You Grow, Baby!

Friends phoned on Friday to see if we would like to go to the waterpark at West Edmonton Mall. We were on week 3 of my husband being really busy (between work and side jobs) so it was nice to take a family weekend. The boys had a blast and at the end of the day, we were exhausted! Poor Logan was sick last night which is awful but he seems well now.

I have some great new products coming! The first is so exciting…HABA toys! Let me just say that it is really difficult being an indecisive person and having a catalogue with 300 pages worth of amazing toys in it. I had a hard time deciding what to bring in but I picked some that I think kids would love. The toys should be in by Christmas!

The next is a line of baby sign language products. I am meeting up with Giselle from Wee Sign to discuss the products. I have done basic signing with all 3 of my boys and around 10 months, it’s pretty remarkable how quickly they pick it up. Lately, we haven’t signed a lot with my youngest (16 months) but he still remembers a lot of signs! I’m thrilled to be able to bring in products that I feel proud to carry.

The last product is still in the works. I was so fortunate to meet a like minded mama in my son’s kindergarten class. She told me she worked with gemstones and I asked if she would be able to make nursing necklaces. A couple of weeks later, she presented me with a test necklace she had made herself and she was kind enough to make me one as well! I wish I had a picture of it, it is beautiful! She put black onyx, amethyst, and moonstone. I wear it everywhere and Gavin loves playing with it. He has given it some pretty darn hard tugs and it’s holding up! I really can’t wait until she has these ready to stock! I convinced her to open up her own Etsy site so check it out! Sappho Silver.

I am also currently in search of Canadian baby bath products. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that I find something soon. I am (lazily) trying to get my own line of baby products developed…I just need some time (and perhaps a new sewing machine). Keep an eye out for that!

Oops…It’s been awhile since I posted. We’ve had a ton of new products! We have added JamTots BerryPlush, Swaddlebees pockets, Swaddlebees fitteds, Bummis covers, Green Earth Textiles prefolds, Ellaroo carriers, MamaKangaroo carriers, and Jack & Lily soft shoes.

I am so thrilled to have shelves that are overflowing with great products! I have to resist the temptation every day not to snag them all for my kids. I did adopt an Ellaroo Mei Hip carrier which I LOOOVE! My baby is 15 months old, 25lbs, and a runner. Oh, does he like to take off on me at the most inopportune times. So, I decided when he was sick and wanted to be held but we still needed to get out, I gave the Mei Hip a try. Perfection!!! The creators of this carrier are geniuses!

I recently did a tradeshow where I displayed all of the carriers. So many mamas told me their babies were too old to be carried. They would tell me they had 4, 5, 8, 10, 14, 16 month old babies. YOUNG babies! Oh wow, I was loving telling them about how wonderful carriers are for ‘older’ babies as well!

I have decided that a retail location at this point is not in the works. The job market is ridiculous here and hiring staff would be nearly impossible. Plus, my boys are my life. I can’t imagine not getting to do what I do with them. For me, the whole purpose of me staying home with them is so that I can be part of their lives. Running a business is serious time that I can’t afford to lose. Instead, I have a pretty cool showroom in my home that seems to be getting smaller everytime a new shipment comes in. Go figure!

There are some really great products that I will be adding in the very near future. I can’t wait to get them in! But…I’ll keep what they are under wraps until they come.

I did a phone interview with the mama from Canadian Moms Talk Radio about cloth diapering. I haven’t gotten up the nerve to listen to it myself (you know how it is, your voice sounds weird) but check it out! And let me know if I sound like a goober or not!

I checked out a 2nd level space that I thought could work. It’s right downtown Red Deer, a huge space, and cheap lease. It would require way too much to renovate though and I would hate to invest a lot of money renovating a space I don’t fell 100% happy with.

We did go into Red Deer this afternoon and peeked into the windows of another potential space. This one is a main level in a small strip mall right off of Gaetz Ave. I will have to call on it and see. I had hoped to find a space for both Tanya and myself to split but I’m not sure this one would be enough for us both.

I got my Snappis and Snappi nail clippers in last week as well as my order from Jamtots. Oh my….these BerryPlush are absolutely to die for! We did the photo shoot and had a ton of fun with 4 babies all toddling around. I cannot wait to see the proofs!

We have been busy cleaning up after the storm and are now working on the basement. I think we have decided on the paint colour and laminate for down there. My goal is to have it completed in 2 weeks so I can open the showroom area to the public.

My order for Jamtots BerryPlush and Swaddlebees pockets was shipped today! I also have an order from Snappi on the way.

Yesterday, I got denied as a retailer from one company because I do not have a retail storefront. Boo hoo! I’m a little sad because I abolutely love this company’s products but it gives me more incentive to find a retail location!

Great news….friends of ours had their first baby this morning. A girl weighing 8lbs 3oz. Mom and baby are doing well! Now, to bring her all of these cute diapers and get her hooked. *evil grin*

I get so excited everytime I get an e-mail accepting me as a retailer. haha There have been a couple that I was so nervous about because I felt like…why would they consider me good enough to retail? But I got accepted and did my happy wholesalers dance.

My husband, in the meantime, thinks I’m a total doofus. I tell him which product I got accepted for and he says “Great…..what is that?”. Poor guy. He doesn’t even know what he’s in for.

I am currently waiting for a package from Jamtots with BerryPlush and Swaddlebees. Oooh…I can’t wait to pet the BerryPlush.

We picked up the light fixtures today for the basement. There are so many toys down there that need to be moved before we can finish. I can envision all of the shelves that will be down there.

I just got my first Happy Heinys order! Yay! It was like Christmas going through the box. My heart fluttered a little pulling out the smalls. :-X

Now I need to figure out how to load them properly on the site. I attempted it this evening without any luck but I think the boys were a bit of a distraction. Gavin, who just turned 1, has entered the ‘I want to touch everything’ stage and luckily for me, his main attraction is the computer.

Oh boy, I’ve learned my lesson about saving things I’m working on! The older boys think asking to play on the Nick Jr site is a lot of fun while I’m working. I let them play when I don’t need to be on the computer and it’s pretty funny to hear them say “Mom, please be quiet! I’m concentrating!”. Hmmm….that sounds vaguely familiar!

In other news, I talked to a realtor on Monday about a space I had seen online. It’s right in Red Deer and I am seriously considering signing a lease on it! I do hope to be in a space within 2 years. Not sure if now is the right time to do it though. Especially with Logan starting school in September and Gavin just turning 1. There are things I am not happy about with the space so I might just hold wait for the perfect spot.

I got ahold of our photographer this evening to talk about a possible photo shoot. I really want pictures of babies in the diapers I will be carrying. She is very excited to do the shoot and has volunteered to find more babies! We’re aiming for the week of August 14th to do them.

Her work is amazing and her studio is out of her house. Eden Photography Check out the picture of the baby draped across his Daddy’s arms. Isn’t that amazing?

I know she has a vision of the photos and I can see a future retail store with her photos enlarged and hanging from the ceiling. Amazing, I’m not even open yet and I am craving growth.

Now to get the rest of the diapers I want for the photo shoot. I really want to make sure I get Berry Plush covers because, oh my, they are too darn cute!

I never could have imagined myself networking but I have! I am normally pretty reserved and I seriously dislike talking on the phone. Today I phoned 3 places to either book a booth for a trade fair or book an appointment. This is only the beginning, I know, but I have definitely come quite a ways out of my shell.

I am very excited (and nervous) to announce that I will be doing a piece for Canadian Moms Talk Radio. CMTR’s first online radio show is set to air on August 9th. I cannot wait to hear it! The segment I am set to do is on cloth diapers, set to air October 4th.

I listened to the owner of CMTR (Britt Raposo) on WAHM Talk Radio in which she was promoting another of her site, Canadian Moms Online. I recently registered for Alberta Moms, an online community of mothers living in Alberta. There is a forum for mothers in almost every province. What a great way to meet other local moms!

You Grow, Baby! is proud to be Red Deer’s only source for cloth diapers! Red Deer is a fast growing city with a large population of parents with young children.

The idea to open a cloth diaper store began a few months ago after realizing how difficult it was to find good quality cloth diapers in my area. I have spoken with a few moms who share that sentiment and many others who have no idea how great today’s cloth diapers are!

You Grow, Baby! is proud to be a retailer for the following products: Happy Heinys, Swaddlebees, and Jamtots. I am currently working on obtaining many other wonderful products, including pregnancy and baby gear!

Stay tuned for the Grand Opening on September 1st!