International Babywearing Week 2016 – Recap

International Babywearing Week 2016 – Recap

Just when we thought International Babywearing Week couldn’t get any better this year blows us away! We had 9 different events and over $1,000 in prizes to give away! We love how our community comes together to celebrate babywearing and help spread the joy of keeping our kids close enough to kiss.

The International Babywearing Week logo is a navy blue circle containing a drawn image of a baby in a brightly striped sling with just the baby’s head in view. The words ‘best seat in the house’ are overlaid in white on top of the striped sling. Outside of the navy blue circle on the top of the logo read the words: ‘International Babywearing Week 2016’.

We would like to start by thanking all the businesses that donated so many amazing items so that we could give away prizes to make IBW even more exciting!

If you won a prize from them or hope to see their products at future giveaways please be sure to stop by their pages and tell them THANKS <3

Another BIG thanks goes to all the volunteers who have been planning all these fun events for months, spending countless hours of time and work to make sure we could line up an entire week of fun for everyone in our community. Be sure to thank a volunteer at your next event 🙂

THANK YOU!

Now let’s recap all the fun we had!!

Zoo Day

International Babywearing Week started off on a rainy day but the weather stayed nice just long enough for our group to fully enjoy the zoo with our little ones. Zoo trips are always fun and I’m glad that the weather didn’t scare off the small group who came to kick off IBW with us. We saw peacocks roaming the zoo freely, petted stingrays, got up close to tigers and laughed at the walruses all while (mostly) wearing our kiddos. The great thing about babywearing while at the zoo is that we can give our kids an up high look at all the animals but still let them down to explore as well.

Blonde toddler in a pink rain jacket standing in front of a big fish tank

Blonde toddler in a pink rain jacket standing in front of a big fish tank

Tiger getting up close to the window to look at a preschool girl who's trying to poke the tiger's nose

Tiger getting up close to the window to look at a preschool girl who’s trying to poke the tiger’s nose

Mother standing infront of the big fish tank with her blonde toddler on her back in a handmade Buckle-Bu carrier

Krysta standing in front of the big fish tank with her toddler on her back in a handmade Buckle-Bu carrier

 

 

Group photo of 5 babywearing moms with all their babies in carriers

Group photo of 5 babywearing moms with all their babies in carriers

 

Babywearing Photoshoot

Ashley Renee Photography (https://www.facebook.com/ashleyreneephotog/?fref=ts) has been working with BWI of KP for 4 years now to provide our group with amazing pictures and help fundraise for more babywearing resources. And its no surprise that this year she captured some great moments again. We look forward to continuing our work with Ashley and having these yearly IBW picture to cherish forever

(Pictures coming soon!)

 

BINGO!

This was the first time our group held a bingo night and we loved it! We had a full room of players and the cutest Bingo Callers ever. Some people were even prepared with their own bingo daubers. We are already thinking of when we can host another bingo night, be sure to bring your good luck charms with you!

VBE Samantha helps her son and friend to call out bingo numbers

VBE Samantha helps her son and friend to call out bingo numbers

A room full of players hoping their bingo card is the winner.

A room full of players hoping their bingo card is the winner.

These two players came prepaired with their own bingo daubers. Image of two women smiling while playing bingo, one wearing her baby on her front in a soft structured carrier.

These two players came prepared with their own bingo daubers. Image of two women smiling while playing bingo, one wearing her baby on her front in a soft structured carrier.

 

BWI of KP North Meeting/Babywearing Costume Contest

We loved seeing all the costumes that came to our North Meeting. Even our volunteers joined in on the fun and dressed up the demo dolls we always have available at our meetings. Try to guess which are the real babies and which are dolls 😛 We hope to see more babywearing costumes at our South Meeting (https://www.facebook.com/events/195940240841069/)

A group from our north meeting dressed up for the costume contest. Small boy dressed as a zombie soccer player, small girl dressed as Ana from the movie Frozen, VBE Haylee dressed as a rescued cat with her demo doll dressed as a firefighter, Kristina dressed baby as Dipping Dots Ice Cream, ABE Tamara dressed as a witch with a toddler demo doll dressed as a black cat on her back, VBE Samantha with her small demo doll dressed up as a bag of popcorn, Sandi dressed in pajamas with her toddler dressed as a doll, CSV Mandy dressed as a parrot with her toddler on her baby dressed as a baby parrot

 

Babywearing Flash Tattoos

This event was even better than last year. We had 4 artists from 11am – 11pm and a total of 28 tattoos! So many great babywearing, nursing and parent tattoo options were available ranging in price from $20 – $160. All the tattoos came out looking beautiful and I got to hold so many babies while their parent(s) got new ink. We can’t wait until next year! Be sure to stop by The Clinic Tattoo and leave them a review/thank them for all their work https://www.facebook.com/TheClinicTattoo/?fref=ts

Babywearing Tattoos Collage 2

Three collages of babywearing and parent tattoos. Some of the designs include dad babwearing, breastfeeding mermaids, fairies, Rosie the Riveter inspired and water colors.

Babywearing Tattoos Collage 3 Babywearing Tattoos Collage 1

 

Creek House Farm Pumpkin Patch

We had such a great time at Creek House Farms Pumpkin Patch! They had so much to do – farm animals to feed, a playground for the kiddos, slingshot water balloons, hay bale rides, and of course TWO awesome pumpkin patches! We picked out an awesome carving pumpkin, a Cinderella pumpkin for drawing on and a decorative sweet dumpling. The kids loved walking through the patch to pick out fresh pumpkins still on the vine followed by expending energy on the playground – and us parents loved the nap that followed! Looking forward to next year!

 

Two women standing in front of a pig pen at the farm with babies on their front in carriers

Two women standing in front of a pig pen at the farm with babies on their front in carriers

Three kids enjoying the playground at the farm

Three kids enjoying the playground at the farm

Group photo of 7 caregivers with their kids, most up in baby carriers, while standing in front of a giant inflatable stack of pumpkins

Group photo of 7 caregivers with their kids, most up in baby carriers, while standing in front of a giant inflatable stack of pumpkins

 

Park Clean Ups

This year’s IBW park clean-ups were a great success! We first visited Sehmel park and ended up trimming the trails, picking up garbage, and having a great time with snacks at the playground afterwards. Our second park clean-up was at Poulsbo Fish Park. Although the group was smaller in size than the first park clean-up, it was just as big in heart and nature stewardship. We picked up trash, enjoyed our time together babywearing in the outdoors, and found some Kitsap Rocks! All in all, the company was great, new friends were made, and the parks were both very grateful for our service.

Image of volunteers and children helping pick up the trail

Image of volunteers and children helping pick up the trail

Image of 5 volunteers and their children, some in baby carriers, showing off all the trash they helped clean up in front of the fish statue

Image of 5 volunteers and their children, some in baby carriers, showing off all the trash they helped clean up in front of the fish statue

 

Art Night with #CraftWithAnna

We always have a blast with #CraftWithAnna! This was our second class with her and we got to paint babywearing self portraits. She is an amazing instructor who helps you get in touch with your artistic side, even if you didn’t think you had one. Every time we walk out with beautiful personalized works of art.

Brunette mother wearing her small baby in a purple ring sling surrounded by red and teal paint with swirls

Brunette mother wearing her small baby in a purple ring sling surrounded by red and teal paint with swirls

Teal and Purple haired mother with her baby wrapped in a pink carrier

Teal and Purple haired mother with her baby wrapped in a pink carrier

Brunette mother and baby painted in a red sling with a blue circle saying "I will carry you always"

Brunette mother and baby painted in a red sling with a blue circle saying “I will carry you always”

7 members and volunteers showing off their works of babywearing art.

7 members and volunteers showing off their works of babywearing art.

 

Scavenger Hunt

Of course the weekly scavenger hunt is now a yearly tradition 🙂 It is so much fun to see everyone capture these moments during International Babywearing Week and share them with us for their chance to win a grand prize! This year’s grand prize was a Lenny Lamb Wrap Tai in Luna from Blossom Baby, who just celebrated their 1 year birthday during IBW. https://www.facebook.com/BlossomBabyNW/?fref=ts

Sandi wearing a BWI of KP t-shirt while posing with her daughter on her back in a carrier in front of an inflatable pumpkin

Sandi wearing a BWI of KP t-shirt while posing with her daughter on her back in a carrier in front of an inflatable pumpkin

Danielle with her baby in a rainbow ring sling out in nature

Danielle with her baby in a rainbow ring sling out in nature

Group of 3 Babywearing friends posing together

Group of 3 Babywearing friends posing together

CSV Heather and VBE Haylee posing for the scavenger hunt

CSV Heather and VBE Haylee posing for the scavenger hunt

 

 

WHAT A WEEK! We got to meet new friends, win some extraordinary prizes and spread the fun and joy of babywearing. We are already thinking of ways to improve next year and bring even more excitement to IBW. If you would like to help, please fill out this survey to let us know what you thought of IBW 2016. https://goo.gl/forms/uuw1uiWQw9lIvnfE2

Thank you again to everyone who donated prizes, to all our volunteers and to everyone who came out to celebrate with us! Visit https://www.facebook.com/bwikitsap/events/ and subscribe so you’ll be notified every time we add more fun events. You won’t want to miss what we have planned for the rest of the year 🙂

 

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