The Witching Hour

After L was born, I heard many people refer to the “witching hour.”  I have come to discover what this means: the 2 hours just before bed time.  L is just a little cranky during this time…some nights worse than others.  Seeing as this is the ONLY time I get to see her during the week (TEAR), I want it to be quality time.  Bath time is SO helpful during this cranky time of day.  L LOVES it and has so much fun!

In Rub-a-Dub-Dub, I offered my opinion on which bath tub to buy, but I didn’t offer up the accessories to go along with it.  (Did anyone figure out why there were three men in the tub?)  These accessories help make bath time fun and a stretch it out a little longer.  This is also a great gift idea…you can put them all together as a bath time basket. 

1. Bath toys - We have the ones pictured, but any bath toy will work.  These help stretch bath time an extra 5-10 minutes.  L especially loves the ones that squirt.

2. &Rubber Ducky - Duh!  Every baby needs one of these.

3.  Shampoo/Body Wash/Body Lotion - We received so many different kinds of these as gifts...we have yet to buy our own because of our abundant supply from our shower. We have liked them all...Noodle & Boo, Thymes Sweet Leaf, and Johnson and Johnson.  They all come in travel size packaging (as pictured) which works great for gifts.

4.  Spout Cover - We actually do not have one of these, but will include it in my next Diapers.com order.  Now that L is officially in the real bath tub, we have had many close encounters with her head hitting the spout.  

5.  Animal Towel - I have to say that I am a sucker for the animal towels!  I just love them!  You obviously don't have to have the animal one, but I recommend paying a little more for the nicer towels.  They are much softer and not as scratchy.  Specialty boutiques sell the nice ones along with Pottery Barn.  Don't forget to check to see if they come with a wash cloth.

6.  Toy storage - We have this lovely frog hanging in L's bath tub.  It is so nice to scoop up all her toys and let them drip dry.  The frog is not required, but definitely think about registering for some sort of bath toy storage product.  They make a lady bug now that is SO preshrunken!  

7. Pitcher - my mother-in-law bought this for L.  L actually plays with it more than any of her other bath toys, and it is great to have something to rinse her off with.

Let me know if you put a gift basket together!  Would love to see pictures!

Also, check out the new tabs at the top of the blog!  What do you think?  Anything else you would like to see?

Don't forget to enter the Pint-Sized giveaway!

Pump-a-thon 2

The original Pump-a-thon post has brought up multiple questions.  Someone asked me last weekend to write about the two different types of Medela pumps.  You may have noticed they are priced at $299 and $379.99, but it is hard to tell why one is more expensive.  I struggled finding the difference between the two myself. Here is a comparison of the two from the Medela website.

Pump Comparison

	Choose a Pump Below by Clicking on the Name
	Freestyle® Breastpump Learn More	Pump In Style® Advanced - On-the-go Tote Learn More
Feature
Type of Pump	Personal Use - Single/Double	Personal Use - Single/Double
2-Phase Expression Technology
LED Display
Hands-Free Option
Pumping Session Timer
Pumping Session Memory Button
Removable Pump Motor
Removable work space
Mesh Storage Bags
Accessory
Optional Vehicle Lighter Adapter
Removable Cooler Carrier
PersonalFit Breastshield Compatible
Softfit Breastshields Included
Specifications
AC Adapter Powered
Adjustable Speed/Vacuum
Battery Option	Rechargeable	AA
Daily Use
Weight	< 1 lb
Miscellaneous
Warranty	1 Year - Limited	1 Year - Limited
Learn More	View Details	View Details

In short, the more expensive one includes breast shields, the actual pump is more portable and offers a few more features, it has a rechargeable battery, and it offers a hands-free feature.   It is completely up to you whether or not the additional $80 is worth it.  I bought the handsfree, but actually never used that feature.  I never wore nursing bras and you have to wear them to attach the pump.  Maybe next time I will!  (Reminder to buy the pump when you close out your registry to get the discount to save some money)

I promise to post a workplace pumping strategy soon!  Hope this comparison helped in the meantime!

The Evolution of Toys

It is really hard to know exactly when and how the different baby gear is used when you are standing in a baby store, so you register for it all!  Your house looks more like something out of Chuck E Cheese than a home (not sure if you have seen Chuck E Cheese in the news lately, but it certainly attracts some people you wouldn't want in or around your home). 

My mom made the comment when I was registering that so many of the baby products are more for the adults than the baby.  She was referring to this baby spa bath tub thing at the time. I have found her comment to be true about a lot of products out there. 

Through the different stages of L's infancy we found we had one go-to toy for each stage.  I wanted to share with you these toys over a series of posts.  There is no need to have more than one of these types of toys per stage.  The biggest thing in common with most toys is the musical part.  L really seemed to react when we played music.

Stage 1 - We used this before L could roll over, around 6 weeks - 4 months - Fisher-Price Luv U Zoo Deluxe Musical Mobile Gym

There are so many different activity mats with themes.  They are very easy to move from room to room.  She loved hearing the music and watching the mobile, but have the replacement batteries ready to go because the mobile drains them quickly.  Here is L in action!

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! 

Pump-a-thon

Pump-a-thon is the perfect title for this post!  When I think about running a marathon (or actually think about my friends that have run marathons because I, most definitely, have not), I think about goal setting, commitment, time management, exhaustion, preparation and calorie burn. 

ALL of these things directly relate to pumping and going back to work.

WARNING:  I have given this warning before, but if nursing at all weirds you out.  Do not continue reading.

When I began nursing, I set a goal of 4-6 months.   I lasted 4.5…BARELY made the goal.  I am happy to share my experience…what I thought worked, what didn’t, and what I will do differently next time.  I touched on this briefly in my Liquid Gold and Billy Madison posts so please you those as a reference as well.

STORING

Things I did right:

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump

• I used the Medela pump and thought it was great.  No complaints.  If you are planning to go back to work, the manual pump just won’t cut it.  You must have the electric one.  To justify the price…it will cost less than you would have to spend on formula in the long run.  As a cost cutting suggestion, put the pump on your registry.  You will most likely not get it because it is expensive and is a pretty awkward gift to give.  BUT when you close out your registry at most places, you receive a discount.  Be sure to buy your pump at that time to take advantage.

Additional Medela Bottles

• You will need more than the 4 bottles that are included when you purchase a Medela Pump. 

Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bag

• Use the Micro Steam Bags to quickly clean your pump accessories.

Lansinoh Freezer Bags

 

·    Buy some freezer bags for storage.  They sell a few different kinds, but I used the Lansinoh ones. One of my friend’s husbands said they freaked him out when he opened their freezer and had to read “My Mommy’s Milk” every time.  I have to agree with him on that, but they did get the job done.

·    Be sure to get out your pump, figure out how it works and have it charged before you plan on using it for the first time.  It will be painful for you if you are not prepared and have to wait for the pump to charge.

·    A few helpful suggestions on how to start pumping that I read that rang true for me…wait an hour after the first morning feeding to work in the daily pump session because your production is typically lower in the afternoon.  (If you have not introduced the bottle to your baby yet, just pump once a day)  

What I did wrong:

·    I started pumping at 8 weeks periodically.  Next time, I will start around 6 weeks and make sure to do it daily.  I would do it randomly thinking I would have plenty stored up before I went back to work.  FALSE!

·    Try your best not to use the freezer supply before you return to work.  I was careless with them because, again, I thought storing up would be easy.

·    Store 2-3 ounces in each bag.  Once you thaw it out, you are not supposed to refreeze it and are forced to throw it out.  I made this mistake the first few bags by putting 4 ounces in a bag.  It took no time at all to thaw out 2 ounces at a time.  I would run the bags under warm water for a minute or so.  Ask your doctor about further suggestions on how best to thaw out frozen milk...for example, microwaving is not recommended because it creates hot pockets that could burst in your baby's mouth.

Please speak up with other suggestions if you made mistakes when stocking up.  Look for another post about what I did when the time came to head back to work.

Flying My Freak Flag

Today I am flying my freak flag for you all...

My cat had a sex change operation.  It is true.  From the moment I got Simon, I knew he wanted to be a girl.  I kid!

Before you go off and call the crazy bus on me, let me explain.  Yes, my cat had a sex change operation.  No, he didn’t “want” to be a girl.  He had horrendous health problems as a kitten and the vet recommended this surgery to help ease his chronic blocked bladder that would ultimately kill him if it was not corrected.  A cut here, a snip there, and Simon was officially Simone.

Around the time he became a she, I was shopping for a cat carrier.  I was choosing between the only two options on the shelf…

                      

I contemplated for a little while and decided since my cat was a girl now, I could buy the pink one.  I excitedly purchased it, loaded it in the car, drove home and showed it to my husband.  Oops!  He was NOT amused!  We had a bit of a disagreement that went something like this:

He said, “Our cat will not be a cross dresser.  Simone’s chromosomes are still male.  The pink carrier is just taking this whole thing too far.”  (Although I was getting a bit frustrated with his attitude about this, I thought it was pretty cute he was trying to hang on to Simone’s manhood)

I said, “Really?!?!  The actual amputation of the penis wasn’t taking it too far?”

He moved on with his argument, “I have to carry the carrier too and I don’t want it to be pink.”

Aha!  The real reason he was upset was surfacing!  Good thing this conversation happened.  Years later, when we were discussing the stroller for L, I recognized the fact he didn’t want to be strolling around town with a pink stroller.  I respected that and we went with a gender-neutral stroller. 

The color was the least of our worries when purchasing a stroller.  It is a BIG decision!  You really need to evaluate your lifestyle to figure out which one is best for you.  I will share with you what we did as an option, but I am not forcing it upon you.  Staying with my theme “Keeping it Simple,” we decided not to do a big travel system. 

We registered for the Bob jogging stroller and have been really pleased with it! 

It maneuvers smoothly and folds up in one easy step.  However, it is pretty heavy and bulky.  To solve this problem, we also got the Snap n Go for me to run quick errands and for air travel.  If you decide to get a Snap N' Go, make sure that the car seat you decide on fits into it.

I HIGHLY recommend both products.  We have been pleased with them and haven’t felt like we missed out by not having a travel system.

Other moms out here…what do you suggest? 

The Eye in the Sky

My name is Janann and I have a gambling addiction. 

I make it no secret that I LOVE craps.  If there was a table anywhere in my city limit, L’s college fund would be in trouble.  When I was in my first trimester, I went to Vegas for a bachelorette party.  I was still keeping my pregnancy under wraps which was no easy task in that town!    When I would make my secret departure from the clubs dying to get some sleep, I managed to find myself at the craps table for a couple more hours.

(***Keeping it Simple*** side note:  To hide my pregnancy, I drank ginger ale in a champagne flute and it worked like a charm.  The key is in the bubbles.)

As demonstrated in Smock-tions, I tend to use gambling references more often than I should.  Today’s post is no different.  We call our baby video monitor “ The Eye in the Sky." 

My husband takes it even further when he puts L down in the crib.  When he knows I am watching through the monitor, he put L in her sleep sack and “checks out” like a black jack dealer by flipping his hands in front of the camera.  You know what I mean?  They have to show the Eye in the Sky that they are not holding any chips or cards up their sleeves.  Why do some jokes never get old?  It still makes me laugh!

This very long intro is to present the Summer Infant Video Monitor. 

When I was registering, I thought the video monitor seemed unnecessary and only registered for the audio monitor.  A couple of people decided against my choice and got the video monitor anyways.  I am thankful to them daily.  IT IS THE BOMB! 

I can't tell you how much it helped us implement Baby Wise.  We learned L's sleep habits: when she was just talking in her sleep and when she was actually awake.  Letting her cry it out was one of the hardest things to do when sleep training.  I found that hearing the cry was completely unbearable and would make me want to go pick her up immediately.  With the video, I could mute the volume and just keep the video part on.  Success! 

I highly recommend making the investment towards a video monitor.  They keep coming out with new models, so it is hard to recommend a specific one.  Read the reviews to decide which one would be best for you. 

Registry suggestion:  Also, register for an audio monitor for travel and staying with grandparents.  Since you mount the camera for the video monitor, it is not easily portable. 

Good luck to you with your eye in the sky and all future craps rolls!  I guess are new saying the next time we roll will have to be , "Baby needs a new pair shoes!"

Meet Sophie

A while back, my friends and I were discussing Starbucks.  As shallow as this sounds we decided that we felt pretty cool walking out of our local Starbucks with the official Starbucks cup.  You know the feeling, right?  I mean celebrity superstars can afford many things I can’t even dream of buying, but I can afford the $4 coffee they drink.

Don’t even get me started on the red holiday cups and how excited I get when they roll around.  It has fallen in line with stockings, Christmas trees, lights and carols as must have to get the full feeling of the Christmas spirit.

Well, there is a person (or thing) in the baby department that falls into the Starbucks category.  You must meet Sophie.  When I met her, I was skeptical and thought, “She’s cute, but has a high price tag”  Once I got to know her, I realized she was so much more!  She squeals with delight when squeezed by L which gives our poor cat, Cleo, some relief in this department.  She became L’s (and my) new best friend. She soothes L at times of need.  She provides entertainment for L on road trips.  She is carried around by the coolest of celebrity tots.  Alas, meet Sophie!

Sophie has actually been around since the 1960s in France, but just started making waves in the US a few years ago.  She was rejected from many retailers because of her high price tag.  Finally, Helene Dumoulin-Montgomery was able to find a Beverly Hills boutique to sell her giraffe and place her in celebrity baby baskets.  Sophie took off from there and can be found at multiple retailers across the country. (information gathered from this article in the LA times)

Her price of around $20 is quite high compared to her $3 competitors.  In my opinion, she is absolutely worth it!  I am convinced that the teething process is the worst through infancy.  You all need to appreciate each one of your teeth because you earned them!  Sophie is the ONLY teething toy L will chew on and it instantly calms her down.   Children’s Tylenol and Sophie are my prefect formula for teething.  I realized how dependent we had become on Sophie when we could not find her one weekend.  I tore the house up looking for her.  L and I both missed our new friend terribly. 

Sophie is such a genius, well thought out product.  The reason she has been the most popular girl in pre-school is because she appeals to all 5 senses (taken from description on Sears):

Sight: From birth to 3 months, a babys eyesight is usually limited to high contrasts. The attention-catching spots all over Sophie the Giraffes body provide visual stimulation and is easily recognizable object to reassure and comfort.

Hearing: Sophie the Giraffe's happy little squeak keeps baby amused, stimulates hearing and helps baby understand the link between cause and effect.

Taste: Sophie the Giraffe is made of 100% natural rubber and food paint and is completely safe to chew. The soft texture and many chewable parts (ears, horns, legs) make her perfect for soothing babys sore gums during teething.

Smell: The singular scent of natural rubber from the Hevea tree makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify from all the other toys.

Touch: Touch is the first means a baby has of communicating with the outside world.

Definitely register for Sophie or buy her for your friend at the next baby shower.  Your baby can look like these celeb tots as you sip on your Starbucks…throw on some oversized sunglasses and a hat and people may just mistake you both for celebrities…

Don't forget to enter the Barefoot Designs giveaway.  Click here for details.

UPDATE: The Bopster Family

Bopter Family post update:  I just went to Target to buy a shower gift and they had the Boppy Lounger on the shelf by the nursing products.  Guess what gift I am bringing to the shower?!?!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Minimizing Grocery Runs 2

After my Diapers.com post, I received a few emails from other moms talking about how much they love Amazon Mom (AM).  I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and what deals I have been missing out on!  I felt so out of the loop and was intrigued :)  Bear with me...

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the main event!  Ding Ding Ding Ding!

In this corner we have...

And in this corner we have...

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!  (I know, I know, a bit overkill for a match up between two baby sites, but the high school cheerleader in me couldn't let this one pass me by.  I promise to leave the Tootsie Roll and Whoop! There it is! off of all future blog entries)  Now that I have that out of my system...Here is how I think the two sites stack up...

***Before you read - I have researched this topic for a couple of weeks now and am more confused than when I started.  These loyalty programs are constantly changing.  I write about this topic with a headache :)

At first glance, it appears that AM has a much better member program.  I mean what about 30% off and free shipping doesn't grab you!  During my research, however, I found out that Amazon acquired the Diapers.com's parent company, Quisdi, in November 2010 (completed in April 2011).  If they are both the same company, why would they undercut themselves with prices?  Exactly!  They don't! 

The way I see it, they are both excellent sites and provide the convenience of not having to go to the store. 

AM culminates three of Amazon.com's programs: Amazon Mom, Subscribe and Save, and Amazon Prime.  Different perks (free shipping, discounts, etc...) fall under the different programs. . You have to upkeep all of the requirements for each program (some require minimum orders and an annual fee).  AM allows you to set up an automatic diaper delivery at a specified time interval.  I found this great review when I was looking into this that helps clarify the pros and cons.

Ultimately, you will need to crunch the numbers for your specific household to know whether AM or Diapers.com is a better deal for you.  Because you have to reach monthly minimums for the perks with AM, it may end up being a wash with Diapers. 

I, personally, like to order things as I need them rather than having an automatic delivery, but that is just me. During my reseearch, it seems most mom's prefer AM based on discussion boards I have read. I have a fear of getting too many diapers of one size and having to deal with the return/exchange process. Since we all know I like to keep it simple, I will stick with Diapers.com for now.  I think their interface is cleaner, and I do not want to have to keep up with all of the Amazon Mom loyalty programs.  I would love to hear more opinions on this topic...Let me know if you disagree with my review.

Happy shopping with whichever your choose!  Both provide convenience of not having to run to the store and a variety of inventory!  I felt obligated to share with you this other great site that provides many of the same benefits as Diapers.com.