We celebrated Ellis' 1st Birthday with our friends and family at a wonderful Reggio Emilia inspired play space here in Connecticut called Mimmo.

"The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education views young children as individuals who are curious about their world and have the powerful potential to learn from all that surrounds them."

Mimmo has so much to offer parents and children alike. There are classes daily and special events happening weekly. They have a sunlit cafe adjacent to the class area where parents can feel comfortable chatting with other parents or just take a moment to breathe. It's so much more than a children's play space and it's an amazing addition to the Farmington Valley area.

In addition to classes and events, Mimmo offers customized Birthday parties. The owner, Heather, will do as much or as little as you want depending on how involved the parents like to be. We opted to have her VERY involved, which made life a little easier for everyone! We are so excited to share the photos from Ellis' special day.

Ellis' outfit was made custom for him by Three Turtles Studio

Sensory play dough favors made by Splendido.

Photography was done by S. Dos Santos (it's a total game changer to not worry about snapping photos the entire time and actually enjoy your child's Birthday!)

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our little guy's big day! xx

Valentines Day is just around the corner and I don't know about you but I am such a sucker for a sweet treat that day (or any day for that matter!) I always try to make it special for my kids too. I remember my Mom making special treats for us every year and it has always held special memories for me. Our fave lady Chef, Addie Gundry, is back with the easiest and prettiest treat! It's so easy that your kids can even help with the creation!

Happy New Year, LN Tribe!

We thought it was fitting to do a post on something Little Nomad CEO, Liz and I are embarking on for the month of January-WHOLE30! While we were texting each other the other night and sharing some highs and lows so far, we decided to take it to the blog to share some of our fave ideas and recipes in case anyone else is trying to clean up their act in 2019.

If you don't know what WHOLE30 is or just want to read more about it, you can head to their website for a full rundown. 

This is my second time doing Whole30 and I have to say that it is definitely easier this time around. While I did lose some extra baby weight when I did it last year, Whole30 is not a weight loss diet. It is a change in your diet to help kick the bad habits. For me, this was so helpful because I was consuming a lot of extra refined sugars that I didn't even realize and probably why I struggled losing the extra weight. I found that even after the 30 days ended, the way I ate shifted significantly. I loved how I felt on Whole30 and I didn't want to bring back any of those old bad habits.

This time I am bringing my husband along for the ride and am so excited so many friends have also made the decision to try it this month. It makes it a lot more fun when people around you are doing it too!

First things first-You definitely want to do some prep work. The Whole30 shopping list is a great place to start. I don't eat beef or pork so most of my meals are either plant based or contain seafood or poultry. The beauty of the program is that you can tailor it to your personal preferences.

Whole30 Shopping List

Jenn's Fave Whole30 Recipes:

Burrito Bowls - These burrito bowls are a weekly staple even when I'm not on Whole30. I use ground turkey instead of beef and sometimes I use a lettuce base instead of cauliflower rice (I'm still learning to love riced cauliflower!)

Tostones - I made these last night and I didn't know what to expect at first but they were so easy to make and delicious. They are definitely going to be in rotation when we are craving some comfort food. I didn't make the dip she recommends but instead used this habenero ranch dressing that I can't seem to get enough of at the moment. 

Tessamae Dressings are a staple in our house on a regular basis but they are a necessity (in my mind) when you're doing Whole30. There are a lot of salads in rotation and the variety of dressings and uses are amazing. I'd recommend getting this pack to get you going.

Chia Seed Pudding - I love chia pudding but I love it even more when I am on Whole30. It's nourishing, feels indulgent and can be breakfast, snack or an end of night. My favorite toppings are unsweetened coconut flakes, melted Whole30 compliant almond butter and berries.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash - Because the standard hard boiled egg WILL get old.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings - So, we definitely have some wing lovers in our house and these definitely fit the bill. I've managed to find a quick hack since first making them. Today, I tossed the wings into the Tessamae Buffalo sauce instead of making my own (I told you I love these sauces and NO this is not a sponsored post, but if someone does want to send some we will gladly accept!)

Liz's Fave Whole30 Recipes

This is Liz's first time trying Whole30 and while the first few days were a bit rocky (totally normal, btw), she is now feeling the groove. Here are a couple of her fave recipes so far:

Jalepeno Turkey Burgers - Sometimes you just need to get your fill of a burger and fries. I love that these are a bit lighter using turkey meat but then get topped with all the goodies. You can personalize them to your liking. I also love that you can make them without a bun and then if you're kids are particular you can add a bun for them! I've also been known to stick them between some iceberg lettuce pieces for a "green bun."

Sweet Plaintain Apple Bacon Hash - The key to this recipe is the apples. You want to make sure you use a Pink Lady or Granny Smith apple. It's easy to throw this together as a side or with some runny eggs on top for a full meal. 

 Watch out, 2019! These two Mamas are coming for you! 

Tis the season for gifting and so we've gathered some of our very favorite gift ideas for little ones this year to share with you all. Some of these items are on our very own shopping lists if we don't already have them!

1) Craft Box

Made Modern makes so many awesome craft kits but I love this one that leaves it up to the kids to create whatever they want. My kids have had one box for what feels like ages and are still using it to create their masterpieces. Perfect for a rainy or cold day inside.

2) Kid Sized Broom

My children love to help me clean. Why not display this beautiful broom to encourage them to help sweep up crumbs after dinner?

3) Bug Sticker Book

For the insect lover in your life! I'm always looking for new sticker books. I love this one because it teachers children about the bugs and their environments.

4) Tassel Pom Bonnet

I have a soft spot for bonnets and there is no question this little beauty will be making it's way onto the head of my two year old this Winter!

5) Glow in the Dark Fort Kit

Is anyone as tired and I am of their entire living room being torn apart to create massive forts? This is the perfect solution to create some awesome forts! I love that it glows in the dark as well.

6) Personalized Tea Set

I love the idea of children learning to sit properly and share food and drinks at an early age. I think it makes them feel special and there's nothing more beautiful than a hand painted set to keep for years to come.

7) Fisherman Dress Up 

While I will admit that my Son loves a great princess dress and tutu for the dance party his big Sister coordinates on a nightly basis, he is often looking for other fun things to dress up. I love the creativity of this fisherman outfit.

8) Bath Buckets

We are on a constant rotation of bath toys in our house because they usually get moldy from sitting in the bath bin and need to be tossed. These bath buckets stay clean and are fun for babies and little kids!

9) Pretend Cash Register

Playing store is a regular occurrence in our house (with children ages 2-6) and I love the look of this cash register. It is both colorful and fun without being obnoxious.

10) Hazel Village Doll

All the Hazel Village dolls are beautifully made and each comes with their own personality to fit each child. There are clothing and accessories that are each more special than the next. 

11) Umbrella

The novelty of the umbrella never gets old. I love this umbrella and possibly pairing with a good set of wellies!?

12) Ice Cream Teether

My daughter had this teether as a baby and it was one of her favorites! I love how sweet it is and the shape made it super easy for her to hold as a young baby.

13) Mini Instant Camera

My children are obsessed with taking photos (there are several people to blame for this, including me.) Why not give them their own cameras to take photos?

14) Big Bashful Unicorn

I admittedly have an obsession with everything Jellycat. It's the only stuffed animal that will never be tossed/given away in my house. This giant Unicorn is for the child who is unicorn obsessed!

15) Lincoln Logs

I still remember building Lincoln Logs as a kid and I'm so happy they've become popular again. There is nothing more fun than building as a kid and I envision a large log cabin will be built to house many dolls in my future!

16) National Geographic Subscription

We have a subscription to National Geographic Kids and it is one of the most exciting mail days when it comes. We pull out the little cards inside and learn all about that months animals. A subscription would make a wonderful gift to any child + parent who doesn't need any more toys!

17) Giant Coloring Poster

For the kids who love to color (who doesn't!?) This giant coloring poster will keep kids of all ages coloring for days.

18) Remote Controlled Car

My Son saw this and wanted it immediately. It's durable and does some added tricks to keep the kids playing with it for hours. 

19) Stacking Rocket

To this day my children go back to the stacking toys they've had since they were babies. I love the colors of this stacking rocket. Pretty enough to display!

20) Sticker Kaleidoscope

I am obsessed with these sticker kaleidoscope pages. They are currently a favorite of my six year old. I bring them with me to our meals out at restaurants and when she's done they are the most beautiful pieces of art to display at home.

21) Toy Car

There is no question that most families with little kids have their fair collection of vehicles but I love the look of this one. I imagine this one looking pretty on a shelf in a nursery as well!

22) Winter Themed Loose Parts Box

This Etsy shop is one of my favorites. I love this Winter loose parts box. It is the perfect mix of activity, textures and treasures for hours of creative play. 

23) Wobbel Board

This Wobbel board caught my attention months ago and is currently waiting to be wrapped for a certain little boy. I love how beautiful it is and how many uses it has. I encourage you to visit their website to see the video. It is part balance board, chair, stool or whatever else your little one can imagine.

We're celebrating our two year anniversary this week! It seems like only yesterday that Little Nomad was born when 762 awesome mamas backed our Roam Free play mats on Kickstarter. We raised over $100k in 30 days! Since then, our community has grown to thousands and we were even featured on Shark Tank.

Thank you so much for being a part of the journey. We've been so grateful to find other moms who are just as excited to create an amazing play space for their little nomad without turning their home into a circus.

We wanted to feature a few special supporters from our very earliest days in today's post:

Courtney, Owner of T'Nees was and still is a huge supporter. Not only does she love her LN mat but she has always shared her expertise in the business and is a true example of women bringing up other women. We've loved getting a chance to work with people like Courtney.

Rachel is one of our very first kickstarter backers. She first connected with founder, Elizabeth, through Instagram right before the Kickstarter began. They both had little girls around the same age and they were both named Talia/Taliah, resulting in an instant soul-sister connection. Rachel says

"not only did the play mat immediately grab my attention with the color but the print was gorgeous! When my mat arrived around the holidays before my daughter was one, it was perfect timing - my whole family was in awe at the quality and look of it!"

Another one of of very first backers is Laura. Laura shared with us what made her fall in love with Little Nomad:

"The LN mats were everything I was looking for: it looks like a gorgeous rug, and yet is padded and safe for my kids to play. No one who enters my apartment knows its a foam mat, but rather it looks like a proper, sophisticated rug."

Here at Little Nomad we appreciate each and every customer. We love that we get a chance to be in your homes and a part of making some of your very first memories with your babies. Thank you for continuing to share your stories with us and be a part of our LN Tribe.

But it's not going to stop with just play mats...We understand when your little one is tucked in bed after a full day, you want to relax into a sea of calm - not in an ocean of chaos. Which is why we wanted to do more, and what's inspired our new mission:

To this end, we've been carefully selecting fun wooden toys, beautiful decor, and functional-yet-chic storage solutions handpicked from brands that share our values. Our beautiful range of play gyms, toys, and storage baskets have all been tested by us. They all have the Little Nomad stamp of approval for making mama and child happy.

Thank you for helping us celebrate these amazing two years!

With love,

The Little Nomad team