clear boundaries and consequences if they were to violate my trust. This does not mean let them run wild with no direction, but it does mean give them the benefit of the doubt. If you don’t believe in them enough to feel that they will make sound decisions how can your expect them to believe in themselves?

Give them control. Give them control over some aspects of their lives. You can provide boundaries, but let them have some control. If your daughter wants to dress a certain way draw the line at belly shirts or skimpy skirts, but let her make some of her own rules. After all, what are they going to do when they get out of the house if you have always made their decisions for them? If they are comfortable making their own decisions because the have always had your support in doing it, they are more like to choose the way you taught them and showed them.

Give them love. I know that this is a given, but love them enough to let go. You can’t run their lives 24 hours a day and if you try you will not only wear yourself out, you will stunt their growth as they prepare to take on the world. Just let them know you love them and keep an open door communication at all times.

Kids will mess up from time to time, we all did. But if your child knows that he can come to you with anything and you won’t judge, but provide guidance and love, he will be more likely to make the right choices in his life. So, lay the groundwork, open the door and show them the path. Then let them make their way. Stay close and gently guide them back on track if they lose their way, but trust them, let them go and always, always love them.
Find adorable clothes for your little princess at SophiasStyle.

Tot to Teen – The Birthday Game - Gone in 60 Seconds (or at least it seems that way)

What I want to know is where in the heck was SophiasStyle when my daughter was little? At 16 and am impressive 5’9” in stature, she is long past the 12 month to 6X size range that they cater to, but, hey, a mom can dream, right? I recall her blond curls and picture her in the filmy pinks and milky whites of tulle and lace. Now its Green Day t-shirts, ratty flip flops and jeans. Oh, well, I had my day of playing dress-up! Kids grow up so fast, don’t they?

So, you want to know where to take advantage of this time when they love to have you dress them? Check out SophiasStyle. They have adorable outfits that won’t break the bank. Perfect for birthdays, especially first birthdays, these outfits will make your little lady look like the cutest fashion plate on the planet! They also offer accessories such as bows, shoes, socks and tights, everything you need to give your little one a pulled-together look.

As a mom I agonized over dressing my two boys and daughter “to the nines” without bankrupting my budget. It is tough to find kids’ clothes that are cute and inexpensive, yet wear well and are unique. Kids grow too fast to spend a fortune on high-dollar; fancy digs just to have them wear it twice before it no longer fits. Then again, discount stores have dozens of the same outfit so that half of the children in town are wearing the same get-up. Where’s the fun in that?

In my opinion, birthdays are the worst! A little girl’s birthday party is a very big deal. We all want our kids to look like picture-perfect little cherubs as they sit perched behind that enormous birthday cake. And we certainly don’t want them looking like every kid at the party! The perfect birthday outfit comes from SophiasStyle.com. They specialize in birthday dresses and outfits. You can find high-end quality at bargain basement prices. You can also have your little darling’s outfit personalized for just $8. Imagine a sweet little 1st birthday dress and birthday hat with pink marabou trim. How perfect for baby’s first birthday and those birthday photos that will be cherished forever. Someday, I promise, you will look back on those photos and wonder where the time went.

We are moms. We think our kids are the most special, amazing kids around, and they are, but we want to dress them that way too. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Enjoy it while you can because you will blink and your sweet little angelic child will be a real-live teenager – and he won’t need mommy to pick out his clothes any longer. But they will always need us, rest assured.

Unique Christmas Gifts – Finding the Perfect Gift Online

Christmas…already?? As the kids are heading back to school, and summer winds down, we begin to think about the approaching holidays. With visions of the family happily decorating the tree, baked goods galore and the perfect gifts, beautifully wrapped under the tree, I hope to somehow avoid the seemingly unavoidable panic that sets in as the season approaches. I just do NOT want to fight the bustling crowds at the mall again this year!

Just in the Nick of time, Marsha Collier’s new book, Santa Shops on eBay, has great tips and suggestions for unique online gifts for everyone on your list this year! Featuring online stores such as Sophias Style, you will find tried-and-true gift ideas that are sure to please.

For all the moms with ‘Princess’ daughters, the perfect gifts are right at your fingertips. From elegant Christmas dresses to handmade dance leotards, dresses and outfits, Sophias Style has everything she wants, right down to the tights, bows and shoes. To make her gift even more special, check out the personalized embroidery service. And don’t forget the personalized princess ballet door hanger, beautifully hand-painted just for her!

So, there is hope! Sit back, relax and shop from the comfort of your own home (or office chair) this year so you can enjoy the real magic of Christmas with your family, friends and holiday traditions.

Reading, ‘Riting, ‘Rithmetic - Starting School with SophiasStyle

Fall is in the air and that means that the kids are getting ready to go back to school! You want to dress them in style and SophiasStyle.com is the place to find kids clothes at discount prices! SophiasStyle.com has the cutest discount clothing for girls, babies and toddlers! With great fall styles and cool backpacks, SophiasStyle.com is where you want to go for your back to school kids clothes.

Fall girls’ styles feature names like Lipstik, Baby Baubles and Molly and Millie. All adorable and all school ready. Check out Romar’s pink ballet backpack. This satin textured backpack is school ready! It has little pink ballet slippers appliquéd on the front, a large front pouch and sturdy straps for carrying.
Baby Baubles has adorable new Western styles. The heather colored skirt and jacket are adorned with ponies and fringe. Perfect for your little cowgirl this fall.

Your little girl will look like a regular fashion plate in this poodle outfit by Mollie and Millie. Pink flannel top has poodles literally bounding all over it! This is a whole new, updated look for the poodle outfit of the ‘50s! This is fresh, this is hip, this is fashion! The matching pink gaucho pants offer bit of a scholarly look, but still are just impish enough to add fun and flair.
Find these and many other cute as a button back to school outfits at SophiasStyle.com. Also, don’t forget to check out the shoes, socks, hair accessories and baby jewelry, all at terrific discount prices. You can also find backpacks, purses and gloves, everything you need to get your child back to school in style. Only SophiasStyle.com can offer you high fashion for your little girl at discount prices.