I avoid in-store shopping like the plague this time of year. Sure: you can get some great deals, but it’s not worth it to suffer through the junkies jacked up on consumerism. I hate shopping this time of year.

That said, I make an exception for Bootyland*, Seattle’s coolest kid store ever. The store stocks second hand kids clothes and some of the fucking coolest handmade clothes, toys and accessories every made. Oh, and Kara sells kid sized hoops there.

Things can be a little expensive at Bootyland, but all the new clothes are handcrafted by independent designers — most of them cool crafty mama and papas. Just the kind of folks I like supporting.

I about had a cuteness-induced aneurysm when I went shopping there today, picking up prezzies for Hank and Kayla. I wish someone made clothes that cute for grown-ups. The pants I got for Hank (which I feel ok discussing here because Hank can’t read yet, and I don’t think his mom has been reading elish) are the most awesome reversible pants that are orange on one side, and bright green with white polka dots on the other side. I want some!

* Sadly, Bootyland’s online catalog doesn’t really show much of what they stock. If you’re not in Seattle and want to get bad-ass baby clothes, I recommend babywit.com or punkymom.com’s directory.