Sunday, January 18, 2015

What We're Packing...

 Diaper Bag Edition

Having read countless lists of diaper bag essentials that left me wondering exactly how bulky (and heavy!) all of those necessities were, I decided to create my own diaper bag guide. With seven months of parenting experience under my belt this is, of course, the final word on efficient diaper bags. Obviously. ;)

Also, as I seem to have lost the ability to retain or convert anything in my short-term memory, this post gets to pull double-duty as a reminder to myself when I'm trying to figure out what's missing. Am I the only one who blogs things partially because I need help remembering them? Anyone? Oh, well.

Short and sweet diaper bag essentials.
Our basics.

The Bag: Nothing fancy, but I love the insulated bottle pouch. The little tags on the pockets are a nice bonus: great for helping Chris find things quickly.
Diapers: I always stock diapers for an entire day; the magic number is eight.
Wipes and Cream: One package of wipes, Bourdreaux's Extra Strength cream for combating diaper rash, and Crunchy Mamas balm for normal use.
Changing Pad: The zip-off changing pad from our portable changing station goes everywhere with us. Public changing tables give me the willies.
Plastic Bags: I always have three bags on hand for stinky diaper disposal. It's just plain rude to leave a public restroom reeking of soiled diaper.
Spare Outfit: For the winter, I've taken to packing one set of pajamas as a compact back up outfit for the off chance that there is an uncontrolled blowout.
Bib and Cloth: Reflux = extra spit up, so a spare bib and burp rag are handy.
Blanket:One of the biggest multi-taskers in the bag, we always take a blanket.
Sleep Sack: A must for our swaddle baby, especially when out past nap time.
Feeding Supplies: We're still doing a nursing/bottle combo out of necessity, so a shield, nursing pads, bottle, and spare milk are always with us. 
Pacifier and Toy: We use Ulubulu clips for both pacifiers and toys, but I always bring a spare binkie just in case. Our toys are usually just a rattle and Sophie.
Hand Sanitizer: A must during cold and flu season. I have been known to spray peoples hands as they are reaching for the baby. I pack hand lotion as well since winter + sanitizer/hand washing = super dry hands.

Optional: For day trips I pack a Plum Organics pouch, and we have a separate bag dedicated to pumping needs.

The Condensed Version: For extremely short trips I pull the changing pad out of the regular diaper bag and take the full station stocked with six diapers, mini diaper cream, ten wipes, and a onesie. But only on days when I feel brave.


Out?

I can sit all by myself, Mom. I'm not lion!

"One of the most obvious results of having a baby around the house is to turn two good people into complete idiots, who probably wouldn't have been much worse than mere imbeciles without it."
Georges Courteline

Monday, January 5, 2015

And Mother of the Year Goes To...

Anyone but me.

Seriously, no one mentions how quickly motherhood can make you feel like a failure. Having nurtured my own worst critic for years, I'm trying to make sure I am a cheerleader for myself instead by finding the positive side of things. For example: Cleaning Jr's nose, which is always a battle, ended with a booger landing in his mouth. And he promptly swallowed before I could grab it. On the positive side, his nose is clean and he found my gagging/dry heaves hilarious.

Obsession of the Week:
I found THE most amazing app last week! It's called Our Groceries and it is a game changer. No more phone calls back and forth to make sure that everything is on the grocery list and no more forgetting the list at home. More efficiency, better communication, more time! The app is easily linked to smartphones and tablets, so everyone has access to the same list.

December Snapshots
1) View
Monthly Snapshots
The Christmas decor I've been enjoying all month!

2) Happy
Monthly Snapshots
Most days this kid is the happiest person I know.
(He's laughing because he found the cat behind him.)

3) Balance
Monthly Snapshots
Taking on a whole new meaning around here...

4) Wear
Monthly Snapshots
I didn't buy a single thing for myself this month, can you believe it?
So here is Jr in a TMNT hat.

5) Love
Monthly Snapshots
My sister, the Queen of Random Nice Gestures.

6) Everyday
Monthly Snapshots
Into everything all day, every day.

7) Eat
Monthly Snapshots
I've discovered squash "noodles" and they are amazing!

8) Project
Monthly Snapshots
The annual spice drawer purge and label.

9) Habit
Monthly Snapshots
Sneaking in for "just one more" look.

10) Favorite
Monthly snapshots
This little face, even if it is 4am.

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential."
Ellen Goodman