11 tips on how to help new moms (and to be a superstar)

I just got back from a two-week stay in San Francisco with my sister who gave birth on November 27th. Not only was she wrecked from lack of sleep, but she was also navigating those rocky waters otherwise known as the New-Parent Rite of Passage which often creates the very familiar New-Parent Pallor (you know what I'm talking about: that pasty, exhausted, frumpy, grumpy, and deflated look we all wear for weeks - and sometimes even years - after we give birth).

My mom was there for the first week or so of Atticus' life, but had to come home to Austin. Then there was a string of visitors that came through for a day or two here and there, but nobody was able to really dig in and stay with Gabby and her husband, Maurice.

(And speaking of Maury, he was able to take off 8 weeks of paternity leave, but only took his first 2 when the baby was born, choosing to save his last 6 for when my sister has to head back to her office at the end of February.)

S0, basically, like so many new mommas, Gabby's been sorta on her own. Maury's there as much as possible, but he's a man and he's a new daddy himself. He doesn't know all the tricks of the trade, yet. And Gabby's also the first of many of her friends to have a baby, so they don't really get it either.

Enter me, the Big Sister. Yay!!

Ohhh, it was beyond wonderful to be able to swoop in and help her in ways I knew that even she didn't know she wanted help with yet. Like propping her arm up with a pillow while she nursed, bringing her a glass of water whenever she nursed without asking, making sure she had snacks when we left the house and bottled water, showing her how to nurse the baby on the move in the Baby Bjorn, and so on.

I went to San Francisco with a job to do and I can tell you that it made my heart soar to be able to come through for my little sister. Maury and all her friends were doing a wonderful job on their own, but I really felt for the first time what my contribution could be to my sister's life that might be different from what she usually gets. And it made me feel even better about being able to help her.

So, in no particular order, here is my MUST DO'S FOR A NEW MOMMY LIST:

• 1. Always offer to prop up her arm with a pillow when she's nursing - and this is the really important part - EVERY TIME SHE NURSES. Doing it once or twice only makes her have to ask and having to repeatedly ask for things erodes a new mommy's confidence and good mood.
• 2. Always bring her a glass of water - EVERY TIME SHE NURSES. I've never seen a thirstier woman than one who's breastfeeding. If I could have had a hose brought to my bedside I would have I drank so much water during those months.
• 3. Never let her leave the house without snacks and, in general, make sure she's fed! Nursing, exhausted mothers need nutrients!
• 4. Help her to leave the house every day and go for walks wearing her new bundle of love as much as possible. It helps her to regain strength and it's great for the baby.
• 5. Espouse the brilliance of a belly-band. It's a post-partum dream: it holds you in, supports your back, and helps support your organs' retreat back to their regular places. Better yet, bring her one.
• 6. Brush up on breastfeeding-in-public techniques to share with your new-mommy friend. Support her in her first endeavors (it's always a little unnerving at first and new mommies are nothing if not nervous about pretty much everything baby-related). Show her how to drape the baby without covering his whole little face. (see Ed. note below for more on this.)
  
• 7. Help her pack all the essentials in a diaper bag since blowouts are many at this stage in life. Must haves: a spare outfit, a couple of diapers, lots of wipes, and some burp cloths. She doesn't need the nasal aspirator or baby Tylenol to go to the mall.
• 8. For car rides, help her with the baby when she cries. Hold baby's hand or give her a paci. Tell the new mom it's 100% ok to pull over and nurse and take the baby out as many times as she needs to - or to even turn around and go home. And that she's not crazy if she does.
• 9. Offer to do laundry. New babies seem to quadruple the laundry requirements and that's about the cruelest joke of new motherhood. You've got this tiny little baby and mountains of laundry to do. She'll be eternally grateful.
• 10. Help her tidy the house to a state she's most accustomed to. A home that's comfortable is like a salve to a frazzled new mom.
• (and lastly) 11. Hold the baby as much as you'd like at any hour. Momma would probably love to go pee without having to figure out what to do with her baby first. Or take a shower. Or write an email. Whatever, you get the idea. If you're an overnight guest, work out something where you can take care of the baby and mom can catch some z's alone. Man, what heaven that can be!

I tried to do all of these things when I visited. Of course, I also had a toddler with me - and a husband - but all three of us did everything we could think of that we had wanted at the same time in our new parenting life. I believe the result was a positive one. My sister learned some new tricks, her husband saw what his wife needed from an outside perspective, and the little cousins got some good bonding time in as well.

These are all tips and tricks that I've picked up over the last couple of years. What were some life savers you experienced in those first few weeks of parenthood from friends and loved ones?? I'd love to add to my list!

(Ed note: After reading a PhD in Parenting post by Annie I wanted to add that I believe 100% that nursing mothers (and bottle-feeding ones, too) are to be supported in whatever manner they choose to feed their children. It just so happened that my sister's comfort level with exposing her upper breast is such that she preferred a little covering up. If she had wanted no covering whatsoever my job would have been to support her in that, as well. Likewise, if she had insisted on being out of public view, I would have done my best to find secluded areas where she could nurse comfortably. This whole "cover up to be polite" bullshit is just that: bullshit. It's incumbent on anyone who is offended to take action for their own comfort levels, much like we already do with men's plumber butts, open-mouthed eaters, and scantily clad bums and breasts. It's their right to let it hang out, so to speak. Not my preference, obviously, but still their right, and who am I to tell them how to dress, eat, or express themselves? And a mother is doing something none of those scenarios encompass: feeding another living being.)

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip:

Center stage at the Musical Concourse in Golden Gate Park.

Yeah... not so sure about this hair-cut thing.

Serenading Attie.

Attie unaware of his cousin's overtures.

San Francisco style.

Stegosaurus in the mist.

A nice woman gave me an extra tube of bubbles. It lasted a week and reaffirmed my belief that people really are cool.

Believe it or not, this guy was making cider, not loading a cannon.

Uncle Mo showing Hollis the 'tar.

Uncle Anto having a go at it.

Now it's Auntie Lou's turn.

Buddah is watching over us.

Group kiss.

It's so much fun what you can do with a baby.


Hollis was obsessed with the "bebe" and "Lala." Here he is pretending to sleep with them.






Lala's idea of funny: mommy's pink tights, daddy's sweater, and Hollis' slippers on his hands.










Matching outfits up the cute factor, no??

Just past security.

How to remove ink from your couch

This morning Hollis ran excitedly into my room shouting pointing back at the living room. Intrigued I say, "What is it, Hollis?? Show me!"

He shouts in glee and sprints back towards the living room. "Bobba! Bobba!" he's yelling. I have no earthly clue what this means, but I follow him anyway. I'm thinking, "Great, he's dumped his 'bubbles' (or sparkling water to the rest of you) all over the place." Anthony is at the kitchen table pecking away at his computer between bouts of packing for his India trip. Blissfully unaware.

Hollis stops in front of the couch pointing, hopping, and positively rigid with excitement and agitation. He wants me to see what he's done.

And holy hell.

Pollack Jr. on all three cushions.

It's our first toddler casualty!!

I gasp, "Hollis! Couches are not for coloring on! We only color on paper!" which, incidentally, he has clasped in his free hand. By now Anthony's come over to see what all the commotion's about. I turn my gaze on him, "DADDY!" I hiss, "Why did you let this happen!!"

"Wha-?? You were with him!"

I guffaw, "No I wasn't! He followed your ass out here! I was alone in our room! He came and got me to show me this!"

Mind you, I wasn't angry, but more severely vexed, but that hasn't kept Hollis from retreating a few steps to watch the show between me and Anto. I come down to his sweet little chubby face and tell him again that couches aren't for coloring on, but let's draw on the paper and don't worry, he's not in trouble, but Daddy is - makes me laugh even recounting it. Big, oblivious Daddy who gave him the stinking pen in the first place.

Anthony and I discuss our next step to eradicate our little Pollack's pursuits. We have a bottle of some heavy duty miracle stain remover that we got when we purchased the couch, so let's use that, we agree. Only problem is, there's barely enough left to clean even one cushion.

"Don't worry. I'll clean it when I get back," Anthony declares.

"I don't want to have ink on my couch for a week and a half! You crazy??"

"..."

I start to blot up an inch of ink trail and stop. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.

"Ok. You can clean it up when you get back," I reply. And flip over every cushion, wipe off any crumbs, and walk away.

Voila! Instant ink removal!!

How's that for some serious cleaning power??

Things I wish someone had told me, Part 2: The must-haves & don't-buys

ErgoBaby carrier - the best for huge, fat babies who can't walk, yet.

This is Part 2 of a Things I Wish Someone Had Told me. Part 1 is here.

When I got pregnant I had absolutely NO CLUE what a parent needed to take care of their infant. I actually had to do research on it! Even now I can't help but shake my head and roll my eyes at that. Parenthood is truly an alternate universe that we are thrust into the moment our little one arrives. I remember going to Babies R Us with Anthony to finish our registry. I had done the bulk of work online to save us the torture of having to zap a thousand little doodads by hand. It still melted down into a full blown anxiety attack for Anthony and a tight-lipped, white-knuckled, don't scream in public fiasco for me.

I wish like hell someone had known enough to tell me what to do and where to go. I would have avoided Babies R Us if I could have, but I had no idea what else was out there.

So, here's a list of the things you really need to get for Baby.

Less than 20 Things Baby Must-Have:

1. Lap pads - You can make any flat surface into your changing table with these versatile lap pads.
2. Baby sling or carrier - Baby wearing is great for both the baby and the mama. Baby feels safer and closer and all his signals are easily picked up by Mom and Mom gets to remain close to her little one while also carrying more weight, which helps in shedding the pregnancy weight. Seriously.
   
3. Diaper bag - You know this one is my fav.
   
4. Shitload of diapers - Either sign up for a cloth diaper service or get baby-friendly diapers like 7th Generation.
5. Wipes or cotton pads - Wipes aren't necessary, you could use cotton pads, but you gotta have one or the other
6. Baby cream & Diaper rash creams - The baby cream needs to be uber gentle (I used Weleda Baby Cream) and I highly recommend the Avalon Organics Diaper Cream. Update: It's been brought to my attention that I failed to qualify this. Basically, you only need these if your baby gets a rash or dries out terribly, but it's not a given. I just think it's good to have them on hand, in case.
   
7. Baby laundry detergent and dryer sheets - We used 7th Generation Baby Detergent for HE washers and "free" dryer sheets.
   
8. Baby tub and wash - Although, you only need to give Baby a sponge bath until the umbilical stump falls off, so, ostensibly, you could push this one out a couple of weeks if you wanted to. Update: Or even make it a NICE TO HAVE if you trust the cleanliness of your sink. You could also line your tub with towels and do a mini-bath that way if your back can handle it. Re: the wash we used Weleda Baby Wash (it doesn't suds up) when Hollis was teeny and graduated to Avalon Organics once he was older.
   
9. Thermometer- Update: For clarification, Baby's temp can be taken under the arm in most cases, so a traditional under-the-tongue kind works great.
   
10. Car seat - Keep in mind that when your wee one is wee, you may want your car seat to be mobile so you can bring it in to restaurants, etc. Infant/Toddler convertible car seats don't have this feature. If you plan on always holding/wearing Baby whenever you're out and about, it may not be such a big deal and therefore the cheaper convertible car seat may be your best bet.
    
11. Sleep sack or Swaddle blankets - Two sleep sacks (to have in rotation if one is in the wash) and 3-4 swaddle blankets. These are either or. You don't use them both together. Parents who use one, usually don't use the other.
12. A diaper changing bag for the car with a spare outfit- You need all your diaper and butt cleaning gear in the car, too. Trust me, there will be days you forget the diaper bag at home and it's a life saver to have a back up in the car.
13. Blankets
    
14. Bassinet or Co-Sleeper - If you're worried about bed-sharing, then buy a little bed for your little one for your room. Of course, you'll also have to buy the appropriate bedding, too.
    
15. Diaper pail - You need something to contain the stink. I wish I had a Diaper Champ, but any one will do the job.
    
16. Comfy chair to sit in - I know this may seem to not belong in my list, but truly, it is. If you can spare any money for this, you definitely should!
17. Bouncer - (How could I have forgotten this!) As a SAHM alone a bouncer allowed me to take a shower or cook a meal. If you only have one set of arms, a bouncer gives you just a tad more freedom to do everyday tasks. It's supposed to be just a short-term rest stop, though. I never used it for more than I needed to to accomplish a certain task. Babies need to be held!
    
18. Dr. Sears' The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two - This book is invaluable due to Dr. Sears' years of experience as a pediatrician. He lays to rest any worries over the choking noises a newborn makes and gives you step-by-step instructions for CPR. This book has been the Baby Encyclopedia in our house and it's been a life saver and a mind saver. It's also a terrific reference for how attachment parenting works.
    
19. Clothes - Depending on the season the baby is born in, this list can be modified:

• 5-10 onesies, depending on how often you want to do laundry
• 5-7 baby sleepers or nightgowns
• 1 cold weather sleeper if necessary
• 5-7 pairs of baby socks
• 1-2 newborn hats, depending on climate

In my opinion, Baby Don't-Buys:

1. Matching bedding with blanket, pillows, bumper, etc. - Baby only needs a place to sleep. Blankets are considered dangerous for at least 9 months due to suffocation (at 9 mos, most babies can roll over and remove the blanket from her face). And the whole "suite" of decor is just a marketers way of getting you to shell out more money.
2. Changing table - some will totally disagree with me on this, but it's not a must have, it's a NICE TO HAVE
3. Diaper holder - Pointless waste of money. You can get a basket or use an old canvas bag and set it anywhere near where you change your baby.
4. Wipe warmer - Baby won't be harmed if you use a cold wipe on his tushy. More money down the drain.
5. Crib - Baby will be safe and happy in your bed. If you're concerned about bed-sharing, there are things you can buy that your baby sleeps in on your bed, but a bigger sleeping apparatus isn't necessary until Baby is much older.
   
6. Bottles and accoutrements - Don't be scared into believing that your breasts "might not work." Having a bottle and formula around may undermine your breastfeeding efforts.
7. Baby proofing stuff - You'll need this stuff once they start crawling, but definitely not a moment sooner.
   
8. Bibs - Baby drools a lot. Big deal. Don't be so anal!
9. Highchair - Wait on this one, too. Baby won't be eating solids any sooner than 4 months, so save your money.
10. Stroller - For those long days shopping and your back can't possibly take another second of carrying the baby around. This happened for me around 20 lbs and 5 months. It's not a must have for an infant. Save your cash until you're begging for a stroller.
    
11. Special baby towels - Your smaller house towels work just fine.
12. Baby first aid - Nothing; medicines are not safe for babies. The only time they would be on any is if they are SERIOUSLY ill and being treated by a doctor. Saline drops for stuffy noses is fine, but if you breastfeed, your milk works great for that! Also, you can use your milk to heal ear infections and cure conjunctivitis. *I'm not a doctor. This is what I learned from my midwife and pediatrician.
    
13. Breastfeeding pillow - Any old pillow in your house will do the job just as well as that $40 Boppy.
14. Breastpump - Unless you know for sure that you will be pumping, save the $200 and pass. New moms are always told to buy a pump "just in case," but it's hogwash. It's an expensive investment and not one that is a necessity unless your situation requires it (i.e., going back to work while still nursing).
15. Any specialized gadget - Just ask yourself, "Is this required for my baby's happiness and health? If money is no object, then by all means, indulge, but you really don't need 95% of the things out there.
16. Mobile - It's another NICE TO HAVE, but not a must have.
    

Once you get your feet wet you'll have a better idea of what you want. Some of my favorite stores for all little widgets, safety items, and toys are:

• Baby Age - Online store that has everything imaginable
• One Step Ahead - Terrific (and sometimes unique) selection of all things child-centric
• The Baby's Gallerie - Online super store for all things

Here's a more extensive list. Also, Cool Mom Picks is a great resource for handmade, safe, "mom approved" items.

Well, that's about it! I'll update and bump this post up as I think of new things to add. To you veteran moms, keeping in the "frugal, must-have only" vein, are there any things I forgot?

Good luck, Bri, Clara, Craig, and Larry!! I hope this helps even a teeny tiny bit!! Love you!

I will conquer the gnats

Gnats make me want to claw my skin off my bones. Lucky for me that isn't really possible because we have an infestation in my kitchen and a Raving, Skinless Jessie wouldn't be all too great, me thinks.

I don't know if they came when I was saving compost materials for my neighbor or just because you can't have produce on your counter tops here in Texas, but whatever the reason for their existence in my nice, clean house, they're here. And they make me want to vomit. VOMIT, I say.

I've discovered over the past couple of weeks that they are magnetically pulled to my wine glass - nice, huh? They have good taste; they couldn't be bothered with juice. And it doesn't seem to matter if it's white or red, so I've started leaving out little wine glasses just for them around the house to lure them in. Then I creep up and slam my hand down on the top and drown the little bastards.

Exhibit A: About a dozen dead soldiers in the 3rd Wine Glass Trap of the day

Today, it was a nice Pinot Grigio. It was working wonders until I saw about 20 of them lurking by. The bile rising in my throat told me then it was time to call in the reinforcements. Plus, I don't want to waste all my wine on this shit.

Here's my current set up:

Try and survive, you asshole gnats! I'm the one with a frontal cortex, not you!!

We'll see if the fly tape or the wine will get the most in the end. Wish me luck, people.

And sorry, you nasty, disgusting, hovering gnats, but I'm gonna win this round.

Update: I ended up going with a mixture of wine AND vinegar and within a few days they were dead, dead, DEAD. Incidentally, the fly tape caught some big house flies (another problem I have), but the gnats steered clear of it.

What's in a diaper bag?

Their product blurb says it all:

…smart, that sums it up. You’re smart so your bag should be too…friendly pockets make it easy to tote along the stuff…and anti-microbial linings let you worry about having fun, not fighting germs…colorful linings make it even more like you…a surprise on the inside

My sister actually shelled out the $130 for this bag at Nordy's (thanks, Sissy Poo!). I'm not sure if I would have ponied up like that, but boy am I glad my sister did. This bag rocks. After a year and a half it still looks good as new (no dirt, no fraying, no slouching, the straps are firmly attached).

I highly recommend it!

Teeth hurt!

I've found these two products to be crucial to helping manage Hollis' teething pain.

I used Camilia when he was an infant, and "graduated" to the Hylands teething tablets when he was eating solid foods (even though the bottle says it's fine to give to an infant).

I've only been able to find the Camilia at Wholefoods. The Hylands tablets are almost everywhere.

The thing I like most about Camilia is that you can buy a box of 20 doses and stash 5 all over the place (your purse, pocket, at grandma's, in the car, etc.).

Hollis loved the Camilia liquid doses and would instantly start to feel better whenever he saw me grab one. He eventually felt the same way about the tablets.

Good luck!

Where, oh where did my pacifier go?

If you decide to let your kids have a paci (a.k.a. plug, soother, boopy, doopy, lolli, and what have you) you will soon learn that they are a mysterious, wily lot. They don't like to be constrained to a certain area, preferring to roam free in search of dust bunnies and dirt in the most remote corners of your car, purse, house, and - really - universe.

Enter a pacifier attacher! It comes in a plethora of sizes, colors, and styles and with all the accompanying prices.

I have used just your basic Target option, but have always coveted more stylish versions, like these.

I have a paci-on-a-leash in the car and one in my purse. They have been life savers when I've been out and about with Hollis since he LOVES to toss things over the edge of his car seat and stroller (as all toddlers do). It's also great on a plane because I don't have to dig around for a paci in that tight-ass constrained space.

PS: While you're here, please sign this petition for toxic-free baby bottles.

Pacifier on the go

Simple and wonderful.

These are the best damn pacifiers for travel. Jam one in your purse, the car console, or your pocket and know that it's about as clean as can be in a pinch.

I use cap-less pacis at the house and attached to the car seat, but I have one of these in my purse and diaper bags. LOVE 'EM!

My highchair preference

Please close the spacecraft door behind you.

I didn't like the look of conventional highchairs and wanted something different, practical, and good looking. Good thing I found Boon's Flair highchair!

I assume it was named for its flared pedestal bottom and its general stylistic "flair". Boon has spared no expense in its design and functionality. It has no nooks and crannies for food to get lodged in (a top complaint of many parents of other highchairs) and it has a pneumatic lift for easy height adjusting. It's also BpA-free, phathalate-free, PVC-free, and recyclable (at least the cushion is, I haven't checked the rest).

It also has great back support and has Hollis sitting up straight. - The highchair I'd been borrowing from my mom, a more conventional design, had Hollis reclining and he couldn't reach his food at the top of his tray.

All the parts come off and are easily cleaned either with a soak in hot water or a run through the dishwasher.

You get two detachable tray covers that are small enough to fit in the dishwasher (my mom's trays don't fit).

I never trip over the legs of this highchair. At my mom's we all trip over the legs of his old school high chair.

It's good looking enough that I don't need to put it away when people come over. I dig its vibe.

There are some cons, however.

One thing I noticed right away was that the Boon wobbled a LOT more than my mom's super-wide based highchair. I almost thought I wouldn't keep it, but in the end, it doesn't really make a difference. The ease with which I can move this thing around offsets the wobbles. And Hollis doesn't care in the least. But if you want 100% wobble-free chair, this one might not be fore you.

Also, Hollis, being a rather chubby kid, has always used the outer setting for the tray. He has no wiggle room to grow too much more outwards. So far, that hasn't been an issue. I suspect that by the time his belly doesn't fit he'll be old enough for a different kind of seat at our table.

It's also quite pricey. The Boon website lists it for $229. I found mine on Amazon.com for $178 and free shipping. So just look around for a good deal.

Shower options

As the mom of a burgeoning toddler I find myself getting more and more creative each day. It used to be that we could do all sorts of things while Hollis contemplated the ceiling popcorn from his bassinet. Then we graduated to the bouncer, the swing, the exersaucer, and the jumper.

I've made a safe kitchen zone for him and babyproofed the whole house, but I still have to reach down into the recesses of my brain to come up with a good solution for when I need to shower and he's not sleeping because despite all the precautions, the littlest, stupidest thing, while utterly unsupervised and left to run amok in the house, could hurt him.

And so I say, voila!!


The bathtub babysitter!!

Who knew he would love it so much?? He can see me from over the ledge, and in the reflection of the mirror. He tries to turn the faucet on (thank God he's not strong enough, yet) and plays with his toys and various bath accessories I've deemed safe for him to play with. And nary a whimper of complaint!


I'll probably have to switch to chains and padlocks once he learns how to climb out.

Baby racket - the price we pay, literally

When Hollis turns his faucet "on" it will play water noises or sing to him about all the different things you can do with water.

We just went to Hollis' one-year check-up and vaccination appointment. He's growing normally in all points, including weight, which means that we have to upgrade to a new car seat. Usually, at 20 lbs or 1-year old you can switch your baby around to face forward. Rear facing car seats are not equipped to do this, so that means you have to get a new one.

But if your baby is sort of in a gray area (20 lbs, but not a year old, a year old, but under-weight, etc.) then you need a convertible car seat. Or, maybe you're listening to the new experts who say that keeping your baby rear-facing for as long as possible (i.e. as long as he'll stand it) is really the safest for him and so that convertible car seat is your only option due to aforementioned weight-restrictions.

And the reason you didn't get a convertible car seat in the first place is because they're generally not very good for infants with floppy necks and you can't take them into a restaurant with you or use in some sort of travel-stroller system. Oy.

So, I've been researching convertible car seats which will be good for up to 65 lbs in some cases. Of course, the highest parent- and safety-rated one is over $200. OF COURSE. And as a parent, you feel like the biggest turd if you try to cut corners when it comes to your kids safety. Buying clothes at the consignment store? No biggie. Going the cheapest route possible on a car seat? Not cool. Oh, so not cool.

I try so hard to reconcile our one-income lifestyle with the growing needs of Hollis (and our future baby, whenever that happens). I research almost every purchase to death. Comparison shop, do the eBay thing, Craigslist, hand-me-downs, and I've hunted down the most obscure little online stores known to man just to save $5. But I still feel like I'm being robbed and I'm somehow and accomplice in it.

Five minutes after the first picture was taken. He loves that cupboard we keep full of things that are safe for him to play with.

I can't keep up with all the new gadgetry necessary. Although, I am doing my best to resist a constant buying pattern on crap. However, I splurged on some toys for Hollis' first birthday that I otherwise would never have gotten. I have been of the opinion that "flash" is for adults, not babies, but he overwhelmingly is drawn to all things with noise and lights and my old tupperware was fast losing its appeal. So, what was I to do? I went and bought him a little kitchen to put in his safe-zone in my kitchen. It has all the bells and whistles, literally, and songs and music and lights and the coolest kitchen sounds imaginable. He loves it in there and he will play and play in there while I cook dinner. - I like to imagine we're both cooking together! -

I also got him a noisy wobbly-ball thingy that makes noises and a little travel piano. If it weren't for his grandparents those would be the only modern toys he had!

I think one positive thing about being pretty isolated from other parents is I don't have a keep-up-with-the-Jones' complex. I don't have any idea what the Jones are doing to entertain their 12 month old, you know? I have an idea from the gym day care (did you know that they have these baby-swing things that infants just love and they sleep and sleep in them? Or these weird little dome thingies that a non-mobile baby will just stare at for an hour without moving or crying?? - yeah, me neither). And my friend, Les, with the twin girls, she also has a ton of cool stuff. Her house looks like tot's fantasy playland! So I've gotten some idea from her, too.

Anyway, I've been on a PBS kick lately and have been Netflixing all their documentaries where they take a 21st century family or group and put them in another time period and watch what happens. The kids always hate it at first (no TV, video games, etc.), but by the time they leave, without exception, every kid is amazed to realize they had fun without all those things and will miss the games they played when they only had their imagination and two hands.

That's what I want for Hollis. I want to be careful to not always buy the easy toy/gadget/whatever. Obviously, there's a line to be drawn, as I said before. I guess I've had to learn when to splurge and when to scrimp. I think I'm doing the right things, but it's definitely a learn-as-you-go kind of thing. It'd be great if money were no object, but I hate to say that, let alone think it, because money IS an object and always will be. So, let me amend that by saying, it'd be great if I could, with good conscience, be really irresponsible with my money and buy whatever I wanted for whatever reason. Ha!

Until then, it's Goodwill, eBay, and the occasional splurge on a high-end safety item for me!

Baby Furnishings & Decor

My House:

• Organzing & Decor

Resources:

• Fawn & Forest - High-end fancy, schmancy decor
• Favorite Things - A blog with tons of terrific items
• Genius Jones - Clean lines, high quality clothes, toys, and gear
• Modern Seed - Modern gear and furniture
• Modern Tots - More modern gear and furniture
• Romp - Artful, unique toys and decor
• Sparkability - Furniture and decor with clean lines and bright colors
• 
  

Decor

My house:
How I decorate and organize

Online Shops:

• Blik Surface Graphics
• Designspongeonline.com
• Etsy
• Sanderson
• The Stencil Library

Design Blogs:

• Dandee Design
  
• Favorite Things
  
• Making It Lovely
• d.Sharp
• Design Sponge
• Simple Song
• Twig & Thistle
• Black Apple
• Design Mom
  

Organizing & Safety

My Experience:

• How I organize and decorate
• My [mostly] safe house

Resources:

• Organizing Tips and Thoughts for Moms
• Real Simple
• Martha Stewart

Home Furnishings

If money were no object, you could always find me at any of these stores:


West Elm



Room & Board



Ikea




Anthropologie Home