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If you're like me, and have a tendency to favor baby togs with a contemporary yet artsy feel, mainstream staples just won't do.

When seeking your own small scale retro-mod inspiration, look no further than veryKIKI.

Each original, durable, soft cotton baby and toddler tee offered in the veryKIKI boutique features hand-cut, hand-appliqued designs created by founder, Kristen, who moonlights as a seamstress and silk screener on evenings and weekends, or whenever she has a free moment from teaching middle school.

Kids have a tendency to go through clothes like Kleenex, wearing that adorable outfit you bought two sizes too big just one or two times before completely growing out of it. It doesn't exactly stretch your dollar, and ending up with a closetful of pricey clothes isn't exaclty every parent's ideal wardrobe situation.

Thanks to Girlie Bows, however, your little girl can sport the same look for at least a year, maybe more, with their innovative "pillowcase dress" creation. Invented by the store owner, who's also a mom to three kidaroos of her own, each cute and super comfy dress is completely handmade, with special attention to details like finished edges, heat-sealed ribbon, and can even be monogrammed by special request, free of charge.

Even the fabric is filled with amazing details, like the pink and chocolate toile style shown at top left that features a darling mommy/daughter pattern that I've never seen anywhere else.

The shoulder ribbon ties allow the dress to grow with your gal, becoming a tunic length top as she gets taller. Layered with tights, a turtleneck, or cardigan, it easily turns into a year-round staple, and for die-hard summer lovers, can even be made with a halter-style top instead.

All of the dresses are machine washable, too, and though it's recommended they be washed by hand, I forgot and threw mine in with the other laundry on the gentle cycle. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it emerged looking as lovely as when I put it in with no fraying, unraveling, fading or, even parent's worse nightmare - shrinking. While a good ironing will keep this little dress looking it's best, hanging it to dry doesn't look bad either, which works for a mom like me whose iron is still stored in its original box.

Need a made-to-match hairbow? They do those, too. Simply read each dress desciption thoroughly to find out the where, when, how and why.

There's two really good ways to describe Grammy-winning musician Dan Zanes: iconic and approachable. And when you make your living singing cross-cultural children's songs while raising awareness of social issues facing communities across the board at the same time, both are pretty darn important.

The Welcome Table - Songs of Inspiration, Mystery and Good Times is Zanes' latest release and a collection of old and (mostly) new Dan Zanes & Friends recordings drawn primarily from North American gospel traditions. All follow the delightfully toe-tapping, mellow yet totally groovy DZAF signature style, inspiring anyone and everyone to get down and dance at a moment's notice, and trust me, our three-year-old does.

Better yet, the CD benefits The New Sanctuary Movement, which is a coalition of interfaith religious leaders and participating congregations called by their faith to respond actively and publicly to the suffering of immigrants living in the United States. Since the down-to-earth Zanes is always ready to lend an ear, play a song and help a cause, he's steadily built an eclectic, live concert-loving following made up of pint-sizers and their parents (our brood included), ready and willing to offer a helping hand to those less fortunate.

Zanes was kind enough to join me for a second interview (we chatted around this time last year - read the interview here), to tell me about the the latest and greatest going on in Brooklyn and beyond.

Join DZAF in Chicago at the Harris Theater on Saturday, May 30. With two shows at 1pm and 4pm, along with backup by the Pilsen Children's Choir, it's guaranteed to be a great time. All four of us will be there with our dancing shoes on, so come join the party! $25 for adults; $15 for children.

How did you decide on the mix of songs included in The Welcome Table?

DZ: We wanted to make a gospel record but decided to go with a broad definition of what "gospel" could be and wanted to include the Spanish-speaking community because of The New Sanctuary Movement, and had to have a Jewish song in there of course. And because The New Sanctuary Movement is in churches and synagogues and mosques, we wanted to stay close to that. We wanted to get Arabic on there, too, but sort of came up short.

Next time!

DZ: We were just in Bahrain for the first time this year and it's one of my top three favorite concerts of all time. We just felt so appreciated by the Arabic audience there. We did sing some songs in Arabic, too, so I'm really excited to go back and dig further into that.

How's your Arabic accent?

DZ: Probably a lot like my Spanish accent. Not very good.

I give you credit for giving it your best go.

DZ: Well, thanks, I appreciate that and your kind words about [spanish language CD] Nueva York!

Read last year's interview.

Tell me about your involvement with The New Sanctuary Movement.

DZ: Once we started hanging out with more Latino musicians in New York, we started becoming more aware of deportation issues, and through some friends, met the people involved with The New Sanctuary Movement. They were just starting up, they'd only been around for about a year and for me, they were the people who helped me understand how widespread and tragic the whole situation of deportation really is. I felt like my experience with them was so powerful, and felt like a lot of the people in our audience were in the same boat I was in, which was having a little bit of an idea about deportation overall, but until you have a face put on it, it can be abstract. Without having anyone you know affected by it, your family or your community, you might feel like it's someone else's issue. But it's obviously everybody's issue because the health of our whole country depends on how we treat the people whose families and lives are really at risk. Almost half a million people were deported last year, for reasons most of us would consider trivial. I think the people in our audiences are really caring people and so I thought if we could do something to steer people to The New Sanctuary Movement, a lot of people might get on board and look at the situation a little more closely.

The fact that people are called "illegals" from the start makes it sounds like they've done something wrong and deserve to be punished somehow, and  I think the process for it all is just so unjust. The language and the system and everything just picks on them on every level and I think it's like border security. Nothing that's ever really worked very well. There's more and more people that die in the desert and we're not at a point of questioning it, and even the politicians we love are not questioning it so there's so much that needs repair.

I went to a Mexican town on the migrant trail and saw people being rounded up, stuffed into vans, some girls my daughter's age, being surrounded by dogs and being driven right back to the border. People with swollen feet and blisters, dehydrated, pregnant women, all that stuff. And really, they all just looked like working people. They looked just like the people I grew up with in New Hampshire, except they happened to be Mexican. 

DZ: I feel like I'm just another guy just trying to figure it all out and am not predisposed in any special way in wanting to do more or say more. I think I'm just an average citizen. Fortunately though, because of music and the people I get to hang out with I have the easy way in or the easy way to participate.

I give people a lot of credit and think that most people want to help and just don't have the information, the support or contacts they need to do something of value in the community. It keeps us a little separated from each other.

And critics?

DZ: Naysayers get a lot more attention than they deserve and it makes them seem like there are a lot more of them than there really are, but I really think the majority of people really do care and want to help their neighbors no matter where they're from. I think we all want to understand each other, and I think we all want to sing each other's songs and eat each other's food. Make life exciting anyway.

Tell me about your relationship with Anna - how is she doing?

DZ: She's great. She's a 14-year -old punk rocker, which works for me - she's a good kid. We went to see Green Day the other night and that was fun so it's really cool. I feel incredibly lucky. We play musoic together a lot.

Is she still into the daddy/daughter thing thinking you're pretty cool?

DZ: Let's just say she has a lot of friends and they think I'm cool, so that's good enough for me.

Babies and teethers go together like peas and carrots, which if you're Forrest Gump, is totally complimentary.

For babies who have more of a exotic, quinoa-meets-tilapia kind of personality, however, something a little more quirky is much more appealing. 

Thanks to Kushies' ZQ line of linko clip-together teethers and toys, toothsome tots can benefit from four bite-and-chew teethers that hold together with four coordinating rings, and three offbeat characters. The mixed textures and feelings promote manual dexterity, tactile stimulation, visual stimulation/development, and of course, hand-to-mouth coordination - every baby's favorite.

Preschoolers can get in on the action, too, with their magnetic build-and-stack activity Play Garden that offers plenty of crazy creatures to jump start their imaginations, not to mention opportunities to engage in creative play with the endearingly odd, stackable, circus-themed magnetic Stacrobats.

Add some unexpected whimsy to your little one's wardrobe while you're at it with casual-chic, European-style pieces like a Vintage Floral knit beret, Brights unionsuit or Swirlie Girlie sweater from the company's classic layette collections.

As any pint-sized escape artist worth his salt will tell you, mischievous adventures aren't nearly as fun without a cape to complete the creative persona.

And, if you're like me, and prefer to keep your towels in the linen closet instead of around your kiddos' neck, then the amazing selection of capes (some even feature personalization options and masks!) from Mommy Couture Designs will definitely be up your super mom alley.

The chic, upscale children's boutique offers tons of trendy tops and bottoms for babies and toddlers, not to mention a huge collection of top of the line, silky smooth, 100% handmade Baby Leo capes for kids ages 3-10, adorned with everything from blue bolts to flowers with power, dinos, rockets and more, all lined with velvety soft chamois for the ultimate in superhero comfort.

Have a younger copycat? No problem. Choose the sidekick size for kiddies ages 2-4.

The capes fasten easily around kids necks with a soft snap closure, but honestly, I wish they had some kind of shirt attachment for tots like mine who don't like the feeling of something constricting their movement. Each is machine washable, too, which is not only is a major mom plus, but also means your caped avenger's antics can go beyond the confines of the playroom - perhaps even to infinity and beyond.

It looks like spring has finally sprung around here with birds, bees and bunnies out en masse, along with copious amounts of sunshine, fragrant blooms and gentle breezes.

That being said, there's still chilly mornings/evenings and the odd damp rainy day to contend with, not to mention little ones that have no desire to hear the words "sweater or "tights" now that temps are hovering near the 80s.

Cosmotot fave, BabyLegs, makes it easy to rock the layered look with a wide range of lightweight legwarmers that work for babies from 0-10 years old. Yep, you read correctly. 10 years old. With everything from funky animal prints to dots and solids to itsy bitsy spider and bunny lane themes, there's something to mix and match for everyone and every ocassion.

Better yet, parents can wear them, too, making them ideal for sharing. And, they wash and wear beautifully, though I've found they last longer when you use a lingerie bag during the wash cycle. It cuts down on pilling and snags at least.

The possibilities are truly endless, making the average $12 price tag a little easier to swallow.

Kiddies with special needs might find them especially appealing as arm warmers during therapy sessions when facilities blast the AC. Or, you can use them to cover up a broken arm or complete a Halloween costume. Even potty training stays a snap since there are no waistbands to fumble with when nature's calling. 

And if your little learner is anything like mine, nature doesn't wait.

Your new series, Jamie At Home has you foraging for wild mushrooms, chopping up rustic herbs, cooking up hearty, farm-fresh meats like lamb, and basically puts organic cooking and all the glorious gardening, sunshine, and English countryside front and center. You’ve always promoted organic produce in your books and recipes – do you do the same at home? What is your family’s favorite meal?

JO: I am very fortunate that I can only eat organic produce at home.  If it doesn’t come from my garden, Jools or I shop for organics at the grocery store or farmer’s market.  If I am in London,  I try to get down to Borough Market on a Saturday, which is a brilliant food market in south London.  As for the family’s favourite meal, it changes all the time but you can’t go wrong with a good old free-range roast chicken with all the trimmings.

You were appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List; were named the No. 1 most influential person in the U.K. hospitality industry on the CatererSearch 100 list in May 2005, and are hands down the most famous British export whose cookbooks are bestsellers, and have been translated into 16+ languages. What drives you? Did you ever expect to rise to such acclaim?

JO: I certainly never expected it when I was cooking in the River Café back in the late 1990s.  My plan was just to work hard, rise up the ladder and one day open my own little restaurant in the country somewhere.  As for what drives me, it’s really just trying to inspire people to try different things in terms of food.  At the moment I’m working on a project with people who really can’t cook at all and it’s lovely seeing them getting really excited about food for the first time.

Has the epicurean world ever reacted negatively to your cooking style, restaurants or philanthropic organizations? How do you deal with the critics and negative feedback?

JO: Yes, there are always critics with everything you do and I know that my food and the way I do things isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.  But generally I think people are now mostly supportive and they realize that I’m trying to do good things even if sometimes they don’t quite work out as planned.

When you’re not filming, writing, touring or overseeing operations for Fifteen, and are home with Jools and the girls, what is a typical day like for you as a family? Is there something special that the girls only do with you?

JO: A typical day is spent at our house in Essex near my parents and sister’s family and Jools’ mum.  We don’t do anything special, really.  We play in the garden, cook together.  You know the usual family stuff.  Maybe curl up with Jools and watch a movie in the evening.  We’re very normal.

Oliver was kind enough to share one of his favorite recipes with us, so go ahead and get naked:

Crispy and Sticky Chicken Thighs with Squashed New Potatoes and Tomatoes

Directions:

This is a simple pan-baked chicken dish - the sort of food I absolutely love to eat. As everything cooks together in 1 dish, all the beautiful flavors get mixed up. This is what it's all about! With a green salad, it's an easy dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
• 12 boned chicken thighs, skin on, preferably free-range or organic
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds cherry tomatoes, different shapes and colors if you can find them
• 1 bunch fresh oregano, leaves picked
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Red wine vinegar

Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of salted boiling water and boil until cooked.

While the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut each chicken thigh into 3 strips and place in a bowl. Rub the meat all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss.

Heat a large frying pan, big enough to hold all the chicken pieces snugly in 1 layer, and put the chicken into the pan, skin side down. If you don't have a pan that's big enough, feel free to cook the chicken in 2 batches. Toss and fry over a high heat for 10 minutes or so, until almost cooked, then remove with a slotted spoon to an ovenproof pan or dish.

*** the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Place them in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for a minute or so. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, pinch off their skins. You don't have to, but by doing this they will become lovely and sweet when cooked, and their intense flavor will infuse the potatoes. By now the potatoes will be cooked. Drain them in a colander and lightly crush them by pushing down on them with your thumb.

Bash up most of the oregano leaves with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, or a Flavor Shaker if you have one. Add 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a good splash of red wine vinegar and some pepper and give everything another bash. Add to the chicken with the potatoes, the tomatoes and the rest of the oregano leaves. Toss everything together carefully. Spread out in a single layer in an appropriately sized roasting pan, and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden.

Lovely served with an arugula salad dressed with some lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, and a nice glass of white wine.

Recipe Excerpted from JAMIE AT HOME by Jamie Oliver. Copyright (c) 2008. Published in the U.S. by Hyperion. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold. www.jamieoliver.com