A Tip to Share Pics

We don't live near our families, so I wanted to easily share pictures of Baby A with them and I found a great way to do it using Shutterfly.  They have a feature that allows you to set up your own website to share photos.  I was previously a devoted Snapfish user and would invite people to view my photo folders, but I've found that this Shutterfly share site is much easier to use for sharing photos!  I love it because it is essentially like a photo blog.

I also like that there are various privacy settings that you can select.  I have ours password protected so that no crazies out there are looking at photos of my sweet baby!  The way that I set up my site, I invited friends and family and sent them the password.  

In addition, others can upload their photos to the site and share with us.  (However, if your family is like mine, they won't ever upload pics to it.)    It also allows you to add text posts and store up to 6 videos.  

Photos that you add to the share site are also automatically added to your Shutterfly account, so you can easily order photos too.  Seriously, I've found this to be a huge timesaver and it's worth checking out if you are looking for an easy way to keep people up-to-date on your family.  

The Best Baby Shoes...Period

Well, I call them slippers...they're soft soled baby shoes, so they seem like slippers to me.  I wish I would have bought a pair much earlier!  Socks never stay on Baby A's feet and I can't figure out why.  She does have a little bit of a case of the cankles, but it is not so bad that I would expect socks not to work.  However, I won these WONDERFUL shoes about a month ago and she has been wearing them almost everyday since then.  

The shoes are elasticized, but they aren't tight.  They are very soft, made of natural materials, and come in many cute prints.  She is 5 months old and still has plenty of room to grow in them.  But, the main reason I love them is that I'm not always looking for where they fell off (which happens all the time when she wears socks)!   

I've already written about the SunflowerRadiantLove Etsy Shop and this is another awesome product from Saskia.  They sell for $10.95 and I think they are well worth it!  This is definitely a product that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

 

More Products I Love!

I'll be honest with you, the giraffe baby is 100% the reason that I became obsessed with Etsy.  I bought her a few months ago for Baby A.  I love the doll and she loves to eat her:)  I stick one in my purse to keep Baby A occupied when we go out.  I recently won the mini baby in a giveaway. I'm so glad to have these well-made toys. 

These are Waldorf-inspired* baby dolls.  Each baby in SunflowerRadiantLove's Etsy Shop is handmade and unique.  They are made with all natural materials and stuffed with wool.  They are super soft!  Her shop had big babies, mini babies, and root babies (which look like little sproutlings).

I'm most excited about these because I think they will inspire imagination.  Since each one is unique, no one else will have a doll like either one!  I hope that has meaning for Baby A in the future.  I'm also thrilled that they don't have batteries!  We have too many of those toys around here.

*In case you haven't heard of Waldorf (which I hadn't), click here for the Wikipedia entry.

Babywearing...seriously, the best thing EVER

I really cannot adequately describe my obsession with and affection for babywearing.  It is like giving your arms the gift of freedom...wait, it actually does give them freedom.  It is like being able to snuggle all the time...wait, you actually do snuggle the whole time.  It is like having the most fashionable accessory...well, if you count the baby, yes...if you're talking about the fabric, maybe.

This week in babywearing was AWESOME.  I got to ditch lugging the carseat!  It was so warm that I didn't carry Adelaide in her carseat anywhere!  I was able to do that way back in November when she was really a wee one, but it has been so cold that I didn't want to transfer her in and out of the carseat/babycarrier outside.  So, for months, I've been lugging the carseat into the store and (often) she would just stay in it for her ride in the cart. 

This week, different story, I never took the car seat out.  I simply unbuckled her, stuck her in a baby carrier, and we went on our happy way.  It is heaven!!  I am glad to have a safe, reliable car seat, but I HATE carrying that thing!  Not carrying it around is such a huge relief!  I always feel like I am  about 2 seconds from dropping it because I seem to be a little off-kilter and I walk really fast to get where I am going so I can set it down.  I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about...

If you have ever thought about using a babycarrier...do it. 

Here's a list of places that we went this week with the carrier I used!
1.  The pediatrician's office-The BabyHawk
2.  Downtown KC-The BabyHawk (a three block walk)
3.  Pizza Shoppe-Ring Sling (first time facing out!!) 
4.  Walk around our neighborhood-The BabyHawk
5.  Dog Park-Ring Sling
6.  Target-Ring Sling

Honestly, I think that the baby carriers that I have are at the top of my "Most Useful Baby Items" list.  I love being able to use my hands.  I love having her close and knowing she is secure.  I know she enjoys the view too!   

A Product I Love-Comfort Silkie

Comfort Silkie
I was given this blanket as a gift. Since I’m a blanket person myself (slept with my blankie all the way through college), I was super excited for Adelaide to have one of her own. What I like about this blanket is that it is tiny (14 in x 18 in), perfectly sized for a baby. I’m not concerned about leaving it with her either, because it’s fabrics are breathable.

I basically wanted to find her a “lovie,” so that she’d have something to take with her to the babysitter’s house. This was probably more for my comfort than hers at this point.  Our Parents As Teachers Educator told me that research has shown children who have a lovie, handle new situations and transitions better. I’ve looked for the actual research or citation in regards to this, but I haven’t found it. However, I trust our PAT educator, I don’t think she’d make stuff up.

My daughter is only 4 months old, so this won’t be like Linus’s blanket yet. But, I did want it to at least smell like home. I snuggle with it while she nurses, so that it picks up my scent. I also buckle it in with her in the car seat since she’s not a fan of confinement. The truth is that I do not know if it provides comfort since she is only four months old, but using it makes me feel better. As she grows, I hope this will be something that she can snuggle with when she needs some reassurance.

This blanket comes in many colors. It is made of flannel on one side and satin on the other. If you order from the company, you can have it embroidered too. I think this is a great baby gift for someone.

With the Comfort Silkie on her way to the Babysitter's house for the first time.

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  This item was purchased by a friend and given to me as a gift.

A Note for All My Pregnant Friends

Hello my pregnant friends (geez, there are a lot these days!).  I want to encourage you to check out cloth diapers!  Many of you thought that Sean and I were nuts when I explained that we'd be cloth diapering, but I want to tell you that it really is easy!  We've been doing it for almost three months and we feel so good about our decision! 
I really don't believe that it is any more difficult than using disposable diapers.  Yes, there is more laundry, but the only thing that you have to do is put the diapers in the washing machine...no dunking in the toilet, no soaking in a pail, nothing...just straight from your (dry) diaper pail to the washer!  Yes, it's safe for your washing machine.  Yes, you can put them in the dryer.  Yes, you'll feel good about your decision, because you will save money and help save the planet. 
There are many different types of cloth diapers out there today and some aren't that much different than a disposable.  If you're hesistant to try them, remember that you don't have to do it in an all or nothing manner!  Even if you just get a couple and use them when you're at home, you're still making a difference.  (Although, I'd guess that once you start, you'll love them.)  You might not even have to buy any to try them out either!  I have some buttons on the right-hand side of the screen featuring blogs that often have giveaways and special giveaway events.  Enter to win some dipes!  If you win and it turns out you don't like them, I'll be happy to take them off your hands:)
Plus, trust me, baby butts are much cuter in cloth!

If you have questions about cloth diapering, I'd be happy to talk with you about our experiences and help you find the answers! 

Cloth Wipes-I Love Them

I had really never realized cloth wipes existed until I starting doing a lot of cloth diaper research while I was pregnant.  At first, I was a little surprised that such a thing existed, because I guess that's a little like reusable toilet paper.  But the more I thought about it, the more they made sense.  And, they made even more sense once we started using cloth diapers and were still using the disposable wipes that we were given as shower presents.  I personally think that it's a big hassle to use a cloth diaper, but then have to find a place to throw away a dirty wipe.  It's not like you can wad them up in the diaper like you do if you have a disposable diaper.  Really, what difference does it make to you to use a cloth wipe?  You're already doing the extra laundry and you're already putting poop in your washing machine, so it's not a big deal. 

My husband was pretty much on board with cloth diapering from the beginning, but I had a little harder time convincing him to use cloth wipes.  In fact, I just had to start using them to get him to do it.  Once we started using them, we loved them.  It only takes one wipe to clean up the mess (unless it's a blowout).  They're soft, durable, and it's another thing that we can do to help save the earth.  We just wet them in the tap and use to wipe her bottom.  I know that some people use a solution of water and baby soap or water and tea tree oil and lavender, but we've used only water thus far.  In our stash, we have 24 wipes and we've never run out of wipes by doing laundry every other day.  We have two types and I like both.

The first type, I bought while I was pregnant.  Unfortunately, I'm not really even sure what brand they are, because they don't have tags on them and my pregnant brain didn't pay attention!  Once we decided to switch to cloth wipes, I went back to the cloth diaper store where I purchased them and they weren't there anymore!! When I asked about the wipes, the clerk told me that she thinks that they are GoodMama brand.  The two sides of this wipe are distinctly different, one side is almost like velour and the other side is more fuzzy.  They are super soft and before we used them as wipes, they made great spit cloths.  These came in a pack of 12, but I honestly can't remember the price.  I remember that I bought them because I thought the price was reasonable.

I was really upset that these wipes were out of stock at the store, but I was in desperate need to get wipes (I basically went cold turkey on disposable wipes).  So I had to get a second kind.  I picked Thristies Fab Wipes, which came in a six pack for $10.95.  They are soft on both sides, almost like a terry cloth, but softer.  They come in cute colors and about the size of a baby wash cloth. 

Once you start using reusable things, I think that it gets a little addicting.  In fact, I love cloth wipes so much, I even briefly considered not buying anymore toilet paper and switching to cloth wipes myself.  But, that might be taking it a little too far, plus my husband immediately nixed the idea. 

The bottom line is that if you're going to cloth diaper, you might as well use cloth wipes.  You'll be doing one more thing to help the environment, you'll save money, and save yourself the hassle of having to dispose of wipes.  Cloth wipes aren't very expensive, and if you don't want to purchase them, I've seen lots of ideas for making your own on the internet.  

A Public Service Announcement About Compliments

My husband, God love him, has given some very unusual compliments lately and I'd like to take this opportunity to let other husbands know that sometimes, you really need to think a thought all the way through before it comes out of your mouth. 

Don't get me wrong, I know my husband means well and I appreciate the sentiment, but I would prefer them phrased a little differently. 

For example, this morning I brought down two bottles of freshly pumped milk and my husband said, "Wow, that's a lot, you're like a factory."  Then, I said, "ummm, did that sound like a good compliment in your head?"  I quickly explained that I never want to be compared to a factory, even if it's in a good way.

Then later, he was changing our daughter's diaper and said, "I love your cute little butt, even if it is like Mommy's..."  What?  Well, I'll be the first to admit that I don't have a lot of junk in my trunk.  Sometimes, I have a hard time keeping my pants up, but any mention of my butt should be strictly positive. 

Maybe I'm a little sensitive because I had a baby 12 weeks ago, but I think that my advice is pretty solid about complimenting women.  Please husbands, for your sake, for your wife's sake, say the whole compliment in your head before letting it escape.  Here are a couple other general rules, 1) avoid comparisions to anything really large, stinky, or mechanical; 2) Never, never, never make a comparison to old girlfriends or your mom (especially not your mom); and finally, 3) any reference to a body part should always and only be positive (especially if your wife has recently delivered your child).

The take home message here is that women love compliments, but do your best to make them count for you and not against you:)

Baby Gear I Love

My daughter is 11 weeks old and so she is almost through the "first stage" of infancy.  I don't know if 12 weeks is really an "official" stage, but I probably consider it a milestone because I have to go back to work next week.  So, a new lifestyle will begin for us next week!

Anyway, I was thinking about the baby products we've used thus far and which ones that I would purchase again knowing what I know now!  (I'm sure we all have stuff that we wouldn't buy again because it turned out to be a waste!)  In my opinion these products do their jobs better than most, are innovative, or just plain cool.  This list does not include any of the babywearing or cloth diaper products, I'll save those for another post
Here is my list (click on each one to go to the product's website):

1.  Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe
I'm all for "Swaddlers for Idiots" as I like to call them (aka the ones with velcro).  They are just much quicker and easier for us and they never come apart like swaddling with a blanket.  The reason that I like the Kiddopatumus better than other velcro brands we've tried is that they seem to fit smaller babies much better. It seems to have the velcro in the right place and will stay tight, where the other one would come loose and she'd "escape".

We have two of this kind, one in fleece and one in knit.   I'm really glad that we were given the fleece because it has kept her warm during our artic blast winter.  On warmer nights, I prefer the knit version because she's a little heater and I don't want to make her sweat all night.  

We've only been using them for 3 months, but they are holding up well.  The velcro has laundry tabs to prevent them from sticking to all your clothes in the wash.  I learned the hard way to make sure you flip those little guys over!  

They also have access slit in the back that allows you to push a swing or car seat harness through and swaddle.  I haven't actually done this, because until recently, I thought it was a misguided attempt to allow one to check for dirty diapers!  But, now that I know what's it's for...it makes a lot more sense!  If you want to see how to do it, visit the website.  I personally am a little confused by the directions, but I'll let you know how my attempt to do it goes.
  

2.  Breathable Baby Breathable Bumper
The question of the moment when choosing baby bedding is...should I use bumper pads?? To me, the risk of SIDS was too great to put them in our little one's crib.  Bumper pads were originally designed to keep babies from slipping in between the slats of cribs.  However, new safety standards have decreased the width between slats and it's very unlikely that a baby's head will get stuck between.  But, I wanted to prevent her limbs getting stuck.  I chose to get the Breathable Bumper, which is actually mesh and allows airflow.  It will also collapse if she tried to use it as a escape mechanism.  To install, you just wrap the velcro around the slat and tuck it below the mattress, pretty simple.

3.  Boppy Pillow
I'm actually not adament that you need this breastfeeding pillow, but if you want something that makes life a little easier, get some type of breastfeeding pillow.  I find that it's much easier to get her in a good position to breastfeed with this pillow than with a regular pillows.  I've tried the My Brest Friend pillow at the pediatrician's office.  If I had to do it over again, I might try this one out at the store and decide which to purchase.  You can fasten it to your body, which I imagine is very useful.  I saw an episode of 18 Kids and Counting and that pillow is Michelle Duggar's choice.  She seems to have a fair amount of experience...
An added bonus: you can use them to pose your baby for numerous posed photographs. they love it.

4.  Fisher Price Take Along Swing 
I like this swing because it's portable and doesn't take up as much space as a normal swing.  We have a split level house and I can move it between floors easily while I am trying to get things done.  It's been perfect for mealtime, because we move her into the dining room with us while we eat, but I don't have to have a swing permanently in the dining room (it doesn't really fit with my decor).  I'm trying to purchase items from responsible companies these days and one thing that I do like about Fisher Price is their partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society.  They donated $250,000 to this organization in 2009.  I can't vouch for thier manufacturing processes or anything, but at least this is something.

5.  Rockabye Baby Lullabyes
So, these are on the list because they are just awesome.  These wonderful people have made lullabyes from our favorite rock songs--I know--freaking amazing.  I bought MP3's of whole albums and single songs from Amazon while I was pregnant and I love them.  Who doesn't want their baby falling asleep to Hell's Bells??  I like to think I'm teaching Adelaide to rock out early.