Baby Favorites: Part 2

Diaper duty, anyone?  What?  No takers?

First up:
Changing Table
I don't have an actual "Changing Table".  I have a borrowed dresser and put a changing pad on top.  I personally think that buying a changing table with the frame for the changing pad built in is a little dumb.  Because what will you use it for when your kid is either too big for the changing pad or is out of diapers?  I would rather purchase a dresser and put the pad on it or a lot of the dressers that come with nursery sets have a removable frame.  That way when they are older and you still want to use that dresser as a dresser you can and it wont look like it belongs in a nursery.  That's my opinion.

Changing pad.  I received one at my baby shower.  I wanted one because I have a sister in law who has one and always uses it.  I also have 2 other sister in laws who don't have one and just change their kid on the floor.  I wasn't sure if I would use it or not.  It sure looks cute in the room with the matching fabric from my bedding on it.

(I moved it to my family room for lighting purposes)

We have an automen and when Naomi was a newborn it was just easy to change her on that.  I have a diaper caddy (talked about below) that comes with a plastic changing pad - I used that and then laid a receiving blanket over it.  It wasn't until she was over 5 months old that we finally moved her changing station into her own room.  I changed her on the changing pad for ever diaper change.  And gradually in the last month or so, I've just started changing her diaper in the front room.  Before she goes to sleep she get's a bottle and I change her while drinking that - so it's easy to do it on the floor.  But, I still have my diaper cady in by the changing pad.

Do I think they are a waste of money?  No.  They are relatively cheap - here is one for $25 at Target.  I think you have to think if you are going to keep everything for baby in baby's room.  Jaren likes a nice clean picked up home and having Naomi's changing station in our living area bugged him.  Also, do you have hardwood or carpet?  I guess I prefer not to lay Naomi down on super hard surfaces - we have carpet.

Diaper Caddy:  I love love love mine.  I have a J.J. Cole Diaper + Wipes Caddy ($30 at Target) in brown and if I could buy one for each of my friends I would.  It's easy to grab and take anywhere in the house and we even take it on road trips.  I don't carry it to the rest stop (I use my diaper bag), but we take it to the hotel or house or wherever we are staying and have everything in one place.  The plastic mat that comes with it is good sized.  Right now I have it folded and put away in the front room for whenever I need it.  I will lay it on the floor then put a towel over it for when Naomi takes her baths - I put her on it.  Or when we are doing nakey time this is what she lays on.  Always with a towel or blanket because I would think it would be uncomfortable to be laying naked on plastic.  I highly recommend this!

This week I'll also do Diaper ointment/creams/paste's!

Baby Favorites: Part 1

I am going to try to review some items and tell you what my favorites are.  I'll see if I can start at what I loved for a newborn, 3 month old, 5 month old.. etc.  


Baby Monitor
I didn't think much about these things before I had Naomi.  Back when we went to Tahoe I noticed my brothers monitor that had a small video screen on it and I watched my nephew sleep.  I thought, oh that's neat!  And that's about all that ran through my head.

It was something like this from Summer.  Priced on Amazon for $105.

Then Jaren's sister mentioned how she had free Amazon one day shipping the week before we went into the hospital.  I told her I was pretty sure I wanted a video monitor.  She sent me a lot of links to different ones and their reviews.  They were all a bit spendy and I was looking for something somewhat like my brothers with that small screen.

Then I saw the 7 inch flat screen and Jaren was okay with the price. I didn't want to regret not getting the 7 inch and had already put out over 100 bucks only to want the bigger one and fork out the $160.  Totalling to almost $300.  So I bought it.

It was this monitor from Summer.  Priced at $161.98 on Amazon.

We didn't end up using it until I started laying her down for naps in our room and I fast realized how grateful I was for it.  Not just for the video, but for the big screen.  I put it on my mantle and can see it from across the room.  It wasn't until we had to send it in and replace it with a 5 inch T.V. like one that I appreciated the flat screen part.

The screen stopped working for some reason.  The sound worked fine, but I wanted what I paid for.  I sent an email to their customer service and found out the warranty is one year from date of purchase (if you have the reciept) or one year from manufacture date.  Well, I didn't have the receipt and luckily I was with in the year of manufacture date.  They sent me a label and I sent it in and had to wait a week for the new one.  Well, I'm a spoiled little girl and had to have my video monitor!  Jaren found a 5 inch T.V. like monitor at K-Mart for $70.  We bought and now Jaren's parents have it at their house for when she stays with them.  They had wonderful customer service - I just didn't like that I was stuck without a monitor for a week to two weeks (which was their estimated wait time).

This is the 5 inch monitor we bought as a replacement. $82.54 on Amazon.  It was much much bigger, a lot louder (not so good when I wanted it turned way down while we slept) and didn't have color.  Which wasn't too big of a deal.  The picture wasn't as clear and it had more "noise".  And you have to tune it like you did the old T.V.'s - kind of funny.

It was important to me to get her to have long naps (at least 2 hours) and to do that I would go in and replace the pacifier when she would start to wake up and she would quickly go right back to sleep.  Which led into solid 2 hour naps.  I also would be able to move the pacifier when it fell out of her mouth because she would lay her cheek on top of it and that would wake her up.  I also could see when she spit up (she had really bad reflux) and I could go in and get her cleaned up so she wasn't laying in the wet and it wasn't drying on her face.

My camera's shutter is too loud to take a picture while she is sleeping in there so I get my pictures this way. 

Not to mention that you can see what she is doing when she is crying.  If she is just doing it because she wanted me to come in or if something was really wrong.

Of course, I love it the most for the sole fact that I catch the funniest, sweetest moments.  It was worth every penny when I caught this (and this was the only time she did this):

Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Yes. The warranty is great, the picture is wonderful, the noise is perfect and only pick's up her noises.  Many times I've heard a noise and thought to run in until I look at the monitor and see that it's in her sleep or that she is fine.  It's easy to grab and move around.  You can by extra monitors or camera's if you'd like.  And we run this thing constantly (naps and sleep time) and it is still performing really well.  I'm sure I could get away with no video just fine, but I kind of like this way too much - so why go without it?  I love technology!

"What Will You Do If It's A Boy?"

Cry.

I've been asked this question a lot. I don't ever remember asking someone, "but what if it's not what it is??" I think I just accepted it was what the ultrasound said it was and haven't been proven wrong. I usually get a laugh or a weird look when I tell people I'll cry. I really will. And let me explain why:

We have now known that we are having a daughter for 8 weeks - that's 2 months in pregnancy time! So, naturally, she has really become a she and we call her by her name and call her little girl and all that stuff. I've also bought some stuff for her and I'm very excited for a girl. Of course I'd be sad if I found out this little girl we have been preparing for isn't coming! Then I would get over it and be very excited about having a boy.

Does this mean we are having a boy? No. We are still pretty sure she is a she. But, we are having another ultrasound tomorrow at our appointment so, of course the question has been asked more frequently. After all of the tears I would box up all the beautiful girl stuff and start on my baby boy collection.

I mean.... look at what I have for her:
And this is just the first year. You can't see the box very well that I shipped it all home in, but I have other pictures I'll post later with it in them. It's a normal sized moving box. What's funny is when I laid all of this stuff out - I thought I had SO MUCH, then realized I have no onsies, pajamas, sweaters, leggings, sweats, coats, socks. Basically I have a dress or two for each month group (0-3, 3-6, 6-9.. ect...) and maybe a skirt and possibly a pajama. Yikes! I told Jaren, "I really don't have anything." And he looked at the pile, "WHAT?!" haha. I have stuff all the way to 2T. Buying anything bigger felt wierd. So... my shopping spree just gave me a few outfits for each age group. But since it's summer time and stores stock summery stuff, I have no winter stuff.

Man..... she is so expensive.

Babies Cost Lots of Money

I've been very good about not buying anything. Up until last week. But what are you supposed to do when you find out you are having a girl?! Or boy, I think I'd have spent just as much on a boy.

I refused to buy any clothes until I found out what I was having. I didn't want to buy girl clothes, then find out I was having a boy and just have them sit and take up space in the closet till we finally had a girl, or the other way around which would be the case now.

This has been my baby stuff purchasing journey so far:

October 2008

My mom came over to Rexburg for Mothers week and took me and my Sister in Law Stephanie to J.C. Penny's to get her some stuff since she had just found out she was having a boy. While there my mom said, "Whitney, you get to pick out a boy and girl outfit, too!" I was so excited. But sad, too, because this was while I was crying almost daily because I wanted a kid so bad and Jaren wasn't ready. I put the outfits in a bag and shoved them in the bottom of my closet. I pulled them out after I found out I wasn't pregnant in January - BIG MISTAKE. I cried and cried and cried and cried some more. So I haven't touched them until just a few days ago. I found just bunch of onsies that I liked the colors of for the boy. But went a little crazy for the girl.
Here is the girl outfit. Long sleeved onsie (she will be wearing this during the winter) with super cute jean dress! I couldn't stop there, I bought tights and socks. Well, my mom bought them. Thanks mom! You technically bought her her first outfit! Wait a second.. I bought a little dress last summer and handed it to Vic for Claire to wear since she fit into it then. So... you bought the second one! Thanks mommy!

June 2009

This is what I came back from Boise with. The blue plaid dress is the first thing I bought the day I found out what I was having. I got it at Target. It's 18 months.. so two years from this summer she can wear it! I love all of these.

These are my buying conditions: nothing under 6 months (because I figure that's what you will get at a baby shower) and nothing that I absolutly don't adore. That should weed out the justs "that's cute!" as opposed to the, "Oh my, that is beautiful!" My favorite thing here? Ummm.. between the brown skirt and the white onsie with super cute sleeves!! And I also love the sliver/grey dress with a hood. The brown onsie is 24 months! So weird to look at that and picture a little girl waddling around in it....
Here is a close up of the beautifulness of the skirt that I love. I really like things that are girly but not super pink and frills girly. More classy girly? Is that how to describe it? So I love this skirt and how it's brown striped and has that little detail of toole and sparkly thread. Next summer she'll be crawling around in this!

Here is the reason I love this one. The sleeves are beautiful. I think it would be so cute with a jean skirt or pants. Can you tell I love details? Again, this is frilly girly, but without the frills. I really hope I am making sense.

This is a close up of the grey dress. I love the color. How it's not just grey, it's sparkly. And the sleeves and dress isn't flat. I'm no good and describing things... I don't how else to explain it. And the little bits of pink - love that.

Here is the outfit that cost me 45 bucks. That's right... a dress, hat and shoes. I died when I saw it. How could I not?! I vowed this was the only thing that I would spend that much on and justified it by saying it was because I just found out it was a girl. And I loved it. And it's not a onsie, so if she doesn't get too round around the middle and neck she might be able to pull that off for longer than the 6-9 months. It could be a shirt with a pair of jeans (Jaren suggested that :) so proud!) And the shoes! They match, and can be worn with more than just this. And the hat! That matches too and can also be worn with more than just this.
Here is the dress by itself. Uhhh, I love tutu's. So girly, but the kind of girly I like and it's such a beautiful tutu!

Detail

The fabric under the tutu layer toole, thing. It's the same as the hat and bow in the above picture. I love it. LOVE. IT.
Onto the next dilemma. A stroller. Now, what I want is something that I can maneuver around a crowd of people easily, but also something that I can go jog with. I'm going to buy an infant car seat and an adapter for whatever I buy. I want something that will last for more than one or two or three or four kids. I do realize I might have to get a double with two, but I don't have to worry about that yet.

So, here is my first option. A B.O.B. I like it because it has the same name as my Dad. That's the whole reason I'm buying it. Kidding. I'm kidding. But really, my dad's name is Bob. What I like about this? Cheaper than my other option. Nice shocks and amazing reviews. Great maneuverability.
Second option: Baby Jogger. The store I went to called this the Cadillac of strollers. Can't argue with that. But it's another 50-60 bucks more than the BOB. I like the color better. Also, this has an adjustable handle which is great since I'm not even 5'4" and Jaren is 6'. I love all the view flaps that have magnets to hold them open. And closing this thing? AMAZING. Right where the harness is is a handle. You grab that and pull and wall-la! Folded stroller. The BOB has two things you have to do. You need both hands, you pinch two levers on each side of the handle and then behind the seat is a handle like that of the baby jogger's and you pull then it's folded. Both steer great. And both front wheels lock so you can go strait which is what you want for jogging. Oh, AND, where the kids legs fall on the Baby Jogger, that raises up and gives you access to the storage basket and can raise your kids legs if they want when you recline them so they can sleep.

Both of these are great and the price difference... well, it will help with the decision, but if I absolutly love the Baby Jogger then that wont stop me. I'm just having a hard time deciding. I'm reading wonderful reviews with both. The only thing that is pulling be more towards the BOB is that it is a more rugged stroller. And I live in the country and will be taking jogs on dirty roads. I might need the suspension and larger wheels it offers. And the price difference helps. Anyone have any experience with either of these? Advice? (Victoria, I know you just got a Bob... tell me all about it!)

Onto the most amazing wonderful find. While in Boise Lena took me to a baby botique so I could look at all of their strollers. Babies R Us didn't have the particular stroller I had been researching online. I still really like it, but it's too expensive, and you have to buy a car seat seperate and their car seats ONLY work with their strollers and vice versa. So, no option to buy a cheaper carseat even if I wanted that stroller. And, it isn't made to be jogged with. So I dismissed that right away and moved onto these two that I can't decide between.

But while we were there I walked past a crib with a beautiful bedding set. I looked and said, "WOW, that is beautiful!" Stared for a minute, then went and looked at everything else I was there to see. Then Lena and I walked around the store and looked at everything else. Oh, so beautiful. And so pricey! But I kept coming back to this bedding set. It's so pretty. I love everything about it. I started the drive home struggling. Thinking about it and imagining it and going over the pro's and con's. The only con? It's more expensive than we had bargained for for a crib set. I called my sister in law, Vicki and she looked at it and said what I knew and needed to hear. That it's beautiful and wonderful and that I should do it. And that we could make a lot of stuff to match it for the room.

I came home and talked to Jaren about it. Showed it to him, but he is a boy. And took my word for it. He said I can! I'm so excited. SO EXCITED. It will be used for every girl and the wall color will be a brown so it will be easy to change when we have a boy. This is the only thing I'm getting that is gender specific. Bedding. Everything else; carseat, bouncer, swing and high chair will be good for both boy and girl. When we have a boy the only thing we will need to buy is bedding and some clothes.

Well... feast your eyes. It's so beautiful! I just stare and stare. I go to the website and just sit there with it on. I'm on the hunt for the cheapest set. I've found it for 50 bucks cheaper than the store in Boise so that is comforting so far. But I'd like to find it for 100 bucks cheaper. We'll see.

Really, this picture doesn't do the details justice. It's absolutly amazing. Stunning.

I look at stuff all day! If anyone has any advice on anything baby, go ahead and give it. Things you wish you had known. Things you wish you had, things you wish you hadn't bought becuase you could go without. But also let me know what you think of all this stuff!