Be it Geenie, Deko, Costco or whatever, your dirty diaper disposal system will stink.
But I found something that works!
If you get an extra smelly box of drier sheets (you know how sometimes even the car starts to smell on the drive home from the grocery store?) put one (or two, or three) at the bottom of the pail outside of the plastic bag.
Ta-da!
Things I Wish I'd Known (TIWIK): Bibs
Bibs with velcro are a sucker's game. Do not waste your time or money. As soon as they can the little babes will tear that shit right off. Typically when eating the messiest of foods.
Buy bibs with snaps.
Buy bibs with snaps.
Good Night Moon - what's the big friggin deal?
I've never understood the vast obsession with this children's book. My mom didn't read it to us (she thinks it's boring) and I never reach for it to read to Ava. Trendy? Perhaps. As I've come to understand, having a baby is like trying to fit in to the cool crowd in high school? Instead of popular friends, it's popular baby gear. But I digress. Anyway, maybe it's because of the vintage copyright date? I prefer books like Chicka-chicka Boom-boom (sing songy and I have it memorized) and Guess How Much I Love You (How sweet). Perhaps I'll lose mama friends for admitting that I think Good Night Moon sucks, but I guess I'm going to have to risk that loss.
Good Night, friends.
No more prunes
Ellie had her first, and last, taste of prunes yesterday morning.
Let's just start by the obvious: they look disgusting. In the nicest way, you could say it looked like she had chocolate all over her face. But we all know it looked like something else. Something more closely associated with prunes.
Much later in the afternoon, we were in the car headed to our friends' house. The stink came suddenly and powerfully. It was a doozie of a diaper and needed changing STAT. Our friends have kids, so we didn't need to stop and change her en route.
Arriving at our destination, the smell growing exponentially, we whisk ourselves in and are greeted with directions upstairs to the changing table without a word said. I take Ellie out of her car seat and begin to get a glimpse of the carnage. She had pooped through: diaper, onesie, baby legs, pants, jacket, blanket and car seat insert. This was just the beginning.
The poor changing pad never stood a chance. There was poop everywhere. Our friend immediately started running a bath and I took a second to try to riddle out how to get her out of those clothes with the least amount of mess on me. There was no good answer. I just had to dive in.
Once the clothes were off my husband and our friend took them, and the changing pad, down to his laundry (both making gagging noises all the way) and I brought the naked, yet totally smeared with poop baby to the bath. I scrubbed. I rubbed. I got in everywhere. I washed her poor poop-covered head. The smell didn't seem to fade. When I thought she was all clean I picked her up to find a giant pocket of poo still unwashed on her leg. How was that even possible? Back in the tub.
It was a baby Silkwood shower. My poor girl. I could still smell it! But eventually, I could wash no more. Back out of the tub, dry off, cover in lotion so she smelled nice again, and back to the changing table. Miracle! I had packed an extra outfit. I get Ellie dressed and the night is saved.
Until she poops again an hour or so later. We heard it. We were on it! But she STILL pooped through two layers of backup outfit in one quick blast.
The first outfit was now out of the laundry and back on our girl. The backup in a plastic bag for me to wash at home.
She slept in her original outfit last night, because when she went down she slept like a dream. Until 7:30 this morning! It must have been trauma for her too.
No more prunes.
Let's just start by the obvious: they look disgusting. In the nicest way, you could say it looked like she had chocolate all over her face. But we all know it looked like something else. Something more closely associated with prunes.
Much later in the afternoon, we were in the car headed to our friends' house. The stink came suddenly and powerfully. It was a doozie of a diaper and needed changing STAT. Our friends have kids, so we didn't need to stop and change her en route.
Arriving at our destination, the smell growing exponentially, we whisk ourselves in and are greeted with directions upstairs to the changing table without a word said. I take Ellie out of her car seat and begin to get a glimpse of the carnage. She had pooped through: diaper, onesie, baby legs, pants, jacket, blanket and car seat insert. This was just the beginning.
The poor changing pad never stood a chance. There was poop everywhere. Our friend immediately started running a bath and I took a second to try to riddle out how to get her out of those clothes with the least amount of mess on me. There was no good answer. I just had to dive in.
Once the clothes were off my husband and our friend took them, and the changing pad, down to his laundry (both making gagging noises all the way) and I brought the naked, yet totally smeared with poop baby to the bath. I scrubbed. I rubbed. I got in everywhere. I washed her poor poop-covered head. The smell didn't seem to fade. When I thought she was all clean I picked her up to find a giant pocket of poo still unwashed on her leg. How was that even possible? Back in the tub.
It was a baby Silkwood shower. My poor girl. I could still smell it! But eventually, I could wash no more. Back out of the tub, dry off, cover in lotion so she smelled nice again, and back to the changing table. Miracle! I had packed an extra outfit. I get Ellie dressed and the night is saved.
Until she poops again an hour or so later. We heard it. We were on it! But she STILL pooped through two layers of backup outfit in one quick blast.
The first outfit was now out of the laundry and back on our girl. The backup in a plastic bag for me to wash at home.
She slept in her original outfit last night, because when she went down she slept like a dream. Until 7:30 this morning! It must have been trauma for her too.
No more prunes.
Travel with Baby
A few thoughts on travelling with baby (and spellchecker be damned! I swear travelling has two Ls). I can't quite call them "tips" because I've only done it once, but these are my general observations:
1) Travel up front. Especially when your baby is still riding on your lap. Do whatever you can to upgrade. If you have the means, buy first or business. Those big seats, more room between the seats (for baby's head to rest), the (I swear they're nicer) flight attendants, the smoother ride. It's worth it. So so worth it.
2) Don't travel at night. Our first flight was after little E's bedtime, and I thought "perfect! She'll surely sleep the whole time." But, and maybe this is just my baby, her I-want-to-sleep-but-keep-being-awakened cries are ten times more shrill than the regular I'm-bored variety. Plus, when others around you are trying to sleep a baby crying is WAY more annoying than when everyone around you is awake.
3) Get some help from chemistry. I was going to say "drugs" but thought it may go over poorly. Our girl is 6 months and a quick call to the pediatrician confirmed that baby Zyrtec is A-OK. So the ride home was significantly better than the (non-zyrtec) ride there. I also hear good things about Benadryl, but we couldn't find any at the pharmacy. She slept like a little angel. People around us even commented on what a good baby we have (if they only knew).
4) Have your friend who has flown with a baby before to write a list of things for you to bring. Karen did this for me and if I find it when I unpack I'll post it in the comments. Priceless. She even wrote "nail scissors" on my list and I thought "bah! don't need that." Totally needed that.
Other tips?
1) Travel up front. Especially when your baby is still riding on your lap. Do whatever you can to upgrade. If you have the means, buy first or business. Those big seats, more room between the seats (for baby's head to rest), the (I swear they're nicer) flight attendants, the smoother ride. It's worth it. So so worth it.
2) Don't travel at night. Our first flight was after little E's bedtime, and I thought "perfect! She'll surely sleep the whole time." But, and maybe this is just my baby, her I-want-to-sleep-but-keep-being-awakened cries are ten times more shrill than the regular I'm-bored variety. Plus, when others around you are trying to sleep a baby crying is WAY more annoying than when everyone around you is awake.
3) Get some help from chemistry. I was going to say "drugs" but thought it may go over poorly. Our girl is 6 months and a quick call to the pediatrician confirmed that baby Zyrtec is A-OK. So the ride home was significantly better than the (non-zyrtec) ride there. I also hear good things about Benadryl, but we couldn't find any at the pharmacy. She slept like a little angel. People around us even commented on what a good baby we have (if they only knew).
4) Have your friend who has flown with a baby before to write a list of things for you to bring. Karen did this for me and if I find it when I unpack I'll post it in the comments. Priceless. She even wrote "nail scissors" on my list and I thought "bah! don't need that." Totally needed that.
Other tips?
Storytime
Once upon a time there were 5 lovely, pregnant ladies who all at different times decided to take advantage of the Prenatal Fitness on the Ball class at East Bank Club. Susie and Michele met first. Then Grace and Susie. Then Susie, Grace and Michele. And here came Amy. And last but not least, Karen. They all exchanged emails and would get thru the week sending funny quips, stories, complaints and doctor appt. updates. The girls would meet Monday mornings at 9am for Adina's class and discuss meeting again Wednesdays for Trudi's water aerobics class with all the bluehairs. After each swim class, they would have lunch at the Grill to discuss husbands, pregnancy woes, eat 'healthy' and indulge in dessert. Grace went first - having sweet Alessia on April 19th. Then Susie, having precious Ava on May 23rd. A couple of months passed and it was Michele's turn and on July 12th here came adorable Ellie. And almost a week later on July 18th, the biggest of the babies, but very cute Chloe was born. Just 10 days later on July 29th, the lone boy in the group and a lucky one at that, handsome Nicholas made his debut. The babies had all arrived.
Friendship is defined as the cooperative and supportive relationship between people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as the exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for some, the practical execution of friendship is little more than the trust that someone will not harm them.
In a short amount of time, these five women have become the best of friends. They share everything with each other, understand each other and respect each other. There's an unspoken trust and a feeling of family between them. Without these friends, there may be lonelier days, more sadness, less fun and few smiles. But because of them, motherhood is more amazing than any of the girls could imagine and life more tolerable than each had hope it would be.
Fat Baby
Everyone says they love fat babies, and I would agree. That was until mine became the biggest in the baby bjorn aerobics class. And the youngest. Whoops?
So I'm not breast feeding any more. Can I blame formula? Is it a growth spurt? Am I just being crazy? (obviously, yes to the last one)
Today she's had 6oz at 3:30 and 7:30 and now at 9:00 she's *screaming* again for more. And I'm going to give in.
Everyone loves fat babies...
