Yes.
Yes, you’re right.
I am looking at baby stuff a lot, recently.

It’s because — breaking ‘Baby Bump’ news, here!! — there’s going to be a new baby niece or nephew coming into our family in April 2008.

Somewhere in the third week of April, to be as precise as anyone can be, you know that first babies can have their own timetables for birth…

So, World’s Most Doting Auntie here… browsing the baby gear boutiques and making goo-goo noises at every infant I see, that’s what I’m doing these days. Baby-obsessing, in fact — and also long-distance chats on plans and colour schemes and flowers for a certain family wedding that’s planned for July 2008 (but we’ll talk more about that later) …

At the moment I’m stuck on The Little Seed and my sudden urge to meet up with my pal Mer in Los Angeles for a baby gift shopping spree. Yeah, like that’s going to happen. {sigh} But it sounds like such a cool new boutique…

A selection of products carried at The Little Seed includes the ultra modern and streamlined Orbit Baby Strollers; non-toxic Stockmar crayons and paints; handmade eco-toys by Barbara Sansoni; organic bed linens from Amenity & Coyuchi; stylish linens from Dwell Baby; organic cotton clothes from Fauna, Speesees & Kate Quinn; built for beginners bicycles from Like A Bike; 100% certified organic Merino Wool clothing and blankets by Nui Organics; organic toys from Zid Zid; and sustainable furniture from Kalon Studios, among others.

The Little Seed is the brainchild of Soleil Moon Frye, Paige Tolmach (she was the co-founder of Swoon Candle, you may recall) and fashion designer Beth Birkett.

New mothers, they drew on their own experiences of shopping for baby and decided to create a one-stop shop that would help parents get up-to-date information about non-toxic and organic choices for a healthy home environment, as well as buy all sorts of stylish organic and eco-friendly products for babies and young children.

These women are committed to their whole green vision, too. The store offers classes to parents, has a play area for the little ones, and even the paint on the walls is VOC-free. Very cool… and I’m prepared to bet that this is the way that mainstream stores are going to have to go, too, in the very near future.