Packing for Summer Adventures

 

We have already been to the beach twice this year, unheard of for our family. We are totally beach people, but our trips generally fall later in summer. Rarely ever before July. Fortunately we picked the hottest summer ever for a few early trips. We are that family driving down the road that you know is bound for a good time, our roof rack is full, there are beach bags pressed up against the back window, boogie boards in sight, and stuff piled on our laps ready for excited times ahead. Can you picture us?

If you aren't sure yet, I am an over packer. Don't let the picture above fool you! We bring the wagon, the scooters, the bikes, the beach toys, coloring books, cars and trucks, board games, tennis rackets and golf clubs. When we actually get to the going to the beach part, I again over pack. I haul down to the beach looking like I am ready to stay for a week. But I am slowly learning a few tricks that make our beach adventures easier. Here are my six non-negotiable items, with a seventh snuck in for fun.

1. // The perfect beach blanket (and this one looks awesome too!). I've been looking for a few years. Its thicker than a sheet, like a quilt without batting and it isn't hideous or overly florally. It is lighter and bigger that the sweatshirt blanket we have used in years past.

2. // Two towels. I have learned that with a good blanket, you need fewer towels. Rarely are both ever in use. Less towels means less to lug back and forth each day. At this point (with kids ages 2 & 4) if they are getting wet, I am not sitting in my chair anyway. I figure once they are old enough to carry their own towel across their shoulders, this number can increase.

3. // One bucket of toys (with a ball tucked inside the bucket). I've tried lots of toys and fewer toys and toys in bags, and so on. But I have realized that one bucket, which my boys can take turns carrying, is the perfect amount. And nothing else for them to play with. I have brought books and games, but really the only thing they do is dig in the sand, chase waves, or play catch.

4. // The ergo (I wish ours had this cool whale pattern). Sometimes to get the perfect beach nap, we still need the ergo for Hudson. I know this tool is fading, but it has joined us on every beach trip since Behr was born and I can't imagine not having this security blanket. The beach nap is the ultimate for any parent. The only way to actually rest on the beach is if your kids nap too!

5. // Rash guard. My boys have worn UPF rash guards since they started going to the beach or pool. But this year Mark and I have also added rash guards to our beach attire. Also, never before have I realized how much sun my boys get, even when I am being diligent with sunscreen (my favorite here). My boys love to be in the water, in the sun. And they don't have the same instinct as adults do to get under the shade of the umbrella. This summer we stocked up on rash guard from Land's End. I was shocked by how much I liked their quality last year and I almost forgot about it this year. Fortunately, their stuff is incredible affordable and well made. This is not a sponsored post, I just really, really love their rash guard (and bathing suits too).

6. // Cooler. We have a soft-side collapsible cooler, but nothing beats the old school igloo playmate cooler my parents have. Too bad we don't have room for anything else in our car... And while we are talking about coolers, what are some of your favorite beach snacks? I love tuna sandwiches, potato chips, peanut butter crackers, and apples at the beach. How about you? What do you pack in your cooler for the beach?

We are still figuring out the perfect beach umbrella, and frankly don't have room in our city apartment for beach chairs, so we always borrow them from our parents on our way. Here is a similar beach gear post I wrote in 2013 -- we did finally get the Sport-brella and are testing it out. The only down side so far, its huge, even when collapsed, so it hardly fits in our car!

 

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Flying with a Toddler: Busy Bags

Flying with a toddler is always a feat just outside of ones comfort zone. Regardless of how many times you have flown, there is the unpredictability factor with kids. Behr has flown over thirty times and Hudson has clocked a handful of flights as well. However this was the first family flight we took with both boys being mobile, Hudson at the uncomfortable age of not wanting to sit still, ever.

I decided to make them their own identical busy bags (no competition here) to serve as my lifesaver if things got a bit restless on our short flight. Our bags included:

Binder zipper pouches, the perfect size.
Three race cars each. These are their favorite toys, although thanks to the wheels, they do travel far if dropped on a plane. You may want to weigh the pros and cons of this one.
Silly Putty, which I buy in bulk because it does not stain or smell or dry out.
Roll of tape, which provided an endless "mess" which isn't very hard to clean up and again, doesn't stain or smell. Note: this seems wasteful, but a roll of tape is so cheap and provides so much distraction, I view it is worth the dollar or so of waste.
Pipe cleaners for endless creativity and to keep their hands busy.
Simple dot stickers which create fun designs, keep hands busy and aren't hard to clean up.

Other tips we have learned when flying with littles?
Let them pack their own back pack of items. We use these for Behr (3.5) and Hudson (1.5) as they are appropriately sized for their ages.
Triangle crayons, because they don't roll.
Stickers from teacher stores are another favorite since, like the dot stickers above, they are easy to peel off without leaving a residue.
Small toys individually wrapped, this is great for longer flights when you need a new surprise every hour or so.
Stacking cups, especially when younger, and these double as bath toys at your destination.

I've also tested several different magnetic toy options, but the ones we brought on this trip caused a delay in the TSA screening. I no longer would recommend magnetic toys for this reason, as the last thing you need with two mobile little ones is a longer security check process.

Finally, a word on snacks. I have written a post about finding kid-friendly airport food, but that doesn't always work. I decant low mess snacks -- raisins, animal crackers, carrot sticks, granola bars, dried mango and pretzel sticks -- into individual portion sizes to prevent a big mess or spilling the whole bag. We also carry an empty water bottle for each person to fill up after passing through TSA. Some times the flight crew is willing to fill these up for us, but when the plane is full or the schedule is tight, this doesn't always happen, so I now buy a large water after security to fill us all up. Bringing squeeze pouches have been hit or miss, especially as these sometimes trigger an extra security check.

With both toys and food, I try to keep the items I am brining on the plane out of rotation for a week or so before the flight to help them be more exciting.

Other posts you might find helpful:

• My first post about flying with toddlers. 
• And the basics of flying with a baby from when Behr was 8 months old. 

What tips do you have for flying with toddlers? Have you experimented with busy bags?

Disclaimer: compensated affiliate links be used in this post. These links allow me to continue to blog and share our experiences with you. Thank you in advance for your support. 

July in Washington DC + Books

This summer is moving slowly and speeding by all at the same time. Some days we settle into a rhythm and soak up the loveliness of this city. Our photos are far more memory worth than magazine worthy. And our family is better for it, the memory making.

July, dare I say it, has been gorgeous. No sweltering heat or humidity hovering around 100%. Instead cool breezes are calling us outside day after day. Yes, this month has been equal parts fast and slow. The speeding by whirlwind part of our month began with 4th of July celebrations and departing in the night for our first of two family beach vacations! (We head for our next one on Saturday).

July gets me feeling equal parts nostalgic and patriotic. I intended for this summer to be sharing more of my favorites of DC with you all. It is coming, slower than I had hoped, but it is coming. But one of my recent reader(s) requests has been our favorite books about DC for little kids. These are a few of our most loved on DC books. Smithsonian museum gift shops have shelves upon shelves to explore as well. Whenever we visit I try to read a few to see if they will make the cut. So far, these are the best. But this list is bound to grow along with my kids.

Madeline at the White House - we read this book so often, I think I am going to need a few more Madeline books. But our favorite part is that it mentions a few of the sites/activities in DC not mentioned in other books such as the Easter Egg Roll and the Cherry Blossoms.

This is Washington, DC - by far the best book to learn more about DC, and the story behind what you probably already know. Geared for slightly older kids, ages 4-8.

I Pledge Allegiance - by the authors of childhood favorites Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, this book is not really about DC. However, it shares the rich story of the pledge that we so often recite. I received this as a gift for political appointees when I worked for the White House, which makes it extra special to me.

Good Night Washington, DC - our first DC book and likely what helped Behr first recognize the monuments by name. Whenever we read this book, the other DC books tend to come out so we can compare all of the DC scenery.

What has your July been like? 

And have you ever been to DC (come on, was it a class trip!?) 

Disclaimer: compensated affiliate links may be used in this post.

Roasted Veggies for Hungry Toddlers

Baby food is a bit of a tricky subject. You have countless options, stacks of books, and plenty of opinions. I have told you before that I generally ascribe to a moderate philosophy of several approaches. Nina Plank being one of my favorite theorists on the subject. At the end of the day, two factors became really important for our family.

First, baby food shouldn't be hard.

In order for homemade baby food to work for our family, it needs to be easy. With Behr we made a fair number of purees and paired these with a baby led weaning approach. However, the purees we did make were often a simpler form of a meal we were already cooking, or a few of the same ingredients pulled aside for his meal. For Hudson, purees did not go over well. (Its likely time to clean them out of my freezer). Ever the independent child, he much prefers to feed himself even if the process takes longer and results in less food.

I have adapted to his preferences and our family food likes by roasting vegetables. Once or twice a week, generally when I am already planning to use the oven, I wash, peel, and dice a few root vegetables, fill a tray and toss with olive or coconut oil and sometimes salt and fresh herbs. This root vegetable toss accompanies all of our meals and are easy to reheat for Hudson's tiny pincer grasp.

Second, rules shouldn't confine us.

When we travel, we don't always get square meals and we use mostly pre-packaged pouches for things like apple sauce and yogurt. While we prefer to limit process foods and package waste, I don't like carrying a lot of extra stuff when we travel. At home we make our own apple sauce. When we travel, our boys love the GoGo Squeez (there is no E on the end, drives me crazy) pouches which we get at Costco. With only two ingredients, I am pretty happy about them too.

We also eat a lot of bananas, raisins, peanut butter crackers, cheese sticks, apples and gold fish. While these aren't top of the list of our every day foods, our kids enjoy them. When we are on the road or at a restaurant, I would rather break my rules of what they eat than create a potential food battle. I appreciate the portability of these foods and that they are low mess. Since they are less likely to get food stains, we are more likely to re-wear clothes on our trip. Bringing foods I know my kids like to eat always makes our jam packed travel weekends run smoother. There is not need to have hunger tantrums because of an artificial rule I am trying to uphold in extraordinary circumstances.

When I originally wrote this post, I didn't have a second point. However, our recent trip to Boston reminded me of how we like to be flexible and eat differently to accommodate that when we travel.

What are some of your go-to foods for kids? 

And do you have rules that guide what you feed them?

 Disclaimer: compensated affiliate links may be used in this post.

Easter Books

Over the past two years, I have longed to establish Easter traditions for our family. This comes with each holiday as our family grows. We have begun a collection of books to tell the story and meaning of holidays. This year, I have begun keeping them on our coffee table - this helps us read the books more frequently and begin having conversations about the season of Lent. Here are the books we have so far.

The Easter Story - Biblically accurate, this story of Jesus' death and resurrection is closest to what I want to be teaching Behr.

What Is Easter? - Behr's favorite Easter book so far, he likes saying, "No," when we talk about whether or not Easter bunnies, eggs, and jelly beans as we flip through this board book. This is a great simple intro to separating the commercial view of Easter from why we celebrate God's son in the church.

The Legend of the Easter Egg - A wonderfully redemptive story about a boy and his sister who is severely ill during Lent. This book is better for slightly older kids. I also recommend reading it first yourself to be prepared for some of the questions that this book might raise.

I Am a Bunny - this is not specifically an Easter book, it isn't even actually a Spring book. But the illustrations are wonderful and something about the change of seasons makes me pull this book out this time of year. Definitely a keeper!

I would love to grow this collection, so please share your recommendations in the comments!

And because I love looking back at milestones:

Easter 2011 // Easter 2012

 Disclaimer: compensated affiliate links may be used in this post.

Toddler iPhone Apps

Letters A to Z $0.99 - one of the most frequently chosen apps by Behr - he likes this app, although at 23 months, there is still a learning curve for some of its functionality.

PBS Kids free - by far our favorite app for keeping Behr still/quiet/entertained. As a mom who tries to limit TV, I appreciate that most of these PBS clips are short 3-5 minutes. Behr likes scrolling through the options and picking a show. But it is definitely not interactive. Note: this app needs wifi so may not work during flights

Make It Pop $1.99 - this is the first app that Behr really liked to use - around 16 months old. As he has gotten more experiences with the iPhone, his skill level has increased with this game.

Trucks $1.99 - with five different apps, each with varying skill level, this keeps Behr busy, however there is less of an educational component.

Itsy Bitsy Spider $1.99 - hands down Behr's favorite app, and the best Duck Duck Moose app I have seen (they are not all created equal). This app has rich graphics and an abundance of moving parts based on where to tap, meaning your toddler won't hit a dud spot where nothing happens. A great feature is the sound options - you can turn it off, play the song, or even play a recording of you and your toddler singing the song.

Tally Tots $2.99 - recommended by an elementary school teacher, this app is the one that encourages Behr to verbally interact the most. He talks back to this app, counting out loud, and remarking when he sees an object he recognizes. Some levels require finger swipes that are a it advanced for Behr, but he figured out how to skip these.

What are your favorite iPhone apps for kids?

Are there any great ones I have yet to uncover?

What are your family guidelines for iPhone/iPad use? 

Any recommendations for keeping this as an educational tool?

Toddler Travel {plane edition}

Hear from a few ladies who have rocked the airport scene with toddlers in tow. Joining me today is Carrie from the blog Waiting with Joy - launching in January! Between Carrie and I, we have taken nearly 100 flights with our children. Below are just a few tips that make it work for us. 

Food - a key to keeping everyone happy is making sure no one is hungry

• Map out any airports on your trip and even print out a terminal and restaurant map. This will help you quickly get a meal for your family, including bottled water, chicken nuggets, or even frozen yogurt as an extra treat to ensure a smoother time in the terminal. - Shannon, The Scribble Pad
• My husband and I have always brought with us snack foods, including crackers, fruit, etc., and also brought extra drinks including milk, juice and water. We try to make anything we bring easy to unpack, something that isn't messy. - Carrie, Waiting with Joy
• Bringing liquids through TSA - I have had the best luck when all of the baby/toddler items are backed in their own insulated lunch tote (with an ice pack) and placed in their own bin on the security conveyor belt. Any time I have deviated from this plan, I have faced trouble. - Shannon, The Scribble Pad

Seating - its like duck, duck goose, but a lot less fun

• We don't bring the carseat on the plane because it was MUCH too difficult to carry with us. My daughter rotated between sitting next to one of us or in between us. We try to stay close to the middle or back of the plane and we wait until others have deplaned before getting off because it is an EVENT to get three of us, plus all of our gear, off of the plane.  - Carrie, Waiting with Joy
• I once learned the hard way that not all flights pre-board families. I was flying solo with my son, loaded up and standing at the gate (basically blocking traffic) and was the last section to board. Now I always ask the gate agent if they plan to pre-board families. - Shannon, The Scribble Pad
• Even when our son has his own seat, we hold him for take off and landing. Note: we have not yet tried bringing the car seat on board! - Shannon, The Scribble Pad

Entertainment - keeping the ants out of pants, and your kids quiet as a mouse

• First, don't try to keep your kids silent. Accept that the people around you are not as offended as you likely are mortified. Most people who travel frequently, have done it with kids before or seen kids far worse than yours. - Shannon, The Scribble Pad
• Coloring books, DVD players, iPad, games....you name it, I would bring it. I always want a variety in case the unthinkable happens! - Carrie, Waiting with Joy

Carry-ons - strollers, car seats, suitcases, oh my!

• We have always gate checked our strollers and we have a couple of large carry on bags that my husband and I both carry. We always have snacks, drinks, extra clothes, extra diapers (when she was in them), lots of baby wipes... - Carrie, Waiting with Joy
• We have learned the value in checking bags (and having less carry-ons) in our recent trips. As our son has become more mobile, we have found less bags to be helpful, so any time we can fly JetBlue we take advantage of the first bag flying free. We also have packed a larger piece of luggage to check instead of two roller carry-ons even when we had to pay for them. Containing our gear to what fits on/around the stroller is a huge perk for me. - Shannon, The Scribble Pad
• The most valuable item I now pack is a change of clothes for me - typically just leggings and a t-shirt so it is compact - because having a toddler on your lap or in arms for a cross country flight leaves you messy, disheveled, and even a bit sweaty, not to mention the potential for spills and accidents. A fresh shirt can make all the difference when you land. - Shannon, The Scribble Pad

Thanks for reading. I hope this post has helped a few of you prepare for upcoming holiday travel. If you have any other tricks up your sleeves, I'd love for you to continue the conversation in the comments!

Our family has traveled quite a bit with Behr. You might want to check out our baby travel and airport food guides. Psst - check back later this week for a post about my favorite iPhone/iPad apps for kids and next week for the road trip edition.

Other helpful posts about flying with children: 

Delicious Baby: Flying with Babies, Toddlers and Kids

Simple Mom: How to Travel Long Distances with Little Ones

and one more, less about the flight, more about what to pack, and how to survive at your destination: 

Simple Mom: Plan a Big Trip with Little Kids

Flights + Food

Last year, after a few plane trips with an infant in tow, I felt like an expert. This past weekend launched us into flight count double digits and also a new phase of travel, flying-with-a-toddler-that-wants-to-feed-themselves-solid-foods-and-trying-not-to-make-a-mess. While I cannot make any promises on the mess front, I can share with you a few of my new favorite airport food stops. This past weekend we flew at dinner time on both ends of our flight - a great test run for out cross-country flights next month. I quickly learned a few things. Once we get through security, I now make a bee-line for the following eateries to stock up for the flight:

Starbucks - if you have a Starbucks post-security, get excited. These are also a great kid-friendly stop when you are on the road. Our two top picks are peeled dried apple rings and Horizon organic, shelf-stable milk. This is a must have when flying.

Sandwich Shop - typically you can find a fruit cup. This is a big win for my little family. I also hunt for veggie cups, and anywhere that sells soup and is typically willing to fork over a few packs of saltines. I also try to buy at least two water bottles for all of us to stay hydrated on the flight.

Third choice are the souvenir shops - chex mix, gold fish, water bottles, these are a great stop for pre-packaged goods if the fresher options aren't available.

Finally, I learned that bringing an extra small tupperware and or ziplock bag is extremely helpful to make these over priced purchases last, without spilling all over my carryon.

How about the other traveling mommas out there? I would love to know what you do for meals on the road. I am linking up with MiniMeals on with two cats. Join us!

Traveling with a Baby

We have traveled a lot with Behr in 8 short months.

a 12 hour road trip to south carolina

an 8 hour road trip to connecticut

too many 2-4 hour road trips to count

round trip flights to florida and louisiana

a 4 hour airport delay

visiting at least 10 states

next month hold 2 more round trip flights and at least 2 new states

Is it easy to travel with a baby?  I firmly believe it is all what you make of it.  Here are a few things we have learned:

Car Seat: Bring your carseat but check it with the luggage. Checking it at the gate means one more thing you have to struggle with all day. We have done each once, and I now will exclusively check the car seat before security.

Security:  Forget the advice to wear your baby through security. Most airports make you take the baby out anyway. But I would suggest having your carrier of choice in your carry on luggage.

Stroller: Bring your stroller to the gate, but make sure to take everything out of the nooks and crannies, if there is stuff still in your stroller pockets, it slows down the security process, annoying you and the baby.  If your stroller folds easily, I would recommend brining your stroller of choice, not a lesser substitute.  You will be grateful in the airport and at your final destination, since strollers can be your lifeblood for activity with a baby.


Plane Seat: Window seats are easiest for us, but it is likely a personal preference. If the flight isn't full, you can get strategic: When flying solo, I plop down in the center and put Behr in the window seat while people board. When traveling with someone, we split the window/aisle with Behr between us. Having Behr spread out on a seat while people board typically deterrs folks from joining us, without actually paying for his seat.

Time of Day: The only advice for time of day, is leave your self plenty of buffer to get out the door and to the airport. No need to make yourself rushed because of a tight schedule. We have flown at all times of the day and nothing seemed particularly easier.  Remember to plan your nursing schedule around your estimated take off.

Milk and Bottles and Pump Oh, My! This is easily the issue I fretted over the most our first trip, which was for work, so I needed...everything!  I have flown with and without bottles, I think it depends on your needs at the time.  I try my hardest to not bring my pump when we fly.  It is too important for me to add it to checked luggage, and carrying it on takes up vital space.

Food: We always plan to feed Behr food as soon as we get to the gate and nurse during take off.  Here are a few keys that have helped us conquer food:

1. When traveling we scratch the homemade approach and get Plum or Happy Baby and serve it with the boon spoon attachment - screws right on the top of the food container. Minimal waste, optimal ease! {see gear guide below}
2. We bring a sippy cup for in between times, but mostly because Behr loves his, even though he hasn't actually figured out how it works!
3. Don't nurse too soon!!! On our first flight, Behr latched on as soon as everyone took their seats, and he was finished before we pulled away from the gate. I now wait until we literally are speeding down the runway, because the hardest part on the little ears is the altitude change.
4. If air pressure seems to be bothering baby, massage behind the ears - in the soft spot behind the earlobe between the jawbone and the neck. A father of three gave me this tip when Behr was SCREAMING on a very bouncy trip that involved several mid-flight altitude changes. 

Pack Light:  I was at a loss the first few trips.  Here is the list that I have perfected to work best for our family in our single carry on bag:  {note: bag must be easy to carry and put on/under the stroller}

3 toys - a board book, Sophie and something that attached to the stroller with links

5 diapers and a few wipes in a ziplock bag

1 muslin blanket - this doubles as a nursing cover - bonus!

4 pacifiers - they are small and drop easily and my life depends on them

1 burp cloth

1 change of clothes for baby

 + stuff for the grown ups: 

electronics and chargers, water bottle for mom

change of at least shirt for all adults

Behr has managed to throw up on both Mark and me in a single trip before!

And here are my three favorite items for every day mobility with a tot:

chair

spoon

placemat

Gear for Baby: Nursing

Great nursing bra:  After trying what felt like hundreds, my favorite came from A Pea in the Pod.   Although it was a splurge, but literally the only way I made it out of the house.

Sturdy bottle brush: This tool gets a lot of use in our household, and the Skip Hop Bottle Brush stands up to the challenge

Basic burp cloths: Hands down the most used gift we received was a 12 pack of Gerber prefolds.  These absorb everything, and are nothing fancy, so you don't mind the inevitable baby stains.  Let's face it, breastfeeding is messy business in the beginning.  I recommend having at least one of these near by at all times.

Washable nursing pads: Again, I tried many different kinds, but these were my favorite.

Disposable nursing pads: A worthy investment for the leaky days, as they are much more discrete for leaving the house.  The most absorbent brand I found were Lansinoh.

Basic bra: The classic Gap racerback bra was my go-to for the evenings.  They wash well, are relatively affordable, and useful both before and after baby.  Best of all, they are easy to yank up or down for nighttime feedings.

Bottles: My advice is figure out what works and stick with one brand.  No need to worry about interchangeable parts, finding the right pieces, etc. We chose the Dr. Brown wide neck as they are said to reduce nipple confusion when you need to introduce a bottle early.  I went back to work after three months, so we introduced one bottle a day early to ease the transition.

Electric double pump (not pictured): Because I was going back to work - translation: needing to pump 3-4x/day - we knew we needed a power horse.  I opted for the Medela Pump In Style and couldn't be happier.

Nursing cover: Behr and I both struggled with nursing covers until we tried a basic swaddle blanket.  The fabric is lightweight and breathable so he didn't get overheated and it was plenty big enough to keep us modest.

Milk saver: If you are blessed with an abundance of milk, this little accessory will be your friend.  It cleverly collects leaking/letdown from one side while you nurse on the other.  I highly recommend the milk saver.

.......................

Do you have any questions?  I would love to answer them.  

Quite a few friends have been asking me about nursing recently, so I am working on a post to cover more of the unknowns about this rite of passage that so many women struggle through {myself included}.  

Drop me a line so I can be sure to include your questions!

Picnic at Panera

Last week my dear friend Diane and I headed out to suburbia for a mega warehouse baby sale.  The sale started at 7, but to beat rush hour we packed our little ones and hit the road before rush hour.  What do you do in an unfamiliar suburban town on a blazing hot day {hint: parks were out of the question due to the heat}?  Well, you have a picnic at Panera!  What else?

We ordered food, found a nice spot in front of the fireplace, laid out a big blanket, kicked off our shoes and let the babes crawl, or in Behr's case sit, and enjoy some wiggle time.  It was a great way to pass the time and we hardly got any weird looks.  I highly recommend having a Panera picnic if you haven't done so already.

Oh and before I forget, here are the goods I got for Behr this winter and next spring:

3 footed sleepers, a brand new fleece, two pairs of robeez hardly worn, a knit romper, 2 pairs of jeans, great quality navy sweat pants, brand new polo, tee, and navy henley and last but not least the blue striped outfit, nearly identical to the one he wears weekly right now.  We have loved the current version {seen here} so much, I couldn't pass up the chance to have one for next summer too!

All for $62.54

While that seems like a lot of money, it works out to less than $4 per item!  Wahoo!!

{especially since some items were probably originally prices much closer to the 62 dollar mark}

The cost above includes an outfit for our friend, Isaiah, who lends Behr all of his hand-me-downs.  So now we pass a few items up when we get a great steal knowing it might make it around the corner and back to us some day:

Coupons for Etsy

Wow, have you heard of Hearsty?  It is like Groupon or LivingSocial, but for the handcrafted fabulousness available on etsy.  If you are a regular reader, you know I love a good deal.  And the deals get even sweeter when they are for adorable baby gear.  Zulily anyone?

So you can only imagine my excitement when I checked out Heartsy today and saw this awesome deal.  You can get a $33 credit to The Crafty Tortoise for only $13!  That translates into a hat for babe at over 50% off!  

Tons of other great deals.  Go ahead.  Sign up for Hearsty here.  

p.s. huge thanks to Christie over at Hoot and Dollar for sharing this via the fabulous Carly, a frequent guest blogger over at Calligraphy by Shannon.

Best $20 I ever spent!

When Sara visited, she showed us one of Sam's favorite spots: his baby bjorn bouncer.  Behr was able to give it a test drive, and we instantly knew he loved it!  A few emails later and I had a contact in our neighborhood looking to sell theirs for a mere $20.  Keep in mind this would cost $170 {plus another $40 for the toy bar} new!  It was a deal we couldn't pass up.

Check out how much fun Behr has giggling in his new seat:

Gear for Baby Bath Time

Behr loves his bath time.  We have found that bath time requires very little and our gear fits into a small bin on a shelf in our bath room.  Limiting the bath "stuff" turned out to be one of the greatest space savers for us.  Here are the items that work for our family:

*disclaimer:  this adorable baby is not Behr

1. The puj tub.  This item is without a doubt the best.  Behr loves it.  The tub fits any bowl sink, hangs flat behind our bathroom door, and keeps a squiggly newborn tucked in safely.  It is the perfect way to get infants squeaky clean.  Bonus:  Their head is automatically elevated by the shape of the sink and puj tub, so no worries about bath water getting too close to delicate features in early weeks.  Note: Behr is beginning to outgrow this, but the alternatives are just so massive, I am not ready to give it up!

2. Hooded Bath Towels.  There are hundreds on the market.  The best in my opinion are the most basic, the thin and quick drying cotton hoodies.  The thicker towels are harder to use when drying all of the tiny folds of an infants body.  These basics tuck in nicely and act like a swaddling blanket when bringing Behr from the bathroom to his changing table.  There is no need for anything fancy at this young age.  However, we do have an adorable bathrobe waiting in the queue for when Behr can waddle about. 

Why you need 3 and only 3.  We have 3 in rotation and this is very helpful.  At first I thought I only needed one or two and then one day Behr pooped immediately after bath time.  I was glad to have a spare on hand.  Other than this rare occurrence, these towels are quick drying and hardly used so there is no need to wash after every bath.  In our tiny apartment, 3 is the perfect number.

3. Little Bamboo Washers.  These are incredibly soft and amazing for all sorts.  They are great on baby's face, for bath time, and all other baby washing needs.  We started with 3, but use them so much for the in between bath cleans that we quickly got a few more.  I only wish I could justify replacing all of my wash cloths with these!  They are fantastic.

4. Basic Bath Toys: A few small items for Behr to hold on to are perfect right now.  Most of the time, he is so happy to be in the bath and playing with the water that we skip the toys altogether.  Boon always thinks outside the box when developing new products and these bath time scribbles are no different.  The bright colors and textures mesmerize Behr.  I love the interchangeable heads that pop off for quick drying and the ease of throwing them in the dishwasher if they need an extra clean. 

What are the bath time essentials for your family?

Gear for Baby Wellness

With an overwhelming number of baby products flooding the market (and your email inbox) it has been difficult to decipher the best among the rest.  Here are five personal favorites that have been serving our family well. Bonus, most of these gems serve adults well too!

Cool Mist Humidifier: we love our crane tear drop, but others would certainly work well.  You want to be sure that the mist is "cool" to prevent hot water from accidentally scalding baby.

Eucalyptus Oil: a natural decongestant, just a few drops in the water well of the humidifier keeps the sinuses clear and the bedroom smelling fresh.  This small bottle of eucalyptus oil has single handedly helped Behr and I sleep through the night during heavy cold and allergy season.  We notice a marked difference on nights we forget to run the humidifier.

Baby Aquaphor: this miracle ointment clears up everything!  Baby acne, gone.  Dry itchy skin, healed.  I keep this stuff everywhere and use it all the time.  It is safe enough for a newborn and helps me too!

Boogie Wipes: when I first saw these, I thought it was a bit excessive.  However then I questioned whether I would be willing to use butt wipes on my baby's face.  Although I use good wipes for Behr's bum, These saline boogie wipes are a bit more gentle for getting the inevitable grime off Behr's face.  They have proven to be quite useful.

Gripe Water: I quickly learned that not all baby crying can be easily soothed.  While Behr generally has a calm demeanor, when he gets into a crying fit {forhead vein bulging, face redding, tears rolling} there is very little to pull him out of it.  Mommy's Bliss does just the trick.  The organic fennel and ginger drops calm Behr's stomach and snap him out of crying just long enough that a soothing technique may work. 

Do you have favorite baby gear?  What do you do to keep healthy?  Any home remedy tips for the greater blogging communicty good??