While I do love gender-neutral baby gear, there’s something really sweet about these pretty slings (that my husband would not wear) from independent seamstress Brittan Hlista, owner and designer of upa-lala. I’m thinking when your base layer is a tshirt and dull-from-too-many-washings yoga pants, these vibrant patterns could really distract the eye!

(Note to sling-makers of the world: We need to see newborn mama models with bigger post-pregnancy tummies, please! Or maybe she’s an adoptive mom?)

Regardless, aren’t these lovely?

(Also, rest assured that these slings comply with baby carrier safety standards governed by the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance.)

Brittan also makes eco-friendly waterproof snack bags and drawstring backpacks in bright fabrics.

Find the giveaway after the jump.

Browse the upa-lala website to see the whole product assortment. Really cute stuff!

Use the LIKE button on the product detail page to give your favorites a thumbs up, and then let us know which pattern you Liked. Enter your comment below.

On Wednesday, February 1, 2012, I will select a winner at random, per our giveaway rules, to win a sling and a reusable bag. One entry per adult human please.

P.S. “Upa”, or even cuter, “Upalala” is what little kids say in Argentina when they raise their arms up to be carried.

After returning from a jaunt to Tahoe with his toddler, Ainslie, our friend Doug gave me tips on fun stuff to do in the snow. (That’s right old friends, I’m embarrassed to admit it but snow is something we visit out here — not endure. And we “jaunt”).

For the baby set:
Walk around with Bjorn and congratulate yourself for being active.

Sharon reports:

We would have normally planned to go snow shoeing or skiing and planned a romantic dinner out. But we spent our time walking around the village, shopping a little, having a nice dinner, going for a long walk, and taking lots of pictures of Ainslie.

Our friends, Doug and Sharon, are total bad-asses. So, when they recommend to take it easy with your rookie baby, you should listen.

Last year, Whitney and I did their 22 mile charity bike ride and were proud to complete it. Sharon did the whole thing 6 months pregnant while Doug had a 30-pound toddler in the bike trailer.

Dress up your baby in the worst, ugliest gift outfit and invite over some other poorly dressed babies for a costume party and ugly-clothing contest. Dorky gifts, ratty hand-me-downs, and hopeless mismatches can finally have their day.

Try not to be offended if your idea of cutest-outfit-ever winds up on one of the other models. Cute is completely in the eye of the beholder here.

My younger brother Chad (pictured above) models something from the mid-seventies in the hopes that I won’t offend any of YOU with my idea of ugly. I actually think he’s pretty adorable here anyway.

Take lots of pictures, but be careful who sees them!

This is your 25th challenge. Have you done this yet? Share your story and pictures.

• Comment below and spill the details.
• Share a picture with us on Facebook.

Today’s challenge is to strap on your fanny pack and be a tourist in your own town with your little sidekick. Ok, I’m kidding about the fanny pack. But how about you two go somewhere only the visitors ever enjoy?

I call this first one “PhD in Paris” of Annie and her baby boy in 2005:

Thanks to PhD in Parenting for this treasure

If you’ve never taken the time to see your hometown’s greatest hits, choose a destination and make a day of it. Can you plunk your baby at the foot of a famous statue or seek out the most famous landmark for a cute commemorative photo?

Baby J enjoys the view of the Golden Gate Bridge

This is your 24th challenge. Did you complete this challenge? Share your story and pictures.

• Comment below and spill the details.
• Share a picture with us on Facebook.

Related activity: Document your baby’s birthplace

Your weekly challenge is to enjoy the rainbow of colors at an outdoor plant nursery. Let her touch/listen to the wind chimes on display, tour the orchid hot-house, and watch the koi in the water garden pond (the bright-colored fish swarm up to greet kids because they expect food). A baby carrier is perfect to navigate the tight corners.

In Berkeley, I like the East Bay Nursery for its rows and rows of colorful flowers and funny butterflies. Just watch out for the bees.

This is your 22nd challenge. Did you complete this challenge? Share your story.

• Comment below and spill the details.
• Share a picture with us on Facebook.

Is your baby too old to be worn around in a baby carrier while you describe the difference between perennials and annuals? Toddlers and preschoolers are ready to “help” plant their own favorite veggies in the backyard. Not your style? Choose a different challenge.

Becky from Oakland, CA sent us this cute suggestion for a keepsake craft. She recently created cardboard crayon drawings of her two daughters on a rainy day.

I cut open the box then laid down each girl (one at a time) then I traced them and then we colored them in wearing the outfits they were wearing that day. We liked them so much, we put them in our attic to save forever and ever.

Maisy, age 2, is checking out her doppelganger

Baby Maren, 5 months old, looks a little like a pirate

Becky is a stay at home mom to 2 girls; Maisy will be 3 in June and Maren is 8 mos old and was born in the front seat of their 2000 VW Jetta. Whoa.

She chronicles the family adventures on her blog, Sea of Clouds and recently shared her favorite family-friendly destinations on our local site 510families.com.

We know there are those people whose infants start sleeping eleven or twelve hours a night around four months old. These so-called “babies” take three daily naps at 8, 12 and 4.30. And then there are the rest of us.

At one point my moms group’s weekly discussion was so dominated by sleep that we were starting to get sick of each other, even though we needed each other so very badly, because no one else would be willing to listen to us talk with such hysteria about our child’s sleep habits.

Because it was a sensitive issue, I emailed the group ahead of time suggesting that at our next gathering, we would censor the subject unless it was a serious mental health situation that someone needed to address. I proposed a list of alternative topics that would help rejuvenate us and make us laugh during our meeting. We did this twice and it was tons of fun.

Our format was to go around in a circle and each answer the proposed alternative-to-how-is-your-baby-sleeping question. This is your 21st rookie mom challenge. Here are some conversation starters for you:

• What brought you to live here?
• Where did you go to college and what did you study?
• What were you going to name the baby if it was the opposite gender?
• Tell us about the relationship you had before you were with your partner.

These may sound basic, but when you’ve spent all of your bonding time discussing strollers and nipples, you may have left out some basic facts. Try it and let us know how it goes.

Not ready to make it through a day without talking about sleep? Pick another challenge.

I used to see 3-year olds around town dressed in wild combinations of stripes, gingham, rainbow tights and superhero capes. I wondered when my baby would look that creative and charming.*

Then it dawned on me and I began to create wild combinations and increase the creativity in my infant’s wardrobe. If your baby is grabbing, he can help pick out his own clothes, just like a willful preschooler.

We start at the bottom and work up:

• Let the baby “choose” from two or three pairs of socks. The idea is that whichever ones he touches (grabbing or sucking is ok too), he wears. You might need to hold them close to his hand if he’s not flapping or waving his hands about.
• Now allow him to pick from two shirts.
• Let him pick pants, hats, and any other accessories.

Now you can brag that baby picked out his own clothes. Good mommy.

* Now that Holden is pushing six, he doesn’t like to be quite as wild in the fashion arena, he prefers sweats every day. Oh well.

Navigating the stroller through the market area is a challenge and there are so many things to look at for your baby, it’s worth the effort. Does this not sound like enough action for you? Believe me, it is. You will see other babies, musicians, and tasty food. Look around and choose a vegetable your baby hasn’t tried yet. Bring it home and steam and puree or mash with a fork.

Adeline and her mommy hit the market

Find a local farmers’ market and go! Baby Adeline (pictured) was enchanted by the musician. Baby Lucy hit her first Farmers’ Market at 3 days old. This tiny baby (see the foot!) (courtesy of cafemama) doesn’t look much older.

This is your twentieth challenge. Did you complete this challenge? Share your story.

• Comment below and spill the details. Last time I went to the Farmers’ Market, I was so hot, all I did was buy an ice cream and leave. Does that count?
• Share a picture with us on Facebook. Cute baby in stroller? Smashed sweet potato on face? One in a bjorn and one climbing on your shoulder? All good.

I was driving down the street yesterday when a friend, Andrea, pulled out in front of me in her station wagon. I was only driving behind her for only a couple of blocks, but we rolled down our car windows to wave at each other and grin like goofballs at the simple coincidence of seeing each other on the road.

Andrea Scher, co-creator of Mondo Beyondo (Google it!)

Andrea is one of the most thoughtful and inspiring women I’ve met, and though we’ve only hung out ten times or so over the past few years, some of the things she has said are the things that have stuck with me or changed my perspective in fantastic ways. Andrea was a rookie mom to baby Ben when she wrote this at her blog SuperheroJournal.com.

After my post about friendship, my friend Kalah shared something that I loved. She said,
“When you’re feeling most isolated, remember that you can always bring the party to YOU. Friends without children might not have an idea of your daily goings-on and may put off calling because they don’t want to be intrusive. Inviting them into your fold reassures them that you still appreciate their friendships and they feel like they’re saving you some time and energy when they make the effort to meet you where you are. It’s ok to let go of perfectionism when it comes to the state of your home when it comes to visitors–most people understand that you’re living the real, visceral life.”

In the spirit of bringing the party to me and my favorite SARKism “Invite Someone Dangerous to Tea,” I decided to invite the owner of Speesees, Rachel Pearson for tea. (We had only “met” via email after I ordered some goodies) She is pure color, creativity, fun and talent. I was SO inspired by our conversations about business and dreams and love. She made my day and reminded me that one of my greatest pleasures is connecting with other creative women/kindred spirits/people I admire.

It’s funny, since that event took place, I’ve had Andrea over several times, and by pure coincidence, met Rachel, who she dared herself to meet.

Can you invite someone dangerous to tea this week? This is your 19th rookie mom challenge. Take a chance on a person you don’t know well.  “Tea” is the perfect invitation for a mid-day meet up and can be at your breakfast table with tea and fruit or at a cafe where you don’t have to clean up anything.

Tell us, who do you have in mind? A mom you’ve met a few times at yoga? Your old boss who you miss? A friend of your mom’s who always tells funny stories?

Your challenge this week is to seek out the tot story time your library and go there. Space out while someone else entertains your baby with a new voice and stories. Double check the time before you go. And, hey, be on time. If you’re 5 minutes late, you’ll miss half of it.

This is your eighteenth challenge. Did you complete this challenge? Share your story.

• Comment below and spill the details. Library story time is not for everyone so be honest.
• Share a picture with us on Facebook. Nick, pictured above, was one of our earliest rookie baby readers.

It’s time to make your own fun. Plan out your week and write up the schedule. Pick an activity and a time and tell everyone who might be available that they are welcome to join you. Be brave and invite folks you hardly know. Or send out an email with your whole week to get your friends excited about how much fun you are about to have over the next seven days.

You are the cruise director. They’ll thank you later.

This is your seventeenth rookie mom challenge.

If your city has been explored by another rookie mom, you can cheat by picking something from our “A Week In (Your City)” series. If your city is not listed, send us your itinerary, so we can with our readers (at least the public events, not “Thursday at 4:00 in my backyard”!) Post it in comments or email us at moms at rookiemoms.com.

Need more inspiration? Browse the previous challenges.