One Small Child

The Indispensable Infant Bodysuit

The climate where I live is such that a baby really needs an undershirt all year, with the exception of maybe July and August. That said, warm-ish months don't quite require full-sleeved coverage. Perfect for layering under ANYTHING, this camisole bodysuit was a staple of my baby girl's year-round wardrobe. (Darn it, she's grown out of bodysuits, or it still would be!) It's particularly nice beneath sheer-sleeved or sleeveless tops or dresses, for special occasions or every day.

In regards to christening clothing, even if you are fortunate enough to enjoy warm weather year-round, have you ever noticed that it's nearly impossible to find an all-white diaper? Particularly for little boys, there are times that the bright cartoonish graphics printed on today's disposable diapers show through even heavy-weight white fabrics. The solution? A bodysuit of course! We offer three varieties of bodysuits: long-sleeved, traditional short-sleeved, and sleeveless to meet your particular needs.

Bonus: all our bodysuits are available with optional personalization. You can have baby's name and date, a sentimental phrase, or monogram embroidered on any of our bodysuits for a truly unique keepsake of an unforgettable day.

New Knit Christening Blankets Available Now!

Planning a late-spring or summer christening? Our new knit christening blankets are ideal for wrapping around baby in a chilly church or unexpected breeze, or for placing under baby for impromtu portraits.

Knit from soft 100% cotton yarns, these blankets are light-to-mid-weight...not too thin, not too heavy, and we have styles to complement any christening ensemble.

Pictured here: our new Braid-Knit Blanket.

Meet Chelsea, Our New After-Christening Dress

We just added a new after-christening dress to our selection at One Small Child, and I'm so excited about how the pictures turned out. This baby girl was born with all that long, thick blonde hair. She's like a little china doll, so sweet!

The Chelsea dress is a light-weight 100% cotton sweater knit in a simple a-line shape and comes with matching bloomers. It's embellished with a heart outlined with hand-stitched ribbon, girly and cute without any fuss.

Quantities are limited, so get yours now!

Christening Pacifier Clips

Babies and binkies go together like peanut butter and jelly. Okay, maybe not always, but hey--if you're lucky enough to have a little one who finds comfort in a pacifier, you know the love-hate relationship that can develop between you and the easily-misplaced essential item.

For those of us who must never leave home without a pacifier, the invention of the pacifier clip is a blessing. And even better, the selection is always improving, a fact that makes accessorizing baby's christening outfit much more pleasant. No longer are we forced to clip garish plastic cartoon characters to delicate white family heirlooms in the name of keeping baby quiet through the ceremony!

In that spirit, we've searched far and wide to gather a selection of silver-plated pacifier clips that add a sense of elegant personality to baby's christening wear. Display a token of faith with our cross pacifier clip, dress her up with our delicate butterfly pacifier clip, accessorize any girl or boy with our classic teddy bear clip...and there are more options to choose from!

These silver-plated pacifier clips are easy to care for--each comes with a washable ribbon. With time and use, they may tarnish a bit, but a quick rub with a silver polishing cloth will make them look brand new, making them a keepsake to treasure long after the pacifier has become a thing of the past.

Baby Savannah in the Lucy Christening Gown

I can not thank you enough for this beautiful gown. I purchased the Lucy gown for my daughter Savannah's blessing. It felt like she was the belle of the ball. People could not stop commenting, and touching the gown!!! Everyone thought I had it specially made... then when I told them how affordable it was, they were shocked! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! If only I knew about you when I had my first daughter!

Breezy C.

(We're so happy you were pleased, Breezy--she is just beautiful!)

A Little Bit of Love

It was a pleasant surprise to receive this little bit of love from my friend Esther, the talented genius whose expertise has contributed to the dressing of thousands of sweet little babies. Thanks!

I'll spread the love a little with a few bloggers I can't get through my day without: Sandi, Heather, and Ree.

Preserving Your Christening Gown

So what do you do with your christening gown or christening outfit after the big day? Here are a few suggestions for preserving your child's heirloom for future generations:

-Dry clean or hand-wash the christening gown or christening outfit as directed on the clothing tag. Stains and body oils can irreparably discolor the fabric. If you hand-wash, avoid using harsh soaps, chlorine bleach, fabric softeners, and starch. Rinse the christening dress or outfit well to remove detergent residues.

-Once your christening gown or christening suit is completely clean and dry, stuff it with clean, acid-free tissue; this will help prevent hard creases that can weaken the fabric. Fold additional tissue into pleats and slip it between layers of fabric.

-Place the christening outfit or gown in a 100% cotton unbleached muslin bag or archival quality cardboard box. Plastic or vinyl bags are unacceptable for long-term preservation since garments need to breathe. For this same reason, you should not seal or wrap a cardboard box containing heirloom christening clothing. Never pack mothballs with your christening apparel since they can ruin fabric over time. Also avoid storing the christening suit or gown with metal items. If you have purchased a bracelet for your special occasion, you can find the perfect display frame at One Small Child.

-Label your storage container (if it is not already monogrammed) with a name and date.

-Store the christening outfit or christening gown in a dark, cool, dry place (for example, in a closet or under a bed). Avoid storing the box or bag in places where temperature or humidity may fluctuate seasonally (for example, a basement or attic). The ideal storage place has a relative humidity of 55 percent and a temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

-Check your heirloom christening gown or christening outfit once in a while to ensure that it is maintaining its beauty. When you handle your christening heirloom, wear cotton gloves –- skin oils can discolor fabric.

-When you wish to use your treasured christening gown or christening outfit again, remove it from the storage container and air it out for several days. You may need to steam the item to remove wrinkles; iron only as a last resort, and only on a very low setting.

Personalize It

The milestones and special occasions of childhood come and go so quickly...sometimes they seem to pass in a blur. These events bring with them moments and memories you don't want to forget. Ever. The softness of a rosy cheek, the curve of delicate lashes, the scent of baby skin, the feel of a tiny hand clasped in your own, the way your child looks like an angel in white finery. Some of the memories stay with you forever, many fade away.

A beautiful way to remember the day is to add personalization to the items worn or used by your child during the event. There are many options available for your selection at One Small Child:

-Select a cross, shamrock, monogram or baby's name and date to be embroidered on the hem of a slip worn beneath the gown

-Choose from our many embroidery options to be placed on a christening bib or in the corner of a christening blanket

-Personalize a bodysuit worn beneath baby's clothing with embroidery of your choice

-Circle your child's wrist with a gorgeous silver bracelet bearing his/her name

-Carry a handkerchief monogrammed with your child's initial

Communion Dresses for Hard to Fit Sizes

Does your child wear the most common size of 7, 8, or 10 in First Communion dresses? Great! You'll have no problem locating an appropriate gown for her. If she's smaller or larger than the average however, finding the perfect dress can be a bit of a challenge.

To accomodate those of you who may be in need of a less common size, we offer several styles beginning at size 5 (sometimes even smaller) and running up to size 16, as well as some styles offered in half sizes 8+ to 16+.

To see which sizes are available when viewing the order page for each style, simply click the drop down arrow on the size selection field to view the sizes offered. Detailed size charts are available for each style featured. Questions? Drop us a line!

What Color is Your Christening Gown?

Have you ever considered going pink for her christening gown?

Every congregation has different requirements...some prefer all-white attire for christening, but one of the trends of the past few years has been incorporating color into christening gowns and christening outfits.

I must admit here that I like to do traditional with a little twist. My first baby girl was blessed in a gown very similar to our Jessa christening gown, of white silk dupioni with dainty pink rose braid trim. I went just a bit bolder with my second daughter's gown: a rose-pink silk ruffled slip with a pretty over-coat of delicately embroidered french netting in a soft ivory color. And it was just beautiful.

If you're looking for something unusual, One Small Child offers several ways to introduce color in christening wear, from a tiny kiss of pink to entire gowns of mellow ivory or stunning pink. The boys are not forgotten, we also offer a traditionally cut romper in cool blue.

So, are you up for a little color?