My Favorite Baby Items: The Unexpected Essentials

When I was building my baby registry while I was pregnant with Claire, I poured over different people's lists to see where I should spend my money as well as where I could skip. (If you want to see what made it onto my original baby registry list, check out this post.) Even now, I love seeing what other parents recommend for their children.

So, I thought, as I'm looking back over Claire's first year, I'd recap some of the items we got for Claire that have been the best hits. I'll be sharing these favorites (the things I'd buy over and over again) in a series of posts over the next couple of weeks, divided up by category. (You can see all the posts in this series of my favorite baby items.)



Brica Baby In-Sight Mirror: I never realized how much I'd rely on this little mirror that straps onto your seat so you can keep an eye on the babe in the car. But even now, a year in, I still love being able to check on Claire while we're driving around, whether it's to see if she's falling asleep or figure out why she's mad (Is the sun in her eyes? Did she drop a toy?, etc.).

WubbaNub Pacifier: I already mentioned in my previous post that this was an essential toy for Claire, one that she always had with her. The fact that it brought her such comfort is why it was such an essential for me, too! I had never anticipated needing to use pacifiers (especially since I never took one as a baby) but when I saw the difference it made, I was a convert!!

Hotslings Adjustable Pouch Baby Sling: This was the main sling I used with Claire, having tried three others in a vain attempt to figure out what would comfort her (since she always wanted to be held) and would provide me some comfort in the process. I say "some comfort" because since most of her weight sits on one shoulder, as she got heavier, it got more burdensome. But for the most part, it was bearable and she adored being held tight in here. (In spite of the fact that she hated being swaddled, surprisingly.) It was one of the easiest ways to get her to sleep.

Ergo Baby Carrier: This was my second favorite carrier, and one my husband used a lot. While I could get it on single-handedly, it was a little cumbersome and hard to put on once baby was already asleep. The only thing I don't think Claire liked about it was that she couldn't see and people-watch as easily as she could from her perch in the sling pouch. Still, it was very comfortable for me to wear and I like it even now because it transitions into a side carrier for putting her on my hip and being able to multi-task with ease.

Pack n Play with Changing Table and Bassinet: When Claire was first born, she would not sleep in her crib. I think it was just too big for her. But we found that she would sleep in this bite-sized bassinet. We also liked using it as a changing table and likely will use it for that purpose whenever we buy our own house.

Apple iPod Touch: Oh, beautiful, wonderful technology. My husband bought this for me as a pre-birth gift before having Claire. So once she was born, my apps were already loaded and ready to go, which was so helpful in tracking her schedule as well as taking my mind off those late-night feedings when I could read an e-book or catch up on Facebook. It also enabled me to easily snap impromptu photos, especially of the sleeping variety when Claire wouldn't leave my arms. I think this helped keep me sane so much back then!

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Celebrating My First Year as a Mom & A Look Back at How It Changed Me

Now that I’ve crossed the threshold of my first year of motherhood, I can look back on it and see the beauty of it. There was plenty of hardship, as I’ve shared countless times through the course of this past year. But becoming a mom has brought so many changes. Not just to my sleep cycle or the fact that being peed on doesn’t gross me out in the slightest. It has changed me....

Now that I’ve crossed the threshold of my first year of motherhood, I can look back on it and see the beauty of it. There was plenty of hardship, as I’ve shared countless times through the course of this past year. But becoming a mom has brought so many changes. Not just to my sleep cycle or the fact that being peed on doesn’t gross me out in the slightest.

It has changed me.

There have been so many times when I don’t want to do things for Claire. When I don’t want to change another diaper or stop what I’m doing so I can pick her up and comfort her. When I don’t want to hold my frustration in and respond with a smile instead of a scream.

But I know that my actions matter. In a way that they never have before. My love matters. I know that I have the choice with how I respond to her and what those responses can add up to. There is power in how I treat her and how I love her.

And I have seen it shape this crazy little baby who started out crying all the time into a toddler now who is filled with joy. I like to think that I have helped give her that joy. That my selflessness—even when it was forced out through gritted teeth—has made a difference.

Certainly, I make mistakes in my mothering, and I would never claim anything near perfection. But I know I have tried hard and I can say I’m proud of the mom I’ve become, proud of the woman that being Claire’s mom has made me. Her pitiful, soul-shattering cries have taught me patience. Her unwillingness to sleep except curled up in my arms has helped me become flexible and learn to let the tasks and expectations of the day slip to the ground. Her stubbornness has taught me to laugh instead of stew.

Through it all, I’m learning to melt myself into this role of being a mom, a role that is shaving off the prickly parts of my heart and creating in me a version of myself richer and deeper than I’d thought possible. And we’re only a year in. I can’t wait to see what the next couple of decades have in store!

In celebration of how becoming a parent can make you a better person, BlogHer has teamed up with the Dreamworks' movie, Delivery Man. In it, David (Vince Vaughn) finds out that he’s a dad and goes on a hilarious and heartwarming journey to find his long-lost children—and his true self. The movie comes out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD on March 25, which you can pre-order here. (Watch the movie’s trailer or visit the Delivery Man Facebook page to learn more about the movie.)

Plus, BlogHer is offering up a $100 Visa gift card to one Life Blessons reader who comments, letting me know: “How have your kids changed you for the better?”

Sweepstakes Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 3/20/14 – 4/17/14. Be sure to visit the Delivery Man page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win! 

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My Favorite Baby Items: Toys from Birth to Six Months

When I was building my baby registry while I was pregnant with Claire, I poured over different people's lists to see where I should spend my money as well as where I could skip. (If you want to see what made it onto my original baby registry list, check out this post.) Even now, I love seeing what other parents recommend for their children.

So, I thought, as I'm looking back over Claire's first year, I'd recap some of the items we got for Claire that have been the best hits. I'll be sharing these favorites (the things I'd buy over and over again) in a series of posts over the next couple of weeks, divided up by category. (You can see all the posts in this series of my favorite baby items.)



Bright Starts Snuggle & Teethe Monkey Teether: Claire loved this little guy. We hung it on the side of her changing table and it was the first thing that made her smile. She never really played with him (especially not as a teether toy), but the fact that he was the first toy she ever took such an interest in is why he holds a special place in our toy box!

WubbaNub Pacifier: I don't know that we could have made it through the first couple of months without this. I never had any intention to use a pacifier but now I realize that as a parent, you don't really get to "choose." If your baby wants it and it's the only thing that calms them? Well then, baby gets it. The only thing I didn't like about these was how difficult they were to sanitize. In the haze of newborn-ness, I would often turn the water on to boil, only to forget about the WubbaNub draped over the side. Consequently, the stuffed animals on both her WubbaNubs have burnt tummies. Whoops. (And if you want to know why I included it in toys: Well, it has a stuffed animal attached to it. Claire's eyes would light up whenever she saw it come near!)

Fisher-Price Discover 'n Grow Kick and Play Piano Gym: This was such a fun play gym! You lay the baby down and they kick and make it play music. Even now, Claire will still sit down sometimes and pound on the keys, even though we long ago took the arch down. I also like you can detach the toys; she still plays with those sometimes, too.

Musical Bouncer: Claire was always interested in knowing what was going on around her, so using this as a booster seat made her a great deal happier. I'm not sure that she cared about the vibrating option but it was a huge help that she could entertain herself by hitting the musical components so that I could take a few breaks for myself!

Bunnies By The Bay Bye Bye Buddy Blanket: She always wanted to have something in her hand when she was falling asleep, so we used this blanket. Once she stopped using a pacifier (around 6 months), we stopped using this, too, because all she wanted to was put her thumb in her mouth. But I love how soft and cuddly this was--and it didn't have a rattle in it (surprisingly hard to find, but essential when you're talking about using it for sleep!).

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What I Look For in a High Chair (And One that Fits the Bill)

Claire has been eating solid foods for the past six months. Over that time, I’ve had quite the crash course in high chairs, from ones that are expensive to those generic ones in restaurants to makeshift ones (we used the Bumbo seat for a lot of feedings when we first started out) and everything in between.

I’ve been on the search for the perfect high chair for my lifestyle, which is how I came across the Ingenuity ChairMate High Chair.



One of the things I’ve learned during this time testing and trying out different versions and attributes is that there are a couple things that are key to me:

• I want my high chair to take up as little space as possible but be easily portable
• It must have a washable surface that can easily be machine-washed (because Claire often loves to feed herself—which invariably makes for a huge mess that not only includes her face and hands but every other surface within reach)
• I want it to feel safe and sturdy for my baby so that if I need to step away and grab something from the fridge, I can do so without worry that my darling is going to be in danger

All of these qualities come together in the ChairMate, which the folks at Ingenuity generously provided for this review. (Of course, as always, all opinions are my own.) Here is a run-down of some of those features this high chair offers:

• The cover is easy to get on and off and features stain-resistant material that can easily be machine-washed. But my favorite feature is that there is a clip-on tray that you can easily pop off and rinse without having to unfasten the entire tray. It makes running it under the kitchen faucet a breeze! (It also is dishwasher-safe, but I haven’t tried that.)
  
  
• It’s lightweight, making it so that you can easily move it around. And since it’s fastened to the chair easily with straps, it isn’t a chore to unbuckle it and move it if you need to, making it a viable option for on-the-go if you need it.
  
  
• The high chair attaches directly to one of your own kitchen chairs. I tried it on a variety of chairs and never faced an issue. Pretty much as long as you can fasten the straps along the underside of the chair and around it’s back, you can use this high chair.
  
  
• It was easy to put together. (I didn’t even have to reference the instruction manual it was so intuitive!) It also includes four different height positions so that it can easily accommodate almost any table or chair height. There are also two recline positions. (I do wish there was more customization for the recline position, because Claire still seems to sit back a bit further than she does in her other chairs, but that hasn’t seemed to cause a problem.)
  
  
• Plus, it easily grows with baby by converting to a booster once they get older so that you don't have to buy something additional later one. This is an aspect that is taken into account with all of the products from Ingenuity: “When we can, we strive to save you money,” they say, “such as high chairs and floor seats that grow with baby by converting to boosters, and swings with patented technology that makes batteries last twice as long. Every product Ingenuity offers starts with one question: How can these meet babies’ needs, but make life easier for parents?”
  
  
• While I was a little hesitant about using straps to secure the high chair at first, I haven’t had any issues with the stability or sturdiness of the chair. I’ve even picked Claire up while she’s strapped in and moved the chair (like for the photoshoot I did!) and the seat didn’t even seem to wiggle in the chair. I think as long as you’re strapping it to a sturdy chair and make sure you get the straps at tight as possible (which surprisingly is quite easy), then I don’t think there are any issues with safety.
  
  
• The ChairMate high chair comes in a variety of designs, but the one I received is the “Emerson,” which is available exclusively at Babies ‘R’ Us. The Emerson features an adorable and gender-neutral teal and green polka-dot pattern with two smiley-faced hippos in the middle. Perfect for any baby who makes you feel like you’re feeding a hungry, hungry hippo!

All that to say, that this high chair has been a happy addition to our feeding routine and I expect it will continue to be for the years to come!



(You can find out more about the Ingenuity ChairMate High Chair, as well as other products from Ingenuity. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.)

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Dear Claire: You're One Year Old!

(I've been writing monthly updates to my daughter, Claire, documenting all the changes that come with the passing weeks. You can catch up on past letters here.) 

Dear Claire,

First, let's start out with some of the main updates from this past month:

• At your one-year appointment you: weighed 18.2 lbs (10th percentile) and were 29.25 inches long (50th percentile).
• You can now run, so we took you to get big-girl shoes for your birthday (size 4W!). Now we can hear that pitter-patter coming from across the room!
• Somehow, your sixth tooth came in this month and I had no clue. It was on the bottom so it wasn't until I looked down yesterday and counted three pearly whites sticking through that I realized it! Whoops!
• You like to shake your head "no," although I don't think you know what it means and aren't trying to be defiant. You just think it's funny!
• You like to stick out your tongue and let it hang to the side of your mouth. It's pretty goofy, but then that's one of the things I love best about you! 
• You have a little sneaky streak! You know we don't like for you to have the remote so sometimes you'll watch us when we're looking away and stealthily go for it, ever so slowly so as to avoid detection.
• You can wave "hi" and "bye" back if we wave to you.
• You are big into imitating in general. We discovered that if we stick our tongue in and out quickly, you'll mimic and do the same! It's a silly little party trick we like.
• You love to drink water and your daddy has worked with you to say "ahh" after taking a drink. It's pretty adorable! You are learning how to use a zippy cup. You really love one of your grandma's water bottles and have aptly learned how to drink out of it by sucking up the straw.
• Your daddy taught you another new trick: You love it when we whisper secrets ("Psst, psst, psst,") in your ear and often squeal with delight! 

What a big girl you are becoming, learning all kinds of new tricks in leaps and bounds, right?!

For your birthday, we took you to a cupcake shop where you were ecstatic about smooshing cake and icing through your fingers! You didn't really eat much of it, but enjoyed the chance to be as messy as you liked! You had fun ripping open your presents and playing with your new clothes and toys, especially your LOUD corn popper and birthday cards that sing when you open them! I know you won't remember it, but it was fun—which life with you always is!

This past year has turned out to be a joy for me to be your mommy. I'm so proud of the wonderfully joyful, spunky and social, curious and creative little girl you're becoming. I love watching your mind at work and am always surprised by what captures your attention. You're always off exploring and getting into anything and everything! I can't wait to see where you are going to channel that energy and curiosity as you get older.

Here's to another year, as my little love bug and Claire Bear!

Love,
Mom

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Letting Myself Simplify and Allow Some Things Fall to the Ground

The rhythm of life right now seems to be about simplifying, culling and cutting, stripping and taking stock. It has made up much of my reading right now, having breezed through The Hyperlinked Life and then been slowly savoring my way through Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World.

Both books have been resonating with my soul and its cry to sift through my actions, my day and hold on to those things that really matter. Let the others fall loosely through my grip—and be okay with that. Sometimes the letting go, no matter how good it is for us, can be a hard thing. It can feel like giving up, like failure that we can't do it all, like disappointment.

And yet, they seem an encouragement to be willing to take those steps, to let some things fall to the ground.

The Hyperlinked Life is penned by The Barna Group, which is a Christian group that surveys people to find out what is going on in our world and how our faith fits into it. They've written some other books that I found incredibly insightful, so I was eager to get their thoughts on how technology is impacting our lives—specifically our relationships and time. There's no doubt that technology is good and here to stay, and they don't argue that at all. What they encourage is that we find ways to steward technology, to make sure we are controlling it rather than the other way around. The biggest thing they encourage is taking digital Sabbaths. Letting technology fall away from us, from our grip, for a matter of time, whether daily or weekly.


And in Notes From a Blue Bike, she looks at the act of simplifying across a bunch of different parameters, from the way you feed your family to school your children to work for a livelihood. While her "simplified" life looks very different from the way I live and envision my own, she too offers an encouragement to readers to live with intention and look at things closely and cut away the fat that, no matter how good it might taste, is weighing you down. And she shows how she's attempted to do that—sometimes to great success, other times discovering that what she once thought made her life better actually didn't.

That lesson resonated with me: Sometimes we have to reevaluate these things in our life, and I feel like that's what I've been doing here lately, taking time to breathe and pull back from this technological space. (Which is probably why I've found so much time for reading of late!)

It has felt good to not fall prey to expectations about how frequently I should post and comment and share and like and all that online jazz. It has felt good to have free time with which to just sit and not turn to my computer to fill every extra second.

And so this is the new rhythm of my life right now, one that feels right, where this blog space might be a bit more quiet than it once was. I don't expect to stop, but just to move more slowly and, hopefully, more intentionally.

{ photo source }

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