Review- Infantino Squeeze Station and Fresh Squeezed Product Line

Today we tried the Infantino Squeeze Station and Fresh Squeezed Line. Let me start by saying that I received no free products, these were purchases that I made and have chosen to review here.

The Squeeze Station comes with ten disposable packets and lids. I was impressed with the quality of everything in the station, including the disposable packets. If you know me, you know that I don't LIKE Disposable. At all. We don't DO Disposable. We reuse everything. We cloth diaper, we use cloth wipes, mama cloth, the whole deal. I didn't order the disposable refills, but instead I ordered the Infantino Keeper Squeeze Pouches (two of them, one for the main course, and one for the dessert... just to try and see if they were what we would like.) The Keeper Squeeze Pouches seem to be taking longer to arrive than the station itself... I will update the review when I receive them.

Happy Babe

Now, for US, the idea behind the squeeze station was to find a portable method for feeding baby that wasn't messy and didn't require me to take glass baby food jars or a thermos container, or spoons, etc... everywhere we went. This isn't a big deal when you have like, your first child.... but when you have three kids and two of them are in school in different school districts and you spend more time driving back and forth than you care to think about, there are times when your baby is hungry and you just don't know what the heck you will do. There isn't a high chair. There isn't a wipeable surface surrounding them. I need something small, portable, and simple that creates little mess. I don't need a baby spoon that baby swats away and splatters food all over. I don't need to worry about keeping said spoon clean in the bottom of a crumb infested diaper bag. I just need simple and efficient.

I have three kids. I am not ashamed to admit that I have done LOTS of things as far as baby food. I've done Baby Led Weaning (BLW) and Annabel Karmel books and recipes. I've made my own purees and other homemade baby food recipes. I've purchased baby food in glass jars and plastic rectangular lidded packs. I've received food purees free from WIC. This gives me the opportunity to give a pretty full review.

Let's start by saying that the pouches hold a surprisingly generous amount of food for their slim and portable size. Baby Ewyn (I know you can't pronounce it. Haven't you people ever heard of Ewan McGregor? well, just think "yoo-win" and you've got it. Scottish. Gaelic. It's not that hard people.) is 7 months old in 40 minutes. His puree spitting techniques are spot on, although he is usually more interested in getting things down the hatch. Feeding him does take a lot of time and it makes a big mess. I usually feed him naked and I HATE feeding him in public because it's much easier to "lift shirt, attach boobie" than do the baby feeding gig. I hate public highchairs (assuming you can find one) and for a while I was taking my own high chair here and there and I had an okay (although stressful) system down where I had everything in a ziploc bag inside the tray lid and I also took a dry washcloth and a wet washcloth (we don't DO disposable wipes, remember) but I felt like it took 22.75 hours of planning to leave the house (I doth exxagerate) and so this was a much better solution.

Pouch baby food that can be pre-purchased has a few issues. You can't control ingredients. Lots of waste (garbage) that isn't green minded. Prices are higher than regular or homemade baby purees. WhatKindOfCancerCausingChemicalsAreInThatSpaceAgedPackaging?! Can you heat it?

My biggest issue is, that I see parents feeding the babies squeeze pouch food all the time. At home. At daycare. At babysitters. And all I can envision is the futuristic people in Wall-E. When will our kids learn to use spoons and forks? Using utensils is a skill that you hope your child develops at a decent age, and feeding them every meal in a squeeze pouch is likely going to hamper that skillset. This is why I am only using pouches when away from home in an inconvenient setting. At home I will still be using spoon. I think. Although there are also spoons that can attach TO the pouches. I don't believe these are the devil, but I do know that they aren't going to mesh with me "cleaner eating away from home" plan that I envision in my head. I will try them later. At this point the reviews on them are not promising.

I purchased the fresh squeezed line and pouches and tested them with items like applesauce for the big kids, and also homemade purees and store bought baby food.

Trying out the Squeeze Station

To start, the Station allows you to be filling three pouches at once, and they can be filled with the same or different purees. You have three chambers to fill and ONE Plunger (aka Infantino Food Press) that comes with the kit. You can purchase additional plungers (which I did, although they also have not arrived yet and it wasn't a HUGE pain to just quickly rinse the plunger between purees if needed.) You can purchase an additional funnel ($20 on amazon?!) and it seriously is NOT necessary. The opening is plenty wide to pour into and if you can't hit that opening, you have bigger issues. I do like to use these tiny spatulas (I have a bunch of them) to get remains out of food processor and baby food jars. These are slick little guys. I bought them back with baby #2 when I got smart.

Station Includes Three Tubes, but one plunger.

You attach the pouches to the station by sliding them into the grooves. They don't "secure" in place until you screw a tube on to the top. The tube secures directly on to the pouch, the stand just sort of "holds" them upright for you. As another reviewer stated, you can easily do this without the stand at all. If Infantino wasn't in the money making business, I am thinking they could sell the pouches and one plunger/tube for less than $10 and still make everyone happy. But I can see if you are doing lots of baby food (homemade) that this stand and doing several pouches at a time would be much nicer and less time consuming than doing it by hand. So that said, you can fill the pouches without the stand itself. I do like that the stand is versatile and allows you to store all the pieces inside when you are finished, which takes up less space and prevents your cupboards from having all these pieces roaming around to be lost in the depths.

I only made a few at a time as the fridge life is very short.

The plunger isn't a complete tight fit, but it does create a nice seal in the tube. The downside is that you can be plunging the pouches full of air (which would be worse if the plunger fit super tight.) Once I fill a tube with puree, I insert the plunger but tilt it slightly to one side so that there isn't a "seal" created until the plunger is flush with the puree. Then I straighten the plunger to create the seal and press the puree down into the bag completely. This prevents you from injecting a bunch of air into the bag. Remember to unscrew the bag slightly before retracting the plunger or the puree will be sucked back out of the packet. A little puree will leak around the top of the packet when you unscrew, but it's minimal. If it's your first baby, just sterilize the pouch spout with bleach or alcohol before putting the lid on. If it's your third, just lick it and put the lid on. (kidding. About the bleach and alcohol part, not the licking part.)

The upside is that these packets can be frozen (and of course they sell a packet organizer.) The downside is that they aren't shelf stable like a purchased packet and they only recommend keeping them in the fridge for 48 hours (yes, again.... if it's your

I don't get it mom.

first baby you'll listen. If you're me, you might go a week:) Another downside? These packets can't be microwaved or boiled. I assume you could put them in a hot glass of water to warm the food if you wanted, or maybe a bottle warmer? Some baby food is good cold or room temperture, but Ewyn made a horrid face at me when I tried to serve him cold green beans "ala packet" today.

The "tubes" have marks on the sides of them. The lowest mark is approximately the equivalent of a Gerber First Foods Plastic pack of puree. The second mark is about the equivalent of a standard Gerber/Beechnut baby food Jar (not the tiny ones that meats come in) and you can get two Gerber Puree Packets (plastic lidded smaller packs) into one fresh squeezed pouch. You can also get an entire jar of baby food in a pouch with wiggle room.

I think I can. I think I can.

My kids wouldn't eat green beans or peas. Ardyn would gag and puke. Marek and Ewyn just gag and spit and refused to swallow them at all. They were much happier with orange veggies like Squash, Carrots, and Sweet Potatoes. This time around I learned that mixing green beans or peas with fruit (seriously) is a big yum-o for baby and that I can get them to eat green beans and peas NO PROBLEMO if I mix them. Green Beans with Pears is a big hit with Ewyn. It's really nice because if I was trying to feed green beans on the go I would have to have a way to mix them with pears... or mix them at home ahead of time. In this case I mixed them right in the station tubes. I used the lines on the tubes to pour equal amounts of pears and beans into each tube and then mixed with my little spatula and pressed the mixes right into the packets. This would work well with homemade purees as well. Voila, green beans and pears on the go.

Aha! Suction!!!!

Of course the directions say do NOT reuse pouches (yes I tried it. yes it worked. No it isn't all super sterile and clean.) but the pouches do write on very nicely with a fine sharpie. I would recommend labeling them BEFORE filling *duh*

I also have purchased some of these really cool spout toppers that are silicbooginhead pouches (which I already have four of because the big kids pack them for snacks and lunches in place of disposable applesauce pouches.) However, the threading on the tube doesn't match the threading on the booginhead SqueezEms... and they must thread in order to work. Unfortunate. The alternative would be to OPEN the top of the squeezems pouch by booginhead, and using the tube and plunger in a handheld manner, you may be able to fill the pouches. I am not sure if this would be more difficult than just spooning into the SqueezeEms like I have been doing... because that seems like more hands might be needed than God has graced me with. Booginhead pouches are dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe.... which is quite the edge over the Infantino Line. Although I have yet to get the reusable Infantino pouches to compare. In the product photo it appears that the infantino reusables are more of a bottle than a pouch, and I wonder about the "squeezeability" of them as well as how easy it would be for a baby to self feed with one when all they have is a suck reflex and can't properly squeeze the food out with their hands.

Gross Mom! Who Leaked??

one and I hope that they fit these infantino packets. They make the opening all soft and easier to suck food through, which should be a big plus for little babes. And will help protect from chewers too I hope. The infantino packets might be a little tricky because I get the idea they aren't the industry standard as far as spout/threading/size goes. I was hoping to use the station with my reusable

That leads me to another angle. Mess. At first I was disappointed because it seemed that these pouches were going to cause as much mess or MORE than spoon feeding. Baby wanted to grab the pouch and squeeze it all over. Think Juice box... aha! How about using this little device to solve some of that "excitable squeezing" ?? I have one or two somewhere around here but haven't been able to figure out WHERE so that I can test that theory... but I bet it would work nicely! Or it could become a baby projectile object....

At first Ewyn had a hard time figuring out how to suck the puree out. I was discouraged because as a breastfeeder he has major suck power. But he needed mom to help squeeze and it was practically impossible to do because I couldn't SEE what I was squeezing into his mouth so it was constantly an overflow situation. And he would just let the excess drool out below the pouch where I couldn't see it. Annoying when you have a high chair tray under baby, catastrophic when you do not have a high chair (away from home.) By pouch four, I was feeling much better about it, as he had mastered sucking the food from the pouch with very little waste. Much improved. I think this might be the solution we've been searching for!

Stay tuned for updates on other items that I am waiting for! and while you're at it... WATCH the video!

The Sign Says It All.....

All About Cloth Diapers.... Reviews and Tips

So I know that this may not appear to many of my regular blog readers, so please feel free to skip over this. But I recently wrote down information and reviews on cloth diapers, and I have had tons of people online and on flickr, and a few online mom communities, wanting information. I thought if I posted it here, it would be more readily available to people who are just starting out, or looking for real-life reviews on some cloth diapers and diaper products.

All my photos of cloth diapering and cloth diaper products are located here. I will try to link to photos directly within the post, but you may have to cut and paste links as I don't know that I will have enough time today to hyperlink each one, since I am just cutting and pasting this review.

I know that all moms have different preferences, different washing methods, etc., but these are mine and therefore.... here you go!

We started out with using pockets exclusively. I went to the house of a friend who CD's. I saw what she had. She uses primarily prefolds and pockets.

I thought One size diapers would be for me. They aren't. They are terribly bulky. BUT we use BG (Bum Genius) 3.0 OS (One Sizes) for nighttime, and they work like a charm, NEVER a leak for 12-13 hours. I now have Five Bum Genius 3.0 One Size's, and One Tiny Tush One Size, which I like Way less than the Bum Genius (icky inserts and one size snaps don't stay snapped.)

Pockets have the advantage because they can be stuffed or de-stuffed based on what works for your child in terms of absorbency. AIO's (All in ones) are nice but they take longer to dry because the insert is built into the diaper. And you can't add extra stuffin per-say, because there is no pocket. There are also AI2's (AIO's with a snap in soaker-piece that is absorbent.)

If you want to cloth diaper cheaply, you want prefolds. But warning- these are not for the DH's who are uncooperative- and probably not for daycare or most grandparents/babysitters. They are old school but they are cheap and work well. I use prefolds now and then, we have BananaPeelDiapers and Thirsties prefolds and I use Thirsties covers because I love the leg gussets.

Almost Everything I own is used and purchased on Diaperswappers, with the exception of some purchased inserts for those used diapers and one new diaper that I won for free.... and the prefolds and new Thirsties AIO's. All diapers can be resold and if you take care to get stains out, they can really make your money back or be used for second kids. I recommend buying used and trying different brands to get a good fit for your LO and spend money on new ones only when you KNOW what you want.

Reviews and Details, about the pocket brands I have/use(d)

Ewe Need It's- Okay. Soft. Cute. Trim. Huge gaping pocket holes that I don't like.... have yet to find an insert that fits right

KND's (Knickernappies Disposanots)- like them. Very trim. Narrow pocket space, requires specific stuffing, made for KND. I have and use the Just Hemp inserts and the Hemp/Microfiber Loopy-Do Inserts, which are a great insert that is sewn in a loop so they dry faster. However, don't like it when she poops, it always goes up the front and gets all over the side snapping tabs, and then causes a mess when changing. It's practically impossible to keep her flailing limbs/socks/onesie snaps out of the poo. Ugh. They also have been leaking on us lately. Just too bad because I have like 8 of them. I like that they have elastic at the waist in front and back to help contain. But have found that it isn't necessary to contain a leak.

Fuzi Bunz- great diaper. Seem to get really pilly inside. The newer ones might have resolved this issue, but they have been made in Mexico, and the US, and have a new version, and all of them fit differently so even though you might have mediums, the newer ones run big, so you have to be careful. I have about 7 real ones and 6 fakes. I like them. They aren't my favorite but they are great. I like that they can really take lots of different inserts. I use Hemparoos because they are AWESOME hemp inserts that are contoured and hold lots of wetness and fit in lotsa dipes. I also use prefolds in the FB's

Bum Genius One Size 3.0 (BG OS 3.0)- nice dipes. Way too bulky when snapped down to use under any clothing. ESPECIALLY JEANS! Difficult to get pajamas on over them sometimes. Nice nice inserts, great elastic, strong Aplix (velcro) These are the only velcro dipes I have that will stay velcro'd in the wash. Downside: Poo Stains on Microfiber are practically impossible to get out without bleach. Bleach tears down the absorbency of inserts and is bad for the environment, not to mention not your first choice against baby's skin. Dislike them for that. I think sunning would remove the poo stains, but not after drying in the dryer, so I hate them for this. There is no sun in Illinois in the winter!

Snapez- Probably my FAVORITE pocket. Trim. Low Rise. Snaps seem in the best location. Fit a wide variety of inserts, I use Hemparoos or prefolds, or microfiber/flannel inserts that I make myself. Love love love these dipes. Super trim and cute. I think I have 5. Prints leak/wick badly once they are shot, but the solids are awesome and I would love to have more.

Drybees- Great Aplix Diaper. Don't leak. Use these at daycare. Also DH's favorite. Downside- pilly aplix and they don't stay velcro'd in the wash and then stick to themselves and other dipes and worst of all to all my microfiber inserts. We have 9 of them. But they fit great. Don't try to roll the leg fleece back in, or they will leak. They are designed to roll out.

Happy Heiney's- Nice Dipes. Cute. Velcro doesn't stay closed in wash. Very trim. Microfiber inserts (staining hard to get out) Not sure how they would hold in a poo because they are so so trim, haven't had a poo in one yet (we have 3 of these dipes)

GAD's (Green Acre Designs) - we only have one and haven't used it much. Snaps. Nice trim Design. Similar to KND's.

Thirsties AIO Pockets- I just ordered 6 of these AND I LOVE THEM! The combine the convenience of an AIO with the added ability to stuff, and even better, they have the Thirsties leg gussets to hold in everything. I love them dearly, except for the long drying time, and the inside FOE on the leg gusset (Fold-over-elastic) will stain with poo, but it isn't noticeable unless you are REALLY Looking for it. It looks a little like a tea stain. I don't know that anyone besides me has noticed it on mine. These are great for DH, daycare, and out on the town.

I also think that Thirsties are the most awesome prefolds, but they aren't made anymore. I have bought all of mine used.

Other things that I learned - some of the best advice I was ever given about CDing-

Snaps over Aplix (velcro) - because it is cleaner, doesn't stick in the wash, doesn't pill and get hair/fuzz/strings in it. Not difficult to use once you get the hang of it, but daycare prefers velcro or they don't get them on tight enough and we have leaks.

Don't buy just one brand of diapers for your entire stash. Stick to 2-4 different types/brands because as babies grow, they will grow out of certain brands, or they won't fit correctly for a while. If you have all one brand, you will be screwed and have to go buy all new dipes to get through. If you have a varied stash, you will be better able to have something on hand that will work through an awkward growth stage. At first I didn't take this to heart, but now that it's happened to me, I love that I have lots of variety on hand.

Hemp is the most absorbent for inserts, but it takes time for it to absorb. Mirorfiber absorbs quicker. A combo of the two is awesome. Hemp alone can cause diaper rashes because there isn't much to keep the wetness away from baby's skin, even in a pocket. Flannel atop a microfiber insert is excellent because the flannel keeps baby dry and the microfiber absorbs alot of liquid quickly. This is why the inserts I make at home are from Microfiber automotive towels and 2 layers of soft flannel. See pics of what I make at home in my Flickr photos.
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Don't dry your pockets, covers, etc. - They can be dried but will have a shorter life, particularly the elastic and the PUL. Once PUL is shot, dipes leak and wick. You can replace elastic but it can be time consuming. Even if the dipes are okay now, if you pack them away for a second baby, the elastic can rot and snap when removed from storage. Air Dry. I Air Dry everything except prefolds and inserts, so I don't like AIO's for how long they take to dry.
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Don't use any fish oil based rash creams in cloth diapers. Don't use rash creams at all unless you have done your research or they stain the dipes permanently. Balmex works well for us. I lay a cloth wipe in the diaper first to protect it, just in case. I rarely need rash cream.... but it sometimes helps with redness. Also- to reduce redness and rashes, use a hairdryer to dry the diaper area thoroughly between diapers. I have a travel hairdryer that I keep plugged in and hanging on the changing table and it works great and entertains the baby to no end. Now when I dry my hair she cranes her neck to see what's going on with the hairdryer!

Choose a natural detergent that won't leave residue in your dipes. It's better for baby's bottom and also prevents the detergent buildup that causes odors and prevents absorbancy. The wrong detergent can ruin diapers. We use Charlie's Powdered Detergent and Oxy Boost Natural for stain removal, in each load. Oxyboost works better than Oxyclean baby (I know I have used both) and it's also less expensive and if you buy in bulk like I do you save money and reduce packaging waste. Right now I have a 5 gallon bucket of Charlie's Detergent and a BIG Pail of Oxyboost.
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Washing:
Cold Rinse all dipes on the highest water level setting, regardless of the number of dipes you are washing. I use the prewash cycle with no soap or oxyboost.

Then Do a HOT WASH and COLD RINSE with 1 full tablespoon of Charlie's and 2-4 scoops of Oxyboost (depending on the soil level of the load). Use the highest water level setting.

Do a Second Cold Rinse.

Inspect ALL DIAPERS for stains. Re-wash everything that has stains, this time you can skip the prewash, but still use the second rinse, hot/cold, and you can lower the water setting and decrease the amt of oxyboost.

If using detergents other than Charlies, use half the amount of recommended. Charlie's needs you to use 1 TBSP per load to be effective. This is directly from their Cloth Diapering Letter that they mailed to me.

Handling Dirty Dipes
A wet pail is a no-no. I know there are people who still use them, but they have determined that it is a breeding ground for bacteria growth.

We use a tall kitchen garbage can that has lift up handles so I can carry it right to the laundry room. My favorite pail liner is a Monkey Doodlez pail liner that has PUL sandwiched between two layers, so you never SEE the plastic, and it has an elastic top to fit a tall kitchen garbage. We also have a wetbag by WET HAPPENED for on the go and at daycare, it's just a smaller zippered version.

I place a cloth wipe with a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil inside each one (pail/wetbag) to contain odors. I put the wipe under the rim of the pail lid to keep the nice smell at the top so it doesn't get buried in stinky dipes. No odor problems with that.

Diaper Pail (Garbage) with inside Handles:
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Monkey Doodlez Pail Liner:
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Wetbag:
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I don't rinse dipes. We are EBF and BF poo is runny and spraying doesn't make a difference. Instead of a toilet diaper sprayer, I got a new utility sink to use when the time comes... we will put the poo that is solid in the toilet near the laundry room and then spray down in my new sink.
Sink:
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Fancy Faucet with Sprayer:
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As far as cloth wipes go, there are lots of WAHM's that make wipes that are adorable on diaperswappers, and you can buy them from several brands like Bummis and Thirsties, and others. Check some out at luvingmammadiapers. I personally use baby washcloths. You can get big packs for cheap at Wal-Mart and we have about 40. I make a wipe solution of Babywash, warm water, and a drop of Tea Tree Oil (it's antibacterial and stops mold growth, plus is a great essential oil fragrance- just a teeny drop will do) and then I soak the wipes, wring them out, and keep them in my wipes warmer just like sposie wipes. I also fill my peri bottle from the hospital with the solution and keep it by the changing table to use if I need to add more to the warmer. They work great and we even use them at daycare (cloth wipes.) Here are my cloth wipes....
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I buy pretty much everything from Brandi at LuvingMammaDiapers. She has a LOT of choices for cloth diapering, she is extremely helpful in answering questions, and she is wonderful about communicating the status of your order and the tracking numbers. She also has wonderful sales and coupon codes that you can get if you sign up for her email newsletter. If you place an order, be sure to tell her that I sent you. Just type my name (Meagan Johnson) in the comments of your order and let her know that's where you heard of her. I really love her site, and her help has been enormous. I also write reviews over there for all the products I use/try, so that other customers can read up and make informed decisions.

Back on Track

Things are starting to get back to normal around here. Finally feeling well enough to eat a couple of meals a day, although I have found that at lunchtime I am not especially hungry, so I try to eat a big late breakfast, or brunch type meal instead. Being sick (once again) gave me a knock to the milk supply, so I am trying to pump every hour or so in order to increase it, and drinking my mother's milk tea. I think we'll try our hand at some baby oatmeal tonight. The rice at 4 months didn't go over well, and the pediatrician always says no solids or cereal before 6 months anyway, so we waited and now I think it's just about time. I think we will start a vegetable this weekend to see how she likes that, but maybe oatmeal at night this week so that she can get prepped for her veggies. Problem with oatmeal is that it still has to be mixed with breastmilk, so that means I will be dipping into my supply in the freezer a bit as I try to increase my supply of "fresh" milk.

When Ardyn got weighed last week, she was 14 pounds 11 ounces. Still "small" by formula feeding "growth" standards, but according to the Dr., right on for a sweet little breastfed baby... and perfectly proportioned. But we already knew that!

Next week we get our taxes done. Pretty sure that our tax refund will go right to our hospital bill from Ardyn's birth. We might still have some $$ left over, but we will just have to see! If we pay that off, we will be completely, and totally and completely debt free. YAY! Not a single payment to make on ANYTHING. Not a single credit card. Not a single loan. YAY!

I am dying for spring. Really. We bought some pool/sandbox toys for Ardyn. I know she will be too small to probably fully appreciate them, but at 9-12 months, she should understand what's up. She loves playing in the bathtub.... and we still are talking about taking her swimming. I was able to speak with the Aquatics Coordinator at the Metro Center today, and got Ardyn signed up for swim lessons starting in April. Two months of lessons, once a week, is $40. I think we can handle that!

I have this perfect plan in my head. When it's nice, take a walk with Ardyn each day in the stroller, get the mail, tour the town, perhaps walk a dog or two. Go to the park, play in the grass. Stop and smell the flowers. That sort of thing. I am also SUPER excited because one of my bestest friends ever in the whole wide world (That means it has to be Angela or Carrie!) is coming home. Carrie will arrive in Chicago in March, and Angela will bring her in from the airport. I can't wait for the three of us to be together again. We haven't been together since before I was pregnant with Ardyn, in the fall of 2006. Angela and I flew out to Utah to stay with Carrie when her daughter Cara was 3 months old. Then a couple of weeks later, Carrie, her husband Jay, and Cara flew here for our 10 year class reunion. I haven't been able to see them since! I can't wait. And she will be around for the spring, which is extra special cool. I am hoping to go get Ardyn's ears pierced this spring, and make a day trip of it.... and take Carrie, Cara, and Angela for moral support. I can not WAIT for spring. I can't wait for green grass and bright sunshine. Oh and Carrie started a new business venture, which is pretty neat, so check it out if you have a free moment.

I am also excited about Easter. This past weekend we were trying to decide what to do as a family and Evan said "Is the easter bunny at the mall yet?" LOL. He cracks me up. Always looking ahead for fun times. Ardyn's Easter basket is all ready to be filled, but she won't really know what's going on. That didn't stop everyone at Christmas though.... I am trying to figure out if it would be cheating to put all those pool toys we just bought her in her easter basket. LOL. And maybe add a stuffed doll that we saw in Pottery Barn that we decided she MUST own. (as if she doesn't own ENOUGH stuff already.) My mom is getting Ardyn a toddler swing for the front yard for Easter, and I can't wait for that either! Now I just need the damn picket fence in the front yard. LOL.

Ardyn and I have been doing lots of playing with cups and stacking towers and wooden puzzles. We are working on her put and take coordination, and she is really getting great with her hands. It's fun to see what she will do next. She really likes the Pampered Chef Kids Measuring Cups, and all the buckets we have. She loves the stackable parents buckets, and the nesting animal buckets that jingle and crinkle when they are touched and moved. She isn't a fan of the bucket on her head. At first she was just bewildered, but at that time it was almost bedtime, so bewilderment soon turns into crankiness. She loves the excersaucer and the jumparoo so much... I am so lucky that we have both of them. She loves to be standing and jumping around, and my arms can only entertain her for so long before being exhausted. I am amazed at how long she can go in the Jumparoo.... it's great for tiring her out before bedtime! The excersaucer is like a toy playground, as Evan discovered that the more toys you pile on it, the happier she is.

I can't believe that Ardyn will be 6 months old in just 13 days! It's exciting and sad to see her growing so fast! Evan's answer is "more babies!" To which, of course, I agree!

But if you have more babies, that means you have to make room for them. I have been casually working on Ardyn's big girl room in my mind, and I have bedding and a rug, and window shades, and the twin bed.... and I think that her toy shelf would move in there with her, and probably one of the dressers from the nursery. But let's not get TOO ahead of ourselves. After all, a new baby could take years to achieve! (Let's hope not!)

So my tooth has been hurting the past two days. It's a back molar, and it only hurts when I bite down. I just went to the dentist like a month ago and had no cavities (never had one, knock on wood) so I am worried that it is that damn wisdom tooth that is UNDER the rest of my teeth, trying to come through. Right before I found out I was pregnant, I had been told that I needed to have three wisdom teeth pulled. One was already completely in, and the other was almost 3/4 of the way in, and the other was under the rest of my teeth still. My dentist referred me to an oral surgeon, and I had to go to Peoria. I was so freaked out that Evan drove me to the appointment. Deep down I thought that "consultation" meant "Knock you out with a baseball bat when you walk through the door so you can't resist." Evan even had to go back with me. They said "We'll just pull them all" and then they proceeded to show me the video that warns of the dangers of surgery, the potential of cutting nerves, yada yada- and then showed me the big bill - Ca-Ching$$. For a person who is afraid of surgery and in general hates the idea of being put under, this wasn't pleasant. In fact, it was distinctly UNPLEASANT. Now, for someone who has a baby to take care of, breastfeeding to do, the thought of potential of death from having your teeth pulled doesn't help me feel any better. SO I did what any responsible adult would do. I ignored it. And luckily finding out I was pregnant made it perfectly acceptable for me to cancel my appointment with tooth pulling doom, and now breastfeeding means I can delay it even longer.... right? And it doesn't hurt. At all. My other teeth have been crowded a bit while the one wisdom tooth comes through almost all the way, but besides that, It's been quite pleasant in the depths of my mouth. Pleasant enough, in fact, that I was sure that I wouldn't NEED them pulled as "they" insisted I did. I think they just wanted more teeth for their voo-doo necklaces. Right now I am working on the "ignore it" philosophy for a bit longer, to see if that pain on the left side will go away. Surely there must be some magikal herbal remedy that will make that painful tooth fall out on it's own? Certainly hermits and homeless people must have a dental alternative? Something besides drilling, cracking, and pulling?

What's New...

Well, first I have to say that I was pretty upset when I learned that Heath Ledger died. He was one of my favorite actors, and I had collected some good pictures of him on Flickr, which promptly started receiving comments and favorites like "the second" his death hit the news. This is the first time that a celebrity has died and I felt like he was someone I knew. I know that sounds bizarre and stalker-ish, which I really am not, but I got the same sad and sinking feeling that you get when you hear that someone you actually know has died. You know the feeling, right? I guess I felt connected to it because he has a daughter and I just kept thinking of his daughter and it made me feel terrible. I thought instantly of how varied his roles were, from way back in "Ten Things I Hate About You" to "A Knight's Tale", "Brother's Grim", "Candy", and my personal Favorite, "Cassanova." The second my sister found out she text messaged me, which led me to call my husband, who had also "just heard." That night we talked about how we had been planning to see him badly as the Joker in the upcoming Batman. It really is unbelievable. I hope he is in a better place.

Recently there have been a rash of purchases made on my end, including a brand new looking toddler seat from a co-worker for $25, which I think will go to my mom or be kept with me as a spare seat. For Christmas, Mom and Dad bought Ardyn her "big girl" carseat that will go in my vehicle, and I would like to purchase one more seat that is identical to put in Evan's car. I like the way the seat that we bought has cupholders and also has so much padding and a really nice 5-point harness that releases and tightens with one hand. I would like to have the same seat in Evan's vehicle, but it will be nice to own a spare seat in case she has to ride with a family member, or if perhaps I have to cart around someone else's toddler. It is a nice nice seat, usually runs about $70 but I got it from a really nice lady for $25. She had bought it for her grandkids and used it when they were with her, so it was really well taken care of and barely used.

I also just bought Ardyn a Bummi's Swim Diaper (yellow print at left- unisex so good for future babies) in the Pizzazz print, and also an iPlay Swim Diaper and Hat Set (the yellow and pink one- iPlay is deemed the best on the market) from a mom on diaperswappers. I was debating on a baby wetsuit, but decided to stick with diapers for now and see how she does in the pool. She already has swim gear (suit and coverup and two swim hats) for this coming summer, but We want to start taking her to the pool and perhaps to an Aquatotz class at the YMCA, but she doesn't have any swim gear that fits her now. Plus she needed a swim dipe. Excited about those arriving and taking her to the pool this winter/spring. She LOVES the water, loves the bathtub, and Evan and I agree that we want her to have an early start. If they had baby swimming lessons in this podunk area, I would take her to those too!

We just did a HUGE Stock up on laundry detergent and oxiboost. I bought a 5 gallon bucket of Charlie's Detergent, which should last into the next millenium. LOL. It's a tablespoon a load, so that's 1280 loads of laundry from the 5 gallon bucket. I am also pretty meticulous about her clothes, so I am constantly going through Oxyclean baby. I should buy stock in that stuff! But since they only sell it at Target in our area, each time we make the 35-40 minute drive to Target I buy like FOUR Containers. So from the same vendor that I bought our soap, I bought a 12 pound Tub of Oxyboost that can be used on her clothes and the diapers. Can't wait for that to get here. Also got a wetbag pail liner for the nursery diaper pail, I figure I might as well just get one since I will be using cloth for future babes as well. Using disposable diaper pail bags becomes a real pain when you replace it each night, and on top of that it isn't very "green" and it really is stinkier than a wet bag (which has the ability to add Tea Tree Oil to assist with odor control."

Since she just moved into 3-6 months size, I got 5 pair of baby gap yoga pants on eBay for cheap, and bought 8 long sleeved onesies by Gerber since she is out of white onesies that fit her, and only has 5 onesies that fit her at all. Which, when you wear two a day, and potentially more if you leak through a diaper or get something on you at daycare, that is NOT enough.

We also recently bought some super cute baby legwarmers (5 pair) from a mom on diaperswappers, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. They make diaper changes so easy. Just put on a onesie and legwarmers and socks and she is cozy, comfy for playing or sleeping, and diaper changes are a total breeze. She has worn the Black and red Argyle, Pink Striped, and White with Flowers already. I just love them. We always knew legwarmers would be back....

After work tonight Ardyn and I went out for supper to 6&34 with my mom and sister Liz. We had a great time and were having a celebration that Liz kicked her boyfriend out again. Hopefully this time it's for good! Ardyn had a great time bouncing on Liz's lap and Pulling on her hair. I had chicken tacos that were delicious.

Infertility.

Well, a recent visitor asked that I talk a little bit about infertility. I really never posted about this that I can recall, mostly because at the time it was a sensitive issue. People who have never dealt with fertility issues have no idea what it's like to be trying to get pregnant, afraid you will never be pregnant. They have no idea how it is to be asked every 10 minutes by every person you see "When are you two having kids" or "What are you waiting for?" Yeah. That is annoying. It's about all you can do not to strangle or maim someone. I know that most of them have the best intentions, but the other half are just plain nosy. Ever since that experience, I have never ever ever asked anyone again when they are having kids, or even if they are having more kids, unless I personally am very close with them and feel that they know my situation and have an idea as to what is going on... I have learned after the fact that there are many people around me who struggle with getting pregnant, and that they, just like me, don't really feel like talking about it to everyone who asks them questions. It is a very personal thing. One of my biggest issues was discussing it with family. I had heard some of my family members talk very openly about another family member's fertility issues. Maybe those details were shared openly, but I didn't want details of my personal life spread all over the world without a single care for my feelings.

So, that said, I have never had an official "medical diagnosis" for infertility. I have what is more known as secondary infertility. I was able to get pregnant with Ardyn "Naturally" and without any fertility treatments. I did see a fertility specialist, to help determine what my issues were. Specifically, I saw a man who is probably the areas most leading Fertility Specialist, and he practices in two different states. He is the most wonderful, knowledgeable, and patient man. After about 6 months of not being able to get pregnant, I went to see my midwife. I wanted to have just a basic appointment to cover everything. She discussed with me the possibility that I may have PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Having PCOS is actually a very common thing. It's one of the leading causes of infertility. It is also often undiagnosed. I also have Insulin Resistance, in which the body does not properly handle insulin, and it is very often in conjunction with PCOS. Insulin resistance also happens in males. It does a number on your body, specifically hormonally in women, and adds to the issues of PCOS. Because there is a very high instance of diabetes in my immediate family and my family history, the insulin resistance is no surprise. I take Metformin (A diabetes medication) on a daily basis, to help combat the insulin resistance, and straighten out my hormones, which in turn can prevent the effects on my ovaries, and allow me to ovulate regularly, as if I didn't have PCOS. Another thing that I have, which is in conjunction with the PCOS and Insulin Resistance, is Metabolic Syndrome X. This is a situation in which the IR and the PCOS also combine with potential life threatening situations like Obesity and Heart Problems (High Cholesterol, etc.) This is why it is imperative that I start and maintain a healthy diet (South Beach or another low carb diet) and regular exercise. Otherwise it is highly likely that I could die an untimely death due to a heart problem.

Okay, so back to Pregnancy.

When I went off Birth Control around the time we got married in 2005, I stopped having periods. Entirely. I had to be given a supplement in order to start a period. This was cause for concern, because buildup of the endometrial lining also causes Endometriosis and Cancer. So after 6 months of irregular or non-existent periods, my midwife suggested PCOS as an option. She wanted me to work on losing weight via South Beach Diet. She told me that if I lost 25 pounds and still couldn't get pregnant, she would send me to a fertility specialist, in my case, a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE.)

Well, I put my nose seriously to the grindstone and strictly followed the South Beach Diet. You may or may not recall, that I start on my mom's Birthday, February 23rd, 2006. By June 1st (just barely over 3 months) I had lost 25 pounds. No exercise. Just South Beach Diet. When I got to phase 3 I was scared to death to eat bread or fruit, lest I gain it all back. Even though I was allowed whole wheat pasta and whole grain bread, I would restrict myself to once a week. I was incredibly serious. And I still didn't get pregnant. So In July we went to see the RE. At this point in time, no one in our family, and the majority of our friends, did not know that we were trying to get pregnant at all, nor that there might be a problem. It was incredibly stressful, but I really was adamant that this be a private thing, because people do NOT understand. Later in the infertility journey, my husband told a family member what was going on. She sent me a copy of an article about how families who couldn't have children can embrace adopted children as family, and while I think it was meant to be supportive and assure us that no matter what we were supported, it sent me into a huge depression that I might never have my own children and that they were suggesting adoption. I was so upset about that I cried. And cried. Every time I thought about it. All over someone else's opinion. It's frustrating. That's why for me, it was best left as a private matter.

The RE immediately did a full blood workup, checking all my hormones and my thyroid and everything. He also did the first of MANY Pelvic ultrasounds, in which he was able to see classic polycystic ovaries. Basically, in normal situations, your ovaries produce eggs, and then one of the eggs becomes mature and grows to it's full potential, and then it is released. When you have polycystic ovaries, ALL of your eggs try to mature, instead of just one. But there isn't the right balance of hormones, etc to make that one egg grow to it's fullest potential, because it's being used up by all the other eggs. So basically all of the eggs that are trying to grow, die off and become cysts in your ovaries. On the pelvic US, I could see the "dead eggs" in my ovaries. Little circles that never reached their potential, never released. So basically if you don't ovulate, you won't have a period. And you won't ever get pregnant.

The bloodwork that came back confirmed the PCOS and IR. The RE wanted to immediately start me on Metformin and also on Clomid to force ovulation. He also showed Evan and I demonstrations and gave us explanations of things that might be in our future, such as self-administered and VERY Expensive daily FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormones) injections... and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization.) Of course, we had immediately discovered that Infertility is not (was not) covered on my insurance. But because I wasn't having periods, the diagnosis was a medical one. PCOS Is a medical problem, which can cause secondary infertility. The second that the RE Prescribed Clomid, was the very second that my diagnosis would switch to infertility and my insurance would cease all coverage. Just the office visit to see the RE was around $1600. Every pelvic ultrasound was between $300-400.

As part of the routine workup, they also wanted a semen analysis done for Evan and an HSG (Hysterosalpingogram) done for me. An HSG is a catheter, vaginally, into your cevix. They then use a balloon to inject a radioactive dye into your uterus. It is then sucked up by your fallopian tubes, and they can tell if you have a tubal blockage. Problem is, this is more of an infertility treatment, and if there is a blockage, usually the Dr. performing the procedure can try to clear the blockage out with the dye, or they can perform a laporoscopic surgery to clear the blockage. Besides the fact that insurance didn't cover it, I was afraid of the procedure (which is said to be excruciating for some women) and I was confident that we should first try the Metformin. I didn't want to try Clomid right off the bat, because I was afraid of multiples... and I knew that would mean the insurance wouldn't cover anything from that point forward. It was then that I learned that the State of Illinois forces employers who have a certain number of employees to provide infertility coverage. That is also when I discovered that there is a loophole in that law, if the employer is self insured (which mine is, even though they have over 400 employees) they are immune to this law. This itself brought me to tears.

So we took the Metformin and I started to take the highest dosage right away. It played hell with my body as I got used to it, causing everything from stomach upset to explosive diarrhea, and also at one point making me lethargic and feeling like I was having a heart attack, as my insulin levels regulated themselves. This was July, and in August, before even having a period on my own, I ovulated and got pregnant. And promptly miscarried. I was barely pregnant, but I just knew that I was. Can't explain it. Had all the symptoms. And when you spend 15 months charting your periods and your fertility signs, believe me, you know what is going on with your body all the time. I could tell ovulation without a shadow of a doubt. I also was using the Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor, which is an excellent investment (especially if you buy a used one off eBay like I did) and even though it costs about $40 a month in Sticks to pee on, it is cheaper and much much more efficient than OPK's (Ovulation predictor kits) like you buy at drugstores. You can buy the sticks cheaper at earlypregnancytests.com - I discovered that I ovulate on the 20th day of my cycle, unlike most "myths" that everyone ovulates on the 14th day. That's a bunch of crap, and if you want to learn the most you have ever learned about your body and fertility and reproduction, you need need need to purchase "Taking Charge Of your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. It is a must have book. I don't know why they don't teach girls this in health education. It is ridiculous that women know so little about their own bodies! EVERY WOMAN should own and read this book. It is the infertility bible. it is the charting bible. It is the thing you need.

The miscarriage was horrible, as much physically as emotionally. I was up all night cramping and shaking and just felt for sure I was going to die, and towards the end I kept thinking that it felt like I had to push something out... which was when I was sure what was going on. I started clotting at about 6am and by 8am had called my midwife and told her what was going on. She told me to take a hot bath, and also was shocked that I hadn't come into the ER because I should have had something for the pain. Evan had mentioned it, but I just felt like I would be more comfortable at home, and I knew there was nothing they could do to reverse what was happening. The midwife told me that the pain meds would have relaxed me and made everything happen more quickly. Looking back, I probably should have gone in. Problem was my beta numbers were never "high enough" to be considered an actual pregnancy, but when I started cramping, I knew better. Later that morning, I went in and had Beta tests done that showed my levels dropping, which proved the miscarriage was over, and that it wasn't something ectopic. While being sad, I was also excited that I could get pregnant, and that I was ovulating. Of course this same weekend as I was miscarrying, the Dr told me to take it easy and stay close to home so that if something else went wrong I could get in to see them. Evan's family had a gathering that was over an hour away, and we weren't able to attend, but we also didn't really want to discuss what was going on, so it was like we couldn't win.... we were getting some flack for not attending and I know that Evan felt badly. But I was lucky that he didn't leave me alone.

Looking back, I can't believe that I got pregnant on the very first try after the Metformin, and on what was quite likely my first time ovulating in 11 years. The RE told me that getting pregnant by Metformin alone RARELY happens to his patients, and that I should consider myself very lucky. Really, the egg quality at the time of the Miscarriage probably wasn't 100% and I can totally see how a miscarriage could happen. But at the time it set forth a whole new range of fears, thinking that I may have problems keeping a pregnancy.

We tried for 3 more months and nothing. I was about on the verge of going crazy. I was reading all kinds of books about infertility, and was heavily charting, using the Clearblue Easy Ovulation Methods, Charting Cervical Fluid, and also taking my temperature each morning. It was really taking it's toll on me. And then, FINALLY, on December 22nd, at 10 days past Ovulation... I had a feeling. I took a home test and got a VERY faint line. So faint that Evan claimed he couldn't even see it.

I called the midwife and had a blood test done before lunch and the results early that afternoon. I was pregnant! Would it stick? The beta numbers weren't as high as they could be, but it was still really early, and so they also did progesterone tests that showed I had a low level of progesterone. My RE prescribed progesterone supplements. I had to insert tiny progesterone pills, like round candies with a coating like skittles, vaginally (yep, you heard that right) twice a day. At first I couldn't see how I could walk around without "dropping my skittles" and thought I would have to be in a "perma-kegel" state. I was having blood tests done every 48 hours to make sure the Beta was doubling. It was stressful, but at the time it was the BEST CHRISTMAS that I had ever had. I was finally pregnant- but I couldn't quite tell anyone, just in case.

But it all worked out, and 10 days and 40 skittles later, I was still pregnant and went in for my first pelvic ultrasound. The baby looked healthy and we could see the fetal pole and sack. It was so exciting but it was like waiting on pins and needles. I decided that I could either be terribly afraid to be excited, or just let myself BE Excited, and that either way I would be just as devastated if it didn't work out.... so I just let myself be happy. I think Evan was more wary than I was. For a while he kinda refused to believe I was pregnant, because he said we couldn't tell if it would last. In January we saw the heartbeat and the RE assured me that the chances of a miscarriage at this point were extremely slim and that it would be safe to tell our families, if we wanted. I was something like 9 weeks pregnant, and already bloated enough to be a little "showing" and not be able to button my pants.... So we told our families that same night.

So, basically, I feel extremely fortunate to have my daughter, and really really really can't wait to have more kids. But PCOS and IR are incurable, and they are something that I will deal with for the rest of my life. And this means I will deal with secondary infertility for the rest of my life. It's also important to not that they come with a huge range of side effects, which are worse when the diseases are not managed... including excessive testosterone levels, excessive hair growth (sounds manly, eh?) and my favorite (not) horrible acne. As a kid who never really had acne, and always had very fair skin, this is the one that throws me for a big loop. Nothing on the market can contain acne caused by PCOS. Not proactiv, not prescriptions, not washing your face with every single different face line there is. it's hormonal, and it's a problem that can't be corrected. My face is at it's best when I am on Birth Control Pills or when I am pregnant, because my hormones are at their most normal. It's hard for people to understand that I feel better pregnant than not pregnant, but it's the honest to god truth. That's how messed up my hormones are on a normal basis. PCOS can also cause issues with pregnancy- specifically stillbirth and miscarriages.... and later issues with breastfeeding, and the hormones can mess with your milk supply.

I just recently discovered that I had elevated cholesterol, but right after that, discovered that breastfeeding and postpartum are not recommended times for testing lipids, because your body is making extra cholesterol as a result of your pregnancy or milk manufacturing. Of course, even my own doctors denied that was even possible, until I found research from the internet, and printed out the articles along with the references that wrote them. But I have been warned that I have Metabolic Syndrome X (most likely) and that I will still have to be especially careful of my cholesterol and blood pressure in the future. Managing my Insulin Resistance with drugs like Metformin and a low carb diet with exercise should prevent many Metabolic issues. Hopefully. And all of this is hereditary. Yee!

So if you are dealing with infertility, my first advice is to get the book mentioned above. Read it. Get serious about charting and if you are overweight, get serious about making a lifestyle change. If you still don't get where you want to be, see a specialist and don't take no for an answer if you need a referral from your OB or family Doctor. They are almost NEVER equipped to handle an infertility situation, and time is of the essence, so it's best to take a proactive approach. A good Dr. will recognize your need to see someone more experienced in the field. I was lucky to have a midwife who was supportive and knowledgeable, but also smart enough to know when I was pushing the boundaries of what she could help me with. I also recommend stress relieving methods like massage and pedicures, yoga and meditation. I have heard that women have great results with acupuncture but it was something that I couldn't afford, and I hate needles, so It wasn't in my book of tricks to try. And mostly, best of luck to you. May you keep a positive attitude, keep your cool with the insensitive people that surround you, and most of all try to remain close to your spouse or partner because infertility is a trying time and can easily tear apart a marriage. Both times that I was able to successfully get pregnant, I was getting regular massages. I continued this into my pregnancy, until I became a little too uncomfortable to sit in one spot that long, and it was my saving grace. Massage is a beneficial preventative, and I have been already told by my Dr. that I need to continue massage to help manage the Metabolic and PCOS. But I haven't had one since being pregnant. I need to start back!

Take care and any questions, please let me know. And remember, just because someone isn't pregnant, doesn't mean they don't want to be. Respecting their privacy is the best thing you can do for them, and the most supportive.

New Videos

We have taken several new videos in the last week or two. Three of them have already made it to google. Lots of others are on the camcorder, including a really cute one of her laughing when we play peek-a-boo. Those will hopefully make it to google in the next week or two.

Check out Ardyn's Google Videos Here.

She's been teething, so we have been pretty busy and I have been doing lots of soothing and rocking and patting. This could go on for two years, but I will attempt to post something substantial this week.

Survived the Shots!

Well, Ardyn survived (and mom and dad survived) her four shots yesterday. She was smiling and happy and kicking and laughing and then about 3/4 into her first shot she INSTANTLY turned red, then purple, and had her mouth open in the silent cry that you know is going to get loud very soon. You can see from the first picture, that the needle is already in and the shot is being given and she hasn't started crying yet. She turned SO red and SO purple SO fast that it shocked me. I didn't expect to cry at all, even though I am (or at least I was) deathly afraid of needles. I knew that she needed to get shots, and I knew that she would be pissed, but of course I cried anyway. I think it's something deep inside that you can't control. When you see someone so small and innocent be so happy one second and then so incredibly upset the next, and you know it hurts her, you just can't help it. I think the fact that she turned so red so quickly really made me feel bad for her. You can see in the pictures that I was trying to comfort her, and I think it helped, but you sure couldn't tell. Luckily I know the nurse well, and she was super at giving the shots. She was so polite! I think Ardyn almost made her cry! Ardyn was good last night until about 30 minutes before her tylenol was going to wear out... and then she flipped out and was inconsolable for probably two hours, right up until bedtime. She slept fairly well at night, only needing one dose of tylenol at 1:30am.

Today we were up at 8am, and I picked up the whole house, did dishes, vacuumed, and took care of Ardyn. She was great today, and took one big 3 hour nap as she seems to do on her regular schedule now. She's not like those sleepy babies. She only naps once a day, and it is usually from 2-3 hours long. Otherwise she is awake, unless she catches a 20 minute cat nap after eating a meal. She almost NEVER sleeps in the swing, or the bouncy seat. I can only think of once she has slept in the bouncy seat, and twice she has slept in her swing, and one of those swing times was tylenol induced, yesterday when we got home from the doctor. She only sleeps in her crib or the co-sleeper... and sometimes on the couch. People always say that babies "sleep all day" but she chooses to sleep all night instead. Fine with me.

Today Evan and his dad put plastic on all of our windows and cleaned the gutters. Then his mom brought over roast with carrots and potatoes and biscuits that she had made, and we all ate supper at our house. It was nice. Tomorrow we are getting up early and going to an auction where a daycare is closing, and hopefully bidding on some little tykes outdoor equipment and a PVC fence for the front yard. I am excited about it, but worried that things will go for too much money because it's bound to attract lots of bidders. Cross your fingers for us! We are taking the truck so I hope that means we can bring something home with us.

Today I paid for our first two weeks of daycare, submitted the last of my paperwork including her vaccination record, and went through a stack of papers and took care of them. I ended up calling a few physician offices and the insurance company to iron out some confusion. I also mailed about 15 things, and paid for Ardyn and My insurance for the month of November.

For those of you who have been here for a while, I am going to be sticking in some baby product reviews here or there, if they aren't your cup of tea, just skip on over them. But since this is my blog, I get to do everything I want. Well, almost everything.

Have a great weekend!

"Summer" Spray Brush and Comb Set

Okay, I admit. This is one of those things that you really don't NEED but I find myself using and being pleased to have. It's the super quick solution to bed head and what Evan and I call "Mad Scientist Hair." Now granted, if your baby is... ummm... not blessed with hair, this might seem like a complete waste. But in our case, Ardyn came out with more hair than some babies have at 1 year old. We love her hair but after a nap, or a while in the sling with mom, or after wearing a stocking cap or cute hat, she gets CRAZY mad scientist hair. And she hates it when I stick her head in the sink to flatten it down. In previous times, I was wetting her baby hairbrush and then brushing her hair down. Not the most convenient when out and about, if you have a vain baby that is. Ha.

Made by Summer Infant Products...This brush has a BUILT IN sprayer! You fill the handle with water or if you have serious tangles, no more tears spray... and then, spritz and brush. I read tons of reviews online, and many moms thought that it didn't spray enough out with each pump. I disagree wholeheartedly... I think it sprays the perfect amount, and I can smooth out her hair in seconds, anytime, anywhere. She doesn't mind it one bit. Quick, Painless, and Convenient enough to toss in the diaper bag. So if your baby brought you lots of pregnancy heartburn... and you turned out to have a head full of hair to deal with, this is a great buy.

Baby Smart Cooshee Tub Guard (Kneeler)

This is one of my favorite products for MOMS! The Baby Smart Cooshee Tub Guard is great for moms and dads who are destined to spend hours kneeled by the bathtub. The price is wonderful, especially considering that I will probably be using it for MANY years to come, and for multiple children.

It is a soft, foamy pad that sits outside the tub to cushion mom's knees, and slips over the edge of the tub for your forearms and elbows. Until this little goodie arrived, I was putting a folded towel on the floor and another over the edge of the tub. And mom's with those annoying shower doors (you know who you are!) this product will work for you too, thanks to a genius little foam piece that you just remove to accommodate shower door rails. The pads can be removed if desired (they aren't stuck down with any type of adhesive) but they don't get in our way, so we tend to leave them where they lie. We just toss our bathroom rug over the top of the blue kneeler when adults take a bath or shower. I like them because it also makes a nice slip free place for little ones to grab and step while exiting the tub.

The only downside that I can see (which isn't really the manufacturer's fault) is that the armrest really needs to be right in the center of the tub to fit properly, because my tub has curved sides, so it's thicker on each end than it is in the center. It works anywhere on the side, but stays put better when centered. This wouldn't be a big deal, except we are using an infant tub right now and I slide the tub close to the front of the adult tub, so that the spigot can pour right into the tub, and the shower hose reaches better.

This is worth the money, and I purchased mine from Leaps and Bounds, I believe for $24.99

Sock Pro Sock Holders

I got a cool new product that I just love. "Sock Pro" Sock holders.

Ardyn's sock drawer was such a mess. I never matched the socks up because then the tops stretch out and they are too big for her and fall off all the time. I needed them to remain in their original non-stretched out state. I saw these in the One Step Ahead catalog, (I love them, and Leaps and Bounds also) and ordered them right away. The order comes with a quantity of 30, that's 3 packs of 10. They sent me red blue and black.

The cool thing is that when you put the socks together you can just toss them in the drawer and always find the match, but the sock thingys also stay on in the washer, and the dryer! Seriously! No more matching socks! None! It's totally awesome. I've put them on from the toes, and from the cuffs, and I think it's easier to put the toes through first. I don't think they are big enough for adult socks, but I haven't tried them. It looks like they use them for adult socks on the package also.... I think for infant and children socks, they are great, but if they are big enough to walk around and get the socks dirty, I would suggest making sure that the sock pro things go around the cuffs and not the feet, to make sure that they come completely clean. Now I know how easy it is to lose little socks in the wash, but I have been using a lingerie bag and putting all her socks in there with my washable breast pads in order to keep them all together in pairs. Otherwise I might end up with a infant sock in one bra cup, and a washable breast pad in the other.

But now I don't even need the lingerie bag for the socks, they are so easily matched. Even with a very full load they don't come apart in the wash. They are inexpensive, and the only thing I can say is that 30 weren't quite enough (Ardyn has lots of socks!) and I need about 10 more. I think it was $9.95 for 30 sock pro holders.

Check out the pictures of her sock drawer BEFORE and AFTER! Neat! Highly recommended.

Gerber Grins n Giggles Roll On Baby Powder

This morning we tested out our roll on baby powder from the Gerber Grins and Giggles Line. When we took our prepared childbirth class, the instructor (an OB nurse for 23 years and the director of the Women's Health Department) told us that we shouldn't use baby powder for the first year of the baby's life because it poses a respiratory hazard. Interesting. I had seen somewhere previously that they make roll-on baby powder. I was intrigued. I wanted to try it. But once we had the baby (and even before) I couldn't find any, until our Toys R Us trip yesterday.

Last night I had the thought that there would be an issue keeping the roll-on applicator truly "clean" if you were just going to roll it onto her skin. Then I read the packaging (duh) and it recommended rolling it onto the clean diaper to maintain the integrity of the roll-on applicator. Aha! Mom brain!

So this morning I wanted to try some on her first diaper change of the day. I have a routine that every night before bed she gets a coating of A&D Ointment before a clean diaper and her sleep sack. This prevents her from getting any rash or any poo stuck to her little butt from a long night in the same diaper. It makes the morning diaper change much easier, I don't have to rub and scrub her with wipes, it's like a non-stick frying pan in there. So after a greasy wet night, I thought it might be helpful to have a powdery dry morning diaper.

The excitement ended when I opened up the packaging, and screwed off the lid to a dust explosion of baby powder that covered my hands and the changing table. So much for avoiding a respiratory hazard. Overall the roll-on feature worked well. The downside is that you could never carry this in your diaper bag because I am assuming that the transporting to the store and home from the store caused it to leak all over into the cap and when the cap is removed you have about 2 full tablespoons of baby powder that flies all over the place and makes a mess. So this isn't a bad product, if you open it over the garbage and keep it upright on your changing table. But the fact that's it's really just loose powder in a roll-on container, which costs you probably 4 times more than a huge container of baby powder, makes me wonder if this is a product I would recommend to anyone. Packaging improvement is necessary. Perhaps an adhesive seal over the roll-on applicator to prevent leaking before it gets to the consumer. And if it were a perfect world, the ability to unscrew the lid, refill the bottle, and clean the roll-on applicator. But that would probably not happen as that would mean you could refill it with any old cheap baby powder. It makes me wonder if one couldn't find any refillable applicator bottle with a roll-on head, similar to ones used for perfume, and make their own roll-on baby powder.

Saline Spray for Everyone!

We. Are Sick. Ardyn and I. Headcolds. Eeww. Snot. Stuffy Noses. Raw throats. Chapped Lips. Dry Nostrils. Headaches. Sleepiness.

I had been noticing a bit of stuffiness or runny-nose-edness since about Wednesday, but as a mom, I really didn't notice. I was too busy taking care of business around home and with Ardyn. I first actually noticed it when I was watching the video clip that I took of Ardyn's room, and I was sniffing on the video. I was like... Hmmm. Sounds like I am coming down with something... and as I stopped to think about it, I realized that I was. Had Been. Never Noticed. But Ardyn had been doing some serious sleeping the past two days and nights. Never acted like she wasn't feeling well. But sleepy. She had a few coughing episodes that sounded pretty scary, but it was like she was clearing her throat of a tickle or something.

Last night, okay, this morning at 4am, she woke up (an hour after I had gone to sleep) and was having a hard time breathing, sounded stuffy, etc. Of course then I couldn't sleep because not only was I worried about her, but I also sounded stuffy and was having a hard time breathing. So we got up, and I was worried that she wouldn't be able to breathe in her sleep and I would have to stay awake for another 20 hours, making it a 40 hour run... to make sure she was breathing. Well, luckily, while pregnant, I took the advice of two parenting magazines and stocked up early on infant and child medicine... and in my trusty Apothecary Jar I found a virtual cocktail of medicines... like Baby Vicks, Little Noses Saline Drops, and Infant Tylenol and Motrin. Well, Baby Vicks is only good for babies 3 months and older. Scratch that. Tylenol and Motrin... well she had no fever (thanks to the temporal thermometer I bought when she was 5 days old and had an eye infection) and of course the box said under 2 years only under the advice of a physician... So tell me again why they call it INFANT Tylenol? Argh. But Saline Drops... Those were the ticket. Then I sent poor Evan on a 5am bleary trip through unpacked hospital goody bags to find the blue bulb aspirator. I had never done this before, and had actually thought like 4 times in the past month that I should ask someone or google it, in case I needed it in just this type of situation. But I had taken Saline Nasal Spray myself during pregnancy for crazy ass congestion... and I still had mine... so I started us both on a saline nasal regime. I decided with common sense to give her the saline drops, then use the aspirator, and I did this before feedings and when she sounded stuffy and uncomfortable. I also plugged in the Vicks Waterless Vaporizer that my midwife recommended I buy during pregnancy for congestion, and turned our bedroom into a soothing vapor chamber. The two of us make quite the pair, what me with my toilet paper roll and Ardyn with her cloth diaper burp/snot rag combo.

This morning I called the Dr. to make sure that I was doing the right thing, and to ask what I should watch for that warranted a Dr. visit for Ardyn. Seems like I was already on the right path what with just my instincts to guide me. And then this evening I remembered that I have the AAP Childcare Guide and I got that out and read about headcolds and found that I was so right on target. It was great. So we have been watching her temperature, she did have a very slight one this evening at about 99.5 but besides that one hour or so, she has remained in the 98 degree range. Today she and I wore our pajamas and lay around. I drank fluids and she nursed as often as she could get a hold of a nipple. We got into a regime of Saline Drops. Evan went to Wal-Mart and came back with REAL Kleenex with Lotion, more Newborn Diapers (tiny thing!), Chicken Soup, and Gatorade. He thought it was so cute that I have this basket that I carry around all of our necessities from room to room, depending on if we are in her rocking chair, in our bed, or in the living room on the couch. He calls it "Mom's Nurse Kit" and tells Ardyn that she has the best mommy ever. I just keep washing my hands and blowing my nose and washing my hands and blowing my nose. Chapstick. Purell. Gatorade. Saline. Repeat.

That said, let's talk about Yesterday. Pre-sickness. Evan, Ardyn, and I went on an outing. We got dressed and went to the hospital to pick up my newest prescription- Birth Control Pills! Yes, welcome to the mini-pill. Evan is especially thrilled that it has a higher chance of failure than my previous pills, if not taken at the same time each day. He's hoping that I will slip up and forget one so that he can make another baby ASAP.

After picking up the prescription, we had a nice lunch at Quizno's, since it's new to Princeton. Then we went to the Corner Coffee Shop that's new in the same building. They had some really neat journals like I have used for years, and a "Questions I have Been Meaning to Ask Mom" book, but nothing had prices on it. Strange. I wasn't about to ask them the price of everything I picked up. Hopefully they will get that together. They also had ice cream and coffee, tea, etc... which I plan to return to try later.

We then drove out to City/County Park and took some photos in the leaves with Ardyn (check them all out on Flickr) and then she had a big meal in the car. We then went to the Sherwood Antique mall and walked around until I was so exhausted I wanted to go to bed. On the way home we stopped at Browning and looked at the New '08 Dodge Grand Caravan. Which I love. And I can. Drive a Van. I have a brochure that I sit and ogle now. I want a brilliant black pearl clearcoat van. I love the New Stow and Go Swivel Seats. Awesome.

The options on this thing are amazing, with built in retractable window shades, Dual TV Screens that get Sirius TV (on the go Nickelodeon and Disney Channel), ACTUAL power outlets, TONS of cupholders and mesh pockets, a rechargeable docking flashlight, a Center Table that stows in the back when not in use, a drop down mirror to view passengers from the driver's seat, all power open sliding side doors and back hatch, side roll-down windows... It's crazy nice. There is a center console that slides from the front to between the first two captain chairs, so anyone can use it as a table, storage area, or cupholders. And beneath it is a charging station for anything with a car adapter. Cell Phones, etc. MP3 Player integration in there is just SCREAMING for my iPod. Interior Reading Lights and Blue Interior Running Lights (which I would have called Sex lights in High School. Who says we can't have crazy sex in the van I guess. Someday. Riiight.) Dual Glove Boxes. Optional GPS Navigation Screen System that also doubles as a THIRD TV/DVD Screen. Multi-Climate Control. Split Folding Third Row Seat. Someday.

So after we got home last night I was exhausted and went right into my pajamas and parked on the couch with Ardyn for a nightlong nursing and TV Marathon. We watched Grey's Anatomy, Dirty Sexy Money, and a few other things from the TIVO. Tonight my mom came over and we uploaded photos to Wal-Mart to place an order for her, and looked up things like Pre-Lit Hinged Christmas Trees and Diabetes Physicians on the internet. We ordered some Rust Raze. She held Ardyn while I ate supper (Bacon Cheeseburger, Fried Mushrooms, and Fried Pickles from 6&34) and while I took a shower. Ardyn went to sleep and has been awake three times in the past 40 minutes, and now she is "awake awake" for what appears to be a while... so maybe more tomorrow. Have a nice night!