Category: Parenting

Posted in Parenting, Travel Gear

Do you really need another one?

Posted on by ottawaem

M posed this question to me a couple of weeks ago when I floated the idea of buying another baby carrier. In his defence it is a fair question, somewhere along the way in our parenting adventure I began to amass a small stash of baby carriers.

  1. Moby Wrap
  2. Pouch Sling
  3. Ergo 
  4. Boba Air
  5. Blue Celery Wrap

and the newest addition, BabyHawk Mei Tai.



I blame it on the fact our tiny humans are little cuddle monsters.  The Moby was perfect when the Tiny Humans were very tiny, the pouch sling great for leaving in the car for emergencies.  The Ergo is M’s favourite and our go to for hiking but I never really warmed to it.  The padding was just too overwhelming.   The Boba Air is my favourite, perfect for travelling or quick trips but it’s black, boring and I started feeling the pull to find something with a bit more padding but still easy to store. The Blue Celery Wrap was the solution to my last round of carrier blahs. I bought it for a steal on clearance at a local baby store.  My second favourite after the Boba Air, the Blue Celery is pretty, easy to store and I can wear it as a scarf BUT Tiny Human #2 is getting bigger and it is no longer as comfortable.  SO in comes the Mei Tai, I knew having a baby store right next to the library we go to for Babytime would prove dangerous. I am still trying to get the hang out of tying it and the weather hasn’t really lent itself to long baby walks but so far it is pretty looking and pretty comfortable.

Will the Mei Tai solve the carrier blahs? we shall see.  What’s your favourite baby carrier?

UPDATE: The Mei Tai did add a touch of colour and got rid of SOME of my blahs but I found the straps annoying when wearing the carrier inside my coat and I could not put it on first then slip the baby inside. For Tiny Human #3 I have added the Phil and Ted’s Airlight to the mix. I worry it may be discontinued. I found it at discount at our local baby store. The carrier has many of the features I love about the Boba Air with the added benefit of working from newborn and folding into a little fanny pack rather than a pouch.

Posted in Parenting, Parenting Hacks

Call me dark hearted but I like warm tea

Posted on by ottawaem

 This post from YummyMummyClub.ca made me laugh this morning it proves the point I guess that a mother’s work is never done.  I’ll be honest one of the things I miss most about having an office to go to each morning is having the time to enjoy at least a couple sips of nice warm cup of tea to start off my day.  I’ve tried to enjoy tea at home, I really have, but it eventually ended up spilled, contaminated by random Tiny Human food or turned depressingly cold before I had a chance to drink it.

Then I discovered S’well bottles, which claim to keep liquids cold for 24 hours and warm for 12 hours.  As a huge water drinker I am always on the look out for new water bottles. (My almost 4 years of parenting have taught me that glasses of water are just asking for trouble) I pined over the bottles for a couple of months but could not justify the price tag.  I put a bottle on my Christmas list and hoped for the best.  The Tiny Humans aided by their awesome Daddy came through.  Tiny Human #1 picked out the bottle, a pattern called “Dark Hearted”a total coincidence her father assures me.

Guess what, the bottle actually works.  I can now have a cup of warm tea that lasts for hours.  I can even make tea the night before and still wake up to warm tea. While not life changing, the extra caffeine is nice, particularly when Tiny Human #2 goes on a nap strike.

Posted in Parenting, Parenting Hacks

Emerging from the sick nest

Posted on by ottawaem

It’s been a long couple of weeks here, starting with Tiny Human #1 coming home from daycare three weeks ago complaining of a sore ear.  It all went downhill from there as the killer cold/tummy bug spread through the house leaving a trail of kleenex and laundry in its wake.

My favourite tip for dealing with a Tiny Human who is under the weather is to use a vinyl backed tablecloth to protect your couch.  Tiny Human #1 refers to it as her sick nest, feathering her nest with blankies and towels. A benefit of condo living is that she can stay in her nest all night within shouting distance of mummy and daddy, but the tablecloth trick can also work as a bed liner.

Other tips:

  1. Freeze applesauce in popsicle moulds or ice cube trays to help soothe tiny throats.  We put the frozen applesauce into a mesh feeder for Tiny Human #2
  2. Use an elastic bands to attach an empty tissue box to a full one to hold used tissues
  3. Designate a large bowl as a sick bowl
  4. Take Tiny Humans into the bathroom with you when you shower to take advantage of the warm moist air

 

 

 

 

Posted in condo living, Parenting

Double Occupancy

Posted on by ottawaem

After months of discussion we are finally doing it, this week Tiny Human #2 is moving in with Tiny Human #1. Tiny Human #1 has been sleeping in the big bed in her room for awhile but it never seemed a good time to make the move.  Our main reason to wait was fear that Tiny Human #2 would wake up her sister, but that seems to be happening anyway making everyone a little cranky and sleep deprived around here.

So, this weekend we took Tiny Human #1 to Ikea to let her pick out a new dresser with room to hang out her pretty dresses and a new lamp with a pink lamp shade. Despite my fears, she is actually excited.  She loves the idea of having her sister in her room so she won’t be alone when she wakes up with a nightmare.  We will see if she still feels that way when Tiny Human #2 wakes up with teething pain or a stinky diaper but for now she is keen and I think Tiny Human #2 may actually sleep better without us disturbing her on our way to bed.

The Baby Sleep Site has some great tips for room sharing and I will keep you posted as we start this room sharing adventure.

 

Posted in Crafts, Parenting Hacks

Under Cover Poncho

Posted on by ottawaem
image
Purple poncho posing on the kitchen floor

While pregnant with Tiny Human #1 I was given a traditional nursing cover.  It did the job but… A)I always felt like I was wearing an apron B) it just screamed look at me I have a baby under here C) it did nothing to cover my back and sides.  There had to be a better way, then during a late night Pinterest hunt I found a pattern for a one seam poncho made of jersey knit.  I went to the fabric store, found a nice black jersey knit and fired up the sewing machine.

I road tested the poncho on a trip to London.  It passed the test! It was lightweight, easy to pack and stylish enough to wear while wandering around London. I was even able to breast feed on the plane without feeling like I was about to flash the man across the aisle.

The original post seems to have disappeared but this pattern is similar. I am not crazy about the raw edges but someone with a bit more patience and talent could problem fix that problem.

If you are not a fan of needle and thread, similar infinity scarf nursing covers are sold at most baby stores or you can keep your eye out for jersey knit ponchos.  I picked up a  gorgeous purple one from a local shoppe with a neckline I love.

A side benefit I discovered after Tiny Human #2 came along is that a poncho cover is perfect for covering the “leaking” that seems to take a few weeks to sort   out.

The poncho has earned its place in the mommy bag, doing triple duty as back up blanket and car seat black out curtain.

Posted in Parenting Hacks

Puzzle Pouch

Posted on by ottawaem

With space at a premium in our condo, I am always looking for ways to keep the Tiny Humans’ toys within easy reach but contained.  Given Tiny Human #2’s new found mobility this is especially the case for toys with small pieces such as puzzles/magnetic play sets.

I have passed these zippered pouches at the dollar store numerous times thinking they could one day be useful. I picked a couple up today thinking I would hot glue them to the back of the puzzle to hold the pieces but when I got them home I realized that the puzzles fit right inside them.  Problem solved!! Best of all they are see through so Tiny Human #1 can see which puzzle she is grabbing and for bigger puzzles/ play sets, the dollar store has inexpensive laptop sleeves that should do the trick.

 

Posted in Parenting Hacks

Where good bendy straws go to die…

Posted on by ottawaem

Not thrilled at the notion of carting sippy cups around with me, Tiny Human #1 learned to drink from a straw at an early age.  Unfortunately, her insistence on sitting sans booster seat meant that we spent half our meal holding the cup in front of her while she sipped from the straw provided or carefully letting her sip from a cup.  I took to packing a few bendy straws in my purse for drinks on the run but sadly the mommy bag is not a happy place for straws and they would end up squished and broken.  Then while prowling the aisles of my local dollar store I had a brain wave.  Plastic toothbrush holders are just the right size to hold a bendy straw.  The plastic container means it is easy to spot in my purse and the straws stay clean and intact.  Now if only I could find a solution to those fragile cereal bars Tiny Human #1 is in love with… maybe a soap dish.1282199549032_hz-myalibaba-temp14_6981

Posted in Parenting

The Post-Christmas Mom Hangover

Posted on by ottawaem

This is my fourth Christmas as a mom and as I survey the Tiny Humans’ Christmas haul this morning I realize what a hit the pressure to have the perfect Christmas has on my own Christmas spirit.  Gone are the days of cheerfully wrapping presents a week before Christmas while peacefully sipping eggnog.  Now, I find myself Christmas Eve frantically wrapping oddly shaped toy boxes listening to make sure little feet haven’t crept up behind me. Christmas morning I fret over whether I should have got my husband a bigger gift as I open the fancy piece of cookware I had been eyeing.  Is it mom guilt or is it the pressure of social media.

A recent article I read has me wondering: https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/money-and-career/article/the-average-canadian-spends-how-much-on-christmas-gifts

It is hard not to be sucked into the social media Christmas hype, trees piled high with gifts, children in matching dresses sitting sweetly on Santa’s knee. The humble brag about the husband who did his Christmas shopping at the jewellery store. Social media can be a great way to share special moments with family and friends you may not be able to see in person over the holiday season; but, what about the dark side of the social media Christmas?  The credit card bills, the meltdowns as naptime routines get thrown off.

I read a facebook post recently that gave me pause, it was a plea for parents to be modest in their gifts from Santa and be aware of the fact that not all parents are able to provide new Ipads or computers from Santa. I am sure my mom lost sleep fretting about whether Lil Sis and I had the perfect Christmas but now social media seems to magnify those fears.  What do you think? Does social media add to the Christmas mom stress?

 

Posted in Crafts, Parenting

Stay-on Baby Booties

Posted on by ottawaem

Booties are one of my favourite items to knit for new babies.  Shortly, after  Tiny Human 1 was born however, I realized that my gift of choice may not have been as practical as I had intended.  The adorable little booties I knit for Tiny Human 1 seemed to have the uncanny ability to fall off her feet at the worst possible times.  Then I found the pattern for  “Christine’s baby booties” I prefer to use sock yarn for tiny babies and worst weight for bigger babies.  Instead of using ribbons for the ties, I  knit 12″ long i-cord. The handy little ties guarantee that the booties will stay where they belong, on those cute little toes. Definitely not a project for a beginner knitter but knit up extremely fast once you have a couple of pairs under your belt.

Posted in Parenting, Uncategorized

Seriously… a mommy blog

Posted on by ottawaem

image

You are going to write a blog about being a mom?  I can feel the eye rolls already. While pregnant with Tiny Human 1 I found myself obsessing over the details, what stroller do I buy? How can I train the dog to walk with the stroller? Can we really raise a baby in condo? What gear do we need to travel with the baby? Where can I find baby clothes that aren’t cutesy multi piece outfits? and do I really need a diaper bag, please tell me I don’t need a diaper bag.  Now that I have a couple years under my belt and my friends are starting their own parenting journeys I thought I would compile some of the gems I have picked up along the way and hopefully save someone else the nights of anxious googling.