Two Inches of Independence

Jeeper and I had a quick date yesterday afternoon -- right before his dad and I went on a date for our ninth wedding anniversary. My special time with Jeep was simply a run to our local Fred Meyer for a step stool for our bathroom. We already have a step stool in the bathroom, but one of those little white IKEA ones. When Jeeper stands on it, if he stretches really hard, he can sometimes turn on the hot water. Which means, many times a day, he needs a grown up to help him wash his hands. So after what feels like a million trips to the bathroom, I finally got the brilliant idea to look for a slightly taller step stool.

At the store, Jeep chose a red, folding, "as-seen-on-tv" step stool and he proudly carried it most of the way to the checkout. And I will tell you, those extra two inches have bought us both a whole new world of independence. Now Jeep is able and free to turn on the hot and cold water as well as turn it off. All by himself. So I am free and able not to be there. I love you, sweet independence! At least for today.

A Dream Come True

I have great news to report: The sippy cup of my dreams exists!!! The Nalgene Grip-N-Gulp (NGG) is everything that I had hoped and imagined a few months ago. I love the description of the bottle on the company's official website:

"We’ve taken on Everest. Now we’re ready for toddlers! Nalgene containers have stood up to some of the worlds most extreme conditions. Small potatoes compared to small children. The new Nalgene Grip'n Gulp™ is tough enough to survive being thrown from a moving minivan, spill proof enough to compel parents to blame the rug stains on the dog, and odor proof enough to allow leftover milk to go undetected under the couch for months. Most importantly, its a great way for little kids to reach new heights."

The first time I spotted the NGG it was in the cupholder of an SUV parked at Jeeper's school. A few weeks later we were brunching with friends and they gave one to Jeep to use for slurping his apple juice. I made an admiring comment and they told us we could take it home (it was no longer needed since their youngest is a very mature six year old who is so over sippy cups). After my brief but delightful experience with this hand-me-down version, which proved to be all that Nalgene advertises, I ordered one for practically every toddler I know. I recommend you do the same. (The best price I found was the SALE price at http://www.campbound.com/.) Happy sipping!

The Sippy Cup of My Dreams

This post was originally posted on Blog Mamas on October 5th, 2006.

Okay, so there is a ton of baby gear out there and some I like, some I love and lots I could do without. But lately I've been dreaming of a couple of things that, as far as I can tell, do not yet exist. So I'm calling all savvy parents and/or you inventor types to help me get my hands on two imaginary items.

The perfect bibI believe that infants and toddlers learn a lot from food. The journey from tray/plate/bowl to mouth is an educational one that develops the mind and many motor skills in addition to the palate. But it is also one of the messiest adventures ever! And most bibs are not up to the challenge. The perfect bib must be:

Big enough to cover the mess. I'm not sure I want long sleeves, but I'm tired of gaping neck holes and barely-to-the-bellybutton coverage. If I have to change his clothes after he eats, then why am I bothering with the bib?

Repellent or at least resistant to liquid. Many bibs keep chunks of food at bay, but still allow liquid to soak through. Those bibs may save me a few stain-fighting seconds, but I still have to spend way too many minutes changing his clothes and washing the wet ones! Not good enough.

Easy to wash and dry. Although I might consider one that rinses under the tap, the perfect bib can be tossed in the washer and dryer (and still repel liquids). Another feature that is affected by wash-ability is the bib closure. Velcro can be quick, but it doesn't hold up very well in the wash so I would prefer a button, snap or tie closure.

Small, light and hip. Babies eat everywhere so a bib needs to be portable and packable. And a cartoon character print or cutesy-cute won't do. The perfect bib works well and looks cool.

The perfect cup
Sippy cups have saved the sanity of many parents. At my son's Montessori daycare, they teach the babies to drink from tiny tumblers which is so adorable and very amazing but the reality is sometimes a kid needs to drink on the road. So the sippy cup of my dreams would:

Be easy to drink from but not leak! Okay, so I learned the difference between sippy and tippy and Jeeper has the sippy kind so they shouldn't leak, right? Wrong! Even if they don't leak out of the spout, they leak out of the screw-on top. I'm tired of wet seats, laps and diaper bags. Argh!

Not have a handle, but still be easy to hold. I especially loathe the kind with the removable handle because it is one more thing to lose. But there should be some shape or curve that makes it easy for little fingers to grip.

Keep the drink tasting good. This is my hugest gripe. Grab your little one's sippy and take a good long swig. You'll join my revolution! That foul, plastic taste does not seem healthy.

Now that you know how I spend my spare moments imagining improvements to baby gear, I'm hoping someone out there has recommendations that will make my dreams come true!

New Blue Shoes

This post was originally posted on Blog Mamas on August 20th, 2006 as part of a "Mom Finds" series.

On Saturday I made a first-time visit to Me ‘N Moms and I hit a "Mom Find" grand slam!

Run number one: The store itself which was neat, clean, well-organized and well-stocked. An anomaly in the world of consignment.


Run number two: The great clothes I found for Jeeper including a new Babystyle long sleeve tee (for FOUR BUCKS!) and a funky dinosaur tee by Tangerine (a hard-to-find boutique designer of boy clothes).


Run number three: The perfect walking toy. On the way to the store, I was wishing I had a walking toy for Jeep, but I didn’t want to spend much money. How about a gently used Little Tikes Activity Walker for 8 dollars? Yes, thank you!

The final run: Brand new, too cute, blue shoes! M n’ M’s sells new shoes by Robeez and See Kai Run and I scored the last pair of the discontinued, but still so cool, Marek sandal. I couldn't believe it. They are the perfect size for Jeep’s feet, the timing is perfect for our trip to SoCal next week, and can't beat the perfect $19.95 price.

Yay, team!!!

One Stroller to Rule Them All

This post was originally posted on Blog Mamas on August 17th, 2006 as part of a "Mom Finds" series.

Like most expectant mothers, I carefully researched baby gear during my pregnancy. I knew our sweet baby would require the breast, a car seat, diapers and clothes. Everything else was superfluous and I was determined to find the best basics. In many areas, my frugality and minimalism paid off. Skipping the infant carseat and starting right off with the Britax Roundabout convertible carseat worked just fine. Jeep didn’t seem to miss the baby swing and the excersaucer we never bought. But I was most proud of our selection of the Mountain Buggy Urban Single stroller. So many parents I knew had a closet, trunk or garage full of strollers. But we needed only one. I was self-righteous about the simplicity and singularity of our Buggy. The MBUS was a travel stroller, jogging stroller, and mall stroller all rolled up in one smooth-turning, show-stopping, hot orange package.

Which leads me to my "Mom Find" item. The Maclaren Volo stroller. Ahem. Yes, my solo stroller smugness has vanished. When I needed to take my son to San Francisco for a quick business trip, I worried about hauling the 25 pound Buggy through SeaTac, BART, and the Westin St. Francis. So I read a few reviews, found an online special and purchased a carbon colored Maclaren Volo sight unseen. The carrying strap and 11 pound total weight convinced me to make the purchase, but the one-handed operation and delicate ride have stolen my heart. The Buggy still dominates for trails and car trips, but the Volo is the ride of choice for shopping and airports. This particular "Mom Find" has convinced me that although we can get by without a pack-n-play, a second, lightweight stroller is a must have!

Five Favorites: Breastfeeding Stuff

Blog Mama reminded me that August is World Breastfeeding Month, so to celebrate, I posted my breastfeeding story and a review some of my favorite nursing products on the Blog Mamas site on August 10th, 2006.

I’m not exactly a lactivist, but I believe that mothers deserve lots of breastfeeding encouragement and I would love to see our society become much more supportive of nursing.

My Breastfeeding Story

After the pretty standard painful start, Jeep and I were able to manage breastfeeding although it seemed like I produced just exactly enough milk. When he was three and a half months old and I returned to work, I had enough stored milk to get him through one day. So everyday I would pump like crazy at work, rush to the daycare center to nurse at lunch, drink tons of water, swallow fenugreek caplets until I smelled like maple syrup and we still lived from bottle to bottle! My supply started to drop from all the stress so I finally bought a can of organic formula. Jeeper happily sucked down the bottles of formula in between the bottles of breastmilk and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I didn’t get to relax for long because after about two weeks, he started balking at the formula and within one more week he completely refused it. So I was once again chained to the breast pump praying that I wouldn’t spill even one drop of the "white gold."

At six months we started to introduce fruit and veggie baby foods so the pressure began to let up. Things got easier as Jeep ate more foods and now I only pump once a day and each afternoon at daycare he has one bottle of breastmilk. He is almost 14 months old and he still nurses in the mornings, evenings and nights – most of the time I love it although there are some frustrating moments. Originally I hoped to be able to breastfeed for one year and now I hope to nurse for at least two years.

I encourage every mom to consider breastfeeding. It is rarely easy so you’ll need lots of tools, support and determination. The two pieces of advice that helped me the most were: 1.) Take it one day at a time. Sometimes when it isn’t going well it is hard to imagine pushing through the challenge to make it to some far off goal (like 6 months or one year) but you can probably make it until tomorrow and that is enough. 2.) If things aren’t going well or you have a question or problem, ask for help (some resources to try are a lactation consultant, La Leche League meeting, midwife, doula, doctor, mom’s group, female family member or friend with nursing experience or even the internet) and if that person or resource doesn’t help, ask someone else. Rarely does the same advice or solution help everyone so keep seeking answers.

November 2006 update - Jeeper is still breastfeeding and right now my goal is to continue to nurse at least until he is two and maybe longer. I started working less hours in September so I stopped pumping and he primarily nurses at home. A standard day of nursing would start in the morning as he is waking up (he comes to bed with us in the very early morning), then we would nurse when we get home in the afternoons, often again in the evening, always right before bed and probably once in the middle of the night. He nurses more when he is teething, upset or going through a big transition. For example, he recently moved into a new classroom at school and he is a little clingy and wants to nurse more than usual. Early in 2007, when he is 18 months old+, I plan to slowly cut down the number of nursing sessions. For the most part, I am very happy to still be nursing and I enjoy the closeness it brings us. He is very efficient at nursing so I don't spend long periods sitting like I used to which is nice. It can be hard to come up with nursing alternatives (cuddles, books, songs, snacks) when he is asking for more nursing sessions than I am willing to have and occasionally I do get a little tired of it. Overall, I'd say it is going very well lately.

Breastfeeding Product Reviews

Hug Nursing Bra by Japanese Weekend – The Hug bra is by far my favorite nursing bra (I own three of them and would love to buy one or two more). I bought and wore my first one in late pregnancy because it was soft and stretchy and it accommodated my expanding chest. I was so grateful to have it in the first weeks of nursing when I needed to wear a bra 24 hours a day; it was even comfortable for sleeping. Like many new moms, my breasts were extremely tender and sore when I was first learning to breastfeed so a very soft bra was of paramount importance! After the soft, stretching fabric, my second favorite feature is the layered style which creates easy access for breastfeeding. Because there are no clips or snaps, it is easy to operate with one hand. I always lift the cup up which provides a smidge more privacy than bra styles that only drop down to give the baby access. (Note, the photo shows the pulled down cup position, but it is just as easy to pull the cup up.) I throw these bras in the washer and dryer (probably not ideal) and they have held up beautifully. The only potential downside is this bra is on the lighter end of support so it may not be a great all-day bra for moms who need firm support.

Lansinoh Lanolin – I’m still not sure why rubbing sheep grease on very sore and tender nipples helps, but it does. (It would make sense to me if they were just dry and cracked, but they weren’t dry and cracked as much as they were raw and cracked. Sorry, but it is true!) Anyway, one tip is to rub some lanolin in between your fingers to soften it and then put it on the nursing pad which you then gently set on your sweet tender ladies. M-u-c-h better than trying to rub cold, stiff lanolin directly onto sore, sore girls. Yee-ouch! Lansinoh is a reliable brand for quality and purity and I found that one tube was more than enough to get me past the painful part. Now I use it on my dry elbows.

Lansinoh First Days Ultra Soft Nursing Pads – The regular Lansinoh nursing pads were high on my list, but during those sore first weeks, the ultra-soft nursing pads were my favorite! They are more curved than the rest, plus they are puffy cloud soft.

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags – These are the best, no question. They are easy to open, easy to fill, easy to zip, easy to label, easy to freeze and easy to pour. I avoid bags that use twist ties because they easily leak.

Medela Pump in Style Backpack – If you are returning to work, you MUST have an electric, double breast pump. (Even if you are not going back to work, you should get one.) I heard and read this advice when I was expecting but it didn’t really sink in until almost too late. After Jeep was born I went to the nearest drug store and bought a manual pump. The manual pump worked okay for expressing a little milk if I got engorged and I used it to pump a few ounces after we had breastfeeding established. But once I needed to pump three or more times a day at work, the only way to go was the double electric pump. An angelic friend lent me her Medela “Pump-in-Style” Backpack so I haven’t tried the newer Advanced version. The original one worked fine and the backpack was super handy for hauling to work and back everyday. My dear friend also gave me all my own new replacement pump parts so nothing “used” was ever touching me or my breastmilk. Remember that not only is it ideal to give your baby as much breastmilk as you can, formula is expensive so think of the purchase of a high quality breast pump as an investment.

To see more product reviews, check out my post on my top ten favorites: Baby Stuff.