October 23, 2009
- I got Ainsley out of the crib at 10:30 this morning.
- I loaded photos from our weekend onto the computer.
- Ainsley is gently sorting all the contents of my wallet.
- I am thinking about getting to a Farmers’ Market this week — one of the season’s last.
- Ainsley is now sharing the credit cards with Annabelle, her hedgehog puppet.
- I feel well rested for the first time in over a week.
- Scott is at work.
- We miss Scott.
- I had 76 unread blogs between Friday morning and this morning.
- I still have 58 unread blogs after reading through my favorites this morning.
(And how can I forget?! Ainsley’s gums are erupting with teeth — eye teeth and molars. Ouch!)
And this is what happened last week.
Don’t worry, they’re clean.
No email, no blogs, no Twitter. Maybe no cell phones.
We’re off for a weekend adventure of driving, hiding under warm blankets, and unplugging.
There will undoubtedly be Caribou Coffee, cookies, and a camera.
See you next week!
On the day you turned one…
We went to the zoo!
We saw goats that bleat and cows that moo,
and of course we couldn’t forget to bring Pooh.
On the day you turned one…
You opened a present from Mama and Daddy.
“A book! I love it! Let’s read it, please.
Mama and Daddy made a book all about me!”
On the day you turned one…
There was one little cupcake and a single candle light…
There was a happy birthday song performed with much delight,
and there was a Daddy who huffed and who puffed with all of his might.
On the day you turned one…
You squished and mushed and sorted out your cupcake…
“Mama, where’s the broccoli? There must be a mistake.
Oh wait, this is yummy. Daddy, would you like to partake?”
On the day you turned one…
We remembered the day we met you, our little hunny bun…
We can’t believe the first year is over, and a new one’s begun.
Always our baby, you’re a toddler now, and you tell us, “All done!”
Anyone who’s ever stepped foot inside Babies R Us knows that baby gear abounds, nay, overwhelms. Strollers, car seats, bath tubs, humidifiers, diaper bags, bassinets, rockers, gliders, changing tables, changing pads, diaper pails, dressers, lamps, carriers, swings, loungers, portable cribs, high chairs, foam chairs, entertainment-type chairs, booster chairs, potty chairs, on and on and on and on… Until you want to sit down and cry. Which I did.
As we near the end of our baby gear phase with Ainsley, I’ve been thinking about what we could live without, what we might want next time around, and what I can’t possibly give up.
All the gear that any baby NEEDS is milk, diapers (we love Kissaluvs), a carseat (we love our Britax convertible seat) and a place to sleep (we love our crib — we don’t know the brand since it was a warehouse find). But what about all that other stuff?
My “Can’t Live Without It” List:
The Sling – I am firm believer in babywearing. I love my pink fleece Kangaroo Korner sling. I wish I had been more confident using it when Ainsley was teeny-tiny. I will definitely do more babywearing with our next baby (whenever that is). The sling can also be positioned differently for breastfeeding, and for later use with toddlers and children, which I love.
The Lightweight Stroller – Ainsley’s only stroller. Indecision resulted in our not registering for a stroller at all, and I’m glad we didn’t. My mom gave us a garage sale lightweight stroller with a generously sized basket below the seat and a moveable shade on top. My only two complaints: it doesn’t collapse (but it is very sturdy as a result), and I wish it had over-the-shoulder straps in addition to the lap belt (but Ainsley’s leaning-forward phase was ultimately short lived and we survived without shoulder straps). Regardless, we love it and won’t be trading it in anytime soon.
The Backpack – We didn’t register for a diaper bag, either. TOO MANY CHOICES! After a few months of struggling with the shoulder diaper bags (freebies), I found a backpack that was included with our luggage set. It ended up being the perfect diaper bag for us. It’s black and smaller than school backpacks. Scott is very willing to wear it since it isn’t “girly” and it fits inside the basket of our stroller. We can wear it and have both our hands free. We often put our things front pocket with diapers, toys, food, and the sling in the back. Perfect.
And let’s not forget:
- I also like our garage sale pack ‘n’ play by Graco. It’s just the “classic navy” model. There are so many models out there with a lot of accessories. Ainsley never spends enough time in there to need a singing, motorized mobile, swinging and vibrating basinet, and so forth.
- When I was learning to breastfeed, I was entirely dependent on my nursing pillow. I don’t know if I will need it with our next child, but I could not have managed without it in those early weeks.
- In the category of “mama gear” — my breastpump was vital. I like Medela’s electric model in the shoulder bag.
And maybe someday:
- If we ever upgrade our stroller (and who knows if we’ll need to), this is my dream stroller - Phil and Ted’s Sport.
- I would like to get a second piece of babywearing gear. Not sure what type. Any suggestions?
- I also like the idea of a lambskin blanket.
- I’d like to get a new crib mattress that is chemical-free.
So Mama’s, Daddy’s, Auntie’s, Sitter’s, and Grandparent’s — What’s the stuff you can’t live without? What brands do you like? What didn’t work for you? Please share!
I can’t share Ainsley’s 1st birthday pictures before I share this post with you.
Growing up, we always made a big deal out of “your last day to be… [insert age here]“. So the day before Ainsley’s first birthday, we took some pictures in the backyard to mark her last day to be a baby.
I love how the pictures really capture one of our last evenings of summer and our own special moments with Ainsley as parents.
We love you, baby girl!
I’ll be sharing photos from Ainsley’s 1st birthday soon! (Yeah… a month and a half late…)
Stay tuned.
Brr! It’s freezin’ outside!
I took off this morning for the St. Paul Farmers’ Market while Scott stayed home with Ainsley. They read stories and then she napped for 2 hours! With that kind of resume, I think he should be in charge of nap time every day.
Anyway…
Today’s picks:
- 4/$5: Sugar pie pumpkins (I’ll roast them and freeze the puree for pies, bread, and maybe ravioli. The seeds will be roasted and eaten, too.)
- $4: 2 trays of potatoes, one red, one yukon gold
- $3: Sweet carrots
- $1: 3 leeks
- $1: 2 garlic
- $5: 1/4 peck of Fireside apples (YUM!)
- $2.50: 1/4 peck of Fireside apples (seconds quality)
- $0.75: A very sad looking bundle of celery. I had only $0.75 left and I really wanted the celery, but it was $2. I asked for $0.75 worth and they gave me a pathetic little broken off bunch. I don’t care. It smells so good! And we haven’t had celery since winter last year. It will be perfect for soup!
- $0.75: One sweet yellow onion. A big one.
It was cold, and the market is so much smaller than it was this summer. Kind of sad, but really exciting, too. I loved seeing all the gourds, root vegetables, celery, apples, and even cranberries. Fall has delicious foods and I hope we can celebrate all these foods in the next few weeks. What a joy to see my daughter marvel at the pumpkins and unload the potatoes when I came home.
Let’s eat!
Photo credit: Keith Scott Morton
Commitment #3: Send a Christmas e-card.
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,
with every Christmas card I write.
I love cheery Christmas cards and colorful photos. Last year, in an effort to save time and money, I created an online e-card for the holidays. One year later, I’m really glad I did and I’m excited to create a new one this year!
I remember watching my mom handwrite dozens of Christmas letters on yellow legal paper when I was a kid. There’s something warm and personal about it… something you can’t replicate in a Xeroxed newsletter or electronic card. I hope to make time in the coming year for more personal, written communication to long-distance loved ones.
But not for our mass Christmas mailing.
A few reasons I really loved our e-card:
- Flying snow on the pages until mid-January (totally cute, right?)
- Quick links to our family blog
- Very recent photos can be used since they don’t need to be printed and assembled for mailing weeks in advance
- Big, bright photos and pages (for free)
- Easy to share with all our family, friends, and co-w0rkers (not just the few we can afford to send a card to)
- Easy for our friends and family to share with our other family and friends not on our email lists
- Saves money on newsletter printing, cards and envelopes, photo printing, and postage (which I estimate to be at least $60 for us, depending on how many we would send and what type)
This year, I was inspired by one blogger’s suggestion to take the saved costs of an e-card and put that toward a charity. With all the costs I calculated, I think that could really add up for us. Scott and I will pick a charity we want to support this year and start a new tradition for our family.
Since some of our relatives don’t use email or the Internet, I’ll print a few full-color paper copies of the e-card to mail with a handwritten note. Maybe something like this…
May your days be merry and bright…
And may all your Christmases be white.
Here is where my post ends for those of you interested in only the “money-saving” portion of my “green” holiday series.
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And now to get all “green” (as in “eco”) on you…
- 1.7 billion Christmas cards (the amount sent in Britain alone each year) equates to about 200,000 trees.
- In 2005, the U.S. Census estimated that 1.9 billion Christmas cards are sent in the U.S. each year. Another 200,000+ trees, this year alone.
- “They’re just trees”… But in recent years, we’re finding out that trees have a direct correlation to our health and well being. For example, kids that live in tree-lined streets and in the suburbs have a decreased risk of asthma.
- In the U.S., childhood asthma rates have increased by 50% in the last 25 years (similar increase worldwide). Asthma rates are highest and most damaging (resulting in hospitalization) in poor, urban settings.
- Trees filter out pollution and can even reduce the severity of asthma attacks in kids. When we start cutting down trees, especially in impoverished and polluted regions, we put children at risk.
- Not only does a lack of trees hurt us, but the very process used for creating paper is incredibly harmful to us. The EPA reports that “pulp and paper mills are among the worst polluters to air, water and land of any industry in the [U.S.].” This is true of paper-making worldwide.
- Some will argue that “trees farms” (not forests) supply a lot of our paper. However, there is a lot of evidence that old-growth forests are still being cleared worldwide to feed our paper dependence. It’s estimated that as much as 95% of America’s old-growth forests have been cleared already, and 80% worldwide.
It’s not just the Christmas cards, obviously. And it’s not just the wrapping paper.
But these are two things I can control, areas where I an reduce my use this Christmas season. So in the next 11 weeks until the big day, I’m finding other ways to wrap gifts and send cards. And I look forward to reading those special Christmas greetings from our loved ones, in whatever form they come.
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know.
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen to hear
sleigh bells in snow.
