Happy Halloween Sunnyside!

Fall is even more fun when there is an actual excuse for grown women like me to get their hands down and dirty painting baby pumkins and decorating fall leaf wreathes.

Monster gives me that reason and sometimes I see my husband give me weird looks as if trying to figure out "who exactly are we here for? The toddler or the mommy?"

This year, we joined the Harvest Festival organized by NYC Parks Department at Gantry Plaza (one of the other parks we frequent besides Lou Lodati). We "frequent" that park so much in fact that Monster actually has friends she remembers by name there. We joined a small group of other moms and their tots and got our hands (and clothes) dirty painting pumpkins.

I happily strung a fall leaf wreath together to hang at our door even though back in my mind I knew it won't last there a day. I have such a bad allergy to dead leaves, preserved or not, that even cut flowers are not allowed to stay in our home once they start to look anything less than happy. We've thrown many a fresh-flower bouquets out because I'd go on a sneezing rampage and be miserable until the flowers are thrown out and I have vaccuumed and mopped the apartment sterile.

It was a fun day and only the beginning. Tonight we'll be joining our friends in Sunnyside for some trick or treating with the tots. Though, I'm not sure if Monster will be allowed any candy afterwards *insert evil laughter*. No, for real though! She starts talking all funny and fast..very fast if she eats even one snack sized chocolate.

Kinda like me on a sugar high...only hyper charged only because she is not 2 and not 27.

I think she's hooked too!

So, this morning Monster demanded to wear a doll in a front carry. She even chose a longish scarf out of my scarf drawer and let me wrap the doll in a Kangaroo carry. A few minutes later, she reappears with another scarf and her other doll and asks me to wrap this one on too.

On went the doll on her back in a Ruck-tied-under-bum.

She went about the house like that for a good 15 minutes, patting the doll's back and saying "Awww--ww!" every now and then.

She really gets it! She really really gets it!

Wool and Winter

I can't wait for March and to while away the time, I am of course constantly browsing TBW community's For Sale or Trade forum.

Although there are many wraps out there, and many of them at jaw dropping discounts (enough to make me gaze longingly at my dwindling bank account and try to wish more money into it), there are a couple that I know I won't find.

One is the Noubulle Simon, a yummy blue and chocolate wrap that would be perfect for the March chill; and the other is the Fall 2010 Didymos special: Green Wool Fische!

Isn't it the perfect spring green??? *melting*

Edited November 20th, 2010: I am still obsessing over this colorway, and finally realized why! Long long time ago, I had seen something very similar and had be captivated by the image.

Of course, the only thing keeping me afloat is that while I can probably pull off the blankety Simon through at least June, Wool would be unbearable in the heat. Realizing and trying not to listen to the logic that wool is probably more breathable than 100% cotton Simon and logically would last me longer, but ugh! Logic, who told you to talk back??? TIME OUT!

I am very glad though that I won't have to deal with babywearing outerwear this time (yeah,like I did last time haha, it was oversized and maternity coats and jackets for this wife of a stingy, mean husband ppbbbbbhhhttttt)

Ok, let's rephrase it. WIZARD (dang Husband) is the one who's going to be glad I won't be making puppy eyes at him to shell out for babywearing outerwear.

Just for the record though, the M Coat (sold at UpMama )is the latest in babywearing outerwear fashion:

The M Coat...
is easily the most attractive babywearing coat available today and will keep you looking fabulous throughout your pregnancy, while out with baby or on your own. It just might be the best wardrobe investment you've ever made! Beautifully designed and crafted in Canada, this pure premium Canadian down, machine washable coat finds the perfect balance between sophistication and function. It is lightweight and breathable enough for spring and fall and yet warm enough to keep both you and baby cozy through many a winter. The faux fur and hood are also independently removable. The M Coat is backed by a lifetime warranty on it's workmanship.

The coat is priced at $385.







Did I hear someone fall out of their chair? No? Maybe it was just me.



Photos: Didymos.de, Upmama.com

Toys on the Fly!

At every bend around motherhood, we meet other moms whose kids are going through the same phases, same tantrums, same fascinations. There was this one time when Monster rejected all toys except for my leg and I was in tears wondering how can I distract her enough to make lunch, shower, pee or sit down.
At a play date of course, we moms went about wondering what IS the fascination with our legs! And one mom had the solution. A tupperware filled with beans! Umm, really? They'd go for that?
Apparently so.
Jessica of Mommyhood Next Right listed a number of things she'd created to distract her little one in WMD (Weapons of Mass Distraction).
I thought of commenting with some of our own innovative toys but then remembered, I didn't really come up with anything. I think I lost at least 85% of my brain cells post-baby and whatever gain and loss has gone on in the two years since amounts to a nominal recovery. So I looked to Sunnymoms for some ideas, considering that in a few month I'm about to lose whatever brain cells I DO have left.

These are some of the suggestions they offered:

1. Just toss them a used paper towel roll.
2. Fill mini water bottles with different items: elbow macaroni, rice, lentils etc. This mom's 6 month old was fascinated by the different sound of each bottle.
3. I did remember cutting out the bottom part of an old tube style laundry bag and letting Monster crawl in and out of it. Yup, minutes of fun.

Ok ladies, this is all I got. If you can help me, please do. This post is labelled under "What to do when it's 5 minutes to dinner and your child is still hoggin all the pans you need for cooking."
Ok it's really "when nothing else works"

Edited with additions:
...for diaper changes, we hung a few family photos on the wall above the changing pad. Every time we change a diaper, we go through the names of the people in the photos. [Daughter] has learned who everyone is and points at them when we say each name.

Patricia R.

...how about using old magazines or their every day book collection or even family photo album like an Where's Waldo book.
"Is anyone in that book wearing red? How many circles/ squares etc... Can you find on that page? Can you find grandma/pa, daddy/mommy on that page?"
And so on...
Of course this works for the toddler who's learning these concepts , but it's a wonderul diversion.

Janice

Playing Yoga with kids

Swimming like fish to the song Goldfish by Laurie Berkner Band

The Crocodile goes Chomp Chomp!
Making Soup when we got hungryMy most enthusiastic student

Changing Gears

This last weekend, our little family took a roat trip out to our favorite Lewin Farms for apple picking.

After spotting several babywearers and reminiscing about our own babywearing days, I've begun to wonder if this blog should shift gears for the time being as well.

More on this later, but comments and encouragement is welcome. I'll never stop oogling carriers and posting pictures of my favorites, but I think there is more going on in our life in this gorgeous neighborhood that needs to be covered.

Oh Snap! So simple!

I've been routinely asked my opinion on Baby Hawk's answer to Ergo, their very own structured, full buckle carrier: Oh Snap!

The only time previously I had touched on of these was when I was suddenly requested to spot a baby as the dad tried to put him in one of these. We struggled with adjustments, the chest belt came off, the waist belt was not extending... At that time I thought a more appropriate name for the carrier should have been Oh Crap!

Recently, I had the opportunity to try it on myself (and a doll as Monster was not cooperating, and when does she ever anyway?). The chest belt was as intimidating as ever, even after figuring out the easy way to clip it back on the tracks...there was too much plastic, too many snappable ends that looked alike, too much going on.

However, when it came to comfort once it was on, it reminded me of my own beloved Bambaroo Full Buckle. The waist belt is just as wide and structured, and the straps very comfortably padded. I can see how this can become a great alternative to the toddler carrier. Just to make sure, I laid them both out to compare the sizes.

Bambaroo on bottom, Oh Snap! on top.

The bodies on both Bambaroo and Oh Snap! are the same height, the width is almost the same with a slight inward curve on the body on the Oh Snap, where chubby toddler legs would hang out.

The straps are the same width as are the waist bands. The biggest difference really is the lack of a sleephood and many parents already feel they can do without one. Personally, we find it very usefuls as it not only saves Monster's head from the sun while she sleeps, it also lends a support so I don't have to hold her lolling head as I walk around.

My other issue again was with the chest straps: I don't need them to be falling off the tracks every time I try to adjust the height. I have other things to worry about. I was especially concerned with what would happen if they fell off while I was trying to adjust them on my back. The thought bothers me: I'd have to take the entire thing off, try to find a place to make sure Monster doesn't run off, while I squint and struggle with fixing straps.

I'd rate it a 3 out of 5, for this reason. For people who love the comfort of a fully adjustable buckle carrier but can't wait for custom spots from wahm carrier manufacturers, this is a reasonably good alternative.