Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

If you haven’t made it over to check out the new Granola Babies location in SOCO (next to the oc mart MIX) in Costa Mesa, it is one of those outings you have to put on your list! This natural baby boutique is the largest natural parenting store in OC, but what some of you might not know is that Granola Babies also offers amazing classes and events for expecting and new parents.

When I was breastfeeding and had an infant, I truly relied on my mommy friends to survive. Being a new mom was not something that was meant to be forged through alone!  That’s why I was really happy to see that Granola Babies offers such great support classes to help moms when we need it most.

Most all of the classes require registration in advance at least a day prior to the class. Please click the title of the class for more information and click HERE for the entire calendar.

Mommy Support + Playgroup - Fridays starting 2/24 from 11:15am – 12:15pm; 6 week series for expecting moms and moms of babies 0 – 8 months old.  Meet other moms, share your experiences and join in a weekly discussion topic.  $75/6 week class.

Breastfeeding Support Group - Tuesdays 1 -2pm and Thursdays at 11am – 12pm.  Inviting, friendly, welcoming group with comfy sofa for nursing. Both groups lead by a Certified Lactation Educator (CLEC). Pre and post baby weigh check available to measure milk intake. Free to attend and no reservation required.

SoCal Connect – New Moms Connect Group - Tuesdays starting 2/21 at 10:30am – 12:30pm. This 8 week education and support program is for first time mothers and their babies (0 – 6 months.) Groups limited to 10 women and facilitated by a family and child development expert. Moms will learn about infant development, baby care, parenting issues and transitions. $400/8 week series

Babywearing and Strollers 101 – Saturday, February 11th from 11am – 12pm. One workshop where you can learn everything about carrying your baby,
whether it’s in a comfortable baby carrier or a long lasting stroller. $25 per family, and $15 gift certificate redeemable same day as class.

Let’s Make a Craft! - Friday, February 10th @ 11am. Recommended for children 2 – 5 yrs and siblings welcome to attend. For this interactive Kids Craft class, kids will create a special nature-based craft to take home. Materials provided.  $10/child.

Please click HERE to see their entire list of classes and special events coming up for Orange County families. This is only a select group of classes and events – there are many more!

www.GranolaBabies.com * Granola Babies on Facebook * @GranolaBabies on Twitter

[Disclosure: Granola Babies is a Tiny Oranges Sponsor and all photos provided by Granola Babies.]

In the past 5 1/2 years I have gone through about five different strollers. With the exception of our Bob Revolution Jogger, I really haven’t been completely satisfied with any of them. If I would have known about OC Tykes baby gear store when I was shopping for my stroller, I am sure I would have picked the right one out of the gate and likely saved a lot of money.

OC Tykes is a premier baby gear store located in downtown San Clemente. Specializing in baby gear, their expert staff offers free consultations to make sure you choose the right product to fit your unique needs.

If by chance you are in the market to invest in a new piece of gear and go in this month (by 12/31/11) you will receive 15% off any one full priced item with mention of Tiny Oranges.  That can save you some serious buckeroos if you are looking at a stroller or car seat mamas!  So stash away that Christmas gift cash, and make your way down there after the holidays to look around!

Back to the expert consults, interestingly enough, owner Keli Johnson told me, 9 times out of 10 parents will come in with the intention to purchase one item, and end up walking out with another after meeting with their experts.

Keli believes that a good stroller should not just last you for baby’s first year, but should have the capability to take you from the newborn stage up until 4 or 5 years.

This was definitely not true in my case, but I honestly had NO clue what I was doing when I bought my first stroller. I went to a large chain store which shall remain nameless and the associates didn’t know one stroller from the next. Sigh, OC Tykes, if I only had known about you…but now I am happy that my readers will!

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Since it ’tis the season of giving, I wanted to put together a green holiday gift guide for all those eco mamas out there!

So I asked Giselle Baturay, owner of Granola Babies and an expert in all things eco-friendly for parents and babies, to give me her top holiday gift picks. Here they are! 

The Ergo Baby Carrier is a favorite for dads since it’s easy to put on, has a sporty look and is very comfortable to use with babies and toddlers.

The Keptin Jr series of teething toys are made of organic cotton so you can feel good knowing that your baby is mouthing only natural toys.

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Well, it is Thanksgiving week, and I for one am thankful for this post because I get to share with you an amazing Thanksgiving Weekend Sale at the newly opened (YOU HAVE TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF) Bel Bambini- Newport children’s boutique and showroom in Orange County. And, Bel Bambini- Newport is giving away a $100 gift card to shop to one lucky winner! Woo hoo! Make sure to enter below.

Bel Bambini – Newport is a 10,000 square foot showroom on Newport Boulevard fully equipped with a built-in stroller park, exquisite nursery vignettes and every item you could ever need or want for your baby and little ones. I stopped in this past Saturday and it is jaw-dropping amazing!

Let me tell you about the sale.  It’s not just ANY sale this weekend, it is a HUGE sale. Starting on Black Friday and running through Sunday (11/25 – 11/27) they will be open special hours all three days, Friday-Sunday, from 10am-7pm.

They have brand new merchandise just in and I wanted to highlight a few super cool promotions…

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Precious Hand/Footprints, a ceramic impression company that makes priceless handprints and footprints of your little ones here in Orange County, is giving away $75 to be used towards a special keepsake! Please read below on how you can enter to win. She is also doing a special event in Orange County on December 3rd, 2011. More details below.

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