Ahhh, yes, the crazy continues.
Do you pay attention to the parabens, phthalates, sulfates and other -ates in the myriad of products in your bathroom? I swear, I'm just now getting a handle on the food in our house and the sunscreen we use, and now I feel the need to tackle every other product in our house.
I don't know where I picked up the bug, but it seems there has been an article in every magazine that has entered our house in the last few months about the dangers of lurking chemicals. I have paid pretty close attention to the products we use for Girly, but you will be surprised by the 'dangerous' chemicals that are in a lot of those products if you read carefully. Just because it looks healthy or natural doesn't mean it is. I haven't thought much about what the adults in this house use, which is kind of silly. If I care about one of us, I should care about all of us.
There is certainly a lot of debate about whether these things are actually dangerous or not. I guess I am choosing to err on the side of caution ... if I can find a product that is equally good without them, why not use it?
Therein lies the problem, though, because it can be a big challenge to actually find a product that you like equally as well. I have searched a lot on the Cosmetic Safety Database, which seems to be a good resource, but it can be a challenge to find a lot of their highest rated products without going to the ends of the earth or spending my whole paycheck on internet shipping.
This is a (seemingly) balanced article from Real Simple: What are parabens and do I need to worry about them? I think it makes sense to take a logical approach to changing your products. Start with the products you use the most (hand soap, body soap, shampoo/conditioner, lotion) and those that cover a large percentage of your skin.
I've just been replacing products when they run out with a 'better' option. It seems wasteful to run out and replace everything all at once. I'm also pretty budget conscious, which can be challenging because many of these products are $pricey$. So far, I am liking the Kiss My Face lotion and Whole Foods 365 mint shampoo and conditioner. Surprisingly, Costco also has a citrus bodywash and shampoo and conditioner that are paraben and phthalate free. I really like the California Baby stuff for Girly, but Johnson and Johnson just came out with a Natural option that looks promising. I had already been using an Arbonne skin care system, which is also free of a lot of the nastiness. Sadly, our beloved Cetaphil does have some of the nastiness, which is just sad because that is a good product that is hard to replace.
I haven't tackled shaving cream yet, or make-up or hair products. You curly-haired girls know what I am talking about - it is quite the gamble to switch up the products and I hate to spend money on something that might not work. Baby steps ....
What are the good products you use?
Showing posts with label bath. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bath. Show all posts
Friday, October 1, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
87
No joke. This is an estimate of the number of pieces that came with the first round of birthday / Christmas toys. Accordingly, it is also the number of pieces of plastic that are strewn across our floor every single day.
No one tells you that. When you have a baby, you think your house fills up with baby gear quickly. Swing, pack and play, bouncy seat, exersaucer ... the list goes on. The toys; however, are kept to a minimum. They are containable. They come in one piece.
I actually found a "lull" in the baby-takeover of our house around 6-9 months ... our Girl wasn't old enough to strew things about, but she had outgrown a lot of the big gear. Nice.
At 12 months, though, an explosion!
Mind you, these toys are well-loved and played with every day. (Multiple times a day). I just wish we could fast forward to the part where she picks up all of the pieces (with regularity).
I have always bought books for gifts - good on so many levels. I recognize now, though, that one of the best reasons is because they are flat and come in one piece! (A basket of books, though, is just as easy to spread across the floor. At times, part of our living room looks as if the floor was tiled with books).
So ... in no particular order ... these are the most popular toys at our house with a 1-year-old.
Buyer beware! :)
Melissa and Doug Bird House Shape Sorter
Put & Peek Doghouse by Manhattan Toy
*This has been a favorite for a LONG time - was shared by family. She would shake and chew on the dogs long before she could put them in and out of the house.
Alex Jr. First Snaps Building Toy
*This was the sleeper hit of the Santa gifts. It may be because she sucks on them as they were pacifiers, but she loves these little things. And, she spontaneously emptied the bucket, spread them all over the room, and then picked them all up. There is hope!
Educo Shake'n Match Shape Sorter
Rub a Dub Big Scoop by Alex
These are extra-popular for chewing on and are now an outside-the-bath toy.
Rub a Dub Dirty Dogs by Alex
Our Girl is obsessed with dogs. These are excellent for chewing and squirting water in the tub!
Discovery Toys Measure Up! Cups
LeapFrog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set
* Girly loves this, but I have a love-hate relationship with the singing farmer.
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Counting Friends Phone
(similar)
Hasbro Playskool Lullaby Gloworm
(similar)
I wasn't sure if our Girl would want a "baby" yet, but she does hug and love on this one. And stomp its belly to play music.
Fisher Price Laugh & Learn My Pretty Learning Purse
We've had this one for a long time, but it is still a favorite.
There you have it. We'll see how long these remain favorites.
Also, our Parents as Teachers gal came on Friday for our 14 month visit. She said that the amount of block play that toddlers participate in is directly correlated with a child's success in middle school and high school. (Something about math and science and the words parents use to describe the things you build with blocks - sounds good to me. ) We do have some bigger soft blocks, but no small wooden blocks ... seems those are in order, too.
So, what's that? 24 more pieces or something?
Awesome.
No one tells you that. When you have a baby, you think your house fills up with baby gear quickly. Swing, pack and play, bouncy seat, exersaucer ... the list goes on. The toys; however, are kept to a minimum. They are containable. They come in one piece.
I actually found a "lull" in the baby-takeover of our house around 6-9 months ... our Girl wasn't old enough to strew things about, but she had outgrown a lot of the big gear. Nice.
At 12 months, though, an explosion!
Mind you, these toys are well-loved and played with every day. (Multiple times a day). I just wish we could fast forward to the part where she picks up all of the pieces (with regularity).
I have always bought books for gifts - good on so many levels. I recognize now, though, that one of the best reasons is because they are flat and come in one piece! (A basket of books, though, is just as easy to spread across the floor. At times, part of our living room looks as if the floor was tiled with books).
So ... in no particular order ... these are the most popular toys at our house with a 1-year-old.
Buyer beware! :)
*This has been a favorite for a LONG time - was shared by family. She would shake and chew on the dogs long before she could put them in and out of the house.
*This was the sleeper hit of the Santa gifts. It may be because she sucks on them as they were pacifiers, but she loves these little things. And, she spontaneously emptied the bucket, spread them all over the room, and then picked them all up. There is hope!
Educo Shake'n Match Shape Sorter
Rub a Dub Big Scoop by Alex
These are extra-popular for chewing on and are now an outside-the-bath toy.
Rub a Dub Dirty Dogs by Alex
Our Girl is obsessed with dogs. These are excellent for chewing and squirting water in the tub!
Discovery Toys Measure Up! Cups
LeapFrog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set
* Girly loves this, but I have a love-hate relationship with the singing farmer.
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Counting Friends Phone
(similar)
Hasbro Playskool Lullaby Gloworm
(similar)
I wasn't sure if our Girl would want a "baby" yet, but she does hug and love on this one. And stomp its belly to play music.
Fisher Price Laugh & Learn My Pretty Learning Purse
We've had this one for a long time, but it is still a favorite.
There you have it. We'll see how long these remain favorites.
Also, our Parents as Teachers gal came on Friday for our 14 month visit. She said that the amount of block play that toddlers participate in is directly correlated with a child's success in middle school and high school. (Something about math and science and the words parents use to describe the things you build with blocks - sounds good to me. ) We do have some bigger soft blocks, but no small wooden blocks ... seems those are in order, too.
So, what's that? 24 more pieces or something?
Awesome.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Registering
I was just passing along some tips to a friend who is pondering her baby registry and I thought it might be helpful to hear about how I went about the process ...
And it is a process.
As you can imagine, I had about 82 pieces of paper of all sizes piled in various places around the house with baby items I had to have.
Our little Gal was a bit of a surprise, but in retrospect, I still probably had a touch of the baby fever. I am a big fan of the internets and I read a LOT of blogs. I read some baby/parenting blogs before I was even pregnant, but I also read a lot of random blogs and design blogs and baby items would pop up from time to time. I just kept a running list by my computer. Now I do a similar thing with a Word document on my laptop. It is helpful for those items for bigger kids that I don't want to forget about.
So, when it came time to register, I had a list of items to consider. I still did TONS of research anywhere I could. Consumer Reports was really helpful for the safety items, car seat and stroller in particular. I read lots of reviews on the Babies r' Us website and on Amazon. True, you don't know anything about the people who write these reviews, but I still think you can get the general idea. I just learned about ZRecs and have found some helpful things there, too.
I also searched for registries of my friends who were pregnant or recently had a baby. It was a good cheat sheet to start with and I, of course, also emailed lots of questions to lots of people.
I chose to register only at Babies r' Us and a local baby store that had our baby furniture. I printed off the Must Have list and made notes at home about what I wanted in an effort to streamline the actual registering process. I, of course, picked several items that were only available online, which will be more or less of an issue depending where you live in relation to your friends and family.
Take someone with you when you register. My mom and I went during the day on a week day, which is KEY. Avoid Babies r' Us on the weekend at all costs!
Save ALL gift receipts! Babies r'Us has some ridiculous return policies and I have been stuck more than once. How you are supposed to know in advance that your baby won't use or won't like an item when they are 6 months old is beyond me. Also, if you get multiples of the same item (like baby bottles), don't open and wash all of them until you know your baby likes them.
If you are lucky enough to have wonderful friends and family like we do, you will get an embarrassing number of darling baby gifts. Like when you get married, it is so humbling that the special people in your life are SO nice. Truly, nice beyond belief.
The Girl was gifted with a number of burp cloths, bibs, blankets, bitty baby clothes and socks! I have loved every bit of it and find that I gravitate toward similar things when I buy baby gifts for other people. My point is this - don't register for these things!
Also, if you are smarter than me, you might find a way to assess what size baby clothes you get and trade some in for bigger sizes if needed. I can barely get every 0-6 month outfit on the Girl before she outgrows it, but the 6-12 month pile is tiny in comparison. (With grandparents close by, however, she won't go naked ...)
At 6 months, some of my everyday necessities are: sleep sack, pacifiers, changing pad, Lilly Padz, Medela Freestyle Pump, Medela bottles, Green to Grow bottles, Bumpy Name labels, bottle drying rack, dishwasher basket, milk storage bags, milk organizer, baby bathtub, Boppy, car mirror.
Bottom line, you will register for more than you need, and you will need many more things after your baby arrives. Use common sense - if it seems ridiculous, it probably is. There is a fine line between baby innovation and parent suckering. Also, think about how many outlets you have in your nursery and how many items you choose that need to be plugged in!
And, remember, one of the best things about being pregnant is that all of your nice friends will visit Babies r'Us to get goodies for your baby so YOU don't have to go!
And it is a process.
As you can imagine, I had about 82 pieces of paper of all sizes piled in various places around the house with baby items I had to have.
Our little Gal was a bit of a surprise, but in retrospect, I still probably had a touch of the baby fever. I am a big fan of the internets and I read a LOT of blogs. I read some baby/parenting blogs before I was even pregnant, but I also read a lot of random blogs and design blogs and baby items would pop up from time to time. I just kept a running list by my computer. Now I do a similar thing with a Word document on my laptop. It is helpful for those items for bigger kids that I don't want to forget about.
So, when it came time to register, I had a list of items to consider. I still did TONS of research anywhere I could. Consumer Reports was really helpful for the safety items, car seat and stroller in particular. I read lots of reviews on the Babies r' Us website and on Amazon. True, you don't know anything about the people who write these reviews, but I still think you can get the general idea. I just learned about ZRecs and have found some helpful things there, too.
I also searched for registries of my friends who were pregnant or recently had a baby. It was a good cheat sheet to start with and I, of course, also emailed lots of questions to lots of people.
I chose to register only at Babies r' Us and a local baby store that had our baby furniture. I printed off the Must Have list and made notes at home about what I wanted in an effort to streamline the actual registering process. I, of course, picked several items that were only available online, which will be more or less of an issue depending where you live in relation to your friends and family.
Take someone with you when you register. My mom and I went during the day on a week day, which is KEY. Avoid Babies r' Us on the weekend at all costs!
Save ALL gift receipts! Babies r'Us has some ridiculous return policies and I have been stuck more than once. How you are supposed to know in advance that your baby won't use or won't like an item when they are 6 months old is beyond me. Also, if you get multiples of the same item (like baby bottles), don't open and wash all of them until you know your baby likes them.
If you are lucky enough to have wonderful friends and family like we do, you will get an embarrassing number of darling baby gifts. Like when you get married, it is so humbling that the special people in your life are SO nice. Truly, nice beyond belief.
The Girl was gifted with a number of burp cloths, bibs, blankets, bitty baby clothes and socks! I have loved every bit of it and find that I gravitate toward similar things when I buy baby gifts for other people. My point is this - don't register for these things!
Also, if you are smarter than me, you might find a way to assess what size baby clothes you get and trade some in for bigger sizes if needed. I can barely get every 0-6 month outfit on the Girl before she outgrows it, but the 6-12 month pile is tiny in comparison. (With grandparents close by, however, she won't go naked ...)
At 6 months, some of my everyday necessities are: sleep sack, pacifiers, changing pad, Lilly Padz, Medela Freestyle Pump, Medela bottles, Green to Grow bottles, Bumpy Name labels, bottle drying rack, dishwasher basket, milk storage bags, milk organizer, baby bathtub, Boppy, car mirror.
Bottom line, you will register for more than you need, and you will need many more things after your baby arrives. Use common sense - if it seems ridiculous, it probably is. There is a fine line between baby innovation and parent suckering. Also, think about how many outlets you have in your nursery and how many items you choose that need to be plugged in!
And, remember, one of the best things about being pregnant is that all of your nice friends will visit Babies r'Us to get goodies for your baby so YOU don't have to go!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
My daughter can read!
That has to be the explanation.
It is clear that she wriggled her way over to my laptop, checked out the blog, and read all about my efforts to get her on schedule.
And she laughed that great baby laugh.
"Ha, Mom! You think you know me? Think again!"
This time I was prepared for change, I just wasn't prepared for the when. Already? Didn't we just do this?
When your daycare teachers start to comment on needing a new nap schedule and they make jokes like, "See, she's telling you she doesn't like her schedule!", I guess it is time to give in.
I'm hesitant because it is the change to the FOUR HOUR SCHEDULE. This is 4 feedings. This is 2 naps. This is BIG. (Well, big in my exciting world of over-analyzing your 5-month-old). I do feel like it is significant - she will likely (!) be on this schedule for about the next 6 months and I don't want to rush it.
She isn't showing me the signs I am looking for that indicate I need to make the switch. She isn't sleeping through her feedings (rather, it is the opposite - she is up early and needs to be entertained before it is time to eat), and she isn't acting uninterested in eating (again, the opposite - she acts like she has never seen food before).
On the flip side, she has been taking 3-4 short naps and she really does need to move to 2 better naps. It is more restful for her and will make my life easier being home only twice a day instead of four times a day. Plus, her teachers will like me again.
I initially thought I would mess with her schedule to keep 5 feedings and 3 naps, but the math just doesn't work with a 6am wake time and a 7pm bedtime and a 430pm pick up at daycare. Not to mention that at 6 months she really should be at 2 naps and that is only a few weeks away.
I decided to take advantage of the Memorial Day holiday to move to the 4 hour schedule. She'll be home with me for 5 days in a row and I think we can set the stage pretty well. Between now and then I'll move her feedings around and try to get 2 good naps and 1 catnap in the afternoons. We'll end up with feedings at 6a, 10a, 2p and 6p. Lots of kids do well with 12 hours of sleep at night, but if she goes to bed at 630, her Dad will never see her. So, I think she'll eat and have a bath and be in bed at 7pm.
Who wouldn't like that?
After her 6 month check-up we will start to add solids, so don't worry, I'll still have something to hyper focus on.
It is clear that she wriggled her way over to my laptop, checked out the blog, and read all about my efforts to get her on schedule.
And she laughed that great baby laugh.
"Ha, Mom! You think you know me? Think again!"
This time I was prepared for change, I just wasn't prepared for the when. Already? Didn't we just do this?
When your daycare teachers start to comment on needing a new nap schedule and they make jokes like, "See, she's telling you she doesn't like her schedule!", I guess it is time to give in.
I'm hesitant because it is the change to the FOUR HOUR SCHEDULE. This is 4 feedings. This is 2 naps. This is BIG. (Well, big in my exciting world of over-analyzing your 5-month-old). I do feel like it is significant - she will likely (!) be on this schedule for about the next 6 months and I don't want to rush it.
She isn't showing me the signs I am looking for that indicate I need to make the switch. She isn't sleeping through her feedings (rather, it is the opposite - she is up early and needs to be entertained before it is time to eat), and she isn't acting uninterested in eating (again, the opposite - she acts like she has never seen food before).
On the flip side, she has been taking 3-4 short naps and she really does need to move to 2 better naps. It is more restful for her and will make my life easier being home only twice a day instead of four times a day. Plus, her teachers will like me again.
I initially thought I would mess with her schedule to keep 5 feedings and 3 naps, but the math just doesn't work with a 6am wake time and a 7pm bedtime and a 430pm pick up at daycare. Not to mention that at 6 months she really should be at 2 naps and that is only a few weeks away.
I decided to take advantage of the Memorial Day holiday to move to the 4 hour schedule. She'll be home with me for 5 days in a row and I think we can set the stage pretty well. Between now and then I'll move her feedings around and try to get 2 good naps and 1 catnap in the afternoons. We'll end up with feedings at 6a, 10a, 2p and 6p. Lots of kids do well with 12 hours of sleep at night, but if she goes to bed at 630, her Dad will never see her. So, I think she'll eat and have a bath and be in bed at 7pm.
Who wouldn't like that?
After her 6 month check-up we will start to add solids, so don't worry, I'll still have something to hyper focus on.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Bath time
The Girl loves her bathtime! It was certainly stressful at first - those wet babies are slippery! - but it is fun now.
Our first several baths were sponge baths next to the kitchen sink. The Girl did not appreciate those, although it got slightly better when I learned to leave the water running - she liked the noise.
After we moved to the baby tub, it was great! We still use a baby tub in our kitchen sink because we don't really have any counter space in our bathrooms and I am trying to save my knees and back as long as possible before transitioning to the real bathtub.
We use this tub and it has worked very well.
I love the Aveeno babywash (smells so good!) and lavendar lotion. We use Cetaphil for faces and Aquaphor for crackly hands and feet.
Several friends gave us big fluffy hooded towels for the Girl - work much better than the thin baby ones. I do like baby washcloths, though - gentle for faces.
Our first several baths were sponge baths next to the kitchen sink. The Girl did not appreciate those, although it got slightly better when I learned to leave the water running - she liked the noise.
After we moved to the baby tub, it was great! We still use a baby tub in our kitchen sink because we don't really have any counter space in our bathrooms and I am trying to save my knees and back as long as possible before transitioning to the real bathtub.
We use this tub and it has worked very well.
I love the Aveeno babywash (smells so good!) and lavendar lotion. We use Cetaphil for faces and Aquaphor for crackly hands and feet.
Several friends gave us big fluffy hooded towels for the Girl - work much better than the thin baby ones. I do like baby washcloths, though - gentle for faces.
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