Archie is about to become a big brother. Meghan Markle announced her pregnancy—almost 37 years to the day after Princess Diana announced she and Prince Charles were expecting Prince Harry.
The soon-to-be parents of two were featured in a sweet black and white Valentine’s Day Instagram post by photographer Misan Harriman. A spokesperson for the happy couple later confirmed the pregnancy to PEOPLE.
Harriman captured a glee-filled Markle, baby bump and all, and her Prince husband with an iPad. In the stunning outdoor photo, a Carolina Herrera-clad Markle cradles her bump as Prince Harry smiles adoringly. The couple’s baby joy news follows a devastating miscarriage last July.
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Buckingham Palace released a statement on the pregnancy congratulating the couple, “Her Majesty, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and entire family are ‘delighted’ and wish them well.”
As for the due date—the couple hasn’t confirmed when their second baby is due. Markle and Prince Harry’s now-older son Archie will celebrate his second birthday on May 6. Markle and Prince Harry aren’t the first royals to have a baby in the United States. Lord and Lady Fredrick Windsor had their oldest daughter in Los Angeles back in 2013.
Bette Midler isn’t just an actress, she’s an author, too. The renowned performer is getting ready to drop a brand new children’s book––and she’s reading the audio version!
The Tale of the Mandarin Duck goes on sale Feb. 16 and features an afterword by photographer Michiko Kakutani. Midler was inspired to write the modern fable based on inspiration from a mandarin duck that appeared in Central Park in 2018, and it celebrates the connections people make with each other.
Midler is a conservationist, founder of the New York Restoration Project and participates in Two-Thirds for the Birds, a project that helps revive bird populations. She shares that “Reading the book out loud was a challenge for me, because I’m used to being loud in big spaces, and this is a relatively intimate story. I didn’t want to scare the kids by yelling at them. At the same time, it’s a New York Story, and New York is LOUD….!”
You can shop the new book on Amazon starting Feb. 16 for $18.99.
Jordyn Volk is a seasoned newborn photographer so when her friend Tiffany Langer booked her maternity session so early, she was pretty curious. Langer joked about how she was going to show up in costume and knowing her friend, Volk wouldn’t have been surprised.
Langer is known for flair and Volk shares that she once ran for city council dressed up in a dinosaur costume with a jean jacket over it and waved to people at stop lights. Still, the photographer was in for one fun shoot when her pregnant mama friend showed up as Dr. Suess’ most popular character––the Grinch!
Langer definitely had help bringing the Grinch to life. Audra Arampatzis from Audra Day Spa & Salon helped with the life-like makeup and Megan Olson sewed the creative costume for the mama-to-be.
The result? A Grinch ready for Whoville!
Langer tells Red Tricycle, “After losing my son, Kellan, in 2019 at 36 weeks pregnant, this pregnancy has been difficult and scary to navigate. I have been trying to challenge myself to embrace it, so I decided it would be fun to do a creative and unique maternity shoot. One of my best friends, Audra, is a makeup artist, and another great friend, Megan, can sew anything—so I asked for their help. After creating the perfect costume, I showed up and surprised my photographer, Jordyn, dressed as The Grinch!
I knew she would absolutely love it and embrace it with me—and I was right. She created the most magical pictures! I’ve spent the last year trying my best to spread love and kindness in Kellan’s name and the Kellan Kares Foundation. This was the perfect way for me to end the year, and truly make those around me smile. After the shoot, I dressed up again and spent and entire day dressed as The Grinch, running around town making people laugh.”
While the maternity session was definitely one for the books, Volk says that they will be doing an “official” session for Langer in the future.
You can follow Jordyn Photography on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about Kellan Kares, an organization that “strives to spread education, awareness, and support about infant & pregnancy loss,” visit their Facebook page.
Photo books connect you with the people you love, near or far! Print a photo book of all the 2020 moments they missed. And make plans to make more memories together next year! Nothing warms holiday hearts like a fruit cake and a family photo book.
Holiday Order Deadline – Express – December 17th
One of our favorite moms and Lifestyle photographer, Ana Gambutois sending her entire family these Chatbooks too! Check out her article here, for her tips and tricks on how to take cute photos of your kids like a professional.
Holiday Order Deadlines
Standard – December 8th
Premium – December 14th
Express – December 17th
Schleich USA is celebrating their 85th anniversary with a celebration that is larger than life. The leading manufacturer of animal figurines debuted a Times Square billboard featuring imaginative stories shared by thousands of fans throughout the year. Also highlighted are newly unveiled photos from famed toy photographer Mitchel Wu who helped depict stories shared through a contest that asked fans to share stories inspired by imaginative playtime with Schleich.
“Schleich figurines and playsets inspire open-ended, imaginative play, but we know that what parents see is very different from what children see when engaged in this critical type of play,” said Annie Laurie Zomermaand, Chief Commercial Officer for Schleich USA. “We’ve received thousands of stories from fans over the last 12 months, and are thrilled to celebrate their imaginations at the crossroads of the world!”
After receiving hundreds of amazing video stories earlier this fall, Paxton, age 7 from Missouri, Addison age 13 from California and JoJo age 7 from Maryland were named the winners following a public vote. Visit Schleich’s Power of Imagination campaign page to see their entry videos, reactions and the photos created by Wu.
Since the winners and Schleich’s global fans were unable to travel to New York City to see the billboard, Schleich hosted a virtual viewing party, led by Patti Murin who originated the role of Anna in Disney’s Frozen on Broadway. Families from around the world joined Murin virtually to sing, dance, meet the contest winners and watch the billboard live from Times Square.
Schleich’s yearlong celebration of imagination kicked off at New York Toy Fair, where Wu unveiled a series of photographs bringing to life imaginative stories shared by kids. Then in June, more than 5,000 kids from around the world submitted their own photos depicting the rich, immersive details and fantastic stories of their imaginations.
Fans can still watch a livestream of the Times Square billboard and a recording of the virtual viewing party on Schleich’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
All packed up with no where to go? Exodus Travels is here to save the day.
The leading small-group adventure tour operator is now offering its first ever Dateless 1st Departures voucher! Once a country opens back up to North American travelers you can purchase the voucher and be guaranteed a spot on the very first Exodus Travels tour scheduled to re-enter the country.
photo: Exodus Travels
If you aren’t able to make the dates due to a schedule conflict, Exodus Travels will work with you to reschedule. The voucher program is designed to give all of us wanderlusters something to look forward to.
So far, Exodus Travels is giving access to 20 newly reopened countries (check out the entire list here), and the first 100 people to book a voucher will receive a $300 rebate on their deposit. Dateless 1st Departures vouchers include benefits such as:
Virtual pre-trip briefing and Q&A with Exodus Destination Experts, a Health + Safety representative, a local guide and fellow travelers
Travel planning assistance with Exodus Destination Experts
Professional photographer to document travelers’ trip
For new parents, celebrating a child’s first birthday is huge. You made it through a year with no sleep, spit-up stained shirts, and forgetting to brush your hair before leaving the house. It’s time to celebrate, but you’ll need to treat your child’s first birthday differently than others for it to be successful.
First and second birthday parties are in a category all their own, because your little one is not likely to understand or participate in much. Your baby may even be put off by the noise and extra people in your home.
Budget-wise, I went all out for my twins’ first birthday party. Here are a few things I’m glad I did, and a few I wish I knew.
1. Nap > Party.
Plan. the. party. around. the. nap. I can’t stress this one enough. Maybe 10 a.m. doesn’t seem like the perfect party time to you, but for this party, it is. Your guests will have to be flexible, but don’t worry—your comrades in parenting will understand. If your child gets tired and cranky during their party, you’ll need to nix the timeline and get creative.
My twins were at the end of their ropes by the time presents came around, so we let them open one each (which they weren’t very interested in, anyway) and then put them down for a nap. We opened the rest and got rid of all the packaging—like choky twist ties—before they got up.
2. Keep it Short.
The vast majority of one-year-olds are not up for a marathon event, and you probably won’t be, either. Keep your party short and sweet, two hours or less. Your adult friends can always hang out for the after-party once the kiddos are napping or in bed.
3. Take Photos before Guests Arrive.
Plan for your photographer to arrive 30-60 minutes before the party, but after everything is set up. I suggest starting with family and kid photos first, before spit-up and spilled drinks happen, and while everyone is still in a good mood. Then, your photographer can photograph all of the party details you’ve worked so hard on before your little one(s) and their guests enjoy them.
4. Take off the Pressure.
Give yourself a break. It’s hard to do anything on top of parenting a one-year-old. Plan things you know will be easy for you to do, or assign them to someone else. One thing I’ve learned from working in the event industry is that most guests will never notice all of the things that “went wrong” at an event. If something is causing you stress, leave it out.
I wish I had done a better job of this at my twins’ first birthday party because I was running around town like a chicken with my head cut off the morning of the party and getting snippy with my relatives—not fun for anyone.
5. Give Opportunities for Quiet Time.
New objects in the house, new people, new sounds…a first birthday party can be pretty overwhelming when you’re one year old. Even if your child doesn’t need a full nap during the party, they may need a break from the stimulation. Designate a quiet place for young kids to relax. This is also a good space for diaper changes and nursing if you are inviting other parents of babies.
6. Smash a Cupcake.
Smash cakes are all the rage in recent years. But if you have ever purchased a cake from a professional bakery (not talking about Target, even though I love Target), let me warn you, they are expensive. I purchased a 10″ round for my twins’ first birthday party and spent over $100. There was no way I was going to buy two additional cakes for my kids to smash, so I had the bakery whip up a couple of cupcakes instead.
I was especially glad I made this decision when both twins didn’t know what to do with the cupcakes and poked at them for about 15 minutes before finally eating the frosting and leaving the cake. Money saved and less wasted food = win/win.
7. Get Help.
Raising a child takes a village, right? And on your child’s first birthday, you will be doing all of the regular child-raising activities plus hosting a super awesome birthday party. Invite friends and family over the morning of your party or even the night before for any last-minute tasks like furniture rearranging, balloon inflating, gift wrapping, or crafting. Bonus if you throw in wine for your helpers at night or coffee in the a.m.
8. Safety First.
A lot of party decorations include elements that are not safe for one-year-olds. This could include small items, pointy pieces, or anything with glitter that can be rubbed off and rubbed into their eyes. Also, think about things like tablecloths that can be grabbed and pulled down along with everything on top of them. If you really want to use some of these things, set them up for your photos and keep the baby in another room. Then, take them away until you’re ready to use them or hand them out.
9. Don’t Splurge on Entertainment.
Clowns, magicians, and princesses are expensive to hire. Chances are, at one year old, your child will be indifferent to them, or even scared of the makeup and costumes.
I am a blogger, event planner and freelance copy editor, but most of all, I am a mother and a household manager. My family lives in vibrant Fort Collins, Colorado. I am Mom to twin girls and full-time Bonus Mom to one 10-year-old daughter. I love to be creative and inspire others.
Did you save beloved toys from your past to share with your little ones? Mattel announced the grand opening of the Fisher-Price Toy Museum, a virtual museum designed to celebrate the brand’s 90-year legacy. This first-of-its-kind virtual experience, which will be hosted on Instagram, enables visitors to relive their favorite toys through a curated exhibition.
The museum also includes a digital gift shop that offers an assortment of apparel, accessories, housewares and more, featuring vintage imagery from Fisher-Price classic toys.
“The Fisher-Price Toy Museum was inspired by the idea that, whether you were born in the 1950s, 1980s or 2000s, everyone has a memory of their favorite childhood toy, and many of those are from Fisher-Price,” said Chuck Scothon, SVP and Global Head of Infant and Preschool, Mattel. “The intent of this museum is to take visitors back to their unique childhood experiences, and give them the opportunity to relive their youth, even if just for a few moments.”
At the museum, the legacy of Fisher-Price toys will be on full display. In honor of the brand’s anniversary year, the museum will feature more than 90 different exhibits that will be organized by decade, enabling visitors to easily locate the vintage toys from their childhood. The collection will include a variety of classic products creatively presented by artist, set designer, and photographer Leila Fakouri, who focused on keeping the toys as the star of each environment while incorporating dimension and texture to create an authentic museum feel. Exhibits include Snoopy Sniffer, which launched in 1938, and sits atop a fabricated slice of blueberry pie, the iconic Roller Skates, which were first introduced in 1983, and are showcased in a miniature roller-skating rink, and many more.
Accompanying the museum is a gift shop offering 16 products that celebrate the brand’s timeless toys. Gift shop items, which will be available in limited quantities, include a Doctor Doodle T-shirt, Space Blazer socks, shoelaces featuring the brand’s classic roller skates and a lunchbox with imagery of vintage Little People figures.
Consumers can experience the Fisher-Price Toy Museum by following @fisherprice.toymuseum on Instagram.
When it comes to the holiday season, one thing never changes—stressing over family photos for the annual holiday card. From coordinating outfits to getting the kids to smile, and of course, finding the right photographer, the struggle is real. We’re here to tell you about an amazing collaboration between Paper Culture and Shoott that’ll make this year’s session a total breeze. Keep reading to find out more.
Shoott
Paper Culture, which has dozens of chic designs for holiday cards printed on luxe 100% post-consumer recycled paper, just announced a collaboration with Shoott, the start-up company that matches you to a photographer in your area. Available in over 40 cities around the country, simply pick the day that works for you, the location you desire, and a professional photographer will meet you there. Shoott stands out in the crowd when it comes to taking family photos because it’s an uber-affordable option. There's no session fee; you only pay for what you like ($15 a photo). You’ll get your images within a week, which means you'll have plenty of time to decide what type of card you want to order.
Paper Culture
The best part of this collab? When you book a session using the code PAPERCULTURE, you’ll receive a free mini session and 20% off five or more photos. From there, it’s easy to check out all the options Paper Culture has to offer and get your cards ordered in advance so you won’t be stressing about it on say, December 20th.
You won’t even need Floo powder to get to Diagon Alley. Harry Potter fans will be transported to the most magical shopping street in the world. Now you can build and create the iconic street in your own home.
Diagon Alley is where Harry Potter gets his first glimpse of the wizarding world as Hagrid guides him through the shops. This new LEGO set brings the two worlds together in a magical hybrid, a rich and versatile display model, with a modularity aspect that allows fans to choose how to display the shops. You can choose to set them up all in a row, swap them around, or even place individual shops on different shelves.
Measuring more than a meter wide and made up of 5,544 pieces, LEGO Diagon Alley features the famed wizarding world shops packed with authentic details from the movies to truly capture the ambience of the street.
Behind magnificent and detailed storefronts lie intriguing interiors, fascinating features and familiar characters. Fans can recreate some of their favourite moments from the Harry Potter film series including; discovering the wands at Ollivanders from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone dropping in on Gilderoy Lockhart’s book-signing event at Flourish & Blotts bookstore from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; or obtaining a love potion from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Marcos Bessa, LEGO Harry Potter Design Lead, commented: “I love how faithful the final design is to the architectural details in the film. You can barely see some of these buildings zooming past your screen, but we tracked down different photographs from the sets – some of them from nearly 20 years ago – to make sure everything is spot on. Diagon Alley is the biggest set I’ve designed to-date and I am really proud of how it has come together.”
The set also includes 14 minifigures, including new versions of lead characters Harry, Ron, Hermione and of course George and Fred Weasley who have their own joke shop in Diagon Alley. There are also minifigures of Florean Fortescue and the Daily Prophet photographer, who have never been seen in LEGO form before.
The LEGO Harry Potter Diagon Alley set is available directly from LEGO Stores and www.LEGO.com/EnterTheMagic from Sept. 1, 2020. It retails for $399.99.
