Table of Contents
1. Interview with The Diaper Dude
Chris Pegula, founder of Diaper Dude, the trendy diaper bag line, speaks to Peekaboo.
2. Happening Hair Accessories For Hair That Just Ain’t Happening
Staff Writer, Rachelle Powers, shares in her search for the perfect hair accessories for her daughter’s unruly hair.
3. Make-Up Tips for the Modern Mom
Staff Writer, Amber Bell, reveals helpful product suggestions and tips for hot mommas-on-the-go.
4. Between the Sheets
Staff Writer, Erin Donnelly, tells us her picks for hip and unique baby bedding.
Peekaboo Pick’s Editor, Megan Grady, had the unique opportunity to interview Chris Pegula, founder of Diaper Dude. Chris is not only a successful entrepreneur in the baby industry, but a very hip dad and all around cool guy. Chris shares with us his advice on being a fashionable parent, his secrets to success, and of course, some fun stories about his own children and the joys of being a father.
MG: Peekaboo Picks readers would love to know who exactly is “the dude” behind the famous Diaper Dude line and what inspired this trendsetting new design in parenting gear?
CP: I’m Chris Pegula, a guy from a small east-coast town named Scranton, Pa (for those readers who are fans of The Office, you know exactly where I am from.) Originally an actor, turned father of 3, which became the inspiration behind Diaper Dude. When my wife found out we were pregnant, she went nuts buying every single diaper bag she could find – feminine diaper bags that is. I asked her where my bag was and she just smiled and pretty much left me hanging. There was no way I wanted to be caught wearing one of those bags. Thus…Diaper Dude was born.
MG: As parents we face a new, and often challenging, fashion frontier. What advice can you offer Dads on embracing fatherhood in style?
CP: Have Confidence! You can pull off anything when you look like you know what you are doing. Being a dad is not easy but it is definitely well worth it’s weight in gold. Believe me, as a dad of three, all eyes are always on the little ones. Thank God! Staying calm, cool and collective makes you appear like a super dad, even though you may be sweating bullets as your little one is having a melt down. Just know that we’ve all been there.
MG: Diaper Dude bags are famous for being a staple in any hip daddy’s wardrobe yet we can’t help but notice you’re rather popular with the ladies as well. Any plans for expanding Diaper Dude to include a line just for us mommas?
CP: Actually yes! I have a line for moms called Diaper Diva. We have an awesome black patent leather bag coming out in April which all of my wife’s friends are going nuts over. (Visit diaperdude.com for details on this new bag and to view their entire hip collection.)
MG: You seem to be quite in-tune with the current trends. What would you say is the “must-have” item for fashionable parents this Spring?
CP: My favorite must have item this spring is from Goorin Bros. They carry stylish hats for every cool cat (mom,dad and kids.) Classic styles like the fedora to funky knit baseball caps and cute schoolboy hats. They have it for the whole family.
MG: I know all of our readers will be wondering, so I’ll just go ahead and ask: How do you balance a successful career with the ever-present and often demanding needs of parenthood?
CP: I don’t sleep! Just kidding. Priorities. My family is my priority and I make sure that all decisions made are in the best interest of my family. It’s really not that difficult since I love being a dad. My kids are my inspiration. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for my wife and kids. It may take me longer to get things done sometimes, but it is worth the wait.
MG: Several of Peekaboo Picks readers are also entrepreneurs in the world of baby and parent related products, what advice can you give them on building a successful brand?
CP: The best advice I can give is advice a friend gave me when I first started my business: Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. And she was right. Don’t give up. If you really believe in what you are doing, you will succeed. Don’t take no for an answer.
MG: Okay, so enough of the business talk. You’re obviously one cool dad and I’m sure a very proud one too. Can you share with us a recent milestone or experience with your kids that had you beaming?
CP: Sibling rivalry has always been an issue in our household. It’s virtually impossible to avoid with 3 kids. But recently my oldest son Kai(7) decided that he and his younger sister Juliette (5) are going to be twins. They started dressing the same and even have sleep overs on each other’s trundle beds. This is a HUGE milestone for my family. In fact, even while I am writing this I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Today, Kai ended up changing his younger brother Cole’s (2) diaper. It’s amazing.
MG: Chris, I have to say we’re rather impressed. Not only are you running a successful business, but you’re actually a dad who gets it! One last question: What is the best tip you can offer other dads out there who have taken on a more involved role in the raising of their children?
CP: Have patience and enjoy every minute of it. Time flies. I can’t believe my oldest is turning 8 this fall. There is nothing more rewarding than having your son or daughter come up to you and say out of the blue “I love you, Daddy.” Stay involved and there will not be a day you won’t hear those words spoken to you. [back to top]
Happening Hair Accessories For Hair That Just Ain’t Happening
By Rachelle Powers
My daughter has a mullet, sigh. Her hair is strongly resisting a normal pattern of growth. It’s really been a bummer for me because she was born with a full head of beautiful dark hair, a very exciting prospect for any mommy with her very first baby girl to dress up. I was especially excited because my oldest son, now three, was born bald and stayed that way until two days ago. So I wasn’t expecting hair, but I got hair…unfortunately, I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.
My dilemma started almost immediately. She had hair, but it was short…and slippery. There just wasn’t a trinket in our stash that could withstand the trip from one room to the other without sliding out. Not that I didn’t keep trying…and trying.
Eventually I opted to give up the hair accessory obsession and kindly and gently corrected everyone who told me how cute my little boy was. I was further let down by the fact that my now twenty-one month old darling daughter’s hair hasn’t really changed much since the day she was born. Other than the slightly longer patch growing mullet-style down the back of her neck.
On a recent shopping excursion with a friend, we happened upon a sweet little baby boutique in an out-of-the-way shopping center. I was looking at some girly merchandise and lamenting to my friend about my daughter’s hair (I guess I do that a lot), when the store owner brought me over to a display of bright and colorful hair accessories by a company called Giddy Giddy. This playful line was created by a woman named Teri Dimalanta who claimed that becoming a mom “ignited her inner artist and crafter.”
I was immediately drawn to the fun colors and oversize scale as well as the funky and unique designs. The store owner assured me that they were designed to stay in the hair no matter how soft or baby-fine. To prove her point, she let me put one on her little baby boy who literally only had one strand of hair. He looked pretty darn cute in it.
Now convinced of the product‘s reliability I decided I had to take one home. There was such a delightful variety, I had a hard time choosing just one. I loved the big whale, currently looking sweet on a certain baby boy‘s bald little head, the ice-cream cone looked super yummy…but I just couldn‘t resist the lovely pink flower with the green center. Looking it over I was impressed by the hand sewn aspect and the snap clip which was sewn into the design making it safe as well as functional.
I want to urge all the mommies with lovely little girls (with or without hair) to check out the brand’s website at giddygiddy.com and peruse through all the hip designs. You will find food, animals and my favorite, fun oversized flowers. Any one of these original designs is guaranteed to make a big statement. And they aren’t just for the wee ones. There are small clips for the little babies and some larger ones that hold more hair for the big girls. Set the trend in your daycare or playgroup with one of these fabulous mom-made creations.
After realizing that there were options out there that would stay in my daughter’s hair (or lack thereof) I went hunting for more. I came across another product called the “No Slippy Hair Clippy.” They promise that their adorable styles and ingenious design, using a combination of magnets for a tighter clasp and velvet for softness and gentleness, will stay in any tot’s baby-fine hair. Plus, the name is really fun to say out loud. You can find their wonderful selection of bows, flowers and novelty designs at noslippyhairclippy.com.
No longer do we have to stare longingly at the flowing locks adorning everyone else’s baby girls. We can dress up our little one’s mohawk or mullet and make it look fabulous! Now my only challenge is wrestling my daughter to the ground and pinning her there long enough to install her “pretties.” [back to top]
Make-Up Tips for the Modern Mom
By Amber Bell
A million items on the list, countless tasks to keep track of in your head, a baby to get ready, and then rushing out the door. How many moms out there can raise their hand to this picture? Sexy hair and impeccable make-up can easily become second, ok, lets get real, maybe third, fourth or fifth priority, when much of our energy is spent caring for our little bundles of joy.
So what’s the answer to looking fabulous with a busier lifestyle? Simplifying our routine as much as humanly possible! Let’s face it, there are much more important things to focus on than our make-up. Thankfully there are products out there to help. Here are a few I found along with some useful tips to live by.
Tip #1: Keep it simple, keep it natural. Urban Decay Cosmetics has just made this rule even easier with their Surreal Skin Mineral Make-up. Our skin truly does tell a story and having great looking skin can sometimes be the difference between telling the world you were up three times with the baby last night or, at the very least, looking like a well rested mamma! The Surreal Skin Mineral Make-up combines the concept of a powder and foundation with natural minerals to keep your skin refreshed and lovely. In addition, because this product has eliminated just about everything deemed artificial, it’s naturally light weight while remaining amazingly effective at creating a nice semi-matte even-toned appearance. The product works best when applied with a blush or powder brush. Bottom line, start with the most important part of your face - your skin and keep it simple with natural products that will keep it glowing and healthy.
Tip #2: Quality really does make a difference! The Diorshow Mascara by Dior delivers quality over and over with rich pigment and a nice smooth formula that doesn’t clump up when you’re in a rush to get out the door. There’s nothing better than brilliant, beautiful eyes; a feature definitely worth capitalizing on! It’s always good to eliminate a long list of products, but don’t eliminate quality. Especially when you don’t have tons of time to play up your eyes, lashes are an easy way to show them off. The Diorshow Mascara does a great job of making lashes luscious, thick, and dark when you’re short on time and you don’t want to spend it lining and layering.
Tip #3: Do what moms do best: Multi-Task. The Multiple Stick from NARS is a rich, creamy blush, eye shadow and lipstick and that’s precisely why this product is perfect for mom. Why use three things when all you need is one? One item to buy, one item to throw in your already full purse and one item to use when you have fifteen minutes to look like you’re glowing! The Multiple Stick is uniquely sheer making it the perfect tool to create naturally blushing cheeks and soft pink lips. A good all around the clock color to try for this product is Malibu. The Multiple Stick, as all the products reviewed, can be purchased online through Sephora.com or at any of the Sephora locations.
When we become mothers, we relish spending every minute of our time watching our little ones do the funny things they do and, much of the time, we happily forget about all the things we once thought were so important. But, I must admit, there is nothing better than walking out the door feeling beautiful, or, dare I say, hot! For all our hot mommas out there: Enjoy feeling beautiful, you deserve it!
Between the Sheets
By Erin Donnelly
Lambs are too cutesy, clowns give you the creeps, and you’re afraid race cars will somehow turn little Aidan into a reckless drag racer the second he gets his driver’s license. There is a lot of baby bedding out there, but not all of it manages to capture your little angel’s highly sophisticated tastes in design, cutting-edge fashion sense, and one-of-a-kind personality. Check out the stylish bedding listed below to turn a boring bassinet into a hip crib that is sure to be the envy of the playground. After all, if Mommy and Daddy get to sleep on 300-thread count Egyptian cotton linens, shouldn’t the kid have the same luxury?
Decaf Plush Throw Pillows ($49): Felt appliqué owls and peacocks adorn these kitschy but adorable throw pillows. The bold plum and olive shades are a nice change from typical nursery pastels, and the pillows a great way to introduce an animal theme that’s still offbeat and stylish. We found these fun pillows at totshop.com.
Egg by Susan Lazar Astrological Baby Blankets ($115): Admit it—you timed your conception to coincide with the zodiac calendar. And now that you have the mellow Aquarius baby of your dreams, you can wrap him or her in a cuddly blue, pink, or mint blanket that bears his/her astrological symbol. The blankets are made with 100% all-natural cotton and are mercifully machine washable. These lovely blankets can be found at thisisauto.com.
Dimples and Dandelions House Inc. Neopolitan Chocolate Pink 3-Piece Crib Set ($350):What fledging fashionista wouldn’t love this gorgeous pink and brown crib set? It’s totally girly but with just the right amount of modern edge to keep Dad from objecting. Find it at DimplesandDandelions.com.
Claude Vintage Cashmere Patchwork Blanket Boy ($238): So what if the combination of cashmere and a baby sounds like a recipe for disaster? This luxurious blanket is so irresistibly soft that you’ll have to stop yourself from climbing into the crib with Junior. This is one of those blankets that is worth passing down to the grandkids too. 
Klippan Dusty Pink Bunny Baby Blanket (£53.95): Awwww. Your little princess will fall hard for this ultra-comfy cotton and wool blanket decorated with wascally wabbits. There’s a blue version for Linuses-in-training as well. Nordickids.co.uk also sells whimsical baby items from the Scandinavian Franck & Fischer and Plastisock lines. [back to top]
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