Wordless Wednesday....Joy In The Afternoon

Courtesy of our favorite family photographer Willi Wong...theStoryteller

101 Things to Eat

So you've been feeding {and feeding and feeding AND feeding} your little one nothing but milk every day, all day for months now. All of sudden he doesn't seem to be satisfied any more, eats more often, has more than doubled her birth weight, and chews hungrily while looking on as you gobble down your food {in between feedings}.  He may even seem to try to grab your fork every once in awhile.

All of these are signs that the time has arrived for your babies palette to expand. No it doesn't mean she can start eating cheeseburgers and french fries, but it does mean that it's time to break out the starter food.

And if you want {and have the time} to give your baby the best, then homemade baby food is in order.  It's not as difficult as it sounds. In fact, even my friends who can barely boil water have become consummate baby food makers.  That's because babies are easy! They haven't developed the sophisticated palette that we have. They are happy with simple, wholesome, natural ingredients. 

If you're still reading this in a daze and don't believe you can do it {or have time to do it} then you'll love Annabel Karmel's Top 100 Baby Purees baby food book. She'll have you baby food making like a pro in no time.  

And when you add in all the new found baby food making gadgets that are now on the market -- Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker, Reusable Baby Food Containers -- you'll feel like the next [fill in your favorite celebrity chef name]!

And then there were 2!

I just got a double stroller and was so excited about it......and then I saw this one.  The City Select by Baby Jogger is so friggin' awesome!!  It is amazing how many ways it can be configured {at least 16 as far as I can tell}. It basically is the answer to the few complaints I have with my double stroller:  it's too big when I only have 1 kid or only 1 kid wants to be in the stroller; I want to use my bassinet AND be able to have the older 1 in the stroller. And what about when baby #3 comes along and baby #2 is still in a car seat too! The City Select is the answer to every parent's dream!

Okay, I'll admit the price tag is pretty insane {especially when you factor in all the optional accessories}. But if you have more than 1 kid the price of this stroller is as much as or less than all the different sized strollers you will accumulate trying to find the right combo that will fit your life. Too bad I already have all of those strollers because I now have no excuse to get one....sigh

Itzbeen three minutes since I last fed him and he's hungry again!

Between sleep deprivation, food preparation, household maintenance  and general mommy-brain, it's sometimes really difficult to remember how long ago you fed, bathed, changed or put to sleep your baby.  Especially in the early days when you seem to feed and change your little one every 3 minutes.  Throw in a few older siblings and it's a wonder how you keep your sanity.

That's why I love this little device {and not just because I love all gadgets} because it took one thing off my plate, having to remember when I last fed/changed my little one. If he was fussy I could quickly determine if he might be hungry, sleepy or possibly wet just by looking at my little Itzbeen timer!  {Of course he could've pooped right after I changed him, so it's not full proof for those circumstances}

Of course the only downside is that it's as small as a large cell phone and just like a cell phone it can be easily misplaced. And with mommy-brain who knows where/when you will find it again if you lose it!

Let little girls be little girls

I have two little boys and I am obsessed with little girls clothes.  I think God knew what he was doing when he gave me 2 boys because I would be completely broke from buying cute clothes for my little girl.  

I especially love girls clothes that are different/original.  If I had a little girl she would definitely stand out {and wouldn't look like a miniature teenager...hate those grown up clothes for little girls}.  

That's why I LOVE Matilda Jane. I spotted one of their sundresses on a little girl in music class and I just fell in love. I even love their cute little labels {nice and big so I could tell who made the fab little dress}.  I even love their name! 

So if I am blessed to have a little girl next time around {third times a charm!} this will be my first stop....maybe I should buy a dress now just because...just in case ;-) 

Custom Cuddlery

I guess you know by now that I love baby blankets...and of course anything personalized.  So I really love Fill In The Blankie.  They make great, keepsake blankets that include extensive personalization in the cost {you not only can include a name and date, but a message/saying too...all 4 sides of the blanket!}.

I've purchased 2 blankets from them for my sons' infant Dedications -- the As Good As It Gets and the Martha's Majesty -- and was super pleased.  I also purchased one as a gift and the mom is still talking about how wonderful the blanket is.  I just wish I could afford to get one for each milestone in my kids lives {okay maybe not high school graduation, but at least while they are babies☺}!

P.S. Save 15% with code: 031015

Sack of Love

As a new mom you are probably inundated with reminders that baby is to be put to sleep on his/her back {although my dad swears my little one sleeps better on his stomach} AND not to put any loose blankets or sheets in the crib with the baby.  As a result the "sleep sack" has emerged and taken the baby world by storm.  {I really think those same doctors must have a stake in baby sacks}  There are LOTS of sacks out there made of different material. But they are all visually pretty much the same.  Or so I thought. 

Olli & Lime realized that like all your baby's wear, you want their sleep wear to be cool and fashion forward as well.  Boring, plain cotton with typical bears, trains or lions just won't do.  So if you are a trendy urban parent, with a circular wooden crib, you will just love what Olli & Lime has done for sleep sacks.  And if you want to take it a step further, they offer coordinating nursery decor too!