I'm Soy Sad!

For realsies, I am.  It seems that for some reason, the “soy discussion” is back in the media more than ever.  I’ve always known soy wasn’t particularly great for you, but it always struck me as a healthier option to dairy, especially since...well, let’s just say, dairy and I aren’t the best of friends.  In fact, Bird takes after me, and when she was born we knew something was up with her digestion.  After pushing for some severe diaper analysis, it was discovered that there was microscopic blood in her stool.  The cure?  Stop breastfeeding/pumping and put her on a hypoallergenic formula, or completely cut out dairy and soy.  Honestly, I was perfectly happy and prepared to stop any and all dairy, but the soy was SO disappointing to me.  And I don’t even eat tofu, or tempeh, or any true protein source.  So why, you may ask, did it throw me for such a loop?  Because soy is in everything.  And I mean EVERYTHING.  Seriously.  Take a stroll through your favorite grocery store and read the labels.  It is b-a-n-a-n-a-s, I tell you.  I know this firsthand, because I stayed off of all dairy and soy for four months while I continued to pump, even after ending my breastfeeding journey when Birdie was two-months-old (though I know many people who have been dairy/soy free for much longer).

For me, it was an executive decision I made that I don’t regret.  However, I won’t lie when I say I was “jonesing” for an Iced-Venti-Soy-Skinny-Vanilla-Latte the size of my head.  And yes, you may insert your long exasperated sigh :::here:::, because my orders are truly that obnoxious (though the barista at the coffee shop assured me that there were plenty of empty boxes left to check off on the cup, which means I could up the elitist-coffee-ordering if I so choose, so stay tuned...).  But here’s the real kicker, folks:  recommended ounces of soy per day?  ONE.  Total ounces of liquid in a Venti?  TWENTY!  And when they say one ounce of soy, they mean fermented soy (aka: tempeh, miso, soy sauce), not the creamy vanilla delicious I so crave on a bi-daily basis.

So, fellow “Baby Mamas” (or Baby Dadas, Grandmas, Grandpas or Friends thereof), what kind of milk are you drinking these days?  And who wants to start a campaign with me to get almond milk in coffee chains, ‘cause I need a fix...

M's Favorite Books: The 3 year old edition

One of M's favorite things to do by herself is to "read" books. She is only 3, so obviously she isn't actually reading the books, but I find her every day sitting in the playroom, as quiet as a mouse, with a book on her lap flipping through the pages. If I am in another room and she is quiet for a few minutes I will say "Are you ok in there M?" and she responds, "Mom I'm fine! I'm just reading!" So here is what you can find her "reading" these days (these are also the books she has memorized as we read at least 3 of them at bedtime every night.)

1. Room on the Broom (Julia Donaldson)- Iggity! Ziggity! Zaggity! Zoom! I kid you not, M has this entire book memorized, and can recite it to you on command. She knows when to turn the pages when you read it to her. I think my husband has read this to her over 100 times and we have only had it for about 6 months. I thank Grandma for bringing this delightful book into our lives.

2. Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark (Deborah Diesen) - We wore out the original Pout-Pout Fish book, so I was ecstatic when we discovered the second book about the "glum gloomy swimmer" and his journey to find Ms. Clam's pearl in the deep dark ocean. M goes around the house saying "I am smarter than a dolphin, I am stronger than a shark, I am faster than a sailfish...but I'm scared of the dark, Mom!!"

3. The Napping House (Audrey Wood) - This is another one we have Grandma to thank for. It is a simple tale of a bunch of characters sleeping on top of each other, and then waking each other up, but M loves it. She thinks it is high comedy.

4.  Giraffe's Can't Dance (Giles Andreae) - Oh how I love this rhyming tale about a Giraffe who finally finds is groove. This is such an adorable book, and one that I love reading to her every chance I get.

5. Pete the Cat series (Eric Litwin and James Dean) - We have a couple books from the Pete the cat series and really love them all. They are silly stories about a cat, Pete, who wears sneakers and sings groovy songs about them. The only thing about these books that irks me is that he talks about wearing his 4 shoes on his feet, and then in the next drawing he has two shoes on, and is playing the guitar with is other paws, or doing something else. Hell, when you have read it 50 times you tend to get a little nitpicky.

6. Sophia the First (Cathy Hapka) - Something happened in one of the tv episodes of Sophia the First that scared M at some point, so she now refuses to watch them. The book however is her absolute favorite book to read at bed time. She is a sucker for anything princess, but truly loves hearing about Sophia's journey from small time girl to palace dweller. The illustrations in this book are truly fantastic - much better than the choppy animation of the television show.

7. The Disney Storybook Collection (and other Disney Collections) - These are always popping up at Costco, so we have a large collection of these classic collections of Disney tales ranging from Pixar themed to Winnie the Pooh, and of course the Princess Collection. A story from one of these books is always requested at night. Keep an eye out at your local Costco for these!

Who Are You Thanking This Mother's Day?

Dear Doggie, who used to be our one and only child and now gets the occasional belly rub: thank you for holding your pee in your eight-and-a-half-year-old bladder for the better part of the day, week after week.  Your father and I were trying to survive the first few months of parenthood with little knowledge of what we were doing.

Dear Random Woman in the Paradise Bakery Line:  thank you for telling me how beautiful my baby-acne-ridden newborn was, and that you hoped she would turn out as beautiful as me.  I was newly post-partum, emotional, had large black circles under my eyes and a spare tire around my waist.  I needed that compliment more than you know.

Dear Mommy Friend That Shall Remain Nameless:  thank you for disobeying my “no battery operated” toy rule, and buying my daughter a bright pink light-up vanity for her first birthday.  As the only gender-specific toy we have, it brings a smile to my face that she already enjoys applying the pretend lipstick (even if it is on her cheek).

Dear Best Friend Since Eighth Grade:  thank you for being so gracious during my pregnancy and beyond.  For not drinking your Skinny Vanilla Latte in front of me, knowing I couldn’t have one, and for indulging in malted Oreo shakes so I could “get my calcium.”  I promise to eat endless cannoli with you when it is your turn.

Dear Brother, Three Years My Junior:  thank you, for every time you see our daughter, acting like there is no place you’d rather be.  I know you are only twenty-five and are probably giving up a jam-packed weekend of bar-hopping and dating in the city that never sleeps, to spend Mother’s Day with us.  But I promise, she will remember your smiles of excitement her whole life.

Dear Dad:  thank you for pretending to not notice me pumping while we sat on the couch next to each other.  I recognize that the constant “Moo-ing” sound may have given me away, but your denial made me feel at ease.

Dear Mom:  thank you for supporting me when I was pregnant and stated that our daughter would sleep in our room for the first three months, and then continuing to support me when on Day 13 of her life I moved her to her own room.  And for all the other claims I had and then reneged.  You’ve never made me feel like I broke a promise to myself or others during this whole “parenting” thing, only that I learned something new and made a more fitting decision.

Dear Husband:  thank you for being such a large influence on the way we raise our daughter; you see through my Type A personality and let yourself choose your own way of doing things without compromising the day’s orderly schedule.  And I also appreciate you recognizing that “I’m too tired to give the baby a bath” does not  mean I’m too tired to catch up on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Dear Little Bird:  thank you for not judging me when I forgot to put the filter on your bottle so it came pouring out into your mouth, leaving little breathing room and forcing you to down it like a college freshman being initiated into a frat.  And for not berating your father and I when we forgot to bring a single ounce of formula to dinner with us in Chinatown in downtown Chicago.  And for not holding a grudge against me when I didn’t realize you were dairy and soy intolerant for the first two weeks of your life, resulting in so much tummy pain that I wouldn’t have blamed you for clicking your heels three times and wishing your way back into my womb to return to the way things were.

You taught me what it is to be flexible, even when I had no desire to be.  You also showed me what it is to love something unconditionally, for when I didn’t think I could possibly stay awake for a single hour more, feed you again, or change another diaper, I did--for you.  Today, the biggest thank-you goes to you, for making me a mom.

A Mother's Day letter to my 21 year old self

Dear 21 year old self, 

This is the future you, writing to you from the year 2013, the year you will turn 35. No, cars are not

I'm talking to you baby-faced-
great-skin-having-no-stretch-
marks-perky-boobed young
sexy thing.

flying, and we are not getting places via hoverboards (we still have two years for that, duh.) The world is pretty much the same, except now we have phones that are also cameras/computers and there is an African American president - pretty cool, huh? 

I write to you to let you know that your life may not turn out the way you thought it would, but it is still one hell of a life. This Sunday (in my time) you will celebrate your fourth Mother's Day- I know you probably thought it would be something like your 6th or 7th, but I will get to that in a bit. 

You know that handsome tall drink of water you just met at your summer job at the Red Sox? Well, soon the flirtatious relationship you have will quickly progress into something amazing. And that something amazing will lead to a relationship like you have never had - you will be treated like the queen you are, and loved like you have never been loved in your life. Just remember to get him out of those tapered stone-washed jeans, and off that motorcycle ASAP!!

I hate to ruin the story for you, but you will be walking down the aisle with said man, and it will be the best night of your life, followed by the vacation of your life...and then it is back to reality and the start of your new life together. 

That amazing condo you purchase together? It will cost you, both in repairs and pest control, but it will bring you years of joy and good times. 

That dog you adopt because you want a try at being a parent to something? She will bring you a love like you have never known (different from man-love and kid-love). You will treat her like your first-born, calling yourself her "mother" and she your "dog-ter." She will teach you to be patient and compassionate, but she will also drive you insane and cost you thousands of dollars. You know all that new furniture you got for your wedding? Get ready for it to be chewed up and ruined in a matter of days. And no matter how sick, or hungover or tired you are, you will have to get your lazy ass out of bed and walk that crazy dog, for at least an hour every day - in the rain and snow - because if you don't...well, you will find that out for yourself. 

Once you have gotten the handle of taking care of the pooch, you and your hubs will decide it is time to  have a human baby...this is tough part. 

It will take much longer than you expect to get pregnant. Much much much longer. You will see many doctors, and be on many medications, and be given words of encouragement by professionals and family and friends but you will want to stay in bed and cry because what comes so easily to others will not come so easily to you. You will watch your friends get pregnant without even batting an eye - but be strong and be happy for them, because you will experience the joy they are feeling...just be patient. 

You will have some really trying times during these two years - like throwing your best friend's baby shower while you are hopped up on fertility meds. This may seem like a cracked out idea at the time, and you may actually leave the shower halfway through it because you can't contain your emotions, but it will bring you closer to your friend than ever before. 

After multiple procedures, and probably 50 pregnancy tests, you actually get the news you have been waiting for...and your life is changed forever. A perfect baby girl will soon be put in your arms and you will love her with every fiber of your being. You might think you could never love another child as much as you do your first, but then 2.5 years later, you will have another baby girl, whom you love just as much...and your family will be complete. 

This all might not happen soon enough for you, but believe me, it all happens at the right time. 

Your "job" in 2013 will be to take care of these little munchkins, and let me tell you - it is no easy feat. You will get tired, and cranky, right along side your kids. You will think there is no way you can get up at 4:30 AM one more day, but then you go in to your daughter's room and see that gigantic smile she has on her face when she sees you, and it will all be worth it (just do what everyone says and nap when she naps.) 

You might feel like somewhat of a failure for not having a career while you are raising your kid. You might sometimes feel like you have given up by becoming a stay at home mom, but that isn't the case. What you are doing is the most rewarding and challenging job that there ever was - you are shaping the lives of two humans! You are not just a mom, but a teacher, a counselor, a cook, a chauffer, a shoulder to cry on and an entertainer. 

Your journey to motherhood will not be an easy one, but in all honesty, because it is a bumpy road, the destination is all that more rewarding. What you have to go through to become a mother will test your relationship with your friends and family and bring you even that much closer to your husband. 

These next 13 years will fly by. FLY BY. Be sure to cherish every moment you have with your future boyfriend/husband. Have an amazing time with your friends, before you have real responsibilities like a mortgage and children. Be nice to your mother - not always an easy feat I know - but think before you speak to her and your relationship might be as great as it is now even earlier in life. 

And those kids you will eventually have - they are the best. The family you will have...there are no words. You will love every second of being a mother, even when your kids drive you to drink (PS - you learn to love tequila!)

Oh, and stop eating all that fried crap and go to the gym more often when you are pregnant. Your future self thanks you. 

Cheers, 

Future You

PS. I tried to find a photo of my current self, but every one I found would scare the bejesus out of you. 

The end of an era

Last week I purchased Val a convertible car seat. She is 20 pounds, and her weight in combination with our old Graco car seat was hard on the back to carry around, plus she is crazy long, so I figured it was time to move her to the big girl car seat. It arrived the next day (thank you Amazon Prime), and I installed it in my car after both girls went to bed one night. I came back into the kitchen and took one look at her infant car seat sitting there on the floor, and I burst into tears. And now I am tearing up again while writing this...damn you mother hormones!

I feel an overwhelming sadness when I think about Val being my last baby. She is growing incredibly fast - she is almost 9 months and already in size 18 month clothing. She is eating everything in sight. She is about to crawl any second now and not far off from walking. And now she is in a big girl car seat, just like her older sister. I feel like time is moving way too fast for me, and lately it has been making me incredibly sad.

Pretty soon her adorable, chubby, kissable baby feet aren't going to be so cute and soft. She isn't going to laugh at me making a silly face, or pull on my lip and think it is the funniest thing in the world. She isn't going to smile and kick her legs when I come in to get her out of the crib. She won't have that amazing smushy bum that I love to chew on every time she gets naked (seriously it is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life.) Or even if she does have all those things, she won't let me chew on her like she does now. I wish I could stop time and keep her this size forever...

Well, not really, because I can't wait to see what the future has in store for my girls, but I seriously love the ages they are now. I have M who is 3.5 going on 30. She makes sure to remind me to put my scissor away and not leave them on the counter because it is dangerous. And she tells me to clean up my messes. She can also recite every episode of Doc McStuffins by heart and does the best fake laugh I have ever heard. And she wants to help me do anything and everything I do, and I just love it. And Val...she is just the happiest smushiest baby in the world. I am blessed to have such wonderful children.

But when I think about the fact that they are only going to get older, and I will never have another baby in the house I get terribly sad. My husband and I agreed that we would only have 2 children from the beginning. Two is the perfect number - man to man defense. Everyone gets their own bedrooms. Traveling will be easy. Plus kids are crazy expensive, and with only two we can give them the best of everything.

Life is crazy enough with two right now, I could never imagine having another one. And I am not saying that I would want another kid at all. I am happy with two. Two is our number. But when I think about the fact that I am done having kids, and I will never be pregnant again, it really makes me sad.

What adds to the sadness is that I still have two frozen embryos after doing the IVFs. I still have to two babies on ice - a potential brother or sister for M and Val, or both.

When trying to get pregnant with Val last in 2011 I learned that I was non responsive to the fertility drugs, and would most likely not be able to produce viable eggs again, so the frozen embryos that I had were my last chance to ever get pregnant. The fact that there are two potential babies on ice, that I will probably never use, really makes me sad.

Not sad enough to try and get pregnant again, but sad that I will ultimately have to make that final decision to discard the embryos and come to grips with the fact that I am done having kids. I think I would be even sadder if I did decide to go through with an IVF again and it didn't end in pregnancy - something I want to avoid altogether.

I have friends now that already have two kids and are either pregnant with, or trying for their third child. They keep asking me if I am done, and of course I say yes, because I am, but just saying that out loud makes my heart sink a little.

When M would out grow her clothes I would put them in a plastic tub, and set them aside for her potential sister. Now when Val out grows her clothes (and damn does she grow out of things quickly) I still pack them up, but now in hopes that one of my friends will have a baby girl to wear them. The baby swing has gone to the basement, along with the bassinet, the snap n go, the Moby wrap, the Boppys...all to either be donated or lent to friends in the future. Tear...

I love our life right now. We are finally getting sleep again. I finally feel comfortable in my own skin again. We have a good thing going right now. It just makes me sad to realize that soon my babies won't be babies anymore.

It is the end of an era, but the beginning of another exciting adventure.

Get Your Kid Vaccinated, Already

My kids love Richard Scarry's Chipmunk's ABCs book, and the Duchess is deeply fascinated by the letter M, which features a drawing of Chipmunk's friend Mouse, who has mumps. "Why does he have a cloth around his head," she constantly wonders. That's to keep an ice pack on his swollen glands, kiddo, I tell her, because mumps were really unpleasant.  I'm glad she won't be getting mumps - or any other disease that is prevented by vaccines, because she's getting all her vaccines on time.

Even the most mellow of parents will get exercised over something child-related, and the bee in my bonnet is vaccination and people who don't or won't do it.  Although there is a miniscule risk that a child will have a terrible reaction to a vaccine, there is a very real risk that an unvaccinated child will catch one of those diseases if a lot of other people haven't vaccinated for the same reason. This fear, and other fears caused by the discredited notion that vaccines cause autism, have caused a measles epidemic in Wales.

So I've decided to tell you my story. When I was four, I got very sick. I remember being in my bedroom having trouble breathing, and my parents rushing me to the hospital. (I also remember throwing up on my mother as we pulled in, car seats not yet being standard back in 1976).  It's a little blurry after that - the doctor calling me "princess," and telling me that I would be okay. And then two weeks in recovery under a croup tent in the hospital, during which my mom gave me orange sherbert for a treat (resulting in my total aversion to artificial orange flavoring, a side effect of my hospitalization that I'll gladly accept). 

I had something called epiglottitis, which was a nasty infection that causes the epiglottis to swell up and prevent breathing. (Fun fact that I just learned today as I was looking this up on WebMD: George Washington died of epiglottitis).

Epiglottitis was so dangerous and life-threatening that emergency rooms used to run drills so they would be prepared when children came in presenting it. I was fortunate that the ER to which my parents took me had recently practiced what to do so they were able to swing into action upon my arrival.

This is a photo of my scar - a relic of the tracheotomy that Dr. B did that saved my life. You usually can't see it because he had the presence of mind to put it in the fold of my neck, but it is there. 

Nowadays, nobody gets epiglottitis anymore because of the Hib vaccine, a standard vaccine that I made sure my kids got as soon as possible.  Periodically I have cause to discuss my scar with various doctors along the way and it is interesting to note their astonishment. My friend, a pediatrician, was deeply fascinated, since she had only heard about epiglottitis in medical school, as one might learn about the Black Plague. Recently, while at the ENT with Honey, we randomly got on the topic of tracheotomies and the doctor marveled at my scar. He said it's the kind of disease that his mentors told him about but that he had never seen more than one or two cases of in his entire career. 

So the next time someone tells you about the cousin's coworker's neighbor's kid who supposedly got autism from a vaccine, don't just remember that endless resources have been spent to show that vaccines don't cause autism.  Remember the very real diseases that vaccines prevent and the catastrophic results that can happen if kids are left unprotected.

Table Food Feeder Pleasers: Spinach Mac & Cheese Cups

Recently my local mom’s group started e-mailing toddler table food ideas back and forth, as, not much to our surprise, our little tikes have begun to be quite picky.  Cheese?  Absolutely.  Bread?  The best!  But other than that, we are finding it difficult to get much into them.  As we bounced ideas off one another, more and more of us had increased success.  We talked about different ways we have started to incorporate vegetables, and this recipe is a go-to of mine for sure!  These are awesome to send with older kids for lunch, to keep at home as a snack for yourself, or to break apart for smaller children to practice self-feeding (as we have done).

Enjoy!

Spinach Mac & Cheese Cups:  Makes approximately 12 cups

(Recipe courtesy of Emilybites.com, though a few small changes made)

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked whole wheat macaroni

2 tbls. butter

2 tbls. flour (use whole wheat if you’d like)

1.5 cups milk

Pinch of garlic powder

8 ounces shredded cheese (I used white cheddar)

2 eggs

1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400, and lightly mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray (or instead use muffin liners as I did) and set aside.
2. In a small sauce pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour, and mix together with butter until thick.  Stir in milk and garlic powder, and raise the heat until mixture has tiny bubbles around edge (just before boiling).  Remove from heat, add cheese, whisk until smooth.
3. Mix in eggs until combined.
4. In a large bowl, combine spinach, cooked macaroni, cheese sauce, and salt and pepper if desired.
5. Spoon mixture evenly into muffin tins, and bake 10-15 minutes until tops are slightly golden.  Cool in tins for 5 minutes.

***Once completely cooled, I gave some to a friend, stored a few in the fridge, and froze the rest in ziploc bags and thawed at room temperature when needed.

We Love Lovage BabyBlends

Every day I come across something that I wish I had invented or created myself. Sure there are obvious ones like the iPod, but I am talking things that make a mom's already hectic life even easier. The Nose Frida comes to mind - so simple, so gross, yet so satisfying. I wish I could take credit for it's creation. I also wish I came up with the idea for the organic baby food delivery service, Lovage BabyBlends.

I love my golden beets! And this top isn't bad either!

I had every intention to make my own baby food with Val. I bought an immersion blender, I bought all the little food containers - I was ready to make it happen. I reached out to friends who make their own baby food and they told me how easy it was, so I bought some organic veg at Whole Foods and had planned to boil and puree some squash for baby Val. Yeah, that never happened. When you are home with two kids, who only nap at the same time once in a blue moon, you are lucky enough to have time to take a quick shower, let alone make your own baby food. I gave up the notion of being that perfect mom who purees her baby's food, and settled for Plum Organic pouches just like I had with M - and she turned out just fine.

Two weeks ago I was approached by Jessica, the founder of Lovage BabyBlends, and was asked if I wanted to try their product. I am always hesitant when a company owner approaches me to try their product and review it for the blog - I tell everyone I will be completely honest, which doesn't necessarily mean it will be a glowing review. Well, Jessica, you are in luck because I have nothing but amazing things to say about Lovage!!

Let me start with their packaging. The 9 flavor variety pack is hand delivered to your door step in the

cutest little cooler (reusable of course), complete with Lovage logo (see right). The flavors are individually packaged in reusable BPA-free containers, with color matched logos. I am a sucker for attractive packaging, so she had me at my first unzip.

Val and I started our taste test with the Golden Beets flavor, a favorite ingredient in our household. I cannot believe how velvety smooth they are able to make this baby food. It almost tasted like cream was added, but for sure it was not. Val gobbled up all she could, as I couldn't stop eating it myself. All of the subsequent flavors (I couldn't get enough of the Minty Peas!!) we have tried have had that amazing texture, and could double as a side dish to any adult dinner entree.

Because we only use less than one container a day (that is when I am not eating it myself) I put 5 of the flavors in the freezer. All I had to do was pop one for tomorrow in the fridge and about 24 hours later it is defrosted and ready to go. We don't heat up our baby food but if you want to they have directions to follow on the site. 

This is totally one of those things that I wish I had thought of first. A couple clicks online, and delicious fresh baby blends can be delivered to your door step. Just click here to start the process. 

I am so excited to have had the opportunity to try Lovage BabyBlends, and look forward to being a repeat customer!!

More Minty Peas please!!

Top Ten Favorite Products of a First Time Mama Bird (9-12 Month Edition)

Can you believe it?  Bird is ONE!  Didn’t it just fly by?  Ha ha ha, very funny world, but for me...no, it really didn’t.  But I do love that people always ask that.  When does it become appropriate for me to answer that for a while I thought I was starring in the chapped-nipples, crying for no reason, severe reflux version of Groundhog Day?  Oh...never?  Well okay then, I won’t.  But in all honesty, the last couple months have gone much more quickly than the first few, and little wrinkly hatchling is now a full-fledged pot-bellied chick.  Woot woot!  Now, on to a couple of my fave things...

Zoli Bot Sippy Cup - This straw sippy cup was recommended to me well before Birdie came along, and now I know why.  With few parts to keep track of and wash, and a flip lid that a ten-month-old can work (whatttt??!), this sippy has quickly shot to the top of my list.  Use for water (our current situation), milk (wish us luck), or juice--just not anything with pulp in it, as the straw can become clogged.  Comes in two sizes, and can be found online on Amazon, or pick up in person at Tadpole, a fave local shop of mine.

Jellycat “Tails” Books - You know when your kid needs a little something to play with, but the look that old man is giving you across the aisle on the plane says, “don’t you dare pull out that Sophie the Giraffe...”?  Enter, the Jellycat “Tails” books!  With crinkle pages, interesting designs, and fun tails to pull, chew, and dangle, this book is a quiet and interactive alternative to noisier busy-books or toys.  Machine washable after slobber-overload, dirty restaurant floor smash, or spit-up attack!

See Kai Run (smaller) - Robeez?  Great.  Stylish Old Navy shoes?  Fab.  But I have learned that true well-fitted shoes are worth the price.  See Kai Run has always done nice work for bigger toddlers, but their newer “smaller” collection offers even the littlest feet the most support, in multiple styles for both boys and girls.

Columbia Fleece Bunting - Given to us as a gift, this extremely cozy bunting is everything and more that I never knew I needed.  It washes and dries lovely, and has an attached hood, feet, and most importantly: fold-over mittens!  It is thin enough for Birdie to wear in the Ergo, and thick enough that she can be in the stroller without a stroller bunting.  It is not  waterproof the way true snowsuits are, but at around $25, this is a worthwhile purchase for a child that isn’t yet stomping in icy puddles or making snow angels.

Baby Buddy Secure-a-Toy - Is anyone else in the “All done!” and “No!” phase?  Because seriously, I can hardly take it anymore.  The problem is, I know this is just the beginning.  Part of the solution?  These super cheap bands with snaps: they keep rattles fastened to highchairs, snack traps attached to strollers, and Bird’s “Tails” book hooked onto my Ergo when we sit at Starbucks (she likes some light reading while having her sippy of milk, me with my latte).

Itzy Ritzy Reusable Bags - A friend of a friend of a friend started this company, and I say, “Bravo!”  They come in adorable prints and various sizes; all are washable, water-resistant, and reusable, making the larger one perfect for a wet swimsuit after swim class, and the smallest one ideal for cheerios.  Yes, yes, YES!

MD Moms Sunscreen Wipes - Is there much else less fun and more anxiety producing than trying to get enough sunscreen on your kid?  Well, MD Moms has done it again with these sunscreen wipes!  Pricey, but worth it with their easy application and substantially reduced mess.  And, no worries about a spill when keeping them in the diaper bag.  Woot woot!

Lakeshore Learning Soft and Safe Building Blocks - I originally came across these simple blocks years ago while working with children professionally, and recently, Bird’s Grammy fell in love with them when she took her to a play group.  This weekend, Bird was happily surprised when her Grammy and Pa broke open a new set at their house...jackpot!  Easily wipeable and brightly colored, this set offers a safe and fun way to explore block building.

Pinterest, Pinterest, Pinterest! -  Not a product, I know... but seriously, this website has served me too well to not give it a major shout-out.  Sign up and join for free, and “follow” other people that have similar interests to you.  Moms that are making baby food from scratch, teachers designing ocean-themed curriculum for their students, and artists creating child-friendly activities--this “virtual pin board” is an easy way to not only find great ideas, but keep them organized as well.

Kate’s Klips - Adorable, festive, and reasonably priced, these little gems spruce up any attire.  And if you know Bird, you know I joke that we absolutely have to have a little clip in her hair, or you wouldn’t be able to tell her apart from her daddy.  Buy them in bulk on Etsy, or individually at Isis Parenting stores in the Greater Boston area.

Fresh, Local Baby Food Made with Love

a guest post by founder of Lovage BabyBlends

Lovage isn’t just a plant, baby food company or sweet name. We consider it a concept that consists of nutritious food Made with Love starting at the farm and ending with you. We believe that good and honest food is a right, not a privilege. We believe these concepts and tastes are ingrained into us starting with our first foods, which sets the precedent for the rest of our foodie life. Here is how “I” turned into “we” and our mission began:

When my beautiful niece Ellery was born on Oct 16, 2012, my sister knew that she was going to feed Elle fresh, local, homemade baby foods for the highest nutrition and best taste. She works from home and is lucky to have the time to make foods for her baby. At the time, I was working 80-hour work weeks with several friends in the corporate world with babies as well. I don’t have a baby (yet!) but I was wondering how parents with similar schedules could provide their baby with fresh foods.

I quickly found out they wanted to but couldn’t because of time constraints and would love a service to provide this for them. They also felt unknowledgeable with the baby food store brands and would constantly wonder, “What do these ingredients mean? How do they attribute to their babies growth during this crucial time? Why are they funky colors? Where are the ingredients coming from?”

I began speaking with lots of parents and found out this was a widespread issue, not just with working parents but all parents. I knew I had to do something about this especially since I’ve always been passionate for nutritious, local foods and an expert blender. It was a tough decision to leave behind all the benefits of the corporate world but I knew my mission in life was to provide others with this service one family and baby at a time. I spent the last six months researching and creating the perfect firsts bites for Ellery and other babies, and brought on a team of like-minded experts to join me. 

Our team includes a nutritionist that helps us find the healthiest ingredients and to provide parents with nutritional facts for babies growth. The best local and responsible farmers and distributors to source our ingredients from. The most reliable food consultant to ensure the safest cooking process. And seven of the cutest babies that helped us discover the tastiest recipes. We’re excited to share with you the fruits of our labor which is why we set up various delivery options, convenient pick-up locations with great missions and the safest products to deliver our tasty Babyblends in.

With our mission, we hope to make the process of spreading the Lovage concept tastier for babies and easier for families.  

~Jessica Runnals, Founder of Lovage BabyBlends