It's a Roll Over!!

Our first big milestone!! During tummytime yesterday, Owen was making these little wiggles...luckily my camera was right close on the coffee table!!

Yahoo!! A few months ahead of schedule even!!!

Baby Gear Review #5 - Wishlist!

The final instalment! Yes, I could talk about our baby monitor and the tag-along toys that Owen enjoys, but what’s the fun in that? Instead, I decided to make a wish list of some of the things that I wish we had in the early days, and some of the things that we’re going to need to get in a few months’ time.

Stroller cupholders

Like I said, our stroller doesn’t have any cupholders and I’ve looked into whether or not Quinny makes something that can clip on. Well...they don’t. I think this might be a good alternative, but I’m going to have to find something to go along the front for when Owen has cereal and toys that need to be put in/on a tray. Thankfully, we’re a ways away from that, but nevertheless...something to investigate!

Edit: look what I found at Walmart for $10! LOVE The Safefit Snack Pod!!! First right now, it neatly stores a bottle of water, my blackberry and iPod when we're out for a walk. Later on...it'll slide down to hold a sippy cup and some snacks for Owen!

Highchair
The one pictured is the Bumble High Chair...which matches our Bouncy seat. I don’t know what high chair will suit us best...perhaps something that’s portable so we can take it with us when we’re out? Or maybe something a little more substantial and stationary like this one. We’re going to have to decide on this in a few months...he’s already 2months old!

Bumbo
When I was pregnant, I thought this was the dumbest thing ever. Really...a little squishy seat that helps babies sit? D-U-M-B. He’ll learn to sit on his own, TYVM! However, now that I see that there is a tray...it’s a good alternative to a high chair! It’s about half the price of the Bumble high chair, and it’s portable. Light weight, and can travel with us anywhere that we go? I think we may have a winner! And cost wise, it's about half as much as a traditional high chair!

Frog Pod
I put this on our Cheeky Monkey registry (what feels like eons ago now!) and I still love it. It would hold all of Owen’s bath toys, his soaps, shampoos, bubbles...it’s perfect! I absolutely love the little drainable pod that you scoop up the bath toys in! And it’s cute!

I know that there will always be things that we’d like to have, but really, at the end of the day, all he needs are clean clothes (no matter if they are new or not), a place to sleep (be it a borrowed bassinet, his carseat, swing or crib) and two parents that love him to bits. Is a fancy diaper bag necessary? No (though a prettier one would be nice for Mommy since it doubles as her purse! Haha) Will he suffer because we went for the lightweight stroller with airplane compliant travel bag rather than the big clunker with cup holders and an infant tray? No.

We love him, and no amount of baby gear, fancy bottles and formula for spitups, crazy toys and contraptions, will ever be able to replace what’s most important: his parents.

Baby Gear Review #4 - Splish Splash!

Bathtime!! It’s quickly becoming one of my favourite times with Owen, and I can’t wait until he can sit up on his own, splash and play in the tub with some toys. How much fun will that be!?

We started with a regular ‘ol baby tub in the bottom of our guest bathtub, borrowed from GodMomma, but quickly found that he’s too squirmy and wiggly...and that we have a hard time manoeuvring around one another. So...we’ve moved onto...

Puj Tub
We got this as a gift at one of my baby showers. Looking at it, I was a little sceptical. However! It’s awesome! The first time we used it, I couldn’t figure out why the water was draining all of the time. Well, totally user error – I had it angled wrong and the drain hole was below the water line. Once we fixed that issue, Owen was a happy (and warm) camper. The tub sort of snaps into itself, then bends to fit the shape of the bathroom sink. It’s made out of a foamy material, so it cradles the baby and sort of forms to their body. It also helps to not have a second pair of hands in the way, and since he’s so secure, I’m getting more confident in bathing him without help. The only downside is if you have a smaller bathroom sink, the faucet will get in the way.

He likes it, I swear!

Piccolo Washcloths
You’d think a washcloth is a washcloth, right? Well...we have about 50 of them and these ones are by far the softest ones that we have. I’ve found that ones that have patterns or characters on them are rather scratchy, and since a baby’s skin is so sensitive...I use those a spitup wipes more than anything else. But the Piccolo washcloths are super soft, patterned or not!

Johnson & Johnson’s Bedtime Bath Products
I love these products! The lavender and vanilla scent is awesome, and Owen seems to sleep alot better after a bath with these products specifically. We put a bit of the head-to-toe wash stuff in the Puj Tub to make some bubbles, use the shampoo for his lovely locks, and then lotion him all up with the lotion before getting him into his sleepsac. Absolutely I would try other products, preferably of the organic sort, but for now...this is what we like! If you have any recommendations for bath products that you absolutely love, please leave them in the comments!

Duck Towel
This was a gift from Sue and Larry in Florida. It’s soft, huge and cuddly, and I think probably Owen’s favourite part of bathtime – when it’s over! C scoops him up to put him into the towel, and the dries him off while I clean up the mess that we’ve made in the bathroom. The hood keeps his head warm, and it’s big enough to wraps around him a bunch so that he stays snugly.
Like I said, I can’t wait until he’s older and can sit in the bigger tub, splash around and play with bath toys. That’ll be fun. Wet and messy, but fun!

What's in store for tomorrow? Well! It's our Wishlist - a few things that we either still need to get, wish we had already, or items that are just dream worthy!

Baby Gear Review Part 3 - Feeding Time!

Happy Wednesday! Ready to discuss feeding? We are!

Nuk Orothodonic Bottles
These bottles were great in the beginning as they have a wider nipple base. So when we were back and forth from breast to bottle, there wasn’t much confusion. C really likes these bottles since they’re a little wider and he finds them more comfortable to feed Owen with. However...they only fit 5oz. and now that Owen is growing...he’s up to about 5-6+oz with every feed. They’re cheap though! $15 for 3 bottles at Walmart! Don’t mind if I do...

Playtex Ventaire
I LOVE these bottles! Since we started using them and have found a formula that we like, Owen hasn’t been spitting up nearly as much. We have three of the 6oz bottles with slow flow nipples, and 2 of the 9oz bottles with fast flow nipples. We use the fast flow nipples in the afternoon when he’s the most awake, and the slow flow’s over night or in the evening when he’s sleeping part way through his feeding...well until we burp him! Then he gets right angry with us and wants his bottle back immediately! These bottles are great, about $6 each, so compared to the competition...they’re cheap and effective!

Similac Advance Formula
We started with this formula, in the pre-made form, when we were in the hospital and needed to get Owen’s blood sugars into an acceptable range, so...we kept using it when we were at home. Holy expensive! And holy constipation! The cans of the pre-made formula are about $20 for 12 cans. When we were using them, each can lasted 3 feedings...but now that he’s up to 6+, they don’t last very long! We also noticed that we were only changing poopy diapers once every 3-4 days...not so good for a little one! So...we probably wouldn’t recommend this one.

Enfamil Gentlease
We started Owen on this formula about 2 weeks ago and have noticed a significant improvement in his spitups and diapers! We’re buying the powder now, about $28 per can, and it lasts us a week currently. Nana suggested that we take a trip to Costco to see if there’s a price difference...so we will be doing that sometime in the next couple of weeks since Owen is just going to keep eating more and more. Well...until he’s on “solids” (aka Mommy’s Pureed Yummy Food)

Not a whole lot to review in the feeding section of our lives, but tomorrow we’re onto bathtime!

Edit: There have been a few additions and changes to our feeding routine (like Owen being up to 7oz!) since I wrote this originally, therefore....three more things to review before I let you go for the day!

Parents Choice Gentle Formula

An online-mommy let me know that Parents Choice and Enfamil are identical in their makeup, both have the Omega's added, Iron fortified, and have gentle products for my farty little Monster. We started on it yesterday, and I'm surprised to find that it's a full $10 cheaper (though, we've yet to price it at Costco to see if we can save even more dough!). It mixes just fine, no gritty residue, and Owen doesn't seem to mind the difference. Heck...in a pinch yesterday he went from Enfamil, to Good Start, to Parents Choice! What a trooper!

Nuby Formula Dispenser

Oh Erin and Shizz...you were SO right! I bought this yesterday while I was out and panicking that Owen was going to wake up and realize "Wait a second...3.5oz isn't enough Mommy!!" when we ran out of formula. I forgot to bring a little tupperware/rubbermaid container with me, and was going to be out for lunch with a friend, so I picked this up. LOVE LOVE LOVE. What a lifesaver! 3 feedings in one...which means I don't need 3 separate little containers taking up all of the room in the diaper bag. It only fits enough formula in each compartment for a 7oz. feeding, but that's a-ok with me!

Nuby No-Drip 10oz. Bottles

We haven't used these a whole lot yet, just a 6oz. overnight and C was a little too tired to notice if he liked them. But we have them, and they were $7 for 3 bottles! SCORE! I picked them up because they were 10oz. instead of 9, are sporty and can be used as toddler bottles with the right topper (sold separately). My favourite part about them are the nipples - they're vari-flow, so the baby can control the speed of the flow based on their suck, and they have little nubbs on them...perfect for an early teether!!

Baby Gear Review Part 2 - The Diaper Bag

Today is the review of the diaper bag...and all things that go in it!

Skip Hop Via Messenger Bag
I was a little hesitant when we were picking out a diaper bag for my Mother’s Day gift this year. I wanted something stylin and almost like a purse, however C wanted something practical and manly. We compromised with the Skip Hop Via Messenger Bag in black, with a sleek silver lining. Do I wish it had a lovely black and white damask design? Yes. However...the pockets on the inside are amazing enough to make me not care about it being girly! It has two bottle pockets, which are lined with pockets for flexible icepacks, a zippered pocket and three open pockets. The zippered pocket we use for the formula scoop since it gets sticky, and two of the three pockets we use for diapers and wipes. The third pocket is my stuff – extra deodorant for the days I forget, breast pads, and typically an extra soother or two. The big open space in the centre usually has a hat, receiving blanket, sweater and onesie...just in case! On the outside there are another five pockets and two bottle holders. There is a long rectangular pocket on the front which usually holds my wallet and camera, then a pocket on the back that is antimicrobial for dirty diapers. On the flap there are two pockets, perfect for keys and a Blackberry! All in all, a very wise purchase! And it comes with stroller clips, so it hangs right on the handles so everything is within reach, right when I need it.

Pampers Swaddlers
Our diaper of choice! The Newborn ones even have a line that turns green when it needs to be changed, making those first few weeks at home a little bit easier for new parents!
They fit snug, which is great since Owen is on the long and lean side of things, and they are very absorbent as well. They don’t get bulky when full, which I really like, and we have very few leaks. He could go an entire night of not being changed, and not leak through everything he's wearing/touching.


Huggies Organic Diapers
HATE. I have nothing good to say about Huggies diapers. They leak, they are bulky...he blows out of them (he blows out of Pampers on occasion, but not as often by far) To be honest, I haven’t met a mommy yet who prefers Huggies to Pampers. To each their own, I’m sure those Mom’s are out there...but I am not one of them. Edit: I wrote this a few days ago, and last night reaffirmed my loathing for these diapers. He soaked through them, his clothes, his sleepsac, and his carseat liner (we had sleep issues last night). Yes, we hadn't changed his diaper in a while, but had it been a Pampers...it would have been full and damp, but not soaking through everything!

RazBaby Keep-it-Kleen Pacifiers
Owen LOVES these and we think they are super cute. The great part about them is that if they drop on the floor, they close up, keeping the soother part nice and clean. My only gripe with them is that if Owen sucks really hard, the keep-it-kleen part makes a ring around his face. But...if they keep him happy, we’re all for them!





Avent Translucent Pacifiers
By far, these are Owen’s favourite. They are orthodontic, which we love, and Owen finds them easy to suck on...which we also love. They’re inexpensive, and he doesn’t look like eyes with a pacifier. It’s a soother...not much to say here! Oh! They have glow-in-the-dark handles, which makes finding them in his bassinet/crib/carseat at night super easy!

Arm&Hammer Diaper Duck by Munchkin
We got this as a gift from Tracy&Crew, and honestly...it’s awesome! We’ve had a few blowouts in the car...stroller...carseat...while we’re out shopping and if there’s no public garbage (sorry City of London!) that we can dispose of the goods in, this comes in handy! Just pop it in the diaper bag, and we’re good to go! And it smells good too!

Tune in tomorrow when I review all things feeding!

Baby Gear Review - Part 1

As promised (via facebook), here is my Baby Gear Review of some of the things that we use in and around the house...be it good or bad. There are so many things that I want to discuss that I’m going to have to dedicate the entire week to reviews and do them little by little, including ending the week with a little wish list of things that we still need to get.

Maxi Cosi Carseat
To be honest...it’s a carseat. It does its job of keeping Owen snug and safe for a stroller or car ride, and provided a safe place for him to sleep for the first 6 weeks when he refused the bassinet. *note to all: no his bones won’t be crooked because he slept in his carseat!* It’s very lightweight and has a great system for keeping the straps tight, so that he is extra safe. I love the brown and turquoise (shocker...since that is Owen’s entire nursery). The only thing that I wish it had was a sunshade that came over the front a wee bit more, since we spent alot of time outside.

Quinny Buzz Stroller
LOVE! This is one of my favourite baby items that we have. It handles like a dream! I can turn it with one hand...no joke! It’s super lightweight, and it comes with a handy travel bag that is small enough for the overhead bin on an airplane! The only problem that I have with it is the lack of cupholders! Since we’re going for walks more and more, and Mommy’s trying to get fit to keep up with Owen, it’d be nice to have somewhere for a water bottle! And there isn’t a kiddo-tray for when he’s older and will have cereal and toys...I must investigate attachments.

Monkey Gym
Owen hated this the first time that he used it. I think it was too soon (about 2-3wks old) for him and he got more scared of all of the little animals hanging above him. Now though, he kicks, pivots, squirms and talks to the animals. It’s great for tummy time as well as it comes with it’s own Boppy-like pillow...which has been sucked on by a teething little boy a few times in the past week or so. It’s collapsible, so it will be great for travelling, has a little pocket to hide toys and a mirror that plays music and has some lights on it (we haven’t used that part yet though)

Bumble Bouncer
Again, we used this too soon and he absolutely hated it the first few times. Now that he kicks and squirms and can make it bounce on its own, he seems to enjoy it much more. It doesn’t take long for him to find the bugs that hang overhead, and he seems to enjoy the vibration and womb sounds. He’s getting so big though that it’s almost too small for him. If you’re looking for a bouncer chair that looks nice, is soft and cuddly, but that you’re not shelling out a tonne of cash for, we really like this one!

Cloud B Sleep Sheep
By far, my most favourite thing. I’ve gotten it for MommaT, who is expecting her second kiddo (affectionately nicknamed Squid) in December, and have recommended it to many an online-mommy friend of mine. Owen absolutely LOVES it, and it’s given us many peaceful nights as he falls asleep within seconds of it being on. He likes the ocean waves and bubbling brook the best, and we find the whale sounds to be a little...odd...being that they’re coming from a sheep and all! It is fantastic! We have the travel size version, and literally...it goes with us everywhere. To softball, the doctor...road trips and even just over to Nana and Papi’s house if we’re going to be there for a while. In a word, it’s a life (and sanity) saver!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post as I review our diaper bag, and all things that go in it...including the diapers we love (and hate), wipes, soothers and other little gadgets!

1st Needles

Oh gosh...

Yesterday we had Owen's first doctor's appointment where needles were involved. The entire day until 4pm, I was anxious as all get out, and I think that Owen was picking up on it.

We went for a nice lunch with Nana and Lu, which Owen slept through. I had to coax him awake with a bottle, which he only took half of. Oi...this was not setting him up to be the calm little boy that I was hoping to take to the doctor's in a few hours.

We rushed over to the grocery store to print out his baptism invitations (another post for another day), and home to get a new mini-bottle for the doctor's office just in case, change a poopy diaper and then we were off to get C from the office.

Owen was a superstar yesterday at his appointment. He was screaming from hunger once we got into the baby-room, but I didn't want to give him a bottle until after the shots, knowing that it would be the only thing that would calm him down in case they didn't go well.

Height - 23"

Weight - 11lbs 2.5oz.

Head circumference - 40.5cm

That's right...he's a little (big) monster! He's doing really well, and is still in the highest percentile for his height. Must be those strong Szem genes!

Dr. Gari inspected his every inch, and once she was happy...out came the shots. Thankfully, she and Sharon did the shots at the same time, and I sat back while C made sure everything went allright.

Owen's face quickly went beat red and the highest pitched squeal of a scream that I have ever heard came out of his mouth. I mixed a bottle and Sharon passed him to me for a snuggle. It was kinda nice to be the good guy, offer a snuggle and a bottle and cuddle him up after the shots.

I'm very thankful that C was there. I was fearful for my mental health...knowing that the shots would likely result in ridiculous screaming from Owen. I was worried that I wouldn't react well, or that I would just break down crying. I actually let out a little giggle when he screamed, and snuggled with him to make him feel better.

And I don't think he's any worse for wear!