So when my beloved neighbor Maria moved (hi Maria) to Austin...we got new neighbors...amazing right? Well, we really didn't get to know Sylvia and Cedric very well until the last few months. See, they are French and have no children...blah blah blah. Anyway, Sylvia is now pregnant and is as chatty as ever whenever I'm out with the baby. So, anyway my neighbor Michelle went over to her house several weeks ago and said, "Hey, Heather and I would like to give you a shower." There was a blank stare from Sylvia. So, Michelle repeated herself thinking Sylvia had not heard her. Sylvia says, "you want to come to my house and take a shower?" "No no. We want you to come to my house and give you a BABY SHOWER!" "...you want me to come to your house and give the baby a shower?" "NO NO"! It goes back and forth for a couple of minutes, until finally Sylvia just says she will get back with Michelle. Poor Sylvia had no idea what a shower was. But after a couple of days, she figured it out or somebody clued her in because she was all excited about the "baby shower". So today was the baby shower. Just a few neighbors, Sylvia and Sylvia's Mother. We kept it low key, food and presents, no crazy games like what kind of baby food is it smeared in a baby diaper. We didn't want to scare them anymore.
But Sylvia has me a little stressed out. She has NO idea about babies. She is as sweet as can be, but totally clueless. That and the fact that everything is different here in America when it comes to baby stuff. I told her I'd go shopping with her anytime. So...the real reason for this blog. Comment on some of your most favorite baby items. They have nothing (as far as baby goes)and don't know anything about anything. We are starting from square one. Think about some of your essential baby things...things you couldn't live without that I might suggest for her. You guys have so many good ideas about so many things.
12 comments:
I'm still a fan of the baby aquarium or a sound machine, baby bjorn, good smelling lotion, a nice diaper bag & soft blankets.
that's hope though. not some frenchie! this baby isn't born yet. right? not a question. i just clarified with heather on the phone...
Boppy. Even if she is going to bottle feed the baby, I had the toy mobile version Boppy, Connor loved that thing. Binkies. Nail clippers. Those nails can be dangerous! Cute little baby hats, for those first few weeks when you are supposed to keep the head covered. Aquafor is by far, BY FAR, my favorite diaper rash cream. Not even officially for diaper rash.
How about stuff you DON'T need or use, but end up taking up space? They can get talked into stuff at the store...like a baby bathtub? So not needed:) A few inches of water and just lay that baby on a sponge or even a hand towel. I found it easier. I never used the swing either and was glad I borrowed that so I could give it right back. I can't live without the pack and play when they are older though. When they are infants and traveling they can sleep in a drawer (that you pull out of the dresser and put on the floor of course:) and pimp out with padding). Is that weird of me to admit?
Interesting. I used the baby tub. Maybe because I am tall, but laying the newborn in the tub seems like too much work. I did the newborn tubby on the kitchen counter and loved it.
ooh, the swing was my lifesaver, so different strokes for different folks. it's not useful for a long period of time, but for the first couple of months, it was the only was the only way that i even ever got a shower!!! we always just hop in the tub with our babies and wash them up that way, though, so no baby bath here. aveeno baby soap is my absolute favorite! helps clear up baby acne and smells heavenly! we had a co-sleeper/playpen and it was fantastic to have the baby right there but not IN the bed. that was a lifesaver with maya and we loved it with mason, too. pampers swaddlers are my favorite diapers ever. also, my controversial advice...let the baby sleep wherever it wants to. the car seat is great, we did that a lot. i've heard bouncy chairs are good, too. my kids were both tummy sleepers. maya did nothing but cry for 3 months, until i realized that she would sleep only when she was laying on top of me...on her tummy. so one day i put her on her tummy and she actually SLEPT. it was a revelation to me. i tried putting mason on his back, but after 2 weeks he started to be a real fusser, too, so i started putting him on his tummy and presto - he was fine. i am well aware of SIDS; however, i think if you don't have the other risk factors involved (smoking household, soft bedding around the face, etc.) then it's probably okay. just my opinion, of course! go ahead, criticize my parenting, y'all! :) i stand by my opinion that tummy sleeping is safer than bed sharing. just my opinion, though!
oh, and i forgot the "noise maker". that was such a lifesaver for mason. he did womb sounds for the first few months, and then ocean sounds until he was almost a year, i'd say. it was a big help.
I forgot another one too...this swaddling blanket called the Miracle Blanket (www.miracleblanket.com). It is crazy expensive ($30?) but you can get them on ebay, and it is just easier to use than the velcro one from Target. It has this long flap that wraps around like three times and even flaps for the babies arms to be tucked into. You almost feel freaky putting them in it if you have ANY claustrophobia issues, but lemme tell ya friend, it was the first night I got five hours straight. Can't believe I forgot about that. Its good for the fatties that don't swaddles in normal blankets:)
Oh, and I loved my slings, but you go through spurts with them. I'am actually using them again now that mine is almost a year. I thought I was done, but now he can go in a hip carry and on my back. Sorry for the epic novel ***
Good suggestion so far everybody. I love the baby bjorn, the aquarium is great (heck I use a sound machine to sleep so that's a given), I treated myself to a nice OIOI diaper bag this time around and love it, love the boppy so much i borrowed Jennifer's as a second so I had one upstairs and down, what else...the aquafor is great for the dry patches o'skin my kiddies get, but I do still prefer the destitin on the butt, she did get nail clippers (although the ones she got were a bit interesting...they had a magnifying glass on them wow high tech)I do like the baby bath (in fact Hope is STILL in her's),I'll have to email her that miricle blanket she was talking about some "sleeping bag" for a baby...not so sure on what she meant there. I love J and J baby lotion smells so good, I put it on babies and sometimes 5 year olds :) as their "perfume" ! Yummy
Boppy's a good one. So is pack n play, swing, carseat/stroller combo (when they're so little, even though they're super bulky, but just easier for me), baby bjorn, gown sleepers for nighttime, also, with Braden we used one of those things that they lay on in their bed that keeps them in place--it has padding on both sides of their body. Does that make sense? I can't think of the name. It helped get him to sleep in his own bed for some reason. My kids hated bouncers, but lots of kids love them. Baby aquarium is a good one too.
at a baby shower once, i was making suggestions about things & someone said "you don't have kids" like i wasn't allowed to have suggestions, cause i haven't pooped my own kid out. i said "bitch, i have three sisters who all have kids" so i don't want to make any suggestions for fear of being put in my place, but i could if i wanted to!!!
All four of my kids lived in a bouncer seat...the ones that vibrate. They can go anywhere! HAndier than a swing--I found.
Post a Comment