it's the little things

I recently picked up a little treat for Lulu while shopping at polka-dot kids on Queen st.
I could have bought everything in the store.
Everything is so precious.
This little lady bug has been entertaining my little lady bug for days.
It's pretty tempting to want to buy so many toys for her, especially these days.
Every store has their best retail foot forward.
'Tis the season after-all.
But I really don't want to overindulge her with a bunch of "things".
It seems as though new hip children's stores are opening everywhere.
Obviously there is a demand for it, otherwise they wouldn't keep opening.
Designer diaper bags, cool strollers, 600 thread count crib sheets, Swiss made highchairs..
the list is endless.
Hey I love good design and it's great that when you have a child you aren't forced to carry around some ugly diaper-bag with Disney characters all over it if you don't want to.
That's not to say if you don't give a hoot about that kind of thing and don't mind what kind of diaper bag you have,
I'm judging.
It's just that, personally I wouldn't really feel comfortable carrying one around with me everywhere.
Just because I'm a mom, doesn't mean that I have lost all sense of fashion.
I don't buy purses anymore, so at least I can have a nice diaper bag.
Choice. that's what it boils down to.
I think it's great that there are so many new kids stores opening up,
and from what I've seen many of the store owners are moms who have decided that they don't want to return to their corporate jobs, and wanted to do something that they enjoy and that will give them more flexibility to spend time with their kids.
Well that and I'm sure having access to everything at wholesale prices is pretty tempting as well.
lumiere, Polka Dot Kids, Simon Says, kolkid,Dick and Jane, Nestings,That new one that just opened on Strachan that used to be Duvere..can't remember the name, Li'l Niblets, Mom's to be, The Ella centre just to name a few.
So many options.
I usually go to these shops when I want to pick up something special for a friend that has just had a baby.
But the reality is that Lulu can't tell the difference between $ 8. wooden blocks from Ikea or $79. hand-painted pastel coloured blocks from Kol Kid.
And we are sticking with our original plan not to have it be toy central around here, so we are really trying to keep things minimal and edited down.
so far so good.
But if the need to shop arises and I feel like I just have to buy something, there's always the Childrens's wish foundation or so many other toy drives happening over the next few weeks.
I want Lulu to understand that there are many children who are not as fortunate as her,
and I think it's never too early to start teaching these important life lessons.