Thursday, January 29, 2009

love the stroller, who's the designer??!

When did strollers become the new accessory? Apparently who you're strolling (and I don't mean your child) has become the new "it" thing.

We've all seen proud new parents strolling their new little bundles around in that beautifully bulky, unable-to-make-a turn, thin piece of metal their parents, and theirs before them, called a stroller. Times they are a chaging and lately it seems that picking out your stroller has become as serious a job as picking out your fine china. And I'm pretty sure that like tankinis, this trend is here to stay.

Chic moms want to stroll around chic strollers and thats all there is to it. Strollers can get pretty pricey, but with new models coming out all the time, lower-end competitors are showcasing updated strollers with more modern designs.

I was researching different strollers when I was four months pregnant. And when I say "researching" I mean looking at all the colors and designs and seeing which would be the most practical and versatile.....to match the gorgeous chocolate brown floral diaper bag I just had to have from Nordstroms (and no I didn't keep it, but we'll get into diaper bags another time!) Well I found one: The Bumble Ride Flyer. I saw it in a coffee shop in the summer and fell in love with it. My husband, the more practical one, insisted I check out all the details to make sure I liked it. Okay, pretty qoa color: check. Giant basket underneath: check! You see where I'm going with this....I convinced myself that it would make a GREAT all around stroller because it was substantial enough to take long walks in AND work well with on-the-go errands. I was wrong. Here's a list of what I love and what I wish I'd thought about a little more:

LOVE:
- the color and design - it's definitely an eye catcher and comes in bright, lovely colors!
- the seat adjusted to 5 positions which came in handy as my baby got older. When the sun was in her eyes this stroller was the way to go!
- the handles turn around in less than 5 seconds! it was great when she was a newborn and great now - she can face the world or take a nap completely lying down - it's one simple step!
- canopy is HUGE and has a zipper in the back for ultimate sun coverage!
- giant basket
- UNBELIEVABLE customer service - I am never on hold and all problems get resolved, no if, ands, or buts!
- handlebar is adjustable to up/down motion only (convenient when parking it in tight space)

Things to consider:
- heavier than I thought - the idea of transporting the 19 lb stroller (the lightest of all the models) actually tires me and makes me grateful I borrowed my sisters umbrella stroller!
- the wheels tend to squeak and they require cleaning (but customer service sent me 4 more! score!)
- the handlebar doesn't adjust in height, so it works for me (5'3"), but my husband trips over the wheels
- it's bulky, nuf said
- when facing baby, feet touch wheels

Overall - the stroller works for me. Would I get it again if I could? not sure. You have to try all your stroller options out and see which one will work for you...there are pros and cons to all strollers (which is why MOST people will tell you that they have more than one) - so it's up to you to decide which pros you love, and which cons you can live with...

Here is a breakdown of some of the higher-end strollers that have caught everyone's attention (including the celebs)!

The Bugaboo Strollers -

The Cameleon, priced the highest of the three models, is priced around $900-950. It comes fully equipped with everything Bugaboo has to offer. I recently went to Buy Buy Baby (www.buybuybaby.com) to get a good look and feel for them. They were great - and the staff there does tons of demonstrations on all the great features the Bugaboo has in store!

The Frog, priced around $750-$770 has all the great features as the comeleon WITH THE EXCEPTION OF: the Aerosleep mattress, adjustable handlebars (which makes a difference with taller parents), and adjustable swivel wheel suspension - it weighs one pound less than the Cameleon (19 lbs.) and can hold four more pounds of baby love (up to 44 lbs.)

The Bee, the newest model, resembles nothing like the other two. It's priced at $530. It has different wheels making it unable to trek through sand and snow. Although it's very light, a mere 17 lbs., it doesn't come with the bassinet as the others do (a bassinet with a stroller comes in handy for travel!) If you are looking for something with clean lines and pretty reliable, this may be for you.

Quite a few of my friends have the bugaboo Cameleon or the Frog and they all love them. But they all need an umbrella stroller for those in-and-out errands. The all ride beautifully and definitely feel high-line. Just make sure it can fit in your trunk!

Stokke


You may not think you've seen one, but I'm sure you have. The modern, astronaut-esque, highchair-on-wheels is the Stokke. Priced around $1,000 this is a great stroller. Their idea behind the design is to have your baby/child at your reach to better bond with him. It's great for restaurants because the seat can adjust to the height of the table so your baby can actually feel included. Handle bar resembles a half moon shape and is easily adjusted for your comfort as well. The bottom storage does not look very big - so The Mommy Clip is a must! The Stokke comes with a bassinet making this a great stroller from birth+. If you have a large budget for a stroller, the Stokke should be taken into consideration.

Quinny

Sleek, and very user-friendly, the Quinny is a great find. Priced around $500, I was able to find it cheaper on quite a few websites in various colors (at least $100 less). The Quinny has an exceptionally cushy seat and faces to and away from parent. With just a touch the Quinny opens and closes - a truly convenient feature for the mom who's always looking for an extra hand. The handles are adjustable! The basket is extremely small, so clips would be necessary.

Orbit

The Orbit's ultra-sleek 360 degree design allows your child to sit in virtually every direction (comes in handy for restaurants). Priced around $900, the Orbit design makes it really simple to transfer your baby from the stroller, to car , to rocker. Take a look at the demonstration on their website; www.orbitbaby.com. It shows the installation of the car-seat base and it truly looks effortless and extremely secure. The Orbit was also designed to grow with your baby. Here's the deal: their products looks great, but most of their items are sold-separately - which could make things a little pricey. Their bassinet actually turns into a rocker, IF you PURCHASE the base. But, in way you are actually saving from buying a bouncy chair. The Orbit is an investment, wait - no, no, it doesn't make money and depreciates as time goes on...hmmm, okay, the Orbit is expensive but could be used over and over again. My advice would be to speak with someone who has purchased it and get their opinion on it.

Here are some strollers I would recommend:

If you are looking for a smooth ride but don't want to spend $$$$ check out www.babyjogger.com. They have quite a few strollers (I recommend the City Series)- lightweight, fold with one hand, great colors and style selection - they are truly a great buy and everyone I know who has one really loves them!

Maclaren is a name you can really rely on. They have a huge array of strollers, from simple umbrella strollers to more pricey adjustable strollers. I have found very few negative reviews from them - with reason! Their products are built to last and have a great warranty policy!

Here are some questions to think about while you shop:

1. are you a walker? If you are a city person you may want to consider air tires!
2. how much weight can you carry? maybe 19 lbs is a breeze for you!
3. do you need an easy-folding stroller? one you can close with one hand?
4. what's your price range? are you planning on having more than one stroller?

Hope this helps...please feel free to share your opinions!

Good Luck!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Hello quinoa! Lovely to meet you...Won't you please come in?




I'd like to preface this post by stating that my sister, Green Gal, has gone green. And I don't mean in a commercialized-sort-of-way (the kind where you pay more for a bottle of glass cleaner because it has trees on the label) but honestly wants to make the earth a better place to live. I think I first noticed this when I saw her baby crawling around in brown, environmentally friendly diapers. I, on the other hand, have put numerous cloth bags into my diaper bag to later use at the supermarket and conveniently "forgot" to take them out when bagging my groceries (I'll line my bathroom garbage with them, okay!? sheesh!)

Green Gal is also always raving about these yummy organic and healthy foods she's been making lately: "oh you just have to come over and try my black bean burgers I made today, they are unreal!" she'd say. I'd have two words for her: Dr. Praeger. Don't get me wrong, her food is always delicious but I didn't think of myself as someone who actually wanted to take the time to, shall I say embrace new ingredients and prepare them...Until I was introduced to Quinoa.

The deal with quinoa:

Originally from the Andean region of South America, Quinoa is a complete protein source due to its balanced set of essential amino acids. It's a great source of fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. (Wikipedia: Quinoa) For a pseudocereal (non-leaf plant) to contain all these nutrients is extremely rare.

I was excited. After trying my sisters delicious quinoa that she had boiled in chicken stock with sauteed peas and onions mixed in it, I was truly hooked.

preparation:
Quinoa has a bitter outer layer that should be washed thoroughly. I recommend using a flour sifter (quinoa is very tiny and if you put it though a colander you'd lose most of the grains). My sister recommends filling a bowl with water and soaking them for a couple minutes until you find that the water has a sudsy appearance. This works well top, just be sure you strain it well.

Bring one and a half cups to two cups of water or stock (I used Imagine Vegetable Stock) to a boil with one cup of Quinoa - I started with the one and half cups and towards the end added when I found it wasn't cooked through. The directions say to cook covered for 14 to 18 minutes once it's come to a boil but I found I needed at least another 5 to 8 minutes on top of the 18. You'll probably need to experiment a couple times until you like the consistency.


Here are links to great looking quinoa recipes I am anxious to try:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Robins-Quinoa-with-Mushrooms-and-Spinach/Detail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-with-Chickpeas-and-Tomatoes/Detail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-Salad-with-Dried-Fruit-and-Nuts/Detail.aspx

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-asparagus-and-quinoa-salad-with-goat-cheese-and-black-olive-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html


Making small steps to healthier eating habits; using brown rice pasta, throwing more veggies into the stew, or even experimenting with more nutritious ingredients can really go a long way. And just remember, making a few healthy dishes now and then doesn't mean your kitchen needs to look like Whole Foods - it just means your making smart decisions for you and your family!

Happy Quinoa Making!









Tuesday, January 20, 2009

exersaucers, gyminis, and papasan's ...OH MY!

photograph by Kim Anderson

Imagine this:

You're home from the hospital and you have oodles and oodles of gifts just waiting for you - 'oh great, someone got me that exersaucer I registered for' and 'wow thats the Diaper Genie I wanted!' Unless you have unlimited space - you will notice that things could get a little cramped. Here are a few helpful tips when it comes to registering:

1. If this is your first baby, ask a friend who has already registered and had a baby to lend a hand - she'll be able to decipher what works best. And even though different babies like different things - the quintessential items will be easily spotted by her.

2. Gift cards are really the way to go and you can note on most registry's that you will accept these too. If someone buys you an item and you return it sans the receipt, sorry but I'm about 1000% sure that you are screwed and you will not receive the same amount even in the form of a credit. How can you gowrong? all babies needs diapers, shampoo etc.

3. here are my top four items I loved, used frequently, and was most utterly grateful for:

A baby bath - I find the basic blue new born bath by The First Years is great - nothing fancy - but practical in that it fits in almost all sinks for when baby is first born. It has two sides baby can sit on he grows and it's decently priced.



my papasan :



This lovely chair has dual purposes. Let your newborn lounge in it during the day...then add a blanket and voila! it's a cozy lil bed. It's extremely light weight and most of the chairs come with soothing music and vibrations. I don't know if this model is still around but Babies R Us has some adorable ones:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2861767

The Gymini (some are also called 'Gym')- this was great for a long stretches of time - my baby fell asleep under it, found it relaxing and eventually learned to interact with it. This item is definitely a keeper - plus the animals come off and easily attach to a stroller - yet another dual purpose!

Regardless of the season, a Bundle Me by JJ Cole is a great item - a must for all babies under one (They also make one for toddlers but by that age your toddler might not want to be snuggled while wearing a big coat and shoes). This snuggly blanket fits in your stroller and car seat in such a neat way - I don't think I ever left home without mine - and they come in great colors and fabrics (you're not just restricted to pink or blue.) This is a gift I love to give people because I truly love mine. Bundle Me's are available in so many places...Buy Buy Baby carries these:

http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=114906&

The last of my favorites are:

Snap n Go - a stroller base that your car seat can snap right into - great for when babies fall asleep on the road - you don't have to wake them when taking them out of the car - plus the stroller itself is so light and most have a pretty decent sized basket.

A digital thermometer - Taking a baby's temperature rectally will give the most accurate response. I have yet to use the ear thermometer. The one I have is flexible and registers a reading in 7 seconds. Babies are super fussy when you take thier temperature - so you want it to be a fast experience.

Nail clippers and file boards - this is scary territory the first time. you'd be shocked how tiny your newborns fingers are.

Bath towels - I still could use more.

Books - you really can't go wrong with them - and I promise if you start reading to them at a very young age they will be running to you to read them again and again.
*Board books are really the best (the little cardboard books) - your child won't be able to rip the pages. Pop-up books aren't a good idea for children under three.

The things I would wait for are:

Big items like swings and big bouncy chairs - not all babies like them and they are a hassle to lug to the store and return.

A great stroller - depending on the size and disposition of your baby, you might want to wait until your child has really outgrown the Snap N Go - and by that time 10 new strollers will be on the market and, even better - the one you wanted will be on sale (unless it's a Bugaboo, but we'll get into that another time!)

Pacifiers/bottles/sippy cups - these items are really dependent on your baby and what he or she prefers. These are the types of items you might want to use your credit with.

Happy Baby Registering,

mom

glitz and glamour post delivery?

About a month or two pre due date, my friend Clair came up to me and casually asked if I had bought my new nightgown, robe and slippers to bring with me to hospital. WHHHHHHAAAAATTTT on earth was she talking about with such conviction? Was there an old American Custom that I had not yet heard of? Well, the answer is a big fat no - but apparently it is common to buy a new robe for when you have guests come to visit - and slippers to roam around the post-delivery floor....

There's no use in prolonging this so I'll just tell you now - I am certain that after you give birth, the ABSOLUTE LAST thing on your mind will be "now where did I put that gorgeous new robe?" and trust me, the only roaming you will be doing will be going to a la leche meeting and then realizing you just don't feel up to sitting in there with that life-saver donut they gave you...and you'll find yourself roaming right back on into bed.

So if you have a Clair in your life, like we all tend to have, do not feel the pressure to conform to whatever nonsense she is deeming "necessary". After you give birth you will probably get "tips and guidance" from every single person (including the man who drops off your dry cleaning) about what is best for your baby and there's really nothing you can do but politely say "thank you" and walk away with a smile you so deeply had to search for - So, just throw your most comfy maternity sweats into a bag (and your cell charger) and call it a day.

Good Luck!

Monday, January 19, 2009

to epidural or not to epidural


This really is the question. Before I even knew I was pregnant I had it ingrained in my head that I would most probably have an epidural - that I wouldn't have the willpower to hold out...and then I saw a birthing instructor...

Anyone who has gone to a birthing instructor knows the fear they instill in you about what an epidural can do during and after labor: the fear of paralysis (trust me, if someone tells you to hold still when you're having a needle injected into your spine, you damn well will hold still!), the slowing down of the labor (which may be true, but isn't necessarily a deal breaker) and the post delivery headaches (eh).

After my 3+ hours total with my birthing instructor I had a newfound identity as a natural deliverer, an organic mother-to-be and a new strong sense of self. I very firmly told my husband that as much as I would complain during labor for an epidural - not to let me have one and to furthermore remind me of all the things that could happen if I were to get one.

Well, my husband did remind me during labor and I basically looked at him with an are-you- kidding-me? look and that was the end of that. I had my epidural and thankfully all went well.

My point in all of this is that I set myself up with expectations - not a birthing plan - I viewed getting an epidural as failing instead of really enjoying? the whole process. Don't get me wrong, if it's something you can tolerate and endure, then go for it! if you think you will spend all your laboring energy and then have nothing left when the time comes to push, then mama, get that epidural, make a few calls, enjoy some television and rest rest rest!

Regardless of how you decide to proceed, a labor ball is a great investment. Hospitals can give you one, but honey, in a backless gown, you might just want to bring your own. The one shown above is the Birth Ball by FitBall: http://www.doulashop.com/products/birth-balls/birth-ball-by-fitball.html

These are really great during labor (for pain) and post labor (for getting back in shape) and rocking your Babylove on those joyous long nights.

Happy Baby Planning!