Love this book!

I didn't read many parenting/baby etc books this time around because I didn't have time and I had already read them the first time and hoped that I didn't forget everything! I did flip through what I had read before and got the main points.

After I had Graham, I was talking with a friend about some challenges I was having and she recommended the book, "Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay." My friend who recommended it doesn't have kids but she had many friends recommend this book to other new moms as a light hearted, real account of life as a new mom.

Well, I ordered the book on my Nook and finished it in a couple of days which is a feat with two kids! It was such an enjoyable, funny and real account of what it is like being a new mom. I will for sure be recommending this to new moms and might even add to my must give gifts at a baby shower and wish I read it the first time around.

So if you know someone about to have a baby, or you just had a baby, I highly recommend reading this and having a good laugh about life as a new mom!

The Stroller Has Arrived....

After a long wait, my stroller finally arrived yesterday afternoon!!! After getting over the initial burst of anger that the Fed Ex man rang the bell during Peyton's nap causing our dog to go crazy....I calmed Titus down, made sure Peyton was asleep and then dragged the box inside to start investigating.

First impression, the box was small that it came in (more thin than small) which was encouraging already. Pulled it out and it was super easy to put together. Quickly realized that the basket underneath is useless and you can unsnap some of the snaps on the side when you need to get in and out which will probably happen when we are on a long shopping trip when you don't need anything after you buy it.

Second impression, it fit through all the hallways and arches of my house. Did not fit through the door of Graham's room when I went to store it but overall pretty compact for a double stroller. A little more difficult to fold, kind of have to pull and wiggle but maybe that is just the newness?

LOVE the canopies! Very big and provide super coverage!

Now onto the accessories that cost a fortune when you added them up and turns out to not be very impressive and I am returning half of them.

1. Accessory #1: Parent Console - only goes on one side, a little weird to put on but all in all, I good purchase and design. It has two deep pockets with a Velcro lid so things don't dump out when folding etc and a cup holder. Satisfied!
2. Accessory #2: Bumper Bar - didn't realize how nice two separate adjustable bumper bars would be since they are both going to be such different ages but oh well. The only stroller that had that was the Bumble ride Indie Twin and that folds HUGE! In the end Peyton will probably be the primary user of the bumper bar to pull herself up and when Graham will need it she will either not care or maybe not even be in the stroller very much. Result...keeping it.
3. Accessory# 3: Snack Trays - STUPID DESIGN! They snap onto the bumper bar and then Velcro to secure. Seemed like a good idea but they are way too high even for Peyton and then when you adjust the bar, they tilt. And I noticed that they have to sit off to the side and not in front of the child which annoys me and causes me to mildly freak out that it isn't straight. Also, realized that two don't really fit on the bumper bar and it just seemed annoying. Result...returning to Amazon ASAP! I will be using these straps that I had for Peyton on my jogging stroller that Velcro around the cup so it won't fall out of the stroller and then using snack cups when they want a snack.
4. Accessory #4: Rain cover - it is a rain cover, nothing too exciting but it does fit well and is easy to put on.
5. Accessory #5: Car Seat Adapter - kind of disappointing on that as well which at 10:00 PM at night when you are putting it together almost made me want to return everything and cry out of pregnancy hormones. We finally got it together (pictures and directions were horrible) and got the car seat out and on it and it wasn't as secure as we would like and you essentially can't really fold the stroller with it on. It folds but it has this huge adapter hanging out there and is impractical for traveling. It would work if you have the time to be careful putting it in and out of your car but not when you are boarding a plane etc. Travel was the main reason I got it because if we were flying a long distance I would probably pay for Graham to have a seat, bring his car seat and he could sleep there so I wouldn't have my hands full with him while trying to care for Peyton and if by some miracle of God they both were sleeping, I could sleep as well without worrying about him. Well, we talked about it last night and realized that if I flew to Canada (most trips) I wouldn't pay for a seat for him since it is a short flight and I would just check his car seat like I did with Peyton. The stroller seats recline fully so he can use it from day one. If we were doing any other kind of travel then chances are John would be with me and we could do several options.... #1 use the double and he carry the empty car seat through the airport.... #2 use the snap and go and check the double and Peyton walk.....#3 use the snap and go, and the single umbrella for Peyton and check the double (silly as it would give us three strollers when we arrive somewhere)...so although those seem silly, it showed us that we have some options, it isn't as critical as we needed it and since I cant find a stroller that meets the car seat adapter function without compromising on weight and fold then I would rather just return it and get some money back....result...being returned!

So....after I return everything, I am going ahead and getting the travel bag so if I do want to check it or even store it etc I have that option.

Peyton loved it and climbed in and watched Dora yesterday afternoon while sitting in it and made sure to tell me that the baby will be going beside her. I love how small it folds, it only weighs 26 lbs which is heavy enough and the folding strap to keep it closed is a little annoying but easy to find and do and seems like it would hold it well enough.

Looking back the only other option that I think would have been a contender is the Bumble ride Indie Twin but especially now that I am returning accessories it would have been a whole bunch more and I can't over the additional 10 lbs it weighs and how big it is when it is folded and I just don't think that is practical when traveling. I am glad I didn't go with the Stroll Air My Duo because I love how Peyton can crawl in and out of the City Mini without any assistance and the Stroll Air seats were higher and also just seemed more appropriate for babies not tall and active toddlers.

So far, it is what I expected and hasn't exceeded my expectations but I am not disappointed (just with the accessories that I have to now return and deal with).

Stay tuned for when we really test this out...March and then hopefully more so this summer with some trips!

Waiting on my stroller...

So, I ordered my stroller (Baby Jogger City Mini Double) a couple of weeks ago and have gotten all the numerous accessories in the mail (bumper bar, snack trays, parent tray, rain cover and car seat adapter) but still no stroller! I know I don't need it for awhile but I really, really want to see it and start getting used to it!

Well, when I was in the hospital I got an email saying that Baby Jogger was delaying the launch of their 2011 models and that they wouldn't start releasing them until MARCH! And the color I wanted would be late March....some of the other colors go into April! Ugh!

So, the reason I went with the 2011 model was for one main change...addition of a PE board (plastic board) in the seat backs to prevent slouching, then they also added a Velcro strap to make the seat even more upright and the only other change I found was that you could remove one canopy and not the other unlike before were you had to remove both.

Well, the website that I ordered the stroller from www.pishposhbaby.com sent out an email offering the 2010 models at a discounted price with two free PE boards (plastic boards). Since the canopy issue is not that big of a deal and the reviews on the Velcro strap were modest and nothing great I decided to take up the offer. It ended up saving us just under $100 which is worth not having the two other changes. Stroller should ship tomorrow or Wednesday and hopefully be here soon! I am looking forward to practicing folding it, seeing how it fits in my car and putting all the accessories on it!

Baby Book

On Tuesday I didn't really have much to do when I dropped off Peyton at school so I wandered around aimlessly for a little bit and then decided that perhaps I should work on her baby book considering it is pretty much not started at all and we are about to have another one! I started writing, pulling picture files and by that night had made a really good dent into it. I still have a ways to go but I took really good records of her first year through pictures and writing developments etc on a calendar so it is pretty easy to fill out the book.

I had a hard time finding a baby book for Peyton and actually didn't find one until she was about a year old when my mom got her one. So, I decided that maybe I should also look into some books for Graham and decided if I can have whatever I want that I would like this one....with his name on it obviously!



It is from a seller on Etsy and you can check out the inside pages by clicking here. It looks like it has really nice pages inside to fill out, already comes with a calendar in the back and has extra blank pages to add in stuff that they don't have a spot for which I am having to do with Peyton's and then if you purchase the additional page packages (I like the outings and holidays one) you have a pretty comprehensive and easy to keep up with baby book.

Unfortunately when you price it all together for the book and extra pages it came to $80...not cheap.....so we will have to see! But I thought I would pass along my find of the day!

And the winner is.....

The Baby Jogger City Mini Double

After MUCH deliberation and many, many spreadsheets (I couldn't manage to capture pictures of them to post and show you) we decided to go with the Baby Jogger City Mini Double Stroller in Stone/Black.

Here is how it won....

• It is side by side


• It has two fully reclining seats that are easy to recline and with the 2011 model they add a back board to offer more support and solve an apparent slouching issue that parents complained about in the past


• It has two separate, retractable canopies with significant coverage and with 2011 model, they apparently fixed an issue where when you used the car seat adapter you had to remove the canopy. Now the canopy can remain in place with the adapter in use.


• It is small enough to fit through most doorways


• It is one of the smallest when folded with wheels still on and is only 10" inches high when folded which is considerably smaller than most strollers in this category


• It is also pretty light and was the lightest of my finalists which makes me picking it up and putting it in the car easier


• It doesn't have an automatic lock when folding but for putting it in/out of the car it holds its fold and when traveling it does have Velcro straps that you can attach and we might look at getting a travel bag depending on how we feel the straps hold up when moving...at the same time that would be a pain to deal with at the end of the Jetway boarding with two kids!


• Not as easy as I would like for a fold as it does require two hands but for the category of stroller it is in, it is the easiest. The only way to avoid a two handed fold would be go with Maclaren Triumph which is an umbrella stroller and didn't have the smoothness for long walks that I wanted


• It is compatible with my car seat. Although it took buying an adapter for more than I would have liked to pay, it is adaptable and after talking through scenarios with John we feel it would work best for us and was worth it. And since this was the cheapest option of my finalists, even with the adapter we stayed lower than some of the others.


• The storage is there but completely not accessible other than small things. However, when I evaluated how much storage I need now, I realized it wouldn't be that big of an issue....or at least I hope so!


• Able to handle brisk long walks, as well as trips to mall/zoo etc. Will not be able to be used for jogging but as I thought about it more and more, I stopped taking Peyton jogging awhile ago because she was so heavy...why would it be any different with two kids! And I have a wonderful jogging stroller for me and Graham and whenever I get a dose of super mom strength and decide to take Peyton.


• No adjustable handlebar for John but honestly I use the stroller more than he does so it became void


• It did take about $100 more in accessories (rain cover, parent console, snack trays, bumper bar) but again the price point was the lowest of my finalists so when I added all of those (and considered what accessories would need to be added to other strollers) this stroller still came out the cheapest


• Finally....I have seen it in person and Peyton liked it and I have several friends who highly recommended it that have used the single version and now bought the double for their kids.

After a LONG time researching I finally did it and ordered the stroller but since I wanted the 2011 model (they made several modifications that I feel were worth the $30 price increase) I have to wait....they said they start shipping January 8 but we will see, for now I am on a pre-order list expected to arrive 1/13-1/19.

I am so happy to have that baby to-do checked off of my list....and even happier that there are very, very few more baby stuff left to do!

My quest for the perfect stroller

So I have been searching off and on for a couple of months now for the "perfect" stroller for our soon to be 2 kids. I really thought it would be super easy but as I am finding the stroller that meets all of my needs either doesn't exist or is not out yet and when it comes out will probably be way too much and pretty much to get what I want I will have to either eliminate a whole set of needs or buy two strollers.

Before I go into this quest more I will tell you about an amazing stroller I found that is not out yet but I would so want called the Bugaboo Donkey. Weird name but exactly what I want (minus the whole jogging part). Check out the promo videos here! I love how versatile it seems, how fashionable it looks and I just love it! But considering their single versions are starting at $880 and this is a new must have and hot item that I am sure will be in the thousands, I am not going to think about it anymore! Oh..... and this isn't even out yet....although they did say Spring 2011!!!!

To give you an idea of my journey thus far (and just to let you know I still don't have a stroller picked out)......

Here are my must haves:

• Would prefer a side by side double stroller as opposed to tandem or the jumper seat styles
• 2 fully reclining seats
• 2 separate and retractable canopies with significant coverage
• Small enough width to fit through most standard doors (usually 30" or less)
• Small folded size to fit in small cars (with wheels still on) as well as my 4 Runner
• Easy to fold as I travel with Peyton a bunch by myself and would probably do so with both kids and need to be able to fold it with not too much work
• Automatic lock when folded
• Would like it to be compatible with my current car seat (even if I have to buy an adapter) but not a must have as long as it fully reclines for an infant.
• Accessible under seat storage. Doesn't need to be a whole lot of space but I need to be able to get to the space I have.
• Able to handle brisk walks around the neighborhood (would prefer ability to jog as well but would compromise since I have a jogging stroller and probably wouldn't want to push two kids) as well as trips to the store, around airports etc
• Adjustable handlebar for John
• Finally, comes with some accessories so I am not adding $100 plus to the cost for cup holders, snack trays, rain covers etc.

Here is list of the brands I started with: Combi, PegPerego, Valco, Britax, MacClaren, Phil&Teds, Mtn Buggy, Inglesina, Baby Jogger, Bob, Tike Tech, Abie, Bumbleride, Chicco, StrollAir, EasyWalker, Zooper, Joovy, Mutsy, MaxiCosi, Micralite, Bugabo, Orbit, Mamas&Papas, Guzie&Guss, Uppa Baby, Teutiona, Quinny, Cybex, i'Coo and Aprica.

Here is the brands/models that made the next list: Baby Jogger City Mini Double, Baby Jogger Elite Double, Easy Walker Duo BOB Revolution, Tike Tech All Terrain X3 Sport, Valco Tri Mode EX Twin, Valco Latitude EX, Mountain Buggy Duo, Stroll Air My Duo, MacClaren Twin Techno

Here is what I don't like about my above finalists or at least the ones still in the running:

Baby Jogger City Mini Double: Although one of the smaller folding it is still pretty large folded and certainly not easy in my opinion to fold or at least I had a hard time figuring it out at the store and there is no automatic locking mechanism. You can not access the storage below at all, very hard to get to and use. For the size and style, I would like it to have the ability to be a running stroller as well. No adjustable handlebar. No accessories included and although car seat compatible, when you add the adapter and other wanted accessories you add $188 to the base price.

BOB Revolution Dualie: Slightly wider at 30.8" and although it is only .8" I wonder how much that would affect going through spaces. Seems easy to fold, no automatic locking mechanism and it seems pretty big when folded even when you remove wheels. Nice storage in both seat backs and underneath. I can run with this one! And since you can either have swivel wheels or fixed (and change at the touch of a button) it would make running errands easy as well. Not adaptable with my car seat and again accessories add about $80-100 to base price. Since the accessories are not as much as Baby Jogger City Mini, it does help compensate for the increased base price of the BOB.

Valco Tri Mode EX Twin: The narrowest of my top choices at 28". Can't find a video of how it folds and they don't sell them in any stores around here so I am not sure how that works. I think it has an automatic lock or at least a better system for manually doing it but not sure. Does have smaller folding dimensions at 28x29x18 but without seeing it still can't have a good grasp on how it would fit in the Civic. Seems to have decent storage and easily accessible. When you add the accessories you would want you add about $60 to the base price making it the most expensive one on my finalist list which is hard for me to swallow since I still couldn't jog with it but it is small enough for errands, brisk walking and seems like it could travel well.

Stroll Air My Duo: I stand corrected...this is the most expensive option and since it is not sold in Texas, I am having a hard time buying something I can't see even if I really like it. It is narrow at 29", it folds easily from the videos I have seen and small at 29x29x10 and has an automatic lock when folded. It has an adjustable handlebar, easy to access storage. It can't be used for jogging. It does have a really nice feature of two separate removable seats so I can have one kid facing me and one kid facing out, both facing me or both facing out. Comes with most accessories I would need. I am a little worried on seat width and height since I have a tall toddler. Mostly I really like it but don't know why I don't LOVE it.

Maclaren Twin Techno: An umbrella style stroller which compromises on the ease of pushing with brisk walking and totally eliminates any potential for running but I have a Maclaren single for Peyton and it is perfect for trips to the mall etc. Great accessible storage, fully reclining seats with separate canopies, compact, small folding, automatic lock when folded. Pretty much great but I would like something easier to walk with for exercise etc. which leads me to think that I would need two strollers to solve my problem, this one and then an exercise/more SUV like stroller but who wants to collect strollers?

So, I leave you with these questions....

1. Anyone with two kids or more have any recommendations on strollers?
2. Anyone...two kids or not....have a brand that they are so incredibly happy with so I can look into their double options?
3. Any good sites for reviews? I have looked at Baby Gizmo, Stroller Queen mostly.
4. Any other comments, help?

Have to take a break from the quest for now as Peyton is waking up from her nap.....hopefully I find something before Graham comes!

Peyton's New Lazy Boy

I had an bad day today! It was so frustrating!

So...yesterday I was thinking about how big Peyton has gotten and how many of her "baby" things are needing to be stored. We have already stored the swing, her bouncer is about to go up and of course there are an insane amount of clothes I need to organize and store. Then I was thinking about her car seat. I knew there was a weight limit but I was wondering about the height limit. Well there is one...30 inches. She was 27.5 inches at her 6 month appointment and so when she woke up I measured her and she was 29 inches. Time to get a new car seat. Great...

So, yesterday I went to Babies R Us to browse and then came home and did a ton of research. I settled on the Britax brand so I headed back to Babies R Us to check them out and put Peyton in them to see what I liked. I arrive there and am in the car seat aisle with Peyton in one hand (because she is being cranky) and trying to pull car seat floor samples down with

the other hand. FOUR employees...yes FOUR...walk by and look right at me without offering any help. It took forever but I finally chose one and then lifted the huge box into the cart by myself and checked out. They never asked me at the front if I needed help to my car even though they saw I had my hands full. So I finally get outside and the stupid box doesn't fit in the car. UGH! So, I take the car seat out of the box, dismantle the box in case I need to return, try to get everything in my car (total time about 20 minutes) all the meanwhile THREE employees were outside picking up carts and no one offered to help me. Are you kidding!?! I was furious and it didn't help that Peyton was hungry for lunch and letting me know it. I finally got home and on my way home I called the store to complain. I never call to complain but I was so mad. The manager was apologetic especially when I told him I was so frustrated that I almost wanted to come back and return the item and never shop there again but since I have a hungry baby it wasn't worth it. 

So we get home, I feed Peyton lunch, she falls asleep and I go outside to inspect this expensive and troublesome purchase. I put it in the back seat and it is HUGE! It looks like a space ship chair! Which means that the passenger seat has to go way up. I just lost it! I was so frustrated, tired, and annoyed. Well, John came home later and we looked at it again and I decided to get the other model because it was not as bulky so I made another trip to BRU but solo this time. I exchanged the car seat and the new box fit in the car. When I got home it is still big and bulky but not as bad and honestly when we can turn it around from rear facing to forward the passenger side gets a whole lot more room. It will have to do until we decide to buy a new car which our original plan is not until next Summer at the earliest. 

A long and frustrating day which means I did not install the new car seat and will attempt

that tomorrow. But I am excited about what we got...the Britax Marathon. It was a highly rated car seat and even recommended by several friends so I am happy with what we went with. 

Even more exciting was that this was the first non gender neutral big thing that I have got for Peyton. We have been good about getting gender neutral big ticket items but when I did the planning on how long Peyton will be in this seat and when we are planning on a second child and when baby #2 will need a bigger car seat there is about 12-18 month overlap where both of them will need to be in a convertible seat so that means that Peyton can have the girl one and if our plan doesn't work out and baby #2 needs this seat and it is a boy they do sell covers for not that much.

And because I am crazy...I decided to rearrange the living room tonight to relax...

Shopping Cart Cover

Uncle Ron gave us a gift card to redeem on a gift website where there are several items you can choose from in a certain price range. We had a lot of the stuff but one of the items you could choose from was a shopping cart cover. We still have a couple more months until we can use it but we are pretty excited that we were able to get one as a gift and it is pretty fun and brightly colored which I am sure Peyton will love! Thanks Uncle Ron!

Highly Recommended Baby Gear

I have been meaning to write up a post of the baby gear that I can't live without for my friends who recently had babies or are planning on starting their family soon. 

1. Fisher Price Rain forest Bouncer: as you could probably tell from any of Peyton's pictures. She loves this thing! It has proven to be incredibly helpful in keeping her upright to help control her reflux and it goes with us everywhere. The bar is removable so they don't always have to look at it but lately she has started showing interest and loves it! 
2. Skip Hop Dash Deluxe Diaper Bag and Accessories: I did a bunch of searching for a diaper bag that was manly enough for John to carry and this diaper bag is worth the money! It fits everything I need and I love that it is a messenger bag because it is easier to carry and you don't have to worry about it falling off your shoulder when you are bending over the stroller or in the car. What is also great about this is the stroller straps which allows you to not have to always carry it and saves room in the basket underneath and finally it has tons of other pieces that match and also have great features. I have the bottle bags, pacifier bag and a smaller changing kit bag. A great buy!
3. Sleep Positioner: This has allowed me to go to sleep peacefully knowing that Peyton is secure on her back and won't roll over, also it helps with her reflux and also with drainage with her cold. All around a great product and it helps her feel more secure when sleeping with the arms on either side!
4. Graco Pack n' Play: There are many brands and I am sure they are all great. Mostly I just recommend having some sort of sleeping contraption for your infant in your room for those early weeks especially if you have a c-section. It was so nice to have Peyton a couple steps away for those first six weeks. I was able to learn how she sleeps so I know now when to get up and what sounds mean on the monitor and it was easier for my recovery. Also, it proved to be very helpful during the hurricane evacuation and we will be using it when we go up to Canada.
5. Boppy Pillow and Nursing Cover: Breast feeding can be tricky and the Boppy pillow helps so much in those early weeks and still now to help position your baby and not wear your arm out trying to hold them up. It was also really helpful in not putting too much pressure on my incision. Also, if you are planning to breast feed and are planning to leave the house ever, a nursing cover helps out a bunch and allows you to nurse pretty much anywhere with privacy.
6. Miscellaneous items that are helpful and I find myself using daily are Gerber Pre-fold cloth diapers as burp rags, receiving blankets, and Soothies pacifiers (like the one you get in the hospital) and of course diapers (I prefer Huggies over Pampers)

Finally, if you have any other questions or want my opinion on anything else baby gear related let me know. I did a good amount of research before buying pretty much everything and so far have been very pleased with all of our purchases.

The Baby Whisperer

Just after Peyton was born someone recommended the book Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect and Communicate with Your Baby by Tracy Hogg. I just finished it the other day and I highly recommend it. 

It has some of the similar principles of the BabyWise books but were a couple of things in the BabyWise book  that I disagreed with and the Baby Whisperer was more in line with with my views on sleep and how to respond to crying during sleep time. Overall though this book implements a schedule called EASY (eat, activity, sleep and then your time) which is similar to BabyWise's Eat, Play, Sleep but beyond that has really great tips on bonding and interacting with your baby during those times. 

The book also has some interesting quizzes on helping you determine what kind of baby you have (angel, textbook, touchy, grumpy) and gives you personality profiles that help you respond appropriately to your infant. It also has a quiz to help you understand your personality and how it relates to schedules so that you can be aware of what level of structure you need in your life.

Overall a great read and I highly recommend!

Recommended Books

Prior to Peyton's arrival, I had several books recommended to me by a friend and a new parent. They were all very helpful and I have already implemented things from each of them with Peyton. Now that she is here I have recently bought two new books to read and am hoping they will be as equally helpful. 

Here are the books that I have already read:

• The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp - Peyton is not really a fussy baby so we haven't had to implement too much of his techniques but we have swaddled Peyton from the beginning and she loves it. When she does start fussy his techniques immediately calm her down.
• So That's What They're For! by Janet Tamaro- If you are planning on breast feeding this book is amazing. I found it to be so helpful and it made me so confident prior to Peyton's arrival and a great reference since. 
• What To Expect the First Year- A great resource for common questions. I read through month 2 prior to Peyton's birth and it was very helpful.
• On Becoming Baby Wise, Giving Your Infant the Gift of Newborn Sleep by Gary Ezzo- Although I don't agree with everything in his book it was a good read and has been helpful in gaining different perspectives.

Books I recently bought and are waiting to read:

• Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect and Communicate with Your Baby by Tracy Hogg
• The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two by William Sears