Blog

We have had the opportunity to work with some talented photographers over the year and we want to feature them here! We are honored to have worked with Amia, a high school writer, filmmaker and photographer based on the island of Maui. 

Let's face it, sometimes cooking dinner isn't quick and it isn't easy. I totally understand now why my mom hated the "I don't know" answer when she would ask us what should we have for dinner. And I definitely didn't appreciate her always having dinner ready for us after a long day of work and practice (Mom - if you're reading this, thank you and sorry for all the grumbling).

We are halfway into summer and we are quickly checking things off our summer bucketlist. I asked each of my keiki what they wanted to do and our goal is to do at least one activity a week. Some things are easier than others but it's always fun to get them involved with planning activities!

When I was growing up, I remember when my family used to go to the beach. There would be limu all over the beaches. I remember my sister and I picking it up and throwing it at each other, squealing if it touched us in the water while swimming or pretending it was hair! Now that I have my own keiki, I quickly realized that limu is no longer as abundant on our shoreline. I know there are some places you may find it still but it saddens me to think that where limu was once abundant, it is now almost non-existent or has been pushed out by invasive species.

Our collab with Kaleimamo Hawai'i releases tomorrow, June 1st, and I'm so excited! I think I probably asked her right after we started using cloth so this has been months in the making. 

In an effort to provide peace of mind, we have partnered with Route, a shipping insurance company that offers full protection for your shipments and orders from The Keiki Dept. All you have to do is add Route at checkout to protect your order at checkout!

Have you ever wondered how products come to life? I often talk about it on Instagram, how I make products my family loves and uses. When I found out I was pregnant with 'Imi (our 4th baby), I wanted a way to document his first year. This is the quick story of how our kalo paani play mat came to life.

You ever say something and it bugs you down to your core? After 'Imi was born a customer asked me about cloth diapers fitting under our clothing and I wasn't sure of the answer. I simply responded that we didn't cloth diaper so I wasn't sure but we could ask some of our customers that did. A day passed and I was so bothered by the fact I hadn't tried. How does that saying go...don't knock something until you try it? 

I had been eyeing out this Veer wagon for quite some time. I wanted to buy it with Mehana but I couldn't justify the purchase. I can confidently say this wagon has been worth every penny!

I never read the baby books all the way through. I probably should have but I just never got around to it. I think I didn't want to accept or know what was coming at the end of the third trimester or after...nobody told me about mastitis or clogged milk ducts!

Mahalo to our community on IG for all of the suggestions - I did get a bunch of helpful tips and I wanted to share them with you in the event you suffer the same pain at some point in your breastfeeding or weaning journey. 

I am so grateful I was able to breastfeed each of my keiki (and pump while I worked). I know it is not always the case but in honor of World Breast Feeding Week, I just wanted to briefly share my journey. Whether you are on this journey currently or are now done with this chapter of your life...or maybe had challenges or couldn't continue, or maybe didn't have the chance...know that you are amazing Mama.

This lei collection evolved into so much more than I could have imagined. From what I thought would be a one time design, it quickly developed into an entire creation.