Top 20 baby Must Haves Link

Added a link to the right for easy access to my Top 20 baby Must Haves list.

Sippy Cup

By the way, Charlotte is really starting to get the hang of a sippy cup! We've been trying since 6 months, gave it a little break and now it's working. Woot.

Broccoli

Charlotte is really enjoying more textured, chunkier foods. Here she is eating broccoli last night. She had it EVERYWHERE...throughout her hair, smooshed in her neck and stuck to her underside and backs of her legs. Amazing. The bathtub looked like a sea of broccoli afterwards.

The Girls

Attended a lovely birthday party Saturday night. Most brought their little ones - ALL girls, just a couple months apart. Is that just weird? Here's a pic of the girls chillin'. Leah (6 mos) is on the left, Charlotte (9 mos) is in the middle and Brynne (8 mos) is on the right. Alyssa (4 mos), not pictured, was taking it easy in her car seat.

InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger UPDATE II

Ok. Love the jogger; it's pretty great. Nice, smooth run. VERY quiet - try running with a regular stroller and see how noisy that is! It turns nicely with and without the front wheel locked and Charlotte seems to dig it. LOVE the bug net - no more mosquitos feasting upon my little one AND it catches the toys she decides to throw overboard.

A couple of things though. I took it shopping with my Mom and, overall, the experience was only ok. It does turn wonderfully it tight situations but, it is much wider than our Chicco, and I got stuck a bunch. The weight of the diaper bag (hanging from the handle bar) made it really top heavy. I would have opted to put the diaper bag in the tray underneath but I tend to pack on the heavy side and it wouldn't fit. The jogger is also much heavier and more difficult to get in and out of the trunk. The parent tray popped off twice when I was folding and unfolding - not sure what the dilly is there. And I pinched my finger big time in one of the folding joints; gotta watch where your fingers are!

I am still very happy with the Jogger - hands down. It's definitely worth it and it'll get a lot of use. But, I think I will stick with the Chicco for shopping expeditions and quick stops. Afterall, it's called a 'jogger' for a reason.

First Tooth! UPDATE

Just wanted to let ya'll know that Charlotte's tooth has definitely poked through. Still haven't gotten a shot of it - it's really too small at this point and she doesn't quite want to let us in there yet either. Think there might be another on the way though - she was a tough cookie last night. Stay tuned!

Nine Month Check-Up

Charlotte and I took a trip to see Dr. Beckford this morning for her 9 month check-up and she is now 20 pounds, 1 ounce and 27.25" long. Now, I'm not normally one who talks percentiles but, here goes anyways...her weight is in the 75th and her height is in the 40th. Poor thing is going to be short (not really surprising) and the doc said things will even out once Charlotte starts crawling and/or walking.

We can move her up to stage 3 foods and even start giving her our dinners. The doc has suggested that we start using sippy cups more frequently as she hopes Charlotte will be done with the bottle around 1 year. THAT IS MAJOR. THAT is going to be tough. Right now she just thinks of sippy cups as toys. What is one to do?

Fun With Nana & PapPaw

Here is a little snapshot of what we did while Nana and PapPaw were visiting. We had a blast! Mets game, yummy dinners, carousel and shopping!

First Tooth!

Charlotte has her FIRST TOOTH!!! Can't believe it...

First, you have to understand, Charlotte is the most pleasant baby when she wakes in the morning. All smiles, giggles, sweet chitter-chatter and just so genuinely happy to see someone peer over her crib rail.

Yesterday morning was the exact opposite so we knew something was up. Coupled with a slight fever we just thought she was catching a bug. I called Vesa and asked if we could still bring her in and she said no problem; she would keep a close eye on her and if she got worse we could go and pick her up.

Didn't receive any 'pick-up' phones calls so I called over lunch. Vesa said, "She is absolutely perfect. She has a tooth!" I was in awe and cried. I know, ridiculous. But, in my offense, that is some MAJOR growing up. I called and shared the news with Stevens and he was equally surprised. It was really hard to stay at the office all freaking day long - I just wanted to go scoop her up and check out the 'newness'.

After a super loooooooong day I finally got to my little lady and, sure enough, there was a tooth. You can barely see it but you can surely feel it. It's like a little razor. We're guessing it was pushing through the skin yesterday morning a.k.a., the 'crankiness'. She let me touch it once and that was it. Daddy got to feel it too, just once as well. It must be so tender and sore - she purses her lips so tight and now won't let us back in. Poor thing. I'll post pics once I get 'em - this one is gonna be tough.

InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger UPDATE

Just wanted to let ya'll know the jogger is fabulous - so far. Have to pick up an air pump for the tires - they are like mini bicycle tires. I totally forgot. Can't wait to take it out in the morning!

Upcoming Events + Happenings

Some fun things to look forward to...

• visit from Nana + PapPaw
• Charlotte's first Met's game - she'll be wearing this
• 9 Months (!)
• Chili Cook-Off
• Charlotte's first Halloween
• family wedding
• visit from PapPap + PopPop

InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger

I finally did it and took the plunge - I bought a baby jogger. Seeing as some weight is finding it way back to me after stopping breastfeeding, Charlotte and I have taken to the streets walking. And I mean WALKING. I'd like to step it up a bit and start running again. I tried running with our current stroller and it just isn't going to work (though it is otherwise glorious). So, I introduce to you - the InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger.

Did lots and lots of research on this one. Not only is it car seat compatible (taking into consideration baby #2 - always have to plan ahead) and gender neutral, it boasts an adjustable handle to accommodate either Stevens or myself, has a front swivel wheel, parking break, new parent tray, removable child tray and even a mosquito net...all for an affordable price. We're on a budget here folks and it's gotta fit. All in all it seems to be the most bang for our buck. And, most reviews were outstanding. I'll let ya know more about after its arrival on Thursday! Here's to getting back in shape!

Top 20 Baby Must Haves

A girlfriend of mine wanted to know what items, besides the BIG ones (e.g. stroller, car seat, crib, glider, high chair etc.), I considered necessary when getting ready for baby. There is just so much out there that I thought it necessary to consolidate - twenty sounded like a good number so I stuck with it.

01. bibs, bibs and more bibs. not the tiny newborn cutesy kind, the larger ones that actually work. charlotte had a double chin and she plumped up so quickly that the little bibs simply did not fit. burp cloths too. we still go through tons of bibs and burp cloths a day. babies are drooly. these work and wash really well for daily wear and these are great for (solid food) feeding time.

02. start stocking up on diapers AND wipes. we are pampers people. they work well for girls. i have heard though that huggies seem to work better for boys.

03.* a really good bottle brush. this one is necessary. all others we tried fell apart. buy 3 of them.

04.* a really good drying rack. can't find the one we have online. whichever option you do go with, be sure it accommodates all the teensy bottle parts really well.

* these items are always good to have even if you start out breastfeeding. a bottle brush and drying rack are small items that can be stored until you need them.

05. pacifier clip. can't tell you how many times a baby will spit it out, onto the floor only to send you to the sink to rinse. they are somewhat tacky, but they work. get the baby gund pacifier clip(s). i tried lots and we didn't like most because they were made of cheap plastic.

06. wipes warmer. most people either hate 'em or love 'em. there seems to be no in between. charlotte HATED, and i mean HATED being changed until Mimi bought her a wipes warmer. you will need to keep a little distilled water on hand to dampen the EverFresh pillow.

07. diaper champ. NOT a diaper genie. diaper champs let you use any sort of trash bag (we use scented ones). you apparently have to buy specific bags for the genie and it looks like a gigantic poo sausage when you pull it out.

08. boppy bare naked with slipcover

09. a travel sized swing and/or a bouncer. some babies hate swinging and like bouncing and vice versa. we had the room so we had both. on the contrary, i would not recommend a full-size swing because they take up a HUGE amount of space. we have a swing similar to this one and this bouncer. the bouncer was by far one of the most cheapest items and she loved it the most. we didn't even use the battery / vibrate feature. she did the bouncing all by herself.

10. bath tub-to-seat. it's great for on-the-counter baths AND it converts to a seat that attaches securely to the side of the tub for when your little can sit up by themselves.

11. nail clippers. i don't use the magnifier but it is there if you want it.

12. breast pump. they are so expensive, but so worth it. if you can borrow one from a friend - do it. i did (and bought a replacement set of tubes so everything was clean). i recommend the Medela Pump In Style Advanced BackPack. very easy to use. a simple black backpack conceals everything. i traveled with this bugger to and from work everyday for 4 months.

13. footie pajamas with snaps. lots of these in different sizes; they grow out of them quickly. once you hit size 12+ months, you'll have to switch to zippered footies. they don't seem to make larger sizes with snaps, at least not that i can find. (FYI - snaps are just my preference because i'm always afraid i'll pinch charlotte's skin with zippers - she is squirmy).

14. exersaucer

15. hooded towels

16. nasal aspirator. be sure to KEEP THE BLUE ONE THE HOSPITAL GIVES YOU! this one should keep for awhile - be sure to rinse it with a mild salt water solution after using to keep it clean and sanitized.

17. baby carrier of some sort. we have a hotsling and we have a bjorn. charlotte did not care for the hotsling - i think it was too small for me and did not give her enough room; she looked smooshed. charlotte loved the bjorn but quickly grew out of it. i always wished that i had gotten a ring sling - perhaps for baby #2. this guide is a great, succinct reference to keep handy when considering babywearing - like everything else, there are a ton of options out there and it can get really frustrating and confusing.

18. a baby monitor. this is the one we have. it's great, never had any problems with it.

19. a roomy diaper bag. the jessica messenger has a regular shoulder strap, plus a set of straps that allow you to carry it as a back pack (which i usually always do) AND it even has another set of straps so you can attach it to the stroller.

update - for my first mother's day, daddy and the little lady gifted me with this one. there is no turning back. it's. the. ultimate.

20. puppy pads to cover the nursery changing pad and public changing stations. i realize this sounds absolutely ridiculous, BUT THEY WORK. can't tell you how many times charlotte tinkled while on the changing table (cold air). i stumbled upon a pack of leftover, oversized puppy pads we had for daisy and chopper and thought it would be a perfect stand-in for the one cotton liner we ALWAYS had to wash. if it gets soiled just pitch it. no worries when the stains don't come out! they are also great to cover public restroom changing surfaces. i have found that most diaper bag changing pads are NOT nearly large enough to cover such nasty, germy surfaces. we always have two or three on-hand when traveling.

If you find that a link above does not work, please let me know and I will update it!

BabyHawk

A preview of hairdo's to come and the exquisite stylings of Daddy. I give you the BabyHawk...


Click to view bigger.

Baked Potatoes

Turns out Charlotte loves baked potatoes just like Mommy. Mmm good. She is mastering the pincer grasp quite well, I must say.

Baked Potatoes, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

Clappin'

She definitely claps now. You clap to her and she claps back.