Posted in Parenting, Parenting Hacks, Travel Gear

Newborn Must Haves

Posted on by ottawaem


Frankly newborns don’t need much, something to wear, a source of food, some sort of diaper and somewhere to sleep is all they really need. The below list is more to help you get through those first few crazy weeks.

  1. E-reader- there is a lot of downtime/cuddletime with newborns, and you can only binge watch so much TV.  Being able to read a book with one hand is well handy 🙂 another benefit of an e-reader is that you can keep the room dim for night feedings.
  2. Baby carrier you feel comfortable using.
  3. LilyPadz-awesome for preventing those uncomfortable wet spots when out in public as well as protecting your baby’s sensitive new food sources.
  4. Milkies-put this in the other side of your bra when breast feeding and it collects the dribbles. With a bit of squeezing (don’t ask) I could collect a couple ounces per feed that M would use for a night time bottle or freeze for later.
  5. Everything blanket-still a fan favourite, not too thick and not too thin.
  6. Muslin swaddling cloths- so many uses, swaddling wrap, burp cloth, blanket, nursing cover, playmat etc.
  7. Good water bottle you can open with one hand
  8. Healthy snacks (stashed in key locations throughout the house)
  9. Burp cloths- you can buy fancy ones but I am a big fan of soft hand towels or wash cloths
  10. Nursing cover– personal preference but I found my girls would get distracted in public and it made me less anxious about breastfeeding in public
  11. Bag to tote around diapers, extra clothes etc.
  12. Eye mask and earplugs-You need sleep to function. Even if it’s only a 20 minute cat nap, take advantage of trusted adults who want one on one baby time and get some shut eye. 
Posted in Parenting

What’s inside the mommy bag

Posted on by ottawaem

I feel kind of silly that I started a blog called “inside the mommy bag” but have never really talked about what is in my mommy bag.  I am firm believer that just because you are a mom, that doesn’t mean you need to tote a big ugly diaper bag.  There are a few things that are a must, such as an easy to clean interior and zipper closure, but if it makes you happy, USE IT!!!

With Tiny Human #1 my “mommy bag” of choice was one of my folding Longchamps tote bags or my zippered Lug tote bag. Easy to throw on my shoulder when baby wearing or stash in the bottom of the stroller. With the impending arrival of Tiny Human #2 I realized that a shoulder strap would be helpful.  M returned home from a business trip with a purple Longchamps hobo style bag with a wide shoulder strap, handy outside pocket for my water bottle or keys and enough room for all my assorted baby / pre-schooler necessities. It became my go to mommy bag and is always packed by the door waiting for our next adventure.

Now that I am the mom of a 2 and 5 year old the contents have changed slightly but a most items have stood the test of time and earned their spot in the mommy bag. I have also given honourable mention to those items that sadly departed the bag as I shifted out of the tiny baby phase.

  • Wet wipes (in addition to diaper wipes, I like to stash some wet wipes in a little pouch, along with emergency Kleenex, for quick clean ups)
  • Museum membership cards (in a little coin pouch so they are easy to spot)
  • Water bottle-I love my Swell bottle but for the Tiny Humans, these from Tupperware are easy for little hands to open and close. This Camelback water bottle is also a favourite. (now two water bottles because… well sisters)
  • Silicone drink covers– A life, or at least lap saving invention to minimize spills. (Usually stashed in the pouch with the wet wipes)
  • Bendy straws-Stowed safely in a toothbrush holder.
  • Diaper pouch-I made my own diaper pouch while pregnant with Tiny Human #1 and it is still going strong.
  • Folding potty seat-Perfect for independent 2 year olds who don’t want you to hold them over a public toilet.
  • Everything blanket-So many uses blanket, towel, picnic blanket and on more than one occasion emergency clothing.
  • Change of clothes-Stowed in a pouch like this one, along with a plastic bag to contain the evidence. I also tuck in a shirt for myself after a very embarrassing walk through Boston Pizza in a contaminated t-shirt. My choice was that or the above mentioned blanket.
  • Tiny toys-Usually McD’s Happy Meal Barbies or little toys that are easy to replace if they go AWOL.
  • Magnet blocks-Such a huge hit with the Tiny Humans we ended up buying another set.
  • A pad of paper/pack of crayons
  • Snacks-If you can find them, Tupperware makes great little snack containers that are just the right size for a granola bar or baby biscuits. We now use them in lunches.
  • Applesauce pouches-Perfect for emergency hangry attacks.  These little tops help prevent the grabby sticky mess that sometimes comes from passing a hungry grumpy toddler a food pouch.
  • Silicone placemat
  • Tiny books-McDonalds is now giving out little books in place of Happy Meal toys but we have also managed to pick up some mini books at Chapters.

Honourable mention:

  • Nursing pocho
  • Small pouch with baby utensils and food.
  • Snack cup-This one by Skip Hop has a lid that not only attaches to the cup, it also manages to stay closed in the diaper bag.
  • Food pouch spoons– Easy to clean and take up almost no room in your diaper bag.
  • Folding bib
  • Folding high chair
  • Change mat-We are moving out of the change mat phase but this mat still makes its way into the bag if I think the Tiny Humans will need a mat to sit on.

 

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 Travel Gear

Top Travel Gear for Under 2

Posted on by ottawaem
Apart from a well stocked diaper bag, below are some of the items I have found useful when traveling with Tiny Humans
1. Light yet sturdy umbrella stroller with storage (we have the UppaBaby G-luxe, which has worked well for us but the price keeps climbing and I am not sure if I could justify the purchase today, stay tuned for other options at various price )
2. Travel high chair: we have this one which is small enough to fit in your mommy bag and fits most chairs.
3. Baby carrier, you cannot always rely on being able to bring your stroller everywhere and sometimes Tiny Humans just want a cuddle on the go.  Boba air is hands down my favourite for older babies and toddlers. I have even used it on the plane to try and get some much needed sleep. It folds down small enough to go with you everywhere. (I noticed Phil and Ted  and Ergo have now come out with similar travel friendly options)
4. Pashmina type scarf (covers up baby related stains on you, back up blanket and sun shade)
5. Stroller caddy with mesh bag, the bag I bought doesn’t seem available anymore but this one is similar.  I find the mesh bag useful for stowing items you want easy access to like guide books, snacks and diapers.
6. Tide packets, available in the travel aisle of most drugstores, these little packets of liquid Tide are great for washing tiny clothes on the go and treating stains before they set.
7. Baby Gourmet packets of baby cereal, we have found baby cereal stocked in many of the grocery stores we’ve come across in our travels but it doesn’t hurt to have a back up plan.
8. Reusable water bottle, depending on the age of your Tiny Human this may be more for you but for older Tiny Humans, having their own water bottle saves spills, particularly on planes or trains. It is also useful to have water with you for cleaning tiny sticky hands.
9. Foldable bib, there are a couple of different options, I like the Zoo Tuck-away Bib by Skip Hop.  They are cute, fold down super small and quick drying.  All good things when travelling. Skip Hop doesn’t seem to be making them anymore but they do have these really thin silicone bibs.
10. Spoon tips– These are new additions to the Traveling Mommy Bag but so much easier than squeezing pouches out into a bowl or attempting to feed Tiny Humans directly from the pouch. I usually bring a couple of pouches with me but this is another baby item it has been surprisingly easy to track down in our travels through Europe.
I am planning a longer post with some of the tips we have picked up while travelling with Tiny Humans but here’s a little teaser:
Tips:
1. Bring a couple of baby face cloths for cleaning tiny faces, I usually wet the facecloth before we set out for the day and store it in a sandwich baggy or small waterproof bag (like this one) At the end of the day I clean the cloth with a little bit of the Tide soap and let it dry.
2. Instead of bringing baby bowls I find it useful to bring bowls with lids to store extra food
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 Recipes

Banana Rice Teething Biscuits

Posted on by ottawaem

Awhile ago I posted the recipe for Tiny Human #1’s favourite mini muffins.  Not to be left out, below is the recipe I came up with for a teething biscuit for Tiny Human #2.  These also double as dog biscuits for BajanMutt thanks to Tiny Human #2’s love of throwing things.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rice flour or baby cereal

1 mushed up banana (or about 4 tablespoons of fruit puree if not a banana fan)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F, Line cookie sheet with parchment paper

Mix flour and baking powder then add in banana, egg and vanilla.  Stir until well combined.

Shape tablespoons of dough into fat sausage shapes or balls and place on parchment paper carefully flattening the shapes.  Depending on the size of your banana you should get over a dozen cookies.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until brown

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.