Nest Baby Editor's Blog

So what? My boy loves his kitchen!

2007-12-19T19:57:00Z

When I told my husband that Wyatt really wanted a kitchen for the holidays, he was a bit shocked. But, there was no denying our top-chef-in-training of his cool blue compact cooking center.

We told Nana and Poppie that this big ticket item (Play Wonder Kitchen from Target, $99) was going to be the hit of the season. Sure enough: not only does it look good in my house; but it is also his favorite new item ... alongside trains, firetrucks, kicking the ball in the house (yikes!), pirates and all those delicious "boy" things.

I say, why not let the kid learn to love the kitchen, the vacuum cleaner and the laundry basket. Maybe encouraging him to tidy up as a tot will make his wife very happy one day!

What's on your kids' wishlist this year?

The Best Bibs

2007-12-06T21:43:00Z

When Cooper started eating solids, my laundry increased dramatically due to all the bibs. Every meal resulted in a terrycloth mess of smushed sweet potatoes or apples. Gross! The last thing a busy mom needs is more clothes to clean -- so what to do?

Enter Bumkins, which I have now dubbed "the laundry-less bib." From the first time I tried them -- on a recommendation from our nanny -- I was hooked. Bumkins not only come in stylish graphic patterns, they are made of a special waterproof fabric that cleans in a breeze. After Cooper wolfs down another jar of carrots, all I have to do is run the bib under the faucet for a few moments and the food and stains are gone. You don't even need soap to clean it -- though I prefer to use a dab of dish doap. When we're on the go, I just quickly wash the bib down with a baby wipe, and then it's ready to be used again! Doesn't get much easier than that.

Any other Bumkins fans out there? What are some of your favorite feeding products?

Hollywood Baby Boom

2007-11-21T15:30:00Z

The new year is poised to be bouncing with new celebrity babies -- and that means showers with tons of trendy baby gear! Nicole Richie, who looks to be due sometime in the next month or two, recently celebrated her bundle of joy with a Wizard of Oz-themed shower. Nicole reportedly received a Jack Boy T-shirt by Tummy, which has caused some chatter that she and Joel Madden are expecting a boy, though they remain mum on their child's gender. Christina Aguilera is due in January and celebrated her baby boy's impending arrival with a carnival-themed baby shower. Famous guests like Gwen Stefani (who has been spotted in Prague pushing son Kingston around in a limited edition gold stroller by Mamas and Papas) came armed with gear for the tiny man, including the adorable and surprisingly affordable Johnny Socks by Trumpette (shown here). These socks make tiny newborn feet look like they're wearing high-top sneakers. Too cute!

A solution for droopy maternity pants

2007-11-14T22:44:00Z

As soon as I started really showing, I was lucky enough to be offered a whole slew of maternity clothing by a friend who had just had a baby herself. I was beyond thrilled because she included quite a few pairs of corduroy pants – one of my absolute favorite fall and winter staples. Only problem? They wouldn’t stay up. Ever. I tried various other types of maternity pants only to discover that this issue wasn’t limited to just corduroys. I did not have a single pair of maternity pants that would stay up. I spent entire days pulling up my pants. Truthfully, I feel like I lost years of my life pulling up maternity pants. Step step…pull up the pants…step step…pull up the pants. I figured I’d have to give up. Clearly, maternity pants were just never going to stay up on me and there was either something wrong with my body or pregnant women all over the world were pulling their pants up every 30 seconds.

Google to the rescue. In desperation, I did a search for “maternity pants won’t stay up” and eventually found my way to a blog where women were chatting about a pair of maternity suspenders called Belly Ups. I didn’t even think, I just clicked and ordered. I was willing to try anything to end the torture. They arrived a few days later and, sure enough, they worked! I could wear my pants and they never fell down. It was like a miracle. You do have to attach them to the non-stretchy part of your pants and then to your bra, so you’re better off not using a really nice bra when you wear them because they do stretch out the material a bit. Anyone else have any “miracle” products that helped them through pregnancy?

Jet Baby Blue

2007-11-13T16:34:00Z

Two weeks ago we took our 10-month-old son on his first flight to visit his grandmother in Rochester, NY. Even though the airtime was only an hour and our total trip was only three days, we still hauled what felt like a week's worth of gear through the airport -- the concept of "traveling light" simply doesn't exist when you're traveling with a baby.

We received some great tips ahead of time from BTDT moms, and developed some methods of our own. Here are some things you can do to make your next flight with baby a lot less turbulent:

Contact your airline ahead of time. Find out their policies on checking strollers and car seats, and how much extra baby-related baggage you're allowed. Our airline let us take a big diaper bag and didn't count it as part of our carry-ons.

Consolidate. Anything you can bring that is dual-purpose will make life simpler. I saw a few people using the Go-Go Kidz Travelmate (shown here), which easily attaches on to your carseat and converts it into a stroller. Brilliant!

A sling or carrier is great for going through security. Since we had to put our stroller on the x-ray conveyor belt (we brought our folding Maclaren Triumph), I wore Cooper in my beloved Ergo Carrier through the security area. Having two hands free made things much easier, especially when recollecting our belongings after passing through the checkpoint.

Don't necessarily board early. As a courtesy, airlines allow you to board the plane early if you're traveling with small children. Reconsider doing this. Remember it takes 30+ minutes for everyone else to board, and all of that is just extra time your child will be spending in a cramped seat getting antsy. You don't have to board early.

Sit in the window seat. I'm normally an aisle person, but since I was holding Cooper on my lap, we wound up trading seats with the kind woman sitting next to us. Being in the window seat prevented his squirmy arms and legs from stretching out into the aisles where flight attendants and other passengers are constantly walking back and forth. (Yes, it's a harder seat to get out of, but we figured that was the trade-off).

Feed on take-off and landing. The changes in pressure bother those little ears so it's a good idea to nurse or bottle-feed your baby during the ascent and descent. This forces them to swallow and helps keep the ears open -- worked like a charm for us!

Bring entertainment! So they don't wind up trying to climb up the seat in front of you (as Cooper attempted several times), bring tons of books and toys to keep baby's attention. Remember to leave home anything that squeaks loudly or makes noises -- the passengers sans-baby will thank you.

Plan ahead and relax. Travelling with kids can be stressful. Make packing lists for yourself and tape them on the back of the front door so you won't forget anything on your way out. If you are visiting family, contact them ahead of time and ask them to pick up things like diapers and wipes -- this will prevent you from having to pack such bulky items in your luggage.

Do any traveling Nestie moms have more tips to share? Add them below!

Setting Office Hours as a SAHM

2007-11-07T17:07:00Z

If you've followed my blog, you know that opted for the SAHM route about a year ago. But, all along, I've committed naptime and evening hours to continuing my career as a publicist and event planner -- and that has been one key to keeping my sanity.

But looking after a toddler, your house, and juggling freelance projects often feels like a harder job than your typical 9-to-6 full time job. After all, I am now responsible (and completely accountable) for keeping my boy happy, fed, changed, entertained and safe while finding time to squeeze in the dishes, grocery shopping, paying bills, AND working on several jobs simultaneously. I cannot complain because this new schedule allows me to spend most of his awake hours as an SAHM -- but I find it hard to do everything.....and feel a constant tug of war again about balancing my crazy, happy life.

I've decided to set office hours with my clients, and be upfront about my availability with business partners. So long as I can prioritize my tasks to fit into this schedule, I have been able to meet all demands.

Are any of you in this same place in your life? I would suspect that any mom with starting a business in mind or working from home might feel the same way I do? Advice?

Solids? No Thank You!

2007-11-05T22:14:00Z

Now that Patrick is six months old, our pediatrician has given us the green light to start feeding him cereal and veggies. I have no idea why, but I've been dying to start feeding him solids. He's known nothing but breast milk for so long that I figured he'd love trying new tastes and textures, but he's not the least bit interested -- in anything. He won't open his mouth for rice cereal, he literally pushed the spoon away when I tried green beans, and sweet potatoes go in only to be spit right back out. We've even tried what we call "ambush feeding" where one of us makes silly faces until he laughs, while the other shoves a tiny spoonful of whatever we're trying to feed him into his mouth. That works (sometimes), but DH and I work opposite schedules so I'm usually feeding him solo.

I know it's just a matter of time before he gets used to solids, so I'll keep trying. Until then, I'll stock up on Oxi Clean -- it's the only thing that gets those sweet potato stains out.

Defining Moments

2007-11-02T00:05:00Z

This past week of has definitely been one of the most trying I've had in a long time. In addition to all of the Halloween hoopla, preparing for Griffin's 4th birthday party, and the usual life and work issues to deal with, two out of the three kids have been sick and the third is teething to the point of misery.

At some point in the middle of the crying and insanity, covered in the vomit of two children, I realized that - to me - that was the defining moment of motherhood. Sure, pregnancy and childbirth were major events, and the first time the babies smiled and laughed at me were amazing and unforgettable. But I have to say it's really the puking that makes me realize my lot in life. And the extra laundry aside, I have no complaints.

Anyone else? What are your "defining" mommy moments? You, too, PG ladies...when did it start to feel real to you?