Coquette Maman

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Spring is the time everything's in bloom and it's also a great time to teach kids about gardening. I love this Scholastic Root-Vue Farm ($23.69 on Amazon) that lets kids see how veggies are growing from the roots on up!

Here are more of my kids' gardening picks:

My Little Box of Gardening ($16.99 at Pottery Barn Kids)

Green Toys Indoor Gardening Kit ($12 at Pottery Barn Kids)

Veggie Tales 8993 Grow Your Own Veggie Garden Kit ($5.99 at Amazon)

Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Blossom Bright Tote Set ($12.19 at Amazon)

Toysmith Garden Tote With Tools - Toysmith 2284 ($20.95 at Amazon)

Baby Bathtub with Scale & Thermometer All in One

My daughter Chloe didn't last long in the baby bathtub since she was a big baby, but this Aqua Scale 3-in-1 Baby Bath Tub, Scale and Water Thermometer, Blue ($69 on Amazon) would have been so helpful the first six weeks as we were monitoring her baby weight to make sure she was taking in enough breast-milk. Lilsugar seems to think this could be too much for our generation of worrysome parents but the reality is otherwise. For some parents of newborns, having a scale is necessary such as for preemies or babies who may be having feeding-issues. I know of some parents who end up renting them for a month or two to save themselves time running back to Day One Center (a place in the Bay Area for parents/babies) or the pediatrician's office to weigh. I say whatever you can do to make the first few months easier for everyone – all the better.

The temperature display shows how warm the water is and also displays the baby's weight in pounds and ounces (or kilograms if you prefer).

One tip for baby bathing, I bought an extra four-sided changing pad to use on the floor. I would lay a towel over it so I could just carry my baby up and place her on the towel and get her dry quickly. I would place all her clothing and diaper next to the floor. It made bathtime a breeze and kept Chloe warm. I felt it was too drafty to change her back in her room.

The Kokeshi World: Yumi and Aoki

I have a major love affair with Japan from the food, technology, fashions, and all things kawaii (cute). Last summer, Chloe and I started a weekly ritual to our favorite Japanese restaurant to have udon and sushi. That was all she knew about Japan, until Yumi and Aoki arrived.

Yumi ($10.32) and Aoki ($10.32) by Annelore Parot (published by Chronicle Books) brings an imaginative glimpse into the world of the Kokeshi dolls. With sneak-peak flaps and super kawaii illustrations, each detail-filled page is a little discovery into this secret world. Chloe and I like to spend time on our favorite pages such as Yumi's sushi-filled page or Aoki's packed suitcase. If you wanted you could realistically spend so much time on each page just discussing every little detail. (Yes you can also still speed read through it if you have to at night too!) It's definitely fun for both of us.

We read these two books at least a few times a week. From them, I've discovered that Chloe has incorporated the Kokeshi world into her own play time. She brings her stuffed animals on the "train" to go to Tokyo to visit Yumi and Aoki. Then they go have sushi at the Japanese restaurant. She's already mentioned to me that she wants to make her own little Kokeshi dolls. Not all of the books we read together open up her imagination like these, so it's extra special to me that she has connected with the Kokeshi's so much.

The author Annelore Parot is a French illustrator living in France. Personally I have always loved that French-Japan connection with how each culture illustrates and interprets the other. I love to collect little Japanese craft/style books that showcase Paris or French country kind of projects. You can also join her site, Club Kokeshi (in French).

Speaking of Japan, for the hipster baby or toddler, you can pick up these Sushi Touch-and-Feel Stroller Cards ($9.99), a delicious way to teach them about different textures. (This makes a great gift!) Chloe uses her cards as her sushi menu when we play Japanese restaurant. She already knows that the bumpy roe is Papa's favorite.

Organic Handmade Soft Books for Babies

Chloe had Wee Gallery's black and white art cards when she was a baby. Now, there are cute organic handmade soft books with the same adorable black and white drawings that stimulate a baby's brain. Choose from Jungle Animals, Black & White Animals, and Garden (not available on web site yet). All books are just $22 and come with a handy tote. These books make a great baby shower or newborn gift.