Bit of a gorgeous baby hat of the month again this month but then aren't they always?Your little one will look simply gorgeous in this knitted baby hat in ladybird design. Hand made in England from 100% cotton and available in 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-12 months.

Why not take advantage of this special offer and enjoy free delivery on this gorgeous baby hat for this month only!

Click here  to see more from our Merry Berries range.

 Cupcakelicious! Our best seller this year by far so the perfect choice for baby hat of the month!

Pink cupcake hat with white icing and a cherry on the top. We love the simple adorable design of this little hat. Hand made in England from 100% cotton and currently available in size 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-12 months.

Why not take advantage of this special offer and enjoy free delivery on this gorgeous baby hat for this month only!

Click here to see more from the Merry Berries range!

 We just had to choose this little knitted strawberry number for our July baby hat of the month.

Not only is it summer and and therefore strawberry season but it is also Wimbledon where many a strawberry will be scoffed. This cute little baby hat is handmade in the UK from 100% cotton and is currently available in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-12 months. We wouldn't recommend topping it with cream, it's delicious enough anyway.

Happy summer to all our Hats my Baby customers. Click here  to enjoy free package and posting on this item for July only!

We are proud to announce that Mumpreneur UK have awarded our website with a Bronze award. Mumpreneur UK started the awards in order to acknowledge the high standard of websites amongst some of the Mumprenuers out there and we are over the moon that Hats my Baby has been selected as one such website.

All websites are judged on a number of criteria which include whether the website is visually pleasing, easy to navigate and clear and easy to understand. The website must also contain enough information about the products on offer and Hats my Baby ticked every box!

I would normally celebrate with a very large glass of wine but with Baby No 2's due date less than a week away I'll stick to the water. So cheers!

PS Despite winning this award, we're not one for resting on our laurels so if you have any suggestions or any improvements you would like to see on the website. Please please get in touch !

For more information about the Mumpreneur UK network please visit http://www.mumpreneuruk.com

Another gorgeous baby hat from British designers Toby Tiger for you! Made up of pink and red stripes and finished off with a red trim and cute double knot this baby hat makes a perfect newborn gift or treat for your little one. Made from 100% organic cotton which is beautifully soft yet durable, you will not be disappointed. This baby hat is available in 0-6 months and 6-12 months and for this month only free delivery!

Click here  to order yours now!

 Look at this gorgeous little baby hat from designers Toby Tiger. This cute baby hat with its eye catching pink and red flower pattern is just perfect as a newborn gift or as a treat for your little one. It is made from 100% organic cotton which is soft and beautiful. The cute double knot finishes this baby hat off to a tee. Available in two sizes and for this month only free delivery!

Click here to order yours now

Sunday 17th April 2011 was an amazing day for Hats my Baby and one of which we're really proud as we were one of 6 lucky winners in a competition which Theo Paphitis (of Dragons Den fame)  runs every week called "Small Business Sunday".

Small Business Sunday runs on Twitter and every Sunday thousands of businesses "tweet" Theo and tell him all about their business in less than 140 words. He then chooses his 6 favourites and "retweets" them to all of his followers, at the minute that stands at approximately 12.5 thousand. His reasoning for doing this on a Sunday is that this was the day he used to do all the "thinking" for his businesses. The idea is a great one and for small businesses like ours the exposure is just fantastic.

We've been entering Hats my Baby into Small Business Sunday for a few weeks now so you can imagine just how excited we were to find ourselves one of the chosen few a couple of weeks ago. The exposure this gave our business has been just phenomenal and for that we would like to say a huge thank you to Theo! Not only did you make our night Mr Paphitis, you made our whole year. 

Calling all Easter Bunnies!

With its sweet little bunny ears this white and aqua baby hat is just gorgeous. It's a perfect newborn gift or a treat for your little one this Easter. Made from 100% super soft cotton this baby hat is just adorable and one of our favourites. Available in sizes 0-6 months and 6-12 months, but remember a bunny's not just for Easter!

Click here  to order yours now
 

When setting up this blog for our business we didn't just want it to be   about Hats my Baby. We wanted to share other baby related things with our customers and readers which we have discovered during our  journey into parenthood.

That's why this blog post about baby signing is long overdue because signing up for TinyTalk baby classes has been one of the best decisions I ever made as a new Mum.

When Lily was born, in the early weeks   I was desperate to get out of the house as much as I could, to meet up with other Mums and share experiences, problems and just have a general good natter. So I discovered TinyTalk classes in Cramlington by accident really. I knew nothing about baby signing but thought it sounded like fun so off I went.

When I went to my first class with Julia Maugham Lily was just 5 weeks old. Not much point in signing to a sleeping baby but I jumped in head first, joined in with all the songs and started to learn some baby signs while Lily snored happily in her car seat. I think she actually managed to sleep through the whole of the   first term, but that didn't stop me going. Julia was fab, the other Mums were fab and I was able to spend half an hour singing without   Mick telling me to shut up, and another half an hour chatting and eating biscuits. Bliss.

I remember talking to relatives and friends at the time who didn't share my enthusiasm. They just didn't get it, and some even worried that it would affect Lily's speech as she would rely on signing rather than speaking. I was determined to prove them wrong, and prove them wrong we did!

At about 6 months old, and without any prior warning, Lily made her first sign "milk". I remember feeling an amazing sense of pride. I ran upstairs screaming to Mick, got straight on the phone to Julia and felt like the proudest Mummy in the world. Lily wasn't able to speak but she was able to let me know what she wanted. For her to be able to communicate with me and for me to be able to understand, before she had even learnt to speak was just magical. From then on Lily never looked back. She went on to sign bird, duck, fish, the list was endless and to know that I understood what she was telling me seemed to make her so happy.

This morning we woke up to Lily singing her version of Humpty Dumpty which she loves. The songs that we sing in class have not only introduced Lily to a world of nursery rhymes but I'm also remembering the ones I'd forgotten which I used to love as a little one. Also, at 5 months pregnant with our next baby I always manage to get a little bit of exercise at the classes with the walk about songs and the hokey kokey!

Today, Lily is an amazing toddler fast approaching her 2nd birthday. We've continued to attend TinyTalk classes and now Lily has moved up to the TinyTalk toddler sessions.   Her vocabulary, speech and general communication skills are excellent. Just last week she put together a six word sentence which for her age is just unbelievable. I truly believe that we have Julia and her TinyTalk class to thank for this and we'll definitely be signing up for TinyTalk again when the new baby arrives in July.

For more information about TinyTalk visit www.tinytalk.co.uk or for information about classes in Northumberland contact Julia on 0787 632 6110 or by email juliam@tinytalk.co.uk

Douglas the dog is loyal and friendly and this cute little grey marl baby hat with doggy ears is just the same. Made from 100% super soft cotton this little baby hat is a perfect newborn gift or treat for your little one. Available in one size (suitable for babies up to 12 months) this little baby hat proves that every dog has its day. A perfect all year round hat.

Click here to order yours now.

Here at Hats my Baby its Hat of the Month time again and for February we've chosen Michael the Monkey one of our best sellers. Free P+P available on this gorge hat for one month only! Available in sizes 0-6, 6-12 months and 1-2 years. Click here to order yours now!

With baby No 2 on the way this year (SO excited!) we're starting to think about promoting Lily from her nursery to her "big girls room" which I'm sure will contain a lot of pink.

What a perfect time then to discover a fab fab website Little Crab designs which you can find at http://www.littlecrab.co.uk .

All of the gorgeous pictures on the website are original wall art designs which are ideal for nurseries and childrens bedrooms. The pictures fall into a few main themes "Sea and Beach" "Farm and Garden Animals" "Jungle Safari" and "Girls" and "Boys" pictures. We've got our eyes on these lovely butterfly designs.

All of the pictures would make a perfect gift, but if you're having trouble choosing which one to give then why not send the lucky receipient a Little Crab Gift Voucher so they can choose their own!

The business is owned and run by Anna a very talented fellow Mumpreneur and the beautiful designs are in the main designed by both Anna and her artist friend Sarah Howell.

We can't really do justice to this gorgeous artwork through our blog alone so why not pop over to Little Crab Designs  and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed!

First of all we would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our customers and supporters a Happy New Year.

Hats my Baby will be celebrating its 1st birthday on 4th January 2011 and what an amazing year its been. That wouldn't have been possible without the loyalty and support of our fantastic customers so quite simply "Thank You".

 We are hoping that 2011 will be just as exciting and what better way to start the year than with the launch of our all new "Baby Hat of the Month". As the name suggests, every month we will be showcasing one of our custest baby hats and for that month only there will be no postage and packing charges on that hat.

So, without further ado here is January's Baby Hat of the Month!

This funky little baby hat from Toby Tiger is made up of light and dark pink stripes and finished off with a green trim. It makes a perfect newborn gift or a lovely treat for your funky little baby.  The cute double knot is just adorable and makes this 100% organic cotton baby hat a winner in our eyes! Available in three sizes, this baby hat is perfect for newborns or a slightly older baby.

                                         We are delighted to introduce our new gift wrapping service available from Monday 8th November 2010. These boutique gift envelopes from Giftelope are simply gorgeous with ribbon and tag embossed onto the design. We can leave the tag blank for you to fill in or complete it for you and send a gorgeous baby hat (or two) direct to its new owner! These gorgeous gift envelopes are available in the following cute designs: Daisychain, Tugboats and Ladybug Hugs as well as an elegant black and white polka dot print. Giving beautiful gifts is now even easier!

We are so proud to introduce our brand new range of gorgeous baby hats which will be available from our online boutique this week. All hats are handmade in the United Kingdom by Merry Berries and are 100% cotton. Cuter than cute and good enough to eat! We hope you love them as much as we do!

The business was launched in January 2010 and  the inspiration came whilst on maternity leave after the birth of our first, beautiful child Lily who was born in April 2009.  In the summer of last year we found ourselves with a number of invitations to summer weddings. Finding gorgeous dresses and outfits for Lily wasn’t a problem, but when it came to buying baby hats we were really surprised by the lack of variety on the high street.

Prior to launching the website, I fully researched the market and realised just how competitive a field I was entering. Concentrating on baby hats and accessories alone however means I can dedicate my time to sourcing more and more baby hats which aren’t available on the high street. This sets Hats my Baby apart from our competitors.

I have launched the business on a shoe string which has been a challenge in itself and I have been on a very steep learning curve when it comes to such things as website rankings and marketing the business. However, with a lot of hard work and determination I’m over the moon with how things are going .  When things seem hard, my beautiful daughter, wonderful husband and the passion I have for my business gives me the motivation and drive I need to keep going. With this in mind, my advice to anyone who wants to start up their own business would be to believe in your inspiration and yourself and to go for it.

My early vision for the business was to provide customers with a fantastic range of baby hats in all shapes, styles and colours and for all occasions and seasons and I’m continuing to work towards that.  At the moment I’m working hard to find new suppliers and I’ve got a few in the pipeline which I’m very excited about.  I’m looking forward to offering a gift wrapping service in the near future and also to watching my idea continue to grow into a successful business.

The website is fresh and simple and I aim to offer customers a lovely shopping experience.  A lot of heart and soul has gone into building my website to give it that personal touch and I hope the website shows how motherhood has inspired me.

We are delighted to add these two gorgeous baby hats to our website. Both designed by our faves, Olive and Moss and a perfect unisex option for this Autumn/Winter 2010. Click here  for more details.

PS Don't forget to look out for us in the December issue of Prima Baby Magazine!

These gorgeous gift sets containing baby hat and soft toy are brand new on the website this week and selling fast. Both sets make the ideal newborn gift and they also come in sizes 6-12 months and 1-2 years should you wish to give a gorgeous gift to a slightly older baby. Each item can be ordered seperately or together as part of a set. Both the hat and the matching toy are made from 100% cotton and make the perfect newborn baby gift!

For more details click here

Oh my, we are absolutely delighted with the brand new additions to our Spring/Summer 2010 range here at Hats my Baby.

Max and Tilly designs hail all the way from Australia and with their classic styles and soft colours it was love at first sight for us. These summer baby hats are cute and practical and very reasonably priced even if we do say so ourselves.

When looking for a hat for your baby this summer be sure to look for hats with a brim all the way round, or, alternatively, a brim at the front and a flap at the back. That way you can ensure adequate protection for baby's head, face, neck and ears. These gorgeous little baby hats do just that.

Click here for a closer look!

Bye for now

Recently I met a very inspiring lady called Natasha in virtual world and can't help thinking that we're scarily similar. When she referred to herself as a "control freak" and mentioned the word "spreadsheets" I knew we were going to become very good friends. Since Little Legs was born life has become pretty chaotic and now I find myself juggling being a first time Mum, a business and my part time job. Its pretty hard work. That's why I was so excited to hear about Natasha's product "TheToDid" ie things to do and things I did. It's such a simple concept but one which I'm sure a lot of Mums and carers would be so grateful for.

Natasha found the inspiration for the "ToDoDid" one winters morning at 5am, whilst on maternity leave   when she found herself writing out yet another post it note of things that she had to do to add to the ever growing pile already on the dresser. Anyone who has ever   cared for   a young baby will testify to the amount of thinking and organisation   that   goes into the day   particularly when transporting them anywhere. You have to think about feeding, sleeps, nappies, the list goes on and on!

Now with the ToDoDid, not only can Mums keep a record of all the jobs and bits and bobs they need to do, as well as those they've done, but also it can be used by carers to keep a record of what the child has done during the day so Mum doesn't feel that she's missed out and also to reassure with regards to feeding, naps etc. All of these things are covered within the book with pages for Feeding, Nappies, Sleeps, Medicines together with a Reminders Page and   a Weekly Planner.

The book itself is durable and practical and laminated so it can be used with a chinagraph pen (provided) or a non permanent marker.

This is an ideal gift for someone embarking on a journey as a parent or for friends or   relatives who have recently become or are soon to be carers.   My best friend is pregnant with twins and I can't think of a more fitting gift!!!!

Check out the website for more detail at http://www.todid.co.uk . You'll be pleased you did!

I've always loved reading, and since Little Legs was just 10 weeks old we've read her a story every night before bed. At the grand old age of 12 weeks she was the proud owner of her own library card, and now at 10 months old she gets excited when it's story time, she points out pictures and shows such an interest, it's just lovely.

That's why I was so excited to discover http://www.love2read.co.uk a fab website which allows you to create personalised photo books for your child. The books are carefully designed to combine keywords with photos to bring reading to life and I think it's a fantastic idea.

Caroline, the woman behind the idea is a Mum herself. She realised she could really develop the reading skills of her children by showing them books with words and pictures which reflected their own little world. This talented lady is also a qualified teacher and studied childrens reading at university.

Check out Caroline's fab website at http://www.love2read.co.uk.

Meanwhile, I'm off to choose between  "All about me" "My first year" or "I like....." mmmm decisions decisions........

Yes I know its snowing, but here at Hats my Baby the sun is shining because we've just ordered our first batch of baby hats for Spring/Summer 2010!

The baby hats we've found for you are just gorgeous, however, not only do they look cute, they'll also protect your baby's head from the harmful rays of the sun. In blues, pinks, lilacs and even a versatile reversible little number your baby's bonce will look the bees knees all summer round.

Coming soon!

For any parent whether you have 1 or 20 children, parenthood brings with it the huge responsibility of protecting your little one. From when a baby first learns to sit up, crawl and walk the opportunities for bumps and bruises increases dramatically.

I know through my own research on baby hats how important it is to protect your baby's head and a fellow mumpreneur Susan Port has come up with an excellent solution, the "Baby No Bumps - Safety hat". These baby hats are made from high density foam and come in some lovely colours and designs. They're fully adjustable to fit your little one's head whether baby or toddler, and they're so comfortable that they'll forget they're wearing one as they begin to explore the world around them. In Susan's own words " I'm immensely proud of Babynobumps. I have managed to bring a product to the UK which will improve child safety. With research showing that over half a million children a year go to hospital as a result of an accident- especially now that many homes have wooden floors and paved patios - this product addresses the potential of an accident."

Finally, through this product, parents, grandparents, carers can buy some peace of mind.

Learn more at http://www.babynobumps.ltd.uk

..he hasn't of course. Its dark and dingy and freezing cold outside but I can't get that song out of my head. I'm currently on the hunt for some gorgeous baby hats to kick off our summer range but there's something quite surreal about looking for summer clothes in the bleak mid winter. Hey ho. The baby hats I've spotted so far are totally lovely so make sure to look out for them in the coming months. Very exciting!

Anyway, as for surreal experience number two Little Legs, our beautiful baby girl actually beeped at me today, I presume for bad driving. Before you think I've gone mad, picture the scene..I'm tootling along in my little car, Little Legs making her usual indescribable but very cute noises from the back seat. Next thing I hear a car beeping. Nothing out of the ordinary when I'm driving but it kept on. I started to get annoyed, looking round for someone to shout at. Then it dawned on me. I'd given Little Legs her little buggy steering wheel to keep her quiet for the journey and the little minx was beeping me..her own mother! Dear dear.

Right, off baby hat hunting again. Oh, and also on the hunt for gift wrapping ideas too. Watch this space!

Bye xxx

....and five good reasons why babies should wear them

1) Babies spend a long time snuggled up in the womb to be then pushed out into the cold. Baby hats help to protect them from this change in environment, helping to keep them warm and snug.

2) When babies are newborn their heads are about one quarter of the total body surface area and they lose a lot of heat this way. This is more so for premature babies as their heads are larger in comparison to the rest of their little bodies. Baby hats help babies to maintain warmth in their bodies

3) Babies can't regulate their body temperature very well until they're at least 6 months old.

4) Baby hats also help to protect babies from sunburn. Babies are particularly susceptible to sunburn as generally they don't have much hair.

Please note, baby hats should always be removed once inside or in a warm area to prevent overheating (unless you have been advised otherwise by your healthcare professionals).

Welcome to our shop and Happy 2010.

Setting up our website has taken a lot of hard work and lots more to come but we're quite proud of what we've achieved so far and we're keeping everything crossed for success. The business really was inspired by our beautiful baby girl who in celebration of the opening of our shop has begun to crawl so as you can imagine life is pretty hectic right now.

We really hope you enjoy shopping with us and don't forget that if you have any comments or suggestions then feel free to contact us through our contact form.

Finally look out for our new gift wrapping service and range of summer hats which are coming soon.

Lots of love from us

x 

After a few months of very hard work the launch date for our website is coming closer and closer. Although we're a little nervous, we're also very excited.  Looking back, this year has been an amazing year for us mainly because of the birth of our beautiful little daughter in April. Our first Christmas as a family has been so special despite almost losing little one amongst all the wrapping paper. (Note to self - put her in bright white pyjamas next year. Much easier to spot amongst all those colours).

Anyway, I wanted to take this moment to say welcome to our business, welcome to our business blog and Happy New Year. We look forward to your custom in 2010 and we'll see you on the 4th January 2010.

Love from us x