He Crawls!

October 27, 2008 at 11:02 am (Benjamin, Growth and Development)

As of around October 20, our baby boy is officially crawling. By last Thursday, he had really gotten the hang of it. This video was taken on Friday.

When Benjamin started crawling, the reality quickly set in how unprepared our home is for an adventurous and mobile baby. I finally made the trip to Babies R Us for safety items (something I had been procrastinating for several months!). It could have been quite overwhelming on the long, packed “baby safety” aisle. Instead, I chose to be amused by everything from the baby knee guards (in rainbow stripes no less), to the ridiculously overpriced fireplace bumper pads. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars, I decided that we will simply make some common sense changes – put blankets over the fireplace brick, move the glass-topped and sharp-cornered coffee table out of the play area, transfer poisonous or breakable items from low to high cabinets, etc.

With the few changes we’ve already made, I feel more secure about letting Benjamin loose to play (under supervision, of course), but we still have a long way to go. There are the crystal vases and pitchers that are stored in a lower cabinet in the living room, all the trash cans whose contents are just begging to be dumped out and picked through, the inviting sound system buttons (we still haven’t figured out how to deal with that one), etc.

One thing we know is that there is no such thing as baby-proof, only damage control. Benjamin managed to get two bumps on his head just last night, and that’s while we were sitting right next to him! He had his first experience of mommy putting ice on a bruise, and he didn’t like it very much. But, we know that he is learning by experience what hurts and what he can handle. After all, he’s a boy!

We are amazed how much his interaction with us and his toys has changed in just a few days. He is capable of so much more now that he has the ability to crawl. He wants to explore everything, and when he’s ready for a break, he warms our hearts by crawling right up to our feet and reaching out to us. And so begins this newest phase of our adventure with him! Here are some pictures from our first week with a crawling baby:

Benjamin is ready for his moment in the spotlight.

Benjamin is ready for his moment in the spotlight.

Benjamin takes a break from crawling to chill out in his cool duds.

Benjamin takes a break from crawling to chill out in his cool duds.

Crawling is good exercise, so Benjamin decided to do some stretching.

Crawling is good exercise, so Benjamin decided to do some stretching.

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Our Baby Gear: An Annotated List

October 24, 2008 at 4:38 pm (Parenting)

As promised (for those of you who are interested in these things), read on for the types and brands of baby gear that we have in our arsenal. For each item, I’ve included a mini review, good things to know, as well as information on how we went about making our selection. I’ll start with pumps and bottles, since feeding your baby is the most important thing!

Breast Pump

  • I recommend a double electric pump, as they are more efficient than other types. I have a Medela Pump in Style, which has been great, but it wouldn’t have been worth the money if I’d bought it new (I bought it used from a friend), since I only use it occasionally now. If you have a friend who could sell you one, you could replace the tubing, which is what I did. It’s totally sanitary with new tubes. I think it was a good choice.
  • If you want to buy a new one, the next best choice is a Lansinoh Double Electric, which costs about $150 at Target.
  • If you want to look at more economical options, you could always rent a pump from a hospital. You buy your own attachments and rent their machine.
  • If you aren’t going to pump very much, you could go with one of the manual or mini electric pumps, which aren’t as efficient. I’ve read that they aren’t even worth the money.
  • Summary on breast pumps: Medela is the best brand, but your choice of pump depends mainly on how much you think you will pump. (This is a purchase you could always wait on until after the baby is born, since you most likely won’t use it right away anyway.)

Bottles

  • We have enjoyed Avent plastic bottles. I’ve heard Dr. Browns are good, too, but I find that Avent bottles aren’t as bulky, so they are easier for traveling and being away from home. There’s been a lot of hoopla over the dangers of plastic bottles lately (something about toxins being released when they are heated), but I’ve not found any hard evidence to support these claims. To me, glass bottles just seem impractical. How long before your baby grabs the bottle and throws it down to shatter on the floor?
  • Be sure to register for some different sizes of nipples. They start with size 1, and we skipped over size 2, and Benjamin is currently using size 3. In addition, register for different sizes of bottles (i.e. 4 oz. and 8 oz.) We just registered for a starter kit that had different sized bottles, nipples, and a bottle cleaning brush.
  • We’ve also been happy with our Avent Express bottle warmer. In my opinion, it’s the easiest way to heat a bottle. I highly recommend this purchase as well. It’s especially convenient for babysitters and dads.

Car Seat/Stroller

  • We’ve been happy with our Graco travel system. We have a Metrolite Graco stroller/car seat base/ carrier combo that has been versatile and easy to use. Some people like to have the smaller, less bulky car seat stroller frame, but then you have to buy another stroller later, etc.
  • Graco is a reliable brand for car seat and stroller. There are much more high end and trendy strollers to choose (did you see the episode of The Office where Dwight safety tested Jan’s $1200 Orbit stroller?), but a good ole Graco was fine for us.
  • Our stroller has held up well on neighborhood walks, and the carrier is very easy to get in and out of the car seat base. One complaint I have is that it took me awhile to figure out how to fold up the stroller. It’s supposed to collapse when you push down on a lever, but for awhile I’d have to do it 10 times before it would work. Even now, I say that I have to “believe” that it’s going to work. I think this may be ineptness on my part more than a flaw in the stroller design.
  • Bottom line – decide how much bulk you want to push around, and choose the color and design you like. We went with a simple blue/gray design – an added bonus is that it hides dirt well!

Bouncy seat/swing/exersauser…..

  • The Eddie Bauer Bouncenette has been the single best baby gear item for us! I highly recommend it. Benjamin still uses it, and has used it since the day he came home from the hospital. It’s a bouncy seat for him to play in, but it also easily converts to a bassinet so he used to take naps in it. I also like that it is toned down colors, so it blends in with our living room, unlike a lot of the “loud” designs of other seats. It is also easily portable. I still move it from room to room, and we’ve taken it on road trips. It’s nice to have a place to sit the baby down when you’re away from home. It even has a mosquito net in case you want to take it outside.
  • View Bouncenette product information here.

  • An exersaucer is another must have. Every baby I know is highly entertained by these contraptions. And they are also good for strengthening their little legs. It’s nice to have a safe place to set the baby down when you need to leave the room.

High chairs

  • We’ve been very pleased with our Chicco high chair. It’s cute, relatively small, has wheels for moving it around, is easy to clean, and folds up easily. The one pictured on babiesrus.com is like ours, only ours is brown instead of green.
  • Click here for product information and picture.

Clothing

  • Sleeping attire- For the early months, I’d suggest using nightgowns with the attached “mittens” to keep baby’s hands warm. Benjamin wore nightgowns and socks to bed until he was about 5 months old! The gowns make it easier to change diapers during the night, which you will be doing a lot at first.
  • Register for footed pajamas for size 6-9 months. At this age, Benjamin pulls his socks off and chews on them, so we don’t want to put him to bed in socks. His feet stay nice and warm, and he’s all around cozy.
  • Gowns and footed pjs have been part of our success with Benjamin sleeping well at night. So far he hasn’t worn any two-piece (pants and shirts) pjs. That probably won’t start until he’s 1 year old.
  • Register for some cozy footed outfits for 0-3 months. We loved dressing Benjamin in these during the cold days of March.
  • Since then, he’s practically lived in onesies.
  • Don’t register for cute multi-piece outfits for 0-3 months. Newborns are so tiny and curled up that these clothes just fall off. Save the cute stuff for 3-6 months or beyond.
  • You won’t need any baby shoes at least until he/she is crawling. Benjamin only recently started wearing shoes. The best baby footwear is those sweet slipper shoes:

Books

  • Happiest Baby on the Block – This was the best book I read for advice on soothing fussy babies.
  • Secrets of the Baby Whisperer – I liked this one, too.
  • Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 - This is a general reference book by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Brad and I have looked at it several times for peace of mind about various symptoms and behavior. It also describes the development stages from birth to age 5

Diaper Brands
- Huggies are best
- I hate Luvs!
- I’ve heard Pampers are better for girls, but I don’t like how they fit Benjamin

Things we haven’t used much:

  • Swing – I know a lot of people love these, but we haven’t used ours much, and it takes up so much space! Ours was borrowed from someone. Books I read said not to let your baby sleep in the swing, which is probably why we haven’t used it much. I’d say wait until you see what kind of baby you have, and if he/she has trouble sleeping, then maybe purchase one. Or maybe you could borrow from someone so you wouldn’t feel like you are possibly wasting your money.
  • Bumbo – We also borrowed one of these, and Benjamin doesn’t like it. He likes to be on the go, rather than confined to a seat.
  • Playmat Gyms – We have gotten by without one of these extravagant contraptions. Benjamin has enjoyed playing with them at other people’s houses, but at home we just throw some toys on a quilt for him. Takes up less space.

Other things we’ve enjoyed having:

  • Pack n Play – It’s nice to have one of these, but go with one of the basic versions rather than the $200 ones with all the bells and whistles. It would be nice to have one set up in your room for the first few weeks
  • Diaper Champ – We’ve been happy with this diaper pail because it uses regular trash bags and holds in the odor pretty well. (With Diaper Genie you have to buy special bags.) Now we only put Benjamin’s wet diapers in there. His dirty ones go straight in a baggie and to the outside trash!
  • Fisher Price Baby Monitor - This was a necessity for us, and it was very reliable until one of our monitors shorted out on us a few months ago. The other one still works fine, and I would have been able to replace the faulty one (it’s under a one year warranty) if I hadn’t lost the receipt. :(
Benjamin saw his Baby Einstein toy in a whole new light when he sat up!

Benjamin saw his Baby Einstein toy in a whole new light when he sat up!

  • Baby Einstein Activity Center - This was a gift I didn’t register for, but we’ve liked it! It adjusts to different settings for different stages from small baby all the way to toddler. Click here for product information and picture.

  • “Pull” toys – Like Benjamin’s favorite giraffe toy. They have these everywhere. I think Sassy is a good brand
Benjamin's favorite new place to hang out is sitting up on our bed. We surround him with a fortress of sheets and comforter. He loves it!
  • Books and toys that crinkle – Benjamin loves these as well

  • Baby tub – We bought a cheap, $10 one that folds up for compact storage, and it’s served us well.
  • Baby Bjorn – Putting him in this was a surefire way to soothe Benjamin when he was a newborn. I could go for a walk, play on the Wii, etc. while he was snuggled up on my chest, and he loved it!

  • Receiving blankets – The larger rectangular ones are great for swaddling. We still use them. Pick out a fabric design that you like, because otherwise they are all about the same.

I’m sure I could continue, but I think I’ve covered the basics (and then some). Let me know if you have questions about any other items!

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Benjamin’s First Pair of Shoes

October 19, 2008 at 11:15 am (Benjamin)

Benjamin is 7 1/2 months old, and we have never put shoes on him until now. During the hot Texas summer a baby doesn’t need to wear shoes, but now that the weather is cooling off and his favorite activity is pulling off his socks and chewing on them, we decided it was time to rummage through the closet for some baby footwear. I must say, I am very pleased with the result. These aren’t so much shoes as slippers, but they are so cute! Benjamin seems just as thrilled as I am by them. An added bonus (for him, at least) is that they give him some extra traction to scoot across the floor. He is now able to crawl forward ever so slightly thanks to the extra foot hold.

And maybe Benjamin thought these were blue suede shoes, because he was ready to rock ‘n roll on the keyboard with Brad:

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What (Not?) to Wear

October 18, 2008 at 4:53 pm (Benjamin)

We will be dedicating Benjamin at church next Sunday, October 26.

For those of you not familiar with a baby dedication, as opposed to a christening, here is our church’s description of this event: “This is a special time of commitment for your family in which parents affirm their own faith in Jesus Christ and promise to model and teach this faith to their children. The dedication ceremony provides parents a formal, public opportunity to dedicate their child to the Lord.”

I’ve tried not to obsess over frivolous details like what picture to send in for the slide show, or what he should wear, but since this is his biggest public appearance to date (our worship center seats about 2,000 people), I have given some thought to what he will wear. I’ve narrowed it down to two choices, so yesterday I took some pictures of Benjamin in them.

  • Option 1: The traditional collared, formal bubble suit
  • Option 2: A dressy casual set featuring a crisp green onesie and plaid overalls

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. I think Benjamin makes it pretty clear which outfit he prefers. Please feel free to share your opinions in the comments section. Keep in mind that our church is pretty informal. On any given Sunday, adults wear everything from jeans to dresses to shirt/tie. So either of these baby outfits would be fine.

OPTION 1: BLUE BUBBLE SUIT

OPTION 2: GREEN AND BLUE OVERALLS

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Dates of Yore

October 16, 2008 at 3:38 pm (Brad, Diversions, Emily)

A couple of nights ago, Brad and I went on a dinner date, a rare occurrence for us these days. We went to our favorite “fancy” restaurant here in Carrollton, Mirabelle. We know there are countless upscale restaurants for us to try in the Dallas area, but we keep going back to Mirabelle because it is always delicious, the food is artistically presented, the owner/chef is very personable, the atmosphere is warm and relaxed, and perhaps most importantly, it’s only about five minutes from home! It would seem counterproductive to add 50 minutes of driving time to our date to drive to and from one of the restaurants closer to downtown.

As we dined on lamb chops and sea scallops, we reminisced about what our lives were like before we became parents. One topic that we spent some time discussing was “what we used to do for fun.” Mostly we sat around the house watching tv and movies, or hanging out with friends. But, every once and a while we would do something different.

Our conversation got me thinking about another topic: dates we have been on. We started dating in 1998, and got married in 2001. In the past ten years, we have been on countless dinner dates, and a handful of more adventurous dates. I wanted to take this opportunity to think back on some of the highlights.

  • Our first date: the Pizza Inn lunch buffet, Winter 1998 – So our first date wasn’t the stuff legends are made of, but it was, nonetheless, special. I remember sitting in a booth eating my veggie pizza, and my favorite Bavarian cream dessert pizza, and listening to Brad talk about his experiences in the Tech band, and his road trip to Jazz Fest in New Orleans. He saw James Taylor perform live there. I checked off “likes James Taylor” as another uncommon thing in common that we shared. As we sat there talking, long after we had finished eating, I remember thinking how well we “clicked,” and how there was no first-date awkwardness. And so began our 3 1/2 years of dating, which led to our four month engagement, which led to our wedding on December 22, 2001. And here we are nearly seven years later, with many more dates under our belt.

  • The San Antonio Zoo, Summer 1999 – The summer of ‘99, Brad did an internship at a biomedical research institute in San Antonio. My mom and I made two trips down there to visit him. I have a cousin who lives there, so we stayed with her family, and mom visited with them while Brad and I explored the city. One day we went to Sea World, and another we took a boat ride through the River Walk. But our most memorable San Antonio date was at the zoo. The zoo wasn’t one of the best I’ve been to, but shortly after we arrived, a torrential downpour of rain began, which sent just about everyone running for the exits. We weren’t afraid of a little water, though, so we stuck around. We took cover in the night creature house during the worst of the storm, and when we reemerged, we discovered we had the whole zoo as our personal playground. We didn’t see any other zoo visitors anywhere! We had the best time acting silly, posing for pictures next to animal statues, running around in the puddles (since we were already soaked anyway), and occasionally even paying attention to the monkeys, Gila monster, and other animals we passed by. There was something special about having the zoo, normally a very public and busy place, all to ourselves, and I’ll always remember that.

  • Coldplay concert – Birmingham, AL, 2002 – Just before Coldplay reached the massive popularity that they are still achieving today, Brad and I saw them perform at the Birmingham convention center symphony hall. It was one of the best concerts I have ever been to – mostly substance, minimal flash – probably due to the smaller venue and laid back atmosphere, in addition to the fantastic band. When I go to a concert, I am there more for the music than the interactive experience, so I was thrilled that our little section of the hall seemed to be filled with like-minded individuals. We all leaned back in our sits to enjoy Chris Martin’s soaring voice and the resounding piano and guitar chords, rather than having to stand up and scream the whole time. I find all the jumping up and down and off key singing along very distracting, so without those annoyances, this was a very pleasing experience. This was, I think, the first concert that Brad and I attended together. It was nice to hold hands and smile knowingly at each other when we’d hear the opening chords of our favorite songs. All in all, this was a completely relaxing and memorable evening.

  • African Village Restaurant, Dallas, ~ 2004 – This date makes the highlight list not so much because it was fun, but because it was memorable. I believe this is the worst dining experience we have ever had together! Brad and I consider ourselves adventurous eaters, so we weren’t intimidated by the idea of eating African cuisine. However, our confidence began to wane as soon as we stepped inside the restaurant. First of all, there were no other customers, and second of all, the three employees glanced at us briefly, then turned their attention back to CNN news, without so much as a hello. We didn’t let this phase us too much, though, and seated ourselves before requesting a menu. We weren’t too excited about the food offerings, but we made our choices and waited for the unknown. Once our food arrived, we had to ask for instructions on how to eat it, mainly because they brought each of us a bowl of water and a starchy potato-like substance in addition to our entree (but no utensils). It was supposedly beef stew, although the meat didn’t have the texture of any beef I’d ever encountered. I also distinctly recall large fish bones being a factor. We soon learned that we were supposed to dip our fingers in water, and then into the potato-like substance, which would “stick” to our fingers so that we could scoop up our stew with it. Needless to say, we didn’t make it very far past the fish bones and mystery meat before we decided we had had enough ethnic exposure for one night and asked for the check. Looking back, I am glad that we shared this unfortunate dining experience together. We laugh about it now, but we will never eat there again!

  • Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco, October 2005 – I’m not sure that sight seeing on a vacation is in the same category as dates where you live, but I had to include this one since it was so unique among our dating experiences. The Japanese Tea Garden of San Francisco is tucked away in a corner of the huge city park, and it is truly a hidden gem. Not only is it relaxing and beautiful, but it has some very interesting examples of Japanese architecture and engineering, with its replica houses, steeply arched bridges, and Koi ponds. Despite an overcast sky and cold temperatures, we had a great time strolling around the gardens to take in all its visual splendor, and we stopped in at the open air tea house for hot tea and refreshments before leaving. We really felt transported to another time and place while we were there, and we have lots of pictures to remember the experience by.
  • Making the most of the mall, Dallas, December 2005 – Whenever someone asks me what my favorite date ever is, I mention this one. It was more like 4 or 5 dates in one, since it lasted all day. We were at Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, and started out by going to an early bird matinee of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This was Brad’s first Harry Potter movie, whereas I had seen all the previous ones, but we were both thoroughly entertained. Afterwards we had lunch in the food court and then did some shopping – only a bit, though, because neither of us are too crazy about it. We soon abandoned our shopping in favor of a coffee break at Starbucks. As I recall, that was the first time I had their Christmas-themed peppermint mocha. We sat for awhile, chatting, listening to the Christmas music, and watching the hustle and bustle of all the people (feeling grateful that we weren’t in such a hurry as they were). After our coffee break, Brad had the idea that we should go to Dave & Busters to play some games. I had never been there and was skeptical, since he is very much more the gamer than I am, but we both had a blast! My favorite was the basketball toss game, but we played a lot of games together, including air hockey, and a race car game at which Brad beat me hands down. When we used up all our game credits at Dave & Busters, we exited the mall and went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Cristina’s, for an early dinner. It was nice to sit down to chips, salsa, and margaritas, after our full day of activity. As we drove home, we declared it one of our best dates ever, perhaps the best. Now that we are lucky to get even a few hours of one on one time (depending on how long a babysitter can stay), we probably won’t have another day-long date for a long time. It’s nice to have this one to look back on.
  • Dinner at California Grill, Disney World, December 2006 – In 2006, we celebrated our five-year anniversary with a winter vacation to Disney World. We had a fantastic time, particularly because the parks were less crowded that time of year and there was lots of Christmas decor and cheer to be found. This anniversary dinner remains one of our all-time most memorable dining experiences. Located atop the Contemporary Resort, California Grill was excellent in every way – the food, the service, and the views. Per our request, we were seated in the smaller, quieter, and therefore more romantic Wine Room, and our waiter brought us complimentary champagne and wished us a happy anniversary. That was a very welcoming way to start our meal. From there we enjoyed an array of delicious and beautifully presented culinary masterpieces: big and flavorful sushi for an appetizer, lamb and scallops for entrees (how odd that we had the same thing this week at Mirabelle), and a cheese plate and a banana/butterscotch custard creation for dessert. We were there for two hours, and our server never rushed us. We took our wine out to the observation deck to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks, and it was very impressive from up there. Once back at our table and eating dessert, we were able to watch the Epcot Illuminations show through the windows of the Wine Room. One final romantic touch was our mode of transportation, a small boat that we rode both to and from the dock of our hotel to the Contemporary Resort.

  • 70s-themed housewarming party – It’s not often that we are invited to mingle with the wealthy and well connected; in fact, our invitation to this 70s-themed housewarming party is about the only time I can think of. The party was thrown by an anesthesiologist who Brad had worked with some, and it was quite the upper-echelon of Dallas cultural experience. The house itself was entertainment enough, with its gigantic rooms, elaborate master bathroom, and other touches common to a home with a million-plus price tag. Then there were the people. Remember that reality show “Sheer Dallas,” about rich and eccentric Dallasites? We encountered some of them at this party! The catered food was fantastic, the complimentary valet parking was convenient, and the Austin Powers impersonator was disturbingly good. Despite feeling very out of place, we had fun dressing up in some 70s style clothes, and lest I make all these rich folks sound stuffy and weird, I must mention that we found quite a few friendly people to chat with.

A few months after our 1970s-style housewarming adventure, I was pregnant with Benjamin. During my pregnancy, we went on lots of dates, mostly consisting of dinner and a movie. That trend has continued for the first seven months of our adventure as parents. Any date is refreshing these days, but I do look forward to more creative or out of the ordinary dates in the future. Meanwhile, we can look back fondly at all the fun we’ve shared together over the past ten years.

What are some of the best dates that you’ve been on?

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Baby Gear: Making Sense of the Madness

October 14, 2008 at 8:30 am (Parenting)

It’s been about a year since Brad and I stepped into Babies R Us on a Sunday afternoon, naively thinking we would spend about an hour picking out items for our baby registry. Oh, how silly we were, to think this would be a fun, pleasant Sunday afternoon diversion. We realized we were in over our heads when the nice lady handed us a “Welcome Box,” complete with a book that provided an overview of baby gear. The most overwhelming part of it all was the “Essentials Checklist.” According to Babies R Us, there must have been about 200 items that our baby absolutely couldn’t live without.

After spending several minutes staring blankly at the intimidating list, we decided to start with the “simple stuff” – bottles. Simple was the wrong word to use. We were faced with a wall of plastic bottles, glass bottles, large bottles, small bottles, size 1 nipples, size 3 nipples, different types of nipples, bottle liners, etc…. You get the picture. There is no such thing as simple anymore when it comes to baby products. We did an about face and scurried away from the bottle aisle, feebly scanned a few bibs and wash cloths, and then admitted our ignorance as we walked defeatedly out of the store.

So, how did we ultimately survive the registry item selection process and the mass accumulation of baby gear? Here are some suggestions for you, based on what worked for us:

  • Read Baby Bargains - This book was a sanity saver! It is like Consumer Reports for Baby Gear. I read the whole book in a couple of days, skimming certain parts of it and taking notes on the important stuff, and when I was finished I felt very confident in my newfound knowledge of everything from gliders to diaper pails to high chairs.
  • Take a mom who has “been there, done that” with you to the store – It was a bad idea on my part to have my husband as my initial shopping partner for this baby gear business. If I was overwhelmed when we got there, imagine how he was feeling! On my next attempt, Cara tagged along, and she was able to give me pointers on good brands, unnecessary gadgets, useful accessories, etc.
  • Take the registering process in small doses – What worked best for me was to target a different area of the store each time I went, and after a few trips, I was finished. This was convenient for me since I live five minutes from Babies R Us and Target. (Target wasn’t nearly as overwhelming, but it was my secondary registry.) I was still able to obsess over the details from the comfort of my laptop at home. I enjoyed reading product reviews and revising my online registry.
  • Ask other parents for advice – I asked several friends and family for their opinions about car seats, strollers, toys, everything. That helped me form my own opinions, and their stories gave some examples of how these shiny new products worked in real life.
  • Borrow or accept hand-me-downs as much as you can – Stocking your home for a baby can be crazy expensive, so try to save money where you can. We’ve been so grateful for all the family and friends who have given us so many hand-me-downs. A sampling of the items we borrowed or were given: crib, swing, bouncy seat, exersaucer, Bumbo, clothes from newborn to 3T, and tons of toys. After Benjamin was born, I realized how quickly the baby stages come and go, so it seems silly to spend a huge amount, particularly on bulky items, when your baby will only use them for at most several months. There were some items that we wanted to buy new, like a car seat (for safety reasons) and a glider. So decide which items you want to have a brand new version of, and ask friends and family about the rest.
  • Buy Used – Along the same lines as the previous suggestion, you can save a lot of money while still getting a good product by buying used. You can go the consignment store route, which I plan to do at least for clothes (but they have toys, furniture, strollers, etc., too), go to garage sales, search Craigslist, or buy from people you know.
  • Don’t Feel Like You Have to Have All the “Essentials” – Baby gear is big business these days, second only to weddings, I’d imagine. So there are constantly new “must have” products being released. Take a step back from the madness and ask yourself what you have room for in your house, how long you will use the item, what advice you’ve been given, etc. Also, there’s nothing wrong with not fully stocking your supply ahead of time. Wait and see what your baby’s personality is, and then decide if you want to purchase a swing or a Bumbo. In our case, we are glad we didn’t buy a swing because Benjamin has never been very interested in it. He enjoys sitting and looking out the window from our borrowed swing, but if we turn it on, he reaches over and grabs the bar to stop the motion. (This is his engineer’s mind at work – already figuring out how things work.) We also borrowed a Bumbo, and Benjamin hasn’t used it very much. He likes to be more mobile than the tight fitting little seat allows him to be.

I’ll save my specific recommendations on all things baby gear for another post, but here is a quick preview of what we consider essential/very useful items (aside from the obvious things like a car seat and a crib):

  • Bouncy seat - the best item we have out of all the gear!
  • Swaddling blankets – We just use the receiving blankets, not the official “easy swaddle” blankets, but since we are still half swaddling Benjamin for his naps, we have gotten a lot of use out of these! I’d say you need 4 or 5 of them, since leaky diapers and drool will send them to the laundry pile pretty often. I am a huge fan of swaddling, since even now it can calm Benjamin down when he’s overwhelmed.
  • Toys – I’m referring to teething toys, exploring toys, anything for babies. They are small, so they don’t take up lots of space, and it’s good to have a lot of them to keep a baby with a short attention span (this applies to all of them, I think) entertained. I have only bought a couple of toys myself, a cute little “teething blanket” and some teething rings. The rest were either given as gifts or were literally brought over by the sackful by our generous neighbors.
  • Glider – This was our one splurge among all our purchases. We bought a Dutalier (supposedly the best brand of glider), and we have been very happy. It is so nice to have a comfortable place to nurse Benjamin or to read him a story or to snuggle with him when he’s having teething troubles during the night. We also bought the ottoman, which adds to the comfort factor.

All this was on my mind this week because my sister-in-law Karen emailed me for advice about her registering process. (Karen, I hope that’s all going well!) Stay tuned for more on what products/brands we ended up with, and our opinions of them.

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An Evening at the Park

October 12, 2008 at 11:35 am (Benjamin, Diversions)

We’ve been enjoying some fantastic weather in Dallas lately – highs in the low 80s, lows in the 60s, and in the evenings the temperature is in the 70s. Our response to the mild temperatures has been to resume our evening walks, and to venture beyond our neighborhood to the park around the block. During the summer Brad seldom joined us because he wasn’t too fond of the humidity that lingered even at dusk; now that the humidity has been replaced by a light breeze, he has enthusiastically joined our strolling party.

Last night we opted for a pre-dinner walk, since sunset is getting earlier and earlier. (We still have to work out the kinks in this plan – we didn’t eat dinner until almost 8:00, which is very late for Benjamin, since he’s used to having his baby food around 6:00.) For the second night in a row, we made the park our destination, and this time we brought our camera along. Friday night I didn’t have the chance to take a picture of Benjamin’s first time in a baby swing, so we worked hard to keep him awake on the walk there so we could have our photo op this time. Plus, he really enjoys the swing, and we didn’t want him to miss out!

I am sure we will spend a lot of time at this park in the coming years. There’s a large greenbelt good for running around, playing frisbee, and flying kites. And there are separate playground areas for babies/toddlers and bigger kids, complete with swings, slides, towers, bridges, etc.

Tons of people were out last night enjoying the cool air: kids on bikes, parents chasing after their tottering toddlers, old ladies walking their dogs, etc. We lingered at the baby playground before turning around and heading home in a race against sunset. We made it just in time, but still had to bake our shepherd’s pie for 20 minutes before we could sit down to eat (we did all the prep work before the walk).

Here are a few pictures of Benjamin’s experiences on the playground.

Baby in Motion!

“Swing me higher, Daddy!”

He still has a lot of growing to do to fill up this swing.

Are we looking at a future Olympic gymnast? Such strength, balance, and determination!

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Benjamin in Action: Early October

October 8, 2008 at 11:07 am (Benjamin)

I’ve found myself running for the camera a lot lately, because Benjamin always seems to be doing something cute. See below for a compilation of some of my favorite “Benjamin in action” moments from the past few days.

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Benjamin at Seven Months

October 2, 2008 at 11:21 am (Benjamin, Growth and Development)

Seven Months Old: Studious Pose/Silly Pose

Sometimes it seems like Benjamin is growing as we watch, and he’s always doing something that entertains us. Yesterday (Oct. 1) he turned seven months old, and he marked the occasion by laughing a lot, refusing to take his late afternoon nap, and eating sweet peas, rice cereal, and peaches for dinner. Here are some of my observations about Benjamin at this age:

  • If he’s not eating, sleeping, or studying an object, he’s usually laughing. The past few days he finds everything from Brad’s facial hair to Chloe’s tail to the living room curtains very amusing, and he responds with a cute “ha ha ha ha.”
  • He is extremely detail oriented – A couple of examples: He can study the fringe on the tail of his toy giraffe for 20 minutes, and he is more interested in the tag on any of his toys than all the “bells and whistles.”
  • He likes the sound of his own voice – If you’ve talked to me on the phone recently, no doubt you have heard Benjamin squealing in the background, gleefully impressed by his own ability to make noise. Sometimes he tones it down a bit, going with the less shrill “na na nas” or a whispered “ba ba ba.” In the morning, he is happy to hang out in his crib for 30 minutes or more when he wakes up. He will just explore his crib (must seem like a big space to him) and talk to himself while Mommy either gets a few extra moments in bed or gets a few things done around the house.
  • He loves sweet potatoes and butternut squash, tolerates green beans, and hates formula – He has been an adventurous eater so far, and really likes everything he has tried except for the green beans, which he still eats, with an occasional gag. But we quickly gave up on mixing his rice cereal with formula (a suggestion from the pediatrician to help him get some extra calories) when every time we put a spoonful in his mouth, he would immediately gag, and threw up on two occasions. We haven’t tried offering him formula to drink yet. I wonder what he would think of that.
  • He loves bath time – Well, he has always enjoyed water in any form, but now that he has graduated to the real bath tub, he gets super excited. There is lots of leg kicking, hand splashing, and grabbing for the wash cloth, rubber ducky, and “rinsing” cup. Bath time is quite a workout for us, just to keep up with him. Thank goodness he is somewhat limited by his bath seat.
  • He travels to the four corners of his crib – Now that he is semi-mobile, he enjoys exploring unchartered territory. He started out small – drifting to the edges of his play time area in the living room, rolling off his blanket onto the carpet. He used to sleep perfectly symmetrical in the middle of his crib, but now we never know where he will be when we go in to check on him. Sometimes he is on his stomach and stretched out diagonally, other times he is on his side with his head pressed up against the bumper pads, and others he on his back with his head crammed into the utmost corner of his crib. Sometimes his position looks awkward or uncomfortable, like he’s going to wake up with a crick in his neck or a hand asleep, but I’ve learned to leave him be. It is not cool to wake Benjamin up accidentally while trying to reposition him. He is a cranky baby when woken prematurely!
  • He likes to dance to tv theme songs – This is actually a Hershey family tradition. (Should I be embarrassed by this?) Since the early days of our marriage, Brad and I have enjoyed making up silly dances to our favorite tv shows’ theme songs. In our pre-Benjamin days, it was a weekly ritual to jump up off the couch and get our groove on (our super cheesy groove, that is) when we’d hear the opening chords of theme songs for shows such as CSI, The Office, Battlestar Galactica, Everwood, etc. Yes, each show had its own unique dance style. So, now Benjamin has taken his place in the cheesy Hershey dance parties. Of course, I have to help him “shake his tail feathers” right now, but before long he’ll be making up his own moves. His early favorite theme songs are the ones for Bones and CSI. When the music starts, and the rhythm takes control (sorry, I am pulling lines out of ’90s dance songs now – I’m feeling truly inspired), his eyes light up, he opens his mouth in a wide smile and laughs, and he looks around very proudly as he shows off his best moves. He knows a good beat when he hears one, no doubt about that.
  • Teething is only an occasional nuisance – He worked super hard for three months to cut his first two teeth, and after a couple of weeks with no signs of teething, he is back to work again. A couple times a week we have to give him a middle of the night does of Tylenol and nursing session to soothe the pains of teething, but otherwise it hasn’t been too bad. He also doesn’t drool constantly anymore (I think he swallows the excess drool most of the time), so we’ve stopped putting a bib on him throughout the day.
  • He scoots backwards – I think I’ve already mentioned in another post that his technique for moving around is to put his forehead on the ground while pushing up on his legs. He still does that occasionally, but now it is more common for him to push backwards off of his arms and then scoot his legs back. So now we start him off at the top of his play blanket, knowing he will end up at the other end after a few scoots. It must be frustrating for him to see a toy in front of him, but to get further and further away as he tries to reach it! I’m sure he’ll connect the dots soon enough.
  • He is mildly interested in Baby Einstein videos – We don’t make video viewing a daily occurrence, but a few times a week Benjamin will sit in his high chair and watch 15 minutes of swirling objects, colorful shapes, and talking puppets, all set to classical music. Like me, he seems to be slightly disturbed by the puppets – their appearance on screen always results in a concerned look on his face.
  • He doesn’t mind going to the nursery – We haven’t had to deal with separation anxiety – yet. Every Sunday Benjamin spends about an hour and 15 minutes in the church nursery, and usually takes a nap on someone’s shoulder for part of the time. A couple times a week I take him to the gym play area, and they always comment on how sweet and happy he is. Going over to Cara’s twice a week while I teach is yet another environment that has made him comfortable being away from Mommy, Daddy, and home for a little while. He (usually) takes a decent nap and has fun playing with Joel while he is there. (Anna is usually napping as well.)
  • He loves to practice standing up – He is never more proud than when he is standing tall. Sometimes Brad will even walk across the room with him, letting him take little steps forward. Cute baby steps. :)

I’m sure I could go on and on – he’s a very busy boy these days – but I think I’ve covered all the high points. Here are a few more pictures:

He’s getting better and better at sitting up without using his hands for balance:

He looks like he’s moving forward, and that’s probably what he intends to do, but he’s actually in the process of going backwards:

Notice how Benjamin’s mouth is open in all of these pictures? That means that he’s laughing. Like I said, he basically laughs all the time these days.

Surprisingly, Chloe has grown extremely comfortable around Benjamin. She doesn’t mind (supervised) petting, and she is content to sit close by and observe him while he plays, squeals, and laughs at her.

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