Along with babies first blanket, first haircut, and first tooth, comes a new cherished keepsake.

Babies first high heel.

A Bellevue based company, Heelarious, has introduced a soft set of crib booties designed to look like high heels. The crib shoes, made in sizes 0 to six months, are not meant for walking and will "collapse" if little ones put weight on them.

The leopard print satin shoe is named after Porter's daughter, Brooke, and the zebra satin print is named after Bacon's daughter, Kayla. The two daughters are 10 months apart and great friends just like design partners and friends, Bacon and Porter.

Since the companies official launch 11 weeks ago, Heelarious has grabbed the attention of Hollywood celebrity moms and has become the latest "must have" in the UK. The creators of Heelarious stumbled upon a simple idea, added a dash of creativity, took a chance, and are now laughing all the way to the bank.

Reporter: Where did the idea for "babies first heels" come from? nhl jerseys china

Bacon: Hayden was trying to get me into high heels and I did not own any. I had worn heels to dances but I was not a heel girl. I was driving my daughter to her fourth birthday and I was thinking about when she was a baby. Hayden's high heel shoe obsession crossed my mind and I thought that would have been so funny to have brought Kayla to a party when she was a baby in high heels. I thought that would have been hilarious. And then I thought, oh my gosh, Heelarious.

Reporter: Once you had the idea, what was your next step?

Bacon: The idea was all I thought about at the party and I came home and looked Online to see if the domain name was available. I called Hayden and designed a logo and e mailed it to her, and in late January 2006, I started working with a lawyer to secure a patent and trademark. I got Hayden on board with me and last May I was like, OK, I'm doing it.

Porter: I thought it was a brilliant idea when she told me about it. After this many years of working together, I thought this has got to be the idea that we go for. This was a really good partnership to go into.

Reporter: How did the two of you meet?

Bacon: We've known each other since middle school and we've always been creative together. We've been through our ups and downs together, the good and the bad and we continue to want to work together. We were both stay at home mom's and now we have stay at home dads! china wholesale nhl jerseys

Porter: Prior to Heelarious, we have done event planning and arts and craft projects as a hobby. I owned my own card company. Whether business or personal, we were constantly doing art projects together, which has brought us to where we are today.

Reporter: How long did the process take from concept to finished product? cheap nhl jerseys

Bacon: When World Key Services, a local production company, came back with the first prototype we knew we were onto something. They basically made it possible for us to feel comfortable about taking the risk of moving forward with the product. It went through probably 15 or 20 stages before we were happy with it. We did a lot of custom fabrics and designed the packaging. It all needed to be on the upper, high end level of crib shoes, right down to the packaging.

Reporter: The product has become huge overseas. Where are some of the places babies are sporting the booties?

Bacon: We have reps covering almost every state and in every territory of Canada. Our product has reached the Netherlands, UK, Rome, France, and Italy. The shoes have appeared in the pages of Vogue Japan and we're now working with South Africa and the Middle East.

Porter: Going International just sort of happened. To have Europe recognize the company is so flattering to me.

Reporter: What's your response to the negative criticism Heelarious has received?

Bacon: We've had our fair share of both positive and negative criticism. My response to that is this is not a product for everyone. People have issues with camouflage for boys or toy soldiers. Any product on the market will have criticism. This is supposed to be a keepsake, it's suppose to be funny. It's the parents responsibility, like any other product, to figure out where and when it's appropriate.

Porter: It's soft and squishy and it's not going to hurt anybody. People aren't researching the product, they assume they are hard heels and wearing them will be harmful. That couldn't be further from the truth. It's more about the novelty of owning her first pair of heels. wholesale nhl jerseys

Reporter: I hear Heelarious has a huge celebrity following.

Bacon: Our product has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS Early Show, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, and Online in People magazine's Celebrity Baby Blog. We recently sent some to LA for the baby shower gift bags for Lisa Marie Presley hosted by Pink. Now, we are getting ready to send samples that will be part of the swag bags that will be given to the nominees at this year's Emmys.

During a recent episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, actress Demi Moore made a guest appearance that had Leno kicking off his shoes for the world to see.

A barefoot Moore held her metallic silver heels in her hands as she explained the reason behind her shoeless move.

Moore joined the nearly quarter of a million people around the world who participated in One Day Without Shoes, an annual event spearheaded by TOMS Shoes non profit subsidiary, Friends of TOMS, to raise awareness about the impact a pair of shoes can bring to a child's life.

"The point of this is, is for everyone to recognize what it would feel like to be without shoes," Moore explained to Leno during the April 8 airing of the show. A group of 35 Topline Corp employees walked a half mile without shoes, from their Bellevue offices to Loehmann's Plaza Starbucks in Factoria on Thursday, April 8. cheap nhl jerseys

The Starbucks' baristas got into the fun by putting on Friends of TOMS T shirts and TOMS Shoes to show their support for the cause.

Topline Corp, a maker of TOMS Shoes, held a large sign that read TOMS as they marched along the cold cement to raise awareness for the more than 400 million kids who are at risk of hookworm and other debilitating parasites that enter the body through the soles of bare feet.

"The whole idea behind raising awareness is to get people talking about it and to understand all those diseases out there are treatable and even preventable," said Bill Snowden, Chief Operating Officer of Topline Corp. "By giving them shoes we are helping kids have the opportunity to go to school and live healthy and fulfilling lives." nhl jerseys china

In Ethiopia alone, more than 11 million people are at risk of podoconiosis, a foot and leg disease that is 100 percent preventable with shoes and regular washing. In addition, many children are not allowed to attend school because shoes are a required part of their uniform and they don't have any. wholesale nhl jerseys

Volunteering once a week at the gift shop in Overlake Hospital becomes harder and harder for Sharon Zuvula. The 75 year old Bellevue resident copes day by day with symptoms related to Acromegaly, a hormonal disorder caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland.

Zuvula recently joined a large group of patients and their family members for the Seattle Pituitary Center Patient Education Day, a day long symposium at Swedish Medical Center on the hospital's Cherry Hill Campus in Seattle. The symposium gave Zuvula and others a chance to share their story and to connect with others living with Acromegaly and other pituitary related diseases.

Acromegaly, often referred to as Pituitary Gigantism, can result in abnormal growth of hands and feet, enlarged facial features, weight gain and decreased muscle strength. Acromegaly affects an estimated three to four people out of every million people.

Sandy Hadfield of Kirkland was diagnosed with a pituitary disease after seeing a doctor in Bellevue who thought her symptoms may point to something more than a thyroid condition. At the symposium, she shared the importance of support when living with a life changing disease. wholesale nhl jerseys

"It's been a very tough journey," she said. "My husband has been my rock who has helped me get through this day by day. I don't know what I would have done without him. It's so important to find that support."

Acromegaly, the often misdiagnosed hormonal disorder, has left Zuvula with extreme fatigue, joint pain, and a constant struggle to make it through the day. cheap nhl jerseys china

"People ask me all the time how I'm feeling and I just tell them I'm doing okay because it's hard to explain Acromegaly to someone who has never heard of it," she said. "I smile and do my best to keep going."

When Zuvula first began noticing various symptoms of the disease over the years, she brushed it off as age related issues.

"I thought I was just getting older and of course I was going to feel more tired and things were going to ache," she explained. As months went by, Zuvula began to notice her rings no longer fit on her fingers and she could no longer fit into her shoes.

It wasn't until a chronic headache prompted her to go to a doctor that she began to wonder if her headaches were caused by something more serious. On her own initiative, Zuvula went in for a MRI. Her physician noticed a large tumor on her pituitary gland.

Zuvula was referred to Swedish Medical Center for treatment. About three months ago, she had surgery to remove the tumor. Since then, her hands, feet and facial features have begun to return to what they were prior to the disease. She still suffers from the aftermath of the disease that has left her drained of energy.

"I'm very lucky I was diagnosed when I was and that a place like Swedish Medical is so nearby," she said. "The doctors here are amazing and they took really good care of me. I'm very thankful." nhl jerseys china

Dr. William Ludlam, director of the Seattle Pituitary Center at Swedish, sees roughly 200 to 250 patients a year to either rule out or diagnosis a pituitary related disease.

"Having a center like this one at Swedish is a huge advantage for this area," Dr. Ludlam said. "People travel from all over the country to receive treatment at Swedish, yet we have it in our own backyard.

Bellevue West coach Marc Kruger had thought the Thunderbirds would end up facing crosstown rival Bellevue East in the Class A girls state basketball tournament, and that was the case Thursday.

Second ranked Bellevue West beat No. 5 Bellevue East 66 47 in the first round at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

"The (Bellevue East) coaches and I have talked when we run into each other," Kruger said. "A couple of weeks ago, I said to one of their assistants, 'I bet this thing is going to work out and we're going play.' It did. It's good, and it's bad. It's fun. We want them to do well, and wished we would have been on the other side of the bracket." cheap nhl jerseys china

Sophomore guard Chloe Akin Otiko led Bellevue West with 22 points. She already had 13 points at halftime, when the Thunderbirds led 38 22. cheap nhl jerseys

"When (Chloe) can get to the rim and score in transition, that makes us really good," Kruger said. "Someone in our locker room mentioned the court being bigger. I thought, 'With Chloe, we wish the court was about the size of a football field with her athleticism.' She hit a couple jump shots early, and when she hits jump shots, I'm not sure how you guard her." nhl jerseys china

Wolverines begin season with loss to defending 3A state champion Issaquah

In a season in which the Bellevue Wolverines feel they have a bit of a target on their backs, the year started with a loss to a familiar foe that meant next to nothing.

Quite an odd thing to say about a match up against the team that had run Bellevue's division for the past four years and won the last three of the last four Class 3A state championships.

But when Bellevue lost 2 0 to the Issaquah Eagles Tuesday night at Wolverine Stadium, the result meant nothing beyond a non conference loss. wholesale nhl jerseys china

Issaquah, along with Skyline and Newport, has moved up to KingCo 4A so Tuesday's game was nothing more than a pre season tune up for Bellevue before the conference schedule starts on Sept. 18.

Which is good, because the Eagles handed the Wolverines a 2 0 loss that left Bellevue more than a little frustrated after the game.

"We're a new team and we're trying out all sorts of combinations, using the pre season games for what they are," said Bellevue captain Caroline Whiting. "We tried to mix it up; Issaquah's a good team and it was a little frustrating for us."

Kristen Maris and Cara Hubbard scored first half goals for the Eagles, who controlled much of the first half.

Hubbard's goal came off a high shot that managed to elude Nicoline Bach, as the ball took a bounce and hopped right through the sophomore goal keepers legs. cheap nhl jerseys china

It was somewhat symbolic of the way Bellevue's captains felt the team played: Nervous and tight in the first half.

"We came out nervous and really hesitant and that cost us in the beginning," said senior forward Alex Nicholson, also a team captain. "I think if we played in the first half like we did in the second, we could have tied it or won it."

Unlike the past seasons, this loss won't mean much. All that matters is winning KingCo and getting to state, something head coach Jon Anderson sees his team being very capable of doing.

Although the team lost All KingCo goalkeeper Jenika Swanson (also the 2007 Athlete of the Year), the Wolverines return starters in Whiting, Nicholson, Sam McKee and Kate Lee, as well as KingCo 3A standout Kate Bennett.

"We've got good players all over the field," Anderson said. "All 11 girls are good soccer players. They understand the game and are hard workers. National Under 17 team and traveled for Trinidad for World Cup qualifying, where the team placed first.

Because of her performance, Bennett was invited back to the team's training camp this week, where she'll fight for a spot on the World Cup roster.

The World Cup will be played at the end of October in New Zealand. wholesale nhl jerseys

"From the first time she ever stepped on a soccer field to today, she hasn't changed," Anderson said. "When Kate puts on her soccer shoes, it's Christmas morning."

Bennett, a midfielder, scored 11 goals last season for Bellevue. Because of the training camp's schedule, she will miss some time for the Wolverines, something Anderson said will definitely have an impact on the team.

"Anytime you take a player of Kate's caliber out of the lineup, it's going to have an effect," he said. "We are all extremely happy for her; we're all behind her. It's a once in a lifetime experience. We'll make adjustments."

Adjustments are exactly what teams, like Issaquah, have to do when Bennett is in the lineup.

Whether it's putting multiple defenders on her or tackling her a bit harder than other players, teams will try whatever it takes to deny the junior any chance at scoring.

"Everyone knows Kate is coming," Anderson said. "She's one of the best players on the West Coast. For us, the test will be to get the ball to her in space, give her a chance to use her skillset to our advantage."

Anderson added the attention given to Bennett will open up the game to his other players and that they'll become such a threat that whatever decision teams make "they'll be wrong."

"If we show up every day and be the best we can be, whatever happens, happens," Anderson said. "Winning or losing, things happen in competition. The only thing we can control is our preparation. As long as we take care of that, everything will end up the way it should." nhl jerseys china

Other games:

Sammamish 1

Newport 0

Allie Buchwalter scored off an assist from Tina Jacobsen in the 26th minute and Sammamish held on to defeat Newport 1 0. Holly Hunt and Kyra Lindstrom combined in net for the Totems to earn the shutout.

She had been training in Brazilian jiu jitsu with Marcelo Alonso of Tacoma since 2001, but by the mid '00s there still weren't many women entering the octagon. Some people still didn't take the idea of female fighters seriously, she said.

So she trained hard. Gruelingly hard. Workouts twice a day, five days a week hard. 500 calories a day to cut weight hard. This on top of a full time job.

"People who want to get good put a lot into it," she said.

Her dedication paid off. In her first amateur match at the AX Fighting Championships in Everett, she caught opponent Cami Hostetler in an armbar, forcing her to tap out.

Over the next three years, she would achieve a 3 1 overall record in amateur and professional bouts, losing only to Megumi Fujii in Smackgirl 2008 by armbar, no less. china cheap nhl jerseys

A shoulder injury prompted her to take a break from competition. Today, she's the head trainer at Gracie Barra gym of Seattle and Kirkland. cheap nhl jerseys

"You can't fight forever," she said.

But she wants to. She's just waiting for her moment.

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is more than a sport: it's a game of focus, intelligence and confidence a brutal match of chess played out in a cage.

Competitors have to know their stuff. Muay Thai, karate, judo, kickboxing just about any martial art is up for grabs in the octagon. A fair number of the athletes come from other disciplines, like collegiate wrestling, and fall into the sport by virtue of there being no other professional outlets. But, as MMA becomes more popular, more athletes aspire to join its ranks. wholesale nhl jerseys china

Hales said it was hard for her when people wouldn't take her seriously and she didn't have a training partner, but her coach was great in giving her the support she needed. She wants to be able to help other people succeed today, she trains many young girls who want to take their place in the sport. She sees so much potential in these young fighters, she said.

But it's a crowded field that, like other professional sports, isn't a path to easy money. Most fighters are moonlighting on top of accomplished careers.

Hales knows psychologists and physician assistants that train on the side. She said there are "tons" of fighters who have college degrees who also fight.

Amy Cadwell Montenegro, of Issaquah, began training in Muay Thai the same time she began a job in nursing.

"My job was so stressful and I needed an outlet," she said. "There was nothing better than struggling through the day and being able to punch something afterwards."

In school, Montenegro was shy and insecure no one would imagine her as a fighter, she said.

But when she started kickboxing in 2006, she felt more confident with each bout.

"When the bell rings and it's just you and your opponent I've been the out of town girl for so many shows and booed so many times," she said. "But it doesn't matter because it's just you and your opponent in the cage. You use everything you've learned when you're in the ring."

Montenegro still nurses twice a week and she said her work has benefitted from her training her coworkers and patients notice her calm and cool behavior, even in stressful situations.

But these days, Montenegro considers professional fighting her primary job. She most recently won a 150 pound title fight in Arkansas in September.

"My last fight was the title fight so I won that organization and I got a belt it was a tough fight and I fought hard and have a 4 1 [professional] record."

In fact, she and her husband Dex Montenegro are both professional fighters who train at Gracie Barra in Bellevue. They bring in their three daughters aged 8 to 12 to train with Hales. They even compete.

Monday through Friday morning the family does strength and functional training, then they train in jiu jitsu alongside their coach.

Dex will enter his first professional fight in Maui on Nov. 8. Amy will fight again Nov. 13 in Idaho for the televised King of the Cage event.

Her training for the November fight currently involves five to six days a week of strength conditioning in the morning, five mile runs in the evening and afternoon training and sparring along with jiujitsu training afterwards.

"We have been through tons of different diets," Montenegro said. "But what works best for us is the vegan diet. We just started and are in the process of perfecting it the weight cut was easier. nhl jerseys china

"If you want to be successful in a sport you do what is best for you."

Their training depends on when their manager finds them a fight. Many fights are booked months in advance. For some, the notice may only be one week.