Posts by Sarah:
- Dress up your baby: Find your baby an appropriate outfit to mark the occasion. Think of something with cute red hearts all over—the perfect choice for any baby’s first Valentine’s Day.
- Have a photo session with your baby: Take lots of pictures to keep the memories of this day alive. Let your baby pose with different people amongst your friends and family members, with pets, and in different situations. You can later compile these into a scrapbook and preserve the memories of your baby’s first Valentine’s Day.
- Prepare a special treat: Serve your baby your love in the form of a tasty treat. Use heart-shaped pans to make your baby some Valentine’s Day cookies or muffins. Serve them as little red hearts with strawberry jam or red sugar crystals. An even easier option is to make your baby some sandwiches and cut them up to resemble little hearts.
- Give your baby Valentine’s Day popsicles: Here is another novel idea to make your baby’s first Valentine’s Day special. Use heart-shaped molds to make Valentine’s Day popsicles for your baby. Simply freeze fruit and vegetable juices or pulp in the molds with little sticks in them. Give them to your baby to relieve teething pains.
- Gift your baby a Valentine’s Day basket: Celebrate your baby’s first Valentine’s Day traditionally with a gift basket. You can put some new toys and clothes in it. Also, remember to include something to keep a record of the day, such as a baby handprint kit, or a picture scrapbook.
- Automatic Bounce with 2 bounce speeds: low or moderate
- Battery Savings – more than 2X the battery life of other bouncer seats
- Removable Toy Bar – pivots back for easy access to baby
- 10 Melodies and Nature sounds to soothe baby
- Removable head rest
- Cushioned bolster system for ultimate comfort
- Integrated, cushioned foot rest
- Machine Washable seat pad, bolster system, and head rest
- 3 point Harness keeps baby secure
- Non-slip feet
- Your child stays dry at least 2 hours at a time during the day or is dry after naps.
- Bowel movements become regular and predictable.
- You can tell when your child is about to urinate or have a bowel movement.
- Your child can follow simple instructions.
- Your child can walk to and from the bathroom and help undress.
- Your child seems uncomfortable with soiled diapers and wants to be changed.
- Your child asks to use the toilet or potty chair.
- Your child asks to wear “big-kid” underwear.
Best Valentine’s Day Gifts For Her – Part 1
February 2nd, 2010We love shopping. Enough said! Give us an unlimited credit cards, a few hours in Bloomingdales or Nortdstrom’s and we can spend our entire life’s savings. And have an amazing time doing it.
Ok..back to reality!
Yes….Jimmy college fund comes to mind, the mortgage, utilities, ugh. I have living in the real world.
With that said, here is our TOP 10 list of what we would love to get for Valentine’s Day:
#1. MAC Book Pro!
Ahhh…the inner geek in my screams for this sleek shiny new machine. I can already imagine my fingers effortlessly gliding across the smooth keyboard building my next web project and planning my world domination! I can just imagine the possibilities – work at the kitchen table, in bed, ahhh the battery life alone is enough to buy this baby!
For a full review of this fabulous lap, check out Gizmodo’s Mac Book Pro Review here.
The Whopping price: $2,499
#2. Jura-Capresso Impressa S9 One Touch Coffee Center
Ok..so I am not a morning person. I admit it. I can’t even speak before my morning cup of coffee, let alone deal with an uber active 2 1/2 year old’s tantrums and demands. Let’s just say my mental awakenss doesnt start before 2PM.
But I bet this fantastic cappuccino/coffee maker can change that. Even calling it a coffee makes is demeaning. I’ve had my eye on this for about 6 months now. I cannot wait to get my hands on one! I dream big, what can I tell you?
Whopping Price: $3,376.95
Yes, yes, we have expensive taste in gifts! Stay tuned for some more exciting luxury Valentine’s Gifts coming up next.
Baby’s First Valentine’s Day – Make it Memorable!!
February 2nd, 2010
Your baby’s first Valentine’s Day is special. As a dad, you want to make sure you do everything to make this a memorable day. There is no limit to your options—you know your baby best and can find things to do that you and your baby will both enjoy.
Here are some ideas for dads on celebrating their baby’s first Valentine’s Day:
Reinvent Romance Back Into Your Relationship After A Baby
January 28th, 2010
The first time Tom and I went out after our daughter turned 2, was a surreal experience. We went out to dinner, ate in peace and actually were able to have a normal conversation that did not involve the words: “No, don’t play with your food”, “Don’t throw your fork and food on the floor”, “Don’t stick noodles in your nose!” and sooooo many more versions of this!
Don’t get me wrong! We’ve gone out all together but that is an experience for a different post!
I cannot tell you how refreshing it can be to go out and just enjoy a night out! But it does involve some planning ahead of time and a reliable babysitter. Here is a great post from The Bump with some creative ideas on how to spice up your Valentine’s Day.
Planning ahead is key here!
Gone are the days when you and your partner can jump up and go out to dinner or even a movie. Try to plan in advance either a long lunch from work or even take a day off and enjoy a spa massage, mani-pedi, or even couples’ facials. Anything to break the routine of work, home, diapers, bottles, pumping, feeding, etc.
And even if you stay at home with the baby, it’s still a good idea to prepare in advance, get a babysitter, pump extra milk.
Simple gifts can be appreciated more than store-bought gifts.
I must admit, in those early days with an infant, the opportunity to take a shower and/or a nap, was an absolute luxury. Give your partner a few hours off to do something for themselves or even treat them to a massage, a relaxing bath, a middle of the day nap and a home-made dinner would be an absolute thrill!!
Get adventurous and creative!
From The Bump: Couples therapist and The Nest expert Dr. Ingrid Schweiger of New York City says “Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to make your relationship center stage again.” While a dozen roses, a box of chocolates and a fancy dinner out are all great (and universal) ways to woo your partner, think about what you can change within your own home. “A clean bedroom, a made bed, some candles and soft music is pretty romantic when you’re used to diapers, bottles, piles of laundry and dirty dishes,” says Blumencranz. Once baby goes down for the night (or for a couple of hours) uncork the wine and whip out the china—even if it’s just takeout or pasta on the fancy ware, the ambiance is key. Bonus points if you take the time to cut out little hearts from construction paper and sprinkle them on the table when your partner isn’t looking. And remember, says Blumencranz, Valentine’s Day is the day when you show your partner how much he or she means to you. The day can be as special as you want it to be. Dr. Schweiger agrees. She says the biggest mistake you can make is to not acknowledge the day because baby is here. Schweiger recommends writing your partner a love letter. “Even if life has been stressful with all the changes brought by parenthood, reflect on what makes your partner unique and lovable,” she says. “Deepening your intimacy is what it’s all about.”
There you have it. So even in a tough economy you can enjoy your Valentine’s day as a couple and bring romance back into your relationship!
Where To Donate for Haiti
January 15th, 2010
Photo Source: FT.com
The sadness and tragedy caused by the devastation in Haiti this week is extremely misfortunate.
We wanted to provide you with this list of several organizations currently working to provide aid and relief. We encourage you to help if you can.
The American Red Cross
Text “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 (billed to your phone)
The United Nations World Food Program
The Salvation Army
Action Against Hunger
Project HOPE
Partners in Health
Devastating Circumstances – How to Help Victims of Haiti Earthquake Now!
January 14th, 2010
As the scope of the devastation from a magnitude-7.0 earthquake became clearer Wednesday, survivors spoke in terms of all that has disappeared. Most hospitals, houses, schools, roads and grocery stores — virtually every necessity of basic life — were transformed into piles of rubble.
Thousands were dead, President René Préval said, and one of the world’s poorest countries had become almost entirely dependent on outside help to survive.
The fastest way to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund is by texting “Yele” to 501501 (the $5 will be charged to your cell phone bill) or www.Yele.org and click “donate.”">visit www.Yele.org and click “donate.”
Here are some other links from USAToday…
Disaster Relief and Non-governmental Organizations:
-You can make a donation through the American Red Cross’ International Response Fund, and it will be allocated specifically for Haiti relief efforts;
-Action Against Hunger has mobilized an emergency response and has teams already on the ground, assessing and responding to needs;
-Mercy Corps has a way for you to donate your money straight to their efforts in Haiti, and Unicef also has a donation site set up;
-The United Nations World Food Program has teams “already on the scene, mobilizing emergency food assistance to families.” To support these efforts, you can make an emergency donation here;
-Operation Blessing International also has disaster relief teams on the way. A donation of $50 or more will bring emergency food, water, medicine and more to the quake victims;
-Project HOPE, which provide medical supplies and health care services to those in need, is seeking donations for their aid efforts in Haiti;
-The Salvation Army is also sending personnel and supplies to assist in the relief effort, and needs of donations;
-American Jewish World Service is collecting donations for its “Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund,” which will help “their network of grantees in Haiti to meet the urgent needs of the population based on real-time, on-the-ground assessments.”
-Baptist Global Response, which coordinates the mercy efforts of the Southern Baptist Convention, is sending a team from Florida to help for its initial outreach. In addition to donations, the organization asks that concerned individuals join in focused prayer for Haiti’s 9 million people.
Automatic Bouncie Chair? I’m All Eairs! Check out Bright Starts New Bouncie
January 13th, 2010
My daughter lived in her bouncie chair until she was 6 months old! She ate in it, she slept in it, she hung out in it! She had such a bad acid reflux problem, I even let her sleep in it over night while I slept on the couch next to her.
During her colic months, it was the only thing that would soothe her crying and help her relax. I don’t know if it was the vibrations or the bounce, but it’s one item I and she couldn’t live without!
Two years later, my nephew is reliving the boucie chair phenomenon. He loves his bouncie and refuses to sleep anywhere else!
So it’s two for two!
Imagine my happiness, if I were to have a second child, when I discovered this bouncie chair by Bright Starts – “the only bouncer that truly bounces.
The boucies we had so far didn’t actually bounce, but this one features a unique technology that provides a smooth, consistent bounce that mimic’s mom’s natural bouncing motion.
Features and Benefits:
Need I say, music to my ears!!! aaahhhh…..can you hear the silence???
If you are looking for the perfect baby gift idea, this is IT! The new mom will be thanking you for months to come!
Who Doesn’t Want a Room with a View?
January 12th, 2010
Sometimes, an idea comes along so simple, elegant and revolutionary, I just marvel at the fact that no one has come up with it before.
Acrylic-sided cribs made by Spot On Square are such an obvious upgrade to cribs, that I am baffled by the fact that we’ve settled for dingy, ugly wooden crib rails for so many years! My gosh!!!! What an AWESOME choice for babies!
Imagine the improvement to your little ones view this new crib will create! Made out of durable half-inch, BPA free, phthalate free, 100% recyclable clear acrylic that is framed by locally sourced Walnut, this modernist crib creates a stunning addition to the modern nursery.
Simply Genius! Now you can truly admire your offspring day and night without any obstructions!
To Potty Train or Not To Potty Train! That is the Question!
January 10th, 2010
That is a good question! How can you determine if your child is ready to begin the process of potty training.
According to some studies, the average age of potty training girls is between 20-29 months and boys is closer to 31 months.
However, every child is different and you have to pay attention to the signs of readiness your child exhibits.
It usually takes three months on average to toilet-train a child, and normally 98 percent of kids are toilet-trained by 36 months of age.
Summer time can be a good time to begin toilet training because children are typically wearing fewer clothing layers, which makes it easier for a toddler to undress himself.
Times to avoid starting the process are during high-stress periods such as around the time of a move or the birth of a new sibling.
Signs that your child may be ready to potty train include the following:
One particular potty training aide we are currently using is the Tinkletoonz Potty, a musical potty that plays a tune when your child goes in the potty. The moisture-activated sensor in the bottom of the bowl plays “It’s A Small World After All”, a long-time children’s favorite. If you are having difficulties potty training, try this. It makes it fun and challenging for your child to activate the music.
We found some great tips and advice from parents at babycenter that helped us with our daughter.
Perhaps, the most challenging part of potty training is when you and your toddler are on the go or someone else is taking care of them for the day such as a babysitter or pre-school teacher. Just remember to plan ahead and prepare for those days and just keep being persistent and don’t let a set-back ruin days of training.
And remember, hardly any children end up going to college in their diapers, so worry and stress out! Your toddler will get it when they are ready!
Matching Organic Outfits for Babies and Toddlers
January 8th, 2010
Adorable. Green. Fun. Organic.
The speesees line has created some super cute yet affordable baby and toddler clothes.
I was recently shopping for coordinating outfits for my daughter and nephew for their holiday photo shoot but had a difficult time finding outfits to match.
They also make their bodysuits extra large for bigger babies. My daughter was born at 10 lbs and nephew was 9lbs so finding bigger clothing can be quite a hassle.
The organic cotton is super soft and luxurious and you will feel good about putting it on baby and kid’s skin. Highly recommended and simply adorable! Hurry while their holiday sales lasts.
Maternity Fashion: The Butterfly Sweater
January 5th, 2010
Isabella Oliver has some of the most equisite maternity wear on the market! It almost makes me wish I were pregnant again! Oh no wait, I am STILL wearing maternity clothes!
Ok, I regress.
Check out this fabulous Butterfly Sweater! It could work as a fall piece with just a tank top underneath or a wrap for the office. It’s perfect with a pair of jeans or even with leggings.
I absolutely love this look because it can be fabulously dressed up or dressed down depending on your occasion. It works for the office and a night out! It almost looks like a dress if paired with the right bottom! And it hides the bump perfectly!
Grab one today as it’s on sale for 20% off – $151.20.
