tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809063020612205112024-02-20T13:10:23.340-06:00Prego to LegosEverything from pregnancy (Prego), to birth, to breastfeeding, to parenting infants to children (Legos) and more! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-75063713708630181602017-06-10T13:48:00.000-05:002017-06-10T14:39:04.420-05:00BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!Just a small announcement to let you all know...<br />
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I am now an Usborne Book Lady! :)<br />
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I've created a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a> for it, but if you'd like to find out WHY I've joined Usborne and a little more about it, read on!!</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBQp_eYl0mdIusMxzhnWTmemE1QMePmeg6fqYVBmd5z2sCakQQxdkEpRw5OXuvi3peYrZJOtFBQoQ5dcNt-qXbloNTx6vDbYb6BRxBfA4EWKTZtcDx_KccEsZmpSvVC46wi3tvEFX0rIA/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I swore to myself I would never become a salesperson, especially with companies like Avon, Mary Kay, LuLaRoe, etc that require hosting parties and nagging your friends. BUT I attended an online Usborne party a friend hosted and fell IN LOVE.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbzJIS40r7GJvzlr3g8-1JacM1OpsdozY9LproYsG8befj03XzhDtY7w8xoZ06ylPoaUHdLC9-I-dbhTWtiiE-Gent9vFXxqZ246uwc_uleGev6EQlUJLXrTXE1DYNFZbviyIp8tO7ua8/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyone that knows me knows I LOVE to read and I love books and am passionate about getting kids to read.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoUV8XQawUoAXW4JkRngDqsuRCcE2EqFUOp24ZJ2BhA1ZwPJDL6fOZhT1Or4XWkEltb_aY-t62sZ1babQeLoy4LFjkJwlIYDTXuEov6ME-7qv4y0MqVPf3Xiq62jTJwIAZ8ROJ2gJlabR/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></div>
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And the Usborne books are great! There are wipe-clean books for practicing writing and interactive books beyond the basic flap, tab, and popup books. There are board books and chapter books. There are encyclopedias, story collections, book series and more. There are books that are great for children with special needs, sensory processing disorder, autism etc. There are over 2,000 titles with new releases every season (and I am very excited about some of this fall's expected releases!)<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXL0pjBRjmiLNSDT-bO8x-oXRnBpzc1DQF-3m5eTg3GUgTYgTbRbpfN7DjcFCoxGVjyEGrR26JOrQH3OkZfQOInxI4C5WDMXAGtkeI8wnu6HSsmbnZrPEON0qQUxZa6IorNCPcn7bzw1F/s320/4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Beyond that, what really helped convince me to sign onto the team was that there are NO quotas. I didn't want the pressure of having to meet corporate goals; I have a 3-year-old and an almost 3-month-old, am in my last semester of graduate school and will soon be a full-time Librarian! And you don't have to keep an inventory or make a large initial investment.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1000" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZJgFO83nIQg_DwFqWSynBMCvo_U7MWk-SzUusaUSaex5JqH34h2u64kMKEPqEzQr8amC1HEv4Qce82XdIv0DUto8V_8iHLeYrKnPBgwnSECIu8195mueIQLIer1y7xc_c8cxRdPG2YGj/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So by being part of Usborne, I get to not only grow my own kids' libraries, I can help grow others' as well. I can earn free books and anyone that hosts a party with me earns free books. Of course there are all sorts of bonuses and perks for selling over certain amounts, but that is not what I'm in this for.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="560" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqkr31Zwxa3fU4UoBQthavqRmDR5LZskMsPUWbL2YaUJlGKTwXlThSVMMOe3QUtDD6DOroinCzWAphR2c2ERP6VibYx2R49ktt-EMx3BSPvfyk1nI6TGvPUNgKTB9YaCcU6z_cgxAGkea/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I just want to have fun, make a little extra money, and introduce families and kids to some wonderful books and hopefully, create some life-long readers. :)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">So, if you would like to see what it's all about, would like to check out the collection, host a party, or join the team, join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340095509372773/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>! </span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-63980063455019008712016-12-01T14:39:00.000-06:002016-12-01T14:39:12.316-06:00<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">EarthMamaAngelBaby has a Support Breastfeeding with Integrity pledge and badge. The pledge is below. This is what I pledge!</span></div>
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<a href="http://blog.earthmamaangelbaby.com/support-with-integrity/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Support with Integrity Pledge</span></a></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I PLEDGE to use my energy to help defuse dogmatic battles about what technique, position, frequency, equipment, duration or organization a woman chooses for breastfeeding. I affirm that my time is best spent directing my positive, encouraging support toward helping mamas successfully breastfeed.</span></div>
<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I PLEDGE to keep my ego in check, while treating other breastfeeding boosters, lactation facilitators, breastfeeding organizations, and mothers respectfully, knowing that we’re all working toward the common goal of providing breast milk for babies. I also welcome respectful disagreement with my own opinions and accept that disruptive disagreement is counter to the goal of helping mamas feed their babies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I PLEDGE to agree that there are many right ways to breastfeed a baby. A breastfeeding mother should not feel pressure or judgment to perform a specific way. There isn’t a “wrong way” as long as the breast milk is flowin’ and the baby is growin’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">By displaying the Support with Integrity badge and signing the pledge, I agree to hold hands and help mamas get what they need to make breastfeeding work for them, no matter how they choose to do it. If a mama and baby are making it work, I’ll stand and cheer them on from the sidelines.</span><br />
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<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Caveat: This is not a place to judge those who choose not to or cannot breastfeed. This is a pledge to be supportive of all those who choose to support breastfeeding.</span></em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">- See more at: http://blog.earthmamaangelbaby.com/support-with-integrity/#sthash.l6Qva3HB.dpuf</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-26900679252737812982016-12-01T14:11:00.000-06:002016-12-01T14:11:58.850-06:00Birth Preferences Round 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So I made a <a href="https://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/02/birth-preferences-infographic.html" target="_blank">birth preferences infographic</a> for my son's birth, but never ended up using it since we arrived at the hospital only <a href="https://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/04/here-comes-baby-boy-birth-story.html" target="_blank">half an hour before he was born</a>! Some things on my first set of birth preferences are no longer a big deal to me though, so I decided to make another one, and found a set of icons that I really liked. I recolored them and added a preface, and I hope that I actually get to use it this time and hand it to the nurses at the hospital when I arrive!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOIhzn2gNQTMAdhv46XEEC3yKessZxcGm1DjgX49FjTD5Euk2BJHahNThGuoLTJh2z0qAzPs9dtlv6agi0762bPrNl1HQigxw2OIPOO6hEjk6jfvxi-QlD8B7oKFvod2yrrdiLfyV37AN/s1600/birth+preferences+icons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOIhzn2gNQTMAdhv46XEEC3yKessZxcGm1DjgX49FjTD5Euk2BJHahNThGuoLTJh2z0qAzPs9dtlv6agi0762bPrNl1HQigxw2OIPOO6hEjk6jfvxi-QlD8B7oKFvod2yrrdiLfyV37AN/s640/birth+preferences+icons.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
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You may have heard both the terms "birth plan" and "birth preferences" used when talking about what the mom/parents want for their baby's birth. But I do not like the term "birth plan" cause you really can't plan everything. <b><i>You WON'T get everything you "plan" for</i></b>. Life is messy. <i><b>Birth</b></i> is messy! ;) So I use "birth preferences" to show that these are things I'd prefer to have happen, but I make sure to add in a preface statement saying that <b><i>I want my baby's health and my health to take precedence</i></b> above all, and that these are my preferences for a <i>NORMAL</i> birth. If major complications arise, everything will probably go out the window because the medical team will be focusing on bringing baby into the world safely. And I am okay with that! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzod6x8IwqJETiMriC6TVoxAmE7Bj8WomgpHZNT5XRZfSiGtSZoLuTuxgZcYqF8zdPofBMSuGDQk4JgjfYxbMfDP7_VZ_OT-IlLyrXDIqmqyPd928qXVObA1m5Ctn1QJZELFHwepbILm1/s1600/birth+preferences.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzod6x8IwqJETiMriC6TVoxAmE7Bj8WomgpHZNT5XRZfSiGtSZoLuTuxgZcYqF8zdPofBMSuGDQk4JgjfYxbMfDP7_VZ_OT-IlLyrXDIqmqyPd928qXVObA1m5Ctn1QJZELFHwepbILm1/s640/birth+preferences.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
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Please feel free to use my birth preferences as inspiration to create your own! You can also find fill-in-the-blank birth preferences sheets online. Like<a href="http://www.pregnancyandbaby.com/calendars/articles/937331/birth-plan-creator" target="_blank"> this one </a>at Pregnancy and Baby or <a href="http://blog.earthmamaangelbaby.com/birth-plan/" target="_blank">this one</a> at EarthMamaAngelBaby. They also have a customizable icon birth preferences sheet, or you can download their icon birth plan as a PDF.<br />
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If there's interest, I can make the icons that I recolored available for download. :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-25761727518757292842016-11-22T14:53:00.000-06:002016-11-22T14:55:30.405-06:00FYI: Saying I don't look pregnant is not a compliment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-gzbenZJjCcjzR-kX6bN7FV3zjzBdlsEr8N3deSukfqZ-KgmowwVlQoSHu9m-mvB5_HbeQWgKi8dAOgon7fDKu3QZZLsyGc12ulPFTnnIyqKu-2pyr_HmXJCMPxlGIcoSQq3kg6OIN_Q/s1600/photo-1457342813143-a1ae27448a82.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-gzbenZJjCcjzR-kX6bN7FV3zjzBdlsEr8N3deSukfqZ-KgmowwVlQoSHu9m-mvB5_HbeQWgKi8dAOgon7fDKu3QZZLsyGc12ulPFTnnIyqKu-2pyr_HmXJCMPxlGIcoSQq3kg6OIN_Q/s640/photo-1457342813143-a1ae27448a82.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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All throughout my first pregnancy, people repeatedly told me that I didn't look pregnant. The first few times, it was fine and I thought nothing of it. But it kept happening - even in my third trimester! And <b><i>no one understood why I wasn't flattered by those statements.</i></b><br />
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I kept hearing it from my boss, which made me feel like she didn't believe that I actually was pregnant. And when I was about 35 weeks, I volunteered to do a maternity shoot with a budding photographer to help boost their portfolio - and they wanted someone close to their due date. Well, when I showed up, they couldn't hide their disappointment that my belly wasn't massive (but to me, I felt like a whale!)<br />
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Well, I thought with my second pregnancy, I'd "look pregnant" much earlier - and to me, I did. I never got rid of my little tummy pooch and grew very early in my pregnancy. However, I still keep hearing "you don't even look pregnant!" And when I try to politely say something to hint to them that I <i><b>want </b></i>to look pregnant, or that I don't find that to be a complimentary statement, they go on and ON about why it's a good thing that I don't look pregnant. HA! (One of peoples' favorite reasons is that I can wear regular clothes still. Um... no. Actually, I had to start wearing maternity pants in my first trimester).<br />
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I don't know why I don't "look pregnant" to some people. I'm not wearing super tight tops and prefer looser shirts, and maxi skirts, and leggings - it's just so much more comfortable than my maternity jeans. But I think I look pregnant, and I see nothing wrong with that.<br />
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Repeatedly hearing that I don't look pregnant has me questioning... <i><b>is there something wrong with looking pregnant?</b></i> Are you insinuating that it's better to look flat-tummied than to have a glowing baby belly? I know it's undesirable to look pregnant when you aren't actually pregnant... but what's wrong with looking pregnant when you actually DO have a baby growing inside you?<br />
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I love my belly, and I love seeing it grow, because that means that my baby girl is growing too. Sure, there are things I don't like about my belly - like the lovely growth of dark hair that has sprouted in a line below my belly button. And of course there are things I don't like about pregnancy. The heartburn and back pain being the main things. But I love being pregnant.<br />
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<b><i>And I love the way I look. </i></b><br />
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True, I may gripe at times to my husband about looking larger or not feeling attractive, but who doesn't? Yet, overall, I am happy in my body. Pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy. And I will aim to love my post-pregnancy body too!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-30919323256911404722016-10-28T11:31:00.000-05:002016-10-28T11:33:27.353-05:00DIY Toddler or Preschool Activity Calendar Magnets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyH2mG3-x46DZH0cjxJfpXR5bxJ_EM3Y_AQl7TjnbpIxCt4wWq4OL5pcUy9_q1DAyWaKzDFekc2xJOA3JCto62r7waLA0UGqmVrlmULIpJHIksAKG9VafeFbDPa3WpG2e6zoye8ZpD7WHR/s1600/diytoddleractivitymagnets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyH2mG3-x46DZH0cjxJfpXR5bxJ_EM3Y_AQl7TjnbpIxCt4wWq4OL5pcUy9_q1DAyWaKzDFekc2xJOA3JCto62r7waLA0UGqmVrlmULIpJHIksAKG9VafeFbDPa3WpG2e6zoye8ZpD7WHR/s640/diytoddleractivitymagnets.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I made an amazing little activity board for my 2.5 year old this week and so far I'm loving it! Also, now I'm kind of addicted to creating these little magnets and coming up with new activities or events to include on his board.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDL0BtCFM4zLDZIfSihP8AoSM0XWOMlGappKAb4Y6zng0C0Vl_bdxMoooV8JPOEpKPNXjBNPuAjLbIoo9FBE3mfJ7iv2GkT11UOygy7atpVMf_XtDpCReSNul-iylEIyeTn904uElRZYc/s1600/IMG_0391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDL0BtCFM4zLDZIfSihP8AoSM0XWOMlGappKAb4Y6zng0C0Vl_bdxMoooV8JPOEpKPNXjBNPuAjLbIoo9FBE3mfJ7iv2GkT11UOygy7atpVMf_XtDpCReSNul-iylEIyeTn904uElRZYc/s320/IMG_0391.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Right now, I've created all his standard daily and weekly activities: school, gym, laundry, shopping, family outing, family night in, etc; and magnets for Today, Tomorrow, and Yesterday as well as weather icons, holidays, doctor and dentist appointment icons AND stars to use for a star/behavior chart.<br />
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Click <b><a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-diy-magnetic-activity-calendar.html%20Done" target="_blank">here</a> </b>to see how I made my activity board.<br />
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I am in love with some of these little magnets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg340dDGpi_fzL5LDjXRyIAbcEkxWYqIlEJpU-o-mqZ_CUeeqm7aIypCSOvfz7wPl39IAE-0pnMASLch0t3THtBjLi48SUQH3V8AA_1wq5FVbrLf8m_V1LRMrK5sqUUimzXG_N44AEhd0MP/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg340dDGpi_fzL5LDjXRyIAbcEkxWYqIlEJpU-o-mqZ_CUeeqm7aIypCSOvfz7wPl39IAE-0pnMASLch0t3THtBjLi48SUQH3V8AA_1wq5FVbrLf8m_V1LRMrK5sqUUimzXG_N44AEhd0MP/s320/FullSizeRender+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I mean, <b>how cute are these?!</b><br />
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<i>*Please disregard the dog hair in the star magnet... no one is perfect! :P</i><br />
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And although we don't celebrate Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead, I thought I'd include some other holidays too so we can have discussions about them and do mini culture lessons.<br />
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These are <b>super simple</b> - and cheap! - to make.<br />
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Just draw little icons small enough for your activity board, fridge, or whatever you're using (mine are all roughly 1 inch or less in size) and color them.<br />
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For an extra activity for your little one, you can have them help color - or have your older children help do it to help get them involved too.<br />
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If you're not art-inclined, you can download my daily calendar icons here for <b>FREE</b>!<br />
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I have expanded packs available for sale on my <a href="http://etsy.com/shop/pregotolegos" target="_blank">Etsy</a> and will take custom orders (Kwanzaa? Mardi Gras? Your car?).<br />
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Then, cut them out and laminate them.<br />
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WHAT?! "Laminate them?!" you say. "But I don't have a laminator!"<br />
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Never fear!! Neither do I! I simply used strips of clear packing tape.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNxm6jLiAmQOFg9PoR_h4EFWVcnfIOkJlhTKtGO7PMWt6qxHGZi1mMZco5BsbjZcxdk3REKJLx1zRrOLkoynFgYlABOG0Xh2HkP0t-Guw-akYDCIc3X-rch6QpEWMf6bUFH88ue4wc66k/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNxm6jLiAmQOFg9PoR_h4EFWVcnfIOkJlhTKtGO7PMWt6qxHGZi1mMZco5BsbjZcxdk3REKJLx1zRrOLkoynFgYlABOG0Xh2HkP0t-Guw-akYDCIc3X-rch6QpEWMf6bUFH88ue4wc66k/s320/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Just place a strip of tape on your surface, <i>sticky side up</i>, then place your icons on the tape - be sure to leave enough space between them to cut them out again!<br />
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Then, slowly lower another piece of tape down - this time <i>sticky side down. </i><br />
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And then just cut them out and place an adhesive magnet on the back! You could also glue pieces of felt to the back if you have a flannel board you're using as your activity calendar.<br />
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(If you don't have packing tape, you can use plain old scotch tape, you will just have to overlap your strips or line them up perfectly to cover your images.)<br />
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This would be easy to "grow" with your child and your family. As they get older and start more activities, just make more magnets!<br />
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I could see this even working in a young teen's room - icons for homework and tests and sleepovers etc to help keep them organized!<br />
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<b>Here are a few of the icons I've made in black and white and in color.</b><br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOWE9tbHZqUnhDcWc/preview" width="640"></iframe>
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<iframe height="480" src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOZDVjZFU5a1dpTlU/preview" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Here's a link to download the printable pdfs in <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOWE9tbHZqUnhDcWc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">black and white</a> and <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOZDVjZFU5a1dpTlU/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">color</a> as well.
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Additional packs of calendar icons are available for download through my <a href="http://etsy.com/shop/pregotolegos" target="_blank">Etsy</a>.<br />
<br />
Use coupon code <b>BLOG10 </b>for 10% off!<br />
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I'm working on different themed packs: Holidays, Chores, Activities, Outdoors, Seasonal Activities, Weather, etc. A little preview:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDAao3UMifXOS9VXnYCuG3qdVRF7tCTd1bawq-s7BzZEvlSzZWTkjuKvWi7qeey0cwX4v3DaRX6E3Qny4SOUT103AYDvqpRcGxPuQBnnp_qCEBu4RQiPvY3WyK-3jmc33bvxt5l873Hib/s400/weather+seasons+icons+pregotolegos+watermearked.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="308" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://etsy.me/2eFFPqA" target="_blank">Black and White Weather and Season Icons</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5SHucwIupPqjO469e_rKc13Gf53LYzX8lhV0ybcESZnsm7xWAODTooZoq2nRIsdHxbJyk8L1BYdSyUhyphenhyphenBQFs5Wn4hli9H8beKgoER0nTV_RuynrVfHJorLvHWtMqH1GOgjSjJKLcFgew/s400/weathericons+color+watermark.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="308" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/474707674/hand-drawn-activity-calendar-icons" target="_blank">Weather and Season Icons in Color</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGI_WiaxlBxMFVsBP2_QHOZZTVWt5brRW2kcRuJRLhsqcXCumAIvCIN1mMYR5DT20fIqH7rLBW84KGMZtXYz1GeyB6wsdoV8w4j1TFGTqN0H5Vd5LojmJ0_rmEPo4FQ7jCptEKluiCAf8/s1600/holidayicons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGI_WiaxlBxMFVsBP2_QHOZZTVWt5brRW2kcRuJRLhsqcXCumAIvCIN1mMYR5DT20fIqH7rLBW84KGMZtXYz1GeyB6wsdoV8w4j1TFGTqN0H5Vd5LojmJ0_rmEPo4FQ7jCptEKluiCAf8/s400/holidayicons.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/474704170/hand-drawn-activity-calendar-icons" target="_blank">Holiday Icons in Black and White</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Inspired by <a href="http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/">So You Think You're Crafty</a>. Check out the instructions for her <a href="http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/whats-up-weekly-board-tutorial/">What's Up Weekly Board</a>.<br />
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<i>**These icons are an original design and the intellectual property of Prego to Legos and therefore are for personal use only and not to be re-sold or reproduced in any way for monetary gain**</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-47263233529598996222016-10-25T22:53:00.000-05:002016-10-28T10:52:12.118-05:00$10 DIY Magnetic Activity Calendar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOS-OWSCpby3I_Q_BMa3MZgzM0rmcUhbirNyVd_nHv5D-kNOoUKsoIw0qLOJn1Y8HQzWRd25TFreZ7d_SLMaxBB7M9KkAsFaUF2e8cn7aRzq1Dzgn8yaWucxYhRlklyo0kS1MmdPKUc71Y/s1600/10+dollar+board+pregotolegos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOS-OWSCpby3I_Q_BMa3MZgzM0rmcUhbirNyVd_nHv5D-kNOoUKsoIw0qLOJn1Y8HQzWRd25TFreZ7d_SLMaxBB7M9KkAsFaUF2e8cn7aRzq1Dzgn8yaWucxYhRlklyo0kS1MmdPKUc71Y/s640/10+dollar+board+pregotolegos.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I saw the cutest activity calendar on Pinterest and was inspired to create my own. I didn't do it exactly the same way, though.<br />
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My son is now 2 1/2 years old, and we love planning different things to do. He goes to daycare 5 days a week and a fun little gym on Saturdays. We always talk about what we're doing and what's coming up, but it's a hard concept for little ones to grasp! Visuals always help. And of course, toddlers love to help and do things themselves, so what's better than little magnets for all the different activities that they can help put onto a magnetic calendar?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4J0H4hZU16XqBhW9mqi9sZOE3kXmJzvrUdvbArRbBZ1DUnl58YIIvc1X8Uyc-MQD7swqzQ4RjGPyPl1Z2sIXtHwMjG0V_wXiiZtY-xx-322msU6XlFC7cLOwR4D5BC8n9p1kU7rLFkYT1/s1600/diycalendar+pregotolegos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4J0H4hZU16XqBhW9mqi9sZOE3kXmJzvrUdvbArRbBZ1DUnl58YIIvc1X8Uyc-MQD7swqzQ4RjGPyPl1Z2sIXtHwMjG0V_wXiiZtY-xx-322msU6XlFC7cLOwR4D5BC8n9p1kU7rLFkYT1/s640/diycalendar+pregotolegos.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I started with a 14"x14" dry erase board that I found for less than $7 at Walmart. It's similar to this one pictured here:<br />
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<a href="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aamm_prd/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-joann-product-catalog/default/dwdc646fe1/images/hi-res/13/13563689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aamm_prd/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-joann-product-catalog/default/dwdc646fe1/images/hi-res/13/13563689.jpg" height="320" width="282" /></a></div>
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Then I used my Silhouette Cameo and some scrap vinyl to cut out letters for the days of the week, a thin stripe, and the words "This Week" and "Coming up..." I hate measuring (*gasp!*) so just eyeballed the placement of all my vinyl lettering, and placed my little stripe approximately halfway down the board. (If you don't have a vinyl cutter, you can get alphabet stickers or make magnets with your days of the week and phrases on them to match the icons!)<br />
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I thought it'd be nice to have activities for the current week and then for next week and the near future. I didn't want to limit ourselves to only showing activities for the next week, because sometimes we talk about events a few weeks in advance - like for holidays or birthdays. I like to get the excitement started early!<br />
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I drew various little icons and colored them, then cut them out and "laminated" them. Each icon is about 1/2" to 3/4" - I figured for a 14x14" board and 7 days of the week, I needed to allot slightly less than 2 inches per week, so there would be space between. I thought about putting grid lines down between each weekday but liked the openness of the board without.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXt_xgQOFl6KoqwTfl8WHqjO0Ky2dJ89FedsrX0PievGUPfHw5T-T-CYGnJp67RQgnMUfOI_rzIs5Ty5CqUJcmB9sv7qAsQGFf-58OY4uzNhSWn0MrjU82pla5V8DI_Rl5Za7TbVG6cCh/s1600/IMG_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXt_xgQOFl6KoqwTfl8WHqjO0Ky2dJ89FedsrX0PievGUPfHw5T-T-CYGnJp67RQgnMUfOI_rzIs5Ty5CqUJcmB9sv7qAsQGFf-58OY4uzNhSWn0MrjU82pla5V8DI_Rl5Za7TbVG6cCh/s320/IMG_0385.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I "laminated" the icons using packing tape. For small things, it's a really easy and inexpensive way to do it. Just tear off a strip and lay it down sticky side up. Then lay your item on the tape and then slowly lower another piece of tape on top. HINT: if you make sure to keep your icons close to the center of the first strip and away from the edge, it won't be a big deal if you end up crooked with your second piece like I constantly ended up doing. Then I had to go and lay another piece to cover the gap.<br />
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I also found a roll of adhesive magnetic strip (about $3 for 1 foot of magnet) and cut small pieces of it to stick to the back of each laminated icon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYuQsp435F9YFiijiNIbDKdYBUwo3fiAE0OLSBeqm-GPFoBIyAGIqZHvV9m9E9wiuazFliN7EH_R_gZHPD5r50H5v1HEnW1CFrme6sI1wLrynj9aQUNNkxQ7W27k6YWd9ndXrIApzSoUt/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYuQsp435F9YFiijiNIbDKdYBUwo3fiAE0OLSBeqm-GPFoBIyAGIqZHvV9m9E9wiuazFliN7EH_R_gZHPD5r50H5v1HEnW1CFrme6sI1wLrynj9aQUNNkxQ7W27k6YWd9ndXrIApzSoUt/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here are a few of the icons I've made in black and white and in color.<br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOWE9tbHZqUnhDcWc/preview" width="640"></iframe>
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<iframe height="480" src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOZDVjZFU5a1dpTlU/preview" width="640"></iframe>
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Here's a link to download the printable pdfs in <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOWE9tbHZqUnhDcWc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">black and white</a> and <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kVSWD5sZUOZDVjZFU5a1dpTlU/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">color</a> as well.<br />
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Additional packs of calendar icons are available for download through my <a href="http://etsy.com/shop/pregotolegos" target="_blank">Etsy</a>.<br />
<br />
Use coupon code <b>BLOG10 </b>for 10% off!<br />
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I'm working on different themed packs: Holidays, Chores, Activities, Outdoors, Seasonal Activities, Weather, etc. A little preview:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDAao3UMifXOS9VXnYCuG3qdVRF7tCTd1bawq-s7BzZEvlSzZWTkjuKvWi7qeey0cwX4v3DaRX6E3Qny4SOUT103AYDvqpRcGxPuQBnnp_qCEBu4RQiPvY3WyK-3jmc33bvxt5l873Hib/s400/weather+seasons+icons+pregotolegos+watermearked.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="308" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://etsy.me/2eFFPqA" target="_blank">Black and White Weather and Season Icons</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5SHucwIupPqjO469e_rKc13Gf53LYzX8lhV0ybcESZnsm7xWAODTooZoq2nRIsdHxbJyk8L1BYdSyUhyphenhyphenBQFs5Wn4hli9H8beKgoER0nTV_RuynrVfHJorLvHWtMqH1GOgjSjJKLcFgew/s400/weathericons+color+watermark.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="308" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/474707674/hand-drawn-activity-calendar-icons" target="_blank">Weather and Season Icons in Color</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGI_WiaxlBxMFVsBP2_QHOZZTVWt5brRW2kcRuJRLhsqcXCumAIvCIN1mMYR5DT20fIqH7rLBW84KGMZtXYz1GeyB6wsdoV8w4j1TFGTqN0H5Vd5LojmJ0_rmEPo4FQ7jCptEKluiCAf8/s1600/holidayicons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGI_WiaxlBxMFVsBP2_QHOZZTVWt5brRW2kcRuJRLhsqcXCumAIvCIN1mMYR5DT20fIqH7rLBW84KGMZtXYz1GeyB6wsdoV8w4j1TFGTqN0H5Vd5LojmJ0_rmEPo4FQ7jCptEKluiCAf8/s400/holidayicons.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/474704170/hand-drawn-activity-calendar-icons" target="_blank">Holiday Icons in Black and White</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Inspired by <a href="http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/">So You Think You're Crafty</a>. Check out the instructions for her <a href="http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/whats-up-weekly-board-tutorial/">What's Up Weekly Board</a>.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-25990485059132474632016-10-24T18:37:00.000-05:002016-10-24T18:37:53.091-05:00Full-Time Mom, Full-Time Employed and FULL-TIME PREGNANT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4jT05_8oKMICifhGkGA4MdH7IKCO7ulxKmQM_uIml8SmmdA-_yj7BR4ha5FQPyqdaIjTzbK9D1eMl9tf8rRzZdcZg6UplDcBIBbTbUcX0aoIc153ldtGq6ZGecFssYyr88A3f9luyMsl/s1600/catsmilepregotolegos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4jT05_8oKMICifhGkGA4MdH7IKCO7ulxKmQM_uIml8SmmdA-_yj7BR4ha5FQPyqdaIjTzbK9D1eMl9tf8rRzZdcZg6UplDcBIBbTbUcX0aoIc153ldtGq6ZGecFssYyr88A3f9luyMsl/s640/catsmilepregotolegos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'M BAAACK!<br />
I know my blogging has been slow. (Understatement). I've just been out-of-my-mind busy with my now 2.5 year old, with being a part-time grad student pursuing my MLIS (Master of Library and Information Studies), working full-time at a University Library (and prior to that at a public library and at a daycare), and with our recent move. PLUS, being pregnant of course is exhausting enough on its own.<br />
That's right!! We're expecting baby number two! This wee one is a girl and she is due 2 days before her big brother's birthday! That means that as of this writing, I am about 20 weeks along. Half-way there! This pregnancy is going by so much faster!<br />
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Well, I plan to get back into the blogging thing - I have a few posts in mind. To give you some clues and some heads up...<br />
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<ul>
<li>How to take 6 weeks of leave when you don't qualify for paid maternity leave. (stressful and a lot of planning, to say the least!)</li>
<li>DIY activity calendar for toddlers, kids, or the whole family. Plus I'd like to have downloadables available...</li>
<li>Daily routine for a 2-year-old</li>
<li>Planning for DISNEY WORLD - with a 3-year-old and 8-month-old (next November - I'm so excited!)</li>
<li>Crock-pot meals and one-pot meals (I've been doing a lot of these since I work nights and am not home for dinner most days. I try and start something before I go to work so that my DH - that's Darling Husband - can just serve it up, or throw everything I've prepped into a pan to make dinner easier on them)</li>
</ul>
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So hopefully, I'll get back into a routine posting schedule soon - so keep on the lookout for some new content! :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-48340821492126788272016-02-04T18:57:00.002-06:002016-02-04T18:57:36.956-06:00Adieu to some websites... dead and defunct linksIt appears that Mommy Hot Spot and Family Culture Magazine are both no longer active. I had a few articles published with each of those, and so only put snippets of those articles here on my blog.<br />
I have updated those posts with the <i>full</i> article now, and here are the links to said articles.<br />
My apologies to anyone who was interested in those posts!<br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/08/family-culture-tips-on-flying-with-baby.html">Tips on Flying With a Baby</a><br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/06/family-culture-magazine-drama-queens.html">Drama Queens and Kings</a><br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/05/mommy-hot-spot-unique-fathers-day-ideas.html">Unique Father's Day Ideas</a><br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/06/family-culture-why-i-call-my-baby-names.html">Why I Call My Baby Names</a><br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/07/family-culture-how-having-dogs-prepared.html">How Having Dogs Prepared Me For a Baby</a><br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/07/family-culture-things-your-babysitter.html">Things Your Babysitter Wish You Knew</a><br />
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<a href="http://pregotolegos.blogspot.com/2014/07/family-culture-sun-safety-for-summer-fun.html">Sun Safety for Summer Fun</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-82341054289901397692015-01-25T13:19:00.002-06:002015-01-25T13:19:38.095-06:00A Blogger Sabbatical<br />
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In case you didn't notice, I was away from this blog for quite a good long time. I'm sorry for that - it was unplanned.<br />
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In September 2014, baby G and I moved from California to Virginia, leaving my husband in CA to finish his work before joining us in October. We were moving in with my family, and G and I stayed in a small room while some renovations were being done to our little basement apartment. At the same time, I was also planning a bachelorette party and bridal shower for my best friend's wedding which was to be held a month after we arrived in Virginia.<br />
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We expected the renovations to be completed before October, and so had all of our belongings and furniture delivered to the house the day after my friend's wedding. But the renovations got pushed back... and pushed back... and pushed back... and they were finally completed shortly before Thanksgiving. So then we had to get to unpacking, and organizing, and cleaning, etc. <br />
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Of course, then the Holiday season began and we were incredibly busy with different families to visit, we took a short trip to Williamsburg, and just plain relaxing.<br />
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Then, I took the GRE right before the end of the year (so prior to that spent a lot of my free time studying), and my husband began his classes at the start of January. So I feel like I <i>finally</i> have a bit of time to devote to this blog again!<br />
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There's a lot of things coming up that I'm looking forward to - the big one being that our little boy is turning 1 year old in March! So we have a party to plan (so excited!) and him turning one also means a few other things are in store. Like his first dentist appointment, first haircut, and of course (we hope), his first words and other developmental milestones.<br />
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So there should be plenty for me to write about. I will begin applications to grad schools soon (I've already partially begun), so that take me away again, but hopefully not for long. (Of course, if I do get in to a program, who knows how long I'll have to devote to this what with studies and all).<br />
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But again, apologies for the unexplained absence!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-25412828974471941592015-01-21T13:29:00.001-06:002015-01-21T13:47:11.187-06:00Getting Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night (after 10 months of bad sleep habits)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were not one of those lucky parents whose child began sleeping through the night mere weeks, or days even, after they were born. Some infants have no sleep issues at all, of which I am insanely jealous. Our boy definitely does not fall into that category.<br />
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I didn't mind waking up numerous times a night to nurse him, because he'd almost always go right back to sleep. For a short while, we actually bed shared, which made sleep so much easier for everyone involved - I could fall asleep while nursing without getting a crick in my neck from sitting in the rocking chair, and G would sleep much longer and more peacefully when he was with us.<br />
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But he was getting bigger by the day, and even our normally roomy Queen bed suddenly started feeling small with the three of us in it together. Plus, he started getting to the age when he didn't need to nurse 4 or 5 times a night, but I would be so tired that if he stirred I'd pull him to me without even a glance at the clock to see how long it had been since he last nursed. And, being a stay-at-home-mom, I wanted to make sure my husband got as much sleep as possible, since he had to be up early every day to go to work. I could always catch a nap during the day if needed, so I'd wake him up only if needed. So the minute baby fussed and began waking, I'd latch him on and go back to sleep.<br />
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We moved him into his own room permanently when he was 4 months old. The transition really wasn't so bad; he handled moving from our bed to his crib well. I still was waking up and nursing him 4 times a night or so on average - and because I'd often fall asleep in the chair nursing him, I probably spent more time asleep in his room than I did in my own bed. Everything seemed to be going well, and when he was nearly 6 months old, he began going 5 or 6 hours between feeds at night - which meant there were some nights I only nursed him once or twice!<br />
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But then... we moved across the country back to our home town in Virginia at the start of September. My husband stayed behind in California to finish his stint in the Marine Corps, so it was just baby G and me in a little bedroom in my parents' house. We didn't have any of our own furniture yet, so he was staying in a travel crib. Having his crib two feet from my bed with nowhere to nurse him except <i>in</i> the bed, caused us to accidentally co-sleep again. It was harder to listen to his cries without a few walls between us too, so we also started nursing more frequently during the night as well. It was a very stressful time as well, with renovations going on, and being separated from my husband, that I really just wanted to sleep sometimes, and would even resort to sticking my boob in his mouth a mere two hours after he'd last nursed.<br />
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The renovations dragged on and on, and though we were only supposed to stay in the little room for a few weeks, it was nearly Thanksgiving by the time we moved into our own space with our own furniture. So poor little G was back in the habit of sleeping with us and nursing frequently through the night. It was hard to deal with the transition of getting him back into his own crib, in his own room. For a while we co-slept through part of every night (usually the second half, because I'd nurse him around midnight, lay him in his crib, and then head to bed. He'd wake up around 4:00, and Ethan would bring him to me instead of me going into the baby's room. That just guaranteed I'd fall asleep with him on me, and we'd stay like that til morning).<br />
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We finally did manage to stop co-sleeping, as hard as it was for me to drag myself out of my warm bed and walk barefoot on the cold, hard, floor... (it was winter). And though he had reduced to only waking at midnight and then only once (sometimes twice) more, it seemed he would <i>never</i> be sleeping through the night. PLUS, he was not putting himself to sleep yet and needed our help, rocking him, holding him, or patting his back in the crib.<br />
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Once he hit 10-months-old though, we decided to really go for it and try and get him to sleep better. I was never okay with the cry-it-out method fully, but knew picking him up every time he cried only made him clingier and more upset when we didn't. I'd read some articles and blogs that said that the baby would put themselves to sleep after crying for merely 20 minutes, but G was never one for that. He would scream for 2 hours on-and-off before going to sleep <i>with</i> our help, so there was no way that after a short 20 minutes he would ease himself into sleep. Ha!! <br />
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After discussing it with the pediatrician (and reading extensively), we decided we'd let him cry for 15 minute stretches, then go in to soothe him <i>without</i> picking him up as we'd done before. I wouldn't let him fall asleep while nursing right before bed, and would instead put him down drowsy so he could get himself to sleep. I also wouldn't nurse more than once a night.<br />
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The first few nights went better than we expected, though still painful and heartbreaking to go through. He did put himself to sleep within 30 minutes (we would go in after 15 to pat his back and comfort him, then leave when he'd calmed down a bit) the first few nights, which was a surprise. Right as we were getting ready to go back in a second time, TA DA he was quiet, and asleep. Those first two nights he woke up a couple short hours later, and did scream and cry on-and-off for about 2 hours. But he would put himself to sleep in the end (still, with us going in every 15-20 minutes), and then magically slept until morning. (6:00am or so). At that point, I'd nurse him in bed with me and we'd go back to sleep for an hour or two.<br />
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On the third night, he didn't wake up after going to bed at 8:00 until 5:00am, at which point I nursed him and put him back in his crib, and he slept until 9:00. WAHOO. I love my sleep and I feel more rested than I have in over a year! Yesterday was the fifth night, and though it took him longer than I hoped for him to go to bed in the first place, he did pretty well. Although he did wake up at 2:00am, and my husband had to go in to pat him on the back for a few minutes. But that didn't put him to sleep, so he came back to bed and all I know is that we both fell asleep and G never woke us back up, so he must have put himself to sleep. He didn't wake up again until 7:30! <br />
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He also has begun taking only one nap during the day, though it is normally <i>at least</i> an hour and a half. The other day it was two and half hours long! That was marvelous! Because when he took two naps a day, at most they were each only 45 minutes long. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-77413620360959971472014-10-05T12:09:00.005-05:002014-10-05T12:16:16.623-05:00Bizzy Babee Nursing Cover Review<i>Disclosure: I received a nursing cover from Bizzy Babee as a trade for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqka936XaR8Je36Kjwq3Dm5ZIsHneAxTJ7TzzIDwFmZMYEj1vzdmz9fcvWXJtT3s2_-a2wR0YllPudV-DoHVcnBORCod3kCAHCuNmPVm8lL3H9cc-gghZm4v6F3GWclJbRJFpftmxGwek/s1600/nursingcoverreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqka936XaR8Je36Kjwq3Dm5ZIsHneAxTJ7TzzIDwFmZMYEj1vzdmz9fcvWXJtT3s2_-a2wR0YllPudV-DoHVcnBORCod3kCAHCuNmPVm8lL3H9cc-gghZm4v6F3GWclJbRJFpftmxGwek/s1600/nursingcoverreview.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bizzy Babee makes a nursing cover that is designed to be more fashionable than some of the standard options for breastfeeding mamas. (Which it is). The cover comes in a selection of trendy colors including purple, teal, pink, black, grey, and cream.<br />
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The nursing cover is a soft t-shirt material and is shaped a bit like a poncho. It has a cowl-neck and asymmetrical hem. One side has a slit over the arm to create a sleeve-like drape-y look. <br />
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I tested the cover out at a small town Farmer's Market. It was blouse-y enough to allow me to easily position my baby under it and see him through the neck hole to get a good latch. He latches on really well on his own now that he is 6-months-old though - and I have never been that graceful at nursing him with a cover over him. So if you are like me, then I'd say <i>any</i> nursing cover isn't for you if you have a young baby and are just starting out at breastfeeding. (But like I said, it's easier now that he has the neck/head control to lift himself to the breast and latch on without me having to guide him there). <br />
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The nursing cover comes in only one size, but it's plenty big. Yet I didn't feel like I was completely swallowed in a Snuggie or anything. It was great for outdoors because then it also provided a little warmth and cover from the early autumn breeze. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Word to the wise: How <i>not</i> to take an attractive breastfeeding picture. *ahem* Don't sit like a dude. </td></tr>
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I did feel a little frumpy... but that is probably also because I had no bra on, hadn't showered, and had no makeup on either... <br />
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But I did feel that the cover was much better than the other one I have, which is essentially a rectangle of a stiffer material with a strap attached to the center. That one is easy to use and more commonplace - you just slip the strap over your head and <i>voila!</i> no more exposed boobage. But, it doesn't wrap around your back and I always was pulling at it to try and cover my side and it just never laid right. The Bizzy Babee, on the other hand, is more comfortable, more attractive, and easier to use. You can even leave it on when you're done nursing the baby and you wouldn't look completely loony-toons walking down the street. My sides were both covered, I didn't have to pull at it to adjust it, and there were no straps to tighten.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just add a belt when you're done nursing and you'll look so chic!</td></tr>
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Plus, (and this is a big one for me), it doesn't <i>look</i> like a nursing cover. I've breastfeed in public many times, but didn't often use a cover (because sometimes it was just too much trouble). I also think that it's easier to go unnoticed whilst breastfeeding if you aren't fumbling with a cover and people aren't staring at you trying to figure out why you're wearing a giant apron. But because the Bizzy Babee cover doesn't look like all the other nursing covers I've seen - and looks more like a lightweight poncho or dolman top, people won't automatically know that you're breastfeeding.<br />
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So, all in all, I'd say that if you are in need of a nursing cover or want to replace the apron-like one you already have... the Bizzy Babee is definitely the way to go. At roughly $40, it is double the price of the standard nursing cover, but I can really see myself using this cover much more than I use that other kind. It's much less hassle to use it and much more attractive. Well worth the $40. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxTmOzO99V8GLSHACuDAcRel-PuXH1r-u-gLau-XSj95UL1lGXH-8w4ERzr5lCxoHiy4jF35-FLOJAoLVt7mBwsxnSFXbuKiXW3zIg4b3-E4s8BdtKQ826D8NF1aBF9TyTNfz4iTCVCwo/s1600/2014-09-27+11.13.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxTmOzO99V8GLSHACuDAcRel-PuXH1r-u-gLau-XSj95UL1lGXH-8w4ERzr5lCxoHiy4jF35-FLOJAoLVt7mBwsxnSFXbuKiXW3zIg4b3-E4s8BdtKQ826D8NF1aBF9TyTNfz4iTCVCwo/s1600/2014-09-27+11.13.25.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<i><br /></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-30054061543074554192014-09-13T19:36:00.001-05:002014-10-04T22:05:14.522-05:00Bizzy Babee Nursing Cover GIVEAWAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://bizzybabee.com/">Bizzy Babee</a> makes a beautiful nursing cover that you can get for FREE! All you have to do is enter this giveaway for a chance to win a cover in one of five colors (your choice). The nursing cover is fashionable and can be used for breastfeeding, pumping, or just bonding with baby and actually looks more like a cute top than one of those apron-like covers that just screams "I"M BREASTFEEDING UNDER HERE!!"</div>
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See the bottom of the post for how to enter the giveaway. I will announce the winner once it has ended, and then you can let me know which color you would like! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Color options: Plum, Black, Teal, Watermelon, and Natural</td></tr>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e5b16ec72/" id="rc-e5b16ec72" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-59252192159335147972014-09-10T01:18:00.000-05:002014-09-10T01:18:00.085-05:00An Open Apology/Thank You Letter to Target<br />
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That awkward moment when your baby embarrasses you at Target...<br />
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Dear Target,<br />
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I am a big fan and frequent your store on numerous occasions. Sometimes I have a shopping list in hand, but usually I come in to browse your beautifully wide aisles, grab a drink from Starbucks, and awe over the adorable baby clothes. Or stock up on e.l.f. makeup.<br />
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On my most recent visit, my not-quite-6-month-old baby boy was with me and helped me select a sippy cup, among other infant products. He began getting cranky, signaling the end of our outing and letting me know that nap time was near, so I headed to the checkout line. I met another young mother in line and chatted with her while fumbling around with my wallet, baby on my hip, searching for a coupon and my debit card.<br />
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My boy gave a small cough right before I swiped my card and as I turned to check on him, he spat up on me. This is nothing new, it was no huge amount, but I was mildly dismayed since I had my hands full and a burp cloth was not within arms reach. But then, he continued to spew, and in quantities I had not seen come out of his mouth before. It was disgusting, to say the least, and there was a pool of white and pale-green (from his breakfast of avocado) baby vomit between my arm and stomach as well as all over him, my shoes, and the floor. I was shocked, never having witnessed anything like it, and frozen on the spot momentarily.<br />
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I'd like to give my apologies to the store (Aliso Viejo) for the mess and for my behavior, or lack thereof. You see, because I was holding my baby, I couldn't exactly bend down to clean the mess up myself. Also because the way I had him in my arms created a pool of liquid, as I indicated before, and I knew that were I to try to get a burp cloth or a wipe, all of that lovely baby puke would then go onto the floor. I'd like to apologize to the customers in line behind me as well - my baby and I held up the flow of traffic through the checkout process a bit. <br />
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So, thank you, Target employees, whose names I am heartily sorry for not knowing, for helping me in that situation. They acted without a moment's notice; the cashier grabbed another employee's attention and quickly handed me paper towels to mop myself and my baby up with while they cleaned the bit that had gotten onto the floor. I worked in customer service for many years before my son was born, and I know that cleaning up baby puke is not a standard or very enticing part of the job description. Thank you for not making a big scene out of it either; no one wants an embarrassing moment like that broadcast throughout the entire store. Having any witnesses at all was humiliating enough. Though the situation was entirely out of my control, and I myself am not the one that hurled at the checkout line, it is still mortifying to be covered in puke, in public. I sincerely do appreciate the speed with which your employees acted and the manner in which they handled the situation. <br />
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In closure, Target, I'm sorry my baby puked at the checkout line, but thank you for cleaning it up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Eep! Sorry Target!"</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-1569856744713372342014-09-04T13:37:00.000-05:002014-09-04T13:37:49.156-05:00Bye-Bye Binky: Is it time to say goodbye to the pacifier?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was always on the fence about whether to use a pacifier or not. I didn't want to struggle to get our newborn boy to calm down, but at the same time I didn't want to end up with a 6-year-old that still sucked on a pacifier (like some of the kids I've seen at the grocery store...) </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also wanted to avoid having our baby still sucking on pacifiers once he was grown... </td></tr>
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Our pediatrician told us early on that she thought some "nipple confusion" was a good thing, and so we decided to use the pacifier to soothe our newborn if nothing else would work. The very last resort would be letting him suckle at the breast (non-nutritive sucking) if he was really inconsolable. I read (in <i>The Happiest Baby on the Block</i>) that you should phase out the pacifier by the time they are 6-months-old so as to avoid an emotional attachment to it. So I planned to have Baby G off the binky by that age, and didn't think it would be too difficult because we hardly used it anyway. Mostly in the car if he was fussy (since there was little else we could do) or at night, though we tried not to let him fall asleep with it. However, sometimes if he seemed tired and cranky, the minute the pacifier went in his mouth, his eyes closed and he was out. That was a handy trick that we still tried not to overuse. </div>
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We barely used the pacifier on our vacation, so I started thinking we were on the way to saying goodbye to it, but right when we got home, he seemed like he was beginning to teethe. Everything was going in his mouth, he was drooling like a faucet, was really cranky, and orajel and the chilled gel-filled teethers seemed to soothe him. I'd read that you shouldn't take the binky away while they're teething, since it can be a great way to pacify them (heehee). Plus, babies often chew on their pacifiers when they're teething too. </div>
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Just a couple weeks later though, we started trying to get him to sleep in his own room at night, and stopped letting him nap on us. I think it was harder on me than on him; for that first week, it went magically. Hardly any fussing at being laid down, he wasn't waking frequently, and when he did wake, it was only to eat and then he went right back to sleep. The second week though... he seemed angry when we'd lay him down and no amount of back patting or rubbing or soothing lullabies would calm him down. So as usual, we'd turn to the pacifier to see if that would work, but it just made him angrier! He would thrash his head to the other side and scream bloody murder if we tried to put it in his mouth again. At first we thought it was merely because he was already upset and just wasn't noticing that we were giving him his binky, but when we offered it to him the following night while he was only fussing a little bit, it flipped a switch in him and he went berserk again! This went on for a week; us offering the pacifier to calm him down so he could go to sleep and him rejecting it vehemently with heart-wrenching screams and cries. </div>
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I stopped giving him the pacifier during the day as well - he didn't seem to need or want it. And after a week of difficult bedtimes and him still refusing the pacifier at night, we stopped using it altogether. The pacifiers remained untouched on the drying rack and sank to the bottom of my diaper bag from disuse. He started solids during this time, which perhaps helped. </div>
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About a month passed with absolutely no sign of the binky, and I thought "Hurray! He's weaned himself off the pacifier!!"</div>
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But then...<br />
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We had a rough couple of nights a little over a week ago, and nothing was working. He was inconsolable and on a whim, thought I'd dig around for a pacifier and see if that's what he wanted. I hesitated to give it to him because 1) it could just make him even angrier like it did before, or, 2) would just put him back on the binky, which we thought we were done with.<br />
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Thankfully/unfortunately, the pacifier worked and it calmed him down and he was able to go to sleep. Darn it. I tried not to use the pacifier after that, but I ended up giving it to him again. Now it seems like he's back on it, but hopefully not emotionally attached to it. He's coming up on his 6-month birthday... but there's no sign of him self weaning again anytime soon. Although, that last time did just happen out of nowhere, so perhaps he will surprise us again.<br />
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I did recently see some cute ways for toddlers to "say goodbye" to their pacifiers, with little ceremonies and parties and letting the binkies be carried away by balloons. Though I do not want our boy to be attached to a pacifier for the next couple of years, I'm still intrigued and excited by the thought of letting him be in charge of a "goodbye ceremony." He would be initiating himself into childhood and perhaps that would be exciting for him as well; to take a "big boy" step and happily move on from babyhood.<br />
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But... we shall see. I really don't want to just take the pacifier away cold turkey, but I'd still like to try and avoid too much of an emotional attachment to it. Which means I need to phase it out soon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didn't have a pacifier handy... and couldn't get him to suck his own thumb (which he rarely does), so he sucked on my finger instead. Leaving me immobile for a short while.</td></tr>
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How old was your baby when they stopped using the pacifier? Did you use any special tricks to wean them off of it or use a "ceremony" to have them say "Bye-bye binky"? Comment below!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBGF4255Pmo4vIYo0VG2NhUNW1xUf7AB48aBzRL_-pEvp8H_bYH6PKhkZQHEGsK8Q2iDOHtnKoHBdMMuwia0Wgh5fDofKmx0RENz395vx6KQC0Hm9zmzi5PpNgPNA7oJ6EuW2b8mb8136/s1600/maturityinmotherhood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBGF4255Pmo4vIYo0VG2NhUNW1xUf7AB48aBzRL_-pEvp8H_bYH6PKhkZQHEGsK8Q2iDOHtnKoHBdMMuwia0Wgh5fDofKmx0RENz395vx6KQC0Hm9zmzi5PpNgPNA7oJ6EuW2b8mb8136/s1600/maturityinmotherhood.jpg" height="510" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seems that after my first baby boy was born, I matured
over night. At least, it feels that way. It’s not that I was overly immature
prior to his birth, and not that him being born <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aged </i>me, just that there are ways in which I grew up very rapidly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel like I was always a bit more mature than my peers in
many ways: I didn’t drink or party in high school, and rarely in college; I
prioritized studying and intellectual growth over other things; I wasn’t glued
to my phone when out at social events like my peers were… Yet there were many
things I needed to change; ways in which I needed to “grow up.” I tended to be
a bit lazy and hardly accomplished any housework, to my husband’s dismay. That
laziness was also sometimes reflected in my appearance, especially when I was
pregnant and didn’t feel like wearing “real” clothes. I also was not the
greatest with sticking to a budget and enjoyed online shopping to a scary
extent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since my son was born, I am much less lazy, partly because
he is definitely not lazy. He is not content with sitting on the couch for an
hour (whereas I could be content there all day). I take a walk every day –
sometimes multiple walks – and also attempt to get some type of housework done
during his naps (even if it’s just wiping off the counters). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrhvn3RdmqHshkWTVhVIT0PlvYdQiY6ZeVATJJ6fQeu-gUwA_XONh3rf_hfkhcir7L5cV-cn_NymSjLd4-dFHyYiRZxttGDp3ODS6Z0gmN4mkz61KvC5nQUNb3MSiZ3MIkJ4YG2H2uRgX/s1600/2014-08-19+13.02.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrhvn3RdmqHshkWTVhVIT0PlvYdQiY6ZeVATJJ6fQeu-gUwA_XONh3rf_hfkhcir7L5cV-cn_NymSjLd4-dFHyYiRZxttGDp3ODS6Z0gmN4mkz61KvC5nQUNb3MSiZ3MIkJ4YG2H2uRgX/s1600/2014-08-19+13.02.34.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I care a lot more about what my clothes and appearance say
about me now. “Do I look like a competent mother?” “Does my look reflect my
knowledge and wisdom about parenting?” “Do I look like I care about myself?” I
certainly don’t want to let myself go – not yet! I was never a big fan of the
new crop-top trend, but I am definitely not going for it now. I think there’s a
certain level of appropriateness that parents should strive for. No bare
bellies, sagging pants, exposed undergarments… parents should send a good
message to their kids, even at a young age. I also used to be a bit tentative
about cutting my hair, though I’d gone as short as chin-length before. But my
long hair was getting in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my way
and kept finding its way into chubby baby hands (and mouths!) so it had to go.
In the end I rationalized that it is “just hair” and will grow back – it’s not
something anyone should get terribly attached to. It’s much more manageable now
and I can spend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">much </i>less time with
it and more time focusing on my little boy!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMKAj-4OkehuPonBQuo8edvKLn1ayNPnLFi8JAF9mHQys1qTN_TWEMLHxj1bCh0ejQ-2ANLaplyo4O-Zj40ujdAJ9NWV2uAYDtPcVx8eodXGWPRPnscRp2kjdRif6205gqfWhwsUQgy3c/s1600/IMG_9869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMKAj-4OkehuPonBQuo8edvKLn1ayNPnLFi8JAF9mHQys1qTN_TWEMLHxj1bCh0ejQ-2ANLaplyo4O-Zj40ujdAJ9NWV2uAYDtPcVx8eodXGWPRPnscRp2kjdRif6205gqfWhwsUQgy3c/s1600/IMG_9869.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While at times I still spend more money that I should, I
have definitely cut back. Diapers are expensive enough! I still enjoy making
the odd online purchase, but instead of for me, my carts are now mostly full of
baby stuff. I love having someone else to shop for, but I also am now better at
prioritizing. I would rather have emergency money in savings and start saving
up to buy a house than to buy a bunch of toys that he will probably never play
with. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are there ways in which becoming a parent seemingly matured
you overnight?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-60538015428827198432014-08-27T13:10:00.003-05:002014-08-27T13:10:23.227-05:00Why I No Longer Blog Every Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G4jKCprOac4tdGyb4LRWg1fEYu3Qn23TK_fSZTyfgpImHnNVf72y9-47zeR3IxBBr-cS5wSlMeFhElaRW5YoTX5vrZFnX4SLXelYtStsqiHXYexCGmqOWVzaba8zBYNlwnU6WGBEkID1/s1600/blogeveryday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G4jKCprOac4tdGyb4LRWg1fEYu3Qn23TK_fSZTyfgpImHnNVf72y9-47zeR3IxBBr-cS5wSlMeFhElaRW5YoTX5vrZFnX4SLXelYtStsqiHXYexCGmqOWVzaba8zBYNlwnU6WGBEkID1/s1600/blogeveryday.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Over two months ago, I had lofty intentions of writing a new post every day except Sunday. And for a while I was able to keep up with it - I even came pretty close while I was on vacation for two weeks! But once we came home from vacation, my baby boy turned 4-months-old and it started getting harder and harder to find enough time every day to write. Sure, I could knock out a couple paragraphs in a matter of minutes, but I try to have my posts be well-written and full of photos and sometimes good resources, references, and links. Plus I like to have a nice title image as well. And all of that often takes much longer.<br />
<br />
This post is kind of serving as a brief apology letter to all of my readers for not being "on the ball." But I'm assuming that the majority of my readers are also moms, and hope that you all understand how precious time is when you have a baby (or kids in general). <br />
<br />
When my baby boy was only a couple months old, he slept a lot. He took numerous naps throughout the day - often an hour or two hours long - giving me plenty of time to write as well as do other things around the house. Now that he's nearly 6-months-old though... he is attracted to bright screens like a moth to a flame - he wants to touch them and stare at them, and I don't want him watching any screens for any length of time. The American Pediatric Association says kids shouldn't watch any TV before the age of 2 years, and I'm sure any screen time, whether it's a cell phone, ipad, laptop, or tv - is bad. I can no longer have him lay peacefully on one arm while I type. Now he's squirmy and wants to see what the bright light is. I could try to blog while he's entertained by his toys/jumperoo/activity gym/etc, but I would rather spend time with him. So working while he's awake is a no-go. <br />
<br />
Now that he's nearly half a year old, he only naps about three times a day, and usually only for 30-45 minutes. Perhaps that could be a sufficient amount of time to write a quick post... but sometimes creating the title image alone takes 20-30 minutes (I'm a perfectionist). Also, sometimes I have other things I <i>need</i> to do - like shower, eat, walk the dogs, vacuum, laundry, or pack (we're moving in just a couple of weeks). If I spend the baby's entire nap writing... what happens is he wakes up and I realize I'm still not wearing any pants and my lemon meringue flavored Greek yogurt is sitting next to me, untouched.<br />
<br />
While I do have some time to do things after Baby G goes to bed for the night (he is usually asleep by 8:30 at the latest), I try and use that time to relax with my husband before we go to bed. We've said in the past that we won't be on the computer much after he gets home from work, and though we've been slipping a bit lately, I'd like to start enforcing our "no computers/ipads rule" again. <br />
<br />
I'm actually quite upset that I do not have as much time to devote to this as I would like. I am quite upset I don't have as much time to devote to a lot of things - like read, sew, cook, and watch Doctor Who. But making sacrifices comes with the territory [of being a parent]. And if it comes down to writing about nipple blisters or playing with my son and watching him laugh... you tell me which one you would pick. #sorryimnotsorry ;)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-80008252507326233732014-08-20T14:19:00.001-05:002014-08-20T14:19:17.040-05:00Daily Life With a 4-Month-Old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pp8nOpUymvsjbSXIixPy1gIXA1TcekTxp2DFBJ3i8aWibnDc6-SIjypXp-Xcr6h8frn-jWUqC7o05kNdPcHa1y4NqarlNM_HvlpNt8oUpm5Cb-F7UGXg0NwrvDEVPA_E22EUxkxOol90/s1600/dailylife4monthold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pp8nOpUymvsjbSXIixPy1gIXA1TcekTxp2DFBJ3i8aWibnDc6-SIjypXp-Xcr6h8frn-jWUqC7o05kNdPcHa1y4NqarlNM_HvlpNt8oUpm5Cb-F7UGXg0NwrvDEVPA_E22EUxkxOol90/s1600/dailylife4monthold.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Just a few days after we returned home from our 2-week vacation, little man turned 4 months old. Soon after that, we moved him to the crib in his own room to see how that would go. That also meant we were getting a little stricter on ourselves about making him nap in his crib versus in our arms. <br />
<br />
<b>So what is daily life like with a 4-month-old?</b><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
12:00am It seems that G usually wakes up around this time to eat, so I leave the coziness of my own bed to go nurse him in the rocking chair in his room. I often nod off while doing that... <br />
<br />
4:00am Usually between 3:00 and 5:00, he wakes up again to eat. <br />
<br />
6:00am Daddy wakes up and starts getting ready for work. Baby boy doesn't usually wake up during this time now that he's in his own room - and I'm so dead to the world that I often don't realize that Ethan has even gotten out of bed until he kisses me goodbye. <br />
<br />
8:00am This is the average time that the boy wakes up for the day. Sometimes it's 6:30, sometimes 9:00 (I love those days! ha), but usually right around the 8:00 mark. I'm still half asleep, so if he's calm and quiet in his crib, I'll leave him there for a few minutes while I try to catch a few more Z's. Then I get him and bring him into my room and I nurse him and then we hang out on the bed for almost an hour every morning. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA8QpnJzHGovM8EqIXGej1_r1qpc9Fr09kqaDwITKCiCrYzBPkSezSmodf_GfOtHnaR6aUr27XuOdiWzAYdZRA9AaetSG3jOzno2Of2AB1-JENgpEKWsZ5zvIRFtd9WDACyL0c6S_-rAP/s1600/2014-07-31+16.28.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA8QpnJzHGovM8EqIXGej1_r1qpc9Fr09kqaDwITKCiCrYzBPkSezSmodf_GfOtHnaR6aUr27XuOdiWzAYdZRA9AaetSG3jOzno2Of2AB1-JENgpEKWsZ5zvIRFtd9WDACyL0c6S_-rAP/s1600/2014-07-31+16.28.47.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
9:00-10:00am
He plays on his activity gym while I feed the dogs, eat breakfast, and
do a couple things around the house. I also change him out of his pjs
during this time. We also got him a jumperoo, so after he's bored with the activity mat, I'll stick him in the jumperoo so I can try to do a few more things. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8g4iJfWRDkrRgPX5nrLT84b2qLS2Ief4tCjcJ73S8h9lQOwBwYWwXxr4tme3dclKEE6HIeLgJCYu06r93DemXebaBjgllYIfss2v53zErTjgzqU9gFmk98bTlrPZkmrUqx92yUD0F5MR/s1600/IMG_8708+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8g4iJfWRDkrRgPX5nrLT84b2qLS2Ief4tCjcJ73S8h9lQOwBwYWwXxr4tme3dclKEE6HIeLgJCYu06r93DemXebaBjgllYIfss2v53zErTjgzqU9gFmk98bTlrPZkmrUqx92yUD0F5MR/s1600/IMG_8708+-+Version+2.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
10:00-11:00am He usually isn't awake for very long before his first nap - about an hour or an hour and a half. Though it's often shorter than the 2.5hours we've been trying to go between feedings, I'll feed him and then put him down for a nap.<br />
<br />
11:00am-12:00pm Now that he's rolling over really well, he's much more willing to do tummy time. So I put him on his mat after every nap to give him more practice at that. We're trying to get him to push up with his arms, but he just wants to flail them around at his side and do the "Superman." At least that's working his neck and core muscles if not his arms... He'll get it eventually.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3FPl-Y-R-8ctMFfk7fPGNfOCC2rm0WIcs9ot9ZSCih5aX_GXHLt1tHGC14vKpy6M5XZ92B1zy4VH0ybpFCi61l4vYzhGvmPHOPEg5JIs6bgM8s-Ln2XDZzS8N_nKkFrQrUGqE_CER42F/s1600/IMG_8893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3FPl-Y-R-8ctMFfk7fPGNfOCC2rm0WIcs9ot9ZSCih5aX_GXHLt1tHGC14vKpy6M5XZ92B1zy4VH0ybpFCi61l4vYzhGvmPHOPEg5JIs6bgM8s-Ln2XDZzS8N_nKkFrQrUGqE_CER42F/s1600/IMG_8893.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly 5 months old at this point, he finally started pushing up instead of "superman-ing"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
12:00-12:30pm I usually strap him into the Ergo around this time and take him with me to walk the dogs.<br />
<br />
12:30-1:30pm I nurse him again at this point and he goes down for his second nap. Sometimes it's the other way around. It just depends on how tired he is - if he falls asleep during our walk, I'll just bring him in and lay him down and feed him when he wakes. If he's really cranky then I'll feed him first. But regardless, I try not to let him fall asleep while eating and instead am trying to have him put himself to sleep in his crib. <br />
<br />
1:30-2:00pm I head to Gymboree on those days that we have it. Non-Gymboree days, I'm usually singing songs and reading books at this point. <br />
<br />
2:00-3:00pm Gymboree 3 days a week. Non-Gymboree days, I try to do some of the activities from Gymboree at home. We sing the songs and do more tummy time.<br />
<br />
3:00-3:30pm We come home from Gymboree and I nurse him - usually around the 3:15 mark.<br />
<br />
3:30-4:30pm He goes down for another nap.<br />
<br />
4:30-5:30pm Daddy comes home somewhere in this time frame and spends some time with him while I clean up our mess, do some work on the computer, or walk the dogs. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDUtuqu4JrpPtHlJ0HhT30hZzGJgk2emYrLcgpQ5pWhFwSE9N3YDUonKb2fn6clmLFM-9l95AgD7_d7I1no5Gf3gx4t33PMlw6fxV_d0_2ef_UBho_hcQwYLDcHurb4dAIXECaWUh4n3r/s1600/IMG_9047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDUtuqu4JrpPtHlJ0HhT30hZzGJgk2emYrLcgpQ5pWhFwSE9N3YDUonKb2fn6clmLFM-9l95AgD7_d7I1no5Gf3gx4t33PMlw6fxV_d0_2ef_UBho_hcQwYLDcHurb4dAIXECaWUh4n3r/s1600/IMG_9047.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy knows exactly how to get him to laugh!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
5:30-6:30pm I nurse the boy and then we often take a walk at a nearby park - G falls asleep partway through it. This is his last nap, and we try not to let him sleep any later than 6:00 or 6:15 - so that he will go to sleep when it's time for bed. Sometimes we go get frozen yogurt before heading home. <br />
<br />
6:30-7:30pm Dinner time for mom and dad! One of us entertains the baby while the other cooks, and then when the food is ready, depending on the baby's mood, he either sits in his jumperoo while we eat or we have to take turns eating while the other distracts him. <br />
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<br />
7:30-8:30pm
We moved Baby G's bath time (and bedtime) earlier. He really enjoys his bath so we often keep him in it until he starts looking bored or getting cranky. But it's usually no more than 10 or 15 minutes. Before he gets into his pjs, we do a little baby massage and put lotion on him, then read a bedtime story or two. I usually nurse him (around 8:00) and if he doesn't fall right to sleep, then Daddy usually carries him
around until he looks really relaxed, then he goes into his crib while he's still awake. We found that tapping him on his bottom while he lays on his tummy (making the crib mattress bounce up and down a bit) helps calm him down if he's fussing. That'll put him to sleep most of the time, especially if we use the pacifier. (Though, partway into this month, he started rejecting the pacifier at night).<br />
<br />
8:30-10:30pm We may start watching something
on the tv - a movie or an episode of a show. It's nice now that he has an earlier bedtime - we can actually get through something before we start falling asleep! But, now that he's in his crib instead of my arms, he wakes up once or twice before we go to bed. So we have to go in and pat him until he's soothed back to sleep.<br />
<br />
10:30-11:00pm
Bedtime for mom and dad!<br />
<br />
11:00pm-12:00am We're still sleeping... and the baby usually doesn't wake up for his first night feeding until 11:30 or 12:00. Sometimes, he surprises us and goes until 1:00 or 2:00!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-47502527621267514412014-08-18T12:32:00.003-05:002014-08-18T12:32:38.135-05:005 Reasons I Don't Pick Up My Crying Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently read an article titled "Good Mothers Pick Up Their Crying Baby" - and this post is inspired by that article. Even though in the end, that article wasn't even about crying babies and whether or not to pick them up. (It was actually about not being so judgmental of other people and mothers and instead trying to understand their situation). <br />
<br />
I don't always pick up my baby boy when he cries. Does this make me a bad mother? Perhaps in some peoples' eyes. But I think I have pretty good reasons not to:<br />
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1) Because I'm on the toilet. Or in the shower. Sometimes it is literally impossible to pick up your baby, and instead are forced to resort to saying loudly, "I'll be right there baby!!" as you wipe (or dry off, or spit out the toothpaste, etc).<br />
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2) If I'm out grocery shopping by myself, I usually have baby in the stroller and have a small shopping basket in hand. If he starts to cry, I'll try to make him happy while he's still in his seat. I will pick him up if he won't calm back down, but that then means I can no longer push the stroller and continue with my shopping. (I can't push a stroller, hold a baby, and hold a basket all at the same time). Plus, then I'm just stuck in the middle of an aisle, possibly getting in the way of other shoppers. I will have to leave the store <i>eventually</i>. So sometimes that means I have to put my crying baby back into the stroller so that I can either continue shopping or just give up and leave. Regardless, that means he's crying in the stroller and I'm not able to pick him up.<br />
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3) Sometimes, you have your little one strapped into the car seat (which is attached to the stroller) and are happily strolling through a [insert store/location/shop/etc name here]. Right towards the end of your excursion, baby starts to cry. When I'm in this situation, I don't want to pick him up because that means unbuckling him from his car seat, and we're only mere minutes from getting back into the car... I don't want to take him out of his seat for a few minutes, only to have to then buckle him back up moments later. Snapping baby into the car seat can be a real fight sometimes! It's easier to just race back to the car with him crying than to deal with those straps.<br />
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4) Perhaps this doesn't quite apply, but sometimes I don't "pick up my crying baby" because he's already strapped to me. If I'm wearing him in the Ergo or a wrap and he starts crying... I can't really do much. I'm not exactly going to try to take him out of the darned thing while out in public - usually I'm wearing him because I need my hands (and also because he's normally happier in it!) Also, what am I supposed to do with the carrier once he's out of it? Carry him in one hand, the wrap in another, and diaper bag in my third hand...? So if he cries... all I can do is bounce and sway and try to soothe him until I can get back to the car or house to take him out. <br />
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5) Our five-month-old is now getting to the point where he's enjoying time <i>out</i> of our arms. So sometimes he's fussing, and I pick him up, he's still fussing. I'll try walking, rocking, bouncing, swaying, singing, sitting, standing, the whole shebang... and then I put him down to give my arms a break, and guess what?! He stopped crying. This isn't always the case, but there are times when he's sitting there fussing or crying and I know holding him isn't what he wants and therefore won't work.<br />
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This is by no means meant to start a debate on whether or not to use the "cry it out" method. It was merely meant to be a somewhat humorous illustration on times I don't pick him up when he's crying. :P<br />
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What are some reasons you don't pick up your baby when he cries?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-8554945462808609292014-08-09T23:53:00.002-05:002016-02-04T18:38:51.127-06:00Tips on Flying With a Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Definitely
my father’s daughter, I love planning for trips, even ones I may never take. I
get into all the details and compile Powerpoint presentations complete with
photos, budgets, and even packing lists. (My husband graciously always allows
me to plan our vacations and even the more involved day-trips). Now a new mom
to a baby boy, I was excited about planning our first trip as a family, though
intimidated a bit because it was going to be one of the most intense journeys
we’d ever taken. Here are some of the things I learned both from my preparation
pre-flight and from my own personal experience. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Babies come
with lots of baggage and you’ll have to accommodate all of that extra stuff
when packing. Try to travel as light as possible so as not to incur any
additional charges for an extra bag or for excess weight. Plus, your airline may
gate check the stroller or car seat (or possibly both) for free. I read up on
United’s policy, and it was unclear, so I tweeted the company before our trip
to find out if I could have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">both</i> the
stroller and car seat gate checked. (You can!) In addition, United, like many
airlines, allows you to have one carry-on bag and one personal item (like a
purse or briefcase). However, they allow certain items in excess of your two
carry-ons: like a diaper bag. Both of these policies allow parents to avoid
having to pay extra fees for all of their little one’s stuff. </div>
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I think that I packed the lightest
for this trip than I have for any other my entire life, and this was by far the
longest one. I managed to get all of my clothes and our baby’s clothes in my suitcase;
I just had to put my shoes (only three pairs!) in my husband’s suitcase. Both
of those bags were checked, then we each had a diaper bag (his, a backpack) and
then I had one carry-on (which I ended up checking on later flights). Fewer
bags meant less to pull, which was great considering someone had to push the stroller,
and it meant we’d be faster through the security line. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
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If you need to bring milk (or
juice, water, or baby food) through airport security, read up on the
Transportation Security Administration’s policy regarding medically necessary
liquids. Normally you are allowed a clear zip-loc bag of 3.1 ounces of liquid,
but if you have an infant (or require medicine) you are permitted to bring
liquids over that amount, you just have to alert a security officer and take
the bottle cooler out of the diaper bag and put it in it’s own tray to go
through the x-ray machine. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Some other
things to note when flying with a baby… try to feed your little one during
take-off and landing. They can’t chew gum to alleviate ear discomfort, but
sucking can help. If you want to be able to use your hands during the flight,
either 1) buy a ticket for your infant and put your car seat in it, 2) fly with
someone else who is willing to hold them for part of the flight, or 3) bring an
infant seat like the FlyeBaby, which is like a hammock that attaches to the
seat in front of you and then to your waist for you to set your baby on.
Otherwise, be prepared for aching shoulders once you de-plane. </div>
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<b>Note Feb 04 2016:</b> This post was originally published online at Family Culture Magazine, but it seems to no longer be active. I previously had only a snippet here on my blog, but because the link to the full article was defunct, you can now read the whole thing right here at Prego to Legos!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-16150442836394426602014-08-08T12:40:00.002-05:002014-08-08T12:42:23.787-05:007 Reasons You Can't Sleep When The Baby Sleeps<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I’m sure all new and expecting parents have been offered the
advice to “sleep when the baby sleeps.”
For the first week or two after your baby is born, you may be able to
squeeze in a couple naps a day with him. Especially if you are mom – baby may
fall asleep after nursing and then you can just snooze right along with him.
You’re still recovering, so you can’t do much else anyway. At least, I
couldn’t. I was fairly incapable of walking around and doing laundry and
cooking and cleaning. (That’s what all that visiting family is for, right?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">However, once your little one is a few weeks old… they start
doing more than just eating and sleeping. They start having awake periods and
start sleeping less. Plus, at this point, most moms have nearly fully recovered
and are capable of doing things around the house. This is the point where I was
still tired most the time (who am I kidding… five months in and I’m <i>still</i> exhausted all the time!) and
wanted to be able to take lots of naps to catch up on sleep I may have missed
during the night, but at the same time, I wanted to be able to <i>do </i>things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So here’s my list of reasons why that is the worst and most
tired advice (pun not intended) that new parents can get.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">1)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Sometimes, you <i>have</i> to shower, and baby’s nap is the only chance you get.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">2)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>At times, they are cranky and fight sleep and
won’t let you put them down to get anything done while they’re awake. So once
they’re finally asleep, you have a choice: eat, clean, walk the dogs, take a shower,
or take a nap. And when it comes down to that, napping is not even an option.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">3)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>There are times when you can’t sleep because you
have things you <i>need</i> to do (see
number 2, above) and then there are times when you can’t sleep because you have
other things you <i>want</i> to do that you never get a chance to do otherwise. Like
read a book, watch a movie, take a bath, or spend some alone time with your partner. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">4)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>There are occasions when you put your little one
down, that by the time you head to your own bed and crawl in and close your
eyes… he’s awake. And stays awake for another hour and a half. By the time he
falls back asleep, you’ve given up on the idea of catching a few winks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">5)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> And, then sometimes you lie down to nap and no matter what you do, you just can. not. fall. asleep. Many parents experience insomnia. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">6) Though young babies don't have much of a schedule, sometimes you try to schedule your life around their naps. You know they're going to be sleeping soon? Now's the time to head out to get a bite to eat, or get groceries, or go to the mall, cause they'll nap the whole time and you won't have to worry about them crying, or having to feed them or entertain them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">7) Babies definitely don't sleep on demand. So sometimes, it means putting them in the stroller and going out for a walk (or in the car and going for a drive) just to get them to fall asleep. You can't exactly fall asleep at the wheel... and at least in my experience, often taking baby out of the car seat or stroller to take them inside and lay them down wakes them up. And at that point they've either been asleep just long enough that now they'll be awake for another hour or two, or they're cranky cause you woke them up and need to be soothed back to dream land. <br /><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">And a bonus number 8: Sometimes you use their nap as a photo op. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b0VQhIqBF-rzrMHhylccVDX8KzYtOvOPZp1-h9kgCwhAQ7OQRt76tlv9d2Jj-y0AmphOA44acgpZ-IVVjYWEwN-lyAPjISO1ZNMmPACifETh_dFQYuz_2vn3l15qub2cjOrXbo7i1bcU/s1600/12-0315russell-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b0VQhIqBF-rzrMHhylccVDX8KzYtOvOPZp1-h9kgCwhAQ7OQRt76tlv9d2Jj-y0AmphOA44acgpZ-IVVjYWEwN-lyAPjISO1ZNMmPACifETh_dFQYuz_2vn3l15qub2cjOrXbo7i1bcU/s1600/12-0315russell-40.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIwoiofYhpZkumoYUALoqwimSR7KfLA3n-8rXe0buZGXTo51bEY1si0XFHuGmrPT-zY0nD8lpJsVlKfvDnduWjpa_Y9aOdJunY2I26RLmBh1-12oRuHxv7Ai_xUBI84CK2cEe2aLlbg0m/s1600/IMG_1618+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIwoiofYhpZkumoYUALoqwimSR7KfLA3n-8rXe0buZGXTo51bEY1si0XFHuGmrPT-zY0nD8lpJsVlKfvDnduWjpa_Y9aOdJunY2I26RLmBh1-12oRuHxv7Ai_xUBI84CK2cEe2aLlbg0m/s1600/IMG_1618+-+Version+2.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This
is by no means the complete list of reasons – just the ones I’ve found over my
short five months as a new parent. Do you have any other reasons you can't "sleep when the baby sleeps"?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpO6esqmYYCkXOK8BeU4gvr1LyPex5ru3BLrINnJzZgbB21y_H9QIkyhZ9G7tedzPkjpewSKWd_Yb3W6mT15CE-CBjuXiAfr5y4IQBBWJzmWGSk62dkd1nPFtGaXSCSd9xbZJ9bAO48I7E/s1600/stopsanitizing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpO6esqmYYCkXOK8BeU4gvr1LyPex5ru3BLrINnJzZgbB21y_H9QIkyhZ9G7tedzPkjpewSKWd_Yb3W6mT15CE-CBjuXiAfr5y4IQBBWJzmWGSk62dkd1nPFtGaXSCSd9xbZJ9bAO48I7E/s1600/stopsanitizing2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hand sanitizer has been on the rise the last few years:
showing up in bathrooms, schools, parks, airports, and more. While it’s great
that we’re pushing for good hygiene and cleanliness, it is possible to take it
too far. </div>
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It’s true that hand sanitizer will kill most of the bacteria
on your hands – up to 99.9%. But it will not clean away any visible dirt or
grime, and it kills both bad <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> good
bacteria. (There’s such a thing as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i>
bacteria?!) Experts still say that washing with soap and water (and rubbing
your hands together for a good length of time – try singing the ABCs) is
always the best option – especially if your hands are visibly dirty. Hand
sanitizer should only be used if you cannot get to a sink. (So if you’re in a
restaurant, don’t just whip out the little bottle of sanitizer. Make the short
trip to the bathroom and do the job right). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBSqZruIogT9Ip3WKXX5MD2R5nKDC52ZJklC_8AF8pC4kT9utg1hdA0CWc3R2goatoyIP1mP5LaDM723WeOc8S2owK9CLWl8ktxFzY6zQRKWqq6TUxgD0eTMlVdBY1HvmFoIHfbB6GE0-/s1600/washing-handsgood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBSqZruIogT9Ip3WKXX5MD2R5nKDC52ZJklC_8AF8pC4kT9utg1hdA0CWc3R2goatoyIP1mP5LaDM723WeOc8S2owK9CLWl8ktxFzY6zQRKWqq6TUxgD0eTMlVdBY1HvmFoIHfbB6GE0-/s1600/washing-handsgood.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's always better to just wash your hands with soap and water.</td></tr>
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Studies show that kids that grow up in less tidy
environments end up with a lower risk of having allergies, illnesses, and
asthma. Keeping your environment <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i>
clean (who knew there was such a thing?!), by using too many bacterial soaps
and sanitizers, for example, can lead to your immune system becoming more
sensitized to allergens and irritants. Dr. Richard Gallo of the University of
California, San Diego says, “Being too clean can lead you to have a high
allergic set point that will overreact to the environment.” If you over-wash
your hands and continually strip them of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i>
germs (by using hand sanitizer), then you will be hurting your immune system,
which actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">uses</i> germs to build up
its strength. You have to be exposed to germs in order to build up immunity to
them.</div>
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Most hand sanitizers are alcohol-based and contain 60%
alcohol or more. Most beer contains only 5% alcohol, and whiskey only 40%. If
you were to ingest a small 2-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer, that would be
equivalent to doing four shots of hard liquor. In fact, there have been cases
of young children being sent to the emergency room for lethargy, slurred
speech, and worrisome behavior due to an unknown cause. They then discover that
their blood alcohol level is startlingly high and realize it’s because they
licked their hands after having hand sanitizer put on (or they ingested some
straight out of the bottle). So <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i>
apply a sweet-smelling hand sanitizer to your young child’s hands as it will
just tempt them to give it a taste. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWJ5pZf5MlbhM00j1gesJc6SP1Sf0EYbnJnvkYHpJPm_34bo22LdjbWE5JOHSD1vF2m8mSwBlaZXgvSiyYBN4f31koVomvpQ06EK9ssmj9H1QSP5Jr4VGaU1wZebiO1ijQdtqFrECCnFF/s1600/nosweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWJ5pZf5MlbhM00j1gesJc6SP1Sf0EYbnJnvkYHpJPm_34bo22LdjbWE5JOHSD1vF2m8mSwBlaZXgvSiyYBN4f31koVomvpQ06EK9ssmj9H1QSP5Jr4VGaU1wZebiO1ijQdtqFrECCnFF/s1600/nosweet.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never use a sweet-smelling sanitizer on a young child. They may be tempted to lick their hands or worse, drink it out of the bottle. </td></tr>
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Alcohol-free hand sanitizers are hardly any better. Most of
those contain an ingredient called Triclosan, which has been shown in animal
studies to reduce muscle strength and disrupt the endocrine system. (At this
time, it is unknown if these findings add up to human toxicity, but the FDA is
currently reviewing the issue). Triclosan also breaks down rapidly when exposed
to chlorinated water and produces toxic chemicals, including chloroform.
Lastly, when bacteria are exposed to Triclosan, it elicits antibiotic
resistance, meaning that over time, bacteria can develop a resistance to many
types of antibiotics. And then hand sanitizer will no longer be effective.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFnVwgAJwn3_vqjc5e2qiHSMkOx-ZTmht35lau8JAo4WAaQc1MkVOdl4ypKIN6c0B7dU9pSe4ztVeGsWcLSbKyrKh-Zgxsye5DGkiqEzRf1NSmTBmFPqM-tlraUkZOizlkT5zGa8w4IkX/s1600/Triclosan-300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFnVwgAJwn3_vqjc5e2qiHSMkOx-ZTmht35lau8JAo4WAaQc1MkVOdl4ypKIN6c0B7dU9pSe4ztVeGsWcLSbKyrKh-Zgxsye5DGkiqEzRf1NSmTBmFPqM-tlraUkZOizlkT5zGa8w4IkX/s1600/Triclosan-300x300.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The safety of an ingredient in alcohol-free sanitizers is dubious. Steer clear of it, just in case.</td></tr>
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The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
recommends that hand sanitizers be kept out of reach of children, that children
be supervised when using it, and that hand sanitizer <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should not be used on children under 2 years old</i>. </div>
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So please, don’t routinely wipe your baby down with hand
sanitizer. I myself know a handful of kids who were practically bathed in the
stuff as infants, and today suffer from an absurd amount of allergies and are
constantly in and out of the doctor’s office due to illness. It may seem like
you are keeping your little one clean, but you may be doing more harm than
good. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-2932173568961688382014-08-06T23:43:00.001-05:002014-08-06T23:58:13.602-05:00WubbaNub Pacifier Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5bRx4YXiHC9nzsHqUDmVhpB_sUVI12KklUoyX4b8FIGUp9jqRVASfYWE0p_S_5RtaN36AUAo1eMDBGcoFRV52GybnX6IfSyBfHALkmlAFfcNo70n4CfqeJHKgADYUMBlNGBPKj0jJl7a/s1600/wubbanub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5bRx4YXiHC9nzsHqUDmVhpB_sUVI12KklUoyX4b8FIGUp9jqRVASfYWE0p_S_5RtaN36AUAo1eMDBGcoFRV52GybnX6IfSyBfHALkmlAFfcNo70n4CfqeJHKgADYUMBlNGBPKj0jJl7a/s1600/wubbanub.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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When registering for baby stuff before my son was born, I came across a pacifier with a stuffed animal attached to it. Perhaps you've seen it? It's called a WubbaNub (though I've always thought it was called a "Wubba Nubba"), and comes in a plethora of adorable animals. I thought it was cute but kind of frivolous. Close to $15 for a pacifier?! But I bought the giraffe pacifier anyway, just to try it out (and because it was just too cute!)</div>
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Though when I bought it, I didn't think it could possibly be better than any other pacifier - plus I was planning on using pacifiers sparingly - but I quickly fell in love with it. We almost forgot about every other pacifier - I had them stuffed in diaper bags as our "backup," but we never went anywhere without what we began referring to as "<i>THE</i> Pacifier." (I wouldn't even leave the room without grabbing it). </div>
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<b>What makes this pacifier so great?</b> </div>
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I'm glad you asked. </div>
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Here's my list of things I like (and don't like) about the WubbaNub. </div>
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1). The pacifier/nipple itself is a Soothie, which is the kind our boy preferred. It's also the type that our hospital used to soothe him during his circumcision. So this was great for us - I didn't waste $15 on a pacifier we'd never used. (He only rarely took a Nuk pacifier and any others almost never. There are still some rejected pacifiers in the nursery somewhere...) If your baby prefers a flat nipple such as the one on a Nuk over the round one on a Soothie, then this may not be the pacifier for you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDpvJWnzO3xwycwo4tvOL1zfv_v01Vuw9PmBFaLs8m0mjDGJe2-L-SlCn1UVZ4jCU5bqfmCnPzcvGWmbflLqYLbXx_3fv0u6F98ReCI8HcpLHEyryqFc08cYMI4DXF7RqubTyxzpCI8vH/s1600/IMG_5234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDpvJWnzO3xwycwo4tvOL1zfv_v01Vuw9PmBFaLs8m0mjDGJe2-L-SlCn1UVZ4jCU5bqfmCnPzcvGWmbflLqYLbXx_3fv0u6F98ReCI8HcpLHEyryqFc08cYMI4DXF7RqubTyxzpCI8vH/s1600/IMG_5234.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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2). The attached stuffed animal makes it larger - therefore easier to find when you're fumbling around in the dark looking for it. Or when fumbling around in a cavernous diaper bag. It also makes it less likely to get lost in the sheets or blankets. This may seem trivial, but trust me. When you're dealing with a crying, upset baby, you don't want to be spending precious minutes digging around for a tiny pacifier. </div>
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3). Aside from making it easier for <i>you</i> to grab, it's also easier for little baby hands to hold on to as well. Baby G didn't hold the giraffe right away (too young!), but he got into it eventually and now whenever he sees the giraffe he grabs it and stuffs it in his mouth. Some may say this is because he knows that it's something he likes to suck on... some may say it's because he's stuffing <i>everything</i> in his mouth... </div>
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4). A potential downside of the WubbaNub is that you can't attach many paci clips to it. However, because of the plush animal, you can shove it places to get it to stay. For example, it gets wedged quite nicely between my body and any of our baby carriers (like my husband in the Ergo, below). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ0pVBHaeVQH4w5LKakuT7ooy1Ba9XUSFXveD-fxHZkZ8xVx7KD22dYVIhpmZr62d7fDZkiBpjJmIz1m0L5HnWbaeidJjZCHyqZWqcqtj470iOXEAV0FbBiQ04k-o_mT_mrRip06MFczq/s1600/IMG_4749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ0pVBHaeVQH4w5LKakuT7ooy1Ba9XUSFXveD-fxHZkZ8xVx7KD22dYVIhpmZr62d7fDZkiBpjJmIz1m0L5HnWbaeidJjZCHyqZWqcqtj470iOXEAV0FbBiQ04k-o_mT_mrRip06MFczq/s1600/IMG_4749.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The WubbaNub between my husband and the Ergo shoulder strap. The nipple rests in the perfect spot for baby to suck on!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OIGHYL23c-4jRSL9cZNPSMUW4sE4o91WZcDWMD0PLGT0hInQ4sfbQnNOz8jdPKHhFcFeoFx4w8jFyDdYNPhXfdXK1GSwpAzwvo4L5QEJ5FFrXEZkElL6hCi-VwJV-wJX27BFZK8fl7VW/s1600/IMG_3898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OIGHYL23c-4jRSL9cZNPSMUW4sE4o91WZcDWMD0PLGT0hInQ4sfbQnNOz8jdPKHhFcFeoFx4w8jFyDdYNPhXfdXK1GSwpAzwvo4L5QEJ5FFrXEZkElL6hCi-VwJV-wJX27BFZK8fl7VW/s1600/IMG_3898.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's hard to tell, but the giraffe's body is actually in the front pocket of the Balboa Baby Ring Sling. </td></tr>
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5). Other than the actual nipple, the WubbaNub provides many things for baby to suck (or chew) on. Though I haven't tried any of the other animals, the giraffe in particular has feet that are the perfect size and shape to fit in baby's mouth. He loves to suck on those almost as much as he likes to suck on the pacifier part. Though, now he's teething, so he's really chewing on the poor giraffe more than anything else...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZVtDyw951DEDaa4uNxJoQfakJsuI306aKdTvcmDsv_ci1tyGMy9quIKBtnUSSZq-7r-2zrjpw2zqReaXOmBIYjYnOhrFva7TeDOqkUcJQmhUuonxm2Vg2KTDAJ6e_XGI9gjnmhUkJ_3C/s1600/IMG_5240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZVtDyw951DEDaa4uNxJoQfakJsuI306aKdTvcmDsv_ci1tyGMy9quIKBtnUSSZq-7r-2zrjpw2zqReaXOmBIYjYnOhrFva7TeDOqkUcJQmhUuonxm2Vg2KTDAJ6e_XGI9gjnmhUkJ_3C/s1600/IMG_5240.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mouthing on the giraffe's foot. </td></tr>
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6). It's slightly more difficult to clean than standard pacifiers - depending on how neurotic you are. I don't like to rinse the nipple because then the giraffe gets wet - and normally when I'm rinsing it, I need to use it right then and don't have the time to lay it out to dry. Not a big deal... but I'm a bit weird. :P You can throw it in the washing machine though. I actually don't do that too often (or put regular ones in the dishwasher) because I read that heat wears down the plastic and it can eventually break off. (Apparently you're supposed to replace pacifiers every 2 months. Not a big deal for $3 ones, but I really didn't feel like replacing a $15 pacifier when he may only use it for another month). I do stick it in the bottle warmer (which doubles as a sanitizer). The warmer isn't huge, so I just tip the pacifier piece in, letting the giraffe's body hang over the edge. <br />
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Do you have a WubbaNub for your little one? What did you think of it?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-68388090695468188942014-08-05T19:39:00.000-05:002014-08-05T19:40:14.443-05:00Breastfeeding Issues: Hyperlactation<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTnkvZ8cFBKLbcgs0y9ah_88hNo0Cqrm5juU72rr8kr1IdEKBbZvq5mIcLx7SYSMFWWtPSoOX0N4xUcfoVCHBYAS4tdH5GheX3f0VbK4O3NSofCXRTu1f-wCLfMQZNxCoypUXmmJOwXMV/s1600/hyperlactation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTnkvZ8cFBKLbcgs0y9ah_88hNo0Cqrm5juU72rr8kr1IdEKBbZvq5mIcLx7SYSMFWWtPSoOX0N4xUcfoVCHBYAS4tdH5GheX3f0VbK4O3NSofCXRTu1f-wCLfMQZNxCoypUXmmJOwXMV/s1600/hyperlactation.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was producing so much, I began to feel like one of the sea nymphs on the Fountain of Neptune.</td></tr>
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I was blessed to have a fairly great breastfeeding experience with very few issues. My boy latched on within an hour of being born, all by himself too! He then quickly bulked up and was back at birth weight within a week. It all seemed to be going well that first month - no pain, no fussing, lots of weight gain... But right after he turned a month old we started having issues.<br />
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I began pumping soon after he was born for a couple of different reasons. First, for some odd reason, I envisioned myself being able to go to dinner with friends, or my husband and I going on weekly dates (ha!). Second, I had horrifying thoughts of me going out and getting stuck in traffic (god forbid!) or even worse, something happening to me and so wanted to have plenty of milk stocked up in the freezer so my husband never having to worry about how to feed the baby. <br />
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I pumped between almost every feeding - mostly because, at the beginning, it took me a full day of pumping to get 4 ounces. It didn't seem to be increasing my supply but there also weren't any problems, so I continued with this pattern for a month.<br />
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Shortly after my husband returned home from his deployment, nursing sessions suddenly became very stressful. Baby G would latch on and moments later painfully rip away, fussing and sometimes screaming. This would continue on and off for the entire duration of the feeding. He would splutter, cough, and gag, and he often would pull away during let-down and get milk sprayed all over his face. I would scramble to get a burp rag to stop the flow while simultaneously holding a wriggling, whining baby. If I wasn't fast enough, milk would spray into his open mouth causing him to cough and splutter some more. I felt like the lactating sea nymph on the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna. (See the header photo).<br />
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He would also be really gassy and would burp repeatedly after, and even during, the feeding. On occasion, I would have to burp him for half an hour or longer after he nursed to get a burp to come up and get him to calm down. Then, he would spit up what appeared to be half of what he ate and then only an hour later, he'd be acting hungry again. It seemed that only at night would he just latch on and eat peacefully. Daytime feedings were a burping, fussing, painful, messy affair. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEw7oJVu7dmbId1eT5HYgNjUceqjTpMHGASGyQvcRUEoBbmTv3_XL8ZRcIwOAi-fPfbTe9uSp_LPI-1OMeHLcw29qnrE8t-WuJoYQ5hTXs_KQ7wko354qzKGK7ULoQZnaoC8TouOhopC3f/s1600/IMG_2637+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEw7oJVu7dmbId1eT5HYgNjUceqjTpMHGASGyQvcRUEoBbmTv3_XL8ZRcIwOAi-fPfbTe9uSp_LPI-1OMeHLcw29qnrE8t-WuJoYQ5hTXs_KQ7wko354qzKGK7ULoQZnaoC8TouOhopC3f/s1600/IMG_2637+-+Version+2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I thought surely this fussy period would only last a few days, but when 2 weeks rolled around, I began thinking of getting help. I started first by referring to the many breastfeeding books I had. I looked in the index for "fussing" and "crying" to no avail. I finally found something in the last one I checked. It led me to a paragraph on <i>Hyperlactation Syndrome</i>.<br />
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<i>"Typically these babies nurse frequently from both breasts and are gaining more than an ounce per day. Their mothers often have overabundant milk supplies."</i><br />
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Most people worry about not producing enough milk and think that producing a lot of milk would be a good thing! I didn't think it was possible that I had an overabundant supply - it didn't seem like I was getting that much when pumping. I researched hyperlactation and found that it can often be brought on by over-pumping. I thought perhaps it was possible that I was producing more milk than my boy needed - I did have engorged breasts if I didn't nurse soon enough and I leaked through my nursing pads frequently. Though I doubted that hyperlactation was the cause of my problems, I decided to stop pumping for a few days to see if anything changed. <br />
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And, miracle of miracles... all of our problems were magically gone. We went back to having peaceful nursing sessions with minimal burping and spitting up and no fussiness. I had a happy baby once again! I may not have been officially diagnosed with hyperlactation syndrome, but it's a pretty safe bet, considering that once I stopped pumping, we had no more issues. (Supply is supposed to meet demand after all... and I guess with all that pumping I was demanding quite a lot!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWAMM4MJ7RJTK7rG_YUlDwx6R6anGVD3W78odiTmKUob26OTquko95067zNTh1qPqOWy1cRiXO_7lLOg7y3fsFdj_GP8Al4E5MzLTC6p5hB442QR-PK9CJdwTyM5XfXKaxzyEROhAERa1/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWAMM4MJ7RJTK7rG_YUlDwx6R6anGVD3W78odiTmKUob26OTquko95067zNTh1qPqOWy1cRiXO_7lLOg7y3fsFdj_GP8Al4E5MzLTC6p5hB442QR-PK9CJdwTyM5XfXKaxzyEROhAERa1/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I still pump on occasion. I try to have daddy give G a bottle every evening, so I have to pump during that time in order to have a bottle ready for the next day. But I don't pump between every feeding anymore! It's interesting to think that I was making too much milk - that something others may think of as a good thing caused me (and the baby!) so many tears. I'm so thankful that I figured out the problem when I did and didn't suffer through for another month or two. This may also help explain why my little 7 pound, 10 ounce boy became a 90th percentile baby... ;)<br />
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Did you or do you know anyone who suffered from hyperlacation syndrome?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-78510122509534962752014-07-31T15:48:00.000-05:002014-07-31T15:48:01.719-05:00Traveling With Baby: Baby Travel Gear<span class="st">We recently took our first family vacation, and because it was two weeks long, there was a lot of preparation on my part. Some things that we took were completely unnecessary and then there were others that I wish I would've thought of before hand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Best Baby Travel Gear</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKW0XQfXnMzmF4F6UW87wRYaXSX2RuvC60hqreY41BPc59SpuUu72VHnfZyylueNo4GX2NR_lL0u2QufTYc-GNnWtSK4M9SsEC1CwWxXNMLzGA02NbEFxfhp7aWtgoU9ZQwhU4vR-c6jJ/s1600/best+baby+travel+gear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKW0XQfXnMzmF4F6UW87wRYaXSX2RuvC60hqreY41BPc59SpuUu72VHnfZyylueNo4GX2NR_lL0u2QufTYc-GNnWtSK4M9SsEC1CwWxXNMLzGA02NbEFxfhp7aWtgoU9ZQwhU4vR-c6jJ/s1600/best+baby+travel+gear.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot9C6hFw1g07AvJRXVHszMuTm7MMdrBZRx8Sg53symyoOBgihVkFdVEicgF1ItPH2AF1JMfHVcNlwfFtdzpCTTjYadBN6n6shoU4gnKdt3BtS-cXxcoHJDJi8hD4o1Fu7_Y3v4eM07vZY/s1600/51vgYsbQ9qL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot9C6hFw1g07AvJRXVHszMuTm7MMdrBZRx8Sg53symyoOBgihVkFdVEicgF1ItPH2AF1JMfHVcNlwfFtdzpCTTjYadBN6n6shoU4gnKdt3BtS-cXxcoHJDJi8hD4o1Fu7_Y3v4eM07vZY/s1600/51vgYsbQ9qL.jpg" height="124" width="200" /></a><br />
<b><span class="st">Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Playard</span></b><br />
<span class="st">My parents got this travel crib for us to use during the trip (and then to keep at their house for when grandkids visit). I loved it! It collapses down fairly small and can be carried back-pack style. As the picture shows, the side unzips and the top is open, giving you two ways to lay your little one down for a nap. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKPqNQhs9SXic75CnJTp3qkwjoi7ipiQ8r2maG__p1q__LpGq-QlnjQ8R47KYGW6pMqKG6DseZwyNHYQWW_dw0q2YT1pFuWubZjyuXeX-dO01hTaPYKT_WXkMPkUQDIxi0QwYfz1CbLCX/s1600/IMG_5753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKPqNQhs9SXic75CnJTp3qkwjoi7ipiQ8r2maG__p1q__LpGq-QlnjQ8R47KYGW6pMqKG6DseZwyNHYQWW_dw0q2YT1pFuWubZjyuXeX-dO01hTaPYKT_WXkMPkUQDIxi0QwYfz1CbLCX/s1600/IMG_5753.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="st">Downside: there is only one level - the mattress is on the ground which makes it a bit difficult to put baby down without straining your back. But it was definitely a useful thing to have - it was the only place we could put baby down safely when we needed to pack, unpack, or repack (which we did a lot of since we stayed at 3 different family members' houses and 3 different hotels). </span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLa6W_Dsrdf33DfQwJaAddeqOukld0Cy8c8dliqYX-qWmDLgNzxNtsKZ0QvpovipzBDWW5cQCNnGSIIk-XsQWY6doHPdpchvgGTvhT-Q1_Nmp7TT3Hxsgc_yN_3NxBqtDZ9xuTGuhQZ8Z/s1600/pTRU1-14621891dt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLa6W_Dsrdf33DfQwJaAddeqOukld0Cy8c8dliqYX-qWmDLgNzxNtsKZ0QvpovipzBDWW5cQCNnGSIIk-XsQWY6doHPdpchvgGTvhT-Q1_Nmp7TT3Hxsgc_yN_3NxBqtDZ9xuTGuhQZ8Z/s1600/pTRU1-14621891dt.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><b><span class="st">Gate Check bag for stroller and car seat</span></b><br />
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<span class="st">Perhaps this is not the most vital item on this list, but I was really glad I had them. It made it a little easier when checking the stroller and car seat at the gate - we could leave all his toys, car seat cover, stroller tray, car seat arm pad, etc attached and not worry about them falling off and getting lost. Then when de-planing, it was easier to identify our baby gear cause it was the only one in a bright orange bag. Also, it kept our gear from getting dirty and protected against minor scratches. </span><br />
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<span class="st">Downside: it seems that our stroller was dragged while in the gate check bag - there are huge scuff marks and dents on parts of it. I think had it not been in the bag, it may have been lifted or wheeled instead of dragged. Also... it's a bit of a pain fitting them back in their built-in envelopes/bags. Don't even attempt to do it while in the airport. </span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh618Z0RUM7TzHH1t9vWgWN9aJm-VtOFRyKpXCt_yc6c04_xZW23oqS3papg0fNMpfH_Vl_UGYbjs1g2RCNEqrUdyWNgw9gxN-fz_4h8H9vBepT_nqy3n0HIEWR_rudG_PJ7pSE2A-OKCJ7/s1600/4108YJItPkL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh618Z0RUM7TzHH1t9vWgWN9aJm-VtOFRyKpXCt_yc6c04_xZW23oqS3papg0fNMpfH_Vl_UGYbjs1g2RCNEqrUdyWNgw9gxN-fz_4h8H9vBepT_nqy3n0HIEWR_rudG_PJ7pSE2A-OKCJ7/s1600/4108YJItPkL.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><b><span class="st">Itzy Ritzy car seat arm pad and tummy time mat</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q3ngV9HBHuW35jlrhQOXCsPTdjAodcAKViEg8zDDkR525Hi6r1PudGzLoe-t7NM6j3Zsz7UX6sNso9L2B_FQrDOIukS7Icp2wMNXzcNa1Q7YcKewx6-Eiwg_kKzZsx7meEXdCYnH6yRm/s1600/61BSZaYQMiL._SL1001_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q3ngV9HBHuW35jlrhQOXCsPTdjAodcAKViEg8zDDkR525Hi6r1PudGzLoe-t7NM6j3Zsz7UX6sNso9L2B_FQrDOIukS7Icp2wMNXzcNa1Q7YcKewx6-Eiwg_kKzZsx7meEXdCYnH6yRm/s1600/61BSZaYQMiL._SL1001_.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span class="st">I <i>love</i> this product! (My husband... not so much). This arm pad unrolls into a tummy-time mat, complete with a little mirror. It's quite plush and thicker than any of the blankets we took with us on our trip. Plus, it does double duty which is great when you're trying to save space when packing. We just left it attached to the car seat when we put it in the gate check bag, though I did take it on board one plane and it also worked great as a little pillow. I used it to help prop up my arm when breastfeeding on board and my husband also used it as a neck pillow. They make car seat arm pads that <i>don't</i> unroll into anything else, and this is great if you don't need it for anything other than the arm pad. </span><br />
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<span class="st">Downside: Because it is also a tummy time mat, it's pretty bulky. When we have both this and the car seat cover attached, it's difficult the carrier onto your arm. It doesn't make the carrier feel any lighter... but it does save your arm from getting dug into. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZlhQLWc7X9TN0X_MRz3EsitYHHRMIcyM8cxV8NnZE3tVpUqZWIn2zDJBz6Lii8eLUJ63FFYgAgEpy-ibbl2c7hbNZ3KEHP2J0i7h9aDiE6o-x8GOv-nrIXaPABEbLDRyELb2LWZxY4Ob/s1600/home_img.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZlhQLWc7X9TN0X_MRz3EsitYHHRMIcyM8cxV8NnZE3tVpUqZWIn2zDJBz6Lii8eLUJ63FFYgAgEpy-ibbl2c7hbNZ3KEHP2J0i7h9aDiE6o-x8GOv-nrIXaPABEbLDRyELb2LWZxY4Ob/s1600/home_img.png" height="200" style="cursor: move;" width="190" /></a><span class="st"> </span><br />
<b><span class="st">Flye Baby</span></b><br />
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<span class="st">This is one of those "novelty" items you may have seen floating around Pinterest (which is where I discovered it). I wasn't even sure where to buy it at first until a few months later it popped up on <a href="http://www.zulily.com/invite/lrussell955">Zulily</a>. It was a bit difficult to figure out the first time, but I think it was worth every penny. If you're only taking one short flight while your baby is still little, perhaps it's not for you. We took four different flights - two of them nearly 6 hours long - so it was great to be able to have free hands! Because unless you buy your baby their own seat, you pretty much have to hold them the entire flight, meaning no magazine reading for you! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm9pVkqoRXdbqeVsZnjmOlw0aaBVmcWtt7X9bm84Yc_CVR92E763skirUgcPCz_CxMVzZVKP9iBdWvnMuiAMMDSoGYm7wy0iIsgQv-gU4A3PimcbXjjYV8Z7missO7kzeetFWkQSSiud0/s1600/IMG_0493+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm9pVkqoRXdbqeVsZnjmOlw0aaBVmcWtt7X9bm84Yc_CVR92E763skirUgcPCz_CxMVzZVKP9iBdWvnMuiAMMDSoGYm7wy0iIsgQv-gU4A3PimcbXjjYV8Z7missO7kzeetFWkQSSiud0/s1600/IMG_0493+-+Version+2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span class="st">Downside: It attaches to the tray on the seat back in front of you... which not every plane has (our first flight did not). Also, if the rows of seats are close together and you don't have much leg room, then there won't be enough room for the hammock to stretch out fully and really be taut. Plus, if the person in front of you leans back... My boy was only 3 months old at the time, but he had already exceeded the height maximum. Whoops. I kept using it though, because it was nice to have free hands. It's not meant to be a "safety" seat or anything and cannot be used during takeoff, landing, or turbulence. </span>
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<b><span class="st">Ergo Baby</span></b><br />
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This is probably my favorite carrier I have tried thus far. I wish I hadn't taken my stroller and taken only this. (Because even though our stroller is called a "travel" stroller - Graco Click Connect if anyone wants to know - it was hard to fly with because it was too big too fit through the x-ray machine at the airport security checkpoint. We should've just checked the car seat and carried him in the Ergo through the airport. Because we also hardly used the stroller while on our trip - I think we may have used it once or twice at the beach when walking to the shopping area... but it was a hindrance when we got there because the shops were small and it barely fit in the restaurants. An umbrella stroller or just a baby carrier like the Ergo is the way to go.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnLruBA1_1_hUgfqRmi6FT-6z6cxHAhty7Doz7FBZUYsBqHZCAHu-Yg7eHLzWBsp3VWHUHNUMkAcY6ip_WPFsXzE3wUFO1EPQeIocx6p_qNKWAXdhYtXnfmWpNf5fd97QBoZMYPTE4HKq/s1600/IMG_6601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnLruBA1_1_hUgfqRmi6FT-6z6cxHAhty7Doz7FBZUYsBqHZCAHu-Yg7eHLzWBsp3VWHUHNUMkAcY6ip_WPFsXzE3wUFO1EPQeIocx6p_qNKWAXdhYtXnfmWpNf5fd97QBoZMYPTE4HKq/s1600/IMG_6601.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 points to anyone who can guess where we are!</td></tr>
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Downside: It doesn't pack up small... not exactly a space-saving design. But if you wear it through the airport and onto the plane, then it's not a big deal. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-2H3z0UothY93csYeVXC0tMEVtPZE32ULMxFFsKpvCtclP55xDnv28bTHmj_zx0ONVh6DUT4VJyyV7Lc_pUUlf2Xh2wW1WLIVcJLcAIZ5onQA_bMUvGaSfw-Cx9yYZ1BA1qfhJdJlOzR/s1600/sleepy_hats_grey_square.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-2H3z0UothY93csYeVXC0tMEVtPZE32ULMxFFsKpvCtclP55xDnv28bTHmj_zx0ONVh6DUT4VJyyV7Lc_pUUlf2Xh2wW1WLIVcJLcAIZ5onQA_bMUvGaSfw-Cx9yYZ1BA1qfhJdJlOzR/s1600/sleepy_hats_grey_square.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><b><span class="st">Zoë b Organic Sleepy Hat</span></b><br />
<br />
<span class="st">This adorable hat is one of those things I <i>wish </i>I
had bought. Since I haven't tried it, I can't speak to its
effectiveness, but it really would've been helpful on our many flights.
He had trouble sleeping on the plane because of all the noise and light -
I wasn't about to ask the other passengers to close their windows, so I
ended up holding him at awkward angles to keep light from shining on
his face. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st">This brilliant hat would've made it so much easier! </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5E95dwSNG8xNiTfcGG3w-FPu7_anSdHiZQ5-sKVWueV-NAHM0bFEARXmKQtjVJaxgat7cGJ90jG1JSjfpC7ECHUV08ijUTiRaKSLYwyQyFsXSdssgPJCufca6itm5QEr65NQqvNa3WQL9/s1600/91fv3UeEGsL._SL1500_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5E95dwSNG8xNiTfcGG3w-FPu7_anSdHiZQ5-sKVWueV-NAHM0bFEARXmKQtjVJaxgat7cGJ90jG1JSjfpC7ECHUV08ijUTiRaKSLYwyQyFsXSdssgPJCufca6itm5QEr65NQqvNa3WQL9/s1600/91fv3UeEGsL._SL1500_.jpg" height="140" width="200" /></a><span class="st"> </span><br />
<b><span class="st">Travel Bassinet</span></b><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<br />
Another one I didn't try because I was worried our chunky monkey
would be too big. Some of the lengths on the available travel bassinets
are only 25 inches or so - which was about an inch longer than baby G
when it came time for our vacation. If you have a smaller baby, then
this could really be helpful - doesn't take up much space but would
still provide a sleeping spot for baby if none other is available. Some
hotels provide cribs upon request, but we were also staying with family
at certain points during the trip and they didn't have cribs just lying
around. This was unnecessary for us because we were able to use my parents' travel crib, but had we not had that, we would've gotten a travel bassinet. <br />
<span class="st"> </span>
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Zoë b Organic Sleepy Hat<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Zoë b Organic Sleepy Hat</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-680906302061220511.post-90961229885963611412014-07-29T12:46:00.001-05:002016-02-04T18:54:41.260-06:00How Having Dogs Prepared Me for a Baby<br />
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Couples often get a puppy before having kids as “practice.”
Shortly after we got married and moved to California, my husband and I got not
one, but two puppies. (They weren’t from the same litter, by the way. We got
our first one and then a month later brought home the second one). It really
helped curb our baby fever and satisfied my maternal drive. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought with all the pain those wonderful dogs put us
through, a baby would be a piece of cake. I mean, there’s no way a baby would
be chewing chunks out of the counter, scratching massive holes in the wall,
eating my leather jacket, or throwing up all over the carpet in the middle of
the night. Hopefully, I’m not the only delusional parent who thought that dogs
would in any way train me for a baby. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVz10FOeEw8XSrnHNYwwz275GaHYywnjbSkJDz0vvynwWdGdh6i2v8ICFv23L3KaFa5_sA00WOi4P50uyvlW4SSY2tN550lBBjiz8-q7cF-ZNtfaMU1GAbCp4Uk25bx1E6PXJUKeKL2R6/s1600/DSC02660+-+Version+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVz10FOeEw8XSrnHNYwwz275GaHYywnjbSkJDz0vvynwWdGdh6i2v8ICFv23L3KaFa5_sA00WOi4P50uyvlW4SSY2tN550lBBjiz8-q7cF-ZNtfaMU1GAbCp4Uk25bx1E6PXJUKeKL2R6/s1600/DSC02660+-+Version+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s not to say that they didn’t prepare me a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">little</i>. Here are some of the ways that
having dogs helped prep me for having a baby:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Having dogs got me used to
handling/seeing/smelling poop. Living in an urban environment, we have to pick
up our dogs’ leavings in little baggies, and one of our dogs always seemed to
get some stuck in his fur on his backside. So he certainly got me used to
having to wipe behinds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I became adjusted to having to spend money on
living creatures other than myself (and my husband). $40 a month on two dogs is
chump change compared to what a baby costs. But at least we kind of eased our
toes into the spending pool. Plus, I liked spoiling my dogs with new toys and
treats and now I can transfer that desire over to my own flesh and blood (much
to my husband’s dismay). </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I was never much of a clean freak, but once we
got dogs (and two <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">big</i> ones at that),
I was kind of forced to vacuum more frequently. In a small apartment, it’s
astonishing how quickly the carpet gets saturated with dog hair. A baby doesn’t
exactly contribute to all the hair in the carpet or dirt in general (they’re so
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tiny!</i>), but at least it got us into
the habit of cleaning, which helped create a healthier environment for our
little boy. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Two dogs produce a lot of noise, and therefore
got us used to noise in general. Granted, our dogs bark only on occasion - and
usually out of excitement - whereas a baby screams and cries, and aside from
hurting your ears, it also breaks your heart! Plus, we trained our dogs to
“quiet” on command, and though they don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i>
listen, they do sometimes. A baby on the other hand… good luck getting one to
just stop crying just because you said so. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TIvNKcYA3ODwjwLH4ZfGB1jVlTTSU1K81M7AvNX_qEjyET9HgHDGRvXfCXUUJA9vbYA9Ev_vgLlFzobtp0NljxbzZkiu6PcqDyE2hK45TefzFRlVKUHUKaJ3zwzOqfq0Y6BkEhhcD6-y/s1600/Photo+on+2011-08-26+at+11.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TIvNKcYA3ODwjwLH4ZfGB1jVlTTSU1K81M7AvNX_qEjyET9HgHDGRvXfCXUUJA9vbYA9Ev_vgLlFzobtp0NljxbzZkiu6PcqDyE2hK45TefzFRlVKUHUKaJ3zwzOqfq0Y6BkEhhcD6-y/s1600/Photo+on+2011-08-26+at+11.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And… here’s how dogs did absolutely nothing to prepare me
for a baby:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I thought having to take the dogs outside to go
potty and house-training them as puppies would help prepare me for diapers and
eventually potty-training. But in reality, dogs, even puppies, go to the
bathroom much less frequently than a baby. An 8-week-old puppy can go at least
one hour between potty breaks (and adult dogs can hold 8 to 12 hours on
occasion!) so I was taken aback when I changed my 8-week-old boy’s diaper four
times in a 15-minute span. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Dogs, from a very young age, are able to walk on
their own. You don’t have to hold them all the time, and if you have to go to
the bathroom, you don’t need to worry about what to do with them because
there’s pretty much no chance that a dog will accidentally roll off of the
couch.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Though not as self-sufficient as cats, dogs are
still more independent than a human baby. If you leave the house, just leave a
bowl of water for them and they’ll be fine. If you leave the house once you
have a baby, you kind of have to take them with you (or get a sitter). A baby
is 100% reliant on you, and if you are breastfeeding, then they’re also pretty
much attached to you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all the time</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Dogs don’t need help going to sleep - even young
puppies fall asleep on their own. Babies, on the other hand, as I’m sure any
parent will tell you, often will not go to sleep unless you hold them/rock
them/swaddle them/feed them/sing to them/shush them/walk them/drive them around
in the car/etc.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCz7mVPtG7onFC7PfBt5d93ZwiVc8M45EX4zi9JRcLZuFQraPFi5GnCp-4q4oo7t-xwUr3f5XCF6bYwlxyCYdovM-AioDpmiymdxXhzcy7gI48Ov7SQMs8iVqX37scEFKsRhJoG7EW68L/s1600/IMG_8784+-+Version+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCz7mVPtG7onFC7PfBt5d93ZwiVc8M45EX4zi9JRcLZuFQraPFi5GnCp-4q4oo7t-xwUr3f5XCF6bYwlxyCYdovM-AioDpmiymdxXhzcy7gI48Ov7SQMs8iVqX37scEFKsRhJoG7EW68L/s1600/IMG_8784+-+Version+2.JPG" width="234" /></a></div>
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Well, that’s my list. How did dogs prepare you for a baby? (Or, how did they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> prepare you?)</div>
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<b>Note Feb 04 2016:</b> This post was originally published online at
Family Culture Magazine, but it seems to no longer be active. I
previously had only a snippet here on my blog, but because the link to
the full article was defunct, you can now read the whole thing right
here at Prego to Legos!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438831359903152164noreply@blogger.com0