Window Shopping

Have you ever started out somewhere and then ended up someplace completely different and have no idea how you got there? That is how I found this:

Sadly, I am in love with this lunchbox. Sad for two reasons:

1) My husband says I can't have it.

2) When I imagine buying this lunchbox I envision the teachers and other parents of Little Bit's daycare (she starts in August) "ooohing" and "ahhhing" over such a find...and I never thought I would be that person.

 

I've also been looking at patterns on Etsy. Is this not the sweetest little bunny you've ever seen?

I'm hesitant to buy the pattern because it doesn't have step-by-step pictures and I just don't think I'm ready for that yet.

 

And then there are these shoes, which I found poking around this store after reading about it here.

Now nine months old, I know Bitty Baby is going to be walking soon and I think these adorable shoes would be perfect for her first steps. (And just a note, if you like these check out the link- they're having a sale right now).

 

And lastly, I came across this old schoolhouse desk on Craigslist today. It makes me want to use the word, "darling." What a darling desk! Not a word I'd typically use, but a fitting adjective I think.

But what would I do with it? I have no idea. Maybe I could arrange it in our playroom somewhere and Little Bit could eat her snack there. Or maybe it could just stand alone as an example of beautiful craftsmanship.

 

Most likely I will pass on all of these items, but it's still fun to poke around and see what's out there. What kinds of things do you "window shop" for?

My First Doll

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I got a sewing machine for my birthday and in my excitement I promised pictures of my creations. Well, it turns out I was both ambitious and naive.

The first thing I made was an incredibly unimpressive "pin cushion." It's basically a felt pillow with a sloppily stitched heart applique. I was too embarrassed to post a picture of it so I avoided mentioning my new sewing hobby again and hoped you all would forget I ever wrote about it.

Since the pin cushion, I've done a practice run of a headband for Little Bit following these instructions, and I've sewn a valance for the girls' room. Sadly, none of these projects were bloggable. It was very discouraging.

But then, I was inspired by the Wee Wonderfuls "Archie" pattern and decided to give this little guy a go. My godson's first birthday party was coming up and this doll seemed like he'd make a good buddy. Despite MANY imperfections, including one leg sewn on backwards, he actually came out kind of cute.

Photo courtesy of my husband who was able to capture the doll's good side from this funny angle. Thanks Sweetie!

I was sad to see him go, but I think he'll get lots of snuggles in his new home. I'm really looking forward to making a couple more for the girls. In another week or so. :)

Links for New Moms

It seems like a lot of people have been getting knocked-up lately. A couple friends of mine are expecting babies over the next few weeks and one of them is a first-time mom. I recently sent her an email with a list of links that I found myself turning to time and time again. Of course, nothing beats following your own gut instincts on many matters (or a call to your ped), but when you want some quick answers here are some links that get the job done:

http://www.babycenter.com
http://parenting.ivillage.com/  (the message boards are great)
http://www.askdrsears.com
http://www.kellymom.com (awesome breastfeeding resource)
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/animal-rhymes.htm
http://www.parenthacks.com/
http://www.preschoolexpress.com/
http://www.hipgirlclips.com/forums/  (if you're having a girl you may enjoy making her hairclips yourself)
http://www.oompa.com/  (when Toys R Us just ain't cutting it: "NO BATTERIES. NO BLINKING LIGHTS. NO CARTOON-THEMED TOYS. PERIOD")

And in case you're considering using cloth  ;)
http://www.diapersafari.com/diaperinfo/newtoclothdiapers/
http://www.cottonbabies.com/index.php
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppdiapers
http://www.diaperpin.com/home.asp

 

Ok...Did I leave any out? Tell me which sites or blogs about parenting you have found helpful. I don't have anything to give away, but I will be very appreciative!

Boiling Your Baby's Bottles? Think Again! (new BPA research)

BPA is making headlines again as a new study is released in the scientific journal, Toxicology Letters. The findings of a recent study suggest that BPA is released from plastic bottles up to 55% faster when exposed to boiling water.

Researcher Scott Belcher (University of Cincinnati) examined the effect of a bottle's age, under normal use conditions, on the amount of released BPA. He found that age was not a factor, however bottles that had been exposed briefly to boiling water released the chemical up to 55% faster than before exposure. Other researchers confirm that Belcher's findings are intuitive. (US News and World Reports article)

You can avoid the potentially harmful effects of BPA by using glass bottles or BPA-free bottles and sippy cups (reviews here).

The Giving Blanket

This is the best baby gift idea I think I've ever seen. Baby gets a warm soft blanket, more than 30 children's organizations receive funding, it contributes to the independence and productivity of the disabled, and it is packaged in 100% recyclable material.

What more could you ask for?

We received a Nanny and Webster blanket as a baby gift from my husband's employer. Upon finding out more about it, I learned that 100% of the proceeds are donated to about 34 organizations benefiting children (mostly in the Bellevue and Seattle, Washington areas, where the company is located).

In addition, the company relies on an organization called At Work for it's packaging. At Work is a nonprofit group whose purpose is stated on their website:

AtWork!'s purpose is to to help people with disabilities learn marketable skills; find and keep good jobs in the community; and earn wages and benefits that help them escape poverty.

What a wonderful lesson in giving this blanket will be to our daughter. She will grow up knowing that her blanket is so special it also helps other little boys and girls. She will know that while it is providing her warmth, it is helping another child heal. And when she has it wrapped around her for comfort, she can also be comforted with the thought that her blanket has helped to provide a better life for children in foster care.

The blankets are generously-sized at 36" X 42" so the receiver of this gift will be able to snuggle up to it for many years.

Friday's Fun: Fun With Books!

Don't just read your child's books to her. Have fun with them!

We love Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt. The book is a fun read on it's own, but paired with rhythm and hand motions it's a sure-fire hit.

Watch as Michael Rosen demonstrates:

 

Here are some more ways to get the most out of your toddler's books:

• Act them out
• Use big hand motions
• Find puppets or stuffed animals to retell the story
• Personalize the characters with various voices
• Pause throughout to allow your child to guess what comes next

For more fun ideas to incorporate into several other beloved children's books, check out Story Stretchers for Infants, Toddlers, and 2s

Toy Recall

About 15,000 toy blocks and train sets are being recalled due to excessive lead levels found in the surface paint.

The toys were sold at Christmas Tree Shops stores throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions between October 2006 and November 2007, and were manufactured by First Learning Company, Ltd. (Hong Kong)

The Toy Circuit

Interested in having different toys in your house every few weeks without having to dip into your child's college fund?

Start swapping!

We all know what it's like to see a heap of toys sitting around while our toddler seems absolutely bored out of his mind. But we can't just keep buying new toys all the time. Toys are expensive and that would quickly add up to big $$$.

One option to bust the boredom is to rotate toys. We have some toys that we bring out on the weekends, and others that we keep in bins to be changed out every few weeks.

You can add more variety, however, if you enlist some of your friends with young children to join into the rotation with their own toys. You trade your kid's toys for theirs and everybody gets to play with new stuff every few weeks without having to spend a dime!

Please keep in mind however that swapping toys can also mean swapping germs and other goodies, so it's a good idea to establish an agreement among your fellow swappers to clean up the toys a bit before the exchange.

Happy swapping!

Goin' Clubbin'

Butts bouncing. Arms flailing. Legs in a fit of uncontrollable exuberance. This is the stuff baby-dancing is made of.

So what's better than getting to watch your little munchkin groove to the beat of Stayin' Alive in the middle of your living room?

Watching her groove alongside a few dozen other pint-sized disco divas in a baby-proofed nightclub.

Kids love to dance. So combining dancing with bubbles, tents, scarves, and snacks is a sure hit. What more could a toddler ask for in an afternoon?

Baby Loves Disco is a monthly event held at nightclubs in more than 20 US cities. Tickets run $12-15 "per walking human," depending on the location. For a few hours in the afternoon (2-5), the clubs open their doors to families of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Real DJs spin music from the 70s and 80s. Babies dance. Parents reminisce of times gone by.

Best Cities to Have a Baby: Where Does Yours Rank?

Fit Pregnancy Magazine has ranked the best cities to have a baby from the 50 largest cities in America. Portland is at the top of the list with San Francisco, Denver, and Boston also making the top 10.

From Fit Pregnancy:

1. Portland, OR
2. Minneapolis
3. San Francisco
4. Seattle
5. Denver
6. Boston
7. Omaha, NB
8. Virginia Beach, VA
9. Austin, TX
10. Albuquerque, NM

Want a more personalized list? They've also generated a tool that allows you to specify criteria most important to you, then recompiles the list accordingly.

The magazine took into account information from numerous organizations and assessed each respective city's affordability, birthing options, child care resources, safety, and many other factors.

Beyond "Our Father"

We all want our children to develop a loving relationship with the Lord. And they will, provided we offer them plenty of opportunities to explore and practice living a faith-based life. One of the most meaningful ways we, as parents, can provide an atmosphere of devotion is to model our own relationship with Him through prayer.

Traditional prayers such as The Lord's Prayer are important, but a strong bond between our little ones and our Lord can be better established by incorporating prayer into our daily goings on.

For example, with your baby's first diaper change of the morning say a simple prayer like,

Dear Lord, thank you for this day, and thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Brother and Sister. Amen.

Or, when your toddler starts testing your reaction to her teeth on your skin:

Dear Lord, I'm sorry for hurting Mommy. Please help me to make better choices. Amen.

Here are some sweet and fun prayers that your child can learn:

Thank you God for a world so sweet,

Thank you God for the food we eat,

Thank you God for the birds that sing,

Thank you God for everything!

And (to the Happy Birthday tune)

Thank you, thank you dear God,

Thank you, thank you dear God,

Thank you for families and friends,

Thank you, thank you dear God!

Finally, to really liven things up, try some of these dinner prayers:

Superman Prayer (to the tune of Superman)

Thank you God - for giving us food!
Thank you God - for giving us food!
For the food that we eat
For the friends that we meet
Thank you God - for giving us food ! Amen!

Jaws Prayer (said with hands on top of your head like a shark fin and in the same manner as the Jaws theme, starting slow then speeding up)

God is
Great and
God is
Good and
(faster)
So we
Thank Him
For Our
Food and
AMEN! (clothes hands together like a big mouth)

Here are some books with more prayer ideas:

Baby's First Book of Prayers

Prayers for Children (Little Golden Book) 

Thank You for This Food: Action Prayers, Blessings and Songs for Mealtime

My First Book of Prayers

 

Follow these links for more great ideas for prayers:

• CBN
• Meals
• Bedtime
• Variety

Friday's Fun: Go to the Zoo! (Video)

Zoos make an ideal field trip. They're generally interesting to kids and adults alike. They usually have a play zone for the kids to get their wiggles out in between strolling from animal to animal. And, as we all know, it's all happening at the zoo!

Can't make it to your local zoo? Don't have a local zoo? Too lazy to pack up the kids and leave the house for a few hours?

Here's an idea...

Round up all of those little stuffed animals that nobody plays with and make your own zoo!

The kids will love making all of the animal sounds and you can also sing songs like Old McDonald Had a Zoo with them.

It'll be a blast, and you can still hang out in your jammies!

This is the first in what I hope will be a weekly post offering parents ideas for fun activities.

Unfortunately, I'm not clever enough to come up with cool ideas on my own. The inspiration behind today's Friday's Fun activity is from Fisher-Price.

What Happened to Carrying Baby Eggs?

A long, long, time ago, when I was in school, we were assigned baby-simulation projects that involved naming an egg, drawing a face on it, and carting it around for a few days without breaking it.

Nowadays...the babies are about as life-like as you can get without having an actual infant in your care.

The bgdailynews.com interviewed a class who will be using dolls made by a company called RealityWorks in a project to help them realize why they are nowhere near ready to have real babies.

These babies are smart. With a computer inside each of them, they record any neglect, improper head support, shaking, rough handling, diaper changes and feeding.

Said one of the male students:

“He’s been crying since I got him. He’s cried like four times.”

Welcome to parenthood...

(article)

New Designer Baby Items at Target

Target announced today that it will be partnering with DwellStudio to offer an exclusive line of linens and furniture for babies in their stores and online. (article)

Here's a sampling of designs from DwellStudio's website:

These sets run in the upper $300s to over $500. Right now the highest priced bedding collection at Target is the Cotton Tale Derby Plaid 4-pc crib set at $299.

I would expect the DwellStudio line to be priced in the $200-$300 range at Target. The new baby collection is set to appear this month, so keep an eye out!

Toy Review Tuesday: Play Gyms

Play gyms (a.k.a. play mats)are a huge part of a baby's playtime. They're great for letting Baby practice kicking, batting and grasping toys. They usually have a component that promises to make the dreaded tummy time more enjoyable for your little one. And, these mats can also be helpful when the baby starts to try to roll over.

I've gone through a few of these things already, and they are definitely not all created equal.

The first play mat we owned was the Baby Einstein Play Gym. With vivid contrasting colors, simple images, and a wide base for rolling, this mat had the makings of a great gym from the start. It comes with a myriad of toys to hang from it and many connection points to choose from. It also includes a mirror, which babies love, and a crescent-shaped pillow to help make tummy time more enjoyable for your little one. We instantly removed the musical star and replaced it with a toy hanging from several links so that our baby could bat at it. We felt this mat was perfect for what it was intended and it has lasted far beyond what we could have hoped. We have removed the arched poles that keep the mat taut and our toddler still likes to use it sometimes as her designated play area.

  Baby Einstein Play Gym

Another gym that we currently own has a very interesting design. The Sassy Circus Ring Playmat has one flexible pole that reaches from one corner to the other. Because the pole is flexible, it can be flattened or raised. In addition, it can be bent so that the toys hang over Baby's head, midsection, or feet when laying on her back, or bent so that the toys hang in front of her face when she's laying on her tummy. It comes with very entertaining toys, including a mirror, some spinning toys, and little animal heads that jingle. The downside to this gym is that it has two metal poles running along sides adjacent to one another inside the mat to help keep it flat. When or baby starts rolling over, I'm afraid the poles may be very uncomfortable for her.

Sassy Circus Ring Playmat

Our least favorite has been the Fisher-Price Rainforest 123 Musical Gym." This long, thin mat is very colorful and is flanked by a giraffe and a palm tree with dangling butterflies. The front has an angled mirror for Baby's tummy time, and a couple of hanging toys for batting. One of the toys that hangs is a tiger that plays music when you hit it. I thought the mirror was a great idea for helping to make tummy time more enjoyable, but the musical tiger got annoying and I prefer more natural sounds over synthetic music. Another drawback to this mat is how greatly it limits the baby's movement. Because it is so thin, a child basically just has the option of laying flat on his or her back or tummy, rendering it useless once the child begins to practice rolling over

Fisher-Price Rainforest 123 Musical Gym

When buying a playmat one of the most important things to consider is whether or not it will grow with your baby. While the various bells and whistles may be nice, all your baby needs is dangling toys to bat and kick, room to roll, and something engaging to look at while on his tummy. The rest is just gravy!

Baby Birthmarks

My three month old was born with an "Angel's Kiss," which is a warm and fuzzy way of saying that she has a birthmark between her eyebrows that kind of looks like someone with too much lipstick gave her a big smooch on her head. It's barely noticeable now, except when she get's really mad and her whole face gets red, but shortly after her birth I remember my mom asking me how it got there. All I remembered was the midwife saying something about blood vessels.

She's had some other abnormalities, too, including a white spot in the center of her pupil which we later learned is a type of cataract and will most likely be harmless.

As a mother, I have always wondered if there were things that I did during my pregnancy that may have led to these various imperfections. I know I was much more conscientious during my first pregnancy, and that baby came out fine. But, I didn't smoke, didn't consume any alcohol, rarely drank soda, and exercised occasionally. True, I had an insatiable sweet tooth that I kept feeding, and I did enjoy some green tea occasionally.

This evening I happened across an article citing research suggesting that lack off oxygen to the placenta may be the culprit behind my baby's birthmark. Aha! So it is my fault. Did I not sleep on my left side enough? What did I do wrong?

My baby is still beautiful, and I'm swear she is absolutely the sweetest baby on the planet...always smiling and cooing. But, I feel tremendous guilt that I didn't take better care of my body, and my baby, during my pregnancy. No, I can't go back in time and try to do things better. In fact there's nothing I can do now except feel like crap.

Never Pay Retail Again!

Very few things in this world feel better than knowing you got a great deal on something. I got that feeling today when I went to my favorite consignment shop, Wallabie's Kids, for their Winter Clearance Sale and Spring Preview.

Babies can be so expensive...upwards of $10,000 in just the first year, so it's important to save where you can. I have found that I can find pretty much anything I want and need for my kids without paying full price for it.

How do I save money on baby and toddler stuff? Shop around!

• eBay- Great for buying new or used baby clothes if you want a huge selection and don't mind buying without seeing. As with most things, you’ll pay less per item when you buy from larger lots.

Most sellers provide pictures and detailed descriptions, but I've still had my share of
disappointments. Sometimes the clothes just don't look the same in person. It's hard to see
pilling and fraying in photos and some stains go unnoticed by the sellers.

Finally, there's the matter of shipping. Unless you happen to buy from a local seller, you
have to wait for your clothes to ship which could take up to a couple of weeks. I actually
won an auction for my youngest shortly after she was born, but by the time the clothes
came she was almost too big for them.

• Craigslist- My local Craigslist is my “go to” site for gear, toys, and furniture. You can expect to pay about half of an item’s retail price. Sometimes more, sometimes much less…depending on the item.

I love Craigslist because it’s local, there are often pictures of the item posted, and the prices are always great.

The problem, however, is that sometimes you have to be really quick when inquiring about an item. There have been several occasions when I’ve emailed a seller about an item within just a few hours of it being listed only to learn that they’ve already sold it.

Also, if you have something specific in mind, you may not find it right away. It took me about a month of checking the site several times per day to find someone selling an Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper at a price I thought was reasonable ($75).

• Consignment Shops- Local consignment stores are great for clothes, gear, and toys. Prices here also usually fall at around half of what you would pay retail.

Consignment stores are fun and feel more like “real” shopping". There are a few in my area that I visit every few weeks and they always have new goodies. Chances are, even if you have a specific item in mind, you’ll still walk out with some adorable outfit or cool toy that you had no idea you wanted.

• Garage/Yard Sales- Yard sales have great prices. Most of the time the sellers want the stuff gone and are just looking to make a few bucks in the process. Baby clothes are often around only $1 a piece and there are usually a ton of toys lined up that are ready to move on to a new family.

Unfortunately, yard sales are hit or miss. Sometimes you can find the deal of the century (a couple weeks ago I bought a Cozy Coupe that was in great shape for just $3), and other times you may drive around for a few hours with nothing to show for it at the end of the day.

• Freecycle- As the name suggests, this is where you can find stuff that’s being given away for free. Can’t beat that!

Similar to Craigslist, if you see something you want, you have to be fast. Sometimes things are just left at the curb and you can simply drive by and pick it up. I actually haven’t used Freecycle since I found Craigslist, but in the past I regularly scoped for miscellaneous items my family was looking for. You’d be surprised by what people are willing to give away.

Raising kids is expensive...that's a no-brainer. Between childcare, health insurance/medical bills, food, clothing, field trips, camps, extracurricular activities, and not to mention saving for college, having kids makes a pretty significant dent in your wallet. Considering all of these expenses, it's important to save wherever you can. With all of the second-hand sources out there, there’s really no reason to have to pay full price for something that you can get for less!

How to Eat Fried Worms (in Baby Food)

According to a Mercury News report, parents of an 8 month old in Pittsburg, California found maggot-like worms in a jar of Gerber's "Sweet Potato and Turkey" baby food. (article)

Yuck! That grosses me out just thinking about it. I am so sorry for anyone who has to see that when they are preparing to feed their precious baby.

Obviously these things happen every so often, even for a company as trusted as Gerber. All the more reason to make your own baby food at home. It's easy to do, and really not that time-consuming. In fact, with a good grinder and/or food processor, you can simply mash up portions of whatever is on the menu for the rest of the family.

By making your baby's food yourself, you'll have the peace of mind from knowing exactly what your child is eating, you'll save money, and you'll likely incur less waste since you'll be able have more control over serving sizes.

If you're interested in making your own baby food, check out the folks over at wholesomebabyfood.com. They've got recipes, instructions on how to prepare baby food, and recommendations on which foods to introduce when!

Use a Dog to Prepare for Baby?

Apparently some people think it's a great idea. (article)

Anybody who has had both a baby and a dog can tell you this is a terrible idea. For one thing, you can put a dog in a crate when you leave the house and still have a life. Also, dogs don't need to eat from a bottle or your breast every 2-4 hours. Dogs don't need to be rocked to sleep. And, dogs learn to walk straight away, which means they don't need to be carted everywhere they go.

Babies are babies for a lot longer than puppies are puppies. They require so much more of you physically, financially, and emotionally.

The main difference, though, is that your baby is a part of you, and that intimate connection alone is often enough to turn a selfish, irresponsible, lazy person into a devoted parent.

Nobody is ever really ready to have a baby. There is no way to prepare because unless you have one, you can't truly have a complete understanding of what is involved.

Dogs are great pets, but in the end, they're just pets.

10 Things I Hate About Breastfeeding

I know, breastfeeding is best, but do I always have to like it? These are things I'd rather do without:

1. That weird tingly feeling I get whenever the baby cries, or I think about the baby crying, or feeding time is getting near, or I think about the weird tingly feeling.
2. Leaky boobs. Especially when I'm out in public and only realize that I've forgotten to don my nursing pads once the milk starts flowing.
3. Spending countless hours in my car because I can't find an inconspicuous place to nurse wherever it is that I've gone. (Please don't hate me Lactivists!)
4. Pumping. True, I don't have to pump. But that would mean not being able to leave my baby for more than two hours or so on any given day.
5. Saggy breasts. (Although some would argue this point.)
6. Sharp little baby nails clawing into my sensitive areola.
7. Nursing Bras. They're ugly and I can never seem to find the right size.
8. Knowing that once my little nursling is latched on, I'm in it for the long haul, be it a ten minute "snack" or a nearly hour long nursing session with a tired baby sleepily sucking on and off.
9. Lopsidedness. This happens when the baby prefers one breast more than the other.
10. Baby teeth. Enough said.

And one thing I love:

1. The look of horror on my brother's face as I take my baby from my breast and only then does he realize that I've been nursing during our entire conversation!

Top Baby Names of 2007

Well, BabyCenter has once again listed the most popular baby names born to parents registered on their site. I always loved looking at baby name lists when I was pregnant, primarily to rule out any contenders that were too popular for our liking.

Top 10 Girl Names	Top 10 Boy Names
Sophia	Aiden
Isabella	Ethan
Emma	Jacob
Madison	Jayden
Ava	Caden
Addison	Noah
Hailey	Jackson
Emily	Jack
Kaitlyn	Logan
Olivia	Matthew

New to the list this year were Kaelyn, Reagan, Maria, Sadie, Callie, Adrianna, Sienna, Lila, Alana, Adrian, Colton, Nolan, Cody, Preston, Jeremiah, and Oliver.

The Social Security Administration also compiles a list of the most popular names each year.

Bye Bye Plastic!

According to a recent Newsweek article, more and more parents are opting for "greener" bottling alternatives, such as glass, rather than the popular plastic ones used most often today. A major concern is that Bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in many plastics, may have long-term health consequences in young children.

Manufacturers and retailers are responding to this new demand by including more bottling options in their product lines and on their shelves. Evenflo and Dr. Brown's are both currently offering glass bottles. Or, if you can't get passed the idea of using something as old-fashioned as glass, BornFree bottles are plastic bottles made without BPA. Not surprisingly, these alternatives come with a higher price tag (not that you can really put a price tag on the safety of our little ones).

So far, the jury is still out on whether or not the levels of BPA exposure from using plastic bottles are high enough to do any harm, but the CDC has found that children incur the greatest amount of exposure to the chemical, followed by adolescents and then adults.

I'm not usually one to run out and follow the latest trends, but suddenly glass bottles don't seem like such a bad idea.