Our Bitsy Inspiration

 Inspiration behind Bitsy Zoo

 

Before becoming first time parents, we often heard from people who had "really good babies" but not many talked about how difficult the newborn stage could be! The honest truth? We struggled to even function those first four months. It took me three weeks to just get the hospital bags unpacked.

On top of the "normal" challenges that so many face in the newborn stage, our baby girl Isla was born with a large tumor in her mouth which made feeding - and basically every other behavior linked to feeding - all the more difficult! (Thankfully, the tumor eventually resolved on its own!) Through it all, we started giving her animal nicknames to capture both the cute and the challenging daily activities of being a baby. They kept us smiling through all the ups and downs. 

For her first Christmas, Isla's dad designed and printed a book to help us always remember the nicknames that captured her huge personality. When I shared our story online, we were overwhelmed by the positive feedback... so we published it to bring smiles to more families!

Along came the Bitsies...

Shortly after we published Isla's book, I knew I wanted to create a line of stuffed animals to match. Something to enrich the reading experience or stand alone on their own. Small, for even the tiniest hands to grasp. High quality, something that could be an heirloom even after years of play. Something that could be enjoyed from babyhood to toddlerhood - for encouraging both early development and imaginative play. 

They existed in my head, and I frankenstein-ed them together in a design program until they were just right. A few months later with the help of some talented artisans, Bitsies were born! Our hope is that they bring endless delight to the new families they go home to!