Rearranging Dirt

Before I get started on today's product, check out the adorable costume entries on the Keeping it Simple facebook page.  Thank you to those who entered!  You really out did yourselves!  Please vote for your favorites by "liking" the individual photo.  You can vote for more the one if your heart desires!

Alright, back to Rearranging Dirt...My cheerleading squad used to have car washes for fundraising purposes.  My parents would come to be supportive, but my mom always said we would make her car dirtier than it was when she got there.  By the end of the day, the towels we were using were black with dirt...instead of washing cars we were basically rearranging dirt.  

So, I am not a germ freak, but when my food falls off my plate at a restaurant onto the table, I won't eat it.  It might as well have fallen onto the floor.  When I see the dish rags they used to "clean" my table, I picture the towels we used on the cars.  They basically rearrange the food and germ residue on the table from the people before us.  ICK!

We don't go out to eat nearly as often now that we have L, but we still try to make Sunday dinners with my side of the family.  This suddenly became harder when L began sitting up and didn't want to stay in her car seat anymore...to the high chair she went.    The high chair gives her more freedom and almost everything on the table is within her reach.  So, we try and plan our day so she eats at the restaurant to keep her entertained during the meal.  Just recently, we started ordering off the menu for her.  This proposes a problem!  Where do I put the food?  A plate would go flying to the floor, food and all.  Obviously, I won't put it on the "rearranged dirt" table.  I said last Sunday, "There has to be some sort of product out there for this." 

Well, yes there is!  I FOUND A FEW!

Summer Infant Tiny Diner

The Summer Infant Dining mat rolls up easily, latches on to the table, and is reusable.  However, if you do not want to deal with cleaning it every time, there are some disposable versions.

For you environmentally friendly moms, some of them are biodegradable.

Any other tips out there for dining out?

Million Dollar Idea

You know the moment you think you have come up with the next million dollar idea and, BAM, you find out it already exists.  Utter disappointment! 

Well, I hadn't worked out the kinks yet, but I knew I needed to come up with something.  When milk would run down L's face and into the abyss of neck rolls, I would shutter. It is nearly impossible to clean their necks when they are very young.  Many infants break out into rashes because of this.  I was trying to think of an invention that would block all liquids from running down into her neck.

Then, I was introduced to Tommee Tippee bibs. 

Just like that, BAM, my million dollars vanished into thin air.  I soon recovered and was excited to learn of this product.  The unique absorbent pad around the neck helps catch leaks and spills and are machine washable.  They may not be as cute as some bibs out there, but this is a case of function over fashion.  L is almost 11 months and we use them daily.  I recommend registering for at least two, 2 packs of these.  I have seen them on Amazon and at Babies R Us.  For whatever reason, they are significantly cheaper at Babies R Us.

Did you come up with any million dollar ideas for your baby?

New Stage of Life

I have officially entered the germ stage of life.  L's cold has traveled through this house quicker than you can say nose sucker.  This week I have cold remedies on the brain, so guess what today's topic is?

Monday after work we had quite the task trying to get L to go to sleep.  Every time we would put her in the crib she would scream bloody murder!  The harder she cried the worse the congestion got.  I talked to our nurse, scoured the Internet for suggestions, and called my parents for tips.  I gathered a list of things to try when you are in this situation.  I am not sure which one finally worked for us, but one of them finally did!

1)  Ask your doctor which decongestant they recommend.  Our nurse suggested a few weeks ago to use Baby Benadryl (Walgreen's brand) for congestion.

2) Baby Benadryl did not do the trick when we tried it on Sunday.  We tried the nurse's second recommendation, Baby Zyrtec (Walgreen's brand).  That helped a little bit.

3) My theory is with a sick baby, Babywise flies out the window.  I broke the no rocking rule.  We all want our mommies when we are sick.  I still call mine when I am sick!  So, we rocked and rocked and rocked.  She finally fell asleep, but would wake again when we tried to put her in the crib.

4) Putting her in the car seat in the crib so she was on an incline when she slept...worked for 30 minutes and then she was screaming again.

5) Weirdly, she normally likes the NoseFrida and laughs when I do it, but this was no ordinary runny nose.  We had to FORCE the NoseFrida upon her.  She did not want anything near her nose.

6) Rubbed Vicks BabyRub on her chest while steaming up the bathroom

7) My parents suggested Pediacare Fever Reducer Infants Drops because her throat/head might by sore

8) Let her chew on Sophie in my lap in case her teeth were also bothering her.  It did calm her down.

9) Placed the pack n play mattress on an angle in her crib for her to sleep on.

Somewhere between 5-9 we had some luck and she finally fell asleep for the night.  All of these worked for a mom out there somewhere, so definitely try them out when you are at a loss with a sick baby. Good idea to have the medicines ready to go in your cabinet...we made a couple 10pm trips to Walgreens this week.

Another suggestion a friend told me yesterday was to put a pillow or something underneath the mattress to prop it up on one side...same idea as #4 and #9 by letting them sleep at an incline.

What else have you tried?

Three is a Crowd

Poor L was suddenly so sick yesterday evening!  The NoseFrida was no match for her runny nose!  Special K, L, and I were all crammed in her teeny-tiny (definitely meant for one, not three) bathroom running a steamy shower while wrestling her to apply Vicks BabyRub.  Lots of rocking later, she finally fell asleep.  I will be holding on to Starbucks for dear life today.  My normal Sunday blogging time did not exist last night!  Sorry for such a short, unhelpful post.  Tata for now.

The Diary of a New Mom

When I was pregnant I would hear other mom's say things like, "I completely forgot about this or that" when I would mention certain products or infant things.  I couldn't understand how they could possibly forget about it all.

Well, I started this blog when L was 6 months old.  I tried my best to remember all that I could, but I am sure I forgot about things from those first few weeks.  I asked my good friend, Nicole, who had a baby just 3 weeks ago to send me her thoughts about the first couple weeks of being a mom.  Low and behold, I totally forgot about a few things like those "other moms."

Nicole's first suggestion...Make the most of your hospital stay.


"Shortly before my daughter was born, my husband and I were having dinner with some friends who recently had a baby. They went on and on about their experience in the hospital like they were describing a recent stay at the Ritz Carlton. We could not stop laughing about how serious they were when they told us to stay as long as we possibly can. Little did I know that my friends were right! Here are some tips on making the most of your stay at Hotel Baby."

The Concierge Service

"Reason number one to stay the full duration. I’m not sure if most hospitals are the same but we had a Nurse and Nurse’s assistant for both Mom and Baby. There were also lactation consultants that would come by several times a day to see how things were going and to answer any question. The nurses are amazing, they know everything there is to know about newborns and let’s face it, we knew absolutely nothing. They were amazing in the middle of the night when the hubby and I felt hopeless in consoling a crying newborn.  I thought she needed to burp after feeding but she was “cluster” feeding which newborns do their first few days (I had no idea…again clueless) the nurse told me to pop her back on the boob and problem solved, she immediately stopped crying. They show you amazing tricks (swaddling, waking a beyond sleepy newborn to feed, newborn sponge bathing…you name it) and they will bring you anything you could possibly need (Popsicles at 2am while I was feeding the babe). I learned so much from them and it just made me more confident in going home to the unknown! Make the most of your stay, ask tons of questions and I seriously recommend staying as long as you insurance allows."


Keeping it Simple side note:  Couldn't agree more...Yes, it is hard to get a good night sleep in the hospital when nurses are constantly waking you up, but it was SO worth it!  I went home feeling comfortable with the basics.  Had I gone home after day 1, I would have been panicked!  Also, our nurse told us "cluster feeding" was a baby's first growth spurt usually 1-2 days after birth.  I think L ate every hour for 6 hours in a row!  It was a long one!


Nicole's second suggestion...taking advantage of the hospital supplies

The Freebies

"Okay, so maybe not totally free, but we all load up on the Keihls or Molton Brown bath supplies from our room when we stay at a nice hotel. The goodies at the Hospital may not be samples of products you can find at your luxury retail store but believe me they are much more valuable! What I wasn’t prepared for is all of the personal “cleaning” supplies that you will need after giving birth to your precious little one.  I‘m sorry if this freaks you out a bit, but it is what it is! The hospital will give you cleansing bottles, icepacks, and the most amazing mesh underwear in the world!"

"You can not get this stuff in any store so do not leave the hospital without it. I asked for new stuff each day when I took a shower and packed it up in my suitcase…I know I might sound like a crazy hoarder but I couldn’t imagine surviving the first week at home without this stuff, trust me on this one. 


The freebies also apply to the baby. Her little traveling bassinet in the hospital had a container underneath that had a supply of awesome baby goodies. There was about a week’s worth of diapers and wipes, extra hats and socks (we had nothing this small at home), tiny bath tub for sponge baths, thermometer, bulb syringe and hair comb (your baby may not need this but mine came out with a full Elvis Presley head of hair). Load up on all the goodies, after all you are paying for it!"


Keeping It Simple Side Note:  I COMPLETELY forgot about those underwear!  They take the term granny panties to a whole new level.  Nicole is right!  They helped me survive the first couple weeks.  What a fantastic suggestion by her to ask for a few extra pairs from the nurses!  I wish I had done that!  No one ever gave me an ice pack...it would have been good to have one...I found many different ones online, so I am not sure which one Nicole used.   Sorry, no picture for you, but definitely inquire about them during your hospital stay.


We had the same experience as Nicole regarding the baby rolling cart.  The nurses told us we could take everything in the cart with us except the blanket and the sheets.  We received various brushes in grooming kits as shower gifts, but the hospital brush is our favorite to this day.  It was especially useful fighting the cradle cap early on.  Nothing fancy, but very useful!

Thank you, Nicole!  I will share her other first week stories in another post.

Rain Drops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens

Before I start this post, a friend told me I need to give my husband a nick name instead of always calling him "my husband."  From now on, he will be Special K.  Hope he likes it!

L had her 9 month appointment yesterday. I found out some things that had me stuck on the verse of "My Favorite Things" that says, "When the dog bites, when the bees (or shots) sting."  Things I learned that I am not terribly excited about...

1. Shots for L are harder to watch every appointment!  Along with pap smears and waxing, why have they not invented a better alternative!  
2. L has to get a flu shot between now and her one year appointment...add another shot to the list...poor girl!
3. L will get four shots at her year appointment plus a SECOND flu shot.  Happy 1st Birthday!
4. It is recommended Special K and I have to get a flu shot (He may be finding this news out while reading this post because I haven't had the chance to tell him yet and I know he never misses a post...wink, wink)
5. The law now states that L will be in a rear facing car sear until she is 2.  (Inserting registry tip here:  The investment of the rear facing mirror just got more valuable.  Definitely register for one mirror per car in your family.  It is great to be able to glance in the back seat to see what she is up to.  For instance, on the way home from the doctor, L had been very quiet in the back seat.  I glance in the rear view mirror and see she has taken her band-aid off and was chewing on it.  First of all, choking hazard.  Second of all, gross.   I reached back and pulled it out of her hands.  Crisis averted in about 15 seconds thanks to my handy mirror!)  I was really looking forward to turning her around in the car, so was disappointed when I learned it would be a year longer than I thought.

After hearing all of this, I needed to channel some Julie Andrews to help me think of some of my favorite things.

I needed more than raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens to take me out of negative town.  Julie pulled through for me!  I remembered something that made me happy! I enrolled L into a music class at TCU that starts today.  They offer them through their extended education classes.  I hear they are wonderful and it will be nice for L to be around other kids.  She has been cooped up in the house all summer with this heat.  She lights up every time she hears music and every time she sees another baby, so she will love every second of the class.  L can get her "Doe, Rae, Me" on!  I will let you know how it goes.  I thought her first day of college would come much later, but, TCU, here we come! 

Summer Lovin'

If you live anywhere in Texas, you know that summer is officially here!  It is H-O-T out there.  I learned about these sunscreen wipes and wanted to share it with you all.

They make the application so much easier, but they are pretty expensive.  I would buy some to throw in your diaper bag for times when you are in the sun unexpectedly.  I have looked for them in stores, but I haven't found them yet.  Diapers.com and Amazon both sell them.  This should keep your baby for looking like Magda from There's Something About Mary!

Cord Blood Banking

I have had a couple people in the last month ask me about Cord Blood Banking.  I was curious to know how many people did it.  Please vote anonymously and feel free to post any thoughts about it in the comment section.  I think it will help people that are on the fence to hear your thought process behind the decision.

Did you store your baby's cord blood?

Billy Madison

Adult classes always make me feel like Billy Madison. 

I have to reprogram myself to sit quietly in an uncomfortable chair and raise my hand.  At least, unlike Adam Sandler, I am among other adults where it is not "cool to pee your pants."

Many hospitals offer classes to take before the baby comes.  I like to mentally prepare myself for most things in life.  For some reason, this did not ring true for labor and delivery.  I opted not to take the class.  I had no desire whatsoever to watch someone else having a baby on a video.   This is completely and 100% a personal choice.  It just was not for me, but recommend going if you think it will put you at ease.  I decided to let the doctor and nurses walk me through as I went.  My friends would laugh at me when I would say, "I think I am just gonna wing it." 

Having said all of this, I DID take other classes offered and highly recommend them.  Here are some that my hospital offered:

• Baby Basics - My husband and I went to this one together.  Neither of us had ever changed a diaper, swaddled, or fed a baby before.  Practicing on a doll is a lot different than the real thing, but baby steps (no pun intended) help.
• Breastfeeding - I was a little wary of this one.  The stuffed practice boobs in the class definitely tested my maturity level (same as the real name of the Gold Catchers), but my doctor recommended I take this one.  Low and behold, breastfeeding can be a lot harder than I thought.  As one of my expecting friends said, "I thought you just popped a boob, slapped the baby on there, and you were good to go."  Not so much!  This class tells you what to expect and give you tons of helpful hints.  The most beneficial part for me was the instructor explaining the best way to store up milk for when I went back to work.   
• Infant Child/Safety and CPR - The hospital did offer this class, but one of my mommy friends had the great idea to have a small dinner party with our other expecting couple friends and have an instructor teach us CPR and Child safety after dinner.  I have not had to use the baby choking rescue procedure, but many friends have.  I am very glad to have this in my arsenal and ready to go just in case.

Apologies I don't have a review on the labor and delivery class.  Did any of you attend?  Did you find it helpful?

Helful Hint:  Someone gave me the good advice to wait and take these classes in my third trimester so all the tips were fresh in my brain.

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Put a Boogie in it

Ok, ok. The subject line is a lame way to introduce the next product.  From the grade school joke: How do you make a kleenex dance?  Put a boogie in it.  Hee hee...moving on...

Dirty diapers didn't get me, the umbilical cord came close, but boogies were, by far, the hardest for me to handle.  People say when it is your own kid, these things won't gross you out.  Not so much in this department.  The old school nose sucker just wasn't cutting it.  L and I worth both miserable.  She was crying and I was gagging.  The suction is not strong at all and L would scream and move her head when I would try to use it.

L had one small cold before someone told me about the Nosefrida.  It was a gamechanger!

Yes, it is more expensive, but it is well worth it!  It ACTUALLY clears out the nose, is easy to clean (dishwasher safe), is a very quick process, and L doesn't mind it one bit.  The idea of it is a little nauseating...I almost don't want to explain it.  Just look at the picture above and know that nothing even gets close to the red mouth piece (that's right, I said mouth piece).  I promise after one use, you get over that part and will love it too!  No matter what product you use, boogies are gross.  The Nosefrida makes it a much more manageable and efficient process.  When L is up in the middle of the night because she can't breathe, I am very thankful I have it.

When to use:  Birth - 3 years
Where to buy: Diapers.com, Amazon, Target, BabiesRUs, Local Stores

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