Squeeze Hugs

Our trip to Indy for the Baby & Toddler Expo was a smashing success!  We had a ton of traffic come through our booth and some really fabulous feedback and best of all, some great sales!  Thanks to all of you who attended.  It was a good learning experience on how to display the products to drum up the best business.   Perhaps we’ll be back for some Expo’s in the fall.  Take a look below at our booth and stay tuned for some new product news!

We are so excited about a site review that was done by IE Mommy!  Check it out at:

http://iemommy.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/spotlight-on-squeeze-hugs-introduction

Can you believe it…I was asked to be a guest blogger on The IE Mommy!  Check out my first post.

http://iemommy.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/a-note-from-squeeze-hugs/

I love their site - their tagline is Faith, Family and Fashion so it is totally up my alley.  Look for a lot more coming from Squeeze Hugs at The IE Mommy throughout the summer!

Oh - and don’t forget, if you are local to Indianapolis, don’t miss us at the Indy Baby and Toddler Expo this Saturday and Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds!

I’m in love with the new unique tanks and tees from Paperlili.  Check out the “bling” tanks and tees that now come in a rose, cupcake or lollipop pattern and best of all, you pick the name to be put on them.  Personalization at it’s best!

I think “cupcake” seems to be the favorite word at my house lately.  I love to bake and have turned my kids into little baker’s.  They love to help me bake anything (although I’m sure it’s just because I let them lick the spoons filled with batter or icing! LOL!).  Regardless, it’s a very inexpensive and great way to spend quality time with the kids and do something we both enjoy.  Although, I’ll warn you, it can turn into a bad habit with toddlers.  Before you know it, they’ll be asking to bake cupcakes on a weekly basis.  And of course, if there are cupcakes laying around then SOMEONE has to eat of of them, right!??  I think my daughter will be needing one of the Paperlili cupcake shirts to fit the new fad in our house!

While I’m on the subject, I thought I’d share a super easy recipe that I’ve found for icing.  Ever since I had kids, I tend to pay much more attention to the ingredients in anything and trust me, you don’t want to read the label on the packaged icings.  This recipe is really easy and SO yummy (although I do need to give the credit to good old Betty Crocker)!  Enjoy!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup stick margarine or butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup baking cocoa

2-3 tblspns milk

Mix all ingredients except milk in a medium bowl

Stir in milk until smooth and spreadable.  (I use a hand mixer and it works great!)

Our Piggy Story Art Folios are quickly becoming a hot item and are currently on our best seller list!  These are the PERFECT birthday gift for a child or great to pick one of for your own kids.  They will take them everywhere and it will keep your little artist busy! Our Art Folios are velcro-secured fold n’ stow art cases that come complete with a drawing pad and 12 crayons – sure to inspire the most discerning petit artiste. (8.5”w x 6.5” h).

We have some great news! We’re going to be a part of the Indianapolis Baby & Toddler Expo.  It is April 25-26 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  If you are local, please make plans to stop by!  We’ll have most of our stock there available for purchase and view in person.  Here are some details about the expo:

IndyBabyExpo is an event where you can come to find the latest and greatest products and advice to raise your child. Whether you are a mom, dad, grandparent or extended family member, each of you will be able to benefit from the knowledge that IndyBabyExpo will provide. The event will be a one stop shop of products, information and services from planning your pregnancy through raising your toddler.  Check out www.indybabyexpo.com for more info.

There will also be a ton of family friendly activities and guests including a diaper crawl, bounce house, princess tea party, Sara Snow (Queen of Green) presentation and live music to name a few.  Come on out for a fun-filled weekend!  Plus - register with us to win any in-stock item $100 or less!

OK - so I just have to share the most popular item in my house right now.  My 2-year old daughter is going through a phase right now where she thinks if anything at all happens to her (from a major fall or bumping her head to her brother brushing by her and barely touching her arm) that she needs to apply ice for everything.  Did I also mention she is in a princess phase?  So, I’m in Target the other day (one of my favorite stores!) and I’m in the check-out line and looking at all of those “impulse purchase” items they have on display.  And what do I see?  None other than a pricess ice pack!  It also came in a Lightning McQueen version so of course, I throw them both into my cart.  They are little ice packs that stay flexible when frozen.  Just in time too because my daughter took a major crash falling flat on her face tonight…she was wearing her brothers crocs which I think were the culprit.  As soon as I pull out the princess ice pack, there are no more tears and she proceeds to ice just about every inch of her body.  I admit, I was the sucker he gave into the impulse buy at Target, but I think this princess ice pack will be well used in our house!

Squeeze Hugs was all over the press this weekend!  We were in newsletters by www.babyluxedaily.com and also www.mommieswithstyle.com.   Check out our links on both of these sites!

Is it just me, or does every single weekend seems like I need at least one extra day?  Here I am again on Sunday night and I only got about half of my ‘to-do’ list done.  Not to mention, the couch is calling my name to just crash on it.  I think I may answer the call tonight.  There is always tomorrow!

Am I the only one that is ready for summer?  This has been the longest winter it seems and now that it is spring, I welcome it with open arms!  I’m ready for skirts and shorts and capris and ready to dress my kids in the new spring and summer items too!  We are still getting the last shipments in and every shipment is cuter than the last!  We just received the remainder of our Misha Lulu shipment and I am totally in love with the Gray Heather Tank and the Red skirt.  It’s a full red skirt, so comfy and cool!

On another note, I’m not ready for the spring rain.  I guess April showers does bring May flowers.  Today I totally got caught in a torrential downpour!  I guess that is spring time for you!