If theres one thing baby needs

Its a brand new moustache

Only 10.99.

Baby has a cold day three...hundred fifty four

No, im really not joking, she has had a cold since she was born....or at least that's how it seems.

According to the pediatrician babies tend to have minor colds for the first year as their immune systems develop and unless the fever gets to 100.4 there's no cause for alarm. So its good to know its no big deal, right? now please tell that to my almost 1 year old.

Parents used to suck the gook out of their babies noses back in the day when they were congested, and being someone who was born in the wrong decade my first inclination was to do just that. Then, in steps my pediatrician (so to speak) and advised against it as it can cause further infection. YIKES! so on to plan B

The Super powered Snot Sucker-5000!

Well, its actually called the Graco Nasal Clear Nasal Aspirator. I like my name better. It plays music and vacuums out the little ones nose and has a little reservoir on the bottom so you can see all the ick thats coming out. 

As if parenthood weren't gross enough already, you can see every booger as it is slowly extracted in living color! 

Diapers Diapers, Diapers

One of the most important first steps i took on he long road of fatherhood was deciding what to cover my babes bottom in. Disposable diapers weren't an option  because, dolphins and whales and blah blah blah, so my attention next turned to cloth diapers. Cloth diapers are about as old fashioned and romantic as it gets when it comes to child rearing, only second to having a morning delivery of milk from the friendly neighborhood milkman, but the work! The idea of washing, drying, folding et al of diapers was a bit daunting, not to mention the idea of the leaks and smells.

SO my attention turned to a hybrid by the name of G-diapers

The exterior is cloth, and there is a plastic liner which runs the length of the diaper 

and inside the liner is a giant maxi pad type contraption that absorbs all manner of ick. When she goes pee or poo i just remove the liner, either flush, toss, or (if im feeling adventurous) compost then replace the pad and we're done. Occasionally the plastic part will get a bit of poo on it, but that comes off in a snap (literally) by removing the plastic liner, rinsing it, giving it a rub with a bleach pen, then hanging over the sink to dry. 

To flush the pad just yank, rip, then drop in the toilet and swish around using the patented swish stick. Something i used to do, but considering its biodegradable i don't have too much guilt sending it to the local landfill knowing it wont be there TOO long. 

If asked to review Gdiapers, and i know you're totally asking, the only con i would list would be that they dont offer nighttime pads and since the mini-me sleeps from 9 pm to 7 am usually she wakes up with a wet front. If they made a nighttime variety i would certainly purchase it as she needs extra absorption in the overnight hours. Maybe ill try doubling it. Maybe not. 

If you plan to sell them as you go up in sizes, and trust me you will want to as they go through sizes every 4 or 5 months, i suggest hand washing and line drying. That way the velcro stays nice and taught and it ends up looking good as new wear after wear. 

HAPPY DIAPERING!!!

Time to perform a jedi mind meld.

Link

Tree hugging non-hippy

Ever since i was a youngin ive been concerned with my carbon footprint, i would venture to say well before the term carbon footprint was even coined (how hipster of me, no?)....I was so concerned with my carbon footprint that i always thought i will probably never be a father because babies use up so many resources and the diapers aren't biodegradable.

Fast forward 20 years, and one child, and my view has changed on the subject have been definitely been refined. Raising a baby can definitely be done without tossing out a metric ton of plastic diapers per week it just takes a bit of effort and spending a few extra dollars.

WHEW! what an intro just to say: im buying a second hand ride-on today!!! I always try to buy her larger plastic toys second hand because

A) they're completely reusable and it makes no sense to buy + throw out something that is so easily recyclable

B) its cheaper that way, so the extra dollars i spend on purchasing her G-Diapers i save on buying some of her toys.


without any further ado, the Step 2 whisper ride buggy

Yes, it is blue. Yes, i have a daughter. Take THAT gender stereotypes....HA!

Things baby loves:

One of the first steps i made towards moving away from bottle feeding for Madison was buying her a sippy cup. I lucked out on this one because this thing is awesome, it doesn't leak unless you hold it upside down for long periods of time and it was a great way to get her to drink things on her own. Even before she could hold a bottle by herself (around 6 or 7 months) she was using her sippy cup which made things just a wee bit easier for dear old pop.

The Munchkin 7 oz Click Lock sippy cup aka the 7oz Munchkin Training cup